Chapter 0459


    Nina''s face was still pale from the shock, but she maintained aposed demeanor as she looked


    directly at Alex. "If that''s the case, then I''ll bless you both." She released her grip on Helen''s hand


    and wore a deste smile on her face. "Mrs. Elysian, I''ll head back first. There seems to have been


    an earthquake just now. Please take care."


    Everything happened so suddenly that Helen hadn''t even had time to react when Nina left.


    Meanwhile, Candice lowered her gaze to the hand Alex had ced protectively on her waist,


    pursing her lips slightly before pushing him away.


    Alex''s expression turned somewhat stern, his already dark eyes deepening as if they could engulf


    her like a bottomless abyss.


    No one noticed Nina, who had already walked far away, her smile fading from her face, reced by


    indifference.


    Having grown up in Stugan City, she wasn''t afraid of minor earthquakes like this.


    She had seen everything clearly just now. The moment the squirrel lunged at Candice, the emotions


    in Alex''s eyes, his swift movements, and his instinctive action to protect her stomach.


    Nina had studied psychology, and coupled with the information she had gleaned from her friends,


    she was almost certain that Candice''s child belonged to Alex.


    The child couldn''t stay.


    Families like theirs could indulge in anything they liked, but they couldn''t afford to be careless about


    children.


    However, as for how to get rid of the child, that was the Elysian family''s business.


    At the thought of this, Nina felt a wave of relief and sent a message to Ava.


    -


    With the earthquake, the group couldn’t stay at the hot springs, and could only return to the inn the


    same way they came.


    Fortunately, the tremor wasn''t particrly strong, but for people like Candice who had hardly


    experienced earthquakes before, it was terrifying.


    However, they didn''t know if there would be aftershocks, so they didn''t dare to descend the


    mountain hastily and could only temporarily stay at the inn, preparing to return to Dorrington City


    tomorrow.


    Nadia sat beside Candice, suddenly realizing something and looked at Candice''s belly. "Do you feel


    ufortable in your stomach? My mom said pregnant women shouldn''t be startled."


    Candice shook her head, feeling all right. If she had been truly startled, it was when the squirrel


    suddenly pounced. But Alex had shielded her.


    At the thought of Alex, Candice pursed her lips slightly, lowered her eyes, and tried not to dwell on it


    too much.


    -


    Dinner was served as usual in the hall. Hanley came to call Candice for dinner. She had just


    returned from the hot spring and was resting in her room.


    When he came, she had just woken up.


    But as soon as she stepped out, she encountered Helen pulling a suitcase while talking to Nina


    beside her. Although Nina''s attitude remained polite, it was clear that she was colder than before.


    Seeing Candice, Nina even smiled at her. But Candice didn''t feel much sincerity about Nina''s smile.


    She furrowed her brows slightly.


    Perhaps it was because, despite the smile, there was a hint of disdain that Nina couldn''t hide.


    It wasn''t until they reached the door of the inn and saw Alex and Daniel waiting outside that Nina


    spoke up, "Uncle Daniel, Aunt Helen, Alex, I haven''t seen my friends for a long time. They''lle to


    pick me up shortly, so I won''t be going back with you." Before leaving, she nced meaningfully at


    Alex, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Alex, goodbye."


    Alex didn''t respond, but Daniel’s expression immediately darkened after Nina''s figure disappeared


    from the inn''s doorway.


    He stared at Alex intently for a moment, his face turning ck with a foreboding air.


    "Alex," Daniel''s voice was cold and stern, the aura of a longtime elder making it oppressive. "I''ve


    warned you. It''s best to cut ties cleanly with Candice on your own. Since you don''t listen, don''t


    me me for helping you cut them!"


    Alex was slightly taller than Daniel. A coldness shed in his eyes at his father’s words, and his


    tone echoed the same hardness. "You''ve already been obstinate enough. It''s time to stop."


    This statement immediately ignited a me in Daniel. "What did you say?"


    Alex gave no response as he said nothing and drove away on his own.


    Helen''s expression wasn''t pleasant. Although Nina didn''t say it outright, she could tell that Nina


    must have been very concerned about Alex''s immediate protection of Candice during the


    earthquake.


    Her eyes darkened with a strong gloominess.


    The daughter-inw she desired could only be Nina. Otherwise... otherwise, she couldn''t think of


    anyone else who could help her.


    As for the thing inside Candice''s belly...


    She raised her eyes and inadvertently met Daniel''s gaze, seeing the same meaning in his eyes as


    hers.


    But soon, Helen covered it up.


    She sneered and taunted, "Why are you so angry? He''s just learning from you. Wasn''t Jovita


    Sanburg the one who seduced you like crazy back then for you to abandon your wife and children?"


    Daniel''s expression darkened even more. His gaze towards Helen was like a poisoned de. "Don''t


    say things that are unnecessary!"


    -


    After the earthquake, light rain began to fall in Stugan City.


    When Nina took a taxi home, it was already evening. But before she even entered the house, she


    heard voicesing from inside.


    Nina paused for a moment, then pushed the door open, only to see her mother, who had


    considered herself a strong woman since her divorce, intimately entwined with a man.


    Nina''s eyes widened instantly. "What were you doing?!"


    Henry was startled by Nina''s voice and sat up abruptly, nervously looking at Nina and rubbing his


    hands. "Y-you must be Nina, right? I''m your mother''s good friend. I''m Henry Renault. You can call


    me Uncle Henry." Seeing that Nina seemed nervous, he started pulling his sleeves. "Right, your


    mother mentioned to me before that you know my daughter. When could we all have a meal


    together?"


    "Your daughter?" Nina''s anger red up a bit. She still couldn''t ept seeing her mother and a


    strange man being intimate in her own home. However, before she could erupt again, she was


    distracted by Henry’s next words.


    "My daughter''s name is Candice. You should know her." Henry spoke cautiously, visibly nervous,


    with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.


    Nina couldn''t help but frown.


    When she had inquired about Candice and Alex before, she hadn''t heard anything about Candice’s


    father. Instead, she heard a lot about that vampire-like mother of hers.


    She looked at Henry again, not missing the shrewdness in his eyes.


    After pondering for a moment, she looked at Ava. Thetter casually straightened his clothes and


    asked in a calm tone, "Weren''t you supposed to apany Aunt Helen to Peak Mountain for a


    couple of days? Why did youe back today?"Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.