《Meeting?You?Was?Fate》 Chapter 1 Ive Had Enough Of You Chapter 1 I''ve Had Enough Of You On July 14th, Chinese Valentine''s Day Set against the background of the night sky, the streetmps and neon signs all blended into a blur, lighting up the whole city. It was drizzling. A thin woman in a white dress walked swiftly on the quiet street, carrying an umbre over her head. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. A faint smile shed across Mandy Zhou''s face. She looked at the cake in her right hand and smiled in relief. Today was the third anniversary of her rtionship with her boyfriend, Daniel Zhao. Daniel was the first boyfriend she''d ever had, and she loved him a lot. They had always celebrated their anniversary together, but today, Daniel was too busy with work to spend time with Mandy. Undeterred by this, Mandy had spent the whole afternoon making a cake at home so that she could surprise Daniel with it. At Elegance Residential Quarters Mandy Zhou opened the door and flicked on the light switch. The familiar scene of Daniel''s living room came into view. She gingerly set the cake down on the coffee table in an attempt to preserve her hard work until Daniel got to see it. When Mandy thought of the fact that they had been together for three years, a happy smile appeared on her lips. She took off her slippers and turned around to sneak into Daniel''s bedroom to surprise him. Suddenly, Mandy heard a gasp, and the smile on her face disappeared; she was sure that the sound hade from a woman. Heart racing, she stood rooted to the spot and listened carefully. A second later, she heard a moan from a man. The sounds were definitelying from inside Daniel''s bedroom. Stunned and feeling as if her feet were filled with lead, Mandy stood facing the door with her eyes wide open. Her faced turned red, then pale. She recognized the man''s voice, of course. She shook her head, thinking maybe she had just been imagining things, but the sounds still lingered in the air. She didn''t know if she should burst into the room to catch Daniel in the act. Meanwhile, inside the room, two bodies were intertwined with each other. "Daniel, when will you break up with her?" Celine Liu asked softly as she wrapped her arms around Daniel''s neck. "Baby, once everything goes ording to n, I''ll break up with her," Daniel replied, pinching Celine''s slender waist. "Humph, I''ve done everything I was supposed to do, but you haven''t made your decision yet. Tell me, are you still in love with her?" Celine Liu frowned, bing jealous all of a sudden. Most men couldn''t resist the temptation of a coquettish woman, especially when they were in bed with them. Daniel didn''t want to do anything to make Celine angry at this crucial moment, so he immediately coaxed her. "How is that even possible? Honey, you are the most important person in my heart. Look, I even left her to apany you on Valentine''s day. So what do you think?" "What if she finds out what we''re doing here?" Celine''s alluring voice was like a sharp knife stabbing into Mandy''s heart. "What we''re doing here? So what if she finds out? I''ve wanted to get rid of that woman for a long time. She always acts so pure and aloof. I have no interest in her. Who can stand that kind of woman?" Daniel snorted. Obviously, Daniel''s tone was full of unhappiness. Hearing his words, Mandy finally realized the kind of person he really was. The fury burning in her heart seemed to be extinguished in an instant. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Then, she quickly turned the doorknob without any hesitation. With a click, the door opened, revealing the sight of Celine riding her boyfriend. As soon as Daniel and Celine heard the door open, they abruptly stopped what they were doing. Daniel was petrified the moment he saw Mandy. All the excitement he had been feeling dissipated into thin air. Celine calmly got off Daniel and looked defiantly into Mandy''s eyes as if she was Daniel''s real girlfriend. "Daniel Zhao, I think you owe me an exnation!" Mandy said, gritting her teeth and trying her best to hold back her tears. In the three years they had been together, she had never thought that there was a problem between them, not even when they had been separated from each other for a year. A long-distance rtionship was the toughest test of trust between couples. However, it had never even urred to Mandy that the person she trusted the most could betray her. It was not until now that she realized how silly she had been. ''Mandy, you are such a fool!'' she thought to herself. "Mandy, now that you''ve seen everything, I have nothing to say. Before you came, Celine and I were making love, so... you can get out now." There was no more nervousness written on Daniel''s face. His face was as cold as ice now. Mandy was too angry to say a word. She couldn''t believe that Daniel was asking her to get out instead of even attempting to apologize to her. In the three years they''d been together, he had never said such cruel words to her. "Mandy, you heard him. Get out of here now. We''re not done yet." Celine smiled coquettishly as she stretched out her smooth arms, encircling Daniel''s neck. "Celine, my father has always treated you well. How can you do this to me? When you were in a difficult position, my father was the one who sponsored your college. And after you graduated, he even arranged for you to work as an ountant in hispany. But instead of being grateful to him, you seduced my boyfriend. Aren''t you afraid that you''ll be punished?" Mandy asked, choking back tears. She couldn''t bear seeing the two of them together. "Ha, I see. You rich people think money can solve everything, don''t you?" Celine said, rolling her eyes. "You bitch!" Hearing her sarcastic words, Mandy couldn''t help but rush forward to p Celine. If it was some other woman who had slept with her boyfriend, Mandy might not have hit her. But Celine was being an ungrateful bitch. Things happened so fast that Celine wasn''t able to react. When she felt Mandy''s palm strike her cheek, her eyes brimmed with tears. "Daniel, she pped me!" sheined. Seeing that Mandy still wanted to make a scene, Daniel pped her. The sound of his p was even louder than Mandy''s. Stunned, Mandy stood still. Tears blurred her eyes, blocking her vision. The pain she felt in her heart was worse than the pain she felt on her cheek. Daniel jumped up from the bed, slowly straightened his back, and said coldly, "Stop it, Mandy. I asked you to get out. Didn''t you hear me?" Looking at the sad expression on Celine''s face, Daniel was distressed. "How dare you hit me!" Mandy asked resentfully, trembling with anger. "Yes, I hit you. Get out of here, or I''ll teach you a lesson." Daniel red at her with anger. Anyway, their n had seeded. He had no reason to be nice to Mandy anymore. "You son of a bitch! I will make you pay for what you did to me!" Mandy raised her head coldly, and her eyes were filled with disappointment. Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I''m waiting." ''Stop dreaming, Mandy Zhou. From now on, we''re going to y a new game. Do you still think you can get what you want just because you have a rich father?'' he thought to himself. "I hope you two are a perfect match," Mandy said coldly before storming out of the apartment in anger. Chapter 2 Man In A Mask Chapter 2 Man In A Mask As the lights flickered, the night was extraordinarily bustling in City A. It was Valentine''s Day. There were many couples walking on the street, some smiling and some ying. But Mandy, who was walking home alone after catching her boyfriend cheating on her, felt very sad and lonely. Not only was today the third anniversary of the day Mandy and Daniel had started dating, but it was also the anniversary of the day Mandy had lost someone dear to her. Four years ago, her best friend had died in a car ident. Suddenly, Mandy hated this day very much. She felt like it was cursed. A gust of wind blew, and Mandy shivered involuntarily. She was wearing nothing but an off-shoulder embroidered dress. But right now, she didn''t want to go home or talk to anyone. She just wanted to be alone. The truth was, she wasn''t sad at all about Daniel''s betrayal. She was just a little disappointed and unwilling to ept the fact that Daniel had been cheating on her behind her back. She didn''t understand why he had done it. And more importantly, she didn''t know how long his affair with Celine had been going on. A few years ago, Mandy and Daniel had studied together abroad. Back then, Daniel had been very considerate and treated her like a queen. After graduation, Daniel had returned to the country, while Mandy had continued to study in Ennd and returned a yearter. Maybe there was something wrong with their rtionship because of long distance. After all, men couldn''t resist sexual temptation. Mandy blinked. Her eyes were so dry that she wanted to cry. Without meaning to, she had walked right up to the street of the most popr bars in the city. Looking at the bright neon lights, Mandy shook her head with a helpless smile on her face. Then, she walked into the nearest bar, Queen Bar. The music inside was deafening, as if it could make everyone inside forget all their troubles and have fun. Plenty of attractive young men and women were dancing to the loud music. All of a sudden, the music stopped ying. Everyone on the dance floor shuffled to a stop and looked expectantly at the DJ. "Okay, let''s find the luckiestdy tonight. Camera, please sweep the floor. Three, two, one. Let''s look at the screen!" the host announced in a high-pitched voice. On the big screen behind the DJ, a close-up image of Mandy''s face appeared. Mandy was shocked. She had never expected something like this to happen. Without doing anything, she had been thrust into the spotlight. All eyes were on her. Mandy felt her face burning in embarrassment. The crowd spontaneously parted for her, reminiscent of the way a crowd would part to make a path for a princess in fairy tales. "We''ve found her, the luckiestdy tonight. With a round of apuse, let''s invite her onto the stage to sing a song for us!" The host had added fuel to the fire. Mandy rubbed her dress awkwardly. What was happening? ''This is the first time I''vee to a bar. What a coincidence! And sing a song? Did I even agree?'' "Go ahead." "Yeah, what are you doing? Hurry up!" The people standing around her suddenly became eager. Mandy had no choice but to walk to the stage with her eyes lowered. She came to a stop in front of the host. Seeing the confusion on her face, the host immediately knew that she was a neer, so he exined the game rules to her. The woman who was selected would get unlimited free drinks tonight, but only after she sang a song for the audience. Mandy was a little shy and she didn''t like to sing in public. However, she noticed a ck three legged piano in front of the stage. Holding the microphone, she came up with a brilliant idea. "I''m not good at singing. Can I y a song for you instead?" The crowd exchanged surprised nces and then nodded eagerly. Hearing their positive response, the host also agreed. Feeling a little relieved, Mandy walked to the piano gracefully. She had started taking piano lessons when she was three years old and reached the professional level when she was in third grade. Her parents had always wanted to train her to be a professional pianist. However, because of an unexpected ident that had happened four years ago, she had never yed the piano again. But every note and every key was deeply rooted in her mind. She gently pressed down on the keys with her slender fingers and yed a pleasant prelude that sounded like the cautious mood of a girl falling in love. The audience was intoxicated by the music. The truth was, Mandy had thought that she could no longer y the piano. She had never wanted to touch the piano again. However, she didn''t mind making an exception for the song she was ying now, Star. It was a song that she hadposed on her own when she was fifteen years old. It was a gift for her best friend. On the left side of the bar, a man dressed in a handmade Italian suit stared closely at Mandy. There was nothing but coldness on his exceptionally handsome face, but in his long and narrow eyes, there seemed to be a hidden secret. ''How could anyone possibly y this song?!'' the man wondered. Suddenly, he waved his hand at the bar manager and beckoned him. The manager immediately ran over and stood in front of the man in an obedient manner. "Send her to my room. Preferably unconscious." The man pursed his thin lips lightly after speaking, and there was no emotion on his cold face. Mandy was like a prey that he had been hunting for a long time. "Yes, sir." The bar manager nodded immediately. He had gotten used to such requests. When the melody came to an end, a burst of rapturous apuse broke out, and everyone in the audience praised Mandy. Mandy smiled and took a bow before stepping off the stage and finding a quiet spot to drink. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It had been four years since she hadst yed the piano, so she hadn''t expected that she could still y it so well without ying even one wrong note. However, she knew that her ying skills were not as good as before. This piece ofposition held a special meaning for her. She would give it to that person on this special day. After drinking a few sses of wine, Mandy started to feel dizzy. Her mind was in a mess, and soon, her vision blurred before she passed outpletely. A long whileter, Mandy suddenly woke up. She felt cold all over her body, and realized that she was submerged in a bathtub. Looking around with fear, she jumped out of the cold water in a hurry. When she walked out of the bathroom, she saw a strong man sitting on the bed in nothing but a bathrobe. He was wearing a masquerade mask on his face. His hair was still wet, and drops of water were dripping down to his inviting corbones. The man in the mask instantly put down his ss of red wine and looked at Mandy with an unreadable expression in his eyes. After just one nce from that man, Mandy felt numb all over. She bit her lips, wondering what was going on right now. The man was looking at her with an expression that was unsettling enough to frighten people thousands of miles away. Suddenly, Mandy felt a little hot. Her fine face instantly flushed like a cooked lobster. Chapter 3 Five Hundred Chapter 3 Five Hundred Without saying a word, the man in the mask looked at Mandy with a cold smile on his face. He was confident that he could win her over. And tonight, he wanted to y with her until he was utterly satisfied. On the other hand, Mandy was unsettled by the strange atmosphere in the room. As she gently licked her dry lips, a seductive chirp left her mouth. The sound jerked her back to reality. "I... I''m sorry. I don''t know why I''m here. I''m leaving right now." Although they weren''t in close proximity to each other, Mandy felt like she could feel the hot breath coming from the man sitting on the bed. She didn''t dare to linger there even a moment longer. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Moreover, the heat she was feeling made her feel more and more ufortable. Feeling dizzy, she unconsciously pulled at her bathrobe as she tried to find an exit. But she had barely taken a few steps when a pair of strong arms gripped her from behind. Mandy''s face turned pale in shock. The man in the mask tightly clung to her body, making her feel an unprecedented fear. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Smelling the light fragrance on Mandy''s body, the man could hardly help himself. Mandy pushed him away with her elbows, but as soon as she took a step, she fell on the floor. Mandy was on the verge of breaking down. She wasn''t very sober, but she had the vague realization that she had been drugged! ''No way! Absolutely not!'' For 22 years, Mandy had kept her virginity. Although she and Daniel had been in a rtionship for three years, they had never crossed the boundary. "Sorry, please let me go. I can give you as much money as you want," she said, slurring her words. She was lying on the ground powerlessly with her head lowered, not daring to look at the man. At this moment, she didn''t even have the strength to stand up. And in her mind, she knew exactly what this man was going to do to her. The man''s arrogant lips suddenly curled up into a sneer. ''Money? She wants to talk about money with me! I guess everyone from the Zhou Family is the same. Just because they''re rich, they think that money can help them in any situation, even in a moment of life or death.'' The man''s anger was like a fire that was immediately ignited by Mandy''s words. His deep eyes were filled with hatred. He pulled Mandy up from the floor and flung her onto the bed. Then came the man''s gentle kiss. Mandy struggled, but feeling her writhing body under him only drove the man crazier. He tightly locked her in his arms and kissed her harder. She didn''t know when it happened, but sometime during the night, Mandy started to cooperate with him. As a virgin, she seemed to be obsessed with him. Every time he yed with her, she responded with twice as much intensity. He felt like he was integrating her into his body. It was a night of intense fire and romance. When Mandy finally woke up the next morning, she felt a splitting headache. Her whole body hurt all over, as if it had been crushed by a car. Strange room, masked man... Bit by bit, Mandy recalled what had happenedst night. She threw off the quilt in horror and widened her eyes. On the white sheet, there was a bloodstain. Mandy''s heart trembled slightly and tears welled up in her eyes. The sadness she felt in her heart was hard to describe; she felt like she had lost something dear to her. On the bedside table was the exquisite mask that the man had been wearingst night. Under the mask, there was a five hundred dor note. ''What is this? Did that man think I was a product?! Five hundred!'' Mandy couldn''t believe that her first time had been worth only five hundred. Feeling sick about everything that had happened and scared that the man woulde back, she quickly put on her clothes and left the room. Just before she left, she turned around and saw the room number: 1314. This number was like a cruel joke that deeply cut into her heart. Catching Daniel cheating on her with Celinest night had already been a huge blow to her. But now, after waking up on a strange bed this morning, she felt like her world had copsed. Chapter 4 Crisis Of The Zhou Family Chapter 4 Crisis Of The Zhou Family After leaving the hotel, Mandy hailed a taxi to go home. It was still early in the morning, and the golden sun shone on the city, bringing color to it. But for Mandy, today was a painful new beginning after the horrors ofst night. What awaited her was a dark life. Subconsciously, Mandy reached for her corbone to feel her ne. Daniel had given it to her as a gift three years ago, and she had been wearing it ever since. It was by no means an expensive piece of jewelry, but it was the gift she cherished the most. But much to her surprise, her neck was bare. ''Where is the ne? Where is it?!'' Mandy was struck by a chill in her heart. She felt like she was sinking into a bottomless abyss. She had even lost her ne! Last night, her rtionship with Daniel had ended, but now that the ne he had given her was gone, she felt like things were truly over between the two of them. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . At JS International In the CEO''s office, Nathan Jin was reading some documents. However, these weren''t official documents; instead, they contained information about Mandy. After reading through them for ten minutes, Nathan knew everything about Mandy from her childhood¨C all the way to her adulthood, including all the achievements she had ever had. She had won a lot of piano awards and had been the champion of thest Midsummer Night''s Dream pianopetition. Thispetition was held every five years, and it was the most prestigious and famous pianopetition in the world. Naturally, it always attracted many participants, so the fact that Mandy had been able to stand out among them spoke of her skill. That night, if she hadn''t yed that particr song, Nathan might never have found her. Now, after reading all about her, he confirmed that his guess had been right. Mandy was the one he had been searching for. ''Four years! I''ve been looking for her for four years!'' A ruthless smile grew at the corners of Nathan''s mouth. He casually put the files into the drawer on the left side of the desk. The game had begun. Everyone''s fate would be rewritten. At MC Garden Mandy returned home in a hurry. She had a bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. When she pushed the door open, she saw several policemen restraining her father. Behind them stood Madeline Zhao, who was desperately trying to pull the policemen away. She was afraid that they were going to arrest her husband. As soon as Mandy realized what was happening, she couldn''t help but burst into tears. She immediately knew that something must have happened to thepany. "Sweetie, I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I didn''t realize that he couldn''t be trusted. Be careful of Daniel..." Before Stanley Zhou could finish what he was saying, he was dragged away by the policemen. Mandy ran, trying to catch up with them, but the police had already forced her father into the elevator. Her face streaked with tears, and she hurriedly rushed down the staircase. But when she arrived at the ground floor, she saw that the police car had already driven off. Ignoring all the people around her, who were gossiping and whispering among themselves, Mandy slumped to the ground and burst into tears. ''Why was Dad taken away by the police?'' She suddenly remembered that her mom was still at home, so she quickly ran back upstairs to their apartment. In the middle of therge living room, Madeline was sitting motionlessly like a doll. Her eyes were vacant, making her look as if she had lost her soul. "Mom, what happened? Why was Dad taken away by the police?" Mandy squatted down in front of her mom and shook her by the shoulders. "Thepany has had a debt crisis. Mr. Liu created some fake ounts, and six million in funds has been unounted for. The inspectionmittee is still investigating. However, all of the documents were signed by your father..." Without saying more, Madeline clenched her fists and trembled with anger. Before getting home, Mandy had been wondering how to tell her parents about her discovery of Daniel''s affair with Celine. However, it had never crossed her mind that they would tamper with the company so soon. It seemed that they had nned everything in advance. "How despicable!" Mandy was so furious that she started to cry. Seeing this sudden change in Mandy both frightened and bewildered Madeline. "Baby, what''s wrong with you?" she asked softly. Mandy hesitated for a long time, chewing over the words in her mouth before she spoke. Finally, she stammered, "Last night, I found Daniel and Celine having sex in his apartment." Chapter 5 Youve Gone Too Far Chapter 5 You''ve Gone Too Far Mandy couldn''t think of anything else that could have made her feel more heartbroken than Daniel''s sudden betrayal. She felt like an idiot because, beforest night, she had never doubted him, not even for a moment. Madeline was, of course, taken aback by this new piece of information. There was aplex emotion in her eyes. ''No way! I can''t let my baby daughter be treated like that!'' she angrily thought to herself. "Those two are despicable! To cheat on you with such a shameless bitch!" Madeline cried. ''Right now, I have to catch that bastard and his bitch, as soon as possible, '' Madeline thought to herself. Not only had they made a fool out of her, but they had also screwed over her entire family. But at the end of the day, Mandy was a very rational woman. She stopped caring about Daniel''s betrayal since it had already happened and had obviously been well-nned. Right now, her priority was dealing with the problem of the missing six million dors. "How much working capital do we have left?" Mandy asked in an unexpectedly calm voice. "More than a million," Madeline answered and raised her head in surprise. She had never thought that her daughter could be so sensible at a moment like this. A deep sense of satisfaction filled her heart. "Have you talked to the police?" Mandy asked anxiously, frowning. "Yes. The police are investigating." Madeline was anxious too. She hoped that the police could get to the bottom of this issue. Otherwise, Stanley would be wronged. Thepany had lost so much money for unknown reasons. What was worse, it had not run smoothly over the past few years. This incident would certainly make matters worse for the Zhou Family. Mandy felt helpless all of a sudden. She bit her lips and said with tears in her eyes, "In a worst-case scenario, we can sell this house and my house. We''ll definitely be able to get six million then." There was some hesitation in Madeline''s eyes. ''If we have to sell both of the houses, we will lose everything. We''ve lived here for more than 10 years, and we''ve grown very attached to it. However, it''s difficult to get six million dors in a short time. Perhaps that is the only way.'' "Good!" At that moment, someone pped their hands at the gate. It was Daniel. Dressed in a suit, he joyfully stepped into the house. "What a deep bond between mother and daughter!" This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He had a sinister but enthusiastic smile on his face that made it obvious he was here to stir up some trouble. Mandy was shocked. A mixture of conflicting emotions appeared in her eyes. ''How could this scumbag dare toe here?'' "Daniel, how dare youe here? This is the house of the Zhou Family. Get out of here, or I''ll call the police." The moment Madeline saw Daniel, she was so enraged that her face turned pale. "Auntie, please don''t be angry. I just came here to get back what''s mine." With a cynical smirk on the corner of his unruly lips, he threw his suit jacket onto the sofa and then sat on it with his legs crossed. Mandy pulled back her agitated mother and red at Daniel. "What do you want from our house?" "What do you think?" Daniel shrugged casually with a fearless look in his eyes. "I don''t know, but you''d better get out of here right now." Mandy pointed in the direction of the gate, losing her patience. Just seeing Daniel''s face made her feel sick to the stomach. ''How could such a shameless piece of scum live in this world!'' "Sweetie, you''re so stupid. You two are the ones who need to get out," he said, bursting into wild laughter. As hisughter echoed in the living room, both Madeline and Mandy stood frozen in shock and exchanged bewildered looks. ''We need to get out? When did our house be his?'' Mandy couldn''t believe it. She thought that Daniel was just being arrogant and delusional. Chapter 6 Stop Dreaming Chapter 6 Stop Dreaming "Daniel Zhao, stop dreaming. If you hadn''t gone insane, I''d advise you to run away as soon as possible. The police will find out soon that you''ve framed my father!" Mandy rebuked, pretending to be fierce. But in truth, her mind was a mess. She had never thought that the man she loved the most would one day be the one she hated the most. "Really?" The next second, his eyes revealed a hint of greed. "I guess that the old man didn''t tell you anything. Last month, thepany received a case, but because of ack of cash flow, we used this house as coteral. Now that thepany is in trouble, I''ve bought this house from the bank on justifiable terms." "Don''t insult my father like that!" Mandy grabbed his sleeve in anger and tried to drag him out of the room. But Daniel stood his ground and said, "Spencer Chen,e in please." Then, he suddenly shoved Mandy to the ground. Seeing this, Madeline ran up to her and anxiously asked, "Sweetie, are you hurt?" Mandy pursed her lips as she tried to resist the urge to cry. She slowly stood up from the ground, dusted her clothes off, and said, "Mom, I''m fine." "Mrs. Zhou, Miss Zhou, I am Mr. Zhao''swyer. This is the contract that proves Mr. Zhao''s ownership of this house. Please vacate the residence at once," Spencer rigidly said as he walked into the house, holding the contract out in front of him. The brief sentence he had uttered was as undoubted as a cold imperial edict. Madeline took the contract from him with trembling hands. She looked at the bottom of the page and realized the document really did bear her husband''s signature. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Madeline lowered her head and fell silent as tears welled up in her eyes. "Mom, don''t worry. We''ll be back soon. This bastard wille to no good end." Mandy turned her head to re at Daniel as she cursed him. "Stop, Sweetie. I don''t like the way that you looked at me just now," Daniel said in a mock-seductive voice, but his eyes were filled with a cold impatience. Mandy walked forward without giving him another nce. She wanted to go back to her room to pack up her things before leaving. Seeing that Mandy was ignoring him, Daniel strode forward and caught her arm. "You bastard, let me go!" Mandy fiercely pushed him away with all her strength. Keeping a safe distance from him, she looked at him with disgust. After hesitating for a while, Daniel said, "Sweetie, I really like you very much. If you want to stay here, you can resign from the hospital and serve me at home. If you agree to be my woman, I promise that you can live afortable life for the rest of your life." "Ew, gross. Daniel, I would sooner sweep the streets than be your woman. You''d better give up such disgusting ideas." ''He had sex with Celine yesterday, and now he''s saying he likes me. Does he think I''m an idiot?'' "I''m telling you the truth, Sweetie. I like you more than Celine because of your never-give-up attitude." An obscene smile hung on Daniel''s face, but everything he had said was true. Celine was just a tool for him to get the Zhou Family''s property. Over the years, the only woman he had really liked was Mandy. Unfortunately, Daniel could never genuinely love Mandy. The Zhou Family had purchased the Zhao Family''spany fifteen years ago, leading his parents to jump off a building one night. He had grown up with hatred in his heart, so he had gotten close to Mandy only to take revenge. Chapter 7 A Call From A Stranger Chapter 7 A Call From A Stranger He got what he wanted, but the shallow happiness was a temporary joy. Deep inside his facade, he was unsatisfied and not even as happy as he thought he would be. Mandy''s undeniable disappointment and outright expression of disgust had made him ufortable. "Daniel Zhao, I am not in the mood to talk to you now. Don''t try to force the issue and make a fool of yourself." Mandy mmed her bedroom door forcefully, creating a reverberating sound as an extension of her negative emotions. She locked it immediately. She tidied up her clothes, patted the creased areas as if touching them would remove the marks. She took a deep breath, straightened up, and told her mom that she was ready to go. Without looking back, Mandy and Madeline left with four huge suitcases. Mandy had to leave all her valuable possessions against her will. As per Spencer''s decision, they were regarded as part of the pledge. She was filled with anger, disgust, and regret loving the wrong man for all these years. Though feeling downtrodden, she tried to contain all her emotions and lifted her chin up to face her new life. After leaving the big house, which used to be her home, Mandy found herself depressed and lost in City A. She had no close friends in the area. Neither did she consider seeking help from her colleagues from the hospital. Having been drained of options, she decided to rent an old apartment where she could stay for the meantime. "Mom, I''m so sorry for dragging you into this trouble. Sorry for letting you suffer through this mess," Mandy expressed in a sad tone with teary eyes. She was not at her best at the moment. Madeline held her daughter''s wet cheeks, wiped them with her thumbs, and said softly, "Sweetie, please don''t say that. This is our fault. We made you suffer." "Mom, I am okay. This is not easy for me, but I am not holding any grudges. I am d and lucky to have you and dad." Still teary-eyed, Mandy sniffed and shed a faint smile. She had been used to having a luxurious lifestyle before. However, she didn''t notice the grandeur. Actually, it was so natural to her that she did not think luxury was a big deal. But when she moved out of the high-end neighborhood, she learned what an average life was like. "You are singing in front of a crowd for a living..." While in the midst of being emotional about the turmoil she was in, Mandy jumped in surprise when her phone rang. An unknown number shed on her screen. Mandy had never answered unregistered numbers before, but she took it this time, hoping the call might have something to do with her father. "Is this Miss Zhou?" A deep voice came from the other end of the line, and it was probably from a middle-aged man. Hearing his voice, she felt that the call was of the utmost importance, something she couldn''t simply ignore. Nonplussed, Mandy nodded and confidently confirmed, "Yes, it''s me." "Mr. Jin has something important to tell you. Are you avable now?" Fred Zou asked on the other end of the line with a tone of demand. "Sorry, I don''t know Mr. Jin. Wrong number." Mandy frowned, making her irritation pretty obvious. She was not in the mood and had been easily irritated by the strange call. Fred noticed the impatience in her tone. He sighed with a crooked smile at her annoyance and continued, "Do you still remember the mask ofst night?" His voice was much deeper and more serious as if reminding her of something consequential. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Mr. Jin asked you to bring the mask to JS International before 2 P.M." Having heard that, Mandy came to her senses as her heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself, ''The man with the maskst night wants to see me?'' Her tongue dropped for a moment, suddenly lost for words. She decided to refuse the invitation. She wasn''t even sure if it was an invitation. Was it amand? Perhaps a bluff. Mandy wouldn''t take such a risk with a man who was still a stranger to her. Just when she was about to say something, the man dropped the call. Being left there in silence, she kept her words to herself. She stared into space, eyebrows about to meet in response to the great confusion she felt. Madeline saw Mandy''s awful state. She crossed the distance between them in quick strides and tapped her. "What''s wrong?" Mandy did not say a word and just shook her head without looking at her mother. Her mother''s worried voice filled the room. "What happened?" It was a soft yet demanding request for an answer. "Nothing, Mom," Mandy replied tersely. She didn''t want her mother to worry, so she managed a small smile to reassure her that she was okay. Mandy quickly turned to hide her own distress and simply looked at her watch instead. Realizing that it was already half past one, she panicked inside but calmed herself. She only had half an hour left. "Talk to me, Mandy. Tell mom what''s going on," Madeline probed. Madeline knew something was wrong based on Mandy''s weird behavior. It made her anxious. "Mom, I have an urgent matter to deal with. Could you please stay here and look after the apartment for the moment?" She turned quickly and left in a hurry without waiting for Madeline''s reply. With its exemry portfolio and known performance, JS International was one of the most famous companies in City A. It had a high caliber and was regarded as the bestpany in the city, leading several industries such as real estate, jewelry, informationwork, food, and television. Mandy had recently returned home, but she knew a thing or two about thispany. When she was younger, Stanley had mentioned about Jason Jin, the founder of JS International. He had made his name and was well-respected in the business circles. He had such a reputation that some people were afraid of him. He was a gentleman and was strict, yet people had a high regard for him. Chapter 8 JS International Chapter 8 JS International While driving her car, Mandy couldn''t help but wonder whether that man was Jason Jin. ''But that can''t be right. Jason Jin is about the same age as my father. The man I sawst night looked very young, so he can''t be Jason, '' she thought to herself. In a flurry of worry and excitement, Mandy finally arrived at JS International. JS International was a magnificent building located in the most prosperousmercial area in the city center, and it also had the best scenery. Standing at a height of 66 stories, it was one of thendmark buildings of City A. The sun was shining high in the sky, but Mandy raised her head and found that most of the sunlight had been blocked by the building of JS International. She assumed that the owner of this building must look just as grim as the building did. JS International was heavily guarded. Besides, the private police of the Jin Family were standing watch outside. It was the first time that Mandy hade to a ce like this, so she felt nervous. She clenched her sweaty hands and patted her bag with the mask hidden in it before entering the building with faux confidence. To her surprise, she was not stopped until she entered the CEO''s office. Thanks to theyout of this high-building, the office was so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop. A tall and strong man was standing in front of the huge French windows with his back toward Mandy. Seeing this, Mandy''s heart began beating so fast that she couldn''t even appreciate the luxurious decor around her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "Well... Are you Mr. Jin?" After a while of standing in silence, Mandy finally couldn''t take it anymore. If he continued to ignore her like this, she would get bored to death. Nathan slowly turned around with his hands in his pockets. He had delicate facial features, deep eyes, and as she had seenst night, a tall nose, and thin lips. He had a truly handsome face that could charm thousands of girls in a minute. But somehow, Mandy felt like Nathan was overbearing and indifferent. ''This is the man who slept with mest night?'' Mandy thought to herself. "I''m Nathan Jin," the man said with the hint of a smile in his eyes. But in a sh, Nathan''s eyes turned cold. Mandy took a deep breath in an attempt to keep herposure. It was the first time that she had seen a man who could change his expression so quickly. "Mr. Jin, what can I do for you?" she asked meekly. Mandy was never timid, but she felt a little restrained by the man in front of her. "You slept with mest night!" The man, who had been stern just a second ago, now became a little dissolute. Mandy was so shocked that she didn''t know how to express her inner emotions. ''What does he mean by saying I slept with him? He''s the one who forced me! How can there be such a cheeky person in the world?'' "No. It''s you who..." Mandy trailed off, biting her lips. She wanted to continue, but on second thought, she stopped herself. ''He obviously knows who took the initiative!'' "Well, Miss Zhou, I won''t beat around the bush anymore. I''ve heard that something has happened to your family." A solemn expression appeared on Nathan''s face. ''Shit! How does he know about that?!'' Mandy was speechless. She quickly analyzed the situation in her mind. ''Who is Nathan? He is the CEO of JS International, so it would have been easy for him to find out the matter about my family. But why did he do that in the first ce?'' In this society, it was eptable for a man and a woman to have sex even if they weren''t married. But although Mandy was open-minded, her actions were still very conservative. Now that something like this had happened to her, she didn''t want to investigate it at all, perhaps because of the fear in her heart. Chapter 9 Watch Me Chapter 9 Watch Me "So, what do you want?" Mandy was a clever girl. She didn''t like to y word games. "Be my woman," Nathan said firmly with his cold gaze fixed on her. Mandyughed, but it was an empty and mirthlessughter. "Mr. Jin, I think you have misunderstood me. For one thing, I don''t need your help. Yes, my family is in trouble, but that''s my own business. For another thing, we just had sex for one night, so it''s not a big deal. And I hope you can keep that a secret," she replied maturely, refusing him without hesitation. She was a grown-up, and she wasn''t going to do whatever Nathan wanted. More importantly, she knew that he was not a good man. "Well, how ambitious of you. But have you ever considered that your father might find himself in danger while he''s in the detention house?" Nathan shot back with the same cold look in his eyes. As he spoke, he closely watched Mandy''s face. His words had obviously upset her. "Enough! Stop!" Mandy interrupted him angrily. She felt like she was being suffocated. Whether Nathan had brought it up or not, what worried her the most at the moment was her father''s safety. "You just don''t have the ability to face it. What you need now is me," Nathan said firmly. He seemed to be taking some sort of sick pleasure from his words. ''What you need now is me.'' With these words hovering in Mandy''s mind, she wondered why Nathan had said them. She looked straight into his dark brown eyes as she quietly waited for him to finish speaking. Since he already knew about her family situation, he must have known what he wanted to say to her next. "I can help you solve all your problems as long as you''re willing to be my woman." As Nathan casually stated his demand, aplicated expression appeared in Mandy''s eyes. ''Be his woman?'' Of course, Mandy knew what Nathan meant. He wanted her to be his mistress, not his wife. But Mandy didn''t want to be anyone''s wife, let alone a mistress. She hadn''t even started to recover from the pain caused by the recent betrayal of her ex-boyfriend, Daniel. How could she trust an arrogant man like Nathan Jin? To her, his demand sounded like an insult. Thinking of that, she gritted her teeth. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. However, Nathan added coldly, "Don''t worry. It won''tst long. A month at most." Nathan had barely finished his words when Mandy spoke up in a resolute tone. "I refuse." Anger washed over her instantly. ''Why? Why should I be his mistress? And what does he mean by "a month at most?" Does he mean that I should leave when he gets tired of me?'' "What? It''s not like you''re a virgin. Don''t pretend to be innocent. Even a prostitute can do better than you. Women like you have no right to reject me." Nathan looked a little annoyed. For the first time in his life, he was being rejected. Although he didn''t show his true emotions on his face, the slight frown tugging at his lips gave him away. ''What? It''s not like you''re a virgin.'' These words were like a cold and sharp knife digging into Mandy''s heart. ''I kept my virginity for more than twenty years. Butst night, I was raped by this beast. And now, he''s acting like I wasn''t a virgin!'' With acent look on his face, Nathan smiled lightly and said, "Stop struggling. There''s no point in opposing me." It was undoubtedly a warning. "Mr. Jin, you''re so funny! You must have been with many prostitutes before. Otherwise, how could you know that they can do better?" Mandy was furious, but she tried to deal him a blow. ''How could he be so arrogant?'' she wondered bitterly. However, Nathan merely sneered in response. The atmosphere became a bit stiff, and even Mandy noticed that something was wrong. Nathan looked Mandy up and down with his beautiful eyes. He hadn''t expected her to continue rejecting him in such a dignified manner. ''She''s really not afraid of death, '' he thought to himself in surprise. "You have no choice. I''ll give you a week to think about it." These ironic words spilled from his lips with a fearful coldness. Looking at Mandy''s weak appearance, Nathan just narrowed his long narrow eyes. ''Mandy Zhou, I will let you know one day that you owe me this!'' Chapter 10 Eavesdropping Chapter 10 Eavesdropping It was an ordinary day at the JR Hospital. At 2 P.M., patients and medical staff scurried around, doing their own things. The sound of an ambnce was making noise outside, probably rushing up to the emergency room. Mandy had justpleted a cardiac surgery. She was about to change clothes in the dressing room when Jayleen Wen came in and greeted her. She had assisted Mandy with the surgery. Jayleen was in her forties and was the head nurse of the Cardiology Department of JR Hospital. "Congrattions Mandy! The surgery is another great sess," Jayleen said with enthusiasm. She shed a warm and genuine smile, apparently proud of the aplishment. "Thank you, Jayleen. The sess was due to our excellent teamwork. Your contribution helped a lot," Mandy replied. Mandy stretched her neck from one side to another. The operation, whichsted for six long hours, did not allow her to eat her lunch; hence, it had depleted her energy. She was exhausted and starving. "Mandy, you are such a great asset to our hospital. You are a natural. You have only been here for two months, but your clinical skills have almost caught up with Harry Li." Jayleen pressed Mandy''s hand and whispered, "They say that the director had a word with Harry yesterday and said that he would promote you next month." Jayleen''s dness was filled with hope for her. She believed that Mandy deserved such recognition. Mandy smiled softly. Harry Li was the head of the Cardiology Department. He was a well-known and highly respected cardiac surgeon in the city. Probably the best there was. When Mandy joined the team soon after graduating from the British university, Harry had been a little unweing to her. Mandy noticed his dislike to her because her presence imposed a silent threat to his career. That was why he assigned all high-risk and difficult surgeries to her. Mandy took every challenge and turned it to her advantage as a great way to hone her skills. "Well, if ites with higher pay, I''ll definitely invite you to dinner," Mandy demurely replied trying to hide her own excitement. Since she joined the hospital, Jayleen had been guiding her. She had made Mandy''s adjustment period easier by assisting her whenever she needed help. They had developed a good friendship, and Mandy was naturally grateful to her. Although Mandy had apetitive skill, it was not easy to survive in the hospital, especially for a newbie due to established connections and rtionships among colleagues. "That''s a deal," Jayleen said coyly. "Yes, we have a deal," Mandy reassured while putting on her white coat. After leaving the dressing room, Mandy went back to the 24th floor of the Inpatient Department during her lunch break. With a heavy face and boggled mind, Mandy walked to the empty corridor. It was dim and silent. Only a glint of light from the windows of private rooms brightened the rather gloomy pathway. Whenever she was troubled, she preferred to be alone and reflect in a quiet ce. Mandy was very anxious about what had happened to her family. Her life was in turmoil with all the mixed emotions she was carrying. She was sad, angry, aggrieved, worried, and frustrated. In the past 22 years, she had been the apple of her parents'' eyes. She was used to having all the affection of the people she loved. What happened yesterday dramatically changed her life. It was her first time to lose someone she loved so much. She could not believe that her first boyfriend could betray her. Mandy loved Daniel very much, but all her love turned to hatred overnight. While reminiscing about their good times together, she cried with bittersweet thoughts. With a good sleepst night, and her feet back on the job she loved, the dust had settled down. She was determined not to sumb to her unfortunate fate. She wouldn''t ept defeat. Mandy was leaning against the wall, thinking deeply about how to deal with her current circumstance. Her optimistic thoughts were put to a halt when she heard voices. Alone there in the silence, Mandy was pulled back to reality as her attention was stolen by two men who were seriously chatting. "Boss, I think we have a good opportunity now that Luke Shi is in hospital," Fred Zou huskily whispered to Nathan. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nathan pulled the cigarette from his mouth by neatly stacking it between his fingers. His icy cold eyes swept across the floor. In the dim light, his beautiful thin lips opened lightly andmanded in a stern voice, "Kill him. Remember, do it discreetly and make it appear like a medical ident." "Boss, don''t you think that is too cruel?" Fred asked in hesitation. "He is your uncle!" He tried his best to deliver the words calmly. Confusion and hesitation were evident in Fred''s face. If he really killed Luke, Mrs. Jin would go insane. Without looking at him, Nathan coldly replied, "He has stolen a lot of money from JS International. He deserves it. Can you me me for thinking of him this way?" He released a deep sigh as if he had made up his mind and gave Fred a cynical smile. Chapter 11 I Heard Nothing Chapter 11 I Heard Nothing Mandy stayed where she was. It was toote to exit as she might be suspected of eavesdropping. She stared at the dangerous man and could tell that he wasn''t a simple man. The voice was cold and surprisingly familiar to her, but she just couldn''t point exactly to whom it belonged. ''But who was the man they were talking about killing?'' she wondered. ''Luke Shi?'' She didn''t know the man, but the name sounded familiar to her. Her mind boggled. While trying hard to sort through her memory for a clue who he was, she was awestruck when she heard the deep male voice again. The voice was pleasant to the ear, sounding like a cello. Good as it was, the coldness could make people shiver in fright. "Who''s that?" he asked as if telling her she should show herself. The cold voice was emotionless like interrogating an enemy. Despite the hot summer air, Mandy shivered in extreme cold. Her limbs were frozen, and her blood flustered all over her body. His voice effortlessly crippled her. Mandy slowly raised her head but could only see his back. The man turned around and, with the faint light from the high ss windows, she saw his face. When their gaze met, Mandy''s eyes opened wide in surprise and recognition. The man''s good-looking dark eyes were full of coldness, prating her. She was oddly shaking in fear. His expression warned her of impending danger. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ''It is Nathan Jin!'' She swallowed in shock. Mandy wished for a magical exit where she could quickly run away. "I swear, I didn''t hear anything," she finally said after releasing deep breaths to calm herself. "Ha-ha-ha! Yeah, right!" The man sarcastically grinned. His eyes narrowed and radiated a fierce, upromising power. When he saw her pale and perturbed face, the smile in his eyes deepened. It was obvious that Mandy was scared and was hiding something. He moved his head at a slight angle and raised his eyebrow with his eyes still glued on her. ''If you didn''t hear anything, how did you know that we were talking? Silly woman!'' Nathan thought to himself. He stepped forward towards her. Looking deeply into her eyes, he could feel her fear from her beautiful face. Mandy shivered down her spine. The man was born with an innately powerful, cold, and oppressive aura radiating from his body. She needed to gather all her strength to talk to him. "You look nervous. Why?" Nathan asked with a sneer on his face while unexpectedly stepping forward closer to Mandy. He carefully took the steps to go down the stairs. "Why am I nervous?" Mandy repeated uneasily, trying to buy some time to collect her thoughts and give him a reasonable answer. She looked around and thought to herself, ''It''s the 24th floor, where my most familiar Inpatient Department is. I''m safe.'' Nathan narrowed his eyes, moving his fair lips slightly. He scrutinized Mandy up and down with his dark eyes. ''How interesting! I meet her again today. Is this destiny?'' he wishfully thought to himself. ''Or a tragedy!'' Contradicting his own thoughts. "So, are you a doctor at this hospital?" Nathan asked with a silly smile. Of course, he knew Mandy all too well. He was just enjoying ying around with her. "I am not," Mandy bluntly denied. ''Why would I admit? I''m not that stupid, '' she silently added in her head. "If you''re not a doctor, why are you wearing a white coat?" Mandy saw a trace of a sneer in Nathan''s eyes. She managed to fake a faintugh to calm her nerves and sped both hands on the coat. "Oh, this? Ha-ha-ha. I''m wearing it for fun," she lied to hide her fear. To cover her guilt, she shed a warm sweet smile, as if trying to melt the coldness in his eyes. Just when she thought she was ying well with her pretense, Nathan forcefully grabbed her shoulders. He was so strong that Mandy almost burst into tears. Fortunately, she was able to bear such pain. She took a deep breath topose herself. "You are so stubborn,dy! Tell me, what on earth did you hear?" Nathan''s rage was filled with impatience. His cold eyes half narrowed. He hated it when people yed silly games like this with him. Chapter 12 Confrontation Chapter 12 Confrontation Mandy took a deep breath and stammered, "What do you want me to say? I told you, I didn''t hear anything." She stood firm with her denial. She raised her head to meet Nathan''s sharp gaze and yed it like a weak and innocentdy. She would never admit she heard their private conversation. Nathan was not buying her show, so he calmed himself not to hurt her further. "Well, then, I''ll teach you a lesson." He swiftly released her from his grip in frustration. Mandy lost her bnce and almost tumbled. "Fred," Nathan called hispanion in a deepmanding voice. Fred rushed towards them and stood behind Nathan. He was wearing a ck suit and poker face. Mandy got more scared, looking at his expressionless face. "What will you do?" Mandy asked with a challenge. "We are in a hospital!" she added with confidence. She was nervous but tried to conceal her fear with grit. Her blood was rushing, and she could almost hear the pounding of her heart, ready to blow off her chest. She leaned against the wall to support her bnce. "So what?" Nathan replied with unrelenting power. He smirked, thinking about her challenge. "Believe it or not, I can get this hospital closed tomorrow if I want to," Nathan said calmly, implying that everything was under his control. There was distinct aggressiveness lurking in his simple words that made breathing pretty hard for Mandy. "If you are that powerful around here, who are you, and what is your position here?" Mandy was doubtful about his im and thought it was just an act of delusional bragging. Her fear faltered, and she gave a faintly mischievous smile. ''He was just bluffing, '' she said in her head. She had encountered such people before. She had also noticed that Nathan was being childish by trying to coerce and seduce. "Are you questioning me? You don''t believe me, do you?" Nathan was surprised at the strange and doubtful attitude. He thought, ''No one has ever been so bold to question me with such an inquisitive tone.'' Mandy nodded her head firmly and said, "Yes! And let me remind you that we are in the hospital. There are surveince cameras in every corner. If you don''t believe me, you can check it for yourself." There was silence. Nathan didn''t bother to look around, but he knew that Mandy was right. Indeed, the hospital was covered by installed surveince cameras, especially for this kind of safe passage. "You''re right." His eyes narrowed and gave her a prating and calm look. Mandy got uneasy at the uncertainty of events. He asked in a cold deep voice, "Do you think you can threaten me with this excuse?" With a quizzical look in his eyes, he gleamed a crooked smile on his thin lips. ''Threaten?'' Mandy repeated the word in her mind. She had no intention of threatening Nathan. She just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. She didn''t even dare to admit that she was a doctor in this hospital because she was afraid that he would impose unimaginable troubles here in the future. "Mr. Jin, I''m really sorry if I offended you, but I swear that I didn''t hear anything. I''m very busy. May I leave now?" Mandy asked pleasantly with a forced smile and slightly trembling voice. She kept smiling in the quiet passage. She felt better after saying those words. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Remember what you said today. Pretend that you didn''t hear anything, or you''ll be sorry." He warned Mandy with both sincerity and coldness in his face and then left her in the dark corner. Mandy pulled her lips in silence and blinked her eyes. The shock in her face was evident. She couldn''t believe she survived such a difficult situation. "Whew!" she released her breath, which she held for a second. ''That was indeed dangerous.'' When she went back to the office, Mandy sat in her chair and quietly read the patient''s condition report. She could still hear the words Nathan said, especially that name, Luke Shi! The name sounded familiar to her, but she was sure she didn''t know him personally. As she studied the case, to her surprise, she saw the name, Luke Shi! Chapter 13 The Vicious Nathan Chapter 13 The Vicious Nathan ''Oh!'' Mandy wrinkled her forehead and thought to herself, ''Wasn''t Luke Shi the patient who underwent surgery this morning? He suffered from a serious myocardial infarction.'' The words of Nathan reverberated in her ears, "Kill him. Make it look like a medical ident." She released a deep sigh and thought, ''Luke is my patient, and he''s my responsibility. If anything goes wrong with him, I would be med as his attending doctor.'' While contemting, Cassie Jiang came in. She was an intern nurse at JR Hospital who recently graduated from a nursing school. Mandy and Cassie had developed a good friendship, probably because they were of the same age. They were both 22 years old. "Hey, Mandy, you work so hard. I guess you haven''t taken your lunch yet." Cassie was holding a box meal for Mandy when she entered the room. Mandy gave her a warm smile for her thoughtfulness. She was definitely hungry after the surgery. However, she had lost her appetite after meeting Nathan. "Thank you, Cassie. How did you know I haven''t taken my lunch yet?" Mandy stood up and pulled out a chair. "Please sit down." Cassie followed willingly. "Of course. We have lunch together every day," she said. "I asked Doctor Yang, and he said that you had a surgery this morning. So I thought you mustn''t have had lunch yet." Cassie looked adorable with her sweet smile and beautiful almond eyes. As Mandy opened the meal box, she asked, "Cassie, do you know anything about Luke Shi?" She tried to hide the curiosity in her voice. "What?" Cassie eximed with her eyes big as saucers. "Seriously? You don''t know him? He is the General Manager of JS International." Truth was, Mandy had been away for a long time. When she came back, she didn''t dwell much on gossip; hence, she didn''t have the slightest idea who Luke Shi was. "If I''m not mistaken, I did a surgery on him this morning," Mandy said while nodding and looking nkly at the wall. "Yes. It was him." Cassie confirmed with an innocent smile. "Can you tell me more about him? I mean, what''s he like?" Mandy asked without changing her tone as if it was just a normal question about an ordinary patient. Cassie was born and raised in City A. Apparently, she knew a lot about the well-known personalities of the city. "The CEO of JS International, Nathan Jin, is his nephew. He seems to be finely cultured with a strong personality. Oh! Not to mention, an intriguing background, too," Cassie exined with a twinkle in her eyes. It would take days if Cassie narrated everything she knew about Nathan Jin. The good thing was that Mandy did not ask further. Things becameplicated for Mandy. If Luke Shi was Nathan''s uncle, it meant that Nathan intended to kill his very own uncle. ''How could such a cruel person exist in this world?'' Her mind boggled, and her forehead creased in disbelief. Cassie noticed her bewildered expression. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Mandy, what''s wrong? Are you okay?" Cassie slightly pushed Mandy to get her attention. "Nothing," Mandy said nkly. "Cassie, please transfer Luke Shi to the ICU as soon as possible." She was calm, hoping Cassie would not probe her. Mandy came up with a good idea to keep Luke Shi safe. She was determined to keep him away from Nathan Jin and any possible danger. "But why? Is he seriously ill?" Cassie asked with confusion. "Yes. Since you mentioned that he is the uncle of the boss of JS International, I think we should be responsible enough and give him special treatment. Don''t you think so?" Mandy said with a sweet smile and convinced herself that an innocent girl like Cassie would believe her white lie. Chapter 14 Give Her A Hard Time Chapter 14 Give Her A Hard Time It was a normal busy day at JS International. Inside the grand CEO''s office, a slim man with an expressionless face was sitting on the shiny leather sofa. He was silent while gently flipping through some documents. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "Boss, we just received a call from the hospital. Luke has been transferred to the ICU, and they said no visitors are allowed, including his family." Fred suddenly showed up at the door, bringing the news to Nathan. He knew that Nathan didn''t care about Luke, and it would be better for him if Luke died. "Really? Interesting! Did they say why?" A smile shed in Nathan''s face reaching the corners of his ears, and his eyes sparkled with deep ck color. It made him dangerous yet very good-looking. "No. Boss, there is a scheduled meeting at thepany this afternoon," Fred said in reply. From the way Nathan looked, Fred knew he was not focused nor interested in thepany. "Cancel it. I have to go to the hospital now," Nathanmanded. Nathan picked up his handmade Italian coat from the sofa and rushed out. Fred immediately followed him out of the room. He was keen on his responsibilities as the butler of the Jin Family and Nathan''s assistant. As a former member of the special forces, Fred had an exemry training. In JR Hospital, Mandy was still worried about Luke. She decided to visit him in his ward. Just when she was about to walk out of his room, Nathan arrived wearing his very powerful aura. Cassie was behind Nathan, doing her best to stop him but to no avail. "Sir, please!" Cassie pleaded. "Sorry, Mr. Jin, but you can''te in," Cassie stammered. She never thought she could see and get that close to her dream man. Her excitement controlled her, not being able to stop him. Mandy was embarrassed when she met Nathan''s eyes. They were so dark and full of suspicions. ''Oh, no! What is he doing here?'' she thought to herself. ''My n might bepromised.'' Without saying a word to Mandy, Nathan walked past her as if she wasn''t there and tried to open the door. ''What the heck is he trying to do?'' Mandy thought. She felt extremely embarrassed and worried. She couldn''t think straight. What to do? "Sorry, but you can''t get in." Mandy gritted her teeth and stopped Nathan. She was sweating inside, but she couldn''t put her career at risk. Suddenly, she became Luke Shi''s protector. "I want to visit my uncle. What''s wrong with that?" Nathan said calmly. Without exposing her trouble, Nathan pretended that he didn''t know Mandy. Mandy was confused, but she didn''t even have time to think why Nathan pretended not to know her. ''I hope he lost his memory. How could he change his mind that fast? In the safe passage, just recently, I clearly heard that he wanted Luke to be killed. Now, he''s dering that Luke is his uncle. Such a great wolf in sheep''s clothing!'' she thought quizzically. "The patient is still in danger. ording to the hospital rules, family members are not allowed to visit him at the moment," Mandy answered stiffly while standing in front of him. She tried to appear strong while her slim body was slightly trembling. Deep inside her, she was crying for help. She wished someone would magically save her from an awkward and dangerous situation. "Rules. These rules were set by who?" he asked coyly. "I''m sure these rules are not meant to be strictly followed. I mean, they can be twisted. Right, Doctor Zhou? If you can go in, why can''t I?" Before Mandy could open her mouth to answer, he immediately added, "If I need to wear a sterilized suit before going in, I''m willing to cooperate." He was totally different from the way he had behaved when he threatened Mandy in the safe passage. "I''m sorry, Sir." Mandy took a deep breath to release some tension inside her and gathered her thoughts. "Rules are rules and cannot be broken. This is an important protocol. If you insist on staying, I''ll call security," Mandy said seriously. She would never let him in because he was a dangerous person. Not only would Luke Shi''s life be put in danger, but also her reputation as a doctor. Chapter 15 What Hatred Do You Have Chapter 15 What Hatred Do You Have "Oh, really?" Nathan ironically replied. "Go ahead. You may also want to call the director of the hospital," he added viciously. Mandy rolled her eyes quickly in frustration. She swept her eyes around, and when she realized there was no help, she continued to stop Nathan alone. "Mr. Jin, please do obey the hospital''s rules and regtions." She tried to bring out her professional tone. "Rest assured that you can visit him when the patient is out of danger." Nathan''s skeptic expression told her that he wasn''t totally convinced. She did her best to be as persuasive as possible. Mandy exined that seeing him at the moment would not be of great help to the patient''s fast recovery as he needed to be kept in a sterile environment. Any means of infection was strictly prohibited. She tried to stick to her arguments and reason from a medical perspective as much as possible. After all, she was pretending to protect Luke Shi as a doctor. She believed that Nathan was not there with the best intentions. Despite all her efforts, Nathan responded to her mischievously. He took a seat as if not ready to concede on her show. "Okay, I''ll wait here then." He gave a sardonic smile. He stretched his long legs and put his hands behind his head to rx. Mandy blinked her eyes as she pulled her face. She was surprised that the CEO of JS International was not too busy. She nodded while thinking to herself, ''Looks like he intentionally wants to stay here with me and the patient. So stubborn!'' She brushed off the idea and turned to Cassie, changing her tone as if she was in control, "Cassie, thank you for your help. I''ll take care of this. You can go back to work now." Mandy knew that Nathan wanted to stay with her for a while. Now that he wanted to go inside the ward, she would go inside with him as well. Cassie rolled her eyes, knowing how dangerous Mandy''s situation was. Nathan didn''t look like someone who was easy to deal with. "Okay, Mandy. I''m leaving." She took a few more nces at Nathan''s handsome face before turning back. Mandy was left standing there in silence. "Aren''t you a doctor of this hospital?" Nathan asked her in a threatening tone when Cassie was no longer in sight. Mandy''s heart beat so fast. She twitched her mouth but didn''t answer. She was afraid to say the wrong words. "If you really insist on going inside the ICU, I''ll go inside with you," she said without looking at him. Nathan looked at her in confusion. Darting an unflinching stare, she warned him, "But you have to bear the consequences. If the patient is identally infected, you should take full responsibility." Mandy showed a little aggressiveness. "That''s ridiculous! How can it be my responsibility?" He zed. "Isn''t your hospital responsible for the overall well-being of the patient?" Nathan would not give in to her tricks. She was ying indifferent, but Nathan did not force her for an answer. ''Is she bluffing me?'' Nathan thought. ''She is so bold. How could she?'' "I have already exined why. Visitors are not allowed inside to protect the patient''s sterile environment. If you don''t want to follow the protocol and continue insisting on going inside, that is your choice. The hospital is no longer ountable if you vite the rules." Confidently, Mandy raised her head and looked at Nathan. He was apparently mad but still looked handsome with his arched eyebrows and big eyes. He took a deep breath and yielded to Mandy''s profound reasoning. Nheless, he would not give up without a fight. He would not concede. "I''m willing to undergo disinfection before I go in. If my uncle would still be infected after I went through the hospital''s disinfection process, it would already be a liability of the hospital," he calmly said with a crooked smile. Mandy could not defeat Nathan. He was too much to handle. She didn''t know where her misery came from. Mandy used to have an easy and smooth life at work since she joined JR Hospital. Although the head of the department always discreetly bullied her, she never retaliated. As a learned person, she never let any difficulty get under her skin and was never afraid of what she would face. But Nathan was making things too hard for her. Determined to see his uncle, Nathan cooperated well in the disinfection protocol. He also willingly changed his clothes. "Miss Zhou, you''re sweating. Are you okay?" Nathan asked. Mandy felt ufortable with the risk she was taking. Upon entering the ward, Nathan sent a cold nce at Luke from a distance. His face was emotionless, but his mind was banging with ideas and questions. He didn''t give him a second look. Mandy touched her forehead when it dawned on her what Nathan had said. She was so nervous and indeed sweated a little. "I don''t know. Must be the room temperature¨Ctoo hot for me. What''s wrong with that?" Nathan didn''t say anything but found it funny. Mandy was definitely one of those people described as "too stubborn to admit defeat." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Mandy didn''t talk too much. There was a long silence. The room was so quiet that she could only hear the ticking of the clock. Chapter 16 Are You Afraid That I Will Kill Him Chapter 16 Are You Afraid That I Will Kill Him Mandy silently counted every second in her mind. It felt like the longest 30 seconds of her life. She felt awful! "Do you think he is dying?" Nathan asked sharply while staring coldly at Luke. At that very moment, he just wanted Luke to die in front of him. The rm went off immediately. "What the heck are you going to do? Don''t do anything to him!" she said as a warning, ignoring the fact of how powerful Nathan was. "What? Are you afraid that I will kill him?" Nathan asked, wearing a sardonic smile. Mandy felt paralyzed. She didn''t have any idea of why Nathan could drive her so crazy with fear, making her paranoid. Seeing Nathan twice today, she would like to believe that God had sent a fool to test her sanity. "Mr. Jin, please don''t make fun of me. He is your own uncle," Mandy said calmly. She took a deep breath topose herself. "Uncle?" Nathan repeated coldly. Mandy pinched her clothes spontaneously. Every time she was rattled, she would pinch the corners of her clothes as if it gave her a better grasp of her senses. ''What family feud are they going through? How could a nephew hate his uncle this much?'' Mandy thought to herself. She felt dizzy and morose at her current dilemma. "I didn''t say anything like that. You just said it yourself," Mandy answered. She didn''t even know why she had to exin. Nathan naturally gave her the chills. "When will he wake up?" Nathan asked to change the topic. "Maybe tomorrow or the day after," Mandy stammered, apparently unsure. When she had performed the surgery on him, she knew he had been suffering from serious chronic heart disease. "Then, Dr. Zhou, please do take care of my uncle," Nathan said courteously without emotion. ''Why the sudden change of wind? Is he trying to imply something else?'' Mandy thought. But clueless as she was, she didn''t understand what he was trying to say. "Surely, I will, Mr. Jin," Mandy replied politely nheless. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. There was still a glint of fear inside her, but she appreciated the sudden kindness. Though she was confused, she settled for it at that moment. They might never be friends, but at least they were not enemies. Mandy was relieved when Nathan walked out of the ICU without a word. Before she took off from work, Mandy firmly reminded the two nurses to pay close attention to Luke all the time. If there was anything wrong, they must call her immediately. Although the surgery was sessful this morning, nobody knew what would happen postoperatively. Mandy went straight to the police station, after finishing her work, to visit her father. She was trembling before she entered the office. At the same time, a ck Lamborghini with the te number of A8888 parked not far from the police office. The person in the car looked indifferent as if he was watching a sad y. It was Nathan. He came to the police station after work for some business. When Nathan saw Mandy''s back and slim figure, he narrowed his eyes. With mixed emotions, Mandy saw the face of her father behind the huge transparent ss. She had not seen him for a while. As she looked closer, she noticed the collection of deep and shallow bruises on his face. Tears flowed from Mandy''s eyes. Guilt hit her. After a brief moment of hesitation, she eventually picked up the phone when her father smiled at her. She couldn''t look at him. His eyes were filled with pain and sadness. "Dad..." She sniffed. She gathered her strength and lifted her head to look at him through the ss. She never thought she would see her father there. Chapter 17 Its Just The Beginning Chapter 17 It''s Just The Beginning Her father looked at her with his gloomy eyes. The saggy bags under his eyes marked his old age, possibly exacerbated by stress and frequent crying due to loneliness. His deep manly voice had faded but was still as sweet as Mandy could remember. "My little girl, why are you crying? I''m fine. Don''t be sad," Stanley said, calmly. "Please don''t cry." In an effort to convince her, he projected his genuine smile, which emphasized his wrinkles. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Dad, this is all my fault. You suffered a lot because of me. What happened to your face?" Mandy asked with so much worry. Her conscience was firing her with guilt at the thought that her father was spending the night in the police office at an old age. She felt very ufortable at the sight of her father''s appalling situation. "No, don''t say that. My child is great. She is a good doctor and would do her part to save more people in the future. Don''t worry about my face. I identally fell in the bathroomst night, so I got some bruises. It doesn''t hurt, though," Stanley said without losing his smile. He did not show any sign of exhaustion or negative emotion that would make his daughter feel bad. Mandy''s parents had wanted her to be a pianist. With an innate talent, she had learned fast and was more advanced than others. She was a natural. However, Mandy had wanted a different path, so she did not follow her parents. Now, she felt a little regret for her disobedience. "No, Dad. It''s my fault. I won''t let you suffer anymore." Tears streamed down her face again. She could only wish to rece her father in the police station. Stanley was about to say something when the sound suddenly stopped. Time was up for the phone call. Not long after, the officers arrived and took him away. The awful scene made Mandy lose her senses. Her palms and face were on the ss wall with her tears smudging it as she cried hysterically, calling her father. In the monitoring room, Nathan had been silently watching the scene on the big screen. It was frozen at that moment. Beside him was the big fat chief of the police station. Nathan''s presence made the chief more nervous than the prisoners. ''Mandy Zhou, it''s painful, right? But this is just the beginning!'' Nathan thought to himself. He thought as highly of himself as a king and expected to be treated as such. Being entitled, he was known to be arrogant and frightening. With such a reputation, no one dared to talk or even get close to him. "What''s the man used of?" Nathan asked with deep curiosity. He wasn''t sure how to feel about what he saw, but he intended to know the details of the case. "Hispany is facing a malversation case. Someone reported that he manipted the stock market illegally. Now both the Securities Regtory Commission and the inspectionmittee are investigating him," the chief answered briefly. He did not intend to say more unless Nathan would ask further questions. Like others, he did not want to talk much around Nathan unless necessary. "Take good care of him, and don''t let anyone transfer him away," Nathanmanded calmly. Nathan turned serious with his eyes shing a mordant look and reluctant smile. "Yes, Sir," the chief simply said. Nathan effortlessly got what he wanted. Even the police officers feared him one way or another. Strong winds gushed when Mandy walked out of the police station. She tightened her clothes to keep them in ce and herself warm. Her heart still ached for her father''s misery. ''God must be kidding me. I''m going to lose everything. Why is this happening to my family?'' her mind boggled. More than twenty years ago, her father had started his own business and had set up the Zhou Group. He was hands-on with everything. Under his leadership, the Zhou Group had flourished well. However, the huge financial crisis in recent years led to the downturn of the business. Her father had been working so hard these past few years to keep them afloat and to save the business. ''Will the Zhou Group, which my father diligently built, copse this way?'' Mandy thought to herself. Mandy raised her head and looked at the vast sea of people in front of her. She felt lost in her thoughts and present circumstance. Her deep thinking was put to a halt when she heard her phone ring. "Hello, Mandy. Where are you? Everybody''s here. We''re waiting for you," Jayleen asked on the other end of the phone. The director of the hospital had invited all the staff members of the Cardiology Department to a dinner tonight. "I am on my way, Jayleen. I am caught in the middle of heavy traffic," Mandy lied. Her eyes were still puffy, and her cheeks were streaked with tears. "Okay. Juste here soon. Tonight''s dinner is very important. Don''t bete," Jayleen carefully exhorted. Chapter 18 The Distinguished Person Chapter 18 The Distinguished Person The night was cold and quiet as Mandy traveled to their rendezvous. An hourter, she arrived at her destination, the Royal International Hotel. It was the best five-star hotel in City A. It had numerous luxurious facilities such as a swimming pool, hot spring, spa club, KTV, and other entertainment venues. The grandest of it was the revolving restaurant on the top floor. The grandeur came with a price, of course. It was said that the minimum meal was 200, 000 dors per table. Mandy had been seven years old when she had first set foot there. Back then, she had won the grand prize of the final pianopetition for primary school students. Her parents had been so proud, and they had celebrated there. Her memory was so vivid, and she could almost see them having dinner at the revolving restaurant. Standing there, she could see the panoramic view of the city. At night, cruise ships upied the river. It was a breathtaking scene. As those happy memories enveloped her, tears welled in her eyes again. It was like a fragile shback; she could see it but could not touch it. She felt insecure as those happy moments seemed to be far-fetched now, considering their present condition. "Good evening, Ma''am! Do you have a reservation?" the hotel receptionist politely asked. Mandy blinked back to reality and gathered her thoughts. "Good evening! Tyler Li made a reservation for our group dinner meeting. May I know where?" "Ah, yes. The revolving restaurant on the top floor. Please follow our staff," the receptionist answered her with a warm smile. The staff guided Mandy to the said room. When Mandy arrived at the restaurant, she saw the hospital director, Tyler Li, sitting next to an empty main seat. Harry Li was beside him as well. All the staff of the Cardiology Department was already in their seats. Apparently, she was thest one to arrive. ''Why is Tyler not in the main seat? Is there a VIPing?'' she wondered. "Mandy, you''re here!" Tyler said with a smile. He was delighted to see her arrive. Mandy smiled back and apologized, "Yes. I''m sorry, I''mte." This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "It''s okay. Our distinguished guest hasn''t arrived yet anyway," Tyler said. "Have a seat." When she settled down, Mandy repeated, "Distinguished guest?" She wrinkled her forehead in puzzlement and asked, "Who?" The next second, a good-looking towering man with fairplexion suddenly appeared at the entrance of the revolving restaurant. He looked so presentable and manly in his expensive suit. His handsome features were evident as the light from the crystalmp touched his face. His presence brought silence as he caught the attention of the crowd. Only the sound of astonishment could be heard from her female colleagues. They were shocked to see him there. Nobody had expected that Nathan would join them. Tyler did mention that one distinguished guest woulde, but he didn''t say who it was. Everyone was surprised, except Mandy. Her face became extremely pale. Thankfully her scant blush- on and lipstick brought color to her fair skin; otherwise, she would have looked like a corpse sitting there as she felt her blood flow. She took a deep breath and drank the water in front of her to calm her nerves. With a big smile reaching his ears, Tyler stood up and crossed the distance between him and Nathan. He offered his hand as he greeted him "Hello, Mr. Jin!" "Hi, Mr. Li!" Nathan replied as they shook hands. With one hand in his pocket, Nathan spoke and behaved in a noble manner. Even the arrogant Tyler Li respected him. As Tyler stood up, people from the Cardiology Department also stood up to wee Nathan. Mandy followed against her will and gave him a reluctant smile too. She had to behave ordingly for the sake of Mr. Li. "You look very beautiful tonight, Dr. Zhou," Nathan said when he sat down. Surprisingly, she was the first one he noticed among the crowd. Mandy cursed him in her head for the out-loudpliment, ''Darn it, Nathan, why say that in public? You''re such a troublemaker. I don''t like people staring at me.'' Mandy pulled a shy smile and slightly bowed her head. "Thank you, Mr. Jin," Mandy said, feigning gratitude. Deep inside, she wished that she would just be swallowed by the thin air and disappear in the darkness of the night. "Have you met each other before?" Tyler asked with caution, looking from Nathan to Mandy. Of course, nothing was impossible with Nathan Jin. Mandy was a good looking and smart woman herself. But still, he was surprised they already knew each other. Last night, Tyler had received a call from Nathan about his n to invest 30 million dors in JR Hospital. Tyler had been so excited that he had a hard time falling asleep. To his delight, Nathan had also proposed to have dinner with all the staff of the Cardiology Department at the Royal International Hotel, owned by JS International. The following morning, Tyler had announced the good news to everyone. Chapter 19 A Wave of Hostility Chapter 19 A Wave of Hostility "Yes, I know her," Nathan confirmed without hesitation as if they had known each other for a long time. Nathan looked at Mandy''s hazel eyes. They sparkled even without beaming a smile. At the table, they sat opposite each other; hence, when they looked up, they faced each other directly. Nathan noticed Mandy''s fair skin blushed automatically as their gaze met. Her innocent face intrigued Nathan and sent unknown sparks of emotion to his manhood. He smiled when she blushed and thought, ''This woman is shy.'' "Miss Zhou is so young and promising! She is the youngest surgeon at our hospital. We should not underestimate her!" Tyler remarked to help Mandy build her confidence. As a man himself, he had immediately noticed Nathan''s overt interest in Mandy. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Mandy felt more ufortable when Tyler praised her and apparently built her up before Nathan. ''What''s the matter?'' she thought to herself. She kept her silence. Flustered, she bowed to hide her poker face while biting her lower lip. Her mind boggled, ''What''s going on here?'' She took a deep breath to release the tension so she could think clearly. She spected, ''Could this dinner be an ambush?'' Her paranoid thoughts were put to a halt when the waiter served all the dishes with five bottles of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1982, an overly expensive wine usually served on special asions. When she smelled and saw the sumptuous meal, Mandy stopped spoiling her night with baseless assumptions. She upied her mind with her food. She was starving, so she kept herself busy eating. She was embarrassed and hungry, yet she disyed finesse and grace despite the awkward situation¨C evidence of a cultureddy. "Mr. Jin, thank you for your investment in JR Hospital. On behalf of our team, I sincerely thank you," Tyler said to break the silence. He stood up and proposed a toast. Everyone raised their sses ordingly. "You should thank Miss Zhou. She did a great job with my uncle''s surgery," Nathan said with a smile after draining his ss. "Thank you, Mr. Jin," Mandy said with a faint smile on her beautiful face. She blushed again but much less now. Perhaps the wine had helped to calm her nerves. One of her colleagues proposed a toast, "To Miss Zhou!" The crowd cheered as they raised their sses again. Mandy swept her eyes to her colleagues with a sweet smile and slightly bowed with gratitude. Everybody was happy for her except Harry. His face was expressionless. He gave her a cold look from his seat, instead of standing up to join the others for a toast. It did not bother her at all. Since she had arrived, he had given her an unweing stare, good thing she was used to his arrogance and dislike of her. The dinner had a jovial conclusion. Everyone had a great time except Mandy. "Are you guys free for the rest of the night?" Nathan asked when the waiter served their dessert. Mandy sighed discretely with disappointment. Just when she thought she could go home already, Nathan was about to propose another irresistible invitation. "Yes!" "So am I." There was an unspoken agreement among her colleagues. Even a fool could understand what Nathan implied in his question. He was about to invite them for a post-dinner fete. For what it was worth, who was Nathan? Even people who had priormitments would be willing to cancel them for Nathan. It was a privilege and a rare opportunity. The women seemed to be delighted at the thought that they would be spending more time with him. "Why don''t we go to the KTV together? It''s also at the hotel," Nathan proposed. "Since we are here already, we should have a good time. This one''s on me," he offered. Mandy wanted to stand up and say that she had something else to deal with, but when she saw Tyler''s joy and excitement, she didn''t want to burst his bubble, so she held back the words she wanted to say. Nathan had reserved a luxurious private room with two floors. He sat on the shiny leather sofa on the lower floor. Several female doctors flocked around him. Apparently, they devoured his presence with their shameless foxy looks directed at him. Mandy stayed in the room for a while as a courtesy. When she couldn''t take it anymore, she found an excuse to go out to breathe some fresh air. ''Even the air was infected by Nathan!'' Mandy found herself on the rooftop after treading a dark corridor with bright neon signs as the only source of light. The night breeze touched her face, and her hair danced with the cool wind. The air smelled musty because it had been raining in City A for several days. Just like her restless heart...Wet, gloomy, and desperate for sunshine. As long as her father was locked up in the police station, Mandy could not sleep well or have peace of mind. Fortunately, she was a strong person who could stand great pressure. She had to work hard to support their family in the future. Chapter 20 Have You Ever Despaired Chapter 20 Have You Ever Despaired "What are you thinking about out here alone?" a cold voice said from behind while Mandy was indulging in her moment spent alone in contemtion. She was at a corner with her hands on the rails staring nkly at the night sky. Mandy slowly turned around and curled her arms in front of her. ''Nathan Jin?!'' she thought in surprise upon seeing him standing behind her. ''Why did he follow me?'' she asked in her head while releasing a deep sigh. "I needed some fresh air," Mandy said without looking at him. She slightly twisted her head, staring at the view of the city. She wasn''t aware that Nathan was observing her every move. Nathan pulled his face and said, "Good excuse!" His dark eyes were stern, and she could sense danger from his looks. "Mr. Jin, I''m leaving," Mandy said shakily. Nathan noticed her strange reaction. ''She''s making excuses, '' he thought. There was pressure, and he didn''t know where it wasing from. He closed the distance between them with quick strides. Mandy froze where she stood until Nathan reached her, and their faces were only an inch away from each other. "You want to leave?" he asked skittishly. There was eagerness in his eyes. His manly deep voice reverberated in the cold dark night. Nathan moved a bit, and before she knew it, Mandy was firmly imprisoned in his arms, and his warm breath fell onto her face. Mandy felt burned by their closeness. "What the hell do you want?" Mandy asked in surprise. She struggled to get away from him. Mandy wondered, ''I have done nothing to wrong him. Why is he doing this to me?'' "What do you want?" Nathan asked in an exasperated voice. "Tell me, and I can help you," he said as a softmand. Nathan hugged her even tighter. Mandy could even smell his enticingly aromatic and masculine scent. She became more aware and nervous. She clenched her fists and moved with slight resistance. Mandy may be young but not naive. She clearly assumed and read between the lines of what Nathan said. The Zhou Family was in financial trouble and desperately needed his help. Nathan indirectly expressed an indecent proposal to her to be his woman. "Mr. Jin, you must have misunderstood. I don''t want anything." She swallowed after saying those words. Nathan released her and put his arms around her waist. Mandy felt embarrassed by the huge seduction act. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Mandy, have you ever despaired?" Nathan asked, ignoring her confusion. He pulled her and suddenly pushed her with both hands. Her back hung up on the guardrail. Her eyes widened like saucers when she realized that she could easily fall from the rooftop with half of her body almost hanging over. Nathan pinched her neck fiercely as if he wanted to push her into hell. Her fear magnified. With her head down, Mandy could see the stream of cars underneath. She felt her heart jump abnormally with fear. For a moment, she thought it would be much better if she died. That way, she would not have to suffer as much. She blinked and closed her eyes. Facing oblivion, she thought, ''I''m tired, really exhausted.'' Suddenly, she felt a warmth enveloping her waist. It took some time for Mandy toe back to her senses. She realized that she was so vulnerable. She had even thought about dying. ''No, I can''t die. If I die, who will take good care of my parents?'' When Mandy finally stood on her feet, Nathan sneered, "We won''t be relieved until we die. And we have to endure the hardship of living." Mandy raised her head and looked at Nathan. He always kept a feigned smile on his face, which was dangerously unpredictable. He had been like this since the moment she saw him hours ago. She felt that she had fallen into hell. The smart words that came out of Nathan''s mouth made Mandy feel that he was sneering at her. ''Ha-ha-ha! Why would a young master like him, who lived afortable and well-off life, ever feel tired of living? Does he always make fun of other people? He does find happiness in the pain or suffering of others, doesn''t he?'' Chapter 21 Dealing With A Scumbag Chapter 21 Dealing With A Scumbag "Are you fooling around with me? Is this just an act?" Mandy asked in distress. She couldn''t read what was going on in Nathan''s mind. Nathan chuckled. "Look, this is not a y, but a rehearsal. Life is like a drama. For now, I just want you to see it clearly and not be so desperate," Nathan said slowly, allowing her to understand. His dark eyes shone against the stillness of the dark night, radiating their unique manly charm. ''Desperate?'' Mandy heard the word echoing in her ears. She couldn''t fight it. Her tears were about to burst from her eyes as she sumbed to self-pity. She couldn''t believe Nathan called her desperate. She had always been an optimist. Mandy thought she had already mastered the art of hiding negative emotions. Unfortunately, Nathan could see through her, time and again. "Nathan Jin, you don''t know me. You know nothing. You don''t have the right to judge me. We live in two different worlds. I don''t want to get involved with you in any way. If ever I did you wrong, please do forgive me," Mandy said. She meant every word she said while looking firmly at his dark eyes. Mixed emotions ran through her whole body, but she was determined to tell Nathan that she wanted him out of her way¡­That she didn''t need his help¡­.That she was not desperate. To seal her sincerity, she bowed to him. The thought of her father being bullied in the police station and the bruises on his face caused her so much pain. But she had to be strong and never allow distress to control her life. She used to have a carefree life when she was younger, and she was determined and strong enough to get that life back. "Two different worlds?" Nathan repeated in sarcastic confusion. "How could two worlds exist on earth?" he asked. "Stop pretending to be pure and lofty in front of me," Nathan added coldly. He was irritated at Mandy''s stubbornness and great pretense. Mandy swallowed as she couldn''t find the right words to say. She knew what Nathan meant, and she could exin, but his mean confrontation left her in silence. "Mandy, don''t be so stubborn." His handsome face portrayed impatience as his eyes narrowed. He was about to say something that might hurt her ego. "You are singing in front of a crowd for a living..." Nathan''s words were brought to a halt when Mandy''s phone suddenly rang. Mandy quickly canceled the call when she saw the caller''s ID. It was Daniel. She was not in the mood to answer it. A few secondster, she heard her message alert tone. She checked the message and found a photo of her father...helplessly beaten by a group of people at the police office. Mandy trembled in worry, pain, and anger. She mentally stammered, ''This is horrible! How could Daniel be so cruel and merciless?!'' She was about to cry again but controlled her weakness. Concerned by Mandy''s awful state, Nathan held her hand, cast a stern nce at her cell phone, and frowned. "Was it from your ex-boyfriend?" He knew it was. He just didn''t want to appear intrusive. Mandy nodded and deleted the photo quickly. She was heartbroken at the thought that her father was unjustly and severely suffering at the police office. "Over the years, my father treated Daniel well. Now, for whatever stupid reason I don''t understand, Daniel made a false charge against my father!" Mandy said furiously. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "There''s nothing you can do at the moment. It''s no use getting angry. The best way to deal with a scumbag is to punish him severely," Nathan calmly suggested. Though he calmly said the words, he himself was furious inside. He may have tried to hide it, but his eyes were burning with rage. Mandy held the phone tightly as tears welled in her eyes. She could no longer hold her frustrations and expressed them out loud. "Yes, I''m really useless! Yes, I''m good for nothing," she admitted. Lowering her head, she sobbed with her hands covering her tear-stained face, and she bit her lips in pain. She would never forget how humiliated and hurt she had been! "Be my woman. I can give you whatever you want. I''ll help you with your ns," Nathan said sharply. A hint of a malicious and insidious expression glimmered in his dark eyes. He didn''t like to see Mandy wearing a sad face. He wanted tofort her and wrap her in his strong arms at seeing the sheepish state she was in, but he controlled himself. Chapter 22 Too Late Chapter 22 Too Late Mandy took a deep breath and said, "Please, save my father first. Is that possible?" Mandy projected her soft side as she begged for her father''s immediate need. Her sweet and meek look touched Nathan and caused him to think twice. Nathan''s calm eyes exhibited an unspoken roguish grin, his thin lips twitched, and he said coldly, "No." ''He refused!'' Mandy''s sweet face changed in an instant. Her stomach twisted, and her eyes widened at his sharp refusal and sudden change of mind. Mandy had expected that he would not agree. She just felt helpless about her father''s horrible situation. She thought, ''He is right. If I don''t ept his proposal, why would he help me?'' Hot tears fell down her delicate face, and hopelessness swept inside her. Unsure if she was doing the right thing, she asked slowly, "What if I agree to your condition?" "Toote," he answered quickly with his arms folded in front of him, and his dark eyes gazed at her smooth face. He didn''t want to see her like that, nor did he want to make things difficult for her, but he realized he wanted something else. Mandy closed her eyes in agony as she took deep breaths. She slowly opened her eyes. They were red and puffy now. She wiped her tears with her empty hand, shed a brittle smile, and said, "I know." Mandy turned around to leave with her remaining pride, but Nathan quickly stopped her and softly said, "I want you to ept me willingly, rather than being forced by a situation like this." Nathan was not used to begging for eptance nor demanding it with conditions. After honestly expressing his thoughts, he squinted and smirked. He preferred that she agreed willingly to be his mistress. Mandy froze at those words. She thought that bing his mistress out of her willingness was a curse. She knew that it would be hard for her to refuse Nathan. ''Maybe one day, I will really fall in love with him. Who knows what will happen in the future?'' she thought. ''For now, I have no special someone. My recent heartbreak made me a skeptic. How could I fall in love so easily or expect to be loved back?'' Though the cold night breeze and fresh air on the rooftop brought a good mood, Mandy was apparently disturbed by Nathan''s presence. Mandy arrivedte at her apartment. It was already half past ten. She cautiously opened the door, hoping not to disturb her mother. "Mandy, you''re back," her mom said. The soft voice came from the living room. "Mom?" she replied. She did not expect her mother would still be up. She turned on the light and found her mom patiently sitting on the sofa, waiting for her. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Go to bed now and get enough rest. You still need to go to work tomorrow morning," Madeline said without enthusiasm. Apparently, her mother had been as worried as her. She was restless from all their troubles and their uncertain future. Mandyzily sat down on the sofa. She felt exhausted. She bit her lips and asked, "Mom, it''ste. Why don''t you go to bed?" "I''m waiting for your father," Madeline answered calmly. Her contracted brows then rxed slightly. Mandy felt like her heart was stabbed repeatedly upon hearing those words. Her parents had an excellent rtionship. They had loved each other very much since they got married. They had never been separated like this. "Mom, Dad is..." she cleared her throat. "Dad won''t be home for a while. You can go to bed tonight," Mandy finished. Looking at her mom, Mandy felt extreme sadness and pain for her, but she held back the tears in her eyes. For a moment, she understood that kind of true love. She realized that love was not about eating out or seeing a movie, but about havingpany. As long as the person you loved was by your side every day, even if you had simple meals, you would still be happy. "Mandy, I called your father''s friends today. Some of them didn''t answer the phone, some said that they were busy, and some said that they could do nothing. You see..." Madeline stammered, looking for the right words to release her emotions. "What kind of friends are they?!" Madeline said furiously. She became flustered and pped her thighs in frustration. Chapter 23 Being Set Up In A Bar Chapter 23 Being Set Up In A Bar ''When thepany was running well, they were good friends. When something went wrong, they suddenly became strangers.'' Mandy grimaced at the thought. ''This is the harsh reality. Indeed, nothing is permanent. You would know your true friends when you are at your worst, '' Mandy thought to herself. "Mom, it''s normal. That''s how things work in this world. Now that you have seen their true colors, don''t try to reach out to those people again," Mandy said as she stretched out her hands to give her mom a comforting hug. Now, it was her turn to take good care of her mother, especially now that her father was away. "Mandy, let''s visit your father tomorrow, okay?" Madeline suggested. She had stayed home the whole day. But she didn''t dare to visit her husband, afraid that he would feel sorry for her. "Mom, I''ve already been to the police station today. The officers said that we can''t visit dad for a week," Mandy lied. She was afraid that her mom would be more depressed if she saw the awful situation with her father. "Really?" Madeline doubted. She definitely longed to see her husband. She rubbed her temples and slowly closed her eyes. That night, Mandy couldn''t sleep and kept turning in her bed. She was bothered by problems all night. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. She looked out of the window. The scenery had dramatically changed. She used to see and appreciate the most beautiful night scenes of the city, but now, all she could see was darkness. She had recently been miserable like this. There was no progress in thepany''s business, and the policemen said that the case was still under investigation. For unknown reasons, Mandy had not been allowed to visit her father at the police station for six days now. She was furious. She guessed that it was Nathan''s ploy to show her what he was capable of. ''That self-absorbed, arrogant man! Does he really want me to kneel down and beg him?'' Mandy thought to herself. For the past six days, Mandy had felt confident and calm because Nathan did not bother her. In the Queen Bar, Harry Li, the head of the Cardiology department, celebrated his birthday. The staff of the department had reserved a private room for his party. Mandy was thest one to arrive. She was hesitant to be in this bar because of her previous experience. She had too much to drink then, and she had been drugged. That had led to her losing her virginity. Her colleagues had already drunk a lot. When Harry noticed that Mandy came inte, he smiled and joked, "Mandy, why are you sote? Do you look down on me?" It was said in a friendly manner but apparently implied a double meaning. Mandy knew that Harry didn''t like her because her existence threatened his position. "Harry, I''m so sorry to bete. I needed to attend to a family matter. I''ll make up by drinking three sses of wine," Mandy replied humbly. She knew the rules, so she took up her ss and immediately drank three sses of wine. Harry''s eyes were filled with mischievous ns. He gave a crooked smile and said, "Mandy, you''re awesome. Why not have a good time tonight?" Mandy drank too much. So much that she did not notice how many sses she had. She was so tipsy that she almost stumbled on her way to the bathroom. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . A man dressed in a handmade Italian suit sat in the VIP room near them and was darting Mandy a cold stare. He studied her every move with his dark eyes. ''I haven''t seen her for only a few days, and she''s enjoyed her carefree life all too well. She even maximizes her blithe enjoyment by getting drunk in a bar. How could she?'' Nathan thought to himself. The expression on his handsome face reflected resentment. The deputy mayor who was discussing business with him noticed that Nathan had lost his focus. Chapter 24 Encounter With A Rogue Chapter 24 Encounter With A Rogue Confused with Nathan''s unlikely expression, he asked, "Mr. Jin, what are you looking at?" The deputy mayor did not wait for an answer and curiously looked in the direction of Nathan''s gaze. He was looking at the woman sitting on the bar counter. "Nothing," Nathan said coldly, brushing off his thoughts. He turned to the deputy mayor, hid his emotions, and tried to focus on their conversation. "Well, Mr. Jin. Have a smoke," the deputy mayor said. He offered to light a cigarette for Nathan. Nathan took the cigarette and sandwiched it in between his two fingers. He would hit it from time to time, hoping the nicotine would rx his nerves. Against the light, there was a faint loneliness on his face. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Mr. Jin, what do you think about my proposal?" The deputy mayor tried to start another conversation. He moved closer. "To tell you the truth, I''m more than willing to sell at the lowest price..." he murmured near Nathan''s ear. Unfortunately, Nathan wasn''t paying much attention as he hit his cigar indifferently. He was totally covered by smoke. As Mandy was absentmindedly sitting in silence, a tall man suddenly embraced her and asked, "Hey, are you here alone?" Horror was drawn on Mandy''s face. She was so scared that she almost fell down from the chair. Mandy had drunk too much and wanted to recover in silence by sitting alone at the bar counter. She was scared to death when she saw the strange man. There was extreme panic in her eyes when she stared at the man and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing?" she almost screamed. "Who am I? Don''t worry. I''m a good man," the stranger said with a smile without saying his name. "My friends are all in the booth over there. Would you like to join us?" the man asked as he gestured, pointing to a group of people. "No," Mandy sternly refused. She shook her head and felt so helpless. ''Why do I suddenly feel dizzy? Did I drink too much?'' she asked herself. "Miss, it''s boring to be alone. I promise you will be happy with me," the man murmured beside her ear. Mandy distanced herself and felt irritated when the man winked at her viciously. "Stay away from me! Or I''ll call the police!" Mandy pushed him away and threatened him. However, she felt like she was moving in circles, her head was getting heavier, and her body was strangely hot. Unshaken by Mandy''s refusal, the man said, "Wow, what a hot temper!" Challenged and irritated, he pulled Mandy''s arms. Mandy looked around for help. She didn''t find any acquaintance as her colleagues were in the private room. No one here would notice her since it was normal for a man and a woman to stay together in a bar. Mandy was terrified at the thought of that. The man was dragging her towards the bathroom. Mandy felt too feeble to even shout for help while struggling. "Hel..." She took a deep breath. After gathering all her strength, she shouted, "Help!" Mandy was shocked by her own voice. ''How did ite to this?'' she was wondering. She could barely hear her own voice, with it being too low. "Come on baby." The man put his arm around her to hide her resistance. Realizing that the man was about to pull her into the bathroom, Mandy aggressively bit the man''s arm with anger. The man let her go in pain. But her legs seemed wobbly, and she couldn''t run as fast as she wanted. "You bitch! How dare you bite me!" the man said angrily with such fury in his red eyes. His male ego turned him into a monster. He raised his hand, intending to give her a heavy p. But before it could reach Mandy''s face, someone pulled Mandy away from him. The strange man almost fell on the ground. He looked carefully when he regained his bnce. There was a handsome man standing in front of him whose eyes were filled with a terrifying and bloodthirsty desire to beat someone to death. Chapter 25 Are You Willing To Repay Me Chapter 25 Are You Willing To Repay Me His face was so expressive. The powerful man looked familiar. The stranger recognized that the man in front of him was none other than Nathan Jin, the CEO of the JS International. "Get out of here!" Nathan said in a low yetmanding voice. Nathan''s piercing dark eyes were fixed on him. The man was so frightened that his legs wobbled, and he struggled to walk away. He was certain that offending Nathan was not a good move. Upon hearing Nathan''s frightening voice, Mandy came back to her senses in a second. She realized Nathan was holding her in his right arm. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "It''s you¡­" she stammered. "What are you doing here?" she asked in amazement. Mandy stared at Nathan with her eyes as wide as saucers. She didn''t expect anyone to save her, much less Nathan. "I happened to be here for business," Nathan replied. The look on his face softened as he put on his twinkling eyes and disarming smile. "Oh..." Mandy gasped. "Thank you!" she added scantly. Mandy didn''t know what to say. She was in total shock. Nathan would always appear from nowhere when she least expected. He was always there, disturbing her. Mandy reminded herself to be grateful instead of ridiculing him. After all, Nathan just saved her life. "Are you willing to repay me?" Nathan asked frankly. His voice was bewitching. Another fear of uncertainty enveloped her. Mandy was astonished at his question. rm bells rang in her head, so she feigned puzzlement, "What do you mean?" She didn''t know why Nathan was being difficult. ''Why would he take advantage of my weakness?'' she wondered. Still tipsy, she almost lost her bnce. She would have fallen to the ground if Nathan hadn''t strongly held her in his arms. "The good man who saves others never asks for repayment," Mandy argued while pouting. She stared at Nathan in a daze. Nathan''s face was so close to hers, and his handsome features became clear in front of her: his well-chiseled face, thin lips, and dark seductive eyes. She swallowed in the pleasure of being close to him as she rejected all the desires she felt. "I''m a businessman, and I don''t settle on a lost deal," Nathan teased. He effortlessly wore a charming smile as he drew her closer by her waist. Mandy felt ufortable, and she struggled to free herself and cried, "Let me go, pervert!" At first, Mandy had been grateful that Nathan had saved her life. But the words Nathan said had turned her off. She found it too inappropriate and very ungentlemanly of him. Indeed he had saved Mandy but with a hidden agenda. He wanted her to pay him back. "Yeah, I''m a pervert. Did you just realize that now?" Nathan mocked. He quickly loosened his grip on her. Mandy immediately fell to the ground on her knees. Feeling the pain, Mandy angrily red at Nathan and growled, "Hey, are you crazy? Why didn''t you warn me before you took your hands off?" "Why did you call me a pervert?" he retorted. Mandy''s face darkened. She slowly stood up by leaning on the wall. With a surge of heat from anger, she blushed and said, "Such a mean guy!" Nathan crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Mandy. Secondster, he smirked, "Hey,dy. Are you going to crawl back home on your hands and knees like this?" Mandy frowned and said, "It''s none of your business. Just stay away from me!" "If you go on like this, you will definitely run into real perverts," Nathan insisted with a teasing smile. His eyes were so lively as if he was waiting for something interesting to happen. "Running into a real pervert is better than running into a terrorist like you!" Mandy was so annoyed. She pushed him away to no avail. Instead, undeterred Nathan dragged her into his arms with full strength. The smell of tobo from Nathan made her blush. Her body felt unfamiliar waves of heat igniting her feminine senses. Nathan certainly knew what happened to her, but he wouldn''t dare tell her now. Chapter 26 Its Better That You Dont Mind It Chapter 26 It''s Better That You Don''t Mind It Perhaps tonight, Mandy was doomed to be with Nathan. "My dear, it''s pointless to be angry." He brushed her arms. "Come on, let me help you calm down," Nathan said slowly. After a few steps, he scooped Mandy up without a word and carried her out of the bar. When they were out, a gust of cold wind blew, and Mandy felt much morefortable. She felt a little cold and couldn''t help but lean closer to Nathan. ''Why do I enjoy being this close with Nathan now?'' Mandy wondered. Mandy was surprised by the unlikelyfort. She must be crazy. When she was about to struggle, Nathan had already put her inside the car. Mandy suddenly came to her senses, but her body heat was increasing. While in the passenger''s seat, she tried to release some heat by pulling her clothes away from her body and to let some air touch her skin. "In heat? I guess your body was telling you that...you need to release those female hormones by making love tonight," Nathan humorously said while settling in the driver''s seat. Nathan leaned over to fasten the seat belt for Mandy. "You wish!" Mandy red at him. Her eyes were furious with disgust as she struggled to get out of the car. But Nathan was swift. He had already locked the door and buckled the seat belt. He said, "You''re ready, aren''t you?" N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Being aware that she was trapped, Mandy didn''t know what to say, nor how to react. She only heard the sound of the wind blowing in her ears. When they reached the Fantasy Hotel, Mandy had almost exhausted her remaining energy after having drunk too much alcohol. Nathan parked the car in the basement and went into the elevator with Mandy in his arms. Mandy felt so sedated that she could no longer resist. "This must be crazy." She tried to open her eyes, but the bright light was blinding, so she closed her eyes again and asked in a weak voice, "Hey, where on earth are you taking me?" In her mind, Mandy panicked as she had already guessed the answer. She knew that Nathan was taking her to a private room. When they reached the 13th floor, they entered Room 1314, the presidential suite. "Rx, I don''t need you to marry me. Just stay with me for one night as a reward," Nathan whispered. Nathan pressed his finger on the door''s ess pad, and it opened automatically. "So many women would throw themselves at you. Why me?" Mandy felt uneasy and anxious when she saw the door close. She released a shallow sigh as she closed her eyes in worry. "Really? That''s what bothers you?" Nathan asked as he walked towards the bed. The dim light enabled Mandy to open her eyes. She noticed a smirk at the corner of Nathan''s mouth. "No, I don''t mind at all. That''s a nonsense question," Mandy said to pull thest string of her pride. She didn''t mind if he went out with a hundred women every day. It was none of her business. "Good. I don''t mind, either," Nathan said jokingly. He threw Mandy on the bed like a piece of paper. Mandy''s slim figure looked so light and was effortlessly carried by Nathan''s manly physique. Mandy felt her body drooping heavily. When she leaned against the bed and swept her eyes around her, she realized the extent of danger she was in. "What! You bastard," she yelled. Her head was still heavy, but Mandy tried to get up. Before she could set her feet on the floor, Nathan came over to her and took off his suit. She couldn''t move as she was pressed down by Nathan, so she could only stare at him with fierce eyes. Nathan sneered, bent over, and slowly kissed Mandy on her neck. Mandy felt the electricity spread all over her body, and her body became stiff. She tried hard to push Nathan away, but he was like a huge stone pressing her down so hard that she gasped for air. "Stop struggling. I know that you want me, too," Nathan teased. Looking at the desire on Mandy''s face, he knew that she was really trying to endure. "You are not qualified to be the master," Mandy said angrily. She didn''t mean it, but she said it to insult and turn him off, hoping he would stop. "Really?" Nathan said in disbelief. "Then you''d better try and see whether I am qualified to satisfy your desire," he challenged. There was a hint of irritation in his voice. ''What did she mean by not qualified? To be the most powerful man?'' Nathan thought furiously. That was a ridiculous opinion because there were so many women who wanted to have sex with Nathan. If he did not have self-discipline, perhaps he could have fathered several children by now to prove his virility. Chapter 27 Saving A Video As Evidence Chapter 27 Saving A Video As Evidence "You are the devil, Nathan. I promise, you will regret it!" Mandy screamed while thrashing with her fists. Though she wanted to stop him, she felt that the strong desire in her body was slowly invading her sanity as if what Nathan had said was right. "For what?" Nathan sneered. The cold emotion that reflected in his eyes made Mandy miserable, thinking there was no mercy left in him. "I will use you of raping me! You won''t get away with this!" Mandy red as tears sprung out her eyes. "Really? Do you mean it? I''ll record the videoter so that when you go to the court, it can serve as evidence," Nathan mocked with a smirk that creased his face. "Son of a bitch! You are a rapist!" Tears welled up in Mandy''s eyes. She had never before been insulted and humiliated like this. Seeing Mandy''s pitiful look, Nathan almost had mercy on her. However, the rage that was circling in his mind immediately shattered his sympathy. "Mandy, don''t pretend to be innocent. Do you think I don''t know that you want it now?" That recent night, Nathan and Mandy had engaged in sex several times. Every touch and kiss had caused Nathan to want her more. He couldn''t forget the shared arousal with her in his bed. After that night, he hade to know Mandy so well. Now, Mandy felt the humiliation surround her, so her face turned green out of rage, and she roared, "Get out of here, Nathan, get out!" "Okay. I''ll get out of here. You can get out with me." Just then, a ripping sound echoed in the air as Mandy''s shirt was torn apart. When the shirt was ripped open, Mandy subconsciously covered her chest with her hands. Her porcin skin seemed so soft that the air could pierce it. Yet, the scars that had been hidden on her chest left Nathan stunned. It was a long scar. ''She was in such pain at that time. But why didn''t she die?'' Nathan thought to himself with a furrowing brow. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "Get your dirty hands off of me, you scumbag!" Mandy acted restlessly, for she didn''t know how her hands could cover her naked body. She sweated when she noticed the lust in Nathan''s eyes, making her cheeks immediately heat up. The corners of Nathan''s lips twitched up into an evil smile. "Didn''t you ask me to get out of here, Mandy?" Of course, Mandy knew she could not stop Nathan anymore. Surely, he had been holding in the strong desire to take action. As he thrust his member into her spot, she felt an instant stinging pain in her body. Her eyes grew wide, and then she simultaneously hit Nathan''s chest with her fists. Suddenly, Nathan gawked at Mandy''s tears slipping from her eyes. In her tears, he saw the reflection of his irises, glowing like the stars in the night sky, and a warm smile stered on his face as he leaned forward to im her lips. Nathan kissed her passionately and wildly as if he was ready to devour her whole. It was a long night filled with passion. In the early morning, sunshine shone into the room through the gap between the thick curtains. Nathan had already woken up. He hadn''t developed the habit of sleepingte, but the person in his arms hadn''t woken up. After the long and wild night, Nathan was very satisfied at seeing Mandy so very exhausted that she had fallen fast asleep in his arms again. A grin showed up in his face every now and then. With her eyes closed, she looked delicate and innocent, which attracted Nathan. Nathan had never been like this. He had never stared at a woman for such a long time like this before. He doubted from the bottom of his heart that Mandy was a prig because she could sleep for so long. It had been two and a half hours since he had opened his eyes. It seemed that Mandy was really tired after last night. He heaved out a deep sigh and stared at the ceiling, waiting patiently, when suddenly, the woman in his grip flinched. Mandy was now fully awake, and she frowned at the scene¨C when she found that she was lying in Nathan''s arms. For a moment, Mandy was stunned until she realized what had just urredst night. The picture of her crying as Nathan proudly insulted her came to her mind, but she couldn''t remember what had happened next. Now, she only felt pain throughout her body, making her scowl even more. Chapter 28 Good Morning Chapter 28 Good Morning "Good morning," Nathan said huskily. Mandy ignored him and turned around. She didn''t want to see him at all. "What''s wrong?" he said while still looking at her lovely face as the scant rays of sunlight prating the window lit it. "Do you really hate me so much?" Nathan asked in a joking tone to lighten up the mood. He was in a good mood, wearing a smug smile on his face. Nathan was delighted to have owned Mandy twice. What made him even happier was her virginity. Being her first was indeed a surprise. "Ha-ha-ha. Funny, isn''t it?" Mandy sneered. Of course, it was unnecessary for Nathan to ask such a stupid question with an obvious answer. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Tell me what you want. Name it," Nathan offered seriously. He thought he shouldpensate her. It could have been a generous offer, but his words made him sound arrogant. The offer left her silent. She bit her lips and clenched her fists tightly. Seeing her trembling body, Nathan tried tofort her by rubbing her shoulders, but she coldly rejected it. Mandy closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "My father..." When she opened her eyes, Mandy stared at Nathan nervously. "Don''t worry. Your father is fine now." Nathan gave her a warm smile with his sexy thin lips. The good news about her father calmed Mandy''s restless heart and somehow gave her peace of mind. Mandy was speechless at the suddenfort. To break the silence, Nathan chuckled, "Get up. Put your clothes on, and I''ll take you home." Mandy hated following hismands like a servant. She couldn''t bear his bossy attitude, so instead of following him, she buried herself under the quilt. "You''re not getting up?" The look on Nathan''s face was still calm, but there was a hint of haughtiness in his tone. Mandy didn''t say a word. She just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. "Fine. If you don''t want to get up, let''s have another round." When she realized what he meant, Mandy quickly moved and sat up on the bed with the quilt covering her sleek, full breasts and down to her wlessly slim legs. Her exposed sexy shoulder was round and fair, and her hair fell on her corbone. Mandy pulled the quilt tighter to her body, and she fiercely stared at Nathan. Nathan wore a yful smile. He was just kidding and didn''t expect that Mandy woulde out so quickly. How innocent she was. "You put on your clothes first. Mine is apparently damaged." Her face turned red as she stared at her shirt on the nket. It had been torn by Nathan. How could she wear it now? Nathan opened the drawer and pulled out a dress from the bedside table. He handed it to her and said domineeringly, "Put it on." She didn''t expect that. ''How could there be a dress here?'' Mandy thought with confusion. It was pink, and she liked pink. "I''m going to change my clothes in the bathroom. You can change here. Call me when it''s done, and I''ll come out," Nathan said with a teasing smile as he walked away, almost naked. He was only wearing boxers with his evident morning wood. Mandy turned around and closed her eyes tightly. When he was out of sight, Mandy put on the dress in a sh. Embarrassed with her nudity, she did her best to get dressed and ready the fastest way she could. "You maye out," Mandy said after a nce at herself in the mirror. When she didn''t hear a response, Mandy stood awkwardly outside the fitting room and knocked on the door. Nathan came out with a handsome smile on his face. He was tall and straight in a suit, looking very handsome and unrestrained. She was awestruck but did not make it obvious. Instead, she rolled her eyes and thought to herself, ''A wolf in sheep''s clothes.'' When they reached the parking lot, Nathan walked straight to a ck Lamborghini sports car. Mandy caught a glimpse of the Lamborghini and muttered coldly, "Vulgar." "You will be as vulgar as me soon," he replied without expression. He was not mad at Mandy''s words at all. Instead, he was impressed by it. Mandy turned her head and said with contempt, "Humph, it won''t happen. Never." At that moment, Nathan saw a different side of Mandy¨Cchildish, innocent, and beautiful. It was as perfect as the other woman in his memory. Chapter 29 You Are Like A Fire Extinguisher Chapter 29 You Are Like A Fire Extinguisher "Hop in the car," Nathan ordered seriously. Mandy was obviously uncooperative. She stood there stiffly. "Lady, do you know the consequences of ying with fire?" Nathan snickered. His eyes were sparkling with passion and challenge. "Well, I am kind of a fire extinguisher!" Mandy unyieldingly retorted. "Yes, I know. I have experienced it. You are really like a fire extinguisher!" Nathan said sarcastically. Mandy was so embarrassed. She wished the ground would open and eat her. Mandy rolled her eyes, shook her head, and smiled ruefully at Nathan. She regretted saying those words. At that moment, Mandy felt that she waspletely defeated. She had no choice but to get inside the car. "Where do you live?" Nathan asked as he quickly fastened the seat belt. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "And why should I tell you?" Mandy replied stubbornly. She was determined to keep the friction between them with herst remaining ounce of pride. Obviously, she did not learn from her recent painful lesson. "Okay. Let''s go to my home," he countered with emphasis on his property. Without further ado, Nathan stepped on the gas and drove on. "Hey, wait. Wait!" Mandy shouted with frustration, trying to stop him. Mandy pouted, thinking that Nathan was so ruthless and would never ept defeat. "Oh? Why? You are going to tell me now?" Nathan smiled gently. The side view of his handsome face was emphasized. "Happy Residential Community," she said coldly. She didn''t want to expound. In fact, even if Mandy would not tell him her address, Nathan already knew it. Along the way, Mandy kept looking out of the window. It was a sunny day, but she was not in a good mood. She was not feeling well but couldn''t pour out her emotions. In the afternoon, she was back at her work at the JR Hospital. Mandy was silently sitting in the outpatient room, waiting for her patients. Nathan pushed the door open and entered the outpatient room. With a pair of sunsses and a neat suit, Nathan looked so handsome and cool. Without looking at the patient, Mandy swiped theputer card as she would usually do. Nathan''s name immediately popped up on theputer screen. She was startled and raised her head nervously. She saw Nathan was sitting on the chair with his legs crossed like a young gentleman. He was looking at Mandy curiously. "Are you sick?" she asked professionally. Mandy assumed that Nathan only came here to mess with her. But in this ce, he was a patient, and she just couldn''t throw him out. Therefore, she had to follow the medical protocol. "My heart hurts recently, but I don''t know why." Nathan kept his eyes looking straight at Mandy. A crooked yet charming smile was hanging at the corner of his mouth. "And¡­?" Mandy asked as she looked away and wrote on the medical record with a pen. She did her best to stay calm and restrained her mind from running wild. "No other symptoms. Only a heart ache," Nathan said. He unbuttoned his shirt and exaggerated his act by putting his hand on his chest to feel his heart. "Hey, what are you doing?" Mandy was so frightened that her eyes widened. She hastily stopped Nathan. "I''m just taking off my shirt so you can check me properly," Nathan smirked. He again wore his characteristically yful look on his face. In the blink of an eye, Nathan had already taken off his shirt, showing the strong chest muscles that he had always taken great pride in. Mandy swallowed and took a cold glimpse at it before listening to his heartbeat with the stethoscope. Everything seemed normal. Then she pressed on his chest. Nathan seemed to be veryfortable. He found pleasure in her touch as their skin made contact. If his heart really hurt, the pressure Mandy exerted would definitely have made him cry out. Quite the opposite, Nathan didn''t make a sound, nor did he react badly. He enjoyed it very much, with a faint smile on his face. Mandy wanted tough and cry all at once. She considered calling the police. A well-behaveddy had no fear of a pervert, but she was afraid of a smart pervert. Chapter 30 Better Go To The Psychiatry Department. Chapter 30 Better Go To The Psychiatry Department. "Well, I have done a checkup. There is nothing wrong with your heart. Take some proper rest when you go back. If you still feel the pain,e back to the hospital for a follow-up," Mandy cut straight to the point. She knew that Nathan was here to flirt with her, so she didn''t get angry with him. After all, she was a doctor, a doctor with good medical ethics! "Really? Are you sure my heart is all right?" Nathan asked with a somber expression. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Yes, I''m absolutely sure of it. Your heart is in very good condition," Mandy nodded and, after a pause, replied earnestly. Mandy tried to maintain her professional ethics despite Nathan''s annoying ways. "But can you exin why do I feel this pain in my heart? It must be love-sickness! What say you?" Nathan replied with a cynical smile. Mandy didn''t pay heed to Nathan''s words. Though she hadn''t spent much time with him, she had already seen through him. Nathan was indeed a wolf in sheep''s clothing. At that time, she did not bother to argue with him. She just swiped his card again and wished that he could leave immediately. But Nathan was in no mood to let go so easily. He apparently wanted to pester Mandy. He suddenly ced his big hand on the back of Mandy''s hand and let her feel his warmth. Mandy was shocked but refrained from reacting. She withdrew her hand right away. After putting the maic card into the notebook, Mandy shed a cordial smile and said, "Mr. Jin, you can go back home now?" "Are you so eager to drive me away?" Nathan replied as he smiled yfully. At that moment, he was yet to button up his shirt. "Please don''t be so capricious. You know, many other patients are waiting outside." "But as a doctor, you haven''t cured my illness yet." "What are you talking about? Do you want to challenge me?" Mandy stopped smiling and retorted in an angry tone. She felt that Nathan hade to the hospital on purpose only to mess with her. "Of course! I have doubts about your medical skill!" "ording to my examination, there''s nothing wrong with your heart. If you are still unsatisfied with my diagnosis, I would advise you to get an X-ray done first." "Who on earth recruited you for this job? Did you get here through the back door? Your medical skills are poor, your attitude bad," Nathan asked with a heinous smile. He started to button up his shirt with his slender fingers. "I think you had better go to the psychiatry department. Should I transfer your medical records over there right now?" Mandy answered coldly with her eyes fixed on the screen of theputer. "I would like to go to the hospital director toin about you right away!" Instead of getting angry, Nathan spoke aloud andughed wildly. "That''s exactly what I want!" Mandy bellowed at Nathan with gritted teeth. "You look so beautiful when you get angry. Don''t fret over it anymore. As your future husband, I won''t frustrate you and make things difficult for you. Let''s have dinner together tonight, okay?" "Hey, I haven''t yet said yes. I''m afraid I''ll vomit up all I have eaten if I have dinner with you," Mandy refuted scornfully. It turned out that Nathan had gone a long way to invite her to dinner. Mandy realized it with embarrassment. "It doesn''t matter if you vomit up. You know, I can take care of you! By the way, will youe to a hotel with me?" Nathan blurted shamelessly. "Get out! Get out of here right now!" Mandy bellowed as she put the medical record into Nathan''s hands. By this time, Mandy was fuming in rage. Her face had turned red, and her ears felt warm. "I''ll wait for you at five-thirty this evening, Venice Restaurant," Nathan said before he turned around and left. It took Mandy a minute to catch her breath after Nathan had left. She took a sip of water to calm her nerves. Before leaving the hospital that day, Mandy went to make a round of the patient''s ward to see how her patients were doing. Suddenly, Mandy saw ady in a dress out of Chanel''stest autumn collection, running around the hallway, with her face strewn with tears. Chapter 31 Nathans Mother Chapter 31 Nathan''s Mother When Mandy noticed her entering Luke''s ward, a cry suddenly burst out inside. Something felt uncanny, so she managed to have a look. "I am sorry foring in. Is everything alright here?" Mandy pushed the door open, barely frowning. Ady in her early forties had settled on the bedside, with one hand holding a handkerchief and the other on Luke''s hand, sobbing. Her makeup was so appealing as if it had been done by an exclusive makeup artist. There was no sign of gaining weight, and her skin was fair and stic for her age. Surely, she was cared for by just the look of her well-maintained appearance. "Don''tugh at me, Mandy. By the way, this is my sister. She just flew back from America," Luke exined to Mandy as he ced a hand on her shoulder,forting Daisy. Hearing this, Daisy gazed upon Mandy and said politely, "Hello, Dr. Zhou. I heard that it was you who did the surgery for my brother. Thank you very much." Mandy felt ttered by the unexpected gratefulness she received. If she guessed it right, the woman in front of her must be Nathan''s mother. She looked very gentle. Her behavior revealed a graceful etiquette of ady, which was quite contrary to her son''s crank ways and manner. Mandy thought that it might be the result of the mutation of the gene... "Madam, you''re wee. It is a doctor''s duty to save lives and heal the wounded. Since you are fine, I''ll excuse myself then. My apologies if I suddenly came inside. I thought there was something wrong since I heard sobs." Mandy''s lips twitched up, giving a graceful smile as she left the ward. After her working hours, Mandy went to Venice restaurant as scheduled. She arrived at half past five. The golden rays that the setting sun emitted fell on the ground, making her feel warm. Standing in front of the restaurant, Mandy''s eyes lit up at seeing how beautiful the scenery of the sunset was. Yet, all sorts of feelings swam in her mind. Walking across a magnificent stone bridge, Mandy decided to board a boat. Venice restaurant was a high-profile restaurant, where all the guests could arrive only by boat. The sun hit the water, creating some interesting colors on the water and radiating countless sparkles of light, which fascinated everyone. "Good afternoon, Miss Zhou. I''m d you have arrived. President Jin is waiting for you inside." She heard the waiter greeted her politely as soon as she went inside the restaurant. Mandy smiled, but the thought that the waiter knew her name left her confused. Her eyes roamed around the big dining room and noticed no one else was seated around the tables. ''Had Nathan booked the whole restaurant?'' "He is so terribly wealthy," Mandy mumbled to herself. Nathan wore a white shirt, and he was sitting in the middle of the restaurant. A smile on his face weed Mandy as she walked toward him. This was definitely a nightmare for Mandy. She approached him with bitterness engulfing her whole system, as she became convinced that Nathan had actually booked the whole restaurant. "You are here!" Love and tenderness were reflected in Nathan''s luminous eyes. Mandy pulled gently the chair out that was opposite to Nathan''s seat. As she settled down without revealing her thoughts, she put down her bag and stared at him without a word. "Hi, Mandy. I''m so happy you have made it here. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Here''s the menu. Please, order from it yourself. " Nathan handed the menu to Mandy. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mandy dly took the menu from him. Looking through the listed dishes, she thought to herself that she must choose the most expensive meal since it was free, after all. Yet, she reminded herself that she must not order any kind of liquor because her capacity for alcohol was unpleasant. Due to that, Mandy perceived that it was necessary for her to practice a lot in order to increase her drinking tolerance. "Well, that is all." Mandy took a pen to circle the cuisine on the menu lightheartedly as she thought, ''Well, tonight, I''m going to cost a fortune. Nathan, I could eat a horse!'' Without even ncing at what Mandy had ordered, Nathan called a waiter over and instructed, "I would like to order exactly the same dishes as thedy." Mandy twisted her mouth as she asked, "How can you decide to order the same food without even taking a look at what I ordered?" Chapter 32 Have A Care For Your Words Chapter 32 Have A Care For Your Words "You are my wife. I will eat whatever you like," Nathan asserted happily. "Mr. Jin, please have a care for your words. Who is your wife? Did I ever ept it?" Mandy blurted, thinking what Nathan imed was totally ridiculous and shameless. "Do you deny that you have slept with me before?" he drawled, staring at her with a touch of rare tenderness in his eyes. ''Shit!'' Mandy cursed in her mind. "Ha-ha!" Mandy let off a sneer. The atmosphere suddenly became tense and embarrassing. Of course, Mandy refused to say anything to Nathan. She was not even interested in knowing what he was going to do. A waiter soon came over with a dish in his hands at this precise moment, saving her from further embarrassment. Mandy merely looked away and pulled a long face. They both ate in silence. Nathan seemed to be enjoying his meal. He was in a good mood. And ying tricks on Mandy made him feel pleasant. "Nathan, Did your mothere to the hospital today?" Mandy tentatively asked. Hearing her and noting the hesitation in her voice, Nathan suddenly stopped cutting his steak. ''Damn it, why is she back so soon?'' he thought. The rtionship between Daisy and Luke had been good since their childhood. Daisy had always been dependent on her brother, so shepletely trusted him. It was absolute that no matter how Nathan spoke ill of Luke, she would refuse to believe it. And as time went by, Nathan continued to hate Luke even more. This time, he finally managed to find an excuse to deceive his mother into going abroad, but he didn''t expect that she woulde back so soon. "Probably," Nathan replied tly, ncing at her. "Really? Don''t you know?" Mandy calmly scanned his face, gauging his reaction. She wondered what kind of animosity there was between Nathan and Luke. "Just eat. Don''t talk so much nonsense. Ask me again when you really be my wife," Nathan muttered seriously. Eyeing her intently, he then reached out for the ss of red wine and had a sip. He seemed to be angry! Mandy slightly frowned. What she had said was outright rejected by Nathan. Well, she mentally noted that she would never ask this question again. Curiosity killed the cat. On this summer night, the warm wind blew slowly. With the darkening of the sky, the warm air turned chilly. Mandy gazed up towards the evening sky, mesmerized by the beauty of the sparkling stars. They were about to return, so they promptly headed back to the small boat. The water on the glistening waves was not like what Mandy had seen when she first came. But at this moment, Mandy felt that the scenery was much more beautiful, just like the stars in the sky. Throughout the boat ride, Nathan was silent. He kept his eyes lowered like he was in deep thought. Though he looked arresting under the moonlight, Mandy could sense that he seemed to be coated with ayer of sadness. ''What was the matter with this man?'' she thought. ''Why did he keep on badgering me? He had a better choice.'' Mandy believed that a lot of beautiful women surrounded Nathan. And as she mulled this over, her thoughts suddenly drifted off towards the woman who would be his wife in the future. She silently felt pity for that woman. In no time, they were outside the Happy Residential Community. Mandy casually untied the seat belt and was ready to get out of his car. She felt very awkward. Nathan had suddenly seemed to change into another person on their way home. He didn''t joke with her or flirt with her, which made her feel more embarrassed. Now, she was confused about whether she should say something to him before she opened the door. Mandy hesitated. "Well, Thank you for inviting me to dinner," Mandy finally said. Nathan only nced at her coldly, his face devoid of any expression. "You''re wee." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Mandy pouted and promptly got out of the car. She had explicitly gotten nothing at the dinner, and they hadn''t talked about the most important thing. ''Does Nathan want to make me anxious to the point of death?'' she mentally asked herself. After all, her father was still at the police station. After taking a couple of steps, Mandy then heard the sound of the car roaring off at a very high speed. Stopping in her tracks, she watched as the ck Lamborghini disappeared around the corner. Chapter 33 A Henpecked Husband. Chapter 33 A Henpecked Husband. In the vi of the Jin Family Nathan paced down the speed of the car to answer his mother''s call. While he was on the way to his apartment, he received the call from his mother, who urged him to go to the vi of the Jin Family immediately. Nathan knew that no amount of logic could help him refuse his mother. He had no alternative but to drive back to the vi. Ever since Nathan had taken over JS International, he had moved out of his vi. He had set up his living space in an apartment spanning over 300 square meters. He liked the privacy and tranquility he enjoyed in the apartment as opposed to the vi where his mother, Daisy, kept nagging him all the time. Feeling annoyed, he had finally moved out. When Nathan arrived at the vi of the Jin Family, all the servants stood in two rows beside the fountain most customarily and waited to receive him. After parking his car, Nathan jumped out of the car and walked straight to the living room. In the resplendent and magnificent living room, a huge crystalmp shone brightly and dazzlingly. On the wall around the room, there were famous European paintings of the eighteen century, and all of them were exquisite and precious. On the sophisticated leather sofa, ady with ruddy cheeks and a plump figure sat smiling brightly. Seated beside her, was a tall and dignified middle-aged man, who was holding a small walnut and a nutcracker. Nathan creased his brows first and then raised his eyebrows to see a teful of shelled walnuts lying on the tea table. He felt amused as he realized that his father had been shelling the walnuts for his mother for two hours! "Dad, Mom!" Nathan took long strides across the spacious and elegantly decorated living space as he approached his parents. "Oh! My son, Nathan. It''s so nice to see you back!" Daisy said as she jumped up from the sofa when she saw Nathan walking up to her. At that moment, her eyes were sparkling with delight and passion. "Ha-ha, Mommy, once again, you kept Daddy busy shelling walnuts for you!" Nathan spoke as he looked at his mom with a mischievous smile. Daisy had an indulging, rather childish demeanor. However, heart-of-heart, she was very shrewd. She always pretended to be silly and half-witted in front of people, while that fact was that she was smarter than anyone else. Otherwise, she couldn''t have impressed Jason and married him. "Yap, he had done something wrong. So I''m punishing him now," Daisy said aloud, shing a big smile. The cunning look in her eyes made Jason want to cry. Who would have thought that Jason, a sessful and no-nonsense businessman, would be a henpecked husband at home! But, it was nothing unfamiliar to Nathan. He was used to seeing his henpecked father being bullied by his mother since the time he was tiny. This caused him to make up his mind to grow up to be a brave and independent man. No woman should have the courage to bully him ever in his life. He felt bad for his father and shared a quick look with Jason to show his sympathy. "Mom, why did you call me home so urgently? What''s the matter?" Nathan asked. He cut straight to the point. He couldn''t bear to see Jason sitting there obediently shelling walnuts for Daisy. "Recently, when I visited the United States, why didn''t you tell me that your uncle had been hospitalized?" Daisy''s smiling face gave way to a stern and no-nonsense expression. The way Daisy switched her role from a carefree rabbit to an intimidating wolf was beyond anyparison. Jason often asked himself what had made him so blind to marry this woman. In his younger days, there were so many drop-dead gorgeous girls pursuing him. But he had eyes for none other than Daisy. Hence, it was life''s little irony that he had reaped what he had sown!Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Oh, Mom! I wanted to tell you in the beginning, but it was my uncle who stopped me by saying that he was fine, and he didn''t want you to worry about him," Nathan replied with a smile. He was aware that Luke would never speak ill of him in front of his mother. Hence, he could confidently say whatever he wanted to say. "But it was very important information, not just a casual thing. You shouldn''t have kept the truth from me. You are well aware of your uncle''s poor health condition. What if something terrible had happened to him?" Daisy was certainly not willing to let it pass so easily. Chapter 34 I Will Support You. Chapter 34 I Will Support You. "Don''t worry, Mom. My uncle is truly blessed. He is a fighter. So you see, by God''s grace, he has survived the crisis period once again," Nathan said sweetly. He knew exactly how to make his mother happy with mindfully crafted words. And just as Nathan had expected, there was now an expression of satisfaction and tranquility on Daisy''s face. Just a momentter, Daisy said, "Nathan, I''ve called Damian back. Since your uncle has not been keeping well, we need a more stable and strong person in ourpany''s senior managerial position. I''m going to have him rece your uncle and take up the post of General Manager at the JS International." "Okay, you have the final say on everything!" Nathan replied respectfully. However, deep inside, he did not agree with his Mom''s decision. Rather, he was quite upset. As the only son of Luke, Damian had always acted as a rival to Nathan since they were children. Now he had just graduated from an American university with a master''s degree in finance. His mother, Dilma, stayed with him in America. Now, they hade back together. "When your cousin joins thepany, you should help him to learn the nitty-gritty of the business. You know, he is inexperienced," Daisy said as she creased her brow. "Of course, I''ll help him, Mom. We are family," Nathan spoke with his tongue in his cheek. But at the core of his heart, he actually wanted to tear Luke up! Daisy looked relieved after hearing the reassuring words from Nathan. Acent look spread over Daisy''s face as she started to eat the walnut from the te without even bothering to ask Jason to stop shelling them. "Come with me to the study, Nathan. There''s something wrong with the document that you have submitted this evening," Jason said to Nathan as he finally let out a sigh of relief. "Okay!" Nathan nodded immediately. He was not a fool. He could understand the implications of his father''s words. In the study, there was a faint aroma of sandalwood. After lighting a cigarette for his father, Nathan sat on the sofa beside him. "Mom has made you suffer again tonight, Dad," Nathan said gently as he looked at Jason''s hands, which were a little red. "It doesn''t matter what I''ve suffered. But that disgusting old man has taken advantage of me again!" Jason growled maliciously with a vicious look on his face. "Yes, it''s not so easy to make that old man have a heart attack. I didn''t expect him to be so tough." Nathan heaved a sigh and continued to smoke. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ''The woman had really been a scourge!'' Nathan thought to himself. All of a sudden, Mandy''s face shed in his mind. After all, it was Mandy who had helped to save Luke''s life this time. "Nathan, the fact is that your mother is very well aware of what Luke has done in thepany. But you know, after the early demise of your grandparents, Luke is the only family member Daisy has in her maiden home. Besides, she was brought up by Luke since she was a child. She has a deep affection for him. So please be considerate towards her feelings," Jason urged Nathan earnestly. He was aware that although Daisy looked ignorant, she had a secretive nature. It was never easy to understand what was there in her heart. Daisy was extremely shrewd and sophisticated. As a woman, she valued her family above everything else. Luke was her only brother, so his status was unshakable. Nathan nodded in agreement as he took a deep drag of the cigarette. Then he asked, "What about our n? Shall we just stop it?" "Stop it for the time being. I don''t want to break your mother''s heart." No matter how hard-hearted Jason was, he could not bear to see tears in his wife''s eyes. After all, Jason was an out-and-out henpecked husband. "Dad, I''m not going to be like you. You know, a man should be confident and strict in front of a woman." Nathan shook his head and heaved a sigh. He felt his father was in a pitiful condition. Hearing his son''s words, Jason shed a smile helplessly. At that moment, all his feelings were hidden behind his faint smile. Then he asked, "Judging from your tone, have you already found a girl of your choice?" "Not yet. I believe there is still ample time for me," Nathan answered with an awkward smile. He looked like Jason had caught him red-handed. "Well, if you have met a girl you like, just tell me and bring her home to see your mother. I will certainly support you!" Jason spoke aloud with a generous smile. Jason was very well aware of Nathan''s past rtionship. He knew Nathan''s failed love was the most painful thing in his heart. So he and Daisy had always been supportive of him. They had allowed him to choose the girl of his choice. Jason was confident that the Jin Family didn''t need to develop their family business through amercial marriage. Nathan had never again fallen in love since he lost his first love years ago. Nathan felt very proud of his open-minded and supportive parents. They had an enormous family business. But his parents had never asked him about his private life. Jason and Daisy had a loving marriage, so they hoped that their son could find a girl of his choice. They were not going to interfere in that matter. They only wished that their future daughter-inw would love Nathan wholeheartedly, and that''s all. Chapter 35 Please Be Self-Respecting Chapter 35 Please Be Self-Respecting Right now, Mandy was on duty at the JR Hospital. She was too busy with her work and didn''t have time to check her cell phone the whole morning. She didn''t see the message from Daniel until noon. The text message read: I''ll see you at the Zero ¡æ Bar at 8: 00 tonight. Whether your father cane out or not depends on your performance tonight. "Damn it!" Mandy screamed furiously. She clenched her fists tightly and pounded on the desk, her face burning with anger. How could Daniel threat her like this? How could he do this to her father? Her father had been so kind to him. Jamie, who was about to enter the room, was shocked by the scene he witnessed. It was the first time for him to see Mandy behaving like this since she came to work at the JR Hospital. He looked so worried. "Doctor Zhou, what happened?" he asked anxiously. He hurriedly put down a stack of files on the desk and walked towards Mandy in a gentle and refined manner. Mandy swiftly smoothed her hair in front of her forehead and calmed herself down quickly. She did not want her colleague to probe further. So with a smile, she promptly replied, "Dr. Yang, I''m all right. I received a trash message just now. Those trash messages are so annoying." "Well, you don''t have to pay attention to it. Just delete it. Would you like to have dinner with me?" he asked gently, expecting that she would ept his invitation. Jamie cleverly switched the subject. He was very fond of her. In his eyes, she was as elegant as a lotus. Mandy was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. "Okay," Mandy cracked a smile and epted the invitation without second thoughts. But her mind was in a total mess all the time. She could not help thinking about the message and Daniel''s purpose. She had tried figuring it out, but still, she couldn''te up with something of relevance. The Zero ¡æ Bar was shrouded in neon lights. Other than being noisy, it emitted a dangerous vibe to Mandy. Donned in her casual clothes, Mandy quietly stood outside the bar. Though she appeared calm, inwardly, she seemed to be somewhat restless. Uncertainty began to engulf her as she eyed the whole ce from where she stood. The scene before her looked like there were ongoing feasting and celebration of some sort. Mandy now became hesitant. What was she going to face in the bar? Mandy briefly closed her eyes and mustered up her courage. And before she changed her mind, she gingerly went into the Zero ¡æ Bar. Clutching her bag tightly in her hands, she deliberately walked at a slow pace. Every step she took showed how totally against seeing Daniel she was. If she could only come up with a better solution, she would never havee to the bar to meet him. The moment she came in, she felt ufortable. The music was ring out hard from the bar, stimting every nerve of her body. In the booths, there were groups of young men and women scattered everywhere. Looking at them, Mandy felt a little desperate. She seldom went to ces like this. Those people wereughing, drinking, and getting drunk. Were they really made happy by doing so? "Baby, you are here." She almost gasped out loud as she heard the familiar voice near her ear. That voice! She knew that she would never forget it in her whole life. And then, Mandy was taken into familiar arms. In the past, she enjoyed his warm embrace and was captivated by his familiar smell... "Let me go!" she warned. Mandy frowned slightly. Her bright eyes held a hint of anger. She struggled hard to get out of his arms, but instead of releasing her, he held her tighter and tighter. His arms were akin to iron hoops that wrapped Mandy tightly. With her weaker strength, she was helpless. She could not break free. "How could you say that? Why do you hate me so much now? Didn''t I use to call you baby? Three years! Haven''t you gotten used to it yet?" Hearing his voice, Mandy couldn''t help savoring it. Yes, they had indeed had a sweet time for three years, so it was hard for her to believe that their rtionship could change in a snap like this. Daniel sneered. When he hugged Mandy, it finally dawned on him who he had been thinking of all these days. He realized he didn''t love Celine at all. Perhaps, he could lie to others, but he could never lie to himself and deceive his heart. Maybe it was easy to say, it was Stanley''s fault. But Mandy, she hadn''t done anything wrong. He hated Stanley so much. But as for Mandy, she was innocent. All his being told him that his feud with Stanley should not involve her. It had nothing to do with her. "Daniel, please behave yourself. The reason I came to this meeting tonight is in the hope that you can exin the matter to me clearly. As far as I know, my father has always treated you very well. Why are you doing this to us?" Mandy demanded angrily. She felt so aggrieved at this. Mandy turned around, her beautiful eyes now ring at Daniel. A feeling of resentment consumed her. And thinking of what had happened in his apartment that day, she couldn''t keep her emotions at bay. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. No matter how much they loved each other in the past, their love and those beautiful days were gone. It was like a bubble that had burst into nothing. Daniel still stood there and stared at Mandy quietly. Then, with a smug smile tugging at his lips, he interjected, "You want an answer? No problem. I''ll tell you. That is if you will have a drink with me tonight." Mandy furrowed her eyebrows tightly. Her eyes widened in apprehension. Drinking, what was he thinking? Her body shivered at this thought. She was afraid of drinking. Biting her lips closed, she couldn''t bring herself to say yes. The tense atmosphere around them was gradually bing depressing. But Daniel just watched her with an amused smile, seemingly hinting at her: if you don''t ept my invitation, I will leave. "Okay, but you have to promise me that we will only drink," Mandy conceded after carefully weighing her decision. Worried about her father, she was left with no choice but topromise. It was like she had reached a dead-end, and she could note up with another solution, except to agree to his unreasonable request. Chapter 36 Nothing Else But Have A Drink Together Chapter 36 Nothing Else But Have A Drink Together "No problem," Daniel answered quickly with a huge grin stered on his face. Apanying him to a booth, the extravagant and radiant lights were arousing her curiosity, causing her to peek every now and then. The ce that enveloped her drove her to restlessness, forcing her into discussions with a deafening roar. Mandy despised such a set¨Cthe bar. "Here, have a drink first," Daniel said as heid his hand in front of Mandy with a ss of wine. Mandy bit her lower lip, with her charming eyes broad open. She was intensely anxious right away. When she reached out to take the ss from his hand as instructed, she spoke in an absolute tone, "You have to ensure me you will let my dad go if I have this drink with you tonight." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Hearing that, Daniel squinted as acent smile grew on his face. He then said, "Of course, I will." In fact, Daniel preferred to bed down with Mandy. They had been together for three years, and he had tried to be decent to her for the entire time. He had never dared to go into such things without her permission. Although he had hinted at her several times, and despite his perfect timing, Mandy had always refused him. But in this moment he had now, Daniel was positive enough that he would not let go of such a good opportunity tonight. Mandy was not a fool. She drank with caution while watching Daniel, who kept on gulping the alcohol. Daniel was acting like he was bitterer than her. Mandy''s mind seemed in chaos, as she couldn''t understand why he still harassed her when he had got everything he wanted! "Mandy, sweetheart, you know what? Your eyes are so adorable..." Without words, Daniel grabbed Mandy and locked her into his arms, making her feel an instant masculine ambiance. Although being hugged like that was not the first time for Mandy, and although it happened before, she could not help but feel disgusted. "Look, Daniel, you are already drunk!" Mandy half yelled as she tried to push Daniel away. With all her strength, she moved backward so she could keep some distance between them. "Mandy, sweetheart, would you be my woman and live with me? I promise that you will have a comfortable life with me, and I will give you whatever you want." Daniel''s eyes were red, and the alcohol he had drunk spewed in the air, making Mandy gag. He seemed to have a lot to say; however, he bit it back when a second thought struck him. It caused Mandy to frown a little as things started to bombard her. "Stop pretending, Daniel. You have got everything you want. Why are you still pretending to be sorry in front of me? I''m the one who should be in that state! Not you!" With rage that swallowed her, Mandy jostled him away with all her potency. Her re-up collected all the attention of the surrounding people, making them stare at her with enthusiasm. Nathan, who was having a drink in the booth behind her, was among the onlookers. He decided not to come across to her tonight, and instead, he had stalk Mandy to the bar. Little did she know, Nathan had installed a tracker in her phone. Now, he could detect Mandy wherever she was. "What do you know about me? I have my own difficulties, Mandy. Have you ever tried to understand my family over the years?" He implied to go through a portion of mistakes. He became flustered as he dragged Mandy and pressed her to back off to the edge of the wall. The surrounding air became thinner as Daniel covered the gap between them. As he towered over her, Mandy had no way to retreat. Her breath caught in her lungs, and her face had turned rosy as she felt her palms get mmy over the situation. "I didn''t ask because I wanted you to open up to me beforehand. But you didn''t," Mandy replied, blinking her eyes with innocence ying within them. "Well, you simply don''t care about me! Do you?" The crowd gawked upon them for a while and murmured to one another until they realized that it was a quarrel between the couple after they heard the conversation. The pool of people decided to dismiss, concluding there was nothing they could do there. It would be better to leave the couple alone to solve whatever arguments they had been suffering about. Yet, Nathan, who watched everything from behind, became solemn. Holding a ss of wine with his slender fingers as he drank in a hasty manner. Soon, contemtion pulled him in. ''Well, good job, Mandy! You came to the bar to have a secret date with your ex-boyfriend!'' Chapter 37 Mandy Is Mine. Chapter 37 Mandy Is Mine. "Who is he, Honey?" Nathan rushed over and pulled Mandy into his arms. He looked into Mandy''s eyes affectionately. Mandy was, however,pletely perplexed at this sudden intervention by Nathan. Mandy widened her eyes out of surprise as she looked at Nathan. ''What on earth is Nathan doing here?'' "You... Why are you here?" Mandy asked nervously. "I was worried about you. After you told me that you are going to meet a scumbag today, how could I leave you alone?" Nathan held Mandy in his arms in a bossy manner. He held Mandy close to his chest in a way as if he was holding one of his most prized possessions. His frivolous gesture seemed to intimidate Daniel and dered his ownership over the girl in his arms. Nathan imed loud and clear that Mandy belonged to him. No one could separate her from him! Daniel was left bewildered. ''What was going on here? Where did this guy appear from so unwarrantedly? And how dare he call Mandy "honey?"'' Daniel thought, feeling irked. What offended him all the more was that Mandy didn''t stop the guy. Rather she looked sofortable to be in his arms! No matter how displeased Daniel was, he calmed down and took a few moments to evaluate the guy standing in front of him before taking action. He could sense the atrociousness in the guy and came to conclude that he must be a tough guy. "Mand, who is he? Do you know him? How do you know him?" Daniel asked, annoyed as he was seething in rage and jealousy. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Mandy is my wife. How do you think we know each other?" Nathan narrowed his eyes coldly at Daniel as he replied on behalf of Mandy. It sounded as if he were teasing his challenger. Daniel was a bit overwhelmed by the bossy manner of the guy. "That is impossible. Mand is my girlfriend. When did she be your wife? When did you get married?" Daniel said as he looked at Mandy. From his face, he looked devastated as he thought, ''Why hasn''t Mandy exined it to me by herself?'' Even Mandy was taken aback by what Nathan had just said. She frowned slightly as she realized Nathan''s ability to tell lies in such a spontaneous manner. He was good enough to make Daniel get pissed off. She was happy to see Daniel in such difiture since he had offended her a while ago. "We got married six months ago, right? Mand?" Nathan reached out his hand to touch Mandy''s head and stroked her soft hair gently as he spoke. He was such a brilliant actor that there were no second thoughts about it. Everyone who would watch him at that time would think that he was such a loving husband who was protecting his wife from a trouble maker. Realizing that Nathan was rescuing her at the moment, Mandy was grateful to him. So she replied to his question with a nod, "Yes, we did." "You told me earlier today that you wereing to see your ex-boyfriend. I knew it was going to get hard. I even warned you that it was futile toe and see such a fool. Now you see it for yourself. And I''m really unhappy to see him offending you like this." Nathan put up an arrogant expression on his face. He raised his eyebrows as if he was trying to give some secret signals to Mandy. "Who do you mean by the fool?" Daniel roared. He had been watching Nathan''s antics for quite some time now. He could not contain his anger beyond this. He threw a punch at Nathan. "Who else could it be? It is the one fool who answered me just now." Nathan retaliated with a punch that was twice as swift and power-packed as Daniel''s. In a blink of an eye, Daniel had found himself crouching in pain. Fear was creeping up in Mandy''s heart as she watched them. Mandy pulled Nathan''s sleeve and said, "Forget it. Let''s go." Feeling unsatisfied, Nathan frowned and gave a hard look at Mandy, seeming to say, "My silly little girl, how can we simply let it go?" Looking at his fierce and terrible eyes, Mandy did not dare to say anything further; instead, she quietly stood aside. Daniel did not know who Nathan was, but she did. She knew clearly that he was definitely more insidious and despicable than Daniel. Nathan was very satisfied to see Mandy obey him at the moment. But no matter how obedient and docile Mandy looked at the moment, Nathan knew it very well in his heart that this woman was no better than a wild horse¨Cthat was not easy to be controlled. Otherwise, she would have already agreed to his request to be his wife. "You bastard! How dare youy a hand on me? No one can leave this ce tonight!" Daniel was hysterically enraged as he threatened. He swung his sleeves, unbuttoned his shirt cor, and came into abating stance. Not only had Nathan insulted him by calling him names, but he also punched him. If he didn''t take revenge on him, he would never be able to forgive himself! Chapter 38 You Cant Survive Beyond Tomorrow Chapter 38 You Can''t Survive Beyond Tomorrow "Come on, coward!" A wicked smile spread over Nathan''s face. When he was twelve years old, he had won the national championship of Sanda, a kind of freestyle grappling. How could an ordinary man defeat him? "I''ll kill you!" Daniel spat out. His scarlet eyes were so mad and ferocious. He rushed towards Nathan with all his might. Daniel caught the air when Nathan made a swift move. When it was Nathan''s turn to hit, he nimbly grabbed Daniel and put his hands on his back. Being unable to move at all, Daniel was furious to death. "You are too young to y with me." The expression on Nathan''s face didn''t change at all, and he kicked Daniel so hard that he fell with a loud bang. Raising his leg, Nathan wanted to kick Daniel again, but Mandy rushed forward and stopped him. After all, she used to love Daniel. Although she hated him now, she still felt pity for him. Nathan didn''t say a word. He just gave Mandy a cold nce. He looked furious, but he stopped eventually. After he let go of Daniel, he looked up at Mandy for a moment. He said to Daniel, "I will spare your life today, but you will not survive beyond tomorrow." "Why?" Mandy asked. "For what?" she added. Mandy''s face was evident with shock. "What do you think?" Nathan retorted. There was something in his crooked smile. Mandy looked confused. She couldn''t figure out what Nathan was thinking about, but she had a feeling that Daniel was in great danger. "Let''s go," Nathan said to Mandy without expression. Mandy knew it was more of an order to be followed. Mandy put her bag on her back and followed him immediately. She looked around and saw many people with fear in their eyes. They must know Nathan. There were so many people watching the fight, but no one attempted to stop it. Daniel just had bad luck on his side tonight. In the Lamborghini, Nathan was still feeling the rush in his blood. "What?" He red at Mandy. "You are still concerned about your old lover, aren''t you? Were you hurt?" Nathan sneered and asked sarcastically. "No, I hate him!" Mandy said angrily. She pouted her lips, which Nathan found cute. Nathan released a deep breath and said, "You know what? Indeed, I''m a little jealous of him," he admitted. Nathan stared outside the car window to hide his disappointment. His ck eyes darkened for telling the truth. Tonight, Nathan confirmed his suspicion that Mandy really cared about Daniel. In fact, he had wanted to create trouble with Daniel long before, but he just wanted to figure out what tricks he would y. He didn''t expect that Mandy could endure it. "What? You are jealous of him?" she asked in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" She wanted tough, but Nathan was serious. Nheless, her beautiful twinkling eyes were already telling him that she wasughing inside. "He''s jealous of you!" Mandy revealed. ''Poor Daniel, if he finds out who Nathan is, he will regret what he has done!'' Mandy thought. "I am jealous that he knew you earlier than I did." Nathan''s handsome face was hazy while exining what he really meant. ''Is this a confession of love?'' Mandy asked herself with a bewildered expression. Mandy was not stupid. But she felt her brain was leaving her whenever she was with Nathan. She really didn''t know why. "Anyway, thank you for what you did tonight," Mandy said sincerely as she looked at Nathan. When their gaze met, Mandy felt her heart beat faster, and she could hardly breathe. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Chapter 39 Did Nathan Frame Daniel Chapter 39 Did Nathan Frame Daniel Nathan was expressionless. He always maintained a poker face all the time that made it difficult for anyone to gauge what he was thinking about. At the same time, not everyone or everything could stir up his emotions very easily. Though, in his teenage years, he had been an optimistic and extroverted boy who always sported a smiling face. As he drove the car, there was hardly any exchange of words between Nathan and Mandy. While Nathan seemed to be rather distanced and cold as he sat behind the steering wheel, even Mandy didn''t try to strike up a conversation to avoid unnecessary embarrassment. Sitting beside Nathan in the car, Mandy felt a little nervous. Just then, all of a sudden, she felt something hard to the touch inside her bag. Immediately, she remembered that it might be Nathan''s Zorro mask. She opened her bag and took out the mask. The silver mask was looking so enigmatic under the moonlight. "I forgot to give it back to you thest time we met." she blushed and said in a trembling voice, extending the mask towards Nathan. "No need to return it to me. Keep it for yourself. If you don''t want it, you can throw it away," Nathan said in a very nonchnt manner, keeping his focus on the road. He didn''t even look at her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "Okay, I see." After pondering over it for a while, Mandy put the mask back inside her bag. Last time when she went to JS International to meet Nathan, she was so nervous that she couldn''t give it back to him at that time. But unexpectedly, she was still so nervous to be alone with him, even now. It was quitete at night. After dropping Mandy at home, Nathan drove home alone. All of a sudden, his cell phone rang. ncing at the caller ID, he picked it up instantly. "Boss, I''ve got the news from the police." Fred''s voice came from the other end of the line. "What is it?" Nathan asked in a calm voice. "He said there was no evidence to prove that Daniel was involved in what happened to thepany of the Zhou Family." "No evidence? Then give the police some evidence to put Daniel into jail. Remember, before tomorrow morning I want to hear the news that he is in jail." Nathan still kept a straight face. However, his face was full of hatred and ruthlessness. "Did Miss Zhou upset you tonight, Boss?" Fred asked with a sneer. "No, she didn''t," Nathan denied straight away. Yet Mandy''s image kept lingering in his mind. He wondered why his mind was so preupied with her. That was so unlike him. He had never thought of any woman like this before. Fred grumbled, but he didn''t say anything. He assumed that his young master had fallen in love with Mandy. Otherwise, Nathan would not have dealt with Daniel for her sake. "Okay, you may rest assured that I''ll do it right away." The next morning, the news of Daniel being arrested was spread all over City A. The breaking news for the major media houses was all about how he framed the Zhou Group. It seemed that someone had been nning to frame him. Celine was also put behind bars because of the suspected disclosure of business secrets. After reading the message, Mandy rubbed her eyes in disbelief. ''Daniel is in jail, which means my father can now be released!'' she thought happily. Suddenly, Mandy felt so light. As if somebody had lifted some heavy weights from her shoulders. What a befitting consequence for Daniel''s misdeeds! She felt relieved. Mandy looked up at the sky with tears of gratitude and said, "Thank you, God." Madeline was also very happy to hear the news. Hugging each other tightly, the mother and daughter cried happily. "That''s great, Mandy. Thew is fair. Your father didn''t do anything wrong. Finally, all the me has been cleared from his name." Madeline sighed with tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. Their family had been dealing with this for a long time now. So many sleepless nights they had spent in prayer. And now, their prayers had been answered. It felt as if she was carrying a big stone on her heart that had finally been removed this morning by the news. "Yeah, that''s great, Mom," Mandy agreed. Mandy genuinely smiled. But the very next moment, she remembered what Nathan had said in the barst night. He had said that he would make sure that Daniel would not live until tomorrow! Did Nathan frame Daniel? Before Mandy could think more, her phone started to ring. She went back to her room and picked up the phone. It was Nathan. "So? How is it going? Are you satisfied with the news?" Nathan smiled coldly on the other side of the phone. A sense of piercing chill struck Mandy''s heart, just like an arrow, traveling through space and time. For a moment, she quivered to hear Nathan''s voice. Suddenly, she realized that she had underestimated the ability and tactics of Nathan. Now it seemed that he was an extremely dangerous man who could run the show in this city by a mere movement of his finger! Chapter 40 Reunion Of The Family Chapter 40 Reunion Of The Family "When will my father get out?" Mandy''s expression showed displeasure. And in every minute that passed by, she was anxiously getting more worried. When Nathan was his normal self, he was as good as a real gentleman. But when he was not, he acted like a schizophrenic. She was afraid that he would trap her. "Mandy, that depends on when youply with my request. If you promise me what I want, your father can be free the next minute," continued Nathan. He squinted his dark eyes. He tried to scrutinize the piece of paper he was toying with in his hand. It was the same document that sent Daniel to prison. A suddenly cold voice came through the phone, interrupting Mandy''s wandering thoughts. For a brief moment, she was too nervous to utter a word. With her hand trembling slightly, she gripped hard on her mobile phone. "Didn''t you say that you wanted me to be willing to ept it?" she managed to ask in a low voice. "But you won''t do it, will you?" A faint smile crept to his lips because all things were running ording to his n. He was the owner of the game, and he was in charge of the game''s progress. "I promise no matter what request you make, as long as my father cane out immediately." She felt weak and desperate. And seemingly in indescribable pain, she closed her eyes as if to think clearly. Her face was full of worry and sadness. "Well, move out and live with me tomorrow. In the morning, precisely before 10, your father can go home. Then you and your mother can also return to the MC Garden," he replied softly. Nathan reclined himself down on the sofa. As he sank deeper, his mind was already preupied. During these years, he felt that he didn''t need anything in his life except for a woman. She must be someone who could walk into his heart. Perhaps, Mandy''s fate had been closely associated with him four years ago, or he wouldn''t want to live with her now.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Shocked was an understatement when Mandy heard him. She was momentarily stunned. Her eyes yielded unwillingness. She quickly bit her lips and dared not say a single word. ''No!'' her mind yelled at her. If she refused Nathan now, there would be no one to save her father. She was more afraid that he might turn to deal with her father, which she did not want to happen. Nathan was able to send Daniel to prison overnight, and make the major newspapers rush to report his charges, which shows that he was more resourceful than Daniel. With all of these, would she dare the risk to offend him? "Okay, but how can I get there?" Mandy retorted after calming herself down. She was gritting her teeth, and her eyes were filled with confusion. She had to promise to do this for her father and the Zhou Family. "I will send someone to pick you up. Tell your parents that you will move out. You will only have one night to stay with them." What Nathan blurted out was more like official rhetoric, and quite impersonal. Mandy brought her cold hands towards her chest. Her heart was trembling violently. She gasped for breath, but it was difficult to hide the uneasiness in her heart. She knew it clearly that once they lived together, she would be his mistress! What a mockery! Once upon a time, she had excessively hoped for pure love. And what she despised the most was those who sell themselves for profit. However, people could never know what would happen next. Now she was reduced to such a situation. Nathan was a man who seriously kept his word. At exactly ten o''clock in the morning, Stanley went home. Madeline and Mandy were eagerly waiting at the MC Garden. They were both nervous and excited at the same time. And to wee Stanley, Mandy even applied for a half day''s leave. Mandy burst into tears the moment her father pushed the door open. She cried and threw herself into Stanley''s arms. "Dad, you''re finally back." Mandy couldn''t stop herself from crying. But knowing that her father was here now, relief washed over her. Then her sadness and sorrow seemed to vanish in an instant because of the reunion of her family. In these few days, dramatic and even drastic changes had taken ce in her life. The betrayal of Daniel, the decline of the Zhou Family, the meeting with Nathan, and the promise to be his woman were all unexpected. "Silly girl, why are you crying? Didn''t Dad say that, "Daddy will be back."" Stanley was so touched by his daughter. Although there were no more bruises in the corner of his mouth, an ache still lingered in his heart for his daughter. Mandy should be happy every day and do what she wanted to do. She shouldn''t have been worried all these days. With a rekindled determination in his eyes, he told himself to do more to protect this family. He was the backbone of this family. These terrible things had never happened in the past years. And these days, his wife and daughter had suffered a lot. Guilt overwhelmed him at leaving them in this tormented situation. Chapter 41 Gossip In The Hospital Chapter 41 Gossip In The Hospital "Honey, wee home." Madeline untied the apron and walked out of the kitchen. Her eyes welled up with tears of happiness. She had been cooking since morning and had arranged a whole table spread with delectable dishes. Ever since she saw the news on the television this morning, she had been busy cooking all of Stanley''s favorite dishes. "Don''t cry, Madeline. I''m back now. Look, I''m fine. And I promise you that it will never happen again," Stanley raised his right hand as if to assure his wife. As City A was washed by the golden rays of the afternoon sun, the broken family was finally reunited. They could not stop thanking God at that moment. In the afternoon, when Mandy went to the hospital, the people in the Cardiology Department were busy discussing Mandy''s background. "Wow, she is the daughter of the president of the Zhou Group! No wonder I always felt that she exuded a regal vibe as if she was from an aristocratic family." "Yeah, she has a rare sense of dignity and refinement that sets her apart from us." "These days, Mandy used to remain absent-minded. It turned out that her family was going through a tough time. It''s all right now, but... Have you heard about the man who has been arrested, allegedly for framing Mandy''s father? It is said that he is her ex-boyfriend. I have also heard that they have been together for thest three years!" "Yeah, even I have heard that. News about Mandy and her family has gone viral on social media. I have also heard that she is good at ying the piano, and she has won many international awards for it." "What? Really? I didn''t know. She is stupendously talented. I don''t know why she still wants to be a doctor. Doctors can''t earn much money. Doctors can never earn as much as piano teachers." "Maybe it is her passion to serve ailing people. She is from a wealthy family, so she can act as per her wish." During the lunch break, a group of nurses crowded around Cassie as she was the only person Mandy spent most of her time with. The nurses felt that being Mandy''s friend, Cassie must know about her friend''s drama. However, when Cassie heard the news from others, she felt disappointed. ''Has Mandy ever treated me as her friend? Because if she did, then why didn''t she say anything to me?'' thought Cassie. She was indeed offended by Mandy''s behavior. A stiff frown set on her face as she kept staring at the door until Mandy came in. "What are you guys talking about? What''s so interesting?" As usual, there was a slightcent smile on Mandy''s beautiful face. Mandy had overheard what the nurses were talking about. "Nothing. Nothing at all. We are not talking about you," the nurse hesitated and said, looking bashful. After all, Mandy was respected by the director of the Cardiology Department. If she heard that they were gossiping about her, she might get them in trouble. "I didn''t even say that you are talking about me. Why did you admit it? Besides, even if you''re talking about me, I won''t mind. You have all been very nice to me ever since I joined this hospital. But for some special reasons, I didn''t tell you about my family situation," Mandy admitted the truth very candidly. Since everyone was already talking about her, she felt that she needed to stand up and exin. "I''m sorry. We shouldn''t have gossiped about you behind your back." "It doesn''t matter. Let''s go back to work. Don''t gather here to chat. Harry will be unhappy if he sees that," Mandy said with a smile as she walked to her desk. "Well, we will go back to work now." The nurses dispersed. They knew clearly that Mandy had done that to stop them from specting about her. However, since their hunger for information was quenched, the nurses were happy to focus on work. "Cass, wait a minute. I have something to tell you." Mandy marked the hint of disappointment in Cassie''s eyes. She realized that she might have hurt Cassie. "Okay," Cassie replied casually and stood there without saying anything. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mandy walked to the tea room and got a cup of Cassie''s favorite coffee for her. Chapter 42 Recalling The Sad Past Chapter 42 Recalling The Sad Past "Cas, I know you are upset because I kept it a secret from you. I didn''t let you know because I have my own difficulties. Or perhaps I was concerned about something else at that time. But I sincerely think of you as my best friend," Mandy exined with sinceritycing her tone as she took Cassie''s hand. "Don''t say that, Dr. Zhou. I''ve overestimated myself. How can a person of my humble status make friends with someone in a high position like you?" Cassie retorted unhappily, clearly throwing a tantrum. "What are you talking about, Cas? Honestly, I haven''t had any friends over these years. After the car ident four years ago, I became autistic-like. I never talked about it to anyone. I know how painful it is to lose a close friend, so I didn''t dare to make friends again." As she pleaded, Mandy felt very sorrowful, and her eyes turned red. She was recaptured by the horrible scene when she had a car ident. That was her worst nightmare that hadsted for four years. Seeing Mandy''s saddened face, Cassie was stunned. ''Why does Dr. Zhou cry all of a sudden?'' "Yes... I''m sorry, Dr. Zhou. I didn''t mean to remind you of your sad past." Everyone had a past, and Cassie knew that. It was normal that no one wanted to mention their sad past. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Cas, we are of the same age. You can call me Mand from now on. I want to be friends with you. As long as you want to listen, I can tell you everything about me," Mandy insisted. Yet, Cassie abruptly shook her head and spoke gently, "Mand, you don''t have to tell me about it since it was a sad memory for you. I know how hurtful it is when a scar is exposed." Mandy silently stared at Cassie. She felt touched beyond words. The warmness of the sun outside shone through the window, projecting shadows of two beautiful figuresforting and hugging each other. The silence spoke of a promise of a lifetime friendship. "Working on a rtionship with your sorority during working hours? Dr. Zhou, where is your sense of propriety?" Harry suddenly yelled. His harsh voice reverberated in the quiet office. Mandy was fully aware of how much Harry hated her. And she knew it stemmed from his jealousy towards her. She chose not to talk back at him, even though it was not working hours at the moment. "Director Li, we are so sorry to let you see such a scene. We won''t do it again," Mandy promptly apologized. "Mand..." Cassie wanted to say something, but she remained silent. "Don''t worry. You can leave and carry on with your work now. Director Li is so generous that he won''t take it seriously." Harry was sensitive about his reputation, and Mandy could sense it. So she carefully worded her reply to Cassie to show her respect to him. As expected, soon after, he snorted coldly. Harry then sat down quietly to read a document. Cassie swiftly turned to Mandy and eyed her mischievously. Making a face, she hurriedly rushed out of the room. The office became so awfully quiet that Mandy could even hear her own heartbeat. She hated it most when she was alone with Harry in the office, while all the other doctors had gone to do surgeries for their patients. To avoid the awkwardness between them, Mandy purposely left to make ward rounds. Once again, Mandy felt worried, and the one who worried her the most was Nathan''s uncle¨CLuke. She was unsure of when Nathan would take action to harm his uncle. When she reached ward 2206, she noted Luke was resting. Mandy gave a simple greeting to him, "Mr. Shi, how are you feeling today?" Luke responded with a smile, "Very well. It doesn''t hurt anywhere." Observing the way Luke smiled, Mandy seemed to be drifting away as she absent-mindedly studied his face. With such a kind and friendly demeanor, he didn''t look like a bad person at all. Why did Nathan want him dead? Chapter 43 Could You Give Me Your Phone Number Chapter 43 Could You Give Me Your Phone Number "What are you thinking about, Dr. Zhou?" Luke was amused and asked her, noticing that Mandy was lost in thought. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Nothing special, Mr. Shi. Have a good rest. And let me know immediately if you do feel any difort." Mandy would surely not tell him what was going on in her mind. Judging by his appearance, she thought Luke must be a resourceful man. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have be the general manager of JS International. "Go ahead with your work, Dr. Zhou. By the way, can you give me your phone number?" Luke impulsively took the opportunity to shift the topic and obtain her cell phone number. Since Mandy was a simple-minded person, she didn''t give it too much thought. She casually fished her phone from her pocket and carefully handed it to Luke. "You have saved my life, Dr. Zhou. If you have any trouble in the future, just call me," Luke gently offered her while adding his number to her contacts. Then he hastily swiped through her recent outgoing calls. Seeing Nathan''s contact number appeared in it, he confirmed that his hunch was indeed right. Although he had been in the hospital for a couple of days, he could still monitor Nathan''s every move. His stool pigeon hade to report that Nathan had been very close to Mandy these days. So Luke couldn''t help but be a little suspicious about her. "Thank you, Mr. Shi," Mandy expressed sincerely, maintaining a smile on her face. At JS International Nathan was in his office. He was working on some documents when he heard amotion outside. The loud voices irritated him, making him lose his focus. He nced at theputer screen with his sharp eyes before pounding the mouse against the table. Still annoyed, he then straightened up and dashed out of the office. "Who was arguing out here?" He quickly opened the door as his face darkened. At that precise moment, he looked as if someone owed him five million dors. Usually, he was a quiet sort of person. "It''s Miss Qi. Mr. Jin," replied Mary, his secretary. In her early thirties, Mary was a tough and capable woman. Though she was still unmarried, many men were pursuing her. She had been his senior schoolmate. And when he was in college, she had always taken care of him. After her graduation, she began her work in JS International. On that day, Narissa was dressed in a luridly red cat-suit. She had a cute bubble-butt, well-rounded breasts, a good pair of long legs, and a beautiful face. She was drop-dead gorgeous. And every man would be easily attracted to her like moths to a me. "Nathan, I want to see you, but she is preventing me from seeing you. You know, we haven''t seen each other for a long time. I miss you so much," Narissa uttered softly. Seconds before, she had looked so arrogant and conceited. But when Nathan emerged from his office, she immediately pretended to be soft and sweet. Her small face looked pitiful. Mary didn''t offer any exnation. Instead, she just looked away. She had always disliked and looked down upon such coquettish women. "Come in with me," Nathan ordered Narissa in a firm tone while ncing at Mary. The look on his face remained unchanged. Narissa was not concerned with Nathan''s attitude. She merely thought that his serious demeanor was to show that he had taken offense at Mary. So she followed him in a rather over-sentimental manner. Nathan returned to his office with Narissa in a tow. Positioning himself on the sofa, he then spread his arms. Mesmerized by his move, she cheerfully went up to him. She had supposed that he was hinting for her to sit beside him. Currently, Narissa was the leading actress of JS International Entertainment Company. Before she became famous, she had studied at the University of Music. ying the violin was her forte. Rumor had it that Nathan had always liked those girls who were good at ying the violin. And by chance, she was personally chosen by him. Since then, she had reached achievements in her acting career and had be the most popr female star at present. It was well-known to the world that Nathan was her financial supporter, so no one dared to plot against her. For this sole reason, she had bullied a lot of neers and also some senior elders in the entertainment circle. In all these years, she had failed to establish a good rtionship within the industry. People harbored deep anger against her, but nobody dared to air it. Chapter 44 Do You Deserve It Chapter 44 Do You Deserve It Narissa nestled her head on Nathan''s shoulder. Her eyes became blurry as she fondled Nathan''s chest with her soft fingers, and she whispered into his ear, "Nathan... Do you love me?" Nathan''s kept his eyes fixed ahead and remained nonresponsive towards Narissa''s question. Narissa was a little anxious. She didn''t want to miss any chance to get close to Nathan. She firmly believed that Nathan loved her. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have made such great efforts to make her famous. "What is love?" A deep and enigmatic voice came through, with a trace of his usual indifference as Nathan counter questioned Narissa. "Love is..." Acent smile spread over Narissa''s face the moment she uttered the word love. "Love means¡­ If I love you, I would be thinking about you all the time. Nathan, I came to meet you as soon as I finished my job in that drama today." Narissa pouted her lips, and her enchanting and expressive eyes seemed to speak her heart out. "So what?" "Nathan, shall we be together?" "Okay," Nathan answered with a mysterious smile. "Then, when will you marry me?" Narissa asked. Hearing what Nathan had just said, Narissa was overjoyed. "Marry you? Do you think you deserve it?" All of a sudden, it seemed that the air froze, and it became more than ten degrees colder. Narissa''s smiling face froze in embarrassment. "Nathan," Narissa called out in despair, her voice trembling. "Narissa, don''t be foolish. I can give you whatever you want. And I can also make you fall from the sky. I am the one who can make you a princess and also a beggar. Do you understand?" All of a sudden, Nathan threw a malicious look at Narissa. There was not a hint of a smile on his face, which indicated that he meant what he said. Narissa''s eyes were fixed on Nathan''s face, looking for some hint of casualness or frivolity that could indicate that he was just pulling her leg. Her heart started beating faster as she expected that Nathan would break into augh and make the atmosphere light between the two of them. But to her utter disappointment, nothing of that sort happened. Her heart was shattered as she opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but to her dismay, her heart was so heavy that she could not even word her feelings with her mouth. "Nathan, have I done anything wrong? How can you do this to me?" Narissa''s voice choked as she tried to speak. Tears welled up in her innocent eyes as she still gazed at Nathan''s face, expecting an answer from him. However, neither her innocence nor her tears could prove her true love for Nathan. He sneered at her in his heart. In Nathan''s mind, Narissa was a brilliant actress, and over the years, she had only improved her acting skills. At first, he had liked her because she reminded him of someone when she yed the violin. But in recent years, she had been earning a lot of des that had changed her a lot. And Nathan hated the conceited woman. After all, Narissa was not her... "Get out of here!" Nathan said with a cold face. In the face of such an authoritative voice, Narissa realized that she had no right even to ask why at this moment! Aggrieved, Narissa blinked her eyes and burst into tears. The bean-sized tears ran down her beautiful cheeks to fall on the sofa. She didn''t dare to stay there any longer. She grabbed her bag and left in a hurry. With his eyes closed, Nathan sank into the sofa. He looked dead tired as he closed his eyes to grab some rest. The face that he had been yearning for over so many years appeared in his mind again. The way she yed the violin in such a soulful manner, the grace and poise in which she thanked the audience and the way she ran with him in the rain shed through Nathan''s mind. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Nathan heaved a sigh and felt helpless. ''Silly girl, I wish you all the happiness in heaven.'' Nathan didn''t know how long he had been lying on the sofa in that way. When he opened his eyes, he felt that his eyes were blurred. He was crying. His eyes that remained expressionless most of the time were now filled with pain as tears rolled down his cheeks. He stood up and walked to the desk. His slender fingers reached out to the chest of drawers. Nathan pulled out the first drawer from the left side. It was empty with no important documents inside. There was only a photo framed in an exquisite photo frame. The girl in the photo had a sweet smile on her face with her delicate red lips pouting mischievously. That year, she was 18, and he was 20. This year, she was 18 while he had turned 24. Chapter 45 Mandy Will Move Out Chapter 45 Mandy Will Move Out When Mandy went back home after work, Stanley and Madeline were busy with their work. As expected, Stanley was in the study reading some office documents. Since the Zhou Group had just gone through a crisis period, Stanley had to look into the office matters to put a lot of things in ce. And, as usual, Madeline was busy cooking in the kitchen. Mandy looked at the house longingly. Her eyes were filled with deep love and attachment to the house where she had spent the best years of her life. She knew she would note back to this house the following night. This was perhaps thest night that she would spend under this roof, with her loving parents. She had juste back but was going to leave again. After dinner, the close-knit family of three sat on the sofa and chatted with each other in a harmonious atmosphere. Stanley and Madeline were very delighted to have Mandy with them. They also talked about Mandy''s future, which eventually led to talk of her marriage. "Mand is so beautiful. She''ll surely marry a handsome man in future!" Madelineughed heartily as she took a sip from her teacup. "What''s the use of being handsome? Mandy has a very refined taste. She has her eyes on an artistic and business-minded Prince Charming," Stanley retorted, expressing his disagreement with his wife. Mandy quietly watched her parents as they shared such a candid moment with each other. She didn''t want to interrupt them. After all, she hadn''t seen themughing for so long. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you," Mandy cleared her throat and said in a soft voice. Both Madeline and Stanley stopped their conversation immediately and turned their faces towards Mandy. They listen attentively to their daughter. Mandy bit her lips before speaking to them slowly, "Dad, Mom, I know you might be unhappy to hear this. But I still have to share this with you. Our hospital is working on a research project, and I''ve participated in it. So, I''m quite busy with it. Our colleagues have decided to move into the hospital, so it''s convenient for the smooth progress in our research work." After saying that, Mandy paused for a while and breathed a sigh of relief. Then Mandy lowered her head and didn''t dare to look at her parents'' faces. "So? Are you going to move out? Mandy?" Madeline asked in a joyful tone. Mandy found Madeline''s reaction rather weird. Howe her mother was not upset by the news of her decision to move out? Why was there a pleased expression on her mother''s face? "Yes, Mom, it may take a month before Ie back home," Mandy replied as she looked up and nodded. "Okay, Dear, when are you nning to move out?" Madeline counter questioned Mandy with a big smile on her face. "I''ll have to move out tomorrow, Mom," Mandy said with a heavy voice. Her heart sank at the very thought of parting with her family. "Okay, make haste and move out. Your father and I would finally have the house entirely for ourselves. We can enjoy each other''spany in a rxed atmosphere," Madeline raised one brow and joked with a mischievous smile on her face. Mandy was left dumbfounded upon hearing her mother''s words. Oh, how could her mother be so comcent about her moving out of the house? Mandy felt a sting in her heart. Compared to Madeline, Stanley doted on his daughter. Heplied with all her whims. However, Mandy was aware that her mother was just joking with her. "Are you upset with what your mom said just now? My silly Daughter, your mother is just joking with you. When you were studying in Ennd, not a single day had passed without your mother talking about you. Every day, she would pine about you and say, ''Oh, when will our lovely daughtere back home?''" Stanley said, mimicking the way Madeline spoke. Madeline and Mandy were both amused by this gesture, and theyughed heartily. "But, my Dear, you should take good care of yourself when you are in the hospital. Okay? I know you work very hard, but remember not to ignore your own health. Remember to have your meals on time ande back home for meals every weekend whenever you have time, okay?" Madeline urged. Her eyes were filled with concern. After all, Mandy was part of her. How could she bear to see her daughter suffer? "Okay!" After hearing Madeline''s words, Mandy''s eyes turned red, and she nodded her head. She felt so sad that she had to move out tomorrow. In the depths of her heart, she was reluctant to leave her family! Chapter 46 Nathan, Who Is She Chapter 46 Nathan, Who Is She The next morning, the sun came up slowly from the horizon, breaking the dawn of a new day. And with that came the date of their agreement. From today, Mandy was going to live with Nathan! "Ding Dong!" the doorbell rang very early in the morning. Afraid of disturbing her parents, Mandy jumped out of bed and rushed to open the door almost bare foot. When she opened the door, she was stunned. She couldn''t believe that Nathan hade personally to pick her up. "What? You? Why have youe here?" Mandy spoke incoherently. Maybe, she was a little excited to see Nathan in the early morning. But at the same time, she was also afraid that her parents would come to know about him. "I''m here to pick you up. Why do you look so surprised?" Nathan smirked. His eyes traveled from her wide-eyed face downwards, only to stop at her feet. He raised his left eyebrow and cast a weird ce at Mandy''s face when he noticed that she hade to answer the doorbell without even putting on her shoes. He wondered that Mandy must be that excited to meet him. "I thought that you asked someone to pick me up?" Mandy stammered with guilt. And then she turned her head to look into the house, fearing that her parents woulde out. Her heart pounded, and she had a strange feeling in her stomach. "What? This is your house. Why are you behaving like a thief? Are you so afraid that I might be discovered by your family?" Nathan smiled teasingly and narrowed his dark eyes at Mandy. "No. That''s not true. Wait a minute," Mandy said, and the very next moment, she mmed the door shut. With the door banging closed on his face, Nathan was left outside the door. He gnashed his teeth and shouted angrily, "Bad girl." "Knock, knock, knock." A few momentster, he heard a scurry of footsteps. Mandy opened the door again and threw two huge suitcases at Nathan, and said with a twisted smile, "Thank you, Mr. Jin." Nathan picked up the suitcases with ease and leaned against the door. He looked into Mandy''s eyes and said jokingly, "Do you know how heavy it is? In fact, why don''t you invite me to your house for a cup of tea?" "No, Mr. Jin. It''s not a good idea to have tea here. The tea in my home tastes bad. Moreover, I''m sure you don''t like tea, either," Mandy refused Nathan with a cordial smile. She was both nervous and worried at the same time. ''Oh, my God! Why hasn''t he left yet?'' Mandy thought in her mind. "Now you want to drive me away, don''t you? Okay. No problem," Nathan said as he rolled his dark eyes mischievously. Then he stretched out his slender finger and tapped on the side of his face. His evil smile was self-exnatory. Mandy knew what he meant. He just wanted her to kiss him. Without wasting any more time and also to make sure that Nathan went away as quickly as possible, she stood on her toes and nted a kiss on his left cheek. It was the first time that she had kissed him. When his masculine air lingered on Mandy''s nose, she blushed. She lowered her head bashfully and said, "Okay, you can go now." "Okay, after work, you have toe directly to No. 520, Haibin Road. That''s our home," Nathan said. After that, he waved his hand and left carrying the two suitcases in his hands. As soon as he reached the gate, Fred caught up with him and took the suitcases from him. "Ahem, you look very happy." Fred had been working for Nathan for so many years. Hence, he knew very well what kind of person Nathan was. Unexpectedly, there was a childish smile on Nathan''s face. He licked his lips and said, "No." "That''s not your style of denying," Fred remarked. "Are you free now? Then you can go back and copy some words for ten times?" Nathan said cheerfully, as he took long strides ahead. Even though Fred put on a speechless expression, he didn''t say anything. He knew that it was better to keep it to himself, because if he spoke it out, Nathan would feel awkward. This day, time flew more rapidly. After Mandy got off from her work, she drove to Nathan''s home. No. 520, Haibin Road After jumping out of the car, she saw a European style vi. Nathan had bought this vi with his first earnings at the age of neen. But he had never lived here for so many years. He just came back asionally. He was waiting for the hostess. Mandy felt rather uneasy as she stood at the door. The iron door outside the vi was not fully closed. She thought, probably Nathan was there inside the vi. Mandy looked around as she tiptoed inside the vi. She found it rather strange that there was no one in the vi as she entered it. Mandy thought that a rich young man like Nathan would have many servants around the house, but all she could see in this vi were some expensive paintings. The door of the quiet vi was suddenly mmed shut. Mandy was startled. She raised her neck and looked up. A sound came from upstairs. She walked towards the second floor, excited to meet Nathan. When she pushed open the door, she saw a sexy woman with a delicate face wearing a bathrobe. She seemed to havee out of the shower, and her hair was still wet. The woman in the bathrobe also saw Mandy. Even she was startled to find a strange girl in the vi. Her beautiful eyes suddenly became vicious. She asked with hostility, "Who are you? Why are you here?" Mandy was left heartbroken to find another woman in the vi. She felt that she had been given a hard blow on her chest. ''Did Nathan ask me to move in as well? Maybe he wanted to show off his love with other women?'' Mandy thought in her mind. "I... I am..." Suddenly, Mandy broke into wildughter. She just happened to open and close her mouth, but couldn''t tell who she was. Who was she? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The woman in a bathrobe seemed to be quitefortable with the ce. From her demeanor, it seemed that she had stayed here before. ''If it was the first time she hade here, how would she have a bath here?'' Mandy spected. "Nathan, who is she?" The woman in the bathrobe suddenly rushed over and threw herself into Nathan''s arms. Mandy could not help but narrow her eyes as she watched the woman''s two fair and slender arms hung like a ko on his neck. And much to Mandy''s astonishment, instead of pushing her away, Nathan took her into his arms. With doting eyes on her, he grinned and said, "She''s a new maid." ''Maid? New maid!'' At first, Mandy felt that there was something wrong with her ears. She turned around and saw Nathan''s cold eyes. When Mandy noticed carefully, she saw that Nathan smiled at that woman, but stared at her coldly. Mandy could feel the coldness of his eyes right inside her heart. He had asked her to be his woman. But now it turned out that he wanted her toe here to be his maid. Thinking of that, Mandy chuckled to herself. ''How silly I am. But why does my heart hurt so much? Do I? No! I don''t love Nathan! I don''t love him at all!'' That kind of ridicule stabbed into Mandy''s heart like a sharp knife. The woman cuddled by Nathanughedcently. The vignce in her eyes gradually faded away, but she still put on a smug smile at Mandy, as if she was the real hostess. Mandy stood still, feeling her legs were so heavy that she couldn''t move them. "Nathan, what shall we have for dinner?" Eve said as she stood on her toes. She lingered her perfectly manicured fingers on Nathan''s chest while she had her eyes fixed on Mandy. Mandy lowered her head out of utter embarrassment. She felt numb in her head. Her knees trembled, and she felt it extremely difficult to breathe. "Steak, what do you say?" Nathan turned around and pulled Eve to sit in front of the dresser. Then he bent over and took out the hairdryer from the drawer. Chapter 47 You Are Jealous Chapter 47 You Are Jealous "Bzzap... Bzzap¡­" Nathan was gently drying Eve''s hair with a hair-drier. There was an apparent gleam of love and care in his eyes. ''Well, it''s a good thing that a woman keeps staying with Nathan. That means he won''t make trouble for me. And I can go back home in only one month!'' With a self-deprecatingugh, Mandy noted to herself. With this thought in mind, Mandy felt that she should grit her teeth and get on with it while hanging tough for a month. "Why are you still standing here? Go and make a beefsteak!" Eve urged her in an unfriendly tone as she looked daggers at Mandy from the mirror. Mandy silently turned and left without a word. She headed downstairs and rushed into the kitchen. To her amazement, the kitchen was spacious. And it was stuffed with a lot of kitchenware in it. After quickly scanning the room, she directly went to the fridge to check if there was food stored in it. Mandy took out two pieces of steak, surprised that they were still fresh. But looking at these two pieces of steak, she felt annoyed! "Humph, she thought eating steak would exhibit her elegance and grace. Seriously? What a mindless woman!" Mandy eximed to herself rather crossly. She then began shaking the two pieces of steak to and fro on the chopping block. "I would like to put a purgative in your food to put you to death!" Mandy hissed, still fuming in anger. Fortunately, Mandy had mastered good cooking skills when she had studied in Ennd, so it was not difficult for her to cook Western food. She not only prepared steak, but also made Ronnie soup, cream cheese shrimp, and fried dragon shrimps. When Mandy put the Western food on the table, the suspicious look in Nathan''s eyes showed that he had been assuming that she was a talented but unheralded chef. Their eyes met, but Mandy just looked away and stood silently aside. "Nathan, I noticed that your maid was a little bit slow in reaction. Don''t you think? She looked pretty silly. You may as well sack her," Eve stated in an unhappy tone as she pouted. "She is just a maid, Darling. Provided that the dishes are deliciously good, and the clothes are washed clean, then it is enough!" Nathan chuckled. His eyes were not as cold as usual. Mandy was not stupid. She seemed to detect some scorn in his voice and fully understood what he meant. Is he just wanting her to pour wine for them? Adeptly, Mandy opened a bottle of 1982 Chateau Lafite and gently poured the wine for Nathan and Eve like a pro. At this moment, the atmosphere became lighter. Eve''s face glowed with satisfaction, and she was beaming at Nathan. "Nathan, cheers!" "Cheers!" Nathan was sitting opposite to Eve. He immediately raised his hand and clinked sses with her. Watching their intimate acts, Mandy felt sick. It was like her stomach would turn inside out. She then remembered a famous saying, ''A subservient and servile woman''s affectation is an eyesore and unwatchable!'' Mandy was smart enough though to make herself a bowl of spaghetti when she prepared dinner for the two. Since she had already eaten, no matter how happy Nathan and Eve were at that time, she would ignore them. Mandy was very quiet, standing there motionless, like air. But inwardly, she was coaxing herself to remain calm. And Nathan, on the other hand, had never even nced at her from beginning to end. At around ten o''clock in the evening, Eve finally called it a day and was about to leave the vi. Nathan asked Fred to drive her home safe. And they parted with Eve kissing Nathan on the cheek. Their kiss closely resembled the same way that Mandy kissed Nathan in the morning. The only difference was that Eve had left a red lipstick mark on Nathan''s cheek. Mandy felt disgusted, seeing the bright red mark. She nearly rolled her eyes, but she dared not to. After seeing Eve off, Mandy silently went to the kitchen to wash the dishes voluntarily. While soaking her hand under the running water, her mind started drifting off again. She mulled over how great it would be if other women would apany Nathan every day this month. As long as he didn''t cause her any trouble, she knew she would survive. "Are you annoyed?" Mandy snapped back to her senses. She heard a deep voice suddenlye from behind her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. She did a double-take. And groaning inwardly, she mentally asked herself, ''When did hee in? Why didn''t I hear his footsteps? Could it be that I was deep in thought and deliberately ignored him?'' "Don''t make fun of me, Mr. Jin. Why would I be annoyed?" Mandy politely smiled as she busied herself with the dishes. "Do you really think that I invited you to my home only to be a maid?" As soon as he finished speaking, Nathan hastily pulled Mandy into his arms. He eagerly buried his head in her neck, and greedily he enjoyed the smell of her body. Nathan''s hot breath was fanning the back of Mandy''s ear, sending delicious current down her spine. It was the most sensitive part of her body. Instinctively, she shrank her neck and tried pushing him away. "Mr. Jin, don''t be like that, or your girlfriend will be jealous and annoyed." She continued to break free, but at that moment, Nathan refused to let go and hugged her more and more tightly. "What does it matter? It''s nothing!" Nathan drawled softly. Then he turned her around and forced her to look into his eyes. His face fell a little away from her, wearing his signature evil smile on his face. The air around them seemed to be heated as they got closer to each other, too close to even smell each other''s breath. With Nathan''s intent gaze, he captured the slight trace of panic that shed through Mandy''s eyes. "Why doesn''t it matter? Why doesn''t it matter? Since you have a girlfriend, you should know how to treat her well." Mandy didn''t dare to move. But she enunciated these words with the demeanor of a righteous woman. "You are jealous," he teased. His breath fell on Mandy''s cheeks as he spoke. Mandy felt herself blush at his words or perhaps at his nearness. She lowered her head at once, avoiding eye contact with him. "Why would I feel jealous? Cut it out, Mr. Jin. Don''t make fun of me." Mandy reached out her hands and tried to push him away again, but Nathan was insistent. He caught her hands and forcibly guided them to wrap around his waist. "Call me Nathan!" Nathan ordered. For a split-second, Mandy was spaced out. Her mind went nk, and she even forgot to react for a moment. She was stunned into silence there. "Call me Nathan!" Nathan ordered again. It was surprising that he hadn''t shown his impatience at all. Generally, he didn''t want to say what he had said a second time. "Na¡­ Mr. Jin," Mandy almost blurted out, "Nathan." Luckily, she responded in time and immediately eximed, "Mr. Jin." "Do you know the consequence of turning against me?" Nathan uttered in a cold voice as he squinted his eyes dangerously. Long before Mandy could make any response, Nathan''s thin lips had already delved into her mouth, covering her lips. His breath emitted a faint smell of alcohol. And when he felt she was distracted, Nathan stuck his tongue into her mouth, exploring her both gently and aggressively. Kiss? Suddenly, she recalled a picture that made her unhappy. It was so vivid that it jolted her back to her senses. She seemed to have seen Nathan kissing that woman in a room, though she couldn''t pinpoint where. Why was he so good at kissing? He must have selected a lot of women to train him. Mandy shoved him away, but Nathan didn''t budge. He hugged her tightly instead and didn''t want to let go of her at all. Fear engulfed her, and in a panic, she took a bite out of Nathan''s tongue. She had unwillingly tasted the blood that instantly spread in her mouth. Unexpectedly, Nathan still didn''t take his hands off. "Are you crazy? Nathan," Mandy cried out. She struggled furiously and finally pushed Nathan away. "Yes, I''m crazy!" Nathan breathed his words with a self-deprecatingugh. His scarlet eyes turned icy cold as he held her gaze, not even wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Chapter 48 Say It, Then I Am All Yours Chapter 48 Say It, Then I Am All Yours Mandy''s eyes were drenched and red with grievances when she looked straight into Nathan''s eyes. She felt a surge of sadness rising in her heart. Mandy wanted to scream it out. What the hell was that? "Who am I to you? Did you ask me to move in with you so that you can humiliate me like this?" Mandy asked, her voice still sounding painful. Mandy was nervous as hell. Her body was shaking, and it was beyond her control to keep it stable. The sting in her heart was so deep and overbearing that she felt as if someone was pulling her heart downwards. She closed her eyes and turned her face away from Nathan. "Did you feel bad with what happened just now?" The cold voice of Nathan sounded like a freezing cer. He did not show the slightest trace of being even remotely affected by the upheaval in Mandy''s heart. Mandy was appalled to hear his remark. At the moment, nothing affected her more than the words he uttered. She was neither intimidated by his cold voice nor was she scared of him anymore. But his words kept hammering on her head and chest over and over again. In a fit of anger, Mandy snapped, "No. I don''t give a damn about your women." However much she pretended not to care about Nathan''s being close to other women, still in her heart of hearts, she was set aze with jealousy. Mandy was aware that there would be a lot of women around Nathan. She felt that she could ignore those women and Nathan. She understood it very well that she and Nathan were from two different worlds, and their lives were ipatible. However, as luck would have it, their lives did intersect, in such an unexpected way. "Mandy, I don''t like stubborn women." All of a sudden, Nathan caught Mandy by her wrist and forced her against the wall. Nathan looked into her eyes intently for a moment, and then he broke into a wicked grin. The game he was ying with Mandy had started to gain momentum, and he loved it. He wanted to hear Mandy say, "I love you," willingly. "Why did you even ask me toe here? Do you even need a girl like me? Anyway, there are so many women around you. You can have them all without even the slightest effort," Mandy retorted. She smiled with self-mockery. "Do you mean to say that since there are so many people here, that makes you receable for me?" The frivolous tone of Nathan''s words sounded like he meant something else. Mandy looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Thinking of what she had just done, Mandy regretted it immediately. Why would she argue with him? She knew very well that she was no match for Nathan! Mandy denied, "No, I didn''t mean that." With her back against the wall, Mandy was so nervous that her heart started beating faster. The cold touch of the wall seemed to slowly stimte her nerves, and a burst of pain spread from her heart. Her eyes still looked hurt as she gazed at Nathan. Nathan approached her slowly. It was a very oppressing scene for Mandy. His face was very close to hers. She blinked and let out a pearly tear as she could feel his breath on her face. Suddenly, she thought of his kiss. The kiss had been very imperious and possessive. It had felt like he wanted to keep her for his own. When Mandy had been with Daniel, she had received a fair number of kisses from him. But Daniel''s kiss was different from that of Nathan''s. Nathan''s kiss was passionate and domineering. The way he kissed was both tender and, at times, overwhelming, just like what he was. "Mand, I''m all yours if you just say those three words," he coaxed. Nathan brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered softly with his maic voice. Her face flushed immediately when she felt his warm breath on her ear. The flush made her look more beautiful. Mandy stared at him with her almond-shaped eyes. Her eyes exuded a mix of fear and bewilderment. She could not figure out what he wanted to do if she said that. Maybe he would mock her if she did as he wished. She vowed to herself that she would not give him any more chance to hurt her. She gritted her teeth and sneered, "You are dreaming." She uttered three words, but not what Nathan had wanted to hear. What a disobedient woman! Nathan smiled helplessly and snickered, as he had been expecting something like that from her. But he was not angry at all. Instead, heughed loudly. He was getting more and more interested in this woman. She was more adorable and interesting than any other woman he had ever met. "Mand, you know what? You look so charming now." Reaching out his hand, Nathan touched Mandy''s face tenderly. Mandy quivered at his touch. At the moment, she felt like prey that he was ying with. Subconsciously, she leaned back, trying to get away from him. But the obvious movement of protecting herself could not evade Nathan''s eyes. Immediately, he realized that she was afraid of him, and his heart sank when he perceived that. "What the hell are you doing, Nathan?" Mandy asked. This was the first time that she had called Nathan by his name. She seemed to have braved it finally. Anyway, she wanted him to tell the truth. "I want to have sex¡­¡­ with you," Nathan said slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on her face so that he did not miss a single reaction from her. He snickered with a mischievous look. What a good toy she was! Mandy was left aghast by what he said. ''What a lustful man he is! Just as I expected. It''s like he thinks that all women were weing him, '' she thought. She turned her head away and ignored him. "Do you know what will happen if you continue being stubborn like this?" Nathan asked in a joking tone. Unmoved, Mandy answered, "I don''t know. And I don''t even want to know." "Alright. But, you should know that¨Cfor me, actions are usually clearer than words." Nathanughed wildly, and in a smooth sweep, he lifted Mandy and piled her on his strong shoulders before he started to walk. With a frightened look on her face, Mandy struggled desperately, thrashing about with her hands and feet to free herself from his grip. Nathan remained undeterred by her antics and carried her upstairs. He just smiled mischievously and patted her on the hip with his left hand. Like being hit by a thunderbolt, Mandy was stunned with that gesture and gradually stopped her struggling. She did not dare to move much in case he would act out more shamelessly. While he was walking, Mandy cursed him a million times in her mind. ''You are just a scoundrel! A cad!'' she thought but dared not speak it out. Mandy knew it very well that contradicting him would be thest choice for her at this moment. He was a lion among the sheep. He was neither enticed by the carrot nor browbeaten by the stick. If she provoked him, it would not be good for her. After a while, they entered a bedroom. The room was decorated in a European style, which had a very warm and hospitable look and feel. This room was not the same as the one that Eve had earlier entered. The decoration in it was extremely luxurious. It looked like the main bedroom. Nathan put Mandy on the big bed and rode over her quickly. Mandy was still in the middle of her marveling at the room decor. She turned her head, and her eyes fell upon a violin kept in a transparent crystal box. The light reflecting from the crystal box made Mandy feel a little dizzy. She frowned as curiosity piqued in her heart. Why was there a violin in his room? And then too, the violin was prominently disyed in this room. Was he fond of music? Could he y the violin? She felt that with his kind of a tough and ruthless disposition, he could not have such a love of music. At the same time, she could not forbear expressing her surprise. Everything in this room was different from what she had imagined. She imagined that Nathan''s room would be cold and dim, but on the contrary, she felt rather warm in this room. As her eyes roved around, the style of the bedroom calmed her down a lot. Following her eyes, Nathan found that Mandy was staring at the violin. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. As soon as Nathan''s eyes fell on the violin, his face changedpletely. His eyes turned darker as he stared at the violin coldly. This violin was a gift that he had never parted with. The same went for this vi also. They were the irreceable parts of his life. "Nathan, can you y the violin?" Mandy suddenly asked when she saw his eyes fixing on the violin. It was difficult for her to think that Nathan was the kind of man who liked music. In her opinion, people who liked music were very simple. And Nathan was radically opposite to that. He was ratherplex and shrewd, and he was more suited to achieve a mammoth of business sess with ease. He was indeed unstoppable and invincible in his line of work. But there was no trace of something in his personality that could justify him as a violin yer or even a music lover. "Yes," replied Nathan in a t tone. It was a short and powerful answer. Mandy was surprised to hear that. She requested, "Can you y a piece for me?" A trace of slyness shed through Mandy''s eyes as she thought of an old friend who had also been good at ying the violin. That was a wonderful memory in her life. "No," Nathan refused coldly. But this time, his voice sounded different. No one can make him y the violin, except that one person...He was not in the mood to y the violin at this moment. "All right," Mandy said with a sigh. She felt a little disappointed. She had expected that Nathan would refuse her. She just didn''t expect that he would refuse so quickly and coldly. He kept staring at the violin for a long time. Mandy watched him silently while he did that. All of a sudden, he turned over from Mandy and stood up. It seemed that suddenly he was in no mood for anything. "Have a good sleep here. Good night." After finishing these words, he left without looking back. Looking at his receding figure, Mandy slowly sat up on the bed. For the first time, she sensed that Nathan was a little lonely. ''If we sit face to face, maybe I can see the sorrow on his face, '' a passing thought came to her mind. She didn''t even know why she thought like that. What made him unhappy all of a sudden? Why did he leave like that? Did she say something that had raked some painful memories from the past? So many questions popped into Mandy''s mind one by one, but she could not find the answer for a single one. Rather, this incident made her unsure about her code of conduct with Nathan for the future. He was so unpredictable that she couldn''t gauge what was going on in his mind. It was a tough night for Mandy. She didn''t know how she fell asleep. She tossed and turned on the bed all night in this strange room. Chapter 49 He Was Waiting For Her Chapter 49 He Was Waiting For Her The next day when Mandy woke up, Nathan had already left. She sighed as she stretched her shoulders. Then she washed up and left as well. At noon, Nathan sent a message on WeChat to Mandy, urging her to return home soon tonight. Mandy said okay to Nathan. When he received her reply, he didn''t acknowledge any further. "Mandy, today is my birthday. It''s my treat tonight. Will you go out with me?" Jamie walked toward Mandy and asked. "What?" Mandy answered in surprise. She recalled that Nathan had just asked her to go home early tonight. "I... I''m sorry. I have something to do tonight." After mulling it over for a while, Mandy rejected his invitation. ''What if Nathan bes upset?'' she thought. "Mandy, can''t you grant my favor for once? Everyone from the Cardiology Department epted my invitation, except Harry. He won''t go with us," Jamie replied with a wide grin. He had said that Harry would not attend the birthday party since he believed that Mandy might oppose his request because of that guy. Harry was the director of the Cardiology Department. They recognized him as a highly serious man because he always looked stony-faced. Regarding his character, no one in the Cardiology Department liked him; Mandy appeared to not like him, either. Therefore, everybody was keeping their distance from Harry. "No, it is not because of Harry. Jamie, I have lots of things to take care of tonight. I mean it," Mandy exined at once. Although she didn''t wish to cross paths with Harry, she wouldn''t avoid him on purpose. "It''s just an hour or two. You can go home early, okay?" Jamie pleaded earnestly, and he didn''t care if he sounded pathetic as he sought to convince her toe with them. "Mand,e on. If you won''t go, I don''t want to go either." Cassie then walked in with a load of files in her arms. Mandy had no choice but to nod her head, and she replied yes. In the evening, Mandy sent a message to Nathan on WeChat to let him know that she had some things to still do tonight, and she might go homete. Jamie invited them to have a table in a fancy restaurant, and it didn''t matter to him that it would cost him a lot. All the employees in the Cardiology Department were excited because of Harry''s absence. Before they evenpleted their suppers, some of the nurses were already drunk. Nobody saw who came up with the idea, but they just demanded to y truth or dare. It was a funny game. Everybody chose one from the cards. The cards featured some requests. When it was Mandy''s turn, she drew a card of truth, and the sentence on it was, "Are you single now." Everybody gazed at her with a teasing smile on their faces, waiting for her response until Mandy acknowledged, "Yes." "Humph, that''s not interesting. Next one." In fact, the answer was obvious because all of them knew that she had just broken up. However, no one knew what had just urred between her and Nathan. When it was Jamie''s turn, he picked one, and it was a card of dare. It said: "You should give him or her a peck on your left." Mandy was surprised, with her eyes widening, because she was the one who stood on his left. Jamie and Mandy gawked at each other, feeling embarrassed. But people cheered as they would never let go of this opportunity. Everybody had noticed that Jamie adored Mandy. "Mandy, would you... Would you mind me kissing you? If you don''t agree, I will change it to another card." Jamie blushed red with a smile, and he looked like an intoxicated fellow. "No, you can''t. How can you manage to be so ashamed? Truth or dare is just an exciting game, so you have toply with the rules. Getting away is not entertaining at all," Jayleen said. In her view, Jamie and Mandy would be a perfect couple. Jamie was a resident physician now, and an extremely good-looking man. Even though he didn''t have a significant position like Mandy, he came from a ssical family, and he had both gentleness and elegance. He was a perfect match for Mandy. "I... Fine!" A coy smile appeared on Mandy''s face when she noticed that everybody would not allow it. She did not wish to deceive everyone, so she had to concede. It was not a big deal. It was just a peck on her cheek. As a well-educated woman in the 21st century, she could deal with that. It waste, and everybody had a wonderful night. They finished dining andter on went to KTV for singing. Even Mandy, who didn''t like alcohol, got tipsy. "Mand, where do you live? Let me drive you home." ncing at Mandy''s cheeky grin, Jamie perceived that she was almost totally drunk. Mandy shook her head and waved her hands. "Well. No, thanks. I can go home by myself. I''m not drunk. Look, I know you. You are Jamie, right?" Shaking his head, Jamie held Mandy in his arms. Both Jayleen and Cassie were drunk as well, so they were also teasing Mandy and Jamie. "Jayleen, what do you think is the best for this wonderful moment?" With a silly smirk on her face, Cassie grabbed Jayleen''s arms, and they shuffled while walking. "Of course, a man and a woman will go on a date alone," Jayleen understood Cassie''s interpretation in a brief moment and continued for her. Although Mandy was drunk, she still had a vital thinking ability. She had, however, forgotten what Nathan had told her. She just wanted to ease herself because of alcohol. "Jayleen, Cas, you can''t y tricks on me. I''m going home!" Mandy jumped up and shouted at the top of her lungs that she wanted to go home. Although Jamie had called a driver for her, he couldn''t help but worry about her. So he followed the car to ensure that Mandy would arrive home safe. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Mandy was dizzy and told an address to the driver at will. It was the MC Garden. Along the street, the air nipped on her skin, leaving her cold. When they arrived at the MC Garden, all of a sudden, Mandy realized that she didn''t live there anymore. "Jamie, thank you for bringing me home." After getting out of the taxi, Mandy stooped and bowed to Jamie. He was about to escort Mandy into her house, but she refused him. After Jamie left, Mandy came to her mind and began to feel anxious. She held out her phone to check on the time. ''Oh, no! It was already half-past eleven.'' Now, she would be in trouble. Mandy didn''t hesitate to call for a taxi to No. 520, Haibin Road. When Mandy arrived at the said location, darkness met her sight. Mandy''s skin crawled when she paused at the entrance, hesitating for a while before she swiped the key-card and opened the door. However, the moment she pushed the door open, the living room lights were turned on. Mandy bit her lower lip. Before she could react, she noticed Nathan sitting on the sofa, with his face full of annoyance. "So you still remembered toe back, didn''t you?" Nathan''s eyes became dark as he spoke with gritted teeth, and his cold expression pierced her. "I... I did send you a message on WeChat to tell you I''ll be homete. You didn''t respond to my message. Have you been waiting for me?" Mandy asked. Staring at Nathan''s gloomy face, she came to herself at once. Chapter 50 Explain Yourself, Please Chapter 50 Exin Yourself, Please "Huh?" Nathan sneered with irritation. "I haven''t even given you a reply?" "Mandy, are you out of your mind? Open the WeChat and check my messages." Nathan was angry. He had sent a dozen WeChat messages to her, urging her to go home early for dinner, but she hadn''t replied to any of them. Mandy was lost. She quickly took out her mobile phone from her bag and turned on the Inte. She found that Nathan had indeed sent her many replies. Her hand holding the mobile phone was slightly shaking. She stood there in embarrassment and didn''t know what to do. She just knew that she had made Nathan angry again. Mandy lowered her head like a child who had made a mistake. She clenched her fists nervously and didn''t dare to look up at Nathan. "Exin to me why you came back sote." Nathan stretched his legs and put an icy look on his face. "Like what I said on WeChat, I waste due to my colleague''s birthday," Mandy answered in a low voice. There was fear in her voice because she was afraid to get Nathan mad again. "Colleague?" He was skeptical. "Male or female? How many people went there?" he probed. Nathan asked the series of questions like a case being interrogated. She didn''t expect that he would be so narrow-minded and ask such questions. ''I''m not even dating him. Why should I exin myself?'' Mandy thought. Despite her hesitation, Mandy still confidently exined, "He is a resident doctor of our department. All members of our department were there." To avoid Nathan''s suspicion, Mandy added, "Seventeen people went to the party." "Quit your job at the hospital," Nathan said slowly. He was apparently not happy of her answer, and his face was hard to ignore. "Why?" Mandy asked angrily. She thought, ''I didn''t do anything wrong. Why do I have to quit my job? What should I do after I resign?'' Now, her mind was full of questions. ''How could I earn money without a job?'' "I don''t like drunk women," Nathan said coldly and stood up. The light fell on the side of his face, and his eyes were indescribable. "I promise I won''t drink anymore. But for you to ask me to quit my job? That''s too much!" Mandy riled while looking at him with her big eyes. "Too much?" Nathan asked. "Mandy, who on earth went too far? I''ve been waiting for you since you got off from work, I haven''t even had dinner yet. Who do you think is more unreasonable?" Nathan retaliated with fury. He was like a beast, out of control, andshing out at Mandy. ''He hasn''t had dinner yet?'' Mandy was stunned and confused. He had waited for her to have dinner! "Why are you so silly? Why did you not have dinner?" Mandy asked in a low voice and quietly walked to Nathan. The unusual stench of alcohol from her made him ufortable. He frowned for a moment, and then his eyes suddenly became fierce. He didn''t answer her, but continued to say, "Mandy, do you remember thest time you went to a bar? You met a hooligan, and someone put drugs in your wine." Panic flooded Mandy''s eyes. She stared at Nathan with confusion. Annoyed by the way she acted, he said, with his eyes dark, "Don''t give me that look. It wasn''t me. I didn''t ask someone to do that. But you know what? You were so sexy and hot that night." Mandy was so mad that she couldn''t say a word. ''Was it her fault that she was drugged?'' "As a woman, you should keep your self-esteem and self-respect high," Nathan reminded her. His voice was stern, but a touch ofpassion was evident. "What do you mean?" Mandy asked with a bewildered expression. "Do you mean that I don''t have self- esteem and self-respect?" she asked aggressively with irritation. Even though Mandy was usually good-tempered, hearing those words was an irritating sound to her ears that made her lose her self- control. Besides, she was drunk, and the alcohol made her bold. As the saying goes, "A new-born calf is not afraid of a tiger." "Don''t you?" Nathan asked furiously. "No sensible women would behave like that. Coming home at midnight and drunk." Nathan''s tone was cold, and his ck eyes shed with contempt. His piercing gaze made Mandy ufortable, but she had to endure it. She had no choice but to keep all her words to herself. After all, he was the boss. Arguing with Nathan was a dead end. She couldn''t win him over, let alone quarrel with him. Mandy was under his protection, so she had to listen to him. Mandy went into the kitchen and cooked a bowl of noodles for Nathan. She cursed him silently as she cooked the noodles. She thought that such a wicked man like him shouldn''t live in this world. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. If it hadn''t been for only a month, Mandy would have gone crazy. ''Go ahead, '' she thought. ''This will soon be over.'' With an emotionless face and dull mood, Mandy walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of seafood noodles in her hands. Still wearing the apron, Nathan squinted and looked her up and down. ''She''s so virtuous, '' he thought at that image of her. That scene was what Nathan had envisioned for his future. He would have had a wife who loved him very much, a cute daughter, and a family of three living in this vi. But when his eyes caught Mandy''s face, he swiftly changed his mood and looked indifferent. It was just a fantasy, after all. The person he wanted most wasn''t Mandy. Although Mandy was slow in reaction, she also noticed a strange expression in Nathan''s eyes. She put down the seafood noodles and stood aside silently. It took Nathan a long time to sit down. He stared at the bowl of noodles with shrewd eyes, as if he first wanted to scrutinize it. "Don''t worry. It''s not poisonous," Mandy sarcasticallymented. She smirked at the thought that Nathan was afraid of being poisoned. Honestly, she wanted to, but she didn''t dare. "Of course, I don''t think you have the guts to do that," Nathan answered. He took his chopsticks and indulged in his food. He was starving, so he didn''t talk much. Sitting across from him, with her cheeks propped up on her hands, Mandy watched him gobble up the noodles. He ate the noodles in an elegant manner without making a sound. As a child, Mandy was trained to do the same. She had been cautious all these years. It was not until she saw the way Nathan ate that she realized that such a life was very restrained. Since childhood, Madeline taught her not to make any noise while eating, so she had developed this habit. But sometimes, she was really hungry and wanted to wolf up all the food in front of her. Mandy felt as if there were two people living in her body. In fact, she didn''t want to be so prim and proper a lady. "What are you thinking?" Nathan had finished the whole bowl of noodles with satisfaction up to thest drop. "What?" He cleared his throat. "Is it delicious?" Mandy smiled gently. She was no longer nervous when she looked into Nathan''s eyes. "Yeah, just right," Nathan simply said and smiled. Deep inside, Nathan silently praised her cooking. The food was so delicious, but he didn''t say a word about it. Chapter 51 My Woman Doesnt Need To Work Hard Chapter 51 My Woman Doesn''t Need To Work Hard Nathan didn''t answer Mandy''s question further. Instead, he raised his hands and winked at her as if he was sharing his happiness with her. Mandy had expected Nathan''s answer to be like that. Hence, she was not disappointed this time. "I have hired a maid for you. She''ll starting from tomorrow," Nathan said as he lifted a piece of tissue and wiped his mouth. His beautiful lips moved as the tissue swept over them gently. "A maid for me? Why? I can take care of myself!" Mandy opined loudly, raising her brows as she pointed at herself with her finger in surprise. She didn''t know why Nathan had suddenly hired a maid for her. "I''m going on a business trip to Australia. It will take about a week until Ie back," Nathan informed in a casual tone. ''Oh! So that''s the reason!'' Mandy thought in her mind. It was not until then that Mandy came to realize that Nathan just wanted to hire a maid to monitor her. She smiled and said, "I don''t need a maid. I can take care of myself," However, it was good news for Mandy that Nathan was going on a business trip. Mandy could not restrain her heart''s delight to hear that. She thought that since he was going on a business trip for one week, then there would be only three weeks left after he came back. Ha-ha! That was great! Nathan had been observing the sudden y of joy on the expression on Mandy''s face. All of a sudden, Nathan loosened up and leaned against the backrest of the chair. He stretched out his left hand with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. "Come here," Nathan said softly. Mandy walked slowly towards him, wondering what he was going to do next. "Have a seat, please." Just as Mandy''s eyes fell upon the chair, Nathan pulled her into his arms and made her sit on hisps without giving her an option to react. Mandy''s heart started pounding faster. Every time she got close to Nathan, she felt excited and got pulled towards him. This time as well, she could feel the sudden pull inside her stomach. Now, they were sitting intimately, looking at each other''s eyes. "My woman doesn''t need to work so hard," Nathan said softly as his eyes darkened. At this moment, his face was calm, full of tenderness and love as he looked intently into Mandy''s eyes. "What? Do you have a split personality?" Mandy could not resist the obvious question froming out of her mind. Although, right after blurting it out, she had a momentary regret for having said so in such a point-nk manner. Nathan had a vtile temper, now burning with fever or shivering with cold. Mandy seriously wondered whether he had a split personality. If Nathan didn''t have a split personality, she felt that she was going to have a split personality very soon. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He had always either blown hot or cold. At the moment, Nathan''s tenderness left Mandy in a bewildered state. "I feel, it is proper for me to treat my woman nicely!" Nathan chuckled. He could sense the dilemma in Mandy''s mind, but he didn''t know how to answer her. "Mand..." Sitting on Nathan''sp, Mandy was trembling with fear. She felt as if her back seemed to have be frozen and numb. "Sleep with me tonight," Nathan ordered as he suddenly stood up with an evil smile at the corner of his mouth. Nathan lifted Mandy in his strong arms as he frowned slightly. At that moment, as he held Mandy in his arms, he felt that Mandy was really lightweight. "Why?" Mandy blurted at once. Then as she looked into his passionate eyes, she blushed and mellowed down. "Don''t you think that after this month, we will lead separate lives?" Nathan answered gently yet with a heavy voice as he carried her in his arms, walking towards the bedroom step by step. Mandy looked at him with her mouth agape. Oh, Nathan hadn''t touched herst night, but it didn''t mean that he would never touch her. It seemed that she was too sensitive and had over thought about him. "You are my woman, and you should be more intelligent. You know, I don''t like stupid women," Nathan said cryptically. He reminded Mandy that she should be active when it was the right time. Mandy''s heart froze at the thought of it. Mandy was thest person to take the initiative. She''d rather die than take initiative in sex. Lost in her thoughts, Mandy didn''t even realize it when they reached the bedroom. Only when Mandy felt something was soft touching her back, did she realize that she had been put down on the bed by Nathan. Nathan began to kiss her. His kisses pummeled her lips as if he was punishing her for something. Mandy was aware that she had made him unhappy tonight because she came back toote. She decided she would never make such a mistake again. "The week I''m not here will be excluded in our agreed-upon time," Nathan stopped in the act and reminded her softly. His cold lips covered on hers and nibbled gently. ''What?'' Mandy became still. Oh, the time when Nathan would be away would be excluded in their agreed-upon time! It seemed that she had rejoiced too soon. "I¡­ Can I go home and stay for a few days when you are away?" Mandy begged in a trembling voice. "What do you think?" Instead of answering her question, Nathan counter questioned her. Slowly, he moved his hands to cup her breast. Mandy trembled all over, but she didn''t resist. Instead, she allowed Nathan to rub her breast and thigh. By that time, she had begun to know his temperament. She knew that when she was together with him, the more she resisted, the more violent he would be. Hence, she gave himplete freedom over her body. Oh, they spent a wonderful and passionate night together. Mandy didn''t even realize when she fell asleep. She only remembered that she felt safe and warm in her dream. The next morning, the rm hadn''t rung yet. Mandy woke up as she heard the sound of raindrops hitting the window pane. She suddenly sat up on the bed, and her face was pale. At that moment, she looked as though she was struck by a sudden idea. Mandy looked around and realized that she was left alone in this big room. She didn''t even know when Nathan had left. She didn''t like this sort of morning very much. As Mandy tried to move her body, the pain in her lower body reminded her of what had happenedst night. She remembered clearly the tender yet bossy look on Nathan''s face when he had sex with her. Mandy closed her eyes and went back to bed without saying anything. ''When will it all end? When will I stop living such a life?'' Mandy thought to herself. Suddenly, her phone rm started ringing. Mandy picked up her phone and turned the rm off. She had fought with Nathanst night over her job. Nathan asked her to quit her job. Although Nathan didn''t say it again, her mind was still upied with that thought. As she put her phone back on the table, Mandy suddenly saw a piece of paper on the nightstand. She gently picked it up and saw a few words written on it, "You muste back home on time before five o''clock every night. You are allowed to visit your house once this week." Thest sentence on the paper made Mandy so happy. She sat up from the bed full of energy. It was so good! At the moment, Mandy felt that Nathan was indeed a handsome man with a human heart throbbing inside his chest. After all, he was not a very cold-blooded man, as many women perceived him to be. When Mandy came downstairs, she saw a hearty breakfast on the dining table. Mandy was surprised and thought it must have been prepared by a ghost. "Good morning, Miss Zhou," Lillian said with a gentle smile as she stepped out of the kitchen. "Who are you?" Mandy asked with a smile. Nathan had told Mandyst night that a maid woulde to the house, but she didn''t expect her to come so soon. "Miss Zhou, you can call me Lillian. I''ll take care of you from now on," Lillian replied with a smile on her face. At the moment, Mandy felt a sense of kinship with Lillian. She found Lillian very congenial. "You''re wee, Lillian. Call me Mand, if you like," Mandy didn''t like being called Miss Zhou. She felt estranged. "I dare not, Miss Zhou. Please don''t embarrass me," Lillian replied as she shook her head. Nathan had asked her to take good care of Mandy. "Well, Lillian. You don''t have to be formal with me. You know, he has gone abroad, and it''s just you and me in this house for the time being." Mandy shed a sly smile as she coaxed Lillian. Chapter 52 Lost In Oblivion Chapter 52 Lost In Oblivion Mandy was at the JR Hospital. She waspletely knackered after the surgery this morning. Her journey as a doctor began when she had decided to be a doctor so that maybe she would have the opportunity to help an old friend. Unfortunately, her old friend was gone, and Mandy had been depressed for a long time. Mandy had given up a lot of things she loved, on her way to be a good doctor. She loved ying the piano when she was a child, but she gave it up for clinical medicine. Every time she would see someone ying the piano on the television, her heart would ache faintly. There was a time when music had been her life. She had loved every note, and each note became like a little dancing angel. Her routine life at the hospital and meeting all kinds of patients every day, made Mandy feel that she was only taking a step further away from her love: music. But she loved her job equally. As long as she could save someone''s life, she would be happy. Her profession was sacred and significant. Healing the wounded and rescuing the dying wasn''t something everyone had the opportunity to do. During her lunch break, Mandy was surfing the Inte. A medical team in Switzend had been studying a case of congenital heart disease. The JR Hospital was recruiting doctors to join the project with that medical team. Although Mandy wanted to be a part of the project, she was afraid that she might not get selected. After all, Harry''s possibility of being in the team was bigger than hers. After looking at the website for a long time, Mandy finally sighed and closed the window. Jamie walked in with a patient''s medical report to see Mandy. He was excited as he could use this as an opportunity to spend time with her. But he would stay true to his profession as well. He began exining about the patient''s condition. However, Mandy''s mind was elsewhere. Just like her soul was out of her body. "The patient''s condition is rare. His blood is too thick¨Cit could block the blood vessels in his heart. I''m afraid that his life is at stake." Jamie was fidgeting with a pen, looking at Mandy curiously, and waiting for her answer. Her eyes were fixed somewhere unseen, and she had paid no attention to what Jamie had been saying all this while. She answered perfunctorily, "Yes." Jamie frowned at Mandy and nudged her. "Director Zhou, what''s wrong with you today? Has your spirit left you?" ''My spirit has left me?'' Jamie''s words snapped Mandy back to reality. She realized that she had been absent-minded for a long time. She couldn''t concentrate no matter what she did. Mandy felt as if someone was squeezing her throat with strong hands. It was hard for her to breathe, and her brain was devoid of oxygen. She couldn''t talk to Jamie in this condition. "I''m sorry, Jamie. I''m not feeling well today. I feel dizzy," Mandy made up an excuse. "What? Do you want me to give you a checkup?" Jamie was nervous. He frowned and looked at Mandy. He was worried¨Cshe wasn''t her normal self. Mandy shook her head. "No, thanks. I''m fine." "Okay, rest well. I don''t want to bother you." Jamie was worried that his constant talking had annoyed Mandy even more. Later in the afternoon, Mandy''s phone rang. It was from Fiona''s school. "Hello, is this Mandy?" The call was from the director of the Teaching Affairs Department in the No. 1 High School. "Yes, this is she. Who am I speaking to?" "I''m the director of the Student Affairs Office at No. 1 High School. Your cousin, Fiona, has hit her ssmates at school. I hope to see you as soon as possible," the director said in a serious tone. "Yes... Yes, of course," Mandy replied quickly. Mandy patted her chest with her left hand. She couldn''t believe that Fiona could beat up her ssmates. She was not a rude girl. She was benevolent and had always topped the ss with straight A''s. Mandy rushed to No. 1 High School. It was her alma mater. Mandy had always loved this ce very much. But she was not in the mood to enjoy the scenery or take a sweet ride of nostalgia. She hurried to Fiona''s ssroom. When she arrived, the ssroom was empty. It was lunchtime, and the students had gone to eat. So, Mandy went to the office to look for the teachers. When she pushed the door of the office open, and to her utter surprise, it was empty as well. Where was everyone? Mandy skipped downstairs and finally found the students'' dormitories. The dormitories had changed a lot. Mandy remembered how old and dirty the dormitories were when she was a student. Now the dormitories were finally renovated and looked spectacr and spacious. It would befortable to live in these rooms now, unlike during her school days. Fiona was a sophomore high school student. She lived in Room 312 of Building C. Mandy walked to Fiona''s dormitory. When she reached out her hand and was about to knock, she heard someone talking inside. "Humph, I didn''t expect to have such a bitch in our dormitory. Her father is a gambler, and apparently, he owes debts of millions of dors. Her mother isn''t great, either. She is a drug addict and is still in the rehab," One of Fiona''s roommates said arrogantly. "That''s right. I never liked her. She was an arrogant bitch because she had always been at the top. But what happened this time will teach her a lesson," another girl chimed in. "The posts on our school forum is awesome. There are already thousands ofments. Even if she gets away without being punished, it would be hard for her toe back, because everyone hates her." "How can she be so shameless? How does she have the nerve to live after what happened? I guess that''s probably because she has always been a shameless bitch." Fiona''s roommates wereughing at her downfall. They were all excited to see her go through a hard time. Mandy was shaking furiously as she heard what the girls were saying. She knew who they were talking about. They were plotting against Fiona, and Mandy couldn''t contain her anger anymore. She let out a huge breath and banged the door. The door rattled with the force. The girls'' happyughter was wiped out in an instant when they heard the bang. They were startled, and their mouths were hanging open. One of the girls walked up to the door slowly. She swallowed loudly when she saw Mandy, who was a picture of pure rage¨Cher eyes were so cold that it could pierce anyone with her mere gaze. "Excuse me, who are you looking for?" the girl asked, trembling with fear. "What nonsense are you girls talking about? Where did you hear that from?" Mandy stormed into the dormitory. The dormitory was so quiet that all they could hear was Mandy''s echoing voice, and the thud of her heels hitting the floor. "Who the hell are you? What we are talking about has got nothing to do with you." A girl with long hair, with a center partition of bangs that covered her forehead, stood up from the bed. She crossed her arms, raised her chin, and stared at Mandy with disgust. "You gossip girls. Watch your damn mouth! Fiona''s parents have gone abroad. It''s not what you think. You all are good at nothing but fabricating news and stirring the peace of innocent people," Mandy growled. Mandy was furious and yelled at the girls in a tone that was loud enough to shut their mouths. After all, she had dealt with all kinds of patients in the hospital. Dealing with a bunch of silly girls wasn''t a big deal for her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "You...Are you Fiona''s sister? Stop lying! We all know that she was adopted," the girl sneered as she looked at Mandy. "I don''t know where the hell you get this gossip from. But I do know one thing¨Cif you dare to talk nonsense again, I will tear your mouth apart," Mandy said through gritted teeth. Her eyes reddened with rage. Once Mandy was done talking, she rolled up her sleeves. She wanted to get into a fistfight with these girls. She couldn''t bear these girls talking nonsense about Fiona. Mandy hadn''t believed the director when he informed that her cousin had fought with other kids in the school. Fiona was a straight-A student, after all. But now, she was sure that Fiona would have beaten the crap out of them. If the words of these girls could provoke Mandy, it definitely would have annoyed poor Fiona. The girl with bangs looked at Mandy with frightened eyes. Mandy''s menacing look, her dress, and heels made the girl understand that Mandy wasn''t a weakling. She''d definitely do what she said she would. Chapter 53 Encountering An Old Friend Chapter 53 Encountering An Old Friend "What is it? What do you want?" the girl with bangs asked cautiously, looking less aggressive. Hearing this, Mandy just sneered and said nothing. ''What do I want? Of course, I want to fight, '' Mandy thought in her mind. When Mandy had studied in Ennd, she had worked for a Taekwondo association with Daniel for three years. And generally speaking, ordinary men were not her opponents. "Mandy, why are you here?" Suddenly, a voice came from behind the door. Mandy turned her head and spotted Fiona right behind her. As soon as she saw Fiona in front of her, Mandy broke into a big smile. She gave Fiona a warm hug and asked with concern, "Are you okay, Honey? I heard that you had a fight with your ssmates. Did you get hurt?" "I''m fine. Don''t worry. There was a bitch. I just pped her through the face." As soon as Fiona finished her words, she gave a hard look at the girl with bangs. Mandy chuckled to herself, ''That''s good. How could my cousin lose out? Fiona had started to learn Sanda from the tender age of five.'' Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The girl got angrier to hear the conversation between Mandy and Fiona. At that moment, the girl spotted their headteacher standing behind the door. She walked up to her teacher with a disgruntled face and grumbled to him, "Mr. Xu, look, they were humiliating me like this." "Well, Jenny, the truth remains that you started it. Just let it go. Don''t stretch it too much." Bruce, the headteacher, was a young man. He wore a pair of spectacles. He looked gentle and elegant, and there was a ir of majesty in his words. Jenny pouted her lips as she was displeased with Bruce''s reply. She had never expected that their headteacher would support Fiona. Mandy walked towards Bruce with an appreciative smile. Suddenly, she felt that the man looked familiar. She had a very strong intuition that she had seen him before. Mandy ran her brain randomly, and very soon, she remembered who he was. As kids, Mandy and Bruce had been neighbors. That was right. Since all the students were there, Mandy refrained from addressing him. However, as her gaze met with his, she saw him smiling. Immediately, she knew that he seemed to have recognized her as well. "I came to your dormitory to talk about what happened in the afternoon. After investigation, I found that Jenny insulted Fiona, which made Fiona retaliate by taking action. There is no doubt that it''s wrong on Fiona''s part to have hit Jenny. But the good part is that Fiona realized she was wrong and wrote a self- criticism letter of five hundred words. Therefore, let''s let it go now. Jenny, now you have to write a self- criticism letter of five hundred words too. You all know what I hate most is people who make trouble out of nothing. Fiona will leave from Room 312. You should conduct yourselves. If this happens again, it will not be so easy to settle like it was now. Mark my words," Bruce said coldly with his hands tucked behind his back. Since Fiona was the ss monitor, Bruce had always been fond of her. Fiona was excellent in her grades and was ever ready to help others. Unexpectedly, someone had exposed her family background on the school BBS. As a result, he was supportive of her. Bruce personally went to the student affairs office to deal with this matter. He even spoke to the director of the student affairs department to resolve the problem. Jenny was left aghast at hearing Bruce''s words. Her jaws dropped as she could not justify the penalty that had been decreed for her. Jenny asked, "Why? It was me who was pped by her! Is that fair?" "Was it right that you insulted the monitor? What? Do you still want to carry on with the dispute?" Bruce asked with a straight face. "Mr. Xu, You are being unfair!" Jenny was so angry that tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I''ve already taken care of this matter. If you want to carry on with this, you will be expelled by the student affairs office. Don''t be silly," Bruce said coldly. Mandy was just standing next to them. After listening to their conversation, Mandy could not help but be impressed with Bruce''s sense of judgment. She almost pped her hands andughed. After helping Fiona move to a new bedroom, with the approval of her teacher, Mandy decided to take her out for dinner. Since even Bruce was yet to go for his dinner because he was busy solving the trouble, they decided to have dinner together. Then they got into the car. Bruce drove, with Mandy sitting in the passenger seat and Fiona in the backseat. A happy song called Red High-Heel was ying in the car. Slowly as the song unfolded, Mandy felt as if a cool breeze was blowing to take away her bad mood. When she had learned that Fiona was fine, she felt much relieved. "I didn''t expect that you are Fiona''s headteacher. I have always heard that her teacher is very young and handsome. And after I met you today, I must say, you''re indeed very handsome, just as she described," Mandy said with an admiring smile. Her smile spread into her eyes to create a shining crescent. Fiona was surprised by the easy camaraderie between Mandy and Bruce. ''It turns out that Mandy knows my teacher from before! No wonder he helped me to get a clean chit in this dispute, '' thought Fiona. She was smart enough not to interrupt but to listen to their conversation quietly. "Yeah, it was such a pleasant surprise. We are meeting each other after sixteen years. How are you?" Bruce nced at Mandy and smiled. "Not bad," Mandy replied with a faint smile. But there was a hint of bitterness in her words. "Where do you work, Mandy?" Bruce asked. "JR Hospital." "That''s great! You became a doctor." It seemed that he already knew a lot about Mandy. He sounded so confident that no one could say that he assumed Mandy''s profession out of sheer gut feeling. Mandy frowned and asked, "How do you know I''m a doctor and not a nurse?" "At that time, you were a legend of No. 1 High School. You had won a lot of awards and des for our school. Even now, the honors earned by you are posted on the billboard." "What? Really?" Mandy smiled and said, "That was a long time ago." Mandy had met Daniel three years ago. Daniel had been wooing Mandy since she was a freshman in No. 1 High School. It was known to all students in their school. But Mandy didn''t ept his proposal at that time. Daniel had respected her decision and had waited for her until she graduated from secondary school. "Thank you for helping Fiona. Let me treat you to dinner tonight," Mandy suggested. "No way. I''m a man. It''s not okay for a woman to give me a treat." Bruce frowned, expressing his disapproval towards her remark. "Okay, since you want to treat me for dinner, I''ll give you the chance," Mandy smiled sweetly and said in a naughty tone. The night fell, and the streetmps were lit all across the city. They went to a robot restaurant for dinner. On their way back, Mandy bought two packs of snacks for Fiona and her new roommates. She asked her to share it with them. Mandy was relieved to see that Fiona was quite popr in her ss. Many girls liked her. She not only did well in her studies, but she was also helpful to her ssmates. Only a handful of people were jealous of her and hated her. It was already eight o''clock by the time they got back to school. After exchanging phone numbers with Mandy, Bruce hurried back to his office to review the homework submitted by the students. As the headteacher of the second-grade students, he had to put up withte hours in the office every night. The orange streetmps shone on the woods, through the gaps of the leaves, and sprinkled on the shoulders of the two girls who stood in front of the dormitory bidding goodbye to each other. "Mandy, you look so haggard these days," Fiona said as she turned to look at Mandy. "What? Really? Maybe it''s because of work pressure." Mandy tried to cover her guilt with a smile. Chapter 54 What Have You Been Doing Chapter 54 What Have You Been Doing "Is it because of Daniel?" Fiona asked as she rolled her eyes, looking very smug. Upon hearing this question, Mandy fell into silence. It was very obvious to Fiona that Mandy was sad and depressed. "You know what, Fiona? We are over. It''s over between me and Daniel," Mandy said with her voice t, and her head hung low. Sorrow washed all over her face. "My elder sister¡­" Fiona murmured as tears welled up in her eyes. A few days ago, she saw the scandal of the Zhou Family in the news. Almost overnight, nearly everyone was upset with Daniel. At first, she was furious when she read the news as well. But after thinking about it for a while, she felt that Mandy must be more upset than anyone else. Fiona first knew Daniel when she was a junior high school student. From what she could recall, Daniel had been a nice and bright person, almost like a brother, who always bought delicious food for her. How could such a gentleman do something like that? "It doesn''t matter, my silly girl. I''m an exceptionally gorgeous young woman. I''ll find the right man for me. Don''t you think so?" Mandy stated as she lightly flipped her hair. She knew Fiona was much more pitiful than she was. It was understandable since Fiona hade from a rougher background. Fiona''s father was addicted to gambling, and her mother was addicted to drugs. Her father got admitted into a rehabilitation center when she was twelve years old, and Fiona was adopted to the Zhou Family. The Zhou Family had always been very good to her and had treated her well. "Of course, you''ll find the right man. Everybody knows how amazing you are in every aspect. I''m sorry how I spoke to you just now. I didn''t know," Fiona said, biting her lower lip. "Fiona, remember, I won''t allow anyone to insult you. It''s not your fault, nor was it your choice. You don''t need to feel ashamed. You nearly got expelled from school. But if you were expelled from school for protecting your reputation, I won''t me you," Mandy said in a serious tone, her gaze unwavering from Fiona''s eyes. "It''s just so lucky that you know my headteacher," Fiona said as she gave a light chuckle. Looking up, she gave Mandy a slight smile. "Yeah. I really didn''t expect to meet him again while I was taking a walk in the school." "Well, since you''ve broken up with Daniel, maybe you could go on a date with Mr. Xu? He seems to have feelings for you," Fiona teased, lightly poking Mandy''s arm. "Oh,e on. What are you talking about? Stop talking out of your butt!" Mandy scoffed as she shook her head. "I''m telling the truth, Mandy. Why won''t you believe me? You know, Mr. Xu is still single. And from what I know, there are a lot of female teachers who are quite interested in him," Fiona said, raising an eyebrow at Mandy. "Oh, would you stop it, my silly girl? Go upstairs, take a shower, and go to bed," Mandy urged, pushing Fiona up the staircase. "Fine, fine. By the way,e home early next time! I''ll be home this Saturday," Fiona said with delight. Without a doubt, she loved the Zhou Family, and she would never forget the kindness they have shown her when they were raising her, especially Mandy, who had been by her side ever since her childhood. "Just call me this Saturday. I''ll pick you up from school," Mandy said with a smile. It was perfect since she had Saturdays and Sundays off from work. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "No, it''s fine. Just be home, alright?" Fiona chimed. Thest thing she wanted was to trouble Mandy any further. Besides, she didn''t mind taking the bus to get around. Smiling, Mandy watched Fiona go up the stairs until she could see her no longer. At that moment, the scene reminded Mandy of Daniel. Before, he would also watch her go into her dormitory before he left. Closing her eyes, Mandy let out a long sigh. She felt as if Daniel shed before her eyes. Details of their good old days were all jumbled up in her mind. She remembered Daniel ying basketball on the yground, how he would smile at her, how they walked hand in hand as the sun sank in the horizon...Oh, the good old days had long gone! It was already half-past nine when Mandy arrived at the vi. Upon entering the front door, she saw Lillian was pacing up and down in the living room. It was apparent that Lillian was quite worried and was thinking of something deep. She didn''t even hear Mandy close the door behind her and walk in at first. When she did, she quickly walked towards Mandy and took her hands in hers. "Miss Zhou, my dear youngdy, you are finally back! Mr. Jin has already called twice," she said exasperatedly. "Oh. Really?" Mandy said tly. She had just came back from the school and was still in a bad mood. "Mr. Jin had asked that you call him back immediately," Lillian urged. "Yeah, sure. Okay," Mandy answered with a sigh, pulling her hands free from Lillian''s grasp. Right now, she didn''t want to talk to Nathan. How could Nathan have called her back in the first ce? He was still on a business trip after all. Still, Mandy didn''t like to be mistreated. "Please call him back immediately. I don''t want to lose my job, Miss Zhou," Lillian pleaded, looking as if she was on the verge of tears. It was obvious she was very anxious. Seeing her like this, Mandy caved in. She couldn''t bear leaving Lillian upset. Getting her phone, she dialed Nathan''s number. After only two rings, Nathan answered. He held his phone tightly in his hand as he stood in front of the big French windows of the hotel he was staying at. There was a cold look in his eyes as he stared out into the distance. "Where have you been? Why did youe back home sote?" Nathan asked through gritted teeth. His jaw was tense, and he was doing everything in his power to keep calm. "Something happened to my sister at school. You know I had no choice but to handle it," Mandy exined patiently. If she didn''t exin everything clearly, she knew that Nathan would fly into a rage in no time at all. "What happened to your sister?" Nathan probed, the hostility in his voice wavering. "Someone in her school had spread rumors on the school forum. My sister was so angry that she had a fistfight with her ssmates." Mandy sighed. "So has the matter been settled?" Nathan paused and asked with concern. "Yes, it has been settled," Mandy answered as she nodded. "Mandy, please remember this. If you''re in trouble or if anything bad happens, anything at all, please call me immediately," Nathan urged as he looked at the cars and people passing by outside of the window. Today, he had felt a little lonely being in a strange city. In the past, he often went on business trips, but he never felt lonely. But now, he cared about Mandy so much that being away from her made him feel empty. "Okay. Have you eaten yet?" Mandy casually asked, feeling a bit silly afterwards for asking such a trivial question. "Yes, I have," replied Nathan, a small smile forming on his lips. "Well, okay. You must be busy with your work. I''ll talk to youter so you can get some rest now," she said sweetly. "Okay. Good night, Mandy. Sleep tight." Nathan turned around and drew back the curtains. The sun was shining on his face, making his features warm and gentle. "Good night. Oh, no¡­ I mean good morning! It should be early in the morning in Australia." Mandy chuckled. She let out a long breath, trying to clear her head. "You are a bit dense right now, aren''t you? I don''t me you," said Nathan in a mocking tone. "Humph! Like you''re the smartest man in the world?" Mandy replied jokingly, but she really wished Nathan didn''t mock her as much as he did. "Of course, I''m smarter than you, you stupid girl. Go to sleep now, or you''ll be even more stupid," teased Nathan. "Okay, bye." With her mind wandering, Mandy appeared as if she had gotten used to the bickering and noisiness of Nathan. Chapter 55 A Gentleman Chapter 55 A Gentleman Mandy arrived early at the JR Hospital. "Good morning, Mandy," said a warm manly voice. Jamie appeared behind her unexpectedly. "Good morning, Jamie," she replied. A radiant smile appeared on Mandy''s sweet face. Her smile caught Jamie''s attention. He stared at her for a while and fell into a trance. ''She is so beautiful. What an innocent face, '' thought Jamie. He liked to look at her smile. But somehow, her smile had disappeared previously. Now her smile was back. How nice. Jamie also knew that Allen of the Anesthesiology Department also had a crush on Mandy. He and Allen were studying in the same university, and they got into the JR Hospital at the same time. They arrived here a year earlier than Mandy. Neither of them had confessed their love to her. For them, Mandy was like an elusive goddess, so they were all waiting for a chance. "The family of the patient who will get the surgery first today wanted to see you. I was on dutyst night and had talked to him. It seems to me that he was a very stubborn young man. He insisted on giving us red packets," Jamie narrated while shaking his head. "That''s not a good idea. I help patients with the good intention to save their lives, not to receive bribes or the like. Please help me to discourage him. We must practice professional ethics," Mandy commented in a serious tone. "That''s true and honorable of you, but the patient''s family said that if you didn''t take the red envelope, they would ask Harry to operate on his mother. After all, Harry is more experienced," Jamie said with hesitation. He was curious how she would react to it. "Okay. Let Harry do it. I reckon he will be very happy to ept it," Mandy said. She smiled sarcastically at the thought of Harry''s reputation. "How could you just leave the patient to others?" Jamie asked in surprise. "I honestly think we should trust each other. I mean doctors and patients. Now that they don''t trust me...well, frankly, I''m disappointed," Mandy said calmly. In other words, she would be much more relieved if she didn''t perform the operation. Harry was a very picky person. Usually, he chose surgical patients who were willing to give him red packets. Otherwise, he would pass them to Mandy. "Mandy, do you know?" Jamie cleared his throat. "I like you very much," Jamie admitted bravely. Jamie admired Mandy''s easygoing character so much that he couldn''t control his emotions, nor his mouth. Mandy stopped walking upon hearing the unexpected revtion. She paused for a few seconds, turned around, and then said with a smile, "Thank you." That was all Mandy could say. Jamie didn''t say another word further. He just smiled and said, "Let''s go to the morning meeting." Mandy knew that Jamie was confessing his love to her just now, but she didn''t want to embarrass her colleague. Moreover, she wasn''t ready to fall in love again. After the morning meeting, Mandy did her usual rounds in the wards. When she entered Luke''s ward, she saw a strange man with a handsome face. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Dad, how are you feeling now?" the man asked. When Luke did not respond right away, he asked again, "Do you feel ufortable?" Wearing a white T-shirt and pants, Damian looked casual. The moment Mandy came in, her gaze exactly met with that of Damian. She guessed that Damian had a mixed ancestry because he had fair skin, a pair of deep eyes, and soft xen hair. "Damian, let me introduce to you. This is Mandy, whom I have mentioned to you before." When Mandy entered, Luke introduced her to Damian with a smile. "Hello, Mandy. Thank you very much for saving my father," he said with a warm smile and sincere gratitude. Damian stood up. His eyes were pure and bright, like clear water. Mandy couldn''t help but stare at him for a while. ''What a handsome guy. I didn''t expect that Nathan''s cousin would be so handsome!'' Mandy thought to herself as she withdrew her eyes from Damian. "You are wee. No worries. This is what I try to do," Mandy nodded with a genuine smile, looking dignified and graceful. "Anyway, you have saved my father''s life. I wonder if you are free tonight. I would like to invite you to dinner in gratitude." Damian shed his charming eyes and smiled like a gentleman, which was hard to refuse. "That''s really nice of you, and I appreciate it, but that''s really unnecessary. Besides, I have an appointment tonight." Mandy refused his invitation because she knew that Luke and Nathan were enemies. Now, Nathan was desperate to kill Luke, and he certainly didn''t like Damian. If Nathan found out she went to have dinner with Damian, he would skin and eat her alive. After a simple examination of Luke, Mandy left the ward. She didn''t want to be involved in their family conflict. But she had a good impression of Damian. He had a simple and clean temperament, like a talented schr. When Mandy walked out of the ward, Luke and Damian started to have a real conversation. "Dad, is she the woman you mentioned who is having an affair with Nathan?" Damian asked coldly. He was not the gentleman that he had been a moment ago. He had changed in an instant. "Yes. If I''m right, she is now living with Nathan," Luke answered. He put a weird smile on his pale face and picked up an iPad with his hand. "They live together? Wow! So soon," Damianmented and smiled sarcastically. "If we take advantage of this woman, we will have a chance to defeat Nathan. Damian, what you need to do now is to get Mandy''s attention and keep her interested in you," Luke said with an evil smile on his face. His eyes were horribly dark under his bushy eyebrows. "Okay. Now that Nathan is not around. I can invite Mandy to go out." There was a cynical grin on Damian''s face corresponding with his father''s dirty n. "Okay, you can y. But remember, don''t overdo it. We have a long way to go. You must earn Mandy''s trust first." Luke''s eyes turned dark all of a sudden when he remembered Mandy had just rejected Damian''s invitation, which indicated that she was still aloof with them. "Dad, I''m not sure about other things, but there''s no woman in the world that I can''t handle well," said Damian, with a faint smile as he squinted his eyes. As for Mandy, Damian was determined to win her heart. "Be humble in front of her. I noticed she doesn''t like those who are too arrogant," Luke kindly reminded. "Okay, Dad. Noted." The next moment, Damian changed his tone. He became a gentleman immediately as he had behaved before. "All right. Go back to work at the JS International now. We can do a lot of things during the time that Nathan is not here," Luke urged him, thinking, ''Every minute and every second is money!'' Wearing a humble look, Damian walked out of the ward. When he walked out of the room, Mandy walked out of another ward. The two of them saw each other again. She smiled and greeted to him. He gave her a warm smile and left. "Mandy, who is he?" Jayleen asked her as she leaned over to her. Chapter 56 I Dont Have Time To See You Chapter 56 I Don''t Have Time To See You "Oh, he is the son of Mr. Shi," Mandy answered with a smile. She didn''t find anything wrong with him at all. "Wow, now you have even made the acquaintance of Mr. Shi''s son. I think you have a very strong personal connection with handsome young men," Jayleen joked. "Jayleen, please don''t make fun of me. He is the only one I know. We only said hello to each other when we met. That''s all." Mandy frowned. "Well, I know. You don''t have to exin." Jayleen snickered mischievously. Mandy''s face flushed in embarrassment. ''What have I done?'' she thought. In the evening, Mandy went home straight after work. It was six in the evening when Mandy''s phone red with Nathan''s phone call. "Hello, Mr. Jin," Mandy said respectfully as a smile graced her lips. "Hey, how was your day?" Nathan asked, as he rested his back on the sofa and rubbed his temple with his thumb¨Che was tired. He had been busy with work for the past few days and seldom had the time to rest. His overwhelming thought every day was to make phone calls to Mandy as soon as he got back to the hotel. "Everything is fine, but I ran into your cousin at the hospital today." Mandy smiled. "What did he say?" Nathan asked as his tired eyes suddenly became alert. "Nothing. I saw him this morning when I was making rounds across the wards," Mandy answered honestly. She hadn''t talked much with him. Although Damian had invited her to dinner, she thought it was a mere formality and didn''t pay attention to it. "You''d better steer clear of him!" Nathan warned coldly. It suddenly urred to Mandy that he had warned her in the same tone when they were in the corridor of the hospital as well. A sudden shiver ran through her body. "Okay," she answered obediently. "So... Do you miss me?" Nathan''s face softened as he asked gently. In the remote foreign country, Nathan had curled up on the sofa. His usual cold and gloomy eyes were sparkling with love and care. Mandy was silent. "No, I don''t," she finally replied. Mandy was too shy to admit that she missed him. She felt that it was hypocritical. "You heartless woman!" Nathan said as he squinted his eyes, and his face darkened all of a sudden. "Um¡­ When will youe back?" Mandy asked, trying to change the topic as she was embarrassed to show her love. "No, I won''te back," Nathan joked. "That''s exactly what I want!" Mandy also joked as she pouted. "Don''t worry. If I''m going to live here forever, I''ll take you with me. Mandy, you are mine for the rest of your life!" Nathan growled over the phone. A gloomy smile crept over the corner of his thin lips. "It''s time for dinner. I''m hungry. I''m going to eat," Mandy said impatiently. She didn''t want to drag the conversation out further. She was engrossed in the thought of how Nathan looked¨CIt was aplicated feeling. The thought of Nathan made her forget everything. "Have your dinner." Nathan hung up. The busy tone on the phone made Mandy anxious. She felt like a thousand butterflies were set loose in her stomach. Mandy''s mouth watered when she looked at the table. The dinner table was garnered with delicious food that Lillian had cooked for her. Although she missed home, a tinge of faint light shed in Mandy''s gentle eyes. Seeing that Lillian was still standing, Mandy sat down and smiled. "Lillian, sit down, and have dinner with me." "No, I can''t, Miss Zhou. Please don''t make things difficult for me," Lillian said, looking embarrassed. "This is an order, Lillian. Just sit down and have dinner with me. I don''t like to have dinner alone." Mandy pouted. Lillian had no choice but to obey Mandy. She sat down with trepidation. "Lillian, you don''t have to be afraid of me. Don''t worry. I won''t tell Nathan. I just wish that you were less nervous in front of me. If possible, we can be friends," Mandy said softly. She smiled as her face shone with affection. "Miss Zhou, I don''t think it''s a good idea." Lillian was looking ufortable. "Don''t say that, Lillian. There is no one here apart from you and me. From now on, I want you to have dinner with me whenever Nathan is away." Mandy smiled. Her face was pure and innocent like that of an angel. "Okay, thank you, Miss Zhou," Lillian replied gratefully. "Do you have any children, Lillian?" "Yes, it was a long time ago." "What?" Mandy stopped eating when she heard Lillian say that it was a long time ago. "My husband was a gambling addict. My daughter was diagnosed with leukemia when she was seventeen. We couldn''t afford to pay for her treatment. We were taking care of her at our home. She fought hard against the Leukemia until she finally lost the battle. She died. Soon after, I was sold to a casino for a job. It was Mr. Jin who saved me. He is a good man, Miss Zhou!" Lillian''s eyes was brimming with tears when she was reminded of her past. She would have died if Nathan hadn''t rescued her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "I''m so sorry, Lillian." Mandy regretted questioning Lillian and stirring her past. "Miss Zhou, please don''t apologize. Mr. Jin saved me. He is a good person, so are you," Lillian said as she wiped her teary eyes and looked up at Mandy. Mandy was touched by Lillian''s words. A memory popped into her head. Nathan had saved her life as well. Mandy felt that she should also be grateful to him. Mandy walked into her room after dinner. She was standing on the balcony staring at the sky. As the wind caressed her soft face, her mind wandered to a distant ce. The vi was enormous, and Mandy hadn''t had the time to take a look at all the rooms. She didn''t want to. It wasn''t her house, after all. She felt happy to stay within the cozy walls of her room. The starry sky of the summer night was always beautiful. Mandy lifted her head and tried counting the stars. At that moment, her mobile phone began to ring. She frowned when she looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number. After thinking for a long time, she finally answered the call. "Mandy, it''s me," a deep male voice answered. The voice hit Mandy like a lightning bolt, and she froze on the spot, with the phone on her hand. Damn it! It was Daniel. Mandyughed at her stupidity and was about to hang up. "Please don''t hang up the phone, Mandy. I''ve got something to tell you." Daniel knew Mandy fairly well. They had been together for a long time, and it wasn''t hard for him to guess what Mandy would do. Mandy took several deep breaths and tried to calm her nerves. But she still felt uneasy. She stood up from the reclining chair, put her hand on her chest, and said coldly, "Speak." "Tomorrow is Saturday. Can youe to see me? I have an important thing to tell you," Daniel said softly. He was feeling a sudden pain in his heart. "Just tell me over the phone. I don''t have the time to see you." Mandy''s voice was cold, but her heart ached. Her eyes widened, and her hair billowed in the gentle breeze. At that moment, she wanted to weep. Chapter 57 Mand, Im Sorry Chapter 57 Mand, I''m Sorry Mandy was expressionless; her voice was odd and extremely cold. She talked to Daniel as if they did not know each other from three years ago. "I know you hate me, but I''m going to die. Will you talk to me for thest time?" It felt like Daniel was begging for her agreement. "I''m not heartless, but this will be thest time," said Mandy, gnashing her teeth. She just agreed to meet Daniel to get over the situation. "Thank you, Mand." Regret resounded in Daniel''s voice. Mandy sensed it, too. Mandy was lost in thought again after she talked to Daniel. She used to be so familiar with his voice, but now, it felt like it came from a distance. She rested her head on the chair, remembering their meet- up. Mandy reminisced on how Daniel had betrayed her on Valentine''s Day. If not for that time, she wouldn''t have met Nathan, and the Zhou Family wouldn''t have suffered a lot. Everything would still be the same. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. However, fate had decided! She couldn''t help but think of all the changes that had happened to her and Daniel. ''Daniel has changed. I have changed, too. Everything has changed.'' Mandy and Daniel never encountered any problems in their rtionship. They got along well, and everyone thought they would end up walking down the aisle. She never thought that they would have to go on separate ways one day. It felt like yesterday was just a dream. That sweet dream had ended, and Mandy was nowpletely awake, and reality had hit her hard. Suddenly, Mandy missed the good, old days when she lived a simpler yet happier life. Daniel used to bring her breakfast every day. He used to wait for her downstairs every day at 7:30 p.m. without fail. They had studied together in Britain. They weren''t in the same ss, so Daniel would take her to her ssroom first by riding a bicycle. After ss, he would also be the first one to finish his sses and would wait for her at the door of her ssroom. Her ssmates had been jealous of her. They had said that Mandy was lucky to have Daniel as a boyfriend. In this fast-paced world, to be in love for one or two months was not a big deal. But what Mandy and Daniel had was a fruitful rtionship thatsted for two years. Mandy had even thought it couldst forever. It was pretty obvious that Mandy''s past memories still lingered in her head. She missed the past, but what would she do if she could go back to her past? People often forgot that the past was not always beautiful. In fact, people often revisited their past with regret and not with a smile. Mandy hadn''t realized that fact until today. She was mad and sad at the same time. She felt like her rtionship with Daniel had been put to waste. She couldn''t evene to terms with the fact that she had to face Daniel again. On the day of their break-up, Mandy had asked an exnation from Daniel, but he had never uttered even a single word. Now, Daniel said he wanted to give her his long due exnation, but Mandy was not so keen to listen to it anymore. But in the end, she agreed to meet him. Maybe, inside her, she was still longing for closure. It was a long night for Mandy. She had difficulty sleeping as thoughts continued to upy her mind. In the detention center Mandy dropped by once again. This time, her purpose was different. She hade to visit a person she used to love. Across the cold ss, Mandy saw Daniel. He was still handsome, but his face was now covered with stubble, a little different from what he looked like in Mandy''s memories. He was wearing the prison uniform too. Mandy could not hide her surprise and distress. Frowning slightly, Mandy sat down calmly. She forced herself to be rxed. Mandy looked at Daniel through the ss window. She had not seen this man for quite a long time. She remembered how she used to be so familiar with his face. But she couldn''t find that man in the person in front of her. She looked directly at his eyes only to find a trace of apology and nostalgia. Arrogance was no longer found on him. Mandy lifted the phone and waited for him to speak first. Daniel took his time before speaking. "Mand, I''m sorry..." He opened his mouth and pressed his lips together again. His words seemed to be stuck in his throat, and his voice seemed to being from a distance. "Don''t try to y mind games with me. You just say sorry now? Is that all you can say? Don''t you think it is a littlete?" Mandy frowned. From a seemingly calm woman earlier, she was now displeased by Daniel''sck of words. Because of him, her life had been overturned. It had been totally messed up by Nathan. She med Daniel for it, and she was not satisfied with his apology. "I know it''s hard for you to forgive me, but listen to me first. I''ll tell you everything I know. You shouldn''t know about this, but I feel guilty to hide it from you." When Daniel saw Mandy''s reaction, a hint of guilt hit him. He felt like he was the one who destroyed Mandy''s happiness. If he had let go of his hatred and deep-seated emotions, perhaps things would have turned out differently. "Okay, I''m listening," Mandy swore with a cold expression on her face. She was expecting to hear more from this man. She wanted to close down this chapter of her life with this conversation. "Fifteen years ago, when your father bought my father''spany, our family was destroyed. My parents killed themselves by jumping off a building one night. In an instant, I became an orphan and lived under other people''s roofs. Then, I entered the No. 1 High School and met you," Daniel said calmly, but his eyes were constantly moving though. Hearing his words, Mandy was stunned. She couldn''t believe what she had heard. She did not know what to feel at this instance. She was looking at Daniel with a myriad of thoughts clouding her mind. "You approached me with a purpose from the very beginning. And I was so stupid to fall for it." Mandy was furious. Her father had purchased the Zhao Family Group, but she never had any idea that it was connected to Daniel. How was it her fault? What did she do to deserve this pain? She did not push Daniel''s parents off that building. Why should she carry this heavy burden? She thought, ''Business is a war field. No one could predict what would happen the next second. If they couldn''t even afford to take the risk, why did they have to be a businessman?'' "I''m sorry, Mand. I know it''s all my fault. I don''t know why I never mentioned this to you before, but of all the lies I told, this is the only truth: I really loved you." At the other end of the ss, Daniel was unsettled. He wanted to convince Mandy that he really loved her. "That''s enough. It''s meaningless to talk about it now. Daniel, I do not have anything to do with my father purchasing your family''spany fifteen years ago. You lied to me and made me a fool, so you can get vengeance. I will never be fooled by you again. From now on, let us be strangers." Mandy''s words cut deep, words that only a woman who was made a fool of could utter. Mandy sniffed. She couldn''t cry! "Mand, I know you hate me, and I know how despicable I am right now. Live your life happily in the future while I pay for my sins here in prison. Maybe I am asking for too much, but I just hope that you can forgive me when the timees," Daniel desperately said. He knew he was wrong, but this was the only chance he would get to beg for forgiveness. "Don''t worry. I will not ruin my life because of a useless and insignificant man." Mandy looked away swiftly, her heart shattering into pieces. With a faint smile, Daniel said in low voice, "I thought we both need closure. I guess this is it. Mand, just forget mepletely and then start a new life." "Ha! Of course," Mandy sneered, and tears started to well up in her eyes. She tried her best to contain her emotions. "How many years will you stay in prison?" Her voice was cracking. "Eight years ording to mywyer." He smiled lightly. He did not know what the next years would be like, but he wanted to cherish today and this time that he saw Mandy again. Eight years was not that long. How many eight years could a lifetime have? But for the rest of his stay in prison, he was sure he would remember this day when the girl he loved so much paid him a visit. Daniel finally came to regret the time when his career was at its peak. It was the best age for him, but he was blinded by hatred. He could have spent the days with his beloved, but now, he had to spend the next eight years in a cold prison. Mandy felt sorry for Daniel, and Daniel was doubly sorry for himself. Chapter 58 Bursting Into Tears Chapter 58 Bursting Into Tears Unimaginable things had happened within thest eight years. It turned out,mitting the same mistakes was not a good idea. "Mand, stop crying. Seeing you cry is killing me," Daniel said. "I hate it, the distance between us. I miss seeing your face close to me, beaming with radiance," he continued. Feeling sad, Daniel stretched out his hand in an attempt to touch Mandy''s face, which seemed so close to him. As his hand got closer, he was woken up by the coldness of the ss between them. Thinking that he couldn''t caress Mandy''s cheeks ever again made Daniel reevaluate his whole life. He smiled bitterly as he thought about his life. Daniel''s loving eyes pierced straight into Mandy. It reminded her of the days when they were crazily in love with each other. ''He used to look at me like that, '' Mandy thought, and the memories made her burst into tears. "Tell me, Daniel, why have you done this? I still can''t believe it," she wailed. "I just want to know why you did it." Mandy was having a breakdown, mming the ss over and over. In order to put her mind to rest, she clutched her hands and forced him to tell the truth. She was confused. She knew he didn''t love her anymore, but why did Daniel keep showing signs that he still loved her? Everything felt so ridiculous. Daniel kept telling her to glow like the sunshine. But how could she smile after those things had happened? For Mandy, it felt like she was trapped inside a mysterious maze, and she had no idea how and when she could get out of it. All her life, sunshine would always win over gloomy storms. This time, however, the storm would not go away, and it felt that the storm was slowly sucking out her soul. The guards noticed Mandy''s nervous breakdown and took her away from the ss. Knowing what they should do whenever something like this happens, the guards assisted her to sit down and rx on a chair. Once the visiting time was over, Daniel was taken away without notifying either him or Mandy. Tears streamed down on Mandy''s cheeks. Mandy felt that she was being eaten alive. Not only because Daniel had ended up behind bars nor because he had lied to her. She was feeling miserable because it was no longer possible to spend their whole life together the way they had nned it. Mandy felt that a part of her life had beenpletely ruined. Many yearster, Nathan would say to her that it was human nature for people to tell lies, especially in dire times. But Mandy did not give in to this thought at this moment, especially seeing Daniel so miserable. After all, she could only show Daniel some sympathy. It took Mandy quite a while to pick herself up and walk out of the police station. She was slightly depressed, quite different from how she had arrived at the police station. Her face was flushed red, and her nose red as she decided to get to the bottom of everything, and finally understand what had really happened. Everything was different as she left the police station. She was feeling embarrassed as she didn''t have a clue why everything had ended up the way it did. Mandy held her hands above her eyebrows, covering the sun''s intense heat. The sun''s heat was getting to Mandy, and she started to feel dizzy, making her unable to think clearly. It was believed that there were two things in this world that people couldn''t possibly see through. One was the sun, and the other was the human heart. Despite everything, Mandy still found the strength to reach her car. She sat inside it for a while. After so long, she finally calmed down and started the car. At the gate of No. 1 High School, the students were already on their way out the school. The summer vacation would start in two weeks. Fiona would be in the third grade in the next school year. However, Fiona wasn''t looking forward to her vacation as she was worried about the college entrance exams she would be taking. Fiona had a friend with her when Mandy arrived to pick her up. Her ssmate wore her hair in a long pigtail. The two girls were talking andughing. It reminded Mandy of how simple it was back in her high school days before she had met Daniel. She also had a best friend, and they did almost everything together. She remembered that they would alsough together and walk side by side holding hands. "What a surprise, Mandy! What are you doing here?" Fiona happily shouted when she saw her elder sister''s car. "I''m here to pick you up," Mandy said with a big smile on her face. Mandy was not looking well. She was restless, and she looked pale and weak. "Oh! This is Tina, my best friend. Tina, meet my sister¨CMandy," Fiona introduced the two to each other. She was excited to see the two important people in her life finally meet each other. "It''s nice to meet you!" Tina politely greeted. "Nice to meet you, too. I''ve heard a lot of good things about you," Mandy said. "Where do you live, Tina? I''ll drive you home," she offered. Seeing Tina and Fiona, Mandy''s heart felt pure and full of youth again. The innocence of the two teenagers made her believe again that the world was not as cruel as she thought. They made her think that the world could actually be beautiful, pure, and a worthy ce to live in. "Oh, please don''t bother. I live somewhere really far, and it would take you hours. I''ll just get a bus," Tina politely refused. "Please, I insist. Think of it this way: at least, you can spend more time with Fiona. I think Fiona and I would really enjoy yourpany," Mandy persuaded. Fiona grabbed Tina''s arm before she could refuse again. They both got in the car and sat down. "It''s still early. How about we go to the cinema and watch Captain America? I heard it was a box office hit," Fiona said. She was so excited to spend some time with both her sister and best friend. "That''s sounds like a great idea! How about you, Tina? Do you have any other ns forter?" Mandy asked. "Uhm... I don''t know. I think I''d better head home," Tina answered a bit overwhelmed with what was happening. She''d like to, but she felt embarrassed at letting Mandy pay for their trip. Besides, she wouldn''t want to interrupt Fiona''s family time. "Don''t worry. We can call your parents and ask if it''s okay with them. Besides, it''s my treat!" Mandy said, twinkling her eyes at Tina in the rear view mirror. Soon enough, they have already arrived at Eaton Square. They had to hustle their way among the crowds of people in order to get to the cinema. "Mandy, is that you?" a familiar voice called from behind. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. When Mandy checked whose voice it was, it was Bruce, standing there like a typical top student¨C brightly smiling in a pair of thick-framed sses. "Mr. Xu! What a surprise!" Tina stammered. She appeared to be nervous as her face was as pale as a white wall. "Nice to meet you here, Mr. Xu!" Fiona said, not tense at all. She nodded at Bruce respectfully. "Oh, my God! I''m so d to see you here, Bruce!" Mandy greeted, just as surprised as Tina and Fiona. The two previously hadn''t seen each other for over ten years. Thest time Mandy ran into him was because of Fiona. It had been such a coincidence that they would then finally meet again after all those years. "Going to watch a movie?" Bruce asked while adjusting his sses. "Yes. The girls want to watch Captain America. Are you going to the movies, too?" Mandy said, trying to make conversation. "Really? Me, too! Would you like to watch the movie together?" Bruce excitedly said. The four of them decided to watch the movie together. Mandy and Bruce walked ahead of the two girls. Tina dragged Fiona and whispered into her ear, "Does your sister know Mr. Xu? It seems that this is not the first time the two meet." "Yes, they do. I only found out about this a few days ago. They were childhood friends. They lived next door to each other back then," Fiona exined. She didn''t want to tell anyone before, but bumping into him made it impossible to keep it from Tina. "It''s so weird to watch a movie with our teacher. I feel like this isn''t real!" Tina eximed. Bruce was the headteacher in their school. He seldom smiled at school and always wore a long face. Most of the students were actually afraid of him. Fiona and Tina even doubted that they would ever see him smile. "He''s a really nice person, and he''s always caring about other people," Fiona said, trying to calm Tina down. After the movie, Bruce offered for them to have dinner together. Mandy wanted to refuse Bruce''s offer, but finally, she opted not to do so. After all, it had been a long time since they had known each other and there were a lot of old times to catch up on. Also, Tina and Fiona were eager to go. They wanted to know their teacher outside the school setting. Bruce asked what Mandy, Fiona, and Tina wanted before ordering as a true gentleman would. "Fiona, could you apany me to thedy''s room?" Tina asked Fiona, discreetly winking at her. Fiona got the signal, Tina was about to say something to her. "All right. Let''s go," she replied, and the two of them stood up together. Bruce and Mandy chuckled at Tina and Fiona, who were both hopping towards thedy''s washroom. "Those girls. They always gossip in the washroom," Bruce said. "Fiona is very popr in school. Many of my students like her, as far as I know," he added, stressing thest few words. "Really?" Mandy eximed, not pleased with the thought at all. Her eyes looked serious all of a sudden. She was afraid that her worries wereing true. Boys would definitely affect Fiona''s studies. In Mandy''s mind, she wouldn''t allow her sister to date at such an early age. Chapter 59 A Compulsory Blind Date Chapter 59 A Compulsory Blind Date "Fiona, I can''t help but feel that this is hopeless," Tina confessed as they walked out the restaurant. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed. Hearing this, Fiona took Tina''s left hand in hers, and they carefully peered inside the window. There, they saw Mandy and Bruce were talking to each other cheerfully. "Well, if I''m being honest, I think that Mr. Xu likes my older sister," eximed Fiona. In truth, she was quite pleased with herself as her sixth sense was obviously spot on. "Why do I feel that the two of us should be embarrassed?" Tina sighed. "Why are you feeling embarrassed? If Mr. Xu bes my brother-inw, no one in school can ever do anything bad to us. We''d be practically untouchable! Isn''t that great?" Fiona said, giving a heartyugh. There were a lot of thoughts that shed through Fiona''s mind as she listened to their conversation. Nevertheless, she was quite optimistic about Mandy and Bruce''s blooming rtionship. The dinner ended in a harmonious atmosphere. When Bruce politely offered that he would be d to drive them back home, Mandy was very delighted. At the MC Garden Mandy called Lillian and told her that she wouldn''t be back to the vi tonight. At that moment, Lillian didn''t know what to say. She only always did what Mr. Jin had told her. "Fiona, Mandy, have you had dinner yet?" Madeline asked as she stepped out of the kitchen with a te of fruit sd. "Yes. We had dinner at a restaurant," replied Fiona. Reaching out, she grabbed a slice of fruit from the te. In the Zhou Family, Madeline and Stanley had always preferred Fiona over their own daughter. They doted on her very much. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "I have something to tell you, Mandy," Madeline said seriously as she turned off the television. "What is it, Mom?" Mandy asked as she put a piece of watermelon into her mouth. ''It''s so cozy and warm here at home!'' she thought as she sighed to herself. "Justin Lin is the only child of the Lin Group, and he just came back from Americast month. I figured that it might be nice for the two of you to get together since you are a returnee just like him," Madeline exined. Turning to Stanley, she gave a quick wink. In truth, she had hoped that Stanley would be the one to say this to Mandy, but Stanley was unwilling to say this sort of thing. So Madeline had to tell Mandy herself. "Mom, what are you trying to say?" Looking back and forth between Madeline and Stanley, Mandy''s brows furrowed on her forehead. And then, soon enough, Mandy realized that her mother was trying to set up a blind date! "Your Aunt Melissa is introducing a potential boyfriend to you. You know your mother is a bashful woman. Plus, Aunt Melissa and I have been friends for so many years. How can I refuse her?" Madeline tried to reason with her daughter. "Mom, you know that Aunt Melissa is the owner of a matchmaking agency. She is a matchmaker, and matchmaking is her business! You are practically selling your daughter to her! What do I know about this Justin Lin? I have no interest in him!" Mandy protested. There was a touch of anger in Mandy''s tone. When it came to the people she dated, she at least wanted to have a say on the matter. Besides, she had just gotten out of herst rtionship. Getting into another rtionship was the least of her priorities at the moment. To begin with, she was already really annoyed by Nathan. And now, she had to deal with this Justin fellow. There was no way she would agree to this, and it was pretty evident on her face that she was highly against meeting Justin for a date. "Aunt Melissa is kind, and she hopes that you can get out of the shadow of being lovelorn as soon as possible. Mandy, to tell you the truth, I''ve personally looked up Justin on the Inte. He is healthy and reliable, without the slightest conceit...I''d say he''s a very noble, young man." As Madeline continued to persuade Mandy, her hands were flying across the air as if to paint a picture for her. "All right, all right, Mom. Just stop speaking! I''ll go, I''ll go!" By now, Mandy was annoyed with Madeline''s nagging. She knew her mother well enough to know that she wouldn''t give up until she got what she wanted. "Starbucks, Eaton Square, next Wednesday night. Don''t miss it!" Madeline chirped with excitement, nearly jumping with joy. It was obvious that it had already been nned with or without Mandy''s approval. With a sigh, Mandy rubbed the back of her head. Suddenly, her mobile phone began ringing. Casting a quick nce, Fiona saw the name of the caller on Mandy''s phone. It was Mr. Xu. Seeing this, Fiona couldn''t help but make a face and smile with delight. "Why are you smiling, Fiona?" Stanley asked. The entire time, he had only been quietly watching everybody, and so he didn''t miss the expression on Fiona''s face just now. "Oh.. It''s just that..." Fiona stammered, thinking about what she should say. Quickly, she grabbed a slice of watermelon. "Watermelon is so delicious. It''s so sweet! I''m so happy I just can''t stop smiling!" Fiona said as she put the watermelon into her mouth. Mandy stood up and went to her bedroom to answer her mobile phone. The lights were off, and she didn''t bother to turn them on. She simply went straight to her bed to lie down there in the darkness. The moment shey down in bed, she couldn''t help but sigh from her heart. ''Ah, I''ve missed my bed!'' "Are you home now, Mand?" Bruce''s gentle voice resounded from the other end of the line. "Yes, I got home a couple of hours back. What about you?" "I''ve driven Tina home just now. I''m on my way home," Bruce said with a smile. "What? Are you calling me while you''re driving!?" Mandy said on the phone as she turned over in the bed. Hearing this, her heart was pounding, for it wasn''t safe for anyone to be on the phone while driving. "What''s wrong? Are you worried about my safety?" Bruce said with a smug smile. "Well, of course, I am! It''s easy to get distracted when you''re on your phone. What you''re doing is very dangerous!" "Don''t worry. I''m a good driver. I just wanted to ask you¡­ Can we watch a movie and have dinner together some time?" Coincidentally, he met a red light at that moment. As the light turned red, Bruce nervously stopped the car, and his hand holding the steering wheel was starting to get slick with sweat. "I don''t see why not. We are friends, after all," Mandy answered with augh, without hesitation. Hearing this answer from Mandy, Bruce was much relieved. Although they''ve only be friends now again, Bruce believed that their rtionship would get closer. "Okay. Have a good rest. Good night!" Bruce said in a gentle voice. "Okay. Goodbye, Mr. Xu. Drive carefully!" As soon as Mandy hung up the phone, Nathan''s call came in. Seeing the caller ID on the screen of her phone, she was inevitably nervous. "Who were you talking to just now? I called you several times, but your number was busy!" Nathan asked loudly on the phone. At that moment, the look in his eyes darkened with anger. "I was talking with a friend. What''s wrong?" Mandy retorted. She was a little annoyed by Nathan''s attitude towards her. Nathan was so possessive and treated Mandy like she was some sort of pet. "Do you really talk to your friends for such a long amount of time? You must take me for a fool! Are you dating other men?" Nathan bellowed. There was a hint of hostility in his tone as he shouted at Mandy through the phone. "Would you stop it right now? You''re really starting to get on my nerves, Nathan. Quit being so annoying!" Mandy replied. Feeling much anger, she stood up and turned on the bedroom light. There was a lot of energy now pumping through her veins. "Oh, so you think I''m annoying?" Nathan asked with great interest as his dashing eyebrows furrowed slightly. In his entire life, he had never chased a woman. In fact, he had always been chased by other women. But now, things were different with Mandy, and truthfully it annoyed him that she made him feel this way about her. Hearing Nathan''s words on the phone, Mandy suddenly came to her senses. She covered her mouth with her hands. Instantly, she regretted what she had just said. "No, no, it was just a slip of the tongue, Mr. Jin," Mandy shook her head and exined hastily. "You''re really starting to get on my nerves, Nathan. Quit being so annoying," Nathan said, echoing what Mandy had just said to him. "My Chinese is still a bit rusty. I know you''re a kind and understanding man. Please forgive me!" Mandy exined as she waved her hand. At this point, Mandy''s face was hot and flushed pink. Chapter 60 Call Me Nathan Chapter 60 Call Me Nathan Hearing Mandy''s words, the corners of Nathan''s mouth turned up into a smile. "Did you go home tonight?" Nathan suddenly asked, his eyes squinting with suspicion. "Yes, I did, President Jin," Mandy respectfully answered He cast a sharp nce at the floor. If Mandy were standing in front of him, he would eat her up whole! It was off putting that she would call him President Jin as if she were a stranger. "Call me Nathan, please," said Nathan. It was definite that he didn''t like the estranged way Mandy called him. Perhaps it was because Mandy had already upied a very important position in his heart. Hearing this, Mandy coughed awkwardly and said, "Nathan." When she said his name, her voice was very soft. But it was still audible to Nathan through the phone. Looking out the window, Nathan''s mouth slowly curled into a smirk. "Good girl. Wait for me toe back, alright?" he said with satisfaction. "I will." It was weird that Nathan suddenly became so gentle. One moment Nathan would be cold and aloof, and the next moment he would be gentle and passionate. These attitude swings were driving Mandy crazy. When he heard her answer, the smile on Nathan''s face deepened. "Good night," he murmured through the phone. "Okay," Mandy replied quietly, still feeling a bit shy towards Nathan. As soon as she hung up the phone, Fiona pushed the door open and came in with a mischievous smile on her pure face. "Sister, you lookpletely flushed right now. Who were you talking to on the phone?" "You little kid, don''t ask me things like that. Have you finished your homework?" Mandy said, trying to change the topic. Closing her eyes, she plopped back onto her bed once again. "Sister, don''t change the topic. Tell me, are you in a rtionship with our teacher, Mr. Xu?" Fiona asked curiously, walking towards Mandy. At that moment, her eyes were twinkling, intent on gossiping about her sister''s rtionship. Hearing that, Mandy sat up gracefully. She raised an eyebrow at Fiona, a sly smile swept across her face. "Is that what you think?" Mandy asked, raising her hand to gently stroke Fiona''s hair. "Let me ask you. Do your teachers give you enough homework at school? How about I call Mr. Xu and ask him to assign more homework to you?" Mandy slyly said. "Sister!" protested Fiona as she shook Mandy''s arm. "Look here, kid. Don''t be gossipy. There is nothing between me and Mr. Xu. We''re just friends. It is not what you think." "But why do I feel that Mr. Xu has a crush on you?" Fiona murmured. "It is all just in your imagination, okay? Go to bed." Mandy stared at Fiona, frowning. But in her heart, she loved her younger sister very much. "Sister, this isn''t fair! Don''t try to keep secrets from me. I want to be the first one to know if you fall in love with somebody again. Okay?" Fiona took her pajamas from the wardrobe as she pouted. "Yeah, sure. You should go sleep now." Although Mandy said yes, she knew that she wouldn''t be able to easily tell anyone about her rtionship. In fact, she would never tell anyone about the secret rtionship between her and Nathan. Fortunately, there was only a month left. Mandy hoped that one month could pass quickly. The next day, Mandy slept in for half a day. On the other hand, Fiona got up early, studying her English books in her room. "Fiona, do you want to study abroad?" said Mandy with a yawn. She saw Fiona studying, and sat up on the bed, her hair in a tangled mess. "No, I don''t want to," without a second thought, Fiona replied with conviction. "Why not?" "I like it here in City A. I don''t want to stay anywhere else but here," Fiona said matter-of-factly as she closed the book and sat on the edge of Mandy''s bed. "Oh, by the way, I heard that there are several boys in your ss who like you," Mandy teased as she remembered what Bruce had said to herst night. The expression on Fiona''s face fell t. "See? Is it Mr. Xu who told you about this? How can you deny about the rtionship between you?" Fiona countered, trying to sound like a mature and calcting adult. "Don''t try to deflect the topic. Tell me the truth." "Yes, you''re right. Your sister is beautiful. It is normal that someone would chase after me, but I don''t like any of those boys," Fiona said frankly, her mouth turning into a pout. "That is great actually. Just remember what I told you, Fiona. Don''t fall in love at an early age," Mandy said gently. "Sister, is it really true that you and Daniel are over?" After a moment of silence, Fiona brought up the topic about Daniel again. "Yes, it is over.'' With a slight sad smile on her mouth, Mandy thought everything that had happened between them was nothing but a dream. She didn''t tell her parents about his family background, so she just kept some things to herself. She knew that Daniel had first loved, and then hated, and retaliated against the Zhou family. Now, everything was over. "Sister, so you don''t have any feelings for him anymore?" Fiona asked in disbelief. There was something telling her that Mandy still had something hidden in her heart. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Shaking her head, Mandy confidently said, "No, I don''t." Then she sat up from the bed, opened herptop and deleted all of their photos she had saved. Looking at her sister''s determined actions, Fiona felt a little confused in her heart. ''When I get to love someone, would it also end up like this? Would I throw it all away so easily and just simply remove everything rted to him?'' Fiona thought to herself. There was a lot of determination going through Mandy. Everything that was rted to Daniel or their rtionship went straight into the recycle bin. In truth, she still had a bit of guilt in her heart for Daniel. They both had some guilt towards each other, in fact. If the Zhou Family hadn''t purchased thepany of the Zhao Family fifteen years ago, Daniel''s parents would not have taken their own lives. He would have been a happy child. Thinking for a while, Mandy felt that it was nothing but the maneuvering of the fates. All she could do to the memory between them was to let it go. Time slipped away so fast on that one day Mandy stayed at home. In the afternoon, Mandy took Fiona back to school. Then she asked Cassie out to go shopping together. Mandy didn''t want to go back to that vi so early. In that vi, she felt like a trapped bird. The splendid vi was not a home to her, but rather a cage. "So, can I ask you why you''vee to ask me out today?" asked Cassie. They were walking down the street with their hot cups of coffee in their hands. "What? You ask that as if I''m busy all the time," Mandy murmured unhappily. But now that she thought about it, she did not seem to have had a break the past few days. "Yes, you are busy all the time. Oh, right, I heard that the intern nurses will have to take an examination next month. I don''t know if I can make it and stay in the JR Hospital," With her head down, a tinge of worry and depression could be seen in Cassie''s eyes. "Cas, have confidence in yourself. Don''t worry. I''ll give you a full score," Mandy promised, patting her shoulder. "Thank you, Mand," she said as she looked at Mandy gratefully. "Of course! We''re good friends after all. Don''t worry about it, okay?" Mandy smiled as she spoke. She put her hand on Cassie''s shoulder. "Anyway... I don''t think Harry likes me," Cassie pouted her lips as she felt a little upset and disappointed. Maybe it was because Cassie was a close friend of Mandy. Whatever the reason was, Harry was very tant towards how much he didn''t like Cassie whenever he saw her. Chapter 61 He Wanted Both Wealth and Beauty In His Hands (Part One) Chapter 61 He Wanted Both Wealth and Beauty In His Hands (Part One) "Cas, don''t bother thinking about it too much. That''s just how Harry is. He always acts and looks that way no matter who he meets. On second thought, he doesn''t act that when he meets the director of the hospital. But other than that, he''s really just like that to everyone. Have you ever seen Harry being nice to us?" Mandyforted Cassie. Mandy didn''t care about Harry''s manner at all. She said that in a domineering tone. She liked it when Harry didn''t like her but couldn''t do anything with her. He always treated others with this attitude, so she couldn''t really help but treat him the same way. After all, she owed him nothing, so there was no need for her to appease him. "Okay. I guess you have a point, Mand. It''s so good to have you here," Cassie smiled and thanked her. Mandy was always so nice and so considerate, using her own special way tofort others. No wonder both her colleagues and patients in the hospital liked Mandy very much. Meanwhile, Nathan arrived at JS International that afternoon. He returned from abroad without anyone knowing about his arrival. All the staff at JS International were shocked. They did not expect that Nathan would arrive so soon. Thinking that he was supposedlying back a few days from now, they had thought they would be able to rx. But now, since their boss hade back ahead of schedule, they had to be on tenterhooks again. They couldn''t help but cry in their hearts, ''Our wonderful holiday is gone. Now that the boss is back, every second is on edge!'' When working for Nathan, no one was allowed to make any mistakes. They were under great pressure to work for him, so that was the reason why they cherished their valuable holiday so much. Besides, Nathan was a tough and shrewd businessman. His rivals took a lot of effort topete with him but could still hardly take him down. "Boss, take a look at this. Thisnd has great potential to be a centralndmark in our city. It''s going to be the most valuable ce in two years." Fred took a ssified document in his hand and set it in front of Nathan. He was very optimistic about the value and development of thisnd. He wanted Nathan to rate it, too. "Who ispeting with us now?" asked Nathan. He had been interested in thend for a long time. No one was allowed to take it from him. He was raking his mind on how to get thisnd in his hands. Thisnd was like a delicious meal that everyone wanted to have. Nathan knew that it was not that easy to get it. But, in retrospect, if it was so easy to get thend, it would be too boring for him, and he wouldn''t be as interested as he was now. The deputy mayor had a talk with him a few days ago and offered him a high price to get thend. Thus he refused at that time because overpaying for it would be hisst choice. "The Lin group. I''ve heard that Alex had been going in and out of the city hall. He nearly trampled the threshold of the city hall," Fred replied mockingly. A smug smile crept onto his face. "The deputy mayor, Joshua, offered a high price. Last time he said to me in the bar that thend valued 800 million," Nathan sneered. This deputy mayor really took him for a fool. "Isn''t he too greedy? Thend is estimated to be around 300 million at most," Fred said with a smile, his eyes lighting up. Now he knew that Nathan also agreed with him. He did not make a wrong assessment. His heart was filled with great sense of achievement. "Yes, that''s why I''m still hesitant. Fred, please help me spread the news that I want to get thend. Whoever willpete with me to take it from me wille to no good end," Nathan said tly. A ferocity shed across Nathan''s eyes. He decided that if Joshua wanted to y games with him, he would definitely beat him up mercilessly. "As your wish, Boss. I will do it right now," Fred replied. Fred picked up a pen and drew a circle on the document. In his opinion, thisnd seemed worthlesspared to thosends in the central city. But in five years, it would surely be one of the most prosperousmercial circles in City A. The Lin Group was an old enterprise in City A, passed on from generation to generation. Alex was five years older than Jason. The Lin Group didn''t have any business rtionships with JS International because they were at odds for a long time. Alex was a business mogul and had a very good rtionship with other businessmen. "If you don''t mind me asking... Why did youe back early, Boss?" Fred closed the folder with a wicked smile on his face. He was definitely sure that Nathan came back earlier for Mandy. It seemed that Nathan knew what Fred was thinking about. After taking a nce at him, Nathan curled his lips and said, "I did my work as efficiently as I could, okay? Nothing more." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Hmm... Everyone already knows that our boss is an efficient man. But I guessed that you worked tirelessly just to meet your beauty as soon as possible." Fred put on a teasing smile. Since they were done discussing the issue about thend, he decided he could afford to joke around with Nathan. After all, they had known each other for many years, and they had a good rtionship. Otherwise, Fred had no courage to joke with him. "What are you talking about? She is just a ything of mine. You don''t need to take her too seriously because I don''t," retorted Nathan, his tone cold and indifferent. He stared at the document in his hand with a nk expression on his face. For a man as powerful and rich as him, he thought that he had the right to have both a sessful career and beautiful women. "Are you sure?" Fred asked. He could not believe a word Nathan said right now. "Stop gossiping. Go to work or I''ll deduct your pay right now," Nathan said, giving Fred a hostile look. His eyes became sharp, and he tossed the documents from the table towards Fred, indicating that he should go. Chapter 62 He Wanted Both Wealth and Beauty In His Hands (Part Two) Chapter 62 He Wanted Both Wealth and Beauty In His Hands (Part Two) Fred moved quickly and caught the documents at once. "By the way, Simon invited you to his house for a barbecue this evening, Boss," he said with a smile. "Okay, I see." After giving Fred a short, emotionless answer, Nathan got back to work. That night, in the Ye family''s Mansion There was nothing Simon love more than to hold all kinds of parties. He enjoyed the excitement and appreciated beauty. Indeed, his life was all about parties like this. Unlike Nathan, his had no pressure to run argepany and make profit for those shareholders. The melodious sound of a saxophone reached into Nathan''s ears as he arrived at Simon''s mansion. He was in a ck suit, which was quite expensive, and had cost him thousands of dors. As he saw Simon approach to greet him, Nathan gave a small smile. The two friends had known each other for years. They grew up together and were very familiar with each other. They were both honest and had no secrets. Nathan was so busy with his work that he had not seen Simon for a long time. "What are youmitting at home?" Nathan took up a ss of champagne and clinked it with Simon''s, the sound of their sses ringing crisply in the air. After finishing his project, Nathan finally had time to rx with his good friend. "What do you mean by mitting''? I''m celebrating!" Simon refuted. There was a cynical smile on his handsome face. "Where are uncle and auntie?" Nathan asked casually. Obviously, since this party was held by Simon, there were a lot of beautiful women. The atmosphere of the party was casual and energetic. If Simon''s parents were at home, the party would not be like this. "Traveling around the world, of course!" said Simon excitedly. He was as free as a bird whenever his parents were not at home. As long as they were away, he would hold as many parties as he could, each of those parties having a different theme. "No wonder you have the guts to mess around at home." Nathan nodded, not surprised by Simon''s actions. "Nathan, I called your girlfriend here today and asked her to keep youpany. Here is the key to the guest room upstairs," Simon said, his arm around Nathan''s shoulder. There was a smirk on his face as he discreetly ced a key inside Nathan''s shirt pocket. "My girlfriend? Since when do I have a girlfriend?" The corners of Nathan''s mouth curved into an evil smile. "I am single, you know," he added. However, when Simon mentioned the word "girlfriend," the smiling face of Mandy appeared in Nathan''s mind. For the past couple of days, Nathan was abroad and couldn''t see Mandy every day. So he had others to send him many photos of Mandy. Before going to bed, he would look at these photos, drinking in Mandy''s image. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Fred, who was following close behind Nathan, gave a mysterious smile. He was fond of Simon''s yful character towards Nathan. At that moment, Fred couldn''t help but think that Nathan was mild on the outside, but truthfully had a wild side deep down. "Hey, my dear brother, don''t talk to me like that. Do you think that I don''t know anything about you and Eve?" Simon''s shrewd eyes turned, and he smiled. Being friends for so many years, he could guess what Nathan was thinking. Besides, his good rtionship with others made him get information about Nathan easily. "I don''t have that kind of rtionship with her," Nathan stressed in a serious tone. "Don''t tell me that you haven''t had sex with her yet. It isn''t good not to have sex for such a long time, Nathan," Simon said to Nathan with a joking tone. Simon patted Nathan on his chest with a snicker. Although he wanted to be as sessful as Nathan was in the business world, he did not envy his dull social life. If there was only one style of life for him to choose, he would rather not achieve sess like Nathan, but keep his colorful life and enjoy the world and all the beautiful women it has to offer. Nathan red at Simon and said coldly, "It''s better than your indulging in carnal pleasure without restraint." As for Nathan, he could not stand Simon''s lifestyle and attitude. In his world, sess and money mattered more than anything else. There was nothing that could make him more satisfied than to have these two things. Simon just smiled and said nothing further. It was apparent how the two hadpletely different attitudes. "Hello, my dear brother. Hi, Simon," Nacy smiled and walked towards them in a fluid manner. The ck dress she was wearing entuated her curves, making it suit her very much. She was not heavily powdered, and her true beauty made her shine like a precious gem. Simon was attracted by her smile, and he could not remove his gaze away from her. "You are definitely a great star, Nacy. You look so brilliant tonight! No one here could match your beauty," Simon praised her sincerely. "Thanks for yourpliment," Nacy raised her ss and clinked with Simon''s in a graceful manner. "Nice to see you here, Nacy," Nathan smiled gently. He seldom smiled at others like this. This was because Nacy was his cousin, and he saw and treated her like his own sister. "Yeah, Simon invited me." Nacy smiled back at Nathan. She was a popr actress. She had made her debut twelve years ago as a child actress. She did not have any tidbits in those years. "Okay, have a good time," Nathan said, lightly patting her shoulder. There was no question that he cared for Nacy a lot. "Nathan, you are here," Eve''s voice suddenly said. She was wearing a light yellow cheongsam filled with intricate embroidery. The cheongsam set her figure off to advantage. She smiled coquettishly and walked towards Nathan. It had been a long time since she saw Nathan, and so it was natural for her to seize the chance to get in touch with him more tonight. Chapter 63 A Heart-to-Heart Talk. Chapter 63 A Heart-to-Heart Talk. Nacy narrowed her eyes and sneered. ''Herees a foxtail!'' she disdainfully thought. "Eve," Nathan greeted her. Grinning, his features mellowed at the sight of her. Nacy instinctively held Nathan''s arm with her eyes full of hostility. She never liked Eve since their childhood. She had unfavorable impressions of her. Having had confidence in her sixth sense, she always felt that Eve was hollow and deceptive. "You are also here, Nacy," Eve acknowledged softly. Despite her knowing Nacy hated her, she was helpless and could do nothing about it. After all, Nacy was Nathan''s favorite cousin. And she couldn''t afford to go against her right now. ''Perhaps, our rtionship would be better soon after I married Nathan, '' she thought. "Yes," Nacy responded coldly with her usual chilly and distant courtesy. "Nacy, I have heard that your new movie will being out next month. I wish you a big box office hit! Congrattions in advance!" Eve babbled aloud as she smiled generously. She did not change her attitude even though Nacy was treating her coldly and distant. But instead, she made her more dignified and graceful with her words. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Thank you," Nacy replied curtly, looking rather impatient. Nathan was never fond of this kind of scene. He quickly turned to Simon and grunted, "I have something to tell you, buddy." Simon appeared to realize something and readily agreed, "Okay, let''s go over there. I haven''t talked to you for a long time." They eased their way towards the brightly lit yard. The mansion of Ye Family was luxurious in every essence. Johnson, Simon''s father, had a deep affinity with mountains and rivers. So the unique style of their mansion manifested his love of nature. It was patterned resembling mountains and rivers. And it even had an artificial waterfall in the courtyard that looked realistic. Indeed the mansion had the vibe of a natural resort. "Why did you invite them at the same time?" Nathan skeptically raised as he put down the champagne and sank himself into the firm cushion of the lounge chair, resting his arms crossly behind his neck. The starry sky in the summer night never failed in mesmerizing him. Gazing up into the heavens, the stars in the sky glittered like jewels against the midnight backdrop. Soon Nathan became too engrossed with it, that unknowingly his thoughts went far. "The more, the merrier," Simon exined, chuckling. "Next time, don''t invite them to your home at the same time. I can''t bear it." What annoyed Nathan the most was when Nacy and Eve were together, and they didn''t get along well with each other. He hated the drama. "Nathan, whether you like it or not, you have to learn to get used to it. Sooner orter, you have to deal with the rtionship between your wife and your sister in the future," Simonughed as he crossed his long slender legs. He watched Nathan in front of him with an amused expression on his face. "You brat, don''t you know that you have nothing else to do?" The moment Nathan blurted those words out, something dawned on him, as if it was ate realization. Darting a nce at Simon, he finally understood that his cousin was only trying to be mean to him. Simon justughed heartily, depriving him of an exnation. The two men continued toy in the courtyard and stared at the stars for a while, unmoving. Simon, who became suddenly serious, broke the silence. Devoid of any expression, he began, "Nathan, it''s time for you to forget her after all these years." Nathan heard it. His face became somber and sad. Of course, he knew who she was! Like a sharp knife de, the girl''s name could hurt his heart deeply. Nathan couldn''t take that name off his mind, and for all these years, it kept on haunting him! A tinge of pity clouded his ck eyes. And with a self-deprecating smile, he opened his thin and cold lips while shaking his head. "If she''s still alive, I would have a home now!" Nathan sounded forlorn. There was a trace of sadness that appeared in his eyes, which he rarely disyed. Only when someone had mentioned that girl''s name, would he show such a sad expression. "Don''t be like this, Nathan. Anyway, she is dead. We can''t bring her back to life. If you can''t get out of the past, you will suffer endlessly by yourself," Simon pleaded, throwing a look at Nathan. He also felt sorry for his good friend. And from the bottom of his heart, he understood his pain well. She was such a nice girl, but it was unfortunate that she had passed away so early. "Have you ever loved someone, Simon?" Nathan, in return, asked him in a deep voice. His eyes were in a dreamy state, while he stared intently at a solitary star that seemed to wink at him. Nathan''s face softened as he imagined her smile as bright as a sunflower. He reminisced again about that one day before the sun rose, when he had watched the starry sky for a whole night on the windmill road with her. They were together until the sunrise. The love between them had been uplicated when they were young. Nathan had never revealed his identity to her. And she had no idea who he was. They were simply both persistent in love, and life was way simpler back then. "Never!" Simon sheepishly admitted. He sounded defeated. And with a faint smile, he shook his head. "You will never know the feeling that you are emotionally attached to a girl until after you have fallen in love with her," Nathan exined quietly. The gloomy look was still on his face. He seemingly engulfed himself with a heavy mist, which was undoubtedly hard to disperse. Simon fished out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and threw a stick to Nathan. He knew at this moment, Nathan needed it. In the men''s world, some unspoken thoughts and feelings could only be expressed through smoking. "Let''s talk about something else, some happy things. Have you heard of the event of the Zhou Group?" Simon went on softly. He felt somewhat relieved as he caught sight of Nathan lighting up a cigarette. He then quickly changed their topic. Nathan merely nodded, still devoid of any expression, and indicated for him to go on talking. "The Zhou Group had signed a contract with usst month. At that time, theirpany''s cash flow was insufficient, so we took their house as coteral. You see, their family was really in dire financial straits. But thest thing I heard was that the Zhou Group was now back in the hands of Stanley again," Simon narrated indifferently, as he puffed smoke. "Oh, what''s wrong?" Nathan probed casually, acting like he was not interested. "Daniel is arrogant. I have never liked him since he came to talk about coboration with me," Simon continued with a smirk. "Please don''t tell me that you have undermined the Zhou Group," Nathan interjected. "Ugh¡­ It''s not me. You know, I''m a gentleman. I have morals and ethics. And besides, I also need to cooperate with them," Simon further borated. He initially thought that no one could doubt his moral standards. "Really? I don''t think so!" Nathan countered as heughed meaningfully. The troubles of the Zhou Family had been resolved by him earlier. And further, he had ordered Fred to ensure a news ckout, so even Simon wouldn''t know about it. "I heard as well that when Daniel''s ex-girlfriend went to the police station to see him the other day, she cried hysterically. Nathan, don''t you think the people in the world are so strange? They love each other so much, yet they hurt each other too. What two weird people they are..." Simon spoke, but his voice soon trailed off as he sighed deeply from the bottom of his heart. Nathan squinted his eyes as he listened intently to every word until he could no longer bear to hear another word. His face grew darker when Simon mentioned Mandy, who cried sadly for another man. His heart was now in a mess. The corner of his mouth curled up into a sneer as his eyes held a strange and malicious glimmer. ''Well, Mandy, when I am away, you surely were hanging out with another man behind my back!'' Nathan thought inwardly. A malicious look crept up on Nathan''s face, immediately recing its gloominess. Then he stood up abruptly. "Where are you going, Nathan? We haven''t eaten the barbecue yet," Simon failed to notice anything wrong on Nathan''s face. He thought Nathan was only feeling sad for his ex-girlfriend. "You eat more barbecue. I have something to do," Nathan replied as he urgently left the backyard. Simon was baffled by Nathan''s reaction. ''What have I said wrong now?'' Simon sighed. Chapter 64 Dont Make A Pitiful Face In Front Of Me Chapter 64 Don''t Make A Pitiful Face In Front Of Me No. 520, Haibin Road Mandy was settled on the sofa watching TV. Since Nathan had left the ce, she felt more rxed as she chuckled and grinned from time to time with the television host, who was working hard to make his viewersugh. As the car pulled to a halt, Nathan got out of the Lamborghini, and he walked fast like the wind. As he reached his destination, Nathan pushed the door open and went inside. Lillian, who was taken aback by the immediate arrival of Nathan, just came out of the kitchen area with a ss of milk in her hand. "Mr... Mr. Jin, you are back," Lillian addressed him in a quivering tone. Ignoring Lillian, Nathan stormed past her with a fuming face. ''There is something wrong here. Determining from his face, Miss Zhou will probably go through punishment tonight, '' Lillian assumed to herself as she held her chest. Sure enough, Mandy did a double-take when she saw Nathan with an immediate appearance in front of her. At that moment, she was watching TV on the sofa. "Mr... Na¨C, you are back!" Mandy was no fool. When she saw the dangerous expression on Nathan''s face, she would have preferred to call him as Mr. Jin, but when she recalled that Nathan had told her to address him as Nathan, she rushed to amend. However, peering at his malcontent features, she couldn''t call out hisplete name. "What? How dare you call me by my name?" Nathan despised as he stood tall and strong before Mandy, blocking her view. At the time, Mandy heard a very amused chuckleing from the special guest on the TV, but she didn''t know whether tough or cry. She thought about what could possibly have driven Nathan to such a rage, that he suddenly became so disinterested. Mandy felt Nathan was shrouded in obscurity. She managed to not provoke him further by looking at him, nor did she talk back to him. "I..." Looking at him with her adorable eyes, Mandy attempted to open her mouth, only to feel as if something was clogging in her throat. "Follow me upstairs!" Nathan ordered as he turned on his heels and red at Mandy over his shoulder. Mandy quivered as if she was being forced into an ice vault. Apanying him, she caught sight of Lillian, giving her a sympathetic nce from where she stood at the living room''s exit with a tense expression on her face. "Clickety-ck!" the door was bolted loudly and with absolutely precision. Mandy''s heart seemed chewed up, and it hadnded on the floor. She had no idea what to do next as she stared fixedly at the floor with a stooped head. Biting her bottom lip, she appeared like a crook bracing to be queried. The issue made Mandy consider what she had done wrong now. A few hours ago, Nathan was great and even said "good night" to her on the phone. But why had he abruptly be angry like this after returning home? Who could bear his freakish character? "Who were you meeting with while I was gone?" Nathan asked as he yanked Mandy and pushed her against the wall. There was no room for her to back up. "I¡­ I haven''t met anyone," Mandy responded, exhaling out sharply as her brain nked out. ''What have I said wrong? What have I done wrong?'' she thought to herself. "You are lying!" Nathan growled, ring at her with no glimpse of tenderness in his solemn eyes. Then, he suddenly clutched her jaw with his long fingers and forced her to raise her chin. "I didn''t!" Mandy''s heart was racing, and she struggled while she pronounced those words under the pressure of his grasp. "You are deceiving reason with me! I grant you this chance to figure it out. Mandy, you should know that you can''t deceive me!" Nathan bellowed with his eyes fierce and startling. Sensing a bloodthirsty bitterness in his remarks, Mandy couldn''t help shuddering at the sight of his livid features. "I¡­ I had met Damian, your cousin," Mandy said after reflecting for a moment. Mandy assumed that Nathan carried a grudge against Luke and his n, so he might feel resentment against Damian this time. "I know. You have already told me that," Nathan replied, and his eyes were getting more furious as he gazed at her. "Then you tell me who else?" Mandy asked. Mandy''s body was shuddering as she stared at him. At that point, the man in front of her caused her an eerie sensation, which was far worse than seeing a horror film at the cinemas. "Are you sure? Are you certain your im is not a lie?" Nathan added, with venom threatening in his voice. Mandy nodded her head. Thinking that Nathan would not pay attention to her confidential rtionships, she chose not to tell him about Daniel. "Who did you visit in the police detention house?" Nathan blurted out as his fingers slipped down to her throat with his knuckles turning white due to his tight grip. In less than two seconds, Mandy''s eyes grew wide, and she was almost out of breath. "I¡­ I..." Mandy choked, but Nathan squeezed her so hard that she felt she was passing out. "Just speak the truth! Just tell me!" Nathan screamed. The direct message he had stated was sufficiently filled with rancor. Secondster, Nathan finally took off his hand and let her breathe. He towered over her with a straight face and realized he didn''t have to use force to deal with Mandy. "I had visited Daniel¡­ Ahem. Ahem," Mandy coughed. "Who is Daniel?" Nathan asked with coldness wrapping around his eyes as he yed the fool. "You are so mean, Nathan!" Mandy shrieked as she red at Nathan. She didn''t even dare to blink her eyes because she was afraid that her tears would slip down at any time. "Don''t make a pitiful face in front of me. Don''t give me that! I won''t stand for that! I suggest you can reserve that for your ex-boyfriend again!" With an icy stare, Nathan emphasized the word "ex- boyfriend." At that stage, he mentioned it purposely to Mandy. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Now if you have already known it, why do you still ask me?" Mandy asked with her face flushing as she sensed Nathan stepping closer to her. "If you like it, I would like to send you to the detention house to have a reunion with him," Nathan suggested. There was no trace of affection in Nathan''s voice, but a murderous warning! Mandy was almost stifled. Suddenly, she reached out her hands and tried to shove Nathan away, but to no avail. Nathan''s movement was very fast. In just a flicker of an eye, he grasped Mandy and flung her on the bed. He threw Mandy down while he dumped his clothes, casually and quickly. Mandy felt pain bloom in her as tears started streaming down her cheeks, and he had also scratched her arm. With immediate action, Nathan climbed on top of her, rendering her immobile. In just a snap, Mandy''s coat was ripped into pieces. Nathan didn''t cease his assault. Moments passed by, and Mandy''s fleshy bra was exposed in the air, and then he dropped her lingerie on the floor. "Ah!" Mandy squeaked, letting her feeble and hollow voice be heard in all the rooms of the vi. "It''s useless to cry. No one wille to save you!" Nathan growled as he stared Mandy down with his icy eyes. A trace of tears glistened through Mandy''s lovely eyes. She struggled hard to cover her bare chest, and a portion of shame lurked at the bottom of her heart. She had never been embarrassed like this since she grew up! Chapter 65 Threats Chapter 65 Threats "What is the point of covering up? Do you think others don''t know how dissolute you are in bed?" Nathan sneered as he spoke sarcastically. Every word that rolled off his tongue was like an icy dagger. Hearing Nathan''s remark was enough for Mandy to feel like she was going through hell. "Just kill me. Kill me already, Nathan," Mandy said through her grit teeth. Her eyes were shut tight as she felt entirely helpless. "You think I wouldn''t, my dear Mandy?" scoffed Nathan. His eyes were squinted with hostility, and his jaw was taut and tense. Nobody had ever dared to threaten him in his whole life¨Cnot until Mandy did. Mandy was terrified at this point, and her heart was beating loudly in her chest. "Believe it or not, I can kill you now, dismember your body and throw it into the sea to feed the sharks," Nathan threatened coldly. There was no way Mandy could overpower him. "You bastard," Mandy spat, her voice shaking in horror. There was a gut-wrenching fear at the pit of her stomach. "Stop talking since you have nothing to bargain with me. You should know by now that you''re better off not irritating me." By now, his face was barely an inch away from hers. Mandy could feel his breath blowing lightly on her face, and his eyes grew darker and darker. And then, without a moment''s notice, he pressed his lips against Mandy''s and kissed her in a ravished craze. In one swift movement, he grabbed Mandy''s hands and pinned them above her head. Squirming, she tried to get him off, but he was much too strong for her. Afterward, Nathan forcibly slipped his tongue into Mandy''s mouth. There was no way Mandy would be able to fend off Nathan. It was quite obvious between the two who were the more physically capable. Although Nathan had never served in the army before, he was as agile as a soldier in the special forces. It was a piece of cake for him to deal with Mandy. As the kiss between them got deeper and deeper, Mandy felt her whole mouth turning numb. When she was about to bite him, Nathan quickly pulled away. "If you bite me, you are really done for," he warned. Mandy was shocked, her eyes wide with surprise. How could Nathan figure out what she intended to do before she actually did it? It was like he was reading her mind. Stunned into silence, Mandy gave in and let Nathan do whatever he wanted. She knew the more she struggled, the more it would arouse his interest. Feeling that Mandy had gone limp, Nathan grunted. "Mandy, I brought you here to my home because I wanted you to be my woman and not be like a dead fish. I''m not asking you to be entirely into it, but at least you should learn to cooperate with me." Anger flooded Nathan''s eyes. It annoyed him that Mandy was not interested in the kiss at all. A hint of panic shed through Mandy''s eyes because she didn''t know how to please men. She frowned and said in a low voice, "Sorry, I shouldn''t have kept it a secret from you. I just thought you didn''t care about it and wouldn''t mind my private affairs." Did she really just apologize to him just now? Nathan squinted his eyes. Seeing that Mandy''s face was twisted because of the pain, a bit of remorse swept through him. He didn''t like to see her frowning! He wanted to see that innocent smile on her face that he loved so much. Gently, he released his tight grip on Mandy''s arms. Looking down on her, he pulled over a nket and put it over Mandy''s body. Closing her eyes, Mandy tried to regain herposure. Nathan just gazed upon Mandy''s fair and delicate skin, and he saw the marks that were left by his intense kisses and his strong grip. "Mandy, listen to me carefully. Your business is my business. I won''t allow you to cry because of other men. I don''t like to see you cry in front of me either. If you dare to betray me, I will kill your whole family!" Afterwards, he gingerly put his hand on Mandy''s cheek. His palm was so hot that Mandy''s face turned red. After hearing Nathan''s words, Mandy was both frightened and confused. He told her that he didn''t like her to cry, and he didn''t want her to cry because of other men. How could he treat her this way, if it seemed as if he cared about her? Feeling tired and helpless, Mandy shut her eyes even tighter. It was as if an endless darkness was engulfing her. Seeing that she was so depressed and vulnerable, Nathan caressed her. Although he was no longer as angry as he was before, his libido was still raging. Without warning, he pushed himself inside her, thrusting hard and fast. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. At this point, he was driven by nothing but uncontroble desire. He wanted nothing but to quench his thirst for Mandy. And so went another night of Mandy getting tortured and abused. The next day, the sun shone its golden light inside the bedroom. It wasing from the Eastern sky, gradually dying the clouds red, and it could always give people hope. Once Nathan opened his eyes, he stared at Mandy with an unspeakable emotion in his sinister eyes. His hands touched her eyes in an unruly manner. They felt so hot... With his eyebrows twisted, Nathan felt Mandy''s head again. It still felt hot. Did his woman catch a fever? Nathan quickly got dressed. He shouted from the second floor, "Lillian,e upstairs with the medicine box." Still feeling dizzy, Mandy quietlyy on the bed, and the thoughts of what had transpired the previous night shed back to her. She felt like she had fallen into a dense. She struggled to get loose, but she could not get out. She was dreaming now. In her dreams, her limbs were tied. Nobody wasing when she shouted for help. Fear quickly struck her, spreading through her from the bottom of her heart. Despite her throat being hurt, she shouted in a hoarse voice, "Help... Help!" Nathan became agitated when he heard Mandy screaming loudly for help. He shouted her name, but Mandy wouldn''t wake up. She was in a deep sleep, and she looked like she was dreaming about falling from a bottomless cliff. Lillian rushed into the room with a medicine box. Nathan took the thermometer out from the box. When he took Mandy''s temperature, the thermometer indicated that her temperature was 38.9 degrees Celsius. If a fever this high were to continue, Mandy would certainly be delirious. "Lillian, get me a wet towel," Nathan demanded. Then he took out the antipyretic pills from the medicine box and helped Mandy take them. "I''m so scared. Pleasee and save me. Daddy, Mommy, where are you?" Seeing Mandy in an unstable state, Nathan was confused. He had no idea what kind of dream Mandy was having. A tinge of pity could be noticed in his eyes. He wanted to wake Mandy. "Oh, my God... Nathan, please don''te near me. I beg you!" Mandy called Nathan''s name in her hoarse voice. Her dry lips moved as she mumbled. Her words were clearly heard by Nathan. He set the ss of water aside, feeling very upset. In her dream, was this Nathan a fierce man? Was she afraid of him? Thinking that he had scared Mandyst night, Nathan frowned and deeply regretted his actions. Nathan called John, his private doctor. Five minutes after the phone call, John had already arrived at No. 520, Haibin Road. When John arrived, Nathan had already helped Mandy get dressed. "Don''t worry. She will wake up after she receives an IV drip from this bottle of saline water," John reverently said. "Alright." Nathan was constantly quiet, feeling a little sad. Perhaps, he shouldn''t have been so fierce towards Mandy. No matter what she did, she was just a vulnerable woman. Chapter 66 He Is Taking Care Of Her Chapter 66 He Is Taking Care Of Her "President Jin, with all due respect, please be gentle with thedy," John said kindly with a smile. Nathan nced at John as he said coldly, "Don''t tell me what to do. Better shut up if I am not asking for your opinion." "Women must be loved and should not be mistreated." As Nathan''s private doctor, John was ten years older than him. Four years ago, Nathan had nearly died when he was racing cars on the top of the mountain. John had saved him from the life-threatening incident. "Mind your own business. Will you?" Nathan shot him a warning lookced with irritation. Nathan saw that Mandy frowned painfully in her sleep. He felt pity for her. "How ungrateful you are! I saved you, and now I saved your wife. How could you talk to me like that?" John replied with mixed emotions. There was a hint of sadness in his tone. Whether John was feigning it or not, no one could tell. "Who said she was my wife?" Nathan asked without delight. He glimpsed at Mandy, who was lying on the bed. In his eyes, she was no one special¨Cmore like his property or perhaps a toy. Deep inside, Nathan kept reminding himself that he shouldn''t fall in love with Mandy. But every time he looked at her or heard her voice, she would get his attention. As if Mandy had some sort of enchanting aura that effortlessly attracted his senses. "Really?" John gave him a skeptical look. "Isn''t she?" John looked at Mandy for a while and swept his eyes around, wondering if there were any other women somewhere. "I haven''t seen any other woman sleeping here in all these years." As an observant person, John could tell that Mandy was living with Nathan when he saw her in her pajamas. Nathan curtailed hisments by asking, "Are you done?" "You may leave now," he added without waiting for John''s answer. His anger had been roused, and his face turned red at the thought that his secret was revealed. Of course, John was a smart guy. He quickly packed up his medical kit, and before he left, he patted Nathan on the shoulder and reminded him, "Take good care of her. Remove the saline drip bottle as soon as it is finished, or she will die." Mandy had a nightmare during her sleep. She dreamed that her parents had been framed, and all of them were in jail. She was bullied and humiliated. So she screamed loudly for help, but no one came to save her. The feeling of helplessness was vivid, even in her dream. Nathan took the towel away. The previously cold towel had been warmed by Mandy''s body temperature. He frowned, turned around, and said to Lillian, "Bring another towel." "Yes, sir." Lillian took the towel and quickly disappeared to the bathroom. Mandy''s eyebrows met and her forehead creased. She did not know how long she had been asleep. Subconsciously, she seemed to hear Nathan calling her name gently. Nathan had been by her side since she fell asleep. He didn''t leave her, even after the saline drip had been finished. He just stayed still and didn''t go anywhere. "Water!" Mandy gasped. "Water... I want water," she said in a hoarse voice as she opened her dry lips. Hearing her stammering voice, Nathan slightly unfurled his frowning forehead. He moved as he held her in his arms. Then he picked up the water ss from the nightstand and ced it at Mandy''s lips. Mandy gulped the water up to thest drop. The coldness of the water stimted her senses. She felt much more sober after a good sleep. She opened her eyes slowly. It was like a bolt from the blue when she saw Nathan''s handsome face up close. So close to her that she could almost see the pores of his skin. "Why are you here?" she asked, feeling jolted. Mandy''s voice was evident with surprise. She remembered vaguely that every time she woke up, Nathan had already gone. "You have a fever," Nathan said curtly. He didn''t bother exining to her. "What?" Mandy''s face expressed her boggled mind. "How could I have a fever?" she asked with an unconvincing gesture. A bright smile appeared on Mandy''s ethereal face, and her white teeth shone brightly. Nathan couldn''t help but feel better upon seeing her warm smile. Mandy was aware that she hadn''t had a fever for a long time. Whenever her health was not in good condition, she would catch a cold due to her weakened immune system brought on by her tonsillitis. But this time, it seemed to be different. "How would I know?" Nathan retorted, feigning ignorance. "You are the doctor. You should know better," he added in his defense. Nathan felt guilty, knowing the reason why she got a fever. Last night, the air-conditioner had been turned on in the room. Nathan kept turning on the bed for the whole night. The two of them had changed their position from time to time, and their whole bodies were almost uncovered. With Mandy''s weak body being directly exposed to the cold air she had, inevitably caught a cold and eventually fever. "I''m a cardiologist, not a general practitioner," she stated with pride and as a matter of fact. She was physically weak, but she won''t easily give up a petty fight with Nathan. "Do you want to sleep or not?" Nathan asked to change the topic, not wanting to ept his defeat. "Get some more sleep," hemanded. With his bossy tone, Nathan ordered Mandy to have a good rest.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Mandy smiled and waved her hands. She wanted to get up and go to work. "Nah, it''s time to get up. What time is it?" She was indeed confused and thought it was still early. "Five o''clock," Nathan answered without expression. His eyes were teasing, calmly waiting for a fault in her reaction. Assuming it was five o''clock in the morning, Mandy sighed as a sign of relief. "Then I''ll have some more rest." "It is five o''clock in the afternoon, not in the morning," Nathan emphasized. His thin lips were raised, and his dark eyes were deep. He gave her a piercing look. "What!" Mandy eximed. "It is five o''clock in the afternoon?!" Her eyes widened like saucers in disbelief. She gasped for air in despair for being absent from work. Harry wouldn''t miss this opportunity to ridicule her. She felt miserable and frustrated. "You... Why didn''t you wake me up?" she asked furiously while wiping her tears. Her tears, like pearls from a broken thread, cascaded over her wless cheeks. Nathan didn''t feel sorry for her as he watched her cry. In fact, he was d as he found it so cute to see her crying like a child. "I did, but you didn''t wake up as you were sleeping like a log. What else could I do?" Nathan said as he tried to reason with her. He moved closer to her and tried tofort her. "Then what should I do now? My sry will be deducted for my absence today. Also, I will no longer qualify for the full attendance award at the end of the month." Mandy''s mind was pre-upied with negative thoughts. She could imagine that lovely dor sign with wings as it flew away and waved goodbye to her. "How much do you make with your sry?" Nathan asked nkly as if he could read her mind. "And who said you didn''t go to work for no reason?" he added. He narrowed his dark eyes with an unreadable expression settling on his calm face. "Because I was absent without asking for a day''s leave beforehand!" Mandy said angrily. She felt that everything had been nned by Nathan on purpose. Chapter 67 I Dont Want To Be Just The Lover Of A Rich Man Chapter 67 I Don''t Want To Be Just The Lover Of A Rich Man "I''ve called your supervisor and informed him. He wants you to rest well. He also feels that you shouldn''t go back to work until you''ve fully recovered," Nathan said gently. An involuntary smile crept across his lips that he was oblivious to. "Supervisor? Which supervisor?" Mandy''s big eyes blinked in confusion. "Tyler." Nathan shrugged casually. Mandy''s cheeks grew hot in embarrassment. She was staring at Nathan, trying to digest his words. Mandy felt that Nathan had no intention of cleaning up her mess. "What did you tell him?" Mandy asked nervously. "It''s a secret." Nathan was grinning at her. Mandy''s face grew smaller. She wondered if Nathan had told the hospital director about their rtionship. If Nathan had made their rtionship clear to them, then she would be humiliated at the hospital. "What''s wrong with you? You seem unhappy," Nathan joked as his face broke into a lopsided grin. "Do you think I can be happy now?" Mandy asked. She looked sad. Shey on her back on the bed and was staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes had lost their twinkle. "Why are you upset? Do you want our rtionship to be a secret?" Nathan knitted his brows in confusion and mocked at her. "No, I''m not upset. It''s just that I don''t want others to think that I''m dependent on you for everything," Mandy said, shaking her head vigorously. Mandy was appointed to the hospital for two reasons. One being her privacy, and the other was because she was assigned to the hospital as soon as she was back after finishing her studies abroad. If anyone found out about her rtionship with Nathan, they would think that she hadnded in the job at JR hospital only because of him. She didn''t want that. Mandy was young, and many doctors disliked her. She didn''t want her rtionship to disrupt her peace at the hospital. "You''re my girl. I don''t want you to work so hard. Why don''t you quit the job and rest? I can see that it''s taking a toll on you." Nathan gently touched Mandy''s soft face with his warm hands. As the warmth spread all over her cheeks, Mandy realized that the temperature of their rtionship had risen again, which she had tried very hard to restrain. "I love my job, and I''m not interested in anything else. Most importantly, I don''t like to remain idle, and I don''t want to be just the lover of a rich man!" Mandy said sternly. "You don''t want to be just the lover of a rich man? Am I the rich man?" Nathan narrowed his eyes usingly. He looked dangerous. Looking at his bloodthirsty face, Mandy swallowed and mumbled, "I didn''t mean that. I just don''t want to be a burden to you." Nathan was aware that Mandy was not good with words. But when he understood what she meant, he grinned because he knew what she was worried about. "Do you really have no interest in other things apart from being a doctor?" Nathan had an evil grin as the words came out of his mouth like sharp des that were meant to pierce Mandy. His deep eyes looked like it was brewing up a storm. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Mandy didn''t understand what he meant. She felt that his words referred to something else that she couldn''tprehend. She shook her head in embarrassment. "I met you in the bar the other day, and I saw you ying the piano. You were really good." Nathan sneered. His sharp eyes bubbling with curiosity. Mandy didn''t expect Nathan to ask this question. She was helpless and lowered her head. She didn''t want to say anything. "I don''t like ying the piano," Mandy said, shutting her eyes. She was exhausted. The memories of those days shed in her eyes. Her breathing had faltered, and everything seemed like a dream. She remembered her bloodstained hands and how painful it was. She could never forget it. "You say you don''t like ying the piano. Can a woman who has absolutely no interest in ying the piano win the golden prize of Midsummer Night''s Dream?" Nathan said, hitting the nail on the head. Mandy thought he was contemting something. The Midsummer Night''s Dream was a pianopetition that was held during the peak of summer, and it was held once in five years. Mandy had been the winner of thest pianopetition. Although the competition was held during the middle of summer, thousands of people took part in it every time. The contestants were usually young people who loved music and also experienced pianists. Mandy had stood out from all the previouspetitors and had taken the entertainment industry by storm. However, Mandy had left the entertainment circle in less than a year. Since then, Mandy wished to remain invisible. She had refused to ept interviews and had even gotten rid of her piano. Eventually, Mandy reced her love for music with medicine. She hadn''t told anyone why she wanted to be a doctor. But the truth was that music would always be her first love, and nothing could rece it. Her long eyshes were still wet. She remembered the time she stood on the golden stage of the Golden Hall in Vienna. She was ying "Canon in D-major," which wasn''t a difficult number. But she had changed the melody of it and yed the song in her style. Her love for music was evident when she yed it with such passion and ease. Many people were touched and almost in tears during her performance. The judges unanimously gave her full marks. Mandy had started to learn piano at the age of three and had mastered all the skills at a very quick pace. However, while music was difficult to learn¨Cconnecting with the soul of music was the hardest thing about it. She was so passionate about music that a month before thepetition, she had shut herself in her room to practice the piano every day. She had done nothing other than y the piano. Daniel couldn''t see her torment herself and took her for a walk at the yground. Inspired by her carefree high school life and her favorite novel "Gone with the Wind," Mandy had composed the entire tune. Mandy was a sophomore in high school when she had won thepetition. Now that five years had passed, it was time for the next Midsummer Night''s Dream pianopetition to take ce. The very thought of it made Mandyughed at herself. However, thepetition had nothing to do with her anymore. Time was the best healer of all sorrows. Mandy vaguely remembered being weed by her fans and reporters at the airport, on her way back home. Although Mandy had never been on any TV shows before, she had be an overnight sensation. Mandy wasn''t prepared for it. She had wanted to study and live her life in peace. Now, no one remembered that she was the one who had won the golden prize of the Midsummer Night''s Dream, except her parents. And at that moment Mandy was taken aback by Nathan''s words. She looked sad and dejected, as if her heart was blocked by a thick fog. How much did he know about her past? Mandy wasn''t ready to expose her vulnerability in front of Nathan. She would always hide her scars and keep it safe from everyone. "Oh, it was just my luck," Mandy answered with a fake smile, hiding her sorrow. Chapter 68 Lets Take A Bath Together Chapter 68 Let''s Take A Bath Together Seeing that she didn''t want to tell him, Nathan didn''t force her to. Anyway, he knew everything already, just not from her. "How about we go downstairs for dinner first?" Nathan paused. He tried to ask Mandy''s opinion. He knew she hadn''t eaten for a day, so she must be very hungry now. "Okay." Mandy raised her head, neither humbly nor forcefully. In the living room, Lillian had already prepared a table of delicious food. Seeing that Nathan and Mandy came downstairs, Lillian seemed a little reserved and stood quietly aside. "President Jin, Miss Zhou, dinner is ready," Lillian exined with a smile of satisfaction. "Lillian, you can go back to your room and rest until we need you again," Nathan inly replied. He wanted to make sure Mandy did not feel restrained, so he asked Lillian to leave. Lillian was also d to hear she could leave. She didn''t want to get involved in any matter between these two. She was afraid she wouldn''t know what to do if they quarreled again. "Yes, Master." Lillian straightened her back and left. Therge dining room was left with just Nathan and Mandy. The vi was quiet before, but now the atmosphere became extra still and awkward. Mandy continued to eat in silence. She thought the food cooked by Lillian was delicious. It tasted like home-cookedfort food. Lillian didn''t know how to cook any Western food, so she just cooked some simple, easy food to get by. "Hem, Lillian''s food is good. I''m pleasantly surprised." She put a piece of Braised Pork with Brown Sauce into her mouth as she giggled. "Can''t you eat properly, Mandy?" Nathan asked. Nathan looked at Mandy''s eating style in disgust. He always ate very refinedly and dignified, just in case anyone was watching. He had to act his ss. "Don''t worry so much. I won''t eat this way when I or we go out for dinner." Mandy waved her hand, freely and easily. She was starving, so she devoured the food in such a terrible manner, which was quite rare for her. "You have such a clear estimation of yourself. Are you afraid of embarrassing me?" Nathan asked, laughing. "You won''t take me out to meet your friends, so why should I feel ashamed?" Mandy replied in a lisp. Then she put another shrimp into her mouth and chewed it quickly with her mouth open. "How do you know I wouldn''t? I just... I don''t have many friends." Nathan gave a self-deprecating smile. There was a tinge of sadness in his cold manner. Nathan had a lot of acquaintances since he was a child. Nheless, his only true friend was Simon. Everyone else always wanted something from him but not himself. If he were not Nathan, they would never have gotten to know him. Thus, he realized early on that most people just used a person rather than wanting to have a real friendship. Hearing what he said, Mandy paused. She looked at Nathan''s careless eyes as she smiled, "Me too! What a coincidence!" "That is because you have a bad character." Nathan said sarcastically, his haughty eyes staring at her pink face. Mandy was still eating her dinner quite happily. Suddenly, she said, "Nathan, even if this rtionship doesn''t work out, let''s still be friends in the future." Upon hearing this, Nathan became upset. He looked at her for a moment and lifted his cold eyes. "I don''t care. What kind of friend, anyway? Do you want to put me on the bench?" Mandy snorted, replying, "Ha-ha, do you think I am that bad?" Nathan kept silent. After that, dinner went peacefully. For Mandy, that was rare. Mandy was still watching TV on the sofate into the night. At nine o''clock, Nathan carried her to the bedroom. Mandy closed her eyes nervously, thinking that she couldn''t escape this tragedy. Tonight, Nathan wouldn''t be so brutal, she hoped. She was still acting like a dying patient, after all. "Do you want to take a bath with me, or do you want me to help you take a bath?" Nathan chuckled as he whispered this in Mandy''s ear. "What kind of choice is that?" Mandy stared at him, thinking that Nathan was just joking. "Make a choice. You only have three seconds to choose." Nathan put his arms around Mandy as he looked at her with gentleness and affection¨Csomething seldom seen in his eyes. "Can''t I choose to bathe myself?" Three secondster, Mandy hesitated, but she finally asked. Her face turned red in front of Nathan''s flirting. However, in Nathan''s eyes, that was even cuter. "No. But you can choose to take a bath with me, or I''ll just make you to take a bath with me." As soon as he finished speaking, Nathan bent down to pick Mandy up in his arms. Mandy struggled so fiercely that her slippers were flung on the ground. Yet it was all useless. As long as Nathan wanted something, he would try every means to get it. "Psycho! You are a crazy psycho and pervert!" While she was struggling to get free, Nathan had already taken her robe off. He then put her in the bathtub with her pajamas on as if she was a child that needed to be taken care of. Nathan ignored her protests and said with a doting smile, "Honey, don''t insult yourself. You called me a pervert, but don''t you realize ites back to you too? If I am a pervert, then you are a pervert''s wife. So, how do you like this title?" Instead of being angry, Nathan onlyughed as he outwitted Mandy. "Who is your wife? Not me!" She red at him. "Don''t you like this title, though?" "Okay, how about I call you my little, darling Mistress, instead? Is that better, my Darling." Nathan didn''t stop. Instead, he began teasing Mandy even more. "Get out. Now." She clenched her right fist and gave him a light punch on the chest. It was only light to Nathan. Mandy had tried really hard to make the punch hurt. Nathan was defending himself by taking active moves as he blocked the movements of Mandy''s hand with his left hand. His right hand moved itself to her chest. With the sound of water, Mandy''s nightgown was removed and thrown out of the bathtub by Nathan. Embarrassed, Mandy immediately covered her chest with her hands. Seeing this futile action, Nathan wore an evil grin. He moved his right hand between Mandy''s thighs. "You..." Mandy was so nervous that her face flushed red as a cherry. "What is the matter, Honey? Why are you shy in front of me now? I''ve already touched every inch of your skin anyway." Nathan grabbed Mandy''s hand and ced it on top of his billionaire''s gift. As if being hit by lightning, Mandy''s mind went nk. She could feel the heat and hardness in her palm. She felt so ashamed, enough even to die! "Let go of me, you shameless man!" Mandy didn''t dare for her hand to linger anymore on that private spot of Nathan''s. She resisted and pulled her hand back with all her strength. Nathan snickered and just looked at Mandy eagerly. The water in the bathtub was almost full and already reached Mandy''s chest. Suddenly, he saw a terrible scar on Mandy''s body. He blinked to see if he just wasn''t seeing things. It was totally ipatible with Mandy''s fair skin. She was so perfect, so why was there a scar on her body? Mandy realized soon that Nathan was looking at the scar on her body. It was ugly and long. She didn''t want him to see it, so she hurriedly covered her upper body with her arms. There was a trace of fear in her simple eyes, which softened Nathan''s horny heart even more. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "How did you get that?" Nathan asked, letting go of Mandy''s hand. He was worried. What could have possibly happened to her? Chapter 69 Other Woman Chapter 69 Other Woman "Can you see it? That was the scar from the surgery I had," Mandy gave a lightugh, but there was a heaviness in her heart. Seeing her sadness, Nathan didn''t want to do anything else except to hug her and hold her close. "Mand, I will never let you get hurt again," he murmured, looking deeply into Mandy''s eyes. There was a solemn look on his face, which was so different from before. Sighing, Mandy was deeply moved by Nathan''s words. For that particr moment, she believed in his promise. Nathan acted like a real gentleman. With utter gentleness, he helped Mandy get out of the bath after she had washed up. Although they didn''t talk much, they seemed to have some connection between them in an instant, and there was a tacit understanding that wasn''t there before. After the bath, Nathan gently patted Mandy''s body dry and helped her put on the bathrobe. Mandy was so shy that she didn''t even dare to raise her head. Carefully, Nathan escorted Mandy to sit in front of the dresser. Bending down, he took out a hairdryer from the drawer of the dressing table. The warm lighting from the hairdryer shone on his hand. Nathan''s hair was still quite wet, but he didn''t care about himself at the moment. What was important for him right now was to get Mandy dried off so that she wouldn''t get sick. Mandy had sleek, ck locks. Looking at the mirror, she saw how Nathan gently stoked her hair. It was as if he looked like a gentle and loving husband. Suddenly, this particr scene reminded Mandy of a memory she had. During the first night she came here, she remembered that Nathan was doing the same exact thing for another woman.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Details of that memory came, flooding to her senses and clouded her thoughts. She even distinctly pictured how Nathan and that woman had shared a kiss in that room. The more she thought about this, the more Mandy felt short of breath. "I can dry my hair on my own," Mandy said. Although she had said this in a quiet tone, Nathan could tell from her knitted eyebrows that she was unhappy. "No. Don''t move," he squinted his dark eyes and said lightly. "I can do it on my own. I''m not a kid anymore," Mandy said, trying to take the hair dryer from Nathan''s hand. Jealousy filled her heart. Mandy didn''t like it when she knew Nathan treated other women in the same gentle way. There was an uneasy feeling in her stomach, knowing that Nathan was doing something to her that he had already done with another girl. "What is your problem, Mandy?" Nathan stretched out his arm, taking the hair dryer out of Mandy''s reach. "It is nothing. Just go dry yourself up first. You''re the CEO of yourpany. You can''t afford to get sick," Mandy reasoned out calmly, but she was very unhappy in her heart. If Nathan had a cold, his lovers would have rushed out by the night. "I''m not as weak as you are," he countered, but the calmness in his eyes wavered the slightest bit. If Mandy caught a cold, he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself. "I''m not as weak as you think," Mandy tried to argue with Nathan. She looked straight at Nathan''s reflection in the mirror. "Don''t talk nonsense. Just sit here and be a good girl," Nathan said in amanding tone as he put his hand on Mandy''s shoulder. "No way," Mandy said firmly. At this point, the jealousy in her heart just continued to grow. She couldn''t take her mind off the fact that Nathan had performed the same affectionate actions towards a different woman. "Don''t try to challenge me, Mandy." Seeing that Mandy didn''t want to listen to him, Nathan frowned. He didn''t like women being disobedient. Sitting there coldly, Mandy said angrily, "I don''t want you to help me dry my hair as you did with that other woman from before." Nathan paused for a moment, but then he continued with a smile, "So you are annoyed by her." "I am not." As soon as her words came out, Mandy knew she was betrayed by her jealous tone. "Mandy Zhou, watch your behavior, okay? You''re my woman, but you are not my only woman. Some things are not of your concern." His lips were pressed into a fine line, and there was a cold contempt on his handsome face. That night, Eve came back to look for him because she just came back from Europe on holiday. She wanted to give him a surprise. And here was his secret base. Whenever he was in a bad mood, he liked toe to this vi alone. Eve had followed him here once, knowing that he would be here. The Su Family and the Jin Family were old family friends. For the sake of his parents, and the interests of the Su Group''s bank, Nathan indulged Eve very much, but he had never slept with her. His first woman was Mandy. Mandy held her bathrobe closer to her body. Why was Nathan allowed to have sex with other women? And yet she did not even have the right to be jealous. For a long time, Mandy said nothing further, and she just sat there as she lightly bit on her soft lips. She was thinking about her identity, her position, and her image in Nathan''s mind. If she insisted on everything, she would only get hurt in the end. One month was not long, but neither was it short. Mandy forced herself not to think about Nathan. They wouldn''t owe each other a thing after the month passed. Besides, she still had to go on a blind date a few dayster. Although Mandy wasn''t at all hopeful on her blind date, she actually wanted to meet that man. Why should she stay here and suffer under Nathan''s hand? The humming sound of the hair dryer was whirring beside her ear. Although the air was fairly warm, Mandy felt cold inside her heart as the wind blew on her. Mandy felt so sad that she couldn''t close her eyes that night. It was as if she would be pushed into the dark abyss as soon as she closed her eyes. Deep in the night, she could hear Nathan''s steady, rhythmic breathing. For the first time in a long a time, Mandy felt that Nathan was actually there. He was thest person she saw every night before she went to bed. And the first person she saw every morning when she woke up. But their rtionship was not right. He just took what he wanted from her and treated her like trash. The sunlight came in through the gap of the thick curtain. When Mandy woke up, she looked subconsciously at the other side of the bed. Surprisingly, Nathan was still there. The sight of him made Mandy a bit happy. Mandy took out her cellphone to look at the time. It was still quite early in the morning. Setting aside her phone, sheid her head on the pillow to get some more sleep. But when she closed her eyes, her body and mind felt as if they were already wide awake. With a quiet sigh, Mandy turned on her side and stared nkly at the man beside her. His skin was very smooth and clear, and there was not a single mark on his face. His jaw was taut and angr, and sharp eyes were framed with dark, thick brows. Sleeping like this, he looked so peaceful, although he had said something that made Mandy uneasy. Chapter 70 Stop Doing What Chapter 70 Stop Doing What Mandy unknowingly stared at him in silence for such a long time, but it felt like she could not see enough of his face. Could there be some special magic on his face? Nathan''s appearance was so perfect that it fell under Mandy''s definition of her ideal type. When she was a young girl, and like any other girl, she too was obsessed with handsome boys. If they were cool as well, then it would be a plus point. But now, being handsome might not give her a sense of security. At her age, her standards for choosing her spouse were now far different. "Am I handsome?" Mandy was still in a daze when she suddenly heard Nathan''s maic and deep voice. His drawl soundedzy and sleepy. It was exceedingly pleasant to hear. But she was panic-stricken, so she decided toy back on the bed immediately. She carefully pulled the quilt on top of her and pretended to be dead asleep. When Nathan turned to face her, he was smirking. Then he rolled over under the quilt, and in no time, he positioned himself on top of Mandy. Frightened, Mandy didn''t dare to open her eyes and kept up with her pretense instead. She waited patiently to know what Nathan would want to do. Nathan stared at her intently. He was amused, and he tried hard not tough because he knew she was only feigning sleep. Bending his head lower, his warm lips soon covered her soft lips. He gave her wet kisses as he could no longer control his desire. His act made Mandy''s heart beat faster involuntarily. And Nathan seemed enchanted when two red clouds appeared on her lovely cheeks. He was such a good kisser. And with gentle persuasion, he always got to arouse Mandy''s sensual nerve. He bit her lips again, tasting her beauty bit by bit. It was not their first kiss, but her reaction was priceless and so precious like a young girl, who had just had her first kiss with her lover. And every time she got to kiss him, she felt shy all over again. Nathan liked the way she reacted, the way her body responded. And the more he kissed her, the more he became passionate. His hand was now tugging the hem of her pajamas. Mandy suddenly became nervous when she felt his hand on her. The warmth of his hand jolted her to wakefulness from her fake sleep. Thinking of all the possibilities, she instinctively grabbed his hand and tried to stop him. Knowing how Nathan excelled in sexual performance, he would never stop until and unless Mandy was half dead. Besides, if she left him doing what he wanted to do now, she would bete for work. "Don''t do that!" Mandy gasped. She was panting. She looked hot and attractive like a rose with her flushed face, and her breathing was uneven and short after being provoked by Nathan. "Don''t do what?" a smirk appeared on Nathan''s face as he asked, deliberately teasing her. "You don''t have to go to work?" Mandy answered him with another question instead. There was a lingering softness in her gaze as she remembered how Nathan stayed with her yesterday when she was sick. She didn''t know why, but she was deeply moved. "Why? Are you afraid that I will bete for work?" Nathan sarcastically replied. He was the boss of JS International, and he could go to work at any time he wished. Why was she so stupid? He mused, slightly annoyed. "No, I''m afraid I will bete for work." Mandy hastily took his hand out from under her pajamas, seeing Nathan immersed himself in his narcissism. Nathan was speechless. This woman was seriously a workaholic. Why did she like to go to work so much? He groaned inwardly. But then, as if to console himself, he noted mentally, ''Maybe I didn''t do well enoughst night. Next time, I''ll make her unable to get out of bed.'' "Come home early after work. Cook for me." Nathan abruptly rolled over from Mandy, his face devoid of any emotion. "Yes!" Mandy blinked her eyes and agreed obediently. Nathan was quite pleased with her reply. This woman was well behaved, but he clearly knew that she possessed a bad temper. Sometimes she was as docile as a bird, who wanted people to take care of her gently, while sometimes she was as obstinate as a hedgehog, making people want to remove all the spines on her. For him, he preferred the obedient and sensible Mandy. At the No. 1 High School of City A Inside the teachers'' office of the second grade of senior high, Fiona worriedly kept pacing around, and her distraught face looked pale. Someone had released her background on the BBS of their schoolst time. Although Bruce had handled it well previously, there were rumors up again this time. And what was worst, some photos of Fiona''s parents were posted on the Inte. Bruce knew she couldn''t bear it, so she had been called to his office. As the administrator of the BBS, Bruce instantly deleted all the posts and sessfully found out the IP address of the poster. But the ID ount had sent the posts in a ck Inte cafe, so no one knew who posted them. "Nana, please do eat something first. Be a good girl, okay?" he insisted as he had always treated Fiona as his sister. Brucepleted his academic degree from a normal school. Then he had started his career in teaching at the No. 1 High School of City A. He was only a few years older than his high school students, and he had put a lot of effort into cultivating them. Fiona performed well in her ss. In every exam, her grade alwaysnded her into the top three. She had zero tolerance for mistakes. And she aimed for nothing but to excel in everything. So Bruce naturally developed his fondness of her based on her attitude of being a hard-working student. Besides, he had a close rtionship with Mandy, so he took special care of Fiona. Though it urred to him, he was still unsure if it was because of his special care that trouble had been caused for Fiona. While he had figured out who was behind this, he couldn''t say anything since there was no conclusive evidence. "Mr. Xu, I''m not hungry. I''ll go back first. There is a lot of homework left," she mumbled weakly. Wearing a weary smile, Fiona pretended as if nothing had happened. "How can I feel relieved to see you in this way? We must have dinner first." Bruce looked sullen. He felt sorry for this girl. Fiona was a proud girl. And with all that had happened to her parents, she needed to bepetitive as she had to study hard. She never got to share how sad she was except with Mandy, the only person she could trust. "Mr. Xu, I really can''t eat anything." She bit her dry lips and looked a little lonely. Bruce hesitated as he mulled over his options, ''Should I call her sister, Mandy? Otherwise, she won''t be able to go back to school in this situation.'' In this advanced digital age, everything was taken by storm with the fast development of the Inte, because those photos he deleted from the school forum were still stored on the mobile phones of a lot of students. So Bruce couldn''t check their mobile phones one by one. "Mr. Xu, I am a little confused about this problem. Can you help me check it?" Fiona felt weak when she tried to show him the math book in her hands. The picture had been a big blow to her. As a result of excessive depression and low blood glucose, Fiona fainted. Fortunately, Bruce was quick enough to catch her. He immediately scooped her in his arms and rushed her to JR Hospital. On the way to the hospital, Bruce gave Mandy a call, who was at that time ready to go home from work. As soon as she heard that her sister had fainted, she felt so disturbed that she didn''t even take her white uniform off. She immediately dashed to the outpatient hall and anxiously waited for Fiona. "Doctor Wang, how is my sister?" Mandy asked worriedly. Fiona was lying in the outpatient room. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Doctor Wang had just examined her. "Don''t worry, Doctor Zhou. Your sister is fine. She merely has mild malnutrition. And what''s more, she was too emotional today, so she suddenly passed out. I am giving her an intravenous drip. She will wake up soon."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 71 Forgetting The Most Important Thing Chapter 71 Forgetting The Most Important Thing Mandy heaved a sigh of relief. She sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Fiona to wake up. "Poor kid, see how much you have lost?" Mandy furrowed her eyebrows as she murmured to herself in front of Fiona. She reached out her right hand to gently touch Fiona''s face. "Mandy,e on out. I have something to tell you." Bruce stood aside as he looked at Fiona in silence. On the way to the hospital, he hadn''t had a chance to tell Mandy why Fiona had fainted. "Okay," Mandy said tiredly. At No. 520, Haibin Road The look on Nathan''s face was dark and upset. He seemed to be shrouded by darkness. It was already twenty past five. Mandy hadn''te home yet. Even if there was a traffic jam, she would still be here by now. It was only ten minutes from JR Hospital here. It seemed that the air was filled with the smell of blood. If Nathan ever got truly angry, the consequences were always very serious. "President Jin, are you hungry? How about I cook something for you?" Lillian asked quietly. "No, thank you," Nathan refused coldly without thinking. He insisted that Mandy should be cooking the dinner today. Lillian withdrew herself without another word. Inwardly, she thought, ''It is over. Miss Zhou will suffer again.'' Time went by slowly. The constant tick-tack of the clock did not help either. It was already past seven in the evening. Mandy didn''t call nor leave any information about her whereabouts. It seemed she had run away. Nathan couldn''t sit still any more. He checked the GPS on his phone and checked where Mandy''s phone was in order to find her. He saw that she was still at the hospital. ''Is she still performing a surgery? Mandy, you had better think of a reasonable exnation when youe back here!'' The look in Nathan''s eyes became cold, like a beast that found his prey. At the JR Hospital Mandy now roughly knew what had happened after she heard the statement from Bruce. She just felt more distressed for Fiona. "Hey, Bruce, can you hack the inte cafe to find out who was the maniptor behind this?" A trace of pure hate appeared on Mandy''s quiet, small face. She swore in her heart that no one was allowed to hurt Fiona, not to mention someone who used such a despicable method. "I asked my friend to go to that Inte cafe this afternoon, but there was not even a monitor camera there. He asked the boss, who said that because of the numerous amount of customers that day, he had no idea who had done it." Bruce shook his head in defeat. "Nana is a very prideful girl. I am sure what happened to her must be more painful than death." Mandy''s face twitched, and inside her, there was a monster ready to be unleashed on a victim. She wondered who could be so despicable and low to do this! "Yes, the news was releasedst night. Students like to secretly y with their mobile phones at night. The school didn''t check the information on mobile phones very carefully. So when everyone woke up this morning, the incident was all over the news," Bruce said as he rubbed his forehead, as if he had a real headache. "Do you think it is the same girl fromst time?" Mandy instinctively felt that she was perpetrator. She trusted her gut feeling. "I thought so, but unfortunately there is no evidence now," Bruce exined calmly. Both Jenny''s parents were civil servants, and they knew someone with an esteemed background. Although Jenny didn''t do well on her exams, she got the chance to be a student in the No. 1 High School of City A. All of it depended on her parents'' close rtionships with people in high ces and their great influence. Basically, her parents had connections. "Well, I see. No matter what. I am going to find out the truth." Mandy made up her mind. She didn''t tell anyone what she was thinking, but she did think of a person, whom she was sure would help her. Of course, this person was Nathan. Yep. It was Nathan. "Wait, what time is it now?" Suddenly, it dawned on Mandy she was supposed to cook for Nathan today! Dang it, another promise broken. At hearing the news that Nana had fainted, Mandy had panicked and left her phone on the table when she ran to her sister. Bruce looked at his watch and said, "It is half past seven already." The corner of Mandy''s mouth was twitched. She was so shocked. She could just envision Nathan''s dark face from afar. She really screwed up this time! How could she count on Nathan to help her now? "What is wrong? Is everything okay?" Mandy''s face looked like she had seen a ghost just now. The fear in her face was easily recognizable. "Nothing... Really, I am alright." Mandy smiled awkwardly and shook her head. At that moment, she heard Fiona''s voiceing from the ward. Mandy flew to Fiona''s side. Fiona''s face was a deadly white as she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The familiar smell of disinfectant spread into her nose. She sat up from the bed. As she moved her right hand, it identally disced the drip needle. The needle had to be moved to another position. Mandy helped Fiona with the procedure. Fiona''s hand was a little swollen. Mandy felt heartbroken to see Fiona like this. She carefully pressed the back of Fiona''s hand to express her sympathy. "Sis, what happened to me?" She looked so desperate. "You passed out. It was Mr. Xu who brought you to the hospital." "Thank you, Mr. Xu." "You''re wee." "Nana, let me drive you home tonight." Seeing Fiona so weak and sad, Mandy thought that it was better for her to drive her home instead of going back to school. At least, then Fiona would be in a ce of safety. Fiona jumped from the bed as she said, "No, thank you, sister. I''m fine. I don''t want uncle and auntie to worry about me." "Silly girl, I am worried about you! You are not in this alone," Mandy said worriedly. In her mind, she thought that Fiona was more stubborn than she was. "Sister, don''t worry. It''s just a small problem. I''m fine. I''m really fine. I can''t quit school. If I''m tired, I''ll let you know..." Fiona smiled considerately. She had already put on her shoes as she replied. "Thene with me to eat something." Mandy doted on Fiona very much. Fiona had no choice but to listen to her. "Okay, sister," Fiona nodded with a smile. The three of them found a small restaurant near the hospital and had a simple meal. After the meal, Bruce took Fiona back to the No. 1 High School. Mandy repeatedly told Bruce to take care of her sister. When Mandy went back to the doctor''s office, she felt exhausted. When she was about to leave the hospital with her bag and phone, she suddenly saw a familiar figure. Nathan hade. Mandy froze in fear. She knew she had messed up big. There were only two people left on the staircase. One was Mandy Zhou, and the other was Nathan Jin. With anger in his gloomy eyes, he stared at Mandy without saying a word, as if he wanted to swallow her alive. Mandy, who was standing in front of Nathan, could not help but tremble in fear. Every time Nathan looked at her in this way, she knew things would end badly. Mandy gritted her teeth and tried to exin to him. But Nathan resolutely turned around and left. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Looking at his hardened back, Mandy suddenly felt that she was like a withered flower. Depressed, fearful, and even more anxious, she followed Nathan. Chapter 72 Dont Seduce Me Chapter 72 Don''t Seduce Me Nathan was walking very fast, while Mandy, in her high heels, ran after him. She chased him all the way to the underground garage, only to find that she had lost track of him. After all of the running, Mandy felt tired. She felt so stupid that she had lost track of him despite her never having lost her sight of him, even for a split second. Her eyebrows furrowed tightly in disappointment. Suddenly, Mandy felt a fierce strengthing from behind. It was Nathan, and he was pulling her into his arms. The kiss was full of passion and so fervent that he couldn''t wait any longer for another one. With a strong sense of possessiveness, Nathan kissed Mandy and continued to do so again and again. Mandy did not do anything. She was already used to being kissed by Nathan, and she was already starting to like him. The anger on Nathan''s face had faded after kissing Mandy again after releasing her some time ago. Confused, Mandy bit her lips. She didn''t know how to exin the whole thing to Nathan. It was all her fault again! "Nathan," Mandy gently called. As if there was some surprise in front of him, Nathan''s eyes turned bright. While trying to hide his excitement, he still managed to maintain a cold face, "What is wrong?" Mandy apologized to Nathan, "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry that I broke my promise. When I was about to get off work, and my sister was brought to the hospital. She had passed out, and my phone was in the office. I''m sorry, I didn''t contact you as soon as possible. I''m really sorry." She lowered her head while making her sincere apology. Seeing her apologize this way, Nathan''s heart inexplicably felt a pang of pain. For a while, he felt no need to me her. "How is your sister now?" Nathan casually asked. "She is not doing well. But she has gone back to school now." Mandy bit her lips, showing a sad expression on her beautiful face. Nathan didn''t like to see her Friday face at all. He liked her face better when she smiled. "What happened to your sister?" Nathan asked in an aloof manner, trying to hide the fact that he cared for her. "Let''s go home first, and I will tell you on the way, okay?" Mandy felt a little tired. She sighed and was depressed. She let out another deep sigh. Nathan was okay with the idea, and apanied Mandy to his Lamborghini. While on the way home, Mandy told him the whole story. A hint of anger twinkled in Nathan''s cold eyes. Hearing Mandy''s story made Nathan''s brows wrinkle deeper and deeper. Suddenly, he mmed on the brakes. The impact almost threw Mandy out the window. She wanted to say something but swallowed her words when she saw Nathan. Nathan banged the car door shut, showing no mercy. Nathan strode forward, and Mandy trotted closely behind him. When they entered the vi, Lillian was nowhere in sight. A table filled with delicious dishes had been prepared. Lillian had already neatly arranged two sets of tableware. Something came to Mandy''s mind as she looked at them. "Haven''t you had dinner yet?" Mandy cautiously asked. Nathan didn''t reply. At the moment, Mandy deeply regretted her negligence in not contacting him beforehand as she walked towards Nathan and hugged him around his strong waist. Mandy''s reaction confused Nathan. His eyes slowly filled with an array of emotions... "Don''t try to seduce me. Think about the consequences," warned Nathan, his voice low and deep. "I don''t care about the consequences. I''m sorry, it is my fault. I won''t do it again." But she still didn''t let go of her hug. She clung to him tightly, her head resting on his chest. Listening to Nathan''s thumping heartbeat, Mandy felt that Nathan could possibly like her too. As a doctor in the Cardiology Department, Mandy was very well familiar with heartbeats. She had always wondered why there was a lie detector. Humannguage could deceive people, but people''s heartbeats do not lie. "Aren''t you afraid that I will eat you alive?" Nathan frowned, but he enjoyed every moment of Mandy''s tight grip on him. Thest time he was hugged like this had been seven years ago. The warmth of Mandy''s body and her pleasant fragrance stimted Nathan. For a moment, he seemed to have been struck by her charm. "Before eating me... You have to eat first. Then, I will be at your disposal." Mandy pursed her lips. It took her a lot of courage to say something like that. It made her face blush, and her heart beat rapidly. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She was flirting with Nathan! He cast a serious look at her and thought that she was really good at ying jokes. He listened to her while they sat down to have dinner. Mandy looked at him with a gleeful smile on her face. Soon enough, Mandy felt her eyelids be heavy. Usually, she wouldn''t feel tired at this time. But recently, she felt that her burden had been too heavy. She somehow fell asleep with her head resting on the table. Both angry and amused, Nathan carried her upstairs. He felt a little happiness inside him when he saw Mandy sleeping. At first, Nathan had hated her very much. He had just wanted to get her and ruin her afterward. But after spending some time together, he eventually got along with her and found her very cute. She was different from any other woman, and she never asked for anything. Perhaps, her biggest request was to get rid of him... With this in his mind, a spiteful expression appeared on his handsome face. He would never let Mandy leave him! Even more, he wanted Mandy to willingly stay with him. Letting Mandy stay with him was easy, but making her willing to stay was a little moreplicated. Nathan took off Mandy''s clothes and helped her take a shower. He let Mandy have a sound and peaceful sleep. On the bed, Nathan got his phone and called Fred. "Fred, help me look into the case of Fiona in the No. 1 High School of City A. Arrest the maniptor behind it within two days," Nathan said coldly, looking down at the woman who was sleeping soundly in his arms. His face cast a faint smile. "Yes, sir," Fred respectfully answered. The night was getting dark. In order to make Mandy sleep better, Nathan turned off the light. The moonlight radiated a tranquil atmosphere. A lot was going on in Nathan''s thoughts while looking at Mandy''s face. Then, he stared at Mandy''s rosy lips. He swore to himself, ''I won''t let you suffer anymore, Mandy.'' Chapter 73 Go Against Him Chapter 73 Go Against Him Nathan kept his eyes locked onto Mandy as he slipped into bed with her. Carefully, he ced his arms around her soft body. As he looked at her, he couldn''t help but remember the past. It was the same case for Mandy. As Nathan thought about it, he had made a guess that the reason why Mandy had abandoned music to be a doctor was probably because of the car ident. Their fates were entangled together by the car ident. As for whether the car ident had been caused by someone or was an inevitable disaster, it was still a mystery. At JS International "President Jin, I would like to report to you about thetest news on thend that you were interested in last time. The Lin Group pressed forward closely after we disclosed the information of our intention. It is said that they have settled the price in these two days," Fred reported as he stood in the office with the statement in his hand. There was no expression on his face as he announced the news tly. The look in Nathan''s eyes turned cold and cruel as he raised his head. ''Well, it would be interesting to go against them...'' Nathan thought. "Go to the municipal government right now," Nathan ordered as he put down the files and flung his gold ted pen across the table. In the office of deputy mayor at the city hall... The deputy mayor was dealing with some documents when Nathan arrived. Seeing Nathan, the deputy mayor stood up hurriedly to greet him. "President Jin! To what do I owe the rare visit?" The indifferent expression on the deputy mayor''s face disappeared as soon as he saw Nathan enter. He knew that the man in front of him was noting with a good will. Yet he did his best to greet him warmly. "How have you been, Deputy Mayor Tang?" replied Nathan, sitting down on the plush sofa. He lifted his legs and ced them up the coffee table. Th deputy mayor tried to figure out what was going on in Nathan''s mind. "Everything is fine," the deputy mayor said with a ttering smile. "Everything is fine with you. But it isn''t with me," retorted Nathan as he coldly nced at him. If he wasn''t contented, no one else was allowed to rx and settle. The deputy mayor definitely knew the reason why Nathan was unhappy. All because of that piece of land. He had set a reserve price of 800 million dors for the auction, which would be held on 10th of next month. At that time, whoever won the bid would get the piece ofnd. "I don''t know why things have gone against you, President Jin," the deputy mayor said as he pretended to be unaware of it. Then he continue to talk with Nathan about other topics. "I heard that someone has been trampling down the government hall recently." Nathan steered the conversation back on track in a mocking manner as he sneered. "There are indeed a lot of peopleing to the municipal government, and they are busy every day. Recently, it''s not been so peaceful in City A." Mayor Tang put his right hand on his forehead and frowned slightly. Yesterday, someone reported that City A was nning to smuggle munitions. So he had been very busy with this matter. "After so much talking, Mayor Tang, you still want to beat around the bush with me, don''t you? Are you trying to embarrass me?" Nathan said with a smile, although his tone was quite hostile. Mayor Tang replied with an amiable smile, "President Jin, I wouldn''t dare do such a thing." "You should know that the election period is about to start in a month. If you behave well, you may still be the boss here, but if you act against me, you will not be likely to remain in your position," Nathan calmly said. It was evident, however, that he was making a threat. The Jin Family was absolutely omnipotent in City A. Jason had been in the business field for many years and was a real shark. His way of doing things was very cruel. Unexpectedly, his son, Nathan, was even more ruthless than he was. Deputy mayor Tang clenched his teeth. There was a slight smile on his seemingly calm face, but in fact, his heart had already been stirred up. He was actually very frightened of Nathan. "President Jin, I will handle it well. Please don''t worry." Mayor Tang now reckoned that the Lin Family was not as powerful as the Jin Family. He had to stand on the right side; otherwise, he would put himself in a difficult situation. With a smile, Nathan leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs widely. "Ah, Deputy Mayor Tang... You are really a tricky man." "President Jin, are you busy now? How about we have lunch together?" Deputy mayor Tang asked gingerly. "No, thanks. But I''ll buy you a drink next time," Nathan declined politely. The most hateful thing for him was social activities, like being invited by others to have lunch or dinner together. Moreover, he didn''t have so much free time because of the business he had to handle in hispany. "All right. Take care, President Jin. Don''t worry. I''ll take care of anything," Deputy mayor Tang promised as he patted his chest to show his confidence. He had no other choice. In a society where the weak were at a disadvantage, he had to be a fence sitter. However, he had to be smart to judge the situation so that he could always stand with the right side. And so, because of this, the JS International outperformed the Lin Group. Joshua Tang felt very sorry for Alex. These past two days, Alex hade several times in person and told him that they were willing to buy thend at a high price. Joshua had nned to take this chance to do a good business deal and make a fortune out of it, but now, under the pressure of Nathan, he could not do anything but drop the deal with Alex. At the Lin Group In the luxurious president''s office, Alex and Justin were chatting on the sofa. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Father, it is eight hundred million dors! What I''m saying is that this piece ofnd is not worth that much money!" Just now, Justin estimated that the most poprnd spected by the developers in the city was worth at most 300 million. And it was hrious that deputy mayor Tang should offer a sky- high price of 800 million. And what was more hrious for him was that his father had actually agreed with it. "You little fool, what do you know? Thisnd is definitely worth 800 million. Now, JS International is competing with us for it. I''ll pay the deposit in the next two days. By that time, deputy mayor Tang will give us the specific offer for thend, and if we can guess the right price on the auction then we will be able to buy it," Alex exined. Although he looked and sounded calm, he was nervously fiddling with his worry beads in his hand. They were exquisitely rare artifacts made out of a hundred-year-old red sandalwood. Justin frowned and said coldly, "Dad, even if thisnd is worth eight hundred million, do you think a person like Joshua would give the real price to us? Don''t you think he would tell it to the JS International?" "JS International will not offer that high a price right now. I have no doubts that we will win," replied Alex, a sly look on his face. Hearing this, Justin''s lips twisted into a frown. He felt that there was something wrong about the whole thing. With a faint smile, Alex found a photo from his mobile phone album. In the photo, the girl looked sweet and lovely. Her watery almond eyes looked straight at the lens and were as clear as crystal. It was as if she could look through people''s souls. Although her pink lips were pursed lightly, a special desire was aroused. Herplexion, although fair and white, had an attractive flush. Such a beautiful woman, even without makeup. "Have a look. Do you like her?" Alex changed the topic and handed his mobile phone to Justin. When Justin saw the woman in Alex''s phone, he changed his mind immediately about the blind date with Mandy Zhou. At first, he had disliked the fact that his parents were arranging a blind date for him a few minutes ago. ''What a beauty of nature!'' Justin couldn''t help sigh and gave a satisfied smile. "Dad,e on. What are you trying to do?" Alex diverted his gaze from the photo and pretended to be calm. But in truth, he felt satisfied that this arrangement went well beyond his expectations. Chapter 74 Tell Him The Truth Chapter 74 Tell Him The Truth "This is the daughter of the Zhou Group. Theirpany may not be as good as our family''spany, but their daughter is extremely beautiful. Moreover, a new yeast technology of their family has obtained an international patent. If you end up marrying her, it will benefit you immensely in the future," Alex said enthusiastically. Alex had already found out that the daughter of the Zhou Group had recently returned from abroad. He had made up his mind that she was a perfect match for his son. "What do you mean, Dad?" Justin asked with confusion written all over his face. "Don''t you like her?" Alex questioned with his earlier enthusiasm fading. He had believed that this girl''s picture had made a good impression on his son. But seeing his reluctance made him doubtful. "I do agree that she is pretty. From the outside, she looks just like my type. Yet I can''t say for certain if she is the love of my life. There are several things to consider before knowing that," he replied to his father, looking genuine. Justin was a responsible man. He would not easily fall in love with someone he hadn''t had the chance to know. "My son, I wasn''t aware that you are a romantic entric. But I have to remember that sometimes killing two birds with one stone is a wise choice. This is one of those chances. You should make a good n for your future." After saying this, Alex smiled and sighed as his peculiar eyes fell on his son. "I know, Dad," Justin agreed while nodding his head. "Starbucks, Crystal Street, Eaton Square. You have to invite her over there for dinner after work tomorrow evening. Don''t forget, my son! I wish you good luck," Alex said. Justin had no choice, so he nodded his head once again. At the moment, he peeped into his father''s phone, hoping to get another glimpse of this girl. Seeing her, he slowly began to look forward to meeting her. There was something intoxicating about her. As the sun set, the summer evening glow began to look particrly beautiful. The whole sky was dyed light orange. Mandy walked out of the hospital, feeling ted. Mandy drove to Nathan''s vi at ease. She was still longing for a wonderful future life. Nr. 520, Haibin Road When Mandy arrived, she caught sight of Nathan eagerly waiting for her. When Nathan spotted her entry, he pulled her into his arms. They had not seen each other for a day, so he missed her dearly. "You''re finally back!" Nathan rested his chin on Mandy''s head. He could not help but feel a slight throb in his heart, triggered by the pleasant scenting from her hair. If it was possible, he would have glued her to him for the rest of his life. "Yes, I am," Mandy whispered as she leaned against Nathan''s chest, letting him hold her tightly. The hug gave her a sense of security. "Did you miss me?" Nathan asked as he put his hand on her face and kissed her soft lips. He sucked her mouth and enjoyed her beauty. "I¡­ Hmm," Before Mandy got thest word out, Nathan had covered her mouth with his. At that moment, all the words she wanted to say were swallowed up by the happiness between them. Humming a song, Lillian came out to find her apron. But just when she was about to do it, she was shocked by the scene in front of her. "Stop, stop! Lillian is here," Mandy said shyly as she pushed Nathan away. However, Nathan didn''t seem to care about it at all. Heughed wickedly and said, "This is my house. Just ignore her." "Yes, please ignore me. I don''t want to interrupt you from what you were doing.." Lillian stammered before she rushed back into the kitchen. Mandy was so embarrassed that her face turned crimson red. She pouted and said, "Can we stop acting like this in the future? I''m so embarrassed now that Lillian has seen me like this." "What does it matter? You know, Lillian has been married before. I am pretty sure she has done it too," Nathan reasoned with a naughty smile. Mandy realized it wouldn''t be easy to convince Nathan, so she walked towards the living room, hung up her bag on the clothes tree, and sat down uneasily. There was something that she wanted to talk about with Nathan tonight. She didn''t think it would be right to put it off. Nathanughed and followed her. A weird smile appeared on his cold face when he saw that Mandy was suddenly full of thoughts. "What? Do you have something to tell me?" Nathan asked. Squinting his eyes, he sat down in front of Mandy. Mandy nodded her head. Nervously, she looked here and there, trying to make sure they were alone. Somehow her actions made Nathan very ufortable. "Just tell me," Nathan ordered coldly. ''From what I know, she is a girl with a carefree personality. Why is she dawdling now? What''s wrong with her tonight? Did she do something wrong? Did she date another man behind my back?'' Nathan thought inwardly. All sorts of negative thoughts began to invade his mind. "I have something important to tell you, but you have to promise me that you won''t be angry with me after you hear it," Mandy said and looked at him. On closer inspection, Nathan noticed that a sense of sadness had crept into her beautiful eyes. She couldn''t figure out what kind of person Nathan was, but she was sure that he would be furious after hearing this. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Mandy had thought about keeping it a secret. But when she realized the consequences she would have to face if he ever came to know about it, she decided to blurt it out. "I can''t promise anything. Juste clean and tell me," Nathan said. He slowly smiled and leisurely leaned against the back of the chair, wondering what tricks this woman was going to y. "No, I won''t. If you won''t promise, I can''t tell you about it," Mandy firmly replied. "Okay! I promise you," he said, realizing there was no other way to get it out of her. Nathan was short- tempered and always had a tough time keeping his anger in check. But at the moment, his curiosity had gotten the best of him. Anyhow, he wanted to know what she had to say. "Last week I went home, and my mother asked me to go on a blind date. I didn''t want to go, but she forced me to..." Mandy bit her lips and looked at Nathan innocently. Seeing his face darken little by little, she dared not say anything more. "A blind date? Wonderful! Why not?" Nathan spoke with his tongue in his cheek. It took him a lot of effort to suppress his anger. At this moment, if Mandy said that she wanted to go on a blind date, she was risking her life! "Never! I won''t go!" Mandy swore as she gritted her teeth. If she had to choose between betraying her mother or Nathan, she would choose the former. Truth be told, she was a little terrified of him. It was just too much for her! "Why not? Maybe you''ll end up marrying a rich man after abandoning me," Nathan said sarcastically. He raised his thin lips, and the smile on his face deepened. The atmosphere around them became depressed. It was this dangerous smile on his face that made Mandy''s heart beat faster and faster. She was crying silently in her heart. Now she regretted telling him about it. "Please don''t speak to me in this manner. I am not going!" Mandy promised with a desperate look. "If you are unwilling to go on a blind date, then why are you talking about it? What is the point of talking about something you aren''t going to do? No, Mandy, something tells me you are interested in this blind date! You are here only because you are afraid I will find out about it. Hence, you decided to inform me beforehand. I am sure you believe your confession will make me act leniently towards you. You are quite a smart girl, Mandy!" After giving this lengthy speech, Nathan red at her with his ferocious eyes. At that moment, he had managed to read her mind. Chapter 75 Nothing In Excess Chapter 75 Nothing In Excess In terms of ying mind games, Mandy was still wet behind the ears. She was totally naive and inexperienced. Her heart racing, Mandy slowly lowered her head. She was afraid to look at Nathan. She felt so embarrassed that he had seen through her mind. She was on pins and needles as she mused, ''Was he a mind reader?'' After a long silence, she heard Nathan speak with a straight face. "Tell me the time and location." "Starbucks, Crystal Street, Eaton Square. I originally nned to go there after work tomorrow night." In one breath, Mandy had calmly told him the truth, silently thanking herself that she had managed to calm her nerves down. Her voice didn''t crack nor show a sign of nervousness. "Whew! Starbucks! It''s full of fun!" Nathan said aloud as he cast a sideways nce at Mandy. He noticed the guilty look on her face as he scrutinized her. Mandy remained silent. She was a proud woman, and she never did like swallowing her pride before. But now, for the sake of her family, she stooped so low and became Nathan''s mistress. ''For her, going through these 30 days would be as easy as ABC, '' she had initially thought. But now, she felt like she had miscalcted everything. "Mandy, you should behave yourself! As my woman, you should know what you should do and shouldn''t do, understand?" Nathan reprimanded. He outwardly looked calm, but she could discern a hint of warning in his cold cheek. Being such a calm andposed man, Nathan was good at putting a person to death by his mere silence. Hearing the way Nathan spoke, Mandy trembled slightly. Though the room''s temperature was not low, she felt a chill ran down her spine with what Nathan had said. "I know," Mandy replied obediently as her soft red lips moved slightly. She wished she could take his words with a grain of salt, but she wouldn''t dare. She had gotten herself into quite a predicament. She had promised Madeline that she would go on with the blind date, but now she was having a change of heart. At the thought of Madeline''s nagging, Mandy furrowed her brows deeply. When Nathan''s dark and ferocious eyes finally fell on her, he suddenlyughed wildly and presumptuously. It would have been alright if Nathan hadn''t roared inughter. But hearing himughing in that way, Mandy became even more restless. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest. "Okay, I''ll give you half an hour to go on that blind date, then you must go home immediately!" Nathan ordered before he snickered, pretending to be considerate towards her. At the drop of a hat, he seemed to be very sympathetic. Ever since Mandy got to know him, she realized that her ability to withstand pressure had be stronger and stronger. There were times Nathan behaved like a psychopath and sometimes behaved like a real gentleman. His mood as a whole fluctuated greatly. And these were the times Mandy felt that she was almost unable to stand it. But she believed that every cloud had a silver lining, so she braced herself for the worst toe. "No¡­ I''d better not go there," Mandy was having second thoughts as a hint of hesitation shed through her eyes. She was terrified that Nathan would make trouble for her again, so she decided not to go. Nathan watched her closely. His intent gaze traveled up and down, assessing her. He saw the fear in her eyes and the struggle in her heart, yet his instinct told him that Mandy didn''t lie, so he was very relieved. The idea of Mandy seeing other men didn''t sit well with him, but knowing her mother would be needing an exnation, Nathan finally relented. "What are you afraid of? I let you go this time. Do you understand?" Nathan didn''t worry that Mandy would choose someone else over him. After all, no one in the world was more handsome and rich than him. "I know¡­ I understand," Mandy responded in a trembling voice, barely over a whisper. As the sun rose the following morning, Mandy was not herself that day. Though the sky was clear, promising a good day ahead, for her, it only meant another day that would make her feel like she was going to copse any minute. Maybe she was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Half an hourter, Mandy was already making her rounds with her patients in JR Hospital. Luke, who had stayed in the hospital for some time, was scheduled to be discharged today. So after Mandy had reviewed all his medications, she went to re-examine him for thest time. She then authorized Luke''s discharge order, noting he was recovering well, and it was not a bad thing to release him from the hospital. She didn''t know when, but he had shown her a sense of strong personal affinity, which she hadn''t felt for a long time. But she still felt that he was not a simple man. Although she didn''t talk much with him, she couldn''t shake off the awkward feeling inside her, knowing he was Nathan''s uncle. "Director Zhou, thank you for taking care of me these days. When I am fully recovered, I wille to the hospital to visit you!" Luke said gently. He was lying on the bed, with a warm smile on his face, looking much better than before. "Mr. Shi, you are wee. It''s my duty. I will be happy as long as you are healthy," Mandy replied as she smiled sweetly. She knew her stress would be relieved a little after Luke''s discharge. She had been living a dreadful life these days. Most of the time, she was scared to the extent of being paranoid that Nathan woulde to the hospital to kill Luke if he felt unhappy. And she had exerted a lot of effort into pulling Luke back from the jaws of death. "Nice to meet you again, Dr. Zhou!" Damian greeted as he patted Mandy''s shoulder gently, which startled Mandy. "Oh, my God¡­ It''s Mr. Shi," Mandy eximed as she frowned a little. She was a little bit disgusted with people who walked without making any sound. It was quite terrible. "I am here to pick my father up and get him out of the hospital," Damian exined as he beamed at her gently, like the sun, giving her a sense offort. "Okay, then get your stuff ready. I have to prepare for a surgery scheduled today. I have to go," Mandy smiled as she turned around, ready to leave. "Doctor Zhou, would you honor me by having dinner with me this weekend? I have something to tell you," Damian asked in a rather straightforward invitation, believing that Mandy would not refuse. But Mandy''s responsepletely surprised him! "I''m sorry, Mr. Shi. I have been busy with my dissertation recently, and I''m afraid I don''t have time," Mandy tly refused, thinking she was no fool. Nathan was already giving her a headache. And what''s more, she had to go to the No. 1 High School on Saturday. She was still worried sick about Fiona''s troubles. "Doctor Zhou, this is the second time you have refused me, and you even said it in front of my father. You seriously show no regard for my sensitivities!" Damian retorted. There was an unhappy expression on his face. He looked very masculine with the way he frowned. "Doctor Zhou, you should not let him down easy. Please give him a nod this time," Luke urged. He thought that Mandy was a perfect pawn, so he was making a peg to hang his n on. As a saying goes, nothing in excess! Mandy recalled that it was the second time that Damian had invited her to dinner. Though she was too embarrassed to refuse him again, she seemed to reconsider what Luke had said, causing her to waver. "Okay, I will tell you the specific time to go there then," she replied after a while and didn''t say anything more. Nathan had promised her that he would let her go home once a week. But the allowed time for her to go home was unusually precious to her. She didn''t want to waste it. However, she couldn''t turn down Luke and his son''s warm wee. Mandy was very busy that day. At half-past four in the afternoon, she finished thest operation. After her work, she was now preparing herself for the blind date. Mandy had no idea who the person was because she hadn''t seen his picture yet. But to leave an unfavorable impression on him, she deliberately wore some hideous makeup. She was used to wearing no make-up because she had never been fond of getting dolled up. But now she needed to put it on for this blind date. There was a tinge of sadness within her. If it weren''t for Nathan, she might not deliberately have to make herself ugly. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Her phone began ringing, snapping her back to her senses. Grabbing her phone, Mandy quickly answered it as she drew freckles on her face. Chapter 76 Mandy Goes On A Blind Date Chapter 76 Mandy Goes On A Blind Date "Hello, Bruce!" Mandy answered gently as soon as she recognized Bruce''s voice. "Are you busy, Mandy?" Bruce had been checking the exam papers of his students the whole day. Fiona got a hundred percent in mathematics. "No, I''m not busy. What''s up?" Mandy answered as she looked at herself in the mirror, smiling. She burst into a silveryughter when she saw the "freckles" all over her face. It was the first time that Mandy had intentionally put on displeasing make-up. Upon seeing her make-up on the mirror, she was shocked to think that this make-up style really worked for women. "I called to tell you that Nana improved a lot this semester. She''s got a full mark in mathematics and also got good grades in her other courses," Bruce said. "Really? That''s amazing!" Mandy said with a big smile on her face. "I know she is a hardworking and strong-willed student," Bruce proudly said. "Did you just checked exam papers the whole day?" Mandy asked. "Yes, that''s right. I''m so tired, my head is killing me right now," Bruceined. "Mr. Xu, go back to your room and rest. I have something to deal with. Let''s talk on WeChat when we''re free," Mandy said over the phone as she checked the time. It was almost time for her scheduled blind date. "Okay," Bruce said lightly. Then he waited for Mandy to hang up first because he didn''t want Mandy to hear the sound of the phone''s beep. He knew that the beeping sound on the phone could make Mandy disappointed. At Starbucks There weren''t many people at Starbucks during mealtimes. The moment Mandy entered, she saw a man in a white t-shirt quietly sitting next to the window. He looked like he was waiting for someone. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Mandy wasn''t sure if the man in the white t-shirt was Mr. Lin. She thought she should have looked at his photo in advance. Mandy slowly walked up to the man and stood there in front of him. "Are you Mr. Lin?" Mandy asked in a shy manner. Mandy wore red sses. Her face was covered with "freckles," and her skin was ck and white. Her make-up, at the moment, looked very weird. Justin, on the other hand, was a very handsome man. He had thin eyebrows, full lips, and deep eyes. His face was perfectly carved, entuating his white and smooth skin. Mandy found Justin extremely good looking! Justin was shocked when he saw the girl in front of him. However, upon taking a better look, he knew that the girl in front of him was none other than Mandy. Howe she lookedpletely different in her photos? "Are you Miss Zhou? Please have a seat!" Justin said courteously, forcing himself to calm down. Mandy sat down,pletely ufortable with her new make-up style. After she put her bag down, she crossed her legs and rudely asked, "What''s your name?" "Justin Lin," Justine replied with a gentle and polite smile. "Oh," Mandy coldly said. At the moment, she was mimicking Nathan''s voice and gestures. ''This man should hate me the way I hated Nathan!'' she thought to herself. As her eyes met his, she was a little shocked. Soon enough, his stare subdued her. In an instant, the sense of loss disappeared in her. "I ordered you a cup of cappino," Justin said. He ced the cup in front of Mandy, who was now looking very graceful. "I don''t like cappino. Too bitter for my taste," Mandy said with a frown. She was choosy when it came to what she liked to drink. "What would you like, Miss Zhou? Just tell me. My treat!" Justin offered. There were no trace of impatience that could be seen on his meek smile. "No, thanks. Cappino''s fine, I guess. I''m not a picky girl," Mandy said, taking a sip from the cup of cappino. Hearing what Mandy had said made Justin stare at her and contemte about their date. He was attracted to Mandy''s unruly personality, thinking that she was a very interesting woman. Although her make-up made her look ugly, he thought that they didn''t necessarily have to be lovers. Of course, they could just be friends. "Do you have any hobbies, Miss Zhou?" Justin asked her. "I don''t have any hobbies. I only love money, jewelry, and essories!" Mandy immediately answered as her beautiful apricot eyes flicked. Before arriving at their blind date, she had been mentally prepared. She knew that when a man goes on a blind date, they always like to talk about hobbies, music, and other stuff. Justin sipped from his cup of coffee. Afterwards, he put the cup down and beamed at Mandy from ear to ear. For a moment, Daniel''s handsome face shed in Mandy''s thoughts. She remembered that Daniel loved ying basketball when he was a high school student. Back then, Mandy often watched him y on the yground. The scene of youth and sunshine deeply marked Mandy''s mind. "You don''t hesitate, do you? You''re so straightforward, Miss Zhou!" Justin said,ughing. He was starting to like Mandy''s character. Justin also came to their blind date prepared. He knew that she was good at ying the piano. He also came across photos of Mandy on the Inte. She looked simple and innocent in those photos. Unlike in their date, she looked quite young and pretty, and she didn''t even wear sses at all. "Of course, I am!" Mandy boasted. "Tell me, Miss Zhou. Are you really nearsighted?" Justin asked out of curiosity. "Yes, a little. I''ve seen too many men. I''ve seen so many men already that my eyesight started to worsen! To be honest, I have had eight boyfriends over the past few years," Mandy replied while holding up eight fingers and ring an exaggerated facial expression at Justin. At that moment, Justin finally realized that Mandy must havee on this blind date unwillingly. The reason she was behaving so rudely and awkwardly was that she wanted to sabotage the blind date so that he''d get turned off by her. He knew that her bad make-up style was put on intentionally. While Mandy was distracted with something else, Justin swiftly took her sses off and wiped her face with a tissue. Before she could react, the make-up on the left side of her face had already been wiped clean. "What are you doing?!" Mandy shouted as she pped away Justin''s hand. She tried to hide the anger on her face. She stood up, attracting attention towards them. "You like to y, don''t you?" Justin jokingly said. He closed his lips and tapped his long fingers twice on the table. At that very moment, Justin''s dark eyes showed no emotion at all. Chapter 77 Sister-in-law Chapter 77 Sister-inw "Yes... So what?" Mandy said in an unfriendly tone, but she thought in her mind, ''Oh, no. I have offended someone. I have offended both Nathan and Justin by agreeing for this blind date. I am an awful person who deserves to be killed!'' "Can you tell me why?" Hearing Mandy''s impatient tone, a rarely seen hint of interest appeared on Justin''s calm face. Mandy pressed her lips tightly and red at him. Obviously, she didn''t want to continue with this date. She kept ncing at her watch. On realizing it had only been fifteen minutes, she let out a frustrated sigh. It seemed that Nathan had underestimated her. One hour was more than enough for her! "Oh, sister-inw, you are here too!" a voice was calling her from behind, interrupting their conversation. Mandy was already annoyed, and this call further annoyed her. When she turned around and looked at the strange man, she instantly thought of Nathan. ''Is it possible that he had arranged this?'' she wondered. "Oh, yeah, I am here. Are you here for the coffee?" Mandy responded with a smile. Justin sat startled as he listened to their conversation. He couldn''t believe that someone had referred to Mandy as sister-inw. He began to wonder if she was already married. "Yes, I just got off work. Who is he?" the stranger asked, pointing his finger towards Justin. His acting was so spectacr that it looked real. Since Mandy was also good at performing on the spot, she smiled and said, "I''m on a blind date now." "Cheers! Sister-inw!" the stranger said to Mandy and then left with a cup of coffee in his hand. Mandy tried hard to hold back herughter. Then she turned around and looked at Justin. "A cup of mocha please!" a familiar voice said, reverberating in the quiet coffee shop. On hearing this, Mandy suddenly turned around and saw the man. She couldn''t believe her own eyes. ''It is Nathan!'' she thought excitedly. But Nathan didn''t even nce at her. Instead, he just bought a coffee for himself. His eyes were filled with a cold expression. Mandy shrugged her shoulders and suddenly stood up and said, "Mr. Lin, it''s very nice to meet you, but I think we are not destined to be together. I sincerely hope that you can find your true love. Goodbye." Justin sat still with a nk look on his face. "Goodbye," he replied tly. He thought to himself, ''We will definitely meet again, Mandy.'' She almost ran out of Starbucks. The moment she walked out, she felt like she could finally breathe. The whole date thing had left her feeling suffocated. She patted her chest and saw Nathan looking at her silently. Quickly, she made her way towards him. "You look particrly ugly today!" Nathan said, staring at her with disgust as he spoke these words. "Humph!" Mandy snorted. "I don''t know why I look so ugly. It is not like I can help it..." "Well, you were always ugly. But right now, you look even uglier." Nathan put his arms around her. His words were totally different from his actions. The next moment, Mandy was cradling in Nathan''s arms, chuckling happily. His handsome face gradually softened. Holding her in his arms, he eyed her with a face full of affection as if he had seen a piece of rare treasure. "If I am ugly, there are no beauties in the world," Mandy said jokingly. Her beautiful eyes glittered, and she felt a sweet feeling inside her. It was like she was being soaked in a honey can. Nathan''s expression changed and suddenly became intense. He stretched out his hand and gently touched the tip of Mandy''s delicate nose. He smiled dotingly at her and said, "Silly girl." Mandy was stunned. A shiver went through her whole body. ''Why did Nathan use words that were only meant for couples?'' she wondered. "Look here!" Nathan said, bringing Mandy back to reality. Her gaze suddenly followed in the direction he was pointing. He had taken out his phone and was looking at her. "Yes, that''s my girl," he said happily and clicked on the phone. And with a click, a surprised photo of Mandy was captured! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. When Mandy realized what had happened, she was so furious that she began to stamp her feet in frustration. Using all her strength, she pulled Nathan''s sleeves and warned, "Nathan, delete the photo!" "No, I won''t do that. Never." Then he held up his phone high and began to appreciate the click he had taken. In the photo, Mandy had managed to look both confused and cute. By now, Mandy''s face had turned pink with rage. He was indeed driving her crazy. Even generally, she hated being photographed by others. ''What is wrong with Nathan! Why is he being so annoying!'' she thought to herself. "Then let me take a look!" Saying this, she jumped up and down with her arms flinging high. She wanted a glimpse of that photo. However, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn''t manage to get a hold of it. After several attempts, she gave up. She merely stood there and continued to stamp her feet. "You won''t get to see it." Reaching out for her with his strong arms, he smiled evilly. "Nathan, are you a real man?" Mandy asked while pushing him away. Her beautiful eyshes fluttered. She seemed to be coated with a golden light as the sun was glinting on her face. For a moment, Nathan''s eyes narrowed, and he looked as if he was thinking about something. He stood still and began to drink in her beauty. Mandy was as beautiful as an angel. Every move, every smile, and even every one of her frowns struck him with awe. "Are you questioning me?" All of a sudden, Nathan came closer to Mandy. He put down his phone and squinted at her with a dangerous look in his eyes. Seeing Nathan make his way towards her, Mandy made vain attempts at escaping from his embrace. "If you are a real man, delete my picture." Mandy ran to a safe ce, which was one meter away from Nathan. She stared at him with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. She seemed to havee up with a good idea. With his arms crossed over his chest, Nathan looked at Mandy. As a matter of fact, he liked to observe Mandy''s every move. He had learned her so well that he knew how to keep her from getting his phone. "Catch it." Suddenly, Nathan took out the key to the car from his pocket and threw it to Mandy, drawing a beautiful arc in the air. Mandy stepped forward to catch the key subconsciously. "Why did you give me the key to your car?" There was a typical Lamborghini logo on the key, so she figured that Nathan was a nouveau riche. "You drive." As soon as he finished speaking, Nathan turned around and walked towards his car. Chapter 78 Self-inflicted Humiliation Chapter 78 Self-inflicted Humiliation "Do you want me to drive?" Mandy asked as she quickened her pace, so she could keep up with Nathan. "What do you think?" Nathan rhetorically and disdainfully asked. "But I..." Mandy stammered hesitantly as she stood in front of Nathan. "But what? Did you want to say that you have never driven such an expensive car; thus, you are afraid you might wreck it?" Just like a mind reader, Nathan said exactly what Mandy was thinking in her head but couldn''t say out loud. Hearing this uncanny prediction, Mandy just nodded her head obediently. "Don''t worry. If you get into a car ident, it will be I who is at fault," Nathan said as he cast a nce at Mandy. ''This girl is really not ambitious. She is afraid she will die because she is driving a luxurious car!'' Nathan thought inwardly. "Ha-ha, okay, as long as you remember, you will be the person at fault, not me, then I''ll drive," Mandy blurted aloud. She was so excited that she jumped in the car and quickly buckled her seatbelt. Nathan slowly got in the front passenger seat. It had been awhile since he had sat in the front passenger seat. Mandy was honored that she could be his driver. "So, where are we going for dinner?" Mandy asked as she started the car. She wore an innocent smile, revealing a row of neat, white teeth. "Wherever! I don''t care," Nathan said. A touch of a smile appeared on his handsome face. His tone was contentlyzy like a cat in the sunshine. "Okay!" Mandy stepped on the gas and drove out of Crystal Street. The night view of City A was very beautiful. Looking at the shing neon lights outside the car window, Nathan felt empty in his heart. Somehow, whenever he got close to the feeling of happiness, it vanished from. Before their premarital cohabitation, Mandy had instituted a series of rules for Nathan. Firstly, no third party was allowed to know about this. Secondly, their contract wouldst for one month. Finally, the contract would expire one monthter. From then on, they would have nothing to do with each other. Nathan counted the days. He realized there was only half a month left. Realizing this, Nathan couldn''t help but frown. He looked at Mandy''s face. His intuition told him that she was willing to leave after the agreement had finished. On seeing a red light, Mandy slowly stepped on the brake. She drove steadily, giving Nathan a sense of safety. Out of the corner of her eye, Mandy saw a pair of eyes staring at her. She suddenly turned around and met Nathan''s cold gaze. She pursed her lips and asked tentatively, "What''s wrong?" "Where are we going?" Nathan asked softly. He didn''t want to let Mandy see through him and, more importantly, know his heart. He had promised her that he would give her only one month. He wouldn''t break his promise even if today was thest day. "Uh?" Mandy uttered. She didn''t know that Nathan was really thinking about this question when he looked at her just now. "Uh? What did you mean?" Nathan snickered. There was a hint of reluctance in his tone. "Don''t worry. You can count on me. I''ll take you to a high-end ce!" Mandy promised with a hearty laugh, patting her chest. Nathan squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. At that moment, the traffic light turned green. Mandy turned forward and drove the car again. Mandy didn''t think too much about the arrangement. She knew that there was only half a month left. She decided to be happy every day of thest half month. She thought she had better not irritate Nathan. Truly, she wanted to end things peacefully. The Sun Hotpot Restaurant It was an old hotpot restaurant with a history of over twenty years. In the past twenty years, tremendous changes had taken ce in the City A. Many restaurants had closed down, but this hotpot restaurant had survived. Although it had moved to a new address and changed its interior decoration style, the vors of its hot pot were still the most authentic. "It''s summer now. Why did you bring me here for hotpot?" Watching the car pull into the underground garage, Nathan felt a little regret at saying ''wherever.'' He should have been more specific since he didn''t want toe here to have a hotpot meal in the scorching heat of summertime. Nathan appeared a little annoyed. "You know, they have the best hotpot dishes here. They are so delicious. I haven''t had it for such a long time," Mandy mumbled. Her beautiful face was as innocent as a child''s, and her smile was always very simple and warm. Looking at Mandy''s profile, Nathan let go of his annoyance. "I know you have bad tastes," Nathan said as he looked sidelong at her. He had a mocking smile in his frivolous tone. "You have such a good taste? Why did you let me choose a restaurant today?" Mandy retorted as she shed a cunning smile. She slowly parked the car and pulled on the handbrake. After getting along with him for a period of time, Mandy realized that she had to use strategy in order to sessfully argue with him. As for Nathan, for the first time in his life, he finally understood the words¨Cself-inflicted humiliation. He looked at her coldly and said in a low voice, "I said you have a bad taste in food. I didn''t say you are bad¡­ Do you think you are a girl of low caliber?" Nathan said disgustedly. Hearing Nathan, Mandy was so annoyed that she giggled. As the saying went, "While the priest climbs a foot, the devil climbs ten!" "Let''s go," Mandy said before she jumped out of the car and threw the key to Nathan. She felt that driving a Lamborghini gave her a feeling of empowerment. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. With a small grin, Nathan walked inside the restaurant in big strides. Mandy hurried to catch up with him. She always felt a little irritated that he left her behind. However, when they went into the hotpot restaurant, they smelt the mouth-watering vors of boiling meat and broth being mixed together. At the sight of this, a smile involuntarily emerged on Mandy''s delicate face. "Are we going to the private room or the free seating area?" Mandy asked with a smile as she pulled Nathan''s muscr arm. "I hate crowded areas," Nathan said inly. Noticing there were a lot of people around, Nathan pulled Mandy''s hand closer to him unconsciously. Outwardly, he appeared a little flirtatious when he kissed her long hair. "Okay, I got it," Mandy answered. At the moment, Mandy felt a little nervous while being held in Nathan''s arms. After all, this was a public ce, not their home. However, even in such a public ce, his aristocratic origins could not be suppressed. That day Nathan wore a casual white T-shirt, and the white color with his porcin skin made him so handsome. His delicate features, even if he was surrounded by a crowd of average people, made Mandy know she could recognize him with just one nce. It was indeed wretched for him toe to such a crowded ce. The Sun Hotpot Restaurant was arge-scale restaurant, big enough for two thousand people to have a meal at the same time, and it had five hundred private rooms. Its premises were very busy every day since it had be one of the favorite ces for young people. A waiter, who was pushing a cart of hotpot dishes, led Mandy and Nathan into a private room. Inside the private room, an elegant, cool, and peaceful ambiance could be felt, which was much different from the hot weather outside. Chapter 79 Thank You, Nathan! Chapter 79 Thank You, Nathan! "How is it? It''s very nice here, isn''t it?" Mandy asked with a grin creeping onto her face when she saw how Nathan''s knitted eyebrows finally rxed. "You''re pushing your luck today," Nathan snickered and the sneer on his face remained as he stared at Mandy. While pouring hotpot dishes into the pot, Mandy couldn''t help licking her lips as the savory smell reminded her of her childhood. "Do you like hotpot dishes, Nathan?" Radiance filled Mandy while staring at the steaming dishes in the hot pot. "I don''t like it," Nathan responded, not even ncing at her. The frigidness in his eyes was rming. "Really? Do you think so? Should we leave here and go to another ce?" Mandy said with disappointment edging into her voice, and then she looked down. "I don''t like it, yet, I don''t dislike it! "Nathan said. The way Mandy spoke evoked Nathan''s kindness, and there was a minor change in his glittering eyes. "Phew!" Hearing Nathan''sments, Mandy sighed with satisfaction. Then she ced the food into the hot pot with delight. "Don''t put too many dishes into it. You cannot finish all of them," Nathan said disdainfully. ''How could she ingest that much? She must have been a boar in her past incarnation!'' Nathan reflected. "Of course I can finish it. You can help me finish it," Mandy responded with a beaming smile. Her exquisite face was glorious in the light, but Nathan couldn''t help grimacing when he noticed the one side of her face had not been washed off from makeup. "Come here!" Nathan gave an immediate order as he twisted his finger at Mandy Mandy stepped towards him and looked straight at him. Nathan took out a bundle of soggy tissue and mopped off the make-up on Mandy''s face. He was so gentle to avoid hurting her. He didn''t wear a delightful smile until he saw her perfect face was cleared. "I don''t approve for anybody to touch your face!" Nathan said. His icy voice had a hint of caution. "Yes." Mandy nodded her head as if he possessed her. In fact, it had irked her when Justin helped wipe her face today even though he did so in brief seconds. It was out of her expectation. But she was d because Justin did it with the tissue. "Is Justin the man who was on the blind date with you today?" Nathan asked as his eyebrows somewhat frowned. Although he had never met Justin in person, he had seen Justin''s information on the Inte, so he got to recall his features since he could recognize people with ease and had a great recollection. "Yeah, it''s him!" Mandy answered, not even astonished at all. ''As long as it''s what Nathan wishes to know, he will discover it soon!'' she thought to herself. At the moment, Nathan tightened his eyes and snickered. ''The game is bing better and more entertaining!'' Nathan reflected to himself. "Where is your former high school?" Mandy asked while eating the dishes in the hot pot. ''It''s delicious¡­'' she thought. "No. 1 High School," Nathan answered before he took up his chopsticks and started to chew the mutton in the hot pot with grace. "Really? So you are my senior!" Mandy eximed as joy overwhelmed her. She slightly moved her ruddy lips as if a blossoming red rose in the night sky touched her, which had magical power. "So I am unlucky, to have a stupid junior like you, am I not?" Nathan joked in leisure with a smile registering on his face. "Humph! Who is your stupid junior?" Mandy retorted with a muffled voice. She rested her arms on her hips while ring. "Look at yourself! You are so easy to get irritated. Aren''t you stupid?" Nathan bluffed, yet there was no expression written on his face. He just ate the dish in the hot pot and realized it tasted so good! Mandy didn''t reply this time. After that, they dined together with silence circling them, and the ce was not at all annoying. Then all of a sudden, Nathan''s mobile phone vibrated, so he picked it up from the table, put it beside his ear, and listened. "Mr. Jin, I have already ascertained the true facts. They said that the evil woman called Jenny and her boyfriend framed Fiona. It was Jenny''s boyfriend who had put a posting from an illegal Inte cafe," Fred reported. Nathan was sitting still, and his sinister eyes stirred up waves. "Jenny is already so vicious at such a young age. Tell the principal to expel her from the school. Then send out a message that no school is allowed to ept her!" Nathan ordered over the phone. His haughty tone was like being wrapped with a nket of frost, causing other people to feel coldness. Mandy was busy loving her hot pot opposite Nathan. At that time, she felt anxiety wrapping her. She wondered what facts Fred had determined. "Okay!" Fred answered over the phone. "Plus, just tell those students to delete the photos and postings immediately. If they dare to mention this matter again, they''ll go belly up! And their parents will beid off!" Nathan growled. Heter recalled that Fred had informed him that Jenny''s parents were both civil officials in City A. The reason Jenny got into the No. 1 High School was through inequity, not through intelligence. Nathan figured that this kind of froth shouldn''t remain in the world. Fred listened, tight-lipped, and there was no expression on Fred''s face when he thought, ''How ruthless Mr. Jin is! He really bristled with rage for that beauty''s sake! What Nathan just ordered would cause severe damage to Jenny and her family.'' When Nathan hung up the phone, Mandy also put down her chopsticks. She licked her lips and felt her chest throb. "You mentioned Jenny just now. Are you investigating about my sister?" Mandy asked. "Yes," Nathan answered. "Oh, my God! When did this happen?" Mandy eximed with wide eyes. "Why do you ask so many questions? Don''t worry. I''ll handle it!" Nathan responded. He was a relentless man, yet he didn''t wish to get Mandy linked into these dark matters. "Can I visit my sister after work tomorrow?" Mandy''s asked as her lovely eyes twinkled like there were stars all over them. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Without responding, Nathan acknowledged her and proceeded to eat the dish in the hot pot with great composure. At that stage, Mandy rose and moved towards him, intending to give Nathan a huge hug. "Thank you, Nathan!" Mandy wrapped her arms around him like a ko dangling on his neck. She was skinny but well built. Nathan''s lips twitched up and awe crowded his eyes. Just now, Mandy had even called him by his name. Nathan realized he had to give her a bit of acknowledgment so that she could have a slight conscience. "It''s my pleasure!" Nathan whispered. The shimmering light that reflected on her face made Mandy''s smile more ecstatic. Staring at her beaming so, Nathan sensed that what he had done for her was worth the struggle. Chapter 80 A Domineering Kiss Chapter 80 A Domineering Kiss The blood surged down Nathan''s body as he gripped her waist. A few seconds more and he might not be able to refuse her anymore. He tried to push Mandy away, but the woman only hugged him tighter, unafraid of him. "Let go of me," he ordered coldly. Mandy furrowed her eyebrows, ncing up at Nathan. Her arms retreated. Didn''t he like it? "What''s wrong?" Mandy asked carefully, tilting her head. "If... Humpf..." What she wanted to say was soon drowned out as he pushed himself towards her. He was everywhere as his arms curved around her waist, kissing and sucking her lips as if she were golden nectar. Her lips were like marshmallows, sweet and tender, and he couldn''t help but deepen it even more. Suddenly, he found himself gripping the buttons of her bra. Knowing what he was about to do next, Mandy pushed him away. "No... We''re in a public restaurant. We can''t behave like this." Mandy staggered back a few steps, her back leaning against the white wall. Her face was flushed, and her lips were swollen from his ministrations. "Really?" He stepped closer, teasing, "I can do anything as long as I want to do it." "What if... What if others see us?" Noticing the zed look in his eyes, her heart started to beat faster. Her stomach was doing flips, subtly liking the attention he was giving her. "So what? I''ll have someone gouge their eyes out!" Nathan smirked. If there was something he wanted to do, nothing would stop him till he got it. As they say, money did make the world go round, and he had tons of it. Mandy trembled at his implications. Suddenly, she was unable to calm herself as she found herself depending on the wall behind her. There was something frightening about Nathan''s face, something that warned her that if he had said it, he must''ve already done it. Seeing that she waspletely frightened, Nathan suddenlyughed in an unruly manner. "What are youughing at?" Mandy demanded. ''Was he crazy?'' "Nothing. Sit down to eat." Nathan held Mandy''s thin shoulder before softly pulling her back to her seat. There wasn''t anyone staring at them, no onlookers were in sight, as he had expected. Mandy felt her legs suddenly bing weak as she relied on the chair to support her. As the hotpot''s steam reach her, she couldn''t help but think of the various scenes that he had promised¨Cof him pulling out their eyes from their sockets, of him, crushing them with his bare hands. Suddenly, she was feeling sick. A wave of nausea rushed over Mandy as she covered her mouth. She rushed into the bathroom without another word, vomiting into the washbasin. She could feel her throat bing dry and scratchy once she was done, feeling as if the energy had left her. She felt sick. Mandy washed her face. She took medicine every night. Though it may not be rmendable for her health, it was so she wouldn''t be pregnant. Mandy looked back, calcting that her period would be in the next two days. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw that Nathan was already eating out of the hotpot, munching happily. Her nose wrinkled as the stench hit her, and her stomach soured in an instant. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Are you okay?" Finally noticing her ill gesture, Nathan walked up to her thoughtfully. "The smell makes me sick. Can we go?" Mandy asked carefully, paling as the stench became stronger. If she didn''t get out of here, she might as well return back to the washroom for round two. "Let''s go." Without hesitation, Nathan pulled her into his arms like a pirate holding a treasure chest. When they finally walked out of the Sun Hotpot Restaurant, Mandy sighed in relief, feeling a bit better. The strong odor of food and soup was gone, and color returned to her cheeks. Nathan held her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers. As they stood unmoving, Mandy couldn''t help but admire the skies above. There were so many stars tonight, glittering and shining from above. It was beautiful. She stepped forward to get a better view, a smile entering her features. "Nathan, can we just look up at the stars tonight?" Mandy asked gently, like a child masked with innocence. However, Nathan stilled. Suddenly the gentleness in his gestures was gone. Instead, an animalistic growl escaped from his lips. Soon, his ck eyes turned blood red as he hovered over her. Mandy was terrified, a whimper escaping her lips. Once he realized what he had done, he automatically released her, shocked at what had be of him. "Don''t ever mention that again," he said gruffly. Mandy shivered, her face pale from the incident. She didn''t know what she had done wrong this time. Was it so wrong to watch the stars with him? What was the big deal? Wasn''t it normal? It wasn''t as if she was asking him to fly her to the moon. The man was as crazy as he thought she was. "Okay," Mandy responded just as coldly, following through on his bloodthirsty gaze. He had been so gentle and considerate just a minute ago, and now he was like a predator hunting for his next prey. Mandy looked away, not even bothering to ask him about it. Besides, everyone had a secret. This must be of a woman he had loved before, she thought to herself. Maybe all she was, was a substitute to the woman he had loved. Maybe that was why he became angry when she''d suggested watching the stars. At No. 520, Haibin Road The night was quiet and eerie. Aftering back, Nathan went directly into the study with an scowl on his face. With a ss of milk in her hand, Mandy walked back and forth in front of the study. She wanted to take a ss of milk to Nathan and ask him if he was alright. After all, he really did care for her back in the restaurant. Lillian hade upstairs to bring some midnight snacks to Mandy when she saw Mandy standing in front of the study. She frowned anxiously. "Miss Zhou, why are you here?" Nathan had told Lillian specifically that Mandy wasn''t allowed to enter the study or the other locked rooms. She was free to enter the others. As for what was in the room, Lillian didn''t know either. She had never been a curious person. Maybe that was why she had stuck with him the longest. "I wanted to bring him a ss of milk." Mandy motioned to the ss, biting her lip. Lillian dragged Mandy back to her room in a hurry. After they entered another room, Lillian said in a low voice, "Miss Zhou, Mr. Jin has told us that you can''t go to the study. Besides the study, there is another room that is forbidden to enter. The room in the middle of the third floor with a white door coated with gold. Miss Zhou, except for these two rooms, you can go anywhere you want." "Why?" "I don''t know why, but Mr. Jin always said so. Miss Zhou, please don''t ask," Lillian persuaded kindly. Chapter 81 Who Is Bruce Chapter 81 Who Is Bruce "Okay, I know." Mandy ced the milk on the nightstand. She was not curious about it, and she knew that she should obey the rules. Later that night, Mandy had a long dream. She was walking into a forest, and there was an eerie feeling that she was lost. It was foggy. The air was pungent with the smell of smoke, which made her cough. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Ahem!" She didn''t know where she was now, so she was terrified and continued trudging her way out cautiously. Stretching out her trembling fingers, she helplessly tried to explore what was around her. She couldn''t feel anything with her fingers, and what was worse, she could see nothing. Suddenly, a deer rushed out of the fog and ran towards her as if it was crazy. Mandy instinctively turned around and abruptly fell into a strange embrace. With her vision blurred, she couldn''t see who the person was. She only heard him call out her name softly, "Mand." His maic voice was like the sounds from heaven, which gave Mandy a strong sense of security in an instant. Mandy inched her body closer and hid in his arms, staying there motionlessly. "Oh, my God! Bruce, is that you? Am I dreaming?" Mandy asked tentatively, feeling relieved. The fog had not yet dispersed, and Mandy couldn''t see who was behind her. But she believed that this voice, sounding like an angel, belonged to Bruce. "It''s me. Don''t be afraid. I''m here!" Bruce gently patted her on the shoulder and tried tofort her in a t tone. Nathan stared daggers at Mandy, who was lying on the bed. Although he looked calm as usual, there was already a surge swirling deep in his heart. ''Bruce? Who was he?'' Nathan thought to himself. Mandy furrowed her eyebrows tightly as she clenched her teeth. She was shivering in fear when she gripped the bedsheet with her both hands, leaving some marks on the blue sheets. Undoubtedly, she was having a nightmare. "Bruce, take me out. It''s so scary here," Mandy said in a pitiful and pleading tone. She suddenly grabbed the quilt, as if clutching at a life-saving straw. "Really? It''s so scary here, but where do you want to go?" Nathan''s thin lips moved strangely with a sneer on his angr face. He wanted to butt in. Thinking that Mandy was yelling out another man''s name in her dream, and she had even asked that man to take her away from here, he was fuming mad. "Leave here. I want to go home." Mandy began to move her arms anxiously. Her delicate face looked worried, and her smooth forehead was sweating profusely. "Go home?" There was a hint of yfulness in Nathan''s voice. The next second, he smiled indifferently. "In your dreams." Mandy seemed to hear Nathan''s words because, in her dream, sunshine burned through the fog, and it shone brightly on her. The mist finally disappeared, and Mandy could only open her eyes slowly as they were tired. Soon she realized that the light above her was on, and a dark shadow was looming over her eyes. A trace of fear shed through her beautiful eyes as if she had met a ghost. There was a hint of coldness across Nathan''s face. He was staring at her with his murderous eyes without saying anything. In her daze, Mandy hastily sat up from the bed. She could still recall her nightmare vividly in her mind, making her eyes became blurry. She didn''t dare to look at his face, so she kept her head down. She was so humble in front of him. They said that the first reaction to falling in love with a person was humbleness. But Mandy had restrained her feelings all these times, knowing that Nathan would never take her seriously since the first day she came here. However, it seemed that two different forces were fighting against each other in her heart. It made her feel uncertain. "Who is Bruce?" Nathan demanded point-nk. His deep gaze turned dark and indecent as he watched Mandy''s guilty look intently. Fury began to consume him. Mandy raised her head in surprise. Mist covered her eyes. She looked at him, confused, but she couldn''t tell him who Bruce was. Without warning, he ruthlessly seized her neck with his cold and dangerous hands. There was no mercy in him. Mandy was pinched so hard that she couldn''t breathe at all. Her face turned red, and her eyebrows had already been twisted into a ball. It was so painful that she could not make a sound. "Mandy, you seriously are something! You have been dating another man while living with me! And... You even hooked up with your old lover." There was disdain in the voice above her head, which was followed by a horrifying coldness. "I... I didn''t." Mandy managed to choke a few words. She was like a fish on the chopping block, being ughtered by others and unable to move even a little. "You didn''t? Then you tell me who Bruce is?" Nathan''s eyes seethed with anger. He seemed to have lost his patience. Mandy raised her eyes to nce at him tentatively. She perceived that he was cold all over, and his beautiful ck eyes were red with fury. "Bruce... is my friend. She was my girlfriend back when I was studying abroad. I mean it, seriously," Mandy pleaded. Her tone was serious, though she was shivering with fear. But at this moment, she couldn''t shrink back. She knew that once she told him who Bruce was, Bruce would get into trouble. She would never let that happen. Nathan pinched her hard with his slender fingers, but he loosened it a little when he heard the word "girl." "I hope what you said is true. If you dare to lie to me, I will lock you in a psychiatric hospital," Nathan warned her as he lowered his fingers. His face showed a veryplicated expression, which Mandy could not understand. She trembled with cold fear when she heard Nathan''s treat. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. Nathan would do what he said, and he always meant it. She mentally noted. If Nathan would send her to a psychiatric hospital, then Mandy would be ruined for the rest of her life. Nathan didn''t take his eyes off her after letting her go. Instead, he stared at her with his piercing eyes, figuring out the truth in her because he doubted her. Deep in his heart, he was even more willing to believe that Bruce was a man. Noticing the red marks on Mandy''s snow-white neck, Nathan felt guilty. A little remorse shed in his eyes, but then, he immediately concealed his emotions. Mandy was on her stomach against the bed. She was in pain and gasping for breath. She bit her lips tightly, but she would never betray Bruce. Bruce had been her good friend ever since her childhood. And for a long time, Mandy treated him as her big brother. He was very kind and protected her like an elder brother. How could Mandy betray him? Before Mandy could react, she heard the door mming hard, making her tense again. She only saw Nathan quickly walking away. ''He was angry.'' Mandy was so worried and nervous in her heart. ''Did I do something wrong? It was just a nightmare, in which I dreamed that Bruce came to save me. Was it wrong?'' There were a lot of thoughts running in her mind now. She felt uneasy. Chapter 82 Mr. Jin Cares About You Very Much Chapter 82 Mr. Jin Cares About You Very Much Later that morning, when Mandy woke up, she caressed the pillow but discovered it was empty. When she went downstairs, she noticed Lillian was waiting for her at the dinner table. There were only tableware and some dishes on it, but Nathan was not around anymore. "Good morning, Miss Zhou." Lillian saw that Mandy was a little depressed, so she gave her a warm approach. "Good morning, Lillian." Mandy stepped over, feeling a little disappointed. Living there, she had no sense of continuance because Nathan always disappeared whenever he wished and didn''t care about her emotions. She also didn''t want to live in such a mess anymore. "Miss Zhou, please enjoy your meal. Mr. Jin has gone to work." Lillian paused and stared at the expression on Mandy''s face. She seemed to think about whether or not she should bring up Nathan. "Okay, I know." Tired, Mandy took a nce down the hall. The grand ce was crisp and empty, without a trace of home. How could she like such a ce? Their rtionship was like a roller-coaster. When it seemed so perfect, Mandy considered she was fantasizing. Only when theirmitment turned stiff did she feel that it was so certain. "Mr. Jin is very busy with his work. Miss Zhou, please don''t mind it," Lillian said. Noticing that Mandy was quite miserable, she decided to say something more. "That''s okay. At least... I know who I am." Mandyughed at herself, but there was a hint of destion in the sound. She was just his underground sweetheart, not even his mistress. She was his ything, so how dare she care about him? Lillian was a woman who had loads of experience. That was why she could see the anguish in Mandy''s eyes. She walked forward, seized her hand, and said, "Miss Zhou, actually, Mr. Jin is still very concerned about you." "Lillian, don''t try to influence me. I''m going to leave here in half a month. I want to get along well with him for the remaining time and then disappear." Mandy lowered her eyes, and her thick eyshes fluttered like a startled butterfly. "Miss Zhou, I''m telling the truth. I know I shouldn''t have said that, but Mr. Jin loves you." Lillian shook her head. If Nathan didn''t love Mandy, how could he take her into his household? No woman had ever spent the night here in the vi. "Forget it. Let''s not talk about him," said Mandy as she patted Lillian''s hand. Mandy was clever enough to realize why Lillian put in a proper word for Nathan. Besides he had employed Lillian. In the JS International Standing in front of the huge French window with a bitter face, Nathan nced down at the ground below. There were swarms of people and lines of automobiles on the street. Nathan loved that feeling so much. He felt warm every morning when the sun''s rays struck him. Fred knocked on the door and walked in. In JS International, Fred was the only person who could get in the CEO''s office without waiting for Nathan''s acknowledgment. "Mr. Jin, why did youe here so early today?" Fred quipped as he stood beside Nathan. "I need your help. I need you to find a guy called Bruce." Turning around, Nathan was concealed in dim emotions, and no one could see any signs on his face. "Which one?" Fred''s eyebrows crumpled as he couldn''t take it. Nathan always caused him troubles. He didn''t even give him the full name but ordered him to find out who the man was. There were so many people in the world, and maybe it was just a nickname. "If I had known it, I wouldn''t have let you investigate it," Nathan answered. Coldness invaded his eyes. "Is it about Miss Zhou?" Fred nced at Nathan to read his mind. Fred assumed that the reason why he got angry in the early morning was because of Mandy. If Mandy knew that, she wouldugh herself to death. "I found that... Your IQ seems to have fallen." Nathan ignored Fred''s question, but chose a different way to scorn him. Fred didn''t take his words seriously because he had be used to Nathan''s speeches a long time ago. If one day he could not speak subtly, that would be the issue. "I''ll do it right away," Fred replied. In the JR Hospital During lunch time, Mandy settled her head on the table with extreme exhaustion. She had gotten ill at the hospital before, but it was the first time that she had acted like this. When Jamie noticed that, he set down the files and walked over. "Mandy, what''s wrong with you? Are you tired?" "Yes. I didn''t sleep wellst night," Mandy responded in a quiet tone. "Then have a rest. You have an operation scheduled in the afternoon," Jamie said. "Thank you, Jamie." Mandy rubbed her temples and forced a grin on her distressed face. "By the way, I happened to be on dutyst night, and your mother came to the hospital to see you," Jamie said to Mandy. He had almost forgotten to inform Mandy, and he turned on his heels. "What?" Hearing his remarks, Mandy became fully awake. She sprang up from the chair! "About eight o''clock. She left without saying anything when you were not around," Jamie replied. Mandy''s face turned pale. ''Oh no, my mom showed up at the hospital to see me. Would she expose my pretense?'' she thought. The further she reflected about it, the more highly perplexed she became. At that moment, her phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, Mandy answered the phone with her trembling finger. "Hello, Mom." Mandy gritted her teeth, feeling her palms getting mmy. "Mand, are you free now? Come to thepany as soon as possible," replied Madeline in a calm tone. "Okay, I''ll be right there." Knowing about the incident, Mandy didn''t dare to say no. On the way from the hospital, her mind was in quite a dilemma as she was thinking about how to exin it to her mother. Mandy arrived at the Zhou Group soon thereafter. "Good morning, Miss Zhou," the secretary gave Mandy a warm greeting. Although Mandy was the daughter of the CEO of the Zhou Group, she hardly came to thepany. Therefore, the staff treated her as a rare guest, and they were very inquisitive about her. "Good morning," Mandy acknowledged with a smile on her face, but she proved to be despondent. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. When she opened the door of the office, she saw that Madeline was sitting at her desk while reading some documents. When Mandy finally stepped into the room with a guilty smile on her face, Madeline said in a low voice, "Go and get two cups of coffee." Mandy put down her bag and went to the tea room to make coffee. When she came out, Madeline was already waiting for her on the sofa. "Mand, how are you doing recently?" Madeline grabbed a cup of coffee with a modest grin on her face. Chapter 83 Just My Colleague Chapter 83 Just My Colleague "Not bad." Mandy bit her lips, not daring to look at Madeline''s eyes. She hadn''t been good at lying ever since she was a kid. To know she was lying, her tell sign was always the fact that she refused to look at the person she was lying to. "You haven''t changed at all, Mand. You''re still a bad liar." Madeline took a sip of her coffee, her face scrunching at the bitter taste it left on her tongue. "Mom, I didn''t lie." Mandy looked up at her mother, furrowing her eyebrows. "I went to your hospitalst night, wanting to ask how your blind date went, only to hear from your colleague that you weren''t in the hospital thesest few days." Madeline set down her coffee cup with a loud ''thump.'' Mandy knew that to be a sign that her mother was getting impatient. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "I... I''m living with my colleague now since it was ufortable living in the hospital. Her house isn''t that far, so she asked me to live with her." Her voice was trembling now, and her fingers fidgeted around the fabric of her clothes. "Really? Which colleague of yours? A man or a woman?" Madeline shot an eyebrow up in the air, leaning forward. Mandy didn''t answer. "How did your blind date go? I heard someone was calling you sister-inw. Who is your husband? Why didn''t I know?" Madeline clenched her jaw when Mandy continued to be silent. She had worked tooth and nail to give her daughter the best education and made sure that she had everything she could''ve ever wanted or needed, and here she was, lying to her right in her face. Mandy paled in an instant after hearing the sharp intonation of her mother''s voice. She bit her lip, lost as to what to say or do. As the silence persisted, Madeline scowled, her grip tightening around her cup. She knew Mandy better than anyone else did. If she found herself trapped in a lie, she''d just keep silent, just like what she was doing now. "Tell me!" Madeline mmed her hand on the coffee table. The atmosphere around them started to tense up as Mandy lowered her head. As much as Madeline was angry at her, she really couldn''t find it in herself to say what had really happened, and what she had gotten herself into. "You can ask my colleague if you don''t believe it." Mandy forced a smile into her lips, acting as if her mother''s reaction had not bothered her at all. "Really? Then who was the man who had called you his sister-inw?" Madeline questioned coldly. "I don''t even know that person!" she protested. She really didn''t know who that person was, so the expression her face was convincing enough, but it didn''t fool Madeline fully. "Who the hell are you living with then?" her mother forced out, trembling with anger. It was the first time Madeline had ever gotten so angry with Mandy ever since she was born. "It''s just my colleague," Mandy stated firmly. "Shame on you, child! Do you think I''m that stupid? Tell me! What did you do?" Madeline pronounced each of thest words for emphasis. Madeline stood up. Her face was red, and her voice was near to screeching. Mandy couldn''t bring herself to look her mother in the eye anymore. "I didn''t do anything!" "p!" the loud sound echoed in the office as Mandy''s face was whipped around upon impact. Madeline drew back her hand, trembling from what she had done. She had done everything, she had asked everything, yet Mandy was still lying to her. Mandy stilled from the impact, feeling her left cheek pound from the pain. She was already sad from her fight with Nathan the other night, and here was her mother, who had now continually misunderstood her words. Even if she had done something humiliating, it was all for the family. "You''re being ridiculous. Get out, and the next time we meet, I prefer a better exnation than your bullshit lies!" Madeline always had a sixth sense when it came to her daughter, and she knew that what Mandy was saying was absolutely nowhere near what really happened to her. Mandy''s vision started to blur as she stumbled out of the office. She sniffled, pushing through the people that blocked her path. In all her life, her mother had never treated her like this, never! Covering her face with her hands, she had almost escaped the Zhou Group. Almost. As Mandy passed by them, she could hear the murmurs and mutters from the employees of the Zhou Group. However, Mandy couldn''t care less as she pushed through the doors. All she wanted was to get out of there. With tears pouring over her cheeks, Mandy paid no heed as she ran down the sidewalk, not minding the cars that were speeding along the road. Before she could go any further, she found herself an inch away from being hit by a car. The car screeched to a halt as the driver stuck his head out of the window. "Do you want to die, bitch? Get out of the road!" She looked up at the car with eyes swelled with tears that continuously trickled down her cheek. At that moment, the driver was dumbfounded, not knowing what else to say. Her tears slid down the corners of her mouth, and she could taste the bitterness of what had happened in these past few hours. Mandy didn''t know how long she stood there, in the middle of walking crowds and chasing cars. She didn''t really care. Suddenly, a strong force pulled her over, and she closed her eyes. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes only to see that she had fallen into a warm embrace. She looked up. It was Damian! Mandy stumbled upwards, wiping the tears almost immediately as she lowered her head, not wanting him to see her this way. "Doctor Zhou, what a coincidence to meet you here!" Damian said, notmenting on her appearance as he warmly smiled at her. Mandy lowered her head, ashamed that she had to meet Damian under such circumstances. "Thank you." "Doctor Zhou, you really shouldn''t have done that. Life is precious, and you, as a doctor, should''ve known that. Don''t do this..." he whispered seriously. Hearing that, Mandy felt shame wash over her. The tears finally stopped, but she still felt down. "Sorry, I have to go back now." She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Let me give you a ride. You don''t look well," offered Damian. "No, thanks. I can handle it." Mandy shook her head. It was too troublesome for him, plus, she didn''t want to owe him afterwards. There was a glimmer of worry in his eyes, but he let it go. "Are you really, really sure? It''s really no trouble." "Yes." She managed a small smile. Heaving a sigh, he shook his head. "You really are stubborn," he teased lightly. "As you wish." Although Damian was unable to drive Mandy back to the hospital, he didn''t leave until he saw her safely head towards the hospital. Chapter 84 Did You Cry Chapter 84 Did You Cry At JS International Damian knocked on the door of the CEO''s office. "Come in, please!" Nathan''s solemn voice rang from inside. "Why so serious, Nathan?" As Damian came into the office, hefortably looked at Nathan as if he was a lifelong friend. "In the office, call me Mr. Jin." Nathan didn''t even raise his head, but he did frown at the tone Damian was using. From the looks of it, he was up to something. "Okay then, Mr. Jin. Invite me to sit?" Damian said jokingly. Nathan immediately stopped what he was doing and stood up. As much as he wanted to ignore his cousin, he knew that his cousin had his own agenda hidden up his sleeve. He walked over to the sofa. Damian sat down across from him, looking like a puppy who had just won the race. Nathan smiled coldly. Damian had always loved topete with him ever since they were kids, but it was to no avail. He wouldn''t win. "I came here today to talk with you about some personal affairs," Damian said with a wide smile. "If that''s the case, it''s work hours. I don''t have time for you," Nathan sneered in disgust. He had always hated Damian''s poking into his personal life. He was just like Luke. "My dear cousin, you''re so cold. No wonder your woman''s crying on the streets." Damian choked back augh, leaning into his seat. There was a wicked glint in his eyes, one that he always had whenever he had the upper hand against his cousin. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Nathan growled out, ears perking up at the mention of a woman. "I went out just now and saw her standing on the sidewalk crying. She was almost hit by a car if it weren''t for me." He crossed his legs leisurely, but there was a sneer written all over his face. He nced Nathan up and down, unimpressed by his reaction. "I have a lot of women. Do specify," Nathan drawled out, but on the inside, he was already trying to keep his anger at bay. There was no way his cousin would pull one over him. His thoughts fluttered towards Mandy. Was she okay? Why was she crying? "Really? If Dr. Zhou heard this, she''d be deeply disappointed!" Damian cackled out, the arrogance never waning from his voice. Nathan stood up from his jeers, scowling at him. He was affected. At the thought, Damian couldn''t help but grin wickedly. "If you hang out during working hours, your performance assessment will be deducted for three months," Nathan said without any emotions. He returned back to his desk as if his robotic self finally switched back on. Damian shrugged indifferently. It wasn''t as if he needed to money anyway. However, as much as Nathan tried to dig back into his work, he couldn''t help but worry about Mandy. He gritted his teeth, wondering to himself what had caused her tears. Atst, he picked up his phone and sent a message to Mandy. When she didn''t reply, he only felt worse. When Mandy got back to the hospital, a patient from a car ident was brought to the outpatient department. Feeling slightly energized from the workce, Mandy immediately went to work. The operationsted for hours and didn''t finish till five o''clock in the afternoon. Once she walked out of the operation room, ragged from the hours of standing, she used the few minutes she had to look at her phone. When she saw that Bruce had called her, she called his number. "Hello, Mand." There was a gentle voice from the other end of the line. "I was doing a surgery this afternoon, so I didn''t answer your call. What''s up?" Mandy massaged her temple, sitting down. "Good news! The headmaster dismissed Jenny." Bruce smiled. Mandy had foreseen that Jenny would end up like this. It must all have been arranged by Nathan. She had nned to pay Fiona a visit after work, but now, she didn''t feel like seeing her. "Really? That''s great," Mandy said, pretending to be happy. "The headmaster also asked everyone to delete the photos. If anyone finds a way to store them, they''ll be severely punished too!" "Bruce, I will visit Nana in a couple of days. I have something to do tonight. Can you take care of her for me?" Mandy forced a smile, changed her surgical uniform, and walked towards the in-patient department, still talking on the phone. "Okay, no problem," he agreed readily. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After Mandy went back to her office, she packed up her stuff and was ready to go back. She connected her phone to the Wi-Fi in the office only to find Nathan''s message in their online chat box. At half-past two in the afternoon, Nathan had asked her what she was up to. "I had a surgery this afternoon. I''m sorry that I didn''t see your message until now," Mandy immediately replied, clicking send. She didn''t dare dy, knowing that Nathan hatedte messages. Nathan hade back home. Sitting in the living room, he was waiting for a reply to his message from Mandy. When his phone finally dinged, he immediately opened it. He replied to her message pleasantly, "Come home quickly." In his mind, No. 520, Haibin Road had already be Mandy''s home and their home. In the past, all he''d ever seen this ce as was a luxurious vi. Now that Mandy had entered his life, he felt truly at home here. When Mandy returned and changed her shoes in the rack, she found someone was staring at her from not far away, which made her ufortable. She looked up, then walked towards him slowly. Her eyes were swollen like two peanuts. It was as if she had just popped out from an animation, looking cute. Nathan couldn''t help but burst intoughter. Mandy picked up a pillow from the sofa and threw it towards Nathan. "What''s so funny?" she demanded. Nathan smiled, patting the empty space beside him. Mandy sat down, pouting. Though she was feeling a bit better, she still hadn''t gotten over what had happened with her mother. She didn''t say anything. Instead, she just sat there with her arms around her legs, looking away from him. At that moment, Nathan couldn''t help but pity her. "What? Did you cry?" Nathan asked. "No, I didn''t." Mandy lowered her head in disappointment, avoiding his gaze. "If you don''t tell me, I''ll find someone else to look into what happened." "Wait!" Mandy grabbed his wrist. Knowing him, this investigation wouldn''t be as kind-hearted as anyone would think it to be. She knew what he was capable of. She wouldn''t dare lie. Nathan squinted, pausing as if waiting for her to give him an exnation. "Just this afternoon, my mom called me over when she found out I wasn''t in the hospital. I told her before I was doing a research project...so when she knew, she was very angry because she knew I was lying and..." Mandy''s rambling stopped. She felt like she had been wronged. Chapter 85 No One Can Bully You Chapter 85 No One Can Bully You "So why are you crying?" Nathan asked, firmly cing his hands on Mandy''s shoulders, trying to soothe her. "Can you stop asking?" Mandy''s cheeks reddened from the previous events. After retelling it now, she couldn''t help but feel humiliated from what had happened after she had walked out on her mother. "You''re my woman, Mandy. I won''t allow anyone to bully you." Nathan brought her chin up to look at him. Her confused eyes met his determined ones, and she couldn''t help but look away. Once again, Nathan had found a way to curve her expectations. When she was crying, he''d be the most gentle man in the room. When she wasughing, he''d find a way to bring those glistening eyes to tears. Nathan was just unpredictable. He found a way to twist her emotions with his words. "Nathan, please, don''t ask any more. Let me keep my dignity." Mandy curled up into a ball, removing the hand that held her chin. Her eyebrows knitted as she trembled at his close touch. Though she did appreciate his concern, this hot-and-cold reaction was sometimes a bit too much for her. Seeing this, Nathan couldn''t help but feel a little sorry for her. She reminded him too much of his first love¨Cboth irritatingly stubborn and a crazy determination was hidden in their gaze. He removed his hold. "Okay, let''s stop talking about this." Nathanpromised, reaching out his arms to hold her. There was a rare tenderness in his eyes as Mandy leaned in on his chest, snuggling into the warmth of his skin. Though no words were exchanged, Mandy knew he understood her, and she appreciated the fact that he didn''t pester her about it anymore. Lillian had already prepared dinner for them. However, before she could call them, she saw that they were already in each other''s tight embrace. Not wanting to interrupt their make-out session, she quietly left the room. "Could you please not let my mom find out that we live together?" Mandy drew back, biting her lips. "What''s wrong?" There was anger in his voice as Nathan asked, drawing back. Was it that shameful to live with him? "It''s not that," she said as if she could read his thoughts. "I just don''t want to bother you. Please." Mandy folded her hands to plead with him. Nathan thought about it all carefully as she held him. He did understand her. They were living together without actually being officially together. Her reputation may be at stake if her mother were to find out about this. "Okay," Nathan answered without any expression. "Thank you for everything...about Nana." She moved her body as she looked up at him with a small smile, her finger trailing down his arm. "Just tell me if you have any other problem in the future. Don''t bear it alone." Nathan gently took Mandy''s hands and stood up, taking her to the dining hall. The food was already prepared nicely, ted around the two seats as if they were eating at a fancy restaurant. She felt warmth in Nathan''s words, thinking back to what Lillian had said to her previously. Maybe he really did care for her. Nathan had suffered a lot in his childhood. With him growing up under strict parents, he had to be mature enough to handle all responsibilities like an adult. However, at that age, he never really had an idea of how sinister people could be. He''d go back home with wounds over his body, with cuts decorating his cheeks and chin. They''dst for several days. Though Daisy was heartbroken, Jason was indifferent. Due to that, Nathan had to learn the duty of being indifferent to a lot of things as well. He learned under his father''s firm hands, knowing that he shouldn''t trust anybody in a cutthroat world. When he was 16 years old, he had already grown to be the respectable man Jason wanted his son to be. By 21, he was handed over the JS International. Jason had wanted to give it to him earlier but with so much opposition on the age of his son by Luke and other people who held power in thepany, he had to wait till he was 21. During that gap period, he had trained Nathan further on a more international scale in handling financial and operational problems. The moment Nathan took over JS International, he fired every single one of the senior staff who were opposed to him. Though they were in an uproar, they didn''t dare refuse him. In just three years, JS International reached another peak under Nathan''s leadership. Jason and Daisy were satisfied with the result. The two lived out their retirement at home. Now, they were waiting for Nathan to get married as soon as possible. When everything was settled, they nned to travel around the world. "Let''s go to the movies this weekend," Mandy suggested, sitting down. "There''s a cinema on the third floor. What do you want to watch?" Nathan raised his eyebrows and smirked. "What? There''s a cinema? Here?" Mandy blinked back her surprise. She had already lived here for half a month, but she never really had the time to visit all the rooms yet. It was as if the only rooms she was familiar with was the living room, dining room, and her bedroom. "If you have the time, you can have a tour around the vi. You can enter any rooms you like, just not the locked room on the third floor or my study." A doting smile crept onto his handsome face. He thought it was time to show Mandy around since she had been here for a long time and hadn''t had a good look. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "What''s the secret hidden in the locked room?" Mandy teased, a smile appearing on her face. She winked at Nathan. He didn''t return the teasing tone. Instead, his bright eyes froze, and the smile of his gaze dimmed. "There''s a body hidden. Do you want to see it?" Mandy trembled at his cold voice, feeling stupid that she had even asked such a question. Not knowing whether Nathan was joking or not, Mandy looked away. "Don''t talk nonsense. Rest assured, I won''t go anywhere near that room." "That''s right. I like smart and obedient women." Nathan smiled in satisfaction, and they started to eat. That night, Mandy had a nightmare again. She dreamed that she walked into that room, the locked one. A woman doused in blood crawled over her, grabbing her ankles as she said, "Give me back my life." Her shrilly voice felt like needles stabbing Mandy in the sides. Sweat was dripping from her forehead now as she gasped for breath, turning around under her sheets. In her dream, a pair of hands were wrapped around her throat. She could smell the blood and rust oozing from the room like it had spent hundreds of years decaying. The hag crawled towards her, her sharp fingernails digging into her throat. "Oh, my God! It''s not me. Don''t kill me! Please. Please!" Mandy cried out, throwing her sheets to the floor. She was shaking now as she continued pushing the nonexistent person away. The cry woke Nathan up, who was lying beside her. When he saw Mandy thrashing around the bed, he sat up. She was having a nightmare again! Chapter 86 Be A Private Doctor Chapter 86 Be A Private Doctor His cold eyes stared at nothing as if thinking of something. He pressed Mandy''s shoulder gently and woke her up. "It is not me. I beg you. Don''te over. Don''t hurt me." Mandy''s body shivered as tears ran on her delicate face. "It''s okay, Mandy. It''s just a nightmare," Nathan whispered calmly. His warm touch invisibly ignited heat all over her body, awakening her senses as if leading her out of the nightmare. Mandy grabbed Nathan''s hand and sat up from the bed, sobbing. Her hair was tousled, and her eyes were puffy as if she just woke up from a great dream. As she opened her eyes, the nightmare was still vivid. She was so afraid that she threw herself into Nathan''s arms without hesitation, seeking refuge andfort. Nathan was startled but weed her with warmth. She found uncertain security in his arms. He gave herfortable warmth as he wrapped her in his strong arms, but there was a glint of sadness, and thefort slowly faded to uneasiness, reminding her that she did not belong there, and the uncertainty of his security troubled her. When he saw the frightened look on her face, a touch of regret shed through his deep sympathizing eyes. He was afraid that she was frightened by what he said before they slept. It was just a joke of course. Mandy was really gullible, and if there were really something malicious hidden in his house, he would certainly refuse to ept it in the first ce. "Did you have a nightmare?" Nathan asked expressionlessly after giving Mandy some time to gather her thoughts ande back to her senses. Mandy nodded without a word. Her crystal eyes mixed with a touch of endurance and uneasiness. "Don''t worry. There is nothing to be afraid of. Don''t think too much. You''re safe here. Go back to sleep." When he shot Mandy a cold look, there was an unspoken feeling of alienation in his calm tone. "Really?" Mandy asked with unconvinced tone. She was apparently doubtful. "Yes. If you really want to know, you can marry me. I''ll tell you the truth after we get married," Nathan said with a slight smile. His expression was hard to read, as if he was hiding something behind his handsome face. Mandy opened her mouth to say something but paused as she looked at Nathan''s indifferent face. She held her thoughts and decided not to say anything. It didn''t matter to her anyway if she did not know the truth. She had only half a month left, after all. The next day, the sunshine was filled with hope. And the breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers gave Mandy a beautiful start of the day. She walked out of the vi and drove to the hospital. Nathan and Mandy left at the same time. After what happenedst night, their rtionship had be uptight. It was awkward. She wanted to ask Nathan what was in the room and why he didn''t allow her to go in. But after thinking, she realized that everyone had a secret. At the JR Hospital, Mandy arrived early with mixed emotions as if something out of the ordinary was going to happen. She was sitting in a leather couch at the Dean''s Office with much curiosity and thoughts running in her mind. When she arrived at the hospital, she received an order from Harry to go to the Dean''s office. "Doctor Zhou, what do you want to drink?" Dean Tyler asked with a kind smile. Mandy was stunned for a while and thenughed, "Oh, nothing, I''m okay, sir. Thanks anyway." She cleared her throat and asked politely, "Why did you want to see me, sir?" "Doctor Zhou, here is the thing. You don''t have to be nervous. The operation you performed on Mr. Shi last time was very sessful. Now, Mr. Shi was discharged, but his body has not yet fully recovered. As you know, heart disease can''t bepletely recovered within a day or two. Mr. Shi hopes that you can be his private doctor, and go to his house twice a week to check up on him," Tyler said calmly with an amiable smile as he rxed on the sofa. "What?" Mandy''s forehead crinkled. "This is..." Mandy sighed. She was speechless. She had tried every means to send Luke away as if he was a headache for her. Now, she had to be his private doctor. What kind of joke the goddess of fate had made of her! But the dean''s request was not so easy to refuse. Mandy felt trapped in a dilemma. "Well? Is it difficult for Doctor Zhou to be his private doctor?" Tyler asked with a kind look. He was trying to understand the hesitation on Mandy''s face. Mandy shook her hands and said kindly, "No, Dean Tyler. It''s just that I''m very busy writing treatise recently, so I''m afraid that I may not be able to do it well. Moreover, there are many senior doctors at JR Hospital. They are more experienced than me, such as Director Li. You can assign Director Li to the task." Tyler turned a profound look at Mandy. Then he smiled and said, "You did this surgery, after all, so you know best about the situation of Mr. Shi. Therefore, you are the best choice for this task." Actually, Tyler had also wanted Harry to do the task. However, Luke had insisted that he wanted Mandy to be his private doctor. What else could he do? As Tyler saw Mandy today, he behaved like a minister who met the empress in the ancient times. A few days ago, when Nathan called him to ask for leave on Mandy''s behalf, he had agreed without hesitation. He didn''t know the rtionship between them, but he knew that it must not be that simple. "Dean, please think about it again. I''m busy after work. My sister is going to enter the third grade of senior high. Also, I have some family affairs to deal with..." Mandy tried her best to find eptable reasons to refuse the task. She remained steadfastly fixed on refusing the task. "How about this? Is it okay for you to check on Mr. Shi during the working hours? You can adjust the time and make fewer surgeries during working hours. I will not deduct your sry for this reason. More than that, being Mr. Shi''s private doctor is a well-paying job." Tyler didn''t yield easily to Mandy''s excuses. He insisted on making Mandy Luke''s private doctor. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Mandy rolled her clear eyes and forced a small smile. She was a smart woman. Since Tyler made his biggest concession, she would certainly give in. "Thank you for your kindness, Dean Tyler," Mandy replied with a smile. Deep inside, she did not want to do it, not even for the money. When she got back to the office, Jamie and Jayleen were discussing the surgery. Mandy greeted them without enthusiasm. "How are you, Jamie, Jayleen?" Mandy asked. She was tired and apparently dragging herself at work. "Director Zhou, what is wrong with you?" Jamie asked worriedly as he gave Mandy an affectionate look. He stared at Mandy for a long time and noticed that Mandy didn''t look good. "I''m fine," Mandy replied curtly. She did not even fake a smile. "I heard that the Dean talked to you," Jayleen said in a low voice as she moved near her. She thought something bad happened to Mandy because usually, it was not a good thing to be called by the Dean of the hospital. "Yes, he asked me to be Luke''s private doctor," Mandy said reluctantly, apparently not happy with the news. "Don''t be silly. Isn''t it good to be a private doctor and earn some extra money? Why do you look so upset?" With her big eyes fixed on Mandy, Jayleen didn''t know what Mandy was thinking. Of course, Mandy would not let Jayleen know her dilemma. She couldn''t let anyone know that she was living with Nathan. "I''m just really busy, so I don''t want to go." Holding her chin in her hands, Mandy stared at Jayleen without expression, and she looked lost. Chapter 87 Nana Had A Car Accident Chapter 87 Nana Had A Car ident "Miss Zhou, are you in a rtionship? Why are you in such a deep mncholy?" Jamie made a joke, trying to break the awkwardness. "No, I am not. In fact, I just broke up with my boyfriend. I am no longer interested in rtionships." Saying this, Mandy waved her hand with a smile. It was true that what had happened between her and Daniel had cast a shadow on her mind. Three years ago, they had been immersed in enjoying their romantic life. But all of a sudden, everything had changed. Recently, Mandy had begun to think a lot about Daniel and their rtionship. Even though he was a guy with great potential, he was blinded by hatred. Due to this, his bright future had been destroyed. If he was indeed going to stay in prison for eight years, there was no chance for him to live a good life. He would be doomed forever. Now that her family''s affairs had been settled, she asked herself, ''Why can''t I just let him go?'' If her father withdrew thewsuit, then his life would be stable. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. It had to be said that Mandy was a very soft-hearted person. After all, Daniel''s parents died, and he became an orphan at a very young age because of her father. It seemed that they were in a vicious cycle. If no one ceased to take revenge, then this would nevere to an end. Jamie was a thoughtful man. He had a crush on Mandy ever since she started working at the JR Hospital. But he knew that Mandy had a boyfriend at that time. He was a morally righteous man. No matter how much he loved her, he wouldn''t intrude into others'' rtionships. Being the third wheel was not something he would want to be. Now that Mandy had broken up with her boyfriend, he thought he stood a chance. "Doctor Zhou, the best way to get rid of being lovelorn is to find another rtionship. This is called love transfer," Jamie suggested seriously, pushing at his ck framed sses with his slender fingers. Earlier, Jayleen had sensed something going on between the two, so she had decided to leave. "I don''t think that would be a good idea. If I still miss my ex-boyfriend, then I am not being fair to my new boyfriend," Mandy replied curtly, trying to convince Jamie that she wasn''t looking for a rtionship. Once she was done, she pursed her lips and waited for his reaction. When Jayleen just walked to the door, she heard Mandy''s words. She sighed and shook her head. ''It is going to be extremely difficult to bring these two together, '' she thought to herself. Mandy had no interest in Jamie at all. She could also tell that Jamie couldn''t possibly get Mandy love him. As a bystander, she could not help but feel sorry for him. Jamie was rendered speechless by Mandy. He knew that Mandy didn''t like him, but that didn''t stop him from wanting to pursue her. If anything, the fact that Mandy didn''t like him only made him want her more. "I think you misunderstood my words. I am not asking you to rush and find a substitute. Instead, you need to open your heart and permit others to get close to you. If you do that, sooner orter, you will meet someone who loves you very much." To break the embarrassing atmosphere, Jamie tried to exin things. "Thank you for your advice, Doctor Yang. I will keep that in mind. What about you? Aren''t you old enough to have a girlfriend? Do you have one?" Mandy asked, hoping such hash words would dissuade him from pursuing her. "No, I don''t." Jamie then shed her a gentle smile, doing his best to hide the hint of disappointment. Mandy smiled back at him. Then they went to do their own things, and to Mandy''s relief, this conversation came to an end. She turned on theputer, and a piece of news popped up on the website. It stated that at three o''clock in the morning, a warning for a strong hurricane in City A was issued. The hurricane about to come would be of level 12. It would strike City A after 10 pm tonight. Due to this, all the schools had canceled their sses. On seeing this, she rubbed her forehead in agony. Every summer vacation there would be a hurricane in City A. She didn''t think it was a big deal. However, it just reminded her of Fiona, who could have a few days off. She took out her phone and sent a message to Bruce, asking him to tell Nana to wait for her at school. Bruce gave a prompt reply, saying that Nana would wait for her at the bus station in the high school zone. After work, Mandy headed straight to No. 1 High School where Fiona studied. The city was overcast. Along the way, Mandy felt restless, and the sultry air made her almost suffocate. After work, the city was jammed. Looking at the gray sky, Mandy felt very agitated. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was from an unknown number. "Hello, is this Miss Zhou?" a gentle female voice asked. Her heart instantly expected bad news. "Yes, I am," Mandy replied, praying that her dear ones were safe. "I am very sorry, but I hit your cousin by ident while I was driving. Now I''m at No. 1 Hospital. Can youe here quickly? And please don''t panic. She''s not seriously injured, just a small bruise. The doctor said she would be fine after resting for a few days," the woman said in a sincere tone. "Okay, I''ll be right there." Wanting to get there faster, Mandy honked the horn. ''What is wrong with people today!'' she eximed inwardly. But she told herself to calm down. Thatdy had assured her, saying it wasn''t a serious injury. This gave her some sce. She let out a long sigh when she realized Nana was only mildly injured. Still, she couldn''t remainpletely at ease unless and until she saw it for herself. Hence, she rushed to No. 1 Hospital. When she arrived, she saw Fiona sitting on the bed while the doctor was treating her injury. "Nana?" Mandy cried out. There wasn''t the slightest trace of sadness on Fiona''s face. She smiled and said, "Mandy!" "Silly girl, how can you be so careless?" Mandy asked in a tone of reproach. In fact, as a high school student, Fiona was burdened by schoolwork. Now, her feet had been injured, and she might not be able to walk for a long time. Moreover, her knees had a bad injury. Although the doctor had wrapped up her knees, Mandy still felt very sorry for her. Seeing Nana in this state, filled her with grief. She wished she had rather been the one with this injury. "It''s all my fault. I bumped into her by ident. Luckily, she is fine. Don''t worry. I''ll be responsible for the medical expenses," Nacy said, diverting Mandy''s attention. Only then did Mandy notice Nacy''s presence. She was wearing a light pink windbreaker and had light makeup applied. However, she couldn''t help emitting a noble aura. ''She must be from a wealthy family, '' Mandy concluded. ''She is also quite well-behaved and polite, '' Mandy thought while assessing Nacy. "Don''t worry. Nothing serious happened. Thank you for taking Nana to the hospital," Mandy responded with a smile. Since Nacy was polite to her, she decided she would be polite to Nacy as well. "That''s my responsibility. By the way, my name is Nacy Jin. What''s your name?" "I''m Mandy Zhou." "Nice to meet you. This is my phone number. By the way, you can add me on WeChat as well," Nacy said enthusiastically. She just took a day off today and was on her way back home. Since she was in a rush, this ident had happened. Moreover, she was not with her agent or anyone else. Her heart had begun to beat violently when it happened. But fortunately for her, the injury was mild. Chapter 88 You Still Have The Nerve To Come Back Chapter 88 You Still Have The Nerve To Come Back "Okay." Mandy took out her phone and added Nacy to her WeChat. Nacy felt a bit underwhelmed by Mandy''s reaction, not really knowing how too respond. She was Nacy, the famous Nacy, yet Mandy didn''t even bat an eye when she found out. Nacy began her debut as a child and had since joined film crews in shooting tons of shows. She had always loved making films, not because of the high pay. She was already rich, being Nathan''s cousin. She didn''t really need the money, to begin with. "I have bandaged the wound for you. Remember, don''t walk too much these next two weeks. Have a good rest and change the bandages every day to avoid infection," the doctor warned once she was finished. "Thank you, Doctor." Mandy nodded politely. After that, Mandy decided to take Fiona home while her sister started chatting endlessly on what had happened. "The person who hit me was a big star, you know?" Fiona grew up in City A and being star-struck, she was knowledgeable about almost every celebrity. Ask her about any gossip in the showbiz, and she''d tell you as if she knew them like the back of her hand. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Mandy was entirely different. Being more career-oriented all her life, she had never really been interested in gossip, especially celebrity gossip. "Really? Is she very famous?" Mandy asked. Fiona looked up at her as if affronted by the question. "Of course! She is Nacy!" Fiona drew out the two sybles as if the word was of big importance. "She is rich as hell, not because of her career but because of her family as well." Fiona sighed, fanning her face. If there was one thing she wished, she wanted to have a future as bright as Nacy''s. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, Mandy''s expression changed to a more thoughtful one. She bit her lip. She had met a girl whosest name was also Jin. Was there a chance she''d be rted to Nathan? After all, there weren''t that many people with thatst name in City A. As much as she was curious, Mandy didn''t ask. Fiona didn''t say much after that. Instead, she observed her sister from a distance, seeing the dark circles beneath her eyes. She looked haggardly, and that was putting it lightly. "Sis, you look tired," Fiona pointed out. "Have you been sleeping recently?" "I''ve just had consecutive surgeries today, so I''m a bit worn out." Mandy squeezed in a stiff smile. If she''d be taking Nana hometer, she''d have to face her parents. At the thought, she almost wanted to jump out of the car. Thest time she left Zhou Group, Madeline was screaming at her to get out. Now, she didn''t know if she wanted to see them at the moment, especially since she couldn''t find a better reason to suit her mother''s taste. "You can just quit your job and head back to the family business." In all honesty, Fiona didn''t really have a clue what was happening in the business sector, but she had already made up her mind to study finance when she heads to college. It was something that she insisted on doing for the Zhou Family. "It is not time yet. We must be patient." Mandy looked at the road, a bitter smilecing her lips. She had just graduated from a prestigious university, and thest thing she wanted to do was drop her ten-year degree. Being a doctor was a decision she had made after careful thought. And she had made that decision in tribute to a special person. Now that she got that, she wasn''t nning on giving it up. As soon as she saw the bitter look on Mandy''s face, Fiona sighed. "Sis, it''s not your fault," she insisted, adding, "I know you. Your dream was to be a pianist, not a doctor." "Enough, Nana. You''re too young to understand yet. No matter how tired I am, I will stick to this job," Mandy cut her off, staring at her levelly. Fiona slouched back in her seat, put off by her sister''s scolding. All she ever wanted was to lessen the disappointment that Mandy was feeling. When they were almost home, Mandy parked the car near the sidewalk and looked closely at Fiona. "Nana, I know you''re doing this for me, but I''m walking my own path now, okay?" "Sorry, sis. I shouldn''t have put this on you." Fiona flushed, feeling ashamed of herself. She knew that everyone''s dream should be respected. Besides, it was Mandy who gave up ying the piano, to be a doctor, only she''d know the journey. There weren''t many who could understand the restless nights and early mornings she spent studying for exam after exam. At the thought, she couldn''t help but feel sorry for her. Mandy used to love music, ying the piano at every moment she could take, but now she became a doctor because of her guilt. That was one of the things she most regretted, but Mandy never allowed anyone else to mention it. "Silly girl, we''re good sisters. If there''s anything you''re worried about, you can always tell me, okay?" Mandy smiled, her gaze faint to heart. "Okay, sis." "Let''s go upstairs." Mandy jumped out of the car first and then went to the passenger side to support Nana out of her seat. When they finally arrived at the doorstep, Mandy could feel all her childhood memories rushing back to her. As she held the card with her fingertips, she couldn''t find it in herself to swipe it. For all she knew, Madeline was still angry with her. "Sis, what is wrong? Let''s get inside." Not knowing what happened between Mandy and her mother, Fiona opened the door directly, not giving Mandy any time to react. As the door swung open, Madeline was seen walking towards them with a te of fruits in her hands. At one nce, she ced the te on the table and rushed over to Fiona, taking a look at the bandage. "Nana," she eximed. "What happened to your foot?" "Aunty, I''m fine. It was identally scraped by a car. Sis had apanied me to see a doctor, and we just came back from the hospital. No need to worry!" Fiona beamed, hopping to the living room. Mandy followed Fiona without saying another word, her heart pounding nervously. Madeline was her mother, and nobody knew her as she did. The moment their eyes connected, she could see the burning behind her mother''s gaze. "Sit down, sit down. Dinner will be ready soon." Madeline helped Fiona sit on the sofa. As Mandy was about to sit next to her, she was stopped by a cold sneer. "How dare youe back here?" As Madeline said that, it felt as if the temperature in their house dropped to zero. Fiona gaped at the two, eyes wide in shock. ''What happened?'' "Mom..." Mandy wanted to say something, but no words came out of her. Besides, it wasn''t as if she could exin her situation now. Her life of living with Nathan wasing to an end anyway¨Cjust ten more days. Ten more days of hell and she''d finally be able to tell her mother what was going on. "Get the hell out of here! You''re not wee in this household!" Madelineshed out. Her daughter had kept a secret, that was all that she knew. She had called Mandy to join the Zhou Groupst time, so she had sent a few people to investigate on her daughter. Suddenly, all the theories she had were connected. Her daughter was lying to her; she must''ve done something shameful to the family. "Mom, why don''t you trust me? What did I do?" Mandy protested. All she ever did with Nathan was only for the good of this family. Chapter 89 Disdain Chapter 89 Disdain "Stop ying innocent. You know what you''ve done. Get out of here now!" Madeline didn''t want to say anything more to Mandy. Since she couldn''t find out anything, she was getting more and more suspicious about Mandy. "Mom, don''t be like this, okay? I really didn''t do anything." Mandy gritted her teeth and stared at her mom. She didn''t know what to do. "Really? You did nothing at all? Then why don''t you move back home? Let me tell you something. Your sister lives here, too. I don''t want to mislead Nana, so I won''t say anything in front of her. Now it''s up to you if you want to save your reputation." Sitting awkwardly on the sofa, Fiona tried to stop the mother and daughter pair from arguing. She had never seen them argue this badly since she had moved in. What on earth could have happened between them? She didn''t know if there had been a misunderstanding. She knew nothing at all! "Aunt, you must have misunderstood Mandy. She won''t do anything wrong. You have to trust her." Fiona stood up and limped up to separate them. Mandy felt wronged and disappointed. Since she had made up her mind to be with Nathan, she knew there would be some bacsh. But what she didn''t expect was that the first person to criticize her would be her mother. "Mom, I''m sorry, I can''t move back home so soon. I haven''t finished my work at the hospital. I''lle to see you again another day," Mandy said helplessly. ring at her, Madeline pointed at Mandy. "You''re out of your mind." Facing Madeline''s question and anger, Mandy didn''t bother to exin. She was afraid that if she said anything, Madeline would get upset. She would rather her parents and Nana knew nothing. She could bear everything alone. "Aunt, don''t be angry." Fiona pulled down Madeline''s restless fingers and patted her chest gently to comfort her. Madeline was relieved when she looked at Fiona. After she calmed down, she said, "Nana grew up to be such a caring girl. I can''t even begin to think where I went wrong with you." Feeling hurt, Mandy bowed before she left without looking back. If her own mother couldn''t find it in her heart to try and understand her, who else could? She just hoped that she could still live a peaceful life. No. 520, Haibin Road Nathan sat on the sofa as he waited for Mandy. He couldn''t help but ponder on one realization he had as he continued to wait for Mandy: why was he always the one waiting for Mandy? What was it with her that made him do things like waiting for her for hours on end? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Today was a good day, though. Mandy had already let him know she was going to runte, so he didn''t get too irritated with her. But still, there was no one he would sit so patiently for. "You''re back!" he said as Mandy entered the vi. She looked different, a bit sad and forlorn. Nathan squinted and wondered if something bad happened to her while she was out. ''She looks like she is dead, '' he thought to himself. Something in his chest ached at the sight of her. He couldn''t bear seeing her sad and dejected. "I am. Have you had dinner yet?" As she asked, Mandy kept her head down. She stared at the floor, a frown on her worried face. "Not yet. I''m waiting for you." Nathan stood up straight and walked toward Mandy with a stoic face. Lillian had already prepared a table of food. Today she had prepared something Western. She had thought that since Nathan and Mandy kept on having Chinese food recently, a change in taste might be a wee diversion for the couple. In a trance, Mandy sat down at the table with Nathan. She ate her food absently, her attention elsewhere. Nathan couldn''t stand it anymore. Righteous anger ignited his eyes. "Don''t eat if you don''t want to," he said in an icy tone. ''Does she really know what she''s doing? The reason why I brought her home was to please me, not to annoy me. Why does she look so down? I can''t stand it, '' Nathan thought to himself. At his statement, Mandy quivered before turning her sad, forlorn eyes to Nathan. She seemed so unconcerned and depressed like something had broken inside her. "Okay," Mandy said. Even as she agreed with Nathan, there was something wrong with how she said it. As if her spirit wasn''t really in the moment with Nathan. She was already used to Nathan''s cold indifference. She even learned how to talk in a simr fashion to Nathan''s manner. ''Okay?! Fuck it!'' Nathan thought to himself. Extremely displeased, he frowned. "Why do you look like this? Do you know how you look like right now?" Mandy didn''t know what to say. She knew that Nathan wouldn''t say anything nice tofort her. "You look like a dying dog on itsst breath." Anger was written all over his face. He had been starving, but he was kind and patient enough to wait for Mandy toe back for dinner. He hadn''t expected that she woulde back looking like something inside her had died. How could he enjoy eating his dinner when she was so depressed? Nathan had been busy all day long. Getting annoyed at dinner was thest thing he wanted to do before the day ended. Lately, it seemed like he spent more and more time with Mandy. He always tried to be as gentle as he could to her. This wasn''t a good sign. He had to control himself. "How dare you say that about me?" She might have answered in a gentle tone, but a cold edge belied her tone. She was already exhausted at having fought with her mother. She couldn''t take Nathan''s stupid arguments right now. She was only human, and she could only take so much beating down today. Mandy just needed someone to look through her and understand. Why couldn''t she show this painful loneliness in front of Nathan? How heartless could he be? "What? Mandy, don''t forget your role here. I''m your master, and you are just my ything, understand? I don''t care if you are sad. You should just choke it down and keep up the happiness in front of me. Or else, you''re useless to me." Nathan''s gaze narrowed. A fearful coldness appeared on his handsome face. Mandy was a woman in the 21st century, and she had a master. She felt sad about herself. What was the difference between her and a ve from ancient times? Mandy was exasperated, but she did not say anything. Nathan was right. She had a role to y for him. With him, she only had to look happy. She couldn''t let her unhappiness show. She was still angry, but she wasn''t foolish enough to not take care of herself. The food Lillian had prepared was so delicious it could bepared to food prepared in a Michelin starred restaurant. As she started to calm down, Mandy gobbled up the food in a hurry. As Mandy began to look more like herself again, the angry expression on Nathan''s face softened and gave way to a rare smile. Mandy looked at the man opposite her, feelingplicated. The handsome, almost perfect face had won the hearts of countless girls. There had been so many naive girls beguiled by his face. Chapter 90 Mistress In The House Chapter 90 Mistress In The House The sun gradually fell as the stars once again returned to the dark skies. After bathing, Mandy slinked into a thin nightdress. She shuffled ufortably. Though the fabric was smooth, it felt as if it wasn''t covering anything. Ever since she had moved here, Nathan was the one preparing her clothes, setting up her own walk-in closet of two hundred square meters to provide her with more options. It rained heavily that day, and from the news, she had heard, it was most likely a sign of another hurricaneing in. Mandy gazed over the windowpane, stopping when she saw two headlights shining from the yard. Not long after the car had stopped, a petite woman stepped up to the door. She wasn''t holding an umbre, so she held her hand over her head to protect herself from the rain. Even if she squinted, Mandy still couldn''t see who the woman was due to the darkness that surrounded the space. Curiously, she bent over, trying to get a better look. Maybe this was Nathan''s love. As she thought of this, Mandy frowned, backing away from the window. Who was this woman? ''If I went down...'' Mandy considered, weighing up her options. In a few minutes, she found herself going down the stairs. Curiosity had won this time around. With forced calmness, she flew down the stairs as quietly and as slowly as possible. A few steps downwards, she could already make out the two of them. Nathan was holding the woman with one hand. She was standing there with her back to Mandy, so she couldn''t get a better look at her face. However, from the way he was holding her, it seemed as if the woman was important to him. "Why are you wet?" Nathan said coldly. Mandy couldn''t help but stand over there, not knowing what to do next. He was so focused on the woman that he didn''t notice Mandy hade downstairs. "Don''t worry. I just got wet when I got out of the car," the woman said in a teasing and slightly flirty manner. The voice was familiar. It felt as if Mandy had already heard it from someone she had met at the hospital. She paused. "Go upstairs and change your clothes," Nathan said softly, letting go of her. As the two of them were about to turn around, they spotted Mandy frozen in position. It was toote now. She was spotted with her clenched fists and narrowed gaze. Nacy smiled. "Miss Zhou, it''s you." Mandy was still in a daze, gaping at the two of them. Nacy was beautiful. Even if she just got blown by the rain, she still resembled a statue of elegance and superiority. Her smile was so bright that it could almost bepared to the stars at night. Even without makeup, she still looked as if she had just strutted down the runway. "Hello, Miss Jin." Mandy nodded her head after a short while, feeling herself go into a turmoil of feelings. Even as they turned, she noticed that Nathan''s hand was still on Nacy''s shoulder as if they were a couple. Maybe they were. They did look amazing together. At the thought, Mandy''s heart thudded with a feeling she couldn''t recognize. She forced a smile onto her lips. It hurt like hell. Nathan squinted, ncing at the two women. He was about to ask how they knew each other when Nacy interrupted his thoughts. "Mr. Jin, it seems you have a mistress in your house."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Nathan snorted, looking at her with a doting smile, not even a hint annoyed by her teasing remark. Nacy shook her head. From the looks of it, it seemed like her cousin and Mandy had lived together for a long time. One nce at the nightgown Mandy was wearing, and she knew it was a limited edition of Chanel. "I... I''m going upstairs." Mandy''s face turned from apple red to sheet white from her remark, and she stuttered out an excuse to get out of there. "Oh! Wait, Miss Zhou, I''ll go with you. I need to change out of this." Nacyughed, motioning to her wet designer wear. "Okay," said Mandy in a daze. ''What''s the rtionship between them? They both have the surname "Jin," '' Mandy pondered. Nathan was an only child. That was what she had gathered from the time she had spent here. Other details were left in the dark, and she had never really found herself questioning his past. In the dressing room, Nacy chose a set of pajamas and asked with a smile, "Miss Zhou, how about this one?" "Yes, it''s very beautiful," Mandy said sincerely, admiring her from afar. ''No wonder she''s a star. She has a perfect figure. She could walk out in a garbage bag, and it''d still fit her, '' she thought. "Do you live here, Miss Zhou?" Nacy smiled. "No... No, I''m just Mr. Jin''s private doctor. He said he had a headache today, so I came here to check on him." Mandy''s mind was in total chaos as the question was tossed towards her. In confusion, she found herself making up an excuse. "Well, Miss Zhou, why don''t you stay here for the night? A hurricane ising. It''s not safe to go back tonight." Nacy arched up her eyebrows. "What? Sure?" Her response came out as a question rather than a sentence, not believing that those words came out of her mouth. However, even as it was, she couldn''t help but feel relieved. In fact, Nacy had already seen through the rtionship between them, but she didn''tment on it or anything else as she worried over them these few minutes. As Nacy grabbed her pajamas and walked to the bathroom, Mandy couldn''t help but feel a sense of loss inside her. From the way she walked around, it seemed as if she had been here for a couple of times already. Mandy tilted her head, crossing her arms. If that was the case, then what was the rtionship between the two? Nathan had held her in his arms, had smiled at her, hadn''t let her go, as if they were a couple. So were they? Mandy''s tongue clicked at the back of her mouth. The more she thought about it, the sourer she became. Mandy frowned, stalked back to her bedroom, and buried herself into the sheets. It was like she was going to get sick from thinking all of these things. Suddenly, as she buried herself, she heard the door lock. Mandy yelped at the sound, ncing up to see that it was only Nathan. "What are you doing here?" Mandy scrambled backward, grabbing the corner of her clothes. Her back hit the hard wood of the bed, but she found herself wanting to go even further back. She nced at the door, biting her lips. "This is my house. What do you think I''m doing here?" Nathan folded his arms, sitting on the bed. "What... Don''t do this. Get out of here." She bent closer to him, motioning to the door in a hushed manner. If Nacy were to see them like this...Her face flushed at the thought. It was going to be very difficult to exin. "Why should I?" Nathan did a backhand pull and drew Mandy into his arms. The distance between them was now a few millimeters, and she could feel him breathing down her neck. Mandy blushed as Nathan slowly stretched his thin and long fingers, caressing her face as if she were a sculpture he had created. Though she wanted to get out, to leave, she found herself leaning deeper into his arms. Chapter 91 Got Kicked Out By The Beauty Chapter 91 Got Kicked Out By The Beauty "Your..." Mandy cleared her throat. "Your girlfriend is still bathing inside. I know, I am your secret lover, and I''ve no right to question you. But I don''t want your girlfriend to be unhappy, so you better leave right away," said Mandy, trying to suppress her anger. "She won''t be mad at me." Nathan wore an evil smile and held Mandy tightly with all his strength. He suddenly crashed his hot lips against Mandy''s as she yelped at the intensity of the kiss. Mandy was taken aback. "Let go of me. Let me go!" Mandy protested, desperately trying to escape Nathan''s tight embrace. But Nathan shoved her on the bed and pressed his body against hers. He crashed his lips against hers, one more time, and slid his tongue into her mouth. He kissed her with everything he had. Mandy was out of breath and felt as if her bones had turned sore as Nathan reluctantly let her go. "You''ve got want you want. Get out now." Mandy sat up on the bed and waspletely exhausted. She wanted to push Nathan away¡ªas far away from her as she could. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Mandy, do you really want me to be with other women?" Nathan had visited Mandy to exin what had happened. He knew that she had misunderstood him. But when he saw that Mandy didn''t seem to care, he didn''t bother exining. "Does it matter at all?" Mandy slowly moved her body, trying to keep a safe distance from Nathan. Nathan grew furious when he saw that Mandy was being cautious and wanted to stay away from him. ''Does she desperately want me to be with other women?'' he thought. "Okay, as you wish," Nathan said coldly and stormed out of the room. He was gone like a gust of wind, carrying away all the warmth. The room was cold and quiet. Mandy was left all alone Mandy curled up on the bed and hugged herself as she cried her heart out. Nathan had brought a woman into the vi. What more could she expect of him? She could clearly see her future. In the end, Mandy didn''t have the strength to leave the bed. She wrapped herself in the quilt as tears were streaming out of her eyes. The only thing that could add warmth to the cold and loneliness was the quilt. She didn''t want to think about all the horrible things. Nathan could be having sex with Nacy in the next room, and maybe Nacy would stay here for a few days. Her heart was already numb. What more could hurt her with? Now, in the guest room Nacy walked out of the bathroom after taking a shower. Nathan was shaking so much with a fury that he looked scary. She had grown up with Nathan and knew him so well. She knew his every move and what it had implied. "Yo, was Mr. Jin chucked out by the beauty?" Nacy wiped her wet hair with a towel as she sat beside Nathan. Nathan''s face had turned red. He didn''t say a word. No one would dare to speak to him when he was angry. But Nacy was different¡ªshe was his favorite cousin, whom he loved with all his heart. He had always pampered her, ever since she was a little kid. "You did it on purpose, didn''t you, Nacy? Why didn''t you address me as your cousin in front of Mandy?" Nacy would always address him as her cousin. But she had failed to do so and caused chaos in Nathan''s rtionship. If only Nacy had called him her cousin, he would have been in Mandy''s room with her. But she had chucked him out. Nathan was a proud man and didn''t want to exin anything to Mandy. He was now mad at Mandy for not trusting him. The thing that had annoyed Nathan the most was that he was kicked out of Mandy''s room by her. This was his very own house! How could Mandy do this to him? Did she perhaps believe that she was the master of the house? Nathan let out a loud sigh. "Humph, why didn''t you tell me that you lived with Mandy?" Nacy pouted and rolled her eyes in disdain. "You really should find a man to restrain you," replied Nathan. "There is no man in this world who''s capable of restraining me." Nacy raised an eyebrow, looking arrogant. She had always been haughty since she was a little girl¡ªespecially around her rtives. She had always known that if she ever had a boyfriend, he would have a hard time with her. Nathan narrowed his eyes and nodded his head. "How do you know Mandy?" he finally asked. "I''ll tell you, but I want you to answer my question first. Do you like Mandy?" Nacy asked, trying to read Nathan''s expression. "Don''t ask too much, Kiddo." Nathan tried changing the topic. He didn''t want to answer her, but his mind wandered to Mandy¡ªthe soft, gentle smile that would grace her lips. She had always looked like an angel when she smiled. "I see. If that''s the case, I won''t tell my cousin how I met Miss Zhou." She pretended to yawn. "I''m going to sleep. See you tomorrow." Nacy stood up and smiled teasingly at Nathan. He red at her before walking out helplessly. The light in the study was glowing the entire night. Nacy was lying down in the guest room, and she stared at the rain cascade beautifully outside the window. She was reminded of Nathan''s love story. ''If only she was still alive, he wouldn''t be as hurt as he is now, '' Nacy thought. She believed in destiny. She felt that the probability of two people being together depended entirely on fate. Now, Nathan had brought Mandy to this vi. Only Nacy understood what this truly meant. Mandy was curled up on the bed in the master bedroom. She bit her lips, trying to distract her thoughts. She couldn''t fall asleep as Nathan was not with her. ''I''m a bitch!'' thought Mandy, biting her lips harder. The bedroom door was pushed open. Mandy shut her eyes, thinking it was Nathan. She pretended to stay asleep. Nacy hopped inside the room without making a sound. She looked at Mandy''s quivering eyshes in the dim light A smile formed on Nacy''s lips. ''I was right. How can Mandy sleep peacefully after what had happened?'' she thought. "Miss Zhou, I know that you are awake. Can we talk?" Mandy remained motionless before she finally sat up. Her hair was as much of a mess as her mind was. "Miss Jin, are you still awake?" Mandy asked turning on the bedsidemp. She smoothed her hair, trying to look calm. Nacy was a professional actress and an amazing mind reader. The confusion in Mandy''s eyes made Nacy smile. "Yes. I want you to sleep peacefully. So I thought that I should talk with you," Nacy said softly. Her thick eyshes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. Chapter 92 You Are Cousins Chapter 92 You Are Cousins Mandy became uneasy. Her body tensed all over, and she could not help thinking, ''What can we talk about sote at night? Did shee here to dere war on me? Or has she already seen through the rtionship between Nathan and me?'' Nacy was already suspicious since Mandy was in her cousin''s house. But she didn''t expose it. She only wanted to tease them a little bit, because being a naughty girl at times, she couldn''t help it. Pissing them off that night was unexpected. She didn''t mean it, and sheter found herself having a hard time sleeping. Then she decided to exin it to Mandy. After all, she was so familiar with Nathan, a joke would never affect their rtionship, but she could not ignore Mandy''s feelings. Mandy felt she was in a difficult situation. Now she wondered why Nacy was here at thiste hour. "Miss. Jin, what do you want to know?" "Well, I have some questions for you. What''s your rtionship with Nathan? Are you his girlfriend?" Nacy squinted her eyes. And with aplicated expression, she probed at Mandy. Hearing what Nacy said, Mandy felt her heart was left hanging in the air. Her questions were too sensitive. Based on her assumptions, Nacy was Nathan''s girlfriend, then how could she tell her that Nathan demanded her to live with him? And when a girlfriend got to know this, she would be bloody furious. Supposed she told her the truth, what could Nathan do to her? Would he be angry with her because what she said would ruin his rtionship with Nacy? It seemed that Nathan liked Nacy very much. Mandy felt a throbbing pressure in her head when she learned that Nacy wanted to find out the truth. ''What if I said something wrong, would that cause a quarrel between Nacy and Nathan?'' she bitterly thought. "I''m his private doctor. Miss. Jin, didn''t I exin it to you just now?" Mandy smiled awkwardly. She was no longer sleepy at all. She tried her best to make Nacy believe in her. "Then why are you wearing pajamas?" Nacy doubted. Her facial expression showed that she was skeptical about the way Mandy pointed out her excuses. She wore a grave expression in her face as she gave Mandy a quick eye over. She found this all funny, but she suppressed herself hard not to laugh out loud. She swore that if Mandy didn''t admit her rtionship with her cousin, she would mischievously make fun of her. "My clothes got dirty when I came here, so Mr. Jin lent me a pair of pajamas," Mandy gently responded with a baffled expression. She kept her fingers busy drawing circles on the bed. She was taken by surprise by that question, and in a hurry, she couldn''t think of any good excuses. "Okay. Thest question, why do you sleep here? This room is the master''s bedroom. Do you think I''m so easy to fool, Mandy?" A cunning smile swiftly appeared on Nacy''s face, which caught Mandy off guard. She was not good at making excuses. It was so easy to detect that she was lying since she could not even control her expression. She was dead. She knew it was such ame excuse, and Nacy had spotted her lie. "Well... I..." Mandy''s mouth opened widely, but she ended up saying nothing. She was tongue-tied for a moment and couldn''t find the right words to say. Even though she had lived here for a long time, she didn''t know this was the master bedroom. She was too terrified, and she did not know what would happen next. Nacy might be angry with this and fight with Nathan. And it was all because of her! N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Miss Zhou, you don''t have to lie to me at all. Nathan is my cousin. I think you may have misunderstood our rtionship," Nacy said as a matter-of-fact exnation while grinning at Mandy, exposing her two cute dimples. She was staring intently at Mandy''s face as she waited for her priceless reaction. Mandy, who was so nervous and petrified, was stunned by her words. She thought, ''So and so, was I fooled by Nacy? The truth was that they were cousins! Damn it! Why didn''t Nathan exin anything to me? It is so embarrassing.'' "Miss Jin, what you told me... He is your cousin?" Mandy bit her lips tightly. She still couldn''t believe her ears. Nacy nodded, and amusement danced in her eyes as she reassured her, "Yes, Mandy. And you are the first woman my cousin brought to the vi to sleep with." Mandy felt so embarrassed and realized that her misgivings were so unwarranted. ''Nacy is an elegant and generous girl, and she was afraid that I would misunderstand her rtionship with Nathan. She even came here to exin everything to me. Shame on me, I was so stupid not to find out the truth!'' Mandy sheepishly groaned mentally. It was so obvious to know their rtionship since theirst name was the same. So they must be rtives! Sensing her cheeks heating up, she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. Regretful, Mandy lowered her head and dared not to look at Nacy. Her hunch was telling her that she did something wrong. "Miss Jin, I... That was too embarrassing." Mandy pulled the corners of her mouth awkwardly. Again, she felt that she was so ridiculously dumb. Nacy naughtily smiled at her, then instantly, took her slippers off and jumped on the bed. She giddily asked, "Mandy, can I sleep here with you tonight?" Still stunned, Mandy merely nodded and agreed, "Of course. It is my pleasure." And with that, Nacy excitedly hugged Mandy, while giggling in her ear like an innocent child. "Mandy, I like you very much. Since I saw you in the hospital this afternoon, I have felt that we have a close bond. You gave me a special feeling that I haven''t felt from other people. You made me feelfortable, so I immediately exchanged my Wechat number with you. And I didn''t expect that you are my cousin''s girlfriend. What a coincidence! You don''t need to exin anything to me. I won''t take it to heart." Mandy stared at Nacy, whose words touched her. She was grateful that Nacy did not dig out her rtionship with Nathan, or probe her with questions like, ''How they met each other and why Nathan asked her to live in the vi and so on.'' "Thank you, Miss Jin," replied Mandy. She was beaming at her. "Don''t call me Miss Jin. You can call me Nacy. I''ll call you Mand from now on." Nacy then turned off the bedsidemp and went to bed. They realized they hadmon interests and hobbies, so they kept talking all night to the dawn. They both regretted that they did not meet earlier. For some unknown reasons, Nacy liked Mandy very much. Nathan had so many women around him, including Narissa, the most popr star, and Eve, the daughter of thergest private bank¡ªSus Bank in City A. Although Nathan liked them a lot, she did not have a good opinion toward them. Mandy was also amazed by how destiny worked for them. It was a small car ident that led them to get to know each other. It was such a small world! The following morning both of them were still sleeping for a while. The sky was overcast after raining all night. Since Mandy and Nacy chatted until about four o''clock in the morning, they could not get up early. When Nathan woke up, he rushed out of the study and directly headed to the guest room to look for Nacy, who was nowhere to be seen. He incredulously stared at the empty room because he knew that Nacy liked to stayte in bed. So he made his way to the master bedroom instead, to wake Mandy up as he wondered if there were something urgent that came up to made Nacy leave so early in the morning. To his astonishment, he rubbed his eyes as he found Mandy and Nacy sleeping in the same bed. ''When did they sleep together? And why did they sleep together? Besides, did they kick him out of the master bedroom in order to sleep together?'' Wasn''t it such a trap for him! He could not ept these two girls would treat him like this. However, noting that they got along so well with each other, the frown on his face immediately disappeared, and relief washed over him as he continued to gaze at them. "Two piggies, time to get up!" Nathan cleared his throat and expressed loudly, waiting for their reaction. Mandy could not open her eyes at all. Though she heard a man shouting near her ears, she could not figure out who he was. She groggily shielded her head from the outside noise with the quilt. Nacy acted angrily. She picked up a pillow and smashed it towards him. She always got up on the wrong side of the bed, so no one dared to wake her up so early. Nathan quickly dodged the oing pillow. At the next second, he looked helpless at them. Without warning, he swiftly picked up Mandy and Nacy and threw them both to the floor. "Damn it! Nathan! You are a jerk!" Nacy was bemused that Nathan had done such naive thing to them. She kept silent for three seconds before cursing him loudly. Mandy, on the other hand, was sitting on the floor with a confused look stered on her sleepy face. She had no idea why she was on the floor. So she merely looked around her and decided to rest for a while. "Say it again, you naughty girl!" Nathan angrily demanded. Nathan''s serious and cold voice was like a sword that stung into their hearts. Of a sudden, they both perked up and turned to look at Nathan in surprise. Chapter 93 Ill Make You Self-supporting Chapter 93 I''ll Make You Self-supporting Woken up by Nathan''s awe-inspiring tone, Mandy opened her eyes and found that he wore a normal expression for the time being. Then she looked around, noticing Nacy, who had also "encountered" Nathan''s words and had an endless frown on her face. "If you keep bellowing at me, I will report you to my godmother!" Nacy warned as she widened her eyes at Nathan to look more fierce. The godmother she was referring to was Daisy. Back then, Daisy had always wanted a daughter, but she had given birth to a son. However, Jason felt extreme sorrow for his wife, and she had even stopped having children, but it had been a regret of hers for years. Butter, Jason''s brother, Kevin, and his wife Sarah had given birth to Nacy. So Daisy had acknowledged her as her goddaughter. "Don''t threaten me with my mother!" Nathan grunted as he frowned. The surrounding air had brought some tension. Nacy mbered onto the bed, feeling her eyes getting heavy. Then, a cunning smile glimpsed on her face. ''Men in the Jin Family are afraid of women!'' she thought to herself. In fact, men in the Jin Group was never apprehensive of women. They simply cherished and marked them! Noticing Nacy had gotten back under the nkets, Mandy was too drowsy to open her eyes. She wanted to doze again, but when she nced at the wall clock, it was already 7:30 A.M. "My God!" Mandy squealed like a ughtered hog, causing her sound to reverberate in the area. Hearing Mandy''s hoot, Nathan grimaced at her and scoffed, "She is an icon, so she can slumber as she desires. But you are just a typical woman. You''d better get up now!" Mandy''s vision got swirly, so she lurched to her feet. It showed that she was getting old, perhaps. When she was in college, she used to workte, and it was not as easy as when she was studying music. Even if she couldn''t get too much sleep all night, she could still continue ying music the next day. "Who says Mand is amon girl? Anyway, today a typhoon will be hitting this city. Mand, I demand that you don''t go to work!" Nacy said aloud as she stretched out her hand and grabbed Mandy''s hand. "Don''t go to work?" That morning, Mandy would have loved to stay at home and have some sleep, but many patients were waiting for her arrival. Mandy was a very responsible doctor. "Nacy, I must go to work. You know, my patients are waiting for me," Mandy retorted as she sulked her lips and then beamed. Upon hearing Mandy''s words, Nacy sighed as she took the time to examine Mandy from head to toe. Then her beady eyes rolled up. ''Oh, yes, this is our Mandy!'' she pondered. If a normal girl were dating Nathan, she would have resigned from the hospital earlier. But Mandy didn''t. She didn''t want to get anything through Nathan. She just wanted to prove herself with her ability. "Okay, let Nathan drive you to work," Nacy said. Mandy didn''t answer. She turned on her heels and went to shower. She quickly soaked her face and brushed her teeth. She hadn''t beente for work even once since she had taken the job in the hospital. In the car It was almost after 7:50 A.M., but Nathan''s driving was as slow as the crusades. Seeing this, Mandy rose an eyebrow. ''He is doing it on purpose. In this critical situation, he will surely give me such an annoyance!'' Mandy thought. "Hey, you usually drive at full speed, don''t you?" Mandy whispered. Staring at the murky mists outside, she felt anxious. "How much do you get per month for working at the hospital?" Nathan asked, and his voice was quite calm. "Pretty cheap. Compared to you, I am a wretched girl," Mandy answered. "Then why don''t you rely on my support?" Nathan joked while grinning. "No, thanks. I would love to rely on myself!" Mandy said, her chin raising a little. "Okay. Get out of the car then!" Nathan demanded as he cast a nce at Mandy. "Wait! Why?" Mandy asked with a widening eyes. "You say¡­ You say you''d like to rely on yourself," Nathan said. At the moment, Mandy closed her eyes, and she sensed she would get mad at him. She only had five minutes before they could arrive at the hospital, plus a typhoon had justnded in the city, and if she got out of the car, it would be a disaster! Where the hell could she take a taxi? She knew that Nathan had said those words intentionally! However, Mandy was not a woman whom he could trifle with. At that time, she reigned back her ego, and she decided to get out of the car as soon as possible! When she unfastened her seat belt, she tried to open the car door, but it wouldn''t budge. She turned around and red at Nathan while shouting, "Open the door! N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I would rather walk to the hospital!" Nathan now found out that Mandy was stupid because she took his joke seriously. Did it mean that at the bottom of her heart, she cared about him? Last night, Mandy mistook Nacy as his girlfriend. With a zing shout, she had even pushed Nathan out of the room. It was obvious that she really loved him! "Okay! Mandy, I think we should make one thing clear this time!" Nathan said. "Mr. Jin, I''m going to bete. Let''s talk about it in the evening, okay?" Mandy spoke as she folded her hands in front of her chest. She stared at Nathan with her tender and seductive eyes. Mandy seemed unaware that she had bewitched Nathan. Because of that, he stepped on the gas and sped up the car. Nathan ignored Mandy''s question because he didn''t intend to make things difficult for her. He knew Mandy very well, and she was tough. But whenever she had asked him for help with despicable characters, he couldn''t resist it. Last night, Mandy had kicked Nathan out of her room, and Nathan hadn''t even had a chance to deal with the defeat. He stayed up all night to figure out Mandy''s mind. He felt that she couldn''t help but fall in love with him. In the CEO''s Office of JS International Fred prepared two mugs of bitter mocha coffee for Nathan, and he found it odd since Nathan preferred sweet mocha to bitter coffee. "Were you tiredst night, Mr. Jin?" Fred quipped as Nathan stretched out on the settee. His remarks seemed to have a concealed understanding. "I didn''t sleep all night. What do you think?" Nathan replied with a mocking nce at Fred. "It''s not what you think!" "Really? Isn''t Miss Zhou very attractive?" Fred blurted out as he grinned. "What the hell! She kicked me out of her roomst night, and I stayed up all night in the study," Nathan muttered unhappily, like an immature young man. At that moment, he looked as if his face was printed with arge word "unhappy!" "Oh? Seriously? Why did Miss Zhou kick Mr. Jin out of the room?" When Fred heard Nathan''s statement, his eyes lit up. In fact, it was the first time that ady had snapped Nathan out of his own room. Mandy would definitely go down in the annals. Chapter 94 Cant Fall In Love With Her Chapter 94 Can''t Fall In Love With Her "Last night, Nacy came to my vi. That wicked girl made Mandy think she was my girlfriend. Mandy drove me out of her roomst night." Nathan groaned as he recounted the details of what had happenedst night to Fred. Fred didn''t really share the same sentiments as he barked out loud withughter. "You had iting, man!" Nathan bared out his teeth, snarling, "One more word, and I''ll send you on a business trip to the desert." Fred didn''t say another word. "I asked you here because I need your thoughts on something." Nathan took a sip of his drink before continuing, "Do you think Mandy has fallen in love with me?" Fred raised his head at the question, just in time to meet Nathan''s sharp gaze. He pursed his lips. "Mr. Jin, I haven''t been in love for more than twenty years. I wouldn''t know." "You''re no use," Nathan grumbled. Although Nathan had affairs with many women before, he had never fallen in love with anyone else...At least, none except his first love. His first love had been like a cup of milk tea, soft and sweet. Mandy was like a ss of liquor¡ªincapacitating and addictive. She was something he couldn''t get enough off. One look at her, one thought of her, and Nathan would find himself drunk in the daylight. Something emerged in Fred''s eyes as he recalled his own past. When he had been young, he had served in the special forces together with his girlfriend. They had a great rtionship, always having time for each other, even under armor and guns. Until a mission came up when his girlfriend had sacrificed herself to save him. From then on, Fred had grown to realize that to be a real killer, he didn''t need attachments in the real world. In front of his girlfriend''s grave, he had promised that he wouldn''t ever dare fall in love with another in his lifetime. "While I''m not experienced, I still want to warn you. You can make Miss Zhou like you, even love you, but you must stick to your word. You mustn''t fall in love with her, or else you''ll suffer a fate far worse in the future." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Nathan''s forehead creased at Fred''s words. Though he knew of the warning, knew it as it yed in his mind over and over again, it seemed as if his heart had already betrayed him. He remembered how, last night, he didn''t sleep a blink just for Mandy. Nathan took another sip of coffee, massaging his temples. One look closer, and one would be able to see the dark circles hidden under his eyes. "What would happen if I did fall in love with her?" Nathan asked uncertainly. Though his tone was calm, it carried a certain sadness and confusion that was too overwhelming to keep hidden. "If Miss Zhou knows the things you keep hidden, she''ll hate you," Fred said bluntly. Even as he said it, he knew it wouldn''t be of any use. Nathan had been looking for Mandy all these years, and he wouldn''t give up despite any difficulty that he had to face. The man was as persistent as a bull. Nathan looked away, mulling over Fred''s words. ''Well, '' he thought. ''It''s okay that she hates me. We''ll stay by each other''s side and torture each other.'' Fred peered over at Nathan''s sullen face. After years of working with him, he could guess what the man was thinking. He was stubborn. At this rate, he''d go through any lengths to get something he wanted. This time, it seemed, what he wanted was Mandy. Fred took a deep breath. "Mr. Jin, I found some information about Bruce. He goes by the full name of Bruce Xu. He was a childhood friend of Miss Zhou''s. Now, he''s a math teacher in City A, and Miss Zhou''s cousin, Fiona Yu, is his student." "What?" Nathan''s face darkened, as if a fire inside him was finally ignited. She had lied to him! All for the sake of Bruce! And he hated the thought of it. He remembered how the man had appeared in her dream, and how Mandy had called for Bruce''s help. At the thought, he shook his head in disgust, finding it as ludicrous as it sounded. "Mr. Jin¡­ ording to my investigation, Miss Zhou isn''t very close to Bruce. They only started contacting each other because of Fiona and the forum," Fred exined quickly when he caught sight of the dark look hovering on Nathan''s expression. "You don''t have to exin for her. I know what to do!" Nathan smirked, squinting his dark eyes. Originally, he had wanted to talk about their rtionship tonight, but now that this hade up, it seemed that he did not need to do it. He shouldn''t have loved her in the first ce. "Give me the information about Bruce." His voice was dripping with jealousy. Fred took out a secret file that he had kept in his briefcase, just in case Nathan asked about it. It contained all of the relevant information on the man from the time he was born. Nathan scanned it briefly, disappointed that he couldn''t find anything to use against Bruce. In fact, as a cherry on top, Bruce even had a great academic record. "Mr. Jin, it seems that Bruce is a good man." "Even so, everyone has skeletons in their closet. I''ll take a better look." "Mr. Jin, why do you have to do that? Why waste your time on Miss Zhou?" "I''m not wasting my time," he snapped. "She''s my woman. She shouldn''t be cheating on me like this!" "Miss Zhou doesn''t look like that kind of person." Fred was hesitant in bringing that up. Though he barely knew Mandy, she was the type of woman that he''d trust. She wasn''t the type who''d be messing around with other men. "Were they really childhood friends?" said Nathan grimly as he threw the thick file on the coffee table. "To be exact, they weren''t childhood friends but neighbors. She didn''t really have a close rtionship with him or else she wouldn''t have known... Daniel." Fred mentioned thetter name after a long pause, knowing full well that the name didn''t bode well with Nathan. One look at him ring at Fred with intensity was enough to prove his thoughts. Nathan scoffed. In his eyes, she had multiple love affairs, having them with both Daniel and Bruce. For the whole day, Nathan took it on himself to study Bruce, even to the extent of calling the headmaster of No. 1 High School to find out more about him. To his disappointment, he found nothing. The headmaster even praised how the ss Bruce was in charge of now had the best grades of the whole batch. He wasn''t at all skeptical of why Nathan called, using every opportunity to praise his staff. Chapter 95 Your Rival In Love Chapter 95 Your Rival In Love While taking a sip of his coffee, Fred leaned against the sofa. "Have you dug out anything on him yet?" "No. The President invited me to attend the 50th anniversary of the founding of No. 1 High School in October." Nathan threw the phone aside in frustration. He covered his face with his hands. "President Jin, why are you doing this? Your rival in love is obviously no match for you, so why feel so depressed?" Fred added a dramatic ir by cing a hand on his forehead, teasing his boss. "You can go to work now," Nathan said gruffly. Now that Fred knew about Nathan''s feelings for Mandy, God knew how much jokes and teasing he''d suffer from the man. Nathan dropped down on his chair in anger, ying with a pen that was on his desk. Fred shrugged, but before he left the office, he gave another dramatic sigh. "The love and hate in you young people confuse this old man." He pointed a finger to himself. "Good luck, my man!" Nathan flung a pen towards Fred. As if he knew this was going to happen, Fred turned around swiftly, grabbing the pen between his two fingers without being bothered. Fred yed with the pen, rolling his eyes. "You could throw the pen as randomly as you want, President Jin, but I do hope you''re not that careless with your heart." The pen was thrown in a perfect arc,nding right into the small container on the desk. Nathan rolled his eyes at the performance. As for the Martial Arts performance, only a few people in City A could be a match for Fred. Nathan''s Martial Arts had also been acquired from Fred. Because of this, Fred knew the man better than anyone else. At the JR Hospital During her lunch break, Mandy and Jamie sat in the office to discuss their dissertation. Mandy had felt jumpy recently, so her dissertation was not fully covered. Thanks to Jamie, who helped her to check it and pointed out every single mistake, she made. Mandy was quickly revising her papers, line per line while listening to Jamie speak. "Doctor Zhou, are you going to get a Ph.D.?" Jamie asked with a smile. "Of course." Mandy hesitated for a while. During her university years, all she ever wanted was to receive her doctor''s degree. After all, there was a gap between her bachelor''s degree and Ph.D. When she had met Daniel, she had given up on the idea of enrolling in a Ph.D. program in Ennd. Now that she thought about it, she felt a bit stupid about her decision. "Go with me to sign up! Please? I might be the only one who''ll sign up." "Which school?" "City A University." Mandy nodded in agreement. Maybe this time, she could finally chase her dream as she wanted to in the first ce. "Doctor Zhou, you''re incredibly smart. Why did youe back after finishing your doctor''s degree in Ennd?" Jamie asked casually, spinning the fountain pen in his fingers. "At that time, I just wanted toe back." Mandy smiled, not finding in herself to tell him the real reason behind it. It wasn''t necessary to bring up the past anyway. "I see. Besides, the tuition is so expensive in Britain. It is better now that we''re working." After Mandy finished revising her thesis, she pushed the documents back to Jamie. "Do you mind checking it one more time? Please?" She smiled sheepishly. "There is something I need to deal with." Jamie nodded. "Sure, don''t worry about it." Outside the hospital, the wind was so strong that Mandy could hardly open her eyes. She had to squint all the way to the taxi. In that miserable state, she went to the Zhou Group Offices. With Nathan''s help, the business of the Zhou Group was flourishing. They have received multiple orders this month. Stanley was ted to see the rising of sales, unaware of the reason behind his recent sess. A few days ago, Mandy had still been hesitant to tell her father the news about Daniel. However, there was just a week before the final sentence. If her father didn''t withdraw thewsuit, Daniel would end up in prison. Even though they weren''t lovers now, or even friends, Mandy didn''t want Daniel to be destroyed because of her. Although she hated him, she couldn''t help but sympathize with him. At the CEO''s office Stanley was surprised to see Mandy as she came to the office. He was told by Madeline that she came to visit yesterday, but he was too busy talking about partnerships and contracts, and he wasn''t able to acknowledge her. "Mand, what brings you here?" Stanley beamed. It had been a while since he''d seen her, so he was delighted that she''de by the office. "Dad, I actually came here to see you." Mandy ced her bag on the sofa, looking conflicted as she sat down in front of him. He looked at his daughter up and down. She had always been like this ever since she was a little girl. Whenever she had something on her mind, she''d never stop thinking about it till she spat it out. "Just say it, my silly girl." Stanley chuckled. Compared to Madeline''s hot temper, he was much more patient when it came to handling his kids. "Father, promise me you won''t get angry, okay? You have to listen to me." Mandy''s face turned beet red as her eyes nced from left to right, suddenly taking interest in her shoes. "Okay, what is it?" Stanley looked at her with a smile. "It''s about Daniel." She paused. "I was hoping you''d forgive him... He did something unforgivable, but the Zhou Group didn''t suffer any serious losses. Plus, he did this to our family because you had purchased thepany of the Zhao Family fifteen years ago. He did it with good reason. His parents spiraled into depression andmitted suicide. He lost his parents at such a young age. Dad, it is not good for us to keep retaliating against each other, especially at a man who already has nothing to lose." Stanley shook his head, sighing. Sometimes, he hated the fact that his daughter was just too kind. "I see, but, Mand, have you thought this through? Daniel might not be grateful for what you''ve done, and he isn''t the kind and loving man you thought he was. He is dangerous and despicable. Do you really want to let him go?" He frowned, leaning back in his seat. Mandy lowered her head and said softly, "Dad, I''m actually just here to ask for your opinion. I trust that you''ll make a better final decision." N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Silly girl, I know. Give me some time. I need to think about it." Stanley smiled dotingly. He only had one daughter, so as a father, he couldn''t help but feel protective over her. In fact, if she''d ask for the moon, he''d find a way to pick it from the skies. "Thank you, Father." She leaned her head against his shoulder. She missed spending time with her dad. Touching her hair gently, Stanley asked in a low voice, "Mand, tell me the truth. Who have you been living with recently?" "Dad, I''m living with a colleague of mine. Please tell mom to not overthink things. I''m really not capable of doing the things she''d thought me doing." Mandy had been well prepared before she came here. She knew that her father would ask her the question her mother had been throwing at her ever since she hadst seen her, so now, she was prepared with a better excuse. Chapter 96 A Presumptuous Request (Part One) Chapter 96 A Presumptuous Request (Part One) There were only eight days left. When the due time arrived, everything would be over. Mandy embraced herself in her heart. She reassured her soul that at that time, everything would be fine. "Well, Mand. I trust you with all my heart and soul! Don''t worry about this. I''ll talk to your mother. After I talk to her, you cane home to have dinner with us in a couple of days. Your mother could not eat well or sleep well thesest few days because of this. She cares about you very much," Stanley comforted Mandy gently. Mandy''s father, Stanley, could not resist his daughter being so greatly disconcerted. Hearing this, tears of guilt welled up in Mandy''s eyes. She realized in this very moment that in this brutal world it''s only her parents who loved her unreservedly. During these days, when she was living in Nathan''s house, Mandy felt profoundly grieved for her parents. She lied to them and miserably failed to live up to their expectations of being an honest daughter. However, she had no other choice but to make a deal with Nathan to save her father. Undoubtedly, this deal was like the forbidden fruit in Eden, threatening yet alluring to her. She could not foresee her future with Nathan. Indeed, it''s more appropriate to say she had not imagined that she would ever have a future with Nathan. "Okay, I understand! Thank you, Father. It''ste now. I''m going now. I''lle to see you again, some other day. Take care, goodbye!" Mandy was reluctant to leave her father, but she had to bid him farewell now. Mandy put her bag over her shoulder, stood up from the sofa, and curved her lips to give a forced smile to her father. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Okay, drive carefully," responded Stanley. With mixed feelings, Mandy walked out of the Zhou Group. She always knew that her father was the only support she had in her entire life. As a matter of fact, who else could have her back more than her dad? She was well aware of why her mother was so annoyed with her. The mere reason for such frustration was that Madeline had great expectations for her. Mandy was horrified that she had displeased her family''s faith in her. She had never thought in her wildest dreams that one day, she would let her parents down. After Mandy departed from the Zhou Group, she decided not to go back to the hospital straightaway. Alternatively, she went to Luke''s residence. Noting the address, Mandy arrived at a very luxurious yet ancient castle. On either side of the castle, there stood exuberant Chinese parasol trees. Mandy mused in her mind, ''Luke''s life is so exorbitant.'' She was awestruck with the mour of the castle and kept on wondering about how luxurious the rooms in the castle were. "May I ask whom you are looking for?" A polite voice pierced through her ears waking her up from her reverie. Mandy instantly pulled herself out from her fantasies as soon as she heard that voice. She saw a maid came out to receive her. The maid greeted her and led her into the castle. "Oh, I''m the private doctor of Mr. Shi. My name is Mandy. Please tell your master that I am here," replied Mandy in a delicate voice. She passed a subtle and gracious smile to the maid. Mandy''s smile was both tender and attractive, all at the same time. "Oh, it''s you. Mr. Shi had already told me that his private doctor woulde to meet him someday. But to my amazement, I did not expect that his private doctor would be young in age, and so elegant. Please follow me!" The young maid responded in bewilderment, yet she was ttered because few guests talked to her so politely like Mandy. Needless to say, the aura of Mandy was indeed charismatic. The maid felt the pinch with Mandy right away, so she talked about the decorations and the style of the castle to her while they were walking to Luke''s room. Luke had just healed from a serious operation. He was immersed in reading a book on the balcony when Mandy stepped into his suite of rooms. As soon as she entered the bedroom, Mandy smelt the fragrance of Tie Guanyin Tea. Beside Luke sat a tea master in a white uniform who was making tea for him. The perpetual aroma of the tea immersed Mandy in a soothing ambiance. Mandy couldn''t help chuckling and kept on contemting as to how rxing Luke''s life was after he healed from surgery. "Greetings, Mr. Shi. It''s me, Mandy," Mandy knocked on the door calmly and called to him. "Come in." Turning, Luke noticed her and acknowledged her in a firm voice. Mandy carried her medical bag on her back and walked to the balcony gracefully. Luke stood up for her respectfully. "Doctor Zhou, it is very nice to see you here." "Mr. Shi, d to meet you, too. I am here for your routine check-up," Mandy politely stated her reason for visiting suddenly. The man who was making tea for Luke not even raised his head for a brief second to have eye contact with Mandy. He was indulged in preparing the tea with rapt attention. He looked very serious, and it appeared as if making tea was the most significant task for him, on this entire. "It''s very nice of you, Doctor Zhou. Let''s go to the bedroom." "Sure," Mandy smiled and agreed. Then she hastened to help Luke up get up from his chair. Nathan''s face kept running through her mind throughout this time because Nathan was Luke''s nephew. Intuitively she always respected Luke as he was Nathan''s uncle. After a series of examinations, Mandy finally exhaled a sigh of relief. "Mr. Shi, I can clearly see you have been taking good care of yourself recently. Your wound has recovered well, and your heart rate is also in the normal range. So please continue taking good care of yourself, and you will be all healed in no time." Mandy had always liked a patient who followed her advice earnestly. "That was only possible because of your good suggestions," Luke answered Mandy and smiled kindly at her. Chapter 97 A Presumptuous Request (Part Two) Chapter 97 A Presumptuous Request (Part Two) Mandy smiled back and replied, "Mr. Shi, I have to go now. I have something to deal with at the hospital. Take care!" Mandy packed up her things hurriedly and was all set to leave. Indeed, she had a lot of things to do in the hospital. It was estimated that she might have to work overtime in the hospital this night to finish these affairs. Luke stopped her, "I have prepared a cup of tea for you, Dr. Zhou. Please have a seat and drink with me. You''vee all the way to my house for my check-up. It''s so generous of you. You must be a little tired since my house is quite far from your hospital. If you leave without even a cup of tea, I will believe that I am not a good host." When Luke said that, Mandy felt she had to stay there for a little while. Obviously, it''s not polite to reject such a sincere invitation. There was aplicated sentiment hidden in Luke''s gracious and sweet smile. He nced shrewdly at Mandy. Mandy took a glimpse at the tea table. There were two cups of tea on it, which were still steaming hot. As Stanley also liked drinking Tie Guanyin Tea, she was very receptive to its aroma. Mandy was sure that this tea was very expensive from the scent of it. "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Shi. But I don''t have any know-how about tea. Please don''t be disheartened if I can''t taste it in the right way," responded Mandy. She blinked firmly, stood up obediently, and supported Luke to walk to the balcony. In a vigorous spirit, Lukeughed and said, "It doesn''t matter, just give it a shot, Doctor Zhou. This is a fresh tea that had just been picked two days ago." Mandy wasn''t a tea lover. She couldn''t tell the difference between different kinds of tea. So she had to drink the tea quietly without arguing any further. "Hmm, the tea tastes fantastic!" Mandy sighed with a smile while sipping her tea from the cup. "Please excuse my audacity, Doctor Zhou, but just asking out of curiosity, do you have a boyfriend?" With a faint smile on his face, Luke gawked intently at Mandy, who was tongue-tied at this sudden and awkward question. She almost spewed the tea out of her mouth! Mandy had not expected that Luke would ask her such an embarrassing question. Mandy ced the teacup down on the table spontaneously and mustered the guts to answer Luke sternly, "I don''t." "How about I introduce one to you?" Luke asked tentatively, without any dy. "Thanks for your offer, Mr. Shi. But I don''t really like blind dates," she rejected his offer kindly. Mandy felt extremely ufortable. ''It must be a joke!'' she thought to herself and got over her raging nerves. "My nephew, Nathan, have you met him before?" Luke also put down his tea cup, and the tea master quickly refilled his cup again. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Hearing what he stated, Mandy was dumbfounded. She bit her lip in dismay and wondered what exactly he meant. Is this really going to happen? Is Luke really going to introduce Nathan to her? So many questions rose in her mind at all once. "Don''t be nervous, Dr. Zhou! Nathan appears to be a cold-blooded man, but he''s a gentleman at heart. Yet, only if you think it is okay only, then I can introduce him to you," said Luke, with an experienced smirk on his face. Out of habit, Mandy quickly shook her head. She needed a moment to cover up her bitterness with a smile, and then she said hastily, "Mr. Shi, I really don''t need one." "What do you think of my son?" Luke questioned repeatedly as if he was determined to get Mandy hooked with a boyfriend. When he stared at Mandy again this time, it felt like he had scanned through her soul like an X-ray. "Well¡­ He''s a good man. A gentleman, I think." Mandy struggled hard as she thought of words to praise Damian. She had no deep impression of him as they barely knew each other. She just knew that he was very gentle with others. "Would you like a date with him then?" Luke asked straightforwardly. His tone was very serious, and Mandy now knew that it didn''t sound like a joke. Mandy was seriously offended this time. What was Luke talking about? Was he out of his mind? She almost knew nothing about Damian. It was so humiliating! She was so disconcerted by Luke''s strange request. At first, he asked Mandy to date Nathan and then urged her to date, Damian. If Nathan knew this, would hee here immediately? "Mr. Shi, thank you so much for your consideration. But I think if I am going to falling in love with someone, it must be destined by fate, not through blind dates. Besides, I don''t like to deliberately understand a person, and it''s better to follow destiny. Do you think so?" Mandy yed it smartly and gave him a sophisticated reply, which was not harsh either. She neither directly forbade him nor agreed to his presumptuous request. Luke had anticipated that Mandy would turn him down. After all, she was now living with Nathan. But her denial of Damian came as an utter-shock for Luke. For girls, most of them would choose Damian if they had the right to choose between Nathan and Damian. However, Mandy missed such a great chance. After hearing her intelligent reply, Luke felt that this girl was not that simple. She was very sensible. As he expected, she had learned a lot while she was with Nathan. "Doctor Zhou, don''t be so solemn in your decision. I was just kidding. But my son Damian told me, he had formed a good impression of you. If he wants to pursue you I hope you can give him a chance at least. Please, can you do me a favor? Don''t reject him directly?" said Luke with a feeble grin on his face. Chapter 98 It Was Not An Honorable Thing Chapter 98 It Was Not An Honorable Thing Mandy was even more embarrassed. Luke had said it so politely and yet cunningly that she couldn''t refuse him even if she wanted to. "It''ste now, and I still have to go to the hospital to deal with something. I''ll see youter." Then, Mandy stood up straight. Obviously, Luke already knew what had happened between her and Nathan. Mandy became a little worried by Luke''s response and reaction. Smiling reassuringly, Luke calmly stood up and said, "I''ll see you off then." "Please just a minute. You can rest here since you are not feeling well." Mandy pretended to be calm. She didn''t want to see Luke anymore now. She first met him when she was simple. She had thought that he was a kind man. But now, she realized that he was a wolf in sheep''s clothing. No wonder Nathan hated him so much. Suddenly, Mandy realized she and Nathan stood together on the same issue! When she returned to the hospital, Mandy kept thinking about what Luke had told her. She was in deep thought when Cassie came in with a medical report, so Mandy didn''t seem to notice her. "Mand, what are you thinking about?" Cassie said, smiling and squinting her eyes. "Oh, nothing. It''s just about the dissertation." Looking into Cassie''s pure eyes, Mandy felt like she was a sinner because she lied to Cassie. Cassie was one of her best friends at the hospital, but Mandy knew she liked Nathan. Therefore, Mandy couldn''t tell Cassie about what had happened between her and Nathan. Cassie didn''t think too deeply about things. She enjoyed a more simple outlook on life. Putting down the medical report, she said with an innocent look on her face, "Mand, how about eating cheese rice cake tonight? There''s a new Korean restaurant on Yucai Road. My friend said it tastes pretty good." After a moment of hesitation, Mandy said, "Cas, I''m really sorry, but I''ve been very tired recently. How about another day? It will be my treat." Cassie''s beautiful eyes disyed her deep disappointment. She was a very sensitive girl, and she could feel that the rtionship between her and Mandy didn''t seem as good as before. Recently, she had asked Mandy to hang out many times, but she kept getting rejected with one excuse after another. "Okay, deal. We''ll eat together whenever you finish your work." "Yes. I''ll invite you for dinner after I finish my dissertation in a few days." Mandy forced a smile, which was full of shame and regret. The contract between Nathan and her was about to expire. She was hoping that Nathan would keep his promise. After work, Mandy waited for Nathan at an intersection in front of the hospital. Nathan seemed to be in a bad mood. His face was as morose and dull as the weather outside. Sitting in the car, Mandy felt the atmosphere was stifling and depressing. She didn''t talk to Nathan. They just kept silent all the way back. No. 520, Haibin Road Lillian had set the table with her dishes. Nacy had already left, and Mandy looked at the table of different dishes. When she saw the WeChat messages from Nacy, she was a little saddened. When Nacy was here, she didn''t have to face Nathan directly. However, now there were only two of them in the empty vi. "Well... I have something to tell you," Mandy slowly uttered, blinking her almond-like eyes. Her eyes were filled with hope. "What is it?" Nathan replied. He sat on the sofa cozily. He waited to hear what Mandy would say to him. "Your uncle invited me to be his private doctor. He asked me to give him a health check-up at his house twice a week. So I went to his house this afternoon. I didn''t want to, but the Dean wanted me to, so I did because of his orders. Then through a conversation with your uncle, I had a feeling that he knew that we were living together. I don''t know, but did you..." Mandy was clever. She didn''t finish the sentence because Nathan must have known the intention behind it. "Do you think that I would have told Luke that we are living together?" Nathan snorted disdainfully, and a sneer hung on his handsome face. "I don''t know. That''s why I am asking you." Mandy blinked her eyes innocently, avoiding eye contact with him. She was a little regretful about asking the question. She knew clearly that Nathan hated Luke very much. Anyone could tell that their rtionship was tense. "It''s not honorable to live with you, so why should I tell others?" Nathan narrowed his eyes. No expression could be seen on his cold face at all. His eyes looked like a deep ck hole at the moment, which could swallow people''s souls unmercifully. Hearing Nathan''s meanment, Mandy felt deeply hurt. ''Was it so shameful to be with me? Then, why hasn''t he let me go sooner?'' thought Mandy to herself. "Since you feel so shameful to be with me, let me go now. Be free of this stain upon your life." Mandy was furious, but she still tried to restrain her anger. She had said all of this calmly as she had to keep a clear mind when dealing with Nathan. "You are really good at changing the situation with the current. If you want to leave, you''ll have to wait until I am tired of you. Don''t count down the days. I tell you, it''s useless!" Nathan smiled coldly, with a strange intensity in his dark eyes. Hearing Nathan''s evil reply, Mandy immediately frowned and argued, "How can you say that? You''re a hypocrite and a liar! Didn''t we make an agreement with each other that I would stay with you at most a month?" "The deal we made has passed away. I won''t let you go now. It depends on my mood, whether I will let you leave. Mandy, this is the new deal. If you don''t agree, then you will not be the only one to suffer." The ruthless thin lips of Nathan moved slightly as if the words were light. Yet, in fact, there was a homicidal intention hidden in it. Each word of him made Mandy''s heart contract in anger and fear. Mandy was being threatened by Nathan again. However, just like Nathan, Mandy hated being threatened. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She widened her eyes, which were full of burning anger, and roared at him, "Nathan, except for threatening me, what else can you do, huh?" Nathan suddenly stood up and pulled Mandy into his arms. There was a touch of softness hidden in his warm hands. He gently stroked Mandy''s porcin face. Yet, unfortunately, his every touch made Mandy''s hair stand on end. Mandy instinctively resisted his touch. There was a hint of disgust in her eyes. Her reaction was precisely caught by Nathan, but he was not angry. He just smiled lightly. In this world, perhaps only Mandy hated him so much. Chapter 99 You Still Dont Know Me Well Chapter 99 You Still Don''t Know Me Well "Mand, it seems that you still don''t know me well," Nathan enunciated each word slowly. His thin lips curled into a mocking smile, making him looked wild and overbearing. "Why should I have to know you?" Mandy quickly retorted. She was imprisoned in Nathan''s arms and was consistently teased by him as if she was a puppet. She didn''t even have a chance to take out her phone. "Being my woman, you must know me well. Since you are not qualified in this field, I will help you with that," he snickered a few times. Mandy''s eyes widened as the rm went off in her mind instantly. She knew what Nathan wanted to do. But this was the living room, where Lillian coulde at any time. Was he crazy? Long before she could react, Nathan had already slid his body over her in an oppressive way, pushing himself hard in his every move as if he was punishing her, like wanting to break Mandy''s bones. She was tossed around by him for a long time until she felt the sourness in her waist and back. "You are too weak. We haven''t yet begun," Nathan joked, calmly watching her. Mandy, who was still lying on the sofa, threw him a cold gaze. She quickly tidied up her clothes as she panted for air. Nathan almost suffocated her with his kiss. "Since we hate each other, why can''t we end this earlier? It isn''t good for either of us," Mandy asked softly, and her pure eyes gleamed with different feelings. She might not know much about love, but she could see and feel that Nathan didn''t like her. "Mandy, make no mistake. You are in no position to say goodbye. The more you resist, the more I want to tame you," Nathan insisted with a cold smile, his deep gaze prating her. It was supposed to be a warm and blissful scene, having soft yellow lights cast a glow above his head, but it was not. The moment looked particrly gloomy. Mandy silently kept all her words under wraps for a long time as she fell into deep thoughts. Yes, she had no right at all. It was Nathan who helped her. He had promised her that he would let her go as long as she could be his mistress for one month. But now, she was impatient and wanted to leave earlier than scheduled. It must be impossible. "Your cousin invited me to dinner this Sunday." Mandy shifted the topic. Then she tentatively looked at Nathan. There was a gleam shining in her beautiful eyes that held a silent plea. It seemed like she was asking for help from him. Nathan quietly fixed himself and sat gracefully aside, casually flipping through a financial magazine. He seemed not to care about what Mandy said, and even ignored her! Mandy self-consciously restrained her inner restlessness and uttered in a low voice, "Your cousin wants to invite me to dinner. Can I ept it?" Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Instead of answering her directly, Nathan just gently smiled. His eyes showed a touch of tenderness while his straight nose and his pair of thin lips exuded a mixture of a cold and domineering elegance. "Whatever." That single word was like a wave that deeply pped Mandy''s heart. ''Whatever! What kind of answer is that?'' Mandy abruptly stood up and was about to go out for dinner alone when her phone rang. When she flipped her phone, it was a call from Fiona. Mandy hastily made her way to the garden house located outside the vi. She was deliberately avoiding Nathan. Nathan raised his head immediately as he trained his eyes in the direction of Mandy. A slight trace of annoyance instantly reced his gentle demeanor. ''Who was on the phone that she went out to answer?'' he mused. "Nana, what is wrong?" Mandy whispered as she walked into the garden house, which was as big as a university ssroom. She was looking around while asking Fiona. "Sis, are you all right? Where are you now?" holding the phone in her hand, Fiona asked worriedly. "I''m at my colleague''s home. Why? What is wrong?" Mandy replied as she continued to appreciate the flowers in the garden house. When she raised her head, she noticed a white grand piano at the center of the flower room. She was briefly stunned at the sight of it. She didn''t know why, but she was so mesmerized by its presence that she could not help but walk towards where the piano was. "My phone was brokenst night, so I failed to call you. Sister, what happened to you and aunty?" Fiona, who was restless the whole time, hurriedly sat up on her bed. She always felt that Mandy was acting weird recently. And it puzzled her that Mandy became mysterious all of a sudden since the Zhou Group incident. Mandy found a chair near the piano, so she settled her small frame on its firm cushion. Letting out a small smile, she gently assured her, "My silly girl, I''m fine. I will move back to our house after a while. Please help me convince my mother not to think too much of it. I will never mess up my life even though I am away from home." Fiona felt uncertain, so she pouted and asked, "Are you telling me the truth, Sister?" "Yes, I am. I''m really fine. Don''t worry. Don''t forget who your sister is," Mandy reassured and promised Fiona as she patted her chest. "That is good. By the way, did Mr. Xu contact you recently?" "We seldommunicated with each other. We just chatted with each other on and off through WeChat," Mandy softly replied. "Last week, I heard an English teacher express her love to Mr. Xu in the corridor of our ss. In our school, that English teacher is the most beautiful. A lot of male teachers are chasing after her. I didn''t expect that she would express her love to Mr. Xu." Fiona was into telling gossip about her school to her sister. "So what? What do you want to say?" Mandy smiled helplessly. Young girls were indeed inclined to like gossiping. "That English teacher talked a lot with Mr. Xu. I just remembered something like, ''I liked you very much.'' Guess what Mr. Xu said!" Fiona sounded quite excited as if she had seen a good show. "I like you too?" Mandy tried to guess. "Ha-ha! Sister, you are so stupid. Mr. Xu didn''t say, ''I also like you.'' He just said thank you to her then he added that he had someone else in his heart. The English teacher was so embarrassed that she almost cried at that moment." As she recalled that scene, Fiona burst intoughter despite her efforts to hold it in. Mandy, however, remained oblivious and didn''t get the point behind Fiona''sughter. Instead, she kept calm and implied, "Nana, just focus on your studies. Don''t gossip, okay?" "I see. But I still want to remind you that Mr. Xu may like you," Fiona imed, getting serious again. "Don''t talk nonsense." "I''m telling the truth. It is not nonsense. I went to Mr. Xu''s office a few days ago to ask him some questions about my homework. I happened to see that he used your photo as a background picture on his phone." Stunned, Mandy immediately asked, "How did he get my photo?" "Maybe it was from your microblog or WeChat moments." Fiona gave a mischievous smile. She would like to see Bruce and Mandy end up together. "Silly girl, hurry yourself up to have dinner. We''ll talk on WeChatter." Mandy was deeply disturbed by what she just heard. It would be troublesome if Bruce really fell in love with her. It seemed that she''d better not be too close to him. Then all at once, she remembered what Nathan had previously asked her about who Bruce was! Chapter 100 Please Dont Ask Any More Chapter 100 Please Don''t Ask Any More Mandy had lied to Nathan, hoping that he wouldn''t find out who Bruce was. She didn''t like Bruce, which was why she didn''t have any special feelings for him. For Mandy, Bruce was just a kind man whom she could trust like he was family. However, the rtionship between them seemed to have grown a little complicated. As she thought about this, she received a message on her phone. It was Bruce, and he was asking her if she had eaten dinner already. When she read his message, she sat up straight, suddenly remembering what Fiona had said to her earlier. She looked at her conversation history with Bruce. Almost every day at around five o''clock in the afternoon, Bruce would ask her if she had had dinner. On top of that, he would also message her ''good morning'' at the break of light, and ''good night'' before she went to sleep. Since Mandy was so busy at work, she hardly got the chance to read the messages. And when she was off duty, she couldn''t open his messages because Nathan was around. "Not yet. How about you?" Mandy replied out of politeness. "I''m eating right now," Bruce replied just secondster. Mandy hesitated for a while and then decided to text him back, "Okay, have your dinner first. I''ll talk to youter." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. With a sigh, she put down her phone and turned her attention to the piano. Her slender fingers glided along the keys. They were cool and smooth. It was obvious that this piano was cleaned every day and very well taken care of. Mandy was in a daze as she stared down at the ck and white keys. Once, there was a girl who woulde y with her. Sometimes Mandy would y and take the lead, and sometimes it would be the other girl. Now, with that girl gone, and Mandy felt that her music had lost its soul. No one else in the world could rece that connection they had. The girl was always on the same wavelength as she was. Without her, Mandy could do nothing but give up ying the piano. Gently, she pressed her finger on one of the keys, its soft note ringing crispy in the air. At that moment, Mandy felt so lonely in her heart. Shaking her head, she closed the lid and turned around. To her surprise, Nathan was there, leaning against the wall. The sight of him made Mandy jump a bit, and a wave of thoughts came rushing through her head. The sound of his leather shoes cking on the wooden floors came to an abrupt end. It turned out that Nathan hade to stand by her side. "Why don''t you y? Aren''t you any good?" he asked coldly as he looked down at Mandy. "Ah, no. I don''t like ying the piano. In fact, I hate it," she lied in a panic. At that moment, she was so nervous that her heart stopped for a second. Once, Nathan had asked Mandy what her hobbies were. "You can lie to me, but can you lie to yourself so easily?" Hearing this, Mandy became even more nervous. "I''m not lying to you. I hate the piano, and I hate music. Please don''t ever bring this up to me again," Mandy said, feeling a bit faint. Talking about it was like opening up a scar that would never disappear. Even touching it the slightest bit, caused a great amount of pain in her heart. "Why not? Does it remind you of your previous lover?" There was a mocking tone in his sneer. Nathan stood there in front of Mandy, his expression hadn''t changed and his hands were crossed. "You''re talking nonsense! This has nothing to do with him." "Really? How did you know which one I meant?" "Nathan Jin, you''re going too far," Mandy said with a frown on her face. Her clear eyes projected a touch of anger as their conversation developed. "Feeling guilty?" Mandy turned around and looked at the closed piano lid. She stood up straight and said, "President Jin, do you live by the sea? Why do you have to poke your nose into just everything?" "If you wanted to live by the sea, just say it. My family owns several luxurious houses by the sea," Nathan said. With a hint of excitement, Mandy nced at Nathan and said, "Wow! You''re so rich. I can''t believe you are showing off your prosperous family! Why are you making such a big deal of it if you''re so damn rich? Anyway, I''m going to have dinner now." Nathan just smiled and fixed his eyes on the piano. The garden house whiffed a mixture of different fragrances... After eating dinner, Mandy sat on the sofa and attended to her dissertation. She had just recently finished writing it and was now checking if it needed any revisions. Recently, Mandy was having difficulty concentrating because of Nathan. She needed to focus on her dissertation and had decided to ignore Nathan that night. Nathan was scrolling on his tablet. Nobody knew what he was currently up to. The phone suddenly rang. It was a WeChat message. Mandy had received a message from Bruce. She didn''t bother to reply and instead focused on herputer screen. "Why don''t you reply to the message?" Nathan asked mockingly. He was sneering andughing at himself. Mandy ignored him. But how could he know that she had received a message? While sittingfortably on the sofa, the smile on Nathan''s face deepened. "Have you eaten yet?" Mandy stopped typing and looked up. She looked straight into Nathan''s cold but beautiful eyes. In the light, Nathan''s thick eyshes formed a mysterious shadow on his face. Confused, Mandy''s eyes shed a hint of panic. How did Nathan know that she got a message from Bruce? While Nathan burst out in a strangeugh, Mandy was biting her lips nervously... "Well? Is something wrong?" Nathan''s cold voice was full of burning anger. It could almost burn a person to ashes! She closed theptop and tried to act calm. She took a peek at Nathan''s tablet and asked, "Did you open my WeChat?" But it was impossible, she reassured herself. Nathan had no idea what her WeChat password was. "I''m not bored enough to do that. It popped up because you forgot to log out when you signed in the other day." Nathan had the weirdest smile on his face, and the anger in his eyes became more apparent. His face looked like he had been so badly betrayed. "Okay." Mandy didn''t feel the need to exin. She simply responded carelessly. The alias for Bruce was Mr. Xu on her WeChat. She thought that should not cause Nathan to doubt anything. "Really?" Nathan''s lips curled into a sarcastic smile. His ferocious eyes looked so cruel and ferocious. It was then that Mandy realized that something terrible might have happened. She wondered if Nathan had seen her WeChat chat log. Mandy was so nervous that she blinked her eyes and touched her nose involuntarily. Mandy knew that whenever she did this, it usually meant that she had something to hide. "Are you having a love affair with you sister''s teacher, Mand?" Nathan asked as he looked straight at Mandy. He suddenly let out a cold sneer. Mr. Xu! His name was Bruce! Who else could it be? "No, it is not what you think. He is the ss supervisor of my sister." Knowing that Nathan was extremely angry at this point, Mandy reasoned it out with him in a great hurry. "Really? Will the ss supervisor of your sister add you on WeChat? Will your sister''s teacher send you a message every day, greeting you good morning and good night? Who does he think he is talking to?" The more Mandy talked, the angrier Nathan became. He wanted Mandy to stop exining. Maybe that would be better, he thought. As soon as Mandy finished exining, Nathan felt cheated on. Until now, she was cheating on him! Chapter 101 A Girl Like You Is Unworthy To Be Investigated Chapter 101 A Girl Like You Is Unworthy To Be Investigated "Please, listen to me. Our rtionship is not what you think!" Mandy protested, feeling her palms start to sweat at the sight of Nathan on the verge of losing it. At the moment, she was lost for words, feeling as if whatever she said would just add more fuel to the mes. "Was your dear Mr. Xu the one you''ve been calling in your dreams?" Nathan sneered, emphasizing on the word ''dear.'' Mandy sat on the sofa, feeling a sense of defeat rush over her. Even if she continued to defend herself for Bruce, it seemed that Nathan was already fully convinced that she was having an affair with him. She''d be wasting her breath. Besides, the man already knew that she had been calling Bruce''s name in the dream. It must''ve meant that Nathan had done plenty of investigations beforehand. He was just looking for confirmation. At the thought, she couldn''t help but shudder. He was truly a man who shouldn''t be messed with. "Think whatever you want," Mandy said stubbornly. "If you continue being like that, I assure you Bruce won''t be seeing the sunrise tomorrow!" Nathan snarled out. He grabbed the tablet in front of him and threw it to the wall, the crash resonating across the room. He stalked to Mandy, step by step, like a grim reaper readying his scythe for another soul. Mandy immediately stood up, but she felt weaker inparison. If Nathan were the grim reaper, she was the guilty child he was preparing to collect. She shook, feeling his shadow getting closer and closer, his tall figure shrouding herpletely. "Bruce is just my friend! It''s really not what you think," Mandy stepped back as she exined. Though her heart felt like it wanted to leap out of her chest in fright, she needed to do something, anything, to ensure her friend''s safety. However, despite her assurances and exnations, it seemed as if it just made him angrier. To him, though she called Bruce a friend, he was still the man she called out for in her dream. From the time they''d been together, she only ever called him Nathan, but in her dreams, the man she called her friend was ''Dear Bruce.'' As if their rtionship couldn''t get any more obvious than it already was for him. "I said, tell me the truth!" Nathan raised his eyebrows, clenching his hands into fists. "What''s your rtionship with him?" He pulled her closer into his arms. As a result, she staggered and fell, finding herself interlocked in his grip. "We¡­ we''ve been great friends since we were little. He was a childhood friend. It was purely that." Mandy''s heart started beating fast as he moved closer. If there was something she knew about him, it was that he was a possessive man, and this wasn''t the right time to provoke him any further. "One of your good friends? Hmm?" Nathan stared at her in disbelief. "Yes! We are," Mandy stressed out, nodding repetitively. "Since he''s such a good friend, why didn''t you tell me that when west saw each other? Are you really that close?" He whispered dangerously. The look on his face was getting darker and darker, fit for any horror movie, and his eyes were turning blood red. He was a devil out for blood, and this time, it might be hers. She was lost for words. Mandy hadn''t told him who Bruce was because she was afraid that Nathan would misunderstand their rtionship. After all, she had called another man''s name in her sleep, so she had no choice but to lie. If she had known they''d all be in this situation, she would''ve alreadye clean about it. "You¡­ You have to trust me. If you don''t, then you can investigate. I swear on it!" Mandy raised her head. With things like these, she couldn''t exin anything clearly now. Though it was something so simple, it seemed as if everything was blown out of proportions. Mandy had always remained faithful to Nathan, having no thoughts of being with any other man. If she really wanted to participate in any affairs, then she could''ve seduced Bruce earlier in their lives. "Investigate? You''re not worth being investigated!" Nathan bellowed. The look in his eyes was bing deadlier. He already knew that Mandy and Bruce were close friends, even best friends if he wanted to take it a step further. It was ridiculous that Mandy would be so arrogant as to let him go through with it. "Do you really think I''m that kind of woman? That I''ll seduce any man I meet?" she snapped, having had enough of his tantrums. Sheughed at the ridiculousness of it all. The tears were already rolling down her cheeks. If this was what he thought of her...she couldn''t believe he''d hate her that much! "Yes! From the bottom of my heart, you''re a hussy, a slut! Any man could''ve had sex with you if they wanted to!" He let go of Mandy, making her stumble back. "Dirty!" he spat. At his words, her blood started to boil. ''Dirty?'' She was dirty? If she were, then it would be his fault alone! Mandy''s hands shook at his words, feeling an overwhelming surge of emotions. How dare he? Of all the words he''d describe her with, of all the things he''d thrown at her, she had never fought back, she never...She couldn''t have been any more humiliated by the man! Without another thought, she raised her hand and pped him right through the face. Nathan sped his cheek, eyes widening in shock. He didn''t expect Mandy to hit him. In fact, he had never been pped since his childhood! Lillian had been hiding around the corner since the moment she had heard them quarreling. However, the moment Mandy''s hand hit Nathan''s face, her jaw dropped. She couldn''t believe it even though it happened right in front of her own eyes. "Nathan, we''re enemies even in our previous lives. If I knew things would be like this, then I would''ve still been with Daniel! Better to be with him than to be insulted by you like this! You always looked down on me as if you''re at the top of the world. Since you hate me so much, just let me get out already!" Mandy roared. She had enough of his crap. "You know, I never beat a woman...but now." Nathan pulled her wrist, baring his teeth. "You''re making me reconsider. If you ever hit me again, I''ll make your life a living hell!" "What else can you do besides threaten me, my family, and anybody?" Mandy cried out. "Do you really think that''s all I can do?" There was an unknown coldness in his voice, and it made Mandy shiver. There was something about Nathan that always made people nervous. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "All you know is how to manipte people." "Let me show you tonight how despicable I am, how much of an asshole I can be. You said you wanted to be with Daniel instead of me, then so be it!" Nathan grinned viciously. There was a strong hint of yfulness in his voice, like the devil ying with his victims. Mandy gritted her teeth, feeling the hairs in her arms standing up in fear. Chapter 102 Being Humiliated In The Casino Chapter 102 Being Humiliated In The Casino "What the hell are you doing?" Mandy asked nervously. She was scared by the look on Nathan''s face. "Don''t you want to get rid of me? As long as you satisfy me tonight, I''ll let you go," Nathan grinned wickedly as he roughly dragged Mandy out of the room. His nails were digging into her wrist, unaware of his own strength. Mandy gritted her teeth as she struggled through the pain. She was too prideful to say another word to him. Where were they going? As they were approaching his car, her eyes widened in fear. Mandy struggled under his grip, trying to remove his fingers but to no avail. "Where are you taking me?" "We''re going where you should go to do what you''re good at doing." Nathan opened the front door and shoved her into the passenger seat. His eyes darkened. Tonight, Nathan would let Mandy know just how far he could go and how much he could do. Maybe she would then stop being so arrogant. Mandy wasn''t stupid. The moment the words slipped out of Nathan''s lips, she knew what he would be up to. Mandy quickly struggled with the car door, only to see that it was probably locked. As Nathan had taken the driver''s seat, tears were suddenly leaking out from Mandy''s eyes. She grabbed his arm, shaking it. "Where are you taking me? Let me go! I said, let me go!" "Move, and I''ll throw you into the zoo with the boa constrictor for the night!" Nathan turned, snarling at her. Mandy stilled. Snakes, rats and cockroaches were the things she feared the most. She would rather die than live with a snake for the night. Silent tears ran down her face as she stopped struggling, dreading what would happen next. It was dead at night now as Nathan drove, avoiding the traffic as they went. Minute after minute, Mandy sank in her seat, her heart beating faster and faster as they drove. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Imperial Pce Casino It was one of the biggest casinos in City A. It was a home for millionaires and gangsters. It was where many got rich overnight while others went bankrupt. Not only that, but it was also where plenty of deals were made. It was the most dangerous ce in City A. Mandy didn''t understand why Nathan would bring her here. She had never really gambled. Before she could ask about it, Nathan had pulled her out of the car. She winced. He was holding her hand so tightly that she thought he might be crushing her bones. As they strode into the casino, everyone moved aside. It was as if they were celebrities, with many people stopping to take a look. A smell of sweat and alcohol wafted through the air. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. It was no different from the downtown alleyways where the rats would sneak around. "Nathan, slow down!" However, he didn''t seem to have heard her, and he continued ignoring her cries. As they reached a more isted corner, Nathan took a sharp turn and kicked a door open. In the private room, there were five men and five women in a warm embrace, grinding into each other as if there was no tomorrow. Their clothesy scattered across the floor as they continued to make out. Mandy''s eyes widened in fear, and she took a step back. She turned to look at Nathan. The five men were from the Dragon Group, the ones who had been staying in the underworld all year round. This room was their exclusive territory. Though Nathan had nothing to do with them, their leader had always respected him, so they had more neutral rtions. A man with a ck aircraft hairstyle was the first one to react. He shoved the woman he was just making out with and tidied his wrinkled clothes. "Get out, all of you." The five women stood up in unison, all exposing their very revealing lingerie. Before they exited the room, they gave their lovers a wink before hurrying off, not even bothering to get dressed again. The men, meanwhile, stood up, bowing their heads in greeting. "Mr. Jin, wee. What can I do for you?" Nathan sneered, "I give you a woman. Remember, take your time. y her one by one." He loosened his grip on Mandy and pushed her towards the men. Mandy nced at him in disbelief. ''Would he actually leave me here with these gangsters? Five men...Would he allow me to be raped by these five men?'' Mandy thought in her heart. As if it couldn''t get any worse, Nathan took out his phone and directed it towards them. It seemed that he was trying to record a scene. Holding back her tears, Mandy tried to keep herposure. However, at the moment, she was already having a hard time breathing, the putrid smell of alcohol and sex making her want to vomit. The five men licked their lips, pouncing at her like a pack of hungry wolves. One looked at her beautiful face and proportioned body, and there was no way to hide the pure excitement and lust in their gaze. Besides, why not? This woman had already been brought here by Nathan. The leader of the pack stared lustfully at Mandy, approaching her like a predator stalking its prey. She nced at Nathan in panic, shooting an SOS signal at him, but he didn''t look bothered by it. In fact, Nathan didn''t even move an inch. Mandy had never expected Nathan to fall in love with her. But now, she couldn''t even get him to sympathize with her. "Stay back!" Mandy was already running around the room, trying to avoid the men. ''Is this really what Nathan wanted?'' she thought to herself. She sobbed as three men rushed to catch up with her. When Mandy was being pulled by three other men, she found that she couldn''t move anymore. She was trapped. The leader moved forward, grinning wolfishly at her. He pulled down his zipper and unbuttoned his belt. "Come on, love, don''t struggle. This could be fun." "Bah!" Mandy spat in his face. Mandy didn''t care whether Nathan would know how to love her. But she would rather die than be touched by these bastards. The anger surged up in her heart. Mandy pushed and kicked till she finally escaped from the men. She avoided their arms and ran straight to the wine bottle on the tea table. With one big stride, she grabbed the bottle and raised it high above her head. All five men stopped what they were doing, eyeing the bottle she was holding. ''Will she use that to hold us off? She''s got guts.'' Mandy took onest look at Nathan, only to see that he was still watching through the phone indifferently. The light cast a shadow across his face, making him look stony and cold. She smashed the bottle against the wall, its shards falling to the floor. Without another word, she cut her right hand using the debris left. ''Suicide! Is she crazy?'' Blood spurted from the cut, spilling to the carpet. The men froze, unsure what to do anymore as they watched her. Chapter 103 Mandy Cut Her Artery Chapter 103 Mandy Cut Her Artery The leader looked up at Nathan, and his face had turned pale due to the incident. "Mr. Jin... Mr. Jin, this..." As Nathan strode towards them, he could see the cold smile on Mandy''s face. It was filled with despair and sadness. Seeing Nathan running over, Mandy used the ss to cut her wrist one more time. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Are you crazy?" Nathan looked at her in disbelief, with his eyes bing red. He wasn''t going to let anyone hurt her in the first ce. All he wanted was just for her to ask him, just to ask him for a favor, but she never said it. "Nathan, if... If I die, please let my family go." As a doctor, Mandy was knowledgeable of all her important arteries and veins. Right now, she had just cut her artery. Blood loss was her only freedom now. Just one look at Nathan''s cold expression, and she felt life was truly meaningless. Mandy wasn''t a person who would give up easily, but she would rather die than be touched and humiliated by these men. "No, I won''t let you die." Nathan had this crazed look in his eyes as he shook his head. He quickly bent down and reached for the woman. She owed him so much; she couldn''t die. Mandyughed weakly. The blood was continuously running from the cut, dripping on the floor and painting their clothes. "Mandy, you''re such a ridiculous woman. I won''t let you die. I swear, your family won''t live a peaceful life if you dare to die." There was a hint of panic in Nathan''s voice as he neared her. "You''re such an ass," Mandy murmured before seeing ck. Her head was about to m back to the floor, if not for Nathan catching her. Nathan looked at his surroundings before ncing back at her, feeling regret nted deep in his heart. It was his fault. All of this, all of what happened was his fault. He was never a religious person, never one to believe in the omnipotent one, but now, he found himself praying that Mandy would survive. Mandy was rushed to the No. 1 Hospital in City A. While Mandy was rushed into the emergency room, Nathan paced back and forth in the corridor so repetitively that he could burn a hole through the floors. Cutting an artery was dangerous. If it wasn''t stopped or treated well, Mandy could die. And it was his fault. Anger pounded inside Nathan. Nathan couldn''t me anyone but himself. Why did he have to do this? Why did he do this to her? He cared for her. Hell, he loved her! When he saw her slice through her artery, his heart hurt very much. Nathan had just humiliated Mandy, aiming to hurt her dignity tonight. ''What was I thinking? Was I out of my mind?'' Nathan questioned himself, feeling the urge to hit himself. Suddenly, Fred appeared, rushing over to Nathan. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were zed as if he had just woken up. "Mr. Jin, how is it going?" Fred took a look at Nathan and knew that he wasn''t doing well. His white shirt was stained with blood while his hair was damp with sweat. He looked like a drowned reptile. This was the second tragedy that had happened to Nathan. Thest one also happened in the hospital. "Mr. Jin, go change first. I will stay here." Fred handed him a ck paper bag. Nathan waved it away. "I don''t need it. I''ll wait for her." Though Nathan seemed expressionless, he was a mess in his heart. ''All she did was to cut her artery... nothing bad will happen... she''ll be okay...'' he closed his eyes and prayed. A tense atmosphere filled the corridor. It seemed as if the lights had dimmed down. Nathan nced down, feeling as if all his strength was drawn out of him. Even with the heating vents ced, he still felt as if the entire room was pushed into the icy depths of the North Poole. ''Mandy, you owe me so much. You can''t die!'' Nathan balled his hands into fists, trying to steady his nerves. But then, he raised his gaze and was going to throw a punch at the white wall next to him. Fred grabbed it with his hand out of instinct. From the force, if Fred had let it fly to the wall, there would be a hole in there within a second. "Mr. Jin, you don''t have to do this. She''ll live. God will bless her." Fred stretched his arm, feeling his muscles clench when he stopped Nathan''s fists. "I was the one who did this to her." His voice echoed at the door of the emergency room. If they listened closely, they could hear the sadness and guilt in his words. Just a few hours ago, Nathan was thinking of thousands of ways to get back at Mandy, but after seeing her take her own life...his stomach twisted, feeling as if his heart was being sliced open. "Mr. Jin, even if you were the one who did it, you can''t change the past. Please, don''t me yourself." "Fred, have I gone too far?" Nathan burst into bitterughter. He was known as a man who was always calm, so it was shocking to see Nathan being so open and rash about his feelings. Fred shook his head and sighed. "Love really is a poison." Nathan closed his lips tightly, offering nothing in response. After a while, the doctor came out. Before he could say anything, the doctor said, "Mr. Jin, please don''t worry. The operation was sessful. Miss Zhou will wake up soon." A wave of relief mmed over him. Nathan felt his shoulders droop as he took a deep breath. "Where is she now?" "She''lle out soon. Tonight, Miss Zhou needs to stay at the hospital for observation. If everything checks out fine, she''ll be ready to leave tomorrow morning." Outside Mandy''s ward "Mr. Jin, go get some rest. I can take care of things here." Fred knew what kind of person Nathan was. Nathan would definitely stay here and make sure everything really did check out fine with Mandy, but he was trying to persuade him to go rest. He needed some sleep, too. "No, I''ll take care of her myself. Just do me a favor and host tomorrow''s meeting. I won''t go." "Mr. Jin, why are you doing this?" Fred protested, knowing that he wouldn''t change his mind. "That''s it. You can go home now." Nathan looked away, rubbing his temple. It was the end of the conversation for him. Nobody could convince him anymore. In the ward, Mandy was already fully awake, overhearing the entire conversation between Nathan and Fred. She nced at her bandaged wrist, a sad smile weaving onto her face. Ever since she had met Nathan, her life had been a mess. She was exhausted from everything that had just happened. If she could just stay at the hospital like this, she didn''t need to think so much. A few more days and she would be able to leave Nathan permanently. Mandy would finally get the peace she wanted. When Nathan pushed the door open, he saw that Mandy''s eyes were open. As he neared, she immediately closed her eyes. ''Does Mandy hate me so much? She doesn''t even want to see me, '' Nathan couldn''t help but think to himself. He slowly sat on the chair in front of the bed, not speaking. A sneer snuck into his thin lips. Mandy closed her eyes nervously, yet her calm heart was already pounding faster as he neared. "Do you hate me?" Nathan asked, his voice detached and cold. Mandy pretended to sleep, not hearing him. In fact, she didn''t want to waste any energy to talk to him. After what he had done and what he asked them to do, she just couldn''t find it in herself to forgive him. Perhaps in his mind, all he saw her as was a toy he could y with whenever he was bored. She would not allow this to happen. Chapter 104 What Else Can You Do Except To Threaten Chapter 104 What Else Can You Do Except To Threaten "I know you are awake." Without warning, Nathan covered Mandy''s right wrist with his palm, which was the injured part. She still ignored Nathan. But unexpectedly, drowsiness soon invaded her senses, and she fell asleep quickly. Nathan, on the other hand, was closely watching her slipping away into a deep slumber. With a hint of impatience, he put forth strength to his fingers and pressed them hard on her injured wrist, which jolted Mandy awake, and she screamed in pain. "Ouch! It hurts. Let me go." She opened her eyes grimly, showing a fit of slight anger in her clear eyes. She was injured, but he was still treating her like this. Was he even a human? Only Nathan would do such a despicable thing to force her to open her eyes. ncing at her wrist, Mandy was trying to stop the bleeding, but it was not easy. The gauze was saturated again because of the pressure. Frightened, Mandy was fully awake now. She looked straight into Nathan''s cold eyes, and she involuntary felt herself shudder with chills running down her spine. There was a fear that spread from the bottom of her heart. "Mandy, listen to me. If you dare to engage in such a move to end your life again, I will make your whole family die with you. You know, it''s only a piece of cake for me to destroy your family," With a strong sense of warning in his dark eyes, he waspletely different from the anxious and worried Nathan from earlier when he was waiting outside the operating room. It was unfortunate for Mandy, however, that she never saw him get worried about her before. So in her heart, she could only perceive Nathan as a real devil. "What else can you do except threatening me with my family?" Mandy was in a rage, but her voice sounded indifferent. "Well? Do you really think I''m useless except that I am only good at threatening?" Nathan slightly arched his eyebrows and asked her instead without giving her a retort. The tense atmosphere around them made them both feel the brewing conflict in the quiet air. Mandy could easily discern the mix of sarcasm and disdain in Nathan''s eyes. Noting his sullen look, she managed to bring herself to reply in a trembling voice, "Yes." "Ha-ha..." Nathan chuckled. It sounded expressionless, but it was particrly arrogant. "Don''tugh. If you keep your promise, then just let me go when it is time," Mandy said. She felt restless but couldn''t help uttering the same request again. Her rosy lips opened and closed like a fish without even noticing his emotion. "Okay, I promise you," Nathan narrowed his gloomy eyes as he assured her. Mandy sighed with relief. Focusing her gaze on the bandage over her wrist, she suddenly felt that everything was worth it. As long as she could get rid of Nathan, what was a big deal in such a small injury? Before Mandy could react from the ecstasy of her so-called freedom, Nathan had already sealed her lips with his lips. He bent his body over and pinched her shoulders in his big hands as if he wanted to crush her. "Gosh... What are you doing!" Mandy struggled desperately. What happened tonight had left a shadow on her mind. Although she was fortunate not to be molested by the hooligans, now she felt that Nathan was no different from the hooligans in the casino. He never considered her feelings when he did things his way. Currently, she was lying on the hospital bed, but he still wanted to do it with her! "Do your due diligence. You don''t have to go to work at the hospital in the following few days until you''ve fully recovered," he ordered coldly. "Let go of me! Are you even a human being?" Mandy instinctively shrank back. She had lived in horror with Nathan for nearly a month, and yet she still couldn''t figure out what kind of person he was. Sometimes, he was good enough to let people die for him, but most of the time, he was always cold, making people want to beat him to death. "You have slept with me for such a long time. Don''t you know me well? It seems that I need to help you review it, in case you forget it." Nathan smiled, and he was not even angry. His handsome face wore a natural and innocent smile. "We are in the hospital!" Mandy blurted out, and her voice trembled with fear as she tried to put some sense in him. ''Nathan is impossible, '' she mused as she helplessly stared at him in disbelief. "I know, but no one is allowed toe in here without my order." He grinned evilly. There was nothing he couldn''t do as long as he wanted to. "But... But you can''t do that. I am still a patient!" Mandy reasoned out, incoherently. She was exasperated and felt agitated at the same time. Nathan grabbed her injured wrist and smirked. "You deserve it. If you don''t listen to me, you''ll regret it at any time." Mandy tried her best to hold back her strong aversion to Nathan and forced herself to cater to him. After staying with him for such a time, she had learned her lesson from her experience the hard way. She understood that the more she resisted, the more aggressive Nathan became. So she would rather obey him than waste her energy to go against him. Nathan was more than satisfied when he felt Mandy kissed him in her initiative. He squinted his dark eyes as he felt her deep affection. But Mandy failed to see it the moment she closed her eyes. Outside the window, with stars shining against the dark blue sky, a handsome man and a beautiful woman were kissing affectionately in the room. The next morning, when Mandy rouse from sleep, she observed how Nathan looked immacte and impably dressed in his suit. Appreciating the good weather outside, she somehow felt an ounce of happiness. The sky was blue, and the typhoon was gone, and now the golden sunlight sprinkled into the ward, making the room wonderfully warm. Nathan, at that time, was facing the ss window. There was no warmth in his eyes as he stared at the vast horizon, deeply lost in his thoughts. He didn''t even notice that Mandy was already awake. She silently watched his back for a while, with a feeling of coldness in her heart, knowing she could never get close to Nathan. She perceived that he was thinking about something, but she had no idea what about it. Mandy desired to know Nathan''s secret, but she was afraid of knowing it because they were from two different worlds, and it would never be possible for them to be together. Mandy was struggling in her heart. For the first time in her life, she felt what self-abasement was. When the sun shone on Nathan''s shoulder, he moved an inch, letting his hair seem to fly in the ray of light. Like being captured by a camera, his every move was slowly presented in front of her eyes. She was still mesmerized and in a daze when Nathan turned around, greeting her with a faint smile on his handsome face, "Good morning." Snapping back to her senses, Mandy blinked her eyes and replied foolishly, "Good morning." Her heart seemed to be disturbed by Nathan. She had this strong desire to know everything about him. Why was he sometimes cold and sometimes passionate? Everyone had a story, even Nathan¨Cthe man, who made all women go crazy? Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "I have already asked for leave for you. You can rest here, at ease," Nathan informed her, nonchntly. "I... I don''t want to stay in the hospital," Mandy mumbled, looking innocent while pouting her lips. Chapter 105 I Dont Feel Dislike To Her Chapter 105 I Don''t Feel Dislike To Her As a doctor, she often spent her days in the hospital, so she wasn''t fond of staying there that much, especially now that she was required to rest. Other than she found it dreary, she also didn''t have someone to apany her, even Nathan. Judging from his expression, she was certainly sure that he would go to work. "Where do you want to go?" Nathan asked affectionately with a doting smile on his face. His attitude was different from how he behavedst night. Mandy was perplexed. Looking steadily at Nathan, she felt cautious as she mumbled softly, "I want to go home." "Let''s go. Didn''t you say that you want to watch a movie? Let''s go to the cinema," Nathan suggested tenderly, and he held her gaze. "What? Really?" she stammered, feeling bewildered as ever. She even tried convincing herself that maybe, he decided not to work today. Thrilled, she then mentally gave him a thumbs up, like a happy kid! "Really. You go wash yourself first," he reassured her. Then in one swift motion, he removed her quilt and held her gently as he helped her out of bed. Sudden expectations and excitement were showing in Mandy''s eyes, so she smiled almost sweetly at him and eagerly said, "Thank you." Everything seemed to be back to normal again, where Nathan became warm and considerate once more. Mandy liked this side of him so much, making her heart swell in bliss. In no time, she trotted gaily into the bathroom, humming a song while brushing her teeth. Nathan''s eyes danced with amusement the whole time he watched her overjoyed reaction. Settling himself on the sofa, the corner of his lips curled into a gentle smile, and he could not help but shake his head at the sight of Mandy''s face that seemed to glow with happiness. Realizing that they had been together for so many days, and never once had he apanied her for a whole day, and not even letting her be so happy, Nathan thought he owed Mandy a lot. Although he was convinced to get Mandy, he should try to treat her properly. "Hey, it seems that I don''t have any clothes." She poked her head out of the toilet and looked at Nathan expectantly. Her eyes seemed to be pleading silently. Nathan approached her and handed a paper bag to her. Seeing her innocent look, he smiled but didn''t say anything. Mandy eagerly took the bag. Inside she found a chiffon dress, which was very suitable for this season. Ever since they lived together, Nathan had been taking good care of her in her daily life. He provided the clothes she wore, and every dress was a limited edition. Mandy knew about branded clothes, and she was quite familiar with it. But every time she donned on a dress worth more than ten thousand, she felt like she was new money. With those thoughts running wildly in her mind, she appeared a little shy after dressing up. With her fingers twisting anxiously, she lowered her head and made her way to Nathan''s side. Nathan just calmly nced at Mandy when he sensed her presence beside him. He rationalized that this woman was not astonishingly beautiful, but her facial features were delicate and gentle enough, making people feel pleasant to look at her. "Um... What movie are we going to watch?" Mandy inquired, suddenly beaming at him. "You can watch whatever you like," Nathan didn''t ask for much but asked for Mandy''s opinion instead. After all, he wanted topensate her to make it up to her. "Let me check on the Inte." Mandy touched her pocket as usual. Habitually, she hid her mobile phone in her white uniform. But today, she felt something was amiss. Where was her phone? "Ha-ha... I didn''t bring my cell phone with me. Can I borrow yours?" While sitting on the front passenger seat, Mandy finally mustered up her courage to ask. Earlier, she couldn''t bring herself to talk to him. The cell phone was the sort of thing that was quite personal, so she was quite cautious. As if it was not a big deal, Nathan casually took his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Mandy without any hesitation. "The password is your birthday," he said coldly. Hearing what he said, Mandy was stunned. She had never expected that Nathan would use her birthday to set the password for his phone. For it was a norm that people would use the birthday of their loved one as the password. Did Nathan like her? She had no idea why, but it gave her heart a tiny spark of hope. "Well... Can I ask you why it is my birthday?" Mandy licked her lips as she grew nervous, and her heart was not even helping her, for it beat like a drum inside her chest. And like a teenager, her shining eyes were brimming with expectation. "Is it strange to use the birthday of my own woman as the password?" Mandy snapped her mouth closed in an instant. She looked a little embarrassed, and she felt a little weird to hear Nathan say such words. It sounded like it came out wrong from Nathan. She immediately recalled that when she was still dating Daniel, the password of his cell phone was also her birthday, which seemed to be a little secret between lovers. So he was right! It was not unusual. Lowering her gaze to the phone in her hand, she checked the background photo and noted that it was in and simple. It was nothing like her phone that had an ostentatious wallpaper. Perhaps, this might be the difference between men and women. Men always preferred simple things. Unbeknownst to Mandy, Nathan was a person who hated others to use his cellphone, but he didn''t mind Mandy using it. It was as if he trusted her very much. Though he also hated the idea of letting her, then why could he tolerate this woman in front of him? Mandy took her time in searching for what she liked on the Inte. And in the end, she chose a recent hit American movie. She preferred to watch a romantic movie. But how could she possibly watch it with a brute like Nathan? ''What if he lost control of himself and wanted to do it in the cinema, it would be too bad!'' She almost cringed at the thought of it. On the way to the cinema, the sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. Nathan was ying a rhythmic love song in the car, which made people want to go back to the good old times on the campus in one night. "Let''s have breakfast first," suggested Nathan. When she heard this, Mandy turned her head to look at him and inquired, "Where are we going to eat?" "What do you want to eat?" Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "I want to eat a rice ball at the street stands." The corner of Nathan''s mouth twitched. This woman must have grown up eating snacks rubbish. When he asked her what she wanted to eat, she dared say she wanted to eat a rice ball at the street stands. "That is unwholesome food!" Nathan turned down Mandy''s unreasonable request directly. His face was expressionless. "Okay, then I won''t eat," Mandy hissed angrily, crossing her arms. "Then we can go home and do it," Nathan countered as he smiled slyly. Mandy pouted in defeat, reluctantly admitting that he won. Unhappily, she stared at him and meekly said, "Then what do you want to eat?" She had never seen such a shameless person! They quarreled and argued on their way until they arrived at their destination. Lacing his fingers to hers, Nathan dragged Mandy into a Hong Kong-style restaurant next to the cinema. Done with their breakfast, they eased their way towards the cinema''s entrance. Mandy and Nathan were walking one after the other. Nathan was walking in front while Mandy was following closely behind. Nathan suddenly stopped in his tracks. Mandy was too absorbed with something else, and she did not notice Nathan had halted his steps. Without warning, she bumped her nose against Nathan''s strong back. "Oh, my God... My nose!" Mandy yelped, whining out painfully. She frowned as she gently rubbed her nose with one hand and silently red at Nathan. "Who told you to think about other things while walking? You deserve it," he threw a cold nce at her while mocking her without mercy. But in the next second, Nathan took her left hand and held it firmly. Mandy suddenly felt a little awkward and tried her best to take her hand back, but unfortunately, he wouldn''t budge and gripped her hand more tightly instead. "Let me go. Why do you hold my hand in public?" Mandy whispered furiously. "You are my woman. What''s wrong with holding your hand? We have done more intimate things than this. Do you still mind that now?" Nathan stopped and bent over, smiling ambiguously by Mandy''s ear. Mandy was instantly petrified! ''Oh, my God! How could I meet such a shameless person!'' Mandy wished she could die. Chapter 676 Childlike Nathan Chapter 676 Childlike Nathan In thete night, stars were scattered along the vast dark blue sky. Around 11 o''clock, the four of them came out of the hotel. Nathan had consumed a lot of wine. Under the influence of alcohol, he held Mandy''s arm and walked towards the garage. Then, Fiona and Ethon followed their footsteps. The couple came to lend a hand to Mandy in taking care of the drunken Nathan. With a worried look on her face, Fiona asked, "Can you take him back alone, Sis? We are here to help." "Don''t worry, I can handle this. It''ste already, you should go home and have some rest now." Mandy nodded with a reassuring smile. Her mind wondered about the reason behind Nathan''s impulsive drinking. "Okay, then we are leaving now. Just please take care," Fiona replied. After Ethon and Fiona went away, Nathan sobered up and looked at Mandy all of a sudden. His dark eyes were like a vast ocean of stars, staring solemnly straight at Mandy. At that moment, Mandy gently gazed at him. Then, she clenched her right hand into a fist and lightly punched on his chest. She pouted her lips and raised her voice a little and asked, "Nathan! Are you just pretending to be drunk?" Nathan took the opportunity and swiftly held Mandy in his arms; his slender and elegant fingers rubbed against her back. He buried his head in her neck and sniffed the sweet scent of her body. "I wish I was really drunk. But I simply can''t. No matter how much I drink, it has no effects. It''s frustrating that I can''t even get drunk." Nathan suddenly gave out augh. Ayer of hazy and dim light seemed to cover his handsome face. "Then why are you acting like that? Why did you pretend to be drunk?" Mandy snorted. At that moment, Nathan was acting like a child. However, the fact that he was pretending to be drunk made her think he was irresistibly cute. "I really don''t know." Nathan shook his head and gently rubbed Mandy''s head, which send tingling sensations through her body. "Do you have something on your mind that bothers you?" Mandy said with a warm smile, her delicate face was slowly turning red. Then, her snow-white arms encircled Nathan''s manly waist. "My honey..." Nathan whispered as he pressed his sexy thin lips against Mandy''s ear. "Why? I''m here with you," Mandy answered in a particrly soft tone as if she wasmunicating to a child. "Do still you love me?" Nathan suddenly loosened his grip on Mandy. Then, he stood straight, facing her and staring straight into her eyes with deep affection in his eyes. In response to his actions, Mandy lowered her eyes and shed a smile. Her hands were still clinging to his waist, while her fingers were drawing circles on his body, she asked, "Why did you ask that question out of the blue?" "Because you still haven''t told me that you love me today," Using his one hand, Nathan held her chin up. Then, he lowered his head and kissed her passionately. At that instance, Mandy slightly raised the corners of her mouth and gently stroked his hair. The words he was longing to hear came out of her mouth, "I love you Nathan." With a teasing smile on his face, Nathan loosed her and said, "Say it once more. I did not hear you clearly." "Nathan, I love you. I love you. I love you. Did you hear me loud and clear?" Mandy''s lips formed a smile. Her almond shaped eyes sparkled like two bright stars in the night sky. Upon hearing Mandy expressing her love for him, Nathan lowered his head again and pecked a gentle kiss on her soft red lips. Then, he took her hand and walked towards the hotel. With a smile, he said, "We''re not going home tonight. We will stay in the hotel, okay?" "What did you say? Why do we have to stay? What about Adrian? Who''s going to look after him?" Mandy followed Nathan''s steps in confusion. "Tomorrow, I''m going to Switzend, so I want to stay with my beloved wife tonight," Nathan said as he paused from walking. "Honey, why are you acting like a child? You like to stick by my side so much." Mandyughed at Nathan, but she did not intend to mock him. Deep within her heart, she liked that Nathan liked to stay with her. "Adrian must be in bed now. Someone is taking a good care of him. You don''t need to worry. Spend the rest of the night here with me, okay?" At that moment, Nathan pressed the button of the elevator. After a few seconds, they heard the ''ding'' sound, and the elevator opened wide. With their fingers interlocked, Nathan and Mandy walked inside the elevator together. As soon as the door closed, Nathan held Mandy and kissed her with overwhelming passion. For that night, the couple checked in the luxurious presidential suite. The moment Nathan inserted the room card into it, all the lights in the suite suddenly lit up. Nathan bent over, picked Mandy up in his arms like a bride, and entered the bathroom. Mandy ced her fingers onto the thin lips of Nathan and said with an alluring smile on her face, "Your lips seemed to have something to say." "Honey, will you go to Switzend with me?" The moment Nathan held Mandy in his arms, he felt that the woman was as light as a feather. By the looks of her, Mandy was petite and delicate as if she was a gift that God bestowed to him. "It''s your business trip, it''s not a vacation. Even if I go with you, we won''t spend a lot of time together. I''d better stay at home with Adrian," Mandy said with a soft smile on her angelic face. Based on his actions, she felt like Nathan was being a child. In the back of her mind, Mandy wondered about Nathan''s reason for inviting her to apany him on a business trip. After being silent for a long time, Nathan put Mandy down and ced his hand on her waist. Slowly, he unzipped her dress and asked, "You look so gorgeous with this dress. Have you seduced other men outside?" "Where did that questione from? Don''t you feel confident about yourself?" Mandy seriously thought that tonight Nathan was not drunk but out of his mind. She pondered about what could possibly have triggered Nathan''s jealousy even though she was dressed up beautifully. "Are you kidding me? I''ve never lost confidence in myself," he said. "If that''s the case, why did you say such words?" As she spoke, her dress dropped to the ground while she was standing, which revealed her mesmerizing naked body in front of Nathan''s eyes. The woman in front of him had a face full of grace, a delicate slim figure, and smooth fair skin. It was not the look of a woman who had brought life into this world at all. At that moment, Mandy''s blood rushed towards her cheeks, giving it a rosy color. No matter how long they had been together, she always blushed every time Nathan teases her. In reality, she did not have to be shy in front of her husband. Mandy''s shyness was exactly what Nathan loved about her. She acted like an unmarried girl, arousing his burning desire within. Then, his fingers lingered on her white skin as it drew circles on her smooth and enticing back. In an affectionate tone, Nathan asked, "Have you been at the hospital every day recently?" "Yes, Lisa is sick. I should go check her out, I need to see her," With the thought of this, a sense of frustration rose in Mandy''s heart as if something was blocking her chest. When Nathan saw her gloomy reaction when the topic was mentioned, he stopped what he was doing for a moment. A frown appeared on his face, and he worriedly asked, "What''s wrong?" "Well, she still can''t forgive me," Mandy let out a sigh. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around Nathan''s neck and pressed her body close to him. "Why can''t she?" Nathan asked with puzzlement in his eyes.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Chapter 677 Mr. Jealousy Chapter 677 Mr. Jealousy "She always knew that I was the one who divorced Colin, and therefore, she tried her level best to stop the marriage from falling apart. She probably searches for some security deep in her heart, which I failed to give her. I am the one that is to be med here. This is all my fault!" "Are you even in your right mind? This is just gibberish now!" Nathan exploded in anger as he frowned at all this. "What am I supposed to do, Nathan? Please help me out!" Mandy was seemingly worried and at the end of her wits. She had no one to turn to, but Nathan. In her heart, she was hesitant, and she struggled to make a decision. Everything in her heart was like it had tangled into arge knot¡ªa knot that she did not know how to disentangle. "See the fact is that she is not your child. Therefore you have no business with her, and it will be wise of you to stay out of her life. You have to give up on this child! It is high time." Nathan had his own selfish needs that directed his suggestions for Mandy. His eyes looked evil. He was tired of seeing Mandy upset all day. He had not in his wildest dreams thought that a little child like Lisa would even be a problem. "No, there is no way that I am giving up on her. Her parents helped me once when I needed it the most! I cannot just desert her, I will have to bear that guilt for the rest of my life. Such an act of unkindness will not go unpunished!" Mandy said decisively. "You literally make no sense right now! You need not worry about her so much. I am willing to take all the bacsh on your behalf and end your suffering," Nathan finally said to calm Mandy down. "No. Please stop saying such things. I am just wondering how to make her ept the reality for what it is," said Mandy. "Did you ever consider the fact that such a little girl knows so much about divorce and marriage? Is it not strange? This is all Colin''s trickery to never let you go!" Nathan was enraged. He stared at Mandy with the hope that she would see this. "Nathan, please tell me you are joking! Colin can be a very bad human being, but taking advantage of his little girl to fulfill his selfish needs will be thest thing on his agenda. I staunchly believe that he will not stoop to such lows!" Although Mandy said all this aloud, deep inside somewhere, she knew that Nathan could be right. "What kind of man is he? What do you think? You think he is a great man?" Nathan taunted. His face grew darker, and he could not help but continue frowning at everything. At least Mandy thought that Colin was a decent guy. Everyone was allowed to form their opinions in the world. Also, Colin had given Mandy some of the most important things in life, so it was only natural for him to expect her to be by him in an hour of need. That is the least a man wants or expects. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. But to Nathan, Colin was the rival in his love interest. So obviously they never got along well. Both of them wanted Mandy as their own. "Well, let''s not discuss this anymore," Mandy said, exhausted with all the arguing. "Okay, but you must know I am not ready to let you meet Lisa every day. I don''t want anything to hinder our happiness! It took us a lot of time to get here!" Nathan decisively said to Mandy. One could understand from the look on his face that he was dead serious. "Nathan you are obsessing over it now. Lisa is just a little girl. She won''t cause any trouble, I promise!" Mandy tried to calm Nathan down with a disappointed look on her face. After all, Mandy knew about Nathan''s prejudice towards Colin. Instead of replying immediately, Nathan just looked at Mandy very carefully. "What should I think then? Will I ever be your priority? I''m your husband, not just another acquaintance. Why are you so obliged to keep others happy even when the favor is negligible? I also have done things for you. Do they mean nothing to you?" Nathan hissed. He was fuming with anger. "Yet again, you misunderstood me!" shouted Mandy! Her lips quivered out of anger and grief. "You think I have wronged you again? Well, the real fact is that you who have wronged me this time! You are such a selfish woman. You would always ratherpromise our happiness than refuse people''s unreasonable demands. I can''t keep up with this stupidity!" Nathan had no control over his words or anger anymore. The veins popped up on his bony hands. But he stretched them out to hold Mandy. "I..." Mandy could no more hold herself back. She buried her head into Nathan''s arms and fell silent. "Tell me, what do you want to say? Do you think I enjoy quarreling with you like this? Or I would ever repeat this action? I know life has not exactly been easy for either of us. I know you have difficulties. If I quarrel with you once again, you might be on the verge of copsing again. Mandy, I really hope that you stay happier than this. You should do what your heart desires!" Nathan looked defeated. His voice sounded helpless. But Mandy could not believe what she had just heard from him. This Nathan was a new person¡ªan evolved person. If one could travel back in time, Nathan would simply leave home without any discussion out of anger. "Nathan, I can''t thank you enough for understanding!" Mandy was so touched by his approach that she hugged Nathan with a smile on her face. "I am not demanding anything out of the normal. ce yourself in my position when you decide something. Just think, if I had an ex-wife and an adopted child, would you be very happy with the fact that I visited them every other day? Give this a thought, for it might give you some perspective about the whole scenario," Nathan exined calmly, and this made Mandy sad even though she knew that there was logic in it. Nathan had high tolerance. But the idea of his wife visiting her ex-husband and adopted child everyday was way too much toply with. At this point, Nathan simply burst out. "That does not sound great. Then what should I do? How to keep everything bnced?" Mandy was seemingly frustrated at this point. "No one can have all the best things in the world together. You cannot keep in such regr touch with Colin anymore! You simply cannot rush to the hospital every time you get a call from there!" "Okay, Mr. Jealousy, I get it!" Mandy teased Nathan with a twinkle in her eyes. She stared at his piercing eyes and smiled faintly in her heart. This new nickname, "Mr. Jealousy," suited Nathan very well. "What did you say?" Nathan was startled. He narrowed his eyes carefully. He was already sober even though the smell of alcohol still lingered. "I called you Mr. Jealousy!" Mandy repeated provocatively. "Oh, woman, you are dead. Wait just two minutes, I will show you my strength!" Nathan snapped. He showed his mock anger and teased Mandy. He yed with her hair and traced her beautiful neck with his fingers. Mandy tried to push Nathan away but was hugged even more tightly. The bathtub was ready with steaming water. He picked Mandy up and put her in the bathtub. Then he quickly disrobed and jumped in to join Mandy. "How strong are you? I don''t know! Show me!" Mandy seductively pinched Nathan''s chin. Nathan grabbed onto Mandy''s round buttocks and spanked it. "You naughty girl, you really need to be tamed!" he said in his sexy voice. Chapter 678 She Is Firm With Her True Love Chapter 678 She Is Firm With Her True Love "Show me how strong you are," Mandy challenged him. "You''ve gotten so bold now!" Amused, Nathanughed heartily. Steam wafted up in thin clouds from the warm water, engulfing them in a mist. "I''ll let go of what happened tonight. Next time, I''ll ask your permission first whenever I want to visit Lisa. Or I''ll ask you toe with me, okay?" She tried to make a deal with him and felt herself blush. "You''re quite prepared." Although his anger had abated, he still did not agree directly with her request. He angled a spective look at her, and an enigmatic smile broke shallowly across his face. Unfortunately for Mandy, you would not try games of one-upmanship with Nathan. "I learned from you," she said softly as a sly smile scored her beautiful face. The next morning, Serge brought a change of clothes for Nathan and Mandy. Fred also came. Promptly on cue, the doorbell rang. Nathan went to the door wearing a bathrobe and opened it. Mandy was still in the bathroom, getting ready. "Good morning, Mr. Jin!" Serge greeted in high spirits and handed a bag of clothes to Nathan. "Good morning!" Nathan gave a curt nod to the two men. "Mr. Jin, the private jet is ready. When do you want to leave?" Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "I''ll set out after breakfast." Done with her business, Mandy walked out in a daze wrapped only in a flimsy satin bathrobe that revealed her slender legs. The door at the end of the hall was open, and Nathan stood in the doorway. Nathan looked over his shoulder and saw Mandy, who looked every bit enticing. He abruptly closed the door and took her inside. With a slight reproach, he med, "What are you doing? Why are you so scantily d?" "What are you talking about? Aren''t you wearing the same?" She innocently blinked as she took the carrier bag. "Fred and Serge were standing at the door just now. They might be my men, but they are still men anyway. Do you want to seduce them?" He squinted at her, not at all amused. Mandy was startled by his outburst. Regaining her senses, she snapped, "You''re just saying that because you are a male chauvinist!" "What do you mean I''m a male chauvinist?" asked Nathan knowingly, pretending not to understand. "I''m not allowed to do this and that, but you can do whatever you want!" She pulled on a set of clothes and then started down the hall. Before she could step away, Nathan grabbed her hand and spun her around. "Since I''m a male chauvinist, I order you now to change your clothes in front of me!" It took a couple of seconds for his words to sink in and another few to process them. Seeing his wolfish smile, Mandy pouted and said sharply, "You''re messing with me!" She used him of being a chauvinist, so he deliberately pissed her off. He wanted her to be irked because he sure as hell was annoyed. "Fair enough. You''ll change in front of me, and I''ll do the same. Isn''t that what you want?" Nathan casually said as he took off his bathrobe. She made a small sound of disbelief. Now she was in for it. The man unnerved her, but then, she married this shameless man. She could only grit her teeth and endure silently. She changed her clothes, but her mood deted when Nathan''s trip came to mind. "How long will you be away this time?" "It depends, maybe a week. Can you take care of yourself?" Nathan became grave, and there was a glimmer of trepidation in his eyes. "Don''t worry, I''m not a kid," Mandy teased, not wanting to break the mood. Nathan was not looking forward to the trip, and an inner voice of warning pinged in his head. Fearing that some people might be plotting against Mandy, he asked Serge to stay in City A to protect her. He arranged it secretly, though, in case he made her nervous. After breakfast, Nathan departed on his private aircraft to Switzend. At forty thousand feet, the clouds reflected the shadow of the jet across the sky. Overhead, the sunlight glowed brilliantly against the pale blue background, sprinkling streaks of a myriad colors below. Meanwhile, Mandy went back to the vi to take Adrian to kindergarten. The little kid had just finished his breakfast and was tidying in front of the mirror. He twisted and turned, checking out his uniform from every possible angle. And then a smile crossed his face as he was pleased, admiring his reflection. Mandy nearly burst intoughter when she saw the scene. Adrian''s chubby body, coupled with the way he fussed with his appearance at such an innocent age, was simply adorable. ''He will surely be a ladies man in the future, just like his father!'' Nacy, who was still rubbing sleep from her eyes, came walking down the stairs and joined them. She did not sleep wellst night after she had quarreled with Simon. The man was so angry that he left without notice. Mandy looked up and saw Nacy was not her usual m self. She seemed weary, and there were dark circles under her eyes. "Why do you look so bad, Nacy?" Mandy asked as she approached her, concerned. "I''m fine!" Nacy smiled, pretending to be tough and stoic. But in truth, she felt overwhelming gloom. She wanted to rid her mind of thoughts of Simon but to no avail. "How were you and Simonst night?" "He was livid." A soft, half-sad smile parted her beautiful lips. "What? He left angry?" Mandy eximed in surprise. ''Nathan said they would make up. Howe childhood sweethearts who were bickering for most of their lives ended up in a divorce?'' "It''s not a big deal. We''re divorced, and maybe he''s getting sick of me. Anyway, the man''s not even worth mentioning!" Nacy said nonchntly. Since the miscarriage, the chasm between them had never seemed broader. They used to talk every day, but now all they did was fight. They became impatient and began to me each other for their problems. Simon used her of always making a fuss and being inconsiderate while Nacy always thought that Simon maintained a rtionship with Bonnie, which reached the end of her tolerance. Be that as it may, Nacy would still investigate the real cause of her miscarriage. She did not care who was to me for what she would do. Nacy had a clear distinction between love and hate. She did not like being entangled with other women for a man, but she was firm with her true love and would not easily give up. "Where are you going?" Mandy changed the topic. She was afraid that Nacy would get bored being alone at home. "I have an appointment with Bruce. We are going out for a barbecue. Would you like to join us?" Nacy offered as she smoothed her floral dress. Despite her fatigue, Nacy had dressed up daintily. Mandy was smart enough to figure out what was going on. "No, thanks. If you want to be together, I don''t see why I should stand in your way." Chapter 679 Dont Go Too Far Chapter 679 Don''t Go Too Far Nacy waved her hand and exined quickly, "Mandy, what are you talking about? Bruce and I are just friends, nothing more than that. There''s nothing else between us." "I''m not judging you, don''t worry. You don''t have to exin anything to me. Both you and Simon are tired of your rtionship. It''s good for you to have fun with Bruce so that you can forget about your worries and your unhappiness with Simon for a while. Just be careful not to go too far." Mandy smiled warmly. She only wanted to give her a friendly bit of advice. "We''re not going too far. Bruce isn''t interested in me like that." "So, did you want to go out with him for a barbecue just to make Simon jealous?" Lowering her head, Nacy thought for a moment before answering, "Yes, I would like that. He deserves it, doesn''t he? But I don''t really care. Anyway, I have nothing to do with him now. I don''t care what he feels about me. I will just follow my heart." "You mean you wouldn''t be jealous even if Simon was with another woman?" Mandy asked bluntly. Sometimes a woman could understand another woman''s mind better than a man could. Mandy tried to put herself in Nacy''s position in order to understand what Nacy was going through. If Mandy herself had had a quarrel with Nathan that day, she wouldn''t want him to mess around with other women. There was a very simple reason why couples quarreled with each other: it was just because the woman was jealous and wanted to vent her anger. In most cases, if a man was willing to coax a woman, the woman would be as docile as a rabbit. "No, I wouldn''t be sad at all. If he can go out and have fun with other women, then I will also enjoy myself with some other handsome guys. I don''t care if I make him sad or angry." Nacy smiled bitterly. Her anger at Simon was pretty obvious. Mandy wasn''t sure what else to say, so she just smiled and took hold of Adrian''s hand and said softly, "Adrian, it''s time for us to go to kindergarten now. Say goodbye to your aunt." Adrian blew a kiss at Nacy from a distance and said sweetly, "Goodbye, Aunt! Love you." "Love you too, Adrian." Nacy smiled back. Hearing that, Mandy couldn''t hold back the goose bumps that sprang up all over her body. She wondered how Adrian had ever learned to say goodbye in such a way. She and Nathan seldom exchanged terms of endearment such as "love you" with each other in public. Actually, as far as she could remember, she had never said it to Nathan before, nor had Nathan ever said it to her. Nacy stood outside the vi, waiting for Bruce. Bruce drove a Mercedes SUV today. He had put many fresh ingredients in the trunk. He sat in the driver''s seat. His handsome face was covered with a pair of delicate brown sses which concealed his deep eyes. "Hey, beauty, who are you waiting for?" Bruce rolled down the car window. His clean white shirt was shining in the sunshine. He looked as fresh and clean as an angel. "I''m waiting for you." Nacy smiled and went to the passenger seat. Although it waste autumn, the sunlight was still very strong. It was a perfect day for having a barbecue outside. Bruce drove through the streets and crowds. Going along the curving mountain roads, they arrived at a resort with beautiful scenery. The resort was serene and quiet, not bustling with people like downtown. The pace of life there seemed to be slower, and the air in the mountains had a fresh breeziness that was soothing and invigorating. Nacy hopped out of the car in excitement. She wore a pink cap, a white polo shirt, and a light pink short skirt. On her feet, a pair of simple canvas shoes matched her youthful and vivacious personality. Bruce told the staff to take their food to the barbecue area. After getting out of the car, Nacy found a stone bench and sat down. There was a sunshade above it, which gave her just enough cover from the hot sun above. "I wasn''t sure what you would like to eat. I just prepared some food casually." Bruce smiled warmly at her, which made her feel as if a lovely spring breeze had blown against her body. Nacy was captivated by his smile. As the feeling spread across her face, it felt as if time had gone back to three years before. In those days when she had a crush on Bruce, everything seemed so wonderful. She had no idea what would have happened to her if she had chosen to be with Bruce instead of Simon. Three years ago, Nacy almost made Bruce fall in love with her. In fact, Bruce also had a little affection for her, but it was not a strong feeling. It was more like a candle that could be extinguished at any moment. After a gust of wind, it would never revive again. But now, when Nacy was feeling blue, Bruce could take her around, and this was enough to cheer her up. They got along with each other like two friends, which was actually quite good because neither of them felt any emotional burden. They both knew it was impossible to be with each other. Even if they enjoyed each other''spany, they wouldn''t feel the same way about each other as they did three years before. "Do you know how to make a barbecue?" Nacy teased. From her point of view, Bruce''s social status was too high for him to know how to cook well. But she felt that she did a good thing when she promoted him to be the director of the Education Bureau. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bruce''s temperament matched his current job perfectly. He was a man with a strong dedication to work and a strong sense of responsibility. In addition, his major was education, so he was very well qualified for the position of deputy director of the Education Bureau. She hadn''t seen him for a long time. He had gradually faded away from Mandy''s world and forced himself to forget about her. But how could it be so simple to forget someone he had loved so deeply? It was not that easy to forget a loved one. Bruce knew that he couldn''t bring her any happiness. She was on the same side with him four years ago, but now she was shining like a star. In other words, he didn''t feel that he was good enough for her. He worked hard to obtain his current position, just in order to take care of her in secret, and let her live a good life, free of worry. He was a stubborn man, and he didn''t want to fall in love with another woman. "Of course. I often barbecued in high school. After graduation, I worked as a teacher, and I also took my students to have a barbecue every month. I''m pretty good at it. You can have a taste today," Bruce said with a big smile on his face, looking quite confident. "I''m looking forward to eating a big meal." Nacyughed and apuded. Bruce ced the carbon on the stove and the tin foil on the barbecue rack. Then he smeared oil on the kebabs, looking verypetent. Staring at these delicious kebabs, Nacy quickly felt hungry. She squinted and smiled. "What do you think these kebabs will be like if they are roasted twice?" "If you roast the kebabs well and then roast them again, they would be burnt. Why do you ask such a silly question?" Bruce took the brush and smeared oil and pepper on the kebabs, then he stared at the kebabs in front of him and answered her question carefully. "This theory also applies to human feelings. If our feelings go too far, they can make us lose everything we cherish." Nacy turned her eyes to Bruce and watched his profile, noting the side of his face and his thin lips that were slightly pressed. His eyes were deep and imprable so that his thoughts couldn''t be easily read by her. Chapter 680 Do You Have A Dogs Nose Chapter 680 Do You Have A Dog''s Nose "Fate ties everything together. Maybe we''re having a barbecue here for a reason. It''s very important for things to happen at the right time, right ce, and with the right people. These elements are indefensible. Anyway, Nacy, try some of these kebabs. Tell me if I''m a good cook or not." Bruce gracefully picked up a kebab, dipped it in a thinyer of seafood sauce and handed it to Nacy. Nacy took the steaming hot kebab, put it on her te, and gently blew on it. After a while, she took a bite of the kebab. She chewed it with a surprised look on her face, then gave a thumbs up. "Wow, this is delicious! How did you roast it? Your cooking skills are good enough that you can open a barbecue booth at the school gate...This is your ticket to poprity!" "You really have a good business acumen." Bruce put all the kebabs on the te. He took out the needle mushrooms and chicken wings from the trunk and put them onto a piece of tin foil. "Ha-ha. What do you think of my idea? Tell me... Would you be interested in running a barbecue shop?" "If you like eating barbecued food so much, I can roast some more things for youter..." Bruce spoke with an air of ambiguity, looking up at Nacy. Nacy twisted her mouth, blushing a little, then frowned on purpose. She felt a little embarrassed at his words. "What if you change your mind in the future?" "Why would I? It''s just a barbecue, right? But you''d better eat less. It''s not good for your health," Bruce said with a smile, looking at the needle mushroom in his hand. Nacy curled her lips, shrugging. She hadn''t had barbecue since marrying Simon. Simon was a man who led a healthy and cautious life. He was against consuming roadside, fried, and barbecued food. He often took her to eat Western foods like beefsteak but never let her eat from cheap roadside stands. Simon loved Nacy a lot, but in his own method of loving and caring for her, he forgot to consider what her expectations from their marriage were. Nacy was a naturally curious woman, who liked to pursue new things. She was fed up with eating the same Western food and having the same red wine. Sometimes, her idea of change and satisfaction meant having a casual barbecue or some cheap junk food. Simon was uptight in that manner, being a person who didn''t like breaking the rules for healthy living. He had grown up in a traditional family, and everything he did in his life aligned with his parents'' expectations from him, which exined why he was so conservative regarding some things. "Just once in a while. I haven''t eaten kebabs for years!" Nacy stared at the slice of pork in her hands. It was so tempting that she couldn''t take her eyes off it! "Is that by choice? Or is that how your husband likes to live?" Bruce gave a faint and warm smile. "Partly. But he isn''t that strict anymore," Nacy spoke casually, after devouring the piece of meat and throwing the bamboo stick into the trash can. Bruce noticed how she was unwilling to meet his eyes. Bruce and Nacy had a great afternoon, talking with their hearts open. Nacy hadn''t felt like herself to this extent in a long time. Bruce was an intelligent guy, for he could make out what was on her mind, so he avoided some sensitive topics. He only mentioned Simon once, half-jokingly. "Have some of these kebabs yourself! I''m so stuffed!" Nacy suddenly realized he hadn''t eaten any of the kebabs. How could he restrain himself from eating such delicious food? "I thought you liked them too much. So I''d just roast them for you. You can have as many as you want." With a pair of thick, ck-rimmed sses on his handsome, chiseled face, Bruce looked sincere but cheerful. Nacy noticed how gentle he appeared. Bonnie and Jennifer also happened toe to the resort for a barbecue that day. Bonnie was wearing a pink gauze dress with pearls pinned on the hemline; while Jennifer wore a in, white T-shirt and a pair of jeans shorts, matched with a pair of sunsses. Her white and slender legs were particrly striking, attracting the crowd''s attention. With a blue knitted hat on her head, Jennifer squinted her eyes and elbowed Bonnie as soon as she spotted Nacy and Bruce. "Bonnie, look! Isn''t that Nacy and Bruce?" Bonnie looked where Jennifer was pointing. From where she was standing, it was hard to see who the girl was, especially since she had her back to Bonnie, but Bruce''s side face could be seen clearly. With a sneer on her lips, she said, "Nacy just got divorced. I cannot believe she is already hanging out with another man! What a bitch!" "Exactly. I understand now why Simon abandoned her! If I had married such a shameless woman, I would have divorced her a long time ago," Jennifer remarked in a mocking, sour tone. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Wait here. I''ll go over there to check if it''s really that shameless bitch!" Bonnie took herrge sunsses off her delicate face and walked on with a vicious smile. Jennifer nodded with a smirk. She then took a seat nearby, casually waiting for the drama to unfold. Bonnie pretended to casually walk past Nacy and Bruce, sneakily taking many pictures of them. She lowered her head and stared at her phone, so Nacy wouldn''t notice her. "Hey, where are you guys? Have you arrived?" Bonnie walked toward Nacy and spoke loudly, pretending to be on the phone. Nacy recognized her voice and turned around. A frown came across her face as soon as she spotted Bonnie. She saw her looking right and left with her back to Nacy. "Aha! What a scene!" Nacy said contemptuously. Hanging up the phone, Bonnie turned around, acting like she had just seen Nacy. She put on a fake smile and spoke with feigned enthusiasm, "Hey! What a coincidence to see you here, vice director Xu!" Nacy raised her eyebrows and stood up suddenly. She took a few steps toward Bonnie and folded her hands against her chest. "Look who it is...Bonnie... I was just wondering why the air had suddenly be so foul. Now I know it''s because of your presence..." The two women red at each other like angry lionesses, urging the other to admit her defeat first. Nacy had deliberately stepped so close to Bonnie. She wanted to get a whiff of her perfume, but it turned out that she wasn''t wearing the same one today. She observed her face closely and noticed the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes. "Could it be that you have a nose of a dog, Miss Jin? Maybe that''s why you can smell the air." Bonnie pursed her lips and raised one of her eyebrows, crossing her hands against her chest like Nacy. Nacy stared back at her with fire in her eyes. After all, she was a professional actress. Undoubtedly, she was more domineering as far as the fierceness was concerned. "You have wrinkles around your eyes. That''s bad. You''ve begun losing your beauty already in your twenties. I''m afraid you''ll get a premature menopause. You''d better go to the hospital and inject some Botox to maintain your face...How else will you steal other women''s husbands?" Bonnie maintained her calm even after hearing Nacy''s attacking words. "Thank you for reminding me, Miss Jin. But you''d better take care of yourself first. Divorced at such a young age? Some would consider that a failure..." Chapter 681 A Murderers Conscience Chapter 681 A Murderer''s Conscience There were no traces of perfume on Bonnie''s body. Nacy''s brows furrowed for a moment before her features eased into a nonchnt smile. "Divorce? It doesn''t bother me. Times have changed, and I find the notion that a woman is defined by her marriage incredibly outdated." The unperturbed smile on her lips remained as she continued, "Only misogynists would think so. It''s a pity, especiallying from another woman herself. Don''t you think it''s time to reevaluate your perspective? Otherwise you''d be left behind." Bruce slowly put down the kebab in his hand, and lifted his graceful fingers to adjust the ck frames of his sses. He stood up slowly, as if deliberately taking his time, and said, "That''s true. Divorce doesn''t make woman any less. Plenty of men would still find them desirable. The same is true the other way around. Even virgins can find it difficult to attract men. Most men prefer women who wouldn''t be a boringy in the bedroom." "Ha-ha-ha..." Nacy burst intoughter as she gave him a thumbs up. She could never have imagined that Bruce was hiding such a sharp tongue underneath his serious exterior. Bonnie gritted her teeth at the curse that was threatening to escape from her lips. Her carefully made- up face nched in fury. "I take it then that you are speaking from experience, Mr. Xu. Did you have one hell of a time paying Nacy a visit?" "Miss Zhong, whether I have or not is none of your business, is it? Only unrefineddies would pry into other''s private lives. If you have the time to be concerned about us, I suggest for you to use it into learning better manners. You might have more problems getting yourself a man with that attitude," Bruce said. "Since you like my ex-husband so much, you have all the chances in the world. After all, he''s single again and there wouldn''t be anyone in your way. Why don''t you hurry up and find him?" Nacy added sweetly with a smile. "You''re a shameless bitch," Bonnie spat, unable to control herself. Her otherwise sweet face contorted in fury. "Oh, don''t be so angry. You''ll age faster if you keep on frowning like that. Trust me, my ex-husband doesn''t like old women. I know his preferences very well." Nacy''s voice was dripping with sarcasm, which only fanned Bonnie''s anger. Every time Nacy called Simon "ex-husband," Bonnie felt as if freezing water was being poured on her. Her chest tightened as she fought to contain her rage. "Well¡­ You keep mentioning your ex-husband, Nacy. Do you like talking about him that much? It''s as if you want to broadcast your divorce to everyone. No wonder you''re an actress. You''re the queen of dramas even in real life. Is it that fun to stir up trouble? Or is it because you want to draw attention to yourself? I pity you." Bonnie said, gritting her teeth and looking at Nacy with disdain. "As I said earlier, my divorce doesn''t bother me. There are plenty of other men. Why don''t you go to Simon instead and ask him if he wants to marry you. If you two get married, I''ll be sure to attend your wedding and get you a nice wedding gift. Doesn''t that sound good?" Nacy folded her arms in front of her chest and stared back at Bonnie with a challenge in her eyes. "Oh, it''ll be my pleasure. I''ll definitely send you the invite," Bonnie hissed. She was hanging on to the last thread of herposure and was turning hysterical. "I look forward to it then," Nacy said, a cold mocking smile on her lips. Bonnie wanted to wipe that smile off Nacy''s face with her own hands. With a dark face, she said angrily, "I hope you don''t cry when that dayes!" "Why would I cry? My dear, sweet, Bonnie, not all women in the world think the same as you. You can go ahead and live your life holding on to your man, but I''m different. I have enough self-respect not to attach my value to a man, or anyone else for that matter. Chasing after men, living to please them...frankly, I find it¡­what''s the word¡­pathetic." Nacy looked straight into Bonnie''s eyes as she said thest word. Bonnie''s fists tightened at the verbal attack. "It''s clear why Simon divorced you. You are impossible to get along with! No one would want a woman such as yourself!" Bonnie said, her voice rising in pitch. "You got that part wrong, dear." Nacy shook her finger arrogantly. "He didn''t divorce me; I divorced him. Consider him a gift from me." Nacy met Bonnie''s contemptuous gaze with her own. Bonnie felt as if she really was about to explode. Her hands clenched into fists as blue veins throbbed in her forehead. "You say that you don''t love him, but why did you fight me for him in the first ce? We were already engaged, so why did you have toe between us? Have you no conscience? You divorced him just to save face. You were the one who destroyed your rtionship. Everything that happened was your karma. You deserve losing your child!" No matter the spiteful words Bonnie threw at Nacy in the past, Nacy had always kept herposure. But Bonnie touched something she shouldn''t have this time. Nacy''s face darkened at the mention of her lost child. Her beautiful eyes emitted a dangerous light as she looked at Bonnie. "And you rejoice that my baby is gone?" Bonnie was taken aback when she realized what she had just said. Her anger dampened with anxiety, thinking that she had to be careful, otherwise she would be found out. To outsiders, the loss of Nacy''s baby was an unfortunate miscarriage, but Nacy was no fool. She knew that her body''s reaction to the perfume was not natural. "What? Cat got your tongue? Keep talking. I''m interested to hear what you have to say." Nacy''s voice was cold as her eyes seemed to bore through Bonnie and see into their depths, uncovering all of her secrets. "What¡­ What does it have to do with me?" Bonnie stammered as if guilt was overtaking her words. Since the loss of Nacy''s baby, Bonnie''s sleep had been gued with nightmares. She saw herself standing in a dark basement, holding a bloody baby in her hands. She felt its heart beating, the sound growing louder and louder until she was woken up, her shirt soaked with cold sweat. "Did I ever say that you had anything to do with it? You look pale. What are you so afraid of?" Nacy pressed, cornering her with questions. Given how Bonnie was reacting, she was now certain that Bonnie had something to do with her miscarriage. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bonnie averted her eyes and countered, "What nonsense are you talking about? Whether your child lived or not, it doesn''t have anything to do with me." "Of course. I''m sure it doesn''t matter to you." Nacy leaned closer to Bonnie and whispered, "Are you sleeping well these days? I hope you''re not having nightmares. People with a filthy conscience burn in hell." Startled, Bonnie drew back from Nacy and pointed at her with a trembling finger. "You¡­ You''re trying to frame me," she said with a shaky voice. "You can''t even protect your own child, and now you try to me others for your irresponsibility. Do you even deserve to be a mother?" Nacy was quick to respond. The next moment, her hands were around Bonnie''s pointed finger, almost twisting it off her hand with the force of her hold. "We''ll see, won''t we. Karma? That''s right. Everyone gets their own eventually." Nacy pulled her closer and looked into her eyes as she hissed, "No prayer can save you from your demons. Watch out for your own shadows." Chapter 682 Bonnies Lipstick Chapter 682 Bonnie''s Lipstick After being taunted by Nacy, Bonnie became so incredibly tense that her body stiffened up. With her lips trembling, she snorted disdainfully, "You''re insane!" "Well, if I am insane, what are you?" A nasty chuckle escaped Nacy''s lips. Since there was no way to bring her dead baby back to life, there was no reason for her to live in the past. However, the pain of losing a child would forever dwell in her, and now, all she wanted to do was exact revenge on the people who hurt her family! More importantly, her pride would never let her allow others to just stomp on her dignity. "I have nothing to say to people like you," said Bonnie contemptuously. "I''m sorry, but I think it''s you who is being aggressive," retorted Nacy. "You said I spoiled the scenery first!" bellowed Bonnie. "Bruce, tell me¡ªdid I say anything wrong? Am I not right?" asked Nacy. Bruce stood still and smiled brightly. "You''re not wrong, Nacy," he said, somewhat mockingly. "Just a while ago, we could see the stunning view, but now, it is entirely blocked by someone not as stunning." One of Bruce''s best¡ªand worst¡ªcharacteristics was his sharp tongue. This time, however, it served an excellent role in humiliating Bonnie without using any kind of offensive words. ''Annoying scoundrels! I will get you someday!'' Bonnie thought, fuming from embarrassment. With one final re at both Nacy and Bruce, she turned around and left, feeling dejected and disgraced. While she originally intended to provoke Nacy, she just ended up being defeated by her! She didn''t expect to be attacked like this at all! Her shame made her scurry to the bathroom as fast as she could. On her tail was a nervous Jennifer, looking lost as to what just happened. Under the scorching sun, Bonnie felt that her profuse sweating had ruined her professionally applied makeup. As soon as she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized how messy her whole look was, making her grit her teeth with hatred. She quickly took out the air cushion foundation from her designer back in order to rece what was lost. Unfortunately, the moreyers she put on, the more unappealing she looked as it started to cake around her fine lines and baby wrinkles. Good thing Jennifer was a master at makeup. She stood beside Bonnie and relentlessly gave her advice on makeup, and how she should have handled things better. "Bonnie," she said calmly. "You need to stop being so angry. Look at you¡ªyour makeup is a mess! Don''t you realize you''re already so pale?" She then pulled out Bonnie''s lipstick and gave it to her. "Here. Apply some lipstick, and you''ll immediately look a lot better." Bonnie first took a deep breath and followed Jennifer''s advice. Slowly, she carefully outlined her lips with the lipstick and started filling it in, making sure that she wasn''t swiping out of the lines. It truly was skillful work and a sight to behold. Unfortunately, her anger got the best of her. At one point, her hand slipped, and she identally swiped it all across her chin. She became so angry that she let out a high-pitched scream and scrubbed her face like a madman. That did not do her any good as she now looked more deranged with lipstick all over her face. One would think she was a woman who just broke up with her partner. Jennifer hurriedly took out a makeup wipe from her bag to attempt to fix what was on Bonnie''s chin, but Bonnie pushed her away. She then channeled all her anger on the one person that was still with her. "Get out of here!" she shrieked, her eyes unfocused. "Are you just here tough at my misery?" "Bonnie, you know I''m not," Jennifer responded, looking rmed, hurt, and defensive at the same time. "I''m just worried about you!" Tears were already welling up in her eyes. Bonnie, however, did not care about what Jennifer said. She took her own makeup wipe from her bag and began to wipe her face with it. "Nacy, you little bitch!" she shrieked. "I will never forgive you! I will bring you down!" N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Then, she proceeded to scream at the top of her lungs. But after that, she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. It miraculously worked, and now, she took out a pumpkin-colored lipstick from her bag and started to apply it on her lips. This time, she didn''t make any mistake. Before going out of thedies'' room, she took her red lipstick and wrote Nacy''s name on the mirror with it. It was as a warning from her. Fire could be seen burning in her eyes. All she wanted to do at that very moment was to tear Nacy into a million jagged pieces! If not for her, she and Simon would have gotten married and would have had a wonderful life! But now, with everything that was happening, it seemed like she was just a mistress, a woman who was ruining another woman''s rtionship! It pissed Bonnie off big time. With all that hatred in her heart, she kept on scribbling curses upon curses directed at Nacy on the mirror. Jennifer did not even dare stop her. While her mouth was agape in surprise, she really did not really sympathize with Bonnie and her behavior, even going as far as mocking her inwardly. ''What a crazy woman!'' she thought. ''You will never be able to get the man you want because you are pathetic! Look at you, doing such disgraceful stuff!'' Bonnie, Eve, and she were supposedly good friends. However, ever since the beginning, she felt like Bonnie and Eve were closer, and that that two of them looked down upon her. It was incredibly obvious, but none of them were brave, or cared enough, to point it out. Worse, after Damian died, Jennifer had nowhere to turn to but Eve. Together, they tirelessly nned an attack that would serve as a death blow to Mandy. But sometimes, the enemy''s enemy is a friend. Vicious people would get along well mainly because of them having amon target. The following day started with nice weather. After driving Adrian to kindergarten, Mandy went to work at JS International. There were so many things about the Mandy Mall that Mandy was not familiar with. Because of that, she busied herself with studying, which took up all of her morning. By 12 o''clock she had lunch, and after that, Nathan called in. Upon seeing the caller ID, Mandy smiled and answered the phone immediately. It seemed that Nathan had meticulously calcted the time she would have her lunch break. The time difference between City A and Switzend was six hours, and so, at that moment, it would only be six am in Switzend. That meant Nathan had just gotten up. Fortunately, jetg wasn''t much of an issue to Nathan. He had been going to different countries for business trips every month, and because of that, he had already gotten used to it. When Nathan woke up that morning, the first thing he did was to call Mandy. He worried about her very much, and he wondered if she was feeling lonely. "Honey, have you had lunch?" Nathan''s sexy voice came through from the other end of the phone. "Yes," Mandy replied, amused with and appreciative of Nathan''s gesture. "What are you doing?" She then looked up towards the clock and calcted the time in Switzend. "You just woke up, didn''t you?" she said, chuckling a bit. "Yup," Nathan responded, also chuckling. "I''m still in bed,zing around." As hey on his bed, he imagined how happy he would be if Mandy was by his side at that very moment. "Still in bed, huh?" Mandy started to tease. "How about that beauty by your side? Did she have a nice sleep?" Mandy was having fun messing with Nathan. Teasing was a way for her to hide her longing. For just like Nathan, she was missing him so much. She wanted to wake up with him and be by his side every day, but sometimes, that just would not happen. "What are you talking about?" Nathan replied, chuckling. "There are no girls beside me. Never have, never will, aside from you. Do you know that I''m always imagining that you''re here with me?" Nathan''s voice became noticeably deep and husky, effectively adding to the seductiveness of his voice. "Oh, shut up, Nathan. I know what you''re doing! Stop acting like that, ha-ha!" Mandy could not help but laugh at the love of her life. "I spent so much time on the ne! I''m so tired. Don''t you feel sorry for me?" Nathan turned over and stretched out his arm, but to his disappointment, there was no Mandy that he could hug beside him. A frown blossomed on his lips. "Okay, okay," Mandy said, sounding defeated. "I feel sorry for you." She chuckled. "But to answer your question: yes, I''m fine here." Remembering how early it was in Switzend, she added, "You should sleep more! Your day won''t start until a couple of hours still, right?" Chapter 683 Do You Miss Me Chapter 683 Do You Miss Me "Why are you being so perfunctory? You are definitely not sorry for me. Remember, you have given me your word that you would apany me on a business trip." Nathan tried to freshen up Mandy''s promise that she made many years ago and reminded her at the other end of the phone. Mandy remembered. It was, in fact, true. She did agree to the proposition in the past, but now it was difficult for her to fulfill the promise. "Distance is beautiful if you look at it positively. You will start liking me more when I am away. Moreover, I am really worried about Adrian. You are an adult, and you can look after yourself, but not Adrian," Mandy teasingly told Nathan. "My parents are there to take care of Adrian. What if I find myself a mistress when I am away from you? Are you not scared?" Nathan snapped back at Mandy. "Well if that suits you; get yourself one! I really have no problem with that. But if you do bring her home, she will have to do all the cooking for the family as well as all the other chores," Mandy replied. "Huh! In your dreams!" Mandyughed heartily. "How considerate is my husband! He will get a mistress to take care of his wife!" Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Are you poking fun at me?" Nathan quickly noticed that there was a bitterness to Mandy''s tone of talking. He took a cushion and sat upfortably. "How could I? I''m such an innocent and good girl. I can never joke with you," Mandy said softly, meek like a rabbit. "You know how to do the sweet talking!" Nathan shook his head in frustration, but his mood was uplifted the moment he spoke with Mandy over the phone. He felt lonely in a foreign country, waking up all by himself. But Mandy''s voice made him feel better. He felt as if Mandy was right beside him to extend her support. "You taught me well. With such an exquisite mentor, I had no other option but to learn well." "Remember to have meals on time every day. If you feel exhausted, just take the day off. Work can wait. Stay at home," said Nathan, stressing every word as he smiled at her, thought. "You too. Take care. Also, stay away from other women. And don''t smoke or drink too much coffee," Mandy reiterated as she, too, smiled to herself. "When did I smoke in recent times? It is a thing of the past." Frowning, he thought, ''I gave up smoking for her so many years ago!'' "I fear that you might smoke when I am not there." Saying this Mandy stood up suddenly and walked towards the French window. She looked down at the road and saw the fast cars moving up and down. The street was full of different people. City A was a prosperous and happening city. There was a constant hustle and bustle, no matter what was happening in the world. "Don''t worry. I won''t. I will never break my promise to you." His seductive voice sent an electric current through Mandy''s ear and aroused her a little bit. Mandy smiled to herself as she held the phone. Her smile outshone the bright sunlight outside. When she was with Nathan, no trouble seemed big, and no worry seemed too consuming. She could forget everything for a while. "Honey..." Mandy said in a loving voice as she stared in the blue sky. "Yes?" "Nothing just wanted to call you," Mandy said, full of emotions. Mandy slipped into a time in the future. She imagined what life would be like after twenty years. Adrian would be all grown up and would leave the nest to pursue his career. Then probably she and Nathan would be together all the time. Perhaps they would have a new address. Maybe it would be an ancient castle just like Nathan''s grandparents''. Maybe that was how their happily ever after would be. "Honey, do you miss me now?" It was evident that Nathan missed her from the way he spoke. Truth be told, he wanted to ask this of Mandy for the longest time. On the other side of the phone Mandy could do nothing but silently nod very hard. After a while, when Nathan received no answer from Mandy, he thought that he was being overly sensitive. So, he finally sighed and said, "Well, I guess you do not miss me that much at all! I am being too emotional." "What? No, I miss you so much," Mandy said forcefully to make her point. "Then why were you silent? If you do not tell me how will I know?" He sounded disappointed. "I nodded my head silently. I did know how to respond," Mandy said gleefully, as she felt very silly. Nathan heard the answer and stayed silent. After some time, he burst intoughter. "Mandy, my silly wife." "Huh!" Mandy showed mock anger. Had she known that Nathan wouldugh at her, she would have made up a different story. "I was just joking. I never nodded. Why would I miss you? That''s enough now. Get going already." Nathanughed again and said, "Come on now, I know you are lying! Ha-ha!" "I will call you when I am back. Need to attend a meeting in ten minutes. Goodbye." Mandy quickly took out a pen and scribbled a few points on a white paper she wanted to mention in the meeting. At first Mandy had no idea about how demanding the business could get. But she was better equipped with understanding now. She was attending meetings and working overtime. Fortunately, she was the boss of Mandy Mall, and on top of that, Nathan''s wife. Everyone in JS International revered her. She was a favorite among employees. Mandy was on good terms with all the employees and was always kind to them. She was not as cold as Nathan. Soon, she became friendly with the employees of Mandy Mall. In the JR Hospital In the afternoon, Lisa''s attending doctor had finished her check-up. He had good news. He said that Lisa''s pneumonia had healed all the way, and she was ready to be discharged from the hospital today. Lisa was extremely bored after spending almost a full week in the hospital. Today, she would be finally free. The little girl was ecstatic. Right after the doctor left, Lisa and Colin packed to leave. "Dad, I am finally free today!" Lisa jumped happily, and her eyes sparkled with joy. Colin lovingly patted her head and sighed. "Yes, we can go out today, finally." "Then¡­ Will Mommye to see me again?" Lisa asked nervously. Chapter 684 Using The Baby Chapter 684 Using The Baby "Lisa, do you miss Mommy?" Colin asked with a hint of excitement in his deep voice. He thought he was a despicable man, but he couldn''t help himself. Truth was, Lisa had gotten pneumonia so she had to stay in the hospital for a few days. Colin had designed some plots in advance to bring Mandy to the hospital to see Lisa. It was Colin who had told Lisa that he and Mandy had gotten divorced. He took advantage of the child''s kindness so she would cooperate with his acting. Lisa was an innocent, simple-minded girl, and she had no idea what was going on between the adults. Colin told her if she helped her father, her mother woulde back to them. Hence, she pretended that she hated Mandy, which broke Mandy''s heart. Lisa nodded her head, still trying to understand the meaning of his words. "Yes, I miss mommy. Daddy, will mommye to see me after I leave the hospital? Do I need to act like I''m sick? Then she will come to see me, right?" Colin''s fingers were trembling. He grasped his daughter''s hand, feeling sad and disgusted with himself. What kind of man was he? He was using his own three-year-old daughter to fool her mother? Luckily, Lisa didn''t mess it up, or he would have been really ashamed of himself in front of Mandy. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ording to Eve''s information, Nathan had recently gone away on a business trip. It was the perfect time for Colin to get in touch with Mandy. "Lisa, Dad will discharge you from the hospital today. Where do you want to go?" he asked. Lisa lowered her head and looked at the floor with her bright eyes. With an innocent look on her face, she said, "I want mommy to y with us..." "Why don''t you give mommy a call? Tell her about it." Colin took out his phone and handed it to Lisa, wearing a warm smile on his face, like he meant to do what was best for the child and had no ulterior motives. Lisa loved that idea. She quickly found her mother''s contact and called her. At the time, Mandy was in a meeting. Seeing it was Colin who was calling her, she didn''t answer the phone. The business director of the Mandy Mall was giving a presentation. She had proposed to improve the theme environment of the Mandy Mall. His ideas appealed to Mandy, and she was totally engrossed in them. After a while, Colin called her again, but she still chose to avoid it. A few secondster, she received a voice message from Colin. Mandy put the speaker close to her hear but identally pressed the loud speaker option. The audio of little Lisa''s voice rung in the quiet conference room. The voice message said, "Mommy, what are you doing? Why didn''t you answer the phone?" Mandy''s heart skipped a beat, but she chuckled to herself. She hadn''t expected that Lisa would take the initiative to send her a message through WeChat. ''Is the little girl no longer mad at me?'' she wondered. The people seated in the conference room looked at each other, confused. They looked at Mandy, wondering why had they heard a little girl''s voice just now. And she had called Mandy ''mommy.'' Everyone knew Mandy and Nathan had a son, not a daughter. But they knew Mandy had a daughter with Colin when she was in America. Was that the girl who had called her? All the managers and other executives pretended they hadn''t heard anything. They didn''t dare stir or talk about it with each other. This was a rule they strictly followed in JS International. The staff was forbidden to gossip about their boss''s private life. Nathan hated those who gossiped the most. "Director Zhang, that''s a good suggestion. Let''s do it. Make a theme design for each month as per the most popr elements. You can submit the design draft of this month to me before the twentieth of this month," Mandy said carefully, a little awkwardly. This was the first time she was presiding over a meeting since she had taken the office. Although Nathan was absent, she wasn''t as nervous as she had thought she would be. "Yes, Miss Zhou," Director Zhang nodded slightly and replied. The meeting ended in a hurry after that. After returning to her office, Mandy called Colin immediately. Colin was peeling an apple for Lisa when the phone rang. Mandy had yed some music for him a long time ago, which he had recorded on his phone and was using as his ringtone. "Daddy, it''s mommy," said Lisa, sitting on the bed in her pink, princess-like dress. She had already dressed up, and her face was as red as an apple. "You answer it..." Colin''s heart started beating faster, but he didn''t reach for his phone. He knew he shouldn''t call Mandy to the hospital every day, and hence, he didn''t have the courage to ask her. Conveniently, Lisa was here...his best trump card. Colin felt so lucky to have adopted her. No matter how his and Mandy''s rtionship would be in the future, this child would always be the connection between them. Lisa answered the phone with a bright smile. Shey down on the bed with her head tilted to one side, listening to Mandy''s gentle voice from the other end of the phone. "Colin," Mandy spoke, not knowing that Lisa had answered the phone. "Mom, it''s me...Lisa." The smile on Lisa''s face was so sweet and soft; it looked like she had been soaked in a can of honey. "Lisa... Are you feeling better, honey?" Mandy asked with concern. Nervous, she grabbed a pen and started drawing random patterns on her notepad. It made no sense, but this was one way for her to cope with nervousness. "Mom, I''m all right. The doctor said that I can leave the hospital today." Her voice was full of warmth and affection. Mandy heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. "Really? That''s good. Take care of yourself and don''t catch a cold after you are discharged." Lisa kept silent for a while and winked at Colin. She then frowned, preparing for what Colin had taught her to say. Colin''s hand with the knife hovered in the air in anticipation. "Well... Mom, I miss you. Can I meet you today? I want to go out with you..." Lisa repeated what Colin had taught her to say. The girl''s sweet, innocent voice softened Mandy''s heart. But Mandy had her own worries. She had promised Nathan that she wouldn''t go to see Lisa frequently, but the little girl was getting discharged and had called her herself. After pondering for a while, she decided to go and see her. "Well, are you still in the hospital? I''lle and pick you up after work." She looked at the clock hanging on the wall. Time had flown fast this afternoon. "Mom, when will you get off work?" Lisa asked in a childish tone. "About four o''clock," "Mom, so many people are there to work...can''t youe here now? Please, mom?" Lisa said, looking into Colin''s eyes, as if asking for his approval for her performance. Mandy bit her lip and stared at the clock for a few seconds. ''It''s quarter past three. There are still forty- five minutes left to go home. Well, I can visit Lisa earlier today since she is being discharged from hospital...'' she concluded, gathering her stuff, thinking Nathan wouldn''t mind this one time... Chapter 685 A Day With Lisa Chapter 685 A Day With Lisa Mandy was overjoyed. Lisa was still willing to talk to her! But what was more endearing was the way she called her "Mom"¡ªit was so sweet and pure that she felt that her heart was starting to melt. Right after they spoke, she hurried down to the hospital. She called Serge while on her way and asked him to pick up Adrianter and to bring him to his grandparents'' house. Since it was almost sure that she and Lisa would hang out untilte that evening, she wanted to make sure that Adrian was taken care of. She also wanted to tell Nathan that she would be seeing Lisa, but after checking what time it was, she realized that he probably was busy as he was still at work. Because of that, she just decided to postpone telling him about the trip untilter that evening. After hanging up the phone, Lisa ran to the bed and leapt on it. "Dad!" she squealed gleefully. "Mom is coming! She really ising!" A soft smile appeared on Colin''s lips. "That''s good to hear, darling. I bet you''re excited," he said sweetly. As he stared at his daughter''s face, he suddenly felt guilt swelling up in his guts. He didn''t want to do what he just did, but he had no other choice: the only way he would be able to see Mandy again was if he took advantage of her love for their daughter. Ever since Mandy started consistently neglecting him and his feelings, he started to see himself as despicable. He felt like there were two entities living inside him: one had already told him to give up on Mandy because she would never love him back. ''And besides, '' it said. ''Even if you manage to get her, she will never truly fall in love with you.'' But then, the other voice told him otherwise: ''Why not try?'' it said, hopeful. ''You never know. Maybe she''ll love you back.'' When Mandy arrived at the hospital, Lisa was still fast asleep on the bed while Colin was quietly sitting next to her, keeping herpany while reading a book. ''What a heartwarming scene¡ªColin acting like a loving father, '' she immediately thought. In the past few days, Lisa had been resting well and recovering fast. Whenever she was tired, she would just sleep. But aside from that, she would sleep whenever she felt excited about seeing Mandy again. She hated waiting, and by sleeping, she didn''t have to. Colin quickly noticed that Mandy had already arrived. He, however, decided not to wake Lisa up as she just fell asleep. "Is she asleep?" Mandy asked in a low voice as she walked towards the bed. "Yes," Colin answered, smiling softly. "She had a lot of energy a while ago, but she got tired fast and just fell asleep. This is the first time''s she''s had an afternoon nap this week, so I was surprised as well," he exined. When he saw a smile form on Mandy''s lips, he immediately felt better. It was as if she was his personal energy drink¡ªeverything she did invigorated his soul. Mandy carefully sat on the edge of Lisa''s bed and stretched out her arm to caress her daughter''s cheek. The moment her finger touched Lisa''s cheek, Lisa''s eyes fluttered open, as if she had been waiting for this moment all this time. "Mom?" Lisa asked, her voice soft and childish. With her sleepy eyes, she looked incredibly adorable. "Hello, my baby," Mandy replied, her eyes full of love for the child in front of her. "How are you? Do you want to sleep some more? You can go back to sleep if you want, I''ll just be here beside you." Mandy''s eyes were full of love for the little girl in front of her. While she really wanted to y with Lisa at that moment, she decided against it, thinking that the kid might need more sleep. With that, she began to tuck the quilt in once again. Lisa, however, practically jumped up and threw herself into Mandy''s arms. "Mommy!" she said, wrapping her arms around Mandy''s neck tightly. "I swear I''m not sleepy! Let''s y now! I miss you so, so much!" "Okay, baby girl," Mandy said, a bright smile appearing on her lips. She hugged Lisa back and asked softly, "Where do you want to go today?" Upon hearing that, Lisa couldn''t help but squeal. She let go of Mandy and said excitedly, "I want to go to the amusement park today, Mom!" "Okay, then!" Mandy responded as excitedly. "To the amusement park we go!" Mandy was eager to do whatever Lisa wanted to do. At that moment, no one was more important to her than her beautiful daughter. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Ever since she could remember, she had always wanted to have a daughter. Back when she was pregnant, she would always pray at night that the child she was carrying inside her tummy would be a girl. But then it had always been said what you wish for wasn''t always what you would be getting. So, the more she wanted a daughter, the less likely she would have one. And it actually came true¡ªshe had Adrian. To be honest, at first, she was disappointed that that happened. However, she quickly got over that, and now, Adrian was her whole world, and she would do anything for him. After all, he was the result of her and Nathan''s love. That day, Mandy, Colin, and Lisa stayed out until veryte. It was half past nine when they got home, and so, Mandy hastily gave Lisa a shower to prepare her for bed. After doing that, however, Mandy''s dressed was soaked from the waist down. Fortunately, some of her clothes were still in the vi. Colin had kept them in the wardrobe she had used before as if he knew that she woulde back again. The maids would clean them every now and again, making sure that they were always ready to be used. After taking a bath herself, Mandy came out of the bathroom and found that Lisa was still watching cartoons. Since it was already half past ten by that time, Mandy wanted to make Lisa go to bed, especially since she had just been through an illness. She didn''t want to scold her, and so she just gently walked to the bedside, took the remote control, and turned off the TV. Carefully, she took Lisa''s little face in her hands and she said, "Baby, it''s time to go to bed." Wearing an aggrieved look on her face, Lisa looked at Mandy, pulled her sleeve with her little hand and said, "Mommy, can you sleep with me tonight? You haven''t slept with me in a long time." This instantly melted Mandy''s heart. She agreed quickly, jumping into the bed with her child, who was now overexcited. Lisa made sure that she was as close to her mom as possible, while Mandy made sure that her arm was around her daughter. Due to the tiring day they just had, the two fell asleep quickly. Colin still had work to do, and so he stayed in his office until after midnight. When he went back to the room, he noticed that the light was still on. ''Are they still awake?'' he asked himself, intrigued by what was happening. Quietly, he peered through the door and saw Mandy holding Lisa in her arms while both of them were soundly asleep. He felt his heart swell with so much joy. It was the first time that he smiled ever since Mandy left. He always wore a forced smile, but at that moment, his smile wasing from the bottom of his heart. Slowly, he walked to Mandy''s side of the bed with eyes overflowing with affection. He stretched out his trembling fingers and gently touched her face, fearing that he would wake her up. At that moment, he felt bliss. ''If only the future could be as good as today, '' he thought. He took a deep breath, bent down, and nted a kiss on Mandy''s forehead. After lingering for a while, he went to lie on the other side of the bed and fell asleep, dreaming of happy days. Just like before, Lisa was sleeping between them. Nathan''s schedule for that afternoon was full of meetings with high-profile people. When he finally managed to find some time to call Mandy, he discovered that he could not reach her. ''Is her phone off?'' he thought. ''Why would she turn it off?'' His heart started beating crazily all of a sudden, and his usually friendly face became contorted with fear and worry. It was half past ten at night. The phone in the vi suddenly rang. Such urrence was strange in the household. Nacy picked up the phone on the night table in a daze. "Hello...?" Nacy mumbled. She was very sleepy. "Is Mandy with you?" Nathan''s voice came from the other end of the line. He couldn''t help but frown because he instantly recognized Nacy''s voice. ''Is Mandy not with her?'' he thought. "No? Who are you?" Nacy retorted. "Why are you calling me sote at night? This is so annoying!" She was so exhausted from hanging out with Bruce that whole day that she wasn''t able to identify Nathan''s voice right away. Chapter 686 Your Wife Eloped With Another Man Chapter 686 Your Wife Eloped With Another Man "Naughty girl. You can''t even recognize my voice. Where is your sister-inw? Is she back yet? I called her, but her phone is off." Nathan was serious. He pursed his lips as discontent clouded his face. His body was visibly tense. "What? How would I know? I''m very sleepy right now. Can we discuss this tomorrow?" Nacy was only half-awake. "Nacy, I am giving you three seconds. Get up right now and check if your sister-inw is in her room!" His face was angry and hard. Nathan''s usually maic voice was now rough. Even though she was only talking to him on the phone, Nacy could feel the anger reverberating from Nathan. Still groggy, she got up and went to check on Mandy. The bedroom was quiet and dark. The bed was made. It did not look slept in. No one was in the room! Nacy rubbed her eyes and ran to check the bathroom and the dressing room. There was no sign of Mandy. What happened? Where was Mandy? Nacy knew that Adrian had gone to visit his grandparents. Did Mandy decide to go with him after work? She hadn''t seen Mandy at all. She had been too exhausted when she finally got home. She had taken a quick shower and went straight to bed. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Shivering, she turned on the light and picked up her phone. It took a total of ten seconds for her to react. ''Is my sister-inw missing? It is already eleven o''clock at night. Why hasn''t Mandye back home yet?'' Nacy felt a little nauseous. "Brother, are you still there?" she asked. "Yes, I am," Nathan responded, his voice stony and cold. "I have bad news. Do you want to know? Your wife has eloped with another man!" Nacy blurted, without waiting for her brother to reply. Nathan mmed the phone down without a word. Shrugging, Nacy went back to bed. After all, it was not her wife who had run away. Nobody knew what Nathan was so worried about. Mandy was a grown woman, where else would she go? Nacy didn''t realize the seriousness of the matter. As soon as Nathan ended the phone call, his hands immediately reached for his tablet, sitting on the table. His slender fingers slid across the tablet, searching Mandy Zhou''s call records. His eyes finally landed on a name, Colin! Nathan squinted then picked up his phone to call Serge. Serge had been asleep. But, being a light sleeper, the sound of the phone woke him up. He had developed this habit back when he served on the force. The simple sound of a phone ringing always alerted him. "Mr. Jin...?" Serge squinted, then instantly sat up when he saw Nathan''s name shing on his phone. "Where is Mrs. Jin?" Nathan''s tone was t, and his eyes fixed on the number on the tablet. "Mrs...," Serge started. Hasn''t shee home yet?" A bad feeling arose in his stomach. He took a look at the time on the phone. It was already eleven o''clock! "No. Find her and bring her back right away." Nathan''s face darkened as he took his eyes away from the screen and stared at the floor. "Yes, sir!" Serge replied. After hanging up, he jumped out of bed and quickly changed his clothes. He turned theputer on along with a couple of his nted surveince cameras. Soon enough, he got a lock on her location. She was at the Summer Vi! ''Isn''t Summer Vi where Colin lives? Mandy is at Colin''s house at this hour!'' Serge thought, surprised. Irritated, he scratched his head and dialed Nathan''s number. "Mr. Jin, I have found Mrs. Jin. She is in..." Serge hesitated, trailing off. He didn''t know whether he should tell the truth. He was afraid that Nathan would explode with rage once he found out. "Just tell me where she is. Don''t hesitate." Nathan looked at the ground, a solemn expression on his face as he walked out of the conference room. "The Summer Vi," Serge said, gritting his teeth. "Go and bring her back. Right now!" Nathan''s eyes bulged with anger. He already had a hunch that Mandy was at Colin''s house. What he could not understand was why she was with her ex-husband at eleven o''clock at night! Getting in his car, Nathan started it and shifted the gear. He loosened the parking brake and stepped on the gas smoothly. The sports car roared to life in the silence of the night. Serge also rushed to his destination. When he arrived at the Summer Vi, it was already half past eleven. He stood outside for a few minutes then rang the bell. Sandra opened the door. As soon as Colin heard the doorbell, he got out of bed. Putting on his slippers, he walked towards the French window and peaked out. Sandra was trying to stop a young man from entering the Vi. Sandra failed to stop him. She followed him inside and shouted, "Who are you? You''re trespassing!" "Shut up," Serge said, sourly. Sandra was filled with rage. Serge red at her. "Where is Colin? Ask him to hand over Mrs. Jin." Fear gripped Sandra''s body. Her voice trembled as she started to talk, but Colin rushed downstairs. "Who are you? Why have you broken into my house at midnight?" Colin was wearing pajamas. His hair was messy, and his face was dark. He looked terrible. He knew who Serge was. He guessed that he hade here looking for Mandy at this hour. Serge growled and cast a murderous nce in Colin''s direction. He rushed towards him and knocked him to the ground like a vicious beast. Having spent time on the force, he was highly skilled. A single blow to the face caused Colin''s mouth to bleed. Sandra screamed with fear and knelt beside Colin. "Mr. Yu, are you all right?" she asked, her breath coming in short gasps. "Where is Mrs. Jin?" Serge asked, unhappily. "She is asleep," Colin replied coldly, with a scornful smile on his face. "What the hell do you want?" Serge frowned, his dark eyes boring into Colin''s. Chapter 687 Hung Up For The First Time Chapter 687 Hung Up For The First Time "It''s none of your business! I did divorce her, but she is still Lisa''s mother. Does she have to get your permission if she wants to sleep here? Who do you think you are?" A muscle jerked in Colin''s jaw. He brushed over the corner of his mouth, and blood smeared his fingers. "I think you are asking for death." Serge clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly. "Get out of here right now, or I will call the police." The other man seemed so smug and self-satisfied that Colin felt the need to threaten him. "Call the police? Fine! Call the police now!" Eyes, clouded with contempt, Serge smiled scornfully. Their expressions were stiff and tense, wlessly in line with the air in the room. Mandy was awakened from her sleep by the noise. She opened her eyes in confusion and seemed to hear Serge''s voice. Slowly, the woman became aware of her surroundings and sat up with a start. Why was she here? Then she remembered putting Lisa to bed. Did she lull herself to sleep too? She crept slowly to the door and pushed it open. The voices rose, shrill, and violent. Mandy hurriedly ran downstairs and crossed the hall with its dark, forbidding atmosphere. Standing in bewilderment, Mandy saw Colin had a cut on his lips, and his clothes were ripped. Serge stood in front of him with a menacing aura. It soon became apparent that they fought just now. But Serge was a strong adversary, and Colin was no match for him. He lost miserably! "What''s going on? Did you fight?" She blinked wildly and looked from one to the other. As if by tacit agreement, no one spoke. She was not sure exactly what had ensued between them, but she saw the bloody scene. "Are you kids?" Serge, why did you beat him?" Mandy scolded and fixed her eyes on him. Thetter''s face turned beet red under Mandy''s stare. He felt thoroughly ashamed of himself, for he was guilty. He bowed his head and crisped his lips in. "Mrs. Jin, it''s half-past eleven. Mr. Jin has been calling you for a long time. Let me take you home." Mandy was instantly rmed, and her heart skipped a beat. How could she forget about Nathan? After bathing Lisa, she was so sleepy that she fell asleep with her. ''Oh, God! Has Nathan misunderstood?'' "Let''s go." She almost ran to the sofa and picked up her bag rushed through the door like a criminal caught in the act. "Mand." Colin saw her nce over her shoulder, and her movements were resolute. He wanted to speak and moved toward her. Then, on second thought, he stopped. "What''s wrong?" Whatever he was on about, Mandy had no clue. She was holding her phone and kept stabbing at the power button but to no avail. ''Why is this thing not turning on?'' "Nothing. Take care of yourself on the way." Colin averted his gaze. The old familiar feeling of disappointment jabbed him. Mandy stared at the screen for what felt like the millionth time, but the screen remained dark. Her mind was in a mess. Scolding herself for her poor memory in considering Nathan, she mumbled inwardly, ''Is my phone broken?'' "Okay," she said to Colin distractedly. Without another word, she marched off. The night grew deeper. Serge''s car was in front of the main gate of the Summer Vi. Mandy settled herself into the front seat with a loud sigh. "What''s wrong with my phone? I can''t turn it on. Is it broken?" "I don''t think so, Mrs. Jin. Maybe you need to charge it. Are you nning to call Mr. Jin? You can use my phone." Serge took his phone out of his pocket and left the parking lot slowly. His eyes grew dimmer in apprehension as he gave Mandy a sideways nce. Mandy immediately called Nathan, feeling intensely guilty. He answered right away, but the line stayed silent. She could feel his wrath through the phone. Steeling herself, she said, "Nathan." "Yes," Nathan responded indifferently. He had long suspected that Mandy was the one calling him. Serge was a straightforward person who did not beat around the bush and had an unusual skill of getting straight to the point. Only women would feel awkward when making a call. "I... I fell asleep at Colin''s house. I was a little tired after spending time with Lisa and fell asleep. Nathan, please don''t be angry." Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back on the seat, clutching the phone tightly to her ear. She was dimly aware that her heartbeat had be erratic. She felt restless all over, afraid that the man would be furious. "Okay," Nathan answered and made his tone dismissive, even curt. ''Oh, Mandy. You promised me that you would ask for my consent before visiting Lisa. Were you only coaxing me then? And now you''re sleeping in Colin''s house. You probably slept in the same bed with him. Why are you pretending now as if nothing has happened?'' He sneered at himself and became more depressed. His heart was heavy and dead in his chest. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Nathan''s response was so eerie and terrifying that Mandy''s eyes snapped open. She dug her fingers painfully into her thighs as a stab of pure panic rushed through her. Her voice raced through the phone lines, "Nathan, it''s not what you think. Nothing happened between us, and Lisa was with us all the time." "What will happen? What am I thinking? Where did you send Adrian?" Cold words came out from Nathan like rapid gunfire. Mandy became guiltier and guiltier as the three sharp questions shot through, silencing her instantly. Before she could say anything, she heard Nathan say, "Think it over. Was it my fault or yours? Call me once you figure it out." Then there was a click. Nathan had hung up. Mandy took the phone from her ear and stared at it as a reality check of what just urred. They were in love for so many years, but it was the first time for Nathan to hang up on her! It seemed that he was really mad this time! She nervously bit her lip, brows drawn. She stared absently in front of her, oblivious to the noises around. Just then, the car slowed to a stop by the curb in front of the vi. With her bag in hand, she jumped out of the car irritably and threw off her t shoes by the entrance. Once in the bedroom, Mandy switched on the light and charged her phone quickly. She took a lot of photos with Lisa earlier, which drained her phone''s battery. As soon as she turned it on, she found plenty of missed calls, all from Nathan. It was no wonder he was seething. Her head hit the pillows ruefully, and she tried to sleep. She turned off the light and curled up. After a while, she shuffled over to her side, and her arm fell across the empty bed. Grabbing his pillow and holding it close, she sniffed. She could smell his musky scentbined with the faint fragrance of freshly washed linens. She missed Nathan so much at the moment. Hugging it tightly, she reached for her phone. With a look of remorse, she mustered the courage to call him. She took a few deep breaths and started tapping on her phone. It rang! But it was hung up after three rings. Mandy was flustered. Her head throbbed, and she had the urge to vomit. It was amon problem for her. Catching a cold or being extremely tired would always trigger a headache. Chapter 688 She Dreamed That He Came Back Chapter 688 She Dreamed That He Came Back Her smartphone was in her hand. She wanted to call Nathan again, but she worried that he wouldn''t answer her call. Thinking over it again and again, her headache got worse and worse. Throughout the whole night before, Mandy had tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep well. But her eyelids were getting heavier. She didn''t know when did she fall asleep. The next day, when Mandy woke up, it was alreadyte in the morning. She was already veryte for work. Normally, Nathan would prompt her to get up, but since Nathan was not at home then, she had to take care of herself. Eventually the pain in her head faded away, but when she opened her eyes, she was depressed. Mandy opened her eyes in a daze, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and suddenly sneezed. She sniffed, and wondered if she was going to catch a cold. Because she went to bedtest night, it was noon already, and Mandy was still yawning. She nced at her cell phone on the night table. The battery was fully charged, but Nathan hadn''t called her at all, nor sent even a WeChat message. She had felt aggrieved and depressed since yesterday when Nathan hung up on their call. Normally, even if Nathan was displeased, he would be satisfied as long as Mandy said sorry and yielded like a child. However, she really crossed the line for Nathan when she slept at Colin''s house the night before! But she hadn''t really meant to do that. The whole situation just made Mandy feel very tired. She felt like she didn''t know what to do. She was in a dilemma. On the other hand, Mandy didn''t call Nathan, either. She tucked herself into bed and browsed on Weibo, but she soon felt sleepy again and yielded to sleep. Lillian had prepared her lunch and went upstairs to invite her to have lunch. She walked to the bed and said gently, "Madam, it''s time for lunch." "Lillian, I don''t want to eat. You can go ahead and eat it for me." Mandy turned over. Suddenly her head felt a little heavy. She didn''t understand why she had no appetite for food. "You should eat something, because you need to take some medicine. After that you may sleep again. Madam, as a doctor, you know that skipping lunch is bad for your health," Lillian said gently. She squatted at the edge of Mandy''s bed and tried to persuade her. "Thank you for your kind suggestion, Lillian, but I really don''t need it. You may go downstairs and eat now. I have a headache, and I need to sleep for a while, just a little bit." Mandy''s eyelids became heavy. She didn''t know what was wrong with her today. She wasn''t the sort of person who liked to stay in bed, so why did she want to stay in bed today? At seven o''clock in the evening, Mandy felt that she had a fever. Curling up in the quilt, she felt hotter and hotter. Mandy had a dream. In the dream, Nathan had a car ident in Switzend. She was so scared by this nightmare that she broke into a sweat, with tears in her eyes. When Nacy came backter that night, she found that Mandy was still sleeping. She rubbed her eyes when she saw this. It was understandable for Mandy to sleep at half past nine when she went out that day. But would she be in bed after seven o''clock then? Hadn''t she awoken yet? Nacy called to her quietly, "Sister-inw, sister-inw." But Mandy made no response. Her eyebrows were deeply furrowed. Sensing something strange, Nacy approached her. At that time, Mandy was curled up under the quilt, with her face flushed. Her body had a high temperature. Noticing that Mandy didn''t look well, Nacy instinctively reached out and felt her forehead. She felt a very high temperature, which frightened her. She went downstairs to look for the medical kit. When Nacy went back, Lillian followed her upstairs, "I woke her up at noon, and she said she wanted to sleep, so I didn''t wake her up since then." Lillian thought nothing bad would happen to Mandy, but she hadn''t expected her to get a fever. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Nacy opened the medicine box in a hurry and took out an electronic temperature instrument, aiming at Mandy''s head. After a few beeps from the device, she found that Mandy''s temperature had reached thirty nine point eight degrees Celsius! She took out an antipyretic and put it on Mandy''s head. It had been prepared in advance for Adrian, who often had a fever during seasonal transitions. "Ms. Nacy, what should we do now?" Lillian asked in worry, looking anxiously at Nacy. Nacy sighed. She didn''t know when Mandy''s fever would be reduced. It was nothing serious to catch a cold, but a high fever could cause brain damage. "We''ll take her to the hospital. I''ll call the ambnce," Nacy said decisively. Then she took out her smartphone and called the hospital. Mandy ended up staying in the hospital for two days with a high fever. During these two days, she didn''t eat or drink, and she relied on an IV injection to maintain her nutrition. ording to the test report, Mandy''s blood was a little inmed. She was allergic to penicillin, so they couldn''t give her an injection of penicillin. During her stay in the hospital, Jason and Daisy came along with Adrian to visit Mandy. But she was still listless and had no spirit to talk to them. They couldn''t figure out why her fever wouldn''t go down. At night, the wind blew. Mandy was lying alone in the hospital. As she heard the wind, she felt more dizzy. Nacy told Nathan that Mandy was in the hospital with a high fever, but Mandy didn''t know that. On the fourth day after her husband left, she thought he woulde back. Mandy fell asleep from fatigue. Her eyelids were closed tightly, and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed. In the middle of the night, she suddenly felt that her quilt was being lifted by someone. There was a gust of dry hot air, and it smelled good. She didn''t know that Nathan hade back. She put her arms around him even while she was still half asleep. She felt as if she was dreaming. Nathan put his hand on Mandy''s forehead. He frowned as he felt that her head was still a little hot. So, he put an antipyretic stick on her forehead again. He slept with her in his arms the whole night. In the morning of the next day, Mandy''s fever had finally faded away, and her head was no longer dizzy. She opened her eyes in confusion, and she saw Nathan staring at her with deep and affectionate eyes. Feeling stunned for a long time, she was unable to speak. "You... Why are you here?" Mandy stammered. Her beautiful eyes soaked up the sight of Nathan''s face. He looked thinner, and his angr side face looked more handsome. There was some stubble on his chin. Making no expression, Nathan just looked at Mandy. He felt that his anger hadn''t totally dissipated. He had been in a cold war with her for two days, and this woman who had made a serious mistake hadn''t admitted her mistake yet. Although Nathan had always been calm, he finally couldn''t resist making a phone call to ask her. He hadn''t finished his business in Switzend yet, yet he hade back three days early. Chapter 689 Flying Back Specially For Her Chapter 689 Flying Back Specially For Her When Nathan was debating with himself if he should call Mandy or not, someone took the initiative to decide for him. His phone rang. It was Nacy. She told him that Mandy hadin sick for two days already. The moment he heard the news, he dropped everything and flew back. He went straight to the hospital where Mandy was when his aircraftnded in City A. She was asleep, not knowing that he was back and embracing her in his arms. Mandy''s temperature did not wane the whole evening. Her cheeks were burning with the flush of fever, and her skin glistens in a way that had Nathan spooked. Throughout, he nursed her, changing her fever patches four times. He was so worried that he did not sleep a wink. It was a good thing that when Mandy woke upe morning, her fever was gone. A wave of relief flooded over Nathan. As for the unfinished work left in Switzend, Nathan had already sent Fred to take over. His gentle gestures towards Mandy beguiled the overcast look on his face. Cuddling her, he asked in a tone devoid of emotion, "Are you still ufortable?" Mandy shook her head. She had slept like the proverbial baby and woke up feeling almost brand new. It seemed her body was already going back to its previous self. She had no idea that it was all thanks to Nathan''s vigil, taking care of her. For most of her slumber, Mandy''s head rested atop Nathan''s arm. Even when he was starting with pins and needles, he endured the pain and calmly clenched his fist, afraid that she would be disturbed. Sensing that his arm was straining, Mandy bolted upright and asked anxiously, "Nathan, has your arm gone numb?" Her wide eyes were searching his hand as she carefully reached out and massaged his arms. "It''s not the first time." He bent and swung his arm around, reviving the hapless dead limb. When he got the sensations back, he once again wrapped his arms around her. His touch made the room warmer somehow. "You... Are you still mad at me?" She was crestfallen with his rebuff. It seemed the man had not forgiven her. "Yes, I''m angry," Nathan said bluntly. Mandy decided to bring out the charms. She pouted and then snuggled closer. Cheekily, she said, "But you can''t resist me. You came here as soon as you arrived, right?" She could be simpleminded at times. She thought that Nathan had finished his work ahead of schedule. She did not know that he had left everything for her. After the incident, Nathan had learned the hard way. He decided that he would bring her during business trips wherever it might be. Otherwise, his wife might be a runaway. She had a childlike faith in people. She was not a cunning woman, especially with the people who showed her kindness. She would never guess that Colin and Eve were conniving behind her back. It was a risky moment the two could have taken advantage of. Thankfully, Nathan came back in time. "Don''t be so cheeky. Are you feeling better? Do you feel ufortable?" Nathan asked sternly, cing a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "I''m all right. Nathan, did you miss me?" Mandy leaned closer still and asked ever so softly. "Why would I fly back if I didn''t miss you?" Finally, he cracked a small smile and locked eyes with Mandy. He smiled, a slow, knowing, and incredibly sexy smile. He did not know what the woman thought or that she even doubted if he missed her. He was in the midst of a particrly important meeting when he received Nacy''s call, but he took a hundred eighty degrees turn and rushed back immediately. "Have you finished your work?" At that moment, she realized she should have asked earlier. She seldom asked about his work because she knew how efficient he was, and there was no need for her to worry about him. "It''s done," he said, nodding slightly and then tenderly stroked his fingertips over her eyebrows. He was on the verge of telling the truth but did not want to bother her. Mandy was smiling, and he liked to see her smile. "That''s good. Are you tired? You should sleep a little longer." She angled her head and happened to meet his somewhat tired eyes. She pursed her lips and realized she had not been bothered to take his fair share of rest. Since JS International became a globalized industrial chain, they had coborated with numerous companies from Europe and the United States. Nathan would personally overseerge scale projects and would assign the smaller ones to his subordinates. He had long abandoned the jet setting lifestyle ever since Mandy returned. She was not fond of frequent trips, mainly because Adrian was still young. Likewise, he did not want to leave her that much. Maybe once their son grew up, Mandy would be eager to apany him more often. Nathan shook his head and stared at Mandy with his sharp eyes. Then he said slowly, "Don''t you want to tell me what you have done these days?" Mandy mimicked his simple gesture and rubbed his knitted eyebrows. With a hint of mischief, she said, "What else can I do? I miss you every day." Well, Nathan was not going to fall for it easily. He pushed her away, squinting. "Really? Where''s Adrian? You went to see your ex-husband, leaving him behind?" Once again dejected, her face turned gloomy, and her lips curled. "What are you talking about? I didn''t go to look for Colin. I went to look for Lisa." "Is there any difference?" he sneered low. "Of course, there is! Anyway, I didn''t do anything wrong. Lisa got discharged from the hospital two days before then, and she called, asking if I wanted to go out for fun. She used to be a little resistant to me, remember? Now that she eased a little, how could I not go with her?" "How do you know that Colin didn''t use the kid on purpose?" Nathan raised his eyebrows, daring her to speak her suspicions aloud. "Is he that bored? Nathan, I know what kind of person Colin is. I don''t like him," seeing his face darken, Mandy came to her senses and rushed ahead to exin. "I know you don''t want to leave Lisa. But she''s an outsider, and Adrian is our child. You didn''t even ask him about it when you sent him to his grandparents. Isn''t that irresponsible?" Nathan said, clearly displeased. "I''ve asked him about it before, and he agreed. I know I didn''t think it through. I promise it won''t happen again." Catching the concern on Nathan''s face, she bowed her head wearily, feeling ashamed. Nathan pursed his lips and gave a deep sigh. As Mandy braced herself for another blow, he yanked her closer and tightly held her in his arms. "What am I going to do with you?" "Nathan..." "Don''t say more." Nathan raised one long, elegant finger and pressed it against her red lips. "This time, I will forgive you, but you have to go with me during business trips in the future." "Don''t I need to go to work?" Mandy scoffed. Her husband''s possessiveness was indeed potent, but she liked it. "I can support you. Why should you go to work? I can''t stop thinking about you when you''re not with me, and that''s not very productive." Giving in, Mandy held his face gently in her hands and kissed him, her smile never wavering. "Okay, I''ll go with you next time." Chapter 690 Why Didnt You Apply Perfume Today Chapter 690 Why Didn''t You Apply Perfume Today "What about the time after next?" "Both of us!" Mandy tried her best to coax her arrogant husband. At the Ye Group It was mid-autumn. In mid-September, the weather was still a little sultry, but less hot than the scorching summer the year had seen. Bonnie wore a simple, pink dress with a nipped waist and a pair of high-heeled shoes, which set off her tall figure and made her look much taller than usual. Simon was in a meeting, so Bonnie waited for him in his office. Ever since Simon had taken over the business at the Ye Group, and Bonnie had starteding to the office, she''d been particrly annoyed with the smell of tea in his office. Simon was a thoughtful man both in life and at work, as he had been since his student days. Bonnie knew he was a neat freak and recalled their time in high school. She remembered how he would mop off the table and chair every day at school. Rays of warm sunshine came in the office through the Vian blinds. The air was warm, but it mingled well with the light breeze. Simon had turned the air conditioner off and opened a window before leaving for the meeting. Simon couldn''t tolerate heat at all, so he always needed the air conditioner, even inte autumn. But he had changed his habits after marrying Nacy. Bonniey down on the couch with a satisfied, cozy smile, and even her heart seemed to be singing and waltzing. She took her phone out and yed a happy song with a ukulele intro. She was in the best of spirits. She felt like what she had waiting and hoping for had finally happened. Simon and Nacy had ended their three-year-long marriage. It was good for Bonnie since they''d gotten divorced without a child. Moreover, Nacy had already started dating Bruce. Naturally, Bonnie assumed Simon''s rtionship with Nacy was over for good, and couldn''t be rekindled. "I am jealous of you because your love is so imposing like a queen with unparalleled poprity. What you want is not me, but a kind of vanity. You don''t look outstanding unless someone loves you..." The song "International Queen" yed in the quiet office. It was Bonnie''s favorite song. She closed her eyes and hummed along with the music. Just then, Simon pushed the door open and walked in, frowning. He was wearing a ck suit with a simple, crisp white shirt. His secretary had already told him Bonnie was waiting for him inside. Simon was mentally prepared. Even though he didn''t like this woman, he needed to y along with her. Only when he found out the truth about Nacy''s miscarriage could he ask Nacy toe back to him. "Simon, how are you!" Bonnie eximed, getting up from the couch. She walked toward him like an innocent child. Simon seemed to have lost some weight. His face looked sharper than before, and his cheeks had lost flesh too. His eyes seemed to have sunk in, granting him a dull look. "Why are you here, Bonnie?" Simon asked, staring into her eyes with his lips pursed. "What? Didn''t you want to see me here?" Bonnie pouted her lips mockingly, her face full of pride. "No...I''m busy with work. If you don''t have anything important, you should leave. I''ll take you out for dinner when I''m free, okay?" Simon spoke with a straight face. Although he didn''t want to see her at all, right now he couldn''t brush her off bluntly. Simon walked closer to her so he could smell her perfume...but he found she wasn''t wearing that special one today. "What are you looking for? Is there something on my face?" Bonnie asked with an awkward smile, touching her own cheeks consciously. She was surprised that Simon was staring at her. His eyes had a kind of passion she had never seen before. "Nothing. Have a seat, please..." Simon said quietly with a faint smile on his face. Simon sat down on his chair, and Bonnie perched upon the armrest. He stretched his long legs and took off his suit jacket, staring at her without uttering a single word. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Bonnie asked with a smile, almost whispering. "What do you want from me today?" Simon asked directly, without the slightest interest in ying around with her. He wondered why she hadn''t used the perfume... "It''s the mayor''s birthday today. Will youe with me to the party?" With a flirtatious smile, Bonnie switched to a morefortable sitting position, while deliberately revealing her long, snow-white legs. "I''m not interested...are you going?" he asked, smiling coldly. "Of course. They sent me an invitation. How can you not go?" The Zhong Family and Tang Family hadn''t been very close in the past, but they still dealt with each other cordially. Bonnie''s father had presented a couple of precious antiques to Joshua, which he had collected over the course of many years. Simon had received Joshua''s invite over a week ago, but he was too busy to attend such a birthday party. What''s more, his mood waspletely spoiled. "I think you should attend it without me," Simon spoke through a weak smile. "Won''t you pleasee with me, Simon?" "Okay, no problem!" Simon replied quickly. He had suddenly recalled something important. He guessed she only wore that perfume on special asions, so it was possible she would apply it for the party. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Bonnie smiled shyly. Her face blushed as she stared into his eyes seductively, rubbing her legs against his''. "It will be fun!" Bonnie smiled in a dignified manner,ing from an eminent family. "Emm... By the way, why didn''t you apply that perfume today?" Simon asked without thinking too much. He just couldn''t help it. "Why, do you like it that much?" Bonnie asked innocently. She thought he might have some fascination with her perfume...which she thought was romantic. But s, she was just a woman in love, and her thoughts were simple. She had no suspicions and thought he just cared for her. "Yes. The perfume you usedst time we met was very pleasant!" Simonmented artfully. Bonnie was euphoric, thinking about kissing him right away. "If you really like it, I''ll put it on tonight...you can bury your face in my neck and smell it all you want," she whispered and got up from the armrest. She then turned around, widened her legs and sat on Simon''sp, making sure her short dress revealed all of her legs. Chapter 691 Wait For You Chapter 691 Wait For You With her slender arms around his neck, Bonnie looked at Simon affectionately. She sensed that Simon had a crush on her. "Okay." Instead of pushing Bonnie away, Simon held her waist in his hands. With a flirtatious smile, Bonnie looked into Simon''s eyes. She wanted to say something, but after a second thought, she held her tongue. She was too shy to ask it outright, though she wanted to ask. She was eager to know if Simon wanted to be with her. Maybe it should have been obvious to her that Simon wouldn''t consider starting a new rtionship anytime soon. "Simon, how long have we known each other?" Bonnie''s crimson lips quivered, and her breath blew on Simon''s face. "Twenty five years," Simon said with a beaming smile. "How many periods of twenty-five years can we spend in our lives? Even if I live to be a hundred years old, it would only be four times. I''ve liked you for a long time. My feelings for you have never changed. Simon, would you like to be with me?" With a joyful smile, Bonnie flung her soft body onto his strong chest. Simon met her eyes. He hadn''t known what was in her mind before, but now he was starting to understand. In fact, Nacy and he had only been acquainted for twenty-five years. Simon liked her ever since the third grade of primary school. His love for her was deep in his bones. No matter what Nacy wanted to do, Simon would give her all his support, even if she really wanted to break up with him one day. Simon pursed his thin lips and said nothing. A mysterious emotion was emanating from his handsome face. Not hearing the answer she wanted, Bonnie was quite upset. She pouted, acting like a spoiled child. "Won''t you give me an answer? Even if you say no." Simon hesitated for a while, and there was a trace of hesitation on his lean face. "You know, I just recently got divorced." Simon emphasized the word "divorced." He wanted to make Bonnie understand that he was a divorced man, not simply a guy who had broken up. "So what? It''s normal for people to get a divorce nowadays. The divorce rate is very high in City A. You are not the only one in this world to get divorced. You''ve always known about my love for you. Why don''t you give me an answer?" "We are both adults. We should enter our rtionships responsibly, and you are no exception. Even if we are going to start, it''s not the right time," Simon exined. His fear and uncertainty lingered behind his inscrutable expression. "But aren''t we a perfect match? When we were together, we got along so well. We never fought." Bonnie frowned, feeling worried. She was trying her best to convince Simon. "Yes..." Simon nodded in agreement. It was indeed true: when he was with Bonnie, he had never quarreled with her. He never thought there was anything worth fighting about, and he didn''t really care, anyway. People were always misbehaving when they were with their loved ones. They tended to lose their tempers in front of their loved ones. The more they loved someone, the more they wanted to upy that person''s heart. They wanted the person to belong to thempletely. In the three years since Nacy and Simon had been married, they had small fights from time to time. Bonnie thought this meant their marriage was having serious problems. But in fact, for them, it was the spice in their rtionship. Their bond was strengthened every time they had a quarrel, and these quarrels reminded them that their rtionship was really precious. "I''m willing to wait for you to change your mind," Bonnie said as she eyed Simon affectionately. But Simon had an expression of distaste on his face. ''I''ve never loved you, and I''ll never do that, '' he thought. Before Simon could say anything, his secretary knocked on the door and said sweetly, "Mr. Ye." Bonnie raised her eyebrows and got off Simon''s legs. Anyway, she would have plenty of time with Simonter that night, so there was no need to hurry. "Come in." Simon sat on the sofa, with a perfectly straight face, as if nothing had happened. The secretary entered the room, holding a thick stack of documents in her hands. Thetest bid needed Simon''s review and signature. "See you tonight, Simon." "Okay, bye." Simon smiled and walked to the desk. The office was so quiet that there was nothing to hear other than the sound of Simon turning over the pages of the document. Wherever he found an empty spot that needed a signature, he would quickly sign his name. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. A photo of Nacy and Simon stood on his desk. In the photo, Nacy was on a beach, barefoot, with a bright smile on her face. Simon was holding her face, kissing her. The photo was taken when they were on their honeymoon. Time had flown, and three years had passed. Joshua''s birthday party would be held at a top grade resort in the city, called Starry Night Hotel. It was often referred to as the back-garden of City A: The hotel''s exterior design was a transparent crystal ball with a semicircr shape. It was located in the most expensive area of City A. The outer walls of the hotel werepletely made of crystal, not ss. In the evening, the crystal ball would sparkle with shifting colors. When people looked up, they could see an endless ocean of stars. That was why the hotel was called "Starry Night Hotel." Many celebrities and people of high social status were invited to the mayor''s birthday party. The Jin Family members were all on the invitation list, but Daisy didn''t enjoy being in such a crowded ce. Now she was a grandmother. Although she was still rtively young, she didn''t like to attend parties. She would rather y with Adrian at home with Jason, who would also stay home. Nathan and Mandy would attend the party. Joshua''s beloved daughter loved Ethon, so he had also invited all the members of the Yu Family. Malcolm was in a neat suit. He was in his fifties, but he was still full of energy. His wife, Monica, was wearing a scarlet cheongsam, with a high cut, whichplimented her graceful figure perfectly. She was nearly fifty years old, but she still maintained an excellent, curvy figure. Ethon wore a suit too. He looked handsome in his navy blue suit. Monica herself had prepared his suit for him. Originally, he hadn''t intended toe to the boring birthday party. However, when Monica visited the apartment where he and Fiona lived, he had toe with her, leaving Fiona alone in the apartment. Chapter 692 Your Bones Always Hurt Me Chapter 692 Your Bones Always Hurt Me Sh looked drop dead gorgeous today. She was donned in an off shoulder red dress with a nipped-in waist design. Her makeup was on point. Her hair hung loose inzy beach waves. She looked exotic and sultry. "Hello, Uncle, Auntie. Hello, Ethon!" Sh noticed people at once, and naturally she greeted Ethon the moment she saw him. "Oh, look at you my princess! You look ravishing!" Monicaplimented Sh with a kind smile and took her hand. Ethon just stood there without shifting. He did not seem to be impatient and chose to be silent. "Thank you so much, Auntie, for the praise. You look magnificent in the cheongsam. The golden embroidery suits you so beautifully!" Sh said coyly in order to please Monica. In fact, at the end of the day, they both wanted the same thing. Monica wanted her son to be renowned and sessful in theing times. If Ethon and Sh could be engaged in holy matrimony, the result would be endless wealth and power for him. Even though the Yu Family itself was respectable and wealthy, Monica wanted to marry her son off into a wealthier family. So Monica was extremely happy with Sh. Fiona, on the other hand, was out of the question. She was poor and humble. If any kind of union happened between Ethon and Fiona, Monica would be enraged. "I think I will go over there for a walk," Ethon said suddenly. He did not like staying there any longer. So, the minute he saw Nathan and Mandy enter the hall, he grabbed the opportunity to escape. "Hey, Ethon, what do you mean? Where will you go? Sh just came over to greet us, and you want to leave? Is this some deliberate attempt? What happened to the gentleman in you?" Monica tugged at Ethon''s arm as sheined. "Mom you misunderstood me. I just want to speak to Nathan. Look he is here," Ethon said convincingly. He did not want to anger Monica there. Just as Monica was about to reply, Sh cut in. With a very forceful smile, she said, " Auntie, let Ethon go, please. He has his own dealings. My father is waiting there for us." Ethon quickly took off and did not even look back once. He went straight to Nathan and Mandy. Nathan had put on a silver grey suit, and Mandy looked angelic in a light green dress. The gauze design at the bottom made Mandy look like a magical princess who floated in the wind. "Hello, Nathan, Mandy!" Ethon greeted with a happy look on his face. Ethon was already working in JS international, and Nathan had put him in a good position. Ethon would definitely be promoted right after his graduation from university. "Hello, Ethon! Err... Where is Nana? Is she around? Did you not bring her here today?" Mandy asked politely as she smiled at Ethon. She looked around. Till that point, she did not notice Fiona. Ethon hesitated and bit his lips. He did not know how to answer that. Joshua, the mayor of City A, was not at all an ordinary person. All the attendees of his birthday party were extremely distinguished guests belonging to the upper ss. It was naturally impossible for a simple girl like Fiona to attend that party beside such people. "Erm, no, Nana is at home," Ethon prudently said with a stiff face. Mandy immediately figured out that something was not right. She immediately reprimanded Ethon, "This is your fault, Ethon. You should not have left Nana alone at home. How can she be alone at home? You two are living together, right? And you are also in a great rtionship. Have you ced yourself in her shoes? Have you thought about how she will feel?" "I will go back right away to keep herpany. You know my mom forced me to attend the party. I never wanted toe," Ethon said as he lowered his head since he was ashamed of it all. Onlookers see more than yers. Nathan understood the difficulties Ethon was in. He stretched his hands out and took Mandy in his arms. "Let''s go over there and grab a bite." "Okay!" Mandy agreed to go. Mandy realized that Nathan was making a deliberate attempt to change the topic. She probably thought too little of what Ethon was going through. She med the boy too soon. Amidst all the jolly guests, Ethon felt alone. He felt depressed and anxious. He felt less of a man as he was incapable of providing the required security to Fiona. He could not even fathom how upset Fiona was probably feeling tonight. In hindsight, Fiona did not create any ruckus and rather allowed Ethon to attend the party freely. Mandy leisurely walked towards the long banquet table and picked up a piece of cake. She ced it on a te. Whenever her mood was sour, Mandy would rely on a dessert to brighten up her mood. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Nathan carefully picked out several tantalizing looking desserts, and when he noticed Mandy, he was really confused. Mandy generally did not have a taste for eating dessert. Yet, she was here with a piece of cake on her te. That was when he saw that Mandy was wearing a frown on her face, and he instantly knew what was happening. "Please control your urge to have sweets, you will put on weight!" Nathan teased Mandy as he mischievously ced a doughnut on her te. "Don''t you like me?" Mandy seemed unhappy. She looked deep into Nathan''s eyes. "Of course not. As long as you don''t say that you are losing weight, I will never mind that you are fat," Nathan fooled around as he narrowed his dark eyes. Hearing what Nathan just said, Mandy smiled a little. In fact, Mandy would express her wish to lose more weight in front of Nathan once in a while. Although the words meant nothing, Nathan would take it seriously. "Okay, fine, I won''t say it again. Happy?" Mandy picked up another piece of cake and put it on Nathan''s te. She knew very well that Nathan did not like desserts, so she teased him and said, "You must be as fat as me then!" "Ha-ha! You are just a bag of bones. They hurt me when I try to hug you! Let''s put on some meat here and there!" Nathan joked as he looked at her up and down. Mandy blushed at the proposal, and she smiled. She punched him yfully and in a soft voice said, "You are such a pervert!" "Oh, my pretty darling!" Nathan and Mandy were lost in each other as they chatted. Simon and Bonnie made their entry with a bang. Simon was all suited up in white with a ck shirt tucked inside. Bonnie looked beautiful in a long, light blue dress that had ace stamen. Everyone turned heads to look at them. Standing tall, Simon wore a delicate face. He was refined in his actions and behavior. He remained calm and conducted himself as a proper adult. After the divorce, he never smiled much, he maintained a poker face, and funnily enough, it suited his temperament. Almost every man in the party was wearing dark today, but it was only Simon who was wearing a white suit. Naturally, he stood out in the crowd. Chapter 693 Being Engaged Chapter 693 Being Engaged Simon walked firmly toward Nathan and Mandy. Bonnie, who was standing next to him, smiled and then followed him closely. Her delicate baby face had a sense of victory on it. Mandy couldn''t bear to see Bonnie like this, like she was making a deration of her ownership over Simon. Fortunately, Nacy wasn''t here tonight, or this would really have provoked her. The guests gathered all around Simon and Bonnie. Some of them were even whispering. "Have you heard what happened with Simon? It''s such a pity that Simon and Nacy got divorced. A few days ago, Nacy announced that she was pregnant and wanted to quit the entertainment industry. But things got so ridiculous. She had a miscarriage, and they got divorced shortly after." "But didn''t Simon cheat on her first? I heard that Simon met a woman at a bar and went to a hotel with her..." "Is that woman Bonnie?" "I think so. She is quite beautiful, though." "Nacy now has an intimate rtionship with the deputy director of the Education Bureau. I''ve heard that they are old lovers and lived together three years ago." "Well¡­ The entertainment industry is crazy when ites to rtionships¡­" "Nathan, Mand," Simon greeted them expressionlessly as he walked up to them. Bonnie clutched Simon''s arm, unwilling to let it go. She smiled proudly and greeted them too, "Mr. Jin, Mrs. Jin." Neither Nathan nor Mandy spoke back to her. Mandy looked away and fed Nathan a small piece of cake, ignoring Bonnie on purpose. Bonnie was pissed off. Her face immediately lost all its pride, the surging anger could be seen clearly in her transparent face. She hade to greet them on her own and hadn''t expected to be ignored like this. Simon slipped his arm out of Bonnie''s grip artfully. "Let''s go meet the mayor..." "Okay." Bonnie shed a smile at him, immediately easing the awkward atmosphere. Nathan lead Mandy to sit on a sofa. His thin and elegant lips were pressed together, and there was a strange coldness in his eyes. He nced at Mandy while sipping from his drink, and then asked, "What are you thinking about?" "Are mistresses all proud of themselves?" Mandy replied and then sipped from her own ss of orange juice, her almond shaped eyes glinting with disgust. Nathan smiled and smirked, but he didn''t say anything. His narrow eyes swept over Mandy''s delicate face. "What are you smiling at?" Mandy asked coldly, without a smile on her gentle face. "Sometimes men can act. It''s clear Simon doesn''t really care about Bonnie," Nathan exined. It was easy for Nathan to see through his act. "If he doesn''t like her, why did hee with her?" asked Mandy, finding what Nathan had said a little hard to believe. "He''s acting, Mand," Nathan said again. He looked at Simon and Bonnie, who were standing at some distance talking to the mayor. He had an arrogant look on his face like he was all too proud to have figured out Simon''s act. Mandy nced at Nathan and opened her mouth to say something. But suddenly, the light in the hall dimmed, and a beam of light shed on the stage. The mayor, Joshua Tang, climbed the steps onto the stage. He wore a crisp, blue suit. He held a microphone to give a small speech to show his appreciation for the guests. Atst, he said he hoped everyone was having fun. Joshua''s lightughter spread in the darkness of the night. His voice was gentle and low, but it was entuated manifold due to the microphone. It was a beautiful night, with a million stars twinkling in the clear sky. A thunderous apuse swept across the crowd. They thought the mayor was going to cut his cake now, but the lights were still off. Sh now walked onto the stage. Holding her dress, she walked toward Joshua gracefully. Embracing Sh and smiling heartily, Joshua went on. "I also have a good news to announce tonight," Joshua spoke loudly, ncing at his daughter with pride. All the guests looked at each other with curiosity and anticipation, wondering what was the big news. But they could tell it had something to do with the mayor''s daughter. "Since ancient times, parents have been arranging their children''s marriages. My daughter, Sh, and the young son of the Yu Family will get married soon after her graduation. I hope you are all there to witness the union of this young couple," Joshua said slowly, a smile stuck on his happy face. Ethon was stunned by his words. His face fell, his heart crushed. He didn''t know how to react. He was so angry that he wanted to leave immediately. He had never thought his parents would decide whom he would marry! And the mayor''s daughter? Never! ''What era is this? Arranged marriage? How ridiculous!'' Ethon thought angrily. The dark hall finally lit up, and the crowd dispersed. When Ethon was about to turn and leave, Monica grasped his arm, unwilling to let him go. Ethon didn''t know what to do. The frown seemed to have frozen on his face. The guests attending the party were mostly business tycoons, who held immense power in this city. If Ethon denied this marriage in public, it would bring great shame to the mayor. By that time, Monica might keep finding trouble with him. However, if he epted it, what about Fiona? It turned out that the main purpose of this party wasn''t celebrating Joshua''s birthday, but to set a trap for Ethon. Ethon finally realized what was going on. "Congrattions, Mr. Tang! Your soon-to-be son-inw is a handsome and promising young boy. Sh will definitely have a great life with him if they get along well!" Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Yeah, I envy them so much." "They are a perfect match. Mr. Tang, we will be waiting for the wedding!" Before the guests figured out the situation, the greetings were already in the air. The marriage became the hot topic of the party and for many days toe. Ethon smiled coldly, standing all alone. He had never thought he would be engaged without his own will and permission. He had even moved out of his parents'' house. Wasn''t that enough to get rid of their control? Mandy''s face turned a little cold. She sneered and spoke to herself, "Joshua, what a scheming man you are!" "It is mainly a job done by Ethon''s mom," Nathanmented. Nathan shook his head helplessly and nced sharply at Ethon. He saw how the young man was standing alone in a corner, silent, but clearly angry. "Let''s go. I want to see Nana." Mandy was eager to leave. She felt sick at the party... First, spotting Simon and Bonnie, and then hearing this terrible news. She couldn''t believe the people around her! Chapter 694 Visit Nana Chapter 694 Visit Nana Monica, Sh, and Joshua¡ªall of them made Mandy sick. She did not know that Monica was that kind of person. Nheless, she definitely would not make it easy for her. "Okay." Nathan did not say anything more and followed Mandy. He hated seeing Mandy upset. Whoever made a pass at her would surely have to go through him. They were in tandem, and anyone who disgusted Mandy also disgusted him! The mayor was no exception. If Nathan wanted him out of office, he better pack his things soon. Fiona was in her apartment, watching the TV alone. She missed Ethon and wondered what he could be doing. Plopped on her bed, she tossed and turned. She had a strong urge to call him, but she did not fancy being a nuisance. Mandy felt a gentle night breeze on her face as she stood outside of Fiona''s apartment. She raised a hand and rang the doorbell, keeping her other hand intertwined safely with Nathan''s fingers. Fiona, who was having a silent battle with her phone, jumped up and ran out on her bare feet. She was at the door in a snap, thinking Ethon was back. "Sis¡­ Sis, brother-inw, howe you''re here?" Her excitement fell in a swoop. She fiddled with her dress awkwardly, and the cold ground seemed to suck the warmth out of her feet. "What? Are we not wee here?" A gentle smile appeared on Mandy''s face as she took in her sister''s appearance. ''She hasn''t changed a bit. She still likes to walk around barefooted without a care in the world.'' Fiona immediately backtracked, and with a silly smile, she stepped aside and let them in. "Of course, you''re wee here! I was simply surprised!" Mandy sat leisurely in the living room and looked around. There was no sign of Ethon. "Where is Ethon?" Nathan loosened his tie and cor button before sitting down beside Mandy. He projected a stoic demeanor, and his lips had set tightly into a thin line. They changed their clothes beforeing so that Fiona could not tell that they had attended the mayor''s party. "Please, have some tea." Fiona concentrated on the act of pouring tea and served two cups. She shed a big smile, willfully ignoring the question. "Your apartment is quite nice. Howe I don''t see your boyfriend?" Cradling the cup with both hands, Mandy took a delicate sip of tea. With a little inward smile, she shot Fiona with a look over the rim as she drank. Mandy''s stare made Fiona uneasy. Her sister rarely visited without purpose, but she suddenly dropped by that evening. She must have known something. "You already know it, don''t you?" she admitted, throwing a shy smile and feeling herself flush. "You are a smart girl. Why didn''t you tell me that Ethon''s mother doesn''t like you?" Mandy''s brows drew together, and her gaze searched Fiona''s face. "Why should I? It''s not like we''re going to get married." "How is he treating you?" Mandy sighed, and her eyes grew fierce and steely. "He is a good man." "I bet he is so good that he left you behind tonight to attend his future father-inw''s birthday party." Mandy smiled disdainfully and shook her head disapprovingly. "Sis, what do you mean?" ''What does she mean by attending his future father-inw''s birthday party?'' Fiona struggled to understand what precisely Mandy was suggesting. "Don''t you know? They made the announcement to the public. Joshua told everyone at the birthday party." The air froze immediately. Fiona''s hand, which was holding the teacup, paused, confusion creasing her forehead. "Honey, stop riling her. I guess Ethon didn''t know about it either. It seemed like a setup. Nana, we came here to talk to you about it." Nathan decided to meddle, addressing the two sisters. His deep-toned voice made it hard to guess his thoughts. Mandy stared at Fiona for several seconds, and then put the teacup down on the table. She held Fiona''s hands anxiously. "Nana, did Monica mess with you before?" "No, she didn''t." She quickly averted her eyes, not daring to look at Mandy. "Nana, you can''t lie. What did Monica do to you?" A furious blush mounted Mandy''s cheeks. Mandy knew how vicious of a woman Monica was. She met Monica and Malcolm in the past when she was with Colin. She exuded an arrogant disy of authority in stark contrast to her amiable middle- aged husband. The old woman was very polite to her, though. That was until she divorced Colin when the cold hard facts revealed Monica''s true colors. She turned out to be a first-ss bitch and had vindicated Mandy''s poor opinion of her. They hadn''t seen each other since she reconciled with Nathan. But at the back of her mind, she knew that they would meet at some point. "Sis, it''s all over. Let''s not talk about it anymore, okay?" A wry smile broke across Fiona''s face. She could not care less about Monica''s disdain towards her as long as Ethon stood by her. "No, we can''t. Tell me what she did to you? Did she say something nasty?" Mandy was agitated and spoke rapidly. She could only guess what Monica said. "She just said some insulting words to make me leave Ethon. She didn''t like that Ethon moved out because of me." Fiona worried on her bottom lip. She did not want Mandy to have a conflict with Monica because of her affairs. Her sister did not usually fuss, but she would not just stand on the sideline and see her loved ones get maltreated. Mandy had always protected her since childhood, so Fiona knew her well. "That''s why Monica hates you? We may not be as wealthy as the Yu Family, but I won''t allow anyone to bully you," Mandy said in a huff. She was so enraged that she trembled. ''Why does Monica hate her? And how can they say that Sh is better than Fiona? Just because she''s the daughter of the mayor?'' "She didn''t bully me, I promise. Besides, Ethon is on my side," said Fiona. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Is it because Sh''s father is the mayor? Nana, you don''t have to bear any humiliation. Your brother- inw is much more powerful than Joshua. Who the hell is Sh! She can''t evenpare with you!" Her anger melted in a sh, reced by tenderness as she turned her head to look at Nathan. Nathan, meanwhile, was wild with joy upon hearing Mandy''spliment. His chiseled face unleashed a broad smile that belied the power and ruthlessness below the surface. "Yes, Nana. You should be more confident. If you need anything, I will support you. It won''t be easy for others to bully you, especially with us around." Warmth crept inside Fiona when she heard their words. She could see that they meant what they said, and she felt relieved. Yes, with Mandy and Nathan around, what else should she be worried about? Chapter 695 Some People, Once Let Go, Will Always Be Gone Chapter 695 Some People, Once Let Go, Will Always Be Gone At Starry Night Hotel The boisterous banquet hall quieted down after Joshua exposed Sh and Ethon''s marriage to all the guests. The low pink light gave a warm glow to the atmosphere. Sh stood on the stage as all eyes turned to focus on Ethon. Monica tightened her grip on Ethon''s hand, who remained stoic. He did not want to get engaged at all. "I need to go to the toilet," Ethon excused himself, casting an icy nce at Monica. Without a word, Monica loosened her grip on Ethon''s hand. She leaned close and whispered in his ear, "You had bettere back soon." With indifference on his face, Ethon gave her a look of arrogance. As he turned around to face the guests, people could see how lonely he felt. Malcolm put down the goblet that he was holding and stared at Monica in surprise. He had not realized she was this crazy. She hadn''t informed him that Joshua would create such a drama tonight. Ethon entered the bathroom and was about to close the door when a force pushed it open. It was Malcolm in his shy ck suit. He walked in with a calm expression on his face. They locked the door from inside. Malcolm patted his son''s shoulder, a friendly smile on his face. "Ethon, are you okay?" he asked. "Dad... Did you know about this?" A deep frown settled on Ethon''s handsome face. There was a hint of anger in his tone, too. Malcolm shook his head, taking his hand off his son''s shoulder. "I didn''t know. If I had, I would have stopped your mother." Ethon''s thin lips formed into a sneer. "Dad, I really love Nana. I don''t want to break up with her." Malcolm didn''t say anything for a few seconds. They could feel tension and seriousness in the air around them. Malcolm understood how Ethon was feeling. Smiling, he said, "Ethon, no matter what you want to do, just do it. You have my support." "Father..." Ethon wanted to say something but did not know what. He was touched by his father''s words, almost unable to believe that he had his support. Malcolm knew all of this too well. He had sacrificed his love for the greater good of his family. But, he regretted not being able to marry the love of his life. "Do you remember your Aunt Ivy?" Malcolm asked, taking out his cigarette packet and lighter. He lit one of the cigarettes. It burned at the end, and the smell of smoke filled the bathroom. Ethon nodded. He stared at his father now, confused. Of course, he remembered that woman. "The greatest regret of my life is not being able to have been with her. I wanted to be a general, so I rejected her in favor of my future. She swallowed her pride and moved in with your brother." Malcolm took a puff of the cigarette. "I made her suffer, and for that, I am a jerk." For a second, he stared into space. Sadness and longing appeared on his face. Ethon could see that his father felt trapped. He was wrapped inyers of smoke, unable to get out. "Father, don''t say that." Ethon''s heart ached. "I failed her, Ethon. People can fall in love many times, but there is only one person who is the love of our lives." Malcolm looked at Ethon. "You understand your heart. Your body is telling me more than your mouth. You like this girl, and when you like someone, you do everything in your power to be able to hold her in your arms. I believe that you have already tasted love. You do not need me to teach you what to do next." He took another puff of the cigarette, looking guilty. After Ivy left, Malcolm had felt dead on the inside. He was simply a walking, talking corpse. Back when Ivy had still been alive, they hadn''t been in contact much. She was proud and did not want to be the one to reach out first. She was also afraid of people bashing them once they found out about the rtionship she shared with Malcolm. So, she let herself be the bad guy instead. But, Malcolm knew the truth. "Dad, can I tell everyone that Fiona is the love of my life when I go outter?" Ethon shot his father a meaningful look, his eyebrows raised. A crazy idea had started to form in his mind. With a gentle smile on his face, Malcolm responded, "Ethon, I said that I will support whatever decision you make." Hearing Malcolm''s reply moved Ethon to tears. He sniffed, finally understanding the man standing in front of him. He had be a military hero, but he had lost the woman he loved. His heart broke for his father. Malcolm missed Ivy and regretted not being able to be with her. Therefore, he fully supported his son''s wishes. Some people, once let go, would always be gone. ''From the cradle to the grave, life is too short, '' Malcolm thought. ''We are alone at the time of our birth, and when we die. But, along the way, we meet a lot of people. We join hands with them and carry on with our journey. The most importantpanion, however, is the person we love.'' "Dad, if you had a second chance, would you have married Aunt Ivy?" Malcolm smiled. A hint of tenderness shed across his handsome, yet cold face. He nodded. Of course, he would. "The desires us human beings have are endless. We have to be responsible. Each time you gain something, there will always be something you lose. Weigh the pros and cons carefully, and then make a choice. Once that choice is made, do not look back, and do not regret it. Even if you do be regretful, keep it to yourself," Malcolm spoke slowly. As far as Ethon remembered, his father had been a man of blood and iron. But, here he was, tender as a child. Malcolm had never spoken to Ethon as much as he did today. "Father, you must miss her very much." Ethon smiled lightly. He had met Ivy before. She had been a great fan of ying the piano, and she was graceful. Malcolm had once used three words to describe Ivy; gentle, dignified, and graceful. "Of course, I miss her. I made the wrong choice. I hope you do not make the same mistakes that I did when I was young. You are my son. Even if you do not marry into the Tang Family, your future will not be ruined. Follow your heart. Be with the woman you love." Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Thank you, Father. I see." "Okay, now you go out first. I want to have another cigarette." Being an addict, Malcolm flicked the butt into the trash can and took out another cigarette. Chapter 696 The Embarrassment Chapter 696 The Embarrassment Not long after finishing the first one, Malcolm lit another cigarette. Ethon had already left. The atmosphere in the hall was quiet and peaceful. Everyone seemed to be waiting for Ethon because Sh was still standing on the stage, scanning the crowd expectantly. When Ethon came out of the bathroom, he found people eyeing him, while also giving way to him. The light was shining brightly on Ethon. He looked all around without any expression on his handsome, chiseled face. Under the stark gaze of every one present, Ethon slowly made his way to the stage. Sh looked at Ethon affectionately, her adoration for him clear on her face. She was both anxious and excited, wondering what would happen next. She thought Ethon wouldpromise and ept their marriage. "Good evening,dies and gentlemen. There have been some misunderstandings about my marriage to Miss Tang. I have never been in a rtionship with her, and I don''t like her either. She is a great person, but I have been in love with another girl for many years. Hope you can bless us and forget about this announcement..." Ethon stood in the middle of the stage with his eyes looking firmly at the people around. There was no hint of hesitation in his manner. No one said a word, although there were hushed sounds of people looking at each other in shock and some gasping. What was going on? How many more turns was this party going to take? Sh''s eyes widened. When she realized what was happening, she felt so embarrassed she lowered her eyes. She fiddled with her own fingers, starting to sweat. How could Ethon be so blunt in front of so many people? Did he really have to embarrass her? Further, wasn''t this an insult to her and her father? Her face looked pale and lifeless under the shining light. She stood frozen in ce. Slowly, she lifted her eyes up at Ethon...one could now see the hatred surfacing in her pretty face. "Ethon, what do you mean?" Sh asked in disbelief. The drama had just started to unfold. Monica, who was standing among the crowd, was stunned too. Her mouth was wide open. She had never expected her son to go against her. She felt both shame and embarrassment. She was overwhelmed by Ethon''s anger and frustration. The wrinkles around her eyes came together as she narrowed her eyes and looked at Sh on the stage...clearly, the girl was feeling disappointed and insulted. "Don''t you know what I mean? You already know I have a girlfriend, and her name is Fiona..." Ethon squinted his eyes as if he couldn''t believe her pretense. He walked closer to Sh, ring at her angrily. The expression on Ethon''s face was frightening, making her feel a shiver run down her spine. Unable to hold herself together, she started weeping. The girl had been wronged, after all. Joshua couldn''t stand his daughter''s embarrassment anymore. He rushed onto the stage and pulled her behind him. He then looked down at Monica, roaring at the top of his lungs, "Mrs. Yu! Is this how you have brought your son up?" He then turned to Ethon. "You know what, Ethon? Sh never wanted to marry you anyway. It was your mother who begged her to marry you. I didn''t expect you to be so shameless and ungrateful..." Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. The air seemed to have chilled in the hall. No one moved. Joshua''s revealing words made everyone present uneasy. Malcolm walked out of the bathroom to find everything at a standstill. There was a slight smell of smoke on his slender fingers. Spotting Ethon on the stage, he figured out what had happened. He smiled deeply to himself and asked Joshua, "Mr. Tang, why are you angry? My wife did something wrong. She didn''t discuss it with our son and decided to fix his marriage without telling him. It''s not Ethon''s fault. Don''t be angry with him." Malcolm spoke with indignation, urging Joshua to forgive Ethon. He believed that Joshua wouldn''t act rashly, given the asion. The two men looked at each other intensely. Both of them reeked of power and status. As the atmosphere became smothering, Joshua thought of a way to save the day. He suddenly laughed out loud. "So, Mrs. Yu, you were pranking me?" But Monica didn''t get the hint. She was confused. She shook her head and exined obediently, "No, I wasn''t. I really like Sh. I want her to be my daughter-inw!" Joshua''s smile faded. He swung his arm in the air as if brushing off her words. "Don''t bother exining. There is too much for Sh to bear in your family!" Sh stirred. She scanned the crowd first, then her eyesnded on Monica. She spoke quietly behind Joshua, "Dad..." "Let''s go. Don''t make a fool of yourself here." Together, the father and daughter walked down the stage. This party, which was supposed to be a happy asion, had be a mess. Malcolm, Ethon, and Monica left soon after that, unwilling to answer people''s questions or be the subject of their stares. Even after the drama that had urred, Ethon and Malcolm were in a good mood. They were chatting andughing in the car, least affected by what had happened. While Monica''s face had shrunk. "You two worked together to embarrass me! This is too much!" Tears streamed down Monica''s cheeks. She felt wronged by her own family. Ethon was indifferent to her misery. Instead of getting into an argument with her, he took out his phone and sent a message to Fiona. Monica, who was sitting in the back seat with Ethon, leaned closer to him to see who he was texting. She peeped into his phone and found that he had saved Fiona''s number with the name ''Baby.'' She got enraged at once. She grabbed Ethon''s phone, and almost threw it out of the window before she got a hold of herself. She red at Ethon and spoke through her teeth, "How the hell did she seduce you? What''s so good about her?" "Give me my phone. What do you want?" Ethon spoke calmly, looking directly into his mother''s eyes. "Why? Do you think I will throw it out of the window?" asked Monica angrily. "It''s up to you. If you want to throw it, go ahead. It''s just a phone. If it makes you feel any better, just do it." "Come on," Malcolm interjected. "Stop fighting. Monica, whatever happened was because of your own fault. How could you get him engaged without even asking him?" Malcolm, who was sitting in the front seat next to the driver, turned his head around and stared at Monica sternly. Sometimes he couldn''t understand why she behaved so erratically. "Aha! Why not? I''m his mother. I carried him in my womb for nine months! Do I not have the right to make a decision for him?" Monica argued senselessly. "Don''t impose your opinions on me. In your eyes, Sh is a good girl, but in my eyes, she is just a spoiled girl. She can''t bepared to Nana at all," Ethon said earnestly. He did not want to speak against his mother but was left with no choice. Monica looked like she had passed into shock. Her grip on the phone loosened, and she resorted to staring out of the window with a sad expression. Ethon reached out and slipped his phone from her fingers. What no one knew was that Monica had identally recorded their entire argument in Ethon''s WeChat and sent it out to Fiona. Back in her house, Fiona was chatting with Nathan and Mandy, and was in a great mood. Precisely then, she saw Ethon had sent her a message. A smile spread across her lips. She couldn''t wait to see it. Chapter 697 The Dress Has Been Stolen Chapter 697 The Dress Has Been Stolen The voice message said, "Don''t force your opinion on me. Sh may be a good girl in your eyes, but in my eyes, she is an arrogant princess. She is nothingpared to Nana." Fiona could tell that Ethon spoke every word with a serious look on his face. After hearing Ethon''s words, Fiona felt a little strange. It seemed that Ethon had recorded the conversation with somebody by ident. She sent three question marks to Ethon. It was not until Ethon received the message that he realized he had recorded the conversation while he was having an argument with Monica. Ethon listened to the recording carefully. Luckily, it was only him who was talking, and he was complimenting Fiona. The tense look of a moment before on Ethon''s face instantly turned into a smile. "I''ll tell you about it when I get home," Ethon replied to Fiona via WeChat. Fiona looked at the screen of her cellphone with a smile and typed quickly, "Okay, I''ll wait for you to come back." Seeing that Fiona was in a good mood, Mandy stood up and said, "It seems that Ethon has already convinced you that he''sing back home." With a smile flitting across her face, Fiona rested her eyes on Mandy. In a spoiled tone, she said, "Yes, sister, brother-inw, thank you foring tonight." "What are you thanking us for? Silly girl. As long as you are happy, okay? We will go now." "Okay. Take care." When Mandy and Nathan returned to the vi, they felt like they just went on a roller coaster ride. Mandy had been very worried about Fiona, but it was not until she saw her reaction that she realized her worries were in vain. "Nathan, do you think I''m a busybody?" Depressed, Mandy put her arms around Nathan''s neck and threw herself at him like a sad, spoiled brat. Nathan took her into his arms and inhaled the satisfying scenting off her body. He stretched out his finger and gently rubbed her nose. "Silly girl, what are you talking about?" he asked. "I really hope that Nana and Ethon will be happy together." "I know you want what''s good for them. Nana is so lucky to have such a good sister like you." "Is that apliment?" As she looked at his handsome face, she could not resist putting her finger on his cor. Her hand trembled as she felt the soft fabric of Nathan''s white shirt. She started unfastening his buttons one by one. An expanse of wheat-colored skin greeted her. With her fingertips, she touched Nathan''s hot chest. Nathan''s voice was deep and maic. He bent down and grasped Mandy''s hands. He raised his eyebrows and smiled mischievously. "Naughty woman, what are you doing?" Mandy blushed immediately. She teased, "Don''t you know what I want to do?" "I don''t know. What do you want to do with me?" Nathan squinted and asked deliberately. Mandy put her hands against Nathan''s firm chest and pushed him away. Then, she turned around and ran into the bathroom. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Nathan chased after her without hesitation and caught up with her in just a moment. He held the restless woman in his arms. They burst into gleefulughter, and their mirth echoed from the bathroom into the bedroom. At the Shangri-La Hotel The floor of the presidential suite was strewn with fragrant rose petals, and the lighting was warm, giving the room an amorous atmosphere. Halfway through Joshua''s birthday party, Bonnie and Simon quietly sneaked out. Bonnie could not restrain her excitement any longer. She pressed her soft body against Simon''s. "Simon, you look very handsome tonight." Bonnie''s eyes gleamed with seduction, and her lips beamed with a cunning smile. Her voice was like velvet. "You look beautiful tonight as well." At that moment, Simon and Bonnie stood very close, and the tips of their noses touched. It was a sultry and passionate scene. Simon was so excited by the smell of that familiar perfume. As expected, Bonnie obediently wore the same perfume. Simon still found it hard to believe that a small bottle of that perfume could kill his and Nacy''s baby. Looking at Bonnie, Simon knitted his brows. The look on his face changed subtly. Feeling the subtle change in Simon, Bonnie''s pretty face froze. Confused, she asked, "Simon, what''s wrong?" "Nothing. You go ahead and take a shower." "Aren''t we taking a shower together?" With her arms around his neck, Bonnie wondered why Simon did not take the initiative. Was he not that attracted to her? "You go. I''ll join you soon." Simon extended his hand, lifted Bonnie''s chin, and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. Bonnie was overjoyed in her heart, but she did not give up. "Be with me right now, Simon. Stay with me." "You go ahead. I have something to deal with first. I''lle backter." Simon stood up and carried Bonnie into the bathroom. A woman in love was easily deceived. Bonnie had no suspicions about Simon''s intentions. After Simon closed the door and stepped out, she took off her dress and took a shower. Hearing the sound of running water, Simon thought it was time. He got up from the bed and opened the bathroom door with a grim look on his face. "Oh, my God... Simon?" Bonnie was startled and covered her chest with her hands. Simon picked up her dress from the floor and said with a sneer, "Take your time." Bonnie had a sinking feeling in her heart. She said in a trembling voice, "Simon... What are you doing?" "Nothing. Take your time. I''ll wait for you." As soon as he finished speaking, Simon rushed out and closed the door. With soap bubbles all over her body, Bonnie did not have the time to take an enjoyable shower. She showered as quickly as possible, but when she got out, it was toote. By the time Bonnie rushed out of the bathroom, Simon had already disappeared. And he had taken her dress with him! Pissed off, Bonnie clenched her fists and hit the wall. ''Simon, Eve was really right about you. You got close to me just for that bottle of perfume, '' she thought, cursing herself for her naivet¨¦. Bonnie recalled her conversation with Eve. "Eve, Simon is very nice to metely. Although he is not very passionate, at least he is warmer than before." Bonnie chuckled with Simon''s image in her mind. But in fact, Bonnie had been very naive. She was not as cunning and calcting as Eve. If she had not befriended Eve, she would not have done so many bad things to hurt others. Chapter 698 The Perfume Had Been Switched Chapter 698 The Perfume Had Been Switched "What do you mean?" Eve squinted her eyes dangerously, as her scarlet lips curled into a smirk. She believed that the lunch had not been free at all! "Maybe it was because of his recent divorce. He has been nice to metely. He evenplimented my perfume." Hearing that, Eve frowned. She stood up from the sofa she was upying, and nervousness was evident on her face. "Perfume? What kind of perfume?" "The one made by Doctor Ouyang." Bonnie had an innocent smile on her face. She hadn''t expected Simon to like her perfume. After a moment of silence, Eve asked calmly, "Bonnie, did Simon say anything else to you besides complimenting your perfume?" "Nothing special. He said he liked the scent of the perfume emanating from my body. I said I would spray it on next time too," Bonnie recalled. "Eve, do you think Simon liked the perfume enough to get turned on?" she asked,ughing. Bonnie''s expression was now lustful, and her smile as dazzling as ever as she immersed herself in imaginations. But, Eve sensed danger. She immediately responded, "No, you must not use that perfume when you see him. Bonnie, that perfume is harmful. Doctor Ouyang gave me a perfume that smells exactly like yours. But it couldn''t cause the miscarriage of a pregnant woman. Use this simr perfume when you go see Simon. Then you will find out what he wants to do." Bonnie rolled her eyes at what Eve said. "Is Simon suspicious?" she asked. "It''s hard to say. We''d better be careful," Eve said cautiously. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Bonnie nodded her head obediently and smiled. "Okay, I see." "Is that bottle of perfume still in your house?" Eve asked, squinting at her. "Yes, it is." "Then flush the perfume down the toilet. Don''t leave any evidence behind. Do you understand?" Eve asked, raising her eyebrows. So, when Bonnie went to meet Simon, she sprayed on a bottle of perfume that wasn''t harmful. Though both the bottles were simr, this one would not cause an abortion. Only an expert would be able to tell the difference and no one else. Simon realized that the perfume Bonnie was wearing today was much lighter. He was surprised that she had not used that perfume. He stole her dress, but it would be in vain. There was no evidence. As Bonnie took a shower, Simon put her skirt in a sealed bag. Because he knew something was not right, he walked out of the hotel and called the perfume expert. The perfumer''s name was Dalton Ruan. He was born into a family of perfume experts and was one himself. Once he smelled the perfume, he could urately define itsposition and proportions. Dalton jumped into Simon''s sports car, and they started towards hisb together. On the way, Simon also called Nacy to have her join them. The light in the fragranceb was on. Nacy made her way towards it, gasping for air. Once Dalton opened the sealed bag, he fanned it with his hands. The smell of the special perfume filled the room. He closed his eyes, frowned and did not say anything. He took a piece of paper and began writing on it. His handwriting was neat and exquisite. "The head note of this perfume is tycodon gradiflorus. Its middle note is roses and jasmines. The base note, on the other hand, is gardenia, with an essence of vani oil, sandalwood, andvender. There was no trace of anything that could cause a miscarriage." Dalton put down the pen thoughtfully and wrote the form of the perfume on the white paper. Nacy frowned and shook her head. "No way. This odor of the perfume is making me dizzy." "Some pregnant women may feel dizzy when they smell the perfume. But, it doesn''t mean that there is a problem with the perfume. It''s probably due to the constitution of the human body." With a goblet in his hand, Dalton began to make the perfume ording to the form he had written down. "Let me smell it." Agitated, Nacy grabbed Bonnie''s dress and sniffed it. A hint of milk moisturizer wafted from the dress mixed with the scent of the perfume. It was no different from the fragrance she had smelled before. Nacy sat down and held her head in hands. She clutched the dress tightly and kept mumbling, "No way! How could it be possible? I smelled the perfume and felt dizzy. I even felt my stomach aching!" Dalton sighed while making the perfume. "Calm down, Miss Jin. I will make this perfume first and then smell it to ensure that it has the same scent." "Could it be that you miswrote the form? Is there musk in theposition of the perfume?" Dalton shook his head. "If you do not believe me, you can ask other perfumers to give it a try. There is absolutely no musk in this bottle. Besides, the musk avable on the market is all man-made. It will not cause pregnant women to have a miscarriage." "Nacy, rx. There could be another possibility. Is the smell of the perfume lighter than the one we smelled before?" Simon held her hand tightly. His touch warmed her heart right away. Nacy''s eyes trembled under the light, and a number of feelings coursed through her body, but she could not voice them. No one knew about the arrangements she and Simon had made. They quarreled constantly and gave each other the cold shoulder. She would also go on dates with Bruce quite often. Nacy and Simon had acted on this together. They were the only ones aware of this n. Even Nathan and Mandy had no idea that they had simply gotten a fake divorce at the Marriage Bureau. Simon''s uncle had been a ssmate of the head of the Bureau of Civil Affairs. He had helped them and, therefore, had their trust. They worked in collusion and were sessful in deceiving everyone, including the paparazzi. The news of their divorce had spread like wildfire in City A. But, it seemed like it had all been in vain. Nacy had an indescribable yet, ufortable feeling in her heart. Her sixth sense was making her think twice. She did not believe that Bonnie had messed with the perfume. But, she also suspected that Bonnie had been so cunning and careful about leaving no evidence behind. She grabbed the dress and sniffed it again. Realization sunk in. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and said, "Yes, you''re right. This is not the perfume we smelled that day. This smell is light. The other was simr, but not as faint as this one." Chapter 699 What Was The Feeling Of Flipping Chapter 699 What Was The Feeling Of Flipping Dalton stopped what he was doing. His head throbbed and was getting in the way of his ability to think. He was an excellent perfumer and had won many des, but what Nacy said had to be the strangest description he had ever heard yet. "Miss Jin, how about I make some perfume, and then we can see if it will smell the same?" Perfumery was Dalton''s passion. He had an exceptional sense of smell and could concoct any perfume one could imagine. However, a perfume that could make people miscarry was inconceivable! For generations, no one from his family had done such immoral things, and he would never dare to be the first. "Okay." Nacy nodded. She lowered her eyes to the floor, visibly upset. Simon''s handsome face twisted with guilt, and he wanted to take her in his arms to soothe away her concerns. He bent down, hugging her. "Nacy, it''s my fault entirely. We failed because I didn''t think carefully." "No, it''s not your fault. It was Bonnie and her viciousness. But nothing stays hidden forever. Sooner or later, she''ll get caught," she said her tone hardening. Simon was careless, believing he could catch Bonnie in one swoop. It did not ur to him that Bonnie could use a different perfume. "Mr. Ye, Miss Jin, please give me a week. I can''t say I will seed, but I will do my best to formte that kind of perfume," Dalton said sincerely. With no other choice, Nacy said, "Okay." Simon and Nacy stood up and bid farewell. It was autumn now, and a chill was biting through the night. Spring and summer clothes were better closeted, but Nacy was still wearing a thin floral dress. When a gust of cold wind blew up, Nacy shivered. She could not help but hug her body tightly. Silhouetted under the warm light of the streemps, she stood still, her thin lips slightly closed, and her brows knitted. It broke Simon''s heart to see her like that. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She leaned back against his chest. His scent, mingled with the warmth of his body, consumed her like a nket. Her eyes suddenly flooded with lethargy and despair. She felt like crying. Her head tipped up in silence, and her gaze traveled up to his chin and the intriguing shadow that covered it. Simon''s face was full of faint worries, but when he felt the strength of her gaze on him, something stirred inside him. He held her tighter. There was only a thin shirt covering him, but the cold breeze could do nothing to suppress the agitation in his heart. "Nacy, our n failed. I don''t think we can trick Bonnie again." Hugging Nacy, he felt the world was right in the palm of his hands. "Simon, you know what? I''m not giving up yet. I can''t let my child die in vain. I must get back what she owes me." Simon saw the worry in Nacy''s frown clouding her eyes. "How can you be sure that the perfume caused the miscarriage?" he said in a cold and distant voice. "Call it a woman''s instincts. I met her once, and we talked about it. Judging from her reaction then, I don''t think she had nothing to do with what happened. I knew she would be after me, but I underestimated her." She clung to his side, and his arm draped across her shoulder. A nippy autumn breeze blew, sending piles of dried leaves into a ripple. The weather gave people a feeling of helplessness. The season had changed, but Nacy still clung to the past. The pain of losing her child still haunted her. Every night, she would cry quietly and alone in her bed. Simon had no idea because they had to separate and suffer to frame Bonnie. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. One good thing came out of the terrible things that happened. As fate would have it, they became closer and closer as time wore on. Simon cuddled her firmly as if embedding her in his flesh, stroking her back gently. In reply, Nacy hugged him tightly around his sturdy waist. "Let''s go home." He kept his smile in ce as he looked deeply into her eyes. "Okay," Nacy said in a voice so soft it could be blown away like fluff on a light breeze. Near No. 520, Haibin Road It was a warm evening with the moon and stars lighting up the street. Mandy and Nathan walked hand in hand, the streemps casting a shadow on their intertwined fingers. Rarely did Nathan have some private time with Mandy. Adrian stayed at his grandparents, and with nothing to do after they left Fiona''s t, they decided to have a stroll. He put his arms around her, and he could feel the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of her dress. Enjoying the sensation, he asked, "Honey, how long since west took a walk like this?" "Didn''t we take a walk together on our honeymoon?" A tinge of delight appeared on Mandy''s glowing face. "It''s different. There is a sense of novelty every day. It doesn''t get boring." His thin lips moved, and he chuckled. Mandy was looking at the little lightsing from the houses not far away. Her gaze turned abruptly to Nathan with a discerning look upon hearing his words. "What did you say? Novelty? So, Chief Jin likes novelty. I thought you were a sentimental person." She thought, ''Isn''t it because of affection that rtionshipsst for many years?'' Mandy was somewhat surprised to hear Nathan say differently. She thought they were already way past that stage. "Every morning, when I see you lying next to me, I can feel my heart fluttering." He squeezed her tighter and whispered sweet words into her ear. He spoke with such fervency that it left no doubt as to his sincerity. Nathan was never a romantic. But with Mandy, his cold eyes looked loving, and his smile was even tender. "What does it feel like to have your heart flutter?" Tugging at his sleeve, she buried her face in his arms, blushing. "Whenever I see you, I want to have you. I''m not a greedy person, but you''re making me want you," Nathan said slowly, in a deep, maic voice. Chapter 700 The Scent of Perfume Chapter 700 The Scent of Perfume "Say, if a woman, who is far more beautiful and younger than I am, approaches you, is there a chance that you will fall in love with her?" Mandy suddenly stopped as she spoke, and then she turned around. At that moment, their eyes met. Taken aback by what Mandy just asked him, Nathan squinted his dark eyes and looked her up and down. Then, he chuckled at her out of amusement and stretched his slender fingers out to flick her on her forehead. "What do you think, silly?" he said with a smile. Mandy frowned. "How could I know what''s on your mind? I''m not a psychic. That''s why I''m asking for the answer," she replied with a weird tone and a pout. Nathan sighed. "Of course not. If I could change my mind and fall for another woman, then I would have done that sooner. Why should I wait until now?" with raised eyebrows, he replied confidently and reached out his hand to hold her cold fingers in his. Even then, Mandy still had questions in her mind. "As a matter of fact, I still have another question that I have always wanted to ask you. Did you fall in love with me at first sight, or did you slowly fall for me while we were getting along and spending time with each other?" The smile on Mandy''s pretty face was now gone, and it waspletely reced by a serious expression as she looked Nathan in the eye. "To be honest, it was both. When I first saw you, I was already attracted to you, soter on, the more I spent time with you, the more I got to know you. I gradually fell in love with you. To put it simply, my love for you at first sight is the foundation for my deep love for you in the future," Nathan answered reasonably. His feelings towards Mandy had indeed gone through this process, no doubt. In fact, he wasn''t aware of how and when he was really captivated by this woman and eventually fell in love with her so wholeheartedly. Perhaps it was a long time ago when they met the first time. At that very moment, her sparkling eyes shed at him like a field of stars in the vast universe. He himself had a hard time not to be moved by her delicate charm. "If that''s the case, well, it is believed that falling in love, at first sight, is merely driven by desire and physical attraction, and to truly love someone for a lifetime is just the result of weighing all the pros and cons. So, what is it? What kind of feelings do you have for me?" Mandy asked. Her gentle voice reached Nathan''s ears despite the night breeze that gently embraced them. This time, there was a smile in Mandy''s starry eyes. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Well, I was tempted by lust!" Nathan answered at once, making Mandy pout. He chuckled at her and reached his hand out to take her in his arms. "Honey, do you really want an answer to that?" This time, there wasn''t any amount of yfulness in his words. Hearing the change in the tone of his voice, Mandy raised her head with a dull look on her face. As soon as his deep eyes met with hers, her heart started to race like crazy. Her face became clearly visible as the night breeze gently stroke her hair out of her face. Seeing the look in Mandy''s eyes, Nathan could not help but move closer and kiss her red lips, with one of his arms wrapping around Mandy''s waist for support. At that moment, Mandy felt his desire and enthusiasm, making her face flush and turn red. She tried to avoid making eye contact with him, but he raised her chin with his free hand, forcing her to be captivated with his longing eyes. Without another moment to blink, she felt his soft lips touch hers in an even more overbearing and lingering way. Mandy closed her eyes and kissed him back. For a long time, the world seemed to be quiet in an instant as if they were the only people on earth. They didn''t know how long they had been locked in a kiss, but the sound of footsteps nearing interrupted them. With sensitive ears, Nathan was the first to hear the sound of two people walking towards them, so he loosened his grip on Mandy and pulled her away, still holding her in his arms. Wondering what happened, Mandy opened her eyes and looked over to see Simon and Nacy walking towards them hand in hand. Seeing their hands interlocked, Mandy wondered, ''When did they start dating?'' Her flustered face turned into a confused look as Mandy stared at their hands. Nathan was a little surprised too but did not show it on his face. Instead, he smiled gracefully and nced at the couple, who were around five meters away from them. As they neared, it was only then that Nacy and Simon noticed Nathan and Mandy. As soon as Nathan noticed that the other couple were looking at them, he smiled faintly and asked, "Have you two finally made up?" Simon smiled. "What are you talking about? We have never been apart." He held Nacy''s hand even tighter. "But, didn''t you two get a divorce?" Mandy pouted and looked at them sideways. "Honestly, that was just a fake divorce. We just pretended to sign a divorce agreement in the Civil Affairs Bureau on that day. In fact, our marriage certificate is still at home," Simon exined with a smile. He then looked at Nacy with deep and longing eyes. Nacy smiled back at Simon before turning to them and said, "Brother, sister-inw, why don''t we go inside to talk about this?" "Okay," Nathan and Mandy responded at the same time, proving that indeed, the two had a tacit understanding. As soon as they entered, the vi was already brightly lit, and Lillian had already gone to bed. The living room was very quiet as they settled down. Mandy then walked towards the kitchen to heat up sses of milk everyone. "Huh, so you two faked a divorce. But, why didn''t you tell me or even your sister-inw?" As they sat down, Nathan immediately asked with displeasure in his voice. Despite the calmness andposure in his tone, Nathan was still obviously a little angry. As a matter of fact, Nathan and Mandy had been a little annoyed about what happened between Nacy and Simon, but they didn''t expect that the two had the guts to fool everyone. "Well, isn''t it better to carry out the n with fewer people knowing about it? Else, it won''t be such a secret," Nacy said casually as she leanedfortably against the sofa. "So... Did you two fail with your n?" just hearing their conversation, Mandy asked as she walked into the living room, carrying a tray with four cups of hot milk on it. In fact, she was only guessing, but when seeing the sullen look on Nacy''s face, she confirmed that their n was not sessful. Although Nacy was a renowned actress, she was still childish and immature. When she was not on stage or in front of the camera, all of her emotions would be shown on her face and could be easily read, especially in front of her family. She was not that good at concealing her true feelings when it came to real matters such as this. She lowered her head in depression before she leaned on Simon''s shoulder. With a sigh, she said, "s¡­ We still failed. You see, Bonnie is just too cunning." "Honestly, I don''t think Bonnie is clever. She only has a pretty face and no intelligence," Nathan said with conviction. This time, the look in his eyes was cold and sharp like a dangerous sword ready to be wielded. As a matter of fact, in terms of IQ, Bonnie was absolutely no match for Eve. Eve was the kind of girl who liked showing off her wit by ying tricks. "Tell me what happened. How did your n fail?" Mandy asked as she ced the tray on the table before she handed each of them a cup of milk. Simon patiently answered Mandy''s question and told them about their n. Then he looked at Nathan quietly as he sat on the sofa, waiting for him to give them ideas. "Well, Simon, to tell you the truth, I am very much aware that Nacy is reckless, but I did not expect that you have be so reckless as well. You obviously knew that the bottle of perfume is the key, so why did you carelessly bring up the matter of the perfume? Even though Bonnie is not as clever as you all think, she is definitely not a fool. She will immediately think that something has gone wrong. Then again, ording to your reasoning, that bottle of perfume does have some problems," Nathan said slowly and carefully with his Adam''s apple moving up and down. "Well, that''s true. I don''t fancy perfume, but not to the point that I will feel dizzy when I get a scent of one. However, every time I took a sniff of Bonnie''s perfume, I suddenly felt dizzy and nauseated. Isn''t that a sign of miscarriage? If that''s the case, I understand everything now," Nacy added and heaved a deep sigh. "Well then, the key is now to find out the origin of that perfume. As long as we figure that out, we will know whether or not it is really that harmful to those who smell it," Mandy said as she held the warm ss in her cold hands after taking a sip of milk. Nathan looked at Mandy with a sense of appreciation in his eyes. His woman was indeed quick- minded. She had thought the same as he did. "Yes, you sister-inw is right. We need to find where that perfume came from, so we could get our answers," Nathan agreed with a smile and a nod. "Then, how do we investigate?" Nacy asked with a frown. Chapter 701 Arent You Also A Henpecked Husband Chapter 701 Aren''t You Also A Henpecked Husband "Then leave it to your brother." Mandy raised her eyebrows and smiled. Her almond shaped eyes swept across Nathan''s handsome face. She always had confidence in him. Nathan took out his mobile phone, unlocked it, and quickly dialed a string of numbers on the screen to call Fred. "Fred, can you please help me check if Bonnie and Eve have been in touch with any strangers recently?" Nathan''s low and deep voice echoed in the quiet living room. "Okay," Fred responded from the other end of the line and immediately took the tablet from the table. He tapped the keyboard swiftly. "Why do you want to investigate Eve?" Nacy asked in confusion. "Eve is Bonnie''s best friend. The two of them must have devised the n together. If I look for their common contact person, I can find the culprit," Nathan exined calmly. Nacy frowned thoughtfully for a few seconds and smiled. "I see. You have always been the smart one, Brother." "You shoulde to me when you get into any trouble. You''re smart as well, but you can still make some stupid mistakes sometimes, and so can Simon. He loves you so much. I don''t want either of you to be in danger." Nathan''s words were sort of amandment, but what he said was very reasonable. Besides, what he said did not sound like an order because of his beautiful, melodious voice. Nacy stuck her tongue out naughtily at Nathan and answered, "Yeah, I know." "It''s gettingte. We should go home now. Nathan, call me if you get any news." "Okay. You two can go home and get a good night''s rest." Nathan stood up and showed them out. He wanted to spend more time with Mandy since it was rare for them to have a chance to spend time together without any disturbance. Nacy knew what was on Nathan''s mind. She looked Nathan up and down and shed him a knowing smile. "Are you driving us away?" she asked. Hearing her question, Nathan did not know how to respond. He swallowed loudly. His Adam''s apple bobbed, but he did not answer. Mandy stood up and felt that her waist was a little sore. She felt like she was bingzier every day. She was not as "diligent" as she used to be after getting together with Nathan. Nathan always took care of everything for her, and she did not need to worry about a single thing. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Weariness was written all over her body. She said in azy tone, "I''m going upstairs to take a shower. Nathan, you should see Nacy and Simon off." Nathan grasped Mandy''s hand and squeezed it slightly. He put his arms around her soft body and let her sit on his legs. He then smiled and said, "Okay, go ahead." Nacy clicked her tongue and said jokingly, "Simon, did you see that? They are showing off their love in front of single dogs." "Are you saying that you two are dogs?" Nathanughed and rolled his eyes. His thin lips moved as he asked sarcastically. Mandy touched Nathan''s earlobe gently and said with a smile, "I''ll go upstairs. See youter." "I''m not a dog!" Only then did Nacy realize that she had just said the wrong thing. Unfortunately, her mind was not as nimble as Nathan''s, so she jumped into his trap without even knowing it. Seeing Nacy being so anxious like a child being misunderstood by her parents, Nathan thought of a sentence in his mind. "A cornered beast will always resort to something desperate." But he did not say it out loud. Instead, he looked at Nacy and said slowly, "Didn''t you just say that we were showing off our love in front of single dogs?" Nacy kept smiling. However, deep down, she felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and throw herself into it. Now she understood the reality that a person was bound to have a slip of the tongue if he or she talked too much. "I admit that I said something wrong." "You silly girl. I find it truly surprising that you can admit your own mistakes. But it''s not enough that you admit your mistakes for my sake. Simon has tolerated you through the years. You should be thankful for him." Nathan raised his eyebrows and looked Nacy directly in the eye. Turning his head at Nacy, Simon seemed to be waiting for her to say something to him. After a long silence, Nacy finally stood up and changed the subject. "Simon, we''re going home now. If I have anything to say, I''ll talk to you about it when we get home." Simon pulled Nacy into his arms and touched her nose with his slender finger. He said with a doting smile, "Okay, I''ll listen to it." "You''re such a henpecked husband." Nathan shook his head and smiled. Simon was so obedient to Nacy. He was not an irritable man, and he never lost his temper with her. It was no wonder that Nacy had be so overbearing. Nheless, their way of getting along with each other just proved an old saying: All is fair in love and war. Nacy rolled her eyes and snorted. "This is just the way Simon dotes on me. And excuse me, Nathan, but aren''t you a henpecked husband yourself? Tell me if I am wrong." The corner of Nathan''s lips twitched, and a smile appeared on his angr face. "Yes. Of course, you''re right, my dear sister. I''m also a henpecked husband. Simon and I are both good men, and we should both be cherished." "I know. Do you think that I will change my mind and fall in love with someone else?" "Will you? Are you telling me that Bruce is finally out of the picture for good?" Nathan was really pissed off thinking of this. Bruce had tried to seduce Mandy a long time ago, and now he was trying to seduce his younger sister Nacy. It seemed that Bruce would not think twice to go after any woman he found attractive. Nacy''s face changed all of a sudden. She said stiffly with a dark expression on her face, "Bruce and I are not in that kind of rtionship. We are just friends." Remembering that Simon was standing there, Nathan stopped nagging. He felt like he was slowly bing more and more like Mandy, for he was fond of nagging now. He did not know if it was because they had been together for a long time. "All right, if you say so. I just want you to know how to make good decisions." Burying herself in Simon''s arms, Nacy looked smug. She touched Simon''s abdominal muscles and said with a smile, "Don''t worry. My husband is already so nice and perfect. I''ll be stupid to cheat on him." Upon hearing what Nacy said, Simon fell into a good mood. He held her in his arms and kissed her on the cheek. Nacy pretended to push him away and said to Nathan, "Goodbye, Brother." "Well, I''ll teach you a lesson when we get home." Simon''s tone was ambiguous and full of desire. He immediately followed Nacy out of Nathan''s house. The two quickly left the vi. Nathan did not go out to see them off. He turned off the light and went upstairs. Mandy was taking a shower in the bathroom. Her cellphone was charging on the dressing table. When Nathan came near the dressing table, he heard two prompt tones from Mandy''s cellphone. It was a WeChat message. Nathan was not a man who liked to think too much. It was already half past ten. It was sote in the night. He did not know who would send a message to Mandy on WeChat at such a time. He first looked at the bathroom and heard the sound of running water. Knowing that Mandy would not finish soon, he boldly unlocked her mobile phone and looked at the WeChat message. His action was so cautious as if he was a thief. Chapter 702 He Cares About You Very Much Chapter 702 He Cares About You Very Much Opening the WeChat app, he saw three pictures of Lisa sent by Colin with the caption, "Mandy, Lisa says she misses you very much!" ''Colin, you''re so inconsiderate and shameless!'' Nathan thought to himself. Anger red in his heart like a matchstick against stone. Nathan returned Mandy''s cellphone to where he found it, but before he did, he smiled gracefully and replied to Colin''s message. "She''s asleep at the moment," the message said. Upon seeing Nathan''s message, Colin did not reply. He just smiled when he saw the message. At that moment, Nathan was still a little angry. He skimmed through Mandy''s conversation history with Colin and found that she had been chatting with him almost every day. Colin was quite talkative, but everything he said was about his daughter''s health and mood. ''He is such a despicable man!'' Nathan screamed inside. Anger and now jealousy gnawed at Nathan''s insides like a carnivorous beast. He tapped on the screen and sent Colin another message. It said, "Colin, you''d better behave yourself! Don''t message my wife so frequently! Otherwise, I''ll kick you out of this city!" Colin got the message and smiled slightly. Secondster, he replied casually. His message said, "Whatever you say. And why are you so angry anyway? Are you scared that your wife will leave you for me?" Nathan read Colin''s message and immediately wrote back. "Oh, please. You can''t be that confident." Colin knew that Nathan was taunting him, so he decided not to reply anymore. He locked his cellphone and went to bed. The next moment, Mandy came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. She was wearing an apricot- colored silk nightdress, the design of which perfectly showed off her delicate vicles. She was "Your ex-husband just sent you a message on WeChat. He really cares about you very much, doesn''t he?" Nathan growled. His voice sounded very jealous. "Are you jealous again, Mr. Jealousy?" Mandy said, pouting. She was speechless. "Yes! Of course, I''m jealous! You''re my wife. I don''t want you two keeping in touch with each other!" Nathan could not help telling the truth. He did not want to tiptoe around the issue anymore. He did not know how long Colin would still keep in touch with his wife, but he did know that he did not want it. "You know, we just talk about Lisa, nothing else," Mandy exined softly while carefully striding toward Nathan. A fresh fragrance came off her soft skin. Itpletely distracted him. "My dear Mandy, can''t you just cut off contact with him? I really don''t like it when you two keep talking to each other," Nathan said gravely. He put one hand around Mandy''s waist and kissed her red lips. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Colin and I have an adopted daughter. Although Lisa is not my biological daughter, her parents had treated me so well in the past. How can I be ungrateful?" Mandy reasoned. "Did you just make Lisa your excuse to chat with your ex-husband every day? Are you choosing to ignore your husband''s feelings and emotions? I have never met such a heartless, shameless person!" Nathan bellowed. "Nathan, I''ve been showing you all my chat histories with Colin. You can even reply to him whenever you like," Mandy said patiently. She knew that Nathan would get even angrier if she did not exin things clearly to him. "Well, I''ve already replied to him." Nathan handed Mandy''s cellphone over to her. The screen disyed the conversation between him and Colin. After reading their conversation carefully, Mandy could not help bursting intoughter. "You''re so childish!" she said as she stretched out her hand and messed up Nathan''s hair. "What did you just call me?" Nathan said through gritted teeth as he looked straight into Mandy''s eyes. A hint of danger could be seen in his dark eyes, but they were also full of greedy passion. "I don''t want to discuss this anymore, Mr. Jealousy. It''s your turn to take a shower," Mandy said with a coquettish smile, pushing Nathan away gently with her hands. "Oh, we''re still totally going to talk about this after I step out of the shower." After Nathan went into the bathroom to take a shower, Mandy stared at her phone screen for a long while. There was a little worry in her almond-shaped eyes. She had no idea how Nathan had felt when he was chatting with Colin. It must be very ufortable for one to talk to his or her rival in love. As an arrogant and scheming man, how could Nathan have borne it? To speak the truth, Nathan had changed a lot for her. With that thought, Mandy got a little annoyed with herself. She tossed and turned in bed. After a brief internal struggle, she thought she should make things clear with Colin. She slowly and carefully typed a message to him on her cellphone. The message read, "Colin, it''s me. I have been doing some thinking for a while. I think it''s better if we keep in touch as little as possible. I promise toe and visit Lisa once a week, but I think you should stop sending me pictures of her. Nathan understands that we are co-parenting for Lisa''s sake, but I don''t want him to feel ufortable with us talking more than we should. I''m very happy with him now, and I love him very much. I care about you, Colin, and I really hope you find a new wife. Morry is a nice girl, and she likes you very much. Maybe you should give her a chance to get to know you." Mandy felt quite drowsy while typing. Before she fell asleep, she sent out the message to Colin. The next moment, after taking a shower, Nathan stepped out, wearing their couple pajamas. Since Mandy came to his life, everything he bought was for couples. He was willing to give the best things to his wife. "You didn''t tuck yourself in. How could you sleep well like that? No wonder you would catch a cold and a fever without me by your side," Nathan whispered to himself as he stared passionately at Mandy with his dark eyes. He caught sight of her cellphone, and he grabbed it from her hand. Upon seeing the phone''s screen, he saw the most recent conversation between her and Colin. After reading the message carefully, Nathan''s eyes widened and sparkled with warmth. He also felt warm in his heart. At the moment, he regretted ming Mandy for so long about Colin. Now Nathan was fully aware that Mandy actually did not want to keep in touch with her ex-husband. Nathan smiled lightly, and a touch of tenderness appeared in his eyes. He took Mandy into his arms. The temperature in the room was cold, and she had already fallen asleep. She moved her body and pressed herself against his warmth. Nathan''s body was like a warm firece. Mandy let out a small sigh and pressed her body closer to him. Chapter 703 Listen To Me Like A Good Girl Chapter 703 Listen To Me Like A Good Girl Nathan leaned in and kissed her lips possessively and affectionately. "Good night, honey," he murmured. Nacy and Simon slowly walked back to their empty vi. When Simon turned the lights on, Nacy bent down and began to take her shoes off in the vestibule. Wearing high heels for a whole day, she felt very tired. Seeing this, Simon smiled, squatted down, and held Nacy''s ankle. For a moment, he felt her smooth, white heel with his slightly rough fingers. He unbuckled one of her shoes and then the other. Nacy stood there with one hand against the wall. She suddenly called to him in a trembling voice, "Simon." "What?" Simon''s deep and maic voice rang in the night. Nacy smiled and said with a little shyness, "I... I want to apologize." "Why? Did we have a fight? Just let bygones be bygones. I hope you can let your sad memories go, too. Don''t worry too much, Nacy. If we can finally find out the truth about our aborted child, we will continue our investigation. But if the truth can''t be found out, then there''s nothing we can do." Simon stood up. His tall and straight figure blocked Nacy''s view and cast a shadow on her fair and charming face. "I just..." Frowning, Nacy shook her head and said, "I''m just not content with the result. Why should I lose my unborn child? It''s not fair!" "I don''t like to see you like this. While hating others, you also transfer the negative emotions to yourself. Nacy, I promise that I will never let Bonnie hurt you again. Just listen to me like a good girl, okay?" Simon''s maic voice sounded a little hoarse, and he looked a little bleak in the enchanting night. Nacy was dumbfounded and stared at him nkly. After a while, she said in a shaky voice, "Simon, we lost our baby because of her. Don''t you grieve for our child?" "Of course, I grieve for our lost child. Nacy, my heart hurts as much as yours does, but the child is already gone. We will have another one in the future. I really don''t want you to be trapped in hatred. Do you understand me?" Simon stretched out his hand and put it on Nacy''s round shoulder. He spoke slowly and seriously. With her heart in pieces, Nacy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Atst, she gave in. When she opened her eyes again, they were still as clear and bright as before, but they were filled with a tinge of anger that did not belong to her. "Okay, I will listen to you. I''m sure my brother will find out the truth anyway." "Very well," Simon replied with a gentle smile. His voice softened a little bit. He knew Nacy would get what he meant. "I also trust that Nathan can find out the truth. It''s better if we ourselves can figure it out, but if we don''t have any solid evidence, there''s nothing we can do. At this point, we have to believe that bad people will eventually suffer retribution." Upon hearing this, Nacy kept silent for a few seconds. Then, she shed Simon a smile with her beautiful almond eyes. She said, "Well, I''m sure that the truth will definitelye out. Justice has long arms." Simon held Nacy in his arms and led her to their bedroom upstairs. "Would you like to take a bath with me?" With an arm around Nacy''s waist, Simon reached for her earlobe with his other hand and rubbed it gently. "No, I want to watch TV. You go." Nacy pushed him away gently. Her warm breath against his corbone caused him to lose his senses. "All right then." Simon let go of Nacy, took his pajamas, and headed to the bathroom. Nacy sat alone in bed and watched TV. Lately, there was a very popr TV drama among the audience. The show consisted of experienced actors, not new ones who only had pretty faces. Nacy was engaged in the entertainment industry, so she wanted to learn how experienced actors acted. She was enjoying watching the drama when Simon''s phone beeped. It was a WeChat message. Nacy was not suspicious of Simon''s fidelity. It just happened that Simon''s phone was within her reach. Since Simon loved her very much, he allowed her to check his phone andputer freely. Since their marriage, Simon had never had an ambiguous rtionship with another woman except for Bonnie. Therefore, Bonnie had be Nacy''s most hated woman. With a careless attitude, Nacy took a look at Simon''s phone. Her eyes suddenly focused on the bright screen. It was a WeChat message from Bonnie. The message read, "Simon, I don''t understand why you took my dress home. Is it because it smelled good?" The message was followed by two emotion icons that meant "snicker." "Shameless bitch!" Nacy bared her teeth and cursed. An idea suddenly came to her mind. She did not tell Bonnie yet that she was Nacy. She took Simon''s phone and replied as if she was he, "I have to deal with something urgent. I liked your dress very much, so I took it. Will you be staying at the hotel tonight? I''lle to see you tomorrow morning." Seeing the message from Simon, Bonnie had an inexplicably strange feeling. It was like the person who just sent the message was not Simon but Nacy. She was not sure if she was only overthinking, though. "Why are youing to see me tomorrow?" Bonnie replied to Simon''s message with great doubt. "My ex-wife''swyer asked me to talk about dividing the family property." Nacy gave rein to her full imagination and quickly typed the message on Simon''s phone. "Oh? Why are you in such a hurry?" Bonnie asked in confusion. "Nacy is nning to go abroad." At the hotel, Bonnie smiled with satisfaction after seeing the message, thinking that Nacy was finally going abroad. The nails on Bonnie''s slender fingers were painted a refreshing green. She quickly typed out, "Which country is she moving to?" Nacy snickered and raised her eyebrows. ''Bonnie must be quite concerned about me to even ask which country I want to move to, '' she thought to herself. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "You seem to care about my ex-wife," Nacy replied with a sneer full of sarcasm on the corners of her mouth. "I''m just asking casually." Bonnie''s face froze upon seeing Simon''s words. She quickly messaged back. Nacy then changed the subject and typed another message. It said, "You know what? There is a smell on your dress." "What kind of smell?" Bonnie asked curiously. "A foul smell. You shameless bitch! Stay away from my husband!" Nacy replied in a domineering tone, stressing each word. Bonnie was pissed off at the hotel, and her face turned livid and pale. She did not expect that the person she had been talking to was not really Simon. She had been fooled by Nacy. Not replying any further, Bonnie was displeased. She turned off her WeChat and called Eve to ask her to bring her a new dress. Nacy squinted and left Simon''s phone on the bed. Then, she put on her slippers and jumped off the bed. She pushed the bathroom door open. Chapter 704 The Familiar Post-it Chapter 704 The Familiar Post-it At this moment, Simon was already out of the shower and wiping his body dry. His perfect figure with his wide shoulders and slim waist waspletely exposed. Both his solid pecs and abs were very eye catching, and Nacy could not help stealing a few more glimpses of them. Something romantic was about to go down. Nacy smiled and said, "Can you please put on some clothes and get out?" "What? Why are you in such a hurry to drive your husband out?" Simon was still wet from head to toe, and he had a naughty smile tugging on the corner of his gorgeous mouth. Water droplets rolled down the side of his handsome face, to his neck, and then down to his lower abdominal muscles. He walked toward Nacypletely naked. Nacy immediately blushed and covered her face with her hands. She said in a trembling voice, "You... You need to get out now." "Don''t be shy. Haven''t you seen it before?" Simon smiled lightly. His eyes were brimming with an almost tangible sort of seduction brought about by his shameless spirit. Nacy swallowed and touched Simon''s abdominal muscles, which were firm and hot. She smiled and looked directly into his affectionate eyes, "Wipe your body dry, or you''ll catch a cold." "Okay, I''ll wait for you outside." Simon leaned against her and touched her face. Nacy kicked Simon lightly and pushed him out of the bathroom. Her mouth twitched and she mumbled, "Shameless man." It was already eleven o''clock when Nacy finished taking a shower. Simon was watching TV in bed with his phone lying on the bedside table. He had already seen the dialogue between Bonnie and Nacy, but he did not ask Nacy about it. Upon seeing Nacy, Simon climbed out of bed immediately. He walked to the bathroom door and held her in his arms. He then scooped her up and carried her toward the bed. He gently set her down and then climbed on top of her. He wandered his fingers around her waist and blew on her skin. From her slender waist to everywhere else, he touched every inch of her warm, soft skin. "Hmm..." Nacy moaned, which aroused Simon''s desire. They had not slept together since they had lost their baby. They used to do it a couple of times every day, but now they had not done it in about half a month. To be honest, Simon was having a hard time living with such a setup. Nacy also felt the same. Her moan was so seductive that Simon wrapped his trembling arms around her waist with a little more force than he had intended. He desperately put out the growing fire in his flesh. He created a gap between them and said, "We should go to sleep." Nacy was disappointed by what Simon said. After all, she wanted something to happen. Why would her husband seduce her and then decide to stop? Had he been getting his sexual appetites satisfied by other women? She rubbed Simon''s strong abdominal muscles and stared at him. "What''s wrong with you? Don''t you want to sleep with me?" Women were always sensitive, especially someone like Nacy who had lost her baby. They had not been together every single day. She did not know what Simon had done recently. All she knew was that he had lost some weight. There was a saying that if a man did not want to sleep with his wife, he must be sleeping with another woman. Nacy''s face turned cold, and her anger burst in her heart. She questioned her husband angrily, "Have you been sleeping with Bonnietely?" "What nonsense are you talking about?" Simon replied with a frown, totally dodging her sudden question. "Then you..." Nacy bit her lips. She did not want to feel so shameless for saying such words. She could not speak out, so she calmed down and sneered, "Forget it." Then, she turned over andid on her side of the bed quietly. She did not pay any attention to Simon anymore. It was okay that they did not do it. She was tired anyway. It was just that she felt so bad being turned down by Simon. Simon was confused at first. His eyes turned cold. He did not know why Nacy got angry all of a sudden. Did he do something wrong? But after a few seconds, he gave her a snicker and rolled to her side of the bed. He snaked his arms around her waist and held her tightly. He said in a flirtatious tone, "Do you want it?" Nacy did not move. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Noticing that she did not respond, Simon continued with a smile, "Nacy, it''s not that I don''t want you. You just had a miscarriage. The doctor said that we can''t sleep together for a month. I''m doing this for the sake of your health." Nacy struggled out of Simon''s grip. She turned around to face him and found him looking earnestly at her. She blushed and nodded, "Yeah, I know." With a naughty smirk, Simon held her chin. His ck eyes narrowed as he leaned in and whispered into her ear in a flirtatious tone, "Honey, I will satisfy you when we can do it again." Nacy, with jealousy in her tone, kissed him passionately and teased, "Don''t look at other women, okay? You are mine. You are only mine." Simon climbed over Nacy once again and pinned her by both arms against the bed. He lowered his head until their breaths mingled and said, "You silly girl." After that, they began kissing each other passionately, but in the end, they stopped. Nacy felt as if her lips were almost broken by Simon''s kiss. The next day was another sunny day. Nathan went to work very early in the morning. When Mandy woke up, it was already nine o''clock. The other side of the bed was empty, and her man''s homely warmth was no longer there. Since she had been tossed all night by Nathanst night, Mandy was in a deep sleep and did not feel him slip out of bed. She put on her clothes and jumped out of bed. Just as she was about to take her mobile phone, she saw that Nathan had left a note for her on the bedside table. The handwriting was vigorous and small. It was very standard in small handwriting. Mandy had always thought that Nathan''s handwriting was better than hers. As the saying went, a person''s handwriting said a lot about them. Today, when she looked at Nathan''s note, she realized that the saying was true. ''Honey, there is a morning meeting at the office. I had to go to work early. Please eat some breakfast before you head to work, okay? I love you.'' Seeing this, Mandy could not help smiling. She carefully smoothed the Post-It that Nathan had left her. Then, she opened the secondyer of the drawers in their bedroom and took out a royal blue box with arge bow on top. It was the box of the ne that Nathan had given to her before. She used it to store Nathan''s Post-Its. Every time he left her one, she kept it. Chapter 705 Hes Going To Pick Up A Friend Chapter 705 He''s Going To Pick Up A Friend Mandy found that there was already a thick stack of notes in the box, about a dozen or so. She was moved, and her heart almost melted. She was very grateful for Nathan and for his meticulous care and love. She closed the drawer and went downstairs with a smile. Lillian had already prepared a rich breakfast. She greeted Mandy with a smile. "Good morning, madam." "Lillian, what time did Nathan leave?" Mandy sat down at the dining table and took a sip of milk. "He left before seven o''clock." "That early? Did he have some breakfast?" Mandy asked with a gentle smile. "Mr. Jin had a sandwich before he left for work." Mandy touched her long hair and said with a smile, "That''s good." After breakfast, Mandy got ready for work and headed to the office. When she arrived at JS International, she went straight to her own office. She decided not to take a detour to Nathan''s office. Mandy was busy in the office all morning. She was so upied that she did not realize that it was lunch time already. Anyway, she had ate breakfast, and she was not feeling hungry yet. When she was about to call Nathan to invite him to lunch, her phone started ringing. It was Nathan. Nathan was on his way to the airport to pick up an important friend. It was after the morning meeting that he heard that his friend wasing. He rushed to pick his friend up, and it was not until he got in the car that he remembered it was already lunch time. He decided to call Mandy in case she looked for him and could not find him. He did not want her to worry. "Honey, I have a friend who ising to City A. I am now on my way to the airport to pick my friend up. I''m sorry I can''t join you for lunch today." The calm and gentle voice of Nathan echoed from the phone. "That''s okay, dear. Remember to have lunchter, okay? Don''t get yourself too tired," Mandy replied in a soft tone. "Yes, I will. Go have your lunch." A happy, satisfied smile spread slowly across Nathan''s face. His expression became more tender, the more he thought of Mandy. After Mandy hung up the phone, Quintin came into her office with a thick stack of documents in his hands. He was dressed in a ck suit as usual. Mandy looked him up and down. He was about one meter and seventy-five in height with a standard figure. She could faintly see some chest muscles peeking through his shirt. He was two years older than she was, but he already gave off a sense of calm. He meticulously said to Mandy, "Ms. Zhou, this is the next month''s n, and this month''s financial report." "Have you taken a careful look at them?" Mandy shed him a smile while looking at him with her almond-shaped eyes. Mandy''s gaze made Quintin blush. He lowered his head and said, "Yes, I''ve checked them all." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Still faintly smiling, Mandy replied, "Okay. I trust you. Please put them on my table. I will go through themter." "All right," Quintin said respectfully. He graduated from one of the best universities in China with a doctorate degree in finance. After graduation, he managed to get a job at JS International. At first, he was employed by and worked for Nathan. Since Nathan trusted in his working ability and moral qualities so much, he appointed Quintin to work for Mandy. Mandy was new in thepany, and she had never been in the financial game before. Therefore, it was inevitable that she would be a little unfamiliar with her current job. Nathan thought it would be best if someone could give her a helping hand. When Quintin turned around to leave, he heard Mandy''s gentle voice call to him again. "Do you have a girlfriend, Mr. Qu?" When Quintin heard her question, his whole body froze. He turned his head around and answered with a smile, "No, I don''t. I''m single for the time being." "Is there any girl you like?" Mandy teased him with a smile. However, Quintin just shook his head and answered, "There''s none. Well, none yet." "That makes me want to believe that you have good taste in girls. There must be a lot of them chasing after you right now." Mandy touched her long hair casually. Since she started working in thepany, she had felt that her subordinates were trying their best to keep a close rtionship with her. The rtionship between her and her subordinates now was not as casual as that between her and her former colleagues at JR Hospital. Since she and her subordinates now were working in the samepany, Mandy hoped that her rtionship with them could be more casual and closer. After all, they were colleagues. Mandy seldom chatted with her subordinates at ordinary times, but they all respected her a lot. Perhaps it was because of her identity as Nathan''s wife. The title Mrs. Jin was indeed very useful no matter where she went. "No, there are no girls and no chasing. I''ve been single for a long time, and I don''t want to fall in love with anyone. I think it''s good to be alone. As a man, I aspire to establish a career first before having a girlfriend. If I don''t work hard and make money when I''m young, I will not have the financial capability to marry in the future. Also, I really don''t want to leech off my parents." Quintin looked gentle and elegant. He pushed his ck-framed sses to the bridge of his nose as he spoke and smiled. Mandy looked at him admiringly. She did not expect that Quintin had such high aspirations in life at such a young age. Also, Mandy particrly disliked those NEETs¡ªmen who were not in education, employment, or training. They did nothing all day long. They disgusted Mandy. "I think you''re a responsible man. Work hard and keep at it, and I''m sure you will realize your dream someday." Mandy looked at him with a smile. She did not know that what she was doing and saying now was charming in Quintin''s eyes. Hearing that, Quintin squinted and said in a respectful manner, "Thank you for your encouragement, Ms. Zhou." "Well, if that''s all you have for me, you can go take your lunch." Mandy looked at the watch on her wrist. It was already twelve o''clock. "Have you eaten yet, Ms. Zhou?" Quintin asked with concern. "I''m not hungry yet. I ate ate breakfast." She smiled, opened the documents that Quintin gave her just now, and started to look through them. Quintin then quietly left Mandy''s office and closed the door behind him. At the international airport of City A The bustling crowd shuffled throughout the airport, which had always been a ce full ofughter, tears, and all other sorts of human emotions. While many people parted here, some others were gathering and meeting their loved ones. A woman, about 170 centimetres in height, was wearing a ret-red vintage dress. The tight-waist design of the dress made her lithe and graceful figure look perfect. She wore a pair of dark brown sunsses on her delicate face and a pair of seven-centimetre high-heeled shoes, which was Dior''s latest autumn style. The woman had fair skin. She was wearing red lipstick, and the ssic-style dress she was in made her appear elegant and charming. Wearing a ck suit and shiny leather shoes, Nathan was waiting for her at the waiting hall with one hand in his pocket. Audrey, who usually appeared cold and distant, suddenly smiled at the sight of Nathan. When she walked toward him, a touch of happiness and excitement shed across her eyes. She smiled at Nathan like an innocent child. "Nathan." Audrey opened her slender arms. Her high-heeled shoes made a loud ck on the floor as she flung herself into his arms. Nathan smiled, but the deep look in his eyes did not fade away. His sharp eyebrows were smooth on his angr face, and there was a touch of tenderness and calm on it. "Audrey." He squinted his dark eyes and smiled. He took her luggage and held her in his arms out of politeness. Chapter 706 I Only Envy Her Chapter 706 I Only Envy Her Out of too much shyness, Audrey couldn''t help but blush. Her face was as smooth as porcin and with a charming smile, she enthusiastically hugged Nathan. After a while, she finally let go of Nathan but with a bit of reluctance. She raised her chin a little and looked at him with an even wider smile. "Didn''t youe to Switzend two days ago? Why didn''t you come and see me right away?" "I was on a business trip, so I was quite busy. I didn''t go there to have fun and rx." Despite the dry response, there was a smile in the corner of Nathan''s eyes. His handsome face was spotless. It was almost too perfect. Some rays of sunlight illuminated his entire stature as if he was bathed in ayer of gold. "Nathan, do you still remember our previous agreement?" Audrey stepped forward, removing what little space they had between each other. She then hugged him once again and leaned against his shoulder affectionately. The cordial smile on his face remained the same while he nodded as a response. "That''s settled then. When Ie to City A, you would apany me this time. We can now spend time together and enjoy all of the beautiful scenery in the entire city." Audrey brushed her fingers through her long hair. Her big auburn waves faintly exuded the unique fragrance of a young girl. Nathan was never the type tomit to promises that easily. Without a doubt, Audrey was the second luckiest person next to Mandy. In fact, the reason why Nathan agreed to Audrey''s request was that he was grateful for her. Audrey had been Adrian''s attending doctor. During that period, she endlessly took care of him with the utmost meticulousness. Due to excessive fatigue, she even fainted and had to have an intravenous drip. But still, she insisted on being Adrian''s doctor. In return, he was deeply moved by her efforts. However, Nathan didn''t know that Audrey paid special attention to Adrian for the simple fact that she had a crush on him. Although Adrian was a lovely boy, Audrey was not so foolish to give her all in taking care of him for no reason. In that strange country, Nathan and Audrey met. One could say that it had been fate. Together, they walked forward side by side, which instantly attracted everyone''s attention. Along the way, Nathan and Audrey continued to talk andugh together. People who didn''t know who they were quickly thought that they were a couple. "Nathan, are you busy with your worktely?" Audrey sat on the passenger seat of Nathan''s car and looked at him with a vague expression on her face. "Yes, I''ve been busy. But if you want to go for a walk, I can spare some time to apany you." The corners of Nathan''s mouth lifted into a small smile. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Under Nathan''s leadership, JS International had reached its goal year after year. Nathan was no longer the young man who didn''t know anything when he first took over thepany. After all, several years of hard work had groomed him into the man he had be. All those experiences had made him calm, collected, andpetent. "Does your wife mind?" Audrey yfully asked while raising her eyebrows. "Why would she? It''s not like we''re having an affair. I''m sure Mand won''t mind." While his thin lips pressed together, Nathan stared at the road in front of him. His eyes were focused, and his hands were casually on the steering wheel. In his heart, he thought of Audrey as his sister. "You know, there are so many women in the world, but I only envy her," Audrey stated in the same yful tone. Her red lips forming a pout. Turning to Audrey, Nathan gave her a brief nce. Then, he continued driving with a nk expression on his face. "Oh, you''ll meet such a person one day." "What if I tell you that I came back in order to steal you from your wife?" Audrey hesitantly asked. She sounded like she was half-joking, but she didn''t take it as such in her heart. She actually meant every word. A while back, Audrey had stayed in Switzend because there had been a very important academic research conference. A few days ago, the convention had ended. Audrey immediately flew back to City A. She had nevere to this ce before. After all, she wasn''t from City A as she was from City C. In principle, she should have flown back to City C. Audrey was Leo''s junior back when they were undergraduates. They had a good rtionship with each other. Although she had some feelings for Leo back then, she knew that he had a girlfriend and that he loved her very much, so she gave him up. It was not until she met Nathan in Switzend that Audrey had the same kind of feeling once again. At that time, an opportunity opened up in Switzend. It was drizzling that day. Wearing a ck suit, Nathan looked handsome with his sharp facial features and eyes, which looked like they sparkled in the sunlight. He was walking silently in one of the hospital''s corridors, perfectly portraying the sluggish day. The light in the corridor was dim, and the air was fresh and moist. After Audrey checked out of the room, she happened to cross paths with Nathan. His dark eyes were like a deep sea that looked like they had surging waves in them. It made her feel that no one was allowed to get close to him. Audrey was attracted to Nathan''s looks at first sight. That day, she was in a white coat, and somehow, she found the courage to talk to him. "Hello, Sir. What can I do for you?" Audrey asked in fluent English. "I''m looking for a doctor named Audrey." Nathan calmly said in a maic voice while squinting his deep and narrow eyes. Audrey was pleasantly surprised. A faint smile appeared in her beautiful eyes. "Well, you found her." Nathan looked at Audrey from head to toe. He then frowned and did not look that cold. This woman looked about the same age as Mandy, but she was three or four centimetres taller than her. She was wearing a clean white coat, but she actually looked like Mandy, especially when she smiled. He once saw Mandy in the hospital for the first time, and right then, he was feeling some kind of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. At that moment, Nathan looked a little dazed. The sudden thought of Mandy pained him so deep inside that he could almost feel himself suffocate. Thinking back, that painful time was certainly the darkest time in Nathan''s life. Mandy had left him. As for their child, it wasn''t just a premature birth; the child also had a heart problem. Fortunately, Adrian''s heart surgery was sessful. After more than two years of recovery, he was no different than a normal person. Audrey had more than a year of clinical experience at that time. But, it still failed inparison to her tutor, Dr. Sisquoc. He was Audrey''s university professor. In time, Audrey became hisst disciple. He taught almost all of the knowledge that he had acquired in his entire life to her. Every three years, Sisquoc would recruit a disciple. Leo Wen was the most excellent among all of the disciples, which he had. Audrey, who was no worse than him, was excellent when it came to clinical experience. However, Leo gave up the idea of being a doctor to inherit the family business. But then, he gave up the business and chose to be a doctor because of a woman. At first, Dr. Sisquoc didn''t want to take Leo as his disciple because he had always thought that Leo was not meant for the life of being a doctor. This young man, born into a rich family, suddenly changed his major when he was a sophomore. His decision confused everyone who knew about it. But only Dr. Sisquoc knew his exact reason. In fact, he also loved a woman when he was young. So, in the end, it was Leo''s deep love for a woman that moved Dr. Sisquoc, and he finally took the young man as his disciple. Chapter 707 Even The Phone Screen Saver Was Her Chapter 707 Even The Phone Screen Saver Was Her It turned out that although Leo was a good doctor, he had his own ideas. After abandoning his career as a doctor and starting a business, he was still living a good life. He might never hold a scalpel again in his lifetime, but he would never forget how to use it. Unlike Leo, Audrey chose to be a doctor because she really liked it. In the past, she said to Professor Sisquoc, "The patient won''t get sick based on what you''ve learned," which moved him. Professor Sisquoc epted her as hisst intern because of those words. When Adrian got sick, Professor Sisquoc had already retired from the medical field. He no longer met with any patients. It was also because his health was not that stable anymore. Audrey had gone with Nathan to Professor Sisquoc''s for a consult. Professor Sisquoc had been willing toe out and do the surgery on Adrian, half because of Audrey''s plea. Audrey was his student for a whole five years, and in all that time, she had never asked him for any help. He liked Audrey''s love andmitment to the job. She deeply and truly cared for her patients. Not everyone could be a doctor, for it required the extraordinary out of ordinary people. "How has Dr. Sisquoc beentely?" Nathan asked with a smile, trying to change the subject. "Well, everything is going well. He has been well." Audrey smiled¡ªher lips like soft, red rose petals on her face. "Where will you stay? Have you booked a hotel room or something?" Nathan asked with concern, but he looked ahead with concentration, his eyes impartial. "No, I haven''t. How about I stay in your house?" Audreyughed teasingly, and a gentle light appeared in her beautiful eyes. "I have several vis in City A. You can stay in one of them if you like." Nathan smiled faintly and handed his phone to Audrey. He added, "There are pictures of them in here." Audrey stared at the unlocked mobile phone screen and felt a little disheartened at what she saw. The screensaver was a photo of a particrly beautiful woman with fair skin and gentle eyes. She had seen a photo of Mandy Zhou three years ago, but it was not Nathan''s screensaver at that time. It seemed that he had changed his screensaver. "You must love her very much..." Audrey''s delicate voice wasced with jealousy and gentleness so subtle that it was difficult to detect. Still, there was a smile on her face. "Yes." Nathan answered with conviction, his maic voice filling the car. Nathan''s love for Mandy was so deep that he wished he could bind her to him so that they could be together all the time. Audrey''s heart ached a little. She did not expect that a prim and proper man like Nathan would make a photo of his wife his cellphone wallpaper. When she saw that the woman in the photo was more beautiful than her, she was somewhat displeased. She raised her eyebrows, curled her lips, and said, "What are we going to have for lunch?" "Right, I almost forgot. What would you like to eat? My treat," Nathan said briskly. "Well, since I''m finally back, I want to eat the specialty of City A. I''m so tired of all that damned Western food," Audreyined in low spirits, pursing her lips. "Okay, no problem. Have you found a job yet? In which hospital are you going to work?" Nathan asked indifferently. "I''ve already found one. The JR Hospital," Audrey smiled and said in a pleased tone. Nathan raised his eyebrows but said nothing. It seemed that Audrey had prepared well beforeing here. After lunch, Nathan took Audrey to his vi near Seagull Road North and helped her settle in. When everything was done, it was already half past three. Nathan wanted to go back to JS International, but Audrey said she wanted to visit a church in City A. Nathan obliged and took her there. They spent the afternoon together until they had supper. Nathan did note home until eight o''clock in the evening. In the afternoon, Mandy was so busy in her office that she did not even stop to take little breaks. For her lunch, Quintin brought her sushi and yogurt. Without Nathan around, she ate her lunch in this way. After work, Mandy went to the top floor of the JS International building to look for Nathan. But the secretary told her that she had not seen hime back yet. She did not disturb him all day because she thought he was going to meet some distinguished guest. After leaving JS International, Mandy went to pick up Adrian from kindergarten school. When she arrived at his ss, he was doing some handcrafting. He was holding a pair of scissors and looking quite adorable. When Miss Ren saw Mandy, she came up to her and greeted her, "Hi, Mrs. Jin. You''re here." "Hello, Miss Ren. Has our Adrian been behaving well?" Mandy could not help smiling, seeing her son sitting there quietly, enjoying what he was doing as if there was nothing to worry about. "He''s a good boy. He told a story to the other children this noon." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Really? What story did he tell?" "He told the story of ''The Little Prince.'' Mrs. Jin, your boy will be very smart when he grows up." Miss Ren sang nothing but praises for Adrian. She thought Adrian was a lucky boy who was raised in a noble family and had an impressive background. It was said that a family''s wealth could notst for three generations. However, with Adrian''s hard work and humility, he could really prove that saying wrong. Everybody was quite pleased with him. "That''s because you''re a good teacher. You''re teaching him well," Mandy said with a gentle smile. The next moment, Ms. Yu walked up to her, and politely said, "Oh, thank you, Mrs. Jin. We are ttered. Parents are the first enlightenment teachers for children. Only parents who cooperate with teachers like you do can share the responsibility of properly educating the kids and helping them excel at many things." Mandy and Adrian''s two teachers had a great chat at the kindergarten school. They talked for a while. When handcrafting sses were done, Mandy took her son home. "Mom, where is Dad?" Sitting in the safety seat, Adrian was a little restless. He looked around inside the car but did not find Nathan. "Your father is still at work, dear. Do you miss your grandparents? How about I take you to visit them?" Mandy said as she turned to her son with a smile. "Well, I want to eat grandma''s famous beef dish," Adrian answered with an innocent smile, nodding. Mandy called Lillian and told her that she did not need to prepare dinner for her and Adrian tonight. Then, she sent a message to Nathan. Her message read, "Nathan, I''m taking Adrian to my parents'' house tonight. Go home right away after you finish your work, okay? Don''t drink too much." Chapter 708 The Sixth Sense Of A Woman Is Accurate Chapter 708 The Sixth Sense Of A Woman Is urate Mandy waited for Nathan''s response but did not receive any. At MC Garden "Mand! Oh, grandpa''s baby is here too!" Stanley''s grin stretched from ear to ear when he saw Mandy arrived with Adrian. "Hello, grandpa," Adrian called sweetly. Madeline was in the middle of stirring the meal she was cooking when the adorable voice of the child reached her ears. She put down the spat at once and trotted out of the kitchen, a delighted look on her face. "Adrian!" "Hello, grandma!" Adrian was no stranger to the elderly couple. Nathan had often taken him for a visit and, from their very first meeting, asked him to call them grandparents. Nathan, however, did not tell them of the boy''s true identity. Not that he was afraid that Madeline and Stanley would fight over the boy, they could dote on their grandchild all they wanted. But, he was concerned that Adrian would remind them of their daughter. After all, when Mandy had left him, she left her parents too. "Father," Mandy greeted with a slight smile. "Grandpa, have you been in good health these days?" Stanley bent over and picked Adrian up. Cradling him in his arms, he walked towards the table by the French window. The boy''s question sent him roaring inughter and, with a pat on his chubby thighs, he asked, "Who taught you to say that?" "Mom and dad taught me this," Adrian dered proudly, sitting down with his legs crossed. His back was ramrod straight as he readied himself to battle with his grandfather in a round of Go. "Where''s your father?" At the mention of the word dad, Stanley looked around and found that Nathan did note. "He has to work overtime tonight," Mandy piped in, a bit too hastily to pass for unconcerned. Just then, Madeline came back from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of fish stew. She stopped mid-stride and deliberately took a detour, stopping in front of Mandy. She scrutinized her daughter''s expression, who was lounging on the sofa and ying with her phone. "Did you fight with him?" Noticing her mother''s using gaze that was raking her from head to toe, Mandy grabbed the bag of chips in front of her in protest. She ripped the packet open and said unhappily, "Mom, look at me. I''m an adult now. Why do you still take me as a trouble maker? Nathan and I are fine." Unconvinced, the older woman crossed her arms and stared at Mandy for a full three seconds before she conceded, "All right. I know you''re very stubborn and will never admit it. Just remember, be gentle to Nathan. Don''t mess with him so often. Do you understand?" "I know," Mandy said with a deep sigh, offering little else by way of an answer. She was starting to get annoyed by the nagging. "What? Do you find me annoying?" Madeline snapped, her eyes squinting. As always, the woman saw through Mandy at a nce. Age had done nothing to blunt her mother''s perceptiveness, and Mandy could never hide her real thoughts from her. It was the main reason why, among all the family members, she feared Madeline the most. "No, mom. I dare not. I''m starving, can we eat now?" Mandy asked huffily and tossed her phone aside in a fit. On top of her mother''s inquisition, she did not know which client Nathan had gone to see earlier. The man had been ignoring her since this afternoon, which kindled her fretful temper. "Why are you being so childish? Look at your son. He is even more patient than you. Okay, if you are hungry, let''s go and eat. Come and wash your hands!" Madeline mumbled, unwilling to stop. Mandy had regretteding over. Her mother''s yammering had extinguished her ns for a rxing visit. She had not foreseen that Madeline would grill her as soon as they came. Meanwhile, the grandpa and grandson duo were silently engaged in their game, detached from the women''s chatter. Adrian was holding a white pawn and considering his next move carefully. When he heard Mandy call them for dinner, he put the piece down quickly and said, "Grandpa, I''ll leave it here. After dinner, we can continue ying." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Okay, let''s have dinner first," Stanley agreed and reached out to rub the boy''s hair. Throughout dinner, Mandy talked with Stanley. Between her parents, Mandy felt that she was more simr to her father. When he was younger, Stanley was very polite and, with the handsome appearance of a modest son, attracted many female students. But he only took a fancy to the stubborn and moody Madeline. A stark contrast from her husband''s gentle demeanor, Madeline had always been blunt and would say whatever she wanted to say. It was a good thing that as they matured, she mellowed and became a tad more reserved. Ever since they got married, the two had maintained a good rtionship. It had been too long since they got caught in a conflict. They had built such sturdy ground that picking a fight with each other had be their way of disying affection. The sky was already dark by the time dinner had finished. One after another,mp posts along the streets lit up, illuminating the night that had gradually shrouded the whole city. Mandy and Madeline sat on the sofa. Madeline had just presented the two sweaters she made for Adrian, who squealed delightfully in return. He held tightly onto the one designed with a panda in the middle and refused to let go, insisting on wearing it. "Why are you going to wear a sweater on such a hot day? You will not wear it today. Wait till the weather has turned colder, okay?" Mandy said with a chuckle. Her motherly love and tenderness reflected in her eyes. "No, mom! Please let me try it tonight," Adrian pleaded, too fond of the sweater. Mandy''s lips pursed in objection. She did not know where Adrian inherited his stubbornness. Whenever he liked something, it was impossible to persuade him to change his mind. In the end, Mandy compromised and let him try on the sweater. It was early autumn. Putting on a sweater was akin to drinking hot water under the scorching sun. But Adrian liked his grandma''s gift so much that he did notin about the high temperature at all. He wore the fluffy knit and ran around the hall, the sound of his merryughter echoing in the living room. Seeing Adrian''s beaming face, a memory from one winter day three years ago resurfaced in Mandy''s mind. She had also made a scarf for Nathan herself. When Nathan received the scarf, he was so excited to wear it and refused to take it off, just like his son. Perhaps it was true what others said that men were just taller versions of children. Warmth filled inside Mandy at the thought of her husband and child, and her soft lips curved into a delicate smile. "Adrian,e here. I''ll take a picture of you." Mandy pulled her son over, who was foolishly grinning as he walked closer. His face turned red from running around, and ayer of sweat clung to his entire body. Mandy took a picture with her phone and noticed that it was already half-past eight. "It''s gettingte. We should go home now," Mandy said, reaching out to help the boy take off his little panda sweater. Chapter 709 Flight Mode Chapter 709 Flight Mode Adrian politely said goodbye to Madeline and Stanley and then went back to the vi with Mandy. During the drive all the way home, Mandy clearly felt a trace of fatigue. Fortunately, MC Garden was not far from No. 520, Haibin Road. They arrived home in about ten minutes. As soon as Mandy entered the vi, Nathan arrived. Hearing the sound of the car''s engine, she turned around abruptly. Nathan''s tall, manly figure stepped out of the sports car. He looked at the vi''s entrance with his dark eyes and saw Mandy standing at the door with Adrian. With a doting smile on his lips, he casually strode to them. "Honey, Adrian," Nathan said as he stretched out his long arms and hugged Mandy, smiling. Mandy had a sharp sense of smell. She smelled a woman''s perfume the moment Nathan walked close enough. She never wore the perfume herself, but she knew what it was. She guessed that it was Chanel No. 5, which was the most ssical type. "Where have you been?" Mandy asked, the smile on her face slowly ebbing. "I told you I went to meet a friend," Nathan replied, totally oblivious of the smell of another woman on him. He had stayed with Audrey for a long time today, but they did not engage in any intimate rtions. "Okay. I''ll go give Adrian a bath." Mandy did not want to have an argument with Nathan in front of Adrian. Her clear eyes shone under the bright lights, and they seemed to have a little bitterness in them. Nathan was a little confused. He stepped forward, held Mandy''s arm, and said with a smile, "Let me do it. You must be tired after a day''s work. Go get some rest." "No. Maybe you should take a shower first. You smell like a woman." Mandy lost her temper all of a sudden. She had not asked Nathan about the details, but she already had a conclusion in mind. ''No wonder he did not contact me since this afternoon. It turned out that he was sneaking around with another woman, '' Mandy thought bitterly. Nathan was dumbfounded, his face turning a bit cold. He raised his arm and smelled his sleeve. There was indeed a smell of perfume, which was familiar to him because it was Audrey''s favorite scent. ''Damn!'' Nathan cursed in his mind. ''How could I forget such an important thing?'' Before Nathan could exin, Mandy scooped Adrian up in her arms and went upstairs. Tonight, Mandy did not intend to go to bed with Nathan. She stayed and slept in Adrian''s room and locked the door to prevent Nathan froming in. After preparing two cups of warm milk, Nathan, in loose pajamas, came to Adrian''s room. He turned the doorknob, but the door did not budge. Nathan smiled. It was just what he was expecting. Mandy always had such a temper. She would always avoid him when she was angry. They would go through a cold war first before getting to the real fight. Nathan knocked on the door. He scratched his head helplessly and said in a soft voice, "Honey, please open the door." Mandy pretended not to hear Nathan knocking on the door. She was lying beside Adrian on the bed. She was already sleepy. Her eyelids were beginning to drop, but when she heard Nathan''s low and sexy voice, she was jolted awake as if she was cast under a magical spell of awakening. Mandy nced at Adrian who was sleeping soundly beside her. The way he slept was adorable. Mandy leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. ''Good night, my precious Adrian, '' Mandy said in her heart. She tucked him in under the quilt and stayed beside him. ''I won''t share a bed with Nathan tonight, '' she told herself. Mandy did not want to think about what Nathan possibly did earlier. Just as Madeline had said, she had to understand and be patient with Nathan sometimes. After all, he was very busy every day. If he got together with other women, it would be for work reasons. Thinking of this, Mandy felt a little guilty. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she got. She felt like she had been too reliant on Nathan. They had been together for so long, and she already knew Nathan well enough to anticipate his moves. They worked in the samepany, and they chatted with each other almost every two or three hours. Their biggest challenge was that Nathan had to go on business trips asionally. But when he was not on a business trip, he would always take the initiative to contact Mandy. Every time she read a message from Nathan, she would smile shyly like a girl who was reading a love letter from her first love. Mandy''s mind was a little confused. Images of Nathan scattered her thoughts, but she decided to control her thinking and forget about Nathan for tonight. Eventually, she fell asleep. Knowing Mandy''s temper, Nathan went back to the study with the cups of milk. There were still some things for him to do. He had spent the entire afternoon with Audrey because it was his promise to her. He was a man of his word. Besides, Audrey was now Adrian''s attending physician. Adrian was lucky that Audrey was willing toe to City A for him. Suddenly, the phone in the study rang. Nathan quickly picked up the phone. "Mr. Jin, why is your phone turned off?" Serge''s anxious voice came from the other end of the line. He had called Nathan twice, but his mobile phone could not be reached. Left with no other choice, he tried thendline. After being busy for the whole afternoon, Nathan finally remembered to check his mobile phone. He did not rely on his mobile phone very much. He was usually essible to his people in person, so he rarely checked his mobile phone when it did not ring. "I didn''t turn off my phone." Nathan''s squinted his dark eyes a little. As he spoke, he took out his phone. True enough, his phone was on flight mode. No wonder he could not be reached. Nathan put his phone off flight mode and asked in a t tone, "What''s wrong? What happened?" "The bidding meeting is scheduled to take ce tomorrow. What''s our final bidding price?" Serge held a file in his hand, feeling uncertain. He was afraid of making a mistake, so he decided to call Nathan to confirm. "One hundred and fifty million," Nathan answered coldly. At the same time, he began to doubt that it was him who had put his mobile phone on flight mode. He pulled up WeChat and saw a message from Mandy received before five o''clock in the afternoon. He was not able to read the message, so he was not able to reply. No wonder Mandy was so angry that she went to her parents'' house for dinner with Adrian.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Chapter 710 Take A Hike, Please Chapter 710 Take A Hike, Please Nathan could not recall whether he put his mobile phone on flight mode. He did not usually turn his phone off, so... Was it Audrey who did it? Nathan remembered that when they were in the car, Audrey had used his phone for a while. But why would she set his mobile phone on airne mode? After thinking for a while, Nathan concluded that Audrey would not do such a rude thing. He convinced himself that maybe it was because of his carelessness. He was quite busy in the afternoon, so he did not have time to look at his phone. It was not until one o''clock in the early morning that Nathan finished his work. He took the key to open Adrian''s bedroom and gently took Mandy back to their bedroom. Although Nathan was very gentle, Mandy was still awakened by him. She was very upset before she fell asleep, so she was in a light sleep state. When Nathan picked her up, she immediately felt it. She did not want to wake her son, so she kept silent all the way. In their bedroom, when Nathan was about to turn on the light, he suddenly realized that it might awaken Mandy. He decided to keep the light off, and carefully walked toward the bed step by step. The bedroom was dark, and Mandy was pretending to be asleep. It was dark enough for Nathan not to notice it. After Nathan set her down gently on the bed, Mandy kept still and quiet and breathed steadily. She deliberately turned away from Nathan, not wanting to sleep in his arms. She could not leave him now, so she just turned her back on him. A touch of tenderness appeared on Nathan''s cold yet still handsome face. He looked at Mandy passionately. His dark eyes were likenterns floating in the sea. They lit up the darkness in the room. When his slender fingers touched her round, smooth shoulders, he wanted to turn her over, but he felt some sort of force that told him to withdraw. Nathan narrowed his eyes and realized that Mandy was already awake. "Are you awake, Mandy? Did I wake you up? I''m so sorry," Nathan said softly as he looked directly at her, his dark eyes like a clear, bottomless pool. "Please go to sleep in the guest room and stay away from me tonight." Mandy did not directly answer his question, but she replied with a grave face. Suddenly, the atmosphere around them turned so heavy and depressing that they could almost taste it. Nathan casually flipped Mandy''s long hair with a gentle smile on his delicate lips. "What''s up, honey?" he asked, quite confused. "Nothing''s up. I just don''t want to see you or be around you tonight, okay?" Saying that Mandy felt so aggrieved. She had not had a proper lunch because she felt a little lonely, eating her lunch without Nathan. All she ate for lunch was the cup of yogurt Quintin had brought her. Truth to be told, Mandy''s original intention was not to refuse lunch altogether just because of Nathan. It was just that she had had ate breakfast. She was still full at lunch time. She was looking forward to having supper with Nathan, though, only to end up missing it because he came homete. "What''s wrong with you?" Nathan smiled lightly. There was a touch of tenderness in his dark, almost mysterious eyes. "Don''t y with me now, Nathan. I don''t want to talk to you. Take a hike, please." Mandy growled and rolled her eyes at Nathan. She wiggled away from him, with her back still turned. She really wanted to ask him about his little friend who he went to meet this afternoon, but she was afraid that he was dealing with other women because of business. She was afraid that she would misunderstand him, and she did not want him to know what was on her mind. So, she suppressed her anger and kept her mouth shut. However, her negative emotions and feelings covered her heart with dark clouds that did not seem to dissipate. With that thought, she blinked her eyes against the darkness. It was already autumn and a little cold. She wrapped herself in the quilt, hoping that the depressed feeling would go away. "Honey, can you please just tell me what I did wrong?" Nathan asked with a tinge of exhaustion in his voice. He was more than willing to exin if Mandy asked directly. The way she was acting now made him very ufortable. "Oh, you did nothing wrong. It''s just some Chanel No. 5 on your clothes. What could possibly be wrong with that?" A mocking grimace spread across Mandy''s beautiful face. She looked like an angry hedgehog. "Are you jealous?" "Oh, please. I''m not that bored. Why would I be jealous? You work so hard. You have every right to meet whoever you like. Besides, we agreed before that if you have an illicit love affair with another woman, we will get a divorce." What Mandy said was a halfhearted warning. Her soft voice suddenly sounded savage and heartless. She had meant every word as if to remind Nathan that if he dared do something bad, she would not think twice to divorce him. "Can you not mention ''divorce'' so frequently? I really don''t like hearing that word," Nathan mumbled gravely. His face was gloomy, but he did not dare scold Mandy. After all, Mandy was his wife, the love of his life. "I really don''t give a damn if you don''t like hearing it, Nathan. I''m going to sleep. Don''t disturb me," Mandy said unhappily, wrapping herself in the quilt once again and turning her back on Nathan. Negative energy seemed to be slowly spreading in the air, and Nathan sensed it, however faintly. He got a little sulky. "Mandy, why are you getting angry without telling me the reason? What do you take me for? And do you even trust me from the bottom of your heart?" Nathan bombarded her with questions. It would be better if he did not push it. Maybe she would still be there when he woke up the next morning. The next moment, Mandy could not contain her emotions and feelings anymore. She thought she had to make herself clear. Mandy got out of bed all of a sudden. She stretched out her arm and fumbled on the wall. She turned on the light. The sudden dazzling light made them unable to open their eyes wide. Mandy sat cross legged on the bed like an angry female lion and stared at Nathan with way more intensity than necessary. "Yes, I do trust you. Deep in my heart, I want to be a sensible and loving wife. I had sent you a message today, but you didn''t reply to me. I thought you were really busy. I didn''t expect that you were really busy with another woman," Mandy said with a bitter smirk. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "I don''t understand. What do you mean by saying such things? I really went to meet a friend today," Nathan retorted. At the moment, he felt like Mandy had be a little bit unreasonable. "Okay. Then I ask you, is your friend a man or a woman?" Mandy asked. "She''s a woman, but we''re just friends. She flew from Switzend to City A. I had to go and pick her up from the airport. It''s my job." "Why should you be the one to pick her up? Doesn''t she have any friends in City A?" Mandy sneered. She looked Nathan up and down. Chapter 711 Audrey Came Chapter 711 Audrey Came "She''s Audrey Yao. She''s a doctor in a hospital in Switzend. She cured Adrian. She doesn''t know anyone here in City A. Nobody would''ve picked her up if I hadn''t." "If she''s from another country, why did shee to City A by herself?" Mandy asked in an aggressive manner. The real fight was about to break out. There were two people who could make a woman brave¡ªone was a man, and the other was a child. As a mother, women should be strong enough to protect their children. When a woman was pursuing her true love, she also had to be brave. Mandy guessed that the person called Audrey came to City A for Nathan''s sake. She also wondered why the name sounded so familiar to her. She seemed to have heard of it before. She grew so angry that she became dizzy. After calming down, she suddenly remembered that Audrey had studied in Ennd. They both studied medicine in Oxford, but Audrey was one year older than she was, and they had different tutors. "Her parents passed away. She doesn''t want to go back to City C anymore," Nathan exined patiently. "So¡­ You stayed with her the whole afternoon?" Mandy raised her eyebrows, a sarcastic smile creeping onto her red lips. Nathan''s lips pressed together into a thin line. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "What are you really asking me, Mandy?" "You have been changing subjects all night, Nathan. Are you hiding something? I only want you to give me a clear answer. Were you with her this afternoon?" Mandy was now a little agitated. She stared straight into Nathan''s cold eyes. Her heart raced, and a sneer appeared on her face. "Yes," Nathan answered frankly. The Chanel No. 5 was a ssicdies'' perfume. Men did not usually wear that kind of perfume. When Nathan returned to the vi tonight, the perfume on his clothes made Mandy wonder whom he had been hanging around with the entire afternoon. Hearing what Nathan said, Mandy kept silent. She felt like she was about to cry because of his words. She suddenly felt a lump in her throat, and there was hot liquid emerging from her eyes. She gritted her teeth and asked sadly, "So, you did apany her all afternoon. You didn''t reply to my message but spent the whole afternoon with another woman." A woman''s sixth sense was really awesome sometimes. For example, Mandy''s sixth sense had always been very urate. When Nathan did not reply to her WeChat message, she had a vague feeling that he was with another woman. But she did not know what they had done when they were together. She did not even know who that woman was. Mandy''s eyes were now red from keeping her tears from falling. Although she really wanted to cry, she tried her best to hold back her tears. When Nathan saw Mandy''s piteous appearance, the anger in his heart immediately dissipated. Thest thing he wanted to see was Mandy crying. Just now, he had tried to be patient, but just for a moment, he lost control of his anger and spoke to his wife in a harsh tone. He felt wronged as well. He and Audrey were just friends, but Mandy thought otherwise. Her paranoia was a little annoying. He stretched out his long arms to hold Mandy, and his tone suddenly became gentler. He was not good atforting people. Nathan had always been indifferent to others, but he knew how important Mandy was to him. Having a fight over something that was not worth it was going to hurt their rtionship. Mandy struggled for a while in Nathan''s arms and frowned in embarrassment. "Honey, don''t be angry anymore, okay? There''s nothing between me and Audrey. Audrey just came to City A, and I apanied her to visit some ces near her house. She saved Adrian after all. Please don''t be angry¡ªfor our son''s sake." Nathan locked Mandy in his embrace. No matter how hard she struggled in his arms, he just refused to let her go. After a long while, Mandy eventually calmed down. She felt like she might be a little narrow-minded. Why was she angry with Nathan over a stranger she had never met? If Nathan really did cheat on her, why was he still here,forting her? This time, it seemed that she had wronged him again. Just when Mandy''s thoughts were drifting away, she suddenly heard a low and deep male voice. "I''ll take you to see her tomorrow. You''ll know when you see her." "Why should I see her?" Mandy knitted her brows at Nathan''s suggestion. She had already calmed down, but she was unwilling to see Audrey. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She knew what Audrey looked like. Back in Oxford, Audrey was a well-known beauty. ''I heard her zodiac sign was Libra. Women of that sign are good at managing their rtionship with men. She''s really good at it, it seems, '' Mandy thought. Nathan smiled faintly. He put his hands on Mandy''s waist and said, "Do you doubt my rtionship with her? Don''t worry. I will prove to you that you have nothing to worry about." "I don''t want to go see her," Mandy rejected him decisively. With her eyshes trembling, she thought, ''I can''t see her. It will make me look petty. If she really is interested in Nathan, we will definitely meet in the future.'' But Mandy did not expect that they would meet so soon. Mandy and Nathan grew very tired. After they had made up, they hugged each other and went to bed. The next day, they woke up a littlete. It was half-past seven when Nathan, Mandy, and Adrian went downstairs together. Then, they saw Audrey sitting on the sofa in the living room. Nathan''s dark eyes turned cold. He froze upon seeing Audrey. He did not expect her to be here, and he had no idea what she was trying to do by showing up here this early. He squinted at Mandy, who was standing next to him. She looked calm on the surface, but there was a hint of unhappiness on her face. Seeing Audrey, Adrian went down the stairs with a smile. He rushed toward her and greeted her in an enthusiastic voice, "Hi, Aunt Audrey!" Mandy nced at her son, feeling disgruntled. "Hey, Adrian." Audrey stood up. Today, she wore a simple grey shirt over a white dress, which gave off a fresh feeling. When she smiled, two shallow dimples formed on her pretty face, giving off a weing presence. Adrian walked over and kissed Audrey''s cheek. His big eyes smiled radiantly. "Aunt Audrey, when did you arrive in City A?" "I arrived yesterday. Are you happy to see me?" Audrey touched Adrian''s hair with a doting smile and held him in her arms. Chapter 712 Audreys Attack Chapter 712 Audrey''s Attack Mandy felt awkward. She felt desperate to take Adrian away from Audrey''s arms, but that would make her look too narrow-minded and even pathetic. After she pondered it over, she decided to stay calm. "Nathan, is this the Miss Yao that you mentioned to me?" Mandy smiled, her eyes narrowing. Then, she grabbed Nathan''s hand and held it. They walked down the stairs together toward Audrey. Mandy behaved in an elegant and hospitable way. She carried herself with her chin up and yed her role as Mrs. Jin. "Audrey, let me introduce my wife. This is Mandy. Mandy, this is my friend, Audrey." Before Audrey knew it, Nathan and Mandy were already standing hand-in-hand by her side. She still had Adrian in her arms. Her smile gave off a feeling of purity and kindness. However, in Mandy''s eyes, Audrey was nothing but a cunning seductress. Obviously, she was the same sort of person as Eve. Mandy never thought that her rivals in love would appear one after the other like some kind of fungus she could not shake. "Oh, yes. Ms. Zhou was my junior in college. She was a famous student in our medical school. At that time, she had a lot of suitors. She is so beautiful, and she has a good character. You two are indeed a good match," Audreyplimented Mandy, but she was not sincere at all. She had already learned to hide her emotions. Her reputation at the Swiss hospital was great because she had never be angry. She believed that only children argued with one another. Adults should not be angry because it was not worth it. Because of her good temper, she had maintained a fairly good rtionship with almost all her colleagues. "Miss Yao, weren''t you popr in medical school as well? I remember you as one of the really famous ones." Mandy smiled and let go of Nathan''s hand. She walked over to Adrian and held him in her arms. Then, she said in a tender voice, "It''s time for breakfast, dear." Adrian nodded his head. Audrey smiled, thinking, ''The child is close to his mother after all.'' When Audrey was in Switzend, she had exerted a lot of effort to cure Adrian. She even fell sick several times due to overworking herself. Adrian had suffered a lot since he was born, and because of that, his tolerance had far surpassed that of an ordinary child. Mandy and Adrian had been separated from each other for many years, but atst, blood was thicker than water. She seldom scolded him, and it was Nathan who disciplined him. Well, Nathan was not really strict with him. As Adrian grew up without a mother''s love, he tried to give him as much love as possible. "Audrey, what brings you here so early in the morning?" Nathan asked with a smile. "You left your wallet at my house yesterday. Haven''t you realized that?" Audrey smiled faintly and took out Nathan''s wallet. Her cheeks were as ruddy as peach blossoms. A little embarrassed, Nathan said politely, "Thank you." Mandy did not get angry. She sat down at the table and looked at the direction where Nathan was. She bought him the wallet three years ago. She did not expect that he would keep using it for three years. Its quality was quite good. At that time, Mandy bought it for more than 7, 000. It was not a very expensive gift, but Mandy used her own money to buy it. It was the best she could afford back then with her financial capability. Nathan was a very picky man, but he happily epted anything that Mandy bought him. "Have you had breakfast, Miss Yao? Why don''t youe and eat with us?" Mandy invited Audrey with a smile. She looked courteous and graceful and was not as angry asst night. Mandy was actually a smart woman. She knew that Audrey hade to check her out. Of course, as clever as Mandy was, she would not reveal her true emotions in front of Audrey. Only when she was with Nathan would she stop disguising herself. Today, when she met Audrey, she felt much relieved. It was obvious that Nathan treated Audrey as a friend, and Audrey had a hopeless crush on him. Audrey''s eyes had betrayed her. She did not expect that Mandy would invite her for breakfast. She thought in her heart, ''Are you sure you want to have breakfast with me? Or are you just acting?'' But Audrey still smiled and said, "Thank you so much. I didn''t have breakfast before I came here." Mandy smiled gently. She thought, ''You''re not going to win anyway, Audrey. Nathan is mine.'' During breakfast, the atmosphere in the room was a little depressing. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Usually, when Mandy and Nathan had breakfast at home, the atmosphere was light. Today was different. Maybe it was because there was an outsider at their table. Mandy kept silent, and Nathan also did not say anything. Adrian was good at observing people. When he saw that his parents did not say anything, he, too, kept silent. Mandy was eating wonton. The wonton was hot. She blew the wonton in the spoon slowly,pletely ignoring Audrey. "Do you like wontons the most, Miss Zhou? I remember Nathan likes sandwiches the most for breakfast," Audrey started. Mandy looked up at Nathan with her almond-shaped eyes and tried to feed him with her spoon. She said in a sweet voice, "Honey, have a taste. Does the wonton taste good today?" Nathan was very cooperative. He finished the wonton in one gulp and said with a smile, "Well, it''s delicious." "Why didn''t I know you liked sandwiches for breakfast? A sandwich is so dry. I think wonton is way better." Mandy scooped another wonton and grinned at Nathan. "Well, I like wonton better than sandwiches now." He looked at her with a doting smile. Chapter 713 Director And Deputy Director Chapter 713 Director And Deputy Director Instantly, Audrey''s face turned pale. She had never seen Nathan smile so generously at a woman before. She didn''t know what kind of a person Mandy was and how she made him smile from the bottom of his heart. In a second, a me of jealousy burned in Audrey''s heart. Just now, Mandy was trying to say, ''You are nothing to him, Audrey. It''s me who Nathan loves. So don''t even think about trying to take him from me.'' Needless to say, the atmosphere that morning was a little awkward. After having breakfast, Nathan and Mandy took Adrian to the kindergarten. Meanwhile, Audrey drove to the JR Hospital by herself. Audrey was not a fool, and she knew how to win a man''s heart. She knew that it wouldn''t be wise to force herself into Nathan''s life. So, she decided that she shouldn''t stay too close to him. Otherwise, Nathan might get annoyed. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. But Nathan was not the type of man to be averse to being close to a woman. In fact, he liked to be with Mandy and only her all the time. But when other women got too close to him, he felt disgusted. On the way to the kindergarten, Nathan carefully drove the car with a small smile on his face. Mandy stared at him strangely. She didn''t know what Nathan was happy about. Fortunately, she was already calm by then, so she didn''t mind it that much. Soon enough, they arrived at the kindergarten. Mandy got out of the car with Adrian. After she took the little boy to his ssroom, she went back to the car right away. Nathan was wearing a pair of dark brown sunsses, and his white sleeves were rolled up to the elbows. He was resting one of his hands on the car window while the warm sunlight was shining on his face. With that sight in front of her, Mandy was suddenly drawn to this man. She had never been a woman who was interested in a lot of men. Why did her heart race uncontrobly when she saw Nathan? But Mandy summoned every bit ofposure that she had and pretended to be calm. She then casually said, "You seem to be very proud." "Believe me, I''m not." He took off his sunsses and narrowed his eyes while looking at her from head to toe. When he saw the sullen look on her face, he grinned wickedly while softlyughing. "It''s a good thing that someone likes you," Mandymented while returning the smile. "What? So, you were bothered by her? Mandy, tell me right now. Are you jealous?" He narrowed his eyes even more and raised his eyebrows. Subconsciously, a smile even appeared on his face. "No, I am not. You''re a man who likes to strut all over the city. So, it''s only normal that other women would fall in love with you." She then ignored Nathan and sat on the passenger seat without looking at him. For several seconds, Nathan could only stare at Mandy with a deep gaze. He thought that Mandy was surprisingly calm today, so it was a little strange to him. He hoped that Mandy would make a big deal out of it as she had done in the past. "Well, aren''t you the same with me? It seems like your ex-husband is still very much obsessed with you," Nathan said slowly. Upon hearing that, Mandy was stunned, and her face turned a little gloomy. "He is just wasting his time. Perhaps, he''s obsessed with me because he can''t get me. It''s the chase that he''s after." "Mand..." The man''s deep and alluring voice resounded in the car. After uttering her name, he slowly approached Mandy. "What?" Mandy raised her voice. She started to wonder why he had suddenly called her name, and why did it seem like he had something more to say. When she slowly turned around, Nathan ced his hand at the back of her head and kissed her. After a short while, they let go of each other affectionately. Mandy''s breathing was a little disordered, and the atmosphere in the car was bing tenser and tenser. She lowered her head and intertwined her hands. Her eyshes were even flickering a little. She said, "Nathan, I don''t know why I care so much about you. I don''t like seeing you with that Audrey or Eve, either. I''ll admit, it makes me jealous." "Don''t be silly. We both know that Audrey is Adrian''s lifesaver. It is for this reason, and this reason only, that I became friends with her. Otherwise, do you really think I would even be tempted by her?" Nathan stretched out his hand. His fingers were finally able to touch Mandy''s smooth and delicate face. His deep eyes were staring at her as if he was trying to see through her. "Nathan..." Mandy mumbled with a bit of shame while she squinted her eyes. The man pursed his lips, gently pinched her cheeks, and smirked. "Well, I know you''re a little sensitive, but I''m not an exception. No matter what happens to us in the future, we both have to calm down and communicate better. Don''t just jump to conclusions and act impulsively." Mandy nodded her head with sincerity and said, "Okay." On the way to JS International, a rxing and delightful song was ying in the car on a loop. It perfectly encapsted what Nathan and Mandy were feeling at the moment. They had missed each other for so many years but came through because they loved each other. In the JR Hospital Audrey could already feel that she was being rejected by everyone in the Cardiology Department. It was her first day at work as the director. Before her, Jamie had been the director. During those years, he had always been involved in all kinds of medical research. His skills in theory and even in practice were outstanding, so he was well-respected. After so many years, he finally had the chance of bing the director. But because of Audrey, he had to step down and take the position of deputy director. Naturally, he was at a loss. Cassie might be the one who hated Audrey the most since Jamie was her husband. Jamie had been doing an excellent job as the director. She quietly muttered with disdain, "Why should my husband give way just because she decided that she wants to work in this hospital?" She just thought that it wasn''t fair. Audrey was able to assume the position for some other reasons, but Jamie slowly got the position by relying on his own abilities and hard work. Cassie really wanted to fight for him. "Don''t you think the Dean is being so unfair? How could he give the position to that woman when she just came in here?" Cassieined in the office. The other doctors were present as well, but they didn''t say a word. "Cas, please don''t make any trouble. Audrey came here from abroad and was hired by the Dean at a very costly price. This is for the benefit of our hospital. I''m not as good as her. Of course, I have to give her the position," Jamie calmly said with a deadpan expression on his face. "Who knows if she was really hired by the Dean or she used some other means," said a doctor, who curled his lips. He didn''t like Audrey either. Jamie and Cassie had been working in the JR Hospital for many years, and they had a good rtionship with all of the doctors in the Cardiology Department. The difference between the director and deputy director was fairly huge. The annual ie of the director was one million, while only half of that would be received by the deputy director. Certainly, Cassie was not happy with that. Moreover, since Jamie had be the deputy director, it meant that one of the other deputy directors had to be transferred to a lower position as well. Chapter 714 Such An Unfathomable Woman Chapter 714 Such An Unfathomable Woman So, not everyone weed Audrey. "Come on, doctors. Don''t be like that. We''re going to be working together from now on. We''ll practice under the same roof, and we''ll run into each other very often," Jamie said calmly. "Jamie, we''re defending you. We don''t believe that Audrey is that powerful." "Keep your voice down. She''ll be here soon. It won''t be good for us if she overhears us." "What does it matter? I don''t care." Dr. Sun mustered up the courage to speak. They all remembered that Mandy began her career at JR Hospital. Her first post was the vice director of the cardiology department. Mandy''s medical skill was superb, and she had good moral qualities. The cardiology department staff all respected her. On the other hand, Audrey was quite different. In less than two weeks, they had already found out that she was very good at "dealing with intricate, interpersonal rtionships." "Hello!" Audrey chirped as she walked into the office. She had been listening to their conversation outside for a long while. The doctors were embarrassed, especially Dr. Sun, who had just said something hateful. Her face turned bright red with shame. She did not expect Audrey to show up so suddenly. The atmosphere in the office suddenly turned overcast as if at theing of a deadly storm. Audrey squinted her eyes and smiled lightly. She knew her arrival would affect the interests of some of the doctors, so it was normal that they did not like her. At the moment, no one uttered a single word. The atmosphere in the office had be very depressing. Jamie cast a nce at Audrey, looking her over from head to toe. He found that Audrey had a cute, bubble butt and well-rounded breasts; good, long legs and a beautiful face. Her two long and snow- white legs were her most seductive quality. "Wee, Director Audrey Yao," Jamie greeted and pped his hands. Upon seeing Jamie''s show, the doctors in the office also apuded. Everyone''s eyes were on Audrey, but their heads swam with their own thoughts. It had to be said that Audrey was really a very beautiful woman. She went to the gym every day. She was in good shape, and her face was delicate. Whenever one would see a good-looking woman, it could not be helped that he or she would be attracted at first sight. Everyone pretty much could not help looking at Audrey a few times. Her beauty truly inspired attention and, to a certain degree, jealousy. "Thank you, everyone. I''m a neer here. I hope to get to know you well in the future." Audrey spoke aloud as she squinted her beautiful eyes and smiled like an innocent child. At that moment, Cassie kept her face impassive. She feltplete disdain for Audrey. Maybe it was because women were naturally sensitive. As soon as sheid eyes on Audrey, she immediately thought that she was not a very kind woman. The doctors in the cardiology department had already known that Audrey was a smooth talker and was very good at ttery and adtion. She used to have a good rtionship with the president of the hospital in Switzend, where she worked. However, people usually have this mentality. A person who was so popr in the upper ss did not necessarily have a pleasant rtionship with her colleagues. First of all, her colleagues would be jealous of her even if she had won the position because of her own ability. No one cared about it. Secondly, Audrey was still somewhat arrogant. She was very smart and had a strong motivation for everything she did. As is known all over the world, doctors are highly intelligent. Although Audrey was very smart, it was not easy for her to lead them. After all, she was a woman and a delicate and proud one at that. The very strange fact was that although Audrey was very delicate and proud, she had never shown it in front of Nathan. Every time she was with Nathan, she pretended to be elegant and innocent. "I''ll do my rounds at the wards," Dr. Sun said as she curled her lips and took a quick look at Audrey. Then, she passed her and went out of the office. "Please go ahead with your work. I hope to see you all at dinner tonight," Audrey said with a smile. Upon hearing Audrey''s voice, Dr. Sun felt very strange, and she stopped walking for a moment. She did not expect that her sarcastic words just now did not stir up anger in Audrey. Dr. Sun thought for a few seconds before concluding that Audrey had a strong mind and unsearchable heart. ''Such an unfathomable woman. I had better stay away from her, '' Dr. Sun thought to herself. "I''m afraid I can''te to your little treat tonight, Director Yao. I have something urgent to attend to," Dr. Sun declined her invitation with a fake smile on her face. "Oh, really? That''s too bad. Well, there''s always a next time. Truth be told, I''m not the one who will pay for the dinner tonight. The Dean told me yesterday that he wanted to invite everyone to dinner," Audrey dered as she crossed her arms and looked at Dr. Sun with piercing eyes. The next moment, Dr. Sun felt her scalp go cold and numb. She did not understand why the Dean would suddenly invite them to dinner. And even if it was true, it was obvious that he just wanted to win the doctors over by buying them a meal. ''Such small and backstabbing people!'' Dr. Sun cursed inwardly. For over a minute, the doctors in the cardiology department remained silent. The atmosphere in the office was suddenly embarrassing. "Dr. Sun, in terms of tenure, you''re my senior. I came to this city alone. I really hope to make friends with you, and I hope you will allow me," Audrey said, seemingly sincere. Pursing her lips, Dr. Sun did not reply immediately. She had already declined Audrey''s invitation. It would be embarrassing to take her word back in front of all her colleagues. "Dr. Sun, it will be our first time to have dinner with Audrey. You know, it''s kind of rude to refuse an offer so kindly made," Cassie suddenly said. "Err... All right. I''ll go then." Dr. Sun felt like she was trapped in a dilemma. She took a nce at Cassie and felt relieved that she helped her out. At JS International It was lunch break. Nathan had been working hard the whole morning. His deep and cold eyes had been staring at the computer screen. It was inevitable that he felt a little tired. He squinted, leaning on the back of his chair to rest. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. There was a lounge hidden behind a curtain in Nathan''s office. The lounge was veryrge, almost as big as the master''s bedroom in his home. Nathan slept there sometimes when he had to work all night. "Take a break, Nathan. You can''t finish your endless work overnight," Mandy said with a smile, holding her cellphone in her hand. Upon hearing her soft voice, Nathan typed two words on the keyboard before saving the document he was working on. Then, he smiled and waved at Mandy. Chapter 715 Bacterial Experiment Chapter 715 Bacterial Experiment "Come here." Nathan''s deep and maic voice bounced off the office walls. Mandy smiled and gently set her phone on the tea table. She smiled and slowly walked toward Nathan. Nathan gestured at Mandy to straddle hisp, which she did. He then tightly hugged her soft body. Her faint scent, which was as sweet as pomegranate, filled his nose. He gently kissed her on the neck, his warm breath tickling her skin. "Honey." "What?" "Nothing. Just let me hold you for a while. I need to replenish my energy by holding you this close." The quarrel between themst night crossed her mind. Although the misunderstanding between them was finally cleared up, they still dyed for a long time. They were not able to sleep for several hours last night. It was noon now. Since Mandy did not sleep wellst night, she felt a little sleepy. "Or we could go and get some sleep," Nathan suggested. He also felt sleepy, and his eyelids were starting to drop. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Okay," Mandy murmured. Nathan stood up and scooped her up. He carried her towards the hidden lounge. "Get some rest, honey." Nathan still held Mandy in his arms. He let her rest her head on his chest. Mandy raised her head to catch a glimpse of her husband. Nathan indeed looked striking from any angle. His handsome face could light up any room. No wonder so many beautiful women, both young and old, would like to pursue him. "Get your arm off me. Otherwise, your arm will be numb if my head presses it for too long. It''s not good for your sleep," She studied medicine and had seen such cases in the hospital. A girl slept on her boyfriend''s arm. When the two of them woke up the next morning, her boyfriend''s arm had gone numb so badly that it needed amputation. Of course, Mandy did not want the same thing to happen to Nathan. Whenever she thought of that particr case, her heart still trembled with fear. She heard the sound of Nathan''s smooth breathing. He was silent for a few seconds. Then, he suddenly opened his eyes and then turned over and enveloped Mandy''s entire body. His handsome face was magnified in front of her. "I want to hold you so badly. Just let me sleep with you in my arms," Nathan said in a domineering tone while stroking Mandy''s cheek with his big palm. Mandy almost chuckled. "Then you can hold me and sleep. I am just worried that pressing my head on your arm will be bad for your health and affect your sleep quality." Mandy pursed her lips and put on a serious expression. Her eyes were full of love and concern. "Okay. It''s up to you." Nathan leaned in and greedily kissed Mandy''s red lips. The desire in his body seemed to explode at that moment. His dark eyes became deeper. He was afraid that he would not be able to help himself with Mandy this close to him. He might just take her right here right now. But seeing the tired, sleepy look on her face, he decided not to "bully" her now. So, he snaked his arms around her slender waist, pulled her closer, and whispered in her ear, "I want you tonight, my little fairy." Hearing what Nathan said, Mandy felt her ears burn, and she began to feel hot all over her body. In the past, every time Nathan said such words to her, she would feel so embarrassed. But now that they had been together for a long time, she was more rxed around him. She had even learned to initiate their intimate moments, and she would be the one to ask him to do it sometimes. "And I will eat you up tonight. Just wait and see." Mandy smiled ambiguously, and her tone was soft and sweet. The hormones in Nathan''s body seemed to be awakened by her flirtatious words. His eyes suddenly lit up, and his tone was slightly raised. With a smile on his lips, he said, "Oh? Really? Tell me. How are you going to eat me up?" "You''ll know tonight when we get home." "Actually..." Nathan said slowly with a meaningful smile. "What?" Mandy could not bear it when Nathan suddenly paused and trailed off. She asked again more aggressively until he finally answered. "I don''t mind if you eat me up right now." Mandy was speechless after hearing that. "We turned in sotest night. Do you have any energy at all right now?" Mandy rolled her eyes dismissively and smiled lightly. "Are you doubting me? You''ve always been better at flirting with me. But remember, don''t do that to other men. I''m going to eat you up now." Nathan could not help pressing his strong and masculine body on hers once again. Unlike Mandy, he never had the habit of taking a nap at noon. Mandy used to have a lunch break when she was a doctor back then, and when she was a pianist, she slept whenever she liked without any disturbance. It was not until Nathan pressed his body against hers that Mandy realized that she had just said the wrong thing. Why did she even think about doubting this man with an entire body full of raging hormones? They made love for a long time. After they finished, Mandy fell asleep soundly. Nathan held her in his arms for a while. After he woke up, he put on his clothes and returned to work. When Mandy woke up, it was already 4:30 in the afternoon, and Nathan had already gone back to work. Mandy really had a good and long sleep. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and reached out to the other side of the bed. Realizing that Nathan had already gone back to work, Mandy quickly put on her clothes and walked out of the lounge to find him. Mandy wanted to surprise Nathan, so she walked carefully and silently on purpose. The office floor was covered with a plush carpet, which reduced the friction and noise, so she basically made no sound with each step. She opened the door carefully, hid herself behind the curtains, and looked at what Nathan was doing. She saw that Fred was sitting opposite to Nathan, and he was wearing a suit just like usual. He wore that ck suit every day since she had met him for the first time. People who were not familiar with him would suspect that all he had to wear to work was that ck suit. Fred was a very strange man. He wore a thick suit both in the cold winter and in the hot summer. Truth to be told, he wore the same suit all year round. "Mr. Jin, I have found out that Eve has been in touch with a doctor named Ouyang for years," Fred said with a calm but stiff expression on his face. He handed over a document to Nathan as he spoke. "Ouyang? Who is he?" Nathan frowned. He had never heard of the man. "His surname is Ou, and his first name is Yang. He studied in Japan a few years ago. He does bacterial research. He''s an expert in the field." "What about the perfume?" Nathan squinted at him and asked. "I haven''t looked into that yet. Ouyang has aboratory in an eastern city. He has been working and staying there all day long. Theb is heavily guarded. No outsider is allowed to enter." "Investigate it again more thoroughly and deeply. Make sure to find out the truth." Nathan put on a stern expression as he browsed through the materials in front of him with concentration. ''The most important information has not been found. Damn it!'' he cursed in his heart. Hiding behind the curtain, Mandy did not intend to eavesdrop. She bit her lips silently. ''Doctor Ouyang? Bacterial research?'' she thought to herself, puzzled. As a person with a medical degree, she knew how terrible and dangerous bacterial research could be. If a doctor with a poor professional ethic knew about this kind of research, well, it was difficult to guarantee that he or she would not make use of this knowledge to inflict harm on other people. Chapter 716 We Have Gotten Closer To The Truth Chapter 716 We Have Gotten Closer To The Truth When Mandy was in medical school, one of her professors once taught in a ss that if certain dangerous bacteria entered the human body, the result would be more terrible than cancer. Somehow, Mandy recalled that particr ss and what her professor had said. After Fred reported the situation to Nathan, he stood up and left. Only Nathan and Mandy were left in the office. "You cane out now." Nathan smiled lightly. Hearing what he said, Mandy felt a little embarrassed. Why did she hide behind the curtain? She was Nathan''s wife. She could walk out and show herself in front of Fred. She was in on every conversation Nathan had with anyone. "You knew I was listening?" Mandy pursed her lips and walked toward Nathan. "Your feet were exposed under the curtain. It was the first thing I saw." He smiled helplessly and thought in his mind, ''This silly woman! She doesn''t even know how to hide to eavesdrop.'' "What? Wow, I really have to learn martial arts or stealth techniques or something. I''d really love to hide from you sometime." Mandy pursed her lips and spoke in an aggrieved tone, unwilling to admit her failure. "Why were you hiding anyway? Are you a spy?" "No, I''m not! You know I''m not! Humph!" Mandy pouted like a child. She crossed her arms and grimaced. "I was just kidding." "I know. I''m also joking with you. But Fred said something about bacterial research. That research will be very dangerous if it is done by the wrong hands. If Eve really keepspany with an expert in bacterial research and experimentation, she''s truly up to no good. It''s terrifying," Mandy said seriously, her eyebrows almost knotted. She felt her heart sink like a stone thrown in a river. She did not know what she was worried about. Mandy suddenly recalled that one time when Eve had picked Adrian up from kindergarten school and took him away without her permission. She remembered that she had found a needle mark in Adrian''s arm when she got him back. Was it possible that Eve had injected something into Adrian''s arm that day? The more she thought about it, the more strange she felt. Her face suddenly turned very pale. "Nathan, do you still remember? Eve once took our son away without my permission. When he came back, I found a needle mark in his arm, as if he had been injected with something." Nathan squinted, and then his face turned somewhat unreadable. The spark in his dark eyes disappeared like starlight drowned in a ck sea. He nodded calmly and said, "I remember. But didn''t you take him to the hospital for an examination after that incident?" "One of our professors taught us in medical school that there''s a certain type of bacteria that can easily invade the human body. The patient will have no specific physical reaction at first, but as time goes by, the bacteria will get much stronger and attack the different tissues of the body. Fred told you just now that Eve has been in contact with a doctor specializing in bacterial experiments. After hearing that, I became a little worried about Adrian. I don''t know why, but I think Eve did something to our son the day he went missing," Mandy exined in a cold tone, a gloomy expression clouding her face. "Really?" Hearing Mandy''s words, Nathan also began to worry about his son. "Yes. When I was a medical student, my tutor didn''t approve my request to do some bacterial experiments. He said that they were too dangerous for inexperienced physicians to perform. Only a very small number of professional researchers with years of training can conduct bacterial experiments." "Is there any way to check for the presence of bacteria in the human body?" "Bacteria takes time to multiply, so it''s difficult to detect in the human body at first. I believe there are tests that can be done eventually. I''m just not sure about the specific procedure and details. I just heard it in one of my sses back in medical school. How about we ask Dr. Chen for help?" Mandy answered, thinking that John would be much more knowledgeable than her in the subject. He should know these things better than she did. "All right." Nathan nodded solemnly. She immediately called John and asked him toe to No. 520, Haibin Road that night for a consult. After work, Nathan and Mandy went to pick up Adrian from kindergarten school. They heard from two of the teachers that there would be a parent-child sport meeting the next day. So, Mandy and Nathan decided to go to school with Adrian tomorrow. After all, it was the first sports meeting that Adrian would take part in. Mandy had missed too many events and experiences in her child''s life, but she had promised herself that from now on, she would participate in every one of Adrian''s childhood experiences. She was his mother, after all. Adrian walked in between his parents, holding Nathan''s hand on the left and Mandy''s on the right. He looked happy and showed a bright smile. "Mom, Dad, the kindergarten will hold a sports meeting tomorrow. Promise me that you two will bothe." Seeing the sincere smile on Adrian''s face, Mandy and Nathan did not have the heart to refuse him. They nodded in agreement and said, "Okay." "Yeah!" Adrian cheered and jumped up and down after hearing his parents'' answer. As the sun set, the breeze blew gently. The faint fragrance of flowers floated in the air. After dinner, John came to Nathan and Mandy''s vi with his physician''s bag. John first took Mandy''s pulse. He smiled and said, "It seems that your wife''s health is well conditioned. She has been responding to her medication very well." "What do you mean medication? Have you been using my wife as a guinea pig for one of your drug tests?" Nathan asked unhappily. With a straight face, John quickly shook his head and replied, "Of course not, Mr. Jin. You misunderstood me. I had taken the medication myself before I tested it on your wife, but I''m a man. The physiological structure and bodily functions of men are different from those of women. I''m fully convinced that the medication I gave your wife has no side effects and is very safe." Mandy smiled and said, "Thank you, Dr. Chen. I don''t need to take Chinese medicine anymore, do I?" Mandy had been taking Chinese medicine for a month. At first, she did not like the smell and almost vomited when she took it, but now she could take an entire pack of it without blinking. It was really a bitter experience, but she eventually got used to it. "Well... Are you and Mr. Jin in a hurry to have a baby?" John asked cautiously. "No. We''re not trying to get pregnant, really," Mandy answered, shaking her head. "But I want to have one," Nathan interjected. John felt embarrassed. Since Mr. Jin said yes, and Mandy said no, he did not know what to say next. The moment got very ufortable.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Nathan and Mandy looked at each other, and their eyes lit up. They had always wanted to have a daughter. Nathan had been obsessed with his little sister since childhood. Even though Nacy was technically his cousin, he loved her as much as his own blood sister. After he and Mandy got married, he had hoped that Mandy would give birth to a daughter because it was said that a daughter was her father''s lover in his previous life. On the other hand, a son was closer to his mother. Nathan had been raising Adrian for three years, but his rtionship with his son had been fading since Mandy reappeared in their son''s life. Mandy had been taking care of Adrian for only a few months, but Adrian already loved her more than he loved him. It turned out to be true that a mother and her son are closely linked with each other. Mandy was a bit speechless when she heard Nathan''s answer. It was very hard for a woman to carry a baby for a total of nine months. At five months of pregnancy, a woman''s belly would start to bulge and get bigger day by day. She would not be able to move around freely or sleep well. Normal people slept on their right side while pregnant women must sleep on their left side, which made Mandy very ufortable. At the end of her pregnancy, Nathan came to help her with a series of pre-natal chores such as bathing and dressing and wearing socks and shoes. After Mandy gave birth, Nathan treated her like a princess, and her status in the family became even higher. "If you really want a baby, I suggest you try to conceive in three months," John said calmly. Then, he added, "As you know, each kind of medicine has its side effects. You should try your best to avoid taking too much medicine." Chapter 717 Suspicion Chapter 717 Suspicion "Okay." Mandy nodded, but in her heart, she wanted to try to conceive sooner. She really could not wait to have another baby. Although she wanted to have another baby so that Adrian could have a younger sibling to grow up with, Mandy was a little afraid to get pregnant again. Because of what Adrian had gone through, she was afraid that her second baby would go through the same ordeal. After she married Nathan, children became the center of their family. Now that she was not sure yet whether or not Eve did try to harm Adrian that one time, she could not bear thinking about giving birth to another child to protect. On the other hand, Nathan was happy. A smile appeared on his tight, serious face. He did not expect that Mandy would recover so quickly, which meant that they could have their Seven soon. When Nathan was about to ask John about the bacteria, he heard a distant ringing sound. Someone was ringing the doorbell. Lillian went to check who was at the door using the security cameras. Seeing Nacy and Simon at the doorstep, she opened the door for them with a smile. After dinner, Simon and Nacy had gone for a walk along the path. They held each other''s hand and decided toe by Nathan and Mandy''s ce. "Brother, sister-inw," Nacy smiled and said softly. Standing beside Simon, Nacy looked like an innocent, sweet girl. "Our honorabledy, what brings you here tonight?" Nathan raised his eyebrows and said lightly. "I''ve missed you so much. I know you''re busy and don''t have time to see us, so I figured I''de and see you," Nacy replied, ignoring Nathan''s teasing. She sat on the sofa like she was at her own home. Nathan squinted his eyes. He knew what was on her mind, even if Nacy did not tell him. She came here to know more about the perfume. "Well, your timing has never been more impable. Dr. Chen is here tonight. You can ask him to check you out and prescribe some medicine for you. I''ve been taking traditional Chinese medicine for a month, and my body has been getting better and better." Mandy smiled at Nacy. With a gentle look on his face, John stood up. Nacy was one of the country''s hottest stars. The news of her pregnancy and miscarriage spread all over the nation like wildfire a few days ago. "Really? Is it really that effective?" Simon''s eyes lit up, and a smile tugged on the corner of his mouth. "Well, it''s time for you two to try and have a baby again. Look at Adrian, he''s already four years old," Nathan joked with good intentions. Nacy might have thought too much or felt really sad if someone else said that to her face, but when she heard it from Nathan, she felt a little different. Nacy looked around and did not find Adrian. Then, she looked at Nathan and asked, "Speaking of whom, where is Adrian?" "He''s in his bedroom, ying with building blocks," Mandy replied with a gentle but proud smile on her face. They were consulting with Dr. Chen tonight, so Mandy sent Adrian to his bedroom to y. He was only a child, and it was not good for him to be around conversing adults. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Let me check your pulse, Ms. Jin," John gently said, walking over to Nacy with a smile. Nacy nodded and said, "All right." Then, she stretched out her hand while John gently put two fingers on her right wrist. He frowned and then checked her left pulse about a minuteter. John''s face went a little pale, and his brows knit tightly. It made everyone around him worry deeply. It would be much more difficult to treat Nacy than Mandy. At this point, she had a cold womb and a thin uterine wall lining after the abortion. The only thing she could do now was to use some medical tonic to help her uteruspletely recover and get stronger. It was not an easy task to treat a cold womb, and the treatment would take at least three months. What was more, the sess of the treatment could not be guaranteed. John had never had such a troublesome case before. John looked into Nacy''s eyes as he frowned and asked, "Ms. Jin, have you been suffering from severe dysmenorrhea?" Nacy nodded and said, "Yes, I have. But I didn''t use to have it. I was ignorant of my health when I was younger. I remember when I was still attending school. I would eat ice cream even when I had my period. I nursed that habit for a few years until one day, I got dysmenorrhea and basically had it ever since. It was getting bettertely but still a little painful." "Have you tried treating it with medicine before?" "Yes, I''ve taken some medicine to improve my health, but they''re too bitter. I don''t like it when I drink them. So, I gave up the treatment." "Good medicine is often bitter. It''s good for your health. You should take the medicine when it is necessary. Well, I''ll write you a prescription and send the medicine to your house tomorrow." "All right then. Thank you, Dr. Chen." Nacy smiled kindly. She was very unlike herself long ago¡ªa bitter lady who got angry at trivial things. Nathan looked at her and wondered what was wrong with her today. Why was she being so kind and gentle? It was confusing. "Dr. Chen, do you know anything about bacterial research and experiments?" Mandy asked directly. John frowned and replied in confusion, "Bacterial research and experiments? Yes, I know a little bit about them, but... Well, why are you asking about them anyway?" "I''m just a little worried... Dr. Chen, have you ever heard of a type of bacteria that enters the human body system and sits there to incubate for a few months? The patient will remain asymptomatic during the entire incubation time and won''t show symptoms until it is already toote to do something to flush out the bacteria from the body. It is tricky to treat because the patient won''tin of anything until the bacteria has grown too strong. Most patients die from the infection," Mandy asked in a calm tone, but her face looked sullen. "Yes, I''ve heard of that kind of bacteria, but acquiring it is strictly prohibited by the government. No one is allowed to study it here because it''s too dangerous. Again, why are you asking about it?" John was a little confused. He himself did not have the chance to learn bacterial experimentation. More than twenty years ago, when he was in medical school, he did not like the course. He always thought that he would nevere in contact with such little yet evil things. "I suspect that Eve has injected some kind of bacteria into Adrian''s arm when she took him away from me without my permission. She secretly went to pick him up from kindergarten school and took him away. After a long time, she brought Adrian back home but with a needle mark in his arm. I''ve been worrying about that needle mark ever since." "What? A needle mark?" Nacy asked in a sharp tone. She suddenly became angry. "We don''t have evidence that she did it. We don''t even know where the needle mark came from. Maybe I''m just being paranoid." Mandy bit her lip. She looked uneasy. Staring at Mandy with his calm, dark eyes, Nathan opened his mouth and said carefully, "Don''t stress yourself out over this, honey. If Eve really did it, I would soon find out. I will expose her and make her and her family die as revenge for Adrian." "That''s right. She is a vicious woman. We won''t let her get away with his, Mandy. You can count on that. My brother and I will make sure of it." Nacy spoke confidently, determination and ruthlessness suddenly twisting her beautiful features. Adrian was her favorite nephew, and as long as she was breathing, nobody would hurt him without going through her. Chapter 718 Well Protect Adrian Together Chapter 718 We''ll Protect Adrian Together "This kind of bacteria can hide in the human body very well. It''s impossible to detect it during the early stage of infection. Furthermore, if we need to know more about it, we have to extract a lot of blood from him. The body of a four-year-old won''t be able to bear it." John sighed helplessly while shaking his head. At that moment, the expression on Nathan''s face looked rigid. He almost looked furious. He said in a somewhat ferocious tone, "So, what are we supposed to do? Are we going to just wait and do nothing?" "Not really. If by any chance, another kind of bacteria enters Adrian''s body, this bacteria may act as an anti-body that could kill the existing bacteria. In this case, he can be cured." "That method is widely used in the medical world. But the chances of sess are really low. What if the bacteria in Adrian''s body is more powerful? The existing bacteria will just absorb the anti-body. And what if Adrian''s body rejects the anti-body, and it bes toxic for him?" Mandy asked in a serious tone. The expression on her face was turning a little bit sullen. "You''re right, Mrs. Jin. But I really think that the only thing we can do for now is to wait. Take him to the hospital regrly for physical examination. If we still don''t see any symptoms after six months, then that means we have nothing to worry about," John asserted. The atmosphere in the living room became dreary right away. Everyone had a deadpan expression on their faces. Nathan, Nacy, and Simon, who didn''t study medicine, realized the seriousness of the matter as well. Mandy closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. Somehow, she felt so much pain in the deepest part of her heart. It really seemed as if Adrian had been targeted by Eve. ''Damn you, Eve! If you really did this, I will make sure that you''ll suffer! When I''m done with you, you''ll wish you were dead instead.'' It wasn''t long after that when John left. Originally, Nacy and Simon hade to ask if there was any progress in the matter of the perfume. But with what was happening to Adrian, they had set it aside for now. Instead, Nathan told Nacy about what happened. For the past few years, Eve became really close to a person called Doctor Ouyang. The doctor specialized in the study of bacterium. It looked like the doctor had the ability to kill people easily. "Nathan, Mand, let''s try to calm down first and think about this logically. What if we''re just overthinking and jumping to conclusions?" Nacy tried to ease the tension in the room. "Yes, I know. Don''t worry. I''ll go and read some books on bacteria. I refuse to believe that there is no cure for this one." Then, Mandy pressed on her forehead as she felt her temples aching a little. Her face was still pale by that point. Then, Simon noticed the time and realized that it was veryte already. He stood up, held Nacy''s hand, and said, "It''s gettingte, we''d better go home now." He then turned to the rest of the group and said, "You need to have some rest, too. Don''t stress yourself too much. We''ll find a solution soon enough." "You''re right," Mandy and Nathan answered in unison. Then, both of them stood up to bid their goodbyes to Nacy and Simon. The autumn night breeze that night was cold, sending shivers and goosebumps over their skin. The entire city was lit up while Nathan''s eyes were as dark as the ocean. He and Mandy were silently standing in the yard. A gust of wind, which was especially strong, blew in their direction. Instantly, several leaves fell from the tree. Mandy looked at the starry sky above her, but she couldn''t appreciate the night view. Nathan reached out his arms and embraced her more tightly. But the man restrained his strength with so much care so as not to hurt her. He pursed his thin lips and looked at her intently. "Mand, no matter what will happen in the future, I''ll be with you. We''ll protect Adrian together. I will never let you face any challenges by yourself." Upon hearing what he said, Mandy was dazed for a while. She didn''t expect that Nathan would suddenly be so affectionate. With his words alone, she was really moved to tears. She sniffed, and a stream of hot liquid filled her eyes. Then, she felt a lump in her throat. "What are you doing? Why are you suddenly bing so sentimental?" "I''m only like this when ites to you. Don''t be too bothered by it. Adrian is a lucky boy, and he will be fine." His deep voice was like the sound of the violoncello. After listening to it, Mandy was finally able to calm down. "Yes, our little Adrian will be fine," Mandy softly said. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Silly girl." A touch of a smile appeared in Nathan''s deep eyes. He turned around with his arm still on Mandy and gently said, "The wind is bing stronger. Let''s go back inside." Mandy nodded her head. She snuggled up against Nathan''s chest before they walked towards the house. They went to a room containing all kinds of building blocks. Nathan had specially prepared it for Adrian. At that moment, Lillian was building blocks with the little boy. He was scrutinizing every block with his round eyes. He looked really cute when he was extremely focused on something. Mandy walked over to him and saw that it looked like Adrian was building a car. "Adrian," Mandy said in a trembling voice. She then sniffed, trying her best not to cry in front of her son. Raising his head, he saw how red Mandy''s eyes were. He immediately dropped the building blocks in his hands and hugged her. In the tender voice of a child, he said, "Mom, why are you crying?" As soon as he finished saying that, he buried his head in her chest. In turn, Mandy embraced him tightly. At that moment, she couldn''t help the tears from flowing anymore. Meanwhile, there wasn''t a single tear in Nathan''s eyes. He didn''t say a word but stretched out his arms and silently held his wife and son. For a while, the three of them just firmly hugged each other. It was the happiest moment in Nathan''s life. He could embrace the people he loved the most. The hug gave Mandy a sense of security. It truly felt like Nathan would always be by her side. In that distressing moment in their lives, they at least had each other. "I''m fine, Adrian," Mandy said in a gentle voice. She sniffed some more and calmed down after a while. That same night, Dean Tyler held a party at the MK International Restaurant for Audrey. In order to wee her, the Dean had put in a lot of thought for the event. The restaurant was located in the most prestigiousmercial area in City A. It was a rtively high- end hotel. At night, the lights were bright, and the view on the riverside was breathtaking. It was like a luxury painting. The Dean had booked eight rooms, which were all connected to one another. Separating every two rooms was a ss door covered with a Chinese style painting on it. When the door was opened, the people in both rooms could see each other. All of the people who came to the party were directors of JR Hospital. Except for the doctors of the Cardiology Department, everyone else had high positions. Even the four vice deans were present, which was enough to show how much importance the Dean had regarding Audrey. The party was specially prepared to wee her. In fact, a celebration like that had never been done before. Chapter 719 The Welcome Party Chapter 719 The Wee Party Cassie was sitting at the table by the window. She looked down from the 28th floor. The street was crowded with people. Sunlight bounced off the calm river nearby like a thousand stars swimming at sea. It looked magnificent and charming, which made Cassie lost in thought. Jamie, who was sitting beside her, nudged her with his elbow. She snapped back to her senses. The dean stood up with a kind smile on his wrinkled face. He raised his goblet, the red liquid inside sshing against the side of the vessel like crimson ocean wavespping on the shore. It looked pretty and enchanting against the light in the room. "To all my dear doctors, you are the backbone of our hospital. We are here to wee a newly joined member. You have already met her. Her name is Dr. Audrey Yao. She holds a master''s degree in medicine from Oxford, an de that she attained at a young age. She also holds a doctorate in medicine from Switzend University. She is indeed a young talent, but I believe that she will be able to fill the shoes of our former cardiology department directors like Mandy, Leo, and Jamie. I believe as well that Audrey will make an outstanding contribution to our hospital." The dean grinned from ear to ear, and the wrinkles on his face became more defined. He looked almost smug as if he had just won the lottery. Casting a bitter nce at the dean, Cassie sneered in her heart. ''This woman''s means are really superb. When Leo came back from the UK, nobody held a party for him like this. Now everything''s grand and a big deal just because of Audrey. It''s really unsettling. Is there something going on between Audrey and the dean?'' Cassie could not help specting as she watched the scene unfold before her. In her eyes, Audrey looked like someone who would seduce powerful men to get what she wants. After the dean''s little speech, all the doctors in the room apuded. It was as if a big star was in the room among them. "Now, may I request Dr. Audrey to please say a few words?" The dean turned to look at Audrey. He spoke to her with a smile. Audrey wore a red dress. The design of the waistline perfectly fit her slender waist. It also had a low neckline so that her full cleavage was revealed. The light reflected beautifully in her face, making her delicate features look even more stunning. The dean raised his head and looked at Audrey. He was quite satisfied with her. A young, talented doctor hade to work at JR Hospital. The hospital was truly lucky to have her. But truth be told, the dean did have some inappropriate thoughts whenever Audrey was around. He just did not speak of it. Others might not know it, but the dean knew it clearly: Audrey was Leo''s junior schoolmate. Before she came on board at the hospital, Leo had called the dean on purpose to ask him to take good care of Audrey. Leo had made an outstanding contribution to the hospital four years ago. He had won a lot of awards when he was serving the hospital, and he helped boost the hospital''s reputation. Leo had changed a lot. He was not the same person he used to be. Now, he was a big shot in the business world in City Z, just like the famous Nathan in City A. "Hello, everyone, I''m Dr. Audrey Yao. First of all, I want to thank the dean for his generous hospitality. I''m new here, and there are still many things I''m not clear about. I still have a lot of things to learn from all of you. I look forward to working with you. Thank you." Audrey smiled, her fair face blushing. "We gather here tonight to celebrate. Enjoy yourselves, and please don''t worry about the bill. I''ll take care of it." The dean spoke gleefully. He raised his ss and proposed a toast to everyone at their table. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The next moment, the sound of clinking sses echoed across the room. The dinner party did not end until nine o''clock. Audrey drank a lot. Her alcohol tolerance was just right, but too many people cheered with her. She was a little drunk by the end of the night. Cassie observed Audrey and raised her ss to her halfheartedly. Jayleen grabbed her arm and winked at her, hinting her not to go there. With a broad smile, Cassie said, "Jayleen, I want to propose a toast to Audrey, our new director. Wee and may your talent and leadership inspire us." Jayleen looked around. The people at their table all stood up and raised their sses as if they were really agreeing to what Cassie said in her toast. They were ready to make a toast to Audrey. "Audrey had already had too much to drink. Let''s not make her drink anymore," Jayleen said. She had worked in the hospital for more than twenty years. She knew it was best that they stop at this point, so Audrey would not get too drunk. Jamie was another sensible person. He smiled politely and echoed, "Right. Excess drinking is bad for our health. Besides, Audrey''s face is already red. Please don''t make her drink anymore." "I''m fine. I can drink a lot. Let''s continue drinking. But... I need to use thedies'' room first. Wait for me. I''ll propose another toast when I get back," Audrey said. She seemed to be drunk, but her mind was still sober. It was all her acting. Audrey had drunk a lot when she was working in Switzend. She had always been good at pretending to be drunk. In order to make friends, the first thing one must do was to drink with people. She stumbled into the bathroom. She went into a cubicle and gave Leo a call. After Leo and Mi got back from their honeymoon, there had been a cold war between them. Mi tried to get rid of Leo, but he refused. In the beginning, their marriage was just to achieve their respective goals. Now that their goals had been achieved, Leo found that he had already fallen for her. Leo discovered he had feelings for her, perhaps after her miscarriage. Under pressure, they had no choice but to have a baby, but they lost it. Mi felt depressed for a month after the miscarriage. She did not know why she felt so sad. She did not marry Leo for love, but things happened one after another. They were not supposed to fall in love with each other, but they did. Chapter 720 Have You Done Something Wrong Chapter 720 Have You Done Something Wrong Once you decided on who you will love, there was no turning back. Leo was sitting on the bed, wearing a pair of ck-and-gold-rimmed sses and reading some documents intently. At the same time, Mi was beside him, watching a TV drama while browsing on her tablet. They ignored each other. There was a big doll between the middle of them, which acted as a separation line. Mi wanted to sleep in another room, but Leo would not agree, so she bought a big doll that she used to separate the two of them when they slept. Suddenly, Leo''s phone rang. Taking a look at the caller ID, Leo stayed silent for a few seconds before he calmly answered the call. "Leo..." Audrey murmured sweetly from the other end of the line, drunkenness evident in her voice. "Are you drunk?" Leo squinted his eyes and showed no emotion on his handsome face. Mi took a stealthy nce at Leo, thinking that it was a waste to have someone who was so handsome but did not smile. God was really unfair. God opened a door and a window for Leo at the same time, but it did not seem to be so lucky for Mi. She felt like God had closed the door on her and arranged a heavily guarded window. Though there was a doll between them, they were still close to each other. With sharp ears, Mi heard a female voice through Leo''s phone. He was speaking with a woman. When she heard Audrey''s voice, Mi pursed her lips and sneered in her heart, ''Well, you seem to be worried about that woman being drunk. Which old lover might that woman be?'' "No, I''m not. Don''t worry, I''m not drunk." Audrey smiled. "Where are you? What are you doing? Have you settled in? How''s living in City A?" Leo asked out of concern. "Yes, I''ve got a ce to live. My new colleagues and I are having dinner in a restaurant. The dean of the hospital especially prepared a wee party for me. It''s so kind of you to talk to him about me. Thank you, Leo. If it weren''t for you, I might not have received such good treatment." Audrey smiled while looking at her reflection in the mirror. She felt warm in her heart. She met Leo when she was living in Ennd. She could still remember the first time she saw him. He was a graceful young man who wore a clean, white shirt. He was sitting on the grass under a phoenix tree, which was over a century old and reading a book. Audrey also remembered that the book he was holding at that time was about anatomy. It was a book that all medical students were required to read. Leo was not nearsighted, but he had been used to wearing sses. The sses he wore were that kind that could protect his eyes from radiation. But there was one more reason that Leo wore sses, and it was because of a woman. "It''s not a big deal. Don''t mention it. Don''t drink too much, okay? You''re ady. You better take care of yourself when you go out," Leo reminded her with a smile. "Don''t worry, Leo. I know what to do. I won''t drink too much." "Well¡­ If you don''t have anything else to say, I have to hang up now. I still have some documents to study," Leo replied in a calm voice. "Okay. Good night, Leo." "Good night." While listening to their conversation, Mi could not help getting goose bumps. She thought, ''Good night? What was that good night for? It''s disgusting!'' She was so angry that she turned off her tablet and put it on the bedside table. She turned her back on Leo to go to sleep. All of a sudden, Leo reached over and took the tablet. Mi did not know what he wanted to do and yelled at him emotionally, "What are you doing with my tablet?" "It gives off radiation. I don''t want it next to you when you sleep," Leo exined calmly. "Just leave it alone, okay? It''s just a tablet. I don''t care about radiation. There are things more terrible than radiation. I really don''t understand some people''s minds," Mi stated firmly. She felt like she was utterly wronged. When they got together, Leo only wanted to marry Mi for the sake of the family business. He could live with that arrangement, but he still had someone in his heart that he could not forget. Mi wanted to set him free, but he did not agree. He refused over and over again to divorce her. Mi did not know if there was something wrong with Leo''s brain or something wrong with her own brain. She had always felt that their marriage was a dreadful one because there was no love between them. Now, when she saw Leo, she felt like a cat seeing a mouse. She always itched to tear him into pieces. They had been married for two years. How could there be no love at all? In fact, Mi had... She had learned to love him. She just did not speak of it for fear of being hurt. "Are you implying that I''m too controlling?" Leo put down the documents in his hands, and a cold smile suddenly appeared on his handsome face. He took off his sses and stared at Mi sharply. Looking at her husband, Mi frowned and said, "What? I feel like you''re doing something wrong. Am I not allowed to say it?" "Really? I''m the one doing something wrong? Tell me then. What is it that I''m doing wrong?" Leo raised his chin slightly and looked at Mi proudly. He looked like he was challenging her. "Who were you talking to on the phone just now? Your old lover?" Mi replied with equal bravado. "You really can''t let it go, can you?" Leo did not air any exnation. Instead, he put on a different kind of smile. "And you''re still so confident. You still think the earth will not revolve around the sun without you. Who do you think you are, Leo? God, you make me sick." Mi red at Leo, her eyes a hot pool of rage, but she eventually averted her eyes, for Leo''s stare was fiercer than hers. "I make you sick?" Leo asked in a mocking tone as he slowly moved closer to Mi. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "That''s right. Do you know what a central air conditioner is, Leo? That''s what you are." When she spoke, her beautiful eyes were full of mocking. ''He really knows how to take care of other women. I bet he has an intimate rtionship with all his female friends, '' Mi thought bitterly in her heart. The phrase "central air conditioner" referred to a man who was amodating to all women, just like a central air conditioner that served everyone in a house. Mi had learned this phrase from Weibo. She used a lot of phrases that she learned online, and Leo could not understand them. Gradually, Leo learned to follow Mi''s Weibo and got to know how those phrases were used. Chapter 721 Drive Me Home Chapter 721 Drive Me Home After looking through her follow list on Weibo, Leo was shocked. Mi had been following many handsome men. Leo was so angry that he secretly logged into Mi''s ount and unfollowed all the handsome guys. Leo, of course, understood what "central air conditioner" meant. His wife had just mocked him for being warm to everyone. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. It usually carried a negative connotation. Mi used him of not being loyal to her. "Are you the only one who uses Weibo in the world?" Leo responded with a forced smile as he stared at Mi with a stern look. It made Mi extremely angry. "What do you mean? Have you been essing my Weibo ount?" At the mention of Weibo, Mi suddenly realized what happened. She felt a sense of anger that was borne of embarrassment. She followed a lot of handsome men on Weibo. She thought it was good to appreciate their beauty from time to time. When she logged into Weibo, she found that the number of people she followed had dropped by over a hundred. Confused, she checked it again, and she found that all those handsome men she was following were nowhere to be found. "Why would I touch your Weibo?" Leo retorted, pretending to be ignorant with his eyebrows raised and his dark eyes narrowing. With a suspicious look on her face, Miughed awkwardly and said, "Can you swear that you didn''t touch it?" Mi did not believe it. Apart from Leo, no one else knew her Weibo password. How could the people she followed be gone suddenly? "You know what I''m talking about, Leo," Mi said menacingly. "I do? Really? But I really don''t know what you''re talking about," Leo answered, still pretending to be innocent. Being cunning and thick skinned, Leo beat around the bush with Mi. His calm look was indeed beguiling. Mi did not want to be bothered by Leo''s words. Besides, she could follow those handsome men again. She remembered that she had logged into Weibo on Leo''s phone in the past, which possibly gave him the chance to hack into her ount. But now, she had changed her password, and Leo would not be able to log into her Weibo again. "You know what, I don''t even care anymore. I''m going to sleep," Mi said. She had a proud expression on her face. Leo''s handsome face tensed, and he tried calcting what Mi was thinking. He knew that Mi already knew what he did, but he could not admit it to her. It was his secret. If he admitted it, she would definitely hate him. This cold war was their longest one in their two-year marriage. Mi and Leo each covered themselves with a quilt. Mi turned around and ignored her husband until she fell asleep. "Have a good night," Leo murmured. He checked the time. It was already 10 o''clock in the evening. Mi pretended not to hear his words. She remained silent, thinking, ''You already said good night to your lover! Why bother saying it to me?'' It waste at night. Tonight, Mandy, Nathan, and Adrian slept together. Adrian slept in the middle, which made the couple a little ufortable. Mandy kept tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Meanwhile, Adrian also had a hard time falling asleep. He asked in a low voice, "Mom, why can''t you sleep?" "I''m going to now, dear. Close your eyes and be a good boy." Mandy put her hand on Adrian''s arm and gentlyforted him, but she frowned. She could not fall asleep because she had been asleep during the day. Turning around, Adrian saw that Nathan was awake as well. He was staring at him with his dark and serene eyes and biting his lips. Children were pure minded, but that did not mean that they did not understand adult expressions. Adrian felt that his parents were acting strange tonight. He had noticed that since Mandy hugged him and cried. Biting his lips, Adrian wanted to ask something, but before he could say a word, Nathan''s phone rang. Nathan had two cellphones, one for work and the other for private matters. Thetter was never turned off. Only his family and friends knew his private number. Hearing the phone call, Mandy could not help wondering in her heart. She wondered who was calling her husband at thiste hour. It was already half-past eleven. The phone rang for five seconds, and Nathan picked it up. His cold eyes were clouded with some sort of unreadable fog that could not be dispersed. It was a call from Audrey. "Nathan..." Audrey was drunk, and sheughed in a weak voice. She sat alone in her car. When the dinner party was over, the Dean said he wanted to drive Audrey home, but she refused. She told the Dean that Nathan would pick her up. "Are you drunk?" Nathan suddenly frowned, and his eyes became deeper, which was frightening. If Nathan''s memory served him right, he only saw Audrey drunk once, which was after Adrian was cured. She was very d that in a few days, Nathan could take Adrian back home. Audrey knew then that she would perhaps never see him again, so she asked him out for drinks that night. Audrey was usually serious, but when she was drunk, she liked to have fun. She acted limitless when she was drunk as if nothing and no one could hurt her. Nathan took a look at Mandy, who was turning jealous. The coldness in her eyes made Nathan frown and look away. "Well¡­ Nathan, can you pick me up and drive me home?" Audrey''s soft voice was tempting. She was like a spoiled child. Looking at herself in the rearview mirror, she could see herself blush. In fact, Audrey was not drunk. She just pretended to be drunk. But she still could not drive after drinking. Audrey used that as an excuse and called Nathan. Nathan also knew that Audrey was new and alone in City A, so she had no friends yet to count on for the time being. He was her only friend. "Where are you?" Nathan stretched his long arm and flipped the switch on the wall. He stood up immediately and walked toward the balcony. Mandy could hear a woman''s voice from the phone. She curled her lips and followed Nathan to the balcony. The cold night wind blew on his clothes, making them fly in the air. Mandy walked toward Nathan quietly. She looked at him tenderly and held him from behind. Chapter 722 Keep A Distance Chapter 722 Keep A Distance Turning around, Nathan smiled and gave Mandy a gentle look. "I''m in the underground garage of the MK International Restaurant. I''m sitting inside my car." Audrey was in a daze as she looked at herself in the mirror. Maybe it was because she was too drunk, but for some reason, an absurd scenario kept ying in her head. "Send me the address. I''ll send someone to pick you up." While still on the call, Nathan hugged and gave a doting smile to Mandy. The smile brought unusual ease to Mandy''s mind. Closing her eyes, she snuggled into his warm chest. After taking a deep breath, she relished the minty scent of her man. Audrey''s face went stiff. After what seemed like years to her, she said, "Nathan. Can''t youe and pick me up?" She bit her lips, feeling helpless. She looked picture-perfect, aggrieved, and frail. "I''m already in bed. Serge will be there in ten minutes," said Nathan. Audrey felt displeased and unsatisfied with this kind of treatment. She curled her lips and asked, "Nathan, is it because of your wife?" "Audrey, don''t get me wrong, but I won''te even if my wife is okay with it. After all, it''s sote in the night. I know we are friends, but we still have to keep some boundaries," Nathan said without giving Audrey any time to refute. Audrey''s eyes instantly turned red and tears began trickling down. Using her slender fingers, she quietly wiped the tears away. She took a breath and sobbed. "Nathan, I''m sorry for bothering you so late. I didn''t mean to do it, it''s just¡­ It''s just my first day working at the hospital, and the doctors in my department already don''t like me. I didn''t do anything wrong, but they are still so hostile towards me. I feel so wronged! The Dean of the hospital held a party this evening in the guise of weing me. They kept toasting me. I drank too much. I''m sorry." Nathan wasn''t touched by her words. "You are just overthinking," he said without much thought. "No! They really don''t like me." Audrey''s makeup was in a mess due to her tears. "Well, don''t think too much. I''ll ask Serge to pick you up. Bye," Nathan said in a cold tone. His voice was just as cold as the weather outside. It was cold enough to make Audrey realize the distance between them. Audrey was not stupid. She sneered, "Sorry for disturbing your sleep! You don''t have to ask anyone to pick me up. I''ll just call my driver." "Okay," Nathan answered and hung up the phone. He thought, ''If you could call your driver, why did you call me?'' Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Actually, Nathan knew the answer as he wasn''t a fool. He knew that Audrey had feelings for him. But he was alreadymitted, so he kept a certain distance from her. It was quiet on the balcony. Nestling on Nathan''s chest, Mandy hooked her arms around his neck like a ko. Her red cheeks shook as she breathed on his neck and whispered near his ear, "Audrey?" ncing at her with his obsidian eyes, he answered without hiding anything, "Yes. She was drunk and asked me to pick her up." "Why don''t you go?" Mandy joked. "Won''t you be angry if I go there? You will get angry, we will go through a cold war, I will coax you, and finally, we will make up. So, why should I even bother making you angry? I''m perfectly happy now." His low and deep voice sounded especially elegant on this hazy night. Mandy''s heart couldn''t help but bloom like a lotus when she heard his answer. "Yeah, you did right. You acted like a prim and proper husband tonight." Mandy raised her head and smiled, looking cute. She reached out her hand and scratched his nose like a yful cat. Mandy''s hand was caught by Nathan before it could retreat. As his warm breath caressed her fingertips, he asked with raised eyebrows, "Where did you learn this?" "I learned it from you." Using her other hand, she pinched his waist and sneakily rubbed his abdominal muscles¡ªhis abs to say. As if a cat catching its prey, Nathan caught her hand and threatened, "Little girl, you are walking on a thin rope. Provoke me again, and I will eat you up." The threat was effective because Mandy turned docile within seconds. As a result of her afternoon nap, she wasn''t all that sleepy before. But it was gettingte now, and the fatigue and sleepiness finally caught up to her. She lifted his big hand close to her cheek and said, "Well... I''m tired after taking care of Adrian the whole day. So, we shouldn''t do...that, okay?" Nathan looked Mandy up and down. Her tender face looked beautiful under the moonlight. If not for those dark circles under her eyes, she would look like a descended goddess. Obviously, she didn''t sleep well these days. In fact, taking over the Mandy Mall ced a lot of pressure on Mandy''s shoulders. Fortunately, she had apetent assistant who helped her a lot. "I see. You must be tired. You have been staying up tillte recently. Look at those dark circles. You look like a panda." "Nathan, to be honest, I want to be a panda in my next life. You know why?" "Because you arezy. Ha-ha!" "Why can''t I bezy? If everyone is as hard-working as you, the world will be chaotic! Life should be equal parts fun and work!" eximed Mandy. "So¡­ Your dream is to be a panda?" Nathan raised his eyebrows, and the corner of his mouth formed a smile. Mandy shrugged and spread out her hands. "Yes, it''s so good to be a panda. I will be cute, soft, and well taken care of every day. There would be no need to manage human rtionships. Also, animals are kinder than humans." Nathan embraced her tighter. "It''s okay if you want to be a panda. But you have to remember, you will be my wife in the next life too." Hearing Nathan''smitment, Mandy instantly cheered up. After that, she couldn''t help but cover her mouth and giggle. "I didn''t expect that you would have the same dream as mine." "If I could choose, then I would choose to be an animal for sure. Although an animal''s lifespan is short, it''s still better and simpler than a human life. Anyway... Whatever species you decide to be in the next life, I will be the same and protect you in the next life too." Nathan used his long arms to hold Mandy''s head and ruffled her hair while smiling. Mandy and Nathan hugged each other with passion. After standing on the balcony for a while, they went into the room and found Adrian asleep. When she looked at his sleeping face, a warm feeling rushed into Mandy''s heart. Chapter 723 Health Care Porridge Chapter 723 Health Care Porridge With Nathan and Adrian, she had aplete life, and it was this simple happiness that made Mandy understand what family meant. The next morning, Adrian, Mandy, and Nathan were having breakfast in the yard. A fresh breeze was gently blowing outside. It was alreadyte autumn, the mostfortable time of the year. Mandy had always felt fresh in autumn. Mandy recently found a healthcare porridge recipe online. It was made up of more than ten kinds of grains as well as ck beans, red beans, and millet. ording to the article, she read online, eating this kind of porridge could help maintain one''s vitality and beauty and clear toxins from the body. Today, she prepared it for her husband and her son for breakfast. They were enjoying it together. She especially told Lillian to go to the supermarket to buy the grains. Lillian bought a huge bag of them. Two days into eating the healthcare porridge, Mandy liked it very much, butter on, she felt sick of it and did not want to eat it anymore. Nathan made fun of her for not being able to persist. Because she did not want her husband to look down on her for not being consistent, she decided to "endure" and just eat the porridge. Truth be told, Mandy did not really like eating the porridge. It did not really have any taste. Nathan was reading the paper while eating wonton from his bowl. The wonton''s aroma floated in the air and filled Mandy''s nose. Mandy pursed her lips and stared at therge bowl of porridge in front of her. She found it really hard to swallow, so she moved her eyes and looked at Nathan''s bowl. Nathan suddenly smirked. He looked at Mandy, who looked distressed, and said, "Since the porridge tastes awful, why don''t you just give up and have some wonton with me?" A flicker of hesitation shed in Mandy''s eyes, but after a few seconds, she said resolutely, "No. It tastes bad, but it can help maintain my beauty and keep me looking young. The grains are definitely good for my health." "Mom, why are you being so hard on yourself?" Adrian was eating steamed buns. The savory smell of the meat floated in the air as well, which Mandy found very tempting. Mandy was starting to get pissed off at her husband and son. They ate the porridge with her for a week, but after that, they changed their minds. No matter how much Mandy asked them or even threatened them, they refused to eat another spoonful of the healthcare porridge. On several asions, Mandy went into the kitchen and saw the huge pot of grain. She thought, ''This should be enough for me to eat for a year.'' "Adrian, do you want to grow taller? Do you want to be more handsome?" Mandy put down the spoon in her hand and looked at her son with a friendly smile. Adrian was a frank boy. He nodded and said with bright eyes, "Of course. I want to be as tall and handsome as my father when I grow up." "Then you have to eat the porridge with me. You will be as handsome as your father if you eat the porridge," Mandy said with an evil smile. Adrian pouted his lips and turned to look at his father. He asked, "Dad, is that true?" "Yes, it''s true. I also ate it when I was a kid," Nathan said after Mandy winked at him. Adrian paused for a few seconds, trying to point out in his mind what he felt was wrong.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Well... But the porridge doesn''t have any taste. I don''t want to eat it," Adrian said, almostining. Hearing what he said, Mandy became angry. She stared at Nathan coldly and said in aining tone, "This is all your fault. You don''t want to eat the porridge, and now your son follows you. You have set a bad example." Nathanughed and hurried to calm Mandy down. He lowered his voice and said, "Okay, okay, it''s my fault. I will have the porridge with you tomorrow, okay? Adrian, you have to have the porridge with Mom and Dad tomorrow, too, okay?" Hearing that, Adrian lowered his head and began to eat his steamed buns in silence. He could do nothing but yield to Mandy, who was the boss in the family. Nathan always listened to her and obeyed her. Nathan thought, ''Thank goodness we don''t have a dog. If we did, it would be more important than me in this family.'' "Are you done, Adrian? It''s time to go to school," Mandy asked with a smile, noticing that Adrian had finished his food. "Yes," Adrian answered. Mandy was sitting in her office after lunch. Nathan held a high-level meeting at JS International. She did not go to the meeting because what he was going to talk about had nothing to do with her. Mi called Mandy toin to her. Mandy was happy to receive a phone call from Mi. They had been good friends since she met her in City B. They chatted every now and then on WeChat and sometimes caught up through video calls. "Mandy," Mi started as she slumped onto the sofa with a tablet in her hand. "Are you free right now? Can we chat for a while?" "Yes, I''m free. What''s up?" Mandy lounged on her office sofa, gazing at the exquisitely decorated, pattern-engraved ceiling, lost in thought. "I''ve been thinking about divorcing Leo, but the bastard won''t agree," Mi grumbled. With a slight frown, Mandy smirked and said, "Mi, you don''t know how lucky you are. Look at how nice Leo is to you. He works hard every day, and you don''t need to go to work. Do you have any idea how many women are jealous of you right now? You should be content." "He doesn''t love me. Why won''t he divorce me? He has another woman in his heart, and I want to set him free. Since he misses that woman so much, why doesn''t he just stay with her?" Mi felt very sad, although she smiled bitterly. "Women are sensitive, while men are much more hardhearted. If a man says he doesn''t love a woman, it means that he doesn''t love her at all. Even if what you said is true, that woman is already in Leo''s past. He wouldn''t have fought to keep you if he didn''t love you," Mandy reasoned. As the saying goes, onlookers see most of the game. Although Mandy did not know Leo very well, she could tell that he was a nice man who was polite to people. She could totally understand what Mi was worried about. She once doubted Nathan as well. Women always became very cautious after finding the love of their lives. "I really don''t understand why that man wants to keep me around. He really is highly intelligent and adept in scheming. I can''t win against him." Chapter 724 I Prefer You To Call Me Mrs. Jin Chapter 724 I Prefer You To Call Me Mrs. Jin "Do you think he''s ying games with you?" "Well, who knows what he''s trying to do? Anyway, I''m serious about divorcing him." Mi sighed. She felt she had beenpromised a lot in her marriage. "Don''t be like this. Leo cares about you very much. You remind me of how I was some years ago when I wasn''t sure of Nathan''s love. I''ve outgrown all of that stupidity now. I figured that he wouldn''t have waited three years to have me if he didn''t love me." She paused and then continued, "You need to take things into perspective as well. For all of the two years that you''ve been with Leo, have you been happy? Do you feel love for him?" Mi held her throbbing forehead and stared down. "s! I don''t know how I feel but never mind. I''m just fed up. I sleep in the same bed with him every night, but dream of different things. I can''t say I know how he feels about me." "Don''t overthink it, Mi. Even if Leo ever leaves you, I''ll always be here for you." Mandy was joking. She hoped that Leo and Mi would sort their differences and get along better. Thest time they were in City B, she could tell that Leo was very fond of Mi. He was not the type to show emotions. And as a rich second generation, if he didn''t have any feelings for her, he wouldn''t have wasted time with her. Mi suddenly sighed. Her eyes filled with uncertainty as she looked around the empty room. Her thoughts drifted to Leo. Nobody other than herself knew how much she loved him. She had simr behavior to Mandy, but Mi was a little weaker. And while she was stubborn and witty, she could not match Mandy''s tenacity. Their hearts were tender. All they needed was a man who could coax them. "Okay, I''ll hold you to that." The two women talked for more than an hour. They did it easily, findingmon female topics to discuss. She enjoyed talking to Mandy. Even though they didn''t live in the same city, Mi stuck with her. She didn''t know what day it was today. As soon as Mandy hung up the phone, another call came in. "Hello, Miss Zhou. Are you busy at the moment?" Cassie sat at the nurses'' station, smiling. It was a lunch break, so she wasn''t working yet. She had just taken a test and found out that she was a month pregnant. She had been married to Jamie for a long time. They didn''t n to have a baby just yet, and so, the news was shocking. Having kids was stressful and expensive. To be financially ready when her kid arrived, she had stayed on birth control. She didn''t expect that she was going to get pregnant so fast. Well, now that it had happened, it wasn''t so bad. "Cas, don''t pull my leg. Why did you call?" Mandy stood up from the sofa and walked towards her desk. Quintin knocked on the door and came in with a document that needed Mandy''s signature. Seeing that she was on a call, he said in a low voice, "Miss Zhou, this is the bill forst month. Please, have a look." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Leave it here. I''ll check itter." With a smile, Mandy took the document. She opened it and browsed through casually. Quintin pushed back his ck sses frame and retreated quietly. "Mand, are you busy?" Cassie asked again with a smile. She rubbed her belly as she waited. "No. What''s the matter?" Mandy closed the file. She wasn''t in the best frame of mind to read it. The numbers on the file looked tooplicated. ounting was the most annoying thing for her. Even though the ountant prepared the financial statement, she still had to vet them. "Ahem!" Cassie coughed to pretend that she was calm. As if she was about to disclose something important, she put on a serious look and said, "Listen carefully. I... am pregnant!" Mandy was stunned at the news for a few seconds. She bubbled with happiness immediately and answered, "Wow! Congrattions, Cas!" "Hah-hah! I went for a test just this afternoon and found out. I''ve been pregnant for a month. Mand, you''re the first person I''m telling. Even Jamie doesn''t know it yet," Cassie said gently. Her tone was smooth and peaceful. She was ready to be a mother. Mandy was impetuous and full of passion as a young woman, but she always put her children first after she became a mother. Besides, she had two children. She hadn''t heard from Colin in a while. She didn''t know how Lisa was doing these days either. It seemed that everything was returning to normal. "Really? You haven''t even told Jamie? Am I really the first person to hear this great news?" Mandy was overwhelmed by the honor. She got up from her chair happily and decided she was going to the JR Hospital. "Yeah. I''ve been thinking about you. It''s been a while since we got together," Cassie said softly, sounding like a brat. Mandy had been her first friend in JR Hospital. Although Cassie had hurt her once, she did not take it out on her. Instead, Mandy had joked about it. Since then, they had be even closer. They became real friends. Thinking of everything she had gone through, Cassie felt warm in her heart. Mandy left quickly for the hospital as she talked with Cassie. She didn''t even tell her she wasing. The lunch break was over. Work was about to start, so Cassie made an appointment with Mandy and hung up. When Mandy arrived, it was already 3 pm. She cat-walked into the Cardiology Department confidently and met Audrey in a white coat. Mandy curled up her lips when she saw her. She hadn''t expected that even though she rarely came to the hospital, she''d still ''luckily'' run into her love rivals whenever she visited. She recalled how just a few days ago, Audrey had been drunk in the middle of the night and called Nathan. Nathan, however, was not moved by her call, and Audrey had gone silent afterward. She didn''t bother her husband since then. Audrey looked at her sharply and softly, she said, "Miss Zhou." "I''m married. You can call me Mrs. Jin. I prefer this title more." Mandy was wearing a nude-colored silk shirt, a ck pair of suit pants, and MK leather shoes. She looked so exquisite that people saw her as a very influential woman. Audrey, on the other hand, wore a light blue dress. But since she had a white overall covering it, she didn''t look as elegant as Mandy. Chapter 725 Pheasants And Phoenix Chapter 725 Pheasants And Phoenix Whileughing, Audrey sarcastically said, "That''s true. After all, not everyone can rise from the ashes and be a phoenix." However, the expression on her face did not match her words. "Yes, a phoenix can rise from the ashes simply because it''s a phoenix. Yet, some pheasants, no matter how hard they try, will remain as ashes until they die." Raising her eyebrow, a mocking smile appeared on Mandy''s face. She also knew how to y the game of words. Audrey was so upset at that. She had meant to ridicule Mandy and make fun of her. But unexpectedly, Mandy reversed the situation. At that moment, it was Mandy who wasughing and not her. Understandably so, since she was digging her own grave bying for Mandy. She was like a pheasant who was trying to y with the queens. "Well, I have a surgery to perform right now, Mrs. Jin. We can talk about thister. That is, if I have the time," Audrey said in a frivolous tone. She even squinted her beautiful eyes and ced both of her hands in the pockets of herb coat. It was no secret that Mandy was pretty much disgusted by Audrey. Mandy had always felt like she couldn''t find anything inmon to talk about with a person like Audrey. So, why would she bother making small talk with the woman? And even if they were to talk, they would always end up throwing insults at each other. So, Mandy thought that there wasn''t any point in trying to have a conversation with Audrey. But Mandy was in such a good mood since she just won that encounter. After bidding farewell to Audrey, Mandy walked to the nurses'' station with a smug smile. Then, she saw Cassie, who had her head lowered while writing in a notebook. It looked like she was so focused on her task that it reminded Mandy of herself many years ago. With a faint smile, Mandy cleared her throat and coughed twice, "Ahem, Ahem." Cassie''s right hand, which was holding a pen, froze for a moment. She frowned a little. It seemed like she just heard Mandy''s voice. Was it her mind ying tricks on her? After a while, she slowly raised her head and looked at Mandy''s clear eyes. She immediately wore a smile on her face. "Mand, why are you here?" In a hurry, Cassie put down her pen and turned around. Then she ran out of the nurses'' station and stood in front of Mandy. "I came to see you. We haven''t seen each other for quite a long time. Are you busy now?" Mandy tilted her head sideways and looked at Cassie with pursed lips. Her face was so beautiful that other people couldn''t take their eyes off her. Cassie smiled as she said, "I''m not busy now. But did you really take the time toe here just for me?" "Fine, you got me. I''m not here for you. I''m here for my future godson." Mandy lowered her head with a tender expression on her face. Her almond-shaped eyes were staring intently at Cassie''s belly, which was still t. "Baby, did you hear that? Your future godmother just came to see you," Cassie softly said with a gentle smile on her face while looking at her belly. It was like she was talking to the baby inside. "Have you talked to Jamie?" Mandy asked, returning the smile. Taking Cassie''s hand, she led her to sit down. "Yes, he was so happy when he heard. Right now, he has a surgery to perform." Cassie shrugged her shoulders. Even her voice was sweet and warm.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "That''s great. If you have a daughter, she''ll have to marry Adrian. If you have a son, he will be Adrian''s brother in the future." Upon hearing what Mandy had said, Cassie felt extremely happy. She smiled before yfully saying, "Baby, did you hear that? Your future godmother just said that if you were a girl, she would let Adrian marry you." "Cas... I actually have something to ask you. Is Audrey getting along with everyone in the hospital?" Mandy asked out of curiosity. "Well, now that you''ve mentioned it. I find it really funny. I think Audrey is pissed off at us. The first day that she came to work, there was a meeting in the office. The doctors in our department were discussing her. She actually happened to hear some harsh words directed at her. She looked so upset when she came in. But I''ll tell you this: She''s tough for being able to take all of that." Although Cassie told her story without anypassion for Audrey, in reality, she admired the woman''sposure. If she were in her shoes, Cassie would have lost her cool at that instant. "Really? But why were you talking about her?" Mandy raised her eyebrows as she was bing more and more curious. "I''m not sure ''cause I didn''t even say anything. But the big shots in our department all disliked her." "How much do they hate her?" Mandy grew even more curious. When she heard that Audrey was not wee in JR Hospital, she was instantly filled with joy. Grinning from ear to ear, she looked at Cassie, expecting to hear more. "As you know, as soon as Audrey came into the hospital, she immediately took the most important position from our Jamie. Though he didn''t say anything, I know that in his heart, he was not happy about it. How could that woman take away the fruit of years and years ofbor from our Jamie? For the longest time, all the doctors in the Cardiology Department have been on good terms. It''s been years, so we''ve really be a family. When Audrey had arrived, it felt like she was an intruder. Well, in conclusion, no one likes her." Cassie curled her lips afterprehensively exining. "Do you want me to ask Dean Tyler to get rid of Audrey so Jamie can resume his position as director?" Mandy had instantly came up with a n. Audrey was her rival when it came to love. It''s only natural for her to deal with her rival. After all, everything was fair in love and war. At that moment, Mandy had an urge to go all out against Audrey. But she still hesitated for a while because she knew that Audrey was Adrian''s attending doctor. It was for this reason that Mandy asked Cassie what she wanted. As long as Cassie wanted Audrey to leave, Mandy would immediately ask Audrey to step down from her position. Mandy had checked Adrian''s medical history and found that it was not veryplicated. But it was umon for a domestic doctor to perform the required operation. Adrian had congenital heart disease, which was a rare one in the country. The doctors didn''t have any experience in dealing with such a difficult case, but Mandy thought she could perform this operation as well. Although she was no longer a doctor, she had read a lot of medical books and had acquired a lot of knowledge about it. She made sure that she could gather every single bit of information that she could. "That''s... I don''t think it''s appropriate. Let''s just forget about it, Mand. You don''t have to be so upset about it. Besides, we''d be in trouble if someone heard us. I know you''re doing this for me and Jamie. I feel really grateful. But I think it would be better if we just wait and see. Her true colors wille out eventually." Cassie lowered her eyes and timidly smiled. "Cas... You have truly matured over the past few years." Mandy rolled her almond-shaped eyes and gently looked at Cassie. Although Cassie''s appearance hadn''t changed that much, her personality had certainly developed. The girl who was once humble and insecure finally became confident. "Thank you," Cassie responded in a calm tone. Suddenly, she reached out and held Mandy''s hand. She smiled and tilted her head before she continued, "Mand, I really miss having you working in the hospital. Sometimes, colleagues in the department gather together, and they often talk about you." "Really? It''s such an honor." "You don''t have to be so modest. You have toe back soon when you have the time." With an expression of longing on her face, Cassie stared at Mandy. Her eyes were gleaming with hope. Chapter 726 Adrian Was Bleeding Chapter 726 Adrian Was Bleeding A sudden gentle voice broke the warm harmonious atmosphere between the two. "Doctor Zhou?" The speaker was a neatly dressed woman. She wore a white coat and had her hair rolled up. Standing in front of the nurse station, she gave everyone a pleasant smile. Mandy was confused with the sudden greeting. She turned around and saw Angelina standing there with a smile. It had been three years, and Angelina still looked the same. Even when she smiled, people couldn''t help but feel that she was an unapproachable goddess. Just like her name, she looked like a noble and puredy. Mandy was frozen for a while. She didn''t expect that Angelina would take the initiative to talk after their fight. Last time, when they met at the JR Hospital, she was resigning, and they were still cutthroat enemies. Instead of getting along, they would fight at every chance they could get. Thinking back now, that seemed like a childish thing to do. To ease the embarrassment, Angelina smiled again and said, "Oh... I was wrong. You are Mrs. Jin now. How have you been recently?" Mandy stood up and gave Angelina an intense and suspicious gaze. But nothing could hide the delight that floated in her eyes. She shed a bright smile and said, "I''m fine. What about you?" "Life in the hospital is more or less the same. Every day is a fulfilling day. But without our lead cardiologist, Doctor Zhou, it''s so boring." Angelina winked at Mandy while showing her neat row teeth. Mandy was caught off-guard by the sudden ''naughty'' gesture made by the cold and noble Angelina. Therefore, the great adage said, "Never judge a man by his past." And another one stated that "Appearances can be deceiving." Previously, Mandy and Angelina could never get along. When Mandy was acting as the director of JR Hospital, she was always warm and kind to all the employees and staff. Angelina, on the contrary, always kept a cold face and kept everyone at arm''s length. Everyone thought she had a princess complex, and not many people liked her. However, after Mandy resigned from her post, Angelina seemed to have changed a lot. She became much warmer and treated everyone well. Everyone, from the staff to the patients, spoke highly of her. "I didn''t expect that Doctor Liu would think so highly of me. I''m so ttered!" Mandy replied with a gentle smile. Her smile made people think they were soaking in the spring breeze. "What can I say, Doctor Zhou? Even though we were ipatible in the past, I couldn''t help but miss you after you left. I always loved the feeling of being perfect, but then I met you. Quarreling and competing with you was so much fun that after you left, I only stayed to find the next you. Needless to say, I always came back empty-handed." "Fate is such a wonderful thing, right? It can turn two besties into strangers. They can talk and discuss all they want¡ªbut one wisp of fate¡ªand they will beplete strangers. It can even make enemies act like close friends. They might even sit on the same table while calmly drinking tea and talking about the weather." Mandy sighed. It took her many years to understand this truth. Angelina smiled and asked, "Mandy, are you free tonight? I''ll treat you to dinner. And Cas, join us too, okay?" "Okay. But it''s my treat this time." Mandy checked her wristwatch for the time. It was a Patek Philippe couple''s watch. The watchesplemented each other when they were worn by a couple. It was almost time to get off work, so Mandy decided to ask Nathan to pick Adrian up from the kindergarten later. After getting back with Nathan, she seldom made an appointment with friends or went out alone. The only appointment she ever made was with her family. She felt quite lonely with no one to talk to other than Nathan. She was also alienated from her friends. Even her best friend, Sharon, didn''t stay with her till the end. Only because she was in the car with Sharon when the ident happened, could she get acquainted with Nathan. Otherwise, they would still beplete strangers to each other. Sharon was the one who connected her and Nathan''s fate and helped them form an intimate bond. Mandy believed in fate. She believed that she could have a good chat with Angelina after so many years. And as a fellow believer of fate, their conversation shouldn''t be too boring. Moreover, Mandy and Angelina didn''t hate each other all that much. It was just a fit of slight jealousy on Angelina''s part. She was jealous because Mandy was so young, talented, and beautiful! She even became the director of the hospital while Angelina could only look on. The envy was...natural. Angelina studied in the field of clinical trials for five years. In those five years of college, she would study untilte and only sleep after twelve o''clock. The time at college was abrasive, but she still gritted her teeth, and through sheer determination, she made it. Angelina belonged to amon family, and they had only earned the minimum wage. So, her parents had only one desire: that she seeded in her life. Her parents didn''t want her to marry some rich man. Because they were an ordinary family, they didn''t want to get involved with the rich. However, when Angelina was in college, she fell in love with a senior who studied medicine along with her. They got into a rtionship, but that didn''tst long, and soon, they broke up. After that, she wasn''t keen on getting married. Finally, she turned thirty and met her husband. He was ten years older than her, but the love was still there. He was the general manager of a real estatepany, and his ie was not bad. Angelina would always wonder why could Mandy get everything she wanted so easily? Was it because she was young and beautiful? When Mandy was promoted to director, Angelina was really unconvinced. She always thought that she had a chance at the director''s seat. But unexpectedly, Mandy had a strong background and took the position of director that she had long dreamed of. This made her see Mandy as an enemy. In the following years after Mandy''s departure, Angelina''s temper toned down a lot. But even then, she hated people who used their background to enter the hospital. And Audrey was one such case. Moreover, Angelina actually hated Audrey instead of just feeling jealous, like in Mandy''s case. The hypocritical Audrey was way more annoying than Mandy. Angelina smiled as she recalled the past. But she got distracted when Mandy''s phone rang. Mandy smiled. It was from Miss Ren from kindergarten, so she wasn''t all that worried. However, before Mandy could say anything, Miss Ren hurriedly said, "Mrs. Jin, it''s bad! Adrian fell down and got injured when he was ying. He is bleeding now and should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "What? Why is he constantly bleeding? Where did he get hurt?" Mandy was so nervous that her heart sank, and she could no longer control her voice. Her reaction shocked Angelina and Cassie. They looked at each other and frowned. They knew someone got in an ident but had no idea who it was. "He fell to the ground, and his knees got bruised. His calves are also injured. I am in an ambnce now. I''m on my way to a hospital near the kindergarten. It seems to be the JR Hospital. Mrs. Jin,e here quickly." Holding her phone in her hand, Miss Ren was trembling with cold sweat. Adrian was the only child of Nathan Jin and Mandy. If something happened to the boy, she couldn''t handle the consequences. Getting injured in a kindergarten was a normal thing for children, and it was unavoidable for them to stumble once or twice. But Adrian''s knee injury was different. The bleeding wasn''t stopping, and with each drop of blood spilled, Miss Ren''s fear increased. Chapter 727 Adrian Passed Out Chapter 727 Adrian Passed Out In the ambnce, the doctors were giving first aid treatments to Adrian. Miss Ren anxiously looked at the poor little boy who was lying lifelessly on the stretcher. He must have passed out from losing too much blood. The teacher, Miss Ren was rather flustered. She kept on swallowing nervously while fidgeting on her seat. What had just happened was shing before her eyes. That afternoon, Adrian''s ss was having their PE ss. Miss Ren brought the children to the football field. When Adrian was running, he fell down. His knees scratched the grass, and blood kept oozing out from the wound. Fortunately, his delicate face wasn''t injured. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "I''m in the JR Hospital right now. Is Adrian alright?" Mandy''s face immediately turned pale. Her whole body trembled, and her legs were shaking. "Adrian¡­ He''s currently unconscious," Miss Ren said in a trembling voice, looking pale as well. As soon as the ident happened, Miss Ren called the ambnce. The headmaster of the kindergarten knew who Adrian''s parents were, so he asked the teacher to call Mandy. Compared to Nathan, Mandy was easier to talk with. So, no one dared to call him. "I see. I''ll wait for you in the emergency room." After ending the call, Mandy rushed out of the Cardiology Department. In a second, both Cassie and Angelina ran out of the room as well. At that moment, the off-duty bell rang. Before they got a chance to change their clothes, they followed Mandy to the emergency room. After about five minutes, the ambnce arrived. As they were always prepared, doctors in the emergency room were ready to receive the patient. Among them were the best surgeons in the hospital. They were supposed to be off duty, but as soon as they heard that Mandy''s child was injured, they voluntarily stayed. As soon as the doors of the ambnce were opened, a few doctors lifted the stretchers out of the vehicle. Mandy ran up to them. She immediately felt her heart sink when she saw how pale and lifeless Adrian looked. Adrian''s knees were wrapped in gauze, and there was a slight bruise in his shin. Fortunately, there were no other injuries. But why did he pass out? "Adrian. Adrian. Please don''t scare me." Mandy was filled with sorrow as she followed Adrian, who was being moved across the room. Her nose was so red while tears involuntarily started to flow from her eyes. The surgeons were already waiting in the operating room. Mandy wanted to go inside as well, but since she wasn''t a doctor in the JR Hospital anymore, she was not allowed to enter. While outside the room, she was extremely anxious. She didn''t know what else she could do. Angelina suddenly took her hand tightly and said, "Mand, just wait here. Don''t worry. Nothing will happen to Adrian. I''ll go in, so please trust me, okay?" Mandy nodded her head. She looked at her with a nk expression on her face. At the very least, she could trust Angelina. She then held her friend''s hand and said in a trembling voice, "Okay, I''ll leave it to you." In response, Angelina patted her on the shoulder andforted her with her eyes, as if she was transferring some strength into her. "Mand, don''t worry. He''ll be fine. He just got injured. He''ll wake up soon. Don''t think too much about it and calm down." Meanwhile, Cassie bit her lower lip since she didn''t know how tofort Mandy. She felt like her heart was burning. "Yes, you''re right. He''s going to be fine," Mandy muttered. She briefly looked at Cassie, but saw that the woman looked anxious as well. Mandy''s mind was in a total mess. During that time, she couldn''t even think properly. Her heart was being consumed by worry for her beloved boy. Meanwhile, Nathan was in a meeting, which was already running into overtime, and it was being extended for another forty minutes. When he was finally able to go downstairs after the meeting, he discovered that Mandy was not in the office. Quintin told him that Mandy hadn''te back since she went out that afternoon. With a frown, he took out his phone and called Mandy with a serious expression on his face. It rang for more than ten seconds before she finally answered the call. Her voice was trembling, and it sounded like she was about to cry. "Nathan, something happened to Adrian. We''re currently in JR Hospital," Mandy weakly said while leaning against Cassie''s chest. She had been so worried about Adrian that she forgot to call Nathan earlier. Nathan instantly furrowed his eyebrows, and he asked in a steady voice, "What happened to Adrian?" "He fell at the kindergarten. He was bleeding, and he was unconscious when he arrived here. I don''t know what''s wrong yet. I''m outside of the operating room right now. They''re still checking up on him." "I''ming. Don''t cry. Our Adrian will be fine." In a second, he quickly ran out of his office. It was rush hour at that time. The noise of cars and their horns could be heard on the bustling street. Nathan drove the car towards the hospital as quickly as possible. He even ignored a few red traffic lights and almost caused a traffic ident. A policeman at the roadside saw a ck sports car roaring past him. The driver had vited the traffic rules, so he was about to catch up with it. But when he looked again, the car had already disappeared right before his eyes. Without even stopping for a breath, Nathan rushed all the way to the operating room. The man''s delicate face was filled with sweat, and his hair hung disheveled over his forehead. His deep eyes were like the sea, and his eyebrows were furrowed tightly. With his lips pressed together, he walked straight to Mandy. At that time, Mandy was pacing back and forth in front of the operating room. Her eyes were red and swollen, evidently showing that she had just cried. As time went by, Mandy was so distressed that she wished she could rush inside the room to see for herself what was happening to Adrian. "Mand, what happened? How long has Adrian been in there?" Nathan stretched out his long arm and embraced Mandy. Meanwhile, Miss Ren was standing beside them, drowning in fear and guilt. She didn''t dare to look up at Nathan, afraid that he would be very harsh on her. She was so scared that she couldn''t even breathe properly. "It''s been half an hour. Nathan, he fell down by himself. It has nothing to do with Miss Ren." In fact, even in her state, Mandy noticed that Miss Ren was trembling. Looking at her pale face, Mandy didn''t have the heart to me her. Although Adrian fell under the teacher''s supervision, she didn''t think it was the Miss Ren fault at all. It was an ident, in and simple. ming other people wouldn''t do any good for anyone. Miss Ren was only a young girl in her early twenties. She had never been in such a situation before. Mandy was also afraid that Nathan might me the teacher. "Yes, I know. Miss Ren, could you tell us more details about what actually happened?" Squinting his narrow eyes, Nathan remained very calm. Even the expression on his face was serene. Chapter 728 Leukemia Chapter 728 Leukemia It was like the eerie calm before a storm. Nathan felt deeply in pain, but he worried that if he couldn''t keep his emotions in check, Mandy would panic even more. At the thought of this, he willed himself to calm down. "This afternoon, Miss Yu and I took the kids to y football on the field. Adrian fell when he was running," the teacher exined, averting her eyes from Nathan''s hostile gaze. "A scraped knee isn''t a main artery. Normally, people wouldn''t bleed nonstop after getting injured like this. However, Adrian has been bleeding for a long time. It''s very unusual." Mandy frowned tightly. She remembered that when Adrian was brought here, the gauze on his knee was drenched in blood. Mandy was distressed at the thought of this. She had always pitied Adrian, who was born with a congenital heart disease. He would have to endure more pain again. It felt like a knife had pierced into her heart. Even Cassie pitied Adrian. ''What a poor boy! He''ll be blessed if he can surpass this. He must be a lucky boy in the future, '' she thought. Two hourster, the doors of the operation room finally opened. Three doctors dressed in green surgical uniforms came out, all of their faces covered in sweat. They looked exhausted, including Angelina. Their faces looked terrible. After emergency treatment, Adrian''s condition had stabilized, and his knee was no longer bleeding. Doctor Chen was sweating profusely and removed his face mask. He had a test report in one had. They had justpleted the mostprehensive physical examination for Adrian. He had already finished reading the report. Something was wrong with his blood test. There was a considerable number of bacteria found in his blood. At the sight of the report, Angelina furrowed her brows. Her frown made her look worse. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Doctor, how is my son?" Mandy walked up to them anxiously. Judging by the heavy expressions on their faces, it seemed that something bad had happened to Adrian. Suddenly, her heart felt like it stopped beating, and her breathing became heavy. "We have just finished examining the child in detail. There is something suspicious about the blood test results. Many parameters are not within the normal range. It seems that he could be suffering from leukemia." "What did you say? Leukemia? How is this possible? Don''t talk nonsense!" Nathan lost his patience immediately after hearing their diagnosis. He rushed over and grabbed the doctor by the cor, staring at him fiercely. The doctor looked terrified. He was panicked by Nathan''s sudden outburst. It was difficult to breathe as Nathan gripped his cor. "Nathan, let the doctor go! Doctor Chen, please go on." With trembling hands, Mandy stepped forward to pull Nathan away. "Mr. Jin, please collect yourself. Nothing is confirmed yet. We just took samples, and the results will come out in a week," Angelina exined with worried eyes. She also had a child. It pained her to see such a lovely childying on the operating bed. With red eyes, Nathan said in a malicious voice, "I don''t want to hear those answers! Give me a clear answer!" "The exact answer wille out in one week''s time," Doctor Chen exined cautiously, not daring to stare Nathan in the eyes. "Useless! Is this all you can do?" Nathan clenched his teeth in anger. He was so worried about Adrian that he felt like he was losing control of himself. "Don''t say that, Nathan. They''re trying their best to save lives. This doesn''t mean that they''re omnipotent. Some conditions can be determined now, but some can only be determined after many tests." Mandy''s head ached. She took a deep breath to gather herself. Nathan turned back to look at Mandy. Her words soothed him, but his handsome face remained tense. "Doctor Chen, what is the possibility of Adrian having leukemia?" Mandy asked calmly. After three years, she felt like she was a doctor again. The most important thing for a doctor was to keep calm and composed in these situations. If she couldn''t calm herself, how would she be able to save lives and treat patients? Doctors had to be able to withstand high volumes of stress. There was no room for anxiety. It was important to have a clear mind. "Seventy percent. ording to the preliminary test, his conditions are simr to leukemia. However, this doesn''t mean that it is leukemia. There is a thirty percent margin for error," Doctor Chen exined with worry on his face. Mandy frowned slightly as she listened to Doctor Chen. She suddenly remembered Eve. She had taken Adrian out, and when they came back, there was a needle hole in his arm. Was it possible that she had injected something into him? "Could it be possible that someone injected the bacteria or the viruses into the child''s body?" Mandy asked after giving it more thought. "You think so? Who would be so cruel?" Angelina asked, her voice trembling in anger. The people outside the waiting room looked at each other in confusion. They all turned to Mandy. Mandy hesitated to reveal her suspicions. After all, it was just her guess, and she had no evidence to prove it. What if Eve didn''t do it? Wouldn''t she seem like a joke? "It''s not impossible. If that''s the case, we should pay extra attention to the possibility of a blood born bacterial infection." Doctor Chen straightened his sses and looked at Mandy with his wise eyes. "Anyway, thank you so much for treating Adrian," Mandy said in a polite tone. "It''s nothing." Doctor Chen smiled with satisfaction and exhaustion. The teacher had remained silent for a long time. Finally, she stepped in front of Nathan and Mandy and apologized. "It''s all my fault. I failed to take care of the child. If I didn''t allow him to run, he wouldn''t have fallen. I shouldn''t have been so careless," she said. Chapter 729 Doctor Ouyang Chapter 729 Doctor Ouyang "Miss Ren, this is not your fault. We all know that you and Miss Yu work very hard to take good of Adrian. We won''t me you. So, please don''t me yourself," Mandy said to the teacher, forcing a smile on her face. She could see the color returning to the teacher''s pale face. The teacher pursed her lips, which were trembling. Only guilt could be seen on her face. At this moment, the patter of hurried footsteps alerted everyone. A young woman in her early twenties ran to the door of the operating room, panting. Sweat was still dripping from her forehead as she gasped for air. After a pause, she calmed down and asked, "How... How is Adrian now?" Mandy turned her head and saw the other teacher, Miss Yu. Obviously, she had rushed here as her face was flushed like a tomato. "Miss Yu, why are you here?" asked Mandy. "I just got off work. I was worried about Adrian, so Ie here to have a look," Miss Yu said while gasping like a fish. Since Miss Ren went to the hospital, she had to manage the ss. She couldn''t come until she was off duty. "Adrian is safe for the time being, but I don''t know what happened." Mandy''s face darkened. Although she tried to smile at the teachers, she still felt depressed in her heart. Mandy''s heart would remain in turmoil until she could see the detailed report. Just those bolded "normal" remarks in the report would put her heart at peace. "Mrs. Jin, what do you mean? What''s wrong with Adrian?" asked Miss Yu with a frown. "Adrian''s wound could have been infected by bacteria. The reports wille after a week. So until then, we just have to pray that everythinges out okay." Mandy shook her head, feeling powerless. For a moment, she felt that her world was going to copse. Fortunately, Nathan was by her side now. With one hand in his pocket, Nathan walked some distance from Mandy. His handsome face was now as cold as ice. With a sullen look, he took out his phone and called Serge. When he answered, Serge could sense that dangerous auraced in Nathan''s voice. "Serge, hurry up and check out this Doctor Ouyang. Use force if you have to, but make sure you enter thatboratory at all cost!" "Understood!" Serge was already off duty. But after receiving orders from Nathan, he immediately turned around and drove towards theb. In theb Dr. Ouyang was doing an important experiment. It had bothered him for a long time. Bacteria showed varying properties on varying temperatures. Understanding the difference was crucial to the following research. The whole research project was going on step by step. One mistake on any given step and all his previous work would turn into an error, and he would have to start from the beginning. Because of suchplexity, even after Dr. Ouyang studied for years, he couldn''t finish the research and failed on every asion. Thest bacteria that he seeded in transforming was named 830. A single bacteria, and yet it took him three years of research. His sry was five million a month with the help of Eve''s funding. In fact, he wasn''t dragging the research out for more money. He loved doing bacterial experiments more than anything. The reason behind that could be traced to more than twenty years ago. At that time, Dr. Ouyang was still a young boy with a big birthmark on his face. He looked hideous, and people regarded him as a "monster" whenever they saw him. He was known as the ugliest doctor in the medical school. Behind his back, the students would say that it would be useless even if he became a doctor. After all, the patient would get scared silly just by the doctor''s face. He used up all his savings to pay the school fees. Plus, he was an introvert by nature. No one wanted to be friends with him at the university. But Doctor Ouyang was very hardworking. During the seven years he studied medicine, he slept for less than five hours a day. He dedicated all his time to studying. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. But, regardless of his efforts, he was treated unfairly simply because of his appearance. And consequently, he lost the schrship that rightfully should have been his. In terms of academic performance, no one could surpass him. But the student who got the schrship was handsome, easygoing, and he was a "teacher''s favorite" kind of student. So as if natural, all the awards went to him. Even now, that student''s name was deeply ingrained in Doctor Ouyang''s mind¡ªShawn. When he was in university, Ouyang had a secret crush on a talented girl. Her name was Elizabeth. She was beautiful and hailed from a rich family. But she and Shawn were in love with each other. They would stick to each other every day as if glued and would emit a love-struck fool''s aura. Ouyang didn''t feel all that bad about this. It just felt natural. He was ugly and poor. Shawn was handsome and rich. He had nothing good whenpared to Shawn apart from his grades. Elizabeth choosing Shawn over him just felt...natural. Regardless of how excellent Ouyang''s academic achievement was, he still didn''t have any friends in the medical school. Even the mentors were indifferent to him. The mentors would fight for Shawn, but none would even ask Ouyang to participate in any important projects. All his ssmates had their respective mentors and projects, but Ouyang alone would be left out. So, he had to choose the least popr subject: bacterial experimentation. There were many reasons why students didn''t want to conduct bacterial experiments. Many of those experiments could cause certain health issues after prolonged exposure¡ªissues that were deadly! All the other tutors were morous and witty, while Ouyang''s tutor was a man in his sixties. He had tousled white hair and spent most of his time in theb. Professor Lei was well-known for being hard to get along with. And as he got older, his words beganing out in a slur. So, many students avoided him and didn''t choose his course. Just like Ouyang, Professor Lei was also a strange man. He rarely talked and preferredmunicating with others only about experimental results. As time went by, the professor and Ouyang grew familiar. They became close enough to be called friends. One rainy day, lightning burnt the electric circuit in theb. So, the experiments had to be stopped. Chapter 730 He Is Well-Prepared Chapter 730 He Is Well-Prepared Professor Lei and Ouyang were both lost in their thoughts as they sat quietly on the floor, looking out through the window. At that hour, strong winds and heavy rain were on the way. "Why do youe here for bacterial experiments?" Professor Lei asked as he idly touched his beard, his demeanor softening. "Professor Lei, I''m sure you know that the other instructors refused me. They treated me like a ball and kicked me around. I almost gave up. Thank you for taking me in," Ouyang said politely. ''Humph! Everyone was young once!'' Professor Lei snorted to himself. In his youth, Professor Lei had been glorious. However, bacterial experiments was an unpopr major that few people chose. Shawn was born to a rich family and fell in love with Elizabeth at first sight. Previously, he had been known to be a yboy after he changed girlfriends seven times during his first year in University. His reputation as a skirt-chaser and phnderer had spread all over the medical school. Everyone knew that no woman could refuse a rich and excellent man! What''s more, Shawn was also handsome and cool. Elizabeth was his junior. As soon as she entered the medical school, he intensely pursued her. He waited for her at the female dormitory building every day, wishing to have dinner with her, even if it was against her will. In the beginning, Elizabeth was bothered by his attention because of his reputation as a skirt-chaser in medical school. Elizabeth hated this sort of man the most! However, Elizabeth was a tender-hearted girl, and her heart was finally melted by his dogged persistence in love. One day, the two were finally able to go out on a date. Facts had shown that a once-skirt-chaser can be a faithful lover if the right person came along. On one particr day, Shawn had made remarks that moved Elizabeth to tears. Shawn said, "Before I met you, I saw myself as a fickle man. I''ve lived a homeless life since I was a child. My parents didn''t meddle in my personal life. Besides, I loved freedom. I thought I was the kind of person who would never settle down. But after I met you, I realized that I could also be a faithful man." After graduation, Shawn returned to City C and took over his family business, while Elizabeth stayed in Ennd. During that period, they experienced a cross-country love story. Shawn remained a responsible man to Elizabeth. For Elizabeth''s sake, he moved the headquarters of his family business to Ennd. Since then, they have happily settled there. Now, both Elizabeth and Shawn were retired. They have since been traveling the world toplete the wish of their youth. Ouyang had also changed a lot since then. He had been doing bacterial experiments without being noticed. Professor Lei had told him that the birthmark on his face could be removed, so Ouyang had undergone aser-lifting surgery to get rid of it. He felt like he had been reborn to a new, good-looking face. Ouyang had been fond of doing experiments for many years, and one of the things he enjoyed the most was having ab to himself. His parents had long passed, and he didn''t have a family of his own, so he had nothing to worry about. Although he had a fortune, his soul was empty, and there were only the terrible bacteria to keep himpany. With a darkened and warlike face, Serge rushed as fast as he could to theb where Doctor Ouyang was working. There were four first-ss security guards outside of theb. When Serge asked to go in, they blocked his path with their strong bodies. "Sir, this is a private house. You can''t enter!" the security guard d in a ck suit stood in front of him and said firmly. Doctor Ouyang''sboratory looked like an old-fashioned sandalwood house on the outside. However, the interior was done in an antique style. There were several secret rooms located within the house where Doctor Ouyang would conduct his experiments. It was dangerous for him to do the bacteria experiments in theb, so Doctor Ouyang had hired several guards to secretly protect theb. He didn''tck the money anyway. "I have an appointment with Mr. Ouyang!" Serge said with a poker face as he looked the security guard up and down. The four security guards were all 1.8 meters tall and looked strong with their well- developed muscles. Serge was in a rush to arrive here today, and what''s more, he hade alone. He thought that it would be much easier if he didn''t have to enter theb by force. "Please show me your invitation card!" the security guard in the ck suit demanded as he reached out his hand. "Doctor Ouyang did not give any invitation card to me," Serge exined as he cast a venomous nce at him. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Then you can''t enter!" The tone of the security guard became more serious. He looked like he was gearing up to fight. However, Serge was not someone to be trifled with. He was a retired special forces, and it did not faze him that he would have to fight four men at the same time. "I must see Doctor Ouyang today. Please tell him that!" "No way. Get out of here!" the security guard shouted as he red at him with a ferocious look. "I dare you to say that to me again." Serge was enraged by the security guard. He had never been shouted at. "This little guy is so stubborn! He looks like a toy boy and must be a rookie!" the security guard jeered as he looked into his eyes. "I told you to get out of here! Don''t you understand?" the security guard bellowed, raising his chin and looking at him with pride. Even his tone of voice was full of frivolity. Upon hearing this, Serge clenched his fist. His eyes were filled with rage. Before the security guard finished talking, Serge punched him in the face. He knocked out the remaining security guards in less than five minutes. In the meantime, Doctor Ouyang had heard the ruckus outside hisb. He immediately checked the monitor and found out that someone was fighting outside. He hesitated before quickly taking off his laboratory clothes, washing his hands, and calmly walking out of theb. As Serge entered theb, he found Doctor Ouyang sitting in the yard drinking tea. The air was filled with the fragrance from the tea. Doctor Ouyang remained calm when he saw Serge. "Hello, Doctor Ouyang!" Serge greeted maliciously as he gave him a mocking smile. "Young man, what can I do for you?" Ouyang asked without even raising his head. Serge was able to calm himself, but his eyes remained like two sharp knives aimed at Doctor Ouyang. Ouyang''s response was so calm. It seemed as if he was well-prepared for this encounter! The smell of the tea in the air was not strong, which meant that he had just prepared the tea. What was he doing before that? Chapter 731 Playing Dumb Chapter 731 ying Dumb Serge was lost in his thoughts and doubts, but there was no time for him to think further as he was here to investigate and find out the truth. ording to his source of information, Dr. Ouyang''sb was here. He had seen nothing suspicious so far except an ordinary house along the way. Could it be that theb was in a very secret ce? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Serge had investigated Ouyang''s parents. They had already passed away. He was still a single man, so it was difficult to find out anything about him. "How much money did Eve pay you? I can pay you double." Serge crossed his arms and looked at the doctor haughtily. Dr. Ouyang was stunned at first but pretended not to understand. He turned his head, lifted the kettle with his slender fingers, and skillfully fiddled with the tea set. "Eve? Who''s Eve?" Ouyang yed dumb. He was very familiar with the name, but he decided to feign ignorance. "Don''t tell me you don''t know Eve. You should keep in mind that I wouldn''t havee here if I hadn''t found a connection between the two of you. I have enough evidence in my hands. Do you want me to show you the call log?" Serge''s eyes were sharp, and his attitude was even colder. Ouyang shivered, suddenly a little frightened by the powerful presence of the young man in front of him. He closed his eyes, thought for three seconds, and smiled. "I really don''t know what you''re talking about." "Eve transfers five million to your ount every month. In yourst transaction, the money was transferred on the tenth day of the month." Serge was holding a file in his hand, which contained evidence of the close association between Dr. Ouyang and Eve. Ouyang continued to y dumb. He smiled awkwardly. "Oh? Does she? Who knows where and how you got your so-called evidence? Maybe you''re trying to frame me." "As a doctor, do you know basic ethics? How could you do such an immoral thing?" Serge was so angry that he clenched his fist. He really wanted to punch Dr. Ouyang. Nathan had told him that Ouyang was still of use to him. If Adrian was infected with the bacteria developed by the doctor, then he must have the cure. "I still don''t understand what you''re talking about. Besides, I haven''t been a doctor for a long time. Ethics have nothing to do with me," Ouyang said half-jokingly, the corner of his mouth twitching. When he found out that Eve wanted to inject Adrian with the bacteria, Dr. Ouyang opposed it. After all, Adrian was only a four-year-old child. No matter how much hatred he had in his heart, Dr. Ouyang still thought the child was innocent. He did not think he could do such a thing, but somehow, there was a strange thing in his heart that goaded him. Maybe his personal feelings made him do this. Mandy was thest student of Elizabeth. Over the years, she had been contacting Elizabeth from time to time and maintained a good rtionship with her. Ouyang just wanted to see Elizabeth again so that she would not look down upon him. Because of that, he agreed to do what Eve asked him to do. During hisst year in college, Ouyang underwent aser operation that removed his birthmark. He was much more handsomeing out of surgery. Then, he gradually gained friends. He was no longer alone. In summer vacation that year, Shawn came back home early due to family reasons. Ouyang found an opportunity to express his love for Elizabeth, but she refused him. Her firm words were still ringing in his mind. "Elizabeth, I love you. I''ve been in love with you since you entered this school." With a bunch of roses in his hands, Ouyang stood before Elizabeth under the scorching sun. Elizabeth had juste out of the library with two books in her arms. She gave him a scornful smile and said meaningfully, "Well... Good for you, but I can''t give you the answer you want to hear. Excuse me." His heart broke. He had secretly been in love with Elizabeth for five years. He finally seized the opportunity and mustered the courage to confess his love to her only to end up ruthlessly rejected. Elizabeth was in a quarrel with Shawn at that time, so she thought then that men were all bad guys. She could not vent her anger, so she had to vent it on Ouyang. It was only his bad luck that Ouyang confessed to her that day. If he did not confess to her, they would have still been friends. But after that day, they became strangers once again. "I''m sorry. Sorry to bother you," Ouyang said awkwardly, standing under the sun with arge bouquet of roses in his hand. After his confession failed, even the air around them hovered awkwardly. Elizabeth looked at him, thinking, ''Well, I don''t really know him. And he doesn''t know me either. Isn''t it frivolous behavior for a man who doesn''t even know me to confess to me? I definitely prefer someone who is more reliable.'' On that day, after refusing Ouyang, Elizabeth strode away without looking back. Ouyang, who had never gone to a bar, drank his pain away that night and stumbled back to school after the bar closed at four o''clock in the morning. He finally realized that love was something that was not for him. Then, two years after Elizabeth graduated from college, she got married to Shawn. Shawn even transferred the headquarters of their family business to the UK in order to be closer to Elizabeth. They were a perfect match, and their love story was widely known. On May 20th, at the biggest church in Ennd, Shawn and Elizabeth held their wedding ceremony. They were blessed by the guests. Almost all their ssmates attended their wedding. Some of them came from thousands of miles away from all over the globe. Ouyang was there, too. The smell of magnolia flowers floated in the air. At the church, Ouyang stood in a remote corner and watched Elizabeth exchange vows with Shawn. They kissed deeply in the end, which really shattered his heart. From then on, Ouyang traveled around the world alone. He had visited over seventy countries in ten years and more than two hundred cities. Still, he had not found a ce to get settled. In the end, Ouyang decided to return to his hometown, City A. He grew up here and had witnessed the flourishing of the city. More than forty years ago, City A was not like today. There were not many high rise buildings, and at that time, most of the establishments were residential buildings. He still remembered that small alley where the sky looked small but very blue. Chapter 732 Go To Bed Chapter 732 Go To Bed "Okay, I hope you remember what you have said today. I will make you pay for your actions." Serge red at Ouyang. He did not expect that Ouyang would be so stubborn. Regardless of what he said, Ouyang just wouldn''t budge. "Ha-ha!" Ouyang took a sip of tea while remaining calm. The tea today was not as sweet as before, but a little bitter. Ouyang wondered. Was it because of the bitterness in his own heart? Serge gave a murderous look as he warned word by word, "Karma wille to you!" Ouyang wasn''t affected at all. It was true that he had made a mistake, but he wasn''t the one who injected the bacteria into Adrian''s body. Even if there was karmic retribution, Eve would be the one suffering from it. In the JR Hospital It was already half-past ten at night. The teachers had gone home to get some rest, and now only Mandy and Nathan were left in the ICU ward. ording to the doctors, Adrian had to stay in the ICU until the reports came out. Every muscle in Mandy''s heart contorted in pain when she saw Adrian just lying there. She stared at Adrian''s motionless body with her almond-shaped eyes. She wondered if her son was asleep or was he still in aa. Mandy felt a little guilty. She recalled that she had taken a lot of pills at the early stages of her pregnancy. If she hadn''t taken those pills, then she could have protected her body from the damage. When she knew that she was pregnant, she insisted on keeping the baby despite the doctor''s opposition. She had only one thought at that time. ''Since God has blessed me with a little life, I can''t just abort it.'' She betted on the chance that her child woulde out healthy, but she lost miserably. Adrian suffered from a congenital heart disease right from his birth. Mandy never imagined that one day her son would pay the price of her doggedness. If she had known that it would turn out like this, then she would not have given birth to the baby. Looking at all the tubes around Adrian''s body, she felt a bit lightheaded. She could only imagine the pain he was feeling. He couldn''t speak, so he couldn''t even voice out his pain. He could only silently endure the pain. Can''t speak; can''t cry. How cruel was it? ''Adrian, it''s all my fault. You''ve suffered a lot. It''s all my fault, '' Mandy thought. Mandy''s eyes trembled when she touched Adrian''s feather-like small hand. The back of his hand was slightly warmed by Mandy''s touch. While caressing his cold hands, her nose tingled, and she could no longer hold her tears back. Sitting next to Mandy, Nathan wore a stern look on his handsome face. He remained silent as he understood Mandy''s feelings. At the moment, he felt equally guilty. He med himself for being too obstinate. He fell in love with Mandy at first sight. But the predicament he was in also affected her. At the same time, it caused their child to suffer a lot. Had he made up his mind earlier and let go of Sharon, then maybe things wouldn''t have turned out as they did. Adrian nowy on the bed, powerless and feeble. His once adorable face was now deathly pale. Nathan couldn''t bear Mandy''s sad face, along with Adrian''s condition. So lightly squeezing her hand, he held her in a tight embrace with his other hand. Neither of them spoke because it was meaningless to say anything at the moment. Mandy didn''t want Nathan to know about the guilt in her heart, and Nathan was also in a simr dilemma. He didn''t want Mandy to know about his vulnerable side. So even though they maintained a tacit silence, their hearts beat together with their son''s heart. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "Dad. Mom. Where am I?" At one o''clock the next morning, a childish voice reverberated in the ward. Mandy was relieved. God knew how sleepy she was right now. They didn''t even dare to blink their eyes, lest Adrian woke up to find his parents sleeping. They just kept on waiting for Adrian to wake up. And finally, Adrian woke up! "Adrian, we''re in the hospital. How do you feel? Do you feel anything wrong? In the afternoon, you got hurt in the kindergarten and were brought here to the hospital," Mandy said, skipping all of their worries and concerns. She made sure not to make him sad. Frowning, he murmured, "I see." "Adrian, close your eyes and sleep well. Mom and Dad are here with you." Even though Nathan''s voice still had its usual calm, it also had a rare tenderness. Pulling a warm smile on his pale face, he said, "Dad and Mom, you should sleep now." "Okay, you go to sleep first." A touch of joy floated across Mandy''s delicate face. She stretched out her hand and touched Adrian''s smooth face, and she finally felt relieved. Adrian quickly fell asleep. In the ICU ward, there was a big bed next to Adrian''s bed. It was specially prepared for Nathan and Mandy, but neither of them used the bed. Seeing the dark circles under Mandy''s eyes, Nathan softened his tone and said, "Mand, go to bed first. I''ll handle it from here." "No, I won''t." Mandy shook her head and said in a firm tone, "I don''t want to sleep now. You should go to sleep instead. You still have to go to work tomorrow." Over the years, she had discovered that he was a workaholic. He couldn''t stop working for even one day. "I can take some time off from work. Go to sleep now, honey." Nathan pulled Mandy up. Although she looked rather reluctant, he had made up his mind and carried her to the bed. After barely a second had passed, Mandy sat up with her eyebrows forming a frown. She said in a soft voice, "Nathan." "Yes, I''m here. You close your eyes and get some rest first. We can talk tomorrow." He smiled gently and pressed Mandy''s restless body down with his slender fingers. As soon as Mandy''s head touched the pillow, she yawned and fell asleep. Nathan remained awake the whole night. This wasn''t the first time that he hadn''t slept for the entire night anyway. The time Adrian was receiving treatment in Switzend was the most tiring period of his life. Meanwhile, in the JS International reconnaissance department All the people of the reconnaissance department were working overtime. The department''s official name was the marketing department. JS International had two marketing departments. This was just to cover up the truth. After all, the people of the reconnaissance department had done too many things that must remain in the dark. Outside the window, the stars were shining. It seemed like a peaceful night. Chapter 733 Ouyangs Relationship With Mandy Chapter 733 Ouyang''s Rtionship With Mandy In the reconnaissance department, all you could hear were the sounds of keyboards,puter mouses, and fax machines. The people in the department were hard at work. The reconnaissance department had a total of ten employees, and all of them were world-renowned private detectives. Nathan had employed them at a high price. When they weren''t busy, they could be found drinking tea and reading newspapers, but when they were busy, they worked nonstop. Fred was also seated in front of hisputer. He had created a graph of Doctor Ouyang''s and Eve''s friend circles. This way, he could clearly see who they''d been close to over the years. Earlier, Nathan hadn''t asked Fred to investigate Eve in detail. He assumed that Eve would not be able to stir up any trouble, but he had since found out that she could be vicious. Nathan would not be able to catch Eve without any solid evidence. She wouldn''t admit until she was presented with evidence. "Fred, should we investigate the matter that happened twenty years ago?" Aryka was biting her pen. It was difficult to investigate Ouyang since he had traveled to so many countries. It would take a long time to pull out everything he had done. Fred stood up and walked towards Aryka. She was frowning tightly at herputer screen. Ouyang had gone to a lot of ces. It was impossible to get a hold of all the information in a short period of time, even if they were private detectives. "Investigate it," Fred said as he gritted his teeth, and his face darkened. On the screen, Aryka was reading about Ouyang''s university records. Fred had previously studied psychology and knew that university was important to people. The social circle you had at university would directly influence what kind of person you would be in the future. "Ouyang didn''t have any friends in college, but he had a crush on a woman named Elizabeth," Aryka said. Fred narrowed his eyes and ordered, "Investigate this Elizabeth." "Yes, sir!" Half an hourter, Aryka had obtained a full report on Elizabeth. It stated that she was a student who graduated from Oxford University. She stayed with the school after graduation. From an assistant tutor, she worked her way up to be a professor. She had mentored many excellent students in her life, and thest student she had taught was Mandy! Fred''s eyes fell on Mandy''s name on the report. ''This is a possible clue, '' he thought. He gazed at the computer screen intently and printed out all the reports about Elizabeth. The next day All news of Adrian being hospitalized was blocked by Nathan. Only a handful of family members knew about the incident. Since he was a famous man, he had always been a popr subject in the media. That meant that Adrian was also under scrutiny. Nathan didn''t want Adrian''s childhood to be affected and disturbed by the media, so he had guards ced in the hospital to prevent reporters from entering. The ICU ward Adrian was staying at was on the 23rd floor of the inpatient department. All of the other patients had been transferred to other levels. In the Ye Family''s vi Nacy rushed to put on her windbreaker. For convenience, she chose not to wear high heels. Since reconciling with Simon, she had worn t shoes every day. As a big star in the past, she paid close attention to her image while shopping and walking, because the paparazzi followed her everywhere. Nacy would not return to the entertainment industry anytime soon, so she was free to do as she wished. Simon took out the herbal soup from the kitchen and handed it to Nacy. Smiling softly, he said, "Nacy, wait a moment before you take it." Nacy patted herself on the head. She was the type of person who often forgot things. Simon was the one who reminded her to take her medicine and even got up at four o''clock in the morning to decoct the medicine for her. "I would''ve forgotten again if you didn''t mention it," Nacy said as she smiled sheepishly at him. She had been worried about Adrian''s illness. ''What was going on between Nathan and Mandy? They didn''t tell me the news until this morning, '' she thought. In the morning, she was informed that Adrian had been injured and hospitalized. She immediately got dressed, washed her face, and readied herself to go to the hospital. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Nathan assured me that Adrian is fine for the time being. Don''t worry about him too much. If you''re in a hurry, you''re more likely to do something wrong. It''s better if you take your time." Holding the bowl of Chinese medicine, Simon blew on it and then looked at Nacy thoughtfully. "Are you trying to say that I''m careless?" Nacy crossed her arms and squinted at Simon. Thanks to Simon, Nacy was well cared for. During theirst fight, they had both realized each other''s ws. After experiencing their share of conflict, Simon and Nacy were finally opening up to one another. They realized how much they loved each other. If they could be separated easily, they wouldn''t have been together in the first ce. It was fate that brought them together. "I wouldn''t dare¡­" Simon said yfully. "It''s not hot anymore. You can drink it now." Simon smiled and looked at Nacy with gentle eyes. Nacy smelt the bitter medicine but obediently drank it in one go. After finishing the medicine, she frowned. "If I had known I would suffer from drinking Chinese medicine, I wouldn''t have gotten myself pregnant." Nacy set aside the bowl, her mouth twisting in disgust. Simon gently handed her a cup of tea and said with a smile, "Have some tea, honey. It won''t taste bitter after you drink this." Nacy arched a brow at him and took the teacup from him. She drank it all. The temperature of the tea was just right. "Simon, thank you for everything you''ve done for me. When I get better, we will have a baby. I want to quit the entertainment industry. My desire to be a big star has long passed." Nacy put down the teacup and looked up. A hint of gentleness appeared in her beautiful eyes. She suddenly felt happy, just like the weather outside. "Why did you suddenly change your mind? Isn''t it a dream of yours to be an actress?" Simon felt guilty. He thought that Nacy wanted to quit for the sake of their lost baby. Chapter 734 A Free Canary Chapter 734 A Free Canary "Yes, I was fond of acting ever since I was a child, but now, I''m just tired of it. Simon, didn''t you realize that I''m gettingzier, especially after marrying you? In the past three years, I haven''t even done much work. I think I''m getting used to the idea of being taken care of. Every time I sign up for a movie, I get busy for at least three months and sometimes for an entire year even. All this is so tiring. Moreover, I just want to stay and spend time with you." Nacy stopped frowning, feeling much better now. As a celebrity, she was actually under a lot of pressure. The paparazzi were everywhere, and there would always be someone criticizing her. Some untalented actresses even had to sell their bodies to get a small role in the background. Nacy was lucky that she was from a powerful family. With her background, she could get any role she desired. Nacy had made up her mind to quit the industry. She wanted to be an ordinary person and lead a normal life. She didn''t want to be followed by media her entire life. She had been in the showbiz for years and had enough experience. She knew it was a dirty and dark ce. So this time, she wanted to quit and stay clear of the industry. She envied Mandy and Nathan''s peaceful life. Having a baby with Simon became somewhat of a dream for her because of them. Taking care of a cute baby while running her own business sounded like the best choice. Not only did Nacy like drawing and fashion designing, but she was also skilled in it. Therefore, she wanted to open her own boutique and make designer clothes. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Those are some good ns, Nacy. Whatever you want to do, you will always have my full support. I will be supporting you every step of the way." Simon pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the lips. "I still remember a singer once said that he didn''t want to be in the entertainment industry because it forced him to be what he wasn''t. I agree with him. After staying in this circle for such a long time, I feel like I have changed too. I couldn''t do anything I wished. Since my life is short, I will enjoy it and live like a free person from now on." "Then quit the entertainment industry, and you can have a much-desired job: a full-time housewife! After all, my wife doesn''t need to work outside," Simon said while staring deep into Nacy''s eyes. But Nacy shook her head and said, "I don''t want to be a housewife. Even though it doesn''t mean that I will be a canary locked inside a cage, I still don''t wanna stay sedentary. My brother founded the Mandy Mall and then gave it to Mandy. In the beginning, sheined that she didn''t know anything about business, but gradually, she got the hang of it. After all, women should have their own careers." Seeing the determination oozing out of her serious eyes, Simon couldn''t help but feel helpless. Ever since they got married, he only wished that Nacy would stay at home. Nacy was a workaholic in spirit and body. Sometimes, it would be absolute zero outside, but she would still take part in the shooting. And at other times, it would be boiling hot outside, but she would still wear winter clothing andplete the shoot for some magazine. One thing was for sure. She wasn''t a canary trapped inside a cage, but she was a robin soaring in the endless blue sky. "Then what do you want to do?" Simon raised the corners of his mouth and gave her a sudden smile while emitting tenderness. Nacy rolled her eyes and stared at Simon. She pretended to be angry andined, "Humph! You don''t even know what I like to do? How dare you!" "Haven''t you always liked acting? Even after all these years, I still couldn''t find anything that you loved more than acting," said Simon while smiling. "Well, that''s because you don''t know me well enough. If you knew everything about me, you would have known that I''m also a good painter and fashion designer," Nacy said. Simon looked her up and down with suspicion in his eyes and asked, "Really? Why haven''t I seen you paint before?" Nacy curled her lips. "It''s normal that you don''t know. I haven''t painted for years. Those paintings hanging in our living room are all my work." Simon nodded, lost in thought. "I see. No wonder your father treats those paintings as if they are rare treasures. They turned out to be your paintings!" "Yes, along with drawing, I also like fashion designing. Over the years, I discovered that fashion trends follow a particr cycle. This year bend pants and floral skirts are popr," Nacy said with professionalism while squinting her eyes. Having started her acting career at an early age, Nacy had seen how the stars dressed. Therefore, she was familiar with famous fashion brands and their products. She had her own unique insight into fashion. Every year, she was named the most fashionable star in the entertainment industry. Her secret was to strictly adhere to seasons. Unlike other stars, who would wear anything without keeping the tone of the season in mind, she would only wear clothes thatplimented that season''s tone. "I see. All in all, you love looking beautiful." "Right. Every woman wants to be beautiful. We are born this way. What about you? Don''t you like looking handsome? Don''t you dress up in front of the mirror every day?" Nacy was a good talker. With simple deliberations, Simon couldn''t help agreeing with her. Simon loved this talkative Nacy the most. The Nacy who would share everything with him. In the past, Nacy was always busy with her work. While at home, she would recite lines and seldom talk with Simon. At times, Simon would try to talk with her, but it would always end with her gently refusing him. Simon loved Nacy''s idea of leaving the entertainment industry. Finally, he could have some private time with Nacy. Fiona and Ethon had graduated ahead of time. ording to the university''s rules, students could graduate ahead of time as long as they could finish the curriculum with an overall "A" grade. After they graduated from university, they began working at JS International. Ethon worked in the investment department, and Fiona was in the marketing department. A few days ago, she was transferred to the Mandy Mall. In the morning, they were informed that Adrian was sick. So they decided to visit him before going to work. Chapter 735 A Sudden Remorse Chapter 735 A Sudden Remorse Adrian had finished his breakfast, which Mandy fed him. Her eyes were red as she fed her son. Since Mandy returned from America, she noticed that Adrian had grown taller. She med herself and thought that she had been a bad mother to Adrian. Mandy felt guilty at the thought. Looking at the apathetic kid in front of her, Mandy felt like her heart was being pierced. Adrian had gone through so many bad things. She didn''t know what would happen this time around. As a mother, Mandy felt like a failure. Instead of staying with her son when he needed her the most, she chose to escape. Mandy thought that she was a selfish person for doing that. Back then, she only cared about herself and protecting herself from being hurt. However, her actions had hurt both Nathan and Adrian. "Why are you crying again, Mom?" Adrian asked, confused. In the past two days, she had been trying to hide her tears from him. As a child, she knew that Adrian would be curious about her, but no matter how many times he asked, she always assured him that she was okay. That day, Adrian wished that he could be an adult in a blink of an eye. That way, Mandy wouldn''t have to worry about him anymore. "I''m fine. I wasn''t crying. My eyes are just irritated," Mandy assured him as she raised her head and wiped her tears cautiously. Upon hearing her exnation, Adrian looked at Mandy suspiciously. He wasn''t sure if she was lying. When he looked at her, he noticed that she would always avoid eye contact. That was unusual for him. Nathan embraced her from behind, feeling her heartbeat and her slender arms trembling, and he rested his chin on her shoulder. In a low and maic voice, he said, "Let me do it." Passing the bowl to Nathan, Mandy rushed out to the end of the hospital corridor and wiped at her tears. At that time, Serge and a group of bodyguards were standing at the door. When Serge saw Mandy leave the room, he immediately followed her. He wondered if Mandy had just quarreled with Nathan. Mandy stood by the window. When she was in the ward, she couldn''t control herself. She wanted to cry out loud. Why was God being so cruel to her son? What did her son do wrong? Mandy''s heart filled with resentment. She hated herself and Eve. She hated all the wretched people who wanted to hurt her son. "Ms. Jin, don''t be sad. Adrian will be fine soon," Serge said as he took out a packet of tissues from his pocket and handed it to Mandy. "I wish he would get better soon. As a mother, all I want is for my child to be well!" Mandy said in a heartbroken voice as she wiped away her tears. Serge frowned and didn''t reply. He stood there quietly, waiting for her to continue. "Why? Why do these terrible things keep happening to my child over and over again? He''s just an innocent kid. If it''s my fault, she should punish me, not my child!" Mandy sobbed, her lips trembling. At the sight of her breaking down, Serge wanted tofort her. However, he was Nathan''s underling and couldn''t reach his arm out to Mandy. At that moment, the sound of footsteps was heard in the silent corridor. Nathan had appeared behind them. Serge immediately greeted Nathan before bidding farewell to them with a serious look. Without saying anything, Nathan reached an arm out to Mandy and embraced her tightly. "Silly girl, don''t me yourself. Be strong. Adrian and I need you." Mandy looked up at the sky. It was sunny, and the clouds moved quickly. It was rare to see such good weather. She looked at the sun through the window. The sunlight was too harsh on her eyes, so she quickly lowered her head and turned around. She threw herself into Nathan''s arms with a sad face. "Adrian will be fine, won''t he, Nathan?" Mandy said in a sad voice, frowning slightly. "Of course, he''ll be fine. I won''t let anything terrible happen to him again. He survived a life-or-death operation three years ago. I''m sure he will survive this too. He is an adorable and loving boy. He''ll be safe and sound again!" Nathan assured her. A doting smile appeared on his face. Thinking back, Mandy thought that Adrian was an ill-fated child. First, he was born prematurely, so his body had been weaker than normal children. Second, not long after he was born, he was diagnosed with having a congenital heart disease. "Okay." Mandy nodded her head heavily and said, "Why did youe out? Where''s Adrian?" Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "All of them are there to keep himpany," Nathan replied with a smile on his face. "All of whom?" "Nacy, Simon, Nana, and Ethon are all there with him," Nathan said with a slight smile. "They arrived so soon," Mandy said as she smiled. Last night, she had discussed with Nathan and decided not to tell their friends and rtives about Adrian''s hospitalization. She didn''t want to worry them before the situation was confirmed. However, Mandy and Nathan were worried that if no one knew about it, they would me the two of them. After all, Nacy, Simon, Nana, and Ethon were all very concerned about Adrian. They decided to tell them the news in the morning. "I decided to tell Dad, Mom, Grandpa, and Grandma the news at ater time. They shouldn''t know about it right now before anything is confirmed. They''re too old to bear any aggravation. If something terrible happens to Adrian, they wouldn''t be able to sleep at night!" Nathan said after he thought it over. In the time that they were together, Nathan and Mandy were bing more simr. Both of them often thought about others. No matter what they did, they thought of their families first. If you made friends in your childhood, they would leave you in your teens. If you made friends in your teens, they will drift away from you in your twenties. In this world, the strongest rtionships were the ones with family. "Okay. Maybe Adrian''s blood is simply inmed. The inmmation in the blood could be another cause of the high bacteria. We''d better get the test report first," Mandy replied as she nodded with agreement with Nathan. Chapter 736 I Cant Explain It Clearly On The Phone Chapter 736 I Can''t Exin It Clearly On The Phone "Thank you, Aunt Fiona! I love it so much!" Adrian said happily as he held histest toy car. At the sight of this, Nacy pretended to be jealous. She had bought Adrian many toy cars since he was an infant. Why was he so obsessed with the toy car Fiona brought? "Adrian, I''ve bought a lot of toys for you, too! I''ve never seen you react like this to any of my gifts!" Nacy teased as she pouted her lips and looked at the cute expression on Adrian''s face. She thought he was adorable, but she continued pretending to be angry. Of course, Nacy wasn''t really jealous, and she only intended to lighten the mood in the hospital ward. "Aunt Nacy, I love you the most," Adrian eximed, still holding the toy car in his arms, and fixing his innocent eyes on Nacy. He looked so cute. When Nathan and Mandy entered the ward and saw this scene, they both grimaced. Both of them had cold and indifferent personalities, so they had no idea where Adrian had developed this habit of ''ying the innocent girl'' in front of adults. "Why are you looking at me? I had no habit of ''ying the innocent girl'' when I was young," Nathan teased when he saw Mandy give him a meaningful smile. "Daddy, what does ''ying the innocent girl'' mean?" Adrian suddenly asked in a serious tone. He had overheard their conversation. The corner of Nathan''s mouth twitched, and his handsome face became serious. "Adrian, when a boy is ''ying the girl, '' it means he bes as lovely as your mother!" he joked. "I see! If that''s the case, I''m willing to ''y the girl'' every day!" Adrian nodded enthusiastically. Hearing what Nathan said shocked Mandy. "Really?" she said with a ferocious look, "Howe I don''t find him as lovely when he was ying the girl? Look at him carefully. He resembles you in all aspects!" Mandy was confused whenever she thought about Adrian''s personality and character. Adrian was a mini version of Nathan. They looked so simr, but their personalities couldn''t have been any more different. "Ha-ha..." Nacy suddenlyughed, holding her belly and trembling withughter. "I agree! Adrian''s a carbon copy of Nathan! Ha-ha!" "He really is a carbon copy of his father, isn''t he? Ha-ha," Mandyughed. "Oh, Nacy is on your side!" Nathan joked to Mandy,ughing. It suddenly dawned on him that Nacy cared deeply for Mandy and Adrian. Meanwhile, Eve was lying in the lounge in a light blue cheongsam with her eyes closed. The breeze was blowing softly. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Ever since Eve took Adrian away in private without telling Nathan, he had been indifferent to her. Eve wasn''t concerned about this. She had injected the poisonous liquid into Adrian''s body over a month ago. In the span of thirty days, the bacteria had begun to circte in his body. He would die in three months! Eve was ted by the thought. Deep in her heart, she harbored an intense hatred for Mandy and Adrian. However, she couldn''t tell which one she hated more. Perhaps she hated them equally. Adrian was Mandy''s son, and she thought she must poison him to release her anger at Mandy. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Lazily, she put on her pair of slippers and shouted, "Norma, open the door quickly!" Norma was a maid in Eve''s vi. Eve had moved out of the Su Family''s residence a year ago and now lived alone in a vi, which was gifted to her by Shaun and was worth more than fifty million dors. The vi was surrounded by hills on one side, and waters on the other, making it very suitable for living. Hearing no response from Norma, Eve suddenly recalled that she was out shopping for groceries. The doorbell continued to ring, and she had no choice but to open the door herself. Eve put on a shawl. She hadn''t expected that Colin woulde to visit her now. Standing by the door, she saw the anger on his face. "Why are you here?" Eve asked coldly. She ced her arm across the door frame, not wanting to let Colin enter. "I came here to see you. Don''t be nervous!" Colin pursed his lips and smiled coldly. The expression on his face gave her goose bumps. Eve''s heart skipped a beat at his greeting. She had no idea why he was suddenly visiting her of his own volition. The two of them had cooperated secretly, seldom meeting in person. They only contacted each other with unidentified cell phone numbers. Once they had the chance, they would change their numbers to keep their contact hidden. "This is my home! It''s bad for me to be seen with you! If it''s something urgent, we should just talk on the phone," Eve said as she frowned. Seeing the evil look on Colin''s face, she didn''t dare let him into her vi. "This is something special! I can''t exin it clearly on the phone, so I thought it would be better to talk about it face to face!" Colin frowned and spoke with a faint smile. "Nothing is too difficult to exin over the phone. You can leave now!" Eve declined politely. Deep in her heart, she felt very uneasy. Had Colin found out about it already? "Eve, this is something we have to discuss face to face. Do you understand?" Colin suddenly moved closer to her. At his sudden proximity, Eve instinctively stepped back. "What''s the matter? Tell me now!" Eve relented. "Did you do it?" Colin questioned. His eyes and voice were as cold as ice. Under his cold gaze, Eve suddenly felt ufortable. She found a ce to sit and leaned back on the sofa. She felt her legs go weak. With a cold sweat on her back, she realized what Colin had meant; however, she was not careless enough to admit to it. Eve and Colin were merely using one another. Deep down, they didn''t trust each other. They would never be good friends in case their ns would fail. They were both independent, and neither of them would give in unless there was something in it for the other. "What do you mean? I don''t know what you''re talking about. Why are you so angry?" Eve asked innocently as she picked up her teacup and took a sip of her tea. She felt guilty inside but put on an air of nonchnce. Chapter 737 Die Together Chapter 737 Die Together "You don''t have to pretend to be innocent. Adrian is just a child. He''s only four years old. How could you have the conscience to kill him? I never expected that you''d be such a vicious woman. What did you promise me before? You said you wouldn''t hurt Mandy!" Colin emphasized his every word. While his handsome face looked to be in a daze, he gritted his teeth. "What? Don''t you think you''re being delusional? What did I even do to Adrian?" Eve could not help but curl her lips. The expression in her eyes turned cold, while she refused to admit anything. Even if Colin was indeed her ally, she couldn''t tell him anything. The less people who knew it was she who injected the bacteria to Adrian, the better. The more people knew about it, the more likely that her secret would be exposed. Eve thought, for certain, she didn''t need to worry about Bonnie and Jennifer because they would never betray her. As for Doctor Ouyang: Eve had told him that he only needed to worry about developing the bacteria. How the bacteria would be used or who it would be used for was none of his business. For about three years, Ouyang had been working on the bacteria named 830. He himself didn''t have an antidote for it. Eve believed that no one in the world could produce the antidote. Because it was Doctor Ouyang who said that after the bacteria had entered a human''s body, it would take a long time before the symptoms would show up. By then, the bacteria had already multiplied, and it had already entered the bone marrow. If an antidote were to be used, the bone marrow had to be extracted. How painful it would be for Adrian! He was only a little kid. Could a young boy like him be able to take the pain? Moreover, he would probably die if they were to extract his marrow a few times! "Stop ying dumb, you crazy woman! Do you really think you can fool me?" Colin stood up and took large and heavy steps towards Eve. He suddenly grabbed her wrist and gripped it so hard. It was like he wanted to crush her bones. In terms of physical strength, Eve was certainly not a match for Colin. No matter how powerful a woman was, biology and years of evolution had dictated that she would notpare to a man. "Colin! Let go of me! You''re killing me! If you don''t take your hands off me right now, I''ll call the police!" Eve held her breath. Colin''s grip on her wrist was so tight that she felt like her bones were going to break. It had only been a minute, but her arm was already starting to feel numb from his grip. "Call the police? Fine! Do it right now!" It seemed like Colin was bing insane. He shook off Eve''s arm and stared at her with a ferocious expression on his face. The atmosphere in the living room became tensed in an instant. Colin was so enraged that he wanted to strangle Eve. Since yesterday afternoon, Colin had assigned someone to keep an eye on Mandy. He felt that there was something very strange about her. Since she came to JR Hospital, Mandy hadn''te out yet. He asked someone to investigate her whereabouts and was informed that Adrian had been injected with bacteria and was hospitalized. When he heard that, he was very surprised. Who would be so cruel as to deliberately inject a child with a bacteria that could potentially kill him? After thinking about it for a while, Colin believed that Eve was the most likely culprit. That morning, he immediately came over. In fact, Colin was at odds with the current situation. He was well aware that he didn''t have to be involved. If someone were to look at it from another perspective, it would even be considered as a piece of good news for him. If Adrian were to die, then Mandy and Nathan could have a chance to really separate. Because even if they no longer had a romantic connection, Adrian would always connect and intertwine their lives. But after a second thought, Colin knew he just couldn''t do it. He wouldn''t be able to witness as Mandy suffer the loss of a child. So, he decided to find out the truth. "Humph¡­ Do you think I wouldn''t dare to call the police?" Eve was so enraged that she trembled while speaking. She stared at Colin with fire in her eyes. She didn''t expect that Colin would be so intense when ites to his love interest. "If you want to call the police, then do it. Let''s die together, Eve!" Colin eximed, looking fearless and ruthless. For the first time that day, it actually made Eve a little scared. "You''re a lunatic!" Eve sneered and raised the corners of her mouth, forming a wickedugh. However, she didn''t know if she wasughing at Colin or at herself. "If I''m a lunatic, then how about you?" Eve''s wordspletely enraged Colin. He retorted, "I didn''t expect that you would be so cruel. Whatever deal we have, it''s over now! I won''t listen to you anymore! I will never allow you to take advantage of me ever again!" The expression on Eve''s face immediately froze. She scoffed before asking, "Colin, Colin, why would you do that? If you terminate your alliance with me, you will never be able to get Mandy. If you don''t y dirty, how can you get her? You''re dreaming if you think you can simply charm her!" "Oh, I''ll make her fall in love with me. But that''s my own problem now. I will never allow you to hurt her. I will expose every vile thing that you have ever done." Raging mes were burning in his eyes while he red at Eve. However, Eve onlyughed extremely loudly and folded her arms across her chest. Raising her eyebrow at him, she stated in a contemptuous tone, "Really? Do you think you will benefit fromN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. exposing me? By doing that, don''t you think you''ll get exposed for being a ruthless evil person like me? Yes, I''m not a decent human being. I know that. But I think that in Mandy''s mind, you''re a good person. Do you really want to destroy your that image to her? Do you really want to disappoint her? You''re going to hurt her even more! You should know by now: The moment you decided to work with me, you could no longer just walk away when you wanted to." After listening to Eve, Colin finally understood that he had made a huge mistake. Feeling a little helpless, Colin could only re at Eve. "But I can''t let you hurt her anymore!" "If you want to take the risk of losing Mandy for the rest of your life, then go ahead. I won''t stop you." At that moment, Eve was casually holding a ss of water with her slender fingers. Even the expression on her face was back to being calm andid-back. Eve had studied psychology. She knew that most of the time, people would regret decisions that were made on impulse, so she forced herself to calm down. Only when she had done so could she convince Colin to continue their alliance. Colin smiled without saying anything. He looked at her with a feeble and sullen look in his eyes. "I''m the bad guy. I''m the one who is hated by Mandy, so that you can be the good one. Are you still unhappy about that? You really are asking for too much, aren''t you?" Eve was waging a psychological battle with him, and she was winning. Colin was starting to be convinced that she might be right. If that was the case, he could maintain his image of being a good person. Why should he make things difficult for himself? As Colin fell into continued silence, Eve stated, "Don''t worry. No one will ever find out that you''re involved, but you have to cooperate with me." Colin gnashed his teeth in anger. "How dare you threaten me?" Chapter 738 Colin Discovered The Truth Chapter 738 Colin Discovered The Truth "Back then, I invested in you. Did you think I was doing that out of charity? Return the money if you want to terminate the contract," demanded Eve. "I didn''t ask for your money. You gave it to me out of your own free will." Colin red at Eve with his dark eyes and said in an arrogant tone, "Not once did you mention that you were just ''lending'' the 500 million. So, I have no obligation to pay back that sum." "You really aren''t good at reciprocating kindness, Colin. Since we are in a partnership, you inevitably have to follow my orders." Eve lifted her eyes slightly and looked at Colin with arrogance. Colin''s eyes were full of ridicule, and the smile on his face became even colder. "I didn''t ask you to give me the money. But, if you insist, I can throw away chump change like that anytime you want. I will ask someone to transfer the money back to you tomorrow," said Colin. Hearing that Colin was going to return her money, Eve became anxious. She frowned and said, "Well¡­ It was just a harmless joke. Colin, you are a smart man. You know what I want. If I cared about money, I wouldn''t have invested in you in the first ce." Colin pursed his lips and remained silent. Eve couldn''t help but feel embarrassed due to his silence. "I don''t want the money. I just want our partnership to go on like before." This time, she spoke a little softer. She never imagined that Colin would turn out to be a stubborn and proud individual. With his lips pursed, Colin red at Eve, and asked, "What did you inject into Adrian?" "Come on. I didn''t inject anything into his body. Where did you hear that? Don''t throw false usations at me." He knew she was lying. But he pretended like he had no idea as he was still suspicious of her. Eve had carefully nned the whole thing before injecting the bacteria. She chose an abandoned corner in the underground garage, which was also out of the CCTV''s reach. She made sure that no one could ever glean the truth. It would remain a secret as long as Dr. Ouyang didn''t rat her out. However, Nathan and Mandy were already suspicious. It wouldn''t be long before they went out to look for Dr. Ouyang. The best course of action was that Dr. Ouyang should be taken into hiding for some time. He would be in constant danger otherwise. "You havemitted so many sins. Aren''t you afraid?" With a cold smile on his face, Colin red viciously at Eve. He thought to himself, ''This woman is so bold. She has even risked her life and reputation for the sake of love!'' "Ha-ha! What should I be afraid of?" said Eve while raising her eyebrows, revealing her arrogance and fearlessness. Without a doubt, Eve was a blessed girl. Not only was she born into a rich family, but she was also the only child. Even if she made a big mistake, her father Shaun would surely protect her safety. In recent years, the Sus Bank business was growing at a steady rate. It had deep roots in the financial market and even worked in close rtion with JS International. Their annual profit was always more than 10 billion. But if the JS International terminated their contract with the Sus Bank, then JS International would suffer damage worth billions in the stock market. This fact alone gave Eve the much-needed assurance that Nathan wouldn''t dare to do anything to her. At most, he could only scorn her. "Aren''t you afraid of Nathan?" Colin squinted his eyes, which were deep and arcane. He thought, ''It''s really difficult to guess this woman''s mind. On the surface, Eve might seem like someone obsessed with love. But she has formed a bnce in her heart, in fact. She isn''t crazy about love. She is well aware of her actions and the consequences they carry.'' However, Eve loved taking risks. Everything she did was risky. If she won, then great rewards awaited her; if she lost, then she would lose everything. "He won''t. He would have dealt with me a long time ago if he could. Besides¡­ We have been together for so many years. Even if there is no love between us, the friendship is still there," said Eve, confident that Nathan would put their friendship above his son''s health. "So, you hurt Mandy without remorse?" "I didn''t hurt her. I just want to get Nathan. Besides, I haven''t done anythingtely," Eve said in a calm tone, but she began thinking about Doctor Ouyang. "You''d better keep your nose clean," said Colin with a poker face. "I don''t need you to remind me. Did you know that you be very charming when you get serious? Especially when you grabbed my wrist just now, you looked just like Nathan," Eve said in a coltish tone and started to tease Colin. Colinughed, but he didn''t take Eve''s words seriously. "Don''tpare me with him." Hearing his mutters, Eve shrugged. Then she nodded and said, "Yeah, you''re right. You''re not as good as my Nathan." Deep inside, Colin cursed Eve for her shamelessness. He had no idea what was going on in her head, so a rtionship with her was near impossible. She was so disgusting! Colin didn''t even ept a kind and upright woman like Morry, let alone a disgusting woman like Eve. "Then I wish you Godspeed. Hope you could be Nathan''s girlfriend as soon as possible." "You too. May you have your Mandy back as soon as possible. When that happens, both of us will be happy." Eve smiled, fully disying her charm. Colin stood up and walked out of the vi. In the JR Hospital Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Dean Tyler, the vice dean, several directors, as well as Mandy and Nathan gathered in the doctor''s office to discuss Adrian''s condition. "The bruise isn''t that hard to deal with. At present, he is perfectly fine. It proves that the bacteria in his body is still under control," Director Qian said, holding thetest blood test report. "Usually we inject anti-inmmatory drugs and monitor for about two days," the vice dean said, raising his gold-rimmed sses. "Then, what kind of bacteria is it? Nathan, did Adrian ever get hurt and bleed a lot before?" Mandy turned to look at Nathan. As far as Nathan could remember, he had been spoiling Adrian ever since his childhood. Nheless, he was injured before. When he was two and a half years old, he fell down and hurt his knees. But the bleeding stopped pretty soon. "Yes, he did. He once fell down, and his knees were injured. But the bleeding soon stopped," replied Nathan. With a somewhat gloomy expression, Nathan looked coldly at the vice dean. Chapter 739 Dont Talk Nonsense Chapter 739 Don''t Talk Nonsense The vice-dean was scared by Nathan''s re. He was sure that he didn''t offend Nathan, so why was he ring at him? The vice-dean felt ill at ease. "Since Adrian has gotten injured without excessive blood loss before, then it could only mean that something is wrong with his body now; it''s by no means an ident. Maybe some bacteria entered his body but stayed dormant due to the immune system. But when he got injured this time, more bacteria entered in his body, and coupled with the previous ones, they easily overloaded his immune system," Mandy spected, reading the blood test report. "Emm..." The Dean hesitated, adding nothing to her spection. Honestly, the Dean wanted to say that it was his first time hearing something like this. At this moment, a voice came from outside the office. "No, it can''t be that. You are overthinking." Audrey opened the door and came in. She was dressed in a clean white coat paired with five- centimeter rivet heels, and she looked neat. She held arge pile of documents in her hands and walked into the office, acting aloof. In the entire cardiology department, Audrey was thest one to find out about Adrian''s case. And if it weren''t for Angelina and Cassie talking all over about it, she still wouldn''t have known it. Like this, she was kept in the dark till now. Audrey raised her head and looked at Nathan with dim eyes. She said in a delicate and touching voice, "Nathan, Adrian is hospitalized. Why didn''t you tell me such an important thing?" "Audrey, are you kidding? Who are you? Why should we tell you?" Mandy frowned and stood up. She stared at Audrey in anger. She thought, ''Who the hell does she think she is? Is she even remotely rted to Adrian?'' What annoyed Mandy, even more, was that Audrey had just objected to her spection. Although her spectioncked any solid proof, that didn''t make it wrong. All it needed was a piece of strong evidence to back it up. Audrey was embarrassed by Mandy''s barrage of questions. She didn''t expect that Mandy would embarrass her in public, in the presence of the hospital''s dean at that. However, Audrey was not stupid. She was slick and tactful. She squinted and smiled while keeping calm. "Mrs. Jin, do you have any prejudice against me? Anyway, I''ve saved Adrian before. I care about this child very much. After all, we are closely connected." The doctors were silent. Everyone held their breath and watched the show. They were all guessing how Mandy would react to Audrey''s words. Audrey left Mandy stuck between a rock and a hard ce. With a single statement, she characterized Mandy as someone narrow-minded and petty. Mandy thought, ''Humph! You always pretend to be innocent. What a good trick!'' But this time, Mandy calmed down. She raised her eyebrows and said, "Audrey, thanks for your concern, but we are now discussing Adrian''s condition. If you are concerned about him, you can go and see him. You shouldn''t be here." Audrey''s face went nk. Obviously, she was pissed off by Mandy. She curled her lips and said, "I actually came here to discuss Adrian''s condition. I''ve seen all the reports, and I suspect that he suffers from leukemia." "Don''t talk nonsense." Mandy immediately became furious. The crowd didn''t expect that the meek and generous Mandy could turn into fierce and aggressive Mandy within seconds. Especially with amanding tone that was just like Nathan''s. They looked at her with admiration in their eyes. They finally understood Nathan''s choice; after all, Mandy was just as domineering as he was. "These are the test reports. You can read them if you don''t believe me. You are also a doctor, so you should understand." Audrey still had a good attitude and put a thick pile of reports on the desk. Embarrassed smiles filled the room. The test reports were on the table, but Mandy didn''t touch them. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Audrey, don''t even bother. Do you think you''re the best doctor in the entire world?" Mandy was furious, and she didn''t want to endure it anymore. How she wished to just take Audrey''s calm facade off! "You said he was injected with bacteria. But don''t you find something about this strange? If it was a bacteria, then it should have manifested within a week given its speed of growth." Audrey gave a faint smile, but she couldn''t hide the malice in her eyes. In the morning, Audrey heard the conversation between Cassie and Angelina in the bathroom. ording to the conversation, Mandy believed that some bacteria was injected into Adrian''s bloodstream more than a month ago. And that was causing Adrian''s constant bleeding problem. At that time, Audreyughed at Mandy in her heart. She thought, ''And she considers herself a doctor. More like an insult to this profession. Such a ridiculous theory!'' "You don''t know anything. Don''t be too confident. How are you so sure that I''m wrong? There always have been bacteria which don''t abide by the set rules. How ridiculous of you to judge others when you are the ignorant one!" Mandy shouted after taking a deep breath. This was the fabled face-pping moment. Mandy curled her lips and stopped herself from actually pping her. The crowd looked at Mandy with admiration written all over their faces. No one argued back¡ªthey agreed with herpletely. "Honey, don''t be so mad. Audrey is just guessing. Audrey, please go out. Now!" Nathan gave Audrey a stern look and gestured her to go out first. The office was like a battlefield now. The atmosphere was tense and stiff. Mandy pulled a long face and looked displeased. Was she unaware that Adrian might have leukemia? No. She was well aware in her heart. After all, the tests and blood reports couldn''t state it more clearly. She even believed that Audrey might have guessed correctly. The probability of a bone marrow match was close to zero. So, leukemia was equivalent to death in this case. Therefore, Mandy was more willing to believe that Adrian was injected with bacteria than believing he got leukemia. Audrey''s face darkened. She didn''t expect that she would lose so soon. She stormed out of the office with an aggrieved face, but she had no one toin to. Before she realized it, Audrey arrived at Adrian''s ward. The entire floor was heavily guarded, so it was hard for even the doctors to go in. They only allowed identified doctors to enter the room. Audrey tried to walk straight up, but she was blocked by what seemed like a ck wall. Looking up, she realized that a group of guards, dressed in ck, with hands behind their backs, and expressionless faces had blocked her. Chapter 740 Playing Cards Chapter 740 ying Cards "Sorry, you can''t go inside." One of the men reached out his hand to stop Audrey. He was a little impatient since he had never seen her before. "My name is Audrey. You can inform the people in the ward or call your boss. He will let me in," Audrey said in an arrogant tone. With her lips pursed, she thought, ''Why is even a lowly bodyguard trying to tell me what to do?" "Please leave right now," the man in ck indifferently said, maintaining the stern expression on his face. Because of Audrey''s overbearing attitude, he was even more motivated not to let her in. In order to prevent Adrian from being hurt again, Nathan had strengthened the security. The original ten bodyguards had been increased to twenty. All of them were from elite troops. Audrey was so irritated. She didn''t know why she was so unlucky today. She was fine after that fateful encounter with Mandy. But now, even bodyguards were pissing her off. Gritting her teeth, Audrey red at the bodyguard. She then furiously said, "Fine! Just you wait and see!" The man in ck ignored her and remained standing with the same indifferent expression on his face. Needless to say, he was not afraid of her. Recently, it seemed like a lot of people had found out that Adrian was in the hospital. Some even pretended to be doctors or nurses to try and enter his ward, but they had all been stopped by the men in ck. Mandy had given them a list of doctors that were allowed into the room, and Audrey wasn''t on the list. Among everyone in the entire hospital, the only ones included in the list were Dean Tyler, Ang, Cassie, Jayleen, Jamie, the operating room director, and their resident hematologist. The man in ck had thought that Audrey would have the sensibility to just leave. After all, she couldn''t break into the room by force. However, Audrey remained where she was. Then, she took out her phone and made a call. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Nathan''s name could be seen on her phone''s screen. At that time, Nathan and Mandy had juste from the doctor''s office. They had just reached the floor where Adrian''s ward was when all of a sudden, his phone rang. When Nathan was about to answer the phone, his eyes met Audrey''s from across the hall. She was standing there, obviously annoyed and not as elegant as she was on a normal basis. Upon seeing him, she pursed her lips and put on a sad expression like someone had wronged her. Mandy indifferently nced at Audrey. She didn''t know what the woman was doing there. ''She''s just a doctor. She is not Adrian''s mother. How could she be so kind to him? She must be up to something, '' Mandy thought. It had been proven time and time again that women''s intuition was often urate. What Mandy had asserted was indeed correct. If Adrian had not been Nathan''s son and was just an ordinary patient, Audrey wouldn''t care so much about the young boy. Audrey just wanted to get more chances of being close to Nathan by using Adrian as an excuse. Moreover, Audrey wanted to show Nathan that she was skilled and talented so she could impress him. It was a pity that Audrey could never seed. "Nathan, I''m here to see Adrian. But this guy right here won''t let me in," Audrey immediately comined, with an aggrieved expression. Nathan briefly nced at the man in ck. Remaining silent, the man in ck did not exin anything. In fact, he looked rather calm. "Why should he let you in? He doesn''t know you. Dr. Audrey, please don''t be upset. We''re just doing this for Adrian''s safety," Mandy inly said. While she was speaking, Mandy continued holding onto Nathan''s arm. Her red lips were leisurely raised into a smile. "I''m just worried about Adrian, so I wanted to see him." A trace of embarrassment shed across Audrey''s beautiful face, but it soon disappeared. "Thank you for your kindness, Dr. Audrey. I thank you on behalf of Adrian," Mandy responded with a faint smile. But it was apparent that Mandy didn''t really appreciate what Audrey was doing. If Audrey wasn''t coveting Nathan, Mandy would definitely wee her. But Audrey was trying to get close to him using their child. Naturally, it infuriated Mandy. Sure, she was Adrian''s attending doctor in Switzend. But so what? As a matter of fact, Mandy didn''t think that Audrey was a capable doctor because she disagreed with her theory of bacterial infection. Her studycked any logical reasoning, so for Mandy, her theory was not solid enough. "Then, can I go in and see him now?" Audrey smiled softly, looking very kind and gentle. "Of course." Mandy curled up her lips and raised her chin. She didn''t take Audrey seriously at all. If Mandy were being entirely honest, she had a deep hatred for Audrey. She didn''t expect that Nathan would meet such a woman when he was in Switzend. She suddenly recalled that Fiona had told her how Nathan had a serious illness when he was in that country. If that was so, who was the one who took care of Nathan at that time? Could it be that it was Audrey? With these thoughts in mind, Mandy was filled with sorrow. She walked into the ward without saying a word and saw some people inside. Ethon and Simon had gone back to thepany. But Fiona and Nacy didn''t have any responsibilities to attend to. They were inside the ward with Adrian, ying cards. The ward was filled with Adrian''sughter. He then eximed, "Aunt Nacy lost again." The little boy took out a sticky note and promptly pressed it on Nacy''s face. The three people who had just came in looked at the three people on the bed in surprise. There were sticky notes on their faces. They were actually drawing cards at random, and the person with the smallest number would receive the punishment of having a sticky note on their face. Nacy didn''t know why she kept losing to Adrian today. If not for the fact that Adrian was only four years old, she would certainly assume that Adrian was cheating. For good reason as well, because every card he drew had arger number than hers. It was really hard to believe! "Aaaah! Wait a minute. I''m going to shuffle the cards again. Adrian, are you sure you''re not cheating? Why do you keep on winning?" Nacy asked while pursing her lips. Sticky notes were all over her face, but there were only two pieces on Adrian''s face. Even so, the boy still looked handsome. "Aunt Nacy, it''s fine if you can''t win. But do you really have to suspect me? I feel very sad. Aunt Nana, am I right?" Looking like an old cunning man, Adrian smiled. When Mandy saw this, a gentle smile appeared on her face. She pulled Nathan''s sleeve and spoke in a soft tone, "Nathan, this reminds me of the time when we were in the casinos of Las Vegas." For a long time, Mandy thought that a righteous man like Nathan wouldn''t gamble. But to her surprise, he was an expert in gambling and could always win. She had no idea where Nathan had learned his skills from. Chapter 741 A Crowded Ward Chapter 741 A Crowded Ward Even though Adrian was really young, he was so lucky when it came to gambling. Mandy thought that perhaps it was because of Nathan''s good genes. However, she actually didn''t like gambling at all. She thought that it was a very risky thing to do. Of course, it would be great to win, but there was always a 50 percent chance that you would lose everything. Take for example thest time in Las Vegas where Justin lost in the game with Nathan. All of his losses in that night alone amounted to one billion. After that, the Lin Group began to go downhill. Mandy didn''t expect that he would really give the billion to Nathan. It seemed like he was a man of his word. "Well,st time, it was indeed very risky. But it was thrilling as well." While reminiscing about his memories, Nathan put his arm around Mandy''s waist and raised his eyebrows. "How risky was it?" When Nacy heard the word "thrilling," she immediately became interested. Nacy was an Aries woman, so she was adventurous. She would always crave to experience something new and exciting. Passion was something she needed in her life. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "At that time, Nathan was gambling in Las Vegas. The bet was one billion and a piece ofnd," Mandy said. Surprisingly, she felt warm and a little happy while recalling the past. "One billion..." Fiona repeated with a frown. Perhaps one billion was just the price of a casual deal for Nathan. But for a lot of people, one billion was a number that they couldn''t even imagine. Even if they were given a thousand years, they wouldn''t be able to earn that much money. "That piece ofnd is where Mandy Mall has been built." Nathan looked at Mandy with a loving smile. In his eyes were tenderness, where usually, there was only indifference and rigidness. "Hmmm Are you showing affection right now?" Nacy curled her lips. The couple''s exchange was making her feel a little jealous of the loving rtionship that they had. However, the one who looked more jealous than Nacy was Audrey. At that moment, she was forcing a smile on her face. But when one would look closer, it looked more like a bitter smile than a casual one. Turning to Audrey, Nacy raised her eyebrows and asked, "Who is this?" "Hello, Ms. Jin, my name is Audrey. I''m the director of the Cardiology Department. I was also Adrian''s attending doctor when he was in Switzend," Audrey warmly introduced herself while a smile was spread up to her ruddy cheeks. "Oh, so you''re Dr. Audrey. I''ve heard so much about you," Nacy politely said. But in fact, she didn''t like Audrey. Her awkward smile made Nacy feel that she was very pretentious. She even stressed on the fact that she was the director of the Cardiology Department as if it was something so prestigious. Nacy thought, ''And so what if you''re the director? It''s not a big deal. Mandy had been the director three years ago. What makes this bitch so proud of it?'' Audrey gracefully ced her hair to one side. With a genuine smile this time, she asked, "Ms. Jin, you''ve heard of me?" "Well¡­ I think I''ve heard of your name somewhere, but I just can''t remember," Nacy nonchntly said. Except for Mandy, she didn''t like any woman to get close to her brother. "Ms. Jin, I know you! You''re such an awesome actress. You''ve been nominated in Hollywoodst time. I''m really interested in the movie which you acted in!" Audrey eximed. "Thank you for thepliment," Nacy said in a calm voice. Although she remained polite, she didn''t take thepliment seriously. Fiona discreetly looked at Audrey from head to toe. ''This woman looks like a seductress. She had the features of a standard pseudo-celebrity on the Inte. With her pointed chin, big eyes, and high cheekbones, she looks pretty good. I don''t know if she had stic surgery or she''s a natural. Is she another woman who''s trying to tempt Nathan? I don''t think she or anyone can seed in that regard though, '' she thought silently. The atmosphere in the ward immediately became a little weird. Only Nacy and Audrey were having a casual conversation. But soon enough, Nacy didn''t bother paying attention to Audrey. "Adrian, what are you ying?" Audrey asked in a gentle and friendly manner while bending down to appeal to the child. "We''re ying cards! Do you want to join?" Adrian enthusiastically asked with a smile. "I want to, but I can''t. I have to see another patient soon. Do you feel ufortable anywhere, Adrian?" Audrey smiled at the little boy with eyes that shone like the stars. "No, I''m fine." He straightened his back and patted his chest, acting like a strong grown-up man. "That''s good. I am leaving now. I wille back and see youter, okay?" Audrey actually felt embarrassed to be there. She was not in a good mood and didn''t want to stay any longer. "Adrian, say goodbye to Aunt Audrey," Nacy stated with excitement while pinching Adrian''s delicate face. "See you, Aunt Audrey," Adrian obediently said. "See you, Adrian." Audrey smiled, but she was not very happy. That day, there were a lot of people who came to the ward. Right after Audrey left, Fred came in. "Grandpa Fred!" Adrian greeted right away when he saw the man. "Adrian," Fred stated with a warm smile. Blinking his big eyes, the boy innocently asked, "Mom, Dad, why are there so many people who came to visit me today?" "Actually, I''m not here to visit you young boy. I''m here for your father," Fred joked. He looked at the little boy in a very kind manner. Already in his fifties, Fred was old enough to be a grandpa, but he hadn''t gotten married and didn''t have any children yet. He was used to living alone for so many years. There was only work and more work in Fred''s world. He had a woman in his heart, but she was already gone. Although Fred had failed to be together with her, in his heart, he always considered her as his wife. In the beginning, Nathan had also tried to persuade Fred that it was time to find someone who could spend her life with him. Fred was in his forties at that time, and he could still meet a young and beautiful woman, get married, and have children. But Nathan couldn''t convince him, and after a while, he knew that it was useless to try anymore. Fred was a very sentimental man. In his lifetime, he had only fallen in love with someone once. He knew that it wouldn''t be the same after that. So he simply chose not to fall in love again. For his entire career, Fred had followed every single instruction that Nathan had given him. He dutifully did everything that Nathan had told him to, except for one thing. And that was to get married. Then, Nathan recalled an encounter with the man. It was about two years since Mandy left. Nathan was standing in the yard. He was watching the sunset, feeling dejected. "Do you really want to live alone all your life?" he asked Fred. "Well, it''s fine to be alone, I at least have someone in my heart. I don''t think I''ll ever get over her, so it''s best if I just keep to myself. I don''t want to hurt another person''s feelings." Fred narrowed his eyes with a smile. It was one of the rare moments that the man had shown his vulnerable and tender side. Chapter 742 It Comes From One Word鈥擫ove Chapter 742 It Comes From One Word¡ª''Love'' "What if you get old one day?" Nathan asked. He also had a bad feeling at that moment. Fred had been considered a family member of the Jin Family for his entire life. He had been working for them for two generations, Jason''s and Nathan''s. Fred had watched Nathan grow up. "It''s no big deal if I get old. I have you, Mr. Jin. Will you abandon me when I''m old?" Fred pretended to be hurt. He even sniffed and put on a pained look. "Of course not, Fred. To be honest, you are closer to me than any of my uncles in the Jin Family. You''ve been with me my whole life, and you have a special ce in my heart. None of my uncles ever treated me as well as you did." "Mr. Jin, what happened to Mr. Shi is in the past. There''s no need to me yourself." Fred shed Nathan a calm smile. He had been through a lot, so he knew he could go through any difficulties. In his opinion, nothing was more important than being alive. Everything was trivial except for life and death. Many young people did not know this truth. When they got older, they would discover that they could never again meet the true love they did not cherish when they were young. "Lillian is a nice person. You two are actually alike in so many ways. Maybe you should go ahead and court her." Nathan was not a nosy person, but he cared about Fred''s lifelong happiness. Fred was speechless for a few seconds, and then he lowered his head and said, "Mr. Jin, please don''t make fun of me." "I''m just concerned about you. You have been alone for so many years. Don''t you feel lonely? Well, even though you''re not lonely, you still have sexual desires." Nathan raised his head and took a nce at Fred, smiling wickedly. He wondered how Fred dealt with his physical needs over the years. "I have hands, you know. Enough talk about me. Let''s talk about you now. You haven''t made his identity known. Are you waiting for Ms. Zhou?" Fred observed Nathan carefully. Unexpectedly, Nathan inherited his father''s long-term and special affection, and Sharon was really nothing in the past. They had not been together for a long time, and they seldom contacted each other. They simply chatted sometimes, but Nathan had decided to offer his heart to Mandy. "Yes, I''m waiting for her. Do you think she wille back?" Looking at the day''sst afterglow, Nathan suddenly remembered thest time he had made snowmen with Mandy in this ce. At that time, they dreamed that the next year, they would take their child to make a snowman here and y in the snow together. "Mr. Jin... I''m sorry. I still have no clue about Ms. Zhou," Fred lowered his head and replied in a low, apologetic voice. "Don''t worry. No news is the best news. I''m sure she''s still alive. If she doesn''te back, I''ll keep you company. I''ll be an old bachelor with you." Nathan seemed to be smiling calmly, but his eyes welled with tears. "Love, what a terrible thing! I didn''t expect that Mr. Jin would fall madly in love one day." Fred sighed and shook his head. "Do you think... Was it because I was bad to her? Was it because I didn''t treat her the way she''s supposed to be treated that she got angry and left and decided not toe back?" Nathan frowned as a lump formed in his throat. He was on the verge of tears. No one had ever been able to make his heart so fragile in his entire life. Nathan''s heart was once a diamond heart, but because of Mandy, it had turned into one made of ss that could easily be broken.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Ms. Zhou will definitelye back if she knows that you love her so much," Fredforted Nathan. In the corridor... "How is it going? Have you found anything?" Nathan stood in front of Fred with a malicious look with Mandy following suit. "Serge had been there, but that Ouyang did not admit it. Serge didn''t find any equipment to create bacteria where Ouyang was staying." Fred put on a frustrated look as if he was pestered by thousands of puzzles. Doctor Ouyang had be the biggest obstacle to their current goal. Adrian''s test results would take a week. Mandy''s greatest worry was that the bacteria would have taken over Adrian''s body by that time. What if this bacteria was still lurking in his body and waiting to break out? Was it possible at all that there were no bacteria in Adrian''s body, to begin with? However, the chance of it happening was very small. Mandy had been certain that Eve injected Adrian with the bacteria. Although Adrian had a heart operation at a very young age, it did not affect his blood cirction. As he fell to the ground, his blood kept flowing, which made Mandy a little flustered. "That''s impossible. Maybe he hid them in secret rooms." The look on Nathan''s face was cold and serious. He pressed his thin lips together. "When Serge arrived, Ouyang was making tea. He was actually in a hurry, but he still pretended to be calm." "What do you know about Ouyang?" Nathan''s handsome face tensed, and there was no expression on it. "Having traveled many ces, we found some very important information about Ouyang. He had been in love with a girl at university. Her name was Elizabeth, and she was Mrs. Jin''s university tutor." Fred looked up at Mandy with a dark face. There was a sudden silence in the room. Mandy was a little confused. She could not figure out how Ouyang had something to do with her college mentor, Elizabeth. Seeing the confused expression on Mandy''s face, Fredughed out loud. He then asked, "Ms. Zhou, do you know who Elizabeth''s husband is?" "Yes, I know. My teacher told me that there was a man whose name is Shawn. He was my teacher''s senior. I used to go to his home for dinner before. Ms. Li was very kind to me." Frowning, Mandy tried to recall what had happened recently. She felt that things were getting more and moreplicated. "Is the rtionship between Elizabeth and Shawn good?" Fred asked again. The mysterious expression on his face made Mandy even more confused. "Not bad. Shawn set up apany in Ennd, and after Ms. Li finished tutoring me in college, she and her husband traveled around the world. I haven''t contacted them for a long time, and I don''t know where they are now." Mandy pouted and lowered her head. Thest time Mandy got in touch with Elizabeth was when she returned from abroad. At that time, Elizabeth was in India. "That''s right, but I was just guessing. Elizabeth and Shawn are a couple, and Ouyang is in love with Elizabeth. He must have been angry because Elizabeth didn''t choose him. You''re also Elizabeth''s student. Ouyang must have promised Eve to cooperate with her, and it''s possible that Eve has given Ouyang a very generous reward." Fred had investigated a lot of things in the past. He hade to know that most rtionships were based on love. Chapter 743 I Will Never Leave You Chapter 743 I Will Never Leave You "It doesn''t make sense. Did hee to take revenge on me for what happened years ago? Is he insane?" Mandy could not believe Fred''s assumption. If it was true, it would be really scary. That man was truly crazy. "What do you think, Mr. Jin? Of course, it''s only my preliminary deduction," Fred said with a stern look. Nathan opened his mouth slightly and nodded in agreement. "It''s possible. After all, when a person falls in love, he really can do anything." "That freak!" Mandy eximed, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists so hard. "Mandy, can you contact your mentor now?" Nathan narrowed his dark eyes, an indifferent look showing up on his handsome face. "I can try. I have my mentor''s phone number and email address." Mandy started massaging her temple, feeling the pain in her head. Her mouth twitched. It turned out that the man was crazy in love. There was a moment of silence in the corridor. Mandy took out her cellphone and called Elizabeth. The other line just kept ringing, but Elizabeth did not answer. "I called her before I came back. She was traveling around the world. I don''t know where she is now. Maybe she''s busy or sleeping. We can''t be sure because of the time difference." Watching her screen turn dark, Mandy suddenly felt a very depressing feeling. "That''s possible. It''s indeed difficult to contact someone who is traveling around the world," Nathan agreed. Maybe it was because the weather was so hot that Mandy found it difficult to breathe. She took two steps backward and lost her bnce. Nathan stretched out his arms quickly and held Mandy. Her face turned pale. The back of her dress was wet. She had been sweating. "Mandy, are you okay? What''s wrong?" Nathan asked worriedly. He held his breath as he waited for Mandy to answer. "Nothing. Nothing''s wrong. I''m fine, really. I''m just a little tired. Nathan, what if we can''t get in touch with my mentor? What if it''s useless to contact her. Could we ask her to talk to Ouyang?" "That''s what I was thinking. We don''t really know the man. If he did this because of Elizabeth, the only person who could resolve the issue would be Elizabeth," Nathan said with a grim expression. "But¡­ I don''t know where my mentor is," Mandy said weakly. "Fred, go and check it out. Make sure to find out where Elizabeth is and call her," Nathan ordered. "Right away," Fred responded as he pulled himself together. "I''m confused, Nathan. I can''t believe that Ouyang did this because of my mentor. What''s wrong with him?" "Don''t worry. Maybe Ouyang didn''t hurt Adrian after all." The look on Nathan''s face darkened. He was not sure whether he wasforting himself or his wife. Nathan was no less nervous than Mandy. He pursed his lips and looked at the woman in front of him quietly. When he stretched out his hand, Mandy gave him hers in response. They held hands as if trying to soothe each other''s anxiety. Fred squinted at the couple and then walked away. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Mandy suddenly tightened her fingers around Nathan''s until her knuckles turned white. She looked up, the burning in her eyes bing more and more unbearable with every second. She wanted to cry but decided against it. She did not need her tears right now. Nathan felt very sorry for her. "Mandy..." A hoarse voice reached Mandy''s ears. "How long have you known Audrey?" Mandy suddenly asked. She suddenly thought of the woman, jealousy threatening to swallow her whole. "About three years," Nathan said coolly as he patted Mandy''s head. He met Audrey when he went to Switzend. It had been three years. Mandy pursed her lips. There was obvious jealousy on her pretty face. She said, "You''ve known each other for a longer time than we''ve been together." Nathan smiled lightly and instantly understood the little woman''s feelings. "The duration is meaningless. Some people grow up together and eventually end up together. Others fall in love at first sight and then get married instantly. It''s all fate," he exined. "I understand what you mean... I just... I won''t leave you this time or ever again." Mandy''s eyshes fluttered, and her voice trembled. She felt a little embarrassed. "How dare you want to leave me? Am I not good to you? Why do you even have thoughts of leaving me?" Nathan said with a grim face while keeping his eyes glued on Mandy. "Well... I was just saying." It was night, and the temperature dropped a lotpared with the day. Audrey was on duty tonight. She sat silently in front of theputer. The documents and medical books on her desk were piled up in a messy stack. She was checking Adrian''s test results. The current test results showed that there was something wrong with Adrian''s blood. There was a little inmmation, but the specific cause could not yet be determined. At the thought of being humiliated by Mandy in the morning, Audrey was displeased. After all, she was a talented student in medical school, but Mandy looked down upon her. ''Mandy stopped being a doctor many years ago. How could she know more than I do? I don''t believe that she''s a better doctor than I am. After all, I''m active in my practice and in treating my patients. She hasn''t been a doctor since she quit, '' she thought. Audrey stared at theputer screen for a long time and felt a little sore in her eyes. She was no longer Adrian''s attending physician. She did not understand why she still worked so hard. She could go get some rest in the middle of the night, but she chose to do some research in order to discover details of Adrian''s condition. She had been reading medical books for more than two hours, and she was getting more and more dizzy, but she had not found a single clue yet. She rested her forehead on her palm as her headache began to worsen. She did not know whom she could ask for help at the moment. Then, Audrey suddenly thought of Leo. He had done blood bacterial experiments for two years for a woman. Chapter 744 Were Getting Divorced Chapter 744 We''re Getting Divorced At that time, clinical experiments in medical school were the most popr, while very few did bacterial experiments. Patience was an absolute requirement when doing experiments as well as eptance of failure. Audrey never attended this subject while Leo studied it for two whole years. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. With this in mind, Audrey figured that Leo would probably know something. She lowered her head and nced at her watch. It was already past twelve. She figured Leo was probably sleeping already. She hesitated whether she should call Leo or not. While she could have easily ignored Adrian''s condition, she just couldn''t bring herself to let go of the child. As much as she hated Mandy, her oath as a doctor came first. Besides, she had saved Adrian''s life. She did not want the patient, who she had saved, to die in front of her now. The office was very quiet, and the atmosphere was a little solemn. Audrey took a deep breath before finally mustering up the courage to call Leo. The phone rang for a good ten seconds before someone finally answered. Audrey immediately said, "Hi, Leo. I''m sorry to bother you sote in the evening, but I''m stuck. I have a question, and I just can''t seem to understand it. I was hoping to get your perspective on it." For a while, Mi didn''t say anything. She got goosebumps when she heard the sweet, female voice over the phone. She turned her head and looked in the direction of the bathroom¡ªLeo was still taking a shower inside. "Hello. Who''s this?" Mi asked politely, wearing an ironic smile on her face. "What? This isn''t Leo?" Audrey rubbed her temples, not knowing how to react. It hadpletely slipped her mind that Leo was already married. Initially, she thought she had dialed the wrong number. She even checked if it was the right number¡ªit was. "If you''re looking for Leo, he''s taking a shower right now. I can ask him to call youter." Mi pursed her lips, sneering. "Oh... Are you Leo''s wife?" Audrey asked. She vaguely recalled Leo mentioning Mi, but she didn''t know her that well. "Yeah, sort of." There was a cold smile on Mi''s face. She was Mrs. Wen for now, but soon, she wasn''t going to be anymore. "Nice to meet you. Leo has mentioned you before. If my memory serves me right, yourst name is Qian, right?" Audrey said, smiling sweetly. Still, she couldn''t ignore the strange feeling that arose in her chest. When Leo got married, he didn''t tell Audrey until about three monthster. They were casually chatting online when he blurted out, "I''m married." Audrey then had no idea how powerful those words could be until she heard theme from Leo''s mouth. She didn''t even know what marriage meant to Leo. There was a time when Leo had said that he would never fall in love with any other woman save for that one person. It seemed that he hadpromised. Audrey didn''t know whether or not he truly loved Mi, but they had been together for two years now. Two years is quite a long time. Audrey had loved Leo back when she was still young. Until now, she still missed the old days. Upon hearing this, Mi curled her lips in delight. She didn''t expect that Audrey would know her. It seemed that she wasn''t as indispensable as she thought she was to Leo. But did that even matter? She didn''t even know what Leo had said about her. For all she knew, he might speak ill about her to Audrey. After all, he was a scheming man. "Well, were you two ssmates in college?" Mi asked lightly, out of curiosity. "Yeah. Please don''t take this the wrong way though. I''m not doing anything wrong. I just encountered a very tricky case in the hospital, and I wanted to hear his take on it. That''s the only reason why I''m calling sote." Audrey was afraid of being misunderstood by Mi. After all, she was calling sote. She just didn''t want any trouble. Upon hearing this, Mi buried her face in her knees. She felt a little ashamed for thinking that way. Smiling wryly, she said apologetically, "It''s not that. I didn''t assume anything. We''re breaking up soon anyway." Audrey was visibly stunned. "What do you mean?" "We''re getting a divorce soon. If you like him, you can have him." Mi chuckled as soon as the words left her mouth, mostly out of difort. She felt as if her heart was being crushed. Audrey remained silent for a few moments. ncing at the empty office, she felt as if the atmosphere suddenly froze. She had no idea why Mi was leaving Leo, but either way, she wasn''t going after Leo anyway. She knew that was just going to attract trouble. Perhaps Leo only married Mi on the condition that he would get something in return. While Audrey didn''t know what happened between Leo and Mi, she did know Leo quite well. He was an affectionate man who didn''t give up so easily on the people he loved. "I... I don''t like Leo. I love someone else. I hope you and Leo can work it out. After all, he''s a good man." "That''s true. Leo is a good man, but I just think someone else out there is better for him." Mi stretched as shey down, trying to look for afortable sleeping position. Mi never really excelled in academics. She graduated from a fairly average university and studied for her postgraduate degree after. However, Leo was different. He received his double Ph.D. degree in finance as well as medical science. If she hadn''t met the Jin couple who was on their honeymoon in City Bst time, she wouldn''t have even known that Leo was a doctor. Leo never mentioned this before to Mi. When she tried asking him about itter on, he shifted the topic impatiently. She was sensible enough not to bring it up anymore. Still, she knew that Leo must have had a story that he was purposely keeping from her. Until now, she couldn''t understand for the life of her why Leo would refuse to divorce her when it was clear as day that he never truly loved her. Mi had always been like this ever since she was a child. She''d rather believe her own wild estimations than what anyone told her. Perhaps this was why she never felt secure. Chapter 745 Im Afraid There Wouldnt Be A Good Ending Chapter 745 I''m Afraid There Wouldn''t Be A Good Ending "Please don''t say that, Miss Qian. I believe Leo is serious about you. He didn''t have a girlfriend when he was still in college. At that time, our tutor wanted to introduce him to a lot of girls, but he wasn''t interested in any of them." Audrey took off the sses. With a ck frame, the pair of radiation-proof blue light sses had been given to her by Leo. One year ago, Audrey''s eyes had some severe irritation. Her eyes were red for a whole week because she had been staring at theputer for a long time. Leo was very considerate to send her the pair. From then on, Audrey would wear the sses every time she would use aputer. It had be a habit. "Really? He didn''t even have one girlfriend during his college years?" Mi had suspicion all over her face as she rolled her eyes. It was really hard for her to believe that Leo hadn''t been in love. Mi felt that if ordinary people like her could experience love, how could Leo, a man who was so adept at schemes and plots, not be in love yet? Everyone had experienced the magic of falling in love and being loved in return while they were growing up. "I don''t know..." Audrey smiled, but it wasn''t from the bottom of her heart. It seemed shallow and empty. However, Mi couldn''t hear clearly over the phone. She just thought that Audrey was a nice person. At that time, Leo came out of the bathroom to Mi''s surprise. The man was not wearing anything on his upper body. Not just that, he was only wearing boxer briefs to cover the lower part of his body. Baring his wide shoulders and thin waist, Mi could clearly see that his body wasparable to a male model of a prestigious fashion show. The standard eight pack abs outlined his attractive male figure. Even from a distance, he was breathtaking. Holding Leo''s phone, Mi blinked for a few seconds before she found her voice. "Well... Uhm... Your senior is here." Audrey raised her eyebrows. Her mood was instantly lifted. She picked up a pen, opened the notebook which she had prepared and smiled gently. "Okay." Leo noticed that Mi was holding his phone, but he didn''t say anything. Instead, he calmly walked to the bed and took the phone, which M had kindly handed over to him. Looking at the caller ID, he slowly said, "Hello, Audrey." "Leo, I''m really sorry to bother you at thiste hour. I just have a question to ask you, but I don''t know if you can give me the answer." Audrey smiled in an elegant and dignified manner. However, her posture was a little stiff. "Okay, tell me." Leo''s tone was calm. He wasn''t even embarrassed or bothered by talking to someone while he''s next to Mi. Mi stared at him with a nk expression on her face. Since Leo hade back, she thought that she didn''t have anything to worry about. She could just let him talk with his junior ssmate from college. With that thought in mind, Mi blinked her tired eyes and got into the bed. "I don''t know much about experimenting with bacteria from the blood. Will the coagtion function of the blood be damaged once a person was injected with some sort of bacteria?" Audrey put on her sses once again and adjusted it at the bridge of her nose with her slender finger. "I''m not so sure about this. It depends on which kind of bacteria it is. If it''s the kind of bacteria that can damage the coagtion function, then it will definitely have a significant impact," Leo stated with a frown. He then pursed his thin lips tightly while thinking about the situation a little more. "Then, can you detect all of the bacteria which had been injected in his body in a short period of time?" Audrey carefully asked while she recorded the information in her notebook. "Yes, basically, the bacteria can spread and immediately cause damage upon entering the human body. Either they are devoured by some cells in the human body, or they enter some cells and use these as hosts to produce more viruses. But as far as I know, some of them will remain stagnant inside the human body for a while before they can do any damage. For example, the incubation period of AIDS canst for many years." Leo turned a little and looked at Mi with his sharp and cold eyes. He noticed that while he was talking on the phone, Mi was also holding her own phone andughing a lot. He didn''t know what she was looking at. Audrey immediately frowned and said, "So, there''s no way we can detect and examine the bacteria?" Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Not really. If we can extract some bone marrow samples from the patient, there is still hope in this case. But we need a lot of specimens, and we need it from every part of his body. Some of the bacteria are hidden in certain organs or blood vessels. Anyway, who has been injected with the bacteria?" Leo asked while squinting his eyes at Mi. "It''s Mr. Jin''s son. It''s possible that someone has injected his body with the bacteria. We haven''t confirmed it yet, but I''m looking into it right now." "What? Nathan''s son was injected with bacteria?!" Upon hearing the information, Leo became serious. Even his tone was a little more severe. Mi was startled when Leo raised his voice. Her hand that was holding the phone froze for a second. She turned around and looked at Leo with confusion. Out of shock, her mouth was wide open, and her eyes werepletely focused on him. Did she hear it wrong? She couldn''t believe that Nathan''s son had been injected with a bacteria. "It''s possible. We''ve already taken some samples of his blood and had it tested. However, we still don''t know the result," Audrey exined. "Well, what kind of tests have you done? How is the boy?" "Something is wrong with the coagtion of his blood. But everything else is normal for the time being." Audrey bit her lips and felt deeply frustrated. It turned out that Mandy was right after all. Because Audrey did not have sufficient knowledge and experience about Adrian''s condition, she would be theughing stock of the hospital. "If this is the case, then it''s going to be veryplicated and dangerous from here on out. If there is a problem with the blood coagtion, we''re going to have a lot of problems. First and foremost, the process of extracting the bone marrow is going to be critical." "But... It''s still safe to extract some bone marrow samples. Besides, the body can regenerate the bone marrow on its own," Audrey said in bewilderment. She shook the tip of her pen. She couldn''t understand why she was getting more and more confused while talking to Leo. "That''s right. But since there''s something wrong with his blood coagtion, everything is different now. Even if we extract some bone marrow samples, it''s possible that we won''t find the virus in there." The expression on Leo''s face darkened when he spoke. He had never encountered such a difficult problem. And now, Audrey was the one handling this. But even if it was his responsibility, Leo was certain that he would have headaches for days or weeks. "Leo, what should we do? The child is really cute. I don''t want anything bad to happen to him." "First of all, you should test his blood again. You also need to do a thorough physical examination on the child. If both tests show that he''s fine, then you don''t need to extract the bone marrow. But if there''s something wrong with his blood, it could cause inmmation and otherplications. By then, you can conclude that the bacteria resides in the blood. Since blood circtes in every part of the human body, it can be removed by anti-bodies. If the bacteria is very potent, that would mean it would be hard to completely eliminate it. By then, the only thing to do is to test the bone marrow." Leo narrowed his eyes a little and met Mi''s eyes. The expression on his face was hard to read. "Okay, I get it. Thank you, Leo." Audrey was starting to have a severe headache. ording to Leo, Adrian was certainly in a critical condition, and there was a high possibility that it could only get worse from here on out. Chapter 746 Make A Concession Chapter 746 Make A Concession Audrey knew how excruciating a bone marrow extraction was. During her third year in college, she served as a volunteer. At that time, a patient who had leukemia matched her blood type. She immediately decided to donate her bone marrow, without any hesitation. It took her a whole week to recover from that procedure. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. As a doctor, Audrey was fully ustomed to opening a patient''s chest with a scalpel. She never felt queasy whenever she operated. However, when she was the one being operated on, she was frightened. Mi felt nauseated as well. But as soon as she heard what had happened to Adrian, she bolted straight up. She had learned from Leo that Adrian was injected with some sort of bacteria. ''What the hell?'' she wondered dubiously. "Adrian was injected with bacteria? Who would do such a thing? How could that happen?" Anxious for some answers, Mi imploringly stared at Leo. "Just take it as it is. I''m afraid that Adrian is in grave danger," Leo''s face darkened as he said those words. The gentleness of his voice could not mask how nervous the man felt. "I have to go to City A as soon as possible. I need to go and see Adrian." Mi felt a surge of dread in her system. Her face also went moderately pale. She knew the kid because of her constant video chats with Mandy. Adrian always made sure to greet Mi whenever he stumbled upon those videos chat sessions. Somehow, the kid reminded Mi of the child she once had. "I think it would be best if you stayed in this city for the time being. If the rumors are true, I can not begin to imagine the pain Mandy is currently going through. Going there would not change anything, Mi. So just stay here and wait for any kind of confirmation. Besides, they''re just rumors. Who can tell if they are true?" Leo did his best to look at the situation rationally. "Well, I cannot be as calm as you, Mr. Wen. I''m not cold-blooded! Adrian is an innocent kid. Who the hell would do such an atrocious thing to him? He could be dying for all we know! I don''t care what you say. I have to go to City A tomorrow." Mi''s mind was made up. She feltpelled to p Leo, solely because of his indifference towards the situation. "Wow, you do have a sharp tongue... Does it please you to speak to me in that tone?" Leo asked mockingly. "My manner of speaking is none of your business. Let''s just mind our own businesses, Leo. You go do what you want, and I''ll do what I see fit," Mi retorted angrily. She did not want to argue any further. Mi solemnly needed a break from Leo. "Fine. I wille with you as soon as I am done with work. At this point, Adrian''s physical exam report has note out yet. I think we can go to the hospital and find out the results together." Leo took some time toe up with a decent reply. Usually, Leo worked up until midnight. He had always intended to sleep separately from Mi. However, given Mi''s health, the man decided that it would be best if he looked after Mi even as they slept. After all, autumn could bring about some disease that could further upset Mi''s condition. Mi simply pouted and eagerly gazed unto Leo. Her silence seemed to air her agreement. Leo''s concession had finally resolved their argument. Thed actually seemed very amiable and understanding. Mi''s recent weight gain had dawned on her heavily. That extra five pounds had been pestering her thoughtstely. Ever since they got married, Leo always made sure that Mi ate only the most delicious food she wanted. In reality, the sudden swing in her weight should not be a surprise. She was apparently dispirited and had not worked for more than 6 months¡ªall because of the miscarriage that she still reeled from. Leo had been away for worktely, and so Mi had been experiencing some sleepless nights. She did everything to make herselffortable. She had even tried to sleep in the guest room. Still, she found herself tossing and turning throughout the night. On the contrary, she always had a good night''s sleep whenever Leo was around¡ªregardless of the huge doll in between them. Mi was somewhat mesmerized by Leo''s effect on her. At around eleven o''clock in the evening, Eve came storming out of a bar. She foundfort in living alone and away from her family. That way, no one would ever nag on her no matter howte she would come home. Back when Eve lived with the Su Family, her father often restricted her activities. For her father, Shaun, going to bars at night could potentially lead to indecent interactions with men. Eve''s father was upright and traditional, but thedy did not share any of those qualities. Eve had always yed the part of the "obedient girl in the family," but her rebellious side came out soon enough. Until one day, Eve stopped listening to Shaun all together. At that point, Shaun''s work began to take over his life. The man did not even stop his daughter from moving out. As Eve left their home, Shaun''s disregard for her grew more and more. Eve reeked of alcohol as she stepped into her house. She shook her high heels off of her feet and proceeded to turn the lights on. To her surprise, there was a person seated in her living room. In Eve''s drunken mind, the figure resembled her father. She quickly gathered herself and pulled up the neckline of her dress. ''Damn it! When did he get here?'' Seeing Shaun had given Eve a headache. Shaun wore a ck suit. The man was tall and slender. His demeanor still resembled that of his youth. He exuded maturity and ss. Eve took a deep breath. That was all that she could muster, especially given the awkward situation she now found herself in. ''Why would he be here?'' Eve wondered. "You''re back..." Shaun said coldly. The manner by which Shaun acknowledged Eve was unusual for a father. Eve''s heart skipped a beat. Her father''s tone told her everything. Eve knew that something must have gone wrong. Before she could even answer, Eve found her father coldly staring at her. The atmosphere was so intense that Eve got goosebumps. "Dad. Why are you here?" She wore a sexy ck low-cut dress. Her slender snow-white thighs were exposed. All of this added an irresistible charm to her. Chapter 747 What Day Is It Today Chapter 747 What Day Is It Today Shaun eyed Eve with his lips pursed and a cold expression. In a rather stiff tone, he scolded, "You go to the night club every damn day. And you dress so disgracefully. I shouldn''t have to tell you to be aware of all the men around you!" Hisment about her clothing infuriated Eve. A frown overcame her face. Furious, she responded, hissing, "What do you mean by that, Dad? What did you just say? I cannot believe you are so narrow minded! It isn''t strange that I go to night clubs. Perhaps you are the one who needs to adapt to the modern world!" Even though she was angry, she dared not meet her father''s eyes, afraid that she might cross a line and disrespect him. "Humph! I''m your father. Who''s going to look out for you if I don''t?" Eve nced at her father''s convulsed face momentarily. Seeing how angry he was, she decided not to provoke him any further. "I mean, just look at how much make-up you are wearing right now! Go out all you want, but you have to learn to take care of yourself! Are you a child? Do I really need to exin these things to you?" Shaun''s eyes went up and down her legs. Her skirt was as short as a prostitute''s. His nose red up in anger. Eve''s mother had died when she was very young. The girl had grown up without a mother''s love. Back then, Shaun remained very busy with work and seldom paid attention to her. It still hurt Eve that he never even remembered her birthday. Today was her twenty-sixth birthday. She went out with Jennifer and Bonnie to celebrate. Most girls her age were already married, or at least had a boyfriend. Eve was neither in a rtionship, nor was she married. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. At least she should have the freedom to enjoy time with her friends and vent out her bottled up emotions. Inside this vi was where she felt the loneliest. Outside, these feelings of loneliness resided, although temporarily. What a poor girl! Nobody, not even her own father, had remembered her birthday. If she hadn''t told her friends, they''d never have found out. Eve didn''t think of herself as a vulnerable person most of the time. However, she did get sentimental from time to time. Eve was too hurt to tell her father it was her birthday. She guessed he had forgotten, like he always did. "Yes, Dad. You are right. I don''t know how to take care of myself. No one has loved or cared for me since mother died. Can you really judge me for it? Do you even know what day it is?" Eve shouted, at once forgetting her decision to not tell him. She simply couldn''t keep it in anymore. Shaun was shocked at the volume of her voice. He didn''t know what she was talking about. What day was it? He only knew Nathan wanted to terminate all association with the Sus Bank. Fred had paid a visit to him this afternoon. Shaun had weed him quite eagerly, and he had asked his secretary to serve them with the best tea they had. However, Fred hadn''t taken even a single sip. Instead, with narrow eyes, he told Shaun, "Mr. Su, please take care of your daughter and ask her to consider the consequences of her actions. Mr. Jin says if Adrian''s test results show nothing abnormal, the cooperation with Sus Bank will continue smoothly. But if anything goes wrong, the cooperation will be terminated. And... I''m afraid your daughter will also be in trouble..." Fred''s words had made Shaun frown. He was confused and wondered what Eve had done. But when he gave it some more thought, he felt frightened, and his face went pale. Had Eve done something to Nathan''s son? "I''m sorry, Mr. Zou. I don''t get you. What has Eve done?" Shaun had asked with a sheepish smile on his face, despite the fact that his head was bursting with a terrible ache. Fred chuckled in a sinister way. "You should ask her what she has done. To my knowledge, she''s been paying five million dors to a person named Ouyang every month. What that money is being used for, you should ask her in detail." Shaun''s eyes had widened. He fell deep into thought. He transferred twenty million to her ount every month for all her needs. It wasn''t a big deal for him. Sometimes, Eve would buy something like a watch or a ne, which cost more than two million. He never asked her about how she spent her money. Shaun was aware that he hadn''t given her enough love and care while she grew up. This was his way of making up for it. "Thanks for your message, Mr. Zou. I will speak to her immediately and make sure she doesn''t cause any trouble," Shaun said politely, forcing a smile. Truth was, Shaun was a very sensible person. He was self-righteous and had a clear idea of what he could and couldn''t do. But Eve was different. She was much more self-conscious and unsure about things. This was perhaps due to ack of parental care. Shaun could vaguely feel that Eve had deviated from the right track. Since she had moved out of the house, she stayed outte every night in thepany of a group dominated by men. He had never tried to restrict her even after knowing some of her behavior was problematic. He had always wanted her to have full freedom. "Yes, I hope you can do the necessary things. Mr. Jin says since JS International and the Sus Bank have coborated for so many years, it would be a pity if there is a termination. He hopes that Miss Su would correct her mistakes." Fred deliberately stressed on thest part: correct her mistakes. "I''ll handle it. Thank you foring, Mr. Zou. I''ll talk to her when I go home," Shaun said softly. Fred pressed lips into a thin line and gazed at Shaun with his bright, narrow eyes. He wondered how someone like Shaun could have a daughter like Eve. Shaun had amendable reputation in the industry as both a businessman and a person. Nathan knew what the termination of the cooperation with the Sus Bank would mean: huge losses for both parties. However, no matter how much money he had, it wasn''t more important to him than his own son. "What day is it today?" asked Shaun in a calm tone, snapping back to the present. He was getting old, and he couldn''t really remember dates of anything anymore. "Ha-ha! I knew you didn''t remember!" Eve''s delicate red lips curved into an awkward smile. On the verge of tears, she looked at her father ironically. Chapter 748 Why Are You So Depraved Chapter 748 Why Are You So Depraved Shaun didn''t do that on purpose. After all, who forgets something on purpose? It was just that his memory prowess couldn''t catch up to his old age. Maybe it was because of age, or was it because of him working tirelessly? Whatever it was, it had caused him to lose a lot of memories. "Don''t beat around the bush with me!" Shaun said without giving it much thought. "You should call it quits with this business. You aren''t fit for it. Yes, you aren''t even a qualified father!" Eve mocked while squinting her eyes. Just then, something snapped inside Shaun. He stood still like a mountain, for even his chest didn''t move. "I''m indeed... an unqualified father. I have made a lot of mistakes over the years, but I regretted none but one. Raising you while making sure youcked nothing was my biggest mistake. Raising you into a spoiled princess was my biggest mistake. If I could correct just one mistake: I would correct you. Just look at yourself. How can you dress like that and still parade around in a bar?" Hearing that didn''t bring shame to Eve. It brought anger instead. She clenched her fists so tight that her fingernails dug into her flesh. It was painful, but was it as painful as the pain in her heart? Her father, no, her biological father, just called her a spoiled princess. Ha-ha! "Dad, am I such a bad girl in your eyes?" Eve asked with betrayal evident in her voice. After a few seconds of hesitation, Shaun frowned and replied, "As your father, I hope you can be better than everyone else. But you have been acting weird these past few days. Instead of going to a spa or salon, you are frequenting shady bars. Eve, you have to start thinking about the future. You are unmarried, and if such scandalous facts bemon knowledge, who would be willing to marry you?" "I just went there a few times. Is it that big of a deal? Ha-ha! Moreover, I don''t really care about being single because the man I love sees me as nothing more than a friend." Each and every word of Eve brought the unpleasant smell of wine along with it. Her emotions stirred because of her father''s words, and she couldn''t stop herself from arguing. "When did you be so wicked and heartless? What did you do to Adrian?" Shaun was no longer controlling his voice. He shouted while saying each and every word in a clear but crisp manner. Upon hearing her father''s question, Eve''s face turned pale with fear. She didn''t dare to breathe loudly and stayed silent. ''Does he know about that? No, if he knew about that, he would have already shouted till the high heavens. Judging from his words, he isn''t aware of the details.'' Eve was evaluating her options. "Why am I wicked? I didn''t do anything to Adrian. I even bought him a cup of milk tea, and this is what I get in return?" Eve gritted her teeth and refused to admit the truth. She pinched her palm so hard that her long nails pierced into her flesh. She was at a point where only pain could distract her mind and ease her inner turmoil. "Only a cup of milk tea and not more, right? But is this the real, God''s honest truth? Are you sure you aren''t just making up stories? Eve, I really wished that you had nothing to do with Adrian''s condition. But that nervous look on your face has long since betrayed you. Just tell me the truth: what have you done to Adrian?" Shaun shouted while closing in on Eve. Hearing her father''s precise inference, Eve couldn''t help but tremble. She began taking deep breaths in efforts to control her emotions. After calming herself down, she said, "Dad, I really don''t know what you are talking about." Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "You are still refuse to admit it? Okay. From today onward, I am cutting off your finances. You must move back with me by tomorrow and live there till I see fit! You''re not allowed to go outside! And who is this Ouyang character anyway?" Shaun bellowed as his face became pitch ck from anger. Eve got nervous and quivered a little. Shaun finding out the truth wasn''t within her expectations. She was trembling from fear now, but she calmed down soon and said, "Ouyang is my personal physician." "And when did personal physicians begin earning five million a month? Are you sure that it isn''t just a cover for something illegal?" Shaun growled as he looked at Eve in suspicion. Obviously, he didn''t believe a single word that came out of Eve''s mouth. "I am willing to give him five million dors a month!" "You aren''t allowed to see him from now one. Cut all contact with that doctor," Shaun ordered in a cold and stern tone while keeping a straight face. Eve felt like she was on the brink of mental copse. She wondered who had filled her father''s ears with her misdeeds. Before today, Shaun had never cared about her private life. But for some reason, today, he had even dug up her connection with Doctor Ouyang. Truth be told, some part of Eve''s mind was always against asking Ouyang to research and develop bacterial poisons. She feared that one day, if Ouyang rated her out, then she would be more dead than alive. "No, I won''t move back. I''m a grown-up now. You can take back my bank card if you like!" Eve said, pouting her lips. "You don''t want toe back home? So, where are you nning on living?" Shaun shouted, irritated beyond measure. "I''m free to live wherever I want. Besides, that isn''t my home, but your house." Eve sneered as she lifted the corners of her mouth. A feeling of unspeakable bitterness surged in her heart. Shaun''s heart sank as he looked at Eve, feeling crestfallen and disappointed. "That''s where you grew up. Why isn''t that your home?" Shaun asked, disappointed, albeit a bit curious. "You don''t even know what day it is today. And yet you think I would ept that house as my home? I won''t go back; I live here. You needn''t worry about me!" Eve said with firm determination. Shaun could no longer handle her effrontery. He raised his hand and was about to p her. While his hand was mid-air, he stopped and looked at his daughter''s stubborn appearance. In a sh, Shaun realized in utter shame that he was just reaping what he sowed. He spoiled Eve so much that he had to face her arrogant and stubborn self now. Since Eve was his only offspring, he always believed that spoiling her a little wouldn''t be all that bad. And, so he had spoiled. All that spoiling led her to do something truly bad and unforgivable! Although Nathan didn''t warn him personally, Fred''s words were no different than his own. And those words were nothing but a final warning from Nathan. "Ever since you came, you have been asking me what day it is today. It''s your birthday, isn''t it?" Shaun asked before he recalled his ex-wife and Eve''s birthday. "Yeah, today is my birthday, Dad," Eve replied in a cold tone while sneering. Even though the smile on her face looked magnificent, it was just a smilecking sincerity. An awkward and fake smile was all she had. Shaun once again regretted spoiling her. He still remembered the innocent days of her childhood. Had he disciplined her correctly, then she wouldn''t have turned out this way. Shaun, all of a sudden, asked, "Eve... when is my birthday?" Chapter 749 Shaun Had A Headache Chapter 749 Shaun Had A Headache Eve was struck speechless. The atmosphere in the living room had be ominous and smothering. Both the father and the daughter were embarrassed at not knowing each other''s birthday after living together for more than twenty years! "See¡­ You don''t know my birthday either. Eve, let me tell you something. Don''t give up on things midway. When you said you liked photography, I sent you abroad to study photography. After graduating, you refused to take over the bank. And now you''ve been wandering out in the city with no purpose. I have always supported you, but I am worried for your future. I''ve been under a lot of pressure. Can you understand me? Think about it. How much have you done for the family these past years?" Shaun said earnestly with a sigh. Eve''s eyes widened. A crooked smile appeared on her face. "I''m not interested in managing the bank. Besides, you''re still young, aren''t you, Dad?" "It''s my fault that you have turned out so selfish..." Shaun shook his head in disappointment. He knew Eve wouldn''t change her mind. "I am selfish, yes. What else did you expect me to grow up as in this selfish environment? Dad, I want to be with Nathan. It''s my only wish. Can''t you satisfy it?" "He has to agree to be with you too! Don''t be so childish," Shaun said in a cold voice. "Are you saying I don''t know what he feels?" Eve gritted her teeth, feeling a faint sense of anger rising in her chest. "You''re not respecting yourself by pestering him like this. The person he loves is Mandy, not you. How many times do I have to tell you this before you finally understand? If Nathan loved you, he would have married you long ago." It felt like the air in the room was being sucked away instant by instant, making them breathless and restless. Eve raised her chin arrogantly and said in an angry tone, "If you''re so ashamed of me, you don''t have to think of me as your daughter!" "Eve..e with me. Let''s go home," Shaun said as he held her wrist. Shaun was so angry he felt a sharp pain shoot up in his head. He had been having frequent headaches for the past few days. "I won''t go," Eve said, pulling her hand out of his grip. identally, Shaun lost his bnce and fell to the ground. Eve reached out for his hand, but failed to grab it in time. Shaun remained motionless on the floor for about three minutes. During that time, he felt like the whole world had frozen around him. A deathly pallor befell his face. Worried, Eve poured some water in a ss and handed it to her father. "Have some water, Dad," she said softly, worried. Shaun nced at her lightly, without the slightest shift in expression. "You don''t have to pretend to care for me." Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. No doubt, he was mocking Eve. Eve indeed was worried about him. But seeing how he misunderstood her, she felt wronged and hurt. She forced herself to remain silent out of respect. A lot had already been said. She squinted her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. Her heart ached when she saw her father''s pale face and dry lips. She put her hand on his shoulder and said softly, "Dad, how about you sleep here tonight? I''lle back with you tomorrow. Let''s not fight anymore, okay?" Although she was worried for him, her mind momentarily drifted to the money she would need in the future. She was afraid her father would freeze her credit card if she didn''t behave well with him. Raising his eyes to meet hers, Shaun said in an indifferent tone, "I''ll be happy if you are willing to change!" "Dad, I really didn''t do anything wrong. Why don''t you trust me?" "Eve, you don''t know what''s going on here. Nathan is nning to call off the cooperation with the Sus Bank. Do you know how big a deal that is?" His head was throbbing even more now. "Dad¡­ I really didn''t do anything to Adrian," Eve said with a sincere expression on her face. There was even grievance in her eyes. She was indeed a good actress. "It''s good if you didn''t do anything. Anyway, happy birthday, honey. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have doubted you." Shaun''s heart softened when he saw the piteous look on Eve''s face. He loved his daughter a lot, despite how many sins she hadmitted. He was rich enough to buy anything, but he only had one daughter. Nothing couldpare to her, and all his wealth was only for her sake. And in this way, yet again, Eve got away with her irresponsibility. She helped Shaun get upstairs and lie down. Somehow he was able to withstand his headache, which had intensified now. He didn''t tell Eve about it and decided to go to sleep. He had had a long day. The next morning, at dawn, Eve got up very early to see Doctor Ouyang. Dr. Ouyang had a healthy lifestyle. Regardless of anything, he went to bed early and got up early. It was because of these healthy habits that he hadn''t fallen sick in years. The riverside was cool in the mornings. It was the best ce and time to go for a run. Dr. Ouyang was running alone in his sports suit. He had woken up in a good mood and was listening to ssical music as he ran on. Eve drove along the river and spotted Ouyang. She stepped on the elerator hard and crossed by him with a whiz. Ouyang saw Eve getting out of the car. She was walking toward him, wearing white-framed sunsses. He stopped and waited for her to reach him. "Miss Su." Ouyang looked at Eve expressionlessly, with a cold, subtle attitude as usual. Ouyang was slightly arrogant and remained aloof most of the time. Eve was well aware of the fact that he liked to be alone all the time. Chapter 750 I Wont Leave Chapter 750 I Won''t Leave "Doctor Ouyang, I didn''t know you like to run in the morning." Eve took off her sunsses and put it on the cor of her blouse. She looked at Doctor Ouyang with an indifferent expression on her face. The doctor briefly looked at the sunsses hanging on Eve''s neckline. The pair was one of MK''s most popr styles this autumn. It was actually one of Elizabeth''s favorite brands. "Running has be my habit. If I don''t run for even a day, I''ll feel really ufortable." Ouyang took off his headphones, turned off the music on his phone, and began to talk to Eve. Suddenly, he looked really focused. "Do you also run during rainy days?" "When it''s raining, I run on the treadmill," Ouyang casually replied. Eve didn''t know it, but he was suddenly recalling some unbearable parts of his past. Back in college, Ouyang was a quite big-boned, so he was oftenughed at by his ssmates. Everyone called him names. Not a day went by that they didn''t make fun of his appearance. He remembered it very clearly that Elizabeth liked men who had an eight pack abs. For some reason, it gave people a sense of security, so he tried his best to lose weight. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. A vast majority of people would always say that they wanted to lose weight, but all they would usually do was talk and think about it. They didn''t do anything about it. After all, the most difficult thing when trying to lose weight was to staymitted. For more than half a year, Ouyang exercised day after day. He also worked really hard to develop some muscles and most especially the eight pack abs because Elizabeth liked it in a man. However, after Ouyang had stic surgery, and he finally became conventionally attractive, Elizabeth was already with another man. He did not know about it until it was already toote. It was for this reason that it had been a long time since he knew something about love. Often times, when a person is single, they had a lot of requirements for the one they were looking for. But when you meet that one person, all of those conditions would just vanish into thin air. This was what happened to the doctor once upon a time. "Habits can sometimes be a terrible thing. Sometimes, people get so caught up in what they''re used to that they became so stubborn. Even when everyone around them kept telling them they were wrong, and even in their hearts, they knew what''s right, they''d still stay with what''sfortable. Because it''s safe and whether we admit it or not, we''re always looking for some stability in our lives." Putting her hands in her pockets, Eve thought for a while. A faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. Ouyang sneered. However, it was not directed at Eve, but to himself. Because he knew that what she said was right. When you got used to loving someone, it was really difficult to fall out of love and look at others. Even if you found someone else, you would always have this thought that it was not the same. Eve knew that it was wrong to fall in love with Nathan, but she couldn''t help herself. The world was so huge. There were billions of people, and yet she didn''t want anyone else. Her stubbornness might hurt a lot of people, including her, but she didn''t care about it anymore. The two things in life that would make her the happiest were to find a job that she loved and to find a man who she loved. In fact, it had come to the point that she didn''t want to put up with living this way for the rest of her life. She, too, was getting tired of it all. "What if you take one more step forward, and there is nothing but a cliff in front of you?" Ouyang smiled and looked up at Eve with his eyelids dropping a little. "Then I''m going to take my rival in love, and together, we''ll jump off the cliff. I''ll be dead anyway so I won''t get the love that I want. This way, she won''t get that love either." While listening to her, Ouyang''s eyes widened in shock. He looked like he was a little scared. He didn''t expect that Eve would have such dangerous thoughts. Looking at her, he firmly asked, "Is that necessary?" "If I''m not mistaken, there must be someone in your heart, too, Doctor Ouyang." Ouyang smiled without saying a word. In fact, his silence meant acquiescence. "And that''s it? Don''t you want to have the woman you love?" "Of course, I want to. But in the end, if she still doesn''t love me, I think I''ll eventually let her go. But this doesn''t mean I''d be fine with losing her. It doesn''t mean I''d lose all of my feelings for her as well," Ouyang said with a bittersweet smile. He sounded like a man who had actually experienced what he was talking about. "People always say that a melon won''t be sweet if you twist it by force before it could naturally ripen. But I don''t think the reason why I want to twist it is to eat it, nor do I want to know whether it''s sweet or not. As long as I can have it in my hands, I''ll be happy," Eve said with a determined smile. A gust of wind blew up the corner of her dress, making her figure somewhat misty. "Miss Su, you came to me in this very day not to unscrupulously talk about melons, am I right?" Ouyang looked at his watch. The sun was about toe out soon. It would be ufortably hot if he were to continue running. He actually used to run at night, so he didn''t like to run under the sun. Hearing the question, a smile quickly made its way onto Eve''s lips. Shee looked at Ouyang with her beautiful eyes and said, "You''re right, I didn''te here to talk about melons. My father indeed came to my apartmentst night, probably because Nathan said something to him. He was very enraged because he knew what happened between us. But as far as I''m concerned, they don''t know what we have done yet. We are in a really tense situation now. If you want to go abroad to take a vacation or go somewhere in the country to avoid arousing suspicion, I''ll pay for all the expenses." Ouyang sarcastically smiled on the inside and quietly said to himself, ''Eve is very generous.'' However, Ouyang didn''t want to leave City A. Most people admire foreign countries. Some even made it their life-long goal to migrate. But he had been abroad for so many years and had a hard time adapting to any country that he had been in. It was better for him to stay in City A. "I have something to deal with. I''m afraid I can''t leave for the time being." Ouyang refused Eve''s request with determination. He had made up his mind to stay because he recently found a reason to do so. Since Mandy was in the city and Elizabeth was her university tutor, he believed that Elizabeth would come to City A. If he left now, didn''t it mean that he would never see his beloved again? "But this is a crucial time. If you continue to stay here, it will have a great impact on my life." "Miss Su, don''t you think it''s ridiculous for you to say that? I''m just living my life, how can it affect yours? If you don''t want me to work for you anymore, it''s fine. I won''t study the bacteria anymore, but I like it here. Moreover, I don''t have any reason to leave," Ouyang firmly said while he narrowed his eyes. He looked pretty serious. "Nathan came to see you a few days ago, didn''t he?" Eve''s frown was so deep by this point. She had heard it from the bodyguards of the Ouyang Family, who happened to be her men as well. When Serge came to see Ouyang, Eve was not rmed. But she was disturbed by Shaunst night, and she suddenly felt that things were not going well. "Yes, but he didn''t find anything," Ouyang calmly said while staring at the sun, which looked to be rising from the river. There was a very weak glow in the eastern sky. The sun was about toe out any minute. Ouyang did not want to waste more time with Eve. His morning run was not over yet. "He didn''t find anything suspiciousst time, but that doesn''t mean he won''t find anything next time. In any case, you must leave the city." The expression on Eve''s pretty face looked rather tensed. Frustration could be seen on it as well. She did not expect that Ouyang would be so firm in turning down what she wanted from him. "I''ve already told you that I have something to do here. I won''t leave." Ouyang refused to budge at all. For him, it was not up for discussion. He was going to stay in City A, whether she liked it or not. Chapter 751 Pulling Strings Chapter 751 Pulling Strings "If Nathan finds out about yourb, we''re both in deep shit," Eve hissed at Ouyang. She had not expected this reckless obstinacy from him. To think that he just refused her offer! This bullheadedness was causing her trouble. Her face was set in tight, angry lines as she met his eyes. "I''ll transfer all the equipment in theb somewhere else. Don''t worry. There''s no way it would be found out by anyone, unless¡­ someone saw you thest time you injected the poison into Arian''s body." Ouyang drew out the words carefully as he watched Eve''s expression. Eve''s frown deepened at his insinuation. "What?" she answered sharply. "That''s nonsense. It''s absolutely impossible. Besides, you should be worrying about other things. If this gets exposed, you''ll also be in deep trouble. It''s not toote to leave now." Ouyang''s lips broke into a wicked smile at her words. "We both know that it''s not me you''re worried about. You''re just trying to save your own ass," he said. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. With her true intentions found out, Eve''s face burned in embarrassment. Damn him. He was sharp. Ouyang chuckled darkly as color flooded her cheeks. "You''re afraid that I will be a burden to you, isn''t that right? After begging me for so long in the past, now that you''ve gotten what you wanted, you''re kicking me away?" Eve had no words to counter his usation. He hit the bulls'' eye and threw the truth to her face without holding back. "This has been a business rtionship from the beginning. I paid you to help me. Nothing more, nothing less," Eve said coldly. "If that''s the way it is, then have it your way," Ouyang replied, putting back his earphones. There was nothing left to discuss, and he was not wasting a single second on Eve. "What do you mean?" Eve spat angrily. She grabbed at Ouyang''s arm tightly, demanding her answers. Ouyang looked at her with cold eyes and stepped forward. "It''s as you said, Miss Su. This is just business. You can do whatever you want, and the same goes for me. I don''t want to leave. If you try to force me, then I won''t go easy on you either. Call it a conflict of interest. Nothing personal." He shook her hand off his arm as if the contact repulsed him. Ouyang had known Eve for such a long time, and he could read her like the back of his own hand. She was too ruthless to even have a conscience. She would not think twice about discarding him if it was no longer beneficial to her. From the anger on her face, Ouyang knew that she understood the concealed threat behind his words. Eve nched at the cold intensity of his eyes. There was nopromise. "All right. What do you want to do?" Eve asked. "I have made it clear to you just now. I just want to stay here. This my only condition." "Alright, but you have to clear out theb as promised, and do it as soon as possible. If Nathan finds it, there will be hell to pay." The corner of Ouyang''s lips turned up ever so slightly. Eve said the words calmly, but he sniffed the undercurrents of her fear, and she was right to be scared. A guilty man is afraid of even his own shadow. That morning, Nathan went to thepany. During his two-day absence, the employees of JS International had been doing an excellent job. Fred and Serge were also there, helping to manage the company. The bid for arge real estate was about to happen in a few days, and he came back to thepany this morning to check on it. Judging from experience, he knew thepetition would be fierce. The property was in an ideal location in City A, and the possibilities were promising. The others knew this too, of course, which resulted in an intense bidding among business owners for thend. The biggest and strongestpanies did not hesitate in bidding for it at the highest price possible. At present, the price had already gone up exponentially to three hundred thousand per square meter. "The price has almost doubled overnight. Even the value of other properties around it rocketed up. Something''s definitely up. Fred, check who is behind this," Nathan instructed as the fine features of his face formed tense lines. JS International was among the leading enterprises in City A. In a position as high as theirs, there would inevitably be many people fixing their eyes on it, waiting for every opportunity for sabotage. Right now, thepany was in a critical situation. It would be the perfect time for enemies to strike. "I''ve looked into it. They are from the YC Group," Fred reported promptly, cing a document on Nathan''s desk. Nathan had no time to admire his aide''spetence. His eyes scanned the papers immediately. "Colin, do you have a death wish? What benefit would it give you if you raise the price? He would go bankrupt if he keeps this up. Is he really going topete for the property with me?" "Mr. Jin, from what I know, Eve had once gone to see Colin. They may be plotting something together," Fred said. He opened a folder and took out a stack of pictures. Colin and Eve were seen talking in the photos, and other photos showed Eve walking out of YC Group. Nathan had sent people to watch her since she took Adrian away. Whatever she was up to, it was certainly no good. From the reports he received, he found out that Eve had two hobbies: going to a night club, and causing trouble for Mandy. He didn''t expect that she would work with Colin this time. Was this woman insane? However, he did not pursue the matter any further. Nathan knew that Colin had feelings for Mandy, and as irritating as that fact was, he was sure that Colin wouldn''t hurt a hair on her head. In fact, this could be an opportunity in disguise. If Eve and Colin were cooperating with each other, Mandy would have more reason topletely cut things off with him. Colin had finally stopped using Lisa as an excuse to see Mandy. Nathan''s only concern was the child. Mandy was too soft-hearted for her own good. It would be unthinkable for her to hurt Lisa. The child was not hers biologically, but Mandy had strong feelings of motherhood towards her. Other than Adrian''s condition, what Nathan worried most about was Lisa. It would be so easy for him to get rid of such a weak and helpless kid if he was the man he had been before. However, that was no longer the case. Evening came, and the hospital was very quiet. Adrian''s grandparents from both sides hade to visit him. Mandy was exhausted after the whole day. Nathan entered the room quietly, only to find her sleeping soundly beside the bed. A faint smile softened his face, and he bent over to Mandy, lifting her up and walking towards the bed nearby. The anxiety from the past days had made sleep elude Mandy. Her brows furrowed slightly as Nathan moved her. Chapter 752 I Am Not A Breeding Farm Chapter 752 I Am Not A Breeding Farm "Nathan, is that you? Are you back?" Still a little drowsy, Mandy tried to open her eyes and smiled at Nathan. She didn''t know what time it was. She ced her arms around his neck as light fell on his face, making his exquisite features look gentle. However, there was a trace of tiredness on his face. Since Adrian had been admitted to the hospital, Nathan had not slept well for several nights. He and Mandy were both severely worried about him. But both of them chose not to tell the other as they didn''t want to give each other too much pressure. "You''re still tired, aren''t you? Go back to bed. Close your eyes and have a good sleep." Nathan''s deep voice was charming andforting. With his usual smile, he looked at Mandy dotingly. Although it was true that Mandy was still so sleepy, she could not bear to see the dark circles around Nathan''s eyes. She frowned and said, "Nathan, you should also rest tonight. Your body isn''t made of iron. At least for the time being, Adrian is going to be fine. We should take care of ourselves if we want to continue taking care of him, okay?" Nathan kept silent for a few seconds. His dark eyes blinked, like he understood what she meant. He frowned a little and said, "I know, but I can''t help but worry about him. I''ve already finished the work at thepany. I won''t go to the office tomorrow. I''ll stay here to look after Adrian tonight. Honey, you''re very tired. Go to bed early. I''m in good health. You don''t need to worry about me. Instead, I''m actually worried about you." "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine," Mandy said with confidence. But as soon as she finished speaking, a wide yawn quickly followed it. In an instant, her white lie was exposed. In fact, Mandy kept on reassuring Nathan because she just wanted to spend more time with him. Since Adrian fell ill, she had been upset and anxious every single day. Only when Nathan was with her couldN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. her mind feel at ease. Today, when Nathan went to work in thepany, she suddenly felt the loss of her sense of security. Fortunately, Jason and Daisy came overter in the day. "Look at the dark circles under your eyes. Are you really okay? You need to go back to sleep now. It will be your turn to take care of Adrian tomorrow morning," Nathan insisted. Then, he gently ced his hands on her shoulders and pressed her down onto the bed. He tucked her under the quilt afterward. Even though Nathan''s gesture was very kind, Mandy''s heart ached a little. She felt very sad because she suddenly felt that she was useless. There wasn''t anything she could do to save the child, and yet, she couldn''t even help Nathan. There was an old saying, "Father''s love is like a mountain." Mandy didn''t quite figure out what it meant until she saw it in Nathan. Every night as they would go to bed, she would see how broad and strong Nathan''s shoulders looked. And every single time, she would notice how he seemed to be under great pressure. Despite this, he still took care of her and made her his priority. No matter what, he would always think of her first. The smile on Mandy''s face was somewhat stiff, and her heart continued to ache. She sniffled, and a gush of phlegm surged up from her nose. She said, "Nathan, why are you so good to me?" Confused, Nathan looked at her. He squinted his eyes before responding. "Silly girl, because you''re my wife. You''re the most important person in my life." "But I don''t want to see you so tired. As much as I appreciate the effort that you''ve been exerting these days, it pains me because I know that it''s taking a toll on your physical health as well. You can''t get sick. You and I need to be strong right now, both mentally and physically. Besides, didn''t you get sick when Adrian was in Switzend?" Mandy admitted with so much sorrow. She was really worried that if their situation were to continue like this, Nathan would fall sick sooner rather thanter. "It''s not as serious as what you''re picturing it out to be. That was because you weren''t around in Switzend. Without you, I didn''t have any form of support. But now it''s different. With you by my side, it''s hard to be tired." With a smile, Nathan ced his hand on Mandy''s cheek and caressed it. He then ran his fingers through her long smooth hair. The fragrance of her hair lingered on his fingertips when he retreated his hand. With tears in her eyes, she said, "Nathan, when all of this is over, let''s have another child." "Are you talking about Seven?" Nathan looked at her with a wider smile. He didn''t expect that Mandy would suggest having another baby right then. "Well, it''s a good idea to have another child. The two children can help each other when they grow up. I''m afraid that Adrian will be too lonely." "Since it seems like you''ve already made up your mind, why not have a few more kids with me?" Nathan teased. "I don''t want so many. I''m good with two children at most. I''m not a breeding farm. Do you really think I can give birth to more than ten babies at one go? It''s tiring to be pregnant." Mandy curled her lips. At that moment, Nathan was already seeding with calming her down. "Honey, I''ve never heard anyonepare herself to a breeding farm. You''re very innovative!" Nathan grinned from ear to ear. Even though Nathan was teasing her, Mandy didn''t feel annoyed. Ironically, neither of them went to sleep that night. Theyy side by side for hours while talking andughing. When it was about three o''clock in the morning, Mandy couldn''t help but fall asleep. Nathan gently let go of the woman in his arms,id her t on the bed, and tucked her in. Then, he bent over and gently kissed her at the corner of her mouth. "Mandy, I love you." Even though Nathan''s life was not perfect at that moment, he still felt some warmness in his heart. Being a father and a husband made him truly feel what a family was supposed to be. It took some time, but he had changed a lot. He had be more caring and considerate. He thought that it was no wonder how Jason listened to Daisy so much. The two of them had great rtionship dynamics. He knew right then that a boy would truly be a man when he became a father. It happened to both him and Jason. Then, he looked back at Adrian. When he was assured that the kid was sleeping soundly, he felt even warmer in his heart. Ever since Ethon and Fiona graduated, they had be inseparable. They would go to work and leave together, and they never got tired of each other. Like a gentleman, Ethon would take Fiona to her office every day before he went to his own department. As was to be expected, Fiona''s colleagues were all envious of her. Sometimes, Ethon would actually feel somewhat weird. Because he wasn''t a person who liked anyone to be by his side all the time. Due to his familial background, he was an independent person. But everything changed when he met Fiona. There was not a second that he didn''t want to be with her. One of them was Nathan''s good friend, and the other was Mandy''s sister. Though they had kept a low profile in JS International, people would more or less still gossip about them. Ethon didn''t mind what others were saying. For him, as long as Fiona was with him, he would be content. One afternoon, when Ethon went back to his office after having lunch with Fiona, he received an email. He clicked on it and found nothing but an audio attachment. Ethon furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t know who had sent the file to him. The email of the sender was anonymous. It was the first time that he had received such a strange email. Out of curiosity, he opened the file. Chapter 753 The Sound Track Chapter 753 The Sound Track "Why are you with Ethon?" asked a woman in a harsh tone. "It''s none of your business. Oh? Are you jealous?" Ethon was familiar with the voice and instantly realized that the speaker was Fiona. Ethon paid special attention to the conversation after realizing that. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "How much? How much for you to leave him?" Sh asked with a sneer. "How much? I won''t leave him regardless of the price. Since you are so eager to see our break-up, why should I give you the satisfaction?" When Fiona spoke, her tone was frivolous. Hearing this, Ethon frowned. He had no idea what was going on. "So, you don''t love him at all. And are doing this make me angry?" "Who do you think you are? Make you angry? Ethon is the perfect boyfriend. Although he has left his family behind, he will return home sooner orter. Do you think I am stupid?" "Do you even love him a little?" Sh asked. "Love? What is the use of love? I don''t believe in love anymore," Fiona said with clenched teeth. Sh smiled coldly and said, "Just tell me the price. Regardless of the price, I will make you leave him." "Any amount I want? How will you get so much money? Is your father corrupt?" asked Fiona. "Your father is corrupt! Oh, I almost forget that your father is a prisoner, and your mother is a drug addict. Huh! With a family like that, how proper can you be?" For a second, Fiona lost the strength to refute. Her heart trembled in shame and humiliation. "Have you ever thought that your identity will bring shame to Ethon''s family? You WILL NEVER get married to Ethon. Even if he wants to marry you, his mother won''t agree. You''d better give up while you are still young and find someone simr to yourself. You and Ethon are from two very different worlds," Sh said. Hostility was spreading on Ethon''s body like a forest fire. He could hear no more of Sh''s ptrap, so he rushed out to find Fiona. He was determined to have a talk with Fiona. Also, he could no longer hear Sh''s derogatory words for Fiona. As soon as Ethon arrived at Fiona''s office, he saw Fiona having a nap at her desk. Evidently, it was still lunch break. Fiona didn''t notice Ethon''s presence either. She looked up casually and supported her head with one hand. Seeing that Ethon was here, she stood up in a hurry and stuttered, "E-Ethon¡­ Why are you here? Weren''t you taking a nap?" "I have something to ask you." Ethon looked displeased. "Oh, go ahead." She curled her lips and wondered why Ethon wanted to see her. "Did She to talk to you recently?" he asked. "Why would shee to talk to me?" She blinked her innocent eyes, which were sparkling like stars in the night sky. "Then listen to this." He opened his mail and clicked on the audio file. Fiona was as confused as a squirrel looking for its buried chestnut. In the end, the ''Fiona'' in the audio track requested three hundred million to leave Ethon. Ethon''s facepletely darkened at the request. "I don''t know anything about this. I never said anything like that. You know, we are rivals in love. How can we just sit down and have a chat? Even though I would never talk to her like that, I have to admit that voice does sound like me," said Fiona. "You mean¡­ It''s not you?" With a grim face, Ethon frowned and took a deep breath. ''Luckily, it''s not her. I almost misunderstood her, '' Ethon thought. "Right." Fiona nodded and continued, "We''ve been together every day recently. How can I even have the time to meet with Sh? Besides, I hate her so much. Why would I even talk to her?" But Fiona was still curious about the voice track. ''Who did this? How did she fabricate my voice?'' she wondered. "What a vicious woman!" Ethon turned off his phone and stood up in anger. "Ethon, what are you going to do? Calm down." She was afraid that he would do something impulsive. "I won''t let anyone hurt you. Nana, I will find out the truth," Ethon said in a cold tone. Fiona had never seen Ethon so angry before. He was usually a gentleman, and this was the first time that he got angry in front of her. "Ethon, forget it. We are not going to get into big trouble because of this matter. Now that we have made things clear, there is no need to further investigate it. If you hadn''te to me first, then I would have gotten angry. We must trust each other and remain unaffected by what outsiders say," she said in a soft tone. When he felt Fiona''s tenderness, the anger in Ethon''s heart dissipated. After pondering for a while, Ethon''s serious expression rxed. While holding her little hand, he smiled helplessly and said, "Nana¡­ what should I do with you?" "What should you do? Listen to me, and we will get along just fine. As for this Sh, I don''t even want to think of her," Fiona answered. With a snigger, Ethon said, "So smart!" "Technology had grown by leaps and bounds over the years. I don''t know if it''s a fabricated voice or the voice of a dubbing artist. But considering that Sh''s in the entertainment business, it must be a dubbing artist. I''ve heard that some dubbing artists are capable of imitating various voices. Sh most likely hired a dubbing artist and then fabricated this conversation with the artist." Fiona looked as calm as ever. She was nowhere as impatient as Ethon. "I can''t rule it out. Sh is a scheming woman. Now I hate her even more." Ethon was a straightforward man. The family that he grew up in was tooplicated, so after he grew up, he just wanted to be with a simple girl. Chapter 754 A Marriage Proposal Without Flowers And Rings Chapter 754 A Marriage Proposal Without Flowers And Rings "Women can behave very foolishly at times. They can sacrifice everything for the sake of love!" Fiona eximed. She thought very little of Sh''s love for Ethon because it had never been reciprocated. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. People lived with too many regrets, pain, and sorrow often apanying unrequited love or a break- up of lovers. "Do you pity her?" Ethon asked, raising his eyebrows. "No, I hate her! It''s as the old saying goes, ''Miserable people must have awful attributes!''" Frowning, she shook her head. Ethon stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly reaching out and pulling her into his arms. Resting his chin on her head, he rubbed her waist with his other hand. "What are you doing?" Fiona asked in a flirtatious tone. "Will you marry me, Nana?" Ethon smiled as he narrowed his eyes. He looked serious and intent, the depths of his love evident in his eyes. Ethon''s was a marriage proposal with neither flowers nor a ring. Fiona had painted the scene of her proposal in her mind ten million times over, but nothing prepared her for the immense joy she felt when it did finally happen. However, they were both in the office, and Fiona was stunned into silence. She had never expected that he would propose to her at work and thought it was very romantic. "Ethon... Aren''t we too young to be getting married so soon?" she asked, stuttering from her excitement. "You think we are too young? Nana, did you just graduate from kindergarten? Don''t you want to marry me?" Ethon was not bothered at all. They both loved each other very much. After they had moved in together, they had done what they should and shouldn''t have. Stanley and Madeline who were Fiona''s guardians were also aware that she was in a rtionship with Ethon. They had no objections to it. They thought it best to let the two decide what they wanted for their future. It was needless to interfere. It was just like what happened between Mandy and Nathan several years ago. At first, Madeline had not been in support of their rtionship because at the time, Nathan had a reputation for being a yboy in City A. However, despite lots of troubles early on, Mandy and Nathan were able to sort out their differences and rebuild their rtionship. They were now reunited. Over the past three years that Mandy had been away, Nathan had paid more attention to Stanley and his wife, as well as the Zhou Group''s business. Thanks to him, thepany''s assets had increased over tenfold in that time. He''d introduced many major clients to Stanley, and the Zhou Group and JS International had built up a good coboration. The Zhou Group had now be one of the many significantpanies in City A. Nathan had done all this for Mandy''s sake. When Mandy and Nathan were dating three years ago, Nathan hadn''t paid much attention to the Zhou Group. It was after she secretly left City A that the business had begun to thrive. Nathan had carried a sense of guilt in his heart at the time. He was fully aware that Mandy would certainly hate him, but he could do nothing to change that. After all, he and Sharon had had a brief affair, although that was all in the past. And it was gone forever! "Of course, I do! But will your parents agree? You know... It''s said that a marriage without the parents'' blessing won''t be happy andsting," frowning, she expressed her concerns in a soft tone. She had thought about it many times, how nice it would be if his parents could ept her as their daughter-inw. "If you marry me, you''ll be my wife! My parents will have to give you their blessing. I think they will understand us one day!" He paused before adding, "Nana, please don''t hate my mom. The poor woman never met love in her life. My dad doesn''t love her at all! You know I have a half-brother, Colin. His mother used to be my father''s favorite," Ethon rted calmly. "I already know about Colin, but you''ve never told me that there''s no love between your parents." Fiona''s face stiffened as a strange feeling rose in her heart. Ethon''s words resonated with her as her parents'' marriage had been quite simr. Her father had also been unfaithful to her mother. With those memories she had carried with her through all those years, she''d always felt unsafe. Whenever she''d fallen in love, she''d been guarded about her emotions and never dared to express them. She''d be very good at self-preservation, and would quickly retreat when she sensed anything amiss. Her situation was much like how an ostrich hides its head in the sand at any sign of trouble. "My mother and father have a miserable marriage because it was arranged for them by their parents. Do you think that was true love? Do you think that a couple who does not love each other can live a happy life?" Ethon said with a deep sigh. As a child, he''d struggled to understand how his father could keep loving another woman after marrying his mother. Now, it finally made sense to him. He imagined that if he broke up with Fiona and married Sh instead, then Sh would be a second Monica. But he didn''t want to repeat his parents'' mistakes. He wanted to have a romantic rtionship with Fiona and stay with her for the rest of their lives. "My father once had an affair with another woman, andter my mother did the same. It was emotionally traumatizing for me. I have often wondered why such a bad thing happened to me," she paused. "Sometimes, I''d go shopping and see those people who came along with their parents. I used to admire them very much!" "We were in simr situations when we were young. Now, let''s cherish and love each other for the rest of our lives!" Ethon encouraged, gently stroking her hair. He couldn''t help but smile. Chapter 755 Go To The Marriage Bureau Chapter 755 Go To The Marriage Bureau After pondering for a while, Fiona was eventually convinced that Ethon actually made sense. It was true that people only posted about the highlights or the best moments of their life. Rarely did they post about things that would make them look bad. She then realized that she was a bit too sentimental. Was there anyone who didn''t have any worries at all? Everyone had their own worries one way or another. Even Ethon, who was born to a wealthy family, had his own problems. "Ethon, I''m sorry. I was being too sensitive," Fiona blurted out, sobbing. A look of guilt spread across her face. "What are you talking about? It''s perfectly normal for anyone to hide their true feelings. If we expose ourselves all the time, will our wounds ever get healed? When they turn into scars, they will fade away slowly. Your parents are your parents. We''re totally different. You were brave enough to forge your own path," Ethon said, smiling warmly as a trace of tenderness filled his eyes. Fiona smiled affectionately at him. The moment their eyes met, a sense of romance arose in the air. She bit her lower lip and smiled shyly. "Ethon, I''m so d I have you." All of a sudden, Ethon knelt down on one knee. He held Fiona''s hand and said affectionately, "I didn''t really prepare anything, but I promise that I will give you everything I have. Nana, I''ve imagined my proposal to you many times. I had so many ideas. I went back and forth. Should I do it in a fancy restaurant or a quiet beach? But nothingpares to this moment right now with you. Will you marry me?" She remained silent for a while. Generally, there are two things that brought happiness to a person. One is to have a career and a job that one loves and enjoys doing. The other is to be with the person you love. Some parents tend to be quite conservative. When their children are still in university, they insist that their children should focus on their studies first. However, the minute the children graduate, the parents get anxious and start arranging blind dates for them, marriage for some even. However, that''s not how love and marriage should work. One should marry the person one truly loves. Sadly, not everyone gets to experience true love in their lives. "I... Yes, I''ll marry you!" The excitement in her voice was undeniable. Ethon grinned from ear to ear and urged gently, "Let''s go to the Marriage Bureau right now." Fiona was dazed for a moment. She didn''t expect that Ethon would be in such a rush. "Wait¡­ Wait. I don''t have my household register with me." "It doesn''t matter. I have some friends at the Marriage Bureau. Even if we don''t have our household registers, we can register for marriage already," Ethon said in a low and soft voice, which gave Fiona a sense of security. "Really?" she asked in disbelief, blinking her eyes. "Of course." Ethon stood up, still holding Fiona''s hand. There was a trace of joy on his handsome face. Without hesitation, he led her out of the office. This was probably the craziest thing she had ever done in her entire life. She and Ethon went to the Marriage Bureau in utter excitement. Since one of Ethon''s uncles was a manager there, they went straight to his office as soon as they arrived. Ethon''s uncle squinted his eyes in surprise as he eyed Ethon and Fiona suspiciously. Their fingers were intertwined as they gazed at him expectantly. He thought to himself, ''They''re so young. They''ve just barely passed the age limit of marriage. They don''t even have their household registers with them. Something''s off here.'' He recalled how Monica had sternly told him not to let Ethon register for marriage should he bring a girl to the Marriage Bureau with the intention of getting married. "Ethon, what brings you here today?" Ethon''s uncle smiled apprehensively, deliberately dying them. Discreetly, he sent Monica a message. "Uncle, I''m going to register for marriage. I hope you can help me." Ethon was very calm as he shed a diplomatic smile to his uncle. Smiling, his uncle replied, "Of course, you can get married as long as you''re both of legal age, and you go through the proper procedures. We shouldn''t have a problem then." "What procedures do we need to go through?" Ethon asked eagerly. He had a bad feeling that this wasn''t going to be as simple as he thought it would be. He nervously tightened his grip on Fiona''s hand. "It''s quite simple actually. Have you gotten your parents'' agreement? Do you have your household register with you?" his uncle asked, gazing at Ethon. He couldn''t bring himself to bluntly tell Ethon that he couldn''t help him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. If Monica hadn''t told him in advance, he might have already helped Ethon. For a while, Ethon just stared at his uncle. He couldn''t shake off the feeling that his uncle really wasn''t going to help him. Luckily, he was quickly able toe up with another strategy. Smiling calmly, he said, "Uncle, do you think we''re really going to get married without our parents'' permission?" "Then do you have the household register with you?" his uncle asked, visibly doubtful. "I was in such a hurry today that I had forgotten to bring it. Can you do me a favor?" Ethon tried to persuade his uncle again, hoping that he would help him. However, his uncle was pretty clever. He nced at his watch, still smiling coolly. "It''s still early. You can go and get the household register, and then you cane back to me. Ethon, as much as I want to help, I still have to follow the procedures too." Chapter 756 I Cant Live Without You Chapter 756 I Can''t Live Without You Ethon frowned, a hint of anger shing on his face. Fiona looked at him uneasily. She knew that they wouldn''t be able to register for marriage that day. "Did my mother talk to you?" Ethon asked, clenching his teeth. Ethon''s uncle didn''t respond. He didn''t want to admit this as he didn''t want Ethon to get in a fight with his mother. Monica clearly knew Ethon very well. He might look calm and gentle on the surface, but in reality, he was stubborn. He wouldn''t stop at anything just to get what he wanted. He probably inherited this attitude from Monica herself. Knowing this, Monica had already assumed that Ethon might do something like this¡ªsecretly get married to Fiona. This was why she talked to Ethon''s uncle beforehand. The atmosphere in the office was a little depressing. Fiona''s eyes flickered as uneasiness filled her chest. At that moment, the door suddenly flew open. Monica and Sh walked in. . They were both fuming with anger. When Fiona saw them, her heart trembled. She had a bad feeling about this. The fierce look on Monica''s face scared her. Luckily, Ethon was by her side. Otherwise, she really wouldn''t have the courage to continue this anymore. Staying silent, Ethon cast a cold nce at his mother. He didn''t even greet her, which only infuriated her further. Since Ethon didn''t want to be the first to say anything, Monica stared him down wordlessly. The thick silencested for a long while before Ethon finally averted his gaze. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He wasn''t really afraid of her. He knew that if he stayed here, things were only going to get worse. That afternoon, Monica and Sh had nned to see a movie. They were a bit early, so they opted to have some dessert first. They were taken aback when they received Ethon''s uncle''s message. They hadn''t even taken a bite of their order when they found out that Ethon was registering for marriage. Monica was seething when she read the message. Luckily, they were so close to the Marriage Bureau that it didn''t take long for them to arrive there. "You shameless bitch! How dare you seduce my son into marrying you! I''m telling you right now that''s never going to happen! As long as I''m still alive, you two are never going to get married!" Monica pointed a finger at Fiona. She was wearing a red dress, which only made her look even more intimidating and evil. "Even if we can''t get married today, we can alwayse back tomorrow to do it," Ethon stated sternly, stepping up to protect Fiona. He didn''t know what was going to happen next, so he stood in front of Fiona as a way of protecting her. Envy flickered across Sh''s eyes as she red at Fiona. ''How could they get married so soon?'' Sh thought to herself. "Well, looks like you''re determined to do this." With her eyebrows raised, Monica cast a scornful nce at Ethon. Ethon was equally angry. Monica had driven him out of the Yu Family and had blocked him from getting a job anywhere just so he would leave Fiona. Only the JS International would hire him, and that was because he had Nathan to back him up. Nathan treated him fairly well, mostly because of his brother. "Yup, you''re right. I''m very determined. My household register is separate from yours, so I''m free to marry whomever I want. I want to marry Nana. I just happened to have forgotten my household register today," Ethon said confidently. Then he coldly nced at his uncle, visibly disappointed at his betrayal. "Uncle, why did you do this? Why did you tell my mom? If you didn''t want to do me the favor, you should have just refused me outright. Why couldn''t you have told me that?" The atmosphere grew tense. Frowning, Fiona nced at Ethon, a strange look on her face. She figured Ethon was probably really angry, or else he wouldn''t have spoken to his uncle like this. This was quite uncharacteristic of him. He was mad at his uncle for being dishonest with him. Inwardly, Fiona felt that what Ethon''s uncle did was uneptable too. Why was he meddling with other people''s lives anyway? Ethon''s uncle was so angry that he couldn''t even say a word. More than anything, he felt wronged. It was Monica who had told him to do that in the first ce. "Ethon, shut up! How could you say that?" Monica''s face turned red with anger as she clenched her handbag, intending on hitting Fiona with it. However, Ethon was protecting her, which only made Monica even angrier. "I''m just saying what''s on my mind. Maybe to you, love doesn''t mean anything, but to me, it''s everything. I love Nana, and I can''t live without her. I will die if I don''t have her. If you want me to die then go ahead," Ethon asserted. Fiona was a bit shocked upon hearing this. Mouth agape, she gently tugged at Ethon''s sleeve and said tentatively, "Ethon, don''t talk like that. You''re going to scare your mother." "Well it''s true. I can''t live without you." He turned to look at her affectionately as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Chapter 757 You Must Stay By My Side Chapter 757 You Must Stay By My Side "I forbid you to say that, Ethon." Fiona trembled as she felt her heart sink in depression. Although she felt the same way deep inside, she could not help wondering why she had such a sense of premonition. "You must stay by my side, do you hear me? I will protect you." Suddenly, Ethon''s eyes lit up. A light smile spread across his face. Only in front of Fiona could he smile so heartily as if he were a child. Sh''s nose was red, and her eyes were slightly puffy. She had tears in her eyes, and there was a kind of raging jealousy in her heart that could not be expressed. For a moment, Sh was touched by what Ethon had just said, especially the words "you must stay by my side, and I will protect you." Sh had lived for more than 20 years. Since primary school, boys had been chasing after her, but none of them had ever said such sweet words to her. A promise was like a beautiful butterfly that could disappear and not be seen again in the blink of an eye. Nheless, a woman still liked to hear promises, especially if they were from the lips of the man she loved. Hearing such words made a woman very happy. A lump formed in Fiona''s throat. She nodded, her eyes still slightly red. She was stunned for a few seconds, and her reactions seemed to slow down after hearing Ethon''s words. "You little bitch! Do you think you deserve my son? Look at you! You don''t deserve my son at all! And you have the gall to want to marry him. I''m telling you, even if you get married, I won''t take you as my daughter-inw. You better give up now." Monica could no longer control her anger. Gritting her teeth, she strode up to Fiona. She looked haughty and was ready to curse the poor young woman with the most viciousnguage she could speak. Hearing Monica''s malicious words, Fiona kept silent. After all, Monica was an elder, and she was Ethon''s mother. Besides, it was not the first time that she had spoken ill of her. Fiona had always been docile since childhood and could bear others'' verbal attack against her. "It''s up to me whether we get married or not," Ethon answered in a firm voice, his handsome face now stern and domineering. "You have no control here. I''ve moved your residence booklet to the Yu Family, so you can''t marry this bitch without my permission," Monica said sarcastically without remorse. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. This proved the famous saying, "While the priest climbs a post, the devil climbs ten." Aged ginger was more pungent than younger ones. Ethon was a simple and innocent man, while Monica, on the other hand, was shrewd and cunning. Ethon was not a person who would be forced to do anything rashly, but this time, he found himself trapped in his mother''s schemes and threats. He did not really expect that her mother would try every means to separate him from Fiona. She had really spent a lot of time and energy on this matter. "All right. Just let me ask you a question. What if Sh were not the mayor''s daughter? What if she were just an ordinary woman? Would you still like her that much? Would you still want me to marry her?" Ethon asked through clenched teeth, great rage blooming in his heart. Monica stared at Ethon with wide eyes. She felt so embarrassed that she could not utter a single word to refute her son. How could he say such words in front of her and Sh? How dare he spew some thinly veiled insults? "There are no ''ifs'' in the world. Some people are simply not born into families that are meant to rule, much like lions don''t give birth to mice. Simrly, human beings can''t choose their family. Whose future do you think is better, a lion or a mouse''s?" Monica held her breath. After a few seconds of silence, she answered Ethon''s question. She made an analogy,paring Sh to a lion and Fiona to a mouse. "It depends on what kind of lion or what kind of mouse it is. One thing is for sure. I''d rather be a despised mouse that''s free to run around and go everywhere than a worshiped lion that lives in a cage and is doomed to perform at the crack of a whip for the rest of its life." With his eyebrows furrowed, Ethon got straight to the point. He managed to restrain his anger while using his intelligence to respond to Monica. Obviously, Ethon had just won this round. Monica was too angry to say a word in response. She was on the verge of exploding. She really wanted to p Fiona across the face, but she could not do it because Ethon was standing right in front of her. He was really trying his best to protect Fiona from her. "Well, then you can be a poor mouse. If that is your goal, I really have nothing else to say." Irritated, Monica picked up her expensive Prada bag and threw it at Ethon with all her strength. The bag cut through the air, creating a swooshing sound as it flew toward Ethon''s face. To Monica''s surprise, Ethon just stood there with an arrogant look on his face. He did not even try to avoid her attack. Monica''s face turned bright red with mixed annoyance and rage. There were many things in Monica''s bag namely an umbre, cosmetics, her car keys, and a pile of odds and ends. They were really heavy together. The bag hit Ethon right in the face and then fell to the ground. "Ethon..." Fiona eximed with a hint of fear and amazement in her voice. At the same time, Sh opened her mouth and called, "Auntie." Ethon rubbed his nose and felt a pang of pain. He only watched as Monica threw her heavy handbag right at his face. He had deliberately not evaded her attack. But the funny thing was that the two women''s reactions were quite different. Fiona called to him while Sh called to Monica. It was quite obvious who loved Ethon more deeply. "You... You are not a devoted son at all. You are a disgrace." Monica''s lips quivered as she could no longer control her emotions. She cried hysterically, wailing and thrashing like a mad woman. Since his childhood, Ethon had not been beaten by Monica, not even once. This was the first time that Monica hit him in the face with a handbag. This would be a most unforgettable memory for both Ethon and Monica. When Ethon was a kid, he was obedient, and he never offended Monica. He always did what she asked, but after his third year in high school, his thoughts and behavior changed a lot. That was the time when he met and became familiar with Fiona. All of a sudden, he did not want to follow the path his father had made for him. Ethon was born in a family of military men, but he was not interested in bing a military officer like his father. Since ancient times, heroes always wanted beauties, and Ethon was no exception. In truth, he would choose his beautiful beloved Fiona over the bright and promising future designed by his parents any day. "Ethon, are you okay?" With a pitiful look on her face, Fiona quickly strode in front of Ethon and checked his face. Her eyes were glistening with tears. "I''m fine. It doesn''t hurt." Ethon smiled, trying to be strong. He looked at Fiona with a calm and gentle expression as if a heavy, expensive handbag had not just violently hit him in his face. Chapter 758 It Is Not Impossible For Me To Accept Her Chapter 758 It Is Not Impossible For Me To ept Her Monica was so furious that she was at her wit''s end. She pointed her finger at Fiona and cursed at her, "You bitch! It''s all your fault! If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have hit him! And now you''re pretending to care about my son. Who do you think you are? Your despicable behavior and conduct really disgust me!" Monica threw insults at Fiona furiously, and even her spittle was flying about in the air. Her fingers couldn''t help but tremble, and her usuallyposed face was consumed with rage. "Are you saying that he was hit because of me? How can you say that it''s all my fault? From what I had seen, it was because you couldn''t control your own hands. If you really loved your son and respected him, he wouldn''t be like this right now," Fiona retorted, because she couldn''t bear it anymore. ''I''m not a pushover. If I don''t say anything and just take all of her insults, Monica will definitely step all over me again and again, '' she thought. Monica raised her eyebrows and looked at Fiona from head to toe with her piercing gaze. Having long suspected, Monica had already known since a long time ago that Fiona had a sharp- tongue and would talk back to her. Pursing her thin lips tightly, Monica gave her a contemptuous look and mocked with disdain, "Ha! This is how uncivilized children talk back to their elders. I knew it." "Civilized people should respect each other as well. My personality may not be that strong and outrageous, but I won''t allow myself to be pushed around by others," Fiona responded honestly and openly. At that moment, she wasn''t afraid of Monica even with the woman''s identity in mind. "You still want to continue arguing, is that right? Why on earth are you so confident?" Sh retaliated as she couldn''t stand it anymore. Squinting her beautiful eyes, she sneered at Fiona. "I''m sorry, but it''s true that I''m more confident than you are. I know that you''re always thinking about how to take Ethon from me. I think it''s better for you to focus on improving yourself, so you might even meet someone better than Ethon in the future. However, if you insist on destroying other people''s rtionships, then there''s nothing I can say to you," Fiona stated with a cordial smile, even though she was bing upset with the conversation. It was a kind reminder from Fiona to Sh. But it could also be regarded as a warning. In the past, Fiona had never said such words to the woman. But today, they had crossed the line so she couldn''t help herself. By that point, Sh didn''t really know what else she could say to retort back. So she just pretended to look sad and dejected. Then, while looking as pitiful as she could, she turned to Monica. Since Monica and Sh were in the same boat with their hatred for Fiona, Monica immediately perked up when she saw that Sh was losing the battle. Just like a hen protecting her young, she once again sneered at Fiona. "Sh is so perfect that she doesn''t need to improve herself. You''re the one who should look at yourself! There are so many disgraceful things in your life, and you can''t change any of them!" Monica''s words echoed in Fiona''s head. Even her heart missed a beat. Her father had been in prison for a long time, and her mother was now in a drug rehabilitation center. It was very hard for her mother to stay away from drugs and be sober. Once her life had been contaminated with it, it was difficult to recover. Moreover, her mother had been addicted to drugs for many years. So she was not the kind of person who had just recently fallen down the rabbit hole. There was still hope for that kind of person to reim their lives in a drug rehabilitation center, but for her mom, Fiona was afraid that all hope had been lost. Recently, Fiona had heard about her mother''s situation. Last month, her mom failed in the drug rehabilitation for the tenth time. The center was like hell on earth. If the rehabilitation center couldn''t help her recover, there was no hope left for her in the outside world. Fiona didn''t know how much torture her mother had suffered in the rehabilitation center. Although she hated her mother and father very much, she still had some affection left for them. What she hated the most about her parents was that they were so irresponsible. But most of all, they failed to give her a normal andplete family. ''Why are people so selfish sometimes?'' Fiona would always wonder. When it was adults who became impulsive, they were more frightening than immature children. In fact, Fiona was a person who was full of hope for life. Therefore, she studied very hard in school and worked even harder after she graduated. But whenever someone would mention her parents in front of her, she felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing through her heart. Even after all these years, it was still impossible for her to bear the pain of her familial roots. "Does it give you so much pleasure to scratch at others people''s scars?" Ethon asked with a frown. "It''s not impossible for me to ept Fiona. Before she can be part of the Yu Family, both of her parents should be dead," Monica scoffed. Both her expression and words were intimidating. Somehow, Ethon felt that there was something more in her words than what she had tantly said. All of a sudden, he had goosebumps all over his body. Upon hearing that, Fiona was enraged. She red at Monica and said, "Don''t say such things about my parents!" "Why can''t I say those things? Little girl, just ept your fate, okay?" With a smirk on her lips, Monica disdainfully rolled her eyes. As if a thorn had struck her neck, Fiona cleared her throat. For a while, she was so ufortable that she couldn''t utter a word. She hated her parents so much, but why was it still so painful for her whenever others would insult them? The answer was simple, and Fiona knew it. Once upon a time, she had a warm home, and her life was full ofughter before everything went downhill. "My parents made a lot of mistakes, but they are still my parents. I will never allow anyone to insult them." Fiona tried topose herself, and with determination in her voice, she stared straight at Monica. Monica''s heart trembled a little. She didn''t expect that the girl could utter such decent words. However, Monica justughed sarcastically before asking, "Okay then, what can you do? Why don''t you break up with my son? As long as he is my son, you and your family have to ept my insults." With her chin slightly tilted up and nose high in the air, Monica looked rather arrogant. Needless to say, it irritated Ethon very much. "That''s enough. Don''t force me to severe our rtionship as mother and son." The expression on Ethon''s handsome face was firm and determined. Monica took a deep breath and felt a sharp pain in her heart. She had coronary heart disease, but she had been recovering well for the past few years. She had been taking her medicines on time and had been taking good care of herself. She wouldn''t have a heart attack unless she was very excited or upset. As the seconds went by, the acute pain in her heart was getting stronger and stronger. Monica opened her mouth and felt like she was out of breath. She gasped for air, and she couldn''t say a single word. Ethon frowned, and the expression on his face turned serious. He immediately figured out that Monica might be having a heart attack. He quickly took big strides towards her and supported her back with his hands. Feeling a little guilty, he softly said, "Mom, calm down, please." But even in that situation, Monica was still upset. With the same stern expression on her face, she stammered, "Hah... You disobedient child... You should... You should remember that I am still your mother." Even Fiona, who didn''t know much about Monica''s condition, could tell that the woman was struggling and using all of her energy to speak. Up until then, she didn''t know anything about Monica''s heart disease. "Mom, please don''t get so emotional, okay? I beg you. Where is your medicine? Did you bring it with you?" At that point, Ethon''s face turned pale with fear. When he saw his mother gasping for air so badly, everything in his mind went out of control. "I... I didn''t bring any medicine with me. Wouldn''t it be better if I just died right now? Please... Please leave me alone. Go...Go away!" With an eerie smile on her face, Monica still managed to muster all of her strength to speak.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 759 Monicas Heart Disease Chapter 759 Monica''s Heart Disease Standing next to them, Sh was also taken aback. In a heartbeat, she hurried to Monica and asked, "Aunt Monica, are you okay? What''s wrong?" Sh knew that Monica suffered from heart disease, but Monica had never shown any symptoms in front of her. Seeing her like this today scared the hell out of her. Monica liked Sh very much. Every time she was with her, she always stayed calm and was not quick to anger. "Ethon, take her to the hospital right now," Fiona said with concern as she walked up to Ethon and rested her hand on his shoulder. The color drained from Monica''s face. She looked like a fish out of water. She pressed her hand against her chest and winced in pain. The cramp made her feel like she was going to suffocate. With a flustered and serious look on his face, Ethon bent down, scooped his mother up in his arms, and strode toward the door. Fiona immediately turned around and trotted after Ethon. Sh bit her lip. She had no time to react to what had suddenly happened. As she was wearing high heels, it would be inconvenient to run. The only thing she could do was to trot as fast as she could to follow Ethon and Fiona. Fiona pulled the rear door of her sports car open to let Monica in. When Ethon was about to carry her in, Monica struggled with a ferocious expression on her face and kicked her legs. She said reluctantly, "I... I don''t want to be in her... Her car." Fiona felt a sting in her heart. She looked away, embarrassed. She thought, ''What have I done wrong? Why does she hate me so much? To the extent that she doesn''t even care about her life!'' "Aunt Monica, please use my car. My car is at the back," Sh offered anxiously. Ethon thought about it for a few seconds, exchanging a nce with Fiona. As if she had read Ethon''s mind, Fiona said considerately, "It''s okay, Ethon. You can take your mom to her car. I''ll go with you." With his lips trembling, Ethon was moved. At that moment, he thought that Fiona really knew his mind very well. He also felt very guilty. As he failed to protect his beloved woman at the critical moment, he felt impotent and distressed. When she was a kid, Fiona had not had aplete family. As a result, she had learned to sympathize with others and be a considerate young woman. Ethon held Monica in his arms and got into Sh''s car. It was a ck Land Rover. Sh opened the driver''s side door, casting a hostile nce at Fiona. Expressionless, Fiona exchanged a nce with her calmly. She knew what Sh was thinking, but she did not want to argue with her at this moment. Sometimes, you really did not know when idents would happen. On the way to the hospital, Fiona was in a bad mood, but she tried hard to contain her emotions and not to let herself slip into anger. She told herself again and again that it was no big deal. After all, Ethon had already chosen to spend the rest of his life with her. As long as he was on her side, she believed that someday, Monica would let go of her rage and prejudice against her. The ck Land Rover raced wildly along the street. After passing a crossroad, Sh steered the car to the right. They finally reached JR Hospital. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. A doctor came running to them as soon as they entered the emergency room. Monica''s coronary heart disease was congenital. Fortunately, she had been taking good care of her body these past few years, so she did not show any symptoms. Ever since she got married to Malcolm, he had treated her fairly well despite not truly loving her. She knew her health condition, so she rarely got emotional. However, recently, she got angry too many times. At the door to the emergency room, Sh and Fiona stood with Ethon in the middle. Ethon pressed his lips together tightly and did not say a word. Fiona raised her head to take a careful look at Ethon. She, too, did not know what to say. Sh cast a quick nce at Ethon and Fiona. When she saw that they both kept silent, she deliberately pretended to be tender and gentle in front of them. "Don''t worry, Ethon. I''m sure your mother will be fine." "Thank you," Ethon replied. He did not know what else to say. He kept silent for a few more seconds and then said, "Thank you for driving my mother here." "You''re wee. It was the right thing to do," Sh answered with a sweet smile. Ethon turned to look at Fiona and saw that she was also looking at him. They stared at each other but remained silent. It had been a tough day. Fiona thought today would be one of the most memorable days of her life. She did not expect so many things to go wrong. It was indeed unforgettable but not in the way she had hoped. She and Ethon had already been to the Marriage Bureau, but they still could not get married. The very thought left a bitter taste in Fiona''s mouth. Why did everything go so wrong? Except for her being the mayor''s daughter, how could Shpete with her? When Sh was in college, her academic performance was decent. She entered the entertainment circle early, so she was very popr. In addition, with her father''s support, she had lived a fairly easy and happy life. But Fiona had an even better background. Her sister was Mandy, an internationally renowned pianist, and her brother-inw was Nathan, the most powerful businessman in City A. Fiona did not talk about her sister and brother-inw so often. If she relied too much on them, then she would be just like Sh. She wanted to be recognized for her own hard work. So, even though she was wronged, she did not tell Mandy about what had happened. Mandy was in a bad moodtely as well because Adrian was sick. She did not want to disturb her sister, who had her own problems to deal with. In the emergency room Lying in bed uneasily, Monica felt her heart begin to twitch again, but it was much less painful than before. After being injected with a tranquilizer, she became much less emotional. Chapter 760 Monicas Request Chapter 760 Monica''s Request The pain failed to recede. Monica rubbed her chest hard. Audrey''s face looked serious, and the mask she wore did little to detract attention from her eyes and eyebrows'' beauty. She said in a kind voice, "Don''t do that, madam. It will only make things worse. You''ll be fine in a little while. The medicine we injected you with will take effect in about ten minutes." Monica''s head was covered with sweat. She took a deep breath to steady herself as she ced her hands by the bed and looked at Audrey with trembling eyes. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. A nurse was cleaning the equipment nearby. Audrey smiled at Monica. "Don''t worry, madam. The heart disease is not that severe, but please, try not to get too worked up in future. You should keep things light." Still feeling a little weak, Monica stammered, "When we step out, can you¡­can you describe my condition to my son as though it''s more serious?" The doctor frowned. "Why? Do you want your son to worry about you?" "To some extent, yes. My son has always been obedient. But ever since he started dating this girlfriend of his a few months back, he''s begun to disobey me. He''s been annoying me repeatedly ofte." Monica stared at Audrey''s eyes. She didn''t know why, but she had a gut feeling that this doctor would help her. "So you want your son to break up with his girlfriend, and that''s why you want me to lie?" Audrey smirked as realization dawned on her. ''Surely, all mothers-inw are vicious, '' she thought. Staring at the patient, she suddenly remembered her grandmother. Back then, she had also tried to get her parents to divorce. "Yes, doctor. Please, do me this favor. That seductress haspletely brainwashed my son. He doesn''t listen to me anymore. If it goes on like this, I might die." Frowning, Monica was disgusted at the thought of Fiona''s innocent face. Audrey curled her lips. "But¡­ as doctors, our ethics are important to us. What you''re asking of me goes against the code." Monica''s eyes seemed to go nk. Suddenly reaching out, she grabbed Audrey''s hand. "Please, doctor. Just tell my son that I''m seriously ill and can''t bear any agitation." Audrey could not refuse her patient''s request. She went against her conscience and decided to y along. She looked solemn as she apanied the nurse who wheeled Monica out. By the time the emergency room doors burst open, Ethon''s nerves were already frayed. He walked towards his mother and saw her lying on the bed with a deathly pallor on her face. Her lips were pursed as if she was unwilling to talk. Audrey asked that Monica be transferred to a ward as she needed to remain under observation for three more days. Then she saw Ethon. Calming herself, she asked, "Who is the patient''s family?" Fiona was Mandy''s younger sister, and Ethon was Fiona''s boyfriend. Audrey had seen them in Adrian''s ward before. However, she hadn''t expected that the woman who had been begging her in the operating room would be Ethon''s mother. The woman wanted her son to break up with Fiona. Audrey found it funny. It was like she just identally discovered a big secret. She felt quite excited. "I am her son," Ethon answered in a tired voice. "Come with me." Audrey cast an in-depth look at Ethon and then at Fiona. Fiona met her gaze. ''Isn''t she the female doctor that Mandy talked about?'' she pondered. She remembered that Mandy had looked repulsed when she''d talked about the doctor. She imagined that Audrey was not a kind person. Ethon followed Audrey down the corridor. Worriedly, he asked, "How''s my mother doing?" "Her condition isn''t fatal, but the heart disease is quite serious. She can''t bear any emotional trauma at this time. As her son, you have to be more attentive to your mother''s moods." Audrey''s tone remained serious despite her smile. Hearing that his mother''s illness wasn''t fatal, Ethon heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you, doctor. I understand." "You''re wee. I''m just doing my job. Ensure she takes her pills promptly. Most importantly, she must remain in a good mood and not get agitated. That will save everyone a lot of trouble," She stressed the phrase "good mood." Her signature smile still yed on her lips. Ethon merely smiled back since he did not know what else to say. On the other side, Sh and Fiona had followed the nurse to Monica''s ward. As her condition improved, Sh acted anxiously and sat beside the bed. It was the perfect opportunity to win Monica''s affection. "Aunt Monica, how are you feeling now? Are youfortable?" "I''m fine. I''m fine. I won''t die yet. Someone may be disappointed if I do." With her voice full of resentment, Monica red at Fiona through hate-filled eyes. Fiona clenched her fists and thought, ''I am such a fool! Why did Ie inside? Why am I asking for trouble? I''m giving Monica the chance to mock me, aren''t I?'' "Aunt Monica, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?" Sh asked after looking at her wristwatch. She realized that it was time for dinner. With a satisfied smile stered on her face, Monica took Sh''s hand fondly. "Yes, I''m a little hungry. I''d like to eat some porridge." "Then I''ll go buy you some," Sh volunteered. Her victorious smile was as bright as the warm summer sunshine. "Okay," Monica answered. It just so happened that she had something to say to Fiona. Once Sh left, Fiona felt like an outsider. She mocked herself, ''Why am I still here? Ethon hasn''t come back yet, but it''ll look awkward if I leave now. As his girlfriend, it is my responsibility to take care of his mother.'' Chapter 761 Pour Water Chapter 761 Pour Water The ward was dead silent. One could only hear the buzzing of the air conditioner. Monica stared at Fiona aggressively, giving her goose bumps all over her body. She didn''t like how smothering the atmosphere was, but she couldn''t do anything about it. No matter how much she hated Monica, she couldn''t lose her temper because she was ill. She had to at least wait until Ethon came back. "Ahem!" Monica coughed to stifle the atmosphere, but the hostility in her remained constant. Fiona kept quiet. She wondered if she was being a coward. She did not want to speak for fear of starting a fight with Monica. ''If I don''t speak, I won''t make any mistakes, '' thought Fiona. But Monica cast a scornful look at her and spoke in a rather arrogant tone. "Get me some water!" Fiona looked back at her indifferently, thinking, ''I have never seen such an arrogant woman! Why does she think she can give me orders?'' But no matter how frustrated she was, she managed to hold back her anger. She took a deep breath and walked toward Monica. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She was in the VIP ward. There was a tea set on the nightstand. As calm as still water, Fiona poured a ss of water for Monica. With a forced smile on her face, she held the cup in both her hands and handed it to her. "There you go, Aunt Monica." Her tone was neither rude nor too affectionate, making it hard for Monica to figure out her emotions. Monica felt disgusted at the very sight of Fiona''s face. She thought that it was time for Ethon toe back. She red at her while she sipped from her cup. Atst, she spoke up. "What will make you leave Ethon? Do you even love him? If you really do, you should think about his future. You two are from completely different worlds. Do you understand me?" Fiona was dazed. Of course, she understood what she was implying! When they were still in high school, Ethon and she were utterly different people. But love was capable of oveing differences. Twopletely contrasting personalities could end up together, then why couldn''t they? Noticing how Fiona lowered her head and remained silent, Monica gained even more confidence to put her down. "You''re so young. Why do you have to tie Ethon down? I know him very well. You think he loves you, but it''s only a matter of time before he gets bored of you. If you don''t want to shame him, it''s better you just leave him right away." Fiona lifted her eyes to look at her briefly, then pursed her lips. She didn''t say anything to counter her, but that wasn''t because she was timid. It was only out of respect that she didn''t answer her since she was Ethon''s mother. She knew Ethon was from a prestigious family. Malcolm and Monica had paved a bright path for him, but he had picked his own path and started working with Fiona. No wonder Monica hated her. She could take all her insults unless she started attacking her parents. Fiona''s extended silence now annoyed Monica. She furrowed her brows and asked her in a stern voice, "Well? Can you say something? Can you ever hear me? Don''t just stand there like a dumb girl!" Seeing that Monica was getting agitated, Fiona started to get tensed. Still, she maintained her composure. She finally opened her mouth, speaking calmly, "Aunt Monica, I know you don''t like me, but I really love Ethon. I don''t care about his money. All I want is him." "Ha-ha! Don''t kid yourself," Monica remarked with a chuckle, obviously mocking her. "I have met a lot of girls like you. You are exactly like that bitch, Ivy!" Fiona stared at Monica with a grave expression. Ivy was Malcolm''s first love, the most beloved woman in his life. She was also Colin''s mother. This matter was deeply rooted in her heart. Even though Ivy had died many years ago, it was impossible for Monica to rece her in Malcolm''s heart. The corners of Fiona''s mouth twitched. If Monica wasn''t the mother of the man she loved most, she would have left long ago. Why did she have to stand here and bear the insults? She thought it was best to resort to silence again since it was anyway pointless to try to reason with her. However, that only intensified Monica''s fury. She clutched her cup so tightly her fingertips turned pale. Suddenly, she tilted the cup and spilled the water on herself, making her look miserable. Fiona''s eyes widened in shock. She had no idea what she was going to do next. Monica grew hysterical, let out a violent shriek and threw the cup on the floor. "How could you be so cruel? What have I done to you? You are so narrow-minded! Why did you ssh the water on me, you dumb bitch!" Monica started babbling and acting out. Fiona waspletely taken aback, at a loss for words and clueless as to what she should do. But before she could do anything, the door of the ward opened. Ethon walked into the room with a poker face. His eyes fell on Monica, who was a mess and Fiona, who was just standing there, frowning. Fiona''s eyes widened with shock and grievance. The air in the ward had suddenly be stale. All of a sudden, Monica cast a pitiful nce at Ethon and started crying. "Ethon, this woman is really heartless! She poured water on me when you were outside. It would be better if I just die right now!" Ethon looked at Fiona, swallowing and frowning. "I didn''t do anything, Ethon. She spilled the water on herself," Fiona exined earnestly. "You''re lying. I was just trying to teach you something. Why on earth would I pour water on myself? Do I look that insane to you?" Pretending to be weak and frail, Monica wiped her tears off, sobbing like a little girl. "Ethon, it''s really wasn''t me!" Fiona cried out, quickly stepping closer to Ethon. Ethon''s instincts told him to trust Fiona. She wasn''t that kind of a person. He had seen how resilient and calm she was in the face of Monica''s insults. The only time she talked back was when she mocked her parents. She really was one in a million. Chapter 762 I Am Here To Announce That I Have Broken Up With Him Chapter 762 I Am Here To Announce That I Have Broken Up With Him Monica, however, looked heartbroken as if Fiona had really bullied her. She acted so distraughtly that she jumped off the bed. Ethon moved forward immediately, recalling what Audrey had just told him about not letting Monica be too agitated. Holding her in ce, he took some tissue from the box on the nightstand. Without a word, he gently wiped the water off her face. Seeing his worried look, Monica frowned and gasped for air. She sniffed, "Don''t you believe me, Ethon? Why won''t you say something? She actually sshed water on me." "I didn''t!" Fiona retorted immediately. Her mind buzzed. She never imagined that Monica would be so cunning as to stter herself with water to get her in trouble. She didn''t want to be framed this way. "Ethon, she did it! I am... I am still very sick! How could I have been so silly? How could I have sprinkled the water on myself?" Monica acted so well that her tears began to flow freely. Fiona felt sad. Since she had been with Ethon, this was the first time she truly understood sorrow. It turned out that Monica hated her so much that she was willing to risk her health just to get her in trouble. Ethon was at a loss. On the one hand was the woman who had birthed and raised him. On another hand, there was the love of his life. No matter what choice he made, one of them was bound to be hurt. He chose to remain quiet. It was as though a civil battle was about to break out. In a bid to make him speak, Monica suddenly began gasping for air just as what she did in the Marriage Bureau a while ago. She held onto his arm and said, "Okay then! My son doesn''t believe me after I raised him all these years! I''d rather die now!" The atmosphere in the ward became even more stiff in that instant. Although Monica was sneering inwardly, she pretended to be upset as if Fiona had truly bullied her. This put her son in a tight spot. Ethon saw through the ruse. He believed Fiona was telling the truth, She would never go as far as pouring water on his mother. Brows knit in concentration, Ethon looked first at the woman standing in front of him before shifting his gaze to the other woman who was lying on the bed. He opened his mouth slowly. "Mom, I believe you." When Fiona heard him say that he believed his mother, she felt like her world would copse. He believed her! She lost herposure and wept silently. Scalding tears streamed down her face. "Ethon... You really don''t believe me? I said I didn''t spray your mom with water!" She clenched her fists as she tried to exin. This was thest time she''d do so. She suddenly felt tired of everything. Ethon''s only immediate wish was to calm Monica down. No matter how unfairly she had treated Fiona, she was still his mother! In any case, filial piety was always an important virtue. Ethon stared at Fiona without responding to her protests. She looked at him intently. She had never felt as disappointed as she did then. Fiona wiped off her tears as she noticed the contemptuous look on Monica''s face. She made herself strong and looked at the woman who was lying on the bed, feigning pain. In a cold voice, she said, "You badly want me out of your son''s life, don''t you? Well, I dere here that I''m breaking up with him. There, you have what you''ve always wanted! I wish you a speedy recovery!" As soon as she finished speaking, Fiona turned around and rushed out of the ward. Ethon''s heart sank when he heard the words ''breaking up.'' Monica, however, just raised her brows dismissively. Having finally rid herself of Fiona, she had won! Monica was a smart woman who hardly lost a bargain. She''d also framed Ivy in the past! "Nana!" Ethon rushed after her, From her words, he could tell that she was serious about breaking up with him. He was so flustered that he could hardly breathe. "Ethon?" Sh''s voice came from outside the ward. She was returning with a lot of delicious food and was confused about what had happened. She had just seen Fiona run out, and she didn''t get what was going on. She hadn''t expected to meet such a scene upon her return. Ethon didn''t answer her. He pressed the doorknob with slender fingers and was going to continue chasing after Fiona. Then he heard another voice call him from behind. "Ethon!" Still lying on the bed, Monica red angrily. Ethon stopped in his tracks. He clenched his fists and slowly turned around, fixing his deep-set eyes on Monica. "Mom, haven''t you had enough already? Just how old are you? Do you think I don''t know this filthy trick you are ying? You sshed the water yourself and lied against Fiona!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Despite the anger shing in his eyes, Ethon spoke in a calm tone. The moment he had turned around and seen the aggrieved look on Fiona''s face, he had became uneasy. Thest thing he wanted was to see her upset again. He had tried his best to protect her but just couldn''t. Monica was speechless. She took a deep breath and looked at him with an indecipherable expression in her eyes. He sneered at her, seeing no other choice except to run out of the ward. Sitting alone in the hospital garden, Fiona looked up at the towering inpatient department and thought about what had just happened. She was aggrieved. She buried her face in her hands and cried. Ethon did not believe her. Her heart hurt as she thought about it. No matter how hard she''d tried to exin, he still hadn''t believed her. But she hadn''t doused his mother at all! Why didn''t he take the side of justice and speak up for her? Was having a heart disease that big of a deal? Did Monica have to subject everyone to her unreasonable decisions? Fiona couldn''t stand it anymore. Chapter 763 Unnecessary Explanation Chapter 763 Unnecessary Exnation At first, Fiona couldn''t help but feel that it was such a pity how they didn''t get married at the Marriage Bureau. But looking back, she felt that it was actually a stroke of luck. Mandy had always told her that if she ever felt that she had been wronged, she needed to tell her right away. But how could she tell Mandy about this situation? Fiona couldn''t deny that Ethon''s behavior today made him unworthy of bing her future husband. He had obviously made his choice between her and his mother. As clich¨¦d as it would be, blood would always be thicker than water. Above everything else, the family would always be a priority. Turning your back on your own family was very difficult, and Ethon was not an exception to this. With those thoughts in mind, Fiona just felt how stupid she was. She cried and cried excessively. She just let her tears flow on her face without thinking about who might see her or what she looked like. Fiona had thought that Ethon was different from other men. When they were in the horse field, Ethon had firmly held her hands. It might have been mundane and simple for everyone else, but it moved her a lot. She had thought that Ethon would always stay the same. She thought that he would protect her from everybody else, even in front of Monica. But now, it was clear that she had been wrong. Fiona was deeply envious that Mandy did not just have a wonderful man like Nathan for a husband, but she had alsonded herself good inws. The rtionship between mother-inw and daughter-inw had been a prominent topic since ancient times. It had been the topic of a lot of conversations, and people had varying opinions. However, there was no denying that in their situation, she couldn''t marry Ethon. There was no way for them to be together like they had nned. Perhaps this had been their fate all along. Suddenly, a pair of arms circled her. Someone pulled her into his arms, and Fiona immediately felt the familiarity of the embrace. Fiona looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face. Needless to say, it was Ethon. She had always felt somefort wrapped in his arms with his scent so close to her. But not this time. She was so upset that she quickly pushed him away. Gritting her teeth, she red at Ethon as if he was her enemy. "What are you doing here?" There was so much coldness in her voice and a lot of pain in her eyes. "Nana... Please listen to me first, it''s not what you think. Don''t take to heart what I just said in there. I have believed in you from the very beginning. But my mother was having a heart attack, and I didn''t want to add to her stress. Do you understand me?" Ethon wrapped his arms around hers tightly. The expression in his eyes looked even more secretive. Struggling to be as far from him as possible, Fiona restlessly pushed him away. "Let go of me. What''s the point of saying that now? If your mother is having a heart attack, you can go and apany her. You don''t need to worry about me." Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Nana, calm down, please? I know I made a mistake. I offended you. I hurt you. All of this is my fault." Ethon looked rather guilty. He couldn''t even look Fiona in the eyes as he lowered his head in shame. He was having so many mixed emotions. "You don''t need to say anything now. I''ve already lost. In front of your mother, I''ve lost my dignity. Did you even stop to think about my feelings? Because if you had, even for just a second, you wouldn''t have done that. I don''t understand you. I''m trying, but I really can''t, and quite honestly, I don''t want to. How could you do that to me? Am I just nothing in your life?" The feelings she had been holding back for so long, all the pain and disappointment, finally burst out from her chest. Eventually, she was able to push him away. "It''s all my fault, Nana. Please don''t be mad at me. I didn''t have a choice. But can''t you see that I''m here trying to exin it all to you? Ethon narrowed his eyes. He felt like it was his turn to have a heart attack. He was afraid that Fiona would really break up with him. "Exin? What''s the use of exining now? What can I do with your exnation? Why are all men like this? Why do you have to wait until your woman is feeling dejected before you exin anything? Everything that you''re saying now is unnecessary. Why didn''t you have the courage to defend me? Why couldn''t you have said all of that in the ward earlier? Your mother threw dirty water on me, but you didn''t even dare to speak one word in my defense. You''ve told me numerous times that you love me. Is this how you treat the person that you supposedly love?" Fiona stepped back, feeling extremely drained. As noon turned into dusk, the clouds in the sky were dyed with orange. It looked like enchanting times wereing to end, and dark would be here soon. It was like the atmosphere between them. "Then what can I do? The doctor just called me in to inform me about what happened. She said that my mother was not in very good condition. Do you really want me to piss her off?" Clenching his fists, Ethon stood there, feeling very much helpless. "Did I ever tell you to piss her off? Your mother hasn''t liked me from the beginning. Because of my family background, especially my parents, she ignored all of my efforts. In her eyes, I can''t even be compared to Sh. Since you listened to her so much, maybe you should just marry Sh. You will be a filial son, and I... Will have nothing to do with you." A conflict between a mother-inw and a daughter-inw would often get out of hand because of a compliant husband. Although Fiona had yet to experience this, she knew from watching too many TV shows that Monica''s attitude was clearly a standard for a harsh mother-inw. If she were to really get married to Ethon, it might be hard for her to live peacefully in the future. For a moment, there was a hint of malice in Ethon''s eyes. With a cold expression on his face, he asked, "Don''t you believe in me?" While looking at him with a bitter smile on her face, Fiona couldn''t help the tears from flowing down her cheeks. She scoffed before responding. "That''s right, Ethon. We need to let go. No matter what we do, we can''t be together. Your mother hates me very much." Her nose twitched, and tears just continued streaming down her face. When the end seemed to be on the horizon, one could not help but remember where it all started. For Fiona, what came to mind was the first time that she met Ethon in senior high school. They happened to be in gym ss at that time. Fiona was identally hit by a basketball. Ethon came to the rescue and took her to the school''s clinic. Their love began in that ss so many years ago, but it was no longer there. Ethon gnashed his teeth in disbelief. With an intense expression on his face, he red at Fiona. He suddenly stepped forward and ced his hands on her shoulder. "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure that my mom will ept you." "You don''t need to say that to me, Ethon. I know how terrible marriage is going to be without a parent''s blessing. Just let go of me. While we haven''t fallen too deeply into this rtionship yet, you should let go of me. If we do it now, it''ll help you move on with your life as soon as possible. Your parents have paved a good path for you. I''m actually so envious of you. Your mother is too much of a realist, but she''s right. If I chose to be with you, I would only bring embarrassment to the Yu Family." Fiona spoke each word with a bittersweet smile on her face. "Why are you saying this? You''re the best partner I could ever hope for, and we love each other so much. Our rtionship won''t end up the way you''re picturing it to be." Ethon frantically shook his head. The frustration was consuming him. He had started to realize that it seemed like there was now a space between the two of them. It made him feel uneasy that Fiona was trying to stay away from him. Love had always needed two people for it to work out. But when it came to breaking up, it would only take one person. If one person wanted to give up, the rtionship would naturallye to its end. No matter how persistent the other person was, it was useless. "Well, stop deceiving yourself. Go back, or your mother will have a heart attack again." A bitter smile crept across Fiona''s delicate lips. Today was definitely the worst day of her life. Ethon took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. But no matter how many breaths he took, there was still a lot of emotions going through his mind. Suddenly, he said, "What if I can make my mom change her perception of you?" Chapter 764 Hurt In Love Chapter 764 Hurt In Love "Do you really think she can still change? How did that old saying go? A leopard cannot change its spots. I don''t believe your mother. Do you really believe that she will change? Huh... You probably don''t believe it yourself, right? You''re still obviously confused. Why are you deceiving yourself?" "Nana..." Ethon''s low and soft voice was filled with despair. For the first time ever, they felt as if everything was trulying to an end. They would actually be separated this time. Fiona had always kept in mind what her mother told her. If her man was about to hurt her, she should go ahead and leave him first before he could do anything. It was better for her to leave than to be abandoned by someone. She had always kept this in mind. To add to that, she was already tired, and she just wanted to rest. "Well, you don''t need to say anything else anyway. We''ve already broken up," she said calmly, leaving no room for discussion. She made sure her tone was final and decisive. There was a difference between ''Should we break up?'' and ''Let''s break up.'' The first one was a question which meant that it could still change. Thetter one was conclusive and left no room for persuasion. Ethon looked at Fiona, feeling heartbroken. He couldn''t help but tremble. When Fiona turned around, she wore a pale smile on her pure face. Sheughed at the idea of destiny. If she and Ethon couldn''t be together, then why did fate have to bring them together? Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. At that time, it took a lot of courage for Fiona to agree to be with Ethon. They had always had a good rtionship, and they rarely fought. It turned out that she had just been too naive. Love may just be between two people, but marriage was about family. Fiona didn''t have a family while Ethon''s family, the Yu Family, was no ordinary family. How could they ept her? She felt as if the past few years were just a dream. The night breeze blew on the parasol trees, and the trees danced along with it. After a while, the leaves fell on the ground when the gust of wind rested. Tears welled up in Fiona''s eyes as she watched this scene. She already missed their sweet love. She couldn''t help but liken their rtionship to the leaves that fluttered with the wind. When the wind had stopped, the leaves simply fell to the ground as if it hadn''t been dancing all this time. She and Ethon were from two different worlds. What did she expect? Still, wasn''t that love? There was an old saying that Fiona clung on to. ''Dreamse in a thousandfold, but love onlysts a few hundred days.'' In despair, Ethon watched Fiona leave and walk straight into the inpatient department. She seemed calm, if anything. Fiona had no idea where she was going. For the time being, she definitely couldn''t go back to the home she shared with Ethon just yet. The only ce she could possibly go to was the Zhou Family''s house. However, in fear that Stanley and Madeline would worry about her, she decided to tell Mandy the truth first. When she arrived at the bathroom, she immediately pushed the door open and entered. She was still in a daze. As she gazed at the mirror, she noticed she was a mess¡ªher eyes were swollen, and her cheeks were puffy. She was heartbroken. She felt as if she had lost her phone¡ªall her photos and memories were gone just like that. There was no way you could still get that back. It would be nothing but a blip in your memory. She stood in front of the mirror as she turned the faucet on. The running water came, and she washed her face, attempting to look normal. Anger and grievance filled her heart. She kept sshing cold water on her face. Her shirt got wet, but she still didn''t stop. Her eyes were red and swollen. Silence filled the air. Her clothes were soaking wet as the fabric clung to her skin much to her difort. This was especially ufortable for Fiona as she absolutely hated rain, water, and anything that made her wet. But at this moment, she surprisingly felt that the feeling of the cold water against her skin refreshed her more than anything. Standing in front of the mirror, she lifted the corners of her mouth and said to herself, "Good bye, Ethon." By the time she had calmed herself down, she went to see Mandy. It waspletely dark by then. The inpatient department was much quieter now. Only doctors and nurses milled around the hospital. When Fiona arrived at the floor where Adrian stayed, the bodyguards recognized her and let her in. The atmosphere in the ward was rather peaceful. Mandy''s soft voice could be heard inside. She was telling Adrian stories while Nathan was busy working on his tablet. "Mother, how about the carrot? What happenedter on?" Adrian asked seriously, eyes widened. ''Poil de carotte'' was a French novel written by a talented writer. It was both a funny and sad story. Mandy had read it in her childhood. Now she was reading it to Adrian. The idea warmed her up on the inside. "Good night. I''ll tell you the rest of the story tomorrow." Mandy closed the book with a smile on her face. ncing at the clock, she realized that it waste already, so she urged Adrian to go to sleep. Adrian didn''t want to go to bed just yet. He was thoroughly enjoying his stay at the hospital. His mother and father weren''t going to work, so they could take care of him. Jason and Daisy often visited while Stanley and Madeline came every night too. Every time they visited, Madeline would bring over delicious food that she herself had cooked. Currently, his bedside table was brimming with food. "But... I want to hear the rest of the story." Adrian pouted, acting like a spoiled child. "I''ve already pampered you enough these past few days. Now you''re showing your true colors to us, huh? Just go to sleep already," Mandy said in a doting tone as she stood up and tucked him in. "Okay. Good night, Dad and Mom," Adrian said obediently. Then he closed his eyes. Chapter 765 It Is Good To Give Yourself Some Time To Calm Down Chapter 765 It Is Good To Give Yourself Some Time To Calm Down The days in the hospital were so boring. Adrian either yed or slept every day. Sometimes, Mandy would take him out for a walk. Adrian did not understand why he had to be hospitalized and did not want to stay. He felt like he was in good health. Ever since he had been hospitalized, Mandy and Nathan seemed to be extra nice to him. They seemed to love him even more. Because of that, Adrian thought being hospitalized was not such a bad thing after all. Nathan and Mandy had been so very busy with their work that they had not been spending some quality family time with Adrian. He did not sleep beside them at night. But since he had been hospitalized, they had been watching him sleep every night, which made him feel at ease. Mandy bent down and put the book ''Poil de carotte'' into the drawer. She reached out to Adrian, lifted his bangs, and kissed him gently on the forehead. Mandy stood up and turned to look at Nathan. When she saw that he was staring at her intently, she smiled. She asked softly, "Are you hungry? Or do you need to rest?" "I''m not hungry. Come here." Nathan put down the tabletputer and looked at Mandy with a smile. As if bewitched, Mandy walked toward Nathan obediently. Nathan reached out his hand and held her in his arms. "Adrian''s young, but you women take advantage of him." "What''s that supposed to mean?" Mandy immediately frowned and asked with a serious expression. "You kiss him every night. Every time Nacyes here to see him, she also kisses him. And Nana, she always gives him a kiss. Why do girls turn into such kissing machines when they see handsome guys?" Nathan''s low and deep voice was like a melodious cello chord. "Are you trying to say that girls are shallow? We''re not shallow, okay? Besides, I''m Adrian''s mother. Do I vite thew by kissing my son?" "No, but... I''m your husband. Why aren''t you kissing metely?" Nathan''s tone was very gentle as he asked back. Hearing his words, Mandy could not helpughing. She just realized that Nathan, her petty man, was concerned about such a trivial matter now. She pursed her red lips and teased, "If you want me to kiss you, just say it. Don''t make speeches and beat around the bush." They had not kissed for about six days since Adrian had been admitted. As an energetic and passionate man, Nathan could not bear the hardship any longer. That was why heined to Mandy. "Kiss me then." Nathan took Mandy''s arms and put them around his neck. He then put his arms around her waist. They were getting closer and closer to each other. Mandy now saw Nathan''s handsome face up close. She was so excited that her heart skipped a beat. She could not believe that getting this close to her husband still made her blush after so many years. Just as their lips were about to touch, there was a knock on the door. Damn it! Who was that? Nathan raised his head toward the door and sighed audibly. Mandy could not help chuckling at the annoyed look on his face. She smiled at him one more time before running to answer the door. Fiona was standing motionless outside like a ghost. Her gaze was on the floor, but her red and puffy eyes jumped at Mandy like a striking cobra from the bushes. She immediately felt sorry for her. "Nana? What''s wrong? What happened?" After pausing for a few seconds, Mandy pulled Fiona into the ward and asked her questions one after the other. Fiona sniffed and said in between sobs, "Sister, I broke up with Ethon." "What? Why?" Mandy reached out her hand and pulled Fiona close. She was shaking uncontrobly. Mandy was furious after Fiona told her everything that had happened. She gritted her teeth and could not stand it any longer. "Monica intentionally sshed the water on herself in order to make Ethon break up with you? She framed the incident on you?" "Yes. She had a heart attack. It was extremely terrifying." Fiona pressed her lips together to stop herself from sobbing. Right now, she could only talk a lot of nonsense in front of Mandy. Today, Fiona was really angry and felt wronged. She was angry that Ethon could not be brave and firm enough to stand by her side. She was wronged by the matter of her parents. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "This is outrageous! Where is this old woman? I''ll go and find her!" Mandy bellowed. She could not hold her anger anymore. Being a very protective person, Mandy would not allow anyone to hurt her younger sister and Adrian. "Sister, please don''t. Ethon and I have already broken up. There''s nothing we can do about it now. Let''s just leave it at that. Maybe I''m not meant to end up with him." Eyebrows furrowed, Fiona looked worried. She did not want to stir up more trouble. "You''re not meant to end up with him? You can''t just leave everything to fate in this world, Fiona. If you don''t fight for what you want, you will not get it, and people will just walk all over you. Don''t you know that?" Mandy said in an exhausted tone. "Monica is indeed a stubborn woman. She likes Sh better because she is very realistic. The next mayoral election is about to begin. I''m sure that Joshua is not going to be the next mayor," Nathan chimed in, his handsome face wearing a gentle smile. His tone was calm and soothing. Mandy looked at Nathan gratefully. He knew her best. He would never let her down. Mandy liked the kind of people who were usually gentle and quiet but resolute in manipting everything. Nathan happened to be one of them. "Thank you, brother-inw. But I don''t think Ethon and I will get back together." Fiona frowned once again and looked at Nathan with sad eyes. "Who knows what will happen in the future? Nothing is set in stone. You and Ethon may be broken up now, but who knows? For now, just give each other some time to calm down. Sometimes, love is simple, but once it is rted to marriage, it is not only about love. If Ethon really loves you, he will not forget you in a short time. Forgive him." Nathan put in a good word for Ethon in a low and attractive voice. After all, he had been through the same thing. Only after he went through all kinds of tortures in love did he realize who was the most precious. With Mandy and Nathan''s persuasion, Fiona had calmed down a lot. The next morning, when the sun rose, she faced a new day. But this day was not a good day for Mandy and Nathan because of Adrian''s test results. All the authoritative data had indicated that there was arge amount of harmful bacteria in Adrian''s body, and it had spread to his organs. When Mandy read the report, she almost fainted. Chapter 766 Adrian Is Suffering From Shock Chapter 766 Adrian Is Suffering From Shock Fortunately, Nathan held her in his arms from behind. With a pale face, she bit her lip tightly and said in a trembling voice, "Nathan... Something terrible is about to happen to Adrian." Nathan''s heart cracked when he saw the pained look on Mandy''s face. He immediately took out his phone and dialed a number. "Arrest Eve and Ouyang immediately!" he barked at whoever was on the other line. Nathan had no physical strength left to rein in his anger. He grew up with Eve, and, one way or another, he had some feelings for her. He had assumed that she would not be cruel enough to make venomous personal moves against an innocent child. He had assumed wrong. She really was capable of doing something terrible and unpardonable. All of Adrian''s test results revealed that there was arge amount of bacteria and viruses in his body. The Dean even said that in all his thirty years working as a physician, he had never encountered such a terrible case. The fifteen top-level doctors in JR Hospital, including Audrey, held a meeting at once. They sat in the meeting room and discussed possible methods to remove the bacteria and viruses from Adrian''s body. "For now, the only solution is to draw Adrian''s bone marrow and to see how much bacteria and viruses are in his body," Doctor Li from the hematology department said seriously, pushing his ck-framed sses to the bridge of his nose. Mandy was also sitting in the meeting room. Her legs were still weak. She took a deep breath. Pain and sorrow shrouded her face. She knew that drawing Adrian''s bone marrow meant the beginning of his suffering. As a four-year-old child, how could Adrian bear all these painful and invasive treatments? However, this seemed to be the only way out for him. After an hour in the meeting room, all the directors and doctors had reached a consensus on the matter. Mandy nearly had a nervous breakdown. However, she had no other choice. She could only let Adrian undergo the bone marrow biopsy. To remove all the bacteria and viruses in the body, there were only two ways. One was to research and develop a new drug to do the job, and the other was stem cell therapy. "This is urgent. If we''re going to save the child, we should immediately go to the blood bank to look for blood stem cell matches for Adrian," Audrey said gravely. She did not expect that the final test results would be the same as what Leo had told her. "Another solution is to research and develop a new drug tobat the bacteria and virus. For every kind of bacteria in the world, there''s a drug. I don''t believe that the human body can''t remember every bacteria it ever hosted." Mandy suggested as she rubbed her temple. Since she saw Adrian''s test results, her temples had been throbbing as if they could sense that something bad was about to happen. "I think it''s not a good idea right now. Drug research and development require a lot of experience and time, and we simply are out of time," Audrey retorted with eyebrows furrowed. The medical field was veryplex. What''s more, Ouyang had spent three years on the research and development of his bacteria. Therefore, the cure could not be developed in a short period of time. "There should be a n B for everything. Don''t you know that? You have been a doctor for so many years," Mandy asked almost mockingly. She did not know who Audrey really was and what she was up to. She felt like Audrey had always gone against her when it came to Adrian as though Adrian was her own son. Being questioned by Mandy in front of her colleagues, Audrey curled her lips and fell silent. She suddenly did not know what to say. The atmosphere in the meeting room turned eerily quiet and heavy. Nobody moved a muscle. "Doctors, Adrian is suffering from shock! Adrian is suffering from shock!" At that moment, a nurse suddenly stormed in the meeting room to deliver the news. Upon hearing it, Mandy immediately stood up from her seat and raced toward the ward. The doctors and the Dean followed her immediately. At that moment, Adrian had been sent to the operating room. In the morning, Adrian started to vomit after breakfast. At that hour, Mandy was in the meeting room with the doctors, leaving Nathan and Fiona to take care of him. After he vomited everything he had for breakfast and coughed a few times, he suddenly went into shock. Fortunately, the surgeons came immediately and took him to the operating room. Mandy stopped at the door of the operating room. She also wanted to go inside, but she could not because of hospital protocol. She hesitated and turned to the Dean of the hospital. Nathan was also standing at the door of the operating room, great anxiety giving him a long face. He knew that Mandy wanted to go inside, but he was afraid that she would step out with too much of a psychological burden. With that thought in mind, he reached out and grabbed her by the hand. "Nathan, he''s my child. I must save him myself," Mandy spoke confidently, her face full of fighting will. She thought that she had saved so many people before. Why could she not save her own child? After finishing her words, Mandy looked into the Dean''s eyes. The Dean was the most powerful man in hospital. He had a say in everything. As long as the Dean allowed Mandy to go inside the operating room, no one would dare to stop her. The Dean understood what Mandy was thinking. He was touched by her words, so he said immediately, "We must save your child. Let''s go inside together." Entering the changing area before the operation, Mandy changed into a green, sterile operating gown and scrubbed her hands and arms. She was still familiar with such protocols, but now she had a strange and sad feeling in her heart. ''I''m a doctor. I must save my child, '' Mandy thought to herself as she stepped inside the operating room with a determined look on her face. At that moment, Adrian was already lying motionless on the operating table. Doctor Wang, the first-aid doctor, was sweating with a B-ultrasound machine in his hand. "Adrian''s blood pressure is dropping!" a nurse shouted out. "Set up an IV line right now," Mandy gave orders in a calm tone after taking a deep breath. She was standing in front of the operating table. Audrey immediately got two bottles of medicine and injected them into Adrian''s veins. Looking at the changing numbers on the monitor, Mandy frowned. She pressed one of her hands on Adrian''s chest and started to massage him skillfully. Everyone was confused and wondered what Mandy was doing. Every time she pressed, she exerted force to his heart. To everyone''s surprise and amazement, she cut Adrian''s arm with a scalpel. "What are you doing, Mandy?" Angelina eximed with wide eyes. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The rest of the doctors were all shocked. They all knew that Adrian''s blood coagtion function had been decreased, and now Mandy was cutting him. Did she want to kill her own child? Chapter 767 It Has Nothing To Do With Eve Chapter 767 It Has Nothing To Do With Eve Audrey stopped Angelina at once. It seemed that she knew what Mandy was doing, so she said immediately, "Dr. Zhou is discharging toxic blood for Adrian." Sure enough, after a few moments, a notable amount of ck toxic blood oozed out from Adrian''s wrist. Mandy pressed Adrian''s arm tightly. Once she was finished, she immediately bandaged up Adrian. Everyone was visibly nervous and worried. They only heaved a sigh of relief when Mandy was done. All the other doctors present couldn''t help but be deeply moved. They had been struggling for years to get to the top of the medical world, but they were surpassed by a woman who had long retired. She had performed excellently today without making a single mistake. Audrey actually wanted to give her a round of apuse. Adrian was temporarily out of grave danger now. However, the toxins in his body hadn''t been completely cleared out. It was going to be a long and grueling fight to empty his body of all the toxins. In the dressing room Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Mandy and Audrey stood in the same locker room in stillness. Audrey spoke first, breaking the silence. "I didn''t expect that you would know how to detox blood." Audrey temporarily set aside their differences. As a doctor, she really admired Mandy''s medical skills. "I was just trying," Mandy said modestly as she took off her gown. She seemed relieved. "You mean you''ve never tried it before? You were so brave to cut the main artery without any previous experience at all. Weren''t you afraid that Adrian would start profusely bleeding out?" Audrey said in utter surprise, eyes widened. ''This woman''s crazy, '' she thought inwardly. "Why would that happen? If we failed to save him because he bled out, do we deserve to be called doctors then? Wouldn''t that be an insult to our peers and mentors?" Mandy responded coolly, smiling. Elizabeth, her mentor, was the one who had taught her the method of detoxing blood. She had only seen Elizabeth perform it once, but she was so mesmerized that shemitted the memory to her mind. Today was the first time that she had tried out the method herself. She didn''t expect it to be so sessful. Audrey pursed her lips and chuckled. "I really wanted topete with you and see who is better. But today, I realized that I''m really nowhere near as good as you are." Mandy changed her clothes as they conversed. She smiled faintly and said, "Are you going to make peace with me now?" "No. The winner takes all, and the loser has to fall. If I lose, I''ll admit my defeat wholeheartedly," Audrey said arrogantly. She didn''t want to lose to Mandy, and she put up a tough exterior, although she wasn''t as confident as she was when she first came to the JR Hospital. Mandy pressed her lips tightly and didn''t say anything. She could tell what was on Audrey''s mind, but she didn''t want to expose her¡ªthere was no need for it after all. As Nathan had said, Audrey had saved Adrian''s life before. After seeing Audrey''s performance that day, Mandy decided to just let her go. Right now, she was focused on detoxifying Adrian and arresting Eve. Eve had gone home to the heavily-guarded Su Family''s vi a few days before. Even Fred and his men knew it wasn''t a good idea to break in when they saw the amount of protection they had put up at the gate of the vi. After all, the JS International and Sus Bank were still in cooperation. With the huge stakes at risk, Fred had no choice but to call Nathan and ask for his advice. However, the call wasn''t answered. Fred had to keep observing in secret. Surely, he wouldn''t be able to catch Shaun''s precious daughter. Serge and Fred had been separated into two groups. As Serge was familiar with the terrain of Ouyang''sboratory, he was responsible for hiring a group of people to catch Ouyang. This time, the body guards outside Ouyang''sb were all absent. Serge and his men were able to enter Ouyang''sboratory without any obstacles. Just likest time, Serge spotted Ouyang sipping tea in the backyard. Ouyang wasn''t the least bit flustered when he saw Serge break into theb apanied by a group of men in ck. He calmly sipped his tea and said nonchntly, "Oh, little brother, it''s you again." Serge looked at Ouyang, seemingly taken aback. ''How could he be so calm? I''m going to make him regret this until he takes his dying breath!'' he thought inwardly. "I''m here to send you to hell where you belong!" Ferocity filled Serge''s eyes as he tensed up. "Ha-ha! Is that what you want? Aren''t you afraid that your young master will die with me?" Ouyang coolly put his tea cup down and stood up. Serge''s eyes gleamed with anger. At this moment, time seemed to stop. He frowned at Ouyang and said slowly, "It''s really you!" "Yes, it''s me. What''s wrong? Who else would it be?" Ouyang sneered. In his anger, he was much more dignifiedpared to Serge. "I will make you pay for what you have done," Serge said fiercely, clenching his fists. He was ready to fight. "Really? Even your master wouldn''t dare to do anything to me. What gives you the right to do this then?" Ouyang said aggressively. It was getting increasingly apparent that he wasn''t taking Serge seriously at all. Serge was fuming. It was Nathan who had ordered him to capture Ouyang alive. It was already confirmed that the poison in Adrian''s body had something to do with Ouyang. This was the reason why Nathan couldn''t just kill Ouyang that easily. They needed information about the poison, and Ouyang was the only person who had that. If they wanted to get rid of the poison in Adrian''s body, then they would need Ouyang for that. Serge kept a cold and straight face, not saying a word. He walked aside and called Fred. Just as Fred was about to break into the Su Family''s vi, he immediately pulled himself together after receiving Serge''s call. "Fred, I''ve already caught Ouyang. He admitted that he was the one who had poisoned Adrian. Have you caught Eve yet?" Serge asked diplomatically. "Not yet. It''s hard to break into the vi. Eve is in the Su Family''s vi right now," Fred said, frowning. He had wondered why Shaun stayed home all day. Ouyang had good hearing, so he overheard the conversation between Serge and Fred. Upon the mention of Eve, he instantly smiled. He said, "Nathan is hrious. How could he do that to a woman who''s in love with him?" Hearing this, Serge immediately turned his head and asked, "What do you mean by that?" "I poisoned Adrian on my own. Eve had nothing to do with it," Ouyang confessed solemnly. He seemed quite serious. Serge didn''t expect that Ouyang would confess to his crime so easily. What surprised him even more was Ouyang iming that Eve was innocent. He found that very hard to believe. He ced his call with Fred on the speaker so that Fred could hear what Ouyang was saying. "How did you poison him?" Serge looked sharply at Ouyang. It was obvious that he didn''t believe what Ouyang had said. How could Ouyang have gotten a hold of Adrian to poison him in the first ce? "It was super easy. When the kindergarten had a physical examination, I went in pretending to be a doctor," Ouyang said with a light smile. He didn''t even seem the least bit sorry about what he had done. If anything, he seemed pleased with himself. Chapter 768 A Hypocritical Man Chapter 768 A Hypocritical Man Hearing this, Serge got furious. He really wanted to punch Ouyang in the face. "You''re a hypocritical man! A hypocritical brute!" Serge screamed as he gnashed his teeth together in anger. He knew that he had fallen into Ouyang''s trap. Adrian undergoing his medical examination at the kindergarten school and Eve taking him away happened on the same day, so no one in the world knew who had poisoned Adrian except for Eve and Ouyang. Also, Ouyang had gone to the kindergarten school on the day Adrian underwent his medical examination. "Don''t be so angry, young man. Take me to your master, please," Ouyang said calmly and smiled. It pissed Serge off even more. At that moment, he wanted to p the brute in the face. He clenched his fists and furrowed his eyebrows, trying to rein in his anger. He said, "You have no fear of death, do you?" "Let''s just go, please." Ouyang smiled once again. Serge thought that Ouyang was really a cunning bastard. He remembered when he first came to see him. He pretended to be innocent and repeatedly denied his crime. This time, he admitted it right away. Serge could not help feeling that he was walking into his trap. When Fred heard the conversation between Serge and Ouyang on the phone, he was quite confused and wondered whether or not Ouyang was telling the truth. But since Ouyang had admitted his crime, it meant that the case would be closed soon. Like a prisoner, Ouyang sat handcuffed in the backseat of a Mercedes SUV. Fred sat beside him. Deep in Ouyang''s heart, he thought it was very funny to be handcuffed by someone like Fred. He had never been treated like this in his life. The reason why Ouyang was willing to confess to the crime was because of hisst conversation with Eve that took ce yesterday. Eve was scared out of her mind that Nathan would find her out for her cruel crime, so she forced Ouyang to leave the city. However, Ouyang refused to leave because he was waiting for Elizabeth, a former resident of City A. Ouyang believed that she woulde back soon. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "If Nathan continues his investigation, he will eventually find out what I''ve done, and you will go down with me by association. Why are you still here? Do you want to go to prison or, worse, get killed?" Eve pleaded with Ouyang. With a wig on her head, she looked quite funny. At that moment, Eve and Ouyang were sitting face to face. Ouyang was not impetuous, and he kept calm and quiet as usual. After making a cup of tea, he finally replied, "Of course not. I''m just waiting for someone. Will you promise me one thing? If you agree, I''ll confess to the crime that youmitted," Ouyang said as he narrowed his eyes and thought that this deal was worth it. If Nathan caught him, he would not be killed. "What is it?" Eve looked at him half in disbelief as she gritted her teeth. Ouyang leaned close to Eve and whispered something in her ear. After hearing his words, Eve looked at him with a strange look. She did not expect that this arrogant doctor was actually a hopeless romantic. "Okay, I agree, but you have to keep your promise to me, too. Please don''t go back on your word." Eve had no choice but to ept his condition. "Don''t worry. Adrian was poisoned by me, not you. You had nothing to do with it," Ouyang smiled faintly. The two had reached a consensus once again. Ouyang would take the rap for Eve. He would confess to the crime and state it as his own doing. In return, Eve would wait for an opportunity to grant his crazy request. In the meantime, Fiona had finally calmed down. During the past few days, she had been staying at the hospital to take care of Adrian. He suddenly went into shock this morning, which scared her half to death. Fortunately, the doctors were able to save him. That night, when Adrian said he wanted to eat beef rice flour, Nathan asked a maid to buy some. He also asked Fiona what she would like to eat. Fiona said she wanted the same food as Adrian without thinking twice. During that month, Fiona did not have a good appetite. Her recent breakup with Ethon left her unstable and moody. Sometimes, she would feel annoyed and not know why. Ethon had note to see her the same way she had not gone to see him. She sometimes posted some selfies on her WeChat moments, but she no longer liked it when Ethon reacted to them. What she did not know was that Ethon often looked through her WeChat moments on his phone, and he was caught in a daze, and unsure what to do. As a matter of fact, every one of her posts on her WeChat moments affected Ethon''s mood. After he and Fiona broke up, Ethon resigned from his job at JS International and went back to the Yu Family estate. He locked himself in his room all day and all night, not even stepping out to have meals. Looking at the decadent look on Ethon''s face, Monica got very angry. She wondered what Fiona had done to make her son so upset. Monica had tried talking to Ethon many times, but Ethon always acted indifferent. He appeared as if he did not hear any of her words. Whenever she talked to him, he always wore a depressed face and kept his head down. He was silent. He was no longer the happy and upbeat young man he used to be. One night, after taking a shower, Monica came out of the bathroom with a frustrated look on her face. She walked up to Malcolm and sighed loudly. Malcolm nced at her but did not say anything. Instead, he lowered his head and went back to reading his newspaper. Wearing an unhappy face, Monica sat in front of the dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror. There were a lot of high-end skincare products on the dresser, but she was not in the mood to dress up. Usually, after taking a shower and stepping out of the bathroom, she always applied some product and makeup on her face right away. She was afraid of aging, so she paid much attention to skincare. Noticing that Malcolm did not respond to her, Monica opened one of her many expensive skincare products, poured some of the liquid onto her palm, and applied the product on her cheeks. Over the years, she had grown used to Malcolm''s cold attitude toward her. When she was young, she somehow and sometimes roused Malcolm''s sexual appetite, but as years went by, he seemed to have lost his sex drive. Although they slept in the same bed every night, Malcolm behaved like a real gentleman and did not hug or even touch her. Monica did not know how she had gotten through all these years. She had been holding back her anger and sexual desire for a very long time. What other choice did she have? In the past, for Ethon''s sake, she was very submissive to Malcolm. But now, even Ethon disobeyed her. She felt so wronged that she lifted her head. She had a pitiful expression on her face. Newspaper in hand, Malcolm suddenly shivered. He seemed to sense somebody''s gaze on his skin. He slowly raised his head and found Monica staring right at him. He looked into her deep eyes, smiled faintly, and asked, "What is it?" Chapter 769 A Relationship Is A Disaster Chapter 769 A Rtionship Is A Disaster "What is it? You don''t know what''s up? All you do is read the paper and your books all day. Do you even care about this family anymore? Do you care about our son?" Monica frowned. Some small wrinkles appeared on her still good-looking face. Malcolm carefully sat up and set the newspaper down. He did not get upset. Instead, he answered calmly, "I don''t need to worry about anything. You''re the mistress of this house, and you keep it well. You take care of our family just fine. Isn''t Ethon back as you wished?" "What''s that supposed to mean? Aren''t you his parent as well? Why are you acting like you don''t care about our son''s emotions at all?" Upon hearing Malcolm''s words, Monica suddenly stood up from her chair and angrily walked toward him. "Why do you care so much about our son''s love life? You''re using me of being irresponsible. Well, I think you''re overreacting. You''re the one upsetting Ethon every day. If you hadn''t forced him to break up with Nana, he wouldn''t be so depressed." Malcolm''s calm expression suddenly turned sullen. Monica liked to manipte Ethon''s romantic life. Malcolm used to turn a blind eye to it. As a father, he felt very distressed to see Ethon in a bad mood. It reminded him of Ivy. When he found out that he could not be with Ivy, he fell into depression as well. A rtionship was just like a disaster. Some survived it, others did not. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Malcolm did not want Ethon to suffer the way he did for being in love with Ivy. He did not love Monica, but they could never get a divorce. Malcolm was a soldier. It was not appropriate, let alone honorable, for him to get divorced at will. A divorce was not good for the reputation of the Yu Family. At his age, he had already experienced everything. There was no longer a need for love. Ever since Ivy passed away, Malcolm seldom smiled in his heart. He had been quiet inside. He was like a puppet in his rtionship with Monica, but they were from families of equal social rank. They were just taking what they needed from each other. Malcolm gave Monica a noble appetion as the hostess of the Yu Family while Monica gave birth to Ethon to carry on his family name. Men were sometimes strange creatures. They might not love their wives, but they loved their children deeply. Malcolm might not have strong feelings for Monica, but his love for Ethon was immense. As it was said, ''Blood is thicker than water.'' "Oh, you''re ming me now?" In a heartbeat, Monica was already standing in front of Malcolm. She raised her chin and stared at him with unyielding eyes. "Isn''t it good to leave the matter to our son? Do you really think it''s a good idea to meddle in his affairs and not allow him to decide for himself?" Malcolm sneered and spoke from a voice that belonged in his past. If only his father had stood up and spoken like he did now at that time. Malcolm was forced to marry someone he did not love. He did not want the same for his son. "I did it for your family''s sake. Do you want someone like Fiona to be your daughter-inw?" Rolling her eyes and pouting her lips, Monica reasoned out. "Why not?" Malcolm''s tone was harsh now. With his eyebrows slightly furrowed, he said carefully, "Nana is a good girl. I''ve observed that she has been doing well in every department since she went to school, and she is very polite to everyone. Her family background doesn''t make me feel sick. In fact, I sympathize with her. She is young but has gone through enough hardships. Happiness is also hard to get for her, and I believe that people like her will cherish Ethon for life. How can you not want her to be your daughter-inw?" It was indeed a powerful point Malcolm had made. As a result, Monica was stunned by his words. She found herself speechless. Monica immediately looked away and then said with a mocking smile, "So... You''re deliberately going against me?" "That''s right. I will fully support Ethon this time. I have sent someone to follow him when he goes away from home. He looks very happy every day when he is with Fiona. He is smiling,ughing, and having a good time instead of moping around in his room all day. Ethon is a good young man. Why are you forcing him to marry Sh?" "I''m doing it for his future. What will people say if he ends up with Fiona? There is a stigma around her!" Even though what she had said was reasonable, her voice was not as strong as before. "I think your desire to control is too strong. Ethon is already a grownup. As an adult, he knows how to be responsible for his own behavior and who he should love. In his life, it''s a pity that he can''t be with the one he truly loves." Malcolm spoke with a hint of regret in his voice. Monica sneered. She perfectly understood what Malcolm was trying to say. She crossed her arms over her chest and replied, "Is this about Ivy Liu and the fact that you couldn''t marry her, so you married me instead? Are you still upset about that?" Malcolm did not respond. However, his inner thoughts had already been exposed. Over the years, Monica had often mentioned that name in front of him. Every time he heard Ivy''s name, he felt angry and sad at the same time. Malcolm did not know that it was Monica who killed Ivy. If he did, he would have divorced her already regardless of his military honor. Ethon kept that secret for his mother. Although he did not think it was a good idea, Monica was still his mother. But then again, his father had loved Ivy with all his heart. Ethon was selfish. He wished this secret would stay a secret. "Don''t you change the subject and don''t drag her name into this." After a moment''s silence, Malcolm spoke in a low, menacing voice. Malcolm was a righteous man, and he saw things in either ck or white. His career had much to do with his character. "Why? Do you still feel guilty? You''re the one who brought up this conversation, Malcolm. You think you fell victim to this marriage because you didn''t do it for love. There are so many people in the world who marry without love, and you''re acting like you''re the only one suffering because of it. What is there to be sad about anyway?" Monica pursed her lips. It was hard to tell whether she was jealous or angry. Although Ivy did not get a chance to be with Malcolm, she was unforgettable in his heart. Monica guessed that even were Malcolm to die, he would choose that woman in his next life. Chapter 770 Im A Jerk, And Im Sorry For Her Chapter 770 I''m A Jerk, And I''m Sorry For Her Monica''s own husband, the person closest to her, and the one she slept next to every night, never truly loved her. What could be more heartbreaking than that? Malcolm was such a sensible person, and he didn''t even want to pretend that he loved her. He wasn''t going to fake it just to make her happier. This characteristic of his was inherited by both Ethon and Colin. "Look, only people like you who have never fallen in love with someone would say something like this. It''s quite normal." Malcolm sneered. Normally, he was a pretty calm and gentle person. He almost never got angry. If Monica hadn''t gotten on his nerves, he never would have said anything like that. "Malcolm... You!" Monica trembled with anger. She was too furious to say anything. Ma maintained the cold look he had on his face. He was tired of acting as a loving and caring husband to Monica for so many years. "From now on, we''re sleeping in separate rooms. You can sleep here, and I''ll sleep in the guest room." Then he stood up and walked past her. He didn''t even look back as he left. "Ha-ha... I agree. You have the right to make that decision. You and I have been pretending to be this great, admirable couple for years, and now you''re tired. I understand. All men are bastards anyway. When you were young, you couldn''t control yourself, and you would sleep with beautiful women left and right. Deep inside, all you wanted was to stay with your beloved woman forever. Can you see how much of a jerk you are?" Monica''s mocking voice came from within the room. A trace of loneliness could be detected in her tone. "Yes, I''m a jerk, and I feel sorry for her." Malcolm remained motionless as he slowly clenched his fists. "You feel sorry for her? Then what about me? Don''t you feel sorry for me? Since you never loved me, why did you marry me?" Monica was fuming. No matter how stubborn and arrogant she was on the surface, at the end of the day, all she wanted was to be loved. "You know exactly why I married you, right?" Malcolm sneered, refusing to turn around. Malcolm and Monica had known each other since they were young. Since then, Monica had already liked Malcolm. She''d wanted to marry him ever since she was a child. When Malcolm was young, he was a prince charming. All the girls were after him as he was tall, handsome, and strong. When he was wearing his military uniform, his charm attracted all the girls. Monica was madly in love with Malcolm, but it was only brought by her wishful thinking. She begged her father to do everything he could so that she could marry Malcolm. After all, her father liked Malcolm too. The older generation was conservative, and Monica''s father was no exception. He believed that as long as two people stayed together for a long time, they could develop feelings for each other. Monica''s father agreed to her request. He then sat down with Malcolm''s father and told him that his daughter wanted to marry Malcolm. Naturally, Malcolm''s father agreed as the two families had a long-standing rtionship with each other. A marriage could only bring the two families closer together. Monica was at a loss for words upon hearing this. Did she really deserve this? Did she deserve to be treated like this? She felt stupid for firmly believing that Malcolm would learn to love her one day. As it turned out, Malcolm had only eyes for one woman, and that was Ivy. Needless to say, Monica was envious. She''d always wanted to get rid of Ivy even before. She figured if Ivy was gone, Malcolm could finally open his eyes and love her. To her dismay, she could not have been more wrong. She felt as if her life was a maze, and just one wrong turn would bring her lifelong misery. "Since you''re so great, why did you marry me then? Why didn''t you protect your beloved woman? If I were Ivy, I would hate you with my entire being." Monica''s voice was dripping with sarcasm. For the first time in her life, she opened her heart and admitted what she really thought about Ivy to Malcolm. Sneering, Malcolm responded, "Yes, her death is my fault, and I will carry that burden for the rest of my life. I can''t do anything about that even if I wanted to. I don''t care if she hates me. But in the next life, I won''t let her down again." "Don''t be silly. People only live once. There''s no afterlife. Even if there is, you''d still have to be with me. You owe me that. I''ve given you so much¡ªa baby, a family, a life! I know I can be bad-tempered sometimes, but I''ve never brought you shame!" A wave ofplex feelings surged in Monica''s chest. She felt as if she was waiting for validation from her husband. After all, she had given him and their family her entire life! If Malcolm were being honest, he had to admit that Monica''s words moved him. He was a man who recognized the truth. He knew how miserable Monica must have been all these years because he had always been cold and distant to her. What woman would ept a husband like him? Only Monica would be able to endure that. Monica and Malcolm had been sleeping in the same bed for years. Since Ethon was born, they hadn''t slept with each other. Malcolm would rather go solo than touch her. On several asions, Monica would attempt to initiate something. Monica surely didn''t know what was going on in Malcolm''s mind. She wasn''t bad-looking by any means. She was not inferior to Ivy in any way¡ªfamily background, educational background, physical appearances. Still, throughout the years, Malcolm seldom touched her. Naturally, she felt humiliated and thought that she was an unattractive woman. Malcolm kept hisposure, smiling lightly. He didn''t want to waste any more time arguing with her as he was afraid that she would bring up more things. He was already exhausted. He began rubbing his temples in seeming exasperation. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "What else do you want to say? Just spit it out. Don''t beat around the bush. I''m tired." Monica curled her lips. For a moment, she couldn''t say anything. Faced with his calm demeanor, she didn''t know how to release the anger that was boiling inside her. "Well... Can we still sleep in the same room?" Monica''s voice softened a little bit as her face lit up. Malcolm pressed his lips together. For a while, he didn''t say anything. He lowered his head and thought for a while. Then he said, "Can you promise me that you won''t get involved in Ethon''s personal life anymore?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Monica was rendered speechless. ''It''s true that fathers are always connected to their sons. He''s still thinking about Ethon even at a time like this? He may not be a good husband, but he''s definitely a good father, '' she thought to herself. "I''ll try. I have to admit that liking Fiona isn''t going to be easy. She''s not so pleasant, you know. She talks back to me and is pretty rude. I don''t like her." Monicapromised. After all, she didn''t want to lose her husband. Even after everything, she still loved him. She didn''t know what she would do if she lost him. "She only talked back to you because you provoked her first. You kept ridiculing her. If I were in her ce, I wouldn''t have been able to stand any of that. I would have given up a long time ago. If anything, Fiona seems tolerant and patient. She has a good temper," Malcolm analyzed. Since he was a bystander, he was able to observe the situation quite well. Chapter 771 Are You Pregnant Chapter 771 Are You Pregnant "Ah, really? Well, looks like you have a type. It turns out that you prefer those kinds of women too," Monica said sarcastically. To her, Fiona and Ivy were the same¡ªthey were both home-wreckers. "Sh''s an evil woman, and Joshua is corrupt. Do you believe that? He''s definitely not going to have another term. He''ll probably be investigated soon." Malcolm finally turned and faced her. He eyed her sharply. Monica didn''t know much about politics. All she knew was that Joshua was the current mayor of City A. He was dubbed as the best mayor in recent history considering the rate at which City A was developing. However, Malcolm knew for a fact that the mayor was involved in some dirty businesses. It could put him in jail or destroy his family. That was one of the reasons why he didn''t want his son to marry Sh. Upon hearing this, Monica widened her eyes in utter surprise. "Are... Are you serious?" "When did I ever lie to you? Everything I say is true. Just watch and see what happens to Joshua." Joshua can still get away with it for now because he has bribed officials. However, he can''t hide from justice forever. Sooner orter, he was going to be exposed. Being mayor was desired by many. It was a position that was highly coveted. Joshua could actually lose the job at any given moment. "Why¡­ Why didn''t you tell me earlier?" Monica pursed her lips, feeling guilty. "Would you have listened to me? You would still hate Fiona, wouldn''t you? Honestly, you''re too biased against the girl. She hasn''t done anything wrong. I''ve already looked into her. Would I purposely allow my son to get harmed?" Malcolm asked. He wanted Monica to think about this. Monica was lost in thought. After a while, she realized that she was wrong. Still, she wasn''t going to apologize to Fiona as she didn''t want to lose face. Besides, there were many other upper ss young ladies in City A. Ethon didn''t have to marry Sh. In the JR Hospital A bodyguard had brought a lot of delicious food, including the beef noodles that Adrian loved. Sitting on the bed, Adrian was so excited at the sight of the beef noodles that he cried, "Wow! Beef noodles!" Mandy looked at him helplessly as she picked up her hair and tied it up. She stood up and opened the bowl of noodles for him. Sitting on the other side, Fiona caught a whiff of the greasy soup, and it instantly made her stomach churn. "Urgh¡­ Urgh..." Covering her mouth, she stood up and dashed to the bathroom. "Nana, what''s wrong?" Mandy immediately dropped what she was doing and followed her into the bathroom. Bending over the sink, Fiona could feel her stomach stirring. Soon, she felt the vomit climb up her throat. The difort was too much for her, and she started crying. "Nana, are you okay?" Mandy grabbed some tissue and handed it to Fiona. She tried to force herself to vomit, but nothing came out. She took the tissue from Mandy. She figured this was only caused by her unhealthy diet, so she didn''t think too much of it. "I''m fine." She wiped her mouth, smiled at Mandy and threw the tissue into the trash can. "What happened? Why did you vomit all of a sudden?" Mandy eyed Fiona suspiciously. She began to consider if Fiona was pregnant. She''d experienced this before, and this was how she felt when she was pregnant. "I haven''t been eating on time recently. Maybe my stomach''s just acting up." She put on a sweet smile. She felt much morefortable now that she was away from the greasy smell. "Nana, I''m serious. Were you and Ethon safe when you two were still together?" Mandy asked, a serious look on her face. Suddenly, she grabbed Fiona''s arm. Noticing the weird look in Mandy''s eyes, Fiona already knew what she was thinking. When they lived together, they made love almost every night. Most of the time, they used condoms. However, there was one instancest month when Ethon didn''t use one since Fiona was in her safe period. Could that have been it? Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Umm... We didn''t use onest month because I was in my safe period." She lowered her head, and her face turned red immediately. Standing in front of Mandy, she felt like she had done something wrong. "Safe period? That''s not reliable! You might be pregnant." Mandy frowned as she looked at Fiona. She didn''t know if this was good news or bad news for Fiona. "What? How could that be possible? No, I''ve already broken up with him." She pouted. At the mention of Ethon, she felt her heart ache. "Why would it be impossible? Before I got pregnant, I would take contraceptive pills. It was thoughtless of me. I didn''t want a baby then, but I still got pregnant. Nana, don''t do that, okay? Adrian''s had a congenital heart disease ever since he was born. It was caused by the pills. When I was still pregnant, the doctor even suggested that I have the baby aborted. I just didn''t listen to him. To me, Adrian is my fate. I didn''t want to lose him. I insisted on having Adrian. Now, looking back, I think I was too stubborn. If I hadn''t insisted on doing it my way, maybe Adrian wouldn''t be suffering so much now," Mandy slowly said. She suddenly looked at Fiona, a guilty look on her face. Fiona had aplicated look on her face, feeling aggrieved. What if she was really pregnant? Should she have the baby? She had already broken up with Ethon. If he found out that she was pregnant, he would insist on having the baby together. Monica would definitely meddle. She could even force Fiona to give up the baby. Just the thought of this stressed Fiona out already. Chapter 772 Choices Chapter 772 Choices "Sister, don''t think like that. I believe there''s a reason for everything. You gave him life. The child did not have an easy life. I''m sure he will have happier days in the future." Fiona gave her a small smile, offering a smallfort that eased Mandy''s guilt. "Well¡­ I don''t know what''s going to happen. I''m scared. I want to believe that Adrian can get through this. If¡­," her voice trembled. "If something happens to him, I don''t think I''ll be able to take it." Her heart tightened into painful constrictions as her anxiety flowed out. For the past days, she and Nathan practically lived in the hospital, especially after Adrian''s attack. She didn''t want to leave when she didn''t know what could happen next. She had to be there. "Sister," Fiona called to her gently, wrapping her arms around Mandy. It was as if a dam had broken by the gesture. Mandy sniffed and cried silently, allowing herself to be held. Quiet tears fell in heavy drops, freed from their restraints. When Mandy had finally gathered her breath, she said, "Okay, I''m alright now. Let''s talk about it. You can take a blood test now so we can check if you''re pregnant." Fiona''s eyebrows furrowed. As it was now, there was no telling for sure if she was pregnant or not. There were the telltale signs that told a woman instinctively that she was with child. She had never been picky about food, and she rarely felt difort from eating. She had never vomited before either. Could it really be true that she was pregnant? "Today... The obstetrician and gynecologist are off duty. There''s no hurry. We can think about this again in a few days." Fiona broke off from Mandy''s gaze. It was only a possibility now, and she did not know if she was ready for confirmation. There was half a chance of it being the truth. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. If it turned out to be her reality, it would bring about even more difficult questions. Should the child even be born? As a myriad of questions assailed her, she went deeper into pensive brooding. She couldn''t be pregnant. The nausea, picking on her food...All of it should just be a rare bout of sickness. If it was true, there was no telling what Monica would be using her of. Fiona felt the beginnings of a headache stir in her temples. "What do you mean by ''a few days?'' You''ll do the examination tomorrow. I''ll go with you." The two women''s positions had switched, with Mandy patting Fiona on her shoulder encouragingly this time. "But... What if I''m really pregnant?" Fiona looked at Mandy, her eyes wide with anxiousness. If she got pregnant before being married, Monica would no doubt berate her again, and Fiona was a proud woman. The mere thought of being scolded made her feel sick. "Nana, it would be your decision, but this is not something to take lightly. Ethon has a right to know. The two of you can work something out. He may be in a conflicted position because of you and his mother, but he is not an irresponsible man. If you decide not to have the child, I will be there for you. Of course, to be honest, I''d rather you keep the baby. Abortion would also take a toll on your health. Besides, you and Ethon have been together for so many years. He was with you from the time you were in your school uniform and could be there for your wedding dress. What you two have is a rarity that even I envy." Mandy spoke to Fiona soothingly, having forgotten that the bathroom door was not closed, and Nathan and Adrian were still outside. Adrian was sitting on the bed, his attention absorbed by the cartoons on television. He did not hear the conversation between the two women, but unlike him, Nathan had walked closer to the bathroom and listened in secret. He heard every word Mandy said to Fiona. Chapter 773 The Love She Envied Chapter 773 The Love She Envied Nathan smiled maliciously as his mind began to race. It turned out that Mandy was a bit jealous of the love story that began from school¡ªhe''d never known about this until then. "Sister..." Tears welled up in Fiona''s eyes as she was touched by Mandy''s story. She then pulled her in for a hug. "Silly girl, you still love him, don''t you?" Mandy said with a faint smile, eyeing Fiona carefully. How could she stop loving him? She had loved him for so many years. How could she let him go just like that? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Fiona curled her lips as she nodded. She was too embarrassed to say anything. She had just broken up with Ethon a few days ago and decisively so. If she suddenly changed her mind, wouldn''t that be humiliating? Mandy smiled as she continued, "As long as you two love each other, there''s nothing you can''t ovee." "But Ethon''s mother really hates me." Fiona let out a sigh. "Don''t worry. That''s not a big deal. Even though marriage is probably going to be hard without the parents'' blessing, I''m sure you two can manage. Malcolm is a good guy. You''ll have the best father-in- law. He''ll love you like his own daughter." Mandy tried her best tofort Fiona. She didn''t exactly know Malcolm quite well, but she knew that he was a sensible and decent guy. Fiona merely nodded despite not fully understanding what Mandy had said. She was still skeptical about her im on Malcolm. Her eyes gleamed with confusion. ''I wish that Ethon and I never broke up. I wish we never fought in the first ce.'' Fiona was very stubborn especially when it came to rtionships. She didn''t want to admit her weaknesses and often fled when things got hard. That was why she broke up with Ethon. Ethon didn''t evene see her after. Perhaps, he had already grown tired of her antics. It waste at night, and the ward was quiet. Mandy and Nathan slept on the same bed while Fiona slept on another bed beside them. Adrian was sleeping alone in his hospital bed in the middle of the ward. The machine attached to him monitored his vital signs at all times. It would start ringing if it detected any dangers. Finally, Mandy and Nathan could sleep in peace. When Nathan watched Fred arrest Ouyang, he decided to postpone interrogating Ouyang for the meantime. Instead, he asked Fred to imprison Ouyang first. An incident had urred at the factory in London, and it had been bothering Nathan the entire afternoon. He had to go to London but couldn''t bring himself to tell Mandy. How could he leave Adrian and Mandy in such times? They had been lying on the bed for more than twenty minutes now, but Mandy saw that Nathan was still wide awake. She knew that when Nathan slept, he would either staypletely motionless or wrap his arms around her but that night, he seemed a little restless. That was how she could tell that he still hadn''t slept. Ever since Adrian was hospitalized, Mandy hadn''t slept well. She was nervous and worried that something might happen to Adrian. She hadn''t slept soundly for a long time¡ªjust the slightest movement could wake her up. "Nathan..." Mandy called Nathan in a gentle voice. She knew that he was still awake. Chapter 774 Carried Her Up Six Floors Chapter 774 Carried Her Up Six Floors "Honey, why are you still up?" Nathan''s deep and captivating voice had a hint of exhaustion that night. "I thought you''d be asleep by now." A touch of a mischievous smile appeared on Mandy''s beautiful face. Recently, she had been developing a more tacit understanding of Nathan. "Do you want to go out for a walk?" Nathan softly asked while his bony fingers were gently caressing the smooth skin on Mandy''s back. The warmth of his palm instantly passed through Mandy''s thin clothes, making her feel veryfortable. "Sure, let''s go." With a small smile, she stretched out her arm to touch his chin. She noticed that he had grown a short stubble, which was still a bit prickly when she ran her fingers over it. In fact, she didn''t like the stubble on Nathan''s face. He knew this, so he would shave his mustache almost every day. Fortunately, he was already a neat freak. The same was true for Mandy. But if there was something which she didn''t like, he would not dare to go against her wishes. Over the past years, he had be apletely obedient husband to Mandy. They quickly put on their coats and left the ward as quietly as they could. It was alreadyte autumn, so it was very cold. Mandy was wearing a tight sweater, a pair of ck ankle boots, and a pair of tight fitting ck trousers. Meanwhile, instead of the usual suits that he would wear for office, Nathan was wearing a casual beige sweater that day. But even so, he still looked composed and elegant. Nathan used to be a person who didn''t like to wear sweaters. No matter how cold the weather was, he was always in a suit made of thin fabric. Daisy oftenughed at him for being a cold-blooded animal. Although she had filled his wardrobe with sweaters, he still refused to wear them. Since he had fallen in love with Mandy, he had changed a lot. He had begun to live and appreciate the simplicity of life. He had be eager for an ordinary but genuine love. In the past, Nathan had always yearned for a vigorous and exciting life. But after he met Mandy, he wanted to live a quiet life with her. He didn''t want to hurt her again and again. Unfortunately, there were so many dangers that came one after another. Even though he tried to avoid it, he couldn''t protect her from some painful experiences. One of those was what happened to Adrian and how the poor boy needed to be hospitalized. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only They walked in the corridor with their fingers interlocked. "Nathan, where are we going?" Mandy casually asked. She and Nathan went out to take a breather, and also because it was not good to talk in the ward. They were afraid that they would disturb Adrian and Fiona while the two were resting. The couple wasn''t nning to go too far. After all, Adrian was still in the hospital. It wouldn''t be wise to go anywhere where they couldn''t rush back to him in a heartbeat. "I''m not familiar with this hospital that much. You can show me around. After all, you used to work here before," Nathan said with a smile. His gaze turned deep as he firmly grasped Mandy''s hand. After thinking about it for a while, Mandy still didn''t know where they could go. Looking at the elevator in front of her and the exit passageway at the corner not far away, she smiled and said, "How about climbing the stairs? I used to like doing it whenever I was in a bad mood. After exerting some energy on physical work, I''d be less upset." "Okay, no problem," Nathan said with a rxed expression on his face. He would often exercise, so climbing up the stairs was not a big deal for him. In fact, he was afraid that Mandy would have a hard time with it. "The view on the rooftop is not bad," Mandy said with a smile. JR Hospital was located in the downtown area. Standing on the rooftop, people could see the vibrant night scene of the city with all the lights twinkling. It was so beautiful that anyone who witnessed it would be entranced. "Then let''s go." Nathan took Mandy''s hand with a gentle look on his face. There were still six floors of stairs before they could reach the rooftop, but Mandy was already running out of breath. She began to take a deep breath, gasping for air. She put one of her hands on her waist and said, "I can''t do this anymore... Nathan, I''m tired. Let''s go slowly." On the other hand, Nathan was still walking very fast. It was like he was flying up the stairs. It looked so effortless, but he still stopped and turned around to look at Mandy. Under the light, the man''s delicate lips raised into a graceful smile. He thought that it was only the fourth floor and this woman just gave up already. It seemed like she needed to exercise more. "Honey, I think your fitness is not that good these days. You are very tired after only reaching the fourth floor." He frowned a little. Then, there was a helpless smile on his face. "Oh my, I know. I''m getting old." With her back against the wall, Mandy sighed. She was out of breath, just like a man who had just finished a marathon. "Old? If you''re old, then what am I?" Nathan frowned deeply while looking at her with his dark eyes. "You''re as old as I am. Do you really think you''re still young?" Mandy arrogantly pouted her lips, deliberately teasing Nathan. "Okay, fine, I''m getting old... I just wish that after more than seventy years, even if I can only walk as slow as a turtle, I can still hold your hand." Nathan held her hand more firmly while a wider smile appeared on his face. "Nathan," Mandy called his name in a low voice. She was moved by what Nathan had just said. Even if it was just something so casual or something that came from his heart, Mandy was so happy to hear that. All of a sudden, her heart was being enveloped by a warm feeling. She could feel her heartbeat rising by the second as well. Then, without warning, Nathan bent over and looked at Mandy, who was wearing a gentle smile. Hidden in his dark and deep eyes was a doting smile. "Shall I carry you on my back?" "What! There are six floors ahead of us, and I''m so heavy. You''ll certainly be exhausted," Mandy said in a humble tone. She was very happy to hear that Nathan was willing to carry her. But even if she was very tired, she wasn''t so tired that she really couldn''t walk. "Do you know why you''re so important to me?" Nathan suddenly asked with a soft chuckle. Confused, Mandy asked, "I don''t know. Why?" "You are heavy, but I still want you. That makes you very important to me," Nathan said with a smile. On his face was an expression of pride. "I knew it! I knew it!" Mandy said with disappointment. "You know it''s a trap, but you still walked right into it. Foolish woman." Heughed from ear to ear. His usual deep voice was mixed with so much warmth. "What? I deliberately answered that to make you happy." Mandy didn''t want to admit that Nathan had fooled her. So, she still tried to lie to him. Of course, Nathan would not purposely try to fool Mandy. He reached out his hand and caressed her hair. With a smile on his face, he said, "Come on, my silly wife." "Humph, no way," Mandy said in a stubborn tone. She looked at Nathan with her arms crossed on top of her chest. "You don''t have a choice anyway." Nathan simply bent down, picked up Mandy, and went upstairs. When he hugged the petite girl, who was as light as a feather, Nathan frowned a little. Mandy seemed to have gotten thinner. Back then, her weight had been ny pounds. But when he held her in his arms today, he could easily feel her bones. Nathan hugged her almost every day, so he was sensitive to the change of her weight. Since Adrian was hospitalized, Mandy had a lot of things on her mind, which was the probable reason why she had lost a lot of weight. Chapter 775 I Didnt Eavesdrop Chapter 775 I Didn''t Eavesdrop Mandy reached out her arms and put them around Nathan''s waist. She leaned her head against his chest and giggled. A sweet smile tugged on the corner of Nathan''s mouth, and there was some iprehensible emotion hidden deep in his eyes. They began walking upstairs, step by step. The light in the corridor was very bright. Mandy did not say a word as she quietly stared at the side of Nathan''s handsome face. She had mixed feelings in her heart. Nathan seemed to have lost weight these days, and his chin was thinner than before. Mandy reached out and touched his stubble. The roughness of his beard tickled her fingertips. When they finally arrived at the top floor, Nathan took a deep breath and led Mandy to the rooftop. It was the dead of night. The dark sky was twinkling with a million stars. The stars in the night sky and the neon light from the city intertwined, forming a lively scene. From the rooftop, the scene below was stunningly full of life. Traffic surged, and the headlights and tail lights of the vehicles on the streets registered to the naked eye like glowing agates. People walked to and fro like a bunch of ants going about their own business. Mandy had acrophobia, so she did not look down from where they were standing. She tightly buried herself in Nathan''s arms and pulled him away from the ledge to the center of the rooftop. The wind picked up, blowing a breeze against Nathan and Mandy''s skins. Nathan hugged Mandy tightly in response to the chill air. He lovingly touched her cheek and asked, "Are you cold?" "No, I''m okay." Mandy shook her head and smiled. "Very well." Hearing Mandy, Nathan hesitated for a while and suddenly did not know what to say. He always wanted to hold Mandy like this. He did not like seeing her stressed out and frowning all the time. Mandy was sensitive enough to notice that Nathan was different from usual. She raised her head to look at him and asked, "What is it? What''s wrong? I feel like you have something to tell me." Nathan subtly raised his eyebrows. He then smiled and answered, "You tell me what you have to tell me first." "I don''t understand what all the suspense is about," Mandy rolled her beautiful eyes as she replied in an intimate tone. "I''m not beating around the bush. Ladies first," Nathan said with a gentle smile. He lowered his head and looked her straight in the eye. "Fine. Ladies first then. What I have to tell you..." Mandy looked back into Nathan''s eyes. She pursed her lips and then rxed them. "Well, to be honest, I really don''t have much to say. I just talked to Nana about Adrian. I sent Ms. Li an email, but she hasn''t responded. I have no idea what''s taking her so long." Hearing what Mandy said about Elizabeth, Nathan found it strange as well. His men could not locate her either. Elizabeth and Shawn protected their personal privacy very well. They took a private ne to travel around the world. Even their son did not know where they were now. "What about Nana? Is she pregnant?" Nathan asked in a mild tone. Mandy looked at him in confusion. But then, she shook her head. "I''m not sure if she''s really pregnant. Judging from her reactionstely, I say there''s an eighty-percent chance that she might be pregnant." "Do you want her to be pregnant?" Nathan asked seriously. "I honestly hope she''s not. If Nana gets pregnant before marriage, people will gossip about her. What''s more, Monica is not a good person. I''m afraid that she would make trouble for Nana again." Mandy lowered her head and sighed. Nathan cupped her face with his hand. He remembered when she got pregnant before they got married and came to live with him despite her parents'' opposition. At that time, he still was notpletely over Sharon, so he did not dare make promises to Mandy. Thinking about it, Nathan felt a sudden pang of guilt in his heart. He wrapped his arms tighter around Mandy and held her closer. He lifted her chin with his finger and said, "Honey, I''m sorry that I''ve let you down these years." For a moment, Mandy did not understand what Nathan was trying to say. She wondered why he suddenly became so sentimental. She smiled kindly and replied, "What are you talking about? Don''t go so sentimental on me all of a sudden. Bygones are bygones." Nathan smiled, leaned in, and gave her a big, passionate kiss. Then, he said, "You fool." "You''re the fool. You call me a fool all day long. If I''m a fool, then what are you?" Mandy grinned, her eyes twinkling with her unique cleverness. She looked exactly the same as the first time they met. Nathan found that he could not win when it came to his beloved wife. Did he take it for granted that he was a gentleman? He proceeded to change the subject and said, "I heard that... You are jealous of those who find love in their school uniforms and then end up in their wedding dresses." Mandy frowned and blurted out resolutely, "Did you eavesdrop on me and Nana?" "No, I didn''t. It wasn''t eavesdropping anyway. You didn''t close the door." With a proud look on his face, Nathan quickly denied that he was eavesdropping. "Really? Is that the case? Well, I really admire those who find love in their school uniforms and then end up in their wedding dresses. Many people fall in love when they''re young, at an age where they don''t know much about love. They meet, get to know each other, stay by each other''s side, and then ultimately choose each other, thinking it''s love. They stay together and enjoy each other''spany for a while until they realize that they really don''t love each other as much as they thought, or they no longer love themselves as much as they did. Then, they break up. That being said, I think the school- uniform-to-wedding-dress kind of love is very precious." Mandy then fell silent and thought, ''If Daniel''s motives for approaching me did not involve thoseplex things, perhaps we could have had a happy ending.'' "Well, we do have it good, don''t we?" Nathan asked jealously, pursing his lips. "Yes, of course. Some people get married after knowing each other for only a few days while others can''t stay together even if they have been in a rtionship for seven years. It''s just a matter of fate." "You indeed have a silver tongue." Nathan''s voice was cold but reassuring. He felt happy in his heart as Mandy''s talk of destiny seeped into his mind. Mandy coughed and then cleared her throat. "And I find that you''re bing more and more narcissistic." Her beautiful eyes were curved like the new moon hanging in the sky at that moment. "I''m not only narcissistic. I also love you." Nathan squinted at her with a smile. Standing on tiptoe, Mandy wrapped her arms around Nathan''s neck and sealed their conversation with a gentle kiss. She was going to let go, but he locked her in his arms. In the ward, there was nothing but the sound of the clock ticking. Tick-tock... Fiona could not fall asleep. Lying on the bed, she touched her belly with her slender fingers. Her stomach seemed to be t, and she did not feel like she was pregnant at all. She was not ready to be a mother.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 776 Endless Times of Checking His WeChat Moments Chapter 776 Endless Times of Checking His WeChat Moments Even if it was for tomorrow, Fiona didn''t really want to do the checkup. However, she knew that Mandy would definitely ask her to do it. So she felt like there was no way she could escape from it. If she had known that this would happen, she would not have slept with Ethon so soon. Now that there was nothing she could do, she was feeling a little regretful. How could she have been so unreserved right from the beginning? ''How annoying!'' she eximed in her mind. She tossed and turned on the bed. One second she would sigh, and the next second, she would be so upset that she would pull at her hair. But no matter what she did, she couldn''t fall asleep. She knew that Nathan and Mandy had gone out. The two had gone too far in showing their love in front of other people. Originally, she had thought that she would finally be free again, and it would be good for her to come to the hospital to take care of Adrian. She thought that it wasn''t such a bad idea to take care of the little boy. So she came here with the hopes that she would relieve some pressure off Mandy, but she didn''t expect that she would be a burden to her. The more she thought about it, the more distressed she became. To distract herself, she picked up her phone and started browsing on WeChat Moments. Ethon was not fond of posting about his life on the tform. They had broken up for five days already, but he had not posted anything new on his ount. However, when they were still dating, almost all of Ethon''s moments were rted to Fiona. Feeling so many emotions, Fiona clicked on her chatbox with Ethon. Her chat history with him from a few days ago was still vivid in her mind. She would have never expected that they would part ways so suddenly. The heaviness in her heart was so strong. After being together for so long, she was not used to not knowing what was happening in Ethon''s life. She wondered what he had been doing these days. She wanted to know how he was. It was already eleven o''clock in the evening. Almost all of her friends had gone to bed at that time. Eventually, Fiona clicked on Ethon''s WeChat Moments, and everything rted to her was still there. He had not deleted any of them. After the breakup, she had checked his Wechat Moments several times every day. Although it was her who proposed the breakup, she just couldn''tpletely cut him off from her life. At least, not for now. Even Fiona knew that would make her a hypocrite. But she was afraid that Ethon would really delete everything about her. If he did, then that would mean that they were really finished. Then, after she closed his WeChat moments, she checked her microblog. When she saw some emotional posts from several bloggers, all sorts of feelings came surging in her mind at once. Then, she saw a picture of a pine tree and a duckling. In the picture, the tree and the animal were confronting each other. Fiona thought it was interesting, so she saved it. She smiled with some relief in her heart. She then asked herself if she could really face the pressure ahead with ease. Not long after, she posted a WeChat Moment, with the simple words, ''Feeling annoyed!'' She attached the duckling picture to it. It had been about five minutes since she posted the Wechat moment, but she didn''t hear anything from Ethon. At first, she wanted to just go to sleep, but then she actually did receive a message from him. "Nana, how are you? I miss you so much. I''ve been trying to control my emotionstely. I know you''re annoyed with me right now. I''m not going to lie. I''ve been constantly checking your moments these days. When I saw the message that you had posted, I knew you couldn''t fall asleep. If you don''t hate me, can you please talk to me?" R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Every single word in his message seemed so sincere. It was way out of her expectations that such a proud man like Ethon would speak to her in a tone where he sounded like he was pleading so much. At that moment, she immediately felt extreme pain. It was like her heart was literally being cut into pieces with a knife. Holding the phone on her hand, tears welled up in her eyes. She responded to Ethon''s message with a simple, "Okay, let''s talk." Meanwhile, Ethon was sitting on the floor, feeling dejected and downhearted. It wasn''t until he received Fiona''s massage that he jumped on the bed with so much excitement. He quickly typed on the screen with his slender fingers, "Nana, are you still mad at me?" After thinking about it for a while, Fiona suddenly smiled. Chatting with Ethon put her in such a good mood. She replied, "No, I''m not upset anymore." "Can you forgive me?" Ethon asked after hesitating for a while. For a moment, Fiona didn''t know how to respond. She thought that perhaps she should always consider everything. What if she really was pregnant? What was more, there was no question that she was still in love with Ethon. They had a fight and broke up all of a sudden. They had not been in contact with each other for so many days, but the emotions that ultimately clouded their judgment that day had already subsided. For the couple who loved each other so much, there was only torture and countless thoughts left in Ethon''s mind after they had broken up. He missed Fiona so much that he was about to go crazy. In the past five days, he didn''t even step out of his room. Besides, would it actually matter if she forgave him? "Can there really be a future for us?" Fiona sent a question to Ethon instead of answering his question. She added a downcast emoji next to the message. With that, she was showing her soft side to Ethon. "Yes, there will be a future for us. My father told me that he liked you. He''s now convincing my mother to approve of our rtionship. Nana, please believe in me, okay?" Ethon sent the message with courage. He didn''t want to be decadent like he had been for the past days. He had locked himself in his room day and night. No matter what everyone had said, he refused to leave the room. He had never been so disheartened like this before. "I... I have something to tell you," Fiona responded. "What is it?" Ethon quickly answered with a frown on his handsome face. "I might be pregnant." She quickly typed the sentence but immediately deleted it. She eventually decided not to tell Ethon before the result came out. What if she was not pregnant? That might just bring so much disappointment for Ethon. Although Fiona had said that she wasn''t looking forward to having a baby, a part of her was actually somewhat happy. Even though she wasn''t ready to be a mom yet, she hoped that one day, Ethon and she would be able to hold each other''s hand in marriage. "I''ll tell you about it tomorrow. Go to bed early, good night." It took Fiona a long time to reply, but she finally sent out a message. Lying on the bed, Ethon was thrilled to read her message. He had noticed that it took her a long time to respond, just to say that she would tell him tomorrow. For a few moments, he could not help but feel a huge gap in his heart. But then, he pursed his lips and replied, "Good night, Baby. I love you." Fiona smiled in an instant. When she saw the words ''I love you, '' she felt so much warmth in her heart. She touched her arms, and she felt goose bumps all over. Though Ethon looked serious on the surface, he could be really sweet to his partner sometimes. He was a man with both high IQ and high EQ. Turning off her phone, Fiona didn''t respond anymore. After putting her phone on the nightstand, she fell asleep quickly. By the time Nathan and Mandy returned to the ward, they saw Fiona and Adrian sleeping soundly. Mandy immediately felt relieved. She could have a good sleep that night. Nathan wrapped his arms in his wife while gently stroking her back with his callused fingers. He grinned and said, "Good night, Honey." "Good night." In fact, it was just an ordinary expression, but Nathan would only utter the words ''good night'' to Mandy. As for others, he would politely say ''goodbye'' or ''talk to youter.'' It could be regarded that ''good night'' was very important in his heart. Because ''good night'' had the same pronunciation as ''I love you'' in Chinese... Chapter 777 Bone Marrow Extraction Chapter 777 Bone Marrow Extraction The next morning, Fiona woke up around six, which was quite early. Adrian was now in a special period. Around five in the morning, the nurse hade to take his temperature. Thankfully, his temperature was normal as it had been the past few days. That morning, he was going to have his bone marrow drawn for the first time. When Mandy stepped out of the bathroom, she saw the nurse already taking Adrian''s temperature. She approached them and watched them quietly, a calm look on her face. The nurse carefully examined his temperature and gave him a smile. "37.5 degrees Celsius. You''re fine." Mandy breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Adrian didn''t have a fever yet. What followed next was the most critical period. He couldn''t have a fever during the operation. Nathan was already awake. He went straight to the bedside. Blinking his eyes, Adrian grinned and said, "Good morning, mom and dad." "Good morning, Adrian," Nathan and Mandy said in unison. Drawing the bone marrow was a rtively easy operation. It was going to be performed by Doctor Wang with Mandy inside the operating room. Nathan had to go back to JS International that day. He had already missed several meetings, and there had been an ident at the factory in London. With all these things going on, he couldn''t help but feel as if he was back to three years ago when he was alone, and Adrian was suffering from his illness. Those were the darkest times of his life. He couldn''t believe it was happening all over again. Fortunately, he wasn''t alone now. He had Mandy by his side, so he had a source of strength and motivation. "Mandy, I need to go to work today. Are you going to be okay by yourself?" He looked at Mandy, concern written all over his face. He was afraid that Mandy wouldn''t be able to handle it if he wasn''t there. This was a big deal for Adrian after all. As Adrian''s father, he wanted to stay at the hospital. But he had heard rumors that the senior shareholders were up to something recently. Since he and Mandy were spending day and night at the hospital, many were suspecting that Adrian was ill. When Mandy saw the look on Nathan''s face, she was taken aback. Then she shed him an easy smile and said, "Of course, go on and get back to work. I can take care of our little Adrian." After all, Nathan was the head of JS International. It wasn''t hard to believe that problems would arise with his prolonged absence. Mandy was in charge of the Mandy Mall. Since she hadn''t been to work ever since Adrian had gotten ill, she handed over all her work to her subordinate, Quintin. He was a responsible and aspiring young man. Mandy was confident that he would be able to handle all the work. "Okay, I''m heading out soon. I have a meeting at eight." Nathan smiled, but the look in his eyes was unfathomable. The senior stakeholders of JS International acknowledged Nathan''s leadership. Nathan was the one who decided on things while Fred executed everything. The senior stakeholders just didn''t like the fact that Fred, who didn''t have Jin blood, was the one managing thepany. "Let''s eat something first," Mandy suggested as she gently touched Nathan''s hand. "Okay." After breakfast, Nathan left for work at JS International. At around half-past eight, Adrian was brought to the operating room. It was just a small operation to extract his bone marrow. However, it was going to be very painful, so Mandy apanied him inside. Generally, anesthesia was injected in anyone who was going to have an operation as it would help eliminate the pain. However, considering Adrian''s condition where his body had already been affected by the bacteria, the doctor suggested that they refrain from using anesthesia. This only made Mandy more worried about Adrian. A child as young as Adrian could only bear so much pain. As his mother, it was only natural that Mandy would be very worried about him. Smiling gently, Angelina nced at Adrian then at Mandy. She raised her eyebrows, and in a soft voice, she said, "Adrian, it''s going to hurtter, but you have to bear it and make sure you don''t move." "Okay. I''m not afraid of pain." Adrian nodded obediently. His eyes were clear as crystal even though he didn''t know what was going to happen next. Tears welled up in Mandy''s eyes. How she wished she could help Adrian bear the pain! She was willing to take all the pain just so Adrian wouldn''t have to suffer. Angelina picked up the disinfectant-soaked cotton with her tweezers and applied it to Adrian''s waist. Then the nurse handed over a needle to Angelina. Mandy frowned at the sight of it as it was rather huge. Angelina then aimed it at Adrian''s waist before sticking it into his skin and then into his bone. Adrian shivered slightly. It hurt badly, but he didn''t scream orin. Instead, he tightened his grasp on Mandy''s hand. "Adrian, don''t worry. It''ll be over soon." Mandy wiped her tears, feeling sorry for him as she patted his head. After about five seconds, Angelina finally took the needle out. Everyone seemed visibly relieved as the nurse began to clean things up. When they went back to the ward, Adrian was a little tired. He still felt sore, so Mandy patted him until he fell asleep. Fionay on the sofa, still unwilling to have a check-up at the gynecology and obstetrics department. She had been looking forward to having a babyst night, but when she woke up that morning, she felt scared. Once Mandy was sure that Adrian was fast asleep already, she stood up and walked towards Fiona. "Nana, let''s go," Mandy said with a gentle smile. "Where¡­ Where are we going?" Fiona acted as if she was unaware, still not wanting to have a check- up. "Where else would we go? Don''t tell me you''ve changed your mind." Mandy bent over and stared at her sharply, leaving no chance for Fiona to deflect. For a while, they just stared each other down until Fiona finally surrendered¡ªthe determination in Mandy''s eyes was too much for her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The walls in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the JS Hospital was light pink instead of the usual white. This helped the patients feel warm andfortable inside. The corridor was rather quiet. Women held their cards and reports in the waiting area as they waited to be called. Chapter 778 Pregnancy Manual Chapter 778 Pregnancy Manual Mandy arranged for Fiona''s examination, having been acquainted with the director of the department of obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Cai was a female doctor in her early forties with a calm demeanor. She wore a pair of sses and exuded an elegance befitting of her white coat. "Doctor Zhou, oh sorry, I mean, Mrs. Jin," Dr. Cai greeted as she lifted her eyes and pushed the frame of her sses. In spite of the doctor''s amicable air, Fiona remained uneasy. The lines of her face were stiff as she and Mandy entered the doctor''s office. "Long time no see, Doctor Cai," Mandy returned the greeting warmly. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Mand? There must be something important," the doctor inquired. Dr. Cai picked up a cup of tea and took a slow sip. She had been working in this hospital for eighteen years and had witnessed how it had grown to one of the most reputable institutions in the field of medicine. Being a doctor was an honorable job, but it had many demands. There were patients day in and day out, each with their own needs and concerns. In her long career, Doctor Cai had always been faithful to her oath. She did everything she could for her patients, but she had her own principles. There were two things that she refused to do, no matter how much money was on the table. The first was early cesarean for pregnant women who wanted their children to be born on a specific date. Second, abortion. With her experience, it only took one look at Fiona''s face for her to know that the woman was pregnant. "My sister vomitedst night. We guessed that she might be pregnant, and we came here to make sure," Mandy exined. "I see. Have a seat, please." Dr. Cai beckoned Fiona with a friendly smile. Fiona wordlessly sat across from her. The doctor reached out and took Fiona''s hand, feeling her pulse. At this, Fiona looked on curiously. ''She doesn''t seem like other doctors. She can check it just by feeling my pulse?'' she wondered. After a moment, Dr. Cai asked, "Miss, how have you been feelingtely?" Fiona thought her question over, remembering the past few days. "I haven''t had much of an appetite, and I often feel heavy and exhausted. These days, I''ve also been sleeping a lot more than I used to." Dr. Cai let go of her hand and said with a smile, "You are indeed pregnant. It''s a boy." "What? Can you really know all that from just feeling her pulse, Dr. Cai?" Mandy asked in puzzlement. She had never heard of this method before for checking a woman''s pregnancy, not to mention that Dr. Cai also identified the gender of the child. Dr. Cai''s words echoed in Fiona''s head. She looked at the doctor with a nk expression and stammered, "Am¡­ Am I really pregnant?" The doctor''s words about the child''s gender did not fully register to her. All she could hear was the confirmation that rang persistently in her head. Pregnant. She was really pregnant. Dr. Cai looked at her and said, "Yes. You can have a blood test if you want to, but from what I had gathered, you have been pregnant for about five weeks now. I assume this is your first pregnancy? It was probably why you didn''t notice." Fiona pressed her lips tightly. On the outside, she was breathing normally, but her mind was in tangles. Five weeks. ''No wonder my period hasn''te. It turns out that I''m pregnant, '' Fiona thought as her head raced with incoherent musings. There were a plethora of emotions that surged inside her. Surprise, fear¡­and other feelings she couldn''t even name in her muddled state. They roiled around one another, twisting into a whirlpool of half-confusion and half-disbelief. Dr. Cai took a furtive glimpse at Fiona, looking her over from head to toe. The woman in front of her was quite young, in her twenties at most. If her deductions were correct, she was around the age of a college student. The color had drained from her face, and her eyes betrayed her perturbation. "You''re on your first trimester, which the most important stage of development for your child. There are many things that you need to pay close attention to. You have to avoid eating crabs and seafood, and you have to limit spicy food too. Instead, your diet has to be rich in folic acid. I advise taking calcium tablets as well. It takes three months for the fetus to stabilize. During this period, sexual contact is not allowed." Fiona''s face flushed at Dr. Cai''s words. All of a sudden, a wave of embarrassment flooded her like she was a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. It was irrational, she knew. Dr. Cai was a professional, and she was looking at the situation from a clinical standpoint. However, reason did not work against Fiona''s shame. She shifted ufortably in her seat as she tried to absorb Dr. Cai''s words. There were so many things she didn''t know about pregnancy, and the worst thing about it was that she and Ethon weren''t even married yet. "Thank¡­ Thank you very much, doctor," Fiona stuttered. "You''re wee," Dr. Cai replied calmly. She quickly went on to the next topic to divert the young girl from her embarrassment. Opening a drawer, she took out a small red notebook. "This is a pregnancy manual. It would be a great help for you. You can read it after you go back. Even better, let your boyfriend read it as well." Fiona''s eyes evaded the older woman''s as she gingerly took the booklet. She was unsure of what to do next. ''What now? Should I tell Ethon that I''m pregnant?'' she thought. She had resolved to tell him today, but now that the undeniable truth was right in front of her, she was seized by a fear of the consequences. Fiona remained lost in her own thoughts as Dr. Cai kept typing on the keyboard. After a while, she told Fiona, "You can have a blood test and a B-mode ultrasound test, but don''t tell others that I felt your pulse." Fiona nodded in half-understanding. It was not until Mandy nudged her that Fiona came back to her senses. "What?" she asked. "Don''t worry, youngdy. I have seen many pregnant women who are even younger than you. It is the natural reaction to be shocked. How is your rtionship with your boyfriend?" Dr. Cai asked. Fiona bit her lip as she thought of Ethon. "How...How do you know that I have a boyfriend?" she asked. Mandy gaped at the exchange. Fiona was a smart girl, but right now, she was tripping all over her words and wasn''t making any sense. Perhaps it was from the shock. Still, she could almost not believe her ears as she listened to her talk. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Cai''s ever gentle smile did not falter. "Well, don''t you have one?" Mandy stepped in to stop Fiona from making a bigger fool of herself. "Dr. Cai, it seems that my sister is really surprised by the news. It is her first pregnancy, after all. Please don''t mind her," she exined. Dr. Cai could tell that the child wasn''t nned. Fiona''s sigh of mncholy was proof enough. In her years of practice, she had met many young girls with the same expression as hers. In their naivete, this situation was surely a huge weight. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!