Decorative lights and illuminants lit up the extravagant Bautista family mansion. Tonight was the 70th birthday banquet of Lady Bautista, the head of the Bautista family. Her grandchildren and their spouses gathered around her to hand her their luxury gifts.

“Grandma, I heard that you love the Chinese tea. I looked high and low for this century-old Pu’er tea worth half a million dollars to present it to you.”

“Grandma, you are a devoted buddhist. This Buddha statue is carved from the authentic Hetian Jade, It is worth seven hundred thousand dollars...”

Looking at the nicely wrapped gifts infront of her, Lady Bautista laughed heartily. The entire ambiance was harmonious and happy.

Suddenly, Naomi Ledezma, Lady Bautista’s eldest granddaughter-in-law, spoke, “Grandma, could you lend me a million dollars, please? Mrs. Harper from the welfare home is diagnosed with leukemia and I need the money for her treatment...”

The entire Bautista family gaped in extreme shock. Everyone stared at Naomi with bewilderment and surprise.

This granddaughter-in-law was overly atrocious and bold! Not only did she not prepare a gift for Lady Bautista on her birthday but she actually had the audacity to ask her for one million dollars!

Three years ago, Lord Bautista, who was still alive and well, had come home with Naomi one day and insisted on marrying her to their grandson, JaydenBautista. Back then, Naomi was as poor and miserable as a beggar.

Lord Bautista, passed away right before they were about to get married. Jayden didn’t want to marry her, so instead, he made her his girlfriend. It was Lord Bautista’s last wish before he died.

Jayden never liked Naomi because he thinks she is the reason why he is being ridiculed and insulted.

Mrs. Harper, who had take her in and saved her life, had leukemia. She needed atleast one million dollars for diagnosis and chemotherapy. She had no other ideas except asking for Lady Bautista’s help.

She felt that since it was her birthday today, she might be delighted to have some mercy and provide her assistance.

However, Lady Bautista was still laughing gleefully when abruptly her lips curled downwards and her eyes furrowed indignantly. She hurled the teacup in her hand to the floor and growled, “B*stard! Are you here to celebrate my birthday or borrow money?!”

At that moment, William, Jayden’s cousin sneered in disdain. “Jayden, look at your poor girlfriend! Fauziah is only my girlfriend and we haven’t even gotten engaged yet but she gifted Grandma the Chinese Pu’er tea. Look at your good-for-nothing girlfriend. Not only did she come empty-handed but she also has the nerve to ask Grandma for money!”

"Exactly. Naomi, we’re both the granddaughters-in-law of the Bautista family but you're such a disgrace!"

The woman who was talking was Fauziah Canoza, William’s girlfriend, who was also the daughter of the wealthy family in town.

“Its’s best for this loser to get out of the Bautista family now!

“Yes, she is such a disgrace to our family!”

"Perhaps her intention is not to borrow money but to spoil the joyful ambiance of Grandma’s birthday instead!”

Naomi clenched her fists tightly as the entire Bautista family was humiliating and ridiculing her. If it wasn’t for the sake of urgency, she would have left this

annoying place. However her mother’s words echoed in her head. She had taught her to be grateful for the help she receieved and to return the favor tenfold.

Hence, he suppressed the fury and humiliation slowly building within her and said to Lady Bautista, “Grandma, whoever saves one life saves the world entirely. Please, I beg for your mercy.”

Someone in the room snorted loudly, "Ms. Ledezma, stop forcing grandma to give you money. If you want to save someone, go and find a way on your own. Who do you think you are to ask money?” It was William’s sister, Leah Bautista.

Jayden looked at Naomi in disdain. “Grandma, just give her one million dollars I also want her out of our family. I’m breaking up with her. I’ll be marrying Sandra anyways.” Lady Bautista broke into a large smile and quickly blurted, “Quick, give her one million dollars then kick her out.”

The butler pulled out a briefcase that has one million dollars inside and immediately gave it to Naomi. “Guards, kick her out. Now!” The butler looked at her scornfully, while she was being dragged outside the mansion by the guards.

The Sandra that Jayden was reffering to was Sandra Asuncion, a woman who desired and always pursued Jayden despite him having a girlfriend. The Asuncion family was one of the prominent families in the upper social circle in Eastlawn Hills, which was more poweful than the Bautista family. Lady Bautista had always wanted to get on their good side.

...----------------...

‘I should go to the hospital to visit Mrs. Harper..’

When Naomi arrived at the hospital, she immediately went to the cashier to pay Mrs. Harper’s medical bills. However, when she approached the nurses, she was informed that overnight, Mrs. Harper had been trasnferred to Fairmont hospital, Oro Valley’s top hospital, for treatment.

Naomi gaped in shock and quickly asked, “How much does it cost? I’ll find a way to settle it!” The nurse said, “The bill is four million dollars in total, One million has already been paid, the remaining three million needs to be settled without a week.” Naomi nodded.

At the bar

Thinking of ways to get money to pay Mrs. Harper’s bills, Naomi is'nt really in a good mood. After all, she just got kicked out of the Bautista family, and It was Jayden who made It happen. Sitting alone in the bar and drinking, at this moment she suddenly felt powerless..

No there is something wrong!

Naomi shook her head hard and immediately realizes tnat the glass of wine wasn’t hers.. Who's then? And who poured the love-philter in her glass?

Naomi quicky fled, goes to the hotel upstairs in the bar and asks for a room. Just entering the room, before turning on the lights, Naomi suddenly felt very hot. Suddenly, the door of the room is opened from the outside, and then a black shadow came in.

“Who?!” Naomi was shocked when she heard the door open. "A woman?" With a deep, sexy voice the man suddenly approached and brought Naomi into his arms

"Who are you? and don’t get too close." Naomi responded in a nonchalant way. "You will know who I am." The man in the darkness said.

‘What the f*ck does this man want? I wanna sleep already. How annoying.'

"What do you want for god’s sake? and don’t freaking touch me.” Naomi struggles, trying to escape the man’s arms. "You’d better be obedient.” The man’s voice was hoarse and charming, and Naomi couldn’t help but indulge as she wasn’t feeling very good.

At that moment, there were noises from outside the door, as if there were many people looking for someone. The room was too dark for Naomi to see the man's face. Naomi only felt that he was tall and well-built. Naomi asked, "Can you tell me who you are now? Maybe I can help." She wanted the man to leave as quickly as possible.

Dwayne was caught off guard and was almost assassinated by his enemies. He managed to escape, but they kept chasing him. So Dwayne could only randomly hide in a hotel and by luck got into a room that is dark. When escaping he took a pocket knife by hand to defend himself.

Dwayne picked up the pocket knife against Naomi’s neck and threatened, “Make a sound, and you’ll be sorry.” “I won’t make a sound. Don’t freak out.” Naomi knew she was being held hostage. Hearing the noise from outside the door, Naomi knew that the man behind her was being chased.

She asked, “You're being chased?" Dwayne didn’t deny it and said in a cold voice, "Help me get out of danger, or you won't be able to see the next sunrise again."

*BANG

A group of people broke into the door. Naomi hurried to stand. The man also quickly hid behind the down-to-floor window curtain. The intruders luckily didn’t notice anything. It was complete pitch black in the room, and Naomi could only see four to five tall men blocking the doorway, she couldn’t see their faces.

The man behind Naomi held a knife to her back and warned her, whispering, "Draw them out of here.” Naomi’s back was pressed against a metal object, and if she moved, she was sure to get hurt. She had no choice.

She acted scared and said loudly, “Who are you?! Don’t you know It’s against the law to just barge into others’ room?!” Tears flowed from her eyes dramatically, and her eyelashes fluttered innocently. “Girl, have you seen a tall man?” One of the intruders said.

"No, no..” Naomi stammered in reply. "No?" The lead intruder didn’t believe Naomi and gestured his men, "Search!" "I am telling the truth..!" She said with a small whimper. Naomi was desperately trying to tell a lie.

The group of intruders used their cell phones to light up. One of them shone a light on Naomi’s frightened face. Her face was pale and her lips quivered, her legs were shaking and her eyes were flooded with tears. They didn’t find Dwayne hiding behind the curtain either.

“Boss, he really doesn’t seem to be here!” The group of intruders rummaged around the dark room and finally gathered behind the man in charge and reported. “You guys can get out now! Or I’ll call the police!” Naomi was nervous between a rack and a hard place.

"For sure he hasn’t gone far yet! Go after him!” The group of intruders followed the leader and rushed out of the room. Naomi saw them go and hurriedly closed and locked the door.

Startled, Naomi looked towards the curtains. “Hey, they’re gone, you can go now.” No one answered, so she guessed that he had gone on his way already. Just as Naomi was about to drop her guard, a tall man suddenly appeared in front of her.

The room was too dark for Naomi to see anything but had a vague sense that he was unusually strong and dominant man. The man leaned down, and said in a low, husky voice, "I’m staying here tonight.”

"What?! Who the f*ck are you?! I've just helped you, and now you want to put me in danger again?!" Naomi asked, trying desperately to keep her eyes open to see the man clearly, but it was too dark.

Naomi was annoyed and her patience had ran out. She had help him. No matter what, Naomi wanted to get out of there now. She absolutely didn’t want to stay for any longer.

"Then, you can stay in this room. Suit yourself. Don’t worry I won’t call those people again. I’m out.” She walked out of the room. Even If she was annoyed, she still thinks that the man is pitiful since people wants to kill him.

Esacaping the bar, Naomi exhaled deeply. She calmed down and touched her neck habitually. But Naomi didn’t touch anything and froze at once, “What. Where’s my necklace?! That was the necklace dad gave to me!..” She said as if she was going to cry any moment now.

Naomi’s mind went blank. She saw that the lights was turned on the room from outside. Dwayne in the room picked up Naomi’s lost necklace on the couch, “Something lost by that girl? What an interesting little girl.” He smirked.