Mark's expression shifted. His voice carried a hint of weariness as he addressed Yvonne, "After all that's happened, do you still want to play games with me?"She shrugged indifferently and replied, "I'm merely stating the truth. If you don't believe me, there's nothing more I can do."Mark stepped forward with an intense look in his eyes. "You're a clever person, Yvonne. I don't need to remind you whether Chuck or Gwen is of greater value, do I?""I don't evaluate people based on their worth. To me, Gwen matters more," Yvonne retorted bluntly.She shed her facade, and her voice turned icy. "Chuck, that wretch, is nowhere near worthy of being compared to Gwen."The very next moment, Mark's fingers closed around Yvonne's throat. He forcefully pressed her against a pillar. His strength was formidable. It caused the entire pergola to tremble."I lack your sentimentality. Your arguments won't sway me. To me, they're just childish and foolish," Mark said. His patience was wearing th

Jane went in closer and looked at Stephen directly, disregarding Yvonne. "Don't you have anything you would like to say to me for your terrible actions just now? For example, apologize?"Yvonne was secretly reveling in the drama when Stephen pulled her over. He said aloofly, "She was the one who agreed to it. You should ask her to apologize instead."Yvonne was baffled. His revenge sure came quickly. Yvonne knew she was in the wrong, so she smiled at Jane. "Ms. Ford, I can—""No!" Jane declined firmly. She still looked at Stephen stubbornly. "You were the one who humiliated me! You should pay for your rude behavior!"Yvonne had no idea what had happened earlier. Seeing how angry Jane was, she turned to look at Stephen curiously. "What did you do?"Stephen cast Yvonne a glance, seemingly trying to say that it was all her fault.Then, he turned to Jane and asked, "How do you want me to apologize?""Simple!" Jane's eyes gleamed slyly when she saw Stephen taking the bait. "My

Leonard was a little alarmed. Mark had a comeback for everything!Seeing Leonard silent, Claude chimed in, "Didn't you hear Leonard? I still need Chuck's help to treat me. How could I hand him over to you?"Mark nodded. "You're right. I didn't think this through. Alright, let Chuck stay with you two. I won't worry if he has you two taking care of him."Then, Mark had three glasses of wine before leaving.Claude was baffled by how cooperative Mark was being. He sure was temperamental. Claude leaned closer to Leonard and asked softly, "What do you think he meant by that?"Leonard looked in the direction where Mark had gone in deep thought. After a while, he said, "Perhaps he has realized something."Claude panicked. "What should we do? Should we continue with our plans?""Don't panic. He hasn't brought it up. He's either just showing deference to us, or he has something planned up his sleeves." Leonard narrowed his eyes. "Let's just observe things. If something really happens, w

As Yvonne came out of the shower, she sneezed repeatedly.She rubbed her nose and wondered if she had upset someone. Why did it feel like someone was talking behind her back?She sat on the bed with crossed legs. Her mind wandered as she dried her hair with a towel.The image of Stephen guiding her hand to unbutton his shirt flashed in her mind again.With each button that came undone, his toned abs had slowly come into view.They were perfectly balanced—not too flabby or lean. They were just the right blend of masculine strength and irresistible charm.When Yvonne realized her heart was racing, she snapped back to reality. She cupped her warm cheeks with both hands."Yvonne, you have seen everything, haven’t you? Can't you handle a bit of physical attraction? "You’re wealthy enough to hire dozens of male models for an ab show at a club. "Yes, that's right. Why obsess over a guy's physique?" Yvonne muttered to herself and then took a deep breath.But once she composed herse

"If you two think it's inappropriate, I can leave." Stephen was about to leave, but Yvonne held him back.She smiled at Claude and Leonard. "Stephen is one of our own. He might even be able to help."Leonard smiled benevolently. "Yvonne is right. An extra friend is a good thing. "Stephen, have a seat. Sorry for the misunderstanding just now."Leonard got Stephen to take a seat, and he poured him a cup of tea.Stephen lowered his gaze and said nothing. Just by sitting there, he was giving off a suffocating air of dominance.Claude and Leonard looked at him for a while before Claude said, "I heard that Yvonne had passed out after drinking Jane's cocktail."Yvonne chuckled. "Yes, Ms. Ford's cocktail sure was potent. I was careless. I drank it all without understanding what I was drinking.""I know Jane best. She's too spoiled." Claude sighed. "Luckily, this didn't become a huge problem."Although Claude hadn't said it explicitly, Yvonne understood that he knew exactly what Jan