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 the fullest extent, so in every story, the one at fault was always Lani.
"Do you need me to come with you? That despicable stepmother and your father won't have anything good to say."
Aurora asked with concern, eager to accompany Lani to protect her. However, Lani just chuckled and said it wasn't necessary. After the afternoon, her emotions had settled enough for her to face what was coming.
Before her mother passed away, she had advised Lani to listen and be obedient, even if her father married another woman. However, this time, Lani didn't want to hold back anymore.
When Lani returned home, as predicted, things were far from simple. A hot cup of tea flew straight towards her feet, splashing onto the floor, and a bit of it scalded Lani. She stood frozen, looking ahead at Derek's angry, aging face.
"Lani, you're quite something, scolding your little sister and her boyfriend in the crowded cafe? If this gets out in the media and photos are taken, how can Hebe continue her acting career? The public will vilify Hebe and harm her."
Upon hearing this, Lani only laughed coldly and retorted.
"So, what about me? Hebe stole my boyfriend, and I should smile and say she did a great job?"
"Boyfriend? Dad, that's my boyfriend, the one Hebe seduced and became the third party in our relationship. I haven't even hit her; I only scolded her a bit. Is that too harsh?"
"Furthermore, if it's Hebe's fault, why doesn't she take responsibility for the consequences? If she's afraid of public criticism, it's best not to do such disgusting things. Is there no one else to expose her private scandals in this world?"
Normally, Lani should have been gentle and said whatever sounded pleasing, but her sudden, strong reaction startled Derek, causing his brows to furrow even deeper. Hebe, now appearing weak, approached and gently held Derek's hand, then bit her lip and looked at Lani.
"Dad, it's all my fault. I didn't know Amory was Lani's boyfriend, so I agreed to be with him. I caused Lani pain, so if anyone should be blamed, it should be me."
Lani tilted her head to look at Hebe, wearing a delicate white spaghetti strap dress with an innocent face and a soft, gentle voice, tears streaming down her pitiful face. Every time Hebe cried, all the blame seemed to fall on Lani.
"Why blame yourself, Hebe? You didn't know, so it's not your fault. Besides, Lani is your sister, and it's normal to make sacrifices for each other. Don't cry, Hebe; tomorrow you still have to go to the film set. Be beautiful and radiant."
Derek gently coaxed Hebe with a kind and forgiving expression. Lani watched this harmonious father-daughter scene in front of her, suppressing the bitterness in her heart.
"Dad, do you ever consider me your daughter? Why do you always favor Hebe and not care about my feelings? Is that fair to me?"
Derek, when he turned his gaze towards Lani, inadvertently revealed a weary expression. At this point, Doris, who had been silent from the beginning, also chimed in.
"So, what do you want? Everything has already happened; do you intend to let everyone berate Hebe to your satisfaction?"
Derek seemed to agree with these words and gave Lani a stern look.
"If you dare to reveal any information that harms Hebe, then don't call me your father anymore. We're cutting ties; consider me without a misbehaving child like you."
Hebe's eyes beside him sparkled with joy, raising her eyebrows at Lani triumphantly as if she had won. If it were like any other time before, Lani would have compromised and endured it. However, she had gathered enough disappointment.
"Fine, let's cut ties then. I've long felt like an orphan. You kicked me out of the house just because I didn't give up my room for Hebe, and you never asked if I was doing well."
"You always criticize and get angry, so I don't need this father anymore."
After Lani finished speaking, she laughed coldly.
"As for Hebe's affairs, I won't tolerate them any longer."
Hebe's face quickly turned pale, and Derek couldn't contain his anger, throwing the cups on the table towards Lani. Lani quickly dodged, hearing the shattering sound around her like her own shattered heart, but she still forced a smile.
"Farewell, my dad. This is the last time I'm calling you 'dad.' From now on, we have no relationship."
When Lani returned home, she was so desperate that she couldn't even shed tears. She calmly recounted the day's events to Aurora, who tightly clenched her fists, suppressing her anger, and spoke loudly.
"Alright, I will not let Hebe get away with this. I'll expose all the bad things she's done so that everyone will mock her."
"Furthermore, Lani, you can't just sit back like this. Hebe always wants to compete with you, right? So, find a kind person to marry right away, so that Hebe, even if she steals your boyfriend, will have to reluctantly get married after you."
"Besides, it's also a way to show that idiot Amory that you have charm and that there are plenty of men to choose from. There is no need to cling to a foolish guy like him. You need to quickly build a better life after leaving him."
Aurora spoke in one breath, leaving Lani stunned. Although everything seemed a bit exaggerated and somewhat unrealistic, it also made sense. At least for now, she was sure that if she got married first, Hebe would lose her mind.
Whether it was because of Aurora's nearby anger or her genuine consideration, Lani nodded enthusiastically.
"All right, Aurora, arrange for me to meet some handsome guys tomorrow. I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I want a handsome, tall man who likes cooking and housekeeping, and I can take care of the finances to be my husband."
Aurora patted her chest and assured her that she would take care of everything. In the end, the two of them were full of determination, choosing a potential partner for Lani, and then they went to bed happily, full of anticipation for the future.
"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
He watched the curved corners of Lani's mouth and the sparkling eyes as she entered a nearby jewelry store. The words "Or should we go back and store the things first?" were silently withdrawn.As for Lani, once inside the jewelry store, she quickly succumbed to the allure of the dazzling pieces, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She swiftly selected a beautiful swan-shaped necklace from a renowned local brand. Just as she was about to ask the staff for assistance with the payment, her attention was captivated by a nearby bracelet.It was a delicate bracelet adorned with a few small round stones in a light blue hue. Under the warm light in the store, it emitted a sparkling glow, surpassing all the other bracelets placed around it. Lani didn't know what gemstones those light blue stones were made of, but based on their exquisite craftsmanship and perfect color, she could tell they were so expensive."Can I try on that light blue bracelet?" she asked.The salesgirl, a young and enthusi