Ch. 1351..1360

Chapter 1351

Chapter 1351

Toph paused, then he smiled, ruffling Renee's hair affectionately.

"I really want to marry you soon, too," he said gently. "But... Aunt Kaitlyn just passed, so it might not be appropriate for us to have the wedding now." "Toph, do you also believe in these things?"

"I'm not superstitious," Toph explained seriously. "It's just human nature. To hold a wedding immediately after a funeral, the outsiders might think-" "Do you care a lot about what others think?"

Toph furrowed his brow, at a loss for words. He felt that Renee was somewhat different.

No, it was not just today. Since Kaitlyn's death, it was as if all of Renee's happiness had been taken away along with her mother. She became sensitive and suspicious and rarely smiled or spoke. Her once introverted personality had become even more gloomy and melancholic.

Toph tried his best to make her happy. But he knew it wouldn't be easy for her to feel better quickly. Losing her mother had been hard, especially because she was there when Kaitlyn passed away, and they were very close.

Toph held Renee's hand, his words sincere. "Renee, you know I'm not the type to care about what others think. I... I'm just worried about how outsiders might gossip about you."

Renee took a deep breath, gradually calming down. She had gotten a bit too worked up just now.

Marrying Toph was a certainty, and the Hamertons had even sent the gifts. How could they possibly call off the wedding?

Until this matter was officially done, however, she could not help but feel uncertain. Toph was her sole reliance in this world, and she was terrified of losing him.

Renee tightly held his hand, her eyes resembling deep pools. After a lengthy pause, she gently inquired, "We will marry, won't we?"

"Absolutely," Toph replied confidently.

"For sure?"

"Definitely!"

"Well..." Renee hesitated momentarily before saying, "Well, then, swear on it."

Toph was taken aback.

In general, couples making promises and vowing oaths was quite normal, but saying it this way felt awkward.

Toph met Renee's expectant gaze. Looking at it from another angle, he thought perhaps this might make her happy. After all, his biggest task right now was to bring happiness to her. He smiled and straightened up. With an air of seriousness, he put up three fingers and said, "Alright, I swear, I—"

"Toph, what are you doing?"

Suddenly, a gentle yet authoritative voice cut in.

Renee's heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her gaze, feeling a bit guilty. She greeted softly, "Mrs. Hamerton."

Cordelia wore a tender smile, but a glint of sternness flickered in her eyes.

The glint briefly stopped on Renee and then disappeared. Cordelia stood between the two, inspected the tea and snacks on the table, and told the servants to replace them. Then she scolded her son, "How could you serve Renee with this kind of tea? There are better options at home!"

Toph scratched his head. He would always be a child before his mother.

Cordelia smoothed his hair. "One day, you'll build your own family and leave your parents. There are some truths and principles of conduct you should know." "Okay."

Chapter 1352

Chapter 1352

"What were you swearing about?" Cordelia asked while glancing subconsciously at Renee. The latter stood by, clutching her clothes and appearing quite nervous. Cordelia was not sure if what she was doing was right or if she had frightened Renee.

Perhaps that was just the display of affection from young lovers. After all, she had been young once, and Zephyr had also made all sorts of promises when they were deeply in love.

It was just that... swearing and making promises was something done willingly, not something forced upon someone.

Cordelia furrowed her brow. Maybe she was overthinking this, but she did not want to give anyone a chance to harm her son! "Toph, an oath is a sacred thing. If you make reckless oaths, God will hear you. Don't think He won't punish you!"

"Mom!" Toph laughed heartily. "Who said I was making reckless oaths? When I swear, it's with a sincere and solemn attitude!" "You..." Cordelia glared at him.

Why was her second son so unruly? If it were Zuko, she would not even need to intervene as he would handle it himself!

On second thought, there was no way Pammy would ever force Zuko to make an oath like that.

Cordelia looked at Renee again. Upon recalling the things Linda had said, her heart pounded anxiously.

"You silly child." Cordelia forced a smile. "My point is, wouldn't it be better to save these words for the wedding?"

"Well, yeah!" Toph nodded. "You're right!"

The mother and son exchanged smiles.

In Renee's eyes, the scene felt like a thorn piercing her heart. The pain was not intense, but it lingered uncomfortably.

After that day, Cordelia deliberately avoided giving Toph and Renee any opportunities to be alone together. No mother could just brush off the sight of her son swearing an oath to please someone else. Initially, Zephyr did not understand what was going on. After listening to Cordelia's explanation, his brows furrowed.

"Is Renee... really like that?"

"In your impression, she's a well-behaved and gentle girl, right?" Cordelia looked at him. "That's what she used to be like in my impression, too. But I disliked the things she said that day. "Even if I'm being oversensitive, no mother would want to see such a scene. First, she kept asking Toph if he would marry her, and then she had him swear...

"What was the point of that? Besides, even if Toph does make an oath, it wouldn't stop him from changing his mind if he wanted to!"

Zephyr frowned, his expression growing serious.

Cordelia let out a sigh. "Whatever it is, Renee suffered a huge blow after Kaitlyn's death, and her mental state isn't normal. It's understandable. In fact, every one of us is trying our best to help her. Linda found several psychologists for her, but she rejected them all.

"What I'm most concerned about now is her being fixated on Toph..."

"Agreed." Zephyr nodded, his tone somber. "It seems that now isn't the right time for them to get married. Rushing into marriage wouldn't be responsible for either of them."

"But Toph is simple-minded, not as meticulous as Zuko. I'm really worried about him..."

"Worrying won't help." Zephyr patted Cordelia's shoulder and pulled her into an embrace. "They have to experience some things themselves. Others can't do it for them.

"The only thing we can do right now is closely observe their every move, just in case they act impulsively and register their marriage. That would be a big problem." "Yeah, you're right."

Zephyr smiled and looked at his worried wife, gently kissing her forehead.

Being parents, no matter how old their children were, they would always worry about them.

"Relax a little," he said, his large hand caressing her back. "If harm can't be avoided, then as parents, our role is to minimize that harm. Kids need to grow through trial and error, don't they?"

Chapter 1353

Chapter 1353

Cordelia nodded and smiled tenderly, leaning against him. After spending most of their lives together, he was still her haven and her superhero.

It had been over a month since Lena joined the Thompson Group. Her first paycheck was not substantial, but the amount left her content compared to before.

The only regret was that it was just the base salary, whereas her colleagues were all rejoicing, clearly receiving significant performance bonuses. Some of them could even afford to buy a small sports car with their bonuses.

Lena bit her lip. Honestly, she did not envy their ability to earn a lot of money. Money had long become something external to her. What she regretted was not selling a single property in this past month, not achieving any results, and disgracing Lina.

While sitting at her desk, someone unexpectedly patted her shoulder. She turned around, surprised to see Jade standing there with a gentle smile.

"Feeling good about receiving your first month's salary?"

Lena hurriedly stood up and nodded respectfully.

"Don't be nervous. Keep up the good work." Jade chuckled. "Come to the conference room. We're having a short departmental meeting."

Lena followed her, and before long, everyone had gathered in the conference room and taken their respective seats. As a newcomer, Lena sat in the farthest corner.

Jacquelin turned, gave her a disdainful look, and spoke loudly. "Hey, Walter, you're the top salesman this month, right?"

"No way! Jackie, you're overestimating me. I've only sold five properties!"

"Selling five properties is already quite impressive! Some people can't even sell one!"

Lena clenched the pen in her hand, her fist trembling slightly.

"Jackie!" Walter shot Jacquelin a warning look, but she pretended not to notice and continued boasting.

"Well, we in the sales department rely on our sales to make a living. Good performance means more commission, and poor performance means no money for anyone. But Ms. Neale is kind-hearted. Even if you have no performance, she'll still give you a high salary!"

"Hey, we're all colleagues, right?" Walter saw that Jade was standing behind Jacquelin, so she laughed awkwardly. "Many hands make light work. It's reasonable!"

"What's wrong with your head? Why should our hard-earned achievements be used to pay the salary of someone with zero sales?"

"Jackie "

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Jacquelin. "Jacquelin, I remember that when you first joined the department, you didn't sell anything for six months, right?" Jacquelin nearly jumped from her seat. She turned around to see Jade with smiling eyes. However, that smile seemed chilling no matter how she looked at it. Jacquelin's legs trembled as she stood up, struggling to force a smile. "Ms... Ms. Neale, why are you here?"

"What a joke! I organized the meeting. Shouldn't I be here?"

"Oh... yes! Yes!"

"Is everyone here?" Jade took her seat at the head of the table. "Then let's begin!"

Jade was straightforward, never beating around the bush during meetings.

After outlining the next steps in work, everyone went their separate ways.

Lena received several tasks.

Chapter 1354

Chapter 1354

Moreover, Jade had appointed an experienced senior salesperson to guide Lena, emphasizing her need to deliver results within the second month. During the meeting, Jacquelin's thoughts were elsewhere. She felt fear due to Jade and was also crafting a revenge plan against Lena.

Yet, lacking a strong strategy, she chose the simplest approach-creating a disturbance in Jade's office after the meeting.

"Ms. Neale!" Jacquelin complained, "What did you mean by that? Weren't you just humiliating me in front of everyone?"

"Oh?" Jade did not even lift her head. "How did I humiliate you?"

"You said I hadn't achieved anything in half a year!"

Jade took a deep breath and looked up at her. "Did I say anything wrong?"

"Well..."

"It was you who first complained that Lena had no sales this month." Jade smirked coldly. "Jacquelin, we're in sales. It's common not to achieve much in a month or two, especially for a newcomer like her. "You don't have to be so sarcastic, do you? Lena is part of our team. If she loses face, you won't gain anything either!"

Jacquelin was angered. She widened her eyes but could not say a word.

Jade looked at her. "Normally, I can't do much to you due to your relationship with a certain executive. But remember, you're under my supervision. I think even if that executive were in this room right now, he would have to admit that what I said is right.

"Lena's been here for a month, and you've been targeting her everywhere. But has she offended you in any way? It's one thing to bully, but there's a limit to it.

"Besides, if I were you, I'd focus more on dealing with the executive's legitimate wife!" Jade smiled. "I heard that the lady has been bringing lunch prepared with love every day these past few days." Frustration filled Jacquelin's heart. She gnashed her teeth, glanced at Jade hatefully, and turned to leave. She was no match for Jade in an argument.

Despite that, she was puzzled. Why was Jade taking Lena's side like this?

After taking a couple of steps, she suddenly turned around and sneered. "Ms. Neale, Lena isn't just a regular employee, is she?"

"I don't know what her identity is, but I value her abilities." Jade wore a poker face. "If you have nothing else, you can leave. After all, your sales aren't that great. You need to continue working hard!"

"You..."

Jacquelin did not gain anything, so she stomped her foot hard and left the office. However, as soon as she opened the door, she was startled by Lena outside.

"Ah!" Jacquelin reacted as if she had seen a ghost. After her heartbeat steadied, she glared at Lena. "Do you have a problem standing here without saying a sound?"

"Jacquelin." After they brushed shoulders, Lena called Jacquelin by her name for the first time.

Jacquelin was taken aback and turned to look at her, puzzled.

Lena chuckled. "I heard you've been calling me Granny Harding behind my back."

"W-What do you want?"

Lena smiled softly. "I just wanted to thank you."

Jacquelin looked confused.

"How did I luck out and find a grown granddaughter to honor me? I should be thanking you, shouldn't I?"

Jacquelin flushed with anger, yet she did not dare to approach Lena due to her imposing aura.

"You'll have to keep working hard next month." Lena smirked. "If I still have no sales, I'll have to rely on you to take care of me!"

"Lena Harding!"

"But don't worry." Lena walked closer, leaning in to whisper in her ear. She emphasized each word. "Granny Harding will definitely give her granddaughter a big gift as a reward for her filial devotion!"

Chapter 1355

Chapter 1355

"You..." Jacquelin was rendered speechless and panting. She glared at Lena before turning around abruptly, only to stumble due to her high heels and twist her foot.

"Ah!" Jacquelin screamed as she stumbled forward, crashing into the wall.

The colleagues passing by stifled their laughter and quickly moved away.

Lena watched silently, shaking her head and giving Jacquelin a contemptuous look.

"Lena!" After Jacquelin steadied herself, she shouted at Lena's retreating figure, "You just wait!"

Lena waved without looking back and walked away with an air of indifference.

In reality, she really wanted to mess with this woman. During her days struggling at the bottom of society, encountering revolting people was common, so flipping the bird and using foul language had become a necessary skill for survival.

In theory, even a hundred Jacquelines wouldn't match up to her. Yet, she held back the urge to teach her a lesson at that moment. It wasn't due to anything else but her association with the Thompson Group. She couldn't embarrass Lina.

Also, she thought of someone in that brief moment.

She wondered whether he would view her differently when he saw her swearing. If he saw her like that, she might never get heart-shaped eggs in her plate again.

Lena turned the corridor's corner with a faint smile, quickly returning to her workstation. She focused on her work, leaving behind all her unhappiness.

After work, she saw Chris standing outside the company again.

She nodded at him, and he obediently followed as if he had been given a command. He stayed behind her until they had walked a considerable distance from the company. Only then did he gather the courage to walk beside her.

Although Lena's face showed no emotion, inside, she beamed like the sun.

"Uh..." Chris was cautious, testing the waters as he said softly, "Lenny..."

"What is it?"

Chris beamed. "You shouldn't have to go home so early, right?"

"I..."

"Let's have dinner first, and then I'll take you shopping for clothes!"

Without waiting for Lena's opinion, Chris took charge. He even dared to grab her... wrist, afraid she might change her mind.

Lena could not help but chuckle, allowing him to drag her by the wrist through the streets.

The setting sun dyed the clouds on the horizon red and gently tinted her cheeks as well.

Chris wasn't used to shopping, and Lena rarely went to busy places like this. Now, in the middle of a crowd, they both felt uncomfortable. They walked awkwardly, glancing around like aliens. Suddenly, they turned their heads and locked eyes, bursting into laughter together.

Chris led her into the DL Mall.

Although it was already part of the Hamertons' domain, the manager and employees were still slightly taken aback when they saw Chris. They all knew that this Hamerton heir never stepped into a shopping mall.

Upon seeing that Chris not only came to the mall in person but also had a young woman with him, their jaws dropped even further. They had no idea who the young lady was, but she seemed to have managed what no one else could taming the free-spirited Mr. Special Forces.

"Mr. Hamerton!" The manager bowed 90 degrees and personally greeted them, "May I ask what you'd like to buy?"

"Pick a few outfits for this young lady, as well as shoes, bags, and makeup." Chris looked at Lena and smiled lightly. "They should emphasize her temperament, highlight her beauty, and...

"I want the most expensive ones!"

The manager was briefly stunned before he grinned.

As Lena tried on clothes, Chris waited on the side, video-calling Zuko.

Originally, he intended to call him and ask for some advice. What else could he do to win over a girl's heart besides buying gifts?

Chapter 1356

Chapter 1356

What Chris saw on the screen was that the eldest Hamerton heir was currently wearing an apron and creating chaos in the kitchen. Just from the chopping sounds on the cutting board, Chris could imagine the disaster in the kitchen.

"Zuko, I think I should call Pammy first."

"Hmm?"

"I need to warn her in advance." Chris chuckled. "No matter what your husband gives you, don't eat it. Watch out for food poisoning."

"Get lost!"

"Hahaha!" Chris could not hold back anymore. "I mean, what kind of biochemical experiment are you conducting? Spare your kitchen! What do you want to do? Can't I help you?"

"It won't do." Zuko looked smug. "This is a special soup a husband has to prepare to ensure his wife will get pregnant. I can't let outsiders interfere."

"Pregnancy soup?"

"Yes," Zuko said earnestly. "There used to be an old servant in our family. She's passed away, but the soup recipe she left behind has been benefiting future generations. I followed her recipe and doubled the ingredients..."

Chris was flabbergasted.

Zuko showed him the medicinal ingredients on his phone. They were all nourishing ingredients, but doubling the amount was not appropriate!

As a disciplined special forces soldier, Chris felt a responsibility to advise him. "Zuko, you can't do this... You have to follow the recipe! After all, these are medicinal ingredients. They're considered food too, but

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You don't understand!"

"It's not that. From a scientific point of view, it might backfire if you consume too much—"

"From the perspective of a husband, let me tell you... Forget it. You wouldn't get it even if I told you!"

"What?"

"You're meddling too much! Goodbye!"

Chris did not have a chance to say anything as Zuko hung up. He stared at the screen, furrowing his brow very seriously and muttering, "But it's true that things might backfire..." "What are you saying?" Lena walked out of the fitting room.

Chris looked up and was surprised!

Lena had changed out of the black outfit and was now wearing a light blue blouse and a white skirt. Simple and elegant, the new outfit highlighted her gentle and lively charm. Chris found it hard to look away momentarily, his heart pounding.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Lena chuckled. "Is it not nice?"

"Uh..." Chris seemed to have lost his ability to speak.

However, a voice nearby suddenly cut in. "You look really nice!"

Lena was taken aback and followed the sound of the voice. A charming face greeted her.

The young woman rushed over to her, scrutinizing her from head to toe, then furrowed her brow. Suddenly, the young woman seemed to have an epiphany and handed a pearl handbag to her.

Lena did not take it. One, it was because of her innate resistance to strangers, and two, she recognized the bag. Lina also had a similar one-a limited edition from a famous brand, so it was extremely rare and valuable.

Those who visited this mall would not be carrying a fake bag.

Lena could not accept such a lavish gift.

The young woman blinked slightly and then smiled. "Take it! I think your outfit will definitely look even better with this purse!"

Chapter 1357

Chapter 1357

Lena stood still in her place. Chris was equally stunned.

The young woman felt someone looking at her and widened her eyes upon turning and seeing Chris.

"What are you doing here?"

Lena's expression changed subtly. She felt like an unnecessary person caught in the middle.

"Hey, Chris!" The young woman patted him on the arm. "What are you doing here? You don't recognize me anymore? Hey, why are you shrinking away?"

Chris was evasive and kept looking at Lena.

"What's the matter with you?" The young woman was exasperated. "I'm Arya Bayer. Pretending you don't know me?"

"I do recognize you!" Chris felt like he was about to die. How could he run into her here?

"Is this beautiful young lady with you? Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Lena paused and looked at her.

Arya didn't fit the mold of a typical beauty. She lacked delicate features and had a pleasantly plump appearance. Her complexion was fair, and she sported bushy eyebrows along with large eyes. Her smile revealed two charming dimples.

A single look indicated her upbringing in an affluent family.

However, Lena frowned slightly.

Arya seemed familiar with Chris, but why had he never mentioned her before? Was it because she was not worth mentioning, or did he not dare to mention her?

Lena took a deep breath and looked at Chris, biting his lip before he managed a natural smile.

"Yes, Chris, why don't you introduce us?" Lena asked.

"Huh?" Chris felt like he had been hit on the head with a stick.

Chris? Who was she calling? Was she calling him? She used "hey" usually!

Lena said more smoothly, "Chris, you know each other?"

Chris was in a daze.

Arya took the initiative to introduce herself. "Hello, I'm Arya Bayer. I have an older brother who's currently doing business abroad... Oh, right, Chris is very close to my brother!" Arya's smile was infectious, and Lena subconsciously shook hands with her.

"Hello, I'm Lena Harding."

"So you're Lena!" Arya looked at her with admiration. "I've heard Zuko and Toph talk about you. You're fearless and invincible, and you even saved their grandmother!"

Lena wished to smile, but annoyance surfaced as she recalled Chris's earlier guilty expression. Pushing the pearl bag back to Arya, she returned to the fitting room to change. Soon, she confidently left the store.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Chris hurriedly caught up.

Lena walked fast, and Chris followed behind humbly, not daring to get too close or stay too far. She eventually halted at the entrance of the small pizza place they had visited for dinner the previous night.

Chris sucked in a cold breath and followed her in.

They still sat by the window and ordered two pizzas. Only this time, Chris ate anxiously.

Lena ate calmly, and Chris occasionally glanced at her. In the end, he could not bear the torment.

He slammed his hand on the table and gathered his courage to call out, "Len..."

Before the second half of that word could be uttered, he quickly corrected himself to "Lena".

Lena stopped eating and remained expressionless without looking up.

Chapter 1358

Chapter 1358

"Lena..." Chris confessed to her, "I-I do indeed know Arya. She's the youngest daughter of the Bayers. Her father is Josiah Bayer, and her mother is Kelly Tanner. The Bayers and the Hamertons have a long- standing friendship, so... Zuko, Toph, and I used to play with Arya when we were kids..."

"Oh..." Lena responded indifferently.

He had not gotten to the point yet!

"There's more!" Chris unraveled the story. "Once... I mean, it's in the past!! The Hamertons indeed wanted to ally with the Bayers, and the intended match was between Arya and me... But listen to me! But that was just the adults' idea, and it had nothing to do with me!"

"Mm."

Although Lena had not looked up, a faint smile began to spread in the depths of her eyes.

"Lena, I didn't mention her before, not because I didn't want to, but because I..." Chris scratched his head, unsure how to proceed.

Should he say it was to prevent her from misunderstanding? That did not seem appropriate. Then she would know he had been plotting to pursue her for a while!

Should he say Arya was not worth mentioning? That also did not seem right, as he just mentioned that he had grown up playing with her...

Just as Chris sighed, Lena finished her pizza and suddenly stood up.

"Lena..."

"What is it?" She turned her head slightly. "Didn't I tell you what you should call me from now on?"

"Huh?"

She added softly, "Als, you haven't finished your pizza. Don't waste food!"

Chris' mind went blank before he laughed and quickly devoured the entire pizza as if trying to set a record!

Julius stared in amazement. "Hey, kid, be careful not to burn your mouth!"

'Could it be that he's gone silly? Swallowing such scalding pizza!' he wondered.

Zuko accompanied Lina back to the Thompson residence with bags of gifts during the weekend.

As an excellent son-in-law, he never visited empty-handed. He would give his parents-in-law the stars and the moon if he could.

Upon seeing him, Nicholas took him straight to the study to play chess while Lina chatted with Linda for a while and was about to go check on Renee.

Renee came downstairs on her own.

"Lina!"

Renee still smiled warmly upon seeing Lina, and the two of them greeted each other with a big hug, just like they used to.

Lina handed Renee a gift-an exquisite white purse.

"Do you like it? It's a designer item. Only ten of this style are made. I had someone fly it from overseas for you!"

Renee nodded vigorously.

It was not that she was not moved, and she had resolved to move on from those dark days. It was just that when night fell, she would see Kaitlyn leaping off the cliff resolutely. She was the daughter of a criminal, with tainted blood flowing in her veins.

Did she deserve to have this pure white purse?

Seeing her odd expression, Linda quickly patted her shoulder and urged her to go for a walk in the yard with Lina.

Lina held Renee's hand, and they enjoyed a peaceful and beautiful moment in the yard, just like old times.

"Oh right, where's Lenny? I've been here for so long and haven't seen her!"

Renee was just smiling, but her expression instantly changed when she heard Lena's name.

"Why bring her up?"

"I..." Lina had a gift for Lena but did not continue upon seeing Renee's reaction.

Renee pulled away from her grip and returned to the living room alone.

Evelyn was organizing the bags Lina had brought, and Renee spotted a bag containing a delicately wrapped small box.

She removed it and requested Evelyn and the rest to step out. Carefully, she opened the box. It held a valuable, finely crafted diamond watch.

As Lina entered the room, she saw what Renee held and took the watch from her.

"Renee, you..."

"Whose gift is this?" Renee looked at her. "Is it for Lena?"

Chapter 1359

Chapter 1359

Lina's heart thumped inexplicably as if she had done something wrong.

She forced a chuckle. "Renee, why are you rummaging through my things?"

"Is this intended for Lena?" Renee emphasized.

Lina paused, seeming unhappy. She gazed at Renee and nodded slightly. "It's meant for her. Lenny is working, and coworkers judge by looks. If she doesn't carry something good, they might think less-"

Before she could finish, Renee spoke coldly. "Why didn't you think to get me something valuable to carry when I was working at the Thompson Group?"

"Renee!" Lina widened her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"She caused my mother's death!" Renee snapped the box closed and tossed it onto the sofa, where it immediately rebounded. "Why is it that each and every one of you treats her like a savior and treats her so well?!"

"Renee?" Lina looked at her in disbelief.

Was the gentle and kind girl she knew in the past gone with Kaitlyn's suicide?

The present Renee was full of resentment, treating Lena as an enemy.

At first, Lena closely watched Kaitlyn and occasionally accused her, saying, "Thief crying thief." But in the end, it turned out Lena was correct.

"Renee, how could you say that?" Lina breathed deeply. "You've really lost your way! Lenny saved Grandma Janine and me. She's our savior! And she didn't cause Aunt Kaitlyn's illness.

"Blaming everything on her is unfair. Remember how Lenny shielded you when Aunt Kaitlyn tried to harm us? Don't forget that."

"Lina, aren't you the one who's lost your way?" Renee's voice trembled, and her eyes filled with hostility, resembling dark clouds.

Just as Lena approached the doorway, she witnessed the scene unfolding. Her sense of caution kicked in, but she didn't want to upset Renee by rushing over suddenly. Thus, she chose to observe quietly from the side.

"Huh, savior?" Renee looked at Lina. "Think about how you returned to this family in the first place! I could have had everything from the Thompsons, but I knew those things were yours, so I didn't touch them. I even tried my best to return everything to you!

"Later, Gia, Mollie, and even Desiree... When they bullied and framed you, I faced it together with you!

"If we're talking about being a savior, I think I'm more qualified to be your savior!"

"You..." Lina was growing frustrated, feeling a pain in her chest.

A stern voice cut through just then. "Have you gone crazy? Why should Lina be grateful to you?!"

Lina was surprised and turned toward the voice. Lena walked in and quickly took her hand, pulling her behind her.

"Renee Thompson!" Lena's tone was sharp. "Even though I don't know the past, from what you just said, you could have had everything from the Thompsons? Not taking Lina's belongings was the bare minimum of decency! If you expect gratitude for that, you're beyond help!"

Renee was furious and glared at Lena. "What's it to you? Who asked you to poke your nose in?"

"Lina's affairs are my affairs!" Lena looked at her coldly. "You can bully me, take revenge on me, even hit and curse me if you want. Consider that I owe you...

"But Lina doesn't owe you anything! I'll fight you to the end if you dare to bully her!"

Renee paled, her eyes widened, and her chest heaved. After a few seconds, she screamed hysterically, slapping Lena hard.

But Lena remained still, her expression icy.

Lina was shocked. Without hesitation, she rushed to Lena's side, grabbing Renee's hand before it could strike again.

"Aunt Evelyn! Uncle lan!" Lina shouted, "Come over here right now!"

Renee's crying fit was intense, her emotions on the verge of a breakdown.

Lina asked them to take Renee back to her room first. After she calmed down, she turned around and looked at Lena.

Chapter 1360

Chapter 1360

The corner of Lena's lips was slightly swollen, and there were clear fingerprints on her face.

Lina's heart tightened. She hadn't anticipated Renee, who appeared delicate, acting so aggressively and quickly. Surprisingly, Lina didn't dodge at all, suggesting this wasn't an isolated incident. Lina brought ice and helped Lena apply it to her face. Lena looked at her and finally showed a faint smile.

"Does it still hurt?"

Lena shook her head.

Lina angrily exclaimed, "Does Renee usually treat you like this at home?"

"Nothing like that." Lena seemed indifferent. "She's actually quite nice to me. Besides, I might have spoken too harshly just now. It's my fault."

"Lenny..."

"It's okay. Go check on her." Lena smiled sincerely. "I have thick skin and can take a hit. But she's the one who's wounded inside. She's the one who needs comfort the most."

Lina could barely manage to say, "Lenny, you're always thinking about others..."

"It's not for her sake." Lena sighed lightly and said, "It's because I know what it's like to lose a mother."

Lina hugged Lena, who appeared incredibly delicate. Lena's thoughtfulness was so touching that it pained the heart.

On the way back from the Thompsons, Lina was weighed with worries. Seeing her concern, Zuko gently hugged her and showed her a social media post.

Renee had posted a few pictures of the white purse from different angles with the caption: [I'm sorry, Lina.]

Lina was moved, her eyes slightly red.

Renee still cared about her, but she had some unresolved issues. Once those issues were resolved and the haze cleared, she would be the same innocent and kind Renee that Lina knew.

Lina sighed and checked her phone. Renee had not said anything for a long time in their group chat.

Just as she was thinking about it, a message suddenly popped up in the chat. Toph had sent a time and a hotel address with a crying face emoji.

Toph: [Family, you must come this weekend!]

Lina paused and suddenly remembered that the hotel mentioned seemed to belong to the Bayers.

"Do you know what this is about?" She looked at Zuko.

Zuko smiled helplessly. "It's probably a gathering from the Tanners."

"The Tanners?"

Zuko nodded. The Tanners were one of the four major families in Centrolis. Despite experiencing ups and downs, possibly being the weakest of the four families in terms of strength, they maintained their status by relying on the Bayers' support.

"I heard that a relative of the Tanners just had a pair of twins. This weekend is the babies' celebration, and they've invited people from the four major families."

"Oh..."

"Our families have complicated alliances and intertwined interests," Zuko said softly. "When one family has a joyous event, the other three will go to celebrate. In reality, it's just an opportunity to strengthen ties. "We have a longstanding relationship with the Bayers, and since Aunt Kelly is married to Uncle Josiah, we have to attend the Tanners' event."