《To the Love of My Life》 Chapter 1 - 1 Chapter 1: The Male God Lives Next Door (1) 1 Chapter 1: The Male God Lives Next Door (1) Translator: 549690339 You give me warmth, and I promise you a world in love ¡ª¡ª When Ruby Gregory wakes up, it¡¯s already bright outside. She stretches lazily, then feels a soreness throughout her body. Frowning, she sits up and sees the faint shadow of a tall figure in the bathroom with the glass door open, accompanied by the sound of running water. Ruby is stunned for two seconds before suddenly recalling the passionate moments with Steve Burton the previous night. Her face turns slightly red, and she instinctively grabs the quilt, lowering her head shyly. Ruby and Steve have known each other since childhood and have always been close friends. Now that they finally share a bed, he should take responsibility and marry her, right? Upon thinking this, Ruby¡¯s eyes light up with excitement. About ten minutes later, the bathroom door opens. Ruby looks up to see Steve, dressed neatly, walking out. Despite knowing him for nearly twenty years, the man before her still astounds her: deep eyes, pale lips, perfect features, all paired with a simple white dress shirt, presenting a stunning, breathtaking appearance. Ruby holds onto the quilt a little tighter, a gentle smile on her face as she softly calls his name, ¡°Steve¡­¡± Steve¡¯s face is almost expressionless. He walks past Ruby sitting on the bed, with a graceful demeanor, but never once glancing at her. Standing in front of the wardrobe, he picks up his suit jacket, and wearing it leisurely in front of the cheval mirror. Just last night, they were so sweet together. But after their passionate encounter, he¡¯s become so cold. Ruby frowns but keeps the same gentle smile on her face, speaking again, ¡°Steve, last night¡­¡± As Ruby utters these two words, she falls silent. Even though she wants to marry him, how can she bring up such an event? Steve has his back turned towards Ruby, and when he hears the words ¡°last night,¡± his fingers pause slightly before casually buttoning up his suit one by one. Only then does he slowly turn around and meet Ruby¡¯s gaze. The man doesn¡¯t speak, his face still expressionless and seemingly calm, yet somehow exuding an aura of pressure that fills Ruby with an uncontrollable sense of tension and unease. Ruby swallows hard and tactfully asks, ¡°Steve, do you have something to do later¡­?¡± Before Ruby can finish speaking, Steve interrupts her with his absolutely stunning voice. His tone is neutral, yet connected to her previous sentence, ¡°Last night? What about last night?¡± What does he mean, ¡°What about last night?¡± They had slept together¡­Ruby opens her mouth, looking puzzled at the elegantly dressed and refined Steve, not quite understanding the meaning behind his words. Steve takes two steps forward, raises Ruby¡¯s chin with his hand, and leans in, getting closer to her face. ¡°Although you were inexperienced and a bit shy, which didn¡¯t make it completely satisfying, I still quite liked it¡­¡± Steve pauses for a moment before adding, ¡°However, that¡¯s limited to only last night in bed.¡± Chapter 2 - 2 Chapter 2: The Male God Lives Next Door (2) 2 Chapter 2: The Male God Lives Next Door (2) Translator: 549690339 The man¡¯s voice was low and pleasant, yet, this pleasant voice was like a knife, plunging deeply into Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart. The last trace of color on her face faded away completely, her voice slightly pale: ¡°Steve Burton, what do you mean by that?¡± Upon hearing her retort, Steve Burton sneered coldly, looking at Ruby Gregory with her pale face. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply pulled up a corner of his lips, then let go of Ruby Gregory¡¯s chin and turned to leave. ¨C With the ¡°bang¡± of the door closing, Ruby Gregory¡¯s face became even paler. She sat dazedly on the bed ¨C her brain buzzing with confusion. Why would Steve Burton say such a thing to her? Where did things go wrong? Why did Steve seem like a changed man after their night of passion? Just as Ruby Gregory was puzzling over this, a pleasant ringtone sounded in the room. Ruby came back to her senses, picked up the phone next to her, glanced at the caller ID. It was her father, Maxwell Gregory. Ruby hesitated for a moment, then answered the phone. She didn¡¯t get a chance to speak before she heard her father¡¯s voice, somewhat stern, coming from the other end of the phone: ¡°Ruby, did you and Steve last night¡­¡± Even though Maxwell Gregory¡¯s words were only half-spoken, Ruby understood what he was asking. With her head down, she gently said ¡°yes¡± into the phone. Hearing her confirmation, Maxwell Gregory on the other end of the phone sounded a bit excited: ¡°So did Steve say he¡¯d take responsibility? Did he say when he would marry you?¡± Steve Burton¡¯s words flashed through Ruby Gregory¡¯s mind, making her hesitate and unsure how to respond. Maxwell Gregory, honed by decades in the business world, sensed something was amiss even across a phone call: ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s the problem?¡± He paused, then asked, ¡°Or is Steve not prepared to take responsibility for you?¡± Ruby Gregory was taken aback by Maxwell Gregory¡¯s last sentence. Her father had always hoped she could marry Steve Burton. However, Steve¡¯s words seemed to suggest that he didn¡¯t want to take responsibility. Fearing her father¡¯s disappointment, Ruby vaguely said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Maxwell Gregory on the other end of the line was silent for a while before saying, ¡°Ruby, come home first. Maybe Steve will call later and say he¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¨C Wait¡­ this wait lasted from morning until night, but Steve¡¯s call never came. The atmosphere in the Gregorys¡¯ house was getting more and more depressing until the third day at breakfast. Maxwell Gregory, seeing Ruby Gregory head down eating her porridge, finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and put down his chopsticks to ask, ¡°Has Steve not contacted you at all?¡± Ruby Gregory swallowed the porridge in her mouth before she lifted her head and shook it in reply to her father. Ruby¡¯s mother turned to Maxwell and said, ¡°What do we do now? Ruby and Steve have grown up together, and we all assumed that once they became intimate, they would naturally get married. But now, there¡¯s not a trace of news from Steve, he clearly has no intention of taking responsibility and marrying Ruby. Doesn¡¯t that make it seem like Ruby is cheap?¡± After a brief pause, Maxwell said, ¡°How about¡­ I make a call to the Burtons and try to gauge the situation?¡± Chapter 3 - 3 Chapter 3: The Male God Lives Next Door (3) 3 Chapter 3: The Male God Lives Next Door (3) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory hurriedly objected, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t.¡± Maxwell Gregory and his wife looked at Ruby simultaneously. Ruby pressed her lips together and said, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to marry me, making a phone call won¡¯t change his mind. It would only humiliate us and might even result in some malicious gossip, making us look even worse.¡± Ruby¡¯s mom interjected, ¡°So we¡¯re just letting this go? That¡¯s so unfair to Ruby.¡± Struggling to put on a smile, Ruby lowered her eyes. Unfair? It was. While she had given her innocence to Steve Burton, it didn¡¯t mean he had to take responsibility for her. If he didn¡¯t want her, even if she begged on her knees, he wouldn¡¯t give her a second glance. So she had to bear the injustice alone. Maxwell, who had been silent for a while, suddenly asked, ¡°Ruby, did you and Steve use any contraceptives that night?¡± Ruby was taken aback, then shook her head. Maxwell asked again, ¡°Ruby, think carefully. Did you do something wrong or upset Steve, causing him not to take responsibility for you?¡± Ruby furrowed her brow slightly. Over the past few days, she too had been wondering if she had done anything to offend Steve, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t find a single issue. Ruby shook her head again in reply to her father¡¯s question. Maxwell contemplated for a moment and said, ¡°As Ruby just mentioned, hastily calling The Burtons now might indeed humiliate us. However, if Ruby were pregnant, things would be different.¡± So, they waited again. This time, they waited for half a month. During that half-month, Steve never contacted Ruby. They were like strangers now, with no connection to their once inseparable, innocent friendship. One morning after nearly half a month, when Ruby saw her period had arrived, she knew she wasn¡¯t pregnant and that there was no point in waiting any longer. The day after her period started, Ruby completed the necessary paperwork to go abroad. And on the day her period ended, she boarded a flight to Costa Luna. Their night of passion was just like a dream, leaving no trace and causing no ripple in their lives. ¨C Three years later. ¨C Today, this was the fourth gathering Steve had attended. The gathering took place in the Chess and Cards Room of the Capital Club, with three full tables of people enjoying a lively round of games. Each person had a beautiful young girl by their side or in their arms, trying to please their male companions in various ways. The room was bustling with chatter, as people discussed a variety of random topics. Suddenly, the man sitting across from Steve asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, can I ask you something?¡± Steve sat in the middle of the central table, playing his cards quickly and precisely without saying much. The woman beside him was polite and understanding, not overly clingy like the other women in the room. Upon hearing the question, Steve raised his head slightly, chewing on a piece of fruit that his companion had just fed him. After taking a couple of bites, he replied calmly, ¡°Hmm?¡± Chapter 4 - 4 Chapter 4: The Male God Lives Next Door (4) 4 Chapter 4: The Male God Lives Next Door (4) Translator: 549690339 ¡°A few days ago, I saw an acquaintance at the airport. Guess who it was?¡± The man sitting across from Steve Burton said. Steve slowly drew a tile, while scanning his own hand and asked nonchalantly, ¡°who?¡± After that, Steve slowly threw out a mahjong tile of two circles. The man sitting across from Steve held the dice, rotated it slowly, and then said, ¡°Ruby Gregory, she¡¯s back¡­¡± As soon as the man had spoken, Howard Coleman and Edward Woods, sitting on either side of Steve, both secretly gasped; for the past three years, Ruby Gregory¡¯s name had been a forbidden topic, and no one had dared to mention it in front of Steve. Howard and Edward instinctively turned their heads to look at Steve. As expected, Steve¡¯s eyes had already darkened. Those who knew Steve were aware that his most dangerous moments were when his gaze turned gloomy. Howard and Edward exchanged nervous glances, not daring to breathe as they silently worried for the man who had spoken. The man sitting across from Steve seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere and continued, ¡°Mr. Burton, weren¡¯t you and Ruby Gregory once very close? She has returned, didn¡¯t she contact you?¡± Steve¡¯s face remained expressionless, as if he hadn¡¯t even heard the man¡¯s words. But just as he was about to draw another tile, he suddenly pushed the tiles in front of him over and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, you guys continue playing. The money left uncollected from my winnings can be considered compensation.¡± With that, Steve got up and walked towards the door. The female companion sitting next to him hurriedly stood up and followed. Howard and Edward pushed aside their own female companions, grabbed their coats, and chased after Steve, but didn¡¯t dare get too close, always maintaining a certain distance. Steve walked out of the Capital Club, took out his car keys, unlocked the car, and pointed to the back door for the woman following him, saying, ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Then, Steve coldly walked around the car and got into the driver¡¯s seat. Steve¡¯s female companion hesitated for a moment before opening the passenger door and sitting down, even though she knew Steve had instructed her to get into the back seat. Steve¡¯s hand, which was fastening his seatbelt, paused slightly. He turned his head and said coldly to his companion, ¡°Get out!¡± The woman was startled by Steve¡¯s sudden coldness, then put on a smile and cooed, ¡°I want to sit in the front with you.¡± ¡°Out!¡± The woman shuddered, realizing Steve was genuinely angry, and immediately tried to placate him, ¡°I was wrong, I¡¯ll get out now. Don¡¯t be angry¡­¡± ¡°I said, out!¡± Steve repeated once more, scaring the woman into pushing open the car door and stumbling out. Steve didn¡¯t wait for her to steady herself before slamming the accelerator and speeding away. Howard and Edward, who had followed closely behind, saw this and couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads. ¡°Another woman has trespassed our brother¡¯s forbidden topic.¡± ¡°How strange that our brother¡¯s taboo doesn¡¯t allow any woman to sit in his passenger seat.¡± ¡°Not just women, he doesn¡¯t allow men either!¡± ¨C Steve expertly drove through the streets of Ciawell, his car speeding fast. The car window was down, and the whistling wind made his ears ache slightly. Chapter 5 - 5 Chapter 5: The Male God Lives Next Door (5) 5 Chapter 5: The Male God Lives Next Door (5) Translator: 549690339 Not knowing how long he had been driving, Steve Burton gradually slowed down. That¡¯s when he realized he had unknowingly driven back to the villa area in North Suburb. He stopped his car for a moment at the entrance of the villa, then slowly drove in. Passing several villas, he finally reached the innermost villa, The Burtons¡¯ Mansion. As the Burton family had already gone to bed, Steve parked the car, got out, and looked through the fence at the brightly lit room on the second floor of a neighboring villa. The villa next door belonged to the Gregorys. The lit room was the one Ruby Gregory had lived in since childhood. Indeed, she had returned¡­ Steve leaned against his car, staring at the light from that room, his mind slightly dazed. ¨C A business banquet was taking place at the largest club in Ciawell. With melodious violin music, the tranquil atmosphere in the banquet hall was beautifully decorated, luxurious and grand. All attendees were dressed elegantly and eye-catching, a dazzling sight to see. Escorting her father, Maxwell Gregory, Ruby spent the entire evening mingling amongst the crowd. Feeling slightly weary, she was just about to suggest taking a break to go to the restroom when Maxwell turned his head and pointed towards a corner, saying, ¡°Ruby, come with Dad for a moment.¡± Maxwell pointed to the most inconspicuous corner of the venue. Ruby assumed her father needed to rest and willingly escorted him over without any objections. The corner was considerably quieter than the banquet area. The lavish atmosphere had subdued, and the lighting was no longer dazzling, even appearing slightly dim. As they approached, Ruby noticed a man sitting on an elegant European-style couch against the wall, away from the bustling banquet hall. Hidden in the shadows, she couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly, but she could sense a familiar, elegant noble air in his demeanor. Ruby had a vague idea of who it might be and hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should turn back. Her father, Maxwell, addressed the man, ¡°Steve.¡± Seated on the couch, Steve Burton heard his name and stirred, turning his head. His gaze first glanced at Ruby¡¯s face, then landed on Maxwell¡¯s. Slowly standing up, Steve spoke in a restrained and graceful manner, ¡°Uncle Gregory.¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re sitting here alone?¡± Maxwell inquired, leading Ruby to the couch and gesturing for her to sit down, as the three of them took their seats. Though Steve sat casually, an undeniable air of nobility and radiance surrounded him. He maintained eye contact with Maxwell during their conversation, never once directing his attention toward Ruby, nor even bothering to glance at her. Ruby had anticipated that she would inevitably meet Steve once she returned to Ciawell from Costa Luna. She had imagined their encounter, expecting Steve to be cold and distant towards her. However, she had never thought that he would completely ignore her, as if she didn¡¯t exist, as if that night three years ago when they had spent the night together had never happened at all. Chapter 6 - 6 Chapter 6: The Male God Lives Next Door (6) 6 Chapter 6: The Male God Lives Next Door (6) Translator: 549690339 Three years ago, after that one night Ruby Gregory had with Steve Burton, she didn¡¯t end up pregnant, and Steve never contacted her again. Knowing about that night¡¯s incident, Maxwell Gregory felt that his daughter had been wronged, so he took her to Costa Luna. Now, three years had passed, and Maxwell felt that the memory of that night had faded. Ruby and Steve had grown up together from a young age, so their reunion shouldn¡¯t feel awkward, and maybe they could even rekindle their friendship, but now, sitting in front of Steve, he never brought up Ruby or that night. Could it be that after only three years, Steve no longer remembers Ruby? Maxwell pondered for a moment and naturally steered the conversation towards Ruby: ¡°Attending these banquets can be quite tiring, but since Ruby recently returned from Costa Luna and has become estranged from many people in Ciawell, I mainly brought her tonight to help her familiarize herself with everyone.¡± Finally, the conversation had come to this point, and Steve at last turned his head to look at Ruby. He hadn¡¯t seen her in three years, and she had grown more beautiful than before, with stunning features and captivating eyes. Steve didn¡¯t say anything; he only stared at her for a moment before saying indifferently: ¡°So, you are Uncle Gregory¡¯s daughter. It has been a long time since I saw you¡­ what¡¯s your name again¡­?¡± Steve paused for a moment, as if he couldn¡¯t remember Ruby¡¯s name. They had known each other for twenty years, and she even had a night of intimacy with him. Yet, he could no longer remember what she was called. Not only had he slapped Ruby¡¯s face, but he had also slapped Maxwell¡¯s face. Ruby¡¯s face turned a bit pale, and her hands unconsciously clenched into fists. Maxwell¡¯s expression also became hard to read. Steve furrowed his brow as if he was genuinely trying hard to remember. After a while, he finally uttered the three words: ¡°Ruby Gregory.¡± Maxwell¡¯s expression improved slightly, he turned to Ruby and said, ¡°Ruby, you and Steve have been classmates for many years. How come you haven¡¯t even greeted him yet?¡± There was a time when others would call him Mr. Steve, or Steve, but Ruby would only address him as Steve Burton or by the nickname she gave him, Time. However, now she found it difficult to know how to address him given his cold demeanor. After considering it for a moment, she ultimately opted for the most conservative greeting. Ruby gazed at Steve and displayed a smile that hit the perfect balance, neither too warm nor too distant: ¡°Mr. Burton, hello!¡± After knowing her for so many years, Steve could easily distinguish between Ruby¡¯s sincere smiles and her diplomatic ones. Mr. Burton? Quite a bureaucratic tone¡­ Steve¡¯s face instantly turned cold, and he showed no reaction to Ruby¡¯s greeting. Ruby had no idea what she had done wrong. She had only greeted him, and yet he turned his face away from her in an instant ¨C just like three years ago, when before one night of bliss, he was treating her as usual, but then turned his back on her coldly the next day. It was just inexplicable. Maxwell had been in the business world for a long time and had long learned to read people¡¯s emotions. Seeing Steve¡¯s unhappy expression, he quickly and wisely changed the subject: ¡°Steve, Ruby has decided to stay in Ciawell this time. A few days ago, I contacted the HR department at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and heard that your Secretariat is recruiting secretarial assistants, so I submitted Ruby¡¯s CV and offered her the opportunity to practice in your company¡¯s secretariat.¡± Chapter 7 - 7 Chapter 7: The Male God Lives Next Door (7) 7 Chapter 7: The Male God Lives Next Door (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory turned her head with some confusion, looking at Maxwell Gregory. Is she going to work as a secretary assistant in Steve Burton¡¯s company? Why doesn¡¯t she know about this? Maxwell Gregory completely ignored the doubts in Ruby¡¯s eyes, and continued to speak to Steve, ¡°Steve, I hope you will take good care of Ruby when the time comes.¡± Steve Burton showed no emotion, only maintaining his usual aloof attitude, responding to Maxwell Gregory, ¡°Uncle Gregory, of course.¡± Upon seeing Steve agreeing, Maxwell Gregory burst into laughter, saying, ¡°Steve, I have some business to attend to, so I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± With that, Maxwell Gregory stood up. He glanced at Ruby who was preparing to leave, and then added, ¡°Oh right, Steve, didn¡¯t you say you were leaving the banquet for some business? Don¡¯t drive if you¡¯ve been drinking. Luckily, Ruby drove here. Let her give you a ride.¡± After a slight pause, Maxwell Gregory seemed a bit hesitant, adding to Ruby, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯ll give Steve a ride, understood?¡± Ruby cast a glance at Steve and seeing that he didn¡¯t refuse, she could only nod in agreement. Only then did Maxwell Gregory leave, satisfied. On the corner sofa, only Steve and Ruby were left, and it suddenly seemed a lot quieter. Only the melodious violin song from the distant banquet surrounded them. Steve Burton lazily sat on the sofa, his fingers constantly spinning the crystal cup on the table. Ruby Gregory sat across him, her eyebrows and eyes calm. The two didn¡¯t exchange a word. Pristine Enterprises is renowned worldwide, owning a piece of land in various large business opportunities, and is considered the industry leader. Therefore, since his birth, Steve Burton was enveloped in a halo. Brought up in luxury from childhood to adulthood. Even without showing anger, his background alone already made many people apprehensive. Ruby Gregory was no exception. She was also wary of Steve Burton, but back when their relationship was good, that kind of apprehension wasn¡¯t so obvious in her heart. But now it¡¯s different, now she¡¯s not just apprehensive about Steve, but there¡¯s also some fear in her heart. Therefore, the two were sitting together in silence, which made Ruby increasingly nervous, until her palms were full of sweat. Just when Ruby didn¡¯t know how much longer she could maintain her calmness, Steve Burton stood up and walked away without a word. Ruby Gregory, unclear if he wanted her to drive him, had to quickly follow. As they exited the club, the night outside was already deep, the neon lights on the roadside reflecting each other. When Ruby arrived, the club¡¯s parking was already full, so she found a temporary parking spot on the roadside, which was a bit far away from the entrance of the club. Ruby and Steve always maintained a large distance, with pedestrians constantly passing between them. To anyone passing by, they might seem like strangers to each other. The expression on Steve¡¯s face, along with Ruby¡¯s car, gets closer and closer, it gradually becomes more and more sullen. Ruby noticed Steve¡¯s unhappiness, but she didn¡¯t know why he was unhappy, so she became even more cautious, keeping her eyes straight ahead as she walked. Ruby pulled out her car key, prepared to unlock the car, when all of a sudden, Steve¡¯s phone rang. Steve answered the call. The voice of the person calling was a little loud. Even over the phone, Ruby faintly heard, ¡°Bro, I¡¯m coming to pick you up, where are you?¡± Chapter 8 - 8 Chapter 8: The Male God Lives Next Door (8) 8 Chapter 8: The Male God Lives Next Door (8) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton raised his eyelids and glanced at Ruby Gregory, saying, ¡°Go east for 500 meters.¡± After he finished speaking, he hung up the phone. Someone was coming to pick up Steve? So she didn¡¯t need to give him a ride, right? Ruby twiddled with her car keys, hesitating back and forth without coming to a conclusion. She sneakily raised her eyelids, glanced at Steve, and calculated silently. She thought that since Steve had told the person picking him up the address, he probably didn¡¯t need her to give him a ride. Maybe he was even waiting for them right now. It was as if he didn¡¯t see her at all ever since they met, or perhaps, he didn¡¯t have her in his sights. Ruby thought about it and then said to Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, take it easy on the road. Goodbye.¡± Upon hearing these words, Steve was slightly stunned. However, Ruby had already taken a step to leave in front of him. Although it was late at night, the streets of Ciawell were still bustling, with cars passing by and occasional honking coming from near and far. Steve maintained his cold demeanor, watching Ruby slowly walk around him. Just when she was about to walk past him, Steve suddenly stepped forward, reached out, and yanked Ruby in front of him. Then he pushed her down onto her car, lowered his head, and fiercely kissed her. Alarm blared from Ruby¡¯s car, startling countless people around. But Steve seemed not to hear it at all, just passionately sucking on Ruby¡¯s lips. Her lips were as soft and sweet as ever, carrying a fresh fragrance. Ruby froze for a moment before realizing the scorching heat from their connected lips. She then regained her senses and struggled with her hands and feet. Steve grabbed her flailing hands with one hand and held her chin with the other, using his body to force her under him, and continued to increase the intensity of their kiss. He continued kissing her until she gradually lost the strength to resist, and her entire body became soft and submissive. Only then did he slowly release his grasp on her. His once fierce kiss slowly softened. Steve¡¯s breath gradually became heavier. With his hand, he felt her body through her clothes, eventually stopping at the zipper behind her skirt. Ruby¡¯s body shivered. She raised her hand to stop Steve when suddenly a honk came from the side of the road, accompanied by a voice calling out, ¡°Bro.¡± Steve¡¯s movement abruptly stopped. He lowered his head onto Ruby¡¯s lips and took two deep breaths before slowly opening his eyes. Then he moved his lips to her ear, whispering with a heated breath, ¡°Spend one night with me each month, and I¡¯ll let you work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± Ruby frowned for a moment before she finally understood the meaning of Steve¡¯s words. She raised her head and looked into his eyes. At this moment, Steve had none of the passion from when they were kissing. He looked cold and detached. It seemed like he had no patience as he added, ¡°Same as before, every month on the tenth. But instead of accompanying me on a vacation like before, you¡¯ll sleep with me!¡± Steve deliberately emphasized the words ¡°sleep with.¡± For a moment, the color in Ruby¡¯s face faded slightly. Steve let her go, nonchalantly tidying up his slightly disheveled clothes. After saying, ¡°Think about it,¡± he left with a flourish, opening the car door and getting in. Chapter 9 - 9 Chapter 9: The Male God Lives Next Door (9) 9 Chapter 9: The Male God Lives Next Door (9) Translator: 549690339 Howard Coleman sat in the car, first looked at the silent Steve Burton, then turned his head to look at Ruby Gregory outside the window. After a pause, he squeezed out a smile towards Ruby and started, ¡°Ru¡­¡± Before the last syllable left his mouth, Howard saw Steve¡¯s cold gaze through the rearview mirror. Startled, he quickly corrected himself, saying, ¡°Miss Gregory, goodbye.¡± Howard drove the car while continuously stealing glances at Steve sitting in the back seat. The man seemed calm, eyes closed, appearing to be leisurely resting. However, Howard felt an ominous atmosphere, which caused him not to dare to breathe too deeply throughout the drive. Even when he felt the urge to cough due to discomfort in his throat, he repressed it with all his might. Howard slowly drove the car into the villa in the West Suburb. He was the first to jump out of the car and then personally opened the door for Steve. Without giving Howard a glance, Steve headed straight into the villa. Howard hurriedly followed behind. On the first floor of the villa, several people were playing cards in the living room. Seeing Steve enter, they all called out, ¡°Bro.¡± It seemed as if Steve didn¡¯t hear the greetings; his face showed no reaction as he took off his coat, handed it to a servant, changed his shoes, and headed for the elevator of the villa. The card players all turned to Howard, who made a ¡°shushing¡± gesture, cleared his throat, and cautiously said to Steve, ¡°Bro, you must not have eaten anything at the banquet tonight. Are you hungry? Do you want Mrs. Bressett to prepare some late-night snacks for you?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Steve answered indifferently with two words, then stepped into the elevator, closed the door, and went upstairs. The first-floor living room fell silent for a full two minutes before Edward Woods pushed the cards in front of him and asked Howard, ¡°Howard, what¡¯s going on with our brother? He was fine before he left; how come he came back like this? Look at his expression now; it makes my hair stand on end.¡± ¡°You guys don¡¯t even know; I almost suffocated to death on the way back from picking up our Bro. You guys know I¡¯m scared of his cold, silent demeanor,¡± Howard complained while sitting on the sofa, and then mysteriously continued, ¡°Guess who I met when I went to pick up our Bro today?¡± Rusell Henris was counting the money he¡¯d won on the table, glanced at Howard trying to build suspense and asked, ¡°I care about our brother; who cares who you met?¡± Howard: ¡°Rusell, isn¡¯t that obvious? It¡¯s got to be someone related to our Bro!¡± After Howard spoke, the atmosphere in the room became tense, and after a minute of silence, Rusell put down the money in his hand and uttered three words: ¡°Ruby Gregory?¡± ¡°Rusell, you¡¯re clever, guessed right on your first try.¡± Howard replied. ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with being smart? All these years we¡¯ve been with our Bro, every time he¡¯s in a bad mood, isn¡¯t it because of Ruby Gregory?¡± Edward Woods remarked. Rusell raised his hand, rubbed his brow, and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what our Bro wants deep down. At first, it was him who wanted to sleep with Ruby, then he didn¡¯t take responsibility after he did, clearly, Ruby is the one who was wronged, but every time, it¡¯s our Bro who¡¯s upset, as if Ruby did him wrong.¡± Chapter 10 - 10 Chapter 10: The Male God Lives Next Door (10) 10 Chapter 10: The Male God Lives Next Door (10) Translator: 549690339 ¡°You know, originally our brother and Ruby were neighbors, they grew up together, have known each other for so many years, and it wasn¡¯t easy for our brother to finally sleep with Ruby, but he just turned his back on her? I always thought Ruby would end up being our sister-in-law.¡± ¨C Ruby didn¡¯t return to the banquet, she sat alone in her car, her mind filled with the words Steve had said before getting in the car. ¡°Join me once a month, and I¡¯ll let you work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± ¡°As usual, it¡¯s the 10th of each month, but not to accompany me on vacation as before, but to accompany me in bed!¡± Ruby didn¡¯t know if children from other families were born with a mission, but she did know that she, the daughter of the Gregorys, had a responsibility. Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ business scope was extensive, and many companies relied on Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for survival, the Gregorys being one of them. In the circle of wealthy businessmen, marriages were seen as alliances, commonly known as marriages of convenience. So, many family businesses, in order to strengthen their own status and assets, would choose to marry into the Burtons. The Burtons had many relatives, and even if they did not marry directly into the line of succession of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, marrying into other Burton families would still be helpful for their own family business. However, the Gregorys had some bad luck. In Maxwell¡¯s generation, the Gregorys had all sons, and the Burtons did too, so the Gregorys could only watch their competitors marrying into the Burtons¡¯ family and then watch their own family business gradually decline.¡± In Ruby¡¯s generation, the Gregorys had only male children, and it was only after great anticipation that they finally got Ruby, the girl. So from the moment she was born, the people of the Gregorys unanimously arranged her future, which was to marry into the Burton family. At first, the Gregorys didn¡¯t expect Ruby to marry the direct heir of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, but the Burtons in this generation had few descendants, and most of them were girls who wouldn¡¯t marry into the Gregorys. The few male descendants they managed to find either were already married or had an age gap with Ruby.¡± So, after all the selection, in the end, Ruby¡¯s marriage target could only be Steve.¡± When Ruby was very young, the Gregorys began to instil an ideology in her. That ideology had only three points: First: She had to like what Steve liked. Second: She had to do everything possible to please Steve. Third: She had to marry Steve. It was as if she was born to serve Steve, and from childhood to adulthood, everything in her life revolved around Steve. For example, Steve liked blue, disliked sweets, preferred long-haired women, didn¡¯t like sugar in his coffee, didn¡¯t like the smell of perfume, and insisted on keeping the air conditioner at 25 degrees Celsius while sleeping at night¡­ Of course, the Gregorys also spent a lot of effort cultivating her since she was young. Whether she liked it or not, she had to learn and master various skills, such as playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, and dancing. Her life was given by the Gregorys, and she had a duty to protect them. The honor and wealth of the Gregorys all depended on her. So, she had no choice. Moreover, since she was a little girl, she had been educated with only one goal in mind, which was to marry Steve and become a good housewife of the Burtons. If even this goal were to be abandoned, she really wouldn¡¯t know the meaning of her existence. Chapter 11 - 11 Chapter 11: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (1) 11 Chapter 11: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (1) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory thought about it and took out her phone, found Steve Burton¡¯s number, and dialed it. When Ruby called, Steve had just finished his bath and walked out of the bathroom. As he wiped his dripping wet hair, he glanced at his phone and saw the name ¡°Ruby.¡± Steve¡¯s hand holding the towel paused for a moment before he slowly answered. Before he had a chance to speak, Ruby¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line: ¡°I agree.¡± Just three words. It made Steve pause for a moment before he unconsciously responded, ¡°Huh?¡± Ruby gripped her phone, thinking Steve had forgotten what he had said to her. She pursed her lips and calmly said, ¡°I said I agree to your proposal just now. One date a month with you, and you let me work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± It took a moment for Steve to come back to his senses, and he held his phone without a reply. It was strange. It was his proposal, but now that she agreed, he felt as if there was a fire in his heart that had nowhere to vent. Ruby waited a while and seeing that Steve was silent, she asked, ¡°When can I start working at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises?¡± Steve was amused by Ruby¡¯s words, and couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing. Eventually, he released the words full of scorn and ridicule: ¡°Ruby Gregory, I slept with you and didn¡¯t want you back then, yet now, you¡¯re eager to give yourself away. How thick-skinned can you be?¡± His words were ruthless, like a sharp knife that instantly tore Ruby¡¯s dignity to shreds. Although they were on the phone and Ruby knew he couldn¡¯t see her humiliation, she still sat up straight in her car seat, trying her best to maintain a dignified calm demeanor. She knew the saying ¡°the early bird catches the worm,¡± so she had to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Marrying Steve and becoming the mistress of the Burtons had been her ultimate goal since childhood. Nobody could stop her. Even if that person was Steve himself, it wouldn¡¯t work! After a long silence between the two, Steve finally spoke up: ¡°Tomorrow is the tenth of this month. Tomorrow night at ten o¡¯clock, you know where. Drive yourself over and make me happy. The day after, I¡¯ll let you into Pristine Enterprises.¡± Steve paused for a moment before adding, ¡°Ten o¡¯clock ¨C you know I don¡¯t have the habit of waiting.¡± Having said that, Steve hung up the phone. PS: For my new book, remember to leave comments, save to favorites, and vote. Rewards will be available once the contract is signed in a few days. There are Q-coins for the first 100 comments tonight! PPS: There is an event for the new book. Each day, a reader who follows the story will be chosen to receive a signed copy of ¡°Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡± (This signed book is different from the ones previously purchased. This one can have your own words that you want me to write to you! Plus, it¡¯s a free giveaway!) and a 2015 calendar (I am still working on the calendar design, but with a month left in 2015, it will be released eventually). All these items are limited editions, let¡¯s see who the lucky readers will be! This is a reward for the faithful readers who follow each update. If you save up chapters to read later, you might miss out on the prizes! I truly hope that you will accompany me on this journey with each update! Chapter 12 - 12 Chapter 12: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (2) 12 Chapter 12: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (2) Translator: 549690339 The two people were silent for a long time, and finally, Steve Burton spoke: ¡°Tomorrow is the 10th of this month. At 10 o¡¯clock tomorrow night, you know where to go. Drive there yourself, and if you please me, I¡¯ll let you into Pristine¡¯s Enterprises the day after tomorrow.¡± After a pause, Steve added, ¡°Ten o¡¯clock, you know, I¡¯m not in the habit of waiting for people.¡± After saying this, Steve hung up the phone. The room was eerily quiet, droplets of water continued to drip down from Steve¡¯s hair, but he didn¡¯t have any inclination to dry his hair. He felt a little stifled, an unspeakable pressure in his chest. He walked to the balcony, pushed the window open, and the cool night breeze slowly blew in, mixed with the fragrance of flowers in the courtyard, fresh and enchanting. The evaporation of the moisture made him feel a bit chilly, and his mood slowly calmed down. Standing there for who knows how long, only after his hair was completely dry did Steve finally turn around, picked up the phone he had thrown aside, unlocked it, and the recent call history with Ruby Gregory caught his eye. The saved photo of her on his phone was charming and captivating. Steve stared at the screen for a while, then clicked on the contact page, made a phone call, and without waiting for the person on the other end to speak, he directly said, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll come over.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Steve.¡± Steve¡¯s throat moved slightly, and he said, ¡°She will be there too.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response from the other end before directly hanging up. The person who answered the call listened to the busy signal from the receiver and was only stunned for a moment before understanding who Mr. Steve was referring to. After three years, the person who came to this holiday villa every month was no longer just Mr. Steve. ¨C There was always an old tradition between Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton. That tradition began when Ruby was thirteen. Every 10th of the month, Steve would take Ruby to a holiday villa called ¡°Red Park¡± in the Ciawell suburb, owned by the Burtons. Over time, an unwritten rule was established in the ¡°Red Park¡± holiday villa: on the 10th day of each month, it would close its doors to the public. ¨C Although Steve told Ruby that their appointment was at 10 pm, she didn¡¯t return home until midnight. She fell asleep after 1 am, but Ruby still woke up early the next day. Some things had been ingrained in her since she was young. Though already etched in her memory, to prevent any mistakes, Ruby brought out her journal that had been kept for over a decade. Inside were rows of entries, from the first page¡¯s childish handwriting to the last page¡¯s elegant script, all documenting the essence of Ruby¡¯s twelve years. Chapter 13 - 13 Chapter 13: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (3) 13 Chapter 13: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (3) Translator: 549690339 All the messages were about Steve Burton ¨C his preferences, his taboos, his dislikes¡­ Even though Ruby Gregory clearly remembered each and every one, she nevertheless went through them one by one. By the time she finished, it was already 3 p.m. Ruby had been away from Steve for three years straight. She had no idea how much his habits had changed over these years, or whether his taboos had increased. To avoid making any mistakes the first time they faced each other, Ruby felt it necessary to prepare herself by getting some information on Steve¡¯s situation over the past three years. Though Steve seemed to have dealings with many people, Ruby knew that those who knew him best were his childhood buddies whose family interests were intertwined: Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman. These three had been hitting it off with Steve since childhood. Ruby figured if she were to ask them, she might not get much of anything and they might go straight and tell Steve about it. So finally, Ruby thought of Madeleine. Madeleine was the only girl among the brothers, and she was a year older than Ruby. Except for Steve who was the heir to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, the rest of the siblings were the heirs to the four major shareholders of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Since Ruby and Steve were neighbors, they had known each other since childhood. Ruby had played with them and integrated into their circle. Perhaps because she and Madeleine were both girls, their relationship was much closer than others¡¯. So, Ruby had chosen Madeleine. When Ruby called Madeleine, she had just landed from her flight. The call was a bit chaotic. Ruby repeated her words several times, ¡°Madeleine, I need a favor from you,¡± before Madeleine heard her clearly and hurriedly said, ¡°Ruby, no need to stand on ceremony. Just tell me what you need.¡± Ruby paused and then asked, ¡°Madeleine, what has Steve been most intolerant of over the past three years?¡± Madeleine on the other end of the phone fell silent upon hearing this. Her silence made Ruby feel a bit uneasy. She swallowed and asked again, ¡°Madeleine, don¡¯t you feel comfortable answering that?¡± Madeleine remained silent. Just as Ruby thought she wouldn¡¯t answer, Madeleine suddenly spoke out, but she didn¡¯t answer Ruby¡¯s question. Instead, she said, ¡°Ruby, do you know that to my brother, you¡¯re something he doesn¡¯t want anymore? He doesn¡¯t want you, why do you still care about his feelings?¡± Ruby¡¯s fingers trembled at Madeleine¡¯s words, almost dropping the phone. So, in others¡¯ eyes, she was something that Steve didn¡¯t want¡­ Ruby pressed her lips together, a glint of hurt flashing in her eyes. She lowered her gaze slightly and said, ¡°Madeleine, I don¡¯t mean anything else. I¡¯ve returned to Ciawell, I¡¯m bound to run into him at some point. I just don¡¯t want to accidentally tread on his taboos.¡± PS: I forgot to inform everyone about the daily update times when I posted yesterday, so, today, I¡¯ve posted two chapters to clarify that the update times are from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. each day. You can get all the daily updates within five hours. During the day, work and study hard; by 8:30 p.m., you can start reading the updates~~ There will be more updates today. See you at 3 p.m.! Also, for the first 100 readers who received Q-coins and the lucky readers who received signed books and calendars yesterday, please check the pinned post in the comment section (the pinned post is posted at 10 p.m. every night). Chapter 14 - 14 Chapter 14: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (4) 14 Chapter 14: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (4) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ruby, even though he¡¯s my brother, in the matter between you and him, indeed, it¡¯s my brother who went overboard.¡± There was obvious sympathy in Madeleine¡¯s tone. This kind of sympathy, on the contrary, made Ruby Gregory feel that it was more hurtful than the hurtful words Madeleine had just said. ¡°Why did it suddenly happen¡­ since you two were just very harmonious before?¡± Madeleine said to this point, sighed faintly, remained silent for some time, then spoke up, saying, ¡°Ruby, actually there haven¡¯t been any big changes in my brother these years. If there¡¯s something specific he¡¯s really sensitive about, it¡¯s that he doesn¡¯t like others, especially women, to sit in his car¡¯s passenger seat. As long as a woman sits there, he will definitely break up with her.¡± At this point, Madeleine¡¯s tone became somewhat agitated: ¡°Ruby, speaking of this, you have no idea. The shortest-lived girlfriend of my brother only lasted less than 10 minutes, from introduction to breakup. The reason was, when he was driving to take her to dinner, she eagerly climbed into the passenger seat of his car. As a result, he yanked her out, got in the car with a dark face, stepped on the accelerator and left, leaving the woman standing there, utterly bewildered.¡± ¡°Ninety percent of my brother¡¯s girlfriends broke up because they touched this sensitive point of his¡­¡± Madeleine got to this point, seemingly realizing that it might not be appropriate to mention the girlfriends that Steve Burton had been seeing for these three years in front of Ruby Gregory, and hurriedly stopped herself from talking. Clearing her throat, she said: ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t think too much about it. As you know, my brother attends many parties, so he always needs female companions. In fact, he doesn¡¯t care much about those women.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Madeleine. If nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up first.¡± ¨C After hanging up the phone, Ruby sat on the sofa, staring blankly for a while, then picked up a pen and added a new entry to the notepad. Entry 1893: Steve Burton doesn¡¯t like people sitting in his passenger seat. After writing this sentence, Ruby put the notepad away in the dresser drawer in her bedroom and then went into the bathroom to take a shower. Steve Burton doesn¡¯t like women who wear heavy makeup, so Ruby applied light makeup. Steve Burton prefers straight hair, so Ruby called for Mrs. Woods from downstairs and had her curly hair straightened with a flat iron. Steve Burton doesn¡¯t like strong scents and has praised Chanel No. 5 before, so Ruby sprayed on some Chanel No. 5 perfume. Ruby looked at her reflection in the mirror, her straight hair flowing, and her face looking good. After ensuring there were no flaws, she walked towards the closet. Blue is Steve Burton¡¯s favorite color, so Ruby¡¯s dressing room was filled with clothes for all seasons. However, these clothes had one common feature ¨C they were all blue, differing only in shades and styles. Chapter 15 - 15 Chapter 15: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (5) 15 Chapter 15: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (5) Translator: 549690339 In the corner of the dressing room, a few clothes of other colors hung sporadically. Ruby Gregory walked over, glanced at them for a moment, but in the end, she chose a blue long dress and put it on. In fact, she also wanted to be like most girls, wearing white, pink, or pale yellow clothes, or even going shopping in bold red. However, to cater to Steve Burton¡¯s preferences, she could only secretly change into other colored clothes in the quiet of the night, looking at herself in the mirror to satisfy her own desires. The Gregorys¡¯ home was a two-hour drive from the holiday villa at Red Park. Fearing traffic jams or unexpected incidents, Ruby set off at six o¡¯clock. She arrived at the holiday villa at Red Park just around eight o¡¯clock. As before, the holiday villa at Red Park was closed for the day. With no one there for leisure vacations, the vast villa seemed somewhat quiet, with only a few scattered staff members walking about the courtyard. Perhaps Steve Burton had sent word ahead of time. The villa¡¯s manager, upon receiving news of Ruby¡¯s arrival, immediately sent someone with a sightseeing car to personally welcome her and escorted her to the presidential suite deep within the villa. Red Park holiday villa used to be an Imperial Garden. After it was bought by the Burtons, it was turned into a holiday villa. Three years had passed, and the villa remained unchanged, with its corridors, Gand Lake, pavilions, and willows, the scenery still the same. However, the presidential suite that Ruby and Steve used to stay in during their vacations had been renovated, its original white walls now red. The villa¡¯s manager handed Ruby the key card and inquired respectfully, ¡°Ms. Gregory, is there anything you need?¡± Ruby shook her head and took a glance around at the furnishings. They were unchanged from before, just replaced with new ones. The villa¡¯s manager handed Ruby the room card and politely said, ¡°Ms. Gregory, please rest. I¡¯ll be leaving now. If you need anything, just call the front desk.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ruby nodded and gave the villa¡¯s manager a smile. The villa¡¯s manager bowed slightly, pushed the room door open and closed it behind him as he left. The presidential suite, spanning over a hundred square meters, had only Ruby inside. The crystal chandelier cast a dazzling, enchanting light, highlighting the luxurious decorations in the room and making it even more dreamy. Ruby Gregory first went to the room she always stayed in during her vacations. Standing by the window, she could see the Gand Lake of the villa, reflecting its brilliant lights. Ruby stood there for a long time before turning around and walking out. As she stood in front of the door of another bedroom, her complexion turned slightly pale. Chapter 16 - 16 Chapter 16: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (6) 16 Chapter 16: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (6) Translator: 549690339 It was in this room that her relationship with Steve Burton first developed. Although the Gregorys had warned her that something might happen between her and Steve when she came of age, and she had mentally prepared herself for it, that night was still excruciating. She was scared, in pain, and wanted to run away, but all she could do was tolerate it and act docile and obedient. However, no matter how torturous that night was, she endured. She thought that as long as she gritted her teeth and bore it, she could marry Steve. But to her dismay, it was all just a fantasy she had built up in her mind. The suite was eerily quiet. Ruby Gregory fetched her mobile phone and glanced at the time. There was still an hour before ten o¡¯clock, and she was filled with mounting tension. ¨C In the conference room at the top floor of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises Building, Howard Coleman, who had been engrossed in reading a document, suddenly looked up and said to Edward Woods and Rusell Henris sitting across him, ¡°Do you find anything strange about today?¡± Rusell Henris adjusted the glasses sliding off his nose, glanced at the usually talkative Howard, and went back to the report in his hand. Edward Woods took a sip of water and looked at Howard, clearly confused, before mumbling a puzzled ¡°Hmm?¡± Howard furrowed his brow, speaking more to himself than to them, ¡°What¡¯s the date today?¡± As he picked up his phone, browsed the calendar, and seemingly arrived at a realisation. Then, in an excited voice, he proclaimed, ¡°I know. I know now!¡± Rusell slapped the report he was reading on the table, exclaiming, ¡°Howard, can you please concentrate on your work for a while?¡± Undeterred by Rusell¡¯s admonition, Howard exclaims,, ¡°Damn, it¡¯s the tenth today! The tenth!¡± Rusell seemed to freeze for a moment. Edward Woods choked on his water and had to cough several times before he could speak, ¡°Today¡¯s the tenth?¡± Looking at his own phone¡¯s calendar, he exclaimed, ¡°Indeed, it is the tenth. I¡¯ve been so busy with this new project that I¡¯ve lost track of time.¡± ¡°No wonder I felt there was something off today, I just couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. Now I know, it¡¯s the tenth and our brother still hasn¡¯t left, despite coming in early. We are stuck working overtime because of him,¡± Howard said. ¡°Under normal circumstances, he would be at Red Park Resort in the early morning!¡± Edward Woods furrowed his eyebrows and speculated, ¡°Could it be possible that he forgot because he¡¯s been so busy recently?¡± ¡°Impossible, our brother always prioritises his visits to Red Park Resort on the tenth of every month. Regardless of how busy he is, he never forgets to visit. How could he forget this time?¡± Howard adamantly shook his head. Rusell twirled his pen, ¡°Howard is right. Our brother hasn¡¯t cracked a smile since yesterday. Today, he hasn¡¯t even gone to Red Park. It seems like he¡¯s really not feeling well this time.¡± Chapter 17 - 17 Chapter 17: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (7) 17 Chapter 17: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (7) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Whose turn is it to persuade our big brother this time?¡± Edward Woods asked. ¡°It¡¯s Howard¡¯s turn.¡± As Rusell put it, both Edward Woods and Rusell fixed their eyes on Howard Coleman. Howard rubbed his nose, stood up begrudgingly, and walked towards Steve Burton¡¯s office. Howard paced back and forth at the office door, not finding the courage to knock. Rusell and Edward Woods in the meeting room were getting impatient. They both ran out, Rusell knocked on the office door while Edward Woods forcefully pushed Howard forward. Then, when the frosty ¡°Come in¡± sounded from the office, they hurriedly ran away. Howard braced himself and opened the door, but only poked his head in, saying, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s getting late. Should we go out and get something to eat?¡± Steve sat in his office chair and looked at the time on the computer screen¡¯s upper right corner. His fingers quickly resumed typing. Seeing Steve ignore him, Howard had no choice but to keep talking, ¡°Brother, just now Rusell said that some new young ladies have arrived at the Capital Club. They¡¯re all beautiful and have amazing figures, and they¡¯re of the perfect age. We haven¡¯t been out for a long time, so why don¡¯t we go there tonight?¡± Steve seemed to not have heard Howard¡¯s words. He calmly finished typing the last line in English, sent the email, and then looked up at Howard. Cold-faced and cold-eyed, Steve nevertheless spoke in a very mild tone: ¡°I have something tonight.¡± ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t relaxed in a long time. How about not working tonight?¡± Howard hesitated for a moment, then chuckled and said, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve seen the Homecoming Queen of the Chinese Department from A University, right? How about I take the car, pick her up, and she¡¯ll accompany you tonight?¡± Steve fell silent again. Howard, who had been accustomed to Steve¡¯s cold attitude ever since he was little, continued, ¡°How about inviting Lulu? She just finished shooting a movie so she¡¯s available.¡± Steve still remained silent. ¡°What about Lina?¡± ¡°No? Annie Beischel? Anna?¡± When Howard had recited the names of ten women, Steve finally lifted his head, glanced calmly at Howard, who thought Steve had agreed. He pulled out his phone, prepared to make a call, but the next second, Steve grabbed a pile of documents from the table and furiously threw them at Howard¡¯s head: ¡°Get lost!¡± Howard quickly jumped back two steps to dodge, then bent down, picked up the documents from the floor, and ran towards the meeting room in disappointment. Chapter 18 - 18 Chapter 18: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (8) 18 Chapter 18: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (8) Translator: 549690339 The office suddenly fell silent. Steve Burton sat at his desk, lost in thought for a moment, then closed his laptop, picked up his coat and car keys, and walked straight out of the office. When Steve arrived at the ¡°Red Park¡± holiday villa, it was just half past nine. He parked his car and was promptly greeted by the villa manager who said, ¡°Mr. Steve, you¡¯ve arrived?¡± Steve nodded slightly, looked up and scanned the high-rise hotel rooms in the distance. Then he asked, ¡°Is she here yet?¡± The manager opened the door of the sightseeing car for Steve, ¡°Ms. Gregory has been here for over an hour.¡± Without a word, Steve leaned back in the sightseeing car¡¯s seat and closed his eyes lightly. By the time the sightseeing car reached the presidential suite halfway up the hillside, the time was already fifty minutes past nine. As the manager was about to reach for the room card to open the door for Steve, Steve waved him off. Sensing Steve¡¯s wishes, the manager handed over the room card to Steve politely and then retreated respectfully. Steve glanced at his wristwatch. It was fifty-one minutes past nine. He had five more minutes to the time agreed with Ruby Gregory. At the entrance of the presidential suite, there was a large bunch of gorgeous and luscious flowers exuding a sweet fragrance. Steve leaned against the wall, silently counting in his mind. After about five hundred counts, he glanced at the time again. It was less than a minute left. He then stood up, took out the room card, twirled it around twice in his hand, and then gradually put it against the lock. The door opened with a beep. ¨C By ten o¡¯clock, the villa had fallen deathly quiet ¨C unlike in the city where cars could be heard zooming by even at midnight. To calm her nervousness, Ruby Gregory turned on the television, tuning into Stephen Chow¡¯s film. Chow¡¯s exaggerated acting and humorous lines, however, failed to draw a laugh from Ruby. Instead, they only intensified her anxiety. She again looked up at the clock on the wall: it was nearly ten. Just as Ruby was about to take a deep breath to stabilize her rapid heartbeat, the sound of the door unlocking came. Her breath choked in her chest, and she quickly stood up. Then Ruby saw Steve Burton, who had just entered the room. This man always managed to effortlessly exude an unmatchable elegance, provoking jealousy in men and resentment in women about the unfairness of life. Steve first looked at Ruby, then closed the door behind him, walked over to the sofa. Stephen Chow¡¯s iconic laughter was heard on the TV. Ruby¡¯s legs felt weak from her nervousness. She worked hard to stabilize herself, waiting until Steve walked up to her. Then she swallowed and called out, ¡°Mr. Steve.¡± Yesterday it was Mr. Burton, today it was Mr. Steve? Steve just grunted lightly through his nose and sat down on the sofa. His grunt left Ruby unsure of his intention, and she stood there, not daring to make a sound, her nervousness growing. Other than Stephen Chow¡¯s voice from the TV, the room was silent. The oppressive silence made Ruby feel somewhat suffocated. She covertly lifted her eyes to peek at Steve. He was as expressionless as ever, showing no signs of emotion. Chapter 19 - 19 Chapter 19: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (9) 19 Chapter 19: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (9) Translator: 549690339 Are the two of them really going to stay like this, one standing and the other sitting, until dawn? Just as Ruby was thinking about whether she should say something, Steve suddenly stood up and walked towards his bedroom: ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Ruby of course knew what those three words meant. She hesitantly followed behind Steve, and when she reached the door of his bedroom, her hands clenched tightly, her fingernails digging into her palm, causing a faint pain. Ruby stood at the door for a whole minute before closing her eyes, biting her teeth, and stepping inside. At this point, Steve had already removed his coat and was sitting casually on the side of the bed, his gaze fixed on her heavily. Under such scrutiny, Ruby, although scared, still timidly approached Steve, only giving him a brief glance before quickly lowering her eyes. Steve sat there motionless, staring at Ruby. After a long time, when Ruby still hadn¡¯t reacted, Steve finally spoke: ¡°Ruby, have you forgotten what I said to you yesterday?¡± Ruby instantly raised her head, looking at Steve. Steve¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, clearly displeased, revealing his irritation: ¡°I said, if you take care of me today and make me happy, I¡¯ll let you start working at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises tomorrow.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you forgotten how to do that after spending three years in Costa Luna, or do I need to teach you again?¡± Ruby¡¯s body trembled slightly, her hands clenching even tighter. She knew what he meant by ¡°taking care of him.¡± He had told her that night three years ago, kissing her. Only that night, his tone had been gentle, even with a touch of indescribable tenderness, unlike now, cold and indifferent. Ruby bit her teeth secretly, took two steps forward, then tremblingly extended her hand to unbutton Steve¡¯s shirt, one button at a time. Ruby was much shorter than Steve, who lowered his eyes to watch her closely. Feeling his gaze, Ruby¡¯s fingers gradually began to tremble, and she felt his breath growing hotter and hotter. She wanted so badly to just let go and run away. But she couldn¡¯t. Her family was counting on her to save their business, and they had pinned all their hopes on her. Now, she still remembered the disappointed looks in her family¡¯s eyes when they found out Steve had not married her after their night of passion. So, even if she didn¡¯t want to do this now, she had to force herself. She had already been forced to do too many things she didn¡¯t want to or like since she was a child, so she didn¡¯t care about adding one more this time. With her eyes slightly downcast, Ruby removed Steve¡¯s shirt and then, with even more shaking fingers, undid his belt. Even though she kept telling herself to endure it, she still didn¡¯t have the courage to pull his zipper. Her fingers reached out and withdrew, back and forth several times. Finally, as if losing his patience suddenly, Steve sneered: ¡°Have you given up on joining Pristine¡¯s Enterprises?¡± Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (10) Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Habit of Not Waiting for Others (10) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory was so stimulated by this remark that her body trembled even more violently. She tightly closed her eyes, fooling herself by telling herself that what she couldn¡¯t see wouldn¡¯t hurt her. She then forced herself to ignore all her embarrassment and extended her hand forward. Steve Burton watched Ruby Gregory, who looked as if she was going to the execution ground, with a resolute expression. He couldn¡¯t help but scoff, ¡°Let me tell you, Ruby Gregory, don¡¯t put on such a reluctant look for me. If you don¡¯t want to do this, leave right now!¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s hand trembled violently when Steve Burton scolded her. She paused for a moment, her lips tightly pressed together. As if she hadn¡¯t heard the sarcasm from his mouth, she finally touched him. Steve Burton, who had been holding himself tautly, quickly extended his hand, pulled Ruby Gregory up, and threw her onto the large bed behind him. His actions were moderately violent, and his grip was somewhat heavy. Somehow, he left a noticeable mark on her delicate, fair skin. Yet, she didn¡¯t utter a single sound, as if she didn¡¯t feel any pain. Seeing her like this, he felt all the more irritated, his annoyance near the point of madness. His only solution was to punish her in the most primal way. His kiss was more like a bite. When he bit her neck, he suddenly increased his strength. Even though her body clearly flinched, she emitted only a barely audible groan, followed by silence. It remained silent even after he could taste blood, all still silent. Her numb reaction made him feel a layer of self-mockery in his eyes, followed by a quick shift to the main topic. Her eyes were somewhat damp, but she only dared to keep her eyes shut tightly, afraid that she would unwittingly shed tears and upset him. Because once, he said, he didn¡¯t like it when she cried. If such torment and pain could exchange for her opportunity to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, or to bear a child, she thought, everything would be worth it. After a long while, it all ended. Ruby Gregory felt as if she had just taken a round trip through the gates of hell. Ruby Gregory lay in bed in a daze for a long time, slowly regaining some consciousness. She heard Steve Burton¡¯s slightly hurried breath next to her ear. Ruby Gregory slowly turned her head to see Steve Burton staring at the ceiling, apparently lost in thought. She hadn¡¯t fully complied with what he had previously asked for, and she was uncertain whether her ordeal was over for the night. Ruby Gregory hesitated for a moment before finally voicing out, ¡°Can I go to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises tomorrow?¡± Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t understand why her question was amusing, but Steve Burton chuckled lightly before his face turned cold. He turned his head and stared at her face for a long time. Then, he slightly nodded, pointed at the door, and said, ¡°You may leave now!¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today, see you tomorrow at three in the afternoon! Remember to check the first post of the comment section around ten o¡¯clock for the winner¡¯s announcement.. Commenting still gives you a chance to win! Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21: I’ll Let You Get Lost (1) Chapter 21: Chapter 21: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (1) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory did not know why her question had evoked such a reaction in Steve Burton. He smiled mysteriously, letting out a soft chuckle before his expression suddenly turned cold. He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded his head slightly, pointed to the door, and said, ¡°You can go!¡± The rapid shift in Steve Burton¡¯s demeanor frightened Ruby slightly. Having known Steve since childhood, Ruby had a deep understanding of him and could read his moods through subtle changes in his eyes, gestures, and tone. She could discern whether he was truly upset or merely pretending. However, after just three years apart, she could no longer comprehend what this man, who she had known for more than two decades, was thinking. He said she could leave¡­ Did this mean he was denying her entry to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises? Was he dissatisfied with her submission? Anxiety began to build in Ruby¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose without even starting. Clasping her hands, Ruby stared into Steve¡¯s dark, intense eyes and spoke softly, ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Steve¡¯s face was cold as ice, and he didn¡¯t even glance at Ruby, turning away and leaving her his back. Ruby clenched her lips and paused before leaning forward and pressing herself against Steve¡¯s strong back. Steve¡¯s body heat was much higher than hers, making Ruby shiver slightly before mustering the courage to stretch out her arms and hug his waist. Steve¡¯s body tensed up, and he was acutely aware of the delicate-soft woman trembling behind him. She seemed very nervous, her chest heaving with anticipation. After a while, her breath grew closer to his ear as she left a light, ethereal kiss on his cheek before her lips landed on his. Her lips shook violently, but she still kissed him with determination. Steve felt slightly dizzy and, after a long time, he suddenly pulled Ruby to him and, in one movement, pinned her beneath him. He kissed her back, desperate and forceful, his entire demeanor passionate and breathing more rapid. However, as Steve continued to kiss her, he seemed to notice something and suddenly stopped. He opened his eyes to see Ruby, her eyes tightly shut and her face void of joy or pleasure. This made him feel like ice water had been poured over him from head to toe. Steve¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly before he swiftly got out of bed, leaving Ruby behind. The sudden departure of the man puzzled Ruby, causing her to frown and sit up in confusion. Before she could ask what was wrong, Steve picked up her clothes from the floor and angrily threw them at her face, ¡°Get out!¡± Ruby frowned, unsure about what had just happened with the once passionate Steve, and stared at him with a mix of confusion and innocence, unable to react. Ruby¡¯s passiveness infuriated Steve, who snapped at her, ¡°I told you to get out!¡± Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22: I’ll Let You Get Lost (2) Chapter 22: Chapter 22: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (2) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s body shuddered violently, and she came back to her senses. She didn¡¯t know what she had done wrong to provoke such anger from him. She stared at Steve Burton, her mouth slightly open, but in the end, she said nothing. She didn¡¯t even care whether or not she could enter Pristine¡¯s Enterprises tomorrow; she just picked up the clothes he had thrown at her and quickly put them on without a word. Ruby¡¯s movements were somewhat frantic as she put on her clothes; the zipper of the skirt was on the side, and she lowered her head, pulling it several times before finally managing to close the gap. From childhood to adulthood, she had never been so humiliated in front of anyone. She had tried her best, and all she received in return was his harsh command to ¡°get lost.¡± The more Ruby thought about it, the more wronged she felt, and her eyes began to feel hot and slightly sore. Fearing that she would suddenly shed tears in front of Steve, she kept her head down the entire time. After putting on her clothes, Ruby didn¡¯t even look at Steve. She just walked quickly past him and out of the bedroom. In the living room of the suite, the television was playing advertisements. Ruby walked in front of the sofa, picked up her purse, placed the suite¡¯s keycard on the coffee table, and then hurriedly headed towards the door. When Ruby left the bedroom, she didn¡¯t close the door. Steve happened to see Ruby leaving; he saw her fumbling to open the door and then running away, her footsteps slightly unsteady. His hand tightened into a fist, his knuckles turning white, as if he was suppressing something. After a long time, Steve finally moved slightly, picked up a nearby bathrobe, and casually wrapped it around himself. He stood in place, staring at the messy bed, his eyes becoming somewhat glazed. Suddenly, he felt very tired. He had been busy with company matters in the past, staying awake for three days and nights, but he had never felt this kind of exhaustion before. This fatigue came from deep within his heart, accompanied by sharp, bone-piercing pain. Ruby walked out of the presidential suite and went directly to the villa¡¯s public restroom. Ignoring her body¡¯s discomfort, she looked into the mirror and neatened her disheveled hair and clothes. She made sure her appearance was elegant and poised before taking out her phone and calling the villa¡¯s front desk, asking them to send a sightseeing car to pick her up from the mountain. Ruby did this because she couldn¡¯t let anyone see her present state of embarrassment and disarray. She was the daughter of the Gregorys, and no matter how Steve had just treated her and how much grievance he had given her, she had to maintain her elegant and poised appearance in front of others. Therefore, when the villa¡¯s staff drove the sightseeing car to her, Ruby forced down the exhaustion and discomfort in her body and gave the staff a perfectly polite smile, then handed them a tip. Maintaining her bright and enchanting posture, Ruby drove out of the villa for about ten kilometers before stopping her car by the roadside and slumping into her seat.. Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23: I’ll Let You Get Lost (3) Chapter 23: Chapter 23: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (3) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory pulled down her collar a little, looking into the car mirror, she saw the bite mark left by Steve Burton on her neck, now discolored to a blue-purple hue. She gently pressed her fingers against it, feeling a sharp pain. Startled, Ruby withdrew her hand, then thought about how her parents¡¯ eyes lit up with excitement and happiness when they found out that she and Steve were going to Red Park tonight. At that time, her dad couldn¡¯t stop grinning, telling her mom, ¡°I knew it, our Ruby is so beautiful, and she has so many years of affection with Steve. There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t have a place for her in his heart.¡± If she went back home now, they¡¯d probably be disappointed and heartbroken again, wouldn¡¯t they? Given Steve¡¯s reaction, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises tomorrow. She just didn¡¯t know whether she would get pregnant after last night. If she were pregnant, she¡¯d still have a glimmer of hope. If not, what would she Ruby sighed softly, driving her car leisurely into the city. It wasn¡¯t until 7 in the morning that Ruby drove towards her home. The road to the West Suburb wasn¡¯t congested in the early morning, so it only took Ruby half an hour to get back. Before getting out of the car, Ruby looked in the mirror and forced a smile on her face. She then took a deep breath, opened the car door, and went inside. Maxwell Gregory and his wife were eating breakfast at the table. When they saw Ruby returning, they both put down their chopsticks, and Ruby¡¯s mom immediately rushed over to her, taking her hand and asking as they walked towards the table, ¡°Ruby, was Steve nice to you yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ruby replied briefly, sitting down at the table. Seeing the nutritious breakfast spread out before her, she had no appetite, but fearing her parents would notice something amiss, she reluctantly picked up a spoon and had some porridge. Maxwell saw Ruby eating and joined her, then asked after a while, ¡°Ruby, has Steve said when you can start working at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises?¡± Ruby¡¯s movements paused slightly at Maxwell¡¯s question. She might not be able to enter Pristine¡¯s at all. How was she going to break the news to her parents? Would she have to once again see them wear the same downcast expressions they had three years ago? Ruby bowed her head even lower. The atmosphere at the table suddenly turned stagnant. Maxwell and his wife exchanged glances, and then Maxwell, with a grave face, asked, ¡°Ruby, are you hiding something from us?¡± Perhaps she could hide other things, but Ruby knew that not being able to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was something she couldn¡¯t conceal.. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24: I’ll Let You Get Lost (4) Chapter 24: Chapter 24: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (4) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory gritted her teeth, preparing to admit she might not get a job at Pristine¡¯s when suddenly her mobile rang. Picking up her phone, Ruby noticed it an unfamiliar landline number. Inquisitively, she glanced at her father before answering, ¡°Is this Miss Ruby Gregory?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruby responded with a note of confusion, ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Hello, Miss Gregory, I¡¯m the Manager of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯s Human Resources Department. I¡¯m calling to confirm some details with you. A while ago, you submitted your resume here, applying for the post of Assistant to the Secretary to the CEO of Pristine¡¯s, correct?¡± Ruby remembered that her father, Maxwell Gregory had helped her send the resume. She nodded and confirmed, ¡°Yes.¡¯ ¡°Miss Gregory, congratulations! Our company has decided to hire you. If you¡¯re free this afternoon, we¡¯d like you to come and report to the company.¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s reporting time at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was set for three in the afternoon. Upon her arrival, the secretary to the HR manager guided her through several protocols including taking a picture for her work ID card before giving her a tour around Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and a brief introduction. Finally, she led Ruby to the executive office on the top floor of the building. The top floor hosted five independent offices and four small conference rooms. Four offices were lined up, while another occupied one side of the floor. Outside each independent office was a row of office desks. In the very center of everything were four glass-walled conference rooms. Ruby gathered from the HR manager¡¯s secretary that the four offices were separately occupied by Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Madeleine, and Howard Coleman, and that the people busy at the desks outside were their secretaries. Leading her to a seat nearest to the CEO¡¯s office, the HR Manager¡¯s secretary whispered something to a slightly younger woman. Nodding to Ruby with a smile, she then left. The slightly older woman stepped forward towards Ruby and asked her with a gentle smile, ¡°Miss Ruby Gregory, right?¡± Ruby nodded slightly in response. The older woman then clapped her hands together and announced, ¡°Ladies, this is our new colleague, Miss Ruby Gregory, the newest member of our CEO¡¯s secretarial team.¡± Afterwards, the older woman introduced Ruby to every person in the office. Truth be told, Ruby had already received a detailed profile of each member of the Secretarial Unit of the CEO of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises from his father, Maxwell Gregory, earlier that morning. The older woman was a distant relative of the Burtons; she had been serving as the CEO¡¯s secretary in Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for nearly thirty years. As for the assistant secretaries, two of them were fresh college graduates with ordinary backgrounds, but with excellent academic performances. Two others were old employees of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises who were already married with children. The remaining two were Olivia Foster and Maya Mitchell.. Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25: I’ll Let You Get Lost (5) Chapter 25: Chapter 25: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (5) Translator: 549690339 The other two were Olivia Foster and Maya Mitchell. Maya Mitchell was Ruby Gregory¡¯s college classmate. Maya came from a humble family, and Ruby had helped her pay for a year of tuition fees. Maya¡¯s academic performance was outstanding, and she got a job at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises before graduating from college. Olivia Foster, on the other hand, was an old rival of Ruby¡¯s. Olivia was an illegitimate daughter of the Fosters and only claimed her heritage at the age of ten. It was also that year when Ruby met Olivia. Olivia and Ruby were of the same age and graduated from the same schools, from junior high to high school, and then to college. Ruby knew that the reason she and Olivia attended the same schools was not due to fate but because many people wanted to get closer to Steve Burton. Just like when the Gregorys worked hard behind the scenes to ensure she attended the same school as Steve, Ruby also studied late into the night. That was why Olivia was her old rival. Because they both wanted to marry Steve Burton. For Ruby, it was a mission that she carried from birth. Olivia, on the other hand, hoped to cleanse her reputation as an illegitimate child and gain respect within the Fosters. Thus, the two of them competed openly and covertly in school for Steve¡¯s attention. At that time, Ruby was close to Steve and his brothers, so she always had the upper hand in the competition with Olivia. Both the Fosters and the Gregorys depended on Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for their livelihood. However, in recent years, the Fosters had been faring much better than the Gregorys. Olivia¡¯s older cousin married Steve¡¯s fourth cousin, and this connection alone allowed the Fosters to snatch many clients from the Gregorys. When Ruby saw Olivia¡¯s name in Steve¡¯s secretary department that morning, she realized that some people had been quicker in seizing opportunities. Now that she and Olivia, two incompatible people, met again, Ruby knew that no matter how many advantages Olivia had gained over her in the past three years, she could only win, not lose! The day after reporting for work, Ruby officially started working at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. As a newcomer, Ruby was hardly assigned any tasks, only occasionally helping other secretaries and assistants print or photocopy documents. An entire morning passed without Ruby seeing Steve. At first, she thought he had arrived at the office early and stayed in his office, so she didn¡¯t leave her seat during the lunch break. Even when work resumed at 2 p.m., the door to Steve¡¯s office remained closed. In the afternoon, the other employees were still very busy, and Ruby made several trips between the printing room and the office. By the time work ended in the evening, Steve still hadn¡¯t appeared before Ruby. Three days passed in the blink of an eye since Ruby started working at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. In those three days, Ruby learned many things, such as the most important news: when Steve went to external banquets and events and needed a secretary, he almost always took Olivia with him. And during these three days, Ruby had yet to see Steve in person.. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26: I’ll Let You Get Lost (6) Chapter 26: Chapter 26: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (6) Translator: 549690339 Right before the end of the workday, Ruby Gregory went to the restroom and happened to run into Maya Mitchell, who had just finished washing her hands. Through the mirror, Maya spoke to Ruby, ¡°Ruby.¡± Ruby smiled and greeted her, intending to walk towards a stall. Suddenly, as if recalling something, she stopped and turned to Maya, who had just finished washing her hands and was about to leave. ¡°Maya?¡± Maya stopped and turned her head, looking at Ruby, ¡°Hmm?¡± she replied, then asked, ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s up? In the past, it was always others trying every means to inquire about Steve Burton from her, Ruby Gregory. Never would she have imagined that one day she would fall into the position of being the ¡°others¡±, inquiring about Steve from someone else. Especially this person, who knew about the good relationship she had once had with Steve. Ruby hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Maya, how come I haven¡¯t seen Mr. Burton these past few days?¡± As someone who had been promoted from a secretary assistant to a secretary, Maya was well-informed about Steve¡¯s schedule. So when she heard Ruby¡¯s question, she didn¡¯t hesitate to answer, ¡°Mr. Burton has gone on a business trip to Agrabah, he¡¯ll be back this afternoon.¡± Ruby uttered an ¡°Oh¡± and thanked Maya before turning to go into the stall. After using the restroom, Ruby pushed the door open and walked towards the sink, rearranging her skirt as she did so. Ruby had only taken a few steps when she heard a cold, sneering laughter behind her. She furrowed her brows and then heard Olivia Foster¡¯s mocking and sarcastic voice, ¡°Ruby Gregory, you were just eagerly asking Maya about where our Mr. Burton is, what are you trying to do?¡± Ruby knew from that sentence that Olivia had overheard her conversation with Maya earlier. However, she hadn¡¯t expected that Olivia¡¯s ability to distort facts and exaggerate situations had increased significantly over the years. Ruby let her eyelids droop, ignoring Olivia¡¯s words. She elegantly and nonchalantly turned on the faucet to wash her hands. Seeing Ruby¡¯s calm expression in the face of her sarcasm, Olivia chuckled and, with a seductive stride, walked to Ruby¡¯s side. She opened the faucet as well, washing her hands side-by-side with Ruby. ¡°Ruby Gregory, I¡¯ve heard that back in the day, you voluntarily climbed onto Steve¡¯s bed, but he rejected you. Humiliated, you had no choice but to run off to Costa Luna, right?¡± Not many people knew about the incident back then, but it did not mean that Olivia was unaware of it. After all, her cousin had married into the Burtons, so she must have heard the news from them.. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27: I’ll Let You Get Lost (7) Chapter 27: Chapter 27: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (7) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster looked at Ruby Gregory¡¯s slightly stiffened face, feeling a bit relieved and spoke with a lighter tone, ¡°Ruby Gregory, during those three years in Costa Luna, did it hurt when you thought about how Steve Burton slept with you and didn¡¯t want you anymore?¡± Since she returned to the country, in just a few days, more than one person had mentioned how she was initially slept with and then abandoned by Steve Burton. Steve Burton said mockingly, ¡°Ruby Gregory, I slept with you and didn¡¯t want you. You still come knocking on my door, how thick-skinned are you?¡± Madeleine said, ¡°Ruby, do you know that you¡¯re something my brother doesn¡¯t want anymore? Since he doesn¡¯t want you, why do you still care about his feelings?¡± Now, Olivia Foster said the same words. She couldn¡¯t offend Steve and couldn¡¯t be angry with Madeleine, who cared for her wellbeing. But it was different with Olivia Foster, who was just ridiculing her, laughing at her, and humiliating her. In Ruby Gregory¡¯s dictionary, the only person she should tolerate, compromise with, and please in this world was Steve Burton. From an early age, she knew that besides enduring Steve¡¯s temper, she didn¡¯t have to tolerate anyone else¡¯s. She was just much better than Olivia Foster, who had been groomed by the Gregorys as the future mistress of the Burtons from an early age. The Gregorys taught her to remain composed, calm, and elegant at all times, never showing her emotions. So even though she was angry, her face remained calm and gentle. Her tone was also steady and smooth, ¡°Thank you for your concern. During my three years in Costa Luna, I was much better off than you, bearing the title of illegitimate daughter and trying every possible way to please the Fosters.¡± Use their own method against them. Olivia Foster attacked her with the biggest weakness in her life, so she would do the same and counter her with the biggest weak point in her life. Olivia Foster¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. She stared at Ruby Gregory, gritting her teeth and said, ¡°You,¡± then didn¡¯t know what else to say. Indeed, as Ruby Gregory said, she was an illegitimate daughter, and the Fosters never held her in high regard. So she had always tried her best to please them. Ruby Gregory remembered Olivia¡¯s first sarcastic words, and the smile on her face became even more elegant and noble. She leaned forward slightly, speaking in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°Just now, you said I am eagerly asking Maya about Mr. Burton¡¯s whereabouts? However, have you ever thought that if it were true, like you said, and Mr.. Burton is really annoyed with me, how could I be sitting in his secretary¡¯s office? Don¡¯t you know that his secretaries and assistants are all handpicked by him?¡± Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: I’ll Let You Get Lost (8) Chapter 28: Chapter 28: I¡¯ll Let You Get Lost (8) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster¡¯s face became even more unsightly, how could she not know that it was Steve Burton who allowed Ruby Gregory to join Pristine¡¯s Enterprises? On her very first day at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, her family had told her that, no matter what means necessary, she must drive Ruby Gregory out of the company in the shortest time possible. She just happened to overhear Ruby asking Maya Mitchell about Steve¡¯s whereabouts, so she casually mocked her a bit. Unexpectedly, after three years, Ruby still had such a sharp tongue! Olivia Foster, seemingly reaching her boiling point, her hateful tone trembled, ¡°Ruby Gregory, don¡¯t push people too far, and don¡¯t be too arrogant. What men never lack are women who offer themselves up. Right now, Steve is just missing you after three years and finding you a novelty, wanting to taste some freshness again!¡± Upon hearing this, Ruby Gregory let out a soft laugh, the pupils of her eyes, beneath her arched brows, rippled like water. She deliberately lowered her voice and said to Olivia, very deliberately, ¡°Well then, Olivia Foster, now the question is, do you think in Mr. Burton¡¯s eyes, you are no longer considered fresh? Or is it that Mr. Burton has never deigned to taste you at all?¡± Olivia Foster was immediately rendered speechless by Ruby¡¯s words. Indeed, in order to gain the respect of her family, to break away from her title as an illegitimate daughter, she had always wanted to marry a Burton man, just like her older cousin, and secure some speaking power within the family. She and Ruby were of similar ages, so she could only target Steve Burton, but when she finally met him, she realized that he wasn¡¯t just a target, he was her life¡¯s pursuit of deep love. She even thought that Steve didn¡¯t need to marry her; as long as he allowed her to be his woman, she would be content. However, in all these years of scrambling after him, bumping and stumbling, Steve had never laid a finger on her. A faint mist appeared in the corner of Olivia Foster¡¯s eyes. Ruby blinked and said, ¡°Olivia Foster, don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re so fragile that you¡¯re about to cry because of a few words from me? Once your eye makeup is ruined by crying, you¡¯ll look terrible. Don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you that Mr. Burton is coming back this afternoon.¡± Olivia Foster could only try her best to hold back her tears. Ruby Gregory no longer continued to pay any attention to Olivia Foster, she simply turned around and walked out of the restroom. At 2:30 in the afternoon, just as Maya Mitchell had said, Steve Burton appeared in the office on time. Following behind him were Howard Coleman and Rusell Henris. The three of them stepped out of the elevator, and he said something to them that made Howard and Rusell return to their respective offices, while he headed directly to his own office. All the secretaries in the office put down their work and stood up simultaneously, greeting him, ¡°Mr. Burton, hello!¡± Steve Burton nodded slightly and walked straight to his office.. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Birthday Invitation (1) Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Birthday Invitation (1) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton slightly nodded and headed for his office. The oldest secretary, just as Burton was about to enter his office, suddenly behaved like he remembered something, respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Burton, since you were out on business trips these past few days, I haven¡¯t had a chance to report to you. The new colleague approved by the HR department has already started working.¡± The oldest secretary gave a glance to Ruby Gregory. Ruby immediately stood up. Despite their years of acquaintance, Ruby gave a simple introduction, ¡°Hello, Mr. Burton, I am Ruby Gregory.¡± Steve¡¯s silhouette paused slightly, stopped in his tracks. After a moment, he slightly turned his head and lightly nodded at the oldest secretary, way of acknowledging him, then, without even glancing at Ruby who had greeted him, he walked directly into his office. Although Steve comes from a good family and radiates a strong aura, and normally gives off the feeling of superiority, when facing employee greetings, he would at least so much as nod, even though his attitude would be frosty. Moreover, Ruby is a new employee, he just completely ignored her! All the secretaries looked at Ruby with various expressions in their eyes, some helpless, some sympathetic, some puzzled, and even a smug look in Olivia Foster¡¯s eyes ¡­ In her first-ever encounter at Pristine Enterprises, he made her lose face in front of so many people. Ruby forced herself not to care about other people¡¯s gazes and attempted to maintain her calm and elegant demeanor as she slowly settled back into her seat. For several hours, Ruby kept her head down, staring at the computer screen, daring not to catch anyone¡¯s eye. Steve seemed to be very busy. Since entering his office at two-thirty, he hadn¡¯t come out until four-thirty. He called the secretaries thrice¡ªonce to confirm tomorrow¡¯s meeting and twice to have them bring documents inside. Around five o¡¯clock, the phone on Ruby¡¯s desk rang. The call came from an internal line and the caller ID displayed ¡°8888¡±. Ruby understood that it was a call from Steve¡¯s office. Her fingers trembled a little, and then she quickly picked up the phone, respectfully answering, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± At the other end of the line, Steve¡¯s voice was devoid of any emotion. The words that came out of his mouth were clear and concise, without any unnecessary verbiage: ¡°Get me a cup of coffee.¡± Before Ruby could respond with ¡°Yes¡±, she heard a ¡°click¡± sound. He had hung up. Ruby quickly put down the phone and went to the pantry to make a coffee. She prepared it according to the tastes of Mr. Burton that she had noted down on her notepad¡ªtwo sachets of creamer and one sachet of sweetener, then carried it towards Steve¡¯s office. Ruby first raised her hand, knocked at the door, and only when she heard ¡°come in¡± from inside, did she push open the door.. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Birthday Invitation (2) Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Birthday Invitation (2) Translator: 549690339 Before Ruby Gregory could walk in, she heard Olivia Foster¡¯s playful voice from inside the office: ¡°Steve, take a look and choose one!¡± ¡°Stop it, I¡¯m busy.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s voice sounded somewhat indifferent, but not the least bit impatient. ¡°Steve, I spent a whole week carefully picking out these gifts for you. Just choose one, and then deal with those documents later.¡± Olivia¡¯s tone carried a hint of coquettishness. Upon hearing this, Ruby¡¯s heart shuddered fiercely. Olivia really had a lot of nerve, not only she addressed Steve as ¡°Steve¡± instead of ¡°Mr. Burton¡± in the office, but she even persisted, pestering him while he was working! Her father once told her that nothing was more annoying for men than being continually bothered by a woman when they were busy. She wondered if Olivia wasn¡¯t afraid of angering Steve! As these thoughts ran through Ruby¡¯s mind, her face showed no signs that she had heard Olivia and Steve¡¯s conversation. She pushed open the door, holding the coffee and walked in. Upon hearing the door being opened, Olivia twisted her head around. Upon seeing Ruby, she hesitated for a moment, then turned back nonchalantly and handed the iPad in front of Steve. Steve caught a glimpse of Ruby entering from the corner of his eye, and his fingers on the computer keyboard paused for a moment. Then he took the iPad from Olivia. Steve swiped a couple of times on the iPad, casually pointed to the screen twice, and asked Olivia, ¡°Which one do you think is better, this or that?¡± Olivia leaned closer to Steve, tilted her head, puckered her lips, looking innocently cute as she stared at the iPad screen. After a while, she pointed at the screen and said, ¡°This one. The other design is a bit too conservative.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your advice,¡± Steve agreed without objection. Olivia¡¯s face immediately bloomed into a flowery smile: ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, Steve!¡± Steve handed the iPad back to Olivia, without any hint of blame in his voice, he said reprimandingly, ¡°Don¡¯t slack off during work hours in the future.¡± Olivia pouted, showing no sign of guilt, and said, ¡°I understand, Steve.¡± The two carried on their conversation about non-work-related matters, as if they hadn¡¯t noticed the entrance of Ruby into the office at all. Ruby neatly placed the coffee on Steve¡¯s right side, not interrupting their conversation, and tactfully prepared to leave. However, Olivia suddenly turned her head towards Ruby, flashing her a crafty smile, and said, ¡°Ruby, your timing is perfect. I was just telling Steve about his birthday party next week.. You¡¯ve known Steve for so many years, so he must have sent you an invitation, right?¡± Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Birthday Invitation (3) Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Birthday Invitation (3) Translator: 549690339 Upon Olivia Foster¡¯s mention, Ruby Gregory suddenly remembered that it was indeed Steve Burton¡¯s birthday. As for Steve Burton¡¯s birthday invitation¡­ Ruby Gregory secretly glanced at Steve. He had not mentioned it in front of her. Naturally, Ruby couldn¡¯t tell Olivia that she hadn¡¯t received the birthday invitation. So, seeing her smug expression, Ruby just smiled and chose to remain silent, giving Olivia an ambiguous answer. Assuming that Ruby had already received Steve¡¯s birthday party invitation, Olivia turned her head away and stopped paying attention to Ruby: ¡°Steve, have you booked your birthday cake?¡± Steve seemed quite interested in the topic and directly closed his computer: ¡°I don¡¯t arrange my birthday parties; my older sister always does. However, speaking of that, I suddenly remember that my sister said she would order several different flavors of cake this time. After all, everyone has different tastes. Olivia, what flavor do you prefer?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t expect Steve to care about her preferences. She was excited and asked, ¡°Can I choose two flavors?¡± Steve nodded slightly. With Steve¡¯s permission, Olivia thought for a moment and said, ¡°Strawberry and purple yam.¡± Steve made a humming sound, seemingly taking note of her preferences. Then, suddenly, he turned to Ruby and asked, ¡°How about you?¡± Ruby initially thought she was just an extra person there. Suddenly hearing Steve asking about her preferred taste, she hesitated for a moment before a hint of warmth filled her heart. Since she had returned, Steve had held nothing but disdain and a terrible attitude towards her. Now that he was asking about her preferences, could it be that there was still hope for her? Although Ruby was excited inside, she didn¡¯t show it like Olivia. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Steve and said, ¡°Matcha flavor. Actually, she didn¡¯t like matcha-flavored cake and even found it somewhat repulsive. Her real favorite flavor was vanilla. However, she pretended to like matcha because it was Steve¡¯s favorite cake flavor, hoping that their shared preference would win his favor. Upon hearing the words ¡°matcha flavor,¡± a sneer instantly appeared on Steve¡¯s face. Staring at Ruby, he said mockingly, ¡°Matcha flavor? How unfortunate. I hate matcha-flavored cakes the most. They make me sick!¡± At these words, a smile curved up on Olivia¡¯s lips. Under the ridicule of Steve and the self-satisfaction of Olivia, the color drained from Ruby¡¯s face in an instant.. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Birthday Invitation (4) Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Birthday Invitation (4) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton stared at the desolation in Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes, his lips pursed tightly, and his tone suddenly became somewhat somber: ¡°Alright, you all can get back to work.¡± Olivia Foster and Ruby Gregory walked out of Steve¡¯s office one after the other, Olivia giving Ruby a smug look before walking gracefully to her seat and taking a seat. Ruby lowered her eyes. From the beginning to the end, she had always overestimated her influence on Steve. She had thought that even though he had inexplicably abandoned her three years ago, they had more than 20 years of shared history and he wouldn¡¯t bring too much humiliation upon her! But today, she saw Olivia cling to and flirt with Steve, and not only did he not get angry, but even his criticism was so light and breezy; even when Olivia wanted two different flavored cakes, he indulged her. And what about her, Ruby Gregory? She always tried to be a composed and graceful woman in front of him, putting his preferences first. However, in return, she only received his mockery, disdain, and disgust! Perhaps it was because he simply couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her, so no matter how well she performed, he would always pick out flaws! In fact, she didn¡¯t ask for much. She didn¡¯t need his love or favor; all she needed was the position of Mrs. Burton. Ruby¡¯s heart suddenly felt heavy. More importantly, it seemed that he had no intention of inviting her to his birthday party. Many of the elite knew that she had once been close to him. Now that she¡¯s back, if he doesn¡¯t allow her to attend his birthday party, she would become the laughingstock among many people, and the Gregorys would be ridiculed by countless families! Ruby glanced at the calendar on her computer. There were less than five days before his birthday, and within these five days, she would do everything possible to get an invitation to his party¡­ After Ruby and Olivia had left, Steve stood up and walked to the French windows. The gentle glow of the setting sun draped over the Ciawell City, setting it aglow with grandeur and magnificence. However, Steve had no interest in appreciating the beautiful view and only felt a nagging irritation in his heart. Matcha flavor? That was clearly his favorite flavor. From childhood to adulthood, during the more than 20 years he had known her, when had Ruby ever touched anything with a matcha flavor? Did she really think he was so easily fooled like a fool? Steve couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold laugh at the corner of his lips. However, this cold laugh turned into a bitter laugh in the end. It was truly laughable. He had known her for exactly 20 years and only now did he realize that he knew nothing about the woman he once believed he knew so well. For instance, her favorite flavor of cake, her favorite color, her favorite food¡­ Come to think of it, he was truly pathetic! At this thought, a frustrated expression appeared in Steve¡¯s eyes. PS: Something came up unexpectedly, had to go out for a bit.. There are still 4 more chapters to update, will write them when I get back! Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Birthday Invitation (5) Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Birthday Invitation (5) Translator: 549690339 Only a line of hedges separated the Gregorys¡¯ Villa from the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. From both yards, one could clearly see into the other¡¯s. So, not only was Ruby Gregory close with Steve Burton, but she knew all of the Burtons¡¯ family members well, from the old to the young. On this Saturday morning, Ruby woke up early. From the second-floor balcony, she could see the lines of luxury cars parked at the Burton Mansion. Last night, Ruby had made a point to note that the car Steve drove back to the mansion was a Porsche. After breakfast, Ruby went upstairs again to glance at the Burton¡¯s parking lot. Upon seeing that Steve¡¯s Porsche was gone, she brushed her teeth, put on some sky-blue sportswear and went downstairs. In the backyard of the Gregorys¡¯ home, two rows of vegetables were growing. Since it was harvest season, Ruby picked out some fresh vegetables, had the maid pack them into a basket, and headed to the Burtons¡¯. The Burton Mansion was still staffed by the old servants from three years ago. Upon seeing Ruby, they stopped in their tracks and greeted, ¡°Ms. Gregory.¡± One hurriedly led Ruby into the mansion, crying out anxiously, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter that you¡¯re in such a flurry?¡± a melodious voice came from across the door as it was pushed open. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s Ms. Gregory,¡± replied the servant. Ruby thought it a coincidence. She was here to see Wenny Burton, Steve¡¯s elder sister. Upon seeing Ruby, Wenny was slightly surprised, then asked, ¡°Ruby, you really came back?¡± Ruby gave a slight smile and lifted the vegetables in her hand, saying, ¡°Our backyard garden is ripe for picking, we¡¯ve got an abundance and can¡¯t possibly eat it all. My mother asked me to bring some over for you.¡± ¡°Aunt Gregory is always so considerate.¡± Wenny moved to the side and said, ¡°Come in quickly.¡± Ruby handed the vegetables over to a servant and followed Wenny into the house. The decor of the Burtons¡¯ home had all changed from three years ago when she left. It was now much more luxurious and grandiose. Wenny gestured Ruby to sit and asked a servant to prepare tea, saying, ¡°This is green tea freshly brought from West Lake. It has quite a fragrant scent, you should try it.¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruby responded politely, lifted the teacup, and took a symbolic sip. ¡°While ago, I heard you returned, but I hadn¡¯t seen you and thought it was only a rumor.¡± Ruby smiled at Wenny and put the teacup back on the table. ¡°Ruby, how have you been in Costa Luna these past three years?¡± When Wenny asked this, she hesitated slightly. Finally, she lowered her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about what happened three years ago..¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Birthday Invitation (6) Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Birthday Invitation (6) Translator: 549690339 Once again, the topic was brought up, and Ruby Gregory felt somewhat numb to it. Her face still held a faint, calm smile as she did not respond. Wenny Burton seemed to realize that she had brought up something she shouldn¡¯t have. She gave an awkward smile and apologized, ¡°Ruby, why did I bring that up¡­¡± ¡°Wenny¡­¡± Ruby interrupted her as if nothing had happened, ¡°Have you been painting all these years?¡± Ruby had learned many things since she was young, with painting being her strongest skill. Wenny later became fascinated with painting, but due to her limited talent, her paintings always lacked a certain touch. So, she would always ask Ruby for help with modifications. Wenny knew Ruby was trying to change the subject and immediately followed along, ¡°I still paint occasionally, but after you left, all my paintings became half-finished. This was precisely what Ruby was waiting for her to say, ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯m free today, so if you¡¯re not busy, Wenny, why don¡¯t you bring out those paintings? I¡¯ll help you finish them.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wenny was delighted at Ruby¡¯s offer and quickly stood up. She led Ruby upstairs to her painting studio. This time, Ruby¡¯s visit seemed to be about delivering vegetables to the Burtons. In reality, she came because Steve Burton once mentioned in his office that Wenny was in charge of his birthday party, so she figured the invitations must be sent out by Wenny. Hence, her purpose was to get the invitation to Steve¡¯s birthday party from Wenny. During the three years in Costa Luna, Ruby had not wasted her skills. Her painting technique became even better than before, and she put extra care into Wenny¡¯s half-finished works. After her modifications, the paintings were worlds apart from their original state. Wenny was genuinely excited and couldn¡¯t stop praising Ruby, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re truly amazing! These paintings are absolutely gorgeous after you¡¯ve touched them up!¡± Ruby felt inner joy at those compliments and became even more focused while refining the paintings for Wenny. ¡°Wenny, if you ever need help, feel free to ask me.¡± Wenny immediately nodded without hesitation and laughed, ¡°Sure, as long as it doesn¡¯t bother you.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Ruby seemingly casually looked at Wenny, who was admiring the finished painting in her hands. She sensed that her chance had arrived, so she paused for a moment before turning to Wenny and asking, ¡°Wenny, isn¡¯t Steve¡¯s birthday coming up in a few days?¡± Steve didn¡¯t leave the Burton residence. It was just that his eldest cousin got drunk last night and had someone send him home. The next day, when he went out, he borrowed Steve¡¯s car. Steve had slept late last night, and since it was a weekend, he didn¡¯t get up until noon. After freshening up and putting on a casual outfit, he went downstairs, just in time to see a servant setting the silverware on the dining table. ¡°Mr. Steve.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Steve grunted, pulled out a chair, and sat down.. He noticed that there were three sets of silverware on the table, then said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just my sister and me at home today?¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Birthday Invitation (7) Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Birthday Invitation (7) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Yes, but this morning, Ms. Gregory came.¡± Steve¡¯s movement to pick up the vegetables with his chopsticks paused slightly: ¡°Ms. Gregory?¡± ¡°Ms. Ruby Gregory.¡± The servant filled Steve with soup: ¡°Ms. Gregory brought some vegetables over this morning and is now with the young lady in the painting studio upstairs.¡± Steve¡¯s brows furrowed a little, but he said nothing. The servant set the silverware and stepped aside, ¡°Mr. Steve, shall I go upstairs and call the young lady and Ms. Gregory down for dinner?¡± Steve didn¡¯t respond, picked up the vegetables with his chopsticks, and chewed a couple times before stopping the servant who was about to go upstairs, ¡°Wait.¡± The servant turned around, looking somewhat puzzled. Steve put down his chopsticks, stood up: ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Without waiting for the servant to react, he got up and headed directly upstairs. The door to the painting studio was slightly ajar. As Steve approached and was about to push the door open, he heard Ruby¡¯s voice from inside, ¡°Wenny, whenever you need anything, feel free to come to me for help.¡± Steve frowned, hesitated in pushing the door and heard Ruby hesitate before continuing, ¡°Wenny, isn¡¯t Steve¡¯s birthday coming up in a few days?¡± As expected¡­ Ruby never does anything without a purpose. Steve¡¯s gaze became a bit colder, and just as his sister was about to say, ¡°It¡¯s next Wednesday, if you have time¡­,¡± he pushed the door open suddenly. Ruby tried hard to suppress her excitement, knowing that Wenny would surely invite her to Steve¡¯s birthday party if she were available. However, before she could hear the second half of Wenny¡¯s sentence, the door behind her was pushed open: ¡°Time for dinner.¡± At the sound of those three words, Ruby¡¯s hands shook and the paintbrush almost fell out of her palm. How could he be home? Hadn¡¯t he left in the car? Wenny¡¯s second half of the sentence got stuck in her throat as she turned to look at Steve with a slightly mocking tone, ¡°I thought I was mistaken, but it really is you who came to call me for dinner.¡± Steve showed no annoyance at his sister¡¯s teasing, but in the next moment, his gaze shifted onto Ruby, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His voice was cold and distant, making Ruby feel distinctly unwelcome. Ruby felt awkward and didn¡¯t know how to respond. Wenny gave Ruby an apologetic glance before turning to Steve and explaining, ¡°I asked Ruby to help me touch up some of my old paintings.¡± Steve¡¯s face showed no reaction. Ruby was keenly aware of Steve¡¯s displeasure, she turned to Wenny and said, ¡°Wenny, I should get going first.¡± ¡°Stay for lunch.¡± Ruby shook her head, then gave Steve a slight nod as a greeting before hurrying out of the room. As Ruby was about to leave the painting studio, Steve¡¯s voice suddenly rang out again, ¡°How many more paintings does she need to touch up? Gather them all up now and let her take them away, so she doesn¡¯t keep using this excuse to come here every day, it¡¯s annoying!¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Birthday Invitation (8) Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Birthday Invitation (8) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s tone had a touch of maliciousness, causing Ruby Gregory¡¯s silhouette to slightly sway. ¡°Steve, how can you talk like that!¡± Wenny Burton couldn¡¯t believe that Steve would say such ruthless words, her tone filled with reproach. Steve Burton didn¡¯t bother to respond to Wenny¡¯s reprimand. He turned around and strode past Ruby, leaving the painting studio. Wenny looked at Ruby somewhat awkwardly and said, ¡°Ruby, Steve may be in a bad mood and said some harsh words. Don¡¯t take it to heart¡­¡± Ruby managed to shake her head at Wenny, forcing a smile, and said, ¡°Wenny, I¡¯m going first.¡¯ Ruby quickly left the entrance of the Burton¡¯s house before she dared to lower her head, revealing a hurt expression on her face. Did he hate her so much that he didn¡¯t even want her to come to his home¡­? When he faced irrelevant people, he would only show a cold and distant attitude at most. But when facing her, he always attacked her with harsh words. Just like three years ago, overnight, he became a completely different person toward her¡­ She never knew why. When Ruby was about to reach her own doorstep, she raised her head, took a deep breath towards the sky, and then squeezed out a smile. She tried hard to make herself look relaxed. No matter how much Steve had wronged her, she didn¡¯t want her parents to know. She was afraid that they would be disappointed in the daughter they had raised for over twenty years, pouring all their efforts into her upbringing. When Ruby saw her smile looked natural, she prepared to step forward. Suddenly, a car stopped beside her at a fast speed, accompanied by a sharp braking sound. Before Ruby could react, a powerful force pulled her over and stuffed her into the car. Ruby looked up instinctively, seeing Steve staring at her coldly. Ruby felt a little scared under Steve¡¯s gaze. Steve didn¡¯t say a word, staring at her unblinkingly. Even the breath he sprayed on her face carried a cold chill. Ruby felt a layer of cold sweat creeping onto her back, and she subconsciously moved backward to avoid him. In the next second, Steve suddenly lowered his head, covered her lips, and began to pull at the zipper of her clothes. Ruby knew what Steve was going to do next. In broad daylight and inside the car, people or vehicles could pass by any moment¡­ If they were seen¡­ At that thought, Ruby couldn¡¯t care less if she would anger Steve, and her whole body instinctively struggled violently. Steve didn¡¯t expect Ruby to resist. He was initially a bit taken aback, but then a subtle delight crossed his eyes. So, she hadn¡¯t reached the point of obeying him without any limits! Steve stopped his actions, looked into Ruby¡¯s eyes, and said after a while, ¡°Don¡¯t you want an invitation to my birthday party? Sleep with me now, and I¡¯ll have Wenny send you the invitation!¡± PS: The lucky readers who won the calendar, and signed the book yesterday are:(If you didn¡¯t win, don¡¯t be discouraged).. See you tomorrow at 3 §²§®~ Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Enduring Without a Choice (1) Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Enduring Without a Choice (1) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton stopped his actions and gazed into Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes. After a moment, he said, ¡°You want an invitation to my birthday party, don¡¯t you? Sleep with me now, and I¡¯ll have Wenny Burton send you an invite!¡± How did he know she wanted an invitation to his birthday party? Could it be that he already knew her true purpose for going to the Burtons to see Wenny Burton? Although she didn¡¯t know what had annoyed Steve Burton three years ago, based on his current attitude towards her, he probably never intended to invite her to his birthday party. Originally, her plan was to bypass Steve Burton and ask Wenny Burton for an invitation, so she wouldn¡¯t be humiliated by not being able to attend his birthday party and become a laughingstock. However, now he saw through her little scheme. If he were to intervene, Wenny Burton would definitely not give her an invitation to his birthday party¡­ Could it be that she really had to follow his words and exchange for his birthday invitation in the way he described? Ruby was feeling a mix of hesitation and struggle deep within her heart. Steve Burton¡¯s eyes, usually cold and indifferent, seemed to warm up, even carrying a hint of a smile when he saw the hesitation and uncertainty in hers. It turned out that Ruby Gregory was not so desperate and helpless; deep down, she still cared about her dignity and pride. Suppressing the joy in his heart, Steve Burton¡¯s words were still indifferent and cold, but his tone had softened considerably, no longer as sharp and biting. ¡°Ruby Gregory, you know that if I say the word, Wenny Burton would never dare to give you that invitation.¡± As expected, he wouldn¡¯t let things go smoothly for her. Ruby clenched her hand into a fist. Her feminine reserve and dignity made it impossible for her to agree to his proposal. Many people in Ciawell knew about the once good relationship between the daughter of the Gregorys and the successor of the Burtons, and many knew about her inexplicable departure to Costa Luna three years ago. Although they might not know the specifics of what had happened, everyone was eager to see the outcome of her return to the country and her subsequent interactions with Steve Burton. Having grown up in the upper-class circles, Ruby understood better than anyone that if she were not invited to Steve Burton¡¯s birthday party, the mystery of her trip to Costa Luna three years prior would turn into her being cast aside by Steve Burton long ago. Most of the Gregorys¡¯ business in recent years was founded on the belief that Ruby might marry Steve Burton and tied their collaboration with the Burtons accordingly. If everyone knew that she had no hope with Steve Burton, those shrewd businessmen would surely realize that the Gregorys offered no benefits for the future; they would undoubtedly cease to cooperate with the Gregorys. At that point, the Gregorys¡¯ business would be in grave danger! Ruby was lost in thought for too long, making Steve Burton believe that she might actually refuse his proposal.. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: No Choice But to Endure (2) Chapter 38: Chapter 38: No Choice But to Endure (2) Translator: 549690339 The car was very quiet. In the silence, Steve Burton seemed a little dazed as he stared at Ruby Gregory¡¯s beautiful face, with a slight loss of focus. He was three years older than her. When he was a little grown-up wearing a suit and trying to look cool, she happened to be wearing a soft pink princess dress and learning to walk in the Gregorys¡¯ yard. Watching her maid leave, she slowly walked towards the fence that separated the two yards. She had just learned to walk and her steps were still a bit shaky. After taking a few steps, she accidentally fell to the ground. She didn¡¯t mind the dirt and crawled using her hands and feet. There was a large gap in the fence between the two yards. At just one-year-old, she crawled through the gap and into the Burtons¡¯ yard. At the time, four-year-old Steve was already recognizing many characters and loved storybooks. He tried to imitate the adults, crossed one leg over the other, read the story with great interest. However, he realized there was some weight on his raised foot. Frowning, Steve looked up and saw a dirty little girl holding onto his leg. She stood up, rubbing against him, eyeing the book in his hand with innocent, curious eyes. Even though he was only four years old, Steve was already obsessively clean. Seeing her beautiful dress, white socks, and chubby little face covered in mud, he frowned without hesitation and pulled his leg free from her grasp. After placing the storybook on the table, he took a tissue and began wiping the dirt from his trousers. Perhaps due to pulling his leg away too quickly, the girl lost her balance and squatted on the ground. Instead of crying, she rolled over on the spot, crawled over to the table, stood up silently, and reached out her dirty little hand towards his storybook. He had just gotten to an exciting part of the story, and her hand was so filthy that he quickly said with disgust, ¡°Dirty!¡± Steve quickly snatched the storybook away. At that time, she could already understand most languages and speak simple words. She probably knew ¡°dirty¡± was a bad adjective, so she pouted and glared at him, visibly annoyed. A girl this dirty, he had no intention of bothering with her! Steve picked up his book, intending to escape to his room without a second thought. But as he stood up, she suddenly reached out, and her nimble hands quickly snatched the storybook from him. Steve turned around and instinctively tried to take it back. She probably knew he was going to grab it or that she couldn¡¯t get away with it, so her plump little hands tore the storybook in half.. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: No Choice But to Endure (3) Chapter 39: Chapter 39: No Choice But to Endure (3) Translator: 549690339 At this memory, Steve Burton couldn¡¯t help but let the corners of his lips curve into a slight smile. At that time, she was only one year old, but she already knew that if she couldn¡¯t take what she wanted, she should destroy it! More than twenty years have passed, and he still clearly remembers what his expression was like at that time. He was obviously so angry that he gritted his teeth, wanting to kick the little dumpling lying on the ground, but he had to maintain his little gentleman¡¯s demeanor and hold it in. His face turned red with anger, as he glared at her fiercely. Yet, she seemed completely oblivious, focusing on tearing his serialized storybook. ¡°Ruby? Ruby?¡± Suddenly, a clear and beautiful call came. Ruby Gregory immediately threw away the mess she had made of the serialized storybook and crawled towards the railing. ¡°Ruby, how did you crawl into the Burtons¡¯ yard?¡± ¡°Ruby, look at you, why are you so dirty?¡± Her mother scolded her with a stern face, wiped her face with a handkerchief, and then looked up to see him, standing on the other side of the railing. Even though he was annoyed with Ruby in his heart, he did not forget his manners and immediately spoke politely, saying: ¡°Aunt Gregory, hello.¡± ¡°Hello, Steve.¡± Ruby¡¯s mother bent down and said to Ruby, ¡°Ruby, that¡¯s your Aunt Burton¡¯s youngest son, call him Steve Burton.¡± Ruby¡¯s speech was not yet clear, so she couldn¡¯t say the four-word name quickly. She had already forgotten the grudge she held against him because he ripped her serialized storybook. She stared at him with her pitch-black eyes and called out tenderly: ¡°Brother.¡± Her originally dirt-streaked face had been wiped clean by Aunt Gregory. He finally caught a clear glimpse of her cute, innocent face: round like an apple, making the nearly-four-year-old Steve have an impulse to pounce on her and take a bite. After a long internal struggle, Ruby looked straight into Steve¡¯s eyes. She hesitated before asking, ¡°Will you keep your word?¡± Still lost in his memories, Steve suddenly heard Ruby¡¯s voice. He snapped out of his reverie but had no idea what she had just said. Steve¡¯s silence made it difficult for Ruby to grasp what he was thinking. With a slightly trembling voice, she said, ¡°If I really sleep with you now, will you give me the invitation to your birthday party?¡± She had no choice. The Gregorys had placed all their bets on her, so regardless of the difficult problem Steve posed to her, all she could do was face it head-on. Even if the problem made her feel humiliated and degraded, she had to accept it. Steve¡¯s body froze instantly. The tenderness and lingering sentiment that had just risen in his heart evaporated in an instant, as if he had been thrown into cold water and turned into ice.. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: No Choice But to Endure (4) Chapter 40: Chapter 40: No Choice But to Endure (4) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ruby Gregory, it seems I¡¯ve overestimated you!¡± Steve Burton spoke, his tone cold. He had thought she would refuse, but it seemed he had thought too much. What did he mean, he had overestimated her¡­ Ruby didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Steve¡¯s words. She lifted her eyelids, stealing a glance at him, only to find that his gaze had become frighteningly cold at some point, sending a chill down her spine. She quickly lowered her gaze, avoiding his stare. Initially, when she returned from abroad, she thought her nervousness around him was just stress. But later, she realized she was actually afraid of Steve, and her fear continued to grow. She feared his cruel, hurtful words and the humiliation he could cause her in front of others. ¡°You really enjoy debasing yourself!¡± Steve¡¯s voice was dripping with undisguised sarcasm, his whole being exuding a violent storm. ¡°Since you don¡¯t think highly of yourself, there¡¯s no need for me to be polite with you either! ¡± Without waiting for Ruby to react, Steve pushed her down onto the car seat. Her body tensed up, her fingertips trembling violently. The car¡¯s space was rather small; Steve didn¡¯t even bother taking off their clothes before forcing himself on her. She felt humiliated and pained¡ªher eyes tightly closed, she tried to forget her own indignity. Just like the last time, she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palm. Yet, she couldn¡¯t feel any pain from that, as the hurt he caused her was incomparably more excruciating. His actions became harsher and more brutal, as if he was venting his frustrations on her. She could scarcely endure it¡ªshe felt tears burning at the backs of her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t cry. She could only grit her teeth and bear it, even comforting herself at the bottom of her heart. She told herself it was okay; she didn¡¯t need to care about the humiliation he was causing her now. As long as she became pregnant with his child, the Burtons would never allow their flesh and blood to go unclaimed¡ªespecially since their families were neighbors, they would definitely arrange for them to get married. Once they were married, she wouldn¡¯t have to ingratiate herself to him or walk on eggshells to please him. Their marriage would secure the Gregory family¡¯s business. At that point, she would only need to be a well-behaved mistress of the Burton household¡ªshe didn¡¯t need a loving marriage, mere mutual respect would suffice, or even a cold, distant relationship. Once they were married, she could stay as far away from him as possible¡­ Ruby felt her nails breaking in her clenched palms, a sticky liquid seeping out. She knew it was blood. She never knew she could endure so much. Finally, Steve stopped. Inwardly, Ruby let out a sigh of relief, feeling as if she had been revived from the brink of death in the depths of hell.. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: No Choice But to Endure (5) Chapter 41: Chapter 41: No Choice But to Endure (5) Translator: 549690339 The air in the car was filled with a flirtatiously ambiguous atmosphere. With every breath Ruby took, she could smell this scent, constantly reminding her of the humiliation she had just endured. She couldn¡¯t bear to stay in the car for even a moment longer. Regardless of how uncomfortable she felt, she managed to endure and slowly straightened her clothes. Then, after glancing at Steve, she pushed the door open, lowered her head, and hurriedly got out of the car. Steve thought he would see grievance and tears in Ruby¡¯s eyes, but her eyes were as dark and clear as ever, without even a hint of dampness. A familiar sense of defeat welled up within him as he watched her through the car window, her steps slightly frantic as she headed towards her home. Perhaps he had been too rough with her earlier, causing her pain as she walked with a slight limp. Ruby¡¯s figure disappeared into the Gregorys¡¯ compound for a long time before Steve finally shifted his gaze and slowly looked towards the car seat where Ruby had been sitting. He saw a wet stain on the dark seat, touched it, and found it to be bright red. Then his fingers picked up a bloodstained half-broken fingernail from beside lt. With the nail in his hand, Steve felt like there was something stuck in his throat, making it hard to breathe. They hadn¡¯t always been like this¡­ If it weren¡¯t for that incident three years ago, he wouldn¡¯t have mocked and derided her, shirking responsibility after sleeping with her. That incident was a sharp thorn buried deep in his heart that he never wanted to bring up again in his lifetime! In truth, he didn¡¯t want their relationship to become like this either. But if he didn¡¯t act this way, would Ruby still repeatedly circle around him? He couldn¡¯t bear to let her go, but if he held onto her like this and married her, he feared she would have distanced herself from him as much as possible by now, not investing as much effort and thought into him as she currently did. Ruby didn¡¯t dare let the Gregory household see her in such a disheveled state. She entered the house through the back door, went directly to her room on the second floor, and returned to her bedroom. Once in the room, she took a shower first, as if only then could she wash away the humiliation he had inflicted on her. After her shower and standing in front of the cheval mirror in her bedroom, Ruby saw the numerous scars on her body and her eyes grew dim. On her neck, the purplish bruise from the bite she had given him last time at the holiday villa in Red Park still hadn¡¯t faded. The nail-scratched palm of her hand ached deeply. Ruby lowered her gaze, quickly put on her pajamas, and climbed directly into bed. Wrapped tightly in her blanket, she felt exhausted but couldn¡¯t sleep. As her mind swirled with confusion, her phone suddenly rang.. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: No Choice But to Endure (6) Chapter 42: Chapter 42: No Choice But to Endure (6) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory picked up the call, saw it was from Steve Burton, hesitated slightly before answering. However, before she could utter a word, a somewhat cold male voice came from the other end: ¡°Birthday invitation, Wenny Burton will send it to you tonight!¡± Then, without waiting for Ruby Gregory¡¯s response, Steve Burton hung up the call. Ruby listened to the dial tone, feeling a slight relief amid her heavy mood. No matter how tormented or humiliated she was just now, she was, after all, able to secure an invitation to Steve Burton¡¯s birthday party. Regardless of how Steve¡¯s actions may have slapped her in the face privately, at least to the outside world, she had preserved her dignity, and that of the Gregorys. Ruby, after being tossed around so brutally by Steve, spent her whole weekend without setting foot outside, cooped up in her house, and needed two-day rest to recuperate. Monday was always the busiest day for all office workers, and Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was no exception. While the official working hours at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises began at half-past nine, Steve was at a meeting room in a club next to the Forbidden City for a meeting at eight-thirty. The secretary accompanying Steve to the meeting was Olivia Foster. Steve and Olivia arrived at the club on the dot of eight. Since they had half an hour before the meeting¡¯s start, Steve and Olivia first went to the club¡¯s private lounge. Olivia handed Steve the materials she had brought with her, saying, ¡°Steve, here are the materials for our meeting today.¡± Usually, during official business, Olivia would call him ¡®Mr. Burton¡¯. However, last week, when she went to his office to approve some documents, Steve uncharacteristically brought up his birthday, asking her if she had a gift prepared for him. Having known Steve for many years and served as his secretary for over two, she had never shown her affection for him, always striving to get closer to him. But his attitude towards her was always lukewarm. Therefore, when he suddenly asked her for a birthday gift, her heart felt like it was about to soar, and she inadvertently called him, ¡°Steve¡±. Everyone knew Steve was strict with his subordinates at the office, yet he not only didn¡¯t lose his temper at her, but he even discussed his birthday gift with her. She plucked up the courage to bother him to see the gift she had chosen, and he didn¡¯t object. Olivia thought that after enduring so long, she finally saw a ray of light, and once again instinctively blurted out ¡°Steve¡±, a term filled with her affection. Steve, with a cold expression, took the documents from her and opened them.. Without even glancing at Olivia, he said, ¡°When did I get a sister like you?¡± Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: No Choice But to Endure (7) Chapter 43: Chapter 43: No Choice But to Endure (7) Translator: 549690339 Last week, thanks to Steve¡¯s indulgence towards Olivia, she could hear the sarcasm in his words, but still had the confidence to pout at him, saying, ¡°Steve, there are no strangers here anyway.¡± Steve casually flipped through the file, his eyes glued to the words on the pages, and with a calm and steady manner, uttered striking words: ¡°No outsiders? Aren¡¯t you one then?¡± His tone was so light, but it instantly chilled Olivia¡¯s heart. How did Steve¡¯s attitude towards her change like night and day after just one weekend? When someone loves another, they can easily be swayed by every word and action. Olivia was no exception. She would be excited for the entire weekend because Steve would voluntarily chat with her about non-work-related topics in the office. However, at times like this, his single comment would send her down to the bottom and put her in despair, leaving her tone sounding somehow sadder: ¡°Steve, did I do something not good enough to make you angry?¡± Upon hearing her words, Steve curled his lips into a light smile, as if he had just heard a hilarious joke. With a cold tone, he said even more hurtful words: ¡°Olivia, that¡¯s really funny. To an outsider like you, do you think I need to spare any unnecessary emotions?¡± ¡°But last week¡­¡± Thinking of last week, Steve remembered how he had used Olivia to find out what kind of cake Ruby liked, only to end up with a bunch of useless answers. His expression turned somber and his cold voice had traces of anger when he replied, ¡°Last week? I don¡¯t remember.¡± I don¡¯t remember¡­ such a definitive statement turned the glimmer of hope in Olivia¡¯s heart into utter despair in an instant. She thought that she would be the first to benefit from their closeness, seeing the clouds part and the moon reveal itself. However, it turned out to be her own wishful thinking. If Olivia had never had any hope, she wouldn¡¯t feel so miserable. But now, as her newfound hope abruptly vanished, she found her heart aching so dramatically that her eyes turned red in an instant. Yet, facing Olivia with her reddened eyes, Steve¡¯s attitude not only remained unchanged, but became even colder and more indifferent: ¡°Olivia, just because I criticized you a little, you¡¯re crying? There¡¯s even worse to come. I told you, do not call me ¡®Steve¡¯ during work. If it happens again, don¡¯t bother coming to the secretary department.. Just go straight to HR to complete your resignation and leave Pristine¡¯s Enterprises!¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: No Choice But to Endure (8) Chapter 44: Chapter 44: No Choice But to Endure (8) Translator: 549690339 After speaking, Steve Burton added, ¡°And, don¡¯t cry. If you cry, leave Pristine¡¯s Enterprises immediately!¡± Upon hearing Steve¡¯s harsher words, Olivia Foster swallowed the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. Steve Burton sat comfortably on the couch, flipping through the documents one by one. Then he frowned, lifted his head and said to Olivia Foster with a somewhat stern tone, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring the most important partnership agreement?¡± Upon hearing these words, Olivia was immediately scared, forgetting the nasty words Steve had just said. She bent down, checked the documents one by one, and found that she really had forgotten to bring the partnership agreement. ¡°Who prepared the partnership agreement?¡± The color drained from Olivia¡¯s face. She had been very busy at work last Friday and had not noticed who had printed the partnership agreement. However, such an oversight in her work would definitely attract criticism. Moreover, her father had told her to try to remove Ruby Gregory from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises as soon as possible¡­ Last week, in Mr. Burton¡¯s office, his attitude towards Ruby Gregory was disastrous. She might have forced herself into Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, but if she now implicated Ruby in this major mistake, Mr. Burton might kick her out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises! Thinking of this, Olivia calmed herself down and said, ¡°The partnership agreement was prepared and printed by Ruby Gregory. I asked her to place it in my office documents on Friday night, but surprisingly she didn¡¯t.¡± Continuing, Olivia said, ¡°It¡¯s only four subway stops from the company to here, with a distance of a few hundred meters in between. It¡¯s only 8:05 now, if she delivers it, it won¡¯t take more than twenty minutes. I¡¯ll call Ruby now.¡± After saying this, Olivia walked out of the lounge and made a phone call to the secretary¡¯s office. She had already calculated the time it would take from the company to here for Mr. Burton. If Ruby Gregory could not deliver the partnership agreement before 8:30, then that would be due to her lack of ability! Given Mr. Burton¡¯s strict demands on employees, Ruby Gregory is definitely in a precarious situation! At eight o¡¯clock, Ruby Gregory swiped her card and entered the Pristine¡¯s Enterprises office building. There were quite a few people taking the elevator, Ruby had to wait for two rounds before she got on and reached to the top floor, before she could put down her bag, Maya Mitchell shoved a document into her hand and said, ¡°Hurry up and deliver this document to Mr. Burton at the clubhouse, it¡¯s needed for the meeting!¡± Before Ruby could react, Maya added, ¡°Ruby, Mr. Burton said that if this document isn¡¯t delivered before 8:30, he¡¯ll have you kicked out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises!¡± PS: See you tomorrow- Yesterday, the reader who won signed books and a calendar was: Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: A Narrow Escape from Death (1) Chapter 45: Chapter 45: A Narrow Escape from Death (1) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory was still in a daze, unable to react, when Maya Mitchell added, ¡°Ruby, Mr. Burton said that if this document isn¡¯t delivered by 8:30, he¡¯ll have you kicked out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises!¡± 8:30? Ruby Gregory raised her wrist, glanced at the time, and saw that it was already 8:09. She only had twenty-one minutes left before 8:30. Was Steve Burton deliberately making things difficult for her, intending to use this to have her removed from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises? Ruby Gregory took the document from Maya Mitchell and casually asked, ¡°This collaboration case isn¡¯t under my responsibility, so why am I the one who has to deliver it?¡± Maya Mitchell said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly is going on either, but Olivia Foster just called, saying that Mr. Burton asked you to deliver it.¡± Olivia Foster made the call? Ruby Gregory frowned slightly and then asked, ¡°Olivia Foster said it was Mr. Burton who said that?¡± Maya Mitchell didn¡¯t quite understand why Ruby Gregory wanted her to repeat her own words, but she nodded and urged her, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯d better hurry and deliver it, or you may not make it in time. It¡¯s rush hour now, so don¡¯t drive. Just take the Number 2 subway line.¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s expression remained calm, but her eyes deepened slightly. She was silent for a moment, then just said ¡°oh,¡± before turning around and leaving with the collaboration case in hand. Ruby Gregory was no fool. Although Maya Mitchell didn¡¯t provide her with much information, she could still vaguely guess some things. She was not sure whether Steve Burton actually said that she would be kicked out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises if she couldn¡¯t deliver the collaboration case by 8:30. However, she knew that the huge problem she was facing now was definitely connected to Olivia Foster! She never thought that after three years, Olivia Foster¡¯s tactics would still be so clumsy and easily discovered. The purpose of Olivia Foster¡¯s actions was obvious¡ªshe just wanted to use the situation to force Ruby out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises! At this thought, Ruby¡¯s eyes grew colder. She gripped the document containing the collaboration case and hurriedly rushed towards the subway station. Although the Gregory family was not as wealthy as the Burtons, they had always pampered Ruby like their precious gem. She had never before experienced cramming into a subway with other passengers during rush hour. Ruby Gregory was squeezed so that her feet barely touched the ground, and she was surrounded by various odors coming from the other passengers. But she clenched her teeth and endured it. Wasn¡¯t it that Olivia Foster just wanted to see her lose, to watch her make a fool of herself? Then, whatever it was that she thought Ruby couldn¡¯t accomplish, Ruby was determined to prove her wrong and do even better at it! She had said before that, no matter who gets in the way of her marrying Steve Burton, she would show no mercy! The nearest subway station was about five hundred meters away from the club. The streets were jammed with cars, and trying to hail a taxi would probably waste even more time. Ruby Gregory raised her wrist again, looked at the time, and saw that she had eight minutes left. Gritting her teeth, she plunged toward the club¡¯s direction and started running.. Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: A Narrow Escape from Death (2) Chapter 46: Chapter 46: A Narrow Escape from Death (2) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory hadn¡¯t expected to face such a difficult challenge on Monday, so before going to work, she deliberately chose a beautiful and dignified light blue professional outfit, paired with a pair of high heels in the same color scheme. Not yet an adult, Ruby started wearing high heels. Due to habit, she didn¡¯t feel especially tired even after walking in them for a long time. It might have been because she was running too fast and was a bit anxious. Her heel accidentally got caught in a sewer grate, causing a sudden, immense pain in Ruby¡¯s ankle. Ruby immediately squatted down, covering her ankle with her hand. Seeing that there were only five minutes left, Ruby endured the pain and took off her high heels, holding them in her hand. Ignoring the gazes of those around her, she hobbled barefoot toward the clubhouse. At first, Ruby could bear the pain in her ankle. But as she kept walking, the pain intensified, causing her forehead to break out in sweat. Eventually, she squatted down, finding it difficult to stand up. There were only three minutes left. If she couldn¡¯t make it, she would be accused of incompetence. Moreover, if Steve Burton really wanted her out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, her chances of staying looked slim this time. Ruby gritted her teeth, trying to stand up again, only to be met with an even sharper pain in her ankle. Ruby knew she wouldn¡¯t make it in time. But she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch herself get kicked out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, not after only being there for a few days! She had to find a solution to her problem before 8:30 a.m. But how should she go about finding a solution? Ruby bit her finger, her eyes rolling around in thought. Maya Mitchell said the phone call was from Olivia Foster. Olivia hated her so much, so if she called Olivia right now and asked her to come get her, who knew what Olivia would do to sabotage her further! Maya was in the office and couldn¡¯t help her now. After going back and forth, Ruby could only think of one person: Steve Burton. Just thinking of that name filled Ruby with an indescribable fear. But if she failed to deliver the collaboration proposal and jeopardized his work, given Olivia¡¯s current close relationship with him, she might add fuel to the fire. Who knew if Steve would really ask her to leave right away! Besides, perhaps Steve¡¯s statement about her leaving Pristine¡¯s if she failed to deliver the proposal was just Olivia¡¯s own fabrication on the phone call. After weighing her options for a while, Ruby gritted her teeth, pushed down her fear, and took out her phone. She found Steve Burton¡¯s phone number and dialed it.. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: A Narrow Escape from Death (3) Chapter 47: Chapter 47: A Narrow Escape from Death (3) Translator: 549690339 Even if there¡¯s only a slim chance, she wouldn¡¯t give up! As the call connected, a long beeping sound came through, and Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart grew more and more tense with this sound. The phone rang five times, just when Ruby thought no one would answer, the call was picked up. At the other end of the call, it wasn¡¯t Steve Burton¡¯s voice, but the sound of footsteps. After a while, the footsteps stopped, and only then Steve¡¯s usual cold tone came through: ¡°Hello?¡± Ruby listened to his voice, her heart almost stopped. Her palm, gripping the phone, was sweaty. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Mr. Burton, this is Ruby Gregory.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± His response was genuinely restrained, just a cold and indifferent tone. Ruby knew that Steve had no intention of making any conversation, she swallowed and tried to sound calm: ¡°I have brought the collaboration case for the meeting you will be holding today. Can you have Olivia Foster come over and pick it up?¡± Not only Olivia could play mind games, so could Ruby. As Steve asked her to come and pick it up, she wouldn¡¯t dare to have any other thoughts. ¡°Bring it up yourself!¡± Steve said directly to Ruby without any hesitation or negotiation. What did she mean? The collaboration case was delivered, but she didn¡¯t come up? Was it because of what happened over the weekend that she didn¡¯t want to see him? Though they were separated by a phone call, Ruby could vaguely sense the intimidating aura emanating from Steve. Her nervous heart almost stopped beating, fearing that in the next second, he would tell her to get out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. So she carefully spoke in a negotiating tone: ¡°Could you maybe start the meeting a bit later? I¡¯ve sprained my ankle and it might slow me down a bit¡­¡± At the other end of the call, there was no sound. Ruby couldn¡¯t guess what Steve was thinking, making her even more uneasy. Just when Ruby thought Steve had agreed, and she was about to hang up the phone and bear the pain of her injured ankle to deliver the case before seeing a doctor, Steve suddenly spoke, asking: ¡°Where are you?¡± Ruby thought he had agreed to let Olivia come and get the documents, and she immediately replied: ¡°About 300 meters east of the club¡­¡± Ruby¡¯s last word hadn¡¯t even settled when the phone clicked off. Her words were cut off, stuck in her throat. Ruby sat patiently by the road, waiting for Olivia to come and collect the collaboration case. However, after waiting for about ten minutes, Ruby couldn¡¯t see Olivia¡¯s figure. Just as she hesitated whether to make another call to inquire, suddenly, a flashy yellow Ferrari stopped in front of her.. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: A Narrow Escape from Death (4) Chapter 48: Chapter 48: A Narrow Escape from Death (4) Translator: 549690339 The car window rolled down, revealing Howard Coleman¡¯s trademark sunny smile: ¡°Hey Ruby!¡± Ruby Gregory thought to herself, the world really is small. She was squatting by the roadside waiting for Olivia Foster and unexpectedly ran into an old acquaintance. For Ruby, Howard and Madeleine were both long-time friends of many years, unlike her relationship with Steve Burton, where she always felt somehow beneath him, cautious and careful to please him. Thus, running into Howard was a genuinely happy event for Ruby. Even though her ankle was throbbing with pain and tears welled up in her eyes, she still wore a beaming smile as she greeted Howard casually and naturally: ¡°Howard, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Hey Ruby, it¡¯s been a long time. What are you doing squatting here by yourself?¡± Howard asked, his gaze dropping to Ruby¡¯s clutched ankle. Howard pushed open the car door, got out immediately, walked over to Ruby, reached out his hand, and helped her up: ¡°Can you walk?¡± Ruby Gregory forced herself to lift her foot and took a step, but the pain made her gasp. Without thinking twice, Howard bent down and carried Ruby to the car, opened the door, and pushed her in. As Howard started the car and prepared to take Ruby to the hospital, she remembered that she hadn¡¯t yet delivered the collaboration project to Mr. Burton, so she quickly said, ¡°Howard, could you drop me off at the club up ahead first? I need to give the collaboration project to Mr. Burton.¡± Howard smoothly turned the steering wheel, merging onto the main road, and said, ¡°No need to go there.¡± As he spoke, Howard glanced at the rearview mirror and then met Ruby¡¯s somewhat puzzled gaze, explaining, ¡°The meeting¡¯s been canceled.¡± ¡°Canceled?¡± The confusion in Ruby¡¯s eyes turned to astonishment. Wasn¡¯t this meeting supposed to be a big deal for Pristine¡¯s Enterprises? How could it be canceled? ¡°What happened? Why? Was there an issue?¡± ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s all because of¡­¡± At this point in Howard¡¯s sentence, he suddenly remembered what Steve had told him and quickly swallowed the last word ¡°you¡±. He was just about to arrive at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises when Steve called and told him Ruby had twisted her ankle en route to delivering the documents. He asked Howard to take her to the hospital. At the time, Howard casually asked if he should first deliver the collaboration project so as not to delay the meeting. Without any hesitation, Steve said it wasn¡¯t necessary, and the meeting was simply canceled. The multi-million dollar deal was called off just because of Ruby¡¯s ankle. Howard tried to reason, ¡°Bro, a twisted ankle isn¡¯t a big deal. Let me just deliver the project after all. You¡¯ve been working on this case for so long and put in a lot of effort.¡¯ Steve¡¯s mood seemed to be bad, and he snapped, ¡°I said I don¡¯t want it, I don¡¯t want it. Ruby¡¯s twisted her ankle before. You take her to the hospital right now so she doesn¡¯t develop any habitual ankle problems!¡± Having been friends with Steve for so many years, Howard could tell that his brother was using anxiety to cover up his uneasiness, caused by worrying about Ruby. Howard immediately agreed and was about to hang up when Steve suddenly added, ¡°Don¡¯t let her know it was me who asked you to take her.¡± PS: There are still four chapters. Update at 10 PM. Going to have a family dinner on Saturday.. Have a good time- Steve, you sneaky guy, at least own up to it. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: A Narrow Escape From Death (5) Chapter 49: Chapter 49: A Narrow Escape From Death (5) Translator: 549690339 Without thinking, he asked back, ¡°Why?¡± As a result, Steve Burton didn¡¯t say anything and just hung up the phone with a snap. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because¡­¡± Howard Coleman thought for a moment, then casually picked a rather indifferent-sounding excuse, saying, ¡°Bro¡¯s not interested anymore.¡± Such a big case, and he just lost interest, saying he wouldn¡¯t do it anymore. So capricious, while the Gregorys, for that case that was not even one-thousandth as important to him, were still doing everything they could to win it. That is the difference between the Gregorys and the Burtons. Ruby Gregory suddenly became a little melancholic; she tilted her head slightly and looked out the window without making a sound. Through the rearview mirror, Howard Coleman looked at the silent Ruby Gregory. In the end, he moved his lips but didn¡¯t say anything. He just focused on driving the car, taking Ruby to the nearest hospital. Ruby Gregory¡¯s ankle was not injured to the bone and there was no serious problem. The doctor provided her with some topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic medication, reminding Ruby Gregory not to exert force on her ankle within the next two days. Howard Coleman told Ruby to wait for him on the hospital hallway¡¯s chairs while he queued up to get the medication. There were quite a few people in the hospital, and it took Howard about ten minutes to get in line, collect the medicine, and prepare to find Ruby when his phone rang. It was Steve Burton calling. Howard answered, ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± The question on the other end of the phone was straightforward and without any delay. ¡°I¡¯m in the pharmacy picking up the medicine, about to go back.¡± Howard hesitated for a moment and then ingratiatingly said, ¡°The doctor said Ruby¡¯s ankle is fine, no injury to the tendons and bones. Just don¡¯t put any force on it for the next two days, and there won¡¯t be any major issues¡­¡± On the other end of the phone, Steve Burton was clearly listening to Howard¡¯s words carefully, but the moment he was sure that Ruby wasn¡¯t in any serious danger, he hung up the phone decisively, completely ignoring Howard¡¯s attempt to ingratiate himself. Howard walked towards Ruby with the medicine in hand, reached out, and helped her stand up. ¡°Can you walk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Just now, when the doctor had checked her ankle, he had pressed on it twice. Although the pain had nearly caused her to shed tears, she felt much better after the pain had passed. Ruby¡¯s ankle was injured, so she and Howard walked slowly. Just as they were about to exit the pharmacy, Steve Burton and Rusell Henris strode inside. Russell quickly saw Howard and Ruby ahead of them. ¡°Howard, I was just looking for you.¡± Russell walked ahead of them and stood in front of Ruby and Howard.. He looked at Ruby, gave a slight smile, and said, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re back?¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50: A Narrow Escape from Death (6) Chapter 50: Chapter 50: A Narrow Escape from Death (6) Translator: 549690339 After all these years, Rusell Henris remained unchanged, speaking with a gentle and refined tone. Ruby Gregory smiled brightly at Rusell, her eyes curving with the grin. Just then, the sunlight hit her face, reflecting a dazzling brilliance. ¡°Jack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three years, and Ruby, you have become much more beautiful than before.¡± Rusell looked Ruby up and down, then added, ¡°However, you have also lost quite a bit of weight.¡± No matter how beautiful and attractive a woman is and regardless of her figure, she will always feel slightly overweight. Ruby Gregory was no exception. Even though Rusell complimented her for being slim and made her feel overjoyed, her response was far from pleased. In fact, it had a hint of complaint, ¡°Jack, you¡¯re saying that I was fat and not good-looking before.¡± Rusell said, ¡°Ruby, you are clearly twisting my words.¡± Ruby replied, ¡°Jack, I¡¯m simply making a justified argument.¡± Howard Coleman was about to join in the conversation between Rusell and Ruby when he suddenly spotted Steve Burton walking over with a cold face. He immediately changed his words and called out, ¡°Bro.¡± At that moment, Rusell just happened to speak up, ¡°Confucius really had great foresight, leaving behind such a truth ¨C ¡®only women and villains are hard to deal with.¡¯ Ruby snorted at Rusell, about to reply with, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a woman, and you¡¯re a villain!¡± However, she caught Howard¡¯s call of ¡°bro¡± and instinctively tilted her head, finding Steve Burton standing two steps behind Rusell. Ruby¡¯s words choked in her throat, and the lively, bright smile on her face disappeared in an instant. She stood in her original spot with proper etiquette and a perfect smile, calling out softly, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Steve Burton showed no reaction, his gaze coolly falling on Ruby¡¯s face. Even though she was smiling at him as well. But, it was completely different from her previous smile. When she smiled at Rusell, it came from the bottom of her heart. Her smile towards him, however, lacked sincerity and soul; it was merely a formal smile. It was as if the joyfully laughing, blooming woman from just moments ago was an entirely different person. Ruby knew that Steve Burton was staring at her, and tension began rising within her heart. Her expression grew more and more rigid as a result. As her expression changed, so did Steve Burton¡¯s face, which gradually turned colder and colder. Feeling the atmosphere around them suddenly freeze, Howard hastily spoke up, trying to defuse the tension, ¡°Bro, what brings you here?¡± Steve Burton continued to fix his gaze on Ruby for another two seconds before shifting his cool gaze away. With an emphasised icy tone, he answered, ¡°I came to get the cooperation case..¡± Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: A Narrow Escape from Death (7) Chapter 51: Chapter 51: A Narrow Escape from Death (7) Translator: 549690339 Rusell Henris stood by, and upon hearing this serious statement, he let out a ¡°pfft¡± laugh. But his laughter was only halfway through when Steve Burton¡¯s sharp gaze swept over, like fifty sharp knives shooting at him at once, scaring Rusell into forcefully holding back his laughter. Only then did Steve look back at Ruby Gregory with an indifferent gaze and ask, ¡°What about the cooperation case?¡± Ruby looked at Howard Coleman and was just about to speak, but Howard quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s in my car.¡± ¡°Are you Ruby Gregory?¡± Steve turned his head, glanced at Howard, and then left with a cold face. Howard, Rusell, and Ruby hurriedly followed him. Steve walked quickly, while Ruby, who had an injured foot, walked slowly. As Howard and Rusell struggled to decide whether to follow Steve or accompany Ruby, Steve¡¯s pace gradually slowed down. Entering the parking lot, Howard quickly opened the car door, took out the cooperation case, and handed it to Steve. Steve snatched the cooperation case fiercely, glanced at Ruby standing by, then said to Howard, ¡°Take her home.¡± Home? She still had unfinished work at the company, and if it piled up until tomorrow, she would be insanely busy. Ruby hurriedly said, ¡°The doctor said I¡¯m fine, and I feel much better now.¡± ¡°Pristine¡¯s Enterprises won¡¯t go bankrupt without you,¡± Steve said coldly, then turned around and went to his own car, got in, stepped on the gas, and drove away. Howard and Rusell sent Ruby home and then rushed back to Pristine¡¯s Corporation, just in time for the weekly Monday noon meeting. During the meeting, Steve, as usual, just listened to everyone¡¯s summary of the company¡¯s performance last week, and avoided speaking as much as possible. However, when it was Rusell¡¯s and Howard¡¯s turn to summarize their work, Steve seemed to have become a different person, with every word hitting the mark, nitpicking at the two men until he found a whole bunch of faults. In the end, Steve slammed Howard¡¯s planning case on the table and said, ¡°Howard, redo this planning case for me!¡± Then he raised his head and said to Rusell, ¡°If the original eco-park idea you submit this afternoon is not good enough, I¡¯ll send you straight to a godforsaken mountain village to experience what ¡®original ecology¡¯ truly is! ¡± When Steve finished, he threw out an ¡°end of the meeting¡± and left the conference room with the files on his table. As soon as Steve left, the atmosphere in the conference room became lively again.. Madeleine leaned on the table, looking at Rusell and Howard without hiding her delight in their predicament, and asked Howard, ¡°Howard, how did you and Rusell manage to offend our brother today?¡± Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: A Narrow Escape from Death (8) Chapter 52: Chapter 52: A Narrow Escape from Death (8) Translator: 549690339 Although Howard Coleman was also scolded by Steve Burton, he immediately didn¡¯t hesitate to share when he thought about watching Rusell Henris be laughed at: ¡°Today, when Ruby gave our brother the cooperation case, she twisted her ankle. Even though our brother was obviously worried in his heart, he pretended to be fine and called me to send Ruby to the hospital.¡± ¡°After Ruby and I saw the doctor and got the medication, we were about to leave the hospital when our brother and Jack came over. Then I asked our brother why he came over. Can you guess what he said?¡± Madeleine curiously asked, ¡°What? What?¡± ¡°Our brother clearly came for Ruby, but he insisted on saying that he came to get the cooperation case.¡± Howard Coleman said and laughed: ¡°Our brother canceled the meeting and decided not to cooperate anymore. The cooperation case became as useless as waste paper. Yet, he still said he came to get the cooperation case. And then, Jack burst into laughter on the spot.¡± ¡°Howard, stop making fun of me. Aren¡¯t you the same? Our brother was clearly talking to Ruby, asking her about the cooperation case, right? But then, you blurted out that the cooperation case was in the car, causing our brother to leave all the company matters behind and rushed to the hospital just to hear Ruby say one sentence!¡± ¡°What was that sentence?¡± Madeleine asked. ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ¡°After all these years, our brother¡¯s true nature of being an introverted and cold person hasn¡¯t changed!¡± The next day, Ruby Gregory stayed home and rested for the day. She originally planned to go to work, but at 7 a.m., she received a call from Maya Mitchell telling her, ¡°Mr. Burton said that in order not to cause trouble for everyone in the company, you should continue to rest at home.¡± On the third day, Ruby¡¯s swollen ankle fully recovered. Steve Burton¡¯s birthday party was in the afternoon, but at 4:30 pm, the secretarial department got off work early. Since Ruby had just injured her ankle wearing high heels, she went home in the afternoon and changed into a formal dress, choosing to wear a pair of mid-heels instead of high heels. Steve Burton¡¯s birthday party was scheduled for 7:30 pm. Ruby arrived at 7 pm. The venue was already crowded with many well-known officials and aristocrats from Ciawell. The birthday party scene was arranged by Wenny Burton, which was both luxurious and elegant. At 7:10 pm, Madeleine and Howard Coleman arrived together. Since Ruby returned to her country, other than a phone call with Madeleine, the two haven¡¯t met each other in person because Madeleine had been busy abroad. The two girls had a great relationship since childhood, and now that they met, they immediately hugged each other. After a long time without seeing each other, the two girls naturally had a lot to talk about, so Madeleine immediately took Ruby to a relatively quiet corner and sat down. PS: That¡¯s it for today. We will continue tomorrow.. Yesterday¡¯s readers who won signed books and calendars are¡­ Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Let Her Be Happy for a While (1) Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Let Her Be Happy for a While (1) Translator: 549690339 It had been a long time since they last saw each other, so naturally, the two girls had a lot to catch up on. Madeleine immediately took Ruby to a relatively quiet corner to sit and chat. Ruby and Madeleine had been inseparable since kindergarten, like a pair of twin flowers. Even though they hadn¡¯t seen each other for three years, their closeness hadn¡¯t been affected. They completely disregarded their surroundings and chatted animatedly and rapidly without pause. Suddenly, at half-past eight, the lights of the banquet hall dimmed, interrupting Ruby and Madeleine¡¯s conversation. Madeleine turned her head and saw the light on the stage: ¡°The birthday banquet is about to start, let¡¯s go over there.¡± Ruby smiled and stood up, holding Madeleine¡¯s hand, as they walked towards the stage. The guests had already crowded around the stage. Madeleine raised her head, trying to find a spot closer to the stage. She locked eyes with Howard, who waved her over. Madeleine then held Ruby¡¯s hand and apologized, making her way through the crowd to Howard¡¯s side. Just as Ruby and Madeleine settled into their spots, Steve Burton emerged from behind the stage. The man wore a simple, hand-made black suit, with the most ordinary white shirt inside, and a red tie, which made him look imposing. He slowly walked to the center of the stage, a beam of white light peacefully shone on his tall and slender figure, his handsome face looking somehow unreal in its perfection. His expression was somewhat indifferent as he held the microphone and spoke a few official words, then directly handed it over to Rusell Henris standing nearby. Rusell, wearing a red suit, spoke clearly: ¡°Thank you all for coming to Mr. Steve Burton, Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ President¡¯s birthday banquet. I hope everyone enjoys the food and alcohol, and has a great time!¡± Rusell¡¯s words were met with a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience. Well-trained waiters carried champagne, handing a glass to each guest one by one. ¡°A toast to everyone.¡± Steve Burton raised his glass slightly to the crowd, then without blinking, tilted his head and drained the glass. The guests also raised their glasses and drank to the bottom. As everyone¡¯s glasses were laid down, the lights in the banquet hall gradually brightened. As soon as Steve and Rusell stepped down from the stage, they were quickly surrounded by people who offered them birthday blessings, toasts, and gifts. Whether or not Steve genuinely appreciated the gifts, he personally received each one with a word of thanks and then handed it over to Rusell standing by his side.. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Let Her Be Happy for a While (2) Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Let Her Be Happy for a While (2) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton faced the many people attending the banquet with ease and composure. A warm, courteous smile always graced his face. That smile was perfectly measured, neither too intimate nor too arrogant. However, despite this, it still seemed to keep people at a distance. This was Steve¡¯s outstanding trait. No matter how friendly he seemed or how polite his words, no matter whether he was standing right in front of you, he could give you a sense of distance, making it impossible to fathom what he was thinking. Madeleine took two glasses of alcohol from a servant and handed one to Ruby Gregory before joining the crowd, their arms linked. There were quite a few beautifully dressed young ladies standing around Steve. They eagerly wanted to engage, but still maintained a reserved demeanor. No matter how stunning these young ladies were, Steve¡¯s face always maintained a light, official smile. Madeleine finally squeezed her way to the front, raised her pretty head, and called out, ¡°Brother.¡± Then she raised her glass to Steve. Steve¡¯s expression did not change, but his gaze softened slightly when looking at Madeleine. They clinked glasses and drank, and Madeleine handed Steve a gift she had prepared earlier, saying, ¡°Happy birthday, Brother!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Steve took the gift, but didn¡¯t hand it to Rusell Henris, instead giving it to Edward Woods. Edward Woods and Rusell Henris both stood by Steve¡¯s side, helping him receive gifts. Others might not understand the difference between giving the gifts to Edward Woods or Rusell Henris, but Ruby, who had known Steve for many years, did. Since there were too many people giving gifts to Steve, it was impossible for him to unwrap each one. For those who were not particularly important to him, Steve would hand the gift to Rusell Henris, and it would go straight into storage without being opened. As for the gifts he handed to Edward Woods, Steve would open and keep them. Thus, to determine whether someone was important to Steve, one only needed to see which of these two he handed their gift to. From the moment Ruby stood near Steve, she had been paying attention to this detail and noticed that almost all the young ladies¡¯ gifts were handed to Rusell Henris. After offering her blessings and giving her gift, Madeleine stepped aside, grabbed Ruby¡¯s hand, and pulled her right in front of Steve. As Ruby was about to raise her glass and offer her blessings to Steve, someone suddenly spoke up from the side.. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Let Her Be Happy for a While (3) Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Let Her Be Happy for a While (3) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Happy birthday, Steve,¡± Olivia Foster said, standing in an eye-catching red long dress in front of Steve Burton, raising her glass to him. Her glitzy, well-manicured nails reflecting dazzling light under the crystal chandelier. Steve glanced at Ruby Gregory. The woman stood graciously in place, without any signs of displeasure or loss over being outperformed by Olivia Foster. Steve slightly lowered his eyes, then turned his head toward Olivia Foster, offering a faint smile as he clinked his glass against hers. After their toast, Olivia Foster handed over the gift she had prepared in advance. ¡°Thank you,¡± Steve expressed his gratitude as he took the gift, subtly casting a sidelong glance at Ruby. Seeing her composed face, he hesitated for two seconds before handing the gift to Edward Woods. This was the first gift from a wealthy heiress of the evening that Steve had given to Edward Woods. It seemed Olivia Foster held a special place in Steve¡¯s heart. Ruby blinked slightly, pushing down the dull feeling in her heart. After toasting and sipping her drink with Steve, she extended her own prepared gift in front of him, ¡°Happy birthday, Mr. Burton.¡± Steve, time¡­ When did her address for him turn into such distant terms such as Mr. Burton? Steve gazed at Ruby¡¯s attractive smile, taking a while to show no intention of accepting the gift. The gift was not heavy, but as Steve hesitated to take it, Ruby gradually felt a sense of heaviness in her wrist. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t Mr. Burton accepting the gift?¡± ¡°Who is this woman?¡± ¡°The daughter of the Gregorys, Ruby Gregory.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s her; I heard she used to have a good relationship with Mr. Burton.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she go to Costa Luna afterwards?¡± Because of Steve¡¯s pause, people began whispering discussions. Ruby could only force herself to hold the gift package tighter, causing the outer wrapping paper to wrinkle somewhat. Even though Madeleine had a soft spot for Ruby in her heart, she didn¡¯t dare to upset Steve; instead, she gave a sign to Edward Woods. Even if she didn¡¯t know where Ruby had offended Steve, Madeleine knew, without a doubt, that he would treasure Ruby¡¯s birthday gift. These people had grown up together since childhood, understanding each other¡¯s intentions through actions and glances. Therefore, Edward Woods immediately took two steps forward, thanking Ruby on behalf of Steve, ready to accept the gift. But Steve suddenly reached out to snatch the gift from Ruby¡¯s hand, handing it directly to Rusell Henris. Ruby¡¯s gift was then lost amongst many other lesser considered presents.. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Let Her Be Happy for a While (4) Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Let Her Be Happy for a While (4) Translator: 549690339 Madeleine naturally understood that the gift Rusell took was bound for abandonment, and she couldn¡¯t help but shout out, ¡°Brother!¡± However, Steve Burton acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard Madeleine¡¯s protest, turning gracefully and continuing to greet the next person. Ruby Gregory stared fixedly at her own gift box in the cart in front of Rusell. She hadn¡¯t expected that one day, she would exchange places with Olivia Foster. Once carelessly thrown by Steve Burton into the abandoned gift pile without even blinking, Olivia Foster now gained his attention. While Ruby, who used to be the first to take a gift and unwrap it on Steve¡¯s birthdays, was now thrown by him into the abandoned gift pile without even a glance. Just like three years ago, after their one night of passion, she was discarded by him without any lingering affection. Perhaps because Ruby had been staring at her gift box in front of Rusell for too long, Madeleine became worried at heart and couldn¡¯t help but make faces at Howard Coleman. Howard tossed his gift directly to Edward Woods, then tried to smooth things over, saying, ¡°Madeleine, Ruby, want to join me for a drink or two ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Madeleine agreed, and pulled Ruby away vigorously, forcing her to leave Steve¡¯s vicinity. They went back to the secluded corner where Ruby and Madeleine had chatted earlier. Once seated, Madeleine and Howard began talking animatedly. However, Ruby no longer had the liveliness and vitality that she had before the banquet when chatting with Madeleine; she simply sat and listened in silence. Madeleine and Howard had started chatting for Ruby¡¯s sake, but since she remained silent, their conversation gradually petered out. In the end, the three of them fell into silence all at once. At this very moment, the banquet began, and Madeleine hurriedly spoke up to break the silence: ¡°Ruby, let¡¯s go get something to eat.¡± Ruby Gregory really had no appetite, but still followed Madeleine, heading to the buffet area. Just as Steve had mentioned in his office that day, there were many flavors of cake prepared for his birthday party. When Ruby and Madeleine came to get food, Steve was blowing out the candles and cutting the cake. Many people still surrounded him. Even Madeleine held her plate up close, waiting for a piece of cake. So many people celebrated his birthday, and even if he didn¡¯t like some of them, he didn¡¯t show it, but she was the exception. Ruby feared that he would embarrass her, making her the laughingstock of those around her. So, Ruby silently avoided the cake-cutting area, hid far away, chose some light food, and returned to the secluded corner. Howard had also gone to join in the fun around the cake cutting, and with everyone gathered there, Ruby sat alone in the corner. Ruby Gregory sat with her back to the cake-cutting area, while behind her, the sounds of merriment constantly reached her ears, making her surroundings seem desolate and cold.. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Let Her Be Happy for a While (5) Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Let Her Be Happy for a While (5) Translator: 549690339 When she first returned to the country, deep down, she firmly believed she could successfully marry Steve Burton, help The Gregorys rise to prominence, and become a person of high status in her family. Throughout this period, she had been working hard and persisting for this goal, constantly believing that as long as she always performed better and pleased Steve, she would eventually marry him and become the mistress of The Burtons. So, no matter how much humiliation and embarrassment Steve subjected her to, she endured it. She had always thought that she could bear it, bear it until she became his wife, bear it until her goal was achieved. But now, she found herself unable to endure it any longer. Ruby Gregory moved her lips slightly, and a trace of confusion crept into her eyes. ¡°Ruby¡­¡± All of a sudden, Madeleine¡¯s voice came from behind her. Ruby quickly masked her despondent expression, swallowed saliva, and turned around with a smile. Madeleine and Howard Coleman each carried two plates that held different flavors of cake. Madeleine and Howard put the cakes on the table. Madeleine shook her somewhat tired wrist, having carried the plate all the way, and said, ¡°Howard and I brought a piece of each flavor of cake for you, Ruby. Take whichever one you like.¡± As Madeleine said this, she bit her finger, then raised her head and looked at Howard, asking, ¡°Howard, did you remember the flavors I told you to remember?¡± Howard had always possessed an exceptional memory. He raised his hand and started pointing at the cakes on the plate from the left, recounting the flavors for each one. Ruby followed his fingers, looking at each cake in turn until she heard, ¡°Vanilla cake.¡± She then took a knife, cut a large piece, and placed it on her plate. The cake was delicious, but it was too much to eat all at once. Ruby ate half of it and then put down her fork. There was still a lot of activity in the distance, as if some game was going on. Three years later, Madeleine, who hadn¡¯t gained any weight, was still the same as before, trying to eat less at dinner. So she only ate a few bites before stopping. When Ruby and Howard finished eating, she spoke up, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go over there and join in the fun?¡± Ruby glanced at the bustling scene in the distance and immediately saw Steve Burton sitting calmly in his seat, lifting a cup of alcohol. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was her imagination, but it seemed like Steve was looking in her direction. Ruby quickly averted her eyes, shook her head at Madeleine and Howard, and lied, ¡°I drank some alcohol and am feeling a bit unwell, so I won¡¯t be going over there. You two go ahead and have fun.¡± Madeleine and Howard, both being perceptive people, could easily tell that Ruby was actually avoiding a public encounter with Steve Burton.. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Let Her Be Happy for a While (6) Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Let Her Be Happy for a While (6) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t go, so Madeleine and Howard Coleman naturally wouldn¡¯t leave her here by herself and go. Howard¡¯s sharp eyes spotted a Backgammon game on a nearby table, so he picked it up, cleared some space on the table, and said, ¡°I¡¯m tired today and don¡¯t feel like socializing, how about we play Backgammon, Ruby?¡± ¡°The two of us against you, ¡± suggested Madeleine. ¡°Alright, I fear no one with my superior chess skills!¡± Howard laid out the chessboard and pushed the white piece towards Ruby and Madeleine, grabbing a black piece and placing the first one. Ruby seemed a bit absent-minded, while Madeleine, on the other hand, was really enthusiastic about battling with Howard. Backgammon itself isn¡¯t very difficult or tricky, so Howard and Madeleine, one attacking and one defending, continued to play until all the black and white pieces were used up, without a clear winner. So the two of them started a new game. Originally unhappy because of Steve Burton, Ruby increasingly focused on the Backgammon game. She even gradually leaned her head over the chessboard to help Madeleine devise strategies. The second round ended with the black and white pieces played, still without a winner. ¡°Two against one, and you still couldn¡¯t beat me.¡± As Howard picked up the chess pieces, he made a clicking sound twice, sounding quite smug. For some reason, Ruby was even more enthusiastic in the third game, possibly provoked by what Howard had said. Seeing that Ruby finally regained her spirits, Howard fought for a while and then purposely let Ruby and Madeleine win. A smile blossomed on Ruby¡¯s face, her beautiful eyes relaxed, and her stunning beauty shone through. Picking up the white pieces proudly, she raised an eyebrow at Howard, tilting her chin slightly, and replied arrogantly to his earlier comment, ¡°You lost!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not convinced! Let¡¯s play again!¡± So, a new game began once more. Ruby seemed much brighter and livelier than before, and she started talking more as well. Howard had purposely let Ruby win the last game, but this time, he played rigorously to keep her interest. Ruby almost lost several times when she wasn¡¯t paying close attention. As the number of chess pieces in the tray dwindled, Ruby and Howard still hadn¡¯t settled on a winner. Just when Ruby thought it would be a draw, Howard placed a black piece. This black piece was cleverly placed, so Ruby could defend one spot but not the other. The game was set, and Ruby lost. Howard, knowing he¡¯d won, imitated Ruby¡¯s previous expression, raised his eyebrow at her, and said, ¡°I just let you win earlier.. As long as I want, I can make you lose anytime!¡± Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Let Her Be Happy for a While (7) Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Let Her Be Happy for a While (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory looked at Howard Coleman¡¯s arrogance, her eyes rolled slightly, then she lifted her foot and kicked the table fiercely, causing it to move slightly towards Howard Coleman¡¯s side. The chess pieces on the chessboard on the table also became a mess. If she couldn¡¯t win, she would play dirty! Ruby, who clearly did it on purpose, tilted her head and looked at Howard innocently. She spread her hands and said, ¡°Howard, the chessboard is messed up now, so the last game doesn¡¯t count. We have to start over.¡± Howard gritted his teeth and glared at Ruby, saying, ¡°Despicable! Shameless!¡± Ruby, who has been cursed at, didn¡¯t get angry at all. Instead, she looked at Howard, who was gritting his teeth and helpless, and smiled even more brightly, ¡°Howard, this is called being cunning in war!¡± Then, a new game began. This time, Howard used all his tricks to try to defeat Ruby in the shortest possible time and make her accept the loss gracefully. Ruby also fought back with all her strength. Unfortunately, in a moment of carelessness, she was tricked by Howard and was on the verge of losing again. Ruby frowned, pouting a little. She then directed her gaze on Howard, who was waiting smugly for her to move, and said, ¡°Howard, are you a man?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Howard nodded. ¡°So, am I a woman?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± Howard made a nonsense expression. ¡°I am.¡± Ruby, who didn¡¯t care about his expression, continued, ¡°Being a gentleman is a basic quality that every man should have, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, ¡± Howard got a bit dizzy by Ruby¡¯s roundabout questioning. ¡°So shouldn¡¯t you also show some gentlemanly manners and let me have one move?¡± Ruby asked Howard back with a smile, then she raised her hand, picked up one of the four black chess pieces, and removed it. So, after going around and around, that was her goal? How could he forget that Ruby had always been a mischievous and cunning girl since childhood? Howard reached out to snatch the black piece from Ruby¡¯s hand, but Ruby spoke first, ¡°Howard Coleman, you admitted you¡¯re a man, and you have gentlemanly manners! If you try to take the black piece from my hand, I¡¯ll tell all of Ciawell¡¯s socialites tomorrow about the time you sent a love letter to a girl in the next class in elementary school and she rejected you!¡± That was the most humiliating event in Howard¡¯s life! Howard gritted his teeth, enduring it, determined to win again later! Less than two minutes later, Howard was about to win again against Ruby. This time, Ruby calmly removed another black piece, then raised her eyelids, looked at Howard, and said without blushing or panting, ¡°Howard, Madeleine is also a woman.. You let me have one black piece, so you have to let Madeleine have one black piece, otherwise it means you don¡¯t see Madeleine as a woman!¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Let Her Be Happy for a While (8) Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Let Her Be Happy for a While (8) Translator: 549690339 Madeleine lifted her head, looking at Howard Coleman, ¡°Howard, are you trying to fight me? I¡¯ll call Jack over to help me right now.¡± Two against one? How could he possibly win? Howard gritted his teeth till they chattered, looking at the smug Ruby Gregory, he swallowed his anger again. A game of Backgammon ended with Ruby winning, after countless bizarre reasons and threats served as excuses to remove Howard¡¯s black pieces from the game. Ruby busily tried to convince Howard to play another round, but Howard, who had been forced to recall every humiliating event from elementary school to university by Ruby, shook his head, absolutely refusing! Although Steve Burton appeared to be immersed in the atmosphere of the birthday party, he had been watching Ruby all along. Despite the distance, Steve¡¯s good eyesight allowed him to clearly see Ruby, Howard, and Madeleine playing Backgammon. It seemed like Ruby had won. Her radiant smile was as brilliant as the blazing sun, dazzlingly beautiful. Soon, she and Howard started another round. Her expression was serious, sometimes frowning, sometimes pouting, and sometimes even biting her own finger, seemingly lost in thought. She looked so animated and appealing with her myriad of expressions, more so than when she was always cautiously meticulous around him. He couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to her. It seemed like Ruby was about to lose to Howard, so she cheated by kicking the table and ruining the game. This was just like the Ruby he first saw when he was four¡­ if she couldn¡¯t get something, she would just destroy it! A faint smile curved at the corner of Steve¡¯s lips, causing him to be penalized a drink for not paying attention to the game at hand. After the game was wrecked, Ruby and Howard started another round. From a distance, he couldn¡¯t tell what she was saying to Howard, but she kept removing the black pieces from the board. Howard¡¯s face looked like he had eaten shit, getting uglier and uglier, becoming more despondent as each piece was removed. Towards the end, it looked as if Howard was about to cry. Steve couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft laugh, causing him to lose the game once again and was penalized another drink. These games were child¡¯s play for Steve, who had never lost in all these years. Rusell Henris couldn¡¯t help wondering why Steve was losing, only to realize that his gaze kept straying in Ruby¡¯s direction. The next time Steve was penalized a drink, Rusell finally asked, ¡°Bro, should we go see what Madeleine and Howard are up to?¡± Upon hearing this, Steve, who had been raising his glass, paused. His eyes became a bit dimmer, and a hint of dejection could be heard in his voice: ¡°If I go over, she might get upset.¡± Rusell was taken aback. Steve lifted his glass, downing the drink with one gulp. His eyelashes cast a shadow on his cheeks as he squeezed the glass in his hand, speaking again: ¡°Let her be happy a little while longer.¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today, we¡¯ll continue tomorrow.. The winners of yesterday¡¯s calendar and autographed book are: Deceit&qu, please speak up if you see your name, and be sure to join group 67726183 (non-winners who want to join are also welcome, after all, you might be the winner tomorrow!) Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 All Deep Love is Not a Secret (1) Chapter 61: Chapter 61 All Deep Love is Not a Secret (1) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton picked up his glass, finishing the alcohol in one gulp. With his eyes downcast, he tightly pinched the glass in his hand and said to Rusell Henris, ¡°Let her be happy for a while longer.¡± Although Steve¡¯s tone at that moment was no different from his usual manner, as if he were casually giving work instructions, somehow, these two sentences managed to inexplicably soften Rusell¡¯s heart, filling him with a nameless pain. After saying his piece, Steve¡¯s gaze gently landed on Ruby Gregory in the distance, who was playing with Howard Coleman and Madeleine so passionately. The corners of his lips curved up, forming a slow smile. That handsome face softened because of the smile, even the depths of his eyes seemed to ripple gently. Lost in thought, he stared at the scene. In Rusell¡¯s memory, Steve had always been the best among them since childhood. From birth, they were burdened with the mission of their family¡¯s future, seemingly filled with enviable nobility. However, people often only saw the surface and didn¡¯t know the unbelievable effort and price they paid for those envious glances. It¡¯s easy to go from poverty to wealth, but it¡¯s difficult to maintain that wealth and prosperity. Especially for Steve Burton, the successor of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. In his hands, he held not only his own destiny, but also the fate of the entire Burton family, and the thousands of families who depended on Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for survival. He couldn¡¯t let the welfare and salaries for those employees who relied on Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for their livelihood be reduced in his hands. So, from a young age, Steve was astonishingly outstanding. This man seemed to possess an innate charisma that could captivate and bend others to his will, without question. He was revered as a god. He seemed invincible. However, such a man, who was worshiped by them like a god, still succumbed to so-called fate. In the beginning, Rusell had always thought that love was an inconsequential thing for Steve. After all, since the moment their adolescent feelings blossomed, there had been countless girls who had taken the initiative to show him affection. Regardless of their beauty, figure, or family background, Steve always appeared disinterested, not even sparing a glance at those women. He seemed so aloof. Despite this, countless women still came one after the other, constantly throwing themselves at him. No matter how colorful his and Edward Woods¡¯ youth had been, Steve Burton had always maintained his aloofness, like a blank canvas. It wasn¡¯t until they later grew into mature and sophisticated adults with keen insight, that they discovered Steve had a deep-rooted secret hidden in his heart the whole time.. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62: All Deep Love Is No Secret (2) Chapter 62: Chapter 62: All Deep Love Is No Secret (2) Translator: 549690339 That secret was Ruby Gregory. They once asked Steve Burton why he didn¡¯t have a passionate love affair in his prime so that he could leave behind the most beautiful silhouette of his youth in his old age. At that time, Steve Burton heard these words and let out a soft chuckle. His voice was faint, making him sound indifferent: ¡°Too lazy to care.¡± What a cold and indifferent person one must be not to even care about love. But when they discovered the secret, they understood that Steve Burton was not careless about love, nor too lazy to care, but rather, his heart was taken, and his eyes could no longer accommodate anyone else. Later on, they realized that it wasn¡¯t because they were sophisticated and observant, but because all deep love could not be kept secret. If you truly love someone, your eyes will always inadvertently fall on her. If you truly love someone, her emotions will uncontrollably affect you in your most vulnerable moments. If you truly love someone, you would focus solely on them, portraying the kind of calm and composed demeanor like that of a wise man. As for the others¡­ Although they seemed to be playing games among different women, perhaps without any emotional investment, or perhaps with a fleeting moment of thrill, they ultimately remained unattached, unloved, and carefree. Is it the jealousy of heaven? Such a brilliant and dazzling man, who should have led a smooth and triumphant life, couldn¡¯t escape from the clutches of love. So early on, he confined himself to a circle called ¡°Ruby Gregory.¡± In the end, Howard Coleman couldn¡¯t outplay Ruby, and they started a new game of Backgammon once more. This time, Ruby had learned her lesson after several losses to Howard and began to strategize three to four moves ahead in anticipation of Howard¡¯s five consecutive pieces. Howard¡¯s several setups were seen through by Ruby, and the duel between the two became increasingly fierce. Steve Burton, who was usually busy with socializing, was not someone who would be drunk after a thousand drinks. But for some unknown reason, perhaps due to Ruby¡¯s presence, he started feeling a bit hazy after three to four glasses of wine. So, he made an excuse and left. Steve Burton originally wanted to go outside for a breath of fresh air to clear his head, but somehow, his footsteps led him to the corner where Ruby, Howard, and Madeleine were sitting. From about five meters away, Steve Burton could clearly hear Ruby¡¯s voice. She seemed to be bickering with Howard. Her words were clearly unreasonable, yet they made it impossible for anyone to refute. When she had rendered Howard speechless, she didn¡¯t forget to provoke him by raising her eyebrows. That appearance clearly showed that she had gained the upper hand and was still pretending to be innocent.. Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (3) Chapter 63: Chapter 63: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (3) Translator: 549690339 Such an energetic Ruby Gregory, she¡¯s as vibrant as she was many years ago¡­ Steve Burton¡¯s steps halted in place, his gaze fixed on Ruby¡¯s lively expression. Her clear, haughty words from her mouth and her occasional laughter provoked his thoughts, and he couldn¡¯t resist tracing back to the past. After Steve first met Ruby, four-year-old Steve often sat in the courtyard, engrossed in a comic book. However, his thoughts weren¡¯t on the plot of the comic, but rather, he was attentively observing the movements in the courtyard next door. Ruby Gregory¡¯s movements. At four, children couldn¡¯t discern beauty from ugliness, but in Steve¡¯s memory, Ruby of that time resembled the Barbie doll in his older sister¡¯s room, always dressed in a colorful princess dress, her sparse hair combed into two neat braids, each tied with a butterfly bow. Occasionally, when Steve would sneak a peek at Ruby, the little girl would meet his gaze. But the one-year-old girl, having seemingly forgotten who he was, was quickly lured away by the toys and snacks in the hands of adults. Like that, about a month passed, transitioning from summer to early autumn. The leaves in the courtyard gradually turned yellow, and the weather outside became chilly. Ruby increasingly stopped coming outside. When he sat in the courtyard with his comic books, he would be called back into the house by the servants. Autumn in Ciawell was always short. A gust of northern wind would sweep through, and the fallen leaves would blanket the ground. The temperature dropped rapidly too, and Steve increasingly spent less time in the courtyard. At that time, Steve had started going to kindergarten. Although he was only four, his learning task was already quite heavy. Steve saw Ruby again during the Chinese New Year that year. As the saying goes, a snowy year is a prosperous year. A Chinese New Year in the north without snow feels lifeless. That year during Chinese New Year, a heavy and moist snowfall occurred. Though Steve was born with responsibilities and appeared more mature than his peers, he was still a child at heart. Seeing the courtyard covered in a blanket of snow, he ran out in his new clothes, carrying a child¡¯s shovel, and began to build a snowman. Possibly due to the Chinese New Year, many housekeepers had returned home for the New Year, so house chores were left to the family, leading to Ruby, who was alone, to emerge from the house. She was playing by herself in the snow but noticed Steve making a snowman in the neighboring yard. At that time, Ruby was able to walk steadily. She had grown a bit taller but could still crawl through the fences. Steve was concentrating on his snowman, oblivious to Ruby¡¯s approach.. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (4) Chapter 64: Chapter 64: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (4) Translator: 549690339 As kids grow teeth, snacks like candy are inevitably controlled more strictly. Because of New Year, Steve Burton¡¯s pocket was fortunately filled with all kinds of candies, including milk candies, fruit candies, chocolate candies¡­ When he finished making the snowball, he conveniently took out two black-wrapped candies from his pocket and stuck them onto the snowball as eyes. Just as Steve was about to fetch half a carrot from the house to use as the snowman¡¯s nose, he saw Ruby Gregory standing nearby, tilting her head with her finger in her mouth as she stared at the snowball in front of him. Children¡¯s memories don¡¯t last too long, so when Steve suddenly saw Ruby, it took him a moment to realize that this was the little girl who had torn his storybook apart in the summer. Fortunately, Steve had a good memory, so he remembered her name, and was about to greet her when Ruby suddenly looked like she¡¯d seen something exciting. She walked up to the snowball with her short little legs, bent down and dug out the ¡°one eye¡± that was the candy he had just put into the snowball. Perhaps she had eaten the black-wrapped candy before and recognized it, so she took the package to her mouth and bit it twice. In the end, she bit open the packaging but the candy fell onto the snow pile. She didn¡¯t care about the dirt, bending down to pick up the candy. But Steve frowned and said, ¡°You can¡¯t eat that!¡± Seeing Ruby picking up the candy, Steve hurriedly reached out to snatch the candy from her hand. But when Ruby saw someone trying to steal her food, she lowered her head and bit Steve¡¯s candy-holding finger hard without a second thought. A child, just over a year old, may not have all her teeth, but the bite made Steve¡¯s finger feel a sharp pain. He loosened his grip and Ruby managed to put the candy in her mouth. Perhaps because of getting the candy, she squinted her eyes at him and smiled. It was the first time Steve had been bitten by someone since he was little, so he looked at the uneven bite marks on his finger and couldn¡¯t help but smile back. After that, Steve couldn¡¯t bring himself to eat the candies in his pocket, even the ones his family allowed him to eat. He would secretly save them up and give one to Ruby whenever he saw her. After many encounters, Ruby knew that she could always get candy from Steve that her mom wouldn¡¯t let her eat. So she would sneak out every day when her mom wasn¡¯t looking. And so, Steve and Ruby began their innocent childhood sweethearts era. Later on, Ruby started going to kindergarten, and Steve was already in first grade. As time went on, Ruby started elementary school, and The Gregorys sent her to the same school Steve attended.. Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (5) Chapter 65: Chapter 65: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (5) Translator: 549690339 From that time on, the childhood sweethearts started spending more time together. Primary school was unlike kindergarten, with more time spent on play than on learning. By the second semester of their first school year, Steve Burton had crossed the line into his second decade of life, officially turning eleven. At that time, Steve started refusing rides from the family driver to and from school. Mountain bikes were in fashion then, and he, along with Rusell Henris, Howard Coleman, and Edward Woods, rode their mountain bikes in an attempt to look cool. Dressed in white shirts carrying backpacks, they would speed past the school forest, under the towering Paulownia trees. This was a daily spectacle at the school. Ruby Gregory and Madeleine, on the other hand, were still being chauffeured by their respective family drivers. Despite her young age, Ruby was prone to procrastination. She would watch cartoons the moment she got home from school, sometimes until eight or nine at night, at which point she¡¯d realize that she hadn¡¯t done her homework. She would then, under her mother¡¯s nagging, pick up her pen and start writing about ¡°Mountains, Woods, Water, Earth,¡± while struggling to stay awake. One weekend, Ruby was so engaged in playtime that she completely forgot about her homework. Only when she was dropped off at the school gates by the family driver on Monday morning did she realize that she had not written even a single word of her homework. For a primary school student, criticism from one¡¯s teachers was a matter of great shame. Afraid that she¡¯d be made to stand in front of the whole class as punishment, much like a student at the back of her row who habitually failed to complete his homework, she hung around the school gates, unable to muster the courage to enter the school. Finally deciding against it, she slipped into the school¡¯s bicycle shed and began diving into her backlog of work. As Ruby wrote, she kept checking the time. There was half an hour left till the start of school, and she had barely covered a third of her homework. If she finished her homework, she would be late for class. If she wasn¡¯t late, she would be unable to complete her homework. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t escape punishment from her teacher no matter what. As Ruby was torn between the severity of being punished for being late and not completing her homework, the screech of a bike brake resounded in front of her, followed by Howard Coleman¡¯s voice, ¡°Ruby Gregory, what are you doing here?¡± Ruby looked up to see both Rusell Henris and Edward Woods pulling up and stopping their bikes as well. They were all looking at her. However, as if Ruby didn¡¯t even exist, Steve didn¡¯t slow down at all. Instead, he skillfully maneuvered around her, parked his bike neatly in an empty spot, and locked it. Only then did he, with the bike key in hand and the backpack slung over one shoulder, walked over to Ruby.. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (6) Chapter 66: Chapter 66: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (6) Translator: 549690339 At eleven years old, Steve Burton was already much taller than Ruby Gregory. Now Ruby Gregory was sitting on the steps, and when Steve looked at her, he had to look down. There were a mess of textbooks, writing books, pencil cases, and pencils scattered all around her. Ruby had an eraser in her mouth, her hair a bit disheveled, and her face smeared with graphite from the pencils. Steve frowned at the disordered Ruby and said with a cold tone, ¡°What are you doing squatting here?¡± Ruby, though only in the first grade of elementary school, had a sense of pride. She raised her hand to cover her writing book, looked up at Steve with a pair of large, black eyes, and shook her head, ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t finished your homework?¡± Steve¡¯s frown deepened. Although he was only eleven, he could tell from Ruby¡¯s little movements what she was doing there and then. She was found out! Ruby¡¯s little face blushed in an instant, and she glared at Steve angrily, puffing out, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Steve snorted lightly, his expression somewhat disdainful. He turned his head and waved to Howard Coleman, Rusell Henris, and Edward Woods parking not far away, signaling them to leave first. Watching Howard, Rusell, and Edward leave, Steve kicked away the textbook in front of him and moved forward a couple of steps. Seeing the filthy steps beside Ruby, he frowned in revulsion, took off his backpack from his shoulder and threw it beside Ruby. He sat down, bent over, rummaged on the ground for a while, picked up a brand new writing book from Ruby, and snatched the writing book Ruby was working on. He glanced at the handwriting, asked, ¡°Writing each character ten times?¡± Ruby hadn¡¯t come out of her angry embarrassment, and she puffed out her cheeks, only letting out a ¡°hmm.¡± Steve picked up the textbook from the ground, leafed past the pages smeared and messed up by Ruby¡¯s pencil, and frowned at the chaos. Then he turned to a blank page and asked, ¡°Up to the word ¡®road¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruby was about to ask why he was asking so many questions, but Steve had already picked up a pencil and told her, ¡°You can stop at the word ¡®square¡¯.¡± He then went on with the new writing book, imitating Ruby¡¯s handwriting and finishing the sentence for her. Steve wrote three times as many words as Ruby, yet finished earlier than her. Seeing her write one word and erase it twice, he impatiently reached out, took her writing book, finished the last few words for her, and then tore out all the remaining unused pages.. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (7) Chapter 67: Chapter 67: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (7) Translator: 549690339 Steve handed both the homework notebook he wrote and the one Ruby wrote to Ruby, saying, ¡°If the teacher asks you why you wrote in two notebooks, just say that one of them ran out of pages. Got it?¡± Ruby hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the surprise of her homework being completed so easily and nodded blankly at Steve¡¯s words. Steve frowned at her foolish expression, then took out some tape from his backpack and helped Ruby stick the two notebooks together before stuffing them back into her bag with peace of mind. Ruby¡¯s close call of forgetting to do her homework and almost getting punished by the teacher didn¡¯t give her a wake-up call. Instead, her laziness intensified, making her even less inclined to do her homework after school. As for Steve, every night after school he would finish the homework assigned by his teacher, then study middle school knowledge on his own. The next morning, he would get up early, pick up Ruby for school, and then, in the school¡¯s small garden, he would mimic Ruby¡¯s notes to complete the mind-numbing assignments. At first, Ruby and Steve would write together. Eventually, it became just Steve writing while Ruby sat nearby, either reading comic books or happily sipping a milk tea. Occasionally, when Ruby had stayed up late the night before and hadn¡¯t gotten enough sleep being woken up by Steve, she would pout and complain to him, who was busy writing her homework, ¡°Why are you so slow at doing homework? Because of you, I have to wake up so early and I haven¡¯t had enough sleep.¡± It was also during that time that Steve¡¯s mountain bike was no longer just his cool mountain bike, as a rear seat was added to the bike. His mountain bike became the tool he used to take Ruby to and from school every day. The impressive sight of several outstanding young boys riding their mountain bikes at school remained, except now one of those boys had a delicate, beautiful young girl on the back seat of his bike. At that time, although Ruby already knew that The Gregorys had begun instilling in her the idea of marrying Steve in the future, she didn¡¯t completely lose herself in front of him. Back then, Ruby, taking advantage of her young age, would act just as spoiled as Madeleine in front of them. That Ruby, who didn¡¯t write a single piece of summer break homework, ended up having Steve, Edward Woods, Russell Henris, and Howard Coleman spending three whole days in The Burtons¡¯ study tirelessly writing her assignments just three days before school started. Ruby at that time¡­ was so wonderful¡­ But for some reason, she changed later on. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (8) Chapter 68: Chapter 68: All Deep Love is Not a Secret (8) Translator: 549690339 Over the years, her true nature had never changed. It¡¯s just that her eccentric humor and lively spirit were shown to everyone except him. Towards him, she was always gentle, well-mannered, and dignified. It was as if the time when they were ¡°riding bamboo horses together, playing with green plums around the bed, ¡± was merely a unique illusion. Despite it being such a beautiful past, there was an unspeakable bitterness choking him in his throat whenever Steve Burton recalled those times. Swallowing hard, he slightly moved forward two steps. Madeleine seemed to notice the movement behind her, and suddenly turned her head. Upon seeing Steve, she subconsciously wanted to call out ¡°brother¡± but was silenced by Steve¡¯s hand gesture. Swiftly shutting her mouth, Madeleine glanced at Ruby Gregory, who was entirely focused on playing Backgammon with Howard Coleman, and silently stood up to give Steve a seat. With smooth and almost soundless motions, Steve sat down beside Ruby. Without intending to, Howard caught a glimpse of Steve and saw Madeleine gesturing for him to be quiet. Immediately, Howard played along and continued the Backgammon game with Ruby. Ruby was completely absorbed in her match against Howard, not realizing the person beside her had become Steve instead of Madeleine. Steve sat nearby, silently watching without saying a word. Just when Ruby was hesitating about her next move, Steve suddenly reached out his hand, pointed to a position on the chessboard and said, ¡°Put it here.¡± Ruby, startled by his voice, trembled, causing the white piece to fall on the chessboard with a ¡°snap.¡± When did Steve sit down beside her? Wasn¡¯t he playing games with those people? When did he come over? Feeling incredibly flustered, Ruby hurriedly glanced at Steve and then averted her gaze before she could even get a good look at his expression. As expected, she became restrained and unhappy as soon as he arrived. Steve swallowed slightly, forcing himself to ignore her feigned gentle expression when she was facing him. He stretched out his slender, beautiful fingers to pick up the chess piece that Ruby had dropped on the table and placed it on the spot he had just pointed out. Steve¡¯s move was utterly random and without strategy. Unable to discern any clue from it, Howard simply went along with his own plan and placed a piece. Now it was Ruby¡¯s turn. However, due to Steve¡¯s arrival, Ruby¡¯s mind went blank and she couldn¡¯t react for a long time. Steve stared at Ruby¡¯s profile, his expression contemplative. Unable to figure out what Steve was thinking, Howard feared that Ruby¡¯s extended pause would anger him. So he reminded her, ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s your turn!¡± At this moment, Ruby¡¯s thoughts had completely strayed far away from the Backgammon game. She came to her senses, picked up the white piece, and placed it on the board without even looking at the game¡­ PS: I really wish I had a little bamboo horse who could help me with my homework- See you tomorrow- Yesterday¡¯s lucky reader was: Er Ni Tai Hao PPS: Here¡¯s a little ad ¨C I¡¯d like to recommend a book for everyone to check out! Author¡¯s name: Yili Yiyao, book title: The Number One Concubine in the World: Divine Physician¡¯s Mad Wife (Ancient times literary work¡ª Please check it out if you¡¯re looking for something to read) Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Get Out if You Want to Leave (1) Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Get Out if You Want to Leave (1) Translator: 549690339 At this moment, Ruby Gregory¡¯s mind was already far beyond Backgammon. Coming back to reality, she replied in agreement, picked up a white piece without even looking at where Howard Coleman had played, and randomly placed it on the board. Madeleine stood nearby, drinking a glass of water. Seeing such a reckless move from Ruby, she choked violently and started coughing. Yet, shaking her finger at Howard¡¯s three clustered black pieces on the board, she teased Ruby, and said, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re obviously taking it easy on Howard!¡± Ruby had played this move without giving it much thought. Now, Madeleine suddenly exposed it, causing her face to flush with embarrassment. She hurriedly picked up the piece she had just played and put it at one end of Howard¡¯s trio of black pieces. However, before Ruby¡¯s white piece could settle down, Madeleine said, ¡°Ruby, if vou play it that wav, Howard will still win.¡± Before Steve Burton¡¯s arrival, Ruby Gregory might not be able to say she had left Howard Coleman in a complete mess, but she could deal with him easily enough. Now that Steve was sitting by her side, her mind seemed unable to function. It was in a complete state of confusion. Holding a chess piece, she seemed to be staring at the Backgammon pattern on the table, but her mind had already drifted far away. She spent a long time staring foolishly at the board without understanding what Madeleine was pointing at. Ruby held the chess piece, hesitating for a good while without putting it down. Seeing Ruby indecisive, Madeleine began to grow anxious too. Not caring about the rule that spectators should not interfere with the game, she directly said, ¡°Ruby, blocked from the other side. If you don¡¯t block him, Howard¡¯s next move will be a winning one.¡± The other side? Ruby turned her head and glanced at Madeleine. But the corner of her eye caught sight of Steve Burton¡¯s stunningly handsome face. The man¡¯s face was expressionless, his gaze fixated on her. This sight further confused Ruby, turning her brain to a mush. Despite staring at the game, she couldn¡¯t comprehend the situation. She held a white piece hesitantly, weakly placed it on a spot, then raised her head. Her eyes filled with an inquiring look towards Madeleine, implicitly asking if this was the right spot. ¡°No, not there, block the other side of those three black pieces you just blocked.¡± Madeleine¡¯s instructions were straight-forward, but seeing Ruby still looking confused, she had to continue, ¡°Move two squares to the left.¡± To the left? Ruby quickly turned her head, planning to count two squares to the left. But with a slight movement, she brushed against Steve¡¯s clothes. This startled her and in her nervousness, she placed the white piece two squares below the original position.. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Get Out if You Want to Leave (2) Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Get Out if You Want to Leave (2) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s two squares to the left, not two squares down.¡± Madeleine said, caught between laughter and tears. Ruby Gregory¡¯s face turned red as if it could bleed, and she hastily picked up the white piece, quickly moving it two squares to the left. ¡°Ruby, what on earth is wrong with you? It was your previous position that needed to move two squares to the left, not your current position!¡± Madeleine was somewhat frustrated with Ruby. Confused by Madeleine¡¯s words and with Steve Burton by her side, Ruby¡¯s mind was disoriented. She held the chess piece and continued to move it two squares to the left. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯m going to cry!¡± Madeleine finally cracked, putting down her glass of alcohol and letting out a wail. Howard Coleman couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Ruby held the white piece, suddenly feeling at a loss, her face red as if it could bleed. Howard and Madeleine were amused by Ruby¡¯s bewildered actions. However, Steve couldn¡¯t find any joy. It was as if he had just drunk Chinese goldthread instead of alcohol, rolling in his stomach and filling it with bitterness. He suddenly regretted coming to her side while under the influence. Previously, even if he could only see her from a distance, unable to hear her voice or smell her scent, he could still see a genuine and beautiful Ruby. But now, she looked nervous, not knowing how to be herself. As Steve watched Ruby about to randomly place the white piece again, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand. Ruby¡¯s body seemed to freeze as if she was struck by an acupoint, and she became as stiff as a statue in her seat, unconsciously gripping the chess piece harder. She could clearly feel the burning heat from the man¡¯s palm as it traveled up her hand and into her bloodstream. Her instincts told her to pull her hand away, but deep down, she knew she couldn¡¯t. So, Ruby could only remain stiff as Steve held her hand, too nervous to even swallow her saliva. Steve could feel Ruby¡¯s delicate hand turn as hard as a stone in his palm. A moment of dismay and defeat flashed in his eyes before he quickly returned to his usual cold and indifferent self. He casually held Ruby¡¯s hand, placing the chess piece on the square Madeleine had been pointing at. Howard¡¯s chess strategy was blocked, so he randomly chose a position and placed down a black piece. This time, Steve didn¡¯t wait for Ruby¡¯s reaction and immediately pointed to an empty spot, saying, ¡°Move here.¡± While Steve was holding Ruby¡¯s hand earlier, he had leaned closer to her, and he hadn¡¯t moved away since. Now, when he spoke, his warm breath brushed against Ruby¡¯s ear.. Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Get Out if You Want to Leave (3) Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Get Out if You Want to Leave (3) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s body tensed up even more, and she didn¡¯t dare to take a breath, like a robot, quickly listening to Steve Burton¡¯s words. She took a white piece and placed it on the position he had just pointed at. From then on, Ruby followed Steve¡¯s command for every move she made on the chessboard. In an instant, the game between her and Howard Coleman turned into a match between Steve and Howard. Steve was sitting on Ruby¡¯s right, and later on, the battle between Steve and Howard shifted to her left side, so when Steve directed her moves, he would reach around her shoulder to point. This action was as if Steve was embracing Ruby in his arms. At first, Steve would retract his hand after giving instructions, but later, he seemed to find it troublesome and simply left his arm resting on Ruby¡¯s shoulder. Ruby¡¯s head leaned closely against Steve¡¯s chest, and she could clearly hear the steady and powerful rhythm of the man¡¯s heartbeat, which made her own heart throb faster and faster. The temperature in the banquet hall was a bit chilly due to the air conditioning, and Ruby initially felt somewhat cold. However, now she felt her entire body heat up, and soon she was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Ruby gradually grew restless, and after holding it in for some time, seeing that the chess game between Steve and Howard showed no sign of ending, she finally swallowed her saliva, made up an excuse, and told Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, I want to go to the restroom, you and Howard continue to play chess.¡± She called him ¡°Mr. Burton¡± and Howard ¡°Howard¡±. Steve¡¯s gaze turned slightly cold, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Ruby¡¯s words, and continued to direct her moves, pointing to a position and said, ¡°Go here.¡± ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡­¡± Ruby tried to speak again, but after uttering just three words, Steve¡¯s gaze shifted to her face. His eyes were indifferent but carried an oppressive force, causing the rest of Ruby¡¯s words to be forced back into her throat, unable to come out. Steve stared at Ruby, remaining silent. Such behavior from Steve was a sign of his bad mood. Howard and Madeleine exchanged worried glances, fearing that Steve would suddenly lose his temper at Ruby in the next moment. Time slowly trickled by. The atmosphere became heavy and suffocating. Ruby felt the air around her thinning. Just as Madeleine was about to speak up and try to ease the tension, Steve suddenly lifted his gaze from Ruby¡¯s face and withdrew the hand he had rested on her shoulder. He calmly stood up and made room for Ruby. Howard and Madeleine¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief¡­. Steve actually didn¡¯t lose his temper? Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Get Out if You Want to Leave (4) Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Get Out if You Want to Leave (4) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory was also slightly surprised deep down. If it were any normal situation, if he were to look at her with such a gaze, the next second he would definitely turn cold and ruthlessly say something hurtful and vile. But now, he actually silently moved aside and let her pass? Ruby hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked away from Steve Burton¡¯s side, heading straight for the restroom. Steve¡¯s gaze remained on the departing Ruby Gregory. From the woman¡¯s seemingly elegant and poised walk, he could faintly discern her desperate attempt to conceal her panic and haste under a calm demeanor. He even noticed that her tense body relaxed once she had walked a considerable distance away. Steve¡¯s expression darkened, to the point where he completely forgot about the backgammon game he had been playing with Howard Coleman on the table. Did Howard and Madeleine have the courage to remind Steve?- They were afraid that, at any moment, Steve¡¯s bad mood might be directed at innocent bystanders. So Madeleine quickly made an excuse, ¡°I¡¯m going to see what Jack is up to,¡± and hurried away. After Madeleine left, the pressure on Howard only increased. He raised his hand to rub his nose, ¡°I just remembered, I didn¡¯t drive here. I need Edward to give me a lift home. I¡¯m going to tell him now.¡± With that, he stood up and made his escape. Ruby didn¡¯t actually want to go to the restroom; she was just looking for an excuse to get away from Steve and catch her breath due to the oppressive atmosphere around him. Ruby had thought she would stay in the restroom a bit longer, but on her way out, two elegantly dressed young women entered, sizing her up, and one of them whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t she the woman who gave gifts to Mr. Burton and got him to accept them only after hesitating for a long time?¡± Though the woman¡¯s voice was barely audible, it reached Ruby¡¯s ears nonetheless. Pretending not to hear, Ruby tried to feign disinterest as she left the restroom. She washed her hands and then walked out of the restroom, heading for the corner seat. As she approached, she realized that Madeleine and Howard were no longer on the sofa in the corner, and only Steve Burton remained, leaning lazily against the sofa, idly picking up chess pieces from the table and placing them one by one back into the box. Ruby¡¯s footsteps hesitated slightly, and she instinctively wanted to leave while Steve¡¯s attention was elsewhere. However, Steve suddenly looked up, locking his gaze with hers. Ruby¡¯s footsteps paused for a moment, and she reluctantly walked towards Steve. Steve was sitting on the side of the sofa that Howard had previously occupied, so Ruby returned to her original seat.. Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Get Out if You Want to Leave (5) Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Get Out if You Want to Leave (5) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton didn¡¯t seem to intend to speak. He continued to slowly pick up the backgammon pieces on the table. Ruby Gregory saw that he wasn¡¯t making a sound, so she also followed suit and remained silent. Between the two of them, the only sounds were the hustle and bustle in the distance and the crisp noises of the backgammon pieces when Steve placed them on the board. Ruby thought sitting like this seemed foolish. She looked at the small piece of cake remaining on her plate and picked at it with a fork, nibbling away to alleviate her embarrassment. After eating so much cake, it was a bit greasy and dry. The water she had asked a waiter for earlier was already empty, so Ruby waved to a waiter in the distance. Seeing that Steve had been sitting here all along without a drink, she asked, breaking the silence between them, ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± Steve¡¯s hand slightly hesitated as he held a chess piece, and then he said, ¡°A cocktail, please.¡± In order to please Steve, the Gregorys had told Ruby long ago that she should be a meticulous and considerate woman. Ruby recalled that many people had toasted Steve tonight, so she instinctively pursed her lips and suggested, ¡°Drinking too much alcohol isn¡¯t good for your health. Perhaps some hot tea or warm water would be better.¡± After saying that, Ruby realized that she hadn¡¯t been using a tone that asked for his opinion, so she added, ¡°Is that alright?¡± With a slightly baffled expression, Steve looked at Ruby and then just lightly hummed in agreement. Ruby called the waiter over and ordered two cups of warm water. She first placed one of the cups on Steve¡¯s right-hand side before sitting down in her seat with the other cup. Perhaps Ruby¡¯s considerate care took effect as Steve¡¯s demeanor softened considerably. He was no longer as cold as earlier. He held the cup of water, took a sip, and glanced at the scattered cake that Ruby ate on her plate. He casually asked, ¡°Is that a matcha-flavored cake?¡± Ruby was taken aback, then she remembered that Steve had once asked her what kind of cake she liked. She answered that she liked matcha cake, which was his favorite. It was only because Steve wasn¡¯t around that she had chosen her favorite vanilla cake. How could she be so careless, continuing to eat vanilla cake in front of him when there were many flavors nearby? Wasn¡¯t she allowing him to know that her favorite was not the matcha cake, she lied to him? Ruby swallowed nervously and said, ¡°No.¡± As she spoke, Ruby lowered her head, not daring to look at Steve. She timidly added, ¡°It¡¯s vanilla-flavored.. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Get Out if You Want to Leave (6) Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Get Out if You Want to Leave (6) Translator: 549690339 Ruby spoke, then hurriedly glanced at Steve¡¯s face. She thought the man¡¯s expression would immediately darken. However, unexpectedly, not only did Steve¡¯s face show no sign of gloom, it even became brighter. He seemed in a good mood as he continued to leisurely pick up the chess pieces. All along, Ruby felt that having known Steve for many years, she should understand him well, but now she discovered that the man was far different from what she knew. For instance, she thought he would be angry and unhappy at that moment, but he wasn¡¯t. And sometimes, when she felt she had done well enough, he would suddenly turn his back on her mercilessly. Steve picked up all the chess pieces on the table before looking up and glancing at Ruby. As if he suddenly thought of something, he said, ¡°It¡¯s noisy here, accompany me upstairs to find a quiet place and sit for a while.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t expect Steve to suggest leaving them alone. She was slightly surprised, but by the time she came to her senses, he had already stood up. Ruby looked at the bustling banquet scene in the distance. Although everyone seemed to be chatting and playing games, many people¡¯s gazes were still on Steve. Ruby thought about the words she heard those two people say when they saw her in the restroom. The reason she fought to be at this banquet was to avoid becoming a laughingstock herself and not let the Gregorys be ridiculed, but she hadn¡¯t expected that she would still become a topic of discussion due to a slip. If she left with Steve now, others would assume that their relationship had never broken and that his attitude towards her during the gift-giving was just a temporary coldness. After all, even the best of friends could have their quarrels at times. In this way, not only would she regain her dignity but also save face for the Gregorys. With that in mind, Ruby slowly got up and followed behind Steve, leaving the banquet scene under the deliberate and unintentional gazes of others. Steve brought Ruby to a suite on the top floor of the banquet hall. Compared to the lively birthday party, the suite was quiet without any noise. In the suite¡¯s vase, there was a bouquet of stunningly beautiful flowers, emitting an elegant fragrance. Steve took off his suit jacket, threw it onto the living room couch, and then went into the bedroom, lying directly down on the bed. Ruby didn¡¯t dare disturb Steve, so she carefully picked up his casually discarded suit jacket, hung it in the closet with a hanger, and straightened it out. The bedroom door was left open, and Ruby saw Steve lift his hand from time to time to rub his brow.. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Get Out if You Want to Leave (7) Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Get Out if You Want to Leave (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory thought the reason Steve Burton¡¯s head hurt might be because of the alcohol. The hotel had a fully equipped kitchenette, where she found half a watermelon. She scooped out the flesh, then painstakingly removed the seeds one by one. She put the flesh in a juicer, and brought the freshly squeezed watermelon juice to the bedroom. Steve had his eyes closed and didn¡¯t open them until Ruby put the juice on the bedside table. She hesitated whether she should call him or not. Since she returned, they had met several times, but she¡¯d never dared to observe him closely. He seemed more mature and stable than when he gave her gifts three years ago, his features were more profound, and the noble air between his brows made him more unapproachable. Just as Ruby was staring at him, Steve opened his eyes suddenly as if he had sensed something. Ruby¡¯s body shuddered, and she quickly looked away, handing the watermelon juice to Steve, ¡°This can relieve the effects of alcohol.¡± Steve glanced at the watermelon juice in Ruby¡¯s hand, then took it and drank it all in one gulp. After drinking it, Steve really felt the burning sensation of alcohol in his stomach had eased. He handed the empty glass to Ruby and asked, ¡°How did you know watermelon juice would relieve the effects of alcohol?¡± Ruby paused, then said, ¡°When I was little, The Gregorys¡¯ business wasn¡¯t as bad as it is now. Dad had more social engagements back then and would often drink too much. When he came home with a headache, Mom would make him watermelon juice. After drinking it, he would feel much better.¡± ¡°So, The Gregorys¡¯ business has been bad in the past few years?¡± Ruby mentioned their family¡¯s business in passing, but didn¡¯t expect Steve would suddenly ask about it. Her heart trembled, and she looked down, answering hesitantly, ¡°It¡¯s not as good as it used to be.¡± By ¡°the past few years,¡± she meant the three years she and Steve were apart. Many people had partnered with The Gregorys because of her close relationship with Steve. Later, when she suddenly moved to Costa Luna and cut off contact with him, many people thought there was no hope for them, so their business gradually waned. Even this year, The Gregorys faced losses, which forced her to return from Costa Luna. No matter how much this man had despised her and demanded from her, she still had no choice but to return to his side. Although Ruby¡¯s words were vague, Steve still understood that she was referring to the three years they were apart. Steve stared at Ruby, not speaking for a long time. As she recalled the events of three years ago, Ruby¡¯s heart seemed to be cut by a sharp blade, silently exuding unbearable pain. Even though she seemed calm in front of her parents that night, it didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t care about the hurtful words he said to her: ¡°Even though it was your first time and you were a little shy, I still liked it¡­ But only the you from last night on the bed!¡± Ruby blinked and forced a soft smile at Steve, ¡°I just remembered, I didn¡¯t unplug the juicer.¡± After saying that, Ruby turned to leave the bedroom. However, Steve suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her onto the bed. He swiftly switched positions to pin her down beneath him. Ruby quickly realized what he was trying to do. She didn¡¯t know if it was the painful experiences from their recent intimate encounters, but she had become more and more resistant of him. She subconsciously wanted to struggle, but remembering The Gregorys and her parents who had placed all their hopes in her, she eventually closed her eyes. Her eyelashes trembled violently, betraying her hidden refusal and fear. Steve, intently watching her restrained herself, saw her reluctance and tolerance. She clearly did not want to do these things with him, but forced herself to bear it. Steve¡¯s chest rose and fell slightly as he stared at Ruby with her eyes closed. He lowered his head and covered her lips with his own. Her body remained stiff, like a piece of wood, making Steve feel as if he were dealing with a soulless puppet. He saw her clenching her fist tightly. He remembered the blood-stained fingernail he had accidentally discovered the last time they were together in the car. So she had been using the pain here to distract herself from what theyd done. Fearing that she might hurt herself again by clenching her palm so hard, Steve took her stockings, wrapped them around her wrists twice, and tied them tightly. Unable to use her wrists, Ruby could no longer distract herself by clenching her fists. Yet her face remained calm and unresponsive. Steve couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, increasing his strength, wanting to evoke a response from her with pain. However, Ruby just kept her eyes tightly shut, silently enduring it all. He couldn¡¯t even make her let out as a weak moan or frown from the pain.. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Get Out if You Want to Leave (8) Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Get Out if You Want to Leave (8) Translator: 549690339 Whenever the events of that night three years ago were brought up, Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart felt as if it was being cut by a sharp blade, silently pouring out unbearable pain. Despite appearing calm in front of her parents, not showing any grief or shedding a single tear, it didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t care deep inside. In unfamiliar Costa Luna, she often thought about that night when she was alone, remembering the hurtful and ruthless words he said to her: Although it was your first time and you were somewhat shy, it wasn¡¯t enough for me to fully enjoy, but I still quite liked it¡­ However, only last night¡¯s Ruby in bed! Regardless of how sad Ruby felt inside at that moment, she didn¡¯t allow herself to show any of it in front of Steve Burton, so she blinked and gave him a soft smile: ¡°I just remembered, I haven¡¯t unplugged the juicer.¡± With that, Ruby turned around, trying to leave the bedroom. Steve, however, suddenly reached out to grab her wrist, pulled her forcefully towards the bed, and then flipped himself over, pinning Ruby down beneath him. Ruby quickly regained her senses, vaguely knowing what he was about to do. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of their recent encounters when he had hurt her significantly, but she had been increasingly repulsed by the idea of doing such things with him. Subconsciously wanting to struggle, she thought about the Gregorys and her parents, who had placed all their hopes on her, eventually closing her eyes. Her eyelashes trembled with extra intensity, revealing her inner resistance and fear. Steve¡¯s gaze was constantly fixated on Ruby, he could see her reluctance and her endurance. She clearly didn¡¯t want to do these things with him, but forced herself to endure them instead. Steve¡¯s chest was slightly heaving as he stared at Ruby with closed eyes for a long time. Then, he lowered his head and covered her lips with his. Ruby¡¯s body was still rigid, like a piece of wood, unknowingly making Steve feel as if he was doing these things with an inflatable doll without a soul. He saw her tightly clenching her wrists. He remembered a previous encounter in the car when he had accidentally discovered a half-bloodied nail on her hand. So, it turned out she relied on the pain from there to distract herself from the feelings of their intimate acts. Steve, afraid that she might hurt herself by gripping her palm so tightly, took her stockings from the side and wrapped them around her wrists, binding them tightly. Unable to use her wrists, Ruby could no longer rely on clenching her fists to distract herself. Nevertheless, her face remained calm, showing no reaction. Steve couldn¡¯t help but increase the intensity, hoping to use the pain to evoke her response. However, she just kept her eyes shut tightly, silently enduring everything. Even the slightest whimper or furrowed brow due to pain, she did not give him. PS: That¡¯s it for today, continuing tomorrow, yesterday¡¯s readers who got signed books and calendars: (The system was acting up this afternoon, so the update was delayed- It just so happens to be the next morning, so let¡¯s do some voting- Vote-) Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Get Out if You Want to Leave (9) Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Get Out if You Want to Leave (9) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton couldn¡¯t help but increase his strength, trying to use pain to evoke her response. However, she just kept her eyes tightly shut, silently enduring it. Not even a weak moan or a frown due to pain was given to him. He thought of her reuniting and warmly smiling at Howard Coleman, Russel Henris, Madeleine, and Edward Woods after their separation, while being spoiled and making a fuss. But when facing him, she either addressed him respectfully as Mr. Burton or tried to please him cautiously. No matter how harshly he treated her or how cold he was toward her, she could always act as if nothing had happened with such calmness, too lazy even to give him the slightest bit of anger or tears. Just like now, he blocked her way of diverting her thoughts and pain. He tried his best to make her hurt, but she just maintained her silence and indifference, with no change in her expression. This numb Ruby Gregory stimulated Steve Burton, making him treat her even more brutally. Waves of pain seared through Ruby¡¯s heart. She wanted to scream, moan, and release her shackled wrists to clench her palms and alleviate the pain. But in the end, she merely trembled her eyelashes slightly and continued to silently endure the storm Steve brought upon her. The man¡¯s actions became more and more ruthless, without any tenderness or mercy, as if he was purely venting his own desires. His actions not only hurt her body, but also her heart. Although Ruby only had intimate relations with Steve, she knew that his brute and crude treatment of her was only because he didn¡¯t care about her at all, just taking advantage of her body. He tormented her like this. When Ruby was in so much pain that she thought she might die like this, he finally stopped, satisfied. Despite her lack of response or cooperation, he was still dazzled by the stimulating sensation when it ended. His gaze shifted to her face with a hint of confusion, finding her expression calm, like an emotionless shell. So, it turned out that their relationship had always been just his own revelry. Steve Burton¡¯s lips curled with a touch of bitterness. He raised his hand, untied Ruby¡¯s wrists, rolled over, and left her body. Ruby wrapped her shoulders and slowly turned over, her back to Steve, curling up her body. The room was very quiet, her face pale and her eyes closed, her breathing becoming somewhat weak. Steve lay beside her, staring at her smooth and delicate back for a while, then looked up at the ceiling, his eyes seeming somewhat lost.. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Get Out if You Want to Leave (10) Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Get Out if You Want to Leave (10) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton couldn¡¯t help but increase his strength, trying to use pain to provoke her response. However, she just tightly closed her eyes, silently enduring it. She didn¡¯t even give him a sigh of pain or a frown. He thought about her warm smile and her spoiled behavior when she reunited with Howard Coleman, Rusell Henris, Madeleine, and Edward Woods. Yet, when facing him, it was either respectfully Mr. Burton or cautiously pleasing him. No matter how harshly he treated her or how indifferent he was, she always acted so calmly as if nothing had happened, not even bothering to give him the basic annoyance or tears. Just like now, he had blocked her way to divert her thoughts and pain. He tried desperately to make her hurt, but she just maintained her silent indifference, with no change in her expression. This numb Ruby Gregory severely stimulated Steve Burton, making him even more frantically treat her. Bursts of pain went straight to Ruby¡¯s heart. She wanted to scream, wanted to break free from the bondage on her wrist, and try to alleviate the pain by clenching her fists. But in the end, all she ended up doing was trembling her eyelashes slightly, continuing to silently bear the storm that Steve brought her. His actions not only hurt her body but also her heart. Although Ruby had only given herself to Steve, she knew, his rude treatment of her was just him secretly not considering her important, only trampling on her body. He used this way to torture her. Only when Ruby was in so much pain that she thought she might die did he finally stop, satisfied. Although she didn¡¯t respond or cooperate with him at all, he still felt somewhat dizzy from the intense experience when it was over. His eyes glanced at her face, finding her calm and composed, looking like an emotionless shell. It turned out that between them, it was always just his own revelry. Steve Burton¡¯s mouth curled slightly in bitterness, and he raised his hand to untie Ruby¡¯s wrist, turning and leaving her body. Ruby clutched her shoulders, slowly turning over to face away from Steve, curling up her body. The room was very quiet, her face pale as she closed her eyes, even her breathing becoming somewhat weak. Steve lay down next to her, staring at her smooth and delicate back for a while before raising his gaze to the ceiling, his eyes slightly vacant. Aside from their breathing, the bedroom was silent. Because Steve was lying right behind Ruby, occasionally he would turn over or shift his head, causing subtle sounds. However, Ruby maintained her position, not moving at all. Ruby was very tired, and just wanted to fall asleep on the comfortable bed. But she thought that on the 10th of this month, after doing those things with him at the holiday villa, he told her to leave. No one would want to share a bed with someone they despised for even a single night. Rather than wait for him to tell her to leave, she might as well take the initiative and go. Ruby¡¯s fingers trembled slightly. When she had recovered some energy, she slowly sat up. Steve noticed Ruby¡¯s movement and turned to see her bending down, picking up her clothes, his brow unconsciously furrowed. Ruby and Steve¡¯s gazes met, and seeing his furrowed brow, she hesitated for a moment, then quickly put on her underwear, saying, ¡°It¡¯s late; I should go home.¡± Steve just silently looked at Ruby without speaking, but his eyes seemed to deepen. Ruby couldn¡¯t figure out what Steve was thinking. Seeing that he didn¡¯t stop her, she silently put on her gown. Her carefully styled hair was now a total mess, so Ruby simply grabbed it, tied it up with a hair band, then bent down to put on her shoes. During their passionate encounter, Steve had thrown their clothes all over the floor. Ruby stood up, originally planning to say goodbye and leave, but seeing Steve¡¯s clothes on the floor, she finally bent down and picked them up one by one. Ruby knew that Steve was a clean freak. If he took off his clothes and they weren¡¯t washed, he would never wear them again. So when Ruby picked up his clothes, she asked, ¡°Do you need me to call the laundry service for you?¡± Ruby knew that Steve was a clean freak. If he took off his clothes and they weren¡¯t washed, he would never wear them again. So when Ruby picked up his clothes, she asked, ¡°Do you need me to call the laundry service for you?¡± For some reason, when Steve heard this, his eyes suddenly turned cold and full of sarcasm, as he mocked her, ¡°Ruby Gregory, it¡¯s really a pity, remembering all these things so clearly!¡± He loved matcha-flavored cakes, taking off his clothes and not wearing them until they were washed, casually mentioning that he liked Chanel No.5 perfume, and that his favorite color was blue¡­. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Get Out if You Want to Leave (11) Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Get Out if You Want to Leave (11) Translator: 549690339 So she always dressed in the same unchanging style, always wearing blue, and her body was always enveloped by the faint scent of Chanel No. 5 perfume. But she didn¡¯t know that for Steve, these preferences could change. What he liked was her, and he thought that the faint natural fragrance she exuded was much more charming than the scent of Chanel No. 5. What he liked was her, and as long as she wore the clothes, no matter what color, he would find them more adorable than his favorite blue. Ruby really didn¡¯t know that doing things according to his habits would bring her ridicule. She folded his clothes one by one and placed them on the sofa, then picked up the laundry list on the table and marked the clothes to be washed. Ruby secretly glanced at Steve and found his face even more terrifying, so she lowered her head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call for you now.¡± She hurriedly picked up the phone and dialed the number for room service. Listening to Ruby¡¯s gentle voice, reporting the room name to the staff on the phone, Steve¡¯s eyes grew even gloomier. Ruby¡¯s series of actions were truly thoughtful and meticulous, impeccable! But it only made Steve angrier, and he sneered at Ruby, his tone as harsh as could be, ¡°Ruby, do you ever get tired of being so hypocritical with these things? I¡¯m disgusted on your behalf!¡± Ruby had just hung up the phone when she heard Steve¡¯s voice. She turned her head to look at his unhappy face and subconsciously stepped back a couple of steps. After racking her brains for a long time, she still couldn¡¯t figure out where she had done something wrong to disgust him so much. Could it be that he was fed up with her lingering around too long? That was the only conclusion Ruby could come up with, so she lowered her eyes, grabbed the corner of the table, and spoke softly, ¡°The hotel staff will be here soon. I¡¯ll hand off these clothes to them and then leave.¡¯ Before Ruby¡¯s words had even settled, Steve grabbed a pillow from the side and threw it at her with full force. It grazed her body, hit the table, knocked down the telephone and lamp, making a loud crashing noise. Ruby¡¯s shoulders shrank, even before she could lift her head. Steve¡¯s slightly brutal voice came through, ¡°If you want to leave, just go!¡± Ruby¡¯s face instantly lost any color, and this time she didn¡¯t even glance at Steve. Instead, she just lowered her head, picked up her bag, and headed for the hotel room door. At the moment when Ruby opened the door, a hotel staff member just happened to arrive to collect the clothes that Steve wanted to be washed.. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Get Out if You Want to Leave (12) Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Get Out if You Want to Leave (12) Translator: 549690339 Before the waiter had a chance to ring the doorbell, Ruby Gregory pulled the door open. The waiter lowered his hand and gave Ruby a shallow, respectful smile, ¡°Miss, did you call for the clothing service just now?¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes were slightly red from being scolded by Steve Burton. Upon seeing the waiter, she hurriedly lowered her head, trying to speak and tell the waiter to go in and fetch the clothes herself, but in the end, she found her voice trembling. Ruby simply shook her head and walked quickly past the waiter and towards the outside. The waiter hesitated, knocked on the door, and just opened his mouth, calling, ¡°Excuse me, anyone there?¡± A furious ¡°Get out!¡± came from inside. Startled, the waiter quickly raised his hand, closed the door, and fled. In the hotel room, there was only Steve Burton left in an instant. The room still lingered with the intimate atmosphere left behind by their lovemaking. Steve leaned against the pillow, lost in thought for a moment, then threw off the blanket, went into the bathroom, and took a shower, washing away the traces of Chanel No. 5 fragrance on himself from her. He came out of the bathroom and stood in the bedroom with his eyes closed, trying desperately to smell the faint scent of her, caught unintentionally amongst the Chanel No. 5 when he pressed his face against her neck. However, after a long sniff, Steve found that the scent was as elusive as a figment of his imagination, leaving no trace. He walked to the window, pushed it open, and let the cold night breeze flow slowly into the room, dispersing completely any lingering Chanel No. 5 scent she left behind. After his shower, he didn¡¯t bother to dry the droplets of water on his body, but casually wrapped himself in a towel. When the cold wind blew, he felt a slight chill on his body. But it was as if he couldn¡¯t feel it, allowing the wind to dry the droplets of water on his body. Because, that coldness, no matter how cold, couldn¡¯t reach the bottom of his heart. Being remembered by the one you love, for all your likes, habits, and dislikes, was supposed to be a joyous and blissful thing. But when you learn that the reason they remembered those things was manipulative and insincere¡­ You don¡¯t have happiness or joy. All you have are layers of despair and helplessness that swallow you whole. Just like now, her knowledge, and her gentle consideration, were only to make a good impression on him, to make him think she was a suitable wife, and to make him marry her. Her kindness toward him was never sincere, never genuine. He would rather not have any treatment that wasn¡¯t genuine! Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (1) Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (1) Translator: 549690339 The birthday celebration downstairs was still in full swing. Howard Coleman, Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Madeleine were holding their drinks, clinking glasses every now and then and taking a few sips. The four of them looked pretty good in spirits. Howard Coleman downed a glass of wine, ¡°Ever since Ruby came back to the country, you guys have no idea, I was so anxious for our brother. Recall when Ruby sprained her ankle and went to the hospital, our brother decidedly went for her but insisted he was there for a work case. He was just playing coy. Today our brother was rather manly and actually took Ruby away alone. In my view, he should have done this long ago!¡± Edward Woods started speaking like a psychologist, ¡°I dare not guess our brother¡¯s other thoughts, but over the years I have seen through his feelings for Ruby. When Ruby was giving gifts that time, our brother embarrassingly did not give Ruby any face in front of everyone. On the surface, our brother seemed uncaring. In reality, he cared more than anyone about Ruby being talked about, so he purposely took Ruby away alone in front of everyone, just to let everyone know that she has his backing. He wants people to afford Ruby some respect!¡± Rusell Henris lifted his wine bottle, filled everyone¡¯s glasses, looked at Madeleine and asked, ¡°Madeleine, didn¡¯t you just call to ask where our brother took Ruby?¡± Madeleine said, ¡°He took her to the presidential suite upstairs.¡± Upon hearing these words, Howard Coleman was immediately interested, ¡°You mean, could our brother and Ruby be upstairs right now, rekindling old flames?¡± After saying this, Howard Coleman¡¯s face showed a hint of annoyance, ¡°If only I¡¯d prepared some aphrodisiac to slip to Ruby. In the hotel room, Ruby would certainly be aggressive with our brother. Our brother would be absolutely delighted. If everything goes well, tomorrow morning when he wakes up, he will undoubtedly be in high spirits. Our good days would arrive!¡± Rusell Henris chuckled, ¡°Enough, Howard, you always come up with useless ideas. With our brother¡¯s charm, does he really need to use any aphrodisiac? Maybe right now, our brother is treating Ruby like royalty.¡± Edward Woods said, ¡°There is an old saying, make up in bed after a fight. Although our brother and Ruby reconciled quite late and it took three years, but you guys don¡¯t know. Every time the 10th of the month comes around and our brother drives alone to the Red Park Resort & Villas, I feel awful. The manager always calls me to say our brother just sits there all day without eating or drinking. When has our brother ever behaved like this?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not only on the 10th of every month that our brother misses Ruby. Do you guys remember those many times when our brother would just stare blankly at his computer screen in the office?¡± As Edward Woods brought up the past, Rusell Henris¡¯s expression suddenly sobered up.. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (2) Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (2) Translator: 549690339 ¡°At the time, I thought our brother was just spacing out. But once, I went to his office to look for him, and after knocking for a while with no response, I just walked right in. As I got closer, he quickly closed his laptop. Even though he was fast, I still saw it ¨C our brother was staring at his computer screen, and on it, was a photo of Ruby.¡± After Rusell finished talking, the room fell silent. ¡°Since you guys have shared, let me tell you a story too. When have you ever seen our brother drink too much? I saw it once.¡± Edward Woods said, slightly furrowing his brow as if trying to recall the exact timing: ¡°It was probably the fifth day after Ruby went to England. Our brother was originally supposed to go out for a business meeting that night, but he didn¡¯t come back until very late. I received a call from the bar manager saying that our brother had drunk too much and asked me to pick him up. I thought the manager was bullshitting our brother has been famous for being able to down liquor like water since he was young. But because the call came from his phone, I went anyway. I even thought our brother might be playing a trick on me. But when I pushed open the private room door, I saw him sitting on the ground in a total mess, surrounded by empty bottles ¨C wine, liquor, beer, and cocktails. The bottles were almost drowning him, and there was a lot of broken glass. I couldn¡¯t believe it was our brother. He was completely drunk. With the help of the bar manager, I got him into the car. I tipped the manager, and after he left, I saw our brother¡¯s head tilted. I was worried he might suddenly vomit and choke himself, so I helped him. At that moment, our brother grabbed my hand and called out Ruby¡¯s name.¡± Edward Woods paused for a moment: ¡°That night, our brother only spoke those two words, and after three years have passed, I can still clearly remember that tone ¨C so helpless. Can you imagine our brother, who has had everything since childhood, feeling so helpless?¡± After Edward Woods finished his story, the table was silent for even longer. After about five minutes, Howard Coleman picked up his glass and said, ¡°Only Ruby Gregory could make our brother like this in this world!¡± Rusell said, ¡°Anyway, they¡¯re alone in a room now. Something is bound to happen. Tomorrow, we can finally see our brother¡¯s smiling face again. Let¡¯s toast to celebrate.¡± All four raised their glasses and clinked them together. Just as they were about to drink, Madeleine suddenly noticed Steve Burton walking out of the elevator. Madeleine¡¯s hand, holding the glass, paused for a moment, and then she stuttered, ¡°Brother, our brother¡­.¡± Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (3) Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (3) Translator: 549690339 ¡°What¡¯s up with our big brother?¡± Howard Coleman glanced at Madeleine and started drinking from his glass. ¡°Our big brother is coming down.¡± Before Madeleine could finish her sentence, Howard spewed out the alcohol in his mouth. Coughing, he turned his head to follow Edward Woods and Rusell Henris¡¯ gazes, and indeed saw Steve Burton walking straight towards them with a grim expression from the elevator. ¡°Didn¡¯t our big brother go upstairs with Ruby?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been two hours; why is he back already?¡± ¡°Did we all guess wrong? Did our big brother have a fight with Ruby?¡± ¡°Our big brother¡¯s face doesn¡¯t look good at all, and it seems even scarier than the ugliest it was before.¡± As Edward Woods¡¯s words settled, Steve Burton arrived at their table. Howard immediately stood up, shouting, ¡°Bro!¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t say a word from beginning to end, just staring at Rusell Henris. Rusell Henris was somewhat baffled by Steve Burton¡¯s gaze. He turned his head to look at Edward Woods, then Madeleine, and finally realized that everyone was as confused as he was. He quickly reviewed everything he had done recently in his mind and found no mistakes. Then he grinned at Steve Burton, saying, ¡°Bro, what¡¯s up? ¡°Stuff.¡± When Steve Burton was in a bad mood, his words became extremely stingy. ¡°Stuff? What stuff?¡± Rusell Henris blurted out, seeing Steve Burton¡¯s face getting colder. He subconsciously scanned the surroundings, planning an escape route if Steve Burton decided to hit him. Although this idea made him seem too cowardly, there was no other choice ¡ª he couldn¡¯t win against him. Escaping is always better than getting beaten up! Steve Burton was already slowly striding towards Rusell Henris. Rusell Henris stood up and took two steps back. He thought about running towards the crowd on the left, while smiling warmly at Steve Burton, ¡°Bro, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve touched any of your stuff recently¡­¡± As Rusell Henris spoke, he saw Steve Burton reaching out his hand towards him. Just as he was about to run, it seemed like something clicked in his mind, and he exclaimed, ¡°Bro, I remember what you are talking about! The gift is already in your car!¡± Steve Burton¡¯s outstretched hand suddenly stopped in its tracks upon hearing this. After two seconds, he retracted his hand, not even bothering to glance at the other three people. He turned around and strode towards the entrance of the banquet hall. Rusell Henris sighed with relief, adjusted his collar, and sat back down.. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (4) Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (4) Translator: 549690339 Howard Coleman poked his head out and asked like a curious father, ¡°What gift?¡± Before Rusell Henris had a chance to speak, Edward Woods rolled his eyes and said, ¡°What else could it be? A gift from Ruby Gregory, of course.¡± Steve Burton went straight to the underground parking lot. Seeing him, the parking attendant promptly unlocked the car and opened the door for him, ¡°Mr. Burton, would you like me to drive you out?¡± Steve shook his head and simply reached out his hand. The parking attendant respectfully placed the car key in Steve¡¯s hand and tactfully left. Steve bent down, got into the car, closed the door, fastened his seatbelt, and turned his head. Just as Rusell had said, he saw an exquisitely wrapped gift box on the passenger seat. Steve reached out, gently caressed the gift box for a moment, then turned on the car¡¯s interior light, picked up the gift box, and carefully began to unwrap it. For three whole years, after celebrating his birthday and facing all sorts of wrapped packages in the room, he didn¡¯t know which to open first. For three whole years, he had not received a birthday gift from her. Steve¡¯s fingertips trembled slightly as he unwrapped the gift. He tried his best to steady them, finally tearing off the outer layer of wrapping paper and revealing the box. It was a small, delicate, and beautiful blue box with the GUCCI logo on top. Steve opened the box and saw a simple yet elegant tie clip inside. Steve fastened the tie clip to his tie, examined it in the rearview mirror, and then stepped on the gas pedal, driving straight back to the Burtons¡¯ house. Steve parked the car in the Burtons¡¯ yard and habitually glanced at the neighboring yard before entering. He saw that the room where Ruby lived on the second floor only had a dim night light on. She must have already returned home and gone to bed. Steve stood in the yard, staring at the light in Ruby¡¯s room for quite some time before going inside the house. It was already past eleven o¡¯clock at night, and only the old housekeeper was watching TV in the living room. When she saw him enter, she quickly stood up, ¡°You¡¯re back, young master? Would you like a late-night snack?¡± Steve shook his head and went straight upstairs. Upon returning to his bedroom, he headed right for the closet. Through the glass door of the closet, one could see many boxes from different brands neatly arranged inside. Underneath each box, there was a card with a date written on it. These were all gifts from Ruby Gregory, starting from when she was five years old and became aware of the world around her. Steve used his key to unlock the closet and placed the gift box containing the tie clip inside. However, there was a gap of three cards marked with dates but no gifts between this gift box and the other ones. Ruby didn¡¯t attend Steve¡¯s birthday party after returning to her suite. She left the suite, went straight to the underground parking lot, and drove home. PS: Today¡¯s update is finished. We will continue tomorrow. Our signed book and calendar winner for yesterday is: Extravagant.. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (5) Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (5) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t return to Steve Burton¡¯s birthday party. She left the suite and headed straight for the underground parking lot to drive home. Ruby was exhausted and in pain after being tormented by Steve. When she got home, she took a hot shower and went straight to bed, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Even though tonight, Steve, in front of everyone at the birthday party, had only taken her away, saving her face when she gave him a gift and maintaining the dignity of the Gregory family. However, she knew it was just a temporary illusion that deceived the eyes of others, making them think that her relationship with Steve was as good as ever. In fact, only she, the person involved, knew how terrible her relationship with Steve was. When she returned to the country, she had considered that she might not be as close to Steve as before after their three-year separation. However, it turned out to be just a wild wish. Instead of being close, he seemed to despise her more than ever. No matter what she did, he could find a lot of faults with it. Only when someone is particularly displeased with another person would their eyes become so harsh. More than twenty years, she had known Steve for more than twenty years. How could he just turn his back on her like this? Ruby tossed slightly in bed, her eyes wide open, staring at the dim sleep light on the bedside table. Thoughts in her mind were becoming chaotic. Since childhood, she had been ingrained by the Gregory to prioritize Steve in everything she did. As a result, all her actions revolved around him. In the past, she had done so, and he had never been angry or disgusted with her¡­ As Ruby thought of this, her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Could it be related to that incident three years ago? As soon as this idea crossed Ruby¡¯s mind, she hugged her quilt, and abruptly sat up in bed. Her face turned pale as snow, and her fingers gripping the quilt trembled slightly. Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could Steve possibly know about that incident? Even her mom and dad didn¡¯t know, so she must have been overthinking it, she must have¡­ Ruby kept reassuring herself in her heart. Her breathing became slightly rapid, and after a long time, she finally managed to calm down. She realized that she had been sweating all over from the shock. Ruby raised her hand to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead, curled up with the quilt back into bed, still looking somewhat terrified. Ruby couldn¡¯t remember what time she had fallen asleep last night. Because she went to bed late, her alarm didn¡¯t wake her up the next day. In the end, Lady Gregory personally went upstairs to wake her up.. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (6) Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (6) Translator: 549690339 At this time, Maxwell Gregory would usually have left the house for the company. But today, when Ruby Gregory came downstairs for breakfast after washing up, she unexpectedly found Maxwell in his formal attire, sitting at the dining table, reading the newspaper. ¡°Dad.¡± Ruby greeted him and sat down opposite Maxwell. Upon seeing the family gathered, the servants immediately served breakfast. The breakfast was Chinese-style, with smooth and soft porridge, accompanied by refreshing pickles and aromatic baguettes. It looked simple, but it was quite delicious when eaten. Maxwell didn¡¯t eat much. He only took a couple of sips of the porridge before putting down his spoon. He glanced at Ruby, who was drinking her porridge with her head bowed, then sighed softly. Picking up the spoon again, he stirred the porridge in his bowl, as faint wisps of steam rose. Maxwell put down the spoon again, glanced at Ruby, and seemed to hesitate to speak. After a while, unable to hold back any longer, Maxwell opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Ruby, how have you been at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises recently?¡± Besides Steve Burton tormenting her occasionally, everything else had gone quite smoothly. So Ruby looked up, met her father¡¯s eyes for a moment, nodded, and said, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine.¡± Maxwell paused, then asked again, ¡°How¡¯s Steve treating you?¡± Ruby¡¯s movement of drinking her porridge paused slightly. Afraid that her father would notice any inconsistency, she lowered her eyes and tried her best to maintain the tone she had just spoken in, lying, ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Maxwell¡¯s expression didn¡¯t brighten, but instead became even more serious. Ruby furrowed her brows, put down the spoon in her hand, and asked, ¡°Dad, is something wrong?¡± This time, Maxwell let out a heavy sigh but didn¡¯t speak. Ruby turned her head to look at her mother. Lady Gregory glanced at her husband before speaking, ¡°The Gregorys¡¯ business has been in a loss for the past two years. We¡¯ve been using our family¡¯s savings to keep the company afloat. A few days ago, our company¡¯s biggest client was poached by the Fosters, and without this most significant source of income, our company is now at risk of operating difficulties.¡± The Fosters¡­ Olivia Foster¡¯s family, who always saw themselves as rivals to the Gregorys¡¯ Ruby pursed her lips. ¡°Your Grandpa devoted his entire life to this company. I cannot let it be destroyed under my watch. Many people in the Gregorys rely on the company for their livelihood. I¡¯ve sought a bank loan a few days ago, and no matter what, I will save the company.¡± Maxwell took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Ruby, the future of the Gregorys now depends on you.¡± Ruby naturally understood that when her father said he depended on her, he was hoping she would successfully marry Steve Burton.. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (7) Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (7) Translator: 549690339 Her father had just turned fifty, but his temples were already slightly tinged with white, and he looked much older than before. She thought of Olivia Foster¡¯s father, who was the same age as her father, but whose career was flourishing, leading a life of prosperity. Steve Burton¡¯s father was a few years older than her father, but he had handed over the company to Steve five years ago and retired, enjoying his leisurely days. And there were Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine¡¯s parents, who were either vacationing in Avalon, climbing mountains, or relaxing in the warm Pavale. Yet her father, who had lived more than half of his life, couldn¡¯t enjoy the comfortable life of old age, and instead had to bear a massive debt. Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart suddenly felt somewhat distressed. She knew that Steve Burton treated her harshly, and she knew that being the mistress of the Burton family might be a luxury for her now, but she still nodded her head to her father and said sincerely, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely marry Steve.¡± No matter how humiliated or difficult the road to marrying Steve was, she would grit her teeth and carry on. She didn¡¯t want her father to lose sleep over his worries, discovered when she went downstairs for a drink of water late at night. She didn¡¯t want her father, at his age, to have to plead with others for loans. She didn¡¯t want her mother to be so frugal that she couldn¡¯t bear to buy herself any new luxury goods after so many years. She wished her family could rise to the top, and she hoped her parents could enjoy their golden years like other people¡¯s parents. She got up late that morning, and after discussing the Gregory¡¯s company affairs with Maxwell Gregory, Ruby barely made it to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises just in time for work. Ruby had just put down her bag when the secretary looked up and said in an official tone, ¡°Ruby, did you print the report I asked for yesterday morning? Mr. Burton is waiting to see it.¡± Ruby turned on her computer while picking up the folder on her desk. But when she opened it, there was nothing inside. Ruby¡¯s brow lightly furrowed. She had printed it and put it in the folder yesterday. How could it be missing now? Seeing that Ruby had no response yet, the secretary asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I clearly put the report in this folder, but now¡­¡± Before Ruby could finish her explanation, Olivia Foster, who was sitting across from her, sneered and interrupted her, ¡°Ruby, are you going to say you can¡¯t find it now?¡± That was indeed the truth, but since Olivia had mentioned it first, it seemed as if Ruby was making excuses for herself.. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (8) Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (8) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory slightly pursed her lips, her gaze towards Olivia Foster turned somewhat cold. Olivia Foster seemed oblivious, turning her head to speak unhurriedly to the secretary general, ¡°Ms. Taylor, you didn¡¯t attend Mr. Burton¡¯s birthday party yesterday, so you may not know, our Ms. Gregory here in our office, is not a simple figure. She has only been at the Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for a few days and yesterday she had Mr. Burton leave his birthday banquet halfway with only her, just the two of them. Ms. Taylor, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, there are some people you simply cannot cross.¡± As she was saying this, Olivia Foster glanced at Ruby Gregory, grinned, and continued, ¡°Because of her, Mr. Burton¡¯s work got disrupted, Ms. Taylor, it won¡¯t be long before a good tongue-lashing comes your way. It isn¡¯t your fault, but alas, you have to take the fall.¡± Olivia Foster¡¯s words were filled with insinuation which no one in the room could miss. But in the office of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, she had always been acting arrogantly, leveraging her longest acquaintance with Steve Burton. The others were all here to simply make a living and get paid, and naturally, they wouldn¡¯t dare offend her. No one wanted to invite such trouble, so everyone remained silent. The cleverness of Olivia¡¯s words was apparent, she broadcasted to everyone that Ruby was a career-climbing woman who seduces her boss, and used this as fodder to stir up trouble between the secretary general and herself. Olivia Foster¡¯s speech simply implied that Ruby shirked work thanks to her connection with Steve, causing trouble for which the secretary general would be reprimanded. Such a move from Olivia Foster was truly malicious, making the others in the office distance themselves from Ruby after this incident. Ruby Gregory slightly squinted her eyes, she wouldn¡¯t let Olivia Foster succeed! Ruby Gregory was a bit scared of Steve Burton in her heart, but she took the office phone from the table without thinking twice and dialed Steve¡¯s direct line in front of everyone in the office. The phone only rang once before it was answered. Suppressing her nervousness, Ruby Gregory spoke respectfully into the phone, ¡°Mr. Burton, this is Ruby Gregory.¡± Steve Burton on the other end of the phone had no reaction. Ruby Gregory swallowed, saying, ¡°The report that you asked for, I forgot to print it yesterday. I will print it now and will hand it over to the secretary general later.¡± After Ruby Gregory spoke, she held her breath. She knew Steve Burton loathed people who were careless and not meticulous in their work! But she had no other option. If she didn¡¯t take responsibility for this mistake in front of Mr. Burton now, she would lose her standing in this office! Moreso, knowing oneself and knowing your enemy is the only way to be invincible in battle! There were many things about Steve Burton that she still needed to learn from these secretaries! Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (9) Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (9) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory had been waiting for a long time, but there were no words of reprimand from Steve Burton on the other end of the phone. She frowned slightly in confusion, and then heard a cold voice from the other end of the phone: ¡°I know.¡± Then, before Ruby could respond, Steve hung up the phone directly. Ruby listened to the busy tone on the phone, blinking in disbelief. Steve Burton didn¡¯t lose his temper at her? Ruby blinked again incredulously, realizing this wasn¡¯t a dream. She hung up the phone slowly and quickly opened the document for the report on her computer, clicking print. Olivia Foster hadn¡¯t expected that Ruby would actually call Mr. Burton to admit her mistake. She glanced sideways at the secretary¡¯s room and found that she didn¡¯t show any displeasure because of what she said. She clenched her teeth and stared at her computer, typing harder on the keyboard. Ruby stepped out of the office, and before entering the printing room, she heard a voice behind her: ¡°Ruby.¡± Ruby stopped, turned around, and saw Maya Mitchell walking over with a document in her hand. Maya stood in front of Ruby and handed the document directly to her: ¡°In the morning, there are usually many people in the printing room. If you go now, you¡¯ll have to queue, and if Mr. Burton gets anxious later, you¡¯ll get scolded.¡± Ruby looked at the document in Maya¡¯s hand with confusion, finding it was the report she had printed yesterday. She frowned slightly: ¡°How did it end up with you?¡± ¡°I picked it up from the trash can.¡± Maya paused for a moment, glanced behind to make sure no one had come out of the secretary¡¯s office, then took two steps forward and whispered to Ruby: ¡°It was my turn to clean Mr. Burton¡¯s office today, so I came in early, and I also cleaned out the trash cans in our office. That¡¯s when I found this document. At this point, Ruby frowned slightly. Although Maya didn¡¯t say it explicitly, Ruby knew that her report had been deliberately thrown into the trash can by someone. ¡°Ruby, once in school, I almost got kicked out because I couldn¡¯t afford my tuition. You helped me pay for it, and I was able to graduate and join Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. I have always been grateful to you deep down, but as you know, there are some people I can¡¯t afford to offend, so I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t just give you this report in the office earlier.¡± Maya didn¡¯t mention who deliberately threw Ruby¡¯s report in the trash, but Ruby knew that the person everyone dreaded the most in the secretary¡¯s office was Olivia Foster! When she first noticed that the report was missing, she thought it might have been Olivia, but she was afraid she had misplaced it herself and didn¡¯t want to jump to conclusions! Now that Maya had handed her the report, it confirmed her suspicion! Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (10) Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (10) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. Well, Olivia Foster was really something. First, she tried to get her kicked out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises under the guise of handing over a cooperation case last week. Today she threw away her report, attempting to expose her relationship with the secretary-general and make her a thorn in the side of the president¡¯s secretary department! On top of that, the Fosters had been encroaching on Gregorys¡¯ businesses over the years, relying on the fact that they had a daughter married to the Burtons. An intense rage welled up within Ruby Gregory. In this world, only Steve Burton could make her swallow her pride and endure humiliation! As for Olivia Foster, she would be waiting for her! From a young age, Ruby Gregory had been groomed as both an educated, refined, and elegant lady and the forceful wife of the Burton family. As the saying goes, a gentleman takes his revenge after ten years. Unfortunately, Ruby wasn¡¯t that kind of person. She wouldn¡¯t wait ten years, ten days, or even ten hours. Instead, she struck back later that afternoon! At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Steve Burton held a meeting with collaborators in the large conference room of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Olivia Foster had always been responsible for this collaboration, so she prepared all the meeting materials. So, Olivia spent the entire morning busily preparing materials for Steve¡¯s afternoon meeting. Even at lunchtime, Olivia had her meal delivered to her office and continued to type away furiously on the keyboard between bites. By two o¡¯clock, Olivia completed everything on time, sending all the documents to Steve for review. Although Ruby appeared to be someone with nothing better to do and busied herself with other matters, she was actually keeping a close eye on Olivia¡¯s movements. Seeing Olivia finally stretch her arms and show a relaxed expression, she knew Olivia had finished her work. The printing room was not particularly crowded at noon. There were twenty printers in total, three of which were being used by others. Ruby casually walked over to the unoccupied machines, swiped her work card on all seventeen of them, and then those printers started printing her twenty sets of documents. Her documents were just random novels copied from the internet, with each file being around a hundred pages long. She printed twenty sets, amounting to a total of two thousand pages. Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ printers were extremely fast, able to print about 50 pages per minute. Two thousand pages would take forty minutes. It was now two-ten, and once she finished printing everything, it would be two-fifty. She left Olivia Foster only ten minutes to print her materials.. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (11) Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (11) Translator: 549690339 It was two thirty when Olivia Foster arrived at the printing room. Twenty printers were working non-stop, printing the novel content that Ruby Gregory had randomly copied from the internet. The smell of ink in the printing room was somewhat strong, and Olivia disgustedly raised her hand to pinch her nose, walking around the printers. Seeing all of them occupied, she quickly left the room. At two thirty-five, Olivia came in again. All the printers were still busy, and she left once more. At two forty and two forty-five, Olivia visited the room again, but the printers were still all in use. Her face showed a hint of displeasure. At two fifty, when Olivia entered once more, a printer finally stopped. She found the nearest available one, but just as she was about to press ¡®run,¡¯ she realized there was no paper. Olivia, annoyed, switched to another one, only to find no ink. Dodging other printouts, she moved on to another printer and was finally able to print. About fifty pages in total needed printing, along with two copies of a contract, making a total of roughly one hundred and fifty pages. Halfway through her printing job, the printer suddenly stopped working ¨C out of paper, just like the first one. Olivia glanced at the time, saw there were just eight minutes left until the meeting started, and quickly snatched a stack of paper from the neighboring printer and continued her task. After about two minutes, she managed to finish. Olivia finally let out a sigh of relief, and picked up the printed materials before rapidly rushing out of the room and heading to the secretary¡¯s office. Judging from Olivia speeding past the staircase, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her. Before she could react, she was pulled into the staircase. As she just started to regain her composure, Ruby slammed the door shut behind her and locked it. Olivia stared at Ruby, asking hurriedly, ¡°Ruby Gregory, what do you want? Mr. Burton is waiting for my materials for the meeting!¡± Compared to Olivia¡¯s anxiousness, Ruby appeared calm. She leisurely enjoyed seeing Olivia upset, casually asking, ¡°Olivia Foster, so you do get nervous?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to deal with Ruby at all and turned to leave towards the staircase door. However, Ruby reached out and grabbed Olivia, pushing her against the wall. Olivia glanced at her wristwatch. There were only four minutes left until the start of the meeting. Olivia glared at Ruby, saying, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Ruby Gregory, if you cause any delay for the materials Mr.. Burton needs for this conference, you¡¯ll pay for it!¡± Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (12) Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Settling Old and New Accounts Together (12) Translator: 549690339 Under Olivia Foster¡¯s murderous glare, Ruby Gregory smiled and replied, ¡°Olivia, didn¡¯t you say it yourself? At Mr. Burton¡¯s birthday party last night, he only took me away alone. Some people shouldn¡¯t be messed with so easily, right?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t expect Ruby to use her words against her. She was momentarily dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t find the right words to speak. In an instant, Ruby¡¯s eyes turned ice cold, and she unexpectedly reached out to snatch the documents from Olivia¡¯s hand. After casually flipping through a couple of pages, she found the collaboration project, smirked, and tore it up without hesitation. Then, she tossed the pieces into a nearby trash bin. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened in anger and disbelief, and she exclaimed, ¡°How dare you rip up the collaboration project that Mr. Burton is going to review!¡± Ruby simply smiled and continued looking through the documents in her hand. When she came across a report, she tore it into even smaller pieces without any hesitation. Waving the remnants in a smug manner at Olivia, she stuffed them into the trash bin as well. ¡°You, you¡­!¡± Olivia angrily stomped her foot on the ground, struggling for words. ¡°What about me?¡± Ruby retorted with Olivia¡¯s words. ¡°Ruby Gregory, just you wait! I¡¯m going to find Mr. Burton right now!¡± Olivia pushed Ruby away forcefully, her eyes slightly red, seemingly enraged to her breaking point, her voice trembling. Instead of stopping her, Ruby stepped two steps back gracefully and calmly watched Olivia¡¯s fit, speaking gently, ¡°Olivia, it was you who forgot to bring the collaboration project on Monday morning, but blamed it on me, claiming it was my responsibility. If you¡¯re not afraid of Mr. Burton finding out that you were trying to avoid your responsibility during a crucial time, feel free to go find him. Olivia¡¯s steps momentarily paused. Unhurriedly, Ruby continued, ¡°If the collaboration project isn¡¯t delivered by 8:30, then get out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises! That¡¯s what Mr. Burton said, right?¡± As she spoke, Ruby carefully observed Olivia¡¯s reaction and noticed her stiffen slightly. This confirmed Ruby¡¯s suspicions, and her following words carried much more confidence, ¡°Tell me, if Mr. Burton finds out that you¡¯re using his name to threaten his employees, how do you think he¡¯ll react?¡± Olivia¡¯s hands clenched into fists. Ruby slowly walked towards Olivia, ¡°And this morning, Olivia, why was my report in the office trash can? Do I need to find Mr. Burton now and ask him to review the security footage?¡± Olivia¡¯s complexion turned from green to white. Ruby¡¯s mood, however, improved significantly. She handed the remaining un-torn documents back to Olivia, saying, ¡°Next time you try to set me up, either do it openly and proudly like I did just now, or do it so discreetly that no one notices. Don¡¯t leave so many loopholes that anyone can see through, knowing you¡¯re the one behind it.¡± PS: End for today. To continue tomorrow- Yesterday¡¯s lucky reader who won a signed book and calendar: Next page, ¡°Riddle¡¯s Answer¡± PPS: Some people are experiencing a book shortage, so let me recommend a book for everyone: ¡°A Thin Line Between Enemies: Rabbits Prefer Grass By Their Dens¡±, by Murong Gugesong.. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93 She doesn’t love me (1) Chapter 93: Chapter 93 She doesn¡¯t love me (1) Translator: 549690339 Ruby¡¯s mood immediately improved. She handed the remaining, unshredded documents back to Olivia, saying, ¡°Next time you try to set me up, either do it openly like I did today, or do it so subtly that no one would notice. Don¡¯t leave obvious flaws for others to easily identify that it was you pulling strings behind the scenes!¡± Olivia was already fuming with rage, and Ruby¡¯s words rendered her speechless. The frustration churning in her chest had nowhere to vent, and eventually turned into tears, shimmering in her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment. Despite the touchingly pitiful sight before her, Ruby showed no mercy. She glanced at her wristwatch and spoke in a frustratingly nonchalant tone, ¡°Olivia, there¡¯s only one minute left before Mr. Burton¡¯s meeting. If you can¡¯t submit your collaboration proposal and report in time, you¡¯ll disrupt the meeting. I wonder if Mr. Burton will fire you from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises or simply scold you?¡± Ruby was giving Olivia a taste of her own medicine, returning the favor of the two set-ups. Olivia pressed her lips together tightly, her tearful gaze turning slightly fierce. Just as she was about to speak, Ruby cut her off, continuing, ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t look at me with such hatred, and don¡¯t get all resentful.¡± ¡°If you had the guts to set me up in the first place, you should have the courage to face the consequences now!¡± ¡°Today, I simply returned the favor of everything you¡¯ve done to me lately.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, Olivia, I won¡¯t be as merciful as I was today!¡± Ruby paused for a moment, then leaned in, whispering into Olivia¡¯s ear, ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what your real motive is. You just want to drive me out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, right? Let¡¯s see who stays and who leaves in the end. ¡± Ruby lightly chuckled near Olivia¡¯s ear, then straightened up and took two steps back. Just as she was about to turn around, she suddenly seemed to remember something. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, as an afterthought, ¡°Olivia, let me just remind you again: you have thirty seconds left to print.¡± With that, Ruby offered Olivia a shallow smile, turned on her heel, and gracefully headed towards the elevator in her high heels. Thirty seconds, only thirty seconds left. If she went back to her office to print, time would run out. She couldn¡¯t submit the documents in time for Steve. For three whole years, she had been diligent and responsible to leave a good impression on Steve, so she could forever stand by the side of the man she deeply loved.. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94 She doesn’t love me (2) Chapter 94: Chapter 94 She doesn¡¯t love me (2) Translator: 549690339 For three years, she hadn¡¯t made any mistakes, and even if she did, she would find a way to clear her name. But now, all her efforts and good impressions had been destroyed by Ruby Gregory! Olivia Foster swallowed her saliva, staring at Ruby Gregory¡¯s back, suddenly opened her mouth and fought back, ¡°Ruby Gregory, I really want to know where your confidence comes from?¡± Ruby Gregory had her back to Olivia Foster, chuckled softly, and ignored her completely, just walking away at a leisurely pace. ¡°Ruby Gregory, didn¡¯t you mock me last time for being an illegitimate child? Yes, I am an illegitimate child, but so what? You, the legitimate daughter of the Gregorys, are still at a disadvantage when facing this illegitimate child, aren¡¯t you?¡± Disadvantaged? Ruby Gregory, upon hearing that word, sneered instantly. She paused her steps, tilted her head, and glanced sideways at Olivia Foster, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not joking?¡± ¡°Disadvantaged?¡± ¡°One person is inferior to another and is at a disadvantage, I¡¯ve never felt that I¡¯m inferior to you. How could I be at a disadvantage?¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, I¡¯ve been opposed by you ever since I joined Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, but not once have you won against me. The one who¡¯s really at a disadvantage is probably you, Miss Olivia Foster!¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory, stop deceiving yourself and others with harsh words! Don¡¯t you know that the business partner your family is desperately trying to keep even dreams of working with us Fosters?¡± Ruby Gregory slightly furrowed her brows. ¡°Ruby Gregory, do you know? Just two days ago, as far as I know, your family¡¯s biggest business partner wanted to work with us, the Fosters. Your father tried his best to please them, making huge concessions, but in the end, they didn¡¯t stay. And I¡¯ve heard that the partner had agreed to discuss a lease with your father, but in the end, they never showed up. Do you know what that partner was doing at that time? He was playing golf with my father at a suburban golf course. He told my father that he was totally annoyed by your father, and merely gave him a perfunctory negotiation time as a courtesy. But your father actually went to the agreed place with such naivete. It rained that day; your father got soaked, waiting for a whole day, and the partner never appeared. It¡¯s quite pitiful, really.¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s hands clenched tightly into fists, her gaze becoming somewhat cold. Staring intently at Olivia Foster, her voice trembled a bit when she spoke, ¡°Olivia Foster, can you not involve our families in our personal grudges?¡± However, Olivia Foster continued speaking as if she hadn¡¯t heard Ruby Gregory¡¯s words at all.. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95 She doesn’t love me (3) Chapter 95: Chapter 95 She doesn¡¯t love me (3) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Oh, I forgot, it¡¯s not just your father who¡¯s so pitiful, but your mother too. At the last Charity Gathering, your mother bid on a jade bracelet, wanting to give it to a major merchant who had business dealings with the Gregorys. In the end, she spent so much money, but the merchant still didn¡¯t show any gratitude and didn¡¯t cooperate with the Gregorys. Besides, I heard from someone that the money your mother used to bid on that jade bracelet was her dowry when she married your father. For your mother, her parents¡¯ dowry should be the most precious thing, right?¡± Ruby had always known that her father and mother had given their all to the Gregorys. Their efforts and hardships had always been the deepest pain in her heart. No matter how Ruby and Olivia Foster fight, no matter how Olivia tries to provoke and ridicule Ruby! But she absolutely won¡¯t allow Olivia to ridicule her parents! Ruby¡¯s face was covered with an air of resentment, and her voice was slightly agitated: ¡°Olivia Foster, I said, can you not involve our families in the grievances between you and me?¡± ¡°Right, Ruby, I heard that your father has been running around to arrange bank loans these days, and the loan amount seems to be quite large. Many banks have already avoided your father, and now he has started to pull strings everywhere. I really don¡¯t know how, when your father is so humble and trying to please others, his daughter can be so arrogant?¡± Ruby stared at Olivia, not saying a word. Olivia looked at Ruby¡¯s upset face, and finally broke into a smile: ¡°I really hope your father can find someone to help him with the bank loan, otherwise, I¡¯m afraid that before long, Ruby, you¡¯ll be penniless and can no longer be the daughter of a wealthy family.¡± ¡°Slap-¡°, a resounding slap sound suddenly cut off Olivia¡¯s words. Olivia was stunned for a moment, then belatedly raised her hand to cover her left cheek, staring at Ruby in disbelief. Through the gaps between Olivia¡¯s fingers, Ruby could see the deep red handprint on her face. ¡°Ruby, how dare you hit me?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know if she was beaten senseless, or if it was the first time in her life she had been hit. She completely forgot to fight back, just staring angrily at Ruby, her voice as vicious as possible: ¡°If you have the guts, hit me again!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ruby calmly accepted Olivia¡¯s challenge, and without any hesitation, raised her hand again and fiercely slapped Olivia¡¯s right cheek. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, her mouth gaping open as she covered her right cheek with her hand, tears streaming down from the corner of her eyes.. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96 She doesn’t love me (4) Chapter 96: Chapter 96 She doesn¡¯t love me (4) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory glared hard at Olivia Foster, not even leaving a fragment of a sentence behind, as she turned around and walked out of the staircase. Although Ruby had slapped Olivia twice, directly and satisfyingly, her heart did not feel the slightest bit of pleasure because of it; instead, it became even heavier. She never knew that her own parents would be seen as so pathetic and pitiful in the eyes of others. In this world, people always strive for higher grounds, just as water naturally flows to lower levels. Everyone wants to cling to the strong. Now, the disadvantaged Gregorys would indeed be looked down upon by others. Borrowing money could only solve temporary problems, but not the problems of a lifetime. Even if Dad¡¯s loan was successful, it would not be long before repayment would be required, and at that time, an even more significant problem would arise. She had originally thought that her relationship with Steve Burton could progress slowly, but now, Steve was obviously displeased with her, and the Gregorys were in dire straits. By the time Steve¡¯s impression of her improved and he truly married her, would the Gregorys still exist? Ruby took a slow breath, her heart heavy with troubles, as she returned to her office. Just as Ruby sat down, a secretary behind her quietly asked, ¡°Ruby, do you know where Olivia is?¡± Ruby, who knew everything, feigned innocence and shook her head at the secretary behind her, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The meeting Mr. Burton had this afternoon was her responsibility, and yet, at 2:50 PM, she hadn¡¯t brought the materials. Mr. Burton¡¯s face was so dark, it seemed as if he could kill someone at any time. Finally, Maya Mitchell, courageously, said she would print another copy of the materials and deliver them to Mr. Burton in five minutes, which slightly improved his mood.¡± Ruby turned to look at Maya Mitchell¡¯s seat, and, only then, noticed it was empty. She casually asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Maya?¡± ¡°Since Olivia wasn¡¯t there, Mr. Burton asked Maya to accompany him to the meeting room when she handed over the materials.¡± Ruby vaguely felt that something wasn¡¯t right, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly was wrong. Finally, she frowned and pondered for a while, then seemed somewhat indifferent, and turned her head back with an ¡°oh¡±. Staring at the computer screen, Ruby clenched her teeth and was lost in thought for a while. Eventually, she shook her head, thinking she might just be overthinking, and proceeded to open the computer. As a result, she saw a reminder message flashing across the screen. Ruby clicked on the message, only to find that it was a reminder of her upcoming period. Her periods had always been regular, occurring on the first day of every month. The reason she set up this reminder was to determine whether or not she might be pregnant.. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97 She doesn’t love me (5) Chapter 97: Chapter 97 She doesn¡¯t love me (5) Translator: 549690339 Today was already the last day of this month, and she and Steve Burton had been together three times this month. Whether she was pregnant or not, she would soon find out. Just as she had been worried about how to marry Steve earlier, now she suddenly saw a glimmer of hope. As long as she had a child, her marriage to Steve could be settled. In that case, the Gregorys would be saved. Ruby Gregory raised her hand and gently pressed it against her chest, realizing that her heart was beating a bit faster than usual. The meeting ended at five o¡¯clock. Howard Coleman and Edward Woods were responsible for escorting the clients out. In the vast conference room, only Steve Burton and Maya Mitchell remained. Maya carefully reviewed her meeting notes, then stood up, walked respectfully to Steve¡¯s side, holding her laptop with both hands placed it in front of him, and said softly, ¡°Mr. Burton, these are the minutes I took during the meeting.¡± Steve¡¯s expression was cold as he nodded and reached out to look at the laptop screen, his fingers occasionally scrolling through the touchpad. Maya stood quietly beside Steve, her gaze following his slender, beautiful fingers, gradually moving from his cuff, upwards bit by bit, finally stopping on his perfectly lined chin. Maya¡¯s fingers unconsciously clenched the pen in her hand, and she gently pressed her lips before slowly looking up, taking in the man¡¯s whole face. Perhaps it was because he had had alcohol at his birthday party yesterday, or just the sheer volume of things he had to do today, but Steve¡¯s eyes looked a little tired, emotionless, radiating an aura of coldness that deterred others from getting close. Despite this, it didn¡¯t affect his beauty. It was only when he was focused on work that she dared to secretly admire his looks so boldly. She didn¡¯t have the beautiful and entangled past that Ruby and Steve shared, nor did she have a prestigious background like Olivia Foster. She was just an ordinary woman from an ordinary family. So even the love deep in her heart could only be secretly admired from a distance. She didn¡¯t dare to let him know. Just as Maya was getting lost in her thoughts, she suddenly noticed the man¡¯s eyebrows and eyes twitched slightly. She quickly gathered her thoughts and pulled her face back to its usual serious and professional demeanor. Steve glanced at her and closed the laptop, handing it back to Maya. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, Maya knew that her meeting notes had been approved and could be filed away. As Maya took the laptop with both hands, she was about to say, ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯ll leave first,¡± when there was a sudden knock on the door of the conference room.. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98 She doesn’t love me (6) Chapter 98: Chapter 98 She doesn¡¯t love me (6) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton furrowed his brows slightly and gave Maya Mitchell a look. Maya understood immediately, turning around to open the door to the conference room. It was Olivia Foster knocking on the door. Her normally neatly combed hair had fallen loose, covering both sides of her face. Olivia didn¡¯t even glance at Maya, simply brushing past her and walking directly in front of Steve, bowing her head as she stood there. Steve was reviewing a document in his hands, and he only slightly lifted his eyelid to glance at Olivia before continuing to focus on the file without any reaction. The expression on Steve¡¯s face was very indifferent, making it impossible to discern his thoughts. Olivia fidgeted with the hem of her clothes nervously, wanting to admit her mistake, but hesitated as she saw that Maya was still in the conference room. She then turned her head and glared at Maya fiercely. When Maya made eye contact with Olivia, she immediately understood that Olivia was irritated by her presence. Maya walked to the conference table, picked up her files, and softly said to Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Steve didn¡¯t even bother to lift his eyes, just lightly hmmed in acknowledgment. Maya turned around and gave Olivia a faint smile. Only then did she notice that both of Olivia¡¯s cheeks, hidden behind her long hair, were red and swollen. In an instant, Maya understood that Olivia had been slapped by someone, and the most likely person to dare to hit her was Ruby Gregory. Hitting someone in the company¡­ If Steve found out about it¡­ Ruby always acted wisely. If she dared to hit Olivia, then she must be sure that Olivia wouldn¡¯t dare to speak up about the incident. However, just because Olivia stayed quiet didn¡¯t mean she had to.upd@te by ¨C newnovel. 0rg Maya stared at Olivia¡¯s expression for only a second, not even a full second before feigning surprise and blurting out as if unintentionally, ¡°Olivia, your face¡ª¡± Maya¡¯s words were very skillful; she stopped halfway through her sentence and immediately adopted an apologetic expression, closing her mouth. Immediately after, Maya cast a sidelong glance at Steve out of the corner of her eye. As expected, Steve lifted his eyelid and took a look at Olivia¡¯s face. Seeing that her goal had been achieved, Maya bowed her head, turned around, and walked out of the conference room. The room fell silent once more. Standing in front of Steve, Olivia bit her lower lip and then lowered her head, looking remorseful. She said, ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯m sorry, it was my mistake. I didn¡¯t manage to get the materials to you in time at noon today..¡± Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 99 She doesn’t love me (7) Chapter 99: Chapter 99 She doesn¡¯t love me (7) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton seemed not to have heard Olivia Foster admit her mistake, only leisurely flipping through the documents in his hand. The atmosphere in the conference room was eerily quiet. Olivia felt her heartbeat quicken, she stealthily raised her eyelids, glanced at Steve, and then spoke, ¡°Mr. Burton, I promise, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Steve ¡°hmm¡¯d¡± in response, closed the document in his hand, tossed it onto the table, and looked at Olivia. Even after two hours, Olivia¡¯s face was still swollen and somewhat alarming. There was little reaction on Steve¡¯s face as he picked up another document, opened it, and finally spoke, ¡°Olivia Foster, are you afraid that I would blame you for your poor work performance and are deliberately playing the martyr, slapping yourself twice?¡± Olivia was completely unprepared for Steve to say that. She raised her head, looked at him with wide eyes, and began saying with a hint of redness in her eyes, ¡°No.¡± Olivia had thought that after she said no, Steve would continue with her words and ask what had happened. However, to her surprise, Steve just calmly sat in his chair, staring intently at the documents in his hands and showing no concern for the two slaps on her face. In fact, Olivia came to Steve to admit her mistake, just as Maya Mitchell had guessed. She dared not let Steve know that it was Ruby Gregory who had hit her. After all, her grudge with Ruby had been instigated by her. Even if Ruby was wrong in hitting her, she was the one who provoked it first. If Steve were to hold them accountable, neither she nor Ruby would have a good outcome. No matter how much she hated Ruby and wished she would leave Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and Steve Burton¡¯s side immediately, she was not so foolish as to make Steve have a negative opinion of Ruby and herself at the same time. But now, Steve suspected her of playing the martyr. Olivia¡¯s heart was filled with uncertainty. Only when someone truly loved someone would they care so deeply about the impression they left on that person. After hesitating for a while, Olivia finally chose to speak up to Steve and explain what had happened to clear herself of suspicion of using a trick. ¡°Mr. Burton, I didn¡¯t hit myself. Someone else hit me.¡± When such a fight occurred in the company, Steve, as the president, exhibited no anger or surprise. He acted as if he didn¡¯t care, focusing on the documents in his hands, and even picked up a pen from the side to make some notes. Olivia waited for a while, and when Steve didn¡¯t react, she continued, ¡°It was Ruby Gregory who hit me..¡± Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100 She doesn’t love me (8) Chapter 100: Chapter 100 She doesn¡¯t love me (8) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s pen movement on the paper paused for a moment, then continued in a fluid and graceful manner. Since the main character of the incident had already been introduced, it was natural to move on to the course of events. When retelling the incident from Olivia Foster¡¯s perspective, she would naturally try to downplay her own mistakes and emphasize Ruby Gregory¡¯s errors. So, she chose her words carefully and said, ¡°At noon today, the reason why I couldn¡¯t hand over the materials to you in time was that Ruby interfered. She directly tore up the contract I printed, and then we had a quarrel. After that, she slapped me twice.¡± After completing his notes, Steve Burton continued to read the document, twirling his pen lightly. Having spent considerable time with Steve, Olivia Foster had come to understand him a bit. She knew that what she had just said seemed to deliberately paint Ruby in a bad light while portraying herself as overly aggrieved. Moreover, she was the one who started the trouble in the first place. So, Olivia continued, ¡°The reason why Ruby tried to stop me was because this morning, when I was tidying up the office, I saw a document on the floor under her desk. I thought it was useless trash, so I picked it up and threw it into the trash can. I didn¡¯t expect that it was a report you needed today. She thought I did it on purpose and didn¡¯t believe my explanation, so she tore up the contract I printed¡­¡± Before Olivia could finish her long statement, Steve suddenly stood up. The man was much taller than her. Olivia looked up at Steve, somewhat stunned. Steve leaned forward, raised his hand, and lifted Olivia¡¯s chin, carefully staring at her face for a moment before asking, ¡°Ruby did this?¡± This was the first time Steve had touched Olivia¡¯s face. Olivia felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest. She was nervous yet excited, completely forgetting to decipher Steve¡¯s tone¡ªhappy or angry. Staring at Steve, Olivia hesitated for two seconds, then nodded and said, ¡°Yes. Steve didn¡¯t say anything this time, simply pinching Olivia¡¯s chin, turning it from side to side, and even reaching out his finger to touch the red marks on her face from the slap, asking, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Was Steve showing concern for her? A sudden surge of happiness welled up in Olivia¡¯s heart. In the depths of her mind, she even thought that if Ruby¡¯s slaps could win her Steve¡¯s care, she would be willing to be slapped by Ruby every day. Olivia looked at Steve, nodding like a helpless young woman, with a tone that was both aggrieved and coquettish, saying, ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Steve asked airily. Then he said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you have this face or not. If it gets ruined by Ruby, you can just go to South Genovia and have a new one.¡± Olivia looked incredulously into Steve¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, the hand that held Olivia¡¯s chin tightened, causing Olivia pain, and her tears streamed down. Although the man¡¯s expression had been calm just moments ago, it had turned dark and fierce in an instant. His tone was exceptionally venomous and mocking, ¡°I¡¯m really curious, facing a face like yours, Ruby could still bear to hit it. Doesn¡¯t she fear dirtying her hands?¡± PS: Oh dear, Brother Time, can your mouth not be so poisonous? That¡¯s it for today, continue tomorrow.. The reader who won the signed book and calendar yesterday is: Heartless TEL Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101 She doesn’t love me (9) Chapter 101: Chapter 101 She doesn¡¯t love me (9) Translator: 549690339 Just moments ago, the man¡¯s expression had been light and breezy, but now it turned dark and sinister in an instant. The tone he used was especially harsh and scornful, ¡°I¡¯m really curious, how could Ruby Gregory bear to touch a face like yours? Isn¡¯t she afraid of dirtying her hands?¡± For a woman, nothing is more important than her appearance. Being despised for her face is undoubtedly the greatest blow to a woman. And Steve Burton is the man Olivia Foster loves the most. In his every word and phrase, he didn¡¯t bother to hide his disgust for Olivia¡¯s face. As a result, the impact instantly magnified tenfold, making Olivia feel as if the sky had come crashing down on her. Staring at Steve¡¯s unrealistically handsome face, Olivia was dumbfounded for two minutes before finally blinking her eyes and uttering, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± As Olivia called his name, tears streamed down her face. Even if her initial mistake with Ruby lay with her, Steve didn¡¯t know that, and from her words, it seemed that Ruby was even more in the wrong. Moreover, it was wrong for Ruby to hit someone in the first place. Why didn¡¯t Steve have any reaction and just reprimanded her directly? When Olivia was slapped twice by Ruby in the afternoon, she felt aggrieved, but it wasn¡¯t earth-shattering. However, now she felt like Dou E, bearing the grievances of the world, with a chilling snowstorm descending in her heart. As if defending herself, Olivia responded with a hint of resentment, ¡°Ruby was the one who hit me, Ruby was the one who provoked me first. Mr. Burton, if you handle it like this, aren¡¯t you just indulging her to act even more recklessly? This is unfair.¡± Steve looked at Olivia¡¯s indignant expression as if hearing a particularly amusing joke and chuckled softly twice. Reckless? He truly wished that Ruby would act recklessly in front of him, even just a little bit, and he would be satisfied. Not the current cautious and restrained behavior! Steve¡¯s laughter was low-pitched and slow, even carrying a tad bit of mellifluousness. However, for some reason, it made Olivia¡¯s heart feel a sense of danger as it landed in her ears. Olivia, who had been initially neither arrogant nor obsequious, blinked while looking straight into Steve¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, Steve stopped laughing, stared at Olivia for two seconds, and then spoke slowly in his usual melodious tone with a hint of his signature mockery, ¡°Olivia Foster, I¡¯ve seen those who are spoiled and arrogant, but never have I seen someone like you, who possesses no favor yet still acts so arrogantly!¡± Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102 She doesn’t love me (10) Chapter 102: Chapter 102 She doesn¡¯t love me (10) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Olivia Foster, I¡¯ve really never seen anyone like you who just brings trouble upon themselves!¡± Steve Burton looked down at Olivia¡¯s tear-streaked face, his voice suddenly icy-cold: ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful ¨C if you¡¯re tired of being at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, get the hell out of here right now!¡± Steve roughly let go of Olivia¡¯s face, which he had been pinching, and casually wiped his hands with a wet towel in front of her. Steve¡¯s shamelessness did not lie in disregarding who was right or wrong, but only in protecting Ruby Gregory wholeheartedly, and then letting things be when the situation was favorable. Steve¡¯s shamelessness also did not lie in secretly supporting Ruby, verbally helping her, but also striking Olivia harder with his actions. Steve¡¯s most shameless act was that his strike was so sharp and merciless. It was not just that he had wiped his hands clean with a tissue ¡ª he had continued wiping his hands repetitively with a second one. Olivia was no fool; as she watched this scene, the blood drained from her face. However, unfortunately, Steve seemed to not know how to let matters rest, showing no consideration for others. After wiping his hand with two wet tissues, he threw them onto the table, looking as if he couldn¡¯t be more disgusted. The most outrageous thing was that he wouldn¡¯t even clean up his own mess, and instead wanted Olivia to clean up the trash he had created out of disgust for her! Steve spoke to Olivia with an extremely cold tone: ¡°Clean up the trash on the conference table!¡± He then picked up the documents from the table, didn¡¯t even giving Olivia a glance, and walked straight out of the conference room. The moment Steve closed the door of the meeting room, he faintly heard the sound of Olivia¡¯s sobbing. He had no compassion for her, and there was even a hint of mockery in his eyes. Ruby, that woman, only wanted to show her best side in front of him obedient, understanding, and well-behaved. How could she possibly cause trouble in the company? What Ruby feared the most was his anger, which might lead to her being driven out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. If there was a conflict between her and Olivia, it must have been because Olivia had done something to cross Ruby¡¯s bottom line! Even if he didn¡¯t investigate the matter thoroughly and Ruby truly made trouble due to her favored position, there was no fairness to speak of in his eyes. Fairness? Did Olivia¡¯s mind rust, daring to bring up fairness with him when it came to Ruby? Was she asking for trouble? What was even more ridiculous was that those who should be arrogant due to being favored weren¡¯t, while those without any qualifications to be arrogant insisted on doing so, overstepping their boundaries and being relentless! Was something wrong with this world? Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103 She doesn’t love me (11) Chapter 103: Chapter 103 She doesn¡¯t love me (11) Translator: 549690339 As Steve Burton returned to his office from the meeting room, his secretary, Ms. Taylor, stood up. She first reported his schedule for tomorrow morning, and then asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, who should accompany you to your dinner with Ms. Annie tonight?¡± Only then did Steve remember that he was having dinner tonight, and Ms. Annie Beischel was a foreign client who had always been entertained by Olivia Foster. Olivia, who had been slapped twice by Ruby Gregory, and her face was swollen and red, naturally could not attend. Among the young women in the office there were only three: Ruby Gregory, Maya Mitchell, and Olivia Foster. With Olivia ruled out, Maya and Ruby were the only ones left. Ruby, being new, wasn¡¯t particularly familiar with Ms. Annie. Therefore, the most suitable candidate could only be Maya. Ms. Taylor, noticing that Mr. Burton hadn¡¯t responded for a while, thought it over, and then gently suggested, ¡°The last time Olivia was sick, Maya filled in for her and entertained Ms. Annie. She¡¯s quite familiar with Ms. Annie, so why not let Maya accompany you this time?¡± Maya, seemingly focused on her computer screen, was actually listening carefully to the conversation between Ms. Taylor and Mr. Burton. She had performed very well at the afternoon meeting, and moreover, she had swiftly solved a problem when Olivia Foster had almost been unable to turn in her material. Steve must be very pleased with her work performance. Furthermore, since Ruby Gregory had slapped Olivia, and Mr. Burton was always fair to his employees, he would surely agree to have her accompany him to the dinner tonight. A faint smile began to appear at the corners of Maya¡¯s lips. After hearing Ms. Taylor¡¯s words, Steve didn¡¯t show much emotion on his face. He simply picked up his pen and signed his name on the document that Ms. Taylor needed his approval for. Ms. Taylor assumed that Steve had accepted her suggestion, and was about to instruct Maya to get ready and accompany Steve to the dinner. However, as Steve put down his pen, he paused slightly, then turned his head, glanced at Ruby who seemed engrossed with her computer screen, and said in a slightly chilly voice, ¡°Let Ruby go with me.¡± The words ¡°Maya¡± that were about to come out of Ms. Taylor¡¯s mouth got stuck in her throat instantly. The smile on Maya¡¯s lips froze instantly.S?arch §á?w§áo??l .?rg on g??gle By the time Ms. Taylor regained her composure, Steve had already left his office. Experience came with age. Although Ms. Taylor was puzzled as to why Steve had chosen Ruby, who knew nothing about Ms. Annie, she quickly regained her composure and said with the usual bureaucratic tone, ¡°Ruby, tonight you will accompany Mr. Burton to the dinner party.¡± Ruby looked at Ms. Taylor with some confusion: ¡°Dinner? With Ms.. Annie?¡± Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104 She doesn’t love me (12) Chapter 104: Chapter 104 She doesn¡¯t love me (12) Translator: 549690339 The Secretary General nodded slightly at Ruby Gregory, then turned to Maya Mitchell and instructed, ¡°Maya, please share with Ruby about Ms. Annie¡¯s habits and the points to be aware of when accompanying Mr. Burton at dinner parties. ¡± Maya Mitchell¡¯s face was as gentle and friendly as always, just a hint of gloominess passed over the depths of her eyes. However, it quickly dissipated and she turned to Ruby, her tone was very affectionate and serious. She did not hold back anything, and shared everything she knew with Ruby Gregory. Ruby Gregory seriously remembered each point and said to Maya Mitchell, ¡°Thank you.¡± Maya Mitchell¡¯s tone was still soft and pleasant, ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡± The dinner was scheduled for seven-thirty. The venue was the Hilton Grand Hotel on the West 2nd Ring Road. As the traffic was always heavy in Ciawell during peak hours, Steve Burton set off with Ruby at half past six. The driver had already prepared the car at the main entrance of the Pristine¡¯s Building. As he saw Steve Burton and Ruby appear from the building, he quickly got out of the car and was about to open the car door when Steve Burton reached out his hand and said, ¡°Give me the keys.¡± Ruby, who was following behind Steve, felt a tight knot in her stomach at his words. Was Steve planning to drive her there? The thought of being alone with him in the car made Ruby feel extremely nervous. The driver respectfully handed over the car keys. Steve took the keys, opened the vehicle¡¯s passenger door and threw a sentence to Ruby behind him, ¡°Get in.¡± Then, he walked around the car and got directly into the driver¡¯s seat. Ruby looked at the open passenger seat, frowning. Was Steve asking her to sit in the front? However, Madeleine had clearly warned her that over the past three years, Steve¡¯s biggest ¡°no-no¡± was having a woman sit in the passenger seat of his car. Many women had cut off all relations with him as a result of breaking this unwritten rule. Was it possible that Steve intended to open the rear door, but accidentally opened the wrong one? Ruby Gregory raised her head and glanced at Steve, who was already in the driver¡¯s seat, having just started the car. The man¡¯s expression was as icy as ever. Ruby knew that his patience was always limited, so she hesitated for a moment, then deciding to play it safe, shut the passenger seat door and opened the rear door instead, climbing in swiftly. Before Ruby had time to settle in, before she even managed to close the car door, Steve Burton stepped on the accelerator hard, sending the car shooting forward. Ruby¡¯s body jerked forward slightly, she lifted her head and through the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of Steve¡¯s quiet face, a hint of gloominess was spreading across it. Her initial anxiety due to being left alone with him intensified considerably.. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105 She doesn’t love me (13) Chapter 105: Chapter 105 She doesn¡¯t love me (13) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton stared straight ahead, constantly slamming on the brakes and stomping on the accelerator. There was some congestion on the road, and the car could hardly move for more than a moment before coming to a stop. The sudden starts and stops made Ruby Gregory feel nauseous, but she didn¡¯t dare to speak up. Finally, they hit a red light that lasted two minutes, and Ruby breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Steve appeared impatient, tapping the steering wheel with his finger. After a moment, he rolled down the window, and the noise of the traffic and honking horns outside invaded the car. In her heart, Ruby silently prayed for the red light to pass slowly. With thirty seconds remaining, Steve suddenly asked in a flat tone, ¡°What was your New Year¡¯s wish during the Chinese New Year when you were sixteen?¡± Ruby was now 25 years old, and the Chinese New Year when she was sixteen was almost a decade ago. Her New Year¡¯s wish from ten years ago? Why was he asking her about a decade-old New Year¡¯s wish? Ruby¡¯s mind felt somewhat muddled. She stared blankly at Steve, her eyes full of confusion. After her puzzlement, Ruby tried her best to recall the events of ten years ago. She clearly remembered that it was that year when she learned that Steve liked the color blue, that he liked Chanel No. 5 perfume, and that he enjoyed eating matcha-flavored cakes. She even remembered that a girl had confessed her love to Steve that year, only for him to reject her because she was wearing a light green dress. That day, Ruby returned home and packed away anything she owned that was light green, throwing it all into The Gregorys¡¯ storage room. Furthermore, from that day on, even if she saw something beautiful in light green, she would immediately consider it taboo. As Ruby reflected on those memories, she realized that she remembered all the details about Steve, but had no impression of her New Year¡¯s wish from that year. Ruby looked up, discreetly observing Steve¡¯s expression. She found his face even more solemn than before. Her hand subconsciously tightened, and she swallowed, forcing a small smile, ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, I can¡¯t quite remember¡­¡± As she spoke, Steve¡¯s face grew more frightening, and the air in the car became thinner. Ruby¡¯s voice became lower and lower, to the point where she didn¡¯t even finish saying the word ¡°clear.¡± Instead, she just closed her mouth. The red light turned green, and Steve pressed on the car window before flooring the accelerator. The car shot out like an arrow leaving its bow. Ruby¡¯s heart jumped into her throat as well. She sat quietly and well-behaved in the car, not daring to move or even breathe too forcefully.. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106 She doesn’t love me (14) Chapter 106: Chapter 106 She doesn¡¯t love me (14) Translator: 549690339 Just when Ruby Gregory felt like she was about to suffocate before the car reached its destination, the car finally came to a stop. Steve Burton didn¡¯t pay any attention to Ruby Gregory in the back seat, and directly pushed open the car door, getting out of the car. Ruby took a deep breath as soon as the car stopped, then hurriedly got out of the car, only to find her legs shaking uncontrollably after she stood on the ground. Steve Burton didn¡¯t even glance at Ruby Gregory as he walked straight into the hotel. His footsteps were fast but didn¡¯t seem rushed at all, giving people a sense of grace and composure. Ruby trailed closely behind Steve Burton at a jog. The private room they had reserved was on the top floor of the Hilton Grand Hotel. By the time the waiter led Steve Burton and Ruby to the private room, Ms. Annie Beischel and her female assistant were already inside waiting. As soon as the door opened, Ms. Annie stood up with a bright smile to greet them. Ms. Annie had waist-length golden curls and wore a low-cut short dress, her features strong and delicate. She greeted them with somewhat stiff Chinese, ¡°Steve, long time no see.¡± Steve¡¯s face had already returned to his usual elegant indifference. He politely shook hands with Ms. Annie and responded fluently and accurately in English, ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Blinking her blue eyes, Ms. Annie switched to English, ¡°That¡¯s alright, I just arrived not long ago myself.¡± Pausing for a moment with a slightly tender expression, Ms. Annie openly showed her admiration and fondness for Steve, ¡°And Steve, you know, I¡¯m more than happy to wait for you.¡± Although Ms. Annie was speaking in English, Ruby, who had been in Costa Luna for three years, understood her words. She subconsciously glanced at Steve and found that he remained indifferent to Ms. Annie¡¯s blatant confession, simply gesturing for everyone to take their seats in a gentlemanly manner. The dishes had been ordered when the restaurant was reserved, and after they were served, the waiter silently left the private room, closing the door behind them. Ms. Annie picked up her wine glass, raised it gracefully, and said, ¡°Steve, I¡¯m delighted to have dinner with you tonight.¡± Steve raised his wine glass, lightly clinking it against Ms. Annie¡¯s glass, and took a sip. Only after putting down her wine glass did Ms. Annie realize that Steve had brought a different secretary today. She stared at Ruby for a moment before asking, ¡°Steve, is this your new secretary?¡± Steve Burton nodded slightly. Ruby picked up her wine glass and clinked it against Ms. Annie¡¯s. In English, she greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Ms. Annie. I¡¯m Ruby Gregory, nice to meet you for the first time. Please give me your guidance..¡± Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107 She doesn’t love me (15) Chapter 107: Chapter 107 She doesn¡¯t love me (15) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Hello.¡± Ms. Annie smiled friendly at Steve Burton and clinked glasses with Ruby Gregory, drinking a sip of alcohol elegantly. Before attending the dinner party, Maya Mitchell told Ruby a lot of precautions, which Ruby firmly kept in mind. However, she realized that the dinner party was not as complicated as she had imagined when she was actually there. Throughout the whole dinner table, she and Ms. Annie¡¯s assistant seemed like redundant presences. The most they did from start to finish was pour alcohol. Ruby could understand English, and the conversation between Ms. Annie and Steve was about things unrelated to work. Steve did not speak much and would occasionally say a sentence or two; most of the time, it was Ms. Annie who spoke endlessly, talking about her recent trips, new cooperation strategies with various companies, and even recommending some delicacies and scenery to Steve. The conversation between the two did not resemble that of business partners but old friends catching up. Ms. Annie had a cheerful personality, and she would laugh heartily while speaking. Perhaps because of the alcohol, her face was slightly flushed; her eyes were constantly fixed on Steve¡¯s face and never left for even a moment. At some point, Ms. Annie whispered something to her assistant, who got up, apologized to Steve and Ruby, and then left the private room. The alcohol in front of Ms. Annie was gradually running out. Ruby stood up to pour more alcohol, but Ms. Annie stopped her by holding down the wine bottle on the table, then turned to Ruby with a smile and said: ¡°Ms. Gregory, I¡¯m sorry, but I have some matters to discuss with Mr. Burton privately. Would you mind giving us some space?¡± Ruby subconsciously looked at Steve. Steve showed no reaction on his face. Ruby hesitated for a moment, then nodded at Ms. Annie, took her cell phone, and left the private room. With two fewer people in the private room, it became somewhat quiet. Ms. Annie picked up the wine bottle, filled both her and Steve¡¯s glasses, and then raised her own, clinking it lightly with Steve¡¯s. She threw her head back, drank the alcohol in one gulp, and then said: ¡°Steve, it¡¯s been so long. You¡¯ve become even more charming than before.¡± Steve remained calm in the face of such praise. ¡°Steve, I originally only planned to visit Shanghai in China, but I specifically flew to Ciawell to see you. I¡¯m going back to Lilliput tomorrow,¡± Ms. Annie took another sip of alcohol and continued, ¡°Steve, you know I admire you. This time, I don¡¯t want to leave disappointed like before..¡± Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108 She doesn’t love me (16) Chapter 108: Chapter 108 She doesn¡¯t love me (16) Translator: 549690339 Ms. Annie stood up, walked around the dining table, and strode towards Steve Burton. She stood in front of him, gazing at his stunning face with a touch of obsession in her eyes. Then, she boldly reached out, unzipping her dress¡¯s side zipper. Steve Burton frowned, ¡°Ms. Annie, you¡¯re drunk. I¡¯ll have the waiter take you upstairs to rest.¡± ¡°Steve, I¡¯m not drunk. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Ms. Annie hurried over, stopping Steve from making a call with one hand, looked down at his eyes, swallowed, and then sat on his lap. She reached up to unbutton his suit jacket, ¡°Steve, don¡¯t reject me anymore. I admire you, I like you too. I know you don¡¯t want me as your lover, but can I be your one-night lover?¡± Steve raised his hand, grabbing Annie¡¯s hand to stop her. However, Ms. Annie leaned forward and attempted to kiss Steve. Steve quickly dodged backward, accidentally knocking the chair behind him over with a loud crash due to the force and angle. Ruby Gregory had been standing at the door of the private dining room, not leaving. After an unknown amount of time, Ruby heard a loud noise from inside. It was like something had fallen to the ground. Ruby didn¡¯t know the situation inside. Fearing that something unexpected might have happened, she knocked on the door and pushed it open, ¡°Mr. Burton¡­ ¡® Ruby could only utter two words before being rendered speechless by the scene before her. Ms. Annie was sitting disheveled on Steve¡¯s lap, her two snow-white legs tightly pressed against his suit pants. She grasped Steve¡¯s collar tightly, while his hand pressed on hers¡­ The scene was too explicit and blatant. Steve and Ms. Annie didn¡¯t expect someone to suddenly enter after knocking, and they both froze in place. In just one second, when Steve saw that the visitor was Ruby, he almost jumped up from the chair, pushing Ms. Annie off him without mercy. At that moment, Steve felt like a husband caught cheating by his wife, panic surged from the bottom of his heart. He instinctively opened his mouth, wanting to explain to Ruby. As Steve moved, Ruby snapped out of her daze, her face turning red. She had interrupted Steve¡¯s intimate moment. Would he be angry with her and dislike her even more? Ruby quickly spoke up, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to. Carry on.¡± Then, without waiting for Steve and Ms. Annie to react, Ruby slammed the door shut with a bang. The words on the tip of Steve¡¯s tongue were abruptly strangled in his throat. He stared at the closed door in front of him, as his panic was instantly flooded with an indescribable sense of melancholy¡­ PS: That¡¯s it for today.. Continue tomorrow- Here¡¯s some news: the calendars are already being printed! We¡¯ve posted some pictures on Twitter- The previous group is full, we¡¯ll announce a new group tomorrow- Yesterday¡¯s lucky readers who won signed books and calendars are: Ruchu. Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109 She doesn’t love me (17) Chapter 109: Chapter 109 She doesn¡¯t love me (17) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s words at the tip of his tongue, were brutally choked back in his throat. He stared at the tightly closed door in front of him, the chaos in his heart was instantly submerged by an unspeakable melancholy. A woman who remembers all your likes and dislikes, whose life¡¯s goal is to become your wife, seeing you disheveled with another woman, her first reaction wasn¡¯t anger, sadness, or breakdown, but rather speaking calmly and apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, continue,¡± and then considerately closing the door for you. What about him? Anytime something happened, he was always able to remain poker-faced, even in an emergency, he would appear nonchalant. But today, for the first time in his life, he showed signs of panic. At this moment, Steve Burton felt his recent flustered behavior was so ridiculous and excessive. Steve Burton¡¯s reaction was too intense. When he pushed Ms. Annie off him, he used so much force that he accidentally knocked her to the ground. Ms. Annie looked at Steve Burton, who was standing aside. As always, he was gazing somberly at the closed door. But she wasn¡¯t sure if it was her imagination, she felt that Steve Burton¡¯s expression subtly revealed a sense of sorrow. Ms. Annie got up from the floor, she didn¡¯t show any anger or shame because of Steve¡¯s rejection. She fixed her clothes and combed her long hair, then slowly walked towards Steve Burton and said, ¡°It seems, I can only be your business partner.¡± Steve Burton took his gaze off the door and put it on Ms. Annie. Ms. Annie gave Steve a bright smile, extended her hand towards him, ¡°Although the situation is embarrassing, it¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing. At least, I tried my best and have no regrets.¡± Steve Burton reached out, shook hands with Ms. Annie, said ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, and then they separated. The words Ms. Annie said didn¡¯t seem to care at all, but her tone was heavy with loss, ¡°That¡¯s okay, I have the right to like you, and you have the right to reject me.¡± Not two minutes after Ruby Gregory closed the door, the door to the room was opened again. She quickly turned her head and saw Ms. Annie, neatly dressed and elegantly standing out, walking out of the room. Ruby Gregory hurriedly started to apologize again, ¡°Ms. Annie, I¡¯m really sorry about earlier.¡± Ms. Annie gave Ruby a barely friendly nod, her tone slightly stiff, ¡°It¡¯s okay..¡± Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110 She doesn’t love me (18) Chapter 110: Chapter 110 She doesn¡¯t love me (18) Translator: 549690339 As soon as she finished speaking, Ms. Annie turned around and left. Ruby stared at Ms. Annie¡¯s figure disappearing at the elevator entrance before turning her head to look at the half-open door of the private room. Was it because of her interruption that Steve and Ms. Annie didn¡¯t continue? It was clear that Ms. Annie left very unhappily, but what about Steve? Was his mood very bad at this very moment? In front of him, it seemed like anything she did was wrong. Yesterday at his birthday party, he took her upstairs, and after a passionate night, he still lashed out at her angrily. Today, she didn¡¯t dare to approach him easily at the company, fearing that he was still angry. Now that this incident had happened¡­ Standing at the door, Ruby raised her hand several times to touch the door, but ultimately didn¡¯t have the courage to open it. After hesitating five or six times, Ruby finally took a deep breath and entered the room. The private room was very quiet; Steve was sitting by the window, his head tilted, looking out the window as if thinking about something.S earch ?ew??vel. ?rg on g??gl? The window was open, and a cool breeze was blowing in. Ruby tiptoed inside, and only two meters away from Steve, she paused before holding her breath and stepping up to his side. Steve glanced sideways at Ruby. The man¡¯s expression seemed cold, and Ruby looked down hurriedly after just one glance, thinking that Steve was indeed unhappy because of her interruption earlier. Steve looked out the window indifferently after just a brief glance at Ruby. Ruby would occasionally lift her eyelids and steal a glance at his side profile. She could tell he had no intention of speaking, so she couldn¡¯t keep silent forever. She noticed that there were no traces of food on his plate, and he hadn¡¯t eaten much that night, so she asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, you haven¡¯t eaten anything all night; is it because the food doesn¡¯t suit your taste?¡± Her words, like talking to herself, received no response whatsoever. She saw that the food on the table had already gone cold, and even if it suited his taste, the picky Steve wouldn¡¯t eat it now. Ruby knew that Steve preferred to eat light food at night, so she spoke again, saying, ¡°Shall I ask the hotel to prepare some vegetarian dishes for you?¡± Finally, Steve reacted by turning his head to look into Ruby¡¯s eyes. His eyes were very charming, with black, bright pupils that were deep and spirited.. But inside them, there was a sharp, icy hint: ¡°Ruby, can you stop being so hypocritical in front of me?¡± Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 111 She doesn’t love me (19) Chapter 111: Chapter 111 She doesn¡¯t love me (19) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s tone was sharp and piercing, not at all concealing the sarcasm deep in his heart. Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart tightened upon hearing this, and she pursed her lips, her eyelids drooping slightly to hide the hurt in her eyes. She suddenly remembered last night, when she had wanted to help him wash the clothes he had taken off, but ended up being met with his irritation, just like today. Every time she tried to be considerate of him, all she received in return was his disdain. She desperately tried to do her best, but it only resulted in his aversion. She recalled that when Steve used to talk to her in the past, his tone was sometimes cold, like now, but that was only when she had made a mistake. At that time, his tone would be slightly cold at most, and he had never said hurtful words. But now, even if she was not in the wrong, and was thinking about him in every way, all she got in return were sharper, more ruthless, and hurtful words each time. She wasn¡¯t a person without temper or pride, and she really wanted to just turn around and walk away, completely cutting ties with him, never having anything to do with him again. But thinking of the sorrow on her father¡¯s face this morning, and the mockery by Olivia Foster at noon, Ruby could only grip her fists tightly, forcing herself to be numb, to pretend not to hear Steve¡¯s words, and to not care about them. Steve stared at the submissive Ruby for two seconds before turning his head and continuing to look out the window. The private room became even quieter. Because Ruby had interrupted Steve¡¯s conversation with Ms. Annie, she was already feeling restless and nervous, not wanting to face Steve now. After his mockery, she felt even more pressured and wanted to disappear before Steve more than ever. Ruby thought that if she remained silent for a while, Steve would eventually settle the bill and leave. But as time ticked away, Steve remained unresponsive, leaving Ruby with no choice but to speak up: ¡°Mr. Burton, it¡¯s getting late. Should I ask the waiter for the bill?¡± Steve turned his head, glanced at Ruby, and although he still didn¡¯t say anything, he stood up from his seat. Ruby was standing half a meter away from his seat. As Steve stood up, he took a small step forward, standing right in front of Ruby. The sudden closeness startled Ruby, her heart leaping into her throat. Being much shorter than him, she didn¡¯t dare to look up at his face, but only stared blankly at the buttons on his suit, swallowing nervously. She found an excuse to turn away and distance herself: ¡°I¡¯ll go call the waiter now.¡± Without waiting for Steve¡¯s approval, Ruby took the initiative to turn around and prepared to head towards the door.. Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112 She doesn’t love me (20) Chapter 112: Chapter 112 She doesn¡¯t love me (20) Translator: 549690339 Steve, however, reached out a step ahead and held Ruby¡¯s shoulder, preventing her from moving. Ruby felt as if her shoulder was on fire, waves of heat emanating from it. After a few encounters, she gradually realized the hidden meanings behind some of Steve¡¯s actions, like now and the situation in the hotel yesterday. After feeding him watermelon juice, she attempted to escape, but he reached out and threw her onto the bed. This foreboding feeling made Ruby tremble all over. Could it be that he wanted to do those intimate things with her that he couldn¡¯t do with Ms. Annie, right here? Was this his punishment for her interruption? Ruby could clearly sense Steve¡¯s face getting closer and closer to hers, her heart becoming a panicky mess. She quickly thought of ways to stop him, but after pondering for a long time, she couldn¡¯t come up with a reasonable excuse. In the end, she desperately recalled that Ms. Annie was staying at the Four Seasons Hotel, just across from the Hilton Hotel. Steve blamed her for interrupting their moment, so if she could somehow bring them back together alone, she would be safe, right? With this thought, Ruby blurted out, ¡°Mr. Burton, I just remembered that you haven¡¯t talked to Ms. Annie about next month¡¯s order quantity yet. Should I call her now and arrange for you to meet her at the coffee shop downstairs to As Ruby spoke, Steve¡¯s gaze became vicious, and the hand holding her shoulder suddenly increased in strength, causing her so much pain that her next words were replaced with a gasp. He and Ms. Annie could be intimate in the hotel¡¯s private room, yet her reservedness and pride told her that she couldn¡¯t allow it. Ruby¡¯s mind was buzzing, and at this very moment, she didn¡¯t have the capacity to think about anything else. All she hoped for was that he would let her go. She dodged Steve¡¯s lips and hurriedly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt you and Ms. Annie, I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± Ruby¡¯s anxiety was apparent in her voice, but her desperation didn¡¯t soften Steve¡¯s heart.. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113 She doesn ‘t love me (21) Chapter 113: Chapter 113 She doesn ¡®t love me (21) Translator: 549690339 In the end, she couldn¡¯t escape her fate. Ruby Gregory furrowed her brows tightly, and in the next second, Steve Burton reached out and grabbed her wrist, just like the last time. He took her torn skirt and bound her hands with it. Then, without any hesitation, Steve went straight to the point. It was the same familiar and heart-wrenching pain. Ruby¡¯s body was as tense as stone, and her facial expression was as miserable as being on the execution ground. Her look deeply provoked Steve, causing him to lose all restraint. Behind Ruby was an icy cold, hard wall, and pain was sent from her back as she rubbed against it. She clenched her teeth tightly, closed her eyes, and silently let him do as he pleased, praying in her heart for this nightmare to end quickly. The more she tried to endure, the harder it was for Steve to control his hand. In the end, he pressed her against the wall so tightly, and the way he kissed her was not like a kiss at all, but more like a bite. On the opposite wall, there was a mirror. Ruby saw her pale face and bound hands in it. She was like a fish, grasping at the life in Steve¡¯s merciless jeu. Yes, if she could choose, she definitely wouldn¡¯t want to walk down this path. But she had no other choice. The Gregorys¡¯ business wasn¡¯t as prosperous as before, the Gregorys¡¯ wealth wasn¡¯t as abundant as before, and it was difficult for a declining family to return to its former glory. And she was the one who needed something from Steve. If she wanted something, she had to give up something and make sacrifices. As long as the end result was that she could marry him, then her sacrifices and sufferings would be worth it. Every time she endured this, she tried to reassure herself like this. But every time, it failed to alleviate the pain he inflicted on her. Ruby¡¯s mind was a haze with countless thoughts, even reminiscing about her carefree childhood. Back then, she didn¡¯t know about her preordained fate. She didn¡¯t have to please Steve constantly, and she was just living for herself. That was the best time in her life. Finally, after enduring such hellish torture, Ruby closed her eyes and quietly let out a breath of relief. The second time took even longer than the first. She didn¡¯t know how long it had been, only that time seemed almost to have stopped. Finally, Steve left her body, and Ruby¡¯s legs gave way, causing her to collapse weakly on the ground. She curled up, her hands still bound. The open window let in cold wind, causing her shivers to run throughout her body.. Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114 She doesn’t love me (22) Chapter 114: Chapter 114 She doesn¡¯t love me (22) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory softly moved her head and saw that Steve Burton¡¯s clothes, although a bit messy, were still properly worn on his body. As for her, she was completely naked and as embarrassed as could be. From the depths of Ruby¡¯s dark eyes, a blush arose. She quickly lowered her eyelids and forcefully turned her wrist to free herself. Then, she unfastened her torn clothes. Although the clothes had been torn apart by Steve, she managed to barely cover herself up with them. But deep down, Ruby was slightly worried about how she would leave the hotel without any clothes to wear now. Steve¡¯s mind was a bit dazed and it took him a while to come back to his senses. His gaze fell upon Ruby curled up on the floor, covering herself with tattered clothes. Her exposed skin was covered with green-and-purple bruises, some left by him yesterday, with today¡¯s darkening colors making them even more apparent. Her head hung low, he couldn¡¯t see her expression, only her delicate straight nose. Her hands tightly grasped the clothes. Although she seemed calm, he still noticed her fingertips trembling slightly. She was always like this, maintaining her silence regardless of how he treated her. Even if she was unwilling deep down. It was her seemingly submissive and compliant demeanor that provoked him into losing control. Steve stared at Ruby for a while before withdrawing his gaze. He picked up the suit jacket hanging on a nearby clothes hanger, felt for the phone inside the pocket, but didn¡¯t take it out. Instead, he put the suit on and left the private room directly. It was only when he stood in the corridor that Steve took out his phone and called Madeleine. There were some things he didn¡¯t want to do in front of her. After hanging up the phone, Steve stood at the door of the private room for a few seconds. In the end, he called a female waitress over and took out a wad of red bills from his pocket to hand to her, saying: ¡°Keep an eye on this door. Don¡¯t let anyone in until Ms. Madeleine arrives.¡± Steve Burton, Madeleine, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Rusell Henris were all regulars at the Hilton Grand Hotel, and the staff there recognized them. So when Steve mentioned Ms. Madeleine, the waitress immediately knew he was talking about Madeleine. The waitress took the money and nodded properly in agreement. The moment the private room door closed, Ruby looked up to see that she was the only one left in the empty room. She curled her body even tighter. He just left her like that and walked away? Ruby pressed her lips hard and struggled to get up from the floor. She picked up her phone, about to call Madeleine when an incoming call from Madeleine appeared on her phone screen.. Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115 She doesn’t love me (23) Chapter 115: Chapter 115 She doesn¡¯t love me (23) Translator: 549690339 Ruby and Madeleine had known each other for many years, and Madeleine had seen Ruby in countless embarrassing situations before. But at this very moment, Ruby didn¡¯t want anyone to see her disheveled appearance, which was a result of Steve Burton¡¯s actions. This was her humiliation, and she wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to witness it. Although her dress was torn by Steve, Ruby still managed to put on her undergarments and wore the dress. She then sat upright in the dining chair. Madeleine arrived quite quickly, in less than twenty minutes. She was carrying a bag and hurriedly pushed the door open. Although Ruby was sitting properly in the dining chair, looking as if nothing had happened, Madeleine could see her messy hair, torn clothing, swollen lips, and the marks on her exposed skin. She was stunned for a moment. Ruby¡¯s attempt to conceal her humiliation crumbled under Madeleine¡¯s gaze, and she quickly lowered her head. After a while, Madeleine composed herself. She was no fool and understood what had just transpired between Steve and Ruby. Madeleine¡¯s voice was a little low as she said, ¡°Ruby.¡± Ruby could hear the sympathy in Madeleine¡¯s tone. She turned to smile at her, trying to seem nonchalant. Speaking lightly, she said, ¡°Madeleine, give me the clothes.¡± Madeleine handed the clothes to Ruby. When Ruby took them, Madeleine clenched the bag and called out softly, ¡°Ruby.¡± Madeleine¡¯s words were somewhat hesitant. Ruby knew what Madeleine wanted to say, but she didn¡¯t want to hear it. Because anything Madeleine said would only rub salt into Ruby¡¯s wounds. Ruby¡¯s tone remained calm, as she said, ¡°Madeleine, wait for me outside.¡± Madeleine hesitated, but ultimately said nothing. She released her grip on the bag, turned around, and walked out of the private room. The dress was likely brought from home by Madeleine. Ruby was slightly thinner than Madeleine, so when she put the dress on, it was a little loose. When Ruby came out of the private room, she only exchanged two glances with Madeleine. The two said nothing and headed towards the elevator. During the drive back to the Gregorys¡¯ home, Madeleine and Ruby remained silent. Ruby sat wearily in the passenger seat, her face pale and frightening. She stared out the window, not blinking, her whole being devoid of life. Madeleine wanted to ask Ruby about her and Steve several times, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Instead, she brought Ruby to the entrance of the Gregorys¡¯ house, watched her go inside, and only then did she pick up her phone to send a message to Steve before driving away.. Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116 She doesn’t love me (24) Chapter 116: Chapter 116 She doesn¡¯t love me (24) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s car was parked in the Burton family¡¯s yard. He remained inside the car, not getting out. He watched through the car window illuminated by the lamps in the two yards, as Ruby Gregory got off Madeleine¡¯s car, her steps slightly hesitant along The Gregorys¡¯ gravel path, bypassing The Gregorys¡¯ back door, and returned inside the house. In less than two minutes, Steve saw the lights inside Ruby¡¯s room turn on. She had already returned safely, but he still had no intention of getting out of the car. The night in the suburb was quiet, and Steve could faintly hear the sound of insects chirping from outside through the car. That sound somehow brought a sense of emptiness within him. Steve reached out to turn on the car radio, and a popular song happened to be playing. ¡°She doesn¡¯t love me, holding hands feels too cold, hugging isn¡¯t close enough.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t love me, her words don¡¯t feel sincere, her silence too focused. ¡°I know, she doesn¡¯t love me, her eyes reveal her heart.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t love me, and yet, she still walked away with my heart.¡± Unsure if it was because the music was too enchanting, Steve suddenly turned his head to stare at the passenger seat, becoming lost in thought. Ten years ago, during one Chinese New Year, Ruby Gregory was sixteen, and he drove her up the mountain to set off fireworks. Standing on the mountaintop, they could enjoy the night view of the villa area in the Western suburb of Ciawell, with dazzling lights and neon signs flickering everywhere, reflecting off the stars in the sky, creating a beauty akin to a paradise on Earth. He set off the fireworks, one after another, as they illuminated the sky with their vivid display. Looking at the mesmerizing sight, she smiled in a pure and genuine way. The weather was cold, so they didn¡¯t linger long, and soon returned to the car. Through the car window, they could still see fireworks constantly flying into the sky and blooming. The moment the last firework blossomed, it happened to coincide with the countdown to the New Year. Amidst the chiming bells, he asked her, ¡°Do you want to make a New Year¡¯s wish?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She grinned sweetly, nodded her head, looked around and turned towards him, saying, ¡°Steve, back when you used to ride a bicycle, I had the seat behind you. Now that you drive a car, would your passenger seat be reserved just for me too?¡± What kind of New Year¡¯s wish was that? However, he still remembered that New Year¡¯s wish of hers, which he laughed at back then, deep in his heart. He remembered it for ten years. A decade later, only he remembered that wish. What she casually mentioned became his lifelong vow. She must not love him, that¡¯s why she remained so calm upon seeing him and Annie Beischel, undone. She must not love him, that¡¯s why he was the only one foolishly remembering the promises made between them. She must not love him, and he knew that from an event three years ago. She doesn¡¯t love him, but despite that, she still walked away with his heart. PS: End of today¡¯s part, will continue tomorrow.. Yesterday, the reader who won the signed book and calendar was: How good is peace Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (1) Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (1) Translator: 549690339 She did not love him, but even so, she won his heart. Thus, loving her became a perfect mime show performed by him alone. Every time Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton became intimately close, she would always sneak back to her room on the upper floor through the back door of the Gregorys¡¯ house, take a hot bath, change into long clothes, hide all the blue and purple marks on her body, and then go downstairs to greet her parents, telling them that she had returned home. Tonight was no exception. The reason for her doing this was simple, she just didn¡¯t want her parents to see her disheveled state. However, tonight when Ruby Gregory snuck in through the back door, she unexpectedly bumped into Lady Gregory, who happened to be coming out of the kitchen with a glass of water. The dress Madeleine got for her was mid-sleeve, and on the exposed pale wrists were traces of blue and purple caused by Steve Burton¡¯s binding. At the first sight of her mother, Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart trembled violently. Instinctively, she hid her handbag behind her back, looked at Lady Gregory, and called out, ¡°Mom.¡± Seeing Ruby coming in from the back door, Lady Gregory paused for a moment, ¡°Why did you come in from the back?¡± ¡°I went back to check on the flowers that Housekeeper and I planted a few days ago.¡± Ruby made up an excuse and changed the subject, ¡°Mom, why haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡± ¡°Your Dad is thirsty, so I¡¯m getting him a glass of water.¡± Lady Gregory casually answered Ruby¡¯s question, seemingly without suspicion, and carried the glass of water toward the master bedroom on the first floor. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could completely swallow it, Lady Gregory, who had only taken a few steps, suddenly stopped and turned around to look at Ruby with furrowed brows. Ruby¡¯s heart was filled with unease due to Lady Gregory¡¯s expression. She held her bag tightly behind her back and forced a relaxed smile, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Lady Gregory scrutinized Ruby from head to toe, as if finally noticing something wrong, she said, ¡°Ruby, I remember you wore a different dress when you left this morning¡­¡± As she spoke, Lady Gregory stared at the love bite on Ruby¡¯s neck, her brow deeply furrowed, ¡°Ruby, that mark on your neck¡­¡¯ Realizing that her question was too direct, Lady Gregory softened her tone and asked, ¡°Who were you with tonight?¡± It seemed she hadn¡¯t managed to hide it after all. Ruby felt slightly nervous, afraid that her mother might discover other flaws and find out about Steve Burton¡¯s cruelty towards her. Her mind raced as she quickly came up with a seemingly shy demeanor.. She slightly lowered her head and whispered, ¡°With Steve Burton¡­ I accidentally tore my clothes¡­¡± Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (2) Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (2) Translator: 549690339 Her mother was an experienced woman, and when she saw the hickey on her neck and the changed clothes, she already guessed what she had done tonight, so she didn¡¯t need to lie. Moreover, her father and mother both hoped, deep down, that she and Steve Burton could be together. Therefore, she deliberately made her words so obscure and subtle, with the intention of giving her mother an impression that Steve accidentally tore her clothes while they were being intimate, and that was why she changed into new ones. As Ruby Gregory expected, Lady Gregory instantly understood the hint in her words, and her expression instantly relaxed, leaving only a remark, ¡°You should rest early.¡± Then, she entered the bedroom. Ruby watched the door of her parents¡¯ bedroom close, then she quietly breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the stairs. The room was very quiet, and through the door, Ruby could hear her mother narrating everything she had seen to her father. She could tell from her mother¡¯s tone that there was a hint of satisfaction. After listening, her father¡¯s tone was also very cheerful, ¡°I knew it, our Ruby has been raised by us so well, and she¡¯s so beautiful. How could Steve not like ¡°Ruby and Steve are progressing so smoothly, you can be relieved now.¡± In her mother¡¯s words, there was a hint of a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know when the loan can be approved. Now that Ruby and Steve have such a promising future, we need money in the company. Why don¡¯t we sell the cemetery plot we bought before? The land is vast, and the feng Shui is good. We spent a lot of money when we bought it, and now it¡¯s worth several times more. When Ruby marries Steve in the future, we will be rich, and we can buy a better one.¡± Standing outside the door, Ruby heard her father¡¯s plan, looked sideways at her bruised wrist, was lost for a moment, and then pursed her lips slightly and walked upstairs. As she wished, she had used a suggestive and evocative story to make her parents happy and make them believe that she and Steve Burton really had a chance. But in the end, she was unfilial and could only make her parents happy for such a brief moment. Only she knew deep down just how deep Steve¡¯s disgust and disdain for her truly was. Last night, Ruby had been restless in bed, tossing and turning for a long time, already sleep-deprived, so as soon as she took a bath tonight and crawled into bed, she fell into a deep sleep. In her dreams, Ruby had a wonderful dream. She saw her younger self and a very young Steve Burton, who already looked like a little adult. When she was very young, her memory of Steve was limited to the fact that she would always get many delicious treats when she met this older brother.. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (3) Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (3) Translator: 549690339 Her deep-rooted memories of Steve Burton began when she started sitting on the backseat of his bike every day. Actually, she couldn¡¯t quite remember how Steve started giving her a ride to and from school each day. In her memories of elementary school, Steve would help her solve her homework every morning. Initially, they would do her homework together, but then it became just Steve doing it, while she held a comic book or a cup of milk tea, watching him write. With such a ready-made homework solver, she became even more lazy and unwilling to do her homework. As her class level went up, the amount of homework increased, and Steve entered the sixth grade of elementary school, preparing for the exam to enter junior high school. However, even so, Steve still helped her with her homework every morning, rain or shine. Back then, Steve had a really good temper. At least in Ruby¡¯s memory, although he had a sharp tongue, he never gave her the cold shoulder. And because no matter what she said or did, he never got angry with her, she became somewhat unbridled in front of him. Though so many years had passed, Ruby clearly remembered that by the time Steve finally stopped helping her with her homework, she didn¡¯t feel grateful at all. Instead, she took it for granted, and even when she had a pile of homework that he couldn¡¯t finish, she didn¡¯t offer to help but complained with a disappointed face, huffing, ¡°Steve, are your test scores fake or something?¡± ¡°You¡¯re writing this fourth-grade homework so hesitantly and sluggishly. Did you only get into the sixth grade because you used your wealthy Burton family connections?¡± ¡°Oh, Steve, can you hurry up? Our class leader keeps track of who enters the classroom first, and I want to be the first one in!¡± Sometimes, when Steve was annoyed by her nagging, he would finish her homework, pack it neatly with her textbook into her backpack, and coldly say, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me to help you with your homework tomorrow!¡± After that, he would wear an aloof and unreachable expression, slinging his bag over his shoulder, and walk toward his own classroom without even glancing at her. Yet, the next morning, Steve would still show up on time at the Gregory¡¯s doorstep, ready to take her to school, park their bike, and, ignoring his words from the day before, grab her backpack and ask, ¡°What was yesterday¡¯s homework?¡± Although he could forget what he said at any time, she didn¡¯t. Staring with wide eyes and pursed lips, she would say, ¡°Weren¡¯t you not going to help me with my homework?¡± When she reminded him of his own words, he didn¡¯t feel embarrassed or at a loss for words. Instead, he casually raised his head, glanced at her, and said, ¡°You think I care about helping you?¡± while his hands had already found the teacher¡¯s assignment card, and he began to imitate her handwriting and write.. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (4) Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (4) Sometimes, Steve Burton would inevitably make some mistakes. These mistakes could be something like writing a wrong character, or inadvertently writing a wrong English letter while writing in English. The teacher always had sharp eyes and could accurately pick out such inconspicuous errors from the many homework assignments, marking them with a red pen. Whenever that happened, Ruby Gregory would point to the red marks on her homework and complain to Steve with a disgruntled face: ¡°Steve, how on earth do you do your homework? You¡¯re in sixth grade, sixth grade, and you still make such stupid mistakes!¡± ¡°Steve, do you know that because you wrote one wrong English letter, the teacher made me copy this word thirty times!¡± It was clear that Ruby wouldn¡¯t be the one writing those thirty copies, but she acted as if she were the one doing it, stomping her feet and clenching her teeth while repeating: ¡°Thirty times! Thirty times!¡± Compared to Ruby¡¯s excitement, Steve, who helped her with her homework and was blamed by her, remained exceptionally calm. Though he was only in sixth grade, the words he said were enough to render Ruby speechless: ¡°If you were the one writing, you¡¯d probably be punished to write not thirty times, but three hundred.¡± Ruby stared defiantly, about to retort, when Steve spoke again, silencing her with his words: ¡°If you have the guts, write your own homework today.¡± At that time, he was only twelve years old, but the words he spoke already carried a sense of authority. However, when he took out her homework and helped her write one word thirty times, his actions effortlessly dissolved his previous aura of authority. At that time, Ruby thought Steve was truly shameless. He bullied her with his words, yet helped her with his actions. It made it impossible for her to hate him! In Ruby¡¯s memory, what truly made Steve shameless was not these incidents, but the one time she ranked first in her grade in elementary school. Although Ruby didn¡¯t do her homework, she was not stupid. She learned what needed to be learned, but because of her laziness, she occasionally remembered some words or characters vaguely, which led to some mistakes during exams. At that time, the term ¡°top student¡± was not popular yet, but Steve was a genuine top student. All the teachers in the school liked him very much, so when he took the initiative to offer to help a teacher grade the final exam papers, they agreed without even blinking. Of course, Ruby didn¡¯t know that the reason why Steve, who normally disdained to help, offered to help this time was because his teacher was in charge of grading the final exam papers for Ruby¡¯s class.. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (5) Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (5) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton brought home Ruby Gregory¡¯s term papers from her class and began grading them right in front of her. No elementary school student is indifferent or uncurious about their own end-of-term results. Ruby was no exception, she stood by the table, sucking on a lollipop, tiptoeing, her eyes fixed on Steve Burton grading her paper. That day in Steve Burton¡¯s study, the scene unfolded like this: While working on the fourth grade examination questions, Steve Burton didn¡¯t hesitate to criticize Ruby Gregory whenever he found mistakes: ¡°Ruby Gregory, were you half asleep during the exam? Even the word ¡®encounter¡¯ is wrong in your composition.¡± Back then, elementary school exam papers were mostly completed with a pencil. As he spoke, he took out an eraser and erased Ruby Gregory¡¯s misspelled word ¡®encounter¡¯, replaced it with the correct one, and marked it with a check in red pen. ¡°Ruby Gregory, did you skip breakfast? You didn¡¯t even bother to answer this fill in the blank question, just skipped directly past it.¡± ¡°Forgot? How come you don¡¯t forget that your name is Ruby Gregory, huh?¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory, are you a pig? Even US$27-5 divided by twenty-seven, you can¡¯t get it right.¡¯ ¡°Ruby Gregory¡­ ¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory¡­ ¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory¡­¡± As many mistakes as there were on Ruby Gregory¡¯s end-of-term paper, that was how many times Steve Burton sarcastically scolded Ruby Gregory. As many times as Steve Burton scolded Ruby Gregory, that was how many times he took the eraser and erased Ruby Gregory¡¯s mistakes, and corrected them with a pencil. After being scolded one by one by Steve Burton¡¯s wicked words, Ruby¡¯s eyes turned red in the end. Glancing at her teetering tears, Steve Burton tightened his grip on his pencil, clearly trying to comfort the girl about to cry. However, the words that came out ot his mouth were lacking in comforting components: ¡°Ruby Gregory, dare to shed a tear, try it.¡± Ruby Gregory felt even more wronged, and the tears fell pitter-patter on their own. Steve Burton was even more flustered deep down. He stared at the paper, and the words that came out of his mouth were all threats: ¡°Ruby Gregory, if you dare to shed another tear, I¡¯ll grade all your finals zero.¡± Ruby Gregory burst into crying instantly like a child. Steve Burton threw down his pen, muttered a low, ¡°troublemaker,¡± Then he took a tissue from the table, wiped the tears from the corner of Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes, and his tone became a little more constrained: ¡°Alright, I was wrong, stop crying.¡± Although not a hint of admitting his mistake could be heard from his voice tone. But that was the first time he had ever backed down in front of Ruby Gregory in his life. Ruby Gregory was not a child who harbored grudges, she stopped crying immediately, looked at Steve Burton, and asked the question she cared most about: ¡°So, how many points exactly did I score?¡± Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (6) Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (6) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton turned around without saying a word, completely ignoring the words ¡°fair and just¡± on the exam paper, and directly, without any embarrassment or hesitation, picked up a red pen. He felt it was only natural to write a series of 100 points for Ruby Gregory¡¯s exams in all subjects. Ruby burst into laughter, but she didn¡¯t notice Steve¡¯s silent sigh of relief as he watched her tearful smile. Howard Coleman and Madeleine were born on the same day, but unfortunately, Madeleine was born two minutes earlier than Howard, so she was considered the older sister. Howard and Madeleine were in the same class as Ruby Gregory. With perfect scores in all subjects, Ruby couldn¡¯t contain her joy and borrowed the phone in Steve¡¯s study to call Madeleine and Howard. She proudly bragged her achievement to them. However, Howard sneered at Ruby and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need Steve¡¯s help to change my answers, I can get full marks on my own.¡± The phone was on speaker, so Steve could hear the arrogance in Howard¡¯s voice. He also noticed Ruby pouting over Howard¡¯s disdain. At that time, Steve had mastered the art of prioritizing love over friendship. Without any hesitation, he dug through a pile of exam papers to find Howard¡¯s exam, saw that Howard indeed answered everything correctly, and then used an eraser to change a few of Howard¡¯s answers to incorrect ones. As a result, Howard¡¯s score went from a perfect 100 to 90 points. That year, Ruby Gregory received the first place award at the final exams and won the praise of all the teachers. She returned home for the New Year in high spirits. On the other hand, Howard, who always ranked first, didn¡¯t even make it to the top ten that year. He was scolded by his teachers and went home with a downcast face. Even his parents rebuked him, and his New Year¡¯s pocket money was cut in half. How beautiful and carefree those days were, thought Ruby in her dreams, with the corners of her lips turned up in a smile. She lazily rolled over in bed, wanting to continue dreaming, but somehow, the colorful scenes of her childhood suddenly changed into black and white images. The two people in the images were instantly enlarged and transformed into their present selves. The look in Steve¡¯s eyes was no longer clear and innocent like in their childhood. It was cold and filled with shattered ice that sent chills down her spine. ¡°Get lost, if you want to get lost!¡± ¡°Disgusting! ¡± ¡°Hypocrite!¡± These cruel and hurtful words were what he hurled at her! Ruby felt as if countless needles were ruthlessly stabbing into her body, causing her intense pain and making her tremble all over. Ruby¡¯s brow furrowed, and her forehead was covered in sweat. Suddenly, she bolted upright in bed.. Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (7) Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory gasped for breath, looking around and seeing the familiar surroundings of her room, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief in secret. Raising her hand, she gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, thinking of the childhood scenes she had recalled in her dream, her expression slightly dazed. She pursed her lips, lowered her eyelashes, and lay back down into the soft bed and blanket. Over the years, she had never reminisced about the past, so what happened tonight that made her think of those previous events? If only time could go backward, stopping forever in the ignorant childhood years, how great would that be. Ruby Gregory raised her hand, picked up her phone, and glanced at the time. It was three in the morning. She closed her eyes, trying to fall back asleep, but she felt a slight heaviness in her lower abdomen. Ruby frowned, turned over, and found the feeling even stronger. That¡¯s when she suddenly realized something, lifted the covers, and quickly got out of bed, running into the bathroom. As Ruby squatted on the toilet, she saw the red stain on her underwear, and her mood suddenly became even heavier. In the afternoon, she had thought that if she were pregnant, everything would be solved, but the first day of this month had just arrived, and her hopes were already shattered. This month, she had done it four times with Steve Burton, but she still didn¡¯t get pregnant. Given how much Steve currently despised her, unless she was pregnant with his child, he definitely would not marry her. So did this mean she would have to continue doing those things with Steve? Thinking about it, Ruby felt a faint pain coming from her lower body. Her complexion turned a little pale as she slowly applied a sanitary pad, stood up, washed her hands at the sink while thinking about when she would not be able to bear that kind of suffering anymore. She had to come up with a way to get out of that torment as soon as possible. Moreover, the Gregorys were now in urgent need of her marriage to Steve Burton as a rescue. Therefore, the only option now was to conceive a child within this month. This way, she only needed to endure one more month, and all the problems would be solved. Ruby Gregory climbed back into bed but couldn¡¯t sleep a wink. She took out her phone and searched on how to get pregnant quickly. Then, Ruby saw information about the safe period and conception period. Her period started on the first day and ended on the sixth, making the tenth day the beginning of her safe period. The fifteenth to the twenty-fifth were her conception period, with the twentieth being the day of her highest ovulation. Those days were the best chance to get pregnant. As Ruby tilted her head and thought about it, she realized that she had always been intimate with Steve during her safe period. It was no wonder she hadn¡¯t been able to get pregnant.. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (8) Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (8) Translator: 549690339 She had to find a way to make¡­ love with Steve Burton during this month¡¯s conception period. If possible, she truly did not want to endure that kind of pain again. But before she became pregnant, she could not avoid the suffering, so¡­ since she had to endure, she had to bear some rewards and value . As long as she could have a child, everything would be worth it. On the second day when Ruby Gregory went to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, she happened to run into Steve Burton. She had just started the elevator with her card and saw Steve Burton and Edward Woods standing in the elevator, talking about something. Ruby Gregory hesitated for a while. Thinking about what Steve Burton had done to her last night, she subconsciously wanted to wait for the next elevator. She had just decided to quickly dodge to the side, but the keen-eyed Edward Woods waved at her with a warm smile, calling out, ¡°Ruby, good morning.¡± Ruby Gregory had to stop, returning Edward Woods¡¯s gesture with a smile worse than a crying face: ¡°Mr. Woods.¡± Then, she slowly turned her gaze to Steve Burton and whispered softly, ¡°Mr. Burton, good morning.¡± As always, Steve Burton looked at Ruby Gregory without expression. Ruby Gregory was so terrified by his gaze that she trembled, and her bag dropped to the ground. The contents spilled all over the floor because the bag¡¯s zipper wasn¡¯t fastened. However, Ruby Gregory secretly felt relieved, knowing that her bag had dropped at just the right time. She hurriedly crouched down to pick up the items while telling Steve Burton and Edward Woods, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for the next elevator.¡± ¡°Need help?¡± asked Edward Woods. But before he could step out of the elevator, Steve Burton raised his hand and pressed the elevator button. The elevator doors closed, blocking Edward Woods¡¯ action. Ruby Gregory watched the elevator ascend before she finally let out a long sigh of relief. She quickly shoved the scattered items back into her bag and pressed the button for another elevator. ¡°Then in accordance with your instructions, I will contact Prosperity Enterprises in Shanghai today, and convey our company¡¯s opinion to them. If they do not agree, we will simply withdraw our investment, ¡± Steve Burton responded to Edward Wood¡¯s statement with a slight nod of approval. The elevator doors opened and Steve Burton and Edward Woods walked out. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I will get going.¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t respond to Edward Woods. He just walked towards his office. After taking two steps, Steve Burton suddenly stopped, turned his head, and called out, ¡°Edward.¡± Edward Woods turned his head, his eyes met Steve Burton¡¯s in confusion. Steve Burton paused for a moment and said, ¡°Order the company¡¯s cafeteria to serve brown sugar ginger tea for lunch today.¡± Brown sugar ginger tea? What kind of soup is that? Edward Woods furrowed his brows but before he could ask, Steve Burton turned and walked away. Just before the elevator doors closed, Steve Burton had seen that there was a pack of sanitary napkins inside Ruby¡¯s bag that had fallen to the ground. Today was the first of the month, the day of her menstrual cycle. She was slightly cold, and her hands and feet were cold during these few days. He had read some articles before and learned that drinking brown sugar ginger tea would help. However, he didn¡¯t know how to make some of his special considerations for her, so he just provided them in this way, presenting them to her. Just like, he loved her, with a sentiment she could not perceive. PS: End for today. Continues tomorrow- The winner of the prize draw is: Ex , PSS: Book Recommendation ¨C Genius Summoner: The Cute and Sly Dark Lady. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (9) Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (9) Translator: 549690339 However, he didn¡¯t know how to do some things specifically for her, so he could only use this way to bring it to her face. It¡¯s like his love for her, an expression she can¡¯t see. An expression he didn¡¯t want her to see. When Steve Burton passed by the secretary¡¯s office, Ms. Taylor, the chief secretary, quickly stood up and gave a proficient and quick summary of Mr. Burton¡¯s schedule for the day. At the end, Ms. Taylor raised her head from the itinerary sheet, looked at Mr. Burton, and asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, you have a golf appointment with Mr. Taylor this morning, and Ruby Gregory will be accompanying you. Do you want me to have the driver prepare the car now?¡± Steve Burton¡¯s eyebrows moved slightly, turning his head and asking, ¡°Indoors or outdoors?¡± ¡°Outdoors.¡± Steve Burton glanced at the window, the wind was a bit strong today, and Ruby was having her period, it was not good for her to catch a chill. Steve Burton instinctively wanted to ask Ms. Taylor to change the golf course to an indoor one but then remembered that a woman¡¯s first day of her period would make her tired and weak, not easy to travel around outdoors. Steve Burton¡¯s throat rolled twice, his tone emotionless, ¡°Let Maya Mitchell accompany me to meet Mr. Taylor today.¡± Ms. Taylor was slightly stunned, feeling that Mr. Burton was becoming more and more unpredictable. Clearly, at the dinner last night, Maya Mitchell was more suitable for the occasion than Ruby Gregory, but Mr. Burton chose Ruby. And today¡¯s golf game was just for the secretary to accompany. Ruby was the most beautiful secretary in the group, so she was the most suitable choice, but Mr. Burton chose Maya Mitchell instead. When Steve Burton entered his office, he faintly heard Ms. Taylor say to Ruby Gregory, ¡°Ruby, you don¡¯t have to accompany Mr. Burton to the golf course today. Maya Mitchell is going.¡± Through the mirror on the office door, Steve Burton saw Ruby¡¯s expression stiffen slightly when she heard the news. Then she quickly lowered her eyes, nodded, and sat down at her desk. Having known Ruby for so many years, Steve Burton could tell she was unhappy at this moment. Steve Burton grasped the door handle and applied a little force, like nothing was wrong, then pushed open the office door and walked in. Steve Burton took off his suit jacket, sat in his office chair, opened the computer, and was immediately greeted by the screensaver made with a picture of Ruby Gregory from her student days. In the picture, she was smiling beautifully and charmingly, completely unlike now when she faced him, lowering her eyes, appearing afraid, cautious, and extremely careful. If he could, he really wished he could express this love openly, and be able to personally make her a cup of brown sugar ginger tea when she had her period, and tell her clearly that she should not go out on the first day of her period, so he had Maya Mitchell replace her temporarily at work.. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (10) Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Loving Her is the Perfect Pantomime (10) Translator: 549690339 However, for Ruby Gregory, who doesn¡¯t love him and only married him to marry him, these thoughts of his only make her feel even less of his presence in her heart. So, he can only not love her, working very hard not to love her, even though he loves her very much. Steve Burton always has endless work to do; sometimes, Ruby wouldn¡¯t even see him for an entire day at the office. Although the two of them are neighbors, Steve, who always has his after-work schedule filled with social engagements, rarely meets Ruby at home. Ruby has long lost her initial confidence that she could definitely marry Steve when she returned home. Even in the face of Steve¡¯s torture in bed, time and time again, Ruby would unconsciously want to hide when she ran into him at the office. The 10th is the day Ruby and Steve agreed to go to Red Park. Unable to conceive this month, Ruby deliberately looked up information, and the 10th is her safe day. The chances of her getting pregnant are almost negligible. If she keeps relying on this day, she may never have a child in her life. So, for her, that night on the 10th with Steve was just meaningless torture. As a result, Ruby was already feeling nervous four days before the 10th, right after her period ended on the 6th. On the evening of the 9th, Ruby hardly fell asleep, with her mind constantly turning over what she and Steve would do the next night. Although she was lying alone in her own bed now, she could already feel a faint pain. Early on the 10th, Ruby got up. Having not slept well the night before made her slightly tired. She went to work, looking somewhat dispirited. At 10 0¡¯clock in the morning, Steve suddenly called the secretary¡¯s office to book a flight to Bolivia, saying that there was a temporary issue with the partner company there and he needed to handle it. Upon hearing this news, Ruby secretly let out a sigh of relief for escaping her nightmare that night, and her spirit instantly lifted. Steve¡¯s business trip lasted an entire week. and he didn¡¯t return until the 17th. Because the trip was not prearranged, many tasks had piled up in Ciawell¡¯s office. As soon as Steve returned to Ciawell, he immediately became extremely busy, working overtime at the office every night. Medically speaking, a woman¡¯s body temperature drops during ovulation and rises sharply the following day, with a temperature difference of about 0.50C. Ruby has always been calculating in her heart about getting pregnant sooner, so she purposely bought a thermometer two weeks ago. Every day between 6 and 7 a.m., she would measure her temperature with the thermometer and record a curve chart.. Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Pregnancy Little Thoughts (1) Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Pregnancy Little Thoughts (1) Translator: 549690339 At six o¡¯clock in the morning on the twentieth, Ruby Gregory was woken up by the alarm clock. She drowsily raised her hand to turn off the alarm, then reached out from the pillow, grabbed the thermometer and placed it under her armpit. About five minutes later, Ruby took out the thermometer, opened her eyes, and looked at it. Then she suddenly sat up in bed, looked carefully again, picked up her phone to record the body temperature curve. She found that her body temperature was 0.6 degrees Celsius lower than yesterday. To be on the safe side, Ruby shook the thermometer and placed it under her armpit again. Another five minutes later, she took it out, and it was still 0.6 degrees Celsius lower than normal body temperature. As she held the thermometer, Ruby suddenly became tense. Tonight, tonight, she must have sex with Steve Burton because tonight, her pregnancy rate would be at its highest. But how could she have sex with Steve tonight? Usually, Ruby would continue to sleep after recording her temperature, but today, she didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. She hugged the quilt, bit her finger, and frowned, thinking for a long time, until Lady Gregory called her for breakfast, she then came to her senses, washed up, and went downstairs. During breakfast, Ruby was still thinking about tonight¡¯s problem between her and Steve. Halfway through, she suddenly put down her chopsticks, raised her head, looked at Lady Gregory, and asked, ¡°Mom, are you busy this afternoon?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Steve used to come to our house for dinner a lot, and he especially liked some of the dishes you made.¡± Maxwell Gregory¡¯s eyes brightened slightly upon hearing this: ¡°That¡¯s true. Since Ruby returned to China, Steve hasn¡¯t come to our house for dinner. Is he coming tonight?¡± Ruby shook her head: ¡°No, he¡¯s been working really late these days, and I was thinking of asking mom to prepare some food for his supper.¡± Creating opportunities for the two of them to be alone together was the only hope for something else to happen. Ruby didn¡¯t know if she could succeed, but with Steve¡¯s aversion towards her, getting pregnant as soon as possible was the only way left for her now. For the sake of the Gregorys and for her own goal of being told to marry Steve, she could only make the greatest effort and give it a shot. During the day, Ruby deliberately left her work undone, not starting it until 6 PM. After work, she started dealing with the reports and materials she was responsible for. By around 6:30, half of the top floor employees had already left. At seven o¡¯clock, the top floor office became somewhat quiet.. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (2) Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (2) Translator: 549690339 At 7:20, Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine exited the office, bidding Steve Burton¡ªwho was still processing files in his office¡ªgoodbye as they left one after another. At 7:35, Maya Mitchell put down her mouse, her tone tender as she asked Ruby Gregory, ¡°Ruby, you haven¡¯t finished yet?¡± Ruby, who it seemed was diligently but slowly filling out the form, paused upon hearing Maya¡¯s voice. She looked up and shook her head at Maya. Maya glanced at the lit-up CEO¡¯s office, briefly contemplated, and kindly offered Ruby, ¡°Do you need help It¡¯s already past seven; I don¡¯t know what time will it be when you finish.¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t need help. All she wanted was to drag out this bit of work until only she and Steve remained in the top-floor office. Ruby shook her head and declined,¡± No need, thank you. I¡¯ll be finished soon.¡± Maya took another look at Steve¡¯s office and thoughtfully turned to Ruby, who seemed to be fully engaged in her work, ¡°Or shall I wait for you so we can leave work together?¡± That was even less needed! Ruby had just made up her mind when she slightly furrowed her brows. Though Maya had always been kind to her, why did she somehow feel odd about Maya at this moment? Ruby turned her head and scrutinized Maya for a moment but couldn¡¯t detect anything odd. She then smiled and responded, ¡°No need. Someone will be picking me up soon.¡± After pausing, Ruby added, ¡°Maya, thank you. You go ahead.¡± Maya nodded, hesitated a bit, then turned her computer off, slowly packed up and stood up. Seeing that Ruby was still working, she managed to say, ¡°Ruby, goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± This time, Ruby didn¡¯t even lift her head when she responded. Maya, her bag in hand, paused for a moment before slowly heading out of the office. Ruby waited for Maya to get into the elevator before lifting her gaze from the computer screen. At this point, no one else remained in the top-floor office. The report Ruby was working on wasn¡¯t particularly complicated. She feared Steve would ask why she was still not leaving work; thus, she intentionally left off a part of it and halted her work. She glanced at the time¡ªit was already 8:45. At 9 0¡¯clock, the late-night snack prepared by her mother would be delivered. Ruby took her workcard, tiptoed from her seat, visited the restroom, and then took the elevator downstairs.. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (3) Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (3) Translator: 549690339 When Ruby Gregory arrived at the entrance of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, the late-night meal had just been delivered. Retracing her steps to the top floor, Ruby placed the food box on her own desk. She caught a glimpse of the light in Steve Burton¡¯s office, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, carrying the food box, she walked towards Steve¡¯s office. As she got closer and closer to the office door, Ruby¡¯s heartbeat sped up even more. She really wanted to just turn around and flee with the food box in hand. In the end, it felt like it took all the strength of nine oxen and two tigers for Ruby to finally drag her heavy-feeling feet to the door of Steve¡¯s office. Ruby raised her hand several times, wanting to knock on the door, but eventually she pulled back awkwardly. After hesitating several times, Ruby finally gritted her teeth and gently knocked three times on the door. Ruby felt like her heart was about to stop beating. Holding her breath, she perked her ears up and waited for about two seconds before she heard a simple, clear and concise word from inside: ¡°Come in.¡± Ruby carefully cracked the door open. Through the gap, she saw Steve sitting at his desk, concentrating on a file in his hand. He was wearing a light gray shirt without a tie, two buttons on the collar undone to reveal his beautiful, delicate collarbone. He appeared elegant, yet casual. Although he knew someone had knocked, he didn¡¯t raise his head. His eyelashes were long, and as he looked down at the report, they cast a beautiful shadow on his eye socket under the bright office lights, like butterfly wings. Something in the file seemed to puzzle him as his brows furrowed slightly. Soon he grabbed a pen and made a couple of marks on the paper. His movements were simplistic yet elegant, an irresistible charm about them. Ruby felt her heart race even faster. She tightly gripped the food box in her hand, gently closed the door, and walked over to the sofa with the food box before placing it on the coffee table. She glanced at Steve, who was still concentrating on the file in his hand, and did not disturb him. The office was unusually quiet, with only the occasional sound of Steve flipping through papers while reading the file, and nothing else. Ruby stood dutifully nearby, as if she were invisible. After a while, it seemed that Steve noticed no one had spoken. He finally lifted his eyelids, and when he saw Ruby¡¯s figure, his brows furrowed slightly, a barely visible surprise flashing in his eyes.. He lowered his head again, as if nothing had happened, and asked nonchalantly, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left work yet?¡± Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (4) Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (4) Translator: 549690339 His tone was devoid of any emotion and even carried a hint of coldness, making Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart even more nervous, ¡°Some work wasn¡¯t finished, so I¡¯m a bit late.¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t respond this time, not even bothering to lift his head and look at her. His indifference made Ruby¡¯s prepared explanations seem inadequate, and she suddenly didn¡¯t know where to start. Steve, however, seemed much more composed than her, as if she didn¡¯t exist, and continued to peruse the documents in his hands. It wasn¡¯t until Steve finished reading the documents that he glanced at Ruby, ¡°What is it?¡± His tone was somewhat perfunctory, as if he was annoyed because his work was interrupted. And what she was going to talk about had nothing to do with work, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she¡¯d anger Steve if she couldn¡¯t say it. She couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips slightly. Steve furrowed his brow gently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ruby knew that this man had never liked hesitation, so she had to gather her courage and blurt out the excuse she had been thinking about all day, ¡°Due to overtime, I didn¡¯t return home until eight o¡¯clock, so someone from home sent over some late-night snacks.¡± ¡°I noticed that you¡¯ve been busy and didn¡¯t eat anything for dinner, would you¡­¡± At this point, Ruby couldn¡¯t bear to look at Steve and hung her head, asking, ¡°Would you like something to eat?¡± It was then that Steve noticed a food box on the small table behind Ruby, and his gaze on her softened slightly. Ruby hung her head, waited for a long time, and didn¡¯t hear Steve speak. Regardless if he was pleased or not, she opened her mouth again, saying, ¡°It¡¯s important to work, but it¡¯s not good for your health to be so busy that you neglect your meals every day¡­¡± Before Ruby could finish her sentence, she noticed a pair of leather shoes by her feet. Ruby¡¯s tone paused, and as she lifted her head, she saw Steve standing in front ot her, his gaze deeply fixed on her. His stare made her heart tighten, and she couldn¡¯t say the rest of the sentence. Steve then asked, ¡°What¡¯s there to eat?¡± Ruby heard these words and knew that Steve had agreed to have dinner. She immediately turned and walked to the coffee table, opened the food box, and displayed the food one by one. Ruby first served Steve a bowl of rice, placed it in front of him, and handed him a pair of chopsticks. Steve¡¯s expression softened as he took them, and without saying anything, he began eating. The two didn¡¯t have much interaction, and Ruby¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts about how she would naturally develop a relationship with Steve after dinner. So, she occasionally glanced at him.. Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (5) Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (5) Translator: 549690339 With the amount of times she observed him, Ruby was inevitably caught in the act by Steve. Ruby¡¯s hand trembled nervously, afraid that Steve would notice something amiss. She quickly placed the food from her chopsticks into Steve¡¯s bowl: ¡°You should eat more.¡± After saying that, Ruby quickly pulled back her chopsticks and buried her head in her bowl of rice. Steve was momentarily stunned by Ruby¡¯s series of actions before he finally snapped back to reality. He glanced at her as she kept stuffing rice into her mouth, a faint smile playing on his lips. Then he continued eating in silence. After finishing their meal, Ruby dragged her feet to clean up the food boxes on the tea table. She took a paper towel and wiped the table clean. She knew that at this point, she should be taking the food boxes out of Steve¡¯s office to avoid disturbing his work. But there was only one day in the whole month when her chances of getting pregnant were the highest, and she didn¡¯t want to miss this perfect opportunity. So, Ruby racked her brain to find a topic: ¡°Do you have to work later?¡± Steve glanced at the thick stack of documents piled up on his desk, raised his hand to massage his neck, and nodded in response. Ruby noticed Steve rubbing his neck and knew that it was stiffness caused by sitting and working with documents for a long time. Perhaps it was because she had no other choice that her courage grew and she became more proactive than before. Before she knew what was happening, Ruby found herself behind Steve, reaching out to touch his neck. Steve¡¯s body tensed up suddenly. Seeing that he didn¡¯t push her away, Ruby¡¯s confidence grew even more, and she gently pinched Steve¡¯s neck. Ruby had never learned massage techniques, but she had often been to a SPA. Following the SPA procedures she was familiar with, she kneaded Steve¡¯s neck, then his shoulders and arms. Finally, she placed her hand on Steve¡¯s temples and slowly rubbed them. Steve closed his eyes slightly. Although his face was still expressionless, the coldness had somewhat subsided. When it came to bedroom matters, aside from her few encounters with Steve, Ruby had no other experience. As Ruby became lost in thought, her hands stopped massaging him. Steve thought her hands had become tired from the massage, so he opened his eyes and called for a halt: ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± That¡¯s enough? Did that mean that everything she had prepared for tonight would end just like this? Ruby felt a little anxious and came up with another excuse: ¡°Let me massage your eyes..¡± Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (6) Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (6) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton thought Ruby Gregory had been holding her position for a while, her wrist must be tired, so he straightened up and said, ¡°It¡¯s all right, I feel much better now.¡± Ruby staring at Steve¡¯s perfect and impeccable face, rolled her eyes for a bit, continued to find excuses: ¡°Do you want coffee?¡± Having just eaten, who would have the appetite for coffee? Steve shook his head: ¡°I still have some documents to work on, don¡¯t you have unfinished work as well?¡± So, everything she did tonight was in vain? She didn¡¯t want to miss such a high probability of getting pregnant tonight. But what should she do? The more anxious Ruby was, the more chaotic her mind became, and the words she said were somewhat confused: ¡°It¡¯s so late, how do we go back home? Are you going back or not?¡± Steve simply thought that Ruby was worried about driving home alone since it was so late, so he said: ¡°I¡¯ll finish the urgent documents for tomorrow, not much left, and then I¡¯ll drive you back.¡± He¡¯s taking her home? Going home, wouldn¡¯t that mean they were each going to their own homes? How could they continue doing those things if they went their separate ways? ¡°I, I¡¯m not going home tonight!¡± Ruby blurted out in her hurry. Steve frowned, turned his head to look at Ruby: ¡°If you¡¯re not going home, where are you planning to go?¡± Ruby was suddenly at a loss for words when Steve asked her this. She couldn¡¯t just tell him directly that she wanted to be with him tonight, could she? Sweat covered Ruby¡¯s forehead as she watched Steve approach his office desk. Suddenly, not knowing where her courage came from, she darted over and reached out to grab Steve¡¯s hand. Steve was taken aback by Ruby¡¯s grip, twisted his head to look into her eyes. Ruby only felt the heat rolling in Steve¡¯s palm. Staring into his eyes, she open her mouth but couldn¡¯t say that she wanted to be with him tonight. Ruby¡¯s face flushed slightly, she swallowed her saliva, her grip on Steve¡¯s hand couldn¡¯t help but tighten, then she stuttered two words: ¡°I¡­tonight¡­¡± Immediately, her face turned red as if it could drip blood. Her trembling lips were like fluttering petals. Ruby¡¯s words were muddled; Steve had no idea what she was trying to express. He just felt that at this moment, her blushing and awkward appearance was genuinely touching, far more alluring than her usual cautious and well-behaved demeanor when she saw him. For a moment, Steve was captivated. He felt her holding his hand, soft and delicate, with a hint of trembling. An indescribable sense of heat quickly began rolling throughout his body. Ruby clenched her teeth, preparing to take the initiative to kiss Steve¡¯s lips. However, the man was one step ahead of her, suddenly reaching out his hand, wrapping it around her waist, and fiercely sealed her lips. PS: I was stuck with the text today, wrote until after one o¡¯clock to.The winning reader from yesterday is: Satan MO MO Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (7) Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory gritted her teeth, planning to take the initiative to kiss Steve Burton¡¯s lips, but the man was one step ahead and suddenly stretched out his hand, wrapping his arm around her waist and fiercely blocking her lips. His kiss was wild and unexpected, with a sense that he wanted to devour her alive. Steve Burton forcefully sucked on Ruby Gregory¡¯s soft tongue as if he wanted to suck all the air from her body. Just when Ruby felt faint and thought she might suffocate at any moment, the intensity of Steve¡¯s kiss gradually slowed down, eventually becoming gentle and even cautiously tender. This was the first time Steve Burton had kissed Ruby Gregory so softly. Unlike before when his kisses were aggressive, biting her lips as if venting some frustration, leaving her lips swollen for a long time. Without the pain from previous kisses, Ruby could faintly sense an indescribable, strange feeling from their connected lips, rapidly spreading through every inch of her body. That feeling was something Ruby had never experienced before, so unfamiliar that it made her feel panicked and disoriented, yet not repulsive. In fact, she even seemed to like it a little, gradually immersing herself in it. Perhaps Ruby was too invested in this kiss, causing Steve Burton to become even more focused as well. He lifted his hand to cradle her head, deepening the kiss until they were both out of breath. Finally, he slightly pulled away from her lips but didn¡¯t separate completely. His eyes locked onto hers, the haziness in her eyes making him feel an unbearable burning sensation, so he couldn¡¯t resist covering her lips again. Steve Burton¡¯s breath gradually grew hotter, and the hand clutching Ruby¡¯s head slowly moved down. Through her clothes, he touched Ruby¡¯s chest. Although they had only been intimate a few times, Ruby could accurately predict when he was about to start doing that again. This familiar beginning caused a familiar premonition to spring up in Ruby¡¯s mind. As if to confirm her premonitions, Steve¡¯s hand moved from her chest to her collar, slipping inside. Her premonition turned out to be correct; what was coming next was indeed that. Thinking of the heartbreaking pain every time, Ruby shuddered violently. Immediately after, she felt her clothes being undone by Steve Burton, her chest exposed. Ruby instinctively wanted to free herself from Steve¡¯s embrace, but she remembered that all her efforts tonight were for this very moment.. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (8) Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (8) Translator: 549690339 She wanted a child of his, she wanted to marry him, she wanted to be the mistress of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, she wanted to help The Gregorys¡¯ soar under her stewardship¡­ Therefore, for all she desired, she now must accept, must endure. Ruby Gregory unconsciously clenched her fists, repressing the repugnance deep in her heart, forcing herself to bear. Her body became incredibly rigid instantly. Steve Burton felt the tension in the woman¡¯s body, his hands touching her skin halted momentarily and he slowly opened his eyes. The woman in his arms, her eyes tightly shut, a crease forming gently between her brows, her eyelashes trembling terribly, she indeed looked like facing death bravely. Was intimate involvement with him really so unbearable for her? Steve Burton¡¯s brows and eyes suddenly grew cold, kissing Ruby¡¯s lips with greater force, the originally slow caresses on her skin becoming increasingly forceful. Within moments, Steve Burton had discarded his and Ruby¡¯s clothes and went straight to the point. Like before, It was the same unbearable pam. But thankfully, this time, Steve Burton hadn¡¯t bound her hands like he had the previous times, allowing her to ease the pain he brought her in a way she had been accustomed to. With Steve¡¯s motions, Ruby¡¯s body grew stiffer and stiffer, until at the end, it was as unmovable as stone. Due to the strain, her hands clenched into fists grew slightly white. Suddenly, Steve Burton stopped. Ruby frowned, opened her eyes, observing Steve Burton glancing around as if looking for something. The moment Steve Burton picked up his shirt, Ruby instantly realized what he intended to do, she shivered fiercely, a flash of pain in her eyes. Was she ultimately unable to escape the fate of having her hands bound? His actions made her feel like nothing more than an object for his release. Ruby really wanted to tell him not to do this, but she feared ruining his mood by voicing out. He already loathed her; if she also denied this bit of pleasure, would this entire night go to waste? For the success of becoming pregnant, she had to endure a little longer¡­ Ruby swallowed the words that had reached the tip of her tongue hard, when she saw Steve raise her hands above her head to bind them with his shirt, she slowly closed her eyes, pretending that not seeing it meant it didn¡¯t hurt at her heart. Without the method of clenching her fists to shift her thoughts, Ruby found herself somewhat unable to bear the pain Steve was about to inflict. The color on her face gradually faded, her eyes tightly closed, she silently hoped deep within her heart that all this could end quickly.. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (9) Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (9) Translator: 549690339 However, it was as if Steve Burton saw right through Ruby Gregory¡¯s thoughts, and instead of stopping, his movements became even more intense. Finally, when Steve finished, Ruby let out a long sigh of relief. Ruby rarely expressed her inner thoughts in front of Steve, but today, perhaps because she had endured for too long, her expression involuntarily relaxed when he withdrew from her body. Seeing her expression, Steve¡¯s gaze darkened. He grabbed her waist, turned her over, pressed her onto his office desk, and entered her from behind, once again ravishing her mercilessly. Ruby gritted her teeth and told herself that if she could get pregnant tonight, she swore she would avoid having sex with Steve as much as possible in the future! The more Ruby thought this way, the more Steve seemed to go against her, becoming even more relentless. After being ravished twice in a row, Ruby felt like she was on the verge of collapse, her entire body limp and weak as she squatted on the ground, her legs trembling. Steve stood beside her, panting heavily. It took him a while to catch his breath and when he looked down at Ruby, she appeared lifeless, curled up on the ground with her hands still bound. Her body was covered in bruises. Steve¡¯s eyes were filled with passion, as he felt the fire within him ignite once again. He leaned down slightly to pick up Ruby from the floor. Ruby shuddered violently, with her head drooping and curled up in his embrace, not daring to move at all. Steve¡¯s breathing became somewhat unsteady. He carried Ruby to the adjoining resting room in his office, placed her on the bed, and untied her hands. Then, seeing her lips swollen by his kisses, he couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and kiss her again. Ruby never knew that Steve could have such frightening stamina. She felt that if they did it again, he would definitely wear her out. When his hand caressed her waist, Ruby instinctively reached out to grab it. Steve did not expect Ruby, who always behaved like a lifeless doll in bed, to react in this way. He was first taken aback, then his eyes gleamed. He lifted his head to look at her. Just as Ruby was about to push Steve¡¯s hand away, she thought that having sex more times tonight would increase her chances of getting pregnant. Moreover, it would only make her feel exhausted for a few days, and if she got pregnant, it wouldn¡¯t be unacceptable. So, Ruby lifted her eyelids, glanced at Steve, and gently moved her hand away.. Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (10) Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (10) Translator: 549690339 When Ruby Gregory barely touched Steve Burton¡¯s hand, it set off a thousand waves of emotions in the depths of Steve¡¯s heart, complete with joy, excitement, and exuberance¡­ Even Steve¡¯s fingers touching Ruby¡¯s skin trembled slightly as a result. In the past, after Ruby and Steve made love, she would barely manage to leave with her exhausted and aching body. However, today he had done it three times in a row. At this moment, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to get off the bed, let alone leave. Although Ruby had always assumed that Steve didn¡¯t like sleeping with her at night, she no longer had the energy to care about whether he would be displeased, and she simply collapsed onto his bed and closed her eyes. After a moment, Ruby heard Steve getting up, and too tired to open her eyes, she faintly heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom. Ruby knew that Steve was taking a shower. At this point, her mind was completely filled with the thought that she should be pregnant now. Although she was so tired that she wanted to fall asleep at any moment, she managed to force herself up, quietly left the bedroom, picked up her phone, and re-entered the bedroom. Ruby nestled in the soft bedding, picked up her phone, and opened some files she had saved earlier. She read them over and found that she had not made any mistakes ¨C the only thing left now was her sleeping position. The information stated that after sex, sleeping with a pillow under the waist in a supine position is beneficial for conception. Ruby was afraid that this action would arouse suspicion when Steve came out of the shower. So, she clenched her phone and propped it under her waist. Perhaps due to her exhaustion, Ruby soon fell deeply asleep. When Steve came out of the shower, Ruby was already sound asleep. He held a wet towel in his hand, slowly walked to the bedside, lifted the blanket, and cleaned Ruby¡¯s body. He noticed something hard underneath Ruby¡¯s waist. Steve frowned, lifted Ruby up a bit, and saw that a phone was placed under her waist. Ruby¡¯s phone wasn¡¯t locked, and because it was pressed under her body, the screen was lit up. When Steve picked it up, he casually glanced at it and saw a chart on the screen. Curious, Steve swiped through it and found that it recorded Ruby¡¯s body temperature every day, along with notations for safe and fertile days. There was also a red star marked for special notes. Steve opened it, puzzled, and saw that it was filled with text. Steve quickly skimmed through it and discovered that every entry was a small tip for helping with conception.. Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (11) Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (11) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory wants to get pregnant? The thought had just crossed Steve Burton¡¯s mind when he recalled the graph chart of safe and fertile period he had just seen. He clicked on the ¡°return¡± icon and saw that today marked the ovulation¡ªa day with the highest chance of conceiving in a month. Having returned from his Bolivia business trip, this was his fourth consecutive day working overtime. In the past three days, Ruby had never shown up in front of him. However, today, she suddenly appeared with food. Coincidentally, today was the day when Ruby¡¯s chances of getting pregnant were the highest. Countless things suddenly made sense in Steve¡¯s mind. It turned out that Ruby¡¯s appearance in his office tonight was not because she cared about his health, noticing that he hadn¡¯t eaten dinner, and decided to bring him a late-night snack. It turned out that Ruby¡¯s initiative to massage his aching neck was not out of genuine concern for his exhaustion and fatigue. As it turned out, Ruby had an ulterior motive for everything she did. Very well, that was just like the undaunted, ruthless Ruby Gregory who seemingly did everything for his benefit but had hidden meanings behind her actions. All those years, Ruby did everything for him, memorized every aspect of his life, not because she cared, cherished, or loved him, but because she wanted him to give her and the Gregorys even greater wealth and honor! Steve¡¯s expression turned cold as ice. He shifted his gaze from his phone to Ruby¡¯s sleeping face after a long while, staring at her delicate features. Suddenly, he smirked and began to laugh. No wonder she became so shy and flustered in front of him. No wonder she forced herself to make love with him even when she didn¡¯t want to. No wonder that during their third touch tonight, she wanted to resist but eventually accepted it. It turned out that she didn¡¯t want him tonight; she wanted his child. Just like all the other women who admired and approached him, she was after his immense wealth! Hadn¡¯t he always known this? But why was it that he so easily fell for her gestures of goodwill, then sunk into them without any hesitation or defense? He was foolish. Her kindness made him lose all his ability to think. He was too desperate, longing for her love to be genuine. All along, he had no defenses against her. Because he loved her too much, he easily disarmed all his defenses. Steve felt as if something was stuck in his throat, and waves of bitterness rose from the bottom of his heart. It seemed that the lesson from the incident three years ago was not brutal or painful enough! Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (12) Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (12) Translator: 549690339 The bedroom was eerily quiet. Ruby Gregory slept soundly on the bed. Steve Burton stood silently beside the bed, staring at Ruby. His eyes lacked their usual coldness, replaced with a thick, lingering sadness. At this moment, she didn¡¯t have a place in his heart. If she were to have a child, the Burtons would let him marry her, right? What would happen then? Steve didn¡¯t want to think about it, but his mind couldn¡¯t help but entertain such a conjecture. By then, Ruby wouldn¡¯t devote any attention to him at all. By then, Ruby would treat him with icy politeness, just as she did now. By then, Ruby would always be like she was now in front of him, a dignified, cautious, knowledgeable, and reasonable woman. By then, Ruby¡­ As Steve thought about it, he couldn¡¯t bear to continue thinking. The night was deep, and the stars and city lights outside the window had become somewhat silent along with Steve. He couldn¡¯t marry a woman who didn¡¯t love him at all. Even if that woman was the one he truly loved and the only one he¡¯d chosen for life. Because standing in front of the woman he deeply loves, not seeing himself reflected in her eyes, is more painful than never possessing her.upd?t? ?t ?ew?o?el . ?rg Ruby¡¯s slumber was deep and sweet. When she opened her eyes, the sun outside was brilliantly dazzling. Ruby felt slightly dizzy, as she couldn¡¯t figure out where she was at first. Her brain remained bewildered for a while until she realized that she had fallen asleep in an unfamiliar place. Sitting up abruptly, she saw the love bites on her skin through the mirror opposite the bed. Scenes from the previous night played back slowly, like a slow-motion movie. Ruby picked up her phone and checked the time ¨C it was already 11:30 in the morning! She hadn¡¯t gone to work the entire morning! And Steve hadn¡¯t woken her up? As Ruby instinctively pulled back the covers and dressed herself, she suddenly realized that she was still in the company. If anyone saw her sleeping in Steve¡¯s office, who knew what kind of rumors and gossip would spread? Ruby had no choice but to lower her hand, return to the bedroom, and notice a thermos on the bedside table with a note beside it, simply stating, ¡°Eat when you wake.¡± Ruby knew that Steve had prepared this meal for her. She opened the box, saw the delicate dishes inside, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat. Atter she finished eating, Steve still hadn¡¯t appeared in the ottice. Ruby, once again feeling bored, turned on the television, watched it for a while, and then dozed off again.. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (13) Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (13) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory woke up again, and it was already dark outside the window. No lights were on in the bedroom, making the room seem somewhat dim. Because Ruby had slept for so long, her mind was somewhat foggy, unable to make out what time it was. She held onto the blanket, sitting up from the bed. She was about to turn on the light when she saw a silhouette sitting on the sofa in front of the French windows of the bedroom. Although the room was somewhat dim, Ruby could faintly make out the silhouette¡¯s noble aura through the dimness. It was the distinctive aura that Steve Burton possessed from birth. Ruby vaguely saw that the man was holding something in his hand, knocking on the coffee table in front of the sofa, producing weak and high-pitched sounds repeatedly. Whether because the room was too dark, or because Ruby was somewhat afraid of Steve at the moment. The rhythmic sound made a thread of fear rise in her heart. Ruby moved slightly, still holding onto the blanket. She saw Steve¡¯s head slowly turn towards her. Although she couldn¡¯t see his eyes, she knew his gaze had landed on her. After waiting for a while and he didn¡¯t say anything, Ruby couldn¡¯t bear the silence and quietly asked, ¡°What time is it now?¡± About half a minute later, came Steve¡¯s usual indifferent voice: ¡°Half past eight. ¡± Half past eight? So late? Ruby frowned, instinctively picking up her mobile phone. As expected, she saw several missed calls from the Gregorys. Ruby swallowed, then asked again, ¡°Have all the secretaries left work yet?¡± But this time, Steve didn¡¯t answer her question. Ruby waited for a while, knowing that Steve had no plans to entertain her. She couldn¡¯t possibly stay in Steve¡¯s office forever. Thus, Ruby spoke up again, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go check. If there¡¯s no one else, I should go home.¡± As she spoke, Ruby lifted the blanket. Before her foot even touched the ground, suddenly the man¡¯s slightly lower voice came, ¡°Are you planning to leave like this?¡± What did he mean by that? Was he asking her not to leave? Ruby turned her head, looking towards Steve, who was now just a shadowy figure. Steve tossed the box he was holding onto the coffee table, then stood up and slowly walked towards the bed. As he got closer, Ruby faintly felt a pressure accompanying him. Her heartbeat gradually sped up. Steve¡¯s footsteps stopped in front of Ruby. As he got closer, Ruby could see, with the help of the dim light in the room, a hint of brightness in the depth of the man¡¯s dark eyes.. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (14) Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (14) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory moved her lips but before she could speak, Steve Burton suddenly reached out and grabbed her chin, making her head tilt up towards him. He leaned down slightly, staring intently into her eyes. His gaze was somewhat deep and mysterious, she couldn¡¯t figure out what emotions were hidden behind it, and all she could see was a deep darkness. Ruby felt a little uneasy under his stare. She struggled gently, trying to escape, but Steve suddenly reached out, pinned her down on the bed, kissed her forcefully, and started tearing at both their clothes. Ruby was only wearing a thin dress, which was easily removed by Steve. Her body trembled slightly as her hands were captured by Steve¡¯s. Then, a soft piece of fabric was used to bind them together. Steve¡¯s actions were so sudden that Ruby had not yet fully responded when, without a word, he went straight into the main act. Intense pain jolted Ruby awake in an instant. Before her body had time to tense up, Steve had already started moving rough and fierce at a frightening pace. Ruby was in so much pain that a thin layer of sweat covered her forehead. She could vaguely sense that something wasn¡¯t right with Steve, but she couldn¡¯t put it into words, silently enduring the pain he inflicted on her. Last night, he had gone three times in a row, showing no signs of weakness. Today, he was as aggressive and unyielding as ever. Ruby, who had only managed to find a brief moment of rest, was now too weak to move again after being subjected to Steve¡¯s onslaught. Finally, when Steve finished, Ruby lay against the bed, letting out a long sigh of relief. Tiredly, she moved her body, finding a comfortable position. No more than five minutes had passed, when Steve pulled her under him once more. Ruby realized from his actions that he was about to go again. In just one day and night, they had already done it four times. If they continued, she wouldn¡¯t be able to go home tonight. She hadn¡¯t gone to work today; would she have to skip work again tomorrow? Ruby frowned and blurted out subconsciously, ¡°I need to go home.¡± ¡°Go home?¡± Steve stopped his movements upon hearing these two words, his tone somewhat mocking, ¡°Are you willing to just go home like that?¡± What did he mean by that? A flicker of doubt flashed in Ruby¡¯s eyes as she met Steve¡¯s gaze. Steve¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, staring into Ruby¡¯s eyes for a long time before speaking with a deeper sense of mockery than before, ¡°If you go back like this, how can you do it a few more times? If you don¡¯t do it more, how can you be sure that you¡¯ll get pregnant?¡± PS: Today¡¯s chapter is done.. We¡¯ll continue days the university is starting a new semester, so I¡¯ve been busy during the day, updating at But the updates remain the same number, please forgive Last night¡¯s prize-winning reader was. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts (15) Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (15) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s pupils slightly constricted, staring into Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes for a long while. When he spoke, his voice carried an even deeper mocking tone: ¡°How can you do it twice more just by going back? And if you don¡¯t do it twice more, how can you be sure you¡¯ll get pregnant?¡± Upon hearing the man¡¯s words, Ruby felt her heart drop heavily. What did he mean by saying that? Could it be that he already knew her purpose? But this little plan was her own secret¡­ Was this just his guess? Ruby forced herself to suppress the uneasiness in her heart, looked at Steve Burton, who had slightly restrained his expression, and pretended to be innocent and wronged. Lowering her eyes, she slowly said: ¡°I didn¡¯t go home last night, and I¡¯ve gotten several calls from the Gregorys today. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re worried.¡± Steve Burton suddenly let out a soft, mocking laugh, his face growing colder. It was just a single syllable of laughter. It was sharp, crisp, and short, accompanied by his unique sarcasm and irony. However, underneath the sarcasm and irony, there was also a hidden emotion Ruby couldn¡¯t quite articulate, making her heart shudder violently. Next second, Steve reached out and grabbed Ruby¡¯s wrist, pulling her into his embrace. Both of them were unclothed, their skin tightly pressed against each other. Ruby could clearly feel his pulse, throbbing one beat at a time. This sent shivers down her spine, and she instinctively tightened up, her head drooping slightly, not daring to look at Steve. Steve stared at the top of Ruby¡¯s fluffy head for a while, then lifted his hand, pinched her chin, and raised her head, forcing her to look into his eyes. His eyes were pitch-black and deep, devoid of any emotion, making it impossible to discern any expression from his indifferent demeanor. Despite this, he still managed to easily deliver a stunning impact. In normal days, Steve would appear mostly cold and aloof like this, but tonight, a woman¡¯s intuition told Ruby that behind this expression lay a storm of hidden emotions. Even though he said nothing, merely gazing into her eyes like this, Ruby still felt a heavy and oppressive sensation sweeping over her entire body. It was an invisible pressure, intense and powerful, yet it left one unable to dodge or resist. Ruby felt as if her heart had stopped beating, and her facial expression gradually froze. Staring at Ruby¡¯s increasingly stiff face, Steve Burton raised the corner of his lips and smiled faintly. His fingertips gently caressed her chin, moving with extreme gentleness, as if touching some precious jewel.. Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Pregnancy’s Little Thoughts Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Pregnancy¡¯s Little Thoughts (16) Translator: 549690339 However, Ruby Gregory did not feel reassured by Steve Burton¡¯s tender actions. On the contrary, she felt more panicked deep within her. Ruby Gregory knew, the more composed Steve Burton was, the more dangerous and deadly he became. She clenched her fists secretly, desperately trying to suppress her escalating heartbeat due to fear. After a while, Steve Burton finally stopped stroking Ruby Gregory¡¯s chin, held her face in his hands, lowered his head slightly, and moved his face closer to hers. His breath, warm against her face, carried a scorching heat, and the sound of his voice when he spoke to her was exceptionally gentle: ¡°Are you worried about The Gregorys and want to go home?¡± Since Ruby Gregory met Steve Burton, she had never heard him speak with such gentleness to anyone, regardless of whether their relationship was good or bad. An unprecedented sense of foreboding rapidly overwhelmed Ruby Gregory. She stared into Steve Burton¡¯s eyes, lightly nodded, and said one word: ¡°Yes.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He lightly brushed his fingers against her soft cheek, and like a tape machine on replay, asked the same question in the same tone and with the same gentleness: ¡°Are you really worried about The Gregorys and that¡¯s why you want to go home?¡± The consecutive questioning deepened Ruby Gregory¡¯s ominous feeling, and a sense of fear enveloped her entire body. This time, she didn¡¯t even dare to speak. She just mustered all her courage to appear calm, slightly nodding at Steve Burton. Just as Ruby Gregory finished nodding, Steve Burton¡¯s voice floated over: ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time, you¡¯re sure it¡¯s because you¡¯re worried about The Gregorys that you¡¯re going home¡­¡± This time, Steve Burton didn¡¯t wait for Ruby¡¯s reply. He continued in one breath: ¡°And not because you¡¯re trying to get as far away from me as possible?¡± If it weren¡¯t for her wanting to have his child, she really would have wanted to keep as far away from him as possible. If it wasn¡¯t for maximizing her chances of getting pregnant, she wouldn¡¯t have made love with him four times in just one day and night. Indeed, she had done it enough times now, if nothing went wrong, she would definitely get pregnant, and that¡¯s why she thought about leaving. However¡­ she had always hidden her intentions well, how could he possibly know what she was thinking? Ruby Gregory shook her head and said quietly: ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± Steve Burton¡¯s voice suddenly turned icy cold.. His hand gripping Ruby Gregory¡¯s face tightened slightly, his tone carried a hint of ruthlessness: ¡°Ruby Gregory, your skill at telling boldfaced lies with eyes wide open is really improving!¡± Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Eat It (1) Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Eat It (1) Translator: 549690339 ¡°You say it¡¯s not true, but deep down, you know very well that I¡¯m no use to you now. I¡¯ve been used up, and you can¡¯t wait to get as far away from me as possible!¡± Use. The word that came out of Steve Burton¡¯s mouth felt like a sharp knife, ruthlessly stabbing at the bottom of Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart, causing her to be terrified to the extreme in an instant. Did he not test her at all, but knew everything instead? Ruby looked into Steve¡¯s eyes with a hint of panic, but still tried to keep her composure and not let herself appear too distraught. She couldn¡¯t throw herself into chaos until she was absolutely sure that he knew everything. Despite Ruby¡¯s efforts to stay calm, a thin layer of cold sweat still appeared on her forehead. Steve¡¯s face became darker and more frightening as he smirked coldly, ¡°Ruby Gregory, do you know how disgusted I am by your hypocritical face right now? You think I¡¯m blind and can¡¯t see your nauseating little schemes?¡± Steve¡¯s hand, gripping Ruby¡¯s cheek, pressed down harder and harder, causing her teeth to ache. The look in his eyes felt like two sharp knives with icy edges, ¡°Don¡¯t you just want to use our child to marry me? If you could, you would want nothing to do with me, right? Since you want to keep so much distance from me, why would you be Steve Burton¡¯s wife!¡± He knew, he really knew everything! Even though she was so careful and cautious, he still found out. He knew she wanted to marry him. He also knew that her appearance in his office last night was just an attempt to use her pregnancy to marry him! He knew all about her supposedly perfect plans! At this moment, she couldn¡¯t deceive herself anymore ¡ª Steve Burton wasn¡¯t testing her. Ruby¡¯s mind was in complete chaos. ¡°But, Ruby Gregory, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve overestimated yourself?¡± ¡°Three years ago, I took your innocence and didn¡¯t take responsibility for you. Do you think that three years later, just because you¡¯re carrying my child, I¡¯d marry you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really daydreaming!¡± ¡°Let me tell you, Ruby Gregory, whether it¡¯s you or the child in your belly, if I don¡¯t want you, no one can force me to!¡± After he finished speaking, Steve threw Ruby onto the bed. He didn¡¯t even spare her a glance before walking briskly towards the French windows and picking up the box he¡¯d just thrown on the table.. Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Eat It (2) Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Eat It (2) Translator: 549690339 Then, she turned and walked to the water dispenser nearby, took a cup, filled it with water, and walked back to the bed. Steve Burton placed the cup on the bedside table first, then threw the box in his hand in front of Ruby Gregory, and said calmly, ¡°Eat it.¡± Ruby slowly sat up from the bed, her body already stung by Steve¡¯s hurtful words, her face pale. When she saw the words ¡°Yuting¡± on the box that Steve had tossed in front of her, Ruby¡¯s face instantly turned bloodless, even her lips pale. She thought that he had just said those words in anger. If she really was pregnant, that was not up to him to decide. The Burtons would never allow their own blood to be lost, let alone the fact that the Gregorys and the Burtons were neighbors. Once the raw rice was cooked, the Burtons would let her marry into their family. But now, Steve unexpectedly handed her an emergency contraceptive pill. Apparently, what he just said was not just for show¡ªhe really didn¡¯t want her child! As he said, she was indeed delusional! She was nothing but a toy, being taken advantage of time and time again. He had hurt her many times, each time mercilessly and absolutely, leaving her no dignity at all. But this time, he was not only hurting her, but also trampling on her. Ruby clenched the bedsheet tightly, her eyes downcast, staring at the contraceptive pill box. Steve looked at Ruby, who was still fixated on the contraceptive pill box and made no move. His throat moved slightly, his hands at his sides clenching into fists. When he spoke, his voice was still emotionless and cold, ¡°Take the pill, and I will let you go.¡± ¡°This is for your own good. Although contraceptives have side effects, it¡¯s still better than having an abortion when you are really pregnant.¡± Abortion¡­ Ruby¡¯s body trembled violently, her face almost transparently pale. In front of him, she never allowed herself to be emotional. In the past, she was afraid of provoking him, but this time, she wanted to leave some dignity for herself. Even if she felt like crying now, she would cry when she left him! She knew deep down that if she were really pregnant, she could go to the Burtons, and they would decide the fate of the child¡ªnot him. The Burtons would never kill their own bloodline, nor allow their descendants to be lost. Moreover, the Gregorys and the Burtons were neighbors. Once the raw rice was cooked, the Burtons would accept her into the family. She also knew that if she didn¡¯t take the pill, a month later, if she were pregnant, she could go directly to the Burtons, and by then, her child would secure a better future for the Gregorys.. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Eat It (3) Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Eat It (3) Translator: 549690339 She was clear that, if she didn¡¯t seek help from Steve Burton, she could pretend to take the birth control pill and deceive him. All along, she had been working and making choices for the overall interests of the Gregorys, as taught by the family since her childhood. Besides, after struggling for so long, today she could finally see the hope of success. If she just gave it up, all her previous efforts would be in vain. But today, she suddenly wanted to be selfish and wilful for once, just for the sake of her own pathetic self-esteem. Ruby Gregory stared blankly at the box of birth control pills for a long time, then slowly reached out, her expression calm as she picked up the box. A flickered of Steve Burton¡¯s brows. Ruby Gregory¡¯s fingertips trembled so much that she could hardly open the plastic packaging of the contraceptive box. She brought the box up to her mouth and bit it open with a fierce bite, then took out the medication. Without hesitation, Ruby Gregory took out the small pill, without hesitating or pausing, she put the pill directly in her mouth. She swallowed it down without water. The bitter taste quickly spread in her mouth. However, her face remained calm. She didn¡¯t even glance at Steve Burton. She just silently picked up her clothes, not caring that Steve was watching her. She stood up completely naked and put her clothes on one by one at a leisurely pace. Only after Ruby had dressed properly, she turned around to face Steve Burton. She opened her mouth so he could see she really had swallowed the pill. Then she spoke to him, a bit coolly: ¡°I¡¯ve taken the pill. Can I go now?¡± Steve just stared at Ruby, not saying a word. This time, Ruby didn¡¯t wait for Steve¡¯s permission. She picked up her phone and turned around to leave, her high heels clicking slowly. Perhaps because she had been through it four times, she truly was exhausted. Her legs seemed to tremble slightly, as if she could fall at any moment. But she didn¡¯t. She walked out of Steve¡¯s sight, step by step. Steve Burton stayed where he was, not moving an inch, his gaze fixed on the spot on the bed where Ruby had just been sitting. As if Ruby hadn¡¯t left yet. It was only after an indeterminable amount of time that Steve blinked and came to his senses. Ruby was no longer in the room, only the contraceptive box on the bed reminding him that everything that had just happened was real. Ruby walked into the elevator in one breath. The moment the elevator door closed, she finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, she squatted down, burying her head between her legs, and her shoulders began to shake slightly.. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Eat It (4) Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Eat It (4) Translator: 549690339 As the elevator descended from the top floor to the ground floor, Ruby heard a ding and lifted her head from between her legs. She raised her hand to wipe the tear stains on her face and then stepped out of the elevator. At this point, Ruby was too exhausted to drive her car. She simply hailed a taxi by the roadside beneath Pristine¡¯s Building and went back to the Gregorys¡¯. When Ruby returned home, Maxwell and Lady Gregory had not gone to bed yet and were watching television in the living room. Lady Gregory stood up immediately as Ruby walked in, ¡°Ruby, why didn¡¯t you pick up your phone?¡± Handing her bag to the housekeeper, Ruby forced a smile and told the truth, ¡°I fell asleep in the afternoon, so I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°Sleeping? You didn¡¯t go to work this afternoon?¡± Lady Gregory asked confusedly. Then, as if realizing something, she continued, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t go to work all day?¡± Ruby gave her mom a slight nod before heading upstairs. Lady Gregory glanced at Maxwell, her eyes filled with a hint of joy. She then followed Ruby upstairs, still talking, ¡°Did you spend the day not working, and with Steve?¡± Hearing Steve¡¯s name, Ruby¡¯s hand, resting on the bedroom door handle, paused momentarily. She then continued to silently nod to her mother before pushing the door open and entering. Lady Gregory followed her daughter into the bedroom, ¡°So, from last night until now, you¡¯ve been with Steve the entire time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruby hugged a pillow languidly as she lay on the couch. Seemingly oblivious to Ruby¡¯s exhaustion, Lady Gregory sat down beside her, ¡°Did Steve eat the late-night snack I sent last night?¡± Ruby answered obediently, ¡°Yes, he did.¡± ¡°He still likes it, right?¡± Ruby seemed slightly perfunctory, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, if Steve has to work overtime again, just let me know, and I¡¯ll have someone send him snacks.¡± This time, Ruby didn¡¯t respond, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Lady Gregory frowned, ¡°Ruby, are you troubled by something?¡± Snapping out of her thoughts, Ruby shook her head at her mother, ¡°No, I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± ¡°You should rest early then. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Just remember to cover yourself with the blanket at night,¡± added Lady Gregory considerately. Ruby softly murmured her consent. As Lady Gregory stood up to leave, Ruby suddenly called out, ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lady Gregory¡¯s face brimmed with joy, perhaps because Ruby had spent the day and night with Steve, making her believe that their relationship was stable. Ruby initially wanted to say, ¡®Mom, can I not marry Steve?¡¯ However, seeing her mother¡¯s joyful expression and the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes, Ruby couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. She merely forced a smile and said, ¡°Good night.¡± PS: Today I will update 6 chapters temporarily. I have a class tomorrow morning, so I will update 8 chapters tomorrow night. On Saturday, I will make up for the 2 chapters owed today.. Yesterday¡¯s winning reader was: I Am Just A Kid. Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Eat It (5) Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Eat It (5) Translator: 549690339 However, seeing her mother¡¯s joyful face and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t quite bring herself to speak. She just curled her lips slightly and said: ¡°Good night.¡¯ Perhaps Lady Gregory was too overjoyed to notice Ruby¡¯s unusual behavior. Lady Gregory¡¯s voice was soft and filled with barely restrained happiness: ¡°Good night.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t say anything more, a faint smile on her face. Only after watching Lady Gregory leave the bedroom did she suddenly get up from the sofa, rush into the bathroom, open her mouth over the toilet, and began to vomit. However, she couldn¡¯t throw up anything but kept dry heaving, her entire stomach filled with an unbearable nausea. After finally stopping the dry heaving, Ruby squatted on the floor, gripping the toilet, and breathing slightly, only to hear a knock on the door, followed by Lady Gregory¡¯s voice: ¡°Ruby?¡± Ruby hurriedly got up from the floor, turned around, and tidied up her messy hair in front of the mirror at the sink. Only then did she turn around and leave the bathroom. Lady Gregory was holding a glass of milk and offered it to Ruby, saying, ¡°Ruby, drinking milk can help you sleep.¡± Ruby felt her stomach churning again, and she was afraid she would vomit in front of her mother. She clenched her teeth tightly, pretending to be calm and slightly nodded at Lady Gregory. Lady Gregory didn¡¯t linger much longer, leaving the milk on the bedroom tea table and departing. As soon as the bedroom door was closed again, Ruby turned back into the bathroom, bent over in front of the sink, and started dry heaving once more. Ruby heaved until her entire body was drained of energy, finally feeling slightly better. She scooped some water from the faucet to wash her face and then looked up. Through the large, bright mirror in front of her, she saw a woman with a pallid complexion that was somewhat frightening. Ruby stared at the mirror for a long time, gently pursing her lips before leaving the bathroom. Somewhat numbly, she lay back down on her bed. The words spoken by Steve Burton in Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ top-floor office still echoed faintly in her ears. ¡°Ruby, are you perhaps overestimating yourself?¡± ¡°Three years ago, I took your innocence, but I never took responsibility for you. You think that after three years and carrying my child, I¡¯ll marry you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really daydreaming!¡± ¡°Let me tell you, Ruby, whether it¡¯s you or the child in your stomach, no one can force me to want what I don¡¯t want!¡± She could still remember his expression, so full of disdain and disgust. Ruby stared at the ceiling, her eyes filled with a thick layer of sorrow that seemed to never dissipate.. Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Eat It (6) Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Eat It (6) Translator: 549690339 When she was very young, the Gregorys told her that she was to marry Steve Burton in the future, and that other than being kind to Steve, she couldn¡¯t be kind to any other men. Even if there was intimate contact, it could only be with Steve. At that time, she was young and ignorant and didn¡¯t understand what these words meant. She innocently asked her mother, who told her that marrying Steve would mean living together like Mom and Dad. Back then, Steve didn¡¯t like to smile and always had a cold, childish expression on his face. The words he spoke were often hurtful, but Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t think marrying him would be a terrible thing, so she firmly remembered what the Gregorys had told her. So much so that when she entered middle school and the girls around her began to experience their first crushes and exchange love letters with boys of the same age, all she could do every day was either study tediously or pass the time by reading extracurricular books. She truly lived her life according to the Gregorys¡¯ instructions, with no men in her life other than Steve, a dull and monotonous existence. She didn¡¯t actually think her life was that pathetic or pitiful. She just thought that everyone had their own pursuits, and hers was simply to marry Steve and save the Gregory family. So, for all these years, she had been persistently striving for this goal that had been arranged for her since she was little. That¡¯s why, three years ago, when Steve slept with her and didn¡¯t take responsibility, even giving her a resounding slap, she didn¡¯t get discouraged. After returning to her country, she encountered many setbacks in dealing with him, but she never gave up. After all, people must pay some price to obtain something, and she had to endure. But in the end, she overestimated her own endurance. When she swallowed the contraceptive pill tonight, she suddenly felt disheartened and cold. This pursuit, which she had never thought of giving up no matter how difficult things got throughout her life, made her feel tired now. She wanted to let it go. Thinking about this, Ruby¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. She turned slightly and curled up in her bed, burying her head under the covers. The next day happened to be a weekend, with two days off in a row. Physically and mentally exhausted, Ruby hid at home and didn¡¯t go out. Weekends always seemed to pass so quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was Monday and time to go to work. Over the past two days, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but recall the events of that night whenever she spaced out. But time is truly a powerful thing. Though remembering it still made her upset, it wasn¡¯t as earth-shattering as it had been at first. Despite this, Ruby still didn¡¯t want to face Steve.. Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Eat It (7) Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Eat It (7) Translator: 549690339 In the past two days, Ruby Gregory had thought about talking to her parents to see if there was another way to save the Gregorys. But every time she saw the relaxed and joyful expressions on her parents¡¯ faces because she and Steve Burton had spent a day and night together, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything. Ruby felt utterly useless, as every time she was only able to make her parents happy through deception. On Monday morning, as usual, she wore a blue dress, sprayed on a light touch of Chanel No.5 perfume, ate breakfast, and then had the Gregorys¡¯ driver take her to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ building. After the driver left, Ruby didn¡¯t enter the company. Instead, she stood by the roadside, sent a text message to her secretary asking for time off, and went to the underground parking garage to get her car and leave. Ruby didn¡¯t know where she should go. She didn¡¯t want to face Steve, but she also didn¡¯t want her parents to find out about the significant problems between her and Steve. So, she could only drive aimlessly along the congested streets of Ciawell, until 5 0¡ä clock in the evening, the regular end of her workday, when she finally drove back to the Gregorys¡¯ home. No matter what time Steve Burton entered the office, the first thing his secretary did was report his agenda for the day. Today was no different. Steve stood in the hallway between the secretary¡¯s office and the CEO¡¯s office, listening to Ms. Taylor¡¯s steady tone, his eyes casually glancing at Ruby¡¯s empty seat, just like yesterday. This was already the second day in a row that she hadn¡¯t come to work. It had been tour days since she swallowed a contraceptive pill and lett his office, and he hadn¡¯t seen her since then. After reporting the day¡¯s schedule, Ms. Taylor asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, the president of Woods¡¯ Enterprises has arrived downstairs. Would you like to show them up now?¡± Steve Burton stood emotionless as if he hadn¡¯t heard her question. Ms. Taylor repeated her question, but when Steve remained silent, she bravely called out, ¡°Mr. Burton? Mr. Burton?¡± Steve snapped back to reality, gave Ms. Taylor a brief glance and nodded, then walked straight into his office. Ms. Taylor was left standing there with her mouth agape. The always decisive and victorious Steve Burton had been daydreaming? After waiting for a moment, Ms. Taylor picked up the phone on her desk and called the intercom to Steve¡¯s office, asking her question one more time. As it turned out, Steve Burton didn¡¯t just daydream this one time that day.. Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Eat It (8) Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Eat It (8) Translator: 549690339 While he was meeting with clients and conducting company meetings, he would often suddenly gaze into an empty space, his eyes becoming somewhat unfocused. Even when Ms. Taylor came to Steve Burton in the afternoon to have documents reviewed and signed, Steve finished checking the documents and quickly wrote three characters on them with a whoosh. He wrote quickly, and Ms. Taylor couldn¡¯t see exactly what he had written. As Steve closed the documents and handed them to Ms. Taylor, he suddenly seemed to remember something, opened the documents, glanced at the signature column, and his brow furrowed slightly. He immediately tore the documents down, tore them to pieces in two or three strokes, and threw them into the trash can next to him. Then he looked up and said to the stunned Ms. Taylor, ¡°Print me another copy of the document.¡± As a secretary, the most important quality is to obey all orders from superiors. Despite her doubts, Ms. Taylor immediately withdrew her astonished expression when Steve gave the order and nodded respectfully before leaving Steve¡¯s office. Once the office was quiet again, Steve leaned back lazily in his chair, raised his hand, rubbed his forehead, and after a moment, bent down, picked up the torn document from the trash can, pieced it together on the table, and finally put together the signature column. In it were three bold, elegant, and flowing characters: Ruby Gregory. On the third day when Steve entered the office, Ruby still hadn¡¯t come to work. There was no need for approval for a secretary¡¯s assistant to take leave, so, although Steve wondered when Ruby would be back, he never asked Ms. Taylor. However, on this day, he wasn¡¯t as absent-minded as the day before but seemed to have swallowed gunpowder. His temper became incredibly irritable and, like a loaded machine gun, he lashed out at anyone he came across with no mercy, practically carrying out a brutal massacre like a bloodthirsty dictator of ancient times. All morning, in Steve¡¯s office, the sound of slamming documents and scolding never ceased, causing the nervous atmosphere outside the secretary¡¯s office to become low-spirited. By the afternoon, Steve¡¯s ¡°machine gun¡± had attacked the offices of Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine. The four usually spent their free time in Steve¡¯s office, but after being scolded twice, they considered the area within thirty meters of Steve¡¯s office a restricted zone. At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, a small problem occurred in the Technical Department, but Steve made a big fuss and called the director to his office for a full ten-minute berating.. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Eat It (9) Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Eat It (9) Translator: 549690339 The Director of the Technical Department finally left the president¡¯s office with a dejected face on the verge of tears. Shortly after, the news of Mr. Burton being in a foul mood today spread like a sensational scandal throughout the entire company. From the receptionist on the first floor to the executives on the top floor, everyone was on tenterhooks, cautious, afraid to make any mistakes that might touch Steve Burton¡¯s nerve. The atmosphere was overwhelmingly oppressive. With half an hour left before the end of the work day, there were already five urgent files piled up in front of the secretary-general. Holding the files, the secretary-general went to the door of Steve Burton¡¯s office and knocked gently. There was no sound from inside. Gathering her courage, the secretary-general opened the door, only to find the office eerily quiet. Steve Burton was not at his desk; he was standing by the French windows, motionless, staring at the setting sun outside the window, lost in thought. Steve Burton at that moment seemed to have lost the irritability and forcefulness he had before. He emanated an inherent grace and nobility, looking like a refined and elegant gentleman. Ms. Taylor, holding the files, carefully walked up to about three meters behind Steve Burton and then stopped. In a low voice, she said, ¡°Mr. Burton, these are the urgent files that need to be handled.¡± Steve Burton, with his back to Ms. Taylor, showed no reaction. Ms. Taylor stood in place with the files, just as she thought Steve Burton wasn¡¯t planning on responding to her, his figure suddenly moved lightly. He turned around, not even sparing a glance at Ms. Taylor, walked straight to his desk, and picked up a signing pen. Ms. Taylor hurriedly walked over, handing over the files. Steve Burton signed his name on the document without uttering a word. Ms. Taylor quickly packed up the files: ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯ll go out first.¡¯ Then she quickly turned around with the files and fled. Just as Ms. Taylor was about to push the office door open, Steve Burton from behind suddenly spoke, his voice sounding slightly tired: ¡°How long is Ruby Gregory¡¯s leave?¡± Ms. Taylor stopped in her tracks, turned her head, and didn¡¯t dare to look at Steve Burton, she truthfully responded: ¡°Ruby has taken sick leave, she didn¡¯t say when she will be back at work.¡± After a pause, Ms. Taylor asked, ¡°Do you want me to call her now and ask?¡± ¡°No need,¡± said Steve Burton faintly, his face expressionless. Ms. Taylor silently left Steve Burton¡¯s office, and then reached up to touch her heart, finally allowing herself to let out a long sigh of relief. Inside the office, Steve Burton stared at the cleaned and packed lunch box on the coffee table for a while, then stood up, picked up his car keys, and walked out of his office carrying the lunch box.. Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Eat It (10) Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Eat It (10) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory returned home a little earlier than usual today. Dinner was not ready yet, Maxwell Gregory had not returned from the company, the servants were busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, and Lady Gregory was sitting on the living room sofa, watching a South Genovian idol drama. She had already taken three consecutive days off and had not gone to the company. Her mood had not improved at all, and she felt more and more stifled. During these three days, she stayed alone in the car during daylight hours. Ruby didn¡¯t want to continue going upstairs and remain alone in her room, so she sat on the living room sofa and accompanied her mother watching TV dramas. The scenes in the TV drama were warm and tender; the male lead was accompanying the female lead shopping, and the female lead kept acting coquettish and adorable towards the male lead ¨C she even pretended to have sprained her ankle so that he would carry her. The male lead didn¡¯t show any disdain for the female lead¡¯s burdensome behavior, but rather seemed happy when he carried her on his back. The two of them had spent the whole day shopping, and it seemed that the female lead was really tired ¨C she fell asleep in the car on the way home. Instead of waking her up, the male lead stopped the car, gently carried her down from the car, carefully brought her back to the room, quietly laid her on the bed, and even considerately covered her with a blanket. The male lead didn¡¯t leave her side but instead gazed at her sleeping face for a long time, gently lowering his head to kiss her forehead, his care and cherishment for her overflowing. At this moment, the scene on the TV was set at sunset, with the red sunlight streaming through the window, casting onto the male and female leads. The scene was exceptionally beautiful. Although Ruby had no idea about the plot of the drama, she still stared at the scene, daydreaming. Even when the ending song of the drama played, Ruby didn¡¯t snap out of it. It seemed that the TV screen was still frozen at that moment. After a long time, Ruby¡¯s mind began to churn, and then she realized that she had actually developed a touch of envy deep in her heart. Yes, she was envious of a scene that did not even exist in real life, something purely fabricated in a TV drama. She never knew that a man could be so gentle towards a woman. In her world, she had never been treated so tenderly by a man. She didn¡¯t even know what the interaction between a man and a woman was supposed to be like. What the Gregorys taught her was that a woman should be dignified, demure, and graceful. That¡¯s why she always appeared cultivated and well-versed in front of Steve Burton. She dared not ask him to do anything for her. As for Steve Burton, he was always rough with her in bed ¨C he even tied up her hands. Even when he kissed her, he bit her lips painfully.. Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Eat It (11) Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Eat It (11) Translator: 549690339 So, let alone tenderness. Ruby Gregory lowered her eyes slightly. The warm scenes between the male and female protagonists from the TV drama she had just watched became even clearer in her mind. ¡°Ruby? Ruby?¡± Lady Gregory¡¯s voice broke Ruby¡¯s contemplation. Ruby came back to her senses. She looked at Lady Gregory, whose eyes seemed somewhat lost. Despite her fast heartbeat, she found herself fantasizing about how Steve Burton would treat her tenderly. ¡°What are you thinking? The doorbell rang, and the housekeeper is making dinner. You should go open the door; it might be your dad coming back,¡± Lady Gregory said. To cover her embarrassment, Ruby quickly stood up and answered ¡°Oh.¡± She hurriedly walked towards the door, passed the foyer, and without even looking through the peephole, she directly opened the door, cutely calling out, ¡°Dad.¡± Ruby¡¯s voice had barely faded when she suddenly bit her lip hard, staring at the figure standing outside. Her face drained of color, and she instinctively tightened her grip on the door handle. Steve stood elegantly at the doorstep with a takeaway container, his gaze fixed on Ruby. Ruby¡¯s heartstrings tightened. She lowered her eyes slightly, hiding her gaze, and remained silent. The two stood quietly facing each other at the doorway. Lady Gregory waited for a long while without anyone entering the house and finally called out: ¡°Ruby, is it your dad?¡± ¡°Ruby?¡± Lady Gregory walked out of the house in her slippers and saw Steve standing at the door. She was momentarily taken aback before a hint of joy flickered in her eyes: ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Steve.¡± Lady Gregory then glanced at Ruby and said somewhat reproachfully: ¡°Ruby, Steve is here, and you just let him stand at the door without inviting him in?¡± Lady Gregory took out a pair of unused men¡¯s slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them at the door: ¡°Come on in and sit down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aunt Gregory,¡± Steve replied politely and bent his body, took off his shoes, changed into slippers, and walked into the room. Lady Gregory enthusiastically invited Steve to sit down, personally brewed tea for him, and handed the teacup in front of Steve. Although the Gregorys and the Burtons were neighbors, Steve was busy with his work. Lady Gregory occasionally ran into him, and each time he would greet her. But it never went beyond exchanging greetings, and no extensive conversations LOOK mace. Now Steve¡¯s sudden visit to the Gregory house made Lady Gregory a bit excited, and she warmly chatted with him. In contrast, Ruby sat on the couch as far away from Steve as possible, without saying a word. Steve courteously answered Lady Gregory¡¯s inquiries, but his eyes would occasionally drift towards Ruby.. Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Eat It (12) Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Eat It (12) Translator: 549690339 Lady Gregory was a wise woman. She noticed that Steve Burton¡¯s gaze had been focused on Ruby throughout, and feeling that her incessant chatter may be interrupting their conversation, she found an excuse to help out in the kitchen, leaving the space free for the two of them. Once Lady Gregory left, the entire living room fell silent. Seated in her chair, Ruby¡¯s figure appeared slightly rigid. She kept her head down, not looking at Steve. The quietness between Steve and Ruby lasted until Lady Gregory walked out of the kitchen with a plate of fruit. Seeing that Ruby had no intention of talking to him, Steve moistened his lips slightly, stood up, and said, ¡°Aunt Gregory, it¡¯s getting late. I should head home now.¡± ¡°Stay for dinner,¡± urged Lady Gregory. Steve glanced at Ruby but remained silent. Lady Gregory nudged Ruby, ¡°It¡¯s not often that Steve visits our home, let¡¯s invite him to stay for dinner.¡± Ruby¡¯s fingers clenched slightly. She quickly glanced at Steve, then immediately lowered her gaze. Her voice was quite calm as she said, ¡°Stay for dinner.¡± Steve stared at Ruby¡¯s figure for a while, then gently nodded. Lady Gregory happily set the fruit plate on the tea table, suggested Steve have some fruit, and then went back to the kitchen with a cheerful gait to help the servants prepare dinner. This dinner was the most extravagant Ruby had seen since her return, it was as if they were hosting a very important guest. Steve was sitting next to Ruby, with Lady Gregory sitting opposite them. Maxwell Gregory still hadn¡¯t come home from work yet. Lady Gregory treated Steve as if he were her own son, she served him rice and soup, constantly urging him to eat more. Even, Lady Gregory gave Ruby a look. Ruby understood her mother¡¯s hint but pretended not to see it. Under the table, Lady Gregory kicked her foot. Ruby gripped the chopsticks harder, picked up some food, placed it in Steve¡¯s bowl. Lady Gregory finally had a satisfied smile on her face. Both Steve and Ruby were quiet and this made the atmosphere at the table a bit oppressive. So, Lady Gregory started a conversation, ¡°Steve, what¡¯s on your mind? What brought you over unannounced?¡± Although Steve was born into nobility, he was well-mannered. He had always shown respect to his elders. He swallowed the food in his mouth, lifted his head, looked straight into Lady Gregory¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°I had your food container in my office for several days. I was afraid it would inconvenience you if I delayed its return any longer, so as it happens, I was passing the Gregorys¡¯ mansion and decided to drop it off.¡± Lady Gregory glanced at Ruby and said, ¡°Ruby, how could you be so careless? You¡¯ve been working at the company these past days, how could you forget to bring the food container back home?¡± Upon hearing this, Ruby felt a twinge of nervousness in her heart. She hadn¡¯t been going to work these days, lying to the company on the one hand and deceiving her parents on the other. Her deceit was not about to be discovered, was it? PS: That¡¯s it for today, to be continued tomorrow¨C I have class during the day and write at night, sleeping six hours a day without delaying updates. I am so dedicated, ain¡¯t I¨C Express your feelings about this in the comments-Yesterday¡¯s calendar recipient reader was: Yonganqing Alcohol.. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Crying herself into unconsciousness (1) Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Crying herself into unconsciousness (1) Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing this, a feeling of unease settled in the pit of Ruby Gregory¡¯s stomach. For the past few days, she had been skipping work, lying to her company while deceiving her parents. Could it be that her lies were about to be exposed? Not about to be, but her lies had already been uncovered by Steve Burton. Steve Burton always had strict demands for the employees of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, and her actions could be interpreted as truancy. Having been working at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for a while, Ruby had witnessed multiple incidents of employees being reprimanded by Steve for their mistakes. Moreover, Steve wasn¡¯t fond of her, if he were to directly confront her in front of her mother¡­ Ruby¡¯s hand clenched the chopsticks tighter, her nerves beginning to fray. Steve was worried that Ruby was really sick, so he came to the Gregorys¡¯. Seeing her standing in front of him, safe and sound, his anxiety finally eased. Now, hearing Lady Gregory¡¯s remarks, he quickly understood. Ruby had been using the excuse of going to work to leave the Gregorys¡¯ house, and then lied to her company to take sick leave. Her deceit was simply to avoid meeting him at the company. Steve Burton¡¯s heart, which had just begun to relax, tightened slightly. He turned his head to look at Ruby sitting next to him. Probably because her lie had been exposed on the spot, her face was a little red from nervousness. Her eyelashes quivered a little too much, and she bit her lower lip, her fingers squeezing the chopsticks with strength. She looked like a little girl caught doing something wrong, utterly lost and anxious. After a two-second pause, Steve moved his lips, and naturally took up Lady Gregory¡¯s conversation without rushing: ¡°Work has been busy, so it¡¯s normal to forget.¡± Those ten simple words covered up the lie Ruby had told Lady Gregory. Lady Gregory, of course, knew nothing about Ruby not going to the company these days. She saw that she was blaming Ruby, but Steve spoke up for her first. Clearly, he was protecting Ruby. It seemed that Steve still cared about their Ruby. Lady Gregory immediately smiled and filled Steve¡¯s bowl with soup: ¡°When she was little, and Ruby made a mistake, you always came to her rescue. Even now that she¡¯s grown up, you still speak up for her. This child, she¡¯s spoiled from your protection.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t expect Steve to come to her rescue. She felt a bit surprised deep down and subconsciously turned her head to glance at Steve. Hearing Lady Gregory¡¯s words, Steve also turned his head to look at Ruby, and their eyes met just as Ruby was looking towards him. Ruby was slightly taken aback, then quickly lowered her head to eat her rice.. Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Crying herself into unconsciousness (2) Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Crying herself into unconsciousness (2) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory joined Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, and Lady Gregory had never been able to talk to Steve Burton about this matter. Now that it was about Ruby, Lady Gregory followed up on the previous conversation, saying: ¡°Steve, this is Ruby¡¯s first time working, she must have caused you a lot of trouble, and we appreciate you taking responsibility for her.¡± Steve then slowly moved his gaze away from Ruby¡¯s side face, and as he looked at Lady Gregory, his eyes still held the same tenderness as when he looked at Ruby. He replied indulgently, ¡°Of course.¡± Lady Gregory was delighted to see Steve accept her words without hesitation. She was about to ask Steve to eat more when a servant¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Madam, the master is back.¡± As soon as the servant¡¯s voice settled down, Maxwell Gregory walked into the dining room with his briefcase. Lady Gregory quickly stood up, took Maxwell Gregory¡¯s briefcase, and put it on a nearby table. She pulled out a dining chair for Maxwell Gregory to sit down. Steve politely put down his chopsticks and greeted, ¡°Uncle Gregory.¡± Noticing Steve, Maxwell Gregory¡¯s face showed a hint of joy, ¡°So Steve is here too.¡± Maxwell Gregory¡¯s return changed the topics at the dining table from family matters to business. Lady Gregory and Ruby had little to say, so most of the conversation was between Maxwell Gregory and Steve. Maxwell Gregory kept asking Steve questions, mostly about Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ future work plans. Maxwell Gregory¡¯s tone sounded like a casual conversation between two people, without any distinction of rank. However, Ruby could sense from Maxwell Gregory¡¯s words like ¡°Right?¡±, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± and ¡°Steve is becoming more impressive.¡± that he was being cautious and ingratiating towards Steve. Though Steve maintained an expression of great respect for Maxwell Gregory, his tone placed himself in the younger generation¡¯s position, giving face to Maxwell Gregory. But as Ruby listened to their conversation and looked at the table full of carefully prepared dishes by her mother, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of discomfort. It was not enough that she had to stand in a position of pleasing Steve; even her parents, at their age, had to treat Steve with such caution and care. Maxwell Gregory said with a smile, ¡°So Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ biggest project in the second half of the year is to launch a project in the southern suburbs, opening a New Eco Park; under your leadership, the company¡¯s profits will significantly increase this year.¡± Steve smiled modestly in response to Maxwell Gregory¡¯s praise. Considering that Steve and Ruby had been growing closer lately, and that he came over for dinner at the Gregorys¡¯ tonight, Maxwell Gregory tactfully said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been paying close attention to the Eco Park issue for a while, and I have some ideas for the Eco Park¡¯s design..¡± Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Crying herself into unconsciousness (3) Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Crying herself into unconsciousness (3) Translator: 549690339 When Ruby Gregory heard this, she couldn¡¯t help but pinch the chopsticks tightly with her fingertips. Creating the Eco Park for Pristine¡¯s Enterprises involved not only their own company but also working with many others. Her father had subtly mentioned that he had a concept for the Eco Park, as if hinting to Steve Burton that if Pristine¡¯s Enterprises looked for a design company, they could consider The Gregorys. Back in the day, The Gregorys were first-rate in their design work, but their business had worsened over the years, losing talented employees and falling short of even a second-rate company. The Eco Park that Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was planning was definitely a high-end project, so a company like The Gregorys was unlikely to be within the considerations for collaboration. Her father had only spoken this way, believing that she and Steve shared a close relationship. However, deep down, her father didn¡¯t know that Steve now only harbored disgust towards her. Why would Steve give special consideration to The Gregorys for her sake? What¡¯s more, The Fosters¡ªrelatives of The Burtons¡ªwere also in the design business. They were most likely the primary choice. Ruby Gregory discreetly lifted her eyes and used the corner of her vision to look at Steve Burton. Upon hearing her father¡¯s remark, the man¡¯s expression remained unchanged. It was impossible to detect any emotion, making it difficult to guess what might be going through his mind at this moment. Ruby thought, if she could understand her father¡¯s meaning, then Steve would probably know it even better ¨C the hidden message in her father¡¯s words. Her father wanted Steve to make a special case for The Gregorys because of her, but she was aware that Steve would not give such a significant project to The Gregorys just for her sake. In front of Steve, she had always been in a humble and weak position. However, she didn¡¯t want her father, a senior to Steve, to lose face in front of him. Instead of waiting for Steve to refuse her father¡¯s request, she tried to save some face for her family by speaking up before him, ¡°Dad, can we stop talking about work when we¡¯re at home? Mom and I can¡¯t join in the conversation.¡± Maxwell Gregory thought that Ruby was just annoyed by him talking too long with Steve, disrupting their time together. He immediately smiled and said, ¡°Alright, alright, no more talk about work. If it makes you unhappy, I won¡¯t bother you two anymore. After a tiring day, I¡¯ll go take a bath first.¡± With that, Maxwell Gregory stood up, and Lady Gregory followed suit, accompanying him as they left the dining room.. Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Crying herself into unconsciousness (4) Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Crying herself into unconsciousness (4) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory secretly let out a sigh of relief. Without Maxwell Gregory and Steve Burton¡¯s conversation, the dining room seemed somewhat empty and desolate. Ruby was afraid that Steve would look down upon her father, so she explained, ¡°My dad just made a casual comment. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Steve was very smart. He not only understood Maxwell¡¯s insinuation but also knew why Ruby, who had been quietly eating beside him, suddenly started complaining about her father. She probably thought he wouldn¡¯t help the Gregorys. She was afraid that if he refused, it would hurt her father¡¯s pride, so she tried to change the subject and not let him speak up. Ruby had always been like this, fighting in her own way to marry him so that she could rely on this relationship to make the Gregorys respected and successful. She never thought about coming to him and asking for help directly. Now, the Gregorys¡¯ business was in chaos and on the brink of collapse. They urgently needed loans but could never get them. On the night of his birthday, he asked her about the Gregorys¡¯ situation. Yet, she only quietly changed the subject and never told him that the Gregorys desperately needed money. All he wanted was for her to ask him for help in difficult times, but she never did. She hadn¡¯t three years ago, and she still hadn¡¯t. In her heart, she didn¡¯t want a husband, a marriage, or a family. What she wanted was a marriage alliance, a contract, and a collaboration. Steve¡¯s silence made Ruby unsure whether he believed her explanations, or whether they had come across as a cover-up. She shut her mouth, only sitting stiffly and ceremoniously in her dining chair. After an unknown length of time, Steve finally looked at his wristwatch and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± he said. ¡°I should be going home.¡± Ruby quickly raised her head to look at Steve, then promptly averted her gaze and nodded. ¡°Oh,¡± she said. Steve stood there, watching Ruby for a while, then turned and walked out of the dining room. Ruby followed behind him. After Lady Gregory had prepared a hot bath for Maxwell, she walked out of the bedroom to see Steve picking up his suit jacket. ¡°Steve, won¡¯t you stay a bit longer?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s getting late.¡± ¡°Ruby, go see Steve off,¡± Lady Gregory insisted as she personally escorted the two of them to the door. ¡°Come visit us whenever you have time, Steve,¡± she said. ¡°I will, Aunt Gregory, goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye..¡± Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Crying herself into unconsciousness (5) Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Crying herself into unconsciousness (5) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory closed the door and followed Steve Burton, deliberately walking slowly down the steps and increasing the distance between them. The two of them walked along the path, still silent, one behind the other. The moon tonight was in its waning phase, a crescent hanging on the horizon, casting a gentle luminance on the ground. The night breeze in the suburbs carried a hint of chill, mixed with a fresh fragrance, giving a sense of tranquility. However, Ruby¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t seem to find peace. Steve walked to the main entrance of the Gregorys¡¯ residence, stopped, and turned to look at Ruby, who had fallen far behind him. Ruby¡¯s steps hesitated for a moment, but she still braced herself and slowly approached the entrance, where she finally stopped at a certain distance from Steve. During their time inside the Gregorys¡¯ house, Steve hadn¡¯t had the chance to take a good look at Ruby. Now standing at the entrance with only the two of them, under the dim light of the doorway, Steve saw that in just a few short days, Ruby had lost a noticeable amount of weight. Her already delicate face seemed even more petite. She kept her gaze lowered, not looking up at him, and appeared somewhat nervous. Steve noticed her hands silently hidden behind her skirt, clenched into fists. Steve stared at Ruby for a while before finally speaking, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a company department banquet tomorrow evening.¡± He had spoken concisely, but Ruby understood that this meant she would have to go to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises the next day. Ruby gently nodded her head without uttering a word. The two of them fell silent once again. Ruby thought that her silence brought about the awkwardness, so she tried to quickly think of something to say but couldn¡¯t come up with anything meaningful. Finally, she looked up at Steve and said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Upon hearing these words, Steve¡¯s brow briefly furrowed, but in the next second, he wordlessly turned around and strode toward the Burtons¡¯ entrance without looking back. Ruby stood at the door, watching Steve¡¯s figure gradually disappear around the corner of the Burtons¡¯ entrance, then let out a long sigh of relief. She stared blankly in the direction he¡¯d gone, before slowly turning around and retreating back into the house. Ruby¡¯s pride told her that she didn¡¯t want to marry Steve anymore. But her reason was telling her that she couldn¡¯t abandon the Gregorys, who had raised her all these years. For the past few days, she had been wavering on this issue, but still hadn¡¯t reached a decision. So, on the second day after Steve showed up at the Gregorys¡¯, Ruby went to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.. Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Crying herself into unconsciousness (6) Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Crying herself into unconsciousness (6) Translator: 549690339 At the company, whenever Ruby Gregory saw Steve Burton, she would always avoid him at all costs and keep a distance from him. Despite this, Ruby was still Steve¡¯s secretary assistant, so when Steve was in and out of the office, Ruby would inevitably see him. During those times, she would bury her head directly on the desk and keep her head down, waiting for Steve to leave, before continuing her work. The secretary general thought that she had just recovered from a severe illness, so the workload assigned to her was not too heavy. However, Ruby was still worn out after a day in the office. The company¡¯s banquet was scheduled for tonight and was to be held at the Capital Club. When Ruby arrived, she realized that the gathering had been organized for the company but was also attended by senior staff from other companies that had close ties with Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. The banquet began promptly at eight o¡¯clock. Steve, the president of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, stood on stage wearing a slim-fitting black suit. He quickly gave a brief speech before signaling the official start of the banquet. The first part of the banquet was the toast. Such banquets occurred at least once a month at Pristine¡¯s Corporation. Steve occasionally missed a few but attended most of them. Even when he was present, he would quickly leave the scene after giving a brief speech. However, Steve showed no intention of leaving tonight¡¯s banquet early. Although most employees worked at Pristine¡¯s, for them, their president was an unapproachable figure. Now that the president was staying behind at the banquet, a good number of employees tried their best to get close to Steve, taking the opportunity to toast their glasses with him. Ruby could hardly avoid Steve, let alone approach him like other employees. So, as soon as the banquet began, she quietly slipped away from the crowd and found a secluded corner to sit in. Since coming back to the country, she had only attended such banquets three times. The first banquet was with her father, when she had reunited with Steve after their separation. The second banquet was Steve¡¯s birthday party. At that time, she had gifted Steve a birthday present, but, feeling hurt, she chose to stay away from everyone. However, she had Madeleine and Howard Coleman to keep her company. Today, Madeleine left for Lilliput two days ago on a business trip for a project, while Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman were entertaining senior staff from other companies at tonight¡¯s event. So at this banquet, she was sitting alone in a corner, seeming particularly out of place. Noisy scenes surrounded her. When Ruby occasionally glanced back, she could easily see that Steve was always surrounded by a large group of people, as if he was the center of the universe.. Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Crying herself into unconsciousness (7) Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Crying herself into unconsciousness (7) Translator: 549690339 In the past, she could naturally and casually stand by his side, attending various banquets together. At that time, she always thought that she could stand by his side for a lifetime. She thought they were a match made in heaven. Now she no longer has the qualification to stand by his side, and not even the courage to fight for it. Ruby Gregory turned her head, looking out of the window, lost in thought. After an unknown amount of time, she heard footsteps behind her. Ruby turned her head and saw Steve Burton walking over with a man. She faintly recognized the man as the president of Farglory Group, a company that had been working closely with Pristine¡¯s Enterprises recently. Steve Burton seemed to have not noticed Ruby sitting in the corner. When he saw her, his expression was slightly taken aback. Others eagerly went up to toast with him, and now that Steve was in front of her, she had to do the same. So, Ruby Gregory stood up and offered a glass of alcohol to Steve, lowering her gaze and calling out, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Then she turned her head, glanced at the president of Farglory Group standing next to Steve, smiled faintly, and downed the glass in one gulp. Steve Burton and Farglory Group¡¯s president sat on the sofa where Ruby was originally sitting, as if they had something to discuss. After toasting, she tactfully found an excuse to leave. Steve stared at Ruby¡¯s retreating figure for a long time, then slowly shifted his gaze. Turning his head to look at the Farglory Group President beside him, he noticed the president was also staring at Ruby¡¯s back with obvious amazement and excitement in his eyes. Steve¡¯s brows furrowed subconsciously, staring at the president¡¯s face for a moment, only to find him still focused on Ruby. Eventually, Steve lifted his glass, handed it to the Farglory Group President, and called out, ¡°Mr. Octo.¡± Mr. Octo had no reaction as he was completely immersed in the impact made by Ruby, staring at her intently. A hint of displeasure gradually surfaced in Steve¡¯s eyes, and he couldn¡¯t help but cough heavily. Finally, Mr. Octo shifted his gaze from Ruby and noticed Steve¡¯s proffered glass. Hastily raising his own glass, Steve¡¯s expression improved slightly. But the very next second, after they clinked glasses and downed their drinks, Mr. Octo¡¯s gaze once again focused on the distant banquet scene. After circling the crowd, his eyes eventually settled on Ruby¡¯s figure again. Steve¡¯s face darkened once more. However, Mr. Octo by his side didn¡¯t notice Steve¡¯s change in expression, and he continued to lock his gaze on Ruby Gregory.. Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Crying herself into unconsciousness (8) Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Crying herself into unconsciousness (8) Translator: 549690339 In Steve Burton¡¯s heart, there was suddenly an impulse to kick either Mr. Octo or Ruby Gregory out of the banquet hall. So, he invited Mr. Octo to drink alcohol with him once again. This time, as Mr. Octo drank with him, his gaze became even more intense, fixating directly on Ruby¡¯s figure. As Steve¡¯s heart was filled with a burning rage, suddenly someone stood beside Ruby, conveniently blocking his view of her. The person blocking Ruby was Maya Mitchell, much to Steve¡¯s knowledge. He silently gave Maya a mental thumbs-up and thought about giving her a raise at the end of the month. However, his relief only lasted half a minute before Maya and Ruby walked together onto the dance floor. Today, Ruby wore a tight blue mini skirt, fully revealing her figure. She stood in the flashing lights of the dance floor, dancing face-to-face with Maya. Steve¡¯s expression was calm as he leaned against his chair, his fingers pinching the wine glass while looking at Ruby¡¯s alluring movements. He then glanced over at Mr. Octo, who sat beside him, staring dumbfounded at Ruby on the dance floor. Steve suddenly felt a headache coming on. He somewhat regretted visiting the Gregorys to see Ruby yesterday, letting her come to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises today, and even more regretful for inviting her to the company banquet tonight. Mr. Octo had no idea what emotions were stirring deep inside the seemingly indifferent Steve. He admired Ruby while asking Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, the woman who just toasted in the corner and works in your company, is she an employee here?¡± Steve didn¡¯t answer, but his headache grew worse. Because in the distance of the dance floor, Ruby was dancing gracefully, enticingly captivating hearts and souls. Mr. Octo didn¡¯t mind Steve¡¯s apparent disregard for him, focusing instead on Ruby¡¯s figure and unreservedly admiring her. With deep emotion in his voice, he began to praise Ruby, ¡°I never thought that in your company, Mr. Burton, there would be such a heavenly beauty. You truly are fortunate. You have no idea, I have lived so many years and seen countless beautiful women, I feel completely numb to them. But when I saw her, I truly felt a sudden enlightenment, as if stumbling upon a beautiful village with dark willows and bright flowers, and a sense that she is the sun rising in the east!¡± Mr. Octo¡¯s words were eloquent and sincere in their praise. However, his words fell into Steve¡¯s ears like unbearable noise. What sudden enlightenment, what beautiful village with dark willows and bright flowers, what sun rising in the east¡­ Such profound and artistic words. Steve¡¯s headache felt increasingly out of control. PS: That¡¯s it for today, continue tomorrow¨C Yesterday¡¯s lucky reader was¡­ Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Crying herself into unconsciousness (9) Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Crying herself into unconsciousness (9) Translator: 549690339 What does it mean to say things like ¡®suddenly everything is clear¡¯, ¡®bright prospects after painful struggles¡¯, ¡®there is the East; she is the sun¡¯¡­ Why does it sound so profound? Steve Burton feels a throbbing headache that is starting to become unbearable. In his heart, he has a burning desire to gouge out Mr. Octo¡¯s wandering eyes. Mr. Octo, completely oblivious to the danger in store for his eyes, can¡¯t seem to get enough of ogling Ruby Gregory and is even passionately lavishing praises laced with artistic flair upon her in front of Burton, who is brimming with murderous intent, ¡°Never before have I seen such a perfect woman. Her height, just right ¨C a tad bit more and she¡¯d be too tall, any less and she¡¯d be too short. Exquisite eyes, pretty as a picture. She¡¯s a kind of beauty that can carry both heavy and light makeup perfectly well.¡± Upon hearing Mr. Octo¡¯s remarks, it seems Maya Mitchell called out Ruby Gregory. Ruby turned her head slightly, smiling gently at Maya. Mr. Octo on seeing this scene, had his eyes light up in an unthinkable excitement. Stirred up, he picked up his glass of alcohol and downed it in one gulp, then focused his gaze back towards Ruby on the dance floor, his voice trembling slightly due to the intensity of his emotions, ¡°Her charming glance, a hundred beauties born¡­the surroundings are overshadowed by her glowing beauty¡­She is a rare beauty, a rare beauty indeed!¡± Each time Mr. Octo showered Ruby with another classic quote intended to describe a beautiful woman, Steve felt not just a headache, but his stomach, heart, and lungs also started aching. Upon hearing Mr. Octo exclaiming ¡®a rare beauty¡¯ for the second time, Steve could feel his whole body pricked with throbbing aches, as if he was punctured with countless needles. Before Steve could shake off the discomfort, Mr. Octo once again started singing praises for Ruby. Only this time, he directed them at Steve, ¡°She truly has no flaws at all. With a look at other beauties, you can always find some imperfections, but she makes one marvel at her more and more. This means, she¡¯s one in a hundred, no, one in ten thousand¡­¡± After some deliberation, Mr. Octo decided to use a different term, ¡°She¡¯s a once in a lifetime beauty, don¡¯t you think so, Mr. Burton?¡± Steve stared at Ruby dancing in the middle of the dance floor. Hearing Mr. Octo¡¯s final demand for confirmation, a slight smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, his reply casual and relaxed, ¡°Is that so?¡± Steve¡¯s offhand tone made Mr. Octo feel as if his goddess was being slighted, which stirred a trickle of anger within him. He finally managed to tear his gaze off Ruby and directed it towards Steve, earnestly raised his hand, pointed at Ruby, and sought confirmation again: ¡°I was referring to that beauty, the one so beautiful, she topples the city. Am I right?¡± In the split-second when Mr. Octo turned his head to look at him, Steve had already taken his eyes off Ruby.. Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Crying herself into unconsciousness (10) Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Crying herself into unconsciousness (10) Translator: 549690339 It was only when he saw Mr. Octo pointing at Ruby Gregory that he finally put on a leisurely pose, slowly raised his head, and followed Mr. Octo¡¯s finger to look at Ruby. Just as Mr. Octo had said, she was indeed beautiful, especially under the enchanting lights on the dance floor which made her look even more stunning and hard to resist. However, Steve Burton only glanced at Ruby quickly before lowering his eyes. With a light and indifferent tone, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t see it.¡± Upon hearing this, Mr. Octo looked at Steve with a strange expression, as if questioning his taste: ¡°Mr. Burton, are you sure that you were looking at the person I mentioned?¡± ¡°Mr. Burton, if she doesn¡¯t count as a beauty, then what kind of woman would you consider beautiful?¡± ¡°Mr. Burton, do you believe me when I say that if I take a picture of her right now and post it online, she will instantly go viral and be known as the most beautiful woman in history?¡± After stating his slight disagreement with Steve, Mr. Octo finally put on a nonchalant expression, as if saying that he didn¡¯t want to argue with Steve. He stared intently at Ruby for a while, and his face gradually revealed a more and more satisfied, more and more captivated look. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but turn to Steve and ask, ¡°Mr. Burton, since she is your employee and you have her information, could you give me a copy?¡± For a man, he could show off all the stunningly beautiful things he had collected, eliciting admiration from others. But when it came to the woman he deeply loved, he could appreciate her beauty and praise it, yet could not accept the amazement and infatuation that surfaced in others¡¯ eyes when they looked at his beloved woman. So when Steve heard Mr. Octo defending Ruby as usual and asking for her contact information, he just felt a surge of anger. Give him her contact information? In his dreams! Seeing that Steve remained silent for a while, Mr. Octo lowered his head slightly and suggested, ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t really count as divulging employee information; we¡¯d just be helping out as friends¡­¡± Friends? When had he become friends with Mr. Octo? Before this indignant thought could settle in Steve¡¯s mind, Mr. Octo¡¯s voice came again: ¡°After all, a virtuous beauty makes the perfect match for a gentleman.¡± As soon as Mr. Octo¡¯s words left his mouth, Steve felt his anger rushing to his head. What the hell, a virtuous beauty makes the perfect match for a gentleman? He suddenly felt like cursing. What should he do? Steve felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his internal organs, unable to say a word. At this moment, a secretary passed by the table where Steve and Mr. Octo were sitting.. Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Crying herself into unconsciousness (11) Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Crying herself into unconsciousness (11) Translator: 549690339 The secretary had previously met Mr. Octo, who she recognized and thus immediately raised her hand to greet him. The secretary paused, respectfully walked towards Steve Burton and Mr. Octo, and courteously greeted them: ¡°Mr. Burton, Mr. Octo.¡± Without exchanging pleasantries with the secretary, Mr. Octo pointed directly to Ruby Gregory and asked, ¡°Is she an employee from your company?¡± The secretary turned her head and took a brief look. She and Ruby shared the same office, so she naturally recognized her, so she nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Octo¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope and joy, ¡°What¡¯s her name? Do you have her contact information?¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory.¡± The secretary replied. She tilted her head in thought, but she could only remember the first six digits of Ruby¡¯s phone number. Just as she was about to look it up on her mobile, she noticed Steve Burton, sitting next to Mr. Octo, glaring at her as if she had committed an unforgivable mistake. Having worked with Steve Burton for a long time, these secretaries were savvy and she immediately realized that she had compromised Ruby¡¯s privacy, much to Steve Burton¡¯s disapproval. The secretary suddenly turned pale with fright, her fingers trembling as she held her phone. She pretended to look through her contacts, and then feigned not having Ruby¡¯s contact stored on it. She politely said to Mr. Octo, ¡°Mr. Octo, I am terribly sorry, Ruby Gregory just joined Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and I haven¡¯t saved her number yet.¡± Mr. Octo looked disappointed, ¡°I see¡­¡± The secretary stole a quick glance at Steve Burton and noticed that he seemed slightly appeased, yet his gaze remained icy and intimidating. She found it difficult to breathe and hastily concocted an excuse to escape. Although Mr. Octo didn¡¯t find out Ruby Gregory¡¯s phone number, he now knew her name and he was certain he¡¯d meet her again given their cordial collaboration with Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. While Mr. Octo did feel regret for a while, he soon cheered up and he could not help but repeatedly uttering Ruby Gregory¡¯s name, ¡°Ruby Gregory¡­ So her name is Ruby Gregory¡­ Ruby¡­ Indeed living up to her name, capable of captivating a city¡­ what a great name, fits a beauty¡­ absolutely fitting¡­¡± Steve Burton sat next to him, appearing calm on the surface, but he was already lambasting internally. Did you coin the name Ruby Gregory? Ruby? Are you familiar with her? You call her Ruby? Even though Mr. Octo was thinking that there¡¯s always tomorrow, he still wanted Ruby Gregory¡¯s contact info. He couldn¡¯t resist turning to Steve Burton again, ¡°Mr. Burton, now that I know Ruby¡¯s name, it would be easier to find her phone number.. Can you help me find out? I would be grateful¡­¡± Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Crying herself into unconsciousness (12) Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Crying herself into unconsciousness (12) Translator: 549690339 Ruby? Damn! He called Ruby Gregory, Ruby?! Steve Burton couldn¡¯t accept it for a moment, his hand trembled, and the phone in his hand slammed onto the ground. Now he not only felt pain all over, his blood rising in anger, he even felt that he couldn¡¯t breathe properly! Could just anyone casually call Ruby Gregory by her childhood nickname? Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, and Howard Coleman grew up alongside him and Ruby Gregory, and none of them dared to call her ¡°Ruby¡± in front of him! At this moment, Steve Burton felt that he not only wanted to gouge out Mr. Octo¡¯s eyes, but he actually wanted to kill him! Mr. Octo bent down, picked up Steve Burton¡¯s phone, and handed it to Steve. He glanced at the man, who had a handsome face, outstanding temperament, and a cold demeanor, showing no abnormalities. So, Mr. Octo spoke again, ¡°Mr. Burton, you¡¯re not going to refuse such a small favor, are you?¡± Small favor? Is this called a small favor? Ask any man in the world if they would give up their beloved woman to someone else? Steve Burton sneered twice in his heart and mocked Mr. Octo harshly. When a man knows he¡¯s interested in a woman, the more unattainable she is, the more restless he becomes. So, at this moment, Mr. Octo really wanted to know Ruby Gregory¡¯s contact information, and even in the end, he began to make concessions on the cooperation between the two companies for Ruby Gregory¡¯s Il-digit phone number: ¡°Mr. Burton, how about this, you tell me Ruby¡¯s phone number, and for this cooperation, I will give you 10% more profit on top of the original basis.¡± Again with the ¡°Ruby.¡± Steve Burton almost spat blood. Profit? Was he, the president of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, such a money-grubber with no principles? ¡°How about 13% more profit?¡± Mr. Octo thought Steve Burton despised low profits and took another step back. Steve Burton¡¯s hand clenched into a fist. ¡°Fifteen percent, we¡¯ve been working together for so many years, when have I ever bled this much?¡± Maybe it was because he got too worked up, but Steve Burton felt his emotions gradually calming down. Mr. Octo hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth: ¡°Twenty percent.¡± With his mood calmed, Steve Burton¡¯s rationality returned, accompanied by the unique shamelessness in him. Finally, when he heard Mr. Octo¡¯s last sentence, he turned his head and looked at Mr. Octo. Seeing that Steve Burton finally responded, Mr. Octo¡¯s face lit up with joy, thinking he had a chance, he opened his mouth: ¡°So¡­¡± Before Mr. Octo could finish saying ¡°then let¡¯s settle this,¡± the previously silent Steve Burton suddenly spoke: ¡°Mr.. Octo, do you think it¡¯s gentlemanly of you to try to win over a married woman?¡± Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Crying herself into unconsciousness (13) Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Crying herself into unconsciousness (13) Translator: 549690339 Mr. Octo¡¯s joyful expression lasted for a whole minute before his brain finally realized that what Steve Burton had told him was not Ruby Gregory¡¯s phone number. He subconsciously muttered a ¡°huh?¡± and then slowly replayed Steve¡¯s words in his head. Mr. Octo, do you think it¡¯s honorable for you to hit on a married woman? A married woman? A married woman? The phrase flashed in Mr. Octo¡¯s mind twice, first as a question, then as an exclamation! Ruby Gregory is actually a married woman? How could the woman he picked out of a crowd and fell in love with at first sight be a married woman? Mr. Octo suddenly wanted to cry. He looked at Steve, opened and closed his mouth, stuttered for a while, and then murmured, ¡°She¡¯s already married?¡± As Mr. Octo spoke, he glanced at Ruby, then looked back at Steve and said, ¡°She looks so young¡­¡± Steve leisurely inspected his phone, which had been scratched a bit on the edge when it fell earlier. For a perfectionist like him, he frowned slightly in disgust, considering asking his secretary to get him a new phone later. Meanwhile, he spoke to Mr. Octo casually, saying something even more shocking: ¡°Compared to you, Mr. Octo, she is indeed quite young. But, no matter how young she is, she¡¯s already a mother.¡± If Steve had just casually labeled Ruby Gregory as a married woman, that would be a petty, unfounded lie. But now that he bestowed upon Ruby the identity of being a mother, that was a major, life-ruining, disgraceful lie. Mr. Octo¡¯s heart shuddered violently. A mother? His love at first sight was not only married but had also given birth? Steve slowly raised his eyelids and glanced at Mr. Octo¡¯s regretful and annoyed expression. He leisurely added, ¡°A boy.¡± ¡°She has a son?¡± Mr. Octo asked back, furrowing his brow deeply. He continued to scrutinize Ruby, saying, ¡°Her figure looks great, not at all like someone who¡¯s given birth.¡± Steve directly ignored Mr. Octo¡¯s praise of Ruby¡¯s figure in the latter half of his sentence. Responding to Mr. Octo¡¯s question about a son, he replied calmly, ¡°The boy is already five years old.¡± At that moment, Mr. Octo¡¯s expression instantly stiffened. The woman he wanted to chase had a five-year-old son? It meant that she had been married for six years! Married for six years with a child. This indicated a happy marriage. It seemed that his infatuation this time wouldn¡¯t materialize into action. Steve apparently felt that the blow to Mr. Octo was still not enough. He also seemed to feel that he had shamelessly labeled Ruby Gregory as married for no reason and even added to her a child. Enjoying the look of regret and pain on Mr. Octo¡¯s face, he added even more shamelessly, ¡°And also, a daughter..¡± Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Crying herself into unconsciousness (14) Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Crying herself into unconsciousness (14) Translator: 549690339 Mr. Octo just picked up his glass and took a sip of alcohol, hoping to drown his sorrows. However, he heard Steve¡¯s words coming from behind and suddenly choked on his drink. He bent over and started coughing violently. His goddess not only had one child, but two, which could only mean one thing: her marriage was stable. A boy and a girl, the perfect winning combination in life, a symbol of a perfectly happy family. Mr. Octo lost all hope for his future with Ruby Gregory, feeling completely dejected. Steve Burton, satisfied with himself, smirked and felt his mood lifted after holding it in all night. He lazily cast his gaze towards the dance floor, easily spotting Ruby¡¯s figure in the crowd. He stared at her for less than half a minute before his expression suddenly changed. He slammed his glass on the table, stood up quickly, and rushed towards the dance floor¡­ Back in college, Steve would often take Ruby and Madeleine to bars where they¡¯d dance together under the dazzling lights. Later, when Ruby went to Costa Luna, she visited bars far less frequently, being alone in a foreign land. Now, at the company party, she originally hid in a corner which was then taken by Steve. Not knowing where else to go, she agreed to dance when Maya Mitchell suggested it. The music on the dance floor got faster and faster, and Ruby, along with the other dancers, picked up the pace as well. Although nobody mentioned it, it felt like they were competing to see who could dance the best. Ruby was not a particularly competitive person, but she couldn¡¯t help getting caught up in the atmosphere and gradually got more and more involved in the dance. With more and more people joining the dance floor, it became increasingly crowded. Not liking the feeling of being squeezed in with so many people, Ruby decided to stop dancing and leave the dance floor. As the people around her continued to dance, she tried not to bother them, walking carefully through the crowd. When she was close to the edge of the dance floor, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as she prepared to walk down the steps. Suddenly, someone bumped into her from behind. It was possible that someone had been dancing with a glass in their hand, spilling alcohol all over the floor. Ruby was wearing high heels, and although she managed not to slip while walking, the unexpected nudge caused her to lose her balance. Before she could fully react, she fell heavily to the ground. Ruby¡¯s fall caused a scream from someone who witnessed it, and everyone stopped dancing, rushing over to surround her.. Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Crying herself into unconsciousness (15) Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Crying herself into unconsciousness (15) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory first felt a piercing pain in her forehead, so severe that she nearly passed out. She then realized she was surrounded by a crowd. Falling face-first in front of so many people, Ruby felt utterly humiliated. Perhaps Maya Mitchell and Edward Woods were close to where Ruby had fallen. Seeing it was Ruby, the two quickly squeezed through the crowd. Edward called out ¡°Ruby!¡± just as he reached down to pick her up. Suddenly, someone grabbed his arm from behind and forcefully shoved him aside. The next second, Ruby, who was still on the ground, was swept into someone¡¯s arms. Ruby had thought that being helped up after a fall wouldn¡¯t be too embarrassing. But the moment she landed in a warm and strong embrace, the familiar yet fearful scent wrapping around her nostrils, she was filled with regret. She regretted not enduring the severe pain in her forehead and forcing herself to stand up. Once she recognized that the person holding her was Steve Burton, her body tensed. She did not dare put her arms around him, remaining stiff as he supported her. She didn¡¯t want to face Steve, so she closed her eyes tightly. Although she couldn¡¯t see, Ruby could clearly hear Edward following behind, pressing the elevator button and preparing a car. She could also feel that Steve was walking at an incredibly fast pace. Although she couldn¡¯t see, Ruby could clearly hear Edward following behind, pressing the elevator button and preparing a car. She could also feel that Steve¡¯s pacing was quick, even impatiently hurrying the car service at the club¡¯s entrance, which made him seem agitated. But within his agitation, there seemed to be an undercurrent of urgency. Was Steve being so hurried because he was worried about her? This realization threw Ruby into a panic for a moment. Impossible. Steve couldn¡¯t possibly be worried about her when he barely tolerated her presence. It must have been the pain in her forehead making her hear and see things. Ruby faintly heard a car stopping in front of her, she sighed quietly in relief. The idea of being free from Steve¡¯s embrace was appealing. But just when she thought he was about to let her down, he climbed in after her, pulling her close. His tone was as cold as ever, ¡°Take us to the nearest hospital.¡± Ruby¡¯s heart, which had just begun to settle, leaped into her throat again. She was leaning against Steve¡¯s chest, listening to the powerful beating of his heart, and she dared not move or even breathe.. Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Crying herself into unconsciousness (16) Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Crying herself into unconsciousness (16) Translator: 549690339 Upon arriving at the hospital, it was still Steve Burton who hurriedly carried Ruby Gregory into the emergency room. Ruby really fell quite hard this time, as her injury had turned into a deep purple color. Since it was a head injury, the hospital first conducted a concussion test on Ruby to ensure she was alright before prescribing some medications to help promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. In reality, as long as there was no concussion, it would just be an external injury. After about ten days or half a month, it would subside and return to normal. However, since Ruby¡¯s forehead was severely swollen and the bruise turned blackish-purple, it looked rather frightening. So, Steve decided to have the hospital arrange for her hospitalization. Upon learning that nothing serious was wrong with her, Ruby¡¯s deepest desire was to finally go home. At this moment, she felt that her injury wasn¡¯t such a terrible thing. At the very least, she wouldn¡¯t have to endure the party until the end with Steve present. Maybe she could even take a few more days off work using this injury as an excuse and not go to the office. So, when Ruby heard Steve wanting her to be hospitalized, she reflexively spoke up, refusing, ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s just go home.¡± Edward Woods naturally knew Steve¡¯s intentions; he just wanted to take advantage of Ruby¡¯s minor forehead injury to spend more time with her. So, he didn¡¯t pay attention to Ruby¡¯s objections and went to the first floor to complete her hospitalization procedures. Although Ruby¡¯s injury was just a minor forehead bruise, Edward still arranged for a VIP Suite. Steve placed Ruby on the soft hospital bed, and, finally free from the man¡¯s embrace, she quietly let out a sigh of relief before quietly stretching her limbs buried in the beddings. After sorting everything out, Edward naturally wouldn¡¯t linger here and continue to disturb Steve and Ruby. So, he used the excuse that the party hadn¡¯t ended yet to leave. Although she was no longer being held by Steve, Ruby felt even more uneasy with one less person around, Edward. She lay in bed, not moving at all, eyes closed, ears perked up to listen to the surrounding movements. Ruby felt Steve standing by her bedside for a while before he left. Only then did she open her eyes, covering her chest as she took a few long breaths, just in time to hear footsteps at the door. Ruby quickly lay back down, and soon after, she heard the door being pushed open. Steve placed a cup of water on the table beside the bed, took out the medicine prescribed by the doctor according to the dosage, and said lightly to Ruby on the bed, ¡°Take the medicine first. From the moment Ruby fell and was picked up by Steve, she had kept her eyes closed, even while stating that she didn¡¯t want to be hospitalized, in order to avoid him. Now, as the man suddenly called out to her to take the medicine, Ruby¡¯s heart raced, and her hand, hidden beneath the covers, unconsciously gripped the bedsheets. PS: Today¡¯s update is complete, and the story will continue tomorrow Yesterday¡¯s lucky reader was: I¡¯m so confused@ Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Crying herself into unconsciousness (17) Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Crying herself into unconsciousness (17) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton placed the water glass on the bedside table, took out the medicine prescribed by the doctor according to the dosage, and spoke faintly to Ruby Gregory lying on the hospital bed, ¡°Take the medicine first.¡± Ever since Ruby had fallen and injured herself and been picked up by Steve, she had kept her eyes closed, even when she insisted she didn¡¯t want to be hospitalized, just to avoid looking at him. Now that he had suddenly asked her to take the medicine, Ruby¡¯s heart raced. Her hand hidden under the covers, she subconsciously gripped the bedsheet beneath her. Steve stared straight at the unresponsive Ruby, knowing she wasn¡¯t asleep, just unwilling to look at him. Lowering his eyes, Steve glanced at the medicine in his hand, took two steps forward, and reached out to nudge Ruby. Ruby¡¯s eyelashes trembled violently at the touch, and her body shivered. ¡°Take the medicine.¡± The man¡¯s words were concise and cold this time. Ruby could tell that Steve was unhappy, and although she really wanted to keep pretending to sleep, she could feel him sitting down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to grab her arm as if to hold her and feed her the medicine himself. Ruby quickly opened her eyes and slightly evaded his arm, sitting up by herself. Steve stared at his empty hand, then casually withdrew it, holding out the other hand with the medicine pill to Ruby¡¯s mouth, ¡°Open up.¡± Ruby¡¯s body shuddered, and her lips pursed slightly. Instead of opening her mouth and taking the medicine from his hand, she stretched out her hand to pick up the pill from his palm. Ruby could clearly feel the man¡¯s aura growing colder. She looked up to see an icy expression on Steve¡¯s elegant face. The water glass was on the table behind Steve. She had wanted to ask him to pass it to her, but now she didn¡¯t dare say a word. Biting her lip, she quietly reached out, went around Steve¡¯s back, and took the glass of water from the bedside cabinet. Watching Ruby¡¯s silent actions, Steve furrowed his brow. Suppressing the annoyance churning inside him, he turned around, picked up the glass of water, and handed it to her. Ruby hadn¡¯t expected Steve to pass her the water glass. She glanced at him in surprise, then took the water glass from Steve and quickly put the medicine in her mouth. Steve watched Ruby the entire time, his gaze neither cold nor warm, but it made her fingers tremble as she brought the glass to her lips and swallowed the medicine down. Drinking the medicine alone with Steve had made her feel so stifled that she was on the verge of breaking down. What if she had to stay the night¡­ Ruby didn¡¯t even dare to think about it. She quietly removed the glass from her lips, glanced quickly at Steve, and then carefully chose her words, using a slightly wise and knowledgeable excuse: ¡°The banquet isn¡¯t over yet. Do you want to go back and take a look? After all, you are the boss.¡± Steve was not a fool. He could easily discern the true meaning behind Ruby¡¯s tactful words ¨C she wanted him to leave! PS: I wrote the last chapter a bit hastily last night. I revised it a bit today, but it won¡¯t affect the reading experience.. Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Crying herself into unconsciousness (18) Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Crying herself into unconsciousness (18) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton seemed to ignore Ruby Gregory¡¯s words, just reaching out and taking the glass cup from her hand. Seeing that Steve did not respond, Ruby hesitated for a moment then made up an excuse: ¡°I just called The Gregorys and they are on their way. You can go do your thing, you don¡¯t need to keep me company¡­¡± Before Ruby could finish, Steve fixed his gaze intently on her. The expression on his face grew increasingly indifferent. There was no trace of emotion in his eyes, only a vastness like that of an ocean, giving off a shuddering sensation. Ruby felt a bit jittery under Steve¡¯s gaze. Lowering her eyes, she worked hard to steady her voice and continued, ¡°You have to work tomorrow, you can¡¯t rest well here¡­¡± There was a sharp ¡°pop¡± that interrupted her sentence. Ruby looked up to where the sound came from. The glass cup that Steve had held in his hand had shattered, its fragments scattered all over the floor. The clear and lonely sound it made in the quiet, spacious suite was strikingly hollow and harsh. Ruby¡¯s body jolted as she looked up. Steve¡¯s face was wearing an unnerving, somber expression. Her intuition told her that this was a sign that he was getting angry. Ruby held her breath and a sense of terror rose from the pit of her stomach. Shouldn¡¯t he dislike her? She had fabricated such a considerate excuse for him to leave the person he loathed, why was he still so upset? Ruby¡¯s fingers tightly gripped the bedcover; her eyelashes trembled violently as she awaited Steve¡¯s impending outburst. His chest heaved unnaturally. He felt like there was a ball of fire slaloming inside him, ready to blow him up at any moment. He stared at Ruby, chuckled lightly, his voice chillingly cool. The tone he took on was a trademark mock, ¡°Ruby Gregory, this is the real you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruby did not understand what Steve meant by his words and she had no mental capacity left to second guess his thoughts. Just hearing the familiar sarcasm he used when angered was enough to scare her into a frenzy. She was unsure if his next words would be more biting than the times he said she disgusted him and was hypocritical, and told her to leave. He always wanted to know the real Ruby. From yesterday when he delivered the meal to The Gregorys under the guise of a visit, until now when she feigned concern to get him to leave, he finally saw the real Ruby Gregory. A Ruby who really didn¡¯t want to be with him. His pain deepened at the sight of her hypocrisy. Discovering her true thoughts only intensified his agony.. Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Crying herself into unconsciousness (19) Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Crying herself into unconsciousness (19) Translator: 549690339 Actually, his temper wasn¡¯t that explosive, but when faced with her fake concern for him, and her purpose-driven closeness, his temper would become uncontrollable. In fact, he wasn¡¯t just angry at her, but even more so at himself, for always being so weak in front of her. He knew that her persistent approach was because she wanted to be Steve Burton¡¯s wife. Nobody likes it when someone gets close to them with an ulterior motive, let alone when that person is the one they deeply love. It felt like a knife viciously stabbing into his heart. Deep down, he knew he should cut things off, but he just couldn¡¯t bear to do so. She made him feel so conflicted. How could he not be angry? He was angry at himself, knowing that her kindness towards him wasn¡¯t genuine, yet he couldn¡¯t help but easily indulge in it every time. But now, he had finally seen the real her, and he discovered that the satisfaction and happiness he had imagined were not there. It seemed that the distance between them was growing further, and things were getting worse and worse. Steve Burton clenched his fist tightly, and the remaining glass shards in his palm dug deeper. He used that pain to let reason take the upper hand, suppress the anger bubbling up from within, and stop himself from blurting out hurtful words at any moment without thinking. In the past, Steve Burton would suddenly say hurtful things to her without warning. Hearing those words hurt her, but as time went on, she gradually started to anticipate when he would say something hurtful. Just like now, Ruby Gregory knew that he could say something that would hurt her at any moment, but she didn¡¯t know when. At this point, she felt like a person who had been sentenced to death but didn¡¯t know when it would happen. Just as Ruby Gregory held her breath and tightly gripped the bed sheet, waiting for that moment, the man standing beside the bed suddenly turned around and strode out of the hospital room. It wasn¡¯t until the sound of the hospital room door slamming shut that Ruby slowly blinked and somewhat incredulously lifted her head. Steve Burton had actually left without saying a single nasty word to her? Ruby Gregory felt as if she were dreaming. After a moment, she reached out and pinched her thigh, only realizing that everything was real when she felt pain. This time, Steve Burton had truly not mocked her. Ruby Gregory suddenly felt that she understood Steve Burton even less than before. As Steve Burton walked into the hospital corridor, he still felt a heaviness in his chest. He opened the window of the corridor. Directly below was the hospital¡¯s small garden. Through the window, Steve Burton could see a nurse pushing a wheelchair-bound patient, who was taking a leisurely stroll. A gentle breeze blew over him, and only then did Steve Burton feel slightly relieved.. Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Crying herself into unconsciousness (20) Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Crying herself into unconsciousness (20) Translator: 549690339 Steve stood there for a long time before he finally averted his eyes and took out his phone, calling Madeleine and then hanging up. He didn¡¯t want to accompany her, but he couldn¡¯t just leave her alone in the hospital. Madeleine, who had a good relationship with her, was the most suitable choice, but she was abroad. The only thing he could do was to ask Madeleine to call the Gregorys and inform someone from the family to come to the hospital. After putting away his phone, Steve noticed streaks of blood on it as he realized there were several shards of glass in his palm. As if he didn¡¯t feel any pain, Steve extended his hand and pulled the shards out one by one, drops of bright red blood dripping onto the floor from his fingers. The person who arrived at the hospital was Lady Gregory. Seeing Steve standing in the corridor, Lady Gregory paused slightly before a flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes, ¡°Steve, why don¡¯t you go inside?¡± Steve hid his injured hand behind his back and politely said to Lady Gregory, ¡°I have some matters at work, I¡¯ll leave her in your care.¡± Lady Gregory, who had originally planned to leave after seeing Ruby and give the space to the couple, felt a bit regretful but still said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you go ahead with your work, I¡¯ll take care of things here.¡± Steve nodded slightly, said goodbye, and left. Ruby just blurted out that someone from the Gregorys was coming, trying to deceive Steve. But she didn¡¯t expect that someone from the family would really come. When Ruby saw Lady Gregory, she instinctively said, ¡°Mom, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Madeleine called me and said you were injured and in the hospital.¡± Madeleine? How could Madeleine, who was abroad, know about her injury? As the doubt in Ruby¡¯s heart had not yet settled, Lady Gregory asked worriedly, ¡°Ruby, did you have a disagreement with Steve?¡± Did her mother know something? Ruby¡¯s expression faltered for a moment. ¡°When I arrived just now, I saw Steve standing outside the door, and his expression did not look very good.¡± Upon hearing this, Ruby instantly understood that it must have been Steve who asked Madeleine to call the Gregorys. Immediately, Ruby¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Hadn¡¯t Steve already left for quite a while? Had he been standing in the corridor all this time without leaving? ¡°Ruby, Steve has been pampered since he was young, and so many people have catered to him. He¡¯s developed a bit of a young master¡¯s temperament. Sometimes, you should be more accommodating to him and try not to upset him all the time.¡± Ruby¡¯s emotions, which had been a bit chaotic because Steve had not left, became melancholic when she heard Lady Gregory¡¯s words. She had heard these words for many years now.. Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Crying herself into unconsciousness (21) Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Crying herself into unconsciousness (21) Translator: 549690339 The Gregorys always told her to accommodate Steve Burton. So, she had always tried her best to accommodate him. But, no one has ever asked about her feelings, her grievances. Ruby Gregory closed her eyes, turned around, and faced away from Lady Gregory. Lady Gregory saw the broken glass on the floor, took a broom to clean it up, and noticed faint traces of blood. She frowned slightly, ¡°Ruby, why is there blood here? Who got hurt?¡± Ruby Gregory turned her head and saw dried, dark red blood staining the glass shards that Lady Gregory had picked up. It was Steve Burton¡¯s; he had just crushed the glass in his hand. Ruby Gregory¡¯s hand subconsciously tightened. Ruby Gregory wasn¡¯t seriously injured, so she left the hospital early the next day and went straight back to the Gregorys¡¯ house. Her swollen purple forehead looked terrifying. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t go out and see people like this, so Ruby Gregory happily got a half-month vacation as she wished. The first three days, the swelling was quite severe, but after that, it receded rapidly day by day. Then, the purple color gradually turned yellow, a sign of the bruise healing. About ten days later, the bruise on Ruby Gregory¡¯s forehead had faded significantly. With a little makeup, she looked as normal as ever. It was already the 8th of the month, and there were still two days left until the 10th. During these ten days, Steve Burton didn¡¯t even call Ruby Gregory, let alone visit her at the Gregorys¡¯ house. Madeleine flew into Ciawell on the morning of the 8th and went straight back to the company to report her business trip to Steve Burton. After her report, Steve Burton indifferently commented and then casually mentioned, ¡°When Ruby Gregory was injured last time, you were on a business trip abroad, so I had to ask you to call the Gregorys.¡± Due to her recent busyness, Madeleine had already forgotten about this incident. It only came back to her when Steve Burton suddenly mentioned it, that ten days ago, Steve Burton called her to say that Ruby Gregory was injured and in the hospital, and asked her to inform the Gregorys. After Steve Burton finished speaking, he hung up the phone before she could react. Madeleine didn¡¯t know the severity of Ruby Gregory¡¯s injury, so she hurriedly called the Gregorys. Now, upon hearing his words, she realized what had happened. She glanced through the glass window and saw that Ruby¡¯s seat was empty, so she asked, ¡°Ruby hasn¡¯t returned to work yet?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Steve Burton replied indifferently. ¡°How is she doing now?¡± Steve Burton just stared at the files on his desk, not saying a word. Madeleine could tell from his expression that Steve Burton didn¡¯t know Ruby Gregory¡¯s situation and only then did she realize why he had mentioned the incident of her calling Ruby Gregory after the business meeting.. Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Crying herself into unconsciousness (22) Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Crying herself into unconsciousness (22) Translator: 549690339 How could she forget that if Steve Burton came second in being closed-off and moody, no one would dare claim the title of first place in the world. It was clear that Steve wanted to know how Ruby Gregory was doing now, but he couldn¡¯t find a good excuse to go to the Gregorys¡¯, nor could he swallow his pride and tell Madeleine to go directly, so he reminded her in such a roundabout way. Madeleine thought about it and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, which made Steve look up and glare at her fiercely. Madeleine immediately stopped laughing and pretended to be clueless, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll go visit Ruby tonight.¡± Lady Gregory had been hoping that Steve would come to see Ruby, but she didn¡¯t expect that after waiting for ten days, it would be Madeleine who would come instead of Steve. Although Lady Gregory was disappointed, she still warmly welcomed Madeleine. Since Madeleine had many private words to share with Ruby, she politely chatted with Lady Gregory in the living room for a while before going up to Ruby¡¯s room together. From Edward Woods¡¯ account, Madeleine had learned about Ruby¡¯s accidental fall at the company banquet, and now, looking at the faint scar on Ruby¡¯s forehead, she thought about how Edward had vividly described Steve¡¯s excitement and anxiety as he carried Ruby to the hospital that day. Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but lean in mysteriously and asked, ¡°Ruby, have you and my brother made up completely now?¡± Just as Lady Gregory was about to open the door with a plate of fruit, she heard Madeleine¡¯s words and subconsciously stopped her movement. Made up completely? Thinking of the contraceptive pill Steve still gave her, Ruby only felt ironic. The smile on her face that had been there since seeing Madeleine suddenly faded, and she lowered her eyes. Seeing Ruby¡¯s silent and melancholic expression, Madeleine suddenly felt a pang of regret. How could she be so careless? If they had truly made up, why did Steve call her on the night Ruby was injured, asking her to notify the Gregorys¡¯, instead of staying at the hospital himself? Madeleine smiled awkwardly and then said, ¡°Ruby, you know my brother¡¯s character. Actually, sometimes he doesn¡¯t really mean what he says deep down¡­¡± ¡°Madeleine, you¡¯ve been on a business trip abroad for so many days, you must have bought a lot of stuff, right? What did you buy?¡± Without waiting for Madeleine to finish, Ruby immediately interrupted her. In this world, no one understood Ruby better than Madeleine. She knew that Ruby would only avoid talking about a person when she was holding a grudge against them. Madeleine paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Ruby, are you mad at my brother?¡± ¡°What has my brother done?¡± Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Crying herself into unconsciousness (23) Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Crying herself into unconsciousness (23) Translator: 549690339 In this world, only Madeleine would ask her what Steve did when she saw her being wronged, instead of asking her to accommodate Steve. Ruby felt a sourness in her nose. She lowered her eyelids slightly, and after a while, she took a deep breath, calming her emotions before raising her head and smiling at Madeleine. She still avoided Madeleine¡¯s question just now: ¡°Madeleine, did you bring me any gifts from abroad?¡± A good best friend is someone who accompanies you when you¡¯re upset, not someone who investigates why you¡¯re upset. So, when Madeleine could tell that Ruby really didn¡¯t want to talk about Steve, she didn¡¯t force her. Instead, she went along with Ruby¡¯s words and took out the gift she had brought for her. On the ninth day, Madeleine had a busy day at work, so after talking to Steve alone in the morning, she forgot to tell him about her visit to Ruby the day before. As a result, in the afternoon, Steve called Madeleine to his office several times. When Madeleine was called into Steve¡¯s office for the fifth time, Howard finally realized that something was wrong and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with our boss today? He keeps calling Madeleine to his office.¡± ¡°Madeleine, did we talk about anything particular?¡± Madeleine was also puzzled: ¡°No, he just asked a bunch of irrelevant questions.¡± ¡°Madeleine, did you do something wrong?¡± Edward asked. Madeleine was startled by this question, and after thinking about it, it seemed that something was indeed amiss. Then, she asked, ¡°I just came back to the country yesterday, how could I have made any mistakes?¡± Howard looked helpless: ¡°You¡¯ll have to think about that yourself.¡± Edward also looked unconcerned and aloof. ¡°You two traitors!¡± Madeleine angrily cursed, then looked expectantly at Rusell, who had been sitting quietly working on a report and hadn¡¯t said a word. Only then did Rusell slowly move his head away from the computer, staring at Madeleine and pointing out: ¡°Our boss¡¯s behavior is clearly sulking again.¡± ¡°Rusell means, it¡¯s not that Madeleine made a mistake, but that our boss wants to ask her something and is too embarrassed to ask,¡± Edward continued analyzing. Howard bluntly asked: ¡°Madeleine, what does our boss want to find out from you?¡± Madeleine was still baffled. Rusell looked at the three of them with a headache, feeling a bit anxious for their IQ: ¡°Our boss has always been sulking towards only one person.¡± When Rusell said this, Madeleine suddenly understood.. She secretly slapped the table and said, ¡°How could I have forgotten about that!¡± Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Crying herself into unconsciousness (24) Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Crying herself into unconsciousness (24) Translator: 549690339 Madeleine entered Steve Burton¡¯s office and earnestly answered the question he asked. Steve Burton sat lazily in his office chair, seemingly distracted as he listened to Madeleine¡¯s words. He then raised his head and stared directly at her. Madeleine knew that Steve Burton¡¯s gaze was probing her. She instinctively said, ¡°Brother, I went to see Ruby yesterday.¡± Madeleine clearly saw that although Steve Burton¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed much upon hearing her words, his eyes twinkled slightly. ¡°Ruby¡¯s injury is no longer a problem, and in a few days, you probably won¡¯t see any scars,¡± Madeleine originally just wanted to truthfully describe this much. However, after seeing Steve Burton¡¯s relieved expression upon hearing that Ruby Gregory was fine, and thinking about Ruby¡¯s desolate demeanor when she mentioned Steve, Madeleine felt a bit displeased. Although she couldn¡¯t beat Steve Burton and didn¡¯t dare to provoke him, she could now use another method to take petty revenge on him for oppressing her all these years. So, Madeleine added quietly, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ ¡® Madeleine deliberately struck a hesitant pose. Steve Burton frowned, looked at Madeleine, and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Madeleine then continued leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s just that Ruby¡¯s mood seems terrible, and she¡¯s not very happy. When she saw me, she didn¡¯t talk much.¡± Little did he know, when Ruby and Madeleine got together, they could chatter endlessly. Steve Burton¡¯s frown deepened. Madeleine knew that her bomb had landed quite successfully, and so she took the cue to step back and make a hasty exit. After hearing this news, Steve Burton became even more restless than when he didn¡¯t know the state of Ruby¡¯s recovery. On the morning of the tenth, Ruby woke up early. Today was the day that she followed the old arrangement with Steve Burton and went to Red Park Resort. She had managed to avoid it last month because he was on a business trip, but this time she didn¡¯t know if she could dodge it again. From the morning, Ruby kept checking her phone. When evening came, she still hadn¡¯t received a call from Steve Burton. Ruby couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat relieved. It was almost time for dinner, and he still hadn¡¯t called. Didn¡¯t this mean that she didn¡¯t have to go? At noon on the tenth, Steve Burton had a lunch appointment. When it ended, it was already past four in the afternoon. Since he had been drinking some alcohol, as soon as Steve Burton got into the car, he closed his eyes. The driver drove the car while glancing at Steve Burton through the rearview mirror, then asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, should we go back to the company or your place?¡± By ¡°home,¡± the driver didn¡¯t mean The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, but a duplex apartment in the city that was 300 square meters large. Steve Burton didn¡¯t answer the driver¡¯s question but instead closed his eyes and thought for a while before asking, ¡°What day is it today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the tenth.¡± The tenth¡­ it was the day of his arrangement with Ruby. Steve Burton was silent for a while before opening his mouth and saying, ¡°Go to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion.¡± Recently, Mr. Burton had been going to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion quite frequently¡­ The driver eyed Steve Burton with surprise before starting the car and heading to West Suburb. Upon reaching The Gregorys¡¯ house, which they had to pass on the way to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, Steve Burton opened his eyes and said indifferently, ¡°Go to The Gregorys¡¯.¡± PS: That¡¯s all for today, will continue tomorrow- Tomorrow there will be something heartwarming- Yesterday¡¯s winning reader was: <¨¦B?9kfiE PPS: Recommending a book: ¡°Playing Dumb and Black Belly: Chasing Mr.. Perfect 1000 Times¡± by, Forgetting to Breathe Cat Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Crying herself into unconsciousness (25) Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Crying herself into unconsciousness (25) Translator: 549690339 On the way back to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, they had to pass by the entrance of The Gregorys. As the car was approaching their house, Steve Burton opened his eyes and said in a casual tone, ¡°Go to The Gregorys¡¯.¡± It turned out that Mr. Burton¡¯s frequent visits to his old house were because of Ms. Gregory¡­ The driver had been working for the Burtons for a long time and had often driven Steve and Ruby Gregory, so he instantly understood the true intentions of Steve. The driver glanced at Steve through the rearview mirror and respectfully turned the steering wheel, driving the car through the entrance of The Gregorys¡¯. The Gregorys¡¯ courtyard was empty, and the long-standing European style lamps on both sides of the corridor seemed a bit outdated. Under the shroud of the sunset, they cast a thin layer of golden light. The car parked steadily in front of The Gregorys¡¯ Villa, the driver got out of the car and opened the door for Steve. As Steve got out, the driver habitually walked to the front door of The Gregorys¡¯, and just as he was about to press the doorbell, Steve, standing nearby, suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± The driver instinctively looked at Steve, respectfully stepped back, and got back into the car. Steve stood at the entrance for a while before reaching out and pressing the doorbell on the wall. About half a minute later, the door was pushed open by a servant who had been working at The Gregorys¡¯ for many years. Seeing Steve, she looked slightly surprised. After a pause, she quickly stepped aside and led Steve into the living room. Once he was seated, she quickly went into the kitchen, made a cup of coffee, and brought it to him, saying, ¡°Mr. Steve, I will go upstairs and call Madam and Ms. Gregory down.¡± Ruby had been on edge since waking up early in the morning, but now she felt more at ease. Seeing that it was still early for dinner, she took a bath and went to the dressing room to change her clothes. Habitually, she picked up a blue dress, hesitated for a moment since she didn¡¯t have to see Steve today, and then chose a light yellow one instead. The dress was an old style she had bought a few years ago, but when Ruby put it on, she was still delighted and twirled in front of the mirror before trying on another blue dress. As Ruby continued trying on different clothes and admiring herself, there was a knock on her bedroom door. As she stepped out of the dressing room, she saw Lady Gregory enter with a bowl of mango sago. Ruby sat on the edge of her bed, happily sipping her dessert. Lady Gregory sat across from her on the sofa, staring at her for a while before saying, ¡°The injury on your head has faded and is barely visible now. You can put on some light makeup and go back to work tomorrow.¡± Ruby paused her dessert eating for a moment, looked up at Lady Gregory, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve taken leave until the 12th.¡± Lady Gregory didn¡¯t respond immediately.. After a while, she asked, ¡°Ruby, do you not want to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises anymore?¡± Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Crying herself into unconsciousness (26) Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Crying herself into unconsciousness (26) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s expression stiffened slightly, then she said: ¡°How could I not want to go to work?¡± Lady Gregory was silent, just staring at Ruby. After a while, she spoke with a somewhat serious tone: ¡°Or perhaps, Ruby, you actually don¡¯t want to see Steve.¡± This time, Lady Gregory used an affirmative sentence, rather than a rhetorical question. Ruby, holding her mango sago, slightly shuddered, then lowered her head to take a sip of the mango sago, steadying her slightly panicked heart. Keeping her composure, she lifted her head to look at Lady Gregory, her eyes curving into a gentle tone, ¡°Mom, why would you think that?¡± This time, the silence from Lady Gregory lasted much longer than the previous one. Ruby swallowed saliva and with her usual smile still on her face, she said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t overthink¡­¡± ¡°Ruby¡­,¡± Lady Gregory interrupted Ruby seriously, she stared at Ruby for a while before continuing, ¡°You¡¯ve been injured for so many days and Steve has not come to visit you, you tell me, am I really overthinking?¡± Ruby¡¯s expression hardened slightly. She struggled to curve her lips into a smile: ¡°Steven Burton is busy. He may not have time.¡± ¡°In the past, even when you caught a cold from a breeze, Steve would fly back from overseas just to see you. Was Steve not busy then?¡± The words from Lady Gregory rendered Ruby speechless. Her forced smile gradually dissipated. Although she was well aware of Steven Burton¡¯s resentment and neglect towards her, she had always tried to hide it to avoid worrying her parents. Now, could she no longer hide it? The room fell into a bit of silence. After a long while, Lady Gregory finally spoke, ¡°Ruby, you don¡¯t need to lie to me. I overheard your conversation with Madeleine the day before yesterday.¡± In fact, Lady Gregory didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop on Ruby and Madeleine¡¯s conversation. Due to the worry caused by Steven Burton¡¯s absence during Ruby¡¯s injury, she didn¡¯t interrupt the conversation between Ruby and Madeleine when Madeleine asked Ruby if she had reconciled with Steven. Madeleine and Ruby had been close friends since childhood. Ruby¡¯s true feelings, which she would open up to Madeleine about, were not shown to her parents. Deep down, she wanted to know what the situation was between Ruby and Steven Burton. It was only when she heard Madeleine¡¯s question, ¡°Are you mad at my brother?¡± that she realized, just as she had suspected, that Ruby was truly at odds with Steven, and it was not Steve who was angry at her, but her who was angry with Steve.. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Sobbing Overwhelms Heaven and Earth (27) Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Sobbing Overwhelms Heaven and Earth (27) Translator: 549690339 Lady Gregory took a deep breath and continued to ask, ¡°You¡¯re angry with Steve Burton, aren¡¯t you?¡± There was no trace of laughter left on Ruby Gregory¡¯s face. She pursed her lips, lowered her gaze, and remained silent. Just as Lady Gregory was about to speak again, the bedroom door was suddenly knocked on and then pushed open: ¡°Madam, Miss, Mr. Steve is here.¡± Upon hearing this, Lady Gregory¡¯s heavy expression was suddenly filled with a touch of joy. Ruby, however, subconsciously gripped the porcelain bowl of dessert in her hand. Why was he here? Lady Gregory sent Ruby downstairs alone. As she urged Ruby to go, she didn¡¯t forget to remind her, ¡°Ruby, you need to have a good talk with Steve.¡± In the first-floor hall, Steve sat quietly on the sofa all by himself, with a cup of hot tea in front of him, emitting wisps of steam. The setting sun¡¯s afterglow shone through the large, bright window onto his body, casting a faint reddish glow around him. He sat sideways, looking out the window, seemingly absorbed in something that caught his attention. It appeared that he had just come from some dinner gathering, as he was still dressed in formal attire. This scene appeared to be a beautifully crafted painting of unrivaled beauty. Ruby stood at the stairway, staring for a while before slowly walking over to the sofa. As she got closer, Ruby smelled a faint scent of alcohol on him. Ruby gently sat down on the sofa farthest from Steve, and he slowly turned his head, resting his gaze on her. She was wearing a maroon chiffon dress with white lace trimmings today, which made her skin appear even more delicate. Her scent was not the light Chanel No. 5 perfume but a subtle, gentle sweet fragrance he remembered. Today¡¯s Ruby was completely different from the one he knew, who wore different styles of blue dresses and smelled of Chanel No. 5 perfume. He had always wondered, if Ruby took off the garments she wore to please him, what would she look like in all sorts of other clothes. He had imagined countless times in his mind how beautiful she would be. But now, when he saw her for real, he realized that the beauty he had imagined was not even a fraction of what she was now. For a moment, Steve looked stunned. His eyes were locked on Ruby, staring at her intently. The living room of the Gregorys¡¯ house was unusually quiet, as if the servants and Lady Gregory had all disappeared into thin air. Ruby felt uneasy as Steve stared at her and shifted slightly, finally unable to bear it any longer, she asked, ¡°What did you come to see me for?¡± Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Crying herself into unconsciousness (28) Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Crying herself into unconsciousness (28) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton snapped back to reality, his gaze never leaving Ruby Gregory. He stared into her eyes and spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, ¡°Today is the 10th.¡± With just five simple words, Ruby understood the purpose of his visit. Her lips instinctively pursed together. Steve blinked softly and added, ¡°It¡¯s the day we go to Red Park.¡± Going to Red Park used to be accompanied by a vacation, but now it involves sharing a bed! Ruby immediately remembered the last time they had been together four times, and he had given her a contraceptive pill afterwards. She subconsciously clenched her hand, her eyes downcast, never looking at Steve. She remained silent for a long time before finally saying softly, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today . Before Ruby could finish her words, Lady Gregory, who had been standing quietly around the corner of the stairs, suddenly stepped forward and interrupted Ruby, ¡°Ruby, come here, I have something to tell you.¡± Ruby turned to glance at Lady Gregory, then looked back at Steve. He nodded at her, and only then did Ruby stand up and walk towards the stairs. Lady Gregory didn¡¯t say anything, but simply went upstairs. Ruby followed closely behind. Standing at the door of Ruby¡¯s bedroom, Lady Gregory waited for her to enter the room before she closed the door, turned around, and directly said to Ruby, ¡°Ruby, are you trying to refuse Steve and not go to Red Park with him?¡± Ruby pursed her lips but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Ruby, Steve came to you on his own initiative, acknowledging his mistake. He¡¯s trying to make amends, and yet you¡¯re still being so ungrateful!¡± It was clear that Lady Gregory was genuinely angry, and her tone was harsh, ¡°Ruby, how many times have I told you that Steve is bound to have a bit of arrogance in his personality, so you must be understanding. Even if he upsets you, you can always come back and talk to me and vent. Don¡¯t protest with him ¨C what good will that do for you?¡± ¡°Ruby, your father and I have placed all our hopes on you. From childhood to adulthood, we have given you so much time and attention ¨C can¡¯t you see that?¡± ¡°Do you know how heartbroken your father would be if he found out about ¡°You¡¯ve really disappointed your father and me!¡± Ruby listened to Lady Gregory¡¯s line-by-line scolding, subconsciously clutching her clothes. Having chastised Ruby, Lady Gregory then made a decision, ¡°Get ready now. Go downstairs and accompany Steve to Red Park. Let me go downstairs and tell Steve to wait for you..¡± Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Crying herself into unconsciousness (29) Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Crying herself into unconsciousness (29) Translator: 549690339 After Lady Gregory spoke, she walked towards the door. As she reached out to open the door, she turned back and added to Ruby, ¡°Ruby, you won¡¯t disappoint Mom and Dad, will you?¡± Ruby looked at Lady Gregory¡¯s hopeful eyes, hesitated for a moment, and finally slightly moved her lips. But she found herself incapable of uttering a single word, so she just lightly nodded at Lady Gregory. Only then did Lady Gregory confidently open the door and leave. Ruby stood alone in the bedroom, staring at the tightly closed door. The scolding words Lady Gregory had just spoken with such disappointment were echoing in her mind. No one has ever truly cared whether she is happy or not. No one has ever considered whether she is willing to do such things or not. Is it because she is a member of the Gregorys that she must accept this fate and arrangement? She truly doesn¡¯t want to go ahead with Steve Burton. She wants to have her own self-respect and pride. She would rather live a busy life running around for three meals a day like an ordinary family, 9 to 5, than disgrace herself by clinging to a man who despises her, enduring his scorn, his mockery, his criticism. But her life has never been within her control. Even if she has so many reservations, she still cannot bear to see the disappointment and sorrow in her parents¡¯ eyes. Even though her parents have never cared about whether she is truly happy or not. Despite all the grievances she has suffered for the sake of the Gregorys. Ruby swallowed hard, then slowly turned around and walked into her dressing room. She numbly selected a blue dress to replace the crimson one she was wearing, then applied a light amount of makeup, like a puppet. She picked up the bottle of Chanel No.5 and sprayed a bit onto herself. Ruby stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking at the poised, beautiful woman within. A bitter smile formed at the corners of her lips. Congratulations, from now on you still have to strive to be that Ruby Gregory who was instilled with the notion of marrying Steve Burton since childhood, all for the sake of the Gregory family! And these days of whims and moods that belong to you, they are nothing more than transient beauty! ¡°Is Ruby coming down?¡± Lady Gregory spotted Ruby coming down the stairs at first glance. Steve Burton subconsciously raised his head. Seeing that Ruby had once again donned the same, unvarying blue dress, a touch of disappointment flickered in his eyes. Ruby walked quietly to the couch. Steve Burton could smell the familiar scent of Chanel No.5 on her again, masking her natural scent.. Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Crying herself into unconsciousness (30) Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Crying herself into unconsciousness (30) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton looked somewhat indifferent. He stood up, politely said goodbye to Lady Gregory, then glanced coldly at Ruby Gregory, indifferently saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± before striding towards the door. Seeing Steve and Ruby approaching, the driver immediately exited the car and opened the car door for them. Steve ignored Ruby and sat in first. Ruby could feel Steve¡¯s displeasure. She clutched her bag and slowly got into the car. Ruby sat close to the car door; the gap between her and Steve was wide enough to fit another person. The man¡¯s expression turned even darker. The driver seemed to sense something amiss. After confirming the destination, he focused intently on the road ahead, doing his best to ignore the two people in the backseat. Upon arriving at Red Park, the driver let out a sigh of relief as if he¡¯d been granted a last-minute reprieve from the death penalty. He opened the car door for Steve and Ruby, then drove away as quickly as possible. Red Park¡¯s manager was already waiting at the entrance. As usual, he sent the two up the hill to the familiar presidential suite in a sightseeing car. Dinner was prepared in the suite¡¯s dining room. When Steve and Ruby reached their room, the manager tactfully left. Steve took off his suit jacket, sat down at the dining table, and glanced at Ruby, who was still standing by the door. Ruby clenched her bag and walked to the other end of the dining table before sitting down. Steve did not wait or speak. As soon as Ruby sat down, he started eating enthusiastically. He appeared to have a voracious appetite, trying every dish and chewing slowly and deliberately. Ruby had little appetite, but she pretended to eat along with Steve. Midway through the meal, Steve suddenly slammed his chopsticks on the table, stood up, walked around the dining table, and grabbed Ruby¡¯s wrist, dragging her away from it. His grip was forceful, and he led her wordlessly to the bedroom they always stayed in at Red Park. He threw her onto the bed and pressed himself on top of her, kissing her fiercely. His kisses were as intense as ever, his teeth biting her lips painfully. Ruby knew that this monthly torment had officially begun. She told herself, all she had to do was grit her teeth and bear it. Once it was over, she could enjoy peace for a month. Steve abruptly stopped kissing her midway through.. Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Crying herself into unconsciousness (31) Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Crying herself into unconsciousness (31) Translator: 549690339 He slowly turned his head, pressing his nose against her taut neck and breathing in deeply. Sniffing intently, he suddenly stood up, grabbed Ruby Gregory, and dragged her into the bathroom. He pushed her under the shower, turned on the faucet, and let the water rush over her body. The initial blast of water from the faucet was icy cold, causing Ruby to shiver and try to escape to one side instinctively. However, Steve Burton firmly held onto her, dousing her entire body with water before pulling her back into his embrace. He pressed his nose against her soaked neck and sniffed her carefully. Only then did he whisper softly, ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± His words were beyond Ruby¡¯s comprehension. Shivering, she glanced at Steve, who grabbed her and led her out of the bathroom, pushing her back down onto the bed. Both of their bodies were wet, quickly dampening the bedding. Ruby¡¯s clothes clung to her body from the water. Steve tried to remove them but was unsuccessful. Eventually, like venting out his frustration, he ferociously tore down her collar, ripping her clothes apart. Seeing her sky blue bra, his anger intensified, and he addressed her through gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that you look awful in blue clothes?!¡± Didn¡¯t he always like blue? Why would he call her ugly when she wore blue? Yes, his hatred for her had made him see the blue she wore as a stain on his favorite color. Anyway, she was used to his mockery, right? She had heard it all; what was one more insult? Ruby pretended not to hear Steve¡¯s words and kept her eyes closed, remaining silent. Her indifferent expression made Steve¡¯s thrusts more forceful and ruthless. Ruby felt countless waves of pain rolling within her body, her hands clutching the bedsheets tightly. Yet just as she was about to find solace in the bedsheets, he suddenly grabbed her wrists and used her ruined, torn clothes to bind them tightly. Then, as if he had gone insane, he fiercely tormented her. In matters like these, no matter how uncomfortable he made her, she never showed any signs of distress. Like now, although she was clearly in pain, she tried her best to ignore the discomfort. She told herself that since she had agreed to obey her mom¡¯s wishes, she would play her part well.. Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Crying herself into unconsciousness (32) Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Crying herself into unconsciousness (32) Translator: 549690339 But for some reason, she felt the pain today was increasingly unbearable. She wanted to think about other things to distract herself, but she could no longer, as before, console herself with the thought of bearing a child and marrying him. All her hopes had been shattered by him. In her mind, all she could think of was his cold, mocking words, and his disgust and rejection of her. In the end, Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t tell if it was her body that hurt, or her heart. She felt the pain reach her utmost limit of endurance, her face gradually turning pale. Finally, unable to bear it, she let out a soft cry: ¡°It hurts!¡± During their intimate moments, she had never made a sound, not even a moan or gasp. But now, suddenly, a faint noise escaped her lips, and Steve Burton froze instantly. It all seemed like an illusion. Steve paused for a moment, then continued forcefully. Ruby frowned, but made no sound. It must have been his imagination! Steve sneered and increased his force. Ruby moaned again: ¡°It hurts¡­¡± ¡°You can feel pain now? Weren¡¯t you always numb to it?¡± Steve sarcastically remarked without any thought, not stopping this time. Ruby felt more and more pain, and in the end, her eyes turned red. She cried out repeatedly: ¡°It hurts, it hurts¡­¡± Before the last ¡°it hurts¡± had settled, tears suddenly spilled from the corner of Ruby¡¯s eyes. She knew he didn¡¯t like to see her cry in front of him. So she tried her best to hold back her tears. But the more she tried, the more wronged she felt. She thought of how she had been living such a terrible life for a while now, how her Mom looked at her with pain in her eyes, saying she had disappointed them greatly. She thought of Olivia Foster¡¯s account of her parents¡¯ sorrow and of the last birth control pill Steve had given her¡­ Steve slowly stopped, and the pain inside her gradually eased. But her tears still wouldn¡¯t stop. Steve stared at her tear-streaked face and said tensely, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± His command, in those three words, not only failed to stop Ruby¡¯s tears but instead caused her to suddenly break down like a dam bursting, and she burst into loud sobs. All this time, she had been holding back her tears, enduring, enduring, gritting her teeth. But now, she couldn¡¯t help it anymore. She closed her eyes, not caring how unhappy the man in front of her might be, and just cried her heart out, as if she wanted to cry out all her tears in one go. PS: It¡¯s not a crime to.That¡¯s it for today, continue tomorrow .This is the turning point Yesterday¡¯s winning reader: Rongrong from Yunlou.. Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Warm Encounter (1) Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Warm Encounter (1) Translator: 549690339 All this time, she had been holding back her tears, bearing them, clenching her teeth to endure. But now, she just couldn¡¯t hold them back any longer. She closed her eyes, disregarding how displeased the man before her might be, and simply let herself cry. It was as if she wished to exhaust all the tears she would shed in her life in one go. As Steve Burton watched Ruby Gregory¡¯s tear-streaked face, his heart filled with waves of sympathy, along with an inexplicable sense of delight. Yes, her tears brought him an unprecedented joy he had not experienced in years. She finally showed to him the true emotions concealed deep within her heart. Even though it manifested as ceaseless weeping. Despite his distress at her pain, he felt enormous relief. Because the person he faced was no longer a puppet-like Ruby Gregory. Steve Burton remained silent, merely staring at Ruby Gregory as she cried. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed ¨C maybe only a few minutes, but it felt like a century had passed ¨C all the while, the woman lying on the bed was still sobbing, shedding tears. The joy that had sprung from within him was gradually replaced by sympathy. He swallowed and his voice softened, ¡°Stop crying.¡± His tone was deep and pleasing, but carried a slight stiffness. As if she hadn¡¯t heard him, Ruby continued to keep her eyes closed, letting the tears fall freely. Steve Burton¡¯s hand subconsciously clenched into a fist. He wanted to say something comforting, but having never comforted anyone before, he didn¡¯t know where to start. He glanced around in discomfort, before turning to face Ruby again, pressing his lips together, and speaking in a slightly severe tone, ¡°I said, stop crying.¡± Ruby still went on crying. Feeling helpless, he paced around the room. When he turned and saw her hair soaked with tears, he felt even more at a loss. Finally, he blurted out in frustration, ¡°Will you just stop! I said, don¡¯t cry!¡± These words were spoken irritably, yet, when he uttered them, there wasn¡¯t an ounce of irritation in his voice. His tone was just a bit heavier, causing Ruby to tremble. Raising her teary eyes, she gave him a hurt look. Her lips quivered, and she began to cry harder than before. In fact, towards the end, she even started hiccupping from crying too much. Hearing Ruby¡¯s constant hiccups, Steve Burton felt even more irritated. He took a deep breath and took a step towards her. He reached out to her, only to pull back his hand. Then he tried once more, but finally ended up clenching his hand into a fist, swinging his arm in frustration, and leaving the room.. Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Warm Encounter (2) Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Warm Encounter (2) Translator: 549690339 As Steve Burton approached the door, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned back, walking to the bedside. Staring at the red, teary eyes of Ruby Gregory, he clenched his teeth and sat down by the bed. He hadn¡¯t spoken yet, but his expression had already become somewhat unnatural: ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry anymore.¡± After Steve said this, a hint of red appeared on his fair and handsome face. He lowered his head slightly, licked his lips, and found that the woman beside him was still immersed in tears, showing no reaction. Steve¡¯s throat tightened, and he rubbed his forehead with his fingers. Turning his head, he stared at Ruby for a moment, then reached out to touch her face, gently wiping away her rolling tears. Ruby¡¯s body stiffened for a moment but did not stop crying. Steve did not speak, but silently continued to help Ruby wipe her tears away. His movements were initially somewhat mechanical, but they gradually became more natural. Eventually, Steve reached out, pulled Ruby into his arms, and held her face in his hand, wiping away her tears. He then pressed her head against his shoulder, patting her back like soothing a child, gently caressing her, his voice hoarse and low: ¡°You¡¯ve cried for so long, you¡¯ve had enough. Look, your eyes are swollen from crying. Do you still want to see people tomorrow?¡± Ruby cried in a daze, feeling as if she were in a dream. Her eyelashes were still wet with tears. As she blinked, her tears fell onto Steve¡¯s shoulder. Steve distinctly felt the slight impact. He let out a soft breath, pressed the woman more firmly into his chest, and then, with another hand, slowly stroked Ruby¡¯s wet hair, speaking softly, ¡°Be good, let¡¯s not cry anymore, alright?¡± After he spoke, Steve gently rubbed his face against Ruby¡¯s head, close to her ear, and whispered a small ¡°Hmm?¡± that only the two of them could hear. His tone was so light and soft that it reached deep into Ruby¡¯s heart, causing her heart to shudder violently. Her tears stopped momentarily, leaving only occasional sobs. Perhaps it was due to crying for so long, or her brain being somewhat sluggish because of the lack of oxygen, but at this moment, she completely forgot her usual evasive and uneasy demeanor in front of Steve. The man¡¯s embrace was warm and wide, giving her a sense of stability. She had been so tired lately that she longed for a sanctuary to rely on, so she allowed herself to lean against his shoulder and nestle in his arms.. Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Warm Encounter (3) Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Warm Encounter (3) Translator: 549690339 Feeling Ruby Gregory¡¯s tenderness and obedience, Steve Burton unconsciously tightened his arms, drawing her into his embrace. Ruby¡¯s sobs gradually diminished. Having cried for so long, she felt lazy and exhausted through her whole body, unwilling to move. Her mind grew hazy, and she leaned against Steve¡¯s shoulder, slowly closing her eyes. Steve¡¯s hand patted her back irregularly and without rhythm, yet it allowed Ruby to relax her body and mind bit by bit. Soon her breathing became steady and even, and she fell into a quiet, peaceful sleep in his arms. Gradually, Steve stopped patting her back, burying his head in the nook of her neck, inhaling her faint fragrance and slowly closing his eyes. Outside the window, the starlight gradually dimmed, and even the chirping of insects faded away. The entire world was plunged into a silent stillness. Steve held Ruby closely the entire time. Only then did he gently move her, carrying her to a nearby sofa. Ruby¡¯s body had already dried naturally, but her long, abundant hair was still wet. Fearing that turning on a hairdryer would wake her, Steve used a towel to carefully dry her hair strand by strand. Steve picked up Ruby and carried her to another bedroom, placing her on the bed and meticulously covering her with a blanket. Her abrupt cessation of crying had left Steve feeling pent-up and unable to vent his emotions. Now, as he watched her sleep peacefully, his frustration grew even more intense. Steve¡¯s gaze on Ruby gradually deepened, and his breathing became somewhat heavier. He felt as if he were about to lose control of himself. Yet he tried his utmost to suppress his urges. His hand gently caressed Ruby¡¯s cheek, feeling as though he could barely control himself. He lightly licked his somewhat dry lips, then leaned down and gently pressed his lips against her swollen eyes, made puffy from crying. Softly, deep in his heart, he whispered: ¡°Goodnight, my Ruby.¡± It was said that saying goodnight was an indirect way of professing love. He had said this to her countless times during countless nights. Yet she had never heard even once. Goodnight. I love you, love you. My Ruby.. Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Warm Encounter (4) Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Warm Encounter (4) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s lips lingered on Ruby Gregory¡¯s forehead for a moment before he suddenly pulled away, as if the woman in the bed were a deadly poison. He quickly stood up and left her bedroom. Steve closed the door and leaned against the wall, breathing a long sigh of relief, as if trying to vent the desire welling up inside him. His bed was damp, and he didn¡¯t want to call someone to change it, afraid of waking her inside the room. He sat on the living room sofa, casually turned on the TV, and tried to divert his wicked thoughts with it. But as he stared at the TV, all he could think of was Ruby Gregory sleeping in the room. The more he thought about it, the more unbearable he felt. He walked to the balcony, but even the cold wind couldn¡¯t calm him down. He could easily touch her by just pushing the door open. Moreover, it was not like they hadn¡¯t done it before. However, he didn¡¯t want to disturb her peace and comfort at the moment. Steve stood on the balcony for a while, then put on his jacket and left the suite. Steve called for a set of clothes for Ruby Gregory to be sent to Red Park while waiting for the sightseeing car on the side of the mountain road. Then, he called Howard Coleman, asking where they were. He simply said, ¡°Wait for me¡± before hanging up the phone, and had the Red Park manager drive him straight to the Capital Club. Inside VIP Room 001 at Capital Club, the atmosphere was lively and vibrant, with singing and laughing all around. Howard cut off the call and returned to the room, walked straight to the karaoke machine, and shut off the music, interrupting Rusell Henris and a bunny girl singing a duet. ¡°Damn, Howard, are you rebelling?¡± Rusell snapped, throwing the microphone aside, rolling up his sleeves, and looking like he was about to fight Howard. Howard didn¡¯t respond to Rusell, but simply said with a heavy expression, ¡°Our big brother just called.¡± Everyone in the room instantly quieted down, and all eyes were on Howard. He continued with some frustration, ¡°Our big brother said he¡¯s coming over soon.¡± ¡°If our big brother wants to come, then let him come! What¡¯s with your expression, Howard? You don¡¯t want to welcome him? I¡¯ll take a picture and show him¡­¡± Edward Woods, who had been drinking, giggled and pulled out his phone. As he was about to take a picture, he saw the date on his phone: the 10th of the month. He immediately sprang up and exclaimed, ¡°Our big brother is coming?!¡± Rusell waved his hand, shooing all the bunny girl waitresses out of the room.. Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 191 Warm Encounter (5) Chapter 191: Chapter 191 Warm Encounter (5) Translator: 549690339 Rusell waved his hand, ushering out all the bunny girl-dressed attendants in the room. Then, he began to speak, ¡°Today is the 10th, isn¡¯t it supposed to be the day our brother and Ruby go to Red Park? Why did our brother suddenly come here?¡± ¡°Did something between Ruby and our brother happen again?¡± ¡°Definitely, our brother has never liked coming to such noisy places at night. It¡¯s very unusual for him to come tonight.¡± ¡°Last time our brother was unhappy, he dragged us to drink alcohol, and got us three drunk for three days and nights before waking up¡­¡± Rusell recalled the past incident, shuddering all over. Edward Woods said, ¡°Hurry up and have someone send some sobriety medicine over, just in case.¡± ¡°Rusell, you make a call and order some wine for our brother, he¡¯s like a ticking bomb right now, we need to be careful!¡± Under the guidance of the waiter, Steve Burton strolled leisurely to the entrance of VIP Room 001. As soon as the waiter pushed open the door, Edward Woods, Rusell, and Howard Coleman all stood up and shouted, ¡°Bro!¡± With an indifferent expression, Steve Burton strode slowly into the room and sat down elegantly on the sofa. Edward Woods, Rusell, and Howard Coleman exchanged glances, communicating with their eyes. Our brother seems pretty normal. The more normal, the more terrifying. Finally, Howard Coleman, gathering his courage, picked up the wine bottle with a smile and said, ¡°Bro, this is a 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild I got for you, have a taste.¡± Steve Burton took the wine glass and glanced at Howard Coleman, who also raised his own glass, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t drive today, so drink less since you¡¯ll have to take me home later.¡± Howard Coleman, Edward Woods, and Rusell were shocked, exchanging glances once again. He usually likes to drink like water when he¡¯s in a bad mood, but he¡¯s actually not letting Howard drink today? Our brother seems even more abnormal today! After exchanging thoughts, the expressions of the three people became more solemn and serious. As the oldest of the group besides Steve Burton, Rusell often gets more favors from him. So Rusell poured another glass of wine, clinked glasses with Steve Burton, and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to Red Park today? Why did you come back?¡± As Rusell asked, he observed Steve Burton¡¯s expression and found that his face did not darken when he mentioned Red Park. So, he continued to ask, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen Ruby. . ..¡± Originally, Rusell wanted to say Ruby, but remembering Steve Burton¡¯s sensitive point, he quickly changed his words, ¡°City, how is she doing?¡± Steve Burton took a leisurely sip of wine, leaned lazily on the sofa, and the corners of his mouth seemed to reveal a hint of a smile, ¡°She¡¯s alright, just cried a bit.¡± Cried? The faces of Rusell, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman turned pale in an instant.. Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 192 Warm Encounter (6) Chapter 192: Chapter 192 Warm Encounter (6) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory was crying? No wonder our bro was acting so differently today. I remember many years ago, whenever Ruby Gregory cried, my brother would be in such a bad mood that he wouldn¡¯t smile for half a month. The three of them glanced at each other and then proceeded more carefully. Edward Woods thought for a moment and said, ¡°Bro, if you¡¯re feeling down, we¡¯ll be there for you, drinking until we can¡¯t anymore!¡± Howard Coleman agreed, ¡°Anyway, tomorrow is the weekend, we can drink all night.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Steve Burton showed a hint of a smile, ¡°Which set of eyes saw me being upset?¡± What¡¯s happening? Our bro actually smiled and even said he¡¯s in a good mood? Is it the same as a drunk person insisting they are not drunk? The other three exchanged a look, then Howard looked at Steve and said, ¡°Bro, the world is filled with beautiful people, why insist on being sentimental?¡± ¡°Get lost! Stop talking nonsense!¡± Steve brushed it off with a mild curse, then lazily stood up, reaching out to Howard, ¡°Give me your car keys, I¡¯m going home.¡± Howard gave Steve his keys. Steve lazily picked up the keys and left them behind with a, ¡°You guys just have fun here,¡± and then he left. Edward Woods, Russel Henris, and Howard Coleman stared at each other for a while, then Russell said, ¡°I genuinely do not understand this time, but I can confirm, our bro seems to be in a pretty good mood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m baffled now, in the past when Ruby cried, it would feel like our world was about to collapse.¡± ¡°You think love is so magical? Can it really make people behave so mysteriously and unpredictably?¡± ¡°Who the hell knows!¡± When Ruby Gregory woke up the next day, it was already noon, and the room was quiet. Ruby Gregory opened her eyes, somewhat confused, she was dazed for a while before recalling what had happened the night before. She slowly sat up and realized she had slept in the room she and Steve used when they previously vacationed at Red Park. She was certain she had slept in a different room last night, how did she end up here? Ruby Gregory turned her head and saw a set of new clothes laid out beside her pillow, everything from inner to outerwear. Could it be that Steve had instructed the room service to take care of her? Ruby Gregory saw the marks on her wrist from being tied up, and wondered what the room service would think of her. Without thinking, she pursed her lips, lifted the blanket, and started dressing up. When she left the room, Steve was nowhere to be found. However, his bedroom was still a mess, and her torn clothes were scattered on the floor. Ruby Gregory frowned, the mess hadn¡¯t been cleaned up. Could it be that Steve was the one who carried her to the other room and prepared clothes for her? The suite¡¯s door always had a staff member on duty. Hearing the noises inside, the staff knocked on the door. Ruby Gregory said ¡°come in¡±, and the staff at the door entered, looking at Ruby Gregory without a hint of contempt: ¡°Ms. Gregory, would you prefer a Chinese or Western meal later?¡± PS: There will be 6 updates today and 10 updates I have class in the morning. Even the author was late for class today! Congratulations to yesterday¡¯s winning reader: New Favourite.. Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Warm Encounter (7) Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Warm Encounter (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory said ¡°please come in,¡± and the waiter entered. He looked at Ruby without a trace of disdain: ¡°Ms. Gregory, would you like Chinese or Western food for your meal later?¡± Only then did Ruby confirm that the hotel staff hadn¡¯t entered the suite and didn¡¯t know about her embarrassment and disgrace. Ruby pulled herself together and said, ¡°Chinese.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The waiter smiled, nodded, and left the presidential suite. Ruby remained indifferent as she waited for the waiter to leave, her brows slightly furrowing only afterward. If the waiter hadn¡¯t entered the suite, did that mean that everything last night was done by Steve Burton? He carried her into another bedroom and tenderly tucked her in with a blanket? And the clothes she was wearing now were also delivered by his order, then personally brought to the suite? The more Ruby thought about it, the more puzzled she became. Why would Steve do all this? He had clearly despised and looked down on her, he could have just left her in that state and let others see her humiliation. But why did he do these things? Why did he protect her dignity and pride in front of others? As Ruby was lost in her confusion, another knock on the door came, accompanied by the waiter¡¯s respectful tone: ¡°Ms. Gregory?¡± Ruby hastily stopped her wild thoughts and hurried into the bedroom where Steve usually stayed. She picked up the torn clothes from the floor, rolled them up haphazardly and stuffed them into her bag before calming herself and saying, ¡°Come in.¡± Ruby was alone, and she had originally thought that the Chinese meal would be simple. However, when the waiter pushed the dining cart to the table and arranged each dish, she realized just how delicate and abundant this meal was. How could she eat so much on her own? Ruby frowned and said, ¡°I can¡¯t eat all of this, just leave two dishes and take the rest away.¡± The waiter respectfully looked up at Ruby and said, ¡°This was instructed by Mr. Burton.¡± Instructed by Steve Burton? Ruby¡¯s expression was taken aback as she sat at the dining table, seemingly eating her meal at a leisurely pace, but her mind was a complete mess. Last night, she had cried in front of him, dampening his mood. Shouldn¡¯t he be angry and furious? But why would he have the hotel prepare food for her the next day? Ever since she returned to the country, she had found it hard to read Steve, but now she was truly baffled by him. The end of the weekend on the tenth also happened to be the end of Ruby Gregory¡¯s vacation.. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 194 Warm Encounter (8) Chapter 194: Chapter 194 Warm Encounter (8) Translator: 549690339 She didn¡¯t know if it was because Steve Burton had been sarcastic to her too many times recently, but she found herself in a constant state of apprehension whenever she was at her desk. After all, she was Steve¡¯s secretary and assistant. Despite trying her best to avoid Steve, there were times when she had to face him directly. At those moments, Ruby became especially nervous. However, every time it turned out to be a false alarm. Once, she had even made a small mistake on a document she submitted to Steve. Steve was standing right in front of her desk, with the other secretaries sitting properly in their seats. Behind him were the manager of the Planning Department and the director of the Market Department. At that time, Ruby¡¯s heart was in her throat, as she didn¡¯t know how Steve would scold her. When she thought she was doomed, Steve looked up and asked Ruby, ¡°Where¡¯s the pen?¡± Ruby was stunned for a second, then hurriedly grabbed the pen from her desk and handed it to him. Steve took the pen casually, made a small change on the document to correct Ruby¡¯s mistake, then looked at her and returned the pen. He took the document she submitted, together with the managers of the Planning and Market Departments, and entered his office. Ruby stood holding the pen in front of her desk for a while, then listlessly took her seat. What had just happened felt like a dream to her. In fact, Steve was not bad-tempered. His mood swings were mostly negligible. Even when some of the high-level staff at the company ran into problems, his tone remained calm when he scolded them. But at those moments, even his casual tone still carried an oppressive feeling. Every time it happened, all the secretaries in the company would collectively go silent, fearing they might accidentally become the target of his ire. Ruby was no exception. However, once she was responsible for a document that urgently needed Steve¡¯s signature. At the same time, the Technical Department encountered some issues, causing the company¡¯s intranet to be somewhat paralyzed. This made Steve directly call the manager of the Technical Department and utter, ¡°If this isn¡¯t fixed within three minutes, get out.¡± Steve¡¯s office door was open at the time, and the secretaries in their office could hear his words clearly. With the intranet down, everyone naturally couldn¡¯t work, but they lowered their heads, pretending to be busy. Just then, Ruby was at the door of Steve¡¯s office with the document that needed his urgent signature.. Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 195 Warm Encounter (9) Chapter 195: Chapter 195 Warm Encounter (9) Translator: 549690339 When she heard Steve¡¯s words, her first instinct was to turn around and return to her seat, waiting for the internal network to be restored and Steve¡¯s anger to subside before asking him to sign the document again. However, before Ruby could turn around, Steve had already looked up, his gaze falling directly on her. Ruby quietly clenched her teeth, then tightly gripped the document, taking small steps and slowly walked over to Steve¡¯s desk. Ruby secretly glanced at Steve¡¯s expressionless face, and then handed over the document with both hands, whispering, ¡°Mr. Burton, this is an urgent document that requires your signature.¡± After Ruby finished speaking, she tensed up all over. Steve stared straight at Ruby, just as she thought that the man would unleash his anger from the Technical Department on her, Steve reached out his hand, took the document from her, casually flipped through it, and then signed his name with his pen. Ruby stared at Steve and was instantly dumbfounded. In the past, when he was unhappy about something, he would scold his secretary for notifying him of an urgent meeting. Now he actually signed his name without any anger for her? After Steve signed his name, he looked at Ruby in front of him and realized that she was still staring at him with a silly and dazed expression. The irritation in Steve¡¯s heart caused by the Technical Department dissipated in an instant, and he couldn¡¯t help but let the corner of his lips curve in a smile while looking back at Ruby¡¯s eyes. He raised his hand and lightly tapped the desk, making two slight knocks. Ruby finally snapped back to reality. Her face turned red instantly, and she quickly lowered her head, speaking rapidly, ¡°Mr. Burton, I will leave first.¡± Then she swiftly grabbed the document from the desk and rushed out of the office without looking back. Steve watched Ruby¡¯s hurried figure, lightly chuckled, and just then, the phone on his desk rang. Steve answered, and it was from the Technical Department, informing him that he would have to wait a few more minutes for the internal network to be restored. Steve gave a soft ¡°Mmm,¡± said a relaxed ¡°No rush,¡± and then slowly hung up the phone. Leaving a manager from the Technical Department, who originally thought he would have been thrown out of the company, dumbfounded. Days passed like flowing water, eventually reaching the end of the month on the 28th of September. The 60th anniversary of the founding of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. This day of the year was a big day for Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. The celebration ceremony for the anniversary of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was held directly at Red Park Resort & Villas.. Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Warm Encounter (10) Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Warm Encounter (10) Translator: 549690339 The celebration ceremony was held on the evening of the 28th. Because the venue was the Red Park Resort & Villas, and it happened to fall on the weekend, the Red Park Resort & Villas was closed to the public for three days. During these three days, the entire Red Park Resort & Villas was dedicated to the 60th anniversary celebration of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. All of Pristine¡¯s employees received invitations, allowing them to stay from the 27th to the 29th. Aside from the anniversary dinner on the 28th, the rest of the time was at their leisure. Since she was very young, Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton would visit the Red Park Resort & Villas once a month. Therefore, she was very familiar with the place and, unlike others, did not intend to take this opportunity to fully enjoy the resort. Ruby Gregory arrived at the Red Park Resort & Villas by car at noon on the 28th. On the morning of the 29th, there was a new product press conference, also hosted at the Red Park Resort & Villas. Thus, Ruby would be staying at the Red Park Resort & Villas overnight on the 29th. Before, Ruby Gregory would naturally stay in their accustomed presidential suite with Steve Burton. However, this time the Red Park Resort & Villas event was for business purposes, and everyone from the company and even all The Burtons had come. Ruby¡¯s room was arranged in the Mount East District. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory also received invitations to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ anniversary celebration. They were guests, so they were hosted by the Public Relations Department of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and stayed in the Westhill District of Red Park Resort & Villas. At 6 p.m. on the 28th, night had fallen, and the Red Park Resort & Villas had officially started to become lively. The official start time of the celebration was 8 p.m., but now it was dinner time. Almost all of the company¡¯s employees and guests had gathered in the banquet hall on the top floor of the Red Park Resort & Villas. Ruby was not a fan of heavy makeup, but for this gathering, she needed to wear formal attire, so she applied a bit of makeup. Her delicate and outstanding features only needed a simple touch-up to make her incredibly stunning. Ruby arrived at the top-floor banquet hall at 6:10 p.m. Tonight, she wore a light blue short skirt, revealing her long, straight legs. Her fair and tender skin, along with the noble temperament she had been groomed for by The Gregorys since her childhood, made her stand out the moment she entered the banquet hall. As a result, when she stepped into the banquet hall, she was immediately noticed by her colleagues, who came up to greet her. Ruby was not only an employee of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises but also a socialite in Ciawell. Shortly after her coming-of-age, The Gregorys were still in a respectable position and she had attended many socialite gatherings in Ciawell. Thus, before she could even properly greet her colleagues, she was intercepted by Olivia Foster and a few other Ciawell socialites.. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Warm Encounter (11) Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Warm Encounter (11) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ruby.¡± Upon hearing her name, Ruby Gregory turned her head and saw Olivia Foster. Olivia was wearing a scarlet bustier dress adorned with numerous sequins that sparkled under the crystal lights of the banquet hall. The well-bred ladies clustering around her were all strikingly elegant. Ruby knew the women accompanying Olivia. They were all of similar age and often interacted since childhood. Especially during her best years with Steve Burton, these women would frequently present her with gifts and surround her during banquets, just as they were now doing with Olivia. With a faint smile on her face, Ruby idly held her glass of wine, slowly turning her body but remaining in place. Since Ruby had slapped Olivia twice before, the two had not communicated until now. Ruby had assumed that Olivia wouldn¡¯t talk to her anymore, yet surprisingly, Olivia was approaching her with these elite women, striding gracefully. After sizing up Ruby, Olivia thought she stood out amongst the elite women, yet she always seemed to fall short compared to Ruby. Time flew by, and three years later, Ruby returned to Ciawell. Her attire was not ordinary but custom-made, her makeup and hairstyle weren¡¯t crafted by top designers. Yet, she still effortlessly outshone Olivia, who had spent a fortune to meticulously enhance her own beauty. Olivia felt a touch of annoyance deep down. She looked at the corners of Ruby¡¯s lips, curved in a smile. She began to speak, her words still as irritating as ever. ¡°Ruby, so many years have passed and you¡¯re still the same, dazzling and eye-catching. I can¡¯t see any hints of your past rejections.¡± Hints of past rejections? Was she referring to the incident wherein Steve slept with her and then discarded her? Ruby blinked, inwardly acknowledging that Olivia¡¯s remark tonight was indeed sophisticated. She had simultaneously complimented Ruby¡¯s beauty and picked at her old wounds. Had Ruby retorted sharply, it might have seemed that Olivia had the upper hand. Too bad for her, Ruby was never one to back down. If Olivia could spice her insult to taste good, surely, so could Ruby. Ruby quietly looked at Olivia. After a moment of silence, she smiled and said, ¡°Olivia, the same goes for you. All these years have passed and you¡¯re still the same. You always need something shiny to just about make yourself look eye-catching..¡± Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Warm Encounter (12) Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Warm Encounter (12) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster couldn¡¯t miss the meaning behind Ruby Gregory¡¯s words. Ruby was implying that even with expensive and luxurious items, Olivia couldn¡¯t outshine her. Olivia¡¯s smile tightened, her gaze turning colder. Just as Ruby thought she would finally show her true colors and start a hysterical argument, Olivia suddenly changed her expression, turned her head, and said to the socialites around her with a smile: ¡°Every time I joke with Ruby, she always manages to silence me with her wit.¡± After saying that, Olivia seemed to have thought of something and continued: ¡°You all must remember Ruby, right? Ruby Gregory, the one who was once very close with Steve Burton.¡± Olivia knew about the details of Ruby having an intimate encounter with Steve Burton and then being discarded by him before she went to Costa Luna. But the others socialites only knew that Ruby had suddenly gone to Costa Luna. So with Olivia¡¯s words, the others began greeting Ruby immediately. ¡°Ruby, long time no see.¡± ¡°Ruby, why did you suddenly go to Costa Luna?¡± ¡°Ruby, how has your relationship with Mr. Burton been over the years?¡± ¡°Ruby, Mr. Burton must be so happy now that you¡¯re back; he must still treat you like before¡­¡± In fact, the words of these socialites were flawless and nothing more than normal pleasantries and greetings. However, Ruby understood that this was the effect Olivia was aiming for. Ruby was once considered undesirable by Steve, and these unknowing people were indirectly exposing her old wound by questioning her about him over and over. Ruby never lost in front of Olivia, but now she had no choice but to swallow her humiliation without protest. She tried her best to maintain a smile on her face as she responded to the socialites one by one. Then, she quickly found an excuse to slip away. Ruby¡¯s mood plummeted to an all-time low, and she no longer had the appetite to eat. She glanced at her wristwatch ¨C there were still ninety minutes until the eight o¡¯clock celebratory ceremony. Ruby¡¯s eyes drooped, and she quietly left the scene. Ruby slowly walked down the wooden steps, eventually arriving at a secluded viewing platform on the mountaintop. Looking down at the brilliantly lit Red Park Resort & Villas, she thought of the words the socialites had said to her. She knew that they didn¡¯t know what had happened between her and Steve, which was why they were asking her about it.. Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 199 Warm Encounter (13) Chapter 199: Chapter 199 Warm Encounter (13) Translator: 549690339 However, when she heard those questions, she still felt very sad. The incident from three years ago had been a recurring nightmare for her over the years. She desperately tried to tell herself that it never happened in order to mitigate the pain Steve had caused her. Three years, a whole three years had passed, and she thought she could forget and not be so concerned about it anymore. But when she heard those questions from others, she still felt gloomy and melancholic. Ruby Gregory leaned against the railing, looking at the distant scenery, thinking of the wonderful times she and Steve Burton had shared during their younger years. She thought about how in the past, she could rightfully stand by Steve¡¯s side at such gatherings and be the object of others¡¯ envy. But what about now? Now, she was like a fallen woman. As Ruby thought about it, her eyes suddenly grew moist, and a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Steve Burton arrived at the top-floor banquet hall at six-thirty. As he walked to the entrance of the hall, he happened to meet Edward Woods¡¯s parents. As he stood to greet them, he caught a glimpse of a figure standing on the viewing platform not far away. Because of the dim light, he couldn¡¯t see clearly who it was, but the figure seemed familiar, like Ruby. After Edward¡¯s dad went into the banquet hall, Steve stared at the viewing platform for a while. After thinking for a moment, he entered the banquet hall. As soon as Steve entered, quite a few people came up to greet him. He responded smoothly, all the while searching for Ruby among the crowd, but he couldn¡¯t find her. Eventually, he seemed to confirm something and walked out of the banquet hall again. He paused for a moment at the doorway, making sure no one was around before heading towards the viewing platform. From the moment Steve entered the hall, Maya Mitchell¡¯s gaze had never left him. She wasn¡¯t like Olivia Foster, who, though an illegitimate daughter, had the backing of the Fosters. Nor was she like Ruby, who, despite her family¡¯s decline, had been childhood best friends with Steve. Thus, she didn¡¯t have the qualifications to approach Steve and chat casually. All she could do was watch him like this when he wasn¡¯t paying attention. When Steve left the banquet hall, Maya instinctively stood up and walked to the window. She saw Steve pause at the door for a moment, then stride towards the left. Maya clenched her glass for a moment, then put it down and left the banquet hall as well. She walked two steps to the left, then saw a sign by the road indicating the observation deck. PS: Originally, there were supposed to be 10 chapters today, but last night after I finished writing, my hand was scratched by the humidifier, and typing really hurts. My speed has slowed down, so there will be 7 chapters today. Tomorrow, when I should be mostly healed, I¡¯ll make it up to you all.. I apologize for any inconvenience & The winning reader is: Peach Blossom [ * Dance Three Thousand.. Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Warm Encounter (14) Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Warm Encounter (14) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell held her wine glass, paused for a moment, then put it down and left the banquet hall. She took two steps to the left and saw a signpost by the road, which read ¡°Viewing Platform.¡± Maya¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a trace of contemplation flashed through her eyes. The moon had already risen high in the sky, and it was precisely the time of the year, at the end of September, when the osmanthus flowers blossomed. Red Park was planted with a large area of osmanthus trees, and a gentle breeze brought with it the sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers. Steve Burton slowly paced, silently walking up behind Ruby Gregory. Ruby had no idea someone was standing behind her, only looking up at the bright moon in the sky, her mood becoming increasingly melancholic and desolate. In the rural outskirts of the capital city at the end of September, the temperature at night had become quite low. Chilly winds blew in waves, and Ruby gradually felt the chill, shivering involuntarily. As she was about to lift her hand to hug her shoulders, someone suddenly draped a coat over them. Ruby shuddered violently as if she had been electrocuted, subconsciously turning her head to see Steve standing behind her. Her hands shook, and she failed to grab onto her purse, which fell heavily to the ground with a ¡°snap.¡± The purse she had been carrying with her recently had a magnetic clasp, and with that fall, the clasp broke open, its contents scattering all over the ground. Steve first glanced down casually at the small items strewn from Ruby¡¯s purse, then raised his head, looking into Ruby¡¯s eyes and asked in a bland tone, ¡°What are you doing standing here all alone?¡± Upon seeing Steve, Ruby was already nervous. Now, with his sudden scare from behind, her expression was slightly panicked. Hearing his question, she composed herself, forced a smile, and said, ¡°The night view here is quite nice.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Upon hearing this, Steve slowly turned around to stand beside Ruby, taking in the night scene before their eyes. Was this the view she was looking at just now? In fact, the night scene in front of them was not particularly beautiful and even gave off a sense of loneliness. However, because it was her who had also seen this scene, Steve found it rather charming. Standing where you have stood, looking at the scenery you have seen, would doing so slowly bring me closer to you? Ruby silently stood beside Steve, not saying a word. After a while, Ruby turned her head and glanced at the man. She noticed he neither intended to leave nor start a conversation, instead just staring intently at the clear and bright moon, as if genuinely enjoying the view.. Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 201 Warm Encounter (15) Chapter 201: Chapter 201 Warm Encounter (15) Translator: 549690339 The man seemed calm and composed, but Ruby Gregory felt somewhat restless. Ever since returning to the country, she was truly afraid of being alone with him. Ruby hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: ¡°Isn¡¯t the celebration ceremony starting soon? Shouldn¡¯t you go back and get ready?¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t turn to look at Ruby. He maintained his posture, gazing at the moon. His fair and handsome face looked even more elegant and refined under the moonlight, ¡°There¡¯s still over an hour.¡± Ruby¡¯s original intention was to find an excuse to leave with Steve and enter the banquet hall. She could then conveniently avoid him. However, she didn¡¯t expect him to respond directly with time as a rejection. Ruby remained silent for a while before saying, ¡°Our colleagues might be there already. I¡¯ll go check.¡± Steve knew her intentions as soon as Ruby said her first sentence. He knew, he had always known, that her approach, initiative, and concern for him were purposeful. It was like the time when she wanted to have his child. She actively brought him late-night snacks, massaged his shoulders and forehead, and didn¡¯t refuse him when he wanted her again and again. Has she given up on the idea of becoming his wife now? That¡¯s why she¡¯s been trying so hard to avoid him, escape him, and distance herself from him. He understood all of this. However, it wasn¡¯t until this very situation played out before his eyes that he realized how deeply his heart ached. He only wished to enjoy the scenery with her during this hard-earned stolen time together. Even if this enjoyment wasn¡¯t a result of her willingness, nor had they agreed on it beforehand. Even if it was just him pretending they were enjoying such a beautiful view together. However, even this little bit of self-deception driven by selfish desires was just an extravagant hope. Steve¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. This made Ruby feel slightly defensive in her heart, her desire to leave Steve grew even stronger. She subconsciously squatted down to pick up some scattered little items from the ground. Ruby stuffed them carelessly into her bag, stood up, and glanced at Steve before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± It was then that Steve finally turned his head and looked at Ruby, before lowering his gaze to see a small box by his feet. Steve bent down to pick up the box and inspected it. It turned out to be a tube of ointment. His pupils contracted slightly as he looked at Ruby with a rather serious expression in his eyes: ¡°Are you injured?¡± Ruby felt that Steve¡¯s question was inexplicable and subconsciously shook her head.. Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Warm Encounter (16) Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Warm Encounter (16) Translator: 549690339 ¡°What do you plan to do with this ointment?¡± Steve Burton gave the medicine to Ruby Gregory. Ruby Gregory looked down at it. It was an ointment for stopping bleeding and reducing swelling. Her expression changed slightly, and then she remembered. This was from the night when she was injured, when Steve Burton was at the hospital and she angrily shattered a glass cup. When her mom arrived, she held a piece of bloody glass shard for her to see. She was awake throughout that night, with the bloody shard filling her thoughts. The next day when she was on her way home, she impulsively stepped into a pharmacy and purchased this ointment. It was after making the purchase that she realised it was unnecessary. She didn¡¯t want to confront Steve Burton, let alone think about how to give him the ointment. Thus, she threw the medicine in her bag and kept it there until this very moment. If Steve Burton hadn¡¯t mentioned it just now, she might have completely forgotten about it. Steve Burton saw Ruby Gregory looking down and staring at the ointment in her palm, unable to utter a word for a long time. He knew her nature. This lively and animated woman would oddly turn stifled and muffled in his presence, taking forever to squeeze out a single phrase. Just as Ruby Gregory was so eager to get away from him earlier, Steve Burton blurted out in slight anger, ¡°Ruby Gregory, do you have a hearing problem or have you turned mute?¡± It had been a long time since Steve Burton had lost his temper at Ruby Gregory. Upon hearing Steve Burton¡¯s suddenly icy tone, Ruby Gregory instinctively thought he was angry. Without thinking, she blurted out, ¡°No, this ointment, I got it a while back, when you were injured, I bought it for..¡± It was only then that she realised what she had said to Steve Burton. She had bought the ointment but never gave it to him. What if he didn¡¯t believe her when she said it was for him now? Whether it was embarrassment or awkwardness she was feeling, her face turned red, and she lowered her gaze, no longer able to say a word. ¡°Injured?¡± Steve Burton furrowed his brows, his tone still devoid of any warmth and instead expressed impatience, ¡°When did I get injured?¡± Ruby Gregory shrank back slightly from Steve Burton¡¯s tone, her head lowered, she explained in a timid voice, ¡°At the company banquet a while back.¡± Only then did Steve Burton suddenly come back to his senses, realising which day Ruby Gregory was referring to. That day, he crushed the glass in his hand out of anger because she had tried to drive him away, cutting his own hand in the process. The injury wasn¡¯t that serious. It was just slightly painful for a couple of days, but afterwards it recovered back to its normal state. He had forgotten about it since he hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Steve Burton asked subconsciously, ¡°If you bought it for me, why didn¡¯t you give it to me all this while?¡± Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Warm Encounter (17) Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Warm Encounter (17) Translator: 549690339 As expected, he didn¡¯t believe that she bought the ointment for him. Steve Burton¡¯s blatant disbelief left Ruby Gregory at a loss for how to explain herself. At this moment, she was like someone who eagerly offered a gift, only to be rejected, causing her face to turn even more red. Steve¡¯s gaze was fixed on Ruby, and as he watched her fair-skinned face turn redder and redder, his mood suddenly improved greatly. He spoke leisurely, ¡°Since the ointment is for me, then apply it for me.¡± Without further ado, Steve pressed the ointment into Ruby¡¯s palm and placed his injured hand in front of her. The man¡¯s hand was beautiful, with long, slender fingers. The injured part of the palm only had a faint reddish mark as a reminder of the once-existing wound. His hand had practically healed completely, so why apply medicine now? Ruby raised her head with doubts and glanced at Steve. Steve¡¯s face remained gentle as he stared at his palm, urging Ruby onward: ¡°Hurry up.¡± Feeling somewhat curious about Steve¡¯s odd behavior, Ruby took off the ointment cap and applied it on his palm. She then spread her fingers, rubbing it gently and evenly. The smell of the ointment was faint and refreshing, mixed with the scent of osmanthus flowers carried by the night breeze wafting around the viewing platform. Ruby waited for the ointment to be fully absorbed before trying to retract her hand, but the man preemptively gripped her palm tightly in his. Ruby felt her whole body stiffen as she stood motionless in front of Steve, her other hand unconsciously clenching into a fist. His fingertips brushed her hand back in a barely-there manner, emanating warmth and an electrifying sensation that gradually seeped through her skin. Ruby didn¡¯t even dare to breathe, and after a while, she noticed that the man had no intention of letting go of her hand. She raised her head slightly, accidentally meeting his gaze. Ruby had been crying alone earlier when she stood at this spot, admiring the night view. Her eyes still bore traces of redness and dampness. Steve stared at her eyes for a moment before asking, ¡°Have you been crying?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t expect Steve to notice that she had cried. She hesitated before trying to casually dismiss it, ¡°The wind here is strong, so it made my eyes uncomfortable and teary.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Steve gently asked back before leaning towards her. His face coming closer and closer to Ruby¡¯s until they were almost touching before he stopped.. Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Warm Encounter (18) Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Warm Encounter (18) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory could feel the man¡¯s scorching breath spraying on her face. She didn¡¯t even dare to breathe, her body tensing up while her eyes hung low, her face red-hot. Steve Burton¡¯s throat moved slightly, his voice a little hoarse: ¡°I¡¯ll come and check your eyes for you.¡± Having said this, Steve¡¯s hand wrapped around Ruby¡¯s waist, pulling her into his embrace while his lips lightly pressed against her eyebrows and eyes. Ruby trembled even more violently. She was extraordinarily sensitive to certain aspects of Steve. She knew what the man would do next; this was the viewing platform after all! Ruby was afraid in her heart that he would truly run wild and, on instinct, wanted to refuse his actions: ¡°Steve Burton¡­¡± Anxiously, Ruby forgot the distance between her and Steve at that moment, unexpectedly calling out his name directly. Steve¡¯s lips pressed against Ruby¡¯s eyebrows quivered sharply, his gruff voice filled with uncontainable joy and even a touch of excitement: ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Ruby was a bit dazed by Steve¡¯s questioning tone. She looked at him somewhat vacantly. Initially, Steve only wished to kiss her, but now he felt the impulse within him rolling violently, unable to be suppressed. In an instant, he could no longer care about anything else and fiercely sealed Ruby¡¯s lips with his own. He kissed her urgently and intensely. His hands tightly gripped her waist, as if wishing to forcibly embed her into his body. He could feel the rigidity and stiffness in her body, yet he wasn¡¯t angered by her resistance and indifference. Steve knew that she still had to attend a banquet later and deliberately avoided her hairstyle. He didn¡¯t even take off her clothes, just lifting her skirt up. On the viewing platform was a stone table. He made her face away from him, an arm wrapped around her waist. Fearing that she would clench her fists too hard and scratch the palm of his hand with her nails, he used his other hand to hold her wrist, preventing her from using any strength. Steve worried about delaying the banquet, so he tried his best to shorten the time. Nevertheless, in a place like this, Ruby was afraid and tense at the bottom of her heart; although the time had been greatly reduced by Steve, she still felt it was very long. After an unknown amount of time, everything finally stopped. Ruby sighed quietly in relief and, acting on reflex, pushed Steve away. Steve¡¯s gaze at Ruby remained somewhat fervent, as if he was discontent with their hurried lovemaking.. Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Warm Encounter (19) Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Warm Encounter (19) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory spoke without hesitation, saying, ¡°The banquet is about to begin.¡± Steve Burton, however, seemed not to have heard her, and once again kissed her lips. His fingers, somewhat mischievously, ventured back under her skirt. Just as Steve was about to remove Ruby¡¯s underwear again, footsteps suddenly approached the viewing platform. Ruby¡¯s body stiffened slightly, and then Steve stopped all his actions. The footsteps became clearer and more distinct. Ruby¡¯s complexion turned pale as snow in an instant. If what was happening between her and Steve at that moment got seen by others, she couldn¡¯t imagine how the rumors would spread, and it might ruin her entire life! As the footsteps drew closer to the viewing platform, Ruby¡¯s heartbeat quickened. She raised her hand and instinctively pushed Steve away, glanced left and right, then rushed to the other side of the platform and hurried away. Ruby moved so quickly that her figure soon disappeared from view. At this point, the footsteps had almost reached the viewing platform, and Steve straightened up, tidying his clothes and preparing to fasten his belt when someone stepped on the platform. It was Steve¡¯s mom, followed by Olivia Foster. Seeing Steve, his mother spoke first, ¡°Steve, what are you doing here all alone? You didn¡¯t answer your phone, and the banquet is about to begin.¡± As she spoke, Steve¡¯s mom noticed the belt he was fastening. She furrowed her brow and stared at Steve closely. Then she saw a hint of lust on his face. In an instant, Steve¡¯s mom understood what he had been doing on the platform. Her expression darkened, and her voice turned slightly stern as she asked, ¡°Steve, who was just here with you?¡± Steve quickly fastened his belt, tidied up his appearance, and calmly replied, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s talk about it later.¡± Steve¡¯s mom showed no sign of backing down. She glanced around and finally fixed her gaze on the direction of Ruby¡¯s escape, saying, ¡°I want to see who would do such an indecent thing! Is it a Pristine¡¯s Enterprises employee, or some family¡¯s daughter!¡± Steve¡¯s mother then walked in the direction Ruby had fled. However, Steve quickly stepped in front of his mom, blocking her way. ¡°Steve, move away for mom! She absolutely will not allow a woman like this near you! How many times has mom told you, indulging in lust will eventually lead to disaster!¡± PS: That¡¯s all for today, continuing Will update earlier in the afternoon after waking up, aiming to start writing by 7 pm and write mor& Yesterday¡¯s winning reader was: Miss Bunny¡­ ?? Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 206 Warm Encounter (20) Chapter 206: Chapter 206 Warm Encounter (20) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Steve, move aside for Mom! I will never allow such a disastrous woman by your side! Mom has told you countless times, indulging in women could end up ruining everything! ¡± Just before the sixtieth-anniversary celebration of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was about to start, Steve Burton was actually indulging in * * With a woman under the open sky. Presumably, that woman had used some fox-like charm to bewitch Steve. The more Steve¡¯s mother thought about it, the angrier she got, her lengthy earrings quivering slightly. Facing his mother¡¯s wrath, Steve remained silent, maintaining his calm. Only after Steve¡¯s mother finished venting her anger did she remember that right by her side stood Olivia Foster. Even though her cousin married into the Burtons, she was still an outsider after all. As the saying goes, family affairs should not be made public, especially when the person in front of you is your own son. Had the person involved with Steve been an employee of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, then it wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue. But if it turned out to be a ¡®Miss¡¯ from a wealthy family, wouldn¡¯t this bring disgrace to that family? Steve¡¯s mother tilted her head, looking towards Olivia Foster. She said, ¡°Olivia, you go first.¡± Olivia Foster definitely knew what had happened on the viewing platform. She had hinted at Steve many times, but she didn¡¯t know whether this man could resist temptation, endure loneliness, or he was genuinely not interested in her. Let alone touching her, he hadn¡¯t even held her hand before. She had always believed that Steve was a man with no interest in love and romance. However, she never would have thought he would engage in such intimacy with a woman in a place like this. If he wasn¡¯t utterly obsessed with that woman, how could he behave so inappropriately? More than anyone else, Olivia Foster wanted to know who that woman was. Therefore, she hesitated for a moment when she heard Steve¡¯s mother instructing her to leave. Seeing Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s decisive expression, despite her unwillingness, she feared that her objection might earn her disfavor. Hence, she obediently nodded and reluctantly turned around to leave. Only after Olivia Foster had walked quite a distance did Steve¡¯s mother speak to Steve, ¡°Steve, it¡¯s just you and Mom here now, call her out.¡± There was no way Steve would call Ruby Gregory out. Lowering his eyes, he hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°What happened today was my mistake. If you are angry, you should direct it towards me.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Steve¡¯s mother reprimanded angrily, her breathing becoming somewhat rapid. ¡°Steve, are you defending that woman with no sense of propriety?¡± A woman with no sense of propriety? Upon hearing these words, a hint of gloom surfaced on Steve¡¯s usually calm face. His tone, though still gentle, carried a sense of repression, ¡°I¡¯ve said, what happened tonight was my fault..¡± Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Mysterious Female Lead (1) Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Mysterious Female Lead (1) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s mother sensed her son¡¯s displeasure. She moved her lips slightly but didn¡¯t speak. Instead, she just stared at Steve for a while before finally speaking in a rather low voice. ¡°Steve, don¡¯t forget how mom has raised you since you were a child. I¡¯ve always turned a blind eye to how you interact with women outside, believing that you know your boundaries. But today, Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ 60th-anniversary celebration is about to begin. There are so many guests in the hall, yet you¡¯re not playing host and indulging yourself with a woman here. Steve, don¡¯t forget who you are.¡± Steve pursed his lips and said hoarsely, ¡°I wasn¡¯t considering it carefully.¡± Seeing that she had spoken to such extent and Steve still sided with the woman hiding behind the viewing platform, his mother was determined to eliminate the enchantress if she could. But she didn¡¯t want to create a rift between herself and her son because of a woman. Moreover, she had never seen her son protect a woman like this before. After weighing things in her heart, Steve¡¯s mother still chose to give her son a way out and said, ¡°Steve, it¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go back to the banquet hall.¡± Steve nodded slightly in agreement. His mother took one last look in the direction where Ruby Gregory was hiding and then left with Steve the way they came. Footsteps gradually faded away until there was no more sound. Ruby, hidden behind the bushes of the viewing platform, felt like she had just survived a catastrophe and instantly collapsed on the ground. That was close! The person who came was actually Aunt Burton. As they were neighbors with the Burtons, she had known Aunt Burton since she was young, and Aunt Burton had always liked her and treated her well. However, after what happened three years ago, she went abroad and never contacted Aunt Burton again. Now that she was back, she was quite busy. Moreover, she had been to the Burtons¡¯ once, but Steve told Wenny Burton that it would be better if she didn¡¯t go to the Burtons¡¯ so often as to not bother him. As a result, she never went to the Burtons¡¯ again. From Aunt Burton¡¯s words, she could also hear that Aunt Burton thought she had bewitched Steve and prompted him to take her in such an exposed place urgently. The more Ruby thought about it, the more frightened she felt. If Aunt Burton had found out it was her, not only would her image in Aunt Burton¡¯s eyes be completely ruined, but she would also have no hope of marrying Steve in this lifetime! Ruby closed her eyes and took deep breaths for a long while before managing to support herself off the ground and stand up. She quickly tidied up her clothes.. Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Mysterious Female Lead (2) Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Mysterious Female Lead (2) Translator: 549690339 Then, Ruby Gregory took out her phone and turned on the camera, making sure her hairstyle and makeup were still in good condition before she calmed down, took her bag, and left. Ruby had just hidden behind the observation deck and heard every word between Steve Burton and Aunt Burton. She knew that, although Aunt Burton had given Steve a way out, it did not mean that Aunt Burton would really let this matter go. Perhaps Aunt Burton had already arranged for someone to wait at the entrance of the banqueting hall, watching to see who would come out from the direction of the observation deck. Steve had already blocked one risk for her, and she would not allow herself to fall into a second risk voluntarily. Ruby was familiar with every inch of the Red Park Resort & Villas. So after coming up to the observation deck, she did not walk towards the banquet hall. Instead, she took a left at a fork and went downhill. She knew that about two hundred meters down this path, she could circle back to the main route uphill, so if Aunt Burton had really arranged for someone to keep an eye on the observation deck at the door, they would not suspect her. Less than a minute after taking the left turn, Ruby saw a woman coming out of the bushes where she had turned. The woman was wearing a long white dress and had a beautiful face, and her long hair fluttered. It was Maya Mitchell. Maya originally wanted to see what Steve was doing alone on the observation deck, and if he was alone, she wanted to pretend to accidentally meet him and spend some time with him there. But she didn¡¯t expect that she hadn¡¯t even reached the observation deck before hearing Steve talking to someone else. Her footsteps stopped in place, and after listening for a while, she realized that the person on the observation deck with Steve was Ruby Gregory. Maya only felt as if her whole body had been doused with a bucket of cold water. The excitement and anxiety in her heart turned into an indescribable bitterness in an instant. Although Steve and Ruby had only exchanged a few words, she could still hear Steve¡¯s concern and affection for Ruby in his voice. She didn¡¯t dare to get too close, fearing that Steve and Ruby would discover her. She couldn¡¯t hear their voices and didn¡¯t know what they were doing. But she vaguely sensed that the atmosphere on the observation deck had become somewhat ambiguous and flowing. That kind of atmosphere was like a sharp weapon that pierced deeply into her body, making her want to escape but unable to do so. Just when she was feeling extremely tormented, she heard Olivia Foster¡¯s voice behind her: ¡°Aunt Burton, let¡¯s go to the observation deck and have a look. Maybe Steve is there.¡± Then footsteps followed. At that moment, she was startled and subconsciously hid in the bushes beside her.. Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Mysterious Female Lead (3) Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Mysterious Female Lead (3) Translator: 549690339 Through the gaps between the trees, she watched as Steve Burton¡¯s mother and Olivia Foster headed towards the observatory. The mountaintop at night was unsettlingly silent. She hid among the bushes, clearly hearing the conversation between Steve Burton¡¯s mother and Steve Burton on the Observatory platform. Only then did she understand what that ambiguous atmosphere she had sensed earlier really meant. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory were engaged in the most intimate act between a man and a woman. Maya Mitchell blinked, quietly collecting her thoughts. She stood on the wooden walkway, watching the direction in which Ruby had just departed. A flicker of understanding illuminated her eyes as she realized what Ruby must be thinking. The reason why she was taking such a roundabout route was simply to prevent anyone from discovering that she was the one on the platform with Steve Burton earlier. And what about her? At this moment, she was also on the path from the Observatory. If she were to leave from here, wouldn¡¯t she be taking the blame for Ruby? Maya pulled out her mirror and, using the dim streetlight, tidied her dishevelled hair from hiding in the bushes. Then, with an elegant stride, she followed in the direction that Ruby had taken. By the time Ruby Gregory made her way back to the entrance of the banquet hall after a long detour, there were only ten minutes until the start of the celebration. Everyone but her had arrived. There were two guards standing outside the banquet hall, and although Ruby was not sure if they were arranged by Aunt Burton, she knew that her earlier premonition was correct. Ruby smiled and nodded at the two guards before stepping into the banquet square. Madeleine happened to see Ruby arrive and waved at her. Ruby walked towards her with graceful steps, completely oblivious to the person closely following her into the banquet hall. Naturally, the Pristine¡¯s Enterprises 60th anniversary celebration was a stylish and elegant affair, with many media organizations invited. At exactly eight o¡¯clock, a male and female presenter stood on stage. The female presenter, dressed in a bright red dress, held up her microphone and cheerfully narrated the 60-year development history of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. After the female presenter finished, the male presenter led the applause and began speaking, ¡°We have just discussed the glorious history of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Now, we formally invite the current CEO of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, Mr. Steve Burton, to come onstage.¡± The venue burst into thunderous applause. Steve Burton emerged from the side of the stage, ascended the steps, and walked gracefully to the center of the stage. He waited for the applause to die down before raising his microphone, and in a clear, pleasant voice, announced, ¡°I am delighted that you are all here to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises..¡± Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Mysterious Female Lead (4) Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Mysterious Female Lead (4) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s words had always been concise, even on such a significant day, he only spoke a few words. At the end, he picked up the wine glass that the emcee had prepared in advance and raised it to the audience, saying, ¡°Happy 60th birthday to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± The people below the stage raised their glasses in unison, toasting all around. Steve Burton walked off the stage amid applause and continuous flashes of light. Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ celebration ceremony had invited big-name stars to perform, and after each performance, the emcee would draw prizes for lucky guests. The entire celebration ceremony took about an hour and a half, followed by a dance. As the highest executive of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, Steve Burton was to choose one female guest from the scene to join him in the opening dance. Just as Ruby Gregory had guessed, Steve¡¯s mother had merely given her son face and had not let go. She had genuinely sent someone to guard the exit of the observation deck to see who would come out from there. As a result, surprisingly, no one came out, and she even sent someone in to search, but they found no traces. So, the female guest Steve Burton chose for the opening dance became the focus of his mother¡¯s attention. Since Steve had been so protective of that woman, he should choose her for the opening dance in front of all the employees and capital city dignitaries. The emcee held the microphone, smiling as he looked at Steve Burton, and asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, I wonder which lucky lady will have the honor of dancing the opening dance with you tonight?¡± This question was practically on every woman¡¯s mind at the scene. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Steve Burton. Steve Burton held the microphone with a smile, his gaze politely sweeping over the elaborately dressed women in front of him. When his gaze fell on Ruby Gregory¡¯s face, it paused slightly. Inadvertently, Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart was startled, subconsciously thinking that Steve was going to choose her. She instinctively glanced at Steve¡¯s mother and lowered her head slightly, hiding behind Madeleine. Immediately afterward, Steve¡¯s gaze swept over her and scanned all the women at the venue before he raised the microphone. Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart was in her throat at this moment. If it weren¡¯t for the incident at the observation deck earlier, she would have really hoped that Steve could choose her to dance the opening dance with him. All of the decision-makers in the business world were present, and if she danced the opening dance with Steve, it would naturally attract everyone¡¯s attention. As long as someone with an interest inquired about her, they would know that she and Steve once had an intimate relationship. In this way, people would naturally think that her relationship with Steve was excellent, which would undoubtedly bring many benefits to the Gregorys¡¯ business.. Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Mysterious Female Lead (5) Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Mysterious Female Lead (5) Translator: 549690339 But now, if Steve Burton chose her, Aunt Burton would definitely be the first to suspect the things she and Steve did on the viewing platform! Steve¡¯s gaze fell on Ruby Gregory once again, filling her with an ever-increasing sense of unease. Ruby saw Steve slowly raise the microphone to his mouth. Ruby¡¯s palm clenched slowly as she stared intently at Steve. The moment his mouth opened, the entire banquet hall fell deathly silent. In that instant, Ruby felt as if her heartbeat might actually stop. ¡°I choose¡­¡± Steve deliberately paused at this point, as if toying with everyone¡¯s anticipation. Ruby felt as if she could be crushed at any moment under the weight of this overpowering premonition. Her entire body felt as if her blood had frozen in place. Just when she thought she might be the one Steve chose, the man looked her in the eyes and pronounced the three words one by one: ¡°Olivia Foster.¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and she stared at Steve, feeling as if this scene must be some kind of illusion. It must be that she was so afraid of Steve choosing her that she was seeing things. Ruby reached out and pinched her thigh hard, feeling the sharp pain. She furrowed her brows and then heard the female emcee, in a tone filled with envy and jealousy, announce, ¡°Congratulations, Miss Olivia Foster!¡± It really was Olivia Foster! Ruby knew that Steve¡¯s wife, Olivia, was her greatest rival. The Fosters were also the Gregorys¡¯ biggest competitors. Many times, matters involving Steve would not fall on her, and she would not want them to fall on Olivia either! But tonight, all she felt was relief in her heart. Relieved that Steve had chosen Olivia Foster! And she had narrowly escaped the ordeal once again! Olivia seemed stunned, completely unable to believe that Steve had chosen her for the opening dance tonight. She stood there, her eyes fixed on Steve as he stood on the stage, not even responding to the emcee¡¯s call to join him. ¡°Miss Olivia Foster? Where is Miss Olivia Foster?¡± The emcee asked two more times. A woman standing next to Olivia gently nudged her. It was only then that Olivia came back to her senses, finally accepting that everything was indeed real. Wearing a joyful smile, she took graceful steps and ascended the stage under everyone¡¯s watchful gaze. The lights in the banquet hall went out, leaving only a single bright spotlight shining on Olivia and Steve on the stage. As Olivia looked at the handsome, prince-like Steve in front of her, she felt as if she was in a dream, lost in a daze.. Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Mysterious Female Lead (6) Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Mysterious Female Lead (6) Translator: 549690339 As the music began, Steve slowly reached out and held her hand. This was their first time holding hands. The sensation made her feel as if her heart would leap out of her throat any moment. Just like Cinderella, dressed in a grand gown at midnight and dancing with her prince, she was dancing gracefully with the man she had yearned for all these years, under the envious gazes of the crowd. The music lasted for three minutes and forty seconds. During this time, Olivia felt it was the most wonderful moment of her life. She patiently savored every single second of those three minutes and forty seconds. Following Steve¡¯s steps, she danced gracefully and lightly, feeling not only her heart but her entire being soar. As the music ended, Steve and Olivia stopped along with it. A passionate round of applause erupted from the audience. Steve and Olivia waited for the applause to subside before letting go of each other. Steve nodded politely at the audience, then made a gentlemanly gesture for Olivia to leave the stage first. Only after she had left did he step down unhurriedly. After the opening dance, the banquet¡¯s toasting segment commenced. Many people had already paired up and started dancing on the dance floor. Upon stepping off the stage, Olivia was immediately surrounded by her well-acquainted socialite friends. They looked at her enviously, and tirelessly inquired about her feelings while dancing with Steve. Last time at the company, after her conflict with Ruby and being reprimanded by Steve, Olivia thought that Steve truly despised her. However now, Steve surprisingly offered her the chance to dance the important opening dance with him, dispelling any lingering doubts in her heart. In exchange, she realized that deep down, Steve held some feelings for her. Olivia¡¯s spirits soared. While secretly basking in the attention from her socialite friends, she discreetly scanned the crowd for Steve. What Ruby worried about, Steve had also considered. No one knew that as he held the microphone and announced Olivia¡¯s name, the name that echoed in his heart simultaneously was: Ruby Gregory. Even though he yearned to dance a splendid waltz with Ruby to celebrate his kingdom¡¯s banquet, he did not wish to bring trouble to her after the dance. Because, he knew his mother well. If he were to dance with any woman other than Olivia tonight, his mom would suspect that woman to be the one he had been with on the viewing platform.. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Mysterious Female Lead (7) Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Mysterious Female Lead (7) Translator: 549690339 He didn¡¯t like Olivia Foster, and it had something to do with Ruby Gregory not liking her either. However, he couldn¡¯t hurt other women just because of his own preferences. So tonight, he had no choice but to choose Olivia Foster to dance the opening dance with him. Because Olivia was with his mom, and his mom knew that the person on the viewing platform with him was not Olivia. People walking around at banquets will inevitably run into those they don¡¯t want to see. Ruby Gregory and Olivia Foster crossed paths. Olivia¡¯s face beamed with self-satisfaction. She glanced at Ruby with a show-off expression, like a proud princess, and stepped away elegantly from Ruby. Olivia Foster went to the restroom. After using the toilet and coming out, she took out her makeup and touched up her makeup in front of the mirror at the sink. As Olivia was touching up her makeup halfway, Maya Mitchell coincidentally also walked out of the restroom and stood in front of another sink to wash her hands. Olivia never took Maya seriously, so she only glanced at her from the corner of her eye and continued to carefully touch up her makeup in front of the mirror. Maya stood aside, silently washing her hands. She could see Olivia¡¯s disdain for herself. She had gotten used to it over the years, so she tried to avoid Olivia. But as she was washing her hands, she saw Olivia¡¯s handbag on the sink and uncharacteristically complimented Olivia, ¡°Your handbag is pretty.¡± Olivia knew that Maya was close to Ruby Gregory, so when she heard her words, her expression slightly fell, and she snorted without a response, slowly packing up her makeup. Olivia laughed coldly, ¡°You, who couldn¡¯t even afford tuition back then, would know about Chanel?¡± Then she just opened the faucet and started washing her hands without any concern for others. How could Maya not hear that Olivia was mocking her humble background? The smile on her face remained unchanged, she gently blinked her eyes, and continued, ¡°I saw Ruby also carrying a Chanel bag.¡± Hearing Ruby Gregory¡¯s name from Maya¡¯s mouth, Olivia¡¯s face became even uglier. She turned off the faucet abruptly, pulled out a paper towel from the side, and wiped her hands forcefully. Compared to Olivia¡¯s anger, Maya seemed calm. She gently took out a paper towel, wiped her hands, and casually said to Olivia, ¡°When I met Ruby, she seemed to be in a bad mood. She left the banquet hall and went directly to the viewing platform.¡± ¡°The viewing platform?¡± Olivia Foster, who was about to leave the restroom, suddenly stopped, turned her head, stared at Maya Mitchell, and asked, ¡°Red Park¡¯s viewing platform?¡± PS: That¡¯s all for today, continue Group number: The winning reader is: Peaceful Like Always. The winning reader must join the group!!! !! PPS: Recommending a book, written by a good friend of Leaf.. It¡¯s a modern novel Pen name: Gorgeous Beauty, Book title: Secret Marriage of the Black Family: Charming Pet for 7 minutes and 77 seconds Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Mysterious Female Lead (8) Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Mysterious Female Lead (8) Translator: 549690339 ¡°The viewing platform?¡± Olivia Foster, who was about to leave the bathroom, suddenly stopped, turned her head, and stared at Maya Mitchell, asking, ¡°Red Park¡¯s viewing platform?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Maya Mitchell nodded, threw the used paper towel into the trash, and walked towards the door. Though her words seemed casual, she was actually revealing a secret she knew to Olivia. Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton had grown up together as childhood friends. In the three years that Ruby had been gone, there hadn¡¯t been a single woman by Steve¡¯s side. Except for work, his life was uneventful. Now that Ruby was back, the peace in Steve¡¯s life was broken. Maya knew that only when one cared about someone would their emotions be constantly affected by the person they loved. She liked Steve but couldn¡¯t openly be with him like those noble-born women. However, she wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to expose Ruby and make Steve disgusted with her. Compared to Olivia, who danced the opening dance with Steve tonight, Ruby was her biggest rival. However, she wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to expose Ruby and make Steve disgusted with her. But Olivia was different. Olivia had been arrogant since childhood, relying on the wealth of the Fosters¡¯ family business. But many times, she was thoughtless. This flaw of Olivia¡¯s provided opportunities for others to exploit. Maya only needed to let Olivia know this news, then she would undoubtedly take action against Ruby. An inevitable fight would ensue, and if Steve¡¯s mom found out that the woman on the viewing platform was Ruby, it would be detrimental to Ruby¡¯s situation. As for Olivia, the one who exposed the truth, she would gain no favor from Steve. It was a win-win situation: both things covered perfectly. And all Maya had to do was to reap the benefits. Just when Maya was about to leave the bathroom, Olivia spoke again, asking, ¡°Are you sure you saw Ruby Gregory going to the viewing platform tonight?¡± Even though everything was under Maya¡¯s control, she pretended to be puzzled on the surface. With wide, innocent eyes, she asked, ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± Olivia seemed to realize that her reaction was too intense. She slightly concealed her facial expression, shook her head, and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± Maya uttered a faint ¡°oh¡±, walked out of the bathroom, and then heard the sound of something crashing violently inside. Maya knew that was the sound of Olivia¡¯s rage after learning that the woman who was on the viewing platform with Steve tonight was Ruby. Her lips couldn¡¯t help but curl into a light smile. Then she straightened her back, walked gracefully towards the venue.. Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Mysterious Female Lead (9) Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Mysterious Female Lead (9) Translator: 549690339 No one knew that when she found out Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton were having a romantic encounter on the viewing platform, her heart was filled with jealousy and resentment. No one knew that when she watched Olivia Foster and Steve Burton dance gracefully on the brightly lit stage, she was filled with envy deep within her heart. Even though she knew that Steve had chosen to dance with Olivia at the celebration ceremony to protect Ruby, she couldn¡¯t help but imagine the possibility of dancing the opening dance with him in such a grand setting, willingly becoming a scapegoat. Dance was something that needed to be nurtured from a young age, yet growing up in poverty, she didn¡¯t have the same access to education as Ruby and Olivia. It wasn¡¯t until she had a stable job at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises that she started silently catching up with them. Only she knew the hardships she had endured. Countless nights, she practiced basic dance moves at home to music, hoping to become as flexible as them. She even sprained her ankle and hurt her back, which made her unable to sleep at night. She would go to the hospital alone and grit her teeth, enduring the pain no matter how unbearable it was the next day, always managing to put on a brave face as a seemingly ordinary secretary at work. She put in so much effort to get close to Steve, but his eyes never fell on her. She would always remain far behind him, watching as his beautiful companions came and went, never getting a taste of that happiness, even if it was only fleeting. Tonight, everyone was excited and overjoyed for Pristine¡¯s Enterprises 60th anniversary celebration, but she was the only one feeling downhearted, sad, and heartbroken. Now, having told the secret she knew to Olivia, her face, once filled with arrogance and pride at the prospect of dancing with Steve, was now replaced with anger. And what about Ruby Gregory? Maya Mitchell stood in the midst of the banquet, casting her gaze on Ruby Gregory, who was talking incessantly to Madeleine about something. Perhaps it was a funny story, as Ruby¡¯s face lit up with a beautiful and charming smile. Maya slightly raised her chin, thinking, ¡°Ruby Gregory, no matter how brilliant and beautiful you are now, Olivia¡¯s impulsive temper will break through your facade in no more than 24 hours!¡± Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Mysterious Female Lead (10) Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Mysterious Female Lead (10) Translator: 549690339 Just as Maya Mitchell expected, Olivia Foster stood in the restroom at the moment, her face completely devoid of the excitement she had when she danced with Steve Burton. Instead, she was gritting her teeth in anger. When she went to the viewing platform with Aunt Burton earlier, she was curious about which shameless woman dared to seduce Steve and do such a thing on the platform. Many celebrities attended tonight¡¯s banquet, and she initially thought it was one of them. But to her surprise, it turned out to be Ruby Gregory! The grudges between her and Ruby all revolved around Steve. Had it been any other woman, she would not have been so furious and resentful! Olivia¡¯s lips were tightly pressed, her eyes staring intensely into the void, and her hands clenched into fists. Ruby had already consummated with Steve, and if Ruby accidentally got pregnant, where would Olivia¡¯s qualifications to compete with her come from? Moreover, in which aspect was she inferior to Ruby? Nowadays, the Gregorys couldn¡¯t even compare to the Fosters. Ruby had recently returned to the country, and she was already so close with Steve. Olivia, on the other hand, had been by Steve¡¯s side for three years, and it was only tonight that she finally got to hold hands and dance with him. Olivia was impulsive and couldn¡¯t see through things, but she wasn¡¯t completely mindless. At this moment, she finally realized why out of so many women, Steve picked her to accompany him in the opening dance. It was only because she had been with Aunt Burton all along, and by choosing her, he could prevent Aunt Burton from finding out who the woman on the viewing platform really was! Steve¡¯s actions were clearly protecting Ruby! Ruby, Ruby, it was always Ruby! Last time, Ruby slapped her twice, and Steve took Ruby¡¯s side. And this time, it was the same! Olivia¡¯s chest heaved violently as she angrily grabbed the hand sanitizer on the washing stand and threw it against the wall. Dissatisfied with this display, she lifted her foot and kicked the trash can in front of her fiercely. Such venting didn¡¯t ease the frustration in Olivia¡¯s heart. She picked up her bag and stormed into the banquet hall. She scanned the crowd and finally saw Aunt Burton. Striding straight towards her, she made up her mind. Wasn¡¯t Steve trying to protect Ruby? Didn¡¯t Aunt Burton always want to know who that shameless woman on the viewing platform was? Fine then¡­ she would tell Aunt Burton right now, and see how Steve could continue protecting Ruby! Steve¡¯s mother was chatting with a few ladies her age when Olivia marched over, pouting, not caring about the many people watching. She opened her mouth to speak, ¡°Aunt Burton, I know about the viewing platform¡­.¡± Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Mysterious Female Lead (11) Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Mysterious Female Lead (11) Translator: 549690339 When Steve Burton¡¯s mother heard the words ¡°Viewing Pavilion,¡± she knew what Olivia Foster was about to bring up next. Indeed, she wanted to know who the woman with Steve at the Viewing Pavilion was. However, she would not let an outsider expose her son¡¯s scandal in front of all these wives of famous families. These aristocratic ladies were always the spreaders of gossip. If Olivia were to reveal what happened, wouldn¡¯t many people learn that her son was addicted to women, and had engaged in lewd acts with someone at the Viewing Pavilion during Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ 60th anniversary celebration?! So, Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes slightly darkened with a trace of displeasure, yet her face maintained a dignified smile as if nothing had changed. She turned her head and interrupted Olivia with a tone that was neither too light nor too heavy, ¡°Olivia, your aunts and I are talking. Can we discuss any matters tomorrow?¡± Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s last sentence was a rhetorical question, but it carried the meaning of a declarative sentence. Olivia hesitated for a moment, her expression showing slight defiance as she spoke up again: ¡°Aunt Burton, don¡¯t you always want to know¡­¡± ¡°Olivia¡± Aunt Burton interrupted her again with a gentle tone and a smile on her face. Her gaze toward Olivia contained a hint of warning. Then she turned to the aristocratic ladies present and said, ¡°Miss Foster just loves to cling to me and look for me to indulge her every whim.¡± Aunt Burton¡¯s disguise remained perfect, the other aristocratic wives didn¡¯t detect any flaws. Listening to Aunt Burton¡¯s helpless tone, they assumed she was truly fond of Olivia, so they took turns praising her. Aunt Burton waited for everyone to finish praising, turned her head, and said to Olivia, ¡°Olivia, please enjoy yourself at the party.¡± Olivia knew that Aunt Burton was asking her to leave, and she could see that Aunt Burton didn¡¯t want her to bring up the Viewing Pavilion incident. Olivia felt a surge of anger stuck in her throat, unable to come up or go down. She forced a stiff smile at Aunt Burton, nodded her head and said obediently, ¡°I understand, Aunt Burton.¡± Then she turned around, her expression immediately turning cold as she walked away in her high heels. Olivia really wanted to vent her anger in her heart, and the most direct way she could think of was to tell Aunt Burton and watch the impression of Ruby Gregory plummet. However, Aunt Burton seemed completely uninterested in the matter at hand. Olivia glanced at Ruby Gregory, who was chatting with Madeleine in the distance. She pressed her lips together and headed towards an intimate acquaintance from a famous family.. Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Mysterious Female Lead (12) Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Mysterious Female Lead (12) Translator: 549690339 During each toast, Steve Burton didn¡¯t drink much, but going through so many toasts with so many people made him somewhat tipsy. He didn¡¯t eat much dinner, so his stomach was now quite uncomfortable. Steve went to the bathroom to throw up, but couldn¡¯t do it. Instead, he tried to compose himself in the relatively quiet bathroom. As he prepared to leave the men¡¯s room, he overheard a few women talking outside. ¡°Do you know Ruby Gregory? The young lady from the Gregory family?¡± When Steve heard Ruby¡¯s name, he paused for a moment and leaned against the wall, listening to the conversation outside. ¡°I have some gossip for you guys, which happened tonight.¡± ¡°What kind of gossip?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about her and Steve Burton.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they on good terms?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about their relationship for now. Let¡¯s first discuss what you think of Ruby as a person.¡± ¡°She¡¯s beautiful and graceful. She¡¯s quite nice.¡± ¡°Pfft. That¡¯s just the superficial stuff. Let me tell you a secret: the more pure and innocent these people appear to be on the surface, the more shameless and lustful they are deep down. You guys don¡¯t know, but she actually tried to seduce Steve Burton by the terrace tonight.¡± When Steve heard this, he frowned slightly. He hadn¡¯t noticed anyone watching when he went to the terrace earlier, so how could these people be gossiping about it? Steve leaned slightly to see a young-looking woman excitedly sharing her secret knowledge with the others: ¡°To think a woman could be so shameless trying to entrap Steve Burton in such a public place. It¡¯s just¡­ unbelievable!¡± As she spoke, the woman shook her head, looking disdainful. The other people wore shocked expressions, and they chimed in one after another. ¡°Is this for real?¡± ¡°I feel like she doesn¡¯t seem like that kind of person!¡± ¡°What do you guys know? There are witnesses!¡± ¡°Witnesses? Oh my god, she¡¯s really shameless, throwing herself at a man like that. ¡± ¡°I feel my worldview has been completely overturned. So these days does looking more reserved and ladylike mean that, deep down, a woman is actually more lascivious and promiscuous?¡± ¡°Shh, keep your voices down when we discuss this¡­¡± The chatting women left the bathroom, and their voices eventually grew too soft for Steve to hear. Leaning against the wall, Steve stood in the bathroom for quite a while before blinking and straightening up. He turned and walked out of the bathroom, washing his hands at the sink with a blank expression. He looked completely unaffected, as if the women¡¯s gossip had nothing to do with him. But deep down, his emotions had been roiled into a storm.. Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Mysterious Female Lead (13) Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Mysterious Female Lead (13) Translator: 549690339 He thought that by choosing Olivia Foster to dance the opening waltz with him, he had completely concealed the matter, leaving only a fog of confusion for his mother. But who would have known that despite his efforts, the secret still managed to leak out. The identity of the person who spread the news didn¡¯t matter; what was important was that he needed to find a way to shift the gossip and rumors that clung to Ruby Gregory onto someone else. The reason he chose Olivia to dance the opening waltz was to avoid implicating innocent bystanders. But just moments ago, that woman had taken the lead in slandering Ruby¡­ He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to spread rumors and cause trouble behind her back, even if the gossip had nothing to do with him, especially when it hurt Ruby¡¯s reputation! A woman¡¯s most precious asset in her life is her reputation. It¡¯s true that something had happened between Ruby and him on the viewing platform, but it was his momentary loss of control that caused the mistake, not her fault. However, people often don¡¯t care what the truth is; they only take advantage of the weaker party. But hurting Ruby was clearly hurting Steve Burton. Men have their pride, especially Steve. He couldn¡¯t tolerate even the slightest touch to his dignity. And now, someone had the audacity to spread malicious words and rumors about Ruby so openly ¨C it was unbearable! Since the person spreading rumors had already hit rock bottom, Steve was determined to outdo them in their game of utter shamelessness! As Steve thought this, a hint of mockery appeared in the depth of his eyes. When Steve returned to the banquet hall, his gaze swept over the crowd and eventually fell upon the woman he had encountered in the restroom, who had slandered Ruby. There weren¡¯t many women Steve could remember, and after thinking carefully, he still couldn¡¯t determine who she was. Finally, he nonchalantly wandered over to Rusell Henris. Seeing Steve approaching, Rusell handed him a glass of alcohol. Steve took it and shook the glass lightly a couple of times, his attention seemingly elsewhere. He lifted a finger, pointed to the rumor-mongering woman, and asked, ¡°I find that lady somewhat familiar, what¡¯s her name?¡± Rusell was very familiar with the ladies of the capital city. Following Steve¡¯s finger, he only glanced once and replied fluently, ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the chairman of Babylon Corporation, Charlotte Madris.¡± Babylon Corporation? Upon hearing Rusell¡¯s words, information about Babylon Corporation quickly flashed through Steve¡¯s brain. It wasn¡¯t a big enterprise, but its performance was quite decent. In recent years, it had been working closely with the Fosters. Rusell took a leisurely sip of his drink and asked, ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about her?¡± Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Mysterious Female Lead (14) Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Mysterious Female Lead (14) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton didn¡¯t answer, but let his gaze sweep slowly through the crowd, finally landing on his own mother. When his mother looked at him, Steve quickly shifted his gaze to Charlotte Madris. An innate intuition told him that his mother was already staring at him, so he kept his eyes firmly trained on Charlotte. After about a minute, Steve pretended to notice someone watching him, his gaze shifting slightly, and upon seeing his mother staring at him, quickly averted his gaze from Charlotte, and then turned his head to Rusell Henris beside him and answered his earlier question, ¡°Nothing.¡± As Steve spoke, he continued to keep an eye on his mother from the corner of his eye. Mom seemed to have noticed his attention and moved her unwavering gaze from him but kept glancing at him from time to time. Steve knew that his mother was closely watching him to see which woman he was most interested in. The woman he paid the most attention to could be basically confirmed as the woman on the viewing platform. Usually, Steve¡¯s gaze would intentionally or unintentionally fall on Ruby Gregory, but today, he deliberately let his gaze drift towards Charlotte Madris. Moreover, each time he looked at Charlotte, it was exactly when his mother was looking at him; he shamelessly pretended to be attracted to her, his gaze filled with a trace of fascination. After repeated instances, Steve noticed that his mother¡¯s gaze began to move towards the direction where Charlotte stood, and he knew that his scheme had been initially successful. His mother had narrowed down the woman on the viewing platform to the few people around Charlotte. Next, his goal was to have his mother place her full attention and suspicion on Charlotte. With this thought in mind, Steve raised his wine glass and drained it in one gulp, then stared at Charlotte for a while before noticing that his mother was staring intently at him. At that point, he pretended not to notice and, with a slight tilt of his head, whispered into Rusell¡¯s ear, ¡°Can you help me call that one named¡­ Sun¡­¡± Steve hadn¡¯t really paid attention to the name Rusell had mentioned earlier, only vaguely remembering the surname was Sun, so he paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°The woman I just asked you about, have her come to the back door of the banquet hall.¡± Rusell stared at Steve with a surprised look on his face, as he raised his hand and pinched his own thigh hard. Only when he felt the pain did he confirm that this wasn¡¯t a dream. Steve, who had always been indifferent to women, seemed to have gone crazy today, actually wanting to meet a woman? Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Mysterious Female Lead (15) Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Mysterious Female Lead (15) Translator: 549690339 Russell Henris raised his hand, rubbed his nose, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Ruby?¡± Besides Ruby Gregory making Steve Burton act strangely and break norms, Russell couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities. Steve Burton glanced slantingly at Russell, a hint of warning in his eyes. Russell Henris shuddered all over, promptly raising his hand in surrender. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it for you right now.¡± Having said this, Russell disappeared swiftly from in front of Steve. Steve elegantly swayed his glass of alcohol, occasionally lifting it for a sip. He kept a close eye on Russell and his own mother. A bit of distance separated them, the ambiance of the gathering was noisy, he had no idea what Russell said to Charlotte Madris, but Charlotte gave Russell a sweet smile, nodded slightly, and with a composed posture, followed Russell towards the rear door of the banquet hall. Before exiting the back door, Russell made a gentlemanly gesture inviting Charlotte to proceed, then made an ¡®OK¡¯ hand sign towards Steve from a distance. Steve glanced once and then turned his gaze away, scanning the crowd casually, downing the rest of the alcohol, handed his glass to one of the servers, and then strode towards the front door of the banquet hall. Night had fallen deep, the room was brilliantly lit, glass windows and doors reflected like a mirror. Before heading out, Steve clearly saw his mother whispering something to a server, the same server who kept looking in his direction. Steve hid his expression, pretending not to notice, just pushed the door and walked out naturally. He stood outside for a while before he felt someone else exit the door behind him. Glancing over, he saw it was the server who had been speaking with his mom earlier. The server looked at him with respect, greeted him, and then appeared to nonchalantly walk downwards. Steve, pretending to be oblivious, veered right towards the back door of the banquet hall. His steps were unhurried, even somewhat casual. The night was incredibly silent, he never turned back. But his innate sharpness informed him that someone was following him the entire time. He knew it was the server, the same one who left the hotel with him. His mother¡¯s plant. Before Steve reached the back door, he saw from a distance, in the pavilion opposite the back door, a charming woman was standing. With long hair and a red dress, she stood tall and beautiful. It was Charlotte Madris, the one Russell had led out of the banquet hall. Strolling unhurriedly, Steve walked into the pavilion. As Charlotte heard footsteps, she instinctively turned back and exclaimed, ¡°Mr. Henris, are you back?¡± Russell had brought Charlotte out less than a minute ago and he said he had something to attend to, asking her to wait here. Thus, upon hearing the footsteps, she assumed it was Russell. But, when she turned her head and saw Steve, she realized she¡¯d mistaken the person. Suddenly, her face flushed red while layers of astonishment and throbbing excitement surfaced in her eyes.. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Mysterious Female Lead (16) Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Mysterious Female Lead (16) Translator: 549690339 A shy blush appeared on Charlotte Madris¡¯s face as she lowered her eyes and softly called, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s expression was slightly indifferent as he walked to the wooden chair in the pavilion and sat down. He looked at Charlotte Madris for a moment before saying, ¡°Ms. Madris.¡± Charlotte Madris hadn¡¯t expected Steve Burton to know her last name, and a hint of joy appeared in her eyes. She smiled with curved lips but didn¡¯t speak. Steve Burton sat casually, and his natural elegance gave off a leisurely and unrestrained aura. Just as Charlotte Madris was hesitating whether she should make conversation with Steve Burton or leave, he briefly looked up at her, the corners of his mouth curving slightly, ¡°Ms. Madris, your high heels are so tall. Aren¡¯t you tired? Sit down and take a break.¡± As he spoke, Steve Burton pointed to the seat beside him. Charlotte Madris could never have dreamed that Rusell Henris of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises would take the initiative to invite her for a walk. That was already quite unbelievable, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into the legendary Steve Burton, who would actually talk to her voluntarily. She felt unbelievably lucky tonight. Charlotte Madris looked at Steve Burton in surprise, trying hard to conceal the joy that showed in her eyes. She blushed and sat down beside him. Under the dim outdoor lights, the handsome man¡¯s features looked even more lethal. When a woman encounters an outstanding man, she might feel a touch of infatuation. Charlotte Madris was no exception; she didn¡¯t think twice before speaking in a soft and gentle voice that seemed to drip with honey: ¡°Mr. Burton, what brought you out here?¡± As she asked this question, she worried whether she was being too forward from the depths of her heart. However, Steve Burton¡¯s face didn¡¯t show the slightest hint of irritation. Instead, he smiled slightly and said, ¡°Just to clear my mind.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°And what about Ms. Madris?¡± Steve Burton deliberately made his magnetic voice slow and low. The way the words ¡°Ms. Madris¡± came out of his mouth had an indescribable charm to them. Charlotte¡¯s expression became even more refined and gentle. She looked at Steve Burton and said, ¡°Mr. Henris said he had something to talk to me about and asked me to come out, but now he¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡± At this point, a troubled expression appeared on her face. Steve Burton knew full well that Rusell Henris would not return, but he pretended he knew nothing and said to Charlotte Madris, ¡°Being too beautiful can always cause some trouble for a woman.¡± Did Steve Burton just indirectly compliment her beauty? Charlotte Madris felt so excited that her heart seemed ready to leap out of her throat. It was as if countless ants were crawling through her mind. She tilted her head and, with an innocent romantic expression, asked, ¡°Mr.. Burton, are you making fun of me?¡± Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Mysterious Female Lead (17) Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Mysterious Female Lead (17) Translator: 549690339 Through the dim streetlights, Steve Burton clearly saw the server who came out with him standing not far away, taking pictures of him and Charlotte Madris with his cell phone. He looked at Charlotte with a playful, affectionate expression, his eyebrows flickering slightly. Then, he reached out his hand, placing it on the back of the chair behind her, giving the illusion that he had her in his embrace. His tone was languid, and he sounded almost carefree: ¡°No, I¡¯m just complimenting you. ¡± A delicate smile blossomed on Charlotte¡¯s face like a flower. As Ruby Gregory chatted with Madeleine, she felt an odd change in the atmosphere surrounding her. Well-dressed women she knew and didn¡¯t know appeared before her and Madeleine from time to time, either alone or in groups. Their gaze always seemed to flit over to her, and the groups would exchange knowing glances and smiles, before huddling together in a secretive manner after passing her. The repeated scenes perplexed Ruby Gregory, and even Madeleine seemed to notice something was amiss. Only then did Ruby Gregory start paying attention to the reactions around the room. She noticed many people staring at her, their eyes either mocking or curious. Unaware of what had caused them to treat her this way, Ruby Gregory felt increasingly overwhelmed and decided to make an excuse to leave Madeleine and the banquet early. Ruby Gregory, fearing that leaving through the front entrance would attract even more attention, opted for the back exit. As she pushed the door open and prepared to walk down the mountain path, she heard intermittent laughter from not far away. Curious, she paused and looked around, spoting a man and a woman engaged in animated conversation in a gazebo. Despite the distance, the soft red glow emanating from the round lanterns hanging on all sides of the gazebo allowed Ruby Gregory to clearly see who the pair was. With his back facing her, she couldn¡¯t make out Steve Burton¡¯s expression, but she had a clear view of Charlotte Madris¡¯s. The woman looked playfully charming as she gazed at Steve, her eyes twinkling with laughter even as she spoke, resembling a delicate flower. Whatever Charlotte said, Steve stood up and walked to the edge of the gazebo, leaning far out to pluck a large bunch of vivid pink chrysanthemums in full bloom, before handing it to her. Charlotte clasped the chrysanthemums with both hands, her smile bright and radiant. Afterward, the two walked shoulder-to-shoulder out of the gazebo and left together along another path. Ruby Gregory stood rooted in place, staring blankly at the retreating figures of Steve Burton and Charlotte Madris.. Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Mysterious Female Lead (18) Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Mysterious Female Lead (18) Translator: 549690339 Although Ruby Gregory hadn¡¯t seen Steve Burton¡¯s expression during the whole process just now, she could feel that his mood seemed to be quite good. Despite Steve Burton and Charlotte Madris having left a long time ago, Ruby could still feel the harmonious atmosphere when the two were in the pavilion. It gave a very warm feeling, like¡­ like back when Steve had thrown away her contraceptive pills, and she hadn¡¯t gone to work for several days, watching a Korean drama with her mom in the living room, a perfect picture of blissful warmth that made her envious. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was Olivia Foster, or Charlotte Madris, or even Ms. Annie, whenever they were with Steve Burton, even if there was no affection, the atmosphere was never cold. As for her and Steve, their interactions were minimal, and it seemed that no matter what she said or did, he always found a lot to criticize. Between him and her, whenever they met, they only had intimate relations, which just always seemed to make her more afraid of being alone with him. Thinking about this, Ruby furrowed her brow slightly and then realized, belatedly, that Steve never chose a place when it came to her, whether it was in the car, in a restaurant, in a company, or on a viewing platform¡­ In his heart, it seemed as if she were only a toy for him to relieve his stress. Ruby silently withdrew her gaze from the figures of Steve Burton and Charlotte Madris as they left, and with a slightly lonely expression, turned her head and slowly walked down the mountain. At ten o¡¯clock the next morning, there was an announcement at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Breakfast time was at eight-thirty. Ruby originally went to a restaurant halfway up the mountain, but when she was about to leave, she bumped into Madeleine, who dragged her directly to the private restaurant in the presidential suite area at the top of the mountain. She thought it was going to be only her and Madeleine, but upon entering, she realized that almost all of the five four-person tables were full. Other than Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, and Howard Coleman¡¯s table, which had an empty seat, Steve Burton was sitting alone at one table with three empty seats around him. Madeleine took the initiative to sit at Howard Coleman¡¯s table. Ruby had no choice but to sit at Steve Burton¡¯s table. Steve Burton seemed to ignore Ruby as he read the morning paper. Ruby took a deep breath and sat down directly across from him. Steve then put down the newspaper in his hand and said to the row of waiters standing nearby, ¡°Let¡¯s ¡± eat. The waiters orderly served breakfast one by one and placed it on each dining table. At this time, Ruby took a brief look at the people seated in the restaurant and realized that they were all Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ top executives¡¯ family members. The so-called top executives¡¯ family members were the parents of Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine.. Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Mysterious Female Lead (19) Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Mysterious Female Lead (19) Translator: 549690339 Steve¡¯s father had left Red Park for a meeting at midnight last night, so only Steve¡¯s mother was present today. The last table was occupied by Steve¡¯s cousins, their spouses, and Olivia Foster. Although Ruby had heard Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s voice last night, this was her first official meeting with her since returning to the country. So when she saw Steve¡¯s mother, she immediately stood up, bent over politely, and called out, ¡°Aunt Burton.¡± As Ruby and Steve had grown up together, she naturally knew the parents of Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, Howard Coleman and Madeleine, so she greeted each of them before returning to her seat. Among all the parents present, Steve¡¯s mother and Madeleine¡¯s mother were the closest to Ruby. After Ruby had finished greeting everyone, Madeleine¡¯s mother spoke up first with a smile, saying, ¡°Madeleine told me long ago that Ruby had returned from abroad, but it¡¯s only now that I get to see her.¡± ¡°Steve never told me Ruby was back. If I hadn¡¯t seen her today, I wouldn¡¯t have known she¡¯d returned.¡± Steve¡¯s mother chimed in, taking a closer look at Ruby and then smiling, ¡°Three years have passed, and Ruby has grown into a young lady, much more beautiful than before.¡± Edward Woods¡¯s mother also joined in, smilingly, ¡°Among our girls, Ruby has always been the most outstandingly beautiful since they were young.¡± Howard Coleman¡¯s mother, who was sitting closest to Ruby, reached out, grasped Ruby¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°And Ruby is also the most sensible.¡± Hearing this, Madeleine¡¯s mother glanced at her daughter and said, ¡°Indeed, Lady Gregory knows best how to raise a daughter. Look at our Madeleine, always so decisive and resolute, she doesn¡¯t act like a girl at all.¡± Madeleine pouted but showed no signs of being upset for being the only one criticized. Instead, she proudly said, ¡°That¡¯s right! My Ruby is so naturally beautiful that she can¡¯t help but shine. With her to be the beautiful one, who would dare to compare to me? I¡¯ll just send Ruby and she¡¯ll definitely outshine everyone else!¡± With everyone¡¯s compliments, Ruby felt a little embarrassed, her face turning slightly red. Steve had many cousins, and today the one who came was his fourth cousin, who brought his wife, Olivia Foster¡¯s older female cousin. Since Ruby entered the restaurant, all the adults had their eyes on her, revolving around her and praising her. Seeing this, Olivia¡¯s expression gradually became somewhat unconvinced. Always impulsive, Olivia couldn¡¯t hold back and blurted out with a hint of jealousy in her tone, ¡°Ruby is still as popular with everyone as ever..¡± Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Mysterious Female Lead (20) Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Mysterious Female Lead (20) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster¡¯s words seemed complimentary when taken at face value. However, her resentful tone made it sound as though she was mocking everyone for their praise of Ruby Gregory. The atmosphere in the room instantly became tense. Ruby had always thought Olivia lacked intelligence, but she never expected her to be this dim-witted. With just one sentence, Olivia managed to make it seem like everyone was flattering Ruby. Ruby glanced around the room, feeling a bit awkward. Despite their underlying dissatisfaction, these people, who had weathered many storms, managed to maintain a faint smile on their faces. Steve Burton, on the other hand, showed no expression and continued to leisurely eat his porridge, occasionally making a crisp sound with his spoon and bowl. Madeleine, the only female successor in the Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, had been spoiled to a certain extent and couldn¡¯t bear others¡¯ mockery. After a pause, she put down her chopsticks, looked at Olivia, and asked with a smile, ¡°Olivia, judging by your tone, it seems you¡¯re not happy that Ruby is so liked by everyone here?¡± Madeleine¡¯s pointed question exposed Olivia¡¯s true thoughts in front of everyone. Olivia hesitated and instinctively wanted to counter, but she didn¡¯t know how. Steve¡¯s cousin¡¯s wife, Olivia¡¯s older cousin, naturally took her side. She quietly patted Olivia¡¯s thigh under the table to console her, then spoke up for her cousin, ¡°Ms. Madeleine, what are you talking about? Olivia and Ruby have grown up together since they were children. How could she be unhappy that Ruby is liked by everyone? She¡¯s just a bit straightforward and sometimes speaks without thinking. She didn¡¯t really mean it like that.¡± Steve¡¯s cousin¡¯s wife skillfully smoothed things over, providing an out for everyone present and covering up for Olivia¡¯s jealous tone. Everyone¡¯s expressions finally began to relax a bit. The atmosphere in the dining room no longer felt as frozen as before. Steve¡¯s cousin¡¯s wife finally felt relieved and turned to Ruby with a smile, saying, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t take it to heart. Olivia is younger than you, so you should be more understanding.¡± Olivia only seemed a year younger than Ruby, but the actual difference was only four months. However, that four-month gap still made her older than Olivia. Moreover, with the adults of the room present and Steve¡¯s cousin¡¯s wife¡¯s words, Ruby would seem unreasonable if she didn¡¯t show gratitude. So, Ruby assumed a magnanimous expression and smiled faintly. Just as she was about to speak, Steve, who had been silently having breakfast across from her, suddenly put down his spoon, turned his head in surprise, glanced at Olivia, and stared at his cousin¡¯s wife. He pretended to be ignorant and asked, ¡°Olivia is younger than Ruby? I never noticed. I always thought Olivia was older than both Madeleine and Ruby!¡± PS: There are really 12 chapters updated today! More Steve is quite Torturing people without taking The award-winning readers of these past few days are: summer, Shan Shan is Not San San, and Jasmine Flower.. Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 227 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (1) Chapter 227: Chapter 227 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (1) Translator: 549690339 Therefore, with an air of magnanimity, Ruby Gregory smiled slightly and was about to speak. However, Steve Burton, who had been quietly eating his breakfast across the table, suddenly put down his spoon. Somewhat surprised, he looked at Olivia Foster, then turned to his cousin-in-law and asked innocently, ¡°Olivia Foster is younger than Ruby Gregory? If you hadn¡¯t said, I would never have guessed. I¡¯ve always thought that Olivia Foster was older both than Madeleine and Ruby!¡± All present were astute individuals. They all understood the implication of Steve¡¯s words that Olivia Foster looked older than Ruby Gregory and Madeleine. This was typical of Steve: silent until he suddenly shocked others with his words. The atmosphere, initially filled with awkwardness, was about to be diffused by his cousin-in-law¡¯s tactful subject-changing skills. However, his cruel, harsh words caught everyone off guard and dragged the room back into an awkward silence. The situation was even more awkward when compared to Olivia Foster¡¯s tone of ridiculing how everyone adored Ruby Gregory. Ruby Gregory was about to speak, but Steve¡¯s words, indifferent yet pointed, choked her sentence in her throat. Though Steve¡¯s words were not aimed at her, in fact, they were somewhat in her favor, Ruby Gregory still thought that Steve Burton¡¯s comments were quite humiliating! Even after his blunt insult to Olivia Foster, if Ruby Gregory continued to feign her indifferent attitude, she would only add insult to injury. Despite wanting to add fuel to the fire and kick Olivia Foster while she was down, Ruby understood that she could not allow herself a moment of petty satisfaction in front of so many elders. Therefore, Ruby Gregory tugged at her lips and opted to close her mouth and remain silent. Just as Ruby Gregory thought, for a woman, the worst blow is to be told in front of many people that her looks and age do not match. Especially since Steve Burton was the man Olivia Foster was interested in. Her heart shattered instantly with his words, her complexion turned pale and pitiful. Steve¡¯s cousin-in-law, who had been defending Olivia Foster, had a slight stiffness creeping into her expression. However, she was more level-headed than Olivia. Within a blink, she found a way to respond. Maintaining her previous smile, she looked at Steve and said crisely, ¡°Steve always treats his own poorly and doesn¡¯t offend outsiders. He knows that our Olivia is younger than Ruby, yet he insists on making such a joke.¡± If previously Ruby Gregory simply felt that Steve Burton¡¯s cousin-in-law was articulate, now she had another thought in her heart.. Steve¡¯s cousin-in-law wasn¡¯t just articulate; she was truly a skilled orator! Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 228 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (2) Chapter 228: Chapter 228 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (2) Translator: 549690339 Ruby¡¯s older cousin married into the Burtons, so Ruby naturally became their relative as well. In this way, they were truly family, while she, Ruby Gregory, was merely an outsider. Based on Steve Burton¡¯s cousin-in-law¡¯s words, it was clear that Steve had only acted that way to save face for an outsider like her, and had intentionally embarrassed Olivia Foster. What a clever tongue she had, using just a few dozen simple words to easily twist Steve¡¯s words from seemingly defending Ruby into protecting Olivia instead. If there weren¡¯t so many people around, Ruby really wanted to clap her hands in applause! After listening to his cousin-in-law¡¯s efforts to change the atmosphere and give Olivia a way out, Steve¡¯s face still held the same indifferent smile. He slowly stirred the porridge in his bowl with a spoon, showing no intention of speaking, as if accepting his cousin-in-law¡¯s words. Now, in this room, Ruby truly felt like an outsider. Feeling this way, as an outsider, she suddenly became somewhat uneasy. Rusell Henris, trying to smooth things over, said, ¡°Let¡¯s not just talk, everyone should eat breakfast.¡± ¡°Yeah, the breakfast is getting cold.¡± Edward Woods chimed in. Everyone picked up their chopsticks and resumed eating, as if the just occurred hiccup had never happened, lightly passing by. Though Ruby felt uneasy, she forced herself to pick up a spoon and pretended to casually eat her porridge. Steve stared at Ruby across from him, his gaze slightly sluggish, but soon enough, he resumed his natural composure. He was the one who told Madeleine to invite her over for breakfast. The empty seat in front of him was deliberately left open by Howard Coleman and Rusell Henris at his suggestion. He invited her to have breakfast together with him. Although there were so many people around for this breakfast, he definitely did not invite her here to be humiliated! Now, not only had he ruined the breakfast time he had planned to spend with her, but he had also severely affected her appetite! Steve lowered his head, staring at the porridge in his bowl, suddenly feeling a lack of appetite as well. Since both he and she had lost their appetites, how could he allow those who had ruined their meal to continue eating happily? As Steve thought about this, he gently curled the corner of his lips and spoke without warning, ¡°Cousin-in-law, what I said earlier was not a joke.¡± His cousin-in-law, holding an herbal egg and peeling its skin, paused upon hearing these words, then raised her head to look at Steve. Steve¡¯s words were too sudden, leaving her somewhat unable to react for a moment. It took her a while to understand that Steve was telling her again that his earlier comment about Olivia looking older than Ruby and Madeleine was serious.. Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (3) Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (3) Translator: 549690339 She originally thought that the previous matter had already passed, but she didn¡¯t expect Steve Burton to bring it up again. Madeleine¡¯s face changed momentarily, but before she could think of how to respond, Steve turned his head towards her and spoke in a calm tone, ¡°Madeleine, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand, and I need to ask you about it.¡± Steve¡¯s topic had shifted quite quickly. However, Madeleine was glad that he had changed the subject and didn¡¯t dwell on the previous matter, so she didn¡¯t give it much thought and nodded to Steve, saying, ¡°Go ahead, Steve, ask.¡± Steve spoke lightly, ¡°Madeleine, I want to know, when did Olivia Foster change her last name to Burton?¡± Steve¡¯s question was completely baffling. Madeleine was taken aback, then shook her head and laughed, ¡°Steve, how could Olivia have the last name Burton?¡± ¡°So she doesn¡¯t¡­¡± Steve appeared relieved, then slowly began speaking, ¡°Well, Madeleine, you¡¯ve really got quite the sense of humor. If Olivia isn¡¯t called Jenny Burton, how could she be considered my family?¡± It turned out that this was Steve¡¯s roundabout intention. The atmosphere in the private dining room suddenly became tense. Although Olivia¡¯s cousin was married to Steve¡¯s cousin, this relationship wasn¡¯t very close to Steve himself; however, laying it out so bluntly was rather damaging to the relationship between the two families. Therefore, Steve¡¯s mom had already started making meaningful glances at him. But Steve simply acted as if he hadn¡¯t seen it and continued to speak lightly, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t need to worry about anything. After all, no one would believe that our Burton family¡¯s genes could produce someone like Olivia¡­¡± Steve paused for a moment and chose a slightly more tactful phrase, ¡°a less than perfect daughter.¡± Madeleine, who had been eating a bun with her head down, couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter at this comment, spraying the contents of her mouth all over the plate in front of her. Madeleine quickly tried to suppress her laughter, her face turning red as she called for the server to replace the plate. She then raised her hand and covered her mouth, trying hard to keep herself from laughing again. Olivia certainly knew that Steve was implying she wasn¡¯t pretty enough. Her face turned so red, it seemed as if it could drip blood. Steve¡¯s mom lightly coughed twice, trying to subtly hint at him. However, Steve seemed to completely ignore his mother¡¯s cough and continued to speak in an unhurried tone, ¡°But, Madeleine, be careful when you bring this up in the future. You see, people know that Olivia is your cousin and just slightly related to the Burtons. But imagine if someone unfamiliar came along and mistakenly thought Olivia was our family, and seeing her appearance, they¡¯d know she¡¯s not a legitimate child. They might think she¡¯s an illegitimate daughter, and by then, our Burton family¡¯s reputation would be ruined..¡± Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 230 Priding Oneself in One’s Success Chapter 230: Chapter 230 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success Translator: 549690339 Everyone present knew that Olivia Foster was the Fosters¡¯ illegitimate daughter, who wasn¡¯t acknowledged and had only been brought back to the Fosters¡¯ house when she was ten years old. Although Steve Burton was afraid that Olivia would be mistaken for the Burtons¡¯ illegitimate child, his words still alluded to Olivia¡¯s illegitimate status. Olivia¡¯s complexion turned from red to pale in a flash. She tightly gripped her chopsticks, and her knuckles turned white from the force. After all, it was the Fosters¡¯ scandal, and even Steve¡¯s fourth cousin, Madeleine, who had been maintaining a forced smile, saw her smile vanish. Pointing out someone¡¯s defects in front of others is like slapping them in the face. The atmosphere within the room was tense, but the older generation in attendance was experienced and tried to ease the situation. Among them, Steve¡¯s mother reacted most directly. She scolded Steve first, ¡°Steve, what kind of language is that!¡± Then she comforted Olivia and Madeleine, ¡°Steve doesn¡¯t think before he speaks sometimes, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Upon hearing his mother¡¯s words, Steve first looked innocently at Olivia, then nodded his head as if he had just realized something. With an insincere smile, he blurted out, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I forgot, you are indeed an illegitimate daughter.¡± If Steve¡¯s previous metaphor could still save some face for Olivia, his blunt words now crushed her last bit of pride. Madeleine was drinking water and burst out laughing at Steve¡¯s seemingly innocent words, choking on the water and turning her head to cough violently. Others might not understand Steve, but those who grew up with him did. It wasn¡¯t that he had forgotten; he was clearly pretending not to remember. Apart from Madeleine¡¯s cough, everyone else in the private dining room was quiet, and their expressions were all awkward. A layer of mist appeared in Olivia¡¯s eyes, as if tears were about to roll down her cheeks any moment. Even Ruby Gregory, who had always hated Olivia, felt a hint of sympathy when she saw her like this. Ruby looked up at Steve in front of her. The man¡¯s expression remained indifferent, as if the cold atmosphere in the room had nothing to do with him. After a while, he pretended to realize something belatedly, raised the back of his hand, and gently rubbed his lips to feign regret. He then put on a faint, barely noticeable apologetic smile and said to Olivia with the same words his mother just scolded him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think before I spoke..¡± Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 231 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (5) Chapter 231: Chapter 231 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (5) Translator: 549690339 Madeleine finally managed to stifle her cough, but when she heard Steve¡¯s words, a burst of laughter welled up in her heart, almost making her cough again. Shameless! Too shameless! He clearly had planned everything in his heart, speaking in a series of traps, each hit on Olivia was more ruthless than the previous one! But in the end, he pretended to inadvertently let something slip! This was not simply torturing someone to death with impunity, but torturing them and leaving them with nowhere to vent! Olivia Foster, in the end, couldn¡¯t help but cry, with large tears falling down, drip by drip, onto the dinner plate in front of her. Seated beside Olivia, Madeleine¡¯s cousin-in-law had a crestfallen expression, putting down the herbal egg she had taken two bites of into the bowl in front of her. Now that Olivia and her cousin had lost their appetite, Steve felt his own appetite increase greatly. The food on the table had already gone cold, so Steve called a waiter to clear it, then ordered a new set of dishes for himself and Ruby Gregory. The food was served soon after, and Steve said to Ruby, ¡°Eat while it¡¯s hot.¡± To be honest, although Ruby felt that Steve might have been a little too harsh on Olivia, her mood had indeed improved considerably. After so much commotion, she was indeed hungry, and with a good mood came a good appetite, so she lowered her head and quietly ate her breakfast. Steve watched Ruby eat breakfast, and his mood improved in an instant. Although Ruby was eating, she couldn¡¯t help but think about what had just happened. Was Steve just protecting her? Just like that day on the 10th at Red Park Resort & Villas when she couldn¡¯t help but cry in front of him, ruining his good mood. He didn¡¯t get angry and instead took care of everything for her. He clearly had contempt and disgust for her, so why would he be considerate of her at times? Ruby couldn¡¯t help but quietly lift her head and sneak a glance at Steve. The man in front of her had relaxed eyebrows, seemingly unaffected by the sobbing Olivia behind him, and with a smile, he took a slice of bread, spread some butter on it, and brought it to his mouth. After returning to China, Ruby was always nervous when she saw Steve, let alone examining him closely. Now, the smile in his eyes and eyebrows softened his cold and indifferent aura, making her less afraid, and she couldn¡¯t help but muster the courage to take a closer look at him. She rarely saw him smile, and his eyes and eyebrows had softened considerably, making his features even more delicate and enchanting. It was as if a radiance emanated from him.. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 232 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (6) Chapter 232: Chapter 232 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (6) Translator: 549690339 People who are attractive are hard to take your eyes off. Steve Burton seemed to sense someone was staring at him. When he looked up, his gaze met Ruby Gregory¡¯s. Ruby didn¡¯t realize the man in front of her was looking back at her, still lost in their gaze, staring intently at Steve. Steve hadn¡¯t expected Ruby to be looking at him. He was slightly taken aback, then gently blinked his eyes, finding her gaze softly falling on his face like water. He couldn¡¯t help but let their gazes intertwine¡­ Olivia Foster finally managed to stop crying. While wiping the corner of her eyes with a tissue, she coincidentally noticed Steve and Ruby gazing at each other. Both of their faces had a layer of soft affection, as if no one else in the room existed. Thinking about what Steve had just said to her, and seeing Steve¡¯s gaze at Ruby now, Olivia¡¯s hard-won calm emotions started to waver again. Last night, she had to beg her cousin for a long time before convincing her to bring her to have breakfast with Steve today. She got up before dawn to shower, try on clothes, and put on makeup, all in hopes of leaving a good impression on Steve during their breakfast together. But she didn¡¯t expect that Ruby would also come to the restaurant with Madeleine, easily capturing everyone¡¯s attention, and causing Steve to say those serious words to her because of Ruby! The more Olivia thought about it, the more unbalanced she felt. Indeed, she wasn¡¯t as beautiful as Ruby, but aside from that, she had many advantages over Ruby. Olivia couldn¡¯t stand the dazzling appearance of Ruby at this moment and her own disheveled, tearful state. Olivia looked down, staring at her plate while thinking. Last night she wanted to tell Aunt Burton that it was Ruby who had an intimate encounter with Steve in the viewing platform, but she didn¡¯t. In the end, aggravated, she told the gossipy Charlotte Madris instead. At that time, she thought that if she couldn¡¯t expose Ruby¡¯s scandal in front of Aunt Burton, she would make sure all the ladies in the capital city knew what kind of woman Ruby was! But now, with all the key people from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises present, if she were to expose Ruby¡¯s shameless seduction of Steve on the viewing platform last night, she wondered whether Ruby could still look at Steve with such soft, tender eyes. Thinking this, Olivia¡¯s long eyelashes shimmered gently, she finally looked up at Aunt Burton and spoke with a slightly hoarse voice due to crying, ¡°Aunt Burton, do you remember at the banquet last night I was looking for you?¡± Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (7) Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (7) Translator: 549690339 It was then that Steve Burton¡¯s mother remembered that last night, Olivia Foster had angrily approached her, almost speaking out in front of many aristocratic ladies, revealing Steve¡¯s disgraceful actions on the viewing platform. She had originally planned to ask Olivia about the identity of the woman on the viewing platform after the banquet was over. However, she noticed that during the banquet, Steve frequently looked at a beautiful young woman and sometimes even seemed to be lost in thought while staring at her. When he realized that his mother was watching him, he would immediately shift his gaze and pretend to be engrossed in his conversation with Rusell Henris. She knew her son well, and that he was simply trying to cover up his actions. The more she observed this, the more suspicious she became of the woman Steve had been looking at. As she had expected, as soon as Rusell escorted the woman out through the back door, Steve left through the front door. She sent a waiter to follow them and took many pictures of Steve and the woman sitting together in the pavilion behind the banquet hall. In the photos, the two laughed and talked happily. In the end, Steve even picked a flower for her and left with her. After receiving the photos, Steve¡¯s mother was certain that this woman was most likely the one she had caught in the act with Steve on the viewing platform. After some investigation, she found out that the woman¡¯s name was Charlotte Madris. Since she had confirmed the identity of the woman on the viewing platform, she did not bother asking Olivia. However, now that Olivia brought it up, it would allow her to confirm her suspicions with certainty. Thus, Steve¡¯s mother nodded at Olivia. Upon seeing that there was no trace of displeasure on Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s face like there had been at the party last night, Olivia felt relieved and spoke softly, ¡°The women who attended the banquet last night were either employees of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises or daughters of other major corporations. I don¡¯t claim to know all of them, but at least I¡¯ve seen most of them before. So, I roughly asked each guest. Almost everyone spent the night with someone they were familiar with, except for¡­¡± At this point, Olivia paused and glanced in Ruby Gregory¡¯s direction. By now, Ruby and Steve had returned to their senses. Ruby had a vague idea of who Olivia was referring to in her story. However, she was not entirely sure. After all, she had deliberately taken a detour on her way back to the banquet hall last night. The rest of the people present did not know what the conversation between Olivia and Steve¡¯s mother was about, so they listened silently, still confused. Steve¡¯s mother carefully observed Olivia, waiting for her to reveal the answer.. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (8) Chapter 234: Chapter 234 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (8) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster took her gaze away from Ruby Gregory¡¯s face, picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and then said, ¡°Aunt Burton, only Ruby left the banquet hall early, and she didn¡¯t come back until just before the dinner began.¡± Ruby Gregory unconsciously clenched her hands when she heard her own name. Steve Burton, sitting opposite her, had a deep and unfathomable look in his eyes. Steve¡¯s mother had expected to hear ¡°Charlotte Madris¡± from Olivia¡¯s lips, but she hadn¡¯t expected it to be Ruby Gregory. She furrowed her brows severely. Seeing Aunt Burton¡¯s furrowed brow, Olivia¡¯s heart thumped, and she hurriedly said, ¡°Aunt Burton, I¡¯m not slandering her because of the unpleasantness I had with her just now. I¡¯m saying all this because I have evidence. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask her now, was she alone on the observation deck last night?¡± There was no improvement in Aunt Burton¡¯s expression. Ruby¡¯s heart was filled with panic, but she tried to maintain her calm facade so as not to expose her weakness. Olivia Foster couldn¡¯t quite grasp Aunt Burton¡¯s thoughts, so she pondered for a moment, then chose her words carefully and continued, ¡°Aunt Burton, I know you like Ruby Gregory. In your heart, she has always been a well-behaved and sensible girl. But people can be very good at deceiving others, and you never truly know what kind of person she really is. Besides, if she can do such a thing, she will sooner or later harm Steve.¡± Aunt Burton¡¯s expression softened slightly after hearing Olivia¡¯s long speech. After a moment of silence, she turned to Ruby and asked, ¡°Ruby, where were you last night?¡± Ruby quietly looked back at Aunt Burton¡¯s eyes, her lips tightly pursed, and did not speak. Before she could be sure whether or not Olivia Foster had complete evidence, silence was the best response. Steve¡¯s mother stared at Ruby for a long time, blinked lightly, and asked again, ¡°Ruby, tell Aunt Burton, was it you on the observation deck last night?¡± Olivia Foster, feeling more confident after hearing Aunt Burton¡¯s question, said, ¡°Aunt Burton, if you ask her like this, she will definitely not admit it.¡± She paused, looked at Ruby, and continued, ¡°Ruby Gregory, if you want to clear yourself of suspicion, produce proof. All you need to do is find someone who can testify that they were with you at that time yesterday, and everything will be resolved.¡± Yesterday, she had left by herself, where could she find someone to vouch for her? PS: Can you guess if Aunt Burton knows that the woman on the observation deck is Ruby Gregory? That¡¯s all for today, continuation tomorrow, and the reader who received the 2015 calendar is: ¨C Mistake PPS: Let me recommend our communication forum, which is the Tencent Interest Tribe.. The way to enter the tribe is: Mobile QQ¡ª Dynamic Interest Tribe -+ Search for Ye Feiye, just follow it. Check-in and post to compete for the top ten loyal fans, and you can get Christmas gifts ¡­ Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 235 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (9) Chapter 235: Chapter 235 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (9) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster paused and looked at Ruby Gregory, ¡°To clear yourself of suspicion, you need to provide evidence. As long as you can find someone to testify that they were with you at that time yesterday, everything will be resolved.¡± Yesterday, she had left on her own, where could she find anyone to testify for her? Moreover, the person who was with Steve Burton at the viewing platform last night was indeed her. If she doesn¡¯t find someone to clear her now. it seems that Aunt Burton will truly become suspicious of her. But who can she find to clear her name? Originally, Madeleine would have been the best candidate to provide false testimony for her, but Madeleine is a high-ranking executive at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, and there were staff with her all day yesterday, so she definitely can¡¯t help. Ruby Gregory¡¯s face struggled to maintain a calm expression, but her heart raced. She knew that if she stayed silent, it would be the same as admitting to being the person with Steve Burton last night. This mattered to her impression in Aunt Burton¡¯s heart, her own reputation, and The Gregorys¡¯ reputation. If people found out that she was doing those bedroom affairs with Steve Burton in the public view, she would be the vilest among the ladies of Ciawell! Though she knew that her struggle might be futile, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, she couldn¡¯t give up. Ruby Gregory tried hard to steady her heart and stared quietly at Olivia Foster and Aunt Burton. After her long eyelashes flickered twice, she calmly said, ¡°Last night I was feeling a bit down, so I went out alone for a while, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with going out alone for that time?¡± From beginning to end, Aunt Burton and Olivia Foster only mentioned the viewing platform and Steve Burton, but they didn¡¯t actually reveal what happened last night. Those who knew the situation were aware that Aunt Burton was referring to a woman who seduced Steve Burton at the viewing platform, while those who didn¡¯t know were naturally confused and bewildered. So, Ruby Gregory deliberately let her tone express deep confusion, showing a baffled appearance. As Olivia Foster said, Ruby Gregory had always been a well-behaved and sensible girl in Aunt Burton¡¯s heart. In her heart, she absolutely didn¡¯t hope nor dare to believe that the woman on the viewing platform could be Ruby. So when she saw Ruby Gregory¡¯s puzzled expression, her expression relaxed slightly, revealing a ¡°she knew it wouldn¡¯t be Ruby Gregory¡± meaning. Olivia Foster¡¯s original intention was to expose Ruby Gregory, but now, with just a simple sentence, Ruby had dispelled Aunt Burton¡¯s suspicion.. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 236 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (10) Chapter 236: Chapter 236 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (10) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster felt somewhat anxious deep down, and her words inevitably carried a bit of sharpness: ¡°People always try their best to cover up unpleasant things. Ruby Gregory, you don¡¯t have to pretend to be so innocent and clueless. Whether it was you on the viewing platform last night, only you know in your heart. Let¡¯s say, even if it wasn¡¯t you, you wouldn¡¯t want Aunt Burton to suspect you, right? Last night, there were people coming and going all over Red Park. Surely, you must have encountered someone during all that time. All you need to do is find someone who saw you, and that will clear your name. Your casual response hardly holds any credibility.¡± Knowing that Aunt Burton has the most authority in this matter, Olivia Foster didn¡¯t want her to think that she was overstepping, so after saying all that, she raised her head, looked at Aunt Burton, and asked obediently, ¡°Aunt Burton, I actually don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. It¡¯s just that last night, I heard some gossip about Ruby Gregory and Steve¡­¡± At this point, Olivia Foster purposely paused for a moment. Steve Burton¡¯s mother furrowed her brow slightly: ¡°What gossip?¡± Since Olivia Foster herself had spread the rumors, naturally, she knew how nasty they were. Olivia Foster hesitated for a moment before softly saying, ¡°It¡¯s about how, on the surface, Ruby Gregory appears as pure as a flower, but in reality, she¡¯s quite¡­¡± Olivia Foster stammered and mumbled her words, leaving the dirty, vulgar part of the story for everyone¡¯s imagination as her voice simply disappeared in the end. Without Olivia mentioning it, Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t recall the reason why, inexplicably, people had been looking at her last night at the banquet, gossiping and pointing at her. Now she understood that the secret she thought she had hidden so well had already been leaked. Ruby Gregory¡¯s hand discreetly clenched under the table, and her face started to look a bit off. Steve Burton¡¯s mother also began to look uncomfortable. Olivia Foster quietly lifted her eyes to sneak a peek at Steve¡¯s mother, and then continued to speak cautiously: ¡°Aunt Burton, the gossip is truly awful. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask anyone, and then you¡¯ll know the whole story. As the saying goes, there¡¯s no smoke without fire. There must be a reason for such rumors to exist. If it is just a misunderstanding, this would be the perfect opportunity for Ruby Gregory to explain herself. This way, it would be beneficial for both Ruby Gregory and the Gregorys. So, Aunt Burton, by doing this, I am actually trying to help her..¡± Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 237 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (11) Chapter 237: Chapter 237 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (11) Translator: 549690339 Aunt Burton hadn¡¯t expected the rumors to have already spread. Her expression became serious. After a moment, she turned her head to regard Ruby Gregory, studying her for a bit before she opened her mouth to ask, ¡°Ruby, can you honestly tell me if the person last night was really you?¡± Upon hearing Aunt Burton¡¯s question, a smirk finally rose in the depths of Olivia Foster¡¯s eyes. Maya Mitchell had claimed to have seen Ruby heading towards the viewing platform with her own eyes, and if Ruby could really prove her own innocence, why would she have evaded the truth earlier? In this regard, Olivia had a lot more advantages than Ruby. Throughout the entire breakfast, she had always been at a disadvantage, and now it was finally her turn to watch as Ruby struggled. Everyone in the room, did they not all praise Ruby¡¯s beauty and sensibility? Did Madeleine, Howard, Russell, and Edward not all favor Ruby over her? Well then, she would make them see, once and for all, the true lowliness and depravity hidden beneath the skin of this perfect, beautiful, and knowledgeable woman! As she let these thoughts fill her mind, a smile appeared at the corner of Olivia¡¯s mouth. She straightened her back and confidently awaited Ruby¡¯s response. Although Ruby¡¯s facial expression appeared calm, her heart was in utter chaos. The more frantic she became, the more muddled her thoughts were, making it impossible for her to come up with a solution. The room was quiet, and all eyes were on her, awaiting her response. Aunt Burton waited for a while, but when Ruby still remained silent, she softened her voice and assured her again, ¡°Ruby, you don¡¯t need to be nervous, just tell me frankly. If it isn¡¯t you, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you take the blame. As long as you can clear your name, I will help you clarify it in front of everyone.¡± The words of Aunt Burton only increased the pressure on Ruby, to the point where her fingers began to chill. She could feel her feigned calmness on her face starting to falter, ready to crumble at any moment and betray her true feelings. As time trickled away, Ruby felt she could no longer maintain her composure. Her reputation, as well as that of the Gregorys, was on the brink of ruin. It was truly tragic. The Gregorys had hoped that she could bring good fortune to the family, but ironically, she had only brought them a heavy layer of dust. Just as Ruby was about to accept her fate under Aunt Burton¡¯s gaze, Steve Burton, who was sitting across from her, suddenly blurted out an unsuspected question, ¡°Do you know Leony Madris?¡± Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (12) Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (12) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory looked at Steve Burton with doubt, only to find that he was staring at Olivia Foster. Olivia Foster truly didn¡¯t expect Steve Burton to take the initiative to speak to her; she unconsciously responded with a soft ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Without any impatience, Steve Burton continued to ask, ¡°Leony, do you know her?¡± It was only then that Olivia Foster came to her senses; he was really talking to her¡­ Her eyes, moist from crying, gazed deep into Steve Burton¡¯s eyes, blinking gently. It was as if the warmth, life, and rhythm gradually began to return to a place deep within her soul that had been left cold and indifferent. Just a moment ago, she had cried because of him, but now a single sentence he took the initiative to say to her had filled her with joy. She truly felt a little self-defeated, but who could blame her for genuinely liking him, liking him to the point of being spineless? Though she didn¡¯t know when Charlotte Madris had come to know Steve Burton, she still keenly realized that what Steve Burton said was ¡°Leony.¡± His voice was pleasant, filled with a lingering charm, giving Olivia Foster the subconscious impression that Steve Burton and Leony must have a deep relationship. In reality, Olivia Foster¡¯s relationship with Charlotte Madris wasn¡¯t that great. Because the Fosters¡¯ business was larger than the Madris¡¯, deep down, Olivia Foster somewhat looked down on Charlotte Madris. Nonetheless, because of Steve Burton¡¯s close relationship with Charlotte Madris, Olivia Foster spoke up, ¡°You mean Charlotte? I am very close friends with her.¡± Steve Burton seemed to understand something, ¡°Ah, no wonder she brought you up to me.¡± This statement made Olivia Foster even more certain that there must be an extraordinary connection between Charlotte Madris and Steve Burton. Despite the jealousy welling in her heart, wanting Steve Burton to have a better impression of her, everything she said was full of praise for Charlotte Madris, ¡°Charlotte and I are great friends, we often go shopping and have afternoon tea together. ¡± ¡°So you two are best friends?¡± Steve Burton slightly shifted his body, changing his sitting position. Olivia Foster nodded, smiling without any reservation. Following suit, Steve Burton gave a knowing nod, furrowed his brow, and pondered for a moment before continuing to ask, ¡°So, does that mean if she encountered any danger, you¡¯d stand up without hesitation to help her resolve Without any hesitation, Olivia Foster answered, ¡°Of course.¡± Steve Burton did not speak again, just turned his gaze to his mother. The conversation he just had with Olivia Foster seemed to have no connection to the topic they were discussing earlier. However, he knew that his mother understood what he wanted to express. His mother had suspected that Charlotte Madris was the woman on the observation deck. After having an unhappy encounter with Ruby Gregory, it was only then that Olivia Foster started insisting that Ruby was the woman on the observation deck.. Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (13) Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (13) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster mentioned that she had a good relationship with Charlotte Madris. So, it is not impossible that Olivia was providing a cover for Charlotte and used Ruby to take the fall since she hated her the most. Fortunately, Steve had prepared for such a situation last night by using Charlotte as his shield. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have known how to help Ruby out of this mess today. As Steve had expected, his mother began to feel doubts in her heart after hearing the conversation between Steve and Olivia. It was not that Aunt Burton changed her mind easily. It was because her staff had indeed taken intimate photos of Steve and Charlotte the previous night. Deep down, Aunt Burton had always felt that the possibility of Charlotte being the girl on the balcony was higher than that of Ruby. Steve¡¯s mother sat in silence for a while without saying anything. It took a long time for her to finally raise her eyelids, look at Olivia, and speak, ¡°Olivia, you know that Aunt Burton hates people who cause trouble and slander others.¡± Olivia had no idea that Steve had tipped off Charlotte in advance to be a scapegoat, so she didn¡¯t know where their conversation earlier had gone wrong. Hearing Aunt Burton¡¯s words, she felt a bit confused. After a while, she nodded and said, ¡°Aunt Burton, I know.¡± Aunt Burton did not soften her expression because of Olivia¡¯s obedience ¨C her tone remained serious and stern, ¡°Olivia, you also know that Aunt Burton is not easily deceived.¡± It was only then that Olivia vaguely sensed that something was off. Her expression became slightly stagnant, her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked at Aunt Burton carefully, saying nothing. After staring at Olivia for a moment, Aunt Burton sighed and concluded, ¡°Today¡¯s incident ends here. I have a clear idea of who was on the viewing terrace last night. No one is allowed to mention it again.¡± At this time, Ruby was completely confused. She was just in a life-or-death situation, but Steve only had a few words with Olivia, and Aunt Burton suddenly changed her attitude. How did he do it? Ruby furrowed her eyebrows tightly, her eyes shifting back and forth between Steve and Aunt Burton, trying to figure out the reason but failing to do so. Although Olivia was impulsive, she was not stupid. When she heard Aunt Burton¡¯s conclusive words, she finally realized that Aunt Burton thought that she had intentionally tried to trip Ruby up after their quarrel. All the accusations of provoking trouble and slandering others she just mentioned were directed at her! Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 240 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (14) Chapter 240: Chapter 240 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (14) Translator: 549690339 Aunt Burton even thought that Olivia was using her to target Ruby Gregory! In Aunt Burton¡¯s heart, Olivia had become a cunning and evil girl! Olivia¡¯s heart suddenly filled with anxiety. It was fine for others to have a bad impression of her, but she couldn¡¯t leave a negative impression in Aunt Burton¡¯s heart. She had always been hoping to marry Steve Burton, and Aunt Burton might be her future mother-in-law¡­ Olivia immediately spoke up to defend herself: ¡°Aunt Burton, you misunderstood me. I didn¡¯t frame Ruby Gregory. I did not instigate trouble, and I never intended to use you to suppress Ruby Gregory!¡± Steve Burton¡¯s mom didn¡¯t show any improvement in her expression after hearing Olivia¡¯s words. Olivia became even more anxious: ¡°Aunt Burton, I really didn¡¯t. The reason I said that was because I had evidence. Aunt Burton, someone witnessed Ruby Gregory going to the observation deck.¡± The more Olivia spoke, the more anxious she became. She unconsciously looked at her older cousin: ¡°Cousin, everything I said is true. Someone really did see Ruby at the observation deck.¡± ¡°If none of you believe me, I can call the person who told me now and let her explain it to you.¡± As Olivia spoke, she pulled out her phone, intending to call Maya Mitchell. Although her fourth sister-in-law didn¡¯t know what had happened on the observation deck, seeing Olivia panic-stricken, she couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°Maybe Olivia hasn¡¯t deceived us. Since she insists that someone personally witnessed the scene, let¡¯s call that person over and listen to what she has to say.¡± Olivia immediately nodded vigorously in agreement. Seeing her fourth sister-in-law pleading for Olivia, and considering Steve Burton had just embarrassed her, Steve¡¯s mom didn¡¯t want to damage their family relations further. So, she nodded slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s better to clarify the matter.¡± Her fourth sister-in-law knew that Aunt Burton had agreed and immediately looked at Olivia: ¡°What are you waiting for? Call your witness over.¡± Olivia hurriedly nodded and called Maya Mitchell. After three rings, the call was picked up. Maya was obviously surprised that Olivia would call her, her tone uncertain as she said ¡°hello.¡± Olivia had no patience for small talk with Maya and got straight to the point: ¡°The private restaurant at the top floor, come here right now.¡± After hanging up, no one in the room spoke, everyone waiting for Olivia¡¯s witness to arrive with their own thoughts.. Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (15) Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (15) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell had no idea why Olivia Foster had suddenly called her to a private restaurant on top of the hill, but Olivia was a tad higher in rank at the company. Fearing that it might be work-related, she had without hesitation called for a tourist car and had herself taken straight to the top of the mountain. A security guard stood by the door of the private restaurant. Seeing Maya Mitchell approaching, he asked directly, ¡°Did Ms. Foster send for you?¡± Maya nodded gently. The security guard said nothing further, turned around, pushed open the door of the private restaurant, and led Maya inside. This was Maya¡¯s first time at the private restaurant atop the mountain. The interior was luxuriously adorned and filled with expensive paintings. The private restaurant was very quiet with not a sound to be heard. Maya followed behind the security guard, took two turns, and then the guard stopped in front of a door and beckoned her inside. Maya glanced at the security guard, let her gaze drop, and slowly moved forward. Standing at the door, she subtly lifted her head and saw many people sitting inside. These were people she would normally have no opportunity to interact with. But she knew every one of them. Something in Maya¡¯s heart clenched. Why had they summoned her? Mitchell hesitated faintly at the door before cautiously stepping inside. She gave a slight bow and called out, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± When Ruby Gregory saw Maya Mitchell walk in, her expression registered slight surprise. The witness that Olivia Foster had spoken of was Maya Mitchell? Did Maya see her going to the viewing platform? However, back when she couldn¡¯t afford tuition and was in danger of being expelled from school, it was Maya who had helped her. Even if Maya truly saw her at the viewing platform, why would she spread the word and tell Olivia about it? Steve Burton was also slightly surprised at the sight of Maya. He stared at her for a moment before letting out a brief ¡°Hmm¡± in response to her respectful greeting. Although Steve Burton¡¯s mother rarely appeared in Pristine¡¯s Corporation, she was familiar with Maya, who had been her son¡¯s secretary for three years: ¡°Olivia, is your witness Ms. Mitchell?¡± At this point, Olivia Foster was placing all of her hopes on Maya. So when she saw Maya, it was as though she was looking at her last lifeline. She stared at Maya and asked in a somewhat impatient voice, ¡°Maya, you saw Ruby Gregory go to the viewing platform with your own eyes yesterday, right?¡± Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 242 Priding Oneself in One’s Success Chapter 242: Chapter 242 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (16) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell did indeed see Ruby Gregory go to the viewing platform with her own eyes, and with the intention of using Olivia Foster as a pawn, she relayed this information to her. However, deep down inside, she never wanted to get herself involved in this situation. Now, Olivia Foster only asked her a single question, and she already knew that Olivia Foster sought to expose Ruby Gregory in front of Steve Burton. Maya Mitchell suddenly felt like such a failure for involving herself with someone so brainless! She didn¡¯t want to confront Ruby Gregory in front of Steve Burton, that¡¯s why she went through all the trouble to get Olivia Foster involved as a scapegoat! But now, Olivia Foster ended up directly implicating her in front of everyone, leaving her to deal with the most challenging problem. Seeing Maya Mitchell remain silent for a long time, Olivia Foster couldn¡¯t help but urge her, ¡°Maya, tell everyone quickly that you saw Ruby Gregory go to the viewing platform yesterday with your own eyes!¡± Maya Mitchell snapped back to reality and glanced at Olivia Foster. Before she could say anything, Steve Burton¡¯s icy voice came through, ¡°Is what she said true?¡± Upon hearing Steve Burton¡¯s voice, Maya Mitchell¡¯s body trembled slightly. She subconsciously looked at him, seeing that his expression was unreadable. His eyes were fixed on her, waiting for her response. While Maya Mitchell hadn¡¯t personally witnessed the intimate scene between Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory on the viewing platform, just by eavesdropping alone, she could feel Steve Burton¡¯s extraordinary feelings for Ruby. Comparing Ruby Gregory and Olivia Foster, Ruby posed the greatest threat to her. To be exact, Ruby was a fatal threat to all women who liked Steve Burton. As long as she opened her mouth and confirmed the story, Ruby would be finished. Completely finished. From then on, there would never be a woman named Ruby Gregory by Steve Burton¡¯s side ever again. This formidable rival would vanish forever. However, she wouldn¡¯t be able to gain any benefits. Steve¡¯s beloved was to be disgraced and hated by Aunt Burton; Steve would certainly loathe her! Deep down, she hoped Ruby Gregory would vanish from Steve¡¯s life forever and ever. Yet, if the price she had to pay for this disappearance was losing all hope for her future with Steve, she would find it not worth it! She didn¡¯t want both Ruby and herself to suffer this double loss! Though, all of this happened because of her gossip, which had escalated to this point. Although at this very moment, Olivia Foster was still anxiously waiting for her to speak up and help her out of the mess. However, one must take care of themselves, lest they bring about their own destruction. All she could do was be wise about her choices and avoid implicating herself! Maya Mitchell tightened her lips and gently blinked before saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything. ¡± Although it was just a simple five words, it sounded like a huge thunderbolt that harshly swept through Olivia Foster¡¯s mind. PS: That¡¯s all for today, to be continued tomorrow- The prize-winning author is: ¡®Trendy Luxury Items..¡¯ Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 243 Priding Oneself in One’s Success (17) Chapter 243: Chapter 243 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (17) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell pursed her lips tightly, then gently blinked and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see.¡± Only five simple words, they struck like thunder in Olivia Foster¡¯s mind. Olivia Foster¡¯s face turned pale momentarily, as she stared at Maya Mitchell¡¯s eyes, full of disbelief. She stared at Maya Mitchell blankly for a while, finally snapping out of it. The next second, disregarding so many people present and her own image, Olivia shouted at Maya: ¡°Maya Mitchell, what are you talking about? It was you who told me that Ruby Gregory went to the viewing platform, and now you say you didn¡¯t see!¡± Olivia Foster had wanted to clear up Aunt Burton¡¯s misunderstanding by relying on Maya Mitchell¡¯s words, but Maya¡¯s response undeniably confirmed her plot against Ruby Gregory and her malicious framing. Olivia Foster panicked, quickly turning her head to look at the calm-faced Aunt Burton, and anxiously explained: ¡°Aunt Burton, she¡¯s lying! It¡¯s all her who told me everything! ¡± ¡°Aunt Burton, you have to believe me, I only heard it from her.¡± ¡°It was her who told me that Ruby Gregory went to the viewing platform.¡± ¡°Aunt Burton¡­¡± Maya Mitchell subtly shifted her gaze. She glanced at Steve Burton first, noticing his slightly gloomy expression. Her heart missed a beat, and then her eyes fell on Ruby, who had a slightly frowned brow. Maya Mitchell knew in her heart that Olivia Foster didn¡¯t arbitrarily point out that it was her who told about Ruby going to the viewing platform. Everyone present must have had their doubts, holding half belief towards her and Olivia Foster. Now only two choices were left for her. Either both Olivia Foster and her would seem bad in Steve Burton¡¯s eyes. Or it would just be Olivia Foster seeming bad in his heart. With just a fleeting thought, Maya Mitchell made her choice. She quickly weighed her options in her heart, looked at Olivia Foster beside her, who was still repeating her words trying to clear her name. Maya swallowed and opened her mouth slightly trembling, saying: ¡°Yesterday, it was Ms. Foster who asked me if I had seen Ruby¡­¡± As Maya spoke, she secretly organized her thoughts: ¡°At that time, I just happened to walk into the banquet venue and saw Ruby. She did go to the left, but I didn¡¯t see with my own eyes whether she went to the viewing platform.¡± This was completely different from what she had said to Olivia Foster. But there was no other way. At this moment, she had to say this. She couldn¡¯t let Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory be on guard against her or have a sense of estrangement in their hearts.. Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 244 Priding Oneself in One’s Success Chapter 244: Chapter 244 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (18) Translator: 549690339 When Maya Mitchell said this, she deliberately paused. She could tell Steve Burton¡¯s face became even darker, knowing that he must think she had spread the news about Ruby Gregory going to the observation deck. She tried to steady her emotions and appeared calm, her voice was gentle as she continued, ¡°Later, I went straight into the banquet hall. While I was getting food, I saw Ruby going down the mountain alone from the left side of the hall through the window. Ruby once saved me, so in my heart, I always regarded her as my benefactor. I was really grateful to her. It was already dark outside, and I was afraid she would be in danger going down the mountain alone, so I called her.¡± As long as the matter of Ruby Gregory going to the observation deck remained unclear, Madam Burton would not stop suspecting her in her heart. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory must have wanted to cover up what happened last night. Now, she would cater to their wishes and act as a witness to clear Ruby¡¯s name. ¡°After I made the call, I realized Ruby was not in a good mood. I talked to Ruby for a long time, nearly missing the celebration ceremony last night.¡± Maya Mitchell said this, while discreetly putting her bag in front of her to block her phone. Then with downcast eyes, she quickly swiped through her phone¡¯s screen with one hand, selected a call log from just before the banquet, and changed the name of the call log to Ruby. Although she was doing these surreptitious actions, she never stopped talking, ¡°When I went to the restroom during the banquet, I bumped into Ms. Foster. She asked me if I had seen where Ruby went before the celebration ceremony started. I didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her inquiries, so I just told her truthfully that Ruby had gone to the left side. Before I had even finished speaking, Ms. Foster hastily asked me if Ruby had gone to the observation deck. ¡± Maya Mitchell said so much, yet only this one sentence was true. ¡°At that time, I noticed something was off about Ms. Foster¡¯s expression, so I asked her if there was a problem. But she told me to leave, and after that, I left the bathroom. Then, just now, Ms. Foster asked me to come up and testify¡­¡± Maya Mitchell quietly glanced at Steve Burton, noticing that the coldness in his brow had slightly eased. She felt a bit relieved, took a deep breath, walked up to Aunt Burton with her phone, handed her the edited call log, and said, ¡°Madam Burton, I have the call log as evidence..¡± Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 245 Priding Oneself in One’s Success Chapter 245: Chapter 245 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (19) Translator: 549690339 The call record was fabricated by her, the duration was far from an hour or two, and it wouldn¡¯t hold up under Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s careful inspection. Therefore, when Maya handed her phone to Steve¡¯s mom, her finger was already secretly pressing the power button. As soon as Steve¡¯s mother saw Ruby¡¯s name and their call date, Maya turned off her phone, and the screen instantly went black. Maya took the phone from Steve¡¯s mother, her finger still firmly pressing the power button, and as the system prompt to slide to shut down appeared on the screen, she turned off the phone without hesitation. Then, with an embarrassed look on her face, Maya said to Steve¡¯s mother, ¡°Madam Burton, I forgot to charge my phone last night. Just when I went up the mountain, it had only one percent battery left, and it turned off automatically.¡± Although Steve¡¯s mother didn¡¯t exactly see the actual phone number or how long the call lasted, she saw that Maya indeed had a conversation with Ruby over the phone, and the call date was yesterday, which was totally consistent with what Maya described. Maya was backing up Ruby¡¯s testimonial about Olivia and Leony being close friends, and Steve¡¯s mom had doubts about Leony all along. This way, all of Steve¡¯s mother¡¯s suspicions towards Ruby were completely cleared up. After a long day of all these dramas, Steve¡¯s mom was slightly weary and repulsed, let alone the upcoming press conference for the new product line of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Aunt Burton was tactful towards Olivia just now to save her face. Now, however, she rebuked bluntly, ¡°Olivia, I sincerely hope this is the first and the last time you make such a silly mistake.¡± This simple sentence was undoubtedly a death sentence for Olivia. Maya looked at Steve again, noticing that his forehead and eyes looked calm now. It was only then that she finally felt relieved. Upon hearing Aunt Burton¡¯s words, Ruby, whose mind was thrilled, gave a sigh of relief. Since she returned to her home country and joined Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, aside from Madeleine, who grew up with her, only Maya was closest and took the most care of her. She knew in her heart that Maya was thanking her for the help she gave her years ago. Although the relationship between her and Maya was not as close as with Madeleine, to the point of heart-to-heart, she always believed that Maya is the last person to stab her in the back. She was indeed right about her. Olivia¡¯s struggle was just to save herself. Who knew it would turn out to be a self-inflicted disaster! A surge of anger suddenly welled up in Olivia¡¯s heart.. Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 246 Priding Oneself in One’s Success Chapter 246: Chapter 246 Priding Oneself in One¡¯s Success (20) Translator: 549690339 A burst of anger swelled from the depths of Olivia Foster¡¯s heart. It was Maya Mitchell who had told her, and now she was being made a fool of by Maya! She had never suffered such a humiliating loss in her whole life! What Maya said was complete nonsense and was a clear case of kicking a person when they were down! The more Olivia thought about it, the less she felt she could swallow her anger. Disregarding Aunt Burton¡¯s presence and her own usual compliance, she suddenly stood up without any warning. Before anyone in the room could react, Olivia sprung onto Maya. Without any hesitation, she raised her hand and harshly slapped Maya¡¯s face. Olivia¡¯s movements were so swift, that the people in the room heard the ringing slap before they had a chance to comprehend. Steve Burton¡¯s mother immediately stood up: ¡°Stop!¡± Hearing Aunt Burton¡¯s reprimand, Olivia came to her senses. The hand she had already raised dropped a little, but when she looked at Maya standing in front of her, she was met with a mocking smile. Olivia¡¯s momentary recovery was quickly shattered, and like a madwoman, she swung her arm and descended into another fit of brutal fury on Maya. Throughout, Maya never fought back. She only covered her head and just kept screaming. Maya had purposely given that mocking smile to Olivia. Although she had just helped Ruby Gregory, she felt it wasn¡¯t enough. Now if she was to take a beating, and the more brutal the beating, the more sympathy Ruby would feel for her and the more Ruby would defend her. Olivia, this woman, was volatile, full of flaws, and too easily manipulated. With just a simple mocking smile, Olivia was duped. Olivia was truly full of hatred for Maya, striking her relentlessly and fiercely. However, Maya remained quiet and endured. Only by enduring could she secure an even bigger reward! The room quickly regained composure, and Edward Woods and Rusell Henris quickly went over to pull Olivia, who had completely lost touch with reality, away from Maya. Olivia couldn¡¯t reach Maya with her hands, so she swung her foot at her, shouting insults without any sense of decorum: ¡°Maya Mitchell, you little whore, you two-faced little whore! How dare you set me up like this!¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell, let me tell you, if you make my life hell, you can expect the same!¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell¡­¡± Olivia Foster was pushed to a very far distance from Maya by Edward Woods, but Olivia was still fuming. Her voice hoarse from shouting, she yelled, ¡°Maya Mitchell, you shameless creature! You did this deliberately, didn¡¯t you!¡± ¡°Just wait, Maya Mitchell!¡± Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 247: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 247: Chapter 247: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (1) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s mother frowned as she listened to Olivia Foster¡¯s coarse language. Coldly, she said, ¡°Take her out. Let her go back to her room and calm down by herself.¡± Upon hearing herself being kicked out, Olivia¡¯s anger escalated. Seizing the opportunity when Edward Woods wasn¡¯t paying attention, she grabbed a plate from the table and hurled it toward Maya Mitchell¡¯s head. Having fought and made a scene for a long time, Olivia was already exhausted. The plate she threw, due to her lack of strength, didn¡¯t even reach Maya¡¯s face and fell onto the floor. The plate shattered, and ceramic shards flew in every direction. One of the shards flew straight toward Maya¡¯s face. Steve was sitting right next to Maya. Without hesitation, he reached out instinctively and blocked the shard from hitting her face. With the momentum, the ceramic shard pierced into Steve¡¯s palm. Bright red blood trickled down the white ceramic shard, drip by drip. Everyone in the room rose from their seats abruptly and gathered around, causing chaos in the dining room. ¡°Quick, get some gauze!¡± ¡°And the hemostatic medicine.¡± ¡°Disinfectant, too!¡± Acting on impulse, Olivia made such a move, intending to hurt Maya but never expecting that in the end, it was Steve who was injured. Staring at the blood seeping from Steve¡¯s palm, Olivia miraculously quieted down. Her face devoid of color, she stared blankly at Steve¡¯s injured hand as if she had gone numb. Steve¡¯s cousin never expected things to escalate to this point. She feared that if Olivia stayed, she might cause even more trouble. So, she strode forward, pushed Olivia and steered her toward the door. Only when Olivia reached the doorway did she gradually come to her senses. She hadn¡¯t shed a tear when Maya had gloated over her, but now, thinking of Steve¡¯s injured hand, her tears rolled down uncontrollably. She looked at Steve¡¯s cousin, her voice quivering with sobs, and said softly, ¡°Cousin, I didn¡¯t mean it. I didn¡¯t want to hurt Steve ¡­¡± As she spoke, Olivia¡¯s tears fell even more heavily. ¡°Don¡¯t say useless things now. Go back to your room and don¡¯t attend the press conference this morning.¡± Steve¡¯s cousin said, and then forcefully pushed Olivia out of the dining room and closed the door. As Olivia stood alone by the doorway, she gazed at the tightly shut door and could faintly hear the anxious and chaotic voices inside due to Steve¡¯s injury. Her tears flowed even more uncontrollably. Although she was heartbroken and sad, she couldn¡¯t help but grin, crying and laughing at the same time.. Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 248: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 248: Chapter 248: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (2) Translator: 549690339 Olivia Foster laughed and laughed until her laughter turned into tears, and she stumbled, turning around and covering her mouth as she ran away. Through the glass window, Maya Mitchell could clearly see Olivia Foster¡¯s crying figure stumbling and leaving. Maya Mitchell lowered her eyes slightly and said silently in her heart: Olivia Foster, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless or cold-blooded. I have no choice, just like you want to get Steve Burton, I also want him. Everyone gathered around Steve Burton, treating his wound, and Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t approach him. She saw Maya Mitchell sitting on the ground with her body curled up, her hair and clothes in disarray, and a footprint left by Olivia Foster on her light yellow skirt. Ruby Gregory glanced at Aunt Burton, who was treating Steve Burton¡¯s wound. After thinking for a moment, she picked up a wet towel from the side and walked over to Maya Mitchell, squatting down and handing her the towel. Seeing an additional towel appearing in front of her, Maya Mitchell quickly collected her thoughts and raised her head to see Ruby Gregory, her face immediately filled with apology: ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Maya Mitchell pursed her lips and said softly: ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that telling Olivia Foster where you went would bring you so much trouble.¡± Ruby Gregory shook her head, looking at Maya Mitchell¡¯s bruised face caused by Olivia Foster. Her tone couldn¡¯t help but become softer: ¡°Maya, it has nothing to do with you. I should thank you instead.¡± If it weren¡¯t for her sorting things out for her at a critical moment today, who knows what kind of waves would have been caused by last night¡¯s incident between her and Steve Burton. Maya Mitchell curled her lips, trying to smile, but it only pulled at the scratches on her face caused by Olivia Foster¡¯s nails, causing her to gasp in pain instantly. Ruby Gregory frowned, looking concerned: ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Of course, it hurt, but Maya Mitchell shook her head and lied with a strong appearance, ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± As she spoke, Maya Mitchell took the wet towel from Ruby Gregory¡¯s hand, wiped the blood from her face. Her movements looked gentle, but her body was trembling slightly, as if she hadn¡¯t yet recovered from the fear of Olivia Foster¡¯s violent punches and kicks. Maya Mitchell was beaten by Olivia Foster for her sake. Ruby Gregory felt even more guilty and heartbroken. She couldn¡¯t help but say again, ¡°Maya, thank you so much.¡± Maya Mitchell looked down, her hands pausing, and after a while, a faint smile appeared on her face as she looked at Ruby Gregory, ¡°Ruby, you helped me so much back then. Now, everything I do for you is only right.¡± Because of Aunt Burton¡¯s words, Olivia Foster was locked in her room at the Red Park Resort & Villas to calm down. Maya Mitchell¡¯s face was swollen from being beaten by Olivia Foster, and she didn¡¯t attend the press conference, returning to her apartment in the city early.. Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 249: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 249: Chapter 249: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (3) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t very serious. After stopping the bleeding and bandaging it, he was fine. Throughout the entire press conference, his demeanor remained calm and composed. After the press conference was over, there was a luncheon. Ruby Gregory was surrounded by famous ladies from the capital city, and although their gazes at her were not as curious and eerie as during the previous night¡¯s celebration ceremony, they still couldn¡¯t help but size her up continuously. She learned from Olivia Foster how terrible the rumors about her and Steve Burton were, so she just sat there without engaging in any conversation with anyone. It was a banquet with alcohol during the luncheon, and the upper management of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises went from table to table toasting. Steve¡¯s mother first went to the table with ladies around her age and toasted them one by one. She then came over to where Ruby was sitting. Everyone knew that this was Steve¡¯s mother, and all the beautiful ladies were trying to show enthusiasm and understanding. Steve¡¯s mother toasted with everyone individually, finally lifting her glass to Ruby. Ruby reached out with both hands to take the glass: ¡°Aunt Burton.¡± Steve¡¯s mother looked at Ruby with a smile: ¡°Ruby, I forgot my phone at the Burtons¡¯ Mansion last night, and I almost caused you to miss the celebration ceremony. Thank you for going back to get it for me.¡± Last night she never actually helped Aunt Burton to get her phone back? What did she mean by saying that? Ruby was stunned as she looked into Aunt Burton¡¯s eyes, but as everyone raised their glasses and downed their drinks, she finally realized that Aunt Burton was indirectly clearing her name from the rumors that had spread. Ruby gratefully gave Aunt Burton a smile. Aunt Burton nodded at her and then went to the next table. The surrounding ladies had almost all heard about Ruby¡¯s shamelessness in seducing Steve at the viewing platform last night. Everybody enjoyed gossiping about that rumor all night. However, rumors just satisfy everyone¡¯s malicious taste, and people held a half-doubting, half-believing attitude towards their veracity. Now, with Aunt Burton¡¯s simple words, everyone instantly understood that the rumor was just that ¨C a rumor. Not being continuously sized up by those ladies, Ruby felt much more relaxed, and after the luncheon, everyone gradually dispersed. The tour car could not reach directly where Ruby was residing, so she had to walk along the wooden corridor. Ruby¡¯s room was arranged in the innermost part of the corridor. At first, many people could be seen returning to their rooms, but in the end, she was left alone. Just as Ruby was about to reach her room, she heard a choked voice coming from the nearby woods. ¡°This is really too sudden, why am I being sent to study in Italy out of the blue?¡± Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 250: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 250: Chapter 250: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (4) Translator: 549690339 The voice was slightly unfamiliar, and Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t discern who it was. She wasn¡¯t particularly curious and only threw a casual glance, but then she found the woman in the woods strangely familiar. Ruby¡¯s steps suddenly halted. She stared at the woman, pondered for a while, then it dawned on her. This was the same woman who was talking with Steve Burton under the pavilion at the backdoor of the party last night. Ruby vaguely remembered the woman, her name was Charlotte Madris. Charlotte Madris¡­ Wasn¡¯t she the close friend of Olivia Foster that Steve mentioned this morning at breakfast? What was she doing here, sobbing all by herself? Just as Ruby was puzzled, Charlotte suddenly yelled into the phone, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to send me to Italy, but why make me choose a major that takes seven years to complete? Seven years? Seven years! By the time I come back, all my friends in Ciawell will have gotten married and started families. I don¡¯t want to go to Italy, I don¡¯t want to go to Italy!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I get a say? I¡¯ve already come back from my postgraduate studies in Buranda, isn¡¯t my education enough? I don¡¯t want to go to school anymore!¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t pressure me like this. Please discuss it with dad and try not to send me abroad, okay?¡± ¡°What, this wasn¡¯t your decision? If it wasn¡¯t your decision, I don¡¯t want to hear it! Do you really have the heart to banish me to stay alone in Italy for seven years?¡± ¡°Afraid of upsetting the Burtons?¡± The Burtons? How are they involved in this? Like Charlotte, Ruby furrowed her brows deeply. Then Charlotte voiced the question in Ruby¡¯s heart: ¡°What does this have to do with the Burtons?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Charlotte¡¯s expression turned awful for a moment at something said on the other end of the phone. ¡°It¡¯s Madam Burton¡¯s idea?¡± Madam Burton? Steve¡¯s mother? Ruby was growing increasingly confused. ¡°Why would Madam Burton, who doesn¡¯t even know me, suddenly send me off to Italy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s related to Steve?¡± As soon as Charlotte finished her sentence, she hung up the phone and dialed another number. Perhaps holding the phone next to her ear for so long had become uncomfortable, Charlotte switched on the speaker. After five rings, someone picked up. Before anyone could speak, Charlotte blurted out, ¡°Mr. Burton, could you please plead with your mother not to send me to Italy? I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± Before Charlotte could finish speaking, a familiar tone that Ruby knew all too well came from the other end of the line, crisp yet indifferent, only four words: ¡°Bon voyage.¡± Then, without waiting for Charlotte¡¯s reaction, the call was abruptly ended. When Charlotte tried to call again, she was met with a busy signal. PS: Bon voyage¡ª Steve, you¡¯re utterly shameless¨C Ruby knows that you¡¯re making Charlotte a scapegoat for her sake¡ª That¡¯s it for today, continuing tomorrow- The award-winning reader is: Breaking Up For No Reason Sis Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 251: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 251: Chapter 251: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (5) Translator: 549690339 Without waiting for a reaction from Charlotte Madris, she promptly hung up the call. As Charlotte tried to reach out once again over the phone, she was met with a busy tone. Clearly, Charlotte¡¯s cell phone number was now on Steve Burton¡¯s blacklist. Undeterred, Charlotte kept trying to reach Steve Burton. When Ruby Gregory lost count of how many times Charlotte had hit the call button, Charlotte¡¯s phone suddenly rang. An incoming call. Charlotte quickly picked up the phone, still on speaker mode. A middle-aged female voice came through, ¡°Leony, what did Mr. Burton say? Is he willing to help you?¡± Charlotte remained silent. The person on the other end seemed to understand something, sighed and continued, ¡°Leony, I knew it. It¡¯s all your wishful thinking.¡± ¡°How is it my wishful thinking? Mom, you don¡¯t know. Last night, it was Mr. Burton who spoke to me first. He saw me admiring that flower and picked it for me. He even personally escorted me back to my room¡­¡± ¡°Leony, Mr. Burton¡¯s actions may just be him being courteous. Besides, when Madam Burton called your father today, she hinted that you should leave Mr. Burton alone. Leony, don¡¯t expect anything more, get ready to go to Italy. Don¡¯t make things hard for your parents.¡± From a not so far distance, Ruby Gregory watched all this unfold. Her brows furrowing slightly. Last night, she had seen Steve Burton and Charlotte Madris getting along nicely, a sight she had never experienced with him. She thought Steve Burton must have some real feelings for Charlotte. But, from the phone calls Charlotte just made with Steve and her mother, it seemed to be not the case. Even more, Madam Burton personally intervened, sent Charlotte to Italy¡­Only one thing could warrant Madam Burton¡¯s personal intervention¡­ Thinking of this, Ruby Gregory felt she had a vague understanding of something. Her eyes suddenly brightened. Madam Burton never interfered in Steve Burton¡¯s affairs with women, except for his reckless actions on the observation deck last night. During breakfast today, when Ruby was at a loss for how to deal with Olivia Foster, Steve Burton suddenly asked Olivia about Charlotte. At that time, the atmosphere was so tense that Ruby didn¡¯t think much about it. Later, when she recalled the incident, she was somewhat confused as to why Steve would mention Charlotte. Now, she understood. She understood it all. Last night, the scene between Steve Burton and Charlotte Madris at the back door of the banquet hall¡­ was nothing but a show, a play! A play put on for Aunt Burton! Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 252: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 252: Chapter 252: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (6) Translator: 549690339 No wonder after Steve Burton asked if Olivia Foster and Charlotte Madris were really good friends, Aunt Burton went to blame Olivia! Because, deep down, Aunt Burton firmly believed that Charlotte Madris was that shameless woman on the viewing platform! She had always thought that she could escape death this morning, thanks to Maya Mitchell¡¯s quick thinking in forging a false alibi for her. Although it was Maya who told Olivia about her whereabouts, the unsuspecting Maya didn¡¯t know that it would cause her so much trouble, so she simply answered Olivia¡¯s question. So, deep in her heart, she was truly grateful to Maya. But now, she realized that the reason she was unscathed wasn¡¯t Maya, but Steve Burton! It was Steve Burton, who despised her, looked down on her, and never showed her a good face! If it weren¡¯t for him finding Charlotte Madris to be the scapegoat last night and confusing Aunt Burton, would Maya¡¯s little tricks deceive Aunt Burton today? It was him last night, who let Charlotte Madris take precedence as Aunt Burton¡¯s suspect, and since Aunt Burton has always had a great impression of her, when Olivia pointed her out today, Aunt Burton naturally chose to believe her. Therefore, when Maya made the false testimony, Aunt Burton only needed to see that the call record had her name, and she easily believed it to be true. Everything that happened today was not because of her good luck or her narrowly escaping death but because Steve Burton secretly and quietly prepared and planned everything for her without her knowing! Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but thump wildly. When Steve made her take the contraceptive pill, she thought there was no hope of marrying him anymore, so she became dispirited and followed her heart, avoiding him and dodging him. She thought she was destined to disappoint her parents and the Gregorys. But now, she was ignited with a glimmer of hope. Actually, Steve Burton was not as cold-blooded and ruthless to her as she saw, right? Otherwise, why would he go to such lengths to cover up what happened between them on the viewing platform last night? If he really wanted her to suffer, he could have let Aunt Burton know that she was the woman on the viewing platform, and then she would have been the one being sent to Italy instead of Charlotte Madris today! The more Ruby thought about it, the more excited she became. The determination and goal of marrying him, which had been almost wiped out by Steve Burton, began to revive little by little. Ruby Gregory¡¯s lips curved slightly upward. But before the smile could bloom, Ruby furrowed her brows, and her eyes were filled with confusion and puzzlement. Steve Burton was cold-blooded and heartless to her on one hand but secretly helped her on the other¡­. Why would he do this? Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 253: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 253: Chapter 253: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (7) Translator: 549690339 Some doubts are as enigmatic as ancient mysteries, such as Ruby Gregory¡¯s inability to decipher Steve Burton¡¯s contrasting actions, and what they are hiding behind. Such puzzles occur in everyone¡¯s life. The answer is often simple: deep love, these two plain words. But, what is deep love? Deep love is a maze of illusions, love is confusing for the involved yet clear for the observer. So, although Ruby racked her brains, she never considered that Steve loved her, or perhaps, she was too afraid to venture into that territory. In recent years, smartphones have become increasingly popular due to their portability. This has led to the rise of free chatting apps like WhatsApp, which are gradually replacing traditional text messaging. Madeleine created a WhatsApp group, which included not only Steve Burton, Howard Coleman, Edward Woods, and Russell Henris, but also some of their close classmates and friends. When Madeleine added Ruby to the group, she was surprised to see that Steve and his friends also had WhatsApp accounts. Due to Steve¡¯s presence, Ruby rarely participated in the group¡¯s discussions. However, in her free time, she liked to keep an eye on the message dynamics in the group. The ones who chatted the most in the group were Madeleine, Howard, Edward, and Russell, while Steve barely participated. After the press conference of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises ended, everyone finally had some leisure time. As they didn¡¯t have work till the next day and Red Park Resort & Villas was meant for relaxation, Howard started to pull people into playing cards in the group¡¯s afternoon discussions. Howard tagged Steve, who surprisingly responded with a message saying: ¡°Planning to take a hot spring bath.¡± Lying on her bed at the hotel, Ruby was originally planning to take a nap. But after seeing the message, she recalled the injury on Steve¡¯s hand, and her drowsiness faded away. The ceramic piece had cut quite deep. When the doctor at Red Park Health Center bandaged him, he reminded Steve not to get his hand wet. And yet, he was going to take a hot spring bath¡­ wouldn¡¯t his hand get inflamed if it gets wet? Ruby held her phone, staring at Steve¡¯s message. She hesitated for a while before finally putting down her phone and closing her eyes. After a while, she sat up restlessly. She picked up her phone and looked at it for a while, bit her lip, and hesitated whether or not to directly message Steve in the group. Eventually, she clicked his icon. She and Steve were not friends on WhatsApp. To send him a message, she needed to add him as a friend first. Ruby hesitated for a moment before finally clicking ¡®add¡¯. Then she attached a message: ¡°The doctor said your hand should not get wet these days. Perhaps you should not take a hot spring bath..¡± Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 254: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 254: Chapter 254: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (8) Translator: 549690339 After Ruby Gregory sent out the message, she began to feel anxious and apprehensive. She bit her finger and stared at her phone screen for a long time, but there was no sign that Steve Burton added her. Her emotions became complicated and strange. Was Steve taking a warm bath and not looking at his phone, or did he simply not agree to her friend request? Ruby pondered for a while and finally put down her phone, only to find her heart more confused. Could he really be soaking in the hot springs? Ruby hesitated for a while, then got out of bed, changed out of her pajamas, and put on a skirt before leaving her room. At Red Park Resort & Villas, there are two areas for hot springs. The halfway point of the mountain has open views, while the top of the mountain has private hot springs. When Ruby used to come to the holiday villa with Steve on the 10th of every month, they would almost always go to the private hot springs. So she was more than familiar with the private hot springs. When Ruby left her room, she intended to relieve her restless thoughts, but by the time she came to her senses, she was already sitting on the sightseeing car heading to the top of the mountain. Ruby got off the sightseeing car and deliberately chose a path in the opposite direction of the private hot springs. However, after walking around for a while, she ended up at the entrance to the private hot springs. The staff members at the private hot springs were still the same people from three years ago when she left. Only a very few people could come here for a soak in the hot springs. As a result, these staff members were more than familiar with Ruby. Seeing her, they immediately assumed she was here to see Mr. Burton and greeted her respectfully with a smile, ¡°Ms. Gregory, are you here to see Mr. Burton?¡± The question made Ruby¡¯s face turn slightly red, and she didn¡¯t know whether to say yes or no. The staff member didn¡¯t notice Ruby¡¯s subtle changes and just wore a warm smile, making an inviting gesture, ¡°Ms. Gregory, please follow me.¡± Ruby hesitated for a moment but eventually followed the staff member toward the hot springs. The staff member first led Ruby to the women¡¯s changing room that she¡¯d always used. Like before, a variety of swimsuits were arranged inside. However, the swimsuits were not the same as those from three years ago but were replaced with new ones, their tags still uncut. Ruby chose a dark blue swimsuit from the colorful array and entered the changing room. The staff member tidied up the swimsuits that Ruby had picked up. Despite the three-year gap, her actions were not the least bit rusty. In these three years, she changed the swimsuits here from time to time, as Mr. Burton had instructed. Even though Ruby hadn¡¯t come here for hot springs in those three years. PS: The plot isn¡¯t going smoothly, and I¡¯m a bit stuck, so I wrote this late. I¡¯ll update with more chapters about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, with a total of 12 chapters to come.. Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 255: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 255: Chapter 255: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (9) Translator: 549690339 While the attendant was lost in her thoughts, Ruby Gregory had already changed into her swimsuit and stepped out of the changing room. The low-cut two-piece swimsuit, her slim waist, long limbs and snow-white skin were all on display. Ruby simply tied up her long hair, revealing her smooth and full forehead. Set against the deep blue, she looked innocent and sexy. The sight had the attendant momentarily entranced. Ruby noticed the attendant staring at her unabashedly. Even though they were both women, she felt slightly embarrassed and gave an awkward cough. The attendant snapped to attention, hastily fetched a towel for Ruby to cover herself with, and then led her towards the entrance of the hot springs. The hot springs were surrounded by mountains on all sides. The steaming water made the surrounding greenery seem even fresher. The attendant led Ruby along a cobblestone path that wound through several curves and finally stopped at a hot spring located deep within: ¡°Mr. Burton, Ms. Gregory is here.¡± Having said that, the attendant nodded slightly at Ruby, smiled politely, and then left. The rising steam made the view blurry, aside from the gentle sound of the flowing water, it was peaceful, making it hard to discern whether anyone was in the hot spring or not. Ruby stood by the edge of the hot spring for a long time, listening for any sound. Just when she was starting to suspect if Steve Burton had gone to another hot spring, she heard water splashing within the spring in front of her. As the splashing grew louder, Ruby saw the steam above the hot spring rise rapidly. Steve Burton gradually swam toward her from the far end of the spring. The hot spring was quite deep; Steve, who was almost 1.9 meters tall, stood up and the water level was still above his chest. Without a swimming cap, his hair hung, dripping wet against his scalp. He lifted his hand, touched the water on his face, looked at Ruby, and then stepped out of the hot spring: ¡°What brings you here?¡± Steve was only wearing swimming trunks, revealing his sexy and perfect physique unexpectedly in front of Ruby. Water drips meandered down his firm and fair chest. Ruby, despite her past physical intimacy with him, couldn¡¯t help but lower her gaze awkwardly, notice his injured hand covered with a waterproof glove. Ruby had originally come out of concern for his hand. Realizing that her worry was uncalled for, she was at a loss about how to respond to Steve¡¯s question. Steve sized Ruby up and down, not bothered by her silence, and walked over to a stone table nearby. On the stone table, there was a teapot, a few teacups, a cellphone placed quietly on one side, and several neatly stacked towels in various colors.. Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 256: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 256: Chapter 256: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (10) Translator: 549690339 After soaking in the hot spring for a while, it was inevitable to sweat and become dehydrated. Just as Steve Burton was about to pick up the teapot to pour water, Ruby Gregory, who was standing by his side, noticed his action and remembered his injured hand. Without any conscious thought, she quickly moved to stand in front of the stone table, picking up the teapot before he could and pouring him a cup of tea. Ruby¡¯s series of movements happened so quickly that Steve was caught off guard, and he stared at her in surprise. After merely three seconds, he shifted his gaze from Ruby¡¯s face, looking down at the teacup in her hand. He extended his uninjured hand, directly grabbing her hand that held the teacup, and brought it to his lips, draining the tea in one gulp. Though the tea was completely gone, Steve showed no intention of letting go of Ruby¡¯s hand. Ruby dared not withdraw her hand from his grip, only clenching tighter around the empty cup in her palm. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she had unintentionally learned of the things he did behind her back at noon, but she didn¡¯t feel afraid of Steve anymore. However, she was still somewhat unaccustomed to the intimacy they were sharing. Ruby lowered her eyelids and saw that most of the water droplets on Steve¡¯s body had already evaporated. The hot spring was outdoors, and the water¡¯s temperature was high, so one would feel cold upon stepping out of it, especially when soaked. As the water evaporated, the chill grew worse. Ruby quickly came up with an excuse, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll get you that towel. Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Having said that, she attempted to pull her hand out of Steve¡¯s grasp. Feeling her trying to withdraw, Steve slightly increased his grip on her hand, and his gaze suddenly turned colder. Ruby¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively stopped trying to pull away. When she looked back up at Steve, she found his expression had returned to its usual calm, and his grip on her hand gradually loosened. The entire scene felt like a figment of her imagination. Ruby quietly observed Steve for a moment, and upon seeing his relaxed demeanor, she finally withdrew her hand. She placed the teacup on the stone table and, without thinking, grabbed the only sky-blue towel from the pile of colorful towels nearby. It was a habit she had developed over many years, knowing that Steve liked the color blue. So, for everything she prepared for him, she instinctively picked blue. In her heart, there wasn¡¯t any ulterior motive. The blue towel, tucked at the bottom of the pile, would usually be passed over in favor of the white towels on top. However, Ruby specifically pulled out the blue one. This deliberate action, under Steve¡¯s watchful eye, seemed to take on a different flavor.. Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 257: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 257: Chapter 257: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (11) Translator: 549690339 So, when Ruby Gregory held the sky-blue bath towel and handed it to Steve Burton, the man¡¯s face had already turned icy cold. Ruby had no idea what she had done wrong to cause him to change his face so quickly. Because she knew that Steve secretly helped her, her boldness and fearlessness were replaced by the familiar panic at the bottom of her heart as Steve¡¯s expression turned cold. Ruby stood firmly in front of Steve, her eyes downcast, not daring to look at his frosty face. She waited for a long time for Steve to take the towel, but he didn¡¯t, and her hands holding the towel began to tremble slightly. In the end, Ruby looked up at Steve, only to find that he was staring coldly at her, and her back was soon covered in a cold sweat. Just as Ruby didn¡¯t know what to do, Steve took the towel with a serious face, casually wiped the water droplets off his body, and draped it over himself. Steve didn¡¯t say a word, and Ruby had no idea what she should say either, so the two stood silently facing each other. Finally, it was Steve who broke the silence: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He had asked her this question when she first appeared, but his tone was even stiffer now. Ruby didn¡¯t know how to answer then, and now, under pressure, she was even more at a loss. Steve¡¯s brow gradually furrowed, and the look in his eyes grew darker. Ruby clearly felt a heavy sense of oppression enveloping her, making it difficult to breathe, and she saw a trace of impatience flicker across the man¡¯s handsome face. The more this happened, the more frightened and unsettled she felt, and the more her mind seemed to be tied in knots, unable to speak. Steve stood straight in front of Ruby, staring silently at her for a while. Was he waiting for her to do something before he would speak? Thinking this, Steve reached out his hand and placed it on Ruby¡¯s shoulder. Just as he had expected, Ruby¡¯s body shuddered violently. Ruby was all too familiar with what Steve¡¯s actions implied. What happened on the viewing platform had been a hair-raising experience, and she didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble in such a public place again. Before Steve could make any further moves, Ruby hurriedly spoke up, instinctively revealing the thoughts at the bottom of her heart: ¡°I came here to thank you.¡± Steve had only intended to frighten Ruby, but he never expected to hear such words come out of her mouth. His whole body froze in place.. Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 258: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 258: Chapter 258: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (12) Translator: 549690339 After a moment, Steve Burton was stunned and murmured softly, ¡°Thank me?¡± Ruby Gregory only felt that Steve¡¯s hand on her shoulder was like a fierce beast, full of danger. She didn¡¯t realize the strangeness of the man in front of her, and she couldn¡¯t care about anything else. She just hoped that answering his question would make him calm down and spare her life. She nodded quickly at him and said, ¡°Thanks to you for being prepared last night and finding Charlotte Madris to divert Aunt Burton¡¯s attention. Otherwise, maybe I would have been sent to Italy today.¡± In Steve Burton¡¯s eyes, there was a burst of intense light that suddenly exploded, shattered, and refracted into many bright, dazzling surprises. Did she actually understand what he did? Steve Burton felt that his heart came alive, pounding rapidly at an incredible speed. He wanted to jump with excitement. However, he could only clench his fists tightly to stabilize his emotions, making himself appear calm and composed. His tone was cold and chilling as he said, ¡°Ruby Gregory, you finally opened your eyes.¡± His words were full of mockery, making Ruby¡¯s forthcoming words choke in her throat. She subconsciously bit the corner of her lips, took a timid step back, and looked up at Steve Burton to find that there wasn¡¯t a trace of mockery on his face. On the contrary, his face had lost its icy coldness, becoming gentle and even showing a hint of a smile. Steve Burton looked warm and lively like this, staring deeply at her. Ruby was not sure what Steve¡¯s eyes were trying to convey, whether he was waiting for her to continue speaking. After hesitating for a while, she opened her mouth and said, ¡°I also saw in the WhatsApp group that you came to the hot spring¡­¡± Ruby spoke cautiously, carefully observing Steve¡¯s reaction. Noticing that he didn¡¯t show any changes in expression but rather an increasingly obvious smile, she gradually gained some courage, and carried on speaking, ¡°Your hand got injured this morning, and the doctor said it shouldn¡¯t touch water. I was worried about infection, and I couldn¡¯t help but come over.¡± Ruby finished speaking and sneaked a glance at Steve, only to find that there was a trace of laughter in his eyes and brows. She secretly sighed with relief, then belatedly realized that she, in her panic, had blurted out the real reason why she had come to the private hot spring. Although she had never been in a relationship and didn¡¯t understand the feelings of young love, she knew that these little thoughts shouldn¡¯t just casually be shared with a man. Ruby¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, and she wished the ground would open up and swallow her.. Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 259: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 259: Chapter 259: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (13) Translator: 549690339 She was wearing a low-cut swimsuit, and her blushing cheeks spread all the way down to her chest, creating a pinkish hue. This view rendered Steve Burton¡¯s gaze rather heated. His throat slightly quivered, and he couldn¡¯t help but lean in closer to her ear, staring at her blushing earlobe. In a dark, deep voice, he mumbled, ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯ll get infected, huh?¡± Along with his voice, warm breath sprayed onto Ruby Gregory¡¯s ear. Especially the last word, ¡°huh¡±, he intentionally raised his pitch, imbued with a touch of teasing. Ruby¡¯s face instantly turned a deep shade of red, as if ablaze. Steve looked at Ruby¡¯s girlish expression, and his smile spread wantonly across his lips and features. His entire face seemed to glow with brilliance. He reached out and gently touched her forehead, then extended his injured hand to her, ¡°Weren¡¯t you worried about me getting infected? Check it now so your concern won¡¯t be in vain.¡± He was even wearing waterproof gloves, yet he still wanted her to check! Moreover, he was using the words she had just spoken! Having her concern repeated like that, she felt so ashamed that she wanted to cry. She hung her head even lower. Soft laughter emerged from Steve¡¯s throat. He picked up a strand of her hair and slowly twirled it around his finger, staring at her endearing posture with amusement. Then, shamelessly, he extended his uninjured hand, removing the waterproof glove from the injured one. ¡°I¡¯ve taken the glove off for you, so it¡¯s easier for you to check if I got wet.¡± Ruby wished she could simply vanish into thin air. Not only did she lower her head but she also tightly closed her eyes. However, Steve reached out and lifted her head, ¡°How can you check with your head lowered?¡± Will he ever stop? He kept harping on this topic, making Ruby feel like she was on fire. She didn¡¯t know where she found the courage, but she suddenly thrust her hand out and forcefully knocked Steve¡¯s arm away from her chin. Without even glancing at Steve, she sprinted away toward the exit of the hot spring. Ruby ran extremely fast, as if a man-eating beast were standing right behind her. She didn¡¯t even look at the road, and turned straight back to the changing room. The staff member who had led her in stayed by the changing room. When she saw Ruby coming out, she called out, ¡°Ms. Gregory¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Ruby darted into the changing stall and slammed the door shut with a bang. When Ruby came out after changing her clothes, the staff member led her back to the lobby, ¡°Ms. Gregory, do you need to wait for Mr.. Burton?¡± Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 260: You Finally Opened Your Eyes Chapter 260: Chapter 260: You Finally Opened Your Eyes (14) Translator: 549690339 Just as Ruby Gregory left, Steve Burton returned to the men¡¯s changing room from the hot spring. As he finished changing and walked out, he happened to hear the staff member respectfully ask Ruby, ¡°Ms. Gregory, do you need to wait for Mr. Burton?¡± His steps stopped for a moment, his gaze falling directly on Ruby. Ruby seemed to have heard a curse, shivering all over. Without even acknowledging the staff member, she tightly clutched her bag and turned around to run out the door as if she were an arrow off a bowstring. She ran so desperately fast, as if her life depended on it. Standing next to Steve was the staff member, who looked at Ruby fleeing in panic with a slightly defensive expression, and cautiously glanced at Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, is there anything else you need?¡± Ms. Gregory had actually left so hurriedly without waiting for Mr. Burton; surely he would be in a bad mood. Steve came back to his senses, looked at the staff and gracefully walked towards the door without any hint of irritation. After he left, the staff members in the hot spring lobby exchanged puzzled glances. At this moment, it was sunset, and Steve, squinting into the red sky in the west, couldn¡¯t help but smile at the memory of Ruby fleeing like a frightened deer. His lips involuntarily curled upward. After a while, he lowered his head slightly, staring at the hand that Ruby had slapped at the edge of the hot spring, still faintly feeling the lingering intensity and warmth of her touch. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, gently caressing the spot she¡¯d hit as if it were barely there. The entire mountain was dyed blood-red by the setting sun. Steve stood still, the evening breeze rustling his clothes and hair, blowing all the way to his heart, gently stirring his emotions, soothing and tingling with an irresistible tremor and thrill. By the evening, Ruby returned to the city with her parents. Maxwell Gregory drove with undivided concentration, while her mom sat in the passenger seat and Ruby alone in the back. About five kilometers after they left the Red Park Resort & Villas, Ruby¡¯s phone suddenly chimed. Picking up her phone, she discovered that it was a WhatsApp notification. Upon clicking it, she realized that Steve had accepted her friend request. Ruby immediately remembered the scene not long ago in the private hot spring, when she and Steve were together. Although it had been some time, Steve¡¯s warm breath as he spoke close to her ear, touching her cheek, vividly resurfaced in her memory. Ruby¡¯s face instantly grew hot.. Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Becoming More and More Sensible (1) Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Becoming More and More Sensible (1) Translator: 549690339 She subconsciously gripped her phone tighter, as the embarrassment she had just managed to suppress once again rose in her heart. She even felt her heartbeat getting faster and faster. Just as they were about to enter the capital city, Maxwell Gregory¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID and answered directly: ¡°Clayton, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Clayton was Maxwell Gregory¡¯s secretary. ¡°Mr. Gregory, I just called Mr. Robbins to ask about the signing of our next cooperation contract tomorrow. He said that he is going abroad and will discuss it after he returns. Then I got the news that Mr. Robbins contacted Foster Enterprises last night.¡± Although Ruby was not involved in her family¡¯s business affairs, she knew something about Mr. Robbins. He had cooperated with the Gregorys for many years and was considered an old customer with a long-standing relationship. The Gregorys¡¯ business was already suffering losses. Losing Mr. Robbins as a major client would make the situation even more difficult. Just as Ruby had thought, Clayton also said on the phone: ¡°Mr. Gregory, our company has been on the verge of profit and loss recently. If we can¡¯t secure Mr. Robbins¡¯ cooperation, I¡¯m afraid the company will face bankruptcy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give Mr. Robbins a call.¡± Maxwell Gregory pondered for a moment, said a sentence to the person on the phone, and then hung up. As Maxwell Gregory was driving, it was Lady Gregory who found Mr. Robbins¡¯ number. Maxwell called, and after several rings, it was finally picked up. Before Maxwell could say anything, Mr. Robbins¡¯ voice came through: ¡°Hello? What are you saying? The signal here isn¡¯t very good. I¡¯m boarding the plane now. When I get to Lilliput, I¡¯ll call you back.¡± Then, without waiting for Maxwell to speak, the call was abruptly disconnected. At Maxwell¡¯s instruction, Lady Gregory dialed the number again, only to find that Mr. Robbins¡¯ phone had already been switched off. After trying three more times, Lady Gregory finally gave up and glanced at Maxwell before saying, ¡°It seems that Mr. Robbins is clearly stalling us. He may have already signed a contract with Foster Enterprises.¡± Maxwell stared at the road ahead without saying anything, his face looking somewhat ugly. Lady Gregory sighed, ¡°It was Olivia Foster and Steve who opened the ceremony dance at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, so it¡¯s no wonder Mr. Robbins would choose to cooperate with the Fosters for the next project.¡± Ruby¡¯s fingers trembled slightly as she continued to hold her phone. Through the rearview mirror, she saw the worried expressions on her parents¡¯ faces and couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of heartache. If it weren¡¯t for that night when she and Steve Burton had their encounter on the viewing platform, she would have tried her best to dance the opening dance with him. It was all her fault for messing up such a good opportunity and handing it to Olivia Foster.. Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Becoming More and More Sensible (2) Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Becoming More and More Sensible (2) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory was silent for a while, then suddenly spoke up, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to deal with Mr. Robbins.¡± Lady Gregory turned her head: ¡°Ruby, what could you come up with?¡± Ruby Gregory lowered her eyes, stayed silent for ten seconds, and then said, ¡°We¡¯ll find a way, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure Mr. Robbins and Gregory¡¯s Enterprises sign the contract.¡± The reason Mr. Robbins went to Foster Enterprises was that he saw Olivia Foster and Steve Burton dance the opening dance, and thought Olivia Foster was important to Steve Burton. After all, people always want to climb higher branches. Pristine¡¯s Enterprises is undoubtedly that high branch. Ruby thought to herself that she could copy the same method and find a way to let Mr. Robbins think that she was important to Steve Burton as well. In this way, she didn¡¯t think she would need her father to ask Mr. Robbins to cooperate with the Gregorys proactively. As for Ruby, she didn¡¯t have the courage to directly ask Steve Burton to accompany her in an act of affection in front of Mr. Robbins. Fortunately, she was Steve Burton¡¯s secretary and relatively familiar with his whereabouts, particularly since Olivia Foster caused a scene at the 60th anniversary celebration of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and hadn¡¯t been to the company since, many clients were assigned to Ruby and Maya Mitchell, so Ruby was more informed about Steve Burton¡¯s news. Perhaps it was Ruby¡¯s luck that she inquired from her father about Mr. Robbins¡¯ itinerary and then compared it with Steve Burton¡¯s, and found a common point ¡ª this Saturday afternoon, Steve Burton, Howard Coleman, and some old customers of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises were going to play golf, and Mr. Robbins and his friends happened to be going to the same golf course. So, on Saturday afternoon, Ruby Gregory and Madeleine went to the golf course. The weather that day was excellent, with a blue sky, white clouds, and bright sunshine. Ruby Gregory and Madeleine, holding their golf clubs, were casually strolling around the outdoor course. Ruby¡¯s attention was constantly searching through the crowd, and around 2:30 in the afternoon, Steve Burton, Howard Coleman, and a few men entered the golf course. Steve Burton wore a white tracksuit, looking casual and elegant. He and several people stood casually on the lawn, spoke a few words, and then started playing. At 3 0¡¯clock, Ruby saw Mr. Robbins and his friends arrive leisurely. Ruby¡¯s target was Mr. Robbins. She handed her golf club to a nearby attendant, found an excuse to go to the restroom, and left. When Ruby returned from the restroom, she deliberately walked past Mr. Robbins, pretending it was a coincidence, and said to him, ¡°Mr. Robbins.¡± PS: Today was supposed to be a 12-chapter day, but the plot was still not smooth, so there will be 12 chapters tomorrow!!! Definitely 12 chapters! I have to continue to adjust the plot now¨C Forcing it will not look good¨C So please understand¨C The award-winning reader is: Danmiao Whose Smoky Makeup. Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Becoming More and More Sensible (3) Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Becoming More and More Sensible (3) Translator: 549690339 When Ruby Gregory returned from the restroom, she deliberately walked past Mr. Robbins, pretending to have a chance encounter and said, ¡°Mr. Robbins.¡± Mr. Robbins, donning a deep-red baseball cap, continually swung a golf club to warm up. Hearing his name, Mr. Robbins turned his head and glanced at Ruby Gregory. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. He quickly scanned through the women he knew in his mind, but still could not recall her name. He propped his golf club on the ground, removed the cap from his head, revealing his bald top, and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± During the period when Maxwell Gregory and Mr. Robbins were on good terms in the past, Mr. Robbins often visited the Gregorys. However, after three years, it was normal for him to forget her. Ruby Gregory still wore a faint smile on her face, ¡°Mr. Robbins. I am Ruby Gregory, my dad is Maxwell Gregory.¡± Upon hearing Maxwell Gregory, the expression on Mr. Robbins¡¯s face became somewhat stiff, his smile was nowhere near as warm as before, ¡°So it¡¯s Ms. Gregory.¡± Ruby Gregory could discern the indifference in Mr. Robbins¡¯s tone. She lifted the corner of her mouth slightly. Her words were neither warm nor cold, ¡°Mr. Robbins, what a coincidence, you¡¯re also here to play golf today.¡± In recent days, Maxwell Gregory tried to contact Mr. Robbins on several occasions but was continually avoided. When Mr. Robbins heard what Ruby had said, his intuition told him that Maxwell Gregory had sent his beautiful young daughter as a negotiator. Instantly, there was no trace of a smile on his face. His words were neutral, and he said, ¡°What a coincidence indeed.¡± Without any hesitation, Mr. Robbins continued, ¡°I have something to do, so I need to leave.¡±/p> Ruby Gregory clearly saw that Mr. Robbins was trying to avoid her. Since she came today, her mindset was to ensure success. Ruby Gregory politely nodded, ¡°Mr. Robbins, please feel free, I just saw you and wanted to say hello. I am actually accompanying¡­¡± At this point, Ruby paused. In the past, no matter who she was with, she would only call out for Steve Burton. Since she came today to play a role, she had to make it seamless. Ruby Gregory blinked her eyes and continued, ¡°I¡¯m here with Steve Burton to play golf.¡± Just as Ruby had anticipated, Mr. Robbins brightened at the mention of Steve Burton, ¡°Is Mr. Burton also here?¡± This time, it was Ruby Gregory who had no interest in continuing the conversation with Mr. Robbins, ¡°Mr. Robbins, I¡¯m afraid Steve will be waiting, I should go find him.¡± Mr. Robbins nodded. Ruby Gregory gave a faint smile to Mr. Robbins and then walked towards Madeleine. The reason Ruby Gregory asked Madeleine to come with her was because she wanted to play golf together with Steve Burton and his group. Before she came, Ruby had already shared her plan with Madeleine.. Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Becoming More and More Sensible (4) Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Becoming More and More Sensible (4) Translator: 549690339 If it hadn¡¯t been for Mr. Robbins giving Steve Burton face and cooperating with the Fosters, Ruby Gregory could have asked Madeleine for the favor and just given Mr. Robbins a heads up. Upon seeing Ruby return, Madeleine immediately asked, ¡°All sorted out?¡± Ruby nodded, and Madeleine took her arm, leading her towards where Steve Burton and Howard Coleman were. With Madeleine¡¯s company, Ruby got closer and closer to Steve. Her heartbeat gradually quickened, and a layer of sweat formed in her palms. Everything was going accordingto her plan. However, she had forgotten just one thing ¡ª the uncontrollable nervousness she felt in front of Steve. It took great effort to finally get a weekend off. In reality, Steve didn¡¯t want to engage in outdoor activities; he¡¯d rather stay inside the Mansion, listening to music, sipping coffee, and going over some leftover documents, while staring at the glow of the setting sun and wondering what Ruby, who lived next door, was up to. Nevertheless, golf has always been a favorite social activity among the upper class. To ensure a pleasant cooperation, he came to the golf course even though he didn¡¯t want to. This place was the most beautiful golf course in the capital city. Not far away, there was a shimmering lake. The gentle autumn breeze, neither cold nor hot, carried the fragrance of the grass, making it indeed quite pleasant and calming. The bright sun provided warmth without being too hot, and the sky was so blue it seemed as if it had been painted. The clouds were white, hanging low, almost like thin veil. In the bustling city of Ciawell, living a busy life every day, it was rare to see such beautiful scenery. Steve sat elegantly on a sun-shaded chair in the golf course, staring at such beauty. His good mood lasted for barely three minutes before he started feeling a sense of boredom. It was because she wasn¡¯t there. Over the years, it had always been like this. No matter where he went or what kind of scenery he was surrounded by, as long as he realized she wasn¡¯t around, the most breathtaking views would instantly lose their charm. Mountains and rivers, no matter how pleasant the sceneries were on the way, none of them could compare with being near her. Steve Burton blinked gently, looking away from the view. His gaze, however, landed on a familiar figure on the soft, green grass. Was it an illusion? Was it an illusion created because he was thinking of her? Steve furrowed his brow slightly, only to see Ruby and Madeleine walking towards his direction, hand in hand. Madeleine came here to help Ruby. Being with Steve and Howard required no reason or excuse, so she led Ruby by the arm and stood coquettishly in front of Steve, ¡°What a coincidence, you¡¯re here too. Luckily, Ruby and I can save money on playing golf today.¡± Steve sat composed in his seat, his face expressionless.. Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Becoming More and More Sensible (5) Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Becoming More and More Sensible (5) Translator: 549690339 His gaze, however, silently fell upon Ruby Gregory, who was dressed in light blue sportswear, her hair tied back into a ponytail that hung down from a matching light blue baseball cap. This attire made her appear much younger. The appearance of Ruby Gregory made the scenery around Steve Burton feel even more beautiful and captivating than before. While Steve and Howard Coleman were already in the company of a group of adult men, the addition of two pretty women was certainly welcome. As Madeleine was already well-acquainted with these business partners, Howard simply introduced Ruby to each of them. After exchanging greetings, Madeleine pulled Ruby over to some nearby lounge chairs, intentionally giving Ruby the seat next to Steve and sitting beside her. Since her arrival, Ruby had not yet greeted Steve Burton, so after sitting down, she glanced over at him and said, ¡°Good afternoon.¡± The simple and ordinary phrase ¡°Good afternoon¡± was quite pleasing to Steve, whose happiness over her appearance now blossomed even more in his heart. He struggled to control the joy welling up inside him, maintaining his icy expression, as he responded to Ruby with a slight nod and a flat ¡°Mm.¡± This single ¡°Mm¡± was so noble and captivating that Ruby had no idea what she should chat about with him next. Howard and the clients had already started playing golf, and Madeleine sat beside them for a while before standing and leading the other clients to a distant area to play. Ruby knew that Madeleine was purposely creating another opportunity for her to spend time alone with Steve, so Mr. Robbins, who was watching from afar, would assume that she and Steve had a deep relationship. She stealthily glanced at Mr. Robbins in the distance and confirmed that the man was indeed staring at her and Steve, as she had expected. In her heart, Ruby thought that she could not just sit with Steve without talking to him. Although she was extremely reluctant to chat with Steve, at this moment, she had no choice but to find a conversation topic, saying, ¡°Howard¡¯s golf skills are still as impressive as they were in the past.¡± Steve continued staring straight ahead, his expression not shifting at all, making Ruby think that he simply did not want to bother with her. Feeling somewhat discouraged, she shifted her gaze away from his profile, but then heard his clear and faint voice, still just one word: ¡°Mm.¡± At least the silence wasn¡¯t complete¡­ Ruby racked her brain to find more trivial topics to chat with Steve about.. Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Becoming More and More Sensible (6) Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Becoming More and More Sensible (6) Translator: 549690339 As they chatted, Ruby Gregory inadvertently caught a glimpse of Steve Burton¡¯s injured hand, which had had the bandage removed. Reminded of something, she casually asked, ¡°Is the wound on your hand healed?¡± During their conversation, she had been trying to steer the conversation towards him, but was having little success, either talking about Howard Coleman¡¯s excellent golf skills or Madeleine¡¯s increasingly impressive career woman demeanor ¨C even getting as far as discussing shopping discounts¡­ What did any of that have to do with Steve Burton? Finally managing to focus on him, Steve¡¯s lips curled slightly. However, when he glanced at Ruby, his expression softened as he nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± After his usual arrogant and aloof ¡°yes¡±, he added, ¡°It¡¯s healed.¡± Steve opened his palm for Ruby to see. She noticed a scar in the center of his palm. Such a beautiful hand had such an eye-catching flaw, and Ruby couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Such a prominent scar¡­¡± Ruby hesitated for a moment, then rummaged through the bag she had brought with her and took out a small bottle of ointment, ¡°This is the hand cream I use. It helps remove scars.¡± Ruby remembered the scene at Red Park Resort & Villas¡¯ viewing platform when Steve had asked her to apply the medicine. He shouldn¡¯t mind her applying the medicine, right? Ruby glanced at Mr. Robbins, who was still watching her and Steve from a distance. Finally, she tentatively asked, ¡°Do you want me to apply it for you?¡± Steve¡¯s lips suddenly curled into a subtle smile. He didn¡¯t say anything, but simply extended his hand to Ruby. The bright sunlight shone directly onto her face, casting a golden glow on Steve¡¯s fair complexion, making him look as noble as Zeus from Greek mythology. Since there was no table between Ruby and Steve, she had to place Steve¡¯s hand on her own lap. The man¡¯s hand tensed up slightly, but even through the thin layer of his sports clothes, he could feel the softness and smoothness underneath. Ruby scooped a bit of the ointment with her pinky finger and applied it to the scar on Steve¡¯s palm, carefully spreading it evenly. She had taken out a little too much ointment and ended up covering Steve¡¯s entire hand with the excess. Steve fixed his gaze on Ruby as she applied the ointment, his mood improving and pleasure reflected in his eyes. As Ruby finished applying the ointment and prepared to let go of Steve¡¯s hand, the man gripped hers and gently caressed the back of her hand. His actions were somewhat sudden and also somewhat meaningful. The thrilling sensation she had experienced at Red Park Resort & Villas when Steve had whispered in her ear crept its way back into her heart.. Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Becoming More and More Sensible (7) Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Becoming More and More Sensible (7) Translator: 549690339 That never-before-experienced rapid heartbeat appeared again. Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes dropped slightly. Unconsciously, she wanted to pull her hand out of his. She only slightly struggled with her hand before thinking of Mr. Robbins, who was looking at her. In the end, Ruby reluctantly forced herself to stop moving. Steve Burton thought she would find another excuse, just like before, to keep a certain distance from him. However, he didn¡¯t expect that she only slightly moved and finally let him hold her hand obediently. He couldn¡¯t help but loosen his grip slightly. He saw a touch of crimson blush climb onto her cheeks, charming and lovely ¨C nothing like the always-confident and sophisticated Ruby Gregory he had seen before. In recent times, she seemed to have changed a lot¡­ In the hot springs of the Red Park Resort & Villas, she dared to swat his hand away. Steve Burton¡¯s mood became increasingly pleasant. Despite the hustle and bustle of the golf course, he felt an indescribable sense of tranquility. After a long while, Steve Burton suddenly spoke and called out her name: ¡°Ruby.¡± Ruby¡­ this was her nickname. Three years ago, Steve called her by that name, never using her full name like he did now. His voice was deep and pleasing. When he called her ¡°Ruby,¡± the volume deliberately dropped, giving a lingering and intimate sense. Her parents and Madeleine also referred to her as Ruby, and she had grown accustomed to it. But never before had her name sounded so beautiful. Ruby lifted her head and looked at Steve. Steve stared into her glass-like eyes, a faint smile hidden in his gaze. His voice was soothing and melodious: ¡°Lately, you¡¯ve become more and more sensible.¡± The tone of his voice was filled with praise. All this time since she returned to the country, all he gave her were sarcastic comments, ruthless criticisms, and never any praise. Ruby was caught off guard by his compliment. Steve stared at Ruby¡¯s foolish expression, not saying anything more. He only wore a slight smile at the corner of his lips, then turned his head to watch Howard and the others play golf. Ruby stared at Steve¡¯s profile for a moment before finally processing what he had just said in her mind. More sensible? He said she¡¯s become more sensible? Wasn¡¯t she sensible before? She had always been tiptoeing around him, trying to win his approval, striving to be a sensible and well-behaved woman. Ruby¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with confusion. She was about to speak when a voice suddenly came first: ¡°Ms. Gregory.¡± Ruby turned her head and saw Mr. Robbins, who had unknowingly come up behind her. Steve glanced at Mr. Robbins but did not say anything.. Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Becoming More and More Sensible (8) Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Becoming More and More Sensible (8) Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing that Ruby Gregory came with Steve Burton, Mr. Robbins had been keeping an eye on her the whole time. Due to the distance, he could only see them engaged in conversation. It wasn¡¯t until he got closer that he noticed Steve and Ruby were holding hands. Mr. Robbins calmly glanced over at Ruby and Steve¡¯s hands, then looked at Ruby¡¯s expression. It was not as aloof as when she greeted him earlier, and her tone was much friendlier: ¡°Ms. Gregory, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± Ruby saw Mr. Robbins¡¯ expression and a hint of joy crept into her heart. She knew that he had been deceived by the illusion she had created. Ruby politely stood up, smiled, and extended her hand to Mr. Robbins: ¡°Mr. Robbins.¡± Mr. Robbins quickly shook hands with Ruby, then turned his attention to Steve. He had come specifically for Steve. In the capital city, no businessman would pass up the opportunity to forge a connection with Steve Burton. Mr. Robbins¡¯ enthusiasm was even more intense when facing Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Steve remained unmoved by the greeting, sitting in his chair without saying a word, and glanced over at Ruby, who had stood up beside him. Not at all feeling awkward, Mr. Robbins even went on to introduce himself in detail to Steve: ¡°Mr. Burton, my name is Theodore Robbins, and Robbins¡¯ World is my company.¡± Steve¡¯s expression remained unchanged. After being met with resistance twice, Mr. Robbins¡¯ expression showed a hint of embarrassment. Mr. Robbins is one of the Gregorys¡¯ major clients¡­ With the intention of smoothing things over, Ruby said to Steve: ¡°He¡¯s one of my dad¡¯s old clients; he probably saw me here and came over to say hello.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Mr. Robbins, standing nearby, smiled and echoed her words. Steve still didn¡¯t say anything but fixed his gaze on Ruby for a moment. Did he really just come to say hello to her? Any perceptive person could see that this man was here for Steve, right? However, she had already spoken¡­ Steve leisurely and gracefully stood up and extended his hand to Mr. Robbins: ¡°Mr. Robbins, hello.¡± Mr. Robbins never expected that a simple word from Ruby would cause Steve to extend his hand to him. He looked at Ruby with a somewhat surprised expression. then quickly used both of his hands to enthusiastically shake Steve¡¯s hand. Ruby was also taken aback by this turn of events. She admits that she is currently using Steve to put on a show for Mr. Robbins to see, but some things could not be done without Steve¡¯s willing cooperation. Take this moment, for example. She simply tried to make the situation more comfortable, and Steve surprisingly greeted Mr. Robbins. Such a move would undoubtedly make Mr. Robbins believe that Steve was greeting him out of respect for Ruby.. Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Becoming More and More Sensible (9) Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Becoming More and More Sensible (9) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton glanced at Ruby Gregory¡¯s surprised, round eyes and found it a bit amusing. He shook hands with the cheeky Mr. Robbins only to save face, and apparently, it amazed Ruby. Was it that incredible? But, that Mr. Robbins; was he an old client of The Gregorys? So that means The Gregorys are maintaining a relationship with Mr. Robbins? Ruby is also from The Gregorys. So that means Ruby is maintaining a relationship with Mr. Robbins as well? Regardless of how he came to that reasoning, the thought of Ruby maintaining a relationship with another man made Steve Burton feel a hint of bitterness and jealousy. What a joke! It was supposed to be the other way around ¨C other people should be trying to please his woman! How could his woman be maintaining a relationship with someone else? Steve Burton lowered his gaze, thought for a moment, then looked up at Mr. Robbins: ¡°Interested in a round of golf?¡± Mr. Robbins never expected Steve to invite him to play golf. His eyes twinkled with excitement: ¡°I¡¯d be delighted!¡± Steve didn¡¯t say anything. He simply took a golf club from a caddy, casually swung it a few times, walked up to the tee, and gracefully struck the ball. The ball followed a perfect arc in the air, landing effortlessly in the hole. Mr. Robbins immediately raised his hands to applaud, exclaiming, ¡°Great shot! Great shot! Mr. Burton, not only are you a business prodigy, but your golf skills are also simply out of reach for the rest of us.¡± Steve wore an indifferent expression when accepting the praise from Mr. Robbins, then stepped aside to let him have a try at golf. Mr. Robbins wanted to impress Steve; he pretended to concentrate on the game. However, he deliberately held back his strength when swinging the club. The ball didn¡¯t have enough momentum, only flying halfway before landing on the ground. Heh¡­fake humans! Steve mocked him silently and looked at Ruby standing nearby. He knew his current actions weren¡¯t enough to boost Ruby¡¯s reputation in front of Mr. Robbins. Steve waved at Ruby and handed her his golf club, saying, ¡°Give it a try.¡± Ruby smiled and took the golf club from Steve, aiming at the distant red flag and swinging the club. Ruby¡¯s golf skills were taught by Steve. Steve was a top-notch golfer; although his apprentice Ruby hadn¡¯t surpassed him, she was an above-average player. The ball landed near the hole, rolled around twice, and then fell in. Unclear about Steve¡¯s attitude towards Ruby, Mr. Robbins instinctively looked at him. Steve stared at Ruby and, mimicking Mr.. Robbins¡¯ earlier actions, clapped a few times and praised earnestly, ¡°Nice shot!¡± Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Becoming More and More Sensible (10) Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Becoming More and More Sensible (10) Translator: 549690339 Seeing Steve Burton clapping, Mr. Robbins hurriedly clapped along, praising in unison, ¡°Ms. Gregory, that¡¯s amazing!¡± Ruby Gregory, being praised like this by two people, felt a little embarrassed. She thought about how she had to show her close relationship with Steve Burton in front of Mr. Robbins, so she glanced at him and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯s amazing, it¡¯s Steve who¡¯s amazing.¡± Apart from the time when she was anxious on the viewing platform and called him Steve once, she always called him Mr. Burton in her mouth. Now she calmly called him by his name, and the depths of Steve¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened when looking at Ruby. However, due to what Ruby said, Mr. Robbins was puzzled, ¡°Ms. Gregory hit a good ball, so how is it Mr. Burton who¡¯s amazing?¡± With a shy smile, Ruby said, ¡°It¡¯s Steve who taught me how to play.¡± Just now, Steve took the lead in clapping, and now it turns out that Ruby was taught by Steve. It seems that the woman with a deep relationship with Steve is not Olivia Foster but Ruby Gregory! Mr. Robbins continued throwing flattery, and it was a double hit, praising both Steve and Ruby, ¡°It¡¯s true that good teachers produce good students!¡± Good teachers produce good students? Unable to help smiling at the corners of his lips, Steve took the golf club, swung smoothly, and just as the club was about to hit the ball, he suddenly turned his wrist, hitting the ball far away from the hole. Despite hitting such a bad shot, Steve showed no embarrassment or shame on his face. Instead, he even had a leisurely smile. Although Steve said so, Mr. Robbins still noticed that Steve deliberately hit the ball off course just now. This was clearly him giving way to Ruby, just like how Mr. Robbins tried to please Steve earlier. Seeing Steve letting the ball go for Ruby¡¯s sake, Mr. Robbins dared not win anymore, and in order to please both Ruby and Steve at the same time, he didn¡¯t even aim at the ball when he swung the club this time. With a leisurely tone, Steve looked at Ruby who had just defeated both him and Mr. Robbins and said, ¡°My disciple has truly surpassed her teacher.¡± Steve casually handed the golf club to a nearby caddie, then took the bottled water handed over by the caddie, twisted off the cap, and naturally handed it to Ruby who was beside him. This action made Mr. Robbins even more certain that Ruby was much more liked by Steve than Olivia Foster. It seemed that his decision was wrong, but fortunately, he hadn¡¯t signed a contract yet. He had to contact Maxwell Gregory quickly. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to sell a favor to Ruby, ¡°Ms.. Gregory, is your father¡¯s health alright recently? I wonder when he¡¯ll have time to sign the contract for the next project collaboration?¡± Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Wanting Her to Love Me (1) Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Wanting Her to Love Me (1) Translator: 549690339 Mr. Robbins¡¯ words seemed to be aimed at both Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton, hinting that he hoped Steve would take good care of Ruby as a favor to the Gregorys, his business partners. Understanding the implications, Ruby¡¯s felt relieved that her goal had been achieved and her nervousness dissipated. She curved her lips: ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mr. Robbins, my dad is doing well.¡± In a great mood, Mr. Robbins turned to Steve and said: ¡°It¡¯s been a real pleasure playing golf today, and I¡¯m glad I bumped into Ms. Gregory. If not for her, I wouldn¡¯t have known that you were here, and who knows when we¡¯d have the chance to meet again.¡± Ruby met Mr. Robbins? Told him she was on the golf course as well? A hint of contemplation crossed Steve¡¯s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded politely at Mr. Robbins. Before leaving, Mr. Robbins didn¡¯t forget to build rapport, saying: ¡°Mr. Burton, I hope we¡¯ll have the chance to compare our golf skills in the future.¡± Steve only pressed his lips and shook hands with Mr. Robbins without saying a word. After Mr. Robbins left, Steve turned to look at Ruby, a trace of inquiry in his gaze. Ruby hadn¡¯t anticipated that Mr. Robbins¡¯ words would arouse suspicion in Steve¡¯s heart, and her face still held a shallow smile. Many doubts floated through Steve¡¯s mind. Was Ruby¡¯s sudden appearance at the golf course today coincidental or on purpose? She and Madeleine, being two girls, shouldn¡¯t be interested in the gentlemanly sport of golf, could it be that¡­ At this point, Steve didn¡¯t want to think any further. He was afraid of finding disappointment through further analysis. But despite that, his intuition told him that just now, all those beautiful moments were another fleeting deception. Ruby taking the initiative to talk to him, Ruby struggling when he held her and then giving up, Ruby volunteering to apply medicine for him¡­ It was just like when she had brought him late-night snacks when he was working overtime, her kindness towards him was eventually just to have a child. Steve¡¯s heart began to churn, and his hand clenched into a tight fist. Gradually, Ruby noticed that there was something off about Steve¡¯s gaze, and she put away her smile, raised her head, and looked at him with clear, crystal-like eyes. Looking at Ruby, from her eyebrows to her eyes, and then to her pale pink lips, the emotions she displayed on her face deceived him time and time again. He felt the waves in his chest rolling more fiercely, trying hard to suppress his anger. Even though some beautiful things may be brief and deceive him, they still make him want to work harder to maintain them just a little longer.. Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Wanting Her To Love Me (2) Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Wanting Her To Love Me (2) Translator: 549690339 No matter how hard Steve Burton tried to control himself, Ruby Gregory still faintly felt a hint of danger in the air. Her mind was racing, and she realized that the only thing she could have done to provoke him was to use him as part of her act today. But she had performed that play with perfect caution, and he shouldn¡¯t have noticed anything suspicious. Perhaps it was just her guilty conscience making her overthink things. With this thought, Ruby steadied her nerves. However, Steve¡¯s gaze was still fixed on her, making it hard for Ruby to calm herself down. Fortunately, Howard Coleman and Madeleine had finished playing golf with their clients, breaking the tense atmosphere between Steve and Ruby. Steve, Howard, and their clients had already arranged dinner earlier, and when they ¡°ran into¡± Madeleine and Ruby in the afternoon, it was only natural for them to eat together. Deep down, Ruby didn¡¯t want to join Steve for dinner but was afraid he might detect any inconsistency. So, when Madeleine didn¡¯t refuse the invitation, she followed suit. They chose the Grand Ciawell Restaurant for dinner. In the private room was a large round table made of red solid wood, and Ruby was cleverly seated next to Steve by Howard and Madeleine. As they took their seats, the conversation inevitably revolved around business matters. Ruby had nothing to contribute and would choose silence even if she could. Steve usually didn¡¯t talk much, but during social interactions, he would still make polite small talk with others. However, he was exceptionally silent tonight, from taking his seat and ordering food to lifting his wine glass and making toasts ¨C he barely spoke. During dinner, toasts were essential. In the past, Steve would only take symbolic sips of alcohol, but tonight, he drank every glass offered to him in one gulp. Compared to Ruby, Madeleine and Howard knew Steve much better. Howard noticed something was off with Steve¡¯s mood first, so he secretly gave Madeleine a look. Unable to figure out why Steve¡¯s mood had suddenly turned sour after spending a pleasant afternoon with Ruby on the golf course, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but worry about his health as he swallowed glass after glass of alcohol. Since Madeleine was sitting next to Ruby, she quietly reached out to nudge her and glanced at Steve. Ruby had also noticed how fiercely Steve was drinking tonight. Several times, she wanted to intervene but held back at the last minute. Now, given Madeleine¡¯s prompt, Ruby turned to look at Steve, moving her lips but making no sound. Under the table, Madeleine nudged Ruby¡¯s thigh again. Ruby pursed her lips, poured a glass of sour milk from the container in front of her, and silently pushed it towards Steve after he had downed yet another glass of alcohol.. Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Wanting Her to Love Me (3) Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Wanting Her to Love Me (3) Translator: 549690339 As Steve Burton set down his glass of alcohol on the table, he saw a cup of yogurt placed in front of him. He furrowed his brows slightly, tilting his head, and his eyes met Ruby Gregory¡¯s. ¡°Drinking too much alcohol will make you feel uncomfortable later ¨C drinking some yogurt will help.¡± Ruby bit her lip and added, ¡°Drink less; it¡¯s bad for your health. ¡± On the way to the hotel earlier, he had investigated and learned about the rumors that Mr. Robbins had recently been terminating contracts with Gregory¡¯s Enterprises and was working with Foster Enterprises. This information undoubtedly provided him with the best proof. It made him, who had already guessed the truth, unable to deceive himself. Ruby¡¯s appearance on the golf course was not a coincidence, but a scheme. Little did she know that a single word of concern from her was enough to make him happy for a long time. He yearned for her kindness, but also feared that her kindness had ulterior motives. Now, with her purpose settled, could he deceive himself into believing that her present concern for him was without any agenda or intention, and came from the heart? Steve¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed twice, then he reached out, picked up the yogurt, and drank half a cup in one gulp. Perhaps it was because of Ruby¡¯s words, but Steve didn¡¯t continue drinking like he did when he first sat down, recklessly pouring the alcohol down his throat. In the evening, Ruby liked to eat lighter dishes, but there were several people from Sichuan at the table who had ordered an array of spicy food. Finally, a waiter brought out a plate of mild pork ribs soup. As the dishes were passed around, every time the pork ribs soup reached Ruby, she would reach out and help herself. Steve noticed her pattern and, holding his glass of alcohol, tilted his head to whisper in Ruby¡¯s ear, ¡°Do the other dishes not suit your taste?¡± Ruby hadn¡¯t expected Steve to suddenly ask her this question. She shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m used to eating lighter dishes in the evening.¡± Ruby¡¯s words rendered Steve silent for a moment. He had known her for so many years, but it was only now that he learned her dietary habits. They had often eaten dinner together in the past, and he had frequently ordered greasy, spicy dishes for them, but he had never realized her preferences before; In front of him, she had always concealed her true self perfectly, without any flaws. Steve gazed intently at Ruby, his face near hers, his warm breath spraying on her face, causing her to feel increasingly uncomfortable. In the afternoon, she had been acting for Mr. Robbins and had forced herself to endure it. PS: Today¡¯s update is complete; I¡¯ll continue after waking up¨C Award-winning reader: (Chinese username) Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 274: Wanting Her to Love Me (4) Chapter 274: Chapter 274: Wanting Her to Love Me (4) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton stared intently at Ruby Gregory, his face very close to hers, and his warm breath sprayed on her face, making Ruby feel uncomfortable all over. In the afternoon, it was because she had to perform for Mr. Robbins, so she forced herself to endure it. But now, she felt as if her face was about to be burned by his breath, and for the third time, her heart began to pound with a mixture of excitement and shyness. This unfamiliar feeling made her wish she could stand up and run away immediately. Her breathing gradually became unstable, and her face began to redden. Seeing so many people around her, she feared her feelings would be revealed. She glanced anxiously at the pork ribs soup in front of her and remembered his question about why she only drank soup. She said casually, ¡°This soup is very light, would you like to try some?¡± Upon hearing Ruby¡¯s voice, Steve¡¯s long eyelashes flickered for a moment, and then he nodded at her, his response slightly gentle, ¡°Alright.¡± As soon as Steve agreed, Ruby quickly and subtly increased the distance between them by standing up. Only then did Ruby feel like she could breathe more smoothly, her facial expression becoming more relaxed. Steve¡¯s gaze never left Ruby, and with his heightened sensitivity, he could discern something from her expression, even though she tried her best to hide her feelings. It turned out that she had offered to serve him soup to avoid their uncomfortable closeness. At once, Steve¡¯s expression froze. When Ruby stood up, she grabbed her own bowl in haste. After pouring half a bowl of soup, she realized her mistake, called a waiter, and asked for a new bowl. The waiter politely brought a new bowl and asked, ¡°Would you like some soup?¡± As he reached out to serve the soup for Ruby, she reached out and took the bowl from his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡¯ The waiter stepped back with a smile. Steve observed all this silently, his face expressionless. Ruby poured the soup slowly, taking her time. Finally, she finished and took a deep breath, then slowly returned to her seat with the soup in her hand. She turned and smiled as she offered the bowl to Steve. Steve glanced at the soup in the bowl without moving his gaze, looked up at Ruby, and showed no intention of reaching out to take it.. Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Wanting Her to Love Me (5) Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Wanting Her to Love Me (5) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart suddenly rose, her gaze at Steve Burton became somewhat anxious. Fortunately, Steve did not look at her for long, and extended his hand towards her. Ruby subtly let out a sigh of relief, but her relief was short-lived, as Steve¡¯s hand reaching for the bowl was directly covering hers. Ruby¡¯s heart tightened, she instinctively wanted to pull her hand back, but Steve calmly acted in line with her hand and brought the bowl to his mouth. The palm of her hand felt the warmth of the soup, and the back of her hand felt the burning heat from Steve¡¯s palm. Ruby felt as if her hand was on fire, tormented. Ruby was praying in her heart for Steve to finish the soup quickly, but ironically, it was as if Steve had seen through her thoughts, and in opposition to her, he sipped the soup slowly. Ruby felt the fire in her hand starting to spread along her arm, burning all the way to her heart, she eventually could not help but open her mouth, trying to find an excuse to break free from Steve¡¯s restraint: ¡°I¡¯ll go get some more soup.¡± Steve obviously knew that Ruby was trying to avoid him. Was she really so unwilling to have skin contact with him? Steve glanced at the half bowl of soup in the ceramic bowl in front of Ruby, looked down at his own bowl which still had over half of the soup, thinking ironically that he would not grant her wish, so he still held her hand, handing the bowl to her, saying, ¡°There¡¯s still plenty left, drink it all if you like.¡± As he spoke, Steve moved the ceramic bowl towards Ruby¡¯s mouth. Did he want to feed her the soup himself? Ruby looked up in surprise, looking at Steve, ¡°I can help myself to the soup.¡± Steve tightened his grip on her hand, but his gaze turned icy: ¡°There¡¯s plenty left here, it would be a waste not to drink it.¡¯ In the depths of Ruby¡¯s heart, she had always avoided upsetting Steve, but ironically, every time she ended up making him unhappy. Not that she was unwilling to be close to Steve, in the past, she had never felt so restrained and uneasy in front of him. Ever since that night three years ago, he seemed to have become a different person. After returning to the country, he constantly criticised her for various reasons, and over time, she had developed a habit of becoming uncontrollably tense in his presence. Now his gaze suddenly turned ice cold, her only thought was that Steve would definitely be mercilessly angry. The more she thought this way, the more she wanted to get away from Steve, and so, her words diverged more and more from Steve¡¯s intentions: ¡°I can do it myself. ¡± As she spoke, Ruby extended her other hand, wanting to take the soup bowl from Steve¡¯s hand, hoping to free her other hand from his grip that was making it go numb.. Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Wanting Her to Love Me (6) Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Wanting Her to Love Me (6) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s face grew even more somber, and his tone bitingly sharp, ¡°Just drink it when I tell you to! Why so much backtalk?!¡± In the past, whenever Burton took such a tone with her, she experienced nothing but unpleasantness. Now his words filled her with increasing fear, so much so she couldn¡¯t even make further excuses. With complete terror on her face, she prepared herself to drink the soup. Burton was the one feeding her the soup. Ruby Gregory tried her hardest to mask her unwillingness, but the thought of Burton watching her take a sip, coupled with his bad mood, made it taste almost repulsive. After only managing two spoonfuls, she couldn¡¯t take any more and started to choke. Her face turning red with embarrassment, she turned away from Burton and started coughing. ¡°I feed you the soup, and you find it this hard to swallow!¡± Burton¡¯s voice was icy cold. Ruby hurriedly shook her head, too scared to even cough any longer. Burton just sneered, didn¡¯t even bother to look at her, turned away, holding her hand and placed the porcelain bowl on the table. However, he didn¡¯t show any signs of letting go of her hand. Ruby, who usually couldn¡¯t stand being around Burton, became even more terrified seeing his current gloomy disposition. A cold sweat broke out across her back. Ruby¡¯s heart was pounding heavily. Unable to repress herself, she finally whispered, ¡°I need to go to the restroom.¡± Burton outright ignored her, as he took a cup of alcohol in his other hand and elegantly started to sip it, whilst chatting with guests seated at their table. Ruby feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles, was unsure if Burton had even heard her. She mustered up courage and repeated, after Burton had finished his drink, in a soft voice, ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡¯ With a smile still present on his face as he was talking to a client, Burton paused slightly yet casually. He gestured to the waiter to fill his glass with alcohol and continued to ignore Ruby¡¯s pleading. Ruby could not muster the courage to speak for the third time. Her hand that was held by Burton stiffened. She swallowed hard and turned to face Madeleine, whispering, ¡°Madeleine, do you want to use the restroom?¡± The conversation between Ruby and Burton held in hushed whispers, had been inaudible to the others. Madeleine, having only seen Burton holding Ruby¡¯s hand and feeding her soup, did not suspect anything and assumed Ruby wanted her company. She stood and agreed, ¡°ok.¡± Accompanied by Madeleine, Ruby felt a bit more courageous and turned to Burton once more to softly utter, ¡°Madeleine and I are going to the restroom.¡± Burton heard every word of the conversation between Ruby and Madeleine.. Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Wanting Her to Love Me (7) Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Wanting Her to Love Me (7) Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Ruby Gregory say for the third time that she wanted to leave, the smile on Steve Burton¡¯s face disappeared completely. Ruby clearly felt that the atmosphere around Steve Burton had become chillingly cold. Her intuition as a woman told her that she was really in great danger at this moment, and she hurriedly stood up, trying to free her hand from Steve¡¯s. Steve, who had been holding her hand, suddenly released it when he felt her struggle, grabbed a bowl with some soup left in it from beside him, and furiously threw it at the wall. The bowl shattered upon impact, splattering soup everywhere, leaving wet marks along the previously pristine white walls. As everyone at the table had had alcohol, their ability to observe was somewhat dulled, and although Steve was unhappy, he covered it up quite quickly. No one at the table noticed anything amiss. But now that Steve had suddenly smashed the bowl, the atmosphere in the room became instantly still. Everyone first exchanged glances, then set down their glasses, their eyes falling on the dark look on Steve¡¯s face. Confusion clouded everyone¡¯s eyes, but no one dared to ask what was going on. Howard Coleman and Madeleine caught each other¡¯s eye, and even though they didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened, the panicked look in Ruby¡¯s eyes gave them a vague idea. In this world, the only person who could make Steve lose control and his composure was Ruby. Fearing that Steve would lash out at Ruby in front of everyone, Madeleine surreptitiously urged Howard to do something. Understanding Madeleine¡¯s meaning, Howard quickly stood up, raising his glass with a warm smile for the room, saying, ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience. I will arrange a better gathering for everyone another day.¡± Everyone present understood the meaning of Howard¡¯s words. Everyone raised their glasses one after another, making excuses about having things to take care of at home, having drunk too much already, or having plans to meet with friends later, and then drank their glasses empty and left the room. Soon, only Steve, Ruby, Howard, Madeleine, and two waiters remained in the room. Howard gave the waiters a look, and they tactfully left, even considerately closing the door of the private room behind them. The room was eerily quiet. No one spoke. After a while, Steve kicked back his chair, stood up, took his coat, and casually draped it over his arm. He glanced at Ruby: ¡°Come with me.¡± As he spoke, he extended his hand towards Ruby. Ruby was already scared, and upon seeing his gesture, instinctively stepped back. Steve¡¯s face darkened in an instant: ¡°I didn¡¯t see you being so eager to avoid me at the golf course this afternoon..¡± Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Wanting Her to Love Me (8) Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Wanting Her to Love Me (8) Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Steve Burton¡¯s words, Ruby Gregory suddenly looked up, instinctively glancing at Madeleine. Madeleine¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as well. What did her brother mean by saying that? Could he know about the little tricks she and Ruby Gregory played this afternoon? Ruby had the same thought, and her heart grew more and more uneasy. She lowered her eyes, feeling an increasingly ominous premonition. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Steve Burton chuckled lightly, and his voice sounded like icy snow that never melts, ¡°Do I need to make a call to Mr. Robbins and have him come over before you know how to speak up?¡± If Ruby Gregory and Madeleine had only been doubtful before, now, after hearing Steve Burton¡¯s words, they were certain: he knew. Ruby¡¯s hand clutched into a fist without her realizing it. In her mind, she wondered how Steve Burton found out. She instinctively lifted her head to see the darkness on Steve¡¯s face, akin to the gloom that precedes a storm. Howard Coleman and Madeleine both knew that three years ago, Ruby was like a plaything to Steve Burton, discarded after he had slept with her. They also knew how much he despised her. But Ruby still wanted to maintain a shred of her dignity in front of them, not letting them see Steve Burton¡¯s disgust and mockery towards her. No matter how afraid Ruby felt inwardly, and how much she wanted to escape, she still summoned the courage to apologize to Steve Burton, ¡°It¡¯s all my¡­¡± Madeleine knew that Ruby had a place in Steve Burton¡¯s heart, but she was unsure if Steve truly loved Ruby. If he did love her, then why had he been so cruel to Ruby three years ago? However, as a friend to Ruby, Madeleine had always known that Ruby wanted to marry Steve Burton. Madeleine did not know Ruby¡¯s true motive for marrying Steve. She thought it was because Ruby loved Steve and had him in her heart. In Madeleine¡¯s mind, she had always wanted to help Ruby, and would not hesitate to stand up for her when danger came their way. Like now, even though she had also participated in this afternoon¡¯s events, Ruby was the mastermind behind it all. Madeleine had observed earlier in the afternoon that when Steve and Ruby were together, Steve seemed to be in a good mood. However, she had now discovered that Ruby had an ulterior motive at the time. Madeleine wondered how Steve would find ways to make Ruby suffer! Upon seeing Ruby start to admit her guilt, Madeleine blurted out without thinking, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t blame Ruby. What happened this afternoon was all my idea.¡± Ruby¡¯s words lodged in her throat as she gazed at Madeleine in surprise. Madeleine stared at Steve Burton, swallowing hard, ¡°It was my idea that I suggested to Ruby. If you want to blame someone, blame me..¡± Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Wanting Her to Love Me (9) Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Wanting Her to Love Me (9) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s gaze fell directly on Madeleine, the look in his eyes sharp and piercing, like two knives. Madeleine was somewhat disconcerted by Steve¡¯s stare, but she was more worried about Ruby Gregory being unharmed. Even if she had angered Steve, the worst he would do to her was vent his anger and not make things too difficult for her. But if it was Ruby¡­ Madeleine remembered the time when she received a call from Steve and went to deliver clothes to Ruby late at night. At that time, Ruby¡¯s clothes were torn, her body covered in bruises, her face completely devoid of color. Back then, Ruby was like a broken doll without a soul. Madeleine gritted her teeth secretly and without any hesitation said, ¡°Brother, whether you believe it or not, this was really my idea. Mr. Robbins wanted to terminate the partnership with the Gregorys, who are now on the verge of bankruptcy and can only rely on a few clients to survive. It was because of you and Olivia Foster¡¯s opening dance at the Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ press conference that Mr. Robbins chose to work with the Fosters. I didn¡¯t want to see Ruby in trouble, so I have devised such a plan. Besides, Mr. Robbins would usually avoid the Gregorys, so how would they know about his whereabouts?¡± ¡°It was all my arrangement: I took Ruby to the golf course, I took her to meet you guys, I diverted the clients so that she could be alone with you.¡± The more Steve heard Madeleine¡¯s words, the uglier his expression became. He naturally knew there was some truth in Madeleine¡¯s words and that she was partly taking the blame for him. But he also knew that without Madeleine¡¯s help, Ruby¡¯s little trick that afternoon would never have succeeded! No matter what problems that woman encountered, she had never asked him for help, choosing instead to exploit him secretly. It was a far cry from the afternoon when he had praised her for being more sensible, but everything had turned out to be nothing more than a sham! When her goal was achieved, she couldn¡¯t wait to find an excuse to avoid holding his hand! As for Madeleine¡­ Even though she knew Ruby was taking advantage of him, she was still wholeheartedly helping her! A trace of fury surfaced in Steve¡¯s eyes as he glared at Madeleine and said menacingly, ¡°Ruby doesn¡¯t regard me, and now it seems you are following her in being thoughtless, aren¡¯t you?¡± Steve paused, turned his head, and looked at Ruby. When he was angry, he had always been ruthless in his words. Now, when he addressed Ruby, his words were even more vicious, showing her no mercy, ¡°And you, it¡¯s bad enough that you¡¯re deceitful and repulsive, but don¡¯t drag Madeleine into your wicked ways!¡± Ruby¡¯s body trembled violently, her face instantly losing all color. Steve actually called her deceitful and repulsive right in front of Madeleine and Howard Coleman! She instinctively lowered her eyes to hide the hurt in them. PS: Today¡¯s update is done, it will continue tonight, congratulations to the award-winning author: The Female Tomboy Lost to the Pretentious Cute Girl. Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Wanting Her to Love Me (10) Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Wanting Her to Love Me (10) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s body shuddered violently, and the color drained from her face in an instant. Steve Burton actually cursed her for being hypocritical and disgusting in front of Madeleine and Howard Coleman! She lowered her eyes habitually, hiding the pain in them. Her hand, silently clenched, forced herself not to think about what look would emerge in Howard and Madeleine¡¯s eyes as they stared at her at this very moment. She knew she had done something wrong to him in the afternoon, but she had no choice. She couldn¡¯t bear to watch her parents worry and do nothing. Madeleine looked at Ruby¡¯s bowed head and the pale little face that was barely visible, and a pang of pain rose in her heart. Without thinking, she blurted out, ¡°Brother, I already said it was my fault, why do you have to scold Ruby? Brother, your words are too harsh! If you¡¯re upset or unhappy, just scold me! How can you let Ruby suffer such injustice!¡± Steve Burton glanced coldly at the annoyed Madeleine, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t think that helping someone who has nothing to do with me take advantage of me will earn my indulgence. Go home and pack your things now, go and stay in the overseas company, and don¡¯t stay in the country to learn nothing but mischief from her!¡± After that, Steve turned to Howard Coleman and said, ¡°It¡¯s best if you all don¡¯t try any tricks on me. Without my permission, no one is allowed to let Madeleine come back! ¡± Finishing, Steve Burton gave Ruby Gregory a fierce sideways glance. The seemingly pale woman stood there with her eyes downcast and lips pursed. She was already small and frail, looking somewhat pitiful. However, her face was calm and devoid of any signs of grievance. Steve¡¯s gaze lingered on Ruby¡¯s face for a moment, recalling Madeleine¡¯s angry words from just before. Madeleine said he had gone too far, and that he had been treating Ruby unfairly! Unfair? A touch of mockery emerged at the bottom of Steve¡¯s heart, even directed at himself. In their relationship, outsiders always saw him as the one treating her unfairly. But who knew how much she had wronged him all this time? In just a split second, Steve collected all his thoughts, coldly withdrew his gaze from Ruby¡¯s face, and walked directly towards the door of the private room. The door opened, the door closed, and Steve Burton left. There was a two-second silence in the private room, and then the tension eased. Madeleine glanced at Howard Coleman before walking over to Ruby and cautiously said, ¡°Ruby, my brother¡¯s just like that. His words might be harsh, but he doesn¡¯t really mean it..¡± Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 281: I Want Her to Love Me (11) Chapter 281: Chapter 281: I Want Her to Love Me (11) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory¡¯s body stiffened, and she regained her composure. At this moment, she would rather not accept Madeleine¡¯s comfort. Because she hoped that her mocked and despised appearance wouldn¡¯t be seen by Madeleine. Before, she didn¡¯t feel like she couldn¡¯t lift her head in front of Madeleine, but now, she didn¡¯t have the courage to look at Madeleine, afraid of seeing sympathy in her eyes. Moreover, Steve Burton kept saying that Madeleine was led astray by her and sent Madeleine abroad¡­ Ruby¡¯s expression tightened, soon it would be Mid-Autumn Festival, and Madeleine would spend it alone abroad? Whatever Steve Burton did to her was fine, but she didn¡¯t want to drag Madeleine down. Thinking of this, Ruby didn¡¯t even glance at Madeleine, and instead rushed towards the door. Her hurried pace didn¡¯t bother with Madeleine¡¯s shouting behind her. Ruby chased out of the Grand Ciawell Restaurant and saw Steve Burton getting into the car. She hailed a taxi from the side, asking the driver to follow Steve Burton¡¯s car. The nighttime traffic in the capital city was smooth, and because there were no traffic jams, the taxi driver didn¡¯t lose sight of Steve Burton¡¯s car. Steve Burton didn¡¯t return to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, but to a high-end residential area in the city center. He was dropped off by his driver at the entrance of the upscale apartment complex. Ruby asked the taxi driver to stop a few dozen meters away, paid the fare, and followed Burton out of the cab. Steve Burton¡¯s car happened to drive away, and he turned around, heading towards the gates of the complex. Ruby quickly followed, calling out just before he swiped his card to enter the compound: ¡°Mr. Burton¡­¡± Steve Burton¡¯s card-swiping motion paused for a moment, but he didn¡¯t look back at Ruby. Instead, he pushed open the security gate and walked in. Ruby didn¡¯t have an access card for the compound and couldn¡¯t get in. She came here to persuade Steve Burton to change his mind about sending Madeleine abroad. Without any hesitation, Ruby rushed forward, blocking the slowly closing security door, and followed Steve Burton into the complex. Steve Burton knew that Ruby was closely following him, but he didn¡¯t make a sound and didn¡¯t look back. Steve Burton entered the code for the building and walked inside, with Ruby still sneaking in before the door closed. Steve Burton pressed the elevator button, walked inside, and Ruby hesitated for a moment before following him. There were only the two of them in the elevator. Steve Burton stood straight in the center of the elevator, looking straight ahead. Ruby stood in the right corner of the elevator, occasionally sneaking a glance at Steve Burton. It was only when the elevator door opened and Steve Burton prepared to leave that Ruby knew she had to speak up, or else she would have no chance once Steve Burton entered his home.. Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Wanting Her to Love Me (12) Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Wanting Her to Love Me (12) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory finally gathered up the courage to speak again, ¡°Mr. Burton, the incident with Mr. Robbins this afternoon was all my fault. Madeleine was afraid¡­ In fact, regardless of whether Madeleine helped her or not, Steve Burton would have scolded her like that. Ruby Gregory pressed her lips together tightly, lowered her eyelids, and said softly, ¡°Madeleine was afraid that you would make things difficult for me, so she said it was her idea. Therefore, please don¡¯t let her go abroad. The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up soon¡­¡± At this point, Ruby¡¯s eyes became somewhat unfocused. Being alone abroad during Chinese New Year and Mid -Autumn Festival, which are times for reunions, one would experience endless loneliness and solitude. During those three years abroad, she would hide in her room all day during those two holidays without coming out. She missed China, her mom and dad, and her home. However, it seemed like Steve Burton didn¡¯t hear what Ruby Gregory said at all. He entered the password for his front door by himself, reached out, and opened the door. He didn¡¯t close the door but stood in the foyer area to take off his shoes. His movements were slow, and he waited until Ruby Gregory dawdled to the front entrance before bending down to put his shoes on the shoe rack beside him. He slowly turned around and reached out to close the door. Ruby Gregory reflexively reached out, holding the door against her, and said through the half-open door to Steve Burton inside, ¡°If you want to punish someone, punish me. I can leave Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± Steve said that he himself had spoiled Madeleine, so if she left Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, there would be less contact between them. As Steve Burton inside the house heard Ruby Gregory say she would leave Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, his eyes darkened abruptly, and he directly increased the strength in his hands. Ruby Gregory¡¯s strength was no match for Steve Burton. Despite pushing the door with all her strength, she could still see it closing slowly. In the urgency, she said, ¡°How about this? You let Madeleine stay in Ciawell, and I will go abroad. I¡¯ll go in her place.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s strength in his hands disappeared instantly, like air leaking from a punctured balloon. Ruby Gregory put in a little too much effort and pushed the door wide open. Ruby Gregory hesitated and then gently furrowed her eyebrows. Had Steve Burton agreed to her proposition? Then she felt a sense of heaviness in her heart that she couldn¡¯t explain. Did Steve Burton want her to go abroad? Indeed, how could he possibly want to see her every day when he hates and despises her so much? She couldn¡¯t explain why, but Ruby Gregory felt suffocated. She looked up at Steve Burton, who was much taller than her, and after a long time, she moved her lips to say, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t come back without your permission.¡± As soon as Ruby Gregory finished speaking, Steve Burton, who was standing in the foyer area, reached out and slammed the door shut forcefully.. Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 283: Wanting Her to Love Me (13) Chapter 283: Chapter 283: Wanting Her to Love Me (13) Translator: 549690339 Steve¡¯s sudden move was completely unexpected. Ruby only felt a strong gust of wind coming towards her face, and then with a ¡°bang,¡± the door in front of her closed heavily. Subconsciously, Ruby took two steps back, looking at the closed door in front of her, unable to fathom Steve¡¯s series of reactions. What did they mean? Just when she mentioned going abroad for Madeleine, he opened the door, clearly indicating that he was open to discussing the matter with her. But after hearing her assurance, he angrily slammed the door shut. Ruby frowned, wondering if Steve had agreed to her proposal of going abroad on Madeleine¡¯s behalf and decided to avoid dealing with her altogether. Was that it? Ruby¡¯s gaze dimmed slightly as she lowered her eyes, standing at the door for a moment before turning to walk to the elevator. Ruby raised her hand to press the elevator button, and in less than half a minute, a ¡°ding¡± sound came from the elevator. The elevator doors slowly opened in front of Ruby. Just as Ruby was about to lift her foot and step into the elevator, the door behind her was suddenly yanked open with force. Instinctively, Ruby turned her head back. Before she could fully see the scene in front of her, Steve grabbed her arm, forcefully dragging her into his home. He kicked the door closed with one foot, turned around, and stared at Ruby¡¯s face with an icy cold voice as he lashed out, ¡°Ruby Gregory, is that what you truly think deep down inside?¡± Ruby was dumbfounded by Steve¡¯s question, and her eyes revealed a hint of puzzlement. An angry veil covered Steve¡¯s handsome face, making his breath slightly unstable. He tightly stared at Ruby for a long time, suddenly grabbed her wrist, and dragged her into the living room, pushing her onto the couch. Ruby fell heavily, feeling slightly dizzy. Before she could regain her senses, Steve abruptly leaned over her, stretching his hand to grip her chin. Perhaps due to his extreme anger, the corners of his lips curled with a hint of a smile, terrifying to look at. His voice quivered slightly when he spoke, ¡°Ruby Gregory, do you want to go abroad that much?¡± Ruby had never seen Steve like this before, furious yet seemingly afraid. She dumbly shook her head, and then Steve suddenly ripped her clothes apart. She shivered all over, and the man¡¯s clenched teeth and hissing voice came again, ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager to go abroad, why did you come back? Why didn¡¯t you just die overseas?¡± With gritted teeth, Steve fiercely entered Ruby¡¯s body. His action was direct and intense, making Ruby feel as if her entire being was being torn apart. She was in so much pain that she almost passed out.. Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Wanting Her to Love Me (14) Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Wanting Her to Love Me (14) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory subconsciously wanted to grasp something underneath her, but the real leather sofa, no matter how hard she tried, resisted her grip, leaving her to ball her hands into fists. Her body involuntarily became taut. Seeing her rigidness, Steve Burton could not help but exert more pressure, his words still echoing with monumental anger: ¡°Ruby Gregory, who do you think you are, having the audacity to bargain with me! Moreover, does Madeleine need you to plead for her?¡± As Ruby tried to ignore her bodily pain, upon hearing Steve¡¯s words, her mind began to furiously analyze their meaning. Apparently, his anger stemmed from her thoughtless attempt to intercede on Madeleine¡¯s behalf. Indeed, he was right. Madeleine, to him, was akin to a sister, even without the bonds of blood, and shared a bond as close as kin. Madeleine didn¡¯t need her to plead for him. His anger was momentary, and his scolding of Madeleine insignificant¡ªwho would take such things to heart? Not like her¡­ once upon a time, she also thought she was like Madeleine, a sister he would protect and cherish. When she was young, she often called him ¡°Brother Steve¡±. Madeleine, noticing his kindness towards her, would playfully complain of his favoritism: ¡°Big brother is always biased towards Ruby!¡± Back then, she believed that she was the most favored one in Steve¡¯s heart. Now, looking back, all these were just her wishful thoughts. ¡°Or do you just want to stay away from me?¡± After Steve asked this question, his movements became even wilder, as if he wanted to vent all his anger on Ruby. Studying abroad¡­ her proposal for Madeleine to study abroad ws just her innermost desire to get away! Without the Gregorys, she wouldn¡¯t come back from Costa Luna. Her kindness and efforts to please him were all for the sake of the Gregorys. No one knew how he was intoxicated with her kindness towards him. Every time she showed kindness to him, he felt a fleeting joy and happiness. But in the end, he discovered it was all a deception. Time and time again, he never learned his lesson from her. Because he always fantasized that her kindness to him came from her heart. But, that never happened. The more Steve thought about it, the angrier he became, and his strength increased. The pain stretched time, rendering it unbearably long. Just when Ruby slowly began to lose consciousness, Steve suddenly moved away from her and headed upstairs. Steve took a bath, washing off all scent of Ruby from his body, changed his clothes, and began walking down the stairs. PS: I will continue updating at around four or five in the afternoon. I¡¯ll try to finish writing before ten at night from now on.. I don¡¯t want to stay up late anymore, otherwise, your dear author may just drop dead from exhaustion Woe is me. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Wanting Her to Love Me (15) Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Wanting Her to Love Me (15) Translator: 549690339 The room was dead silent, with only the echo of Steve Burton¡¯s footsteps, which eventually stopped in front of the sofa. Steve¡¯s gaze slowly fell upon Ruby Gregory, who was curled up on the sofa, looking disheveled. The woman¡¯s head was turned toward the inside of the sofa, her shoulders trembling slightly as if she were crying. Steve¡¯s brow furrowed fiercely, his heart feeling like it was being tightly grasped by something, accompanied by intense pain and a crazed joy. He stared at her for a moment, swallowed, then slowly leaned down, raised his hand, gripped Ruby¡¯s chin, and pulled her face out of the sofa. The face of Ruby that Steve saw was, apart from being pale, just as usual, without the slightest trace of tears. Ha, was he delusional? She didn¡¯t even care about him, so how could she feel sad by his actions? Steve¡¯s eyes were tinged with a touch of laughter, and he spoke in a voice that was cold as ice, ¡°Ruby Gregory, you really have guts. You seem to care about me, but in reality, you never did. Last time, I made you take contraceptives; this time, you made Madeleine go abroad. I wonder what tricks you¡¯ll pull next!¡± Ruby shuddered violently. Steve slightly increased the pressure on her chin, ¡°Just remember, if I have the power to let the Gregorys survive, I also have the power to let the Gregorys perish!¡± Ruby¡¯s face showed panic, as if she had heard something terrifying. Her closed eyes were trembling violently, as if she had been truly frightened by Steve¡¯s words. Steve looked at Ruby¡¯s expression and realized that his words had gone too far. Wasn¡¯t this woman always saying she wanted to go abroad? What if she really ran away because of his words? Steve¡¯s lips moved slightly, wanting to say something to remedy the situation, but he couldn¡¯t swallow his pride. In the end, he coldly released Ruby¡¯s chin and, without waiting for her reaction, strode towards the door. As he opened the door, Steve hesitated for a moment, but still left a sentence: ¡°Since you want to use me to save Gregory¡¯s Enterprises, think about what I really want! And what exactly should you give me in return!¡± After finishing, the door was slammed shut forcefully by Steve. Ruby¡¯s entire body became like a puddle of mud, completely drained of strength. No matter how he mocked her or scolded her, this time, he had used the Gregorys to threaten her. She approached him to save the Gregorys, but didn¡¯t expect that, in the end, she almost ruined the Gregorys. Just as Ruby was disoriented from the fear of Steve¡¯s words, her phone suddenly rang. It took a lot of effort for Ruby to reach her phone and see the caller ID displaying her Dad¡¯s name.. Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Wanting Her to Love Me (16) Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Wanting Her to Love Me (16) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory paused before answering the call, trying her best to keep her voice steady. ¡°Dad,¡± she said. From the other end of the line came Maxwell Gregory¡¯s voice, tinged with happiness. ¡°Ruby, Mr. Robbins contacted me for dinner and even signed a contract with me.¡± Originally, this was what Ruby wanted to happen. But now that the goal had been achieved, she felt no joy. Lowering her eyes, she deliberately asked with a relaxed tone, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Ruby, what method did you use to get Mr. Robbins to contact me proactively? And he even invited me out for dinner tonight.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t any special method¡­¡± Before Ruby could finish, Maxwell interrupted her excitedly. ¡°Ruby, Mr. Robbins mentioned Steve during dinner, and he even said that when I become successful, I must not forget his help¡­¡± Maxwell paused for a moment, his voice slightly tentative but confident as he asked, ¡°Ruby, did Steve help out?¡± Ruby hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I was worried that your relationship with Steve was too stable, it seems I was overthinking. Ruby, you absolutely cannot make any mistakes with Steve again. ¡± Ruby lowered her eyelids, glancing at the mess covering her body. Swallowing hard, she obediently responded ¡°yes¡± to her father on the phone. At the end of her reply, a misty layer formed in the depths of her eyes. Her father on the phone seemed genuinely happy, first asking if she had eaten, then repeatedly reminding her not to make Steve angry, to take care of him, and so on, before hanging up. Only after putting down the phone did Ruby raise her hand, wiping away the tears she¡¯d been holding back at the corner of her eyes. She then curled up on the cold marble floor, hugging her knees and burying her head between her legs. Since childhood, whenever she wanted to do something, she¡¯d always do it well. In middle school, when she wanted to win first place in a jump rope competition, she put a lot of effort into learning and ultimately succeeded. Later, she wanted to excel in calligraphy, asking her father to find a famous teacher to mentor her, just as she wished, and she won the best calligrapher award. In high school, she saw a celestial dance on TV and went on to learn it, winning the applause of the whole school at the Gala Party at the end of the year. But nobody knew that she had been told since childhood that she must do her best in one thing, and that was to marry Steve Burton. She had been trying her best all along, but found that with this one thing, she just couldn¡¯t do it well; in fact, the more she tried, the worse she became. In front of him, she was nothing but a pitiful creature who always sacrificed herself for others.. Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Wanting Her to Love Me (17) Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Wanting Her to Love Me (17) Translator: 549690339 Now, even the Gregorys are involved, it¡¯s truly a case of making things worse. Ruby Gregory sighed softly. Even though she was tired and sleepy, her mind was still spinning non-stop. Suddenly, she remembered the words Steve Burton had left her with before he left. ¡°If you want to save Gregory¡¯s Enterprises by relying on me, then think about what I really want! And what you should give me in return!¡± Ruby went over these words in her mind several times, first surprised that Steve knew she wanted to save the Gregorys by relying on him. Then, her eyes sparkled with excitement, as her heart jumped wildly, even more exuberant than when she found out Steve had been helping her behind the scenes. Steve said to think about what he wanted and what she should give him in return! Did that mean, as long as she gave him what he wanted, he would marry her? Ruby¡¯s heartbeat sped up, and her hands unconsciously clenched into fists as her breathing grew rapid. Marrying Steve was not impossible, but rather, it was the most hopeful prospect. If that man didn¡¯t want to marry her at all, why would he bother saying those words to her? So, his anger and disdain towards her all this time wasn¡¯t because of disgust, but because she never gave him what he truly wanted? Ruby furrowed her brows slightly. But what did Steve want? The alcohol Steve had drunk that night had mostly worn off after several hours of tossing and turning. He went to the basement, started a car, and sped out of the apartment building. Steve didn¡¯t know where he wanted to go, so he just casually drove through the streets. Just as he was approaching the Third Ring, he received a call from Howard Coleman. ¡°Bro, are you really going to send Madeleine abroad?¡± ¡°Let Madeleine go abroad for a month.¡± After saying this, Steve was about to hang up the phone, but added: ¡°No one is allowed to leak this information.¡± If Madeleine doesn¡¯t leave, where would Ruby learn her lesson? It¡¯s important to remember that that woman had even taken the contraceptive pills he gave her without gaining any wisdom after the fact. ¡°Got it, got it. I¡¯ll definitely tell everyone that Madeleine angered the big boss and got banished to live abroad forever alone,¡± Howard joked. ¡°Bullshit!¡± Steve cursed and heard faint singing coming through the phone. He casually asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°At The Sapphire Bistro.¡± Howard answered immediately then ingratiatingly asked, ¡°Bro, want to come over? The Sapphire Bistro got a lot of beautiful new girls today, all young and fresh.¡± ¡°Get lost, no one is as shameless as you!¡± Steve scolded him and hung up the phone. The car drove a little further, then he made a U-turn, heading towards The Sapphire Bistro.. Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 288: Wanting Her to Love Me (18) Chapter 288: Chapter 288: Wanting Her to Love Me (18) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton arrived at The Sapphire Bistro, only to find Howard Coleman, Russell Henris, Edward Woods, and Madeleine present. There were two hostesses in the private room. Howard was wearing a provocative white suit with two buttons undone on his black shirt, revealing his sexy collarbone. He was holding the two hostesses while singing enthusiastically in front of the karaoke machine. In front of Russell was a thick stack of files. Even in such a loud and colorful environment, he was still able to concentrate and deal with work matters professionally. Madeleine and Edward Woods were playing drinking games with dice. Madeleine seemed to be in a bad mood, glanced at Steve, didn¡¯t greet him, and looked at Howard playing with the two young hostesses. Then she quickly lowered her gaze, shaking the dice container absentmindedly. Steve thought Madeleine was not happy because he had lost his temper with Ruby Gregory the other day. As he walked by Madeleine, he reached out and patted her head. Madeleine looked up and pouted, mumbled, ¡°Brother,¡± and looked at Howard again. Steve sat next to Russell, picked up a new wine glass on the table, poured himself a drink, took a sip, glanced at the financial report on Russell¡¯s knee and realized it was this past week¡¯s report. Steve took another sip and asked, ¡°How many percentage points did it increase?¡± ¡°Forty-five, not as good as the previous week.¡± Russell answered Steve¡¯s question in seconds, closed the report, took a sip of his drink, glanced at Steve, and jokingly said, ¡°But no matter how bad it gets, it¡¯s all better than Ruby Gregory¡¯s second week at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises: that month¡¯s revenue was negative.¡± Steve could clearly tell that Russell was making fun of the incident when he called off the deal because Ruby had twisted her ankle. He hooked his lip, smiled faintly, raised his wine glass without a word, and took a leisurely sip. Russell waited for Steve to put down his wine glass, then calmly asked, ¡°I heard you had a quarrel with Ruby today?¡± Speaking of this, Russell deliberately corrected himself: ¡°Oh, no, not a quarrel, you scolded Ruby, and young Madeleine was bullied as well?¡± Steve glanced at Russell without saying anything, and before he could speak, Russell seemed to know what Steve was going to ask and said, ¡°Howard told me.¡± ¡°Howard sure likes to gossip,¡± Steve said in a low voice. Russell didn¡¯t reply. He slowly savored the wine in his glass and then said, ¡°Steve, I heard you were very harsh to Ruby today.¡± PS: That¡¯s all for today, see you tomorrow during the day¨C Actually, Ruby feels wronged, and Brother Steve also feels wronged. It¡¯s all the fault of the author, who is a big devil.. Big devil, stand up, and I promise I won¡¯t beat you to death! Congratulations to the winning readers: of the show VS I¡¯m really not a villain Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Wanting Her to Love Me (19) Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Wanting Her to Love Me (19) Translator: 549690339 Rusell Henris didn¡¯t speak right away, slowly savoring the alcohol in his cup before finally breaking the silence, ¡°Steve, I heard you said some pretty harsh things to Ruby today.¡± They ranked amongst themselves by settling disputes through fights. Rusell was second only to Steve Burton. Steve often gave Rusell a lot of respect, so Rusell rarely addressed Steve as ¡®brother¡¯ in front of him. Steve¡¯s eyes flickered but remained silent. His gaze focused on the young man and woman on the large screen playing an MTV video in the cabin, the alternating red and green lights of the room adding a profound beauty to his face. Rusell swirled the alcohol in his hand, and followed Steve¡¯s line of sight to the large screen. Only when Howard Coleman¡¯s howling in falsetto switched to a low, soft singing voice did Rusell start speaking again, ¡°You know, Steve, the last thing I want is trouble. If I liked trouble, I wouldn¡¯t have tried so hard to get rid of Hsin Hsin.¡± As Rusell said this, his voice slightly paused, a lively and pretty figure emerging in his mind. The next second, he turned his head in a rather nonchalant manner, gazing at Steve before saying, ¡°But¡­ Steve, this time I have to put my foot in, say something.¡± ¡°Though I can¡¯t beat you in a fight, I¡¯m willing to risk a two-week hospital stay¡­¡± Rusell glanced at Steve and laughed before his expression turned serious. ¡°Steve, I honestly don¡¯t know what happened between you and Ruby three years ago.¡± ¡°Of course, even though you¡¯ve never said it, we could all tell how sincere you were in your feelings for Ruby. So, I dare to guess that Ruby must have crossed some line or touched a nerve three years ago leading you to such turmoil, wanting to be good to her, but unable to.¡± ¡°But every time you lose control and lash out at her, it¡¯s you who ends up with the most pain.¡± ¡°In those three years she was in Costa Luna, were you happy every time you went to Red Park? When you saw her photo as a screensaver on your computer in those three years, did you not miss her so much it hurt? In those three years, how many tickets to Costa Luna have you stuffed into your office desk¡¯s drawer? And every time, you¡¯d end up only at the airport, immediately returning to your original location. Enduring such long, round trip flights several times, aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Steve¡¯s lips pressed tight together, no words came out. ¡°Steve, I simply can¡¯t understand, what are you trying to achieve by doing this? Three years ago, she was willing to sleep with you- it showed that she truly wanted to be with you. You not only got her, so what else are you greedily longing for?¡± Steve¡¯s expression became somewhat dazed hearing these words. His hand clutched the glass tightly, and after a long while, he turned his head, meeting Rusell¡¯s gaze before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not being greedy, I just want her to love me..¡± Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Wanting Her to Love Me (20) Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Wanting Her to Love Me (20) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton¡¯s calm voice floated into Rusell Henris¡¯ heart. Yet, in that instant, he felt that Steve¡¯s words were more heart-stirring than Howard Coleman singing Yoga Lin¡¯s ¡°Cruel Moonlight¡± with passion and immersion. Rusell was momentarily at a loss for words. Steve slowly shifted his gaze from his face back to the big screen in front of him. On the grand stage, Yoga Lin held the microphone, eyes closed, singing every word of the lyrics clearly. ¡°I¡¯ve been wandering, but I¡¯ve never seen the ocean. What I thought was forgotten, is actually lying in your hands.¡± Three years ago, in a fit of anger, he slept with Ruby Gregory, and abandoned her. He thought everything would end like that, but he found that the longing started to flood his mind the moment he learned that she had gone to Costa Luna. Three years later, he could never forget that afternoon. At that time, he had just taken over Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for a short while. He wanted to break free from the aura of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises hanging over him, so that people would not think he was relying on Pristine¡¯s Enterprises to shine. He wanted to become a legend of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, a legend in the capital city and even the whole world. So, against the opposition of the entire Shareholders¡¯ Meeting, he pushed a new product in an unpopular market. As a result, the product was sold out nationwide within half a month of its launch. This was his first success at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. With high spirits, he held a cup of coffee and stood in front of the French windows, watching the rare blue sky and white clouds in Ciawell, basking in the sunshine, and stealing a lazy moment in a leisurely posture. Then, the office door was pushed open by Madeleine, who had red eyes and held a document, needing his signature. She looked at him with a bit of reproach in her eyes. Maybe today, because he finally managed to deter Pristine¡¯s diehard followers with his own strength, his mood that had been upset by Ruby for a whole month improved slightly. Unusually, while signing the document for Madeleine, he looked at her tear-filled eyes and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Madeleine pursed her lips, staring at his face for a while before saying, ¡°Brother, half an hour ago, Ruby left for Costa Luna. Her return date is undecided.¡± That sentence, like a violent thunderbolt, exploded in his mind, almost breaking his composure into pieces. He tried to steady his mind, maintaining a detached and cold demeanor, and replied nonchalantly, ¡°Oh.¡± Madeleine angrily picked up the document and walked out of the office, but he had no mood to enjoy his first great victory at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. In his mind, there were only four words ¨C return date undecided.. Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (1) Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (1) Translator: 549690339 The return date is uncertain. That was the most heartbreaking curse he had ever heard in his life. When Howard Coleman sang seriously, his voice was comparable to a first-tier singer, so much so that everyone in the private room was focusing on his singing. ¡°I try to smile and be strong, loneliness builds a wall, but it¡¯s no match for the night, the gentlest moonlight, I¡¯ve been wandering all along¡­¡± Having been raised as a strong woman since childhood, Madeleine¡¯s appearance did not seem inferior to those men with iron fists in business. Confidence always sparkled in her eyes, yet at this moment, under the dim and dazzling lights in the room, a touch of softness enveloped Madeleine¡¯s eyes. After singing with great emotion, Howard Coleman immediately took off his prince-like appearance and returned to his usual playboy persona. He casually hugged the two girls he had ordered, asking, ¡°Is there any reward for this?¡± The two girls shyly turned their heads and each gave a kiss on Howard¡¯s face. A touch of sharpness flashed in Madeleine¡¯s eyes. The next second, she turned her head and continued playing dice games with Edward Woods. The MTV on the big screen became noisy again. Rusell Henris withdrew his gaze and saw that Steve Burton was still staring at the screen, seemingly lost in thought. He moved his lips and, unable to restrain himself, spoke again, ¡°Steve, if Ruby doesn¡¯t love you, are you really prepared to keep waiting like this for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°Steve, that incident three years ago is definitely a thorn in your heart. Three years have passed, and what seemed earth-shattering back then may have become more understandable. If you can let go, try to treat Ruby well. If you can¡¯t let go of that incident, Steve, you might as well cut the Gordian knot and end this entanglement sooner!¡± End¡­ A trace of sharpness flashed in Steve¡¯s eyes. Rusell sensed danger, but showed no signs of backing down. His tone remained calm and steady, ¡°Steve, I¡¯m saying this for your own good, I¡¯m afraid if you continue down this path, you¡¯ll end up in a dead end, and there¡¯ll be no possibility for you and Ruby.¡± Rusell¡¯s words seemed to have moved Steve; the fierceness in his face dissipated rapidly, replaced by a trace of worry. Then, his eyes turned somewhat sad. He leaned back into the sofa, and his pride and nobility seemed to scatter in that instant, his voice carrying a touch of helpless pain, ¡°I can¡¯t help it¡­¡± If he could, he would have given up three years ago. If he could, he would let Ruby Gregory be her true self in front of him, rather than losing control of his temper again and again in front of her. But he couldn¡¯t.. Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 292 Carefully observe and learn attentively (2) Chapter 292: Chapter 292 Carefully observe and learn attentively (2) Translator: 549690339 ¡°If there¡¯s no other way, why not simplify things, marry her.¡± Marry her? Such four words, spoken so easily, he also wanted to marry her, he was restraining himself, not to marry her now. ¡°You make it sound so simple.¡± Steve Burton tightened his grip on his alcohol glass, the expression on his face becoming somewhat frozen. The next second, he turned his head towards Rusell Henris, tugged a corner of his lips into a smile. That kind of smile, though, looked somewhat sad. ¡°Rusell, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to marry her, but I¡¯m afraid that marrying her would indeed wrong her.¡± This time, Rusell Henris was left utterly speechless, because he really didn¡¯t understand how Steve marrying Ruby Gregory could possibly wrong her. Steve Burton¡¯s eyes were caught in a daze for a moment before he finished all of the alcohol in his glass and then slowy stood up. ¡°Brother, where are you going?¡± Howard Coleman, who was hugging a girl, turned his head and asked. He didn¡¯t answer, merely headed towards the door of the private room. As he opened the door, he said, ¡°Going home to sleep.¡± Then, he left and closed the door behind him. Upon leaving The Sapphire Bistro, the night outside seemed even darker and lonelier, and Steve Burton just stood by the roadside without rushing to get into his car. Under the dim yellow streetlight in front of him was a wide street. He watched the occasional passing of speeding vehicles, as well as young men and women drunk from their nocturnal revelries pass by him. After a long while, he raised his hand, gazing at his bare ring finger, his hand reaching up to caress it lightly. Indeed, as Rusell said, a pair of rings could solve all the problems, but he was unwilling to solve them. What he was afraid of was not that Ruby would not love him after marriage, nor was it the depth of the wound in his heart from discovering something inadvertently three years ago. What he was really afraid of was simple ¨C he was afraid of wronging her. Now, seeing her living in front of him with no sense of self, he was already tired for her. If they really got married, wouldn¡¯t it be for a lifetime? Being on guard, being nice to another person for a lifetime, how tiring would that be? Perhaps she didn¡¯t care, she was used to it, she didn¡¯t love him, and just treated this constant need to please as a duty or a job. But he felt distressed for her lack of self. Steve Burton drove back to his apartment¡¯s underground parking lot. He sat in the car for a while before pushing open the car door and heading upstairs. When he raised his hand to input the door code, his movements halted slightly. Then he felt that he might be overthinking. Ruby Gregory, who would be willing to stay longer with him, was probably already gone by now. Steve Burton input the code, pushed open the door and changed shoes to go inside. But there he saw, Ruby Gregory in disheveled clothes, curled up on the floor.. Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (3) Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (3) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton stood at the door, slightly taken aback, his eyes filled with disbelief. In the next second, his eyebrows furrowed. He didn¡¯t like carpets, so under the sofa was the smooth, cold marble floor, and she was sitting on it, wearing nothing. Without thinking, Steve walked straight up to Ruby Gregory, leaned down slightly, patted her shoulder and asked in his usual cold tone, ¡°What are you doing squatting here?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t respond to him at all. Steve frowned. Was she angry and refusing to talk to him? After suppressing his feelings for the night, he felt much more relaxed, and his tone unknowingly lightened, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me asking you a question?¡± As he spoke, Steve patted Ruby twice more, using a bit more force this time. Ruby still didn¡¯t move a muscle. The overly still Ruby made a bad feeling rise in Steve¡¯s heart. After patting her twice more and finding no response, he quickly crouched down in front of Ruby, ¡°Ruby? Ruby?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t answer, and Steve finally became thoroughly panicked. He grabbed her shoulders, pulled her up from the floor, and found her pale face with a hint of an abnormal flush. Her eyes were tightly closed, her long eyelashes drooping weakly in their sockets, and her whole body went limp as she slumped to one side. Steve¡¯s quick reflexes enabled him to catch Ruby by the waist and bring her into his arms, only then realizing the scorching heat from the woman¡¯s body. At this point, Steve was at a total loss, he patted Ruby¡¯s face and called her name several times. Seeing that she showed no signs of waking up, he finally thought of something, rummaged in his pocket and took out his phone, dialed Rusell Henris¡¯ number, and ran up to the second floor with Ruby in his arms. He kicked open the door of his bedroom, placed Ruby on the bed, and covered her with a blanket. Steve truly experienced what it meant to be a long time in an instant. Between the time when Rusell arrived at his apartment with the doctor, it was only a short twenty minutes, but it felt like twenty years to him. The doorbell rang, and Steve hurriedly opened the door without saying a word. He directly dragged the doctor upstairs and pushed him to the bedside. Ruby was dressed a bit thin for the suburban wind, and after being exposed to the wind for an afternoon, tired in the evening, and sitting on the cold floor for so long, she caught a cold and developed a fever. The doctor administered an antipyretic intravenous injection to Ruby. It would take at least two hours for the medicine to take effect. After giving the injection, the doctor was ready to leave when Steve, worried, insisted that the doctor stayed until Ruby¡¯s fever subsided.. Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (4) Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (4) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton personally sent the doctor downstairs, who was brought by Russell Henris in his car, so naturally, it was Russell who drove him back. Russell pressed the elevator button, and before the elevator door opened, he said ¡°Goodbye¡± to Steve, who was standing by the door. As the family doctor of the Henris family, the doctor recognized Steve. Before stepping into the elevator, he seemed to remember something and advised Steve, ¡°Miss Gregory¡¯s resistance is a bit weak, it¡¯s best to take some vitamins regularly to improve her resistance but she should still exercise more.¡± Steve nodded, not saying anything. Russell and the doctor entered the elevator, and the surroundings became tranquil. Steve closed the door and slowly walked back to the room, stood in front of the French windows in the living room, and saw an azure swimming pool. The lights inside the house shone on the blue water, reflecting fragments of light. His apartment was on the 32nd floor, from where he could see the bustling city lights far away, which were already sparse and scattered. Steve stood there for a while, composed himself, then turned around and slowly walked toward the master bedroom upstairs. The bedroom was quiet, and the antipyretic Ruby Gregory received contained sleeping ingredients, causing her to change from unconscious to deep sleep. Steve sat on the edge of the bed, and his slender fingers softly touched Ruby¡¯s face. On the lavish bedroom wall, a European-style clock kept making its rounds as the seconds ticked by without pause, and the color outside the window gradually turned white. Steve finally withdrew his slightly stiff arm, pulled the covers up for Ruby, and left the bedroom. Ruby slept quite heavily this time and only woke up at noon. North-facing Steve¡¯s bedroom had bright sunlight coming through the wide windows, making it hard for Ruby to open her eyes. Raising her hand to shield the light, Ruby realized she was in a strange environment. Expensive items adorned the bedroom, paintings on the wall were done by famous artists, and each was worth a fortune. In the end, Ruby was attracted to a row of porcelain dolls. There were six porcelain dolls in total, made by her and Madeleine when they were in middle school handcrafting class, featuring themselves, Steve, Russell, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine. It was only then that Ruby suddenly realized she was in Steve¡¯s bedroom. After talking to her father on the phone last night, she squatted on the cold floor, intending to go home when regaining strength, but somehow lost consciousness later. Now that she had woken up, she was in Steve¡¯s bed ¨C hadn¡¯t the man left last night? When did he return? Ruby turned her head with suspicion and saw the women¡¯s clothes prepared on the bedside table. Checking the size, they were indeed hers.. Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (5) Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (5) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory knew that the clothes were prepared for her. However, the dress was goose-yellow in color. She had no other choice but to wear it since Steve Burton had torn her clothes yesterday. So, Ruby picked up the dress, put it on, and tidied it up. When Ruby entered the bathroom, new toiletries were placed on the washstand. After freshening up, she went downstairs from the second floor. As Ruby walked around the spiral staircase, she saw Steve sitting on the living room couch, holding a document in hand, and watching the TV that was playing a financial channel. Steve would intermittently lift his head from the document to glance at the TV screen. The humming sound from the range hood in the kitchen could be heard. Ruby hesitated for a moment before slowly descending the staircase. As she passed the living room couch, she still decided to address Steve, who was caught between watching the TV and studying the document, saying, ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll be going first.¡± Steve¡¯s hand holding the document paused for a moment. As usual, he directly ignored Ruby¡¯s words and turned a page in the document on his own. Ruby Gregory was not sure if Steve had heard her or not. Her lips pursed, she said again, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Steve looked at Ruby, picked up the remote control, turned off the TV, and threw the document on the marble coffee table. He stood up, not even glancing at Ruby, and walked straight past her to the French windows in the living room, pushed open the glass door, went out to the swimming pool, and stood upright with his back to the living room. Ruby frowned slightly at Steve¡¯s disregard and hesitated for a moment before walking towards the door. While Steve¡¯s kitchen was open-concept, Mrs. Taylor, who was cooking in the kitchen, had noticed Ruby coming downstairs. The reason Steve prepared such an apartment was to have separate private space, so he didn¡¯t hire any servants. Mrs. Taylor had been the Burtons¡¯ housekeeper for many years, and Steve liked her cooking the most. So, whenever Steve didn¡¯t return to the mansion, the Burtons¡¯ driver would bring Mrs. Taylor here to clean up the room and cook for him. Compared to Steve¡¯s mom, Mrs. Taylor was more familiar with Ruby. She took great care of Steve and also looked after Ruby quite a bit. There were some things that the Burtons didn¡¯t know, but Mrs. Taylor did ¡ª for example, Mr. Steve¡¯s feelings towards Ms. Gregory. Mrs. Taylor had witnessed the entire scene between Ruby and Steve in the living room. As a housekeeper, she shouldn¡¯t interfere in her employer¡¯s affairs, but she had always cherished Steve as her own son. So, she couldn¡¯t help but call out to Ruby, who was walking toward the door, and stopped her.. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (6) Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (6) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ms. Gregory.¡± Ruby Gregory did not expect that anyone else in Steve Burton¡¯s house would recognize her. Surprised, she turned her head and saw Mrs. Taylor, hesitated for a moment, and then smiled, ¡°Mrs. Taylor.¡± Mrs. Taylor walked up to Ruby, having just seen her from afar. Now taking a closer look, her eyes were filled with a hint of ecstasy, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you, Ms. Gregory, for so many years. You¡¯ve become even more beautiful than before.¡± Ruby shyly smiled, ¡°You¡¯re not working at the Mansion anymore?¡± ¡°Mr. Steve lives here alone, and the folks at the Mansion worry about him, so they often send me over to take care of some things.¡± Having worked as a maid in the Burton family for so many years, Mrs. Taylor subtly informed Ruby, ¡°Ms. Gregory, you had a high fever last night, are you feeling better now?¡± Last night, Ruby only remembered herself falling unconscious, and had no recollection of what happened after. Now that Lady Gregory brought it up, she frowned slightly and asked in confusion, ¡°Did I have a fever last night?¡± ¡°Ms. Gregory, your fever reached 1040F. It took the whole day for it to subside. When I arrived, Mr. Steve told me not to clean upstairs, afraid it would disturb your sleep.¡± After saying the important part, Mrs. Taylor asked, ¡°Ms. Gregory, how do you feel now?¡± So the clothes by her bed and the toiletries in the bathroom were all prepared by Steve? Ruby¡¯s heart raced slightly, ¡°I¡¯m all right now.¡± The scent of food wafted in from the kitchen, and Mrs. Taylor said, ¡°Ms. Gregory, why not stay and have lunch? It¡¯s been years since you¡¯ve tasted my cooking.¡± Ruby involuntarily looked toward Steve outside the French windows. Initially, he was standing with his back to the living room, but at some point, he turned his body so he could see into the living room. As their eyes met through the glass and distance, Ruby felt a chill emanating from him. She shivered subconsciously and shook her head with a smile at Mrs. Taylor, ¡°I haven¡¯t been home all night; I¡¯m worried my family might be concerned. Next time, I¡¯ll taste your cooking.¡± Mrs. Taylor had stopped Ruby in order to persuade her to stay. Hearing Ruby¡¯s refusal, she persistently coaxed her, ¡°Ms. Gregory, you¡¯re just giving me excuses. Who knows when next time will be? Besides, Mr. Steve doesn¡¯t want you to leave either.¡± How, after being so cold and indifferent to her, could Steve not want her to leave? Ruby frowned slightly, her eyes filling with doubt. Seeing the doubt in Ruby¡¯s eyes, Mrs. Taylor swore earnestly, ¡°Ms. Gregory, please believe me, I guarantee that deep down, Mr. Steve doesn¡¯t want you to leave.¡± Ruby was swayed by Mrs. Taylor¡¯s certainty. She had always thought she understood Steve, but every time she ended up making things worse. Mrs. Taylor had been taking care of Steve for years; could she be right? Last night, Steve had told her to think carefully about what he wanted and what she should give. She was utterly clueless; could Mrs. Taylor help her? Ruby struggled within her heart before finally deciding to give it a try. Biting her lip, she asked, ¡°Mrs. Taylor, how did you know that he didn¡¯t want me to leave?¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today, more updates tomorrow- Ruby¡¯s starting to seek advice Congrats to the winning reader: Weng! Reader Group: 192412658 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (7) Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (7) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory struggled inwardly for a moment, then finally decided to give it a try and tentatively asked, ¡°Mrs. Taylor, how did you know that he doesn¡¯t want me to leave?¡± At Ruby¡¯s question, surprise flashed in Mrs. Taylor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Gregory, you¡¯ve been close to Mr. Steve for so many years. Can¡¯t you see this yourself?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t know how to respond to Mrs. Taylor¡¯s question. A faint blush spread across her face as she looked at Mrs. Taylor, lips tightly pressed together, and remained silent. Mrs. Taylor¡¯s eyes widened with deeper shock. ¡°Ms. Gregory, didn¡¯t you notice anything off about Mr. Steve just now?¡± Ruby furrowed her brow and tilted her head, recalling her conversation with Steve Burton when she just came downstairs. Shaking her head gently, she replied, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Seeing Ruby¡¯s reaction, Mrs. Taylor became increasingly anxious. ¡°Seriously, you didn¡¯t notice anything strange?¡± Ruby thought about it but still couldn¡¯t see any anomaly in Steve¡¯s behavior during their conversation; his demeanor remained aloof and indifferent. He seemed preoccupied with his reports and TV show and showed no signs of anger or outbursts. She stared at Mrs. Taylor, biting her lower lip, and shook her head again slowly. Mrs. Taylor grew concerned when Ruby didn¡¯t seem to understand her point. Out of patience, she spoke more bluntly: ¡°Ms. Gregory, Mr. Steve was fine watching TV and checking his reports. But when you said you wanted to go home, he suddenly turned off the TV, tossed aside his reports, and left. Doesn¡¯t that strike you as odd?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he just get tired from looking at the reports and wanted to take a break?¡± Ruby hesitated, voicing the thought in her mind. Besides, his reaction looked more like he was ignoring her. How did that relate to him not wanting her to leave? Mrs. Taylor felt a touch of despair at Ruby¡¯s misunderstanding: ¡°You usually come across as such a clever and quick-witted girl. Why do you suddenly become as dull as a bumpkin when it comes to this matter? You don¡¯t seem to grasp anything I¡¯ve been trying to say.¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Mrs. Taylor. No one had ever called her dull before. Mrs. Taylor took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and continued, a few tones harsher: ¡°It¡¯s very clear that Mr. Steve¡¯s reaction was in response to your mention of leaving. As soon as you brought it up, how could someone as prideful as Mr. Steve openly ask you to stay?¡± Ruby turned her head and looked through the sparkling clean French windows at Steve, who was standing by the poolside. The man gazed straight into the distance, the bright sunlight illuminating his figure, offsetting the cold, unwelcoming aura he always seemed to carry.. Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (8) Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (8) Translator: 549690339 Despite his sleepless night and his exhausted appearance, it didn¡¯t affect his beauty. He was stunning to begin with, and now under the sunlight, he seemed even more dazzling. Ruby stared at his exceptional face and couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could it be that Mrs. Taylor was right, and she had been wrong this whole time? Mrs. Taylor stood nearby, urging her, ¡°Lunch is ready; you should call Mr. Steve to come and eat.¡± She thought she knew Steve well but had repeatedly angered him. After what he said last night, she had been thinking about what he really wanted. She wasn¡¯t sure if Mrs. Taylor was completely right, but she wanted to give it a try. Ruby clenched her teeth and decided not to leave. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the swimming pool on the terrace. Mrs. Taylor smiled and left, satisfied, to return to the kitchen. Although Ruby had made up her mind, her heart began to race nervously as she approached the French windows, even before opening the door. She tightened her grip and, with a determined look, pushed open the door to the terrace. The gentle breeze from the distant city blew, lifting her long hair and skirt hem, fluttering them about. Ruby stopped a meter away from Steve and looked at his side profile for half a minute before finally calling out, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Steve turned to look at her with a cold expression and asked bluntly, ¡°I thought you left?¡± Ruby felt embarrassed by his words and wished she could disappear. She couldn¡¯t tell him that Mrs. Taylor had informed her that he didn¡¯t want her to leave. So, she thought of a different excuse, mustering up the courage to say, ¡°I¡¯m hungry and want to eat lunch before leaving. Mrs. Taylor has already prepared it, so I came to call you.¡± After finishing her words, Ruby quietly looked at Steve¡¯s face. Perhaps the warmth of the sun softened his icy expression, as he made a cold, disdainful ¡°hmph¡± sound, but there was no obvious chill in his demeanor. He even leisurely strolled past her and opened the glass door. Steve gave a sidelong glance at Ruby, who was still standing in place, and said, ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Ruby snapped out of her daze and hurriedly walked into the house, with Steve following closely behind. He casually entered the first-floor bathroom. Ruby finally loosened her clenched hand, only to find it soaked with sweat. Her heartbeat was extraordinarily fast. What Mrs.. Taylor said was actually right! Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (9) Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (9) Translator: 549690339 Her heartbeat quickened at an extraordinary pace. Mrs. Taylor was actually right! Steve Burton¡¯s series of reactions just now wasn¡¯t indifference and neglect toward her, but wanting her to stay. It turned out that all those times, she had misunderstood his intentions. Steve came out after washing his hands, seeing Ruby standing foolishly in the living room. He paused and asked, ¡°Why are you standing here like a fool instead of eating when you¡¯re hungry? Ruby glanced at Steve, said nothing, and hurriedly ran into the bathroom. When she came out after washing her hands, Steve was already sitting elegantly and leisurely at the dining table. Ruby sat down across from him, and as she watched Mrs. Taylor bustling around preparing the dishes, she felt embarrassed and stood up to help. With a ladle, Ruby served two bowls of soup and placed a stack of cilantro beside them. She knew that Steve didn¡¯t like cilantro, so she only added it to one of the bowls and then handed the other clear soup to him. ¡°Mr. Burton, this bowl of soup doesn¡¯t have cilantro,¡± she said. Just as Steve was about to reach out for the soup, upon hearing the words ¡°Mr. Burton,¡± he found it particularly mood-breaking. His mood became instantly gloomy, and his hand only lifted slightly before falling back down. Ruby clearly felt the brief change in Steve¡¯s expression, growing colder. She furrowed her eyebrows and thought for a while, not understanding where she went wrong. Was it possible that his appetite had changed and he now liked cilantro? Unable to decide, Ruby decided to be safe and brought the plate of cilantro to Steve. His expression darkened further as he stared at the additional plate of cilantro in front of him. Since returning to the country, Ruby had only eaten with him a few times, let alone had a private meal like now. She was tense to begin with, and seeing Steve¡¯s chilly demeanor made her even more uneasy, losing her appetite. She sat cautiously to the side, picked up her chopsticks, and just kept her head down, fiddling with the white rice in her bowl. Her reaction, in Steve¡¯s eyes, appeared to be struggling to swallow her food. Was having a meal with him that unbearable for her? Steve¡¯s expression grew even darker. The white rice was tasteless. Ruby ate without any enjoyment, wanting to try the steamed sea bass but noticed, upon lifting her chopsticks, that the dishes in front of her hadn¡¯t been touched. She glanced over and saw that Steve¡¯s soup and rice hadn¡¯t been touched either. Only then did Ruby raise her head and look at Steve¡¯s face, finding his expression even more frightening than before. Her hand holding the chopsticks trembled, and she no longer had the courage to pick up the food. However, the atmosphere was so stifling that Ruby didn¡¯t dare to eat the rice in her bowl anymore. She could only raise her head and look to Mrs. Taylor for help. Mrs. Taylor, standing to the side, had been fretting over the scene. Seeing that Ruby was finally willing to look at her, she quickly nodded at the dishes and then at Steve¡¯s empty plate. Ruby instantly understood Mrs. Taylor¡¯s meaning: she wanted her to serve Steve some food. With Mrs. Taylor¡¯s recent success in understanding Steve¡¯s thoughts, Ruby was quite trusting of her at this point, although she still had some doubts. She had no idea how Mrs. Taylor could tell that Steve was waiting for her to serve him food, considering that he hadn¡¯t said a word or shown any reaction since they sat down at the table.. Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 300: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (10) Chapter 300: Chapter 300: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (10) Translator: 549690339 Despite everything, Ruby Gregory picked up the chopsticks and served a portion of Steve Burton¡¯s favorite braised meatball in gravy sauce on his plate. While serving him the food, Ruby did not forget to carefully gauge Steve¡¯s reaction. Seeing that his mood hadn¡¯t become more depressive, she felt somewhat reassured and proceeded to serve him other dishes in his plate consecutively. With every serving, Steve¡¯s demeanour would soften marginally. By the end, Ruby also felt somewhat relaxed. Noticing that Steve still hadn¡¯t picked up his chopsticks to eat, she couldn¡¯t help but utter, ¡°Mr. Burton, you should eat something too.¡± Steve¡¯s face suddenly turned worse than before, his voice chilling to the bone, ¡°So, you want me to start eating, so that you can eat in peace?¡± Why did his mood change from sunny to overcast so suddenly? Steve¡¯s frequently changing mood left Ruby somewhat helpless. In a fluster, she shook her head, ¡°No, no.¡± Having said that, she subconsciously raised her head to solicit help from Mrs. Taylor again. Mrs. Taylor had known from the very beginning that Mr. Steve was uncomfortable because of the ¡°Mr. Burton¡± from Miss Gregory¡¯s mouth. Just a moment ago, she suggested Ms. Gregory to serve food to Mr. Steve to make his heart comfortable. But who knew the moment she had managed to soothe Mr. Steve, Ms. Gregory would utter ¡°Mr. Burton¡± again, undoing all her efforts. Mrs. Taylor shook her head helplessly, seemingly ignoring Ruby¡¯s plea for help, smiled, and said, ¡°Ms. Gregory, this isn¡¯t the office. You calling him Mr. Burton all the time even makes me, a servant, feel awkward.¡¯ After saying this, Mrs. Taylor looked into Ruby¡¯s eyes, signaled her and continued, ¡°You have known Mr. Steve for so many years, you are quite familiar with each other, just call him like you used to. Why would you make the relationship appear so distant?¡± Ruby was quick to realise Mrs. Taylor¡¯s intent, except for when she faced Steve, whose mind she couldn¡¯t fathom. She glanced at Steve and hurriedly corrected herself in a soft voice, saying, ¡°Steve,¡± paused for a moment, and added, ¡°if you don¡¯t eat now, the food will get cold.¡± Steve¡¯s face was still cold, but he was no longer sitting motionless, maintaining the tense atmosphere. Instead, he started using his chopsticks. Ruby heaved a sigh of relief. If it weren¡¯t for Mrs. Taylor today, she might have needed another ten years to figure out how to deal with Steve¡¯s fickle temperament. After lunch, Steve rinsed his mouth and went to bask in the sun on the terrace as usual. Ruby, with a desire to learn, went to the kitchen to help Mrs. Taylor clean the silverware. Mrs. Taylor wouldn¡¯t allow Ruby to do any of the housework. Thus, Ruby¡¯s idea of helping was limited to receiving the washed silverware from Mrs. Taylor and placing them in the sterilizer. Ruby was quick to understand that Steve¡¯s somber face was because she called him ¡°Mr. Burton¡± when Mrs. Taylor pointed it out. It wasn¡¯t because he had changed his appetite or started liking parsley. But then, she wondered, if she didn¡¯t do anything later, why did his face become even more motley? At this thought, Ruby asked with a serious face, ¡°Mrs.. Taylor, did I do anything wrong at mealtime?¡± Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 301: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (11) Chapter 301: Chapter 301: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (11) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ms. Gregory, when you eat, it¡¯s like you¡¯re going to the gallows. Do you think that would make anyone feel good inside?¡± Mrs. Taylor casually asked a question, and Ruby Gregory was instantly taken aback. She had always thought that she had hidden herself well, but unexpectedly, it was just her own imagination. Seeing Ruby long silent, as if remembering something, Mrs. Taylor leaned to her ear and asked, ¡°Ms. Gregory, when you¡¯re with Mr. Steve, are you always so prim and proper?¡± ¡°Is there anything wrong with that?¡± Ruby frowned, not thinking there was anything wrong with it. Moreover, she was supposed to become Mrs. Burton, the lady of The Burton¡¯s household, and should be dignified and virtuous, with impeccable manners. ¡°Of course, there is.¡± Mrs. Taylor shook her head and bluntly dispelled Ruby¡¯s thoughts: ¡°It¡¯s a bit too rigid.¡± Rigid? Ruby¡¯s eyes widened instantly. It seemed that the whole day she had been opposed by Mrs. Taylor. First, she was scolded for being foolish, and now she was called rigid. ¡°Now I finally understand that some problems are actually with you. Think about it, when a man faces a lifeless woman like a dead fish every day, how happy can he be deep down?¡± Now she was being called a dead fish? Ruby sucked in a breath of cold air, being continuously pointed out her faults made her face turn slightly red. As Mrs. Taylor was washing the dishes, she suddenly asked another question, ¡°Ms. Gregory, do you find me ugly?¡± To be honest, Mrs. Taylor was indeed a notch worse than most average-looking women. However, when Mrs. Taylor asked this question, Ruby hesitated and didn¡¯t know how to answer. Mrs. Taylor didn¡¯t seem to care and smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be shy to answer me this question. When I was born, I was the ugliest in our village, but I can tell you, although I am ugly, my husband treats me very well. Later on, many people envied me.¡± As she spoke, a proud look appeared on Mrs. Taylor¡¯s face. She seemed to reminisce about the past, saying, ¡°My husband was the handsomest guy in our village, and he was really good at singing the mountain songs that were popular at the time for expressing love. Many pretty girls in the village liked him, but he chose me.¡± Mrs. Taylor cast a sly glance at Ruby and asked, ¡°Do you know why?¡± Ruby shook her head. Mrs. Taylor said with unmistakable satisfaction, ¡°Because I got a hold of his heart. People are born with a bit of a masochistic nature, the more you pique their interest, the more they¡¯ll cling to you. You may not believe me, but my husband really listens to me. It¡¯s just a pity he died early, and I didn¡¯t want to remarry, so I came to the city and found this job at the Burton¡¯s.¡± Ruby looked at the boastful expression in Mrs. Taylor¡¯s eyes and couldn¡¯t help but ask softly, ¡°How did you get to Uncle Taylor¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°Sometimes, the things you think are vulgar and indecent don¡¯t necessarily mean they¡¯re bad. In public, you should maintain your dignified and virtuous image, but when you¡¯re alone, you should be more interesting.¡± Mrs. Taylor, with the attitude of an experienced person, elaborated on her own philosophies: ¡°If you¡¯re constantly high-born and graceful, no matter how beautiful you are, it will be tedious over time, and men will eventually lose interest in you..¡± Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (12) Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (12) Translator: 549690339 Spending time together alone and making it more interesting? How to make it interesting? Ruby Gregory stared at Mrs. Taylor with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°Interesting means keeping the man seeing different sides of you every day, experiencing different impacts. Of course, doing only these is not enough, there¡¯s¡­¡± Mrs. Taylor leaned toward Ruby Gregory¡¯s ear and whispered: ¡°There is an old saying that if you want to capture a man¡¯s heart, you must first win over his stomach. But by stomach, it doesn¡¯t only mean food, it also refers to a certain type¡­ of appetite.¡± After saying it, Mrs. Taylor glanced quickly at Ruby Gregory¡¯s chest. Ruby Gregory instantly understood Mrs. Taylor¡¯s meaning. She subconsciously covered her chest, took a step back, her face turning utterly red as if blood would drip from her face. A hint of fear sprang up from her heart ¡ª that certain ¡®appetite¡¯, for her, would be no less than torture. Mrs. Taylor put the final plate into the sterilizer, wiped her hands with a nice smile, and said to Ruby Gregory, ¡°Ms. Gregory, it¡¯s getting late. I need to return to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion. You can accompany Mr. Steve a little more.¡± Ruby Gregory nodded, walked Mrs. Taylor to the door. Before leaving, Mrs. Taylor glanced toward Steve Burton, who at some point had changed into his swimsuit and was now swimming on the terrace. She said to Ruby Gregory, ¡°At the right time, be a little coquettish, and ask the man to do something for you. They will love it.¡± After saying it, Mrs. Taylor left with a cheerful smile, closing the door behind her. In the expansive living room, in an instant, only Ruby Gregory was left. She stood in the foyer, looking at Steve Burton bathing in the pool, mulling over it for a moment and deciding that whether she leaves now or stays, either way, she needed to go to the terrace and tell Steve Burton first. If Steve Burton¡¯s words from last night had given her a glimmer of hope of marrying him, then the words from Mrs. Taylor today were of great help to her, rejuvenating the confidence in her decision to marry Steve Burton. Before heading to the terrace, Ruby Gregory first brewed a pot of coffee in the kitchen and made two cups according to Steve Burton¡¯s liking, and brought them to the terrace. Ruby Gregory placed the coffee on a white round table near the poolside. She watched as Steve Burton elegantly swam from afar in the blue water, causing beautiful splashes of water. Steve Burton swam to the poolside, stopped, stood in the pool, and looked towards Ruby Gregory. Ruby Gregory pointed to the two cups of coffee on the table: ¡°Would you like to drink something?¡± Steve Burton remained silent, stepping out of the water. Despite the sunny day in early October, the air was still a bit chilly. Ruby Gregory quickly handed Steve Burton his bathrobe. Steve Burton casually wrapped himself in the bathrobe, sat on the lounge chair next to the round table, picked up his coffee, and took a sip. It was made according to his preferences. He took another sip, saw Ruby Gregory still standing foolishly on the side, lifted his chin, and pointed to the lounge chair at the end of the round table: ¡°Sit.¡± Ruby Gregory sat down obediently, picked up the coffee, and took a sip. The afternoon sun shone gently on the two of them, neither of them spoke, a peaceful atmosphere surrounding them. Usually, when Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton were together, she would stay quiet if he didn¡¯t speak. However, according to Mrs. Taylor, that made her seem a bit too desolate. Ruby Gregory contemplated for a moment, turned her head, looked at the side profile of Steve Burton as he drank his coffee, curved her lips slightly and asked, ¡°Did I have a fever last night?¡± Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (13) Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (13) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton was initially stunned, then he took a sip of coffee and hummed. After a moment, he casually asked, ¡°How do you feel now?¡± Ruby Gregory smiled again, ¡°Much better.¡± Steve¡¯s eyes softened, and he just nodded before lowering his head to drink his coffee, his Adam¡¯s apple moving beautifully up and down as he swallowed. After finishing his coffee, Steve stood up and removed his bathrobe without any hesitation, jumping into the water. He swam gracefully and skillfully on his back to the other side, then swam back using the breaststroke, resting at the edge of the pool. He looked at Ruby and asked, ¡°Do you want to swim?¡± Ruby shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Steve didn¡¯t speak anymore and just turned around. Ruby couldn¡¯t see Steve¡¯s expression, and wasn¡¯t sure if he was upset because of her refusal. She bit her lower lip and called out, ¡°Steve.¡± Steve hadn¡¯t expected Ruby to suddenly say his name, and he paused for a moment, turning his head and responding with a gentle ¡°Hmm?¡± Only then did Ruby realize she had been too sensitive, but after calling his name, she couldn¡¯t pretend nothing had happened. Racking her brains, she whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Steve was confused by her gratitude, unsure of what she was talking about, ¡°What?¡± Ruby thought her voice was too quiet and he hadn¡¯t heard her clearly, but she was too embarrassed to shout her thanks louder. She stood up and walked towards him at the edge of the pool and said, ¡°About last night¡­ when I was sick¡­¡± With her eyes cast down, she continued, ¡°Thank you.¡± Before Ruby had finished speaking, Steve suddenly grabbed her ankle and, before she could react, she fell into the water with a splash. Caught off guard, Ruby choked on water, struggling to surface. Before she could breathe, Steve suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her under and bringing her lips to his. Desperate for oxygen, Ruby tried to breathe. As she and Steve kissed, she felt the air in his mouth and desperately tried to suck it into hers, along with his tongue. Their kiss was gentler than before, with Steve no longer biting her lip as if devouring her. Without the pain, Ruby felt an odd sensation of stimulation that spread throughout her body, causing trembling deep within her heart. Underwater, Steve removed Ruby¡¯s clothes. The softly yellow material floated atop the pool water, drifting to the side with the ripples the two created. With nothing to support her in the water, Ruby felt overwhelmed by Steve¡¯s movements. She stretched out her hands, blindly groping around for something to hold on to. She finally grabbed his arm and instinctively held on tight as if she found something to cling to. Steve¡¯s body stiffened, and he pressed down on Ruby¡¯s head, deepening their kiss. His movements became more intense, but not fierce. Ruby wasn¡¯t sure if it was because they were in the water, but the pain she usually felt was replaced by an increasing fervor deep within her. Eventually, the water became calm, and Steve carried Ruby, her body limp, out of the pool and back to their bedroom on the second floor. In her daze, Ruby noticed Steve¡¯s face wasn¡¯t clouded in darkness as it usually was after their passion, but rather showed gentleness and relaxation. PS: Today¡¯s update has an extra 200 words per chapter, so although there are only seven chapters, the total word count is 400 words more than if there were eight. From now on, each chapter will have this many words, and updates will be either seven or eight chapters. If everyone¡¯s enthusiasm is high, then it will be eight chapters~ The lucky reader is: Qi Ye Mo PPS: Extra! Extra! There¡¯s a fun event! Just log in to mobile QQ, click on ¡°Dynamic,¡± choose ¡°Interest Tribe,¡± and then join the activities. If you follow ten interest tribes, you have a chance to win an iPhone 6. Be quick and grab it~ Don¡¯t forget to follow: Ye Fei Ye Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (14) Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (14) Translator: 549690339 In her daze, she looked at Steve Burton¡¯s face, which, unlike the usual dark clouds that appeared after doing this, actually seemed somewhat relaxed and gentle. As for her¡­ Ruby opened her eyes and glanced at her body, only to find that there were no new marks added today, except for the bruises he left on her last night. In the past, she would be in pain for quite a while after it was over, but now there was no pain, just a sense of discomfort, as if she had been hollowed out, feeling empty inside, which made her subconsciously clench her legs together, trying to alleviate the feeling of emptiness. Steve Burton gently placed Ruby on the bed, not leaving without a word as before, but instead, he sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her. His eyes were burning with intensity, and Ruby knew this was a sign of his unfulfilled desire for more. Just as her intuition hadn¡¯t settled, Steve Burton lowered his head and his lips met hers again. Their kiss was passionate and hot. Just moments earlier in the pool, Ruby struggled to breathe, desperately sucking air through his lips, fighting to steal a bit of air from his mouth. Now, as they kissed normally, Ruby didn¡¯t know how to respond. All she could do was lay there in a daze, letting him take from her. His hands wandered dishonestly across her skin, evoking a strange sensation that spread throughout her body, making the emptiness within her grow even more. This unfamiliar reaction frightened her somewhat, and she subconsciously clung to the bed sheets, causing her body to tense up unconsciously. Steve Burton noticed her unease, and his touch gradually lightened, trying to help her to relax. As his touch became gentler, the strange, empty sensation within Ruby grew even more intense, making her increasingly anxious. Finally, she reverted to her usual stiff, wooden-like state when they engaged in physical intimacy and silently prayed for Steve Burton to finish quickly. Seeing Ruby with her eyes closed, lips tightly pressed together, and looking as if she were headed to execution, Steve Burton¡¯s gentle expression slowly turned cold. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment before moving down to her hands, which were gripping the bed sheets tightly. The knuckles protruding on her hands held a trace of pallor. Steve Burton¡¯s grip on Ruby¡¯s shoulder tightened, his eyes flickering for a moment, and he lowered his head. The strength of his bite on her skin turned rough again, and his movements grew more violent. Ruby felt the pain clearly as it crept over her entire body, causing her complexion to gradually pale. That nightmarish torment had come again. It was as though their painless, torment-free lovemaking in the pool had been just a figment of her wild imagination. Ruby knew that once this pain unfolded, it would extend for a long time. In an attempt to distract herself, she began counting numbers silently in her heart. However, she had only just reached ¡°nine¡± when the man on top of her suddenly became quiet. Thinking it was her imagination, Ruby closed her eyes and waited for a moment, only to find that there was still no movement, prompting her to finally open her eyes. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (15) Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (15) Translator: 549690339 The moment Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton¡¯s gazes met, Steve suddenly pulled away from her body, with a gloomy face, he grabbed a robe from the side, wrapped himself in it, and turned to enter the bathroom. Soon after, the sound of running water faintly came through. Ruby was caught off guard by Steve¡¯s sudden halt, completely clueless about what was happening. She sat on the bed, dumbfounded and holding the quilt, staring at the bathroom door. After about five minutes, the sound of water stopped, and the bathroom door was opened from the inside. Steve, wrapped in a bathrobe and wiping his wet hair with a towel, walked out. His expression still seemed somewhat indifferent, not even glancing at Ruby sitting on the bed. He walked straight to the dressing room, changed into a casual light-colored loungewear, and continued to ignore Ruby as he walked out of the bedroom. When it came to making love, Steve had only stopped suddenly halfway through twice. The first time was when Ruby cried uncontrollably, dampening his enthusiasm, and the second time was today. They were fine while swimming in the pool, but why was it that once they returned to the bedroom, everything suddenly changed like this¡­ Ruby furrowed her eyebrows. Mrs. Taylor only demonstrated it to Ruby twice, but after understanding the concepts, Ruby figured it out after some thinking. While in the pool, she was preoccupied with the thought of drowning and forgot about her pain, so she wasn¡¯t as tense. Back in the bedroom, her other worries disappeared, and her tension returned. The moment she became tense, Steve started to become visibly displeased. Did that mean that as long as she wasn¡¯t tense when they were together, he would be as cheerful as he was in the pool today after making love, instead of being gloomy? The reason she felt tense when it came to making love was due to her fear of pain. If she could make herself not feel the pain, would that solve everything? As Ruby thought of this, she suddenly experienced a sense of relief as if she had overcome her biggest difficulty. After having a high fever last night, Ruby was already somewhat weak, and she had just spent a long time with Steve. Feeling relaxed, Ruby unknowingly fell asleep. When she woke up again, the sky had started to darken. Ruby looked at the time; it was already 6:30 p.m., and she had slept for over three hours. Steve had already fished her clothes out of the pool and dried them, placing them by the bed. Ruby picked them up and got dressed, then she went downstairs. She didn¡¯t see Steve¡¯s figure in the living room, and the terrace was empty except for the two coffee cups she had brought out at noon. Ruby returned to the second floor; following the circular corridor and going around, she finally heard faint voices from the innermost room. Through the door, Ruby couldn¡¯t quite make out the words being spoken, but she recognized Steve¡¯s voice. She stood at the door, waiting for the room to quiet down before reaching out to knock. After a moment, Steve¡¯s usual indifferent and aloof voice came from inside, ¡°Come in.¡± As Ruby pushed the door open, she realized that this was the study. The light was off, and only the computer in front of Steve cast a thin layer of illumination. Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 306: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (16) Chapter 306: Chapter 306: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (16) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory stood at the door, not entering. After a while, Steve Burton looked up from his computer and glanced at her standing in the doorway. He asked, ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I need to go home.¡± Steve didn¡¯t respond but just shifted his gaze from Ruby¡¯s face back to his computer and continued typing away. Ruby kept her eyes on Steve¡¯s face. As the light in the study was dim, she couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly. Considering that he had ignored her when she mentioned going home at noon, she assumed he wasn¡¯t pleased with her departure. So she added, ¡°I have work tomorrow, and there are documents at home I¡¯ll need. I won¡¯t have time to pick them up in the morning.¡± Steve remained silent, his typing not slowing in the slightest. His silence unsettled Ruby but, thanks to Mrs. Taylor¡¯s advice, she had grown smarter. She didn¡¯t say goodbye outright, but instead recalled all the words Mrs. Taylor had said to her. Mrs. Taylor advised that sometimes, when the time was right, a woman should act spoiled and ask a man to do something for her, it might make him happy. Ruby bit her lip, sounding tentative as she asked, ¡°Um¡­ I didn¡¯t drive¡­ and it¡¯s late¡­ Could you please take me home?¡± At Ruby¡¯s words, Steve¡¯s fingers, which had been typing away, paused briefly before resuming their rhythmic tapping on the keyboard. Ruby stood at the door, noticing her heartbeat quickening. How many years had it been since Steve last drove her home? When she was young, she loved to visit the Burtons¡¯ Mansion after school. The Gregorys¡¯ residence and the Burtons¡¯ were adjoining. Whenever she was ready to go home, no matter how busy Steve was, she would relentlessly bug him to take her home. Sometimes he was doing his homework or playing games with Rusell Henris and Edward Woods, getting annoyed by her pestering. He would glare at her with impatience but would still stand up, organize the messy books and comics she left at his place, put them in her backpack, and then carried it for her, descending the stairs without a word. Back then, she was young and naive, solely focused on getting what she desired. She bid everyone farewell cheerfully, happily following him home, hopping along the way. Time had flown by, and those youthful days felt like a dream, a fading memory. The room was quiet, the only sound was Steve¡¯s tapping on the keyboard. Just when Ruby thought Steve wouldn¡¯t drive her home, he suddenly closed the laptop with a ¡°snap,¡± stood up, walked over to her using the dim light from the window, and looked into her eyes for a long time under the light from the hallway. Finally, he said, ¡°Wait for me.¡± Afterwards, he brushed past her into the bedroom. In less than a minute, he came out dressed in formal attire, holding a set of car keys. He said to Ruby who was still standing in the doorway, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± And with that, he took the lead and went downstairs. Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (17) Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (17) Translator: 549690339 In the underground parking garage, Steve Burton opened the passenger seat door for Ruby Gregory. Ruby remembered that Madeleine had told her that Steve really hated having someone sit in the passenger seat. She glanced at the door to the back seat and then at Steve, who had already opened the passenger seat. After hesitating for a moment, Ruby finally climbed into the passenger seat. As she fastened her seatbelt, she kept watching Steve¡¯s expression in the rearview mirror, only to find that his face never showed any displeasure. It was then that she felt reassured. As the car drove out of the city and smoothly headed towards the West Suburb Villa District, Steve turned on the car¡¯s music, allowing the melodious songs to surround the entire cabin. Although they didn¡¯t talk much during the journey when Steve drove Ruby home, she could still feel that his mood wasn¡¯t bad. She also vaguely knew that it was her request for him to drive her home that had pleased him. Over the years, the Gregorys had only taught her how to please Steve, not to refuse his requests, and to consider everything he liked as her own preferences. She had always thought that as long as she followed their methods, she would be successful. So, from the moment she realized the mission she had been given in life, she no longer asked Steve to do anything for her. She no longer acted spoiled, cute, or difficult as she did when she was a child. In front of him, she became reserved, considerate, and began learning to care for him and treat him well. The Gregorys also told her that men didn¡¯t like clingy and nagging women, nor did they like women who were immature and without a sense of responsibility. So, she always tried to be a woman who wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble for Steve. However, no matter how well she behaved, not only did she fail to gain his affection, but she also nearly dragged the Gregorys down with her in the end. What Mrs. Taylor had taught her today clearly seemed to be correct. It seemed that from today on, she needed to learn once again how to interact with Steve. On Monday, the first day of the workweek, Ruby got up early, washed up, and went to the dressing room to pick out her clothes. She instinctively chose a light blue piece for her autumn outfit. But as she was about to put it on, she remembered Mrs. Taylor¡¯s words: ¡°You need to let the man see a different you every day.¡± Ruby hesitated for a moment, then returned the light blue outfit to the wardrobe and chose a rose-colored knit sweater to wear instead, paired with a pair of white skinny pants. When Ruby arrived at the office, Maya Mitchell, who had been beaten up by Olivia Foster, was already sitting unscathed in the office. Olivia, who hadn¡¯t come in last week either, was also back at work. However, she was less flamboyant than before, and even her dressing was more subdued and calm. Ruby sat in her seat and greeted Maya. Before she could finish speaking, Steve came out of the elevator, so she had to close her mouth and, like other secretaries, quickly stood up and respectfully greeted: ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± As usual, Steve stopped in front of the senior secretary Ms. Taylor to listen to her report for the day¡¯s schedule. Only today, his eyes would occasionally drift towards Ruby instead of being focused intently on the schedule as before. Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Chapter 308: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (18) Chapter 308: Chapter 308: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (18) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton was already eye-catching, and his frequent glances at Ruby Gregory attracted the attention of other secretaries, who also looked at Ruby. Ruby felt a bit embarrassed by everyone¡¯s staring, so she finally just stared at her computer screen without looking away. After listening to Ms. Taylor¡¯s report on the meeting schedule, Steve nodded and then glanced at Ruby again before walking into his office. As soon as Steve left, one secretary chuckled and said, ¡°No wonder Mr. Burton kept staring at Ruby. I thought there was something different about her today too, and now I remember, it¡¯s because she changed the color of her clothes. It¡¯s a refreshing change from the blue she used to wear all the time.¡± Ruby smiled at the compliment and was about to speak when the intercom on her desk rang. It was a call from the president¡¯s office, and she hurriedly picked up. Steve¡¯s usual calm and composed voice came through, ¡°Make a cup of coffee.¡± So throughout the day, Ruby received an intercom call from Steve about every hour asking her to make a cup of coffee and bring it to his office. Every time Ruby brought in the coffee, Steve would always be diligently working with his head down, completely focused. Ruby, afraid of disturbing Steve, gently placed the coffee on the desk and quietly retreated two steps before turning around and leaving. At this point, Steve always lifted his head quickly, picked up the coffee, and sipped it slowly, his gaze following Ruby¡¯s retreating figure with a hint of appreciation as she disappeared through the office door. Just before leaving work in the afternoon, Ruby went to the restroom. As soon as Ruby left, the phone on her desk rang. Maya Mitchell¡¯s desk was only half a meter away from Ruby¡¯s, and the phone happened to be next to the corridor. Maya glanced over and saw that it was an intercom call, knowing it was from Steve. Before she had a chance to tell Steve that Ruby was not at her seat, Steve¡¯s voice came through the phone calmly, ¡°Coffee.¡± He hung up after just two words, not giving Maya any chance to respond. Maya had always thought that since she helped Ruby and Steve cover up the scene at the Red Park Resort & Villas¡¯ viewing platform, Steve might have some change towards her. Since she had a document for Steve to sign, she took the initiative to go to the pantry, made a cup of coffee, and then went to Steve¡¯s office. Maya politely knocked on the door and entered when she heard Steve say, ¡°Come in.¡± As before, Steve was staring intently at the documents on his desk. Maya approached quietly, put the coffee on the desk, and stood by with the document, not leaving. Her gaze, however, was fixed on Steve¡¯s face. Steve hadn¡¯t really been concentrating on the documents, and after a while, not sensing Ruby leaving, he looked up nonchalantly. To his surprise, he found it was Maya standing in front of him. Steve¡¯s brows furrowed as he glanced at the coffee she had placed, but didn¡¯t say anything. Maya quickly retracted her infatuated gaze on Steve and gave a small smile, speaking in a gentle voice: Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (19) Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (19) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Ruby went to the restroom, so I answered her phone. Coincidentally, I have a report that needs your signature, so I made a cup of coffee and brought it over.¡± After saying that, Maya placed the report in front of Steve with both hands. There was no change in Steve¡¯s expression because of Maya¡¯s explanation. He just glanced at her indifferently before turning his attention to the report. Maya looked at Steve absent-mindedly scanning the report. She thought about their visit to Red Park Resort & Villas, when Steve blocked the plate Olivia threw at her. Softly, she asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, has your hand healed?¡± Steve¡¯s face was calm, still looking at the report, he absent-mindedly nodded to Maya. Maya stared at Steve and said, ¡°Thank you for what happened at Red Park Resort & Villas. If it weren¡¯t for you, I might have been the one injured.¡± Maya was clever; she mentioned Steve¡¯s hand to bring up the events at Red Park Resort & Villas. Although she was the one secretly behind everything, at least on the surface, it appeared that her presence had saved Ruby. Back then, her ruthless actions toward Olivia were solely to leave a good impression on Steve. However, Steve didn¡¯t follow Maya¡¯s train of thought. He didn¡¯t mention her help at the Red Park Resort & Villas. His entire demeanor remained indifferent. He barely acknowledged her with a ¡°hm¡± before flipping to the last page of the report. Finding no mistakes, he signed his name in an elegant manner, closed the report, and glanced at Maya, signaling her to take the report and leave. Maya felt disappointed as she looked into Steve¡¯s eyes. She hesitated a moment before speaking up, ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯m sorry about what happened at Red Park Resort & Villas. I shouldn¡¯t have told Olivia where Ruby went.¡± After a short pause, Maya continued, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t told Olivia, there wouldn¡¯t have been any trouble.¡± Steve seemed to have forgotten about Maya¡¯s help that day and, upon hearing her humble words, he seriously looked at her and said, ¡°Be more careful next time.¡± Maya had thought she might hear words of gratitude from Steve. She had never seen him thank anyone before. During her week of resting at home, she often wondered how he would thank her. However, she never imagined that all she would hear from him were these simple four words: Be more careful. It was as if she had made a mistake and he was just not holding it against her. Maya¡¯s expression became slightly rigid. Steve looked up at Maya, who was still standing in front of his desk, and frowned. He asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Maya came to her senses and quickly shook her head at Steve. Steve didn¡¯t say anything else. As Maya was about to turn around and leave, Steve seemed to remember something and suddenly said, ¡°If I recall correctly, there was a semester in college when Ruby paid your tuition, right?¡± Maya was confused as to why Steve brought up the past all of a sudden. She hesitated for a moment before nodding her head to him. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (20) Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Observe Carefully and Learn Diligently (20) Translator: 549690339 ¡°If Ruby Gregory hadn¡¯t paid your tuition back then, would you have had to drop out of school?¡± Maya Mitchell nodded in agreement. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you covered for her at the Red Park Resort & Villas out of genuine sincerity without expecting anything in return?¡± It seemed that in Steve Burton¡¯s mind, all the cover-ups she did for Ruby were justified. She had thought that she might be able to use that incident to gain a favorable impression in his heart, which could change their interactions with one another. She tried so hard to get close to him. Yet, even though they met every day, there was always an insurmountable barrier between them. Maya¡¯s expression faltered slightly, as she gritted her teeth and tried to force a casual smile at Steve. She steadied her voice and, using an easy-going tone, replied: ¡°Yes.¡± Maya took a deep breath and made an effort to maintain a smile on her face: ¡°If Mr. Burton has no further queries, I will take my leave.¡± Steve didn¡¯t say anything further. Maya, holding the report, quickly turned around. Her smile immediately vanished. She hadn¡¯t walked more than a few steps when Steve¡¯s voice sounded behind her once again: ¡°Make a cup of coffee.¡± Maya came to an abrupt halt. She had made him a cup of coffee, untouched with visible steam still rising from it, sitting on his desk. Clutching the files tightly, Maya hurried out of Steve¡¯s office. Just as she was opening the door to the office, she encountered Ruby Gregory, who was entering with a cup of coffee in hand. Maya quickly composed herself and gave Ruby a warm smile, making way for her to enter the office first. As Maya was closing the office door, she heard Ruby¡¯s slightly surprised voice from within the office: ¡°Isn¡¯t there already a cup of coffee here?¡± Maya¡¯s door-closing motion unconsciously was halted. She then heard Steve¡¯s emotionless and indifferent response: ¡°Just take this cup of coffee away and dump it.¡± His tone was clean and decisive, without any hesitation or pause. Maya¡¯s hand gripped the doorknob tightly, her face completely drained of color. Ruby¡¯s outfit on Monday didn¡¯t raise Steve¡¯s disdain but instead, attracted his frequent glances. Ruby knew that Mrs. Taylor¡¯s advice had been correct once again. Actually, it was a good thing for Ruby, as no one would want to wear the same unchanging colors for their entire life. So, every day after that, she chose her clothes based on her preferences, combining various colors and styles. Once you try something, there will be more attempts to follow. Ruby had long grown tired of Chanel No. 5 perfume. So, after changing her clothes, she decided to stop wearing it as well. Whether or not it was because of Mrs. Taylor¡¯s prediction, these changes provided a fresh experience for Steve. When he faced Ruby, he no longer maintained the cold and indifferent attitude that he had displayed previously. Steve often invited Ruby to accompany him to important company dinners. After they took their seats, he would introduce her proactively. He even, intentionally or unintentionally, mentioned that she was the heiress of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises. PS: The next chapter will be updated a bit later. If you can¡¯t wait, feel free to go to sleep. I have something to attend to and need to go out for a while~ Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 311: Blessing in Disguise (1) Chapter 311: Chapter 311: Blessing in Disguise (1) Translator: 549690339 At some important company dinners, Steve Burton would often take Ruby with him. After settling down, he would take the initiative to introduce her, mentioning that she was a heiress of the Gregorys. Those willing to attend business dinners with Steve Burton were all well-known people in the capital city. Inevitably, there would be some familiar faces at these dinners. When they repeatedly saw Steve Burton attending various dinners with Ruby, and never asking her to show flattery like other secretaries by offering alcohol, and even if other bosses took the initiative to offer a toast to Ruby, Steve would deliberately block it, and always deliberately introduce Ruby each time. This caught the attention of a lot of people to the Gregorys. Just because Steve introduced them, it doesn¡¯t mean these large enterprises would work with the Gregorys immediately. Some companies didn¡¯t have any business overlap with them. However, once people paid attention to the Gregorys, if there was any work-related intersection, they would prioritize the Gregorys. Over time, the Gregorys gradually signed a few cooperation agreements. All these developments seemed to be heading in a good direction, but inevitably there was a hiccup along the way. This hiccup was both a bad thing and a good thing. It was also a good thing that qualified as a good thing. Later, when Ruby thought about it carefully, she felt that the hiccup was best described by the phrase ¡°turn misfortune into fortune.¡± It was early November on a weekend. Ciawell had already entered the late autumn, and overnight, yellow leaves were falling all over the city. The late autumn in Ciawell was the most beautiful Ciawell; desolate, bleak, and full of poetry. But Ruby¡¯s mood in such a desolate and bleak autumn scene was far from melancholy. On the contrary, she was in high spirits. The once-fallen Gregorys had seen some improvement in their business for more than a month. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory¡¯s mood had improved significantly. Ruby felt happy when she saw her parents in good spirits, as well as her increasingly adept relationship with Steve Burton. All the difficulties seemed to be easily solved, and the best mood in the last few years was now. Ruby sat on the balcony, basking in the afternoon sun, watching the red leaves, leisurely drinking tea, and enjoying this delightful time. But this wonderful moment was interrupted by a phone call. The call was from Maya Mitchell, inviting Ruby to go shopping at a department store in the city. During her stay at Red Park Resort & Villas, Ruby hadn¡¯t had a chance to thank Maya for her help. Now, when Maya asked her, Ruby agreed despite not wanting to go out. Since it was a weekend, traffic was heavy, but entering the city was smooth. Ruby arrived at the department store Maya specified in just forty minutes. In fact, Maya didn¡¯t intend to invite Ruby today. On the rare weekend, with winter approaching, she wanted to buy a thicker coat for herself. So she impulsively went shopping alone. It wasn¡¯t that she was particularly thoughtful, but on her way to the department store in her car, she happened to be alongside a car with no license plate number. The window of the other car was open, with two men inside, constantly looking at her. Maya couldn¡¯t be considered as stunningly beautiful as Ruby, but she did have some charm. Coupled with her growing ability to dress herself up over the years, getting noticed by men was a common occurrence. PS: That¡¯s all for today; we¡¯ll continue tomorrow. The reward reader is: Middle Eastern Demon Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 312: Blessings in Disguise (2) Chapter 312: Chapter 312: Blessings in Disguise (2) Translator: 549690339 Although Maya Mitchell wasn¡¯t as strikingly beautiful as Ruby Gregory, she was still quite attractive. Over the years, she had learned how to dress herself more stylishly, making her the frequent object of men¡¯s gazes. At first, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to the two men, thinking they were just staring at her because they found her attractive. However, when Maya arrived at the underground parking lot of the shopping mall, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a man standing not far from her parking spot as she got out and locked her car. Mitchell recognized the man as one of the occupants from the car without a license plate. She had a strong impression of the man because of his unusual clothing and the winding scar on his left cheek. The man appeared rather young, likely even a few years younger than her. He had a cigarette in his mouth and was nonchalantly blowing smoke. Noticing Maya¡¯s gaze, he quickly looked away and began talking to his companion who remained seated in the car. Mitchell grabbed her bag, locked her car, and walked quickly towards the elevator. Before getting on the elevator, she glanced back at the blonde man and saw him still leaning on the car window, chatting with his companion. Without giving it much thought, she entered the elevator and went upstairs. She soon put the incident out of her mind. It was a cool autumn day in Ciawell, and the heating hadn¡¯t been turned on yet. The shopping mall was warm and crowded, and Maya had already drank two bottles of water while shopping for clothes, which made the air feel even drier. When she came out of a French women¡¯s clothing store on the third floor, she noticed a restroom nearby and decided to use it. The restroom was relatively quiet and empty. As she was about to leave, she happened to pass by a stairwell emergency exit. The door to the stairwell was slightly ajar, and she heard a man¡¯s voice talking on the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we can definitely handle this¡­ As soon as we have a chance to make a move, I¡¯ll call you after we¡¯ve grabbed her¡­¡± Maya wouldn¡¯t have paid much attention to the conversation, but she caught sight of that familiar blonde man through the crack in the stairwell door. Maya left the restroom and continued shopping. On the fifth floor of the mall, there was a boutique selling high-quality Korean fashion. Maya tried on several outfits and was happily admiring herself in the fitting room mirror when she spotted a familiar figure through the glass. It was the blonde man, with another scruffy-looking guy beside him. Even the most careless person would become more alert after repeatedly encountering the same individuals on the street and in the same mall. As someone who was naturally cautious, Maya immediately connected the dots to the conversation she had overheard in the restroom on the third floor. Had they been talking about abducting her? On the surface, Mitchell pretended to try on clothes, but her focus was entirely on the blonde man and his accomplice. She noticed that they had been standing outside her store the whole time, never leaving and never taking their eyes off her. A shiver of foreboding crawled up her spine and settled in her heart. Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Blessing in Disguise (3) Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Blessing in Disguise (3) Translator: 549690339 All the signs indicated that those two men were targeting her. But who would be so ruthless towards her? Maya Mitchell had always been gentle and compliant, never offending anyone openly or competing for anything. Even in a company filled with women, where friction was inevitable, and people would secretly gossip, she never said anything bad about anyone. So, she had no enemies. Except¡­ Olivia Foster. Back at the Red Park Resort & Villas, she was the one who had added to Olivia¡¯s misery. Knowing Olivia¡¯s impulsive nature, she would not let this go easily. Because Olivia was impulsive, she would be ruthless when acting, just like the two men following her. Maya, being all alone today, feared the worst if she fell into their hands. Even if she managed to escape today, there would still be tomorrow, and the day after¡­ She was bound to slip up at some point! While pretending to focus on selecting clothes, Maya was actually thinking about how to turn this dangerous situation around. When she saw a maroon coat, Maya suddenly had an idea, and a smile appeared on her lips. She asked the salesgirl to bring her the maroon coat, put it on, and checked herself in the fitting-room mirror. Feeling that something was missing, she had the salesgirl grab her a pair of large sunglasses. She put them on and finally nodded with satisfaction, ignoring the salesgirl¡¯s compliments, and simply said, ¡°Help me pack this coat and these sunglasses.¡± The salesgirl nodded, about to help Maya take off the clothes, but Maya suddenly waved her hand and glanced at the blond man following her through the mirror. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll wear these clothes out. Just help me cut off the tag.¡± After a moment, Maya added, ¡°Pack the outfit I just tried on as well. Also, pack another set of this coat and sunglasses I¡¯m wearing now.¡± ¡°Miss, you want two of the coats and sunglasses you¡¯re wearing now?¡± the salesgirl asked uncertainly. Maya nodded. During the brief moment the salesgirl was processing the payment, Maya called Ruby Gregory. While waiting for Ruby to arrive, Maya stayed in crowded areas, wearing her newly bought sunglasses that covered most of her face. She occasionally glanced around with her peripheral vision and noticed that the two men were always following her at a certain distance. There were several cafes on the seventh floor of the department store. Maya purposely chose a chain coffee shop. She found a corner seat, had barely sat down when Ruby called her. Maya gave the address of the cafe she was at. After about ten minutes, Ruby finally arrived. Through the cafe¡¯s glass, Maya saw Ruby among the bustling crowd in the shopping mall. Her hair was casually tied in a bun at the back of her head, and she wore a dark gray dress. With such a simple outfit, she still exuded stunning beauty. Was it this beauty that captivated Steve Burton? Maya¡¯s gaze turned a bit cold. Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Blessing in Disguise (4) Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Blessing in Disguise (4) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell¡¯s eyes became slightly colder; however, as Ruby Gregory entered the caf¨¦, she blinked lightly, and the coldness in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a gentle glow. Maya stood up gracefully and called out to Ruby, who was looking around: ¡°Ruby.¡± As Ruby turned her head, Maya smiled warmly and waved enthusiastically at her. Ruby walked elegantly to Maya and sat down opposite her. After waiting for Maya to sit down as well, she smiled and asked, ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡± Smiling, Maya pushed the menu to Ruby and shook her head: ¡°No, I just arrived not long ago.¡± Pausing for a moment, Maya said, ¡°Ruby, see what you¡¯d like to eat.¡± Instead of opening the menu, Ruby pushed it back to Maya: ¡°Maya, you choose what you like. I¡¯m treating you today.¡± ¡°I invited you out, so there¡¯s no reason for you to pay¡­¡± Before Maya could finish her refusal, Ruby smiled and intercepted her, speaking with an undeniably firm tone, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to thank you for what happened at the Red Park Resort & Villas, but I haven¡¯t had the chance. You can¡¯t argue with me today! Besides, it¡¯s not much money; it¡¯s all the same, isn¡¯t it?¡± Maya didn¡¯t entangle herself with Ruby over the matter of who should pay, and neatly opened the menu. Ruby calmly extended her hand and pressed the service bell. The waiter walked over with a smile, ¡°Ladies, what would you like to order?¡± Maya looked at the menu for a while, then pointed at it and ordered a cappuccino, a vanilla cake and then looked up, smiling at Ruby: ¡°Ruby, what would you like to eat?¡± Ruby took the menu, glanced at the dishes, and saw that the caf¨¦ mostly offered the same few afternoon teas. Uninterested, she closed the menu and told the waiter, ¡°I¡¯ll have the same as her¡­¡± Just as Ruby was about to hand the menu to the waiter, she caught a glimpse of the caf¨¦¡¯s name and hesitated. Then she changed her order, ¡°Change mine to the Summer Tea Set.¡± The waiter was taken aback, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss, but that set is not available to the public. It¡¯s the owner¡¯s private menu, only available to Platinum VIP Customers.¡± Only then did Ruby suddenly seem to remember something. She took her wallet out of her bag and pulled out a card: ¡°Is it this card?¡± The waiter glanced at it, then nodded, his attitude becoming much more respectful: ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± The waiter took Ruby¡¯s VIP Card, registered the VIP number on a tablet, and asked Ruby for confirmation: ¡°Miss, could you please report the name on this card?¡± ¡°Steve Burton.¡± Maya, who was sitting opposite Ruby, looked slightly startled. Ruby, however, smiled charmingly and turned her head to look at Maya: ¡°Maya, do you want to change to the set I ordered? It¡¯s their owner¡¯s private menu, and many people haven¡¯t had a chance to taste it.¡± Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Blessing in Disguise (5) Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Blessing in Disguise (5) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell slightly relaxed her stiff expression, shook her head at Ruby Gregory, and spoke with a polite tone, somewhat less lively and enthusiastic than before: ¡°No need, Ruby, thank you.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t force Maya, and said to the waiter: ¡°We¡¯ll have these, thank you.¡± ¡°Alright, please wait a moment, ladies.¡± The waiter smiled as he handed the VIP card to Ruby, bowed slightly, and left with his iPad. Ruby lowered her head and put the VIP card in her wallet, not noticing Maya¡¯s unusual reaction. She chattered, saying: ¡°When you first told me the name of the caf¨¦, it sounded familiar, but since I haven¡¯t been in Ciawell for three years, I couldn¡¯t remember it right away. Suddenly, when I saw the logo on the menu, I remembered that this restaurant is owned by the wife of Steve Burton¡¯s friend. This VIP card was given to him by his friend, and since he doesn¡¯t eat desserts, he gave it to me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Maya forced a smile on her face, and only when Ruby put the VIP card into her bag did she reluctantly shift her gaze from it. Some privileges are only given to one person, and the man she loves has given that privilege to the beautiful, lively woman sitting in front of her. Just now, when Ruby spoke Steve Burton¡¯s name to the waiter, she did so with such confidence and righteousness, as if she were his wife, entitled to enjoy such treatment. And what about her? Whether in the company or in private, whether facing Steve Burton or anyone else, the only name she could call him was always ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Steve Burton, Mr. Burton¡ªone word apart, yet worlds apart. No one knew how many times in the dead of night she dreamed of the graceful, peerless man. She wanted to smile, but could only wear a sad expression. She wanted to call out Steve¡¯s name, yet only the word ¡°Burton¡± came out. How she longed, one day, to hold a privilege card from that man, enjoying the wonderful treatment others couldn¡¯t. Ruby put her wallet back into her bag and looked up to see Maya staring at her, lost in thought. She furrowed her brow: ¡°Maya, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Maya snapped back to reality, only then realizing that she had almost revealed her inner thoughts to Ruby. She quickly shook her head and laughed: ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well last night, feeling a bit off today.¡± Maya paused for a moment, then immediately changed the subject, picked up a large paper bag next to her, and handed it to Ruby: ¡°Ruby, during my shopping just now, I bought this outfit that¡¯s the same as the one I¡¯m wearing, as well as a pair of sunglasses. When I tried them on, I thought they looked really pretty, and I thought they¡¯d suit you well, so I bought a set for you too.¡± Ruby glanced at the clothes in the bag, recognizing the expensive brand. She knew what Maya¡¯s salary was like, and buying a set of these clothes would cost nearly half her wage. Although the Gregorys¡¯ wealth was not as it had been in the past, they still seemed far more well-off compared to Maya. Suddenly, Ruby felt a little embarrassed: ¡°Maya, you should have just bought clothes for yourself, why did you buy them for me too?¡± Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Blessing in Disguise (6) Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Blessing in Disguise (6) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory may not be the kind of person who never accepts gifts. On the contrary, she often takes the initiative to ask for gifts from Madeleine, who often travels on business. She does so because she knows that the gifts she asks for will not have any impact on Madeleine. However, the gifts given by Maya Mitchell are indeed too valuable for her. If she really accepts them, she would feel somewhat uneasy. But since they have already been bought, not accepting them would be too awkward. Ruby mulled over her words for a moment, then said, ¡°Maya, this outfit is not cheap. If I just take it like this, I can¡¯t really feel at ease. How about this? I¡¯ll give you the money for the clothes, and I¡¯ll take the glasses as a gift from you, okay?¡± Indeed, the outfit was a considerable expense for Maya Mitchell. But the reason she was willing to spend so much was not for Ruby, but for herself. However, her face did not betray any of her thoughts. Instead, when she heard Ruby¡¯s words, she gently shook her head and said, ¡°Ruby, my gift is nothing compared to what Madeleine has given you.¡± ¡°But you and Madeleine¡­¡± Ruby blurted out these few words, then closed her mouth, a trace of apology appearing in her eyes as she looked at Maya. Maya lowered her eyelids, hiding the coldness at the bottom of her eyes. In Ruby¡¯s heart, she had never really valued her. Even when they were in college, and she couldn¡¯t afford her tuition, she had been constantly pressured by the school, embarrassed in front of her classmates. The only reason Ruby was willing to help her was to use her as a way to show off her own kindness and win everyone¡¯s praise for her willingness to help. Even back then, she must have looked down on her in her eyes. Over the years, she had been trying to live a more refined and bourgeois lifestyle, in order to escape the humiliation and embarrassment that her previous poverty had brought her. But after all these years, Ruby still maintained this condescending attitude towards her. Maya¡¯s hand tightened into a fist, but her expression on her face became a bit desolate: ¡°Ruby, in your heart, there no comparison between me and Madeleine, right?¡± ¡°Maya, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°Ruby, I know you¡¯re worried that I spent so much money that it will make my own life difficult. I understand your kindness, but I hope you won¡¯t reject my sincerity.¡± Having gone to such lengths to say all this, Ruby didn¡¯t know what else to say for a moment. Besides, she was also afraid that if she refused again, she might hurt Maya¡¯s self-esteem. Hesitating for a bit, Ruby moved her lips and gave a shallow smile, ¡°Alright, then, I won¡¯t be polite.¡± Only then did Maya reveal a bright smile on her face, as if she were truly happy. Ruby looked at Maya¡¯s heartfelt smile and finally felt at ease, ¡°Maya, thank you.¡± ¡°Ruby, there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± As soon as Maya¡¯s words fell, the waiter brought their afternoon tea. After the waiter left, Maya glanced out the window, not unexpectedly, the blond man and his friends were sitting not far away, drinking cold drinks and keeping their eyes on her. Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Blessing in Disguise (7) Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Blessing in Disguise (7) Translator: 549690339 The two had been following her for a long while, clearly growing impatient. Ruby Gregory took a sip of her hot drink, and seeing Maya Mitchell staring out the window, asked aloud, ¡°Maya, what are you looking at?¡± After saying this, Ruby Gregory looked through the window, not finding anything special in sight. Maya Mitchell pulled her gaze back, lowered her head, and took a bite of her cake before shaking her head at Ruby Gregory and saying, ¡°Nothing.¡± After a pause, Maya Mitchell changed the subject: ¡°By the way, Ruby, why didn¡¯t I see you at the company yesterday afternoon?¡± ¡°Yesterday?¡± Ruby Gregory thought for a moment and honesty replied, ¡°Yesterday at noon, Steve Burton asked me to accompany him to a business lunch, and in the afternoon, he played cards with some friends.¡± Again Steve Burton¡­ Maya Mitchell¡¯s eyes dimmed a bit, she quietly lowered her head, took a sip of her coffee, and mumbled an unintelligible ¡°hmm¡±. Ruby Gregory thought that Maya Mitchell was only drinking coffee and not convenient to talk, so she didn¡¯t think much of it and continued, ¡°By the time the card game finished, it was already past four in the afternoon. Just then, I received a call from Mr. Taylor, so I didn¡¯t go back to the company, instead, I went straight to another business lunch.¡± After telling the story, Ruby Gregory made a face, poked a piece of cake with her fork, put it in her mouth, and complained, ¡°Two business lunches in a day, really exhausting.¡± What Ruby Gregory found exhausting was exactly what Maya Mitchell could only wish for. Her complaints, in Maya Mitchell¡¯s view, seemed more like bragging. This is the difference between her and Ruby Gregory. She had always known that Ruby Gregory was even more dangerous and difficult to deal with than Olivia Foster. Once her conflict with Steve Burton was resolved, she would be unshakeable by anyone in his presence. Silently, Maya Mitchell swallowed a gulp of coffee, suppressing the envy and jealousy in her heart. This topic was clearly brought up by her, but it ended up making her feel depressed. Maya Mitchell gave a wry smile and half-jokingly said, ¡°Many people desperately want to accompany Mr. Burton to business lunches. Yet, here you are showing disgust. If someone saw this, they might be drowning in jealousy.¡± After Maya had spoken, she didn¡¯t wait for Ruby Gregory to reply and quickly changed the subject: ¡°I just remembered that the coat I got for you was a size S. Their sizes run a little small, when you go to the restroom later, you can try it on. If it doesn¡¯t fit, we can go downstairs and exchange it.¡± Ruby Gregory quickly nodded without suspicion and replied, ¡°Sure.¡± Maya Mitchell gave a subtle smile, but didn¡¯t say anything. Her eyes, however, glanced at the blond man sitting outside the window before lowering her lashes, her expression slightly scornful. Ruby Gregory and Maya Mitchell didn¡¯t order much, and they also didn¡¯t eat much. Ruby Gregory called for the waiter, paid the bill, and left the caf¨¦ with Maya Mitchell to go to the restroom on the same floor. Before going into the restroom, Maya Mitchell noticed the two men who had been following her: one was watching the direction she and Ruby Gregory were heading in, and the other was paying the bill. Once Maya Mitchell and Ruby Gregory entered the restroom, Maya put on an expectant face and signaled for Ruby Gregory to try on the clothes she bought. Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Blessing in Disguise (8) Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Blessing in Disguise (8) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory looked much better than Maya Mitchell, and was a little taller too. Although Ruby didn¡¯t wear high heels as Maya did, the maroon coat she was wearing looked much more dazzling on Ruby than on Maya. In an instant, Maya felt like she was merely an accessory wearing the same outfit. She struggled to force a smile and said, ¡°Ruby, this outfit looks so beautiful on you that I¡¯m embarrassed to wear it myself.¡± Ruby shyly smiled, ¡°Not at all, you look just as beautiful.¡± Maya knew herself well enough to take Ruby¡¯s words as just a polite remark. She then took out a pair of sunglasses and personally put them on for Ruby. The sunglasses were large and covered half of her face, making it difficult for anyone to tell who it was at a glance. Maya smiled contentedly at her own choice of outfit, but when her smile met Ruby¡¯s eyes, it seemed like genuine praise: ¡°Ruby, you look really beautiful.¡± Without further ado, Maya immediately tore off the tags on Ruby¡¯s clothes and sunglasses, ¡°Ruby, wear this outfit directly. It looks much better than the one you had on earlier, and it will be eye-catching for us to go shopping together wearing matching clothes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruby nodded, admiring herself in the mirror for a few moments before re-arranging her hair. Maya folded Ruby¡¯s original coat and put it in a bag. She looked at Ruby silently and then, after some thought, said, ¡°Ruby, I suddenly really need to use the restroom. Can you wait for me outside?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruby nodded, believing Maya¡¯s words. Maya took her shopping bag and entered a cubicle. Ruby, holding the remains shopping bag containing her own clothes, left the bathroom. Just as Ruby left, Maya opened the door to the cubicle she had gone into, wearing an entirely new set of clothes. Neither was it the outfit she had on before nor the one that was identical to Ruby¡¯s; instead, it was a different set she had bought. Maya stuffed the other clothes into her shopping bag haphazardly. She approached the bathroom door and peeked out, only to find that Ruby was nowhere to be seen in the hallway outside. About half a minute later, Maya took a deep breath and slowly walked out of the bathroom. As she walked, she looked around, and it wasn¡¯t until she returned to the mall that she didn¡¯t see Ruby. It was then that she realized her plan had come to fruition. The two people who were meant to catch her must have mistaken Ruby, wearing the same clothes and sunglasses, for herself and taken her away instead. The moment she knew she was being targeted, Maya thought of Ruby. She didn¡¯t know what methods Olivia Foster would use to target her, but this undeniably gave her a God-sent opportunity. An opportunity that allowed her not only to ruin Ruby with Olivia¡¯s help but also to stir up Steve Burton after Ruby was ruined. And then, with Steve¡¯s help, get rid of Olivia. It was truly a double victory! Thinking of this, a cold sneer appeared in Maya¡¯s eyes. PS: Today¡¯s done, more to come tomorrow! Awarded reader: Yan¡¯er Youyou Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter 319: Blessing in Disguise (9) Chapter 319: Chapter 319: Blessing in Disguise (9) Translator: 549690339 Ruby Gregory really hadn¡¯t anticipated that one day in her life, she would experience such a dramatic scene ¨C she was kidnapped. She had always thought that real life wasn¡¯t as melodramatic as TV series or whimsical novels, but sometimes, life turned out to be even more absurd and theatrical than those stories. Wearing the coat that Maya Mitchell had given her, she came out of the restroom with a beaming smile on her face. The hallway outside the restroom was quiet, with only the crisp sound of her low-heeled shoes tapping on the floor. As Ruby walked, she held her phone and posed for various selfies using the front camera, intending to post a photo on her WhatsApp Status. She quickly took five photos in a row, but due to the lack of windows in the hallway, the lighting was somewhat dim, making her skin appear less radiant and healthy in the pictures. Ruby stopped to edit one of the photos when she suddenly heard the sound of the emergency stairwell door being opened behind her. Without taking a good look at the person behind her, she posted the edited photo on her WhatsApp Status along with text: ¡°Shopping with Maya, my new coat from her¡­¡± Ruby hadn¡¯t finished typing when she sensed someone standing behind her. Before she could turn around, a damp cloth suddenly covered her nose and mouth, emitting a peculiar medicinal scent. Without any chance to react, her strength seemed to be drained from her body, leaving her unable to resist. On instinct, Ruby turned her phone to silent mode and slipped it into her pocket. Following that, she was dragged into the emergency stairwell by a pair of strong arms. ¡°How did it go? Successful?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruby only heard a brief exchange between two men before a black cloth was placed over her head, obscuring her vision. She was then picked up and felt a jolting sensation as if being carried down the stairs. After that, she lost consciousness entirely. When Ruby regained consciousness, her eyes were still covered with the black cloth. She was sitting in a car on an uneven road, with construction-like noises audible nearby. If during her abduction Ruby hadn¡¯t had time to process what was happening, now she understood ¨C she had been kidnapped. No one could remain calm in the face of a kidnapping, let alone Ruby, who hadn¡¯t even gotten a clear look at her captors. Thus, her emotions were a mixture of anxiety and unease. She didn¡¯t dare show that she was awake, so she pretended to be still unconscious. With her ears perked up, she waited for what seemed like a long time, but didn¡¯t hear any conversation in the car, only the occasional sound of a lighter flicking and the smell of secondhand smoke through the cloth. After about half an hour of jolting and unstable driving, the car finally came to a stop. The door opened, and Ruby was yanked out of the car without any gentleness. Her head still covered with the black cloth, she was half-dragged and half-carried, stumbling blindly with each step. Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Blessing in Disguise (10) Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Blessing in Disguise (10) Translator: 549690339 After walking about 200 steps, Ruby Gregory heard the sound of an iron door being pushed open. She was dragged roughly inside, her legs and feet tied up, and then shoved to the ground. There was something soft on the ground, so Ruby¡¯s fall didn¡¯t hurt too much. With a blindfold still covering her eyes, she listened to the two men leave, followed by the sound of the iron door closing. The world went silent for about a minute before Ruby heard a young voice: ¡°Everything¡¯s done, what¡¯s next?¡± Ruby did not hear anyone answer, but she guessed the man was making a phone call. As expected, after several seconds, the man¡¯s voice came again: ¡°Alright, once the ransom is in the account, I¡¯ll do exactly as you say.¡± It seemed like he hung up the phone, as Ruby heard another man¡¯s voice, a somewhat ruffian-like tone: ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°She said the woman is ours now, and we should find more men to¡­¡± The man on the phone trailed off, but Ruby understood all too well what he was implying. Who on earth could be using such a disgusting and cruel method to frame her? She was a woman, and it was hard enough for her to deal with one man, let alone being tied up and guarded by two men¡­ Ruby gathered her thoughts and finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly: ¡°Who sent you to do this?¡± There was a moment of silence. Just as Ruby thought the two men would ignore her, one of them suddenly spoke: ¡°Whoever you offended is the one who sent us.¡± ¡°They must¡¯ve given you a lot of money, then.¡± Ruby forced herself to calm down and continued diplomatically: ¡°However much they¡¯re paying you, I can pay you too. Let me go, and I¡¯ll pretend today never happened¡­¡± Ruby didn¡¯t think her words were funny, but the two men burst out laughing as if they¡¯d heard a joke. After a while, the one who had responded to her spoke again: ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really amusing. In our line of work, we¡¯ve heard that kind of talk way too many times. You say it¡¯s like it never happened, but as soon as we turn our backs, we¡¯d get arrested.¡± ¡°I swear I¡¯ll keep my word.¡± Ruby¡¯s tone was sincere, but the two men just laughed and paid her no more mind. The surroundings were very quiet. Ruby didn¡¯t know what the two men who had captured her were doing, but she could clearly feel her own growing panic. If she were ruined here, how could she ever marry Steve Burton? She carried the responsibility of leading the Gregorys to greatness. She had finally made Steve not hate her as much; the Gregorys¡¯ fortunes were beginning to turn, and everything was just starting to look good. She could not just sit and wait for everything she worked for to fall apart. She had actually faced a similar danger in her youth. Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Blessing in Disguise (11) Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Blessing in Disguise (11) Translator: 549690339 In fact, when she was very young, she also encountered a similar danger. In truth, that danger from back then, compared to the peril she faced at this moment, could be said to be a small matter blown out of proportion. It wasn¡¯t a serious threat, but for her, who had just entered the first year of senior high school, it was a terrifying event. During the final term leading up to the middle school exam, Ruby Gregory had her first period. It was a hot summer afternoon. Ruby was wearing a beautiful light-blue dress, with white lotus scallops at the hem. Her long, straight hair draped gently over her nape. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the buzz-cut boyish Madeleine, dressed in a men¡¯s suit on the campus, they attracted quite a few glances. Only, that day, an unusual number of people seemed to be watching her. Since entering seventh grade, the term ¡®puppy love¡¯ became popular. Ruby frequently found love letters and small gifts wrapped in pink and light blue envelopes in her drawer. Hence, she was already used to attention and didn¡¯t mind it. When she entered the class, several people called her name and then hesitated to speak further. At that time, she was completely perplexed, with no idea what was going on. Thus, she carried her bewilderment and settled at her desk to start the class. During that period, Madeleine was immersed in an online game called ¡°The Journey to the West.¡± Often staying up late with Edward Woods and Howard Coleman, leveling up, hence when they reached school, they would stack books high on the table and fall asleep until the school was dismissed. So during breaks, Ruby often went to the bathroom alone. At that time, the school wasn¡¯t equipped like it is today, with a bathroom on every floor. During the time they were in school, a two-story bathroom was built on the sports field. During breaks, countless students would pour out from the teaching building and flock to the field. Unfortunately, today, Ruby chose to go to the bathroom during the long break. The number of people in the sports field was like all the students gathering there for the Monday morning flag-raising ceremony. Wherever Ruby went, people were always looking at the hem of her dress, whispering to each other. Ruby had no idea what was happening. She saw the vague expressions on everyone¡¯s faces as if they were trying to suppress their laughter, and she walked into the bathroom. The bathroom was quite crowded, Ruby had to queue up. The girl standing behind her was someone she did not know. When it was Ruby¡¯s turn, when she was ready to use the bathroom, that girl tapped her shoulder blushing, pointing to her dress. Feeling a bit puzzled, Ruby gave that girl a glance and entered a separate cubicle. When she took off her panties, she found that her cotton pink underwear was draped with splashes of fresh red. She was first taken aback, then it occurred to her that people had been staring at her all day. She only understood when she reached over and flipped the back of her skirt to the front, and saw large patches of red on it. Some of it was already dry and blackened. She had actually bled so much¡­ The first thought that crossed Ruby¡¯s mind was that she had an incurable disease. She squatted in the bathroom for a long time, wishing that her bleeding would stop soon. The school bell rang, and the disorderly restroom quieted down in an instant. Yet, she found that her bleeding was still uncontrolled. There were even large clots of blood flowing out of her body. Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Blessing in Disguise (12) Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Blessing in Disguise (12) Translator: 549690339 The thought of an incurable disease suddenly became a certainty in her mind, and she began to panic. Subconsciously, she opened her mouth and shouted, ¡°Is anyone there?¡±, hoping that someone would respond and take her to the hospital. Junior high students always executed their teachers¡¯ instructions as if they were unbreakable decrees. No one dared to be late, so only her voice echoed continuously in the empty restroom. At that time, smartphones hadn¡¯t yet appeared, and Nokia¡¯s color-screen phones had just entered the Chinese market, where everyone regarded them as luxury items. Back then, the Gregorys¡¯ business was still profitable, so Maxwell Gregory bought her a phone. She cried out for help for a while, but no one bothered. Just then, she felt a faint pain in her stomach, accompanied by an even more intense flow of blood. She didn¡¯t know that this was a normal physiological phenomenon for a woman, nor did she know that the faint pain in her stomach was due to menstrual cramps caused by eating ice cream with Madeleine at noon and catching a cold. She only thought it was a reaction to the incurable disease, which made her even more panicked. Trembling, she took out her phone, her mind muddled. She even forgot that she should call 110 for help. Her first instinct was to call her parents, but she accidentally dialed Steve Burton. After one ring, she hung up. As she shakily entered the Gregorys¡¯ phone number, her phone suddenly started vibrating. It was a call from Steve Burton. Before she could even speak, the usual cold and impatient voice from the teenager on the other end of the phone came through, ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s class time. What are you doing calling me for?¡± After knowing Steve for so many years, Ruby had gotten used to his cold and sarcastic tone. But that day, as she listened to his icy voice and held the phone, her tears fell one by one. Perhaps it was the tears that made her senses even more acute. She felt her stomach hurt more, as if death was near. Silently weeping, she suddenly cried out loud. At that moment, Steve was in the chemistry lab doing an oxygen generation experiment. Since it was free lab time, the classroom was a mess. He felt justified in answering his phone. Holding a test tube, he casually approached the alcohol lamp to heat the potassium permanganate in the tube. Upon hearing Ruby¡¯s sudden outburst on the phone, his hand shook, and the test tube fell on the table with a hit. As he clumsily tidied up, he asked Ruby angrily, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± The girl on the phone didn¡¯t answer him but cried even harder. Young Steve, who was already annoyed by the crying, lost all interest in his experiment that he already considered brainless. Without thinking, he walked out of the lab, ¡°Did someone bully you?¡± That was the only reason he could think of. He took off the white lab coat he was wearing and found that the girl on the phone was still crying nonstop. He couldn¡¯t help but become more anxious, ¡°Ruby, if you cry again, I¡¯ll hang up the phone, I swear!¡± Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Blessing in Disguise (13) Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Blessing in Disguise (13) Translator: 549690339 The girl on the phone suddenly stopped crying, though intermittent sobs could still be heard. Steve Burton¡¯s heart softened a bit, his voice becoming somewhat gentler: ¡°Who¡¯s been bullying you?¡± ¡°Nobody bullied me¡­¡± Ruby Gregory replied haltingly, every so often interrupted by a sob, ¡°Steve, I¡¯m bleeding, I¡¯m losing a lot of blood¡­¡± There was a sign on the wall of the laboratory forbidding running or making noise; when Steve heard those words, his feet instantly propelled him towards the stairs and he began to run. He raced out of the lab building, heading straight for the school gate. During school hours at high school, the main gate only allows students in but not out, unless they have access passes from teachers. When Steve got to the gate, he hesitated slightly then sidestepped to the railing nearby, took a few steps back, sprinted, and vaulted over the fence. Ignoring the shouting from the security guard, Steve hailed an empty cab on the street, told the driver Ruby¡¯s school name and huffed into the phone: ¡°Where did you get hurt? Why are you bleeding?¡± Ruby responded, completely off-topic: ¡°Steve, I think I¡¯m going to die, I have an incurable disease¡­¡± As if suddenly overcome by grief, there was the sound of Ruby crying into the phone: ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, Steve, what should I do¡­¡± Steve lifted a hand to his forehead, feeling slightly dizzy, and tried his best to stay calm: ¡°Where are you bleeding? How did you get hurt? Have you called an ambulance?¡± After Steve had asked all three questions, Ruby who was on the phone finally stopped crying. There was a pause, and then she said honestly: ¡°I didn¡¯t call an ambulance, and I don¡¯t know how I got hurt¡­¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory, could you be any sillier? The situation has escalated to an extent where you¡¯re losing a lot of blood, but you don¡¯t even know how you got hurt?¡± Steve scolded Ruby through the phone, then lifted his head to the cab driver in front of him: ¡°Could you please call an ambulance to Daria High School for me?¡± The cab driver, being relatively warm-hearted, immediately took out his cell phone after hearing about the severe bleeding. Ruby started crying again after being scolded by Steve: ¡°I really don¡¯t know how I got hurt. I went to the bathroom and saw blood all over my underwear. I don¡¯t know what happened¡­ I started bleeding out of nowhere, and my stomach hurts¡­ From the time I went to the bathroom until now, I have been bleeding non-stop¡­ there are even clots¡­¡± As Ruby cried and spoke, a blush gradually spread across Steve¡¯s anxious face. He cleared his throat, turned to the cab driver who had just dialed a number on his phone and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you don¡¯t need to make that call.¡± The cab driver turned his head, looking at Steve suspiciously: ¡°Is it too late? Is she dead?¡± Steve didn¡¯t reply, instead he pointed at a supermarket up ahead and said, ¡°Stop the car in front.¡± Steve paid the cab fare, then rushed into the supermarket, while awkwardly reassuring Ruby on the phone, ¡°You¡¯re not going to die.¡± Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Blessing in Disguise (14) Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Blessing in Disguise (14) Translator: 549690339 ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t die? My stomach hurts so much right now¡­¡± Steve Burton really didn¡¯t know how to explain this question to Ruby Gregory, so he could only say in a blunt tone: ¡°I said you won¡¯t die, so you won¡¯t die. Just stay in the bathroom honestly, and wait for me to call you later!¡± Having said that, Steve hung up the phone. Then, he entered the supermarket, bought a few packs of sanitary pads, hailed another taxi, and went to Ruby¡¯s school. He had graduated from this junior high school, so he was very familiar with it. He easily arrived at the entrance of the restroom, took out his cell phone, and called Ruby: ¡°Come out, I¡¯m at the bathroom door.¡± Ruby paused for a moment, then spoke in a somewhat pitiful voice: ¡°Steve, can you come in? My legs are numb and I can¡¯t stand up.¡± Steve held his phone, took a deep breath, didn¡¯t say anything in the end, and clicked to hang up the phone again. Then, for the first time in his life, he entered the girls¡¯ bathroom. When he handed the bag of sanitary pads to Ruby, his fair face turned red. He threw down the sanitary pads and turned to leave without saying a word. After taking two steps, he stopped again. Would a woman, who hasn¡¯t been educated about menstruation, know how to use a sanitary pad? Steve hesitated for a moment, then turned his head and asked Ruby: ¡°Do you know how to use it?¡± Ruby opened the bag, looked at the beautifully packaged sanitary pads inside, then shook her head at Steve. As expected¡­ Steve sighed, and said stiffly: ¡°Just open a pack at random, take out one piece, and put it in your underwear.¡± When Steve finished this sentence, his face turned even redder. He looked away from Ruby: ¡°After you¡¯re done, come out quickly.¡± Then he strode out of the girls¡¯ bathroom. Steve waited for about five minutes before Ruby finally emerged from the bathroom, dragging her feet. She stood at the bathroom door, her hands behind her back, unwilling to move. Steve stood at the stairs, looking at her impatiently: ¡°Ruby, what are you doing standing there like an idiot?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Are you coming or not?¡± Ruby shook her head. ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving¡­¡± Steve said mercilessly, turning around as if he was really going to leave. ¡°Steve¡­¡± The pathetic voice of the girl came from behind. Steve stopped in his tracks, looked at Ruby, whose eyes were red from crying, and helplessly shook his head. Finally, he walked over to her: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Only then did Ruby pout and slowly turn around in front of Steve. Steve saw the clumps of red on Ruby¡¯s skirt and understood everything. He scolded, ¡°Why are you so troublesome!¡± Then he took off his jacket and tied it around Ruby¡¯s waist, covering her skirt perfectly. With the issue resolved, Ruby finally smiled brightly: ¡°Steve, thank you.¡± Her smiling face, as she spoke these words, curved her eyes deeply towards him: ¡°Steve, it¡¯s so nice to have you, can I call you whenever I have any troubles in the future?¡± Steve looked at her delicate and charming smile, his heart undulating. He nodded gently, Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Blessing in Disguise (15) Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Blessing in Disguise (15) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton gazed at the delicate and tender smile on the girl¡¯s face, his heart swaying. He gently nodded but before he could speak, Ruby Gregory looked at him with a somewhat uneasy expression and asked, ¡°Steve, are you sure I don¡¯t have an incurable illness?¡± Perhaps it was due to her gentle and sweet smile that touched his heart. He showed unusual patience, nodded towards Ruby, and gave her an answer, ¡°This is a normal physiological phenomenon for humans. It happens once a month.¡± A normal physiological phenomenon? Ruby¡¯s worried heart finally settled down. Steve looked at her relieved expression and felt himself relaxing. He raised his hand and touched her long hair, softly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, he held Ruby¡¯s hand and they started walking downstairs. However, just after they had taken a few steps, Ruby suddenly turned her head, looking at Steve while asking, ¡°Steve, do you also experience unstoppable bleeding like I did today, every month?¡± Steve¡¯s face instantly darkened. Abruptly, he let go of Ruby¡¯s hand, quickened his pace, and soon put some distance between them. Ruby pouted, jogging to catch up with Steve and once again taking his hand. She whispered, ¡°You said it¡¯s a normal physiological phenomenon for humans. Aren¡¯t you human?¡± Steve¡¯s face grew colder, and he instinctively tried to pull his hand away. Ruby tightened her grip on his hand. Steve turned his head, looking at Ruby¡¯s innocent face. His struggles gradually weakened, and he added, ¡°It¡¯s a normal physiological phenomenon for women.¡± Ruby nodded her head in sudden realization and obediently stayed silent. As they continued to walk hand in hand, Steve finally clasped Ruby¡¯s hand back, looking straight ahead without turning. Out of the blue, he spoke in a clear, cold voice, ¡°Ruby, if you have any problems in the future, you can come to me.¡± Ruby made an ¡°Eh?¡± sound. Steve stopped walking, still holding her hand. He turned to face her directly. In the early summer schoolyard, the trees were lush and buzzing with cicadas. The flowers in the flowerbeds bloomed brightly, with a flock of pigeons fluttering their wings and flying overhead. Steve looked into Ruby¡¯s eyes, filled with a gentle light. Unexpectedly, he explained what he had just said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just ask me if you can come to me with any problem?¡± ¡°I said yes, you can come to me with any problem, and I will help you solve it.¡± That day, the sky was exceptionally blue, and there was no wind at all. That youthful statement was like a solemn promise, deeply engraved into Ruby¡¯s heart. So much so that when she first entered high school and faced danger, her first thought was of Steve. Later, that thought became a habit that persisted until three years ago when she went to England, and the habit was finally broken. Ruby slowly withdrew from those fairytale-like memories. Fortunately, just before she fainted, she quickly turned her phone to silent and slipped it into her pocket. She moved her tied hands to the pocket and struggled to pull the phone out. Although she couldn¡¯t see anything, she was so familiar with her phone that she could easily take a screenshot and press the home button. She had Steve¡¯s number saved directly on her phone¡¯s desktop. Feeling the edge of her phone, she roughly estimated the position and clicked on it. Immediately, she heard a quiet beeping sound coming from the phone. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was pressing it correctly, but her heart was pounding anxiously. After a while, she heard Steve¡¯s familiar cold voice coming from the phone, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± PS: The most beautiful thing about childhood sweethearts is the memories. Now that I¡¯m older, I miss my youth and school days more and more. Today¡¯s award goes to: Aperson¡ã Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Blessing in Disguise (16) Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Blessing in Disguise (16) Translator: 549690339 She wasn¡¯t sure if she had pressed the right buttons, her heart tightly wound. After a while, she heard Steve Burton¡¯s familiar cold and clear voice coming from the phone, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ruby Gregory had always known that Steve¡¯s voice was a rare auditory pleasure in this world, like the sound of nature itself. However, in the past, when confronted with Steve¡¯s voice, she mostly felt apprehensive, terrified, and restless. Yet, at this moment, for the first time, her heart was filled with excitement. It was as if she were standing in a bottomless pit of despair and saw a sliver of light symbolic of hope. In that particular moment, Ruby¡¯s eyes became slightly hot, and she didn¡¯t dare to speak loudly into the phone, fearing to alarm the two men who brought her here. She gently shifted her hips to one side, then slowly lay down on the ground. After her head gently moved, her lips touched the cold metallic phone, and she opened her mouth and whispered weakly, ¡°Save me, Time.¡± It was a rare weekend, and Steve Burton had a pretty comfortable day, waking from a sound sleep at 11 o¡¯clock. He received a call from Rusell Henris inviting him to lunch at Yester Garden, where they would have Poham dishes, and after lunch, Howard Coleman called, saying he had set up a mahjong table at the Capital Club and asked if they would like to join. Happy events would always uplift one¡¯s spirit, and Steve was living splendidly during this time. Without even waiting for Rusell¡¯s agreement, he lazily replied to Howard on the phone, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s play a few hands.¡± The distance between Yester Garden and Capital Club was significant, and there was some traffic congestion on weekends without traffic restrictions. As born and raised Ciawell residents, in order to save time, Steve and Rusell took some shortcuts and ended up in a courtyard house. There was a sudden quietness as soon as they entered, and they continued smoothly out of the courtyard. When they turned at the road ahead, they saw a sign warning, ¡°School ahead, limit traffic.¡± Steve hadn¡¯t been paying attention to the roads Rusell was driving on. An unintentional glance to the side made him notice the familiar scenery and he furrowed his brows, seeing the words ¡°Ciawell High School¡± outside the window, he straightened up in the passenger seat, ¡°How did we end up here?¡± Rusell slowed down the car, ¡°There is less traffic here on weekends.¡± Steve didn¡¯t respond, raising his hand to roll down the car window, the cool late autumn wind whistling inside, bringing a touch of cold air. All of them had graduated from this high school. Later they went to college and then took over Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Their ambitions grew, and they became busy. Although they were in the same city, they rarely passed by this place. The car moved forward for no more than a hundred meters when Steve saw a group of young boys in school uniforms standing by the roadside. After all these years, the uniforms had not changed, it was still the same as before. A group of impulsive young boys gathered and pointed fingers at each other, arguing about something. Suddenly, one of the boys threw his backpack viciously at the boy in front of him, and then the group rushed forward, the scene becoming turbulent. PS: After a day of classes, I had a Christmas Eve dinner and then came back to update the story~ Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Blessing in Disguise (17) Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Blessing in Disguise (17) Translator: 549690339 Rusell happened to see this scene, chuckled, and turned the steering wheel slightly, moving farther away from those young men fighting: ¡°My memory of this place is quite deep. Once, we had a group fight right here.¡± After passing the school gate, the car¡¯s speed increased, and soon the young people fighting were no longer visible in the rearview mirror. Rusell skillfully controlled the steering wheel with one hand, while taking a cigarette from the pack and lighting it up with the other, took a drag, looked at Steve Burton through the rearview mirror, and then said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it was because of Ruby Gregory.¡± Steve didn¡¯t say anything, but his eyebrows softened as he thought about it. He remembered that incident much more vividly than Rusell ever could. Regardless of how dazzling and steady his life had become now, there was a time when even he had been impulsive and fought on a whim for a pretty girl. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what those boys were fighting for now. Was it for a girl they¡¯d noticed silently, like he had? Was she as beautiful as Ruby? Definitely not¡­ Soon the little episode they witnessed on the road was forgotten as they arrived at the Capital Club. There¡¯s a saying that success in love results in failure in gambling, but it didn¡¯t seem to apply to Steve at all. His relationship with Ruby had been thriving lately, yet he continued to dominate the Mahjong table, beating Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, and Howard Coleman. Howard, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, pressed a button for an automatic Mahjong table, then watched the neatly arranged tiles slowly pushed onto the table, casually asking, ¡°Who¡¯s the dealer?¡± ¡°Who else? Our big bro,¡± Edward Woods replied with a slightly exhausted tone. ¡°He¡¯s been the dealer since the first game and hasn¡¯t let up since.¡± Howard looked surprised: ¡°So, from the very beginning, I¡¯ve just been losing?¡± ¡°Howard, you¡¯re so smart,¡± Rusell put out his cigarette and calmly played his Mahjong. ¡°Damn¡­¡± Howard muttered a curse word under his breath, lamenting softly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind losing to anyone else, but not to our big bro. I wouldn¡¯t be able to beat him even if I wanted to welch.¡± Steve casually picked up a tile and swept a glance at Howard: ¡°Howard, I don¡¯t mind if you want to give me a workout.¡± Despite the breezy way Steve spoke, Howard looked at him with a broad grin. ¡°Bro, it was just a joke to liven up the mood.¡± ¡°Too late,¡± Steve casually threw a tile. ¡°I¡¯ve been itching for a fight anyway these past few days. After this game, you two move out of the way¡­¡± Before Steve could finish speaking, his private cell phone rang in his pocket. Steve took out his phone, was about to finish the half-spoken sentence earlier, but noticed the incoming call display showed the name ¡°Ruby.¡± He instantly closed his mouth and picked up the call. ¡°Who¡¯s calling? Our big bro has a look of suppressed excitement,¡± Howard mumbled softly, earning a glare from Steve, who then heard him speak gently into the phone: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Blessing in Disguise (18) Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Blessing in Disguise (18) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Who else could be calling? It must be¡­¡± Edward Woods finished the sentence, and then the three of them laughed knowingly. But just as their laughter began, Steve Burton¡¯s expression suddenly tensed up. He stood up abruptly, knocking over the heavy wooden chair behind him. Seeing Steve¡¯s expression, Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, and Howard Coleman knew something serious had happened. The three of them exchanged glances and quickly stood up as well. Steve¡¯s lips were tightly pressed, his face dark and unsettled. His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, as he spoke to the person on the other end of the phone: ¡°Do you know where you are right now?¡± Not knowing what Ruby Gregory said on the other end of the phone call, Steve relayed a few pieces of information to Rusell as he stared at him fiercely. ¡°She is about three o¡¯clock from the Greensource Mall, the roads are under construction, and the place she is at now has an iron gate.¡± As Steve spoke, Rusell quickly opened his laptop and pulled up a map of Ciawell and its surroundings. First, there was the sound of construction¡­ Rusell typed rapidly on the keyboard according to the clues Steve passed on, and about twenty locations popped up on the map. The journey began at three o¡¯clock, and it was now almost five, taking approximately an hour and a half to two hours. Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t be a closer or farther distance. Using the process of elimination, Rusell removed closer and farther locations, leaving only three spots on the map. One was to the east, and the other two were to the south. The last clue was the poor condition of roads, indicating that the roads were bumpy and uneven, and there was an iron gate¡­ Rusell zoomed in on the map, which showed actual scenery. His finger moved swiftly across the touchpad as he located an abandoned factory in one of the construction sites. He moved the cursor further and saw a highway collapse due to heavy rain a few days ago¡­ It matched the information relayed by Steve completely. Rusell looked up at Steve and said, ¡°It should be the abandoned steel factory in the south of the city.¡± Steve narrowed his eyes slightly, showing no reaction, then turned and strode toward the door. Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, and Howard Coleman didn¡¯t dare hesitate and hurriedly followed. Maya Mitchell was a talent nurtured by Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. At the age of twenty-two, in her senior year, she joined Pristine¡¯s Enterprises as an intern due to her excellent academic performance and interview skills. After about six months of training, she officially became Steve Burton¡¯s secretary. The training of employees at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises always had a core ethos: meticulous thinking. No matter how perfect a task seemed, they were taught to approach it with an outsider¡¯s perspective, calmly analyze the issue, detect any flaws, and implement a remedy. In order to stand by Steve¡¯s side in the best possible way, Maya had been constantly perfecting herself over the past four years. So, after successfully having Ruby kidnapped in her place, she started to wonder if her actions today had left any traces behind. Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Blessing in Disguise (19) Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Blessing in Disguise (19) Translator: 549690339 Maya Mitchell sat in her car, deep in thought for a long time. Finally, she realized that if Ruby Gregory managed to escape by chance, her first mistake was that shee didn¡¯t bother to search for her at all. The second mistake was that if she did look for Ruby and found her in an accident, what she should have done was to call the police and find someone to rescue Ruby, instead of ignoring her and being indifferent. So, about twenty minutes after Ruby was kidnapped, Maya made a symbolic gesture of calling Ruby¡¯s phone more than a dozen times. While making the calls, she walked around the mall alone, looking left and right as if she was searching for someone. She knew that Steve Burton might not access the mall¡¯s surveillance footage, but she still acted cautiously just in case. Of course, she also went back to the restroom and changed into an outfit identical to Ruby¡¯s. Maya certainly didn¡¯t want Ruby to be rescued. Olivia Foster¡¯s unexpected arrival provided her with a perfect opportunity to use someone else to do her dirty work. How could she possibly let it slip through her fingers? So she waited until about an hour after Ruby was kidnapped before she panicked and ran to the mall¡¯s help desk to start the search for a missing person. Of course, she knew that Ruby couldn¡¯t hear any announcements, so she stayed at the broadcasting station for about half an hour, estimating that an hour and a half had passed. If those two people took action, perhaps Ruby would already be in trouble by now. Moreover, even if they just started, it might already be too late for Ruby by the time she informed Steve and he arrived to help. Only then did Maya take out her phone and call Steve. The number she saved was Steve Burton¡¯s work number, which was generally unanswered on weekends when he was relaxing. Maya then went to the company¡¯s WhatsApp group to ask for Steve¡¯s whereabouts, and Howard Coleman happened to mention that they were all at the Capital Club playing cards, where Steve ruthlessly defeated them all. Upon seeing this message, Maya immediately drove to the Ciawell Club. She casually parked her car on the roadside, then hurriedly ran towards the Ciawell Club. Halfway there, Maya seemed to remember something. She reached out to mess up her hair, then took off her high heels and continued to run. After pausing for a moment, she noticed a sharp stone on the roadside and, without thinking, picked it up and viciously scraped it across the soles of her own feet. Bright red blood quickly oozed out, staining her feet. Only then did a satisfied glint appear in Maya¡¯s eyes. Gritting her teeth, she endured the pain as she rushed into the Capital Club. While Maya Mitchell was arguing with the security guards in the lobby of the Capital Club that she was looking for Steve Burton, Steve, Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman hurriedly emerged from the elevator. Maya immediately broke away from the security guard and ran towards Steve. Blood-stained footprints were left on the pristine white floor of the Capital Club. Steve was already walking hurriedly, and when she charged towards him, they collided, causing her to fall to the ground. Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Blessing in Disguise (20) Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Blessing in Disguise (20) Translator: 549690339 Upon seeing the disheveled Maya Mitchell, Steve Burton¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and he took a step back, leaving Russell Henris to ask, ¡°Miss Mitchell, what are you doing here?¡± Maya quickly glanced at Steve before anxiously replying, ¡°Mr. Burton, I was shopping with Ruby, and suddenly, she disappeared. I called her, but she didn¡¯t answer. I tried to make an announcement at the mall, but there was no response. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s in danger¡­¡± Before Maya finished speaking, Steve went around her and hurriedly walked out of the Capital Club. Lynn Woods, who was the last one, reached out to help Maya up from the ground and called out to a nearby waiter, handing over a wad of cash: ¡°Please help take this lady to the hospital.¡± After completing the request, Edward Woods turned his head to give Maya an apologetic smile before hurrying to catch up with Steve. Through the bright and spacious windows of the Capital Club, Maya saw several people rush into a car, and before she knew it, the vehicle had already driven off. The atmosphere inside the car was oppressive. Steve Burton¡¯s call with Ruby Gregory remained connected, and neither of them continued speaking. Steve furrowed his brow as he constantly evaluated the situation on the other end of the call. Everyone else in the car was silent, and Howard Coleman, known for his excellent driving skill, drove with undivided attention. Usually, the most relaxed and casual person in the car was Russell Henris, but now even his expression was serious and focused. Unable to see anything, Ruby responded to Steve¡¯s questions with a weak, gentle voice before falling into silence. She didn¡¯t hang up the call. Instead, she listened to the sound of Steve¡¯s footsteps, door closing, car engine starting, and his breathing on the other end of the line. This made the panic in her heart subside significantly. Everything around her remained quiet, except for the sounds coming from her phone. After some time, Ruby heard the sound of someone knocking on an iron door. Her body instinctively tensed up, and then she heard the iron door being pulled open and several footsteps entering. ¡°How is it? Did you get the money?¡± The voice that spoke first belonged to the man who had made the call earlier. ¡°We got it. US$200,000, all in cash. It¡¯s all here.¡± The person who responded was a completely unfamiliar voice to Ruby. ¡°Where¡¯s the girl?¡± Another unfamiliar voice chimed in. ¡°Over there.¡± ¡°Now that we have the money, let¡¯s quickly wrap this up and avoid any unwanted surprises.¡± As the sentence ended, Ruby clearly heard multiple footsteps approaching her. The footsteps were chaotic, and Ruby could not tell how many people there were, but she knew deep down that all the calmness had passed, and the real storm was finally coming. The footsteps grew closer, and Ruby¡¯s own heartbeat accelerated. When the footsteps finally stopped in front of her, Ruby¡¯s heartbeat stopped as well. She held her breath as she felt someone lean towards her, their hand tugging twice on the back of her head before the black cloth covering her face was abruptly lifted. Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Blessing in Disguise (21) Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Blessing in Disguise (21) Translator: 549690339 It was him and another accomplice who were responsible for tracking and kidnapping Maya Mitchell. They received the address from their employer and knew she lived alone, so they waited outside her house early in the morning. They initially planned to kidnap her right outside her door, catching her off guard. But who would have thought, this woman had such good luck that when she left her house, the neighbor also happened to leave at the same time. They had no choice but to follow her all the way to the department store. They had been in this line of work for a while and had some skills, so they didn¡¯t lose sight of her. However, they were quite far away and couldn¡¯t see her face clearly. When they finally got into the department store to get a better look at her face, she actually bought sunglasses and covered half of her face. Now that the black cloth was removed and they were closer, the man could finally see the face of the woman he had followed all day clearly. The man looked at Ruby Gregory¡¯s expression and was slightly stunned. After a while, he came to his senses and spoke with a strong, suffocating smell of smoke, ¡°Never thought that this girl would be so pretty.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Soon after, another man stepped forward. The moment he saw Ruby¡¯s face, he was also stunned. He then turned to the man with the yellow hair and exchanged glances, and there was a glint of joy in both their eyes, as if they had stumbled upon a great fortune. ¡°After being in this business for so long, we finally get lucky.¡± Following the conversation between the two men, the others surrounded Ruby. The moment everyone saw her, their eyes were filled with amazement, followed by unabashed lust. Ruby realized there were a total of six men. Six pairs of eyes staring straight at her, even though she was fully dressed, she felt naked. Her eyes were filled with fear, and she felt as if she was suspended in midair, neither alive nor dead. One of the older men, who seemed to be the leader, slightly leaned forward and raised his hand to pinch her chin, lifting her face for a closer examination. Ruby felt that the hand holding her chin was full of thorns, making her uncomfortable. She glared at him fiercely and shook off his hand. The man looked at her, sneered and chuckled: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so stubborn. But anyway, you¡¯ll be ours soon enough. Don¡¯t blame us, blame the person who got on your bad side.¡± After saying that, the man leaned in close to Ruby¡¯s face and blew a breath of air on her: ¡°But don¡¯t worry, girl, we¡¯re all pretty gentle with ladies¡­ ¡± His words led to the other men in the background laughing lewdly. Ruby felt that the laughter was like a cold snake crawling over her, making her feel sick and terrified. After the man finished speaking, he stood up slightly and gestured for the others behind him to step aside. One of the men, who seemed to have a good relationship with the leader and was relatively bold, said: ¡°Boss, don¡¯t be selfish, leave some for us too.¡± The leader, looking greedily at Ruby¡¯s face, Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Blessing in Disguise (22) Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Blessing in Disguise (22) Translator: 549690339 The leader gazed at Ruby Gregory with desire, his face itching with excitement as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to you later¡­¡± Hearing their leader¡¯s words, the other men chuckled sinisterly before backing away. The leader stared at Ruby¡¯s face with a grin, then started to unbuckle his belt. Ruby heard the sound of the buckle and, out of instinct, leaned back against the dirty, decrepit wall. Then she saw the man charge towards her. She wanted to retreat further, but there was nowhere to go. She tried to escape, but her wrists and ankles were tied up. There was no way for her to flee. Ruby could only watch as the man lunged towards her. The feeling of disgust overwhelmed her even before he touched her skin. Just his attempt to remove her coat was enough. She knew that resisting would only make things worse for her. Ruby wasn¡¯t sure where Steve Burton was or if he could even make it in time to save her. Even if she ignored the fact that she wanted to maintain her purity for her upcoming marriage to Steve, she simply couldn¡¯t accept the touch of this disgusting stranger. Ruby was nervous, but somehow this tension gave her a moment of calm determination. She could only resist once, and it had to be a sudden, decisive move. Otherwise, once these men were on guard, she would have no chance to fight back. So, she stared straight at the man as he approached her. Although her legs were tied, she waited for the moment when his hands braced on either side of her. Then, she swiftly raised her knees and smashed them viciously into the man¡¯s groin. It was an attack that Steve had taught her years ago, aimed at a man¡¯s most vulnerable area. As expected, the man¡¯s excited face turned pale as he let out a blood-curdling scream and doubled over in pain. The other men, who had been waiting nearby, rushed over upon hearing the agonizing cry. ¡°Boss, boss, what happened?¡± ¡°That bitch¡­¡± the leader groaned, unable to even finish his sentence as he held his lower body and trembled. Another man stormed over to Ruby, his anger boiling over. He raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face: ¡°You filthy woman, how dare you fight back?¡± The slap left Ruby¡¯s face stinging, and her head was jerked to one side. The next moment, she was dragged from the wall and thrown to the side. The phone she had hidden behind her back was now exposed to everyone. One of the men picked up the phone and saw that it was still on a call. His expression chilled and, without hesitation, he ended the call and threw the phone violently against the wall: ¡°Damn, this bitch has already called for help!¡± ¡°Son of a bitch¡­¡± The man who had slapped Ruby stormed toward her and kicked her ruthlessly in the stomach: ¡°Tired of living, are you? Trying to pull a fast one on us? If you won¡¯t drink our alcohol, you¡¯ll drink our punishment instead. Today, you¡¯ll see just what we¡¯re capable of¡­¡± Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Blessing in Disguise (23) Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Blessing in Disguise (23) Translator: 549690339 With that, the man viciously bent down and violently grabbed Ruby Gregory, slamming her against the wall behind him. Then his hand darted out, stripping off her coat. At this moment, Ruby, kicked and slammed by this man, felt her every organ burning. Her face was devoid of color, and she hardly had any strength left in her body. The man tore off her clothes and tossed them aside. One hand clutching her chin, the other hooked onto her collar, he sneered sinisterly, ¡°What¡¯s up, weren¡¯t you good at fighting back just now? Why aren¡¯t you fighting back now?¡± ¡°You ungrateful bitch!¡± he cursed savagely, and with a forceful pull, a ripping sound echoed as Ruby Gregory¡¯s undershirt was harshly torn in two. In a blink, she was exposed to everyone. The man¡¯s hand slid down her neck and hooked onto her bra¡­ Ruby, gathering whatever strength she could find, sharply lowered her head and bit hard onto the man¡¯s hand. Letting out a piercing scream, the man tried to wriggle his hand free, but she bit down harder. With apparent agony in his reddening eyes, the man stretched out his other hand, grabbed Ruby¡¯s hair, and swung her to one side. The man had used so much force that Ruby was flung two meters away, slamming against the wall behind her. The acute pain made Ruby¡¯s head swim; she collapsed against the wall, slipping down to the ground. The man whose hand she had bitten, clutching his bloodstained arm, staggered towards Ruby. The others closed in on her too. At this moment, Ruby lacked the strength to move. She watched helplessly as the men dragged her from the corner and one of them reached for her skirt. Ruby¡¯s entire body began to shudder. She knew her circumstance was desperate, with no way out. The man whom she had bitten came forward and slapped her in the face. ¡°What? So now you¡¯re scared? Too bad, it¡¯s too fucking late. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll make sure not to kill you while having our fun¡­¡± As he spoke, Ruby felt hands reaching for her. She wasn¡¯t sure if her dizziness was due to being thrown against the wall or from fear, but her consciousness began to blur. She desperately told herself she could not close her eyes. If she did, it would be over. She needed to fight back. But deep down she knew she had no strength to resist. Better to fall unconscious and escape this horrific scene. Suddenly someone forcefully pressed down on her. Her body shuddered, and with her eyes shut, shaking her head frantically, she felt despair creep into her heart. Just as she thought she had reached the point of no return, a loud crash echoed by her ear. Ruby turned her head slightly, to see the iron door broken down and several figures rushed in. Before she could see who had come, the men surrounding her disappeared in the blink of an eye. Her ears were filled with sounds, screams, sounds of fighting, groans, cries for mercy, but she found herself embraced in a warm hug. PS: That¡¯s all for today, see you tomorrow~ Merry Christmas Eve everyone~ Don¡¯t forget to eat an apple! Today¡¯s winner is: ¡°Tenacity!?¡± PPS: I don¡¯t have any Christmas presents for you all, but let me recommend a book~ The author is Mu Qian Ning, and the name of the book is ¡°The Supreme Crazy Empress: The Gold-Medal Summoner.¡± Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Blessing in Disguise (24) Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Blessing in Disguise (24) Translator: 549690339 She hadn¡¯t seen who the person was, but in the blink of an eye, the people surrounding her had vanished. A cacophony of screams, fighting, groans, and cries for help filled her ears, but she found herself in a warm embrace. Feeling a familiar yet crisp scent enveloping her, she wondered if this was an illusion. Her dark eyes, usually shining brightly, were now dim. Staring at the person holding her, her gaze seemed lost and vacant. Finally, she reached out to touch Steve Burton¡¯s face, convinced that their soft texture was real. Bliinking, a hint of light returned to her eyes, bringing joy and relief. She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly her hand fell and she descended into total darkness. In the late autumn night, a layer of fog appeared, silently covering the tall buildings of the bustling city. Fading neon lights peeked through the haze, making the entire world seem like a surreal dreamscape. Rapid footsteps broke the silence within the hospital¡¯s hallway. A few people stood outside the ward at the end of the corridor. Rusell Henris stopped near them, handed out bottles of mineral water, and turned to look at the tightly closed door, asking, ¡°Has our brother had dinner yet?¡± Howard Coleman, who had just unscrewed a bottle cap and was about to drink, frowned and dropped the hand holding the water bottle, answering, ¡°No, the nurse just returned the untouched meal.¡± ¡°Did anyone go in to persuade him?¡± Rusell asked, glancing at Edward Woods. ¡°Ever since our brother stormed the steel factory and saw Ruby being held down, he completely changed¡­¡± Edward recalled Steve¡¯s frenzied behavior in the abandoned factory and shuddered. ¡°Who dares to persuade him now? Whoever tries will face the consequences.¡± Edward, Howard, and Rusell fell silent. After a while, Howard raised his bottle to drink, saying, ¡°There are many ways to deal with those people, but our brother chose the most violent method at that moment. If we hadn¡¯t stopped him, those people would definitely be dead and he might have gotten into even more trouble. Growing up, he¡¯s always been the most level-headed and seemingly good-natured among us. Who would¡¯ve thought that after meeting Ruby, he would become like an entirely different person, turning into a madman?¡± Edward chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s not just madness. You didn¡¯t see it, but his eyes were red, just like a person without any sense. He didn¡¯t make a single sound as he smashed everything in the steel factory to pieces. The only thing he didn¡¯t demolish was the four surrounding walls.¡± ¡°What you two mentioned is nothing compared to the worst part. In the end, our brother took all the USD those people received and piled it in front of them like a small mountain. He then poured the alcohol they bought all over the money, and without blinking an eye, turned on a lighter and threw it onto the pile.¡± Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Blessing in Disguise (25) Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Blessing in Disguise (25) Translator: 549690339 ¡°At that time, the scene was like a burst of fire. Among those people, two of them were beaten by our brother to the point of being on the verge of death, but not quite unconscious. Watching their money turn into ashes, their facial expressions were simply spectacular¡­¡± Rusell Henris shrugged his shoulders, his tone somewhat regretful as he stopped speaking. ¡°They should really be grateful that they didn¡¯t actually hurt Ruby. If they had, the scene we¡¯re seeing today would definitely be different.¡± ¡°Our brother ended up like this even though they didn¡¯t actually hurt her. Since entering that steel factory, he hasn¡¯t even uttered a single word, not even a cough ¨C just terribly quiet¡­ It¡¯s downright creepy.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see it, but when our brother came back, his hands holding Ruby were trembling. Our brother, who is usually calm in the face of danger, never panicking, and able to remain composed in front of the entire board of directors of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, was trembling at that moment¡­¡± Howard Coleman¡¯s voice began to tremble as he spoke. ¡°Our brother can¡¯t go on like this. The doctor said Ruby isn¡¯t in any serious danger, but he¡¯s still just standing by her bedside, not eating or drinking.¡± Rusell worriedly looked through the window at Steve Burton¡¯s tall and straight figure, then sighed. ¡°When I went to buy some water, our brother was standing there with the same posture, the same expression. I came back after a while, and he¡¯s still just like that. If you didn¡¯t know better, you might think he¡¯s a statue.¡± Steve¡¯s gaze never left the woman lying quietly on the bed. At this moment, her face was pale, and she¡¯d already changed into clean hospital clothes. She lay there, docile and sound asleep. However, what still lingered in Steve¡¯s mind was the image of her after he had rushed to the steel factory. With a swollen face, messy hair, disheveled clothes, large patches of her fair skin exposed, and bruised from being beaten and kicked by others. Her beautiful and bright eyes, usually as clear as a deer¡¯s, were devoid of any light, replaced by panic, fear, and breakdown. Even though they managed to escape death this time, Steve had vented his anger directly after seeing her in that state. But now, recalling that scene, his hands still instinctively clenched into fists, still feeling the urge to kill. Along with deep fear. A fear he had never experienced before in his life. As time slowly passed, Steve stayed by her side, never wavering or moving for even a second. A nurse came in during this time, removing the needle from Ruby Gregory¡¯s wrist, but Steve had no reaction. He remained utterly silent. The darkness outside the window gradually turned from black to pitch black, then to gray, to white, until a layer of light appeared at the eastern horizon. Rusell, who had spent the night sleeping on a chair in the corridor, awoke. Howard and Edward Woods were still asleep nearby. Rusell quietly got up and went to the bathroom to wash his face, then went downstairs to buy some breakfast. He placed two portions on the chair in the corridor, then carried the remaining two portions to the hospital room door, hesitated for a moment, and knocked on the door. There was still no sound inside the room. Rusell paused for a moment, then went ahead and pushed the door open, entering the room. Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Blessing in Disguise (26) Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Blessing in Disguise (26) Translator: 549690339 Russell paused for a moment, pushed the door open, and walked in. He glanced at Steve, who had not slept all night and hadn¡¯t even sat down for a moment. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything since last night. I bought some porridge; you should have some.¡± It was as if Steve didn¡¯t hear Russell¡¯s words, his face remaining silent while his gaze was still glued to Ruby¡¯s body. Still not responding¡­ Russell felt helpless in his heart, unless Ruby woke up now and talked to Steve. Russell paused for a while, then spoke again, ¡°At least eat something. Don¡¯t wait until Ruby wakes up and then pass out yourself. Also, look at your clothes, they¡¯re filthy with blood stains, your hair is a mess, and your beard has grown out. At least take a bath and change into clean clothes.¡± Steve¡¯s brows and eyes remained still. Russell suddenly felt like a nagging mother. He raised his hand, rubbed his nose, placed the breakfast on the table, and continued to persuade Steve, ¡°The doctor has already said that she¡¯s fine. I know you¡¯re not feeling well, but fortunately, we arrived in time, didn¡¯t we?¡± Russell didn¡¯t hold out much hope that Steve would listen to him. He didn¡¯t know what he had said that touched Steve, but Steve¡¯s eyelashes suddenly fluttered. Although his eyes didn¡¯t move away from Ruby, he suddenly said, ¡°Time, save me.¡± Only four words, not even related to what Russell had just said. His voice was murmuring, more like talking to himself. Russell¡¯s lips moved slightly, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Steve turned his head, looking at Russell with a hint of dark red in his eyes. ¡°When she called me, the first words she said were these four.¡± At this point, Steve paused and repeated those four words, ¡°Time, save me.¡± ¡°I never thought that after so many years, she still remembers these four words.¡± Steve¡¯s expression became a bit agitated. He swallowed hard, and his voice, which had barely been used to speak or drink water, was slightly dry. ¡°You don¡¯t know. In the afternoon, when you and I passed by our high school and saw those students fighting, I remembered this phrase and thought it must be a wishful thinking in my heart, but I didn¡¯t expect that just a few hours later, I would hear it from her.¡± I always thought that I was the only one foolishly remembering some pleasant memories. I never knew, what a coincidence, that you, just like me, also remembered. He was two years older and two grades ahead of Ruby. Although Ruby always tried to get into the same school as him, they only spent one year together in the same school during middle and high school. As the third day of the lunar year approached, Ruby experienced her first menstrual period, and then her entire body went through earth-shattering changes. In just one short summer break, Steve found that his girl had turned into a graceful lady; a little tempting in her innocence. The liveliest time at school every year was the day new students arrived. Whether they were in second or third-year or attending a prep class, they would all flock to the school gate to join in the fun. Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 337: Blessing in Disguise (27) Chapter 337: Chapter 337: Blessing in Disguise (27) Translator: 549690339 For male students, the greatest pleasure in gathering at the school gate was to find out which new female students were pretty. And for female students, besides checking out the good-looking guys among the freshmen, they would also take a glance at any pretty girls. When Ruby Gregory appeared at the school gate, she really caused a bit of commotion. Even the usually reserved and aloof boys would take the initiative to approach her and chat, asking if she needed help or directly offering to take her to the freshman registration area. That day, Steve Burton didn¡¯t show up at the school gate. Instead, he stood on the rooftop of the six-story teaching building, watching the scene. The variety of people surrounding Ruby Gregory was quite annoying for him, so he called Howard Coleman to have him pick her up at the school gate. When Howard arrived, the crowd around Ruby Gregory was so dense that he needed much effort to squeeze through. Then, in front of everyone, he called out ¡°Ruby!¡± and picked up Ruby¡¯s bag, pulled her arm, and walked towards the freshman registration area, breaking the hearts of countless young boys. Although it was just a brief moment at the freshman registration area, Ruby Gregory¡¯s name spread like wildfire overnight to the ears of her new and old classmates, and even the school¡¯s guidance office director. It led to the elderly director asking who Ruby Gregory was during the second day¡¯s freshman entrance ceremony when he passed her class. Steve Burton was the Student Union President and often very busy. So, just after Ruby Gregory and Madeleine started school at Ciawell, they had military training under the scorching sun. To help them out, Steve had Howard deliver cold drinks to Ruby Gregory in the playground for each class, along with Madeleine¡¯s portion. Ruby Gregory received quite a lot of cold drink snacks. However, she habitually drank whatever Howard sent her. Eventually, those ardent boys thought Ruby belonged to Howard, and one by one, their spirits dampened, and the treats they sent to Ruby diminished. During that time, with fewer boys chasing her, Ruby Gregory was pleased deep inside. After all, being pretty meant suffering from unwanted attention and harassment. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t get to enjoy the peace for long before it was shattered. That¡¯s because during a break from military training, a girl who sat next to Ruby Gregory suddenly asked her, ¡°Are you Howard Coleman¡¯s girlfriend?¡± Ruby and Madeleine were drinking water at the time. When Ruby heard the question, she didn¡¯t react, while Madeleine just laughed, spraying the water from her mouth, as if she was the one they said was Howard¡¯s girlfriend. Wiping her mouth and shaking her head, Madeleine asserted in disbelief, ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. Ruby and Howard getting together is totally impossible. Howard treats Ruby like a younger sister.¡± Madeleine¡¯s remark was quite loud, drawing the attention of everyone around to Ruby. Those boys who had initially given up suddenly became restless after hearing this unexpected good news. Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Blessing in Disguise (28) Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Blessing in Disguise (28) Translator: 549690339 However, the commotion this time seemed to be a bit too much, not only causing the boys in school to pursue Ruby Gregory tirelessly, but also attracting a gang from outside the school. During those years, Hong Kong¡¯s young thugs were trendy, and many youths, regardless of whether they had dropped out of school or not, followed the trend with a sense of self-righteousness and ambitions, stepping into the ¡°underworld¡± of irregular occupations. Perhaps some of the unskilled students in the school had gotten involved with the outside gang, and word got out about the breathtakingly beautiful female student whose name matched her appearance. Every gang involved in the underworld had a leader, and the favorite thing for these leaders to do was to parade around with different fancy ladies by their side, showing off their self-perceived high social status. So, when the leader heard about Ruby Gregory¡¯s beauty, he rode a motorbike, trailed by black smoke, to her high school, with a cigarette in his mouth and a group of his sidekicks guarding the school gate. After witnessing Ruby Gregory¡¯s stunning looks, he couldn¡¯t help but praise her, thinking that if he could make her his girlfriend, he would definitely gain face wherever he went. Thus, the leader started to appear frequently at the school gate from that day on. Being part of the underworld, his audacity was quite big and he didn¡¯t have the restraint of the good students in school. After seeing Ruby Gregory only twice, he had his minions stop her and hand her a note with his phone number on it. The leader eagerly waited for a whole week, but he never received a call from Ruby Gregory. In the end, he tried his best to get her phone number from someone else and personally called her himself. Ruby Gregory answered, realizing it was someone she didn¡¯t know, she hung up without hesitation. The leader called back persistently, and Ruby hung up every time, until she got annoyed and simply blocked his number. Ruby Gregory had no idea that her seemingly normal actions were seen as ¡°tough¡± by the leader, hurting his ¡°majesty.¡± So, the offended leader sent his minions to issue a wanted threat to Ruby Gregory, telling her to proactively call him back within two days or face the consequences. With a smile on her face, Ruby Gregory secretly found it ridiculous, as if she was acting in a TV show. She shrugged off the warning, flipped her long hair, walked elegantly in her big-toe shoes into the campus, and completely put that matter out of her mind. It wasn¡¯t until two days later, when Ruby Gregory went to the newsstand across the street from her school to buy the Rayli Magazine, that she was surrounded by a group of riffraff boys and remembered the warning from two days ago. Her first thought was to run back to the school, but she was surrounded by the group of people. ¡°Ruby Gregory, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty arrogant, huh? Our leader¡¯s been trying to get your attention so many times, but you keep ignoring him?¡± ¡°Beautiful, let¡¯s go, our leader has come to pick you up. Come have some fun with him¡­¡± At that time, it was the afternoon rush hour for school, and many students were riding their bikes to school. Ruby Gregory was a new sensation at the school, and everyone knew her by then. So, in less than ten minutes, the news that Ruby Gregory was being surrounded by a group of boys at the school gate spread to Senior Class 1. Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Blessing in Disguise (29) Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Blessing in Disguise (29) Translator: 549690339 At that time, Steve Burton was sitting in his seat, solving function problems, when suddenly a boy patted Howard Coleman, who was sleeping with his face down on the desk next to him. Howard raised his head with a bad temper, but before he could speak, the boy said, ¡°Howard, your little high school sister named Ruby Gregory, is surrounded by thugs outside the school.¡± Just after the boy finished speaking, as he was about to watch the reaction of the ¡°big brother¡± who always went to the freshman department to take care of Ruby, Steve Burton, who had been focused on his chemistry problems and oblivious to the world outside, suddenly threw his pen violently and jumped up. He leaped over Howard and ran towards the door at an extreme speed. As he approached the door, Steve Burton grabbed a broom along the way. By this time, Howard was fully awake, and he followed Steve in a hurry. He even stuck his head into the classroom next door and called in Rusell Henris and Edward Woods. When Steve Burton, Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman arrived at the school gate, Ruby Gregory was about to be dragged into a motorcycle. The four young and impulsive teenagers rushed up without hesitation. That day in Ciawell, it was summer with a blue sky, white clouds, and high temperature. That day, four young men from noble backgrounds, who had received elegant educations, fought a mass brawl for a woman named Ruby Gregory. In that brawl, Steve Burton, Rusell Henris, Howard Coleman, and Edward Woods defeated twenty people. Although in the end, the four of them had torn clothes, scratched faces, and a miserable victory, they became a legendary story in the school. That fight attracted the attention of the school security and nearby police and eventually alarmed the school leaders. Usually, the school would protect its students in such cases, adding that the thugs were idle and had a criminal record in the police station. When the police heard that they had bullied a girl and that these gallant teenagers had come to help, they were deeply moved and took the thugs to the police station without hesitation. At this time, Madeleine had hurried over upon hearing the news. Steve Burton had always been well-liked by school leaders. He only said a few words, and the school leaders did not contact their parents. They all went to the hospital together. When they came out of the hospital, it was already dusk. After a fight and a hectic afternoon, they were all hungry, and the six of them went to have dinner together. Perhaps it was the passionate event of that day that made them too excited. They drank some alcohol during dinner, and before they knew it, they had proposed that they all not return home for the night. Rusell Henris called his home to say he was staying at Howard Coleman¡¯s house, Howard said he was staying at Edward Woods¡¯, Edward said he was staying at Steve Burton¡¯s, Madeleine and Ruby had to say they were staying at each other¡¯s houses, and only Steve Burton picked up the phone in the end and said, ¡°I¡¯m not coming home tonight.¡± Then he casually hung up the phone, under the stunned gaze of a group of people, receiving the admiration of Rusell Henris, Howard Coleman, and Edward Woods who also had to report their overnight stays. Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Blessing in Disguise (30) Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Blessing in Disguise (30) Translator: 549690339 Back then, it wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t have the money to rent a hotel room; it was just that as soon as they showed their ID cards, their families would see through their lies. So after dinner, they all went to the park next door. Everyone lay down on the grass, but Steve Burton didn¡¯t say a word. Howard Coleman, Rusell Henris, and Edward Woods kept chatting on and on. ¡°Howard, didn¡¯t you kick me in the butt during the fight today?¡± ¡°You have the nerve to talk about that when you scratched my face?!¡± ¡°You two shut up! Who pulled out a chunk of my hair? Was it you, Edward?!¡± ¡°Well, you kicked me in return!¡± ¡°Shut up! Didn¡¯t you scratch my face? I rely on my appearance to make a living¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have a face to feed yourself with!¡± Madeleine listened to the three¡¯s argument, taking pictures of their bruised faces with her phone, giggling all the while. Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton sat not far away, quietly leaning against a tree, side by side. Ruby was amused by Howard Coleman, Rusell Henris, and Edward Woods¡¯ squabble, her lips forming a smile. It was only after a while that she noticed Steve Burton, sitting beside her, gazing at the starry sky expressionlessly. Ruby stopped laughing: ¡°Steve, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Steve didn¡¯t speak. By this time, Ruby could tell his emotions apart, and she could see that he was not in a good mood. She pouted and thought for a while, then looked at the band-aid on the corner of Steve¡¯s eye and asked, ¡°Is it because your wound hurts?¡± Steve turned his head and looked at Ruby, still remaining silent. Ruby pursed her lips and closed her mouth as well. The night grew darker, and their conversation was gradually replaced by drowsiness. The youngsters fell asleep right where they lay on the ground. Ruby slowly began to doze off, leaning against the tree. It wasn¡¯t the comfortable princess bed at home, so Ruby¡¯s sleep was restless. She woke up frequently, and during one of her awakenings, she found herself nestled in Steve¡¯s arms. He held a piece of cardboard, fanning away mosquitoes from her. A warmth rose in Ruby¡¯s heart, dispelling her sleepiness. She moved her head slightly in Steve¡¯s arms and met his gaze. She blinked and whispered, ¡°Steve, are you still in a bad mood?¡± Steve didn¡¯t answer her question, but instead asked her directly, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that you can come to me if you¡¯re in trouble? Why didn¡¯t you call me first today?¡± Steve¡¯s tone was slightly accusing, making Ruby pause for a moment. After a while, she said softly, ¡°I was too nervous at the time and forgot.¡± Ruby looked at Steve¡¯s still somber expression, and after some thought, she raised her hand, making a promise gesture, ¡°I swear this is the last time. Next time I¡¯m in a similar danger, I¡¯ll call you first.¡± Steve¡¯s expression finally softened a little. Ruby¡¯s eyes danced with laughter. Biting her finger, she looked innocent and carefree, ¡°You call me Ruby, but I can only call you Steve. It makes us seem distant. How about¡­ Steve¡­ Ruby laughed, then gently whispered a name, ¡°Time¡­ Steve, how about I call you Time from now on?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m ever in danger again, I¡¯ll say, ¡®Time, save me¡­¡¯¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today, continue tomorrow ~ the winning reader is: The Forgotten Time. Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Blessing in Disguise (31) Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Blessing in Disguise (31) Translator: 549690339 Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted Steve Burton¡¯s reverie. Steve pulled his thoughts back from his memories as Howard Coleman walked in, looking groggy from sleep. ¡°Bro, Ms. Taylor just called and said that you have an appointment with Mr. Foster this morning to sign a contract.¡± Mr. Foster, Olivia Foster¡¯s father. Yesterday afternoon, they had learned from their captives that it was Olivia who had arranged for Ruby Gregory¡¯s kidnapping. Howard paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Should we still sign the contract?¡± As the words left his mouth, he felt as if he was stating the obvious. He looked at Steve and quickly changed his statement. ¡°I¡¯ll have Ms. Taylor decline Mr. Foster¡¯s invitation right away.¡± As he spoke, Howard lifted his cellphone. ¡°Howard¡­¡± Perhaps due to the lingering warmth from the memories of his youth, there was still a hint of tenderness in Steve¡¯s eyes. However, that tenderness was gone in a blink, replaced by the usual cold indifference. He glanced sideways at Howard and said, ¡°Have Ms. Taylor bring me a clean suit.¡± Upon hearing this, Howard hesitated for a moment before understanding what Steve intended to do. He asked with a hint of hesitation, ¡°Bro, are you planning to meet with Mr. Foster?¡± Steve didn¡¯t say a word, but the indifferent expression on his face gave Howard the answer he was looking for. Howard subconsciously looked over at Rusell Henris, who was standing nearby. Rusell naturally understood what the look in Howard¡¯s eyes meant. Given the events of yesterday, it seemed impossible that Steve would let Olivia, the mastermind behind the kidnapping, get away with it. However, some things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed on the surface. For instance, Steve, the legitimate heir to the Burtons, was destined to take over the family business from birth. Yet, that didn¡¯t mean that others within Pristine¡¯s Enterprises didn¡¯t covet the vast commercial kingdom. For example, Steve¡¯s fourth cousin had married Olivia¡¯s sister, ostensibly to please the Fosters, but in reality, he was cultivating solid support for himself. The cousin¡¯s mother was Steve¡¯s youngest aunt and his grandma¡¯s sister. They resembled each other a lot. While Steve¡¯s grandma was still alive, Steve¡¯s grandpa had been very fond of his youngest daughter. After his wife¡¯s passing, his favoritism had only intensified. Just last year, he had given his daughter a New Year¡¯s gift of 5% of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ shares, which were in his possession. Steve had been in charge of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for three years. Although he had secured his position, some people harbored ulterior motives. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to act; the timing just wasn¡¯t right. Some situations could set off a chain reaction, and if mishandled, could result in mutual destruction for both sides. If Steve were to act impulsively now, all the groundwork they had laid over the past three years could go to waste! Rusell pondered for a moment, then nodded at Howard. ¡°First, help our brother get a clean suit.¡± Howard had initially hoped for Rusell to dissuade Steve, but to his surprise, Rusell was going along with Steve¡¯s intentions. He frowned and said, ¡°Rusell, are you not thinking straight either? Rusell, however, remained extremely composed, completely ignoring Howard. Instead, he picked up his cellphone and called Ms. Taylor himself. Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Blessing in Disguise (32) Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Blessing in Disguise (32) Translator: 549690339 Howard Coleman angrily turned around and left the ward. Ms. Taylor quickly delivered the clothes, and Steve Burton went straight to the bathroom in the ward to take a bath and change. When he came out, he was once again clean and elegant, as if the disheveled scene that had just happened was an illusion. Steve stood in front of the cheval mirror in the ward, pulled over the tie held up by Ms. Taylor, looked in the mirror, and skillfully tied a beautiful knot. Then he took a diamond-studded platinum tie clip to secure the tie before taking the suit jacket from Ms. Taylor¡¯s hand. It wasn¡¯t until then that Rusell Henris, who had been in the ward without leaving, waved at Ms. Taylor. Ms. Taylor tactfully left the ward, closed the door thoughtfully, and Rusell slowly stepped forward, walking to Steve¡¯s side. With his hands in his pockets, he looked at Steve¡¯s handsome and ethereal face in the mirror and said, ¡°Steve, you know some things more clearly than any of us do.¡± Steve¡¯s hand, which was buttoning up, paused. He naturally knew what Rusell was hinting at in those words, but his expression didn¡¯t change at all, and he continued to button up gracefully and unhurriedly. ¡°Steve, if you have a falling-out with the Fosters, you¡¯ll be falling out with the rest of your family too. And you know that now is not the right time to have a falling-out with the Fosters.¡± Steve still didn¡¯t say anything. After buttoning up the last button, he glanced at himself in the mirror before looking at Rusell. He still didn¡¯t say a word and simply stepped past Rusell and walked out of the ward. Ms. Taylor, as the Secretary-General of Steve Burton¡¯s secretarial office, had brought the partnership case with Foster¡¯s Enterprises when she came. Seeing Steve come out now, she immediately tactfully followed him. Steve walked a few steps, stopped as if he had suddenly remembered something, and slightly tilted his head. He addressed Ms. Taylor, who was half a meter behind him, saying, ¡°Give me the partnership case directly.¡± Ms. Taylor handed it over with both hands. Steve took it with one hand and looked up at Ms. Taylor, saying, ¡°You go back to the company first. I¡¯ll go on my own.¡± There was a pause, and then Steve added, ¡°Give Mr. Foster a call and change the address to the tea restaurant downstairs at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises Inc. He can bring Olivia Foster along. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve met to just catch up.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Burton.¡± Ms. Taylor nodded respectfully and immediately took out her phone to carry out Steve¡¯s orders. Steve turned around, stepped into the elevator, and left with a flourish. When Steve arrived at the tea restaurant downstairs at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises Inc., neither Mr. Foster nor Olivia Foster had arrived yet. The tea restaurant¡¯s waitstaff knew Steve all too well, and without much questioning, they led him directly to his usual private dining room. Steve hadn¡¯t been sitting for long when the waiter led Mr. Foster and Olivia in. By now, it was already late autumn, but Olivia was wearing a thin coat with the latest autumn Chanel dress, paired with a pair of high boots, looking fashionable and beautiful. As soon as Mr. Foster entered the private dining room and saw Steve, he broke into a broad smile and greeted him enthusiastically, ¡°Steve, you¡¯re already here?¡± Faced with Mr. Foster¡¯s enthusiasm, Steve seemed somewhat cold. He sat indifferently in his seat, staring at Mr. Foster¡¯s smile without any expression on his face. Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Blessing in Disguise (33) Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Blessing in Disguise (33) Translator: 549690339 Mr. Foster¡¯s originally broad smile gradually stiffened, and then slowly disappeared. It was only when there was no trace of a smile left on his face that Steve Burton gently tugged at the corners of his lips, revealing a somewhat amused expression. He remained seated, looking at Mr. Foster, and spoke in a clear and cold voice, ¡°Uncle Foster, please sit.¡± Mr. Foster and Olivia Foster sat down opposite Steve. Perhaps because Steve¡¯s demeanor had just been too cold, the atmosphere in the private room seemed somewhat stagnant. Steve, on the other hand, seemed like nothing was wrong. He picked up the teapot on the table, poured three cups of tea, and pushed the first cup in front of Mr. Foster, ¡°Uncle Foster, have some tea.¡± Mr. Foster¡¯s expression finally relaxed a little, ¡°Thank you.¡± Steve curved the corners of his lips, said nothing, and pushed the second cup of tea in front of Olivia. Then he slightly raised his eyelids, glanced at Olivia, and said two words, ¡°Drink tea.¡± Ever since the incident at the Red Park, Steve and Olivia had no further interaction. She had always thought that she had completely lost hope in Steve¡¯s eyes. But unexpectedly, today the secretary-general called her to accompany her father to meet Steve, saying that it had been a long time since they last met, and they should catch up. Catching up¡­ these three words seemed like spring rain sprinkling on her long-desiccated heart, making it begin to beat again. Olivia reached out, took the cup of tea that Steve personally poured for her, suppressed the excitement in her heart, lowered her eyelashes, and whispered softly, obediently, ¡°Thank you, Steve.¡± Steve didn¡¯t respond, and his face didn¡¯t show any displeasure at Olivia¡¯s calling him ¡°Steve.¡± He just picked up the last cup of tea, took a sip at a leisurely pace, and then put down the cup. He pushed the cooperation proposal he brought with him in front of Mr. Foster, and said straightforwardly, ¡°Here¡¯s the contract. Please check if there are any issues, Mr. Foster.¡± Both companies had already had people communicate during the drafting process, and the electronic version had been reviewed online before printing to follow the formal process. So there wouldn¡¯t be any issues with the contract, but Mr. Foster still symbolically skimmed through it. He looked up at Steve and said, ¡°Steve, I hope the cooperation between Foster¡¯s Enterprises and Pristine¡¯s Enterprises will continue to be as pleasant as always.¡± Steve curved his lips, didn¡¯t say anything, and leaned on the sofa behind him with a somewhat lazy manner, ¡°Uncle Foster, you¡¯ve been making more money these past few years.¡± Mr. Foster smiled and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it all thanks to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises?¡± ¡°How could it be thanks to Pristine¡¯s Enterprises? It¡¯s Uncle Foster¡¯s own ability.¡± Steve laughed and his eyes drifted to Olivia¡¯s face, speaking in a relaxed tone, ¡°The salary Pristine¡¯s Enterprises gave Olivia isn¡¯t enough for her to spend US$27,000 at once¡­¡± As if on purpose, Steve emphasized the last two words, ¡°USD.¡± From Steve¡¯s casual tone, it was impossible to discern what he was really thinking. It made people feel like he was just having a leisurely chat. Mr. Foster put down the pen he had originally prepared to sign with, smiled, and glanced at Olivia beside him. His tone sounded as if he was reproaching her without any blame, ¡°Over the years, I¡¯ve really spoiled Olivia, spending money recklessly. With this attitude, how is she going to get married?¡± Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Blessing in Disguise (34) Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Blessing in Disguise (34) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Dad!¡± Olivia Foster¡¯s face turned red, and her tone was slightly coquettish as she chided. Steve Burton squinted his eyes and smiled. His demeanor became even more relaxed and natural. He picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip of tea: ¡°With Uncle Foster¡¯s considerable wealth, whoever Olivia marries will surely be from an outstanding background. They wouldn¡¯t mind the relatively small amount of money she spends, would they?¡± Steve kept calling Olivia by her nickname, causing her face to flush with embarrassment. Mr. Foster was delighted by Steve¡¯s affectionate address and happily poured a cup of tea for him, saying, ¡°While that may be true, we must not indulge this child too much. Otherwise, how will she manage a household in the future? She still needs to be disciplined.¡± Steve¡¯s lips curled, but he didn¡¯t respond to this comment. Mr. Foster then picked up the signing pen and flipped to the signature page of the contract. In the signature field, he wrote down his name. Steve held his teacup, his eyes lowered, watching Mr. Foster¡¯s signature, which was as smooth and flowing as a painting. Suddenly, he asked a seemingly irrelevant question, ¡°Uncle Foster, how has Gregory¡¯s Enterprises been in recent years?¡± Mr. Foster, of course, knew that Ruby Gregory had returned and had been closely following the movements of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises. Hearing Steve suddenly ask about the company, Mr. Foster¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm: ¡°Steve, what made you suddenly think of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises?¡± ¡°No reason¡­¡± Steve answered casually, ¡°I just haven¡¯t heard any news about Gregory¡¯s Enterprises in a long time, so I asked casually. After all, such an insignificant company that can¡¯t get on the big stage isn¡¯t something I would pay much attention to.¡± Insignificant, unable to get on the big stage¡­ These two adjectives actually made Mr. Foster feel a little happy deep down. Twirling the pen in his hand, he tentatively and hypocritically replied, ¡°Gregory¡¯s Enterprises is still considered a big company. It¡¯s just that business has been bleak these past few years, and you never know when they might make a comeback.¡± ¡°You never know when they might make a comeback?¡± Steve repeated Mr. Foster¡¯s words in a low voice, then chuckled. His expression showed a hint of disdain as he said, ¡°It¡¯s just a futile struggle before their demise.¡± Seeing Steve¡¯s expression, Mr. Foster felt even more assured that Ruby Gregory¡¯s return might not be enough to save Gregory¡¯s Enterprises. Steve continued casually, ¡°I heard that Gregory¡¯s Enterprises has been trying to find banks to get loans.¡± With Steve¡¯s previous comments, Mr. Foster didn¡¯t bother being tactful this time, ¡°Many bank managers avoid Maxwell Gregory like the plague when they see him.¡± Steve feigned interest, ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Foster thought Steve was genuinely interested, ¡°Steve, you have no idea how Maxwell Gregory tried to please those bank managers back then, completely groveling at their feet.¡± Steve¡¯s fingers paused for a moment as he held his teacup, but then he smoothly lifted the cup and took a drink to cover up his pause. ¡°Steve, as you said, Gregory¡¯s Enterprises will die sooner or later. Maxwell Gregory is just struggling in his final moments. Many of his current clients are annoyed by his persistence and only work with him reluctantly, as if they¡¯re doing him a favor¡­¡± Mr. Foster said as he signed the remaining two contracts. He then opened each contract to the signature page and pushed them in front of Steve: ¡° Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 345: Blessing in Disguise (35) Chapter 345: Chapter 345: Blessing in Disguise (35) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Besides, Gregory Enterprises is now seen as a small company that isn¡¯t well-regarded in everyone¡¯s eyes. Who would be willing to continue cooperating with them?¡± Steve Burton pressed his lips together, took Mr. Foster¡¯s signing pen without a word, and casually flipped through the contents of the contract. Mr. Foster thought Steve was just checking the contract for errors out of habit and continued to speak without any special attention, ¡°Many business events and banquets have not invited Maxwell Gregory. Maxwell went out of his way to attend, but everyone just put on a friendly fa?ade with him. He genuinely believed they respected him¡­¡± Before Mr. Foster could finish, Steve suddenly threw the signing pen on the table, and it rolled twice before stopping by Mr. Foster¡¯s hand. Mr. Foster closed his mouth, picked up the pen, glanced at Steve, and before he could ask what was wrong, Steve stared into his eyes, chuckled lightly, and said with a breezy tone, ¡°Seeing how much you dislike Gregory Enterprises, I can rest assured.¡± Mr. Foster frowned, somewhat unable to figure out Steve¡¯s underlying intentions. He stared at Steve for a while before asking, ¡°Steve, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°What do I mean? Just the literal meaning.¡± Steve¡¯s tone was relaxed and casual, staring into Mr. Foster¡¯s eyes with a faint hint of a smile, ¡°Mr. Foster, do you need me to explain the literal meaning to you?¡± Not waiting for Mr. Foster to respond, Steve faintly smiled, tapped the contract on the table, and said in a slow, unhurried tone, ¡°Apologies, I just made a decision to drop the idea of cooperating with Mr. Foster. Instead, I plan to switch to working with Gregory Enterprises.¡± Mr. Foster¡¯s face turned slightly unpleasant in an instant, ¡°Steve, what do you mean by this?¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Steve chuckled lightly, speaking with a somewhat lazy tone, ¡°Mr. Foster, I could understand when you asked this question just now because you didn¡¯t understand the meaning of my words. But now that I¡¯ve been so clear, and you¡¯re still asking me what I mean, it really makes me¡­¡± Steve shook his head, putting on an expression that seemed to say he didn¡¯t want to say this was forced upon him, continuing, ¡°Since Mr. Foster really doesn¡¯t understand, I don¡¯t mind explaining it. Simply put, it¡¯s to disgust Mr. Foster!¡± Mr. Foster¡¯s face turned white, then green, ¡°Steve, this cooperation case was initiated by your aunt at Foster Enterprises.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention my aunt to me!¡± Steve slammed down to his feet, his previously calm and relaxed expression suddenly turning cold and solemn as he stared into Mr. Foster¡¯s eyes with a chilling gaze, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Fosters and the Burtons are somewhat related, Foster Enterprises would have ceased to exist in this world last night!¡± ¡°Just now, Mr. Foster said he wanted to discipline his dear daughter properly, right?¡± ¡°Mr. Foster really should discipline his daughter.¡± As Steve spoke, his eyes fell directly on Olivia Foster¡¯s face, his gaze as sharp as a knife, ¡°US$200,000 to hire kidnappers for Ruby Gregory, this was clearly an attempt to end her life. Olivia, I think I¡¯ve told you before not to bring Ruby to me to provoke trouble. The first time was a warning, this time is a threat¡­¡± Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Blessing in Disguise (36) Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Blessing in Disguise (36) Translator: 549690339 With that, Steve Burton reached out and grabbed the cooperation proposal on the table, quickly tearing it into pieces: ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, Olivia Foster, I will make sure to obliterate you and the entire Foster Enterprises behind you, so that you can never recover!¡± After finishing his words, Steve threw the torn contract at Olivia¡¯s face forcefully. Pieces of paper fluttered and filled half of the room. Steve didn¡¯t even look at Mr. Foster and Olivia sitting in front of him, grabbed the car keys on the table, and headed for the door. Indeed, as Rusell Henris and Howard Coleman had thought, he couldn¡¯t take any reckless actions against Foster Enterprises, as it would only speed up the division of the Burtons. However, this didn¡¯t mean that he had to let go of this matter easily. He might not be able to take down Foster Enterprises, but he could disgust them. They hated Gregory¡¯s Enterprises, right? He was determined to give them what they wanted most to Gregory¡¯s Enterprises instead. It wasn¡¯t until Steve reached the entrance of the room that Mr. Foster suddenly snapped back to reality. He stood up without thinking and angrily slapped Olivia. He originally wanted to say: I told you to keep your composure and not to do anything reckless to Ruby, so as not to ruin things. However, he remembered that Steve hadn¡¯t left yet, and saying this would imply that they indeed had intentions to harm Ruby. As a result, he opened his mouth and had no choice but to swallow his saliva, suppressing the words that were about to come out, and only said: ¡°What were you thinking, doing something like this!¡± Olivia was completely terrified by Steve¡¯s actions, and now she was slapped by her father again. She subconsciously raised her hand to cover her face, her eyes instantly filling with tears: ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything to Ruby, I didn¡¯t want to hurt her, I wanted to deal with Maya Mitchell, it was Maya¡­ How did things turn out like this?¡± At the door, when Steve heard Olivia¡¯s words, he paused for a moment and then strode away. ¨C On his way back to the hospital, Steve received a call from Howard telling him that Ruby had woken up. Steve simply responded ¡°Mhmm,¡± but the subtle warmth in his eyes and brows showed that he was happy to have Ruby back. He couldn¡¯t help but step on the gas pedal a little harder. Since Ruby had been unconscious for so long without eating, Rusell immediately ordered the hospital to make porridge when she woke up. When Steve arrived, the nurse had just brought the porridge into the ward and was about to move the dining table to Ruby¡¯s bedside. ¡°Brother.¡± Edward Woods greeted Steve as he entered the room, then excitedly asked, ¡°Ruby¡¯s awake?¡± Steve didn¡¯t say anything, just glanced at the bed, took off his coat, pulled off his tie, and unbuttoned his shirt cuffs, rolling up his sleeves as he approached Ruby¡¯s bedside. Ruby had been getting along well with Steve lately, but she still felt nervous whenever she saw him. As he came closer, her heart inexplicably tightened. Seeing the mobile dining table the nurse had brought in, Steve frowned and then sat down on the edge of the bed. Ruby¡¯s heart tensed up to its limit. Steve reached out to take the porridge from the nurse and motioned to the mobile dining table: ¡°Get this out of here.¡± Then, he stirred the porridge in the bowl with a spoon, scooped a spoonful, cooled it a little by dangling it next to his mouth, and brought it to Ruby¡¯s lips. PS: That¡¯s it for today, let¡¯s end it here for now. I will add two more chapters tomorrow~~ Lucky reader: Ah Jiu. Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Blessing in Disguise (37) Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Blessing in Disguise (37) Translator: 549690339 Steve Burton reached out and took the porridge from the nurse¡¯s hand, gesturing towards the mobile dining table with his chin, ¡°Remove this.¡± He then stirred the porridge in the bowl with a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, let it drip for a moment, and brought it to Ruby Gregory¡¯s lips. In Ruby¡¯s mind, she should have been the one taking care of Steve. Seeing him personally feed her the porridge, she felt overwhelming gratitude and instinctively said, ¡°I can do it myself¡­¡± As soon as the words left Ruby¡¯s mouth, her heart skipped a beat, realizing she had said the wrong thing. She feared her refusal might upset him¡­ This was the experience she had gained in her recent interactions with him. She was puzzled since she always believed people didn¡¯t like to be bothered, but he not only seemed to have infinite patience for her troubles but even seemed to enjoy it. Ruby looked up at Steve with some unease, only to find his face still as calm as when he entered the ward, without the slightest trace of displeasure or gloom. Instead, when he heard her words, his gaze flicked to her wrist with a hint of tenderness in his tone: ¡°Your wrist is still swollen.¡± The kidnappers had bound her with rough hemp rope, which had chaffed her delicate, pampered, and fair wrists bloody as she struggled. Rarely seeing Steve so good-tempered, Ruby was taken aback, but obediently opened her mouth to swallow the porridge without a word. Although Steve was accustomed to hiding all his emotions, warmth still seeped into his eyes as he spoon-fed Ruby the porridge. The atmosphere in the entire ward, consequently, became cozy. Having just recovered from a significant injury, Ruby¡¯s appetite was poor. She barely drank half a bowl of porridge before shaking her head at Steve to signal that she didn¡¯t want any more. Steve didn¡¯t force her, setting the porridge bowl aside on the table before glancing at nearby Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman who were lingering awkwardly. Receiving his gaze, the three men finally came to their senses and made excuses to leave one after the other, leaving only Steve and Ruby in the ward. Steve flattened Ruby¡¯s bed and tucked her in. Ruby had never seen such tender, cautious gestures from Steve and felt unaccustomed to it. She shrank back into the blanket, peeking at him after a while. Seeing Steve still sitting by the bed, she glanced at the bowl of porridge and struggled to sit up. Steve frowned, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Ruby pointed at the porridge on the table, ¡°Howard said you haven¡¯t eaten anything. Do you want some porridge?¡± Steve¡¯s demeanor softened, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Ruby merely acknowledged him with an ¡°Oh,¡± and obediently lay on the hospital bed without moving. Perhaps because of the medication, she felt drowsy but couldn¡¯t sleep, repeatedly glancing at the porridge. Noticing her frequent glances, Steve let out a soft sigh and exclaimed, ¡°What a nuisance!¡± Without bothering to pour a new bowl, he directly picked up the half bowl of porridge Ruby had left and drank it all in one go. Finally, Ruby closed her eyes. However, a moment later, Ruby reopened her eyes. Steve asked with a hint of helplessness in his voice, ¡°What¡¯s the matter now?¡± Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Blessing in Disguise (38) Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Blessing in Disguise (38) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to rest?¡± Steve Burton covered Ruby Gregory with the blanket again and said softly, ¡°You go to sleep first.¡± After a pause, Steve added, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep later.¡± Ruby finally closed her eyes with peace of mind and fell asleep in no time. Ruby¡¯s bruises were severe, and the next day, she was even more swollen and painful than before. Combined with a fever, the doctor had to add an antipyretic to her anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling medication. Because of the fever, Ruby remained in a groggy state with little appetite. When she occasionally woke up, she could only manage to drink some porridge before falling back to sleep. After two days of this, her fever finally subsided, and her injuries were much less swollen. Some of the bruises started to turn yellow, a sign of improvement. During these two days, Steve stayed at the hospital all the time. Each time Ruby woke up, she could see him sitting by her bed, either feeding her porridge or giving her medicine. One night, as her fever persisted, she kept kicking off her blanket. However, the blanket would quickly be placed back on her. In a daze, she opened her eyes to see Steve wiping her face with a towel, which had a strong smell of alcohol. Throughout all this, the Gregorys weren¡¯t informed of Ruby¡¯s injuries and believed she was with Steve. Steve didn¡¯t go to his company during Ruby¡¯s injury. However, it did not mean that he didn¡¯t have to deal with company affairs. So, whenever Howard Coleman, Rusell Henris, and Edward Woods visited Ruby at the hospital, they brought some documents for him. Steve had no intention of handling documents during the two days of Ruby¡¯s high fever. It wasn¡¯t until after her fever subsided that he started to deal with the accumulated paperwork. Ruby began to recover and was no longer spending most of her 24 hours a day asleep as she had in the previous days. She now had more time to stay awake. The hospital room was shared only by her and Steve. He sat on a nearby sofa, overseeing a laptop and a mountain of files, so she didn¡¯t want to disturb his work. Instead, she passed the time alone, either browsing Twitter, reading news, shopping on Amazon, or playing mobile games. Tired from playing, she would close her eyes and sleep, then, waking up, continue entertaining herself as before. After a while, Ruby found this routine quite boring. It might have been because she had gotten too much sleep lately that she became so spirited and couldn¡¯t fall asleep at night. Being cooped up in the hospital room for so long, Ruby developed a strong desire to go out for a walk. After a nurse measured her blood pressure as part of her daily routine check, she finally couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°When can I be discharged?¡± The nurse looked at Ruby with a smile and said, ¡°Ms. Gregory¡¯s discharge is scheduled for the 10th of this month.¡± Ruby looked at the date on her phone and realized there were still three days left. She couldn¡¯t stay here even for three more hours, ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Can I go through the discharge procedures today?¡± ¡°For that, Ms. Gregory, you¡¯ll need to discuss it with Mr. Burton.¡±

Steve¡¯s car was still running, but he sat motionless in his seat, his eyes firmly fixed on her. About five minutes later, he saw her give him a brilliant smile in the direction of his car and then stand up and wave her hand. From Steve¡¯s angle, it looked like she was waving at him, and his heart skipped a beat in that instant. Had she discovered him? Steve instinctively wanted to roll down the window and wave back at her, but instead, he saw her get up, grab her bag, and walk out of the noodle shop, heading towards someone not far from his car. Steve followed her gaze and noticed that, unbeknownst to him, Edric Reat had arrived. It turned out she hadn¡¯t discovered him; she was waving at Edric. She seemed delighted to see Edric. They exchanged a few words face-to-face before walking together towards a fruit store nearby. She stood by the side, scrutinizing the various fruits for a while before pointing at a few. Edric carefully picked some of her selections and handed them to the sales clerk. Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: Chapter 553: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (7) Chapter 553: Chapter 553: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (7) When it was time to pay, Ruby Gregory took out her wallet and paid the bill. Then, with Edric Reat carrying the fruits, the two of them walked shoulder to shoulder toward the entrance of the community. All along the way, the two were engaged in a lively conversation. Even after Ruby and Edric¡¯s figures had completely vanished from sight, Steve Burton remained rigid, staring directly at the entrance of the community. It was only after an unknown amount of time that Steve realized there was a trembling pain in his chest. In the month since they had broken up, he had not stopped fantasizing about the scene of their reunion and the possibility of seeing Edric by her side when they finally met again. Though merely thinking about that moment caused unbearable pain, when it finally happened, he discovered that the real pain was even worse than he had imagined. Steve did not leave. He continued to stare at the entrance of the community as time went by: ten o¡¯clock, eleven o¡¯clock, midnight, one in the morning¡­ not until the people on the street disappeared, and the traffic on the street gradually reduced, and the shops along the street began to close one after another ¡ª still he maintained that statue-like gaze upon the entrance. Finally, at two in the morning, Steve blinked slowly and somewhat weakly collapsed onto the steering wheel. Sitting there so stubbornly, staring at the entrance of the community, what was he really waiting for? Was he waiting to see when Edric would come out? Was he holding on to a fantasy that she was not with Edric, that he still had a chance, or was he waiting for the truth that they were together, so he could finally let go? Now that his wish was realized ¨C Edric and Ruby entered the community together and never came out ¨C were they living together? Was their love finally reciprocated? Should he give up now? But why, other than heartbreak, jealousy, and sadness, was there not a single thought of giving up his love for her? After a long time, Steve raised his head, and his eyes looked a little red. The beef noodle restaurant where Ruby ate was open 24 hours. He locked the car, went in, and ordered a bowl of noodles. Sitting where Ruby had sat, he picked up the chopsticks and ate with an elegant posture. For someone accustomed to luxury like him, the taste of the noodles was quite ordinary. But still, he finished the bowl completely. After finishing, Steve felt a slight blockage in his throat. He had investigated Edric: an ordinary background, average financial conditions, hardworking since childhood, studied abroad for four years before returning to work as a low-level manager in a foreign enterprise with a monthly salary of US$2,700. In a city like Ciawell, where land was worth its weight in gold, even if he didn¡¯t eat or drink, it would probably take ten years to save up for a house. Although he had once scolded her, neglected her, and even hurt her in a moment of anger, what he had given her had always been the best in the world. But now, after following Edric, she had to take a taxi to and from work, eat US$2 beef noodles, and buy fruit at a roadside stall¡­ If he had known, when she was with him, there had always been a chauffeur, top chefs to make her noodles, and the finest selection of fruits¡­ Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Chapter 554: My Gentleness is Not Disturbing You (8) Chapter 554: Chapter 554: My Gentleness is Not Disturbing You (8) All of them are high-quality varieties meticulously selected, some even specially flown in from overseas to ensure they are fresh. Yet, despite such a huge difference in treatment, she chose to endure hardships with Edric and could smile brightly in front of him. Therefore, she really likes Edric, right? ¨C Ruby Gregory and Edric Reat do live in the same complex, even in the same building, but on different floors. Ruby lives on the eighth floor, while Edric lives on the eleventh. The apartments were individually rented by each of them. In the elevator that Edric and Ruby were riding, they were the only two passengers. Edric, holding the fruits, glanced at Ruby¡¯s still-flat belly and asked, ¡°How have you been feeling recently? Any discomfort?¡± Ruby shook her head and said with a small smile, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Must be tiring to work every day back and forth, right?¡± Edric asked. ¡°Not really.¡± Ruby paused and said, ¡°I just play the piano, it¡¯s quite an artistic job, it¡¯s not tiring.¡± Without saying anything, Edric looked at Ruby and said after a while, ¡°In two months, when your belly gets bigger, stop working.¡± With a playful half-smile, Ruby joked, ¡°So, you expect me to spend your money?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Edric replied, his face becoming serious, ¡°I really don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve already helped with the most precious thing, money is the least of my worries.¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes curved with a smile, ¡°I know you don¡¯t mind, but I do.¡± Realizing her words might have been too straightforward, Ruby pursed her lips and gave a half-smile, then said, ¡°I am really grateful for all you¡¯ve done for me. As for the rest, you don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Edric didn¡¯t say anything further. When they reached the eighth floor and the elevator doors opened, Edric finally spoke, ¡°The fruits are a bit heavy. Let me carry them inside for you.¡± However, Ruby stretched out her hand to him, ¡°No need, I can manage.¡± Edric stared at Ruby, then handed the fruits to her without further argument, ¡°In that case, take it easy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruby nodded, turning to leave. Just as she was about to, she seemed to remember something and added, ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m considering hiring a housemaid in a month or two when my belly starts to show and movements might become inconvenient.¡± Though Ruby didn¡¯t say it explicitly, Edric understood what she implied ¨C she was telling him that once she had a housemaid, there wouldn¡¯t be any necessity for him to help her out daily anymore. After all, if it were not for her limited social circle, he wouldn¡¯t even be considered qualified to help, right? To be able to help her this much, he should be content and feel honored, shouldn¡¯t he? Edric took a deep breath quietly, threw a shallow smile at Ruby, and with a face that hinted at absolutely no issues, he said, ¡°Fine, I will help you look for a good housemaid.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruby gave Edric another smile, and with a ¡°thank you,¡± she waved and stepped out of the elevator. Edric pressed the elevator¡¯s ¡®open¡¯ button and waited until Ruby had opened her apartment door and entered before he let go, allowing the elevator doors to close and continue ascending. Back at her place, Ruby washed the fruits, dried them, placed them in the refrigerator, took a hot shower, put on some loose clothes, spent some time doing prenatal yoga on the living room floor, then finally crawled into bed to sleep. Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Chapter 555: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (9) Chapter 555: Chapter 555: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (9) Actually, during the days when she first broke off the engagement with Steve Burton, she couldn¡¯t sleep well every night, always feeling empty at the bottom of her heart. To make matters worse, she experienced pregnancy nausea, vomiting up everything she ate, including water. However, for the sake of the child in her belly, she forced herself to eat even when she felt sick. When having pregnancy nausea, a pregnant woman¡¯s mood is most prone to fluctuations. That period was the most agonizing time for her, feeling annoyed by everything and inexplicably wanting to cry. Sometimes, when she thought about the bits and pieces of the past between her and Steve, and about Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory, she would cry endlessly. Although she had been taking a lot of supplements during that time, her weight had actually dropped by ten pounds. Fortunately, her morning sickness did not last long. She persisted in trying to keep her mood relaxed for the sake of the child in her belly. As the days went by, her life gradually improved, as did her sleep quality. Usually at this time, she would be asleep. But today, she couldn¡¯t understand why ¨C she had no hint of sleepiness. Her mind was a mess, only thinking about recent events. A month ago, she woke up in the hospital, and after a medical examination found her body was fine, she left. She did not leave Ciawell, but checked into a hotel instead. The next day was her engagement to Steve. If Steve didn¡¯t break off the engagement, even if she fled to the ends of the earth, he would still bring her back. So, she originally planned to use Edric Reat to make Steve break the engagement. But she didn¡¯t expect that, from the morning of the next day, she began waiting anxiously. In the end, at noon, she saw a WhatsApp Status by someone who had received her and Steve¡¯s engagement invitations, saying that Steve had cancelled the wedding. That day, she received many missed calls, the most from Madeleine. She waited and waited, but never received a call from her own parents. The cancellation of the engagement happened too abruptly, leaving everyone feeling powerless. The situation was even worse for the good families of Burton and Gregory. Maxwell Gregory¡¯s health had never fully recovered, so on that day when he received the news, he was directly hospitalized. Ruby learned about this news from a text message sent by Madeleine two days later. From childhood until now, she had always been a good daughter who obeyed her parents without rebelling. And her only rebellion was this time. She thought that Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory, who had held great hopes for her since childhood, must be truly disappointed in her this time, right? Otherwise, why would her biological father be hospitalized without her knowledge? Ruby wasn¡¯t without remorse, but after feeling sorry, she secretly went to the hospital to see her father. After learning that her father was out of danger, she finally felt relieved. She had read in the newspaper that Maxwell Gregory¡¯s health had deteriorated and he had no energy to manage the company. As a result, he had proposed selling the company. When she saw the news, she couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. Once, she had wholeheartedly wanted to lead Gregory¡¯s Enterprises to success, but in the end, it was just a fleeting dream. Later, she also learned that Pristine¡¯s Enterprises had acquired Gregory¡¯s Enterprises and given Maxwell Gregory a 30% stake, making him the second largest shareholder after Steve Burton. They had retained the name of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises as well. Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: Chapter 556: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (10) Chapter 556: Chapter 556: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (10) When she saw that message, she couldn¡¯t quite describe how she felt deep inside. Gregory¡¯s Enterprises was truly saved by acquiring Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, as was the wealth and glory that Maxwell Gregory desired. All of this closely resembled what the Gregorys had once hoped for. The only difference was that she hadn¡¯t married Steve Burton. She and Steve, now total strangers. ¨C Maya Mitchell had been paying close attention to Steve¡¯s movements lately. Since the last dinner party, she had heard from others that Steve had been frequenting the Gardenia Clubhouse to entertain clients over the past two or three days. Gardenia Clubhouse was the place she had chosen to invite Steve for coffee after the dinner party that time. When they had reached the entrance, he had turned and left, puzzling her for a long time. Nowadays, she heard that he was going to the Gardenia Clubhouse almost every day, making her more confused and curious. So, Maya found some time to visit the Gardenia Clubhouse, firstly, hoping to have a chance encounter with Steve, and secondly, to find out why he went there. ¨C The reason Ruby Gregory chose to work at the Gardenia Clubhouse was that she knew that the Gregorys and those from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises rarely visited this place. As she wished, she had worked there for more than half a month and had never come across a familiar face. However, today, she encountered one. Ruby¡¯s working hours were from two in the afternoon until nine at night, with a two-hour break for dinner. It was after dinner when she went to the restroom that she met Maya. At that time, Maya had just arrived at the Gardenia Clubhouse. She had had a lot of alcohol during lunch and hadn¡¯t completely sobered up. Upon arriving at the Clubhouse, she was pressured by an old lecher from the Tax Bureau to drink three large glasses of liquor. Feeling like her insides were burning, she couldn¡¯t help but find an excuse to go to the restroom. Ruby heard vomiting sounds coming from the adjacent stall when she was in the restroom. After flushing the toilet and stepping out, someone else stood next to her at the sink. Before turning on the faucet, the person bent over and vomited again. Ruby took a casual glance, furrowing her brows. The vomiting person seemed to notice she was looking at her and raised her head, and then their gazes met. If there was one person Maya didn¡¯t want to see at the Gardenia Clubhouse, it would undoubtedly be Ruby Gregory. However, the person standing in front of her now was none other than Ruby herself. In that instant, she understood the true reason why Steve had been coming to this place every day lately. Most of the time, people couldn¡¯t know what others were thinking deep inside. However, one could always perceive the warmth and coldness of human emotions. Ruby and Steve had called off their engagement, and Maya would certainly know about it. However, during this past month, besides Madeleine sending her a message, Maya had never contacted her at all. Although at one point she did consider Maya as a friend, after a month of no contact, Ruby felt only estrangement when she saw her again. Nevertheless, she greeted Maya politely: ¡°What a coincidence, Maya.¡± Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Chapter 557: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (11) Chapter 557: Chapter 557: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (11) Maya Mitchell went to great lengths to break Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton apart, but she never expected that after merely a month, they¡¯d meet again. Emotions were stirring in her heart, and if it weren¡¯t for Ruby calling her name, she might have almost let out a cold laugh. Maya tried hard to maintain her composure, giving Ruby a shallow smile and forcedly showing a hint of joy in her eyes, ¡°Ruby, what a coincidence running into you here.¡± Whenever Ruby saw Maya¡¯s expression before, she really thought Maya was happy to see her. Today, however, something about it seemed false and hypocritical. Ruby curved her lips without revealing her thoughts, ¡°Are you here for work?¡± ¡°Yes, I came with some friends.¡± Maya hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°And you? Are you here with friends too?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all. She candidly shook her head and replied, ¡°No, I work here.¡± Misunderstanding in Maya¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t escape Ruby¡¯s notice. Ruby continued to smile warmly and added two words, ¡°Playing piano.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Maya swallowed her saliva and said, ¡°Ruby, I haven¡¯t seen you for a while. How have you been? I know you and Mr. Burton broke off the engagement, are you alright? You even cut your hair short. Is it because of Mr. Burton¡¯s issue, and you¡¯re very upset?¡± Maya asked a series of questions, seemingly concerned about Ruby, who didn¡¯t feel like answering. Ruby only replied politely, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine.¡± Without waiting for Maya to continue, Ruby added, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and I have to work now. Let¡¯s talk another day.¡± ¡°Another day.¡± Ruby gave a little smile without saying anything, then turned around and left the rest room. The real reason she cut her hair short was not any kind of emotional severance; it was just that she was pregnant and wanted washing her hair to be more convenient. The shallow smile on Maya¡¯s face lasted until Ruby¡¯s figure completely disappeared from sight. Then it slowly faded, and a trace of coldness appeared in her eyes. After touching up her makeup, Maya stepped out of the bathroom gracefully wearing her ten-centimeter high heels. As she walked through the clubhouse lobby, she saw Ruby wearing an elegant champagne-colored dress, sitting gracefully in front of the piano with a smile, her fingertips dancing, and the flowing melody filling the entire room. No wonder that day¡­ Steve stopped at the door and then turned to leave. It turned out¡­ he had known all along that the piano player was Ruby! ¨C As Maya had guessed, Steve¡¯s recent frequent visits to Gardenia Clubhouse were indeed because of Ruby. Although he knew Ruby had broken up with him, and there were no more possibilities between them, he couldn¡¯t control himself from coming to see her since the day he unexpectedly discovered her workplace. Only, Ruby never knew that he was watching her. He knew she started work at 2 PM, so he arrived at Gardenia Clubhouse nearly every day at 1 PM. He specially chose a private room with a perfect view of the hall. Sometimes he discussed business, sometimes he sat alone inside for several hours, staring straight at the ruby outside playing the piano. Only when she finished work and left would he follow her and, just like their first encounter, follow her home all the way. Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Chapter 558: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (12) Chapter 558: Chapter 558: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (12) Every day after work, Ruby Gregory would go home alone. Edric Reat never picked her up, and Steve Burton, who would occasionally arrive early at noon, would stand by the second-floor window and watch but always saw Ruby arriving at work alone. Apart from the first night, when he had trailed her and seen her with Edric Reat, he hadn¡¯t seen her with Edric since. However, there was one occasion when he was about to drive off, and he saw Edric entering the residential complex. As usual, Ruby finished work half an hour early and went to the taxi stand to wait for a ride. Steve, after seeing her leave, rode the elevator down to the basement car park. As he was driving out of the parking lot, he saw her getting into a taxi. Steve didn¡¯t slam on the brakes; he just slowed down a bit and followed the taxi once it had driven a fair distance away, keeping a safe distance. This time, the taxi didn¡¯t stop at the entrance of Ruby¡¯s residence but drove to the nearby Walton Supermarket. Ruby paid the taxi fare and went into the supermarket. Steve thought for a while, parked the car on the side of the road, and followed her in. The supermarket was vast, and there were quite a few people. He stayed far away from Ruby. His gaze, however, never left her, and so she never noticed him. Ruby bought quite a few things, some of which were vegetables. It surprised him because as far as he knew she was not someone who cooked. Had she started cooking? They say that cooking is the most romantic thing between lovers. Was she truly in love with Edric, so she willingly cooked for him? There were quite a few people in the check-out line. Steve left before Ruby, exiting through the no-purchase lane, and waited for her at a distance. After checking out, Ruby couldn¡¯t use the shopping cart any more. She struggled with a large shopping bag, which made Steve instinctively want to help. He suppressed the urge and quietly slowed his pace to follow her from behind. The supermarket wasn¡¯t far from Ruby¡¯s place, and she walked home. It was almost ten o¡¯clock, and there weren¡¯t many people on the street. The dim street lamps stretched her shadow long. The two of them, one following the other, walked separately. There was a moment when Steve felt a desire to freeze time. However, this tranquil moment was shattered by a couple of speeding motorcycles. The motorcycle was speeding, possibly due to alcohol. Ruby was quietly walking on the pedestrian sidewalk where she should have been safe. However, the motorcycle suddenly throttled up and swerved onto the sidewalk, heading straight for her. Steve was the first to notice the motorcycle. As it was about to hit Ruby, he instinctively quickened his pace. He reached her side and tried to pull her away from the oncoming motorcycle. He didn¡¯t even have a chance to stretch out his hand when he saw the motorcycle charging straight at Ruby. Without a second thought, Steve pulled Ruby into his arms and shielded her, dodging to the side. PS: That¡¯s it for today. The story continues tomorrow. There¡¯s just one week left until the end of the Golden Keyboard Contest~ Let¡¯s work hard to stay in first place~ I¡¯ll be sure to update on time~~ The group number I announced yesterday is full, the new group number is 392070740, I hope those who have joined do not join repetitively~~~ I know many of you are anxious about the storyline, but no matter how anxious you are, I can¡¯t just write about them meeting and getting along well right after they break up~ A book recommendation: ¡°Priceless Dowry: The Arrogant Young Master¡¯s Runaway Bride¡±. Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Chapter 559: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (13) Chapter 559: Chapter 559: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (13) Despite Steve Burton¡¯s speed, it was still not fast enough to outrun the motorcycle. Seeing the motorcycle about to crash into him and Ruby Gregory, Steve held Ruby tightly in his arms without any hesitation. He turned his body around, placing himself between Ruby and the motorcycle. Thanks to Steve¡¯s quick reflexes, he managed to evade the motorcycle by a fraction, so it only smashed harshly into his left leg before falling to the side. With a sudden limp in his leg, Steve almost knelt on the ground. Thinking of Ruby, whom he held tightly, he feared she would be pulled down if he dropped, so he braced himself and endured the sharp pain that quickly spread from his leg to the bottom of his heart. Steve looked down at Ruby, enduring the pain, and subconsciously wanted to check if she had been injured. His hand had just touched her shoulder when he suddenly realized the situation they now found themselves in. His fingers hesitated slightly before quickly letting go of Ruby. Without sparing her a glance, he turned and left. Ruby¡¯s residence was in the city center, and despite the late hour¡ªaround 10 at night¡ªthere were still quite a few pedestrians passing by. When they saw the accident occur, many gathered around. Among the onlookers, a good Samaritan who saw Steve leave asked, ¡°Sir, are you injured?¡± Steve did not say a word; he simply strode quickly into the alley beside them. The sudden turn of events came without warning. When Ruby saw the motorcycle heading straight for her, she closed her eyes in fright, as if by reflex. Just when she thought her unborn child would surely be done for, she found herself embraced by a familiar-scented, warm hug which entered her nostrils. Ruby suddenly felt as if she had been affected by an acupoint spell, her mind nearly blank. It wasn¡¯t until the embrace that held her abruptly disappeared that she came to her senses. She looked around, but she couldn¡¯t see Steve¡¯s figure at all. ¡°Miss, are you injured anywhere?¡± a middle-aged woman asked Ruby with concern. Ruby stopped searching for Steve, unconsciously touching her stomach and finding no abnormalities. She shook her head at the woman and looked at her surroundings uncontrollably again: ¡°I¡¯m fine; thank you.¡± The one who caused the accident was drunk and driving against traffic. He had already been taken away by nearby traffic police. When Steve pulled Ruby aside earlier, the things she had purchased in the supermarket had scattered on the ground. Enthusiastic people helped her pick them up. Ruby said, ¡°Thank you,¡± and took them. Seeing that she was not seriously injured, the others dispersed. Ruby held her shopping bag, standing still. After a while, she headed towards the alley not far away. The alley¡¯s lighting was dim, with two cars parked at the entrance. The alley was empty, and there was no one in sight. Ruby walked a long distance into the alley, not seeing Steve¡¯s figure. Frowning, she stood still for a moment, then turned around with her items and left the alley. Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: Chapter 560: Not Disturbing, That’s My Tenderness (14) Chapter 560: Chapter 560: Not Disturbing, That¡¯s My Tenderness (14) She couldn¡¯t be mistaken; the person who had embraced her in that critical moment must have been Steve Burton. She had memorized his scent when they were young. Often, she didn¡¯t need to see who was approaching; she could tell it was him by that delicate fragrance alone. But how could he have appeared so coincidentally by her side at such a dangerous moment? Why did he save her, only to vanish without a word? Ruby Gregory took a few steps, paused again, and took a couple more glances down the quiet alleyway before silently walking out of it and back to her neighborhood. A while after Ruby had left, a door in the alley finally opened, and Steve Burton stepped out. His gait seemed no different from any other day, albeit a tad slower. In particular, his left leg, which had been hit, appeared to give him some trouble as he walked. Steve exited the alley, glanced in the direction of Ruby¡¯s neighborhood, and turned to walk the other way. He returned to his car, took out the key, opened the door, sat down, and then rolled up his pant leg to see his left calf, bloodied and raw. Steve stared at the wound for a while before regaining his composure. He let his pant leg back down, started the car, and drove down the street using his right foot to step on the accelerator. Neon lights outside passed repeatedly over his face through the window. His expression remained calm as his eyes resolutely stared straight ahead. Pain from his left leg incessantly crept through every cell in his body. Steve did not go to the hospital; instead, he returned to his apartment, took a shower, and disinfected the wound simply with alcohol. The gash was deep, providing a vague glimpse of the bone inside. Steve sprinkled some clotting medicine, wrapped a bandage around it, and then casually lay down on the sofa. When he lived alone before, he never felt lonely. But since she had stayed here, the empty room seemed suffocating. Out of boredom, Steve took out his phone and saw that there were many missed calls. After a cursory glance, he absentmindedly pressed a series of numbers on the keypad. When he realized, he was surprised to find that he had keyed in Ruby¡¯s phone number. During that month since their separation, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t miss her¡ªhe just didn¡¯t let anyone see that he did. He found himself accidentally dialing her number every time he held his phone. Those eleven digits, just like her, were unforgettable. He felt an urge to call her, to ask if she had been frightened or hurt. But he only entertained the thought for a moment before locking his phone screen and tossing it onto the plush carpet. Knowing she was happy was enough for him. Although he longed to be a part of her life, even if it tore him apart inside, he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to disturb her new life. Because he wanted her to have the world she desired. Not disturbing her was his final form of tenderness. People often say that if someone loves you, they will come looking for you. But what they don¡¯t realize is that sometimes it¡¯s because they love you, and because they know you don¡¯t love them back, that they don¡¯t seek you out or disturb you. They don¡¯t want to trouble you; they want you to be better off, even without them. Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Chapter 561: Wait a little longer before giving up (1) Chapter 561: Chapter 561: Wait a little longer before giving up (1) Some people can say ¡°I love you¡± to you countless times, but turn around and be with another woman. Some may seem to not care about you at all, but you don¡¯t know how many impulsive thoughts they¡¯ve suppressed to make themselves appear less in love with you. ¨C That night when she went to the supermarket and encountered a mishap, although it was a close call for Ruby Gregory, she was genuinely afraid of similar incidents happening again, especially because she was pregnant. So unless it was absolutely necessary, she would avoid walking alone, and even bought her daily necessities online, having them delivered directly to her home. Although Steve Burton appeared unexpectedly that day and disappeared just as quickly, making Ruby feel like it had all been an illusion, she still remained cautious and attentive to her surroundings. However, after carefully observing her surroundings for two days, Ruby failed to notice anything unusual around her. But her female intuition told her that Steve might still be close by. So, the more she couldn¡¯t figure out the situation, the more attentive Ruby became. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she was so focused on this matter, but one time, after eating dinner at the Gardenia Clubhouse¡¯s cafeteria and resting alone in the lounge, being a pregnant woman who was prone to sleepiness had intensified. As soon as she had free time, she could fall asleep at any moment. However, that day, she dreamily felt Steve¡¯s presence by her side during her sleep, and then she suddenly woke up, only to find no one in the lounge. But there was a thin blanket draped over her body, and a brand-new thermos placed on the table next to her. Suspiciously, Ruby picked it up, opened it, and found warm milk inside. Lost in confusion while staring at the thermos, the lounge door was pushed open, and Lynette, the receptionist at the clubhouse, walked in. Seeing Ruby awake, Lynette greeted her with a smile and asked, ¡°Awake now?¡± Ruby nodded. Lynette continued to smile and said, ¡°When I came in earlier, I saw you asleep over there. Although the heater was on, I was afraid you might catch a cold, so I brought you a blanket.¡± Then, Lynette pointed at the thermos in front of Ruby and said, ¡°That¡¯s the milk I warmed up earlier. I made too much and couldn¡¯t finish it, so I shared some with others and kept this for you.¡± So Lynette did all this¡­ Ruby then smiled wryly, thinking she must have been too tense recently to have thought that it was Lynette who had done all this. Ruby picked up the thermos, thanked Lynette, and took a sip. Lynette smiled but remained silent. Her gaze was filled with a hint of envy as she watched Ruby. Then she walked over to the lockers, opened her locker with a key, and quietly took a thick wad of money from her clothes pocket and stuffed it into her bag. Lynette was indeed having a rare streak of good luck today, all thanks to Ruby. There was a handsome man who would come to the Gardenia Clubhouse every day at exactly 1 pm and stay until 9 pm before leaving. Sometimes he would be accompanied by many people and sometimes, he would be alone. Because he was good-looking, they would often gossip in private about whom this man was here for. But they had no idea that it was for Ruby Gregory. Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Chapter 562: Wait a little longer before giving up (2) Chapter 562: Chapter 562: Wait a little longer before giving up (2) But it was strange, the man clearly took the initiative to fetch a blanket for Ruby Gregory and heated some milk for her. Why did he then make her take his place, saying it was done by himself? She couldn¡¯t figure it out¡­ Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. She got the money and will do her job without thinking too much about it. Shaking her head, Lynette locked the cabinet and left the lounge. Ruby finished the milk, straightened her clothes, and went out to play the piano. The business in the Gardenia Clubhouse was particularly good tonight, with almost all the private rooms being completely full. There were possibly people playing cards, and cheers occasionally erupted, almost drowning out the beautiful music played by Ruby. At eight o¡¯clock, a potbellied middle-aged man wobbled out of the ¡°Rose¡± private room, having had some alcohol. He walked around the hall, and then made his way to the piano where Ruby was playing. He stared at her for a moment, circled the piano, and finally stood next to her. After examining her face for a moment, he gave a satisfied nod before asking, ¡°Are you Ruby Gregory?¡± As this was Ruby¡¯s first time in a service industry, she still managed to maintain her composure while playing the piano. She nodded and smiled at the man who approached her and responded with a soft ¡°Mhmm¡±. The middle-aged man let out a belch and put his hand on Ruby¡¯s shoulder. The fingers of Ruby¡¯s piano-playing hand paused, and the smooth and beautiful music stopped. ¡°Why did you stop? Continue playing, it sounded great,¡± the middle-aged man spoke. Ruby quietly moved her body to avoid the man¡¯s hand and continued playing without looking at him. After listening to her for a while, the man reached over to press a piano key, disrupting Ruby¡¯s music. ¡°I tried copying you, but why does the sound I make not as good as yours?¡± the middle-aged man said, reaching for her hand again, ¡°Could you teach me?¡± Ruby quickly withdrew her hand, and the middle-aged man smirked, whispering into her ear: ¡°Name your price, how much for a night?¡± Ruby¡¯s face turned red from the obvious insult in the man¡¯s words. She stood up abruptly and stared at him, chiding sternly, ¡°Sir, please mind your manners.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act high and mighty with me. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re a high-end prostitute, charging five thousand for a night.¡± The middle-aged man looked Ruby up and down, seemingly satisfied, and continued, ¡°You do look good, with tender skin. Here¡¯s the deal, come with me tonight, and I¡¯ll double the price, US$1,400. What do you think¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Ruby raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. Apparently not expecting Ruby to hit him, the man was stunned before cursing, ¡°Stinking whore!¡± Ruby¡¯s face reddened even more with anger as she impulsively grabbed the sheet music from the piano and smashed it onto the man¡¯s head. Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: Chapter 563: Wait a little longer before giving up (3) Chapter 563: Chapter 563: Wait a little longer before giving up (3) In the lobby of Gardenia Clubhouse, security guards immediately gathered upon seeing the scene, separating Ruby Gregory and the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man, after being slapped and hit on the head by Ruby, vented his anger by yelling and demanding the clubhouse manager be summoned. His loud voice managed to draw the attention of people in nearby private rooms, as they poked their heads out to watch the commotion. With more people watching, the man became even more arrogant and pointed at Ruby without shame, cursing, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you really are; you¡¯re nothing but a discarded whore rejected by Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡¯ boss, and you dare to pretend to be innocent here!¡± Initially, the middle-aged man¡¯s words only made Ruby feel angry, but now, using Steve Burton against her and calling her Steve¡¯s discarded whore, Ruby¡¯s face turned pale, her hands clenched tightly into fists. The manager soon arrived, recognizing the middle-aged man as a small business owner and a regular customer of the clubhouse. Unwilling to offend him, the manager apologized profusely and scolded Ruby, asking her to apologize as well. Ruby stood still and unmoving, her lips pressed tightly together, showing no intention of apologizing. The middle-aged man, like a scoundrel, continued to rant, ¡°What kind of clubhouse is this, with such low-quality employees? Give me my membership fee back¡­¡± ¡°Please calm down, sir. I¡¯ll have her apologize to you right now.¡± The manager quickly pacified the middle-aged man, turned his head, and sternly ordered Ruby, ¡°Apologize now, or consider yourself resigned from here immediately!¡± Ruby remained silent. As the middle-aged man¡¯s ranting became more outrageous, the manager glared at Ruby and turned his head to order another staff member to call finance for Ruby¡¯s final wages and dismissal. Before the manager could finish speaking, a waiter approached him, whispered a few words in his ear, and the manager then said ¡°Sorry¡± to the middle-aged man before turning around and entering the Peony Room with the waiter. No more than five minutes later, the manager emerged, directly instructing the finance staff he had called earlier, ¡°Settle Mr. Yanna¡¯s membership fees, refund them all, and from now on, ban him from entering Gardenia Clubhouse.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s expression went from incredulous to furious, cursing loudly, but the manager simply waved his hand, signaling the security to drag him out. Action at the clubhouse resumed its normal pace. The manager finally turned his head to look at Ruby. His attitude totally changed, accompanied by a smile, he said, ¡°Ruby, what happened just now was an accident, don¡¯t take it to heart. If anything like this happens again in the future, just call security and have the person harassing you escorted out.¡± Then the manager turned to the gathered employees and said, ¡°Alright, everyone get back to work.¡± Then he turned back to Ruby, speaking with a warm smile, ¡°You still have half an hour before you get off work; if you¡¯re tired, you can leave early.¡± Ruby was left completely dumbfounded by the manager¡¯s sudden change in behavior, but she shook her head towards him and returned to the piano. Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Chapter 564: Wait a little longer before giving up (4) Chapter 564: Chapter 564: Wait a little longer before giving up (4) Ruby Gregory unfolded the sheet music, glanced at the ¡°Peony¡± room where the manager had gone, and then continued to play with suspicion in her mind. At nine o¡¯clock, when it was time for Ruby to get off work, the manager appeared again, kindly asking if she was happy with her work at the clubhouse and if there was anything that was bothering her. The manager was not a bad person, but he always liked to act like a boss, so the staff would often complain about him behind his back. Now that he was speaking to Ruby in such a gentle tone, she was even more convinced that the change had something to do with the person in the ¡°Peony¡± room. When Ruby finished work at nine, she didn¡¯t hail a taxi home immediately as she had done before. Instead, she hid in a corner downstairs and watched the clubhouse exit and the underground parking lot exit for a long time but didn¡¯t see any familiar faces or cars. Ruby waited until eleven o¡¯clock and began to have doubts in her heart. Could it be that she was overthinking? Perhaps the person in the ¡°Peony¡± room was not Steve Burton, but just a righteous person who happened to intervene? As it got later, the temperature dropped. Afraid of catching a cold from staying outside for too long, Ruby slowly walked to the taxi waiting area. Usually, around nine o¡¯clock, even if there was a long line, she could quickly get a taxi. But today, whether it was because it was too late or because it was close to Chinese New Year, many people were going out, so she had to wait for twenty minutes in the taxi waiting area without even a single taxi appearing. There were no buses available at this time, and since she became pregnant, she hadn¡¯t been driving much for safety reasons. The taxi waiting area happened to be exposed to strong winds, making Ruby shiver constantly. She stomped her feet on the spot and debated whether to call Edric Reat to pick her up. ¨C Steve Burton was still in the ¡°Peony¡± room, not leaving. Standing by the window, he could clearly see Ruby in the taxi waiting area downstairs. As the wind blew and the temperature dropped, she occasionally raised her hand to breathe into it for warmth. Her feet were constantly stomping, anxiously watching the incoming vehicles. Whenever a taxi appeared, her expression would brighten, but seeing that there were already passengers in it, she¡¯d drop her arms dejectedly and continue to watch the distant cars expectantly. About ten minutes later, Steve took out his phone and made a call: ¡°Edward, can you get me a taxi nearby Gardenia Clubhouse?¡± ¡°Brother, are you at the Gardenia Clubhouse? I¡¯m nearby. Why don¡¯t I come and pick you up?¡± ¡°No need, just get me a taxi, quick.¡± After saying this, Steve hung up without waiting for Edward Woods to respond. In less than two minutes, his phone beeped, and a text message from Edward came through, a phone number followed by three words ¨C Mr. Taylor. Steve dialed the number immediately. The call was quickly answered: ¡°Is this the taxi you requested? I¡¯ll be at the Gardenia Clubhouse shortly. Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the taxi waiting area downstairs at the Gardenia Clubhouse. There¡¯s a girl with a bob haircut wearing a yellowish coat. Pick her up.¡± As Steve gave instructions, his eyes remained fixed on Ruby downstairs. Soon, he saw a taxi pull up in front of her. Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Chapter 565: Wait a little longer before giving up (5) Chapter 565: Chapter 565: Wait a little longer before giving up (5) Steve Burton spoke again: ¡°Don¡¯t tell her that someone ordered a car for her. Just send her to where she wants to go and charge her the normal fare. As for the extra money, someone will pay you later.¡± After hanging up, Steve looked out the window and saw Ruby Gregory happily opening the door to the taxi and getting in. After a short while, the car started and drove towards where she lived. Steve immediately turned around, pressed the call bell in the private room, swiped his card to pay the bill, and went to the underground parking garage to follow in his own car. As usual, Steve followed Ruby all the way to her residential complex. He watched her pay the taxi fare, get out of the car and enter the complex. Then, after waiting for the taxi to drive away, he gently stepped on the accelerator, moving his car a short distance forward. It was almost midnight, and the streets were quiet. Steve sat in his car for a while before his phone rang. Steve glanced at the caller ID, saw that it was Russell Henris, and then reached out his hand to answer the call. ¡°Steve, about the matter you asked me to check this afternoon, I¡¯ve found out. Evan Yanna is a bit lecherous and a bit of a scoundrel. Many small companies are afraid of him and don¡¯t like to work with him. He doesn¡¯t have many friends, but he seems to have met with the Rising Group a few days ago. They¡¯ve started a new collaboration, and the person in charge of this collaboration is someone you know, Maya Mitchell.¡± Steve listened to Russell¡¯s words without any emotion but did not respond. After a while, Russell asked, ¡°Is there a problem? Why are you suddenly investigating these small companies?¡± Steve cleared his throat: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Pausing for a moment, he recalled Evan Yanna¡¯s words in the clubhouse earlier, calling Ruby a discarded whore. Steve¡¯s eyes turned colder, and he said, ¡°In the shortest possible time, find a way to take over Evan Yanna¡¯s company.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Russell agreed on the other end of the phone, then quickly typed a line on the keyboard before asking, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Steve was silent for a moment and said, ¡°Find some time to arrange a meeting with Maya Mitchell for me. I want to meet her alone.¡± ¨C After the harassment incident, Ruby¡¯s status at the Gardenia Clubhouse skyrocketed, and when she was paid, she was given a full month¡¯s salary even though she only worked 20 days. She had always wanted to meet the person in the Peony Room and even took an opportunity to visit the Peony Room. However, she didn¡¯t recognize anyone inside. Only then did she truly believe that she was overthinking. A bitter smile appeared at the bottom of her heart; she really thought too much. How could she have forgotten that Steve was running such a large company, busy all day, and as his secretary, she saw his schedule packed full of appointments. He often wasn¡¯t free until one or two in the morning. So how could he possibly spend so much time and energy revolving around her? Perhaps that day when she was almost hit by a motorcycle, Steve happened to see her, helping her out. All this time, it had just been her overthinking. She had clearly separated from Steve, and there was no longer any connection between them. Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: Chapter 566: Wait a little longer before giving up (6) Chapter 566: Chapter 566: Wait a little longer before giving up (6) She had already been separated from Steve Burton, there was nothing between them anymore. However, when Ruby Gregory realized this reality, she still felt a deep sense of loss in her heart. As a result, her mood was very low this afternoon when she played the zither. The child in her belly was not wanted by him. Perhaps that day, the middle-aged man who teased her was right when he said that she was just a discarded woman that Steve Burton didn¡¯t want. That night, after returning home, Ruby still took a bath, practiced prenatal yoga, and went to bed. But she woke up from her dream in the middle of the night. She dreamt of the last scene when she was with Steve; she had finally made up her mind to ask him if he wanted a child. He said, without hesitation, in such a cold and firm tone that he didn¡¯t want to, not interested. Ruby sat on the edge of the bed, dazed for a bit, got out of bed, poured a glass of water for herself, and crawled back into bed, but she didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. She opened the bedside table beside her, and took out the bottle of vitamins that Steve originally gave her. Inside were the leftover pills, each one of them a long-term contraceptive that made her extremely painful. Ruby was silent for a long time before taking a deep sigh, staring at the dark night sky outside the window, and wondering how her parents were doing. It had been more than a month since they last contacted her. Were they still angry at her? It was going to be New Year¡¯s Eve the day after tomorrow, and every family would gather together. What about her? Should she go back to the Gregorys¡¯ Manor to see them? Ruby¡¯s vacation started on New Year¡¯s Eve and lasted until the sixth day of the lunar new year. On the morning of New Year¡¯s Eve, she picked up her phone several times, wanting to call the Gregorys¡¯ Manor, but each time she picked it up, she put it back down, as she could never muster the courage. Finally, after struggling for a long time, she simply packed her things and decided to go back to the Gregorys¡¯ Manor to see Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory. No matter how awkward things got between them, they were, after all her parents who raised her; and being a daughter, she should be the first to bow her head and apologize. At noon on New Year¡¯s Eve, the streets of Ciawell were already pitifully empty. Taxis were hard to come by, so Ruby had no choice but to take a bus back to the West Suburb Villa District. Every kilometer, the bus would stop once. The place where she lived was relatively far from the West Suburb Villa District, so she would have to travel about an hour and a half to reach the final stop. Ruby needed to transfer to another bus to get to the West Suburb Villa District. She stood at the bus stop, waiting for the bus alone and feeling a little bored as luxurious cars passed by from time to time. Actually, very few people going to the West Suburb Villa District took the bus. The bus she was about to take could not take her directly to the entrance of the West Suburb Villa District, and she would still need to walk a distance. She did not know what the reason was, but even though it was supposed to be a bus that came every 15 minutes, she had been waiting for nearly half an hour and had not seen any sign of it. This area belonged to the outskirts, and there were no taxis at all. Ruby¡¯s feet were getting cold from the freezing temperature. Just as Ruby was desperately hoping for the bus to come soon, she suddenly heard the sound of brakes next to her. Instinctively, she looked up and saw the window of the car in front of her slowly rolling down. PS: Today¡¯s update is finished, tomorrow we continue~ Upcoming plot: Madeleine says: ¡°Ruby, I don¡¯t know what happened to my brother, he hurt his leg badly, and the wound is very deep. He didn¡¯t go to the hospital for treatment, and now his condition is really terrible.¡± Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Wait a little longer before giving up (7) Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Wait a little longer before giving up (7) Just as Ruby Gregory anxiously hoped for the bus to arrive quickly, she suddenly heard a braking sound by her side. Instinctively lifting her head, she saw the car window in front of her slowly roll down, revealing Madeleine¡¯s delicate and surprised face in the driver¡¯s seat. Ever since Ruby and Steve Burton had called off their engagement, she had been avoiding people related to Steve. Consequently, she hadn¡¯t been in touch with Madeleine for quite some time. Now, running into her unexpectedly, Ruby froze for a moment, staring at Madeleine¡¯s still beautiful face. After a while, she finally came back to her senses, curved her lips into a smile, and called out, ¡°Madeleine.¡± On the day the wedding was called off, Steve had warned their friends not to disturb Ruby. Madeleine, who had always been fearful of Steve, didn¡¯t dare to act rashly but she did send Ruby a text message or make a phone call every now and then without ever receiving a reply. Today was New Year¡¯s Eve, and Madeleine had been unable to find Howard Coleman since seeing him at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises yesterday afternoon. She felt dejected as she drove alone back to the West Garden Villa Area for the Chinese New Year. Then, from afar, she spotted a familiar person standing under the bus stop sign. Resembling Ruby but with much shorter hair, Madeleine wasn¡¯t sure at first and slowed her car down. As she got closer and saw her features clearly, she realized it was indeed Ruby, whom she hadn¡¯t been able to reach for a long time. When Madeleine heard Ruby call her name, she blinked her eyes and regained her senses. The surprise in her eyes turned into boundless joy, ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s really you.¡± With that, Madeleine unlocked the car, ¡°It¡¯s so cold, hurry up and get in. Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Ruby opened the door and got in. Madeleine turned up the heat a little, and with a hint of complaint in her voice, said, ¡°How could you not drive? Waiting for the bus here. It¡¯s the end of the year, and there are only two bus trips left. You¡¯ll have to wait at least until 5 o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡± As Madeleine spoke, she started the car and glanced at the road behind through the rearview mirror. Then, she moved the car onto the middle road. She glanced at Ruby¡¯s hair again, her lips moved, and in a somewhat low voice, she said, ¡°Ruby, why did you cut your hair? Was it to cut off the past with my brother?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t really subscribe to the idea of cutting hair to sever emotional ties, as portrayed in novels or TV dramas. She had only done it because the winter weather was too cold and her hair took too long to dry, and she was afraid of catching a cold while pregnant. However, she couldn¡¯t tell Madeleine about her pregnancy, so she just hooked the corner of her lips and sat there quietly with a smile. Following suit, Madeleine fell silent too. She stared straight ahead, driving her car. When the red light appeared in front, Madeleine stepped on the brakes, and the car slowly came to a stop. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but speak again, her tone of complaint filled with care, ¡°Ruby, where have you been all these days? Did you have a good time? How worried have I been about you?¡± ¡°Madeleine, I¡¯m sorry, I just hadn¡¯t adjusted my mood back then and didn¡¯t know how to face you.¡± Ruby smiled at Madeleine, ¡°See, I¡¯m sitting right in front of you now, aren¡¯t I?¡± Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Chapter 568: Wait a little longer before giving up (8) Chapter 568: Chapter 568: Wait a little longer before giving up (8) Looking somewhat uneasy, Madeleine glanced at Ruby for a moment. As the red traffic light turned green, her car remained stationary, ¡°But I can¡¯t help but feel sad for you.¡± ¡°Madeleine, I¡¯m really alright. The light is green, you can¡¯t keep the car here, blocking the way,¡± Ruby gently reminded Madeleine. Madeleine mumbled something under her breath and started the car. Sitting in the passenger seat, Ruby stared at the familiar streets straight ahead. After a while, she quietly started to speak, ¡°Actually, Madeleine, you also know that my relationship with Steve Burton¡­ was purely based on business interests. For years, I considered the interests of The Gregorys and had to impress him. I¡¯ve lived in constant anxiety, always worried about making him angry. But now¡­¡± Upon saying this, Ruby turned her head to face Madeleine, her eyes forming a soft crescent, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve separated business from personal matters, I don¡¯t feel as much pressure. I¡¯m feeling at ease, living quite well.¡± Madeleine didn¡¯t respond. Ruby turned her head again and looked at Madeleine for a while, ¡°Madeleine, what about you? How have you been these days? Any improvements with Howard?¡± ¡°What could possibly improve? Still the same.¡± As soon as Howard¡¯s name was mentioned, Madeleine¡¯s demeanor became somewhat gloomy, but only for a moment. She then let out a delightful laugh, carelessly saying as if telling Ruby someone else¡¯s story, ¡°In just over a month, I had to slap 40 women. You¡¯ve been gone for just 37 days, and I¡¯ve discovered another woman every day, even three extra. There are others that I don¡¯t know about. Given his extravagant lifestyle, it¡¯s surprising his kidneys haven¡¯t failed him yet!¡± Finishing her thoughts, Madeleine let out a mock laugh. Though Madeleine¡¯s comments seemed casual, Ruby could guess how heart-wrenching these past few weeks had been for her. Ruby held her tongue. The car was silent. Madeleine casually turned on the car radio. The programs were broadcasting Chinese New Year celebrations. After a long while, Madeleine took a turn on the road ahead and, as if remembering something, suddenly began talking to Ruby, ¡°Ruby, did you know? Something¡¯s off with my brother lately.¡± In the past, Ruby frequently sought Steve Burton¡¯s approval and Madeleine would often share some information about him. Now that Ruby was no longer involved with Steve, Madeleine hadn¡¯t kicked the habit yet, ¡°Recently, he would show up at the office in the mornings, but would disappear around 11 a.m. Many important meetings are covered by Jack or another brother.¡± Ever since Ruby and Steve parted ways, aside from some news headlines, she didn¡¯t intentionally keep track of him. Or rather, she intentionally avoided any information about Steve. Yet, as Madeleine started talking about Steve, Ruby found herself unintentionally paying attention. PS: I have my graduation banquet tonight, the remaining six chapters will be updated later~ Early update for two chapters just wanted to give a heads up~ Should Ruby approach Steve? Or should Steve take the initiative to speak to Ruby? Comment your opinions and I¡¯ll make a choice~ Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Chapter 569: Wait a little longer before giving up (9) Chapter 569: Chapter 569: Wait a little longer before giving up (9) ¡°There was another time when there was an urgent document at the company that needed my brother¡¯s signature. I called him, and he told me to wait. I ended up waiting until 11 p.m. and still didn¡¯t get a reply from him. So I went to his apartment and stood outside his door until nearly 1 a.m. before he came back. I asked him where he had been, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He signed the document and then basically kicked me out.¡± Madeleine said this while rolling her eyes, clearly complaining about Steve. Ruby Gregory lowered her eyes and remained silent. Madeleine paused for a moment and then suddenly turned her head to look at Ruby and said, ¡°My brother hurt his leg a few days ago.¡± When Ruby heard this, she clenched her hands unconsciously. She remembered that day when she was almost hit by a motorcycle on her way home from the supermarket after work. Ruby frowned slightly and asked, ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly when it happened, but it¡¯s been at least four or five days. He has a deep cut on his leg.¡± Four or five days ago¡­ That was when she had almost had an accident¡­ Could it be that Steve was injured while saving her? Ruby¡¯s frown deepened. Madeleine didn¡¯t notice Ruby¡¯s unusual expression and continued, ¡°You know my brother, he¡¯s always good at hiding things. We didn¡¯t know about it at first. It was Jack who found out when he went to get him to sign some documents without knocking and saw him treating his leg wound.¡± Madeleine glanced at the rearview mirror to check the traffic and moved the car to the right lane, continuing, ¡°Jack said he could see the bone in my brother¡¯s leg wound. You know Jack has seen all kinds of incidents, and he felt pain himself just seeing it. But my brother just acted like nothing was wrong, cleaned the wound with alcohol, and wrapped it up with a bandage.¡± In the past, Ruby cared about Steve only to win his favor. Now she no longer needed to please him or rely on him. However, when she heard about his severe injury, she found herself feeling a twinge of sympathy. She hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t he go to the hospital?¡± ¡°We wanted him to go to the hospital to get the wound treated, but he said he had more important things to deal with and refused to go. Jack even arranged for a doctor to go to his apartment several times to treat the wound, but every time the doctor ended up waiting for hours without seeing him. We don¡¯t even know where he went.¡± The more Madeleine talked, the more frustrated she became, but her voice carried a clear sense of concern. ¡°Moreover, my brother has no restrictions. He¡¯s still drinking and attending social events during these days, and he still takes a bath when he gets home. The wound has become a bit more severe. Fortunately, it¡¯s winter. If it was summer and he sweated, I think his leg would probably rot. But the situation is still quite bad. I noticed that his walking posture wasn¡¯t quite right when he was attending meetings at the company in the past few days.¡± Ruby¡¯s face turned slightly pale, and her clenched fist tightened even more, her nails digging deep into her palm. Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: Chapter 570: Wait a little longer before giving up (10) Chapter 570: Chapter 570: Wait a little longer before giving up (10) ¡°When you were with my brother before, you could persuade him, but now¡­¡± Madeleine was saying when she suddenly realized what she had been babbling about. Her face turned slightly awkward, and she glanced at Ruby Gregory¡¯s slightly pale face before finally stopping herself. After a while, she stuttered, ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just used to it, whenever I talk with you, I end up bringing up my brother, just now, I just¡­¡± Ruby knew what Madeleine was going to say next. She gave her a small smile and a shake of the head, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Madeleine looked at her expression through the rearview mirror. After observing that Ruby was indeed alright, she finally relaxed. It was quiet in the car for barely a minute before Madeleine blurted out again without thinking, ¡°And there¡¯s also this thing, Ruby, the other day I heard from my third brother that my brother Steve has been going to a club during the day instead of the office lately. The club is called¡­¡± Madeleine tilted her head in thought and then exclaimed, ¡°Gardenia Clubhouse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really strange, though that club is considered high-class, it¡¯s actually quite ordinary. I wonder what my brother is doing there every day¡­ And the other night at eleven o¡¯clock, he even had my third brother call a taxi, at a high price of US$137 too. When paying, my third brother casually asked and found out it was for a girl¡­ Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ My brother must have a new beloved girl¡­¡± Madeleine suddenly closed her mouth again, this time not daring to look at Ruby. Instead, she stared straight ahead, holding her breath, and concentrating on driving. Ruby was in a daze listening to Madeleine¡¯s long string of words. Two days ago, eleven o¡¯clock, a taxi¡­ It completely coincided with the night she was harassed and couldn¡¯t get a taxi. That night, she had to wait for a long time at the taxi waiting area and caught a cold. The taxi she eventually got was called by him? So that meant the customer in the ¡°Peony Room¡± was Steve Burton all along¡­ The person the manager met that afternoon was also him, and it was because of him that the manager was so polite to her¡­ The more Ruby speculated, the more certain she became. Her heartbeat quickened involuntarily. It turns out that these few days, it wasn¡¯t just her overthinking, Steve Burton really had been around her all the time, hadn¡¯t he? Ruby¡¯s expression became frozen. Madeleine, on the other hand, thought her thoughtless words had hurt Ruby. It took her a while to gather the courage to glance at her again and softly apologised once more, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruby.¡± Ruby was still lost in her thoughts and didn¡¯t respond. Anxious, Madeleine pressed on, ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m really sorry. I just couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut. Actually, I¡¯m only so thoughtless when I¡¯m with you. Ruby, please don¡¯t take it to heart¡­¡± Coming back to her senses, Ruby didn¡¯t even catch what Madeleine was trying to say. She just gave her a perfunctory nod, suddenly feeling the urge to be alone for a while. Seeing Madeleine¡¯s car entering the West Garden Villa Area, not far from the Gregorys, she spoke softly, ¡°Madeleine, you can drop me off here.¡± Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Chapter 571: Wait a little longer before giving up (11) Chapter 571: Chapter 571: Wait a little longer before giving up (11) However, Madeleine thought Ruby was just too heartbroken: ¡°Ruby, I was just talking nonsense. There¡¯s no way my brother would care about other women¡­¡± As Madeleine spoke up to this point, she simply changed the subject: ¡°Ruby, tonight on New Year¡¯s Eve, there will be fireworks at the West Garden Villa Area on the hilltop. Shall we go and watch it together?¡± Ruby¡¯s mind was filled with the words Madeleine just said to her. She hadn¡¯t completely digested them yet, so she was in no mood to watch the fireworks and shook her head indifferently: ¡°Let¡¯s see, I¡¯m feeling a bit nauseous from the car ride, and we¡¯re not far from our destination anyway, so I¡¯d like to walk.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Madeleine sheepishly said two words and stopped the car. Ruby got out of the car, waved her hand at Madeleine, then closed the door. She waited for Madeleine to slowly drive away before she began walking towards the Gregorys¡¯ residence. Her mind was a mess all the way. Madeleine had parked not far from the Gregorys¡¯ residence. It only took Ruby ten minutes to walk to the front gate. Two servants and Maxwell Gregory were standing at the villa¡¯s front door, putting up couplets and hanging red lanterns. Maxwell stood in the center of the doorway, occasionally raising his hand and directing the servants. The couplets were compared back and forth for a while, and finally, Maxwell nodded his head. The servants pressed the big red couplets firmly against the wall. Ruby stopped ten meters away from the gate of the Gregorys¡¯ residence. Although she hadn¡¯t seen Maxwell Gregory in just forty days, he looked much older after his serious illness compared to the last time she saw him. His back was slightly hunched, and his hair at the temples was a bit gray. He occasionally raised his hand to cover his mouth and cough twice. The first to notice Ruby was the servant standing on the ladder, putting up the couplets. When the servant saw Ruby, she paused visibly, then excitedly exclaimed, ¡°Miss is back?¡± Following the servant¡¯s words, Maxwell turned his head, and his gaze met Ruby¡¯s. Ruby stood still for about a minute, then slowly walked over and called out, ¡°Dad.¡± Maxwell stared at her for a while before nodding, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Ruby also nodded without saying a word. The excited servant then called out to Lady Gregory, who was talking to Madam Burton not far from the Burton¡¯s front door, ¡°Madam, Madam, Miss is back.¡± Quite a few people were also putting up couplets at the entrance of the Burtons¡¯ residence. They all turned their heads to look at Ruby. The Burtons didn¡¯t know why the marriage contract between Ruby and Steve had been broken, but the message they received seemed to indicate that it was Steve¡¯s idea. So when Madam Burton saw Ruby, she felt embarrassed and nodded awkwardly, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re back.¡± Ruby and Steve were almost engaged, but now they had gone their separate ways. Facing the Burton family members suddenly, Ruby was not without embarrassment. However, she still tried to maintain a smile and called out, ¡°Aunt Burton.¡± As Ruby¡¯s voice fell, Steve, who had no idea what had happened outside, walked out of the Burton¡¯s yard carrying two big red lanterns in his hands. Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: Chapter 572: Wait a little longer before giving up (12) Chapter 572: Chapter 572: Wait a little longer before giving up (12) The originally slightly awkward atmosphere became completely awkward in an instant. Steve realized that something was amiss, his brow furrowed slightly. Before he could open his mouth to ask ¡°what¡¯s wrong,¡±, he saw Ruby first, and the somewhat lazy expression on his face instantly changed to hesitation, his lips moved but not a word was uttered. Since Ruby was coming back to the Gregorys for New Year, she had thought that she might bump into Steve, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into him unexpectedly right at the entrance of the Gregorys¡¯ house. He still looked as cold and indifferent as ever, but probably because it was New Year¡¯s Eve, he wasn¡¯t dressed in his usual formal attire. Instead, he casually wore a white sweater paired with a long black trench coat, casual yet elegant, making him look much younger than in the office. Everyone present was adept at reading social cues, so the tense atmosphere only lasted for about half a minute. Steve¡¯s older sister, Wenny, laughed and took the lantern from Steve¡¯s hand: ¡°Steve, I just remembered, I¡¯ve been stewing a dessert in the kitchen, it should be almost ready, help me find a servant to take it off the stove.¡± Steve knew full well that Wenny was trying to defuse the situation by having him leave, so he stared at Ruby for about five seconds before handing the two red lanterns to Wenny and turning around to walk towards the Burtons¡¯ courtyard. Ruby¡¯s gaze remained on Steve, and perhaps Madeleine¡¯s words had some effect on her. As he turned away, she subconsciously noticed his leg and found that his usual graceful stride, as Madeleine had said, was indeed somewhat hesitant, especially his left leg which seemed very stiff as he took each step. When Steve¡¯s figure disappeared into the entrance of the Burtons¡¯ house, Lady Gregory immediately returned to the entrance of the Gregorys¡¯ house, glanced at Ruby and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Then she turned around first and walked towards the courtyard of the Gregorys¡¯ house. Ruby quickly followed. Although it had only been forty days since she had last been home, the living room had changed a lot. Many old pieces of furniture had been replaced with new ones, and the butler was busy preparing New Year¡¯s Eve dishes in the kitchen. Lady Gregory did not mention Ruby¡¯s marriage to Steve, nor did she ask Ruby why she had broken off the engagement as before, she only instructed a servant to clean up Ruby¡¯s room and then gestured for her to sit down. Maxwell Gregory, who had followed her into the room, sat down on the sofa opposite of Ruby. Like Lady Gregory, he didn¡¯t bring up the past, only briefly inquiring about Ruby¡¯s recent situation. Ruby didn¡¯t hide anything and told Maxwell about the house she had rented and her current job. When Lady Gregory heard Ruby¡¯s words, she handed her a cup of tea, her expression faltering for a moment before saying, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to live outside, just come back home. As for work, you can do whatever you like if you really enjoy it.¡± In Ruby¡¯s memory, this was one of the warmest sentences Lady Gregory had ever said to her. Her eyes suddenly became a little warm, she lowered her lashes, forced a smile, and gently ¡°hmm¡± to Maxwell and Lady Gregory. ¨C The night had just fallen, and the sound of firecrackers came one after another from outside the window. Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: Chapter 573: Wait a little longer before giving up (13) Chapter 573: Chapter 573: Wait a little longer before giving up (13) Maxwell Gregory had gone to set off some fireworks, then the family gathered around a table for their New Year¡¯s Eve reunion dinner. Everyone made a conscious effort to avoid unpleasant topics, and although the family of three was initially a little awkward, they are, after all, bound by blood. The atmosphere eventually turned harmonious. After the reunion dinner, the Chinese New Year gala just happened to start. The servants brewed some tea and brought out some nuts and fruits. Everyone sat on the sofa, watching TV in harmony. Just as Madeleine had described, at West Suburb Villa, when the New Year¡¯s Eve struck, fireworks were set off at the top of the hill. The New Year is all about liveliness, so when it neared 11 o¡¯clock, not only did Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory leave for the hilltop, but even the housekeepers and servants did so too. Ruby, carrying her own child, did not want to go out late at night in the cold. Thus, she randomly came up with a lame excuse and declined to go. After all the Gregorys left, the villa seemed somewhat desolate. The Chinese New Year gala was something that seemed lively when watched as a family. Now she was left alone, completely uninterested in watching TV, she decided to go upstairs. Passing by the newspaper stand on the first floor, Ruby casually pulled out a copy of the business newspaper that Maxwell Gregory had subscribed to. Back in her room, she took a bath and, as usual, did some prenatal yoga, got on the bed, picked up the business newspaper, and casually flipped through it. However, she was surprised to find the headline news about Yanna¡¯s Enterprises being taken over by Gregory¡¯s Enterprises. Nowadays, Gregory¡¯s Enterprises had already been acquired by Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, so essentially, Yanna¡¯s had been swallowed up by Pristine¡¯s. And Evan Yanna, was the man who had harassed her at the Gardenia Clubhouse that day. Ruby¡¯s heart suddenly became a little unsettled. Why did Pristine¡¯s Enterprises suddenly decide to acquire Yanna¡¯s? Was it because of what happened that afternoon? While Ruby was lost in her thoughts, a deafening sound of fireworks exploded from outside the window. She turned her head and saw beautiful fireworks spreading across the sky right beside her window; it was a magnificent sight. Ruby placed the newspaper on the bed, wore her slippers, and ran towards the balcony. Pulling open the sliding glass door, she poked her head out briefly to find Steve Burton sitting leisurely on his balcony next door, holding a porcelain cup in his hand and looking up at the sky. Ruby paused for a moment and swiftly withdrew, closing the sliding door quickly. Her heart was uncontrollably beating much faster than usual. Why was Steve Burton on the balcony? Hadn¡¯t he gone with the Burtons to the hilltop to watch fireworks? Ruby awkwardly walked back to bed and sat, holding the pillow while staring at the different beautiful fireworks bursting in the sky. Her mind was filled with what Madeleine had told her about the wound on Steve¡¯s leg. The wound was deep, exposing the white bone, but he always refused to go to the hospital¡­ The more Ruby thought about it, the more restless she felt. She lay heavily on the bed, her head hitting the newspaper about Yanna¡¯s Enterprises being taken over; her thoughts became even more jumbled. The last image was of Steve Burton trudging awkwardly into the Burton¡¯s compound in the afternoon. With a hard shake of her head, Ruby sat upright on the bed. She walked into the dressing room, about to change her clothes, when she suddenly remembered that she and Steve had called off their engagement. Would it be ok for her to go and find him so directly? Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Chapter 574: Wait a little longer before giving up (14) Chapter 574: Chapter 574: Wait a little longer before giving up (14) Ruby hesitated for a moment, then walked sheepishly out of the dressing room. She circled her bedroom twice and suddenly seemed to have an idea. Ruby grabbed a coat to wear over her pajamas, picked up her phone, and headed to the main power switch on the first floor. First, she turned on the flashlight on her phone, then stared at the row of switches. After looking for a while, she couldn¡¯t figure out which one controlled the lights, so she gritted her teeth and turned off the main switch. The bright Gregorys¡¯ Villa, from the rooms upstairs and downstairs to the courtyard and the lights outside, went dark instantly. With her phone in hand, Ruby carefully watched her steps on the illuminated path, left The Gregorys, and went to The Burtons¡¯ front entrance. The Burton¡¯s servants were probably watching the fireworks on the mountaintop, as the courtyard was well-lit, and there were rows of colorful lanterns hanging to welcome the New Year, blinking on and off. Ruby took a deep breath, entered The Burtons¡¯ entrance, and headed straight for their villa. ¨C Steve Burton had wanted to join Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and the others to watch the fireworks on the mountaintop. But when he got there, after seeing the Gregorys, he subconsciously circled the crowd but didn¡¯t see Ruby. So he made up an excuse and returned to the Burtons. Everyone at the Burtons¡¯, had either gone to the mountaintop or out to play cards, leaving Steve alone. He casually made himself a cup of coffee and went to sit on his bedroom¡¯s balcony. He said he wanted to watch the fireworks, but he was really hoping that Ruby, who was in the room next door, would come out when the fireworks started bursting. However, the fireworks had been going off for quite a while, but she still didn¡¯t show up. In the end, he found the fireworks in the sky somewhat dull, and his entire attention was on the house next door. There were ten minutes left until the New Year countdown. He could faintly hear two TV sets downstairs at The Gregorys and The Burtons echoing the excited voices of the hosts on the Central Television.] Just as the host was passionately speaking, darkness suddenly enveloped the villa next door in a flash. Steve had seen all the Gregorys go to the mountaintop, leaving only Ruby in the villa next door. Now, there was a sudden power outage on New Year¡¯s Eve, and the villa¡¯s property management was on vacation¡­ Unconsciously, Steve stood up, went back to his bedroom, put on his coat, and rushed downstairs. Steve got to the foyer area and had just swapped one shoe when the doorbell rang. Steve frowned, opened the door with some impatience, and without looking at the person, he bent down to put on the other shoe. He was tying his shoelaces when he noticed that the person knocking on the door didn¡¯t come in or speak. Only then did he look up with some confusion, and saw Ruby, wearing pajamas and an overcoat, standing at the door with a somewhat awkward expression. Steve¡¯s expression froze for a moment, and after a long while, he finally stood up straight, staring at Ruby without blinking, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ruby hadn¡¯t spoken yet, but her face turned red. She quickly blinked and pointed in the direction of her house, saying, ¡°My house, power outage, do you have any candles?¡± PS: If your dream guy lives next door, just turn off your own power and borrow some candles~ Then ask him out for a meal to express your gratitude, and you¡¯ll grow closer~~ Today¡¯s update is done, will continue tomorrow~~~ Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: Chapter 575: Wait a little longer before giving up (15) Chapter 575: Chapter 575: Wait a little longer before giving up (15) Ruby hadn¡¯t even opened her mouth, and her little face turned red. She quickly blinked her eyes and then pointed in the direction of her house, saying, ¡°My house has a power outage. Do you have any candles?¡± Steve did not say a word, his eyes still staring directly at Ruby. The Burtons had a lively New Year¡¯s Eve family dinner, and he didn¡¯t know if it was because Ruby had returned to the Gregorys and was close to him, but his mood was good, and he drank a lot of alcohol. With the family gathered in warmth, a full table of delicacies steamed in front of their eyes. When Steve got up to pour wine for his father, he inadvertently glimpsed an empty seat beside him. His once-good mood then turned a little melancholic. If their engagement had not been called off, she would probably be sitting right next to him right now. The originally harmonious New Year¡¯s Eve family dinner suddenly plummeted his mood to rock bottom. Now, she was just standing in front of him like this, ungracefully dressed in her pajamas, and it made him so dazed for a moment that he forgot to speak. Ruby stood at the door, hesitated for a while before she finally gathered up all her courage and pressed the doorbell. The doorbell rang only half a ring, and the door was pulled open, scaring her, and she instinctively stepped back. Then she looked up and saw Steve, still wearing his casual clothes from the afternoon, squatting down, tying his shoelaces, and not looking up at the visitor. Ruby felt a bit awkward, nervously not knowing what to say. Just as she was thinking about whether she should quietly leave, Steve looked up, saw her at the door, and their eyes collided without warning. Fortunately, he spoke first, and then she finally replied. But after just two dry exchanges of words, he just stared at her without saying a word. Ruby gathered a lot of courage to find him, but now seeing him silent, she only thought he didn¡¯t want to deal with her. Suddenly, she felt an unspeakable embarrassment and discomfort at the bottom of her heart, just like the time when she cared about him but was ridiculed by his furious anger. Ruby bit her lip, her fingers gripping her clothes tightly, and forced a smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t have a candle, I¡¯ll go borrow one from the neighboring house.¡± It was only then that Steve suddenly came to his senses and saw Ruby turning around to leave. Without thinking, he anxiously said, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response from Ruby and hurriedly turned around, heading into the house. After taking two steps, Steve remembered something, stopped, and said to Ruby, who was still lingering at the door, ¡°You should come in and sit down.¡± Ruby hesitated at the door for a moment before nodding gently and walking in. Steve pointed to the sofa, motioning for her to sit, then brought her a glass of warm water and placed it in front of her. Ruby smiled at Steve and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± When Ruby took the glass of water, her fingers accidentally touched Steve¡¯s warm fingertips. The man¡¯s whole body shuddered for a moment, and he stared at Ruby for a big while before standing up hurriedly and turning around to find a candle. Chapter 576 - Chapter 576: Chapter 576: Wait a little longer before giving up (16) Chapter 576: Chapter 576: Wait a little longer before giving up (16) Steve Burton, though looking for candles, had his mind completely focused on Ruby Gregory. He rubbed his fingertips that she had just touched, realizing it was not a dream when her warmth had completely vanished from his skin¡ªRuby Gregory had really come to his house to borrow candles! He suddenly felt grateful that he hadn¡¯t stayed on the mountaintop to watch the fireworks or went to play cards early. Ruby sat on the sofa with the glass of water handed to her by Steve, watching him rummaging through his entire house, trying to find the candles. He had one shoe on and the other off, and the shoelace wasn¡¯t tied, swinging with each step. Her gaze lingered on his left leg, noticing he kept it straight while walking. How could Steve know where the candles were kept in his house? The maids usually took care of these trivial matters. He searched the entire living room, which had been cleaned and tidied for New Year¡¯s only that afternoon, making it look as if it had been robbed and ransacked. Ruby reluctantly put down her glass of water and stood up. ¡°If you can¡¯t find them, don¡¯t worry about it¡­¡± ¡°I have them!¡± Steve interrupted her without waiting for her to finish speaking. The power had cut off, likely due to a circuit issue or a breaker tripping. He only needed to check the breaker, which would take less than a minute, and didn¡¯t actually need to borrow candles. He had never thought of disturbing her when she didn¡¯t take the initiative to visit him. But now that she had unexpectedly appeared before him, he desperately wanted to prolong this private time, making it last a little longer. After finishing, Steve took out his phone and said to Ruby, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Then, he dialed a number. ¡°Mrs. Taylor? It¡¯s Steve Burton¡­ Where did you put the candles in the house?¡± His tone was gentle when asking. Walking towards the back room, he pushed open the door at the end, not closing it behind him. Ruby could hear his voice from the living room, now angry and stern, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that candles are essential household items? What are you doing putting them at the bottom of the box in the storage room?¡± ¡°None of your business why I¡¯m looking for candles!¡± With his last yell, Ruby saw Steve coming out of the room holding two packs of candles. Steve walked up to Ruby, handing her the candles, his tone clear of any anger from his phone conversation, ¡°Is this enough?¡± One pack of candles had about six, so two packs made twelve. Ruby didn¡¯t really have a power outage, so she just took one pack and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Upon receiving the candles, Ruby glanced at Steve¡¯s left leg unconsciously. She moved her lips, not knowing how to ask about his injury. After borrowing the candles, was she going to leave? Steve¡¯s throat moved, subconsciously wanting to talk to Ruby, so he asked, ¡°Do you need a lighter?¡± Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: Chapter 577: Wait a little longer before giving up (17) Chapter 577: Chapter 577: Wait a little longer before giving up (17) After Steve Burton asked the question, he didn¡¯t wait for Ruby Gregory to answer and took a lighter used by the Burtons for smoking from under the tea table and handed it to her. Ruby accepted it and said ¡°Thank you¡± again, still thinking in her mind how to broach the subject of asking Steve to go to the hospital. The living room fell silent as Steve stared at Ruby for a long time before finally turning his gaze away. If he could, he would have liked to stand here with her, forever. But he knew she had to return to the Gregorys. Wanting to spend more time with her, he cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Do you want me to take you home?¡± Ruby moved her lips but didn¡¯t respond. Steve put the wax candles he held on the tea table, then took the candles and lighter from Ruby¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, he walked to the foyer area first and put on the other shoe. Ruby still stood there, motionless. She saw Steve¡¯s left leg trembling visibly as he slid it into the shoe. Perhaps from the pain, his movements to tie the shoelaces were hasty, and even after tying, he lifted his fingers and pressed hard on his left leg before slowly standing up. Although his back was to her, she could clearly feel that he must have grimaced in pain and took a sharp breath before turning towards her, pretending to be fine, and said in a light tone, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruby¡¯s fingers slightly curled, and then she walked towards Steve. Ruby followed at Steve¡¯s left, her lowered eyes fixed on his left leg. They walked in silence, the firecrackers echoing non-stop in their ears, and the fireworks exploding one after another on the horizon. The trails of light fell like meteor showers, dazzlingly grand. Amid such splendor, neither of them had the heart to pay attention. One was consumed with thoughts of the other¡¯s leg, while the other wished that time could freeze. It was the first time in three years that Steve escorted Ruby home. The scene was strikingly similar to the past, but unlike before, she wasn¡¯t chattering by his side. As always, Steve stopped at the entrance of the Gregorys¡¯ house. He stood beside Ruby for a while before turning to look at her somewhat lost face, lowering his voice and saying, ¡°It¡¯s a bit cold, better go inside.¡± Ruby instinctively glanced at Steve¡¯s left leg. Once upon a time, when she needed him, caring for him seemed so justified, so natural. She even wished she could find a way to care for him every day. But now, with no more opportunities to exploit or values to share between them, she realized that the concern buried deep inside her heart was so genuine, so profound, but also something she didn¡¯t know how to express with her current role. They had already parted ways, and it turned out that even the right to care was stripped away between two people separated from each other. Seeing that Ruby still hadn¡¯t moved, Steve lowered his voice and asked again, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ruby slowly shook her head at Steve, pursed her lips tightly, lowered her eyes, paused for a moment, and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll go in, then.¡± Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: Chapter 578: Wait a little longer before giving up (18) Chapter 578: Chapter 578: Wait a little longer before giving up (18) Steve Burton gave a light nod, yet he couldn¡¯t manage to speak, to utter the word ¡°yes¡±. Ruby Gregory dipped her head lower, turned around without saying a word, and headed towards the Gregory¡¯s house. She paced quickly, and just like usual, he didn¡¯t turn away, watching her silhouette disappear into the house of the Gregorys. About five minutes after she entered, a faint light began to emerge from the house. This was the glow of a candle, far less bright and glaring than the lights in the Burton¡¯s house. Steve paced two steps back and forth in front of the Gregorys¡¯ gate. After hesitating for a moment, he took a step forward and walked into the Gregory¡¯s courtyard. Maybe it was his selfishness speaking, using a candle to prolong his time with her. Now, he was thinking again of helping her solve the electricity problem, in order to spend more time with her. Though the additional time would be short, for him, it was incredibly precious. He stood at the door, using the faint light that came from his own courtyard, pressed the yellow doorbell button on the white wall. After about a minute, he heard footsteps approaching from inside. The door opened, revealing Ruby dressed in her pajamas, topped with the same old coat. Caught by surprise, she watched him without uttering a word. Before Ruby could ask anything, Steve quickly explained himself, ¡°Today is New Year¡¯s Eve, walking around in the dark isn¡¯t considered good luck. I thought I would offer to check your circuit.¡± Ruby moved to the side. The structure of the Burtons¡¯ Mansion and the Gregory¡¯s villa were the same¡ªthe main power switch was located on the back wall. With familiarity, Steve headed over, removed the wall painting cover, opened the breakers and took out his mobile phone. He glanced, noticing the main breaker was off, presumably tripped. He pretended that it was troublesome to handle and eyed those various power switches intensely for a rather long time, before he finally switched on the main breaker. The entirety of the Gregory house lit up instantly, both inside and out. Calmly, Steve hung the wall painting back, turned around and told Ruby, who was standing behind him, ¡°The circuit breaker had tripped.¡± It wasn¡¯t that the circuit breaker had tripped, she was the one who had turned off the main power¡­ Ruby thought silently, but merely nodded at Steve on the surface. Everything turned out perfectly fine now. Apparently, he had no valid reason to stay any longer. Steve cleared his throat several times, grappling to say the words ¡°I am leaving,¡± yet he couldn¡¯t articulate it. The atmosphere was dead silent. Just as the silence started to become painfully awkward, Steve forced a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯d better get going.¡± Ruby stared at him without saying a word. Steve smiled again, he moved towards the front door. Ruby turned her head, watching his stiff pace. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. The moment Steve opened the front door and stepped out, Ruby finally couldn¡¯t refrain from calling out, ¡°Steve Burton.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t speak, instead she moved towards Steve, face-to-face, standing at the entrance of Gregory¡¯s house. Before she could say anything, a loud noise suddenly echoed in their ears. She and Steve simultaneously turned towards it ¨Ca firework had lit up the night sky, forming the number ¡°10¡±. The subsequent noises continued nonstop, the numbers in the sky kept changing with each second. Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: Chapter 579: Wait a little longer before giving up (19) Chapter 579: Chapter 579: Wait a little longer before giving up (19) ¡°9, 8, 7, 6¡­1. At the last appearance of ¡°0¡±, thunderous cheers echoed from afar, with countless fireworks rushing into the sky in unison, stunningly beautiful. In the very center were four big characters ¨C Happy New Year. I never would¡¯ve thought that this New Year¡¯s Eve would be spent with her, counting down the last ten seconds and welcoming the new year together. Steve Burton gazed at the gradually disappearing words ¡°Happy New Year¡± in the sky. He turned to Ruby Gregory beside him and said, ¡°Happy New Year.¡± The fireworks at this moment were far more intense than before the countdown. Fireworks lit up the sky from all directions. Perhaps it was the breathtaking fireworks or the arrival of the New Year that painted a playful smile onto Ruby Gregory¡¯s face. When she heard Steve Burton¡¯s wishes, she turned to him and responded warmly, ¡°Happy New Year.¡± The fireworks at this moment were far more intense than before the countdown. Fireworks lit up the sky from all directions. Perhaps it was the breathtaking fireworks or the arrival of the New Year that painted a playful smile onto Ruby Gregory¡¯s face. When she heard Steve Burton¡¯s wishes, she turned to him and responded warmly, ¡°Happy New Year.¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t utter a word as Ruby Gregory turned her gaze back towards the sky, mesmerized by the fireworks. However, his attention remained on her. Her eyes were as beautiful as ever, reflecting the colorful lights from the window, giving off a dazzling glow. The fireworks quickly fell, prompting Ruby Gregory to remember the reason for her outing with Steve Burton. She first looked into Steve Burton¡¯s eyes, then down at his left leg. After a pause, she asked, ¡°Were you¡­ planning to head out since you were putting on your shoes?¡± He had put on his shoes because he saw the lights at The Gregorys¡¯ house go out. Worried that she would encounter some trouble in the dark, he intended to go over and check. Little did he know, she had run over to The Burtons¡¯ house to borrow a candle. Steve Burton ignored his original intent and followed Ruby Gregory¡¯s train of thoughts, nodding and responding ¡°Mmm.¡± While Ruby Gregory was previously in Ciawell, she often spent New Year¡¯s Eve with Steve Burton and his friends. She knew they tended to stay up late on New Year¡¯s Eve, often going to the city¡¯s clubs to play cards. She joined them many times, so Ruby Gregory paused to ask, ¡°Did you arrange to play cards with Rusell Henris and Edward Woods?¡± He had indeed planned to play cards. However, he had already declined the invitation since she had returned home. But he still responded with a ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± Baffled by the flurry of questions from Ruby Gregory, Steve Burton wore a puzzled expression. Then Ruby Gregory lowered her eyes before boldly asking, ¡°If you¡¯re heading out now, could you give me a ride to the city? I need to get back there too.¡± ¨C Of course, Steve Burton wouldn¡¯t decline. While Ruby Gregory went upstairs to change her clothes, he returned to The Burtons¡¯ to get his car. Just as Steve Burton parked his car at The Gregorys¡¯ doorway, he saw Ruby Gregory dressed in her new outfit and carrying her bag, striding out of The Gregorys¡¯. She pulled the car door open and sat down. Steve Burton waited for her to buckle her seatbelt before smoothly starting the car. Only after they had covered some distance did Steve Burton remember that he hadn¡¯t asked Ruby Gregory why she was headed to the city. Then it occurred to her that she lived in the same residential area as Edric Reat in the city. Was she going there to see Edric?¡± Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: Chapter 580: Wait a little longer before giving up (20) Chapter 580: Chapter 580: Wait a little longer before giving up (20) Steve Burton felt a lump in his throat. He stared straight at the road ahead, swallowed hard, and glanced at Ruby Gregory sitting beside him before asking, ¡°Did you¡­ make an appointment with¡­ someone?¡± Actually, he wanted to ask if she had made an appointment with Edric Reat, but just thinking of those three words made his heart ache, let alone saying them aloud. ¡°No.¡± Ruby Gregory shook her head, her gaze lowered for a moment, glancing at Steve Burton¡¯s left leg and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel well, like I¡¯m about to catch a cold. I¡¯ve met a lot of people during the Chinese New Year, and I want to avoid getting anyone else sick, so I thought I¡¯d get some medicine from the hospital.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s grip on the steering wheel trembled, the car skidded slightly, but it was just a brief moment before everything returned to normal. ¡°I could have just gotten some medicine from a pharmacy, but with it being New Year, they¡¯re probably all closed. I have no choice but to go to a hospital.¡± Ruby finished, then asked, ¡°Did you and Russell Henris agree to meet at The Sapphire Bistro?¡± Steve Burton nodded, his gaze scrutinizing Ruby¡¯s face. Seeing her expression calm, and not looking too sick, he felt relieved. Ruby Gregory took out her phone, checked the route map, and then said, ¡°Well, can you drop me off at the Public Hospital? It¡¯s on the way.¡± ¨C The streets of the capital city were nearly empty on New Year¡¯s Eve, with even fewer taxis than usual, let alone other vehicles. When Steve Burton drove into the Public Hospital, Ruby opened her bag, rummaging inside as if looking for something. Steve parked the car steadily in front of the emergency building and switched off the engine without hesitation, intending to accompany Ruby out of the car. But she let out a soft ¡°ah¡± and turned to look at him, her expression somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Um¡­ I left in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring my wallet¡­¡± Her wallet was actually in her bag, but she was just looking for an excuse to deceive Steve into coming into the hospital with her. Although Ruby didn¡¯t really lose her wallet and wasn¡¯t really asking him to pay for her, when it came to actually uttering the second part of her sentence, her face inevitably turned red: ¡°Um, can I trouble you to, uh¡­ help me pay?¡± Ruby¡¯s last three words were rather faint and lacking confidence. Steve had every intention of accompanying Ruby into the emergency building, and upon hearing her words, immediately nodded without hesitation, then removed the car keys and got out of the car first. Ruby followed, pushing the door open and getting out of the car. She waited for Steve to lock it before turning around and walking into the emergency building. Ruby had some change in her pocket, so when they entered the building, she rushed to register. There were fewer people in the hospital on New Year¡¯s Eve than usual, with only a few individuals registering for emergency care. After Ruby registered, she waved her medical record in her hand at Steve and then headed towards an office. Inside the office, there was a male doctor. Ruby handed over her registration slip and medical record without looking at Steve. Instead, she stretched out her hand, pointed at him, and said simply and clearly, ¡°He¡¯s the one who needs treatment. His left leg is injured.¡± Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: Chapter 581: Wait a moment, before giving up (21) Chapter 581: Chapter 581: Wait a moment, before giving up (21) Steve Burton seemed to be struck by an acupoint, standing rigidly in place, unmoving, his heart even seemed to stop in that moment. He was as if turned to stone, staring blankly at Ruby Gregory¡¯s delicate fair fingers which she pointed at him, his mind a blank, bereft of all thinking ability. The male doctor glanced at Steve, then pointed to the bed behind him, saying, ¡°Sit down and lift your pants. If you can¡¯t lift them, then take them off.¡± After speaking, the doctor got up and went over to the wash basin, washing his hands with disinfectant, then proceeded to take the antiseptic liquid, ointment, and bandage, and headed towards the bed. Seeing that Steve was still standing in place, he frowned, ¡°Come over.¡± Ruby turned her head, looking at Steve, and echoed the doctor¡¯s words. ¡°Steve, the doctor is calling you over.¡± Steve did not respond. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Ruby smiled at the doctor and shouted again, ¡°Steve, come on.¡± Steve still didn¡¯t react, his gaze still locked on Ruby. Fearing the doctor would get impatient, Ruby instinctively reached out her hand, grabbed Steve¡¯s arm, and pulled him towards the bed. Steve was still not processing what was happening. When Ruby pulled him, he automatically moved forward with her momentum. Ruby pulled Steve to the side of the bed, indicated for him to sit down, and seeing him still staring at her without moving, she twisted her brows, and slapped his shoulder hard. ¡°Sit down!¡± Steve seemed to come back to himself slightly, but his gaze never left Ruby¡¯s face. He complied obediently, sitting on the bed, then resumed his previous state, showing no further reaction. Inside, Ruby was getting anxious. The doctor was watching and he was behaving like a wooden doll! Ruby apologized to the doctor with a smile, then she patted Steve¡¯s shoulders even harder, ¡°Hey, stop daydreaming! Hurry up and roll up your pants, the doctor is waiting to examine your injury!¡± Steve came back slightly again, seemingly undeterred by her forceful slaps, only responding with a grunt to Ruby. Then, he lifted up his pants like an automaton, revealing the bandages around his calf that he¡¯d haphazardly put on, from which some red was seeping through. Ruby stood on the side as the doctor, after donning disposable gloves, began to remove the bandages on Steve¡¯s leg, layer by layer. When Madeleine was describing Steve¡¯s wound, Ruby only felt a sense of unease, as she was unable to imagine the severity of the injury. Now, seeing it with her own eyes, with flesh exposed and blood seeping out, the shocking cruelty of the scene caused Ruby to close her eyes and turn away. Her body began to ache sympathetically. Although Ruby kept resisting the urge to look at the gruesome sight, she was unable to help herself from taking a sneaky peek. The doctor started Steve¡¯s disinfection by using forceps to handle a large cotton ball soaked in alcohol, wiping the injured area. Ruby felt it was painful just looking at it. But Steve was as if he had lost all sensations, his gaze still fixed on her, even a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips. Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: Chapter 582: Wait a little longer before giving up (22) Chapter 582: Chapter 582: Wait a little longer before giving up (22) Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t understand why Steve Burton was laughing so strangely. Was he in pain? Despite his miserable appearance, he could still laugh! The wound was quite severe. After disinfecting it, the doctor started stitching Steve¡¯s wound. Before stitching, the doctor injected him with anesthesia so Steve didn¡¯t feel any pain, except for a little discomfort during the disinfection. However, Ruby, who was standing by his side, watched anxiously. It was a long wound. The doctor had to stitch it with 20 sutures. After the stitching, the doctor applied ointment to the wound, then wrapped it with a new bandage. The doctor returned to his desk, made a note in the medical record, clicked a few times on the computer, and prescribed several medications. Then he explained to Ruby how to use them. Ruby paid the fees, picked up the medications, and when she returned, Steve was still sitting on the bed, maintaining his posture during the stitching. Ruby called out Steve¡¯s name. Seeing no response, Ruby walked over and patted his shoulder three times forcefully: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Steve immediately stood up and walked toward the door. Ruby followed, and patted his shoulder several more times before stopping. She pointed at his rolled-up pants and said, ¡°Your pants!¡± Steve hurriedly nodded, bent down, and pulled down his pants. With the medications in hand, Ruby walked out of the hospital ward. Steve followed without any hesitation. As they left the emergency building, cold wind hit their faces. Steve sobered up a bit, and slowly digested everything that had just happened inside. He looked at Ruby with a faint, fragmented glow in his eyes. Ruby stood in front of Steve¡¯s car, not getting in. Instead, she asked, ¡°Are you going to The Sapphire Bistro later?¡± Before Steve could respond, Ruby tilted her head, examined the prescriptions one by one, and then handed them to Steve, explaining, ¡°This is an oral anti-inflammatory medication that can reduce swelling. Take it three times a day. Due to the severity of your wound, take four pills with each meal. After a week, when the swelling subsides, take two pills with each meal.¡± ¡°And this one, another anti-inflammatory medicine, should be taken twice a day, two pills each time until finished.¡± ¡°This last one is for external use. The doctor said he¡¯s bandaged it well, so you don¡¯t need to touch it or take a bath now. Come back in three days for a new bandage, and in seven days to have your stitches removed. When you no longer need to bandage the wound, apply this ointment.¡± Beyond the New Year¡¯s Eve, the entire city seemed quieter, with occasional fireworks in the sky. Ruby¡¯s gentle voice reached Steve¡¯s ears. Steve hadn¡¯t looked at the medications in her hand. His eyes were always on her face. ¡°Also, the doctor said you mustn¡¯t eat spicy food or drink alcohol these days. During the New Year, there may be visits to relatives, where alcohol is inevitable. Still, you better give it a break to avoid making your condition worse,¡± Ruby warned. Ruby relayed everything the doctor had told her. After telling Steve, she put the medications in a bag, looked up at Steve, and their eyes met. PS: I¡¯ll continue updating tomorrow! I¡¯m a little tired today, so no cute antics. I¡¯ll just read some of the comments to see if everyone likes me even when I¡¯m not being adorable. There are 400 spots left in the group: 392070740 Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: Chapter 583: Wait a little longer before giving up (23) Chapter 583: Chapter 583: Wait a little longer before giving up (23) Ruby Gregory relayed to Steve Burton everything the doctor had told her. After doing so, she put all the medicines into a bag. Then she lifted her head, looking at Steve whose gaze remained fixed on her. When Ruby was little, she would always stare at him with her big, black, innocent eyes, without shyness or fear. However, when she grew up and started to go out of her way to please him in hope of marriage, she became afraid to meet his eyes, for fear that he might see through her intentions. But now, all her reservations were gone. As their eyes met, she hesitated slightly, then looked straight into Steve¡¯s eyes. In the depths of his unfathomable, dark eyes, there was such a bright, dazzling light that it attracted Ruby and she couldn¡¯t look away. For a moment, her mind went blank, forgetting what she was meant to say next. Steve only regained his wits when the soft, warm voice at his ear ceased. He then found Ruby¡¯s clear, beautiful eyes gazing straight at him. In the bright light outside the emergency room entrance, he could clearly see his own reflection in the depth of her eyes. Slowly, Steve¡¯s gaze became a bit profound, and a warmth spread across his body. He quickly averted his eyes from Ruby¡¯s face and stared at the barren tree branches in the distance. Swallowing hard twice, he suppressed his inner impulse, then cleared his throat and uttered a curt ¡°Hmm¡± as acknowledgment. Only then did Ruby snap back to her senses, realizing she had been staring blankly at Steve. Her face turned slightly red from embarrassment, she handed the bag of medicine to Steve and murmured with her eyes downcast, ¡°The medicine is all inside.¡± Upon hearing Ruby¡¯s words, Steve took a deep breath before turning back. He reached out and took the bag from her hand. Ruby kept her eyes downcast, not daring to meet Steve¡¯s. As he took the bag, she quickly lifted her eyelids and stole a glance at him, only to find their eyes once again meet. Her whole body shuddered as if electrified, her face flushing red. She swiftly averted her gaze and quickly said, ¡°Then you go to the Sapphire Bistro and have fun with Rusell and the others. I should leave now.¡± From her words, Steve quickly sensed something was off, ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us?¡± Had it not been for the fact that she had to bring him to the hospital, she, now expecting, would have long been in bed. Without giving it much thought, Ruby Gregory rejected the idea outright, ¡°I can¡¯t, I have to go home.¡± ¡°I have to go home¡±¡­ as if someone was waiting for her at home. Was it Edric? Steve slightly pursed his lips. After a long pause, in a somewhat downcast tone, he said, ¡°Let me drive you home then, it¡¯s pretty late.¡± ¡°No need for that, it¡¯s a long way to the Gregorys. Going back and forth would take more than an hour. I can just catch a cab,¡± Ruby contested, shaking her head. So it turned out she wasn¡¯t going back to the home she shared with Edric, but to the Gregorys¡¯¡­ Steve felt as if his mood had been on roller-coaster, up and down, full of drama all night long. Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Chapter 584: Wait a little longer before giving up (24) Chapter 584: Chapter 584: Wait a little longer before giving up (24) Although Ruby said she would take a taxi home, she eventually got into Steve¡¯s car without insistence, and he drove her back to the Gregorys¡¯ house. Throughout the journey, Steve seemed to be in a good mood, constantly looking at Ruby through the rearview mirror. He even deliberately turned on the car radio, allowing the gentle music to fill the vehicle. Steve wasn¡¯t driving too fast, and his mind was filled with thoughts of tonight¡¯s events with Ruby. Everything that happened tonight was so sudden, giving him no time to prepare. There were many details he hadn¡¯t fully digested. As he drove, he slowly replayed every moment, and the more he thought about it, the bigger his smile grew, even laughing softly when he thought about Ruby pointing at him and telling the doctor that he was the one seeking treatment. After his joyful thoughts, Steve suddenly remembered that Ruby had originally told him she was sick with a cold and needed to go to the hospital for some medicine, yet in the end, she only paid attention to his leg injury. Could it be¡­ A bold guess appeared in Steve¡¯s heart: Was Ruby¡¯s visit to the hospital tonight actually for the sake of his leg injury? This speculation made Steve¡¯s heart race even faster. He felt that his guess was correct, but he was not completely sure. Perhaps it was because he loved her so deeply and she didn¡¯t reciprocate fully, that in the end, he lost all his confidence. Steve glanced at Ruby sitting in the passenger seat, likely feeling drowsy due to the late hour, her eyelids almost drooping shut. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you feeling better from your cold?¡± At the time, Ruby¡¯s excuse about having a cold was just something she randomly spoke. Pregnant people are naturally sleepy, and as she was sitting in the car with warm air blowing on her, she felt groggy. Suddenly hearing Steve¡¯s question, her mind didn¡¯t catch up immediately, and she stared blankly before responding, ¡°What cold?¡± So the cold was just an excuse she came up with¡­ Steve seemed to hear the joyful sound from the bottom of his heart, and his eyes lit up: ¡°Ruby, did you bring me to the hospital because of the wound on my leg?¡± Upon hearing these words, Ruby realized the intention behind Steve asking if her ¡°cold was better.¡± Caught off guard by his direct confrontation, her cheeks turned red. She quickly explained, ¡°When I returned today, I ran into Madeleine who told me that you hurt your leg a few days ago and hadn¡¯t gone to the hospital. She said it was serious, so I lied to get you to the hospital.¡± When Steve first guessed this, he was already overjoyed. When he asked for confirmation and saw her puzzled look, he knew his guess was right, and his heart filled with indescribable joy. But now, hearing her confirm his suspicion sent him from elation to ecstasy, leaving him speechless with excitement. After Ruby finished her explanation, she looked at Steve and suddenly recalled how every time she did something for him in the past, not only would he not appreciate it, but he would also get very angry, thinking she had ulterior motives for her actions. Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: Chapter 585: Wait a little longer before giving up (25) Chapter 585: Chapter 585: Wait a little longer before giving up (25) In the past, Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t care too much if her tricks were exposed by him, nor did she pay attention to how he viewed her deep down. Now, however, she found that she actually cared deeply about whether he might have suspicions about her, wondering if she had ulterior motives this time too. Seeing Steve Burton¡¯s silence, Ruby felt even more worried. After some hesitation, she quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this. The reason I lied and brought you to the hospital is because I was worried your leg injury wasn¡¯t healing. I don¡¯t have any other intentions.¡± Fearing that Steve wouldn¡¯t believe her, she paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Gregory¡¯s Enterprises has been bought out by Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, so it already belongs to them. There¡¯s no need for me to do anything for Gregory¡¯s Enterprises anymore. Plus, if I wanted to use you, if I wanted to marry you again, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of cancelling the marriage from the beginning.¡± Steve¡¯s heart was filled with joy, but when he heard Ruby¡¯s last statement, a flood of indescribable feelings suddenly overwhelmed him. He had always dreamed of the day Ruby would genuinely show her concern for him. He finally lived to see this day, but it was only after he had lost her. Had he been too harsh on her back then, out of anger and resentment? Was that why she hurriedly tried to clarify? Steve stared at the road ahead, his lips pressed tightly together. After a long while, he finally broke the silence, saying to Ruby, ¡°Thank you.¡± Those with feelings tend to become more sensitive. Ruby had not used to be that thoughtful. Now, however, she found Steve¡¯s expression not entirely happy. She gently bent her fingers and quietly said, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to thank me. Rather, I should be the one thanking you.¡± Ruby pursed her lips then continued, ¡°On that day, thank you for pulling me back at the crucial moment, protecting me from being hit by the motorbike.¡± Steve¡¯s hand clung tightly on the steering wheel, recalling the suddenness of his arrival and departure on that day. He had thought she had not noticed that it was him who had saved her, but now he found out she knew? ¡°Your leg injury¡­ it was caused by the motorbike, wasn¡¯t it? When Madeleine told me, I felt very guilty,¡± she added. Steve felt a pang of disappointment. It turned out that her concern for him stemmed from her feeling guilty because he was injured while saving her. However, he quickly realized that his disappointment was unnecessary. The fact that Ruby genuinely showed her care for him was already enough to make him ecstatic. Did he also expect her to like him? Was he expecting her to have come to his aid out of heartache upon hearing of his injury? People are strange creatures. In the past, when she was by his side, he wished for her heart to be filled with him. Now that they had been separated and had lost each other, he realized that he didn¡¯t need her to love him. As long as she was willing to talk to him, he¡¯d be on cloud nine. ¡°Also, Madeleine mentioned that you often go to the Gardenia Clubhouse, you dissolved Evan Yanna¡¯s trap for me, right? Thank you¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for you, I might have been fired that day.¡± Ruby paused, recalling that Steve had also called a taxi for her to send her home. Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: Chapter 586: Wait a little longer before giving up (26) Chapter 586: Chapter 586: Wait a little longer before giving up (26) Suddenly, Ruby Gregory wanted to ask Steve Burton why he was still doing all these things for her after they had broken up? They had no relationship anymore, so why was he still being so kind to her? But when the words got to her lips, she thought of the bottle of long-term contraceptive pills he had given her to take, and remembered the straightforward words he had said when he didn¡¯t want their child. Ruby¡¯s confidence wavered, and in the end, she merely moved her lips before swallowing down the question she wanted to ask. Silently, she turned her head to look out the window, her hand quietly resting on her belly. He could obviously treat her so well, but why, then, didn¡¯t he want their child, and why was he so heartless in making her take those long-term contraceptive pills? Didn¡¯t he fear that taking the pills for too long might result in her being unable to conceive in the future? Steve Burton did not speak out loud. Although he seemed to be driving attentively, his thoughts were on his own affairs. Ruby¡¯s latest encounter with him had been because he got injured trying to save her. So after this interaction, would he and she still have to return to the state where they didn¡¯t disturb each other, as if they were strangers? Just thinking about it alone made Steve¡¯s heart feel heavy and uncomfortable. He couldn¡¯t help but slow down his driving, wanting to stretch out their remaining time together, just a little longer, a little further. But no matter how slow Steve drove, the journey would eventually end. When the car stopped steadily at the entrance to the Gregorys¡¯ mansion, Steve¡¯s eyes were slightly moist, and within him surged an impulse to grab Ruby, force her to leave her secret shelter, and return to his side. Only God knew how much self-control he had exerted that day to say those four words to cancel their marriage. Only God knew how determined he was to let go of her hand and let her pursue her own happiness. Before Ruby unbuckled her seat belt and pushed open the car door, her fingers paused for a moment. Turning her head towards Steve, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡± Upon hearing those words, Steve tightly gripped the steering wheel, his gaze fixed straight ahead. He nodded slightly and gave a faint ¡°Mm.¡± The next moment, he heard the car door being pushed open and the sound of her getting out of the car. His grip on the steering wheel grew tighter, his knuckles turning white as he forced himself not to turn his head to look at her. For he was afraid that if he caught a glimpse of her, he wouldn¡¯t let her leave. About five seconds later, he heard the soft sound of the car door being closed, and it hurt deep inside his heart. Steve continued to stare straight ahead. Only after roughly five minutes did he slowly turn his head. The view outside the car window was empty as she had already left, and only the yellow light from the street lamps scattered on the ground. Slowly raising his head, he saw that the yard of the Gregorys¡¯ house was empty, indicating she must have entered the house. Everything that transpired tonight was like fireworks at the stroke of New Year¡¯s Eve¡ªbrilliant for an instant and leaving behind endless sorrow and loneliness. Steve sat in his car for a while longer before stepping on the gas and driving into the Burtons¡¯ mansion. Exiting the car, he instinctively raised his head as he locked it with the key, and glanced at Ruby¡¯s bedroom before walking into the house. Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: Chapter 587: Wait a little longer before giving up (27) Chapter 587: Chapter 587: Wait a little longer before giving up (27) After Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton met on New Year¡¯s Eve, the two of them had no interactions whatsoever. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory were busy seeing friends and relatives all day, hardly ever home. In the past, when Ruby Gregory was home for the new year, she would go out with them to visit relatives. Now that she was pregnant, and coincidentally on the first day of the Chinese New Year, a cold air mass arrived with drastically low temperatures. So, Ruby Gregory stayed in the house all day. Staying in the house all day got rather boring, occasionally when the midday sun was good, Ruby Gregory would take a stroll in the garden. The neighboring Burtons family was originally large, with everyone returning home for the New Year making it even livelier. Ruby Gregory would glance over into their yard during her walks in the sun, but she has never seen Steve Burton since. On the third day of the lunar year, Madeleine paid a visit to the Gregorys. Perhaps it was because they encountered each other on this day, when Ruby got off her car early and walked back home after hearing so much information regarding Steve Burton that Madeleine became cautious when chatting with her. She was deliberately avoiding the topic of Steve, but Ruby still knew from listening between the lines that Steve Burton had a relaxed few days, very lucky with poker, and won lots of money. ¨C True to Madeleine¡¯s unintentional revelation to Ruby Gregory, Steve Burton was indeed having a pretty good time this Chinese New Year, with surprisingly good luck and winning a lot of money. In the end, people like Rusell Henris simply refused to play with him, he then just stayed at the Burtons¡¯ Mansion, doing less and less and amusing his little nephew in his free time. Steve Burton had taken the medicine Ruby Gregory had prescribed for him during their hospital visit, on the third day of the lunar year, he even ran to the hospital in the evening to refill his medication. The doctor said his wounds were healing well. During these few days, he has seen Ruby Gregory several times, mostly when she was strolling in the courtyard. From his own room, he could just see her. Once, at eight o¡¯clock in the evening, he drove home, parked the car, and habitually looked at her room, only to see her pacing back and forth on the balcony of her room, with a phone in her hand, seemingly on a call. No matter how many times Steve Burton intentionally or unintentionally saw Ruby Gregory, he never conversed with her, nor thought of disturbing her, even if he wanted to, he didn¡¯t act on it. Before the Chinese New Year, Steve Burton had instructed Rusell Henris to find a time to arrange a meeting with Maya Mitchell. He was busy with work before the New Year, and he spent most of the afternoons at the Gardenia Clubhouse, so the meeting with Maya Mitchell was scheduled for the sixth day of the lunar year, at noon. The location was arranged by secretary Ms. Taylor, choosing a caf¨¦ in a shopping mall not far from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Due to the New Year, there were fewer people in the shopping mall. When Steve Burton arrived, Maya Mitchell was already waiting inside. Maya Mitchell was always alert to the movement at the caf¨¦ entrance, so the moment she saw Steve Burton appear, she immediately stood up, waved at the entrance, and called out, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Before Steve Burton could ask the waiter, he heard Maya Mitchell¡¯s voice. He nodded politely at the waiter, walked over to Maya Mitchell, and sat down. Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Chapter 588: Wait a little longer before giving up (28) Chapter 588: Chapter 588: Wait a little longer before giving up (28) Maya Mitchell painted her face with delicate makeup, making her facial features more profound and three-dimensional. It was a severe winter day, but she wore only thin stockings along with a low-cut maroon dress as a base layer, paired with black high boots. Her long hair had been styled into beautiful, large waves, sensually draped behind her. A red gemstone necklace hung around her pale neck, dangling into the exposed half of her cleavage. As soon as Steve Burton sat down, Maya called the waiter over and handed him the menu. She took it herself and handed it to Steve. Her body must have been sprayed with perfume; a rich scent filled Steve¡¯s nostrils with every movement she made. Steve didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, reaching out to take the menu Maya handed him. He flipped a page and saw mocha coffee listed, so he ordered one directly and pushed the menu over to Maya. Maya did not look at the menu, instead telling the waiter directly, ¡°Same as him.¡± Steve raised his eyelids to glance at Maya but did not speak. The waiter smiled, took the menus, and left. In less than five minutes, the coffee was brought to the table by the waiter. Maya added sweetener and creamer before taking a sip. Then she looked at Steve and made casual conversation, ¡°Happy New Year. Although it¡¯s six days late, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not the latest one.¡± Steve, with his eyes downcast, stirred the coffee in front of him. Hearing Maya¡¯s words, he reached out to take a sip of his coffee but stopped when he realized that she had ordered the same drink as him. He put the cup back on the table, paused for about five seconds, and leaned back into his chair with his long legs crossed. He replied, somewhat perfunctorily, ¡°Not late.¡± Only three words, lacking the proper exchange of ¡°Happy New Year¡± pleasantries in response. Maya¡¯s expression showed a hint of disappointment. After hesitating for a moment, she forced a bright-eyed, white-toothed smile and spoke again, ¡°Mr. Burton, was there anything you wanted to discuss when you asked me out?¡± Steve gently scratched the table with his fingertip and asked Maya, ¡°How much is your current salary?¡± Maya blinked, not understanding the meaning behind Steve¡¯s question, but still honestly answered, ¡°US$3,400.¡± ¡°$3,400¡­ A bit underpaid¡­¡± Steve said and then pondered for a moment before looking up at Maya, ¡°Seems like I underestimated your work abilities.¡± Again, Maya blinked, still not understanding the meaning behind Steve¡¯s words. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to become so competent after job-hopping,¡± Steve said, uncrossing his legs and leaning slightly forward to look Maya in the eyes. He went straight to the point, ¡°How about $5,500? Would you consider a position with this salary?¡± Maya blinked her eyes incredulously once more before taking a sip of her coffee. Then she smiled and asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, are you trying to get me to job-hop again?¡± Steve shrugged his shoulders, not saying anything. Maya met Steve¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°Then, Mr. Burton, what position do you have in mind for me? It can¡¯t be that you expect to pay me $5,500 and have me go back to being your secretary, right?¡± Steve chuckled lightly, ¡°Indeed, being a secretary would be a waste of your talents.¡± After a pause, Steve said, ¡°How does Market Department¡¯s Manager at Gregory¡¯s Enterprises sound?¡± Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: Chapter 589: Wait a little longer before giving up (29) Chapter 589: Chapter 589: Wait a little longer before giving up (29) ¡°Gregory¡¯s Enterprises¡­¡± Maya Mitchell thought of it as Ruby Gregory¡¯s family company and hesitated for a moment. Then she remembered that Gregory¡¯s Enterprises had been acquired by Steve Burton. After that, she looked at Steve with burning eyes and asked, ¡°The position Mr. Burton offers me is really not low. However, Mr. Burton initially drove me out of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises for Ruby. Why did you think of pulling me back now?¡± Steve spread his hands, ¡°Now, she and I are no longer related, right?¡± Maya was amused by Steve¡¯s words, and she chuckled with a slight smile. It seemed that she was in a very good mood, and her eyebrows and eyes rose: ¡°Mr. Burton, you have so much confidence in me and are sure that I can develop the business of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises well?¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t sure, I wouldn¡¯t waste time sitting here talking to you, right?¡± Steve said, paused for a moment, then took out a business card from his pocket and pushed it in front of Maya. ¡°You know my work style. I appreciate anyone with abilities, but it doesn¡¯t mean I will accommodate someone with abilities without limits. This card has my private contact information. If you are interested in the job change, give me a call. I¡¯ll give you three days to think about it. After three days, if I don¡¯t hear from you, I¡¯ll consider it a rejection of my offer.¡± Maya had been with Steve for more than three years and had never known his private phone number. The reason she worked so hard was just to find another way to get closer to Steve. Now that he personally reached out to dig her into a subsidiary company of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, she had no reason to refuse, right? Maya blinked and looked up at Steve, asking, ¡°Mr. Burton, when can I start working?¡± ¡°After completing the resignation procedures from your current company, you can start the next day.¡± ¡°Good, give me a week¡¯s time, and I¡¯ll report to Gregory¡¯s Enterprises on time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news,¡± Steve paused for a moment, glanced at Maya, and continued indifferently, ¡°I hope you can achieve better results at Gregory¡¯s Enterprises than at your current company.¡± Did this mean from now on, she would be Steve¡¯s capable subordinate and start fighting side by side with him? Suddenly, a touch of emotion emerged at the bottom of Maya¡¯s heart. After all these years of secret love, she finally saw a glimmer of tiny hope. ¡°Mr. Burton, rest assured, I will make Gregory¡¯s Enterprises the best company under the banner of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± ¨C After talking with Maya, Steve excused himself and returned to his car. He raised his hand and rubbed his forehead slightly. He was a bit disgusted at the thought of having to deal with her again after their first contact, which was just the beginning of his scheme. However, thinking of the expression on Maya¡¯s face when the final outcome would be revealed, Steve suddenly felt that such a confrontation was not unacceptable. With this thought, Steve looked out of the window, and a hint of coldness flashed across his eyes. ¨C After seeing Maya, Steve drove straight back to West Suburb Villa District. As the car approached the entrance of The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, Steve saw Rusell Henris¡¯s car in front of him. Steve stepped on the gas to catch up and then honked the horn, rolling down the car window. Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: Chapter 590: Wait a little longer before giving up (30) Chapter 590: Chapter 590: Wait a little longer before giving up (30) Russell glanced through the rearview mirror and saw Steve¡¯s car. As he lowered his car window, Steve did the same and slowed down a little: ¡°Steve.¡± Steve also slowed down, keeping his car parallel with Russell¡¯s, then asked: ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°To the Gregorys¡¯.¡± After answering the question, Russell realized he had said something he shouldn¡¯t have and closed his mouth after looking at Steve. The Gregorys¡¯¡­ Steve¡¯s eyes paused for a moment, his expression as calm as ever: ¡°What are you going to do there?¡± ¡°A couple of days ago, Uncle Gregory went fishing with my Dad and gave him a good fishing rod. My sister just returned from Oceania today and brought a few boxes of good red wine. My Dad wanted to gift a box to Uncle Gregory since he likes to drink, so he asked me to deliver it now.¡± Steve nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. The entrance to the Gregorys¡¯ villa was just ahead. Russell stepped on the brake and, after some thought, said, ¡°Are you free now? If so, help me carry this red wine. It¡¯s a bit too much for one person.¡± ¨C Ruby was about to return to work at Gardenia Clubhouse on the seventh day of the lunar year. She had been at home for seven days, but she hadn¡¯t told Lady Gregory and Maxwell about her pregnancy. She was already more than 80 days pregnant and would soon be close to three months. At that time, her belly would begin to show. As it was winter, she could wear loose clothes to hide her belly until three or four months, but when she would be four or five months pregnant, her belly would start to grow visibly. By then, the weather would turn warm and she would wear thin clothes. She wouldn¡¯t be able to conceal it. If Lady Gregory and Maxwell knew that the child was Steve¡¯s, the Burtons would undoubtedly find out quickly. At that point, the two families would certainly push for them to marry again because of the child. Initially, it was because of the Gregorys¡¯ business, and now, it will be because of the child¡­ Must their marriage always rely on other reasons? And more importantly, it was still uncertain if Steve wanted the child in her belly. If he found out she secretly kept the child he didn¡¯t want¡­ Ruby couldn¡¯t guess what Steve would do when he found out the truth, but as the baby stayed longer in her belly, she became more afraid to take the risk. Eventually, she decided to ¡°confess¡± to Lady Gregory and Maxwell first. Ruby didn¡¯t take her afternoon nap and anxiously waited for Maxwell and Lady Gregory to wake up from their post-lunch nap. When they emerged from their bedroom, she stood up and gestured for them to sit. Ruby sat opposite them, took a deep breath, and suppressed her slight nervousness. Then, she looked at them and said, ¡°Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you.¡± Seeing Ruby¡¯s serious expression, Maxwell and Lady Gregory also became nervous. Ruby didn¡¯t wait for Maxwell and Lady Gregory to speak and took the opportunity to continue: ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¨C Although Steve had been trying to avoid disturbing Ruby, he couldn¡¯t refuse Russell¡¯s request for help in the end. He told himself that he only wanted to see her and had no other intentions. As they entered the villa with Russell carrying a box of red wine, a servant who happened to be in the yard opened the door for them. Steve was the first to step inside. Before he could steady himself, he heard Ruby¡¯s familiar voice: ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today~~ New group chat: 427882245 As per national regulations, the male protagonist can only tease the female protagonist, so he definitely won¡¯t tease Maya~ Those who haven¡¯t read the whole story shouldn¡¯t criticize me for not writing abuse. Wait for the male protagonist to finish abusing the secondary female character before you complain! Furthermore, the regulations also state that online novels should not depict illegal activities and should be focused on spreading a positive image. Therefore, there will be no plots involving gang-r4pe, being shot to d3ath, etc.! Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Chapter 591: Wait a little longer before giving up (31) Chapter 591: Chapter 591: Wait a little longer before giving up (31) Just then, a servant was in the courtyard and saw Steve Burton and Rusell Henris carrying in a box of red wine. The servant immediately stepped forward to open the door of The Gregorys¡¯ Villa for them. As Steve entered, before he even steadied his footsteps, he heard Ruby Gregory¡¯s familiar voice: ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Steve felt as if his head had been struck by a bolt of lightning, and his footsteps came to an abrupt halt at the entrance. Pregnant¡­ Ruby Gregory was pregnant. Whose child was it inside her belly? The fingers of Steve¡¯s hand holding the box of red wine curled up, gripping the wooden box tightly. Rusell Henris noticed Steve¡¯s sudden stop and quickly halted his own footsteps as well. Raising his head, he wanted to ask Steve what was wrong, but instead heard the voices of Lady Gregory and Maxwell Gregory, one after another, coming from inside the house. ¡°What? Ruby, you¡¯re pregnant?¡± ¡°Ruby, when did you get pregnant? Whose is it?¡± ¡°Is it Steve¡¯s?¡± ¡°Since you already knew you were pregnant, why did you cancel the wedding with Steve? What about the child?¡± A look of surprise appeared in Henris¡¯s eyes. He unconsciously turned his head to glance at Steve, whose expression seemed somewhat complex, like expectation mixed with fear. Perhaps it was contagious, but Rusell also began to feel an inexplicable tension. The room inside was quiet, and so was the entrance. The entire atmosphere seemed frozen in place. After about ten seconds, Ruby¡¯s soft, slow voice finally emerged: ¡°The child isn¡¯t Steve¡¯s¡­¡± Rusell clearly felt that when Ruby spoke those words, the box of red wine he and Steve were holding together shook violently. The surrounding air became somewhat heavy, as if a powerful oppressive force was enveloping him, making it difficult even to breathe. This time, there was no sound from Maxwell Gregory. Instead, Lady Gregory seemed particularly emotional, her voice becoming sharper: ¡°If the child isn¡¯t Steve¡¯s, then whose is it? Ruby, you need to tell us clearly what happened!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I¡¯ve kept this from you for so long. I¡­¡± Ruby seemed unsure of how to continue. She paused for about three seconds before saying, ¡°I plan to get married.¡± ¡°Marriage? With whom? Ruby, marriage is not child¡¯s play. How could you suddenly decide to get married? Why didn¡¯t you tell us beforehand?¡± Lady Gregory¡¯s emotions became even more agitated. Rusell distinctly felt that his breathing was becoming difficult, and he dared not even let out a sigh. He maintained a stiff posture, not daring to look at Steve standing in front of him. Compared to Lady Gregory¡¯s agitation, Ruby¡¯s voice sounded calm, as if she was laying her cards on the table: ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t agree, but now there¡¯s a child in my belly¡­¡± ¡°His name is Edric Reat, a college classmate of mine, studied abroad in Costa Luna. He returned to Ciawell six months ago and is currently working as a manager for a foreign company. And most importantly, he treats me very well¡­¡± Ruby briefly introduced Edric, and eventually said, ¡°We never planned on having children, but since it happened unexpectedly, we can¡¯t bring ourselves to give it up.¡± Upon saying this, Ruby paused for a moment and then told a lie: ¡°The child has been with us for fifty days.¡± Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Wait a little longer before giving up (32) Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Wait a little longer before giving up (32) Ruby Gregory finished her long explanation in one breath. Once again, the room fell into a long silence. The servant who had opened the door for Rusell Henris and Steve Burton saw that the two men were still standing at the entrance without entering. Unable to help herself, she put down the potted plants she was tending to and walked up to them, asking politely, ¡°Mr. Burton, Mr. Henris, why aren¡¯t you going in?¡± Steve Burton did not respond, but Rusell Henris came to his senses first. He let out an ¡°uh¡± but did not know what else to say. The servant had no idea what had happened. Without waiting for Rusell Henris to speak again, she smiled at the people in the room and called out, ¡°Sir, Madam, Miss, Mr. Burton and Mr. Henris are here¡­¡± The atmosphere suddenly became strange. After about half a minute, footsteps could be heard coming from inside the room. Lady Gregory walked over and put on a stiff smile when she saw Rusell Henris and Steve Burton. ¡°Steve, Rusell is here. Please come in.¡± Rusell Henris still did not dare to look at Steve Burton¡¯s expression. He hurriedly greeted Lady Gregory, ¡°Hello, Aunt Gregory.¡± As soon as his voice fell, Steve Burton¡¯s polite and respectful voice rang out, ¡°Hello, Aunt.¡± Following his words, he lifted the box of red wine in his hand and headed into the room. Rusell Henris finally took a glance at Steve Burton. The man seemed calm, but it was this calmness that frightened Rusell to no end. Rusell Henris held his breath and followed Steve Burton. Steve Burton and Rusell Henris placed the box of red wine on the floor. Maxwell Gregory and Ruby Gregory had already stood up from the sofa. Ruby did not say anything, but Maxwell Gregory pointed to a vacant spot on the sofa and said, ¡°Come, sit.¡± Just as Rusell Henris was considering whether to decline directly, Steve Burton strode forward and sat down. Rusell had no choice but to follow him and sit down beside Steve. Then he looked at Ruby, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Ruby.¡± When Ruby heard the words ¡°Mr. Burton¡± from the servant¡¯s mouth, she was shocked. Seeing Steve sitting in front of her, her heart filled with panic. Hearing Rusell¡¯s call, she glanced at Steve before looking at Rusell. She smiled and called out, ¡°Rusell.¡± The marriage between Ruby and Steve had been arranged and then canceled. The atmosphere in the room was naturally awkward. Adding to the fact that they had just heard Ruby¡¯s earlier words, the atmosphere became almost solid. To ease the tension, after greeting Ruby, Rusell immediately said, ¡°Uncle Gregory, my father thanks you for the fishing rod you sent him. Knowing you like to drink red wine, he specially asked me to bring you some.¡± Thinking of Steve Burton, who had come with him, Rusell added, ¡°Steve happened to be at my house, and the red wine is a bit heavy, so he helped me carry it over here.¡± Maxwell Gregory followed Rusell¡¯s words with a smile, ¡°That was really thoughtful of Mr. Henris, but thank you both for making the trip.¡± Rusell understood and replied, ¡°Not at all. I should have visited you earlier, Uncle Gregory.¡± Lady Gregory personally brewed a pot of tea and brought it over. Hearing these words, she laughed along and said, ¡°I was just thinking of getting your uncle to quit drinking, but now with such good wine delivered to the door, I can¡¯t control him anymore.¡± Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: Chapter 593: Wait a little longer before giving up (33) Chapter 593: Chapter 593: Wait a little longer before giving up (33) Saying this, Lady Gregory poured tea for Russell Henris and Steve Burton. Russell thanked her. Steve Burton, who had been silent since entering the room, only nodded politely at Lady Gregory and continued to remain silent. Russell helped ease the atmosphere, and both Lady Gregory and Maxwell Gregory chimed in. Nonetheless, the mood was still a bit awkward. Steve had not spoken a word since he arrived. His extraordinarily handsome face showed no particular expression, and his eyes looked at no one. Occasionally, he would stare at the teacup in front of him, seemingly lost in thought. Ruby Gregory was also silent. She politely sat with Steve and Russell in the living room for a while before finding an excuse. She said softly, ¡°I have work tomorrow, so I¡¯ll go pack my things and prepare to return to the city.¡± After receiving Lady Gregory¡¯s approval, Ruby stood up, smiled at Steve and Russell, and went upstairs. Steve waited for quite some time after Ruby had left before his gaze slowly shifted towards the staircase, appearing somewhat unfocused. After a long while, the phone in Steve¡¯s pocket rang. He stepped outside the room to answer it. It was a telemarketing call. After hanging up, Steve stood at the entrance to the Gregorys¡¯ residence for a moment before going back in and, taking advantage of the call, excused himself by saying that the Burtons had called about a matter that needed his attention. ¨C Ruby returned to her bedroom and sat on the edge of her bed, lost in thought. Deep down, she kept wondering how much of the conversation she had with her parents was overheard by Steve. She had roped Edric Reat into this charade to deceive her parents and, by extension, Steve. To avoid arousing Steve¡¯s suspicions, she deliberately understated the duration of her pregnancy by forty days. Edric even enlisted the help of a reliable friend to alter the date of her pregnancy screening at the hospital. Thus, even if Steve were to investigate her pregnancy and question whether the child was his, according to the altered records, the timeline would indicate that Ruby had conceived after their engagement had been annulled. He would then realize that the child in her womb had nothing to do with him. Although he had once personally administered contraceptives to her and she hadn¡¯t felt too distressed at the time, the fact that he had covertly given her contraceptives disguised as vitamins was something she could neither forgive nor comprehend. She had said that she would never put her child at risk. Consequently, she would never, under any circumstances, let Steve know that the child she was carrying was his. Initially, she felt forced to make such a decision. Out of necessity, she had to deceive everyone into believing that the child inside her was not Steve¡¯s. Having no other options, she pretended that the child was Edric¡¯s and that they were preparing to get married. She and Edric had, in fact, agreed on this fake marriage. Edric would find an excuse to delay the wedding, and once the child was born after the full 10-month term, the nuptials would be canceled. When she made these arrangements and decisions, she knew that Steve would find out about her marriage to Edric sooner or later. But when he did, she realized how truly heartbroken she was. The distance between her and Steve had grown even more considerable, which saddened her. Ruby didn¡¯t have much to pack. By the time she went downstairs, Steve had already left. Meanwhile, Russell was still chatting with Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory. Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Chapter 594: Wait a little longer before giving up (34) Chapter 594: Chapter 594: Wait a little longer before giving up (34) Ruby Gregory and Maxwell Gregory bid their mother goodbye. She was originally planning to call their family driver to drive her back home, but instead, she found Steve Burton standing outside the Gregorys¡¯ mansion, engrossed in his phone. It was as if Steve noticed someone looking at him. He raised his head and saw Ruby. He put aside his phone, stood up straight, glanced at the bag in Ruby¡¯s hand, and asked, ¡°Are you heading back to the city?¡± Ruby nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the city too, it¡¯s on the way, I can drop you off.¡± Without waiting for Ruby¡¯s response, Steve reached out to carry Ruby¡¯s bag himself and began to walk towards the Gregorys¡¯ main entrance. Ruby stared at Steve¡¯s retreating figure for a while. She blinked, then composed herself, before hastening to follow him. As they exited the mansion¡¯s gate, Steve took out his car keys, and his Audi A8¡¯s lights blinked. Steve walked up and opened the rear car door, placed Ruby¡¯s belongings inside, then he opened the passenger door and glanced back at Ruby. Ruby stepped up and ducked into the car. Steve leaned a bit to fasten her seat belt, then stiffened as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he just quietly withdrew, closed the door, circled around the vehicle, and took his seat behind the wheel. Seventh day of the lunar year, a day when everyone returns to work, choking the streets of the city under high volumes of traffic by 4 p.m. Throughout the ride, Steve and Ruby did not say a word to each other. Despite concentrating on the road ahead, Steve seemed strained. When the traffic eased after a traffic jam, he remained stationary numerous times, forgetful of the need to step on the accelerator, causing motorists behind to honk at him in exasperation. On the second ring road going into the city, Steve¡¯s hands turned the steering wheel to the right when he intended to steer left. A car was just speeding by from the right. Ruby cried out to remind him. Snapped out of his trance, Steve made a quick turn to the left to avoid collision with the oncoming vehicle. Steve hit the brake, stopping the car by the roadside. He glanced towards Ruby, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ruby, still quite shaken, managed to shake her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Steve nodded, speechless. His gaze drifted to Ruby¡¯s belly and lingered there. After a long pause, he sat back up, took a deep breath, managed to regain his composure, and then restarted the car. Perhaps the near accident had made him cautious. Steve drove the rest of the way very steadily. As they neared Ruby¡¯s apartment complex, Steve glanced at the time. It was already six in the evening. He looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up not saying a word. Instead, he navigated the car to a restaurant not far away, parked, and then said, ¡°It¡¯s dinnertime. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Ruby did not refuse and followed Steve into the restaurant. Steve had chosen a Cantonese restaurant. The dinner was light and the two did not converse much during the meal. After dinner, Steve paid the bill and drove Ruby home. The car stopped smoothly at the entrance of Ruby¡¯s apartment complex. Steve stared straight ahead for a few moments, then turned his head towards Ruby and said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Ruby nodded her head. Just as she was about to open the door and get out of the car, Steve suddenly called her name, ¡°Ruby.¡± Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Chapter 595: Wait a little longer before giving up (35) Chapter 595: Chapter 595: Wait a little longer before giving up (35) Ruby Gregory retracted her outstretched hand, turned her head, and glanced at Steve Burton. After a moment, she softly uttered, ¡°Hmm?¡± Steve seemed to want to ask something. His lips moved, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak. Eventually, he turned and looked out the window, watching the pedestrians on the street for a while. His eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. He closed his eyes and remained silent for two seconds before turning back to Ruby, asking, ¡°Are you¡­ pregnant?¡± Ruby had a feeling that Steve had overheard what she said to Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory. Now that he was suddenly asking her so directly, her fingers involuntarily trembled. With a slightly pale face, she nodded gently at Steve and softly said, ¡°Yes.¡± Steve felt as if his throat was blocked by something, leaving him feeling uncomfortable and suffocated. He opened his mouth wide and strained to speak, ¡°Are you¡­ planning to marry him?¡± After asking this question, Steve realized how terrible it was. She was already pregnant; how could she not get married? They couldn¡¯t let the child be born without a legal status¡­ Steve lowered his head, his voice clear but slightly confused, ¡°No, I mean, when are you planning to marry him?¡± She and Edric Reat had never considered getting married. When she faced Maxwell and Lady Gregory, she could smoothly talk about her plans to marry. However, when facing Steve, she found it hard to speak. Ruby¡¯s lips moved back and forth several times, but she still couldn¡¯t make a sound. Steve raised his hand to cover part of his face for a moment, then lowered it and smiled at Ruby. He spoke in a relaxed tone, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. You should go back and rest.¡± Ruby nodded gently and got out of the car. Steve also got out, opened the rear door, took her bag, and handed it to Ruby. Ruby didn¡¯t look at Steve, she reached out and took the bag, clenching it tightly in her hand. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Yeah, goodbye.¡± Steve¡¯s voice was calm and gentle. Ruby stood in front of Steve for a while, then looked up at him before turning around and walking toward the residential area. Steve stared at Ruby¡¯s disappearing figure, still maintaining his original posture, standing in front of the car. The cold wind of early spring blew gently, chilling Steve to the bone, but he still didn¡¯t react much until his cell phone in his pocket suddenly rang. Steve¡¯s fingers felt stiff as he fumbled for his phone, checked the caller ID, and saw it was from Rusell Henris. He knew the call was to inform him of something. He raised his hand to answer but hesitated for a long time before the call automatically ended. Less than a minute later, the phone rang again. This time, Steve didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly answered. Rusell¡¯s tone on the phone sounded hesitant, ¡°Bro, I just did some investigation. Ruby is indeed pregnant, and the hospital records say she¡¯s really been pregnant for 50 days, just like she said.¡± PS: The plot has changed! The female lead pretends to marry another man to hide the truth ¨C satisfying readers that are bothered by certain aspects. As for the child, I can¡¯t possibly let the female lead directly talk to the male lead about it. After all, for her, the contraceptive pills were given to her by Steve. I think you don¡¯t need to be so sensitive, right~ Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: Chapter 596: Wait a little longer before giving up (36) Chapter 596: Chapter 596: Wait a little longer before giving up (36) Fifty days¡­ It had been about two months since he and Ruby Gregory had parted ways. By this calculation, she must have gotten pregnant after they had broken off their engagement. This child¡­ Steve Burton couldn¡¯t think any further as this thought crossed his mind. He clenched his cell phone tightly. At the other end of the phone, Russell Henris had been waiting for a while, but did not hear a response from Steve. Unable to hold back, he called out, ¡°Bro.¡± Still, there was only silence in response. Though Russell couldn¡¯t see Steve now, he could feel Steve¡¯s unusual behavior through the wireless phone. He asked with some concern, ¡°Bro¡­ Are you okay?¡± As soon as Russell finished speaking, he heard a honking sound over the phone. He continued to ask, ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll come to pick you up¡­¡± Before Russell could finish, Steve hung up the phone, put it away, and with trembling fingers, opened the car door. The whole time, Steve seemed utterly lost, and as he went to start the car, his hand clutched the key, unable to muster any strength. Finally, after a long while, he reluctantly turned the ignition key and started the engine. Steve clung to the steering wheel like a controlled machine and mechanically pressed the accelerator. Steve stepped on the gas pedal relentlessly, driving faster and faster as the car sped through the quiet nighttime streets. The city was silent, but in his ears, the words of Ruby Gregory and Russell Henris echoed repeatedly. -I¡¯m pregnant. -I¡¯m getting married. -Ruby is indeed pregnant, and the pregnancy timeline shown at the hospital is exactly what she said¡ªfifty days. She¡¯s pregnant, she¡¯s pregnant, she¡¯s pregnant. What was he going to do? Yeah, what was he going to do? What to do? Steve¡¯s eyes became somewhat misty as he thought about it. He hit the brakes hard, stopping the car by the side of the road, and then leaned over the steering wheel, his shoulders shaking. Though he had thought about letting her go to pursue her own happiness and decided that not disturbing her would be his final act of tenderness, how could she suddenly become pregnant without any warning, leaving him utterly unprepared? She was the girl he loved, the girl he loved from a young age, the girl he swore to love well. How could he have lost her while loving her? It took a long while for Steve¡¯s trembling shoulders to finally quiet down, and still, he lay over the steering wheel. The world was unusually quiet, and he could faintly hear the sound of his own heartbeat. He suddenly recalled a recent variety show that Wenny Burton had watched at the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. At the time, he didn¡¯t want to go upstairs because being alone would always remind him of her, so he simply accompanied Wenny in watching the show. On the show, a celebrity named Adrian Swift cried his eyes out, saying, ¡°When the one you love has another half and can¡¯t be with you, there are only two outcomes: wait or give up.¡± At that time, Adrian could hardly speak through his tears, and after a long while, he continued, ¡°As for me, I¡¯ll wait for a while before giving up.¡± When Wenny witnessed that scene, she was wiping her tears with tissues, praising Adrian as an unparalleled good man. At that time, he scoffed at Wenny¡¯s reaction and mocked her for her cheap tears. But now, when all this was happening to him, he realized that deep down inside, he shared the same thoughts. Like Adrian, he wanted to wait a while before giving up. Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: Chapter 597: The Sweet and Warm Heating Up (1) Chapter 597: Chapter 597: The Sweet and Warm Heating Up (1) Who made you cry with red eyes, yet you still cannot forget them? If you ask Steve Burton, he would undoubtedly say: Ruby Gregory. As the saying goes, ¡°real men don¡¯t cry easily,¡± but he has shed tears for Ruby more than once. In fact, the situation has become seemingly settled, and it seems that there is no hope for Steve and Ruby. However, Steve really doesn¡¯t want to give up, even though Ruby is pregnant with Edric Reat¡¯s child. It¡¯s possible that she might marry Edric, so he keeps comforting himself that maybe if he waits, an opportunity will come. Although he is determined to wait in his heart, the news of Ruby¡¯s pregnancy still took him a long time to digest. Instead of accepting the heavy blow to him and the reality that she is not entirely his own, he is actually also waiting for a chance ¨C a chance to approach Ruby and get close to her. He told himself not to disturb her happiness, and he never thought about destroying her happiness. But when the opportunity was before him, he still couldn¡¯t help but seize and hold on to it. Since parting at Chinese New Year, Steve and Ruby met again in April, when flowers were blooming. The city, which was barren for an entire winter, has sprouted green leaves again. People on the streets are no longer wearing heavy down jackets. In such a lively, flowery March, Steve found an opportunity to get close to Ruby. That morning, Steve signed a large contract at the Capital Club. When he left home in the morning, the sky was cloudy. When he left the club at noon, it was raining. The driver held an umbrella over his head and accompanied him as he said goodbye to his partners. After sending everyone off and preparing to get into the car, he saw Ruby standing under the eaves of a nearby coffee shop, sheltering from the rain. Steve immediately stopped getting into the car and stared at Ruby. Even though she was wearing a slightly oversized light sweater, her belly was bulging. Calculating the time, she was more than four months pregnant ¨C it should be visible by now. Seeing that Steve hadn¡¯t moved, the driver asked in confusion: ¡°Mr. Burton?¡± Without taking his eyes off Ruby, Steve reached out to the driver: ¡°You go home first, I have something to do.¡± The driver handed over the car keys and handed the umbrella he was holding for Steve to Steve. Then he turned and left. Steve waited for the driver to walk away before walking around the car, folding the umbrella, getting into the car, and driving it onto the street. He slowly stopped the car in front of Ruby, pretending to pass by. PS: I¡¯m not in a good mood today, so I¡¯ll update this much for now. Next is some extra talk for everyone 1: If I were Ruby, I wouldn¡¯t tell Steve that I was pregnant with his child. To me, the contraception pills he gave me were my chance to make him change his ways gently, and then move Ruby¡¯s heart with compassion. Because once upon a time, he did indeed deeply love her, but his methods were wrong. 2: The subsequent plot is indeed not going to have great misery. When I write a book, none of them have been long, and this one will be no exception. My eight or ninety thousand-word count is really considered short, especially compared to the over one million word count books out there. If I were purely dragging the story to earn your money, then I think your words are really too harsh! 3: I know many readers are dissatisfied with this book I¡¯m writing. I want to apologize to you all. I¡¯m sorry for disappointing you. Fans of my work shouldn¡¯t argue with them, as everyone has different tastes. I won¡¯t force anyone to continue reading. If you really find it increasingly dull, you can choose to give up this book. Regardless, I¡¯m still very grateful for your support over these many days. Thank you, everyone! Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: Chapter 598: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (2) Chapter 598: Chapter 598: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (2) Only after watching the driver leave did Steve Burton walk around the car, put away his umbrella, get in, and drive the car onto the street. Then, acting like he just happened to be passing by, he slowly stopped the car in front of Ruby Gregory. ¨C After some calculations, Ruby realized it had been quite some time since she had seen Steve, sorry, no, it had been a long time since she had seen any news about Steve. However, there were a lot of news about the release of a new product from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, which had signed a first-tier actress for endorsement and held a game release conference in Agrabah. Those news constantly captured the public eye, one after another. Despite her not seeing Steve, from those reports, it was clear that his business was flourishing and seemed to be thriving. In the past few months, she had returned to The Gregorys a few times. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory were somewhat disappointed in her, as they had always seen her as Steve¡¯s wife. However, now that she was pregnant and a child was on the way, even though Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory were unwilling, they had to accept this. After all, no household like The Burtons would want a woman who had borne a child for another man as the lady of the house. At first, Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory did not show particular concern for the child in her belly. However, as they saw her belly gradually growing, they realized that the child carried the blood of The Gregorys. Thus, they gradually began to call and check in on Ruby, even occasionally giving her some advice about what pregnant women should pay attention to. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory also suggested that she should return home and rest, looking after her unborn child. Ruby had thought about going back home, but in the end, she chose to stay. It is important for pregnant women to maintain a good mood. Living in Gregory¡¯s mansion would, of course, offer a comfortable life, but having a small job and earning her own money in the city made her feel more contented. When a woman realizes she is pregnant out of the blue, she naturally experiences fear and tension, but afterwards, her thoughts focus on how to be a good mother. Ruby indeed put her heart into the child in her belly ¨C she even enrolled in a prenatal guidance class. Last night, Ruby had dreamt of Steve in her sleep, reliving many memories of their past, both the sad and joyful ones. As pregnant women tend to have overly sensitive emotions, she cried and laughed for a good while after waking up. Only after she had fallen back asleep and was woken up by a kick from the baby in her belly did she get up, eat something, realize that she still had one and a half hours before class, and then hurriedly leave the house. When she walked down the stairs and saw the gloomy weather, she didn¡¯t think much of it because Ciawell often had such a kind of weather. To save time, she headed straight to the subway station. When she exited the subway station and was planning to transfer to the bus, a soft rain began to fall from the sky. The subway station Ruby exited was not far from Grand Park, and the area was surrounded by high-class clubs. There were no supermarkets in sight, and the bus stop was about six or seven hundred meters away from the subway exit. Ruby didn¡¯t want to brave the rain, so she sought shelter in a nearby coffee shop. While Ruby was wondering how long the rain would last, a black car suddenly stopped in front of her. The car window rolled down, and through the raindrops, she saw Steve¡¯s extraordinarily handsome face. Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: Chapter 599: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (3) Chapter 599: Chapter 599: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (3) Ruby Gregory froze for a moment. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for two months in the same city, and yet, just after she dreamed of him last night, she saw him today? Steve Burton stared at Ruby for about two seconds, then turned his head, pushed open the car door, got out with a black umbrella in his hand, and walked towards Ruby. His clean, bright leather shoes occasionally stepped on small puddles, splashing countless droplets of water. As Steve approached Ruby with the umbrella, a beautifully poetic line from a song came to his mind: The most beautiful thing is not a rainy day, but hiding under eaves together with you. The air in Ciawell was dirty, with rain turning into mud. He had a slight aversion to uncleanliness and disliked rainy days like this. But at this moment, he found such a day somehow cute and touching. Perhaps it was due to their encounter. Standing in front of Ruby, Steve spoke up, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± It took Ruby a moment to come back to her senses, still feeling a little self-conscious. She hesitated for a moment before pointing to the sky with an embarrassed smile, ¡°It¡¯s raining, and I didn¡¯t bring an umbrella.¡± Steve looked up at the incessant rain, ¡°Not sure when the rain will end; it¡¯s a bit chilly. Get in my car.¡± Ruby hesitated but didn¡¯t refuse. Steve extended the umbrella forward, shielding Ruby as she stepped out, with the majority of the umbrella covering her, while his suit was quickly soaked by the rain. His car, unlocked, was parked nearby with its hazard lights flashing. Steve walked to the car, opened the door, and waited for Ruby to bend down and get in. He thenheld the umbrella and walked around to the driver¡¯s side, lifting his hand to brush off the raindrops before stowing the umbrella and getting into the car. He took off the wet suit jacket and threw it on the backseat, turning up the car¡¯s heater slightly. He then looked at Ruby and asked, ¡°Where to?¡± Ruby gave him the address and added, ¡°I¡¯m going there for a class.¡± ¡°A class? What kind?¡± Steve, with a puzzled look, entered the address into the car¡¯s GPS system. ¡°A prenatal class.¡± Steve¡¯s expression froze for a second before he smiled and confirmed the destination on the GPS. He glanced at Ruby¡¯s swollen belly, paused for a moment, then reached out to adjust the passenger seat, making sure Ruby was able to sit comfortably before starting the car. Following the GPS directions, Steve skillfully drove the car. While waiting at a red light, he looked at Ruby¡¯s belly again, paused for a moment, and asked, ¡°A little over four months now?¡± Ruby hesitated for a moment before realizing Steve was referring to how long she had been pregnant. In fact, she was already more than five months along, almost six. Ruby blinked and nodded. Steve mentally calculated the timeframe, then asked, ¡°The due date is in October?¡± In reality, the due date should have been in mid-August. This time, Ruby didn¡¯t answer; she just nodded in response. Steve once again examined Ruby¡¯s swelling belly, remarking, ¡°Your belly looks a bit big; it¡¯s more like five or six months of pregnancy.¡± Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: Chapter 600: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (4) Chapter 600: Chapter 600: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (4) Ruby Gregory instantly became a bit nervous, and she cautiously observed Steve Burton¡¯s expression. Then she reached out to touch her round belly and softly said, ¡°It¡¯s twins¡­ The doctor said it¡¯s normal for the belly to be big.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie; three months in, Ruby did a screening for Down syndrome and B-scan ultrasonography, which revealed she was pregnant with twins. Twins¡­ Steve was stunned for a moment, his expression slightly stiff for an instant. When he returned to his senses, he couldn¡¯t manage to smile like he did when he heard she attended a prenatal class. In the end, he only moved his lips a bit, turned his head, and stared at the countdown clock on the traffic light. After a long time, he said, ¡°Twins, that¡¯s a good thing.¡± Edric Reat was indeed lucky¡­ He even got a pair of twins within just a few days with Ruby. Apart from taking the morning-after pill once, he never adopted any birth control measures with her, and she never conceived. At this moment, Steve couldn¡¯t help but doubt if there was something wrong with his body. Ruby didn¡¯t respond. When the doctor told her it was twins, he congratulated her on the great news with an envious expression. She also thought it was a good thing back then, as many people dream of having twins but can¡¯t. Now Steve was saying the same thing, but Ruby felt somewhat sad. If he knew the child was his, would he still say it was a good thing? Steve didn¡¯t say anything either, only staring at the traffic light changing to green. Then he slowly stepped on the accelerator and continued driving. After a long time, he glanced at Ruby with furrowed brows and asked, ¡°Twins, boys or girls?¡± Ruby shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t ask the doctor.¡± After a short while, Ruby said again, ¡°If I asked, there wouldn¡¯t be any anticipation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, there is a bit of suspense this way.¡± In Ruby¡¯s memory, she hadn¡¯t had such a calm conversation with Steve in years. His gentle tone now eased her mind considerably, and her expression grew a bit troubled. She couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s suspense and anticipation, but it¡¯s so troublesome. Every time I go to buy baby supplies, I struggle with their gender.¡± Even now, as a mother, when she was troubled, she looked just like she did when she was young, her entire face wrinkled. Seeing her expression, Steve couldn¡¯t help but chuckle lightly, ¡°Sometimes, trouble can be a kind of enjoyment, right?¡± Just like her in her younger days, she wasn¡¯t able to ease his worries for a single day. Yet, he loved the feeling of her causing him trouble. Because it made him know that she needed him. Ruby also smiled with her eyes brightening, ¡°That¡¯s right, I do enjoy this kind of trouble.¡± After saying that, Ruby raised her hand, stroked her belly, and a tender light filled her eyes, with a hint of affection. Steve looked at Ruby¡¯s expression through the rearview mirror, feeling happy that she could have such a joyful expression, but also sad that the happiness wasn¡¯t given by him. Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: Chapter 601: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (5) Chapter 601: Chapter 601: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (5) Steve Burton parked the car slowly at their destination. He got out first, holding an umbrella, and opened the door for Ruby Gregory, escorting her into the building before they said goodbye. Steve watched Ruby enter the elevator and go upstairs before he returned to his car, still holding the umbrella. There was a routine meeting at the company in the afternoon, but Steve wasn¡¯t in the mood to go. The rain outside continued to patter down, drumming against the car. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to simply wait in the car for Ruby to finish her class. He had drunk quite a bit of alcohol that morning at the Capital Club. He went to bed late last night, and now he felt a bit sleepy. Steve flattened the seat and lay down, closing his eyes. He tried to fall asleep, but his mind was too alert. Just as he was about to drift off, his cellphone rang. It was a call from his secretary, Ms. Taylor. He had to go to Lilliput next week to meet with clients. Ms. Taylor was helping him book flights and asked him to choose from several time slots. As Steve held his phone, pondering whether to leave in the morning or afternoon, he saw Ruby leaving the building after her class. He immediately spoke up, without even thinking, and told Ms. Taylor, ¡°You decide.¡± He then hung up the call, didn¡¯t bother grabbing the umbrella, and directly pushed open the car door to get out. Ruby assumed Steve had left, but to her surprise, his car was still parked there when she walked out of the building. She hesitated for a moment, then saw Steve get out of the car. He walked straight towards her, took two steps, seemed to remember something, turned back and went to the car to get the umbrella before coming back over. When he approached, Ruby asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Steve placed the umbrella above her head: ¡°I had some drinks and felt a bit tired, so I decided to rest for a while.¡± Ruby pursed her lips, chuckled, and got into Steve¡¯s car. Seeing her smile, Steve also smiled back and got into the car. As he started the car, he glanced at Ruby and said, ¡°How about having dinner together tonight?¡± He paused for a moment, then added, ¡°There¡¯s a new Fire Deer Restaurant near your place. I¡¯ve been there once, and the taste is not bad.¡± Ruby was unsure of Steve¡¯s intentions. She could tell that although he said he was resting, he was actually waiting for her class to end. They had both moved on, but every time he saw her, he still treated her so tenderly. What exactly did he mean? Ruby could feel an indescribable sense of hope welling up in her heart. She stared at Steve for a moment and finally nodded, saying, ¡°Okay.¡± When Steve heard her response, the lingering smile in his eyes deepened. He glanced at the rearview mirror and then started the car. The Fire Deer Restaurant Steve took Ruby to was indeed very close to her apartment. The atmosphere inside was elegant, and the waitresses wore beautiful cheongsams with professional smiles plastered on their faces. Although the restaurant had only recently opened, it was doing very well. Steve hadn¡¯t made reservations in advance, and all the private rooms were booked, so they had to settle for a relatively quiet corner in the main hall. After the two sat down, a waitress handed them the menu. Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: Chapter 602: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (6) Chapter 602: Chapter 602: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (6) Steve Burton handed the menu straight to Ruby Gregory. After flipping it open, Ruby casually looked through it, eventually ordering only a vegetable dish, before passing the menu back to Steve. Although there were only two of them, Steve proceeded to order all the signature dishes at the Fire Deer Restaurant. Near the end of the order, he saw steamed crab and Spicy Crab listed on the menu. Ruby had loved crab since she was a child. With no hesitation, Steve ordered an additional crab for the waitress. After a moment, he changed his mind and said, ¡°Make it two.¡± ¡°One is enough.¡± Before the waitress could respond, Ruby, who was sitting across from Steve, spoke up. She then turned to Steve, ¡°You can have it ¨C crab has a cold nature, and I can¡¯t eat it.¡± The Burtons had had pregnant women in their family before, but Steve had never paid attention to what pregnant women could eat or their precautions. Hearing Ruby¡¯s words, he hesitated for a moment, then canceled the crab order. ¨C The dishes at Fire Deer Restaurant were indeed authentic in taste. Ruby had a good appetite and ate a bowl of rice, while Steve¡¯s appetite was particularly good. After finishing the meal, Steve settled the bill and escorted Ruby home. The streetlights had started to turn on, and the rain that drenched the city throughout the afternoon had finally stopped. As they passed a supermarket entrance, Ruby suddenly spoke up, ¡°You can drop me off here. I need to buy some things at the supermarket.¡± Throughout her pregnancy, she had been drinking pregnant women¡¯s milk powder. Two days earlier, she realized she had run out, but she had been too busy to buy more. Now that they were passing by a supermarket, she remembered this task. Steve glanced at Ruby, thought about it and said, ¡°That¡¯s perfect; I also need to pick up a few things.¡± After saying this, a thought crossed his mind ¨C would accompanying Ruby be considered as disturbing her? Immediately, Steve reassured himself that her being pregnant meant she shouldn¡¯t wander through supermarkets alone. If something like last time¡¯s accident happened, what would they do? So, accompanying Ruby wasn¡¯t disturbing her; he was just concerned for her safety. Steve pushed the shopping cart behind Ruby, watching her as she focused on selecting items from the mother-baby section. Her short hair had grown a little longer, tucked behind her ears, revealing a delicate and fair-skinned profile. Perhaps because she was a mother, even though the baby in her belly was still a few months away from birth, she would pick up baby toys and clothes, compare them, and then ask him with a curved eyebrow, ¡°Which one looks better?¡± Steve had imagined what his life with Ruby would look like if they had been together ¨C how happy they would be. He had even thought about how, if she were pregnant, he would accompany her to a mother-baby store to choose baby products together. He thought the image must be beautiful. Reality proved it was indeed beautiful, but the beauty was tinged with sadness for him. He thought to himself if Ruby was carrying his child, he would have bought her all the things she had looked at and liked, without making her agonize over which one to choose. Ruby ultimately chose a brand of pregnant women¡¯s milk. Surprisingly, her usual brand was no longer carried in this supermarket. In the end, she could only choose from the remaining options, settling on a more expensive brand. Ruby put the milk powder in the shopping cart, walked with Steve to the checkout, and looked at the pregnant women¡¯s milk. Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Chapter 603: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (7) Chapter 603: Chapter 603: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (7) Ruby Gregory put the milk powder in the shopping cart. While lining up for checkout with Steve Burton, she saw the pregnant woman¡¯s milk powder and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit upset. ¡°This supermarket used to have foreign milk powder brands. I don¡¯t know why they were taken off the shelves.¡± After a pause, Ruby muttered, ¡°If I had known, I would have brought some milk powder back when I returned from Costa Luna. There have been too many problems with domestic milk powder, I¡¯m not comfortable drinking it.¡± ¨C On the way back from the supermarket, Ruby played with her phone in the passenger seat. She seemed to find something funny, giggling softly, which caught Steve¡¯s attention. He glanced at her several times. Ruby noticed Steve looking at her. When he parked the car by the entrance of their residential area, she showed him her phone, pointing to a joke on the screen. After reading it, Steve gave a faint smile and noticed Ruby¡¯s Twitter username: Twin¡¯s Mom. Though he had known the news of her twin pregnancy for the entire afternoon, seeing her username somehow still stung his eyes. Quickly looking away, he tried to keep his voice steady and said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Ruby nodded, put her phone away in her bag, and unbuckled her seatbelt to get out of the car. Steve followed her, opened the back door, took her shopping bags, and handed them to her. Ruby took the bags and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Then she added, ¡°Goodbye.¡± As she said those words, Ruby felt a slight sense of melancholy. She wondered when they would meet again after this sudden separation. Steve gazed at her face for a moment, warm and gentle, then nodded slightly, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t want to leave, but she had no choice. She stood in front of Steve for a long time before managing a slight smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go in first.¡± Steve nodded. ¡°Thank you for today,¡± Ruby found another sentence to say before finally turning around and entering the complex. Steve waited until she disappeared around the corner of a building before returning to his car, sitting for a moment, and then driving away. On his way back to his city apartment, he stopped at a red light and noticed a bookstore across the street that was still open. He remembered Ruby saying she couldn¡¯t eat crab during her pregnancy. After hesitating for a moment, he turned his car around at the next traffic light and pulled into the bookstore. He searched the shelves for a while and finally found a row of books about pregnancy tips. Not sure which one to buy, he decided to grab one of each before paying and returning to his apartment with two large bags of books. After taking a shower and lying in bed, Steve carefully read A Handbook for Pregnant Women. Although he usually read quickly, it took him two hours to get through just a third of the book. His eyes felt tired from staring at the book for so long. Steve put the book on the bedside table, rubbed his temple, and picked up his phone to check the time. After a moment¡¯s thought, he decided to download the Twitter app. Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: Chapter 604: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (8) Chapter 604: Chapter 604: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (8) Steve Burton searched for ¡°the mother of the twins¡± on Twitter but was prompted to register an account. Annoyed, he quickly typed in his phone number and registered. When choosing a username, Steve typed in ¡°Time,¡± but hesitated when confirming and added ¡°Ruby¡¯s Time.¡± There weren¡¯t many updates on Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter account, mostly sharing food and mood. Nevertheless, Steve read through her entire account without skipping a single character. ¨C After seeing Ruby yesterday, Steve went to work the next day and got some good news. This good news was delivered by Edward Woods. Steve didn¡¯t attend yesterday¡¯s regular meeting as he was waiting for Ruby¡¯s class. Edward presided over the meeting on his behalf. Edward brought the meeting minutes and asked casually before leaving, ¡°By the way, did you hear about the good news?¡± Steve was flipping through the minutes, not even bothering to lift his eyelids, ¡°What news?¡± ¡°Gregory¡¯s Enterprises secured a big collaboration yesterday, and it¡¯s a long-term partnership that lasts for a whole year. The collaborator is Mr. Hudson from Golas Group. He¡¯s famous for being stingy in the business circle, but agreed to a profit-sharing deal with Gregory¡¯s Enterprises this time.¡± Edward finished and asked mysteriously, ¡°Do you know who secured this collaboration?¡± Steve never cared for guessing games and didn¡¯t respond to Edward, continuing to stare at the documents in his hand. Edward¡¯s tone was excited, ¡°It¡¯s Maya Mitchell.¡± Steve¡¯s fingers trembled with the documents as he started paying attention to what Edward said next, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Hudson is not only stingy but also a big womanizer. Maya, in order to secure this business deal, went as far as sleeping with him. Rumor has it that she spent half a month in bed with him before finally securing the deal. Honestly, I think Maya is quite beautiful. She used to be a quiet and gentle secretary, just like a little bunny, pretty lovable. But why would she be so ruthless to herself? You know, Mr. Hudson looks old enough to be her dad¡­ She¡¯s really fighting tooth and nail for her performance. I¡¯m not even sure what she¡¯s after. Money? She could¡¯ve married a rich man with her looks.¡± Steve didn¡¯t pay attention to the rest of Edward¡¯s rant, only staring at the documents in his hands for a while before a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Yeah, Maya Mitchell was even more ruthless to herself than he had imagined. He had only asked the general manager of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises to hint to her that he was interested in Mr. Hudson¡¯s case. He didn¡¯t expect her to try so hard to secure it, even going as far as sleeping with Hudson. As Edward said, she really fought tooth and nail. But since he set the trap and she fell into it, there was no reason not to let her sink deeper. After Edward left, Steve put down the documents, picked up his phone, and called Maya. The phone was picked up after just one ring. Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: Chapter 605: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (9) Chapter 605: Chapter 605: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (9) Before Steve Burton could say anything, Maya Mitchell¡¯s soft and warm voice came from the other end of the phone: ¡°Mr. Burton?¡± Regardless of how nauseous Steve felt in his heart each time he heard Maya¡¯s incongruous tone, the words that came out of his mouth sounded unruffled: ¡°Edward just informed me, you¡¯ve secured the Golas Group project.¡± Steve continued with a seemingly genuine tone: ¡°You¡¯re even more outstanding than I thought. I¡¯m glad to have employees like you.¡± He paused, then he added two words: ¡°Maya.¡± As he said those two words, a cold light flashed in the depths of his eyes. The man¡¯s voice was pleasant to hear, dry but deep. The two words, ¡®Maya¡¯, rolled off his lips marked by no great affection, yet Maya somehow felt an indescribable warmth. Her melancholy spirits, from spending each day sleeping beside Mr. Hudson, brightened considerably by hearing those two words. What she wanted wasn¡¯t much, truly not much. She merely wanted to get close to Steve, to capture his attention, to show him that she was better than Ruby Gregory. Perhaps she¡¯d never been recognized before, so at this moment, just hearing him say her name, filled her with exhilarating joy and satisfaction. After being deeply moved for a long while, Maya responded softly: ¡°Mr. Burton, you can count on me, I will continue working hard.¡± Compared to Maya¡¯s earnest words, Steve¡¯s response seemed somewhat perfunctory: ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¨C Truth be told, Steve never intended to ruin Ruby Gregory¡¯s happiness, but he couldn¡¯t resist his desire to treat her kindly. Knowing that she was on Twitter and that she checked it a few times each day, in the office or during meetings, he also began to habitually pull out his phone to refresh his feed. On his Twitter, he only followed her, so his feed was full of her posts. At the 3 pm meeting, Steve refreshed his Twitter. He saw Ruby¡¯s first post of the day: her sitting in the Gardenia Clubhouse, a photo with a piano, along with a caption: ¡°Time to play the piano for my babies again.¡± Her posts weren¡¯t specifically directed at him, but when Steve saw this, he felt for a moment that she didn¡¯t seem as distant as before. Less than a minute after Ruby¡¯s first post, a second one followed. It was a retweet of a contest post, the prize a beautiful baby stroller. She tagged three people, posted three words asking to win the contest and attached three excited emojis. Seeing those three excited emojis, Steve was reminded of Ruby when she was younger, her expectant eyes when she sought his help. His lips pulled into a smile. Seeing this, Edward Woods, who had been discussing the past month¡¯s performance, paused in his speech. As soon as the meeting was dismissed and Steve had returned to his office, his secretary, Ms. Taylor, walked in with two documents. Before Ms. Taylor could ask Steve to sign the documents, he thrust his phone towards her. Pointing at the screen, he said: ¡°I was just about to find you. Get in touch with the person hosting this campaign, no matter their price, buy that baby stroller.¡± He paused, then, pointing to Ruby¡¯s Twitter post, he added: ¡°Then, have them announce the winner, and tag this mother of twins, Mrs. Gregory.¡± PS: I was supposed to update 9 chapters today, but I haven¡¯t eaten yet. I need to go eat first. The remaining chapter will be updated tomorrow afternoon~ Praying for some luck, let me win for once! Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: Chapter 606: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (10) Chapter 606: Chapter 606: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (10) Before Ms. Taylor could ask Steve Burton to sign the documents, he promptly handed her his phone, pointing at the screen and saying, ¡°I was about to find you. Contact the person who organized this event, no matter how high the price, buy that stroller.¡± After a pause, Steve pointed at Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter and said, ¡°Then, as the winner, ¡°@¡± her as the mother of the Gregory twins.¡± Ms. Taylor was stunned for a second before giving Steve a puzzled look and nodding in agreement. In her heart, she questioned who the mother of the Gregory twins was. Such a big deal ¨C just by simply retweeting a winning tweet, and the Big Boss secretly arranged for her to win. Seeing Ms. Taylor nod, Steve took back his phone, frowning at the screen and refreshing Ruby¡¯s Twitter page, asking casually, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ms. Taylor quickly regained composure and, with both hands, handed over the documents she was holding, ¡°These two documents need your signature.¡± Steve nodded slightly, his eyes never leaving Ruby¡¯s Twitter. He reached out and began to feel for his signing pen on the desk nearby. There were quite a few documents on the table, and, with Steve¡¯s gaze fixed on the phone screen, they became a bit messy as he searched for the pen. Ms. Taylor noticed that two books were hidden under the documents ¨C one was Precautions for Pregnant Women, the other, Good Motherhood. The book Good Motherhood was open on the table, and she clearly saw many red marks on the pages. She recognized them as Steve¡¯s handwriting. Ms. Taylor was already surprised by the mention of the ¡°Gregory twins¡¯ mother¡±, but now, seeing these two books, she was dumbfounded. Wasn¡¯t the Big Boss supposed to be unmarried? Why was he suddenly looking at books about pregnant women? Did Mr. Burton get a new girlfriend who was pregnant? And, judging by the marks in the book, the Big Boss seemed to care a lot about this pregnant woman and the child in her belly¡­ Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have taken such detailed notes! When Steve found his signing pen, he looked up at Ms. Taylor. She quickly snapped out of it and skillfully flipped the pages of the documents to the signature section, handing them to Steve. Steve didn¡¯t notice Ms. Taylor¡¯s strange look. After signing, he casually threw the pen aside and returned to Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter. Ms. Taylor closed the documents, picked them up, and looked at Steve with a lingering odd expression, saying, ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯ll go out first.¡± Steve didn¡¯t even look up from his phone, just nodded slightly. When Ms. Taylor was about to open the office door with the documents, Steve reminded her again, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the Twitter prize, the mother of the Gregory twins.¡± ¨C Ruby Gregory felt she had been quite lucky recently. She habitually browsed Twitter during her spare time, reading some gossip and funny comments, and occasionally shared her own feelings and updates. From childhood to adulthood, Ruby had never won a prize, so she never held out hope for winning. But on that noon, she saw one of her friends retweeted a tweet about winning a baby stroller. Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: Chapter 607: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (11) Chapter 607: Chapter 607: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (11) The baby stroller was from an internationally renowned brand and indeed had a beautiful design. Ruby Gregory took one glance at it and immediately liked it, which led her to share a prize-winning tweet on Twitter for the first time in her life. In fact, after retweeting, Ruby had completely forgotten about it, until three days later, her Twitter was suddenly filled with mentions. She opened it, puzzled, only to discover that she had actually won the prize. Many people who wanted to win had left congratulatory, envious, and jealous comments under the tweet. Ruby blinked in disbelief, refreshed her Twitter several times, and made sure it was her who had been tagged by the event organizer before she sent her name, address, and contact information as instructed. After sending it, she received a reply: ¡°Ok, we will arrange for shipment this afternoon, and you should receive it in approximately 2-3 days. The tracking number is¡­¡± Only then did Ruby fully confirm that she had really won the prize and was not dreaming. As for the baby stroller, Ruby truly liked it, which was why she shared the tweet. She hadn¡¯t held out much hope of winning, so when she actually did win, she was exceptionally delighted, which led her to post an excited tweet. ¨C After a twelve-hour long flight, Steve Burton arrived at Angria Airport, Lilliput. Upon exiting the VIP passage, he immediately saw the blonde-haired, blue-eyed lady sent by the American client holding up a sign with his name. Steve got into the airport pickup car and Ms. Taylor, who was accompanying him on the business trip, immediately took out her iPad and began briefing him on the itinerary for the next few days in Lilliput. As Steve listened, he somewhat boredly took out his phone, only to realize he hadn¡¯t turned it on since landing. Upon turning it on, several text messages popped up. After quickly scanning them, Steve saw that there was nothing important and habitually opened Twitter. He immediately saw Ruby¡¯s tweet: ¡°Ahhh, I won the prize! Such good luck!¡± followed by several excited emojis. Although he couldn¡¯t see the excited expression on Ruby¡¯s face, he could still sense her happiness through her tweet. Instantly, Steve¡¯s spirit brightened and the fatigue from the long flight faded. The corners of his eyes relaxed with his improved mood. It was 10 a.m. local time and he had a meeting with the American client at 11. After arriving at the hotel, Steve took a bath, changed into clean clothes, then picked up his phone and glanced at Twitter. He saw that Ruby had posted an update: ¡°Wuuu¡­ I just slept for less than an hour and was woken up by hunger. Having to feed three people, I¡¯m really drunk¡­¡± followed by a row of crying emojis. Steve checked the time: it was 10:50 a.m. in Lilliput and 10:50 p.m. in Ciawell, almost 11 p.m. Steve frowned, and at that moment, there was a knock at his door. ¡°Come in.¡± As Steve¡¯s words settled, Secretary Ms. Taylor pushed the door open and stood in the doorway, smiling: ¡°Mr. Burton, the meeting is about to begin.¡± Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: Chapter 608: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (12) Chapter 608: Chapter 608: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (12) Steve Burton nodded, glanced at Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter post, and then put on his brand new suit. As he was buttoning the last button in front of his mirror, he turned to Ms. Taylor and said, ¡°Call The Sapphire Bistro and have them prepare a light late night meal to be delivered to Winsome Gardens on West 2nd Ring Road.¡± After a pause, Steve Burton recited a string of phone numbers and said, ¡°Contact her, and it will be done.¡± Ms. Taylor immediately followed Steve¡¯s instructions, grabbed her phone and dialed the number. ¨C Ruby Gregory was indeed woken up by hunger; she lay in her soft bed, touching her already round belly, thinking that she had eaten all the food she had bought. If she wanted to eat, she would have to cook, which would take at least two hours. So, Ruby got up and drank a cup of milk, then prepared to fall asleep quickly and wait until morning. When she had just drunk the milk, her hunger was indeed relieved, but milk wasn¡¯t a meal. After a while, she felt hunger pangs in her stomach again. Although it was late and she really wanted to rest, she couldn¡¯t bear to starve the two children in her belly. So, unwillingly, she got up to prepare some noodles. Just as she was putting on her robe, her phone rang. Who would call her at this hour? Ruby Gregory picked up the phone suspiciously and saw an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a moment before answering: ¡°Hello, are you Ms. Gregory?¡± A stranger¡¯s voice¡­ Ruby Gregory paused for a moment before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ms. Gregory, I¡¯m from The Sapphire Bistro. A Ms. Taylor just called us to order you a late-night meal. But Ms. Taylor only told us your residential address and not your exact floor, so, Ms. Gregory, could you please give me your specific address?¡± After reporting her building and floor number, Ruby hung up the phone, holding it in her hand with a frown. Who could be sending her a late night meal? And she had only complained about being hungry on Twitter. What a mystery! Ruby Gregory pondered for a while and took out her phone to look at her Twitter post. There were no replies¡­ not even a single like¡­ Before Ruby Gregory could figure it out, there was a knock at the door. She ran over and opened it, took the delivery, and returned to the dining table. She unpacked the meal and saw that all the dishes were prepared according to pregnant women¡¯s taste and were very light. At a glance, she could tell that they were really from The Sapphire Bistro. The Sapphire Bistro never did late-night deliveries. Those who could mobilize The Sapphire Bistro for a late-night delivery must be Platinum VIP Customers. Of all the people she knew who were Platinum VIP Customers at the bistro, there were only Steve Burton, Edward Woods, Rusell Henris, Madeleine, Howard Coleman, and Olivia Foster¡­ She never remembered meeting a Ms. Taylor¡­ Besides, not many people knew her address¡­ except for Madeleine, Steve Burton, Edric Reat, Lady Gregory, and Maxwell Gregory¡­ As Ruby Gregory thought about it, her expression suddenly froze. Steve Burton¡­ Steve Burton¡¯s secretary Ms. Taylor¡­ Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Chapter 609: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (13) Chapter 609: Chapter 609: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (13) Ruby Gregory stared at the exquisitely packaged food in front of her, feeling an indescribable warmth spreading slowly from the bottom of her heart. She quickly opened the takeout boxes, tasted each dish with her chopsticks, and found that the taste was light and bland, probably because Steve Burton had reminded them she was pregnant. However, Ruby enjoyed the meal and felt an unspeakable happiness as the food filled her stomach and her heart. She had just complained about being hungry on Twitter, and immediately received food¡­ Did that mean Steve was always paying attention to her tweets? The thought filled Ruby¡¯s heart with joy. After finishing her meal, she ran back to the bedroom with excitement, lay down on the bed without feeling sleepy, hugged her phone, stared at her Twitter, and looked at her tweets¡ªgrumbling, complaining, happy¡ªand imagined Steve seeing them shortly after she posted them. She couldn¡¯t help but smile to herself. Ruby, still smiling, bit her finger, her eyes rolling, and then got out of bed, ran to the dining room, took a photo of her leftover food, and posted another tweet: ¡°I just tweeted that I was hungry, and immediately got a delicious late-night snack delivered to my door¡­¡± followed by a series of happy emojis. Then Ruby returned to the bedroom, holding her phone, staring at the screen, and wondering what expression Steve would have when he saw her latest tweet. ¨C Steve Burton sat in the conference room, listening to the representative from the American collaboration partner eloquently explaining the improvements and highlights of their products in fluent English. He had already seen these documents before coming to Lilliput, and his mind wandered, thinking about whether Ruby in Ciawell had received the late-night snack from The Sapphire Bistro. He knew that Ruby might not tweet after receiving the snack, but he still kept refreshing Twitter. Finally, after countless refreshes, he saw her latest update. This time, her tweet had a picture of the leftover food after she finished eating. Steve stared at the series of happy emojis she posted and felt his mood lift. He accidentally liked her tweet and wanted to retract it, but then his phone chimed. A notification popped up, ¡°Mrs. Gregory, the mother of twins, has followed you.¡± Steve hesitated to unlike the tweet and ended up staring at ¡°Mrs. Gregory, mother of twins¡± in his followers list, unable to resist a small smile on his lips. Just as the American customer representative finished presenting their products, they looked politely at Steve and asked for his opinion. Distracted, Steve hadn¡¯t paid attention to the representative¡¯s words and was still staring at his phone screen. The assistant, Ms. Taylor, noticed his daydream and whispered, ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Steve came back to reality and was about to speak when his phone vibrated in his hand. He glanced down and saw a private message from Ruby: ¡°Steve Burton?¡± Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: Chapter 610: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (14) Chapter 610: Chapter 610: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (14) With a tremble of Steve Burton¡¯s hand, his cell phone fell to the ground with a ¡°clap.¡± While in the middle of a meeting, he hid the cell phone under the table and refreshed Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter feed. The ¡°clap¡± sound caught the attention of everyone in the meeting room, making it obvious that Steve was playing with his phone during the meeting. For the first time in her life, Secretary Ms. Taylor felt embarrassed for having such a leader. Steve bent down and picked up his phone. Although he did not know what the representative from the Lilliput customer had just said, he had been in business for many years, so he was the first to apologize in fluent English. Then, he proposed some simple questions to the Lilliput customer representative. Steve had five points to make. As he was speaking about the second point, the phone he picked up and placed on the table suddenly started vibrating. While describing the second point, he glanced at the phone screen. When he saw the two characters ¡°Ruby,¡± his speech momentarily stopped, causing everyone in the meeting room to exchange puzzled glances. Steve moved his lips and apologized to everyone in the conference room: ¡°Sorry.¡± Then, he picked up his phone and answered it while walking out of the meeting room. ¨C Ruby Gregory kept staring at the tweet she had just posted. In less than a minute, there was a like underneath it. She quickly clicked on the user who had liked her tweet: Traveling Through Ruby¡¯s Time. This account only followed her and had no followers, no tweets, and even no profile picture. However, when Ruby saw the words ¡°Traveling Through Ruby¡¯s Time,¡± she had a strong, indescribable intuition telling her that this account belonged to Steve Burton. So without hesitation, she followed ¡°Traveling Through Ruby¡¯s Time.¡± Unsure whether it was because of the takeaway food Steve sent that warmed her heart, or she had eaten too much, Ruby had no hint of sleepiness. She held her phone and, after a while, sent a straightforward private message to ¡°Traveling Through Ruby¡¯s Time¡±: ¡°Steve Burton?¡± As a result, the message sank like a stone into the ocean. No one responded. What the heck¡­he just liked her tweet and now was pretending not to be online! Ruby pouted in displeasure, then turned her eyes and dialed a phone number she had not called for nearly four months. The phone rang for a long time without anyone answering. Just when Ruby thought Steve wouldn¡¯t pick up, the ringing suddenly stopped, and Steve¡¯s deep, cello-like voice came from the other side: ¡°Ruby?¡± Ruby hadn¡¯t thought too much when she made the call, but when Steve answered and she heard his familiar and pleasant voice, she became inexplicably nervous. Clutching her phone, her face turned slightly red. What should she do? She had impulsively made the call, not knowing what to say. What if Steve asks her what she wants? The next second, Steve¡¯s clear voice came from the other side of the phone: ¡°Ruby, is there something you need?¡± Concerned about this very question, hearing Steve¡¯s inquiry caught Ruby off guard. Her hand shook, and the phone fell onto the bed. Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Chapter 611: A Virtue Called Sharing (1) Chapter 611: Chapter 611: A Virtue Called Sharing (1) The phone fell on the bed away from Ruby Gregory, very quiet. Ruby feared Steve Burton would hang up, so she hurriedly reached out to pick up the phone. As her finger touched the phone, she heard Steve¡¯s voice from the other side: ¡°Ruby?¡± Ruby¡¯s hand trembled again, and the phone dropped back into the soft bedding. After Steve called Ruby¡¯s name, noticing the lack of response on the other end of the line, he asked: ¡°Are you still there, Ruby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruby subconsciously answered before falling silent again. There was still no sound from the other end, so she quickly picked up the phone and saw that the call was still connected. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, held the phone to her ear, cleared her throat, and asked, ¡°It¡¯s so late. Aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± Steve stood in front of the French windows in the hallway, looking at the bright sunlight and blue sky outside, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. ¡°I¡¯m in Lilliput.¡± With Steve simply stating he was in Lilliput, Ruby found herself with a topic of conversation and felt a bit less nervous. She casually asked, ¡°What are you doing in Lilliput?¡± Steve was open about his work: ¡°We¡¯re collaborating with EHR Company.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ruby wasn¡¯t very interested in the collaboration, merely responding indifferently. Steve paused for a moment and moved on from the topic: ¡°What about you? Why haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡± ¡°I just had a late-night snack, and I¡¯m a bit full.¡± Ruby answered, and then, her voice softened, ¡°Did you order that late-night meal for me?¡± There was a square below the hotel where Steve was staying. Right after Ruby asked her question, a flock of pigeons in the square took off and flew past the window where Steve stood. He watched them fly farther and farther away, gently responding with a single ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Ruby had guessed that Steve was following her Twitter long ago, but when she heard the confirmation from his mouth, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but curl in happiness. A feeling of sweetness spread from the bottom of her heart, and her words carried a hint of that sweetness as well: ¡°So ¡®Ruby¡¯s Time¡¯ is your Twitter, right?¡± As before, a light and simple ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Ruby let out a soft giggle on her end of the call. Upon hearing her laughter, Steve couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± Although Steve couldn¡¯t see Ruby, she shook her head regardless. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Steve hummed again. After a moment, he realized it was already approaching midnight. Ruby was living with Edric Reat, and he had sent her a late-night meal. Seeing her calling him now, might it cause trouble for her? Steve paused, then asked quietly, ¡°Is it¡­okay for you to call me now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t understand the implication behind Steve¡¯s question. Steve was silent for a while before saying, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he have an issue with you talking to me so late? Also, the late-night meal¡­did it cause you any trouble?¡± Ruby blinked her eyes, realizing whom Steve was referring to. She had almost forgotten¡ªshe had announced she would be marrying Edric Reat. By all accounts, Edric should be with her at this late hour¡­ Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: Chapter 612: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (16) Chapter 612: Chapter 612: Sweet and Warm Heating Up (16) She really wanted to clarify to Steve that she hadn¡¯t been living with Edric, but she was afraid that if she told Steve, he might doubt the child in her belly. Recently, her interactions with Steve had been pleasant, making her happy, yet she was uncertain about his attitude at this moment. Hesitating for a bit, Ruby murmured, ¡°He isn¡¯t home. There¡¯s something going on at the company, so he¡¯s working overtime.¡± At the other end of the phone, Steve fell silent for a moment. After a long while, his voice came through soft and deep, ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Without lingering on the subject, Steve changed the topic, ¡°I saw on your Twitter that you won something?¡± Although she had won the prize yesterday, Ruby still felt excited when mentioning it again, ¡°Yes, I had a burst of good luck, my first ever win in my life!¡± Even though Ruby knew that Steve had already seen her prize on Twitter, she still bragged, ¡°It¡¯s a really beautiful baby stroller!¡± Even through the phone, Steve could feel Ruby¡¯s excited emotions. His heart, which had been upset and uncomfortable due to thinking about Edric earlier, was instantly soothed. This was quite nice. Even though he wasn¡¯t the one who could always accompany her, he could still be the one to make her happy. Ruby on the phone was chirping non-stop with a childlike enthusiasm, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d win. I always felt like this kind of good fortune would never happen to me¡­¡± This Ruby reminded Steve of his younger days when he was helping her with her homework, busy writing, while she bit on various snacks, circling around his desk, and telling him about the things that happened at school. He hadn¡¯t completely lost her after all, right? At the very least, he saw her live her own life. So, it was actually quite nice, much better than her marrying him for the sake of the Gregorys, trembling in fear before him, and never being herself for the rest of her life. That kind of Ruby¡­ she might not grieve, but he would be heartbroken. So, it was fine. Really fine. Ruby¡¯s excited words hadn¡¯t finished yet when she heard Ms. Taylor¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone, ¡°Mr. Burton, everyone is still waiting for you in the meeting.¡± Steve¡¯s pleasant thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Ms. Taylor. His brow furrowed slightly, and before he could speak, Ruby¡¯s voice came from the phone, ¡°Are you in a meeting right now?¡± Steve glared at Ms. Taylor, causing Ms. Taylor to subconsciously take two steps back, bowing her head and not daring to make a sound. Ruby got a little sleepy after talking to Steve for so long. She yawned lazily and said, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± Steve immediately softened the ferocious gaze he had been giving Ms. Taylor, and spoke to Ruby gently through the phone, ¡°Alright, good night.¡± ¡°Mmm, goodnigh¡­,¡± Ruby realized it was noon on Steve¡¯s end, and promptly switched to, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Ruby paused for a while before she hung up the phone. Then she lay down on the bed-softly, hugging her phone with a smile on her lips. ¨C There¡¯s always someone who will make you cherish her words from the bottom of your heart and remember them firmly. Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Chapter 613: A Virtue Called Sharing (3) Chapter 613: Chapter 613: A Virtue Called Sharing (3) There¡¯s always that one person whose words you can¡¯t help but keep close to your heart, remembering them clearly. Steve Burton couldn¡¯t help but do one thing after another for Ruby Gregory, all the while thinking that he shouldn¡¯t disturb her. On the day he returned from Lilliput, Steve asked Ms. Taylor to buy a few cans of foreign-brand formula that Ruby had been looking for during their last supermarket visit. His flight was scheduled to leave Lilliput at 9 a.m., and after over ten hours in the air, he arrived in Ciawell at noon. Steve went back to his office to deal with the accumulated paperwork from his trip and received an intercom call from Russell Henris in the evening, inviting him to attend a charity banquet. After considering, Steve declined and went home at 6 p.m. After taking a shower and changing into casual clothes, he noticed the formula he brought back for Ruby as he tossed his dirty laundry into the hamper. Steve checked the time, and it was 8 p.m., an hour before Ruby finished her shift at the Gardenia Clubhouse. He hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his car keys and the formula he bought for Ruby, and drove straight to the Gardenia Clubhouse. That night, Ruby and Steve had communicated via Twitter, and she was surprised and happy to see his car waiting outside the Clubhouse after her shift. Ruby got into the passenger seat and glanced at the night scenery before turning to look at Steve. ¡°When did you get back?¡± she asked. ¡°I arrived in Ciawell this afternoon.¡± Steve checked the rearview mirror, turned the car around, and parked in front of Ruby¡¯s apartment. As Ruby got out of the car, Steve also got out and handed her a big paper bag from the backseat. ¡°I brought this for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ruby asked, peering into the bag and seeing the prenatal formulas that she couldn¡¯t find at home. Her expression stiffened, remembering her casual complaint during their supermarket trip. She had never realized that he would take her words to heart. The depths of Ruby¡¯s heart felt heavy. Steve had been kind to her before, like rescuing her from a kidnapping attempt and taking care of her in the hospital, just as he was now. She was moved by his kindness. But she couldn¡¯t understand why he could be so good to her while still giving her long-term contraceptives. Besides, when he was good to her, he was really good, but when he turned his face, he was ruthless. How long could his kindness towards her last this time? Would it be like before when she herself did not know where she went wrong, and he got cruel to her again? Steve noticed Ruby¡¯s silence and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. Chapter 614 - Chapter 614: Chapter 614: A Virtue Called Sharing (4) Chapter 614: Chapter 614: A Virtue Called Sharing (4) Ruby Gregory heard Steve Burton¡¯s voice and quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts. She raised her head, shook it at Steve, and then smiled gracefully at him: ¡°Thank you for bringing back the baby formula from Lilliput.¡± ¨C The paper bag was a bit heavy, and Ruby, with her big belly, struggled to carry it. When she took it from Steve¡¯s hands, she almost fell to the ground due to the weight of the formula. In the end, Steve carried the bag for her and accompanied her back home. It was Steve¡¯s first time visiting the house where Ruby and Edric Reat lived. He felt a bit nervous and uncomfortable deep in his heart. Ruby felt conflicted in her mind as she thought about Steve¡¯s kindness towards her. So, there wasn¡¯t much conversation between the two on the way home. Upon exiting the elevator, Ruby took out her keys and unlocked the door. After receiving Ruby¡¯s invitation, Steve didn¡¯t hurry inside. Instead, he first stood at the door and glanced inside. The furniture was simple, but the room was clean. There were only two pieces of Ruby¡¯s clothes hanging on the balcony, and there were no awkward scenes, like their underwear hanging together as he had feared earlier. Then, he finally stepped into Ruby¡¯s home. Following Ruby¡¯s instructions, Steve placed the maternity formula on the coffee table in the living room. Ruby poured Steve a glass of boiled water, then went into the kitchen. She would always be hungry when coming back from work, so before leaving for work, she would put soup, porridge, and dishes in a steam cooker set to a timer. By the time she got home, her meal would be ready. Today was no different. Ruby was starving, so after she handed Steve his glass of water, she ran into the kitchen and opened the steam cooker. Ruby¡¯s kitchen was an open-style kitchen, so the aroma of the steamed dishes quickly wafted from the kitchen into the living room. Steve held his glass of water, turned his head to look at Ruby, and saw her adding some salt to the steamed dishes and soup. Just from the smell alone, Steve¡¯s heart filled with happiness. But when he thought about how Edric could eat her dishes every day, he felt a bitter taste rising in his heart. When Ruby brought the dishes to the dining table, she noticed Steve sitting on the sofa. Feeling a bit embarrassed to eat alone, she asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Would you like some?¡± There was a strange light that flickered in Steve¡¯s eyes, and he nodded without speaking, placed down his glass, and walked over to the dining table. Ruby handed him a pair of chopsticks and a bowl, then sat down across from him. Pointing at the dishes, she said, ¡°It¡¯s a bit plain. You might not be used to it.¡± Steve took a bite with his chopsticks, and indeed, the taste wasn¡¯t extraordinary. However, he chewed slowly and deliberately before finally swallowing the food. He then looked up at Ruby and asked, ¡°When did you learn to cook?¡± Ruby paused while chewing on her food, swallowed it, and then lowered her eyes, whispering, ¡°When I was in Costa Luna, I really wanted to eat Chinese food, so I had to learn how to cook it.¡± Her trip to Costa Luna was all his doing. Her words felt like a slap in Steve¡¯s face. Steve¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment, and after a while, he said, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m eating your cooking. It¡¯s really good.¡± Steve tried to lighten the mood, but Ruby, who sat across from him, paused with her chopsticks after hearing his comment. Her lips moved for a while before she finally looked up at Steve and said, ¡°Actually, I cooked a meal for you once before, but you didn¡¯t eat it.¡± PS: Nine chapters today! Continues tomorrow~~ The last sentence, Steve must regret it so much~~~ I wrote it so sweet, but you guys didn¡¯t react? Do I have to make it more agonizing? Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Chapter 615: A Virtue Called Sharing (5) Chapter 615: Chapter 615: A Virtue Called Sharing (5) Steve Burton was trying to ease the atmosphere, but sitting across from him, Ruby Gregory stopped her chopstick-holding gesture when she heard his words. Her lips moved for quite a while before she finally raised her eyes and looked at Steve, saying, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve cooked a meal for you before, but you didn¡¯t eat it.¡± Ruby¡¯s words were completely unexpected for Steve. The soup ladle in his hand struck the porcelain bowl with a crisp sound, and he was dumbfounded for quite some time before he finally looked up at Ruby. After hesitating for a long time, he asked, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve cooked for me before?¡± Ruby clutched her chopsticks tightly and stared at Steve without speaking, just giving a slight nod. Her nod was tiny, but Steve saw it clearly. Ruby had cooked for him? When did this happen? Why didn¡¯t he know? Vaguely, Steve felt that he might have missed something very important. He knew that if he didn¡¯t ask Ruby exactly what was going on and pretended to be completely ignorant, he might feel more relieved. However, asking would undoubtedly make him uncomfortable. Even so, Steve hesitated for a moment before he finally asked in a slightly warm and deep voice, ¡°When did this happen?¡± As he asked this question, Steve felt his heart stop in that instant. He stared straight at Ruby, focusing intently on what she was about to say next, as if afraid of missing something important. With Steve¡¯s question, Ruby¡¯s mind conjured the scene of that day: She had cooked a whole table of dishes singlehandedly, heating and reheating the food over and over. After waiting for him to return, all she got was a simple ¡°I¡¯ve eaten.¡± She then sat alone at the dining table, eating food that had been heated several times and tasted off, completely without appetite, forcing herself to swallow it like a robot. Although several months had passed since that event, when Ruby recalled that day, she could still feel the profound sense of loss. Ruby lowered her gaze, paused for a while, and then spoke in a relaxed tone, ¡°It was the day I went to your apartment to ask for your opinion on our engagement outfits.¡± Having said that, Ruby raised her eyelids to glance at Steve, then quickly lowered them again, her lips forming a faint smile: ¡°You came back to the apartment somewhat late. When I asked if you had eaten, you said you had.¡± Steve frowned, thought about it for a moment, and then realized it seemed vaguely familiar. It turned out to be the evening three days before their engagement ceremony. At that time, Steve¡¯s heart was heavy due to an accident that occurred within Gregory¡¯s Enterprises and the US$6,860,000 she brought to help solve the problem. During that period, he was terribly down, and everything he did seemed a bit restless. He attended a dinner party that night and drank quite a bit of alcohol. When he returned and saw her in his apartment, he was somewhat surprised. He remembered that on that day, she had indeed approached him to ask if he had eaten. She also asked for his opinion on their engagement outfits. Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: Chapter 616: A Virtue Called Sharing (6) Chapter 616: Chapter 616: A Virtue Called Sharing (6) At that time, he replied to her perfunctorily and went straight upstairs to the study on the second floor. He entered the study, but had no intention of working. Halfway through, he opened the door once and saw her sitting alone at the dining table on the first floor, quietly eating her meal through the crack in the door. He thought the meal was prepared by Mrs. Taylor, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention. He just stared at her for a while, closed the door, and went back to the study. Steve took a long time to pull his thoughts back from his memories. He swallowed several times, and asked with a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°Did you cook the meal on the table that night?¡± Ruby replied with a simple ¡°Mm,¡± without saying anything else. But just one single ¡°Mm¡± was sharper than any other words, making Steve¡¯s heart ache. So¡­ she didn¡¯t just cook for Edric, she cooked for him as well¡­ He envied Edric¡¯s luck in tasting her cooking, only to realize how fortunate he had been himself, but he had let that moment slip through his fingers. The atmosphere at the dining table became a bit tense. Although Ruby just kept her head down, she could sense the awkwardness surrounding her. She paused, lifted her head, and looked at Steve, whose expression seemed slightly stiff. She felt a pang of sympathy. She didn¡¯t purposely bring up the past, but upon hearing Steve¡¯s mention of eating her cooking for the first time, she recalled this event and blurted it out, inadvertently creating an awkward atmosphere. Trying to ease the tension, Ruby twirled her chopsticks and gave Steve a smile, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t eat the meal that time.¡± ¡°I finished cooking at seven o¡¯clock that day, but you didn¡¯t come back until after nine. I reheated it several times in the meantime, but by the time I ate, the taste had changed¡­¡± As Ruby spoke, she realized that the atmosphere at the dining table had become even more awkward. Steve¡¯s lips closed tightly. Ruby¡¯s voice quieted down, ¡°It¡¯s not nearly as good as today¡¯s meal¡­¡± Before Ruby could finish her sentence, Steve, who had been silently looking at her, suddenly spoke up, ¡°Ruby.¡± Ruby stopped talking. Inwardly, she cried out in frustration ¨C her attempts to defuse the situation only made matters worse. Steve didn¡¯t speak for a moment, but his heart swelled with a warm pain. It took him a long time to muster the courage to say, ¡°Ruby¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± As he uttered those words, Steve felt a stinging sensation in his eyes. I¡¯m truly sorry¡­ Sorry for not knowing how to love someone earlier; sorry for lacking patience even though I loved deeply; sorry for my bad temper, always wanting to spare you any grievances, but turning out to have caused you so many instead. I¡¯m truly sorry¡­ for having loved so terribly in the past. Ruby never expected Steve to apologize to her. Her initial irritation at creating an awkward atmosphere instantly turned into astonishment. Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: Chapter 617: A Virtue Called Sharing (7) Chapter 617: Chapter 617: A Virtue Called Sharing (7) Ruby Gregory looks at Steve Burton, who is sitting across from her with elegant poise, his face unusually somber as if the ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± he had just uttered were holy words. Ruby¡¯s dark eyes are fixed on Steve for a long time before she finally blinks. After another long while, she blinks again and finally realizes that Steve is apologizing to her. In her memory, Steve has always been a very proud man since childhood. Hearing him apologize, let alone uttering sweet and gentle words, was a rarity. But now, he is actually apologizing to her. Ruby feels her heartbeat speeding up inexplicably; she senses some barriers deep in her heart slowly breaking apart. Ruby¡¯s lips tremble slightly. Though she has accepted others¡¯ apologies before, it is Steve¡¯s ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± that leaves her unsure how to respond. After a while, she manages to compose herself and smiles faintly, gesturing at the dishes on the table, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ all that is in the past¡­ if you really like the food I cook, I can make it for you in the future.¡± As she speaks, Ruby picks up her chopsticks, takes a piece of tofu, and puts it in Steve¡¯s bowl, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about those unpleasant things from the past. The food¡¯s getting cold; let¡¯s eat.¡± Afterward, Ruby gives Steve a bright, open-mouthed smile. Steve looks at Ruby¡¯s smile, blinks, nods gently, and starts eating with his chopsticks lowered. Ruby never knew that an apology from Steve could lift her spirits like this. Even she doesn¡¯t understand the reason for her elation; thus, she can¡¯t help but smile at Steve from time to time while eating. Perhaps it¡¯s the influence of Steve¡¯s ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, but when she sees him finish a glass of milk, Ruby boldly gets up and refills his bowl with the milk left in her pot. Steve had actually eaten dinner before coming to find Ruby, so he wasn¡¯t hungry. If the food hadn¡¯t been cooked by Ruby, he wouldn¡¯t have eaten at all. After drinking a glass of milk and having some light dishes, he¡¯s already somewhat full. However, when Ruby personally refills his bowl, he doesn¡¯t refuse. Living alone, Ruby cooks just enough food for herself to avoid leftovers. Today, she added more water out of haste when leaving the house, resulting in twice the amount of milk she normally makes. She¡¯s actually eating more now than in her previous meals, but she¡¯s still not full after finishing her glass of milk. Perhaps it¡¯s because her mood has improved that her appetite follows suit. The meal initially prepared for one has now left only a little soup between the two of them. Ruby, slightly unsatisfied, uses her spoon to scrape up the remaining rice grains in her bowl and puts them in her mouth. As she glances up, she sees Steve elegantly and unhurriedly sipping his now nearly full bowl of milk across from her. Suddenly, she feels a pang of regret at the bottom of her heart; she shouldn¡¯t have so generously poured all the milk for him earlier. She should have left half for herself. Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Chapter 618: A Virtue Called Sharing (8) Chapter 618: Chapter 618: A Virtue Called Sharing (8) Ruby Gregory endured her unfulfilled hunger, watching Steve Burton leisurely eat his porridge. For Steve, this was a porridge personally cooked by Ruby, much more delectable and heartwarming than any of the finest delicacies he¡¯d eaten in his life. Hence, with every bite, he ate diligently and sincerely, his eyes and eyebrows conveying sheer enjoyment. Though Ruby hadn¡¯t eaten her fill, she was about eighty percent full. Nonetheless, seeing Steve relish the porridge as if it were a top-notch earthly delight prompted her to feel as though her stomach had suddenly hollowed out. A pregnant person¡¯s craving for a particular food can be especially intense. Ruby stared straight at the porridge in Steve¡¯s bowl, swallowing a couple of mouthfuls of saliva involuntarily. She wanted to eat it so badly; what should she do? But she was the one who gave up the porridge, so she couldn¡¯t exactly take it back from Steve¡¯s bowl now that she wanted some. Ruby immediately dismissed the idea of asking Steve outright. Instead, she fixed her dark, wide eyes on Steve¡¯s rapidly diminishing bowl of porridge and thought that if she didn¡¯t come up with a plan soon, Steve would eat every last drop of it! Ruby blinked and racked her brains for a moment. Then, as if struck by lightning, she leaned on the dining table, looked at Steve, and said aloud, ¡°Steve, when we were young, our teachers taught us many virtues. Do you remember any of them?¡± Steve furrowed his brow, inwardly complaining about the bizarre question, but still put down his spoon, lifted his head, and responded without thinking, ¡°Respect the old and cherish the young.¡± Ruby eagerly nodded, ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Courtesy, modesty, honesty, perseverance,¡± Steve quickly listed three more virtues for Ruby. Yet none of these were what Ruby was looking for. As she nodded, her bright eyes urged Steve to continue, ¡°What else?¡± He wasn¡¯t a grade schooler, so why did he have to answer grade school questions? Though Steve mutely griped in his heart, he still looked at Ruby¡¯s expectant face and went on listing virtues, ¡°Self-discipline, selflessness, humility, detachment, magnanimity¡­¡± Ah, why had he listed so many virtues but not the one she wanted? Ruby couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brow. Looking at Ruby¡¯s expressive little brow, Steve¡¯s brow furrowed too. Were the virtues he mentioned not enough? So, Steve continued, ¡°Thrift, helping others, abstaining from unrighteous wealth, enduring hardship, sacrificing oneself for others, acting bravely for a just cause¡­¡± This time, Steve mentioned nearly every word regarding good character he could remember before finally stopping. Seeing that Steve was no longer speaking, Ruby¡¯s face filled with worry, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Is there more?¡± As Steve questioned her, he recalled all the virtues he knew and replied, ¡°That should be everything.¡± Puffing her cheeks, Ruby couldn¡¯t hold back from making an addition for Steve, ¡°There¡¯s also a virtue called sharing.¡± After a pause, Ruby asked again, ¡°We must carry forward these virtues, right?¡± Was Ruby lecturing him? Baffled, Steve nodded along with her words. Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Chapter 619: A Virtue Called Sharing (9) Chapter 619: Chapter 619: A Virtue Called Sharing (9) Ruby Gregory¡¯s porridge contained a little handful of red beans. Upon seeing Steve Burton nod in agreement, her eyes drifted towards her own bowl, where she spotted a particularly small leftover red bean. Blinking, she picked up her chopsticks, split the bean in half, then stuck the bigger half on the chopstick and held it up to Steve¡¯s mouth. TIlting her head to the side, she said with a beaming smile, ¡°Here, have this.¡± Ruby Gregory was actually feeding him red beans. Steve Burton¡¯s face immediately lit up and without any hesitation, he opened his mouth to swallow the half of a red bean. The red bean itself was quite small, especially when halved. Steve felt nothing upon putting it in his mouth. His tongue swirled around in his mouth for quite a while before finally capturing the pathetic half bean, but before he had the chance to chew and savor the feeling of being fed by Ruby, the bean had already slipped down his throat and into his stomach. After feeding Steve, Ruby picked up her chopsticks again and put the other half of the bean into her own mouth. After swallowing, she looked straight at Steve and expectantly said, ¡°Your turn.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Steve had no clue what it was his turn for. Ruby tilted her head, winked at Steve and waited. When he didn¡¯t react, she urged, ¡°Hurry up!¡± Hurry what up! Steve still had no idea what Ruby was trying to hint at, and his brows furrowed with confusion. Steve¡¯s frown deepened and in an amused tone, he asked, ¡°Ruby, how have I become ungracious?¡± Ruby, a bit furious now, pointed at the half bowl of porridge in front of Steve and self-righteously said, ¡°In order to show my generosity, I shared the only small red bean I had with you, giving you the bigger half, and yet you, with that half bowl of porridge right there, haven¡¯t made the slightest offer to share. Tell me, how are you being gracious?¡± Steve was dumbfounded by Ruby¡¯s fiery words; he just sat there in silence. After mulling over her words, he finally realized what the young woman in front of him was hinting at with her roundabout way of speaking. Steve couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Without any hesitation, he mimicked her gesture of feeding him the red bean, using a spoon to scoop up a helping of porridge. He leaned over slightly and offered it to Ruby¡¯s mouth, ¡°Here, my graciousness.¡± ¡°Achieving her goal, Ruby¡¯s eyes curved into crescents as she opened her mouth to swallow the porridge Steve had offered.¡± Upon seeing her swallow, Steve scooped up another spoonful and held it out to her mouth. Ruby, not one to be modest, readily accepted Steve¡¯s demonstration of graciousness. The bowl of porridge was inadvertently emptied as Steve spoonful by spoonful fed Ruby. They were meant to share, but she had ended up enjoying it all by herself. Looking at the empty bowl in front of Steve, Ruby¡¯s cheeks turned a slight red. She tilted her head and looking at Steve, she came up with an excuse that wasn¡¯t really about wanting to finish the porridge, ¡°Steve, your graciousness is terrific!¡± Being praised for his wonderful graciousness, Steve was in a great mood and chuckled. He then looked up to see a grain of rice stuck on Ruby¡¯s mouth and instinctively reached out. Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: Chapter 620: A Virtue Called Sharing (10) Chapter 620: Chapter 620: A Virtue Called Sharing (10) Ruby Gregory gazed at Steve Burton as he suddenly reached out his hand towards her. Her expression slightly paused, her eyes drooping, and then she felt the man¡¯s fingers touch her cheek. His fingertips had the familiar scorching temperature, gently brushing against her cheek. Her whole body shivered slightly, accidentally tilting her head, her lips pressing against his fingertips. She felt his fingers tremble slightly on her lips, a tingling sensation instantly spread through her entire body from her lips. Steve Burton only wanted to brush off the rice grain on Ruby¡¯s lips but didn¡¯t expect her to suddenly turn her head as his fingers brushed past her cheek. Then, he clearly felt her soft lips on his fingertips. A feeling of throbbing instantly filled his body, even the eyes gazing at her turned fervent. Ruby originally intended to instinctively avoid his fingertips, but she froze in place the moment she made eye contact with him. His eyes were beautiful, gleaming brightly, and she couldn¡¯t look away. The two of them, separated by a table, quietly stared at each other. Ruby sat in a chair while Steve stood in front of the dining table, leaning forward. The picture seemed like it was frozen in time. Steve felt the fiery desire within him grow stronger, and his entire body could not help but lean down, his head slowly approaching her cheek. The distance between their faces grew closer, so close that he could feel her gentle breath blowing on him. Steve¡¯s blood boiled, his Adam¡¯s apple rolling continuously as he held his breath. Ruby saw the man¡¯s face magnify before her eyes, his unique fragrance penetrated her nostrils as her heartbeat gradually accelerated. An inexplicable tension surged through her body, and her lips could not help but quiver slightly. With the movement of her lips, the fingertip pressing against them sent a shock-like sensation straight to Steve¡¯s core. Steve suddenly snapped to his senses, realizing that his face was a mere five centimeters from her. Looking at her slightly dazed expression, Steve subconsciously licked his dry lips and wanted to kiss her, but his rational mind reminded him that their relationship was no longer like before, where they could freely touch each other¡¯s skin. Steve¡¯s breathing became heavier. His hand, which was brushing her lips, slightly bent before he firmly pursed his lips, trying to suppress the desire welling up inside him. He abruptly withdrew his hand and straightened his body, instantly putting distance between them. Following his swift movement, Ruby snapped back to reality, a blush appearing on her face as she looked at Steve, opened her mouth, and then shyly lowered her head. The atmosphere in the room became ambiguous and awkward. Other than touching her, he hadn¡¯t touched any other woman. Since she had left, it had been almost half a year since he had been close to another woman. Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Chapter 621: Ruby Gregorys Confession (1) Chapter 621: Chapter 621: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (1) So much so that the flame within him could not be suppressed no matter what. The more it was like this, the more acute Steve Burton¡¯s sense of smell became. Ruby Gregory¡¯s faint scent continuously drilled into his nostrils. Steve¡¯s mouth became dry, and he clearly had a premonition that, if he stayed any longer, he would lose his composure. Trying his best to maintain his sanity, he took out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the time. Then, with a calm tone, he said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I have to go.¡± Ruby¡¯s uneasy mood suddenly turned a bit reluctant when she heard Steve was leaving. She lifted her head, glanced at him, moved her lips, and then gently nodded. Seeing her nod, Steve hurriedly left, saying, ¡°Goodbye.¡± He quickly walked back to the living room, picked up his car keys from the coffee table, and hurriedly left Ruby¡¯s house. Only after a while did Ruby come back to her senses after the living room door closed. In the empty room, she was left alone, with the lingering scent of a man in the air. An indescribable sense of loss rose from the bottom of her heart. Ruby stood in front of the table for a long time before getting up, tidying up the bowls on the table, and placing them into the sink. She washed them carefully, then neatly put them in a sterilizer. Returning to the living room, Ruby picked up a yoga mat, spread it on the floor, and absentmindedly practiced prenatal yoga. After that, she took a bath. When Ruby came out of the bathroom and was making milk powder, she thought of the milk powder that Steve had brought back from Lilliput. Her hand trembled slightly, and she closed the can of milk powder she had bought from the supermarket. Then, she walked to the living room, opened the paper bag, took out the milk powder, and made a cup of it. As she picked up the cup to drink, Ruby grabbed her phone, took a picture of the opened milk powder, then another picture of the brewed cup, and uploaded them to Twitter with the caption, ¡°A cup of milk powder for pregnant women before bed.¡± followed by two blushing emojis. After posting, Ruby sipped her milk while staring at her Twitter feed. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of Steve¡¯s milk powder, but she found it to be more delicious than any other milk powder she had tasted. When she was halfway through drinking the milk, Ruby noticed a like under her Twitter post. It was from Ruby¡¯s Time. Ruby¡¯s lips curved up, and she swiped on the screen to enter Steve¡¯s Twitter page and sent him a direct message: ¡°Home?¡± ¨C Steve walked out of Ruby¡¯s building and went straight to his car. He turned on the air conditioner and set it to the lowest temperature. After blowing cold air for a long time, the heat on his body finally subsided. The thoughts in his body gradually calmed down as well. He leaned against the car seat, let out a long breath, and slowly drove away. While driving, Steve received a call from Rusell Henris. After the call, he habitually refreshed Ruby¡¯s Twitter and saw she had updated her status. She posted a picture of the milk powder he had bought, opened, as if to say she had started drinking the milk powder he bought? PS: Today¡¯s story ends here. There¡¯s a little writer¡¯s block, so I will go sort out the plot for now~~~ Today is February 1st, the first day of the month. If you have any monthly votes, please give them to Yezi~~~ As I promised, I will start updating more frequently since the Golden Keyboard is the number one choice. From the 2nd onward, I will maintain ten updates per day for five days, continuing until I reach ten updates in total~ Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: Chapter 622: Ruby Gregorys Confession (2) Chapter 622: Chapter 622: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (2) Whenever he was with her, he never failed to give her gifts. At that time, he thought that it was only natural. She was the girl he loved, so he should treat her well. But it wasn¡¯t until he lost her to someone else that he realized how satisfying it felt just to have her using the things he gave her. People are always like this, desiring more when they have something. If he had kept his greed in check back then, would the situation between them be different now? With mixed emotions, Steve clicked the ¡®like¡¯ button, then put his phone down and prepared to focus on driving. Just at that moment, his phone dinged with an incoming message. It was a direct message from Ruby Gregory: ¡°Are you home yet?¡± Steve kept one hand on the steering wheel, glancing at the road ahead while his eyes also stayed glued to the phone screen. He quickly typed out a response: ¡°Not yet, almost there.¡± Half a beat later, his phone dinged twice in succession. Steve, phone in hand, unlocked the screen as he pulled over to the side of the road, the car¡¯s headlights flashing continuously. Opening Twitter, Steve saw two messages from Ruby. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I drank the milk you bought.¡± Upon reading Ruby¡¯s second message, Steve felt an inexplicable softness in his heart: ¡°Mm, I saw.¡± After a pause, Steve added, ¡°Let me know when you finish it, there¡¯s always someone from the company traveling abroad every month. They can bring more back for you. Also, when the baby is born in October, if you need milk powder, they can bring it too.¡± Reading Steve¡¯s long message on the other end of the phone, Ruby felt a sense of lightness and joy. She gulped down the rest of the milk in the glass, then chewed her finger for a while before sending a response: ¡°Sure, I won¡¯t be polite.¡± Before Steve could reply to the message, another one from Ruby came in: ¡°Steve.¡± Such a good answer¡­ ¡®Sure, I won¡¯t be polite. Steve¡­¡¯ It was so adorably polite. A warm glow filled Steve¡¯s eyes as the night itself seemed to soften around him. After a long while, Steve snapped out of his reverie, looking at the time. It was already 11 PM. He sent her a message: ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Go rest.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Goodnight.¡± After Steve sent his ¡°Goodnight¡± message and saw no immediate response, he placed his phone on the passenger seat, restarted the car, and drove off towards the apartment. ¨C Looking at Steve¡¯s ¡°Goodnight¡± message, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but smile. She stared at their chat history for a long while before reluctantly placing her phone on a table far from the bed and climbing into bed. As she closed her eyes, Ruby thought of the ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Steve told her during dinner. A faint stirring in her heart made her open her eyes wide. In the dim light of the night lamp, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts in turmoil. She had resented Steve, especially when she found out he had been giving her long-term contraceptives. She had really considered cutting all ties with him, making their paths never cross again. Chapter 623 - Chapter 623: Chapter 623: Ruby Gregorys Confession (3) Chapter 623: Chapter 623: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (3) Later, when she found out that he had secretly been following her, doing so many things for her, and even getting injured, she found that all her determination had vanished in that instant, replaced by her concern for him. She never thought about taking the initiative to find him, but every time he happened to appear in front of her, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to coldly reject him as a stranger. Thus, the encounters between him and her grew more and more frequent, and the closer they became, the more she found herself relying on him. Upon seeing the baby formula he had brought back from Lilliput just for her that evening, she wondered how long he would continue to be so good to her; however, his apology that night made her waver. Ruby Gregory turned over slightly and thought to herself, should she perhaps try to give herself some confidence and give both her, and Steve Burton, a chance? ¨C Although Ruby haven¡¯t decided whether or not to give herself and Steve a chance, their relationship had significantly improved because of his apology. In the past, she would not contact Steve if he did not take the initiative to contact her; now, however, Ruby would actively reach out to him. The feelings between Steve and Ruby were ingrained in them since childhood. Once some tacit understanding and patterns of interaction were stirred, their restraint seemed to dissipate. At times, Steve wondered if it was appropriate for him to maintain such a close relationship with a woman like Ruby, who was pregnant with another man¡¯s child and discussing marriage. However, every time he received a message from Ruby asking if he was free and if he would like to share a meal with her, he would cast aside any moral considerations and ditch even important engagements or meetings. Then, he would recklessly rush to Ruby¡¯s side. When Ruby was eight months pregnant, she resigned from the Gardenia Clubhouse, hired a maid to tend to her, and began to focus on her pregnancy. At this point, Ruby¡¯s belly had grown considerably, her skin stretched and uncomfortable. The weight of the two little ones inside her often caused her back pain, so she spent more time at home. In mid-June, as summer began, the weather was particularly pleasant. Ruby and her maid spent their time in the apartment, sorting through the baby items they had prepared in advance, such as bottles, little clothes, small blankets, and diapers¡­ Steve rarely visited her home. On the few occasions he came, his visits were short, but he always brought many things along with him. The maid then sorted through these items, telling Ruby which ones were from Steve. After sorting, Ruby realized that more than half of these baby items were from Steve. The maid neatly repacked the items in the box, then said with a grin, ¡°Ms. Gregory, actually, the baby stuff Mr. Burton has given you is far less than what he got for you.¡± ¡°Pregnancy milk powder, postpartum belly band, olive oil, and many other little things that pregnant women need, were all prepared by Mr. Burton for you¡­¡± With the two of them being the only ones at home and having grown close over time, the maid continued without restraint, ¡°This means that in fact, Mr. Burton cares more about you than he does about your unborn children.¡± Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Chapter 624: Ruby Gregorys Confession (4) Chapter 624: Chapter 624: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (4) Jealousy is a woman¡¯s nature, but for a mother, she is definitely competing with her own child for favor. However, when Ruby heard what the nanny said, a sense of joy emerged in her heart. But on the surface, she still asked insincerely, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± As the nanny spoke, she suddenly seemed to think of something and paused for a moment. After a while, she looked up at Ruby and said, ¡°Ms. Gregory, we don¡¯t have any pacifiers¡­ and there¡¯s no baby crib¡­ We only have one stroller, and since you¡¯re having twins, we¡¯re still short of one¡­¡± The stroller the nanny mentioned was the one Ruby had won in a Twitter raffle. The nanny first observed what was missing and then began writing a list for Ruby. After being reminded by the nanny, Ruby finally remembered that she did want to buy two baby cribs and a stroller a few days ago. When the nanny finished the list, Ruby looked at it and found that there were quite a few small items missing. She was now eight months pregnant, and although she sometimes had back pains, walking was still normal. If it were another month before giving birth, she wouldn¡¯t dare to go out easily. Actually, Ruby could have simply asked the nanny to go out and buy all these things for her, but as a first-time expectant mother, she wanted to do everything for her unborn child personally. With the soup in the kitchen requiring attention, Ruby noticed the beautiful weather outside and decided to go to the mall by herself. Ruby called for a private car using her mobile phone. She went downstairs, got in the car, and headed straight for the largest mall in the city. Today wasn¡¯t a weekend, so there weren¡¯t many people in the mall, making it easy for Ruby to stroll around. Baby supplies were on the top floor. When Ruby went up, she passed by women¡¯s clothing on the third floor, and couldn¡¯t help but take a look at the new summer clothes, even though she couldn¡¯t wear them with her current big belly. As Ruby passed by a Japanese-style clothing store, she noticed that the clothes had loose waists, so she went inside, browsed around, and finally chose a pink short-sleeved dress. She asked the salesperson for the largest waist size and then went to the fitting room. The dressing room was very quiet. The salesperson led Ruby to the door and then left. Ruby casually stepped into an open cubicle, closed the door, and changed clothes. Although the waist of this dress was already the largest, the zipper still couldn¡¯t quite go up. Ruby helplessly changed back to her maternity clothes and was about to open the door when she heard a strange voice outside, calling her familiar name, ¡°Maya, you seem to be in a good mood lately.¡± Maya? Maya Mitchell? Ever since her engagement to Steve Burton was canceled, apart from meeting in the restroom at the Gardenia Clubhouse, Ruby hadn¡¯t been in contact with Maya. At this moment, Ruby felt too lazy to meet Maya face-to-face. Maya¡¯s gentleness in front of her made her feel a bit uncomfortable. Ruby frowned, subconsciously retreating into the cubicle and gently locking the door. Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Chapter 625: Ruby Gregorys Confession (5) Chapter 625: Chapter 625: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (5) Ruby Gregory originally thought that she would leave as soon as Maya Mitchell entered the dressing room. She would then swap their clothes with the salesperson, and they would pass by each other without meeting. But to her surprise, just as she locked the door, she heard that unfamiliar voice from earlier, with a hint of playfulness, mentioning someone she cared about, ¡°Has your relationship with Mr. Burton from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises been growing lately? ¡± Mr. Burton from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises? Steve Burton? What kind of relationship? When did Steve Burton and Maya Mitchell have any relationship? Countless questions surfaced in Ruby¡¯s mind as she pressed her ear against the door, listening to others for the first time in her life. Indeed, as the stranger said, Maya Mitchell spoke with a tinge of laughter ¨C appearing to be in an excellent mood. ¡°Are you talking about Steve Burton? We¡¯re good¡­ We even had dinner together last night¡­¡± Steve Burton and Maya Mitchell had dinner together last night? Ruby¡¯s hand gripped the clothes she was holding tightly, the ones she planned to return to the salesperson. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve already had private dinners together? After dinner, did you do anything else together? No wonder you¡¯re in such a good mood today, dragging me out for a spa and shopping. It must be because you¡¯re triumphant in love!¡± The stranger teased Maya Mitchell. Maya didn¡¯t respond to the ribbing, only laughing softly before pushing open the door of the adjacent dressing room and walking in. As both doors closed, the stranger¡¯s voice resounded once again, ¡°Maya, let me remind you. If you could capture Mr. Burton¡¯s heart, you would become the mistress of the Burtons. At that time, don¡¯t forget me in your pursuit of wealth and glory.¡± Maya Mitchell: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡± Did Maya Mitchell really want to marry Steve Burton? When did that happen? How come Ruby never knew about it? Ruby felt as if she had just learned shocking news made her heart race faster than ever. ¡°By the way, Maya, wasn¡¯t there a rumor that Mr. Burton from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was nearly engaged? What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Do you mean¡­ Ruby Gregory?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s Ruby Gregory, the heiress of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises. She is also your colleague. It seems like Ruby is Mr. Burton¡¯s neighbor¡¯s daughter, so they must be childhood friends. Their bond must be deep, so how come they didn¡¯t get engaged?¡± Ruby suddenly heard the conversation shift to her. She clenched her fist unconsciously, perking up her ears and focusing. After waiting about five seconds, Ruby finally heard Maya Mitchell¡¯s voice, carrying a hint of disdain, ¡°Her? Hmph¡­¡± Her? Hmph¡­ What did that mean? Ruby¡¯s lips pursed tightly. The stranger continued, ¡°What happened? Judging by your tone, you seem to be dismissive of her. Or did she offend you somehow?¡± The stranger didn¡¯t even wait for Maya to reply before giggling, ¡°Of course, love rivals are natural enemies. She almost became Mr. Burton¡¯s fianc¨¦e. You being unhappy with her is to be expected.¡± Chapter 626 - Chapter 626: Chapter 626: Ruby Gregorys Confession (6) Chapter 626: Chapter 626: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (6) ¡°But, fortunately, didn¡¯t she end up having her engagement called off by Mr. Burton from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises anyway? And aren¡¯t you getting closer and closer to Mr. Burton now? Many things don¡¯t need to be worried about in the beginning; what matters is the end result. Being able to laugh last is the real skill, so there¡¯s no need to pay attention to a worthless person.¡± With the words of the stranger, Ruby heard the door of the partition being opened and, shortly after, Maya¡¯s voice floated over: ¡°A shameless woman who goes to great lengths to throw herself at men, why would I even pay attention to her?¡± When Ruby heard this line, her mind briefly went blank. If not for the familiar voice, she wouldn¡¯t have even dared to believe that the person saying these words was actually Maya, who had always been gentle and considerate to her. Moreover, she was actually calling Ruby shameless and desperate to throw herself at men? Ruby¡¯s complexion turned a little pale. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The stranger chuckled after hearing Maya¡¯s words. ¡°Maya, your mouth is really toxic.¡± After a pause, the stranger asked, ¡°How about it? Does this dress look good on me?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Maya replied indifferently with a hint of praise in her voice, then continued the conversation, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve tolerated Ruby for many years. I started to hate her in college.¡± She started to hate her in college¡­ Ruby¡¯s mind was shocked once more. In college, she and Madeleine weren¡¯t roommates. Ruby was roommates with four other girls, including Maya. Ruby had always thought that she had the best relationship with Maya back then. At that time, Maya was really good to her, helping her get hot water, and even bringing food back to her when she was too lazy to eat downstairs. When Ruby had period cramps, Maya would make her Chinese ginger tea with red dates. Maya was really kind and considerate towards her, so Ruby didn¡¯t understand how she could hate her. ¡°So, you guys were college classmates¡­¡± The stranger responded. ¡°Yeah, for four years, we shared the same dormitory.¡± Maya said gritting her teeth, ¡°I knew early on that she couldn¡¯t last long with Steve Burton. What else does she have except shamelessly throwing herself at men?¡± Maya repeated Ruby¡¯s shameless behavior of throwing herself at Steve. Then, she changed the subject, ¡°These clothes are all pretty nice. Let¡¯s go and check out, I¡¯ll buy yours too.¡± ¡°Maya, it seems that not only are you thriving in your love life, but your career is also on the rise¡­¡± Then, Ruby heard the sound of high heels walking away from the fitting room door. She waited until the sound of the high heels could no longer be heard before taking a deep breath. She felt as if there was a fire burning inside her, rapidly consuming her. Maya might not have been her best friend, but Ruby was the only person who stepped forward to pay for Maya¡¯s tuition fees when she was nearly expelled from school. Because of this, she was so angry at this moment. If she hadn¡¯t overheard it today, she would never have believed in her entire life that she was such a despicable person in Maya¡¯s eyes! Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: Chapter 627: Ruby Gregorys Confession (7) Chapter 627: Chapter 627: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (7) ¡°All along, she had thought that Olivia Foster was the person she hated the most. Only now did she find out that those with venomous tongues often have soft hearts, while the silent ones are the most ruthless. What else did she have according to Maya Mitchell, apart from shamelessly throwing herself at men? Her tone was so sarcastically sharp, it was as if she looked down on her very existence! Anger made Ruby Gregory¡¯s whole body shiver until a vague pain came from her abdomen. Returning to her senses, she took deep breaths, attempting to let out the fury inside her. But the more she tried to calm down, the more agitated she became. Ruby felt more wronged than ever before in her life. She helped Maya and in return, she was belittled by Maya. Where was justice? She wouldn¡¯t stand for it, she couldn¡¯t accept it, it was unfair! Ruby thought, if she weren¡¯t pregnant now, she would have lunged forward and slapped Maya in the face! What right did she have to say that all Ruby could do was throw herself at men? What right did she have to belittle her? Moreover, when did she start liking Steve Burton? Why was she suddenly so close to him? She was even about to become the mistress of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises¡­ What utter nonsense was all this¡­ The more Ruby thought about it, the more anguished she felt. But in the end, she realized what bothered her the most was not Maya¡¯s insult or her biting ingratitude. What bothered her most was the nature of the relationship between Maya and Steve! Was it because Maya fancied Steve that she insulted her? So in essence, all this was Steve Burton¡¯s doing. Ruby instantly took out her phone and sent a few angry emojis to Steve via Twitter direct messages. Less than a minute later, she received Steve¡¯s reply: ¡°What happened, Ruby?¡± While seething with rage, Ruby hit the keyboard hard and typed: ¡°I have been bullied.¡± After sending it, Ruby felt those words weren¡¯t expressive enough of her suffering, so she added a line of crying emojis. Steve replied, ¡°Who did it?¡± Without hesitation, Ruby answered: ¡°You.¡± Steve continued: ¡°Ruby, are you telling me a cold joke?¡± ¡®Cold joke your ass!¡¯ thought Ruby. Ruby, who was growing more infuriated, couldn¡¯t help but slam her phone against the partition. A second later, her phone rang with a pleasant ringtone. ¨C When Steve received a private Twitter message from Ruby, he was in a meeting with a client from Agrabah along with Rusell Henris. The sudden vibration of his phone from his pocket prompted him to check. On seeing the Twitter notification, he didn¡¯t hesitate to open it. Being unsure if Ruby was genuinely angry or just teasing, he had semi-jokingly replied, ¡°Ruby, are you teasing me?¡± He then apologized to his client from Agrabah, signaled Rusell to attend to them, and stepped out to call Ruby. After quite a wait, his call was answered, and Steve spoke up: ¡°Ruby?¡± Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: Chapter 628: Ruby Gregorys Confession (8) Chapter 628: Chapter 628: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (8) The phone didn¡¯t ring with the crisp sound of Ruby Gregory¡¯s voice as usual. Steve Burton faintly sensed something was wrong. Unconsciously frowning, his tone carried a hint of worry as he continued, ¡°Ruby, what happened?¡± Ruby listened to Steve¡¯s concerned tone, and thought of the words Maya Mitchell had said to her. Her anger at the bottom of her heart instantly turned into grievances. Holding the phone, she took a while to respond in a low voice, ¡°Nothing.¡± Though she only said one word, Steve still detected a strong displeasure in her voice. Could it be that someone was indeed bullying her? Steve¡¯s heart raced, his tone taking on a fierce edge, ¡°Who bullied you?¡± The more worried Steve became for Ruby, the more her sense of grievance swelled, her eyes reddening in the process. On the other side of the phone, Steve had no idea of Ruby¡¯s current situation. Thinking about her pregnancy, he became more anxious, ¡°Ruby, are you at home or outside?¡± After asking the question, Steve realized it was pointless, and rephrased, ¡°Ruby, where are you now? I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Before Ruby had a chance to reply, she heard the sound of a door opening on the other end of the line. Then through Steve¡¯s muffled phone, she heard a faint voice, ¡°Rusell Henris, please entertain them.¡± ¡°I apologize, but something urgent has come up and I need to deal with it right away. I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner tomorrow.¡± As Steve finished speaking, Ruby could hear him getting dressed, grabbing his car keys, and opening and closing the door. Then Steve¡¯s voice came through again, gently coaxing, ¡°Ruby, tell me, where are you now? Huh?¡± Ruby¡¯s throat tightened with emotion, and at this moment, she couldn¡¯t tell if she was upset because of Maya or touched by Steve¡¯s concern. She heard Steve¡¯s footsteps on the phone, as if he was running, followed by the sound of a car engine starting. Finally, she lowered her eyelids, trying to keep her tone steady as she gave the name of the mall she was in. Although Ruby tried her best to keep her emotions stable, her voice still betrayed her sense of grievance. Hearing this, Steve¡¯s heart clenched. He hurriedly pressed the gas pedal and started the car, ¡°Did you have a conflict with someone in the mall? Did you get injured? Any discomfort? How about your stomach? Does it hurt? Which floor are you on?¡± Ruby listened to the series of questions coming from Steve and suddenly felt like she might be making a big fuss over a small issue. She had only been scolded by Maya Mitchell, so why bother wasting Steve¡¯s time on work to accompany her? Ruby moved her lips and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Are you busy at work? You should focus on your work.¡± Steve glanced at the road conditions, estimated the time, and told Ruby, ¡°I should be there in about twenty minutes, just wait for me.¡± He hesitated for a moment and asked again, with some concern, ¡°Are you really sure you¡¯re feeling fine now?¡± Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: Chapter 629: Ruby Gregorys Confession (9) Chapter 629: Chapter 629: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (9) Ruby Gregory carefully felt her belly, responding to Steve Burton¡¯s question, ¡°No.¡± Fearing that Steve wouldn¡¯t believe her, Ruby said again, ¡°Really, there isn¡¯t.¡± Steve continued to give Ruby a few more reminders before hanging up. ¨C The Sapphire Bistro wasn¡¯t far from the mall where Ruby was. When Steve said he¡¯d arrive in two minutes, he actually only took fifteen to reach the mall. Steve didn¡¯t even bother to find a parking spot, randomly parking on the side of the road before quickly running into the mall and heading straight to the third floor. Steve frantically searched the third floor and then saw Ruby standing at the entrance of a Japanese clothing store diagonally across the floor. Steve hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked towards her. He was moving so fast that he almost collided with someone on the way, not even having time to stop, offering a hurried ¡°Sorry¡± as he ran towards Ruby. When Ruby saw Steve, he was only ten meters away from her. He slowed down a bit and stopped in front of her in just a few steps. Slightly breathless from running, he looked at her with worried eyes, took a quick breath and immediately asked, ¡°Ruby, are you okay?¡± Without waiting for Ruby¡¯s reply, Steve grabbed her arm and looked her up and down. By the time Ruby hung up the phone, her anger had mostly dissipated. Now, seeing Steve¡¯s hurried appearance, she felt that she overreacted and was a bit stubborn. She stared at Steve, shook her head in response to his worried look, then lowered her head, pulled a wet wipe from her bag, and wiped the sweat on his face. Steve¡¯s expression flashed surprise for a moment, but his eyes were still intently observing Ruby. Steve looked at her for a while, not seeing any signs of upset. He frowned, still worried about the distressed tone she had over the phone, ¡°Are you feeling bad?¡± Ruby shook her head, softly smiled at Steve, and said, ¡°No.¡± Pausing briefly, Ruby said with a hint of coquetry, ¡°I just tried on a dress and couldn¡¯t fit into it, felt a bit sad.¡± Steve could tell Ruby was lying, but he wouldn¡¯t force her to tell the truth. Pretending to believe her, he reached out, tousled her hair, and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can buy it now and keep it for later.¡± Ruby was about to shake her head in refusal when she saw Maya Mitchell coming out of the store across the street, with a tall woman by her side carrying several bags. Didn¡¯t Maya like Steve? She was able to say that she and Steve were close, and that hurt her feelings! So now, she could have Steve accompany her shopping, strike back, and hurt Maya¡¯s feelings too! Ruby¡¯s eyes rolled, and the refusal on her lips vanished as she swallowed it down. Instead, she gently nodded her head and obediently said, ¡°Okay.¡± PS: Eight updates today, and ten updates daily starting tomorrow~ I admit I¡¯ve been writing a bit slowly these days, please be patient~ The daily update quantity is still guaranteed~ Tomorrow¡¯s plot preview: Ruby asks, ¡°Steve, in your eyes, am I the kind of girl who clings and throws herself at men?¡± Big Brother Time will finally learn about the kind of ideology that has been instilled in Ruby since she was young~~ Oh, regret it now~ Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Chapter 630: Ruby Gregorys Confession (10) Chapter 630: Chapter 630: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (10) Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes rolled around, and suddenly, the refusal that was about to leave her lips was swallowed back down, replaced with a gentle nod and obediently saying, ¡°Okay.¡± At this moment, Steve Burton was afraid Ruby might be feeling uncomfortable deep down, but putting on a forced smile on the surface. So when he saw her nod and agreed to buy clothes, it was like hearing the sweet sound of music to his ears. Steve Burton immediately nodded and opened his mouth to say, ¡°Okay.¡± After speaking, Steve Burton looked around, then directed his gaze to the Japanese-style clothing store behind Ruby. His eyes were full of charm, ¡°The clothes from this store?¡± Ruby, with the corner of her eye, had never left Maya Mitchell. Only when she saw Maya enter a European-American style window store did she shake her head and say, ¡°No.¡± Then she pointed to the store where Maya had just entered and continued, ¡°That one.¡± Steve Burton followed Ruby¡¯s gaze, glanced over, and without hesitation, accompanied her to the store. Ruby, having a big belly, genuinely couldn¡¯t fit into any of the clothes in this store, so she could only stroll around casually with Steve Burton¡¯s company. Ruby seemed to be looking at the clothes, but in reality, her eyes were constantly searching for Maya¡¯s figure in the store. The sales lady always maintained a polite smile, following Ruby and Steve. When Ruby, for the eighth time, reached out to touch a piece of clothing she thought was not bad, and the sales lady kindly asked for the eighth time, ¡°Miss, what size do you need? Would you like me to bring it over for you to take a look?¡± Ruby saw Maya and the stranger accompanying her come out of the fitting room. Ruby did not run into Maya in the fitting room of the Japanese-style clothing store earlier, and the distance between them was quite far, so Ruby couldn¡¯t see Maya clearly. Now that they were closer, Ruby noticed that Maya seemed to have changed a bit. She appeared more beautiful, but Ruby couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly had changed for a while. Maya wasn¡¯t as gentle and humble as Ruby remembered. Wearing ten-centimeter high heels, she elegantly handed the clothes she had tried on to the sales clerk waiting by the fitting room door. Her tone was crisp and efficient, saying very regally, ¡°Help me pack them all.¡± The sales lady led Maya and her friend to the checkout counter with a smile. Maya was indeed generous, buying several pieces of clothing, though Ruby didn¡¯t know if Maya bought them all for herself or also bought some for her friend. In any case, the cashier lady scanned codes for quite a while before reporting the total price. From a distance, Ruby couldn¡¯t hear the exact amount, but she knew that the total price of those clothes was around US$7,000-8,000. Yet, Maya didn¡¯t even blink as she calmly took out her bank card and handed it over. The sales lady who attended to Maya had just landed a big customer, and the commission was bound to be high. She fully demonstrated that the customer is always right, folding all the clothes for Maya with a smile, putting them into a bag, and carefully instructing Maya on the laundering precautions. In the end, she even helped Maya carry the paper bag all the way to the store¡¯s entrance. Chapter 631 - Chapter 631: Chapter 631: Ruby Gregorys Confession (11) Chapter 631: Chapter 631: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (11) The reason Ruby Gregory took Steve Burton to the store where Maya Mitchell was shopping was to show Maya that Steve was accompanying her. However, their standing position was quite remote, and Maya didn¡¯t notice their presence when she came out of the fitting room and left. If Maya left through the door, who knew where she would go next? Ruby blinked lightly, and just as Maya was taking the shopping bag from the sales assistant with a smile on her face, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but raise her voice and call out, ¡°Steve Burton!¡± The clothing store was very quiet, everyone was speaking in soft whispers, and the background music was a slow ballad playing at a lower volume. Ruby¡¯s raised voice easily spread throughout the entire store. Everyone looked towards the source of the sound. Ruby pretended to look towards Steve, but the corner of her eyes continuously glanced towards where Maya was standing. She clearly saw that when Maya heard the name ¡°Steve Burton,¡± her fingers paused slightly, and then her whole person reflexively looked up and around, before her gaze settled on her and Steve. Steve had been following Ruby all along, accompanying her as she looked at the clothes. Suddenly hearing her loudly call his name, he couldn¡¯t help but look at her in confusion. Ruby had only thought of stopping Maya from leaving, so she had shouted Steve¡¯s name on a whim, but she had forgotten to think about what to say after calling him. Only after seeing him looking at her, she blinked and hastily came up with an excuse, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired.¡± After saying that, Ruby took another glance at Maya. At this point, the smile on Maya¡¯s face seemed somewhat stiff, her eyes still fixed on where Ruby and Steve were standing. The sales assistant spoke to her several times with a smile before Maya finally came back to her senses, reached out with some stiffness, and took the shopping bag handed over by the sales assistant. Then her gaze went back to Ruby and Steve again, her eyes filled with a hint of disbelief, as if she couldn¡¯t believe that Ruby and Steve were shopping together. Feeling slightly unhappy with the way Maya looked at her, Ruby thought: Why can¡¯t I go shopping with Steve? Ruby was not the type of person who always had to outdo others, but at that moment, she wanted to outdo Maya. So she asked Steve in a coquettish manner, ¡°But I haven¡¯t finished shopping yet, could you help me pick out clothes?¡± Not only was she shopping with Steve, but she also wanted him to help her choose clothes! Although Steve didn¡¯t understand what calculations Ruby was making in her heart, he had never been able to refuse her honest requests, especially when her tone was soft and tinged with a hint of coquetry. He immediately went along with Ruby¡¯s wishes, accompanying her to the sofa in the resting area, and asked the sales assistant to pour Ruby a cup of warm water before going to select clothes for her. Steve¡¯s aesthetic sense had always been good. Although he didn¡¯t ask the sales assistants about the new and limited edition products in the store, he casually picked a few items that won their praise, with them either complimenting his good taste or telling him that they were newly-launched limited editions. Chapter 632 - Chapter 632: Chapter 632: Ruby Gregorys Confession (12) Chapter 632: Chapter 632: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (12) When Steve Burton and the saleswoman returned after picking out clothes, they saw Ruby Gregory sitting on the sofa with her pregnant belly. Worried that she might be uncomfortable, Steve first grabbed a cushion and placed it behind Ruby¡¯s back before gesturing to the saleswoman. As she walked in, he picked up one of the clothes and showed it to Ruby, asking, ¡°What do you think?¡± It was indeed quite beautiful. Before Ruby even had a chance to comment, Steve saw the look of amazement in her eyes and immediately handed it to the saleswoman, saying, ¡°Wrap this up.¡± Then, he picked up another one and asked again, ¡°How about this one?¡± Ruby shook her head somewhat disdainfully this time, ¡°I don¡¯t really like this color.¡± Steve nodded and tossed the clothes onto a nearby sofa before picking up the next one. Throughout the entire process, Ruby did nothing but sit comfortably against the cushion on the sofa, nodding or shaking her head at the clothes Steve picked up. Even when her cup of water was almost empty, Steve would instruct the waiter to refill it for her. The first batch of clothes Steve brought over had eight pieces, and Ruby chose five of them. As Steve went to pick out more clothes, Ruby glanced outside the store and saw Maya Mitchell not leaving, but standing outside and chatting with her friend. However, her eyes were always on Steve and Ruby¡¯s actions inside the store, the smugness on her face now gone, replaced by a tightly pursed lip and a slightly displeased expression. Seeing Maya unhappy made Ruby even happier. While waiting for Steve to pick out more clothes, she picked up a magazine next to her and casually flipped through it. Spotting a particularly beautiful dress, Ruby asked the saleswoman if the store had it. The saleswoman replied politely, ¡°The clothes featured in this magazine are for the next season¡¯s release, so we don¡¯t have them yet.¡± Ruby nodded with a hint of regret, ¡°What a pity¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Steve¡¯s voice came through again, ¡°What¡¯s such a pity?¡± ¡°The dress in the magazine. It¡¯s really nice, but it¡¯s only going to be released next season.¡± Steve glanced at the magazine before showing Ruby the clothes he picked out this time, and after finalizing a few more selections, he said, ¡°The clothes in this store are average. Shall we check another store?¡± Ruby nodded in agreement. Steve then told the saleswoman, ¡°Help me wrap these clothes and check out.¡± ¡°Yes, sir and ma¡¯am, please wait a moment.¡± If Maya¡¯s shopping bill earlier was considered a large order, then Steve¡¯s order now was beyond their imagination. The saleswoman¡¯s eyes squinted with joy as she hugged the clothes and happily ran to the front counter, scanning the order while excitedly chatting with her coworkers about it. About fifteen minutes later, the saleswoman came back with a smile, ¡°Sir, the total is US$38,154.¡± Upon hearing the amount, Steve¡¯s face remained expressionless as he pulled out a bank card from his pocket and handed it over, ¡°No PIN required.¡± Chapter 633 - Chapter 633: Chapter 633: Ruby Gregorys Confession (13) Chapter 633: Chapter 633: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (13) The salesgirl, with her eyes gleaming, turned around, walked to the front desk, swiped the card, and then carried the bag back to Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory. When the salesgirl was returning the bank card to Steve, he seemed to have thought of something. He suddenly reached out, pointed to the magazine Ruby had just flipped through, and asked, ¡°Can this magazine be subscribed to?¡± ¡°Yes, it can.¡± ¡°Please help me subscribe to one, then. The mailing address¡­¡± Steve said and paused briefly. He then took out a pen and a gold-embossed business card from his pocket, wrote down the address of Ruby¡¯s current residence on the back, and handed the card to the salesgirl. ¡°This is the address. Please contact her and ask if she has any clothes she likes. If so, once the new arrivals are in stock, send them directly to her, with the same size as the clothes she chose today.¡± ¡°Also, for payment, just contact me directly. My contact number is on that business card.¡± After saying that, Steve thought for a moment, then picked up the magazine Ruby had just flipped through, turned a few pages, stopped at the page with the dress Ruby liked, pointed to it, and said, ¡°Once this dress is on the market, send it to her first, two sets.¡± ¡°Two sets?¡± The salesgirl asked again, as if confirming something. ¡°Yes, two sets.¡± After saying that, Steve pointed to the bags on the floor and said, ¡°You can have these clothes sent to the address on the back of the business card later.¡± ¨C From beginning to end, Maya Mitchell was seated on the resting chair outside the store where she had just bought her clothes and had not left. Maya had witnessed the entire process of Steve buying clothes for Ruby. In her heart, she had always felt that a woman who could have Steve accompany her shopping was the luckiest woman. But Ruby was able to sit on the sofa and enjoy Steve carefully choosing clothes for her. Yes, carefully choosing. Through the glass, she saw that when Steve chose clothes for Ruby, his expression was very serious ¨C a seriousness she had not seen during all the years she had worked with Steve. Maya only got up with her friend after Steve and Ruby left the store and turned into another store. She knew very well that following Steve and Ruby and watching them shop together would hurt her own eyes, but she still couldn¡¯t help but follow them. When they passed by the store entrance where they had just shopped, two salesgirls who had sent Steve and Ruby out earlier, excitedly discussed Steve and Ruby. ¡°That man just now was so handsome! I¡¯ve never seen a man with such a generous hand accompany a woman shopping. He was buying clothes and swiping the card without hesitation!¡± ¡°You have no idea. That man ordered our new magazine and said if the woman likes anything, we should deliver it straight to her door and contact him for payment!¡± ¡°That man must really like that woman, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so willing to spend money. Also, that woman is pregnant. Buying so many clothes to take home, she won¡¯t be able to wear them now. By the time she can, they may be outdated and no longer look good! Even though they know it¡¯s a waste, they still buy. People say that waste is shameful, but this man looks so handsome even when acting shamefully!¡± Chapter 634 - Chapter 634: Chapter 634: Ruby Gregorys Confession (14) Chapter 634: Chapter 634: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (14) ¡°Incredibly handsome! I bet, if that woman wanted this shop, the man would undoubtedly hesitate to buy it for her!¡± ¡°And even more critical, the woman looked at our new limited edition for the next season, said it was beautiful, and the outfit had a price of more than 5 million. The man actually ordered two sets for her, both in the same size.¡± ¡°Two sets, is she wearing one set and hanging the other? How extravagant¡­¡± ¡°This is some insane love¡­¡± Yes, it is indeed insane love! When Maya Mitchell took all those words into her ears, she suddenly exclaimed such a sentence. Whatever Ruby Gregory likes, Steve Burton would always prepare two of them. It¡¯s just a dress, they¡¯re over-exaggerating. If they knew that once Ruby Gregory liked a limited edition Cartier bracelet, there was only one in the world at the time, and Steve Burton took the trouble to smash a huge amount of money, insisting on buying another one, then buying the two and giving them to Ruby Gregory, wouldn¡¯t they go mad? They would totally go crazy! Back in the university days, she almost screamed when she heard the news, her heart was pounding uncontrollably. When Ruby Gregory took a fancy to that bracelet and mentioned it in the dorms, she glimpsed the seven-figure price tag and thought at the time that earning that much money in a lifetime would be satisfying enough. But less than three days later, Ruby Gregory excitedly brought back to the dormitory two boxes. When she opened them on her bed, she saw two identical bracelets, the one she said she wanted a few days ago. She naively asked back then, ¡°Aren¡¯t they limited edition, with only one model? How come you have two?¡± Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t find anything inappropriate. While trying the bracelets on her wrist, she titled her head and said, ¡°Now there are two in the world, but both are with me.¡± She paused for a moment, and with a casual smile, she continued,¡±Steve Burton took care of it.¡± Another girl in the dorm also came over at that time, while admiring the multi-million-priced bracelets, she said, ¡°So extravagant, Ruby, one is enough to make people jealous, how come you have two?¡± What Ruby Gregory said next was what stung her heart the most. Ruby Gregory said: ¡°Is it odd? Steve Burton always gives me two of any object I like.¡± She paused for a moment, her eyes curved, and she went on to tell a story naturally, like she was discussing dinner plans for that night: ¡°When I was younger, I really loved Sailor Moon. Steve Burton managed to get me a limited edition set. Unfortunately, I accidentally broke one of them and I cried so hard. Since then, anything I love, he gives me two sets, one keeps for collection, one for use, like this, even if I accidentally broke or lost one, I still have the other one!¡± Even after so many years, she still remembered how Ruby Gregory casually talked about the almost insane goodness of Steve Burton to her. P.S.: He always gives me two sets of whatever I like. I keep one for collection, and use one, like this, even if I accidentally break or lose one, I still have another one! (What an insane love~ I¡¯ve updated five chapters already, and there are five more. I¡¯m going to dinner, and I will continue after~ Leave me messages to give me some motivation~ When I come back tonight, I¡¯ll let Ruby Gregory criticize Maya Mitchell, is it okay with you all!) Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: Chapter 635: Ruby Gregorys Confession (15) Chapter 635: Chapter 635: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (15) It was then she realized, deep in Steve¡¯s heart, the distance between her and Ruby was too far apart, so far that she could never catch up within her lifetime. But even so, she insisted on snatching that kind of happiness and making it her own. And then? She did succeed eventually. Ruby and Steve¡¯s wedding was canceled, Ruby got expelled from Steve¡¯s world, and her own interactions with Steve multiplied. Everything seemed so perfect. Even during the nights of that period, she no longer dreamed of the beautiful scenes of Ruby and Steve together. Instead, she even dared to imagine what life would be like after she got together with Steve. But what about now? She just realized that no matter how many means she employed to block them, Steve and Ruby would still unexpectedly be together. ¨C Ruby and Steve hadn¡¯t been shopping in the next store for long when she saw Maya and her friend following in. Ruby really didn¡¯t expect that Maya¡¯s mental capacity was so strong. Despite her face looking extremely awful, she still insisted on catching up. However, Ruby didn¡¯t mind. Since Maya wanted to watch, she would continue to show her intimacy with Steve and make her watch enough! So, Ruby became even more sweet and charming to Steve. Steve was so enchanted by Ruby¡¯s cuteness and charm that he became completely devoted to her. Ruby went out this time mainly to buy things for the two unborn children. So she and Steve went to the top floor after browsing two stores on the third floor. Ruby thought Maya would give up by then, but surprisingly, she still followed them. Ruby ignored Maya¡¯s existence and happily picked out essentials for the babies with Steve together. The queue for the baby section checkout was quite long. Ruby initially wanted to line up with Steve, but when she and Steve were at the end of the line, she saw Maya enter the women¡¯s restroom alone. Ruby¡¯s eyes flickered, then she turned and told Steve she needed to go to the restroom. She handed her bag to Steve and entered the restroom with her phone, following Steve¡¯s reminder to be careful. Ruby didn¡¯t actually use the bathroom. She pushed open the door and stood still for a while. Then she heard the sound of water splashing from inside a closed stall, and Maya came out a moment later¡ªher face looking rather gloomy. Maya kept her head down, adjusting the clothes in her hand without showing any intention of looking up. Ruby didn¡¯t call her name, but just blocked the only exit of the restroom. Maya took two steps forward, saw someone blocking her way, and finally raised her head. Then her expression froze momentarily. Compared to Maya¡¯s stunned expression, Ruby appeared much calmer, her dark eyes staring at Maya without blinking. Maya¡¯s expression was quite colorful, it changed from gloomy to shocked, then to a forced smile, and finally to a familiar warm smile that Ruby had always known. She then spoke with a hint of surprise, ¡°Ruby?¡± Ruby never knew that a person¡¯s expression could be so rich and varied. Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: Chapter 636: Ruby Gregorys Confession (16) Chapter 636: Chapter 636: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (16) Ruby Gregory never knew that a person¡¯s expressions could be so rich and colorful. She thought, if she hadn¡¯t overheard Maya Mitchell¡¯s conversation with her friend, she would have thought that Maya¡¯s brilliant expressions were just a coincidence upon seeing her. Ruby still faced Maya with the same calm demeanor as before. In her heart, she wondered, in the past, when Maya greeted her with such a surprised tone, and she had always chatted kindly with her, was she just a ridiculous fool in Maya¡¯s mind? Maya Mitchell waited for a moment, seeing that Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t speak, she slightly furrowed her brows, her smile slightly faded, and then she glanced at Ruby¡¯s pregnant belly, surprise turning into astonishment, ¡°Ruby? Are you pregnant?¡± What¡¯s the point of pretending¡­She had been stalking Ruby and Steve Burton for so long, she must have seen her big belly, why pretend to be so shocked now as if they had just met? Ruby couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly, ¡°Maya Mitchell, why did you study economics back then? Why didn¡¯t you go to Ciawell Film Academy?¡± With a distinct irony in her words, Maya¡¯s smile vanished in an instant. She looked at Ruby with a hint of innocence in her eyes, blinked in surprise, and asked in her usual gentle tone, ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ruby had always thought she was good at concealing herself in front of Steve Burton, but now she realized what it meant to be outshined by meeting Maya. Her own disguises were child¡¯s play and would never have been exposed in front of Steve Burton every time. Ruby chuckled twice, feeling a little too lazy to beat around the bush with Maya. She cut to the chase, ¡°Maya Mitchell, have you been tired of following Steve and me around shopping for so long?¡± Maya thought she had hidden her actions well but never expected that Ruby had discovered her long ago. Her complexion slightly altered but she managed to stabilize it quickly. She still looked puzzled, as if she didn¡¯t understand what Ruby was talking about, and asked with a soft tone, ¡°Ruby, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruby paused for a moment, and then narrated in a word-for-word manner what she had eavesdropped on in the changing room of a Japanese clothing store: ¡°You said, Steve Burton? I¡¯m on good terms with him¡­We had dinner together last night¡­¡± As Ruby repeated Maya¡¯s words sincerely, Maya¡¯s face turned more and more unpleasant. ¡°A shameless woman who tries her best to cling to a man, why should I have to take her seriously?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve endured Ruby Gregory for many years. I started to hate her when we were in college.¡± Maya¡¯s face turned uglier by the second. Can you finally no longer pretend to be friendly and intimate? Ruby sneered: ¡°Maya Mitchell, if it weren¡¯t for today, for my overhearing what you had to say, I really wouldn¡¯t have known that you¡¯ve hated me so much since college?¡± Having said that, Ruby suddenly changed her tone: ¡°Oh, wait, I should say, I just found out that you also like Steve Burton, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 637 - Chapter 637: Chapter 637: Ruby Gregorys Confession (17) Chapter 637: Chapter 637: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (17) The secret that Maya Mitchell had been hiding for so long suddenly dredged up by Ruby Gregory caused her lips to tighten slightly. Ruby Gregory chuckled, she was not stupid, it was just that Maya Mitchell was good at hiding. She didn¡¯t think like Olivia Foster, bold and direct. Deep down, Ruby Gregory had always thought of Maya as a good person, so she didn¡¯t pay much attention to Maya¡¯s past actions. But thinking about it now, Ruby quickly understood everything. ¡°Maya Mitchell, when you quit Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and then attended its monthly parties, and that time you took a hit for me, was that all premeditated?¡± At that time, she did find it strange that Maya would rush to save her in a life-threatening situation. Yet, Maya, with blood streaming from her head, made no requests and remained gentle and friendly towards her. This made Ruby believe that she might be being overly suspicious, and she even felt guilty for doubting Maya. But thinking about it now¡­ With a slight smile, Ruby continued: ¡°Maya Mitchell, I have to admit, you played that part brilliantly. You gambled with your own life, seemingly wanting to get closer to me, but in reality, it was all for Steve Burton, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You really do spare no effort¡­¡± Just as Ruby Gregory was about to finish speaking sarcastically, Maya suddenly seemed to make up her mind. She stared at Ruby with an icy look in her eyes, her tone much fiercer than Ruby had ever heard before: ¡°Ruby Gregory, since you already know, why bother asking me?¡± ¡°Slap¡ª¡± Immediately after Maya¡¯s retort, Ruby raised her hand and delivered a heavy slap to Maya¡¯s face. Maya¡¯s expression momentarily froze from the slap. When she turned back, she saw Ruby¡¯s expression had become serious and cold. Before Maya could even open her mouth to speak, Ruby reached out and forcefully slapped the other side of her face. Afterward, Ruby grabbed Maya¡¯s chin, looking at her with cold eyes: ¡°Maya Mitchell, I think you misunderstood, I¡¯m not here to ask questions, I¡¯m here to settle a score.¡± ¡°Those two slaps just now, the first was for being blind and paying for your tuition. I always thought the story of the farmer and the snake was just a text, but now I realize that there are indeed people as venomous as snakes in this world!¡± ¡°The second slap was purely for venting. If you can say such disgusting words, I can certainly slap you!¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell, don¡¯t you hate me? Today, I¡¯ll make you detest me completely!¡± ¡°In your eyes, I¡¯m nothing, right? However, there are some things you have to admit. No matter what, my family¡¯s Gregory¡¯s Enterprises is better than your pedigree. No matter how bad I, Ruby Gregory, am, I look better than you, Maya Mitchell!¡± ¡°In fact, I know that your hatred for me is only because what you want, envy, and strive for, you can¡¯t have. But I happen to have all of it!¡± ¡°What, not satisfied?¡± Ruby laughed: ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me so fiercely, do you think I¡¯m wrong?¡± Chapter 638 - Chapter 638: Chapter 638: Ruby Gregorys Confession (18) Chapter 638: Chapter 638: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (18) ¡°When I first saw you on the third floor, I always felt that something was off about you. Now that I¡¯m closer, I finally understand. Maya Mitchell, you¡¯ve had plastic surgery, haven¡¯t you? And you did it to look like me, right?¡± ¡°Did you think that if you looked like me, Steve Burton would like you and pay attention to you?¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell, you¡¯re truly disgusting!¡± Ruby Gregory felt that her angry words couldn¡¯t really hurt Maya¡¯s inner feelings. As the saying goes, don¡¯t expose someone¡¯s shortcomings when scolding them. But she wanted to do just that, to expose Maya¡¯s weaknesses and make her feel unbearable pain! ¡°No, Maya Mitchell, I was wrong. You¡¯re not disgusting. You¡¯re pathetic!¡± ¡°You imitate my appearance and even try to copy my taste in clothes. Sadly, you can only manage a cheap knock-off version of me. One of my outfits is worth a whole season of yours. And you? You¡¯re forced to live in my shadow. What¡¯s even more pathetic is¡­¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell, you can¡¯t even get close to Steve Burton without relying on me.¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell, I genuinely pity you¡­¡± Ruby Gregory saw that Maya Mitchell¡¯s face was as pale as white paper, which made her feel exceptionally relieved. Ruby Gregory fiercely let go of Maya Mitchell¡¯s face, turned around, opened the bathroom door, and walked out. Maya Mitchell barely avoided slipping to the ground as the bathroom door slammed shut, but she managed to support herself against the wall just in time. Ruby Gregory¡¯s words were venomous. Maya wanted to fight back, but Ruby¡¯s words struck her at her most vulnerable, leaving her no way to retaliate. Yes, she was indeed pathetic and pitiable. But so what? Ruby Gregory was pregnant with Steve Burton¡¯s child, yet she still dared not tell him, right? When Ruby Gregory was about to marry Steve Burton, didn¡¯t she use some tricks to separate them? She hadn¡¯t completely lost. She had some victories, didn¡¯t she? She wouldn¡¯t tell them. She just wanted to watch them torture each other and themselves with her own eyes! Yes, watch them torture each other! Torture each other! With that thought, Maya Mitchell hooked her lips and chuckled wickedly. ¨C After Steve Burton paid the bill and asked the salesgirl to deliver the items to his house, he prepared to look for Ruby Gregory. He saw her smiling and walking towards him. Ruby Gregory stood in front of him, her lip corners constantly rising in amusement before she even spoke. Originally, Steve Burton came in a hurry because Ruby was wronged, but who would have thought that after spending an afternoon shopping with her, her mood seemed to get better and better until it was exploding with joy! Steve Burton left the mall with Ruby Gregory and found a fine on his car ¨C a parking violation ticket for US$27.5. Ruby Gregory held up the fine, her smile beaming, and shook it at him before getting inside the car. On the way to dinner, Ruby picked up some receipts from the car¡¯s storage and leafed through them. They were either clothes Steve Burton had bought for her or things for their baby. Ruby pursed her lips and, with an unapologetic expression, said to Steve, ¡°Steve, what should we do? I made you spend so much money today!¡± Chapter 639 - Chapter 639: Chapter 639: Ruby Gregorys Confession (19) Chapter 639: Chapter 639: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (19) She actually called him ¡°Time¡±? Steve Burton¡¯s hand on the steering wheel trembled slightly, and the car skidded a bit. He hastily steadied it. The next second, Ruby Gregory crumpled up the invoices in her hand and threw them at Steve¡¯s head, her tone fierce, ¡°Time, can you even drive? Do you know that your driving puts four lives at risk!¡± Steve, who had been scolded and hit, was stunned for a moment, then cracked a smile. Ruby also grinned, opened her purse, and handed two hundred-dollar bills along with the car ticket to Steve, ¡°Here, to show that I¡¯m not only about spending your money and not giving anything back, I¡¯ll pay this fine for you.¡± Steve reached out one hand to accept it and then said seriously, ¡°Ruby, you really are generous.¡± Ruby pretended not to hear the sarcasm in his words, and nodded earnestly. Then, she rummaged through her bag for a while, pulled out a coin, and stuffed it into Steve¡¯s shirt collar, ¡°Time, as a reward for your praise, I¡¯ll give you an extra bonus.¡± Steve, who had received the penny, felt the cold coin sliding down his skin until it got stuck at his belt. He took out the coin and saw it was a penny. His grin grew even wider, and he glanced at Ruby through the rearview mirror, seeing her smiling and gazing out the window. Steve thought: It seems Ruby¡¯s mood is really the best it has ever been! ¨C Steve still took Ruby to eat light meals. They dined in a rooftop garden restaurant not far from the Gregorys¡¯ house. Ruby had a great appetite, drinking two bowls of pork rib soup, eating more than half a bowl of rice, along with some steamed egg and other delicious dishes. When they finished eating, night had completely fallen, and the summer breeze blew gently over the rooftop. Looking down, the city lights sparkled, while looking up, the sky was full of stars. Ruby leaned back in her chair and touched her full stomach. Gazing at Steve, who was sitting across from her elegantly sipping his soup, she pondered for a while before finally being unable to resist asking, ¡°Steve, I heard that you had dinner with Maya Mitchell last night, is that true?¡± Steve paused for a second while sipping his soup and looked at Ruby, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to ask about her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just heard that you had dinner with her last night, so I casually asked.¡± Steve¡¯s face was calm as he said, ¡°If you mean that there was a dinner party last night with eighteen people, which included both me and her¡­ then yes, we did have dinner together.¡± So it was a dinner party¡­ Ruby instantly felt much better. She smiled, propping her chin with her hand, and stared at Steve for a moment. Then she leaned in and whispered mysteriously, ¡°Steve, I also heard some gossip¡­¡± ¡°What gossip?¡± Steve furrowed his brow, took a few sips of soup, and then continued the conversation. ¡°I heard that you and Maya Mitchell are about to get together¡­¡± PS: I thought I could write about yesterday¡¯s preview, but it¡¯s just a little bit short~ I¡¯ll write it tomorrow~~ Guess how Steve will respond to Ruby~~~~ The group number for ¡°Ruby-Time¡±: 427882245 (spaces are limited, so join to reserve a spot~) Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Chapter 640: Ruby Gregorys Confession (20) Chapter 640: Chapter 640: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (20) ¡°I heard that you and Maya Mitchell are getting pretty close¡­¡± Before Ruby Gregory could finish her sentence, Steve Burton, who was sitting opposite her, suddenly spat out the soup that he was drinking. Luckily, Steve reacted quickly and turned his head to spit the soup on the ground. Ruby looked at Steve spitting out the soup and deliberately made a disgusted expression, waving her hand and saying, ¡°Steve, that¡¯s disgusting!¡± Steve looked up at Ruby, wanting to say something, but unfortunately, he had just spat so hard that the soup got into his nose. So the next second, he covered his mouth with his hand and started coughing violently. Ruby cursed him for being disgusting, but instead of moving away, she leaned her small face even closer, watching Steve, who was red-faced from coughing. In her tone, there was a hint of sourness that even she herself didn¡¯t notice: ¡°Steve, do you really need to be this excited when Maya Mitchell is mentioned?¡± It took Steve quite a while to finally ease his coughing. Just as he was about to pick up the glass to rinse his mouth, he suddenly heard the words that Ruby threw at him. Like being stimulated, his fingers shook fiercely, and the water in the glass splashed out, drenching his face. Steve quickly put down the glass, lowered his head, and the water dripped along his perfect facial contour, hitting the floor. Steve hurriedly took a tissue from the side and wiped his face while coughing twice. After catching his breath, he looked up at Ruby: ¡°Ruby, what did you say? There are rumors that Maya Mitchell and I are getting close?¡± Although she inferred this from Maya Mitchell¡¯s words, there were still other rumors, so Ruby nodded seriously at Steve: ¡°Yes.¡± Steve laughed as if he had heard a hilarious joke. After hearing Ruby¡¯s response, he hooked his lips and lightly laughed: ¡°Ruby, are you sure you¡¯re not telling me an after-dinner joke?¡± Ruby pouted: ¡°Steve, do you think I look like someone who has time for after-dinner jokes?¡± Steve continued to laugh lightly, his tone lazy: ¡°Even if you don¡¯t have time for after-dinner jokes, but simply want to chat with me about gossip, can you at least give me a better romantic interest?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Maya Mitchell? She¡¯s beautiful, ambitious, gentle, generous, capable¡­¡± Although Ruby didn¡¯t want to praise Maya Mitchell, she still counted Maya¡¯s advantages on her fingers. Then she realized that she had actually named quite a few of Maya¡¯s strengths, so she pouted and compared her own shortcomings with Maya¡¯s: ¡°Unlike me, who is always unreasonable, making a fuss, willful, and doing nothing with my life¡­¡± With such thoughts, Ruby felt that she was really quite miserable. She heaved a faint sigh, raised her hand to support her chin, blinked twice at Steve, and said: ¡°So, when you compare everything, Maya Mitchell is pretty good, except for her average background. Besides, Steve, your background is already good enough, there¡¯s no need to be so picky.¡± After hearing the comparison between himself and Maya Mitchell from Ruby¡¯s mouth, Steve¡¯s tone was also tinged with a layer of amusement: PS: Something came up during the day, starting to update now~ Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Chapter 641: Ruby Gregorys Confession (21) Chapter 641: Chapter 641: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (21) After listening to Ruby Gregory comparing him and Maya Mitchell, Steve Burton responded with a hint of amusement in his tone: ¡°Petty, overdramatizing, selfish, doing nothing?¡± Steve Burton repeated the words Ruby Gregory used to describe him, then chuckled, ¡°Those descriptions suit me well.¡± Women¡­ they always do this. Before the man they are attracted to, they¡¯d list their own flaws, only to hunt for negation and compliment in return, which would sweeten their hearts as if having a taste of honey. Ruby Gregory wasn¡¯t an exception. However, she didn¡¯t expect that Steve Burton would acknowledge those flaws. Some flaws can be self-mocked, but they are not for others to criticize. Ruby Gregory¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. She glared angrily at Steve Burton, her look somewhat irritated. Seeing Ruby Gregory boiling with rage, Steve Burton couldn¡¯t help laughing. Then, he leisurely continued, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t you know that being petty, overdramatizing, selfish, doing nothing¡­ these are all the charming qualities of a woman?¡± All the flaws that she picked out from herself, through Steve Burton¡¯s mouth, had all turned into adorable merits¡­ Ruby Gregory¡¯s face changed as quickly as the June sky, and instantly beamed with joy. Although she felt greatly flattered deep down, she still said in denial, ¡°Steve Burton, have you been eating honey? You surely know how to sweet-talk women!¡± ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m not coaxing you. I¡¯m simply telling the truth.¡± Steve Burton said earnestly to Ruby Gregory. She wasn¡¯t the woman in his dream, but she was indeed the woman he liked. Since he liked her, he never thought of regretting it. Perhaps Ruby Gregory did have many faults, but her wilfulness, laziness, and brattiness were all developed under his indulgence when they were young. If he hadn¡¯t helped her with her homework back then, how could she be lazy? If he hadn¡¯t stood up for her whenever she got into trouble, how could she be willful and make a fuss over nothing? He might not know what love is, but he knew there was a kind of love where Ruby Gregory makes trouble, and Steve Burton fixes it up. Steve Burton¡¯s long eyelashes flickered twice, then he continued, ¡°But, Ruby, are you sure that using words like ¡®pretty¡¯, ¡®ambitious¡¯, ¡®gentle¡¯, ¡®generous¡¯, and ¡®capable¡¯ to describe Maya Mitchell doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re insulting my intelligence?¡± ¡°And, you said that Maya Mitchell and I are about to become a couple, are you sure you¡¯re not trying to disgust me because I ate too much tonight so that I¡¯d throw up?¡± Steve Burton¡¯s tone was relaxed, yet Ruby Gregory detected a hint of mockery within, like he was looking down on Maya Mitchell. Honestly speaking, Ruby Gregory truly enjoyed Steve Burton¡¯s contemptuous mockery. Her initially tense heart had relaxed a lot. She looked at Steve Burton, her head tilted to the side, not saying a word. It was hard for people to understand whether Ruby Gregory mentioned the gossip casually or she actually cared about it. In any case, no matter whether Ruby Gregory truly cared or simply asked, he would never allow his unwavering faithfulness, innocence, and devotion to be sullied by Maya Mitchell, not a bit. Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Chapter 642: Ruby Gregorys Confession (22) Chapter 642: Chapter 642: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (22) Steve wiped the water droplets from his face and placed the used tissue on the side table. He then signaled the waiter to clean the soup he had spit out on the floor before leaning lazily against the chair, his eyes fixed on Ruby, who had been waiting patiently with a smile. Suddenly, he let out a laugh and then composed his somewhat sloppy demeanor. Ruby noticed Steve¡¯s change in expression and sensed that he was about to say something. She became tense, her hands silently clenching into fists. After a moment, Steve straightened his back, his expression becoming extremely serious. He stared at Ruby for a while, cleared his throat, and finally spoke, ¡°Ruby, setting aside the notion of compatible backgrounds in marriage, even if I had no such requirements, I wouldn¡¯t be so desperate as to choose someone like Maya Mitchell.¡± ¡°To put it simply, if Maya were the only woman left in the world, I still wouldn¡¯t lay eyes on her. If possible, I¡¯m too lazy to even look at her.¡± ¡°So, those rumors and gossip about me and her¡­ they¡¯re completely baseless and utter nonsense!¡± It had been a long time since Ruby had seen Steve with such a dark and angry expression while he spoke. In the past, she would often anger him unintentionally, and seeing his infuriated face would become a regular occurrence to her. Seeing his expression again now, she didn¡¯t feel the same fear she used to. Instead, an indescribable sense of joy filled her. So, all these things were nothing more than Maya¡¯s unrequited love! In Steve¡¯s heart, she was not even as important as Olivia Foster. At least Steve did not like Olivia, but he wasn¡¯t disgusted by her to this extent either. But what about Maya? It seemed that she was utterly repulsive and even disgusting to Steve. Despite her joy, there was still a thorn in Ruby¡¯s heart, a faint pain, especially when she was looking at Steve, who was so close to her. She realized she cared more about that pain. The joy in Ruby¡¯s heart slowly faded away, leaving only an indescribable heaviness. Ruby lowered her eyelids, swallowed deeply, and kept her head down as she asked Steve, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of woman who would shamelessly cling onto a man and throw myself at him?¡± Steve noticed Ruby¡¯s unhappiness when she lowered her eyes, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what was bothering her. Just as he was trying to figure out how to ask her, she spoke before he could. Do you think I¡¯m the kind of woman who would shamelessly cling onto a man and throw myself at him? Why would Ruby suddenly ask him such a question out of the blue? Steve¡¯s brows furrowed, his gaze fixed on Ruby, his expression gradually turning icy. He clearly remembered that in the afternoon when he called her, she sounded very wronged. But when he rushed to her side, she acted as if nothing happened. So, the question she just asked was related to that sense of grievance, wasn¡¯t it? Chapter 643 - Chapter 643: Chapter 643: Ruby Gregorys Confession (23) Chapter 643: Chapter 643: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (23) In the afternoon, he saw her happy and didn¡¯t ask, fearing that asking might bring out the sadness in her heart. Now she had voluntarily mentioned it, Steve Burton paused for a moment before directly asking, ¡°Ruby, what happened this afternoon that made you unhappy?¡± Ruby Gregory kept her head down. Steve couldn¡¯t see her expression, but looking at her like this, a wave of heartache surged in his heart, unable to suppress it. Steve kept quiet, patiently waiting for Ruby. There were many people in The Gardens Restaurant on the rooftop, but at this moment, it was as if only Ruby and Steve were there. She could feel the man looking at her, waiting for her. His patience finally softened her. She raised her head and looked at Steve. ¡°In the afternoon, I bumped into Maya Mitchell at the shopping mall.¡± Steve frowned slightly, but didn¡¯t interrupt Ruby¡¯s words. Perhaps even Ruby felt that what Maya said was reasonable, so her tone was somewhat hesitant, and her voice was soft, making her seem particularly pitiable. ¡°She and a friend were shopping together. I was in the changing room, and unintentionally, I eavesdropped on their conversation.¡± Ruby paused between each segment of her story. Although Steve was anxious about what happened next, his expression remained gentle and patient. ¡°That dinner you had with Maya last night, and the close relationship between you two¡­ I actually heard it all from Maya¡¯s conversation with her friend.¡± Ruby told Steve the truth, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy as she recalled her earlier lies to get Steve talking. She glanced up at him, and upon seeing that his face didn¡¯t show any displeasure, she continued, ¡°They also talked about me.¡± When Ruby was little, she would always run to him for comfort whenever she encountered something upsetting. However, later¡­ she never did it again. Now, she finally spoke to him again. Actually, when Ruby reached this point, Steve could more or less guess what happened next and what Ruby would say. But he still silently looked at her, his eyes almost warm, encouraging Ruby to continue. ¡°She said that during her college days, she really hated me. She also said that apart from clinging to you shamelessly, I had nothing good about me¡­¡± A hint of killing intent flashed through Steve¡¯s eyes. Maya¡¯s words were even harsher than he had imagined, no wonder Ruby was so upset and sad on the phone in the afternoon. ¡°I was so angry at the time, and I couldn¡¯t control myself, so I sent you a private message. You called me, and then you know the rest.¡± When Ruby thought about how she took advantage of Steve to spite Maya without him knowing in the afternoon, she nervously grabbed her fingers and twisted them. She hesitated whether or not to tell Steve the truth, worrying that he wouldn¡¯t be happy after knowing that she used him. After struggling for a long time, she finally chose to be honest. ¡°Actually, I lied to you in the afternoon. The clothes I first tried on were from the Japanese-style clothing store behind me, not the European and American clothing store.¡± Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: Chapter 644: Ruby Gregorys Confession (24) Chapter 644: Chapter 644: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (24) ¡°I saw Maya Mitchell go into that European and American store, and I wanted her to see that you were shopping with me, so I lied and said¡­¡± Lacking confidence, Ruby Gregory spoke with her head lowering, not daring to look at Steve Burton, her voice pitifully small: ¡°Also, later in the clothing store, I suddenly called your name loudly because Maya didn¡¯t see us shopping together, so I did it on purpose.¡± When Ruby said this, she suddenly lost the courage to continue. She clenched her fingers tightly, feeling a sharp pain, before continuing with a sink-or-swim attitude: ¡°Then she saw me with you, and she followed us as we shopped. I¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Ruby stammered dishonestly, then closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and said everything in one breath: ¡°My smiles and closeness to you were all for her to see. Although I wanted to anger her, I was also very happy at the time. I didn¡¯t want to use you simply for that purpose. I¡­¡± Ruby couldn¡¯t find words to explain herself further, so she simply closed her mouth, her head hanging as if it were about to touch her chest. She regretted telling Steve about this, even thinking that he would definitely be unhappy. Ruby held her breath, waiting for Steve¡¯s anger, his displeasure, his curses, but after a long wait, none of the scenarios she imagined came true. She blinked, puzzled, then slowly raised her head to look at Steve who was sitting in front of her. To her surprise, there was no anger on his handsome face, but rather a deep smile. The surrounding lights and the starlight from the sky fell on him, making him look exceptionally elegant and charming. Ruby looked incredulous, unable to believe the scene she was witnessing. She stared for some time then forcefully blinked, confirming that she was not mistaken before foolishly asking: ¡°Steve, aren¡¯t you upset?¡± Steve felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart when he saw how cautiously Ruby asked. He used to mind, but his minding pushed her away from him. Furthermore, this time she used him to compete with Maya because of him. He couldn¡¯t be happier. How could he possibly mind? Steve shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m quite happy.¡± Perhaps because he said this too simply, a hint of doubt flashed in Ruby¡¯s eyes. Steve thought for a moment and then said earnestly: ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m really very happy.¡± Steve was not the kind of person who was good at sweet talk. It was easy for him to do things but difficult to explain them with words. He would rather keep it in his heart than speak out. However, this time, seeing the pure unease in Ruby¡¯s eyes, he blurted: ¡°Ruby, my happiness is insignificant compared to yours.¡± My happiness is insignificant compared to yours. Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: Chapter 645: Ruby Gregorys Confession (25) Chapter 645: Chapter 645: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (25) Compared to your happiness, my happiness is insignificant. At the bottom of Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart, a violent tremble occurred, and she could clearly feel that the softest part of her left chest was gently being wrapped by something warm. After Steve Burton finished his sentence, he realized what he had just said, and a blush appeared on his pale face. Fortunately, the surrounding light was dim, so he didn¡¯t look too embarrassed. However, he quickly changed the topic: ¡°But, Ruby, you were a bit too gentle with Maya Mitchell.¡± Hearing this, Ruby Gregory regained interest in an instant: ¡°Steve, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you. While you were paying the bill, I went to the restroom and had a fight with Maya Mitchell!¡± Steve¡¯s body suddenly leaned forward, and he looked up and down Ruby Gregory over the dining table. When he saw her pregnant belly, he suddenly felt he was worrying too much. He leaned back lazily and said in complete disbelief: ¡°Ruby¡­ with your big belly¡­ are you sure you weren¡¯t just standing there getting beaten by Maya?¡± Ruby was slightly offended by Steve¡¯s words, and even though it was Steve who had genuinely made Maya uncomfortable that afternoon, she shamelessly said: ¡°Steve, don¡¯t underestimate me. I cornered Maya in the restroom, scolded her a lot, and even slapped her twice. She was so dumbfounded by my scolding that she didn¡¯t even fight back. You weren¡¯t there to see it, but if you were, you would have definitely praised me for being tough!¡± Steve looked at Ruby¡¯s expression for a while, and after realizing she wasn¡¯t bluffing, his expression turned serious: ¡°What about you? Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°No, and I got a lot off my chest!¡± No wonder she was in such a good mood when she came out of the restroom¡­ so that¡¯s what happened¡­ Steve couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the same time, finally saying: ¡°Ruby, remember to have a good prenatal education.¡± Ruby Gregory was reminded by Steve¡¯s words and then suddenly thought about prenatal education. She pretended to be upset but was only able to maintain the sad face for five seconds. She pressed her lips and looked at Steve, saying: ¡°Steve, I¡¯m really sorry for having tried so hard to cling to you, wanting to marry you in the past.¡± The sudden change in mood caused by Ruby¡¯s words made the atmosphere tense. There were things Ruby had never told anyone, including Madeleine. For example, Madeleine knew she had set her heart on marrying Steve for the sake of the Gregorys, but she didn¡¯t know the extent of the influence and education she had received since childhood in order to marry Steve. In fact, she had never thought about telling Steve these things, but after hearing how Maya Mitchell devalued her today, she feared that Steve might also think of her in the same way. ¡°Steve, was I very annoying back then?¡± The past incidents were the softest and most painful parts of her heart. Even now, bringing them up again, Ruby still felt as if her heart was being twisted by a knife. She tried her best to squeeze out a smile and said casually, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t even have to say it. When I think of my past self, I find it annoying.¡± With a gentle smile on her lips, Ruby spoke softly: ¡°But, Steve, I never wanted to be like that.¡± Chapter 646 - Chapter 646: Chapter 646: Ruby Gregorys Confession (26) Chapter 646: Chapter 646: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (26) ¡°If I, from the moment of my birth, had the ability to think, to make choices, I certainly wouldn¡¯t have lived that way.¡± Steve Burton found Ruby Gregory¡¯s words somewhat strange. As for the fact that Ruby once desperately wanted to marry him and, in doing so, had brought prosperity to the Gregorys ¨C he initially had no knowledge of that. It was only once when Madeleine, who had a propensity to speak her mind unfiltered, let slip half a sentence that he began to notice something peculiar. He then gradually perceived a change in Ruby and understood what Madeleine actually meant with her half-stated comment. ¡°Do you know, Steve? From a very young age, the Gregorys imbued me with a way of thinking that consisted of only three principles:¡± Those three principles were etched deep into her bones, and even now, she could recite them, each and every word, clearly. ¡°The first principle: Whatever Steve likes, I must also like.¡± Steve¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Maintaining a shallow smile and a calm demeanor, Ruby continued, ¡°The second principle: I must do everything in my power to make Steve happy.¡± Steve¡¯s brow furrowed deeper. Taking a deep breath, Ruby said the last sentence in a soft voice, ¡°The third principle: I must marry Steve.¡± Steve¡¯s expression was frozen. ¡°So, at that time, even though I didn¡¯t understand anything, I still knew, I belonged to you.¡± It takes a lot of courage to revisit the painful past that one has lived. Ruby thinks this is absolutely the only time in her life she would ever look back at her past, a past she once didn¡¯t understand, but now views as absurd. ¡°Then, do you know, Steve, for a long time, I didn¡¯t know what I truly liked.¡± ¡°Even for more than ten years, I saw other girls wearing colorful clothes, trying various scents of perfume, and making all kinds of hairstyles¡­¡± When Ruby reached this part of her story, her voice slightly quivered, ¡°But what about me? I could only choose blue clothes, use Chanel No. 5 perfume, have long straight hair¡ªI had no choice, because I wanted to please you. You have no idea, there was even a period where I felt nauseous at the sight of the color blue, at the smell of Chanel No. 5. I even wanted to chop off all my hair, and even sneaked into my wardrobe in the middle of the night to try on clothes of different colors, just to feel comfortable and somewhat happier.¡± With only a few words, Ruby lightly described all her past experiences, presenting them before Steve. Although he knew that Ruby wanted to marry him because of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises that stood behind him, he had no idea that since childhood, Ruby had been subjected to such a mindset. Even though they were neighbors, he had no right to interfere with their methods of upbringing. Those actions of hers that used to infuriate him, upset him, were in fact each a piercing arrow into her heart. Yet what about him? He had thought she was intentionally trying to please him, and he treated her brutally as a result. Steve¡¯s face turned somewhat pale, as if a handful of white paint was thrown at it. It felt like a hand had reached into his chest, clutching his heart. He wanted to stop Ruby from continuing, but all he could do was open his mouth, unable to utter a sound. Chapter 647 - Chapter 647: Chapter 647: Ruby Gregorys Confession (27) Chapter 647: Chapter 647: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (27) ¡°What hurt me the most wasn¡¯t all of that, but rather that every time we had a disagreement, the Gregorys would blame me without any consideration for right or wrong, or any reason. I just couldn¡¯t make you angry because you were born into the Burton family and have always been showered with attention. It¡¯s only normal for you to have the temperament of a young master, so I had to accommodate and appease you¡­ Steve, you have no idea how much I hated you and envied you back then. I wondered why even my own parents sided with you; even doubted if I was their real daughter¡­¡± Ruby genuinely wanted to cry, but she tried her best to keep a smile on her face. There was no trace of tears in her clear eyes, and her tone remained remarkably stable: ¡°And you know what? My mom, because of you, hit me hard many times ¨C real hits, directly to my face¡­¡± As she spoke, Ruby made a gesture of being hit, pointing to her left cheek and saying, ¡°This face was hit.¡± Under the light and starlight, Ruby¡¯s pale, delicate face looked poreless and flawless. However, Steve could faintly see the red finger marks on her face. He felt a hand gripping his heart, squeezing it harder and harder, causing blood to ooze out slowly, making it hard for him to breathe. He had always thought that in their loveless relationship, he was the one who loved and hurt the most. But now he realized that his pain and sadness were nothing compared to hers. He had thought that Ruby was just good at pretending, like a puppet. But it wasn¡¯t an act¡ªshe really was a puppet. Steve struggled to steady himself, staring at Ruby for a long time before finally moving his dry lips and asking a question, unsure if he was asking himself or her. He asked: ¡°Were you raised from childhood to exist only for me?¡± Ruby¡¯s hand on the table slowly clenched into a fist. After a considerable pause, she gave a slight nod and uttered a quiet ¡°yes.¡± For the first time in his life, Steve was at a loss for words. His eyes bore heavily into Ruby, not speaking for a long while. Finally, he lifted his head and covered his face with his hand. She existed for him since childhood. Ruby had existed for him since childhood. Steve¡¯s eyes began to feel warm. Ruby sat across from him, telling herself over and over not to cry. She forced a smile and, holding back the sourness in her heart, joked, trying to sound casual, ¡°In the drawer of my dressing table in my bedroom, there¡¯s a notebook. That notebook records every little detail about you ever since I was a child. It¡¯s the story of my life for the past twenty-plus years.¡± Upon hearing this, Steve¡¯s hand that covered his face trembled violently. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to alleviate the pain in his chest. But he found his pain growing even worse. Chapter 648 - Chapter 648: Chapter 648: Ruby Gregorys Confession (28) Chapter 648: Chapter 648: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (28) Although Ruby couldn¡¯t see Steve¡¯s expression clearly, she could feel that he seemed to be upset. Actually, her intention in saying those things was not to make Steve upset. She just wanted him to know that she was not the kind of girl who shamelessly clung to men. But unfortunately, she had made the atmosphere so awkward. Ruby looked up at the sky and took a few deep breaths. After calming herself down, she sat upright and said to Steve who was sitting right across from her, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I should go home.¡± Steve did not respond. He sat there rigidly, as if he was frozen. Ruby did not speak again. Both of them remained silent. After a long time, Steve finally rubbed his face vigorously with both hands, and slowly raised his head. Ruby saw that his handsome face was calm, his eyes were dry, and even when he raised his hand to call the waiter for the bill, he remained as composed as always. When the waiter presented the bill, Steve handed over his card to pay, signed the receipt, and after taking back his card, glanced at Ruby. Both of them stood up and walked towards the staircase. Suddenly, Steve¡¯s legs weakened, and he nearly stumbled and fell to the ground. However, he quickly regained his balance and smiled at Ruby as if nothing had happened, then continued to walk straight ahead. When they arrived at the underground parking lot, Steve walked past his own car without showing any reaction. It was Ruby who finally spoke up and stopped him. Steve stopped in his tracks, hurriedly fished for his car keys, but ended up pulling out his house key instead. He kept pressing it for a while, before muttering, ¡°Is it out of battery?¡± Then he tried to insert the key into the car door. Steve struggled with it for a while without success. Finally, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but walk over. She took the car key out of Steve¡¯s pocket, opened the car door for him. He smiled and accepted the car key from Ruby, saying, ¡°Oh, I grabbed the wrong key.¡± After finishing his sentence, he laughed a couple more times before bending down to sit in the car. Ruby got in the car as well, fastened her seat belt and looked at Steve, who held the car key in his hand and stared straight ahead, seemingly lost in thought. Unable to help herself, Ruby called his name, ¡°Steve.¡± Steve came back to his senses and hurriedly started the engine. He then sat silently for about five minutes before finally stepping on the accelerator and driving away. Throughout the journey, Steve remained composed and drove at a steady speed. He continued to keep his eyes on the road, without looking at Ruby or saying anything. Ruby sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, her mind a complete mess. She hadn¡¯t mistaken it, after she had told him her past, his series of absentminded actions indicated that he was more upset than she was. Throughout this period, he had treated her so nicely ¨C she couldn¡¯t have misunderstood that. So, regardless of how harshly he had once treated her, deep down in his heart, there still was a place for her, right? And during this time, they had shared such warm and beautiful moments, which even brought her an unprecedented sense of ease and happiness. Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Chapter 649: Ruby Gregorys Confession (29) Chapter 649: Chapter 649: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (29) She was certain, she wanted to extend this happiness and ease forever. She really, really craved these wonderful times. Scenes she once dared not contemplate began to surface in her mind. The idea of him and her living together, with their children. When the children were two or three years old, they could raise a beautiful shepherd dog, running in the spacious yards of The Burtons and The Gregorys. Ruby Gregory subconsciously turned her head, glancing at Steve Burton. However, this man, why was he so ruthless in making her take long-term birth control pills, not allowing her to conceive his child! Her arrangement with Edric Reat, was that Edric would be her cover, their intersections in reality were few and between. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory kept urging Edric to pay them a visit, then to prepare for her and Edric¡¯s wedding after she gave birth. But, such visits had been continuously postponed by her using various reasons and excuses. She was already eight months pregnant, possibly ready to give birth next month, her child was actually full-term, but in the view of Maxwell and Lady Gregory, it was prematurely born, almost two months early. Such a child would need to be placed in an incubator. So to prevent Maxwell and Lady Gregory from discovering the child wasn¡¯t Edric¡¯s, initially Edric and she planned to leave Ciawell temporarily next month, waiting to return after the birth of the child and her confinement period. Those plans were initially perfectly arranged. But now, the more contact she had with Steve Burton, the more shaken she became. Ruby thought as she glanced at Steve who was driving. Completely honest, when she got checked at the hospital and found out the vitamin was actually a long-term contraceptive pill, she was truly a bit hesitant to tell Steve she was pregnant. First, she was afraid he would reject it, second, she had her own dignity. Back then, she really plucked up her courage to ask Steve if he wanted a child, but he¡¯d said no, he wasn¡¯t interested. Up till now, let alone telling Steve the child is his, she didn¡¯t even dare to think about test probing him a second time. But now, should she give herself another chance to test probe Steve? Ruby was slightly nervous about this sudden thought, sitting in the passenger seat, she frequently glanced at Steve through the rear-view mirror. The tenth time she glanced at Steve, she clenched her hands tightly, took a deep breath, and decided to give it another try. Ruby looked at the road outside the car window, just as they were about to get to her residential area, she began to speak: ¡°Steve?¡± Steve¡¯s mind was still thinking about the words Ruby said during dinner, after a long while, he turned his head, glancing at Ruby. Ruby didn¡¯t rush to speak further, she waited until Steve parked the car steadily at the gate of the residential area before she started: ¡°Steve, my child will be born in a few months, I¡¯m three years younger than you, what about you? Have you ever planned when to consider having a child?¡± PS: Today¡¯s update of 14,000 words is complete~~ Everyone, please take it easy and leisurely read the book. The problem between Ruby and Steve is a gap, not a child~~ If the gap isn¡¯t resolved, even if the child is acknowledged as Steve¡¯s, can you be sure they will reconcile, and all will be well afterwards? Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Chapter 650: Ruby Gregorys Confession (30) Chapter 650: Chapter 650: Ruby Gregory¡¯s Confession (30) Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t rush to speak, waiting for Steve Burton to park the car at the entrance of the neighborhood. It was then that she finally said her prepared words, ¡°Steve, my child will be born in just a few months. What about you? Have you ever planned when you want to have children?¡± It took a long time for Ruby¡¯s words to slowly digest in Steve¡¯s head after she had finished speaking. Yeah¡­ Time does fly. He still clearly remembered that he found out she was pregnant around Chinese New Year. At that time, she was just a little over a month pregnant, and now, in the blink of an eye, she was due in just over three months. Steve¡¯s eyes flickered, and then he thought about his own life plans. At five years old, Steve planned to get into Harford University at eighteen, study his favorite science and engineering courses, become a great scientist, then marry Ruby Gregory, and have a pair of children and grow old together. At ten years old, Steve realized that his life plan couldn¡¯t be controlled by himself. Thus, he was forced to change his plan to take over Pristine¡¯s Enterprises and strive to be the best successor of the company, then marry Ruby Gregory, have a pair of children, and grow old together. At fifteen, Steve finally received the Harford University admission letter he had wanted since he was five. Although the major wasn¡¯t his favorite science and engineering, but business and economics, when he told Ruby the news, all he got in return was a regretful sentence from her, ¡°Does this mean I can only see you once in a while?¡± Because of that sentence, he didn¡¯t sleep the whole night, staring at the admission letter until dawn, and then tearing it into pieces and throwing it in the trash bin. The next day, he continued to tutor Ruby¡¯s lessons, waiting for her to be admitted to the same high school he attended, then marry her, have a pair of children, and grow old together. At nineteen, Steve was a prominent figure in college. On Valentine¡¯s Day, the love letters and gifts he received filled half of the dormitory corridor, but he didn¡¯t care. He was only focused on waiting for Ruby to finish her college entrance exams and join the same college he attended, then marry her, have a pair of children, and grow old together. At twenty-three, after proving himself to be outstanding, Steve successfully took over Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, becoming the company¡¯s youngest-ever president. He stood in front of his office¡¯s French windows, looking at the blue sky and white clouds, and waiting for Ruby to graduate from university, then marry her, have a pair of children, and grow old together. At twenty-five, Steve was already a legend in the business world, with Pristine¡¯s Enterprises becoming stronger and wealthier under his control. At this time, countless charming women surrounded him, but he was still determined to wait for Ruby to return from Costa Luna, then marry her, have a pair of children, and grow old together. At twenty-eight, Steve had lost Ruby, but he was still thinking that it might be better to wait before giving up, and see if there was any chance of being with her, marrying her, having a pair of children, and growing old together. Over the years, no matter how his life plans changed, the constant was to marry Ruby Gregory, have a pair of children, and grow old together. Now, her child was about to be born, but what about him? Without her involvement, how should he plan his life? ¨C Chapter 651 - Chapter 651: Chapter 651: Syrup, Candy, and Sugar (1) Chapter 651: Chapter 651: Syrup, Candy, and Sugar (1) She would inevitably marry Edric Reat, and what about him? Would he be like the CEO he once met, unable to win the heart of the woman he deeply loved, and then find a compatible woman to settle down and have children with, thus continuing the family line? Or perhaps he could find a woman similar to her and use that woman as a substitute for her, creating a family of his own? It wasn¡¯t until this moment that he realized a life without her, no matter how he planned it, would always be dull and flavorless. However, no matter how tasteless, Steve knew that from the moment he found out she was carrying Edric¡¯s child, he only ever thought about waiting a while before giving up. But he was always just waiting without ever actually considering letting her go. If she doesn¡¯t divorce Edric in a year, then he would wait a year; if they don¡¯t divorce in two years, he would wait two years; ten years, thirty years, a lifetime¡­ then he would be willing to embrace a life of solitude and loneliness just for her till he dies. Steve blinked, and it took him about ten seconds to meet Ruby¡¯s gaze, who had been staring at him all the while. After another two seconds, he finally spoke: ¡°I have no plans to have children for now.¡± No plans to have children for now? Did he still want them in the future? But if he wanted children, why did he secretly give her long-term contraceptives before? Why couldn¡¯t they choose other contraceptive methods? Ruby¡¯s emotions wavered slightly as she stared directly at Steve¡¯s dark, deep eyes, asking, ¡°When are you planning to have children then?¡± Steve¡¯s lips pressed tightly together, not answering Ruby¡¯s question hastily. He turned off the car engine, raised his hand to wipe his face, and although it wasn¡¯t due to some grand decision that he would really spend his whole life waiting for Ruby, he answered with a sense of ease, ¡°I don¡¯t know, perhaps I won¡¯t have children in my entire life.¡± Never having children in his entire life¡­ Ruby¡¯s fingers holding her handbag trembled slightly, her long eyelashes fluttered twice, concealing her shock. After a moment, she looked up and tried to convince Steve. ¡°How could you possibly never have children in your whole life? The Burtons¡¯ massive business will always need an heir.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Wenny have children? It¡¯s the same thing. Wenny¡¯s children can also take over Pristine¡¯s Enterprises someday. There¡¯s no need for it to be my own child.¡± Steve¡¯s throat moved slightly before settling on this answer. In truth, what he wanted to say was not that he didn¡¯t want any children, but rather, he would only want children if they were born of Ruby. Even when thinking about his successor, he had considered giving it to Wenny¡¯s child, it seemed he genuinely didn¡¯t want children¡­ Ruby lowered her head, remaining silent for a while before looking back up at Steve and saying, ¡°What if, just if, a woman accidentally got pregnant with your child?¡± How could that possibility exist¡­ Apart from her, he had never touched another woman, nor would he ever do so in the future. Without any hesitation, Steve shook his head and said with certainty, ¡°That¡¯s just not possible.¡± How could it be impossible? Isn¡¯t she living proof of such a scenario? Suppressing the anxiety in her heart, Ruby tilted her head, looking at Steve playfully and asked, ¡°I¡¯m just saying, hypothetically, if a woman does become pregnant with your child, what would you do?¡± ¨C Chapter 652 - Chapter 652: Chapter 652: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (2) Chapter 652: Chapter 652: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (2) After Ruby Gregory finished speaking, fearing that Steve Burton would refuse to answer the hypothetical, she emphasized again, ¡°Just in case.¡± Immediately, Ruby held her breath and stared at Steve without blinking. As far as Steve was concerned, this was an impossibility, and he was too lazy to entertain the hypothetical. However, faced with Ruby¡¯s gaze, he eventually compromised, imagining a simple scenario where he inadvertently ended up in bed with another woman, and she happened to become pregnant with his child¡­ Although he knew it was just a hypothetical, Steve found it absurd and shook his head before blurting out, ¡°If such a situation were to happen, I would never allow that woman to give birth to the child, and even if she did, I wouldn¡¯t want it. Whether the child lived or died would have nothing to do with me.¡± Ruby felt as if a knife were stabbing into her heart, making her slightly dizzy. In disbelief, she whispered, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want it?¡± She then tightened her grip on her bag, trying to maintain her composure, and scoffed at Steve with a look of disdain, ¡°Steve, how heartless can you be? That would be your flesh and blood! Have you no humanity?¡± It was her idea for him to imagine this hypothetical, yet after he did, she turned around and scolded him¡­ Steve let out a somewhat helpless chuckle, his heart becoming slightly sorrowful. Actually, he could have been more compassionate, under one condition: the woman was Ruby. Even if the child in her belly wasn¡¯t his, as long as the woman was Ruby, he could love them both equally. The atmosphere in the car was slightly quiet. The forced smile on Ruby¡¯s face lasted only half a minute before disappearing completely. She lowered her head, afraid that Steve might see the desolation on her face. Steve didn¡¯t say anything, staring straight at the road outside the car window, lost in thought. After a while, Ruby couldn¡¯t bear the oppressive atmosphere in the car any longer. She took a deep breath, and then, with a calm expression, said, ¡°Steve, it¡¯s getting late. I should go in.¡± Steve snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at Ruby, nodding in agreement. Ruby only made brief eye contact with Steve before quickly turning away and pushing open the car door. Steve followed her out of the car, and after Ruby closed the car door, he took out his car keys, locked the doors, and said to her, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you in.¡± Ruby responded with a faint nod, walked around the car to Steve¡¯s side, and then they both headed towards the entrance of the neighborhood. Just as they took a few steps, Steve stopped in his tracks. Ruby noticed Steve¡¯s slowed pace and slowed down as well. Puzzled, she glanced at him, about to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±, when she saw his gaze fixed on something straight ahead. She furrowed her brow, and following his line of sight, saw Edric Reat walking out of the neighborhood. Ruby abruptly stopped, and the next moment, she saw Edric¡¯s gaze meet hers and Steve¡¯s. His expression faltered, and he too stopped in his tracks. Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: Chapter 653: Sugar Water, Candy, Sugar (3) Chapter 653: Chapter 653: Sugar Water, Candy, Sugar (3) Steve Burton had spent quite some time with Ruby Gregory, but apart from the first encounter when he followed her home from work, he never saw Edric Reat again. He often wondered why Edric didn¡¯t accompany her more often. Once, he even felt angered when he saw Ruby, heavily pregnant, carrying a lot of fruit home by herself, thinking Edric didn¡¯t treat her well. At that time, he was so righteous in defending Ruby. But now, finally encountering Edric again, Steve felt even more uncomfortable deep down. Since learning about Ruby¡¯s relationship with Edric, Steve always respected her boundaries and never crossed the line. He wondered if his ulterior motives towards Ruby had something to do with his awkwardness in Edric¡¯s presence. Ruby, too, had complex emotions stirring inside her. She knew that to Steve, she was Edric¡¯s fianc¨¦e. She should say goodbye to Steve and go to Edric, but she couldn¡¯t seem to do what she was supposed to. Finally, Edric was the first to break the silence. He lowered his eyelids slightly and walked towards Ruby and Steve. Stopping about two meters away, he didn¡¯t say much, only glanced at Ruby and pointed to a nearby fruit shop that was still open: ¡°I¡¯ll buy some fruit.¡± Then he looked at Steve, showing a polite and courteous nod accompanied by a slight smile, and walked towards the fruit shop. After Edric¡¯s figure disappeared into the fruit shop for quite some time, Steve finally turned to look at Ruby. He moved his lips, but in the end, lowered his gaze to his shiny, polished shoes. Then, looking straight ahead, he said, ¡°Well¡­ you should wait for him. I won¡¯t walk you in.¡± Ruby tightly held the strap of her bag and gently nodded, murmuring a soft ¡°Okay.¡± Steve softly echoed her, and then fell silent. He glanced at the fruit shop, noting that Edric hadn¡¯t come out yet. He raised a hand to rub his nose, then continued to look at Ruby for a while before finally turning around and walking towards his car. When he was about two meters away from his car, he pulled out his keys, unlocked it, and quickly got in. Just as Steve started the engine, he saw through the rearview mirror that Edric, carrying two bags, walked up to Ruby. They didn¡¯t say a word. She glanced at where his car was parked and then followed Edric into the residential complex. Steve watched their figures disappear before finally taking his eyes off the rearview mirror. He stared at the road ahead for a long time before stepping on the accelerator. He had driven only about US$27.5 when he hesitated and decided to turn the steering wheel to head back to Ruby¡¯s residential complex and park there. Chapter 654 - Chapter 654: Chapter 654: Syrup, Candy, and Sugar (4) Chapter 654: Chapter 654: Syrup, Candy, and Sugar (4) Edric kept glancing at Ruby beside him, who seemed a bit distracted. As they approached the building where they lived, Edric asked, ¡°Did you go shopping with him this afternoon?¡± Ruby looked at Edric with confusion. Edric smiled, ¡°When I passed by your place after work, Luna told me.¡± Luna was the nanny hired by Ruby. Ruby responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and didn¡¯t say anything else. Seeing a small stone in front of them, Edric took a few steps ahead, picked up the stone, and threw it into the grass. He dusted off his hands and glanced at Ruby¡¯s pregnant belly, saying, ¡°Your due date is approaching. Do you¡­ still need to leave Ciawell to give birth?¡± After asking, Edric paused for a moment and continued, ¡°If you need to, I can make arrangements right now.¡± Ruby pondered this when Steve brought her home that evening, and proceeded to try to probe Steve about the matter. As Ruby thought about that probing attempt, she became irritated. Finally, she shook her head and said to Edric, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing that Ruby¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t good, Edric didn¡¯t press further. They entered the elevator together, and as it approached Ruby¡¯s floor, Edric couldn¡¯t help but speak up again. ¡°Ruby, when you asked for my help, it was because Steve didn¡¯t want your child, and you wanted to protect your baby. I was, of course, very willing to help you.¡± At this point, Edric paused briefly before continuing, ¡°Recently, I know you¡¯ve been in contact with Steve a lot. Many times when you went to the Mom¡¯s Training Class or Gardenia Clubhouse, he picked you up and dropped you off. There was also that time I saw you and him eating together at Fire Deer Restaurant while I was with my colleagues. You both seemed happy. He treats you pretty well. I¡¯m saying all this not to cause you any trouble. I¡¯m here to help you overcome difficulties, not to make things difficult for you. If my presence causes awkwardness between you and Steve, you can let me know in advance. Whether you need me to clarify things or distance myself from you early on, it¡¯s all fine.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Ruby wasn¡¯t moved by Edric¡¯s words. In the past, she never wanted to clarify in front of Steve that everything between her and Edric was just an illusion because she didn¡¯t dare to let Steve know that the child in her womb was his. But tonight, in that moment when Edric suddenly encountered her and Steve, she felt an urge to explain to Steve that she and Edric were completely innocent and had nothing to do with each other. Just that, Steve said, he didn¡¯t want children¡­ Ruby¡¯s mind became even more chaotic. She raised her hand, rubbed her temples, and said to Edric, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll get back to you as soon as possible.¡± ¨C All the items Ruby bought with Steve that afternoon had already been delivered to her door. Upon her return, the nanny excitedly pulled her to unwrap the packages. With so much happening that afternoon, Ruby felt tired. Moreover, this evening, she had gathered her courage to probe Steve again, only to get the same answer ¨C he didn¡¯t want children. Her mood worsened, so upon seeing the nanny¡¯s enthusiasm with each package, Ruby became even more frustrated and eventually found an excuse to leave. Chapter 655 - Chapter 655: Chapter 655: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (5) Chapter 655: Chapter 655: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (5) After the events of the afternoon, Ruby Gregory felt quite tired. Furthermore, she finally mustered up the courage to urge a response from Steve Burton again that night, but the answer remained the same ¡ª he didn¡¯t want the child. This worsened her mood, so when the maid did not open a single package, her excitement only served to aggravate Ruby. Eventually, she found a random excuse to have the maid take out and arrange all these things neatly before going to the bathroom to take a shower, then returning to her bedroom early. Since Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton¡¯s relationship had improved, she would post updates on Twitter almost every night before going to bed, with most of them being trivial matters. Steve would then like her tweets, and she would send him a private message. They would chat about inconsequential things and wish each other good night. However, tonight, Ruby put her phone on the table, climbed into bed straight away and couldn¡¯t sleep even though she was tired. From beyond the bedroom door, she could faintly hear the sounds of the maid organizing things outside. Ruby knew that she wasn¡¯t bothered by the maid¡¯s minor disturbances, but she hugged the quilt, turned around and stared at the yellow dimmed sleep lamp with open eyes, thinking several times about picking up her phone but eventually resisting the urge. ¨C Ruby didn¡¯t know when she had eventually fallen asleep. The next morning, she was woken up by her phone¡¯s alarm. She got out of bed groggily, picked up her phone and saw a reminder for an appointment: at nine in the morning, she had a prenatal check-up at the hospital. It was then that Ruby remembered that she had an appointment for a prenatal check-up that day. She quickly found some clothes to wear, went to the bathroom to freshen up quickly, and left the house. It was eight o¡¯clock in the morning, during rush hour, and Ruby¡¯s residence was near the second ring road, making hailing a taxi difficult. Being worried that she wouldn¡¯t make her prenatal check-up appointment, she was about to call a chauffeur with her phone when she saw a familiar car slowly pull up in front of her. ¨C Steve Burton had driven back to Ruby¡¯s residence last night, not leaving until then. He sat in the car all night, with his mind focused on the long conversation Ruby had with him during dinner last night. Regret, distress, and remorse stirred violently in his chest. In the end, he became somewhat numb to it all. It wasn¡¯t until he received a call from his secretary, Ms. Taylor, reminding him about an early morning meeting at eight o¡¯clock, that he pulled himself together, adjusted his mood, and turned on the car. However, before he could even start driving, he saw Ruby standing on the street opposite, looking around as if she had urgent business and was trying to catch a taxi. PS: First: It¡¯s not out of spite, but I genuinely lack inspiration. I¡¯ve been writing slowly tonight and I¡¯ve only managed to write 5,000 words in five hours. My head has been aching, so please try to understand. Second: This is not misery. You all know that Maya Mitchell gave her contraception pills, but Ruby doesn¡¯t know. It¡¯s normal for her to be upset. Steve has always treated her well without expressing his love, so I¡¯m writing this to push him to speak his true feelings. Only when both parties are honest can their issues be resolved. He can¡¯t always be emotionally withdrawn, so it¡¯s unfair to Ruby, right? If Ruby can be open with him, why can¡¯t he be open with her once? Lastly: Please don¡¯t leave comments about who writes better than me or who is more exciting even when they write plainly. Yes, they might write better, but they are not me. In many people¡¯s hearts, I am an excellent presence as well, and we are all very outstanding. In the very end: Please check Baidu. There genuinely have been cases where people were initially diagnosed with twins and later discovered it was triplets due to an examination error. This is not me being willful~ Chapter 656 - Chapter 656: Chapter 656: Sugar Water, Candy, Sugar (6) Chapter 656: Chapter 656: Sugar Water, Candy, Sugar (6) Steve hesitated for a moment, balancing the steering wheel while dialing Ms. Taylor¡¯s number. The call was answered promptly, with Ms. Taylor carrying her usual staid professional tone: ¡°Mr. Burton?¡± Steve switched his vehicle to the leftmost lane. ¡°I have something come up suddenly, so cancel the morning meeting.¡± ¡°OK, Mr. Burton.¡± Ms. Taylor jotted it down, glancing at Steve¡¯s schedule. ¡°You have a card game at the Serenity Restaurant with Mr. Taylor at ten in the morning, followed by a lunch meeting¡­¡± After turning the car around, there was a slight traffic jam on the road. As Steve exited the main road to take the auxiliary lane, a motorcyclist cut him off. He forcefully stopped the car and looked up at Ruby Gregory standing under the early summer sun, heavily pregnant. His brow furrowed, revealing a slight irritation. He then raised his hand, slamming on the horn harshly. His actions were a bit too loud. The ¡°pop¡± sound that followed traveled to Ms. Taylor¡¯s ear through the phone, abruptly halting her mid-sentence. Steve didn¡¯t wait for Ms. Taylor to speak again. ¡°Cancel all appointments for today,¡± he said curtly, then hung up the phone without another word. Steve slammed the accelerator and the car surged forward. Just as he was about to approach Ruby, he braked, bringing the car to a steady stop in front of her. He then exited the car, walking towards Ruby. Ruby had clearly been frustrated last night when they separated. She spent half the night tossed and turned before finally drifting off to sleep. Yet, as Steve approached her, the anxiety from last night disappeared miraculously. She forced a slight smile. ¡°What a coincidence, Steve.¡± Watching Ruby¡¯s smile eased the burden in Steve¡¯s heart which had been weighing him down all night. He returned her smile, refraining from mentioning that this ¡°coincidence¡± was due to him spending the entire night here. Standing before Ruby, Steve spoke in his usual soft voice, ¡°Heading out?¡± Ruby nodded, giving a slight ¡°Hmm,¡± before continuing, ¡°I have a prenatal check-up.¡± Steve had spent considerable time with Ruby recently, but he had never accompanied her to a prenatal check-up. Perhaps it was due to running into Edric Reat when he accompanied her home last night, which stirred up emotions he had been deliberately or subconsciously avoiding. As he learned about her prenatal appointment, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the same discomfort he had experienced when he first found out about her pregnancy. His deep, dark eyes looked at Ruby for a moment before glancing at the neatly arranged evergreens by the roadside. Then, he spoke a bit hesitantly, ¡°It¡¯s hard to catch a taxi at this hour, let me take you there.¡± Finishing his words, he took two steps back to his car, and then opened the passenger door. After she got into the car, Steve asked her which hospital and when was the appointment. Then he started the car. It was now summer. Steve had run the air conditioner all night in the car, so it was a bit chilly inside. About ten minutes into the drive, he adjusted the temperature slightly higher. Ruby took note of Steve¡¯s little considerate move and couldn¡¯t stop the corner of her lips from curving slightly. Just then, Steve happened to glance at Ruby through the rearview mirror and saw her smiling. His eyes warmed up a bit, hinting at a trace of joy. Chapter 657 - Chapter 657: Chapter 657: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (7) Chapter 657: Chapter 657: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (7) To avoid traffic jams and missing the prenatal checkup time, Steve Burton took some old roads in Ciawell. The roads were lined with ancient trees, their massive trunks flanking the car, casting light and shadows that flickered before their eyes. Steve turned on the car radio, and a man¡¯s gentle and soothing voice streamed through the speakers, calming the listener. However, the events of the previous night had left a thorn in both of their hearts, each harboring their own thoughts and anxieties throughout the night. Now, as they sat together in the peacefulness of the present moment, the unpleasantness of the previous night seemed to dissipate from their hearts, as if nothing had happened at all. All was as usual. ¨C Upon arriving at the hospital, Steve didn¡¯t leave. Ruby Gregory had already made an appointment and went straight to the obstetrics and gynecology department on the third floor. Men were not allowed inside the examination area, so Steve waited for Ruby in the waiting area outside. Ruby¡¯s prenatal checkup was like any other; she saw the doctor first, and because her due date was near, she had more tests than usual. After completing her routine blood and urine tests the night before, Ruby underwent B-Scan Ultrasonography. The same woman in her thirties, warm and friendly, had been conducting Ruby¡¯s B-Scan Ultrasonography since the beginning. She remembered Ruby well because it wasn¡¯t common to carry twins. When Ruby walked in, the woman greeted her with a smile and motioned for her to lie down on the bed. She disinfected the equipment before placing it on Ruby¡¯s exposed belly. Ruby had undergone several B-Scan Ultrasonography sessions and was no longer as nervous as she was initially. She turned her head to look at the screen beside her and saw various cross-sectional images displayed. Her babies were fully formed; she could even clearly see their tiny hands. Dr. Madris conversed with Ruby while carefully observing the images on the screen. As she commented, ¡°I envy you for having twins, no need to have a second child¡­¡±, her voice suddenly halted. Her expression became somewhat strange. Ruby, alarmed by the doctor¡¯s expression, turned pale and trembled before saying, ¡°Dr. Madris, is something wrong?¡± The doctor didn¡¯t reply, her gaze intensely focused on the screen as if confirming something. Her silence made Ruby feel even more uncertain, and she was on the verge of tears, ¡°Doctor, are there any problems with my babies?¡± Dr. Madris continued to watch the screen for a while longer, then shook her head to Ruby, ¡°Ms. Gregory, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll call the chief physician over.¡± She then left to fetch the physician, leaving Ruby lying there, feeling uneasy. Dr. Madris left quickly and returned just as fast, taking no more than five minutes. However, for Ruby, those five minutes felt exceptionally agonizing. Dr. Madris brought back an older female physician who redid Ruby¡¯s B-Scan Ultrasonography and then conducted another Fetal Heart Monitoring. This Fetal Heart Monitoring session took twice as long as before. Ruby didn¡¯t even dare to ask if there were any problems with her babies. She held her breath, her eyes wide and unblinking, fixated on the doctor. Chapter 658 - Chapter 658: Chapter 658: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (8) Chapter 658: Chapter 658: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (8) It wasn¡¯t until Ruby Gregory felt as if she were about to faint from the intense pressure that the elderly chief physician put away her instruments and nodded to Dr. Madris: ¡°Indeed, we made a mistake.¡± Then she turned her body, and spoke with a hint of apology: ¡°Ms. Gregory, I¡¯m really sorry. We made some errors during your previous prenatal examination¡­¡± Although she was saying words of apology, Ruby could clearly hear a trace of surprise in the chief physician¡¯s voice: ¡°Ms. Gregory, you are not carrying twins, but triplets.¡± It wasn¡¯t a problem with the babies¡­ Ruby was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when she realized what the doctor had just told her. Not twins, but triplets¡­ she was pregnant with triplets¡­ triplets¡­ As the word ¡°triplets¡± filled Ruby¡¯s fuzzy mind, she heard the doctor excitedly say, ¡°We just saw that there were two fetuses on the cross-sectional image, so we thought they were twins. That¡¯s why when we listened to the fetal heartbeats and heard two different beats, we didn¡¯t pay much attention. This is our negligence as doctors, and I apologize for it. If Dr. Madris hadn¡¯t seen five little hands on the B-Scan Ultrasonography image today, we probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed this, and it might not have been discovered until you gave birth.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Gregory, you can¡¯t imagine how shocked I was. I thought one of the babies had an extra hand! Afterward, I spent a lot of effort and looked closely for a long time, vaguely thinking there was a small head behind the two babies. Then I went to find the director, and her experience is richer than mine, sure enough, it is triplets.¡± As Dr. Madris spoke, she pointed out the cross-sectional image to Ruby. True enough, Ruby could see a round shadow on the area Dr. Madris was pointing to, and it did look like a baby¡¯s small head. ¡°Ms. Gregory, you are really lucky to have triplets. It¡¯s a good thing we found out early, otherwise, there might have been some risks during delivery. Ms. Gregory, let me tell you, it¡¯s best to have a cesarean section, not a natural birth. The danger is greater with three babies.¡± After hearing everything, Ruby¡¯s mind finally made a slight turn. Although she had not yet fully accepted that she went from carrying twins to triplets, she still asked the doctor, ¡°What about my babies? Are they all healthy?¡± ¡°Healthy, all very healthy, Ms. Gregory. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruby finally calmed down a bit after hearing that the babies were healthy, and then walked out of the gynecological department somewhat dazed. ¨C Seeing Ruby come out, Steve Burton immediately stood up and welcomed her: ¡°Is the prenatal examination over? What¡¯s the result?¡± Ruby¡¯s mind was completely filled with ¡°triplets,¡± and she didn¡¯t even pay attention to Steve¡¯s question. Instead, she looked straight ahead and walked toward the elevator. Steve was frightened by Ruby¡¯s appearance and intuitively thought there might be a problem with the babies in her stomach. He didn¡¯t dare make a sound and carefully followed Ruby¡¯s side, watching the road ahead while observing her expression. When Ruby almost collided with someone for the fourth time, Steve finally embraced her directly and held her in his arms, leading her out of the hospital building. Chapter 659 - Chapter 659: Chapter 659: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (9) Chapter 659: Chapter 659: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (9) Ruby¡¯s expression remained the same since leaving the hospital, never changing in the slightest. Steve noticed that Ruby¡¯s body, in his arms, began to tremble more and more violently. Although Steve really didn¡¯t want to believe that there was a problem with the child in Ruby¡¯s belly, seeing her like this, he couldn¡¯t help but think in that direction. Then, his arms holding her also started to shiver. The two of them trembled as they walked to the car. With great effort, Steve managed to open the car door and carefully helped Ruby get in. After closing the door, he hurried into the car as well. He looked at her still unblinking dazed expression and racked his brains for comforting words. However, he found himself at a loss for words. After much thought, Steve stiffly said, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t be too sad.¡± Ruby did not respond, but her eyes turned red. A deep pain filled Steve¡¯s heart. He looked around anxiously and picked up a tissue from the side. Before he could take it out, Ruby¡¯s tears started falling like rain. Steve felt as if his breathing hurt as well. As he helped her wipe her tears, he mustered up the strength to say, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re still young. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future.¡± Ruby glanced at Steve, and her tears fell even harder. Steve fumbled around, and finally, it struck him that he seemed to be short-circuiting. He should be trying to call the best doctor in the world to see if they could help Ruby. So, he hurriedly picked up his phone, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m calling to get a doctor for you now.¡± With that, Steve dialed Rusell¡¯s number. Just as the phone started ringing, Ruby suddenly reached out, snatched Steve¡¯s phone, and hung up. She turned to look at Steve, and before she could speak, she burst into tears. After crying for quite some time, she managed to say in between her sobs, ¡°I¡¯m not a pig¡­¡± Her words were completely baffling and almost laughable, but Steve couldn¡¯t find any humor in Ruby¡¯s crying. He felt as if his insides were being torn apart. He could only use a tissue to wipe Ruby¡¯s tears while clumsily trying to comfort her, despite not understanding the meaning of her words, ¡°Yes, yes, Ruby is not a pig. How could Ruby be a pig¡­ ¡± When Ruby called herself a pig, she didn¡¯t break down too much. But the moment she heard the word pig from Steve¡¯s mouth, she instantly imagined herself as a pig, giving birth to three piglets, and cried even more fiercely. Why did her crying get worse the more he tried to console her? Steve felt like crying along with Ruby. In the end, having no other choice, he pulled her into his arms and patted her back, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry anymore, it¡¯s okay. If you keep crying, you won¡¯t look good.¡± Ruby leaned her head against Steve¡¯s chest, crying with snot and tears, looking absolutely miserable. Chapter 660 - Chapter 660: Chapter 660: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (10) Chapter 660: Chapter 660: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (10) After crying for a while, she finally exhausted herself, and her cries gradually ceased, turning into sobs. Steve listened to Ruby Gregory¡¯s intermittent sobs, feeling heartbroken. After a while, Ruby¡¯s emotions finally stabilized. She gently pulled away from Steve¡¯s embrace and glanced at Steve, the culprit who caused her to conceive triplets. Her emotions suddenly became uncontrollable again, and tears welled up in an instant. She took a tissue, wiped her tears, and said with a noticeable sob in her voice, ¡°Do you know, I¡¯m not having twins, I¡­¡± Although ¡°triplets¡± had been on Ruby¡¯s mind for a long time, when she was about to say it, she found that she needed great courage. She sniffed fiercely and said with a nasal tone, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m having triplets.¡± At this point, it was Steve¡¯s turn to be stunned. Perhaps, if the doctor had directly told Ruby that she was carrying triplets at the beginning¡­ Ruby originally thought that if she had known from the start, she may have been more accepting. But as she thought halfway, she realized that even if she had been diagnosed with triplets at the beginning, she would still have trouble accepting it. Twins are God¡¯s most precious gift to people. But triplets are a disaster. Three children! It¡¯s not like they¡¯re piglets or puppies that can simply be given away¡­ ¡°Why am I having triplets? Just like that, an extra one suddenly appears¡­¡± Ruby said and lost control of her tears, crying again. Only then did Steve glance at Ruby¡¯s belly. Although he also found the outcome rather shocking and incredible, Steve had experienced much more difficult situations than Ruby and quickly accepted reality. Consequently, he started to feel an overwhelming pain in his heart. Triplets¡­ Ruby was actually carrying triplets¡­ Edric Reat must have accumulated so much good fortune to have Ruby bear him three children at once¡­ At the time when he found out she was carrying twins, he felt envious and jealous for a long time before finally coming to terms with reality. Now that an additional child had appeared, Steve felt as if his heart was being constantly stabbed with a knife, causing both sourness and pain. Pregnant women¡¯s emotions are inherently unstable and fluctuate greatly. Ruby had just cried hysterically, almost letting out all the depression in her heart. As she burst into tears again, her emotions improved in a short while. This was already a fact. Even if she was unwilling to accept it, it was a fact she had to accept. So, Ruby closed her eyes, took a deep breath to stabilize her emotions, and then opened her eyes to look at Steve. She pitifully said, ¡°Steve¡­ can you accompany me to the mall once more?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t even wait for Steve to finish speaking before she continued, ¡°I bought only two sets of baby supplies, so I need to buy one more set. Can you come with me to the mall, please?¡± ¨C No matter how bitter Steve felt inside, he eventually didn¡¯t refuse Ruby¡¯s request. He accompanied her to the mall, only to experience a deeper bitterness. PS: Two babies weren¡¯t enough to stimulate Steve, so let¡¯s have three babies come and torment the reserved Steve~~ Then he¡¯ll confess his feelings~ Haha~ Some people asked why I insisted on writing triplets. It¡¯s because later, I can let Steve brag to Alfred Smith, saying, ¡°I had one more baby than you~~~~¡± I¡¯m going to sleep now, I¡¯ll update after I wake up~ Chapter 661 - Chapter 661: Chapter 661: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (11) Chapter 661: Chapter 661: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (11) No matter how bitter Steve felt deep down, he still didn¡¯t refuse Ruby¡¯s request and accompanied her to the mall. Then, he experienced what it meant to feel even more bitter. Steve drove Ruby to the same upscale mall as yesterday. This time, the two didn¡¯t wander around other floors but went directly to the top floor¡¯s maternity and baby section. What First-born and Second-born had, Third-born must also have. So, from pacifiers, baby bottles, to strollers, cribs, toys, and bed bells¡­ Ruby wanted to buy everything all over again. Baby items were all beautifully made, some were given by Steve to Ruby, and some were bought by Ruby during her pregnancy when she casually shopped. She had taken a long time to select them carefully, so this time, she didn¡¯t need to agonize over choosing a style but just needed to pick one according to the style she had bought before. At first, although Steve felt bitter about Ruby¡¯s twins turning into triplets, he could still hold back his feelings and make himself look like nothing was wrong. But when he was helping Ruby choose small baby items, Ruby was looking for the type she had bought before on the goods rack while expressing her opinions to Steve: ¡°Steve, it¡¯s best if the babies¡¯ things are all different colors, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve previously bought yellow and blue ones, this time I¡¯ll pick pink¡­¡± Ruby called the salesperson, took the pink pacifiers, baby bottles, and other small items according to the style she had chosen before, and then turned her head to Steve: ¡°I chose yellow and blue initially because I think these two colors can work for both boys and girls. But now that I have three in my belly, there¡¯s bound to be a girl among them, right¡­¡± Steve gradually felt his mood becoming unsettled, trying hard to maintain his composure, but Ruby kept focusing on the things she wanted to buy for the third-born without noticing anything odd about him. She still mumbled from time to time, saying words that stung Steve: ¡°If all three babies in my belly are girls, that¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯m most afraid of all three being boys because they¡¯re naughty and hard to teach. They¡¯re going to torture me in the future, but after I give birth this time, I will not consider having a second child. So, I¡¯d prefer to have both boys and girls, two girls, one boy¡­¡± Ruby tilted her head and imagined the scene, then shook her head: ¡°Still, two boys and one girl would be better. It¡¯s best if the two boys are born first, so they¡¯ll be brothers and will definitely spoil their little sister, right, Steve?¡± With Ruby¡¯s words, Steve¡¯s mind conjured an image of Ruby and Edric, along with their three children together¡­ Just thinking about it felt like it was tearing him apart. Steve stiffly nodded at Ruby, swallowed a couple of times, and finally echoed her with a heavy heart: ¡°Yes, two boys and one girl would be better.¡± Ruby chose some baby clothes and small blankets, and also bought a few large packs of diapers, only picking bed bells, cribs, and strollers at the end. Chapter 662 - Chapter 662: Chapter 662: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (12) Chapter 662: Chapter 662: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (12) Regarding the baby bed mobile issue, Ruby had previously bought two different ones, so now that she¡¯s picking another one, she decided to choose a different kind yet again. There were many styles of crib mobiles, and after eliminating the two types she already bought, Ruby really didn¡¯t know which one to choose. In the end, she had no choice but to ask Steve for his opinion. Among the bed mobiles in the Gregorys¡¯ home, one of them was bought by Steve. So when he took a look, he pointed to the style he bought last time. Ruby immediately shook her head and firmly rejected it, ¡°Steve, that won¡¯t do, we need a different style for the mobiles. Think about it, three babies, at first they each would have a different one, and then after a while, I can switch the First-born¡¯s mobile with the Second-born¡¯s, and Second-born¡¯s mobile with Third-born¡¯s, and Third-born¡¯s mobile with First-born¡¯s, and so forth. That way each baby would have three different mobiles. So, excluding the style you bought and the one I picked, you can choose one from the remaining styles. That way, even if the babies get tired and want something new, they can do it three times¡­ ¡± Ruby made a good point, but when Steve heard ¡°First-born, Second-born, Third-born,¡± his hand subconsciously clenched into a fist. He felt that accompanying Ruby to go shopping for baby items while he still hadn¡¯t completely digested the shocking and stimulating news that Ruby¡¯s twins had turned into triplets was an extremely wrong decision. His eyes seemed focused on the various crib mobiles in front of him, but his mind was in chaos. It wasn¡¯t until Ruby couldn¡¯t help but prompt him that he came back to his senses, looked at the mobiles one by one, and finally picked a newly launched style. Ruby had no objections, and after he made his choice, she immediately called the salesperson to get her a new one. After opening it and checking that there were no problems, she happily told the salesperson to ring it up. Steve stood by, mechanically taking out his bank card and then mechanically carrying the mobile he picked for his and Edric Reat¡¯s third child. Yesterday, when Ruby came to the mall, her main purpose was to buy baby beds, so today she still went to the same store where she purchased the beds yesterday. The person who received them happened to be the salesperson from yesterday. A salesperson sees countless customers every day, most of whom they forget once they¡¯re gone. However, Steve and Ruby were so striking that she remembered them clearly. Baby beds are not frequently purchased items, so the salesperson never thought that Ruby and Steve would buy another one the day after buying two already. Assuming they were just browsing, she still greeted Steve and Ruby warmly, ¡°Sir and Miss, are you back to shop for maternity and baby items?¡± Ruby also remembered this salesperson, so she smiled at her and asked, ¡°Are there any other colors for the baby beds besides the blue and yellow ones I bought yesterday?¡± ¡°We also have a pink one.¡± The saleslady pointed it out for Ruby to see. Ruby checked that the bed was fine, then signaled for the salesperson to write it up. Yesterday, the salesperson had asked Ruby and found out that she was carrying twins. Seeing her buy another baby bed, she cheerfully asked, ¡°Miss, are you planning to give this one as a gift to a friend?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ruby shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s for the third baby.¡± Chapter 663 - Chapter 663: Chapter 663: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (13) Chapter 663: Chapter 663: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (13) Visitors to the maternity department are usually husbands accompanied by their wives, which led the sales clerk to instinctively identify Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory as a young and attractive couple. Upon hearing Ruby Gregory¡¯s comment, the sales clerk first froze, before realising the meaning contained in Ruby¡¯s words. Surprise written all over her face, she glanced at Ruby¡¯s large belly, then turned her head towards Steve Burton, who was handing over his credit card, and exclaimed in delighted surprise, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re truly remarkable!¡±. The sales clerk¡¯s high praise was genuine, yet this praise didn¡¯t bring Steve any joy. Instead, it worsened his mood. Remarkable¡­ he wasn¡¯t the remarkable one, Edric Reat was! Steve Burton¡¯s finger lightly twitched. He was too drained to even explain that the child in Ruby¡¯s womb was not his. He could only muster a slight smile for the sales clerk. Only he knew how bitter and heartbreaking that smile was. After Steve¡¯s card was swiped, and since Ruby had given her delivery address the previous day, the sale clerk just confirmed the address with Ruby and began to ring up the transaction. She couldn¡¯t help expressing her envy, ¡°You and Madam are really lucky. Twins are already rare, let alone triplets¡­ Since both Madam and Sir are so good-looking, I¡¯m sure the three babies will be very beautiful¡­¡± The term ¡®triplets¡¯ weighed heavily on him, it wasn¡¯t enough that Ruby said it, now even the sales clerk was throwing it around¡­ Steve Burton did not have the strength left to even force a smile. ¨C Having bought the items needed for the third baby, Ruby slowly came to accept that she was going to have twins. She decided to inform Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory about their new grandchild while sitting in Steve¡¯s car. Thus, she placed a call to Maxwell and Lady Gregory. As Steve was driving, his attention focused on the road ahead, despite his concentration on the car¡¯s radio, he could overhear, through the phone, the voices of Lady Gregory and Maxwell Gregory filled with both joy and surprise. ¡°What? Triplets? Ruby, you¡¯re expecting triplets? Are all three babies okay?¡± Elders never complain about having too many grandchildren. Maxwell and Lady Gregory were overjoyed, discussing the triplets for a while before asking Ruby, ¡°Ruby, when you have time, bring Edric Reat home. It¡¯s been several months now; we haven¡¯t met him at all. Even if he¡¯s busy with work, he should still find the time to visit your father and me¡­¡± Steve¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened. Ruby¡¯s smile faded slightly on hearing this. After a pause, she answered casually, ¡°Alright, I understand. When I have time, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± and quickly ended the call. Ruby didn¡¯t know that Steve had heard Lady Gregory¡¯s words during the call. After hanging up, she checked the time, and then turned to Steve, ¡°It¡¯s already noon.¡± Steve didn¡¯t turn to look at Ruby but merely nodded in agreement, and then asked after a while, ¡°What would you like for lunch?¡± PS: I don¡¯t mind readers¡¯ opinions and requests for updates, but I won¡¯t tolerate rude readers who insult me, express spiteful personal attacks by saying that the child born does not have an asshole, calling me dumb, cheap, or my writing is getting worse. Considering such comments, do you think I am motivated to write? So, for those readers who provide regular feedback and suggestions, please continue ~ even though I don¡¯t reply, I do take your opinions into account~ As for updates, back to writing now~ Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Chapter 664: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (14) Chapter 664: Chapter 664: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (14) Ruby Gregory thought about it, but eventually shook her head, ¡°You decide.¡± ¨C Steve Burton ended up booking dinner at the Grand Ciawell Restaurant not far from where they were now. On the way, Steve called to reserve a private room, so when they arrived, the two were led directly into the room by the waiter. Grand Ciawell Restaurant is an old establishment, and many years ago, Steve and Ruby had dined here, so Steve picked up the menu and ordered the dishes Ruby had to eat every time they came, and added a new dish that they had launched this month. Steve was feeling a bit down, and not as talkative as usual. After ordering, as the waiter left, he stared at the three tulips in the vase on the table, when suddenly his phone rang. It was Rusell Henris calling. Steve answered the call. There were some issues with a case that their company was temporarily collaborating on, so Steve and Rusell¡¯s call lasted for quite a while. They were talking about professional jargon, which Ruby found boring, so she played with her phone by herself. During the course of the meal, Steve got up and walked to the window, turning his back to the dining table to continue his call. While browsing Twitter, Ruby suddenly saw a tweet about the most surnames used for male and female protagonists in novels, which made her suddenly realize that she hadn¡¯t named her babies yet. In fact, she had been struggling with the baby names for the last few months, but hadn¡¯t come up with any good ones. Now, with barely a month left before her triplets were born, her doctor said they might even come out early, which meant she may not even have a full month left to decide¡­ So, Ruby casually picked up the pen and paper next to the table and started jotting down ideas. When Steve hung up the phone, he turned around and saw several dishes on the table, while Ruby was alone, propped on the table, biting the pen, thinking for a while, then scribbling down some ideas. She looked just like when she was younger, doing her homework. Steve couldn¡¯t help but look at her for a while. When the waiter brought up the last dish, Steve came to his senses, and waited until the waiter left before asking, ¡°What are you writing?¡± Ruby quickly raised her head, saw Steve walking back to the table, then looked down at the ¡°Burton¡± she had written on the paper, hastily picked up the pen, and scribbled over the character, sounding a bit rushed, ¡°Nothing, just thinking about the babies¡¯ names.¡± Babies¡­ Steve felt a little choked when he heard the word ¡°babies.¡± He hesitated for a moment, but still pulled out the chair beside Ruby, sat down, and glanced at the names Ruby had written on the paper. She had written many names, both for boys and girls. Steve quickly scanned them and found them all average, with no big surprises. However, when he saw the last three names, his expression froze for a moment. James Reat, Samuel Reat, George Reat. It seemed that there was another character in front of the three names, but it had been scribbled out. It must have been a surnames¡­ Edric James, Edric Samuel, Edric George? Edric Reat, missing, Ruby Gregory? What great names¡­ Ruby was biting the pen, looking troubled as she stared at the names she had written on the paper. In fact, she also liked the names James, Samuel, and George. Chapter 665 - Chapter 665: Chapter 665: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (15) Chapter 665: Chapter 665: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (15) ¡°Henry Burton, Nathaniel Burton, Charles Burton¡­ However, she always felt something wasn¡¯t quite right with these names, yet she couldn¡¯t think of better ones after racking her brain for a while. Seeing Steve Burton staring at the paper filled with her handwriting, Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment. Although Steve didn¡¯t know about her pregnancy, she dared not tell him either. But regardless, this would always be his child. It seemed only right that he should give his child a name, to provide a little warmth and fatherly love to their child¡­ ¡°Choosing a name for a child is so difficult. Now that there¡¯s another baby, choosing becomes much harder,¡± Ruby said, her long eyelashes dropping for a moment. She then pushed the piece of paper in front of Steve, ¡°Can you tell me which names on the list you think are best?¡± Did they share a wordless understanding? In the past, he too, had thought about names for two children. The names he had thought of were for their future children. If it were a boy, he would be called Daniel Burton, and if it were a girl, she would be called Kelly Burton. The names had significant meaning to Steve Burton, they had Ruby in mind. However, who would have guessed how unpredictable the world would be? She had ended up becoming pregnant, and the child was not his. Despite this, he was so greedy that he wanted to keep these names to use for her child. Steve took a deep breath and took the pen from Ruby¡¯s hand. As he started to write on the paper, his fingers trembled slightly. In his mind, he thought of writing Alexander Reat, Kelly Reat, and William Reat. Steve knew that the baby would carry the ¡°Reat¡± surname, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to write it. So, in the end, he crossed out the symbol for ¡°thinking¡± (˼) in the names ¡°Thinking of Ruby,¡± ¡°Thinking of Daniel,¡± and ¡°Thinking of Kelly,¡± and instead, wrote the symbol for ¡°remembering¡± (Äî) next to each of them. Steve finished writing in one go. After that, he quickly threw the pen on the table. Ruby leaned over, looking at the characters Steve had written. She said, her voice strong, yet tender, ¡°Andy, Daniel, Kelly¡­¡± Then, with surprise on her face, she looked towards Steve and said, ¡°It seems better than ¡®Thinking of Ruby,¡¯ ¡®Thinking of Daniel,¡¯ and ¡®Thinking of Kelly¡¯. Let¡¯s decide on these names! When all three babies are born, we¡¯ll name them these!¡± ¡°Andy, Daniel, Kelly¡­¡± Once, he had imagined picturing names for their future children together. Yet, who could have known that this day would actually come, but he was here with her, thinking about names for her and another man¡¯s child. Steve¡¯s heart, which had been filled with sorrow and suppressed all morning, seemed to shatter at this moment. But, Ruby, who knew nothing about his feelings, stared at the names, her face beaming with joy. She turned around excitedly and said, ¡°The formal names are done, but we haven¡¯t thought of their nicknames. What should we call them?¡± As Ruby spoke, her head tilted. She glanced around their private dining room. On the dining table was a plate of colorful fruit candies, wrapped in clear packaging paper. They looked attractive and exquisite. Those candies were actually not for eating. They were just for decoration. However, as Ruby looked at the plate of candies, a flash of inspiration hit her. She murmured to herself, ¡°Fruit candies¡­fruit candies¡­Their nicknames will be Chise, Candice, and Triplet. How about that?¡± Chise, Candice, and Triplets¡­ Fruit candies¡­Such cute nicknames¡­ hearing them should make anyone happy and want to smile, but Steve couldn¡¯t bring himself to smile. He just watched Ruby, his face stiff, and slowly nodded his head. Chapter 666 - Chapter 666: Chapter 666: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (16) Chapter 666: Chapter 666: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (16) Ruby Gregory was quite satisfied with the nickname she came up with for herself. She held a pen, writing on paper while quietly giggling. However, as she laughed, her hand trembled suddenly, causing the pen to fall onto the table. She then lifted her hand to cover her belly and let out a soft cry. Steve Burton was suddenly brought back to his senses by her cry. Seeing Ruby¡¯s slightly pale face full of pain, a frown appeared on Steve¡¯s face. Without considering the heartache and bitterness in his own heart, he anxiously asked, ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong? Ruby?¡± Ruby cried out softly again and opened her mouth, but she couldn¡¯t speak due to the pain. Steve stood up abruptly and grabbed Ruby¡¯s arm, ¡°Where are you feeling unwell? Hold on, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right now.¡± As he said this, Steve bent down to pick her up. Ruby, however, stretched out her hand to gently push his chest and waved her hand to indicate that she didn¡¯t need to go to the hospital. The next second, her hand, which had been pushing his chest, suddenly grasped his clothes tightly. Her other hand was continuously stroking her belly, as if comforting something. Steve looked at Ruby nervously, his face full of worry, not even daring to take a breath. After a long while, Ruby finally let out a slow breath and slowly began to regain her senses. She looked at Steve and spoke in a slightly weak voice, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s just the baby kicking. They¡¯re quite restless inside and it hurts a bit when they kick.¡± Ruby then lowered her head to look at her belly, her expression especially gentle. After a while, Ruby realized that Steve had been staring at her the whole time. The babies in her belly were not as lively as they had been, but they were still moving around. She thought of the first time she felt their movements and her nervous yet excited emotions. Steve had never truly experienced the presence of their children, so after hesitating for a moment, she looked at him and grabbed his hand, placing it on her belly where the baby was moving. Steve¡¯s hand trembled as he subconsciously tried to pull away, but Ruby held it firmly in place. Summer clothes were thin, so through them, he could feel the warmth of her belly and the movement of the babies inside. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s moving again over here¡­¡± Ruby exclaimed suddenly, moving Steve¡¯s hand to another spot before raising her eyes and asking, ¡°Can you feel it?¡± Ruby was pregnant with children who weren¡¯t his, yet Steve had bought parenting books. Although he had read about fetal movement, he had never truly experienced it. At this moment, he could feel the occasional movement of the babies under his palm. He didn¡¯t know whether the babies were stretching their arms or legs. Even though they hadn¡¯t been born yet, Steve could already imagine their adorable, soft, little appearances. The babies were restless, and there were three of them. They kept moving, and their squirming traveled from Steve¡¯s palm, into his bloodstream, and finally into his heart. Eventually, it became too overwhelming for him, and he suddenly snatched his hand away from Ruby¡¯s belly. PS: Ruby, having Steve touch your belly might be a bit too stimulating, right?! Although I updated five chapters yesterday, I¡¯ve already updated 12 chapters from early morning until now. I still owe everyone an update, so I¡¯ll continue tomorrow. Plot teaser: Steve stared at Ruby, who kept asking him questions, his throat moving up and down. He didn¡¯t know if it was the alcohol giving him illusions or courage, but he whispered in a deep voice, ¡°Ruby, I like you.¡± Then, he suddenly reached out, pulled her into his embrace, and sealed her lips. Chapter 667 - Chapter 667: Chapter 667: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (17) Chapter 667: Chapter 667: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (17) The babies were very restless, being triplets, they were constantly moving, wriggling one after the other. From Steve Burton¡¯s palm, they followed the blood vessels straight into his heart, bringing with them an earth-shaking turmoil. Eventually, it was as if he could no longer bear it, and suddenly yanked his hand away from Ruby Gregory¡¯s belly. Steve Burton¡¯s reaction came without warning, prompting Ruby to blurt out, ¡°What¡¯s¡­?¡± Then she turned her head to look at him, her words not yet finished, and when she met his somewhat gloomy gaze, she froze for a second, her voice abruptly halted. It was as if Steve didn¡¯t hear her voice, his eyes unblinkingly focused on her belly. There was no anger or unhappiness on his face, no gloom or coldness, and it was not much different from usual. Yet Ruby still sensed that something was wrong with him, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. For a moment, the private room became incredibly quiet. Steve maintained his position, his eyes fixed on Ruby¡¯s stomach, never blinking from beginning to end. Ruby felt uneasy under his harmless gaze and couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand to lightly cover her belly. Her subtle movement woke Steve from his trance. It was only then that Steve realized that he had inadvertently lost control over his emotions, reacting so strongly. Steve blinked his eyes and looked at Ruby, wanting to apologize to her. But as his eyes met her exquisitely beautiful face, his emotions became even more complicated. Steve quickly shifted his gaze away, calming his slightly chaotic feelings before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s eat, the food is getting cold.¡± With that, Steve took a pair of chopsticks from the sterilization bag and handed them to Ruby. He then grabbed a pair for himself and began to eat on his own accord. Steve couldn¡¯t taste what the food was like; he just mechanically stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it down. Ruby sat quietly, glancing at Steve several times. She could tell that he was acting unusually, and finally couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Steve?¡± Steve¡¯s grip on his chopsticks tightened. Staring at the white rice in his bowl, he looked at it for a while, then the corner of his lips hooked up slightly. Turning to Ruby, he forced a smile, ¡°Nothing.¡± Even a fool could see that there was obviously something behind his ¡°nothing¡±. Ruby put down her bowl, just as she was about to continue questioning him when Steve picked up his chopsticks, taking some vegetables, and placed them in her bowl, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. When we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll take you home. I have something to do at the company in the afternoon.¡± After that, Steve forced another smile at Ruby, then turned his head and continued to eat gracefully yet numbly. Ruby stared at Steve for a while but didn¡¯t say anything more. She picked up her chopsticks and began eating quietly again. After finishing the meal, Steve paid the bill, started the car, and drove Ruby back to her residence. He waited, as usual, for Ruby to disappear into the entrance of the neighborhood before shifting his gaze back to the window, staring blankly at the bright summer afternoon sun for a long time before starting the car and driving away. Chapter 668 - Chapter 668: Chapter 668: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (18) Chapter 668: Chapter 668: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (18) Actually, there wasn¡¯t anything that required Steve Burton¡¯s personal attention at the company that afternoon. He just made up an excuse to separate from Ruby Gregory. When he first found out she was with Edric Reat, he felt he had no hope at all. So, every interaction with her seemed like a gift from heaven to him. At that time, although he felt jealous, upset, and envious, he thought that was his stolen happiness and cherished it even more. But as the stolen happiness increased, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a hint of hope arising. He knew that Ruby was going to marry Edric, and there should be no hope in his heart because hope would eventually turn into despair. But he simply couldn¡¯t control himself. So, he just indulged himself. Perhaps it was because he had spent such an enjoyable and warm time with Ruby recently that he had an illusion: it felt as if, they had never been apart. Even, he had completely forgotten about Edric¡¯s existence. Then, when he suddenly saw Edric coming out of the residential complex, he remembered that Ruby did not belong to him. His stolen happiness was only temporary. Like fireworks, a fleeting moment, a rude awakening ¨C incredibly cruel. No matter how cruel, he ultimately still had no immunity towards her. When he saw her trying to flag down a taxi in the morning, he couldn¡¯t help but come forward to help. He knew she was going for a check-up and accompanied her with a heavy heart. In the end, the twins turned into triplets, and he accompanied her to buy baby supplies, listening to her name the children she would have with Edric. The envy and jealousy in his heart grew wildly like weeds, becoming more and more rampant. The more Steve thought about it, the more his heart ached. As his car was about to reach the Pristine¡¯s Enterprise Building, he suddenly took a turn at the crossroads ahead. He didn¡¯t want to go to the company, for he would have to pretend everything was fine once he was there. But he clearly had a problem right now. He was so troubled he didn¡¯t even have the energy to pretend otherwise. Steve drove slowly along the crowded streets of Ciawell, and eventually realized he had unconsciously almost reached the West Suburb Villa District. Thinking about it, he hadn¡¯t been back to the mansion for over a month. A few days ago, Mrs. Taylor had called to ask when he would return for dinner¡­ After some hesitation, Steve decided to head straight back to the mansion. There were more trees in the West Suburb Villa District, making the temperature slightly cooler than in the city center. After parking the car, Steve stepped out of the garage and felt none of the heat he¡¯d experienced in the city. In the yard, the flowers Wenny Burton had recently planted were blooming beautifully in vibrant colors, almost half of them had blossomed. After staring at the sight for a moment, Steve walked to the front door. He reached out for the key, only to realize that he had left it in the dressing room of his city apartment when he changed clothes last time. So, he raised his hand and rang the doorbell on the wall. After several rings, he heard Mrs. Taylor¡¯s voice from inside: ¡°Coming.¡± Then, the sound of a lock turning was heard, the door opened, and the cool air from inside rushed out. Mrs. Taylor looked somewhat surprised to see Steve but then happily made way for him. She bent down, took out his slippers from a nearby closet, and placed them in front of him. Chapter 669 - Chapter 669: Chapter 669: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (19) Chapter 669: Chapter 669: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (19) ¡°Mr. Steve, why did you come back at this hour? Aren¡¯t you busy at the office?¡± Steve Burton nodded, changed his shoes, and took a couple of steps inside. Seeing the deserted living room, he asked, ¡°Nobody home?¡± ¡°Ms. Wenny took Mr. Snearl shopping, and Madam went to play cards at the Coleman¡¯s with Lady Gregory.¡± Steve Burton just nodded again, said nothing, and went straight upstairs. Last night he spent the whole night outside Ruby Gregory¡¯s neighborhood, didn¡¯t leave. He spent a few vague hours, half-awake, half-asleep in the car. Once back in his own bedroom, he took a bath first, changed into clean pajamas. Coming out, he found that his window was left open, the sun was shining in, leaving his AC practically useless. About to close the window, Steve Burton¡¯s hand paused mid-air, and he walked onto the balcony, looking at the bedroom windows of Ruby Gregory¡¯s house. Those windows were also open. The plants on her balcony grew well, with visible water stains underneath ¨C it looked like those at the Gregorys¡¯ had just watered them. After standing on the balcony for a while, Steve Burton took two steps forward and crossed onto Ruby Gregory¡¯s balcony from his own. Her bedroom didn¡¯t seem to have changed much, still the same old decorations. Chimes hung on the window, emitted crisp sounds under the summer breeze. Steve Burton entered the bedroom straight up to Ruby Gregory¡¯s vanity. He opened the first drawer and, as expected, found a diary, just as Ruby Gregory mentioned at dinner. Steve Burton stared at the diary for a long while before reaching out to pick it up. Quietly he left Ruby Gregory¡¯s bedroom, crossed back over the balcony, and returned to his bedroom. Steve Burton grabbed a pillow to support his back, found a comfortable position, lay down on the bed, and picked up Ruby Gregory¡¯s diary. He stared at the cover for a long while before finally taking a deep breath and flipped it open. On the first page, Ruby Gregory¡¯s handwriting looked childish, crooked lines of text. 1. Steve Burton doesn¡¯t like sweets. 2. He¡¯s very into One Piece recently. 3. Steve says he likes blue. ¡­ Steve Burton flipped the pages one by one, just as Ruby told him; each note recorded his preferences, dislikes, taboos¡­ He had no idea when she started recording, but he could tell the records went back at least over a decade. Her handwriting started out childish, then became tidy, and finally elegant. The diary was almost full. Steve Burton carefully read every single page, from the beginning when the sunlight was just right outside the window until nightfall. He finally reached the last page of the diary. 1893. Steve Burton doesn¡¯t like someone sitting in his passenger seat. 1894. Steve Burton sends people away after having sex. 1895. If he takes a pain-reliever after sex and relaxes, Steve Burton will also feel better. ¡­ 1901. The previous 1900 notes are no longer necessary, as Steve Burton and I have called off our engagement. Upon reading the last sentence, Steve Burton couldn¡¯t tell why he had a sudden feeling of panic. Chapter 670 - Chapter 670: Chapter 670: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (20) Chapter 670: Chapter 670: Syrup, Candy, Sugar (20) Last night, at The Gardens Restaurant, Steve Burton felt a little upset when he heard Ruby Gregory speak about her notebook filled with records about him in such a light and casual tone. However, now that he got to read the notebook, he realized that his previous discomfort was nothing compared to this feeling. He had always thought that she was heartless, but the truth was, she did have a heart. From a young age, the love and care she had learned from the Gregorys had been directed towards him, if only in the wrong way. In fact, if he hadn¡¯t been so petty back in the day, he and Ruby might already be married by now, and maybe she would have given birth to one of his kids. Although their love might not have been like that of normal couples, she would still be devoted to him and the Gregorys¡¯ business. In some ways, that would have been okay¡­ At least she would have been his, instead of someone else¡¯s¡­ As Steve thought about this, he buried his head in the bedding, and the diary in his hand fell to the floor with a ¡°clap.¡± There was no light on in his room. As the night fell outside the window, the room followed suit and became pitch black. After an unknown period of time, there was a knock at Steve¡¯s bedroom door. He didn¡¯t move, just lay there in his bed. After another knock, the bedroom door was pushed open, and light from the corridor poured in. Madam Burton¡¯s voice asked, ¡°Steve, why haven¡¯t you turned on the light?¡± As the light in the bedroom came on, although he closed his eyes, Steve could still feel their sudden sting. He lifted his hand to shield his eyes, and heard Madam Burton¡¯s footsteps gradually approaching as she pulled his quilt up: ¡°Get up, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Steve didn¡¯t respond. Madam Burton reached out and patted his leg, ¡°You rarely visit the Mansion; don¡¯t just stay upstairs when it¡¯s time for dinner. Hurry up, wash your hands and come down.¡± Steve didn¡¯t move his hand from his eyes but silently nodded at Madam Burton. ¨C When Steve came downstairs, the Burtons who were at home had already gathered around the dining table. Wenny Burton was serving soup for everyone and, seeing him approaching, she immediately teased him with a smile, ¡°Oh, Steve, you really came back? I thought Mrs. Taylor was lying to me.¡± Steve pulled at his lips but didn¡¯t say anything. He pulled out the dining chair, sat down, and took a sip of the soup that Wenny handed him. Madam Burton had been urging Steve to come home for dinner for a while, and now that he had, she was in a much better mood. Even the events of the afternoon, when she had lost her game, seemed to have vanished. She even shared some gossip she had heard during her card game with everyone at the table. As she spoke, somehow, the gossip turned to Lady Gregory and eventually touched on Ruby Gregory: ¡°Lady Gregory won a lot of money during our card game this afternoon. She has really been on a roll lately! You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but it¡¯s not twins that Ruby is pregnant with!¡± Upon hearing this, Steve¡¯s hand, which had been holding his chopsticks, stopped for a moment, but he didn¡¯t make a sound. While feeding her son, Wenny Burton added to the conversation with a puzzled tone: ¡°Not twins? Could it be triplets?¡± Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: Chapter 671: Qingqing, I Like You (1) Chapter 671: Chapter 671: Qingqing, I Like You (1) ¡°So it¡¯s really triplets!¡± Speaking of the triplets, a hint of envy shone in Madam Burton¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lady Gregory told us this afternoon at the card game that Ruby went for a prenatal checkup this morning. The hospital discovered that there¡¯s a third baby who was hidden behind the other two the whole time, so they never found out.¡± ¡°It really is triplets. Aunt Gregory must be over the moon.¡± ¡°Of course she is. She was grinning from ear to ear all afternoon. Just think about it, triplets, what a blessing. Before long, Lady Gregory will have her hands full taking care of three grandchildren. But if I could have triplets, I wouldn¡¯t mind being that busy.¡± As the topic turned to Ruby, Wenny Burton asked curiously, ¡°I remember Ruby isn¡¯t married yet, right? Now that she¡¯s having triplets and they¡¯re almost due, the family should be preparing for the wedding, right?¡± ¡°Yes, they should be preparing. Lady Gregory said in a few days, Ruby would bring the father of her children to meet them and discuss their marriage.¡± Steve hesitated as he chewed his rice, swallowing it without fully chewing it. Madam Burton seemed to suddenly remember something as she continued, ¡°But, I also heard from Lady Gregory that after the children¡¯s father meets them, he plans to take Ruby back to his hometown for a while.¡± ¡°Going back to his hometown? With a belly that big, how can she be so tossed around?¡± ¡°For the marriage certificate, I guess. The kids are about to be born, and they need to register them. The father is not a Ciawell resident, so they¡¯ll have to go to his hometown for the certificate.¡± Ruby is going to visit Edric¡¯s hometown to apply for their marriage certificate in a few days? Steve pursed his lips tightly, gripping the chopsticks in his hand. He felt as if his heart was being violently squeezed and crushed by a powerful grip. He had always known that Ruby would eventually marry Edric, but since they were not legally protected as husband and wife, he had avoided facing the reality. But now¡­ they were preparing to get their certificate¡­ As Steve thought about it, his hand trembled and he forcefully knocked over his bowl with his chopsticks. It rolled across the table and fell to the floor with a ¡°plop,¡± shattering into pieces. Madam Burton and Wenny, who had been discussing the gossip, abruptly shut their mouths. It was only then that they realized they had been talking about Ruby right in front of Steve. Madam Burton was the first to recover. She immediately called Mrs. Taylor to give Steve a new bowl of fresh rice and hurriedly brought up another topic with Wenny. Mrs. Taylor quickly brought a bowl of rice and placed it in front of Steve. But before she could even set it down, Steve suddenly placed his chopsticks on the table with a ¡°snap¡± and stood up with a somewhat somber expression. ¡°Steve, you haven¡¯t finished your meal yet?¡± Madam Burton stood up as well. Steve headed straight to the foyer, ignoring Madam Burton¡¯s words, to put on his shoes and grab his keys from the shelf. He walked out the door without saying a word. Madam Burton hurried after him, ¡°Steve, where are you going?¡± Steve didn¡¯t respond to Madam Burton¡¯s question but got into the car, started it, stepped on the accelerator, turned the steering wheel, and drove out of the Burtons¡¯ Mansion at breakneck speed. Chapter 672 - Chapter 672: Chapter 672: Qingqing, I Like You (2) Chapter 672: Chapter 672: Qingqing, I Like You (2) Steve Burton only realized that he had left the Burtons¡¯ Mansion in a rush without bringing his wallet when he was about to arrive at The Sapphire Bistro. He parked his car right at the entrance, got out, and tossed the keys to the parking valet. Then he took out his phone, called Rusell Henris, and leisurely walked into The Sapphire Bistro. Rusell had just managed to leave a charity gala and was about to head home when he received a call from Steve. He changed the direction, heading to The Sapphire Bistro instead. Rusell arrived at The Sapphire Bistro about half an hour after Steve finished his call. Pushing open the door of the private room, Rusell saw that the decadent, spacious room was occupied solely by Steve. The room was quiet. No songs or dance music was playing, and there were no hostesses or singers accompanying Steve. Feeling someone pushing the door, Steve did not even raise his head. He sat alone on the long, soft couch, while half a table¡¯s worth of empty alcohol bottles was in front of him on the marble table. Rusell stood at the doorway for a moment and knew Steve must be in an extremely bad mood. Usually, during these times, Steve least needed comfort from anyone else. Thus, Rusell stepped into the room, silently closed the door, and sat down on a couch some distance away from Steve. He remained quiet as he watched Steve drink glass after glass of alcohol. Rusell didn¡¯t interrupt Steve¡¯s drinking, but rather let him drink freely. When Steve was about to finish his current bottle, Rusell even pressed the hotline to help him order more alcohol. As the marble table was about to be filled up with empty alcohol bottles, Steve suddenly stumbled up from the couch and walked wobbly toward the door. Rusell, who had been sitting quietly on the couch, hesitated for a moment before finally getting up and following Steve with some concern. As they were about to enter the restroom, they passed two young and beautiful women. The women continuously looked at Steve, whispering and discussing something. It was only when Rusell fixed them with a stare that they quickly closed their mouths and stepped aside. Steve pushed open a stall door in the restroom, bent over, and started vomiting into the toilet. He threw up all the alcohol he had drunk, as well as his dinner, until there was nothing left in his stomach. Only then did he sway and stood back up, heading for the exit of the restroom. Rusell flushed the toilet and cleaned it up. Hurrying to catch up, he was beside Steve just as he was about to push open the restroom door. But through the sound of running water, he heard hushed conversation from outside. ¡°That guy who was just drinking too much, he¡¯s the CEO of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s him, huh? He¡¯s indeed handsome and rich. No wonder Ruby Gregory, who is carrying another man¡¯s child, keeps clinging to him!¡± ¡°But Ruby is really cheap. She¡¯s with another man and still relentlessly entangled with her ex, who almost became her fianc¨¦¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Rusell subconsciously turned to look at Steve beside him. The next second, Steve suddenly kicked the door open, as if he had been hugely provoked, and stormed out. Rusell hurriedly followed Steve, only to find him standing in front of the sinks with gritted teeth, one hand gripping a woman¡¯s throat, angrily asking: ¡°What were you talking about just now?¡± Chapter 673 - Chapter 673: Chapter 673: Qingqing, I Like You (3) Chapter 673: Chapter 673: Qingqing, I Like You (3) Steve Burton must have used up all of his strength, as the faces of the two women turned pale. Without a second thought, Rusell Henris lunged forward and yanked at Steve¡¯s hands, pushing him back forcefully. Steve raised his hand furiously, pointed at the two women with a sinister tone, and said, ¡°Repeat what you just said!¡± With that, Steve put all his effort into rushing towards the two women again. Rusell wrapped his arms around Steve¡¯s waist, pushing him back with all his might. Even though Steve had drunk a lot of alcohol, the force he exerted was still quite astonishing, almost breaking free from Rusell¡¯s grip. While holding Steve back, Rusell roared at the two frightened women: ¡°What are you still standing here for, get out of here!¡± The two women came to their senses but still stood there in a daze. Rusell anxiously shouted again: ¡°Go!¡± Only then did the two women nod their heads vigorously, avoiding Steve, and quickly ran out of the restroom one after the other. Steve suddenly broke free from Rusell and started chasing after the two women. His appearance was fierce, with anger boiling over, as if he wanted to tear the two women apart and grind them into dust! Rusell immediately reached out again, grabbing Steve¡¯s arm tightly. Steve¡¯s anger exploded as he was repeatedly blocked. He turned around and fiercely swung a punch at Rusell¡¯s face, ¡°Let go of me, dammit! Did you not hear? They called Ruby Gregory a slut!¡± Rusell¡¯s face was knocked to one side, but his grip on Steve¡¯s wrist didn¡¯t loosen, instead it tightened even more. ¡°Let go of me! Can¡¯t you fucking hear?¡± Steve roared furiously again and aimed a heavy kick at Rusell¡¯s leg. Rusell barely managed to keep from falling to the ground, his grip on Steve remained firm without any intention of letting go. ¡°Dammit, they insulted Ruby, insulted Ruby!¡± Steve shouted twice, still unable to break free, raising his leg again to kick Rusell. Rusell, who had taken both punches and kicks from Steve, suddenly shouted, ¡°Steve, enough!¡± And then, with all his strength, Rusell slammed Steve against the wall, staring into his eyes and saying, word by word, ¡°Do you not know who¡¯s to blame for them calling Ruby a slut?¡± As Steve glared at Rusell, his chest heaving with anger, he breathed heavily. ¡°Why do you think they called Ruby that? Don¡¯t you know?¡± Rusell swallowed hard, ¡°It¡¯s your fault she was insulted. You know it in your heart!¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, Rusell! You¡¯re full of shit!¡± ¡°You know whether I¡¯m talking nonsense or not!¡± Rusell stared into Steve¡¯s eyes without holding back, his words uncompromising. ¡°When you couldn¡¯t let go of Ruby after she broke off her engagement and had Edric Reat¡¯s child, you kept getting closer to her. You should have expected that this day would come! So let me tell you, even if those two women were wrong in gossiping about Ruby, it¡¯s a mistake that you¡¯ve created!¡± ¡°This time you heard their gossip, but there must be countless others you haven¡¯t heard talking about her. Maybe what those people say is even more outrageous and unpleasant than what the two women said tonight!¡± Chapter 674 - Chapter 674: Chapter 674: Qingqing, I Like You (4) Chapter 674: Chapter 674: Qingqing, I Like You (4) ¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to warn everyone not to talk about Ruby Gregory? Can you really stop them?¡± Steve Burton was taken aback by Rusell Henris¡¯ outburst. Rusell¡¯s breathing became heavy as he stared at Steve. He took several deep breaths before his tone slightly improved: ¡°Steve, I know you like her, you can¡¯t let her go. That¡¯s why even though she is carrying another man¡¯s child, you are still treating her so well.¡± ¡°For such a long time, you would drop everything at your company to see her. It¡¯s clear you are happy with her, but Steve, you have to understand, she will eventually marry the father of her child.¡± ¡°Steve, I shouldn¡¯t be meddling in this, but watching you drown your sorrows in alcohol tonight, I knew it was because of Ruby Gregory, right?¡± ¡°By staying close to her, when she gets married, there will be even more gossip, maybe a hundred times worse than now. You have to know, when it comes to these things, people always talk about the woman, not the man. So, Steve, just accept it. It¡¯s over between you and her. If you keep going like this, you¡¯ll not only hurt her but also yourself.¡± Steve¡¯s anger gradually dissipated as he looked into Rusell¡¯s eyes, replaced by confusion and loss. Rusell released his grip on Steve and pulled his hand away. Steve stood there, lost and dejected, for a long time before slowly turning around and returning to the private room. He sat down at the marble table, picked up the bottle, and continued drinking without restraint. At first, he thought not disturbing her was his final act of kindness toward her. But later, he couldn¡¯t help himself from seizing any opportunity to be with her when it presented itself. At that time, he thought he wasn¡¯t bothering her, just being kind to her, without causing her any trouble. But now? He ultimately caused her trouble. It was him who clung to Ruby Gregory and wouldn¡¯t let go, yet it became her who couldn¡¯t let go of him. He was the greedy one, getting too close to her. As a result, everyone blamed her. Rusell said to accept his fate. He understood that Rusell meant if he really liked Ruby Gregory, he shouldn¡¯t be ambiguously close with her. It would hurt her and himself. So, was he going to distance himself from her again because of those rumors? Back at the Burtons¡¯ Mansion, his mother said that in a few days, Edric Reat would meet Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory, and then they would return home to get their marriage certificate. His greatest fear was finally coming true. She and Edric were finally talking about marriage. And he, not only would he watch her marry someone else helplessly, but he would also have to draw a line between them to protect her, right? Scenes of Ruby and him growing up together flashed through Steve¡¯s mind, the words she said to him at The Gardens Restaurant, and the journal she kept documenting every detail about their relationship¡­ The more Steve thought about it, the faster he drank, and in the end, he couldn¡¯t even tell if he was drunk or sober. Following his thoughts, he suddenly stood up and dashed out of the room. Rusell didn¡¯t expect Steve to suddenly make such a move. Holding a cotton swab, cleaning his bloody lip from Steve¡¯s hit, Rusell hurriedly followed him out. Chapter 675 - Chapter 675: Chapter 675: Qingqing, I Like You (5) Chapter 675: Chapter 675: Qingqing, I Like You (5) Russell Henris was in the lobby of the Sapphire Bistro when he saw Steve Burton. He was just about to follow him, but was suddenly stopped by a waiter from the Sapphire Bistro, reminding him to pay the bill. Russell quickly took out his card and handed it to the cashier. After swiping the card, he rushed out of the Sapphire Bistro¡¯s door, only to see Steve Burton¡¯s car speeding away. How could he drive after drinking so much alcohol? Russell hurriedly got into his own car and followed Steve. ¨C Ruby Gregory had been sent home by Steve Burton in the afternoon. She wondered why he suddenly became so strange, which made her mood low as well. She had trouble sleeping last night so Ruby took a nap in the afternoon. When she woke up, her nanny had already prepared dinner. After having dinner, Ruby listened to some prenatal music and helped her nanny prepare another bedroom with a baby crawling blanket. They arranged three strollers neatly and hung a musical mobile above the bed. Ruby then took a picture with her phone and posted it on Twitter. After posting, Ruby kept an eye on her phone. In the past, Steve would usually like her tweet shortly after she posted something, but this time, despite receiving likes and comments from others, there was no response from Steve. Ruby¡¯s original depressed mood became even more disheartened. At ten o¡¯clock, after drinking her pregnancy milk, she went to bed as usual but couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Several times, she picked up her phone to check if there was any response on her Twitter page. By eleven thirty, Ruby got up, poured herself a glass of water, threw her phone on the table, and prepared to stop thinking and go to sleep. But then she heard the doorbell. Who would come to visit her so late at night? Ruby sat up, puzzled, and then heard a ¡°bang bang bang¡± sound coming from the door. This time it wasn¡¯t the doorbell ringing, but someone was hitting the door with their fists. Ruby got out of bed, walked out of the bedroom, and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± There was no answer. The knocking on the door grew louder, awakening the nanny in the next room. Barefoot, she ran out and asked with a blank face, ¡°Who is it?¡± Ruby shook her head. The nanny rubbed her eyes, then walked over to the door, peered through the peephole, and started to unlock the door. Ruby knew that if the nanny was willing to open the door, it must be someone she recognized. Just as she was about to ask, ¡°Who is it?¡±, the door was pulled open to reveal Steve Burton¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Mr. Burton, why are you here so late?¡± asked the nanny with a smile. Steve didn¡¯t say a word, his eyes fixed on Ruby. The nanny looked back at Ruby, and Ruby smiled before saying to her, ¡°You go and rest first.¡± The nanny nodded and quickly ran back to her bedroom. Ruby waited until she had closed the door before walking over to Steve, who was still standing in the doorway. As she got closer, Ruby could smell the strong scent of alcohol on Steve, and frowned involuntarily, ¡°Why did you drink so much?¡± Steve still didn¡¯t say a word. Ruby gestured to the sofa inside and said, ¡°Come in first.¡± Seeing that Steve still didn¡¯t react, Ruby reached out, grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the house before closing the door behind them. Chapter 676 - Chapter 676: Chapter 676: Qingqing, I Like You (6) Chapter 676: Chapter 676: Qingqing, I Like You (6) Steve Burton stared straight at Ruby Gregory, maintaining the posture of being pulled into the room by her, without moving. Ruby, with a slight sense of helplessness, dragged Steve to the sofa, pushed him down to sit, and then went to the kitchen. Ruby was pregnant, so she couldn¡¯t eat watermelon and therefore couldn¡¯t make watermelon juice. After searching the fridge for a while, she found the yogurt that the babysitter had bought for her, took a bottle, put it on the coffee table in front of Steve, and helped him insert the straw, saying to him, ¡°Drink the yogurt.¡± Then she went to the bathroom, took a towel, soaked it in cold water, and wrung it out before coming out. Ruby saw that Steve hadn¡¯t touched the yogurt on the coffee table. She reluctantly bent down, picked up the yogurt bottle, and shoved it directly into his hand: ¡°It¡¯s to help with the hangover. It¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± Steve held the yogurt bottle, still unresponsive, his eyes fixed on Ruby. Ruby folded the towel, reached over, and was about to wipe Steve¡¯s face when he suddenly stood up, holding the yogurt, and bolted toward the bathroom. Since Ruby was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t walk quickly. By the time she reached the bathroom doorway, she heard vomiting sounds inside. She hurriedly put the wet towel on a nearby clothes rack, went to fetch a glass of water, entered the bathroom, and handed it to Steve, who had almost finished vomiting: ¡°How much did you drink?¡± Steve didn¡¯t answer, took the glass, and rinsed his mouth. Ruby put the glass on the washstand, picked up the towel she had just washed in cold water, found it no longer cold, and turned on the faucet to rinse the towel again in cold water: ¡°Did you have any engagements today? Why did you drink so much?¡± After asking the question, Ruby wrung the towel dry and handed it to Steve: ¡°Wipe your face and sober up, okay?¡± Steve didn¡¯t reach out to take it, and Ruby frowned, looking at the unresponsive him, couldn¡¯t help but be worried: ¡°Is there something really wrong with you? Do you need me to call a doctor?¡± As Steve gazed at Ruby, who kept asking him questions, he couldn¡¯t tell if he was hallucinating from the alcohol or if this was reality. He swallowed, and then said the words he had rehearsed in his dreams and fantasies, in a low, deep voice: ¡°Ruby, I like you.¡± Steve¡¯s words came without warning, and Ruby was stunned as if someone had hit her pressure points. Her eyes widened as she stared at him. In his dreams, Steve saw Ruby many times, but her face had never been as clear as it was now. He said the words to her for the first time and then repeated them a second time, his tone smoother and his speech clearer: ¡°Ruby, I like you.¡± Ruby¡¯s heart raced faster as she still hadn¡¯t reacted. Suddenly, Steve reached out and violently pulled her into his embrace, lowered his head, and fiercely pressed his lips against hers. Steve¡¯s kiss was intense and domineering, his alcohol-laced tongue twining with hers with all its might, sweeping every inch of her mouth. His kisses grew deeper, more passionate. Only when Ruby felt like she was running out of oxygen did Steve finally release her. He then held her tightly and lowered his head, burying it in the crook of her neck: ¡°Ruby, I like you. I have liked you for more than twenty years.¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today~~ No plot preview, just a small title preview: Chaos of giving birth~~~~ As promised, 10 extra chapters for the Golden Keyboard contest~ From the 2nd to the 6th, today should be the last day for extra updates~ But because of the shortage of updates two nights ago, there are still three more chapters left, so if I have the energy tomorrow, or there will be 11 chapters if not, there will be 10 tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, 9~ Chapter 677 - Chapter 677: Chapter 677: Ruby, I Like You (7) Chapter 677: Chapter 677: Ruby, I Like You (7) It was only when Ruby Gregory felt like she was running out of oxygen that Steve Burton finally let her go. He then pulled her tightly into his embrace, lowering his head and burying it in the crook of her neck. ¡°Ruby, I like you, and I have liked you for over 20 years.¡± -Ruby, I like you. -Ruby, I like you. -Ruby, I like you, I¡¯ve liked you for over 20 years¡­ Ruby pondered these three sentences over and over before she understood what Steve had just told her. He actually liked her¡­ and he had liked her for over 20 years¡­ She stood there frozen, as if her acupoint had been tapped, with her blood seemingly stopped flowing and her ears unable to hear any sound. In Steve¡¯s solitary days, he would often dream at night of holding her in his arms, only to wake up holding either a soft quilt or the pillow she had slept on. The familiar scents of her in his dreams were nothing but illusions, replaced by a refreshing mint aroma in the real world. But now, her faint, elegant scent filled his breath, making everything feel incredibly real and tangible. Steve couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had held Ruby like this. He couldn¡¯t help but pull her tighter into his embrace, realizing that this hug felt just as real as he had hoped. Tears welled up in Steve¡¯s eyes, as he tried to suppress the indescribable mix of excitement and long-repressed emotions bubbling up from within. He buried his head deeper into the crook of her neck. However, no matter how hard he tried to control himself, a tear managed to escape through his tightly shut eyelids. Ruby distinctly felt a warm drop of liquid touch her neck, quickly spreading to form a small damp patch. Her bewildered mind, initially thrown off by his repeated ¡°Ruby, I like you,¡± suddenly awakened. Her eyes opened wide, staring at the pristine white bathroom wall in front of her. It took a while before she understood what the dampness on her neck truly was. Her heart felt as if it was being gripped tightly, the pain spreading slowly. Subconsciously, she tried to reach out to touch her neck. Her movement made Steve clasp her even tighter, his voice carrying a hint of panic: ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± His tone still had the quality Ruby was familiar with, but there was an emotional timbre to it she had never heard from Steve before. Grief, anxiety, fear, and terror¡­ Ruby couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Before she could fully regain her senses, Steve¡¯s weak and helpless voice whispered into her ear again, carrying a hint of pleading: ¡°Don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Ruby¡­¡± As Steve spoke, Ruby felt another drop of dampness on her neck. The heat of that tiny droplet burned her skin, causing a searing pain. Chapter 678 - Chapter 678: Chapter 678: Qingqing, I Like You (8) Chapter 678: Chapter 678: Qingqing, I Like You (8) Such pain had not yet completely subsided, and the words Steve Burton continued to speak made Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart ache as if it were being sliced by a knife. ¡°It¡¯s not right¡­ Ruby, you¡¯ve already left me¡­¡± In such a short sentence, he described such heartache and loss, as if he had lost the most precious thing in the world. It made Ruby feel that the tall and imposing Steve, who was holding her, seemed like a little boy who had lost his most beloved toy, panicked and at a loss. After saying this, he fell silent for a long while before speaking again, ¡°You left me¡­ Ruby left me¡­¡± By the end, Steve¡¯s voice was somewhat choked, ¡°Ruby, do you know? I love you, but, as I loved and loved you, how did I lose you?¡± A mist clouded Ruby¡¯s eyes, and her lips began to tremble, but she did not make a sound. ¡°Ruby, do you know? I didn¡¯t want to cancel our engagement, I wanted you to stay by my side, but, it¡¯s terrible, I¡¯ve only ever loved you alone, I haven¡¯t loved anyone else, I haven¡¯t learned how to love someone, I don¡¯t know what to do to keep you from leaving me¡­¡± Some words, when not spoken, are always difficult to know where to begin. From their innocent interactions in childhood to their wholehearted love, over such a long period of time, too much had happened and been experienced ¨C things she knew and things she didn¡¯t. But now, Steve had spoken, and he found that the pain in the depths of his heart, like a dying heart, was slightly eased. He thought that it was only because he was drunk on alcohol and had hallucinations that he had spoken these words he had buried in his heart for years, but at least it wouldn¡¯t leave him agonizing with no place to vent. ¡°Ruby, tell me, is it okay? Tell me, what do I have to do to make you love me?¡± As Steve spoke, Ruby felt her neck getting wetter and wetter, and the man¡¯s arms around her began to tremble, his voice wavering slightly, ¡°Oh, no¡­ Ruby, I don¡¯t need you to love me, I just want you to be by my side¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to like me anymore, it was all my fault before, I wanted you to care about me deep inside, and as soon as I saw you ignoring me, I couldn¡¯t control my temper. I just wanted you to care about me as much as I care about you¡­ but no one told me that if I did that, I would lose you¡­¡± Steve rubbed his face against Ruby¡¯s shoulder, tears streaming down one after the other, and he complained a little bit pitifully and innocently, ¡°If I¡¯d known that my selfishness would make me lose you, Ruby, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have done that¡­¡± It¡¯s just a pity that he didn¡¯t know that until after he lost her. ¡°Ruby, I used to think that if you liked me, I would let you know that I liked you too, and if you didn¡¯t like me, I wouldn¡¯t let you see me liking you even if it killed me. Ruby, in fact, it was just my self-esteem at play¡­Ruby, I¡¯ve actually always liked you¡­It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t have the courage to face the fact that you didn¡¯t like me, and then I did so many foolish things¡­¡± Chapter 679 - Chapter 679: Chapter 679: Qingqing, I Like You (9) Chapter 679: Chapter 679: Qingqing, I Like You (9) ¡°Ruby, you have no idea how much I like you. I like you so much, that even when you¡¯re with Edric Reat, I can¡¯t force myself to give up liking you.¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s nose was already a little sour, but when she heard Steve Burton¡¯s words, her nasal root suddenly began to ache, which made her tears flow uncontrollably. She wanted to say something, but she felt as if her throat was blocked by something, and she couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Ruby, I never thought about disturbing your happiness. I just thought, wait a little longer, then give up¡­ I know, maybe it¡¯s just my own wishful thinking, but, Ruby¡­ you don¡¯t know, all these years, I¡¯ve been thinking about marrying you, I¡¯ve been thinking about having a wedding with you.¡± But who would have thought that she would become pregnant with another man¡¯s child and marry someone else. Steve¡¯s voice was trembling more violently now. It¡¯s more accurate to say that his next words were not so much for Ruby as they were comforting himself. ¡°But, it¡¯s alright¡­ Ruby, look, life is so long, I can wait slowly¡­ If you and him have any accidents, it¡¯s okay, you still have me¡­¡± When he reached this point, Steve hurriedly continued to explain: ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t misunderstand, I¡¯m not cursing you and him to be unhappy until old, I¡¯m just using a metaphor. Life is so long, if there is any change, I just want you not to be too sad, at least, you still have me¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you have me, just remember that you still have me¡­ If you can be happy with him till old age, I will wait for you till old age¡­¡± No matter how sad he is now, Steve still raised his head from Ruby¡¯s shoulder seriously. Looking into her eyes, he spoke sincerely, as though he was making a vow, ¡°Ruby, I sincerely hope that you can be happy until old age, even if that happiness is not given by me, it¡¯s okay¡­ I¡¯m willing to use my remaining days in misery, to watch you enjoy happiness in this life¡­¡± Steve¡¯s tears had stopped, and the bottom of his eyes was covered with a layer of red from crying. His gaze hesitated when he finished speaking, a slight smile emerged at the corner of his mouth, as he looked her straight in the eyes, but then hesitated again. He seemed to want to say something to her but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. After a long time, he lowered his eyes slightly, his lips moved, and then he looked up again, staring at Ruby: ¡°Ruby, can I discuss something with you?¡± Ruby nodded first, and then used all her strength to utter a ¡°yes.¡± Steve looked at her, his eyes dark and deep. Before he even spoke, a trace of anticipation appeared on his face. He calmly said, ¡°If, if Edric Reat really can¡¯t walk with you till the end, could you ¡­ could you, after you two break up, consider getting back together with me?¡± Without waiting for her answer, he assured her as if making a vow, ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t treat you like I used to, I won¡¯t ask you to love me anymore, so¡­ can you consider it?¡± Ruby bowed her head sharply and softly cried. Chapter 680 - Chapter 680: Chapter 680: Qingqing, I Like You (10) Chapter 680: Chapter 680: Qingqing, I Like You (10) Her sudden burst of tears caught Steve Burton off guard, causing him to hastily lift his hands and cup her face, wiping away her tears. ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t cry¡­ Ruby¡­ If you don¡¯t like this question, you don¡¯t have to consider it, don¡¯t cry¡­¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s crying intensified, and her mind was in a mess. She had a lot to say to him, but didn¡¯t know where to start. Finally, she suddenly reached out her arms, tightly wrapping them around his waist, burying her head in his chest and crying even louder. Steve tried to stretch out his hands to pull her away from his chest and help her wipe away her tears, but she only buried her head deeper into his chest. Although he was rather drunk, he was still afraid of using too much force and hurting her, especially since she was pregnant. In the end, Steve slowly stretched out his hands to hold her, gently stroking her back. It took a while before Ruby stopped crying, but she still held on to Steve tightly, not escaping from his embrace. As time went on, the alcohol in Steve¡¯s stomach continued to churn and ferment, making him feel increasingly dazed. Eventually, he swayed violently. Ruby slowly regained her composure and helped Steve out of the bathroom. As soon as Ruby opened the bathroom door, she heard her cellphone ringing from the bedroom. She frowned, helped Steve, who was now completely drunk, to the living room couch, made sure he was seated properly, and then returned to the bedroom. As she picked up her phone, she saw that she had seven or eight missed calls from Rusell Henris. Ruby unlocked her phone and returned Rusell¡¯s call. After just one ring he picked up: ¡°Rusell?¡± ¡°Ruby? Did I wake you up?¡± ¡°No¡­ I haven¡¯t slept yet.¡± Ruby paused and then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Is Steve there?¡± Rusell explained the situation: ¡°He drank a lot tonight, suddenly drove off, and I lost him halfway. No one answered when I called, but I found his car unlocked at the entrance of Winsome Gardens on West 2nd Ring Road. I knew you lived there¡­¡± Rusell paused at that point, but the meaning in his words couldn¡¯t have been more obvious. Ruby looked at the man, who was now a drunken mess on the couch, considering the events of the night. There was nowhere for him to rest, and he was too drunk for any conversation. After thinking for a moment, she said, ¡°He¡¯s here. My address is¡­¡± Ruby gave her address to Rusell and hung up. She then left her bedroom, went to the bathroom to get a wet towel, and wiped Steve¡¯s face clean. At this point, the man was completely intoxicated, mumbling something unintelligibly as she wiped his face. It wasn¡¯t until Ruby finished wiping his face and was about to take the towel away that she heard him calling her name: ¡°Ruby¡­ Ruby¡­¡± Ruby¡¯s fingers paused, and she couldn¡¯t help but clench the towel tightly, her gaze on Steve growing more confused. PS: I wrote slowly tonight; if you can¡¯t wait, you can wait until tomorrow morning to read in one go~ Chapter 681 - Chapter 681: Chapter 681: Chaotic Baby-Making (1) Chapter 681: Chapter 681: Chaotic Baby-Making (1) ¡°Send him back, remember to give him a sobering drink¡­ Also, when he¡¯s sleeping, make sure he doesn¡¯t lie on his back in case he suddenly vomits and chokes on it¡­¡± Ruby Gregory carefully instructed Russell Henris on several precautions before saying to him, who was propping up Steve Burton outside the door, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Russell Henris left a message for her to ¡°rest early¡± before taking Steve Burton into the elevator. The elevator doors closed and descended. Since it was late at night, no one would be using it, so the red number on the elevator stayed at ¡°1.¡± After a long time, Ruby Gregory closed the door and returned to her own bedroom. It was already two o¡¯clock in the morning, and when she climbed into bed, she didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. Lying on her back, looking at the ceiling, all she could think about were the words Steve Burton had said to her tonight. ¨C Ruby, look, a lifetime is so long, I can wait slowly¡­ ¨C You have me, just remember, you still have me¡­ ¨C I¡¯m willing to use my life¡¯s misfortunes to watch you be happy in this life¡­ Thinking this, Ruby Gregory turned over, hugged her pillow, and listened to the sound of the upstairs neighbor using the bathroom and flushing the toilet in the middle of the night. She blinked gently, unable to help but raise her hand to touch her own left neckline, where the tear marks left by Steve Burton had long dried up, but she could still feel the warmth of his touch. She was sure that Steve Burton genuinely cared for her, but she had never thought about what his intentions were when, in the eyes of outsiders, she was already with Edric Reat and yet he still treated her so well, just like when they both broke off their engagement, and she still couldn¡¯t resist coming into contact with him again and again every time he appeared in front of her. In fact, deep down, she had known the answer long ago. It was just because she was unsure of Steve Burton¡¯s heart that she didn¡¯t dare face it, and so she forced herself not to face her own heart either. When he hugged her tonight and said ¡°Ruby, I like you¡± three times in a row, she was somewhat at a loss, and even wanted to escape subconsciously. But later, when he said so much to her, and she saw the pain he was in, her heart actually hurt even more than his, and she could no longer deceive herself. She didn¡¯t know when she had fallen for Steve Burton¡­ maybe it was long ago, or perhaps even earlier than that. How could someone not exist in the depths of another person¡¯s heart if they had always revolved around one another since childhood, no matter what the reason? It was just that the pressure from the Gregorys was too great, so great that it blinded her heart, making her think that she was only marrying Steve Burton for the sake of the family, but never considering whether her desperate efforts to marry him were really just for the sake of the Gregorys? Steve Burton said no one had ever taught him how to love, but wasn¡¯t it the same for her? Who had ever taught her how to love someone? She was his teacher, and he was hers too. Oftentimes, your actions have already revealed your heart; it¡¯s just that when faced with great love, you subconsciously want to hide. Once upon a time, she wanted to return the US$6,860,000 to him, and immediately stood up on his behalf to clarify that Pristine¡¯s Enterprises was innocent. It was because she loved him and wanted to be his equal. She knew the pills he gave her were contraceptives, but her inability to accept them was because, subconsciously, she loved him and so she always cared so much about it. Chapter 682 - Chapter 682: Chapter 682: Chaotic Baby-Making (2) Chapter 682: Chapter 682: Chaotic Baby-Making (2) Ruby Gregory suddenly thought of a phrase, lovers who break up can still be friends, if they either never loved each other or they still love each other deeply. So, after they separated, she couldn¡¯t just cut ties with him completely, never to interact again, because deep in her heart, just like him, she couldn¡¯t bear to just let it end like that. He said, ¡°If you like me, I¡¯ll let you know I like you, too. If you don¡¯t like me, I¡¯ll never let you know I like you even if it kills me. It¡¯s just my little pride getting in the way.¡± Actually, he was like that, and she was no different. She didn¡¯t allow herself to face the fact that she liked him, because she wasn¡¯t sure whether he liked her or not, so she kept running away from it, right? Ruby Gregory, since getting pregnant, always made sure to rest no matter what happened, but tonight, she couldn¡¯t sleep. She lay in bed, alone, silently thinking about many things. Not until the maid in the adjacent room got up and started making breakfast, sending over the faint sounds, did Ruby glance out the window. The sun was already up, and the weather was still lovely¡ªthe clouds white and the wind light. Ruby Gregory picked up her phone, stared at the screen for a while, and then, as if making up her mind, called Edric Reat. The phone rang several times before being picked up, and Edric was already awake, probably brushing his teeth. His voice was slightly muffled: ¡°Ruby? What¡¯s up?¡± Ruby held the phone, took a deep breath, and then asked, ¡°Are you brushing your teeth?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Edric¡¯s tone was still vague, with a hint of negotiation: ¡°Wait a bit, I¡¯ll call you back?¡± Ruby was silent for a moment, and then said, ¡°No need, I have something to tell you, just listen.¡± On the other end of the call, Edric, grabbing his toothbrush, paused slightly, as if sensing something was coming. He could no longer keep brushing his teeth. He took the toothbrush out of his mouth, spat the toothpaste in the sink without bothering to rinse, and asked clearly, ¡°What is it?¡± In fact, she agreed with Edric Reat that they were just playing a role. Edric had told her before that he was helping her, and not causing her trouble. However, when Ruby actually began to speak, she realized she seemed a bit cruel. She took a deep breath and started with, ¡°Edric Reat, thank you for your help these days.¡± Edric didn¡¯t interject but knew what Ruby would say next. He knew that their relationship was just his own wishful thinking. He had never wanted to cause her any trouble, maybe not loving her enough to have a strong possessive desire, but it didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t feel sad and lost. Ruby waited for a moment, seeing no sign of Edric speaking, swallowed twice, gritted her teeth, and said everything in one breath: ¡°Edric Reat, I¡¯ve decided not to leave Ciawell to have my baby.¡± What returned to Ruby was still a quiet silence. Chapter 683 - Chapter 683: Chapter 683: Chaotic Baby-Making (3) Chapter 683: Chapter 683: Chaotic Baby-Making (3) Ruby Gregory wanted to continue and say, ¡°I¡¯m planning to get together with Steve Burton,¡± but Edric Reat¡¯s silence on the other end of the phone made it hard for her to speak. The two people on the phone remained silent, and as the atmosphere was on the verge of breaking into awkwardness, Edric Reat came back to his senses first and blurted out, ¡°You are with¡­¡± Before he could say Steve Burton¡¯s name, he immediately closed his mouth, slowly exhaled, and then changed to a more cheerful tone, ¡°Ruby, I respect your choice.¡± Ruby felt even more guilty in her heart and spoke again, ¡°Edric Reat, I¡¯m sorry¡­thank you so much.¡± Ruby¡¯s apologies and thankfulness were never what he wanted, but that was all he could get from her. He knew from the beginning that there was no future for them. So in the end, why not let her feel at ease with a smile? So Edric Reat still said with a grin, ¡°If you really want to thank me, invite me to dinner one day when you have the time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Okay then, I won¡¯t chat with you anymore, I have to hurry to work, bye for now.¡± Edric Reat didn¡¯t wait for Ruby¡¯s answer and cut off the phone call himself. This was the first time he had hung up on her since they had started talking on the phone. After hanging up, Edric Reat felt somewhat drained, his hands rested on the washstand, and he looked down at the sink for a long time before lifting his head to look at his face in the mirror in front of him. It appeared slightly blurred due to the mist in his eyes. In every man¡¯s heart, there is a goddess, and that goddess is destined to never be attained. And Ruby was Edric Reat¡¯s goddess. His first love. A first love that sparked at first sight. It was the kind of first love that happened during school days when he saw a girl, suddenly had a heartthrob, and went out of his way to be good to her without expecting anything in return. He understood that the person he loved might not be the current Ruby, but the beautiful feeling that was engraved in every young man¡¯s heart during his youth. He had never wanted to possess Ruby. Maybe he would never be so devoted and genuine towards a woman for the rest of his life. But he was grateful to have had such a goddess in his life that made him want to give his wholehearted love and devotion. He knew he once had a chance to be with Ruby. Steve Burton and Ruby had ended, and if he had appeared a few times when Steve came looking for Ruby, he wouldn¡¯t have had to intentionally do anything. Unintentionally doing something would have driven Steve and Ruby further apart. Ruby would have had no choice but to continue walking with him because she was trying to hide the child in her belly. But he didn¡¯t do that. Goodbye, Ruby. From now on, I will still remember you, and you will continue to be beautiful. ¨C After hanging up with Edric Reat, Ruby felt much lighter. In fact, most of the time, the root cause of seemingly complicated matters is often very simple. She and Steve were just one step apart, and now that he had taken that step, she had no reason to stand still, right? Thinking that the man who had drunk too much alcohol last night might not have woken up yet, she decided to call him when he¡¯s awake. Then she put her phone aside and started to catch up on sleep. Chapter 684 - Chapter 684: Chapter 684: Chaotic Baby-Making (4) Chapter 684: Chapter 684: Chaotic Baby-Making (4) When Ruby Gregory woke up again, it was already four o¡¯clock in the afternoon. She had been woken up by her three hungry little babies kicking inside her. Even though she wanted to find Steve Burton and get some answers from him, her maternal instincts made her think of her children first. So, after getting out of bed and freshening up, her first priority was to attend to their needs. After a satisfying meal, Ruby felt much more revived. She helped the baby nurse tidy up the leftovers on the table, then stretched her back by walking around the living room. Finally, she returned to her bedroom, picked up her phone, took a deep breath, walked to the balcony, settled down on a deck chair and dialed Burton¡¯s number. The phone rang several times, but no one answered. Ruby frowned, was Steve in a meeting at five o¡¯clock? So, she held her phone, seeming to be browsing the internet while actually watching the time, waiting for the end of business hours at six. When it was time, she dialed Burton once again. This time, the phone was answered after five rings. To her surprise, it was picked up by a familiar female voice. Stunned by the secretary, Ms. Taylor¡¯s polite ¡°hello,¡± Ruby hesitated for a moment before she cleared her throat and returned, ¡°Where¡¯s Steve?¡± Ruby and Ms. Taylor had been colleagues for a few months, therefore Ms. Taylor called her by her name, ¡°Ruby? Are you looking for Mr. Burton? He went on a business trip to Lilliput this morning, leaving his phone here at the office.¡± On a business trip? After pouring out his heart to her just the night before while half-drunk, he was now on a business trip? Could Steve have done this out of embarrassment for telling her all that yesterday and now he was avoiding her? Ruby pondered for a while before asking, ¡°Did he mention when he¡¯ll be back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really sure,¡± Ms. Taylor hesitated before adding, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll let him return your call when he gets back. Is that okay?¡± If he was feeling so embarrassed, she decided to give him a couple of days to get over it. After thinking it over, Ruby responded to Ms. Taylor, ¡°Alright.¡± Then, politely, she said to Ms. Taylor, ¡°Goodbye.¡± After hanging up, Ruby looked at her phone for a while before finally tossing it aside dismissively. ¨C For an entire week, Ruby did not receive a call back from Steve. In between, she had called him and yet again, it was Ms. Taylor who answered, maintaining the status that Steve had gone on a business trip to Lilliput and wasn¡¯t sure when he¡¯d be back. At first, Ruby was patient, but as time passed and she was still unable to get in touch with Steve, she began to get agitated. Eventually, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and finally, at eleven o¡¯clock one night, she called Madeleine. While Ms. Taylor may not know of Steve¡¯s whereabouts, Madeleine certainly would. ¨C The night was deep. It was a clouded night, no moonlight, no starlight, everything was pitch black. Having finished a project plan she was in charge of, Madeleine rubbed her aching neck, and noticed the time ¡ª it was already half past ten. Chapter 685 - Chapter 685: Chapter 685: Chaotic Baby-Making (5) Chapter 685: Chapter 685: Chaotic Baby-Making (5) Madeleine closed her laptop, walked out of the study, and found herself in a spacious apartment. All the lights were on, driving away the darkness and creating an artificial daytime. However, the emptiness of the environment still made her feel lonely. The room was quiet. As she walked to the kitchen in her slippers, she could hear the echo of her footsteps. On the marble dining table were three delicate small porcelain basins, each covered by a bowl. Upon opening them, she saw the late-night snack she had prepared. It was cooked for her husband, Howard Coleman. Unfortunately, her husband did not come home. In the summer, despite the air conditioning in the room, food spoiled quickly. Madeleine brought a trash can, dumped the late-night snack into it, and then took the bowls to the sink to wash them thoroughly. With that done, she measured out some rice, put it in the timed steamer, plugged it in, and chose the porridge function. She performed this series of actions so smoothly, as if she had done it many times before. Indeed, she had done it many times. This was already the twentieth time this month that she had thrown the prepared late-night snack into the trash and cooked porridge for breakfast, only to drink it alone the next morning. Oh, right, I forgot to mention; today is the twentieth of the month, which means her husband, Howard Coleman, has not returned home once this month. There is a saying that to capture a man¡¯s heart, you must first capture his stomach. Therefore, she, a lady fortunate enough to never have gotten her hands dirty since childhood, started to learn how to cook diligently after their marriage. Finally, she went from initially being covered in water blisters due to oil splattering to skillfully cooking delicious ¡°four dishes and one soup¡±. However, only now does she realize that the premise of capturing a man¡¯s heart by capturing his stomach assumes that the man is willing to eat the food you cook; oh, wrong again¡­ it assumes that he is willing to even look at the food you cook. After tidying everything up, Madeleine glanced at the clock, which showed it was almost eleven o¡¯clock. She knew that Howard would not be coming home. Perhaps he was already sleeping in the arms of some young and beautiful woman. At first, the thought of this filled her with jealousy and heartache. However, now, she was able to enjoy the numbness of this pain calmly and gradually savor the sour and bitter taste of jealousy. Madeleine turned off the living room and kitchen lights, then returned to her bedroom. Having already taken a shower, she turned off the light and climbed into bed. From the vast bed, she only occupied a fifth of the space. Although she knew that no one would be competing for the bed, she still, almost obsessively, reserved more than half of it for her absent husband, Howard. As Madeleine was about to close her eyes, her cell phone suddenly rang. The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet room, causing her to shiver. She then sat up, grabbed her phone from the bedside table, and noticed a call coming from Ruby Gregory. Without hesitation, she answered: ¡°Ruby?¡± ¡°Madeleine, you¡¯re still awake, right?¡± ¡°Yes, what¡¯s up? Do you need something this late?¡± Ruby on the other end of the phone paused for a moment before she spoke sheepishly, ¡°Madeleine, I called to ask you¡­ What has Steve Burton been busy with lately?¡± ¡°My brother? He¡¯s on a business trip to Lilliput. There¡¯s a project there that was initially supposed to be handled by Jack, but for some reason, my brother took over at the last minute.¡± Chapter 686 - Chapter 686: Chapter 686: Chaotic Baby-Making (6) Chapter 686: Chapter 686: Chaotic Baby-Making (6) On the phone, Ruby Gregory let out a disappointed ¡°oh.¡± Madeleine could sense Ruby¡¯s dejection and asked softly, ¡°Do you need something from my brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruby admitted candidly, ¡°Madeleine, if your brother comes back to the country, please let me know. I have something to discuss with him.¡± ¡°Mhm, okay.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t rush to hang up the phone but changed the topic instead, ¡°Madeleine, how have you been recently?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been alright.¡± Madeleine¡¯s tone sounded very calm. Following Ruby¡¯s conversation, they continued to chat about other things before hanging up the phone. The room once again fell quiet. Madeleine lay back in bed, feeling a bit muddled ¨C how many times had she told people so nonchalantly that she was okay? She didn¡¯t know if it was the repetition of that phrase that had a hypnotic effect, but she actually started to feel pretty alright. As in the past, she still had trouble falling asleep. At some point during the night, she heard the front door open. The security door at home was top-notch, burglars couldn¡¯t get in. Furthermore, the residential area was upscale with excellent security. The door used a keypad lock, which only she, Howard Coleman, and their hourly worker knew the code for. At this hour, the only person who could come home was Howard Coleman. It was the twentieth day of the month, and he finally came home. Madeleine tensed up unconsciously, wondering if it was because it had been too long since she¡¯d seen him at home that she felt a bit nervous. She huddled under the covers, eyes closed, pretending to be asleep while her ears carefully listened for sounds outside. It might have been because he tossed his car keys and phone onto the table, causing a series of thuds. Howard didn¡¯t come home often, but whenever he did, he would always make a lot of noise, seemingly without any consideration that it was late at night and she might already be asleep. When the sounds finally ceased, Madeleine heard the bedroom door being kicked open, followed by the bathroom door. The bathroom door was left open, and the sound of water running filled the room. After an unknown period of time, the water was turned off, and Howard emerged and headed towards the bed. Madeleine could sense him drawing closer, and every cell in her body tensed up. Maintaining her calm, she held her breath and waited about three minutes before feeling her side of the bed sink in. Not daring to move, Madeleine lay stiffly with her back towards Howard. After what felt like a long time, she heard the man behind her breathing slowly and steadily as if he had fallen asleep. She only then carefully turned over to see Howard not tucked in under the covers, but instead wearing only his bathrobe and falling asleep. Fearing she would wake Howard up, Madeleine cautiously sat up, grabbed the blanket, and carefully covered him without even daring to breathe. As she prepared to shrink back, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but look at the man¡¯s sleeping face, her gaze freezing. With his eyes closed in sleep, she finally couldn¡¯t see his disgust-filled eyes. However, she could still feel the distance between the two of them, so incredibly distant. Calculating in her head, they had been married for more than half a year, yet he had never kissed her. Once, at a class reunion, they had kissed because of a game. But so much time had passed that she had almost forgotten the feeling of that kiss. All she remembered was that she was so nervous that her whole body trembled. PS: Done for today~ Upcoming plot: Ruby Gregory says, ¡°Steve Burton, I might be going into labor.¡± Up to this point, the story is approaching the latter half~ The following plot includes having a baby, tormenting Maya Mitchell, proposals, marriages, and various sweet moments~ Of course, there¡¯s also the story of Madeleine and Howard. Do you guys want their story to be a tragedy or comedy? Let me know, and the minority will follow the majority~ Chapter 687 - Chapter 687: Chapter 687: Chaotic Baby-Making (7) Chapter 687: Chapter 687: Chaotic Baby-Making (7) Once before, at a classmates¡¯ reunion, they had kissed because of a game. She had almost forgotten the feeling of that kiss, but remembered how nervous and trembling she was. About two months after they got married, just like tonight, in the dead of night, he came home drunk and began to do what husbands and wives do. She didn¡¯t know if it was because he was drunk, but that time, he wasn¡¯t so rough, and she got carried away, wrapped her arms around his neck, and willingly kissed him. However, before her lips even touched his, he suddenly yanked her arm, throwing her off the bed. Not caring about his unfulfilled desires, he stared at her coldly and said mercilessly, ¡°Don¡¯t disgust me!¡± Then he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Since then, she never dared to take the initiative to kiss him again. At this late hour, with Howard¡¯s breath steady, Madeleine watched him for a long time, blinking lightly, then reached out to touch his arm. Finding no reaction, she swallowed and moved herself closer, lining up her face with his. She couldn¡¯t help but gently lean in towards his lips. She didn¡¯t dare to truly kiss him ¨C at most, a mere touch like a dragonfly skimming water. But, she could imagine that it was a sincere kiss with him, and she would be satisfied. But before Madeleine¡¯s lips touched Howard¡¯s, he suddenly opened his eyes. In the dimly lit bedroom, his light-colored eyes reflected a sharp gleam under the lamplight. Madeleine stiffened, her expression first surprised, then panicked like a child caught stealing. Howard just stared at her without saying a word, yet Madeleine could see a hint of mockery in his eyes. Such a mocking look was something she saw almost every time she met his gaze. She should have gotten used to it by now but still couldn¡¯t help but feel a little hurt every time she was looked at like that. Madeleine lowered her eyes, her lips quivering, and murmured, ¡°I was just tucking you in.¡± She quickly moved away from Howard and hid far away from him. But before she could completely calm herself down, Howard suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulled her close, and pressed her down. Without any kisses or caresses, he entered her body forcefully. Just like before, he treated her like a wild beast, brutally occupying her without compassion or tenderness, purely venting his frustrations. Despite her discomfort and pain, she did her best to endure it because it was the only intimate way he was willing to give her. She truly loved him, so despite knowing that he was humiliating her, she still willingly accepted it. After a long time, Howard finally had his fill with no intention of acknowledging Madeleine. He simply turned over and closed his eyes. Chapter 688 - Chapter 688: Chapter 688: Chaotic Baby-Making (8) Chapter 688: Chapter 688: Chaotic Baby-Making (8) Madeleine waited for a long time, until she felt a little better, then quietly got out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. By the time she came out, Howard Coleman was already sound asleep. Madeleine, who always suffered from insomnia, was even more restless at this time. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Howard for a long time, wanting to reach out and touch him several times, but not daring to. In the end, she waited quietly until dawn, then washed up and went downstairs to make breakfast. Madeleine made breakfast, arranged everything neatly on the dining table, but did not enter the bedroom to call Howard, just waiting quietly. At nine o¡¯clock, Howard came out of the room, dressed and ready to go. Only then did Madeleine stand up from the sofa and smile at Howard: ¡°Do you want to have breakfast?¡± Howard adjusted his tie, glanced at Madeleine without acknowledging her, picked up his messy phone and car keys from the coffee table, which had been cleaned up by Madeleine since last night, and then headed for the foyer area. Madeleine stood stiffly in place, watching Howard put on his shoes, open the door, close the door, but never looking back at her, her expression becoming extremely despondent. Madeleine blinked, suppressing the mist in her eyes, just as she was about to turn around and go to the dining room to eat, the closed door was opened again. Howard, who had just left, had come back. Madeleine¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise, and she looked at Howard, asking out loud, ¡°Did you forget something? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Howard didn¡¯t pick up on her cue, but stared at her for a while and said, ¡°Did you take the pill?¡± It took Madeleine about half a minute to realize that the pill Howard was referring to was the emergency contraceptive pill. She opened her mouth, then tightened her lips. Howard spoke again, ¡°I remember you should still have one left, right?¡± Madeleine didn¡¯t say a word, she just silently turned and walked to a nearby cabinet, took out the last box of contraceptives from the first drawer, opened it without hesitation in front of Howard, put the pill in her mouth, swallowed it forcefully, and then looked at Howard. Howard didn¡¯t say a word, just stared at Madeleine¡¯s face for a long time, before slamming the door shut with a bang and leaving completely. ¨C About a week after Ruby Gregory¡¯s call to Madeleine, she made several irregular calls to her again, but the news she received was that Steve Burton still hadn¡¯t returned to the country. As for Steve¡¯s phone, either no one answered or Ms. Taylor did. After a while, Ruby simply stopped calling Steve. ¨C During the two weeks Steve spent in Lilliput, both his work and life were in extremely poor shape. Every day, no matter what he was doing, his mind was filled with images of Ruby Gregory. Eventually, he recalled the night before his business trip, where he got drunk and ended up at the Gregorys¡¯ house. That night, he drank too much alcohol. The next day when he sobered up, his head was hurting like hell. Before opening his eyes, his mind was filled with the scene of him holding Ruby, babbling on about a lot of things. He even said, ¡°Ruby, I like you.¡± Then he suddenly sat up from the bed, realizing he was in his own room, and breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was just a dream he had last night. Chapter 689 - Chapter 689: Chapter 689: Chaotic Baby-Making (9) Chapter 689: Chapter 689: Chaotic Baby-Making (9) After that, he didn¡¯t think much about it and went to the bathroom to take a hot shower. Perhaps it was the hot water spraying on his body that temporarily relieved his headache, causing the events that transpired last night after he got drunk to replay in his mind vividly and realistically. Steve Burton thought about how calm he had been when he sought out Ruby Gregory and told her he liked her. However, the moment he recalled himself crying in front of Ruby, pleading with her to consider him after she and Edric Reat broke up, something inside him snapped, causing his hand to shake and knock the shower gel off the shelf. Alright, so he confessed his feelings and begged, those were just his genuine thoughts after all. But he couldn¡¯t accept that he had actually cried in front of Ruby. Fortunately, this was just an illusion, although an illusion that was a bit hard for him to handle. While Steve was trying to soothe his emotions, which were shaken by the illusion, he finished washing up, changed into a suit, and left the bedroom. He then saw Rusell Henris sitting leisurely on his sofa, reading the newspaper. Hearing the door open, Rusell lifted his eyes and greeted him, ¡°Good morning.¡± Steve didn¡¯t remember much of what happened after he¡¯d passed out, so he subconsciously wanted to ask Rusell, ¡°Why are you here?¡±. However, he recalled calling Rusell to settle the bill last night. He assumed that Rusell had taken him home after he¡¯d gotten completely wasted, so he swallowed his words and walked straight to the dining table. Mrs. Taylor had already prepared breakfast and left. Steve sat down, grabbed a baguette, took a bite, and glanced at Rusell, ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Rusell put down the newspaper, washed his hands in the shared bathroom on the first floor, and sat across from Steve. After serving himself a bowl of meat porridge, he stirred it with a spoon a few times and was about to take a sip when he smirked and said to Steve, ¡°Not too bad last night, huh? You were able to drive so smoothly after getting that wasted.¡± Steve realized he did drive last night¡ªto Ruby¡¯s place. Could it be that it wasn¡¯t an illusion? Steve¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he paused, chewing the baguette. He stared at Rusell nervously and asked, ¡°Did you not take me home Bistro?¡± ¡°Yes, I did take you home.¡± Rusell replied languidly, and Steve¡¯s heart began to return to its normal pace. Just as he was about to take another bite of the baguette, he heard Rusell¡¯s lazy voice again, ¡°But I didn¡¯t take you home from The Sapphire Bistro.¡± Steve¡¯s heart was violently yanked once more. Doing his best to keep his voice steady, he asked, ¡°Where did you pick me up from?¡± ¡°From Ruby Gregory¡¯s place, of course¡­¡± Rusell casually spoke the truth, and before he could finish his sentence, Steve dropped the baguette in his hand with a smack. It landed in his porridge bowl, splattering porridge all over his chest and face. Chapter 690 - Chapter 690: Chapter 690: Chaotic Baby-Making (10) Chapter 690: Chapter 690: Chaotic Baby-Making (10) Steve Burton didn¡¯t consider wiping his face with the tissue at all; instead, he leaned forward and stared at Rusell Henris, asking with some excitement, ¡°Are you saying that I drove to the Gregorys¡¯ last night?¡± Rusell Henris was scared by Steve Burton¡¯s excitement, and quickly dodged backward before nodding, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I stayed with Ruby Gregory for a long time?¡± Rusell Henris continued to nod and pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°You probably stayed with her for more than an hour.¡± ¡°So, you mean to tell me that it wasn¡¯t a hallucination last night, it actually happened? I actually told Ruby Gregory that I like her, asked her to think about me, and I even¡­¡± Steve Burton had not finished his final word ¡°cried¡± when Rusell Henris¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, looking at him incredulously, ¡°I didn¡¯t see that coming at all. Alcohol gave you courage yesterday, and you actually confessed your feelings to Ruby? Even asked her to consider you? How did she respond? And what else did you do?¡± Rusell Henris asked several questions in a row, and then Steve Burton finally realized that he almost blurted out that he cried in front of Ruby Gregory. He hurriedly shut his mouth and his face flushed alternatingly with blanching. Even when he thought it was a hallucination, he could barely accept that he¡¯d shed tears in front of Ruby Gregory. Now¡­ Rusell Henris was telling him that it wasn¡¯t a hallucination but a reality?! He was a grown man who hadn¡¯t cried in front of anyone since he was two years old. And now, he had run to Ruby Gregory to cry in her arms? Steve Burton meticulously retraced the whole scene in his memory¡­ He felt completely disheveled and exploded at Rusell Henris out of humiliation and anger, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop me yesterday!¡± Rusell Henris looked at a flustered Steve Burton, shrugging his shoulders dismissively, ¡°Well, I did want to stop you, but¡­ I didn¡¯t manage to¡­¡± After saying so, Rusell Henris spread his hands to Steve Burton with an expression of helplessness. Steve Burton suddenly lost his appetite, he stood up impatiently and walked around the restaurant several times. The thought of him crying in front of Ruby Gregory dominated his mind. He felt that his perfect image had been entirely destroyed! Rusell Henris was not at all disturbed by Steve Burton¡¯s pacing, he continued to eat his breakfast leisurely. After finishing his breakfast, he went over to Steve Burton, patted him on the shoulder, and said, ¡°I need to go on a business trip, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Where are you going on a business trip?¡± Steve Burton reached out and stopped Rusell Henris, asking. ¡°To Lilliput, for the TRK case¡­¡± Rusell Henris didn¡¯t finish his sentence when Steve Burton quickly said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go. I¡¯ll make the trip for you.¡± After saying that, he immediately grabbed his phone and called Ms. Taylor to book a ticket for him. Then he handed his phone to Rusell Henris, saying, ¡°You give this phone to Ms. Taylor, let her watch the incoming calls for me. Nobody disturbs me in the meantime, I need to be alone.¡± Then, leaving Rusell Henris alone, he quickly returned to his room, packed up a few items of clothing, and left for the airport. Just then, Rusell Henris stood in the living room, witnessing the departure of Steve Burton. How ever he looked at it, it seemed like Steve Burton was fleeing. Chapter 691 - Chapter 691: Chapter 691: Chaotic Baby-Making (11) Chapter 691: Chapter 691: Chaotic Baby-Making (11) Steve Burton, in his hotel room in Angria, Los Angeles, recalled the scene where he held Ruby Gregory in his arms, tears streaming down his face; the image so beautiful that it was hard for him to look straight at it. He couldn¡¯t help but pick up the pillow behind him and smash it hard against the television in front of him. Feeling that it was not enough, he grabbed another pillow and hammered it against the bed until his emotions calmed down a bit. Finally, he collapsed on the bed and rubbed his slightly aching head with his hand. Setting aside the scene of him shedding tears in front of Ruby, which he found somewhat humiliating and shameful, what truly troubled him lately was his confession. Ruby was about to marry Edric Reat, and she was carrying his child. As Rusell Henris told him that night, he couldn¡¯t accept this fact but had to. Continuing to treat Ruby well would only cause more trouble for her. He had always thought about not causing trouble for Ruby; yet, he still brought her the most significant trouble and pushed himself into a dilemma. Ruby did like Edric, and now with his child, it would be impossible for her to accept Steve¡¯s feelings. His confession broke the unspoken barrier between them, making it difficult for them to maintain their ambiguous relationship. Steve couldn¡¯t help but secretly hope for the slim chance that Ruby might accept him. However, he soon realized that such a possibility was not only remote but virtually non-existent. Even if Ruby genuinely had feelings for him, she would probably not break up with Edric for the sake of the child she was carrying. Steve knew deep down that it wasn¡¯t Ruby he was afraid to face, but the words she would say to him. No matter how preoccupied and troubled Steve was in Lilliput, his work there eventually came to an end. Although he had tried his best to find more work for himself in Lilliput, he eventually ran out of tasks and had to book his return flight. Although Steve knew that there might be no hope for him and Ruby, he still went to the supermarket before returning home and bought several cans of pregnancy milk powder for her. With a nervous and uneasy heart, Steve took a twelve-hour long-haul flight and finally arrived at Capital International Airport. During the twelve hours of flying, he hadn¡¯t rested his eyes for a moment. When the plane arrived at the airport, he stayed in the cabin for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until a beautiful flight attendant came to urge him to disembark that he grabbed his luggage and left the cabin. Though he had only been away for half a month, Ciawell had already entered the scorching midsummer. As soon as Steve walked out of the airport, he was drenched in sweat. The driver sent by his company saw him and immediately greeted him, taking his luggage and leading him to the parking spot. After getting into the car, the driver started the vehicle and then asked Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, do you want to go home or back to the office?¡± Steve hesitated for a moment, remembering that his phone was still with Ms. Taylor, and then said, ¡°To the office.¡± Chapter 692 - Chapter 692: Chapter 692: Chaotic Baby-Making (12) Chapter 692: Chapter 692: Chaotic Baby-Making (12) Steve Burton had been on a business trip in Lilliput for some time, and many urgent matters had piled up at his company in his absence. As soon as word got out that he was returning, several departments gathered outside his office with documents in hand, anxiously awaiting his arrival. When Steve finally showed up, they descended upon him like a swarm, leaving him no time to even take a sip of water. By the time Steve managed to get rid of them all, it was already three in the afternoon. He was exhausted from his long flight and had not had any rest. With so much work to catch up on, he was feeling quite weary. He leaned back in his office chair and closed his eyes for less than five minutes before someone knocked on his door again. With a sigh, he sat up straight and said, ¡°Come in.¡± The door swung open, and Ms. Taylor entered with a thick stack of documents. As Steve signed them, she filled him in on his busy schedule for the next few days. Steve multitasked, taking care of the paperwork and making note of his appointments. As he was about to signal for Ms. Taylor to leave, she pulled his cell phone out of her pocket and handed it to him with both hands. ¡°Mr. Burton, your phone,¡± she said. Steve hesitated for a moment before taking the phone. Before he could even unlock the screen, Ms. Taylor rattled off the list of calls he¡¯d received in his absence. The last one she emphasized was from his mother, Madam Burton: ¡°Mr. Burton, Madam Burton called seven times, insisting that you must call her back after your return.¡± Steve nodded, thinking that Ms. Taylor was finally done, but the next second, she continued, ¡°And then there was a call from Ruby.¡± Ms. Taylor, who was used to calling Ruby by her first name, realized her mistake only after the words slipped out of her mouth. She quickly corrected herself, ¡°I mean, a call from Ms. Gregory.¡± The hand Steve was using to hold his phone trembled, causing it to clatter onto the desk. Ms. Taylor paused in fright, looking up to see Steve¡¯s slightly dazed expression. Then she cautiously continued, ¡°Ms. Gregory called a total of twelve times, seeming to have some important matter to discuss with you. I informed her that you were back, and that I would relay her messages, asking you to return her call.¡± Even after Ms. Taylor had finished reporting the details, Steve did not react for a while. She noticed that his hand on the desk was clenched into a tight fist, as if he was nervous about something. Ms. Taylor was puzzled as she glanced at Steve, wondering why he would be so on edge about Ms. Gregory¡¯s calls. But on the surface, she maintained her professionalism and respect. ¡°Mr. Burton, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± It was only then that Steve raised his head and nodded at Ms. Taylor, not saying a word. Ms. Taylor bowed to Steve before turning to leave. As she closed his office door behind her, she caught one last glimpse of him sitting there, staring straight at his phone. A long while after Ms. Taylor had left, Steve finally picked up his phone and checked his call history. Just as she¡¯d said, Ruby Gregory had indeed called him twelve times. At one point, during his first two days in Lilliput, she¡¯d even called him three times in a single day. Chapter 693 - Chapter 693: Chapter 693: Chaotic Baby-Making (13) Chapter 693: Chapter 693: Chaotic Baby-Making (13) Steve Burton couldn¡¯t help but grip his phone tightly. After a long time, he exited the call log and saw over seventy unread text messages. He casually opened them, and the fifth message in his eyes was from Ruby Gregory. The date was the day before yesterday, and the content was simple and straightforward: ¡°Steve Burton, contact me as soon as you return from Lilliput. I have something to talk to you about.¡± As he had guessed when he was in Lilliput, Ruby Gregory did contact him. But what did she want to talk to him about? Was it about not looking for her anymore? Or that she would not accept his¡­ During the half month he spent in Lilliput, Steve Burton had already prepared himself for the worst outcome¡ªthe outcome being that Ruby Gregory would suggest that they become strangers to each other from now on. He knew that he would have to face such a scene sooner or later, but when it was time to face it, he wanted to escape. It was terrible. Why did he have to drink so much alcohol that day? They say that alcohol leads to mistakes¡­ After a long time, Steve Burton, with drooping eyelids, made a phone call to The Burtons¡¯ Mansion. After hanging up, he threw his phone aside and stared blankly at his computer screen. When it was almost time to get off work, the manager of the HR department came to consult Steve Burton about a tricky issue. Steve was forced to focus his attention on the situation described by the HR manager. After listening to the lengthy narration, before Steve could say anything, his phone suddenly rang. He instinctively reached out to grab it, glanced casually at the screen, and saw that the caller was ¡°Ruby.¡± Steve, as if he had received a great shock, stood up from his office chair, not caring that the HR manager was still standing in front of him. He paced back and forth with his phone anxiously, causing the HR manager to look at him with a strange and puzzled gaze. In the end, Steve didn¡¯t have the courage to answer the call. He just waited dryly for the ringing to stop, then stared blankly at his phone screen for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until the HR manager called out, ¡°Mr. Burton?¡± Only then did Steve come to his senses. He looked at the HR manager, remembered that he had come to consult about something, but was completely disrupted by Ruby¡¯s call. He had forgotten what the HR manager had just said, and he was not in the mood to listen to the HR manager describe it again. So he waved his hand irritably, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow, I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with it today.¡± ¨C Ruby arrived in Ciawell at ten o¡¯clock in the morning, and at half-past ten, she received a call from Madeleine, informing her that Steve had returned from Lilliput. After that, from the moment she received Madeleine¡¯s call, all her thoughts were focused on her phone, for fear that she would inadvertently miss Steve¡¯s call. However, time ticked by, and Steve¡¯s call never came. Ruby promised Lady Gregory that she would return to the Gregorys¡¯ Manor for dinner tonight. At five-thirty, the Gregorys¡¯ driver came to pick her up. After getting in the car, she kept looking at her phone. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but make a call to Steve. But¡­no one answered the call. Chapter 694 - Chapter 694: Chapter 694: Chaotic Baby-Making (14) Chapter 694: Chapter 694: Chaotic Baby-Making (14) Keep in mind, she had never expressed love to a man from childhood to adulthood. So, upon receiving Madeleine¡¯s phone call about Steve Burton¡¯s return, Ruby Gregory felt a bit nervous and shy, thinking that she would reveal her heart to him later. However, as she anxiously awaited Steve¡¯s call, which never came, her nervousness and shyness turned into inexplicable irritability. Now that he wasn¡¯t answering the phone, Ruby was downright depressed. Ruby arrived at the Gregorys¡¯ front door, sulking. The sun had already set, and the summer evening in the West Suburb Villa District was pleasantly cool. Lady Gregory and Madam Burton chatted across their fences with beaming smiles on their faces, the topic of their conversation unknown. The first to see Ruby entering the Gregorys¡¯ compound was Madam Burton. She stopped talking, and from far away, she smiled at Ruby and said, ¡°Ruby, you¡¯re back.¡± Ruby stood beside Lady Gregory, smiled at Madam Burton, and greeted, ¡°Aunt Burton.¡± Madam Burton¡¯s eyes immediately fixed on Ruby¡¯s big belly, her words filled with undisguised envy, ¡°Ruby, your stomach is so big now. Triplets must be bigger than normal, right? In three more months, you¡¯re going to give birth, right?¡± Ruby smiled and nodded, saying, ¡°Yes.¡± Madam Burton enviously talked about Ruby¡¯s triplets for a long time until their maid came out to call her for dinner. They said goodbye to each other and went back to their respective houses. Some things are difficult to accept initially, but when there¡¯s no choice but to accept them, people do so slowly. For example, Lady Gregory once wanted to marry Ruby to Steve, but now that things have progressed to this point, it¡¯s obvious that there¡¯s no chance for them anymore. After all, Ruby is her biological daughter. Even if she once used her own child to secure the wealth and glory of the Gregorys, it was ultimately for the hope that her daughter would marry well and be taken care of for life. Thus, although Lady Gregory felt regretful that Steve and Ruby didn¡¯t get married, she was relieved that the Gregorys¡¯ business had been saved, and now Ruby was pregnant with three grandchildren. Slowly, she accepted the current situation. The change in Lady Gregory made the relationship between her and Ruby more like that of mother and daughter. Their conversations no longer revolved around Steve. So, after bidding farewell to Madam Burton, Lady Gregory walked with Ruby toward their house, laughing, ¡°Madam Burton is so envious of me. She keeps thinking about getting Steve married, having him have multiple children too. She even foolishly researched whether multiple births could be achieved artificially¡­¡± Hearing this, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but think of what Madam Burton¡¯s expression would be if she knew that the child in her belly was a Burton. Oh, no, what would Steve¡¯s expression be like? It must be very exciting, right! Ruby couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips and smile. As they approached the dining room, Lady Gregory took out a wet tissue and wiped Ruby¡¯s hands before saying, ¡°You¡¯ve really shaken Madam Burton. She¡¯s collected a bunch of photos of young women from who knows where, talking about setting Steve up on arranged dates. Right before you came, she told me that she¡¯s arranged a date for Steve tonight¡­¡± Chapter 695 - Chapter 695: Chapter 694: Chaotic Baby-Making (14) Chapter 695: Chapter 694: Chaotic Baby-Making (14) The smile that Ruby Gregory had been wearing, imagining Steve Burton¡¯s reaction to learning that the triplets were his, had been frozen upon hearing Lady Gregory¡¯s words, ¡°Steve Burton, going on a blind date?¡± Only upon hearing Ruby¡¯s words did Lady Gregory notice the change in her daughter¡¯s complexion. It took her a while to respond, and then, with a touch of concern, she asked, ¡°Ruby, you wouldn¡¯t be upset about Steve going on a blind date, would you?¡± Ruby Gregory did not reply. Lady Gregory couldn¡¯t help but console her daughter a few times. Ruby, however, had no mood to listen. She merely shook her head, forced a smile, assuring she was fine, then joined Lady Gregory for dinner. After dinner, Lady Gregory suggested Ruby stay the night. Ruby, however, was preoccupied with Steve¡¯s blind date. Agitated, she saw that Steve¡¯s car had not returned to the mansion and insisted on going back to the city. Lady Gregory, unable to dissuade Ruby, had to resort to having the driver take Ruby home safely. That night, Ruby had intended to stay at the Gregorys. She had even given her housekeeper the evening off. Now in her empty house, the thought of Steve going on a blind date stirred an indescribable fury within her. He actually went on a blind date! She carries his three children, and he has the audacity to go on a blind date! The more Ruby thought about it, the more wronged she felt. The more wronged she felt, the angrier she became. Finally, in her rage, she called Steve. ¨C When Steve called Madam Burton, she had mentioned about having dinner together at the Royal Bird Restaurant that evening. He agreed without a second thought. However, when he arrived, he discovered a beautiful young woman inside the room Madam Burton told him. He immediately called his mother to confirm if he got the room number wrong. What he was asked instead was whether or not he was satisfied with the woman. That¡¯s when he realized his mother had arranged a surprise blind date dinner. Angry, Steve ended the call. He snapped at the woman in the room, ¡°Whoever invited you is responsible for the bill.¡± He then drove back to his apartment. After showering, Steve got into bed early but found himself unable to sleep. He turned on the TV without paying attention and picked up his phone, constantly locking and unlocking his screen, hesitating if he should call Ruby back. Each time he¡¯d select Ruby¡¯s name, he lacked the courage to actually dial. That woman must surely want to cut ties with him¡­ Annoyed, Steve finally tossed his phone aside. When he went to pour himself a glass of water, he spotted the infant formula he had brought back from Lilliput for Ruby. This made him even more agitated, so he decided to go to the balcony for some fresh air. After a while, his phone began ringing from inside his bedroom. Steve paused; he had a feeling the call was from Ruby. He stood there gripping his glass of water, hesitating once again. Just as he resolved to head back to the bedroom, the ringing stopped. He was left standing, but not even half a minute later, the phone started ringing again. Steve finally returned to bedside to pick up the phone. Just as he had anticipated, it was a call from ¡°Ruby¡±. PS: Will he pick up or ignore the call? Please follow yefeiye000, as well as my interest page on QQ: Ye Feiye, for updates. I¡¯ll be adding a little extra content later, so feel free to follow any of the sites above!~ Chapter 696 - Chapter 696: Chapter 696: Chaotic Baby-Making (16) Chapter 696: Chapter 696: Chaotic Baby-Making (16) Steve Burton had no choice but to walk back to the bedside, pick up his cell phone, and sure enough, as he sensed, it was a call from ¡°Ruby.¡± Steve¡¯s hand gripping the phone couldn¡¯t help but apply more force. He stared at the flickering screen, his lips tightly pressed together. Several times he raised his finger to answer the call, but in the end, at the very moment his fingertip touched the screen, he suddenly retracted it, until the phone¡¯s ringing stopped, and he still didn¡¯t press the answer button. ¨C On the other end of the phone, Ruby Gregory, after calling twice in a row without being answered by Steve, her anger in her heart instantly expanded to its peak, and she couldn¡¯t help but throw her phone violently to the ground! What did Steve mean? Was he so infatuated with the woman he was meeting tonight that he wouldn¡¯t answer her calls? What about all the sweet words he had said to her? Was he playing with her like a clown? Thinking about it, Ruby¡¯s chest began to undulate uncontrollably. She knew that pregnant women should avoid extreme emotional fluctuations, but she really couldn¡¯t control her emotions. She angrily walked forward, picked up her phone, held her big belly, and directly slammed the door and went downstairs. Ruby gritted her teeth, rushed out of the neighborhood, hailed a taxi on the side of the road and simply reported Steve¡¯s apartment address. He wasn¡¯t answering her calls because he was on a date? Fine, she would wait for him at his doorstep. She didn¡¯t believe he would date someone for the rest of his life and never come back! She wanted to confront him face to face and ask him what he meant and why he treated her like that! It was past nine o¡¯clock on the streets of Ciawell, traffic was smooth, and the taxi driver was driving as fast as he could. But Ruby still felt it was too slow. When they finally arrived at the entrance of Steve¡¯s apartment complex, Ruby didn¡¯t even ask the taxi driver about the cost, she directly took out a banknote, handed it to the driver, didn¡¯t bother with the change, got off the car quickly and walked toward Steve¡¯s building. As soon as the elevator door opened, Ruby rushed to Steve¡¯s door. Regardless of whether Steve was at home or not, she even forgot that she knew the code to his apartment and directly raised her hand to pound on the door as hard as she could. It was only when Ruby¡¯s hand was throbbing with pain that she realized, afterthought, that she had pressed the doorbell several times continuously, and then angrily kicked Steve¡¯s door several more times. ¨C Steve¡¯s already heavy mood had become even heavier after Ruby¡¯s continuous two calls. He knew that hiding from Ruby like this was a cowardly act, but compared to hearing Ruby tell him to break off directly, he would rather be cowardly like this. He knew that behaving like this was just self-deception. Steve didn¡¯t know how long he had been standing at the bedside holding his phone, his body stiffened until he heard a banging sound coming from downstairs, like something being smashed, and then he came back to his senses. Steve frowned for a moment, listening carefully before realizing someone was pounding on his door. Not many people knew where he lived, who could it be? Steve walked out of his bedroom with his cell phone in his hand, and had just walked halfway down the stairs when he heard the doorbell ringing in overlapping sounds. Steve hurried over, and before he even reached the foyer area, he felt his door being heavily kicked several times. Chapter 697 - Chapter 697: Chapter 697: Chaotic Baby-Making (17) Chapter 697: Chapter 697: Chaotic Baby-Making (17) Who¡¯s being so rude? Steve Burton¡¯s brows furrowed in anger, annoyance bubbling up inside him. He forcefully swung the door open without even checking who was outside and snapped at the person, ¡°If you¡¯re sick, go take your medicine! What¡¯s with the commotion outside my door?¡± ¨C Ruby¡¯s belly had grown quite a bit, making it hard for her to kick the door. Although she was furious, she didn¡¯t lose her mind, and for the sake of The Triplets in her stomach, she decided to give up kicking. Rubbing her sore hand, she was just about to continue her attack when the door was suddenly flung open, accompanied by a familiar and unpleasant remark, ¡°If you¡¯re sick, go take your medicine! What¡¯s with the commotion outside my door?¡± For a woman who was being willful, it wasn¡¯t important why a man said something. What mattered was that his harsh words were directed at her. In an instant, Ruby¡¯s anger was ignited by Steve¡¯s comment. Sick? Steve called her sick? Ruby glared and, without even thinking, lifted up her phone to throw at Steve, ¡°Steve, you bastard!¡± After uttering his angrily worded remark, Steve looked up and finally noticed Ruby standing in the dimly lit hallway. It was as if someone had struck an acupoint on him, leaving him momentarily stunned. He didn¡¯t react when Ruby¡¯s phone flew towards him. The device struck him hard in the chest before landing squarely on his foot. The pain from both the blow to his chest and strike to his foot brought Steve back to his senses. He looked at Ruby and opened his mouth, ¡°Ruby, how did you get here?¡± What kind of tone was that? Ruby¡¯s anger burned even more fiercely, and she tossed her bag at Steve¡¯s head viciously, ¡°Steve, you bastard! Why can¡¯t I come here? Are you hoping I wouldn¡¯t show up?¡± Steve became anxious upon being scolded by Ruby, not paying any attention to the pain in his chest and foot. He quickly shook his head and tried to explain, ¡°Ruby, that¡¯s not what I meant, I¡­¡± Before Steve could finish, Ruby interjected with a stream of angry words, ¡°Not what you meant? What did you mean then! And also, Steve, who were you calling sick? You¡¯re the sick one! Your whole family is sick! What¡¯s wrong with me making a fuss at your doorstep? That¡¯s right, I¡¯m causing a scene! What can you do, call the police, go ahead!¡± Ruby said as she raised her hand, ¡°smack smack smack,¡± slapping Steve¡¯s door several times in a row. He not only didn¡¯t answer her calls but also went on blind dates, and now he called her sick¡­ Ruby unconsciously raised her hand to throw something at Steve again, but realized her hands were empty. She reached out to grab the phone in Steve¡¯s hand. When she threw it at him, she remembered that he hadn¡¯t dodged her previous two throws. So, the moment she threw the phone, she slightly bent her wrist, causing the phone to hit the wall instead. ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m in the wrong, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s sick. Don¡¯t be angry, please don¡¯t be angry¡­¡± Steve didn¡¯t even glance at the phone that had been thrown, its back cover shattered. He just tried his best to say nice things to soothe Ruby in front of him. Chapter 698 - Chapter 698: Chapter 698: Chaotic Baby-Making (18) Chapter 698: Chapter 698: Chaotic Baby-Making (18) Ruby Gregory was truly angered. Facing Steve Burton¡¯s appeasement, she found no relief, only feeling a suffocating discomfort in her heart. Being in the middle of summer, there was no air conditioning in the hallway, slightly hot and stuffy. Ruby forcefully pushed Steve Burton away before storming into his living room. She picked up a throw pillow lying on the couch and threw it aggressively at Steve who was standing at the door with her purse in one hand and her two phones that fell on the floor in the other. ¡°And yes, Steve Burton, tell me, did you get my message?¡± Throwing one pillow was not enough. Ruby took another throw pillow and in a swift step, stood on the couch. With her left hand, she threw the pillow at Steve again. ¡°Did Ms. Taylor tell you about the call I made for you?¡± Ruby then threw the right-hand pillow again: ¡°You saw my call, why didn¡¯t you answer it?¡± Steve was petrified looking at Ruby, standing high on the couch and hurling throw pillows, especially when considering her heavily pregnant belly. He was afraid she might lose balance and fall. Ignoring her questions, he tossed his things on a nearby coffee table, ran to her, opened his arms around her, and said: ¡°Ruby, let¡¯s sit down and talk¡­¡± ¡°Why would I sit? I want to stand!¡± Ruby shouted. Her heart was filled with grievance. She stared at Steve, grinding her teeth before asking: ¡°Steve Burton, why would you do that?¡± Ruby, after questioning, stomped her feet on the couch twice. Steve almost knelt in front of her, pleading: ¡°Ruby, I beg you, please come down, come down¡­¡± Ruby quieted. She was standing still, her eyes filling with a layer of red. ¡°And you talked to me so much that night. Why would you go on a blind date tonight? What the heck is going on?¡± She looked distraught, making Steve feel even more panicked: ¡°Ruby, let me explain¡­¡± Before he could finish, Ruby¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Steve was at a loss, blurting out, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t cry¡­¡± As the panicked Steve raised his hand to wipe Ruby¡¯s tears, he blurted out: ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s not that I wanted to go see that girl, my Mom did it behind my back, she secretly set it up. She told me we were having dinner together tonight¡­ I swear, when I saw that it wasn¡¯t mom inside the private dining room, I immediately turned around and left¡­¡± Steve paused in the middle of his long explanation. Ruby was complaining about his blind date¡­ does that mean she minds he went on a date? If a woman minds a man dating someone else, does that mean she is jealous¡­ Steve¡¯s heartbeat began to accelerate, a feeling words could not describe emerged inside him ¨C a sense of jubilation. Looking at the teary-eyed Ruby, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. Just as his smile bloomed, Ruby standing in front of him suddenly clutched her belly and collapsed. Chapter 699 - Chapter 699: Chapter 699: Chaotic Baby-Making (19) Chapter 699: Chapter 699: Chaotic Baby-Making (19) Steve Burton quickly clasped Ruby Gregory, a smile still lingering on his lips as he automatically asked, ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong?¡± As he lowered his head and saw her pale face and trembling body, his own face instantly lost its colour. He tightened his grip on Ruby Gregory, his anxious tone trembling slightly, ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong? Where are you uncomfortable?¡± Ruby Gregory had been pregnant for some time, but she had never felt such severe abdominal pain before. She clutched her stomach, unable to utter a word in response to Steve Burton¡¯s frantic inquiries. She could feel the pain in her abdomen, wave after wave of it crashing over her. Her stomach felt unusually bloated, and a damp fluid was continuously seeping from her lower half. ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t scare me. Talk to me, where are you uncomfortable?¡± Steve Burton asked her several times. Finally, he picked up Ruby Gregory with one hand, and grabbed his mobile phone from the coffee table with the other. He started to dial ¡°911¡± but before he could hit the call button, Ruby Gregory caught his wrist amidst the pain, and rhythmlessly stated, ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m going into labour¡­¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Ruby Gregory suddenly let out a scream. The scream from Ruby Gregory sent chills down Steve Burton¡¯s spine. He hastily shoved the mobile phone into his pocket. Not caring that he was only in his pyjamas, he set Ruby Gregory on the sofa, ran upstairs to grab his car keys and wallet. Then he swiftly carried her off the sofa and bolted out of the door. ¡°Hang in there, Ruby. We¡¯re almost at the hospital¡­¡± Steve Burton comforted Ruby Gregory, while quickly opening the car door, stuffing her inside, then smoothly getting in the car himself. He hit the gas pedal hard and sped out of the underground parking lot. The screams of Ruby Gregory filled the car, one after the other. Steve Burton gripped the steering wheel tightly, continuously stepping harder on the accelerator until the car was at maximum speed. The hospital Steve Burton took Ruby Gregory to was the same one where she had been receiving her prenatal check-ups. He parked the car directly in front of the maternity ward building. Jumping out of the car, he picked up Ruby Gregory, whose hair was soaking wet from the pain. Then, with a swift kick to close the car door, he ran into the building. ¡°Quickly, she¡¯s giving birth, she¡¯s giving birth¡­¡± The words Steve Burton called out once he burst into the building were filled with a trembling tone. The nurses on the first floor seeing the situation, immediately dialed the intercom. Soon, a mobile bed was rolled out. Steve Burton placed Ruby on it and followed the nurses as they rushed toward the operating room. The obstetrician had already received a call and was waiting in the operating room. As soon as Ruby Gregory arrived in the operating room, the doctor did a check-up and decisively declared, ¡°It¡¯s a premature birth, prepare quickly, we¡¯re about to deliver.¡± Ruby Gregory was having a premature delivery of triplets, already a critical situation. Furthermore, it was in the middle of the night, the only one who could have brought her in was her husband. So, without a second thought, the nurse handed the surgical consent form to Steve Burton for his signature. Each of Ruby Gregory¡¯s screams in the delivery room was more intense than the last. Steve Burton was frantic, not even bothering to look at the form he¡¯s signing. He took the pen, signed quickly, and then urged them to deliver Ruby Gregory¡¯s babies immediately. PS: I¡¯m on the train back home for New Year, typing on my mobile phone, the speed is a bit slow~ Everyone, patience please~ If you¡¯re patient, then wait, if not, go to sleep early~ Chapter 700 - Chapter 700: Chapter 700: Chaotic Baby-Making (20) Chapter 700: Chapter 700: Chaotic Baby-Making (20) Ruby Gregory was about to give birth to triplets, so the hospital arranged for three obstetricians to deliver the babies. The nurses in the obstetrics department were efficient and quickly prepared everything. Before the delivery officially began, a nurse asked Steve Burton if he needed to accompany the mother in the delivery room. This was Steve¡¯s first experience with childbirth. In the past, surgeries had always prohibited outsiders from entering, but now that he was told he could accompany Ruby, he immediately agreed, changed into sterile clothing, and followed the nurse inside. Ruby was lying on the delivery bed, curled up like a shrimp. As she held onto the bed, her knuckles turned blue from exertion. Due to the pain, her screams of agony came in waves. While signing papers outside the delivery room, Steve had only heard these screams. With Ruby appearing so disheveled and helpless, and being so close to her cries of pain, Steve felt as if countless blades were repeatedly torturing him. He walked up to her, wanting to comfort her, but didn¡¯t know what to say. In the end, he just kept repeating, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ ¡± However, no matter how much Steve tried to comfort her, Ruby¡¯s cries grew more intense, as did her contractions. Steve looked at the doctors surrounding Ruby, constantly observing the situation and discussing among themselves, with no sign of starting the delivery. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How much longer will she be in pain?¡± One of the obstetricians replied, ¡°The cervix is not dilated enough yet, we need to wait a bit longer.¡± Steve nodded, turned to Ruby and whispered softly, ¡°Ruby, the doctor said to wait a little longer, then you can give birth. Once they¡¯re born, everything will be better.¡± Ruby nodded at Steve, but in the next second, she felt an intense wave of pain and couldn¡¯t help but scream again. Hearing her scream, Steve shivered and couldn¡¯t help but raise his head and ask the doctors once more, ¡°How much longer do we have to wait?¡± One doctor first checked the Fetal Heart Rate Monitor, saw that all three fetuses had normal vitals, and then checked Ruby¡¯s cervical dilation. He said, ¡°If everything goes smoothly, it may only be another half an hour.¡± ¡°Half an hour? You¡¯re saying she has to endure this pain for another half an hour?¡± Steve immediately roared angrily at the doctor. Ruby, recovering from a wave of intense pain, heard Steve¡¯s anger and feared that in the next moment, he might turn the entire delivery room upside down in agitation. She reached out, grabbed his hand, and after glaring fiercely at the doctor, turned reluctantly to ask Ruby anxiously, ¡°Ruby, how are you feeling now? Can you hang on?¡± Ruby gave Steve a faint smile, nodded her head, and then suddenly increased her grip on his hand, letting out another wail of pain. Steve had never felt time pass so slowly before. The short half an hour felt like half a century. As soon as the time was up, he immediately asked the doctors anxiously, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Can they be born now?¡± Chapter 701 - Chapter 701: Chapter 701: Chaotic Baby-Making (21) Chapter 701: Chapter 701: Chaotic Baby-Making (21) During this half-hour, the three doctors had been carefully observing Ruby Gregory¡¯s condition. When they heard Steve Burton¡¯s question, the doctor who had been answering him said, ¡°Her cervix is not dilated enough yet, we¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer.¡± Just at that moment, Ruby experienced the most intense pain since her water broke, so much so that her screams sounded hoarse and broken. Steve Burton, who had been listening to Ruby¡¯s cries of pain, was already on edge. He had thought that after arriving at the hospital, Ruby wouldn¡¯t feel pain anymore, but she had been in the delivery room for an hour and was still in pain. Frustrated, he snapped at the doctors again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it would be enough to wait half an hour? It¡¯s already been half an hour, why do we need to wait more? How much longer do we need to wait? If her cervix isn¡¯t dilating, find a way to help her! Are you just going to let her suffer? Can you actually treat her? Do you even know how to deliver a baby?¡± One of the doctors, perhaps annoyed by Steve¡¯s temper, couldn¡¯t help coldly retorting, ¡°What can we do if her cervix won¡¯t dilate further after reaching five fingers dilation? Besides, some people take a whole day and night to give birth ¨C you¡¯ve only been here for an hour, what¡¯s the rush?¡± Although the doctor¡¯s remark about a day and night was just an example, Steve immediately thought of the possibility that Ruby might also have to go through labor for a day and night. In other words, she would have to endure this pain for a whole day and night? Steve suddenly stood up, pointing at the three doctors, his fury escalating, ¡°A whole day and night? If you dare to let her suffer for a day and night, I¡¯ll tear this hospital down!¡± ¡°Steve¡­¡± Ruby weakly called out his name. Steve retracted his fierce gaze and gave Ruby a reassuring look. He reached out to pat her on the back of her hand, speaking gently, ¡°Ruby, wait for me. I¡¯m going to find someone to save you right now.¡± After saying this, Steve released Ruby¡¯s hand, glared menacingly at the three doctors again, then stormed out of the delivery room. Steve had learned a lot about pregnancy because of Ruby¡¯s, and he knew that a natural birth was preferable to a cesarean section, especially since Ruby was pregnant with triplets. The doctors allowing Ruby to have a natural birth indicated that the fetal positions were normal. He also knew that prior to childbirth, it was indeed necessary for the cervix to dilate ¨C a painful but inevitable path for every woman having a natural birth. However, understanding these facts did not change how deeply unsettling it was to witness his beloved woman suffering. At that moment, Steve was single-mindedly focused on finding a way for Ruby to quickly give birth and reduce her pain. Although he knew that the methods of the three doctors in the delivery room were correct, he picked up his phone and summoned all the best gynecologists and obstetricians in Ciawell to the hospital where Ruby was and have them stand by. After hanging up, Steve took a couple of deep breaths and re-entered the delivery room. Just as he was about to reach Ruby¡¯s side, one of the doctors spoke to her, saying, ¡°Get ready to push now. When I tell you to push, use your strength.¡± Chapter 702 - Chapter 702: Chapter 702: Chaotic Baby-Making (22) Chapter 702: Chapter 702: Chaotic Baby-Making (22) When Ruby Gregory attended the expectant mothers¡¯ course, she learned how to push during childbirth. Although Ruby was still in immense pain and would scream, Steve Burton was nervously watching from the side. Despite this, their initial cooperation went quite well. However, as time went on, Ruby gradually lost her strength. The most concerning thing during childbirth is when the pregnant woman can no longer muster up any strength. So, the doctor constantly urged Ruby to push harder and harder. Under the doctor¡¯s urging, Ruby tried her best to gather her strength. However, she could only muster up half of her strength and couldn¡¯t push anymore. Instead, her face turned purple from the effort. In the end, even the doctor¡¯s tone became more urgent. For Steve, there was nothing more painful in the world than watching Ruby¡¯s suffering. Now that the doctor was getting impatient with Ruby, Steve could no longer hold back his anger and yelled, ¡°Push harder, what do you mean? Can¡¯t you see she can¡¯t muster up any strength now? You¡¯re doctors, can¡¯t you think of another way?¡± Steve turned his head to look at Ruby, who was clearly struggling, and angrily spoke up again, ¡°What are you all standing around for? Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s in a terrible state?¡± As Steve¡¯s furious shouting continued, one of the doctors glanced at the Fetal Heart Rate Monitor and their expression became particularly serious. There were some things that couldn¡¯t be said in front of the pregnant woman, for fear of affecting her mood and causing further complications. Although they were afraid of Steve, they still had no choice but to tell him. So, the doctor looked at Steve and walked up to him, whispering, ¡°Please step outside with us for a moment.¡± Steve¡¯s heart jumped into his throat, as he vaguely sensed something bad was happening. However, he still bent down and whispered comforting words to Ruby before leaving the delivery room. ¡°The mother¡¯s condition is not good, she can¡¯t muster up any strength right now, which could lead to a difficult birth. If she continues like this, she might have excessive bleeding.¡± Already on the edge of collapse and fury, Steve heard the terms ¡°difficult birth¡± and ¡°excessive bleeding¡± ¨C things that only appeared in the melodramatic romance dramas that Wenny Burton liked to watch ¨C and they were now happening to Ruby. He completely lost his temper and lunged at the doctor telling him the news, with the posture of someone who wanted to kill. Luckily, there were many nurses and doctors in the hallway who stepped forward to restrain him. As Steve struggled, he stretched out his long legs and kicked at the doctor, shouting, ¡°What did you say? You¡¯re telling me it¡¯s a difficult birth? Excessive bleeding? And you still let her have a natural birth? How the hell are you a doctor? Quack! Quack!¡± Steve¡¯s leg didn¡¯t even touch the doctor before he was forcefully pulled away. He wanted to vent his anger, but couldn¡¯t, so he just furiously stared at the doctor with a fierce tone, shouting word by word, ¡°I will kill you, kill you¡­¡± As the chaos unfolded outside the delivery room door, the obstetricians Steve had urgently called arrived one after another. Steve pointed at the delivery room and said to them, ¡°Go in, go in quickly, and get those quacks out of there for me!¡± Chapter 703 - Chapter 703: Chapter 703: Chaotic Baby-Making (23) chapter 703: chapter 703: chaotic baby-making (23) steve burton was directing the doctors he had hired while never forgetting to glare at the doctor who initially informed him of ruby gregory¡¯s difficult labor, cursing, ¡°useless! good for nothing!¡± then, like an enraged lion, steve roared at the doctors he had called in, ¡°what are you still doing here? get changed and go in! let me make it clear that if you can¡¯t save the person inside, don¡¯t bother coming out to see me again, just be buried along with her!¡± the best obstetricians in the capital city, scolded by steve¡¯s bellow, hastily changed into sterile gowns and rushed into the delivery room. before the doctors entered, steve added, ¡°i¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not just the person who needs to be saved, both the person and the children need to survive, mother and children safe and sound, mother and children safe and sound, understand! three children, i want all of them to live!¡± as steve¡¯s final word settled, the door to the delivery room slammed shut. outside the delivery room, steve looked at the other two doctors who were supposed to assist ruby¡¯s delivery, his whole body exuding the murderous belligerence of wanting to kill their entire family and, without any sign of fatigue, continued to curse in anger, ¡°useless! you three are useless! don¡¯t think that just by stepping out of the delivery room, you¡¯re free from responsibility! if something goes wrong with the people and children inside, i¡¯ll skin you three alive first!¡± steve was cursing while keeping an ear on the movements inside the delivery room. ruby¡¯s screams continued, but not as strong as initially. his heart suddenly jumped into his throat. perhaps due to the overwhelming fright, he instinctively roared again at the doctors and the hospital director who had rushed back to the hospital upon hearing the news, ¡°what kind of shitty hospital is this? so much for a class a hospital! you can¡¯t even manage a successful childbirth? i swear, i¡¯ll have someone tear this place down! you bunch of mediocre doctors! bastards! useless!¡± the four people trying to hold steve back were struggling to keep up with his thrashing. after steve finished yelling, he perked his ears to listen to the movements in the delivery room, and this time, there was not a sound. in an instant, he felt that his heart was being hollowed out as he stared straight at the tightly closed door of the delivery room. how could there be no sound? whether it was ruby¡¯s wailing or screaming, at least he knew she was alive. but now, there was no sign of life, so what happened? could it be that¡­ steve couldn¡¯t bear to finish the thought, feeling as if everything in his body was slipping away. his eyes wide, he wanted to vent his deepest fears by screaming like a madman as he had done earlier, but now he was completely immobilized. he didn¡¯t know how much time passed when a cry came from the delivery room. steve blinked, not caring that the three doctors he had cursed before stood directly in front of him, and asked, ¡°is that a baby crying?¡± just as the last note of his question left, another cry was heard, followed by another¡­ then, the door to the delivery room opened, and the doctors who had gone in earlier walked out. the oldest of them said to steve, ¡°mother and all four are safe and sound.¡± ¡°mother and all four are safe?¡± steve repeated the question. ¡°yes, mother and all four are safe and sound,¡± the doctor reassured him once more. the next second, steve¡¯s vision went black, and he toppled over, fainting to the ground. ps: today¡¯s update is done~~ it won¡¯t continue tomorrow, but we¡¯ll continue when i wake up later today~ Chapter 704 - Chapter 704: Chapter 704: Chaotic Baby-Making (24) chapter 704: chapter 704: chaotic baby-making (24) the sky had just barely started to brighten when steve burton woke up from a nightmare, sitting up abruptly. in his dream, ruby gregory had gone into labor and was screaming in pain¡­ it even led to a difficult delivery in the end¡­ steve raised his hand and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. before his hand had even dropped, he heard a gentle voice beside him, ¡°sir, are you awake?¡± steve¡¯s hand paused. he looked up and saw a young nurse standing by the bed. steve¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he looked around. the room was surrounded by white walls, and on the bedside table, there was also a testing device emitting light beeping sounds. this wasn¡¯t his room, but a hospital room¡­ only then did steve fully wake up. he threw the blanket off, jumped out of bed, and dashed towards the room, not even bothering to put on his shoes. ¡°sir, sir, what are you doing?¡± before the young nurse¡¯s voice even faded, steve had disappeared into the room. she glanced at his shoes, shook her head, and was about to leave the room when the door suddenly opened again. startled, she stepped back and looked up. steve had returned, and before she could say anything, he urgently asked, ¡°which room is ruby gregory in?¡± ¡°ms. gregory?¡± the nurse replied, looking down at the patient records she was holding before lifting her head and saying, ¡°in room 301, at the very end on the left.¡± steve nodded without speaking and swiftly turned around. as the nurse kindly called out, ¡°sir, your shoes¡­¡±, steve¡¯s figure vanished again before she could finish her sentence. ¨C when steve arrived at ruby¡¯s room, he peered through the window and saw her lying peacefully in the hospital bed, with a needle in her wrist and clear liquid slowly flowing into her body. steve swallowed hard, his earlier agitation gone. he gently pushed open the door and tiptoed over. there was another nurse in ruby¡¯s room. as steve entered, she quickly stood up but found herself silenced by his raised hand in a hushing gesture before she could greet him. steve stood by ruby¡¯s bed, watching her slightly pale face. he could clearly feel the lingering fear in his heart. his trembling fingers reached up and touched her nose, feeling the soft breaths that gently brushed over his fingertips. only then did he let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as though all his strength had been drained in an instant, leaving him weak and limp. thankfully, he managed to lean on the edge of the bed just in time to prevent himself from falling. ruby was alive¡­ ruby was alive¡­ steve thought that he had never been as above stimulated in his life as tonight. ruby giving birth was like putting him through hell, subjecting him to every kind of torture trial! steve braced his arms against the edge of the bed, staring intently at ruby without blinking, panting heavily. after a long while, he finally turned his head and asked the nurse who had been standing by, ¡°where are the babies? where are they now?¡± ps: tonight, i suddenly switched places to type, and my state is particularly bad. i sat in front of the computer at seven o¡¯clock, and only wrote 1000 words by ten o¡¯clock. don¡¯t wait for the update anymore~ i will update 15 chapters tomorrow to make up for the remaining seven chapters today~~ i hope you understand~ i¡¯m sorry to everyone~ Chapter 705 - Chapter 705: Chapter 705: Chaotic Baby-Making (25) chapter 705: chapter 705: chaotic baby-making (25) ¡°the baby was born prematurely and is now in an incubator.¡± ¡°take me to see them.¡± the nurse nodded slightly, left the ward first, and found another nurse to stay with ruby gregory. then she took steve burton to the incubator room. leading steve to three incubators in a row, the nurse turned her head, gave steve a faint smile, and politely pointed to the three incubators, saying, ¡°these are the triplets ms. gregory gave birth to.¡± the three babies were tiny, lying in the incubator with their eyes closed, wrapped in diapers, their gender indiscernible. steve looked at each of the three babies one by one, unable to tell which was male and which was female. in the end, he turned to the nurse that brought him and asked: ¡°are they all boys or girls?¡± the nurse pointed to the first incubator and said, ¡°this is a boy, the first one born.¡± steve stepped forward, inspecting the first-born for a few moments before taking out his phone and snapping a few photos. after steve finished taking photos, the nurse then pointed to the middle incubator: ¡°this is also a boy, the second-born¡­¡± though the nurse spoke softly, the second-born suddenly burst into tears. startled, steve asked anxiously, ¡°why is he crying?¡± hearing the crying, a special care nurse nearby immediately rushed over. simply feeling the second-born¡¯s diaper before grabbing a new one from the side, she swiftly changed the baby. steve captured the scene with his phone. now wearing a fresh diaper, the second-born quickly returned to a peaceful slumber. the nurse then pointed to the last incubator and told steve, ¡°this is a girl, the last one to be born.¡± after speaking, a hint of envy and joy appeared in the nurse¡¯s eyes: ¡°i¡¯ve seen many mothers give birth to babies in the hospital. there are quite a few twins, but triplets are really rare. ms. gregory¡¯s triple birth is already amazing. moreover, the triplets are two boys and one girl, with both boys being the older brothers. this is the best combination of triplets¡­¡± as steve listened to the nurse¡¯s envious words, he recalled a recent conversation with ruby. when they found out she was pregnant with triplets, he accompanied her to buy things for the babies. she said, ¡°if i give birth to three girls, that¡¯s fine. what i fear the most is having three boys. boys can be naughty and hard to discipline. they¡¯ll definitely torment me to death in the future. but, i won¡¯t consider having a second child after this, so i hope there are both boys and girls. two girls and one boy would be good¡­but having two boys and one girl is better. hopefully, the two boys are born first so that they¡¯ll become the big brothers and will surely dote on their little sister¡­¡± at that time, ruby was still worried that the probability was too low. but now, everything has happened just as she wished. two older brothers and one younger sister ¨C that truly is the combination everyone dreams of. how thrilled she must be when she wakes up and hears the news! as steve thought of ruby¡¯s overjoyed face, a smile crept onto his lips, and he took out his phone to take a few photos of the third-born. as steve pressed the camera button, the nurse beside him said in a friendly tone, ¡°sir, i think the luckiest person is actually you. your wife is amazing, not only giving you three children at once but also such a perfect combination.¡± ps: i¡¯ve updated another chapter and only have 14 chapters to update tomorrow~ some readers say i don¡¯t keep my promises¨Ci feel wronged. apart from the six chapters i owe today due to special circumstances, i have made up for everything else. i wrote until after 1 a.m. on the train yesterday to complete the eight chapters. please don¡¯t say i make too many excuses. everyone has their own issues, let¡¯s be understanding of each other~ thank you, and i apologize again~ Chapter 706 - Chapter 706: Chapter 706: Chaotic Baby-Making (26) chapter 706: chapter 706: chaotic baby-making (26) steve burton¡¯s smile froze at the corner of his mouth when he heard the last sentence from the nurse. he found it difficult to even say that he wasn¡¯t the father of the children. instead, he tried his best to maintain a composed demeanor, forced a smile, and continued taking pictures of third-born. as his phone captured the images with a ¡°click,¡± the sleeping third-born suddenly broke into a grin. it was as if she had heard the sound of the camera. ¡°sir, look¡ªthe third baby just smiled¡­since her mom is so beautiful, i¡¯m sure when third-born grows up she¡¯ll be as gorgeous as her mom, a real ¡®country-toppling, city-toppling¡¯ beauty¡­¡± the nurse beside him kept praising, but steve felt a painful sting in his heart. he quickly made up an excuse about needing to use the bathroom and left the recovery room. although steve didn¡¯t want to go to the bathroom, he still hurriedly rushed there with anxious steps. he turned on the faucet, splashed some cold water on his face, then leaned both hands on the washbasin, letting the water drops dripp and splash into the sink. he was worried about ruby¡¯s sudden early delivery, relieved that she had survived the ordeal, and delighted that she had her desired two boys and a girl. if it weren¡¯t for the nurse suddenly mentioning the children¡¯s father, he had almost forgotten that all the pain ruby went through and the three children lying in the incubator were edric reat¡¯s. the nurse was right; what kind of fortune did edric accumulate in his past life to be so lucky? steve felt a lump forming in his throat. just as he wanted to swallow a mouthful of saliva to relieve the discomfort, his thoughts suddenly turned grim. yesterday, ruby had angrily accused him of going on a blind date. at that time, he thought she might be jealous, and he felt a secret delight in his heart. however, not even half a second later, her amniotic fluid broke, and she went into premature labor. at that moment, he was scared witless. hearing ruby¡¯s painful screams, he became completely flustered and didn¡¯t even think of notifying the real father of the children. it was reasonable for him to forget, but as for ruby, who was pregnant and in a critical condition, she never thought of notifying edric either¡­ as for edric, didn¡¯t he worry about ruby, who didn¡¯t come home all night despite being heavily pregnant? how could he not have looked for her? no, wait¡ªwhen ruby came to his house last night, it was already late. late at night, how could edric let ruby, a pregnant woman, leave home alone? on one hand, steve blamed edric for not taking good care of ruby. on the other hand, he doubted what had really happened between edric and ruby. ¡ª ruby woke up at nine o¡¯clock in the morning. due to the initial normal delivery that left her exhausted, the obstetrics and gynecology team steve had called immediately performed a cesarean section on her. as soon as ruby woke up, a doctor approached to examine her and asked about her condition. after confirming that she was currently in good condition, the doctor left. Chapter 707 - Chapter 707: Chapter 707: Chaotic Baby-Making (27) chapter 707: chapter 707: chaotic baby-making (27) just a few hours after the surgery, the doctor advised ruby gregory not to get out of bed at this time, but to lie flat on the bed to avoid the wound from opening. after twenty-four hours, she could wear a binding belt and get out of bed to help the wound heal better. steve burton had gone home once and changed into clean casual clothes, and he also brought the chicken soup mrs. taylor had prepared in the morning. after the doctor left, he served a bowl of soup and sat on the bedside, spoon-feeding it to ruby. ruby knew this was for nourishment. although she didn¡¯t have an appetite, she cooperated with steve, drank half a small bowl, and then raised her hand to cover her abdominal wound. raising her eyelids, she asked steve, ¡°where are the babies?¡± steve put down the bowl, took out his mobile phone from his pocket, found the photos he had taken earlier, handed them to ruby, and said, ¡°this is the first-born, a boy. this is second-born, also a boy. when i took their photos, he had just peed and cried. this is the scene of the special care nurses changing his diaper¡­ and finally, this is a little princess. when i took her photo, her eyes were closed, and she was smiling.¡± ruby laughed when she heard the last sentence, causing her stomach to twitch a couple of times. steve quickly said, ¡°the doctor said it¡¯s best not to laugh too much to avoid the wound from opening.¡± after that, steve asked, ¡°does it hurt?¡± perhaps because the anesthesia hadn¡¯t worn off, ruby felt no pain in her stomach despite the incision. she shook her head at steve and took his mobile phone. ruby carefully looked at the photos again. although mothers were not supposed to think their children were ugly, ruby sounded slightly disappointed when she said, ¡°they don¡¯t seem as good-looking as i imagined.¡± it was clear they were not steve¡¯s children, but upon hearing this, he immediately leaned forward, glanced at the screen, and said, ¡°where are they not good-looking? this is just before they grow up. especially the little princess, just look at how pretty she is, she is simply carved from the same mold as you.¡± carved from the same mold as her? ruby stared at her daughter¡¯s smiling face, her tiny nose and eyes squished together. her silent, grinning mouth had nothing to do with beauty ¨C how could she be carved from the same mold as her? although ruby felt her three children didn¡¯t live up to her expectations, she still obediently held steve¡¯s phone, staring at the pictures of her children numerous times, examining their yet-to-be-formed features. then, she occasionally looked up to compare steve¡¯s face with her children¡¯s, trying to find similarities. steve noticed that from the time ruby woke up till now, she hadn¡¯t taken her phone for more than an hour, thinking of calling edric reat to inform about the babies¡¯ birth. in the end, steve couldn¡¯t help but remind her, ¡°ruby, shouldn¡¯t you call everyone to tell them the babies are born?¡± ruby¡¯s eyes never left the photo of her smiling daughter on the phone screen. she just said nonchalantly, ¡°tomorrow. i just had surgery today, and i want to rest.¡± Chapter 708 - Chapter 708: Chapter 708: Chaotic Baby-Making (28) chapter 708: chapter 708: chaotic baby-making (28) after what she said, ruby hesitated and wondered whether she should tell steve that the three children are his. actually, she couldn¡¯t blame herself for not telling him sooner. she had wanted to tell him half a month ago, but after he confessed his love to her and replaced rusell henris, he went to lilliput for nearly half a month. when he came back, he neither answered nor called her back, and even went on a blind date. although that blind date eventually resulted in her premature delivery due to emotional excitement. now that the children have been born, she no longer needs to worry about steve not wanting them. anyway, what¡¯s done is done, and he couldn¡¯t possibly kill these three living beings. however, she doesn¡¯t worry, but it doesn¡¯t mean that she doesn¡¯t care about the contraceptives he gave her. therefore, this account must be settled. but she will wait until her body is mostly recovered and settle it with him properly! after thinking about it, ruby eventually decided to wait until her body was better before discussing this issue with steve. she handed his phone back to him: ¡°i want to rest now.¡± steve quickly took the pillow, which ruby used when she was leaning against the bed, pulled it out from behind her, and made her lie down on the bed, covering her with the quilt. steve¡¯s actions were gentle and caring, just like a husband taking meticulous care of his wife who had just given birth. a warmth rose in ruby¡¯s heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but lift the corners of her lips, then she closed her eyes. ¨C the next day, the anesthesia effect had dissipated, and ruby felt a throbbing pain in her abdominal wound. however, after experiencing the tearing pain of childbirth, she found the pain in her abdomen tolerable. when the doctor came to check on her in the morning, he encouraged her to put on a binder and get out of bed for some activity. thus, under steve¡¯s accompaniment, ruby carefully got out of bed. the moment her feet touched the ground, excruciating pain set in, almost causing ruby to fall. she steadied herself and walked cautiously around the room before returning to bed. then, she picked up her phone, called lady gregory, and told her she had given birth. within two hours, lady gregory arrived at the hospital. since ruby and steve¡¯s wedding had been canceled and the two families were neighbors, they often saw each other. however, both families usually tried to avoid situations where steve and ruby would meet so as not to cause awkwardness. therefore, steve left the hospital for his company before lady gregory arrived. lady gregory and maxwell gregory stayed at the hospital for most of the day, making sure ruby received special care before they felt satisfied and left. before leaving, lady gregory even went to the nursery and took many photos of her three grandchildren as she couldn¡¯t stop smiling. ¨C life in the hospital was monotonous and tasteless. at first, ruby¡¯s days were filled with getting iv drips, getting out of bed, and resting. when she was awake, she would look at the photos of her three babies, either taken by lady gregory or steve. under the special care of the hospital, in just seven days, ruby¡¯s wound had mostly healed, and she could walk and get out of bed by herself. when she had nothing to do, she would accompany steve or lady gregory to the nursery to play with her three babies. once her wound started to heal, ruby¡¯s body began to recover quickly as well. Chapter 709 - Chapter 709: Chapter 709: Chaotic Baby-Making (29) chapter 709: chapter 709: chaotic baby-making (29) about half a month later, aside from the occasional faint pain in her abdomen, she didn¡¯t experience any other discomforts. although steve burton was not in the hospital 24/7, he was definitely there whenever lady gregory was absent. before she knew it, ruby gregory had already spent half a month in the hospital, but she never once ran into edric reat. she didn¡¯t know whether it was because she constantly thought about why edric hadn¡¯t visited the hospital, or what had happened between him and ruby, but finally, on the 16th day of ruby¡¯s hospital stay, edric appeared at the hospital. it was an afternoon, and lady gregory, who had arrived early in the morning to visit her daughter and three grandchildren, had just left. steve burton appeared in the ward soon after her departure. it was the hottest time of the summer, and the sun outside the window was so bright that it was dazzling. ruby, who had just finished drinking the nutritious soup brought by lady gregory, didn¡¯t feel the slightest drowsiness, so she suggested going to the nursery to see the triplets. the half-month-old triplets had pink, tender skin and looked much cuter than when they were first born. when steve and ruby entered the nursery, first-born chise was sleeping with her eyes closed, second-born candice was drinking milk from a bottle under the special care of a nurse, and third-born was looking at them with wide, shiny black eyes. upon their arrival, she broke into a smile. ruby approached and reached out to touch third-born¡¯s little face. the next second, the previously sleeping chise suddenly burst into tears. ruby hurriedly went to chise¡¯s side. although she hadn¡¯t yet started actually taking care of the triplets, she knew that newborn babies¡¯ main task was to sleep. if they cried, it meant their diaper was wet or they were hungry. so ruby reached out to feel chise¡¯s diaper, which was indeed bulging. ruby hadn¡¯t changed the triplets¡¯ diapers since they were born, so she asked the special care nurse for a diaper and prepared to change chise¡¯s. ruby had learned how to change diapers during her mom¡¯s training class. although she had practiced on a fake baby doll at the time, she was able to successfully change chise¡¯s diaper under the nurse¡¯s guidance. ruby then looked at steve with a sense of accomplishment and asked, ¡°how was that?¡± it was just changing a diaper, what was the big deal¡­ although steve thought this way, he still nodded and praised her according to ruby¡¯s wishes, ¡°impressive.¡± as soon as steve finished speaking, a nurse walked into the nursery room, ¡°ms. gregory, someone is here to see you at the hospital.¡± steve was the first to turn his head. he saw edric standing behind the nurse, and his lips tightened slightly as he thought to himself, the babies¡¯ real biological father has finally appeared. does this mean it¡¯s time for him to leave the stage? ruby calmly adjusted chise¡¯s diaper before raising her head. she first glanced at edric standing at the door and then looked at steve. ¡°you stay here with the triplets for a while; i¡¯ll be back soon,¡± she said. steve was momentarily stunned; he swallowed back the words he was about to say, bidding farewell, and nodded gently to ruby. only then did ruby brush past steve and walk toward the door of the nursery room. ps: there are still ten chapters to be updated~ steve will find out the truth soon, so don¡¯t worry too much~ Chapter 710 - Chapter 710: Chapter 710: Chaotic Baby-Making (30) chapter 710: chapter 710: chaotic baby-making (30) about half a minute later, steve turned his head and saw ruby gregory and edric reat leave side by side through the glass window of the incubator room. ruby didn¡¯t stay away for long, not even ten minutes before she came back. steve looked a bit surprised, carefully examining her expression, but found nothing unusual, which piqued his curiosity even more. though ruby had just left for a short while, the triplets had already fallen asleep by the time she returned. newborn babies don¡¯t have much to see; most of the time, they¡¯re either sleeping or just shifting their positions. but ruby still stared at the three incubators for a while before going back to the ward with steve. ruby was staying in a suite, and when steve entered, he looked around the entire room, even pretending to go to the bathroom and peeking in, but he didn¡¯t see any sign of edric. so he was sure that edric really only came for ten minutes and left, not even looking at the three children in the incubator room. his curiosity grew even more intense. by the time steve came out of the bathroom, ruby had already climbed into bed and closed her eyes, looking as if she were asleep. steve stood by her bed, staring at her for a long time before sitting down on a nearby sofa, opening his laptop, and working on some business matters. ruby slept longer than usual, not waking up until dinner time. steve spent the whole afternoon feeling restless and not getting any work done. when ruby finally woke up, he immediately put dinner on the table and pushed it in front of her. before eating, steve opened the thermos as usual and filled a bowl with the special restorative soup he had asked mrs. taylor to make. he took a spoon and personally fed ruby. ruby had been drinking various restorative soups every day, and she was getting fed up. after taking just two sips, she frowned and felt nauseous, spitting the soup into a trash can nearby. she shook her head, not wanting to drink any more. steve quickly grabbed a wet wipe and wiped the corner of ruby¡¯s mouth for her. as he pulled his hand back, he called her name, ¡°ruby¡­¡± steve¡¯s hesitant, stuttering tone made ruby¡¯s just-relaxed brow furrow again. she turned her head, staring into steve¡¯s eyes without speaking. steve¡¯s lips moved a few times, but he eventually couldn¡¯t help asking the question that had been bothering him recently, ¡°this afternoon, he was here for just ten minutes?¡± ruby knew that the ¡°he¡± in steve¡¯s mouth referred to edric reat. after hearing the question, she naturally nodded her head towards steve and then lightly replied, ¡°he just came to see me.¡± she gave birth to his three children, almost dying in the process, and edric had only come to see her? could it be that, as he had been speculating recently, ruby and edric had really separated? but even if they had separated, edric was too cold-blooded, completely indifferent to his own children¡¯s wellbeing? watching ruby¡¯s soft and serene profile, steve¡¯s heart filled with both sympathy for her and anger at edric. his breath became somewhat unsteady, and his voice sounded a bit strained when he spoke, ¡°he¡­¡± steve had just said one word when ruby suddenly interrupted him, speaking in a very smooth and composed tone, ¡°he has nothing to do with me anymore.¡± Chapter 711 - Chapter 711: Chapter 711: I Have Triplets (1) Chapter 711: Chapter 711: I Have Triplets (1) Since the day Ruby Gregory gave birth to The Triplets, Steve Burton had a suspicion, but he had never dared to ask her to confirm it. After all, she and Edric Reat had a child together and even reached the point of discussing marriage. Now that they had broken up, her heart must be in the most pain. He couldn¡¯t help but tighten his grip on the chopsticks, staring intently at Ruby Gregory. However, after observing her for quite some time, he found her face still calm and composed, showing no signs of sadness or sorrow. This made him feel even more uneasy and nervous deep down inside. Was she trying so hard to maintain her composure just to preserve her last bit of dignity? Steve suddenly regretted asking her about Edric Reat without restraint. He wanted to comfort Ruby, but he didn¡¯t know how. After thinking it over, he realized that dwelling on this matter would only make her feel worse. Hastily, he grabbed a pair of chopsticks for her and said, in an attempt to change the topic, ¡°The food is getting cold; let¡¯s eat.¡± After saying that, Steve personally served Ruby some food, ¡°This is your favorite, have more.¡± Ruby said ¡°Thank you,¡± lowered her head, and took a few bites. When she looked up, she saw that Steve hadn¡¯t touched his chopsticks, his eyes fixed on her with evident concern. Ruby paused the chewing in her mouth. Because her mouth was full, her words came out a bit muffled, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± As Steve spoke these three words, his voice sounded a little parched. He picked up his chopsticks and served Ruby more food. ¡°Even if you¡¯re not hungry, you should still eat some.¡± Ruby picked some of Steve¡¯s favorite dishes and put them in his bowl. Steve gently nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and poked at the food in his bowl. Only then did Ruby lower her head and continue eating. However, after only a couple of bites, she noticed that Steve was still just holding his chopsticks, staring at her as if deep in thought, and had no intention of eating. She had told him that she and Edric Reat were no longer involved, so why did he seem even more unhappy instead of being happy? Ruby furrowed her brows in confusion, looked at Steve, and asked, ¡°Steve, what¡¯s wrong?¡± What could be wrong? He worried that her heart was in too much pain¡­ Steve blinked, and although he really didn¡¯t want to bring up Ruby¡¯s wounds, he eventually couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What about the children? If you¡¯re not with him anymore, what will happen to them?¡± Ruby calmly took another bite of food and replied, ¡°The children are mine. They have nothing to do with him.¡± So, Edric Reat was abandoning his wife and children¡­ He left all three children to Ruby Gregory¡­ Steve could no longer suppress the anger in his heart and stood up, his voice slightly agitated, ¡°He doesn¡¯t care at all? All three children, he left you to handle alone? That¡¯s way too much!¡± The one who was too much was you, the one who didn¡¯t want the three unborn children in my belly¡­ Ruby couldn¡¯t help but grumble in her heart. Chapter 712 - Chapter 712: Chapter 712: I Have Triplets (2) Chapter 712: Chapter 712: I Have Triplets (2) After yelling, Steve Burton realized that he had been too emotional, and then looked at Ruby Gregory. After a while, he moved his lips, calmed himself down, leaned in and lowered his voice, speaking nervously, ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t be too sad.¡± After hearing this, Ruby finally realized that Steve¡¯s series of unusual reactions were due to his fear that she would be upset about her separation from Edric Reat. So, he was worried about her¡­ Ruby couldn¡¯t help but tug at the corner of her lips, revealing a faint smile. Was she actually smiling? Edric had left her, even abandoning their child, yet she could still muster a smile? Was it because she was too sad, or was it due to the overwhelming shock? Steve became even more anxious deep down, and his voice became extra cautious as he spoke, ¡°Ruby, if you¡¯re really upset, just cry it out. Crying will make you feel better, don¡¯t hold it in and cause yourself problems.¡± Ruby stared at Steve, who was so anxious and worried about her, and her smile deepened. She suddenly wanted to know, if Steve didn¡¯t know that the triplets were his, would he really be willing to be with her, just like he said that night? Ruby looked at Steve for a while, her eyes flickering slightly before she spoke, ¡°Steve, I¡¯m not sad, don¡¯t I still have you?¡± Steve suddenly stood still, completely stunned. What did she say? She said she still had him? What did she mean by that? Was she accepting him and suggesting they start anew? Had he heard her wrong? Steve couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist, his nails digging into his palm. Ruby was just trying to test the waters, but she didn¡¯t expect that after saying such words, Steve would be left speechless. What was he trying to imply? That night, had he just been saying things without meaning them? Ruby¡¯s face turned slightly pale, and her eyes lowered involuntarily. She was about to open her mouth to say that it was just a casual remark, a joke, but before she could open her mouth, the man standing in front of her suddenly reached out, grabbed her and pulled her into his embrace. Staring deeply into her eyes, his gaze blazing with intensity, he excitedly asked, ¡°Ruby, what did you just say? You still have me? Are you saying you¡¯ll be with me?¡± Steve asked several questions in a row, causing Ruby¡¯s mind to go blank for a moment, until she finally understood what he was asking. She looked at Steve in surprise, ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°How could I mind?¡± Steve shook his head, his eyes bright as he gazed at her, and asked once more, ¡°Ruby, do you really want to be with me?¡± Ruby could feel her heart beating at an exceptionally fast rate, as she stared intently at Steve¡¯s expression, continuing to ask, ¡°Steve, you should know that I come with three kids. Are you sure you don¡¯t care?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, I don¡¯t care! As long as you¡¯re willing to be with me, I won¡¯t mind even if you have ten kids. Oh, I¡¯m wrong, the triplets aren¡¯t a burden! They are your kids, and what¡¯s yours is mine. I promise, I will treat them very well, so well, Ruby, you have to trust me¡­¡± Perhaps due to being overly excited, Steve ended up saying quite a bit, even raising his hand at the end, making a swearing gesture. Chapter 713 - Chapter 713: Chapter 713: I Have Triplets (3) Chapter 713: Chapter 713: I Have Triplets (3) Ruby Gregory looked at Steve Burton like this. Her heart no longer had the initial pure exploratory psychology, but was slowly touched instead. She thought, if Steve Burton had confessed to her earlier, she was not sure if he really loved her very much, but now, she could clearly tell herself that Steve Burton really loved her. Only when a man really loves a woman would he be willing to accept all the woman¡¯s shortcomings. Although the child in her belly is indeed Steve¡¯s, he does not know this. He thought her child was Edric¡¯s. However, even in such circumstances, he still wanted her and was willing to accept the three children she gave birth to. A layer of moisture welled up in Ruby¡¯s eyes. She knew it was just a whim on her part, a test for Steve, but she still couldn¡¯t help speaking up and blaming Steve for feeling wronged: ¡°Steve, are you silly? I already have three children. Why do you still want me? You should know, by accepting me like this, you would be laughed at by many people. The Burtons will not approve. Perhaps, you will end up alienated by everyone!¡± Steve held Ruby tight, stared into her eyes, with a determined spark in his gaze, his voice slightly assured as he said, ¡°So what, even if it is? Let those who want to gossip gossip, let those who want to neglect, neglect. Ruby, losing you would be the most painful thing for me.¡± Yes, he knew that many people would gossip behind his back, saying not only did he take in a woman nobody wanted, he also took in children nobody wanted. Even worse, he knew The Burtons would be disappointed and angry with his decision. But so what? Compared to all that, all he wanted was her. Steve stared into Ruby¡¯s eyes, hardly dared to blink, fearing that all this might just be a dream. His eyes shimmered with deep expectation and hope, his tone slightly uneasy and uncertain as he continued to ask, ¡°Ruby, do you truly want to be with me?¡± Ruby¡¯s tears flowed like a broken river. She had many things to say to him, but she didn¡¯t know how. All she could do was stretch out her hand, wrap it around his neck, then puck up her toes and gently kiss his lips. She distinctly felt his body stiffen briefly. Her lips trembled slightly as they softly brushed against his lips. She then hesitantly slipped her tongue into his mouth. It took Steve a full thirty seconds to utterly snap back to reality. He tightly pulled her waist towards him, then passionately returned her kiss. The kiss lasted for a long time until Steve felt his whole body about to explode. If they continued any further, he was certain it would lead to something more. At this moment, Ruby had just finished giving birth and should not be intimate. He forced himself to move his lips away from hers. Ruby had difficulty breathing, her breaths coming in gasps as she snuggled in his arms. Her face had a slight flush. After a long while, she finally lifted her head, looked at Steve Burton¡¯s perfect jawline, and softly opened her mouth to say, ¡°Steve, actually, I never thought about marrying Edric.¡± Steve was stunned by Ruby¡¯s sudden words. He lowered his head to look at Ruby. Before he could say anything, Ruby¡¯s voice calmly came again: ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, I have never told you, and that is, The Triplets are not Edric¡¯s children, they are your children.¡± PS: There are six more chapters. I¡¯ll take a break, then continue to update ~ Each chapter is 1000 words, Tencent publishes it if it¡¯s less than 1000 words ~ If it exceeds 1200 words, you guys will have to pay more ~ Chapter 714 - Chapter 714: Chapter 714: I Have Triplets (4) Chapter 714: Chapter 714: I Have Triplets (4) Ruby¡¯s tone, when speaking, was as casual as if she was recounting what she had eaten for dinner that night. After listening to her, Steve¡¯s initial reaction was to think that Ruby was playing a joke on him. He innocently blinked at Ruby and said, ¡°Ruby, that was a really funny joke.¡± A joke? She wasn¡¯t joking at all; she was stating a fact. Ruby furrowed her brows slightly, her expression becoming more serious, ¡°Steve, I¡¯m not joking. The Triplets are really your children.¡± With a hint of innocence remaining on his face, Steve noticed Ruby¡¯s expression becoming increasingly serious. His own expression became slightly stiff, as he blinked and reached out a hand to touch Ruby¡¯s forehead, ¡°Ruby, are you confused?¡± You¡¯re the one who¡¯s confused!¡± Annoyed, Ruby batted away Steve¡¯s hand and stared into his eyes, emphasizing each word, ¡°The Triplets are your children. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can have a DNA test conducted.¡± Steve first rubbed his slightly sore hand, which had been batted away by Ruby, then repeated her words as if he had just misheard her, ¡°The Triplets are my children?¡± Ruby had been curious about Steve¡¯s reaction to the truth these past two weeks; now that the moment had finally arrived, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She unconsciously held her breath and gently nodded at Steve. Steve seemed to freeze in place, staring unblinkingly at Ruby. He appeared completely petrified. Time ticked away, and as Ruby looked at the man standing stiff as a statue before her, she couldn¡¯t help but become increasingly concerned. Could he have gone stupid from shock? Just as Ruby was about to reach out and touch Steve again, he suddenly jolted back to his senses. He quickly let go of Ruby, turned around, and dashed out of the ward, leaving only Ruby behind, staring incredulously as he left. Mesmerized, Ruby blinked, ¡°Steve just left? Steve actually left after hearing the news?¡± This wasn¡¯t the scenario she had imagined¡­ ¨C Steve left the ward and rushed straight to the nursery, forcefully pushing open the door. Due to the loud noise, the nurse inside cast an unhappy glance at him. Steve ignored the nurse¡¯s gaze and walked directly to the incubator containing the Triplets. First, he looked at Chise and Candice, who were asleep, and then turned to see Candy, who was being carefully fed by a nurse. He then inexplicably asked the nurse, ¡°How premature were these three?¡± The nurse had always assumed Steve was the Triplets¡¯ father and found Steve¡¯s question a little strange. She looked at him with a puzzled expression, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re their father, shouldn¡¯t you know this better than anyone?¡± Steve didn¡¯t even bother acknowledging what the nurse had said, instead he repeated the question with a weightier tone, ¡°Just how premature were they?¡± Steve always had an unapproachable, aloof air about him, and with that now forceful tone, the power emanating from him became even more apparent. The intensity terrified the nurse, whose hand twitched and spilled the milk all over Candy. Chapter 715 - Chapter 715: Chapter 715: I Have Triplets (5) Chapter 715: Chapter 715: I Have Triplets (5) The nurse hurriedly wiped the baby¡¯s face and stuffed the pacifier back into its mouth, answering Steve Burton¡¯s question with some trepidation: ¡°The children were born about forty days early.¡± Forty days early? Not three months early? So, does that mean Ruby Gregory gave birth to the triplets almost nine months into her pregnancy? Doing the math, was Ruby pregnant since last November? He and Ruby had their engagement party planed on the 10th of December. In the month before their engagement was called off, Ruby was with him almost every day, right? So¡­ the triplets, these three children, are they really his? Suddenly, Steve turned around abruptly and strode out of the nursery. The nurse hadn¡¯t even fully turned around yet when, in the spot where Steve had just been standing, there was no longer anyone to be seen. Blinking in disbelief, she wondered what was up with this handsome young dad she had seen in the hospital. Why on earth had he come to the nursery in the middle of the night just to ask how early his children were born? ¨C Ruby stood in place, still not understanding why Steve would turn around and leave after hearing that the triplets were his children when the door to the ward was abruptly pushed open again. Raising her eyes, she saw that it was Steve, who had just left and now returned. Steve marched up to Ruby with a threatening air, gritting his teeth as he said, ¡°Ruby Gregory, you got pregnant with my child, and now you¡¯re telling me?!¡± It seemed like in the matter of the children, she was the most innocent victim, right? So why had he now come to question her so arrogantly? Ruby couldn¡¯t help but glare at Steve angrily, and without thinking, she retorted with even more force: ¡°Is it me who wanted to wait until now to tell you? At that time, who was it that got drunk, burst into someone¡¯s house in the middle of the night, and clung to them crying and begging that they liked them, only to disappear the next day?¡± At the words, Steve¡¯s angry expression faltered, and his demeanor suddenly faltered, now seemingly more flustered. As the saying goes, don¡¯t bring up personal matters when insulting someone. Ruby¡¯s words were clearly a personal attack. When had this woman become so sharp-tongued? Steve was at a loss for words for a moment before he recollected himself. He straightened his body a bit and turned to face Ruby with an air of righteousness: ¡°Ruby Gregory, you¡¯re completely unreasonable. I¡¯ve been avoiding you for half a month now. My question is, why didn¡¯t you tell me when you got pregnant with my child last year!¡± Why was he getting so worked up like this? Did he think he was the only one who could do so? Thankfully she had decided to confront him now that her body had mostly recovered. Otherwise, lying in a hospital bed in pain, she would have had no choice but to watch him angrily venting at her. At this thought, Ruby also stood a little taller, glaring at Steve without giving in at all: ¡°I¡¯d have to ask Mr. Steve Burton why he secretly fed me long-term contraceptive pills!¡± Like he had heard something impossible, Steve chuckled: ¡°Long-term contraceptives? Ruby Gregory, are you some kind of joke sent by monkeys?¡± Was he calling her a joke? Ruby took a deep breath, not thinking as she lifted her leg and kicked Steve¡¯s knee. Then she turned and walked to one side, reaching out and pulling the ¡°vitamin¡± bottle that Steve had once given her from her bag, and furiously threw it at him. Chapter 716 - Chapter 716: Chapter 716: I Have Triplets (6) Chapter 716: Chapter 716: I Have Triplets (6) Steve Burton was unceremoniously kicked by Ruby Gregory, letting out a muffled grunt as he bent down with his hand on his knee. As a result, he watched a white medicine bottle slam right into his own body, followed by Ruby¡¯s angry and frustrated voice: ¡°Steve, this vitamin is from you, right?¡± Enduring the pain, Steve bent down, picked up the medicine bottle, and indeed it was the vitamin he had given her. He maintained a stooped posture and looked at Ruby with a bewildered expression, nodding his head: ¡°Yes, is there a problem?¡± ¡°No problem?¡± What kind of attitude was that? He secretly switched her medication, and now he wouldn¡¯t admit to it? Despicable! Ruby stomped her foot in anger, then walked up to Steve, raised her foot, and kicked him hard again on his knee. Pointing at the pill bottle in his hand, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Steve, I¡¯ve known for a long time that you¡¯ve replaced the vitamins in here with long-term contraceptives.¡± Steve blinked, his entire being stunned as if struck by lightning. The anger in his heart disappeared after he confirmed that The Triplets were indeed his children. After a long time, he finally unscrewed the cap and poured out a few pills from the bottle to examine them closely in front of him. Many times, when you don¡¯t know what someone is thinking deep down, you become cautious and afraid of causing chaos inadvertently. However, once you know their true feelings, your bottled-up emotions will naturally vent on them. Take Ruby, for example. Before, she wasn¡¯t sure about Steve¡¯s feelings. When she realized that the bottle contained contraceptives, she was heartbroken and speculated, but she didn¡¯t dare confront Steve, fearing he wouldn¡¯t want her baby. But now that she was sure of his feelings, she didn¡¯t have these concerns anymore. Consequently, she couldn¡¯t help but vent all the pent-up grievances and anger she had been suppressing. ¡°Steve, why did you give me long-term contraceptives? If you don¡¯t want a baby, you can tell me, and we can take contraceptive measures. Why resort to such means? Do you realize the damage long-term contraceptives can do to a woman¡¯s body? I might become infertile for life!¡± Ruby rambled on and on, but when she saw that Steve still didn¡¯t react, she became even more infuriated. Reaching out, she shoved him hard. Steve¡¯s attention was solely focused on the pills in his hand. Completely unprepared, Steve suddenly found himself squatting on the ground after being pushed by Ruby. Though not knowledgeable about medicine, Steve had personally fed Ruby the vitamins a few times and knew what they looked like. However, the pills in Ruby¡¯s bottle did indeed look similar to the ones he first saw, except for different letters on them. Ruby wanted a baby, so she had no reason to switch to contraceptives and then blame him. As for him, in a fit of rage, he had given her post-coital emergency contraception once, only to regret and feel guilty about it for most of the night. So how could he have given her more? Thus, there was only one situation, that is¡­ Steve was still squatting on the ground, lifting his head and looking up at a fuming Ruby, suddenly saying, ¡°Ruby, these pills have been switched by someone.¡± Chapter 717 - Chapter 717: Chapter 717: I Have Triplets (7) Chapter 717: Chapter 717: I Have Triplets (7) Ruby Gregory was startled by Steve Burton¡¯s sudden statement. She hadn¡¯t quite fully awakened yet when Steve, with a start, abruptly stood up from the ground. He stared directly into Ruby¡¯s eyes, solemnly clarifying for himself, ¡°Ruby, I swear to you, it¡¯s a vitamin, I never changed the medicine inside. Think about it carefully. Who had the opportunity to approach your bag while you weren¡¯t paying attention and swapped the medicine?¡± Ruby watched Steve¡¯s expression, which didn¡¯t at all resemble a joke. She moistened her lips, slightly calming the anger in her gut, and according to Steve¡¯s suggestion, she began to think carefully. Steve stood by her, anxiously watching Ruby, worrying that she wouldn¡¯t be able to figure it out and that he wouldn¡¯t be able to clear his name. He couldn¡¯t help but vocalize a reminder, ¡°Think first, who knew that I gave you this vitamin? Start thinking from there, and then try to figure out their intentions, and then check if they had a chance to approach your bag¡­¡± It had been so long since it happened, recalling it was already quite challenging. Steve was speaking non-stop, which irritated Ruby slightly. She glared at Steve, who immediately swallowed his next words, daring not to make another sound. Ruby furrows her brow, then relaxes, repeating this until after several times, she finally took a deep breath, turned her head towards Steve, and said with a hint of regret, ¡°Could it be¡­ Maya Mitchell?¡± After Ruby finished speaking, she painstakingly explained, ¡°Do you remember when Maya was hit by a porcelain object trying to save me? When she was hospitalized, I went to see her and took my vitamins. She asked about it, and I told her that the vitamins were from you. At that time, I didn¡¯t know that she despised me yet¡­ I went to the bathroom several times, leaving my bag with her, so she had the best opportunity to make a move¡­¡± During Ruby¡¯s pondering, Steve also brushed through every person she knew in his mind. In his thoughts, there were only two main suspects left, one was Edric Reat, and the other was Maya Mitchell. The main reason for suspecting Edric Reat was because he was harboring dishonorable intentions towards Ruby, purposely doing this in an attempt to snatch Ruby away. But if this was truly done by Edric, it made no sense for him to separate from Ruby after taking her. Could it be that he was disgusted that she was carrying his child, and refused to get an abortion? All in all, regardless of how Steve thought about it, there were many holes. The only person, Maya, seemed reasonable no matter how he considered. Now, coupled with Ruby¡¯s long explanation, Steve was immediately certain at the bottom of his heart, that the person who switched the vitamins to long-term contraceptives was Maya Mitchell! A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Steve¡¯s eyes. He indeed set up a trap and let Maya jump into it, but he hadn¡¯t intended to be ruthless. However now, she was forcing him to exterminate her thoroughly! Steve¡¯s lips tightened, and after a long time, he turned his head towards Ruby and said, ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s getting late, you should rest first. I have some important matters to deal with. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll come back to the hospital.¡± ¨C Steve left the hospital, and started to run along the main roads of Ciawell. He didn¡¯t know how far he had run, only when he felt tired did he turn around to retrace his steps at a steady pace. Chapter 718 - Chapter 718: Chapter 718: I Have Triplets (8) Chapter 718: Chapter 718: I Have Triplets (8) By the time he returned to the hospital entrance, he had exhausted all his energy, and his entire body was soaked in sweat. He stood beside the car, resting his hands on his knees, panting heavily, finally letting himself fully recover from the series of shock news he received tonight. Ruby Gregory agreed to be with him, the Triplets were his children, and¡­ the vitamins he once gave Ruby were actually replaced with long-term contraceptives by someone, by Maya Mitchell! Steve Burton took a long breath, feeling his heartbeat slightly calm down, he then took out his car key, unlocked the car, and got in. Steve took out his cell phone and called Russell Henris. It was already midnight now, Rusell wasn¡¯t asleep, probably still working. When Steve made the call, he heard a series of keystroke sounds from the other end of the phone. ¡°Still busy?¡± Steve¡¯s words seemed caring, but to Rusell, they sounded insincere. Rusell stopped his typing, chuckled twice, and said directly: ¡°Just tell me what you need me to do?¡± Steve ignored Rusell¡¯s chuckles, seemingly not hearing the disdain in the man¡¯s voice, and unceremoniously instructed: ¡°I¡¯ve asked you and Edward to keep an eye on Maya Mitchell, right? Now, give a hint to every wife of the married men she¡¯s had contact with during this time, saying that Maya is seducing their husbands.¡± Steve felt that it wasn¡¯t enough and added: ¡°Oh, I just remembered, Mr. Leighton of the Merlian Group is well-known for being a womanizer, but his wife is a notorious shrew in their circle. Mr. Leighton is working on a big project lately, right? You get someone to leak the news to Maya that I¡¯m interested in Mr. Leighton¡¯s big project. When Maya gets involved with Mr. Leighton, don¡¯t forget to inform his wife¡­¡± Rusell couldn¡¯t help but curse when he heard the instructions: ¡°Sir, did you really call me in the middle of the night just to deal with an irrelevant woman? Couldn¡¯t you have waited until tomorrow to instruct me?¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t think this news is explosive enough? You want to hear even more explosive news?¡± Steve chuckled in the phone happily. Ever since Ruby and Steve had called off their engagement, their brothers had never seen Steve smile. Now that Rusell suddenly heard his laughter, he was utterly shocked: ¡°It sounds like it really is some explosive news.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Steve modestly confirmed, then slowly continued: ¡°The triplets that Ruby gave birth to a while ago, are my own flesh and blood! Triplets!¡± Rusell¡¯s curse at the other end of the phone was truly startled by this news, exclaiming in disbelief. Steve didn¡¯t mind his friend¡¯s vulgar language at all. Instead, he laughed softly and pretended to care for Rusell: ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. You should rest early and not work so late!¡± After saying that, Steve was about to hang up, but just before doing so, he suddenly seemed to remember something and added: ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget you are in charge of all my meetings and schedules for tomorrow.¡± Chapter 719 - Chapter 719: Chapter 719: I Have Triplets (9) Chapter 719: Chapter 719: I Have Triplets (9) ¡°Mr. Steve Burton, wasn¡¯t it you who just said I should rest well and not work too late? Look at me now, in the middle of the night, still working overtime. Are you okay with dumping all your work on me?¡± ¡°Indeed, I should feel bad.¡± Steve said apologetically, but his words were devoid of any guilt. The corner of his mouth was twitching up in amusement as he spoke languidly in a helpless tone, ¡°But what can I do? I am a father of triplets, after all!¡± Before Russell Henris could react, he bluntly ended the call. Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Russell gritted his teeth and spat out a curse. Just because he had triplets, did he get to be so willful? After ending the call with Russell, Steve dials Edward Woods. It seemed like Edward was already asleep, his voice muffled, ¡°Bro, why are you calling so late?¡± He had just stated it once, but restating it still brought a certain joy to Steve. ¡°Edward, did you know that Ruby Gregory recently gave birth to triplets? Those are my children.¡± ¡°What?¡± Edward was taken aback, and not getting a chance to speak further, Steve continued slowly: ¡°Edward, could you take over all my meetings and schedules the day after tomorrow?. He sounded somewhat troubled when saying this, but his words seemingly more boastful, ¡°You know, I have triplets, so I¡¯m tied up. However, I doubt that you could understand the troubles of having triplets.¡± Just like before, Steve hung up without waiting for Edward¡¯s response. He then called Madeleine, using his ¡°I have triplets¡± excuse to delegate all of his schedules and meetings for the day after tomorrow to her. At last, Steve gave Howard Coleman a call. It seemed like Howard was out enjoying the nightlife. Steve seemed to be getting addicted to his ¡°I have triplets¡± excuse, not feeling the slightest bit of shame as he delegated his meetings and schedules for the third day onwards to Howard. After delegating his tasks, Steve heard a woman¡¯s flirty voice from Howard¡¯s end of the line: ¡°Mr. Coleman¡­¡± Steve¡¯s brows knitted together slightly, and he couldn¡¯t help but chide Howard: ¡°Howard, you¡¯re already married to Madeleine. Be more mindful and don¡¯t go overboard¡­¡± He then had a sudden thought mid-sentence, ¡°Howard, it seems to me like you¡¯re quite free, spending all your time at nightclubs. Well then, starting from the day after tomorrow, how about you take over all my responsibilities for the next half month?¡± ¡°Bro, didn¡¯t we agree it was only for one day? Why did it change to half a month?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not half a month, it¡¯s sixteen days. Howard, I¡¯m doing this for your own good, letting you rest and recuperate. The body is something you need to be thrifty with. Who knows, maybe you could also have triplets¡­ But, I think that might be a bit difficult for you. After all, not everyone is like me¡­¡± Steve couldn¡¯t help but feel admiration for himself, completely ignoring Howard¡¯s yells from the other end of the line and abruptly ending the call. PS: That¡¯s the fourteenth update for today! I also uploaded two chapters last night, not missing a single update. ¡°I have triplets,¡± using this excuse to rope his friends into his problems, do you really feel good about this, Steve? Chapter 720 - Chapter 720: Chapter 720: I Have Triplets (10) Chapter 720: Chapter 720: I Have Triplets (10) The main reason Steve Burton suddenly left Ruby Gregory after learning the truth was not to call Rusell Henris to deal with Maya Mitchell, nor to show off the Triplets who suddenly became his own, but rather seemingly to handle the recent work handover as an excuse. When he suddenly left Ruby¡¯s ward tonight, he wanted to let himself calm down a bit and there were more important things to do. So after Steve called Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine, he made a call to Madam Burton. After hanging up the phone, he leisurely started the car, turned the steering wheel, and drove the car out of the hospital toward the villa area in the West Suburb. ¨C When Steve arrived at the gate of The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, it was close to one o¡¯clock in the morning. As he passed The Gregorys¡¯ Manor, he glanced sideways and noticed the tightly locked door, two large lights at the gate, and the quiet, empty courtyard. The dim sleep light from the house cast shadows. In just a minute, the car passed The Gregorys¡¯ Manor and reached the gate of The Burtons¡¯ Mansion. Compared to the tranquility of The Gregorys¡¯ Manor, The Burtons¡¯ Mansion was splendidly lit, with all available lights on both at the main entrance and within the courtyard. The parking lot seemed full, and many luxury cars were parked directly in the courtyard. The main gate of The Burtons¡¯ Mansion was wide open, and as Steve slowed down the car to turn into the courtyard, the awake gatekeeper ran out of his small white room and greeted him through the lowered car window, ¡°Mr. Steve is back.¡± Steve, with a faint expression, nodded slightly at the gatekeeper, and then skillfully drove the car directly into the courtyard, found an empty space to park, got out of the car, closed the door and slowly walked toward the door of the house. Standing in front of the door, Steve reached out and pressed the doorbell. The music played for less than two seconds before the door was opened by a servant. Seeing Steve, she shouted first, ¡°Mr. Steve¡±, then turned around and yelled loudly into the house, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Mr. Steve is back!¡± Finally, the servant bent down, took out Steve¡¯s slippers from the shoe cabinet, and placed them in front of him. As soon as Steve had changed his shoes, Wenny Burton, who had woken up because Madam Burton got up, and stubbornly refused to sleep, threw herself into his arms: ¡°Uncle.¡± Steve handed the car keys and coat to the servant, bent down to pick up his niece, and walked inside, only to bump into Madam Burton, who rushed out after hearing the servant¡¯s voice. Steve lifted his niece slightly and asked Madam Burton, ¡°Are everyone here?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all here, in your dad¡¯s big conference room on the second floor,¡± Madam Burton paused, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Steve, what¡¯s going on that you asked me to bring the whole family here in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs first before we talk about it.¡± ¡ª When Steve, carrying his niece, followed Madam Burton into the second-floor conference room, he saw that the five-meter-long, three-meter-wide conference table was surrounded by people. In the middle of the conference table, there was a large row of expensive porcelain vases filled with delicate, beautiful flowers that emitted a faint fragrance. Chapter 721 - Chapter 721: Chapter 721: I Have Triplets (11) Chapter 721: Chapter 721: I Have Triplets (11) The servants filled everyone¡¯s teacups with expensive tea from their teapots, constantly refilling their cups. Apart from Chinese New Year, it was rare for the Burton¡¯s Mansion to host such a gathering like this evening. As soon as Madam Burton and Steve entered the meeting room, impatient voices started to push for answers. ¡°Sister-in-law, please don¡¯t keep us in suspense. You called us here in the middle of the night, so what¡¯s going on?¡± The one who spoke was Steve¡¯s third aunt. ¡°Yeah, big sister, you said on the phone that this is something serious, concerning the future of the Burtons. What exactly is it?¡± chimed in Steve¡¯s second uncle. Madam Burton had simply played the role of a convener, and she still had no idea what her son¡¯s intentions were. She gave a dry laugh in response to everyone¡¯s urgency, glanced at Steve, and confessed, ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t me who asked you all to come. It was Steve.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Upon hearing Madam Burton¡¯s words, Olivia Foster, the eldest cousin of Steve¡¯s fourth branch of the family, chuckled before saying in a neither salty nor bland tone, ¡°Steve? And it concerns the future of the Burtons? Will Pristine¡¯s Enterprises go bankrupt? How come I didn¡¯t hear any wind about Pristine¡¯s stock market having any accidents like last time when it invested in Gregory¡¯s Enterprises, causing the stock market to crash?¡± The sarcastic tone of the fourth sister-in-law was evident. Steve hadn¡¯t even started speaking yet, and Wenny Burton first waved at the child Steve was holding in his arms, waited for her son to slide down and handed him over to a nanny to soothe him to sleep, before speaking unhurriedly, ¡°Fourth sister-in-law, you¡¯ve been married to our family for so many years now, do I really have to remind you constantly that you¡¯re one of us?¡± Wenny¡¯s words were still somewhat tactful, but when it came to Steve, he didn¡¯t spare any face as he said, ¡°Fourth sister-in-law, rest assured, if Pristine¡¯s Enterprises were ever to go bankrupt, I will inform you at the first opportunity. But I think, in your lifetime, you won¡¯t see that day, after all, I, Steve, am so much younger than you.¡± ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Before Steve could finish, his father, sitting in the main seat, coughed and covered his mouth. Steve obediently closed his mouth. Madam Burton saw this and immediately stepped in to mediate the situation, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here, and it¡¯s late. We all have work tomorrow, so, Steve, stop keeping us in suspense.¡± Steve saw the servant with the teapot enter the meeting room and refill everyone¡¯s tea, so he reached out, took the teapot, waved the servant away, and waited for them to close the door behind them. He then stood up, carrying the teapot, and methodically poured tea for everyone present. He then returned to his seat, picked up his teacup, took a gentle sip, and looked up. His gaze scanned every face in the room before he finally spoke, ¡°The reason I called you all here so urgently tonight is to inform everyone that our Burton family has added three new members.¡± After Steve¡¯s words settled, the entire meeting table erupted in noise. ¡°Three new members added? Which female members of the Burtons are pregnant?¡± ¡°When did this happen? How come there was no news or indication? Who is it?¡± As the questions flew, everyone circled the female family members, guessing at who it could be. Steve took another leisurely sip from his teacup, and then continued calmly, ¡°You can stop guessing; it¡¯s me.¡± Chapter 722 - Chapter 722: Chapter 722: I Have Triplets (12) Chapter 722: Chapter 722: I Have Triplets (12) It was Madam Burton who couldn¡¯t contain herself first. Upon hearing Steve¡¯s words, she blinked and looked him up and down with a horrified face, blurting out, ¡°What? Steve, did you just say you¡¯re pregnant?¡± This statement from Madam Burton made everyone at the conference table burst into laughter. Steve raised his hand, rubbing his forehead slightly and corrected his mother¡¯s words, ¡°Not me, I got my woman pregnant.¡± ¡°Oh¡­you scared me to death¡­¡± Madam Burton, upon hearing that it was not Steve who was pregnant, quickly patted her chest, letting out a long sigh of relief. However, she hadn¡¯t even finished her sigh when she jumped up from her seat, shouting even more excitedly than before, ¡°What? Steve? You got someone pregnant?¡± As she spoke, Madam Burton recalled Steve¡¯s comment about adding three members to the family, and anxiously asked, ¡°Steve, you just mentioned three new family members. You didn¡¯t get three women pregnant, did you?¡± Looking towards her husband, Madam Burton found that Steve¡¯s father¡¯s expression had darkened slightly. She frowned involuntarily, ¡°Steve, what kind of mess are you making?¡± The fourth sister-in-law, who had just been choked by Wenny and Steve, laughed lightly, ¡°I thought it was something serious. Turns out, you were fooling around with women outside and got someone pregnant. Is such an embarrassing matter worth gathering us all in the middle of the night to listen to?¡± Steve remained calm and collected in the face of his sister-in-law¡¯s sarcasm. Putting down his teacup, he continued leisurely, ¡°Not three women, just one woman.¡± ¡°One woman, three new family members? Does that mean three new members including that woman or excluding her?¡± Wenny chimed in with a touch of surprise, ¡°So, this woman is either pregnant with twins or triplets?¡± Steve smiled slightly, picked up the teapot, and poured himself another cup of tea. He took an elegant sip, looking smug and unable to hide it, ¡°Ah, my apologies for the slip of the tongue. To be more precise, our family is increasing by three members right now. If the woman agrees to marry me later on, then our family will add four members.¡± Madam Burton was quicker on the uptake this time, her face lit up with excitement, ¡°So, the woman is pregnant with triplets? Isn¡¯t that like the daughter of the family next door?¡± Not only is it like the neighbor¡¯s daughter, it¡¯s actually her. Steve didn¡¯t reveal Ruby¡¯s identity just yet. After hearing Madam Burton¡¯s response, he smiled as his eyes lowered, then wore a troubled expression, ¡°Although the three children are my flesh and blood, since the mother and I are not yet married, they do not legally count as members of the Burton family.¡± Steve paused deliberately as he spoke. Madam Burton¡¯s excited expression instantly froze, ¡°Why aren¡¯t they considered part of our family?¡± Steve pursed his lips without speaking, just gazing straight at his father. Steve¡¯s father picked up his tea, took a sip, then after a brief pause, asked, ¡°Is her family background decent? Is she reliable in character? If these two criteria are met, then marry her as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 723 - Chapter 723: Chapter 723: I Have Triplets (13) Chapter 723: Chapter 723: I Have Triplets (13) ¡°Triplets, nice, Steve, never thought you had that kind of ability.¡± Wenny said, sweeping her gaze all around Steve for several circles. Steve didn¡¯t avoid Wenny¡¯s gaze at all and even straightened his back, facing everyone¡¯s scrutiny calmly, and said humbly yet boastfully, ¡°I read it in a report before that when it comes to having children, men play a significant role. Can¡¯t help it, it¡¯s a natural talent.¡± ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Wenny rolled her eyes at Steve and bluntly exposed his boasting, ¡°Steve, it¡¯s the woman who¡¯s truly amazing in bearing triplets. It shows she has strong ovulation. In short, it¡¯s still their mom who¡¯s incredible.¡± Steve, whose boasting was exposed, didn¡¯t look embarrassed at all. He just casually asked, ¡°Really?¡± Then he nodded and said matter-of-factly, ¡°That¡¯s true, how could my woman not be incredible?¡± Immediately, he wore a look of praise as if he was complimenting himself, saying, ¡°Thank you for the commendation. The triplets are two boys and a girl. The boys are the older brothers, and the little princess is the sister. They say it¡¯s the best combination.¡± ¡°Enough, Steve, don¡¯t boast here. Just tell us all who the mother of the children is?¡± Wenny smiled and steered the conversation back on track. Steve looked at his father and then at his mother before swallowing and saying, ¡°The mother of the children is the girl-next-door, whom my mom has been particularly envious of recently.¡± In the entire conference room, those who were drinking tea immediately sprayed it out of their mouths. Those preparing to drink had their hands tremble, spilling more than half of the tea from the cup. Even those who hadn¡¯t moved the teacups had expressions that froze like they had been hit in the head with a club, including even the highly curious Wenny, whose smile at the corner of her lips also became a frozen image. The conference room was quiet for a long time, and no one spoke. In the end, it was still the sister-in-law who wanted to see Steve embarrassed a few times already. With a tone of jealousy, she said indifferently, ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s Ruby Gregory. But as everyone knows, the child in Ruby¡¯s womb belongs to someone else. Steve, you didn¡¯t get confused, did you? Taking in someone else¡¯s used goods and bringing another man¡¯s child home to raise as the Burton progeny?¡± The faces of Steve¡¯s father and Madam Burton changed instantly, looking somewhat uncomfortable. After a while, Madam Burton hesitated for a moment and interjected, ¡°Steve, Mom knows you love Ruby, but you can¡¯t love her so much that you want to raise even someone else¡¯s child.¡± Steve had pondered over his response as early as on his drive back to the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. He returned home and gradually led the conversation up to this crucial moment. Steve lowered his eyelids slightly and spoke in a neither humble nor arrogant tone, ¡°First of all, the reason why I gathered you all here late at night is to make a statement in front of our whole family. I won¡¯t mention whether Ruby¡¯s triplets are mine or not, but as long as Ruby wants to marry me, even if the triplets aren¡¯t mine, I¡¯ll still marry her.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± As soon as Steve finished speaking, his father threw his tea at Steve furiously. Chapter 724 - Chapter 724: Chapter 724: I Have Triplets (14) Chapter 724: Chapter 724: I Have Triplets (14) Steve Burton didn¡¯t dodge, the tea trickled down his face slowly, staining his handsome pallor with a few tea leaves. Steve didn¡¯t reach out to wipe it, still sitting upright in his seat, continuing to speak calmly, ¡°Secondly, the triplets that Ruby Gregory gave birth to indeed are my flesh and blood. I asked the doctor; she just gave birth forty days prematurely.¡± ¡°Forty days premature¡­¡± Madam Burton counted the days with her fingers: ¡°That means she got pregnant last November? That¡¯s shortly after you and Ruby got engaged¡­¡± After speaking, Madam Burton glanced at her husband, Steve¡¯s father. Steve nodded, ¡°Exactly, that month, Ruby was with me every day, which is why I was so certain that the child in her womb was definitely mine.¡± ¡°Then if she was clearly carrying your child, why did she say it was someone else¡¯s?¡± Madam Burton was thoroughly confused. Steve¡¯s expression suddenly appeared as if he had encountered a difficult problem, showing a moment of hesitation, as if he had some unspoken secret. He stammered, ¡°This¡­this is the real reason why I called you all here in the middle of the night. There was once¡­ once¡­¡± ¡°Once what?¡± Madam Burton grew increasingly anxious with Steve¡¯s evasive speech. Steve looked at his anxious mother, feeling a secret joy, but his expression became somewhat embarrassed. After his mother repeatedly asked him several times, he feigned helplessness and finally spoke stiffly again: ¡°Didn¡¯t I propose the cancellation of the engagement? Haven¡¯t you always been asking me the reasons? Haven¡¯t I always refrained from answering?¡± By now, Steve felt somewhat relieved that he had shouldered all the responsibility to let Ruby seek her own happiness. He hadn¡¯t anticipated then, that in this moment, it would become an effective starting point to completely convince everyone present: ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t explain was because Ruby disappeared on the day of the engagement, which I found humiliating, so in a fit of rage, I called off the wedding¡­Actually, she was already pregnant at that time, but I wasn¡¯t aware. Back then, I didn¡¯t really want a child. She wanted one, I had no choice, so I secretly fed her contraceptive pills¡­Later, when she found out that she was pregnant and went to the hospital for a check-up, she discovered that I had been giving her contraceptive pills and in order to protect the child¡­well¡­¡± Some things should not be exposed too plainly, as it might come off as insincere. So, when Steve explained the cause and effect, he deliberately showed a vexed expression and closed his mouth. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying, if it were not for Ruby absconding with the child back then, the child in her womb might have been aborted by you?¡± Steve¡¯s father fell silent for a while before asking a question. Steve didn¡¯t make a sound, he just lightly nodded. ¡°To call you a scoundrel, you truly are one!¡± Steve¡¯s father directly threw the teacup in his hand at Steve, the teacup brushed past Steve¡¯s ear and directly hit the wall behind him, shattering! Although Madam Burton felt distressed watching her husband attack Steve twice, she couldn¡¯t help but reprimand Steve: ¡°Steve, how could you do such foolish things? Even if you didn¡¯t want a child, you should not have given Ruby contraceptives. It¡¯s very harmful to women!¡± Chapter 725 - Chapter 725: Chapter 725: I Have Triplets (15) Chapter 725: Chapter 725: I Have Triplets (15) Steve feigned an expression as if being scolded by Madam Burton, admitting his mistake while emphasizing the three children again, ¡°I know I was wrong, but thankfully all four of them are safe, no major harm done. Although they were born 40 days premature, all three children are very healthy. The doctor said they can all be discharged with their mother in a few days.¡± As he reached this point, Steve quickly noticed the corners of his eyes on his mother¡¯s face. As expected, the moment he deliberately emphasized the triplets, his mother no longer cared about Ruby and his previous affairs, and immediately said happily, ¡°That¡¯s right, as long as they¡¯re safe, that¡¯s all that matters!¡± Madam Burton then asked again, ¡°Where will they stay after being discharged? Have the nannies and caregivers been arranged? We need to hire more caregivers for the three children. Sigh, caregivers are all outsiders, so they can¡¯t be left unattended. How about this, Steve, when Ruby is discharged, bring her and the kids directly to our home. Mom has time, and mom will take care of her and the kids.¡± Steve had been waiting all night for his mother to utter these words. He was filled with joy at his success, but on the surface, he pretended to be troubled, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t I just say that Ruby and I haven¡¯t gotten married yet? She and the kids aren¡¯t part of The Burtons, it¡¯s not right for them to live in our house. Besides¡­¡± Steve raised his head and looked at his father, ¡°Dad just said, what I did was disreputable, how are we supposed to explain this to the Gregorys¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true too.¡± After Steve said this, Madam Burton nodded, thought for a while, and said without hesitation, ¡°How about this, your father and I will go to the Gregorys, apologize and make amends, and get you two married quickly.¡± After saying this, Madam Burton looked at Steve¡¯s father. At this point, Steve didn¡¯t forget to take the opportunity to add, ¡°And the 100-days celebration for the three children should be celebrated.¡± Steve¡¯s father felt a little embarrassed when he thought about what his son had done, but in the end, considering his three grandchildren and his son¡¯s lifelong happiness, he nodded and coldly said to his wife, ¡°You find a time and go buy some nice presents.¡± After that, Steve¡¯s father couldn¡¯t help but glare fiercely at his son, turned to everyone at the table and said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s all go and rest.¡± He then stood up and left the meeting room without looking back. Others followed suit, standing up to leave the room. Before they left, they congratulated Steve. With his objective achieved, Steve gleefully accepted everyone¡¯s congratulations. He could have easily mentioned Maya¡¯s meddling, but he didn¡¯t, because even though she was the main cause of all this, Ruby had already been engaged to another man, which could have caused some discontent among The Burtons¡¯ elders. However, if he mentioned that he had given Ruby the contraception pill, everyone in the Burton family would feel guilty towards Ruby. Considering the three children they had together, no one would have any intention to care about Ruby¡¯s past engagement, they would only want to make it up to her and the Gregorys. PS Steve¡¯s intentions are so good~~ There are two more chapters, like these three chapters, they will be posted together when they are finished~ Chapter 726 - Chapter 726: Chapter 726: I Have Triplets (16) Chapter 726: Chapter 726: I Have Triplets (16) Only after everything was settled did Steve Burton leave the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. Of course, before leaving the Burtons¡¯ Mansion, Steve had asked Madam Burton for the household registration booklet. After going through so much turmoil, it was already past 3 a.m. when Steve drove back to the hospital. The hospital was unusually quiet at this time, even the emergency building seemed a bit chilly. Steve walked into the gynecology and obstetrics building, took the elevator, and went directly to the fourth-floor ward. The dimly lit corridor remained silent. Steve reached out and touched the household registration booklet in his chest, then gently pushed the door open. Ruby Gregory seemed to have been waiting for him for a long time and couldn¡¯t stay awake, so she fell asleep leaning against the back of the sofa, with her head tilted sideways. It is said that a late returner is the happiest when someone is waiting for them. Looking at Ruby like this, Steve¡¯s heart softened. He walked up quietly and picked her up gently in his arms. Ruby, not quite asleep, opened her eyes when Steve picked her up. She felt a bit dazed and then rubbed her eyes, saying groggily, ¡°Steve, you¡¯re back?¡± Steve responded lightly, ¡°Mmm,¡± and then gently set her down, reaching out to embrace her waist and holding her tightly in his arms. Ruby, not quite understanding why, struggled a bit in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing, just don¡¯t move, let me hold you.¡± Steve¡¯s voice trembled slightly, and he held her even tighter. Ruby obediently stopped moving, snuggling into Steve¡¯s chest and allowing him to hold her quietly. The room was very quiet, and time seemed to stand still. Only after such a tumultuous night did Steve finally find peace. When Ruby told him that the Triplets were his children, the only thought in his mind was that she was joking with him. But when he asked the special protection staff, who told him that the Triplets were born only forty days premature, he realized that she wasn¡¯t lying, and that the Triplets were indeed his own flesh and blood. Even now, he couldn¡¯t accurately describe how he felt at that moment. In any case, there were many emotions inside him, but the dominant one was anger. Anger at her for not telling him she was pregnant, anger at her for enduring the pain of a ten-month pregnancy alone, and anger at her for suffering instead of enjoying a princess-like life. Actually, rather than anger, it was more like heartache. That¡¯s why he questioned her so aggressively, only to get an unexpected answer from her. Her vitamins had been replaced with birth control pills. So much explosive information flooded his mind, leaving him somewhat at a loss. However, he decided to do what he should have done first. That was to establish her rightful status. So, he went back to the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. For a woman, there is no greater security a man can give than to have her name written next to his own, sharing everything he has legally and unconditionally. The thought of this made Steve hold Ruby even tighter, his heartfelt emotion causing his voice to tremble slightly as he said, ¡°Ruby, thank you.¡± Chapter 727 - Chapter 727: Chapter 727: I Have Triplets (17) Chapter 727: Chapter 727: I Have Triplets (17) Thank you for giving birth to the Triplets. Thank you for finally being willing to be with me. The universe is so vast, and because of you, I no longer have to wander aimlessly. Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t speak, but the hands hanging by her sides were gently raised and swung around Steve Burton¡¯s waist. A gentle flutter came from the depths of Steve¡¯s heart. Then he pulled her towards him, held her a little tighter, and spoke again, ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I¡¯m sorry, the old me did not know how to love. I¡¯m sorry for all the hardships you had to endure for the sake of the Triplets. Only time knows how much you mean to me. Steve felt Ruby tightening her grip around his waist. He couldn¡¯t help but lift the corners of his lips in a smile and he just quietly embraced her. As time ticked by, after who knows how long, Steve gently let go of Ruby, gently picked her up and laid her on the hospital bed. Ruby, who was already tired, fell into a deep sleep as soon as she touched the bed. But Steve wasn¡¯t at all tired. He sat by her side, focusing on her face, looking at her again and again, never tiring. Finally, unable to resist, he leaned down, kissed her forehead, then touched her cheek, all with an air of tenderness and delight. Though this kiss was fleeting and his touch gentle, it still made Steve restless. He¡¯d been restraining for over seven months. He kissed Ruby¡¯s forehead and finally left the room. Steve stood in the corridor for a while, cooling himself down before heading to the warming room. The nurse stationed at the warming room stood up when she saw Steve. He gestured for her to stay put and walked towards the Triplets¡¯ incubators. Only a day ago, he had looked at these three little beings thinking they were Edric Reat¡¯s children. His heart ached. Now that he knows these babies are his flesh and blood, his feelings when he looked at them were completely different ¨C trembling and excited, and with a touch of nervousness even. He knows well that the Triplets, even when awake, wouldn¡¯t be able to understand him. But he still waved at Chise, slowly opened his mouth, and soundlessly mouthed, ¡°Chise, I¡¯m Dad.¡± He then tirelessly moved to Candice¡¯s incubator, lent on the cover, and planted a small kiss on it while saying the same thing, ¡°Candice, I¡¯m Dad.¡± Finally, he ran over to his most favorite, Third-born¡¯s incubator, kissed it twice in a row, and then grinned, saying with satisfaction and delight, ¡°Third-born, I¡¯m Dad.¡± Once he¡¯d greeted all three of them, Steve stood in front of the incubators, looking at one, then another. The triplets still slept soundly. Suddenly, Third-born moved his tiny mouth twice as if he was dreaming about something. This sight evoked a strong paternal love in Steve. This is how it feels to be a Dad. It was as though a chunk of maltose candy was melting in his heart. It was filled with pride, satisfaction, and happiness. PS: That¡¯s it for today, we¡¯ll continue tomorrow ~~ Steve, you¡¯re planning to marry our Ruby Gregory with just the household register? Don¡¯t you think you need a proper marriage proposal? Do you think readers would agree to let Ruby marry you this way? Some of you are looking forward to my next book~ Are you implying ~~ that you don¡¯t want the sweet upcoming plot and the story of Madeleine and Howard? Sob sob, I¡¯m so heartbroken~~ Chapter 728 - Chapter 728: Chapter 728: I Have Triplets (18) Chapter 728: Chapter 728: I Have Triplets (18) Ruby Gregory had always been curious about what Steve Burton had been up to that night when he suddenly bid her farewell, after he found out that the Triplets were his children. She was only curious for less than two days before everything became clear. That night, Steve Burton called for an emergency family meeting at the Burton¡¯s late at night and successfully tricked his parents into apologizing to the Gregorys on his behalf, re-establishing the marriage alliance between the two families. Even though they scolded and hated Steve that night, his father still instructed Madam Burton to buy some nice gifts in the city the next day, even leaving his driver for her to use. Steve Burton¡¯s father was always busy, but he made sure to return home at five o¡¯clock in the afternoon that day, canceling all his work to help Madam Burton prepare the gifts. Finally, he instructed several servants to carry the packages and head to the Gregorys¡¯ house next door. Before leaving the Burton¡¯s hall, Steve¡¯s father suddenly remembered something and had Madam Burton take out two bottles of his treasured alcohol that he had been collecting for half his life. Then, he personally went to his study and fetched two boxes of high-quality Freedonian cigars before finally heading towards the Gregorys¡¯ house. When Steve Burton¡¯s parents unexpectedly visited with so many valuable gifts, Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory were quite pleasantly surprised. The two families, four parents, exchanged pleasantries first and then got to the point at hand. Steve¡¯s father found it hard to condemn his son¡¯s ridiculous behavior, so in the end, Madam Burton spoke with a troubled expression, and after she had finished explaining, she kept apologizing for Steve. Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory were genuinely shocked by the situation Madam Burton described. In fact, for Maxwell and Lady Gregory, Steve Burton was still their most favored son-in-law. Although they knew from Madam Burton that Steve had previously secretly given Ruby contraceptive pills and were a little unhappy about it, they still decided to finalize the wedding for the sake of who were the Burton¡¯s flesh and blood. Since Steve¡¯s parents personally came to apologize, Maxwell Gregory and Lady Gregory were too embarrassed to put on airs. So, regardless of what happened during the families¡¯ negotiation, the atmosphere became more and more harmonious in the end. They even started discussing a grand wedding ceremony and the Triplets¡¯ 100-days celebration without the consent of both Steve and Ruby. By the end of the conversation, Lady Gregory and Madam Burton had even agreed to visit Ruby in the hospital together early the next morning. It was then, during Lady Gregory and Madam Burton¡¯s visit to the hospital, that Ruby found out what Steve had been up to that night. That same day, the Triplets were finally free of their incubators and returned to their mother¡¯s side. At that time, Steve and Ruby were under the care of a nurse, feeding the Triplets. Suddenly, the door to the hospital room was pushed open, and Lady Gregory and Madam Burton walked in one after the other. When Ruby saw Madam Burton, she was still a bit surprised. She quickly handed the baby she was holding to a special nurse and then stood up, politely asking, ¡°Aunt Burton?¡± [Story continues! Today¡¯s plot is very exciting!] Chapter 729 - Chapter 729: Chapter 729: I Have Triplets (19) Chapter 729: Chapter 729: I Have Triplets (19) Despite the Madam Burton attempting to hide her eagerness to hold her three grandchildren, she restrained herself and first asked about Ruby¡¯s well-being: ¡°Ruby, how are you feeling?¡± The way Madam Burton spoke was gentle, just like a mother talking to her own cherished daughter. Ruby spent a fair share of her childhood playing at the Burton¡¯s home. Madam Burton had watched her grow up and always treated her well. However, the affection she showed her now was more genuine than ever before, which left Ruby feeling slightly confused. She eventually nodded and responded after a half-minute pause, saying, ¡°Thank you for your concern Aunt Burton, I¡¯m doing well.¡± Aunt Burton handed the tonics and gifts she brought especially for Ruby, ¡°Ruby, see if you like them. They were personally selected by me.¡± Although Ruby didn¡¯t inspect the gifts closely, she could tell from their packaging and brands that they were quite expensive. Overwhelmed, she refused at once, ¡°Aunt Burton, these gifts are too costly¡­¡± ¡°Ruby, there¡¯s no need for formalities between us. You gave the Burton family three grandchildren all at once. If anything, I should be the one thanking you,¡± responded Aunt Burton. Ruby had originally thought that the Burton family was unaware of the triplets¡¯ true parentage. However, Madam Burton¡¯s words caught her off-guard and she looked at Steve playing with the triplets, suspecting that he had informed the Burtons while she was not aware. Madam Burton knew about the unethical things Steve did to her, ¡°That rascal, giving you contraceptive drugs which harm the body¡­¡± Madam Burton¡¯s tone grew heavier as she spoke, holding a hint of assurance: ¡°Ruby, I apologize. It¡¯s my fault for not disciplining him well. From now on, if he ever wrongs you again, come straight to me. I¡¯ll definitely help you without fail.¡± Steve gave her contraceptive drugs? Wasn¡¯t it Maya Mitchell who had switched them? Ruby became even more confused and glanced at Steve who was calm, showing no intentions of explaining himself. Realizing that things were going awry, Ruby started to explain, ¡°Aunt Burton, it¡¯s not what¡­¡± ¡°Ruby, there¡¯s no need to cover up for him!¡± Aunt Burton quickly interrupted Ruby¡¯s explanation, ¡°That night, he held a family meeting at midnight and admitted his mistakes. Everybody censured him collectively. I even went to apologize to your parents yesterday.¡± Upon hearing Madam Burton¡¯s explanation, Ruby finally understood what had happened. So, that night, Steve had returned to the Burton family immediately after excusing himself. Ruby¡¯s journey with Steve had been fraught with challenges, and though it seemed harmonious now, she still felt anxious. Things could turn sour if the Burtons were to dislike her for her past actions, where she had made another man pass off as the father of her child which was actually a Burton. However, before she even had the chance to face her concerns, she realized that Steve had already addressed the issues on her behalf. While she was genuinely touched deep down, she did not show it on the surface due to the presence of Lady Gregory and Madam Burton, and casually changed the topic, ¡°Let¡¯s not bring up the past again. The children are waiting to be fed.¡± Chapter 730 - Chapter 730: Chapter 730: I Have Triplets (20) Chapter 730: Chapter 730: I Have Triplets (20) The moment the Triplets were mentioned, Madam Burton immediately set aside the previous topic and quickly walked to the trio of infant beds placed side by side. This was Madam Burton¡¯s first time seeing the three children, and naturally, the more she looked at them, the more delighted she became. Lady Gregory, although she visited every day, never seemed to tire of them. So, the two women faced each other, smiling ear to ear, discussing the Triplets. ¡°Madam Burton, let me tell you, this one is the first-born, nicknamed Chise, this one is the second-born, nicknamed Candice, and this one is the third-born, nicknamed Candy. The first and the second are boys, while Candy is our little princess,¡± Lady Gregory introduced them to Madam Burton. Filled with joy, Madam Burton took turns observing each of them, then, focusing on Chise, she said, ¡°The oldest one looks just like Steve did when he was a baby. Look at his eyebrows and eyes; they match perfectly. Look at his mouth, all tightly pursed, not even smiling. It¡¯s like he¡¯s a little Steve.¡± Lady Gregory glanced at Candy and said, ¡°You know, when comparing Candy to Ruby when she was just born, they look so similar. Ruby¡¯s mouth and nose were just like this when she was this age, and her skin was this pink and tender. She was also very smiley¡­ look, just like this smile¡­¡± Second-born Candice seemed to understand that she was being overlooked by Grandma and Grandma from her mom¡¯s side, so she suddenly grinned and started crying. ¡ª Madam Burton and Lady Gregory stayed until late in the evening before leaving. The Triplets were already asleep, tucked into their infant beds by the special care nurse and wheeled away from the room. Ruby had plenty of free time when the Triplets were in the incubators before, but having all three in the room today left her a bit sore and tired. When it was just her and Steve left in the room, she immediately slumped onto the bed. Steve leaned in and began massaging her back and shoulders with just the right amount of pressure. Ruby closed her eyes as her face relaxed into a comfortable expression. It was quiet and peaceful in the room. Unable to resist, Ruby slowly closed her eyes, and then Steve¡¯s gentle voice came to her, carrying a bit of warmth, ¡°Ruby, we still haven¡¯t decided on our three babies¡¯ names.¡± On the day of Ruby¡¯s last prenatal check-up, she and Steve had already thought about the babies¡¯ names while eating in the private dining room of the Grand Ciawell Restaurant. So she closed her eyes, lazily saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on Andy, Kelly, and Daniel?¡± Steve suddenly remembered how he once helped Ruby pick names for their babies. He recalled how jealous and bitter he had felt back then, but now he was filled with gratitude. He was grateful that Ruby had given him so many chances to be involved in their lives, allowing him to take part in important events before their birth, such as picking names, buying strollers, preparing cribs, and even their birth¡­ Steve couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and tenderly plant a kiss on Ruby¡¯s temple, then pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Kelly might sound a bit more feminine, and Daniel is more neutral. So how about the first-born is called Andy Burton, second-born is called Daniel Burton, and third-born is called Kelly Burton? What do you think?¡± Ruby played the three names in her mind and, as Steve¡¯s massage felt extremely comforting, her agreeing hum sounded a bit seductive. As Steve¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he couldn¡¯t help lowering his head and pressing against Ruby¡¯s lips. Knowing he almost couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, he ended the kiss promptly, his voice sounding a bit husky and seductive, ¡°Ruby, the Triplets have been born for more than twenty days now. Shouldn¡¯t we start thinking about registering their hukou?¡± Chapter 731 - Chapter 731: Chapter 731: Giving You Six Yuan（1） Chapter 731: Chapter 731: Giving You Six Yuan£¨1£© Of course, Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t understand Steve Burton¡¯s plans in his mind. When she heard him say that, she really thought that he was talking about registering their triplets in the family registry. So, with her face slightly red from his kiss, she gently nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re right; it¡¯s time to register the triplets.¡± This answer from Ruby hit Steve¡¯s intention exactly, so he pretended to be at ease and continued the conversation. He said, ¡°However, Ruby, before we go and register them, it seems like we need to get our marriage certificate first.¡± Getting a marriage certificate? Ruby thought back to the time when she was eager to marry Steve, but he kept stringing her along. At the time, her preconceptions blocked her true thoughts. But not too long ago, while browsing Twitter, she saw someone tweet: A woman should, in her lifetime, experience a romantic proposal, wear a white wedding gown, and take beautiful wedding photos. When she read that tweet, her first fantasy was Steve proposing to her. She had also imagined many scenarios of him proposing ¨C romantic, touching, heartwarming, luxurious¡­ Although she had already given birth to three children for him, and it was only a matter of time for them to get married, did that mean she couldn¡¯t yearn for a heartfelt proposal? If she now agreed to get a marriage certificate with him, wouldn¡¯t she be casually marrying him? Steve, seeing that Ruby remained silent for quite some time, feared his plan might fail. So he continued with a voice that seemed to have the triplets¡¯ best interests in mind. He reasoned, ¡°Ruby, think about it. If we don¡¯t get a marriage certificate first, we¡¯re not a legal couple. When it comes time to register the triplets, do they get registered under the Burtons or the Gregorys? The perfect solution is for us to get a marriage certificate and separate our family registration from the Burtons. Then our family of five can be happily together. So ultimately, we need to get a marriage certificate first.¡± At first, Ruby genuinely believed Steve was planning for their triplets¡¯ registration. But after hearing his entire long speech, she realized he couldn¡¯t stop mentioning the marriage certificate. Finally, she understood that his real purpose was to take her to get one. Ruby didn¡¯t expose Steve¡¯s plan. She slowly turned and tilted her head, feigning deep thought. Then seeing his expectant eyes, she slowly nodded and said, ¡°That seems reasonable.¡± A bright light emerged in Steve¡¯s eyes. Ruby stared into that light and smiled, her eyes curved with amusement. She rolled her eyes thoughtfully and said, ¡°However, there¡¯s no need to be in such a hurry to register the triplets. Isn¡¯t the national policy that a child must be registered within one year of birth? The triplets are only twenty days old. They can be registered anytime within the year.¡± What does ¡®within a year¡¯ mean? Steve¡¯s expression froze instantly. Did he not successfully deceive her? ¡°Oh, no, I remember now. The policy states that registering within a year is free, but there¡¯s a fee if it goes past a year.¡± Chapter 732 - Chapter 732: Chapter 732: Giving You Six Yuan（2） Chapter 732: Chapter 732: Giving You Six Yuan£¨2£© ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that, I remember it¡¯s free to register for a household within a year, but after a year, there¡¯s a fee.¡± Ruby suddenly shook her head and corrected what she had just said. Then she contemplated and looked at the increasingly brilliant and bright smile on Steve¡¯s face and said, ¡°In any case, the Burtons are rich, so it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s five or six years later when they need to attend elementary school and need a household registration.¡± Just a moment ago, she said it could be within a year. Now it¡¯s five or six years later? Does he have to wait five or six years to marry her? Steve stared at Ruby and blinked, then blinked again, as if he had misheard. After a while, he spoke, ¡°Ruby, are you joking with me?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking with you?¡± Ruby still maintained a smiling expression and asked back. Then she got off the bed, pushed Steve away, and went to the bathroom. As she opened the bathroom door, Ruby suddenly paused and looked back at Steve, ¡°Oh, by the way, Steve, thanks for the emergency family meeting you called at the Burtons that night.¡± Steve¡¯s mind was still stuck on registering the triplets five or six years later. When he heard Ruby thanking him, he subconsciously said, ¡°Ruby, if you¡¯re really grateful, can you change it from five or six years to five or six days?¡± Ruby ignored Steve and simply entered the washroom. Before closing the door, she popped her head out and decisively and unhesitatingly said two words to him, ¡°No!¡± Then she banged the door shut. ¨C As the saying goes, for every step the righteous take, the wicked are one step ahead. Although the relationship between Steve and Ruby seemed harmonious, for Steve who had lost Ruby once, he indeed had no sense of security. He only wanted Ruby and the triplets to become his legally protected wife and children as soon as possible. Although Steve¡¯s first attempt to trick Ruby into getting a marriage certificate was unsuccessful, he did not get discouraged. He was constantly racking his brains on how to get Ruby to go and get the certificate with him in the shortest time possible. However, his efforts ultimately ended in repeated failures. ¨C Ruby stayed in the hospital for a long time initially because the triplets needed to be in incubators, and she was going through confinement, making it inconvenient for her to travel back and forth. A normal confinement period for women takes forty days, but she couldn¡¯t stand it and was discharged after twenty-eight days. At this time, the triplets were almost a month old and had grown a lot since their birth. Their facial features were much clearer. On the day Ruby was discharged, both Lady Gregory and Madam Burton personally came to pick her up. For someone like Steve who had been through so many dealings in the business world, he naturally had some tactics and wits. He glanced at Lady Gregory and Madam Burton, who were packing up, and suddenly a thought flashed through his mind. He took out his phone and sent his mom a text message. During the month Ruby stayed in the hospital, she tried to minimize visitors, but still couldn¡¯t avoid visits from close relatives and friends. Chapter 733 - Chapter 733: Chapter 733: Giving You Six Dollars (3) Chapter 733: Chapter 733: Giving You Six Dollars (3) Everyone who came brought a gift, as it felt improper to come empty-handed. Three gifts came simultaneously as triplets were born. They had stayed in the hospital for nearly a month. Day by day, they didn¡¯t realize how much stuff they had until they began packing. Merely the Triplets¡¯ clothes alone added up to three boxes carried to the car by the servants. So, when Madame Burton¡¯s phone rang, she paid it no attention, focusing only on packing their luggage. Steve Burton observed his mother intently to see if she would check her phone. When he noticed that she continued to ignore it, he texted her once again. Madame Burton, still unresponsive, was directing the servants to handle the porcelain items carefully and place them skillfully in the car to avoid damage. After Madame Burton was done with her directions, Steve Burton, who couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer, reminded his mother out loud, ¡°Mom, your phone is ringing again.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± replied Madame Burton nonchalantly, as she turned to discuss with Lady Gregory how they could arrange the toys to take up the least space in the car. Feeling somewhat frustrated, Steve Burton exhaled deeply and, gritting his teeth, dialed his mother¡¯s number. The ringtone echoed for quite a while before Madame Burton finally fumbled her phone out of her pocket. Steve Burton hurried to disconnect the call. Madame Burton checked her call log to see that it was Steve who had called. She was about to respond to him when he snapped at her, ¡°Mom, who called you?¡± Madame Burton gave Steve Burton a perplexed look, during which Steve quickly texted her: simply three concise words: ¡°Check your message.¡± Madame Burton received the text, first casting an odd stare resembling a nerve check at her son, then she verified the message. ¡°If you want the Triplets to officially enter our family¡¯s household register as soon as possible, you might want to subtly suggest to Lady Gregory about my marriage with Ruby.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Check your message.¡± Although Madame Burton was not sure what Steve Burton was up to, the content of the first message moved her. So, she discreetly put away her phone and gave a relaxed reply to Steve Burton, ¡°Your Dad called.¡± Afterwards, she continued packing with Lady Gregory. Approximately a minute later, Madame Burton spontaneously suggested to Lady Gregory, ¡°Quinn Family, Ruby¡¯s confinement period is almost over. Should we start considering their wedding? Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to celebrate the Triplets¡¯ 100-days celebration.¡± Ruby¡¯s mother did not sense anything inappropriate, she responded, ¡°Indeed, it is time to consider their marriage.¡± Then, Lady Gregory addressed Steve Burton, ¡°Steve, when are you planning to get married?¡± Steve Burton, of course, couldn¡¯t wait for them to get married immediately. However, he pretentiously conveyed a deep respect for Ruby¡¯s wishes and sincerely replied, ¡°I will follow whatever Ruby¡¯s preference.¡± While saying this, Steve Burton sent another text to his mother. Madame Burton looked down at her phone to check the message then suggested, ¡°Lady Gregory, we need to make sure the wedding is grand and ceremonious, we can¡¯t rush it. However, the Triplets are already a month old, and they should be registered into the family¡¯s account. Coincidentally, Ruby is being discharged from the hospital today, and furthermore, today is an auspicious day. How about they go and get their marriage license later? What do you think?¡± Chapter 734 - Chapter 734: Chapter 734: Giving You Six Yuan (4) Chapter 734: Chapter 734: Giving You Six Yuan (4) Lady Gregory naturally had no objections, so Madam Burton turned to Ruby Gregory: ¡°Ruby, what do you think?¡± Before Ruby had a chance to respond, Lady Gregory spoke: ¡°Ruby, just go. You go get the marriage certificate with Steve first. You¡¯re in confinement and not supposed to casually go out. Since you have to go out to return home today, you might as well get the certificate now. Otherwise, when you get home, you¡¯ll have to spend another ten days in confinement, which will delay registering The Triplets.¡± ¡°You two go with peace of mind; I and your mother will take care of The Triplets,¡± Madam Burton said. ¨C Ruby could confidently and decisively refuse Steve Burton, but it was not easy for her to refuse Madam Burton, especially with Lady Gregory eagerly urging her on. In the end, she reluctantly took the household register Lady Gregory had given her and went to the Civil Affairs Bureau with Steve. On the way to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Steve¡¯s mood seemed quite good, his lips constantly curling up in a smile as he occasionally turned his head to chat with Ruby. Ruby always felt that this kind of Steve seemed particularly excited, as if he had achieved some scheme. She couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows slightly. When she was breastfeeding The Triplets in the ward, she unintentionally saw Steve constantly texting on his phone and couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at him. As a result, she noticed that each time Steve finished sending a text, Madam Burton¡¯s phone would chime in response. The conversation eventually turned to her and Steve¡¯s marriage. At that time, she didn¡¯t feel anything was amiss, so she didn¡¯t think much of it. However, now, as they got closer and closer to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Ruby sensed that something was wrong. When they passed a store selling roasted chestnuts, she couldn¡¯t help but stretch out her hand, pointing out the car window and saying, ¡°I want to eat chestnuts.¡± Steve looked through the rearview mirror, saw the roasted chestnut shop behind him, stepped on the brakes, parked the car by the roadside, took his wallet from the pocket of his coat on the back seat, and hurriedly got out of the car. When she saw Steve walk away, Ruby turned around, picked up his coat, and rummaged through the pockets for a while before she pulled out his phone. She turned it on, clicked on the messages, and sure enough, she saw the texts he had sent to Madam Burton. No wonder Steve had been smiling so happily on the way; it turned out that he was up to something! In fact, Ruby knew that sooner or later, she would have to tear up the marriage certificate. However, by being so insistent on not tearing the certificate now, she might be able to wait until Steve exhausted all his schemes and failed, finally proposing to her. If she were to really get the certificate with him, then her long-awaited proposal might never happen. A marriage proposal is a man¡¯s most precious memory for a woman. She hoped that Steve would volunteer to propose instead of her having to ask for it. Ruby¡¯s eyes shifted subtly as she peered through the rearview mirror and saw Steve holding a bag of chestnuts, walking back. She then hurriedly stuffed the phone back into his pocket, pretending to know nothing, and placed his coat back on the back seat. Steve handed the roasted chestnuts to Ruby and then started the car, continuing towards the Civil Affairs Bureau. Arriving at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Steve parked the car, got out first, went around the door, and opened the passenger door for Ruby. Ruby put the roasted chestnuts in the car and took out her household register from her bag as she got out. Chapter 735 - Chapter 735: Chapter 735: Giving You Six Yuan (5) Chapter 735: Chapter 735: Giving You Six Yuan (5) Ruby Gregory placed the roasted chestnuts in the car and, before getting out, didn¡¯t forget to search for her family book in her bag. She then asked Steve Burton, ¡°Where is your family book?¡± As she said that, Ruby handed her family book to Steve, ¡°Let¡¯s put them together.¡± Steve took Ruby¡¯s family book and took out the Burton family book from his pocket. He put the two family books together, thinking that they would need them once they entered the Civil Affairs Bureau, so he held them in his hand. Ruby stared at the two family books in Steve¡¯s hand for a moment, then looped her arm through his and walked towards the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau. There happened to be a sewer just below the steps at the main entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau. As Ruby passed by, her eyes flickered for a moment, and she deliberately twisted her ankle outwards, crying out in pain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ruby?¡± Steve immediately stopped in his tracks, grabbed her by the shoulder, and asked worriedly. ¡°I think I sprained my ankle.¡± Steve immediately squatted down while holding the two family books between his armpit. He reached out to check Ruby¡¯s ankle. When Steve touched her ankle, Ruby suddenly snatched the two family books from under Steve¡¯s armpit without warning. She casually flipped through them, saw Maxwell Gregory¡¯s name, and then, without a thought, tossed the other family book into the sewer. Just then, water rushed in. The family book swirled twice and was immediately swept away. Ruby¡¯s series of movements were incredibly fast. By the time Steve came to his senses, the Burton family book had long disappeared. Steve looked up sharply at Ruby. ¡°Mr. Burton, how does it feel to be deceived?¡± Ruby playfully twisted her supposedly sprained ankle, then leaned down and grinned at Steve, who was still squatting on the ground. ¡°Steve, now that the Burton family book is gone, we can¡¯t get a marriage license. What a pity.¡± The expression on Ruby¡¯s face was somewhat malicious. The next second, she took six coins out of her pocket and handed them to Steve, ¡°It costs US$1 to get a new family book. Here, as an apology, I¡¯m giving you US$1.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already checked on Baidu. It takes roughly two weeks to get a new family book. With the Burton¡¯s influence, I¡¯m sure it will be sorted out in a day. However, Steve¡­ I heard that getting a marriage license requires an ID card. It takes at least a month to get a new ID card!¡± Ruby¡¯s tone became increasingly gentle, ¡°Steve, if you dare to deceive me with your mother and mine, to get me to register with you again, I¡¯ll throw away my ID card!¡± With that said, Ruby¡¯s face was immediately filled with smiles. She reached out and gently patted Steve¡¯s somewhat stiff face, saying regretfully, ¡°Now all we can do is go home.¡± Then, with great arrogance, Ruby pulled Steve up from the ground and went back to the car. On the return trip, the previously excited Steve had a depressed look on his face, while the previously puzzled Ruby seemed excited. Ruby even imitated Steve¡¯s excited mood earlier and chatted with him about various topics. However, before the car had traveled even two kilometers, Ruby suddenly saw a familiar face through the window and stopped her chatter abruptly. PS: Happy Valentine¡¯s Day, everyone! Guess who Ruby saw? Brother Steve, you can¡¯t get the marriage license without a proposal~~ Are you all not leaving any comments because you want me to continue torturing them? Are you going to let the Triplets lose one of theirs? Or let Ruby suddenly have a car accident and lose her memory? The story of Madeleine and Howard will be written! Although many people say they don¡¯t care to read it, I¡¯ll still write it for those readers who want to read it~ Don¡¯t worry~ Chapter 736 - Chapter 736: Chapter 736: Giving You Six Yuan (6) Chapter 736: Chapter 736: Giving You Six Yuan (6) However, before the car had even covered two kilometers, Ruby Gregory suddenly saw a face she knew all too well through the window, and her incessant chatter came to a sudden halt. Steve Burton, who had been thwarted by Ruby¡¯s recognition of his plans for abduction and forced marriage again, was cooperating with her by responding to her various topics, but deep down, he couldn¡¯t help but start to have some wild thoughts. Ruby had never said that she loved him, but because of the Triplets¡¯ birth, she and him had justifiably stayed together. He offered her his name, and she didn¡¯t refuse, but why did she constantly refuse to marry him, again and again? The more Steve thought about it, the more anxious he became, so much so that he didn¡¯t even notice when Ruby suddenly fell silent. Ruby stared at the familiar person outside the window for a while, confirmed that she wasn¡¯t seeing things, and then suddenly said aloud, ¡°Stop the car!¡± On instinct, Steve turned the steering wheel slightly, bringing the car to an abrupt halt by the roadside. He looked at Ruby with slight confusion, ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ruby didn¡¯t speak but just stared intently out the window, thinking to herself that since giving birth to the Triplets, she had been staying in the hospital, living a life between the hospital room and the incubator. Now that she had finally ventured outside, how could she have bumped into her? It really was¡­ a small world! Steve seemed to notice Ruby¡¯s unease, so he furrowed his brow slightly, then followed her gaze, and his expression instantly became colder. His perfectly-lined thin lips pressed together tightly. Ruby swallowed hard twice, as an indescribable feeling of anger rapidly spread throughout her heart. Without a second thought, she reached out and pushed open the car door, quickly getting out of the car. ¡°Ruby!¡± Steve called her name, and although it was hot summer, he was worried that Ruby might catch cold and left her with a lasting illness, so he hurriedly grabbed her coat and hat, which she had taken off upon entering the car and followed her. However, before Steve could catch up to Ruby, her footsteps abruptly halted, and the two of them witnessed a scene that was both shocking and satisfying. ¡ª¨C Since Maya Mitchell had joined Gregory¡¯s Enterprises as the Manager of the Market Department, she had always been outstanding. She had painstakingly investigated the business targets that Steve was watching closely and sealed the deals at any cost. In the end, she always received Steve¡¯s appreciation and praise. Occasionally, he would smile warmly at her, and sometimes even mention her name specifically in meetings to compliment her. At those moments, she felt that all her sacrifices were worth it. A woman in the business world could rise higher and farther, but without a strong family background, she would have to rely on her body. Love always makes people blind, and Maya Mitchell, like a madwoman blinded by love, was willing to sleep with one man after another in exchange for large contracts for Gregory¡¯s Enterprises, bringing exponential profits. However, Maya Mitchell, who had been having a smooth sail, didn¡¯t know what happened lately, but she had been extremely unlucky! [Don¡¯t get too excited, everyone. I was just joking with you yesterday. None of the Triplets will be lost, and Ruby won¡¯t have an accident and lose her memory~ I just wanted everyone to pop up, so I¡¯m not the only one talking~~ Happy Valentine¡¯s Day~] Chapter 737 - Chapter 737: Chapter 737: Giving You Six Yuan (7) Chapter 737: Chapter 737: Giving You Six Yuan (7) About two weeks ago, while she was shopping, Maya was inexplicably stopped by a middle-aged woman who slapped her twice, leaving her utterly bemused. It was only later that she realized, the woman was the lawful wife of the chairman of Starhill Real Estate Co. She had an affair with the chairman of Starhill Real Estate Co., which happened three months ago. It was a mere transaction, a quid-pro-quo, they had no debts to each other at its conclusion. Yet, his wife still made a scene after three quiet months. Those slaps were severe, and they made her face swell for three to four days before she could return to work. After a lot of bad days, Maya finally learned that Steve Burton was interested in the project from Merlian Group. She spent a whole ten days until she finally ended up in the Four Seasons Hotel, in bed with Mr. Wallace from Merlian Group, just last night. At first, interacting with men was tough for her, but after many encounters, she began to numb herself. It was all just business to her, sometimes when she was in the mood, she even found time to mock herself, comparing these men in her heart, ranking them by their performances and sizes. She would fantasize about how Steve Burton would fare in this comparison. Last night, Mr. Leighton from Merlian Group, who was in bed with her, was the most incapable man she ever encountered. He didn¡¯t last two minutes and whether it was due to his poor health, Mr. Leighton was a bit of a pervert. He played out his fetishes on her nearly all night with different methods before finally leaving her alone, satisfied. Pissed off, she cuddled next to Mr. Leighton when she woke up the next morning, making him extremely happy. It was just when he finally conceded to giving her the project, the hotel room was suddenly kicked open. Mr. Leighton, who was upon her, prepared to show off his prowess, suddenly fell to the floor, deflated like a leaked balloon. Facing the intruder, he pleaded, ¡°Darling¡±, and then pointed at her, saying ¡°This woman seduced me. I¡¯m innocent¡­¡± It was her first time being caught in bed by someone¡¯s wife. She didn¡¯t even have time to get fully dressed, just quickly threw on some clothes and hurried out of the Four Seasons Hotel. Maya ran out of the Four Seasons Hotel, panting heavily after a long run, but Mrs. Leighton showed no signs of stopping the chase. Last night when she met Mr. Leighton, she dressed provocatively on purpose and wore high heels more than ten centimeters tall to straighten and elongate her legs. Despite Mrs. Leighton being older and fatter, she ran at a speed not much slower than hers. Eventually, Maya had to discard her high heels and run barefooted. She managed to put some distance between them while planning to flag down a taxi but stepped on a piece of glass in her hurry. She gritted her teeth against the pain as she removed the glass. Before she could get up, an expensive designer bag hit her over the head. ¡°You little bitch, run! Let¡¯s see where you¡¯ll run to this time!¡± Chapter 738 - Chapter 738: Chapter 738: Giving You Six Yuan (8) Chapter 738: Chapter 738: Giving You Six Yuan (8) ¡°Little slut, keep running! Let¡¯s see where you¡¯ll run this time!¡± After running for a long time, Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife was panting heavily. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Maya Mitchell, she scolded, ¡°You shameless vixen, I¡¯ve finally caught you!¡± Her sharp and loud voice attracted the attention of many passers-by, who stopped to watch the scene. This was the first time in her life that Maya was so humiliated. She lowered her head, her long hair covering her face, afraid that someone might take photos of her with their mobile phone. Ignoring the pain in her feet, she stood up and turned to run away without thinking. But the reaction of Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife was much quicker. As soon as Maya turned around, she grabbed her long hair, pulled her forcefully in front of her, and slapped her face several times in a row without even thinking. Some young men among the onlookers, impressed by Maya¡¯s youth and beauty, instinctively tried to stop the violence: ¡°This is outrageous! Call the police!¡± Someone indeed called the police. Hearing people side with Maya, Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife became even more arrogant. With no mercy, she slapped Maya a few more times and yelled, ¡°Great! Since you¡¯re meddling, I¡¯ll let the police handle this. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯ll help me or this vixen who seduced my husband!¡± So, it turned out to be a wife confronting her husband¡¯s mistress¡­ The righteous young men suddenly lost their spirit. As the other onlookers gazed at Maya¡¯s expression, their faces became somewhat contemptuous. Maya unconsciously lowered her head even more. ¡°What? Now you know you can¡¯t show your face?¡± Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife said as she gripped Maya¡¯s hair and deliberately raised her face toward the crowd, ¡°Since you dared to do such shameful things, don¡¯t be afraid of people¡¯s eyes! Where was your face when you slept with my husband?¡± With that, Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife slapped Maya¡¯s face a couple more times. Before her hand could strike again, the police arrived, saw the assault, and immediately shouted, ¡°Stop!¡± Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife paid no attention to the police¡¯s warning and tried to slap Maya again. In the end, two police officers stepped forward, grabbed her, and forcibly separated her. All the while, she continued to curse, lifting her leg and kicking Maya hard in the stomach. Maya, clutching her stomach, squatted down on the ground. ¡°Fighting in public, such low-quality behavior! We¡¯re taking you to the police station to give a statement!¡± ¡°Who are you calling low-quality? This shameless little bitch seduced my husband! I caught them in the act! What¡¯s wrong with me hitting her?¡± The officer who was about to take Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife away hesitated upon hearing that it was a dispute between a wife and a mistress. He glanced at Maya, who was squatting on the ground, and asked, ¡°Miss, what do you want to do?¡± Chapter 739 - Chapter 739: Chapter 739: Giving You Six Yuan (9) Chapter 739: Chapter 739: Giving You Six Yuan (9) Maya Mitchell had been repeatedly struck without any cause or any strength to fight back. To her, she was the most in the wrong, the most abhorrent. In her heart, she just wanted to resolve this peacefully, end this farce, and leave as soon as possible to avoid further embarrassment. Maya didn¡¯t even dare to look up at the police, burying her head in her knees and shaking her head slightly without making a sound. If Mrs. Leighton was in the wrong, Maya was equally hateful. For the police, the most troublesome cases were these clear-cut, simple domestic disputes. One party acts immorally, while the other overreacts. Seeing Maya shake her head, the police quickly scolded Mrs. Leighton before leaving. Mrs. Leighton had hit and scolded enough to let her anger out. Picking up her bag, she walked away with her head held high under the watchful eyes of the crowd. As the disturbance ended, the onlookers followed suit and dispersed. Some curious passersby couldn¡¯t help but ask others what had happened. Quick-tongued people blurted out without hesitation, ¡°That woman¡¯s a homewrecker. She just got caught in bed with someone¡¯s husband and got beaten.¡± ¡°Young girls these days¡­ how can they be like this at such a young age?¡± Maya crouched on the ground, listening to the voices around her gradually fading away. She slowly lifted her face from her knees, took a deep breath, and stood up with her head hanging. Her feet were injured, her abdomen ached from Mrs. Leighton¡¯s kick, and her face was numb and stiff from the more than a dozen heavy slaps. With her head down, holding back tears, she kept reassuring herself. It didn¡¯t matter how much humiliation and embarrassment she faced now. Once Mr. Leighton signed the collaboration agreement for the project with her, Steve Burton would be happy and praise her¡­ In her mind, Maya tried hard to recall Steve¡¯s cool, plain voice when praising her, ¡°Maya, you¡¯re even better than I imagined.¡± She also thought of Steve¡¯s faint smile, even though it was so faint it was almost nonexistent. It was enough to make her heart race with joy, like a hundred flowers blooming. Maya slowly raised her head in the midst of this self-comfort, intending to hail a taxi by the road. However, as she turned to look, she saw a familiar couple, and her expression instantly froze. It was Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory. What were they doing here and how long had they been watching? Immediately, Maya¡¯s mind raced with these thoughts, and her heartbeat quickened in panic. She instinctively raised her hand to cover her bruised face, but just as she did, she saw the man she had admired for years tenderly draping a coat over Ruby Gregory, not far away. Because of the distance, she couldn¡¯t hear what he said to Ruby, but she could see Steve¡¯s face was incredibly soft and affectionate. In her memory, he never showed his deepest emotions on his face, yet, for this woman, Ruby, he always caught her off guard. Chapter 740 - Chapter 740: Chapter 740: Giving You Six Yuan (10) Chapter 740: Chapter 740: Giving You Six Yuan (10) Maya Mitchell¡¯s hand, originally intended to cover her bruised face, stiffened slightly. She didn¡¯t want to watch the scene that made her envious and furious at the same time, but she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away. She saw Steve Burton calmly extend his hand to button Ruby Gregory¡¯s coat, one button at a time, and even put a hat on her head. In the hot summer, Ruby broke into a sweat as soon as the hat was on her head. She reached up to take it off, but Steve preemptively caught her hand and gently soothed her. He then pulled her into his embrace and gently leaned over to kiss Ruby¡¯s cheek. Out in the crowded street, people couldn¡¯t help but glance over. Ruby¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, and she instinctively buried her head in Steve¡¯s chest. Steve confidently hugged her back and kissed the top of her hat. When he looked up with a smile, his gaze happened to fall in Maya¡¯s direction. However, in the depths of his beautiful eyes, there seemed to be no acknowledgment of her existence, and his gaze coldly drifted past her. Seeing this, Maya couldn¡¯t watch any longer. When she was beaten by Mrs. Leighton, she didn¡¯t shed a single tear, but now, she was alone and in a terrible state while Steve and Ruby were wrapped together in a loving embrace. This stark contrast was much more unbearable than when Mrs. Leighton hit and scolded her in front of everyone. She couldn¡¯t help it, and her eyes reddened. Then, she quickly turned around and hurried to the side of the road. As the scorching summer sun baked her body, she felt a bone-chilling coldness engulf her heart. Teary-eyed, she looked in the direction of the oncoming traffic, signaled an approaching taxi, and immediately climbed in when it stopped. ¨C As Ruby Gregory followed Steve Burton into the car, the corners of her lips curved up several times. She never considered herself a virtuous person, and she never allowed others to bully her. In fact, she didn¡¯t harbor deep hatred towards Maya Mitchell initially. When Ruby met Maya in the mall and realized her two-faced nature, she was angry and upset but didn¡¯t take it to heart. However, when she finally concluded that Maya had tampered with the vitamins Steve gave her, her heart was filled with genuine hatred. She never thought Maya would go so far as to try and make sure she never bore Steve¡¯s child¡­ Lucky for her, she got pregnant with The Triplets and gave birth to them. If she had found out later and continued to take the vitamins, who knew what would have happened to her? When she first saw Maya standing at the side of the road waiting for a taxi, she hurriedly got out of the car, intending to settle the score with her. Although the anger today was not directed at her, seeing Maya being beaten that badly did satisfy Ruby. In comparison, Steve looked more composed. He had arranged for Rusell Henris to inform Mrs. Leighton about the affair taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel. It just so happened that he and Ruby encountered the scene of Maya being abused by Mrs. Leighton. So, he unhesitatingly showed off his happiness with Ruby in front of her. Chapter 741 - Chapter 741: Chapter 741: A Mysterious Express Delivery (1) Chapter 741: Chapter 741: A Mysterious Express Delivery (1) Ruby Gregory had often been willful in front of Steve Burton even before he confessed his feelings to her while under the influence of alcohol. However, every time she pushed the boundaries, Steve not only showed no anger, but patiently tolerated her behavior. This only made her bolder, and after giving birth to the triplets and breaking through all the distance between her and Steve, she became even more audacious. As a child, whenever Ruby got into trouble, she went to Steve to help her out. When she threw away Steve¡¯s residence registration booklet on a whim during their visit to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Steve had to come up with an explanation for both the Gregorys and the Burtons. As Steve¡¯s car was approaching the West Suburb Villa, Ruby turned her head and blinked her eyes, looking pitifully at Steve, ¡°Steve, what should we do about the residence registration booklet?¡± Steve spoke matter-of-factly as he drove, ¡°You were so confident when you threw it away, weren¡¯t you? How come? Are you scared now?¡± Ruby Gregory pouted and gave a light snort, then turned away, presenting the back of her head to Steve. Through the rearview mirror, Steve glanced at Ruby¡¯s sulking expression. For a moment, it seemed like d¨¦j¨¤ vu ¨C as if they were back to the time when Ruby would bring her homework to him for help, and when he sarcastically remarked about it, she would slam the workbook on his table and say ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether you want to help or not!¡± before stomping off in a huff. Unable to help himself, Steve¡¯s lips curled slightly as he spoke, the indulgence in his tone so subtle that he himself didn¡¯t even notice it, ¡°Give me a kiss, and I¡¯ll consider helping you.¡± One moment Ruby was mad, but upon hearing Steve¡¯s words, she turned her head in an instant, a smile in her eyes as she leaned in to give him a gentle peck on his cheek. Then, with an innocent expression, she looked at his handsome face, focused on the road ahead, and sighed with a touch of helplessness, ¡°Steve, why are you so clumsy? You couldn¡¯t even hold onto a residence registration booklet, and it ended up in the sewer¡­ We didn¡¯t even manage to get married¡­ Sigh!¡± At the end, Ruby deliberately emphasized her tone of regret and sighed heavily. Steve slightly turned his head and glimpsed at Ruby, who was pretending to be sad. A smile inevitably spread even wider on his lips. Just look at this woman, becoming more and more¡­ brazen¡­ But hasn¡¯t he always wanted Ruby to be so willful, to be herself, and to push her limits? As long as she desires it, she can boldly go for it, no matter how big of a mess she makes. As long as Steve is there, he¡¯ll help her cover it up without hesitation. However, Steve¡¯s good mood didn¡¯t last long, as he soon became crestfallen again when Ruby said, ¡°We didn¡¯t even manage to get married.¡± Could her reluctance to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get their marriage certificate be due to her lingering feelings for Edric Reat? Perhaps she got pregnant with Steve¡¯s child and couldn¡¯t bear to abort it, so the two of them had to painfully part ways; after all, they had eloped to Zhouzhuang three years ago¡­ A faint bitterness rose in Steve¡¯s heart. He was afraid that his pettiness would drive Ruby away from him again, so he tried his best not to care about such things. However, just as the car was about to reach the entrance of the Gregorys¡¯ house, Steve couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ruby, do you not really want to get married now?¡± Chapter 742 - Chapter 742: Chapter 742: A Mysterious Express Delivery (2) Chapter 742: Chapter 742: A Mysterious Express Delivery (2) Ruby Gregory was stunned by Steve Burton¡¯s sudden question. Why did Steve ask her if she didn¡¯t really want to get married? Could it be because she has been refusing to register their marriage lately? However, she just wanted to make him run out of ideas and propose to her after repeated failures. That¡¯s why she refused to register their marriage. It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want to get married! Steve had clearly misunderstood her! No, she had to find a way to explain to Steve. What if their sweet couple turned into desperately sad exes?! But Ruby didn¡¯t want to directly tell Steve that he hadn¡¯t proposed to her yet. Therefore, she thought about it carefully and turned to Steve, saying, ¡°Steve, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too bland for us to just get a marriage certificate?¡± Bland? She refused to register their marriage just because it was too bland? So, it had nothing to do with Edric Reat, and he was just overthinking? A glimmer of hope emerged in Steve¡¯s bitter heart, and he asked, ¡°Is it because you find it too bland that you hesitated to register our marriage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruby nodded vigorously, like a pecking chick. Steve looked at Ruby¡¯s expression for a while, making sure he had indeed overthought the situation. As his mood turned brighter, he nodded and said, ¡°I understand.¡± ¨C When Steve said he understood, he didn¡¯t fully comprehend what Ruby meant by registering their marriage being too bland. That night, after Ruby and the Triplets were asleep, he went online and did a search. The search results showed a series of words, ¡°proposal¡±. Then Steve realized that Ruby¡¯s idea of blandness meant he hadn¡¯t proposed to her yet. He couldn¡¯t help slapping his forehead, thinking that he was in such a hurry to make Ruby his legally protected wife that he had forgotten such a crucial step! That night, Steve spent hours searching for ideas on proposing. He checked calendars and studied details, tinkering until three in the morning before finally shutting the computer and going to bed. ¨C When Steve said he understood, Ruby thought he really did, and she eagerly awaited his proposal with an excited and expectant heart. However, unknowingly, ten days had passed, and she had completed her confinement and could come and go freely. Steve¡¯s proposal still hadn¡¯t appeared. Instead, she received a phone call that made her extremely angry and upset. On a sunny afternoon, she was playing with the Triplets in the nursery that the Burtons had specially prepared. At forty days old, the Triplets either lied on their baby crib or were held in someone¡¯s arms. Despite that, Steve and Ruby played with toys that were not suitable for their age for nearly an hour. After the Triplets had fallen asleep, the couple tiptoed out of the nursery and told the three specially hired caretakers to watch over them. Madam Burton had afternoon tea prepared. As Ruby and Steve stepped out of the nursery, a servant came upstairs to call them. Chapter 743 - Chapter 743: Chapter 743: A Mysterious Express Delivery (3) Chapter 743: Chapter 743: A Mysterious Express Delivery (3) Even though The Triplets were asleep, Madam Burton still made a special trip upstairs to see her three grandchildren, leaving Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory alone in the living room on the first floor. The servant brought afternoon tea to Steve and Ruby. Just as Steve was about to reach for the spoon, he remembered that he hadn¡¯t washed his hands after changing Candice¡¯s diaper. So, he stood up and headed directly for the restroom. Less than half a minute after Steve left, his phone, lying casually on the sofa, rang. Ruby called out, ¡°Steve, it¡¯s your phone.¡± Then she glanced sideways at his caller ID. Seeing Maya Mitchell¡¯s name, her face immediately fell. Steve came out of the restroom, leisurely drying his hands, ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± As soon as he asked, he saw Ruby¡¯s gloomy face. His heart jolted, he quickly went over, and seeing Maya Mitchell¡¯s name on the caller ID, he immediately panicked, hurriedly explaining, ¡°Ruby, I have nothing to do with her, I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s calling me?¡± Ruby gave Steve a harsh look, shooting him a glance that said ¡®we¡¯ll settle this later¡¯, then pressed the answer button, greeting softly, ¡°Hello, Maya Mitchell, it¡¯s me, what do you need from Steve?¡± With that said, Ruby turned to Steve again, her face stern. Maya Mitchell, hearing Ruby¡¯s voice on the other end of the line, instantly fell silent. Ruby waited patiently, gripping the phone. Seeing Maya Mitchell still not speaking, she raised her voice again, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? If you have something to say to him, just tell me, I¡¯ll pass on the message.¡± The only response was silence. Ruby didn¡¯t have the patience she had before. After only waiting ten seconds, she began speaking, ¡°Maya Mitchell, I know you¡¯re listening. I know you want Steve to answer the phone. He¡¯s right here, but he¡¯s not going to take the call. If what you want to say to him you don¡¯t want to tell me, then I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Steve is my child¡¯s father, my future husband, I am his wife, I have the right to defend my marriage, my family. I don¡¯t care how you try to seduce other women¡¯s husbands, but I advise you, Maya Mitchell, you¡¯d better start now, don¡¯t go after Steve ever again. Anything that woman on the street chasing you could do, I, Ruby Gregory, can do as well¡­¡± Before Ruby had finished speaking, the call was abruptly ended by Maya Mitchell, leaving only a busy signal coming from the phone. Sitting close by, absorbing all of Ruby¡¯s words, Steve¡¯s initially tense demeanor changed to one of excitement. Ruby was warning other women not to approach him¡­ Is this what they call defending your territory? Ruby turned around to see Steve, his face full of joy. Unable to help herself, she angrily threw the phone at him. However, the very next second, Steve deftly caught her hand, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Steve¡¯s kiss was so passionate, as if he wanted to swallow Ruby whole. Unable to help herself, Ruby¡¯s lips parted slightly, and Steve immediately slid his hot tongue into her mouth. He kissed her without any style or technique, just letting his tongue sweep over and enjoy her lips, as if devouring the most delicious food in the world. Ruby, kissed by him, felt a mess. Her body felt like it had gone soft, just nestling in his arms. PS: To be continued tomorrow~ Guess what¡¯s in the envelope? Guess correctly and win a red envelope on New Year¡¯s Eve~~~only valid for readers who comment within 24 hours~~A reward for the most timely readers~ Chapter 744 - Chapter 744: Chapter 744: A Mysterious Express Delivery (4) Chapter 744: Chapter 744: A Mysterious Express Delivery (4) Steve Burton¡¯s kiss was incredibly intense, as if he wanted to draw Ruby Gregory into his stomach. Ruby¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but open slightly, and Steve eagerly slid his burning hot tongue into her mouth. He kissed without any technique, just allowing his tongue to sweep wildly across her lips and teeth, as if devouring the most delicious food in the world. Ruby, overwhelmed by his kiss, felt her mind jumble, and her body seemed to melt in his embrace. Steve couldn¡¯t help but deepen the kiss, but just as it grew more passionate, the doorbell suddenly rang. Steve, still kissing Ruby, stiffened slightly before pushing his tongue even deeper into her throat. Perhaps it was that they hadn¡¯t been this intimate in a long time, but Ruby couldn¡¯t help but feel a little helpless. She could feel his hand, through her slightly thin summer clothes, roaming over her body. The doorbell rang again and again, unending, until Ruby couldn¡¯t help but break away from Steve¡¯s lips and speak breathlessly, ¡°Who could it be? They keep knocking.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ the servant will answer it.¡± Steve¡¯s voice had become a little unstable, but after answering Ruby, he forcefully silenced her lips once more. But the servant hadn¡¯t answered the door, and the person ringing the doorbell was persistent. Ruby couldn¡¯t help but push Steve away again, ¡°Go and see who it is?¡± Steve, panting heavily, looked at Ruby but didn¡¯t move. As the doorbell rang again, Ruby forcefully pushed his shoulder. He finally got up, clearly annoyed, and walked towards the door. Steve, his mood now irritated, opened the door aggressively, standing straight and not even glancing at the person outside before asking coldly, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. There¡¯s an express delivery for you that needs your signature.¡± It was a delivery man, holding a document envelope in his hand. Steve frowned, not reaching out to take it, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a mailbox for that?¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m truly sorry. I forgot to bring the key to your mailbox, and this is an urgent letter, so I had no choice but to bother you.¡± The delivery man explained with a smile. Steve¡¯s expression remained displeased as he reached out, took the envelope, and went to close the door. The delivery man then apologized with a smile once more, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. Can I trouble you to sign it?¡± Steve¡¯s face darkened further. He glanced coldly at the delivery man in front of him, causing him to take a step back and smile even more enthusiastically. Then, with an impatient gesture, Steve took the pen from the delivery man¡¯s hand. But as he went to sign, he saw an unfamiliar name: ¡°Tang Xin.¡± There was no one named Tang Xin in the Burtons¡¯ family. Steve glanced at the address, which was indeed the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. His hand paused for a moment, and then he swiftly signed his name on the envelope. After the delivery man left, Steve stared at the mysterious envelope for a while, unsure who it was intended for. If it was an urgent express delivery, it would have had the real names of the Burtons¡¯ family members and the originating address of the delivery was a hospital¡­ Chapter 745 - Chapter 745: Chapter 745: A Mysterious Express Delivery (5) Chapter 745: Chapter 745: A Mysterious Express Delivery (5) Pseudonym, hospital¡­ A sense of unease rose in Steve Burton¡¯s heart that he couldn¡¯t quite put into words. Could it be that someone in the Burton family had a health issue, secretly underwent a check-up, and didn¡¯t want everyone to know about it? Steve knew that it was unethical to open someone else¡¯s mail, but since the letter was anonymous, he could easily say that he didn¡¯t know what it was and just casually opened it. After hesitating for a moment, Steve ripped the parcel open, pulled out a stack of papers, and frowned unconsciously when he saw the first line. Then, as he continued to read, his expression suddenly turned frighteningly gloomy. ¨C Ruby Gregory was left somewhat oxygen-starved by Steve¡¯s kiss and weakly rested on the sofa. It took her a while to regain her senses before she straightened up, took a sip from the pear with rock sugar that Madam Burton had prepared, and steadied herself. At that point, she realized that Steve had gone to open the door and had not returned for quite some time. She called out his name, ¡°Steve?¡± There was no response. Ruby couldn¡¯t see what Steve was doing at the entrance, as it was blocked by a large shelf in the foyer area. She put down the porcelain bowl, stood up, and called out his name again while walking toward the door. As she rounded the shelf, Ruby felt the hot summer air rushing in through the open door. She saw Steve standing motionless, his back facing the entrance. ¡°Steve?¡± Ruby called out, puzzled. She walked up to him and patted his shoulder when she saw no reaction, ¡°What are you doing standing here alone?¡± Steve suddenly snapped back to reality at the sound of Ruby¡¯s voice. He quickly hid the stack of papers in his hands behind his back, and even though he sounded as calm and collected as ever, a hint of panic could still be detected, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± As he spoke, Steve hastily stuffed the papers back into the envelope and swallowed hard. Then, he turned around to face Ruby and said, ¡°It¡¯s hot out here. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Though Steve had done his best to appear calm and composed when he faced Ruby, she couldn¡¯t help but notice his strangeness and inscrutability. Especially when she had seen him flipping the stack of papers over, as if he were trying to hide something he didn¡¯t want her to know about. Ruby stared at Steve for a moment and then looked at the delivery envelope in his hands, ¡°Is it a package? What¡¯s inside?¡± She reached out unconsciously, but Steve was quicker and hid the envelope behind his back, casually saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just an urgent document from the company.¡± He quickly changed the subject, ¡°The Triplets have been asleep for quite some time. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ve woken up. Let¡¯s go upstairs and check.¡± What company matters could be so urgent that she couldn¡¯t see? In the past, he would not even avoid her when discussing the most confidential matters of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises with his high-level staff. Ruby couldn¡¯t help but become even more curious about the package Steve was holding. PS: It¡¯s not that the story is more confusing now, it¡¯s just that the previous day I wrote an extra 100 words as a brief plot preview~ Chapter 746 - Chapter 746: Chapter 746: A Mysterious Express Delivery (6) Chapter 746: Chapter 746: A Mysterious Express Delivery (6) Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t help but get more curious about the parcel in Steve Burton¡¯s hands. She could tell that Steve didn¡¯t want her to know what was in the package, so even though she was curious, she followed Steve¡¯s wishes. She nodded and walked into the house with him, ascending the stairs to check on the Triplets. In the nursery, Chise and Candice were still asleep, only Tang was recently awake. After the nurse prepared the formula, Ruby walked up and naturally picked Tang up, taking the bottle and feeding him personally. Steve stood by and watched for a bit before finding an excuse to go to the restroom, leaving the room. Ruby, who was holding Tang, watched Steve¡¯s retreating figure, her gut feeling was that something was off. Eventually, she couldn¡¯t suppress her curiosity, she handed Tang to the nurse and quietly followed Steve. She saw Steve enter his bedroom. Stealthily following him, she discovered his door was locked from the inside. She couldn¡¯t help speculating wildly by his door until she heard footsteps inside the room; it prompted her to hurry back to the nursery. ¡ª Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife¡¯s kick to Maya Mitchell¡¯s belly was ruthless; her belly was tingling with pain for three or four days before it finally subsided. The pain constantly reminded her of that day¡¯s humiliation and embarrassment, then an image of Steve flashed into her mind, right after she was caught by Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife. She knew deep down that everything she was doing had no relevance to Steve. Although she had been using her body to clinch business deals, she kept it very covert, such that nobody aside from herself and the other party knew about it, especially not Steve. She was unsure how long Steve had been watching, but after hesitating for a long time, she called him. She used the signing of the contract with Mr. Leighton as an excuse. She wanted to use the excuse of reporting work progress to explain to Steve that it was all a misunderstanding that day. Unexpectedly, the voice that answered the call wasn¡¯t the mesmerizing voice that had always kept her infatuated. Instead, to her chagrin, it was Ruby¡¯s voice that came through the phone. She¡¯d heard rumors about Steve and Ruby from some people in the business world. She knew that the reason why Steve had been less present at social gatherings recently was because of their triplets. The mother of the children was the Gregorys¡¯ daughter whose engagement with Steve had been previously called off. Those were just some gossips people would casually chat about after a feast. Some said Steve was fortunate, others joked that the Gregorys¡¯ daughter had hit the jackpot, and those who had been classmates with Ruby and Steve mentioned their past relationships, predicting a reconciliation¡­ In a nutshell, it didn¡¯t matter if it was out of genuine feelings or hypocrisy, the words that flowed out from people¡¯s mouths about Steve and Ruby were all pleasing. She maintained her silence, always wearing a polite smile, but deep inside, she was seething with rage. She¡¯d thought that the child in Ruby¡¯s belly would be their nemesis, she tried so hard to separate them, but in the end, they still ended up together! Chapter 747 - Chapter 747: Chapter 747: A Mysterious Express Delivery (7) Chapter 747: Chapter 747: A Mysterious Express Delivery (7) She couldn¡¯t accept it. Even with her face battered by Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife, witnessing how gently and lovingly Steve Burton treated Ruby Gregory, she still couldn¡¯t accept it. But now, Ruby was the one who answered her call. Despite her resentment, she had to accept the reality: Ruby and Steve were together again, as good as they had ever been. Her plan had failed, once again. How many years had it been¡­from college until now? In all those years, she schemed, she manipulated, and she chased away countless irrelevant women from Steve¡¯s life. Even Olivia Foster, a relative of the Burtons, was easily defeated by her. Yet, Ruby Gregory was the one she meticulously and carefully targeted. However, every time she ended in failure. In that moment, her heart crumbled, and she was so speechless that she barely made a sound. Then, she heard Ruby¡¯s triumphant sarcasm. At first, she could tolerate it. But when she heard ¡°Whatever the woman who chased you down and beat you up in the streets could do, I, Ruby Gregory, can do as well,¡± she knew¡ªon that day, both Ruby and Steve had seen her humiliating defeat. Suddenly, images of Steve¡¯s disdainful gaze filled her mind, and she instinctively hung up the phone, angrily throwing it across the room. She felt a fire burning in her chest, making it impossible for her emotions to calm down. Unable to control her anger, she cursed Ruby loudly. Meanwhile, she began smashing everything in her room. Pillows, cups, teapots, porcelain, television¡­anything that could be smashed, she smashed it. In the end, she was exhausted and, sitting in the ruins, began sobbing uncontrollably. She was so unwilling to accept it! From college until now, it had been eight whole years. Eight years! Resistance against Japanese occupation had succeeded, but why couldn¡¯t she defeat Ruby Gregory? She sacrificed her self-respect, accompanying one man after another like a prostitute. From not being able to drink alcohol, she forced herself to down glass after glass as if it were water. She treated herself so cruelly, all so that she could get closer to Steve. She truly loved him¡ªloved him to the point of madness. She didn¡¯t care if he didn¡¯t love her, or if they didn¡¯t end up together. All she wanted was for him to have no other women by his side¡­for her to stand close enough to him¡­ But now? They even had children together, and they were really going to be together. Was she going to admit defeat? As these thoughts raced through Maya Mitchell¡¯s mind, she suddenly lifted her tear-filled eyes. A ruthless glint flashed in them. She couldn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t accept defeat. If she couldn¡¯t have what she wanted, then neither could Ruby! Better to shatter with the gemstone than to be left as a complete tile! Worst-case scenario, they would all meet their doom together! At this thought, a cold smile emerged at the corner of Maya¡¯s lips. ¨C Every weekend, Madeleine would return to the West Suburb Villa to spend time with her parents and visit Howard Coleman¡¯s parents as well. After Ruby was discharged from the hospital and moved into the West Suburb Villa with the Triplets, Madeleine would visit them during the weekends and check in on the Triplets. Every visit, Madeleine would habitually bring gifts with her. Chapter 748 - Chapter 748: Chapter 748: A Mysterious Express Delivery (8) Chapter 748: Chapter 748: A Mysterious Express Delivery (8) Of course, those gifts were all for The Triplets, either little clothes or toys. That week was no exception; Madeleine went straight to the mall after finishing work on Friday. Before she married Howard Coleman, she usually went home to West Suburb Villa for dinner aside from social engagements. Back then, she didn¡¯t attend many social events because, being a girl, she inevitably had to drink alcohol. So, Steve Burton, Rusell Henri, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman would mostly try to handle these tasks themselves. At that time, she and Howard were as close as siblings. Even when she had to attend an event and needed Howard¡¯s company, he would not hesitate to cancel any date with other women to accompany her. During those events, he would make sure she didn¡¯t have to drink a drop of alcohol. However, after their marriage, all the happiness and peace were shattered by her own hands. Howard no longer protected her, and she, in order not to let the elders know about the mess of their marriage, tried her best not to go home for dinner any longer, leaving her eating meals mostly alone. Madeleine arrived at the shopping mall, found a random fast-food restaurant, ate a meal to fill her stomach, and then went to the top floor¡¯s mother and baby section. Baby items were always cute and beautiful. Madeleine walked around for a long time, feeling envious deep within. If she had a child, she would surely buy everything here. Unfortunately, Howard barely gave her any chance to get pregnant. With this thought, Madeleine¡¯s eyes became somewhat dim. She picked out three identical toys and left Howard¡¯s apartment address before paying by card and leaving. It was only 9 pm, and she didn¡¯t particularly want to go back to the large and lonely apartment. Thinking it would be Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday in just a few hours, she went to the women¡¯s clothing section on the third floor, planning to find a birthday gift for Ruby. As Madeleine passed the Chanel Counter, she saw a gorgeous newly launched handbag. Despite the high price, she never scrimped when it came to Ruby, so she asked the saleswoman to get one for her, holding it in her hand and trying it in front of the mirror. ¡°Miss, this bag is the flagship style for this season; it¡¯s beautiful and fashionable. It suits you very well,¡± the saleswoman stood nearby with a smile, complimenting her. Indeed, it was beautiful and fashionable, and it would undoubtedly look great on Ruby. Madeleine nodded in satisfaction, handing the bag to the saleswoman: ¡°Please wrap it up.¡± The saleswoman nodded happily, leading Madeleine to the cashier. As Madeleine handed over her bank card to pay, the cashier gave her the bank receipt: ¡°Miss, please sign here.¡± Madeleine nodded slightly, took the pen, and was just about to sign when she heard a coquettish female voice from behind her: ¡°Mr. Coleman, can I have both of these bags, please?¡± Perhaps because it was the same last name ¡°Coleman¡± as Howard, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but pay attention. The next moment, she heard an all too familiar, languid male voice: ¡°You spent a night with me last night and only got one bag for it. Now you want two; do you plan on staying with me for another night?¡± The moment Madeleine heard this voice, her finger trembled as she was signing the character ¡°ÔÂ,¡± and the tip of the pen quivered, leaving a long, unintended stroke. Chapter 749 - Chapter 749: Chapter 749: A Mysterious Express Delivery (9) Chapter 749: Chapter 749: A Mysterious Express Delivery (9) Then, Madeleine¡¯s ears were filled with that shy and feigned scolding of the woman¡¯s voice: ¡°You¡¯re so annoying, Mr. Coleman!¡± Madeleine swallowed hard and slammed her pen down on the payment counter, then slowly turned her head to look at Howard. Howard was wearing a sky-blue suit, and his fair complexion made him even more romantic and dashing. Under the bright lights of the boutique, his face looked stunning. He stood there, hands in his pockets, with a lovely young woman clinging to his arm. Her low-cut dress revealed ample cleavage, pressed tightly against his arm. It seemed like Howard didn¡¯t expect to run into Madeleine here. The teasing smile on his face vanished instantly, and the look in his eyes turned cold as he stared at her. Madeleine didn¡¯t say a word, just stood there, staring straight at Howard. She even ignored the salesperson who had finished packing her bag and was trying to talk to her. Madeleine and Howard stared at each other for a long time, and finally, Howard was the first to look away indifferently. He seemed to pretend Madeleine didn¡¯t even exist. Instead, he pulled his arm out of the woman¡¯s grasp and put it around her shoulders, pushing her into his chest: ¡°If you can¡¯t bear to let me go, why don¡¯t you pick out a few more bags? One bag for one night.¡± ¡°Mr. Coleman, you¡¯re so naughty!¡± The woman reached out and playfully slapped Howard¡¯s chest, then stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, saying, ¡°If I pick 365 bags, will you stay with me for a year?¡± ¡°If there really were 365 bags in the store, I¡¯d actually stay with you for a year,¡± Howard said nonchalantly. ¡°Will your wife agree?¡± Howard didn¡¯t answer the question right away. Instead, he glanced over at Madeleine before saying with a smile: ¡°If my wife could actually control me, could I be here using my card to pay for your bags?¡± Madeleine clenched her fists, walked up to Howard, grabbed the woman¡¯s hair, and yanked her out of Howard¡¯s embrace. Then, she viciously threw her aside. Madeleine was strong, and the woman was actually thrown to the ground, screaming, and then looked at Howard tearfully: ¡°Mr. Coleman¡­¡± Before the woman¡¯s voice even faded, Madeleine yanked open Howard¡¯s jacket, pulled his wallet out of the inner pocket, and took out all his cards. She forcefully bent them, making them unusable, then viciously threw the cards and wallet back at Howard. She glared at him, snatched her gift for Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday from the salesperson¡¯s hand, and stomped away in her high heels without a second thought. This scene happened so suddenly, the atmosphere was somewhat tense. After about half a second, the woman who Madeleine had thrown to the ground finally cried out in distress, ¡°Mr. Coleman¡­¡± Howard shrugged nonchalantly, bent down to pick up his wallet, took out his ID card, and then tossed the wallet to the woman: ¡°You wanted a bag, right? Take this wallet.¡± Chapter 750 - Chapter 750: Chapter 750: A Mysterious Express Delivery (10) Chapter 750: Chapter 750: A Mysterious Express Delivery (10) Ignoring the woman¡¯s cries, she walks away. ¨C After bumping into Howard Coleman at the mall, Madeleine¡¯s mood had hit rock bottom. She went straight to the underground parking lot, drove back to Howard¡¯s apartment. Shortly after she arrived home, the toys she had ordered for The Triplets were also delivered. She wasn¡¯t sure if Howard would be spending the night with the woman he met at the mall and not coming home, so she took the prepared midnight snack out of the thermos and threw it in the trash. Then, without preparing breakfast, she went straight upstairs. After taking a shower and getting into bed, the eerie silence of the night made her feel numb. Not knowing how much time had passed, Madeleine heard the door open. Howard was back? She instinctively sat up straighter, and then heard footsteps approaching. The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, and she saw Howard walk in with two women, one on each arm. Madeleine¡¯s face turned pale in an instant as she stretched out her hand, pulling back the covers, as if readying herself to get off the bed and confront him. ¡°Going to throw a punch again?¡± Howard laughed, and with a sudden shove, the two women were pushed forward: ¡°It¡¯s okay, hit them all you want, I have gathered another two for you, haven¡¯t I? If two aren¡¯t enough, I can call a bunch more later. At most, I¡¯ll compensate them for medical expenses. Once you¡¯re tired, I can find untouched ones to spend the night with.¡± After hearing these words, Madeleine suddenly felt stiff as if she was struck by an acupoint, frozen in bed. Howard stared at her for a while, seeing that she didn¡¯t move, he pulled the two women close again and headed towards the bed: ¡°Since you¡¯re not hitting, the three of us will rest.¡± Saying that, Howard pushed the two women onto the soft bed. As if those two women were fearsome beasts, Madeleine immediately jumped down from the bed. She looked at the red sheets and comforter that she and Howard had chosen for their wedding day, and couldn¡¯t help but press her lips together tightly. Howard stood by the bed, staring at her for a while before asking: ¡°You? Will you sleep here or go to the next room?¡± Madeleine had cried for Howard many times, but she had never shed a tear in front of him. However, when she heard his question, she couldn¡¯t tell why, but her eyes suddenly became a little wet. It took her a long time to lift her gaze and look at Howard. Although she had forced him to marry her, she had never shown any weakness in front of him. But at this moment, her voice trembled slightly as she spoke: ¡°Could you please go out with them, not here in the house¡­¡± Howard sneered coldly, showing no intention of compromise: ¡°No, I can¡¯t! Didn¡¯t I just say that if you can¡¯t sleep here, go to the next room? Besides, I think the property is only under my name; do you really think this is your territory?¡± Madeleine moved her lips but said nothing, just standing there, staring at Howard. For a moment, Howard thought Madeleine would cry, but after half a minute, she suddenly lowered her head and quickly ran past him, rushing out of the bedroom. Chapter 751 - Chapter 751: Chapter 751: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (1) Chapter 751: Chapter 751: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (1) Then, Howard Coleman heard the sound of the living room door being slammed shut. Howard Coleman still stood there, his eyes staring straight at the place where Madeleine had just stood, showing no reaction. One of the two women he had pushed down on the bed spoke flirtatiously, ¡°Mr. Coleman, you¡¯re so bad, just driving your wife away like that?¡± Seeing the other one speaking, the other woman knelt up from the bed, reached out to pull on Howard Coleman¡¯s collar, and followed, ¡°Mr. Coleman, isn¡¯t it time for you to come up, too?¡± Before the woman¡¯s words even finished, Howard Coleman harshly reached out and grabbed her hand that was holding his collar, pointed at the door, and angrily said, ¡°You two get out, too!¡± ¡°Mr. Coleman¡­¡± ¡°Get out! Didn¡¯t you hear me? Get out, get out, get out!¡± The two women were so scared by Howard Coleman¡¯s consecutive roars of ¡°get out¡± that they immediately rolled off the bed, ran out of the room, and one whispered to the other, ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it before, but now I¡¯ve finally discovered that Mr. Coleman really is like a changed man, always going to The Sapphire Bistro to find us girls, but not touching any of us for six or seven months now¡­¡± ¨C Forcing work on Rusell Henris, Steve Burton finally left the house on Saturday due to a last-minute need to entertain a special client, which required his attendance. The doctor had advised that Ruby Gregory, who had undergone a Caesarean section, could not have intercourse for two months. Of course, the doctor¡¯s so-called intercourse did not mean not being able to sleep in the same room together, so Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory slept directly in Steve Burton¡¯s bedroom at the Burtons¡¯ last night. The next day, Steve Burton had to get up early to meet a client at nine, so they couldn¡¯t do anything intimate, but he could make some other intimate contact. Last night, Ruby Gregory had been kissed and touched by Steve Burton until nearly two in the morning, so when she was still asleep in the morning, she felt Steve Burton¡¯s kiss. Ruby Gregory thought Steve Burton would give her a good morning kiss and leave, but he kissed her repeatedly and slowly. Finally, the disturbed Ruby Gregory pushed Steve Burton off the bed and hit him with his pillow, yelling, ¡°Get out!¡± Steve Burton, who was scolded, laughed softly twice, his face full of spring breeze and straightened his clothes, then left. With no one bothering her, Ruby Gregory slept until eleven in the afternoon before waking up. When she went to Steve Burton¡¯s bathroom to wash up, she suddenly remembered the express package Steve Burton had received yesterday. He said it was an urgent company document, but when he left this morning, she glanced at it and saw that he hadn¡¯t taken it with him¡­ Ruby Gregory pondered for a while, and after washing up, she walked out of the bathroom and began searching Steve Burton¡¯s bedroom. Ruby Gregory practically turned Steve Burton¡¯s room upside down and finally found the express package under the mattress on the bed. Ruby Gregory sat on the floor and pulled out a stack of paper from the package. As soon as she saw the words ¡°DNA paternity testing¡± on the first line, her eyebrows furrowed. Then, when she looked down at the names Steve Burton, Chise, Candice, and Tangerine, her face turned pale instantly. PS: Who took the knife for whom? You guys will never guess it~~ This plot is not cruel, but it¡¯s arranged very strangely~ Keep reading, and you¡¯ll see~ Let¡¯s keep some mystery~~ Many readers asked if I will still update during Chinese New Year? Well, I will continue updating during Chinese New Year, but I can¡¯t guarantee the same amount. I will try my best to maintain it~ Goodnight, everyone~ Finishing up now~~ If you really don¡¯t like reading it, there¡¯s no need to watch the ending. It¡¯s New Year, so I hope everyone can respect the efforts of the author~ Chapter 752 - Chapter 752: Chapter 752: Selflessly Taking the Stab (2) Chapter 752: Chapter 752: Selflessly Taking the Stab (2) Ruby Gregory sat on the floor and pulled out a stack of papers. At the sight of the words ¡°DNA Paternity Testing¡± at the top of the first page, her brows involuntarily furrowed. As she read the names Steve Burton, Candice, Chise, and Candy, her face instantly turned pale. She quickly scanned through the analysis content of the DNA paternity test and directly looked at the results, showing that The Triplets were indeed Steve¡¯s biological children. There was no mistake in the DNA paternity test, but what Ruby was thinking about was when Steve had carried out this paternity test and why he had done it behind her back. Was his doing so indicative of doubt in his heart that The Triplets were not his biological children? But she was quite sure that one day in the hospital, before telling Steve that The Triplets were his biological children, she had asked him if he would still want her if the children were Edric¡¯s. He had confidently assured her that he would still want her even if she had ten more children! At that time, she had felt so touched. Although many people had told her that men¡¯s words were untrustworthy, she firmly believed him because she thought he was different. She even naively believed that after all the hardships they had experienced, they were finally reunited without any resentment. No wonder yesterday, as soon as she approached him, he had appeared startled and quickly seized the papers. Even when she reached out to see them, he had hidden them behind him¡­ It turned out that there was always this calculation in his heart¡­ Perhaps the recent days have been too peaceful, Ruby Gregory suddenly felt unable to cope with this impact. Her hand holding the DNA paternity test result was shaking slightly. She knew that everyone, including Steve, thought that Edric was the father of the children before The Triplets were born. It was after their birth that Steve realized they were his. It was quite natural for him to have doubts. And before she was discharged from the hospital, she even suggested to him that if does not believe The Triplets were his, he could have a DNA test done. Who knew that while he showed her conviction, he had secretly gone for the DNA paternity testing! If Steve had straightforwardly suggested taking a DNA paternity test, she would have been upset, but certainly not as horrible as she feels now. Ruby Gregory¡¯s hand involuntarily clenched the paper, creasing it slightly. It turns out that if you truly love someone, knowing that your loved one doubts you is unbearably painful, like a living death. After her reconciliation with Steve, every day has been filled with joy and happiness. This joy and happiness have been accumulating, making her heart sweet as if filled with honey. But now, all that sweetness was replaced by painful bitterness. Frozen with grief, Ruby sat on the carpet for a long time without moving, until a knock on the door woke her. Chapter 753 - Chapter 753: Chapter 753: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (3) Chapter 753: Chapter 753: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (3) At that moment, Ruby Gregory realized that, unknowingly, a layer of mist had filled the bottom of her eyes. She raised her hand, rubbed her eyes, took a deep breath, and softly asked who was at the door: ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Ruby, are you awake?¡± Madam Burton¡¯s gentle and friendly voice came from behind the door. ¡°Steve said you were catching up on your sleep when he left for work this morning, so he didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb you. Lunch is ready now, and you haven¡¯t eaten anything all day. Once you¡¯re up, come downstairs to eat something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruby hurriedly replied to the voice outside the door, then quickly picked up the courier paper bag she had thrown aside on the floor, stuffed the DNA paternity testing report inside, placed it back where she had found it on the carpet, and neatly arranged it before standing up, tidying her appearance in the mirror, and opening the bedroom door. Seeing Ruby, Madam Burton immediately smiled affectionately: ¡°Ruby, I called your mom this morning to ask her what your favorite dishes are, and I specifically asked Mrs. Taylor to prepare them for lunch.¡± Madam Burton had been very kind to her before, and after she gave birth to the Triplets, she treated her like her own daughter. As Ruby thought about the DNA paternity test report, she felt even worse, but managed to squeeze out a smile and said ¡°Thank you.¡± With sharp eyes, Madam Burton noticed the redness at the bottom of Ruby¡¯s eyes, her eyebrows furrowed with worry: ¡°Ruby, have you been crying?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruby quickly shook her head: ¡°When I was washing my face, some facial cleanser got into my eyes, and it stung a bit.¡± Only then did Madam Burton¡¯s expression relax, urging Ruby to join her downstairs. The servants had already set lunch on the dining table, and Madam Burton personally served Ruby a bowl of soup first. As Ruby took the soup, Madam Burton couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Ruby, although people say that mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law often don¡¯t get along, you can rest assured that it won¡¯t happen with me. If Steve ever dares to bully you, just tell me, and I¡¯ll definitely side with you.¡± Ruby felt touched and even more distressed at the same time. She took the soup with both hands, nodded her head, and said ¡°Thank you,¡± then added ¡°Steve, he treats me very well.¡± ¡°He better!¡± Madam Burton¡¯s face instantly turned stern, which made Wenny Burton, who was eating nearby, unable to help but laugh. Ruby couldn¡¯t help but curve her lips into a smile as well before lowering her head to drink her soup. ¨C Last night, Madeleine had rushed out of Howard Coleman¡¯s apartment wearing only a thin nightgown and barefoot, without even putting on shoes. By the time she had run out of the apartment and stood on the desolate street at night, she realized that she had left her phone, wallet, and car keys behind. Her bare feet had already formed two blisters from the friction, causing her so much pain that she couldn¡¯t walk anymore, and she eventually sat down on a wooden bench by the roadside. Although it was late at night, there were still quite a few people passing by. Perhaps because Madeleine was only wearing a nightgown, she attracted many sidelong glances. The night grew darker, and the temperature dropped. Madeleine looked back at the residential complex and thought about what Howard and those two women might be doing at this very moment. The thought caused a faint pain in her heart, and she increasingly didn¡¯t want to go back to the apartment to retrieve her things. Instead, she simply stood up and slowly walked along the main road. Chapter 754 - Chapter 754: Chapter 754: Selflessly Taking the Stab (4) Chapter 754: Chapter 754: Selflessly Taking the Stab (4) Howard Coleman¡¯s apartment is located in the center of the city, not far from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Entering his apartment, one can walk along the road in the direction of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, passing the Hilton Grand Hotel. Madeleine is a VVIP member of the Hilton Hotel. As the Hilton Grand Hotel is not far from Pristine¡¯s Corporation, she is quite familiar with the manager here. As a result, despite her lack of money and unkempt appearance, when she met the manager, he kindly arranged a presidential suite for her. He personally escorted her to the room, even instructing the hotel staff to prepare underwear, outerwear, and a pair of shoes according to Madeleine¡¯s size. Madeleine took a bath, and when she got out, she discovered that the soles of her feet were burning with pain. She called the front desk, arranging for someone to bring some alcohol and a box of band-aids. She cleaned the blisters on the bottom of her feet and applied five band-aids before climbing into bed. It was already deep into the night, and the soundproofing of the suite was excellent. She didn¡¯t turn on the TV. The only noise was the humming of the ventilation fan in the bathroom. Madeleine couldn¡¯t fall asleep. The bed faced the French windows, and she lay there, staring out at the brilliant lights of the city, wondering how her relationship with Howard had become so hostile. When they met, it was as if they were enemies, constantly trying to hurt each other more than the other had hurt them. She knew that the current situation was her own doing. She couldn¡¯t blame anyone, not even Howard, who had been causing her pain. It was her who ruthlessly pushed away his beloved, she who was relentless in her desire to have him, that ultimately led to his hatred of her. However, in Madeleine¡¯s dictionary, there was never a word for regret. Even at this point, she had never regretted her actions. Howard couldn¡¯t possibly hate her forever, could he? Eventually, he would tire of his hatred. And even if he didn¡¯t, when they died, they would be buried together. At that time, they could finally be at peace, forever by each other¡¯s side, right? So, if she couldn¡¯t bear to lose him, then no matter how much humiliation or pain Howard inflicted upon her now, she would have to grit her teeth and bear it. With these thoughts, Madeleine¡¯s gaze out the window became resolute. ¨C Madeleine had no recollection of how she fell asleep last night. She only knew that when she went to bed, it was already almost four in the morning. She slept for a little over five hours before waking up. Howard usually had a busy nightlife and, on days off from work, he sometimes wouldn¡¯t wake up until one or two in the afternoon. So Madeleine didn¡¯t rush to leave the hotel. Instead, she spent her time in the hotel entertaining herself, only starting freshening up, getting dressed, and checking out by noon. Then, she leisurely walked back home. The temperature was high at noon during the summer. When Madeleine reached the entrance of her apartment, she was drenched in sweat. She didn¡¯t knock on the door but rather input the password and let herself in. While changing her shoes in the foyer, she deliberately glanced at the other shoes in the foyer area and saw that the shoes of the two women from last night were already gone. She secretly let out a sigh of relief. Picking up the slippers that the two women had worn, she threw them into a trash can nearby. Then, wearing her slippers, she proceeded to the bedroom. Chapter 755 - Chapter 755: Chapter 755: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (5) Chapter 755: Chapter 755: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (5) When Madeleine opened her bedroom door, she had expected to see a complete mess, but to her surprise, the room was quite tidy. The large bed was made with red sheets and quilts, with only a few wrinkles present. The carpet was clean, and she didn¡¯t see any used contraceptives lying around. Staring blankly for a moment, Madeleine went into the bathroom, took a casual shower to rinse off her sweat, changed into clean clothes, grabbed her purse and car keys, as well as the gifts she bought for The Triplets the night before, then left the bedroom. Madeleine wasn¡¯t startled that she didn¡¯t see Howard at home when she returned. She assumed that he had left with those two women he¡¯d been with, but as soon as she opened the bedroom door, she saw the door to his study across the hall also open, and Howard, wearing his pajamas, walked out. Madeleine was immediately stunned. Was he actually home? Upon seeing Madeleine appear out of nowhere, Howard¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all, still revealing a slightly mocking look. He simply glanced at her coolly, acting as if she didn¡¯t exist, and walked over to the water dispenser to pour himself a cup of water, then raised his head and gulped it down. Madeleine only snapped back to reality when Howard put down his cup. She knew that Howard had no interest in her daily activities, but still said, ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, so I¡¯ll go to the West Suburb Villa, and on the way, visit the Triplets.¡± Just as Madeleine expected, Howard didn¡¯t even blink when he heard her words. Without looking at her, he walked straight back to his study. Madeleine stood still for a few seconds watching the study door close, then grabbed her things and left the house. Howard, who was sitting in the study, heard the sound of the door opening and closing outside. He then picked up his phone and called Edward Woods, saying, ¡°Edward, where are you now, and with who? Great, I¡¯ll be there shortly¡­¡± ¨C When Madeleine arrived at The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, it was already half past three in the afternoon. Mrs. Taylor was in the yard watering the flowers, and when she saw Madeleine¡¯s car drive in, she immediately stood up, put the watering can aside, and hurriedly welcomed her. As soon as the car stopped, Madeleine opened the door and stepped out. Mrs. Taylor said, ¡°Miss Madeleine, you¡¯re here?¡± Madeleine smiled and replied, ¡°Mrs. Taylor.¡± Madeleine then opened the trunk of the car and took out the gifts she bought for the Triplets. Mrs. Taylor hurriedly helped her. Well-acquainted with The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, Madeleine walked in and went straight to the second floor when she saw no one on the first floor. As soon as she reached the second floor, she heard the sound of a baby¡¯s rattle coming from the nursery. She walked over, opened the door, and saw Ruby Gregory, Madam Burton, and Lady Gregory playing with the Triplets, along with three special carers. ¡°Madeleine is here?¡± The first to notice Madeleine was Lady Gregory. Ruby then looked towards the door with Candice in her arms, and when she saw Madeleine, her lips curved into a smile. She stood up and said, ¡°Madeleine.¡± Madeleine walked over, took Candice from Ruby¡¯s hands, played with her for a while, then checked on Chise and the other baby. Only after the Triplets fell asleep again did Madeleine and Ruby leave the nursery. Ruby originally wanted to invite Madeleine to visit Steve Burton¡¯s room, but remembering the DNA paternity test hidden under the carpet, her mood turned slightly gloomy. Chapter 756 - Chapter 756: Chapter 756: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (6) Chapter 756: Chapter 756: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (6) She thought about how since she had The Triplets, she rarely went out, so she suggested to Madeleine, ¡°Madeleine, why don¡¯t we go to the city for dinner tonight?¡± Madeleine naturally had no objections. ¨C Madeleine was driving. On the way to the city, Ruby wanted to call Steve to let him know that she and Madeleine were going out, but she knew he had work, so she just sent him a text message instead. As soon as the message was sent, Steve called back immediately. Ruby stared at the call display for about five seconds before answering. Steve¡¯s gentle, steady voice came through, ¡°Where are you and Madeleine going? I¡¯m almost finished with work, so I can come and meet you later.¡± Ruby had been worrying about the DNA paternity testing all afternoon, and the reason she went out with Madeleine was to relax a bit, so after thinking for a moment, she refused, ¡°Madeleine and I agreed it would be just the two of us.¡± Steve didn¡¯t force the issue; he chuckled on the other end of the phone, ¡°All right then, call me when you¡¯re ready to head back, and I¡¯ll come pick you up.¡± This time, Ruby didn¡¯t refuse. She gently ¡°Mmm¡±ed into the phone. ¨C Ruby and Madeleine had dinner at the Grand Ciawell Restaurant. When they came out, it was already nine o¡¯clock. Ruby didn¡¯t need to worry about The Triplets since they had three special caretakers. She had originally promised Steve that she would call him before going home so he could pick her up, but as she walked out of the Grand Ciawell Restaurant, Ruby felt a bit lazy to go home and suggested to Madeleine to find a quiet bar for a drink. Seeing that it was still early, Madeleine thought that even if she went home, she¡¯d be alone and sleepless anyway. So, she drove Ruby to Hora. The street by the Hora lake was filled with bars, where singers sang emotional love songs. As they passed one of the bars, Eason Chan¡¯s ¡°Next Year, Today¡± happened to be playing. Madeleine stopped and suggested, ¡°How about this one?¡± Ruby nodded in agreement, and the two of them walked in and found a relatively secluded place to sit down. The singer was young, and under the bright lights, his skin looked a little pale. He played his guitar while singing. Each song was by Eason Chan, and his voice was quite similar to Eason¡¯s. Adding to his deliberate imitation, it was quite enjoyable. ¡°This singer is pretty good,¡± Madeleine said as she poured a glass of alcohol for Ruby. Ruby picked up her glass, clinked it with Madeleine¡¯s, and then gently ¡°Mmm¡±ed before tilting her head back and downing the drink. Seeing Ruby¡¯s aggressive drinking, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Feeling down?¡± Ruby smiled, didn¡¯t say anything, and simply took another big drink. The alcohol burned down her throat and into her stomach. Then she put down her glass, looked at Madeleine in the slightly dim light of the bar, and asked another question, ¡°No matter how bad I¡¯m feeling, it¡¯s not a big deal. What about you? How have you been lately?¡± Upon hearing this question, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but smile sardonically at the corner of her lips. She swirled her glass slowly, her voice sounding nonchalant, ¡°What else could it be? Just the same old thing.¡± Chapter 757 - Chapter 757: Chapter 757: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (7) Chapter 757: Chapter 757: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (7) Having said that, Madeleine raised her head, emptied the glass of alcohol, and then picked up the bottle. While pouring herself another glass, she looked into Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Last night, Howard brought two women home.¡± Although Madeleine said this with a smile, Ruby still felt a pang of heartache. She hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Madeleine, do you want to hear my opinion?¡± As if knowing what Ruby was going to say next, Madeleine remained silent, her pouring motion stopped for a moment. She then put the bottle back on the table, picked up her glass, and continued to drink. Ruby stared at Madeleine who finished another glass of alcohol and then spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t torture yourself like this. Why not just break up with Howard?¡± Madeleine¡¯s lips tightened, and her grip on the glass increased. After a long while, she raised her head and looked at Ruby with a faint smile, ¡°Break up?¡± She smiled, then picked up her glass again and took a heavy drink. Continuing, she said, ¡°Ruby, if I break up with Howard now, doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s no hope for us in this lifetime? If this was the ending I wanted, do you think I would have gone to such lengths to drive his little true love away and make him truly hate me?¡± ¡°But Madeleine, it hurts me to see you suffer, and there are so many men in the world. Maybe you¡¯ll find someone else who is more suitable for you than Howard.¡± ¡°Do you think anyone can replace my brother in your heart? If my brother did something wrong, could you cut ties with him so easily?¡± Madeleine¡¯s sudden question left Ruby speechless. She had been feeling upset all afternoon because Steve Burton had gone behind her back to do DNA paternity testing, but she never even thought about breaking up with him. ¡°Ruby, you actually understand deep inside that some people just can¡¯t be replaced. The person who cannot be replaced for you is my brother, and for me, it¡¯s Howard.¡± Madeleine swallowed and poured each of them a glass of alcohol. After clinking glasses with Ruby, she took a sip and continued, ¡°At first, I also felt like I was breaking down living like this with Howard, but later I became numb. Of course, the numbness came from the pain here¡­¡± As she spoke, Madeleine pointed to her chest, ¡°Sometimes, when I can¡¯t sleep at night, I wonder if this is really the life I want. But Ruby, you don¡¯t know how painful it is for me to think of breaking up with Howard. It¡¯s so unbearable that I feel like dying.¡± ¡°Ruby, do you know? I really love Howard, so much that I would die without him.¡± Madeleine reiterated her last sentence in a different way. Ruby suddenly felt saddened and didn¡¯t know how to persuade Madeleine anymore. The atmosphere became somewhat quiet. Everyone in the bar spoke in hushed tones, and only the singer¡¯s voice echoed as he sang Eason Chan¡¯s song ¡°Elimination¡±: ¡°I¡¯ve told you all my lies, and you believed them. I simply say ¡®I love you¡¯, but you never believe.¡± Chapter 758 - Chapter 758: Chapter 758: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (8) Chapter 758: Chapter 758: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (8) Madeleine listened to the singing for a while before finally pulling at her lips and showing a smile to Ruby Gregory. She changed the subject, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not ruin the atmosphere every time we meet because of me and Howard¡¯s issues. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you, but I¡¯ve always forgotten. Do you remember the promise we made back in middle school? If we ever have kids, we¡¯ll be each other¡¯s godmothers. Now that you have kids, you won¡¯t go back on your word, right?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Ruby agreed to change the topic with Madeleine. Madeleine beamed, as if she were genuinely happy to have gained three more children. She raised her glass and chugged some alcohol before saying with a teasing tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you and my brother would have triplets. Tell me, Ruby, were you two constantly in bed together when you were pregnant with The Triplets?¡± Even though Ruby had given birth, her face still turned slightly red, ¡°Madeleine, why are you asking these questions?¡± ¡°I¡¯m learning from you! I want to have triplets too¡­no, better yet, quadruplets! That way, I can beat my brother!¡± Ruby knew Madeleine was just joking, but when she heard this, she suddenly seemed to think of something and told Madeleine, ¡°If it won¡¯t work, just have a child. Seriously, a child can be the spice between a couple. Maybe if you have a child and Howard becomes a dad, he¡¯ll stop fighting with you for the sake of his child.¡± Madeleine¡¯s face suddenly turned serious. Ruby opened her mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Howard still makes you take emergency contraceptive pills every time?¡± Madeleine nodded lightly. Ruby¡¯s expression turned angry. Perhaps it¡¯s because Maya Mitchell had switched her birth control pills without her knowing, which made her extremely resentful towards contraceptives. She said, ¡°It¡¯s too much for Howard to do this. Emergency contraceptive pills are more harmful to the body. Isn¡¯t he always afraid of Steve Burton? I¡¯m going to tell Steve about this tonight!¡± ¡°Alright, Ruby, I know you¡¯re looking out for me, but no one else can interfere with my issues with Howard. He already hates me. If I push him too far by demanding a child, our relationship could collapse,¡± Madeleine comforted Ruby, ¡°Besides, don¡¯t I already have three kids? The Triplets are so adorable!¡± Ruby moved her lips but didn¡¯t say anything. Deep down, however, Madeleine managed to persuade her to compromise. Madeleine didn¡¯t continue the conversation, just held the glass of wine and kept drinking one after another. In the end, she inexplicably started crying and looked at Ruby, whispering, ¡°Ruby, I like him, I really like him. I like him so much that I¡¯m afraid to let him know because I fear he won¡¯t like me back.¡± ¨C After hanging up her call with Steve yesterday, Maya Mitchell sat in her own home all flustered, still thinking that there was no way she would give up easily in her feud against Ruby. She would rather shatter like a precious gem than remain whole like a mere tile! Chapter 759 - Chapter 759: Chapter 759: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (9) Chapter 759: Chapter 759: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (9) Then she thought about how she could bring Ruby Gregory to a point of no return, and then she didn¡¯t expect to find herself somewhat bored tonight, coming alone to a bar at Hora to drown her sorrows in alcohol, and then she happened upon Ruby Gregory. Maya Mitchell was not in the same bar as Ruby Gregory, only that Ruby Gregory was sitting by the window, and when she passed by, she saw her. At first, she had no ill intentions because she saw her with Madeleine, and she was afraid that Steve Burton or Howard Coleman might follow them. So she just stood outside, keeping an eye on them. She watched them for more than half an hour, seeing only Ruby Gregory and Madeleine drinking together. They seemed to be discussing their feelings, and Madeleine, the only skilled one, drank a bit too much. When she went to the bathroom, she walked with a slight stagger. It was at this moment that Maya Mitchell made up her mind. Now that Ruby Gregory had given birth to triplets for the Burtons, she was driven everywhere. It was rare to see her and Madeleine walking alone like this. Such a golden opportunity, if she didn¡¯t seize it, who knows when she¡¯d get another chance? She thought that what she wanted was already out of reach and that her life had little meaning. So why not just end it? Maya¡¯s eyes became slightly fierce, and without a second thought, she took out her cell phone and made a call: ¡°You name the price for helping me with something now¡­ Right, right now, here at Hora. To ensure absolute success, send seven or eight people¡­ No problem, US$275,000 it is. Of course, I have the money. Don¡¯t forget, my house in the city is worth US$686,000. If you can get things done for me, I can even consider giving you an extra US$137,000!¡± ¨C Ruby Gregory finally had a chance to go out with Madeleine, and Steve Burton didn¡¯t rush for her to return home. Even when it was almost 11 o¡¯clock, he just sent her a text message: ¡°Ruby, what time will you be home? The Triplets miss Mom and Dad already.¡± Ruby¡¯s cell phone was on the table, and as soon as the message arrived, her screen lit up. Seeing the text from Steve, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She glanced at Madeleine, who was already tipsy, and figured it was about time, so she called the waiter, paid the bill, and led Madeleine out of the bar. Madeleine was a bit unsteady on her feet, so Ruby had to hold her. Ruby originally wanted to call Steve, but before they could walk a few steps, Madeleine suddenly started throwing up. Ruby had to pat Madeleine¡¯s back, waiting for her to finish vomiting before buying her a bottle of water to rinse her mouth. After finally taking care of Madeleine, Ruby hugged her arm, led her towards the parking area, and took out her cell phone to call Steve. The bar street in Hora was closed to vehicles, and Madeleine¡¯s car was parked on Bliss Street. On the way to Bliss Street, they happened to pass a quieter road, where the traffic of people passing through was somewhat sparse. As soon as Ruby¡¯s call to Steve connected, with only half a ring, her cell phone was suddenly snatched away by someone behind her. She let out a low cry, instinctively turning her head, but before she could see the person behind her, she and Madeleine were grabbed by several hands and quickly dragged into a dark alley. PS: Today¡¯s finished. Tomorrow we¡¯ll continue~ There are two days until Chinese New Year. Can everyone please vote for more tickets? Chapter 760 - Chapter 760: Chapter 760: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (10) Chapter 760: Chapter 760: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (10) Just as Ruby Gregory connected her call to Steve Burton and the dial tone buzzed halfway, her phone was violently snatched from behind. She gasped, twisting instinctively, but before she could make out the people behind her, she and Madeleine were dragged by several forceful hands into a pitch-black alley at lightning speed. Although Ruby had drunk some alcohol, her mind was entirely lucid. The situation happened too abruptly for her to make sense of it. She raised her voice involuntarily and began to scream, ¡°Help.¡± The people dragging her reacted much faster than her plea for help. Before the word ¡°help¡± entirely escaped from her lips, a hand brutally covered her mouth and pressed on her nose, hindering her ability to breathe. Madeleine, somewhat intoxicated, was entirely unaware of any danger when she was forcefully dragged into the alley, but instead mumbled dazedly, ¡°Ruby, stop messing around!¡± Her voice was not loud, but as soon as the words left her mouth, a hand immediately muffled her as well. Most of the old Ciawell Courtyards near Hora are uninhabited, hence the alleyways were unlit and unusually quiet. Ruby could barely see anything. Being dragged around like this reminded her of a past kidnapping. This time though, Madeleine was with her, which far from easing her fear, instead exacerbated her panic. In her previous abduction, she had a phone with her and managed to call Steve Burton for help. But now, her phone had been taken, and Madeleine was drunk¡­ The more Ruby thought about it, the more anxious she felt. She struggled to figure out how she and Madeleine could escape this danger unscathed. ¨C After seemingly covering a considerable distance, they were finally brought to a stop. Ruby and Madeleine were harshly shoved forward, and they both tumbled towards the dead end of the alley, crumbling into a heap against the corner wall. The surroundings were even darker here; Ruby could hardly see a thing. Subconsciously reaching out, she felt for Madeleine¡¯s hand, clutching onto it tightly. She could scarcely conceal the tremor in her voice as she asked, ¡°Madeleine, are you okay?¡± Madeleine, still in a daze, responded vaguely, then rested her head against Ruby¡¯s shoulder. She parted her lips to stifled laughter and murmured drunkenly, ¡°Howard¡­¡± Ruby knew at this point that their safety rested solely on her shoulders. She reached out, enveloping the drunken Madeleine, straightened her back, and gathered the courage to speak up through the darkness. Trying to sound composed, she asked, ¡°Who are you? What do you want?¡± No one responded. Ruby felt an increasing sense of unease. Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, ¡°Do you want money? Whatever the amount, I can give it to you.¡± Still, nobody responded. Just as Ruby finished speaking, after being plunged in complete darkness up till now, the surroundings suddenly lit up. [Updates begin~] Chapter 761 - Chapter 761: Chapter 761: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (11) Chapter 761: Chapter 761: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (11) There was someone holding a cell phone flashlight ¨C it cast enough light for Ruby Gregory to see what was happening. Approximately six or seven men were circling, staring threateningly at her and Madeleine, forming a semi-circle around them. Behind Ruby and Madeleine, was the alley wall. Their retreat was blocked; they were trapped like birds with clipped wings. Upon seeing the situation, a chill crept into Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart. In contrast, Madeleine seemed oblivious, rubbing her head against Ruby¡¯s shoulder, asking in a whisper, ¡°Ruby, why have we been walking this long and we still haven¡¯t reached our car?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there¡­¡± Ruby pacified Madeleine, and quickly took out her wallet from her bag. She handed it over to the men in front of her, swallowing twice before saying hoarsely, ¡°There¡¯s quite a bit of cash in my wallet, you can have it all. There are also several credit cards. One of them, the black one, has no password and can withdraw US$686,000¡­¡± The few men looked over the wallet Ruby had handed over, and seemed momentarily stunned by the amount she had mentioned. They looked at each other. Misinterpreting the men¡¯s expressions, Ruby thought there was hope. She quickly grabbed Madeleine¡¯s bag and took out her wallet, saying, ¡°If you still think it¡¯s not enough, here¡¯s another wallet. It also has cash and a black card that can withdraw US$686,000 without a password¡­ As long as you let us go, I promise I won¡¯t pursue this.¡± The man standing in the center, the oldest of the group, with two powerfully tattooed arms, laughed at Ruby¡¯s last words. He strode forward, snatching the wallets from Ruby¡¯s hands, and without checking the contents, tossed them aside, ¡°Do you take us for toddlers? Using your cards to withdraw money? That¡¯s blatantly leading us into a trap!¡± Once he finished, he surveyed Ruby and Madeleine, then asked, ¡°Who is Ruby Gregory?¡± Upon hearing her name, Ruby hesitated slightly before realizing that these men were specifically targeting her. She moved her lips and answered, ¡°I am.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s you¡­¡± Ruby didn¡¯t respond, but glanced at Madeleine beside her before saying, ¡°If you¡¯re after me, can you let my friend go first?¡± She knew the suggestion was laughable. These men had kidnapped Madeleine along with her, probably fearing she would call the police. So Ruby spoke again, saying, ¡°She¡¯s extremely intoxicated and completely oblivious to anything.¡± ¡°So you actually care about her a lot?¡± The man in the center laughed, ¡°This just got a lot more interesting¡­¡± After his words fell, he suddenly took two steps forward, grabbed Madeleine¡¯s hair with one hand. He handed her over to two other men, before looking at Ruby and saying, ¡°Letting her go would be so boring, Ms. Gregory. Let¡¯s play a game.¡± As he spoke, Madeleine was swiftly restrained by the two men and brutally pinned against the opposite wall. Chapter 762 - Chapter 762: Chapter 762: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (12) Chapter 762: Chapter 762: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (12) ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not really a game, just a multiple-choice question, Ms. Gregory. Someone offered us a generous amount of money to ruin you today. The meaning of ¡®ruining you¡¯ is simple ¨C taking photos of you naked and then photos of you being gang-raped. Frankly, we don¡¯t want to force you, so now I¡¯m giving you a chance to choose willingly.¡± As the man spoke, he hooked his finger and pointed at Madeleine, continuing, ¡°Ms. Gregory, as you can see, your friend is now in the hands of my two buddies. With just one gesture from me, they¡¯ll take action¡­ ¡± ¡°So, the choice I give you is quite simple: either you take off your clothes willingly, or I¡¯ll have them rip off your friend¡¯s clothes. You know, your friend is dead drunk and probably can¡¯t resist. It¡¯s effortless to deal with her¡­ ¡± Ruby¡¯s face turned pale after hearing these words, and without thinking about it, she blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s Maya Mitchell, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s the one who sent you to deal with me, right?¡± It must be Maya Mitchell. Her purpose was to expose Ruby¡¯s indecent photos. How could the Burtons, a well-known aristocratic family, accept a woman who has been gang-raped as their mistress? Maya Mitchell¡¯s purpose was clear ¨C to completely eliminate any possibility between Ruby and Steve Burton! The man who had been talking to Ruby, hearing Maya Mitchell¡¯s name, didn¡¯t show any change in expression, as if he didn¡¯t know her at all. He continued speaking his mind, ¡°Ms. Gregory, I¡¯m just playing this game with you because I don¡¯t want you to get bored. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll allow you to keep wasting our time. So, have you made your choice?¡± ¡°How about this, Ms. Gregory, I¡¯ll give you ten seconds, and if you can¡¯t make a choice, I¡¯ll make it for you¡­¡± As the man¡¯s words finished, a number quickly popped out of his mouth: ¡°Ten¡­nine¡­eight¡­¡± Hearing the countdown numbers, Ruby¡¯s heart raced in panic. Out of desperation, she could only mention Steve Burton and Pristine¡¯s Enterprises: ¡°Do you know that I¡¯m Steve Burton¡¯s fianc¨¦e-to-be? Steve Burton¡­do you know? The CEO of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. And she is Madeleine, one of the top five executives at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. If you dare to lash out at us now, you¡¯ll pay a terrible price!¡± After hearing Ruby¡¯s threat, the man just chuckled lightly. If they were not forced to the end, how could they engage in such a dangerous activity that might land them in jail? For them, it was just about taking other people¡¯s money, helping them dispel disasters, and then live a fugitive life. ¡°Five¡­four¡­three¡­¡± Ruby saw the man completely ignore her words and continued counting down the numbers. Her heart gradually filled with despair. ¡°Two¡­one¡­¡± As the last number settled, the man didn¡¯t give Ruby a single chance to respond. He decisively gestured to his men behind him, and then two men holding Madeleine quickly reached for her skirt¡¯s collar. ¡°Stop!¡± Ruby¡¯s voice trembled as she shouted, but the two men didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of stopping at all! Chapter 763 - Chapter 763: Chapter 763: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (13) Chapter 763: Chapter 763: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (13) Ruby Gregory clearly saw that their hands had already grabbed Madeleine¡¯s collar. For her, Steve Burton was important, and her love for Steve was important, but Madeleine was also important. In this world, many times, many people are selfish when making choices. There is nothing wrong with this; if people do not look out for themselves, they will face disaster. However, Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t do it. She knew that since Steve hadn¡¯t received her call, he would definitely find every means to look for her. She also knew that the last time she was kidnapped, Steve could find out where she was in such a short time. This time, she hadn¡¯t even left Ciawell, so naturally, he would find her even more quickly. So, she said so much just now to stall for time, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, she would not give up because Steve might appear the next second. But she really couldn¡¯t stall any longer now. Because she couldn¡¯t watch Madeleine be humiliated. Madeleine and Maya Mitchell had no grudge against each other; this was the humiliation Maya inflicted on Ruby. It wasn¡¯t right for Madeleine to take the blame for her. Ruby Gregory swallowed hard, without any hesitation, she blurted out, ¡°Don¡¯t touch her, I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll take off my clothes!¡± Ruby Gregory raised her trembling hands to pull the zipper on her dress. The man who had been talking to her saw her actions and immediately raised his hand in a forbidding gesture. The two men who were holding Madeleine¡¯s collar instantly let go. Ruby Gregory clenched her teeth, her fingers touching the zipper trembling so much that she couldn¡¯t unzip it after several attempts. Seeing her hesitation, the man raised his hand again, and the two men around Madeleine, like remote-controlled robots, reached out for Madeleine again. Desperate, Ruby Gregory yanked hard, opening her zipper and revealing a large expanse of white skin. Under the slightly yellowish light of the cell phone flashlight, her skin glowed seductively, drawing the eyes of all the men present. Ruby felt humiliated, her eyes closed tight, and a nervous sadness filled her eyes as tears welled up. She had never hated a person so much in her life, but now she hated Maya Mitchell so intensely, wishing she could tear her apart and scatter her ashes to the wind! Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t want to undress in front of so many people, but she couldn¡¯t abandon Madeleine, so she clenched her teeth and forced herself to feel numb and unconscious, slowly slipping her dress down. Madeleine had indeed drunk a little too much, her consciousness was unclear, but after two men reached for her collar, she noticed something was wrong. She furrowed her brow and forced herself to sober up a bit, looking at the scene around her and seeing that Ruby was being forced to undress. In an instant, anger surged in Madeleine¡¯s entire chest, even sobering her up a bit. Without thinking, she struck quickly, knocking the two men blocking her to the ground. Madeleine¡¯s actions startled the men who had been staring at Ruby, someone cursed, and then in the next second, they all surrounded Madeleine. Chapter 764 - Chapter 764: Chapter 764: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (14) Chapter 764: Chapter 764: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (14) Originally, Steve Burton planned to return to the West Suburb Villa at six o¡¯clock. However, because Ruby Gregory came to the city, he ended up having dinner with Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman in the evening. After dinner, since there was still plenty of time, Steve didn¡¯t rush Ruby to go home, and instead, the four of them went to The Sapphire Bistro and rented a mahjong table to play. Howard was a bit off his game. Among the four playing mahjong, he was the only one losing. In just two hours, he had lost nearly 300,000 in chips. The one winning the most was Edward Woods, who had a cigarette hanging from his mouth and impatiently tapped his fingers on the table, waiting for Howard to make a move. However, who would have thought that after Howard drew a tile, he stared blankly at the table, not reacting at all for quite a while. Edward took the cigarette from his mouth, blew a perfect smoke ring, glanced sideways at Howard, and said, ¡°Howard, what are you daydreaming about? Everyone at the table is waiting for you to play your tile!¡± Hearing the voice, Howard didn¡¯t even move his eyelids and threw out a tile without even looking at what he had drawn. It was clearly a ¡°Bamboo eight (°ËÍò)¡±, yet he called out ¡°Mahjong tile of two circles (¶þ±ý)¡±. ¡°Howard, did you forget to take your meds when you left the house today? Can¡¯t even tell the difference between bamboo eight and two circles?¡± Edward mercilessly mocked him. ¡°I won,¡± Steve said calmly, pushing forward the tiles in front of him. Rusell glanced at Steve¡¯s winning tiles and then calculated, ¡°Howard, you owe our brother 69,000 in chips.¡± Howard opened the drawer in front of him, grabbed everything inside indiscriminately, and pushed it all to Steve. While Rusell pressed the ¡°shuffle¡± button on the mahjong machine, he couldn¡¯t help but gaze at Howard for a moment before saying, ¡°Howard, you¡¯re really off today. What, did playing around with women recently ruin your brain?¡± Howard had no intention of responding to Rusell and simply took a cigarette from the case, lit it, and began to inhale deeply. ¡°Oh¡­ Howard, you seem to be all pent-up¡­ ¡± Steve was the dealer this time, and Edward pressed the button for him, revealing the dice roll, and then circled his finger around the mahjong table and stopped at the tiles in front of Rusell. ¡°Bro, start drawing from here¡­¡± Steve slowly stretched out his hand, grabbing a tile. Edward also reached for a tile, jokingly saying, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Howard? Did Madeleine kick you out of the house yesterday?¡± Hearing this, Howard was instantly enraged, slapping the tile he held in his hand onto the table, ¡°Edward, what the hell are you talking about!¡± Edward, seeing Howard¡¯s reaction, was even more certain that Howard was bothered about Madeleine. He was just about to continue mocking him when the usually quiet Steve spoke up with a smile, ¡°Edward, talk less.¡± Edward shrugged and closed his mouth. Howard pursed his lips tightly, bowed his head, staring at the mahjong tiles in front of him, his breathing slightly unsteady. Rusell curiously looked at Steve, smiling and saying, ¡°Our brother¡¯s temper has improved a lot lately. He¡¯s becoming more and more like a warm gentleman.¡± Chapter 765 - Chapter 765: Chapter 765: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (15) Chapter 765: Chapter 765: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (15) ¡°Oh, really?¡± Steve Burton knew that Rusell Henris was teasing him, but he still took it seriously as praise and nodded in agreement. He slowly threw down a card and replied, ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s because of having triplet children. After all, becoming a dad requires patience. Having three children at once means I need to have triple the patience. Anyway, there¡¯s no point talking about this with you. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± Rusell muttered under his breath, ¡°Can you please come up with a different excuse instead of always talking about the triplets?¡± ¡°Forget it, Rusell. Our brother here can¡¯t help but mention his precious triplets. This afternoon, he was talking business with a client and trying to get more profit. He even brought up the triplets, saying¡­¡± Edward Woods paused for a moment and then imitated Steve¡¯s elegant posture when he was sitting on the sofa earlier in the day. With a calm and sophisticated tone, he said in resignation, ¡°I have no choice but to raise the price by 5 percent because I suddenly have triplets now. The expenses have increased a lot. So, I need Mr. Madris to be more understanding and bear with me.¡± Rusell couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Edward¡¯s imitation of Steve¡¯s mannerisms and tone of voice. Steve wasn¡¯t bothered by their teasing. He leisurely picked up his phone and saw that it was almost eleven o¡¯clock. He sent a text message to Ruby Gregory, ¡°Ruby, what time are you coming home? The Triplets miss mom and dad already.¡± After sending the message, Steve constantly checked his phone. About ten minutes later, his phone finally rang. It was a call from Ruby. Steve immediately grabbed his phone and was about to answer the call, but it was suddenly disconnected. Steve assumed that Ruby had accidentally hung up and didn¡¯t think much of it as he called her back. The call rang for a long time, going unanswered until an automated response came through: ¡°Sorry, the person you are trying to reach is temporarily unavailable.¡± Steve frowned and tried calling Ruby again, but this time the call was not only unanswered, it was disconnected halfway through. When he tried calling again, her phone was turned off. Did Ruby¡¯s phone run out of battery? Steve looked up and asked Howard Coleman who was sitting across from him, ¡°Howard, can you call Madeleine and ask if they¡¯ve finished their gathering?¡± As he said this, Steve tried calling Ruby again. When the call went through, he was still met with the ¡°phone turned off¡± response. Steve put down his phone and looked at Howard, ¡°What did she say?¡± Ever since getting married to Madeleine, Howard had never taken the initiative to call her. So when Steve asked him to make the call, he tensed up. After Steve asked him a second time, Howard swallowed hard and made the call to Madeleine. About a minute later, Howard put down his phone: ¡°No answer.¡± A faint feeling of unease welled up in Steve¡¯s heart as he called Madeleine as well. Edward Woods observed Steve for a while and saw that he hadn¡¯t said anything, meaning the call hadn¡¯t gone through. So he asked, ¡°Still no answer?¡± Chapter 766 - Chapter 766: Chapter 766: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (16) Chapter 766: Chapter 766: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (16) Steve Burton remained silent, but his expression became somewhat rigid. Rusell Henris¡¯ brow furrowed: ¡°It¡¯s eleven o¡¯clock at night now, and neither of them are answering their phones. I hope nothing untoward has happened.¡± Just as Russell finished speaking, Steve instinctively tapped on the locator in his phone. Ever since Ruby Gregory was kidnapped the last time, he had installed a tracking software in her phone. He could see her movements prior to her turning off the phone. Steve saw that she had gone to the Grand Ciawell Restaurant, then to a bar in Hora. Shortly after he sent her a text message, she and Madeleine left the bar and headed back the way they had come. But halfway back, their track suddenly diverted into an old Ciawell alley, and then they completely disappeared. As a native Ciawell resident, Steve was very familiar with the city¡¯s geography. That old alley had been almost uninhabited for years. What were Ruby and Madeleine doing there? Moreover, one of their phones had been turned off, and no one answered the other phone. The more Steve thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He abruptly rose from his seat, grabbed his coat from behind, and said, ¡°I need to go check it out in Hora.¡± With that, Steve headed for the door of the Sapphire Bistro¡¯s private room. Rusell Henris and Edward Woods exchanged a glance, and then followed him out with a sense of unease. Howard Coleman sat alone at the mahjong table, staring at the somewhat disorganized deck in front of him. After about half a minute, he sighed slowly, grabbed his smartphone and car keys, and followed them out. ¨C Although Madeleine knew some martial arts, the drunk her was a bit weak. At the beginning, she knocked down two or three men with sudden and severe attacks, but only kept it up for about ten minutes. Eventually, she was restrained by those men. One of the men who had been kicked by Madeleine was rather furious. Without thinking, he struck Madeleine¡¯s face harshly twice and snapped, ¡°Forget about her, get on with the task. One woman wasn¡¯t enough to split between us, now there are two, let¡¯s get on it¡­¡± As soon as the man finished speaking, Ruby and Madeleine were abruptly pushed to the ground. A little further away, another man was holding a flashlight on them, taking photos with his cell phone¡¯s flash on, enthusiastically recording the scene. Having completely lost her strength to fight back, Madeleine¡¯s low-cut outfit had been forcibly entered. Ruby clearly heard the sound of her own clothes being torn¡­ Despair surged over Ruby like a tidal wave. Just as she thought she was done for ¡ª and had even implicated Madeleine ¡ª she suddenly noticed the flashlight that had been shining on her blink harshly. Then, the weight on her vanished. Turning her head, she first saw Madeleine sitting on the ground disheveled, just like her. The scene a short distance down the alley appeared to be somewhat chaotic. Although Maya Mitchell had brought six or seven people with her, where were they a match for Steve and his group? Under the glimmer of the flashlight in the corner, Ruby could hardly even see what was happening. She only heard one scream after another, then those arrogant men were all lying in various arrangements on the ground, making low humming noises out of pain. Chapter 767 - Chapter 767: Chapter 767: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (17) Chapter 767: Chapter 767: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (17) Despite this, Steve Burton showed no sign of stopping, like a violent thug, sitting on top of the man that just happened to be lying on Ruby Gregory when he appeared, swinging his fists furiously. Russell Henris saw that everyone had fallen down and retreated to the side. After such a fight, he looked normal and breathed steadily, just calmly taking out his cell phone and dialing to report the incident to the police. Howard Coleman had also stopped his attack and was standing at a distance, his eyes glued to the flashlight shining in the corner of the dead-end alley, his expression slightly tense. Maybe it was because of the fight, but Edward Woods seemed a bit excited: ¡°That was really fucking lame, these guys are so weak!¡± Russell Henris hung up the call, ignoring Edward Woods¡¯ comments, and instead stared at Steve Burton who was still tirelessly throwing punches. After admiring him for a moment, he decided it was enough and walked up to him, reached out and pulled Steve Burton¡¯s arm. ¡°Alright, stop before someone actually dies, it won¡¯t end well. The police are coming.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s eyes were filled with a destructive low spirit. He silently stood up, took two steps back under Russell Henris¡¯ pull, and still felt a suffocating anger in his chest, so he rushed forward and gave the man a hard kick in the chest. A deafening scream was heard, and blood oozed out of the man¡¯s mouth. Steve Burton barely glanced at the bloody scene, turning around to face Ruby Gregory, who was huddled, disheveled, sitting on the ground. His eyes flared with another layer of fiery anger. Irritated, he pulled off his suit jacket, walked up to her with a steely face, and draped it directly over Ruby, wrapping her tightly. Then, he picked her up in both arms and held her protectively against his chest. Madeleine was still sitting on the ground, looking pitiful. If it were before, both Russell Henris and Edward Woods would have rushed to pick Madeleine up in an instant. But now, Madeleine is Howard Coleman¡¯s wife, so both men were somewhat hesitant. Edward Woods saw Howard Coleman standing on the side, not showing any intention of walking towards Madeleine. Remembering his distraction during the Mahjong game, Edward Woods thought there was a rift between Howard and Madeleine so he didn¡¯t want to be the first to speak. Unable to bear it, Edward Woods reached out and gave Howard Coleman a push in Madeleine¡¯s direction. ¡°Howard, you¡¯re a man. No matter the conflict, when something like this happens, you need to be the first to lower your head.¡± Howard Coleman moved about half a meter forward under Edward Woods¡¯ push, then stopped abruptly, showing no intention of walking over to Madeleine. Madeleine knew that Howard Coleman would not come to her. If it hadn¡¯t been for her and Ruby getting into trouble together today, perhaps Howard wouldn¡¯t have come to rescue her at all. Though she wished that Howard Coleman would protect her, like Steve Burton did for Ruby, she knew it was just her wild imagination. Fearing that Edward Woods would continue to urge Howard Coleman, making him irritated, she forced herself up on her slightly shaky legs. Not far from Madeleine¡¯s feet was the man who suggested playing the game with Ruby. His eyes probably bloodied from the beating, he saw Madeleine standing alone, not thinking, he pulled out the knife he carried, charged at Madeleine¡¯s chest. ¡°Madeleine, watch out!¡±, Russell Henris and Edward Woods shouted almost simultaneously. Along with their cries, Howard Coleman suddenly leapt forward without hesitation, placing himself in front of Madeleine. Howard Coleman hadn¡¯t even steadied himself before he felt the sound of the knife tearing into his flesh. PS: Chapter Eight is done! It¡¯s already the last day of the year! Happy New Year¡¯s Eve to everyone! There will still be updates tonight! Chapter 768 - Chapter 768: Chapter 768: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (18) Chapter 768: Chapter 768: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (18) ¡°Madeleine, be careful!¡± Rusell and Edward exclaimed simultaneously. As their cries rang out, Howard immediately bolted forward without hesitation and shielded Madeleine in front of him. Before Howard could steady himself, he heard the sound of the blade sinking into flesh. Madeleine only saw the knife lunging towards her chest after Rusell and Edward warned her to be careful. If she were sober, her quick reflexes might have allowed her to dodge the attack, but having consumed alcohol, and nearly being violated, she was still regathering her senses, leaving her momentarily stupefied. As the shiny blade drew closer and closer to her left chest, she felt panic and helplessness. It was as if she could hear the call of the Grim Reaper. She subconsciously closed her eyes, even thinking that she was finally paying the price for the cruel treatment she had once inflicted on Howard. If she died, Howard would be free, right? She didn¡¯t even get the chance to tell him that she loved him¡­ Subconsciously turning her head, Madeleine wanted to take one last look at Howard. However, before she could open her eyes, she felt herself being held by someone and heard the faint ¡°plunk¡± of the blade entering the flesh. Steve, who was holding Ruby tightly, looked over in reaction to Rusell and Edward¡¯s shouts and was stunned by the scene unfolding before him. Rusell and Edward also seemed to be frozen in place, as if their acupoints had been struck. The world seemed completely frozen in that moment. A dim flashlight cast a faint, hazy glow over the scene in the corner. Silence filled the alley. About half a minute later, everyone heard the dripping sound of liquid hitting the ground. It was only then that Rusell and Edward slowly regained their senses, exchanged glances, and simultaneously rushed forward, knocking the knife-wielding man to the ground. Ruby, still not fully recovered from the terrifying experience, witnessed the scene and became even more frightened. Pale-faced, she tightly clutched Steve¡¯s arm, finally managing to stammer out, ¡°Howard¡­ Howard¡­¡± Although Ruby¡¯s voice was faint, the others still heard it clearly. That was when Madeleine abruptly snapped back to her senses. Subconsciously, she reached out to touch Howard¡¯s back, feeling the wetness on her fingertips. She quickly held her hand in front of her and saw it stained with fresh blood. Madeleine¡¯s fingers began to tremble, and she muttered to herself, ¡°Why? Why?¡± Didn¡¯t Howard hate her to death? Then why would he still take a hit for her when she was in danger? Madeleine¡¯s trembling lips barely contained her astonishment, and her voice sounded somewhat dazed. She slowly turned her head to look into Howard¡¯s eyes, which were filled with tears and disbelief. ¡°Why?¡± Howard¡¯s eyes were dark and deep. As Madeleine looked at him, they met each other¡¯s gaze for a moment. Howard moved his lips, but said nothing. The next second, his vision went black, and he slumped to the ground. Chapter 769 - Chapter 769: Chapter 769: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (19) Chapter 769: Chapter 769: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (19) Howard Coleman¡¯s eyes were dark and deep. When he met Madeleine¡¯s gaze, he moved his lips as if to say something, but no words came out. The next second, his vision went black, and he fell. Madeleine quickly reached out and caught Howard¡¯s falling body. The weight of the man was too much for her to bear, so she slowly knelt to the ground. As she tightly held onto Howard, she saw large amounts of blood flowing from the arm that wrapped around him, staining the ancient and old ground and giving off a nauseating stench. This was all Howard¡¯s blood¡­ Tears pooled in Madeleine¡¯s eyes, falling like broken pearls, one following another, hitting the ground with force. She knew that the man had already fainted, unable to hear her voice. But she still used all her strength to shake his shoulders, screaming desperately, ¡°Why? Why?¡± As Madeleine continued to shout, her voice was soon drowned out by her sobs. In the end, she lay on Howard¡¯s chest, crying like a lost child. ¨C It was while Madeleine was holding onto Howard and constantly asking ¡°why¡± that Rusell Henris regained his senses and called the police on his phone. At that time, Ruby Gregory had already struggled free from Steve Burton¡¯s embrace. Her legs trembling, she walked over to the weeping Madeleine and embraced her tightly. ¨C The roads in Ciawell were always good at night; the ambulance arrived two minutes before the police. When Howard was lifted onto the ambulance with the help of the paramedics, three police cars appeared at the entrance of the alley with sirens blaring and lights flashing. The police officers hurried forward, handcuffed the battered men lying on the ground, and took them away in the police cars. They had to split up because they needed to give their statements. Rusell went to the police station with the police officers, while the others followed the ambulance to the nearby Public Hospital. ¨C When Rusell arrived at the hospital after giving his statement, Howard was still being treated in the operating room. It was already three in the morning. Nurses rushed in and out of the operating room, carrying bags of blood. Madeleine sat wordlessly at the edge of a resting chair in the corridor, staring blankly at the lights in the operating room. Ruby sat next to her, feeling Madeleine¡¯s hand trembling in her grasp, never stopping since the beginning. The quietness in the corridor was somewhat eerie, with only the echoes of Rusell¡¯s footsteps. When his footsteps stopped, Steve Burton and Edward Woods both looked up at him. Rusell cast a glance at the ¡°Resuscitating¡± sign in the operating room, his voice tense as he asked, ¡°How is Howard doing?¡± Steve had no reaction, but Edward slowly shook his head and said softly, ¡°He¡¯s still being resuscitated.¡± After a pause, Edward asked, ¡°How did it go at the police station?¡± ¡°They all confessed.¡± Rusell gave a brief answer. After a moment, he looked at Steve and continued, ¡°Those guys had taken money from Maya Mitchell to target Ruby specifically. When they confessed, the police had already dispatched officers to arrest her.¡± [On the first day of the New Year, I wish everyone a fantastic new year, with all things going smoothly and dreams coming true~ Updates start now~ Eight chapters in a row~] Chapter 770 - Chapter 770: Chapter 770: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (20) Chapter 770: Chapter 770: Fearlessly Blocking the Blade (20) ¡°But, Maya Mitchell might realize that something is wrong and hide herself. However, if the police want to catch someone, they should be able to do it quickly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Steve Burton nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± After a while, Steve spoke again: ¡°Tell the police that if they catch Maya, let me know. I want to see her.¡± ¨C It wasn¡¯t until nearly five in the morning that the operating room door opened, and the doctors came out looking slightly fatigued after a long operation. Those waiting outside stood up as well. Before anyone could ask about Howard Coleman¡¯s condition, the lead doctor took off his mask and gave the news, ¡°Mr. Coleman has passed the critical stage. However, due to excessive blood loss, he may be in a coma for a long while. He has been moved to a 24-hour critical care unit.¡± The doctor paused and looked at the crowd outside. Then he added, ¡°The patient needs to rest now. It¡¯s better to have just one person stay with him.¡± Madeleine, who had been quiet since arriving at the hospital, lifted her head, her eyes slightly red and swollen, ¡°I¡¯ll stay with him.¡± ¡°Ruby, I¡­¡± Ruby Gregory looked at Madeleine¡¯s pale face, expressing her concern. Before she could finish, Rusell Henris spoke up first, ¡°How about this? Madeleine stays with Howard, Edward and I go to the hotel across the street, so we¡¯ll be close by. If anything happens, we¡¯ll be able to come right away. As for Ruby and my older brother, you both still have The Triplets at home. It¡¯s better for you to go back. The doctor said Howard¡¯s fine, so it¡¯s not too late for you to visit him when he wakes up.¡± Steve thought for a moment, nodded, and agreed. Ruby held Madeleine¡¯s hand and reassured her for a while before finally leaving the hospital with Steve at Madeleine¡¯s urging. ¨C At five in the morning in Ciawell, there was no sunlight, and the whole city was covered in fog. The roads were empty, with only volunteers cleaning the streets. Steve drove Ruby back to the West Suburb Villa District in silence. Ruby had been staring out the car window ever since she got into the passenger seat, not moving her gaze until the car stopped in The Burtons¡¯ Mansion yard. Then, her body trembled slightly. Steve turned off the engine, removed the car key, and glanced at Ruby without saying a word. He got out of the car, walked around to Ruby¡¯s side, opened the passenger door, unbuckled her seatbelt, and carried her out of the car and into the house. It was still early, and everyone in The Burtons¡¯ house was asleep. Only a few servants were preparing breakfast in the kitchen, while the living room was empty. Steve carried Ruby upstairs to his bedroom. He gently placed Ruby on the bed. He noticed bloodstains on her arms and legs, making his brow furrow. He quickly checked her arm, and found no obvious wounds, so he guessed that the blood must have come from carrying Madeleine, who was covered in Howard Coleman¡¯s blood. Steve breathed a sigh of relief. But as he got up, he inadvertently looked at Ruby¡¯s torn skirt beneath his coat, his eyes darkening with fury, a murderous impulse stirring in his chest. Chapter 771 - Chapter 771: Chapter 771: The Most Romantic Proposal (1) Chapter 771: Chapter 771: The Most Romantic Proposal (1) Steve Burton took a deep breath, suppressing his own fluctuating emotions, and directly carried Ruby Gregory into the bathroom. He personally removed her clothes, placed her in the bathtub, adjusted the water temperature, and carefully gave her a bath. After the bath, without any regard for his wet white shirt and dress pants, Steve directly lifted the soaked Ruby out of the tub and lay her on the floor. He then took a bath towel, wrapped it around her body, and gently wiped her clean. Steve threw the damp towel he used to wipe Ruby¡¯s body into a nearby laundry basket and fetched a new one, wrapping it around her hair. He then draped a bathrobe over her and carried her out of the bathroom, laying her gently on the bed. He wiped the water droplets from her long hair, took a hairdryer, and dried her hair. Only then did he raise his head and speak to Ruby, ¡°Wait for me a moment.¡± Steve waited for Ruby to nod before standing up, placing the hairdryer casually on a nearby table, and leaving the bedroom. When he returned, he brought a bowl of steaming porridge. He placed the porridge on a nearby table, removed his wet clothes from giving her a bath, changed into dry pajamas, and then sat on the edge of the bed. He extended his hand to Ruby, pulling her up and placing two thick, soft pillows behind her back. Steve took the porridge, stirred it twice to disperse the heat, and scooped a spoonful to Ruby¡¯s mouth, ¡°Eat something first, then sleep.¡± So much had happened this evening that Ruby had no appetite to eat. Even now, she could still see in her mind huge pools of blood gushing from Howard Coleman¡¯s body. From the moment she and Madeleine were dragged into the dead-end alley until now, when she reached home, Ruby¡¯s entire body had been tense, without the slightest relaxation. Even when Steve had personally cleaned her up just now, her entire body seemed to be in a daze. Only when the celadon spoon touched her lips, bringing with it the fragrance and warmth of glutinous rice, did Ruby slowly come to her senses. She glanced around and noticed she was in Steve¡¯s bedroom, before frowning and asking him, ¡°Is Madeleine alright? How is Howard? ¡°They¡¯re both fine.¡± Ruby actually knew that Madeleine and Howard were both out of danger, but she simply wanted further reassurance from Steve. To her surprise, when she heard Steve¡¯s answer, the taut string in her heart suddenly snapped, and her tears uncontrollably fell like raindrops. Seeing Ruby¡¯s sudden tears, Steve immediately retracted the spoon and placed it and the bowl on a nearby table. Steve knew that Ruby had been shaken by witnessing Howard being stabbed, and he knew that crying would help her recover. So he remained silent, quickly reaching out his hand to pull Ruby into his embrace, holding her tightly and letting her cry freely. Steve¡¯s silent hug gradually relaxed Ruby¡¯s heart, and her tears flowed even more fiercely. In the end, she simply broke down into loud, unrestrained sobs. Listening to Ruby¡¯s cries, Steve felt a sharp, throbbing pain in his heart. He waited until her emotions had stabilized before patting her back and comforting her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, everything has passed. Don¡¯t cry anymore, sweetheart.¡± Chapter 772 - Chapter 772: Chapter 772: The Most Romantic Proposal (2) Chapter 772: Chapter 772: The Most Romantic Proposal (2) Ruby Gregory¡¯s mood gradually calmed down under Steve Burton¡¯s gentle coaxing, and then, little by little, her crying stopped. Only then did Steve pull Ruby out of his embrace, wiped the tear-stains from beneath her eyes, and then picked up the porridge from the side, feeding it to her. The big cry just now had allowed Ruby to vent the pent-up fear and panic she had accumulated over the night. She regained her composure and felt hunger, so she obediently opened her mouth. Under Steve¡¯s attentive care, she drank more than half a bowl of porridge and felt full, then gently shook her head at him. Steve put the bowl back on the table beside them, then climbed onto the bed, holding Ruby in his arms, gently patting her back, coaxing her to sleep. ¨C When Steve went downstairs to get the porridge for Ruby, he saw his father¡¯s briefcase on the living room couch. He reached out his hand, pointed to the briefcase, and asked Mrs. Taylor, ¡°My dad¡¯s back?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Steve.¡± Steve nodded. Before going upstairs, he told Mrs. Taylor, ¡°When my dad wakes up later, call me down from upstairs. I have something to talk to him about.¡± ¨C Mr. Burton had a good routine, waking up at 7 a.m. sharp and going for a morning run in the backyard of The Burtons¡¯ Mansion. Mrs. Taylor informed Steve about his father¡¯s morning run when he went upstairs. By this time, Ruby had closed her eyes, snuggled in Steve¡¯s arms, and was breathing evenly and soundly asleep. Steve waved his hand to Mrs. Taylor. After she left, he carefully withdrew his arm from holding Ruby, got out of bed gently, covered Ruby with the quilt, and then turned around, lifted the carpet, took out that envelope, and tiptoed out of the bedroom. ¨C Steve went downstairs with the express mail in his hand and waited for about ten minutes before seeing his father return to the room, sweating profusely. Steve got up unhurriedly, took the morning tea that Mrs. Taylor had prepared for his father in advance, and handed it to his father personally. Steve¡¯s father glanced at Steve somewhat puzzled. He then raised his head, took two sips of tea, handed the teacup back to Steve, and asked, ¡°Why, is there something wrong?¡± Steve handed the teacup to Mrs. Taylor, nodded, and said, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s something. Let¡¯s go to my study upstairs.¡± Steve¡¯s father did not object and nodded lightly. He wiped the sweat off his face with a towel, handed the towel to Mrs. Taylor who was standing nearby, and took the lead in heading towards the staircase. Steve closely followed. ¨C Ruby had been through so much that night; there was no way she could sleep peacefully. She woke up as soon as Mrs. Taylor knocked on the door and entered the room. Although Mrs. Taylor¡¯s voice was very low when she spoke, Ruby still heard her clearly say to Steve, ¡°Mr. Steve, Mr. Burton has already gotten up and went for his morning run.¡± At that time, Ruby¡¯s mind was not very clear. After Mrs. Taylor finished speaking, the room was silent. She was just about to fall asleep again when she felt Steve withdraw his arm from holding her. Unable to resist, she groggily opened her eyes, just as she was about to ask Steve where he was going. She saw him lifting the carpet and take out that express mail from underneath. Ruby¡¯s words were instantly strangled in her throat, and then she saw Steve take the express mail and leave the bedroom. Chapter 773 - Chapter 773: Chapter 773: The Most Romantic Proposal (3) Chapter 773: Chapter 773: The Most Romantic Proposal (3) From the very beginning, that parcel was a thorn in Ruby Gregory¡¯s side. Had she not experienced so much throughout the night, she might have entirely forgotten about Steve Burton¡¯s investigation into the paternity testing of The Triplets. However, what was he doing with that parcel now? A sense of suspicion filled Ruby Gregory¡¯s mind. Despite guessing left and right, she couldn¡¯t discern Steve Burton¡¯s intentions, which ultimately led her to get out of bed and see for herself. Just as she opened the door, she spotted Steve¡¯s dad and Steve himself, climbing up the stairs ¨C one after the other. Racing to close the door, Ruby Gregory purposefully left a small gap, enough to watch the father and son enter Steve¡¯s study. Only then did Ruby Gregory gently reopen the door, lingering a moment before quietly stepping towards the doorway of Steve¡¯s study. The door was firmly closed. Ruby Gregory reached out, pushed slightly; it had been locked from the inside. Positioning her ear against it, she held her breath. In the early morning tranquillity of The Burtons¡¯ Mansion, she could distantly hear a snippet of conversation through the door. ¨C Steve¡¯s dad walked to his desk, sat down and then gazed up at his son standing in front of him. ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± he asked, his voice bearing the distinct, stern melody weathered by time. Steve¡¯s face betrayed a hint of iciness. He tossed the parcel in his hand onto the desk in front of him without uttering a word. His father glanced at Steve. Despite the hint of confusion in his heart, he calmly picked up the parcel and pulled out the documents within. After a brief scan, a shadow fell over his expression. He read the papers thoroughly then addressed Steve, ¡°Have you had a DNA paternity test conducted on The Triplets?¡± Steve remained silent, his deep, dark eyes unwaveringly affixed on his father. After observing for some time and failing to spot any anomalies in his father¡¯s demeanour, he finally broke his silence. ¡°The parcel arrived for me the day before yesterday. The recipient¡¯s name on it was Tang Xin, a name unfamiliar to our family, hence why I opened it. Inside was The Triplets¡¯ paternity test.¡± His father knew that Steve hadn¡¯t finished speaking, so he waited in silence. After about three seconds of pause, Steve continued, ¡°This DNA paternity test must have been commissioned by someone within The Burtons.¡± Though Steve only made such a statement, his dad understood the underlying implications: ¡°Are you suggesting that I find out who was behind this DNA paternity test and handle the matter?¡± But now it was Steve¡¯s turn to remain silent. His silence wasn¡¯t due to his father¡¯s unfinished sentence, but rather a tacit agreement. After a considerable pause, his father finally broke the silence, ¡°Steve, remember, we¡¯re all family.¡± ¡°Yes, while you consider us all family, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean everyone else does. You must know what conducting a DNA paternity test implies, better than me, right?¡± Steve¡¯s tone suddenly became somewhat indignant, and the words that fell from his lips were laced with some hostility: ¡°It implies that our family, The Burtons, didn¡¯t trust Ruby Gregory, who carried The Triplets for ten months, risking her life for their birth!¡± Chapter 774 - Chapter 774: Chapter 774: The Most Romantic Proposal (4) Chapter 774: Chapter 774: The Most Romantic Proposal (4) ¡°What would the Gregorys, what would Ruby think if they found out about this?¡± ¡°If it were Wenny, put yourself in her shoes, your daughter had a child for someone else, and the child was taken away for DNA paternity testing, could you swallow this?¡± ¡°I came to see you today because I can¡¯t swallow this, not just the Gregorys, even I, Steve, can¡¯t swallow it!¡± Steve¡¯s face darkened as he spoke with biting resentment, ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that it was Mico¡¯s wife who did this, because Olivia really resents Ruby. She usually speaks with veiled sarcasm, and I let it go, but not this time. I won¡¯t let it go!¡± Mico was Steve¡¯s fourth cousin, and Mico¡¯s wife was Olivia¡¯s older cousin. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll lay it out plainly; there are only two choices. Either Mico¡¯s wife leaves the Burtons¡¯ Mansion, or I move to the city with Ruby and the Triplets. I can compromise on anything else, but not this! The reason I came to you is for you to consider the relationships within the Burtons. If you don¡¯t deal with it, I will, and I won¡¯t be so considerate!¡± Steve finished speaking, grabbed the DNA paternity testing report from the table, turned around and headed for the study door. After two steps, he stopped as if remembering something, and threw the report back on the desk, ¡°You keep this DNA paternity testing, Ruby doesn¡¯t know about it yet, and I don¡¯t want her to. So, I hope you¡¯ll deal with this discreetly and not let Ruby hear anything about it. We don¡¯t want her to know that someone from our family did such a disgusting, despicable thing!¡± Perhaps it was anger that made Steve¡¯s chest heave slightly. After he finished speaking, he clenched his teeth and added, ¡°What I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t about preserving the relationship between the Gregorys and the Burtons. I¡¯m telling you plainly that if the Gregorys find out about this, I¡¯ll stand by their side!¡± ¡°What a mess! I wouldn¡¯t even question my own woman, let alone some irrelevant people!¡± With that, Steve angrily turned and left. ¨C Ruby heard Steve¡¯s footsteps in the study and hurried back to his bedroom. She quickly climbed into bed, covered herself with the blanket, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep. But her heart was pounding violently. Steve¡¯s voice had been raised in anger in the study, so she had clearly heard every word he said. So, the DNA paternity testing wasn¡¯t something Steve had secretly done behind her back¡­ And the reason he went to his father this morning was actually to stand up for her! It wasn¡¯t that Steve didn¡¯t trust her, it was that she didn¡¯t trust him. She had misunderstood Steve. She was wrong. Just as Ruby¡¯s emotions were in turmoil, she heard the bedroom door being gently pushed open and Steve¡¯s familiar footsteps entering. With her eyes closed, she felt Steve lift the blanket and lie down beside her. As his hand reached out to hold her, his movements were gentle, but she still slowly opened her eyes. Chapter 775 - Chapter 775: Chapter 775: The Most Romantic Proposal (5) Chapter 775: Chapter 775: The Most Romantic Proposal (5) Steve Burton saw the look in Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes and spoke softly with a slight apology in his tone, ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Ruby looked at the handsome man, who appeared a bit weary due to not sleeping all night. Thinking about the words he had just said in the study, she found her throat slightly choked up, making it difficult to speak. She shook her head gently at Steve, then felt a wave of heat well up in her eyes as she buried her head into Steve¡¯s chest. Steve saw the redness in Ruby¡¯s eyes and thought she was still frightened by what had happened last night. He reached out his hand and held her tightly in his embrace, stroking her back and whispering in her ear, ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m sorry for not protecting you well yesterday. Rest assured, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you again. When Chise and Candice grow up, they will accompany me in protecting you and them¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, Ruby¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. She reached out her hands to tightly embrace Steve¡¯s waist, burying her head deeper into his chest. After a long time, she finally whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I¡¯m sorry, Steve. I didn¡¯t trust you enough. How she wished she could say this apology to him in person, but some things he had hidden so painstakingly, simply to protect her from harm. How could she bear to disappoint his good intentions? This man, always cold and aloof, grew up with her and she had witnessed how he broke the hearts of countless women who admired him with his indifferent demeanor. However, such a cold and arrogant man was, against all odds, so caring and attentive towards her. Ruby felt that in her previous life she must have saved the entire galaxy to meet Steve in this life. No, that¡¯s not right. She must have saved the entire galaxy in two consecutive lives to meet and fall in love with Steve in this life. ¨C Howard Coleman woke up two days later, the first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Madeleine, supporting her head with one hand, watching over him by his side. The woman was pale, her clothes somewhat tattered, stained with dried blood. Howard stared at her for a long time before realizing what had happened and understood that since he had passed out, Madeleine had been by his side, not even changing or washing her clothes. Howard¡¯s expression turned slightly rigid, and he quickly averted his gaze from Madeleine¡¯s sleeping face. He tried to sit up, but the movement caused the wound on his back to hurt, and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a low, stifled moan. Madeleine was a light sleeper, she immediately opened her eyes upon hearing Howard¡¯s moan. Seeing him awake, her pale and tired face broke into a delighted smile. Completely forgetting the so-called ¡°deep hatred¡± between them, she hastily got up and asked excitedly, ¡°Howard, you¡¯re finally awake! Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?¡± As she spoke, Madeleine opened an insulated food box nearby and scooped out a glass of milk, ¡°The doctor said that when you wake up, you should eat something light. I specifically asked someone to prepare medicine porridge for you; do you want some?¡± Chapter 776 - Chapter 776: Chapter 776: The Most Romantic Proposal (6) Chapter 776: Chapter 776: The Most Romantic Proposal (6) While talking, Madeleine brought the porridge to the bedside, took the spoon, and fed it to Howard. The moment the spoon touched Howard¡¯s lips, he suddenly jerked his head away, giving Madeleine a fleeting, indifferent glance. The moment Madeleine¡¯s eyes met Howard¡¯s, it was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, snapping her out of her excited state. Even if he had taken a knife for her, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean he had stopped hating her. Madeleine¡¯s smile froze on her face. She tightly clutched the bowl in her hand, then lowered her gaze, set the bowl aside, and said in a stilted, lifeless voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go find the doctor.¡± She then quickly turned and left the ward. Howard waited for the door to close and Madeleine to leave the ward before turning his head to look at the bowl of medicine porridge Madeleine had just prepared. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. Soon, the doctor arrived at the ward and gave Howard a full-body examination. However, Madeleine did not return to the ward. Even after the doctors had all left, she still didn¡¯t come back. Having just woken up, Howard felt somewhat exhausted. He lay quietly on his hospital bed for a while, then closed his eyes and fell back into a deep sleep. After waking up for the first time since the incident, Howard woke up more frequently, seeing Madeleine by his bed each time he opened his eyes. He never saw Madeleine asleep beside his bed like the first time he woke up. Every time he opened his eyes, Madeleine would say, ¡°I¡¯ll go find the doctor,¡± before he could speak and then leave the ward. Not long after, a nurse would come in to take his temperature and feed him. He wouldn¡¯t see Madeleine again until he fell back to sleep. ¨C The longest time Howard and Madeleine spent together in the ward to date was when Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory visited the hospital. That was four days after Howard had woken up, and the stitches on the wound on his back had just been removed. That day was just seven days before Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday. Although Steve, Ruby, and Howard had grown up together and were as close as siblings, Steve still followed Ruby¡¯s wishes and had the driver bring some supplements for Howard when they visited. When Ruby and Steve arrived at the entrance of Howard¡¯s ward, he had just woken up from his afternoon nap. As before, Madeleine left the ward using her usual excuse, only to bump head-on into Ruby and Steve, who were about to knock on the door. Madeleine left the ward every time Howard woke up because she knew he hated her and didn¡¯t want to see her ever again. So, even when Rusell Henris and Edward Woods came to visit Howard, she would hide away. However, today Ruby had come, so Madeleine stayed behind. When Ruby and Steve left Howard¡¯s ward, night had fallen and it was close to dinner time. Steve drove Ruby back to the West Suburb Villa, but the road out of town was congested. Steve¡¯s foot kept switching between the brake and the accelerator until finally, the car simply came to a standstill. As Ruby was feeling bored, she spotted a beautiful scene through the car window. PS: What scene will be revealed in the evening update~~ Madeleine and Howard¡¯s story will continue in this book, for those interested, please keep reading~ Feel free to skip the chapter if you¡¯re not interested~~ There¡¯s not much left of Ruby and Steve¡¯s story, so don¡¯t rush me to finish it. I¡¯ll definitely wrap it up nicely. If I just ended it like this, I think more readers would complain~ Also, there won¡¯t be any make-up updates for the missing part yesterday~ Where do you find authors who have to add more updates during the Chinese New Year holidays? It¡¯s supposed to be a break with fewer updates, right? It¡¯s only once a year for the Chinese New Year~ Goodnight~ Chapter 777 - Chapter 777: Chapter 777: The Most Romantic Proposal (7) Chapter 777: Chapter 777: The Most Romantic Proposal (7) Just as Ruby Gregory was feeling bored, she saw a beautiful scene through the car window. Ruby¡¯s car window was facing the square in Times Square, with the evening twilight deepening and the square bustling with people. Most eye-catching of all, a man holding a large bouquet of roses was walking towards a woman in a red dress standing in front of the fountain in the center of the square. The man seemed to have estimated the timing well in advance; as he stepped in front of the woman, the clock struck seven in the evening. The Musical Fountain behind the girl instantly spouted countless slender jets of water, accompanied by loud and pleasant music. Under the brilliant neon lights, the jets of water refracted a kaleidoscope of colors, creating a beautiful and dreamy scene like a fairy tale. In full view, the man holding the roses knelt on one knee before the girl in the red dress and offered her the bouquet. Passersby in the square couldn¡¯t help but gather around the scene. Steve Burton¡¯s car was some distance away from the square, and the noisy surroundings made it impossible for Ruby to hear what the man said. However, she could see the man¡¯s serious and solemn expression as he knelt, as if reciting a long vow to the woman. When he finished, the man took a deep breath and called out with all his strength, ¡°So, Eleanor Mia, marry me!¡± Ruby heard the man¡¯s final words loud and clear. As the man¡¯s voice settled, the surrounding onlookers couldn¡¯t help but cheer, ¡°Marry him, marry him!¡± The man proposing held his head high, looking at the slender woman in red, his eyes slightly tense. Even Ruby in the car could not help tightening her heart, fearing the girl would refuse. After about half a minute, the girl finally reached out and took the bouquet of flowers. The man¡¯s face broke into a wildly ecstatic smile. He fumbled for the ring box he had prepared in advance and took out the ring. Due to overwhelming excitement, he accidentally dropped the ring on the ground and crawled to pick it up, causing the surrounding people to laugh. The girl in the red dress smiled, and in the next second, had a ring carefully and reverently placed on her finger by the kneeling man. The onlookers¡¯ excitement intensified, and they took photos with their phones, whistling and shouting while clapping their hands. Amidst the applause, the kneeling man was helped up by the girl, and he reached out his hand to hold her close. Under the blessings of the crowd, he lowered his head and kissed her lips. The roses in the girl¡¯s hand fell to the ground. She reached out and encircled the man¡¯s neck, passionately and happily responding to the kiss. Despite the distance, Ruby could clearly see that the ring the girl was wearing was not an enormous diamond, nor even a tiny one. It was just a thin, pure gold band, worth at most more than a hundred dollars. Yet, despite such a cheap and ordinary proposal ring and scene, it still touched Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart. Chapter 778 - Chapter 778: Chapter 778: The Most Romantic Proposal (8) Chapter 778: Chapter 778: The Most Romantic Proposal (8) In the past, she had always hoped that he would propose to her, but after she and Madeleine had an accident, she temporarily forgot about that. Now, seeing someone else¡¯s marriage proposal scene, her heart became even more filled with longing and envy. Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t help but subconsciously turn her head, looking at Steve Burton by her side, wanting to see his expression when witnessing such a beautiful and touching scene. As a result, she saw Steve Burton staring straight ahead at the now-clear road, then stepping on the gas, skillfully steering the wheel, and continuing to drive forward. Steve Burton¡¯s face was calm and indifferent, as if the passionate scene just now, to him, was nothing more than a fleeting, unimportant matter. It turned out that she was the only one moved by the marriage proposal, and Steve Burton didn¡¯t care at all¡­ Ruby Gregory¡¯s mood couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit down. ¨C After Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory left, only Madeleine and Howard Coleman were left in the hospital room. Originally, when Steve and Ruby were there, the lively atmosphere instantly became somewhat cold. Finally, Madeleine stood up, saying, ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner, I¡¯m going to find the nurse.¡± After saying that, Madeleine glanced at Howard Coleman, whose expression did not change in the slightest, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her voice. Madeleine lowered her eyes to hide her slightly disappointed eyes, and then turned and walked out of the ward. About ten minutes later, the door of the ward was pushed open, and the nurse who had been taking care of Howard Coleman since he woke up walked in, with a food tray in her hands. She smiled and placed the dinner neatly on the mobile table, then pushed it in front of the hospital bed, saying gently, ¡°Mr. Coleman, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Howard Coleman had been stabbed in the right shoulder, and although the stitches had been removed, holding chopsticks was still somewhat unfamiliar, so he could only hold a spoon with his left hand to eat. Consequently, the nurse had to stand by to help serve soup and vegetables during meals. Both meals and companionship for Howard Coleman were provided by the nurse, and having been together for several days, they grew somewhat familiar with each other. While the nurse was helping him serve the soup, she couldn¡¯t help but smile and ask, ¡°Mr. Coleman, is the young lady who keeps you company every day in the hospital your wife?¡± Howard Coleman¡¯s left hand, holding the spoon, hesitated for a moment, then, knowing that the nurse was talking about Madeleine, he lowered his head, took a sip of soup, and mumbled an ¡°Mm.¡±. ¡°Mr. Coleman, your wife is so good to you.¡± The nurse picked up the vegetables with chopsticks, placed them in Howard Coleman¡¯s bowl, mixed them with rice, and brought them to Howard Coleman¡¯s face: ¡°Your daily meals are carefully prepared by your wife. She spent quite a bit of money to rent a stove in our cafeteria with the help of the dean. All the ingredients are personally selected by her from the supermarket. Just now, she asked me to take care of feeding you, saying she was going to the supermarket to buy food for your meals tomorrow.¡± Howard Coleman stopped drinking the soup, wanting to ask, ¡°Is this food not prepared by the hospital?¡±, but in the end, he chose to remain silent. Instead, he finished the soup in one go, and flashed the nurse a shallow smile, before pulling the bowl of rice mixed with vegetables and elegantly began eating without a word. Chapter 779 - Chapter 779: Chapter 779: The Most Romantic Proposal (9) Chapter 779: Chapter 779: The Most Romantic Proposal (9) The female nurse saw Howard Coleman¡¯s smile and thought he found her words interesting, so she continued: ¡°Mr. Coleman, after your rescue and before you woke up in the ICU, you were unconscious for two whole days and nights. During that time, your wife stayed by your side. Her clothes were torn and stained with your blood. Your friends urged her to take a shower and rest, but she insisted on staying by your bedside. She didn¡¯t eat anything during those two days and nights. When our director came to the ward, he personally poured her a glass of water, and she reluctantly took a few sips. I was on duty for one of those nights, and when I was making my rounds, I saw her sitting by your bed, crying softly to herself. She must have been afraid that you wouldn¡¯t wake up, which is why she cried privately at night.¡± Howard continued to force a smile, feeling somewhat stiff as he chewed his food. ¡°Even now that you¡¯ve improved a lot, your wife still stays by your side every night, hardly closing her eyes to rest. She fainted in the kitchen due to exhaustion a few days ago, and the hospital gave her a nutrient injection. She slept until midnight, and when she woke up, her first thought was to visit you in your ward. Mr. Coleman, you are truly blessed to have such a good wife.¡± No wonder he hadn¡¯t seen Madeleine for the whole day before yesterday; it turned out that she had fainted from exhaustion¡­ And the food, no wonder it suited his taste so well. He had thought that the VIP ward¡¯s chef was exceptional, but it was Madeleine, who knew him so well, who had cooked the food according to his preferences. Howard felt as if something was stuck in his throat, making it hard for him to swallow his food. He forced himself to eat a little before asking the nurse to take the food away. Before leaving, the nurse personally poured him water and handed him his medication. Now alone in the ward, the room seemed quiet. Howard leaned on a soft pillow, staring blankly at the dark sky outside the window for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until the water the nurse had poured for him had turned cold that he picked up his medicine, took it aimlessly, and then lifted the cup to drink the water. After taking the medicine, Howard felt a heaviness in his heart, making it hard to breathe. He got out of bed, walked out of the ward, and stood by the corridor window, where he could see the entrance of the hospital. His ward was on the fourth floor, not particularly high. He had always had good vision, so after watching the entrance for a while, he saw Madeleine¡¯s car drive in and park at the parking lot below. Madeleine got out of the car, opened the rear door, and pulled out two large plastic bags. Some items in the plastic bags were exposed, and he saw green, probably some kind of vegetables. Perhaps the bags were too heavy for her, and she struggled to carry them, switching hands from time to time. Then she would lift her hand, which had been hurt by the grocery bags, and gently blow on it. Madeleine walked towards the west, and after hesitating for a while, Howard went downstairs and also followed in the same direction. He eventually saw the sign for the hospital cafeteria. It was past dinner time, so there were few people in the cafeteria. Under the dim yellow light, he didn¡¯t go in but went around to the kitchen window where he saw Madeleine inside, sorting out the vegetables she had bought. Chapter 780 - Chapter 780: Chapter 780: The Most Romantic Proposal (10) Chapter 780: Chapter 780: The Most Romantic Proposal (10) She bought a fish, lively one at that, placed it on the chopping block. She lifted her knife several times, steeling herself to strike down, yet not daring to make the move. She was faced with the fish, completely at a loss, till she finally gritted her teeth and smacked hard at the fish¡¯s head. But the fish didn¡¯t die; instead, it splashed her face with its bloody red insides. Terrified, she let go of her knife, watched it drop onto her foot, and spent a good while squatting on the ground in pain. She eventually got up, washed her knife thoroughly under the tap, held it in both hands, took several deep breaths to muster her courage, then with all the strength she could muster, once again struck mercilessly at the fish¡¯s head. And this time, the fish really died. She took a pair of scissors, made incisions, and removed everything from inside the fish¡¯s abdomen. From behind a pane of glass, Howard Coleman carefully observed Madeleine¡¯s anxious and uneasy expression. In Howard¡¯s memory, Madeleine was always treated like a pampered princess. Whether it came to clothing or food, everything was handed to her on a silver platter. She never had to do any cooking; even if she needed a drink, a call was all it took for a maid to bring it over to her immediately. But now, for his sake, she has gone shopping for groceries and is clumsily killing fish in this rather untidy and chaotic kitchen area within the hospital. From his position outside the window, Howard watched Madeleine for a very long time before slowly turning around and walking away. As he reached the hospital building where he resided, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. A very ancient paulownia tree stood right there. It had a thick trunk and plentiful leaves. He lifted his head to gaze directly at this tree, and for some reason, he immediately thought of Madeleine in the hospital kitchen struggling to clean the fish. ¨C At night, after eating dinner, Ruby Gregory, with the help of the nurses, came to bathe each of The Triplets, feed them their nightly milk, and put them to sleep before returning to Steve Burton¡¯s bedroom. While Ruby was getting ready to take a shower, she reached out to squeeze some body wash, glanced at her flawless fingers, which were empty, and remembered the proposal she witnessed at Times Square that afternoon. Her man, wealthy enough to compete with the nation, was charming and refined, desired by all, and was thousands of times better than the man who had proposed. She was prettier than that girl, richer than that girl. But she¡¯d never experienced her own earnest and romantic proposal. Ruby Gregory sighed deeply as the slight improvement in her mood began to fade. After drying off her body with a towel, she emerged from the bathroom, her long hair dripping wet. Steve Burton, who was watching a financial news program on the bed, saw Ruby¡¯s wet hair, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. He then tossed his TV remote aside, got off the bed, picked up a hairdryer, plugged it in, sat down on the couch, and beckoned Ruby over. Ruby walked over naturally, laying down and resting her neck on Steve¡¯s knees, allowing him to skillfully dry her hair with one hand while combing through it with the other. While Steve was drying her hair, Ruby picked up her cellphone, opened up Twitter, and happened to see a tweet one of her friends forwarded about a beautiful wedding dress. Chapter 781 - Chapter 781: Chapter 781: The Most Romantic Proposal (11) Chapter 781: Chapter 781: The Most Romantic Proposal (11) The wedding dress photo in that Twitter post was stunningly beautiful. All of a sudden, Ruby Gregory¡¯s sinking mood in the shower from the lack of proposal worsened again. She held the phone to her chest, looked up at Steve Burton who was carefully drying her hair, and then gently moved her gaze before saying, ¡°Steve, you know what? A few days ago I was watching TV and saw a scene.¡± ¡°What scene?¡± Steve naturally moved Ruby¡¯s head slightly and continued to blow dry the other side of her hair. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a scene where a guy proposes to a girl by hiding a ring in a cake. When the girl accidentally bites the ring while eating, she spits it out and sees a diamond ring. She is stunned for a moment, and then the guy takes advantage of her confusion to ask her to marry him. Doesn¡¯t that sound romantic?¡± Upon hearing Ruby¡¯s story, Steve furrowed his brows slightly, ¡°That guy is really stupid. What if his girlfriend accidentally swallowed the diamond ring? What would he do then?¡± What the hell! The point of her sharing that scene was for the proposal, not whether or not the ring would be swallowed! Ruby couldn¡¯t help but secretly purse her lips, lower her eyes without saying anything. What does he mean by that guy being stupid? At least that guy knew how to propose! But what about you, Steve? Aren¡¯t you even more stupid for not proposing to her at all?! Ruby¡¯s silence made the bedroom quiet for a moment, with only the sound of the hair dryer whooshing continuously. After a while, Ruby opened her eyes, hesitated for a moment, and somewhat unwillingly picked up her phone again. She retweeted the wedding dress post she had just seen, adding: I really want a beautiful proposal, then put on a wedding dress like this and walk into the wedding hall, followed by a series of blushing emojis. After retweeting the post, Ruby pretended to show the wedding dresses to Steve, holding the phone up to his eyes, ¡°Look, these wedding dresses are so beautiful.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t enlarge the photos of the wedding dresses, and the words she had added were right above the pictures. So Steve would definitely see her text while looking at the pictures. She had made it so clear that she really wanted a beautiful proposal. Surely, he should understand her expectations and react accordingly, right? The moment Ruby handed the phone to Steve, she intently stared at his face, observing his expression. Steve stared at Ruby¡¯s phone screen for two seconds, then looked away. His expression remained unchanged by her tweet, still aloof and indifferent as he casually gave a faint ¡°hmm.¡± Ruby waited for Steve to finish acknowledging, continuing to stare at him for a while. She only reluctantly moved the phone away from his face when she was sure he had nothing further to say or react to, then looked back at her retweeted post and felt thoroughly heartbroken. She had given him such a direct hint, yet he still didn¡¯t react. Was he stupid? Or did he simply not plan to propose to her at all? The more Ruby thought about it, the more upset she felt. Eventually, she threw her phone aside, stood up with her emotions stirred, and leaving a brief, ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± climbed into bed. Chapter 782 - Chapter 782: Chapter 782: The Most Romantic Proposal (12) Chapter 782: Chapter 782: The Most Romantic Proposal (12) Steve Burton looked at Ruby Gregory wrapped tightly in a quilt on the bed, raised his hand with a touch of worry, rubbed his eyebrows, and then stood up, got on the bed, and hugged Ruby into his arms: ¡°Ruby?¡± Upset, Ruby heard Steve¡¯s reconciliatory voice, turned around, moved far away from him, and gave him her back. Steve helplessly reached out, pulled Ruby back into his arms, held her tightly, and whispered to her: ¡°Are you upset?¡± Of course! A choked Ruby cursed inwardly. The more she thought about it, the more stifled she felt. Again, she stretched out her hand, pushed Steve away, and continued to roll far away with the quilt wrapped around her, lying with her back to him. Steve, without any impatience, reached out once more and pulled Ruby back into his arms; Ruby continued to push back¡­ After such a back and forth for countless times, the exhausted Ruby eventually lay obediently in Steve¡¯s arms and fell asleep. ¨C At eleven o¡¯clock, Howard Coleman lay in bed, tossing and turning with his eyes closed, not feeling sleepy at all. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t help but feel agitated, lifted the quilt, and tried to sit up when he heard someone push open the door to his room. Howard quickly laid down and pretended to be asleep. The person walked to his bedside with light steps. When he smelled the familiar faint fragrance, he realized it was Madeleine. Howard lay stiffly on the bed, motionless. After a while, he felt Madeleine bent down, tugging at something, and then covered him with the quilt he had lifted earlier. Howard subconsciously held his breath. Although his eyes were closed and he couldn¡¯t see anything, he could hear the faint rustling and determine that Madeleine had moved a chair and sat by his bedside. Howard controlled his urge to open his eyes and lay quietly. It was quiet in the ward. After an indefinite amount of time, just as Howard was about to fall asleep, he suddenly felt a hand gently touch his lips. He instantly became alert, and if he hadn¡¯t controlled himself in time, he would have jumped up in shock. Those were Madeleine¡¯s fingers, soft and slender, slightly brushing his lips, then moving to his nose, eyes, eyebrows, and finally resting on his hair. She must have thought he was asleep, so she touched him like that. Howard¡¯s entire body was tense, and his hands hidden in the quilt clenched tightly into fists. After about half a minute, he felt a shadow looming over his head, getting lower and lower. He felt her lips gradually approaching his; his blood froze in an instant, and his heart stopped beating. He admitted that he had indulged in alcohol and seen many people, but no matter how he played with those women, he had never kissed them. Only¡­ Anita Madris¡­ the woman who was forced out of the country by Madeleine, the first one in his life to make him want to settle down, was the only woman he had ever kissed. [To reveal the truth, why does it seem like Four Moon-Huas are better than Ruby City Times now? That¡¯s because the Four Moons are in their most miserable period, while Ruby City Times are already sweet. Once again, it proves that you guys just like the drama.~] Chapter 783 - Chapter 783: Chapter 783: The Most Romantic Proposal (13) Chapter 783: Chapter 783: The Most Romantic Proposal (13) In the past, Madeleine had secretly tried to kiss him like this, but he had always pushed her away mercilessly. Even now, he still had an urge to open his eyes and push her away. Her lips were getting closer and closer to his, as if they would touch in the next second. Howard couldn¡¯t help but want to open his eyes, but before he could lift his eyelids, he suddenly heard Madeleine¡¯s voice, very soft and light: ¡°I really want to kiss you, but I know¡­ you don¡¯t like it¡­¡± When she said this, there was obvious disappointment in her tone, and Howard¡¯s urge to open his eyes instantly froze. Madeleine¡¯s lips did not touch his, but still maintained a close distance to his lips. She was quiet for a few seconds and then spoke again: ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t like it¡­ so I don¡¯t dare to do it¡­ just like I like you, but I don¡¯t dare to let you know, because I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t like it¡­¡± With Madeleine¡¯s words, Howard clearly felt two teardrops fall harshly onto his face. His throat seemed to be choked by someone, and he felt suffocated. Realizing she had shed tears, Madeleine quickly moved her head away from above Howard¡¯s face and hurriedly wiped away the tears in her eyes. Then she lowered her head and sat back down on the chair beside him. The night was quiet, and Madeleine just stared infatuatedly at Howard¡¯s sleeping face. She thought that these past few days had been the happiest since they got married. Although they had never spoken a word to each other, there were no other women by his side. Although he didn¡¯t know that he was eating the food she had made, she felt an illusion of being his wife. Time gradually passed, but this time Howard couldn¡¯t fall asleep. It wasn¡¯t until he felt a head resting beside his bed that he gently opened his eyes, turned his head, and saw Madeleine sitting in the chair with her hands on the edge of his bed, fast asleep. Howard didn¡¯t move or make a sound, he just looked at her quietly. In just a few days, she seemed to have lost weight, with deep dark circles under her eyes. Her exposed hands were fair and slender, but covered in many red spots, as if she was allergic to handling vegetables, and there was a band-aid wrapped around her finger. Howard¡¯s eyes became somewhat dry, and he slowly turned his head away, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. ¨C In the blink of an eye, it was the day of Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday. Although Ruby had not yet formally married Steve Burton, the Burtons still held a grand birthday banquet for her. The banquet location was the Grand Ciawell Restaurant, and the guests were the most prestigious in the capital city. After Ruby repeatedly hinted to Steve that she wanted a marriage proposal without success, no matter how depressed and resentful she was, she hadn¡¯t spoken to Steve since that night. If Steve didn¡¯t want to propose to her, her insistence on getting one would be pointless. Furthermore, even if Steve refused to propose to her, she wouldn¡¯t really fight with him to the end and not marry him. So no matter how sad and regretful Ruby was deep down, she finally told herself not to have the hope of a proposal anymore. Chapter 784 - Chapter 784: Chapter 784: The Most Romantic Proposal (14) Chapter 784: Chapter 784: The Most Romantic Proposal (14) Although Ruby Gregory had truly given up hope on the marriage proposal, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a twinge of disappointment when she heard two people discussing how their fianc¨¦s had proposed to them as she was in the city¡¯s beauty parlor, getting her hair and makeup done in the afternoon with the car sent by the Burtons. Ruby had a spa treatment, got her makeup done, and chose an evening dress. It was already 6:30 PM when she left, and Steve Burton personally picked her up. Ruby¡¯s birthday dinner was booked for 8 PM, and the beauty salon was quite far from the Grand Capital Hotel. Traffic was congested on the road, so by the time Steve and Ruby arrived at the hotel, it was already 7:50 PM. As the guests had almost all arrived at the banquet hall, Howard Coleman, who had also been discharged from the hospital, arrived with Madeleine. Ruby arrived just in time for the event and immediately joined arms with her father, Maxwell Gregory, and went up to the stage without having a chance to greet her familiar friends. Today, Ruby wore a nude strapless long dress. A pearl necklace adorned her fair and beautiful collarbone. Her once-short hair was now long and curled, casually resting on the back of her head, radiating sensuality. Standing in the center of the stage under the spotlight, she took the microphone handed to her by the attendant, handed it to her father first, and waited for him to finish speaking. Afterward, she took it back and spoke in a gentle and gracious tone, smiling slightly at the beautifully dressed guests below the stage, ¡°Thank you all very much for attending my birthday party despite your busy schedules. I hope you come here with joy and leave with satisfaction tonight.¡± After she finished speaking, Ruby bowed to the audience below the stage. Amidst the applause, a server handed her a glass of champagne. Ruby raised the glass to the audience below, then drank it all in one go. The guests below the stage also raised their glasses and drank in unison. Ruby handed the empty glass to the server, lifted the hem of her long dress, and stepped down from the stage. Steve was waiting for her at the foot of the stage¡¯s staircase. As Ruby approached, she naturally linked arms with him, maintaining a proper smile and politely responding to the guests who came to offer their congratulations. Ruby hadn¡¯t attended any social events for almost a year, so she felt a bit overwhelmed after making the rounds toasting with the guests. She turned to Steve who was beside her and whispered, ¡°Shall we step outside for some air?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Steve nodded gently and led Ruby towards the corner sofas. But before they could reach the resting area, Rusell Henris hurriedly pushed through the crowded banquet hall towards them and said, ¡°Steve¡­¡± Both Steve and Ruby stopped and looked at Rusell. ¡°I have some good news to share with you¡­¡± Rusell seemed to be out of breath, possibly from rushing over. He swallowed and continued, ¡°The police station just called me. They¡¯ve caught Maya Mitchell. She was arrested at the Grand Capital Hotel, on the 13th floor, and has been detained.¡± That really was good news¡­ Ruby¡¯s expression instantly turned cold, her lips pressed tightly together. She glanced at Steve first before saying to Rusell, ¡°I want to see her now.¡± PS: That¡¯s it for today, stay tuned for tomorrow¡¯s continuation~~ Chapter 785 - Chapter 785: Chapter 785: The Most Romantic Proposal (15) Chapter 785: Chapter 785: The Most Romantic Proposal (15) What splendid news indeed¡­ Ruby Gregory¡¯s countenance suddenly grew cold. She pressed her lips tightly together, casting a sidelong glance at Steve Burton before turning to Rusell Henris to say, ¡°I want to see her now.¡± Rusell turned his head towards Steve and when he saw him nod, he finally agreed saying, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll arrange it now.¡± Having said this, Rusell twisted his lips into a faint smile, grabbed his cell phone, and went to the side to place a call. After half a minute, Rusell hung up the call and returned to Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory, ¡°It¡¯s been arranged. She¡¯s in private room number 1305.¡± ¨C Though Ruby was the focus of the birthday party, after she had toasted everyone, most were engaged in greeting familiar faces. As such, her and Steve¡¯s departure from the birthday banquet attracted little attention. Ruby¡¯s birthday celebration was held on the fourth floor of the Grand Capital Hotel. Rusell didn¡¯t come; Steve and Ruby Gregory took the elevator directly to the thirteenth floor. Exiting the elevator, there was a long corridor lined with a deep-red carpet. On off-white walls, every two meters was a crystal wall lamp, casting a brilliant, golden light. The door to room 1305 was ajar. Two uniformed police were stationed at the entrance. Upon seeing Steve and Ruby, one of them turned his head and called inside, ¡°Sergeant Taylor, Mr. Burton has arrived.¡± Immediately, a middle-aged, rotund man in a uniform emerged, warmly shaking hands with Steve, ¡°Mr. Burton, please come in.¡± Steve stood at the door, only gesturing towards a waiter in the distance. The waiter recognized him and hurried forward, respectfully asking, ¡°Mr. Burton, how may I assist you?¡± Steve glanced at Sergeant Taylor and said, ¡°Book me a private room and put everything on my tab to be settled with the birthday party costs on the fourth floor.¡± Sergeant Taylor, a shrewd man, understood Steve¡¯s implicit hint and proactively instructed his officers to vacate the room, following the waiter to a separate private room next door. Only after Sergeant Taylor and others left did Steve look at Ruby Gregory and gently suggested, ¡°Ruby, let¡¯s go in.¡± Ruby nodded silently, taking the lead as she entered the room. As soon as Ruby stepped in, she saw Maya Mitchell handcuffed and disheveled in her seat. Her clothes were torn in several places and her make-up-free face was so pale that it was eerie. Seeing Steve appear behind Ruby, there was a touch of confusion in her eyes. Steve walked up to Maya, gracefully pulled out a chair for Ruby. Only after she¡¯d sat down, he languidly pulled up the chair next to her and sat down. Maya eyed the elegantly dressed Ruby and Steve, lips pursed tight. Today was Ruby¡¯s birthday, and Steve had booked an entire extravagant floor at the Grand Capital Hotel for the party in her honor. And her? She was caught by the police station, at the end of her rope, and disheveled. Ruby stared back at Maya, a vindictive blaze igniting in her eyes. On the other hand, Steve sat calmly to one side, leisurely ringing the service bell on the table. He summoned a waiter and in a relaxed tone asked Ruby, ¡°How about some green tea?¡± Chapter 786 - Chapter 786: Chapter 786: The Most Romantic Proposal (16) Chapter 786: Chapter 786: The Most Romantic Proposal (16) Right now, Ruby Gregory had no thought of drinking tea in her heart; all she could think about was settling the score with Maya Mitchell, so she completely ignored what Steve Burton said. Steve Burton didn¡¯t care about Ruby Gregory¡¯s disregard for him. He directly closed the menu and said to the waiter on the side, ¡°Green tea, please.¡± Soon, the waiter brought a pot of steaming hot green tea. The waiter brought up three teacups, but Steve Burton had no intention of pouring tea for Maya Mitchell. He just held the teapot and poured a cup for himself and Ruby Gregory. Maya Mitchell watched this scene with her hands tied, clenching them into fists. Ruby Gregory picked up the teacup Steve Burton handed her, took a sip of the tea, then put the teacup back on the table. Without saying a word, she got up straight away and brutally slapped Maya Mitchell¡¯s face, ¡°Maya Mitchell, this first slap is for you hiring a hitman with money a while ago, trying to kill me.¡± Maya Mitchell didn¡¯t make a sound, her hands were tied, and she couldn¡¯t fight back. Ruby Gregory stared at Maya Mitchell¡¯s eyes, seeing that she had no intention of speaking, and continued, ¡°Evil deeds eventually lead to self-destruction, Maya Mitchell, now, your fate is nothing but self-inflicted.¡± ¡°Self-inflicted?¡± Upon hearing these four words, Maya Mitchell suddenly hooked her lips and laughed softly, ¡°Ruby Gregory, let me tell you the truth, I dared to blatantly find someone to ruin you because I never thought I¡¯d end up well. I just wanted to bring you down with me. If I can¡¯t have it, neither can you!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pity that it didn¡¯t go as you wished. I am still fine, and you end up like this!¡± Ruby Gregory laughed, mercilessly retorting, and then raised her hand again, using all her strength to slap Maya Mitchell once more. After that, she sat back down, staring directly at Maya Mitchell¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Do you know why you got slapped this time?¡± Maya Mitchell remained silent again. Ruby Gregory looked at Maya Mitchell coldly, ¡°The vitamin Steve Burton gave me was replaced with long-term contraceptive pills, it was you who did it, right?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°This slap is for the three healthy Triplets I brought into this world!¡± In the past, no matter how Maya Mitchell¡¯s actions were exposed, she would always try to cover them up. But now, in front of Steve Burton, she no longer needed to hide. Her love was completely ruined, and Ruby Gregory was about to be eternally happy. Maya Mitchell looked at the glamorous and beautifully made-up Ruby Gregory in front of her, feeling a sense of imbalance that she couldn¡¯t describe. Her eyes flashed with intense hatred as she stared at Ruby Gregory. For the first time in her life, she openly confessed the truth to Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton, ¡°That¡¯s right, it was me who replaced the vitamins with long-term contraceptive pills. It¡¯s just a shame that it didn¡¯t cause any side effects to the three children you¡¯re carrying or make you infertile for life?!¡± Upon hearing this, Ruby Gregory¡¯s anger instantly exploded. She instinctively jumped up again, wanting to hit Maya Mitchell, but Maya Mitchell looked at her fearlessly, hooking her lips and laughing coldly, ¡°What, want to hit me again?¡± ¡°After I finish telling you the rest of the story, won¡¯t you be filled with rage and want to kill me?¡± Chapter 787 - Chapter 787: Chapter 787: The Most Romantic Proposal (17) Chapter 787: Chapter 787: The Most Romantic Proposal (17) ¡°Ruby Gregory, do you know why Steve Burton knew about you and Edric Reat going to the holiday villa?¡± Ruby¡¯s movements paused for a moment. Seated next to her, Steve Burton¡¯s expression tensed briefly before returning to his usual leisurely demeanor, taking his time to pour himself a cup of tea and slowly sipping it. Maya Mitchell, as if looking down on Ruby¡¯s intellect, contemptuously laid out the whole story: ¡°That¡¯s because I found a note Edric wrote to you when going through your bed, which revealed his plan to meet you at the holiday villa. I also saw you two at the train station together. Then, I bought a phone card on the overpass ¨C the ones without real-name registration at that time ¨C and sent a text message to Steve Burton to inform him of what I knew!¡± ¡°Ruby Gregory, you¡¯ve always wanted to marry Steve Burton, haven¡¯t you? If not for that text message I sent, perhaps you would have been happily married and had kids together three years ago?¡± Ruby felt a growing fire in her chest, as if she needed to vent her anger before succumbing to internal injuries. She picked up the tea cup on the table, fiercely gulped down the tea, then slammed the cup back on the table. Steve Burton, on the other hand, leisurely picked up the teapot and slowly refilled Ruby¡¯s cup. Watching this, Maya Mitchell let out a cold scoff and continued her aggressive tirade: ¡°And, Ruby Gregory, I saw your indiscretion with Steve Burton on the viewing terrace at the Red Park Resort & Villas. Did you really think it was Olivia Foster who saw you two heading there? I just wanted to play the hero in front of you, so I pretended to casually tell Olivia Foster.¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s more than that. Do you remember the last time you went shopping with me, and how I bought you clothes but you ended up being kidnapped? Ruby Gregory, I¡¯ll be honest with you. The reason I asked you out that day was because I noticed someone was following me, trying to kidnap me. I needed a scapegoat, so I chose you. I wanted to use that incident to ruin you, but you were so na?ve, thinking I was just being grateful and buying you clothes.¡± Ruby knew that Maya hated her, and she knew that Maya had done many things against her. However, she never knew that the rift between her and Steve Burton three years ago was orchestrated by Maya herself. She had no idea that when she came back, all the dangerous encounters were orchestrated by Maya as well! ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not just that. Ruby Gregory, at the Gardenia Clubhouse, when you were being harassed and people called you a prosti- tute, that rumor was spread by me.¡± Ruby, filled with anger, abruptly lifted the teacup in front of her and splashed it at Maya Mitchell¡¯s face: ¡°Maya Mitchell, I never imagined that you¡¯d be so much more despicable than I ever thought!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°Despicable? Haha¡­¡± Maya Mitchell laughed as if she had just heard a hilarious joke, her expression suddenly turning cold as she stared into Ruby¡¯s eyes, ¡°All I did was use any means necessary to win the love of the man I wanted. How is that any different from your good friend Madeleine? Didn¡¯t she also get her desired marriage through any means necessary? If you call me despicable, aren¡¯t you indirectly calling your best friend Madeleine despicable too?¡± Chapter 788 - Chapter 788: Chapter 788: The Most Romantic Proposal (18) Chapter 788: Chapter 788: The Most Romantic Proposal (18) Deep in Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart, what she couldn¡¯t bear to see was someone insulting Madeleine. She held a teacup and smashed it hard against Maya Mitchell¡¯s head: ¡°Maya Mitchell, shut your mouth! What right do you have to compare yourself with Madeleine? If you want to confront me with bright and honest methods like her, I¡¯ll accept that you¡¯re something! But look at you, playing tricks behind the scenes with no bottom line. You¡¯re not even worthy of being mentioned with Madeleine!¡± Blood from the teacup oozed down Maya¡¯s forehead, but she didn¡¯t care. Instead, she smirked, laughing with malice, looking back at Ruby and gritting her teeth: ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not worthy of comparison with Madeleine. Because in your heart, I, Maya Mitchell, am nothing but a pathetic creature. Was the help you offered me in college sincere? You were just doing it to show off your goodness. I was nothing but a decoration to you. Do you really think I appreciate your help? Let me tell you, the help you gave me is the most shameful thing in my life¡­¡± How her sincere help back then had now been labeled a show and a disgrace¡­ Ruby¡¯s body trembled with anger. Instinctively, she reached out, wanting to lunge at Maya and tear her apart. Steve Burton, who had been sitting calmly by the side, suddenly stood up and reached out, grabbing hold of Ruby, his voice soft and gentle: ¡°Ruby, you said it yourself, she has no bottom line. What¡¯s the point of arguing with a mad dog like her?¡± After a pause, Steve continued: ¡°You¡¯re right. When we were rich and reckless, we were bringing shame to her. I¡¯m really glad a mad dog can have moments of self-awareness.¡± Steve¡¯s words were sharp and cutting, not showing any mercy. Maya¡¯s face turned incredibly ugly. Ruby suddenly felt much better. Seeing Ruby¡¯s face improve, Steve reached out and gently patted her head: ¡°Ruby, you go out. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Ruby looked into Steve¡¯s eyes with a hint of doubt. Steve gave her a reassuring look: ¡°Be good, trust me, and wait for me outside.¡± Ruby originally came to confront Maya, but she didn¡¯t expect to be the one left bitter and angry in the end. She didn¡¯t want to leave, but seeing the seriousness in Steve¡¯s eyes, she hesitated for a moment and nodded obediently, walking out of the private room. Inside the private room, only Steve and Maya sat face to face. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co As Maya faced Steve, she no longer had the arrogance and fierceness she showed when confronting Ruby. Even the look she gave Steve held a hint of tenderness and infatuation. Steve seemed not to notice her infatuation, as he poured himself a cup of tea, drank it slowly, placed the cup back down, stared at Maya and cut straight to the chase: ¡°Ruby is still waiting for me outside, so I¡¯ll keep it short.¡± Maya¡¯s lips trembled slightly, but she didn¡¯t say anything. A trace of loneliness crossed her face. Steve, calm and composed, stared at Maya for a second and leaned back against the chair. He casually and comfortably crossed his left leg over his right, and asked: ¡°Maya Mitchell, you like me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¨C Chapter 789 - Chapter 789: Chapter 789: The Most Romantic Proposal (19) Chapter 789: Chapter 789: The Most Romantic Proposal (19) Maya Mitchell really did not expect that the first thing out of Steve Burton¡¯s mouth would be those words, causing her expression to become slightly flustered. Steve Burton didn¡¯t bother paying attention to her demeanor. Hand in his pocket, fumbling with a small box inside, he continued to speak somewhat haphazardly. However, his topics seemed to jump quite a bit: ¡°Maya Mitchell, you¡¯ve been at Gregory¡¯s Enterprises for over half a year now, haven¡¯t you? During that time, you¡¯ve secured seventeen major projects, earning a total profit of 480 million, haven¡¯t you?¡± At this point, Steve Burton¡¯s long eyelashes drooped slightly, casting an attractive shadow over his eye sockets: ¡°In this half year, the total profit of Gregory¡¯s Enterprises was only 600 million, so by that calculation, you really are an impressive employee for keeping Gregory¡¯s Enterprises going with almost 70 percent of the company¡¯s performance.¡± ¡°Your first achievement at Gregory¡¯s Enterprises was for Mr. Hudson, right? Mr. Hudson is old enough to be your father, isn¡¯t he? And you slept with him for a whole half month, didn¡¯t you?¡± Steve Burton, still with his eyes downcast, cracked a slight smirk. Steve Burton did not even bother to lift his gaze to observe Maya¡¯s reaction, simply continuing his narrative at a steady pace: ¡°The second was Mr. Madris, then came Mr. Doxon, followed by Mr. Woods, Mr. Lister¡­ The most recent one you slept with was Mr. Leighton.¡± Maya looked a bit stunned. How did Steve know about all these things in such detail? Although Steve Burton didn¡¯t look at Maya, he seemed to know her inner doubts, and continued to speak as casually as if discussing something of no consequence: ¡°Did you hear about all these cases that I showed interest in from Gregory¡¯s high-level executives, and that¡¯s why you went all out to secure them, correct?¡± Somewhere in the back of Maya¡¯s mind, a dark premonition began to surface. She stared at the man before her, who still had his eyes cast down and maintained his composure, as he continued speaking in a light tone: ¡°Those whispers, I had them leaked to you.¡± Maya¡¯s eyes suddenly started to fracture. Steve Burton maintained his downcast gaze, his lips curling into a chilling smirk: ¡°Maya Mitchell, haven¡¯t you noticed these men all share a common trait? They¡¯re all perverts, and some have quite abnormal tendencies.¡± Maya¡¯s face turned as white as snow, her eyes wide as she stared at Steve, uttering in a stammer: ¡°So, when you lured me to Gregory¡¯s Enterprises, praised me¡­you had hidden intentions, you had planned everything from the start, you¡¯re playing me?¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t bother answering Maya, not even glancing at her. He simply continued: ¡°And afterwards, you often got cornered and beaten by these executives¡¯ wives. Actually, I leaked those rumors myself. Including when Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife caught you in bed together, I had someone call her.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°And one thing of utmost importance, all this time I¡¯ve been blocking your information. While it¡¯s true that Pristine¡¯s Enterprises acquired Gregory¡¯s Enterprises, even before you joined, I already transferred it under Ruby Gregory¡¯s name. So, all this money you¡¯ve been strenuously earning over the past half a year, all the partnership cases you pulled in, they were not for me, Steve Burton, but for Ruby Gregory.¡± After saying all this, Steve Burton slowly looked up, gazing at Maya¡¯s pale face, and asked softly: ¡°Now, Maya Mitchell, do you still want to keep loving me?¡± Chapter 790 - Chapter 790: Chapter 790: The Most Romantic Proposal (20) Chapter 790: Chapter 790: The Most Romantic Proposal (20) Could it be that the whole time she thought was so wonderful was just a scam? To get close to this man, she accompanied one man after another. But it turns out that the person who pushed her to this point was the man she wanted to get close to? Maya Mitchell¡¯s lips trembled as her eyes filled with disbelief while looking at Steve Burton. She sat in the chair like a soulless person for a long time, and then her tears fell uncontrollably. Not too long ago, when she was being chased and beaten by Mr. Leighton¡¯s wife, she told herself that it was fine, as long as it led to Steve Burton¡¯s praise, it was all worth it. But now, she felt that her previous thoughts were so ironic and pitiful. She always thought she was the smartest, toying with Ruby and Steve Burton, but now she realized that someone who blindly loves is the stupidest. She used to be a nice girl, born in poverty, she went to university in Ciawell alone, working hard and saving money. She could wear US$2 jeans from the zoo for all four seasons. She didn¡¯t love vanity, nor did she compare and envy. However, after she met Steve Burton, she started changing. She had been trying hard to change into the person he liked, but who knew that, in the end, she turned herself into a dead-end. Going to jail and losing freedom was not scary, but the truth revealed by Steve Burton shattered her. Maya Mitchell, who had never screamed at Steve Burton, broke down and hysterically shouted, ¡°Steve Burton, why are you treating me like this? What do I lack compared to Ruby? What¡¯s her talent, her qualifications? What makes her deserve your love that you treat me like this for her? I truly love you, I love you much more than she does. Don¡¯t forget she ran away to Zhouzhuang with Edric Reat, she sought Edric¡¯s help after finding out she was pregnant with your child, she was close to Edric Reat in college, she doesn¡¯t love you as much as I do, why are you so cruel to me?¡± In the end, Maya cried until she couldn¡¯t make a sound anymore. Steve Burton listened to her crying, calmly lowered his head and took a sip of tea. After a while, he finally spoke to Maya indifferently, ¡°It seems that you envy and are jealous of Ruby, right? Well, that¡¯s perfect, because today is a good opportunity for you to be completely envious and jealous! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°And then, you can take your envy and jealousy to prison for the rest of your life!¡± After Steve Burton finished speaking, he stood up calmly, kicked away the chair behind him, and showed no intention of entangling with Maya anymore. He turned around and walked away without hesitation. Maya watched Steve Burton¡¯s figure, wanting to say more, but was unable to speak. It felt like her heart was pierced by a thousand arrows, and she couldn¡¯t bear the pain. She couldn¡¯t help but scream in despair. ¨C Ruby paced back and forth at the entrance of the private room. Suddenly, the door opened, and she saw Steve Burton, looking confident and elegant, walk out. She rushed over instinctively, but before she could speak, she heard Maya¡¯s painful scream from inside. Chapter 791 - Chapter 791: Chapter 791: The Most Romantic Proposal (21) Chapter 791: Chapter 791: The Most Romantic Proposal (21) Ruby Gregory was startled by such a scream, her whole body shivering slightly. She then looked over Steve Burton¡¯s shoulder and saw Maya Mitchell inside, holding her head tightly with her bound hands, crying and sobbing. Her appearance was as if the world had suddenly collapsed. Ruby glanced at Steve again; the man¡¯s expression remained aloof, with a nonchalant posture, as if everything that happened inside the private room had nothing to do with him. Ruby couldn¡¯t help but blink. The gap between the two was too large¡­ Did that mean Steve had defeated Maya? Steve put his arm around Ruby¡¯s slender waist, bringing her with him directly to the elevator. Not until they got back to the birthday party hall and sat on a sofa in the corner did Ruby come back to her senses. She couldn¡¯t help but turn her look at Steve and asked with curiosity, ¡°What did you say to Maya Mitchell?¡± Compared to Ruby¡¯s anxiety, Steve seemed much more laid-back. He raised his hand to call a waiter, sending over a glass of champagne and a glass of warm water. He put the warm water in front of Ruby and only opened his mouth when she asked him what he had said to Maya a second time, saying, ¡°I said you¡¯re not capable.¡± Ruby blinked, not yet realizing how she wasn¡¯t capable, but Steve continued with the second sentence, ¡°I said you¡¯re not qualified to make me like you.¡± As if she had been hit with a stick, Ruby froze in her seat. Then Steve threw out the third sentence, ¡°I said she likes me better than you do.¡± Ah ah ah ah ah ah! How could Maya demean her like this? Ruby¡¯s cheeks puffed up instantly, suppressing her displeasure as she asked, ¡°What was your response?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Steve took another sip of his champagne, tilted his head to think, and said, ¡°I agreed with her.¡± Ruby, somewhat disbelieving, kept asking, ¡°You really said that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Steve nodded seriously and added, ¡°I think what she said makes sense.¡± Ruby became even more upset. It was one thing for Maya to demean her, but how could Steve join in and demean her in front of Maya? Ah ah ah ah ah ah! She really wanted to swear, what to do? Steve stared at the reddish Ruby with her hair standing on end, his mood inexplicably reaching its peak. He reached out, stroked Ruby¡¯s long hair, and said, ¡°Do you want to know what else Maya and I talked about?¡± After saying that, Steve¡¯s eyes circled around the table and saw a dice box in a nearby corner. He picked up a dice and said, ¡°It¡¯s pretty boring to tell you straight away. How about we play dice to decide? If you win, I¡¯ll tell you¡­¡± Pausing slightly here, Steve went on, ¡°Forget it. If you play dice with me, you¡¯re bound to lose. It¡¯s your birthday today, so I¡¯ll take care of you. If you lose, I¡¯ll tell you. If you win, I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do. How about that?¡± That¡¯s not fair! Even playing a game, he still looked down on her! Ruby looked at the proud Steve, smoke practically coming out of her seven orifices. Without thinking, she agreed and said, ¡°Steve, don¡¯t gloat here! Let me tell you, if I win, I¡¯ll have you kneel down and sing ¡®Conquer¡¯ to me!¡± Chapter 792 - Chapter 792: Chapter 792: The Most Romantic Proposal (22) Chapter 792: Chapter 792: The Most Romantic Proposal (22) ¡°Alright!¡± Although Steve Burton agreed verbally, his gaze towards Ruby Gregory obviously carried a sense of arrogance, as if there was no way she could win. Ruby clenched her teeth secretly and continued to emphasize, ¡°I want him to kneel in front of everyone and sing ¡®Conquer¡¯ by Little Apple!¡± Steve immediately agreed to Ruby¡¯s words, handing the dice to Ruby and saying, ¡°Ladies first.¡± Ruby didn¡¯t hold back, throwing the dice directly. After the dice spun for a moment, they came to a stop: two points. Ruby couldn¡¯t believe her eyes as they widened. Two points? Didn¡¯t that mean Steve could easily win by rolling a three? Steve couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing, but when he met Ruby¡¯s angry gaze, he quickly stopped his laughter, picked up the dice, looked at them carefully, and then threw them without any expression. Ruby thought she was definitely going to lose, feeling a bit disheartened, but when the dice finally stopped, there was only one point showing. Ruby blinked her eyes. No way¡­ she rolled two points thinking she was already defeated, but Steve got only a one, even worse than her? Ruby was instantly thrilled in her heart. She turned her head, about to say to Steve, ¡°You lost the bet, so hurry up and kneel down in front of everyone to sing the Apple version of ¡®Conquer¡¯!¡±, when a waiter suddenly walked over and said, ¡°Ms. Gregory, Mr. Burton, it¡¯s time to cut the cake.¡± Ruby had to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Steve tilted his head slightly, his lips close to Ruby¡¯s ear, and whispered, ¡°Everyone is waiting for us to cut the cake. After we cut the cake, I¡¯ll kneel down in public for you.¡± In fact, Ruby was just joking, and she never intended to make Steve kneel and sing ¡®Conquer¡¯ in front of so many people. So, when Steve finished speaking, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but smile, stood up with him, and walked side by side towards the center of the banquet hall. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co All the lights in the banquet hall went out, as several waiters pushed a cart with a multi-layered cake, topped with twenty-six candles, and approached them slowly. The theme music of ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ played overhead the banquet hall, and everyone started to sing the Happy Birthday song in unison. The moment the song ended, the cake was pushed right in front of Ruby. Everyone bent down together and blew out the candles around the cake, then the lights in the banquet hall came back on, and Ruby, with the help of the waiter, cut and served the cake. The cake cutting was left for the last part of Ruby¡¯s birthday party, and by this time it was already late at night. Although many people didn¡¯t want to eat anymore, they still took a piece of cake as a symbolic gesture and ate some. After finishing the cake, it was time to see off the guests. As the protagonist of the birthday party, Ruby, accompanied by Steve, left for the front entrance of the Grand Capital Hotel one minute ahead of time. At some point, a brand new red carpet had been laid at the entrance of the Grand Capital Hotel. Ruby, holding Steve¡¯s arm, walked out of the revolving door, stopped two meters away, and saw many of the guests who had attended her birthday party leaving the hall. Ruby was about to say goodbye to the departing guests with a smile when Steve, who was standing beside her, suddenly blurted out, ¡°You won the dice game earlier, and you said you wanted me to kneel here, right?¡± Ruby, caught off guard by Steve¡¯s sudden remark, hadn¡¯t even turned around when Steve, who had been standing shoulder to shoulder with her, suddenly took a step forward, and just like that, fell on one knee in front of her. PS: The end for today~Continuing tomorrow~~~PS: Tomorrow¡¯s plot preview: There are many wonderful things in time, but there is only one wonderful person like you~ Chapter 793 - Chapter 793: Chapter 793: The Most Romantic Proposal (23) Chapter 793: Chapter 793: The Most Romantic Proposal (23) Ruby Gregory was taken aback by Steve Burton¡¯s sudden announcement. Before she could even react, Steve, who had been standing beside her, stepped forward and knelt down on one knee in front of her. Ruby¡¯s eyes widened in shock, staring at Steve. Her mouth opened in surprise and she quickly reached out, trying to help him up, when she suddenly heard someone shout, ¡°Look at the big screen on the Grand Capital Hotel¡­¡± Ruby subconsciously raised her head and saw their childhood pictures appearing on the big screen of the Grand Capital Hotel. At that time, camera resolutions were not as high as they are now. When enlarged and projected onto the big screen, the picture seemed slightly blurry. In the photo, Ruby had only just learned to walk. She had two ponytails and her big eyes were wide open, her mouth spread in a goofy smile. Steve, three years older than her, wore a little blue suit with a red bow tie. He looked like a little gentleman with a childish face, hardly lifting his eyelids to look at the camera, an attitude of disdain. After the two photos were displayed side by side on the big screen for nearly thirty seconds, they transformed under a special effect into butterflies, twirling, dancing, and dispersing, leaving behind a photo of Ruby and Steve as children at a banquet. As their combined image twirled into being, a beautiful and melodious prelude suddenly played in mid-air above the street. As the picture stopped spinning and enlarged itself, Maggie Chiang¡¯s warm and tender voice started to sing: ¡°How much youth is left in our hands, how much longing remains, enduring so much torment¡­¡± Accompanying Maggie Chiang¡¯s song, more photos of Ruby and Steve¡¯s childhood appeared one by one. ¡°Occasionally, the comb we used left traces of time; I hope your world is well¡­¡± In the pictures, Ruby and Steve¡¯s ages gradually increased. When a photo of Ruby¡¯s 6th birthday candle-blowing was displayed on the big screen, a layer of mist gradually appeared, obscuring the image. On the mist, elegant and powerful words floated, written with vigor and grace. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ruby recognized the handwriting¡ªit was Steve¡¯s. ¡°1990, you suddenly appeared in my life like an angel.¡± ¡°1991, I learned that your name is Ruby Gregory.¡± ¡°1992, you called me Brother Steve for the first time.¡± ¡°1993, you became a part of my life.¡± ¡°1994, you were an annoying yet warm shadow that followed me everywhere.¡± ¡°1995, I became your senior in elementary school.¡± As each new line appeared, the color of the previous line faded. When the line for 1995 appeared, Maggie Chiang¡¯s song suddenly stopped and was replaced by Steve¡¯s clear voice: ¡°From 1991 to 1995, during that time, we didn¡¯t understand love, but you filled my entire childhood.¡± As Steve¡¯s words settled, the big screen suddenly went dark. Three seconds later, Maggie Chiang¡¯s song resumed and more pictures of a young Ruby and Steve appeared on the screen. ¡°When I think of your smile, I unintentionally reread that year¡¯s love letters. Time passes slowly, youth gradually fades, and we can¡¯t return to the wonderful time when we knew and loved each other. Those memories shine on the yellowing pages of those letters.¡± Chapter 794 - Chapter 794: Chapter 794: The Most Romantic Proposal (24) Chapter 794: Chapter 794: The Most Romantic Proposal (24) The most abundant photos were of Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory in their youth. There were photos of Steve riding a bicycle through the streets and alleys of Ciawell with Ruby Gregory, photos of Steve buying a candy apple for Ruby in Garnet Lane, photos of Steve studying laboriously at his desk while Ruby sat idly by reading comics, and even photos of Steve walking forward without expression while Ruby hopped about energetically around him, her mouth wide open as if she were saying something¡­ Much of those photographs were secretly taken by Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, or Madeleine, and Ruby often didn¡¯t even know. Even though the photos were static and silent, Ruby felt as if she had travelled back in time to her youth, reliving those moments she had shared with Steve as each photo appeared on the large screen. ¡°Those are moments of youth, marked with poetic phrases. No surprise to feel a flutter when reading them. Do you also remember that beautiful time? Perhaps the letters written for you have long been discarded, and that¡¯s fine, for what was missing you¡¯ve found elsewhere.¡± As Maggie Chiang¡¯s ¡°Love Letters From That Year¡± came to end, the screen displayed a photo of Ruby on the third day of the lunar year after middle school examination. Then, the screen blurred again, and Steve¡¯s handwriting appeared on the big screen, flowing like a dragon. There was only a simple sentence: ¡°There are many beautiful things in the world, but there is only one beautiful person like you.¡± When those ten characters appeared, a pre-recorded voice of Steve emerged, his tone deep and resonant, ¡°From the time you were in primary school to when you graduated from middle school¡ªfor a whole ten years¡ªthose were the years where my heart skipped a beat for you, a sentiment I never articulated.¡± Ruby was so engrossed in the photos on the big screen, lost in the sentences Steve wrote for her, in his words, that she entirely forgot the shock of seeing him kneel. Steve still maintained his kneeling posture, his gaze gentle while he looked at the woman who was now looking up at the big screen. The guests who had attended the birthday party and were now about to leave had all gathered in front of the Grand Ciawell Restaurant, looking up at the big screen. Even the doorman and the front desk staff from the Grand Capital Hotel had come out to watch. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Pedestrians stopped in their tracks and vehicles decelerated until they eventually came to a stop. People from cars nearby rolled down their windows to watch, those far away got out of their vehicles. The photos on the large screen shifted to ones of Ruby and Steve during their high school and college days. In matching school uniforms, they moved amongst the tall Paulownia trees in the school during the summer, visited the Forbidden City amidst the snow in winter, and went shopping at the bustling Mason Boulevard during Christmas. The song by Maggie Chiang transitioned to Eason Chan¡¯s ¡°Await Your Love¡±. Eason Chan¡¯s deep and magnetic voice, carrying the power to penetrate the heart, in that moment, gave life to the photos on the large screen. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve made a mistake, or maybe I¡¯m asking for too much. Does everyone else feel like me, afraid that the person they want to see has already left? Maybe they were never there to begin with. How do I accept that as the way out? Waiting for you, to love me, love me¡­¡± The final scene froze on a photograph of Ruby Gregory on her college graduation day, standing on the school playground in her cap and gown, holding the bouquet of flowers Steve presented her. Chapter 795 - Chapter 795: Chapter 795: The Most Romantic Proposal (25) Chapter 795: Chapter 795: The Most Romantic Proposal (25) A few black words gradually appeared in the blank space of the photo: You are as beautiful as a fallen city, time knows it well. It was still Steve Burton¡¯s handwriting. Then, Eason Chan¡¯s singing came to an abrupt halt, and Steve Burton¡¯s voice reappeared: ¡°From high school to college, in those seven years, I have fought for you, bought you sanitary pads, skipped classes with you, and even deceived our parents together by not returning home at night¡­¡± As Steve Burton¡¯s words came to an end, the photos on the big screen were no longer in color, but in black and white. The playback was all previous photos of Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory. Steve Burton¡¯s handwriting would appear on each photo. ¡°After 23 years of knowing each other, we parted ways, with you in Costa Luna and me in China.¡± ¡°The Red Park we used to visit together every month, I now go alone.¡± ¡°The co-pilot seat I promised you, no one has sat in it since.¡± ¡°Late at night, looking in the direction of Costa Luna, wondering what you are doing.¡± ¡°In the days when you were not by my side, I went to many places, saw countless sceneries, but they were not beautiful enough, because you were not there, and all I had in my eyes was gray. Only then did I realize that only with you by my side could the scenery truly become scenery¡­¡± ¡°At that time, I also knew that no matter how beautiful the sceneries I passed by on my journey, they couldn¡¯t compare to lingering by your side.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°You are my most beautiful scenery, you are the one I¡¯ve been waiting for all this time¡­¡± A photo of Steve Burton standing alone, lonely, in his office looking out the window appeared on the big screen. ¡°Three years and over a thousand days later, you finally returned¡­¡± Once again, the photos on the big screen turned into vivid, colorful snapshots of Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton in the past year or so. There were photos of their almost-engagement ceremony, photos of Ruby Gregory accompanying Steve Burton to dinner parties when she was his secretary and assistant, photos of Steve Burton following her after they had broken up, and a photo of Steve Burton rushing out of their apartment in panic and disarray with Ruby in his arms when she went into premature labor¡­ ¡°Is it true that love always brings torment, yet I refuse to admit it, waiting for you is enough for me, so I can be happy with assurance, when one day, you tell me, I will still be here waiting¡­¡± Set to Eason Chan¡¯s singing, the big screen was fixed on a photo of Ruby Gregory cutting the cake at her birthday party that night. Steve Burton¡¯s composed voice once again emerged: ¡°No matter how much heartache, sadness, and regret we¡¯ve experienced this year, I¡¯m very grateful for this year¡¯s journey together.¡± ¡°Because, while love can bring two people together, to make it last, they must grow together. The best relationship is not only about never leaving each other¡¯s side but also about growing together.¡± As Steve spoke, the big screen went blank, and his large handwriting appeared one word at a time. ¡°In the future, the life I want can be summed up in twelve simple words.¡± Kiss you before sleep, hold you at midnight, wake up with you. As these twelve words appeared on the big screen, the scene suddenly shifted to display Steve kneeling before Ruby on-site. His face was incredibly handsome, his eyes were like black ink, and his gaze was calm, yet it made people willingly immerse themselves in it. ¡°Ruby, are you willing to give me the future life I want?¡± ¡ª¨C Chapter 796 - Chapter 796: Chapter 796: The Most Romantic Proposal (26) Chapter 796: Chapter 796: The Most Romantic Proposal (26) Every woman longs for a romantic and grand marriage proposal, and Ruby Gregory is no exception. When Steve Burton first mentioned the marriage certificate to her, her heart was filled with anticipation for how he would propose. However, he had never expressed any intention to propose to her. Unable to bear waiting, she had tried several times to hint at her desires, but he always remained indifferent. This made her quite sad, thinking that there would be no proposal after all. Little did she know, on this night, he was going to give her a grand and unexpected surprise. Ruby¡¯s heart was overflowing with emotion, and she didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°Ruby, before I met you, I never thought about getting married. After being with you, I never thought about marrying anyone else.¡± Steve had planned this proposal for a long time. However, when it came time to actually say the words, he found himself unexpectedly nervous. Steve took out the engagement ring he had bought long ago from his pocket and slowly opened the brocade box, revealing the ring to Ruby. The ring was rose gold, as big as a pigeon¡¯s egg. Under the lights, it reflected a dazzling brilliance. Steve swallowed a mouthful of saliva, looking into Ruby¡¯s eyes with warmth, and said, ¡°Ruby, will you marry me?¡± As he spoke these words, the expression on his face on the big screen was as captivating as a male lead in a movie, making the surrounding onlookers hold their breath for a moment. Ruby felt as if her heart had stopped beating at that moment, staring straight at Steve. The entire atmosphere was quiet, with everyone¡¯s focus on Ruby. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ruby looked down at Steve, her emotions finally settling. Then she slowly nodded her head. As Ruby nodded, suddenly Eason Chan¡¯s ¡°Steady Happiness¡± started to play in the sky above. ¡°I want a steady happiness, one that can withstand the cruelty of the end of the world, a refuge during restless nights.¡± As Eason Chan¡¯s singing began, like magic, rose petals suddenly appeared, drifting down from the sky. Red roses, pink roses, white roses ¨C their petals fluttered down like snowflakes, covering the ground from the top of the Grand Capital Hotel. Steve took the ring from the brocade box and slowly slipped it onto Ruby¡¯s ring finger. After putting the ring on her finger, the man slowly stood up. Aside from the time Steve drunkenly confessed his feelings to Ruby, he had never said those words to her again. His face now held a rare flush as he declared in a serious and sincere tone, ¡°Ruby, I love you.¡± His words, like him, were simple and aloof, but they instantly brought tears to Ruby¡¯s eyes. Ruby couldn¡¯t help but tiptoe and give the man a soft kiss on his beautiful, thin lips. Before her lips could leave his, he took the initiative to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her tightly against him, bending down to return her deep kiss. Rose petals filled the air, covering the summer night ground. The gentle breeze carried a faint scent of roses. Two rose petals landed on Ruby¡¯s long hair and on Steve¡¯s shoulder. Chapter 797 - Chapter 797: Chapter 797: The Most Romantic Proposal (27) Chapter 797: Chapter 797: The Most Romantic Proposal (27) Eason Chan¡¯s song continued, Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton were still passionately kissing as if no one else was around, and passersby couldn¡¯t help but feel envious as they took photos with their phones. ¡°I want a steady happiness, that can be touched with both hands, every time I reach out, feeling your warmth.¡± ¡°I want a steady happiness, enough to withstand the pain of loss, even if I¡¯m alone, I will not be lonely.¡± ¡°I want a steady happiness, this is the happiness I desire.¡± After a while, Steve Burton finally let go of Ruby Gregory, still gasping for air. He gazed into her eyes, deep and bright, lowered his head, and kissed Ruby Gregory deeply once again. When they finally separated, Steve whispered in her ear: ¡°Ruby, don¡¯t envy others anymore. As long as I, Steve Burton, am here, you will have everything they have, and more. Anything they don¡¯t have, as long as you want it, you can have it.¡± The tears that had disappeared from Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes welled up once again. She tightly wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s waist and buried her head in his chest, letting out a soft ¡°Mmm¡± with a hint of coyness. ¨C Such a grand and romantic proposal affected the atmosphere of a long stretch of street in front of the Grand Ciawell Restaurant, causing a traffic jam that lasted for an hour before returning to normal. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory, who originally planned to send their guests off first, ended up leaving the scene as soon as the proposal ended. So, the task of sending the guests off fell onto the shoulders of Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine. By the time all the guests were sent off, it was already 1 o¡¯clock in the morning. Edward Woods had too much alcohol and left in Rusell Henris¡¯ car. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Howard Coleman¡¯s back injury had formed a scab, although still slightly swollen. He attended Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday party after being discharged from the hospital in the afternoon. His car had been towed back to his apartment¡¯s basement parking lot when he was hospitalized. Therefore, he hitched a ride to the Grand Capital Hotel with Madeleine. After Edward Woods and Rusell Henris left, Madeleine pulled out her car keys and glanced at Howard Coleman. She knew that maybe Howard Coleman hadn¡¯t thought of going home with her at all, but she still hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Do you want to go back to the apartment to get your car?¡± Howard Coleman was dressed in a sky-blue suit, which accentuated his already fair complexion, making it shine even brighter. Hearing Madeleine¡¯s words, he turned to look at her, pondered for a moment, nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything. Madeleine knew that their time together was limited to a mere twenty-minute car ride, yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel an inexplicable sense of joy deep inside. She hurriedly unlocked the car, opened the door for Howard Coleman. Howard Coleman looked at the open car door, pursed his lips slightly, and then bowed down and got inside. Madeleine closed the car door, got into the car, started the engine, and returned to Howard Coleman¡¯s apartment. When the car reached the underground parking lot of the apartment, Madeleine locked it up. She only got out of the car after Howard Coleman had exited. Though she dared to ask Howard whether he wanted to return for his car, she didn¡¯t dare ask him if he wanted to go upstairs and return home. She knew that at the hospital, she could take care of the injured Howard Coleman, but now that he had recovered from his injuries and was discharged, things might return to how they were before. He would stay out all night, and she¡¯d be left alone to keep the empty room warm. So Madeleine looked at Howard Coleman standing beside the car, pursed her lips, and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m going up first.¡± Before Howard Coleman could even respond, she hurried into the elevator. PS: Should Howard Coleman go upstairs and return home with Madeleine? It¡¯s a new week, so happy voting everyone~ Today, I¡¯ll update five chapters. My period came today, so I¡¯m feeling a bit uneasy. I¡¯ll feel better tomorrow and make up the remaining three chapters to you all~ Yes, you guessed it right, the story is indeed coming to an end~~~I¡¯ll do my best to conclude the story quickly, so don¡¯t worry~ I hope you all can have a romantic proposal as well~ Chapter 798 - Chapter 798: Chapter 798: The Most Romantic Proposal (28) Chapter 798: Chapter 798: The Most Romantic Proposal (28) So Madeleine glanced at Howard Coleman standing by the car, pursed her lips, and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll go up first.¡± Without waiting for Howard to speak, she hurried toward the elevator and left. Howard watched Madeleine¡¯s retreating figure, reached into his pocket to feel his car keys, and unlocked the car through his pocket. When he was about to get into the car, his movement involuntarily stiffened. He swallowed hard and gripped the car door tightly. After a moment, he finally got in, started the car, and drove out of the underground parking garage. In the dead of night, the streets were deserted. Howard drove very fast to the entrance of The Sapphire Bistro. Before the car came to a stop, the doorman greeted him. As soon as Howard rolled down the window, the doorman respectfully and familiarly said, ¡°Mr. Coleman, you¡¯re here? Would you like to have your usual private room?¡± Howard nodded, was about to turn off the engine, but then hesitated. In the end, he shook his head at the doorman standing outside and drove off without saying a word, stepping on the gas and heading back onto the street. Howard made a U-turn under the flyover and drove back to the underground parking garage beneath his apartment building. He turned off the engine, sat in the car for a moment, then opened the door and walked towards the elevator. ¨C Madeleine stood in the elevator, not daring to look at Howard outside the elevator. She hurriedly pressed the elevator door close button and then finally allowed her sorrowful expression to show on her face. For more than half a year, hadn¡¯t she been taking the elevator home alone every day? It was only because he had been injured for her that she had earned the right to take care of him in the hospital. Now that he was back with her in their cold, empty apartment, everything was back to normal, right? She shouldn¡¯t have hoped for more¡­ As Madeleine kept reminding herself, she entered the apartment after unlocking it. However, facing the empty room, she couldn¡¯t help but have tears well up in her eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?????????????????.co Madeleine turned on the living room light, changed her shoes in the foyer area, and then walked to the kitchen. In the entire room, she was all alone, with the silence only interrupted by the echoing of her footsteps. Madeleine knew that Howard would be discharged from the hospital today, so she had called the housekeeper in the morning to have fresh vegetables and late-night snacks prepared. Howard hadn¡¯t come home, and the midnight snack she had prepared, just like before, would end up in the trash can. Madeleine opened the insulated food container, looked at the cute and beautiful pastries inside, pursed her lips, took them out and was about to throw them into the trash when she suddenly heard the sound of the living room door being pushed open. Madeleine walked out of the kitchen with the pastries, and ended up in a direct line of sight with Howard, who had just entered through the door. Howard and Madeleine locked eyes for barely ten seconds before he shifted his gaze away first, bent down to change his shoes, put the car keys on the shoe cabinet in the foyer area, and as he passed the living room, he glanced at the pastries Madeleine was holding. He thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Midnight snack?¡± Madeleine blinked and came to her senses, realizing that all of this was not a dream. She slowly nodded, then quickly asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t eat anything at the banquet tonight, are you hungry now? Would you like to eat some?¡± Having said that, Madeleine felt as if she had overstepped her boundaries. Chapter 799 - Chapter 799: Chapter 799: The Most Romantic Proposal (29) Chapter 799: Chapter 799: The Most Romantic Proposal (29) Howard Coleman¡¯s decision to return home was an unexpected and delightful surprise for Madeleine. In her excitement, she took the initiative to ask if he wanted a late-night meal, which was quite out of character. Madeleine instinctively tightened her grip on the plate in her hand as she stared at Howard, waiting for his response. After he remained silent for a while, a hint of disappointment emerged in her heart. She lowered her gaze, forced a smile, and went into the kitchen. As Madeleine was placing the plate on the table, Howard followed her gracefully. He pulled out a chair, sat down, and casually grabbed a pastry with his fingers, putting it into his mouth. Madeleine was completely caught off-guard by Howard¡¯s presence in the kitchen. As she watched Howard finish the pastry before reaching for a second one, she hurriedly grabbed a pair of chopsticks and handed them to him. Howard thanked her, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth. The words were unclear, but he did not appear as cold as usual: ¡°Thank you.¡± Although it was just two words, Madeleine¡¯s heart was filled with joy. How long had it been since Howard had spoken to her so calmly? Efficiently, Madeleine brought the rest of the late-night meal out from the insulated box and placed it in front of Howard. Perhaps due to her excitement, Madeleine remained standing by his side, watching him eat without sitting down herself. Howard picked up a steamed dumpling with his chopsticks and, upon noticing Madeleine still standing there, raised an eyebrow and gestured to the empty seat next to him: ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Madeleine stared at Howard in disbelief, her eyes wide. After a moment, she seemed to understand what he was saying and quickly nodded, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Her movements were slightly rushed, and she accidentally bumped her leg against the chair in her haste, but the excitement and joy in her heart allowed her to completely ignore the pain. After sitting down, Madeleine and Howard ate in silence without any exchange of words. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Having finished eating, Howard put down his chopsticks, stood up, and prepared to leave. He gently nudged the chair aside and glanced at Madeleine, asking, ¡°Tomorrow is Monday, right?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Madeleine hurriedly swallowed her food. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Monday.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Howard uttered, but said nothing more. After standing there for a moment, he tilted his chin and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± He then walked out of the dining room. It was only after Howard left that Madeleine finally realized she¡¯d been clutching her chopsticks tightly the entire time. Her palm throbbed from the pressure, and she relieved her grip. Finally acknowledging that this wasn¡¯t a dream, a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and her heart swelled with satisfaction. Even though their conversation was bland, it felt like a monumental breakthrough for her. For the past six months, she and Howard hadn¡¯t spoken as much as they did tonight. Moreover, whenever Howard used to look at her, it was always with disgust. He had never seemed as peaceful and serene as he was tonight. After tidying up the dining table, Madeleine returned to the master bedroom. Howard had already come out of the shower and was sitting shirtless on the sofa, holding a tube of ointment that was prescribed by the hospital. Chapter 800 - Chapter 800: Chapter 800: The Most Romantic Proposal (30) Chapter 800: Chapter 800: The Most Romantic Proposal (30) The ointment, fetched by Madeleine for Howard Coleman, was an external balm to reduce scarring. Howard¡¯s wound was on his shoulder. When he squeezed the ointment onto a cotton swab and reached out to apply it to his back, it seemed somewhat strenuous. Madeleine advanced two steps and said softly, ¡°Let me do it.¡± Howard paused, and after a while, he turned his head to look at Madeleine. His lips lightly pursed, he gave a small nod towards Madeleine before letting his arm, which had been reaching around his back, hang down. Madeleine pulled out a tissue from the coffee table in front of the sofa to wipe her hands before taking the cotton swab from Howard. Howard frequented the gym every week, his muscles firm and strong. His skin, freshly bathed, shone with a moist glow under the light. Madeleine stared at Howard¡¯s back for a moment. Then, kneeling on the sofa, head bowed, she began to apply the ointment to Howard¡¯s shoulder with care and dedication. Madeleine¡¯s hair was somewhat long. As she bowed her head, her hair fell down, grazing Howard¡¯s back. The hand that had been idly resting on Howard¡¯s knee clenched involuntarily, and every cell in his body tense slightly. The atmosphere in the bedroom was so quiet it was almost serene. The two were close enough to hear each other¡¯s breath. When Madeleine finished applying the ointment, she tossed the cotton swab in the trash. As she stood up from the sofa, the softness of the couch had her stumbling forward, and her hand instinctively pressed against Howard¡¯s back. Feeling a jolt of electricity course directly from Madeleine¡¯s palm into his heart, Howard¡¯s whole body shuddered. Madeleine muttered a low ¡°sorry¡± before quickly withdrawing her hand from his back. She scrambled off the sofa and hurried to the water dispenser, filling a cup and placing it on the coffee table in front of Howard. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Madeleine couldn¡¯t bear to look Howard in the eye as she hastily said, ¡°Remember to take your meds.¡± Without waiting for Howard¡¯s response, she added, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Then she quickly rushed into the bathroom. As the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom, Howard gradually came back to his senses. He absentmindedly reached out a hand, pressing his abdomen as if feeling a fiery current pulsating rapidly within. Howard took a deep breath, picked up the medicine from the table and blindly shoved it into his mouth, before picking up the water cup and swallowing it down in large gulps. By the time Madeleine came out of the shower, Howard was already in bed, with his eyes closed, as though he were already asleep. Madeleine turned off the bedroom light, walked to the other side of the bed, lifted the covers and got in. Ever since their marriage, Howard had not been home often. Each time he was at home, he either left hastily after a wild tryst or showered and retreated to the guest room. This was the first time they laid quietly like a normal married couple in the same bed. With her eyes closed, Madeleine heard the man beside her breathing slow and steady in a sleeping rhythm. Yet she was too excited to fall asleep. In her mind, she replayed the scenes of Howard and her sharing a late-night snack and conversation, over and over. It made her heart feel as if honey had been poured into it, becoming sweet and warm. PS: Indeed, Madeleine was the first to wrong Howard. His treatment of her was understandable. Madeleine loved Howard, but Howard didn¡¯t love Madeleine. It was certain that Madeleine would endure and compromise. Just as Steve Burton did when he started loving Ruby. The one who falls in love first must, after all, exhibit patience and tolerance~ Chapter 801 - Chapter 801: Chapter 801: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (1)_1 Chapter 801: Chapter 801: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (1)_1 How she wished¡­ that time could just stay still, frozen, allowing him and her to be together in peace. Howard Coleman was willing to come home, willing to eat the late-night snack she prepared, willing to lie with her calmly in the same bed¡­ willing to block that knife for her without hesitation; did that mean that there was still hope for her and the Howard she loved? Deep in her heart she knew, what Howard did for her wasn¡¯t at all great, yet she was already content. He didn¡¯t love her; he even harbored some hatred towards her. It was she who had ruined the first love and affection of his life. Therefore, the fact that he was willing to coexist with her peacefully felt like a blessing from heaven. Madeleine turned with a smile, gazing at Howard¡¯s sleeping form in the dim light of the sleep lamp. In that moment, her heart suddenly found an extraordinary calm. Back in their youth, she would watch as Howard started dating girlfriends, one after the other. At that time, she wasn¡¯t without jealousy, but she told herself deep down that she didn¡¯t want to be just another passing figure in Howard¡¯s life; she wanted to be the one to grow old with him. She admitted that she was a bit foolish; she could have chosen to be with a man who truly loved her, being treated like a princess, exalted and adored. But she couldn¡¯t. At work she could be as decisive and commanding as a queen, but when facing the man she loved, she was nothing but a fool, vulnerable and beyond help. ¨C When Maya Mitchell was escorted out of the Grand Capital Hotel by the police, the doorway of the hotel was left with only a few doormen. The main characters of the grand proposal and the surrounding crowd had all dispersed without a trace. In the deep of the summer night, the air was no longer as oppressively hot as during the day. As Maya walked out of the Grand Capital Hotel¡¯s entrance, she instinctively looked up. The big screen overhead, which had just shown romantic scenes, now was empty, with no beautiful songs drifting through the air. However, in her mind¡¯s eye, she could still see the scenes broadcasted from the TV in the private room. Beauty like jade, the man divine. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co A match made in heaven, a perfect harmony. That must be the most beautiful yet unreal fairy tale in the world. Had it not been for the scattered rose petals on the ground, she might have thought that the scene she had seen on TV was just a fantastical vision she had concocted. The fragrance of roses still lingered in the air, mixed with a romantic and moving scent. The man she had loved for so many years had proposed to the woman she had diligently opposed for just as long. Steve Burton¡¯s words before leaving were not wrong at all. If she was so envious of Ruby Gregory, then let her be thoroughly envious to her heart¡¯s content. Such a proposal scene was truly blinding and heart-wrenching for her. A layer of moisture suddenly filled the corners of Maya¡¯s eyes, the words that Steve said to her in the private room echoing clearly in her ears. The man¡¯s tone was so collected and calm, yet it was a hundred times more cruel and brutal than Ruby¡¯s gnashing teeth and anger. He said everything had been leaked to her by him. He said his treatment of her was all an act. He also said that the cooperation deals and the hundreds of millions of capital she had earned by sleeping her way through were not actually for him but for Ruby Gregory, the woman she hated the most. ¡ª Chapter 802 - Chapter 802: Chapter 802 of Overbearing CEO Falls for the Gentle Wife (2)_1 Chapter 802: Chapter 802 of ¡®Overbearing CEO Falls for the Gentle Wife¡¯ (2)_1 Does anyone know? Tonight was the time he spoke to her the most. But all those words, every single letter, were like knives, stabbing her until she was bruised all over, bleeding copiously. She never thought that the one who pushed her off the cliff would turn out to be the man she loved deeply¡­ When she received the acceptance letter from Ciawell University, her dad told her there wasn¡¯t enough money to send her to school and advised her to marry the limping man ten years her senior from their village, to have a child early, and to make do with that life. She was unwilling to resign to that fate. Back then, she only had US$55, which was all the New Year¡¯s money she had saved up since childhood. With that, she bought a ticket for a slow train and after a full twenty-seven hours alone, she arrived in Ciawell with only US$24 in her pocket. Back then she was very poor and felt very inferior. She never imagined she¡¯d fall in love with someone, nor did she think she¡¯d fight with someone for so many years. All she thought about was studying hard, graduating, and finding a stable job so that she could live a secure life without the worry of money. But who could have predicted that meeting Steve Burton would ruin her life¡­ And ruin it permanently indeed! If only she hadn¡¯t come to Ciawell, had married the limping man ten years her senior, had a child¡ªalthough that life would¡¯ve been pathetic and stifling, she would not have ended up bruised all over, wearing chains, and going to jail. Maya Mitchell looked up at the sky, noting how clear the night was¡­ Under the reflection of the city¡¯s neon lights, she could actually see the moon and stars at the edge of the sky. After this, she might never see such a night sky again. Not having freedom isn¡¯t scary. What¡¯s terrifying is that she loved him so much, yet she would never be able to see herself again¡­ She was only twenty-eight years old, her life had just begun, and she might still have half a century before she died. How was she going to live through such a lengthy time? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?????????????????.co What to do, she really loved him to the point of no cure, loved him so much that she did so many bad things, hurt so many people, accrued so much debt, and yet received such cruelty from him in return. Still, she found herself hopelessly in love with him. The police car arrived and opened the door; someone pushed Maya forward, their words stern and heartless, ¡°Get in, hurry up!¡± Maya took two steps forward, glanced at the car in front of her. She took one look at the two police officers following her and then at the broad street ahead. Suddenly, her lips pursed tightly and, as she saw a car driving from a distance, she suddenly stepped forward and dashed into the street, hitting the car head-on. Maya was a woman, and she was handcuffed; the people from the station pushing her into the police car did not press down on her as they would with a male criminal. The suddenness of Maya¡¯s action caught everyone off guard, and before they could react, they saw her getting struck heavily by the oncoming car, thrown high into the air, flying a good five meters before crashing to the ground. Instantly, bright red blood began to flow out. Maya lay on the cold street, eyes open, looking at the moonlight and stars, with Steve Burton¡¯s face appearing vaguely before her. She reached out her hand, trying to grasp it, but all she caught was the rose petal lifted by the impact of her collision. It was a white rose petal that turned vivid red the moment she gripped it in her hand. Chapter 803 - Chapter 803: Chapter 803: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (3)_1 Chapter 803: Chapter 803: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (3)_1 Couples who have had a cesarean should wait at least two months before having sexual intercourse. It was Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday, and they were two days shy of the two-month mark. Though Steve Burton was feeling pent up, he ultimately couldn¡¯t bear to cross the line; he just kissed Ruby¡¯s lips and held her hand, letting her help him find release. Such lovemaking, though not utterly satisfying, was enough to relieve Steve¡¯s discomfort. At the end, he held Ruby and kissed her repeatedly, filling the room with his scent. Steve went to the bathroom to take a shower, then tiptoed out with a damp towel to wipe Ruby¡¯s hands, only to find her sleeping soundly, wrapped in the blanket. He carefully picked up her hand and wiped it clean, then leaned down to kiss her forehead. In a daze, Ruby opened her eyes and saw Steve¡¯s eyes looking at her, seemingly half-asleep. She pouted her lips, snuggled closer into Steve¡¯s arms, and whispered, ¡°Steve, let¡¯s pick a sunny, beautiful day to get our marriage certificate, okay?¡± Steve was overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes shining with a warm, spring-like lustre. His voice was a bit hoarse as he said, ¡°Okay,¡± then he bent down to affectionately kiss Ruby¡¯s hair before getting up and heading back to the bathroom with the towel. When Steve came out and was about to climb into bed, his cell phone on the bedside table suddenly started buzzing. Seeing that it was from Rusell Henris, he soothed Ruby, who frowned at the disturbance, and then answered the call. He walked quietly out of the bedroom and stood by the window in the hallway, speaking slowly into the phone, ¡°What¡¯s up? It¡¯s the middle of the night.¡± ¡°Maya Mitchell had an accident on her own.¡± Steve¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, ¡°Did she die?¡± ¡°No, but it¡¯s almost as bad as being dead.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Her brain was damaged in the collision. She might be like an idiot for the rest of her life. When she wakes up, she¡¯ll probably not recognize anyone, won¡¯t remember anything.¡± Steve said nothing. Rusell sighed heavily over the phone, and then said, ¡°Actually, this might be a good end for her. It¡¯s better than being fully aware and serving ten or eight years in jail.¡± Only then did Steve slightly flicker in his eyes and said softly into the phone, ¡°Don¡¯t let Ruby know about this.¡± After hanging up, Steve stood in front of the hallway window, looking out for a long time before turning back to the bedroom. He lifted the blanket and lay down in bed. The sleeping woman automatically snuggled into his embrace, found a comfortable position, and continued to sleep sweetly. Looking at her sleeping face, Steve¡¯s mood, which had been upset by the news of Maya, improved slightly. Some people are always like this, lacking cleverness yet insisting on scheming, lacking kindness but acting without limits. Sometimes, it wasn¡¯t that he wanted to be cruel; it was that she had been cruel first. Perhaps, as Rusell said, this really was the best outcome for her: to forget all the bad things she had done, the ¡°bad people¡± she had loved, to live simply as an idiot. Yes, ¡°bad people¡±; to her, wasn¡¯t he also a bad person? ¡ª The day after Steve¡¯s proposal, The Burtons and The Gregorys began to prepare for Steve and Ruby¡¯s wedding. [This is farewell to Maya Mitchell. She might have done many bad things, but for her, the greatest blow was the hurt from the person she deeply loved. More updates to follow~] Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Chapter 804: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (4)_1 Chapter 804: Chapter 804: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (4)_1 Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory¡¯s marriage proposal was recorded and shared on Twitter, and the next day, it surprisingly topped the trending list. In this world, netizens are capable of anything. Although neither Steve Burton nor Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter accounts were verified, people still dug them up, and Mrs. Gregory and The Triplets as well as Ruby¡¯s fans started to skyrocket overnight. Ruby Gregory had been using Twitter far longer than Steve Burton and posted updates daily, while Steve Burton had only posted once, a photo of himself with The Triplets in their incubator. Ruby Gregory also shared her own pictures, but she would Photoshop them first, not to alter her facial features, but to soften the lighting, making her skin look as delicate as a peeled egg. But Steve Burton¡¯s pictures were posted just as they were taken, and although in the photos he¡¯s tilting his head and the angles are not great, they still manage to capture his charm. Together with the video where he looks dashing, he won the favor of countless female compatriots. In just three hours, Steve Burton¡¯s followers not only surpassed Ruby¡¯s but did so by nearly a hundred thousand. Three days later, Steve Burton¡¯s followers reached over a million. Ruby Gregory, whose own follower count was just a small fraction of Steve¡¯s, wasn¡¯t happy about it but still accompanied him to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their marriage certificate. Just as Ruby Gregory had said, the sun was exceptionally bright that day. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory smiled for a photo together in the Civil Affairs Bureau, recited the marriage vows, and then walked out with two bright red booklets. After leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, Steve Burton received a call from Edward Woods, ¡°Brother, you and Ruby have got your certificate, right? To celebrate you both saying farewell to singlehood, I¡¯ve arranged a big Bachelorette Party for you tonight. Seven-thirty at The Sapphire Bistro, don¡¯t miss it. It¡¯s specially for you two, so make sure you¡¯re there!¡± ¨C Edric Reat also received the electronic invitation card that Edward Woods sent out online. He felt he was courting disaster, having witnessed online how Steve Burton proposed to Ruby Gregory. Not to mention the expenses, but the meaning of those photos¡ªthe past they represented¡ªwas something he could never have in his lifetime. Yet, upon receiving their Bachelorette Party invitation, he found himself wanting to attend. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co From beginning to end, he had played the role of an unimportant outsider. During the process, perhaps he really was like a knight only found in fairy tales. Now that the prince and princess were finally together, the story had its perfect ending. He should have gracefully exited the stage, but he wanted to see for himself the girl of his dreams, looking blissful and happy. Edric Reat canceled all of his overtime work for the evening and specially went to the mall to buy the latest suit. Dressed to the nines, he drove to The Sapphire Bistro. When he arrived, Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory hadn¡¯t yet made it, and the place was filled with quite a few of Ciawell¡¯s elites, including some of their college classmates. As the main characters of the evening, Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory were a full ten minutes late, leaving Edward Woods, who had come out to greet them, rushing back to the private room to inform everyone that the guests of honor had finally arrived. Then, everyone immediately turned off the lights in the room and maintained a complicit silence in the dark stillness. Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Chapter 805: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (5)_1 Chapter 805: Chapter 805: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (5)_1 About five minutes later, footsteps could be heard outside the door, accompanied by Ruby Gregory¡¯s crisp and appealing voice, ¡°Steve, do you think this dress is pretty?¡± ¡°Pretty,¡± the man answered with a voice that was deep and patient. ¡°Steve, do you think my hairstyle is beautiful today?¡± ¡°Beautiful.¡± ¡°Steve, do you think I¡¯m good-looking?¡± ¡°Good-looking.¡± Through the door, everyone heard Ruby¡¯s playful and cheerful giggle, and then the next second, her slightly rogue tone came through: ¡°Steve, why do you keep complimenting me today? You¡¯re making me blush.¡± As Ruby finished speaking, the door of the private room, pushed open by a smiling server who couldn¡¯t help but be amused by Ruby¡¯s cheeky response, revealed two people being led in. ¡°Eh, why is it so dark in here? Wasn¡¯t it agreed no show, no go at 7:30? Why is there no one?¡± As Ruby¡¯s confused words just fell, the sound of party poppers exploded, and countless colorful ribbons fell down, showering Steve and Ruby in an instant. The next second, the lights in the private room came on, revealing those familiar faces wearing a common blessing, shouting in unison, ¡°Welcome to the future bride and groom!¡± The moment the lights came on, Edric Reat¡¯s gaze fixated directly on Ruby. Before entering the private room, the woman had clung to the man, incessantly asking questions and then playfully accused him of praising her too much. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co On her face was that cute and charming little pout she had when she was being capricious with Steve, her cheeks slightly flushed with joy from everyone¡¯s sudden congratulations, looking lively and beautiful no matter how one saw it. And the man standing beside her? He had a face full of indulgence and doting, as if he was extremely entertained by the girl¡¯s naughtiness. Suddenly, Edric felt a blockage in the depths of his heart; he really did come here to dig his own grave! The arrival of the future bride and groom lifted everyone¡¯s spirits somewhat high, and they raised their glasses, toasting to Steve and Ruby with genuine blessings. ¡°Congratulations to you both, a talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven.¡± ¡°I wish you will grow old together, always united in heart and mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of you two, childhood sweethearts. I sincerely wish you happiness.¡± Edric remained seated, keeping a gentle smile as he watched people offer one blessing after another. Those words of blessing, each filled with beautiful phrases, made the tightness in his heart even worse, confirming to himself that he indeed came here to meet his doom. Edric waited until everyone was done with their toasts before he picked up the glass in front of him, walked up to Steve and Ruby, and raising his glass, he struggled to maintain the most appropriate smile and with an even tone, he offered two words: ¡°Congratulations.¡± The moment those words were spoken, Edric¡¯s heart felt faintly acidic. Actually, he didn¡¯t want to say congratulations. What he wanted to say was: Ruby, I love you. Edric raised his head and downed the glass of alcohol in one go, then he poured himself another, raised it and said, ¡°Happiness.¡± Actually, he didn¡¯t want to say happiness. What he wanted to say was: Ruby, I bought the house you lived in when you were pregnant. Edric once again raised his head and drank the second glass, swallowing all the sourness rising in his throat. Then he poured himself a third glass of alcohol, still finishing it in one gulp, still offering two words: ¡°Forever.¡± Chapter 806 - Chapter 806: Chapter 806: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (6)_1 Chapter 806: Chapter 806: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (6)_1 Actually, what he wanted to say wasn¡¯t ¡°forever¡±; what he wanted to say was, ¡°Ruby, will you marry me?¡± Suddenly, he remembered a movie he had seen years before, ¡°Those Years, The Girl We Chased Together,¡± and the emotions of the male protagonist, who had loved a girl for so many years, while attending her wedding¡ªhis feelings right now must be akin to those of that character. Unfortunately, some loves can never be actively confessed. If only he had known that this would be the conclusion, yet still, he wanted to come here for his own release. Steve looked steadily at Edric Reat, who had swiftly downed three glasses of alcohol, then, without hesitation, he picked up his own glass and poured himself three drinks as well, emptying each one in a single swallow. After each glass, he uttered two words: ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruby had only one drink, and after finishing it, she flashed Edric a faint smile, then said, ¡°Edric Reat, thank you.¡± Edric did not speak, only responding with a faint smile to Ruby. He thought he should be able to find release. The girl I love, I wish you happiness, and may you always be happy. ¨C The past few days were the most dreamlike that Madeleine had ever experienced. Howard would come home every day, and every night they would sleep in the same bed¡ªeven though they hadn¡¯t done what a married couple should do, Howard would have breakfast with her, eat late-night snacks with her, and even once, during a heavy rain a couple of days ago, Howard had offered her a ride home from work in his car. Such days were so beautiful that Madeleine felt as if in a daze, even harboring the illusion in the depths of her heart that she and Howard were truly a loving married couple. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co For Steve and Ruby¡¯s Bachelorette Party, everyone was having a great time, and regardless of whether they were tone-deaf or not, each went up to request a song to dedicate to Steve and Ruby. Madeleine was no exception; she chose a very old song called ¡°The Most Romantic Thing.¡± As she sang, her gaze kept drifting towards Howard, who was sitting aside. His clear face showed little emotion, and the colorful lights of the private room fell into his eyes, making them shine even more brightly. When she finished the last line, ¡°The most romantic thing I can think of is growing old with you,¡± Howard suddenly looked up and met her gaze. After her song ended, Madeleine remained seated on the tall chair at the request station, still holding the microphone until Edward Woods came over and took it from her. It was only then that she returned to her senses and walked over to Howard¡¯s side. When Madeleine sat down, a delayed awareness belatedly dawned on Howard as well. He slightly bowed his head and coughed twice into his hand before whispering, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom,¡± and then he quickly stood up and left the private room. Howard didn¡¯t actually go to the bathroom when he entered the men¡¯s restroom; instead, he stood in a stall and lit a cigarette, taking slow drags. He felt that something within him was changing, but he couldn¡¯t identify what exactly was changing or how. After finishing the cigarette, Howard exhaled deeply, threw the cigarette into the toilet, flushed it away, and then walked out of the restroom. While washing his hands at the sink, a woman emerged from the ladies¡¯ restroom and stood beside him. She turned on the faucet and glanced his way, pausing for a moment before finally breaking the silence and calling out, ¡°Howard?¡± PS: Nine chapters today, I still owe you all two¡ª I¡¯ll continue to pay back tomorrow~ I won¡¯t tell you that the overbearing CEO is Ruby, and the tender wife is Steve! I still need to write about the plot developments and sweet moments of ¡°Ruby¡¯s Time,¡± like the story of Steve raising Chise and Candice from a young age with a ¡°sister slave¡± mindset, and, for instance, the scenes from the synopsis~ Plus the scene where Ruby confesses to Steve, explaining why Ruby doesn¡¯t love Edric Reat~~ There¡¯s a pinned post in the comments section with a message from me, have a look for yourself~ Chapter 807 - Chapter 807: Chapter 807: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (7)_1 No content Chapter 808 - Chapter 808: Chapter 808: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (8)_1 No content Chapter 809 - Chapter 809: Chapter 809: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (9)_1 No content Chapter 810 - Chapter 810: Chapter 810: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (10)_1 Chapter 810: Chapter 810: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (10)_1 Steve Burton was just about to turn into the hallway leading to the restroom when he heard a familiar and heart-fluttering female voice: ¡°Yes, indeed, I am Ruby Gregory, the one who was proposed to at the Grand Ciawell Restaurant.¡± Steve¡¯s steps involuntarily came to a halt, and then he heard several unfamiliar female voices coming from inside. ¡°You look so much more beautiful in person than in the videos.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, that proposal was so romantic, I¡¯m dying of jealousy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve followed you on Twitter, can you follow me back?¡± Steve took a slight step forward and saw Ruby Gregory standing with three other women, studying something on her phone: ¡°This is you, right? I¡¯ve followed you.¡± ¡°Ms. Gregory, your watch is really beautiful, it looks like the newest limited edition from Chanel,¡± one of the women remarked with keen eyes upon spotting the Chanel watch studded with colored diamonds on Ruby¡¯s fair and slender wrist. ¡°This one?¡± Ruby lifted her wrist, glanced at the watch, and spoke with an air of nonchalance, ¡°I have two of these.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a limited edition, supposed to be the only one in the world?¡± another woman asked in surprise. Cocking her head, Ruby replied matter-of-factly, ¡°Whenever I like something, my husband goes out of his way to buy me two of them, one to use and one to keep, in case I lose it by accident and feel heartbroken.¡± ¡°Ms. Gregory, Mr. Burton is so good to you!¡± ¡°So Mr. Burton would get you two of everything, no matter how valuable, as long as you like it?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Yes,¡± Ruby gently nodded her head as though recalling a memory, and added, ¡°I once liked a pink diamond pendant that had just been unearthed from Gilead, a one-of-a-kind piece. My husband spent half a year¡¯s profits from Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, and it took another six months to mine a similar pink diamond in Gilead. He then gave me two identical pendants.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± The three women surrounding Ruby couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in admiration. Just as they were about to continue praising her, Steve, standing at one end of the hallway, timely interjected with a call, ¡°Ruby.¡± Ruby Gregory turned her head immediately upon hearing Steve¡¯s voice. She had encountered the three unfamiliar women when she came out of the restroom. The women hadn¡¯t recognized her as the lead in the marriage proposal at the Grand Capital Hotel, but they were holding up their phones, examining Steve¡¯s photos on Twitter, and murmuring, ¡°He¡¯s so handsome, I really wish he would marry me.¡± ¡°You have no idea, after seeing the god-like Steve, I feel like those TV stars are nothing. Last night, I even dreamed that I was sleeping with god-like Steve!¡± ¡­ Before Ruby Gregory realized she had fallen in love with Steve, many women were just as crazily obsessed with him. At that time, she didn¡¯t see anything wrong with such obsession, but now, having learned to love under his guidance, she felt an undeniable hint of jealousy hearing these words, even though she knew these women didn¡¯t even recognize Steve. Although she was not one to compete, in that moment, she still hoped to assert her own sovereignty. So she took out her phone, cleared her throat, and pretended to be on a call. She spoke loudly into the phone, ¡°Where at? Honestly, I had no idea Steve would suddenly propose to me at the Grand Capital Hotel¡­¡± Chapter 811 - Chapter 811: Chapter 811: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (11)_1 Chapter 811: Chapter 811: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (11)_1 When Ruby Gregory repeated those words, she distinctly noticed that the three women who had been gushing over Steve Burton immediately turned to look at her. Slowing her pace, Ruby continued to talk on the phone for a moment and then hung up a call that was never actually dialed. Then one of the three women called out to her, inquiring if she was the woman who¡¯d been proposed to at the Grand Capital Hotel. The purpose of Ruby¡¯s boasting about Steve Burton¡¯s affection was to dispel any fantasies the three women might have harbored about him. In fact, this kind of boasting truly delighted Ruby deep down, but just as she was savoring it, not having reached the peak of her elation, she was caught red-handed by Steve Burton. The joy in Ruby¡¯s heart popped like a balloon pricked by a needle, dissipating completely. She turned into a bundle of embarrassment and quickly bid the three women¨Cwho were now completely entranced by Steve Burton¨Can awkward farewell before hurrying to his side. Steve Burton stood elegantly in place, and although he did not know why Ruby had felt the need to flaunt his affection to those three women, he was always ready to support her in whatever she enjoyed doing. So when Ruby approached him, he gently reached out to tidy her hair with tender care, took her handbag and, holding her hand, turned to leave. Embarrassed, Ruby did not dare look at the man beside her as they left The Sapphire Bistro, feeling her cheeks grow hotter by the second. Since both Steve Burton and Ruby had consumed alcohol, they couldn¡¯t drive. Steve called their driver to pick them up from The Sapphire Bistro. Now, as the night was just right, Steve, while waiting for the driver, held Ruby¡¯s hand as they slowly strolled along the sidewalk by the road. The summer night breeze was gentle, but it did nothing to dissipate the embarrassing flush on Ruby¡¯s face. Unwillingly, she tightened her grip on Steve¡¯s hand. Steve felt the strength of her grip and turned to look at her. Under the night sky, her face was flushed with a mix of nervousness and insecurity. An involuntary layer of soft amusement appeared in his eyes. He knew Ruby was embarrassed about being caught boasting and, with lips curved in a smile and a tone as cool as the night yet laced with warmth, he said, ¡°Ruby, the way you just boasted was not right.¡± Was he criticizing her? Ruby¡¯s head drooped down even more, and she gripped Steve¡¯s hand tighter. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Looking at her fluffy hair hanging down, Steve felt an immense tenderness and, lifting his hand, gently ruffled her long hair before continuing, ¡°You should¡¯ve told them I like to buy two of everything my husband Steve Burton likes, rather than just saying my husband will buy me two of everything.¡± Ruby¡¯s head shot up, blinking at Steve with an incredulous look. He wasn¡¯t blaming her for boasting at all¡­ Moreover, the response he suggested seemed much more dominating and powerful than hers. My husband Steve Burton¡­ How those words filled her heart with sheer delight. [I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything disgusting about Ruby boasting like that~ And I always write these sweet and endearing scenes, so if they are not to your taste, please go around~] Chapter 812 - Chapter 812: Chapter 812: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (12)_1 Chapter 812: Chapter 812: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (12)_1 Despite that, Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart still felt uneasy. As she and Steve Burton slowly walked on, she eventually couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to glance at his perfectly chiseled handsome profile and cautiously started to explain the reason behind her recent behavior, ¡°Those three women, they kept saying you¡¯re their god, one of them even said she dreamt about sleeping with you last night, and then I just¡­¡± Ruby stopped there, then turned her gaze back to the road ahead. After walking about ten steps, she spoke again, ¡°Steve, showing off to others like that just now, was it a bit like what a bad girl would do?¡± Although Steve Burton was not a girl, he knew that a woman¡¯s thoughts were often more delicate than a man¡¯s. Hearing her question, he couldn¡¯t help but tightly squeeze Ruby Gregory¡¯s hand and said with his usual cool tone, ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m really glad that you can be jealous for me.¡± After Steve finished speaking, his steps suddenly halted. Ruby stopped as well. Steve grabbed Ruby¡¯s other hand, pulled her into a half-turn to face him, and gazed into her eyes that shimmered with a captivating brightness. His voice remained steady and unruffled, but the words he spoke were more touching than a thousand love sentences, ¡°Ruby, in front of me, you can be any kind of girl. You can be willful, vain, ungentle, and even unreasonable. As long as it¡¯s the real you, no matter what, to me, you will always be the best version of yourself.¡± Steve thought, if a man truly loves a woman, he would indulgently allow the girl he loves to do as she pleases, even if she goes against the whole world. He would stand behind her without hesitation, shielding her from the wind and rain. He truly loved Ruby Gregory, so the girl he loved could be any kind of girl in front of him. She didn¡¯t need to be perfect, obedient, gentle and considerate, or compromising. Ruby¡¯s heart instantly warmed, and a hint of heat welled up in her eyes. She felt so moved she nearly cried, but instead she smiled and lifted her head, gazing up at the man who towered over her, and said coquettishly, ¡°Steve, you¡¯re going to spoil me this way.¡± ¡°My woman, if I don¡¯t spoil you, who will?¡± Steve¡¯s tone of voice when he said this was so even it was almost without a ripple, yet somehow it conveyed an air of unruly arrogance. Ruby thought, this must be the most beautiful and touching sweet talk she had ever heard. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï She couldn¡¯t help but hug Steve¡¯s arm, her eyes shining with joy as she smiled. Her smile, under the glow of the streetlights, was stunning. Looking at her with a tender and affectionate gaze, Steve noticed the high heels she wore and thought about the long walk they had taken from The Sapphire Bistro, then he knelt before Ruby, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Ruby lay on Steve¡¯s back, arms encircling his neck, perhaps a bit exhilarated by the man¡¯s boundless indulgence and affection, so much so that she talked more than usual. Without a hint of impatience, Steve patiently indulged her tangents. In the end, without intending to, Ruby brought up Edric Reat. [There¡¯s more to come~~~ With every plot I arrange, there will always be a stretch of happiness~ If he loves you, you can be any kind of girl~] Chapter 813 - Chapter 813: Chapter 813: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (13)_1 Chapter 813: Chapter 813: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (13)_1 Ruby Gregory only said one thing, ¡°Steve, when you were settling the bill, I went to the restroom, and then, while washing my hands, I ran into Edric Reat.¡± Ruby brought up Edric so casually that even she herself didn¡¯t realize she had mentioned him until after the fact. Then, she thought back to the scene where she encountered Edric: When Ruby came out of the ladies¡¯ restroom, Edric happened to come out from the men¡¯s at the same time. Edric paused for a moment and then called out Ruby¡¯s name: ¡°Ruby.¡± With a warm smile, Ruby naturally greeted Edric back and then headed to the sink to turn on the tap. Edric stood behind Ruby, watching her for quite a while before taking steps towards her, reaching another sink to wash his hands, somewhat absentmindedly. Just as Ruby turned off the tap, Edric also raised his hand to turn off his. He took a paper towel, dried his hands, and at the moment he threw it into the trash can, Ruby spoke to him, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Edric responded with a ¡°Goodbye,¡± then watched Ruby¡¯s retreating figure. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but call out to stop Ruby from leaving. Ruby hesitated, turning her head back to look at Edric¡¯s face, which reflected the happiness Steve brought her. Edric simply felt as if something was clogging his throat, making him extraordinarily uncomfortable. It took a great effort for him to make a sound: ¡°Ruby, I might not be able to attend your wedding.¡± Ruby¡¯s expression froze slightly: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Edric smiled faintly, his tone calm yet tinged with sadness, ¡°I sent an email last month applying to work abroad for the head office in Costa Luna. A few days ago, I received a reply; I might have to go abroad soon. Edric paused then added, ¡°I might not come back after that.¡± Without waiting for Ruby to speak, Edric smiled and said, ¡°So, Ruby, I¡¯ll just wish you a happy marriage in advance.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 After saying that, Edric didn¡¯t wait for Ruby to respond. He walked past her and left the restroom. He didn¡¯t even leave her a goodbye. This was the first time in his life that he had said farewell to Ruby and was the one to leave first. In the past, it was always him watching her back. ¨C Ruby leaned on Steve¡¯s shoulder, thinking of Edric¡¯s departing figure, and suddenly felt an indescribable discomfort in her heart. She truly held no romantic feelings for Edric in her heart. Perhaps before Edric helped her hide The Triplets¡¯ real identity, he hadn¡¯t left much of an impact in her life. But now that Edric was leaving, never to return, she discovered she felt a sad discomfort, as if she had lost a good friend. With this thought, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but speak up again: ¡°Steve, Edric told me he¡¯s going to Costa Luna and he might never come back.¡± Steve sensed the melancholy in Ruby¡¯s words and his expression subtly shifted to a more somber one. With his back to Ruby, he remained silent, not picking up the conversation about Edric. Chapter 814 - Chapter 814: Chapter 814: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (14)_1 Chapter 814: Chapter 814: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (14)_1 Ruby Gregory let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Steve, do you know? Actually, Edric Reat has been quite good to me. Besides you, Madeleine, Rusell, Edward, and Howard, he¡¯s the one who truly cares for me.¡± ¡°However, I wish Edric well and hope that after he goes abroad, he will have an even better future!¡± When Ruby spoke, her words were full of sincerity, but Steve¡¯s heart felt as if he had drunk vinegar, turning sour. Steve continued to walk forward with Ruby on his back, but eventually, he spoke up, ¡°Ruby¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ruby leaned her head forward. Steve stuck out his tongue, licked his lips, and without looking at Ruby, asked with a tense voice, ¡°Do you, by any chance, like Edric Reat?¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes widened, and she looked somewhat surprised. She opened her mouth but took a while before saying, ¡°How could I possibly like Edric Reat?¡± As she spoke, her entire body sprang up, and she said to Steve with a bit of seriousness, ¡°Edric Reat and I have always been just friends.¡± Steve looked up at Ruby¡¯s earnest face and couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. Seeing Steve¡¯s smile, Ruby finally relaxed and climbed back onto his shoulder. Her long dress dragged on the ground, swaying over the surface as Steve walked slowly forward. Ruby looked at the streetlights ahead and suddenly felt as if time stood still, making her heart exceedingly tender. She slowly shifted her gaze from the distant view to Steve¡¯s profile¡ªhis handsome features captivating her for a long moment. Unable to resist, Ruby leaned in close to him and whispered with a voice soft and coquettish, ¡°Steve, owe you two phrases?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0 ¡°What phrases?¡± Steve felt Ruby¡¯s breath on his skin, causing an itchy sensation that brought a rush of heat. Ruby¡¯s face flushed even before she spoke, and biting her lip bashfully, she whispered into Steve¡¯s ear, ¡°Husband.¡± Steve came to an abrupt halt as if someone had hit an acupoint, his steps freezing in place. Before he could come back to his senses, he heard Ruby¡¯s voice, soft and beautiful as spring water, ring in his ear, ¡°I love you.¡± ¨C Howard Coleman and Madeleine were driven home in Howard¡¯s chauffeured car to Howard¡¯s apartment. These past few days, after getting off work, Howard would have a late-night snack with Madeleine, so upon entering the house, she went straight to the kitchen, took out the snack from the thermal box, and asked Howard, who had taken off his coat, ¡°Snack time?¡± Howard had drunk quite a bit of alcohol that night and felt somewhat queasy, compounded by his sudden encounter with Anita Madris, he had no appetite and shook his head, saying, ¡°My stomach feels uneasy today,¡± then walked into the master bedroom with heavy steps. Stomach upset? Madeleine stood at the kitchen doorway holding the plate for a while before turning back into the kitchen, placing the plate on the table, grabbing her wallet and phone, and then leaving the apartment. Howard slumped on the sofa in the master bedroom and reached for his phone, but instead, he pulled out the shopping coupon Anita Madris had left him. He stared at the eleven numbers on the shopping coupon for a while and then picked up his phone. PS: Today there are eight chapters, and for the day I¡¯ve gone to sleep, there will be ten chapters¡ªlet¡¯s leave a bit of suspense, whether Howard did indeed call his true love or not~ Chapter 815 - Chapter 815: Chapter 815: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (15)_1 Chapter 815: Chapter 815: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (15)_1 Howard Coleman slumped on the master bedroom¡¯s sofa, reaching out to touch his phone when he accidentally pulled out the shopping voucher Anita Madris had left him. He stared at the eleven digits on the voucher for a while, then picked up his phone, his expression deepening as he gazed at the lock screen¡¯s time digits. His finger slid subconsciously down the screen, typing in the password and unlocking it. Howard opened his phone¡¯s dial pad; he had looked at the eleven numbers several times tonight and had already memorized them. Nonetheless, he once again bowed his head to look at the phone number on the voucher. Even after a year, Anita¡¯s handwriting was as delicate and fluid as ever. Swallowing hard twice, as if something was compelling him, his fingers involuntarily tapped out the number on the keypad. Then his fingers hesitated, bending and straightening repeatedly, but after several times, he still didn¡¯t press the call button. Instead, he tossed the phone aside and leaned back on the sofa, looking rather listless. He raised his hand to gaze at the glaringly bright crystal lamp on the ceiling and couldn¡¯t help but lift his hand to cover his eyes. During the days Anita was sent abroad by her father with money in hand, he had frantically searched for her to the point of madness! He had no idea which country she had gone to, and he racked his brains trying to find out her flight information, but someone obstructed him, and in the end, there was no news. Even during that time, he held on to the hope that perhaps she never left the country. He had waited under the apartment she once rented, searched for her in the cafes she liked, and walked through the malls she frequented¡­ but all those efforts still culminated in a silent ending without a trace of her. As time passed and days lengthened, the pain in his heart was undeniable, but he gradually gave up the search. Still, occasionally, when he was alone, in the dead of night, he would remember the woman named Anita Madris who once gave him that wonderful feeling of a heart racing in excitement. In fact, during the more than two hundred days since she left, he was always wondering when she would return, and when he would unexpectedly encounter her again. At that time, he thought, he would definitely be excited and happy to see her. But he never expected¡­ when that day actually arrived, he found to his surprise that his heart wasn¡¯t filled with the joy he had imagined, and even¡­ he felt a kind of indescribable sense of disorientation. Howard let his arm fall from his eyes, picked up his phone again, and looked at the eleven digits he had entered. His throat moved slightly, and then he pressed the call button. About ten seconds later, the call connected with a beeping sound. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï As the phone call went through, the image of Madeleine suddenly flashed across Howard¡¯s mind, and his expression instantly stiffened. He felt a strange, unexplainable anxiety weighing on his heart, which made his hand clench tighter around the phone. Then he heard the sound of the call connecting, and Anita¡¯s invariably gentle tone came through: ¡°Hello?¡± Howard, hearing the voice that he had longed for so desperately for a long time, grew even more anxious inside. Without uttering a word, he abruptly hung up the phone. Chapter 816 - Chapter 816: Chapter 816: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (16)_1 Chapter 816: Chapter 816: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (16)_1 Then, suddenly, a bolt of lightning sliced through the sky outside the window, followed by deafening thunder that rolled in. Howard Coleman sat on the sofa, glancing out the window. The weather had been fine when he came home, but had changed abruptly, with large raindrops pelting against the glass, pattering away. Howard¡¯s hand, holding his phone, rested on the sofa. Leaning against the sofa, he closed his eyes. The room was very quiet, with only the sound of thunder, wind, and rain from outside continuously entering his ears. Yet Howard realized he had no true desire to speak with Anita Madris, no sense of panic. Howard didn¡¯t know how long he had sat there; the phone in his palm began to ring. He opened his eyes and glanced sideways at the screen¡ªa string of phone numbers, ones he had seen many times tonight. Howard¡¯s lips moved slightly, and his grip on the phone tightened, but he never reached out to answer it, letting the ringing continue until it finally stopped, and the room returned to silence once more. The sound of wind and rain outside grew louder. Remembering that he hadn¡¯t closed the living room window when he got home, Howard carelessly tossed the phone onto the sofa and walked out of the bedroom. The rain poured through the open window onto the balcony, leaving a layer of dampness. Howard closed the window, picked up a dry mop from the balcony, swiped it across a couple of times casually, then threw the mop aside carelessly as he walked back into the living room. Before entering the master bedroom, Howard glanced at the dining room but didn¡¯t see Madeleine¡¯s figure through the open dining room door. His brow furrowed, he walked toward the dining room, peeked inside¡ªempty¡ªthen proceeded to the bathroom in the living room. The door wasn¡¯t locked; he pushed it open to find it empty as well. Was Madeleine not at home? In such foul weather¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Howard looked outside, then headed towards the foyer, where he saw the pair of slippers Madeleine usually wore neatly placed on the floor. She had indeed gone out¡­ In the middle of the night, what was she doing? Howard hesitated for a moment, about to change his shoes, when he heard the rustling sound of someone entering the passcode outside the door. Then, the door opened, and what met Howard¡¯s eyes was Madeleine drenched like a drowned rat. Seeing Howard standing at the doorway, Madeleine paused briefly, then extended her hand to wring out her dripping wet clothes a couple of times. Howard stood still, watching Madeleine¡¯s movements for a while before asking, ¡°Where have you been?¡± Madeleine casually gathered her soaked hair, tilted her head to twist it, and took off her drenched shoes outside the door before stepping inside. As she closed the door, she pulled a plastic bag-wrapped medicine box out of her pocket and handed it to Howard, ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling a stomach discomfort? I went to buy some medicine.¡± Howard stared at the medicine box in Madeleine¡¯s hand, his hand subconsciously clenched into a fist, his lips pressed tightly together. Seeing that Howard wasn¡¯t taking the medicine, Madeleine, thinking he despised the medication she had bought, couldn¡¯t help but lower her head, her tone tinged with a hint of sadness, ¡°You won¡¯t rest well with a stomachache.¡± As she spoke, Madeleine looked up at Howard, ¡°I¡¯ll pour you a glass of water. You¡¯ll feel much better after taking the medicine.¡± Chapter 817 - Chapter 817: Chapter 817: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (17)_1 Chapter 817: Chapter 817: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (17)_1 After speaking, Madeleine didn¡¯t even change out of her clothes soaked by the rain; she went straight to the water dispenser, poured a cup of warm water for Howard Coleman, and, following the instructions on the medicine box, took two pills for Howard. She turned around and handed them to Howard, but she found the man still standing in the foyer area, staring intently at the door, lost in thought. As Madeleine walked up to Howard, before she could open her mouth to speak, the man snapped back to reality, turned his head, and looked at her hair, which had become a wet mess. He then extended his hand to take the medicine and the cup from her and said, ¡°Go take a hot shower quickly, be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Before Madeleine had broken up Howard and Anita Madris, Howard had always treated her like a younger sister, caring for her, cherishing her, but ever since she became his wife, she hadn¡¯t heard any words of concern from him. The words Howard spoke now, compared to how he used to treat her, weren¡¯t all that considerate, but at that moment, Madeleine felt an immense sense of happiness. She instantly gave Howard a sweet smile, nodded vigorously, then turned and headed toward the bedroom. Howard watched Madeleine¡¯s figure disappear at the entrance of the master bedroom before lowering his head, looking at the cup and pills in his hands, and a rush of indescribable emotions rapidly spread in his chest. He actually hadn¡¯t felt sick at all; he had just run into Anita Madris and didn¡¯t have the appetite for a late-night snack, so he had made up a random excuse to Madeleine. But he hadn¡¯t expected that such a casual fabrication would make her run out to buy medicine for him without regard for the terrible weather. The storm outside the window hadn¡¯t stopped, and when Howard turned his head to look outside, a bright flash of lightning happened to strike down. Howard abruptly stuffed the pills into his mouth, then took the cup, drank a large gulp of water, and swallowed the medicine. When Howard returned to the master bedroom, Madeleine was still showering, so he casually sat on the sofa, picked up his phone, and saw that there were two text messages¡ªhe clicked to open them, and they were from Anita Madris. ¡°Is that you, Howard?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 ¡°Howard, I know it¡¯s you.¡± Howard stared at the text messages, lost in thought, until the sound of the bathroom door sliding open behind him snapped him back to reality. He quickly locked his phone screen, turned his head, glanced at Madeleine wearing long-sleeve, long-pant pajamas, hesitated for a moment, pointed at the bed, and said, ¡°You should rest early.¡± Madeleine nodded, obediently climbed onto the bed, and Howard sat on the couch for a while before standing up, turning off the bedroom lights, and heading to the bathroom himself. After Howard had showered, he picked up his phone, lay on the other side of the bed, and dimmed the sleep light a little. The room was very quiet; Howard knew Madeleine wasn¡¯t asleep yet, but the two of them didn¡¯t exchange a single word. From time to time, there were peals of thunder outside the window. Howard¡¯s hands were cushioned behind his head, his eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he heard his phone, placed on the nightstand next to him, beep twice, signaling an incoming text message. [Some say it¡¯s not worth it for Madeleine, some say Madeleine is being abused, but if you have truly loved, being able to do things for your beloved is a form of happiness. If you love someone, but don¡¯t even have the privilege to serve them, that is the real tragedy. At this moment, Madeleine is far happier than when she first married Howard.] Chapter 818 - Chapter 818: Chapter 818: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (18)_1 Chapter 818: Chapter 818: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (18)_1 Howard Coleman didn¡¯t look at his phone, and about half a minute later, the text message notification sounded again. Howard extended his hand, took the phone, rubbed his fingers across the screen a couple of times, and then lifted it to his face to unlock the screen and look. It was still from Anita Madris. ¡°Howard, I know you¡¯re not asleep.¡± ¡°Howard, don¡¯t you have anything you want to say to me?¡± Madeleine had closed her eyes only after Howard Coleman had lain down beside her. Although they hadn¡¯t even touched hands during this period, she felt that this time was the most beautiful and peaceful time of her life. She no longer had to wait alone in an empty room for Howard, who she knew wouldn¡¯t come home until dawn. She could listen to his long breaths, smell his unique scent, and sweetly fall asleep. Howard¡¯s phone often received calls and texts, which Madeleine didn¡¯t pay much attention to; so when his phone rang twice in succession that night and he picked it up to check the text, she merely opened her eyes casually, glanced over, then closed them again. The light from Howard¡¯s phone screen was a bit bright, reflecting uncomfortably on Madeleine¡¯s closed eyelids. She hadn¡¯t fallen asleep and hadn¡¯t heard Howard reply to the message, so she opened her eyes and saw Howard staring blankly at the screen. In the dim glow of the room¡¯s sleep light, Madeleine could clearly see the expression on Howard¡¯s face¡ªhe appeared somewhat burdened and complex, as if he were wrestling with some particularly difficult issue. Madeleine looked at Howard¡¯s phone screen. She couldn¡¯t make out the specific content on his phone, but she could roughly tell it was the messaging app. Who had sent Howard the text message that he was so engrossed in? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï A vague sense of unease began to surface at the bottom of Madeleine¡¯s heart. She lay quietly beside him, silently observing his profile. Because it was a thunderstorm, it came fiercely but also left quickly. Now, the thunder had quieted, and the wind and rain had subsided, making the world even more silent. Not knowing exactly how much time had passed, Madeleine finally saw Howard, who had maintained the same expression the whole time, blink, lock his phone screen, and casually throw it aside before closing his eyes. Fearing that Howard might notice her watching him, Madeleine quickly closed her eyes as he put down his phone, feigning deep sleep. Only after a long while did Madeleine open her eyes again. The sleepiness had gone, and she just stared at Howard¡¯s seemingly asleep profile, motionless. ¨C Steve Burton was utterly entranced by Ruby Gregory¡¯s two phrases, ¡°husband¡± and ¡°I love you.¡± He stood on the street with her on his back for a long time before he came back to his senses, put Ruby down, and pulled her into his arms, going straight in and kissing her lips without hesitation. Halfway through the kiss with Ruby, Steve received a call from the driver. He answered and gave the driver the address. Within no more than five minutes, the car slowly stopped in front of him and Ruby. The driver got out and personally opened the rear car door. As Ruby got into the car, Steve still stood there, dazed, not knowing what he was thinking, and then for no apparent reason, he curled his lips into a smile. ¡ª¡ª Chapter 819 - Chapter 819: Chapter 819: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (19)_1 Chapter 819: Chapter 819: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (19)_1 Ruby Gregory looked at Steve Burton¡¯s foolish demeanor, the crease between her brows deepened for a moment, and she reached out to pull him, dragging the man into the car. In the car, Steve Burton¡¯s gaze remained fixed outside the window, maintaining the same posture without changing, occasionally blinking before inexplicably letting out a soft chuckle. Ruby Gregory, sitting beside him, would turn her head every time she heard Steve Burton¡¯s laughter, her eyes revealing a somewhat odd expression. By then the sky had darkened, and it took the driver only forty-five minutes to get Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory to the Burtons¡¯ Mansion. Inside the house, Madam Burton had not yet gone to bed, Mrs. Taylor stood behind her, and both were pointing at a booklet, murmuring about something as they discussed it. Upon hearing the door open, Madam Burton raised her hand, saw Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory coming in, and immediately greeted them with a smile, ¡°Steve, Ruby, you¡¯re back just in time, come and have a look at the styles of the things we need for your wedding.¡± Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton approached, and Madam Burton flipped the booklet to the first page, pointing at a red envelope, ¡°I think this one is good, Ruby, what do you think?¡± Ruby checked the design Madam Burton pointed out, then glanced at the other styles, agreeing with her opinion, so she nodded her head. ¡°And Steve?¡± Madam Burton turned her head and looked at Steve Burton. Steve Burton, still not fully recovered from Ruby Gregory¡¯s sudden confession, heard his mother¡¯s voice and, sounding somewhat perfunctory, lifted his eyelids for a glance and said with a cold tone, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The next second, he split his lips into a smile. Madam Burton, surprised by her son¡¯s expressionless face and then sudden giggling, blinked in astonishment, and laughed offhandedly as if at something ridiculous, before she completely disregarded Steve Burton and resumed her discussion with Ruby Gregory. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? During their discussion, Madam Burton and Ruby occasionally heard Steve Burton¡¯s snickering, exchanged glances, and then continued talking. After nearly an hour of back and forth, they finally settled on the designs for some small items needed for the wedding, and only then did Ruby Gregory and Steve Burton head back to the second floor. Ruby bathed first, and after she was done, she checked on the Triplets, then returned to Steve Burton¡¯s bedroom and climbed into bed. Suddenly, a clap of thunder flashed outside the window, and Ruby turned her head, noticing that a heavy rain had begun to pour down from the sky. After Steve took his shower and exited the bathroom, he casually turned off the bedroom¡¯s main light. As he lay down on the bed, lightning streaked outside, illuminating the dim bedroom in a bright flash. Using the light from the lightning, Ruby looked at Steve Burton¡¯s handsome profile, then slowly snuggled up to his side, resting her head on his shoulder. After the lightning, came the rolling thunder. Ruby tilted her head slightly and whispered into Steve Burton¡¯s ear, ¡°Time has passed, it¡¯s been two months already.¡± When Steve Burton heard this, he was a bit dazed, and with a baffled ¡°Hmm?¡± he asked in confusion, ¡°What two months?¡± Due to shyness, Ruby¡¯s face turned a shade redder, ¡°What two months?¡± Steve Burton was still clueless, staring into Ruby¡¯s eyes, seemingly lost. Ruby¡¯s face grew even redder, she lifted her leg and kicked twice under the covers, then said with a kind of coquettish reprimand, ¡°It¡¯s been two months since I gave birth to the Triplets, the doctor said, the doctor said that after two months¡­¡± [I haven¡¯t had meat for a long time~] Chapter 820 - Chapter 820: Chapter 820: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (20)_1 Chapter 820: Chapter 820: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (20)_1 ¡°` Ruby Gregory found herself at a loss for words, her little face so red it seemed like it could drip blood. After hearing Ruby Gregory¡¯s words, Steve Burton was stunned, then stunned again, and the next moment, he rolled over and pressed on top of Ruby Gregory. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory had shared many intimate moments, but this time, whether it was because much time had passed or happiness came too swiftly, Steve found himself a bit unable to get his bearings. His caresses and kisses seemed hesitant, as if he were a novice in this art. Finally, when Steve Burton entered Ruby Gregory¡¯s body, that long-missed warmth pulsated through him, and the intense stimulation nearly caused him to surrender then and there. Steve Burton endured the dizzying impact that Ruby Gregory brought upon him, staying atop her for about a minute to quiet the desire racing through his body, before he lowered his head and fiercely sealed her lips with his own to revel in the tenderness and bliss that¡¯s unique to lovers. Outside the window, the wind and rain were intense, accompanied by flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder, while inside, the room was filled with a romantic atmosphere, radiant with the glow of spring. ¨C Perhaps because it had been so long since he indulged to this extent, Steve Burton¡¯s vigor was almost frightening. He let himself sink into passion three times before finally embracing Ruby Gregory and collapsing onto the soft bed. Both their bodies were drenched in sweat, sticky yet comfortably so, enveloped by an ineffable sense of satisfaction lingering between them. The European-style clock on the wall tick-tocked away. Once Steve had regained some strength, he carried Ruby Gregory to the bathroom, where they took a quick shower. Back in bed, Ruby Gregory nestled weakly in Steve Burton¡¯s arms like a pool of spring water. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? She was entirely limp, slightly tired, yet too exhilarated to sleep. Steve Burton, despite his usual stamina, was now a bit weary from the indulgence. Cradling Ruby Gregory close, he listened to the sounds of the wind, rain, and thunder outside the window and thought about that dream he described when he proposed to her. A kiss before sleep, holding you through the night, waking up to you by my side. At this moment, the dream had indeed come true. Reflecting on this, Steve couldn¡¯t help but pull Ruby¡¯s soft body closer into his embrace. As Ruby Gregory lay against Steve Burton¡¯s chest, she listened to his strong heartbeat and began to count in her head. When she reached one hundred and three, she suddenly remembered leaving The Sapphire Bistro, how he had carried her on his back, and that troubling question he had asked her: ¡°Do you, perhaps, like Edric Reat?¡± Why would Steve have such a thought? Ruby Gregory shifted her head against Steve¡¯s chest and looked up at his chin, calling out softly, ¡°Steve.¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± The man looked down, his lips brushing against her forehead. Blinking her eyes in confusion, Ruby asked, ¡°Why did you think I liked Edric Reat?¡± Only when Ruby Gregory asked this question did Steve Burton remember the incident that had troubled him for more than three years. He swallowed twice, his voice coming out somewhat faint as he asked, ¡°Ruby, why did you go to Zhouzhuang with Edric Reat three years ago?¡± [Please don¡¯t rush me to conclude ¡®Time with Ruby¡¯ and focus on writing Madeleine and Howard¡¯s story. ¡®Time with Ruby¡¯ has always been my focus. Before I started drafting this story, I planned the little moments of sweetness they¡¯d share after reconciling. It¡¯s not much, nor is it long, but I still want to write it. I¡¯ve always finished up the main couple¡¯s story soon after they reconcile, and many complained about rushed endings~ This time I specifically prepared some sweetness for everyone, yet now I¡¯m criticized for dragging it on, which is frustrating~] Chapter 821 - Chapter 821: Chapter 821: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (21)_1 Chapter 821: Chapter 821: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (21)_1 Why go to Zhouzhuang with Edric Chen? Steve Burton¡¯s question brought forth the sorrowful memories of Ruby Gregory¡¯s birthday four years ago. Her expression became slightly desolate, and after a long silence, she finally lowered her eyelids and, leaning against Steve Burton¡¯s warm chest, she spoke in a soft tone, ¡°The day I went to Zhouzhuang with Edric Chen was my birthday. That day you were away on a business trip, but you still had someone send me a birthday gift. My mother was there too¡­¡± As Ruby spoke, she thought about the ideas that The Gregorys had instilled in her since birth, that she was expected to marry Steve Burton. Her voice grew a bit tense, ¡°As you know, from the moment I was born, The Gregorys all hoped that I would marry you. So when my mother saw the gift you sent, she insisted that I call you to say thank you.¡± When Ruby got to this part of her story, she looked up at Steve briefly, ¡°But you didn¡¯t answer my call.¡± Steve Burton also clearly remembered the incident from four years ago. When Ruby mentioned this, he immediately recalled that indeed, she had called him several times that day. At that time, he had just taken over Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, unsteady and eager for others to see his achievements, he never brought his mobile phone to meetings. Unexpectedly, the meeting that day dragged on for a very long time. Realizing this, Steve swallowed twice and tried to explain to Ruby, ¡°I was in a meeting that day, so I didn¡¯t answer your phone.¡± Ever since then, no matter how urgent the matter was, he always carried his phone with him and kept it on vibrate during meetings. Even during the three years she was gone, even though he knew she wouldn¡¯t call him, he still maintained the habit. Ruby Gregory gave a slight nod to Steve Burton¡¯s explanation and continued, ¡°My mom saw that you were not returning my calls and thought you were displeased with me. I knew that if you saw my missed calls, you would definitely call me back, but my mom wouldn¡¯t listen to me. She kept urging me to call you¡­¡± Despite the time that had passed, Ruby still felt upset when she recalled that day, ¡°It was my birthday, and I really wished that they could have cared more about me, not always thinking about having me do something for you¡­ I rarely argued with them, I would always try my hardest to do the best at everything they asked of me. But that day, I just wasn¡¯t in the mood, so I talked back to my mom. I said that she was biased towards you¡­ and then, in a fit of anger¡­¡± Ruby stopped there, finding it difficult to continue. The room was slightly silent. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? After a while, Ruby swallowed and said softly, ¡°She slapped me.¡± As Steve held Ruby, his entire body tensed up upon hearing these words. A profound, indescribable sense of heartache spread rapidly and tumultuously within him. Ruby Gregory, with her eyelids lowered and her lips tightly bitten, finally spoke up after a moment, ¡°I felt so wronged, and in my anger, I went back to school. Then, I received a birthday gift from Edric Chen, and he asked me to go to Zhouzhuang¡­ You know, Steve, I¡¯ve never really celebrated for myself since I was small. I was envious of other girls dating other men¡­¡± Chapter 822 - Chapter 822: Chapter 822: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (22)_1 Chapter 822: Chapter 822: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (22)_1 ¡°Actually, under normal circumstances, I would have refused, but that day¡­ I suddenly felt a strong urge to rebel. I don¡¯t know what came over me; I just wanted to be capricious for once, and so I agreed to Edric Reat¡¯s suggestion and went with him to Zhouzhuang.¡± ¡°Actually, during those three days and two nights, there wasn¡¯t much between Edric Reat and me. I was in a bad mood, and he accompanied me to distract myself. But after returning to Ciawell, I regretted it and became afraid. You have no idea how much I feared that The Gregorys would find out that I had gone out to have fun with another man¡­¡± The incident that had troubled Steve Burton for such a long time had occurred under such coincidental circumstances. At that time, he thought she liked Edric Reat; he was jealous, he was furious, and then, for that little bit of pride deep within his heart, he hurt her. Yet, he never knew that behind that incident, she was the most innocent and the one who suffered the most. Annoyance, heartache, regret¡­ Complex emotions weighed on Steve Burton¡¯s heart, leaving him speechless for a long while. He simply held Ruby Gregory tightly and, after a long while, reached out to touch her face, asking, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± The pain of that slap was nothing compared to the pain etched into the depths of her heart. But at this moment, the tender tone and gaze of the man made Ruby feel the discomfort buried in the deepest part of her heart alleviating, little by little. She shook her head gently at Steve Burton and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t speak; he just lowered his head and kissed Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes, then said in a low and slow voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t make a sound but lifted her arms to embrace the man. The atmosphere in the room was so quiet and beautiful. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï But before even half a minute had passed, Ruby Gregory suddenly let go of Steve Burton¡¯s neck, staring into his eyes, blinking twice with an innocent and puzzled look, and asked, ¡°But, Steve, why did you think I liked Edric Reat just because I went with him to Zhouzhuang?¡± One second they were in a tender moment, the next second she threw him this question, changing the atmosphere so rapidly that Steve Burton struggled to keep up. When he finally realized what exactly Ruby Gregory was asking, he wondered: What does she mean, why would he think she liked Edric Reat just because she went with him to Zhouzhuang? For any normal person, if a woman goes traveling with a man and shares accommodations, if it¡¯s not out of affection, then what else could it be? Steve Burton studied Ruby Gregory¡¯s expression intently for a while, realizing that she looked completely serious, not at all as if she was joking, almost as though she truly didn¡¯t understand. Steve Burton felt a slight headache coming on, lifted his hand to rub his temple, and then said in a low voice, ¡°Ruby Gregory, I think your EQ desperately needs a recharge.¡± ¨C Madeleine had gone to bed late last night, so she woke up late as well. She had set an alarm, but it was Howard Coleman who was awakened by it. He picked up her phone, turned off the alarm, glanced at the still sleeping Madeleine, thought for a moment, and decided not to wake her. He got out of bed, freshened up, and drove to the office. When Madeleine opened her eyes, it was nearly noon, and Howard Coleman was no longer at home. Today was Wednesday, and she had to go to work at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Madeleine hurried to get ready, and when she reached for her handbag on the sofa, she caught a glimpse of a familiar gift certificate on the coffee table. Chapter 823 - Chapter 823: Chapter 823: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (23)_1 Chapter 823: Chapter 823: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (23)_1 This coupon, Madeleine remembered, was picked out of the trash bin at The Sapphire Bistro by Howard Coleman yesterday. At the time, he had been staring at this coupon, but when he saw his own, he suddenly hid the coupon away. Madeleine stared at the coupon for a long time before reaching out, picking it up, and seeing a row of phone numbers on it. Madeleine looked at the phone number for a while and then took out her phone and directly took a picture of it. When Madeleine drove to the office, it was already one in the afternoon; after eating lunch in the company¡¯s cafeteria, she returned to her office, unable to resist taking out her phone and started studying the phone number. She knew that Howard had many women, but there were not many who could make Howard gaze at a phone number so absorbedly. Only one¡­ Madeleine¡¯s heart suddenly lifted, and a layer of fear and worry surfaced from the depths of her heart. As she was staring blankly out of the window, the door to her office was suddenly knocked, and Madeleine pulled herself together and called out, ¡°Come in.¡± It was Madeleine¡¯s secretary, carrying a set of documents. Madeleine received the documents, reviewed them, and signed. The secretary politely gave Madeleine a faint smile and then said courteously, ¡°I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Madeleine nodded, and the secretary turned to leave, but just after taking hardly two steps, Madeleine, as if remembering something, called out to the secretary, ¡°Your phone? Let me use it.¡± The secretary, although curious about what Madeleine needed her phone for, handed it over obediently as she dared not refuse her boss, regardless of her curiosity. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Madeleine took the phone, directly entered the phone number she had saved, and dialed it. The phone rang several times before someone answered. It was a female voice, all too familiar to Madeleine, ¡°Hello, may I ask who is this?¡± Madeleine¡¯s complexion instantly turned pale, devoid of any color. ¡°Hello? May I ask who is this? Hello? Hello?¡± The woman on the other end of the phone, not receiving any response, continued to inquire a few more times. Madeleine didn¡¯t make a sound and hung up the phone, feeling as if all the blood in her body had reversed its flow, sitting dumbly in her seat. The secretary stood in front of Madeleine¡¯s desk, looking at her own phone that Madeleine was tightly holding, and after a long while, she said, ¡°Ms. Madeleine?¡± Madeleine came back to her senses, handed the phone back to the secretary, and then added, ¡°The phone number I just dialed, remember to block it.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Madeleine.¡± Madeleine did not speak, just waited for the secretary to leave the office, after which she collapsed into her office chair. Really, what you fear the most is bound to happen¡­ She had just been thinking that the only person who could make Howard so distraught was that woman named Anita Madris. The reason she had thought so was because she feared that the woman Howard truly liked had returned. But what she hadn¡¯t expected was for that woman to actually come back and even leave a phone number for Howard. No wonder, no wonder Howard was lost in thought last night while holding his phone, it must have been a message from Anita Madris. The more Madeleine thought about it, the more panicked she became. She and Howard had just begun their bliss not long ago, how could that woman have returned so soon? Chapter 824 - Chapter 824: Chapter 824: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (24)_1 Chapter 824: Chapter 824: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (24)_1 Ruby Gregory, who had also gone to bed late last night, woke up even later than Madeleine the next day. Ever since she gave birth to the Triplets and moved back into the West Suburb Villa, Ruby had become a princess who didn¡¯t need to lift a finger or open her mouth to be served; she didn¡¯t need to do any housework or even go to work. With three dedicated nurses taking care of the Triplets, they couldn¡¯t really trouble Ruby for anything, so she ended up having plenty of time on her hands every day. After putting the Triplets to bed, she found herself somewhat bored and returned to Steve Burton¡¯s bedroom, curling up on the couch with her iPad, aimlessly browsing Twitter. While scrolling through her feed, Ruby recalled what Steve had said to her the night before, ¡°Ruby Gregory, I think, ¡®Your emotional intelligence desperately needs topping up!''¡± What the heck! Was he indirectly calling her emotionally unintelligent? Angered, Ruby slammed the iPad onto the couch as if it were Steve, puffing out her cheeks in frustration. After sitting for a while, she couldn¡¯t resist picking up the iPad again and then googled: What to do when you have low emotional intelligence? Chewing on her finger, Ruby pondered over this for a long time until she stumbled upon one reply: ¡°Read more romance novels to learn.¡± So Ruby googled again where to find romance novels, and then, as if driven by some mysterious force, she found her way to Wattpad. Ruby clicked into the site and saw a book recommended on the romance page titled ¡°CEO and His Lovely Wife,¡± and she casually clicked to start reading it. It was actually Ruby¡¯s first time reading a novel. The story had only a few tens of thousands of words, but she read from afternoon straight through to after dinner. Ruby took a bath and climbed into bed early to continue reading on her iPad, and when Steve came out of the bath and turned off the lights to get into bed, she had just finished. Ruby casually tossed the iPad aside and, without waiting for any reaction from Steve, she unexpectedly rolled over and pounced on him, straddling his waist with her legs and bending down to seal his lips with a kiss. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï It was the first time Ruby had been so passionate in front of Steve. Following the plot she¡¯d read in the novel, she fervently kissed and nibbled at Steve¡¯s skin and even attempted to tear off his pajamas like the scenes she¡¯d read about. In the story, the pajamas ripped in two with a single tear, but despite Ruby¡¯s best efforts to rip them, not only did the pajamas remain intact, but she also ended up hurting her own hand in the process. As Ruby¡¯s fingers tugged at Steve¡¯s clothes, continually brushing against his skin, combined with her assertive and intense kissing, Steve was already blazing with desire. Watching Ruby¡¯s hesitating and fumbling attempts, Steve eventually couldn¡¯t stand it, pushed her off him, and swiftly removed both his and her clothes. Then naturally, he rolled over, intending to pin Ruby beneath him and get straight to the point. But just as Steve¡¯s body was about to press down on Ruby, she pushed forcefully against his shoulders, overturning him ruthlessly back onto the bed, then once again pounced on him. Ruby was so determined to take control, and Steve was more than happy to enjoy it. Although her moves were clumsy and awkward, and even though he was tormented by her inability to get to the point, he almost exploded with anticipation. The moment Ruby finally succeeded in having Steve enter her, Steve couldn¡¯t help but let out a muffled groan. Chapter 825 - Chapter 825: Chapter 825: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (25)_1 Chapter 825: Chapter 825: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (25)_1 In the moment Ruby Gregory finally succeeded in getting Steve Burton into her body, Steve couldn¡¯t help but let out a muffled groan. The next second, his chin was seized by Ruby Gregory who then kissed him fiercely on the lips, in a seemingly domineering but not actually domineering manner. Pinned under Ruby, Steve struggled several times to turn over and pin her beneath him, seeking to take back control, but was relentlessly denied by her each time. Regardless of the twists and turns of their passionate encounter, eventually, Steve, gripping Ruby¡¯s waist and pulling her body along, rapidly and passionately brought them both to a climax. Afterwards, Ruby lay on top of Steve, breathing delicately. Steve reached out, absentmindedly stroking Ruby¡¯s back. The position he was lying in was a bit uncomfortable, so he shifted his head slightly to find a more comfortable spot, then felt something hard at the back of his head. Reaching back, he pulled out the item¡ªit was the iPad that Ruby had left on the bed. He casually turned on the iPad and saw it was displaying a page from a novel. Steve glanced at the title: ¡°CEO and His Lovely Wife¡±. Steve couldn¡¯t help but frown and silently cursed the book for being clich¨¦. Then, raising the iPad, he questioned Ruby, ¡°Have you been clinging to this iPad, reading this kind of stuff ever since I got home?¡± Ruby, feeling completely justified, nodded. She saw nothing wrong with it and, with her eyes rolling around, she said with a flushed face, ¡°I read it online. It said that reading romance novels can increase emotional intelligence¡­¡± So¡­ her forwardness tonight was because¡­ she read this novel named ¡°CEO and His Lovely Wife¡±? Every man in the world hopes his woman will be more proactive and enthusiastic in certain aspects. Moreover, Ruby had always been reserved in their intimate moments, so Steve indeed hoped for a more active response from Ruby. Steve, who had condemned the book as clich¨¦ just a moment ago, suddenly found himself interested in it and casually started reading. Steve read very quickly, especially with these types of unchallenging romance novels, sweeping through them even faster. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Ruby had spent four or five hours with the novel, but he finished skimming through it in just twenty minutes. Without commenting on the plot and focusing solely on the love scenes¡­ not once in this novel did the lovely wife overpower the CEO; it was always the CEO dominating over and over, and yet Ruby had taken the initiative to pounce on him¡­ Had she mastered the art of integrating her knowledge? Steve tossed the iPad aside, somewhat satisfied, and praised Ruby, ¡°Ruby, although your emotional intelligence might be a bit low, your IQ is quite high. You actually managed to learn from the perpetual attacks of the CEO on his lovely wife and pull off a reversal.¡± After hearing Steve¡¯s praise, Ruby blinked at him and said, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. When I was reading the book, I always imagined myself as the domineering CEO!¡± The satisfied expression on Steve¡¯s face immediately froze. He looked at Ruby incredulously for a long while before coming back to his senses, then pointed to Ruby and then himself, ¡°You imagined yourself as the domineering CEO? You mean, I¡¯m the lovely wife?¡± PS: Roar roar roar~~~ Tencent doesn¡¯t have a book called ¡°CEO and His Lovely Wife¡±; it¡¯s just a random title I made up~ I¡¯ll continue updating after waking up~ I had a burst of inspiration today and wrote a bit much, so after waking up I only need to update seven chapters~~~ Chapter 826 - Chapter 826: Chapter 826: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (26)_1 Chapter 826: Chapter 826: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (26)_1 Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t feel there was anything amiss at all. She nodded naturally at Steve Burton, then tilted her head and thought for a moment, speaking with a slightly reproachful expression, ¡°In the novels, every time the overbearing CEO pins down his delicate wife, he reaches out and rips the clothes apart, and each time they split in half. But when I just pinned you down, I tried to rip them, but couldn¡¯t. Instead, it just hurt my hand¡­¡± As she spoke, Ruby showed her palms to Steve Burton, the delicate skin still bearing a red mark. As Ruby spoke, Steve Burton¡¯s brain rapidly replayed the entire process of her pinning him down. So¡­ the reason Ruby was pulling at his clothes while on top of him was because she had seen the actions of the overbearing CEO in the novels¡­ Once Steve Burton realized this, he immediately thought about how Ruby, pinching his chin and leaning down to kiss him with that ¡°domineering¡± move, was just like the description in chapter twenty-seven of the novel he had skimmed through, where the male lead pinches the female lead¡¯s chin and kisses her forcefully! Ruby really did treat him as¡­ her delicate wife! With that thought, Steve Burton felt somewhat disheveled by the realization. If it hadn¡¯t been for his ability to always disguise his emotions, he would have certainly jumped up and puffed up in a fit right then and there. Steve Burton just felt as if a surge of frustration was stuck firmly in his throat, unable to be spat out or swallowed down, as though it could choke him at any moment. His hands involuntarily clenched into fists, his gaze at Ruby reddening with intensity. Ruby Gregory lay on Steve Burton¡¯s chest, still immersed in her own world, and continued to mutter nonstop, ¡°I was reading comments, and one reader said that novels are deceiving. It seems to be true; the clothes clearly don¡¯t tear apart¡­¡± After finishing, Ruby looked up at Steve Burton and asked, ¡°Right?¡± Right my ass¡­ Steve Burton inwardly ranted fiercely. His clenched fist tightened even further. Then, he forced himself to seem very cooperative, like a woman would, and nodded slightly towards Ruby Gregory. Ruby pouted her lips, stayed quiet for a while, and then rubbed Steve Burton¡¯s chest. Suddenly, as if she remembered something, she exclaimed ¡°Ah!¡± and sat up abruptly, staring at Steve Burton and saying, ¡°I forgot to say something when I was pinning you down just now!¡± Steve Burton hadn¡¯t even had a chance to ask Ruby what it was when she suddenly lay on top of him, staring at him face to face, without blinking. Her pupils were pitch-black and clear, shining with a hint of focus that made Steve Burton slightly spellbound. Gradually, he was immersed in them, and he couldn¡¯t help but put the fact that Ruby was treating him as her delicate wife to the back of his mind. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0 In an instant, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat tender, Ruby¡¯s lips slowly lowering. Steve Burton thought Ruby was going to take the initiative to kiss him, and his eyelids began to droop involuntarily. Just when Steve Burton was about to close his eyes, Ruby¡¯s lips suddenly stopped. Their lips were close enough that Steve Burton could clearly feel the sweet fragrance emanating from her lips. Just as he was about to enclose her lips with his mouth, Ruby slowly opened her mouth and said, ¡°You little siren¡­¡± [Had to go shopping with mum during the day, got back late~~ starting the update~~ such cute Ruby, I¡¯m drunk too~] Chapter 827 - Chapter 827: Chapter 827: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (27)_1 Chapter 827: Chapter 827: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (27)_1 Steve Burton¡¯s open mouth was like a photograph snapped in an instant, frozen in time. He stared at Ruby Gregory for a full minute before slowly coming back to his senses. What a mess! ¡°Little coy wife¡±¡­ ¡°Little vixen¡±¡­ Were these words meant to describe him? Steve felt as though all the blood in his body was flowing backward, and without thinking, he reached out and reflexively pushed Ruby off himself. Ruby was completely unprepared and abruptly fell onto the soft bed. With the atmosphere having shifted so quickly, she was a bit disoriented. She turned her head in astonishment to look at Steve only to see him, his chest heaving up and down, gnashing his teeth as if he wished he could tear her to pieces. Ruby didn¡¯t understand why Steve had suddenly become so irate and unstable. She blinked innocently and asked, ¡°Steve, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Her words, like a heavy punch, landed squarely on his heart, causing severe internal injury, and he almost passed out from anger. Steve raised his hand, pointing at Ruby, closed his eyes, and took several deep breaths to steady his breathing before finally speaking to her, word for word, ¡°Ruby Gregory, I take back everything I said before. You are in dire need not only of an EQ recharge but also your IQ seems to be severely overdue for payment as well!¡± Just yesterday, he had married her, and after spending the night with her, he commented on her lack of EQ; today, after sleeping with her, he was berating her for her lack of IQ. Ruby looked at Steve with a face full of grievance and blinked, ¡°Steve, we¡¯ve only been married for two days, and you¡¯re already starting to dislike me?¡± Steve felt like he was at his breaking point. If he didn¡¯t vent now, he was certain he would die from internal injuries. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly reached out, pulled Ruby over, pinned her beneath him, and started venting his frustrations physically. ¨C After making a call using her secretary¡¯s phone, Madeleine sat in the office, seemingly lost in a daze. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Even though the company closed at six, she only managed to stay until three-thirty before leaving early. Carrying her bag, Madeleine walked out of her office just as Howard Coleman was wrapping up a meeting, hurrying towards his office while issuing instructions to his assistant. Howard¡¯s office was right next to Madeleine¡¯s. As he pushed open his office door, he glimpsed Madeleine, carrying her bag and walking past the secretary¡¯s desk, out of the corner of his eye. Lost in thought, she seemed absent-minded. As an employee rushed by carrying files, she didn¡¯t even notice and collided with them. The employee who bumped into Madeleine immediately lowered their head in apology, ¡°Ms. Madeleine, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± As if she hadn¡¯t heard the employee¡¯s words, Madeleine¡¯s gaze appeared unfocused as she moved around the employee and walked towards the elevator as if in a trance. Howard watched Madeleine enter the elevator, his brow slightly furrowing. ¡°Mr. Coleman, does this arrangement look appropriate to you?¡± the assistant at Howard¡¯s side asked, not realizing he was distracted. After receiving no response, the assistant waited, then lifted their head to look at Howard, noticing that he was staring intently in one direction. Chapter 828 - Chapter 828: Chapter 828: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (28)_1 Chapter 828: Chapter 828: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (28)_1 The assistant subconsciously followed Howard Coleman¡¯s gaze, only to see the closed elevator doors, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a hint of confusion. What was so interesting about the elevator doors? After waiting a moment and seeing that Howard Coleman still had no reaction, the assistant called out again, ¡°Mr. Coleman?¡± Howard Coleman turned his head slightly, not waiting for the assistant to continue discussing the matter they had just talked about; he simply stuffed the files he¡¯d been holding into the assistant¡¯s hands and said, ¡°You handle it.¡± Then, without waiting for the assistant to speak, he strode toward the elevator. Howard Coleman went straight to the underground parking lot, saw that Madeleine¡¯s car was still there because the elevator was on the thirty-seventh floor; he then ran directly from the stairs back to the main lobby on the first floor, and, panting, rushed out of the Pristine¡¯s Corporation building. Howard Coleman looked around, but he did not see Madeleine. Just then, a security guard at the door greeted Howard Coleman, who nodded slightly, exhaling a breath. He took another look around and asked, ¡°Did you just see Ms. Madeleine leave from here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the security guard pointed in a direction to the left: ¡°Ms. Madeleine walked that way.¡± Howard Coleman didn¡¯t even wait for the security guard to finish speaking before he started chasing in the direction Madeleine had gone. He quickly walked about a hundred meters or so, then saw Madeleine walking slowly not far ahead; Howard¡¯s pace involuntarily slowed down a bit. Even though it was a hot summer afternoon, and the weather was so hot it made people irritable, the street was poor in pedestrian traffic ¡ª anyone there was hurrying along, with few strolling as leisurely as Madeleine was. Madeleine had no idea where to go; she just felt suffocated in the office and wanted to come out for some air. Her body was covered in a layer of sweat, but she did not feel hot at all; she even felt a bit cold. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Her mind was devoid of any thoughts, just a blank slate, yet as she walked, her eyes started reddening unaccountably. She didn¡¯t dare blink, didn¡¯t even dare move her eyelids for fear that her tears would accidentally fall. Madeleine walked in a daze for a long time, and as she passed through an underground passageway, she heard someone singing a familiar song. ¡°Sally cries, saying she can no longer endure, erasing herself like a shadow, she doesn¡¯t want to steal others¡¯ things, but her lover forces her to err.¡± This was the song she sang on the night of her wedding when she had dragged Ruby Gregory to a KTV. Hearing the familiar melody, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but stop in her tracks. The original singer of this song was a woman, but now, standing in the subway passage, a young man wearing ragged jeans held the microphone, eyes closed, singing with focused emotion. Madeleine felt his rendition was even deeper than the original. ¡°I¡¯ve always stood on the side being hurt by you; you¡¯ve always remained at a distance that made me cry; love has always stopped, on the night you once loved me; you used to be so kind to me, you used to be so kind to me¡­¡± At the end of the song, Madeleine was still foolishly standing in front of the singing man, staring blankly at him. The man only opened his eyes when the music stopped and then saw a beautiful young woman staring at him, which made him feel a bit embarrassed, and he turned his head away. Chapter 829 - Chapter 829: Chapter 829: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (29)_1 Chapter 829: Chapter 829: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (29)_1 Madeleine snapped back to her senses, and she saw a cardboard box at the man¡¯s feet with some scattered small-denomination bills inside. She pulled out her wallet from her bag, took out several red banknotes, and placed them in the box before asking the man, ¡°Could you sing that song you just sang one more time?¡± The man glanced at the money Madeleine had put down, then at her somewhat sorrowful expression, and nodded his head. He played the background music for that song and sang it again. After the man finished singing, he noticed that the woman standing in front of him had tears streaming down her face, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask in a somewhat flustered voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Madeleine didn¡¯t speak, but her tears fell even harder. The man hastily took some tissues out of his bag and handed them to Madeleine. Madeleine took them, her voice choked as she said ¡°Thank you,¡± and then, while wiping her tears, she couldn¡¯t help but snort with laughter, ¡°How embarrassing, I¡¯ve never cried in front of strangers before.¡± The man watched the woman who was both laughing and crying before him, and felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart, ¡°Um, have you encountered something sad?¡± Madeleine shook her head with a smile, dabbed the tears at the corners of her eyes with a tissue, then smiled brightly and spoke frankly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve encountered something very sad. I think I¡¯m going to lose the man I¡¯ve loved for many years.¡± As Madeleine spoke, she felt the sourness welling up in her eyes again. She took a deep breath, swallowed back her tears, smiled faintly at the busking man, and then walked toward the front of the subway passage. The busking man watched Madeleine¡¯s retreating figure for a long time before diverting his gaze, only to see a dapper and handsome man standing in front of him. His expression briefly froze before he saw the handsome man bend down and place several red banknotes in his box that were several times the amount the girl who had just left had given. Then he heard the handsome man ask, ¡°What did that girl tell you while crying just now?¡± The busking man, still astonished by the generous donations from two successive people, took a while before he relayed to Howard Coleman what Madeleine had just told him, ¡°Just now, that girl said she had encountered something very sad and she thinks she¡¯s about to lose the man she has loved for many years.¡± As Howard Coleman emerged from the subway passage, he saw Madeleine standing outside a bridal shop on the first floor of the mall, staring blankly inside. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Directly in front of Madeleine were three models, each wearing a beautiful wedding gown. She remembered, a few days ago when Ruby Gregory was chatting with her online, asking for her help in choosing a wedding dress. At that time, Ruby had told her, ¡°A woman, in this lifetime, must experience a romantic proposal, wear a pure white wedding dress once, and have a beautiful wedding photo taken.¡± She was already married, yet she didn¡¯t have any of those three wonderful things. She didn¡¯t even have a wedding ring¡­ Madeleine lowered her eyes slightly, looking at her empty fingers, the discomfort in her heart becoming heavier and more expansive. Madeleine stood outside the bridal shop window for a long time before picking up her phone to check the time¡ªit was already five o¡¯clock. In the past, she would have placed an order at work so that by the time she got home, the food would have just arrived, allowing her to prepare supper. Chapter 830 - Chapter 830: Chapter 830: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (30)_1 Chapter 830: Chapter 830: Overbearing CEO Falls for the Delicate Wife (30)_1 ¡°` But today, she was so distracted by the phone number on the shopping voucher that she forgot to order vegetables online. Late-night snacks were the only thing that could make her feel Howard was so close to her. Madeleine took a deep breath, gathered her thoughts, and hailed a taxi on the roadside, heading straight to the farmers market near Howard¡¯s apartment. When Madeleine was hailing the taxi, Howard also flagged one down and then asked his driver to follow Madeleine¡¯s car. In the streets of Ciawell, traffic was heavy and the cars couldn¡¯t move quickly, so Howard didn¡¯t lose sight of Madeleine along the way. Howard could tell that they were heading towards his apartment. He thought Madeleine was going home, but unexpectedly, the car stopped at the entrance of the farmers market. Howard waited until Madeleine had entered the market before he paid the fare and got out of the car. This was the first time Howard had ever set foot in a farmers market. It seemed a bit dirty and chaotic inside. Just to the left upon entering, there was a seafood vendor, exuding a strong fishy smell that hit him full in the face. Immediately, Howard spotted Madeleine squatting in front of a large tank, choosing fish. He had loved eating fish ever since he was young, whether steamed, braised, or grilled¡­ No matter the flavor, he loved them all. Watching Madeleine pick out fish, he suddenly remembered how she had prepared fish in the hospital kitchen while he was hospitalized with an injury. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Then, Howard belatedly realized that every night for the past several days, there had been a fish dish in his late-night snacks, prepared in a different style every day¡­ Howard felt as though someone was clutching his heart, causing an indescribable aching. After buying the fish, Madeleine picked some vegetables and then walked back to Howard¡¯s apartment. Howard followed Madeleine to the entrance of the apartment complex and stopped. Through the gate, he saw Madeleine walk to his apartment building, punch in the code, enter, and then slowly turn around and lean against the fence. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and began to smoke. It happened to be rush hour at that moment, and the road in front was congested beyond belief. Howard stared at the constant stream of various branded cars, smoking one cigarette after another. As he lit the last cigarette from his pack, his mobile phone in his pocket suddenly rang. Howard, cigarette dangling from his lips, took out his phone and saw there were twelve unread texts. He stared at the phone screen for quite a while as if anticipating something. Then he took the cigarette from his mouth, unlocked his phone, and as he had guessed, all twelve unread texts were from Anita Madris. The previous texts were just like the ones from the night before, without any substantial content. But the last one made Howard¡¯s mind go slightly blank: ¡°Howard, you don¡¯t respond to my texts. Is it really that you don¡¯t care about me anymore, or are you avoiding the feelings deep in your heart?¡± The feelings deep in the heart¡­ Howard¡¯s brow wrinkled tightly, and after a long while, he raised his hand and pressed it against his left chest. ¨C Howard stood outside the apartment complex until ten o¡¯clock that night, going to the small supermarket across the street twice to buy two packs of cigarettes, finishing them all before he entered the complex. Howard took the elevator to his apartment door, stood outside for a moment, slowly exhaled, and tried to make himself look as usual as possible, then reached out his hand and entered the code. ¡°` Chapter 831 - Chapter 831: Chapter 831 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 1) Chapter 831: Chapter 831 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 1) Howard Coleman pushed open the door and saw Madeleine walking out of the kitchen with an apron still wrapped around her. That afternoon, as he stood not far from the underground passage, he saw her crying. Her expression was one of such grievance and sadness that he thought he would come home to find her with reddened eyes, yet, to his surprise, he was met by the same Madeleine, donning a faint smile, who spoke in her gentle tone, ¡°Back already?¡± Howard nodded at Madeleine, who returned with a tender smile, ¡°I¡¯ve made some late-night food, do you want some?¡± Howard nodded again and then took out his wallet and car keys, casually placing them on the shelf in the foyer area. He took off his suit jacket and threw it on the couch, then walked into the restroom. After washing his hands, Howard came out and headed towards the kitchen. There, he saw Madeleine standing in front of the dining table, ladling soup into a bowl. He swallowed a couple of times, approached, and sat down at the table. Madeleine placed the filled bowl of soup in front of him, then picked up a spoon and put it in his bowl, subsequently handing him a pair of chopsticks. Howard hadn¡¯t eaten dinner and was indeed hungry. Though it was called a late-night snack, the meal was more lavish than a regular one, especially the plate of steamed fish beside him. It was adorned with a few strands of red and green chili, complementing the white fish flesh exquisitely. It was a while before Howard picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of fish, placing it in his mouth. Madeleine began to eat as well once she saw Howard using his chopsticks. The man¡¯s appetite was clearly much greater than hers. He finished three bowls of soup and ate half a bowl of rice. He alone had consumed nearly two-thirds of the fish. Madeleine mechanically stuffed rice into her mouth. Seeing Howard¡¯s bowl empty, she hurriedly stood up to serve him more soup, and then she heard Howard¡¯s phone in his pocket ring several times, signaling a series of text messages. While ladling soup, Madeleine glanced at Howard and saw the man pull out his phone, check the screen, and his expression turned somewhat stony. Madeleine¡¯s hand, clutching the soup ladle, paused momentarily as soup splashed onto her hand. She came to her senses, quickly placed the ladle down, and set the bowl of soup in front of Howard. In the moment she lowered her head, she glanced at Howard¡¯s phone screen and saw that the number sending him the texts was a string of digits, like those from a shopping voucher. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Madeleine quietly sat back down on her chair, pretending to be unaware of everything, and picked up her chopsticks to continue eating. Her already poor appetite worsened, and instead of forcefully pushing mouthfuls of rice, she picked at it grain by grain. The messages that Anita Madris sent to Howard were several picture messages. They were all selfies of Anita, taken at Mix Bar. In the photos, she wore elaborate and heavy makeup, and the flattering angle made her face appear smaller than usual. Following the photos were several texts: ¡°Howard, do you still remember this bar? It was where we met for the first time.¡± ¡°Howard, I¡¯m waiting here for you until you come.¡± Howard stared at those photos and texts for quite a while. Just as he was about to put down his phone, Anita sent another text: ¡°Howard, you know I can¡¯t handle my alcohol well.¡± Chapter 832 - Chapter 832: Chapter 832 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 2)_1 Chapter 832: Chapter 832 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 2)_1 Howard Coleman saw the text message and his grip on the phone unconsciously tightened; his expression became slightly confused. After a while, he regained his composure, placed the phone on the dining table next to him, bowed his head as if nothing had happened, and continued to eat. Madeleine¡¯s attention had been on Howard¡¯s phone the whole time. She clearly saw that Howard hadn¡¯t moved his fingers and didn¡¯t reply to Anita Madris¡¯s text message. Her mood, which had been gloomy all day, finally improved a little. After the late-night meal, Madeleine carelessly threw the dishes in the sink and went back to the bedroom. Howard was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Saying he was watching TV was actually an overstatement as Howard was just flipping through channels with the remote, never really paying attention to what was on the screen. Madeleine didn¡¯t disturb Howard and quietly sat on the edge of the bed, staring at him. She could tell that at this moment, the man was restless. Howard scrolled through all the TV channels from start to finish, then turned off the TV, casually throwing the remote onto the coffee table before striding into the bathroom. After Howard took a shower, he climbed directly into bed, pulled up the covers, covered himself, closed his eyes, and pretended to be asleep. Madeleine turned her head to look at Howard for quite some time before she got up, turned off the lights in the main bedroom area, and then entered the bathroom. After her shower, Madeleine gingerly climbed into bed, lying next to Howard. The bed was rather large, and there was a noticeable distance between her and Howard. The man was quiet as if he had already fallen asleep. But Madeleine had not a hint of sleepiness. She lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. After a while, Howard¡¯s phone chimed continuously several times. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Madeleine turned her head to glance at Howard. The man with his eyes closed, lay there calmly for about a minute before stretching out his hand to feel for his phone. Anita Madris had sent another picture message and text. In the MMS, she appeared flushed from drinking, with several empty bottles around her, including wine, red wine, and liquor¡­ The text message read, ¡°Howard, I¡¯ve already drunk so much¡­¡± Howard knew Anita¡¯s capacity for alcohol; a woman who had drunk that much would be tipsy by now. Mix Bar was a nightspot, always chaotic, and many men specifically went there to find inebriated women to take home. The first time he met Anita Madris was in Mix Bar. At that time, she had come for a friend¡¯s birthday party. He saw her in the restroom, where she was quite sick from drinking and surrounded by two men with ill intentions. He stepped forward to help her out of the situation, and they exchanged phone numbers. Later, he found out that she was an employee at Pristine¡¯s Enterprises. Howard, holding his phone, felt a slight struggle within himself. After all, she was the woman he deeply loved. Could he really just stand by and do nothing? Yet, if he went to her¡­ In Howard¡¯s mind, Madeleine¡¯s image suddenly emerged again. He couldn¡¯t help turning his body with a hint of irritation. Although Madeleine hadn¡¯t looked at the phone, she knew the text must¡¯ve been from Anita. Otherwise, Howard wouldn¡¯t be so troubled, tangled in his thoughts. PS: That¡¯s all for today~~~ The countdown to the grand finale~~ Will Howard go to see Ms. Madris? Also, many students mentioned they won¡¯t be able to read when school starts. May I ask when everyone is starting school~~~~ Chapter 833 - Chapter 833: Chapter 833 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 3)_1 Chapter 833: Chapter 833 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 3)_1 Although Madeleine did not check her phone, she knew with almost certainty that the message must have come from Anita Madris; otherwise, why would Howard be so restless and agitated? Throughout, Madeleine chose not to speak up and disturb Howard; in the bedroom, veiled in the dim glow of the sleep lamp, silence reigned absolute. Yet, Madeleine could clearly sense the man lying next to her tossing and turning occasionally or letting out sighs, as if tormented by some vexing issue. The classical clock on the wall ticked away with a distinct ¡°tick-tock¡± sound, which, in the quiet of the night, seemed particularly pronounced. When the second hand had ticked an indeterminate number of times, Howard¡¯s phone suddenly rang. This time it was not the alert for a text message, but a call ringing out. In the previously tranquil bedroom, it was starkly jarring, so much so that Madeleine shuddered uncontrollably without any reason. A second before the phone rang, Howard, once again troubled by his hesitation about whether to go to Mix Bar, had rolled over, his face towards the coffee table and staring at his phone. Thus, when the phone rang, Howard immediately reached out, grabbed the phone, and saw it was a call from Anita Madris. Howard instinctively turned to glance at Madeleine behind him. The woman had her eyes closed, appearing to be asleep. After a prolonged struggle, he still chose to answer it. Before he could speak, a voice came through, one that was not Anita¡¯s: ¡°Is this Mr. Coleman?¡± Howard¡¯s brow furrowed, his tone involuntarily tense: ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the manager of Mix Bar. Mr. Coleman, the Ms. Madris you used to bring to the bar is here, drunk and making a scene at the front desk, crying and calling out your name. Could you please come over¡­¡± The person on the line, not waiting for Howard¡¯s response, continued: ¡°Mr. Coleman, if you don¡¯t come, we¡¯ll have to call the police.¡± Howard held the phone silently for about five seconds, then said, ¡°Wait for me for twenty minutes.¡± Afterward, Howard ended the call, sat on the bed clutching his phone for a moment, then threw off the covers and got out of bed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 The night was quiet, and although Howard had not put the call on speakerphone, Madeleine had still overheard what was said. The moment Howard uncovered the blankets and stepped out of the bed, Madeleine involuntarily sat up, subconsciously wanting to voice an objection to stop Howard from going. Seeing Madeleine get up, Howard paused, then said, ¡°Something¡¯s come up, I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± After which, he promptly picked up his clothes and dressed swiftly and efficiently. The words Madeleine had intended to use to stop him were crushed by the urgency of his actions, and they retreated back inside her. Even if she did speak up and ask him not to go, would he have listened? The only outcome would be a big fight between them. Madeleine¡¯s hand, subconsciously clenched the bedsheets as she watched him, fully dressed, grab his phone, and hurry out of the bedroom. It was then that Madeleine felt as if a sharp knife had stabbed right into her heart, spreading a pain that she could not heal. She ultimately could not compare to that woman named Anita Madris¡­ Deep down, she had always known, hadn¡¯t she? Chapter 834 - Chapter 834: Chapter 834 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 4)_1 Chapter 834: Chapter 834 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 4)_1 She had secured her relationship with Howard Coleman by any means necessary, using all her advantages to snatch him away from a woman named Anita Madris. Something obtained by force was, after all, obtained by force¡­ It would never compare to one¡¯s wholehearted desire to love someone willingly. Madeleine knew full well that Howard was visiting Mix Bar to find Anita. She also knew that seeing Howard with Anita would cause her anguish, yet five minutes after Howard left, she still threw off the covers, got out of bed, slipped into a simple dress, then grabbed her car keys and purse, and followed Howard out the door. Madeleine didn¡¯t follow Howard into Mix; instead, she parked her car under the flyover directly opposite Mix Bar. She sat in the car, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the entrance to Mix Bar. It was already 2 a.m., but Mix Bar was at its liveliest, ablaze with lights and noise. After about ten minutes, Madeleine saw Howard helping a woman out of Mix Bar. The woman, having drunk too much alcohol, hung her head, unable to raise it fully, her long hair half-obscuring her face. Yet Madeleine recognized at a glance that it was Anita, the woman she most feared and felt guilty towards in this world. As they descended the stairs outside Mix Bar, Anita¡¯s steps were unsteady and she swayed from side to side, likely having twisted her ankle in her high heels. Howard promptly reached out, pulling her into his arms, and then bent down to check her ankle before sweeping her up into his arms in one smooth motion. He walked confidently to his car parked right in front, freed a hand to open the door, stuffed Anita inside, then followed her into the car, and drove away. Madeleine gripped the steering wheel tightly. As soon as Howard¡¯s car moved away, she pressed the accelerator, made a U-turn at the upcoming intersection, and followed Howard¡¯s car closely. Howard¡¯s car eventually stopped at the Four Seasons Hotel about one kilometer from Mix Bar. Before entering the hotel, Howard first got out of the car to purchase a bottle of safflower oil from a pharmacy next to the hotel. Then he returned to his car, picked Anita up from the inside, and walked into the hotel. Madeleine¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the entrance of the Four Seasons Hotel, unblinking. Though it was already late into the night, the entrance of the Four Seasons Hotel was still busy with cars arriving continuously, with either groups of the same gender entering together or men and women entering in pairs. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï By 4 a.m., the hotel entrance had quieted down somewhat. Madeleine¡¯s car was still running, and she sat stiffly inside, wondering if Howard and Anita had gotten a room together at the hotel. What would they be doing together in that room? Could it be that two people who once loved each other have now rekindled their old flame? The more she thought about it, the more numb Madeleine¡¯s heart became, as if she no longer felt the pain. Howard was her husband¡­ Her husband was bringing another woman to a hotel, yet she didn¡¯t have the courage to intervene¡­ Indeed, she lacked the courage. If Anita had been any of the other women Howard had casually toyed with, she would have barged in without hesitation, as she had done in the past, mercilessly slapping the woman twice¡­ But with Anita, she did not dare. Chapter 835 - Chapter 835: Chapter 835 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 5)_1 Chapter 835: Chapter 835 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 5)_1 Howard Coleman was a VIP customer at the Four Seasons Hotel, and the hotel manager, recognizing Howard upon his arrival, led him directly to the suite he usually stayed in. Howard Coleman carried the alcohol-reeking Anita Madris into the bathroom, intending to turn on the faucet to bathe her when he suddenly seemed to remember something. He called out to the manager to arrange for a female attendant to come help Anita bathe, and then instructed the manager to prepare a set of women¡¯s clothes for Anita. After the female attendant helped Anita bathe and get dressed, Howard Coleman carried her out of the bathroom and placed her on the hotel bed. By now, the heavily intoxicated Anita had fallen into a deep sleep, her face slightly red from the alcohol but her lips somewhat pale, and her eyes swollen from crying as if they were two walnuts. Howard Coleman picked up the safflower oil and applied and massaged it on Anita¡¯s twisted foot for a while, stood up, covered Anita with the blanket, and then looked up at her. Howard Coleman stood by the bed for a while and then silently reached for the remote control to turn off the bedroom light, preparing to leave without a sound; however, Anita suddenly grasped his wrist. Howard Coleman¡¯s body jolted, he looked down, and saw the woman, who had initially closed her eyes to sleep, had now opened them, her eyes reddened as she looked at him. The room was quite silent, and Howard Coleman didn¡¯t move an inch. Anita grasped Howard¡¯s wrist a bit tighter, looked at him for a long while, then suddenly pulled on his wrist with force, pulling Howard onto her. Howard¡¯s entire body tensed up, and before he could regain his senses, Anita suddenly wrapped her hands around his neck, tilted her head upward slightly, and looked straight into his eyes. Her voice, roughened by the alcohol, said, ¡°Howard, I knew it, you can¡¯t let go of me.¡± Their faces were a little too close, and as Anita spoke, Howard could clearly sense her familiar breath on his nose, causing him to involuntarily press his lips tightly together, remaining silent. Seeing Howard¡¯s lack of reaction, Anita blinked her long eyelashes gently and slowly closed her eyes, gradually lifting her head to kiss Howard¡¯s lips. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Anita¡¯s lips drew closer, and although it was a familiar sensation in his memory, Howard felt that his heart wasn¡¯t pounding fiercely and throbbing like before. In fact, he felt his heart was calm as still water, with not the slightest ripple. Just as Anita¡¯s lips were about to touch Howard¡¯s by a mere millimeter, Howard abruptly turned his head away. Anita¡¯s lips missed theirs target, her expression pausing for a second before she opened her eyes, looking at Howard in surprise. Howard did not look at Anita. His brows moved slightly, and then he extended his hand, decisively yanking away Anita¡¯s arm, ¡°It¡¯s late, you¡¯ve had quite a bit to drink, you should get some rest.¡± With that, Howard stood up. Anita reached out again, grabbed Howard¡¯s arm, and the tone of her voice, as coquettish as ever, said, ¡°Howard, I want you to stay with me.¡± The implication of her words couldn¡¯t be more blatant. Howard clenched his hand into a fist, swallowed hard twice, and said, ¡°Anita, I¡¯m married.¡± Chapter 836 - Chapter 836: Chapter 836 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 6)_1 Chapter 836: Chapter 836 Time of Stunning Beauty: The Wedding (Finale 6)_1 Anita Madris¡¯s expression became somewhat rigid. Howard Coleman was silent for a few seconds, then, without hesitation, continued to speak, ¡°The reason I came was out of fear something might happen to you. Now that you¡¯re safe, I¡¯m heading home.¡± As he spoke, Howard pulled his hand away from Anita¡¯s grasp. Anita jumped off the bed abruptly and hugged Howard¡¯s waist from behind, ¡°Howard, you love me. You¡¯ve said before that you¡¯d only love me for your entire life.¡± Howard¡¯s back stiffened as Anita, who was hugging him, shed tears, ¡°Howard, you know it wasn¡¯t my choice to go abroad. It was your Dad who forced me to leave. He gave me a large sum of money and sent me overseas for work against my will. You know my English isn¡¯t good, and how terribly I¡¯ve suffered abroad. Only after that project finally ended could I come back this once. You said you would love me for a lifetime, you swore it. Now that I have returned from abroad, are you saying you don¡¯t want me anymore?¡± While speaking, Anita fumbled in her bag hastily before pulling out an envelope and handing it to Howard, ¡°Howard, this is the money your Dad gave me. I haven¡¯t touched a penny of it, I¡¯m returning it all to you.¡± Howard¡¯s expression grew heavy as he looked at the envelope Anita handed him for several moments, then said, ¡°Keep the money. Consider it compensation for back then.¡± Hearing these words, Anita¡¯s tears fell even more fiercely. Howard turned his head away, not looking at Anita¡¯s tear-streaked face. He couldn¡¯t quite explain himself when he blurted out, ¡°Anita, I can¡¯t possibly divorce Madeleine.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you? Howard, you don¡¯t even love her, you hate her, don¡¯t you? It was she who used her influence to ruthlessly tear us apart¡­¡± He used to curse Madeleine in the same way, but now, hearing Anita speak of Madeleine like that, Howard found himself somewhat unable to accept it. Without thinking, he said in a heavier tone, ¡°What happened between us is my fault!¡± In Anita¡¯s memory, Howard had never been harsh with her before. This was the first time. She was stunned by his fierce tone and stood frozen for a long while before looking at Howard and blinking, ¡°Howard, are you taking her side? Could it be that during the time I was gone, you fell for her?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 Fallen for Madeleine? These words struck Howard like a sledgehammer, slamming into his heart, causing an indescribable panic to rise, compelling him to blurt out without thinking, ¡°What nonsense are you saying, how could I possibly like Madeleine?¡± After Howard finished speaking, he felt an increasing sense of panic. He didn¡¯t wait for Anita to speak again and, extending his hand abruptly, pushed her away, hastily left saying ¡°Get some rest¡±, then, disregarding the shocked and sorrowful expression on the woman behind him, bolted out of the hotel as if fleeing from disaster. Once in the car, Howard finally let out a breath, then felt his heart racing faster than it ever had before. ¨C Nearly at five in the morning, Madeleine saw Howard Coleman come out of the hotel. Chapter 837 - Chapter 837: Chapter 837 Time of Ruby: The Wedding (Finale 7)_1 Chapter 837: Chapter 837 Time of Ruby: The Wedding (Finale 7)_1 Approaching 5 a.m., Madeleine saw Howard Coleman walking out of the hotel. The man got into the car but didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of leaving. Their cars were separated by a wide street, and Madeleine couldn¡¯t see Howard¡¯s expression inside his car until the sky in the east lightened, and the sunlight spilled onto the earth. It was then that Madeleine saw Howard start the car. Madeleine also hurriedly started her car. Although she wasn¡¯t certain if Howard was going home, she still rushed ahead of him, took a shortcut, and got home first. The moment Madeleine entered the master bedroom, she heard the sound of the lock being entered at the living room door. She quickly climbed into bed, burrowed under the covers, closed her eyes, and pretended to be deeply asleep. About a minute later, Madeleine heard the sound of Howard entering the bedroom. The man was very quiet, not making a single noise. Because her eyes were closed, Madeleine didn¡¯t see Howard standing beside the bed, staring at her. Howard stood there for about twenty minutes, then tiptoed into the dressing room, took out a set of clean clothes to put on, and then he left for the office. Madeleine waited until she heard the living room door close, then slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was slightly vacant as she stared at the bright sunshine outside the window for a while, then she got out of bed and walked into the dressing room. She immediately saw the clothes Howard had worn out last night in the laundry basket. She slowly walked over, squatted down in front of the laundry basket, and after a long pause, she mustered the courage to pick up Howard¡¯s shirt and smell it near her nose. It had a faint fragrance that wafted into her nostrils. She clenched the shirt tightly in her hand, bowed her head, and saw a red lipstick mark on the snowy white shirt. Madeleine suddenly bit her lower lip hard. Her body felt as though it had lost all strength, and she slumped onto the carpet, tears uncontrollably falling down. Although she was alone at home, she was still afraid to cry out loud. Unable to help herself, she raised her hand and covered her mouth tightly. Because she couldn¡¯t suppress her emotions, she stuffed the back of her hand into her mouth and bit down hard. Despite this, Madeleine still felt that she couldn¡¯t vent the collapsing emotions deep inside her. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï How could they have reignited their past? What should she do now¡­ Madeleine was frantic and helpless. She desperately wanted someone to comfort her, but she didn¡¯t know whom to turn to. She sat on the carpet, crying silently for a long time, then finally got up shakily, went back to the bedroom, took her phone, and called Ruby Gregory¡­ ¨C Steve Burton, who had been ¡°tormented¡± by ¡°CEO and His Lovely Wife,¡± pinned Ruby Gregory beneath him and extricated himself for several hours before stopping. Now the sky outside was completely bright, and the first ray of sunshine came through the crack in the curtains, spilling into the room. The room was filled with the scent of their love. Both Steve and Ruby were exhausted, but it was past the point of sleepiness, and now the two of them couldn¡¯t fall asleep at all. Steve glanced at the time; he had only an hour and a half before he had to go to the office, so he simply decided not to sleep anymore, while Ruby nestled in his arms, chatting with him idly. In the end, Ruby thought of her Twitter and then picked up her phone. Chapter 838 - Chapter 838: Chapter 838 Time of Ruby: The Wedding (Finale 8)_1 Chapter 838: Chapter 838 Time of Ruby: The Wedding (Finale 8)_1 Ruby Gregory¡¯s Twitter account still used the name ¡°Mrs. Gregory and The Triplets.¡± When Ruby thought of Steve Burton¡¯s Twitter username ¡°Ruby¡¯s Era,¡± she rolled her eyes twice and then changed her name to ¡°Era of Ruby.¡± Steve Burton, who was cuddling her, saw Ruby do this and couldn¡¯t help but curve his lips slightly. Although Ruby¡¯s Twitter account had quite a few followers, her activity level was low, and there were very few comments. So after a quick glance, she directly picked up Steve¡¯s phone, accessed his Twitter, and saw that there were millions of notifications in his messages, and the number of new followers had exceeded ten million. Ruby instantly felt a sense of imbalance in her heart. However imbalanced she felt, her fingers uncontrollably clicked on Steve¡¯s Twitter, and then she saw a photo she had uploaded from his phone two days ago, of him holding Tangerine, which had received over three hundred thousand replies. Most of them were from women, with a string of comments like ¡°Hubby, so handsome!¡±, ¡°Hubby, muah!¡±, ¡°Hubby, I love you!¡± and the top comment even dubbed Steve as ¡°The Nation¡¯s Husband.¡± Ruby was well aware that through the distance of the internet, there was a large element of playful fantasizing, but Steve Burton was her husband, legally bound to her, Ruby Gregory. The feeling of other people coveting him was genuinely uncomfortable; to be precise, it felt like quite a bit of pressure. Steve Burton was clearly her husband alone; how had he suddenly become the nation¡¯s husband? Although sharing is a virtue, Ruby had never intended to share her husband. Felling a little gloomy, Ruby opened Steve¡¯s private messages and shockingly found many women asking to add him on WhatsApp, QQ, and to follow on Twitter. Since Steve was the owner of the Twitter account, Ruby respectfully asked, ¡°Should I accept them?¡± Then, without waiting for Steve¡¯s response, her fingers lightly twitched, rejecting all those women one by one. Steve, however, couldn¡¯t get enough of Ruby¡¯s slight jealousy. It was all too delightful for him to see, and his already happy mood became even more so. He tried hard to suppress his curling lips and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Ruby, it¡¯s just the internet. There¡¯s no need for you to mind it so much. You know very well that back when we were in school, how many girls would deliberately walk past my classroom door just to see me.¡± Steve was stating a fact, and his tone was calm, as if he was merely stating a truth. But however Ruby heard it, she felt like Steve was subtly boasting. Unable to help herself, she pouted and said a bit defiantly, ¡°Back on Valentine¡¯s Day, I got a lot of love letters and chocolates too, you know.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Steve slightly tugged at the corner of his mouth and said unhurriedly, ¡°If I remember correctly, I gave all my chocolates to a certain girl who loved them. Because I received so many, that same girl couldn¡¯t finish them before they expired, and ended up gaining three pounds.¡± Ruby, being that certain girl, puffed up her cheeks upon hearing this. Even though he was speaking the truth, why did this truth make her so frustrated? Struggling to swallow her pride, Ruby lifted her chin a bit and retorted, ¡°That¡¯s nothing. You should know that some boys actually fought over me back then!¡± Chapter 839 - Chapter 839: Chapter 839 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 9)_1 Chapter 839: Chapter 839 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 9)_1 ¡°Yeah, indeed some guys have fought over you, a full-on brawl,¡± Steve Burton replied to Ruby Gregory without hurry, then paused and added another sentence, ¡°However, the person who fought for you was just Steve Burton.¡± Ahhh! I really want to bite someone, what should I do! Unable to surpass Steve Burton, Ruby Gregory bit her teeth tightly and ground them twice, then pounced on Steve Burton with claws bared. Steve Burton laughed, stretched out his hand, and embraced Ruby Gregory fully, soothing her like a fluffed-up kitten, gently stroking her back. Then, he murmured in her ear, slowly and softly, ¡°But even if I¡¯m more popular than you, didn¡¯t you end up winning me over in the end? So, the person who should be most jealous is you, right?¡± It does seem to be the case¡­ But it still feels somewhat vexing¡­ Ruby Gregory¡¯s lips were still pouting. Steve Burton gently pecked Ruby Gregory¡¯s lips, ¡°Still not happy? Let me cheer you up¡­¡± As Steve Burton¡¯s words ended, he took the cell phone from Ruby Gregory¡¯s hands, then gently pulled up the blanket to cover Ruby Gregory¡¯s exposed shoulders. Next, he opened the camera app on the phone, took a selfie with Ruby Gregory, and uploaded it to Twitter, accompanied by a caption, ¡°Only with you do the moments become extraordinary.¡± Steve Burton had many Twitter followers. Though it was just past eight in the morning, his post quickly received several hundred comments, all filled with crying and heartbroken emojis. Then, nestled in Steve Burton¡¯s arms, Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t help but laugh. But before Ruby Gregory¡¯s laughter had subsided, her phone started to ring. Ruby Gregory climbed out of Steve Burton¡¯s embrace, reached for her phone, and saw that the caller was Madeleine. She couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. Why was Madeleine calling her so early? Then Ruby Gregory answered the call without hesitation. She had barely said ¡°Mad-¡± when, through the phone, she heard Madeleine¡¯s low sobbing. Ruby Gregory¡¯s heart, previously overjoyed and sweetly pampered by Steve Burton, felt as if it had been plunged into cold water, chilling instantly to the core, ¡°Madeleine, what¡¯s wrong? Madeleine?¡± Speaking, Ruby Gregory threw off the blankets, jumped out of bed, and clumsily ran to the bathroom. After washing up briefly, she hastily put on some clothes, gestured to Steve Burton that she was leaving, grabbed her car keys without waiting for a response, and hurried out the door. ¨C Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Ruby Gregory had driven from the West Suburb Villa to the city center. The road was somewhat long, but fortunately, the route from the West Suburb Villa to the city was never particularly congested. So, she arrived at Howard Coleman¡¯s apartment by ten o¡¯clock. Ruby Gregory had been to Howard Coleman¡¯s apartment before. She didn¡¯t need Madeleine to come downstairs to meet her; she went straight to Howard Coleman¡¯s door and knocked hard. After several persistent knocks, the door opened from the inside, revealing Madeleine¡¯s face, red and swollen from crying. ¡°Madeleine, what on earth happened?¡± As soon as Madeleine, who had stopped crying, heard Ruby Gregory¡¯s voice filled with concern, her tears fell like broken pearls once more, crashing down heavily. Ruby Gregory hurried into the house and embraced Madeleine, who buried her head in Ruby Gregory¡¯s shoulder, wailing like a child. Chapter 840 - Chapter 840: Chapter 840 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 10)_1 Chapter 840: Chapter 840 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 10)_1 Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t make a sound, just let Madeleine cry as much as she wanted. Only when Madeleine finally stopped crying from exhaustion did she pull Madeleine to sit on the sofa, press the still sobbing Madeleine down, walk over to the water dispenser nearby, pour a glass of water for Madeleine, and hand it to her, then sit beside her. Clutching the water Ruby had poured for her, Madeleine took a few sips and finally spoke up, ¡°Ruby, Howard and his ¡®little true love¡¯ slept together last night.¡± The moment Madeleine¡¯s words settled, the thought flashed through Ruby¡¯s mind¡ªwhat if Steve Burton slept with another woman? Immediately, she felt as if someone had viciously clenched her heart, the pain was so suffocating that she could hardly breathe. She thought, this must be how Madeleine feels right now. She really wanted to console Madeleine, but she didn¡¯t know how to. Madeleine lowered her eyelids and stayed quiet for about a minute before she continued. Her voice was hoarse and dull from too much crying, ¡°It hurts to see him with other women, but it doesn¡¯t feel as desperate as when he¡¯s with his ¡®little true love.¡¯ I know he doesn¡¯t love those women, he only does it to spite and insult me.¡± ¡°But, Ruby, I really don¡¯t have the courage to drive away Howard¡¯s ¡®little true love¡¯ for a second time. Howard likes his ¡®little true love,¡¯ and if I don¡¯t drive her away, sooner or later, I¡¯ll lose Howard.¡± ¡°Ruby, it was so hard to finally marry Howard, I endured all his resentment and anger, and now that we¡¯ve finally softened towards each other, I really don¡¯t want to give up. But you know, no matter how good I am or how hard I try, I can¡¯t compare to his true love in his heart¡­¡± ¡°In the past, I thought, I wouldn¡¯t let go of Howard. I was determined to fight with him to the bitter end, but these last few days, seeing Howard staring at the phone while texting his ¡®little true love,¡¯ lost in thought, struggling, and conflicted, I felt sorry for him. I really considered letting him go, to give him his happiness with his ¡®little true love.¡¯ But, Ruby, he took a knife for me. He hates me so much, yet he took a knife for me. If he didn¡¯t have me in his heart, why would he do that? What if I let him go, and it turns out I am in his heart, wouldn¡¯t we have missed our chance? And recently, he¡¯s been eating the late-night snacks I made, and he doesn¡¯t stay out all night anymore, Ruby¡­¡± Madeleine rambled on, then lifted her damp eyelashes, looking at Ruby Gregory, ¡°Ruby, can you do me a favor and think of a way to find out what¡¯s really in Howard¡¯s heart?¡± ¨C Madeleine was Ruby Gregory¡¯s best friend in life, a request from her was something she¡¯d never refuse. So after some thought, she called Steve Burton and asked him to help test Howard¡¯s feelings. Steve Burton had always considered himself a man of integrity, but that was when Ruby Gregory wasn¡¯t involved. Now that Ruby had personally asked for his help, he didn¡¯t hesitate to betray his own brother. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Steve Burton kept his mobile phone in a call with Ruby, locked the screen, placed it on the coffee table, and then dialed an intercom to ask Howard Coleman to come to his office. PS: Madeleine could hear Howard¡¯s response, oh~~~ That¡¯s it for today~~ Many people asked about Twitter, so I¡¯ll announce it here, Twitter: Ye Fei Ye is a fairy, WhatsApp public platform: yefeiye000. Those who want to keep up with Ye Zi¡¯s future book news can follow there~ Chapter 841 - Chapter 841: Chapter 841 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 11)_1 Chapter 841: Chapter 841 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 11)_1 Steve Burton kept the call with Ruby Gregory on his phone, locked the screen, placed it on the coffee table, and then dialed an intercom for Howard Coleman, asking him to come to his office. Howard thought Steve was calling him to his office for some emergency, so after the intercom was disconnected, he simply said to his beautiful secretary, who was reporting the progress of the latest project she was responsible for, ¡°Wait a moment,¡± then quickly straightened his clothes and strode across the spacious and bright top-floor office lobby to Steve¡¯s office door. There, he raised his hand, knocked softly on the door, and called out, ¡°Bro.¡± Hearing Howard¡¯s voice, Steve looked down and whispered to Ruby, who was originally on the other end of the phone, instructing her, ¡°Howard is here, neither you nor Madeleine should make any sound.¡± Only when there was truly no sound coming from Ruby and Madeleine on the other end did Steve sit up straight, casually take a business magazine from the coffee table, place it on his lap, and pretend to read elegantly. Then he cleared his throat and said leisurely to Howard outside the door, ¡°Come in.¡± Following Steve¡¯s command, the solid wood office door was slowly pushed open by Howard. Howard closed the door and called out to Steve, who was sitting leisurely on the sofa, ¡°Bro, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Steve¡¯s gaze never left the magazine. When he heard Howard¡¯s voice, he leisurely flipped a page, then realized he had the magazine upside down. To avoid showing any flaws, Steve closed the magazine emphatically and threw it aside on the coffee table, lifting his head and giving Howard a slight smirk and a nod toward the standalone sofa next to him, saying, ¡°Sit.¡± Steve was seldom so polite to his brothers. An alarm went off in Howard¡¯s heart, and he silently began to review if he had made any mistakes at work recently. Some people may appear cold and elegant on the outside, seeming emotionless, hardly uttering any endearing words, and sometimes even saying particularly hurtful things once they open their mouth. However, the heart hidden inside their chest is scorching hot. Steve was such a person. He always believed that a true man should not be overly sentimental or indecisive because of love, so he treasured his love for Ruby deeply in his heart and never disclosed his feelings to anyone. And now, he was about to have a heart-to-heart talk with Howard¡­ Steve began to feel a headache coming on. He felt that instead of having a heart-to-heart, he would be more inclined to knock Howard down, give him a good beating, then step on his neck and force him to confess his feelings for Madeleine. Unfortunately, this was an order from Ruby, and no matter how much of a headache it was for him, Steve had to try his best to carry it out. Thus, he shifted slightly in his seat and casually pressed the intercom beside the sofa, asking his secretary Ms. Taylor to bring over a tea set. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Steve heated some water, took out the green tea that Rusell Henris had brought back from his business trip to Poham not long ago, and brewed two cups himself, pushing one of them towards Howard, ¡°Try this new tea. The young leaves are quite nice.¡± [Beginning to update¡­] Chapter 842 - Chapter 842: Chapter 842 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 12)_1 Chapter 842: Chapter 842 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 12)_1 Howard Coleman watched as Steve Burton personally brewed tea for him, feeling unexpectedly pampered. He hurriedly stretched out his hands to receive it, having confirmed multiple times lately that he hadn¡¯t made any mistakes. Just as his heart began to settle down, it became unsettled again. Holding the tea, he took a hard-to-swallow sip and couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Brother, if there¡¯s something on your mind, just say it.¡± Steve took a leisurely sip of tea, glanced at Howard twice, and then, following Howard¡¯s cue, cut straight to the point, ¡°How has it been after marrying Madeleine?¡± Howard had been speculating about Steve¡¯s reasons for seeking him out, with many guesses but he never expected Steve to inquire about his private life. A relaxed smile froze on Howard¡¯s face. His grip on the teacup tightened slightly, and after a long while, he managed to force out a smile, saying, ¡°It¡¯s just like that, what else could it be?¡± If Steve had been unsure how to broach the topic initially, he was now more relaxed as he continued pouring tea for both of them. Water flowed gently from the pot into the cups, emitting a refreshing sound, ¡°I learned of the circumstances leading to your marriage with Madeleine through Ruby. Before you know it, you¡¯ll have been married for almost ten months. How come, you still have no other thoughts about Madeleine at this point?¡± ¡°Why is everyone suddenly asking me if I have thoughts about Madeleine?¡± A memory of Anita asking him the same question at the hotel spontaneously fell from Howard¡¯s lips. ¡°Who else asked you that question?¡± Howard smiled and did not answer Steve¡¯s question, but rather took a sip of the green tea. The taste lingered on his lips and teeth, carrying a refreshing fragrance, yet Howard¡¯s eyes looked somewhat lost. After a pause, he turned to look blankly at Steve and honestly answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Is it that you truly don¡¯t know, or that you don¡¯t want to let yourself know?¡± Steve¡¯s words were always so piercing, causing Howard¡¯s expression to turn solemn. After a while, he heard Steve¡¯s voice again, ¡°Back then, in the dead-end alley of Hora, when Ruby and Madeleine encountered danger, someone, in a frenzy, brandished a knife to stab Madeleine. You didn¡¯t hesitate at all and stepped in to block it. Why was that?¡± There were some matters Howard had never spoken of to anyone. Growing up with his four brothers, he had always regarded Steve as his faith because, no matter what happened, Steve was always the calmest and most composed among them. The emotions between men are often understood without words, so they rarely shared deep conversations. Over the years, they mostly teased each other. Perhaps it was the first time they sat down so peacefully to talk about their feelings, Howard thought seriously for quite a while, and then sincerely said to Steve, ¡°Bro, to be honest, when I first hated Madeleine, it wasn¡¯t because she broke up Anita and me, but because I couldn¡¯t accept that someone I treated like my own sister for so many years, suddenly had to become my wife.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Chapter 843 - Chapter 843: Chapter 843 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 13)_1 Chapter 843: Chapter 843 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 13)_1 ¡°Let me put it this way¡­ Just imagine, if one day you wake up and find Wenny Burton in your bed¡­¡± Steve Burton didn¡¯t hesitate to interrupt Howard Coleman¡¯s hypothetical scenario, ¡°Hold it right there. Let me be clear, I belong to Ruby Gregory, so don¡¯t you dare tarnish my purity.¡± Howard Coleman gave the ever-so-chaste man in front of him a speechless look, ¡°I said, it¡¯s a hypothetical.¡± ¡°You could use Rusell or Edward for your hypotheticals, they both have sisters too.¡± To protect his own chastity, Steve Burton didn¡¯t hesitate to sell out his brothers once again. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say Edward wakes up to find Ivy in his bed. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯d go mad?¡± Howard Coleman had to choose a different scenario, ¡°That¡¯s exactly how I felt at that moment, as if struck by lightning, as if the heavens had fallen and the earth had split open.¡± ¨C Unbeknownst to them, Edward Woods and Rusell Henris, who were in a meeting together, sneezed simultaneously. Edward Woods raised his hand and rubbed his nose, and as he was about to reach for a tissue, Rusell Henris, while tapping away at his computer with one hand, handed him a tissue. Edward Woods took the tissue offered by Rusell Henris, wiped his nose, tossed the used tissue in the bin, and then sneezed heavily once again. ¨C ¡°Bro, to be honest, among all of us, aside from Madeleine and Ruby, the two girls, and the rest of us four guys, Rusell and you are alike, having little interest in women. Edward and I see eye to eye on things, but these past two years, even Edward seems to have lost interest in women. That leaves me as the only one still enjoying life with alcohol and women. To be honest, it¡¯s not that I want to play around; it¡¯s just that if I don¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t know what else to do. In fact, I also want to find a woman I like and settle down, but I just haven¡¯t met her yet. I had no idea Madeleine liked me, and it never crossed my mind to like her either. You don¡¯t know this, but when I found out Madeleine liked stones, I went to Agrabah once and saw a stone at an auction. I bought it specifically for her and had it stored in a safe, thinking that someday, when Madeleine gets married, I¡¯d give it to her as a dowry. She would definitely be thrilled.¡± As Howard Coleman reached this point in his story, he let out a self-deprecating laugh, ¡°Who would have known, in the end, Madeleine married me.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï And then that stone, like a stone dropped into the sea, was forever left in the safe. As Howard Coleman thought about this, he exhaled slowly, his voice tinged with a touch of melancholy, ¡°Bro, you have no idea, I feel like such a scumbag. Anita was the one I pursued, the one I truly liked, and the one I personally promised to marry. But in the end, I married Madeleine, whom I didn¡¯t love at all. Then I thought, if I indulged more in a life of indulgence and alcohol, maybe Madeleine would divorce me, and then I would be free.¡± But as he debauched and debauched, he found that he just couldn¡¯t keep it up anymore. Even when he looked at Madeleine, a subtle and indescribable pain welled up in his heart. Those pains were slight and weak, yet they made him exceptionally uncomfortable. ¡°If you ask me why I took that stab for Madeleine back then, the reason is very simple¡­¡± [Seeing that everyone in the comments section is quite passionate about Howard and Madeleine, you may debate, but please, no fighting or personal attacks~ Kisses~] Chapter 844 - Chapter 844: Chapter 844 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 14)_1 Chapter 844: Chapter 844 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 14)_1 ¡°I do hate Madeleine, I treated her so badly, I even¡­ I¡­¡± Howard Coleman said, suddenly stopping mid-sentence. What he actually wanted to say was that, even though he didn¡¯t like her, he still used her body to insult her, and then made her take emergency contraception afterward. When he was doing these things back then, he didn¡¯t really have any other thoughts. He just blindly wanted Madeleine to completely give up hope on him, to despair, so that she would completely separate from him. But now, he didn¡¯t know what was wrong with him; suddenly remembering those things he had done, he felt an urge to kill himself. These subtle changes of feelings were known only to him. At this moment, even he couldn¡¯t understand the reasons, how could he possibly think about telling Steve Burton? So, after a long while, Howard Coleman only mentioned his initial thought when he took the knife for Madeleine: ¡°No matter how I treated her, no matter how angry I was, when I saw that her life was in danger, I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. Think about it, after all, we grew up together since we were kids. Even if we appeared to be enemies on the surface, in the end, she is still the sister I have cherished and protected for so many years. How could I possibly watch her die? That¡¯s why I took that stab for her.¡± ¨C The living room was exceptionally quiet. Through Steve Burton¡¯s phone, the voice from Ruby Gregory¡¯s phone, amplified, carried Howard Coleman¡¯s clear words slowly. Madeleine¡¯s face, which was already pale, became completely colorless, even her lips turned snow white. So, the stab that she had always held in her heart with a glimmer of hope, the one she had been obsessing over, was not because Howard Coleman had finally developed feelings for her. The only reason she could get Howard Coleman to take that stab for her was due to their many years of companionship. From the phone came Steve Burton¡¯s usual indifferent tone, ¡°So, what are your plans for the future with Madeleine?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¨C Howard Coleman, hearing Steve Burton¡¯s words, was silent for a long time. Sometimes, cruelty is just a matter of pride. His hardness and ruthlessness towards Madeleine had disappeared during his hospital stay. Now, he no longer harbored thoughts of forcing her to divorce him. Therefore, deep down, he didn¡¯t even know what plans he had for his future with Madeleine. Howard Coleman lowered his gaze, and continued, ¡°No plans really, maybe we¡¯ll just live in peace for the rest of our lives. After all, there are plenty of marriages without love in this world, and they still manage to live well.¡± At this point, Howard Coleman laughed lightly, trying to make his tone a bit lighter, then continued, ¡°Bro, you think everyone is like you and Ruby, huh? In this lifetime, to marry and have children with the person you truly love, happy, until old age.¡± ¨C Hearing this, Ruby Gregory felt Madeleine¡¯s whole body begin to tremble. She quickly reached out and ended the call with Steve Burton. The room, now devoid of the conversation between Steve Burton and Howard Coleman from the phone, seemed a bit chilly. Ruby Gregory, with a worried and uneasy heart, took a long time before she carefully spoke up, ¡°Madeleine, you¡­ ¡± Ruby Gregory didn¡¯t finish her sentence when Madeleine sniffled, as if nothing was wrong, turned her head, and gave Ruby Gregory a faint smile: ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s getting late; I have to go to work at the office. Ruby, drive slowly when you go home later.¡± Chapter 845 - Chapter 845: Chapter 845 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 15)_1 Chapter 845: Chapter 845 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 15)_1 Madeleine didn¡¯t give Ruby Gregory any chance to speak; she just pushed Ruby out of Howard Coleman¡¯s apartment and then, as if she had lost all her strength, leaned against the door, her eyes wide open, staring fixedly at the wide French windows right opposite her. Her eyes, red and swollen from crying, were now surprisingly clear, without a single tear streaming down. Madeleine had been leaning against the door for quite some time before she slowly stood up, returned to the master bedroom, took a bath, changed into clean clothes, and left the house. Upon arriving at the company, Madeleine handled her work and then locked her office door from the inside. Alone, she sat at her desk and started reviewing the upcoming projects of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises saved on her computer, her gaze eventually resting on a project in Oceania which was scheduled for three and a half years. For such large-scale projects, they usually send someone reliable to oversee it on-site. Because it requires a long commitment and is far away overseas, they haven¡¯t yet decided who to send. Madeleine kept looking at the project, over and over, but in the end, she still hadn¡¯t made up her mind whether she wanted to go or not. When Madeleine got home that evening, it was already eleven o¡¯clock. Howard Coleman was back as well, sitting on the living room sofa, watching TV. She hadn¡¯t prepared a late-night snack tonight, so after simply greeting Howard, she went into the master bedroom, took a bath, and went to bed early. Howard Coleman, in the living room, watched the door to the master bedroom for a while. Then he picked up his mobile phone, which displayed a text message from Anita Madris: ¡°Howard, I¡¯m leaving Ciawell on tomorrow¡¯s flight. Make your choice between her and me, because you still owe me a breakup.¡± Howard Coleman tossed the phone aside as if nothing was wrong, continuing to watch TV until midnight, when he finally turned off the TV and walked into the bedroom. Madeleine, lying motionless in bed, appeared to be asleep. Howard Coleman quietly took a bath and then climbed into bed. Having not slept at all the previous night and going to bed early, Madeleine still couldn¡¯t fall asleep. As Howard lay down beside her, she inhaled the familiar scent of the man and suddenly felt a sourness in her nose, burying her head deep into the bedding. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï The room was very quiet and it was a long while before Madeleine quietly opened her eyes and looked at Howard Coleman¡¯s profile. His features were as handsome as she remembered, causing her heart to flutter. She hadn¡¯t even had time to love him fully, so how could she bear to part with him? Her emotions, barely calmed, broke through again, and tears uncontrollably began to flow. Thinking that Howard had fallen asleep, Madeleine didn¡¯t turn around, hiding from him and crying silently, just watching Howard and weeping quietly to herself. Howard Coleman was not asleep, however; he simply lay there with his eyes closed, thinking about things without being sure what exactly. Eventually, he slowly opened his eyes and instinctively turned his head to glance in Madeleine¡¯s direction. That¡¯s when he saw the girl staring at him, her face streaming with tears. Howard¡¯s expression froze momentarily, and he distinctly felt a fleeting pang of heartache deep inside him. Chapter 846 - Chapter 846: Chapter 846 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 16)_1 Chapter 846: Chapter 846 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 16)_1 In his life, Howard had wronged many women; when their time together ended, each one of them was inconsolably crying before him. But someone like Madeleine, who cried soundlessly, shedding silent tears, was someone he had never encountered before. In the past, when he saw those women crying, all he felt was annoyance. But now, he was not the slightest bit irritated; instead, he felt an indescribable sadness. Howard¡¯s throat moved up and down twice, and then, uncontrollably, his fingers lifted and gently touched Madeleine¡¯s face, slowly wiping away her tears. Madeleine was crying so hard that her vision was blurred with tears, and she didn¡¯t see that Howard had opened his eyes. The moment his hand touched her cheek, her entire body stiffened, and then she forgot to cry. Madeleine¡¯s vision gradually cleared, and she saw Howard¡¯s deep, dark eyes intensely gazing at her. Her heart skipped a beat, and then she just foolishly looked back at him. When Howard met Madeleine¡¯s gaze, the fingers that had been tracing her tears halted. The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity until Madeleine came back to her senses. She hastily tugged at her lips, smiling awkwardly and scrambling for an excuse, saying, ¡°When I got off work, I accidentally killed a cat. I just dreamt that the cat came to claim my life, and then I got scared¡­¡± Before Madeleine could finish the word ¡°cry,¡± Howard suddenly leaned in, silencing her lips with his. Her eyes widened in shock. Was Howard kissing her? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Was this all just a dream? As thoughts exploded in Madeleine¡¯s mind, she felt the fiery and scorching kiss from the man, invading her mouth, aggressively and fiercely drawing out the sweetness within. That kiss lasted for what seemed like ages. Madeleine was completely stunned by Howard¡¯s unexpected kiss and didn¡¯t respond at all, from the beginning to the end. It was Howard who controlled the kiss until, at last, when she felt as though the air in her lungs was about to be sucked dry, he slowly released her lips. She stood there, dumbstruck, holding her breath for a long time. Only after blinking did she seem to realize what had happened and took a deep breath¡ªbut before she could finish it, Howard¡¯s lips were upon hers again. Madeleine¡¯s mind went blank, and although it was the second time Howard kissed her, she still couldn¡¯t quite believe it. So much so that when Howard¡¯s hand slowly made its way inside her pajamas, she didn¡¯t offer the slightest resistance. By the time Madeleine came to her senses, both she and Howard were already undressed. The man didn¡¯t rush things as he used to, not treating her like an outlet for his desire. Instead, his caresses over her skin even held a trace of tenderness. Madeleine¡¯s body trembled lightly, her long eyelashes fluttered a few times, and then she slowly closed her eyes. She distinctly felt that when Howard entered her body, it wasn¡¯t with the previous fierceness. There was no pain, only an indescribable thrill. In the past, Madeleine, no matter how intimate she was with Howard, never dared to touch him, because he despised her touch. But, when he held her and they reached the pinnacle, Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but shake and lift her hands to embrace his waist. She felt his body tremble slightly, but he didn¡¯t push her away. Instead, he pressed even deeper into her. [There are 15 minutes left to reach a new month~ These two days mark the end, so this might be the last time for everyone to cast their monthly votes for this book. So~ remember to vote after midnight, and give your last support to this book~] Chapter 847 - Chapter 847: Chapter 847 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 17)_1 Chapter 847: Chapter 847 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 17)_1 The next day, when Madeleine opened her eyes, she appeared somewhat bewildered, still curled up in Howard Coleman¡¯s arms. This was the first time she had awoken in Howard¡¯s embrace since they had been married for so long. She was dazed for quite a while before the events of the previous night slowly returned to her mind. Howard had actually kissed her¡­ Madeleine couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand to touch her lips, then turned her head to look at Howard. The man was still deep asleep, his eyelashes long, his lips slightly pursed, his expression serene. Bathed in the sunlight coming in from the window, he looked unspeakably handsome. Madeleine stared at Howard for an indeterminate amount of time, until the man finally began to stir from his drowsy slumber. The lovemaking from last night was truly beautiful, so beautiful that it even made her deludedly think that he loved her. But she understood that he had always seen her as nothing more than a sister, perhaps her crying last night had made him feel pity, or maybe it was the depth of the night, the solitude, his momentary passion. So, the moment Howard opened his eyes, Madeleine consciously and quickly scrambled out of his embrace, silently picked up her clothes to dress neatly, and then smoothly pulled open the drawer beside her. She retrieved an emergency contraceptive pill, unwrapped it with fluent and natural movements, and popped it into her mouth. Without any water, she forcefully swallowed it down. The somewhat confused Howard, witnessing Madeleine¡¯s series of actions, abruptly froze. He instinctively wanted to reach out and stop her, but she had already swallowed the pill, and his hand balled into a tight fist involuntarily. After taking the medicine, Madeleine tossed the packaging into the trash can, turned her head with a face that looked somewhat pale, and gave Howard a faint smile, ¡°The emergency contraceptive pill works within seventy-two hours, so, I shouldn¡¯t get pregnant.¡± Howard wanted to speak but his throat felt as if it were being choked. He couldn¡¯t make a sound and could only silently tighten his clenched fist, watching as Madeleine walked into the bathroom. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? It wasn¡¯t until the sound of running water in the bathroom started that Howard blinked his eyes and came to his senses. Then he realized that deep down, his heart ached unbearably. He had kissed her last night¡­ Even during the kiss, his entire body was boiling with emotions, a feeling he had never experienced when kissing Anita Madris¡­ Seeing her cry last night pained him, and now watching her take the pill, his heart ached even more¡­ Even though he was the one who wanted her to take the medicine, why did he now feel an urge to snatch the pill from her hand when he saw her taking it? ¡°Howard, are you biased towards her? Could it be that in the days I was away, you¡¯ve fallen for her?¡± ¡°Is it that you really don¡¯t know, or that you don¡¯t want to let yourself know?¡± The words from Anita Madris and Steve Burton began to resonate slowly in his head. Howard just felt as if his mind was about to explode, muddled up into a mess. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been when the chaos in his brain finally settled down, the myriad threads of thought eventually weaving into a very clear conclusion: he thought, he might really have fallen for Madeleine. PS: Monthly tickets, oh monthly tickets~~ Chapter 848 - Chapter 848: Chapter 848 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 18)_1 Chapter 848: Chapter 848 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 18)_1 ¡°` If you find yourself falling for two girls at the same time, you should choose the second one, for if you truly loved the first girl, you wouldn¡¯t have fallen for the second. Howard Coleman didn¡¯t know where this saying came from, but he thought it was flawed because when you start liking the second girl, you¡¯ll find that the first one gradually fades in your heart. Anita Madris had told him to make a choice; he owed her a breakup. Indeed, the love affair between him and Anita hadn¡¯t ended with a breakup but had simply fizzled out. Now she had returned, demanding a resolution. Although Howard didn¡¯t dare consider himself a good man, he was certainly not the type to shy away from a problem. Thus, upon leaving his home, he didn¡¯t head straight for the office. Instead, he gave Anita a call, arranged to meet at the airport, and drove there directly. When Howard reached the airport, it was just past nine in the morning. Anita¡¯s flight was at two in the afternoon, and she was probably still packing when he called, so she hadn¡¯t yet arrived when Howard got there. Howard casually found a caf¨¦ and took a seat in the most secluded corner, appearing very calm and patient as he waited. He spoke only once throughout¡ªwhen he ordered a cup of coffee from the waiter. At around half past ten, Howard received a call from Anita. He told her where he was, then hung up. It took less than ten minutes before he saw Anita, pulling a suitcase and arriving belatedly. Knowing Anita¡¯s preferences, Howard didn¡¯t wait for the waiter to bring the menu but signaled him to bring her a cup of hot fruit juice. Anita sat down and removed her hat, likely due to the upcoming long flight. She hadn¡¯t put on makeup, and her clean face still looked the same as Howard remembered. The waiter promptly brought the juice. Anita said ¡°Thank you,¡± pulled the drink towards her, took a sip, and then looked at Howard before asking, ¡°Howard, have you made up your mind?¡± Howard hadn¡¯t even begun to speak when the caf¨¦, which had been playing music, suddenly began to play the next song¡ªa very fitting one, ¡°Cheers to Love.¡± Howard waited for Fish Leong¡¯s voice to sing a couple of lines before placing his hands on the table, gazing into Anita¡¯s eyes, nodding slightly, and then saying, ¡°Anita, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? In love, for a man and a woman, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± can sometimes be the most touching words, and other times the most hurtful. When Anita heard these words, her hand involuntarily tightened its grip. Howard licked his lips and continued in an unhurried voice, ¡°Anita, let¡¯s break up.¡± ¨C Madeleine had been in charge of a Pavale client who arrived in Ciawell today, and she personally went to the airport to pick them up. The client¡¯s flight was due at noon, and fearing the long journey might bring unforeseen circumstances, she arrived two hours early. To her surprise, the traffic was unusually smooth that day, and she reached the airport in just forty minutes. With more than an hour to spare before the pickup time, she decided to rest in a caf¨¦ and happened to spot Howard and Anita sitting in a corner. PS: Begging for monthly votes, pleading cutely~ I am going to sleep after today¡¯s update, aiming to post updates earlier~ Is there anyone who wants to read a story about Rusell Henris and Edward Woods? If so, once this book is finished, I¡¯ll start writing it. I can share several hundred words every day for free on the WhatsApp public platform for everyone to enjoy~ As a leisure activity~ It¡¯s free~ Ha~ ¡°` Chapter 849 - Chapter 849: Chapter 849 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 19)_1 Chapter 849: Chapter 849 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 19)_1 Who would have thought that today¡¯s traffic would be surprisingly smooth? I arrived at the airport in just forty minutes, more than an hour before the pickup time. So, I decided to rest in a coffee shop, but as soon as I stepped in, I caught sight of Howard Coleman and Anita Madris sitting in a corner. From Madeleine¡¯s vantage point, she could only see half of Howard¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t quite make out their expressions. They were sitting opposite each other, a fair distance apart, and she had no idea what they were talking about. Behind Madeleine was the bustling airport, its noise a chaotic symphony, while in front of her was the somewhat quiet coffee shop, where Fish Leong¡¯s melodious voice slowly drifted out. Many passersby walked past Madeleine, some entering the coffee shop and others leaving, but she stood frozen at the doorstep like she had been struck by an acupoint, staring straight at the two people, unable to move her gaze away. ¨C ¡°Anita, let¡¯s break up,¡± At those seven words, Anita¡¯s eyes instantly filled with moisture. He still called her ¡°Anita,¡± with the same tone as when they were in love, but it no longer conveyed any affection to her. All she felt was the indescribable sadness and sorrow. Anita clenched the glass of juice in front of her. She tried to control her emotions, but her voice trembled uncontrollably, ¡°Howard, you¡¯ve chosen her over me, haven¡¯t you?¡± Howard didn¡¯t speak, only offering Anita an apologetic smile. That smile of his, tinged with a charming attitude, only caused Anita¡¯s tears to fall uncontrollably, ¡°Howard, how could you stop loving me?¡± Indeed, how could he stop loving her? He couldn¡¯t understand it himself. In the past, he had truly been moved and even impulsive at the sight of her, believing she would be the love of his life. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï But things in this world are ever-changing. Initially impassioned feelings ¨C he couldn¡¯t quite explain why ¨C just dissipated in an instant during their meetings, leaving no trace of the fervor he once remembered. Howard thought that maybe he hadn¡¯t truly loved Anita in the beginning. Perhaps she had just given him a unique thrill, something that felt extraordinary, and because it was the first time he¡¯d felt such a stir, he hastily concluded she was his destiny. Perhaps if Madeleine hadn¡¯t actively torn him and Anita apart, they would have naturally drifted towards an inevitable breakup with passion long faded. Regardless, in the end, he had wronged her. In their relationship, aside from Madeleine¡¯s interference, he was the first to betray his promise. Howard swallowed hard and could only continue with a dry, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Anita cried even harder, her tears falling freely. Howard looked at the woman in front of him, crying ceaselessly, and slightly furrowed his brows. Then, in silence, he pushed the tissue box on the table toward Anita, ¡°Anita, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯ll meet a man who loves and treats you better than I did.¡± [A new month, a brand new start, strive to update today¡¯s story!] Chapter 850 - Chapter 850: Chapter 850 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 20)_1 Chapter 850: Chapter 850 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 20)_1 Anita Madris opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she said nothing. She simply pulled out a tissue, covered her mouth, and began to sob quietly. Howard Coleman didn¡¯t speak again; he sat with rare patience in front of Anita, silently waiting for the crying woman to stabilize her emotions. He thought he might really be in love with Madeleine, the woman he had always treated as a sister. Anita had cried in front of him, Madeleine had too, but it was only when he saw Madeleine cry that his heart felt as if it were being shredded. In the past, when he saw Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory having a conflict, causing Ruby to have red eyes, he could be irrationally angry for a good half a month without a single smile. Back then, he even complained to Rusell, asking what the hell was wrong with him, was a woman really worth all this? Now he understood, when you truly fall in love with someone, it starts with a heartache. In the caf¨¦, people came and went, the music changed from one song to another, and finally, Anita sitting opposite Howard stopped crying. She kept wiping the tear stains from the corners of her eyes with a tissue and occasionally let out a soft sob. Howard waited until Anita put her tissue down, then he raised his wrist to check the time, ¡°It¡¯s almost twelve now, you need to board, let me take you to the security check.¡± Without waiting for Anita to speak, Howard immediately raised his hand to summon the waiter, took out his wallet to pay the bill, then stood up and gallantly pulled Anita¡¯s suitcase. Anita lifted the back of her hand to cover her reddened nose from crying and then leisurely stood up, following by Howard¡¯s side, walking towards the exit of the caf¨¦. ¨C Madeleine had been closely watching Howard Coleman and Anita Madris. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï The woman must have cried. Howard¡¯s expression was somewhat grave, probably out of concern. Was it because people who love each other had finally reunited, only to have to part again, that they were so sad? As Madeleine¡¯s mind was in disarray, a waiter in the caf¨¦ noticed her standing at the door for almost an hour without leaving or entering and couldn¡¯t help but approach with a warm smile, ¡°Miss, is there anything you need?¡± Madeleine came back to her senses, was about to speak to the waiter when she saw Howard pulling Anita¡¯s suitcase, with the two of them exiting one after another. Then the three of them just stood there, face to face. Anita still had tears welling up in her eyes occasionally. She lifted her hand from time to time to wipe the corners of her eyes, so she did not notice Madeleine at all. However, it was Howard, walking at the front, who saw Madeleine standing at the door. His steps came to a sudden halt, and his tone carried a slight panic he couldn¡¯t quite explain, ¡°Madeleine, what are you doing here?¡± When Madeleine heard Howard¡¯s voice, she tugged at her lips, struggling to find the words, and simply let her gaze fall on Anita, standing beside Howard. In the past, whenever Madeleine saw a woman standing by Howard, no matter the situation, she would rush up without hesitation, grab the woman fiercely, and slap her hard. So when Madeleine¡¯s gaze met Anita¡¯s, Howard subconsciously thought Madeleine was going to rush up and start a fight. For Howard, at this moment, he indeed no longer loved Anita. Chapter 851 - Chapter 851: Chapter 851 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 21)_1 Chapter 851: Chapter 851 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 21)_1 For Howard Coleman, at this moment, he truly no longer loved Anita Madris. However, that did not mean he could let Madeleine rush forward and lay hands on Anita. After all, this woman was innocent¡ªMadeleine wronged her, and so did he. So when Howard saw Madeleine¡¯s gaze fall on Anita, he instinctively moved forward a step to shield Anita, ¡°Madeleine, about me and Anita¡­¡± Madeleine only wanted to take a look at Anita; she harbored no other thoughts, but Howard¡¯s action of blocking Anita with his body was like a sharp blade thrust fiercely into her heart, causing a flash of unexpected discomfiture to appear in the depths of her eyes. It turned out that he cherished and protected the woman he loved so deeply. She merely wanted a glance, yet he reacted as if startled, so decisively and quickly stepping in front of his beloved woman, as if he were guarding a precious treasure. In that instant, Madeleine felt ashamed, so ashamed that she didn¡¯t have the chance to hear what Howard was about to say. She hastily forced a twisted smile, uglier than crying, and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up Mr. Woods from Pavale; he must have disembarked by now.¡± As soon as Madeleine finished speaking, she felt a warmth at the bottom of her eyes. Without even looking at Howard, she turned around abruptly and began to walk quickly away. After just a few steps, tears harshly fell, and she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand to wipe her cheeks, and then she broke into a run. Howard subconsciously chased after her, but the airport was crowded, and Madeleine was quick to react. In the blink of an eye, he lost sight of her. He stood in the middle of the airport, looked around, and then stopped, overcome with an indescribable panic. ¨C Out of breath, Madeleine ran to the airport exit area. Even as tears fell, upon reaching the airport exit, her face assumed the gentle smile characteristic of her work. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï After only a two-minute wait, Madeleine saw Mr. Woods arrive with his assistant. She greeted him with a beaming smile, shook hands, exchanged pleasantries, and then they got into the car and drove straight to the company. In the car, Madeleine kept up a good front, chatting and laughing with Mr. Woods. Once at the company¡¯s conference room, she promptly found Edward Woods to take her place in receiving Mr. Woods. After apologizing to Mr. Woods, she walked back to her office gracefully. The moment the door closed behind her, the smile on Madeleine¡¯s face vanished. She sat in her office chair, staring out the window, lost in a daze. ¡°I just thought, if I indulged in a life of extravagance with even more alcohol, maybe I¡¯d become despicable enough that Madeleine would divorce me, and then I would be free.¡± ¡°After all, she is the sister that I have cherished and protected for so many years. How could I just watch her die.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any specific plans¡ªmaybe just to live a peaceful life. After all, in this world, there are many marriages without love, and they still lead perfectly fine lives.¡± ¡°Bro, do you think everyone is like you and Ruby, fortunate enough in this lifetime to marry and have children with the person they truly love, to live happily ever after?¡± The words Howard Coleman said to Steve Burton kept replaying in Madeleine¡¯s ears, and what flashed before her were the conflicted expressions of Howard because of Anita and his gesture at the airport, not hesitating for even a moment to protect Anita. Chapter 852 - Chapter 852: Chapter 852 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 22)_1 Chapter 852: Chapter 852 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 22)_1 Madeleine sat in utter confusion for quite some time until her secretary opened the door of the office and handed her a document. Madeleine collected her thoughts and, with a normal expression, picked up the pen, signed her name, and was about to hand the document back to her secretary when she suddenly heard a song start to play. ¡°Give love a way to live, don¡¯t persist in your delusion¡­¡± Before Madeleine could hear the next lyrics, her secretary apologized to her with a ¡°Sorry, Ms. Madeleine,¡± and immediately hung up the phone. Madeleine didn¡¯t say a word, just smiled slightly and handed over the document. The secretary received it with both hands and as she turned to leave, Madeleine asked, ¡°What song is your ringtone?¡± The secretary seemed somewhat surprised, yet still answered truthfully, ¡°Give love a way to live.¡± Madeleine¡¯s expression froze for a moment. The secretary added, ¡°It¡¯s sung by Na Ying.¡± Madeleine nodded, and once the secretary left, the office returned to its peaceful state. After a long time, Madeleine slowly opened a webpage on her computer, searched for the song, and then stared at the lyrics for a long, long time¡­ ¡°Give love a way to live, don¡¯t look back again and again, stop the selfish attempts, let me pull out¡­ Give love a way to live, don¡¯t persist in your delusion, take away your freedom and my blessings, leave, leave, don¡¯t trap yourself¡­¡± ¨C Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï When Howard Coleman accompanied Anita Madris to the security check, neither of them said ¡°goodbye,¡± because they both knew that from then on, they might never see each other again. When two people who have truly been moved by each other separate, they really can¡¯t be friends, because they have hurt each other. If they can still be friends, it means they are still in love, or they never loved at all. Anita¡¯s emotions had stabilized, and she only said to Howard, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Howard nodded and after a moment said, ¡°Take care.¡± Anita didn¡¯t say anything more, just lowered her head slightly, then turned around and walked toward the security checkpoint. Howard stood at the entrance of the security checkpoint for a while, then turned and left. When he got back to his car, he thought of Madeleine turning and running away at the cafe door, and a slight depression sunk into his heart. With a slightly downcast mood, he drove away from the airport. As he passed a mall in the city and was stopped by a red light, he saw a bridal shop on the first floor of the mall, next to a store selling diamond rings. The image of Madeleine, gazing foolishly at the bridal shop for a long time as they wandered the streets together not so long ago, flashed through his mind. Howard felt a blockage in his chest, a swelling of indescribable discomfort. His hand, gripping the steering wheel, tightened, and then he drove the car straight to the side of the road, stopping before stepping into the diamond ring store. The person who greeted Howard was a young and beautiful salesperson with a soft tone characteristic of the southern regions, ¡°Sir, would you like to buy a diamond ring?¡± Howard nodded, and the salesperson then led him towards the showcase for couple rings. Howard didn¡¯t listen to the sales pitch, just bowed his head and inspected the rings one by one until his gaze settled on a brocade box on a rotating display stand. Inside lay a collection of very simple couple rings. The lady¡¯s ring was studded with tiny diamonds that refracted rainbow colors under the light. PS: Howard was right to stand in front of Anita Madris; after all, Madeleine did indeed hit someone before, and Anita truly was an innocent victim~~ Chapter 853 - Chapter 853: Chapter 853 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 23)_1 Chapter 853: Chapter 853 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 23)_1 The sales associate noticed Howard Coleman gazing intently at the ring and tactfully spoke up, saying, ¡°This ring is our flagship model for this year. Many celebrities have purchased this set for their wedding. This blank space is specifically designed for the buyers to have their names engraved.¡± As the sales associate spoke, they took out the ring and showed it to Howard Coleman. Howard Coleman took the ring, examined it briefly, and then, without any hesitation, took out his card and handed it to the sales associate. ¨C After waiting for roughly two hours, Howard Coleman came out with the rings engraved with ¡°Howard Coleman¡± and ¡°Madeleine.¡± He got into the car, carefully weighed the rings in his hand, and then picked up his phone to make a call to Madeleine. ¨C As Madeleine had already committed the back-and-forth lyrics to heart, Howard Coleman¡¯s unexpected call came through. Apart from the time when she and Ruby Gregory faced danger at Hora, and Steve Burton directed Howard Coleman to make a call to her, this was the first time Howard Coleman had initiated a call to her after their marriage. Madeleine stared at the flickering phone screen for a long while, then answered the call, hearing Howard Coleman¡¯s voice, ¡°Madeleine?¡± In her memory, it had also been a long time since Howard Coleman had called her by her name. A slight warmth brimmed in Madeleine¡¯s eyes; she fought desperately to swallow the discomfort in her chest and replied softly into the phone, ¡°Mhm.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight,¡± Howard Coleman paused, then added, ¡°Does the Grand Ciawell Restaurant sound good? I¡¯ll make a reservation later.¡± It just so happened that she wanted to have dinner with him too¡­ Madeleine responded, ¡°Okay.¡± Then she added, ¡°But let¡¯s have it at home instead.¡± On the other end of the line, Howard Coleman was silent for a moment, then agreeably replied, ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up the phone, Madeleine stared blankly at her computer screen for a long while, then shut down the computer, picked up her bag, and left the office early to head for the market. She thought that maybe this was the last time she would cook dinner for him. ¨C Howard Coleman came home particularly early that day; it was just seven o¡¯clock when he arrived at the entrance of the apartment. He stood outside, reached into his pocket to feel the paper box, then took a deep breath, and raised his hand to enter the password. As soon as Howard Coleman opened the door, he saw Madeleine walking out of the kitchen, standing at the kitchen entrance from a distance. She smiled at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Howard Coleman gazed at Madeleine¡¯s face for a moment, hummed softly in acknowledgment, and changed his shoes in the foyer area. ¡°Go wash your hands; I¡¯ve already finished making dinner.¡± After saying this, Madeleine smiled at Howard Coleman again and then turned to walk back into the kitchen. Howard Coleman went to the communal restroom and washed his hands thoroughly. As he dried them with a towel, he looked up at himself in the mirror and noticed a hint of nervousness flashing in his eyes. He considered himself a veteran in the field of romance, having uttered many sweet nothings to various women, yet he realized that none of those heartless confessions had equipped him with any profound experience. In fact, he found himself, at that moment, incredibly nervous in a way that was almost indescribable. Leaving the restroom, Howard Coleman went straight to the dining room. Standing at the doorway, he saw Madeleine carrying plates and bustling about the dining table. Chapter 854 - Chapter 854: Chapter 854 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 24)_1 Chapter 854: Chapter 854 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 24)_1 He didn¡¯t make a sound to disturb her, instead, he just quietly watched. Madeleine¡¯s dinner was anything but modest. Despite it being just the two of them, she had prepared an entire table full of dishes. After setting the table, Madeleine turned and saw Howard standing behind her. She smiled faintly, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Howard didn¡¯t speak. He walked over, pulled out his chair, and sat down. Madeleine sat opposite him and, seeing that he made no move, said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± It was only then that Howard picked up his chopsticks. He had spent the entire afternoon organizing in his mind what he would say to Madeleine, but now he found himself so nervous that he had forgotten everything. All the dishes on the table were carefully prepared by Madeleine, the best ones she had learned to make to his taste in the ten months since they married. After ten months of practice, these dishes were, indeed, top-notch. However, when Madeleine tasted them, she felt they were bitter. The two of them had little conversation, just like during meals in the past¡ªsilent. Yet, the silence no longer gave her that sense of ease and happiness. After chewing a piece of fish, Madeleine looked up to see Howard resting a hand on his leg, staring at his plate, lost in thought. The restaurant¡¯s soft lighting poured over the man¡¯s head, making his slightly downcast face stunningly beautiful, almost breathtaking. Madeleine couldn¡¯t help staring at him a bit dazedly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Howard removed his hand from the brocade box in his pocket. When he looked up and caught Madeleine staring at him, the words he had so carefully arranged became jumbled, and his expression grew unnatural. Madeleine, caught by Howard staring dazedly at him, felt a mild embarrassment and diverted her gaze. Then, with her eyes lowered to her bowl, she chuckled, ¡°Did you want to talk to me about something today? Actually, I have something to discuss with you too.¡± After a pause, Madeleine added, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, though. We can talk after.¡± Having said that, Madeleine took another mouthful of rice. Howard watched Madeleine chew slowly and couldn¡¯t help but call her name, ¡°Madeleine.¡± Madeleine smiled at him and gestured to the dishes on the table. Howard swallowed hard, remained silent, and continued to eat. Madeleine didn¡¯t really have an appetite, but she still finished every bit of rice in her bowl. When she put down her chopsticks, she noticed Howard, sitting opposite her, staring at her. She gave him a small smile, picked up the water glass beside her, and took a sip. Only then did she notice that the food she had served Howard was almost untouched. Her motion to swallow the water paused slightly. ¡°Not hungry?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Howard replied, before asking the question he had been pondering since Madeleine spoke, ¡°What did you want to tell me?¡± Madeleine did not answer right away but asked instead, ¡°And you? What did you want to say to me?¡± After Madeleine¡¯s question, Howard subconsciously touched his pocket. ¡°You go first,¡± he said. Madeleine was silent for a moment. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll start,¡± she said. Howard didn¡¯t speak, only nodded slightly. Chapter 855 - Chapter 855: Chapter 855 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 25)_1 Chapter 855: Chapter 855 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 25)_1 Madeleine waited until Howard Coleman nodded before she spoke, ¡°Howard, today is our two hundred and ninety-seventh day of marriage, isn¡¯t it?¡± Howard Coleman didn¡¯t react, he just stared at her. Madeleine¡¯s face bore a faint smile, her gaze somewhat distant as if caught up in thought, and it took her a long while before she finally blinked, her eyes clearing a bit as she said, ¡°Howard, I¡¯ve decided to let go.¡± In fact, up until the second before she uttered those words, she was still hesitating about whether she should really let go. She was a coward, daring to love the man before her, but never brave enough to lose him. She knew that letting go of this man whom she had loved since childhood would definitely be very painful, but when she spoke those words, she found that the pain overwhelmed her, almost making her faint in her dining chair. Howard Coleman had been wondering what Madeleine wanted to tell him. In the end, he guessed it was probably about Anita Madris¡­ he had even prepared himself in his mind to explain to Madeleine why he was with Anita Madris that day. But he hadn¡¯t expected that her first words would be about letting go. The hand of Howard Coleman subconsciously clenched the brocade box in his pocket, his gaze fixated on Madeleine, as if he had no idea what she was talking about. Madeleine waited for the pain in her heart to subside before she slowly exhaled, curved her lips into a smile at Howard Coleman, and then mustered all her courage to say what she needed to say in one breath: ¡°This is the divorce agreement I drafted with a lawyer this afternoon. I¡¯m not asking for any of your property, and I¡¯ve already signed it. Take a look.¡± As Madeleine spoke, tears had filled her eyes, but she forced a curve in her lips, picked up her purse from the dining chair beside her, pulled out a stack of papers, and slid them across the table to Howard Coleman: ¡°Once you¡¯ve signed, give me a call. I¡¯ll go with you to the Civil Affairs Bureau to complete the divorce procedures.¡± Howard Coleman was silent for a while before he glanced at the papers Madeleine had pushed toward him. Seeing the words ¡°Divorce Agreement¡± snapped him back to reality, realizing this wasn¡¯t a dream. He was silent for about a minute before he looked up at Madeleine: ¡°Madeleine, why suddenly divorce me? Is it because of Anita Madris?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Madeleine said without any hesitation: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not sudden about the divorce. It was my fault at the beginning. I was too selfish and too willful. I¡¯ve felt guilty these days, and although I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s too late to change now, it¡¯s still better than never changing, right?¡± Madeleine stopped abruptly mid-sentence, sitting rigid in her dining chair for half a minute before she found the strength to give Howard Coleman another smile and continued, ¡°Besides, Howard, haven¡¯t you always been looking forward to divorcing me? Congratulations, your wish has finally come true.¡± I never imagined that one day, I would have to exchange the shattering of my own wishes for the fulfillment of yours. Madeleine endured the sour ache at the bottom of her heart, striving to maintain her composure. The words ¡°wish has finally come true¡± struck loud and clear like a slap across Howard Coleman¡¯s face, leaving him at a loss for words to retain Madeleine. Chapter 856 - Chapter 856: Chapter 856 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 26)_1 Chapter 856: Chapter 856 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 26)_1 The atmosphere around the dining table was somewhat heavy. Madeleine was quiet for a while, wanting to ease the heaviness, so she smiled and said, ¡°But, divorce might be good. After the divorce, I won¡¯t need to visit the West Suburb Villa every month, go to The Colemans, and then play the good daughter-in-law by playing chess with Dad and watching TV with Mom. You know, I¡¯ve hated chess and those melodramatic romance TV shows since I was little.¡± Madeleine tried hard to make her tone a bit lighter, ¡°You have no idea how much I endured doing those two things every week, how painful it was. And every time I went, I had to buy them gifts. I didn¡¯t want to bring the same things, but there¡¯s a limit to the variety of gifts. I was always worried about what to buy. At last, I don¡¯t have to worry about these things anymore.¡± Madeleine¡¯s words, clearly aimed at lightening the mood, turned Howard¡¯s complexion pale instead. Such brief words were a straightforward accusation of the sacrifices and compromises she made during their marriage. Madeleine kept her smile, her eyebrows and eyes curving beautifully with it, radiant and eye-catching. The light in her eyes reflected the dining room lights, bright as if stars had fallen into them: ¡°What¡¯s more important, I won¡¯t have to take birth control pills anymore. You don¡¯t know how much I hate taking medication, every time I swallowed them, I felt such discomfort in my throat¡­¡± When Madeleine reached this point, tears finally started to stream down uncontrollably, and she could no longer maintain her smile. She remembered the words Howard had said to Steve, and to stop herself from crying out loud, she continued, ¡°And, you don¡¯t know, the side effects of the birth control pills are severe. Every time after I took them, I felt extremely nauseous, and then my periods became irregular, either early or late. In all the months I¡¯ve been married to you, I haven¡¯t slept well for a single night¡­¡± Remembering the nights she waited alone in an empty house for Howard, Madeleine couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and buried her face in her arms on the table, sobbing. For this love, she truly gave it her all. She thought it didn¡¯t matter how much she gave as long as she could end up with the man she loved, she would be content. Oh no, as long as she could live a good life with the man she loved, that was enough. She didn¡¯t need his love, his heart to have a place for her. But she never expected that even this modest hope, she couldn¡¯t realize. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Howard looked at the woman crying her heart out in front of him, his eyes slightly rimmed with red. Madeleine cried for a while, then forced herself to stop, lowered her head, and hastily wiped away her tears before finally looking up at Howard, taking a deep breath, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said all these nonsense.¡± Then, as if trying to lighten the mood again, she said with what she thought was a sense of humor, ¡°But, you were right in the beginning, it¡¯s a good thing we don¡¯t have kids. This way, the end is neat, without dragging things out.¡± These were the words he had given her when he had her take birth control, and now she returned them to him word for word. Initially, his actions were indeed aimed at forcing her to divorce him, but he never imagined, in an ironic twist of fate, that when he wanted to start over with her, she would be the one to declare it over. One of life¡¯s greatest ironies is when I¡¯m ready to love only you with all my heart, you give up on me. Howard really wanted to speak up and plead with Madeleine to stay, but her accusations about what he had done left him utterly without the face to do so. Howard¡¯s gaze remained on Madeleine for a long time before he finally said softly, ¡°Madeleine, I¡¯ll give you an answer later.¡± PS: Chapter 8 is done~~~~ Will Howard agree to the divorce? Chapter 857 - Chapter 857: Chapter 857 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 27)_1 Chapter 857: Chapter 857 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 27)_1 Howard Coleman really wanted to open his mouth and ask Madeleine to stay, but the mess he had made, which she had been accusing him of, left him with no face to ask her to stay. He stared at Madeleine for a long time and finally said slowly, ¡°Madeleine, I¡¯ll get back to you with an answer.¡± When Madeleine heard this, she really wanted to ask Howard why he was even considering giving her an answer when he had always wanted to divorce her and didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of her in his heart. Such thoughts flickered through Madeleine¡¯s mind for a moment before she realized how self-indulgent this consideration was. The divorce she had initiated meant the fulfillment of Howard¡¯s long-standing purpose. His statement that he would get back to her with an answer was simply to avoid appearing too callous. Perhaps at this very moment, his heart was already lightened by the thought of finally getting rid of the burden she was. Thinking this, a stabbing pain shot through Madeleine¡¯s heart again. She wanted to give Howard a smile, but she couldn¡¯t muster one and merely said softly, ¡°Alright.¡± Howard remained silent, looking at Madeleine across the table filled with exquisite delicacies she had carefully prepared, nearly untouched by either of them. His eyes were clear and bright. After half a minute, Madeleine blinked, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯m going to rest.¡± Pausing for a moment, Madeleine added, ¡°Since we¡¯re getting divorced, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for me to continue sharing a bed with you. My apartment has been unoccupied for so long, it¡¯s probably not been cleaned, and going back to the West Suburb Villa would only involve our parents. So, until we¡¯re divorced, I¡¯d like to borrow your guest room, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± Howard shook his head. He remembered that when he had decorated the apartment, he had never considered that someone would actually stay in the guest bedroom, and therefore the mattress was quite hard, so he offered, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in the guest room.¡± Madeleine didn¡¯t fuss with Howard any further and briskly said, ¡°Alright.¡± Then she stood up and left the study. A long while after Madeleine left, Howard still sat at the dining table in that rigid posture, his gaze fixed on the chair opposite him as if she was still there. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Madeleine returned to the master bedroom, closed the door, and suddenly knelt to the ground, exhausted. She hugged her knees and buried her head, crying uncontrollably. Why had she given up so easily? Letting go was so much more painful than being with him, so why had she let go? He had said they might just get by and spend a lifetime together, and she had achieved the life she wanted, so why couldn¡¯t she just be a little more selfish and pretend nothing was wrong and continue living with him? She had always seen herself as a bad woman who would stoop to any means to achieve her ends, but in the end, she wasn¡¯t thorough enough in her ruthlessness. She had made everything so chaotic, and she was the one who bore the heaviest, most bitter, and most painful burden. In the past, she had constantly told herself that she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to suffer from unrequited love; she wanted a love that lasted until death. But in the end, she still ended up in a situation of unrequited love. Life was still so long ahead of her, but how was she supposed to live in a world without him? Madeleine cried for a long time before she finally stood up, somewhat dazed, and staggered to the center of the bedroom. She didn¡¯t turn on the light, and the room was pitch dark. The light refracted from the distant high-rise buildings outside the window was particularly glaring. Chapter 858 - Chapter 858: Chapter 858 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 28)_1 Chapter 858: Chapter 858 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 28)_1 Madeleine turned her head and stared at the lights outside the window for a while before she slowly walked to the window. She pushed open the window, and the summer breeze, carrying warmth, rushed in. Howard lived in a high-rise, and from there Madeleine could look down upon the myriad lights of other homes. In the past, whenever she felt upset, it was mostly because Howard had gotten a new girlfriend. Seeing Howard being affectionate with other women in front of her was tough; though she always hid her affection and acted carefree, she was, after all, a woman with the unique sentimentality and susceptibility to melancholy that came with her gender. So, whenever she felt unbearably oppressed, she would run to a high place and watch the myriad lights, and then her mood would gradually calm down. But tonight, no matter how long she stared, her mood remained downcast. Could it be that pouring one¡¯s whole heart into love ultimately only resulted in this heart-wrenching despair? Madeleine glanced down, watching the cars below reduced to twinkling lights, and suddenly the thought crossed her mind: what if she closed her eyes, jumped down from here, and then never had to feel as awful as she did now? ¨C In the over 300 square meters of silent spaciousness, Howard sat at the dining table, unaware of just how long he had been frozen in the last pose Madeleine saw before she left, until the ringtone of his cell phone brought him out of his daze. It was a call from Rusell, but he had no desire to answer, turning off the device instead. His gaze then fell on the nearly untouched dishes Madeleine had made. Truthfully, he had no appetite, but he picked up the chopsticks and began transferring the dishes, one plate after another, to himself and silently started to eat. There were salty dishes, spicy ones, and sour ones¡­ but to Howard, they might as well have had no taste at all except for a profound bitterness filling his mouth and lingering in his heart. Midway through the meal, he felt his stomach becoming distended. Over the years, he had drunk a lot of alcohol and ate irregularly, which hadn¡¯t been good for his stomach. Nonetheless, he showed no signs of stopping, just kept shoving food into his mouth until he started to feel a faint pain in his stomach. But Howard didn¡¯t stop. Tears began to well up in his eyes, turning red and acidic. Desperately, he kept stuffing spicy vegetarian hot pot into his mouth, eating so hastily that he choked. As the spice spread through his nostrils, he doubled over in violent coughs, and eventually, tears uncontrollably cascaded down. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0 Howard firmly gripped his chopsticks, maintaining his bowed head, watching as droplets of water fell to the pristine floor. His shoulders shook slightly as he remained rigid for a long time until his emotions settled. Then he straightened up and continued eating, but soon enough, tears once again fell unabashed. He insisted on swallowing all the dishes, and only then did he slowly push himself up from the table and made his way with some difficulty to the second bedroom. He didn¡¯t turn on the lights, merely sprawled haphazardly on the floor, staring at the pitch-black ceiling, feeling as if his stomach would burst from the swelling, and his throat as if it were filled with lead, unbearably uncomfortable. Just the other day, he had told Steve Burton he only saw Madeleine as a little sister. Chapter 859 - Chapter 859: Chapter 859 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 29)_1 Chapter 859: Chapter 859 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 29)_1 At that time, the feelings Howard Coleman had for Madeleine were still unclear to himself; therefore, he could only express his initial thoughts. But who would have imagined that the very next morning, he realized, damn it, he seemed to have fallen in love with Madeleine. How exactly had he fallen in love with this girl? He actually didn¡¯t have much memory or feeling about it. However, one thing was very clear to him, when he knew he was in love with her, he did not reject this love, he even liked it a bit. So, he bought a ring¡­ Howard slowly took out the brocade box containing the ring from his pocket, opened it, and even without turning on the lights in the room, the ring still twinkled with a blinding glint under the dim light coming in through the window. Howard¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together as he stared at the pair of rings for a long time, then slowly clutched them in his hand, his arms falling weakly to the floor. How could she, who loved him so much, let go just like that? How could he, who had once hurt and insulted her so deeply, find the words to ask her to stay? Was this retribution, or a relationship destined without fruition? ¨C The eastern sun was angry, the first ray of sunlight entered the window, and Howard, who had been sitting dejectedly on the floor smoking all night, lifted his red eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Today was truly a beautiful day, the sky blue and the clouds white. He snapped the last cigarette in his hand, then slowly got up from the floor, went to the bathroom for a shower, changed into casual clothes, took his car keys, and left the house. Within an hour, Howard was back home, holding a bag of milk and baguette he had bought from a breakfast shop not far away. He casually tidied up the empty plates on the dining table, threw them into the sink, wiped the table clean, and neatly arranged the milk and baguette he had bought on top, then picked up the divorce agreement Madeleine had given him the night before. Howard¡¯s throat moved up and down twice before he reached out to flip through the content of the documents; he stood by the dining table, lost in thought for a long time, then took the divorce agreement and walked into the study. ¨C Since it was summertime, although it was early morning, the sunlight was still hot. Madeleine had fallen asleep on the balcony last night and was awakened by the heat of the sun. She raised her hand somewhat blankly to block the blinding light, and after a long daze, she slowly got up, went to the bathroom for a cursory wash, and then left the master bedroom. Howard was sitting on the sofa, looking rather normal except for some redness around his eyes. When he saw Madeleine come out, he stood up and asked, ¡°Awake?¡± Madeleine hadn¡¯t expected to see Howard immediately upon leaving her room, and she paused briefly, then nodded. ¡°I bought breakfast, have some,¡± Howard paused for a second, then added, ¡°milk and baguette.¡± Madeleine did not refuse. She gave a small nod and walked with Howard to the dining room. The two of them didn¡¯t engage in much conversation but silently sat face to face, each eating their baguette and drinking their milk. It seemed as if they had a good appetite, finishing everything before stopping. Howard took a paper napkin first, offering it to Madeleine, then took one for himself, wiping his hands, and tossing the wet napkin into a nearby trash can. He looked up at Madeleine, waiting until she had finished wiping, before he finally said, ¡°Madeleine, about the divorce¡­¡± Chapter 860 - Chapter 860: Chapter 860 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 30)_1 Chapter 860: Chapter 860 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 30)_1 Howard Coleman paused for a moment as he reached this point; it took a significant pause and a deep breath as if the words he was about to utter were incredibly difficult, requiring a tremendous effort to enunciate clearly, ¡°I agree.¡± Last night, as Madeleine gazed at the 27-story building, she still fantasized about whether Howard would consider not divorcing her. Even though she knew it was wishful thinking, she understood that Howard would definitely agree. But when she actually heard the words ¡°I agree¡± from Howard¡¯s mouth, she found that she couldn¡¯t quite come to terms with the blow and reality. She suddenly really wanted to ask Howard what was wrong with her that he couldn¡¯t bear to love her. Madeleine¡¯s hand clutched the hem of her skirt tightly, her eyes somewhat vacant as she stared at the man in front of her, remaining silent. Howard just felt as if his heart had been fiercely grasped, throbbing with intense pain. It was as if he was speaking to himself as he reiterated his previous statement, ¡°I thought about it, Madeleine. I respect your wishes and agree to the divorce.¡± In an instant, Madeleine¡¯s eyes became moist. She lowered her head and nodded gently, still without making a sound. Howard stared at the dark hair on her head, a mist forming in his eyes. He turned his head away, refusing to look at her face, and simply pushed the divorce agreement to the center of the dining table, ¡°I have already signed the divorce papers. As for the divorce proceedings¡­¡± God knows how much effort it took for him to painstakingly write his name on the signature line of the divorce agreement. Now, he has to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and sign his name again. To think, he really didn¡¯t want to divorce her. Howard couldn¡¯t help but lift his hand to cover his face. With his eyes closed, he took several slow, deep breaths before lowering his hand, speaking in a calm tone, ¡°Let¡¯s handle it after brother¡¯s wedding with Ruby ends. Their wedding is in the next few days, and you and I are the bridesmaid and groomsman. So, let¡¯s wait a few days.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Like a tape recorder, Howard repeated, ¡°Just a few days, just a few days.¡± Madeleine didn¡¯t look up at Howard. With a choked voice and feigning ease, she said, ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Howard didn¡¯t speak further. He stood up swiftly, kicked the chair behind him, picked up one of the divorce agreements from the table, turned quickly, and left the dining room. Then he grabbed the car keys and left the house. Madeleine waited for the living room door to slam shut before lifting her head, tears streaming down her face. She stretched out her hand to pick up the divorce agreement Howard left behind, opened it, and looked at the names Howard Coleman and Madeleine side by side. She finally couldn¡¯t hold back and leaned over the table, crying uncontrollably once more. After Madeleine had her fill of crying, she raised her head, her fingers trembling as she picked up her phone and made a call, ¡°Ms. Woods? It¡¯s Madeleine. Please arrange for me to take on that project in Oceania. Mr. Burton, Mr. Woods, Mr. Coleman, and Mr. Henris don¡¯t know yet. Don¡¯t tell them for now. I¡¯ll discuss it with them later. Okay, good, bye.¡± ¨C July 7th, Chinese Valentine¡¯s Day, the day when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet. This day was the wedding of Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory. PS: That¡¯s all for today¡¯s update. I¡¯ll post 12 chapters tomorrow. I¡¯m heading back to Ciawell tomorrow. I spent the day shopping with Mom, which was exhausting. And tonight, as Mom was a bit reluctant to part, I stayed to chat for a while, feeling a bit upset inside. But once I¡¯m back in Ciawell, I can update earlier as usual. The reason for late updates at home is to spend time with my parents. Well¡­ I guess the grand finale should be by the 5th. Whether Howard and Madeleine go to collect their divorce certificate, you¡¯ll find out tomorrow. Goodnight~ Chapter 861 - Chapter 861: Chapter 861 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 31)_1 Chapter 861: Chapter 861 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 31)_1 July 7th, the day when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl met, is China¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day. On this day, Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory had their wedding. The initial suggestion of Madam Burton was to have the wedding in the Aegean Sea or in Florin, but Steve and Ruby unanimously decided on Red Park Resort & Villas¡ªthe ¡°old place¡± they had visited every month for so many years. Although the wedding was orchestrated by Madam Burton, Steve and Ruby were the main characters. Even though she felt that Red Park Resort & Villas was slightly lacking in grandeur, since Steve and Ruby liked it, she didn¡¯t voice any further objections. Despite not choosing the most lavish venue, they spared no expense whatsoever. Fifteen days before Steve and Ruby¡¯s wedding, Red Park Resort & Villas suspended all its business. This imperial gardens and temples, with a history stretching back to ancient times, has always maintained its classical charm through the years with its pavilions, towers, surrounding hills, and encircling water. Madam Burton especially encouraged this classical ambiance, adorning the entire Red Park Resort & Villas with big red lanterns everywhere, creating a festive and celebratory atmosphere. The wedding site was located on the top floor of Red Park Resort & Villas, in a banquet hall usually reserved for big corporate annual meetings. Standing at the entrance, one could have a perfect view of the scenic beauty of the resort. Madam Burton felt that the high location, with clouds floating by on clear days and good feng shui, made it ideal, so she transformed the banquet hall into the wedding site for Steve and Ruby. All around the wedding site, walls were replaced with bright French windows. Through the windows, the outside scenery could be seen, and dreamy white floor-to-ceiling curtains were hung. The hundreds of alcohol tables placed inside were all a vibrant red, with each table¡¯s center graced by an exquisite vase holding a bouquet of flowers, vivid and enticing. Above the wedding site, crystal diamonds of varying lengths were suspended, which, under the lights, refracted blindingly bright light. In the very center of the wedding site was a transparent glass walkway. Every ten meters stood an arched garland door, similarly entwined with various kinds of fresh flowers¡ªwhite roses, red roses, pink roses, and lilies. At the end of the glass walkway was a stage also made of glass, set against a backdrop of a large screen framed by soft pink and dark pink roses, where a slideshow of wedding photos of Steve and Ruby taken at famous spots around the world slowly played. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Above the stage hung brightly colored special-effect lights which, shining down on the glass stage, created a spectrum of flowing lights, like a dreamy fairy tale. To the left of the stage stood a tall pyramid of empty wine glasses, and nearby was a two-meter-tall cake adorned with cream of various colors sculpted into realistic-looking flowers. Such a wedding scene boasted a thoroughly modern style. Yet looking through the windows at the ancient scenery outside, there was no sense of incongruity¡ªit was as if the modern and the ancient had fused flawlessly. Although Madam Burton was not superstitious, she still chose an auspicious hour for the formal wedding ceremony based on Steve and Ruby¡¯s birth dates and times, which was twelve eighteen in the afternoon. The guests who had received the wedding invitations started arriving one after another, beginning at nine in the morning. In just an hour, the parking lot of Red Park Resort & Villas was already packed with all sorts of luxury cars. [Update in progress~ only eleven chapters left~~ Refresh for a surprise~] Chapter 862 - Chapter 862: Chapter 862 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 32)_1 Chapter 862: Chapter 862 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 32)_1 So much so that in the end, there was a long line of vehicles outside the gates of Red Park Resort & Villas. Dozens of sightseeing cars brought guests up the mountain, one after another. By eleven o¡¯clock in the afternoon, almost all the guests had arrived. Ruby Gregory, the bride, had yet to make an appearance, leaving the groom Steve Burton and his groomsmen, Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and Howard Coleman, to welcome the guests at the wedding venue. Madam Burton had already arranged the seating based on the family network in advance, so guests simply had to present their invitation to be led to their tables by servers dressed in festive red with smiling faces. At the wedding scene, despite the comings and goings of many people, there was not the slightest hint of chaos; everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion. Although The Burtons and The Gregorys both advocated for a wedding reception with close family and friends, Pristine¡¯s Enterprises backed a large number of well-wishers in the capital city, many of whom would not miss the opportunity to curry favor. Today being Steve¡¯s wedding, naturally, many uninvited guests also came to offer their congratulations. Since it was a celebration for all under the heavens, it seemed uncouth to turn away those bringing gifts, so Madam Burton deliberately left fifty tables without name tags reserved when arranging the banquet. Edric Reat had previously told Ruby Gregory at their farewell to single life party that he might not be able to attend her wedding. He indeed had no plans to do so, even booking his flight to Costa Luna for one o¡¯clock in the afternoon on the day of Steve and Ruby¡¯s wedding. As Edric Reat packed his luggage and drove to the airport, he hesitated for a moment, then turned his steering wheel, deciding to drive to Red Park Resort & Villas. Perhaps fate itself looked favorably upon Steve and Ruby on this special day, for the weather was exceptionally good. Despite the blazing summer season, when the sunlight could be scorching, the temperature was pleasantly moderate today. Arriving at the picturesque Red Park Resort & Villas with clear skies and bright sunshine, a refreshing breeze added a touch of crispness to the air. As Edric sat on the sightseeing car to the mountain¡¯s peak, he was irritated by the red lanterns festooned throughout the venue and the standees, placed every hundred meters along the road, displaying wedding photos of Steve and Ruby. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã0 Upon reaching the top of the mountain and stepping into the entrance of the wedding venue, Edric immediately noticed the registration area. Two people were ahead of him in line, first handing over red envelopes, then receiving red gift envelopes in return, followed by being led away by the beautiful servers. After waiting for about two minutes, it was Edric¡¯s turn. He took out the red envelope he had prepared in advance, and when asked for his name, he received a gift envelope with a smile from the staff despite not having an invitation. The staff then nodded to a server standing by. The server gestured to Edric, ¡°Sir, please follow me.¡± Edric stood still, taking one more glance at the wedding scene, with its radiant diamonds and crystals, the transparent glass corridor underneath the kaleidoscope of lights, the elegantly dressed guests, the fresh lilies, the colorful assortment of alcohol¡­ And the constant wedding march playing in the background. Such a scene seemed like a lavish dream set from a Hollywood movie. Chapter 863 - Chapter 863: Chapter 863 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 33)_1 Chapter 863: Chapter 863 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 33)_1 Edric Reat stood at the doorway, then cast his gaze around the wedding venue. He didn¡¯t see the bride¡¯s figure but only noticed the spirited groom, clad in a black suit with a festive deep red shirt underneath, looking as if he¡¯d stepped right out of a movie as the dashing male lead. The man¡¯s expression looked as indifferent and aloof as it usually did, but amidst his brows and eyes, there was a faint smile that slowly emerged. Edric felt slightly dazed for a moment, then he shook his head with a smile at the waiter and turned to leave. ¨C At half-past eleven, the guests took their seats, constantly tilting their heads and laughing as they chatted with the people beside them. Two popular hosts, specifically invited for the event, walked up the steps to the stage, one following the other. The female host was dressed in a vibrant red long dress, her makeup striking, and even the microphone in her hand was adorned with a vivid red rose. The male host wore a bright red suit, standing shoulder to shoulder with the female host, both beaming with radiant smiles. As the two hosts stood at the center of the stage, the wedding march background music suddenly quieted down, and the male host, with a smile playing on his lips, raised the microphone and called out the female host¡¯s name. As the male host¡¯s voice settled, the hubbub at the wedding venue abruptly ceased. Silence fell upon all guests as they turned their heads toward the center of the stage, then the male host continued with a cheerful face, ¡°I¡¯ve been hosting since I was eighteen and have been in this profession for fifteen years now. I¡¯ve stood on many stages, but I¡¯ve never been on one as beautiful as today¡¯s.¡± As if chatting casually with the male host, the female host nonchalantly curved her lips and lifted the microphone to continue the banter, ¡°Not just you, it¡¯s also my first time on such a beautiful stage. I can¡¯t help but feel envious of today¡¯s bride.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not envy, that¡¯s obvious jealousy,¡± the male host commented with a playful joke. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Playing along with the joke, the female host continued, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, I am a bit jealous. I heard that today¡¯s groom is a very handsome catch!¡± ¡°There you go daydreaming again,¡± the male host teased her before adding, ¡°Since you¡¯ve mentioned the groom is so handsome, why don¡¯t we have the groom come out and show himself off a bit?¡± The female host cooperated, holding the microphone and dropping the joking tone, she said earnestly, ¡°Please welcome the groom unto the stage!¡± Following the female host¡¯s cue, Steve Burton, in a sharp black outfit, ascended the steps with measured, elegant steps, exuding nobility as he walked up. Even before he reached the center of the stage, the entire venue erupted into a wave of warm applause and cheers. ¡°The groom¡¯s popularity is truly high,¡± the female host said amidst the robust applause, and when Steve reached the center of the stage, she reached out to shake hands with him. After releasing the female host¡¯s hand, Steve turned and shook hands with the male host before facing the crowd and greeted them through the headset microphone, ¡°I¡¯m very pleased that all of you could take time out of your busy schedules to attend my wedding.¡± ¡ª¨C Chapter 864 - Chapter 864: Chapter 864 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 34)_1 Chapter 864: Chapter 864 Enchanting Time: The Wedding (Finale 34)_1 There was another round of applause. As the applause died down, the male host raised the microphone and said, ¡°The groom really is a rare sight of handsomeness, which makes me quite curious¡ªjust how beautiful must the bride be?¡± The female host said, ¡°The bride is not someone who can be seen so easily, is she?¡± The male host replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about how easily everyone can see her, but how easily the groom managed to marry her.¡± ¡°The old saying goes,¡± the female host began, ¡°when a groom comes to marry his bride, he must be challenged in many ways before he can take the bride away. So, I now propose that all of us here collectively challenge the groom, what do you think?¡± The audience erupted in cheers. The male host said, ¡°Since everyone agrees, we can just ignore the groom¡¯s opinion.¡± Pausing, the male host turned to the female host and asked, ¡°Since we¡¯ve agreed to challenge the groom, do you have any good suggestions on how to do it?¡± The female host replied, ¡°Everyone knows that today¡¯s groom is the CEO of Pristine¡¯s Enterprises, a man of many victories in the business world. I¡¯m sure no problem is too difficult for him, so for today, let¡¯s play a game that involves everyone, shall we?¡± The male host asked, ¡°What kind of game is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure many people have many curious questions they¡¯d love to ask Mr. Burton, who has always declined interviews,¡± the female host continued. ¡°But on a day like today, I¡¯m afraid Mr. Burton can no longer refuse. So, how about we have a big public interview?¡± Intrigued, the male host said, ¡°After hearing your idea, I have a good one myself. Why don¡¯t we play a ¡®guess the song¡¯ game? We¡¯ll play the intro to a song, and whoever raises their hand first can ask the groom a question. Once the groom¡¯s answered to our satisfaction, we¡¯ll bring out the bride. How does that sound?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 The audience below was still shouting their approval. Laughing slightly, the female host turned to Steve Burton and asked, ¡°The groom has no objections, right?¡± The male host didn¡¯t even give Steve Burton a chance to speak and bluntly stated, ¡°Forget it, the groom has no right to refuse today. Let¡¯s start with the first song!¡± Immediately, the wedding venue was filled with the sound of melodious music. But no sooner had the music played for two seconds than someone shot their hand up. Pointing at the person who raised their hand first, the female host said, ¡°Come on, miss, you go first.¡± A waiter quickly passed over a pre-prepared microphone. The young woman who had raised her hand stood up, and under everyone¡¯s watchful eye, she called out the song¡¯s name with a touch of excitement. ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked the male host. The young woman nodded her head decisively, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± The male host paused mysteriously for a moment before announcing, ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Congratulations to this miss,¡± said the female host. ¡°What question would you like to ask the groom?¡± After a brief thought, the young woman gazed at Steve Burton on stage and asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, I saw your marriage proposal to Ms. Gregory; it was very romantic. From the photos, it seems like you two have grown up together from a young age. Please tell us, Mr. Burton, when did you start to like Ms. Gregory?¡± As the young woman finished her question, everyone turned their gaze towards Steve Burton. Chapter 865 - Chapter 865: Chapter 865 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 35)_1 Chapter 865: Chapter 865 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 35)_1 Steve Burton held the microphone, paused for a while, and then in front of everyone, he began to speak with composure, ¡°I noticed her the first time we met. At that time, I was in the yard looking at comic books, and she had just learned to walk. She came up to me, tried to snatch the book, couldn¡¯t get it, so she just tore it up.¡± Speaking of their first encounter, a warmth spread across Steve¡¯s eyes, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about liking someone, it really started back in junior high, with feelings and thoughts beginning to stir.¡± ¡°So, that means the bride is the groom¡¯s first love?¡± The female host asked with an envious look. Steve Burton nodded slightly. The male host couldn¡¯t help but praise as well, ¡°In that case, our groom is indeed a very devoted man.¡± The female host said, ¡°Handsome, wealthy, and devoted, he¡¯s the very image of a Prince Charming in every woman¡¯s heart. Today¡¯s bride is truly lucky.¡± The male host smiled, holding the microphone as he continued, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste time, let¡¯s move on to the next song.¡± They picked some popular songs, and like last time, someone quickly stood up, grabbed the microphone as the music stopped, declaring the song title without waiting for the host to ask, then assertively said, ¡°It¡¯s definitely this song.¡±, causing a burst of laughter throughout the venue. Amidst the laughter, the host indicated for the person who had snatched the opportunity to ask their question. This time, the person who was eligible was much more straightforward than the first, without any contemplation, she blurted out, ¡°Please, Mr. Burton, what exactly attracted you to Ms. Gregory?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really the question of every woman in the world,¡± the female host agreed with a nod, then eagerly turned her gaze to Steve Burton. Steve Burton stood calmly for a while as if in deep thought, then raised the microphone and spoke sincerely, ¡°I really can¡¯t pinpoint what attracted me to her; I could list a whole bunch of flaws, but no matter what, I still want to say, just now you mentioned how lucky today¡¯s bride is¡ªactually, I want to say, being able to meet her and marry her, I am the one who is truly fortunate.¡± It was now ten past twelve, with just eight minutes to the auspicious hour. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? The hosts bantered back and forth to enliven the atmosphere, all in anticipation of the auspicious hour. The final song began under the male host¡¯s words. The female host, not wanting to miss the auspicious hour, disregarded the hands raised in the audience and, quietly counting the time in her heart, said, ¡°This question, I will selfishly keep for myself.¡± After glancing at the sky-blue clock projected opposite her, she turned to Steve Burton and asked, ¡°Mr. Burton, can you describe the love between you and Ms. Gregory?¡± The love between Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory could fill countless tales, but when he heard this question, microphone in hand, he blinked gently, and then he said something so simple, ¡°Her firsts were given to my firsts.¡± Their first handhold, first kiss, first handshake, first time their hearts fluttered, first night together¡­ each was the other¡¯s first. He thought, the most beautiful aspect of his and Ruby Gregory¡¯s love could be encapsulated in just these few words: Her firsts were given to his firsts. Chapter 866 - Chapter 866: Chapter 866 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 36)_1 Chapter 866: Chapter 866 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 36)_1 A simple phrase, which sounded slightly evocative, but upon careful consideration, was filled with countless touches of emotion. The male host glanced at the time, which was close to 12:15 p.m., then, holding the microphone, he began his closing remarks, ¡°Childhood sweethearts, following each other every step of the way, from school uniforms to wedding dresses ¨C this is probably the most beautiful form of love in this world.¡± ¡°Yes, such devotion, to love only one person for a lifetime, is truly rare,¡± the female host said with emotion in her voice, slightly sensationally continuing, ¡°Let¡¯s not delay the couple any longer. Now, let us invite the bride to enter¡ª¡± As the female host¡¯s voice trailed off, the sound of the wedding march drowned out all other noises. Mr. Steve Burton walked slowly along the glass corridor to the round white gazebo at the end, where the gate at the far end was opened, and Ms. Ruby Gregory, dressed in a pristine white wedding gown and looking indescribably beautiful, slowly entered with the support of her bridesmaids. A red carpet was laid from the gate to where Mr. Steve Burton stood. She walked deliberately, stepping on the stairs, arriving in front of Mr. Steve Burton, both exchanging a glance, and then Ms. Ruby Gregory extended her hand, linking arms with Mr. Steve Burton. Behind Mr. Steve Burton and Ms. Ruby Gregory were Howard Coleman and Ms. Madeleine, clad in blue suits and dresses, respectively. Ms. Madeleine lifted her eyes, glanced at Howard Coleman, and then swiftly lowered her gaze, reaching out to link arms with him. Following them were Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and their bridesmaid partners. The male and female hosts stood on the distant stage, speaking blessing words, and at the moment the auspicious hour bell rang, Ms. Ruby Gregory, arm in arm with Mr. Steve Burton, stepped slowly forward, moving towards the stage under the gaze of all the guests with their blessings. Ms. Madeleine, arm in arm with Howard Coleman, closely followed them. As Mr. Steve Burton and Ms. Ruby Gregory passed by, rose petals gently fell in a shower, creating a magnificent wedding scene that made Ms. Madeleine appear somewhat dazed, as though she had wandered into a dream, and she couldn¡¯t help ignoring the real bride and groom in front of her, fantasizing that she and Howard Coleman were the actual bride and groom. She knew it was a wildly impossible dream, for in this lifetime, she and Howard Coleman would never have a wedding; even now, as they walked together into the hall of matrimony, it was merely in the capacity of best man and maid of honor. Thus, she could only indulge her fantasy in such a setting, imagining that the guests and the blessings were for her and Howard Coleman. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Howard Coleman¡¯s gaze was fixed straight ahead, somewhat profound. The reason he had said he wanted to get a divorce certificate with her after the wedding was merely because he wanted to attend Mr. Steve Burton and Ms. Ruby Gregory¡¯s wedding as a married couple, then pretending it was his and Ms. Madeleine¡¯s wedding. Mr. Steve Burton and Ms. Ruby Gregory stood in the center of the stage, Howard Coleman and Ms. Madeleine stood right behind them, while Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, and their bridesmaids stood on either side of Howard Coleman and Ms. Madeleine. The male and female hosts had retreated to the very edge of the stage, and the male host, holding the microphone, was the first to speak, ¡°Mr. Steve Burton, do you take Ms. Ruby Gregory to be your wife?¡± As the male host spoke these words, Howard Coleman miraculously fantasized in his mind that it was his and Ms. Madeleine¡¯s wedding as if the question being asked was, ¡°Howard Coleman, do you take Ms. Madeleine to be your wife?¡± Chapter 867 - Chapter 867: Chapter 867 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 37)_1 Chapter 867: Chapter 867 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 37)_1 Steve Burton did not hesitate at all as he began, ¡°I do.¡± Deep down in his heart, Howard Coleman silently said, ¡°I do.¡± As soon as Steve finished speaking, the female host lifted her hand, bringing the microphone to her lips, ¡°Ms. Ruby Gregory, do you agree to take Mr. Steve Burton as your husband?¡± Just like Howard, Madeleine was using the wedding of Steve and Ruby to give herself one last wonderful fantasy. As the hostess posed the question, Madeleine automatically revised the sentence in her mind to, ¡°Ms. Madeleine, do you agree to take Howard Coleman as your husband?¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s lips curved up slightly, joy evident in her eyes, her tone even tinged with happiness, ¡°I do.¡± Madeleine just felt as though she could hardly breathe, a sharp ache rising in her heart. In her fantasy, the expression on her face as she spoke was one of utter sadness, ¡°I do.¡± The male host said, ¡°Please read your wedding vows.¡± Steve¡¯s expression turned a bit more solemn. He began to speak with deep earnestness, ¡°In the presence of everyone who came here today, I, Steve Burton, take Ms. Ruby Gregory as my wife. From this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I will love and cherish you until death do us part, and I will always be faithful to you.¡± Howard¡¯s expression remained unchanged as his gaze was fixed straight ahead. As Steve enunciated each word, in the depths of his heart, Howard solemnly and silently rehearsed the vow to himself, ¡°In the presence of everyone who came here today, I, Howard Coleman, take Ms. Madeleine as my wife. From this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I will love and cherish you until death do us part, and I will always be faithful to you.¡± The instant Steve finished speaking, Ruby Gregory also began to speak with a serious and meticulous attitude. In front of family, friends, and the media, she made her vow, ¡°In the presence of everyone who came here today, I, Ruby Gregory, take Mr. Steve Burton as my husband. From this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I will love and cherish you until death do us part, and I will always be faithful to you.¡± Madeleine¡¯s eyes were already moist. She tried to turn up the corners of her lips as if she were watching her and Howard¡¯s wedding, where she would say with a brilliant and blissfully proud tone, ¡°In the presence of everyone who came here today, I, Madeleine, take Howard Coleman as my husband. From this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I will love and cherish you until death do us part, and I will always be faithful to you.¡± After Ruby Gregory had made her wedding vow, the female host said, ¡°Please exchange rings now.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?0 Steve and Ruby turned, standing face-to-face before everyone¡¯s watchful eyes. Steve took out the brocade box and retrieved the wedding ring, slowly sliding it onto Ruby¡¯s slender, fair finger. Then, Ruby picked up the other ring and placed it on Steve¡¯s finger. Madeleine and Howard kept their eyes firmly on Steve and Ruby as they exchanged rings. ¨C Chapter 868 - Chapter 868: Chapter 868 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 38)_1 Chapter 868: Chapter 868 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 38)_1 Madeleine and Howard Coleman stared intently at Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory exchanging rings, but in their minds, they synchronously imagined the scene where they would exchange rings with each other. The moment the ring exchange was complete, Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory couldn¡¯t help but embrace each other and began to kiss. The whole audience burst into warm applause and joyful cheers, even Rusell Henris and Edward Woods, standing to the side, joined in the clapping. Madeleine and Howard Coleman were a full ten seconds late before they regained their senses, stiffly raising their hands to join in the applause. The two people in front of them were their best friends, and they should have felt happy for their happiness, but why, at this moment, was all they could feel in the depths of their hearts nothing but endless sorrow and loss? Do you know, Madeleine, at this moment, I truly love you. I really want to give you a wedding like Steve is doing now, asking you to marry me in a grand and open ceremony, and making vows to you. Do you know, Howard, even though you¡¯ve hurt me so deeply, I still can¡¯t stop loving you. I wish so much that I could be as happy as Ruby and marry the man I love. ¨C After the wedding ceremony ended, Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory poured champagne together and then started the wedding banquet. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory went to change into a new set of formal wear, then came out to start toasting the guests. Throughout the venue, with hundreds of tables, they toasted table by table, and everyone offered them sincere blessings. The bridesmaids and groomsmen had taken their seats. Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory first toasted the elders, and then came to the table where Rusell Henris, Edward Woods, Howard Coleman, and Madeleine were seated. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory stood side by side in front of them, each holding a glass of liquor, slightly tilted it, and then downed it in one gulp. These friends, who had grown up together, offered their blessings generously, with all sorts of elaborate phrases. The wedding dishes were exquisite and plentiful. After Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory finished toasting, Howard Coleman only picked at his food with indifference, then turned his head and kept gazing at Madeleine sitting beside him. Madeleine quietly used her chopsticks, tasting every dish with grace. She took a long time eating because she was slow, and she didn¡¯t eat much before putting down her chopsticks, turned her head, and looked at Howard Coleman, ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡± Howard Coleman did not respond immediately, but stared into Madeleine¡¯s eyes for a long while. Then he lifted the wine glass from the table, drank the liquor in one gulp, and when the burning sensation of alcohol slid down into his stomach, he finally nodded slightly and said softly, ¡°Okay.¡± Madeleine said nothing, gracefully standing up. Howard Coleman followed her lead. Edward Woods, who was clinking glasses with Rusell Henris, noticed them getting up and asked with curiosity, ¡°Madeleine, Howard, where are you off to?¡± Madeleine did not reply, but Howard Coleman spoke with a calm tone, ¡°Got something to take care of, we¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± Having said that, Howard Coleman glanced at Madeleine, then began walking towards the exit of the wedding venue, with Madeleine quickly following behind, her gaze never leaving Howard Coleman¡¯s back. Howard Coleman and Madeleine took the sightseeing car to the parking lot of Red Park Resort & Villas. Although Howard Coleman had consumed some alcohol, it wasn¡¯t much, so he did not seek out a designated driver. He opened the car door for Madeleine, waited for her to get in, then got into the car himself and started the engine. Chapter 869 03-25 - Chapter 869: Chapter 869 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 39)_1 Chapter 869: Chapter 869 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 39)_1 On the way to the center of the city, Howard Coleman and Madeleine remained silent throughout the journey. The bright and brilliant sunshine outside the car window bathed the interior, but it couldn¡¯t dispel the somber atmosphere inside. The road conditions in the capital city at noon today were unusually good. As Howard drove through the city center, he barely hit a red light. The car slowly stopped in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Howard turned off the engine and sat in the driver¡¯s seat, staring at a young couple who had just come out with their marriage certificate, happiness radiating from their faces as they walked hand in hand to a shady spot by the roadside. He couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the time he and Madeleine went to get their marriage certificate. It was early winter then, and a night of northern winds had made the following day¡¯s temperature drop severely, bitterly cold. He didn¡¯t drive Madeleine over but had only called her, arranging to meet at the front of the Civil Affairs Bureau. They had agreed to meet at ten in the morning, but he had dawdled until twelve noon to arrive, with another woman in his car. Back then, Madeleine was a bit na?ve. She didn¡¯t wait in the car but on the roadside. When she emerged, she was dressed thinly, her nose and face red with cold. He got out of the car and didn¡¯t even glance at her, striding towards the Civil Affairs Bureau, and she followed him, running to catch up. During the photo-taking, his expression was gloomy, while she was all smiles, radiant and bright. After they were done, the photographer suggested retaking the photo, noting that he wasn¡¯t smiling. He then threw back a response, ¡°If you want a smile, go take a picture with her.¡± Madeleine apologized to the photographer with a smile, then said in a somewhat ingratiating tone, ¡°Let¡¯s keep this photo. It¡¯s quite good.¡± So, their wedding photo ended up being that one. When they went to get the certificate stamped, he was visibly impatient, constantly hurrying matters along. This drew strange looks from the staff. He remembered that although she tried hard to smile, a layer of embarrassment flickered in the depths of her eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï After getting their certificates, Madeleine held both. She handed one to him; he took it without looking and threw it straight into the trash bin. Then, without paying her any attention, he got into his car and drove off with the woman he had brought. In fact, that day, he glanced through the rearview mirror and saw her squatting by the trash bin, searching for the marriage certificate he had discarded. Thinking of this, Howard felt a warmth at the bottom of his eyes. He shifted his gaze back and looked at Madeleine, who was still sitting quietly with her head down, and then he spoke, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Madeleine kept her head down. After hearing his voice, she nodded gently, then took her bag, pushed open the car door, and got out. Howard stayed in the car for nearly half a minute before he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out. He locked the car door and looked at Madeleine, who stood by the side. Swallowing, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± This time Madeleine didn¡¯t speak but walked toward the Civil Affairs Bureau. Howard watched her back and tightened his grip on the brocade box in his pocket. He took several deep breaths before he started walking to catch up. The Civil Affairs Bureau was quiet in the afternoon, and there weren¡¯t many people around. The staff saw Howard and Madeleine and asked, ¡°Are the gentleman and the lady here to get a marriage certificate?¡± Chapter 870 03-25 - Chapter 870: Chapter 870 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 40)_1 Chapter 870: Chapter 870 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 40)_1 Howard Coleman and Madeleine remained silent. The staff member noticed that something seemed off about their expressions and the joyful smile that had been on their face instantly vanished. After a moment of silence, they spoke again, ¡°Are you here to go through the divorce procedures?¡± Howard showed no reaction, and Madeleine, sitting beside him, gently nodded her head. ¡°Do you have all the documents with you? The divorce agreement, the marriage certificate, the identification cards?¡± Madeleine opened her bag, took out all of the documents, and handed them to the staff member. After a quick glance, instead of proceeding with the divorce, they seriously asked the couple, ¡°This is your last chance. Are you sure you want a divorce?¡± What surrounded Howard and Madeleine was a long silence. Madeleine clenched her fists tightly; after a while, she nodded at the staff member sitting inside. Only after Madeleine nodded did Howard slightly open his mouth, took a slow breath, and softly uttered a ¡°Mhm.¡± The staff member didn¡¯t say anything more but handed them a divorce registration form. Howard and Madeleine both took the form, picked up a pen, and signed their names at the designated spot simultaneously. The staff member took the form, canceled their marriage certificate, and issued the divorce certificate. ¨C Upon leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, Howard asked, ¡°Are you going back to the wedding event?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Madeleine gently nodded her head. Howard said nothing, merely opening the car door for Madeleine. Howard started the car and after driving for a while, Madeleine handed one of the divorce certificates she had been holding to Howard, ¡°This is yours.¡± Howard turned his head, glanced at it, and reached out to take it. The car was quiet once again. After a long while, Madeleine, as if suddenly remembering something, said, ¡°We are divorced now, so I won¡¯t be going to your place tonight.¡± Howard gripped the steering wheel tight, and after a pause, he hesitantly acknowledged with a ¡°Mhm.¡± Madeleine turned her head, staring out of the car window at the scenery. After a moment, she said, ¡°There are some of my things at your house, but they¡¯re not important, just some clothes. You can ask the cleaning lady to gather them up and throw them away.¡± Howard, without taking his eyes off the road ahead, pursed his lips tightly as if he hadn¡¯t heard Madeleine at all, and for a long time, he gave no response. Madeleine waited a moment, and seeing that he didn¡¯t speak, she was about to close her eyes when she heard Howard¡¯s voice, belatedly replying, ¡°Got it.¡± It was just three simple words, but they made Madeleine inexplicably want to cry. She pretended to be sleepy and closed her eyes. The car swiftly continued on its way and soon arrived back at the entrance of Red Park Resort & Villas. Seeing that Howard didn¡¯t drive inside, Madeleine turned her head toward him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going in?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Howard nodded. Madeleine didn¡¯t say anything else, simply unfastened her seatbelt, pushed open the car door, and as she got out of the car, she hesitated before saying, ¡°Howard, let¡¯s both forget about our marriage from now on, as if it never existed. Anyway, we¡¯ll still see each other often. I¡¯ll still be Madeleine, and you¡¯ll still be Howard, right?¡± Howard appeared slightly dazed. He opened his mouth but it took a while before he finally managed to respond, still with a simple monotone ¡°Mhm.¡± Chapter 871 03-25 - Chapter 871: Chapter 871 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 41)_1 Chapter 871: Chapter 871 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 41)_1 Madeleine thought for a moment and felt that there really wasn¡¯t much left to say, so she stepped out of the car. Just as she was about to close the door, Howard Coleman suddenly spoke up and called out her name, ¡°Madeleine.¡± Madeleine turned her head and looked towards Howard Coleman. Howard Coleman stared at Madeleine¡¯s expression for a long while. He moved his lips but eventually only said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Madeleine nodded graciously and revealed a radiant smile, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Then she closed the car door, took her steps, and slowly walked into Red Park Resort & Villas. Howard Coleman watched until Madeleine¡¯s figure disappeared, and only then did he avert his gaze back and stare dazedly at the glaring sunlight outside the window. In fact, he also wanted to tell her, ¡°I love you,¡± but people always have to pay the price for their past actions. When she deeply loved him, he didn¡¯t love her; when he fell for her, she had let go and no longer loved him. He also really wanted not to divorce her, but he had forced her himself¡ªpushed her to despair and to let go of him. She once forced him to marry her without any second thoughts. Since she could say to him ¡°divorce,¡± she must have thoroughly given up on him in her heart. Some injuries cannot be healed by merely a ¡°I love you¡± or ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He had no right; after personally handing her despair, to expect her to have hope in him again. Because, that would undoubtedly mean asking the one who had given up on him to try hard to convince herself to forgive his past cruelty. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Although she indeed made mistakes at the beginning, his mistakes were far greater than hers. If he truly started pleading for her to stay, that would be the most selfish act of all. People always have to pay for the mistakes they¡¯ve made. So, at this moment, no matter how painful or bitter, he had to endure it. ¨C Madeleine didn¡¯t go to the wedding at the mountaintop. She knew that Steve Burton and Ruby Gregory¡¯s bridal room tonight was in the presidential suite on West Mountain, so she went directly there. She didn¡¯t have a key to get into the suite and found the attendant responsible for the suite. She handed the attendant a letter she had written in advance, asking her to pass it to Ruby Gregory, then she left. As Madeleine rode the sightseeing car down the mountain, she could coincidentally see the wedding site at the top. Although far away, with neither sound nor sight of the inside, she thought that the scene up there must still be one of happiness and beauty. The woman she cared about the most in this world was now so happy; she genuinely felt happy for her. Madeleine curved her lips slightly and silently said in her heart, ¡°Ruby, I wish you happiness.¡± When Madeleine left Red Park Resort & Villas, Howard Coleman¡¯s car was nowhere to be seen. The driver she had called ahead was already waiting outside. Madeleine opened the car door, got in, and said to the driver, ¡°Take me to the airport.¡± Then she closed her eyes without uttering another word. By the time she arrived at the airport, it was already four in the evening. With only forty minutes until her flight, Madeleine, who had purchased a first-class ticket, was quickly checked in with the help of a flight attendant and then went through the VIP lane onto the plane. Less than two minutes after Madeleine boarded, the plane took off. By the time she came to her senses, she was already 30,000 feet above ground. A stream of clouds floated past the window. Madeleine instinctively reached out to touch the airplane window, then her fingers slowly slid down the window, writing two characters: ¡°Howard.¡± Chapter 872 03-25 - Chapter 872: Chapter 872 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 42)_1 Chapter 872: Chapter 872 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 42)_1 Howard Coleman stayed at the Red Park Resort & Villas for a while before driving back to his own apartment. As he pushed open the door, the scent that greeted him was laced with traces of Madeleine¡¯s fragrance, which he fondly and greedily inhaled twice before he took off his suit and entered the master bedroom, lying down on the soft bed and closing his eyes. Ever since he had agreed to Madeleine¡¯s request for a divorce, he had spent several nights in a row without a proper sleep. At this moment, he was very tired and weary, but he felt no sleepiness. His mind was a blank, empty of thought. He lay in that silence for what seemed an indeterminate amount of time before he turned over to grab the pillow that Madeleine usually used. He placed it over his face, took a deep breath, and was filled with the scent of her hair. The sheets and duvet covers on the bed were a set of bright red that she had changed into when she had stayed at his apartment. He had always found the color of the sheets and duvet cover too garish. Howard Coleman took a good while before removing the pillow from his face, only to catch sight of small characters faintly embroidered next to the pillowcase. He frowned, looked closely, and what he saw was: ¡°Madeleine and Howard, Harmonious Union for Centuries.¡± Howard Coleman was taken aback and quickly picked up the other pillow he was lying on. In the same place, he too saw those eight characters. All at once, Howard Coleman felt as if his heart was being tightly clenched by something, the pain making it somewhat difficult for him to breathe. ¨C Not until seven o¡¯clock in the evening did Ruby Gregory finally return to the presidential suite where she and Steve Burton lived. Because tonight was their wedding night, the suite¡¯s bedding was all in bright red, and red candles were lit all around. Their flames flickered busily, casting an auspicious glow throughout the room. Although she and Steve had already had The Triplets, in the interest of auspiciousness, beneath the bedding they still placed red dates, lotus seeds, longans, and peanuts. With the help of a maid sent by The Burtons, Ruby removed her makeup, had a bath, and changed into her pajamas. She then sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the heart made of rose petals arranged in the center and couldn¡¯t help but let a faint smile ripple across her lips. She involuntarily took out her phone, snapped a photo, and then uploaded it to her Twitter with a line of text: ¡°I¡¯m finally married.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Having typed those few words, Ruby was about to look for a blushing emoji when there was a knock at the door. Thinking it was Steve returning from seeing off the guests, she happily walked over with her phone and opened the door, only to see a waiter. ¡°Mrs. Burton, here is a letter left for you by Ms. Madeleine.¡± Upon hearing this, Ruby was slightly startled, the joy still hanging on her face as she reached out to take the letter. ¡°Mrs. Burton, I shall take my leave now.¡± Ruby smiled and nodded, waiting for the waiter to turn around before closing the door. A wedding surprise from Madeleine? At this thought, Ruby could no longer concentrate on the half-typed tweet. She ran to the side of the bridal bed, sat down, and eagerly opened the letter. ¡°Ruby, first of all, I wish you a happy marriage.¡± ¡°However, after wishing you well, I must say I¡¯m sorry to you.¡± This doesn¡¯t seem like a surprise¡­ A faint tinge of unease began to emerge in the depths of Ruby¡¯s heart. She was reluctant to continue reading, yet she had to: ¡°By the time you receive this letter, I will have already left Ciawell.¡± PS: Chapter Twelve update is complete~~~~~whew~~~~If the story of Howard and Madeleine ends with them going their separate ways, what would you do? Chapter 873 03-25 - Chapter 873: Chapter 873 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 43)_1 Chapter 873: Chapter 873 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 43)_1 It doesn¡¯t seem like a pleasant surprise¡­ Ruby Gregory felt a hint of trepidation deep in her heart, she somewhat didn¡¯t want to continue reading, but she had to: ¡°By the time you get this letter, I will have already left Ciawell.¡± Ruby Gregory¡¯s face instantly lost all color, and her fingertips, holding the thin sheet of paper, began to tremble slightly. ¡°Ruby, I know you must be angry that I left you just a letter and disappeared without saying goodbye.¡± ¡°However, before you get angry, I want to tell you some good news, that is, Howard and I got divorced.¡± ¡°I¡¯m finally free, which is a very fortunate thing to celebrate, and with your wedding happening today, it truly is a double celebration for us sisters!¡± Even though the words Madeleine wrote on the paper seemed light-hearted, Ruby clearly envisioned Madeleine¡¯s tear-stained, sorrowful, and desperate face. Howard was her life, yet she just let go; how much must she be suffering now? Ruby Gregory¡¯s eyes started to moisten. ¡°Lastly, Ruby, I wish you a happy married life.¡± ¡°Madeleine, stay.¡± When Ruby Gregory saw the last word, she finally couldn¡¯t hold back, and tears pitter-pattered onto the paper she was holding. Madeleine left, just like that? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? She had just recently said she wanted to stay and watch The Triplets grow up with her over afternoon tea, but in a blink of an eye, she left without a word. She must have been utterly hopeless and disappointed, that¡¯s why she chose to flee. She once lived abroad by herself and knew how hard and sad it could be. The more Ruby thought about it, the worse she felt, until she finally couldn¡¯t bear it and burst into deep sobs. ¨C Steve Burton finished seeing off the guests, his handsome face radiant with happiness. He returned to the presidential suite and pushed the door open, gently calling out ¡°Ruby,¡± but there was no response. Steve Burton frowned slightly, his face still wearing a light smile. He walked to the bedroom door, pushed it open, and was about to ask ¡°What are you up to?¡± when he saw Ruby Gregory, sitting on the big red bedspread, crying like a tearful mess. Steve Burton¡¯s expression immediately tensed, he rushed forward in a leap, squatting in front of Ruby Gregory, anxiously exclaiming: ¡°Ruby? What¡¯s wrong? Ruby?¡± Ruby Gregory, upon seeing Steve Burton, reached out her hand, wrapped it around his neck, and started sobbing loudly. Steve Burton¡¯s brow was deeply furrowed as he looked at the paper tightly clutched in her hand, pulled it out, and began to read it while gently patting her back. His expression quickly turned grave, and without a second thought, he took out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number for the company. As soon as the call connected, Steve Burton didn¡¯t wait for the person on the other end to speak, and asked directly: ¡°Where is Ms. Madeleine?¡± ¡°Ms. Madeleine went to Oceania.¡± ¡°Oceania? What is she doing in Oceania?¡± ¡°She is in charge of the project in Oceania.¡± Steve Burton¡¯s tone became more serious: ¡°Who made such an important decision on their own, and why didn¡¯t I know about it?¡± ¡°It was Ms. Madeleine¡¯s own decision. She said you¡¯ve been busy with the wedding and didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡± There was a pause on the other end, then a slightly cautious voice continued: ¡°The plane took off two hours ago.¡± Chapter 874 03-25 - Chapter 874: Chapter 874 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 44)_1 Chapter 874: Chapter 874 Ruby Time: The Wedding (Finale 44)_1 Steve Burton hung up the phone and carefully comforted a weeping Ruby Gregory in his arms for quite a while. It was only after Ruby finally ceased crying that he carefully placed her on the bed. Then he took a wet wipe to clean the tears off her cheeks and kissed her forehead before sitting by the bed. After a pause, he picked up his cellphone again and called Howard Coleman. ¨C Ever since Howard Coleman saw the words ¡°Together in April, a century of harmony,¡± those eight characters had been echoing in his mind, completely oblivious to the dusk settling outside the window. In the room without lights, the illumination grew fainter and fainter. Howard Coleman lay dazed, unsure of how long he had been there, when suddenly the silence was broken by the ringtone of his cellphone. Howard stretched out his hand to grab the cellphone from the pillow. Seeing ¡°Steve Burton¡± on the caller ID, he hesitated for a moment before answering. Before he could speak, he heard Steve¡¯s usual cool and aloof tone, ¡°Howard, Madeleine has gone to Oceania, to oversee the project in France for three and a half years.¡± Whatever else Steve Burton said, Howard Coleman did not hear a single word; his mind went blank. Even the cellphone slipped from his fingertips, falling into the soft bedding. By the time Howard came to his senses and picked up the cellphone, Steve Burton had already hung up. The call log on the screen clearly told him that what had happened was not a dream, but reality. Madeleine had left¡­ she had left less than eight hours after their divorce¡­ Howard¡¯s entire body started to shiver. He clearly knew that Madeleine¡¯s flight had taken off two hours ago, and by now she had already left China¡¯s territory, yet he still got out of bed swiftly, grabbed his car keys, and headed straight to the airport. The airport was brightly lit, with planes taking off and landing intermittently. Standing in the bustling international terminal, surrounded by foreign faces, Howard seemed to lose all his strength. His figure swayed gently, then he leaned against a pillar, slowly closing his eyes. That afternoon, he had thought to himself that even though they were divorced and she had told him that things between them would remain the same¡ªhim being Howard and her Madeleine¡ªhe had promised himself in his heart that even if she had truly given up on him, he would still treat her with care, cherishing her for life, even if she found someone new she liked. He had even foolishly hoped that although he did not currently have the right to ask for her forgiveness, he could work hard to make amends and perhaps they could start over once she was ready to let go. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Even if they could not start over, he was determined to make up for everything and repay her tenfold for all the cruelty he had inflicted upon her. But she didn¡¯t give him the chance; she had left without a word. She was gone. What was he to do with the regrets in his heart, the guilt in his soul? The crowd bustled around him, but Howard was lost in his own world. Clenching the car keys so tightly in his hand that they pierced his palm, the bright blood from the wound dripped between his tightly closed fingers, falling drop by drop onto the pristine, white floor. Slowly, tears began to roll down from the corners of his tightly shut eyes.