On a late autumn afternoon, a gentle breeze rustled through, and lazy clouds drifted across the sky, making the city appear more peaceful. The scenery was serene, but Lani's heart was anything but calm, as it was filled with turbulent thoughts.
Her trembling hands pointed toward the two people in front of her, and her shoulders shook so much that even her voice became hoarse.
"What are you two doing here?"
As Lani uttered these words, Amory was feeding Hebe a piece of cake, their gestures warm and affectionate. Seeing Lani's sudden appearance and hearing her high-pitched voice, neither of them even blinked. Hebe finished the sweet morsel on her small spoon and then leaned gracefully against Amory's shoulder.
"Oh, who's here? My beloved sister, isn't it?"
"Don't you see? Are you blind? Amory and I are having a date at the cafe. Don't ruin our romantic date with your nonsense."
Lani struggled to take a deep breath to contain her anger in the face of Hebe's indifference and replied with a cold tone, looking at Amory sternly.
"A date? Amory, we are in a relationship. How can you and my little sister date here? Don't you find it disgusting to be in a relationship with two people simultaneously? This behavior of yours is infidelity."
Before Amory could say anything, Hebe laughed mischievously.
"Aren't you the one who said that if you were my sister, you'd share everything good you have with me? So why are you hesitating to share your boyfriend?"
"I don't mind being in a relationship with you and Amory at the same time. Didn't you voice your objections before? I just don't understand."
Every word from Hebe made Lani's face pale. She couldn't believe her eyes, seeing her boyfriend and her younger sister having an affair behind her back and acting so confidently. It felt like the world was collapsing beneath her feet.
"Sharing? Hebe, you're my sister. You used to ask for anything, and I would willingly give it to you. How can you shamelessly steal my boyfriend now?"
"And you, Amory, we've been together for three years. Now you betray me without any remorse? What about your loyalty to me?"
Lani's lips trembled, wanting to say more, but Amory impatiently interrupted.
"So what? Should I kneel down and apologize, hoping for your forgiveness?"
Amory sneered, then leaned over to kiss Hebe's lips next to him in front of Lani and continued.
"If you can't accept sharing a boyfriend with your sister, then let's break up. I'm tired of you anyway."
"Always pretending to be an aloof goddess; it's really annoying. We've been dating for three years, and you've never even kissed. Lani, do you think we're innocent high school students? You're trying to act so noble, but you're nothing like Hebe, who is both seductive and passionate, with sweet lips."
Amory gently caressed Hebe's full lips and added, looking at Lani with disgust. Lani forced herself to remain calm to hide her vulnerability, giving a cold laugh.
"Fine, let's break up then. I don't want to be with a man who acts like a public restroom, available to anyone. Amory, remember, I'm breaking up with you this time because of your disgusting infidelity."
After saying this, Lani turned decisively and left. She feared that staying another second would make her feel contaminated. When she got back to her car, her face was ashen, and her voice was hoarse as she instructed her personal driver, Alex, to drive her home to her apartment.
"Lani, what's wrong? Didn't you say you wanted to buy some cake and coffee? What happened that made you so dejected and sad?"
Lani's best friend, Aurora, sat beside her, concerned and asking. Since leaving the cafe, Lani's mood has been continuously unstable. Her lips were tightly sealed as if she were suppressing her emotions, and her face showed a hint of desperation.
Hearing Aurora's words, Lani finally looked over and hugged Aurora, bursting into tears and recounting the recent events with a tearful voice.
Aurora comforted Lani while listening attentively. After hearing the whole story, she couldn't contain her anger.
"What did you say? That scoundrel Amory is dating Hebe behind your back? That's truly disgusting."
"I told you this before, but you didn't listen. Amory is not a trustworthy man. He clearly has you as his girlfriend, but he constantly flirts with others, pretending to be single and sophisticated."
"And Hebe, she's just a stepsister, not even your real sister. She's the daughter of your stepmother and your father, a half-sibling from a different mother. Why should you tolerate her so much?"
"From the moment Hebe was born, she's been taking everything you have, always competing with you. Now she's taken your boyfriend as well."
Aurora became increasingly angry as she spoke. Her temples throbbed, and her veins bulged on her forehead. Lani remained silent from beginning to end, only shedding tears of regret. She regretted not listening to Aurora sooner.
It's because she was blinded by love and believed in Amory's sweet words that everything ended up like this.
"So, what do you want to do now? Do you want to expose the disgusting actions of Amory and Hebe to the media? This anger can't be held back."
Hebe, Amory, and Lani were all actors, so the media always paid close attention to their personal lives. If news of Hebe and Amory's affair were to spread, it would surely cause a sensation and have a significant impact on their careers. Amory and Hebe had committed a despicable act, and Aurora was determined not to let them get away with it.
However, Lani hesitated. Even though she was deeply disappointed to see Amory and Hebe together, Hebe was still her half-sister in name. Even if she wanted to take action, her father wouldn't allow it.
Since childhood, Hebe has always been pampered and defended. Her father consistently sided with Hebe, no matter what she did, whether it was taking Lani's toys, clothes, or handbags. Her father always gently reminded Lani to be understanding and not to confront Hebe.
Hebe had always received love within their family, while Lani had faced her father's strictness and coldness since her mother had passed away.
"For now, I need some time to calm down. I need to return to my apartment."
Aurora understood that Lani was in a state of turmoil, so she didn't press further about Hebe or Amory. Instead, she quietly comforted Lani.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. During this time, I'll come to your apartment and stay with you to take better care of you. You'll be fine, and I'll always be by your side."
Moved by Aurora's support, Lani hugged her tightly and took a deep breath. What she needed to do now was quickly regain her composure and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead.
Just as Lani had predicted, unfortunate events often occurred simultaneously. When Aurora had just moved into Lani's house and taken the room opposite Lani's, Lani's phone suddenly rang."It's my stepmother calling."Lani glanced at Aurora, standing nearby, sighing reluctantly as she pressed to answer. A sharp, dissatisfied voice of a woman quickly resonated in the quiet space of the room."Lani, where are you?"Lani replied softly that she was at home, and she could hear the cold huff from the other end."Come back home tonight. Your father and I have something to discuss with you."When talking to Lani, Doris always maintained an attitude of disdain and contempt, which Lani had grown accustomed to. She replied in a mild tone and then lazily reclined on the sofa behind her."It seems I won't have a peaceful evening tonight."She could vaguely anticipate the reactions of Doris and her father, Derek, once they found out about the turmoil earlier in the day. They always pampered Hebe to
"Kane, are you really going to go on a date through that silly app your mom found? Your mom is so weird, looking for a daughter-in-law like this. You're not lacking in love, are you?""Do you know how many beautiful girls are pursuing you out there? Models, famous actresses, and even hot and sexy hotgirls. Why do you have to resort to such an unreliable dating app to find a wife? Is your brain broken?"Roger looked at the person sitting calmly, drinking wine beside him, the dim light of the bar casting a glow on Kane's sharp and handsome face, the top buttons of his shirt unbuttoned to reveal his alluring charm. Kane smiled, shook the wine glass lightly, then raised his head, finishing the glass in one gulp."Those models are all because they know my identity, even when they flirt with me, it's for my wealth or status. In general, it's all because of my billionaire status, if not, they wouldn't bother paying attention to me, right?""Besides, I just need a wife who is gentle, doesn't
"Do you want to go shopping with me? Even though we had a flash marriage, we still need to buy rings to have a sense of formality, right? Besides, I also want to buy you some new clothes as a meeting gift."Kane was so handsome that he deserved to wear expensive and elegant custom-made suits, not just an ordinary suit like this, Lani thought to herself."Why would I let you buy them? If we buy, it's my money, and I can't let you pay like that."Kane chuckled at Lani's words and gently patted her head. Then both of them felt a little awkward."Why not? I've said it before: I have a lot of money, and I will take care of all the expenses for our future lives. You don't need to worry. You just need to keep the house clean and cook delicious meals every day."Without letting Kane hesitate any further, Lani took him directly to a nearby large shopping center. Both of them were already wearing masks to ensure that no one recognized them, so Lani comfortably told the staff that she wanted to
After Kane left Lani's house, he drove back to his mansion in the city center. Familiar with the route, he parked his car in the garage, entered his house, and collapsed onto the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.Everything had happened so quickly today that Kane couldn't believe he had a wife in the blink of an eye. In his daze, the sound of his phone ringing slowly filled the room."Mom, what's up?"Kane glanced at the flashing name on the screen and sighed before answering. A gentle female voice quickly reached his ear, filled with excitement."How did the date go, Kane? The dating app worked out well, didn't it? Did you like the actress?"Maris had been urging Kane to get married for years, and now that he seemed happy going on a date, she was overjoyed. She had even prepared dates with beautiful actresses and models of the right age for Kane, ready to set them up in case he wasn't satisfied with today's girl."Mom, I and she got married."Kane poured himself a glass of water, swirl
"Do you want some apples and strawberries? Let me get them for you."Halfway through watching the movie, Kane quietly asked, and Lani nodded slowly. He left for a moment and returned with a plate of fruit, each piece neatly cut into small portions, which he offered to Lani.Once again, they sat close to each other, engrossed in watching the movie. Lani took a bite of a strawberry and fixed her gaze on the screen without blinking. Whenever she was focused on something, she tended to become so absorbed that she paid no attention to her surroundings, and this time was no exception.The fruit plate was eventually emptied by Kane alone, and he chuckled helplessly before using a fork to pick up a strawberry and holding it to Lani's lips."Have a bit more; the strawberries are really sweet today."Lani didn't pay much attention, obediently accepting the fruit, her lips slightly puckering as she savored the sweet strawberry. Kane watched her and felt a touch of embarrassment. He absentmindedl
Lani, with both her feet and hand injured, had to move more gently. She obediently leaned on the sofa, watching a popular game show that had recently aired. Kane was still busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast, occasionally bringing Lani some snacks."Kane, that's the male actor who co-starred with me in the movie we watched yesterday," Lani said excitedly, pointing at the introduction on the screen. Kane only responded with a cold snort and no further reaction. This actor had kissed Lani in the movie, a scene that Kane undoubtedly remembered.Lani didn't understand the hostility in Kane's eyes but shrugged it off and continued munching on her snacks. Once breakfast was ready, Kane carefully carried Lani and placed her in her seat. The proximity between them was so close that Lani only needed to lean forward slightly to kiss Kane on the cheek.Lani knew this and felt a bit embarrassed. Kane helped her sit down at the breakfast table, and they ate in relative silence, with a calm atm
After the sweet afternoon kiss, the two of them had grown closer. At least in the evening, Lani could lean on Kane to watch TV and enjoy some fruit snacks. They continued to watch the TV series they had started the day before, their eyes fixed on the large screen.Lani's phone rang, shattering the harmony around them. She glanced at the caller ID and felt a wave of weariness. These days, she had been constantly bothered by Hebe, Amory, and Derek, and it was giving her a major headache.Lani icily silenced her phone, but Hebe, apparently with a lot of free time on her hands, kept calling, so Lani reluctantly answered. Kane sat beside her, pausing the movie to allow Lani to hear the conversation clearly."What's the matter, my dear sister? Haven't seen you for a few days, and you don't even want to answer my calls?" Hebe's voice was dripping with sarcasm.Since Lani couldn't use her injured leg comfortably, she sat next to Kane and raised an eyebrow. She had grown tired of Hebe, and aft
After a night of bliss, Lani awoke in the comforting embrace of Kane, feeling a level of contentment she had never experienced before. Perhaps it was the early bedtime, or Kane held her all night, but she slept soundly and woke up incredibly refreshed.Yawning, Lani stretched and lazily adjusted herself, finding Kane beside her, already awake. His gaze was gentle yet carried a hint of a smile as he carefully helped Lani tidy her slightly tousled hair."Awake, huh? Hungry yet? I'll whip up some breakfast for you."Still, in a half-asleep state, Lani dreamily nodded, prompting Kane to laugh gently before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth and then gracefully descending the stairs.Lani took a moment to stretch herself before slowly getting up, absentmindedly brushing her teeth, and making her way downstairs.In the kitchen, Kane stood, his broad back confidently engaged in preparing food. He was busy assembling sandwiches and smoothly placing them in the oven, his movements seam