In Love, Never Say Never

With that, I walked away and didn’t look back.

He didn’t follow us out; he had no reason to, nor did he have any need to. My attitude had been enough to make him come to his senses and realize that trying to claim custodial rights over Summer was a lost cause. If he dared piss me off, I would go to much further lengths to hide Summer away than just transferring her to another school.

While in the car, I snuck another look out the window at the café while John was busy buckling his seatbelt. “I have a weird gut feeling,” I told him, frowning. “call some of your best men from the company’s IT department over to the house.”

He silently considered the idea for a moment before taking out his phone and swiftly tapping the screen several times. After that, he started up the car engine and drove us home.

Half an hour later, we arrived at the Stovall residence, where a group of five or six nerdy-looking boys wearing glasses and a similar style of checkered shirt were already waiting for us inside.

“Mr. Stovall,” they politely greeted, bowing in John’s direction.

John made a simple sound of acknowledgment, turning to face me. “The nation’s highest-ranking graduates in the IT field this year are all here. Just tell them whatever you need from them. They might seem a little dense, but they’re good at what they do.”

I nodded, stepping forward and cutting to the chase. “Have you all brought your laptops?”

“Yes, Ms. Stovall,” the guy in the corner called out loudly. His gaze was fixed on the floor, and I could tell he was nervous from how badly he was trembling.

The rest of them weren’t faring any better; some were clenching and unclenching their fists nervously, while some were hanging their heads. I gave John a questioning glance, as if to ask, “Are you sure these guys are the real deal?”

He only crossed his arms, proudly lifting his chin in the air as if anticipating my reaction.

His self-confidence left me with many suspicions, but I had no other choice except to trust him.

Clearing my throat and taking a deep breath, I announced, “I will send some information regarding the Crest family as well as the log in details and password to my personal account to each of your smartphones I want you all to spare no expense in investigating the Crests’ criminal history or finding out anything else that will give us an upper hand over them. Got it?”

“No problem, Ms. Stovall!”

The loud bark startled me, and I turned towards the source of the voice to see the boy from earlier staring at me intensely. His attitude had changed completely from before, as if a switch had been flipped.

After holding his stare for a few seconds straight, he suddenly lowered his voice and ordered, “Let’s go!”

The rest of the boys instantly got moving, bowing before me before lining up and heading for the dining table where they had their laptops already turned on and ready to go.

In the blink of an eye, the room was filled with the furious, rapid clicking sounds of multiple keyboards.

Taking a step closer and leaning in, the once stiff boys were now all gazing intently at their screens, eyes slightly squinted as the tips of their fingers flew across the keyboard at inhuman speeds.

I nodded in satisfaction. I would have expected nothing less from John.

About ten minutes later, the guy closest to me ceased his actions and turned the laptop around to show me the screen. “It’s all done, Ms. Stovall,” he explained matter-of-factly. “All of the Crest family’s finances have now been frozen. They will not be able to spend a single cent of it unless I remove the virus.”

“Good work.” I reached out and patted his shoulder in an act of encouragement.

The words had barely left my mouth when I heard someone yell, “Something’s wrong! There’s someone trying to rewrite our program, and they’re doing it rapidly! Mine is getting destroyed!”

Everyone else instantly snapped out of their dazes and got back to work on their laptops. Their anxious expressions made even John and I feel slightly nervous.

In the following fifteen minutes, I witnessed what I could only call “utter defeat”.

The group of initially enthusiastic technicians was slowly being taken down one by one. First, their laptops were being controlled remotely, and then their firewalls were getting taken down, and so forth. In the end, I saw the laptop nearest to me completely shut down by itself, unable to be rebooted no matter what its owner tried.

In love, never say never chapter 1317

“That’s impossible. How can such a small company possess such powerful technology?”

As though dealt a heavy blow, the boys scratched their heads in defeat. It seemed like these rookies were no match for the technology the other party used to stop us.

The Crests had compensated a hefty sum because of the incident at the chemical plant. Their business was affected later on, so they couldn’t possibly have enough money to hire computer experts or solve this crisis in such a timely manner and even retaliate against us. Based on the Crest family’s connections, there weren’t many who could be behind this.

“It’s not your fault.” I grabbed my phone after some thought and went to the garden in the backyard before speed dialing Ashton.

He answered within a second.

“What is it?” As always, Ashton sounded calm and confident, as though everything was within his control.

the one protecting the Crest family?” There was a hint of hostility in my voice as well as a trace of anger, and I was sure he could tell over the phone. “You knew a long time ago that Jared

despicable family like the Crests or have so much power and influence in J City, not to mention how they countered

had the audacity to hide his release from me. If I knew about it earlier, Summer wouldn’t have been tricked by

line before Ashton replied in a low

that supposed to

even mentioned Jared posing as a teacher to approach Summer. How does

Panic instantly engulfed me.

you involved in Jared becoming

didn’t come, but his silence was enough of an

troubled I could barely sleep or eat, my eyes stung with tears of betrayal. “You’re not the one who’s having a hard time. Who gave you the right to forgive that man in Summer’s place? Jared

in a firm tone, “I’ve met with Jared. We’ve been friends for decades. I can tell when he’s lying, and he’s not. He’s a

Ashton, I never knew you were

that’s the case, I deserve to die a

sudden and silence stretched between us through the

was the

happy she’s become after interacting with Jared. She’s slowly getting better. As parents, we shouldn’t overprotect our children. She needs to get out there more and build her confidence to face the real

to watch Jared twenty-four-seven. If he so much as poses a threat to Summer’s health and safety, they’ll immediately lock him up. I promise you, he came back this time only to help Summer open up again. He doesn’t have

power because just a few simple words from him seemed to put me under a spell, instantly quelling the boiling rage in

an opponent like Ashton, whatever tricks we used would be ineffectual against him because he had countermeasures for everything we threw his way.

love, never say

I’ll allow Jared to continue using his identity as a teacher to help Summer with her emotional struggles, but only for this. You must warn him not to expose his identity or even

to, I can get him to put it down in black

for that.” Although I had acquiesced, I wasn’t going to go easy on him. In a tone oozing with sarcasm, I spat, “Knowing Jared’s character, we can forget about having it in black and white. Even if he

you probably won’t get the chance,” Ashton countered in a lighter tone, probably

weren’t as forgiving as men and worry still gnawed at my chest. “I’m gonna be frank with you. I still don’t fully believe that Jared

won’t be disappointed.” I could hear the

“We’ll see.”

the mood to joke around, I hung up the

I saw John leaning against the glass door

heard everything.” I raised

I like her too. You might as well transfer all rights to me and let me take her

What the hell are you talking

him even deserve a chance? Summer can’t handle anymore trauma. Let me adopt her and I’ll see who’d dare to harm

John disagreeing with Ashton. Seeing how dead serious he was, I couldn’t hold back my laughter. John seemed to

the same amount of concern for Kiki, then we’ll

response, I walked

had been brought forward. We chatted for a while and she had to hang up the call to board the

John insisted on sending Summer to school with

at the same spot as the previous time. Jared’s tall figure was particularly eye-catching among the group of children, but he had deliberately dressed in a simple outfit. His jaw was covered with stubble, making him look like he

not seen him for a few days, Summer broke into a run toward him the moment she got down from

down to hold Summer. Both of them were all smiles, garnering a lot of envious gazes. Of course, those who felt that

look on his face, looking like he was only a step away from tearing down this scene. I noticed his lips moving subtly as he mumbled

us in greeting, seemingly much more courteous

it too many times. Thinking about the scheming mind behind the kind facade, fear gripped my

simply said, “I’ll have to trouble you to take care

is a very good girl.” Jared stroked Summer’s head and they smiled

scene absolutely unbearable, John’s brows scrunched together as a grim expression took residence on his face. He and Summer were still not on talking terms because of the matter about the school transfer. Unable to let go of his inflated ego to initiate a conversation with her, he felt all the more

say never

more ridiculous the older he gets. I can’t believe he’s being

With that, she walked over to hold John’s hand and started behaving adorably. “Uncle

he was, to remain unmoved when a little girl said such sweet words to him, especially in such

John’s face was replaced by delight. Although he proudly raised his chin, he couldn’t

clearing his throat mechanically before saying, “It depends on your performance. If you’re a good girl, then I’ll reward

hand and made a salute gesture, almost losing

take Summer’s hand as his gaze abruptly softened. “Be

tamed lion in front of Summer. The cautious way he treated her made

he was actually overwhelmed with worry

a grown-ups’ words and took it literally. “Mm! I got it, Uncle

the best way to wash away all our troubles and sorrows. Summer’s brilliant smile was immensely reassuring, and I found myself relaxing considerably. Without saying anything else, we let