Ch. 411..420

Chapter 411 The Reason Genevieve Went There He left no room for negotiation. Genevieve's voice trembled as she said, "I shall call my friend for help..." The men were holding her hostage. They were sure she wouldn't play any tricks and so they allowed her to make the call with the condition that she had to put the call on speakerphone. Genevieve called Steven, but he didn't pick up. She then called Bertilla. Fortunately, Bertilla answered her call. Hastily, she pleaded, "Bertilla, I need fifty million now. Can you lend me the money?" On the other end of the line, Bertilla answered reluctantly, "I run a pretty small company, and I have a few debts that I haven't collected yet this month. Where do I get fifty million to lend you?" "Please figure a way out.

Please!" Genevieve pleaded. The man on her left warned her to tell her friend to transfer the money to an account in three minutes, or they would sell her off. Genevieve had to call Bertilla again to urge him. After finishing her business at home, Jane told her driver to bring her to the restaurant. On the second floor, she saw Armand sitting by the window. A delicious spread was served before him, but he didn't touch any of it. "Mando," Jane greeted him and coughed softly. She shrugged out of her jacket and placed it on the couch before sitting down. Snapping out of his reverie, Armand took his coffee and sipped on it. "The Wood family rose from the ashes, so Uncle Peter needs their help to gain a firm foothold in Faulkner Group. Thus, he still needs Xavier to be his son-in-law." Jane's eyes dimmed after she heard his words. Her father had summoned her home earlier to talk to her about that. "My dad said there's no need for me to get engaged to him, for we'll be getting married right away." Jane pursed her pale lips and added softly, "We'll be getting married on New Year's Day at St. Weiss Church." She struggled hard for so long and wished that she could live happily before dying. Alas, she couldn't even decide her own future. Armand glanced at her and put his coffee back on the table. His voice was cool as he said, "I don't know who is helping the Wood family, so I dare not take action against them recklessly.

I'll ask someone to help you in secret by claiming that it isn't proper to get married on New Year's Day. That way, your wedding will be postponed." Jane's eyes lit up at once. She then thanked him sincerely. "Thanks, Mando!" The Faulkner family was huge. Cesar alone had many children. Jane was Armand's cousin, and they weren't really close to each other. Previously, her father had even tried to take Central Group for himself. Jane knew Armand had only agreed to help her because he had asked her to give Genevieve a Christmas present in his stead. He was merely returning the favor now. Armand hummed in acknowledgment and picked up his fork. After taking a few bites, he asked nonchalantly, "Did you go to Marie Hospital this morning?" Jane bobbed her head. "I felt unwell this morning and asked my driver to bring me there." "Did you run into Genevieve there?" "Yes, I did." Jane admitted to it. "Mando, how do you know that?" Armand's gaze turned wintry. A while later, he answered, "I broke Jack's ribs last night, and Steven sent him to Marie Hospital.

This morning, Steven happened to see you two there." Jack had drugged Genevieve, but she didn't even blame him after waking up. Instead, she had gone straight to the hospital to visit him. It felt as if Armand had ruined their good moment the night before. How ridiculous I am. Despite her curiosity, Jane didn't dare ask questions, as she felt that Armand wasn't about to elaborate on the matter. The temperature dropped drastically as silence ensued. Mando's angry. It's pretty obvious why he got upset. Jane parted her lips, intending to tell him that Genevieve had not gone to the hospital because of Jack. However, she couldn't tell him that Genevieve went to the hospital to check on her babies. If he were to find out the truth, Jack would most probably lose his life instead of suffering from a few broken ribs.

Chapter 412 Fear As Jane seemed hesitant, Armand asked calmly, "What do you want to say?" "Nothing." Jane shook her head. Right then, Armand's phone rang. Seeing it was Cooper, he answered the call. Once the call was connected, Cooper growled, "Armand Faulkner, what is going on? Isn't Xedells your territory?" "What's wrong?" Armand's brows snapped together. "Bertilla just called me. Apparently, Genev called him urgently and seemed to be out of sorts. She might've been kidnapped.

Find out where she is!" Cooper revealed hastily. Armand's expression changed abruptly. He hung up the phone and immediately called Steven. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect that someone would try to harm Genevieve in his territory! Seeing his reaction, Jane asked carefully, "What happened, Mando?" "It seems that Genevieve is in trouble." Armand grabbed his jacket and got up to leave. Before leaving, he questioned, "Did you leave the hospital with her?" "Yes." Jane nodded. "Dad asked me to go home, so Genevieve took a taxi. She didn't want me to give her a ride." When Genevieve left, Jane had happened to turn at her shoulders and spotted the taxi's license number. She promptly told Armand about it. Steven answered his call right at this moment. "Mr. Faulkner, what is it?" Armand told Steven the taxi's license number that he had gotten from Jane so Steven could locate the taxi driver and find out the route that the taxi had taken. Shortly after, Steven found the driver, who recounted the entire incident to Armand. A few minutes later, Steven reported the taxi's whereabouts to Armand.

"There is an ongoing construction on Saint Street, so all vehicles have to take another route out of the city. However, the facilities on the road are incomplete. The surveillance cameras have been installed, but they aren't plugged in yet." It meant that they had lost sight of the taxi. Genevieve's phone number was from her country, so it was difficult to get her GPS location. It would take at least one day to get that done. Bertilla sent news that he had transferred the money to an overseas bank account and couldn't find out who the recipient was. Armand's face was as dark as thunder. The men are armed, and they dared to take her hostage in the city area. What if they want Genevieve dead? His fingers gripping his phone trembled slightly. Soon, he calmed himself down and ordered, "Steven, speed up. Find out who the men

are.

Send more cars to search the roads without surveillance cameras, including highways and the suburbs." Without hesitation, he drove his car along the route that the taxi had passed through while trying to figure out where they would go. A light blue taxi was speeding along an empty road in the suburb. In the backseat, the man stared at his phone until he received a text from his companion. He immediately told the driver, "We received the money. It was deposited within three minutes." Genevieve said softly, "You've received the money, so can you release me now? I'll try my best to get the remainder for you when I get back home..." The man on her left was about to say something when the car screeched to a halt. "We got the money, so we'll definitely be releasing you." Hearing his words, the man with the phone got out of the car.

"Get out!" Genevieve glanced out and realized they were in the middle of nowhere. There were no cars in sight. She wouldn't be able to last here for a few hours, as she didn't even have a down jacket with her Thus, Genevieve tried to reason with them. "Can you give me a ride back to the city? I can give you more interest." "We can do that, but we need something in return," the man outside told her as his gaze darkened. As Genevieve didn't move an inch and seemed to have agreed to the deal, the man bent down to get back into the car.

Chapter 413 Do Not Sleep

Before the man could get in, Genevieve grabbed her phone and scrambled out of the vehicle. Before leaving, "We'll get the remainder from you three cursed inwardly. Nevertheless, she was terrified that they might change their mind and quickly ran away from the road to find shelter. It was only after the taxi disappeared from sight that Genevieve heaved a sigh of relief. She removed a glove and was about to make a call when she realized there was no signal. Glancing around, she discovered she was in a desolate area without any shelter around. In order to not freeze to death, Genevieve had no choice but to walk around aimlessly to try to get a signal. She would fish her phone out occasionally to try to make a call. Genevieve wore only a silk nightgown and a wool coat when she came out of the hotel, so she was shivering in the cold now. Fortunately, Jane had given her a pair of gloves previously. Otherwise, her fingers would've been frozen by now. She tried walking in several directions but failed to get any signal. The chilly wind penetrated her coat and chilled her to her bones. She was so exhausted and cold that she could barely walk. A while later, Genevieve fished her phone out and saw there was a signal. Excited, she ran ahead. When there were two signal bars, countless missed calls and text messages popped up on her phone. Genevieve was about to make a call when someone called her. She answered it hastily. "Genevieve, where are you?" Armand demanded. Hearing his voice made her feel wonderfully alive. Her voice choked as she answered, "I-I'm at... I don't know where I am." Tears streamed down her cheeks as her teeth chattered. "I'm freezing. My legs are going numb." Hearing her sobs, Armand wanted nothing more than to fly to her side right now. Yet, he could only comfort her over the phone at that moment. When she finally calmed down, Armand told her to see if there were any buildings or road signs around. He also wanted to know if there was anything ahead of her. Genevieve glanced around and told him everything that was in her sight. "Genevieve, if you can't find a shelter, don't just stand there. Move around," Armand instructed her. "Don't take deep breaths or panic. I'll find you." He gave her his word. "Does your phone still have battery?" he asked. "I think there is still around thirty percent left," came Genevieve's answer. She remembered that her battery was at forty-eight percent before she answered his call. She glanced at the screen to check the battery level, but her phone powered off suddenly. Despite trying a few times, Genevieve failed to switch her phone back on. She belatedly realized that her phone was icy cold. Perhaps the battery drains quickly in the cold weather. Pulling her coat tighter, Genevieve paced around and breathed slowly to warm herself up. However, that wouldn't work for long. Time ticked by. Soon, she was freezing again. Despite wearing fleece gloves, she could feel her hands going numb. She was worried that the cold would affect her children. Later, Genevieve got so cold that she started losing consciousness. When she finally collapsed to the ground, she saw a car appearing ahead of her. A black figure dashed out of the car and ran toward her. "Genevieve? Genevieve! Don't sleep. We're going to arrive at the hospital soon. Open your eyes and look at me." Genevieve heard Armand talking to her, but his voice was muffled. She couldn't hear him clearly and felt warmth spreading across her limbs. Failing to open her eyes, she passed out in the comfortable embrace."one man waved goodbye to her. "Gorgeous, prepare the money. "days later." F*ck you! Genevieve

Chapter 414 Not Expecting To See Him

When Genevieve regained consciousness, she realized she was in the hospital, wrapped up comfortably in a thick blanket. She had just sat up when Jack came in with a food jar. He hurried into the room when he realized she was awake.

Reaching out, he touched her forehead and confirmed she wasn't running a temperature.Genev, do you feel unwell?"

Genevieve shook her head. She didn't expect to see him after waking up. "How did I end up in the hospital?"

"Someone left you in the suburb, and you passed out from the cold. Your limbs were freezing, and you also had a fever after being admitted to the hospital," Jack revealed. Genevieve was taken aback to hear that.

I thought I heard Armand's voice before I fainted. Turns out it was Jack who found me first?

Recalling her babies, Genevieve scrambled out of bed.

Jack knew why she panicked and pushed her back into bed. "Lie down and don't move. Your babies are fine. The doctor didn't prescribe you any medicine that would harm your babies when you had a fever." He poured her a glass of warm water and fed her with a spoon.

After Genevieve drank some water, Jack took a piece of tissue paper and wiped the water away from her lips.

As her body tensed up, he chuckled. "Genev, you're my wife, so your babies are also mine. I love you all, so I don't mind that you're pregnant. I don't want you to go through another pregnancy in the future, so I shall leave everything I own to them."

Fear clawed up Genevieve's throat when she heard his words.

If he is responsible for bringing up my babies, they will grow up to be more extreme than him.

Jack opened the food jar and poured some chicken oatmeal out. He fed her the food slowly.

"I've found the men who kidnapped you in the city. After some questioning, they told me why they kidnapped you. I also found Yorick at the casino," he told her.

Genevieve knew he was capable enough of tracking down anyone he wanted. "Did you bring them to the police station?"

"Why would I do that?" Jack narrowed his emerald eyes. In his deep and charismatic voice, he added, "The police would most probably give them a warning and release them. That would be too light a punishment."

As he seemed calm, a sense of foreboding rose in Genevieve's heart. "What did you do to them?"

Jack chuckled. "They like gambling, right? I asked my men to have their bodies drained of blood before sealing their bodies in cement. I then told my men to bury their bodies beneath the casino. That's a great idea, right? They can still do what they like after death. Yorick can even see people gamble all day."

Genevieve wanted to teach those men a lesson, but Jack's actions were too cruel.

A chill ran down her spine as she protested, "You could've beaten them up to teach them a lesson. That's so cruel of you!"

"How could you say that, Genev?"

Jack caressed her face, seemingly upset by her words. "They left you in a desolate area, so it's obvious they wanted you dead. They deserved to die. An eye for an eye. I didn't do anything wrong. You're my wife, my only hope in life. I will never let those who harmed you off the hook."

After a pause, he seemed to remember something. "Oh, by the way, I have something to show you." With that said, he picked up the remote control and switched on the television to watch the news. The headline read: Cesar Faulkner's wife, Isabella Rudler, slit her wrist and took her own life at home last night.

Genevieve was certain that this was also Jack's doing.

He's smart not to cause a car accident twice, so no one would suspect him.

Jack watched in amusement as the reporter read the news. "My men told me that they pinned Isabella inside the bathtub and used a sharp blade to slit the artery on her wrist. The blood didn't splatter around, so she died in a nicer way than the previous woman."

Chapter 415 If You Love Me

Genevieve couldn't tamp down her disgust anymore. She proceeded to puke out everything she ate earlier. Some of her vomit splattered on Jack's pants. Her stomach was empty by the time she was done.

Jack hurriedly poured her a glass of water so she could gargle her mouth. "I forgot you're pregnant and can't listen to gory stuff. I'll keep that in mind next time." He then went out and summoned the cleaner to clear the mess up.

After the cleaner left, Jack's men showed up with another bowl of chicken oatmeal.

Jack wanted to feed her, but she refused to part her lips. "The doctor drew your blood last night for a blood test. Your blood sugar is low, and it might affect the children's growth. Do you want to lose them?" After a few seconds of stalemate, Genevieve took the bowl from him and said hoarsely, "I'll eat it myself."

Tamping down her discomfort, she ate the oatmeal slowly.

Jack suffered from broken ribs, and his chest was bandaged. His entire body was aching by now.

Thus, he leaned back in his chair to rest.

Resting his chin on his palm, he said, "There is one more person left. After dealing with that person, I'll leave everything to my subordinates so we can go back to Dartan. How does that sound?" Genevieve focused on her food and didn't respond to him.

In the Faulkner residence, no one knew that Cesar's second wife, Isabella, would die days after Mavis was buried.

Armand was so busy dealing with those matters that he didn't even have time to go to the hospital.

Isabella's death took him by surprise.

During Mavis' funeral, he had talked to Isabella briefly and asked to meet her at Christmas so they could talk about his biological mother. Isabella had agreed to his request readily.

He had just sent Genevieve to the hospital when he received news that Isabella had slit her wrist at her house.

Steven came into the study only to see Armand wearing a grim expression. He felt his scalp tingle at the terrifying sight.

Offering Armand a file, he said, "I sent someone to search Mdm. Rudler's room. We pried open the floor underneath her bed and found these."

Armand opened the file. There were a few worn-out papers and photos inside.

Isabella seemed to be in her twenties in the photos. Someone had taken photos of her leaving the hospital with a baby.

The worn-out papers were the birth record of the baby girl.

There was something else in the file, so he poured it out and discovered that it was a small flash drive.

Armand's gaze darkened. He got his laptop and stuck the flash drive into his laptop. There was only one audio recording inside, and he clicked into it.

Soon, Isabella's voice rang out. She seemed to be arguing with a man.

"Cesar, did you tell the driver to drive slowly and cause Ellen to die in the car?" she screamed.

"She has pneumonia, so it is torturing for her to remain alive."

"It's just pneumonia, not an incurable disease! Cesar, how could you do this to her?" Isabella's voice was trembling. "She's your daughter!"

Cesar said indifferently, "I have more than enough daughters. I don't need you to get another one elsewhere."

Isabella howled at him furiously, "You brought Armand back so I can bring him up! Why did you dote on Armand but refuse to let a one-year-old girl live? I can't give birth to children. Is it wrong to wish to have more children?"

"If you want a child, my brothers have plenty of them. I can ask them to give you one," came Cesar's icy answer.

Isabella gave him a slap out of fury.

"You brought Armand back, but you love him more than Sam and the rest. Is he your son with another woman?" she demanded.

Cesar fell silent for some time before responding, "You have Armand, and that's enough. When I die, the Faulkner family belongs to you and Armand."

"You refuse to spill anything, huh? So that means you're admitting it." Isabella let out a bitter laugh. "My aunt introduced me to a few men, but I told her I wanted to marry you. I knew you were married to Mavis, but I thought I was fine with it as long as you could love me."

She added bitterly, "How could you make me bring up your son who was given birth by another woman? You also killed the child I brought back home. You never loved Mavis, me, and the others, right? Cesar Faulkner, you're a monster! Just you wait. Retribution will be brought upon you and your son!"

Her voice was laced with hatred.

Chapter 416 Nothing To Do With You

The audio recording ended right there, but Isabella's hatred seemed to loom in the study. Steven couldn't believe his ears. Armand hung his head low silently. He was still young when Ellen was born, so he didn't remember much. All he remembered was that Ellen was born with pneumonia. She was barely one year old when she had an attack. On the way to the hospital, she passed away. Back then, he recalled seeing Isabella crying with Ellen's corpse in her arms. A tense silence ensued in the study, and Steven could barely breathe. A long while later, he broke the silence."Mr. Faulkner, this has nothing to do with you." Armand responded, "It was Father who brought me back, resulting in the following tragedies." When Armand was young, he couldn't understand why Isabella had hated him and treated him harshly. All the while, Isabella had treated his brothers and his cousins better than him. She would never give him any presents on his birthday. In fact, she couldn't be bothered to wish him a happy birthday. As Isabella had done a one-eighty after Ellen's death, he had thought she had been too upset by her daughter's death. Now that he finally got to hear the audio recording, he realized why she had acted that way. It took Armand a while before he snapped out of reverie. He then put the photos and flash drive back into the file. "Has Genevieve regained consciousness?" he asked. Steven said hesitantly, "Yes, Jack is taking care of Ms. Rachford now." "Mm. You don't have to go to the hospital anymore." Armand's voice sounded tired. "You may leave now. I'm tired, so I'd like to take a rest." Steven parted his lips, intending to say something, but he eventually decided against it and left as told. Initially, Genevieve planned to head back during Christmas so she could spend the day with Johanna and the rest. However, she was forced to remain in Xedells after the kidnapping. A day before New Year's Day, Genevieve and Jack went back to Jadeborough. Johanna had no idea what had happened to Genevieve in Xedells. After learning of her return, she invited Genevieve to have dinner before counting down to the new year together. Jack tagged along. Johanna loved the movie directed by Jack. She nearly fainted in excitement to see her favorite director. Jack beamed and played along when she asked to take photos with him and get his autograph. Soon, Johanna realized Genevieve seemed out of sorts. She then whispered something in Timothy's ear. The four of them were having dinner when a bunch of girls rushed into the restaurant. The girls then surrounded Jack and screamed so loudly that the rest nearly went deaf. Johanna took advantage of the commotion and dragged Genevieve away to have a private talk with her. Once they fled the scene, Johanna told her, "I realized you seemed out of sorts during dinner as though you didn't want to spend time with Jack, so I told Timothy to inform Jack's fans that we're having dinner at this restaurant." "No wonder so many of them rushed into the restaurant all of a sudden..." Genevieve did not expect that her friends were behind this. "Thanks." Johanna gave a dismissive wave. "Didn't you marry Jack? Why do you look awkward with him? Is he too possessive?" she asked curiously. Genevieve didn't want her to worry and shook her head. "He's too handsome, so I sometimes find it annoying." "Genev, that's too funny!" Johanna burst out in giggles. Genevieve and Johanna were having barbecued food in a restaurant beside the mall when Jack texted her. He claimed that he couldn't get rid of the fans. After reading his text, Genevieve reminded him to head home after escaping from his fans. She also told him that she was having dinner with Johanna and would go home herself. Genevieve was much more relaxed when Jack wasn't around. After dinner, she followed Johanna to the central square.

Chapter 417 What Did You Call Him

The streets were busy on New Year's Eve, and a large crowd gathered in the central square. Instead of the usual advertisements from major brands, the electronic screens in the central square played a New Year's Eve celebration TV program and filled the surrounding with melodious songs. Initially, Genevieve did not think much when she saw Johanna walking closely with Timothy. However, she was stunned when Johanna hugged Timothy and called him "Hubby" while asking him to buy a bubble machine.

Genevieve thought she had misheard. Thus, she pulled Johanna close and asked, "What did you call Timothy?"

"Hubby," Johanna said. "What is wrong with that?" Genevieve looked at her, dumbfounded. "How can you say there is nothing wrong? Why did you suddenly call him Hubby?" Meanwhile, Timothy had bought two bubble machines, and he happened to overhear their conversation. He tapped Johanna's shoulder and said, "Did you forget to tell Genev that we have registered our marriage?" Johanna exclaimed and turned to Genevieve. "Genev, have I not told you about this?" Genevieve was rendered speechless. "In that case, I will announce it again. Timothy and I got married!" Johanna wrapped her arms around Timothy's waist and giggled. "Quick! Congratulate me!" "Congratulations," Genevieve replied weakly. She could not recall ever seeing Johanna showing interest in Timothy. Yet, it turned out they got married. The central square was too crowded. Genevieve was concerned about her pregnancy, so she rested on a bench at the side after walking for a while. Soon, Johanna came to her with two steaming baked potatoes. "I asked Timothy to get drinks." Johanna took a seat beside Genevieve and ate a baked potato. "Men are still quite useful sometimes." Genevieve could not help but chuckle as she listened to Johanna's musing. However, she recalled what Jack had done and felt troubled again. "Jojo, I need to tell you something." Johanna turned to her. "What is the matter?" Genevieve looked down and said, "Your father borrowed a large sum of money from loan sharks again. He targeted me as soon as I reached Xedells, and he told the creditors to kidnap me and make me pay..." Johanna was stunned and asked urgently, "Genev, are you okay?" "I am fine." Genevieve shook her head and said guiltily, "I planned to hand over your father to the police, but Jack went overboard and beat him to death... Jojo, I'm sorry." "I should be the one apologizing," Johanna replied quickly. "I didn't expect him to dare to cause trouble even after losing his fingers! Furthermore, he has ceased to be my father since the day he sold me to the club." Then, Johanna hugged Genevieve tightly. "I'm sorry, Genev... If anything happened to you, I wouldn't let that man go even if Jack did not kill him!" Genevieve was relieved to hear Johanna say that. After New Year's Day, Genevieve informed Jack that she felt unwell and went to the hospital alone for a health checkup. She made an appointment with a random department at General Hospital and sneaked into the cardiology department. When she saw Jermaine in his office, she knocked on the door. "Dr. Sitler, may I ask for your help?" Genevieve returned from the hospital in the afternoon and quietly made arrangements. She wrote a letter in advance. As she wrote, she wondered when Cooper would receive the letter after she was gone. However, she felt at ease knowing Cooper was managing the company. Melissa knocked on the study's door when Genevieve had just turned off her laptop. "Ms. Rachford, Mr. Faulkner is here." Although it was Steven who had arranged for Melissa to work there, Armand and Genevieve had divorced for a long time. Since this was Genevieve's residence, Melissa could not let anyone in without Genevieve's permission. Genevieve left the study after hearing Melissa and went to the doorway to open the door. Armand stood outside, dressed in a woolen coat. His expression was stern as usual, but Genevieve could see a trace of loneliness in his eyes.

Chapter 418 Not Everything Is Repairable

Genevieve tightened her grip on the doorknob and asked, "Mr. Faulkner, is something the matter?" "I'm here to deliver something," Armand answered in a raspy voice and opened the violin case he was holding. It contained a reddish-brown violin.

The violin looked new at first glance, but one could see crack lines on a closer inspection. The crack lines had been skillfully drawn over with beautiful patterns. This violin was a gift from Genevieve's father on her birthday. However, she later smashed it. Armand took out the violin from the case, presented it to Genevieve, and said in a low voice, "I found the best luthier and had this violin repaired. I know I have wronged you in the past, but I hope you can give me a chance to make it up to you." Then, Armand gulped and looked at Genevieve. "I'm not sure how to express my feeling, but I hope you can remain by my side." He continued to hold the violin and kneeled on one knee. "Darling, can we reconcile? I will give you anything you want." Genevieve and Armand had been together for a long time and had been through a lot together. She had witnessed his uncaring side and his wretched state. Furthermore, he always seemed dignified, as if he never had to concede or bow down. Yet, he humbled himself and kneeled before her. Genevieve felt an ache in her heart. Tears began to gather in her eyes as she felt an irresistible urge to pull him to stand. Thus, she closed her eyes and suppressed her complicated emotions. "Although you have repaired the violin, it can't produce beautiful music," Genevieve said. "Not everything is repairable." Then, she stepped back and closed the door slowly. She watched Armand through the door gap. His usually indifferent gaze had turned dull with despair. Genevieve quickly closed the door and could not stop trembling. Melissa saw Genevieve come in and noticed her sullen mood. Thus, she slipped into the laundry room. The following day, Genevieve got ready and messaged Jack, asking if he was busy before inviting him to lunch. That afternoon, Jack came to Regality Gardens and asked, "Genev, you never allowed me to come here before." "Am I not allowed to invite you here now?" Genevieve's expression turned sullen. She pushed him out of the house and threatened to close the door. "You can leave if you don't wish to stay here." "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Jack smiled and ushered her into the house before closing the door. Genevieve went to the pantry and prepared coffee. She put in a high dose of sleeping drug before serving the coffee. Then, she chatted with Jack and watched him finish the coffee gradually. A few minutes after finishing the coffee, Jack said he was tired and fell asleep on the couch. Genevieve waited for a while before approaching Jack and patting his face. "Jack, would you like to nap in the guest room?" Seeing Jack soundly asleep, Genevieve immediately went to her bedroom and took the bag containing her identification documents. Then, she went to the laundry room and said, "Melissa, he had consumed a sleeping drug and is now asleep. Can you watch him for me? You can return to Swallow Garden in an hour." Melissa was shocked to hear what Genevieve had done, but she nodded obediently. After Genevieve left, Melissa planned to load dirty laundry into the washing machine before returning to the living room. Suddenly, a folded paper fell out as she removed clothes from the laundry basket. The paper unfolded by itself as it fell. Melissa saw the words "pregnancy test" on it as she picked i up. She took it and saw that it was a pregnancy test report. It stated Genevieve's name and gestational age. Melissa looked at the gestational age and remembered something. Wasn't Ms. Rachford still married to Mr. Faulkner when she was two months pregnant? No wonder Ms. Rachford asked me for cranberries. It turns out she is pregnant. Then, Melissa recalled what Genevieve had done and felt something was wrong. She believed she had to inform Armand about Genevieve's pregnancy. Thus, Melissa put the folded paper in her pocket and rushed out of the laundry room.

Chapter 419 You Win

However, she noticed Jack missing from the living room. She rushed to the doorway and found his shoes wereno longer there. Melissa realized Jack could have left on his own and panicked. Thus, she ran out of the house and called Genevieve on thephone. However, Genevieve had turned off her phone. Huh? Didn't he consume a sleeping drug? How could he still get up and leave? Then, Melissa called Steven urgently. "Mr. Sullivan, something bad happened. I don't know what Ms. Rachford is up to, but she drugged Mr. Valentine with a sleeping drug and asked me to watch him. However, Mr. Valentine disappeared when I went to check on him." Steven asked, "Where is Ms. Rachford now?" "I don't know. She took a bag and left in a hurry..." Melissa recalled the pregnancy test report she found in the laundry bag and wanted to tell Steven about it. However, a large and intimidating man suddenly blocked her way. The man raised an index finger and made a shushing gesture. Melissa was stunned by fright and nodded before ending the call. Meanwhile, Genevieve got into a hospital van with the help of Jermaine and his sister and headed toward Baykeep. She was anxious throughout the journey. It was only after she boarded the plane at Baykeep Airport that she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Baykeep was a long distance from Jadeborough. She believed her plane would have already taken off by the time Jack reached Baykeep. Once her flight landed, she planned to board another flight so that no one could trace where she went. At this moment, passengers continued to board the plane and walked past her seat. Suddenly, Genevieve sensed someone sitting down in the seat beside hers. She smelled a familiar sea salt scent, prompting her heart to thump anxiously. Jack leaned closer and placed his arm around Genevieve's shoulders. "Genev, are you heading to Dartan in advance to surprise me?" Genevieve turned to him and became tense. "How did you..." "How am I not asleep for a few hours? Is that what you want to know?" Jack chuckled. "I forgot to tell you that I used to take sleeping pills frequently. Sleeping drugs don't work on me anymore." Genevieve opened her mouth and suddenly felt dizzy and sleepy. She slumped against his embrace and fell asleep. It was the fourteenth of February. Many reporters gathered outside St. Weiss Church in Xedells on this Valentine's Day. They still remembered Jack, a genius film director, had mentioned he would marry Genevieve this Valentine's Day. However, Jack had rarely appeared in public in the past two months. The reporters saw the outside of St. Weiss Church decorated with bell orchids. Furthermore, a priest waited patiently on the tall altar. However, the bride and groom were nowhere to be found. As the crowd was perplexed, a Rolls-Royce Ghost stopped before the church entrance. Then, Jack stepped out of the car, dressed in a black tuxedo. His long hair cascaded down his shoulders, and his face was so breathtakingly beautiful that it rivaled many women's. However, only Jack got out of the car. Seeing that, the reporters surrounded him and questioned him about Genevieve's absence. Still, Jack responded with a smile, "Initially, Genev and I planned to get married here today. However, she discovered she was pregnant soon after returning to Dartan with me. Since it is unsuitable for her to travel a long way, we will postpone our wedding. Thus, I came here to ask the priest to bless Genev and the baby." Jack entered the church as he spoke and went to receive the priest's blessing. It was such astounding news that the reporters and audiences watching the live stream were in disbelief. Furthermore, it turned out that not only did Jack and Genevieve register their marriage suddenly, but they were even expecting a baby. The shocking news spread throughout numerous media outlets. Even Armand, who rarely checked his phone, could not avoid seeing them. He sat before his desk quietly and stared at the video set on replay. After a long time, Armand opened the desk drawer and found a ring that looked just like the one he was wearing. Harriet had given the rings to Genevieve and him in the past. Later, Genevieve had said she had lost it. However, Marilyn had asked to meet him half a month ago and revealed Genevieve had given it to her. Furthermore, he had heard many things from Marilyn. Thus, Armand took off his ring and placed it in the box with the other ring.

Chapter 420 A Pale Imitation

Time flew by, and seasons passed. "It was now the snowy winter.

It felt like things had changed, but somehow, nothing seemed to have changed.

There was a gathering of entrepreneurs in Deux Banquet Hall at Lovely Heart Hotel.

The event was called "Spring Rain Charity Night", and it was an event held in the collaboration of Spring Rain Foundation, Future Foundation, and Central Group Foundation. However, this banquet was secretive and low-key."

There were no reporters, and none of the guests accepted interviews. Furthermore, there were fewer than two hundred guests. Most of them were prominent individuals in the business sphere. The guests trickled into the banquet hall and sat at their assigned seats. At the same time, the screen on the stage played a short clip produced by Spring Rain Foundation. Soon, a young female host walked onto the stage and thanked everyone for attending the charity dinner.

Then, she said, "We are honored to have Ms. Genevieve Rachford here to give us an opening performance for this charity dinner. Later, her violin will be a part of the items for auction." After the host left the stage, the guests wondered amongst themselves. Who is this Genevieve Rachford? Could it be someone else of the same name? Everyone snuck a glance at one of the tables.

It was a table closest to the stage. People who had the privilege of sitting there were bigwigs in their industries.

One of the men seated there was Armand. He wore a black suit and had a mature charm as he conversed with the people beside him.

Although he smiled politely and seemed mild-tempered, others could vaguely sense the coldness and heartlessness beneath his amicable demeanor.

There was only one woman at that table, and she sat beside Armand.

She wore a white strapless dress and a luxurious diamond necklace.

No matter how many times Armand changed his female companions in the past four years, she was the only woman who attended various events with him.

That woman was called Sylvie Clasen. She was a top actress in the entertainment industry and had an unshakable status.

The crowd glanced at Armand and turned to look at Sylvie. Sylvie was beautiful, and her face resembled Armand's ex-wife.

At that moment, the lights on the stage gradually went out before a cluster of lights shone on it.

The stage curtains remained down, but the guests could hear someone playing a beautiful piece of Sonata in E minor behind it.

The music was soothing, and everyone gradually relaxed and winded down.

Then, the curtains parted, revealing a woman in a black long gown who stood quietly on the stage. The close-fitting fabric wrapped around her graceful figure, complimenting her snow-white skin. She stood under the stage lights and played the violin without a care for her surroundings.

Her figure glimmered like a mirage under the lights. It seemed as if she could disappear at any moment.

Soon, the music came to an end.

The audience was still mesmerized by the lovely tone of her violin and only began clapping when she bowed, filling the banquet hall with the noises of their applause.

Then, Genevieve got off the stage and handed the violin to one of the staff.

Later, a company director seated with Armand noticed Genevieve searching around for a place to sit and called out to her, "Ms. Rachford."

He pointed to the empty seat beside him as Genevieve approached the table.

"Thank you. If you hadn't offered me a seat, I would've had to stand awkwardly over there." Genevieve smiled at the director and took the offered seat.

The director smiled. "You're most welcome."

The guests at the table finally saw Genevieve up close. They looked at her eyes, which were shining like crystals, and her exquisite facial features. There was not a flaw to be found. Her high birth gave her a uniquely elegant presence.

On the other hand, although Sylvie resembled Genevieve and was beautiful, she looked like a pale imitation of Genevieve when the latter showed up beside her.