《Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    On the bustling streets of Rosemont, the ce was teeming with cars and people.


    I¡¯d been sitting in a caf¨¦ named La Rencontre for two hours, tucked away at a corner table, facing the


    counter where beverages were made. A young gn, in a sky thue aeron was busy making all sorts of


    drinks.


    She was about 5.2 feet tall, didn¡¯t look like she weighed more than 100 pounds, slim, and always


    smiling. She¡¯d got her thick dark hair tied up in a ponytail on top of her head. Her eyes were curved just


    like a crescent moon, and herughter was contagious


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, would you like a refill of your coffee?¡± She came over and asked me, beaming


    I was oddly drawn to this young girl, almost spellbound. Luckily I¡¯m a woman too, otherwise, people


    would get the wrong idea


    ¡°Sure, ck coffee please.¡± I shed a polite smile, my voice soft.


    Soon, she brought over another cup of bitter ck coffee. She didn¡¯t leave right away but hesitated and


    checked on me. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯ve already had two tops of ck coffee. It does perk you up, but too


    much might not be good for you. Maybe¡­e back for more next time?¡±


    Her voice was crisp and easy-going, like wind chimes. Very pleasant to the ear.


    I nced at the ck coffee on the table, picked up my bag, and was ready to leave. ¡°Sure, let me


    have the bill.¡±


    The girl was thrilled that I took her advice. She quickly gets the bill and told me, ¡°Ma¡¯am, your total is $9


    today. Would you like to pay in cash or by mobile payme


    After silently paying, I briskly left the caf¨¦.


    ¡°Madam.¡± Bailey saw mee out, gave a respectful nod, and opened the car door for me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head home.¡± I gave a small smile and instructed him.


    The car slowly pulled away, I closed my eyes and rested in the back seat. The image of the girl in the


    caf¨¦ kept shing in my mind, that youthful face. Was she the girt? The one who made Neil break off


    from his family and pay a hefty price to divorce me a yearter?


    I didn¡¯t expect that the first thing I would do after my death and reincarnation would be to find herThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    current workce and observe her like a Peeping Tom


    I was really curious, what kind of girl could take away the man I loved for ten years?


    In my past life, I never met her, I only found out her name and saw a few pictures of her. Neil guarded


    her like a treasure. I was miserably lost and in love with him, but I never saw the girl he guarded with all


    his heart before.


    Young, beautiful, pure, kind, cheerful¡­ all these wonderful adjectives fit her perfectly. Her only


    weakness was that she didn¡¯te from a noble family a stark contrast to Neil¡¯s status.


    Bailey suddenly spoke up, ¡°Madam, today is your wedding anniversary with Mr. Whitmore.¡±


    I slowly open my eyes, a moment of bewilderment. If you counted, this year was the fifth year I¡¯d been


    married to Neil. Every wedding anniversary I would be busy all day preparing a candlelit dinner and


    wedding gifts.


    This year, I would turn 27, and he would be 29.


    ¡°I know.¡± I pressed my somewhat aching temples. ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me.¡±


    Perhaps Bailey felt I was a bit different from before, that¡¯s why he reminded me. But why was I always


    the one who had to go forward and give my all? Why should I love that man? Before my death in my


    past life, I wondered about this, I lost everything for Neil, and only got a tragic end.


    Lost in thought, the car I was in had stopped in front of the house Neil and I shared. This was the


    wedding gift from both our parents, a luxurious mansion of over 100D square feet.


    To my surprise, Neil¡¯s car was also parked at the front. He was home.


    I felt a mix of emotions, I¡¯d already died once. When I met the person who caused my death after being


    reborn, what would I do?


    I thought I would hate Neil. He pushed me to the end for a woman; he even harmed the people who


    were like parents to me, my family all ruined at his hands


    But when I saw him again, I realized I didn¡¯t hate him as much, instead, I felt a sense of relief.


    In my past life, Neil gave me a chance, and proposed a peaceful divorce. He was willing to give me a


    portion of the shares of Whitmore Co., enough for me to enjoy for a lifetime, but I wouldn¡¯t have it. I


    wasted ten years to not gain his love, yet another woman took only a year to make him give up


    everything for her. So I used all means, and tried to win him back, but in the end, we reached the point


    of no return, confrontational, at each other¡¯s throats.


    Now, none of these had happened, I no longer hated him, and I hoped more to have changed the tragic


    ending.


    ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Neil was sitting in the living room,fortably crossing his legs. His


    ashtray on the table held the cigarette he just smoked He looked up at me, his gaze calm.


    On our wedding day, Neil made it clear to me that we were just business partners, long-term


    roommates, and he had no feelings for me.


    ¡°Nothing. I just didn¡¯t expect you to be home.¡± I lowered my head to change into slippers. They were


    Hermes in elephant grey simply designed, and in colored Other beingfortable, they didn¡¯t seem


    to have any other attractive features.


    I thought of the girl in the caf¨¦ wearing the blue apron. There was a small red flower on it, none of the


    others had it, only hers. Inparison, all my clothes were expensive and monotonous, they looked


    simple yet dull.


    I suddenly Rated these slippers, so I tossed them aside and walked barefoot into the living room. Neil


    saw me walk over barefoot, his brows furrowed slightly a hunt of surprise in his eyes, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going


    to wear your slippers?¡±


    ¡°Mm, don¡¯t feel like it, so I won¡¯t¡¯ I sat across from him and casually replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd, what¡¯s gotten into you? Neil actually chuckled. It was rare for him to speak to me in such a


    rxed tone.


    In my heart, I thought, ¡®It¡¯s all the influence of your future true love.¡±


    §±lowered my head to look at my feet, I was too skinny, so my feet looked a bit thin and dry too


    Bonnie was an exception, she was skinny, but her skin was glowing, not like mine, all skin, and bones.


    After five years in a lonely marriage, my health started going down the drain. I had lost all my appetite,


    so I got skinnier and skinner, looking more like a skeleton than a


    person.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Neil, engrossed in his phone, didn¡¯t even bother to look up.


    He was sporting ck shirt and trousers, both of top-notch quality. His lean figure and perfect


    proportions made him look super handsome. Adding to that, his good-looking face, and well-defined


    features, he was basically every teenage girl¡¯s dream guy.


    I pulled my gaze away, staring at the man opposite me, my voice a bit h oa rse, ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, I heard Neil¡¯s sarcasticugh. He tossed his phone onto the sofa, looking at


    me with that familiar cold gaze, asking, ¡°Irene, what¡¯s your game this time?¡±


    ¡°I mean it.¡± I sat up straight, staring into those oppressive eyes. ¡°It¡¯s been five years, you weren¡¯t going


    to fall for me anyway. We should let each other live better lives?


    In a month, there would be a huge business conference in Rosemont, and Neil would meet Bonnie


    there, who would be working part-time as a receptionist. He would fall for her at first sight, deciding to


    get her no matter what it took.


    Such a romantic tale, I was not going to y the pathetic role in their legendary love story anymore.


    What I wanted to do, could do, should do, all of it was done and dusted in my past life, and I got the


    final results. In this life, I wouldn¡¯t let myself be the butt of the joke, pushing my family into an abyss.


    I decided to drop out of this farce before Neil and Bonnie met. On their rocky path of love, I would step


    aside for them.


    Seeing the seriousness in my eyes, Neil¡¯s face darkened instantly. He always had a bad temper, and if


    anyone made him ufortable, he¡¯d definitely lose it.


    ¡°Haha, looks like I¡¯m the ything now, huh?¡± He chuckled, with coldness in his eyes. ¡°Five years ago,


    you were the one who insisted on marrying me, and now you¡¯re the one asking for a divorce. Irene, are


    you messing with me?¡±


    Five years ago, the Whitmore family and the Finch family were on good terms, so our elders arranged


    our marriage. Neil was stubborn, definitely not the obedient type, but the Whitmore family¡¯s grandfather


    was seriously ill, so he had no choice but to marry me.


    For Neil, it was a humiliation. But he didn¡¯t have someone he deeply loved, was taking over the family


    business at the time, and needed a good partner, so he spent five years with me as husband and wife.


    I smiled sadly, ¡°Do you really want to keep up this sham of a marriage?¡±


    ¡°A sham marriage?¡± Neil pondered the phrase, then raised an eyebrow, sarcastically asking, ¡°Oh, are


    you feeling lonely?¡±


    ¡°No, I just¡­¡± I carefully chose my words to respond to him.


    Neil had already stood up and walked over to me. He bent over, his hands on either side of the couch,


    his chest forming a circle with his arms, trapping me inside. His voice was seductive, ¡°If you¡¯re lonely,


    why didn¡¯t youe to me? Now you¡¯re considering a divorce, are you just too lustful?¡±


    Neil liked to smoke, and he always had a faint scent on him, a mix of his scent and the smell of


    tobo.


    Of course, he never held me, I just secretly sniffed his coat.


    Now, thatplex and alluring scent enveloped me. It should¡¯ve made me excited and thrilled, and my


    face should¡¯ve turned red from excitement, but in reality, I was just feeling suffocated.


    I was someone ready to leave; anything that could shake my resolve seemed ominous to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of that!¡± I tried to exin, but I was already used to the loneliness that had been going


    on for days and nights.


    ¡°Really?¡± Neil straightened up. He wasn¡¯t really interested in me anyway, so the gesture of flirtation he


    just showed was only to embarrass me a bit. He wouldn¡¯t lose control over it.


    As a 27-year-old married woman, I emitted a gloomy aura, not a charming scent like his.


    ¡°Irene, I know today is our fifth wedding anniversary, but I don¡¯t want to celebrate. If you want to use


    this as an excuse to ask for a divorce, I suggest you stop messing around.¡± Neil stood in front of me,


    looking down at me, his voice cold.


    ? ??? ?? ?? ?


    We never celebrated our wedding anniversary, so there¡¯s no need to start this year.¡± I also stood up,


    looking up at Neil. ¡°You should think about it, I¡¯m probably not valuable to you anymore. You need


    freedom more than you need me, right?¡±


    After saying that, I turned and went up to the second-floor bedroom without saying anything else.


    Downstairs, the sound of a door being mmed shut echoed, followed by the sound of a car engine


    outside the window. I knew it was Neil leaving, but this time I was calm.


    Then, my phone rang. was my friend Ste.


    ¡°Rena,e out and y, let¡¯s hit up Cielo Nocturno!¡± Ste¡¯s loud voice immediately chased away my


    gloominess. She was the same age as me but still single. After getting married, I seldom went out to


    party. Ste would invite me out, and I would reject her most of the time, but she kept insisting.


    ¡°Okay!¡± I agreed immediately, leaving Ste silent on the other end of the line.


    Today is your wedding anniversary with Neil, are you sure you want to go out?¡± Ste finally spoke


    again, sounding skeptical and surprised. I had turned down Ste¡¯s invitations for four years straight


    using my wedding anniversary as an excuse.


    ¡°Yes, even though today is our anniversary, doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t go out and have fun, I¡¯ll be right


    there.¡± I answered Ste decisively, then hung up the phone.


    I opened the closet, a bunch of ck, white, and grey clothes came into view, no blues, no purples.


    Each luxury brand of clothing offered all kinds of elegant design, yet I spent big bucks on the most


    boring styles.


    After ten minutes of selection, I chose a slightly lively V-neck strapless ck dress. The silk-like touch,


    the stic waistband of the ck dress could highlight my slim waist. My smooth arms were bare,


    revealing most of my back.


    I remembered this dress. I bought it specifically to attract Neil, but he didn¡¯te home that entire


    month.


    The only thing that I wasn¡¯t satisfied with was my t chest, which didn¡¯t quite match the charm of this


    dress. I could onlyfort myself, ¡°Just wear it, from now on, I¡¯ll eat more to console myself:


    After changing and putting on makeup, I drove a red Porsche straight to Cielo Nocturno. It was a


    nightclub in Rosemont, the name had a wild artistic vibe


    After parking I walked into Cielo Nocturno, finding Ste at the bar. Back in college, Ste, Alicia,


    Barbara, and I were hailed as the four female wonders of the music department Everyone anticipatedThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    we would achieve great things after graduation, but it didn¡¯t quite pan out that way. I got hitched early,


    Ste turned into a club hopper, Alicia snagged a management gig at her family¡¯spany, and


    Barbara, the only one of us still on the music grind, was bouncing from one musicpetition to


    another, hellbent on bing a pop star


    ¡°Long time no seer Ste, with her bossy vibe, hopped off her bar stool and grabbed my hand, gushing.


    The other two were nodding like bobbleheads, because after I tied the knot, I might as well have


    dropped off the face of the earth I¡¯d given up my social life for Neil.


    or your funeral.¡±


    A few drinks in, Alicia said, a touch mncholic, ¡°If you didn¡¯t surface this time, I¡¯d start to wonder if I


    attended your wedding five years ago Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at home prepping a candlelit dinner?


    Ste asked curiously. She peered at my eyelids, even reaching out to touch myshes. ¡°Come here,


    let me s¨¦e Has that jerk Neil been giving you the cold shoulder? Have you been crying?¡±


    Would you mind not messing up my fakeshes? I swatted Ste¡¯s hand away.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Chapter 3


    These guys were my best buds and they¡¯d been there for me through hell and high water, especially


    after the whole Neil debacle. We couldn¡¯t really do much about Neil, but their genuine support moved


    me deeply. So I spilled the beans about my n to divorce Neil. As for the whole reincarnation thing, I


    decided not to mention it.


    After hearing my piece, they fell silent for a moment, then burst into apuse. ¡°Hell yeah! Let¡¯s


    celebrate Rena breaking free from her cra ppy marriage tonight!¡±.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± I hollered back, raising my ss in the air. I could almost see myself post-divorce, embracing


    a brand new life, leaving the painful past behind.


    A few drinks in, we four women plucked up some courage. Barbara gave me a nudge, ¡°Rena, spot any


    hotties? Go for it! Neil¡¯s got all his scandals, we can¡¯t lose!¡±


    ¡°F¡­ fair point,¡± I slurred, scanning the room until my gazended on a tall, thin figure. He seemed


    young from his clothes. A college guy, perhaps?


    Neil h ooked up with a college girl, so why not me with a college guy?


    I sauntered over, tapped the young man on the shoulder, ¡°Hey handsome, fancy a drink? It¡¯s on me¡­¡±


    He turned around, strikingly handsome, looking like a fresh face in the entertainment industry. He


    stared at me in surprise before shaking his head, ¡°Sorry, I have a girlfriend.¡± ¡°Oh, my bad. I¡¯ll try my


    luck with someone else then,¡± I nodded to the young man. The alcohol made me incoherent. I didn¡¯t


    even understand what I was saying, then I moved


    on


    But I stumbled a few stepster, dropping my ss which shattered on impact. I sat on the floor, dizzy


    and suddenly hit with a wave of sleepiness.


    ¡°Let me help you up,¡± the college guy extended a hand.


    Sitting on the floor, flushed, I stared at him. What the hell? Why did his face morph into Neil¡¯s, ring at


    me coldly? I tried to get up but ended up pressing my palm onto the broken ss. Blood gushed out


    and I copsed.


    In my dream, Neil¡¯s cold, heartless face appeared again. I sat in the messy living room, sobbing like a


    mad woman. When Nell first announced his ns to divorce me, my parents and the elders of the


    Whitmore family tried to pressure him. Neil didn¡¯t give a da mn; he was determined to divorce me even


    if it cost the Finch family greatly.


    The Whitmore elders first rebuked him, then reluctantly helped him. I heard they even epted his


    new girlfriend, Bonnie. She had Nell¡¯s unwavering support and gradually won over the Whitmore


    parents. And she was pregnant.


    ¡°Neil, I¡¯ve loved you for ten years. Don¡¯t you feel anything for me?¡± I wept, tears streaming through my


    fingers.


    ¡°Nothing, Irene. I gave you a chance to end things amicably, but you didn¡¯t take it,¡± Neil replied coldly.


    His phone rang. It was Bonnie¡¯s chirpy voice.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Mr. Whitmore, please pick up!¡±


    I listened to the sweet ringtone, and watched Neil hurry off, the room spinning and a sharp pain


    my chest.


    I woke up gasping for air, only to find myself in my own bedroom, bathed in sunlight, birds chirping


    outside. How did the college guy get me home?


    I nced at my bandaged hand, massaged my throbbing temples, and tried to find the college guy,


    only to hear Neil¡¯s voice outside.


    ¡°You guys carry on, I¡¯m not in the mood,¡± he leaned against the banister on the second floor, a cigarette


    in hand, sounding lethargic.


    I stag gered to the door, watched him walk over, ¡°Where¡¯d you hide him?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Neil frowned.


    ¡°The college guy,¡± I replied.


    I thought he was a decent guy and didn¡¯t want to lose him just like that.


    Neil was going crazy over another woman next month anyway. I might as well find someone tofort


    me, to distract me from the pain.


    Hearing my reply, Neil¡¯s face darkened. He nced at what I was wearing, then grabbed my wrist,


    dragging me into the walk-in closet, ¡°Change! What¡¯s with the se xy getup?¡±


    Se xy?


    I looked down at my chest, just a slight swell, the fabric doing most of the work. I didn¡¯t think ¡°se xy¡±


    was fitting, why would a man who didn¡¯t love me care about how se xy looked?


    ¡°Neil, is it true you slept with that actress a few days ago?¡± I ignored his order and asked him calmly


    instead.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± he replied dismissively, as usual.


    ¡°Then what I do from now on is none of your business either. If we¡¯re not divorcing, let¡¯s just go our


    separate ways,¡± I said nonchntly


    After all these years, I¡¯d never experienced love, and I needed to have some fun. So this was what it


    felt like to let things be. It was liberating. I didn¡¯t have to be happy or sad for Neil anymore, and it was


    like my soul was returning to my body.


    Men were such hypocrites. They thought they could do whatever they wanted, but their wives had to be


    prim and proper. Neil was no exception. He didn¡¯t love me, but I was still his wife in name.


    ¡°You want me to cheat? Neil sheered, then roughly pulled open my clothes, ¡°You think any man would


    want a woman with your figure?¡±


    I looked down, my breasts were tightly wrapped, not revealing at all. This was the smallest size of


    nipple covers.


    I pushed his hand away, and calmly adjusted my clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll try to put on weight, drink more soy milk


    to enhance my breasts, That should satisfy you.¡±


    way.


    ¡°Irene, have you lost your marbles?!¡± Neil finally lost his cool, he looked at me, ¡°Are youing down


    with something?¡±


    The old Irene wasposed, gracious, sensible and considerate, how could she possibly spout such


    nonsense? If my dad heard what I just said, he would¡¯ve been so mad he¡¯d have had a heart attack.


    But I had to act like a lunatic first, so I could escape from Neil who was about to go nuts.


    If Bonnie hadn¡¯t shown up, he wouldn¡¯t consider divorcing me. A marriage alliance was never a casual


    game, he was the rational type, who knew to weigh the pros and cons And I really didn¡¯t want to go


    through the process of watching him fall in love with someone else again.


    ¡°So, just divorce me then.¡± I proposed again.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Chapter 4


    ¡°Forget about it, Irene, I¡¯ll make you regret the day you married me.¡± Neil went back to his cold


    demeanor, as if he could see right through my intentions. ¡°You want to live separate lives? So be it.¡±


    I was taken aback. Was he willing to ept me cheating, just to make me regret marrying him? I never


    thought being forced to marry me would be such a burden on him, that he¡¯d go to such extremes for


    revenge.-


    Just as I was struggling to understand this, Neil abruptly grabbed me, pulling me close against his


    body. He licked his lips, eyes hazy. ¡°Want me to satisfy you first?¡± ¡°No!¡± I pushed Neil away


    immediately. If we were destined to part ways, there was no need for unnecessary contact.


    Neil squinted, his gaze sharp. He was a smart man, he must have noticed my odd behavior these past


    few days. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. ¡°Are you Irene¡¯s twin sister? Huh?¡±


    How could a woman who¡¯d loved him for ten years suddenly act so out of character?


    I managed an awkward smile. ¡°Guess.¡±


    ¡°Irene, our marriage is not simple. If it ends, it will involve a lot of interests. I don¡¯t have time to y out


    some love-hate drama with you. If you can¡¯t resist the loneliness and want to have some fun¡­¡± He


    didn¡¯t answer my question but leaned in close to my ear. ¡°Remember to use a condom. I¡¯m not going to


    raise your illegitimate child.¡±


    I was someone who¡¯d already experienced death, and I should¡¯ve been calm. But for some reason, I


    pped Neil, hard. My palm was stinging.


    Neil¡¯s cheek bore the red mark of my hand. He turned his head, his perfect jawline outlining his


    handsome profile. Even after being pped, he still looked so handsome. He slowly turned his head


    back towards me, his eyes dark and terrifying, as if he was going to kill me the next second. My hand


    was trembling, not from fear, but because the p had reopened my wound and my hand was


    bleeding.


    Neil nced at my hand, then turned and left, leaving me with his cold back. I watched as the blood


    dripped from the bandage, and it felt good, better than bleeding inside during my past life.


    After that p, Neil disappeared again. His name was all over the tabloids, appearing in nightclubs, in


    the office, but he never came home.


    I was counting the days, just half a month till the day Neil and Bonnie met. During this time, I would


    asionally bump into Bonnie, order a ck coffee, and quietly watch her work. Her every smile and


    frown were deeply etched into my eyes. If I were a man, I would like her too.


    ¡°Bonnie, your boyfriend is here!¡± A coworker alerted Bonnie.


    Yes, I remember she had a boyfriend, but the poor guy was no match for Neil. Even if he was deeply in


    love with Bonnie, he couldn¡¯t stand a chance against the power and status that Neil wielded, and he


    became a joke to fate.


    The caf¨¦ door was pushed open, and a young man wearing a white T-shirt and light blue jeans walked


    in. He was wearing a white baseball cap, holding a box of Takoyaki, looking clean and refreshing.


    I was stunned. Was he that college student?


    ¡°Oscar, what are you doing here?¡± Bonnie was as happy as a hamster, weing her food-bringing


    master.


    ¡°I was handing out flyers nearby, so I thought I¡¯de and see you. Brought you some Takoyaki.¡± The


    college boy smiled, his eyes crinkled up like Bonnie¡¯s, like crescents.


    They looked like a sweet couple, yet they would be forcibly torn apart by Neil.


    Bonnie looked both delighted and worried. ¡°Justing to see me is enough. You¡¯re working so hard


    handing out flyers, don¡¯t waste money buying me food.¡±


    ¡°I work hard to earn money so I can buy snacks for my adorable girlfriend.¡± The college boy was good


    at sweet talking.


    I thought about it, Neil never bought me snacks. I didn¡¯t really like snacks either.


    The college boy didn¡¯t stay in the caf¨¦ for long because Bonnie was still working. I sat in the corner with


    my head down, afraid that he would look at me one more time in the crowd and recognize me as the


    woman who tried to seduce him in the nightclub not so long ago.


    As soon as the college boy left, I quickly paid the bill and left too.


    ¡°Madam.¡± Bailey always addressed me this way.


    ¡°Home.¡± I was exhausted, the people and things in my life were bing increasinglyplex. I


    rubbed my temples. My brain cells didn¡¯t seem to be enough.


    Not long after the car started, I spoke again, ¡°Bailey, let me


    I just wanted to drive.


    I gripped the steering wheel, focusing on the road ahead. When I saw the college boy waiting at the


    traffic light ahead, I seized the opportunity, stepped on the gas, and charged ahead, sessfully


    knocking him down.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry!¡± I hurriedly got out of the car to help him up, only to see his leg bleeding profusely,


    severely injured.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± The college boy called out to me in surprise, gritting his teeth against the


    I told Bailey, ¡°Quick, take him to the hospital.¡±


    The boy¡¯s name was Oscar, a 21-year-old college student.


    I sat on the hospital bench, looking at Oscar¡¯s contact number that I had just saved


    my phone, feeling somewhat deste. In the end, I was too petty. The only revenge I could think of


    was an eye for an eye. Since Bonnie could take my husband, why couldn¡¯t I take her boyfriend?


    Although she was forced into it, sheter epted Neil, when he waspletely crazy.


    If Bonnie had never epted him, he might have been more rational, considering


    The q


    The hospital was bustling. I was in thete stages of breast cancer with lymphatic


    women who often got angry and repressed were likely to get breast cancer.


    possibility of


    getting any return for his efforts.


    past life and spent myst days in the hospital. Doctors said that


    I covered all of Oscar¡¯s medical expenses, and generouslypensated him for his part-time


    anymore.


    onal fees a N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    lost wages. Because of his hospitalization, he couldn¡¯t work


    Truth be told, I was a real gabber. In just half a day, I pretty much knew Oscar¡¯s life story. He was fro


    work, and he¡¯d got a sister who was already hitched.


    an average farming family, both parents were involved in agricultural


    No wonder Neil managed to snag his girlfriend.


    ¡°You take care of yourself. I¡¯ll pop in every now and then,¡± I said as I was leaving, ying the big sister


    role with a kind smile on my face.


    1/2


    17:54


    Chapter 4


    ¡®No worries, ma¡¯am, I¡¯m still young and in good shape, I¡¯ll bounce back quickly,¡± Oscar said, showing off


    his pearly whites, his answer so innocent.


    Did he just flirt with me by saying he was young and in good shape? I mean, I was not exactly over the


    hill myself. I was only 27, not 72. But due to five years of a suffocating marriage and my chronic habit of


    ski pping meals, I felt like I was aging both men tally and physically.


    I gave a little nod. On my way home, I swung by the drugstore and picked up some supplements.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Chapter 5


    Bailey, get me some reliable housekeepers from an agency. They need to be whi zzes in the kitchen,


    and a dietitian certificate would be a bonus, I directed Bailey, a pile of Supplements seated next to me


    in the back seat.


    ¡°Sure thing, ma¡¯am, Bailey responded.


    After marrying Neil, both our folks suggested we hire help for chores, gardening, cooking, but I was


    head over heels in love with him, so I wanted to do everything myself and turned down their advice.


    Our little love nest was just for the two of us ¨C I didn¡¯t want anyone else invading our private space, like


    our kitchen and living room.


    You could imagine, it wasn¡¯t exactly a bed of roses.


    Being reborn, I was not going to chase pointless dreams anymore.


    Back home, with my Prada handbag in hand, I led, while Bailey trailed behind with a bag full of


    supplements. Opening the door, I saw Neiling down the stairs, cufflinks being adjusted, his casual


    movements so charming.


    ¡°Bailey, you can hit the road now,¡± I told him as 1 put my bag down.


    Bailey left the supplements on the table, saluted Neil, and made a swift exit.


    ¡°We have a coc ktail party in an hour, your folks will be there too. Get ready ande with me,¡± Neil


    coldly informed me, seemingly oblivious to the pile of stuff I brought back


    He never wanted me to apany him unless the asion required me, like when my parents were


    there. Since being reborn, I hadn¡¯t visited my parents yet. Not because I was ungrateful, but because I


    felt guilty, and ashamed. I didn¡¯t dare to see them.


    ¡°Okay, cool.¡± I got up and headed upstairs.


    For the past two weeks, I¡¯d been busy shopping for a new wardrobe. The styles and designs were


    nothing like my old clothes. I picked a red dress, off-shoulder, with a sheeryer over the chest and a


    fishtail design that showed off my slender legs. I was skinny, but my skin was smooth. I¡¯m prettyThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    content with everything except my chest. The innocent style just didn¡¯t cut it for me anymore. After all, I


    was not 20 anymore.


    After doing my makeup, I put on crystal earrings and a matching ne. I was sure they¡¯d catch the


    light and sparkle. I used to keep a low profile, but now I wanted to stand out.


    Neil was waiting downstairs, on the phone. He didn¡¯t react when he heard meing down, not even a


    nce in my direction. I didn¡¯t care and headed to the car to wait for


    him.


    Minutester, Neil got in, not sparing me a single nce from the moment he got in until we pulled out.


    The entire ride, we didn¡¯t exchange a single word. He was focused on driving, I was texting on my


    phone. I added Oscar on WhatsApp and was chatting with him.


    Me: [Oscar, if the hospital food is not to your taste, I can have some better food sent over.]


    Oscar: [No need, ma¡¯am, it¡¯s decent.]


    Me: I forgot to get you some supplements today. I¡¯ll bring some when I visit you tomorrow.]


    Oscar. You really don¡¯t have to go to such lengths!]


    Me: it¡¯s not a big deal, I¡¯m the one who got you in the hospital, so don¡¯t feel embarrassed. Let me know


    if you need anything.]


    Oscar¡¯s family was about as well-off as Bonnie¡¯s. Just like how Neil was the wealthy, handsome man in


    front of Bonnie, I could y the role of the beautiful, cultured woman in front of Oscar. In a way, it made


    us equals. This brought a sense of bnce to my heart.


    At a red light, the car came to a stop. Neil finally moved his neck to nce at me. He seemed to realize


    my change in appearance, but his words were still sharp, ¡°You¡¯re wasting that dress.¡±


    I guessed those scenes in TV shows where the female lead¡¯s change in style left the male lead


    speechless were all made up.


    I put my phone down and cupped my chest, retorting, ¡°Are my boobs really that small? I specifically


    wore a thick padded bra today.¡±


    This action darkened Neil¡¯s face. He coldly said, ¡°Irene, can you please watch your manners?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± I shot back.


    I¡¯d been watching my manners for years. What good did it do? People who¡¯d experienced death tended


    to see things differently. Might as well let loose.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget who you are,¡± Neil¡¯s tone was harsh. He never treated me as his wife yet expected me to


    limit myself this role.


    I turned to look at the view outside the window, not in the mood to speak. I remember being thrilled


    whenever Neil initiated a conversation in the past, always trying to keep it going


    Upon arriving at the party, Neil and Lacted like a couple. After exchanging pleasantries with some


    business associates, I sat down to rest. Coincidentally, the young woman sitting next to me was Fiona,


    the one rumored to be close with Neil recently.


    ¡°Fiona, why are you sitting here alone?¡± Another woman approached Fiona.


    ¡°Just taking a break, Tessa Why don¡¯t you join me?¡± Fiona¡¯s voice was sweet.


    I noticed Neil seemed to like women with pleasant voices. Bonnie¡¯s voice was pleasant, and so were


    the women he¡¯d been rumored with before.


    The two began chatting next to me, seemingly unaware of my presence.


    Tessa was joking around, ¡°Mr. Whitmore is over there. Why don¡¯t you go say hi?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. He¡¯s a married man, Fiona retorted in a teasing tone.


    ¡°His wife is just a figurehead. Everyone knows you two have been closetely. I heard he bought you a


    house?¡± Tessa asked, green with envy.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s really generous with me, Fiona boasted, ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s so good to me. I¡¯m really


    lucky to have met him.¡±


    Nel was generous with everyone, except his figurehead wife. Every ex-girlfriend of his had nothing but


    praise for him after breaking up. That was the power of money


    At that moment, my parents walked over, seeing me sitting alone, they asked, ¡°Rena, where¡¯s Neil?


    Why ain¡¯t he hanging around with you?¡±


    Hearing Neil¡¯s name, Fiona and Tessa immediately turned their heads to look at me, their expressions


    grew curious.


    I stood up and h oo ked my arm around my mom¡¯s, ¡°What¡¯s the point of hanging out with him? It¡¯s just


    some boring business chatter. I¡¯d rather shoot the breeze with you guys, it¡¯s way more fun.¡±


    My mom gave me a surprised look, it¡¯d been ages since Ist acted all spoiled and cute around her.


    1/2


    17:55


    Chapter 5


    You twodies catch up, I¡¯ll go find Gregory and the gang¡± My dad was an honest bloke, he didn¡¯t


    notice my change. He cheerfully went off to catch up with his old buddies.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Chapter 6


    Fiona finally recognized me, her expression shifting rapidly with hostility in her eyes, yet she dared not


    provoke me.


    I sat down with my mom and started toin, ¡°I didn¡¯t want toe today. Neil dragged me along.


    So boring¡±


    ¡°This is important. Don¡¯tin about being bored Mom grabbed my hand, scolding me, yet her tone


    was filled with affection.


    I sneakily nced at Fiona, then continued to chat, ¡°I really am bored, Mom. I asked Bailey to hire


    some housekeepers. I n to put on some weight, Neil said I¡¯m too skinny, do I need to eat and sleep


    more.¡±


    Fiona, biting her bright red lip, listened in, looking ufortable.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time you hired some. The ce you¡¯re living is so big, there¡¯s no way you could manage it all


    yourself.¡± Mom totally agreed with my decision.


    ¡°I just wanted to enjoy some alone time with him, but I¡¯ve had enough,¡± I spoke vaguely, Fiona was just


    a passerby in Neil¡¯s life, insignificant, not as important as Bonnie, and I didn¡¯t need to care too much.


    Suddenly, Fiona stood up and left in a hurry. Tessa followed closely, probably feeling awkward.


    Once the party was over, I didn¡¯t want to go back with Neil, I wanted to go to my mom¡¯s house, to


    spend some quality time with my parents.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll be going¡± Neil never cared about where I was, as long as I didn¡¯t damage his


    reputation.


    My dad was still having a whale of a time with his friends, not caring about the party being over. My


    mom gave me the car keys and asked me to wait for her in the parking lot, she was going to try and


    convince my dad to stop chatting.


    I walked down to the underground car park with the keys, found my dad¡¯s car, and was just about to get


    in when I saw Neil talking with Fiona.


    Fiona was clutching Neil¡¯s sleeve, looking pitiful. ¡°You¡¯ve been so good to me, wasn¡¯t any of thatN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    sincere? I don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°Whatever, don¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± Neil pushed Fiona¡¯s hand away.


    That was the kind of guy he was. Once he lost interest, he turned his back on you. Just because of a


    piece of property, Fiona thought she was his true love?


    Neil saw me, his impatient and disgusted gazended on me, as if I was the one bothering him. I


    quickly got in the car, locked the doors, and if it wasn¡¯t for waiting for my parents, I would¡¯ve definitely


    drive off immediately.


    Seeing me avoiding him, Neil looked like he was going insane, he walked straight towards me,


    knocking on the car window, I saw his lips move, ¡°Get out!¡±


    I frowned, shook my head, and mouthed back at him, ¡°No.¡±


    Then my phone rang, it was Neil, ¡°Irene, get out!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved in your issues with her.¡± Looking at Neil¡¯s eyes filled with rage, I replied.


    I understood now, if I couldn¡¯t propose a divorce before Neil met Bonnie, then I just had to endure, wait


    for him to propose the divorce, and then immediately agree. That way, I could still get a share of


    Whitmore Co., and I wouldn¡¯t lose out.


    In my previous life, Neil proposed a divorce to me a year after he started pursuing Bonnie, and also


    made it public to the family. I disagreed, we fought for nearly a year, but I lost in the end.


    After being reborn, I¡¯d always wanted to seek revenge, but it was a false obsession. My previous life


    felt more like a dream, while in this life, the tragedy had yet to happen. I didn¡¯t intend to go crazy in


    reality because of a nightmare.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Neil was furious, probably never having seen me deny him before.


    Fiona, with tear-stained face, came over and grabbed Neil¡¯s sleeve again. Although she was a minor


    celebrity, in front of Neil, she seemed desperate. I seemed to see another version of myself, but I had


    no right to mock others.


    Neil red at me, then grabbed Fiona¡¯s hand and got her into his car. Watching him drive away, I let


    out a sigh of relief. By the time my parents got back to the car, I was almost asleep.


    ¡°Why did you have so much to say. Rena¡¯s almost falling asleep waiting!¡± Mom scolded Dad.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s because of some issues with our project in the south. We need to approve it. Of course we


    needed to discuss,¡± Dad replied while fastening his seatbelt.


    I sat in the back seat, dozing off. Before, whenever I had a dream, it was about me pursuing Neil. Now,


    whenever I dreamed, it was about my previous life, as if Go d was afraid I¡¯d forget the tragedy I¡¯d


    experienced, often reminding me through dreams.


    ¡°Mom, I want to eat butter-roasted chicken.¡± Seeing me in the back seat, Mom also sat in the back with


    me. I quickly grabbed her hand and leaned against her. This was the smell of mom,forting and


    warm.


    In my previous life, before I died, my parents were crying by my sickbed. They seemed to have aged


    overnight, full of sorrow.


    ¡°How am I supposed to make you butter-roasted chicken at this hour, huh?¡± Mom patted my hand,


    ¡°What happened today, did you have a fight with Neil? Normally, you don¡¯te home for weeks.¡±


    ¡°I was just blinded by love! I said with augh, ¡°From now on, I want to be your sweet daughter.¡±


    Everyone knew about my affection for Neil, so Mom was quite surprised to hear me say this, even Dad


    almost turned the steering wheel the wrong way


    Dad asked, ¡°You don¡¯t love Neil anymore?¡±


    I liked him, but that didn¡¯t stop me from letting go. I couldn¡¯t hold onto this man after all, he didn¡¯t belong


    to me, he belonged to Bonnie, that beautiful, youthful girl. ¡°Dad, we¡¯ve been married for five years,


    what¡¯s there to talk about love? I just feel I should do some other things and shouldn¡¯t just revolve


    around him ¡± I answered bluntly ¡°Good point, look at that kid Neil, always involved in scandals, I¡¯ve


    been fed up with him for a while!¡± Dad suddenly had the courage to speak his mind, clearly displeased


    with Neil Back then, Dad considered my deep affection for Neil, and didn¡¯t feelfortable speaking up


    about him, afraid I wouldn¡¯t like hearing it


    I agreed, ¡°Exactly, he¡¯s a jerk!¡±


    Once I started, my parents began toin about Neil. Only then did I realize how much pressure


    they had endured for me. I felt sad and guilty


    When I got home, it was already the middle of the night. I took a shower and hit the sack. No clue how


    long I was out for, but my mom knocked on my door I was all dazed and confused and asked, ¡°What¡¯s


    up, Mom?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted some butter roasted chicken, right? I made some for you. Do you wanna get up


    and grab a bite before going back to sleep?¡± she said


    I snapped into consciousness, sat up on my bed, and zoned out for a few seconds. Then, I felt a lump


    in my throat and tears just started rolling down my cheeks uncontrobly


    1/2


    17:56 M)


    Chapter 6


    Since my rebirth, I¡¯d never shed a tear. Even when I dreamed about the painful scenes from my past


    life, I would just wake up feeling cra ppy. I¡¯d grown ustomed to pain and nothing could really bother


    me anymore. But my mom making butter roasted chicken for me in the middle of the night ¨C that got


    me. I couldn¡¯t help but cry

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Chapter 7


    ¡°Oh, Rena, what happened? It must be Neil who has been bullying you. I¡¯m going to have a word with


    them tomorrow. How dare they bully my daughter¡­¡± My mom freaked out and quickly sat down on the


    bed to hold me.


    ¡°Mom, Neil didn¡¯t bully me, I¡¯m just moved by how good you are to me¡­¡± I hugged my mom¡¯s waist,


    choking back tears.


    Neil really didn¡¯t bully me; it was all caused by my own wishful thinking. He was indeed a total jerk, and


    I was just a foolish follower


    My mom gently patted my back, letting out a deep sigh. As my only mom, she knew me best. How


    could she not know about the injustices I¡¯d suffered from Neil?


    I¡¯m not one to cry easily. If I wasn¡¯t truly wronged, I wouldn¡¯t shed a tear.


    ¡°Do you still want to eat that roast chicken?¡± She asked me.


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t wait¡­¡± I wiped away my tears, got up from the bed, and wobbly held my mom¡¯s hand as


    we went downstairs to eat butter roast chicken.


    My dad must have gone to bed. It was just my mom and me sitting in the dining room chatting. The


    aroma of the roast chicken was mouthwatering. I gobbled up more than half of it. I¡¯d been eating very


    little these past few years, so after suddenly eating so much, my stomach ballooned, and I almost


    threw up.


    My mom patted my back, ¡°Why are you eating so much? You won¡¯t be able to sleep if your stomach is


    too full.¡±


    ¡°I was too hungry,¡± I muttered augh. Thest time I ate so heartily was at my graduation party with


    Ste. After graduation, I married Neil and began a life filled with


    resentment.


    ¡°Even if you are hungry, you should eat slowly and only eat until you¡¯re 80% full.¡± My mom said gently.


    I clung to her arm, whining, ¡°Mom, sleep with me tonight, tell me your secret sd recipe!¡±


    Without hesitation, she agreed.


    When I woke up the next day, I felt more rxed than ever. After having a full breakfast at home, I set


    off for the hospital.


    Oscar was ying with his phone. His leg wasn¡¯t broken, but the flesh wound was quite serious. He


    had stitches and was bandaged up, unable to move freely.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, why are you here?¡± Oscar looked surprised and slightly embarrassed when he saw me. ¡°You


    don¡¯t need to worry about me, nor do you need to visit me so often.¡±


    No way. I smiled warmly and kindly, then turned to Bailey, ¡°Bailey, bring those in.¡±


    Bailey, carrying a bunch of nutritional supplements, ced them beside the hospital bed.


    Seeing the big fuss I was making, Oscar was obviously taken aback. He looked a bit embarrassed,


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s just a minor flesh wound, not that serious.¡±


    ¡°Health is precious. Even a flesh wound is still a wound.¡± I sat down by the bed, grinning.


    ¡°By the way,dy, I don¡¯t know your name.¡± Oscar suddenly asked.


    ¡°Just call me Irene.¡± I answered very frankly.


    Oscar nodded. ¡°Alright, Irene.¡±


    I sat in the ward with Oscar, chatting about various topics. College students always had simple and


    naive thoughts. Oscar was a junior, majoring in civil engineering. He was a good student who paid for


    his own tuition by working part-time.


    He talked about his future and his lovely and beautiful girlfriend. His dream is to have a stable job after


    graduation and marry the girl he loved. I couldn¡¯t help butugh, which was a bit rude, so I immediately


    stopped.


    Oscar looked at me puzzled, ¡°Irene, why are youughing?¡±


    I gently rubbed my nose and smiled, ¡°Nothing, just¡­ seeing you reminds me of some sweet dreams I


    had in college.¡±


    ¡°Irene, which college did you graduate from?¡± Oscar asked curiously.


    I looked at him deeply, ¡°Rosemont College.¡±


    Turned out, both Neil and I were alumni of Bonnie and Oscar, graduating a few years earlier.


    college. Yo


    Oscar eximed excitedly, ¡°Irene, we went to the same college. You¡¯re my alumna!¡±


    I pretended to be very happy. ¡°Yes, what a coincidence, right?¡±


    There were many universities in Rosemont, and Rosemont College was one of the top three in the


    country. The students there, regardless of their family background, were all very smart. After


    graduation, they had promising futures. Even if they weren¡¯t super rich, they could still live a middle-


    ss life,


    If Bonnie hadn¡¯t met Neil, Oscar¡¯s dream might havee true.


    So Oscar and I started talking about Rosemont College. He was quite talkative, and I enjoyed chatting.


    We were having a great time, when someone walked in, her voice crisp and pleasant, ¡°Oscar, I¡¯m here


    to see you!¡±


    Hearing that, the sound of Neil¡¯s special ringtone echoed in my ears. The exact same voice, the exact


    same tone.


    I turned my head and saw Bonnie in a white chiffon skirt. Her beautiful soft hair was spread out, the


    ends slightly curled. She looked pure yet mature, stunningly beautiful. I wasn¡¯t jealous of her beauty,


    but the youthful vitality radiating from her young body made me feel a bit bitter.


    When I was twenty, I had been secretly in love with Neil for three years. I spent the best years of my life


    on a love that was never reciprocated. Why did Neil passionately love Bonnie, who was the same age


    as I was then, while I could only persist on every page of my diary?


    ¡°Bonnie!¡± Oscar looked delighted but slightly guilty to see Bonnie, ¡°Ah, if I knew you wereing, I


    wouldn¡¯t have told you, I didn¡¯t want you to worry.¡±


    Bonnie, carrying flowers and fruit, walked over as gracefully as a swan, ¡°Are you silly? How could you


    not tell me when you¡¯re injured?¡±


    I stood up and gave the only chair to Bonnie. I was calm because next, I also had to give Neil to her.


    Compared to that, what was a chair?


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s you¡± Bonnie suddenly recognized me, she looked surprised, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Because l¡¯identally¡± hit your boyfriend. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I smiled awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, I identally hit Oscar. I came to see how he¡¯s recovering¡±


    Bonnie nced at me, then at Oscar. She didn¡¯t me me or Oscar, instead, she cracked a smile.


    ¡°What a coincidence, Oscar. Thisdy here frequents our coffee shop She¡¯s a real gem. Maybe she


    just bumped into you identally¡±


    Her understanding and kindness left me speechless. If it were someone else, it might¡¯ve been an


    idental bump. But for me, it was intentional.


    Chapter 7


    *I know, Irene certainly didn¡¯t mean to do it. She even gave me extrapensation. I¡¯m kind of


    embarrassed,¡± Oscar said, scratching his head in a sheepish manner.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Compensation should only cover what needs to be covered, Bonnie immediately


    whipped out her phone. ¡°Irene, could you provide a payment ount?! need to refund you the surplus.¡±


    Perhaps it was this attitude, and her indifference towards money, that attracted Neil? There wasn¡¯t a


    trace of money worship in this girl. Her eyes were filled with rity. I really admired her. She always


    managed to make my designer clothes seem worthless inparison.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Chapter 8


    ¡°Oscar¡¯s leg injury will definitely leave scars. The extrapensation is his due. You guys keep


    chatting, f¡¯ve got stuff to deal with Saying this, I turned and left


    The honeymoon period for the young couple was running out, probably only half a month left. In half a


    month, Neil would make his move, and Bonnie would be his target Oscar would lose his chance to chat


    andugh with Bonnie so freely


    Thinking about it, Neil really pis sed me off.


    After leaving the hospital, I told Bailey to go back to Sterling Estates, the mansion where Neil and I


    lived


    I bought some supplements and they were there. I nned to take them home and use them daily, with


    my mom¡¯s cooking skills, I could definitely gain some weight


    The supplements were still in the living room, untouched. I had no idea whether Neil came homest


    night or the result of his conversation with Fiona


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get off the car yesterday?¡± As I was about to leave with the supplements, Neil


    appeared at the top of the stairs. He was looking down at me with an unhappy look. Why was he still


    home? He usually came back every three months.


    Neil was dressed in pure ck homewear, simple to the extreme, but his face and figure made it


    extremely attractive.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never interfered with your rumored lovers before. Don¡¯t want to start now,¡± I replied calmly.


    ¡°Is that so? All of them lost their opportunities in the film and television industry one by one, negative


    news all over the ce, was that a coincidence? Nell looked at me expressionlessly.


    So, he knew what I did, but he never stopped me, because those women were just his ythings. But


    Bonnie was different. I just wanted to see her and have a chat, and Nell was like a raging lion, about to


    tear me to pieces.


    I admitted, ¡°You gave them lots of money and resources, which are technically our shared property. I


    just took a little back in another way. That¡¯s normal.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask Fiona for it face to facest night? I gave her a set of apartments, half of which are


    yours.¡± Neil walked down the stairs and stood in front of me. Much taller than me, he was so


    intimidating.


    Had Neil gone mad? I frowned. Why was he talking about these boring things now? In a year at most,


    he would propose a divorce and n to give me arge amount of property. Why should I care about a


    set of apartments?


    ¡°I¡¯ve epted it, she¡¯s not the first and won¡¯t be thest. I can¡¯t get rid of everyone.¡± I rushed to finish


    my sentence and left. I should have asked Bailey to get the supplements.


    As I walked out the door, I felt Neil¡¯s icy gaze disappear. I put the bottles of pills in the back seat and


    told Bailey to leave.


    When I got home, I gave these bottles to the housemaid. My mom was cooking, which was one of her


    hobbies. My dad¡¯s car was back. When he saw me at home, he handed me his phone, ¡°What the hell is


    this?¡±


    When I saw the news, [¡°Hot actress¡± Fiona denied any romance with the president of Whitmore Co.


    after being seen entering a hotel together.]


    If these two really had any improper rtionship, it should not be called a romance, but an illicit


    rtionship.


    the phone back to my father andforted him, ¡°Dad, these are all fake, you know Neil is a


    businessman, and sometimes he has to socialize.¡±


    My father arily said, ¡°You¡¯re still defending him!¡±


    I was not defending Neil, I just didn¡¯t want my father¡¯s health to be affected by his anger. I moved my


    arm and said, ¡°Then you go teach him a lesson!¡± I rolled up my


    and daughter together, give him aplete change!¡±


    sleeves.


    was


    seriou


    at first, but heughed when I joked. ¡°You are always joking?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I hugged my father¡¯s arm and exined to him, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry, think about how much Whitmore


    Co. has contributed to our city, and you¡¯ll be happy.¡±


    My father changed his attitude, ¡°You have a point, not long ago Neil donated new tracks to several


    schools. He is really caring for themunity and giving back to society.¡±


    I agreed


    him.


    As we were talking, my mom had prepared dinner, all my favorite dishes. Mothers were the best. The


    lunch was warm and cozy, but my dad had to go back to work, so I only had the afternoon with my


    mom.


    A few of my mom¡¯s friends came over to y cards. Four women sat at a table, chatting and ying


    cards. Iy on the sofa and read the news about Neil and Fiona. Fiona exined that she and Neil


    were just friends. Because Neil was nning to invest in a drama for her to be the female lead, they


    met often, mainly to discuss filming. It seemed Neil had invested some capital again. He was indeed


    very generous in this respect, which was also the simplest and most effective way to keep a mistress.


    I fell asleep on the sofa unconsciously, until my friend Ste called me, I woke up. Looking at the time,


    it was probably time to go to the bar again.


    Ste shouted happily on the phone, ¡°Come and drink, there are hot guys!¡±


    I asked, ¡°How hot?¡±


    Ste exaggeratedly described, ¡°Very hot, hurry over, Alicia is already here, Barbara is attending a


    performance in another city, so she can¡¯te.¡±


    Ever since they found out I was divorcing Neil, my friends had been taking turns inviting me out, either


    for dinner, karaoke, or shopping, always keeping me busy. I knew they were afraid that I may have


    seemed calm on the surface, but was actually very hurt inside, so they wanted to distract me. I did


    need this kind of help, otherwise I couldn¡¯t help thinking about the past.


    I said, ¡°I¡¯ll change and be right there.¡± I hung up the phone, Ste had already sent me the address.


    Half an hourter, I left the house full of energy, ready for the night life. Ste had been to almost every


    bar in the city. She knew where the good drinks and hot guys were. I had to admit, the guys Ste


    brought this time were very attractive, a bit like some celebrities.


    *


    ¡°Ugh!¡± I felt a little drunk and suddenly wanted to throw up.


    Man, it was a total bummer. Seeing a bunch of handsome dudes, I couldn¡¯t help butpare them to


    Neil in my mind. I didn¡¯t interact with anyone else, and just kept knocking back drinks.


    Neil, either in looks or persona, was a cut above the rest.


    ¡°Excuse me, I need to hit thedies¡¯ room,¡± I got up and headed towards the bathroom. One of the


    handsome guys quickly followed and reached out to steady me. I didn¡¯t resist, relishing the gentle and


    considerate care.


    Once in the bathroom, I totally threw up. After rinsing my mouth and sshing some water on my face,


    I came out to find the handsome guy still waiting for me. He asked ¡°Can we exchange numbers?¡±


    1/2


    17:59


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of exchanging numbers?¡± I feigned ignorance.


    ¡°So we can stay in touch,¡± he answered straightforwardly, ¡°And if you ever feel lonely, you can reach


    out to me anytime.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Chapter 9


    I was taken aback. Did Ste really hire some prostitues to hang out with us?


    Drunk as a skunk, I moved closer to one of the men, ¡°Guess we¡¯ll see if I can tolerate loneliness.¡±


    After saying that, I turned and walked away. I wasn¡¯t really into these kinds of men, especially those


    who seemed to have ulterior motives.


    Ste was not far behind me, doing who knows what. When she saw me walking towards her, she


    immediately ran back to her original spot. ¡°I can¡¯t hold my booze. I need to go home and sleep.¡± I held


    my head, feeling a bit woozy. If I got drunk, my mom would give me an earful.


    ¡°I need to go too, have to work tomorrow, ugh.¡± Alicia also got up, clearly not a fan of her job.


    Ste pouted, ¡°It¡¯s still early, and you¡¯re all leaving. It¡¯s no fun if I¡¯m here alone. Fine, off we go!¡±


    She paid the bill, waved goodbye to the hot guys, and the three of us left.


    We each called a driver and prepared to leave. Ste, grinning like a Cheshire cat, said, ¡°Rena, do you


    think Neil will be jealous seeing you out drinking with hot guys?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention him, he¡¯s bad news.¡± I was already in the car, waving at Ste.


    ¡°Bye-bye!¡± She seemed inexplicably cheery as she drove off in her BMW.


    I told Bailey to start the car and closed my eyes to rest in the backseat. Near home, a sudden brake


    jolted me awake. I jumped, ¡°Bailey, what the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it seems to be Mr. Whitmore¡¯s car.¡± Bailey pointed to the Bugatti parked across the road.


    Why was Neil on my way home? I rubbed my temples and prepared to get out of the car, ¡°Okay, Bailey,


    you take my car home. It¡¯ste.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Bailey, a good driver, quickly turned the car around and left.


    It was just a five-minute walk to my house from here. I by passed the Bugatti and prepared to walk


    home.


    Neil got out of his car and stood in front of me. He looked furious, his eyes burning with anger.


    ¡°Exin this!¡± Neil opened Instagram and showed me a photo.


    It was a picture of me teasing a man outside the bar¡¯s restroom. In the photo, I was walking toward the


    man, looking very intimate. Upon closer inspection, the photo was posted by Ste. She even


    captioned it, [There are plenty of fish in the sea. Our Rena can always switch her love interest.]


    ¡°Pfft!¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°She does have a point.¡±


    ¡°Irene!¡± Neil called my name, his face icy.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we could do our own thing? Why are you questioning me now?¡± I retorted.


    Neil scoffed, ¡°Sure, we can do our own thing, but who said you could broadcast it?¡±


    I had almost forgotten, Neil and I had mutual friends, and Ste was one of them. Whatever she posted


    on social media, Neil¡¯s friends would see. If they didn¡¯t get along with Neil, they might¡¯ve taken this


    opportunity to ridicule him.


    What man could stand this kind of provocation? Especially a high-ranking man like Neil. No wonder


    Ste was looking so smug tonight. She wanted to make Neil angry on


    purpose.


    ¡°Okay, next time I¡¯ll tell Ste and the others not to post it online.¡± I was feeling a bit dizzy and didn¡¯t


    want to argue with Neil. I just wanted to go home and get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    After saying that, I turned to leave, but Neil grabbed my hand. It felt like he was about to crush my


    hand, there was no cu shion ing flesh, and I couldn¡¯t help but scream in pain, ¡°Ouch¡­¡±


    Then I quickly lowered my head and bit his arm.


    Neil must have been startled by my sudden reaction. He didn¡¯t immediately shake me off but let me


    continue to bite him. His arm muscles were firm, and it felt good to bite. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Neil finally


    thought to shake me off. He grabbed my neck and pulled me away like a small dog. There was a clear


    bite mark on his arm, showing my teeth marks.


    I silently looked at Neil, feeling a surge of pain in my heart. I had liked him for so long, but I had never


    left a mark on him. But Bonnie had left many hic key marks on his neck, which I had seen several times


    in my past life. They must have been lovers at that time, in the throes of passion.


    Leaving a bite mark was a way to make up for my regret.


    ¡°Neil, you have no right to question me. The number of women linked to you in gossip exceeds the


    number of fingers. Shouldn¡¯t I care about my dignity? Aren¡¯t there peopleughing at me behind myN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    back?¡± I wiped the corner of my mouth, tasting a faint metallic blood taste. I must have bitten Neil hard


    enough to draw blood.


    Neil replied coldly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you asked for? Did anyone force you to agree to marry me?¡±


    Of course not. At that time, if anyone disagreed, I would¡¯ve even threatened them. I had hoped that


    time would foster love, believing that one day Neil would be moved by me and would fall in love with


    me.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my own fay. But people change. I want to be free now, not bound by my own wishful thinking.


    Is that okay?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°No! Neil¡¯s answer was still cold. You chose this path, you should bear the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Neil, believe it or not, do you know that in the near future, you will propose a divorce to me voluntarily.


    You will hope that I disappear from your world forever?¡± I suddenly asked. A year was not too long or


    short, enough for us to gamble.


    Neil looked at me coldly. ¡°Irene, what kind of daydream are you having?¡±


    He was so vengeful, willing to hurt himself just to hurt me I sighed, ¡°Ah, why don¡¯t you believe it? Just


    wait and see, you will definitely let me go in the future. I drank too much tonight, I need to go home and


    sleep, you should leave too¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll go back to Sterling Estates to sleep.¡± Neil, like a hawk capturing a chicken, effortlessly shoved


    me into his car Did he not want me to go back to my own house?


    I strongly opposed, ¡®No, I don¡¯t want to go back to Sterling Estates Open the door!¡±


    Neil nced at me, ignoring my objections. The car quickly left my house and headed towards Sterling


    Estates. I was pis sed off, ring at Neil, ¡°Take me back, I forgot


    something!


    ¡°What thing?¡± he asked, nonchntly


    Chapter 9


    ¡°My pills.¡± I was really frustrated. I just wanted to take some supplements. Why was it so da mn hard?


    ¡°Do you have some serious illness?¡± He really sucked at small talk. No wonder so many people wished


    him bankrupt, especially those who were suffocated by his authority


    I chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not sick. I just think I¡¯m too skinny. I want to improve my digestive system and gain


    some weight.¡±


    Something seemed to strike Neil, his already icy face turning even gloomier.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Chapter 10


    After saying all that, I couldn¡¯t help but start to doze off. The alcohol made it impossible for me to stay


    awake, and I was swamped with sleepiness.


    I figured Neil would leave me to sleep in the car, but when I woke up the next day, I found myself in my


    own bed. This was the second time he brought me back to my room to sleep. It was bing a weird


    pattern.


    My head was killing me. After taking a bath and changing into fresh clothes, I felt a bit better, but then


    hunger kicked in. I thought Neil wasn¡¯t home, so I didn¡¯t bother with a bra and just slipped on a light silk


    nightgown, ready to look for something to eat.


    Halfway down the stairs, I saw a couple of guys sitting on the sofa, all of them staring at me. Neil was


    also there, holding some poker cards. His face turned sour the moment he saw what I was wearing..


    ¡°Hey, eyes off!¡± Mitch quickly pulled down another guy¡¯s head.


    I quickly dashed back upstairs to change, feeling a bit annoyed at Neil. Why had he been home so


    muchtely?


    When I came back downstairs all dressed, they had stopped ying cards and were chatting.


    Neil had several good friends, all of whom I knew, but was not close with. Mitch, Russel, and Cooper.


    They were all well-off young men. Russel was a bit different, not working in his family¡¯s business but


    choosing to be a doctor.


    They all knew Neil didn¡¯t like me, so they never regarded me as Neil¡¯s wife. In fact, they even helped


    Neil chase other women, all except for Russel. They watched me walk into the kitchen without saying


    anything. I focused on making a simple te of pancakes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Neil stood up and said to the other two guys.


    Mitch and Cooper nodded and followed Neil out. Soon, I heard the car engine outside, but I didn¡¯t care


    as I ate my pancakes.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    After breakfast, I put on some light makeup and prepared to go to the hospital. Today was mainly for a


    check-up and to visit Oscar.


    At the hospital, I registered and went through the check-up process, mainly for breast examination.


    Luckily, there was no major problem, just simple hypersia of mammary nds. I kept the


    examination results, and then prepared to visit Oscar.


    ¡°Dr. Russel, off work? Wanna grab some food together?¡± I just arrived at the ward when I heard a


    young nurse¡¯s sweet voice.


    Not far away, Russel was in a doctor¡¯s uniform. He was lean and had a unique temperament. The rich


    young men in that circle were all about pleasure, but Russel chose to devote himself to the medical


    field. He mostly hung out with Neil and the others, drinking and gaming, hardly having close contact


    with any woman or man.


    But didn¡¯t Russel eventually fall head over heels for Bonnie? I decided to ignore him, walked into


    Oscar¡¯s ward, and found Bonnie there again.


    ¡°Bonnie, it¡¯s just a little skin injury on my leg, my hands are fine. I can eat by myself.¡± Oscar was


    enjoying being pampered by Bonnie, eating an apple she fed him while mumbling.


    Bonnie¡¯sughter was crisp and gentle. ¡°What, you¡¯re not happy with me being so good to you?¡±


    ¡°Happy, very happy, you are the best!¡± Oscar was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes full of love for the


    beautiful girl next to his bed.


    I coughed, breaking up the lovey-dovey atmosphere between the couple. Oscar was surprised, ¡°Irene,


    you¡¯re here again?¡±


    Bonnie quickly got up to let me sit. ¡°Irene, sit.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s face was even more beautiful up close. I suddenly thought of Russel who just left,


    immediately grabbed Bonnie¡¯s hand, and dragged her out of the ward. ¡°Irene, what¡¯s going on?¡± Bonnie


    was startled, following me quickly through the corridor.


    How did Russel disappear so quickly? I was a bit disappointed. In my past life, it was Neil who met


    Bonnie first, then Russel met Bonnie through Neil. What if Russel met Bonnie first? Would it be


    different? Would he fall in love at first sight like Neil did?


    I sighed, and then showed Bonnie a faint smile, ¡°Nothing, I just wanted to introduce you to a good


    doctor. He¡¯s skilled, and he can help Oscar with his stitches in the future.¡± ¡°Irene, you¡¯re too thoughtful.


    Actually, Oscar¡¯s injury isn¡¯t serious.¡± Bonnieughed, a bit embarrassed, ¡°He¡¯s a rough guy, not afraid


    of this kind of injury. He used to get hurt all the time ying basketball, he¡¯s used to it.¡±


    I nodded, but in my heart, I was determined to bring Bonnie to Russel next time.


    With Bonnie, the official girlfriend, around, I didn¡¯t have much chance to chat with Oscar. After a few


    minutes, I left. On the way home, I stopped by the pharmacy and bought some more nourishing


    supplements.


    ¡°Bailey, did you find the housekeepers?¡± Back in the car, I called Bailey.


    ¡°Madam, I¡¯m on my way to your house with them,¡± Bailey replied.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Half an hourter, I arrived at Sterling Estates. Bailey was a step ahead of me, the maids were all in


    their ces, busily doing their tasks. I was satisfied with Bailey¡¯s arrangements.


    Seeing me return, Bailey introduced me to the maids, and they all respectfully greeted me,


    ¡°Good day, madam.¡±


    I nodded and handed the supplements to the kindest-looking maid. ¡°Please prepare this for me.¡±


    After that, I went in to rest.


    A whileter, a maid came over with the supplement, saying politely, ¡°Madam, it is ready.¡±


    I looked at the supplement on the table, then at the still charming face of the maid, and asked kindly,


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Madam, my name is Ada.¡± Ada quickly replied.


    ¡°Alright, thanks Ada!¡± I shed what I thought was my warmest smile, then waved her off. ¡°You can


    leave now.¡±


    With a nod, Ada turned and left, but my eyes lingered on her retreating figure. Whether it was her face


    or her body shape, Ada bore a striking resemnce to Bonnie. I suddenly found myself marveling at


    the weirdness of the world, like a row of dominoes ready to topple.


    Chasing after Bonnie¡¯s boyfriend, hiring Bonnie¡¯s mom? I shot a text to Bailey to send over the files on


    the nannies, then gave Ada¡¯s a thorough look-over. The emergency contact listed was usually a


    spouse.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk when I saw the name listed under emergency contact.


    Ada, and Dean, these two names were all too familiar to me. During my past life,


    my investigation into Bonnie didn¡¯t yield much, but I did manage to dig up her parents¡¯


    names.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Chapter 11


    This game was getting more and more interesting.


    I gingerly picked up the supplement, took a ssy sip, but the next second, it was alling back up


    because it was so bitter. I had no idea when Neil came back. He was standing at the door changing his


    shoes. When he saw me throwing up, his look clearly screamed, ¡°gross.¡±


    In a frosty voice, he said, ¡°If you can¡¯t drink it, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so nosy?¡± I wiped my mouth, finding Neil¡¯s recent behavior strange. ¡°You¡¯re back again,


    why?¡±


    He loosened his tie, rough yet handsome.


    ¡°This is my home too. I cane back if I want, any problem?¡± Neil sat across from me, answering


    with a poker face.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± I nodded and went back to my supplement.


    But this stuff was just too bitter. I could handle ck coffee without sugar, but this was another level. I


    threw it up again before I could swallow, this time with more force, some even sshing on Neil¡¯s face


    and shirt. His expression turned icy, ring at me.


    The bitterness of the medicine left me speechless. Seeing the droplets hanging from Neil¡¯s eyshes, I


    rushed to wipe his face with a tissue, just out of courtesy. Neil grabbed my hand and threw it off. His


    disgusted look froze me. My heart filled with bitterness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it is just too bitter.¡± I tried to keep calm, throwing the tissue on the floor.


    Neil didn¡¯t answer. He just got up and went upstairs to change. Then Ada walked in. She started


    cleaning up the mess swiftly, more diligently, and thoroughly than anyone


    else.


    ¡°Ada, you can prepare dinner now,¡± I told her, feeling a bit drained after she finished cleaning.


    Ada nodded and headed to the kitchen.


    I pinched my nose and finished the rest of the supplement. I knew that eating more wouldn¡¯t help; I


    needed to take care of my body to get healthy¡­


    After finishing the supplement, I went upstairs and into the music room. I took off the dust cover and


    pulled out the cello that hadn¡¯t been touched for a long time. Alone, I started ying. The deep, elegant


    sound filled the room.


    I lost myself in the music, reminiscing about the past. I didn¡¯t realize when Neil had opened the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re so noisy.¡± Heined.


    I was already thinking about stopping, but his words just pissed me off. I remember in my past life, I put


    away my beloved cello because he said it was noisy. Now that I thought about it, no wonder Ste and


    the others called me stupid.


    I plucked the strings angrily, creating a shrilling noise. Neil frowned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce then. We can live separately, and I can y the cello without disturbing you.¡± I


    gently put down the bow, speaking softly.


    ¡°It looks like we can live separately without a divorce,¡± Neil responded sarcastically.


    ¡°Then why are you back?¡± I was just as confused. What could possibly attract Neil back home?


    Couldn¡¯t be me, could it?


    Neil seemed to struggle with my straightforwardness, his face getting darker. He was usually the type


    to leave as soon as he got upset, then would dial a number, and found a ce to chill.


    But he seemed to suppress his anger, instead asking me, ¡°Irene, you seem not to want me toe


    back. Got a new lover?¡±


    Was he suspecting me of cheating, so he kepting back, trying to catch me in the act? I widened


    my eyes. ¡°Is there a problem? Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s okay as long as no one finds out?¡±


    ¡°You dare to make me the one who got cheated on?¡± Neil questioned angrily.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I do what you can?!¡± I countered.


    Just as we were at a standoff, Ada tentatively interrupted, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, ma¡¯am, dinner is ready.¡±


    I brushed past Neil and went downstairs to eat, no longer wanting to torture my body because of


    Ada¡¯s cooking was excellent, and the dishes were delicious. I finished everything on my te and saw


    Neiling out of the room.


    ¡°So delicious. Ada, you¡¯re such a good cook. Whoever marries you will be very lucky.¡± I took a sip of


    Ada was a bit embarrassed. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    soup,plimenting Ada.


    ¡°My daughter also likes my cooking. She always suggests opening a restaurant, but she is too naive.¡±


    Ada talked about her daughter, full of maternal love.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    shook may head, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so modest. Your dishes are really good, hasn¡¯t your family ever


    Co you?¡±


    I smiled slightly. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong Sometimes, with a little luck, it¡¯s easy to realize dreams.¡±


    In my past life, before I died, wanted to see Neil onest time, but my mother told me he went to his


    future mother¨Cinw¡¯s restaurant opening ceremony and didn¡¯t have time toe. He invested in the


    restaurant, making it rank in the top three in our city, very grand.


    ¡°We¡¯re just ordinary people. We don¡¯t have that kind of luck, ma¡¯am,¡± Ada responded modestly.


    ¡°Luck wille/Ada. What if your daughter marries a rich man?¡± I really wanted to tell her not to be so


    self¨Cdeprecating. The moment that would change their lives might be just half a month away. But I held


    back. Watching Ada give me an awkward smile, I left the dining table.


    The people in Bonnie¡¯s family were not bad, I had to admit. In my past life, her parents were initially


    against her rtionship with Neil because she fell in love with a married man before graduating from


    university, which was disgraceful in others¡® eyes. But gradually, Ada and Dean were moved by Neil¡¯s


    perseverance and chose to ept it. They never expected that while they were happy, the legal wife,


    was experiencing the most painful torment.¡±


    After taking a shower, Iyfortably in bed, browsing my phone. I happened to see news of Neil


    partying in a bar with Mitch and some beauties.


    Neil was an attractive man. Given his status, even eating a few pieces of fried potato on the street


    could cause a round of media frenzy. As his wife, I often saw variousments in thement


    section.


    ¡°His wife is really patient. I¡¯d call her the goddess of patience!¡±


    uh¡­


    If he¡¯s my husband, I¡¯d be cool with him having an affair.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so whipped? If this kind of crappy thing really happened to you, you¡¯d definitely not be


    able to stomach it!¡±


    ¡°A bunch of people with no values. Neil¡¯s scandalous flings since getting married are like stars in the


    sky, he¡¯s got no decency.¡±


    17:59


    ¡°The paparazzi¡¯s skills are so bad, they never manage to catch the juicy bits.¡±


    Some people pitied me, some envied me, and some mocked me, and I just smiled in response.


    Just when I was about to fall asleep, Barbara¡¯s call jolted me awake. Her tone was urgent, ¡®Rena, you


    gottae over quick, something¡¯s gone wrong!¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Chapter 12


    I was taken aback, ¡°What¡¯s up? Don¡¯t freak out.¡±


    ¡°Ste and Neil are about to throw punches. Hurry over, I¡¯ve sent you the address, move it, move it!¡±


    Barbara hastily hung up after her words.


    I was puzzled. How could Ste and Neil be at odds? And even if Neil had a temper, he wouldn¡¯t hit a


    girl, would he?


    No time to ponder, I threw on some clothes and rushed out the door. By the time I got to the bar, Neil


    and Ste had been persuaded into a private room. With their status, they would¡¯ve definitely made the


    headlines.


    Upon seeing me, Barbara quickly pulled me to sit next to Ste, who was still fuming. She was ring


    at Neil as if he were her enemy.


    Neil, on the other hand, was seething more than ever, sitting on the other side with a cold look on his


    face. Mitch next to him was scared out of his wits, ncing at Neil and then at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your friend must have misunderstood something. I called those girls over, Neil had nothing to


    do with it¡­¡± Mitch said. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense! That girl¡¯s chest was practically on his face. Doesn¡¯t


    that count?!¡± Ste pointed at Mitch and yelled.


    Mitch was on the verge of tears. It was his first time confronting a woman with such a temper. Was he


    scared to death?


    Neil¡¯s icy gaze swept over Ste andnded on me the next second, seemingly waiting for me to take a


    stand. I pretended not to notice and reassured Ste, ¡°Ste, it¡¯s okay. You must be overthinking.


    Those girls must have been called by Mitch. Neil¡¯s taste isn¡¯t that bad, he doesn¡¯t like women with big


    breasts.¡±


    People around who didn¡¯t know the situation thought Ste was betrayed by her husband.


    The room fell silent.


    *Rena, are you serious?¡± Ste and Barbara exchanged looks and then stared at me in surprise. They


    knew about me and Neil¡¯s impending divorce, but they couldn¡¯t believe I was even calmer than others.


    Ste couldn¡¯t help but verbally attack Neil tonight, and I, who had loved him for so many years, was as


    calm as still water.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m serious. Come on, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s have a drink and then go home. It¡¯s on me.¡± I pulled up


    Ste and Barbara and left, never ncing at Neil again. ¡°Neil, they left, Irena, she-¡± Mitch was


    obviously shocked, and reminded Neil.


    ¡°Let them go.¡± Neil¡¯s icy voice was filled with anger. As the door closed, his words clearly entered my


    ears. My heart felt a little pr ick, a bit painful, but bearable.


    After finding some empty seats, Ste, Barbara and I started drinking. Barbara just finished her


    commercial performance and returned to Rosemont today, so Ste invited her out for a drink. She


    didn¡¯t expect to bump into Neil drinking with a few women. Ste, drunk, rushed over to stand up for


    me. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was a woman, she might have been beaten up by Neil today.


    Ste kept asking me, ¡°Rena, have you really let go of Neil?¡±


    I nodded, that much I was sure of.


    ¡°Good, I admire your spirit! To let go of a ten-year rtionship so easily!¡± Ste downed her whole


    drink.


    ¡°You¡¯re so brave!¡± Barbara also toasted me, then took a sip of her wine.


    Just as we three were having a great time drinking, Barbara got a call from her boyfriend. Her love life


    was the smoothest among us four. Her boyfriend was about the same age as her, and they had already


    met each other¡¯s parents. They were at the point of discussing marriage.


    Barbara immediately got up to say goodbye to us, ¡°Ladies, my man just called and said he misses me,


    I¡¯m off!¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re going to feed your husband like the busty woman in the bar just now?¡± Ste teased


    Barbara. ¡°You per vert!¡± Barbaraughed and cursed, then quickly disappeared


    After Barbara left, I paid the bill, and Ste and I also left.


    When I got back to Sterling Estates, I smelled the alcohol on me and decided to take another shower.


    As soon as I entered the bathroom, a mix of steam and the scent of shower gel hit me. A figureThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    emerged from the mist, bare-chested with a ck towel around his waist. His tall and well-built body


    was unmistakably perfect.


    I was taken aback as Neil appeared before me, my gaze involuntarily ravished his body. Pathetically,


    after five years of marriage, this was the first time I saw him so naked. ¡°This is my bathroom.¡± After a


    few seconds of silence, I reminded Neil.


    After our marriage, I stayed in the master bedroom at home, and he would just sleep in the guest room


    or study when he came home. This bathroom was the en-suite for the master bedroom.


    ¡°Do you


    have a problem with that?¡± Neil wiped his hair, his tone calm.


    ¡°Not at all. You¡¯ve got a great body. I¡¯m not losing out by looking.¡± I was telling the truth. Even if Neil


    were penniless, his good looks alone would win many women¡¯s hearts. Neil gave me a intemse look


    and suddenly stepped closer. I had to take a step back. The steam in the bathroom was gradually


    dissipating. I could even see the fine texture on Neil¡¯s chest muscles, firm and just right, along with his


    defined corbones, making me wonder what they felt like.


    But I had to control myself. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to take a shower, you should leave.¡± I sidestepped, giving


    Neil space to exit.


    The next second, a hand supported the back of my head. I was propelled by a force that made me


    stand on my tiptoes. Neil didn¡¯t even blink, he leaned down and kissed my lips, a faint mint vor


    seeped into my mouth.


    I was so shocked that I froze for a moment, motionless. Seeing I didn¡¯t react, Neil kissed me even


    harder. His kissing skills were top-notch, while I was aplete newbie, practically letting him take


    control of the whole rhythm.


    Men always ran a bit hotter, plus I was hardly catching my breath, so I quickly broke out in a sweat. The


    steamy atmosphere in the bathroom got even thicker. I initially wanted to push Neil away, but he turned


    the tables and grabbed my hands, raising them above my head, getting even closer to me.


    Should I just willingly ept his ¡®proposal? Fulfilling my past life¡¯s wishes in this life wouldn¡¯t be a loss,


    right? After all, Neil was a notorious flirt before meeting Bonnie. It was only fair and reasonable for him


    to spend a night with his legit wife, me.


    With this thought in mind, I closed my eyes and tried to go along with it. Some sort of forbidden feeling


    was stirring within me. Just when things were about to get out of hand, Neil suddenly stopped. He let


    go of me, the lust in his eyes fading away like the ebb and flow of the tide.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Chapter 13


    I stared at him in confusion, and he snorted, ¡°So you were just pretending¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I didn¡¯t get it.


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t love me anymore, right?¡± Neil reached out, rudely touching the corner of my mouth,


    raising an eyebrow ¡°Seems like you¡¯re just ying a part in front of friends, Irene. Changing your


    tactics now?¡±


    So he was testing me, and with such an embarrassing method My senses quickly returned, I hurriedly


    got fully dressed, trying to remainposed.


    ¡°Do you really need to do that?¡± I looked up at him, my heart filled with a sense of sorrow and absurdity


    ¡°Neil, I¡¯m not ying any hard to get games with you. You¡¯re just not used to my cold attitude yet. It¡¯s


    like I used to be a loyal dog, now suddenly no longer wagging my tail behind you. You must be a bit


    upset, but in time, you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Are you a dog?¡± Neil joked, seemingly unaffected by my coldness.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that something you¡¯ve always assumed?¡± I held the cor of my disheveled clothes, replying in a


    low voice with my head down.


    Neil was no innocent boy, he must¡¯ve known my feelings for him. I¡¯d even confessed to him many


    times. But he never took it seriously. There were so many women who liked him. The only difference


    was that I happened to have the chance to marry him.


    Neil chuckled, seemingly satisfied with the results. Suddenly in high spirits, he said, ¡°Go take a


    shower.¡±


    With that, he left the bathroom.


    I quickly shut the bathroom door and rushed to the mirror. When I saw my flushed face, I wanted to


    p myself.


    How could I be so pathetic? Neil was just teasing a bit and I almost lost control.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    I took three minutes to reminisce about the past, finally calming downpletely. Then, I quickly took a


    shower and went to bed.


    Neil had already left. I could hear the sound of a car engine downstairs.


    I stood by the window, watching his car disappear into the night, feeling a bit restless.


    Neil probably wouldn¡¯t be back for a while. Tonight¡¯s events confirmed for him that I was still under his


    control and that he could continue to toy with my feelings.


    To regain my emotional bnce, I asked Bailey to take me to the hospital as soon as I woke up. I


    changed into a mature champagne-colored dress, dressing in an elegant


    and se xy style. I couldn¡¯t pull off Bonnie¡¯s pure and cute style, and I¡¯m sure Oscar had seen plenty of


    it. I didn¡¯t need topete,


    At the hospital, I ced a bouquet of flowers by Oscar¡¯s bed, asking in a gentle and charming voice,


    ¡°Oscar, is your leg feeling better?¡±


    Oscar was ying a game on his phone. Seeing me, he quickly put it down. ¡°Irene, I¡¯m much better.


    The doctor said I can be discharged tomorrow. I just need toe back in about a week to get the


    stitches removed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I sat by his bed, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Didn¡¯t your


    girlfriende to see you today?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still at work. We¡¯re both working hard to lessen the financial burden on our families.¡± Oscar


    smiled, his smile filled with the vitality unique to young boys.


    I nodded, making small talk. After a while, I nced at my phone, feigning surprise. ¡°How did my phone


    run out of battery so quickly?¡±


    ¡°I have a charger here.¡± Oscar pointed to the drawer by his bed.


    I opened the drawer and took out the charger. The socket was a bit above the head of the bed. I


    deliberately bent over to plug in the charger, my body almost hovering over Oscar. From the side, it


    looked quite suggestive.


    By the time I sat back down, Oscar was blushing, not daring to look at me. I sighed inwardly, ¡°He¡¯s so


    innocent.¡±


    Just then, I noticed someone at the door of the ward. I turned to see Russel standing there, looking at


    me with a dark gaze. When did hee? Did he see me plugging in my phone? That was such an


    obvious move to get closer and flirt.


    Feeling a bit awkward, I smiled, ¡°Dr. Russel, what brings you here?¡±


    Tm on duty Russel came over, answered briefly, checked Oscar¡¯s injury, and gave a few simple


    instructions.


    I watched, feeling a bit uneasy. Russel was special to me. In my past life, our only interaction was when


    we worked together against Neil. Before that, we wereplete strangers. He never did anything


    wrong to me, even helping me find a doctor in the end.


    ¡°Step out for a minute.¡± He nced at me.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I reluctantly stood up


    Pu ssel took me to his office, where the other doctors were absent. He was reviewing patient files,


    asking me, ¡°How have you


    His hair was ck and shiny, in great condition. I could see the tip of his high nose.


    I casually replied, ¡°Same as always.¡±


    and Neil beentely?¡±


    ¡°Marriage is like that, which is why people seek excitement, but often end up paying a high price.¡±


    Russel¡¯s voice, like his nature, was calm and somewhat distant.


    I frowned, asking ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to Neil?¡±


    Tve tried. He won¡¯t listen to me. Russel closed the file, finally looking at me properly.


    ¡°Well, I wont baten to you either I suddenly realized my tone was a bit harsh.


    Russef¡¯s gaze flickered, seemingly startled by my sudden harshness.


    I quickly returned to my normal tone, ¡°You¡¯re his good friend. You know better than me what he¡¯s been


    up to these years. I¡¯ve never argued never been rude I¡¯ve done my duty. That boy, I identally


    bumped into him, so I came to see him. I have no other intentions¡±


    I was temperamental in front of Neil because I wanted a divorce. But I didn¡¯t want to lose my


    composure in front of others. After all, I still had to continue living


    Russel looked at me intensely, as if he didn¡¯t quite believe my words. When the other doctors returned


    to the office, Russel averted his gaze and waved his hand ¡°Right, he¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow There¡¯s


    no problem


    Why did talking to him feel even more awkward than talking to Neil?


    When facing Neil, I was prepared for the worst. The worst oue was divorce, which I¡¯d been waiting


    for anyway Bhut facing Russel, I felt like my secret was out as if done something hush hush and he¡¯d


    found me out.


    After leaving Russel¡¯s office, I nned on visiting Oscar in his hospital room, to continue seducing him,


    but I stopped in my tracks, swiftly returning to Russel¡¯s office.


    1/2


    18:00


    ¡°Dr. Russel!¡± I sat across from him, lowering my voice, ¡°How about we grab a bite together? I¡¯ve been


    quite troubledtely about my situation with Neil, and I¡¯d like to talk to you about it.¡±


    Did I really want to talk? Hell no. What I was thinking was to let Russel meet Bonnie sooner, to give him


    a head start over Neil in getting to know her.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Chapter 14


    Russel looked at me somewhat surprised. We barely familiar, let alone having a meal together. In the


    past, we would simply nce at each other without even exchanging


    greetings.


    However, this time it was about his best friend¡¯s marriage and he knew the importance of the


    rtionship between the Whitmore and Finch families. So after some thought, he agreed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s


    say this evening. I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Great! I know a coffee shop with some really good coffee and a quiet atmosphere, perfect for a chat.


    Here, add me on WhatsApp, and I¡¯ll send you the address?¡± | enthusiastically took out my phone,


    opened my WhatsApp QR code, and ced it in front of Russel.


    Russel glimpsed the QR code, then handed me a pen, ¡°No need to add me on WhatsApp, just write the


    address on a piece of paper.¡±


    What an old-fashioned guy! Like a hermit who just crawled out of a cave? I gave him a speechless


    look, then wrote down the address for La Rencontre.


    ¡°See you there at eight thirty.¡± I said with a smile, then cheerfully left.


    At eight o¡¯clock, Russel would be at La Rencontre, but he wouldn¡¯t meet me, he would meet Bonnie.


    With this expectation, I was excited all day, looking forward to the scene when Russel meets Bonnie. I


    even decided to dress up and personally witness this important


    moment.


    Neil and Russel are really close friends, even falling in love for the same woman. I¡¯m just not sure if


    Russel fell for Bonnie at first sight or if he gradually developed feelings for her.


    If it wasn¡¯t love at first sight, then tonight might be disappointing.


    I put on a loose ck dress and pants, even wore a wig. At around eight o¡¯clock, I headed to La


    Rencontre alone.


    I didn¡¯t walk into the cafe but only looked through the window. As expected, Russel was already sitting


    in a spot near the corner. Wasn¡¯t that my favorite spot?


    He was wearing a simple white T-shirt,bed his hair, and looked a few years younger. His


    demeanor was still aloof, quietly sipping his coffee without even taking out his phone.


    What about Bonnie? I looked again at the counter, trying to spot her.


    After a while, I didn¡¯t see Bonnie. Instead, my strange actions caught Russel¡¯s attention. He saw me


    and walked out. I wanted to run, but felt it was inappropriate.


    ¡°Irene, can¡¯t you see me?¡± Russel asked as soon as he saw me.


    ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, can¡¯t you speak more politely?¡± I said somewhat perplexed, taking off my wig.


    Honestly, it was hot.


    ¡°You invited me to talk and then secretly spy on me from outside, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Russel


    asked with a frown.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, I just wanted to confirm whether you were in there,¡± I confidently retorted.


    Without further words, Russel opened the door to the cafe and spoke to memandingly, ¡°Come in.¡±


    I walked in reluctantly with my wig. When I passed by the counter, I again took careful looks around but


    did not see Bonnie.


    I asked another girl, ¡°Where is Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s off today,¡± the girl replied.


    My face fell and my heart, once full of anticipation, felt empty. I sat down disappointedly next to Russel,


    ordered a cup of Americano as usual, and drank in silence.


    Russel looked at me, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to talk to me about you and Neil?¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk anymore. I just invited you for a cup of coffee. You can go home and


    rest.¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, I felt Russel¡¯s icy demeanor. His sharp eyes were on par with Neil¡¯s.


    ¡°Are you ying a trick on me?¡± he asked coldly.


    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to talk about between Neil and me. You guys know I¡¯ve liked him


    for years, right? But he doesn¡¯t like me. He didn¡¯t in the past, he doesn¡¯t now, and he certainly won¡¯t in


    the future. What¡¯s the point of talking about it?¡± I answered somewhat irritably, ¡°If you really want to


    help me, and then persuade him to divorce me!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Russel stared at me, seemingly judging the credibility of


    my


    words.


    Feeling ufortable, I pretended to drink my coffee.


    ¡°Your marriage alliance isn¡¯t as simple as ordinary people getting married, and you don¡¯t need me to tell


    you that.¡± Russel finally spoke, ¡°Unless there¡¯s a serious problem, you can¡¯t divorce. Neil won¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°You really do understand him, he said the same thing,¡± I sighed, ¡°You guys are really of the same


    mind.¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t say anything, just took a sip of his coffee.


    I didn¡¯t want to chat with him anymore. Since Bonnie was not here, there was no need for me, a side


    character, to have so much dialogue with today¡¯s protagonist.


    After three minutes of coffee, I got up to pay the bill.


    ¡®Let me take care of it, Russel stood up, chivalrously blocking me.


    ¡°Alright, I didri refuse. To Russel, this amount of money was nothing.


    While Russel was paying. I quickly left the cafe and drove off. At the intersection, I saw in the rear


    mirror that he had just came out of the cafe, looking to the direction I had driven off


    Shaking my head, I sighed. Russel was destined to always be one step behind Neil. I had tried to help


    him twice and failed both times.


    The rtionship between Neil and Bonnie must be very strong I felt it was a waste of time to try and


    convince Russel anymore.


    I might as well rest. It¡¯s only ten days, right? I can wait.


    Just as I expected, Neil didn¡¯te back at all in the following week. We returned to our previous state,


    no contact, no meetings.


    I enjoyed the peace and quiet, had time for my own things. I picked up Oscar from the hospital when he


    was discharged, treated him and Bonnie to a meal. I also devoted myself to practicing cello, trying to


    regain the skills I had lost over the years. Having herbal supplements three times a day and eating


    Ada¡¯s delicious meals, I surprisingly gained two pounds.


    ¡°Rena, have you been pigging out recently? You¡¯re glowing¡± Ste asked at the party, pinching my


    cheeks.


    1/2


    18:00


    Chapter 14


    I¡¯m having some herbal supplements that are helping me gain weight. Gotta say, the extra food is doing


    its thing.¡± I replied cheerfully. ¡°That¡¯s just not fair!¡± Barbara shouted excitedly. ¡°We¡¯re all here trying to


    lose weight, and you¡¯re having supplements to put on more?¡± Alicia naughtily patted Barbara¡¯s bouncy


    butt, ¡°Your weight is a sign of happiness, girl. Be grateful!¡±


    Barbara¡¯s boyfriend was good at cuisines and really spoils her with his cooking.


    Barbara swayed her head proudly, ¡°envy, huh? That¡¯s the benefit of having a boyfriend who knows his


    way around housework!¡±


    Even though her boyfriend wasn¡¯t as well-off as she was, he¡¯s a great guy, good looking, and super


    gentle. So Barbara¡¯s family didn¡¯t object.


    ¡°Barbara, next time you have a suitable business n for concert, count me in.¡± I suddenly thought


    about this. Staying at home was too boring and I needed to get my career going!

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Chapter 15


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re back for stage?¡± Barbara asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.


    ¡°Well, of course. If the opportunity arises, I¡¯ll definitely go. What else am I supposed to do?¡± I had


    thought about starting at the junior level in the family business, but I¡¯m not really into that. Plus, my


    parents were in pretty good health conditions, they didn¡¯t need me for the moment. I wanted to chase


    my dreams again.


    Barbara patted on my thigh, ¡°I always want to tell you this. Since you were the Cello be of Rosemont


    College, it would be a real waste if you just became a housewife. Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s any ssy


    music event, I¡¯ll put your name forward!¡±


    I made a pping gesture of gratitude, ¡°Thanks, I really appreciate it. I¡¯ll pick up the tab tonight, no


    need to be shy!¡±


    After a few drinks, I wanted to be back home.


    I called Bailey for picking me up. I had just hung up when I heard a familiar voice, ¡°Irene?¡±


    I turned around, it was Oscar.


    ¡°Oscar, what are you doing here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I work part-time nearby, just finished my shift. Irene, have you been drinking?¡± Oscar must have smelt


    the alcohol on me.


    I held my head, feeling a bit queasy, and nodded. The alcohol was starting to hit me and my mind was


    a blur. ¡°Oscar, can you drive?¡±


    Oscar responded, ¡°Yeah, I can. If you¡¯re not feeling up to it, I can drive for you.¡±


    What a good boy. I tossed Oscar my car keys then told Bailey on phone not toe.


    ¡°Irene, is this¡­ your car?¡± Oscar was clearly surprised and a little envious when he saw the ck


    Panamera.


    I was having a splitting headache and replied, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my car. Set the GPS and take me to Sterling


    Estates.¡±


    ¡°Sterling Estates?¡± Oscar was shocked again. The property prices in Sterling Estates were sky-high, he


    must have heard about it.


    Seeing Oscar dumbstruck, I moved closer and leaned against his shoulder. This drunken behavior


    always leads to romantic atmosphere.


    Oscar snapped back to reality, realized our close distance, and quickly supported me. He blushed,


    ¡°Irene, be careful not to trip off.¡±


    I pretended a drunkenugh, ¡°Oscar, you¡¯re so considerate. Your girlfriend must be really lucky. Unlike


    me! A failed marriage. Owning nothing except money. Look, this car is just the mostmon one we


    have. If you like it, I can give it to you!¡±


    ¡°No, no, Irene. You¡¯ve had too much to drink. I¡¯ll get you home.¡± Oscar quickly shook his head and


    helped me into the car.


    Oscar drove very carefully and slowly, probably afraid of scratching the car.


    I sat in the passenger seat, pretended to sleep, asionally opening my eyes to check where we were.


    After a while, Oscar spoke up, ¡°Irene, we¡¯re near Sterling Estates. Where¡¯s your vi?¡±


    ¡°Rosewood House.¡± I answered with my eyes closed.


    Oscar entered the vi number into the GPS and drove me home.


    Once the car stopped, I took out a wa d of cash from my purse and handed it to Oscar, ¡°Here¡¯s your fee


    for driving.¡±


    Oscar looked a bit flustered and quickly handed the money back to me, ¡°Irene, you don¡¯t have to do


    that. I was just helping out. It¡¯s not a business transaction.¡±


    ¡°Just take it. It¡¯ste and it¡¯ll be inconvenient for you to get a taxi. Drive this car home and call me


    tomorrow, I¡¯ll send my driver to pick it up.¡± I unfastened my seatbelt and got out of the car without


    waiting for Oscar¡¯s response. I went straight home.


    As soon as I got home, I woke Ada up and asked her to make me a ss of lemonade to sober me up.


    Without anyint, Ada immediately went to the kitchen to prepare it.


    In a couple of days, Neil would be attending a business conference, getting closer to meeting his true


    love. And I was getting closer to my freedom. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    But tonight, after a while, I heard car engine shut off outside, and soon Neil appeared before me.


    He glimpsed me, who was slumping on the couch in the living room. Then he sat down on the other


    side. He smelled strongly of alcohol, just like me. ¡°Ma¡¯am, your lemonade is ready.¡± Ada ced a ss


    of freshly made lemonade in front of me and respectfully greeted Neil, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Neil nced at her, expressionless, without any response.


    I sat up and gave Neil a bright smile, ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking too, haven¡¯t you? Drink this. Ada, make me


    another one, please.¡±


    Ada nodded and went back to the kitchen.


    ¡°No need.¡± Neil didn¡¯t even touch the ss.


    I was secretly pleased. This was the lemonade made by his future mother-inw. In order to chase


    Bonnie, he should have been nice to her.


    However, He¡¯s being indifferent to his future mother-inw today, how is he going to leave a good


    impression on her in the future?


    Ada brought out another ss of lemonade. I told Neil, ¡°This is the lemonade made by Ada, who was


    waked up in the middle of the night. If you don¡¯t drink it, you¡¯re being disrespectful.¡±


    Ada quickly responded, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, ma¡¯am, it¡¯s my job as a nanny, it¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just rude and has bad temper, Ada. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± I spoke softly, topare the coldness


    of Neil in front of Ada.


    He fell head over heels for Bonnie, right? I was just adding some obstacles to his pursuit.


    ¡°No, no, ma¡¯am, you¡¯re being too harsh!¡± Ada was starting to panic.


    ¡°Alright Ada, you can go rest now.¡± I waved my hand, indicating she should go back to bed.


    Once Ada left, I drank half a ss of lemonade and then went upstairs to shower. Neil, as usual, went


    to the guest room to rest.


    Just as I came out of the shower, I found Neil sitting on the bed in the master bedroom, still in his


    pajamas.


    I frowned, ¡°What are you doing in my room?¡±


    Neil looked equally irritated, ¡°My parents are here. They¡¯re staying in the guest room tonight.¡±


    10.0007


    Chapter 15


    I was totally shocked and confused. His family had always been looking forward to a baby from Neil


    and me, but they had nevere to Sterling Estates to urge us in person. But why would they


    suddenly show up today?


    ¡°Why is it so out of blue?¡± I was all over the ce.


    ¡°Out of the blue?¡± Neil sneered. ¡°What you have said to Russel? Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    So that was the reason Neil came home tonight. It turned out to be in response to his parents¡¯ ¡®surprise


    inspection in the middle of the night.


    I swore, I never thought Russel would spill the beans, let alone got Neil¡¯s parents over to my house.


    What a trouble!


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything to him, and just asked him to persuade you to divorce me.¡± I didn¡¯t want to take


    the me for this. ¡°How would I know he¡¯d go bbing to your parents?¡±


    ¡°How long are you nning to y this game?¡± Neil was clearly getting annoyed, his fone became


    hostile.


    I didn¡¯t respond. Instead, I just opened the drawer and took out the divorce agreement I had prepared


    beforehand. I had already signed it and I had no intention of taking any of Neil¡¯s assets. I just wanted a


    divorce.


    I handed the divorce agreement to Neil and then started applying a face mask. ¡°Once you sign, you¡¯ll


    know if I¡¯m just messing with


    The atmosphere of tension was getting horrible. Through the vanity mirror, I could see Neil¡¯s face


    turning grimmer.


    you,


    won¡¯t you?¡±


    Just as he was about to rip up the divorce agreement, there was a knock on the bedroom door.


    Chapter 16

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Chapter 16


    My mother-inw Faith¡¯s voice floated in from outside, ¡°Neil, Irene, are you guys in bed yet?¡±


    Neil quickly stashed the divorce papers under the sheets, and went to open the door, ¡°Mom, why are


    you still up?¡±


    ¡°I was about to go to bed, but I noticed your bedroom light was still on, so I wanted to check if you were


    asleep.¡± Faith chatted with Neil at the door.


    ¡°Mom!¡± I peeled off my face mask and joined them at the door, ying along with Neil in a perfectly


    orchestrated ¡°husband and wife¡± act, ¡°Neil and I were just about to hit


    the sack.¡±


    I was even arm in arm with Neil, snuggling up against his shoulder with an air of sweetness. Neil


    nced at me calmly without uttering a word.


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s prettyte. Your father has a business summit to attend the day after tomorrow. He just


    arrived in Rosemont, and didn¡¯t n on staying at a hotel. So he¡¯ll be staying here for a few days.¡±


    Faith informed me with a smile.


    My parents-inw usually live in Springvale, a short distance away.


    I put on a happy face, ¡°That¡¯s great! I haven¡¯t seen you for so long and I¡¯ll take you out for some good


    food in the next few days, just to rx.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you guys should get to bed too, don¡¯t mess up your sleep.¡± After reminding us, Faith finally left.


    In my past life, I misunderstood Neil, thought he was a maverick and didn¡¯t heed his family¡¯s words. I


    put all my heart into him, believing that as long as he fell in love with me, the rest of the Whitmore


    family didn¡¯t matter. Onlyter when I saw him striving for the Whitmores¡¯ approval and blessing for


    Bonnie did I realize how important family was to him. If I had a good rtionship with my parents-in-


    law, or if I were pregnant, maybe I wouldn¡¯t have lost in my past life.


    After closing the door, I let out a sigh of relief and exchanged nces with Neil.


    ¡°Do


    you I want to sleep on the bed and I¡¯ll take the couch, or vice versa?¡± I began to consider this issue.


    Neil nonchntly flopped onto the bed, answering indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t fret, do you really think we¡¯d


    have any interaction when sleeping together?¡±


    I have to admit, Neil¡¯s words hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Not wasting any more words, I just sprawled on the other side of the bed.


    This was the second time Neil and I had shared a bed since getting married. The first time was our


    wedding night, and he didn¡¯t touch me then either. We slept back-to-back, as if the other didn¡¯t exist.


    After a while, I broke the silence, ¡°Can you give me Russel¡¯s WhatsApp or phone number?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t respond. I turned to look at the back of his head, wondering if he¡¯d fallen asleep.


    ¡°I want to give him a piece of my mind.¡± I added.


    ¡°I already did.¡± Neil¡¯s cold voice came, simple and straightforward.


    Alright, I closed my eyes again, trying to fall asleep. Then, the rumbling of thunder started outside the


    window, signaling a thunderstorm. When I heard a loud p of thunder, I gripped the quilt and pulled it


    over me.


    The thunder roared, but it couldn¡¯t cover Neil¡¯s voice in grinding teeth, ¡°Irene!¡±


    I peeked out, looking at Neil¡¯s annoyed face, and exined in a small voice, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m scared of


    thunder.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Neil was blunt and he straight up sna tched the quilt back.


    ¡°Boom!¡± There was another deafening thunderp. I immediately jumped into Neil¡¯s arms. The divorce


    could wait, safety was the priority now.


    Neil¡¯s body stiffened noticeably, he seemed unable to ept it. Who could ept a skinny person


    clinging to him on a stormy night? I felt ufortable all over, as if poked by my own bones.


    Neil pushed me away, his face looking rather angry, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t steal my quilt.¡± I tried to suppress my embarrassment and pain, attempting to keep m.


    Neil kicked the quilt onto me, then got off the bed founding another quilt, and prepared to sleep on the


    floor.


    I wrapped myself in the quilt and my eyesnding on Neil on the floor. I began to imagine scenes of him


    and Bonnie. If Bonnie were afraid of thunder, he would definitely do his best to protect her.


    That night, I dreamt of my past life again, the despair and unwillingness were unforgettable.


    The next day, when I woke up, Neil was already gone.


    I got dressed and went downstairs, Ada was making breakfast, the other serv ants were cleaning, Faith


    was outside pruning the nts afterst night¡¯s storm, and my father-inw Ryan was exercising.


    ¡°You are up early?¡± I stepped out and greeted my inws.


    ¡°At our age, we can¡¯t sleep for too long. We like to get up and exercise.¡± Faith chuckled.


    I went over and naturally took Faith¡¯s hand, ignoring her surprised look, and started to chat with her,


    ¡°Mom, I have a friend who sells jewelry. She recently got a pair of violet sapphire bracelets, they¡¯re very


    beautiful. But she¡¯s short on cash, so I bought them, and I want to give them to you.¡±


    Faith loved collecting precious gemstones and even had a special collection room at home. I did this to


    improve our rtionship. Not to win Neil back, but to make the road of love between him and Bonnie


    more difficult.


    This counted as revenge, I guess.


    As expected, Faith¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Violet sapphire bracelets? Good, bring them for me to see. If I like


    them, I¡¯ll buy them.¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t talk about buying and selling. I¡¯ll bring them to you in the next couple of days.¡± I replied


    with a smile.


    I do have a pair of violet sapphire bracelets, a gift from my mother a few years ago. They¡¯re quite


    valuable, and if they can make Faith like me more and be harsher of Bonnie, then I think it was worth.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re nice, but I can¡¯t let you give them to me for free. I¡¯ll give you what they¡¯re worth.¡± Faith


    patted my hand, speaking kindly.


    I shook my head gently, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that. As your daughter-inw, I can¡¯t always be around to take


    care of you. So I can onlypensate you with money. As long as you and Ryan are happy and


    healthy, any amount of money is worthy.¡±


    My parents-inw exchanged a nce, possibly feeling a bit puzzled. In the five years that Neil and I


    have been married, I¡¯ve never spoken such sweet words.


    18:01


    Chapter 16


    Ryan paused, dusting off his sleeve gently. ¡°Irene, it¡¯s the kindness that counts. Faith and I don¡¯t really


    expect anything else. We just can¡¯t wait to hold our grandchild. You and Neil should get a move on!¡±.


    Mentioning this, Faith seemed to recall something. She pulled me aside, speaking hesitantly, ¡°Irene,


    have you and Neil been to the hospital for a medical test? Could it be that thed has been living a


    luxury life with too much wine and women, so it had taken a toll on his health?


    I was taken aback. This was the first time I realized Faith was so considerate She was quick to suspect


    her own son, not her daughter-inw, in such a situation.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Chapter 17


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, Neil and I have been to doctors. We¡¯re all good. Probably we are just taking longer


    to have a kid because he¡¯s always so busy with work.¡± I said, feeling touched, but with a pang of regret


    that I might not be her daughter-inw for much longer.


    ¡°Ryan and I have read about his affairs in the paper, you know. We¡¯ve given him lectures plenty of


    times. But you¡¯re his wife. You need to keep an eye on him, understand?¡± Faith advised.


    Even though I knew I couldn¡¯t control Neil, and that he might soon be chasing other skirts, I nodded at


    her in a sincere look, ¡°Alright, mom.¡±


    After our chat, I had breakfast with my parents-inw and learned that Neil had left early in the


    morning. I didn¡¯t really care. I¡¯d decided to just let him do whatever.


    After breakfast, I left home and made a beeline for the hospital to give Russel a piece of my mind.


    I stopped Russel just as he was getting back to his office after him making rounds of the wards. With a


    smile, I asked, ¡°Dr. Russel, got a minute?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± He replied, his handsome face devoid of any smile.


    ¡°Scared to face me, are you?¡± I sat down next to him and started giving him a lecture. ¡°I asked you to


    convince Neil to divorce me, but instead you convinced my parents-inw to move to Sterling Estates!


    Since when did Dr. Russel be such a proponent of preserving marriages?¡±


    Russel gave me a nce and spoke in an indifferent tone, ¡°They asked about how things were


    between Neil and you. I just said you wanted a divorce.¡±


    1


    Hearing that, I wanted to make a scene right then and there! Did he trade in his social skills for his


    good looks? With all the problems between Neil and me, he just chose to tell them ¡°she wants a


    divorce.¡± What are my parents-inw supposed to think of me now?


    Just as I was about to lose my temper, Russel was called away by a nurse. Left alone in his office, I


    saw his thermos on his desk and threw some lipstick in it from my bag.


    Might as well poison him, I cursed in my head, and then storm


    I out of the hospital.


    With no job to go to, I had nowhere else to be. So I went home after a bit of aimless wandering. It was


    lunchtime, and the smell of food wafting from the kitchen was tempting.


    Neil and his parents were sitting in the living room, talking


    Dout


    something. The atmosphere was tense. Seeing me return, Faith broke into a smile, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re


    back.¡±


    I nodded and sat down next to her. As soon as I did, she grabbed my hand and said to Neil, ¡°Neil, your


    father and I had a clear talk with you today. If you continue to have affairs with unsuitable women, don¡¯t


    call yourself our son!¡±


    ¡°What the¡­¡± I was taken aback by Faith¡¯s words s


    ¡°Irene, I know you¡¯ve had a tough time in this marriage. Neil¡¯s behavior these past few years has been


    very disappointing. He¡¯s been living a life of corruption, and few people could tolerate him like you


    have,¡± Faith sighed. ¡°Give him another chance. Your father and I will help keep an eye on him.¡±


    Me saying I wanted a divorce got the


    SO serious?


    In my past life, I never realized they cared so much about me, liked me this much. But when Neil


    decided to divorce me and brought Bonnie to the Whitmore family, their words of persuasion were to no


    avail.


    Neil sat across from me and gazed me coldly. He probably thought all of this was my n. Even though


    I had already brought out the divorce papersst night, he wouldn¡¯t change his mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Most of Neil¡¯s affairs are just rumors, just business stunts. I trust him.¡± I said, trying to


    ease their fears.


    Ryan added, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re a sensible woman. Your understanding and trust in Neil aremendable,


    but we¡¯ve seen how he¡¯s treated you these past years. You don¡¯t need to indulge him too much. Men


    can be very presumptuous.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes, the nicer you are to him, the more likely he is to take it for granted. You always want what you


    can¡¯t have,¡± Faith agreed with her husband.


    My parents-inw patiently teaching me how to handle my marriage was both touching and funny. Neil


    was clearly not amused.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I nodded obediently.


    Just then, Ada came in, ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡±


    Faithplimented Ada, ¡°The food smells wonderful.¡±


    I smiled, ¡°Ada¡¯s cooking is indeed excellent. I¡¯ve gained a few pounds because of it. You should try her


    dishes more often.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving in a couple of days and I won¡¯t have the chance. You¡¯re too thin and should put on some


    weight,¡± she chatted with me as we headed to the dining room.


    I wish I could tell her she¡¯ll have plenty of chances in the future.


    Despite this rare family gathering, Neil acted coldly. I chatted with my inws, and the overall


    atmosphere was not bad.


    Suddenly, Neil¡¯s phone rang. He nced at it, and then looked up at me with a strange look. I didn¡¯t


    understand why, but I didn¡¯t think much of it.


    It wasn¡¯t until after lunch, when was about to take a nap, that Neil came to me. He showed me a photo,


    ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    ¡°Irene¡¯s doing,¡± the usation came with the photo Russel sent Neil.


    The lipstick in the thermos was soaking in tea, looking


    very


    out of


    f ce.


    I admitted, ¡°Yes, serves him right for tattling to your parents.¡±


    ¡°Irene, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± Neil put away his phone and looked at me with narrowed eyes, ¡°What


    are you trying to do?¡±


    In the past I barely interacted with his friends. We hadpletely different lifestyles. Now I was tossing


    lipstick into Russel¡¯s thermos!


    ¡°I¡¯ve juste to my senses,¡± I exined calmly, ¡°Neil, I¡¯ve wasted ten years of my youth and emotions


    on you. Since you can¡¯t feel anything for me, won¡¯t give me any response, I¡¯m going to live my own life.


    Is that wrong? I don¡¯t want to suppress myself, force myself like before.¡±


    ¡°If being with me for ten years was so oppressive, why didn¡¯t you give up earlier?¡± Neil was firm with a


    chill in his deep eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give up when I want to give up!¡± I shot back, getting angry


    Things got awkward for a bit, and Neil stared at me for a while, like he didn¡¯t quite recognize me. We


    were locked in a stare down and finally, Neil was the one who left. I breathed a sigh of relief, plopping


    down on the bed, feeling a bit empty deep in my heart.


    After Neil took off, I also decided to step out and headed to La Rencontre.


    Every time I visit, Bonnie¡¯s always there, but on that day when I had arranged to meet Russel, Bonnie


    was nowhere to be seen. Weird.


    ¡°Irene, ck coffee, as usual?¡± When Bonnie is on work, she always had her hair up in a high ponytail,


    giving off a refreshing vibe. She gave sunshine smiles to every


    1/2


    18:01


    Chapter 17


    customer.


    ¡°No thanks, got any rmendations for something a bit sweeter?¡± I asked with a smile.


    ¡°Sure do, cappino and mhiato are both great. They leave a sweet aftertaste, kinda like being in


    love,¡± Bonnie exined with a cheerful tone.


    I thought about it for a second and ordered a mhiato.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Chapter 18


    Mhiato tasted sweet, but I didn¡¯t get a chance to taste the sweetness of love. I felt like that I was a


    bitter ck coffee, while Bonnie was a sweet mhiato


    I often gazed her, counting down the days until she met Neil. The Rosemont Summit would start at 9:30


    am, and Bonnie, working as a part-time usher, would wait at the entrance. When Neil walked in, he


    would see her and get hit by Cupid¡¯s arrow


    ¡°Bonnie, are you interested in other part-time jobs? I can introduce you a tutoring job. It starts


    tomorrow, and the pay is decent, I casually asked while she was cleaning the


    table next to me.


    Bonnie gave me a grateful smile but declined, ¡°Irene, I appreciate your concern, but school term is


    starting soon and I have this usher job to finish. Then I need to return to school for registration.¡±


    I was taken aback. I forgot she was about to go to school. I was toote. Maybe if I had asked earlier, I


    could have prevented her from meeting Neil. But maybe it was fate, and I couldn¡¯t stop it from


    happening again and again¡­


    ¡°No problem, it just crossed my mind,¡± I said, taking another sip of my coffee. ¡°So, you¡¯re quitting this


    job too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t have time once school term starts.¡± Bonnie looked around, seemingly reluctant to leave.


    Then she gave me a bright smile, ¡°Irene, I¡¯ll miss you.¡±


    I felt awkward. Bonnie would probably avoid me if she knew everything.


    When more customers came in, Bonnie went to serve them. I breathed out a sigh of relief, paid my bill,


    and left. I wouldn¡¯t have toe back to this budget coffee shop ever again.


    The wheels of fate were turning. Watching everything unfold again wasn¡¯t easier than reliving my past


    life. I realized from Russel¡¯s incident how powerful the butterfly effect was. I knew changes were


    coming, and I had to face them.


    These days, with our parents at home, Neil came home every day for lunch and dinner, and we slept


    together. Unlike his calm demeanor, I was increasingly restless.


    ¡°What time are you going to the summit tomorrow?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Eight o¡¯clock.¡± Neil had his eyes closed and responded faintly.


    ¡°Can you bring family members?¡± I wanted to see the legendary scene for myself because Neil and


    Bonnie¡¯s love story had been circting online for a long time during my past life.


    Neil nced at me, his eyes filled with mockery. ¡°Family? You?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Legally, yes.¡±


    Of course, business summits could be attended with partners or assistants. Many entrepreneurs


    attended with their spouses. Moreover, given my father¡¯s status, it wouldn¡¯t be odd if I attended. But


    Neil didn¡¯t think so. He scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re over thinking.¡±


    I turned to face him, staring at his side profile. His profile was very defined and exquisite, especially


    where his nose bridge and brow bone met. It was perfect. It was funny how such a handsome and


    wealthy man ended up being attracted to an ordinary girl. It was like the story of Cindere and the


    Prince.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t take me, I¡¯ll ask your dad to. He¡¯ll wonder why you¡¯re not taking me and might think you¡¯re


    not treating me well,¡± I threatened.


    As expected, this worked. But Neil¡¯s gaze had turned cold. ¡°Get up at eight tomorrow. I won¡¯t wait for


    you if you¡¯re even a minutete.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get up at 7:30. I need to put on some makeup.¡± I grinned at him.


    I had even thought about learning more about Neil and Bonnie¡¯s story. If I ever divorced him, I could


    write a book about their love story as his ex-wife. I bet a lot of people would be interested.


    I¡¯d make a pretty penny out of it. Totally worth it.


    The next day, I got up on time, put on light makeup, wore a more formal outfit, and headed out with


    Neil.


    When we arrived at the Majestic Conference Hall, I could see several beautiful ushers standing on both


    sides of the open doorway. Bonnie was one of them, standing out in her dress. Neil unbuckled his seat


    belt and got out of the car, seemingly not noticing Bonnie yet.


    ¡°You


    go ahead, I need to touch up my makeup,¡± I suddenly said.


    In my past life, Bonnie knew Neil was married but had never met me or had any interaction. I decided


    not to reveal my rtionship with Neil yet in this life.


    Neil ignored me and walked away.


    I watched him through the car window as he walked towards the entrance. Finally, he reached Bonnie. I


    couldn¡¯t see his face as his back was towards me, but I could clearly see him pause, seemingly taking


    in the sight of the pretty young girl.


    My heart dropped at that moment. It hurt, but I epted reality. Even if Neil was attracted to Bonnie, he


    wouldn¡¯t act on it in front of so many people. It wasn¡¯t the right ce or time, so he quickly entered the


    venue.


    After he disappeared, I got out of the car and walked into the hall..


    Seeing me, Bonnie looked surprised but quickly recovered and greeted me softly, ¡°Irene.¡±


    I gave her a smile buy didn¡¯t say much before finding my seat.


    Neil was already seated in the front row, talking to the person in charge of the summit. My seat was


    next to Neil¡¯s. As I approached, I overheard thest sentence the man said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you her


    phone number.¡±


    He then nced at me awkwardly before quickly getting up and leaving.


    ¡°He¡¯s got better taste than Fiona,¡± I remarked.


    Neil nced at me, looking more annoyed than ever. He probably had Bonnie on his mind and didn¡¯t


    want to hear me talking


    He didn¡¯t want to hear it, but I had to say it anyway, ¡°Last time, Fiona sat next to me for ages without


    recognizing me, like I was a freaking ghost or something*


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty usual,¡± Neil replied casually.


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s usual for her not to recognize me, or for me to be like a ghost?¡± I asked, curious.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything else, just watching Bonnie walk towards us from afar, with a gleam in his eyes


    that I¡¯d never seen before. I knew that look well, because that¡¯s how he looked the first time I saw him.


    However, Bonnie¡¯s eyes were all on me, totally ignoring Neil, and that made me content N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I¡¯m starting to believe that Bonnie is really into Oscar. She refused Neil in my past life out of her true


    feelings. Otherwise, how could she not notice the guy beside me, who

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Chapter 19


    Bonnie was in charge of distributing headphones for trantion to us. She ced them politely on my


    desk with a smile.


    Then there was Neil, who also got a nod and a smile. Neil, surprisingly, returned the smile and said,


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    That signaled something special between Bonnie and him.


    Bonnie gave Neil another look, with surprise in her eyes. Even the most loyal woman couldn¡¯t deny


    Neil¡¯s good looks. Bonnie was a young girl, blushing at his simple ¡°thanks¡±. It got me thinking, was she


    deliberately ignoring Neil because she was afraid that she might fall for him?


    The brief episode was soon over, and the meeting officially began. It was mainly about the joint


    development of Rosemont and Springvale, and the surrounding developments. Rosemont had been


    booming in recent years, with every market nearly saturated, so it needed to expand into new areas.


    I wasn¡¯t too familiar with these topics, so I spent most of my time lost in my own thoughts, apart from


    when I heard my dad, Neil, and Ryan discussing them.


    After the meeting, my dad found me. ¡°Rena, what brought you here?¡±


    ¡°I was bored at home, so I came,¡± I replied. My dad knew I wasn¡¯t a fan of business and politics, so he


    was surprised to see me in such a situation.


    ¡°Did youe with Neil?¡± My dad looked over at Neil, who was chatting casually with someone else.


    Despite his youth, he already stood out among the business moguls,


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. As his wife, you should attend some of these events to establish your position,¡± my


    dad said seriously.


    Just then, Ryan came over. ¡°Long time no see!¡±


    ¡°Ah, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Whitmore, we haven¡¯t seen each other in nearly half a year,¡± my dad shook his


    extended hand, and the two old men started chatting enthusiastically.


    I took the opportunity to slip away and look for Bonnie. She should be collecting her wages and


    preparing to leave, right?


    I searched all corners of the hall, finally spotting Bonnie at the back door. She had already collected her


    wages and was waiting for a taxi.


    ¡°Irene!¡± She called out happily when she saw me.


    ¡°Bonnie, is this the ce where you work as part-time?¡± I hurried over and naturally started chatting


    with her.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s myst part-time job for the summer. I¡¯m nning to celebrate with a big meal with Oscar


    later!¡± Bonnie eagerly invited me to join them.


    Without hesitation, I agreed. ¡°Sure, but I wouldn¡¯t be intruding on your date, would I?¡±


    Bonnie blushed. ¡°What date? Just a meal together, you won¡¯t be in the way.¡±


    Guys must love girls who blush, right? She looked like a pure pink rose, delicate and adorable.


    Since Bonnie didn¡¯t mind, I joined her. Oscar was already waiting at the grill restaurant. He was


    surprised when he saw me with quickly standing up. ¡°Irene, Bonnie.¡±


    ¡°I ran into Irene at work today and invited her to join us for a barbecue. I¡¯m treating you today!¡± Bonnie


    and I were arm in arm, like good friends.


    ¡°Sorry, Oscar, for being the third wheel,¡± I chuckled.


    Oscar quickly shook his head. ¡°No, no, no, not at all. Please, have a seat!¡±


    Bonnie and I sat on one side, with Oscar across from us. We ordered some food, and a grill was set up


    on the table with various ingredients.


    When Bonnie found out I was also from Rosemont College, she was ecstatic and we chatted about


    many things rted to Rosemont. Oscar grilled the meat for us, asionally ncing at Bonnie


    tenderly, and at me with someplexity thoughts.


    Just as we were enjoying our conversation, Bonnie¡¯s phone buzzed. She casually picked it up, it was a


    text. I nced over. It was from Neil. He took the initiative to contact


    her.


    Seeing Neil¡¯s message, Bonnie looked a bit nervous, surprised and confused. She didn¡¯t reply, just put


    the phone back down.


    ¡°Bonnie, who was it?¡± Oscar asked with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, just a marketing message,¡± Bonnie mumbled, with her eyes on her grilled pork belly, sounding a


    bit guilty.


    I gave Oscar a sympathetic look. Poor boy, who was still happily grilling meat andpletely not aware


    the fact that another man was trying to get close to his girlfriend.


    For some reason, I decided to give Oscar a hint. ¡°I¡¯m off to the restroom,¡± I announced.


    Once in the restroom, I texted Oscar. ¡°Didn¡¯t you like the Panamera? Why didn¡¯t you take it the other


    day?


    You left the key at the door. Luckily the Sterling Estates has top security equipment. Otherwise, the car


    might have been stolen.¡±)


    After freshening up, I returned to the table. Oscar didn¡¯t dare to look at me, just kept grilling. I was


    acting like a wealthy woman trying to keep a handsome young man. Bonnie, on the other hand, started


    to get distracted. Neil, seeing she didn¡¯t reply, called her directly.


    She jumped, hurriedly rejecting the call, and quickly sent a text. I didn¡¯t catch what she wrote.


    ¡°Bonnie, you can just block those spam calls.¡± I suggested, pretending to be clueless.


    ¡°Uh-huh, I know,¡± Bonnie muttered, cing her phone screen-down on the table.


    I don¡¯t know what Bonnie replied, but Neil finally stopped bothering her. But this was only a temporary


    peace. Once Neil set his sights on something, he wouldn¡¯t stop until he got it.


    The barbecue was a mix of heavy emotions. After we finished, Oscar offered to drive Bonnie and me


    home. I declined, ¡°Oscar, you just need to take Bonnie home. I¡¯ll take a


    cab.


    ¡°All right, be safe, Irene,¡± Oscar looked at me awkwardly


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± I stopped a taxi and waited until Oscar and Bonnie hopped in another car. Then I


    called Bailey to pick me up.


    About fifteen minutester, Bailey showed up. Seeing his serious yet loyal face, I sighed, ¡°Bailey, if only


    Neil could be at my service and arrive every time I call you.¡±


    Bailey¡¯s expression shifted slightly. After a moment, he asked, ¡°Madam, do you want me to get in touch


    with Mr. Whitmore right now?¡±


    1 rubbed my forehead, ¡°Just focus on the road, and don¡¯t talk.¡±


    Bailey nodded and drove me directly to Sterling Estates. I was wondering that were my parents-inw


    still at home. Did Neil go home yet?This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Chapter 20


    When I got back home, it was already dark. Sterling Estates was all lit up and I told Bailey to go home


    as soon as I arrived. My inws were home, but Neil wasn¡¯t. ¡°Irene, where¡¯s Neil? Didn¡¯t hee back


    with you?¡± Faith asked, noticing I came back alone.


    ¡°I ran into a friend after the meeting so we grabbed a bite. I figured Neil would be home by now¡± I


    replied, feigning surprise.


    If I had to guess, Neil wouldn¡¯t being home tonight. With a new target in sight, his heart was


    probably fluttering around elsewhere.


    Ryan looked grim. They hadn¡¯t even returned to Springvale and Neil was already missing nights. Was


    he treating their home like a motel?


    ¡°Call him. If he doesn¡¯t answer, ring up all his pals!¡± He waved his hand dismissively, clearly annoyed.


    Faith gave me a meaningful look and I passed her my phone. I didn¡¯t getting med. Better to let her


    handle the phone call. Neil wouldn¡¯t dare snap at his own mother.


    I wasn¡¯t tight with Neil¡¯s friends, but I had most of their numbers, except Russell¡¯s. Faith started dialing,


    putting each call on speaker. After about four or five calls, I heard Mitch¡¯s voice, ¡°Neil, your wife¡¯s


    calling!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pick up!¡± Neil sounded exasperated. My inws and I heard it loud and clear.


    There were someughs in the background. I was just a nagging wife in their eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s your mom¡­¡± Mitch murmured.


    Theughter instantly stopped.


    Neil finally answered the phone, ¡°Mom?¡±


    ¡°Neil, where the hell are you? Why didn¡¯t youe home for dinner? Hanging out with your y boy


    friends every day, you trying to ruin your life?!¡± Faith, normally a gentle andposeddy, was quite


    stern now.


    Tm just hanging out with some friends, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Neil replied, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°Well, Irene was out with friends too, and she¡¯s back. I¡¯m giving you half an hour to get your a ss back


    here!¡± Faith hung up angrily as we heard giggly femaleughter in the background.


    She looked at me, her expressionplicated, ¡°Irene, give him a good scolding when he gets back. He


    needs to learn to be responsible to his family!¡±


    I took my phone back, nodding like a wronged little woman.


    Half an hourter, Neil got back, clearly disgruntled. I had just finished dinner and was cleaning my


    mouth when his icy gaze made me shiver.


    He was too pis sed to eat, so he just tossed his coat on the sofa and headed upstairs. My inws didn¡¯t


    even bother asking him about dinner, just continued watching TV. Soap operas weren¡¯t my thing, so I


    reluctantly headed upstairs too..


    The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Neil¡¯s phone was on the bed. I was curious to


    check his messages, had he been in touch with Bonnie after I left?


    I picked up the phone, but it required face ID to unlock. Just when I was feeling disappointed, a new


    message popped up, revealing the first part of its content.


    It seemed to be a reply from Bonnie. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Whitmore, I have a boyfriend now, and I heard that


    you¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t see the rest, it was locked.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Neil¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from behind, filled with coldness.


    The next second, the phone was snat ched from my hands. He warned me, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my phone


    again.¡±


    He unlocked the phone and checked the new message, his expression darkening even more. Neil was


    the kind of man who could have any woman he wanted. Just a snap of his fingers and there would be


    countless woman willing to leave their men for him. But Bonnie had rejected him. His ego was bruised


    and his charisma challenged.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± I asked deliberately.


    ¡°None of your business.¡± Neil nced at me irritably.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the rest of her message probably goes, ¡­ I heard you¡¯re married. I hope you can


    be faithful to your marriage and not cheat, right?¡± I wasn¡¯t angry, in fact, I was rather proud of my


    cleverness.


    I knew Bonnie¡¯s character. She was definitely the type to bring up morality and ethics.


    ¡°So?¡± Neil sat on the bed and asked coldly.


    I quickly pulled out another divorce agreement from the drawer. This time I made a small change,


    asking Neil to give me 3% of the shares in Whitmore Co.


    After reading it, Neil actuallyughed, ¡°3% of the shares? Irene, you¡¯re quite greedy.¡±


    Many shareholders in Whitmore Co didn¡¯t even own 3% of the shares.


    I hesitated. How could I subtly tell Neil that if he didn¡¯t agree to give me 3% of the shares now, he¡¯d


    give me more in the future? I had received 10% in my previous life.


    ¡°She¡¯s not into married men, right? Spend a little and divorce me, and then you can pursue her without


    any worries.¡± I reminded Neil.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s worth it? Neil raised an eyebrow, somewhat mockingly.


    I choked, she¡¯s not worth it? He would give everything for herter!


    Neil probably didn¡¯t understand his true feelings yet. He saw Bonnie as just another fleeting love


    interest, the kind he would tire of once he had her. That¡¯s why he could say such things so arrogantly I


    sighed and tore up the divorce agreement, throwing it into the trash can. It looked like I¡¯d have to wait a


    while and prepare a new agreement asking for 10% of the shares.


    Neil watched my every move with cold eyes. I went to take a shower with a hint of regret. When I came


    out, Neil was making a call on the balcony of the bedroom a cigarette between his fingers. The smoke


    wafted in with the evening breeze, causing me to cough a couple of times.


    He nced at me, ended the call, and casually extinguished the cigarette on the ground


    ¡°Can¡¯t you throw that in the trash can? It¡¯s hard for Ada to clean up¡¯ I said as I applied my skincare


    products.


    I was particrly generous with Ada, assigning her to cook three meals a day and clean the master


    bedroom. Of course, I paid her more than the others. She was very grateful to me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they here to do housework? Neil sneered, ¡°If it¡¯s too hard, they can choose another line of


    work.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    I shook my head. This man would regret it one day.


    1/2


    18.02 M


    Chapter 20


    Neil hit the sack, and just then, my phone started buzzing. It was a call from Oscar, which took me by


    surprise. As soon as I picked up, I could hear Oscar¡¯s voice, tinged with despair, ¡°Irene! I need your


    help! I¡¯ve been attacked¡­¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked, my face turning serious.


    ¡°The parking lot of Orchid Hotel!¡± Oscar barely finished his sentence when I could hear sounds of


    punches and kicks, along with his cries of pain, and then the call abruptly


    ended.


    Without saying another word, I changed my clothes, grabbed my car keys and was about to head out.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Neil suddenly asked, sounding a bit using.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Chapter 21


    ¡°Ste Wace needs to see me.¡± That was the lie I made up.


    When I arrived at the parking lot of the Orchid Hotel that night, Oscar was already beaten up.


    A few thuggish men, fat, with cigarettes in their mouths, started tough when they saw me, ¡°Is this


    your back up? A woman?¡±


    ¡°Did you bring her here to spend the night with us topensate for your mistake?¡± Another guy said


    even more vulgarly.


    I walked up to Oscar, helping him up. This young man was beaten up so badly that I could barely


    recognize him. The situation was terrible.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m working part-time as a valet here, and I identally scratched their car. I said I could pay,


    but they want me to pay ten thousand dors¡­ but I don¡¯t have that much money¡­¡± Oscar whispered


    to me about what happened.


    ¡°What car? Let me take a look.¡± I asked.


    Oscar pointed at a car not far away. Under the dim light, a small white car was parked there.


    I couldn¡¯t help but frown. This car is worth just over twenty thousand dors, and Oscar has to pay half


    of it for a scratch, what kind of logic is this?


    ¡°So,dy, have you figured out how topensate us?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so skinny, and your chest isn¡¯t as big as mine, one night with me isn¡¯t enough!¡±


    Hearing their vulgar words, Oscar actually stood up, pointing at them with his blo ody hand and said,¡±


    Cut the filthy talk! Do you dare to kill me..¡±


    I was a bit surprised, are college students so brave these days?


    I thought he called me just to hide behind me and wait for me to solve the problem pitifully.


    Oscar¡¯s courage obviously infuriated those fat guys, I stood in front of him, seriously said, ¡°give me


    three minutes.¡±


    After that, I made a phone call.


    This is the parking lot of the Orchid Hotel, Oscar is working part-time at the hotel, so it should be the


    responsibility of the hotel manager to solve the problem, but the hotel people did not show up.


    ¡°Oh, are you calling for backup? Lady, we¡¯re quite well-known in Rosemont, you can ask around, who


    doesn¡¯t know me? If you call ten people, I¡¯ll call a hundred, believe it or not?¡± The fat guy was smug,


    but I didn¡¯t care about him at all.


    They¡¯re just scu mbags. I hung up the phone and smiled.


    Within three minutes, the general manager of the Orchid Hotel appeared in front of me, greeting me


    politely, ¡°Ms. Finch, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°My friend works part-time at your hotel and was beaten up by these guys. Do you know how to deal


    with it?¡± I asked calmly.


    ¡°What? Someone dares to bully Ms. Finch¡¯s friend?!¡± The general manager immediately turned to the


    fat guys, ¡°It¡¯s you guys, right?¡±


    The fat guys seemed a bit stunned. The Orchid Hotel is a five-star hotel, quiterge in Rosemont, so


    they know they can¡¯t afford to mess with it.


    Sometimes, power is so effective that even the most violent people have to bow to it.


    Those arrogant fat guys, although they didn¡¯t know my real identity, under the deterrence of the hotel


    manager, they apologized to me respectfully andpensated for Oscar¡¯s medical expenses.


    As they were about to leave dejectedly, I spoke up, ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ? ??


    Then I turned to Oscar and said, ¡°Go, p each of them.¡±


    ¡°Irene¡­¡± Oscar was stunned, his bloodshot eyes filled with fear and hesitation. It was already good


    enough to get some medical expenses, he never thought about fighting


    back.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± I pulled Oscar over to the fat guys, ¡°watch me!¡±


    After that, I gave one of the fat guys a hard p, then proceeded to hit the other two as well. They were


    pped so hard that their eyes were red, but they didn¡¯t dare to fight


    back.


    ¡°You guys can go now.¡± My palm was numb and I was getting impatient, so I told them to leave. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The parking lot quickly returned to peace. The hotel manager invited me for a drink, but I wasn¡¯t


    interested in having a drink with a stranger at night, so I declined.


    And Oscar waspletely stunned. From the moment I started to fight back, he seemed to have never


    recovered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± I naturally took Oscar¡¯s hand and walked out of the parking lot,


    my car was parked here.


    ¡°Irene, I can go by myself!¡± Oscar quickly said.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± I red at him on purpose.


    On the way to the hospital, I chatted with Oscar and learned that his father had injured his foot a few


    days ago and was in the hospital, so he wanted to do more part-time jobs before school starts to try to


    make up his tuition.


    The reason he chose to call me for help was because his intuition told him that I could help.


    I suddenly understood why Bonnie Tueley would gradually fall for Neil in my past life, because, when


    faced with an unsolvable predicament, having someone who can easily solve the problem is touching,


    isn¡¯t it?


    No one can choose their birth, but they can choose shortcuts.


    After helping Oscar with his wounds at the hospital, I dragged my tired body home. Staying upte is


    really exhausting.


    Neil was sleeping on his side. After I took a shower, I crawled into bed, ready to get a good night¡¯s


    sleep.


    ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Neil suddenly spoke, his voice a bit h oa rse.


    I had just closed my eyes and immediately opened them again, ¡°Did I wake you up? Just bear with it for


    two more days, this won¡¯t happen once your parents leave.¡±


    ¡°Irene Finch, don¡¯t test my patience.¡± Neil saying this means he¡¯s in a bad mood.


    ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± I was so tired that I didn¡¯t want to guess.


    ¡°My parents are visiting Sterling Estates and you dare to go outte at night? Do you want to die?¡± Neil


    turned to face me,


    1/2


    his eyes


    full of anger.


    11:10


    Chapter 21


    stared at him for a few seconds, suddenly feeling guilty Did he find out that I didn¡¯t go to see Ste?


    Fight, Neil likes to y amund, yet he¡¯s been restraining himself these two days, but I¡¯m even bolder


    than him. I went out in the middle of the right to help a male college student and even kindly


    apanied him to the hospital for treatment


    ¡°Okay, I get it, I can¡¯t post it on social media, I can¡¯t go out and have fun when your parents are visiting,


    fil be careful next time I summarized.


    I was nning on getting some more sleep, but then Neil suddenly rolled over andnded on top of me


    His arms were propped up on either side of my head, the lines of his muscles so da mn attractive when


    he flexed them, plus his handsome face ¨C it was like the perfect disy of hormones


    I snapped awake night away and felt something was brushing against me


    Neil, did someone slip something in your drink? I remembered thest time he tricked me, the tiny


    spark of affection that had just started to grow within me had quickly died down. ¡°Are you sure you


    know who I am?


    Neil was definitely not the type to be void of sexual desire, otherwise how could he always be the


    center of all these juicy rumors?


    The anger in his eyes seemed to shift, his fingers slowly sliding off the strap of my nightgown.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Chapter 22


    When I felt a chill in my chest, I realized I might be underdressed.


    However, Neil seemed unbothered and wanted to continue.


    I put a hand on Neil¡¯s chest, my gaze icy, and said, ¡°Are you testing me again?¡±


    My words hit him like a bucket of cold water, putting out the desire in his eyes. He stared at me for a


    few seconds beforeying back down again, the whole process cold and quick, as if everything that just


    happened was an illusion.


    I silently turned my back to Neil and fell asleep, but my heart was filled with a deep sense of loss.


    There was a time when I had thought about seducing Neil, even imagined having a child with him and


    living a simple and happy life.


    But now, all I wanted was for him to divorce me so we could each live our own lives.


    Because I went to bedte, I didn¡¯t wake up until noon. It was only then that I noticed several


    messages on my phone.


    One was from Faith, saying they had to return to Springvale due to some urgent matter.


    Another was from Barbara Sands, asking if I wanted to take a gig at a concert.


    And then there was a message from an unknown number, which shocked me. It was a photo of me


    pulling Oscar away from the parking lotst night. From the angle of the photo, we looked like a couple,


    but Oscar looked battered and pitiful.


    I racked my brain for a minute, considering all possibilities. Was I caught by the papa raz zi? Or did


    those three fat guys have aplices who took the photo?


    Despite my father and husband¡¯s prominent positions, I have always kept a low profile. Especially after


    marrying Neil, even Ste and her friends couldn¡¯t get me to go out, so how could I attract the attention


    of the pap ara zzi?


    Unable toe up with a reasonable exnation, I decided to call the unknown number, but the call


    was hung up as soon as it went through.


    So I texted back: Who is this? Can you tell me your name?


    If that photo got out, even if my rtionship with Oscar was normal, it would be misunderstood. I just


    wanted to live a low-key life without bing a hot topic.


    The reply came quickly. It was Russel Dawson.


    I was almost scared silly. Was he also at the parking lotst night? And he took a photo of Oscar and


    me!


    He had suspected something between Oscar and me at the hospital before. Now, no matter how I


    exined, it would be useless.


    I quickly texted back: The person in the photo is indeed me, but you must¡¯ve misunderstood. How


    about I take you out for a meal and exin everything?


    Then Russel went silent as if the number was nonexistent.


    Unable to hold back, I dialed his number again. This time, he picked up. ¡°Send me the time and ce


    for the meal.¡±


    His response surprised me a bit.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I hung up the phone and, after some consideration, chose to meet at the Orchid Hotel. Since


    the misunderstanding happened there, it seemed appropriate to exin it there as well.


    Russel replied simply, ¡°Ok.¡±


    With a heavy heart, I spent the rest of the day until seven in the evening. I changed my clothes and


    went to the Orchid Hotel, picked the most high-end private room, and ordered lots of dishes.


    I didn¡¯t believe that after eating so much, he wouldn¡¯t be convinced by me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, here is the surveince video you asked for.¡± The hotel manager appeared before me


    again, respectfully handing over a USB stick with the CCTV footage from the parking lotst night.


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± I took it and gave a small nod.


    After a while, Russel finally showed up. He wore a brown shirt and looked elegant.


    He sat across from me and said directly, ¡°You can exin now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s chat while we eat,¡± I tried to keep myposure, shing a casual smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Oscar?¡± Russel asked directly, not ying along with my pace.


    I calmly replied, ¡°We¡¯re just friends, we met by chance. I even know his girlfriend!¡±


    Russel looked surprised, ¡°He has a girlfriend?¡±


    I nodded but thought to myself. But he¡¯ll be single soon, and you and Neil will be chasing after his


    girlfriend.


    Seeing the gentleman in front of me and thinking about Neil¡¯s good looks, I couldn¡¯t imagine the two


    outstanding men who could attract attention wherever they went, eventually bing enemies over a


    woman.


    ¡°Look at this!¡± Seeing Russel deep in thought, I quickly connected my phone to the USB drive and


    showed him the surveince video. I confidently stated, ¡°From this angle, you can see all my


    interactions with Oscar in the parking lot, as well as what I said. We are innocent!¡±


    Whether we would remain innocent in the future, that was a different story.


    The angle of the photo Russel took probably didn¡¯t capture the scene where I confronted those fat


    guys. It looked more like he took the photo after Oscar and I had walked some distance.


    Russel took my phone and started watching the video intently. I craned my neck slightly, watching for


    changes in his expression.


    When he saw me p one of the fat guys, his eyebrows twitched, a hint of amusement in his eyes.


    After finishing the video, he handed my phone back, ¡°You¡¯re quite tough.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just let people walk all over me, right? After all, I am Neil¡¯s wife, and my father is a man of


    status.¡± Iughed awkwardly and put away my phone.


    ¡°Does Neil know about Oscar?¡± Russel asked again.


    His question was filled with concern, as if he was worried his good friend was being deceived.


    I knew that Neil and Russel had grown up together and were the closest among their friends. But


    because I wasn¡¯t familiar with their rtionship, I didn¡¯t know why they


    were so close.


    1/2


    11.100


    Now I understand, Russel had put a lot of effort into Neil¡¯s marriage.


    However, these two best friends would eventually be enemies because of a woman, which madeN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    me sigh..


    I shook my head, ¡°He doesn¡¯t know Oscar, because Oscar isn¡¯t an important friend to me.¡±


    Russel took a sip of water but didn¡¯t respond.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he really believed me or was just pretending to. Either way, he didn¡¯t say anything else


    to me after that. Out of all the dishes, he only tasted two before leaving


    ¡°What a waste.¡± I looked at the exquisite food, called the waiter over to pack it up, and then left the


    restaurant carrying several bags of food.


    a


    On my drive home, an address suddenly popped into my head it was the one Ada had written down as


    her home address in her papers. They were local folks of Rosemont, living on the border of Rosemont


    and Springvale. Even though it¡¯s still technically in Rosemont, the level of prosperity is much lower and


    the housing prices areparatively lower.


    Inparison to Oscar¡¯s ce, Bonnie¡¯s ce is a bit more uptown. Oscar¡¯s ce is just in some


    small town in the sticks.


    Today, my inws headed back to Springvale, so Neil can finally go free and will try to get as close to


    Bonnie as he can. Finding Bonnie¡¯s info would be a piece of cake for him he must¡¯ve already known


    her home address.


    Even though Bonnie hasn¡¯t been working these past couple of days and the school term hasn¡¯t started


    yet, she¡¯ll probably head home for a few days to rest.


    In a sh, I wheeled around, making a beeline for Bonnie¡¯s ce.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Chapter 23


    This is an old neighborhood in the suburbs of Rosemont, with apartment buildings that were built in the


    late 90s, next to a desertedrge chemical factory.


    Dean Tueley once worked in this chemical factory and got a staff house here.


    Ten years ago, the chemical factory went bankrupt, and Whitmore Co. bought it. But it hasn¡¯t been


    renovated yet because there¡¯s no specific development n. Once there is, all the nearby buildings will


    be demolished.


    Neil is a profit-first businessman. Thepensation he offered to the residents for the demolition was


    completely based on the lowest standard, he wouldn¡¯t give a penny


    more.


    But no one would have guessed that he would change for Bonnie and be a generous person.


    Dean, as the negotiator, thought there would be a lot of conflict. But Neil was very friendly to him and


    raised thepensation standard, so every family got much more than the standardpensation.


    This act made Bonnie both angry and moved. She was angry because this issue was originally caused


    by Neil, but moved by how much he had done for her!


    I sat in my car, looking up at the lights in the neighborhood, sighing inside.


    During my past life, I found that Neil¡¯s demolitionpensation n had changed, so I let my dad


    check it out and got to know some inside stories. But I didn¡¯t know that Neil did all this for a woman.


    Looking back, Neil had been crazy about Bonnie for half a year.


    I didn¡¯t know the exact building and room number where Bonnie lived, so I drove slowly around this


    small neighborhood. Since there were no fences or guards, it was perfect for me to wander around.


    Just after a round, I spotted a familiar Bugatti.


    Neil, dressed in ck, was leaning against the front of the car, his long legs casually resting against the


    car, his head slightly lowered, lighting a cigarette.


    Luxury car, a handsome man, the night and the cigarette¡­ Watching this movie-like scene, I put myself


    in Bonnie¡¯s shoes. A man high above, crazy about me, investing continuously, sweeping all obstacles


    like a prince charming, only paying attention to me, while I didn¡¯t have anything outstanding except for


    being pretty.


    I suddenly understood that if it was me, I would fall for him too!


    Bonnie is just innocent, not st upid.


    I followed Neil¡¯s gaze and located Bonnie¡¯s window. Besides the light on the first floor, only the fifth floor


    was lit up.


    I dialed Neil¡¯s cell phone.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± As soon as the call got through, Neil¡¯s indifferent voice came through.


    ¡°Nothing, just wanted to see if you would pick up.¡± I looked at him not far away through the car window.


    As expected, he hung up.


    I was a bit surprised. He could still pick up a call from his dissatisfied wife while he was deeply gazing


    at another woman¡¯s building thinking about how to win her over?


    1 sighed and drove away.


    When I got home, the serv ants had just finished cleaning. Ada was thest one, it seemed like she


    was waiting for me.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Ada seemed a bit nervous when she saw me.


    I put the left-over food on the table and asked, ¡°Ada, what happened?¡±


    Ada looked at me nervously, her face full of wrinkles, she seemed really distressed, ¡°I identally


    broke a bottle of your skincare product when I was cleaning your room today, but I can pay you.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡± I asked.


    She took a packet out of her pocket, opened it, and it was filled with the fragments of the bottle. It was


    a luxury brand toner, costing nearly 9 00 dors a bottle.


    This single product would cause her half month sry.


    Looking at her humble appearance, I felt a strange feeling. This ordinary woman would be Neil¡¯s future


    mother-inw. She was now making a meager sry every month with hard work, but might be a


    noblewoman in the future, all because she gave birth to a beautiful daughter.


    Inparison, my family and the Whitmore family, three generations in politics and business


    respectively, have umted our current wealth and status generation by generation.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve used more than half of that bottle. Just be careful next time.¡± I felt very tired, recalling


    Neil¡¯s silent gaze at Bonnie¡¯s house just now, I felt even more that this world was unreal.


    Ada was very grateful and kept thanking me, but I didn¡¯t say anything, I got up and went upstairs to


    rest.


    After taking a shower, I was lying on the bed with a face mask on, ying with my phone. Suddenly,


    the bedroom door opened, Neil was back.


    ¡°Your parents have left, you don¡¯t have to pretend anymore.¡± I looked at Neil approaching and


    reminded him in a low voice.


    ¡°I know.¡± Neil took his pajamas out of the closet and left.


    I sighed deeply, took off my face mask, and got ready to sleep.


    But Barbara¡¯s call woke me up, I picked up the phone in a daze, ¡°Barbara, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I told you about amercial performance that needs a cellist, do you want to go?¡± Barbara¡¯s voice


    came from the phone.


    I suddenly remembered this matter and became fully awake, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll go!¡±


    Even if it¡¯s for free, I want to go. My purpose is not to make money, but to fulfill myself and pursue my


    dreams.


    Barbara said happily, ¡°Great, I¡¯ll send you the time and locationter. Make sure you get there on time!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I agreed.


    Aftek hanging up, I quickly received a message from Barbara. The location was my old school, the


    concert hall of Rosemont College, and the time was in three days


    Chapter 23


    I haven¡¯t been back to Rosemont College since I graduated, nor have I donated anything. I¡¯ve been


    busy dealing with Neil every day.


    Is this a new beginning? I¡¯m actually looking forward to it.


    In order not to let the school down, I started a three-day intensive training. Since Neil often came home<pte, I devoted all my time to practicing the cello, staying in the


    music room.


    I got lost in the music, spending a fulfilling three days. As I yed various pieces, memories of the past


    flooded back, filling the notes with a mix of emotions.


    Come evening, I took a good long bath before dialing Oscar¡¯s number.


    ¡°Irene!¡± It was a bit rowdy on Oscar¡¯s end, like he was in a bar.


    ¡°Oscar, where are you?¡± I asked, worrycing my voice like a big sister. ¡°School starts tomorrow, why


    are you still in a bar?¡±


    His voice was drowned out by the loud music, I could barely hear him say, ¡°Irene, I¡¯m working, can¡¯t


    really talk, I can¡¯t hear you clearly!¡±


    I hung up and opted to text him.


    I asked him, ¡°Are you still short on tuition? Did you spend the money I gave for medical expenses?¡±


    Oscar¡¯s reply was swift, ¡°My dad¡¯s medical expenses fell short, I already transferred the money to him.¡±


    Without another word, I wired him two grand


    I have confidence in my ability to chase him. After all, Neil had once personally demonstrated to me


    how it¡¯s done.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24


    A few minutester, Oscar called, his volee full of surprise, ¡°Irene, what¡¯s the deal with the transfer? I


    can earn my tuition myself!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still a student, you should focus on your studies, otherwise, if you encounter difficulties in your


    courses, or even can¡¯t graduate, then what?¡± I¡¯m lying on the bed, my voice a littlezy, ¡°Rosemont


    College is a solid school. You shouldn¡¯t waste your time in endless part time jobs. You should focus on


    your studies, your future will be bright. Pay me back when you graduated and find a job.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Oscar seemed to choke up a bit.


    Suddenly I felt bad, and I wondered if I was being too cun ning, taking advantage of such an innocent


    kid. Oscar thought I was being kind, but in fact, I was just ying nice.


    Given Oscar¡¯s background, for him to get into Rosemont College and survive there, he has to work


    harder than others. All things considered, I genuinely admire such a persistent person.


    ¡°Enough said, if you¡¯re short of cash, just let me know. You can think of it as me sponsoring you, pay


    me back when you graduated and get a job. If you really feel guilty, then pay me back a little more as


    interest.¡± I said.


    This money isn¡¯t a big deal to me, but it gives me a sense of bnce, and it helps Oscar, so it¡¯s a win-


    win.


    I guess Oscar really had no other options, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t still be working part-time the day


    before school starts.


    After hanging up, Oscar epted the transfer. He replied, ¡°Thank you, Irene, I¡¯ll definitely pay you


    back!¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply, just put my phone aside and went to sleep.


    The next morning, I got up early, got dressed up, the white dress made me look elegant and


    sophisticated, and a light makeup made me look refreshed. I grabbed my cello and had Bailey drive me


    to Rosemont College. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Upon returning to campus, I was filled with emotion. Seeing those vibrant freshmen reminded me of my


    own college days, it felt like they were just yesterday.


    Back then I was so excited I wanted to jump for joy, the thought of finally going to the same university


    as Neil made me more excited than winning the lottery.


    I followed the route from my memory to the concert hall of the music department, a ce all music


    students would pass by. It was surrounded by transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, with a stepped


    stage in the middle.


    There were fifty-two of graduated students performing today, and we were ying The Blue Danube, a


    ssic piece.


    The positions on the stage were already arranged. After we quickly settled in our ces and got ready,


    there was no rehearsal or practice, we relied solely on our mutual understanding.


    We are all talents graduated from the music department of Rosemont College, even after years of


    social grind, we still maintained our skills, otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t dare to take this challenge.


    As the melody started, I felt the passion and vitality in the music, and I waspletely rxed.


    The gathering crowd made our makeshift orchestra even more energetic. We yed several ssic


    pieces in a row until noon.


    The enthusiastic apuse made me feel extremely satisfied. As I looked around the crowd, I saw


    Oscar standing there, his eyes bright and focused on me. When he caught my gaze, he waved shyly


    but friendly.


    nodded at him with a smile. After the orchestra dispersed, I walked up to him and greeted him.


    ¡°Irene, I didn¡¯t know you y the cello, that¡¯s amazing!¡± Oscar praised me without hesitation.


    ¡°My major in college was the cello.¡± I carried my cello and chatted with Oscar as we walked, the


    environment made me feel much younger, like I was back in college.


    ¡°I think girls who like music are very charming.¡± The wound on Oscar¡¯s face was almost healed, but


    there were still scars at the corners of his mouth and eyes. He was dressed in sportswear, looking


    energetic. When he said this, I felt a little charmed by him.


    Could he already have feelings for me?


    Then Oscar shattered my illusion, ¡°Bonnie also studies music, but she studies vocal music, not


    instrumental music.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that just like Barbara? She is also nning to be a singer.


    I sighed inwardly. It seems that Oscar¡¯s feelings for Bonnie are deep, and it might be hard for me to get


    involved. But if Neil could guide Bonnie to shift her feelings, then I would have a chance. After all, my


    goal is just to find psychological bnce, not to find true love.


    ¡°Oscar!¡±


    Bonnie appeared in front of us, she was wearing a white dress, full of youthful vibes, she looked more


    innocent than me.


    Seeing me and Oscar together, she had no doubts, instead, she greeted me with surprise, ¡°Irene, what


    are you doing here?¡±


    ¡®I just performed in the concert hall and happened to run into Oscar.¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡®I heard there was a fantastic symphony performance in the concert hall earlier, Irene, were you


    performing too? What a pity, I was busy with club activities and missed your performance.¡± Bonnie¡¯s


    beautiful face was full of regret, I could tell she sincerely felt that way.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you just now, and your phone was unreachable.¡± Oscar said.


    There was a hint of uneasiness in Bonnie¡¯s eyes, as well as a touch of tiredness, even her smile


    seemed forced, ¡°I had my phone on vibrate today, I didn¡¯t hear it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed busy and chaotic at the beginning of the semester, shall we go grab a bite together? My


    treat.¡± I asked the two of them with a smile.


    Bonnie shook her head, ¡°Irene, thanks for your kindness, but I have to tidy up my dormter, I¡¯ll just


    grab something at the cafeteria, Oscar, what about you?¡±


    Of course, Oscar would follow his girlfriend without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the cafeteria too. Irene, next


    time Bonnie and I will treat you to a meal.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be going then.¡± I didn¡¯t insist, nodded, and left.


    In the car, Bailey was waiting for me. After I got in, I told him to drive me home.


    We hit the road, cruising through Rosemont College¡¯s sprawling campus, and I got shbacks of the


    good old days when I used to sneakily tail Neil, always finding an excuse to bump into him identally.


    Suddenly, a silver car slowly drove by us. If my eyes weren¡¯t deceiving me, that was Neil¡¯s profile in the


    half-rolled down window.


    Why the hell was he driving this car around Rosemont College? This ride was much more low key


    compared to his usual shy wheels.


    The only exnation I could think of was that he was here to see Bonnie, and he didn¡¯t want to draw


    any attention.


    11:10


    No wonder Bonnie looked so off just now, her eyes filled with exhaustion, Neil must have been a pain in


    her neck thesest few days. After all, his forceful approach would rub anyone the wrong way,


    especially Bonnie, who¡¯s already got a boyfriend.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Neil had spotted me just now, but he was probably too wrapped up thinking about


    Bonnie to notice anything else.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25


    Once I got back to Sterling Estates, it was time for lunch. Ada saw me and respectfully greeted me.


    ncing at the still delicious-looking food and thinking about Neil and Bonnie, I suddenly lost my


    appetite and headed straight upstairs.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor?¡± Ada asked, following me upstairs with concern.


    Ever since I forgave her for breaking my skincare products, she¡¯s been extra attentive to my needs.


    If she wasn¡¯t Bonnie¡¯s mother, I might actually like having her as a ser vant.


    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t feel like eating. You guys go ahead,¡± I replied irritably, lying on my bed.


    Ada wisely didn¡¯t push the issue and quietly left the room.


    As my thoughts swirled, I fell asleep. If it wasn¡¯t for Ste¡¯s incessant calls, I could¡¯ve slept till tomorrow,


    Ste¡¯s voice was filled with excitement, ¡°Fantastic! The Cellobe of Rosemont College is back!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I mumbled groggily, not understanding what she meant.


    ¡°I sent you a link. Check it out, now!¡± Ste eximed before hanging up.


    I checked my missed calls and saw that both Alicia Rider and Barbara had called me three times, but I


    didn¡¯t pick up


    I opened the link Ste sent via WhatsApp. It was a video of my performance at Rosemont College¡¯s


    music hall earlier today.


    I was seated at the far left, but the camera kept zooming in on me like someone had a crush on me.


    Then there were a bunch ofments praising me, calling me a beauty with great temperament, the


    once Cellobe of Rosemont College. It put a smile on my face and woke me right up.


    Who wouldn¡¯t like beingplimented? It was my first time experiencing this feeling.


    I¡¯ve receivedpliments before, but mostly because of my dad¡¯s status. This was the first time I was


    admired purely for my own charm.


    Ste called again just as I finished watching the video, ¡°How about that? You¡¯re famous now,


    hahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite unexpected,¡± I admitted, in a good mood, ¡°Guess I¡¯m still charming!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Absolutely! Back then Neil was just blinded. You had so many suitors yet you chose him,¡± Ste was


    clearly still bitter about it.


    ¡°Let bygones be bygones. I¡¯ve moved on, haven¡¯t I?¡± I sighed, a trace of mncholy in my voice.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re over it, let¡¯s go for a drink. I¡¯ve got nothing to do. Maybe we can turn you into an inte


    celebrity,¡± Ste began nning ahead. ¡°Then we four can form a band, with Barbara as the lead


    singer and us three as the band. Perfect!¡±


    Ste was daydreaming. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. Where are you? Let¡¯s all have a meal together,


    no more drinking.¡±


    I was starving by now, I couldn¡¯t abandon my weight gain n.


    ¡°Okay, I know a caf¨¦. Their hand-brewed coffee and desserts are amazing, better than any Michelin-


    starred restaurant I¡¯ve been to. I¡¯ll send you the address!¡±


    After receiving the caf¨¦ address, I quickly changed and headed out.


    Unexpectedly, I bumped into my dad outside the caf¨¦. He just finished dining with some friends.


    ¡°Dad¡± I called out.


    ¡°Rena, what are you doing here?¡± My dad was surprised to see me, his friends were looking at me too.


    One of his friends asked, ¡°Mr. Finch, is your daughter the cellist who performed at Rosemont College


    today? She¡¯s gaining quite the poprity online!¡±


    My dad must¡¯ve seen the video, he looked proud but kept his cool, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. She majored in


    cello back in college, hasn¡¯t yed for years though.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still that good after not ying for years? Mr. Finch, your daughter is truly remarkable!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty too, very elegant.¡±


    Listening to the praises, I felt proud but also a bit shy. Me, elegant?


    Ste called me again, urging me to get inside. ¡°Dad, Ste¡¯s waiting for me. I gotta go!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m heading home too, my dad waved.


    As I headed towards the caf¨¦, I suddenly wanted to tell my dad that I would be home for dinner in a few


    days. But then I saw a woman, around forty, getting out of my dad¡¯s car. She was standing under the


    streetlight, wearing a ck and white dress, looking both elegant and captivating. She bowed to my


    dad before taking the driver¡¯s seat.


    I remember our driver being afran. Did my dad hire a female driver?


    I felt a bit uneasy, confused


    ¡°Rena, what are you doing?¡± Alicia just arrived, seeing me standing at the entrance, she teased.


    ¡°I was waiting for you Feel special? i snapped back to reality, linking arms with Alicia as we walked in,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ste¡¯s been urging mer


    We chatted and walked into our reserved room. The smell of coffee filled the air, and ssical piano


    music was ying softly in the background it was soothing


    Ste was striking poses with her coffee cup while Barbara took pictures for her social media


    I used to think Ste was a yer, not understanding the true meaning of love But now, I think she¡¯s


    more clear headed than I gave her credit for


    ¡°Wee, Rena, Ali, Ste adjusted her previously nonchnt pose and sat like a normal human


    being ¡®Please, have a seat. I¡¯ve already ordered desserts. Trust me, they¡¯re top notch


    Alicia and I took our seats, ¡°Alright, we trust you¡±


    The four of usdies were seated around a table. The waiter demonstrated the process of hand


    brewing coffee and exined in detail about the coffee beans¡¯ price, origin,


    and taste


    We were sipping on our coffee and tasting on some desserts. No kidding, every single dessert was


    freaking delicious


    Just as the waiter was opening and closing the door, I caught a glimpse of Neil and Russel walking by


    outside.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26


    Are they dining at this caf¨¦ too? My curiosity was piqued


    But I quickly snapped out of it, realizing that whatever they were doing here had nothing to do with me.


    Soon, we would all go our separate ways, minding our own business.


    Over dinner, Barbara suddenly dropped a bombshell. ¡°I have some news for you all. Norman and I


    have decided to get married!¡±


    I nearly choked on my food when I heard the news and started coughing


    Ste and Alicia¡¯s eyes bulged out in surprise. ¡°Are you really doing it?¡±


    ¡°Some people might see marriage as a shackle, but not Norman and me. We see it as a fortress of


    love.¡± Barbara waspletely smitten with Norman. They were a perfect match in both looks and


    family background. Even though Norman didn¡¯te from as affluent a background as she did,


    Barbara was confident he would treat her right.


    ¡°Men are not reliable, Barbara. Don¡¯t let love blind you!¡± Ste was the most anxious. She clutched


    Barbara¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Wake up! How about reconsidering for another six months?¡±


    Barbara knew we were just concerned for her. She didn¡¯t get mad, justughed and brushed Ste¡¯s


    hand away. ¡°You guys are probably overthinking how scary marriage can be. I¡¯ll make you believe in


    love again!¡±


    Ste wanted to say more, but I shot her a look, and she instantly shut up.


    While we were good friends, it was not right to interfere too much, offering advice was enough.


    ¡°I have to hit the restroom.¡± After dinner, while the others were enjoying their coffee, I felt a bit stomach-


    ache and got up to use the restroom.


    As I stepped out of our booth and turned right, I heard Mitch He bert¡¯s voiceing from a room, ¡°Neil,


    have you found true love?¡±


    I paused and continued to eavesdrop.


    Cooper rke teased, ¡°Too bad, thedy doesn¡¯t seem interested in you. Even Mr. Whitmore¡¯s charm


    doesn¡¯t always work.¡±


    ¡°She already has a boyfriend. You should give up. There are plenty of fish in the sea.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of college girls!¡±


    I understood that in Mitch and the others¡¯ eyes, I was not Neil¡¯s wife.


    They all saw Neil as a ¡°single¡± married man.


    Then, Russel¡¯s voice came, serious and cold, ¡°What about Irene? Your marriage with her is protected


    byw.¡±


    I suddenly felt guilty for staining his thermos with lipstick.


    A silence fell in the room. After a while, I heard Neil¡¯szy voice, ¡°That¡¯s not true love, just a passing


    fancy. Haven¡¯t you heard the saying? The things we can¡¯t have are always the best.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what Neil said next because the difort in my stomach was getting worse. I had to go


    to the restroom.


    I was taken aback when my period, which had been missing for two months, suddenly came!


    I guess it was because I had been eating and sleeping welltely, and the nourishing supplements had


    regted my body, so my period was back to normal.


    I looked down and realized my period had indeede.


    After a minute of pondering, I decided to call Neil.


    He actually hung up on me!


    Was he too busy discussing how to woo Bonnie with his friends to have time for me? The arrival of my


    period made me even more irritable. With a belly full of anger, I stormed into the room where Neil was,


    pushing the door open forcefully.


    Everyone was taken aback by my sudden appearance, especially Mitch who looked utterly


    bbergasted.


    Neil was sitting at the head of the table, wearing a sleek ck polo shirt. His face, which was beaming


    a moment ago, turned sour the instant he saw me. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked, frowning.


    Tignored him and instead waved at Russel, giving him a somewhat shy smile. ¡°Dr. Russel, I need your


    help with something. Do you have time?¡±


    Reluctantly, after exchanging a nce with Neil, Russel got up and stepped out.


    ¡°What is it? Russel asked as soon as we were outside.


    I need you to buy something for me. I gave him a sweet smile, although I could have asked Ste or


    the others, but I didn¡¯t want to


    ¡°What do you need? Russel asked, puzzled.


    ¡®Lean in¡± I tiptoed, and when Russel leaned in to listen, I quickly whispered, ¡°Tampons and a skirt!¡±


    Pu ssef¡¯s face changed instantly. He probably didn¡¯t understand why I would ask him to buy these


    things.


    ¡°No way Russel tly refused


    ¡°You can sit around discussing how to chase other women with Neil but can¡¯t help his poor wife buy


    some tampons? As a doctor, do you not have any moral responsibility?¡± I chastised pursel sterrey


    Russel looked at me with aplex expression. Among Neil¡¯s circle, he was the only decent man.


    Although he had done some crazy things in pursuit of Bonnie, he was single! Chasing a woman was


    normal!


    Compared to Neil, who had no sense of morality, he was much better


    Sure enough, Russel didn¡¯t say anything more. With a tight lipped expression, he turned around and


    headed for the stairs.


    I waited at the door, sending a message to Ste and the others to assure them I was okay


    As I was waiting, the door of the room opened again, and Neil came out Seeing me alone, he asked,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Russel?¡±


    I painted towards the stairs. ¡°Over there¡¯


    Russel came back holding a ck bag His face was slightly red, and he looked a bit embarrassed


    He handed me the bag sounding a bat awkward. ¡°Here¡±


    11.11 5


    Chapter 26


    I took the bag cheerfully, oblivious to Neil standing next to me. I shyly thanked Russel. ¡°Thanks, Dr.


    Russel. I owe you a meal!¡±


    ¡°Hold on, what¡¯s this?¡± Neil suddenly grabbed my wrist. I couldn¡¯t get away.


    He red at the ck bag in my hand, his eyes filled with hostility.


    I felt satisfied in my heart. Isn¡¯t Neil a hypocrite? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of people finding out that I betrayed


    him? And now I¡¯m shamelessly getting close to his best friend, which must be driving him crazy.


    I let him grab the bag from me, open it, and watched as his face turned sour.


    ¡®How could you¡­¡± Neil is a guy with no manners, he never hides it when he gets angry. ¡°You let Russel


    buy you this kind of stuff?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with him buying me some pads?¡± I yed dumb on purpose.


    ¡°And this!¡± Neil was so angry he almost threw the pink underwear at my face. His face was dark,


    fuming.


    Russel was also looking at me, seemingly pondering something.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t expect Russel to be so thoughtful. I only needed tampons and a skirt, but he


    considered that my underwear was dirty too. How did such a wealthy. good-looking, principled, and


    considerate man lose to Neil in my past life?

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27


    ¡°You guys carry on, I¡¯m outta here.¡± Neil said, barely suppressing his rage, to Russel. He quickly


    grabbed my hand and dragged me away.


    Russel just stared at me, emotionless, as if he could see right through me.


    Neil was pulling me along so fast, I could barely keep up. I was about to fall.


    ¡°Neil, what¡¯s gotten into you? Can¡¯t you let me go to the restroom to change my skirt first?¡± I snapped at


    him.


    He finally remembered why I asked Russel to buy me these things and, with a stern face, took me to


    the restroom, ¡°Go change!¡±


    I rubbed my wrist. He was so rough, almost bruised my wrist.


    Bonnie is only a few pounds heavier than me, could she handle him?


    I couldn¡¯t help but imagine Neil and Bonnie in bed, Neil being dominant at first, but Bonnie gradually


    falling for him, their sex life bing more tender.


    I was about to lose my mind. Why would I think of such filthy images? I quickly changed and threw


    those images out of my mind, then left the restroom.


    Neil gave me a look, ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡±


    He seemed less angry.


    I sent a message in my group chat with my girlfriends, then followed Neil home. I wanted to see what


    he had to say next.


    But he didn¡¯t utter a word the whole ride home, like a statue that could drive.


    Once we got home, Neil went straight to his study. I went to take a shower and get some rest.


    After drying my hair, Neil came in. There was something in his eyes that made me uneasy.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Irene, let¡¯s talk.¡± Neil said calmly.


    I nodded.


    Ten minutester, I understood what Neil was saying.


    He added another rule. I couldn¡¯t have any rtions with his good friends, adding to the previous rules


    of not making our rtionship public on social media and not telling our parents. Three rules in total.


    ¡°Neil, why don¡¯t you just divorce me?¡± I asked, somewhat disappointed.


    ¡°We have no reason to divorce.¡± Neil replied calmly, then left.


    I had a hunch that his talk tonight might have something to do with Bonnie.


    Maybe he wanted to make a deal with me so I wouldn¡¯t interfere with him pursuing Bonnie. He probably


    didn¡¯t realize he would get caught in the whirlpool of love.


    From that day on, Neil seemed to have disappeared, not returning to Sterling Estates for more than half


    a month.


    I went back to my old life, except now I had a few more ser vants.


    ¡°You¡¯re not kids anymore, handle your issues like adults, arguing and giving each other the silent


    treatment won¡¯t solve anything.¡± In the afternoon, I heard Ada on the phone, hiding under the staircase,


    her voice low.


    I stood on the stairs, listening carefully to her words.


    ¡°Oscar is a good boy, he treats you well. Your father and I are at ease with you two together. No matter


    what happens,municate with each other, got it?¡± Ada had high praise for Oscar.


    Did Bonnie and Oscar have a fight? I calcted the time in my head, Neil must have been trying really


    hard this past half month, otherwise, how could a loving couple have a fight so soon?


    I didn¡¯t want to deal with these things anymore. When Neil proposes a divorce, I will sign without


    hesitation.


    With that thought, I turned around to go upstairs.


    ¡®Madam, may I take half a day off?¡± Ada stopped me, looking a bit embarrassed, ¡°Something came up


    at home, I need to deal with it. You can deduct my pay.¡±


    I had to stop, turned around to look at Ada, and asked with concern, ¡°What happened? Ada, let me give


    you a ride, I wanted to go out anyway.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you really don¡¯t have to, I can take a cab¡­¡± Ada seemed taken aback.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to get a cab around Sterling Estates, don¡¯t worry, wait for me for ten minutes, I¡¯ll change my


    clothes ande down.¡± I replied gently.


    Ten minutester, I drove Ada away from Sterling Estates, pretended to ask about Ada¡¯s home


    address, and headed straight there.


    On the way, Ada shared some things about Bonnie and Oscar with me, but she didn¡¯t know why they


    had a fight. Even she didn¡¯t know, the reason to the fight must beplex.


    As we were about to reach the neighborhood, I saw Oscar¡¯s figure. He was sitting by the roadside


    flower bed, looking quite lonely.


    ¡°Madam, thank you so much. If you don¡¯t mind,e to my house for a cup of coffee!¡± Ada said


    gratefully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, you have something to deal with, right? I won¡¯t bother you, go ahead!¡± I replied with a


    smile.


    Ada thanked me a few more times, then hurried upstairs. I immediately drove to where I spotted Oscar.


    Luckily, he was still there, looking quite downcast


    I straightened my clothes, rolled down the window and greeted, ¡°Oscar, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch?¡± Oscar looked surprised to see me.


    ¡°The sun is scorching, get in the car, I¡¯ll give you a ride!¡± I said bluntly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just want to be alone for a while.¡± Oscar shook his head, looking weary, as if he hadn¡¯t slept


    well.


    I got out of the car, pulled him towards the car, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be alone under the scorching sun,


    come, let¡¯s get a drink!¡±


    Oscar didn¡¯t refuse, obediently sat in the passenger seat, letting me lead the way.


    Half an hourter, I took Oscar to Cielo Nocturno.


    1/2


    11:11


    Chapter 27


    ¡°Come on, sing out all your troubles!¡± I booked a private room, handed Oscar the microphone, and said


    loudly.


    Oscar held the microphone and suddenly burst into tears.


    It was the first time I saw a man cry in front of me, I was a bit taken aback.


    ¡°Bonnie wants to break up with me, what should I do¡­¡± Oscar choked out.


    They broke up just like that? I was shocked. The moment I knew Bonnie existed, Neil had been


    entangled with her for a year, and Oscar had indeed broken up with Bonnie.


    But isn¡¯t this break-up a bit too early?


    ¡°What exactly happened? You can tell me, I might be able to help.¡± I tried to stay calm and spoke


    slowly.


    ¡°Yesterday, I went out to eat with her, and I identally saw a message on her phone. Some random


    dude sent her a kinda flirty text. I was freaking mad and started arguing with her. I wanted her to give


    me that guy¡¯s number. But she wouldn¡¯t. She said I didn¡¯t trust her, and suggested we should take a


    break¡­¡± Oscar said, covering his eyes with his hands, his voice full of sorrow and pain.


    Trying to keep my cool, I asked, ¡°What did the message say?¡±


    Oscar was silent for a moment, then he replied, ¡°The message is ¡®I want to see you. Can you give me a


    chance?¡±


    That¡¯s the power of love. It can even make a co cky guy like Neil say stuff like that. If it was me, I bet I


    couldn¡¯t even squeeze a simr sentence out of him no matter how much pressure I put on him.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28


    Neil has never shown me the slightest bit of friendliness, let alone respect.


    After going through the agony of my past life, I finally epted the fact that I was not his true love.


    But Oscar was different from me. He hadn¡¯t experienced a rebirth and couldn¡¯t understand or ept


    Bonnie¡¯s Impulsive decision to break up with him.


    He kept drinking, trying to drown his sorrows in alcohol.


    I sat beside him, watching him sympathetically. I wanted to advise him to ept the breakup from a


    bystander¡¯s perspective so that he wouldn¡¯t suffer more under Neil¡¯s antagonism. But deep inside, I felt


    a sense of injustice. Why was Neil able to break them up so easily?


    ¡°Irene, I really love her. I know my family background isn¡¯t good enough for her, but I¡¯ll work hard¡­¡±


    Oscar started babbling after drinking too much.


    I nodded, ¡°I know¡±


    ¡°So many people pursued her, but she chose me. That made me incredibly happy. I swore I wouldn¡¯t let


    her regret it. But why did she change her mind in the end? My heart is in so much pain¡­¡± Oscar said,


    his eyes red.


    I quickly stopped Oscar from pouring more alcohol, ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. Maybe she hasn¡¯t changed her


    mind? Think about it, the message only showed that someone is pursuing her, but hasn¡¯t seeded.


    Otherwise, why would he still be begging her for a chance to meet?¡±


    Oscar shook his head and gave a deste smile. ¡°This time it¡¯s different. In the past, she would always


    tell me when she was in such a situation, so I wouldn¡¯t overthink.¡±


    ¡°There must be some reason she couldn¡¯t tell you. I¡¯ll try to meet her and talk to her when I have time.¡±


    I tried tofort Oscar.


    ¡°Trene, thank you.¡± Oscar managed a weak smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re friends!¡± I patted his shoulder gently.


    After a while, Oscar waspletely drunk and passed out. I tried to help him up, but almost tripped.


    Fortunately, Cielo Nocturno gave a little help. I called a waiter to help me take Oscar to the room I had


    booked. As I was about to leave, his phone rang.


    It was Bonnie calling. I had no choice but to answer.


    ¡°Oscar, where are you?¡± Bonnie sounded anxious.


    ¡°Bonnie, it¡¯s me. Oscar is at Cielo Nocturno, you cane find him here.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Irene? Howe you¡­¡± Bonnie sounded puzzled.


    I exined in detail how Oscar and I met. After a brief silence, she spoke again, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ve


    blocked that man¡¯s contact and I¡¯ll change my number tomorrow!¡±


    I thought to myself, even if you change your number, or even your identity, Neil has plenty of ways to


    find you.


    I asked tentatively, ¡°Bonnie, who is this man? What¡¯s his name? Can you tell me?¡±


    Bonnie hesitated, ¡°Irene, wait for me. I¡¯ll tell you when I get there.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t anxious. I quietly waited for Bonnie¡¯s arrival and sent a message to Neil, reminding him that my


    father¡¯s birthday was in two days and he needed to apany me home as per tradition.


    Soon, Bonnie arrived. She looked pained seeing Oscar in such a drunken state. With my constion


    and advice, she managed to calm down, then told me, ¡°Irene, I can¡¯t tell you who that man is. All I can


    tell you is that he¡¯s married and I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s eyes were red and swollen. She must have cried a lot over the past few days.


    I asked, ¡°How do you know he¡¯s married? Have you looked into his situation?¡±


    In my past life, I was always puzzled. Did Bonnie know who Neil¡¯s wife was, what her name was, what


    she looked like? With her status and resources, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find out this information.


    But there were hardly any photos of Neil and me together, and I always kept a low profile, rarely


    appearing in public. There weren¡¯t many photos of me online.


    Bonnie wiped her tears and shook her head, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t checked. I knew I couldn¡¯t be with him, so


    why should I look into it? Plus¡­¡±


    Plus what? I got a bit impatient.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to look. Even though I didn¡¯t agree to be with him, being pursued by a married man made


    me feel disgusted. I knew he had a wife, and if I found out who she was, I would feel even more guiltyThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    and wouldn¡¯t be able to face it.¡± Bonnie burst into tears again after finishing her sentence.


    This reason took me by surprise. So she didn¡¯t dare to face it because she felt ashamed?


    in my past life, did she also choose to deceive herself for the same reason?


    I kept silent for a while, then sighed, ¡°Alright, whatever decision you make in the future, just don¡¯t regret


    it.¡±


    With that, I left. Having Bonnie there to look after Oscar was enough.


    When I got home, I was surprised to find that Neil was already back, and Ada was pouring him a cup of


    coffee.


    ¡°Ada, why are you back so early? I asked while changing my shoes, ¡°You could have taken the rest of


    the day off ande back tomorrow morning¡¯


    Ada shook her bead, ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t need that much time. Everything at home has been taken care


    of.¡±


    No wonder Bonnie called Oscar it turned out that Ada had a hand in this


    After Ada got me a cup of coffee and left, orly Hell and were left in the living room. We sat facing each


    other, each sipping our coffee, with neither of us saying a word


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to prepare a gift for my dad¡¯s tarthday the day after tomorrow I reminded him


    My mom said you gave her a purple crystal bracelet? Neil asked back


    ¡°Yeah, doesn¡¯t she like collecting these things? I happened to have a pair of purple crystal bracelets


    which I don¡¯t wear often, so I gave them to her¡± I replied nonchntly He stared at me as if trying to


    figure something out. He leaned back on the sofa and asked ¡°What are you up to? Trying to please my


    mom?¡±


    I met his gaze, and i realized that we had never held such a prolonged gaze in my memory


    Gifting a bracelet to Faith was just my way of buttering her up, hoping she¡¯d get more picky towards


    Bonnie, lending a hand to Oscar multiple times was my way-fest bnced trying to get close to


    Russel was just to tick off Neil.


    Chapter 28


    These are just my inner thoughts, whether they work or not isn¡¯t the point, because I never nned on


    flipping the script.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite normal for a woman to try and please her mother-inw?¡± I said, all innocent-like, ¡°Neil,


    you don¡¯t have to suspect me of ying some game, you just need to know that if you want a divorce


    now, I¡¯ll sign the papers straight away.¡±


    ¡°3% of the shares in return?¡± Neil responded, his gaze icy.


    ¡°Still thinking it¡¯s not worth it?¡± I asked, implying deeper meanings.


    Neil squinted his eyes for a bit. I couldn¡¯t make sense of the message in his eyes. After a moment of


    silence, his response was still chilly, ¡°Stop dreaming.¡±


    This man, did he really take a moment to think and concluded that Bonnie wasn¡¯t worth the price? After


    chasing her for over half a month, he nearly broke up Bonnie and Oscar, and he¡¯s still unsure.


    ¡°What if I give up all my property?¡± I asked Neil, my voice barely above a whisper.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Chapter 29


    The 3% stake in Whitmore Co. sure was tempting, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯d starve without it. Rather, I could


    get out of the uing mess earlier and chase a better life.


    ¡°No way¡± Neil¡¯s response threw me for a loop.


    ¡°Have you ever considered that my presence might hinder you from finding true love?¡± I couldn¡¯t help


    but remind Neil


    He¡¯d been pursuing Bonnie for half a month now. Surely he¡¯d have noticed the change in the situation,


    right? He had never gone to such lengths for a woman before.


    Neil hung his head, his thoughts a mystery. He replied faintly. ¡°No.¡±


    Stubborn as a mule, that one. Neil¡¯s a smart cookie, so why¡¯s he so dense when ites to romance?


    I heaved a big sigh, not wanting to say anything more, and headed upstairs for some rest.


    The next day, I got a text from Oscar, ¡°Irene, Bonnie and I are back together. Thanks for your advice, I


    owe you a meal!¡±


    I thought for a while, but didn¡¯t reply. I could already see the storm clouds gathering over Neil.


    After freshening up, I headed downstairs for breakfast. Neil was already there, slumped on the couch


    with a bad mood.


    ¡°Ada, what¡¯s for breakfast?¡± I asked, walking past him towards the dining room.


    ¡°We have Bolognese pasta, and some eggs. If you¡¯d like, you can add an egg to the pasta. It add up


    the vor,¡± Ada replied, loading up a te of pasta for me and setting out some sliced fruit.


    I dug in, and before long. Neil joined me across the table.


    Ada served him up the same breakfast as mine.


    Just as we were eating, Neil¡¯s phone rang. He nced at it, and his face darkened. He only managed a


    couple bites of his pasta before getting up and storming off.


    ¡°Remember toe by my dad¡¯s ce at nine tomorrow,¡± I called after him.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond, disappearing into the spa cious living room.


    That message was probably from Bonnie, something that had put him in a bad mood, otherwise he


    wouldn¡¯t have reacted so strongly.


    I nced at Ada, who was cleaning up the kitchen. Had Bonnie told her about being pursued by a


    married man? A married man who¡¯d just stormed off.


    ¡°Ada, I¡¯m heading out, won¡¯t be back for lunch,¡± I told Ada, and scurried out the door.


    I¡¯d booked a full body checkup. I¡¯d only ever checked my breasts before, which wasn¡¯tprehensive


    enough.


    Keeping healthy was important, I had to take it seriously!


    I spent most of the day at the hospital, pretty much finishing all the tests. Before leaving, I decided to


    drop by Russel¡¯s office.


    ¡°Dr. Russel!!¡±


    I greeted Russel with a warm smile.


    He was eating lunch at his desk, and seemed less than delighted to see me.


    ¡°Are you here alone?¡± I asked, craning my neck to peek at his lunch. ¡°So simple and healthy. That


    looks good. I¡¯ve always felt you were different from Neil and his crowd. They¡¯re all trust fund babies, but


    you¡¯re a gentleman who doesn¡¯t care for fame or fortune!¡±


    Russel gave me a cool look, ¡°What are you up to? Are you trying to use me to get under Neil¡¯s skin?¡±


    So he¡¯d seen through mest time. I was feeling a bit drained.


    I silently pulled out my phone, ¡°Take a look at this.¡±


    I pulled up Oscar¡¯s Facebook. His cover photo was him and Bonnie, hand in hand under the clear blue


    sky, grinning from ear to ear.


    ? ? ? ? ?? ?? ? ?? ? ?


    ¡°Do you know this girl?¡± I asked, watching Russel closely for his reaction.


    Russel looked for a few seconds, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but it wasn¡¯t love at first sight.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her, but I know her boyfriend, Oscar,¡± Russel¡¯s attention was on Oscar.


    I was taken aback. Even a photo can¡¯t fully capture someone¡¯s charm, Russel¡¯s affection for Bonnie in


    my past life was no less than Neil¡¯s. Even a photo should¡¯ve triggered something, right?


    Had he fallen for Bonnie only after getting to know her better?


    If I¡¯d known this will happen, I would¡¯ve asked a bit more question back then, so I wouldn¡¯t be so


    confused now.


    ¡°Yes, Iposed myself, continuing somewhat helplessly, ¡°Did Neil ever mention to you that she¡¯s the


    college girl he¡¯s been chasing?¡±


    ¡°I know there¡¯s a girl, but not the specifics,¡± Russel looked at me intently, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Even if I¡¯d heard something that day, I wouldn¡¯t know this much.


    I exined, ¡°They broke up yesterday. I tried to mediate between them. Her name¡¯s Bonnie Tueley, a


    second year student at Rosemont College, studying music. She has no idea about my rtionship with


    Neil.¡±


    Russel looked like he had more questions, but other people wereing back, so he had to let it go.


    I also knew it was time to go. I got up, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner tonight. I can fill you in on a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you pick the time and ce,¡± Russel agreed.


    As I was leaving, I heard one of his colleagues teasing him, ¡°Is our Dr. Russel finally going to start


    dating? Got a date tonight?¡±


    I didn¡¯t catch Russel¡¯s reply.


    I decided on Blissful Brews, the same ce Ste had taken usst time. The coffee aroma was


    intoxicating, a great ce for a heart-to-heart


    That night, Russel showed up as promised.


    I hadn¡¯t even gone home, just took a nap in a private room. I was still dozing off when he arrived.


    ¡°Wake up Russel gave my face a light tap.


    1/2


    Chapter 29


    1 stretched and shed Russel an apologetic smile, ¡°Sorry, I was a bit tired.¡±


    Russel cracked a small smile and took a seat at the table.


    Once the waiter had served us our coffee and left, I began my story.


    I told Russel everything from meeting Bonnie at the caf¨¦, running into Oscar, to bing friends with


    them, then sighed, ¡°What a coincidence. I didn¡¯t expect Neil to fall for


    her.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°So let me get this straight, you understand the rtionship between Neil, Bonnie, and Oscar, but they


    are clueless about who you really are?¡± Russel summarized.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I agreed.


    ¡°Why not just spill the beans?¡± Russel asked, looking straight at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know Neil well?¡± I shot back, ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling him? Do you think he would ditch


    Bonnie for me? Hell no. Even if I tried with all my might to oppose, to stop him, it wouldn¡¯t make a lick


    of difference. He never had feelings for me, I can¡¯t even be considered an ex, how can Ipete with


    the woman he likes?¡±


    As I spoke, I felt more and more worked up, that feeling of desperation and resentment from my past


    life started to creep back up.


    There was a hint of surprise in Russel¡¯s eyes, after all, I never got this riled up with all the previous


    rumors about Neil. But, he had no idea what the future had in store.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30


    If I were to tell Neil, he¡¯d still stick to his guns, that¡¯s just his domineering nature. His domineering


    personality wouldn¡¯t let him give up easily if he can¡¯t have Bonnie.


    And if I were to tell Bonnie, it wouldn¡¯t change a thing either. She¡¯d probably be flooded with guilt and


    wouldn¡¯t be able to face me, only reinforcing her evasion and rejection of Neil. And that might just


    trigger Neil to do something drastic.


    As for Oscar, he¡¯s no match for Neil. What good would it do to tell him? The best he could do is hang


    out with me to make Neil jealous and help me find some sort of emotional bnce, right?


    I¡¯ve thought about all the possibilities, but the endgame remains unchanged.


    ¡°So why are you telling me all this?¡± Russel¡¯s voice echoed again.


    ¡°You know now, I wasn¡¯t kept in the dark by Neil. I¡¯m willing to divorce him, but it¡¯s Neil who isn¡¯t,¡± I said


    with a hint of bitterness. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t try to persuade him anymore.¡±


    Russel knew better than anyone how deep my love for Neil ran. He grew up with Neil and witnessed


    my decade-long crush on him.


    Hearing me say these things seemed to throw him off, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡±


    Russel stayed silent for a while. I wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking until we parted ways, and he said,


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯vee to terms with all this.¡±


    I used to be so obsessed, thinking that as long as I loved Neil deeply, he would eventually respond.


    Russel, being an outsider, knew all too well that this marriage was all one-sided from


    end.


    On my way home, I felt an unprecedented relief. Finally, someone knew I had let go of Neil. I hummed


    a tune, took a rxing bath, and went to sleep.


    I had to go home early the next morning for my dad¡¯s birthday. Aft eparing the gifts, I texted Neil, ¡°Don¡¯t


    forget toe over to my ce today.¡±


    This timest year, Neil didn¡¯t show up. I made up an excuse for him, saying he


    He probably won¡¯te today either, but I don¡¯t want to cover for him


    any


    ¡°Happy Birthday, Dad!¡± I hugged my dad as soon as I got home and gave him a peck.


    My mom watched from the side and said, ¡°Why are you


    ¡°Of course! What do you think I pay my housekeeper for?¡±


    too busy with work.


    SO


    Have y


    you had breakfast?¡±


    with augh, sitting down on the couch with my arm around my dad.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡± My dad looked at the door, saw no one elseing in, and immediately frowned, ¡°He¡¯s


    bing more and more disrespectful!¡±


    I awkwardly smiled and said nothing.


    Normally, with my dad¡¯s status, there would be many peopleing to celebrate his birthday. But my


    dad is an upright person who doesn¡¯t care for such things. He only celebrates his birthday with his


    family at home. I¡¯m his only daughter, so naturally he hopes that his son-inw could alsoe to


    make the day a bit more lively.


    To his disappointment, Neil didn¡¯t show up this year!


    Just as my parents startedining about Neil, I saw a tall figure at the door, holding a gift.


    I quickly covered my dad¡¯s mouth, ¡°Dad, Neil¡¯s here.¡±


    I interrupted my dad. He nced at the door, looking a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°Neil,e in and sit down,¡± my mom came out of the kitchen, looking delighted at Neil¡¯s arrival.


    Neil responded with a polite smile, ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.¡±


    He sat down across from my dad and me. He wore a gray striped vest and shirt, looking very


    handsome.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Dad. I got you something.¡± Neil ced a gift on the table, which appeared to be a box


    of coffee beans.


    My dad is a government official, so luxurious gifts wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.


    He likes coffee, and Neil was clever to remember his preference.


    In front of Neil, my dad decided not to open the package right away and simply said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m


    happy enough that you coulde, why bother with a gift?¡±


    I rarely visit because I¡¯m busy with work. If I came empty-handed on your birthday, it wouldn¡¯t be right.¡±


    Neil can be aloof, but he knows how to talk.


    Since my dad also has business dealings with him, he wouldn¡¯t be too arrogant, nor would he show his


    arrogance in my house.


    Neil¡¯s shrewdness was ingrained in him, so it was quite shocking when he was willing to fall out with


    everyone for Bonnie.


    My dad brushed it off, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. A man should prioritize his career.¡±


    I found these two men¡¯s insincere banter amusing. They seemed to have a good time, soon shifting the


    conversation to business. I found it boring and went to the kitchen to help my mom.


    At noon, a table full of delicious food was served. We sat together, eating and chatting, it felt like a


    dream.


    Shortly after we finished eating, my dad received a call, ¡°I appreciate the gesture! I just had lunch, but I


    appreciate your intentions.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ming¡± I don¡¯t know what was said on the other end, but my dad looked both


    helpless and pleased.


    After hanging up, he said to us, ¡®My secretary found out it¡¯s my birthday and organized a dinner with


    some people from the department. I have to go¡±


    My mom said, ¡°Then go, they mean well.¡±


    My dad nodded, ¡°Neil, I have to leave. You should stay a while longer¡±


    Neil responded, ¡°Sure, Dad¡±


    After my dad left, Neil didn¡¯t stay long. He said goodbye to my mom, iming he had to go to the


    company As soon as I heard that, I followed him out and hopped into the


    passenger seat of his car N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°What are you doing? Neil asked coldly


    ¡°Give me a ride.¡± I answered cheekily while buckling my seatbelt. My car was in for maintenance and


    calling a cab was a ha ssle


    Neil pursed his lips and looked at me with displeasure. He clearly didn¡¯t want to give me a lift, but he


    also couldn¡¯t just kick me out and leave me at my house.


    Chapter 30


    In the end, he went along with it and drove me back to Sterling Estates.


    In the car, I caught a faint scent that reminded me of Bonnie. Did she sit in the passenger seat this


    morning?


    Didn¡¯t she say she would cut off contact with Neil? Why is she meeting him again?


    I was deeply puzzled, something felt off. Did Oscar really get betrayed by Bonnie?


    Given Bonnie¡¯s personality, there¡¯s no way she¡¯d fall for Neil that quick. Otherwise, why would Neil be


    so head over heels for her in my past life? It¡¯s usually when you can¡¯t get something at first that you


    realize how much you want it, and then slowly fall madly in love.


    I grabbed a lipstick from my bag and slipped it quietly into the slot next to the seat, then reclined the


    seat back a good notch.


    If Bonnie ever gets back in Neil¡¯s car, she¡¯ll definitely adjust the seat and find that lipstick.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take a nap,¡± I squinted my eyes, casually crossed my legs, and then shut my eyes to take a


    nap.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond, and the car was quiet. Then, his phone started to ring. He nced at me and


    picked up the call without a second thought.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 31


    This was a call from Bonnie.


    The fact that Neil picked up so quickly showed how much he valued this call. Anytime, anywhere, as


    long as Bonnie called him, he would answer immadetaly


    Even when I, his wife in name, was right beside him, he didn¡¯t give a da mn.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Don¡¯t cry,¡± Neil¡¯s voice was gentler than I had ever heard, ¡°Just stay put nl be right ther


    After hanging up, Neil promptly pulled over and turned to me, ¡°You can take a cab home, or I can call


    someone to pick you up


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked curiously


    ¡°Something I need to deal with,¡± Neil replied impatiently


    ¡°Where? Take me with you. I¡¯m not doing anything right now, I stubbornly refused to get out of the car


    I thought Neil would refuse, but to my surprise, he turned and looked at me, a cruel smile flickering in


    his eyes, ¡°You really want toe?


    If it was Bonnie in trouble and he was going to help, I would only witness his care for another woman


    and feel the sting of jealousy


    Neil loved to make me ufortable, to make me regret marrying him.


    I answered curtly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Neil said no more. He stepped on the gas, and we were on the road again.


    Finally, we pulled up outside a mall. I got out and looked around, but Neil was already walking inside. I


    followed him in, all the way up to the sixth food, which yes filled with all sorts of eateries.


    There was amotion at a Japanese restaurant, seemingly some sort of incident. I didn¡¯t go in, just


    watched from a distance


    Five minutester, Neil and Bonnie came out together. Bonnie looked like she had been crying her


    eyes red


    Neil reached out and gently stroked her hair, as if he were petting a cute kitten. He even slightly bent


    down to listen to Bonnie attentively N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He had always been the subject of various scandals, so he didn¡¯t care about being seen in public now.


    My heart was empty. I tried to ignore my feelings, took out my phone, took a picture, and then turned to


    leave. As I was waiting for the elevator, I overheard some people discussing what had just happened in


    the Japanese restaurant.


    Apparently, Bonnie was dining there and found worm eggs in the salmon. Sheined to the


    restaurant owner and ended up in an argument, even being locked in the kitchen.


    Such a little girl, needing big shot Neil to handle even a small problem. And the worst part was, Neil


    seemed to enjoy it.


    I hailed a cab home and sent the photo I had taken to Russel.


    It was only when I got home that I received his reply: ?


    I didn¡¯t even know why I had sent him the picture. Was I hoping for his sympathy?


    Just then, Barbara called, ¡°Rena, are you free tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Come with me to try on engagement dresses. Norman and I are getting engaged next weekend and


    nning the wedding for the end of the year, Barbara¡¯s voice was cheerful, radiating happiness.


    ¡°Sounds good,. Just text me the address. Let¡¯s meet at eight in the morning, okay?¡± I replied.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Barbara quickly hung up and texted me the address of a bridal shop.


    I rubbed my temples and walked into the living room. I felt worn out. Ada and another housekeeper


    were cleaning. They both greeted me when they saw mee


    Iy on the sofa, eyes closed, the image of Neil stroking Bonnie¡¯s hair ying on loop in my mind.


    It was a tenderness I had begged for ten years to receive, yet Bonnie got it so easily, and she didn¡¯t


    even ask for it.


    ¡°Ada, I want to ask you something.¡± I opened my eyes and saw Ada on the floor, wiping the legs of a


    table.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡± Ada answered respectfully.


    I thought for a few seconds, then asked, ¡°I have a friend who is still in college. She has a very good


    boyfriend, they¡¯re about the same age and their rtionship is great. But recently, there¡¯s a married


    man pursuing her. She seems to be hesitating. Do you think she should choose her boyfriend, or the


    married man?¡±


    Ada and the other housekeeper looked at each other before answering. ¡°Of course her boyfriend! A girl


    shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with a married man!¡±


    ¡°What if the married man is richer than her boyfriend and is constantly pursuing her?¡± I continued


    probing


    ¡°She should still reject him. She would be morally bankrupt and would be breaking up a family. Plus,


    what good cane from a man who cheats?¡± Ada was getting heated, it was clear she strongly


    believed in what she was saying.


    That whole family has a strong moralpass, so why did everything change in my past life?


    I admired Neil He had single-handedly distorted their moralpass.


    The other housekeeper also chimed in indignantly, ¡°You can¡¯t be the other woman. No matter how


    beautiful a woman is, if she¡¯s the other woman, she¡¯s nothing but a homewrecker!¡±


    Ada must¡¯ve thought about her daughter, because the person I described was very simr to Bonnie,


    except she didn¡¯t know there was a married man chasing Bonnie She tried to probe, ¡°Madam, how old


    is your friend¡­?¡±


    1 casually replied, ¡°She¡¯s a senior, graduating next year.¡±


    Ada visibly rxed.


    ¡°Alright, Ada, go make dinner,¡± I ordered.


    It was already evening. All I wanted to do was eat something and then lie in bed, not thinking about


    anything


    I fell asleep on the sofa, only to be woken up by Neil, ¡°Irene Finch, wake up!*


    1/2


    11-01


    Chapter 31


    groggily opened my eyes to see Neil¡¯s cold face. He was holding a lipstick, the one I had left in his car


    today. He found it so soon?


    Neil must¡¯ve driven Bonnie home from the mall. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have found the lipstick so


    quickly.


    I pretended to be clueless, sat up and rubbed my eyes, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Did you leave this in my car on purpose?¡± Neil threw the lipstick at me, full of sarcasm, ¡°Weren¡¯t you


    waiting for me to divorce you? Weren¡¯t we supposed to find other people? Why are you ying these


    games now?¡±


    Picking up the lipstick, I replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just a lipstick. Why are you making a big deal out of it? It¡¯s


    not like I left poison in your car.¡±


    Neil looked at me gloomily. ¡°Stop ying dumb.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so the little miss you helped out today saw it, did she? Was she mad?¡± I apologized nonchntly,


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use your dirty tricks on her, or don¡¯t me me for giving you a hard time.¡± Neil seemed worried


    that I would take more drastic measures against Bonnie.


    I gave a bitterugh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t go into the sushi restaurant with you today, nor did I see your


    girlfriend. I don¡¯t even know who she is. How could I possibly do anything to her?¡±


    Neil would definitely protect Bonnie well. Today¡¯s incident would definitely not be exposed to the media,


    otherwise, Bonnie¡¯s reputation would be damaged.


    Neil turned and went upstairs, his back exuding a chill.


    He had finally waited for Bonnie to take the initiative to ask him for help. Their rtionship had just


    gotten a little closer because of this, but as soon as Bonnie got in the car, she found another woman¡¯s


    lipstick and thought about the fact that he was already married. Immediately, the distance between


    them widened again, so it would be weird if he wasn¡¯t angry.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, dinner¡¯s ready¡± Ada murmured to me after Neil left.


    I nodded and got up to head to the dining room.


    After dinner, I took a bath and went straight to bed, not wanting to do anything else. Since I had to


    apany Barbara to pick out gowns tomorrow, I needed to rest well


    Just then, Faith sent me a message, listing names of two or three dozen traditional herbs.


    She said, ¡°Irene, please send someone to buy these herbs ording to the list, then boil them into a


    soup with hot water. Have Neil take it twice a day for half a month.¡±


    I was suddenly wide awake, ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±


    Faith replied, ¡°It¡¯s to boost a man¡¯s virility. I think there must be something wrong with Neil, If we don¡¯t


    treat this early, how long will we have to wait to see our grandchildren?¡±


    I was about to refuse outright, since there was nothing wrong with Neil¡¯s health and he wouldn¡¯t listen


    to me anyway.


    But I hesitated for a moment and finally agreed, ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m not sure if he will agree to take it.¡±


    Faith sent me a big ok gif, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you just need to prepare these herbs. Leave the rest


    to me.¡±


    The next day, I sent Ada to buy the herbs. Looking at the long list of mysterious names, she asked me


    in surprise, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    I shook my head with a smile, ¡°This is for Neil, Faith wants to have a grandchild soon.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hide anything from Ada. That way, when she saw Neil and Bonnie together in the future, she


    would remember me, the wronged wife.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I have a rtive who specializes in herbal medicine. He knows a special form. Shall I ask


    him for you?¡± Ada kindly suggested.


    ¡°Really? That would be great.¡± I pretended to be surprised, ¡°If it really works, I¡¯ll give you a raise.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll ask him today.¡± Ada was a bit embarrassed.


    I responded, ¡°Alright. I have something to do today, so I might not be back for lunch.¡±


    After that, I left. I arrived at the bridal shop that Barbara had mentioned promptly at eight.


    Barbara was already there waiting for me. Seeing me, she waved, ¡°Rena,e over here!¡±


    Once inside the bridal shop, the saledy served us warm water and prepared some snacks. The


    bridal shop wasn¡¯t big, and the prices for the wedding gowns were very reasonable. Given Barbara¡¯s


    status, she should have chosen a high-end bridal shop to customize her wedding gown.


    However, she told me that Norman couldn¡¯t afford such expensive gowns and didn¡¯t want to rely on her,


    so she decided to choose a moderately priced bridal shop.


    ¡°Ms. Sands, pleasee try on the gowns.¡± The saledy said to Barbara.


    Barbara got up to go to the fitting room, while I walked around the shop. Looking at those beautiful


    wedding gowns, I felt a bit bitter.


    The wedding gown is significant to a woman, yet when I was choosing mine, I was belittled by Neil.


    Just as I was reminiscing about these painful memories, the door to the bridal shop opened. Bonnie


    and two other girls walked in. They were chatting happily, their voices cheerful and crisp.


    ¡°Irene?¡± Seeing me, Bonnie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°What a coincidence! What brings you here?¡±


    At that moment, Barbara came out of the fitting room and asked me, ¡°Rena, how¡¯s this one?¡±


    She was wearing a dark red embroidered gown. It was very elegant, dignified and beautiful, but the


    color was a bit too dark. I thought for a moment, ¡°Do you have anything a bit brighter? This one makes


    you look a bit old.¡±


    The saledy quickly responded, ¡°We do. Ms. Sands, you cane with me to see other styles.¡±


    Barbara nodded and followed the saledy to continue choosing gowns.


    I then turned to Bonnie, ¡°I¡¯m helping a friend choose a gown. What about you guys¡­¡±


    The other two girls were about Bonnie¡¯s age. The three of them were arm in arm and looked very close.


    ¡°We¡¯re putting on a y in our drama club. My role requires a wedding gown, so I brought my


    roommates to help me rent one.¡± Bonnie replied with a beaming smile.


    ¡°Alright. Go ahead and choose.¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Bonnie and her two friends then went to choose their gowns. I sat on the sofa, flipping through


    a bridal magazine, while keeping an eye on Bonnie. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    After a while, Bonnie and her friends started asking the saledy about the rental price for the gowns.


    Upon learning that it would cost a hundred dors to rent for a day, the three of them looked at each


    other, seemingly unable to ept it.


    Bonnie asked a bit embarrassed, ¡°Can it be a bit cheaper? We only need to rent it for two days. We


    promise we won¡¯t make it dirty or damaged!¡±


    ¡°Please understand us. We¡¯re all students and we¡¯re renting this gown for a y. But the drama club¡¯s


    funds are really tight.¡± One of the other girls also pleaded.


    This put the saledy in a difficult position. Since she wasn¡¯t the owner of the shop and couldn¡¯t make


    the decision, she could only politely suggest that Bonnie and her friends pick a cheaper one.


    But Bonnie was set on this one and didn¡¯t want to switch.


    Seeing the three of them reluctantly put the gown back, I got up and walked over, ¡°Bonnie, just take this


    one. I¡¯ll pay for itter.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯don¡¯t need to do this, Irene!¡± Bonnie shook her head immediately upon hearing this, ¡°We¡¯ll just


    choose a cheaper one!¡±


    ¡°If you like this one, go for it. No matter what you rece it with, you¡¯ll still feel regret. Some things,


    once chosen, can¡¯t be changed.¡± I said with a cryptic smile.


    Not just gowns, but people too. Once you meet your true love, no one else can rece that person.


    Ignoring Bonnie¡¯s objections, I paid for the gown and asked the saledy to wrap it up and give it to


    her, ¡°You can pay me back when your club has enough funds.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s two roommates were stunned by my generosity and kept thanking me.


    Bonnie blushed, her eyes full of embarrassment. She said quietly, ¡°Thank you, Irene. I¡¯ll pay you back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± My smile deepened.


    Chapter 32


    After Bonnie and her crew left, Barbara finally picked out a dress she loved. It was a bright red,


    sleeveless, long dress, the hem of which reached about midway down her calves, showing off her


    slender ankles. The dress was designed to be very fitted, which made her look elegant and attractive. It


    had an ovey of thin gauze, but it looked like it was of average quality.


    Barbara gave herself a spin in front of the mirror, ¡°What do you think? I think it looks pretty good!¡±


    ¡°Very nice, the color suits you!¡± Iplimented.


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll take it!¡± Barbara decided immediately and then asked me to take a photo of her. She sent


    the picture to Norman.


    Two minutester, Barbara looked at her phone and a happy smile spread across her face. Then she


    excitedly told the salesperson, ¡°Could you wrap this up for me, please?¡± Our dress shopping adventure


    came to an end. Barbara insisted on treating me to dinner, so I picked a Japanese restaurant, the same


    one where Bonnie had a dispute with the ownerst time.


    Once we were in the restaurant, Barbara looked at the sushi, sukiyaki, and sashimi that were served,


    her face fell a bit, ¡°Why did you think ofing here to eat? I don¡¯t think the ingredients are very


    fresh¡­¡±


    This was a cheap ce where the average cost per person was tens of dors, so it¡¯s unrealistic to


    expect them to serve food of a hundred-dor quality.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder, would Neil ever bring Bonnie here for a mea!? There¡¯s no way she could


    transform from an ordinary person to a luxurious aristocrat, right?


    ¡°I saw this ce was quite busy, so I thought I¡¯d give it a try.¡± I picked up a piece of sushi and put it into


    my mouth. It actually tasted quite good.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33


    I didn¡¯t mean to look down on Bonnie. Everyone has their own way of life. Living an ordinary life is the


    fate of most people.


    I was just lucky. My family left me a bit of wealth, giving me a slightly better financial situation than


    others.


    But I was curious about Bonnie¡¯s life, her job, her favorite food, and her clothing style.


    ¡°This is so yummy!¡± Barbara wasn¡¯t a fan at first, but after a while, she started to enjoy it. After finishing


    a te of sushi, she ordered yakitori


    Barbara told me if she got pregnant soon after getting married, she would choose to be a stay at home


    mom.


    As for her dream of music, she might have to give it up.


    ¡°If you had your family invest some money in you, you could be a big name singer now,¡± I joked.


    ¡°That would be boring If I knew I was going to win, I wouldn¡¯t want to y the game,¡± Barbara pouted.


    That made me feel a bit awkward. I felt like she was talking about me.


    I knew Neil would end up with Bonnie in the end, but I was still struggling. I was such a fool.


    After the meal, we did some shopping and finally went home with bags full of goodies.


    I had Bailey pick me up. The Panamera was in the shop, so he drove a ck Lincoln. I shoved my


    shopping bags into the back seat, then hopped in the front passenger seat, ¡°go home!¡±


    Ada was very considerate. When I got home, she had already got ten prescriptions from her rtives


    and neatly ced them on the table.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, just boil these herbs into a soup and drink it twice a day,¡± Ada said.


    ¡°Thank you, Ada. How much do I owe you?¡± I reached for my wallet.


    ¡°No need, ma¡¯am. I broke your skincare productsst time and didn¡¯tpensate you. Consider this


    my payback,¡± Ada waved it off..


    I didn¡¯t insist, just thanked her again.


    Somehow, Faith managed to get Neil toe back that night. The moment he walked in the door, he


    dropped his coat, exuding a chill.


    I quietly ate my dinner, pretending not to see him.


    After Neil went upstairs, Ada brought the herbal soup and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, should I take it up, or¡­¡±


    I elegantly wiped the corner of my mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    I carried the soup upstairs to the guest room. Neil must be taking a shower. The sound of water


    sshing came from the bathroom.


    His phone on the table lit up. I took a ponytail shining under the sun.


    I recognized Bonnie¡¯s back instantly.


    it was a stock market push notification. His lock screen was a girl¡¯s back view. She was wearing a sky-


    blue cotton dress, her


    After the screen went off, I pressed it again to keep looking at the picture. Not until the sound of water


    stopped and the door opened did I hastily avert my eyes.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Seeing me, Neil asked indifferently.


    His hair was wet, a few strands hanging between his brows, making him look very refreshing, as if he


    was several years younger. His ck short-sleeve pajamas and pants made the lines of his shoulders


    and chest very clear.


    I was a bit jealous of Bonnie.


    ¡°Drink this.¡± I gently pushed the bowl of herbal soup on the table.


    ¡°No.¡± Neil replied in resignation.


    ¡°Then why are you back?¡± I was a bit puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents tell you toe back and take the


    medicine?¡±


    Seeing the annoyed look on Neil¡¯s face, I knew I had guessed right. He picked up the bowl of soup and


    drank it all in one go.


    After finishing, Neil handed me the empty bowl, ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    I took the bowl and left without hesitation.


    When I went downstairs and put the bowl in the kitchen, Ada was waiting there. She had a strange


    expression. She asked with a smile, ¡°Ma¡¯am, did Mr. Whitmore take the medicine?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± I nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You should also go take a bath and rest. It¡¯ste.¡± Ada kindly reminded me.


    Was itte at half past eight?


    But I didn¡¯t have anything else to do, so it was good to rest early. So, I went upstairs to take a shower.


    After taking a shower, I was lying in bed scrolling through my phone when I saw a post updated by


    Oscar in the afternoon. The picture was a sweaty photo of him. His blue jersey was slightly lifted,


    revealing his solid six pack abs.


    From the background of the photo, it looked like it was taken while he was ying basketball. In the


    background, you could vaguely see Bonnie.


    Young people are always so energetic and full of vitality. I didn¡¯t hesitate to give his six pack a like.


    In the lonely night, it was normal to feel a bit excited while seeing Oscar¡¯s selfie alone in an empty


    room.


    Just as I was about to satisfy my sex demand, my bedroom door opened I was startled


    ¡°What are you doing? Neil stood at the door, his voice a bit strange.


    I was holding a toy in my hand. I didn¡¯t have time to hide it under the nket. I sat on the bed, staring


    at him nkly. The air seemed to freeze.


    I didn¡¯t expect Neil toe looking for me at this time. This was really unusual. I could only pray that


    he didn¡¯t know what I was holding in my hand


    ¡°What is that?¡± Neil walked straight to my bed, trying to take the item from my hand


    I quickly hid it under the nket, my face stiff, ¡°What are you doing here? Don¡¯t you know you should


    knock?¡±


    1/2


    Chapter 33


    Neil stood beside the bed. I could feel the warmth from his body. His eyes were a bit red and his gaze


    was strange.


    ¡°What is it exactly?¡± Neil insisted. He bent over and reached into the nket, trying to snatch it again.


    I had never been this close to him before. This situation made me feel like he really wanted to take my


    thing.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°This is my personal stuff, none of your business! Neil, get back to your room and sleep!¡± I shouted


    angrily.


    Neil rudely pulled off my nket. Me and my pink pajama bottoms, which had slipped down to my


    knees, were all exposed to him.


    Neil looked at me. A few secondster, his gaze became more ardent.


    I thought he would mock me and then walk away, as this was his favorite and best thing to do. But


    things didn¡¯t go as I expected.


    Neil grabbed my hand that was trying to pull up my pajama bottoms, then he leaned over and kissed


    my lips fiercely. I immediately felt breathless.


    I pushed Neil away, ¡°Are you sick? Why are you so hot!¡±


    He¡¯s seriously on fire, so hot that it feels like you¡¯re gonna get burned. I wonder if he¡¯s lost his marbles


    due to high fever, that¡¯s why he¡¯s acting so out of control.


    Neil¡¯s voice is kind of hoarse. He said, ¡°Well, don¡¯t you know what kind of medicine you served me?¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34


    Did that medicine really work this fast? Could the medicine Ada¡¯s rtive gave be Viagra?


    I put my hand on Neil¡¯s chest, my mind in utter chaos.


    ¡°Neil, go take a cold shower,¡± I said, surprisingly calm. Even though I craved Neil¡¯s body, a craving that


    had been there for many years, the thought of us divorcing soon made me feel that physical


    entanglement was unnecessary.


    Neil¡¯s arms were like chains, tightly bound on either side of my shoulders. Even from this angle looking


    up at him, his good looks were undeniably perfect.


    He should still have some sanity left, as his eyes red with annoyance for a moment. I already took a


    cold shower. Any other ideas?¡±


    ¡°Should I get you a h ooker?¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°There¡¯s probably not enough time for that,¡± Neil said and then transformed into a beast full of desire. I


    couldn¡¯t resist his advance. My slender arms were like matchsticks, easily breakable.


    Neil just wanted to let off steam. Forey and the like weren¡¯t on his radar.


    As he entered me, he suddenly stopped, his eyebrows furrowed, shock evident in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡­ the first time?¡± Neil seemed taken aback.


    I could only feel pain. My temper red, ¡°Are we doing this or not? If not, get lost!¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyebrows rxed. He bent down to gently kiss my lips, a glint of pleasure in his eyes, ¡°Let¡¯s


    continue.¡±


    They say all men have a thing for virgins. Even if he doesn¡¯t love you, if he¡¯s your first, he¡¯ll feel


    aplished, thinking you¡¯re his woman.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I felt like Neil was that kind of person. As he tossed me around, he said unsatisfactorily, ¡°I thought you¡¯d


    really cheated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as shameless as you,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know the truth about my past scandals?¡± Neil was sweating profusely, beads rolling down


    his muscr body. The room was thick with hormones.


    Of course, I knew. He only had meals, watched movies, went to bars, and entered hotels with those


    women. He was never caught in apromising situation.


    But that wasn¡¯t eptable. I was jealous. I wanted to teach those scandal-stirring women a lesson.


    Neil and I had been married for five years, but we had never shared meals, watched movies, or stayed


    in hotels together. Why did those women get to?


    This was our first physical encounter, yet he was already exining his past scandals to me. I was


    astonished at the power of physical attraction.


    Neil was already physically fit. And with that magical medicine, he didn¡¯t sleep all night. Naturally, I


    stayed up with him.


    When daylight broke, I was too sleepy to keep my eyes open.


    Neil pinched my arm, then my thigh, somewhat dissatisfied, ¡°You¡¯re too skinny.¡±


    I turned away to sleep, ignoring him.


    I slept until four in the afternoon. When I woke up, my body ached and felt sticky. I couldn¡¯t wait to jump


    in the shower.


    After showering, I realized Neil wasn¡¯t in the room. When did he leave?


    It was rather good that he had gone. Having slept together for the first time after five years of marriage,


    it would definitely be awkward when we met.


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re awake?¡± Ada saw meing downstairs, smiling brightly, ¡°Did you sleep wellst


    night? Mr. Whitmore went to the office at noon and asked me not to wake you.¡±


    Dragging my somewhat numb legs, I sat down to eat, replying, ¡°I slept well. Ada, the medicine your


    rtive prescribed¡­ is quite effective¡±


    I was curious about what Ada would think. Did she regret facilitating a night of passion between her


    future son-inw and his wife of convenience?


    She must regret it.


    Neil¡¯s pursuit of Bonnie just got a star harder. Having witnessed so much between Neil and I, Ada


    would oppose even more.


    ¡°Madam, all men are like this. As long as you can satisfy him in bed, he will be loyal to you,¡± Ada


    surprisingly started to discuss how to control a husband with me!


    ¡°True, but Neil might not be that kind of man. Maybe there will be a woman in the future who doesn¡¯t


    need to satisfy him in bed and he¡¯ll still stay obediently by her sidel said while eating


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You have to be confident. Ordinary women can¡¯t match Mr. Whitmore. You and him are


    a match made in heaven Ada hurriedly consoled me.


    I nced at her again, thinking that in the future, your daughter will be that extraordinary woman.


    After eating, I went upstairs to y the cello, hoping to clear my mind. But a call interrupted me.


    Surprisingly, it was Russel. I was confused, ¡®Dr Russel?¡±


    Im at Wellness Oasis Come immediately Russel said simply and directly.


    ¡°Why?¡± I was stunned Wellness Oasis is a high end wellness club in Rosemont, only for those with


    considerable assets. If I remember correctly Neil is also one of the major shareholders. He asionally


    brings people there for business rxation.


    Russel, Mitch He bert, and Cooper rke are regrs there, which is normal. But I¡¯ve never been


    there It¡¯s strange for Russel to suddenly call me there.


    Much He


    Russel didn¡¯t exin and just hung up. His way of doing things was really annoying!


    But if Russel didn¡¯t have something important, he wouldn¡¯t bother me. So I quickly changed and left.


    Half an hourter, I was led to a room. There were several people in the room. I immediately saw Ste


    Wace, who was standing like a coc k y rooster She was intimidating with her hands on her hips.


    Across from her was Mitch, who was trembling behind Cooper


    Russel pointed at Ste, ¡°Your friend assaulted someone. Take her away¡±


    At this point, my confusion reached


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    He declined the request in a barely audible whisper. Ste looked like she was about to lose it and


    charge at him.


    I quickly stepped in to restrain Ste, ¡°What on earth happened?¡±


    Ste took a deep breath to regain herposure, thenid out the whole story. She was at the


    Wellness Oasis for a skincare spa treatment and ran into Mitch. He was busy leaving a voice message


    for Neil on how to chase after young chicks.


    ¡°Neil didn¡¯te?¡± My attention got sidetracked.


    ¡°He¡¯s swamped at work, so he didn¡¯t make it.¡¯ Cooper answered then sympathetically nced at Mitch,


    ¡°Maybe you should get on your knees and apologize. I don¡¯t want to get smacked too.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35


    Ste was really strong if Mitch and Cooper stick to their ¡®men don¡¯t hit women principle, they might end


    up in a hospital bed, courtesy of Ste.


    I stepped Ste, ¡°Ste, elegantdy doesn¡¯t get into fights with men. Let¡¯s get out of here¡±


    ¡°Humph, Mitch, you better remember this. If I run into you again, I¡¯m gonna beat you to death!¡± Ste


    red at Mitch.


    I was truly moved by Ste¡¯s determination. I decided to pay the rest of her expenses.


    Ste loved the nightlife, but she¡¯s also a skincare junkie. I advised her to get more sleep, saying it


    would do wonders for her skin. Sheughed and said, ¡°Sometimes, hormonal imbnces can mess up


    your skin too. We¡¯re almost hitting 30, so a sex life is essential!¡±


    I felt a bit embarrassed, as the scene with Neilst night reyed in my mind.


    Even though my legs were a bit sore, I felt great stepping out today. It was like a breath of fresh air


    after a long time.


    ¡°I recently met a young artist. He¡¯s handsome and I heard he¡¯s got a few showsing up, he¡¯s going


    to be a big deal. Want me to introduce you?¡± Ste tried ying matchmaker again when I didn¡¯t


    respond


    Tm not divorced yet. I reminded her, feeling a bit helpless.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that just a matter of time? Better have a backup n!¡± Ste replied, quite boldly.


    I knew the divorce was only a matter of time, but I had standards for my choices. I wouldn¡¯t mind


    someone like Oscar, as his status could bring a sense of bnce into my life.


    Otherwise, I¡¯d rather stay single than invite trouble.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Barbara said she wants to go on a trip with us after her engagement party this


    weekend. Me and Alicia are already in. Are youing?¡± Ste asked again.


    *Where to?¡± I asked back.


    ¡°We¡¯re thinking Soneva Jani in the Maldives.¡± Ste was clearly excited, ¡°You have to go! You and Neil


    never had a honeymoon. Consider this apensation for yourself!¡±


    Her words stirred something inside me. A honeymoon trip with friends, who wouldn¡¯t like that?


    Plus, something happened between me and Neil that shouldn¡¯t have. I should get away and give him


    some time to pursue Bonnie.


    With Neil¡¯s charm, three days should be enough for some progress, right?


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a deal!¡± I agreed without hesitation.


    After we settled the travel ns, Ste tried to drag me to a bar. I checked the time and declined


    immediately, I had to go home and sleep. I was already uptest night. I needed to take care of


    myself.


    After leaving Wellness Oasis, Ste grumbled about me not going with her and drove off. I got ready to


    drive home too.


    Just as I was getting in the car, a hand blocked my door. Russel was standing outside, ¡°We need to


    talk.


    ¡°You scared me!¡± I clutched my chest, ¡°Get in.¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t waste any time. As soon as he got in, he asked, ¡°Did you take the photo you sent me?¡±


    It¡¯s been days and he¡¯s asking about it now?


    ¡°Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, and I took it myself. Is there a problem?¡± I replied directly.


    ¡°What did you mean by sending it to me?¡± Russel turned his head to look at me.


    ¡­Nothing special. I just wanted you to witness it.¡± I answered after thinking for a few seconds.


    ¡°Witness what?¡± Russel¡¯s tone was cold.


    ¡°Witness your good friend¡¯s every step towards finding true love. Is that okay?¡± I sometimes find talking


    with Russel tiring. He¡¯s as straightforward as Neil, but more serious. During my past life when we


    worked together, he was always preupied with Bonnie, so he didn¡¯t have time to chat. So it felt


    different from how it feels now.


    At this moment, he¡¯s like a teacher, and I¡¯m like a guilty student.


    But my answer was sincere because Russel will fall in love with Bonnie too. I wanted him to witness


    Neil and Bonnie¡¯s love story with me.


    Russel looked at me like I was crazy, didn¡¯t say anything, and left.


    As soon as he got out, I drove away. I could still see him standing there, watching me from the rearview


    mirror.


    The next few days were busy for me as I helped Barbara choose hotels and n her engagement. She


    said I was the only one among us who was married, so I had some experience.


    What experience could I have 1 never had an engagement party, I went straight to getting married.


    In the end, she chose Orchid Hotel for her engagement party and hired a professional wedding team to


    n it. Barbara told the team that if they did a good job, she would hire them for her wedding at the end


    of the year too.


    The night before Barbara¡¯s engagement, I was eating dinner when Neil came home.


    He looked a bit tired. After he tossed his tie on the sofa, he went to get a ss of water. I watched him


    while eating, wondering, was pursuing Bonnie really that exhausting? ¡°Mr. Whitmore is back.¡± One of


    the maids said politely.


    Neil looked at the maid without saying anything and went straight to the dining room to sit down.


    Seeing this, Ada immediately set a pair of cutlery for him.


    I kept my head down, eating my meal. It was a bit awkward. Neil and I were not supposed to be


    intimate until our divorce. Now that we had been, it made our encounters awkward.


    Before Neil even started eating, his phone rang. It was his dad.


    ¡°I heard you signed the contract with Zenith Global?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Everything went smoothly: Neil replied while eating, his phone on speaker.


    ¡°Good. You¡¯ve been abroad these past few days, you must be tired. Rest early.¡± Ryan sounded


    pleased. After praising Neil and reminding him to rest, he hung up.


    1/2


    11:02


    Chapter 35


    was a bit surprised. So Neil went abroad for business these past few days? I thought he was pursuing


    Bonnie. Neil noticed my gaze, raised an eyebrow, and said coldly, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I went back to eating.


    Neil continued, ¡°I also received Barbara¡¯s invitation for her engagement party tomorrow. We should go


    together.¡±


    This made me look at him again, ¡°You n on going?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    We hardly have any mutual friends, and the only reason we know them was because we all belonged


    to the same social ss.


    Most likely Barbara¡¯s parents decided to invite Neil. That¡¯s just the way the social circle works. Who


    knows if they would have the opportunity to coborate with him in business in the future?


    But I never in a million years thought Neil would agree to go. In my past life, he didn¡¯t show up, just


    sent a gift with someone else.


    ¡°Hmm, got a problem with that?¡± Neil seemed unpleased with my reaction, as I seemed not eager for


    him to go.


    ¡°No problem!¡± I shook my head, then got up, ¡°I¡¯m full. I¡¯m gonna take a shower, then go to bed.¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36


    After taking a shower, I started my skincare routine, and that¡¯s when Neil decided to walked in.


    I found it strange. Why did he start visiting my room more frequently after my reincarnation?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me to attend Barbara¡¯s engagement party?¡± Neil asked, standing beside my vanity


    table, his tone rtively mild. He casually leaned against the table, his long legs in ck trousers


    towering over the tabletop.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t want you to. You¡¯re being oversensitive,¡± I replied, feeling helpless.


    ¡°Is it because Russel is also going?¡± Neil lowered his head, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. This


    expression usually indicated that he was in a bad mood.


    I felt a headacheing on. What was he talking about? What did Russel going have to do with me?


    ¡°No. What are you trying to say? Just spit it out. We¡¯ve never needed to beat around the bush.¡± I gently


    circled my fingers on the face mask, then took out a massager and started massaging.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, we can each have our own lovers, but you can¡¯t target the people around me. Did


    you forget so quickly?¡± Neil¡¯s aura suddenly turned cold, and his voice followed suit.


    I was speechless and confused, ¡°Who said Russel is my target?¡±


    Neil silently looked at me. I took a guess, ¡°Was it Mitch?¡±


    What happenedst time at Wellness Oasis, that big mouth Mitch must have told Neil. Plus, the fact


    that I asked Russel to buy personal items for me in the past, it was bound to make Neil suspicious.


    He was a cun ning man. Any abnormality could trigger his alertness. Despite his young age, he was as


    good as, if not better than, the seasoned foxes in the business world when it came to schemes.


    Aside from knowing each other¡¯s names and appearances, Russel and I really didn¡¯t have any


    connection.


    ¡°Exin,¡± Neil stood upright, hands casually in his pockets, looking down at me.


    ¡°Exin what? I¡¯m not close with him,¡± I didn¡¯t want to exin.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not close, why does he suddenly have your contact?¡± Neil was very dissatisfied with my


    perfunctory attitude, and a hint of anger appeared on his handsome face, ¡°Irene, don¡¯t push my


    buttons!¡±


    Taken aback by his anger, I shot him a re, ¡°Neil, are you here to pick a fight with me? I¡¯m telling you,


    Russel contacted me first. Why don¡¯t you ask him why he has my number?¡±


    The photo of me and Oscar was sent to me by Russel. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have his contact at all. I


    had asked him for his contact before, but he didn¡¯t give it to me.


    Neil didn¡¯t say much, he picked up his phone and was about to call Russel.


    But I thought th


    was inappropriate. Russel was also unpredictable. What if he sent the photo of me and Oscar to Neil


    under questioning?


    should I exin Oscar¡¯s identity to Neil? He probably already knew who Bonnie¡¯s boyfriend was. All he


    had to do was look at the photo and he would find out that I knew Bonnie¡¯s boyfriend.


    I didn¡¯t want to lose my advantage so soon. I wanted to tell him about it when his rtionship with


    Bonnie had deepened.


    ¡°Neil!¡± I called out, then took off my mask, stood up and tried to sn atch his phone away, ¡°How could


    you do this? If I had something indecent with Russel, how could I still have a


    tionship with you?!¡±


    Neil seemed speechless at my response. He raised his hand and held the phone high where I couldn¡¯t


    reach. He replied coldly, ¡°Who says a woman can¡¯t have a rtionship with two men? What happened


    when I was on a business trip, how would I know?¡±


    As a modern


    Just as


    I have a rtively open view on sex, but I can¡¯t stand being maliciously ndered.


    to retort, the call went through. Russel¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Hello?¡±


    I was so anxious that


    Neil


    My eyes started to well up, feeling a great sense of defeat.


    I answered the call, but his eyes were fixed on me. When he saw that I was crying, he paused, thenThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    said to Russel, ¡°Nothing, wrong number.¡±


    Seeing Neil hang up the phone, I let out a sigh of relief, then crawled into bed and didn¡¯t want to deal


    with Neil anymore.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything. I heard his footsteps heading towards the bathroom. Soon, I heard the sound


    of water.


    He wouldn¡¯t really want to sleep here, would he? I was anxious. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to share a bed


    with Neil because I didn¡¯t want to get entangled with him and I was afraid my will would be broken.


    He had a great body, a handsome face, and was very charming.


    I had been infatuated with him for ten years. After reliving my life, I became a lot clearer, but that was


    based on Neil coldly abandoning me like in my past life.


    I knew the weakness of human nature. I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist.


    After a while, what I feared happened, Neil reallyid down next to me.


    ¡°Neil, are you asleep?¡± I initiated the conversation.


    ¡°No, what¡¯s up¡± Neil asked calmly.


    ¡°I want to talk to you.¡± I turned over. Neil was lying t, one hand under his head, eyes closed. I looked


    at his near-perfect side profile. Although my heart still pounded for him, my rationality told me to


    restrain myself.


    Neil made a sound, waiting for me to continue.


    I thought for a moment, then asked him, ¡°Are you pursuing a young girl recently?¡±


    He opened his eyes, slightly turned his head to look at me, his eyes deep. ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    I


    ¡°Nothing, I just heard your chat with Russel at the coffee shop that time, and knew about it, so I wanted


    to ask you, are you sincere about this girl? Is she different from the women you¡¯ve been with before?¡± I


    asked curiously. I was calm inside.


    ¡°Yes¡± The simpler Neil¡¯s answer, the more sincere it was.


    I paused, seeing the tenderness sh in his eyes. Was it because he remembered Bonnie?


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    11:02


    Chapter 36


    ¡°But she already has a boyfriend night?¡± I further inquired


    Neil¡¯s expression immediately turned unpleasant. He sneered ¡°As long as they break up, she won¡¯t


    have a boyfriend, right?¡±


    In my heart, I reckoned Neil¡¯s behavior seriously needed some improvements, and I felt sorry for Oscar.


    I wondered if there¡¯s been some beer


    recently


    Femme


    ¡°Uh huh, you¡¯ve got a point. Best of luck to you¡± I replied a tad awkwardly, then turned around and went


    to sleep, mulling over whether it should hit to Oscar tungt be a golden opportunity for me.


    If things between Neil and Bonnie got more serious, then it¡¯s only fair that my rtionship with Oscar


    stepped up a notch too. That seemed like the far y to

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37


    We had a quiet night. Ever since I wished Neil well, he hadn¡¯t spoken a word to me.


    I was woken up by the rm clock. As I got out of bed in a daze, I saw Neil was already up and about,


    dressed in a suit and tying his tie.


    Neil was a man of action, very disciplined. I¡¯d barely ever seen him oversleep. If there¡¯s something to


    be done, he never procrastinated.


    I watched him. He¡¯s quite tall, with a bigger frame than most men. His muscles were firm and strong, he


    looked slim in clothes, but once he took them off, his muscr physique was revealed.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Go get dressed,¡± Neil said after he tied his tie, ncing at me.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I stepped into the dressing room and picked out a white co ck tail dress. The dress had a


    fishtail design, a bit tight but very elegant and understated, so it wouldn¡¯t steal the show.


    I put on a pair of nude pink heels from Valentino and went to the dressing table to do my makeup. Neil


    was no longer in the bedroom.


    Barbara was the star of the day, so I went for a light makeup look.


    By the time I came downstairs, Ada had prepared breakfast. Neil was sitting at the dining table, sipping


    his coffee and eating avocado toast.


    ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am,¡± Ada nodded at me.


    ¡°Ada, we¡¯re going to a friend¡¯s engagement party today, so we won¡¯t be home for lunch. You don¡¯t need


    to prepare for us,¡± I told Ada as I sat down.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Ada responded.


    By the time I was halfway through my meal, Neil had already finished his. After


    ¡°Okay,¡± I replied, slightly puzzled. He even wanted me to ride in the same


    wiping his mouth, he stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the car.¡±


    with him?


    Five minutester, I hurriedly got into Neil¡¯s car and we rushed to the ?


    Orchid Hotel.


    The engagement party wouldn¡¯t start until noon, but as Barbara¡¯s close friend, I definitely had to arrive


    early. As for Neil, I had no idea why he was so eager.


    Ste and Alicia Rider arrived around the same time as us. Their outfits were quite simr to mine. We


    were all on the same page about this, to entuate Barbara, the most beautiful girl in a red dress.


    When they saw Neil and me arrive together, Ste looked like she¡¯d seen a ghost, her expression


    changing three times in a second.


    Shock, confusion, speechlessness.


    Alicia was a bit calmer, but her eyes were wide with surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go up first,¡± Neil said coldly after seeing rtionship had grown even colder.


    He and Ste were never close to begin with. After the incident at the bar and the fight at the Wellness


    Oasis, their


    ¡°Sure,¡± I nodded. Barbara¡¯s engagement party was on the eighth floor. He could take the elevator


    straight up.


    After Neil left, Ste rushed over and shook me by the shoulders, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Alicia asked dramatically


    I sighed, gently pushed away Ste¡¯s hand, and exined, ¡°The Sands family invited Neil. We¡¯re still


    married, we can¡¯t drive here separately, right?¡±


    If that happened, and my parents or his found out, it wouldn¡¯t end well, unless we announced we were


    getting a divorce.


    Ste snorted lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t let his charm seduce you.¡±


    The moment Neil got out of the car, it was like a bright light had been turned on, radiating in all


    directions. Everyone who had eyes couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra nces at him.


    The first time I met Neil when I was 17, he was just a young boy who had just grown up, but he already


    had an irresistible charm. When he stood in front of me, I felt like he was from apletely different


    world than everyone else.


    ¡°Sure. Keep reminding me,¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡°Of course I will!¡± Ste looped her arm through mine, her other hand holding Alicia¡¯s. The three of us


    walked into the hotel lobby together and took the elevator upstairs. An engagement party is different


    from a wedding, it¡¯s smaller and less formal, mainly just a meal with family, friends, and some important


    people. There were eight round tables in the banquet hall. Hotel staff were busily decorating the room.


    The big screen disyed the words ¡°Barbara and Norman¡¯s Engagement¡±, with red hearts as the


    background.


    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Barbara, holding Norman¡¯s hand, ran over to us happily when she saw us.


    Barbara was wearing a red dress, her hair was up, she looked elegant and beautiful. She radiated


    happiness, which made Ste sigh, ¡°That¡¯s the power of love!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re envious, why don¡¯t you seriously look for a boyfriend?¡± Barbara patted Ste¡¯s butt yfully,


    ¡°With your hot body, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find a boyfriend, right?¡±


    Ste held her chin up proudly. ¡°Those guys aren¡¯t good enough for me. I want to be the best version of


    me!¡±


    1 sat down at a table, looking around, a lot of people had already arrived. The people here today were


    not only here for the engagement party but also forworking so everyone arrived early to have time


    to chat.


    To my surprise, Russel, Mitch, and Cooper were also here. They were sitting with Neil, chatting.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore? You¡¯re here today too!¡± A woman in a ck sequin dress came over to Neil, bent over


    and started talking to him. Her V-neck dress revealed her ample cleavage. She had a charming smile,


    ¡®Long time no see.¡±


    Neil nced at the woman, his brows furrowing slightly in confusion, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The woman¡¯s smile froze, clearly taken aback. Mitch quickly jumped in, ¡°Neil, this is Kathy You¡¯ve


    invested in her movie!¡±


    When Neil heard the name ¡°Kathy¡¯, he rxed his brows, gave a casual smile, ¡°Oh, it has been a


    while.¡±


    ¡°We should grab coffee sometime.¡± Kathy, somewhat embarrassed, hastily left after forcing out this


    sentence.


    Sta was also watching Neil. She shook her head, ¡°Look at your husband¡¯s behavior! Only you could


    put up with him for five years, Rena. If it were me, I would¡¯ve been done with him ages ago!¡±


    Alicia chimed in, ¡°Yeah. So, being handsome gives him the right to scoff at marriage? That¡¯s just low!¡±


    Hearing our chatter, Neil¡¯s gaze drifted our way We locked eyes for a moment before we both, as if on


    cue, shifted our attention elsewhere.


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    ¡°Enough about me. Today¡¯s all about Barbara¡¯s engagement, why are we talking about me?¡± I craned


    my neck to look around, ¡°Hey, Barbara, where are your parents and your


    future inws?¡±


    No sign of Norman either.


    Barbara swiveled her head, ¡°My parents are ying host to the rtives. Norman¡¯s parents were here


    just a moment ago. Where did they vanish to all of a sudden? I¡¯ll go


    check.¡±


    ¡°Off you go.¡± I waved her away.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38


    After Barbara left, Ste, Alicia, and I started chatting. It wasn¡¯t until half an hourter that Norman and


    his parents showed up. Norman knew we were tight with Barbara, so he brought his parents over to


    say hi, ¡°Irene, Ste, Ali, y¡¯all are here.¡±


    ¡°Of course we would be. Barbara getting engaged is a big deal.¡± Ste responded.


    I shifted my attention to Norman¡¯s parents. Norman¡¯s dad seemed pretty happy, but his mom looked far


    from pleased.


    On such a festive day, why was she wearing such a long face?


    Barbara also marched over with her parents.


    Norman instantly greeted his future inws and shed a smile at Barbara Barbara returned the smile.


    Ste, Alicia, and I also chimed in with greetings. We were pretty familiar with Barbara¡¯s parents, so it


    wasn¡¯t awkward, but it was our first time meeting Norman¡¯s parents, and only Barbara¡¯s second or third


    time. Apparently, they had been living in their hometown far away from the city.


    After exchanging pleasantries, Barbara and Norman whisked their parents away for a chat. I let out a


    sigh, ¡°I have a feeling Barbara¡¯s future mother-inw might be a tough nut to cr ack.¡±


    ¡°She seems like a real piece of work. I bet Barbara might regret this in the future.¡± Ste had never


    been for Barbara getting married this soon. Norman¡¯s career was still up in the air, they might even


    have to scale down the wedding. What the heck was she marrying him for?


    Alicia hushed us, ¡°This is Barbara¡¯s engagement party. We should say something auspicious.¡±


    Ste and I exchanged a helpless nce.


    A match of equals makes for a happier marriage.


    At noon, the banquet started. Ste, Alicia, and I were having a st. Neil and his crew kept to their


    table and didn¡¯te over, but I didn¡¯t care.


    After the engagement party wrapped up, Alicia hurried back to work. Ste got a call from home urging


    her to go back and sort things out. I got caught up in a chat with some others, said goodbye to Barbara,


    and then left.


    Before leaving, I made a pit stop at the restroom. As soon


    ¡°If you¡¯re short on cash, just tell me. This job isn¡¯t


    I strained my ears to eavesdrop on the


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, I¡¯ve already rejected you. We


    and sweet as ever.


    for


    I stepped out, I saw Neil in the hallway not far away. Bonnie, in her Orchid Hotel uniform, stood by his


    side.


    Neil was saying to Bonnie, his voice a bit mu ffled from the distance.


    from different worlds, and I have a boyfriend. I hope you stop popping up unexpectedly like this.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s voice was clear


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯ll get what I want.¡± Neil¡¯s tone suddenly turned Istern, ¡°I¡¯ve given you plenty of chances.


    Don¡¯t keep pushing your luck.¡±


    I shook my head. This guy might scare her off.


    Sure enough, Bonnie whimpered, ¡°What do you want then? I know I can¡¯t fight you, but I can avoid


    you!¡±


    ¡°You think you can run from me?¡± Neil chuckled, probably finding Bonnie¡¯s defiance amusing.


    Bonnie wanted to say something else, but Neil cut her off with a final warning, ¡°You have one week to


    break up with him, or face the consequences.¡±


    With that, Neil left.


    Bonnie stood there, helpless, her shoulders shaking as if she was crying. I didn¡¯tfort her and left


    from the other side.


    Downstairs, Neil was waiting for me in the car. I got in calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Inside, my seemingly calm heart was rippling. I hadn¡¯t quite reached the state of true peace and


    eptance. I had only witnessed Neil¡¯s crazy love for Bonnie, but never every moment they spent


    together. This time, I saw a glimpse.


    I have to say, I felt really upset. A familiar sense of jealousy was sprouting in my heart.


    ¡°Pull over. I have something to do. I won¡¯t be going home for now.¡± I suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Where to?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not meddle in each other¡¯s affairs.¡± I unbuckled my seatbelt and responded coldly.


    Neil gave me a chilly nce, then pulled over, ¡°Get out.¡±


    I got out right away and walked onto the sidewalk without looking back. Neil¡¯s car zoomed past me


    without stopping.


    Would he have left if Bonnie got out of the car after a fight with him? No, he wouldn¡¯t even let Bonnie


    out of the car.


    I rubbed my forehead. Why was I stillparing myself to Bonnie? In Neil¡¯s eyes, Bonnie and I were


    onpletely different levels.


    I hailed a cab, then said tiredly, ¡°Take me to the nearest bar.¡±


    Ten minutester, arrived at a bar. It was pretty empty in the afternoon. I found a spot, ordered a few


    bottles of booze, and started drinking alone.


    Suddenly, I remembered the hunk Ste introduced me to before. I had turned down his contact then,


    but now I really needed someone to drink with. I was about to call Ste to get that guy¡¯s number


    ¡°Irene? Just as I picked up my phone, Oscar, dressed in a bartender uniform, appeared in front of me.


    ¡°Oscar?¡± I was a bit surprised, ¡°Are you working part time here?¡±


    Oscar nedded with a smile, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the holiday season.¡±


    Come to think of it, that¡¯s true. Being out of work and school, I had lost track of the holidays.


    No wonder Bonnie was also working part-time at the Orchid Hotel


    Oscar, in his ck vest and white shirt, looked quite handsome. The student vibe had faded a bit,


    reced by a more mature style, but his eyes were as clear as ever


    ¡°Are you busy? If not, sit down and have a drink with me.¡± I pointed to the seat next to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now. The bar usually gets busy at night.¡± Oscar took a seat next to me. He nced at the


    bottles on the table, ¡°Irene, are you feeling down? Why are you drinking


    alone Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    11:02


    Chapter 38


    I got Oscar a drink and gave a bitter smile. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m in a funk. I¡¯m about to get divorced with my


    hubby.¡±


    Oscar asked in surprise, ¡°Why?¡±


    I looked at him, deliberately making it mysterious. ¡°Take a wild guess.¡±


    Oscar didn¡¯t respond, probably afraid that if he guessed right, it might hurt me. Seeing him a bit


    flustered, I felt a little better. What a lovely big boy he is! He¡¯s miles better than Neil.


    ¡°He¡¯s fallen for someone else. I might end up with a fat stack of cash and be a divorcee.¡± I took a


    sip of the drink and mentioned this rather pathetic fact with a hint of


    a smile.


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re so nice, how could he fall for someone else¡­¡± Oscar seemed a bit puzzled.


    I sighed, ¡°Some people like fancy gourmet food, while others prefer simple home cooked meals. It¡¯s


    just how it is.¡±


    Oscarforted me again, ¡°Irene, he¡¯s bound to regret it. He¡¯ll realize you¡¯re the best.¡±


    I burst intoughter. I really wanted to tell Oscar, ¡°the girl Neil has fallen for is your girlfriend! And he


    won¡¯t regret it. Their love will only grow deeper.¡±


    ¡°Who knows. Maybe.¡± I raised my ss, ¡°Let¡¯s quit the downer talk. Let¡¯s drink.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39


    Oscar¡¯s at work, so he can¡¯t drink too much. I didn¡¯t force him, just chatting with him.


    He said, ¡°Irene, I still have eight hundred dors left from the two thousand dors you lent mest


    time.. Let me pay you back that first. I¡¯ll gradually earn the remaining $1,200 and return it to you. I¡¯ll


    start my internship next semester. Once Ind a goodpany, I should be able to save up fast.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re starting an internship?¡± I asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m graduating next June. Bonnie will also be in her senior year,¡± Oscar sighed. ¡°Time sure flies.¡±


    I fell silent. It felt like just yesterday when I bumped into Neil in school, but now I¡¯m already nearly thirty.


    Just then, three guys walked up to us. I spotted Russel right away. What are he, Mitch and Cooper


    doing in this bar?


    I was speechless at this coincidence.


    ¡°Oscar, you should get back to work,¡± I hastily said to Oscar.


    ¡°Okay, Irene. Call me anytime if you need me,¡± Oscar got up and left.


    Russel¡¯s gaze followed Oscar as he left. After a while, he turned his attention back to me.


    Mitch didn¡¯t know how to address me when he saw me. Him and Cooper exchanged nces.


    They don¡¯t know Oscar, so they probably thought I was ordering drinks from a waiter.


    Russel took a seat beside me. His long legs were casually crossed, his eyes keenly focused on me.


    ¡°Russel, let¡¯s sit over there?¡± Mitch seemed a bit uneasy. He didn¡¯t dare to sit with me, given that he


    was Neil¡¯s wingman in courting other women.


    ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll join you in a bit,¡± Russel responded nonchntly.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Mitch and Cooper quickly picked a spot far thest from me.


    I found it amusing. Did they think I would do something outrageous to them?


    ¡°Another coincidence?¡± Russel broke the silence. I knew he was referring to me sitting with Oscar just


    now.


    ¡°Indeed, quite a coincidence,¡± I didn¡¯t lie.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡± Russel looked around, ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave with him?¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°I happened to see him and his new me at the hotel, felt a bit down, so I got off his car to


    get a drink. Then I bumped into her boyfriend here. Now isn¡¯t that a


    coincidence?¡±


    Russel¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°That girl Bonnie is at the Orchid Hotel?¡±


    I shed a standard smile, ¡°Yes. Are you interested in her?¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Russel scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in her. You¡¯re overthinking.¡±


    I wondered when he would finally show interest in her. I was growing impatient.


    But I did have something to discuss with Russel. I got him a drink, thinking about how to start, ¡°Russel,


    could you not tell anyone, especially Neil, that I know Bonnie and Oscar?¡±


    I forgot to remind him seriouslyst time. Neil¡¯s callst night really got me on edge.


    It¡¯s not time to show my hand yet. I didn¡¯t want things to spiral out of control.


    ¡°What should I say if he asks why we¡¯re so close?¡± Russel clearly anticipated this question. He knew


    Neil quite well.


    ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, right? What¡¯s your specialty?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Cardiology,¡± Russel replied.


    ¡°Ah! Dr. Russel, my stomach hurts so bad! I might have gastritis. Can you treat me from now on?¡± I


    clutched my stomach, putting on an exaggerated performance.


    Then I saw a hint of annoyance on Russel¡¯s cold face.


    He said irritably, ¡°Your illness is not within my area of expertise.¡±


    ¡°When Oscar was hospitalized, it wasn¡¯t because of a heart condition either. But you covered for him,


    didn¡¯t you?¡± I argued, ¡°Doctors should be ready to save lives at all times, why pick and choose


    patients? You¡¯re unprofessional.¡±


    ¡°Irene, are you stu pid?¡± Russel was speechless.


    ¡°How else would you exin it to Neil? Fine, if you can¡¯t treat stomach problems, just tell him I have


    arrhythmia and you¡¯ve treated me before. Isn¡¯t that enough? You¡¯re an adult, can¡¯t you tell a white lie?¡±


    I was a bit annoyed. Russel obviously didn¡¯t want to help me.


    Mitch and Cooper kept ncing over at us. I was tipsy, so I got up and sat really close to Russel, then


    wrapped my arm around his, ¡°If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll sit on yourp right now, believe it or not? Since


    you can¡¯t exin anyway, might as well make itpletely unexinable.¡±


    ¡°Irene, watch it!¡± Russel, annoyed, shook off my hand and stood up.


    Just tell him we have a thing going on. Wouldn¡¯t that exin why we¡¯re so close?¡± I was blushing. I


    started to talk nonsense, ¡°No professional ethics, no brains¡­¡±


    Russel, blushing and irritated, red at me for a moment, then turned and walked towards Mitch and


    the others.


    I copsed onto the seat. My head was spinning.


    I thought Russel would ignore me. But he came back after a minute, grabbed my arm, helped me up


    and walked towards the exit.


    Unfortunately, my blurry eyes couldn¡¯t see Mitch and the others¡¯ reaction. I guess they must¡¯ve reacted


    the same way as Ste when she saw me getting off Neil¡¯s car.


    ¡°Russel¡­ I gotta tell you¡­¡± In the car, images from my past life shed through my mind as I


    mumbled, ¡°Bonnie ain¡¯t all that. There are outstanding women everywhere, why are you so fixated on


    her? Look at me! I¡¯ve moved on¡­¡±


    These were the words I wanted to tell him on my deathbed in my past life. It¡¯s not worth it for Bonnie.


    He¡¯s not Neil. He¡¯s always been a pure and innocent man. He shouldn¡¯t have ended up like that


    because of an ordinary woman. What¡¯s more, he lost to Neil


    Russel nced at me, his eyes a myriad of emotions, while I dozed off mid-sentence.


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    11:02


    Chapter 39


    Unexpectedly, Russel didn¡¯t drop me back at Sterling Estates. Instead, he took me to a hotel and got


    me my own room. I didn¡¯t discover this until I woke up the next day.


    I found a WhatsApp friend request from Russel on my phone. We had beenmunicating by calls


    before this.


    With a slight headache, I hit ¡°ept¡± with one hand.


    Russel said, ¡°When you wake up, make an appointment at the cardiology department of the hospital.


    Choose me as your attending physician.¡±


    I was puzzled, then it hit me. Was he agreeing to cover for me with Neil? And was he nning to do it


    so wlessly?


    I immediately replied, ¡°Got it. I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    I hustled to the hospital and got a number for Russel.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40


    After a long wait in line, it was finally my turn. Russel nced at me and motioned for me to sit on the


    nearby chair, ¡°have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I immediately sat down, but Russel had already called in the next patient.


    Russel was very focused on his work. Wearing gold-rimmed sses, he had an air of intellectuality.


    Listening to his interaction with patients, I became more convinced of one thing: he didn¡¯t need to fight


    over Bonnie with Neil. He deserved a better woman. Why would he put himself in such a mess?


    About ten minutester, Russel said to me, ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    I got up and left without asking any questions.


    I gave Bailey a call. Half an hourter, Bailey picked me up at the entrance of the hospital. After I got in


    the car, he asked with concern, ¡°Madam, are you not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°My heart is ufortable.¡± I replied casually


    ¡°How did the examination go?¡± Bailey asked again.


    ¡°Probably due tock of rest.¡± I perfunctorily replied.


    Bailey nodded, ¡°Then you need to rest more.¡±


    I really needed to rest more, otherwise the weight I just gained would drop again. My ideal weight was


    60 kilos, at least 50 kilos. But now I only weighed 45 kilos


    I sighed helplessly.


    When I returned to Sterling Estates, I asked Ada to prepare lunch. She seemed a bit off. Before she left


    to prepare the food, she whispered to me, ¡°Madam, Mr. Whitmore is upstairs.¡±


    ¡°When did hee back?¡± I was a bit surprised.


    ¡°He came backst night. He was asking why you weren¡¯t home. He seemed to be in a bad mood.¡±


    Ada replied.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± I waved my hand, then got up and headed upstairs.


    Neil was working in the study. His desk was a mess, but he seemed unfazed, always effortlessly finding


    the files he needed. The study was filled with the smell of smoke. He was holding a half-smoked


    cigarette between his fingers.


    I coughed twice as the smoke choked me. He looked up at me from the pile of papers, his eyes cold.


    ¡°You finally came back?¡± Neil put out the cigarette, his voice hard.


    ¡°Why did youe backst night?¡± I found it strange. Shouldn¡¯t Neil have gone to find Bonnie?


    ¡°Where do you think I should have gone?¡± Neil countered.


    I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. You carry on with your work. I¡¯m going to take a shower, and then it¡¯s


    time for lunch.¡±


    As I was about to leave the study, Neil spoke again, a hint of jealousy in his tone, ¡°Where did you


    spend the nightst night?¡±


    This question made me feel a bit guilty. Although there was nothing substantial between Russel and


    me, he took me to a hotel after I got drunk and helped me keep it a secret from Neil, which made me


    feel like I wasn¡¯t entirely innocent. At the very least, we were in the same boat.


    ¡°At a hotel.¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Alone?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes darkened further.


    I nodded, confirming that I was alone in the room.


    Seeing this, Neil¡¯s expression softened a bit, then he went back to his work, ignoring me.


    Sometimes I wonder, was I sent by Go d to atone for Neil¡¯s sins? Otherwise, how could I have tolerated


    him for so many years?


    After leaving the study, I quickly took a shower and then went down for lunch.


    Neil was already sitting at the dining table. He was eating his food in silence, not waiting for me at all.


    I¡¯m still not used to having meals with him alone. The atmosphere was heavy, and we had nothing to


    say to each other.


    Then, his phone rang. I took a peek and felt powerless.


    Why does Bonnie always call him when I¡¯m with Neil? If I hadn¡¯t been reborn, I would have suspected


    that she had installed surveince on Neil.


    Bonnie was saying something excitedly on the phone. I could only hear her voice but couldn¡¯t make out


    the specific content.


    Neil rubbed his temples, his face gloomy, ¡°I told you, if you¡¯re short of money, you cane to me.


    How much do you need? Just tell me.¡±


    I was momentarily dazed, as if I had been brought back to my past life. Back then, Neil asked me,


    ¡°How much money do you need to agree to a divorce? Tell me!¡±


    Simr words, butpletely different meanings.


    Bonnie said something else, then hung up the phone.


    Neil tossed his phone aside, clearly having lost his appetite. Ada was wiping the table in the distance.


    I¡¯m not sure if she noticed what was happening here.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°Focus on your food.¡± Neil shot me a nce, sounding somewhat disgruntled.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get her fired, did you?¡± I was pretty confident in my guess, ¡°So she called to me you,


    right?¡±


    This was Neil¡¯s usual way of doing things. As for a female college student, he wouldn¡¯t respect her.


    Only when he truly fell for her would he genuinely consider for her.


    At present, he merely saw Bonnie as a rare toy he couldn¡¯t get.


    Neil¡¯s face darkened instantly, ¡°Do you want apliment for knowing me well?¡±


    I smiled and said, ¡°Not necessary. I just think your way of pursuing her won¡¯t work. I heard she¡¯s an


    excellent college student. Although her family can¡¯tpare to yours, she¡¯s superior to many ordinary


    people in some ways. Such girls have strong self-esteem, so they won¡¯t rely on you for money. You


    might want to consider a different approach to woo her.¡±


    ¡°You seem to really hope that I can win her over?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


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    ¡°Haven¡¯t I proposed a divorce to you? I¡¯m serious about it.¡± I looked straight into Neil¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Still 3%?¡± Neil gave a faint smile.


    ¡°No, 5%.¡± I held up five fingers, my smile bright, ¡°So, deal?¡±


    Neil stared at me. Although there was still a smile at the corner of his mouth, I could sense his


    sarcasm. He looked away, ate a few more bites of the food on his te, then got up and left.


    I was torn inside: did he agree or not?


    After Neil left, Barbara¡¯s call came in promptly, ¡°Rena, pack your bags today. We¡¯ll meet at the airport


    tomorrow. I¡¯ve already bought the tickets for you.¡±


    ¡°Alright. What time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent it to you via WhatsApp. Check it yourself.¡± Barbara replied.


    After hanging up, I checked WhatsApp and saw that I had to catch a flight early in the morning.


    A little getaway wouldn¡¯t hurt. I headed upstairs after dinner and packed lightly. Since I had to get up


    early the next day, I hit the sack pretty early.


    I didn¡¯t let Neil in on my trip to the Maldives, nor did I tell my parents. The next day, I made a beeline for


    the airport and met up with Barbara and her two mates.


    ¡°G od willing, let there be a romantic encounter waiting for me there!¡± After boarding, Alicia lounged in


    thefy, spa cious seat and murmured a prayer.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41


    ¡°Having a few backup options is always a good idea,¡± Ste shared her experience.


    ¡°Who has time for backups? I work six days a week. Just keeping up with work socials is draining


    enough,¡± Alicia sighed.


    I was lounging with my eyes covered, eavesdropping on their chit-chat, and before I knew it, I had


    drifted off to sleep


    Afternding, we hopped on a seane to get to the ind, taking in the dazzling views through the


    window.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s beautiful!¡± We finally arrived at our overwater vi. Barbara was instantly ecstatic at the sight


    of the gorgeous blue sea and sky. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. This is where Norman and I will


    honeymoon!¡±


    ¡°I wanna hit the water too!¡± Ste casually stripped down to her bikini and dove into the private outdoor


    pool attached to the vi.


    Not to be outdone, Alicia and Barbara also jumped in. The three of them yfully sshed about in the


    water.


    I was lounging on a deck chair, idly scrolling through my phone. I hesitated for a moment when I saw


    the 800 dors transfer from Oscar, but epted it anyway. I didn¡¯t. need the money, but I didn¡¯t want


    to bruise his ego either. That would be bad manners.


    Oscar sent a smiley face emoji: Irene, I¡¯ll pay you back the rest as soon as I can.


    I replied. No rush.


    Bonnie still owed me 200 dors, but her side gig had been messed up by Neil so she probably


    wouldn¡¯t be able to pay me back anytime soon. I didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°Rena,e join us! Let¡¯s grab some dessertter!¡± Barbara waved at me from the pool.


    I got up and took off my outerwear, but instead of joining them in the pool, I slid down the water slide.


    Then, I swam around in the pool, feeling refreshed. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Ever since graduation, the four of us hadn¡¯t had a chance to hang out like this, mostly because I got


    married early and was too wrapped up in my love life to ept their


    invites.


    I decided to pamper myself and leave all the drama at home.


    Initially, we nned to stay for three to four days. However, we extended our stay and even made an


    impromptu trip to Bali because we were having so much fun. Ste wanted to see a small Dutch town,


    so off we went to the Nethends. Only after experiencing the fairy-tale beauty of the town, we were


    satisfied to book our ne tickets back home. This spontaneous, unnned trip was very interesting.


    Half a month flew by just like that.


    ¡°Mydy, you¡¯re back!¡± Ada was somewhat excited to see me.


    ¡°Ada, gather everyone. I brought you all gifts,¡± I said with a smile.


    Ada was pleasantly surprised and quickly summoned the other ser vants. I gave each of them a scarf


    and a bottle of perfume, each gift worth around 200 dors.


    ¡°Thank you, madam!¡± They were thrilled and thanked me profusely.


    I gave a small smile and headed upstairs. After a quick bath and a change of clothes, I asked Bailey to


    pick me up from Sterling Estates. I needed to make a trip to Springvale.


    Rosemont and Springvale were adjacent, but it still took a few hours to get there. Bailey drove


    attentively while I caught some shuteye in the backseat.


    As the car crossed the border of Rosemont, I said, ¡°Pull over.¡±


    Not far away was Bonnie¡¯s old neighborhood. There was arge crowd gathered, shouting passionately


    and holding banners that read ¡°Down with the profiteers¡± and ¡°Opposend requisition.¡±


    Timing-wise, in my past life, Neil¡¯s n to redevelop the chemical nt and requisition privatend


    happened about six months after he started pursuing Bonnie.


    Sure enough, some things had shifted in this life.


    I looked at the factory gate in the distance. Behind that gate was an 80,000 square meter factory, a


    renowned business in Rosemont that employed many workers and boosted the local economy.


    No one but Neil dared to take over the factory. I looked away, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The car continued on its journey. By evening, we had arrived at my inws¡¯ house.


    ¡°Irene? Why didn¡¯t you let me know you wereing?¡± Faith was reading with her reading sses on.


    She was surprised but very happy to see me


    ¡°I just wanted toe and see you. Is dad still at work?¡± I asked as the gifts I brought were taken by a


    ser vant. I chose to hold on to a royal blue box.


    ¡°He has a dinner engagement tonight, so he won¡¯t be home untilte. Have you had dinner? Wait a


    moment, I¡¯ll ask someone to prepare something,¡± She got up and went to the kitchen.


    I sat down on the sofa. The living room was decorated in a vintage style, a sophisticated yet luxurious


    19th-century vibe which they adored.


    A ser vant respectfully poured me a drink. I gave her a smile and took a sip.


    After a while, Faith came back, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Neile back with you?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably busy I¡¯ve been traveling abroad for half a month and had so much fun with my friends


    that I forgot to contact Neil,¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not that you forgot, but that Neil doesn¡¯t know how to cherish!¡± She seemed somewhat angry


    when talking about her son.


    I didn¡¯t understand how two wonderful people like my inws could have a son like Neil.


    I didn¡¯t respond to herment. I didn¡¯t want to badmouth Neil in front of her. Instead, I handed her the


    royal blue box, ¡°I bought this abroad. You can see if you like it.¡±


    Her eyes lit up when she opened the box and saw the high-quality voilet sapphire gold ring. Therge


    voilet sapphire in the center of the gold ring was crystal clear and beautifully cut, clearly quite


    expensive.


    Being an avid collector of gemstone, she immediately recognized the quality of the ring.


    ¡°Irene, is this ring for me?¡± She asked, eyes twin kling with joy.


    ¡°Yes. As soon as I saw this ring, I knew you would like it. So, I bought it and brought it back for you.


    Isn¡¯t your birthdaying up? Consider this an early birthday gift,¡± I said, smartly and sincerely


    ttering Faith.


    ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful! Neil knows I love voilet sapphire, but he has never given me a gift like this!¡± She


    sighed, seemingly very dissatisfied with her son.


    On my dad¡¯s birthday, the cigar Neil gave him¡­ its price tag wasn¡¯t any less than this ring.


    He¡¯s a man who knew how to weigh the pros and cons. He knew that no matter if he gave his mom a


    gift or not, she¡¯s gonna back him up like always. But for his


    1/2


    11:24


    7 Chapter 41


    father-inw who can lend him a hand, he needed to put more effort into keeping a good rtionship.


    Because of this ring, I¡¯ve gotten closer with Faith. We had a really good chat. Before this, I¡¯ve never


    really had a chance to get close with her, let alone a chat.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42


    One evening, after Ryan finished his social engagements, he struck up a conversation with me since I


    was around. Then he got to the point.


    ¡°Irene, have you ever thought about working in thepany?¡± he asked.


    I was a bit taken aback. Then he shared his thoughts with me.


    He told me that he was pushing Neil to deal with the chemical nt issue as soon as possible. He had


    heard Neil was chasing after a girl, so he wanted to make Neil busier with this.


    The renovation of the chemical nt was a big project, involving cooperation with the government.


    Once Neil got busy with this, he¡¯d definitely have less time to chase other women.


    But they felt it wasn¡¯t enough. My inws agreed that I should also work at the Whitmore family¡¯s


    company, at the headquarters with Neil, to keep any other women with designs on him at bay.


    In fact, it was Neil himself who had bad intentions towards other women. And I don¡¯t have any work


    experience. Right now, my dream is to be a cellist.


    In my previous life, my inws were fair to me, but never favored me. The gifts I gave them in this life


    seem to be working wonders.


    ¡°Irene, we know you¡¯re not interested in business. Your family also has apany, so you don¡¯t have


    to join Whitmore Co. We just hope that you two can stick together for life and not let external factors


    ruin your marriage. Take your time to think it over. No need to rush an answer,¡± Faith said warmly.


    I was touched by their concern. I worry that in the end, it¡¯s not Neil that I can¡¯t let go of, but them.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll think it over carefully and give you an answer,¡± I nodded.


    We chatted for a while longer, but it was gettingte. I returned to my room for some rest.


    This was originally Neil¡¯s room. After we got married, it became our bedroom, but we seldome


    back together and we rarely slept together.


    Neil¡¯s room was sp ac ious, with a private bathroom, closet,


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    balcony,


    album with pictures of him and his friends. The most frequent


    the album was Russel.


    an and even a game room. There were some of his things from his school days. Among them was a


    photo


    I flipped through it for a while, then put the album back with a sigh. The always handsome Neil will


    never be mine, so the more I looked, the more upset I became.


    Because of my inws¡¯ concern and my intention to get closer to them, I stayed at their ce for four


    days before returning to Rosemont.


    Faith had always enjoyed farm life. She had cultivated a veggies and live chickens.


    venotable!


    in the backyard and raised a few chickens. Before I left, she stuffed my trunk with homegrown


    ¡°Bailey, drive safely. Irene, message me when you get home,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll head home now,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Bailey seriously promised, ¡°I¡¯ll drive safely!¡±


    She watched us leave. I was expecting to get home in time for lunch, but I wasn¡¯t sure if Ada had


    prepared anything. She didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d be back.


    I woke up to Bailey calling me, ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Trubbed my eyes, stretched, and then instructed him, ¡°Bring everything from the trunk inside.¡±


    After I said this, I got out of the car. Several ser vants were tending to the garden. They all greeted me


    when they saw me back. Ada was among them. She immediately came over, ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re back! I¡¯ll


    start cooking right away!¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I stopped Ada, ¡°Faith gave me some home-raised chickens. Take one and stew it. And put


    all the vegetables in the fridge.¡±


    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am.¡± Ada took the chicken from Bailey and went to the kitchen.


    Looking at the two live chickens left in the trunk, I was a bit worried. After some thought, I had someone


    tidy up the backyard and fence off a section for our two guests. I decided to keep them, not to waste


    Faith¡¯s kindness.


    Ada stewed a pot of chicken soup with top-grade truffles. In the delicately patterned porcin bowl, the


    golden soup had a thinyer of oil floating on top, the rich aroma of chickenced with a hint of unique


    truffle vor, very enticing.


    *Ada, this is delicious! Your daughter must be so happy to enjoy your cooking every day!¡± Idled a


    bowl of soup, took a few sips after blowing on it, and thenplimented sincerely.


    ¡°My daughter has been picky since she was a child. I put a lot of effort into getting her to eat more, but


    she¡¯s still very skinny. Girls love beauty and don¡¯t want to eat too much, so they can¡¯t gain weight,¡± Ada


    said lovingly when speaking of her daughter.


    Bonnie was indeed quite thin, but she¡¯s much better off than me.


    I smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s okay to be a bit skinny. Girls look prettier when they¡¯re thin, and it¡¯s easier to


    attract a man.¡±


    While we were chatting, Neil appeared in the living room. He seemed surprised to see me back, then


    came over and sat down, ¡°Did you have fun?¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t tell Neil about my trip, Ste updated her Facebook daily with locatio


    tags. Neil must have seen it.


    I sipped my soup, answering leisurely, ¡°Not bad, had a pretty good time. Ate well, slept well, had a


    good mood every day.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Neil hummed. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscr forearm, then served himself a


    bowl of soup. After tasting it, his eyebrows rxed a bit.


    I asked quietly, ¡°Good?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Neil answered.


    I continued, ¡°These are the chickens your mom raised herself. They really taste fresh.¡±


    Only then did Neil look at me, a hint of surprise in his eyes, ¡°My mom came over?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No. I went to visit your parents and stayed a few days. Just got back today. She


    in the garden right now.¡±


    ¡°uffed my trunk with live chickens and veggies. There are two chickens


    Neil¡¯s expression suddenly becameplicated. He sounded a bit sarcastic, ¡°Why did you suddenly


    think of visiting them?¡±


    ¡°I was just bored at home,¡± I said, continuing to eat my soup. I can¡¯t let Neil realize my little trick. In my


    past life, my infatuation with him drove me to insanity I made him my entire world, overlooking the


    important people around him.


    ¡°So you¡¯re scheming to up the ante from 5% to 7% or even 10%, huh?¡± Neil hit the nail on the head.


    1/2


    11:22


    Chapter 42


    was genuinely freaked out. Some chicken soup went down the wrong pipe and I started coughing like


    mad. Hearing themotion, Ada rushed back to the dining room to pat my back.


    Yeah, I was indeed trying to throw a wrench in Neil¡¯s n to pursue Bonnie. If he ever wanted to


    divorce me in the future, he¡¯ll definitely face even stronger opposition from his parents. If he wanted me


    to initiate the divorce or agree to it, I could seize the opportunity to make some demands, and he would


    have no choice but to agree


    However, it was not necessary for me to achieve this goal. That such a casual little goal could be easily


    guessed by Neil mally threw me for a loop

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    After a while, I cooled down and saw Nett still looking at me quietly


    I waved my hand signaling Ada to leave first.


    When only Ned and I were left in the dining room, I calmly replied, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. If you can


    give me a 3% stake in Whitmore Co, apany of that size, it would be more than enough for me to


    live afortable life¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Neil just asked back and then continued eating without looking at me.


    I stopped talking and started eating, afraid that any ship of the tongue would give me away


    After finishing my meal, I went to the music room to y the cello alone.


    I didn¡¯t know how much progress Neil had made with Bonnie these days. Now that the chemical project


    was about to start, Bonnie would probably need him soon, right? Because my mind was elsewhere, I


    yed several wrong notes in a row. In the end, I had to stop and wait for my emotions to calm down.


    Luckily, Ned went to the office after eating. When I went downstairs again, there was no trace of him at


    home.


    I let out a sigh of relief, satfortably on the soft sofa, closed my eyes and rested. My mind was filled


    with various fragmented images, many of which wereparisons between my past life and this life.


    Unconsciously, I fell asleep on the sofa. By the time Ada woke me up for dinner, it was already getting


    dark outside.


    I felt a bit dizzy and had no appetite, so after eating a few bites, I decided to go upstairs and rest. But


    then Oscar¡¯s call woke me up.


    Trene, are you free now? Let¡¯s meet up!¡± Oscar¡¯s voice sounded different from usual, as if he was


    suppressing his anger.


    I answered, ¡°Yes. Where are you?¡±


    Tm at the north gate of Sterling Estates.¡± Oscar¡¯s reply took me by surprise.


    I quickly changed my shoes and drove to the north gate of Sterling Estates. Sure enough, Oscar was


    looking around by the roadside. He didn¡¯t recognize me because I had changed my car.


    I stopped in front of him and rolled down the window, ¡°Oscar, get in. Let¡¯s talk about itter.¡±


    Oscar looked a bit surprised. He looked at my car, but there was no envy in his eyes, instead, he


    seemed a bit ufortable.


    He nodded and got in the car. I asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Oscar took out his phone and quickly said, ¡°Irene, I¡¯ve paid back the two thousand dors Bonnie owes


    you. Thank you.¡±


    I asked, surprised, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°She told me everything. She had been working part-time at the Orchid Hotel to pay you back, but then


    she lost her job,¡± Oscar said, looking down.


    ¡°Was she fired?¡± I asked on purpose.


    ¡°No..¡± Oscar grabbed his hair in frustration, his voice full of anger, ¡°Irene, it¡¯s that guy I mentioned to


    you before. Bonnie promised me she would break up with him, but they¡¯re still in touch. That guy must


    be rich and powerful. Bonnie says she can¡¯t avoid him, but she won¡¯t tell me who he is!¡±


    I felt a sinking feeling in my heart, ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°I identally saw their messages. I was too angry at the time, I forgot to look at his phone number,


    otherwise, I would definitely find out who he is!¡± Oscar replied.


    This st upid kid. Even if he found out who the guy was, what could he do? Oscar was no match for Neil.


    It seemed that Oscar and Bonnie had had another fight. He impulsively came to pay back the money


    for her, probably fearing that Bonnie mightpromise with Neil for the


    money.


    ¡°You have to trust Bonnie. She¡¯s not that kind of girl. Since you said that the guy is rich and powerful,


    he will definitely approach her aggressively. What you need to pay attention to now is not to fight with


    Bonnie, but to trust her and understand her. Otherwise, you might push her towards another man! Do


    you understand?¡± I advised him seriously.


    Oscar didn¡¯t say anything. He probably wasn¡¯t in the mood to hear myforting words. When people


    are angry, they can¡¯t think, straight.


    I drove to a bar, nning to keep Oscarpany and drown his sorrows in alcohol.


    Oscar silently drank one drink after another. I didn¡¯t say much, just controlled my own drinking.


    Suddenly, I saw a familiar face. He was holding a young woman¡¯s hand, and there were two or three


    other men with them. They happily found a spot not far away and sat down


    I frowned, then took out my phone and recorded a video.


    A minuteter, I posted in a group chat, ¡°Barbara, out for a drink with your Norman.¡±


    Five or six minutester, Barbara replied, ¡°I was just doing a facial mask. Norman is working overtime. I


    cane out for a drink though. Are Ste and Ali going?¡±


    Ste immediately sent a video of a lively scene and said, ¡°I was already out. Two cute guys came to


    Cielo Nocturno, so I came to check it out!¡±


    Alicia sent a photo of her office desk piled high with documents. She said, ¡°If this wasn¡¯t my own


    company, I would have quit!¡±


    I didn¡¯t have the patience to read their idle chatter, so I urged Barbara, ¡°Then youe alone¡±


    Then I send her my location.


    Barbara sent a yawning emoji, ¡°I¡¯d better not. If I go out drinking tonight, my facial mask will be a waste.


    I have to keep my skin smooth before getting married, haha¡­


    I was somewhat annoyed How could this happen?


    During my past life, Barbara and Norman happily got married, and there was no such outrageous


    incident. If I didn¡¯t know Oscar, I wouldn¡¯t havee to this bar with him and wouldn¡¯t have bumped


    into Norman cheating


    Barbara and Norman had always been one of the happier couples in my mind. Although I thought their


    family backgrounds didn¡¯t match, and there might be conflicts in the future, they were still living happily


    until the time I died during my past life


    I was hesitating Should I send the video to Barbara?


    Just as I was hesitating, Norman and the woman were bing more and more intimate. The woman


    was leaning on his shoulder, and they looked like a loving couple.


    I would asionally whip out my phone and snap some pictures. Even if I don¡¯t use these as evidence


    to show Barbara now, I can keep them and tell herter.


    1/2


    11:22


    mending to call a water over to help Oscar, but then saw another hand granting he am


    When I saw Russel was a bit confused


    Why did I always run into him when I was with Oscar? It was like how Borne would always cal wel


    where ne


    ¡°Uh, he drank a little too much.¡± said awkwardly


    Let¡¯s talk in the car? Russel answered nonchntlyContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    I followed the two guys and hopped into Russel¡¯s ride. Oscar and I took the backseat. I propped him up


    in case he decided to hit the deck again.


    ¡°What¡¯s his address?¡± Russel asked.


    I shook my head, ¡°No idea. We could probably find a hotel nearby where he can rest.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Russel replied, then he steered towards the nearest hotel. On the way, I felt very uneasy, as if


    I had been caught doing something wrong. At the hotel, Russel used


    his ID to book a room for Oscar.


    Once Oscar was sorted, I felt very rxed. I turned to Russel and said, ¡°Dr. Russel, could you do me a


    favor and drop me back at the bar? My car is still there.¡±


    ¡°Let me drop you home instead. You¡¯ve had a few, you shouldn¡¯t be driving.¡± Russel nced at me.


    There was no expression on his face. He¡¯s actually very handsome, but why wasn¡¯t he smiling? It


    wasn¡¯t hard to see why he and Neil were buddies. Both of them loved to put on a sourpuss.


    But Russel had a point, I shouldn¡¯t be drink driving. I could get Bailey to pick the car up tomorrow.


    I replied gratefully, ¡°Sounds good, thanks!¡±


    Once I was back in Russel¡¯s car, I sat in the passenger seat. His driving was steady. I was nearly falling


    asleep.


    ¡°Why were you drinking with him?¡± Russel asked out of the blue. I snapped wide awake.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°He had a fight with his girlfriend, so he called me up to hang out.¡± I rubbed my tired eyes, my voice


    heavy with exhaustion.


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s appropriate?¡± Russel asked, a hint of reproach in his tone.


    Iughed, ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? My husband is chasing after his girlfriend, and I¡¯m consoling


    him. Sounds pretty fair to me.¡±


    That obviously hit a nerve with Russel. He pulled over, looked me square in the eye and said, ¡°Irene,


    what happened to you? You used to love Neil so much, I really admired that about you. Now you¡¯re


    going to jeopardize yourself just to get back at Neil?¡±


    I was taken aback. Russel was impressed by my feelings for Neil?


    Right. He had no experience in love, so he might be impressed to see me so loyal to Neil. ¡°I¡¯ve said it


    before, you should be convincing Neil to divorce me right away. I don¡¯t want a dime from him. I want


    nothing to do with him ever again!¡± I was getting worked up. Russel had no idea what I had been


    through in my past life, so he always brought out the most anger in me.


    I was still angry, so I continued, ¡°If you think it¡¯s inappropriate for me to drink with Oscar, do you think


    it¡¯s appropriate for you to be alone with me all the time? Do you think it¡¯s appropriate that you¡¯re


    keeping secrets from Neil for me?¡±


    If we were always so strict about rules, there wouldn¡¯t be a single perfect person in this world.


    Sure enough, Russel¡¯s face went ice-cold. His eyes were practically freezing over. I could see his anger


    clearly.


    Under the influence, I became bolder and raised my voice, ¡°So what if you¡¯re pis sed? There¡¯s a right


    and wrong in everything, and love has its order too. Neil betrayed me first, so you have no right to


    me me!¡±


    ¡°What did I me you for?¡± Russel snapped back at me.


    ¡°For getting close to Oscar, for not waiting around like a fool for Neil toe around. Neil has plenty of


    lovers, what difference does one less make? Is his house short of a pet that can talk?¡± I vented all my


    pent-up feelings on Russel.


    He was the only one who knew all my secrets, except for the fact that I had been reborn.


    Who would¡¯ve thought, he was my ally in my past life, and he¡¯s my ally in this life too. Our destinies


    seemed to be intertwined.


    Russel seemed pretty peeved. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before replying, ¡°I didn¡¯t


    me you for any of that. I think it¡¯s a good thing that you decided to divorce Neil. But you should know


    Neil better. If he found out that you¡¯ve known Oscar and Bonnie all along and you¡¯ve been ying them


    for fools, do you think he¡¯d let it slide? If you¡¯re determined to leave him, don¡¯t leave any loose ends.


    You got it?!¡±


    This was the first time Russel had spouted so many words at me in one go. He clenched his teeth and


    stared at me.


    I was dumbfounded for a moment. Maybe¡­ he had a point.


    Since divorce was the inevitable oue, all the foreshadowing that I had nted now, once Neil


    found out, would be the reason for his revenge on me. I was so focused on setting traps for Neil


    and making his love journey with Bonnie harder, I didn¡¯t realize I was digging my own grave.


    ¡°Have you really let go of Neil? Or have you not truly understood your own heart? Is all this for a


    smooth divorce with Neil, or are you just looking for excuses to stay entangled with him?¡± Each word


    out of Russel¡¯s mouth was a stab to my heart, and made me feel pain and shame.


    I kept quiet. Honestly, I had a hard time answering those questions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be entangled with him anymore, but Oscar is the only one who gives me some sort of


    emotional bnce. What should I do?¡± After a while, I looked at Russel, lost.


    For the sake of Neil, I had lost myself for a whole decade. Even though I got a second chance at life, I


    still couldn¡¯t find my footing. Maybe I¡¯d be able to find myself again after the divorce.


    ¡°Find something to do, keep yourself busy¡± Russel suggested.


    His words reminded me of Ryan¡¯s proposition. Maybe I could really consider joining Whitmore Co. At


    least in the future, when I divorce Neil, I¡¯d have a better handle on the shares I¡¯d get


    I nodded thoughtfully Russel continued driving, heading towards Sterling Estates.


    Once home, I sincerely thanked Russel. I watched him drive off before I turned to go


    inside.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I barely took two steps when Neil suddenly appeared before me, scaring the living daylights out of


    me, I let out a yelp.


    Neil was decked out in a ck shirt, with a burgundy tie hanging loose around his neck and his jacket


    slung over his elbow, reeking of booze. He was just standing there, quietly looking at me.


    I thought he¡¯d chew me out for having Russel drive me home, but he didn¡¯t say a word, just turned and


    walked towards the house.


    1fallowed behind him, staring at his tall figure. His mature physique was even more robust than when


    he was a teen, and way more maic. I¡¯d often wanted to wrap my arms around him, feel his body


    heat, but that wish of mine never came true.


    If it weren¡¯t for the strong meds Ada got for me, Neil and I might not have done the deed till we were


    divorced.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45


    When we got home, Neil instructed Ada to make some lemonade. I chimed in, ¡°Ada, make a little extra.


    I want some too.¡±


    Ada replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Neil yanked off his tie and tossed it on the couch, flopped onto couch, and closed his eyes. I stared at


    his jawline, then his Adam¡¯s apple, then finally, my gaze settled on his


    neck.


    A faint hi ckey was visible near the cor of his ck shirt, full of ambiguous breath.


    Could it be Bonnie¡¯s? No, it couldn¡¯t be. If Bonnie were willing to leave a hi ckey on Neil, it would mean


    she was warming up to him. If that were the case, Neil would be over the moon and wouldn¡¯t be here


    tonight.


    It must have been left by another woman. I analyzed in my mind. This wouldn¡¯t be the first time


    something like this had happened. Even though most times, he was just ying around and didn¡¯t take


    it all the way, it still irked me. I hade to terms with a lot of things. But I was more worried about


    whether Bonnie could handle this lifestyle in the future.


    Still, Neil would certainly refuse to fool around with other women for her sake, right? Iughed bitterly to


    myself. How unlucky I was, after ten years I still couldn¡¯t get Neil to give me anything.


    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t want lemonade anymore.¡± I was in a foul mood, so I muttered this under my breath


    and went upstairs.


    When I got to my bedroom, I was about to change clothes to take a bath when Neil pushed open the


    door


    I looked at him in surprise, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything, he just closed the door and locked it. Then, he moved a little closer to me. I


    had a bad feeling about this.


    Sure enough, Neil was not only drunk but also seemed a little h or ny.


    He leaned down and kissed me. His eyes were filled with passion. I tried to push him off, but his hands


    were on my waist. I couldn¡¯t get away from him.


    ¡°Neil, what are you doing?!¡± When his lips left, I felt my heart explode. My voice was shocked and


    annoyed.


    ¡°Someone drugged my drink. Irene¡­¡± Neil¡¯s voice was low and slightly restrained. He leaned down and


    whispered in my ear as if to reassure me, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it as soon as I can.¡±


    He then picked me up andid me on the bed. My mind was a nk.


    Just as Neil was taking off all my clothes, Ada¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Madam¡­are you


    asleep? The lemonade is ready.¡±


    Both Neil and I stopped. Suddenly, I decided to take a gamble and wrapped my legs around his waist.


    Neil¡¯s eyes widened, and then he was back at it again.


    I let out a moan as if without thinking. Soon, the sound of Ada¡¯s retreating footsteps came from outside


    the door.


    ¡°Neil¡­¡± I managed to say, looking at him, ¡°Are you going to me me?¡±


    ¡°me you for what?¡± Neil kissed the corner of my lips and asked.


    For intentionally letting your future mother-inw witness us making love; me me for putting


    obstacles in your pursuit of true love.


    I silently answered in my heart, but didn¡¯t say anything out loud. Instead, I leaned up and kissed his


    Adam¡¯s apple. This was a trick Ste had taught me, but I had never had a chance to use it.


    A few secondster, I had to admit that Ste was a genius!


    After a night of passion, I was left feeling like I was falling apart. Take care of it as soon as possible?


    What a lie!


    When I managed to get downstairs, Ada had already prepared breakfast. Seeing my odd gait, she


    smiled suggestively, ¡°Madam, eat up. You need to regain your strength.¡±


    I blushed, cleared my throat, and tried my best to walk normally


    ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡± I asked offhandedly.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore left early for the office. He didn¡¯t even have breakfast.¡± Ada responded.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I nodded. Neil was always busy. There were so many things to take care of at thepany. Even


    when he had some spare time, it was spent socializing or hanging out with Mitch and some other


    friends.


    All sorts of scandals seemed to pop up whenever there was a chance.


    Just as I finished breakfast, Oscar called. I nced at Ada before answering, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Irene, I drank too muchst night. I¡¯m really sorry. How much was the room? I¡¯ll transfer the money to


    you!¡± Oscar said.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Are you feeling better?¡± I asked gently.


    ¡°I am a bit. I¡¯ve realized that if Bonnie really loves me and hasn¡¯t changed her feelings, then she¡¯ll


    continue to choose me. I have to trust her. As long as I¡¯ve done my best, I¡¯ll leave the result up to Go


    d.¡± Oscar sounded much more relieved.


    It seemed he had taken my advice to heart. I was relieved, ¡°That¡¯s good. I have some things to take


    care of. We¡¯ll catch upter.¡±


    After hanging up I went upstairs to change and prepared to go out. I needed to talk to Barbara.


    I


    Recently, Barbara wasn¡¯t running around looking formercial performances orpetitions.


    Instead, she was busy preparing for her wedding at home. Norman was still working, so a lot of the


    nning was left to her.


    Their future home was already decorated, but they still needed to buy some furnishings and finalize the


    wedding procedures. These were allplicated tasks that should just about bepleted by the end


    of the year.


    ¡°Rena, do you want a taco? Norman made these for mest night. He used his special beef filling, it¡¯s


    really good!¡± Barbara greeted me with glee.


    Thanks, but I¡¯ll pass. Is Norman at work?¡± I looked around. This apartment that Barbara and Norman


    were renting was about 100 square meters, two bedrooms and a living room. Compared to her


    mansion, this apartment looked really humble.


    But Barbara had made it feel very warm and homey. You could see how much effort she had put into


    this rtionship.


    As a man, Norman must be feeling somewhat inferior. You could tell from the whole wedding dress


    fiasco.


    Barbara brought over a te of fruit and smiled, ¡°Yes. He said he didn¡¯t want to rely on my family¡¯s


    support and wants to provide for me through his own efforts What a hypocrite! He acted like the perfect


    gentleman in front of her, but behind her back, he was getting cozy with other women in bars. I was


    disgusted with Norman in my


    11-22


    Chapter 45


    mind


    Just as I was hesitating about how to tell her about Norman¡¯s infidelity, she suddenlyughed, ¡°Rena,


    do you want to hear a secret?¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°What secret?¡±


    A tender smile crept up on Barbara¡¯s face. She gently touched her tummy, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to


    share this good news with you guys. I¡¯m pregnant. Just about a month


    and a half¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I almost jumped out of my skin, my face turning a ghastly shade, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant? Didn¡¯t you


    say you wanted to wait until after marriage?


    ¡°So this baby is a surprise gift from G od. Since the little one is on the way I¡¯m going to embrace it and


    love it.¡± Barbara was lost in her happy thoughts about the future, ¡°1 haven¡¯t told Norman yet. He¡¯ll be


    very happy when he finds out. We¡¯ll be a happy family of threeContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46


    Looking at Barbara¡¯s happy face, I had a lot to say but couldn¡¯t get the words out. After a while, I finally


    managed to say, ¡°Congrats.¡±


    ¡°Could youe with me for prenatal check-upster? I haven¡¯t been to the hospital since I found out I


    was pregnant. I heard we need to set up a medical record there.¡± Barbara excitedly discussed her


    pregnancy, but all I could think about were romantic scenes involving Norman and another woman.


    If I told Barbara the truth now, there could only be two possible oues. First, she¡¯d be furious and


    heartbroken, choose to have an abortion and break up with Norman. Second, she¡¯d choose to forgive


    Norman, either due to her feelings for him or because of the baby


    Either way, Barbara would get hurt, bad


    *Sure. Just let me know a day in advance.¡± I was a little upset and agreed casually before getting up to


    leave. ¡°You rest up. I¡¯ve got stuff to do.¡±


    Barbara didn¡¯t want me to leave, ¡°You¡¯re leaving after just ten minutes?¡±


    ¡°Barbara, don¡¯t tell Norman about your pregnancy yet. Let¡¯s get our friends together and surprise him,


    okay?¡± I thought for a moment then suggested.


    Without any hesitation, Barbara agreed, ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll set the time and let you know!¡±


    I made an ¡°OK¡± gesture and quickly left Barbara¡¯s home.


    Back in the car, it took me a while to calm down. Ste, Alicia, and Barbara are like sisters to me.


    They¡¯re as important as my family. I can¡¯t stand anyone hurting them.


    Just as I was about to leave, Norman¡¯s car appeared not far away. He got out of the car with a white


    bag in his hand, looking somewhat hurried.


    ¡°Norman!¡± I shouted.


    Seeing me, Norman was surprised at first, then came over to greet me, ¡°Irene, are you here for


    Barbara?¡±


    Norman was actually a decent guy. Although he¡¯s not as well-off as Barbara, he¡¯s a good fit for her and


    was very well-mannered.


    ¡°Yeah. Weren¡¯t you at work? Why are you back?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it almost lunchtime? I was worried Barbara wouldn¡¯t want to cook for herself, and takeout isn¡¯t


    healthy, so I came back to make her something. Want to join us?¡± Norman lifted the bag in his hand, ¡°I


    just bought some ingredients.¡±


    I was stunned. From Norman¡¯s smiling face, I couldn¡¯t detect any hint of insincerity. He seemed to


    genuinely care about Barbara. How could such a man be dating two women at the same time?


    I didn¡¯t know what I was feeling. I forced a smile, shook my head and said, ¡°Maybe next time. I have


    things to do. Goodbye.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Norman waved at me.


    As I drove away, I started to doubt if true love really exists in this world. I once firmly believed that Neil


    truly loved Bonnie, but I died too early in my past life and didn¡¯t get the chance to see how their story


    ended. What happened after they got together? One year, two years, three years, ten years, twenty


    yearster?


    Could Neil¡¯s love for Bonniest a lifetime?


    Was it possible that they were indeed deeply in love at first, but as time went by, they gradually lost the


    passion of love and became like most couples, strangers filled with contradictions?


    With these confused thoughts, I aimlessly drove around the streets and ended up at La Rencontre.


    Bonnie no longer worked there, so there was no point in meing, but I still walked in and ordered a


    ck coffee.


    Holding the warm coffee cup, I quietly looked at the busy street outside the window, reying


    everything that had happened since I was reincarnated. It seemed like everything was as I expected,


    but I felt like I was slowly losing control.


    At this moment, a ck Bentley pulled up outside the cafe. Neil got out of the car and made eye


    contact with me inside the cafe.


    He told his driver to leave first, then walked into the cafe.


    He also ordered a ck coffee when he passed by the bar.


    ck coffee was Neil¡¯s favorite. From the moment I met him to now, his taste has never changed.


    Whether studying or working, ck coffee always helped him stay alert.


    ¡°What are you doing here drinking coffee?¡± Neil asked as he sat across from me. He was wearing a


    gray-white turtleneck sweater with a ck long coat over it. He looked quite attractive.


    Since he walked in, several young female waitresses had been staring at him, some even secretly took


    pictures of him with their phones.


    ¡°I just happened to pass by and felt like having a coffee, so I came in.¡± I replied indifferently.


    Neil gave a slight smile. The waitress brought him his ck coffee. We just sat there, quietly drinking


    our coffee together.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met you, I probably wouldn¡¯t have liked such bitter coffee,¡± I said suddenly, filled with


    emotion.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Neil seemed to be waiting for me to continue.


    ¡°Before I met you, I only liked sweets and fruit juice. But then I noticed that you seemed to really like


    ck coffee, so I tried it. I thought if we had the same taste, we¡¯d get closer and have more to talk


    about.¡± I recalled those innocent days, smiling, ¡°I even imitated your dressing style, hoping it would


    make us a better match.¡±


    Neil looked calm. didn¡¯t seem to have moved him.


    I sighed, ¡°It took me ten years to realize that you can¡¯t force feelings.¡±


    ¡°Do you regrett? Neil asked. This was the first time we had such a conversation. ¡°If you had chosen


    someone else, you might not have wasted these ten years.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to regret?¡± I replied with a sense of relief, ¡°During the process of liking you, I experienced


    happiness, anticipation, and the feeling that the whole world is exceptionally beautiful because of one


    person. In the end, I even learned how to let go. Isn¡¯t that invaluable?¡±


    Suddenly, I thought of a question, ¡°Do you feel the same way about the university girl you¡¯re pursuing?


    That feeling of loving someone.¡±


    The harmonious atmosphere was instantly shattered by my question. Neil¡¯s eyes cooled a bit, ¡°No.¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t have responded like that! I was baffled for a few seconds, but then it clicked. Maybe it¡¯s


    just not time yet. As a yer in this, Neil certainly couldn¡¯t see things as clearly as I did from the


    sidelines.


    I changed the subject, ¡°Hey, your dad wants me to work at yourpany. I think it¡¯s a good idea. Could


    you help mend a job there?¡±


    ¡°You want to work at Whitmore Co.?¡± Neil frowned.


    ¡°Yeah, is there a problem? Can¡¯t I?¡± I asked deliberately. Either way, I didn¡¯t give a hoot. I just thought


    Russel Dawson made a lot of sense. I indeed need to find something to keep myself upied.


    1/2


    11:22


    ¡°What position do you want?¡± Neil didn¡¯t reject outright but asked me instead.


    I pondered for a while, ¡°Anything but a low-level drudge or a runaround would do. I need to learn


    something from the job, after all.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47


    Neil mulled it over before saying, ¡°I need some time to think it through.¡±


    Better him needing time than straight up rejecting me. I nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After we finished our coffee, Neil suggested hitching a ride home with me since his car was gone. Of


    course, I didn¡¯t object.


    To my surprise, we actually chatted a bit during the drive. Most of the talk was about my past excessive


    pursuit of him. I made fun of myself openly and Neil didn¡¯t ignore me like before.


    At the entrance to Sterling Estates, I eximed, ¡°Can¡¯t believe there¡¯s still a chance for us to patch


    things up.¡±


    ¡°Anything can happen in life,¡± Neil replied nonchntly.


    True that. I mean, I¡¯ve even experienced a rebirth!


    The servants looked surprised and curious when they saw me and him arriving home together. I told


    Ada to prepare lunch and rested in the living room, pondering about Barbara.


    Should I tell Barbara? I was torn. Looking at Neil, I hesitated a bit before asking, ¡°Neil, I want to ask you


    something.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡± Neil was reading a financial magazine across me, not bothering to look up.


    to cheal


    ¡°If you love me and we have a deep rtionship, but we¡¯re not married, and one day I found out you


    cheated on me and I¡¯m pregnant, what do you think I should do? If I forgive you, would you feel guilty


    and change your ways for the child?¡± I asked.


    I couldn¡¯t say ¡°a friend of mine¡± because Barbara is my friend, it¡¯s too easy to guess. I had to ask in my


    own name. Neil wouldn¡¯t think too much of it. After all, I used to throw silly questions at him all the time.


    He never responded, but I never got tired of it.


    Neil frowned and his tone got serious, ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    I was startled. He didn¡¯t actually believe it, did he? I quickly exined, ¡°No. I just saw a TV show. The


    plot was impressive so I wanted to know what a man would think.¡±/


    ¡°Did you take the pill?¡± Instead of answering my question, Neil asked back.


    We had been intimate twice, but we didn¡¯t use any protection. Maybe neither of us thought it would


    happen, so we weren¡¯t prepared.


    I reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I did. Plus, if you calcte the timing, I can¡¯t possibly be pregnant now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Neil finally rxed, then answered my question, ¡°He won¡¯t change. If he truly loves her, he


    wouldn¡¯t have cheated in the first ce.¡±


    My heart sank instantly.


    Thinking about the damage an abortion would do to Barbara and the pain that Norman¡¯s betrayal would


    cause her, I felt extremely upset.


    I had to find a way to tell Barbara about this, and I couldn¡¯t dy it any longer. The longer she¡¯s


    pregnant, the riskier the surgery would be.


    I took out my phone and texted Ste and Alicia, inviting them over for dinner. They both agreed to


    come over in the evening.


    Just then,


    phone rang. Judging by his expression, it seemed like it was Bonnie calling.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ming over.¡± As expected, Neil¡¯s tone softened instantly when he picked up the call. I


    don¡¯t know what Bonnie said, but he got up hastily and was about to leave.


    ¡°Neil, aren¡¯t you having lunch?¡± I called out to him.


    ¡°I have something to take care of first.¡± Neil put on his shoes and left without looking back.


    I was taken aback, then chuckled bitterly. I¡¯m just asking for trouble. Even though I knew he didn¡¯t love


    me, I still felt a bit down, and it was worse each time.


    After lunch, I went upstairs to rest and slept till it was dark. When I woke up, Ste and Alicia were


    waiting for me in the living room.


    ¡°Rena, how can you sleep so much? Are you a pig?¡± Ste teased while munching on some fruit.


    ¡°Have


    you ever seen a pig this skinny?¡± I yawned, chuckled, and sat down next to them.


    Alicia asked with some confusion, ¡°Howe you didn¡¯t invite Barbara over today?¡±


    I sighed, ¡°I asked you guys over to discuss something about Barbara. I have something to show you.¡±


    I took out my phone and showed them the photos and videos of Norman being intimate with another


    woman. After seeing them, Ste stormed into the kitchen, ¡°Where¡¯s the knife? I¡¯m gonna kill that ba


    stard!¡±


    Alicia was also livid, ranting, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! How dare Norman cheat? He¡¯s not even good enough


    for Barbara!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, guys. Revenge on Norman isn¡¯t our top priority right now.¡± I quickly stopped Ste.


    ¡°What else is more important than this?¡± Ste was holding a kitchen knife, looking ready to go on a


    rampage. If she walked down the street like this, she could be mistaken for a terrorist.


    I took a deep breath, ¡°Barbara¡­ is pregnant.¡±


    The knife dropped to the floor. Ste was stunned.


    Three minutester, we three sat back down on the couch, discussing what to do next. Pregnancy was


    a big deal. We were worried that Barbara might not want to break up for the sake of the child, but we


    were also afraid that she would decide to abort and risk her health.


    What a dilemma!


    ¡°We can¡¯t dy. The longer this drags on, the more damage it will cause her!¡± Alicia said with grave


    expression


    ¡°Right. Telling her sooner is better. Even if she cuts me off because of this, I can¡¯t just sit back and


    watch her being deceived. If we don¡¯t tell her, her child will me us when they find out the truth.¡±


    Ste agreed with Alicia.


    I actually felt the same way. I just wanted to persuade Barbara with Ste and Alicia.


    Suddenly, Ste¡¯s expression turned even more bitter. She hesitated a bit before saying, ¡°Even if


    Norman hadn¡¯t cheated, I wouldn¡¯t rmend Barbara to be with him. The day they got engaged, I left


    earlier than you guys and ran into Norman¡¯s parents downstairs. What they said was¡­ simply


    nauseating!¡±


    ¡°What did they say?¡± I asked.


    ¡°They keep bragging about how awesome their son is, how bright his future is, and how he¡¯s evenN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    snagged a beautiful and wealthy girlfriend. But they won¡¯t even shell out the cash for the ceremony.


    They¡¯re just sucking it up for now, hoping to score big from the Sands family in the future. They even


    had the nerve to say that Barbara¡¯s biggest


    1/2


    11:23


    Chapter 47


    w is having a younger brother. They¡¯re convinced that most of her parents¡¯ inheritance will end up in


    her brother¡¯s hands. If she didn¡¯t have a brother, all thay dough would be Norman¡¯s,¡± Ste spat out


    through gritted teeth.


    I was fuming too. Not only was Norman ying around, but his parents were a pair of greedy vultures.


    Poor Barbara was so devoted to him, and she alwaysplimented him in front of us.


    If I hadn¡¯t gotten a second shot at life, if I hadn¡¯t run into Oscar Morse, I wouldn¡¯t have bumped into


    Norman at the bar that day and seen the real him hiding behind his two-faced mask. After my past life,


    Barbara must not have been happy after she married him!

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48


    We needed to find a way to expose the real Norman. Dying was not in our favor


    ¡°We should tell her straight up. It¡¯ll break her heart, but it¡¯s better than letting her be fooled.¡± Ste


    always took decisive action.


    Even if it might ruin her friendship with Barbara, she would do it without hesitation.


    I gave it some thought. At the moment, this seemed to be the best n. I exchanged a nce with


    Alicia, silently agreeing


    I spent a long time discussing Barbara¡¯s situation with Ste. They didn¡¯t leave untilte into the night.


    Since I had overslept in the afternoon, I felt pretty energized at night, so I decided to watch a movie.


    While watching the movie, I remembered the phone call Bonnie made to Neil today, and involuntarily


    took out my phone to check Oscar¡¯s Facebook.


    Although Bonnie and I were friends, I only have Oscar¡¯s contact. I usually got updates on their


    rtionship through Oscar¡¯s Facebook posts. Oscar was the type who loved to post. He seemed eager


    to show off his girlfriend to the world.


    Oscar¡¯s Facebook cover photo used to be a picture of him and Bonnie, but now it¡¯s a portrait of a


    basketball star, with a caption below: I wasn¡¯t good enough.


    He hadn¡¯t updated his status for quite a few days.


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Innocent campus romance eventually shattered under the pressure of reality.


    I sent Oscar a message. ¡°Oscar, are you asleep?¡±


    Oscar didn¡¯t reply until a whileter, ¡°No.¡±


    I asked again, ¡°Are you and Bonnie okay? Why did you change your Facebook cover photo?¡±


    Oscar replied quickly this time, ¡°Irene, we broke up.¡±


    This was no different from my past life. Even with my involvement, I couldn¡¯t prevent Oscar and


    Bonnie¡¯s breakup. It seemed that the progress of the main characters¡¯ love, story really wasn¡¯t


    something we side characters could influence.


    Did Bonnie Seek Neil today forfort? Or was it about the relocation issue in her neighborhood? I


    really couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities.


    I startedforting Oscar, and asked him out for a meal the next few days.


    Oscar agreed, and told me he was going to bed. I replied, ¡°Good night.¡±


    Oscar, ¡°Irene, good night.¡±


    From that night on, Neil didn¡¯te home for a week. I didn¡¯t ask or think too much, but just dealt with


    Barbara¡¯s situation with Ste and Alicia.


    We were worried that Barbara would still be attached to Norman after knowing the truth. After all,


    Norman was usually good to her, and their rtionship was deep rooted. If Norman apologized and


    begged for her forgiveness, she might soften.


    So, Ste made up an excuse to lure Barbara to her house. Naturally, Alicia and I were there too.


    ¡°What are you guys up to?¡± Barbara was a little confused when she saw our serious faces.


    ¡°Barbara, have you heard the phrase ¡°there are plenty of fish in the sea¡¯?¡± Ste started.


    Barbara seemed confused, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it, but does it have any special meaning?¡±


    I said, ¡°Barbara, we¡¯re your best friends. We¡¯re like your family. Do you trust us? No matter what


    difficulties you encounter, we¡¯ll support you!¡±


    Alicia nodded, ¡°Yes, we would never harm you!¡±


    Barbara seemed to sense something bad was about to happen, but she tried to stay calm and smiled,


    ¡°What are you talking about? Of course, I know you wouldn¡¯t hurt me. In my heart, you are my family.¡±


    Ste and I exchanged a nce, then took out a phone, opened a video, and ced it in front of


    Barbara.


    Barbara focused on the video. Soon, her face turned pale.


    ¡°Barbara¡­ I felt sad. The truth was too cruel. All her fantasies about her happy married life shattered at


    this moment.


    Barbara suddenly stood up. She looked at us, opened her mouth to speak, but fainted before she could


    say anything.


    Ste reacted quickly and caught her, ¡°Barbara!¡±


    Half an hourter, I was driving the car, with Ste and Alicia supporting Barbara in the back, heading


    straight to the hospital.


    After a whole day¡¯s turmoil, the doctor told us that Barbara had a minor rupture from an ectopic


    pregnancy. The baby definitely couldn¡¯t be saved, or it would threaten her life! Ste called Barbara¡¯s


    parents. They agreed to the surgery, and we also told them what happened.


    ¡°That ba stard Norman!¡± Barbara¡¯s father was so angry that his hands were shaking.


    ¡°Barbara absolutely capt marry him!¡± Barbara¡¯s mother, with red eyes, angrily and sadly wiped her


    tears, ¡°Now Barbara and Norman aren¡¯t married yet, so everything is still in time. This child is an


    ectopic pregnancy. It¡¯s like G od is helping her, pulling her out of the trap. Don¡¯t worry, leave this to us.


    We will give you a satisfactory answer. In the meantime, please don¡¯t confront Norman.¡±


    If we let him off so easily, it would be too cheap for him.


    Barbara¡¯s parents agreed to our request. When Barbara was wheeled out of the surgery room, we all


    rushed up to see how she was doing.


    Barbara was pale, her eyes closed, unresponsive. The doctor said it was because the anesthesia


    hadn¡¯t worn off yet, so she would wake upter.


    I asked Ste and Alicia to apany Barbara¡¯s mother back home to pack some necessities for the


    hospital stay, and told Barbara¡¯s father not to worry, to go back to work. Then I stayed by Barbara¡¯s side


    to wait for her to wake up.


    ¡°Barbara, you awake?¡± After a while, Barbara woke up. I quickly poured her a ss of water, ¡°Here,


    have some water


    Barbara looked at me, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. I thought she would me me, me me for


    telling Ste and the others about Norman¡¯s infidelity, making her lose her dignity


    But, Barbara reached out and held my hand, weakly saying, ¡®Rena, thank you. Without you, I might still


    be deceived.¡±


    I was taken aback, suddenly feeling a bit teary eyed. I also put down the water ss and held her


    hand,forting her, ¡°Barbara, once you get through this tough time. everything will get better.


    Norman¡¯s not worth your tears!¡±


    Barbara¡¯s eyes were full of pain. She nodded and said, ¡°I know. But I just don¡¯t understand, why did he


    do this to me? Was I not good enough?¡±


    I said, ¡°You¡¯re great. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s not worth it. Barbara, even your child tried to stop you from


    making the wrong decision, so you must wake up.¡± I squeezed her hand


    tightly.


    Barbara touched her belly with her other hand. A tear rolled down her cheek, ¡°Yes. Maybe the baby


    knew too, that if it existed, I might have to endure more pain, so it chose to leave me.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49


    I was relieved to see Barbara¡¯s sanity and rity, but my heart ached for her immensely. Any words of


    comfort seemed feeble. All I could do was to make Norman pay for


    his actions.


    After a moment of silence, Barbara said, ¡°Since he¡¯s betrayed me, there¡¯s nothing left for me to cling


    onto. Tell me what to do, Rena, and I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Barbara and I had a chat in the ward. I learned more about Norman.


    Norman was not from a wealthy family. He was born in a small vige, but he was a hard working and


    bright kid, which led him to a good university. After graduate, he got a job at his currentpany, and


    there was a good chance he was about to get promoted.


    For Norman, his job was crucial, theerstone of his life in Rosemont. If he lost his job, he might


    never find such a good one again.


    Barbara also told me that Norman¡¯s parents were only in their fifties, but they had already retired,


    completely relying on Norman for support. Barbara never cared about these things. She didn¡¯tck


    money and didn¡¯t mind helping her future parents-inw financially.


    Just as we finished talking. Ste and the others came back with Barbara¡¯s mom.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Seeing her mother, Barbara immediately burst into tears.


    Barbara¡¯s mother rushed over to her, her eyes filled with concern and love.


    I left the ward with Ste and Alicia and filled them in on Barbara¡¯s attitude and Norman¡¯s situation.


    I had a preliminary n in mind, but I needed Neil¡¯s help.


    After leaving the hospital, I called Neil.


    ¡°Neil, can you do me a favor?¡± I asked bluntly.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he responded sinctly.


    I wanted Neil to ask the HR department to offer Norman an attractive job to lure him into quitting his


    current job.


    At the same time, I nned to let Barbara keep away from Norman temporarily, with some excuse. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Neil didn¡¯t understand what I was up to. He turned down my request. After all, not everyone could get


    into Whitmore Co.


    I spoke in a tough way, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll tell your parents you¡¯re courting a college girl!¡±


    ¡°Irene Finch, are you asking for a trouble?¡± Neil¡¯s usually cold voice suddenly became furious.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll tell them right now!¡± I didn¡¯t care, all I wanted was to avenge for Barbara.


    ¡°Wait for me.¡± Neil hung up.


    Half an hourter, Neil came back. I was surprised he¡¯de all the way back just to talk to me. He


    walked in and asked, ¡°Why do you want Whitmore Co. to hire Norman?¡±


    I replied, ¡°Who said I want you to actually hire him? I just want you to send an invitation, as long as it


    can entice him to leave his currentpany.¡±


    Neil frowned, ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    Since Barbara had decided to end things with Norman and I indeed needed Neil¡¯s help, I decided to tell


    him the truth.


    After hearing me out, Neil narrowed his eyes, ¡°So the soap opera you told me aboutst time, it¡¯s about


    Barbara, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a soap opera! It¡¯s real!¡± I answered a bit angrily, ¡°If Whitmore Co. wasn¡¯t that attractive, I would


    have asked my parents for help.¡±/


    Norman, though a jerk, was very steady and pragmatic in his work and wouldn¡¯t change job easily. The


    offer to lure him away had to


    Moreover, Whitmore Co. has several departments that could offer positions that match Norman¡¯s


    current job.


    After thinking it over, Neil agreed, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    I grinned, ¡°And no worries, I won¡¯t tell your parents about your pursuit of a college girl. Even if you were


    after a widow, I wouldn¡¯t tell!¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Neil looked at me seriously.


    I shut up. Anyway, I had achieved my goal. After dinner, I went to rest.


    be


    very strong.


    Neil didn¡¯t stay at home for long. He preferred to be with Bonnie. Bonnie and Oscar had broken up, so


    it was the perfect time for him to pursue b¨¦r.


    Not long after he left, I got a message from him:e to the office tomorrow.


    I was stunned for a moment, then remembered that I had said I would work at Whitmore Co. I hadn¡¯t


    expected him to really arrange it. I wondered what position I¡¯d be assigned to.


    But since Neil had agreed, I didn¡¯t n to think too much. The next day, I went straight to Whitmore Co.


    Our rtionship wasn¡¯t public in thepany, but people weren¡¯t idiots. If anyone looked up Neil¡¯s


    information, they¡¯d see photos of me and him. Although our photos were rare, they did exist.


    So the HR staff was very courteous to me. After helping me fill out all the paperwork, he led me to


    Neil¡¯s office.


    To my surprise, Neil had arranged me to be his personal secretary.


    Neil was in a meeting in the conference room at the time. I was sitting at the secretary¡¯s desk, looking


    at the secretary¡¯s handbook.


    That¡¯s when Barbara called, ¡°Whitmore Co. really sent Norman a job offer email. He just texted me


    about it¡±


    ¡°Great. This is just the first step. We must make him lose everything!¡± I was very satisfied with Neil¡¯s


    efficiency.


    ¡°Okay I¡¯ll be staying at my parents¡¯ house these days. Come to see me when you can.¡± Barbara invited


    me.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m working at Whitmore Co. now You won¡¯t believe what my job is¡­¡± Before I could finish, Neil,


    who I didn¡¯t know when he had arrived, was looking down at me


    I hung up the phone immediately


    it was working hours after all I really shouldn¡¯t have been making personal calls.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a week to get familiar with the job. Is that enough?¡± Neil understood that I was aware of


    wrongdoing, so he didn¡¯t intentionally give me a hard time and went back to his seat. He picked up his


    cup and handed it to me, ¡°You don¡¯t need a week to learn how to make coffee, do you?¡±


    I have said before, I don¡¯t want to end up as your errand runner And now you want me to make you


    coffee?¡± I was a bit ticked off


    1/2


    11:23


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    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that being with your boss, you can learn a lot?¡± Neil argued convincingly.


    I chuckled and took the cup. As I was heading to make some coffee, I muttered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have


    your college girl learn some stuff? She needs it more than I do!¡± Every time I brought up Bonnie, Neil¡¯s


    facial expression would go frosty


    Under his disapproving re, I happily brewed a cup of coffee and handed it to him.


    Just as I sat down at my desk, an unknown number texted me: ¡°Irene, it¡¯s Bonnie. Can we meet up?¡±


    How did Bonnie get my number? I frowned, texting back, ¡°Sure. After i get off work.¡±

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    Chapter 50


    I was filled with a sense of novelty about my new job. Now I could spend the whole day with Neil. I was


    curious why he had given me this position.


    This was until I received a message from his mother asking me, ¡°Irene, did Neil arrange a job for you?


    What position? Do you see him every day?¡±


    Seeing these three questions in a row, I realized that it must have been his parents who were


    pressuring him.


    I knew Neil wouldn¡¯t do this for himself!


    I replied to her, ¡°Im Neil¡¯s personal secretary now¡±


    She responded with a thumbs up emoji.


    When it was time to be off, I tidied up a bit and then found Bonnie¡¯s phone number, asking her for an


    address.


    Neil was still working. I have to work overtime. You go home first.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I left immediately I definitely didn¡¯t want to work overtime!


    Bonnie replied quickly Our rendezvous would be La Rencontre.


    I drove straight there and arrived quickly. Bonnie was already waiting for me. She was wearing a white


    sweater, with a coffee-colored strapless shirt under it, revealing her neck and corbones. Her long hair


    fell gently on her shoulders, giving her an innocent and adorable look.


    She was propping her cheeks with her hands, gazing out the window, seemingly deep in thought.


    She¡¯s so beautiful! I thought sincerely. With time, I started to think that she would match Neil well, at


    least in terms of looks.


    ¡°Irene!¡± Seeing mee, Bonnie snapped back and waved at me with a smile.


    I walked over, sorted out my ck trench coat, and sat down across from her. I asked with a smile,


    ¡°Bonnie, what¡¯s up with the sudden call?¡±


    Bonnie took out her phone and said shyly, ¡°Irene, I want to pay back the money I owe you.¡±


    I was surprised, ¡°Hasn¡¯t Oscar paid you back? Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Bonnie was also surprised. She shook her head, ¡®I didn¡¯t know. I broke up with him.¡±


    After saying that, her eyes became a bit red, but she quickly regained her calm. She squeezed out a


    smile, ¡°Irene, let me pay you back, and then you can return his money to him.¡±


    I opened PayPal and asked, ¡°What happened? You two were so good together, why did you break up?¡±


    Bonnie lowered her head and didn¡¯t answer me. Soon my phone beeped. It was the prompt tone that


    she had transferred the money to me.


    Then, Bonnie stood up and said, ¡°Irene, thank you. I¡¯m going back to school.¡±


    It seemed she only came to see me to pay back the money. As her figure disappeared outside the


    coffee shop, I sighed deeply and got up to leave, but I had left my car keys in the shop, so I had to go


    back.


    As I pushed open the door, I saw two girls standing behind the bar, with their backs to the entrance,


    talking as they wiped the equipment.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Bonnie to be so close to her, even inviting her out for a chat alone?¡±


    ¡°Thatdy used toe here often for coffee. We all know her!¡±


    ¡°Do you think Bonnie wants to get close to her because she thinks her husband is handsome? Haha¡­


    ¡°Bonnie is not a person like that! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!*


    ¡°She didn¡¯t like the photo you posted. She must have seen it.¡±


    I caught a key piece of information: Bonnie had seen my husband?


    I walked in. As soon as they saw me, the two girls immediately stopped talking. I acted as if nothing


    had happened and left.


    Back in the car, I sorted out their conversation. Neil and I had had coffee at this cafe before. It¡¯s very


    likely that one of the two girls had taken a photo and posted it on Facebook. Bonnie had worked here


    and was likely a friend of them. If she saw the photo, she would naturally know about Neil and me.


    So, when she was chatting with me just now, she actually knew very well that I was Neil¡¯s wife.


    I had a subtle feeling. Bonnie knew I was Neil¡¯s wife, and Neil was pursuing her, so why did she


    pretend not to know?


    Did she tell Neil about this? I guess not, otherwise Neil would have warned me to stay away from her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    She definitely didn¡¯t tell Oscar either, because Oscar and I know each other.


    She certainly didn¡¯t know that already knew Neil was pursuing her.


    Was it because she thought I didn¡¯t know anything, so she asked me out, pretending to chat with me


    casually, but actually observing and testing me?


    I was a bit confused I instinctively dialed Russel¡¯s number, ¡°Dr. Russel, are you free?¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± Russel asked coldly.


    ¡°To talk about my condition!¡± I said offhand.


    He was silent for a few seconds, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    I thought for a moment, ¡°I haven¡¯t had dinner yet. I want to eat grilled lobster, red wine braised beef,


    cheese fondue, and pan-seared foie gras¡­¡±


    Before I finished speaking, Russel hung up the phone. As I was about to call him back, he sent me a


    location. It was Maple Restaurant. The food there was very good My dad and I had been there many


    times.


    I rushed to Maple Restaurant immediately. In a luxurious private room, I saw Russel. His hair was a bit


    wet, emitting a faint fragrance, as if he had just washed it but hadn¡¯t dried it entirely.


    ¡°Please order.¡± As soon as I sat down, he put the menu in front of me.


    ¡°You can order yourself, why be so polite?¡± I said, looking at the menu.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything¡± Russel answered.


    He was a typical strict doctor, not tempted by greasy food at all. Iplimented him, ¡°You really know


    how to keep healthy. You can definitely five a hundred years old.¡±


    Russel was indifferent to mypliment, instead saying, ¡°Looking at you, malnourished, it would be


    lucky if you could live to forty.¡±


    I was speechless.


    After ordering, I couldn¡¯t wait to tell Russel about Bonnie. After listening, he said, ¡°So now she knows


    your real identity, but pretends not to, and also doesn¡¯t know that you already know?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Speaking of which, the most awkward thing is Neil. He doesn¡¯t know that I know Bonnie, nor does


    he know that Bonnie has recognized me,¡± I sighed with emotion. ¡°She must have some feeling for Neil,


    or else she wouldn¡¯t have broken up with Oscar and then asked to meet you after finding out who you


    are,¡± Russel looked at me, ¡°Now that she knows, what are you gonna do?¡±


    I made a helpless expression, ¡®I¡¯m not gonna spill the beans to Neil. If she doesn¡¯t tell Neil, I won¡¯t


    either. Let¡¯s see who spills out first.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s actions made me wonder, is she really as innocent as ! thought? We¡¯re kinda friends, and I¡¯ve


    seen her rtionship with Oscar. If she was truly an innocent girl, she¡¯d tell the truth to me, apologize


    sincerely, and promise she¡¯d never see Neil again.


    But she didn¡¯t do that. Instead, she nonchntly asked to meet me, telling me she had split up with


    Oscar.

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    Russel caught on that I hadn¡¯te clean with Neil yet, so he shot me a slightly annoyed look, much


    like a teacher would to a misbehaving student


    I shrunk a little in my seat. I was just looking for someone to speak to, hoping to clear my mind a bit, I


    wasn¡¯t really looking for any feedback from him.


    ¡°Eat up, help yourself!¡± The food arrived just then, and I quickly urged Russel to eat, while I focused on


    my meal.


    Whenever Russel was with me, he seemed to lose his appetite. He would always leave after eating just


    a bit, leaving me alone with a table full of food. What a waste! After packing up the leftovers, I drove


    home and had Ada feed it to the chickens and ducks in the hen house.


    I must admit, Ada was pretty good at raising them. The local chickens and ducks I brought back from


    Faith had grown quite plump under her care.


    I recalled Russel¡¯s words, saying that if I managed to live till forty, it would be a blessing from heaven. I


    remembered how I died in my past life and immediately told Ada, ¡°Ada, prepare some chicken soup for


    tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am,¡± Ada nodded.


    I noticed Ada was looking a bit off, like she had something on her mind. Did she find out about her


    daughter¡¯s breakup? Or maybe it was about the recent chemical nt renovations?


    I didn¡¯t pry and went to take a bath and rest.


    Before bed, I got in touch with Barbara Sands. From her, I learned that Norman Frost was indeed


    wavering. The generous offer from Whitmore Co. and the huge tform for career development was


    too hard to resist. If he could get in, his future would be limitless.


    ¡°Try to persuade him to quit, just like we discussed before,¡± I replied to Barbara while applying a face


    mask.


    ¡°Sure, Rena. But how would Whitmore Co. really send a job invitation to Norman? Did Neil pull some


    strings?¡± Barbara asked curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, he decided to y the good guy this time,¡± I replied nonchntly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Barbara was quite shocked. She knew how cold Neil used to be towards me. In the past, he would


    never help me out. Even a simple conversation was rare.


    I guess now that I¡¯m not as clingy in this life, he probably finds me more bearable?


    In my past life, I was more of a nutcase.


    After chatting for a while, we hung up as I needed to get some sleep for work tomorrow.


    Luckily, being a secretary isn¡¯t too demanding, and Neil doesn¡¯t give me a hard time at work, which is


    quite nice. Seeing how he separates personal and work issues, I decided to do my best and be an


    excellent secretary.


    During this time, I learned that Norman decided to quit and join Whitmore Co. He was assigned to the


    Project Department.


    ¡°Rena, Norman wants to take me out for dinner to celebrate his new job at Whitmore Co. and what


    should I do?¡± Barbara called me, sounding quite frustrated.


    She despised Norman now. The deeper the love was, the deeper the hatred is.


    If she saw him, she might lose control.


    However, I encouraged Barbara to meet with Norman. I told her, ¡°Go see him, and tell him you¡¯re


    pregnant while you¡¯re at it. His parents have been nagging about wanting a grandchild, right? They¡¯d


    love to have a grandson or granddaughter. Once he hears the news, he¡¯ll be over the moon.¡±


    Norman will experience the joys of heaven before being plunged into the pains of hell.


    I didn¡¯t expect that this move would expose Barbara to the Frost family¡¯s nasty behavior yet again.


    Three dayster, Barbara called me again. Her voice was filled with uncontroble anger, and a hint of


    a s ob. She said, ¡°Do you know what Norman¡¯s parents said? They said now that since I¡¯m pregnant,


    we¡¯re absolutely one family forever. They said that no matter how my life turns out, I¡¯m part of the Frost


    family. They even want my parents to prepare a house for the baby as a weing gift. That¡¯s


    disgusting! I had no idea they were like this!¡±


    I felt disgusted listening to it. They must think Barbara¡¯s pregnancy means they don¡¯t have to pretend


    anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get mad, let them dream on,¡± Iforted Barbara, ¡°It¡¯ll make their downfall even more painful.¡±


    ¡°I know, so I held it in. I even told his mother that my father has bought us a house and a car. After we


    get married, the house and car will be his too. After the baby is born, we¡¯ll even buy a house for his


    mother and uncle so they can help take care of the baby.¡± Barbara told me.


    I was thrilled to hear this. I praised her, ¡°Well done!¡±


    Despite being so angry, Barbara managed to keep her calm, and even gave the Frosts something to


    look forward to. What a woman!


    We chatted a bit more before hanging up. We agreed to end this n in two days.


    To my surprise, before I could contact Norman, he reached out to me first. He thanked me for the


    rmendation, saying he wouldn¡¯t have gotten into Whitmore Co. without me. Barbara hadn¡¯t said it


    straightforward, but he knew.


    He knew a lot about personal rtionships, yet what a shame he wasn¡¯t a good person.


    I told him, ¡°No need to be so formal. Whitmore Co. must have recognized your abilities to give you the


    job offer. As long as you work hard and don¡¯t make any serious mistakes, you¡¯ll definitely be a


    formal employee.¡±


    But in my mind, I thought, his serious mistake ising soon.


    Norman said, ¡°Alright, thanks for the encouragement. I¡¯ll work hard. I¡¯ll treat you to a dinner sometime!¡±


    After hanging up, I saw Neil walk in. He looked at me, and I met his gaze without fear, ¡°It¡¯s lunch break


    now, not work time. I should be allowed to make a personal call, right?¡±


    ¡°Get the car running, we need to head over to Zion Chemical nt,¡± Neil told me, tantly ignoring me


    and grabbing a file off the table.


    Zion Chemical nt ¨C he meant the factory near Bonnie¡¯s ce.


    I was surprised. Was he nning on taking me there? What if Bonnie saw me? After all, I had no idea if


    she was staying in school.


    Neil dared to bring me along because he was clueless that Bonnie already knew my true identity. Even


    if she saw me, he could always y it off as me being his secretary.


    What a blockhead! I sighed and headed for the parking lot.


    A few minutester, Neil got in the car, taking the back seat. Nonchntly, he told me, ¡°Please drive.¡±


    quickly stacted the engine, causing Neil to slightly lean forward. Through the rear view mirror, I noticed


    his face was a bit off. He looked at me, ¡°Can you drive in a good


    1/2


    11:33


    ¡°Irene Finch, I think you really need to get your neau checktu uur,


    Chapter 51


    manner?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Whitmore, I can drive well,¡¯ I said, sitting upright. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll get you to our


    destination safe and sound.¡±


    ¡°Irene Finch, I think you really need to get your head checked out,¡± Neil grumbled from the back seat,


    his face showing a hint of annoyance in the rearview mirror.

 Chapter 52

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    Chapter 52


    When Neil and I pulled up at Zion Chemical nt, there was already a bunch of guys, all in their forties


    or fifties, gathered at the entrance shouting something


    As soon as they saw Neil¡¯s car, they all turned to look our way.


    ¡°What are we doing here?¡± I got a bad feeling about this and asked Neil the moment we stopped the


    car


    ¡°We¡¯re here to negotiate.¡± Neil responded casually as if the angry mobs were not about to pounce on


    him.


    As Neil was about to get out of the car, I quickly made my position clear, ¡°I¡¯m not going there, you go!¡±


    If a fight broke out, a weakling like me would be knocked out cold.


    Neil retorted coldly. ¡°Whether you like it or not, you¡¯re going. Remember you¡¯re my secretary now. Do


    you want me to tell my mom about your poor work at


    I was fed up. How dare Neil use his mom to threaten me?


    And yet, I had no choice but to suck it up since it was Faith who pressured me into working as a


    personal secretary at Whitmore Co. If she found out about my bad attitude, she would have a poor


    impression of me.


    I gritted my teeth, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go!¡±


    After getting out of the car, I followed behind Neil, heading towards the furious crowd.


    ¡°Are you Mr. Whitmore from Whitmore Co.?¡± The man leading the group, around fifty and a bit chubby


    with a not-so-great appearance, was Dean Tueley, Bonnie¡¯s dad ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here today to discuss the


    compensation for the demolition of residential houses. Would you care to represent the group and have


    a chat with me in the car? Neil asked politely.


    I thought, the power of love had turned the usually arrogant Neil into a polite and humble gentleman in


    front of his future father-inw.


    Dean seemed surprised by Neil¡¯s politeness. After ncing back at the others, he nodded, ¡°Okay¡±


    I knew that after this negotiation, Neil would offer a satisfactory solution to Dean. All thanks to Bonnie,This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    who had probably already talked to Neil.


    Neil was a shrewd businessman. He would tell Bonnie that he was not in charge of the nt renovation


    and was not aware of the situation. Then he would personally resolve the issue, giving Bonnie the


    impression that he was stepping back for her.


    How important was the amount ofpensation? Neil could not have been unaware of it. Only a naive


    little girl like Bonnie would believe him.


    I followed Neil and Dean back to the car. As soon as I got in, I found an excuse to get out again. I didn¡¯t


    want to hear their conversation or see Nell backing down for love


    In the past, I had begged Neil to spare the Finch family, but he turned me down. Compared to him, I


    was a total loser.


    After more than half an hour, Dean got out of the car. He didn¡¯t look happy and just walked away


    without a word to me. Neil didn¡¯t get out of the car


    What was going on? Shouldn¡¯t he be happy? I was confused.


    As I watched Dean rejoin the crowd and say something, the crowd started to get restless. I shook my


    head and turned to go back to the car


    ¡°Irene!¡±


    The next second, I saw Neil rush out of the car looking panicked.


    Before I could react, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I touched my head and saw my hand


    covered in warm blood


    ¡°Blood¡­¡± I murmured as I looked at my blo ody hand, then I passed out.


    When I woke up, I was in the hospital with my mom sitting by my bedside. Seeing that I was awake,


    she asked, ¡°Rena, how do you feel? is your head still hurting


    ¡°Mom?¡± I asked weakly as my vision cleared, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in the hospital, you¡¯ve been hurt. Why would Neil take you to such a dangerous ce?


    Someone hit you in the back of the head with a stick. You had a severe concussion and bled a lot, but


    luckily there was no internal bleeding My mom sounded ming but actually worried over me.


    I touched the bandages on my head and asked in horror, ¡°Mom, they didn¡¯t sh ave my hair, did they?


    My mother looked at me helplessly, ¡°Is that important?! You¡¯re worried about your hair now?


    ¡°Mom, if my hair was sh aved off, how could I face anyone?¡± Iined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they only sh aved a small spot where you were hurt. Once your hair grows back, it will


    cover it. My mom reassured me.


    I sighed in relief and then asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡±


    I knew it wasn¡¯t Neil¡¯s fault. He was negotiating with Dean when I decided to get out of the car. If I had


    stayed in the car, I wouldn¡¯t have been hit in the head


    And when I was attacked, Neil rushed out of the car. I was surprised to see him so worried.


    ¡°He¡¯s dealing with your hospital admission.¡± My mom said as she peeled an apple for me.


    Just as she finished her sentence, Neil walked in. Seeing that I was awake, he let out a sigh of relief


    and asked, ¡°How are you feeling?


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, I remember who you are.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Good, get some rest. I¡¯m heading back to the office. If you¡¯re feeling ufortable, call the doctor Neil


    put some fruit on my bedside table, greeted my mom, and let the


    room.


    I knew Neil wouldn¡¯t exin too much to my mom, so I told her the whole story and assured her that it


    wasn¡¯t Neil¡¯s fault


    ¡°See, you¡¯re making excuses for Neil again. You said you were over with him, but I don¡¯t think you are.¡±


    My mom seized on this.


    ¡°Mom, we should distinguish right from wrong when dealing with people. Just because my feelings for


    him have faded doesn¡¯t mean I should start ndering him maliciously, right? If I did that, I would be so


    immoral.¡± I smiled helplessly.


    My mom snorted and handed me the peeled apple. I took a bite and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s dad? You didn¡¯t


    tell him I was hurt, did you?¡±


    Your dad is on a business trip. I haven¡¯t told him about your injury. If he knew, he would definitely


    confront Neill My mom said, ¡°But it¡¯s surprising that Neill agreed to let work at Whitmore Co. You should


    learn as much as you can from him. It will be very beneficial when youe back to ourpany.¡±


    My mom¡¯s words had meugh, ¡°Haha, Mom, you make it sound like I¡¯m some sort of corporate spy?¡±


    My mom also startedughing. ¡°You and Neil are husband and wife, so bothpanies are the same


    to you. But your dad and I only have one kid. We of course hope that


    Chapter 52


    you can take over ourpany in the future. If you really don¡¯t want to, then we¡¯ll have no choice but to


    hand it over to a trust.¡±

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    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Who knows if I might turn out to be a business wh izz-kid someday? I wasn¡¯t sure if


    I wasforting my mom or myself.


    Anyway, my mom had a goodugh at myment, she responded, ¡°Whatever you decide to do, your


    dad and I will support you. You¡¯re our only child, as long as you¡¯re happy, we¡¯re happy


    I must¡¯ve been out of my mind in my past life. I have such wonderful parents with such a strong


    financial backing, yet obsessing over Neil endlessly, only to be left with nothing but pain.


    If I could move my head more freely right now, I¡¯d give my mom a big hug, but my injury didn¡¯t allow it.


    My mom stayed by my side for a while, then said she was going back home to cook some butter


    roasted chicken for me, which I was really in the mood for, so I immediately agreed After she left, Ste


    Wace, Alicia Rider, and Barbara rushed over


    Seeing my head wrapped in bandages, they were all heartbroken, asking me, ¡°How are you? Is your


    head still hurting?¡±


    ¡°Who did this to you? I¡¯ll give them a taste of the result of their behavior


    ¡°How long is it till you can recover?


    Hearing their words, I feltfort. Although I was injured, I was d to have this group of female


    friends who cared for me. Life really is beautiful.


    I answered them, ¡®I¡¯m fine, just a minor concussion. I¡¯m currently working at Whitmore Co., I was there


    with Neil negotiating with a resident, but things didn¡¯t go well and someone took it out on me.¡± I


    exined the situation.


    Ste put some nutritional supplements on the table, and then began toin, ¡°Really, does Neil


    have something against you? You used to be his loyal follower, now you¡¯ve stopped following him and


    he¡¯s got you concussed. I think you should divorce him sooner rather thanter.¡±


    Alicia agreed, ¡°Right, I heard if two people aren¡¯tpatible, they¡¯ll hold each other back. Whoever has


    the better luck can suppress the other.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Then Neil must be very lucky.¡± I sighed and asked Barbara, ¡°Barbara, howe you¡¯re here? Did you


    go to Whitmore Co.?¡±


    Barbara shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t go, but I sent my mom.¡±


    I was taken aback for a moment, and then showed a look of admiration. Brilliant!


    My original n was for Barbara to cause a scene at Whitmore Co., brandishing the evidence I had


    taken, using Norman of his infidelity, which would cause a lot of negative impact for thepany,


    and Whitmore Co. would then fire Norman who was still in his intern period, leaving him with nothing.


    But having her parents go was actually a better choice.


    Barbara said indignantly, ¡°After my mom caused a scene at thepany, Norman actually dared to call


    me and said a bunch of stuff.¡±


    ¡°What did he say? What did you say? I asked curiously.


    ¡°He said he was wrong and hoped I could forgive him, what a shameless man!¡± Barbara replied, ¡°Then


    I told him I loved him very much and was willing to forgive him, and I even had some personal savings


    that I could use to go back to his hometown with him to work, but my parents were strongly against it


    and wanted me to break up with him, there was nothing I could do.¡±


    As soon as Barbara finished, Ste, Alicia, and I all startedughing, her mind really was quick.


    In this way, Norman would not have any excuses to refuse her. His standards for a future girlfriend


    would also be very high, where would he find another girl who is both wealthy and loves him? He would


    always remember Barbara¡¯s kindness to him, but he didn¡¯t cherish it, and ended up losing everything.


    They stayed with me for a long time before they left. I was bored, so I started ying a game on my


    phone, but theter levels were too difficult, I gradually became frustrated.


    ¡°I¡¯m pi ssed!¡± After failing the level twelve times, I was about to threw my phone.


    ¡°What did the phone do wrong?¡± Russel appeared in the doorway, dressed in a doctor¡¯s uniform,


    wearing a mask, only revealing a pair of nice eyebrows and eyes, looking cool and handsome.


    Seeing him, I immediately calmed down, leisurely put down my phone, and said, ¡°Nothing, just


    stretching.¡±


    Russel hummed lightly, clearly not really believing my words.


    He came in, nced at the table full of nutritional supplements, flipped through them. Vitamins, honey,


    truffles, then he saw a bottle of vodka. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is this from Ste?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who would give vodka as a nutritional supplement.


    I didn¡¯t check what these nutritional supplements were, and I couldn¡¯t turn my head too much, so I just


    nodded casually, ¡°Yep, that¡¯s her.¡±


    Russel speechlessly put down the gift box, and then asked, ¡°How did you get hurt?¡±


    This was the third time I had to exin how I got injured.


    But I exined with more details to Russel, for example, Bonnie lived near the Zion Chemical nt,


    the man who negotiated with Neil, Dean, was her father.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because Bonnie contacted him that he went to negotiate personally?¡± Russel asked


    again.


    ¡°What else could it be?¡± I retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is a good opportunity for Neil to win over


    Bonnie? He set a trap, and he just happens to be the one who can break it. If I were Bonnie, I¡¯d


    definitely fall for him!¡±


    That¡¯s true, if I were Bonnie, I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist a man who was both rich and handsome, who


    spent so much money on me, made such an effort for me, and was even willing to divorce his wife to


    marry me. As long as I was sane, I¡¯d definitely ept him.


    Every time Russel saw me acting so indifferent towards Neil, there was always a sh of confusion in


    his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.


    ¡°You¡¯re not Bonnie,¡± he suddenly leaned in, poked my bandaged head with his finger, and said with a


    hint of admiration, ¡°Not bad, even though you look skinny and malnourished, you¡¯re surprisingly


    resilient.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    ¡°With a moderate concussion like yours, most people would experience some typical symptoms, such


    as dizziness, vomiting, even amnesia. In severe cases, some might even suffer from partial paralysis or


    convulsions. But you, you just cked out for a while,¡± Russel exined.


    So, he came to check if I was that bad, huh?


    Just as we were chatting, Neil surprisingly showed up again. Seeing Russel by my bedside, chatting


    with me, he frowned slightly.


    11:33


    Chapter 53


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Spotting Neil, Russel greeted him calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve got to go.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Neil responded indifferently. Only after watching Russel leave did he put down the food he


    was holding. ¡°What were you two talking about the Aun wrong with your heart?¡±


    My mind went nk for a moment before I responded, ¡°Is there something wrong with my heart?¡±


    The next second, I saw Neil turned grumpy in a sudden. His gaze turning sharp as he repeated, ¡°Isn¡¯t


    there something wrong with your heart?


    My heart ski pped a beat. Russel must have told Neil about my heart difort, using it as a cover up


    for our previous interactions.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m good. I think it might be due tock of rest. I asionally feel some chest pain and


    thought there might be something wrong with my heart. That¡¯s why we asked Dr. Russel about it a few


    times!¡± I quickly came up with an excuse.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54


    Neil grinned and said, ¡°Really? Howe I¡¯ve never noticed you have such a problem before?¡±


    ¡°Did you ever bother to get to know me before?¡± Suddenly, I found my backbone and red at Neil


    defiantly.


    Sure enough, I seeded in diverting the conversation.


    I thought of the man who hit me with the stick and asked, ¡°Did you call the police? About me getting


    beaten up.¡±


    ¡°I did. The guy¡¯s cooling his heels at the police station now.¡± Neil opened a food box, revealing a


    steaming chicken and abalone soup. ¡°Ada made this from home.¡±


    No wonder it smelled familiar. I took the food box and started to eat.


    As I was eating. Neil broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯ve let Ada go. She¡¯s leaving tomorrow.¡±


    The spoon nearly slipped from my hand, but I didn¡¯t turn my head for fear of aggravating my injury.


    Instead, I widened my eyes and asked him, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The guy who beat you up today, Kent Tueley, is the brother of Ada¡¯s husband. It¡¯s not appropriate for


    her to continue working at our ce.¡± Neil exined slowly.


    A chill ran down my spine. Did Neil already know that Ada was Bonnie¡¯s mother?


    If he had looked into Kent, he surely would¡¯ve checked out Bonnie¡¯s family, too. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to


    figure out who Ada was.


    I had initially wanted Ada to stay at our ce a bit longer, but since Neil had already made up his mind,


    I let it be.


    ¡°Alright, I get it.¡± I calmed down and continued eating.


    As I was eating, I kept sneaking nces at Neil. He knew that Ada was our nanny, but did he never


    suspect that I actually knew Bonnie?


    Neil was busy replying to messages on his phone. I remembered that my mom¡¯s roast chicken should


    be ready soon, so I said to him, ¡°Thanks for bringing me food today. Since you¡¯re busy, you should go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Neil stood up to leave. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I rolled my eyes. If he was in such a


    to leave, then why did he even bother bringing


    me food?


    more.


    No sooner had Neil left than my mom arrived. Although I had already eaten quite a bit, I couldn¡¯t resist


    the temptation of the roast chicken and forced myself to eat some


    My mom wanted to stay overni


    My mom reluctantly went home to Mer


    Just as I was about to drift


    ¡°Hello?¡± Without checki


    off


    the


    but I refused. It was just my head that


    with


    couldn¡¯t


    I move, not my body.


    rest.


    a


    nurse had checked my


    ward and gave me some injections, I was ready to get some sleep.


    to


    ID,


    came


    ¡°Irene, it¡¯s me.¡± Bonnie¡¯s


    I immediately became


    alert. My


    p. my


    rang. Luckily, I was in a private room, so the noise wouldn¡¯t disturb anyone else.


    the


    phone, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    phone. She spoke softly and nervously, ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    clearer, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. No, I¡¯m not asleep. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Irene, I heard about what happened. My


    hurt


    you today, and you had to be hospitalized. I¡¯m calling to apologize on his behalf. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bonnie¡¯s


    tone was filled with sincerity. I could tell that she genuinely meant her apology.


    I chuckled, ¡°So that guy is uncle, huh? What a coincidence. I was only there today for work. I didn¡¯t


    expect something like this to happen.¡±


    Bonnie replied, ¡°Yes, Irene, we really do have a connection. I just found out today that my mom has


    been working at your ce. But¡­ she¡¯s been fired.¡±¡±


    It seemed she knew quite a lot. I was a bit disappointed that I didn¡¯t hear what I wanted to hear.


    Since Bonnie knew that her uncle me and that her mom worked at my ce, didn¡¯t she know that Neil


    was my husband?


    After all, I went to Zion Chemical nt with Neil, and Ada was fired by Neil.


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been my husband who fired her. I¡¯


    Upon hearing my words, Bonnie fell silent


    for fter what


    happened today, he was pretty pi ssed.¡± I said with augh.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I hung up.


    When she spoke again, her voice sounded a bit strained, ¡°I know, Irene. You should get some rest.¡±


    That night, I didn¡¯t sleep very well. Probably due to the head injury, I kept having fragmented dreams


    about my past love, which almost made me think my condition had worsened when I woke up the next


    day.


    It was 8:30 in the morning ording to my phone. I thought I¡¯d see my mom first today, but Neil


    showed up again.


    He put a few slices of toast and a cup of coffee on the side, then handed me the food box like the day


    before.


    I was a bit puzzled, not understanding what he was up to.


    ¡°Neil, what are you doing? I took the toast, asking skeptically, ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy at work? Or have you


    already snagged that college girl?¡±


    At this rate, the news will soon be about Mr. Whitmore giving up his career to be a family man.


    Neil shot me a re. His expression was rather frosty, but I pretended not to notice and continued


    sipping the soup.


    ¡°Irene,¡± he pulled a chair over, sat down next to my bed, and asked calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve known her for some


    time, haven¡¯t you? And you also knew that Ada was her mother, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I paused my soup-eating. Ah, he finally caught on.


    Well, since he knew, I might as well tell the truth. After all, my ultimate goal wasn¡¯t to salvage this


    marriage.


    1 wiped the corner of my mouth and replied casually, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve known for a while. But I didn¡¯t think


    there was any point in telling you. Do you think you would¡¯ve given up on Bonnie if I did?¡±


    Neil just stared at me, not saying a word.


    ¡°Do you remember La Rencontre? She worked there part-time. I met her when I was there for coffee,


    and I also met her boyfriend. We even had dinner together once. He was really good to her, until you


    came along and broke them up. As for Ada, it wasn¡¯t me who specifically looked for her. The agency


    just happened to rmend her to me, so I kept her. I only found out that she was Bonnie¡¯s mother


    when we chatted asionally.¡± I exined calmly.


    Upon hearing about Bonnie¡¯s boyfriend, Neil became long faced a bit.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55


    ¡°We didn¡¯t y you. That¡¯s too much; you think I dare to betray you?¡± I exined, ¡°When Ada came to


    work at my ce, you didn¡¯t even know Bonnie. I¡¯m not a fortune teller. How could I predict this?¡±


    Neil¡¯s face softened a bit, he fell silent, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to suffocate with his


    silence.


    I kept silent too. Everything was out in the open now, and there was nothing more to say.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Finally, Neil got up and said, ¡°Don¡¯t have anything to do with her. Don¡¯t investigate her, don¡¯t get close


    to her, and pretend nothing else happened.¡±


    ¡°How could I pretend nothing happened?¡± I retorted. My tone had cooled, indifference filled my eyes as


    I looked at Neil. ¡°What do you take me for? A fool or a madman? Even the things that have hurt me, I


    should pretend they didn¡¯t happen. Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°What do you want then?¡± Neil stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at me like some high and


    mighty god as if I was his loyal follower who had worshipped him for ten


    years.


    I asked him sarcastically, ¡°Neil, are you ready to give in for her? That¡¯s why you went to negotiate


    personally, which led to me getting hurt too.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± Neil¡¯s answer was straightforward, so his hurtful words were also straightforward.


    ¡°Since you know everything now, and I know her, and she knows I¡¯m your wife, why don¡¯t we just get a


    divorce? I¡¯ll give her my ce, no hard feelings.¡± I brought up the divorce again.


    In my past life, Neil proposed for a divorce after pursuing Bonnie for a year, but things were different


    now. He might want to divorce me sooner.


    Alicia was right. This man has brought me nothing but suffering!


    I need to get away from this disaster and chase a better life.


    Neil¡¯s eyes instantly turned icy cold.


    Just then, Russel appeared at the hospital room door, his eyebrows furrowed, his eyes filled with


    complex emotions as he watched Neil and me in a standoff.


    Neil noticed him too and said gloomily, ¡°Don¡¯t dream about it until I bring it up.¡±


    Then he turned to leave, and as he passed by Russel, he paused and said, ¡°There¡¯s a party tonight.


    Wanna grab a drink?¡±


    ¡°Sure, send me the address.¡± Russel nodded.


    The two were nearly the same height, both very attractive men, even more so when standing together.


    After Neil left, I joked with Russel, ¡°Dr. Russel, you¡¯ve never had a girlfriend. Are you into guys? Can


    you help me chase Neil? If you can break him up with Bonnie, I¡¯ll get you a present!¡±


    Russel gave me a cold look, and I immediately shut up.


    ¡°Did you talk it out with him?¡± He sat down where Neil had been sitting and asked casually.


    ¡°Yes, about the Zion Chemical nt, he investigated Dean and Kent and found out that my maid Ada is


    Dean¡¯s wife, Bonnie¡¯s mother.¡± I sighed, ¡°Unfortunately, he still didn¡¯t agree to the divorce.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s only toying with Bonnie¡¯s feelings, would you forgive him?¡± Russel looked at me.


    Russel fell silent, and I wondered why Russel hadn¡¯t developed feelings for Bonnie yet.


    A minuteter, I understood.


    How can a man like someone he¡¯s never met? Russel hasn¡¯t seen Bonnie, hasn¡¯t chatted with her, or


    had dinner with her, so he hasn¡¯t had a chance to fall for Bonnie.


    I need to find a way to get him to meet Bonnie soon.


    Just then Russel took a call and had to go to work. Iy in bed, starting to think about how to find a


    suitable reason for him to meet Bonnie, to get him interested in her. If Neil had a love rival, and if that


    rival was his good friend, his possessiveness towards Bonnie would only get stronger.


    Then he would agree to divorce me, right?


    During my hospital stay, I kept thinking about this problem until the day I was discharged; Russel came


    to me and told me that Neil had taken Bonnie to see a few of his good friends.


    I knew exactly what that meant, I had been married to him for five years, and he had never taken me to


    dine with his friends.


    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± I replied calmly.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset anymore?¡± Russel asked.


    ¡°The most useless emotion is sadness.¡± I patted Russel¡¯s arm lightly, ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal


    next time.¡±


    After I said that, I got in the car. My mom was waiting for me.


    Sadness, anger, upset, and pain were the emotions I had felt in my past life. I¡¯d had enough, and I


    epted it. My tears couldn¡¯t change a thing.


    ¡°Dr. Russel, what did he say to you?¡± My mom asked as she looked out the car window at Russel.


    ¡°Nothing, he just congratted me on getting discharged.¡± I leaned into my mom¡¯s shoulder as I held


    her arm, then told Bailey to drive, ¡°Bailey, back to Sterling Estates.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡± Bailey answered, and we left the hospital.


    Back at Sterling Estates, I wanted my mom to have lunch at home, but she insisted on going back,


    saying that my dad was alsoing home today


    I joked, ¡°Mom, you and Dad have been married for so many years, and your rtionship is still this


    good? I¡¯ve never seen you this eager when hees back from a business trip. Are you reminiscing


    about your young love?¡±


    My momughed and pretended to be angry, ¡°You dare to joke about me and your dad?¡±


    ¡°Til have Bailey drive you home.¡± I blocked the hand my mom raised to hit me and said with augh.


    ¡°Okay, take care of yourself. My mom reminded me before she left.


    After Bailey took my mom away, I sat in the living room lost in thought. I wonder what¡¯s going on with


    Ada now. Did she know that Bonnie and Oscar Morse broke up? Has she noticed that Neil is pursuing


    Bonnie?


    I had too much on my mind, so I started to get a headache. I didn¡¯t even eat lunch and went upstairs to


    rest.


    11:34


    Chapter 55


    Cause I got injured Neil hooked me up with a sick leave for half a month. After I checked out of the


    hospital, I¡¯ve been chilling¡® at Sterling Estates to recover/Apart from hanging with Ste and the gang, I


    pretty much didn¡¯t do anything else.


    The whole kerfuffle with Zion Chemical nt¡¯s renovation got sorted out in these two weeks. Neil


    eventually caved in, just like what happened in my past life.


    I reckon he and Bonnie might be heating things up, huh?


    Lately Russel and I haven¡¯t been in touch at all. I tried to invite him out for a meal, but he blew me off


    cause of work.


    Maybe because Neil had been hanging around Bonnie more and more, he started to notice that she


    was a real catch, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s fallen for her. Hence, he no longer has time to listen to my


    whining

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56


    Whether it was Neil or Russel, they were never meant to be in my life, to begin with. Only because of


    some butterfly effect due to my rebirth we had some unexpected encounters. Now that things were


    back on track, I could ept that.


    In the early winter, the chill in the wind was getting stronger. I sat by the window in a white wool coat,


    watching the falling leaves


    outside.


    My phone buzzed. Ste had tagged everyone in the bestie¡¯s chat, ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s snowing! Today¡¯s the


    first snowfall. Anyone up for a hangout?¡±


    Alicia sent a crying face emoji, ¡°I¡¯d love to, but there¡¯s apany celebration in a couple of days, and


    I¡¯m stuck being the organizer!¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Does your dad think you¡¯re his daughter or hisborer? Go protest!¡±


    Barbara chimed in, ¡°Alicia, power through, be a bossdy, and take care of us threezy bums in


    the future; we¡¯re rooting for


    you.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Barbara and Rena,e out. Let¡¯s go bar hopping first, see if there are any hotties,


    maybe invite a few to y escape game, then have some barbecue, get full and drunk, then go home


    and sleep like logs, perfect!¡±


    Her n sounded pretty good, and I was a little tempted. Staying at home alone was boring anyway, so


    I replied, ¡°I¡¯m in. Send me the address; I¡¯ll be there ASAP.¡±


    Seeing this, Barbara also replied, ¡°Count me in!¡±


    ¨C


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    At this moment, a little sno wkended on the window and quickly melted. It really was snowing. I


    grabbed a beige scarf, put it on, and headed to the bar.


    As soon as I entered the bar, the temperature rose sharply. Barbara and I arrived almost at the same


    time, and we found Ste, who was already chatting with some hotties.


    ¡°Are you two trying to melt or something? Take off your coats, there¡¯s a dance eventter, and the


    ladies who get up and dance can get a free bottle of wine, and the most popr one even gets a half-


    year 20% discount coupon!¡± Ste was all excited, reaching out to grab our coats.


    What a weird event! I was clueless but still took off my coat and put it aside.


    Not far away was a colorful stage, with a few sultry women swaying to the music. Below was a crowd of


    hyper men and women, very noisy.


    I looked around and saw a familiar face, Oscar. It had been a while since west contacted or saw


    each other. After going through heartbreak, he had clearly lost weight, and his aura had be a little


    gloomy.


    He seemed to do part-time jobs at various bars, which I could understand. Such ces arex in


    personnel management and offer higher ie.


    Seeing me, Oscar was stunned for a few seconds, then came over to me, ¡°Irene.¡±


    ¡°Working here part-time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, waiting for next semester¡¯s internship. Then I¡¯ll find a decentpany to work for.¡± Oscar gave


    a small smile.


    Ste¡¯s eyes went wide. She looked at the handsome young man, then with her remarkable memory,


    she remembered Oscar, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the hottie who hit on you at Cielo Nocturno?¡±


    I quickly pinched Ste, ¡°What are you talking about? He¡¯s still a student!¡±


    Ste quickly covered her mouth.


    I said to Oscar, ¡°Well if there¡¯s anything you need help with, feel free to find me. You go ahead with


    your work.¡±


    ¡°Irene, can we talk for a bit?¡± Oscar was staring at me.


    His gaze made me a little nervous, but I still agreed.


    Oscar and I went outside the bar. The snow fell lightly on the street, creating a thinyer of white. His


    nose was a bit red from the cold. He took a deep breath of the cold air and said, ¡°Irene, I know


    everything.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I was puzzled.


    ¡°Your husband, he¡¯s the one pursuing Bonnie,¡± Oscar lowered his head, ¡°You knew it all along, didn¡¯t


    you? With your status, you couldn¡¯t have investigated. I just don¡¯t get it. Don¡¯t you love your husband?


    Knowing what he¡¯s done, how can you be so indifferent? When you were having dinner with Bonnie


    and me, didn¡¯t you feel ufortable?¡±


    1/2


    11.13


    That kid was smart. Iughed, ¡°What¡¯s there to be ufortable about? I have money to spend, and


    my husband is not home. Isn¡¯t this the mostfortable life for a modern woman?¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Oscar was silent for a few seconds, then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been in touch with Bonnie recently.


    She hasrit fully epted youx husband yet, but she said they¡¯ve talked about a lot of things. It probably


    includes you. I never thought she¡¯d be a mistress one day.¡±


    I rubbed my arm. The thin turtleneck sweater couldn¡¯t keep out the cold. If I continued freezing, I felt


    like I was going to catch a


    cold.


    ¡°People change. You¡¯ll get used to it eventually, Oscar, I¡¯m going back in. It¡¯s too cold¡± I sniffed and


    said.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Oscar nodded and went back into the bar with me.


    He continued to work, and I found Barbara. Ste was on stage, wearing a ck slip dress, a bl oody


    red rose in her mouth, dancing to the explosive music. The audience was cheering, and people were


    throwing roses onto the stage from time to time. Whoever got the most roses was the Goddess of the


    night.


    Barbara watched with a grin, then asked me, ¡°Rena, why don¡¯t you go up and dance?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going, and I don¡¯t want to make a fool of myself.¡± I waved my hand.


    ¡°How could you? I remember you joined a dance club in college. I saw your performance, and it was so


    good¡± Barbara encouraged me, ¡°Give it a try. Maybe a hottie will be so smitten with you that he won¡¯t


    know what fit him. Cradle-sna tching is all the rage now. Aren¡¯t you tempted?¡±


    I was about to decline again, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a few people appear. Mitch He bert


    was leading the way, followed by Russel and Cooper rke chatting side by side, and finally Neil and


    Bonnie.


    Why are they here too? My heart ski pped a beat as they went upstairs and sat down, where they could


    see the stage below. Neil and Bonnie sat together. Russel, Mitch and Cooper sat on the other side. If


    Oscar saw this, wouldn¡¯t he be devastated? ¡°Wow! Thatdy¡¯s dance was super hot. Are there any


    ladies who want to show off on stage? someone asked loudly.


    I was eyeing Bonnie, decked out in her pink sweater, looking a bit stiff and nervous. She shook her


    head when Neil poured her a drink. Neil, on the other hand, was in a ck turtleneck, his coat already


    off and tossed to the side. I don¡¯t know what he said to Bonnie, but it got her to cra ck a smile. And why


    the hell are my eyes so sharp? I could see all the dirty details, it was like a thorn in my side.


    I turned and headed for the bar, ordered a bottle of booze, and chu gged down half of it in one go.


    Then, fueled by the restless energy in my chest, I made my way to the stage.


    If Bonnie¡¯s ying the innocent card, then I¡¯ll go for the se xy route.


    When I got on stage, the sound of whistles and cheers filled the air. I nced at the wild eyes in the


    crowd, took a deep breath, and waited for the music to kick in.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57


    I hadn¡¯t danced in forever, so when the music started, I felt a bit stiff. But the alcohol kicked in quickly,


    and with a bit of liquid. courage, my body rxed, and I gradually found my rhythm.


    Someone tossed me a rose, which I caught with a flourish. Encouraged by the cheering crowd, I rolled


    up my sweater, tucking it under my bra to reveal a sliver of my slim, white waist. I tucked the rose into


    my jeans, its fiery red color standing out against my skin. It was a tempting sight that got the guys all


    excited.


    I reveled in the attention, the thrill of it all. Plus, with the alcohol still flowing through me, I was ready to


    roll up my sweater even more. Ste and the girls were shocked, rushing towards me. But then, all the


    lights went out, and suddenly I couldn¡¯t see anything.


    I stopped, a shadowing towards me. It was Neil, cursing at me through gritted teeth, ¡°For f uck¡¯s


    sake, Irene, are you trying to get yourself killed?!¡±


    It was he who had ordered the bar¡¯s power cut. Wasn¡¯t Bonnie supposed to be watching me? Why


    didn¡¯t she try to stop him?


    ¡°Neil!¡± I heard Bonnie¡¯s voiceing from the crowd. Someone turned on a shlight, but they weren¡¯t


    pointing it at the stage. They were heading out. So it was still pitch ck around me.


    Neil grabbed my arm, a look of pure fury on his face. But as soon as he heard Bonnie¡¯s voice, he


    started to reply, ¡°I¡­¡±


    I tipped onto my toes, h ooked my arm around Neil¡¯s neck, and silenced him with a kiss. He tried to


    push me away, but thanks to the booze, I boldly grabbed his hand and ced it on my chest.


    If anyone pointed a shlight in our direction, they¡¯d see this steamy scene. In this thrilling environment,


    Neil didn¡¯t push me away again. Instead, he tightened his grip on me and deepened our kiss.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Neil, can we go home?¡± I asked breathlessly.


    a


    ¡°Okay.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was a bit h oa rse as he suddenly picked me up and carried me off the stage. In the


    chaos of the dim shlight beams, we left the bar and sped back to Sterling Estates.


    As soon as we entered the bedroom, things heated up.


    But then Neil¡¯s phone rang. It was Bonnie. He was about to answer it, but I stopped him.


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re acting like we¡¯re having an affair, and she¡¯s the wife checking up on us.¡± I sat on top of


    him, grabbing his hand.


    ¡°Do you even understand your position?¡± Neil clenched his teeth, his jaw muscles twitching, anger


    shing across his face. ¡°You dare to dance provocatively in a bar? You¡¯ve got some nerve.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not drinking with other people?¡± I was a bit dizzy, but seeing that Neil didn¡¯t answer the call,


    I let go of his hand andid down on his chest. ¡°Pot calling the kettle ck.¡±


    Neil pinched my waist, his chest vibrating as he spoke, ¡°Don¡¯tpare apples to oranges! Were you


    really about to do a striptease if I hadn¡¯t had the power cut?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say no man would be interested in my figure? Why are you so


    worked up?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t reply. He just flipped me onto my back and hovered over me. His eyes were filled with


    desire, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he leaned down to kiss me forcefully.


    His phone rang again, but this time it was Russel calling me. I was about to answer, but Neil grabbed


    the phone and threw it on the ground. He then pulled the covers over us, and we continued making


    love.


    When I woke up the next day, I felt like I¡¯d been hit by a truck. I turned to look at Neil, who was still


    asleep next to me. He hadn¡¯t gone to the office early like he usually did.


    It was strange. I was his legitimate wife, so why did I still feel a bit anxious after our intimate moment?


    Was I worried about how Bonnie would react? But on the bright side, wasn¡¯t this what I wanted, to stir


    up trouble?


    I saw myself as the other woman and Bonnie as the wife. Everything was reversed.


    As I was lost in thought, staring at Neil¡¯s sleeping face, his phone rang again. It was Bonnie. On


    impulse, I picked up the phone and answered.


    There was a long silence on the other end, so I stayed silent too. Bonnie must have been at a loss, not


    knowing what to say. I¡¯d been through the same thing before, frantically calling Neil and sending long


    messages, not sure what I was clinging to. All I knew was that I felt miserable when he ignored me as if


    I was going crazy.


    Suddenly, Neil stirred. His long, thick eyshes fluttered, and then he slowly opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re


    awake?¡± he asked fazily


    I was startled, quickly hung up the phone, and replied in a fluster, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m awake. I¡¯m gonna take a


    shower!¡±


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    Chapter 57


    I got out of bed, grabbed some clothes, and went into the bathroom. Looking at my reflection in the


    mirror, my body covered in marks, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder, hadn¡¯t Neil and Bonnie been intimate?


    Why was he so unrestrained?


    After I showered and changed, I went back to the room. I was about to ask Neil if he wanted to shower,


    but all I saw was the empty, messy bed. He was gone. He must¡¯ve seen all the messages Bonnie had


    sent and regained his senses. His beloved girt was finally jealous.


    ¡°Ada¡¯s here. She wants to see you.¡± A maid came upstairs to tell me.


    Why would Adae to see me? I was taken aback. Had she found out that Neil was pursuing her


    daughter?


    I rushed downstairs, and sure enough, Ada was waiting for me in the living room. She stood up


    awkwardly when she saw me.


    ¡°Ada, why are you here? I didn¡¯t know Neil had fired you until after it happened. I would¡¯ve never let him


    do that?¡± I walked over, took her hand, and sat down on the sofa. There were some stic bags filled


    with fruits and vegetables by her feet, which she must have brought.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, man, I had no clue that Mr. Whitmore was the big cheese of the Zion Chemical nt project,¡±


    Ada looked uneasy, ¡°After finding out that Kent hurt you, I was too embarrassed to stick around here.


    But I¡¯ve been tossing and turning, losing sleep over this. You¡¯ve been so good to me, and I had toe


    and check on you. I apologize on behalf of Kent.¡±


    With that, she picked up the vegetables and fruits on the ground, ¡°Ma¡¯am, these are some veggies and


    fruits we grew at home. If you don¡¯t mind, please take them.¡±

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58


    I took the bag from her. Although the appearance of the fruits and veggies wasn¡¯t as appealing as


    those sold at the market, they were fresh and clean. I didn¡¯t mind at all. In fact, I admired her and Dean


    for being self-sufficient- one working as a housekeeper and the other growing their own food.


    ¡°Thanks, Ada. You didn¡¯t know about this, it¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t sweat it,¡± I replied softly.


    ¡°Ah, I know you¡¯re kind-hearted. Kent is quite impulsive, always stirring up trouble. This time is no


    different. All I can do is apologize on his behalf. Can¡¯t really help with much else,¡± Ada sighed.


    She didn¡¯t seem to know about Neil and Bonnie, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t just mention Kent.


    After chatting with Ada for a while, I wanted to invite her to stay for dinner, but she declined. Before she


    left, I casually asked, ¡°Ada, do you know any young girls in their early twenties? I have a friend, and


    he¡¯s a nice guy, just can¡¯t seem to find a girlfriend. He asked me to introduce him to someone, but I


    don¡¯t know anyone.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have a suitable person, let alone me.¡± Ada waved her hand dismissively.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your daughter go to college? She must have lots of friends, all young and vibrant. If she


    doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend, I¡¯d actually like to introduce her to my friend, he¡¯s really a great guy,¡± I said


    with a hint of regret.


    Ada wanted to say something, and after a few seconds of silence, she shook her head and said, ¡°My


    daughter just broke up with her boyfriend, but apparently someone is pursuing her. She won¡¯t tell us


    who.¡±


    Bonnie actually shared some information with her family? I was surprised. With her being such a well-


    behaved daughter, wasn¡¯t she afraid of making her parents furious?


    Did she confront her family or did Neil forcefully show up in front of her parents in my past life? I was


    not sure.


    I was intrigued and asked again, ¡°Really? Your daughter must be exceptional. The guy who¡¯s chasing


    her must be decent. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°How can I not worry? Once you have your own children, you¡¯ll understand. Parents always worry


    about their children, especially daughters. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll choose the wrong person,¡± Ada¡¯s worried


    expression made meugh.


    Ada was taken aback and didn¡¯t know what I wasughing at and just stared at me.


    I quickly covered it up, ¡°I was justughing at how you¡¯re overthinking. Like mother, like daughter.


    You¡¯re a person of integrity and kindness, and your daughter will naturally be the same. Birds of a


    feather flock together, and the man she¡¯s interested in must be exceptional too.¡±


    Iplimented Ada, but what Bonnie will do in the future might make her question whether Bonnie is


    really her daughter.


    In fact, I was reallyughing at Ada¡¯s overthinking. What did it matter if her daughter date the wrong


    person? What was the use of objecting? In the end, Neil¡¯sbination of wealth and sincerity won out.


    I believe money yed a big part. If it were an ordinary married man, who wanted to divorce for


    Bonnie, her parents would highly strongly disapprove.


    ¡°You are ttering me.¡± Ada was a little embarrassed.


    ¡°By the way, I always hear about your daughter from you. I¡¯m curious about what kind of girl she is. Can


    I see a picture of her?¡± I asked, pretending to be curious.


    Ada took out her phone, flipped to a family photo and showed me. After one nce, I expressed my


    astonishment, ¡°Ada, so your daughter is Bonnie!¡±


    Ada was also surprised, ¡°You know my daughter?¡±


    She had never told me her daughter¡¯s name before.


    I nodded, ¡°Yes, I met her when she was working at the coffee shop. Then I identally bumped into


    her boyfriend and saw her again at the hospital. One thing led to another and we all got to know each


    other.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence, I guess it is fate.¡± Ada was delighted and smiled brightly, ¡°It¡¯s Bonnie¡¯s good


    fortune to know a friend like you.¡±


    ¡°Ada, I¡¯ll invite you and Bonnie to have a meal together next time.¡± I said enthusiastically.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let you pay. If you don¡¯t mind,e to our house for a home-cooked meal next time.¡± Ada


    responded.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go mooching in a few days, Ada, don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± I couldn¡¯t wait to visit their home. That


    would be Neil¡¯s future parents-inw¡¯s house.


    Ada dly agreed. So far I could tell that she really liked me.


    11-14


    Chapter 58


    After Ada left, my smile also faded. I felt like I was living in a dream. I stayed at home all day because


    Neil had told me to rest at home for the rest of the year and return to work after the New Year. I would


    still get paid even though I wasn¡¯t working. I wasn¡¯t short of money, but I was touched that he was


    willing to give me this privilege.


    In the evening, it started to snow outside. The sno wkes were big and fell lightly, covering everything


    in ayer of white. It felt like a winter wondend.


    Neil came in, dusted off the snow from his coat, and a housemaid immediately took it away. He


    changed into his slippers and came to sit beside me. The moment he sat down, I caught a whiff of a


    familiar perfume scent.


    When I went on vacation, I brought back a bottle of perfume for each of them, including Ada. I could


    asionally smell it on other housemaids, so it was somewhat familiar. Normally, Neil didn¡¯t use


    perfume and didn¡¯t care about these things, so he didn¡¯t notice that his scent was different. I knew he


    must have juste back from Bonnie¡¯s ce. Ada probably gave the perfume to


    her daughter.


    Did Ada not tell Bonnie that the perfume was from me? She didn¡¯t mind using it? She even sprayed it


    on before meeting Neil.


    ¡°Is dinner not ready yet?¡± Neil nced at the dining room.


    ¡°Almost, why didn¡¯t you eat outside?¡± I held my bowl of soup, blowing gently on it before asking.


    Whether Neil was socializing or eating home-cooked meals with Bonnie, it would have been more


    normal thaning home for This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    dinner.


    Neil nced at me, his eyes revealing no emotion, ¡°Didn¡¯t want to eat outside.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I nodded, scooped up a spoonful of soup and slurped it, not very elegantly.


    Neil seemed to be watching me, but when I looked at him, he would lower his head to look at his


    phone. After a while, the maid told me dinner was ready. I slowly made my way to the dining room, Neil


    sat across from me and we ate in silence.


    ¡°Are you going out again tonight?¡± I broke the silence after dinner.


    ¡°No, why?¡±Neil raised his gaze and nced at me.


    ¡°Come on, help me build a snowman.¡± I said to him with a cheeky grin. ¡°Your mom¡¯s birthday ising


    up. If you help me with this, I¡¯ll go home with you and put on a show to make her happy.¡±


    A frown crossed Neil¡¯s face. ¡°Irene, where did you learn to threaten people all the time?¡±


    I muttered to myself, ¡®Who else but you taught me this?¡¯ In my past life, Neil used every trick in the


    book to divorce me. Now look who was talking. But I kept my cool on the surface. ¡°Is that something


    that needs to be learned? Just tell me, are you in or out?¡±


    This was one of my obsessions. I had once seen a snowman that Neil and Bonnie built together on


    Russel¡¯s phone. I could imagine them ying andughing in the snow, so romantic and sweet.


    Of course, that was in my past life. Now, I had to beat Bonnie to the punch. Even if we ended up getting


    a divorce, I¡¯d feel satisfied in my heart.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59


    ¡°Childish.¡± Neil said coldly, changing into a ck down jacket and a matching knit beanie before


    heading out.


    I followed him outside, wrapping my scarf tight around my neck before I started rolling snowballs. The


    snow was freezing and my hands quickly turned red. A ser vant brought me some gloves which I wore


    as I continued my snowball craft. Neil, on the other hand, just stood there.


    ¡°I asked you to build a snowman with me, not watch me do it,¡± I said unhappily.


    ¡°Do you still see yourself as a three year old?¡± Neil shot back, clearly annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re too old for this


    childishness, why build a snowman?¡±


    Did he alsoin when he was building snowmen with Bonnie in my past life? I angrily picked up a


    chunk of snow and smashed it mercilessly on Neil. He brushed off the snow and returned fire. Our


    snowball fight had begun. But Neil was stronger and had better aim than me. I kept missing while he


    always hit his mark.


    I was a sore loser. While Neil was bending down to gather snow, I threw a snowball that hit him square


    on the head. He grunted and red at me, ¡°Irene!¡±


    ¡°Come hit me then!¡± I provoked him,ughing triumphantly.


    Neil picked up a basketball-sized snowball and was about to throw it at me when I rushed towards him


    and clung to his waist, looking up at him. ¡°Go on, kill me so you can marry Bonnie.¡±


    Sno wkes fell on my face, my eyshes, and the ends of Neil¡¯s hair. He looked at me, his eyes


    piercingly beautiful. The atmosphere seemed to freeze. Although I had loved Neil for ten years and we


    had made love, this kind of innocent teasing was a first. I wasn¡¯t sure if I purposely acted before Bonnie


    could, or if I was trying to make up for my pitiful past self.


    ¡°Cheater,¡± Neil finally looked away, looking slightly ufortable. He dropped the snowball and I


    quickly let go of him.


    Neil went back to the room, leaving me lost in thought in the freezing outside. It took me a while to snap


    out of it and prepare to continue building a snowman, but I gave up after a short while. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I was so cold that I had to take a hot bath to warm up. Lying in bed, I checked the security footage on


    my phone, looking at the recording of Neil and I having a snowball fight.


    Under the dim light, amidst the falling snow, I was wearing a white sweater, a ck scarf, looking up at


    Neil with my arms around his waist. He was holding a snowball above his head, looking down at me. If I


    hadn¡¯t already died once, I would have beenpletely smitten by this romantic scene.


    What was he thinking at that time? Was he wishing that it was Bonnie in his arms and not me? I


    couldn¡¯t help but take a


    screenshot and set it as my lock screen wallpaper.


    I eventually drifted into a deep sleep, not even noticing Russell¡¯s phone call. It wasn¡¯t until the next day


    when I woke up and saw the missed call that I quickly returned it.


    ¡°I need your help,¡± Russel said.


    ¡°What kind of help?¡± I was still a bit groggy, my voice soundingzy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk in person.¡± Russel arranged a meeting ce and time in a very assertive manner, then hung


    up the phone on me.


    Confused, I got up and looked out of the window. There was a thickyer of snow on the balcony


    railing, reflecting the sunlight.


    Was he kidding? It was so snowy, what if I get into an ident on the way?


    As I was wondering, my eyes suddenly caught sight of a well-made snowman on thewn downstairs.


    It looked really beautiful, and I was pleasantly surprised. I quickly changed my clothes and rushed


    downstairs. I asked a ser vant who was shoveling snow nearby, ¡°Did you guys build the snowman?¡±


    ¡°No, madam, Mr. Whitmore did,¡± the ser vant replied.


    My heart ski pped a beat. I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about Neil¡¯s sudden kindness towards me. It was


    like winning ten dors from a lottery ticket that was bought ten years ago.


    Neil must have been thinking about how childish I was when he was building the snowman.


    I smiled and ran to the kitchen to get two ck beans and a carrot for the snowman¡¯s eyes and nose. I


    also took off my scarf and put it around the snowman.


    ¡°What a good boy,¡± I patted the snowman¡¯s head, then happily went back inside to have breakfast.


    After that, I got Bailey to drive me to meet Russel.


    Russel lived alone in a high-end apartment not too far from the hospital. It was my first time visiting his


    house. I had initially


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    11:14


    Chapter 59


    thought that a man as aloof as him, being a doctor and all, would have a decor style that leaned


    towards a minimalist and cool aesthetic, with shades of ck, gray, and white dominating the design.


    However, as soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted by hardwood floors and walls painted in a warm


    shade of yellow. The interior was incredibly inviting and cozy, emitting a subtle and pleasant fragrance.


    ¡°Make yourself at home.¡± Russel pulled out a suitcase and put it in the living room. He then made me a


    cup of ck tea and brought out a te of golden biscuits. ¡°I baked these biscuits. Try some.¡±


    After saying that, he called out, and a beautiful ragdoll cat came running out. Itsrge tail dragged


    along the ground as it meekly mewed, leaping into his arms. He stroked the cat and said to me, ¡°I¡¯ll be


    away for about two weeks for an exchange program. Can you take Boomer back with you and take


    care of him for a while?¡±


    I almost dropped the biscuit I was holding. He called me over to cat-sit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to take care of cats.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good boy. Just feed him and y with him,¡± Russel walked over and pushed the cat into my


    arms.


    The cat nuzzled against me. He was indeed well-behaved. Russel then brought out another box full of


    cat food and toys. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs.¡±


    With no other option, I carried Boomer downstairs. Russel drove to the hospital while I got into my car


    with my cat in my arms as Bailey drove me back to Sterling Estates.


    Pets were excellentpanions. With Boomer¡¯spany, I found a new source of fun. In just a day,


    he had warmed up to my home. When I yed the piano in the music room, he would sit quietly and


    listen. I couldn¡¯t help but take a picture of Boomer and post it on Facebook, only to see Bonnie¡¯stest


    post.


    Since she added me, all her posts had been hidden from me, with only thest three days visible,


    creating a nk space on her page. A photo of a hand reaching out to catch the snow, along with a line


    of text: ¡°Am I anything special in your heart?¡±


    I knew these words well, they were lyrics from a song I used to love. The next line went, ¡°I¡¯m afraid


    you¡¯ve never realized, I¡¯m still by your side.¡±


    I used to think this song perfectly described how I felt about Neil, and now it was Bonnie¡¯s turn to use it


    as a metaphor for her feelings towards Neil?

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60


    I had a hunch that Bonnie had fallen for Neil. This happened way faster than anything in my past life.


    Was it because of my


    meddling?


    I was about to like her Facebook post, but I was afraid Bonnie might have Neil as a friend who could


    see my sneaky like and cause me trouble. Whatever, they were destined to be together. I put down my


    phone, made sure Boomer was settled, and went back to my room to sleep. Before I could drift off,


    Russell video called me.


    I hesitated, then answered the call. The screen showed what looked like a hotel room, with Russell


    sitting in a wicker chair sipping coffee. ¡°How¡¯s Boomer? Still behaving? Can you handle it?¡± he asked


    when he saw me.


    I was surprised to see this soft side of Russel!. Boomer was like his beloved daughter and he was the


    doting dad. His question made me feel like we were an old couple discussing how easy or hard it was


    to raise kids.


    ¡°She¡¯s good, very obedient, even goes to the bathroom on her own,¡± I repliedzily, rolling onto my


    stomach on the bed.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. If it¡¯s convenient, you can take her to the pet store in the next couple of days to give her a


    bath and get her a scheduled deworming treatment,¡± Russell casually instructed me from the tiny


    screen.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m your nanny?¡± I red at Russell, trying to look as fierce as possible. ¡°Believe it or not,


    I¡¯ll sell your cat online if I have to.¡±


    To my surprise, Russell startedughing. He and Neil both had this aloof demeanor when they weren¡¯t


    smiling, but when they did smile, it was the kind that made you feel like a warm breeze had brushed


    past.


    Luckily, I¡¯d seen my fair share of handsome guys and had developed some resistance. After marveling


    at Russell¡¯s good looks for a moment, I snapped back to reality. ¡°What are youughing at? I really will


    sell your cat.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Russell seemed to underestimate me.


    I rolled my eyes at him. ¡°Hang up, I need to sleep.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you,¡± Russell said, his tone turning serious. ¡°Neil and Bonnie are here


    too. I heard Bonnie came with the school band for a performance.¡±


    After a few seconds of silence, I said, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    I hung up and turned over in bed, staring nkly at the vibrant crystal light on the ceiling. Why was Neil


    bing harder to understand? During my past life, I seemed to know him better. He loved Bonnie,


    like crazy. But now, I felt lost. He seemed to like Bonnie, but he also seemed to change his attitude


    towards me. He was having sex with me the night beforest, even building a snowman for me, but


    then he took Bonnie to another city today.


    When Bonnie posted on Facebook, Neil must¡¯ve been next to her. I suddenly understood, Bonnie had


    specifically posted it for me to see. I should have the answer as to whether or not she was special in


    Neil¡¯s heart.


    I had a restless night and woke up with dark circles under my eyes. The housemaids looked concerned


    when they saw me, but I brushed them off. The snowman was still standing outside in the cold wind, its


    scarf had fallen off at some point. I went out to put it back on and touched its nose with a bitter smile.


    Just as I was feeling down, Ste called.


    ¡°Rena, my dad¡¯s gone crazy.¡± she yelled, her loud voice making my ears ring.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I was startled.


    ¡°He actually wants me to go on a blind date.¡± Ste couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°There are so many single guys


    out there, so many hearts will be broken if I get married. Who knows what kind of social harm that


    might cause.¡±


    I helplessly held my forehead, Ste was very averse to the whole marriage thing, and was all about


    dating and not marriage, but at this age, her family would put a lot of pressure on her, and she wasR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    probably a bit overwhelmed by it.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go through the motions, just take a look. Haven¡¯t you been on blind dates before?¡± I


    comforted the angry Ste.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going! That guy is bald!¡± Ste roared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a meal, I need some good food to cheer me up.¡± She changed the topic.


    ¡°Okay, okay, where should we go?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Goldshire Restaurant, see you in half an hour.¡± Ste hung up after giving me the address.


    I grabbed a coat and headed out.


    1/2


    11.14


    When I arrived at Goldshire Restaurant, I saw that Barbara and Alicia were also there. The restaurant


    was warm and cozy. I took off my coat and sat next to Ste. ¡°So you¡¯re really not going on a date with


    the egghead?¡±


    Ste was drinking lemon water and almost spit it out when she heard me. She burst intoughter,


    clutching her stomach, ¡°Hahaha¡­ Rena, I think ¡®egghead¡¯ is a perfect description for him, hahaha¡­¡±


    Barbara and Alicia, who must¡¯ve heard about Ste¡¯s blind date,ughed at the nickname I¡¯d randomly


    chosen.


    After she finishedughing, Ste wiped her tears and said breathlessly, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not going. I told my


    dad, if I¡¯m going to marry, it¡¯ll be to a handsome guy.¡±


    ¡°Not just handsome, but also from a good family.¡± Barbara chimed in.


    Ever since Norman cheated on her leading to their broken engagement, she¡¯d been very rational and


    no longer believed in passionate love. Marriage was about partnering in life, not charity.


    ¡°Of course, by the way, has Norman stopped bothering you?¡± Alicia asked.


    Barbara¡¯s smile faded and she shook her head. Then she turned to me, looking a bit worried. ¡°Rena,


    Norman hasn¡¯t bothered me anymore, he doesn¡¯t have the audacity to. But I heard from a friend that he


    can¡¯t find work anywhere and is having a hard time in Rosemont. He must¡¯ve taken a huge hit and is


    ming you for telling me the truth¡­¡±


    Before I could even get a word in, Ste started cursing, ¡°Da mn it, what the hell is this? He¡¯s a real


    piece of work, doing all kinds of sleazy things but can¡¯t handle being called out? If he dares toy a


    finger on Rena, I swear I¡¯ll hire someone to beat him to a pulp!¡± ¡°Calm down, calm down,¡± I quickly tried


    to soothe Ste, patting her on the back. This girl¡¯s got a serious sense of loyalty, but she was also


    quick-tempered. As soon as she heard what I said, Ste quickly scooped up a bowl of chicken soup


    and gulped it down after blowing on it.


    When I originally filmed and took pictures of Norman¡¯s affair, I already braced myself for his bacsh,


    so I was not surprised. Although he was nowhere in my league and it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him to touch


    me, people can get pretty crazy when they were backed into a corner. I guess I should thank Barbara


    for the heads up, I¡¯ll be more careful from now on.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61


    After dinner, Ste was still raring to go, dragging Barbara, Alicia, and me to a bar. She dered that


    she¡¯d forever be a bachelorette, with bars and nightclubs as her second home


    ¡°Hey, they¡¯re just men, right? Look around, they¡¯re everywhere.¡± She swirled her drink and casually


    gestured with her chin to all the mening and going


    in the bar


    If I had Ste¡¯s carefree attitude towards men, I wouldn¡¯t have had trouble sleeping and experiencing


    nightmaresst night. I dreamt of my wedding day with Neil, except my face was reced with


    Bonnie¡¯s, and Neil was all gentle and tender with ¡°me¡°. His gaze was enough to drown in


    What else could that be if not a nightmare? Just thinking about it made me sick.


    ¡°Rena, your dance at the barst time was super sexy. Are you going to dance again tonight?¡± Barbara


    suddenly smiled heartily.


    ¡°And didn¡¯t Neil take you home afterward?¡± Ste chimed in, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Men are so conflicted.


    They always think the grass is greener, but once they divorce their wives, they realize they had it


    good.¡±


    Alicia, however, had a different focus. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the girl that day the college student Neil¡¯s been chasing?


    She seemed so innocent. Isn¡¯t innocence what everyone is after these days? She fits the bill.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what happened after Neil and I left the bar that night. All I knew was that Bonnie kept


    ringing and texting Neil.


    Ste sneered, ¡°If someone¡¯s character is rotten, nothing else matters. She didn¡¯t set her boundaries


    with a married man and even drank with him at a bar. She¡¯s nothing but a skank.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that,¡± I took a sip of my drink and gave a bitter smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what kind of


    guy Neil is? Bonnie is just a college girl from a normal family. She can¡¯t resist him.¡±


    Ste put her ss down and took my face in her hands as she said with widened eyes. ¡°Rena, how


    could you defend a home¨Cwrecker? Whether she¡¯s forced or willing, it¡¯s just immoral!¡±


    Alicia added, ¡°Exactly, we should be lenient with ourselves and strict with others.¡±


    Their words made meugh. They didn¡¯t understand my mentality. For things that were destined, I


    didn¡¯t want to fuss or resist too much, because it would only harm my physical and mental health, and


    make me leave this world prematurely.


    Just as we were chatting and drinking, a familiar voice suddenly appeared from behind. ¡°What would


    you like to drink? It¡¯s on me.¡±


    We all turned around and saw Mitch, dressed like a peacock, propped against the bar and trying to pick


    up a woman with his deep voice.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me for a drink.¡± The woman, an obvious pro at picking up men, cooed sugg


    ¡°I won¡¯t be responsible if you get drunk.¡± Mitch hadn¡¯t noticed us yet and was still focused on the


    ¡°If I get drunk¡­ just find me a ce to sleep, okay?¡± The womanughed flirtatiously.


    Man.


    Just as they were about to enjoy their night, Ste suddenly shouted, ¡°Mitch! You just got your


    ED


    you¡¯re already out partying? Didn¡¯t your


    he


    looked around for who was using him. When he saw


    doctor tell you no sex for three months?!¡±


    The shout startled Mitch se much he almost dropped his ss. His face turned livid Ste, his anger


    turned to fear.


    The woman gave Mitch a dubious and scornful look. After a nce at Mitch, she scoffed and turned to


    leave.


    Barbara, Alicia, and I couldn¡¯t helpughing. Ste was hrious.


    Despite his fear, Mitch came over and pointed at Ste angrily. ¡°Stop spreading rumors, you¡¯re ruining


    my reputation!¡±


    ¡°Mitch, do you remember how I said I¡¯d always give you a hard time whenever I see you?¡± Ste stood


    up, looking formidable despite being shorter than Mitch.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Mitch stumbled back, stuttering, ¡°Why.,.why do you want to give me a hard time? I didn¡¯t do anything to


    you¡­¡±


    Ste lifted her hand as if to hit him. Mitch quickly shielded his head, ¡°Try to hit me and see. Don¡¯t think


    I won¡¯t fight back. I can have my dad talk to your dad, and introduce you to-¡±


    He abruptly stopped, seemingly realizing he¡¯d said something wrong. Sure enough, Ste¡¯s face


    darkened. She grabbed Mitch¡¯s cor, ¡°Are you saying that man was introduced by your dad?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because you always pick on me!¡± Mitch defended himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re done!¡± Ste was furious. She started hitting Mitch, who ran away in fear. Cooper appeared just


    in time to stand in front of her.


    Since both Mitch and Cooper were at Rosemont, it meant only Neil and Bonnie had gone to another


    city. My heart sank.


    ¡°Ladies! Ste! Calm down, Mitch is still young and speaks without thinking, don¡¯t mind him.¡± Cooper


    tried to mediate,


    ¡°And what if Rena¡¯s dad introduces you to a 300¨Cpound widow to be your wife, what would you do?¡±


    Ste confronted Cooper.


    He nced at me, apparently having imagined the scenario, and immediately dered he¡¯d fight me to


    the death!


    Ste pointed to Mitch behind him, ¡°Then get out of my way. I¡¯m going to give him a hard time today.¡±


    Cooper actually stepped aside. Without any protection, Mitch ran away, and Ste chased after him.


    The two started a game of tag in the noisy bar.


    Half an hourter, Ste came back, her face full of satisfaction, obviously having vented out her


    frustrations.


    I¡¯d had enough of this drama, and went to the restroom. When I came out, a man blocked my way. He


    had a refined demeanor and was wearing sses. He asked me softly, ¡°Hi, may I have the pleasure of


    joining you for a drink? I know it may seem forward, but I¡¯ve been watching you.¡±


    12:21


    Was he hitting on me?


    Honestly, I was nning to turn him down, but surprisingly, I found myself drawn to this guy¡¯s voice and


    charm. He seemed to be around my age, and I thought having a drink and a chat with him might not be


    too bad.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I smiled gently, and took a seat next to him.


    Ste caught sight of what was happening on my end, and sent me a flirtatious wink, along with an


    encouraging thumbs up. I shifted my gaze as the guy started to introduce himself, ¡°I¡¯m Gat, and you


    are?¡±


    ¡°Just call me Ms. Finch,¡± I wasn¡¯t too keen on sharing my full name with a stranger.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Gat shed a brilliant smile.


    We sipped our drinks and made small talk. There wasn¡¯t much to discuss, especially in a setting like


    this. Most sessful pick¨Cups usually turned to talk about sex after a few exchanges, but Gat was


    a ss act. He hadn¡¯t said anything to make me feel ufortable.


    Gat suddenly asked, ¡°Are you single?¡±


    I was taken aback, my mind started to ponder, what was my husband Neil doing at this moment? Was


    he out shopping with Bonnie, or were they getting cozy in bed?

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I tossed aside all the chaotic thoughts, and answered in a mysterious tone on


    purpose.


    Gat¡¯s mouth twitched into a grin, gently pushing his sses up on his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I


    hope you don¡¯t have a boyfriend, so I stand a chance.¡±


    Was this dude into me? I began to doubt. He didn¡¯t seem to differ much from other men. Probably he


    just felt morefortable with me after chatting for some time, and started to reveal his intentions. I


    downed the rest of my drink in one gulp, and stood up. ¡°Enough of this, Mr. Kemp. I¡¯m off.¡±


    Seeing me about to leave, Gat also stood up hastily. ¡°Could you leave me your contact? I¡¯ll show


    you I¡¯m serious.¡±


    Even if he was serious, so what? I was serious with Neil for ten years, and what did I get? Still, I gave


    Gat my number. If Neil could have a st with his mistress, why couldn¡¯t I find someone to kill


    time?


    After leaving my contact, I found Ste and the others. They were ready to call it a night too, so we all


    headed home.


    Outside the bar, Bailey was waiting for me in the cold wind. Every time I had drinks, I would ask him to


    pick me up. He always opened the car door for me with respect, and helped me into the car. I held his


    hand, and said very seriously, ¡°Bailey, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give you a raise next year.¡±


    No matter what, Bailey always faithfully followed my orders without anyints. He paused, a


    strange look shed across his face. Then he closed the door for me, quickly got into the driver¡¯s seat,


    and drove me back to Sterling Estates.


    On the way home, I saw the snowman, stared at it quietly for a few seconds, then poked out its eyes.


    ¡°You and Neil are both blind.¡± I muttered. What did Ickpared to Bonnie? Except that I was not as


    young as her.


    The moment I stepped in the house, I heard Boomer meowing. Its sweet meow instantly lightened my


    mood a bit. I found it ying with a ball of yarn in its cat bed, picked it up and buried my face in its fur.


    After a while, I took a selfie with it and posted it online.


    Then I went to take a shower and go to bed. Just before I fell asleep, I saw Oscar had sent me a few


    messages, and a picture of a kitten, which looked very cute. He asked, ¡°Irene, do you like cats too?¡±


    I replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright. A friend¡¯s cat is temporarily staying at my ce. I found it quite cute, is that your


    cat?¡±


    Oscar, ¡°I found it at school. It¡¯s a stray cat. I thought it was really cute, so I decided to keep it. The kitten


    is very well¨Cbehaved, but eats a lot.¡±


    Then he sent me a video of the kitten. The kitten in the video was so fat it looked like a pig. It tried to


    jump onto a chair but fell because it was too chubby. It was both funny and cute. I couldn¡¯t help but


    laugh.


    We chatted for a while, all about cats. Oscar must have seen my post and thought I really liked cats, so


    he started the conversation. That feeling, it was like doing it on purpose. I knew it very well, because


    once upon a time, I also deliberately found topics that Neil would be interested in to chat with him.


    In the end, Oscar transferred all the money he owed me at once, saying: Thank you, Irene, I¡¯ll treat you


    to dinner next time.


    I replied: Okay, let¡¯s do it tomorrow. I n to take Boomer for a bath and deworming, you can also bring


    your kitten.


    Oscar responded quickly: Okay!


    After putting down my phone, I hugged my pillow and went to sleep. I couldn¡¯t overwork myself


    anymore.


    The next day, I searched online for a pet store nearby, then chose one and sent the address and time


    to Oscar. When I arrived at the pet store, he was already waiting there. He was wearing a thin ck


    jacket, a turtleneck sweater underneath, and carrying a pet backpack with his kitten inside.


    ¡°Irene!¡± Seeing me, Oscar¡¯s eyes lit up, and he smiled broadly. It seemed like he was starting to get


    over his heartbreak.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in quickly. It¡¯s too cold outside.¡± I said to Oscar, carrying a transparent pet cage, and wrapping


    my coat tightly around me. I wondered if he was cold wearing so little.


    After we both entered the pet store, I handed Boomer over to the store staff, and sat on the couch with


    Oscar, ying with his chubby kitten. The kitten was very lively, but due to its chubby figure, it often


    failed to jump up. It ran to my right side, trying to jump onto my shoulder. I was scared and stepped


    back, leaning closely against Oscar. He obviously didn¡¯t expect it, and his face turned red.


    When I regained myposure, I didn¡¯t move away immediately, but smiled at him. Only after the


    kitten left did I sit up straight.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit naughty. Did it scare you?¡± Oscar didn¡¯t dare to look into my eyes, his gaze following the


    kitten, and his voice was a bit nervous.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s very cute. I want to buy it a hairpin!¡± I suddenly thought of it, got up and picked a pink cat


    hairpin. I asked Oscar to hold the kitten, and put it on its


    ear.


    The kitten was very cooperative, walked around with the hairpin on, showing off in front of Boomer,


    even tried to provoke it. Boomer, who was being groomed, didn¡¯t like it and meowed angrily.


    Oscar quickly rushed over to stop it. I took out my phone and captured this interesting scene, then sent


    it to Russel, ¡°Look at this cute little cat! Boomer is annoyed by it, hahaha¡­¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t respond, perhaps he was busy. I didn¡¯t mind.


    After a few hours in the pet store, Oscar and I left together.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to treat me to a meal? How about we go now?¡± I reached my car, put Boomer in the


    back seat, and looked at Oscar.


    Oscar¡¯s gaze was still on my car, his envy and longing were almost impossible to hide. Hearing my


    words, he quickly nodded, ¡°Okay,¡±


    ¡°Then get in.¡± I smiled at him.


    I knew about Oscar¡¯s financial situation, so I picked a budget¨Cfriendly buffet restaurant. After that, I


    called Bailey toe over and drive the car back. Boomer and Oscar¡¯s kitten were also taken to


    Sterling Estates. Otherwise, the two little critters would definitely be ufortable if they were left in


    the


    car.


    The restaurant was packed with people, and Oscar was hustling around, picking out food he thought


    was delicious for me. Watching him be so


    11/2


    12.21


    Chapter 62


    thoughtful, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him again.


    His looks were actually top¨Cnotch; at least in school, he could count as the most outstanding guy in the


    college. He was also very hardworking, full of energy, and always positive. If it weren¡¯t for Neil¡¯s


    meddling, he and Bonnie could have a bright future.


    ¡°Hey, handsome, my friend says you¡¯re really good¨Clooking, can I get your contact information?¡± A girl


    around eighteen or neen trotted over, her face blushed as she asked Oscar.


    But Oscar subconsciously looked at me. The girl immediately felt embarrassed and nced at me,


    ¡°Oh, sorry, sorry, are you his girlfriend? Sorry for disturbing you guys.¡±


    She rushed off awkwardly after that, and Oscar wore a troubled expression, as if he wanted to exin


    but didn¡¯t. I sighed and said, ¡°Man, you might just miss out on a great romance¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63


    Oscar seemed pretty chill, ¡°I don¡¯t need love.¡±


    ¡°Why? You got your heart broken and now you¡¯re nning to stay single forever?¡± I asked with a smile


    as I tasted the food here.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Oscar seemed like he wanted to say something, but then he stopped. Instead, he


    peeled a few shrimps and put them in my bowl, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re too skinny. Eat more.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to be this skinny, but for some reason, my weight gain n wasn¡¯t going well. Since I¡¯ve


    been reborn, I¡¯ve only gained a few pounds and asionally would lose some.


    Perhaps it was because Ada was fired too early. If she cooked for me for a little while longer, I might¡¯ve


    been more plump and had a better figure.


    Oscar was quite a bit younger than me, so after chatting with him for a while, I could tell he was still a


    bit childish.


    For instance, his views on many things were very simple; everything was either right or wrong. I didn¡¯t


    argue with him, just went along with his opinions. He seemed really happy that I agreed with him.


    After finishing the buffet, Oscar and I left the restaurant. Bailey had already taken the car back, so I¡¯d


    have to catch a cab home today.


    ¡°It¡¯s snowing again.¡± I reached out my hand to catch a few snowkes, observing their shapes with


    delight.


    ¡°Irene, do you like hot chocte?¡± Oscar asked, his breath visible in the cold air.


    He hadrge eyes and long eyshes. Some said college students had a na?ve sparkle in their eyes,


    which seemed to suit him well.


    Back in college, I loved all sorts of drinks, but I barely had them after getting married. A cup of hot


    chocte in this weather actually sounded pretty good.


    I nodded and Oscar immediately ran over to a nearby caf¨¦. The caf¨¦ was quite busy, so he patiently


    waited in line.


    Just then, my phone vibrated. I rubbed my cold hands and took out my phone. It was a call from Neil.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I answered.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Neil sounded a bit cold.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ out shopping. Why do you ask?¡± I looked around and asked back.


    ¡°With who?¡± Neil cut right to the chase.


    I was puzzled. What did it matter to him? Even if we go by his previous agreements, Oscar wasn¡¯t


    exactly his buddy. I asked him back, ¡°And where are you?¡±


    Neil was silent for a moment, then finally said, ¡°Don¡¯t you already know?¡±


    ¡°And who are you with?¡± I pressed.


    ¡°I came here with Bonnie, but now I¡¯m alone in the hotel.¡± Neil answered quickly, exining the


    situation very clearly.


    I was taken aback and couldn¡¯t respond for a while. After a moment, I managed to speak, ¡°Did you call


    me just to check up on me? Why are you suspicious of me? You¡¯re out with your mistress and I didn¡¯t


    question you, yet you¡¯re ming me.¡±


    This was something I learned from the inte. When a woman didn¡¯t know what to say, she should


    turn the tables.


    Sure enough, Neil was speechless. He took a deep breath, and I could hear it very clearly over the


    phone. ¡°You¡¯re taking care of Russel¡¯s cat, then you go to the pet shop with Bonnie¡¯s ex¨Cboyfriend.


    Irene, you sure know how to have fun, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± I asked in surprise. It was normal for Neil to know I was looking after Russel¡¯s cat,


    because I posted it on Facebook. But how did he know I was with Oscar?


    Then a notification popped up on WhatsApp, I nced at it. Russel, ¡°I was with Neil when you sent the


    video. He saw it.¡±


    I was speechless.


    ¡°Irene, here¡¯s your hot chocte.¡± Oscar had bought the hot chocte and ran back, sounding very


    excited.


    Hearing him, Neil simply said, ¡°Just wait and see¡± and hung up. I just focused on enjoying my hot


    chocte. Neil¡¯s mood swings were unpredictable. I had no idea why he was angry.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I thanked Oscar with a big smile.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Irene,¡± Oscar was blushing, whether from the cold or from shyness, I couldn¡¯t tell.


    Then, he whispered, ¡°You look really pretty today.¡± That made me really happy. Every woman liked to


    beplimented. The hot chocte in my hand seemed to taste even sweeter.


    Walking in the snow, sipping hot chocte, and chatting with a boy. This was my first time experiencing


    something like this. There were many people who pursued me in college, but they all backed off once


    they found out I liked Neil.


    I¡¯d never had such a romantic experience before, and all the romance I tried to create for Neil was


    simply ignored.


    After finishing the hot chocte, I hailed a cab and took Oscar back to Sterling Estates since his kitten


    was still at my ce and I needed to let him take it home.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Come in.¡± I said.


    Once we reached my door, Oscar seemed very nervous, like he didn¡¯t dare to step in.


    Upon my urging, he put on a pair of slippers and walked into the spacious and luxurious living room.


    Just the decoration of this mansion cost millions, something I was used to, but obviously, Oscar wasn¡¯t.


    He looked even more nervous and awkward.


    10.35


    Didn¡¯t Bonnie feel awkward like this? This wealth wasn¡¯t hers, yet one man had taken her straight to the


    top of the world. Well, this wealth wasn¡¯t created by me either. I was just lucky.


    ¡°Meow!¡± The kitten saw its owner and let out a joyful cry, clumsily but excitedly bounding over to


    Oscar¡¯s legs.


    Boomer followed behind it and came to my feet, rubbing against me. I quickly picked him up.


    Oscar stroked the kitten and asked, ¡°Irene, are you home alone?¡± Was he asking if Neil was home?


    Neil was his love rival, someone he couldn¡¯tpete with.


    ¡°Yeah, he should be¡­ on a business trip with your ex¨Cgirlfriend.¡± I answered honestly. Oscar already


    knew a lot, there was no need to hide anything.


    Upon hearing Bonnie¡¯s name, his expression dimmed a bit. After all, she was the girl he once loved


    deeply.


    ¡°How about sticking around for dinner?¡± I suggested that Oscar stay for dinner.


    Oscar shook his head, ¡°Nah, Irene, I gotta head back to school.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Holidays are just around the corner. I¡¯ll be interning next semester. Might have more free time, but


    could also be busier.¡± Oscar shared with me.


    I responded in the same manner, ¡°Cool, just holler if you need any help with the internship stuff. I¡¯ll do


    my best to lend a hand.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64


    Oscar looked at me with aplex expression, then nodded slowly. ¡°Thanks, Irene.¡±


    I guessed he was starting to get it now. Like why took the muddy road when life had offered you a


    shortcut?


    ¡°Trene, gotta head out.¡± After a while, Oscar got up with the kitten to say goodbye, ¡°Later¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll drive you¡± I stood up too.


    Oscar shook his head, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just grab a cab. It¡¯s too cold outside and the roads are slippery. Not


    safe to drive, you should stay inside.¡±


    I didn¡¯t argue, watched Oscar leave, then hugged Boomer and showered him with kisses before taking


    him upstairs to y the piano.


    Boomer was way more behaved than Neil. He neverined when I y.


    As the snow outside got heavier, I yed a few tunes then took Boomer to the window to watch the


    snow. It was getting dark and the lights in the estate were on, casting a cold hue on the snow.


    Suddenly, a servant ran downstairs to open the front door. Neil¡¯s car pulled up. He got out, mmed


    the door shut in annoyance, and headed inside.


    I was startled, Neil¡¯s words echoing in my head, ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    did h


    He didn¡¯t just drive all this way to settle scores, did he? I freaked out a little. In my past life, I couldn¡¯t


    wait for him toe home and fight with me. I wanted to tell him about all the things I¡¯ve sacrificed,


    hoping he¡¯d feel guilty and stay. But now, I was pretty bad at fighting with him. At most, I can only retort


    briefly.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Irene?¡± I just left the piano room when I heard Neil¡¯s voice from downstairs. I looked down


    from the hallway and saw him looking up at me.


    I quickly rushed downstairs and headed towards the master bedroom on the second floor. Neil also


    hurriedly went upstairs, attempting to intercept m¨¦. He was tall and fast, caught up to me in a few


    strides. By the time I opened the door, he already grabbed my hand.


    ¡°Why are you back?¡± I tried to y it cool.


    ¡°Did I interrupt something?¡± Neil was clearly not in a good mood, his icy stare filled with anger.


    Not wanting the servants to hear us arguing, I lowered my voice, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    Neil opened the door and pulled me in. I steadied myself, sat on the edge of the bed, then rubbed my


    hand that he held too tightly, looking up at him.


    He paced back and forth in front of me, finally stopped and asked, ¡°Irene, what are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡± I was angry too, ¡°What do you want? Nothing happened between


    Oscar and me, we¡¯re just friends. You¡¯re clearly pursuing Bonnie, don¡¯t you think you owe me an


    exnation?¡±


    ¡°From the day you met me, you should¡¯ve known I¡¯ve nevercked women. Didn¡¯t you consider this


    when you married me?¡± Neil looked at me with a gloomy expression.


    ¡°So I should just bend over backwards to please you, is that it?¡± I scoffed, stood up and stared back at


    him, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯m not ying that game anymore. You chase Bonnie, I make boyfriends, and we


    mind our own business, okay?¡±


    I opened a drawer, took out several documents, showed them to Neil, and calmly said, ¡°There are three


    divorce agreements here. One, I leave with nothing. Two, you give me 3% of Whitmore Co. shares.


    Three, you give me 8% of shares. Take your pick and sign.¡±


    I must be the most considerate wife in the world, even prepared three different versions of the divorce


    agreement for him to choose from.


    But Neil didn¡¯t appreciate my thoughtfulness, instead, he got even angrier. He tore up the agreements,


    threw them in the trash, took off his coat and threw it on the bed, then went to the window to smoke in


    silence.


    ¡°What¡¯s the holdup? We should¡¯ve settled this a long time ago,¡± I said lightly, watching his back, ¡°I¡¯ve


    brought up divorce several times now. If you agree, we could be free right now.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond, just kept smoking one cigarette after another. His silence made me feel a bit sad.


    Ste didn¡¯t want to get married, Barbara found an average guy, Alicia threw herself into her work.


    They all knew that marriage in our circle was just a trade of interests.


    Practically all rich men cheated. Even if they were impotent, they would find other ways to have fun. So


    a man like Neil could never be faithful to me. When we got married, my mom asked me if I regretted it. I


    was still dreaming about love then, so of course, I didn¡¯t.


    I thought, ¡°If my dad could stay with my mom for nearly thirty years, why can¡¯t I win Neil over to spend


    the rest of his life with me?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s my mom¡¯s birthday. You¡¯reing with me,¡± Neil said, changing the topic.


    I knew he was not ready for a divorce yet, not because he loved me, but because he¡¯d weighed the


    pros and cons and decided Bonnie can¡¯t rece the benefits our marriage brought yet.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded. Neil was trying his best to control his temper now, if I pushed, a fight might break out.


    So I went with the flow. If he was not in a hurry about the divorce, I was not either. But if he bothered


    me again, I would bring up divorce. This strategy was pretty effective so far.


    Neil went to take a shower. I let out a sigh of relief, changed into my pajamas, andid on the bed


    ying with my phone. Bonnie posted a selfie from a rehearsal an hour ago, but she looked pretty


    down.


    Was she upset because Neil came home? Just as I was about to scroll down, she messaged me,


    ¡°Irene, is Mr. Whitmore home?¡±


    I was surprised, she was talking about Neil with me?


    I replied, ¡°He¡¯s home, taking a shower.¡±


    She was silent for a few minutes, then replied, ¡°That¡¯s good, he¡¯s a good man. He said it¡¯s his mom¡¯s


    birthday tomorrow, so he had to go home.¡±


    12:22


    Chapter 64


    I was a bit confused, unsure of Bonnie¡¯s intention here. She didn¡¯t even rify her rtionship with


    Neil, just jumped straight into these personal topics. After mulling it over for a minute, I figured maybe


    Bonnie thought I already knew about her thing with Neil, so she didn¡¯t feel the need for a showdown


    between the wife and the mistress.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I quickly typed back, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s certainly a good man.¡±


    Bonnie shot back, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re quite the charmer. Heard you and Oscar hit up a pet store today?¡±


    I wondered how she found out. Could it be that when I sent the video to Russel, not only was Neil


    present, but Bonnie as well? Why didn¡¯t he tell me?


    Before I could even figure out a response, Bonnie dropped a bombshell. ¡°I always sensed something


    different about Oscar¡¯s feelings for you, which is why I broke up with him. Looks like I made the right


    call.¡±

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Chapter 65


    Oscar¡¯s got a thing for me, I can tell. Maybe young boys were more impressionable, more easily


    smitten.


    Suddenly I felt a pang of guilt. What if Oscar¡¯s feelings for me deepen? What would I do then? I asked


    myself. I didn¡¯t fancy his pursuit, nor could I reciprocate the way he wanted. I just wanted to use his


    attention to bnce my inner chaos. If he was willing to y this game with me, killing time together, I


    might consider it. But if he got truly emotionally invested, I¡¯d be totally out of it.


    I was deep in thought, my mind a chaotic mess, when Neil came back from his shower. He was in a


    ck bathrobe, exposing some muscr contours, looking quite tempting.


    I withdrew my gaze, tucked my phone under my pillow, and pretended to sleep.


    After a while, I felt the mattress sink a bit. Neil hadin down beside me. He smelled of a mix of shower


    gel and shampoo, a scent I found appealing.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep in the guest room?¡± I asked hirm, my back turned to him, sounding as ift didn¡¯t


    care.


    ¡°I own half of the master bedroom too, Neil responded coldly.


    ¡°Why did you use my bathroom then? And my shower gel and shampoo?¡± I turned around to face him.


    ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t like the scent?¡±


    Once a woman started doubting, her questions became sharper.


    Neil¡¯s face was close to mine. His expression as wless as ever, he turned to look at me. ¡°Irene, do


    you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    We stared at each other for a while. I felt somewhat powerless and turned around to sleep. ¡°Forget it. I


    won¡¯t fuss about it.¡±


    The next second, he grabbed my shoulder and forcefully turned me around. I let out a cry of pain.


    ¡°Ouch! Neil, what the hell are you doing?!¡± 1 shrieked, tears welling in my eyes.


    Desire filled Neil¡¯s eyes as he looked at my face, his gaze stopping at my lips. Just as I realized


    something was off, he harshly kissed me, silencing my outcry. He kissed me until I was almost out of


    breath. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my lips, and then Neil let go of me. There was a trace of


    blood on his lips, which he carelessly wiped off.


    ¡°Neil, have you gone mad?!¡± I also touched my painful lips, and sure enough, there was blood. I


    immediately got angry and tried to p him.


    But he caught my hand, rendering me immobile.


    Neil moved in to kiss my injured lips again. Just as I was about to curse him, he shut me up again. We


    tussled in the bed. I tried resisting him, but his dominant teasing left me breathless. He tried to be


    gentle but grew angry and forceful every time I fought back.


    In the end, I was dripping with sweat and Neil¡¯s bathrobe was gone, his back glistening with sweat. He


    got up from the bed, nced at the mess of sheets and pillows, then went out to the balcony shirtless


    and lit a cigarette in the falling snow.


    I tidied up my sweat¨Csoaked hair, took a deep breath, and muttered to myself, ¡°Freeze


    Today I was determined. I sessfully fended off Neil¡¯s advances with


    1. in.


    my good


    death, will you?¡±


    figure, and although my skin was covered in marks, at least I didn¡¯t give


    After finishing his smoke, Neil closed the door. His eyes were filled with determination, but there was a


    faint smile on his lips. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s continue.¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± I threw a pillow at Neil. He caught it in


    stride, threw it on the floor, then quickly came to the side of the bed, grabbing my hands to stop me


    from throwing anything else.


    ¡°I never knew you had such a foul mouth,¡± Neil said, then didn¡¯t give me any chance to


    resist hi


    Three minutester, I admitted defeat in my heart.


    I had nned not to stay upte, but every time Neil passionately made love to me, I had no chance of


    getting to bed on time.


    What was worse, the next day was the birthday of my mother¨Cinw, Faith, and I had to drag my tired


    body out of bed. When I finished showering and sat in front of the vanity mirror, I was shocked by my


    own reflection. I looked pale, with dark circles under my eyes, and my neck was covered in love bites


    and bruises. It was as if I had been tortured.


    Neil walked in, impably dressed in his usual elegance. Byparison, I looked even more haggard.


    ¡°Get dressed ande downstairs. We¡¯ll leave after breakfast,¡± Neil said, as if he wasn¡¯t the one who


    had been wildst night. He had quickly returned to his usual self.


    I didn¡¯t want to engage with him and just got up to pick clothes in the closet.


    Ryan and Faith liked it when I dressed elegantly. So, I chose a white coat, a beige turtleneck sweater,


    and trousers, simple yet sophisticated, which could cover the hickies on my neck. Then I carefully did


    my makeup to hide the fatigue on my face, making myself look energetic. Finally, I picked up the


    birthday gift had prepared in advance and went downstairs. Neil was already having breakfast. Seeing


    mee down, the servant quickly set a hot breakfast for me.


    After breakfast, Neil and I left together. As we passed a snowman, he asked me, ¡°Why did you only put


    a nose on it and not eyes?¡±


    ¡°I did, but I was in a bad mood, so I gouged them out.¡± I didn¡¯t know why I was in a bad mood, maybe


    because my legs were still sore, and Neil seemed energetic, which made me ufortable. Suddenly,


    I pulled out the snowman¡¯s nose and threw it into the snow, giving him a re.


    Neil didn¡¯t react to my action at all. If it had been in the past, he would have thought I was trying to get


    his attention again and would have been annoyed. He even picked up the fallen carrot and put it back


    on the snowman.


    Outside, the car was covered in ayer of thick snow. It would be too much trouble to clean it up on the


    spot, so Neil called for a driver to handle it, then went to the underground garage and took out another


    car. After waiting in the cold weather for a while, the car slowly stopped beside me.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I opened the passenger door and got in, ready to head to Neil¡¯s parents¡® ce. When we drove past


    Zion Chemical nt again, I saw that the old neighborhood where Bonnie and her family used to live


    had been demolished. The area was filled with dust, the sound of excavators echoed everywhere


    12:22


    and the rumbling noises were omnipresent.


    Where were Bonnie and her family living now? I was a bit curious because Ada had once invited me to


    her house for dinner. I genuinely remembered that and nned to go whenever I had the chance.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66


    Even though I was curious, I didn¡¯t bother asking Neil, ¡®cause it was not like he would spill the beans


    anyway.


    I didn¡¯t know when I dozed off. I didn¡¯t get much sleepst night, so now all I wanted was to hit the hay.


    When I woke up, I found myself not in the car, but on a bed. The surroundings clued me in that it was


    Neil¡¯s room.


    Holding my forehead, I couldn¡¯t recall how I ended up on the bed, but Neil walked in at that moment,


    asking me, ¡°Did you get enough sleep? If you¡¯re good and rested,e on down for food, my mom


    and the others are waiting.¡±


    Tll be there in a jiffy.¡± I replied, feeling a tad embarrassed.


    Then Neil left the room.


    My phone buzzed at that moment. It was a call from my mom, telling me that today was Faith¡¯s


    birthday. Mom had already called her to wish her happy birthday, and she hoped I could send Faith a


    birthday wish too.


    Usually, our parents would just send a simple message on their birthdays. It was our generation who


    took care of the whole gift¨Cgiving thing.


    I immediately agreed to it, not mentioning to my mom that Faith and the others were waiting for me


    downstairs for dining. After hanging up, I hurried downstairs, wanting to find a hiding spot as soon as I


    reached the dining room.


    Aside from Neil, Ryan and Faith, all of Neil¡¯s uncles and aunts were there, sitting around arge table.


    When I came down, all eyes were on me.


    Except for my wedding day, I had never seen all his family at once.


    ¡°Irene,e over!¡± Faith, dressed in red and looking elegant, beamed at me. She didn¡¯t seem mad that


    I overslept and missed the meal. She waved at me, indicating an empty seat next to Neil.


    His uncles and aunts all smiled at me. I didn¡¯t have much interaction with them usually, so we weren¡¯t


    close. I quickly put on a smile and greeted all the elders. None of them were ordinary people, all being


    influential figures in the business world.


    In my past life, Neil and this bunch of family of his ruined my family. But I didn¡¯t me them. They didn¡¯t


    force Neil to divorce me to marry Bonnie. It was Neil who forced them helping him. Neil and I didn¡¯t


    have a kid. Any person in their shoes would have chosen to help their kin.


    I wasn¡¯t stupid. If I let what happened in my past life affect my attitude towards them now, showing


    them hostility, they would only be wary and disgusted by me.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    After they all responded to my greetings, I told Faith, ¡°The gift is still in the car. I¡¯ll go get it.¡±


    ¡°Neil brought it in for you. I¡¯ve already put it on.¡± Faith said with a big smile, then turned her head,


    showing off the exquisite gemstone ne around her neck. It was a cluster of flowers made of


    gemstones, each with a hollow center filled with precious spices. Any slight movement from the wearer


    would give off a faint, elegant scent.


    The ne was elegant and the scent was heartwarming. Faith naturally loved it, or she wouldn¡¯t


    have put it on right away.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. It goes perfectly with your outfit today.¡± Iplimented sincerely.


    Faith grinned even wider, ¡°You have a great sense of style. I love everything you¡¯ve gotten me. Let¡¯s sit


    down and eat.¡±


    I nodded and quickly sat down. Then Faith gestured to the maids, ¡°Serve the dishes.¡±


    Sixteen dishes were quickly served, a feast of delicacies.


    Keeping my mission to gain weight in mind, I ate while asionally serving Faith and chatting with her.


    I also asked about Ryan¡¯s health, reminding him to go for his annual check¨Cup.


    Whenever the elders chatted about a topic I was familiar with, I chimed in a few times. Neil, sitting next


    to me, didn¡¯t talk much.


    After we finished eating, the maids cleaned up the table. Ryan and Faith chatted with their family in the


    living room about business while eating fruits. Neil¡¯s aunt yed with her grandson,ughing as she


    told Faith, ¡°Neil and Irene should have a kid. Ryan is always so busy. A grandchild would certainly bring


    you a lot of joy.¡±


    Faith nced at me, then at Neil, her eyes full of reproach. ¡°I do want a grandchild, but Neil is such a


    disappointment. There have been fewer scandals recently, but was he acting like a normal person


    before?¡±


    I was drinking water and almost choked.


    Neil¡¯s face darkened. He probably didn¡¯t understand where he had fallen short. What was wrong with


    having some negative press? At least he didn¡¯t have any illegitimate children.


    Ryan agreed, ¡°Yeah, Irene has been married to him for five years, waiting at home every day, but he¡¯s


    seldom home. How can they have a child?¡± ¡°Neil, aren¡¯t you eager to have a child at your age?¡± the


    aunt asked.


    Before Neil could reply, his uncle chimed in, ¡°Look at your brother and sister¨Cinw. Their second child


    is almost here. If it wasn¡¯t for prenatal check¨Cup today, they would have been here too.¡±


    your


    sister¨Cinw¡¯s


    Then another aunt added, ¡°Yeah, your parents only have you as a son. You have to have a child


    eventually, right? Your brother Hamlin even has a girlfriend and ns to get married and have kids right


    after graduation. His girlfriend is really nice.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Hamlin is dating?¡± Faith suddenly became interested and everyone started discussing this topic.


    Neil, who had been scolded by his parents, seemed a bit angry. Seeing that the conversation no longer


    involved him, he went out to get some fresh air.


    1. followed him outside. The heat in the living room was too much, and my thin sweater was already


    making me feel hot. It was a good time to cool off


    outside.


    Chapter 66


    We stood in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. Neil lit up a cigarette, his back turned to me. Soon, I


    started to feel cold and decided to go back into the living room. Just then, Neil¡¯s phone rang. My gut


    told me it must be Bonnie.


    Neil never avoided answering Bonnie¡¯s calls in front of me, but I didn¡¯t want to listen. I was afraid it


    would annoy me and Faith would notice something was off. So, I quickly opened the door, then shut it,


    leaving his voice locked out.


    ¡°Irene,e here for a second.¡± Faith called me over as soon as she saw me back, then headed


    upstairs.


    I hurriedly followed, feeling a bit jittery, not knowing what Faith was going to talk to me about.


    Once we got upstairs, Faith grabbed my hand, lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Irene, did you go to the


    drugstore to buy the prescription I gave youst time? Did Neil actually drink it?¡±


    Thest prescription, wasn¡¯t it something like a major tonic for men¡¯s health? I just had Ada get a few


    other doses from a rtiveter, and the one Neil drank that night, well, it kicked in big time.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67


    ¡°Mom, we¡¯ve already taken it.¡± I tried to shake off some inappropriate images from my head to avoid


    blushing unintentionally.


    Faith seemed skeptical, ¡°Really?¡±


    So, I detailed the whole process of getting the medicine, changing it, and taking it, every word truthful,


    to reassure her.


    However, I didn¡¯t tell her about the intimate acts between Neil and me.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, just keep it up for a while, you will definitely give birth to a healthy baby.¡± Faith showed a


    smile, and suddenly added, ¡°It would be even better if it¡¯s a girl.¡±


    Sometimes I really found Faith likable. She was considerate of others¡® feelings, afraid of hurting mine.


    It was weird, after rebirth, I found Bonnie really beautiful, Faith really cute, even Russel, the cold man, I


    discovered his warm side, and Neil, he¡¯d changed a


    lot too.


    If this continued, will things get out of control?


    ¡°Irene, don¡¯t stress yourself, let nature take its course with the baby. We sometimes can¡¯t help but


    mention wanting grandchildren, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Seeing me in a daze, Faith thought I was worried


    about the whole baby thing.


    I shook my head repeatedly, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not worrying about it, of course, I hope to have a baby soon


    too.¡±


    Actually, that was not the case, I absolutely can¡¯t have a child with Neil, otherwise, I might continue this


    hopeless marriage for it. A child with a father who had another woman in his heart won¡¯t be happy.


    After I divorce Neil, Bonnie will help me fulfill Ryan and Faith¡¯s wish, so there was no rush.


    After chatting for a while, we went downstairs, Neil was back in the living room, amusing his nephew.


    He lifted the toddler onto his shoulders, holding onto his little hands making flying gestures, running


    back and forth; the child¡¯sughter was adorable.


    I was a bit dazed, as if I could see what Neil would look like as a father. He seemed to enjoy being


    around children and would probably be a good dad. But, he was not going to be the father of my child.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping.¡± Faith pulled me and a few other women to go shopping.


    As for the little nephew, he was left to the men at home.


    I volunteered to drive, Faith in the passenger seat and the others in the back, but there was one seat


    short, so an aunt followed in her own car.


    Five women headed out together, Faith chatted with the others along the way, suddenly she seemed to


    find something, so she bent down to pick it up from under the seat. I took a nce, it was an earring. It


    was delicate, but you could tell it wasn¡¯t expensive.


    Faith looked at the earring and earring.


    She said nothing but put


    at


    my ears, I was wearing diamond studs today, worth around $13,000,pletely different in texture


    from that


    earring into her bag. This was Neil¡¯s car, and she knew what was going on.


    Faith was not particrly fond of foreign luxury brands; she preferred high¨Cend domestic brands, as


    their designs suited her taste. The aunts were also around her age, preferring


    ring mature styles, so I apanied them to some domestic brand stores.


    I sat on the couch, sipping coffee while watching the models. Though they were younger than Faith,


    their figures were simr, they wore dignified and elegant clothes for Faith and the a aunts to choose


    from.


    ¡°Please bring me that coat.¡± Suddenly, Faith spotted a snow¨Cwhite coat. The cor was also white fox


    fur, and it looked very warm. The buttons were gemstone round buttons, with an stic waist, it looked


    both elegant and grand.


    I thought Faith was buying it for herself, but she made me try it on after she got it, ¡°You¡¯ll look great in


    it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t refuse, and took off my own coat and put on the one Faith liked. The snow¨Cwhite, soft fox fur


    made my face look smaller the tightened waist entuated my figure, I was even amazed by my


    reflection in the mirror.


    ¡°You look great in it.¡± Faith looked at


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I replied with a smile


    me,


    , her face full of smiles.


    Afterward, they continued to shop in other stores. While waiting for them, I took a selfie and posted it


    on Facebook: ¡°The coat Faith bought for me, do you like it? I love it.¡±


    I really liked it, just not sure if Bonnie would like it.


    Surprisingly, the first one toment was Russel: ¡°Not bad, where¡¯s my Boomer?¡±


    I replied: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boomer is well taken care of at home.¡±


    Russel: ¡°That¡¯s good, don¡¯t let him eat too much, he¡¯s a bit greedy.¡±


    I replied with an OK hand emoji,


    Russel: ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡±


    Seeing more and morements, I was speechless, so I messaged Russel privately: ¡°Do you have to


    chat with me in thements? If Neil sees this, he might give me a hard time.¡±


    Russel: What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    Iughed: ¡°What¡¯s the difference between bathing at home and bathing on the street?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Russel didn¡¯t reply anymore, and when I checked Facebook again, hisments were deleted.


    1/2


    12:23)


    Chapter 67


    ¡°Irene, let¡¯s go home, I¡¯m tired from shopping.¡± Faith finally finished shopping and said to me full of


    satisfaction.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I put away my phone, took the shopping bags from Faith, and followed them out.


    When we got home, it was alreadyte.


    It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve shopped like today. When I went out with Ste and others, we usually went


    straight to our destination, and we rarely walked.


    So, my legs were a bit sore, I nned to sleep after a shower. Just as I was about to sleep, I heard Neil


    answering the phone, his voice deep and gentle: ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Then the sound of the door opening. I suddenly woke up, ran to the balcony, and saw Neil¡¯s car lights


    turn on, disappearing into the snowy night.


    Ryan and Faith probably didn¡¯t know Neil left in the middle of the night. lit was quiet. My phone started


    ringing. It was a message from Neil: ¡°I have something to deal with. You stay here for a few more days,


    and I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±


    Judging by his tone on the phone, I guess it might be something about Bonnie. Looking at the


    message, my feelings were indescribable. He was not giving me the cold shoulder like he used to in my


    past life anymore. He dropped me a message, hinting he¡¯d got some feels for me. But then he was up


    in the wee hours, all worried about another gal.


    While my thoughts were all over the ce, Oscar pinged me with a message: ¡°That dress looks really


    good.¡±


    It lightened me up quite a bit, I shot back: ¡°Haha, thanks for thepliment.¡±


    Oscar: ¡°It¡¯s not apliment, it really looks good. Irene, don¡¯t you realize how beautiful you are?¡±

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68


    Checking out Oscar¡¯s reply, I didn¡¯t reply right away. Instead, I popped open my camera and took a


    good long look at myself. Yup, I was pretty cute. Born this way or molded by my environment, I didn¡¯t


    think I was second to anyone.


    Except for when I was around Neil, I tended to feel a little inferior. It was because he didn¡¯t love me,


    and I ended up feeling like I was not enough.


    LOF


    A few minutester, I replied Oscar: I¡¯m like a goddess, thanks for thepliment.


    Oscar sent me an emojiughing its head off, which made me chuckle as well. After chatting for a bit, I


    couldn¡¯t fight off sleep any longer and knocked


    out.


    ¡°Irene, Irene?¡± In the morning, I heard Faith calling me from beyond my door.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked sleepily.


    ¡°Is Neil in the room? His car¡¯s gone missing and he¡¯s not answering his phone.¡± Faith asked loudly.


    I nced at my phone ¨C it was nearly nine in the morning. Neil must have gone back to Rosemont


    early, just didn¡¯t tell Ryan and Faith about it. Yawning, I got out of bed, threw on a coat and opened the


    door to see Faith standing there.


    ¡°Mom, he had some urgent work stuff to deal with, and he leftst night, I made up an excuse for Neil.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened, no wonder he didn¡¯t pick up the phone.¡± Faith seemed a bit doubtful but


    nodded, ¡°Alright then, you better get up and eat something, don¡¯t starve yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get dressed and be right down,¡± I answered.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Once Faith left, I went back to my room and messaged Neil about my conversation with Faith. Then I


    changed and went downstairs for breakfast. Neil¡¯s other rtives had already left the night before. Only


    I was still there. Ryan was at work, so it was just me, Faith, and a few servants.


    We chatted about this and that, sipped


    he soup, and


    Then Neil texted me back: hmm, I see.


    ¡°Irene, if Neil ever treats you badly or


    punched on fresh bread. It was pure bliss.


    even a ¡°thanks,¡± how rude. I didn¡¯t want to reply anymore.


    around,


    She had never spoken to me like this before in you better tell me, okay? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m no pushover,¡±


    Faith said seriously after breakfast.


    both families¡® interests.


    past life. Even when she opposed Neil being with Bonnie, she would only hint subtly for the sake of


    It was all because of my stupidity. From the beginning, my rtionship with Neil was arranged by both


    families. In a way, Ryan and Faith were always happy with me as their daughter¨Cinw. If only I was


    smarter, more attentive to them, they would have sided with me, easing the tension between Neil and


    me.


    In the past, I didn¡¯t understand this. I thought that as long as I won Neil¡¯s heart, I would win over the


    entire Whitmore family. But because I failed to build a good rtionship with Ryan and Faith, they could


    only


    ¡°Mom, Neil¡¯s been a lot bettertely, don¡¯t worry,¡± I


    replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you and dad worry so much.¡±


    ¡°No, the one who¡¯s making us worry is that rascal Neil.¡± Faith quickly corrected me, ¡°Irene, the reason


    your dad and I wanted to match you with Neil was because you¡¯re different from other girls.¡±


    I was taken aback. Faith sighed and continued, ¡°Neil¡¯s always been popr with girls, which worried us


    a lot as he grew up. He¡¯s always surrounded by a bunch of women, some from decent families. But


    you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s stayed by his side without changing for five years. Your dad and I saw it all.


    We know just how lucky Neil is to have you.¡±


    I continued to stare at Faith, at a loss for words.


    Faith patted my hand with a warm smile, ¡°Irene, when your dad and I wanted you to be our


    daughter¨Cinw, it was because we liked you, not just for some benefits, you know?¡±


    I stumbled over my words, choking back tears. All I could do was nod, ¡°I know.¡±


    enemies


    I wish I knew this before. Maybe then I wouldn¡¯t have be never really touching his heart. But


    luckily, Ryan and Faith saw everthing


    Because Faith truly liked me, our time together under the same rool Dec


    pick me up.


    It¡¯d been three days. Russel had been texting me every day


    to


    check if I had


    the entire Whitmore family. I¡¯d been quietly following Neil for all these years,


    me


    and harmonious. I just didn¡¯t know when Neil was going toe


    I replied to him/irritably, ¡°What do you think my servants are? Cat abusers? One back yet, worried that


    my servants wouldn¡¯t take good care of Boomer.


    Russel: ¡°Not like that, I just think you¡¯d take care of it better.¡±


    I was speechless and sent a ¡°goodbye¡± emoji before tossing my phone


    Vide.¡±


    While I was lying on the couch, listless, my mom called. I picked up the phone like usual


    She was silent for a few seconds before I heard her choked sobs, ¡°Rena, can yout


    My heart clenched. I had a bad feeling about this. ¡°What happened? Mom, are


    cheerfully said, ¡°Mom, miss me?¡±


    Ome back for a bit?¡±


    crying?


    er a ¡°t¡¯s going o


    ¡°Juste back first. Your dad and I are waiting for you at home.¡± Mom didn¡¯t ver


    Without wasting time to call back and ask, I found Faith and asked her to arrange a driver to


    hung up after.


    Where¡¯s dad?¡±


    me back to Rosemont.


    Faith asked what happened, but I didn¡¯t go into details, just said there was an emergency at home and


    I needed to go back right away. She didn¡¯t ask any more questions and arranged a ride to send me


    home right away. Before I left, she said to me, ¡°Irene, feel free to ring me up anytime if you need


    anything.¡±


    12:23


    Chapter 68


    ¡°Alright.¡± I said sitting in the car, nodding heavily.


    After a few hours¡® drive, I was back home. I saw my parents sitting in the living room. The atmosphere


    was tense and gloomy, and I could asionally hear sobbing. On the living room table, a pile of photos


    were scattered. I walked over to take a look and my expression changed instantly,


    The photos were of my dad and another woman, looking cozy in a hotel room. They were lying on the


    same bed, covered with a nket, but their upper bodies were exposed.


    My dad looked ashen, sitting there motionless.


    ¡°Now that Rena is back, exin it to her.¡± My mom wiped her tears and said to my dad through gritted


    teeth.


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on?¡± The shock hit me as hard as it did my mom.


    In my mind, my parents were the most loving couple on earth and my dad had never done anything


    unfaithful. They were my rtionship role models and I firmly believed that I could win Neil over and


    live a happy life with him because of them..

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69


    My old man looked like crap, and he was puffing away on his cigarettes like a chimney, which was so


    not his style. He didn¡¯t say a word, just stared at my


    mom.


    My mom was wiping away tears, her voice full of venom. ¡°He¡¯s messing around with that floozy of a


    secretary¡±


    Floozy secretary? I picked up a photo and gave it a good look. Yeah, I knew her alright. I remembered


    bumping into her once when I was out dining with Ste, and my dad was there too.


    I remember thinking back then, wasn¡¯t my dad¡¯s secretary a dude? When did he switch to a chick?


    But I trusted my dad. I knew he wasn¡¯t a yer, so I didn¡¯t tell my mom.


    ¡°Mom, chill. You know how dad is. He¡¯s been a good guy for almost 30 years now. Sure, there might


    have been women who tried to seduce him, but he never let loose. This could all just be a big


    misunderstanding.¡± I sat beside my mom, patting her back tofort her.


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ve been framed. My dad finally broke his silence, sounding pretty worked up. ¡°I was wasted,


    there¡¯s no way anything could¡¯ve happened between us!¡±


    My dad was in a tight spot. He¡¯s always been careful, never messing up. He wouldn¡¯t screw things up


    when he was about to retire and threw everything he¡¯d worked for down the drain.


    Mom started sobbing on my shoulder. My heart was heavy and I was frowning, didn¡¯t lighten up at all.


    ¡°Dad, have someone look into this woman. Find out about her background.¡± I spoke again to my dad.


    ¡°I already did. I¡¯ve got her HR file. Her name¡¯s Geneva, she¡¯s from Springvale, married with a kid who


    doesn¡¯t live with her. My dad took another drag, looking years older. ¡°Didn¡¯t find anything useful.¡±


    Geneva¡­ I kept that name in mind.


    Even though my dad was in trouble, this thing with Geneva wasn¡¯t out in the open yet, so he had to go


    to work like normal, leaving me and my mom alone at home.


    I figured I should meet Geneva, see what she wants. If she was just after money, we could pay her off


    to keep this under wraps for now, then figure out a permanent solutionter.


    Suddenly, some old memories started popping up in my head, and I just froze.


    I was so busy revolving around Neil during that time in my past life, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to what


    was going on at home. All I remember was my parents went through a silent treatment period. And


    when Neil destroyed my family, one of his main weapons was some dirtyundry about my dad, like


    dodgy affairs and stuff, and some photos were sent to the media.


    I was out of control back then, all I cared about was messing up Neil and Bonnie¡¯s rtionship, so I


    didn¡¯t really pay attention to the news. But the photos in the news seemed simr to the ones I was


    looking at now?


    So fate was making everything happen all over again.


    I quickly stashed the photos in my bag. I knew Geneva must have the original copies, so I had to find a


    way to get all of them to end this once and for all If these photos fell into the wrong hands, it would be a


    threat to my family.


    Even without Neil, there would be others targeting my dad.


    ¡°Mom, do you have Geneva¡¯s contact info? Give it to me, I¡¯ll go find her.¡± I told my mom calmly.


    1 do, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Mom dried her tears, her face full of sorrow and anger.


    ¡°You stay home and rest, I¡¯ll go alone.¡± I didn¡¯t want my mom to go, I knew this woman would just make


    her even more upset. But mom insisted on going. This was about her 30 years of marriage, and she


    had to deal with it herself.


    I guess I inherited my mom¡¯s character. In my past life, I tried everything to find Bonnie, but Neil had


    too many tricks up his sleeve, I couldn¡¯t fight him.


    I nodded, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go together.¡±


    Mom gave me a phone number. If she called, Geneva might not pick up, so I decided to use my phone


    to call.


    The phone rang a few times before someone picked up. A woman¡¯s voice answered, ¡°Hello, who is


    this?¡±


    Tm Hutchins¡® daughter. Come out, let¡¯s meet and talk,¡± I said bluntly.


    Okay I didn¡¯t expect Geneva to agree.


    After setting up a time and ce, I hung up and told my mom, ¡°Mom, rest up today. We¡¯ll go meet her


    tomorrow. She¡¯s probably just out to extort some money, using dad as her target


    Mom looked worried, she just nodded her head.


    I didn¡¯t go out that day, just stayed home and chatted with mom, trying to cheer her up. When dad


    came home at night, we ate dinner in silence, then went to bed.


    Mom didn¡¯t want to share a bed with dad, so she came to my room to sleep with me. We talked for a


    long time, and it waste into the night by the time ! fell asleep. In my dreams, I could hear mom


    sighing over and over. I knew she didn¡¯t sleep a wink.


    The next morning, mom and I went to the agreed ce, a French restaurant


    Geneva definitely had some charm, a good figure and younger than my mom. She looked pretty


    appealing. When she saw us, she just smiled smugly ¡°No more beating around the bush. I know those


    photos are fake. What do you want?¡± I didn¡¯t like this woman one bit, so I just spoke my mind ¡°Ms.


    Finch, if you believe the photos are fake, you can have them checked to see if they¡¯ve been tampered


    with. Geneva replied calmly.


    12:23


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Chapter 69


    My mom had been holding back. She was a woman of ss, always maintaining her image. But her


    husband, the man she¡¯d loved for 30 years, was involved in some shady stuff with this woman right


    here. Even with her good temper, she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She stood up suddenly and pped


    Geneva hard across the face.


    Geneva¡¯s head jerked to the side from the p. She immediately covered her face and red at my


    mom with a vicious and cold look.


    ¡°Why did you get my husband drunk and take those photos?¡± Mom stared at Geneva sternly, her


    presence was intimidating.


    She knew deep down, father hadn¡¯t done anything too outrageous, or else she wouldn¡¯t me Geneva


    for intentionally getting her father drunk and snapping pictures. But she just couldn¡¯t stomach it. The


    man she trusted for thirty years could give another woman a chance to wreck their rtionship.


    Geneva let go, the imprints of five fingers on her face bing visible, her eyes full of ambition, clear


    as day to me.


    She stood up, grabbed her bag, not caring about her swollen cheek, her expression smug as hell,


    ¡°What do I want? I want you guys to divorce, ¡¯cause I¡¯m pregnant with your husband¡¯s baby.¡±


    With that, she took a medical report out of her bag, tossed it on the table, and left. I could feel my mom


    freezing up, her eyes glued to the report on the table, unable to process what just happened.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70


    ¡°Mom, these medical reports can be forged. Don¡¯t trust her too easily,¡± I said, quickly taking away the


    report.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Mom just nodded nkly, tried to get up to leave, but the next second she suddenly passed out.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    After rushing Mom to the hospital, she was whisked into the ER. After the check¨Cup, the doctor said


    she had arrhythmia. She must have been seriously rattled by Geneva back at the cafe.


    But Mom¡¯s condition was not too bad, a few days in the hospital, then some good rest and care should


    do the trick. Sitting in the single room, watching mom already deep in sleep, my mood was in the pits.


    In my past life, she endured all this on her own, never letting me in on her pain. I was not s good


    daughter, but luckily, life had given me a second chance to make it right.


    I dozed off without even realizing it, only to be woken up by a grumbling voice from next door, some


    guy griping. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t need to be hospitalized or surgery! You guys are just fussing over nothing, it is


    a waste of money.¡±


    The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to get up and check, I just rolled over and went


    back to sleep.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go grab some breakfast for you.¡± The next morning, after I freshened up, I told Mom and then


    set off to grab something to eat.


    As I passed the room next door, I saw a few familiar faces. Bonnie and Ada were hovering around the


    bed where Dean was lying, the family caught up in conversation.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Ada spotted me and came over joyfully, ¡°What brings you here? Feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°Ada, you¡¯re not working for me anymore, no need to call me Madam, just call me Irene.¡± I said with a


    smile, then turned to Bonnie.


    Bonnie also broke into a smile, walking over saying, ¡°Irene, never thought I¡¯d bump into you here. Mom


    told me she used to work for you, I was so surprised!¡±


    I smiled even more warmly, ¡°Yes, indeed, it¡¯s a small world, isn¡¯t it? What happened to your dad?¡±


    Dean obviously recognized me, the woman his brother had knocked out, so he quickly averted his


    gaze, looking rather awkward.


    ¡°He has a heart condition, needs surgery.¡± Bonnie nced back at her father and said.


    ¡°Is it serious?¡± I asked, somewhat surprised, ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    Ada replied, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re such a kind¨Chearted woman, thanks for the offer, Bonnie has a friend


    helping out. We¡¯re fine.¡±


    I sneered inwardly, so that was why Neil rushed back in the middle of the night the other day, huh?


    Bonnie looked at me, her face still adorned with a warm smile, but her eyes no longer held that


    innocence of before. She probably saw me as a rival, but I couldn¡¯t care less, because I was nning


    to wait for Neil to initiate the divorce anyway.


    ¡°Alright, Ada, I need to go get breakfast for my mom, she¡¯s got a bit of a heart issue and is staying


    here.¡± I said my goodbyes politely, waved at Ada and left.


    As I reached the elevator, I waited expressionlessly for the doors to open, but I didn¡¯t expect to bump


    into Russel. He was in his white coat, with a medical record in hand, wearing his usual gold¨Crimmed


    sses, still as aloof as ever.


    Seeing me, he frowned, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°My mom¡¯s sick.¡± I replied, equally surprised, ¡°Why are you back?¡±


    ¡°I ended my exchange program early.¡± Russel stepped out of the elevator, standing before me, ¡°How¡¯s


    your mom?¡±


    I told him about mom¡¯s heart issue, he nodded, ¡°Mm, she needs to rest well, keeping her emotions in


    check is crucial.¡±


    ¡°I know, alright then, Dr. Russel, off you go.¡± I instinctively nced at Dean¡¯s room.


    I wasn¡¯t sure when Russel started having feelings for Bonnie. He¡¯d interacted with her a few times,


    must have developed feelings, right? Now with Dean¡¯s surgery, which fell under his jurisdiction, they¡¯d


    definitely have more contact, maybe something would blossom.


    But I felt a bit guilty. Russel and I didn¡¯t have any grudges, why did I always want to see him tangled up


    in love? Actually, I just wanted to give Neil a hard time.


    When I returned with breakfast, I passed Dean¡¯s room again, to my surprise, Russel was still there,


    chatting with a few people. He saw me by the door and nced over.


    I hurried away.


    After mom finished her breakfast, dad arrived. Upon hearing that mom fainted and was hospitalized


    because of anger, he was filled with guilt. The moment he stepped into the room, he pped himself


    twice, swearing that nothing had happened between him and Geneva, that it was all a setup.


    1 quietly slipped out of the room; it was better for them to sort out their marital issues alone.


    Once I got to the stairwell, I sent Neil a message: My mom¡¯s hospitalized.


    He replied quickly. Send me the address.


    I sighed. Neil was really busy, arranging surgery and financial support for his girlfriend¡¯s dad, while also


    finding time to visit my mom in the hospital. And their rooms were right next to each other.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Russel¡¯s voice came from behind, I turned around, he was standing at the


    entrance of the stairwell.


    ¡°Nothing, just getting some fresh air.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Did you know Dean¡¯s surgery will cost about forty thousand dors?¡± He asked.


    1/2


    12


    Chapter 70


    Why would I know? He¡¯s not my dad. I retorted, ¡°No, why should I care?¡±


    Russel actually chuckled, he descended a few steps, leaning on the railing, facing me, ¡°Joint property


    between a husband and wife, half of it¡¯s yours.¡±


    He meant that Neil spent the money.


    This was peanuts. Neil was willing to give his all for this little girlfriend of his, snf Russel would


    experience this insanity firsthand in the future.


    I countered, ¡°So you¡¯re saying I should go ask Bonnie for the money?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way.¡± Russel nodded.


    ¡°What are you thinking!¡± I scolded him, then sat on the steps, muttering, ¡°Didn¡¯t the chemical factory


    just finish its renovation? Neil still needs to shell out?¡±


    Thepensation Dean received for the demolition of his residential house was enough for several


    surgeries.


    Russel informed me, ¡°That money was used to buy a new house, it¡¯s all gone now.¡±


    So it turned out Russel wasn¡¯t discussing the medical situation, but digging up some dirt. I was really


    touched and gave him a grateful smile, ¡°Thanks a ton for the scoop.¡±


    With Neil and Bonnie¡¯s drama on the back burner, my main concern now was Geneva. I asked Russel


    to help me find a caregiver for my mom while I figure out how to handle Geneva.


    Russel didn¡¯t turn me down, just asked me to return his cat when I get a chance.


    After leaving the hospital, I went to see my friend Ste. She was definitely got more on the ball than I


    do. When I told her about my dad, Ste¡¯s face turned serious, ¡°That woman wants to marry your dad


    and be your stepmom.¡±


    ¡°I thought she was just after his money, but then she whipped out a pregnancy test.¡± I sighed, ¡°Now I


    need to find a way to get that test from her and make sure if she¡¯s really pregnant.¡±

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    Chapter 71


    Ste was feeling bored out of her skull. Every day, all she did was eat, drink, rest, and asionally


    comin about her brain slowing down. But when I mentioned needing to find out if Geneva was


    pregnant, she immediately offered to take on the task.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll keep investigating Geneva, too, and try to find a way to get those negatives back.¡± I


    gratefully squeezed Ste¡¯s hand, ¡°Ste, thank you.¡±


    Why are you thanking me? We¡¯re tight, remember? Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll go with you to visit your mom in the


    hospital today.¡± Ste grabbed her coat and off we went back to the hospital.


    Along the way, Ste even picked up some nutritious food to bring along.


    As we passed Dean¡¯s room, we noticed Bonnie standing at the door. She was dressed in a sky-blue


    down jacket, which really suited her. She was as pure and beautiful as ever.


    Ste was sharp as a tack and recognized Bonnie from her silhouette. She stopped and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that


    the homewrecker?¡±


    She didn¡¯t care about Bonnie¡¯s true nature. As long as Bonnie was messing around with a married


    man, she was a home-wrecker.


    Bonnie heard us and immediately looked back. She forced a smile, and then went back into the room.


    She seemed to be looking at my mom¡¯s door the whole time. Could Neil havee too?


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± I took Ste to the other end of the hallway and briefly


    exined what had happened recently, then warned her, ¡°Don¡¯t get mad for me. I knew about all of


    this. I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m just waiting for Neil to divorce me.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth gaped wide open, her eyes nearly popping out. She took a while to digest my words, her


    voice tinged with excitement and admiration ¡°Rena, you mean Neil¡¯s the one refusing to divorce?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Holy cr ap, good for you! No wonder you¡¯re so chill now!¡± Ste seemed delighted, like she¡¯d won the


    lottery.


    When I first came back to life, I told them that I wanted to divorce Neil, but it hadn¡¯t happened yet.


    Given my previous personality, it would definitely be Neil proposing the divorce and me refusing. They


    never would have guessed that I was the one initiating the divorce, and Neil was the one refusing.


    With my warning, Ste didn¡¯t pay much attention to Bonnie. The next time we passed Dean¡¯s room,


    she just rolled her eyes at her.


    I slowed down and took a peek inside the room. Bonnie was staring at us as we passed by.


    When I arrived at my mom¡¯s room, I saw that Neil was indeed there. He was uncharacteristically


    peeling an apple for my mom. The room was warm. His coat was draped over the back of a chair, and


    he was wearing a waistcoat, looking very elegant.


    Seeing Ste and mee in, he handed the peeled apple to my mom and said in a gentle tone, ¡°I


    need to go to the office now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You¡¯re so busy and you stille to see me, how sweet.¡± My mom took the apple and smiled in


    response.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should do,¡± Neil got up and took his coat, then nced at me with a meaningful look in


    his eyes. He added, ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡±


    I knew he was talking to me. I didn¡¯t answer, but avoided his gaze and arranged the nutritional food that


    Ste had brought.


    Neil wasn¡¯t the type to get hung up on things, and he wouldn¡¯t care about my deliberate cold shoulder.


    After he left the room, Ste immediately followed him out to take a peek, curious to see if Neil would


    greet Bonnie.


    I reminded Ste not to mention Bonnie in front of my mom. Her mood was not good right now. If she


    knew about Bonnie, she¡¯d probably faint with


    anger.


    With Neil¡¯s ability, it would be very easy for him to move Dean to another hospital or room. He¡¯d


    probably try to get rid of Dean and his family in the next few days. Otherwise, it would be too awkward


    for his future ex-mother-inw and future father-inw to be in adjacent rooms, and his future ex-wife


    and future wife to be running into each other all the time.


    ¡°Mom, what do you think about hiring a nurse? That way, Ste and I would have more time to


    investigate Geneva.¡± I sat by the bed, holding her hand, discussing with her.


    ¡°Okay. Rena, I¡¯ve been thinking, I still believe your dad.¡± My mom sighed deeply, ¡°Ah¡­thirty years of


    marriage can¡¯t be shattered so easily.¡±


    Ste also promised with gusto, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help Rena. We¡¯ll definitely drive that bi tch away!¡±


    My mom didn¡¯t me me for telling Ste about this. Instead, she looked at her gratefully, ¡°Thank you,


    Ste.¡±


    Steughed and said, ¡°No need to thank me. I love catching homewreckers!¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, I saw Bonnie¡¯s figure disappearing quickly from the doorway. I wonder if


    she heard what Ste said.


    After a while, Ste left first. Only my mom and I were left in the room. We didn¡¯t talk much before she


    fell into a deep sleep. She must have had a couple of sleepless nights. It wasn¡¯t until today, when my


    dad visited and they resolved their issues, that she could finally get some peaceful sleep.


    The room was stuffy. I went to the window and opened it a cr ack. The cold air rushed into the warm


    room, cooling my slightly feverish face. The next second, my gaze froze. I was looking at the man and


    woman in the snow below.


    Neil hadn¡¯t gone back to the office, but was talking to Bonnie. Meaning that from the time he said


    goodbye to my mom until now, he hadn¡¯t left the hospital for an entire hour, but was waiting for Bonnie?


    I watched them, my expression as nk as if I was looking at two strangers. But inside, there was a


    surge of emotions I couldn¡¯t suppress, a mix of irony and anger at being yed. If he loved Bonnie so


    much, why won¡¯t he agree to divorce me? Why would he do and say things he shouldn¡¯t with me?


    Perhaps sensing my gaze, Neil suddenly looked up at the window where I was. I turned away from the


    window. Just then, a nurse came in, introduced by


    Russel.


    ¡°If there¡¯s any problem with my mom, call me right away.¡± I left a number with the nurse and hurried out.


    1/2


    10:45


    Chapter 71


    Later, I hired a private detective, ready to invest some money to investigate Geneva thoroughly.


    Though my dad¡¯spany provided prettyprehensive personnel files, there just weren¡¯t any useful


    leads in there. Considering Geneva was a Springvale gal, married and with kids, I decided to send


    someone over to Springvale to snoop around.


    By the time I¡¯d sorted all this out, it was already evening. The neon lights on the main street were


    dazzling. Their glow reflected off the wet ground and shimmered on the snow. There was a mix of glitz


    and a chilly vibe in the air. I stood on the sidewalk, watching couple after couple stroll by, hand in hand,


    laughing and chatting away.


    Just as I was zoning out, a call from Russel jolted me back. His voice was low, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Out on the street, I answered absent-mindedly.


    My nonchnt response left Russel silent for a moment before he spoke again, ¡°Send me your


    location.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72


    I responded with a curt ¡°yes,¡± then hung up and sent my location to Russel


    Ten minutester, a ck Benz pulled up by the road.


    Russel wasn¡¯t one to chase the high life. Also, being a doctor now, driving a shy car to work seemed


    a bit off.


    But with this guy, even if he were to ride the most ordinary bicycle, he could still attract a lot of female


    attention. ¡°Get in Russel rolled down the window and told me.


    ¡°Where to?¡± I was a bit clueless.


    ¡°To pick up Boomer from your home.¡±


    He was always worried about his pet. I smirked a little, opened the passenger door and hopped in.


    Russel nced at me, ¡°Seatbelt.¡±


    I silently buckled up.


    Due to the snowy weather, the roads were slippery and we were driving slow. I was gazing out the


    window, but my mind was reying the scene of Neil and Bonnie in the snow.


    On the road, Russel broke the silence, ¡°Bonnie and the rest have applied for a ward change.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I didn¡¯t want to talk about Neil and Bonnie at the moment, even though they were all I could


    think about.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one performing Dean¡¯s surgery, Russel said. If he were to be a spy, he would definitely be


    top-notch.


    I grabbed my phone and transferred him some money. After seeing his phone light up, he looked


    confused, ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    I deliberately let out a sly smile, ¡°Dr. Russel, could you do me a favor when you operate on Dean? If


    sessful, Il send you a pretty penny!¡±


    Just then, the traffic light turned red. The car came to a stop. Russel grabbed his phone, quickly


    refunding my transfer and then scolded me seriously, ¡°Stop watching those overly dramatic TV shows!


    What are you thinking?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°How do you know my idea came from a TV show?¡± I asked, surprised.


    ¡°What else?¡± Russel looked at me as if I were an idiot.


    I snorted coldly and ignored him.


    When we got back to Sterling Estates, Boomer saw his master return and happily jumped into Russel¡¯s


    arms, purring in delight.-


    The housekeepers had taken good care of him in the past few days. He seemed to be in good spirits.


    Russel was holding Boomer and petting its head, ready to say something to me when we heard a


    man¡¯s voice from upstairs. Neil was home.


    I didn¡¯t want to see Neil, so I left Russel and went upstairs.


    As for what those two men talked about in the living room, I had no idea. They were old pals, so


    catching up shouldn¡¯t have been awkward.


    In the s pac ious master bedroom, I tossed and turned in bed. On one hand, Neil and Bonnie¡¯s affair


    was bothering me, on the other hand, I was worried


    about Geneva.


    Then Ste sent me a message, ¡°Rena, Geneva is about to take the bait!¡±


    I was startled and quickly replied, ¡°So soon? How did you manage that?¡±


    Ste sent a ¡°smug¡± gif and replied, ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll tell you in a couple of days. Wait for my good news.¡±


    She stopped replying after that, as if she was really nning something big to surprise me. I didn¡¯t ask


    anymore. Ste might be impulsive, but she was


    smart.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if the private investigator I hired had started working yet. I opened my email inbox and


    there was no reply from the detective. Instead, there was a blocked message.


    I clicked to view it. Among the seven or eight blocked unread messages, there was one from an


    unfamiliar number. After reading the content, I found out it was from Gat.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to still keep in touch. Thetest message was sent this afternoon.


    I hesitated for a moment and decided to call him. He picked up quickly.


    ¡°Hello? Is this Ms. Finch? Gat¡¯s voice was quite pleasant, very gentle, and he spoke politely.


    ¡°Yes. I saw you sent me several messages. Do you need something?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not really I wasn¡¯t sure if you got home safely that night, so I texted you, but you didn¡¯t reply. I didn¡¯t


    want to bother you by calling directly.¡± Gat exined a bit embarrassed.


    I chuckled, ¡°Thank you for your concern. I made it home safely that night. Your messages got blocked


    by the system, so I just saw them today.¡±


    Gat paused for a few seconds and suddenly said in a helpless and annoyed tone, I knew it would


    be like this. I¡¯m going to change my number


    tomorrow!¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, so he told me. He had been a salesman for a long time and made


    too many sales calls. His number had been gged as a spam number. He¡¯d been to the tel


    service center several times to remove the mark, but his number would soon be marked as spam


    again.


    To be honest, this reason made me burst outughing.


    Hearing meugh, Gat alsoughed. I was so engrossed in the call that I didn¡¯t notice Neil had


    walked into the room. He suddenly spoke, Who are you chatting with so happily?¡±


    1/2


    Chapter 72


    I immediately hung up and hid my phone under the pillow.


    This action definitely aroused Neil¡¯s suspicion. His face darkened, like the stormy sky before a


    thunderstorm, filled with unsettling pressure.


    ¡°Is it Oscar again?¡± Neil had already made his way to the edge of the bed. He lifted my nket and


    reached under the pillow to take my phone.


    ¡°This is my private matter!¡± I grabbed his wrist. His sleeves rolled up, revealing his well-defined arm.


    Neil looked thin when he was dressed, but he was actually quite muscr. Trying to stop him was quite


    risky.


    If it was physical fight, I would definitely lose.


    After I grabbed his wrist, Neil seemed even more upset. He easily grabbed my wrist with just a bit of


    force. I immediately raised my other hand to hit


    him.


    Ever since that night when we fought and wrestled for most of the night, I found this method greatly


    relieved my anger.


    Neil quickly caught my other hand. I instantly became his prisoner.


    ¡°Neil, we made a deal not to interfere in each other¡¯s personal lives. I¡¯m warning you, if you ever try to


    hit me, I¡¯ll fight you hard!¡± I stared fearlessly into his icy eyes, striving to keep my cool.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hit women,¡± Neil said coldly.


    And that was true. In our past, even when things got so tense it was like do or die, he neverid a hand


    on me. On the contrary, so mad that I¡¯d want to deck him the minute I saw him. The most he¡¯d do was


    shove me away.


    ¡°Well then, let go of me,¡± I said, trying to wiggle free from his grip.


    was me who would get


    Seeming to realize he may have overstepped, Neil let go of me. With my freedom regained, I sat up.


    My tone was calm again, but tinged with a hint of sadness, ¡°Neil, what am I to you, really? Can you tell


    me?¡±

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73


    He was standing by the bed, hands stuffed into his pockets, his handsome but aloof face seemed


    especially eye-catching under the light. He was quietly staring at me.


    After a while, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I was stunned, then I startedughing uncontrobly. Myughter echoed in the bedroom. Gradually, I


    felt the corners of my eyes getting wet and breathing became a bit difficult.


    I thought it was hrious I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes, then looked up at him, ¡°I


    really didn¡¯t expect that answer from you. Suitor, sl ave, wife in name, a tool for a business marriage¡­ I


    have so many roles, and you couldn¡¯t think of a single one? Neil, you¡¯re really selfish If you don¡¯t love


    me, let me go, then you can pursue the woman you truly love. Even without the support of my family,


    your status won¡¯t be affected. I¡¯ve loved you for ten years. Those should have been the best years of a


    woman¡¯s life. Even if you don¡¯t love me, you should let me leave with dignity. Why is your heart so


    cold? Why do you have to push me into a corner?¡±


    I got more and more emotional as I spoke. Ever since I was reborn, I¡¯ve been trying to calm myself


    down. I wanted to get out of this hopeless marriage as soon as possible, not wanting to get hurt


    anymore.


    But I couldn¡¯t even manage to leave. I could only watch as things got worse. I felt like a total loser.


    I abruptly grabbed a book from the bedside table and hurled it at Neil¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t dodge, his face


    just darkened, as if he was repressing his anger.


    I then grabbed a pillow and started beating him up on the bed, cursing non-stop, ¡°Neil, you¡¯re an as


    shole! You¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you! You¡¯ve been worried about Dean¡¯s illness these days, haven¡¯t


    you? You left me at your home for days. Did you even remember to pick me up? If you¡¯re so into


    Bonnie, why are you wasting my time?! Divorce!! I want a divorce!!¡±


    I was in a hysterical state, just like in my past life.


    Only then, I was desperately trying to hold onto Neil, refusing to agree to a divorce.


    Enough¡± Neil finally lost his patience. He sna tched the pillow from my hand, threw it on the ground, his


    eyes filled with anger, ¡°You really want a divorce? Then let¡¯s divorce! I¡¯ll have the divorce papers


    ready!¡±


    With that, he stormed out of the bedroom.


    I did want a divorce, but when I heard Neil agree to it, I felt a piece of my heart go empty. That feeling


    of unwillingness surged again. I forced myself to


    calm down.


    Wasn¡¯t this the purpose of my rebirth? To divorce gracefully, let him pursue what he wanted, and free


    myself.


    I took a deep breath,id back down on the bed, and tried to clear my mind.


    The next day when I got to the hospital, Dean¡¯s room was empty.


    I thought they changed ward. Neil had always been quick on his feet.


    ¡°Rena, you don¡¯t need toe see me every day. There¡¯s a dedicated caretaker here now. You don¡¯t


    need to worry about me.¡± My mom put down her phone and said when she saw me walk in.


    ¡°Whether I¡¯m worried or not, I want toe see you. After all, you¡¯re my mom.¡± I sat down, holding her


    hand, wanting to tell her about my uing divorce, but didn¡¯t know how to bring it up.


    She smiled and said, ¡°What a good girl I have. It¡¯d be even better if you could give me a grandchild


    soon.¡±


    Hearing this, I hesitated even more. If Neil and I divorced, I didn¡¯t know when she could have a


    grandchild.


    I was also worried she¡¯d try to persuade me not to divorce. Although my parents didn¡¯t have a good


    impression of Neil before, now that we¡¯re married, they might still hope for me to stick to the marriage.


    Older generation tend to have a more traditional understanding of marriage. They don¡¯t really ept


    divorce as a solution.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just let nature take its course.¡± I was about to bring up the divorce, but changed my words.


    ¡°Your inws must also hope that you two have kids soon.¡± She continued, ¡°You and Neil are both only


    children, it¡¯s kind of lonely. It¡¯d be great if you could have two kids. If your inws and I get bored, each


    family can take care of one.¡±


    ¡°Mom, are you treating my future kids as time-killers?¡± I asked with augh.


    She happily said, ¡°Te that how it is? When your grandma was bored at home, I¡¯d send you over to keep


    herpany. She was really happy.¡±


    We chatted casually in the hospital room, soon we were talking about Geneva again. I told her I had


    hired a private investigator to look into it. She was supportive


    For abnormal people, we need to take abnormal measures.


    At noon, left the hospital room. It was lunch time for everyone else, so there were a lot of people at the


    elevator. I got squeezed into the corner.


    The elevator went down two floors 1 heard a familiar voice, ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m counting on you for my father¡¯s


    surgery. We¡¯ve been really grateful for your care these past few days. If you have time, I¡¯d like to invite


    you to dinner¡±


    Bonnie and Russel were standing a bit in front of me, with a few people between us.


    She was fully engrossed in talking to Russel, not noticing me in the corner. Russel, on the other hand,


    spotted me right away and gave me a nod


    Tim just doing what I¡¯m supposed to. There¡¯s no need to thank me Russel¡¯s cold voice echoed in the


    elevator.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most responsible and meticulous doctor I¡¯ve ever met, so I want to thank you¡¯ Bonnie was


    standing shoulder to shoulder with Russel. Because the elevator was too crowded, Bonnie was tilting


    her head to look at Russel as she spoke.


    1/2


    Chapter 73


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. The person you should be thanking might not be me.¡± Russel was still cold.


    I was a bit puzzled. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be interested in Bonnie? Why was he showing no reaction


    to her advances now?


    While I was lost in my thoughts, the elevator stopped again and again, finally reaching the first floor.


    Bonnie followed the crowd out of the elevator to the hospital cafeteria for lunch. Russel and I didn¡¯t


    leave, but continued to the underground parking lot.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    It was just the two of us left in the elevator. After we got to the underground parking level, he turned to


    me and said, ¡°What are you thinking about? Why aren¡¯t you getting off?¡±


    Only then did I snap out of it and realize he had been holding the door open button this whole time.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± I hastily thanked him and walked out of the elevator. Russel was right behind me.


    ¡°Fancy grabbing a bite?¡± Just as I was about to hop in my car, he sidles up next to me, asking me to


    join him for dinner, ¡°Mitch and Cooper have reserved the seats. The food in that restaurant tastes


    good.¡±


    This was a surprise. Why wasn¡¯t he dining with Bonnie instead? Why was he inviting me?


    Plus, I¡¯m not tight with Mitch and Cooper. In their eyes, I¡¯m the roadblock standing in Neil¡¯s way to


    happiness. I¡¯m the one who yed the family connections card from the get¨Cgo, that was on me.


    I wasn¡¯t up for it, so I turned his invitation down.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74


    1 got something I need to ask you.¡± Russel started talking again as I was about to leave. It seemed


    pretty serious.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I was a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Do you reckon I might fall for Bonnie someday?¡± Russel asked, looking at me with a funny expression.


    I felt a cold shiver down my spine: Could he have been reborn too?


    Seeing my shocked face, Russel reminded me, ¡°You once got drunk and started rambling in my car,


    telling me to stop chasing Bonnie and not topete with Neil. I¡¯ve been thinking it¡¯s not just drunk


    talk.¡±


    I jumped, startled. So I had blurted out something from my past life when I was drunk.


    I let out a sigh of relief, thenughed and said, ¡°I was just talking nonsense. You and Neil have been


    tight since childhood, how could you both fall for Bonnie? Even if you did fall for the same girl, you¡¯d


    choose friendship, right?¡±


    In my heart, I thought, that¡¯s the real nonsense! In my past life, you two were like two alpha lions in the


    animal kingdom, wanting to kill each other.


    Russel smiled faintly, ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Then he got into his car and drove away. I stood in the parking lot, puzzled. What did he mean by


    ¡°perhaps¡±? Did Russel actually have feelings for Bonnie and was just trying to control himself?


    Anyway, this was between them. I was about to divorce Neil. From then on, I¡¯d be out of the picture, a


    mere spectator.


    The only thing I was unsure about was when Neil¡¯s divorce papers would arrive?


    I waited for two days, but the divorce papers never came. So I made a trip to the office and was told


    Neil hadn¡¯t been in these two days.


    Could he be at the hospital with his future father-inw? I made another trip to the hospital and found


    Dean¡¯s new room. I stood at the door. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Dean was sleeping, while Bonnie was on the phone. When she saw me, she murmured into the phone,


    ¡°I got it. Thanks for helping my dad. I¡¯ll pay you back the money I owe you as soon as possible.¡±


    Oh, the guy on the other end was Neil.


    Since Neil was on the phone, he obviously wasn¡¯t in the hospital. So I turned to leave.


    ¡°Irene!¡± Bonnie called out to me. She got up and ran over.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked with a forced smile after Bonnie stopped me.


    As she approached, I caught a whiff of a familiar perfume. It was the one I¡¯d given Ada.


    This perfume would sometimes be on Neil, or in his car. Every time I smelled it, I knew they¡¯d just been


    together.


    I knew why Bonnie was willing to use the perfume I gave. It was a silent provocation.


    Bonnie raised her hand and straightened the hair around her ear. Her young face was healthy and


    beautiful. Her pretty eyes seemed to be filled with mist, moist and gorgeous.


    ¡°I borrowed some money from Mr. Whitmore for my dad¡¯s operation. I thought I should let you know.¡±


    She looked at me sincerely, ¡°I will pay it back.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t ask you to pay him back.¡± I waved my Lana Marks handbag a bit, still with a gentle tone,


    ¡°And I won¡¯t ask you to pay me back too. The money means nothing to me. Consider it charity.¡±


    Seeing my handbag, Bonnie looked embarrassed. There was a hint of envy in her eyes.


    I was a little surprised at her reaction, because whenever I unted my wealth in front of her before,


    she never showed such jealousy. Back then she was Oscar¡¯s girlfriend, seemingly just a naive,


    innocent girl.


    But she quickly regained herposure and said calmly, ¡°Even if it¡¯s just the cost of a meal for you, I


    should pay it back. A debt is a debt. Irene, see you.¡±


    After that, she returned to the room to stay with Dean.


    I watched her silently for a few seconds. Had Neil not told her about our impending divorce yet?


    Neil was about to make it public with her, so this money really didn¡¯t matter. Even if she wanted to pay it


    back, Neil wouldn¡¯t take it.


    But that¡¯s their business. I couldn¡¯t interfere too much.


    After leaving the hospital, I drove to the private investigator¡¯s. He had been to Springvale and told me


    he had some leads.


    ¡°Here¡¯s her info,¡± the detective handed me some documents and photos, ¡°She has a husband and a


    son, but the couple didn¡¯t get along. They¡¯ve been separated for a few years, and I heard they¡¯re about


    to divorce.¡±


    ¡°Do you have the husband¡¯s contact?¡± The man in the photo was short and had a scar on his face, not


    looking like a good guy.


    ¡°I do. I contacted him, but he¡¯s quite a brute. He doesn¡¯t seem to care at all that his wife¡¯s having an


    affair,¡± the detective said.


    It seemed this couple was tough to deal with. Generally, men would be furious if they found out they


    were being cu ckolded and try to get their wife back and teach her a lesson.


    I needed to find a way to meet this man and let him take care of Geneva.


    After parting with the detective, I drove home. On the way, my phone beeped with several messages. I


    I nced at them. They were WhatsApp messages


    from Ste.


    I pulled over and opened the messages, ¡°I finally exposed her lies! She¡¯s not pregnant at all!¡±


    Then there were a few pictures, Geneva¡¯s personal and marital information


    and a medical report.


    10:45


    Chapter


    The medical report clearly showed Geneva wasn¡¯t pregnant.


    I immediately called Ste, excited, ¡°Ste, you¡¯re amazing! How did you get this?¡±


    ¡°That woman¡¯s not only cheating your dad, she¡¯s also a member of various dating websites. I made an


    ount and pretended to be a sessful single man, and she took the bait, Ste sounded


    triumphant. What a brilliant idea!


    ¡°Howe she trusted you so easily?¡± I was a bit surprised.


    ¡°She¡¯s just after money. So all I had to do was show her I¡¯m loaded. I added her contact and sent her


    an expensive handbag right away. She started calling me darling immediately¡­ Ugh, I almost puked,¡±


    Ste said with disgust, ¡°I feel like my phone¡¯s been polluted.¡±


    She had me cracking up with her words, and I generously promised, ¡°You¡¯ve really saved my bacon


    this time. Pick any phone you want, and I¡¯ll foot the


    bill!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ste replied instantly, ¡°I¡¯m off to pick out a phone,¡± and then she hung up.


    Originally, I nned on going home, but after learning about this, I returned to the hospital and told my


    mom about the situation.


    As you can imagine, she was thrilled. Her shaky trust in my dad has been restored. ¡°That woman


    must¡¯ve been trying to frame your dad. I won¡¯t fall for it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! My dad¡¯s not that kind of guy.¡± I was also thrilled. Now that we were certain Geneva wasn¡¯t


    pregnant, her high and mighty attitude was going to take a serious hit.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75


    After chatting with my mom for a bit, I left the hospital. As I was leaving, I texted my dad about our


    conversation. As soon as he read it, he called me up. super excited, ¡°Rena, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ve been


    framed! I didn¡¯t do anything. Your mom should cool off now!¡±


    ¡°Dad, we need to deal with those photos too,¡± I reminded him.


    This wasn¡¯t just about whether my mom would stay mad. If we couldn¡¯t get the negatives of those


    photos, they might be a lethal weakness for my dad in the future. Even if he¡¯s innocent, he can¡¯t


    deny the existence of the photos.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m looking for a solution, my dad calmly replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret too much. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± After chatting a bit more, I hung up.


    When I got back to Sterling Estates, it was dinner time. After a quick bite, I headed upstairs for a bath,


    hoping to unwind a bit.


    Without realizing it, I fell asleep in the bathtub. If it wasn¡¯t for the water turning cold, I might have


    continued snoozing.


    Late at night, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. I put on my pajamas and went to the balcony. From there, I could


    see the front gate of the mansion. I used to love standing there, watching for Neil toe home.


    Once the divorce paperse through, I¡¯ll leave this ce too.


    For me, Sterling Estates carried too many painful memories. Living here after the divorce would be like


    torturing myself. I¡¯d rather leave it to Neil, so every time he looked at it, he would think of me.


    Considering how cold he¡¯s been towards me, he probably won¡¯t be bothered by the memories.


    I stood on the balcony for a while, until the cold wind became unbearable, then I went back to my room.


    As I was tossing and turning, Ste called me up, cheerfully inviting me, ¡°Rena,e on! It¡¯s Christmas


    Eve and there are so many handsome boys out! I can¡¯t even keep track!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m noting. I just took a bath and I¡¯m ready for bed,¡± I turned her down, because in this chilly


    weather, all I wanted was to stay in bed. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Thene out tomorrow night. Cielo Nocturno is having a Christmas catwalk show with male models.


    They have amazing bodies. If you don¡¯te, you¡¯ll regret it for life!¡± Ste exaggerated.


    Unable to turn down her enthusiastic invitation again, I agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±


    On Christmas night, Ste was calling me like a maniac. Even while I was on my way, she was worried


    I might have an ident and not make it. Her messages flooded my phone.


    At the entrance of Cielo Nocturno, there were two handsome men in Santa us costumes handing


    out Christmas presents. They held a beautiful box, and guests could draw gift vouchers before


    entering, which could be exchanged for corresponding gifts.


    Ste got a lipstick, Alicia Rider got a perfume, Barbara Sands got a phone case. When it was my turn,


    I wanted to throw away the voucher as soon as I saw it.


    ¡°Durex¡­ Condoms?¡± Ste grabbed the voucher and burst outughing, ¡°Hahahaha¡­ Rena, go for it!¡±


    Alicia and Barbara joined in theughter.


    I shot them a re and stuffed the voucher into my coat pocket. I didn¡¯t n to redeem it. But Ste


    wouldn¡¯t have it. She took out the voucher from my pocket, quickly redeemed a box of condoms, and


    stuffed it back into my pocket,ughing, ¡°Why not? If you don¡¯t use it, you can give it to me. I¡¯m sure to


    find a handsome guy tonight.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I generously agreed.


    Cielo Nocturno was bustling that night, like all the city¡¯s handsome guys and beautifuldies had


    gathered there. Some were there to rx, some to find


    romance.


    Ste was dressed very se xy. Many people hit on her, but she didn¡¯t find any of them attractive.


    Alicia, on the other hand, was interested in a few men, but she always ended up scaring them away by


    discussing business ns.


    Barbara was not interested in men at all.


    Suddenly, Ste received a message. She then excitedly dragged me and Alicia upstairs, ¡°I have a


    friend here. She says there are a few handsome guys upstairs. It¡¯s worth dying for if we can catch a


    glimpse!¡±


    The VIP room on the second floor was packed. There were already a dozen people.


    When I saw Neil and Russel, I wanted to leave, but then I remembered I still hadn¡¯t received the


    divorce papers, so I changed my mind.


    ew it was you, I wouldn¡¯t havee!¡±


    When Ste saw Neil, she rolled her eyes, ¡°Really, you guys? I get annoyed just by the sight of you. If I


    knew it


    Her friend Rhea immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You know them?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. These three are no good!¡± Ste pointed at Neil, Cooper, and Mitch, not holding back


    at all.


    Neil was looking at me. There was a woman sitting next to him, leaning on him, showing her affection.


    He was wearing a ck shirt, with a burgundy tie neatly tied at the cor, giving off a very manly vibe.


    Too bad he¡¯s a cold-hearted ba stard.


    When Ste spoke, Neil¡¯s face turned awful. His eyes were like sharp knives.


    Russel was also there, but he wasn¡¯t on Ste¡¯s cklist.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Mitch was furious, ¡°Who invited this woman?!¡±


    Rhea shrank back, whispering, ¡°I did¡­¡±


    1/2


    10:45


    Chapter 75


    Ste confidently walked up to Mitch, patting his face, ¡°We meet again. Didn¡¯t get enough of being


    beatenst time? Want another round?


    Mitch was a few years younger than her. He looked scared now. If it wasn¡¯t for the beauties around, he


    would have called Cooper for help right away. ¡°Alright, alright. We don¡¯t really have a grudge. It¡¯s rare


    for us to hang out together, let¡¯s not fight.¡± Cooper tried to help Mitch defuse the situation. ¡°Yeah, Ste,


    we were about to y ¡°Truth or Dare¡¯. Want to join?¡± Rhea quickly chimed in.


    After all, she was the one who invited us.


    ?? ? ?? ? ? ¨C ?


    Rhea and I weren¡¯t exactly buddies, but she definitely knew Neil and I were hitched. She just didn¡¯t


    expect to see me hanging with Ste today. I gave her the once-over. She was doing the same.


    Ste shot me a look, asking if I wanted to be involved. After all, Neil was there too. If I wasn¡¯t feeling it,


    she¡¯d definitely bail with me. As far as Rhea was concerned, they were just casual buddies, but to me,


    Ste was like a blood sister.


    ¡°I¡¯m in, I happily agreed.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s get this party started. Who can tell us the rules of the game??¡± Ste found us a


    ce to sit, with Alicia and Barbara following suit. ¡°Rules are easy peasy,¡± Rhea said, pointing at a


    bottle of booze and a row of shot sses on the table. ¡°Spin the dial. Whoever itnds on chooses


    ¡®Truth¡¯ or ¡®Dare¡¯, and the previous yer calls the shots. If you back out, have a drink and admit


    defeat.¡±


    The rules were simple, but also pretty thrilling.


    Mitch was already chomping at the bit. There was a light-up spinner on the table with a silver pointer


    standing silently. Hit the button next to it and it starts spinning, then stops randomly.


    Everyone was huddled around, eyes locked on the spinner.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76


    Mitch hit the button, and the silver needle started to spin rapidly. The first one to be picked was a young


    woman I didn¡¯t recognize. She was sitting right. next to Mitch. I guessed she might have been brought


    by Rhea.


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± She waved her hand excitedly and then looked around us, thinking about who to pick.


    Finally, Cooper got chosen. He picked ¡®dare¡±.


    ¡°Go find a guy you don¡¯t know, and tell him you think his lips are se xy¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cooper looked troubled. The rest of us cracked up. Asking him to do this was almost


    like asking him to die.


    He red at the woman and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drink!¡±


    Then he downed a ss of booze.


    Next, it was Cooper¡¯s turn to hit the start button. This round picked Russel.


    Russel, wearing a white sweater and looking a bit cold, chose ¡°truth¡±.


    Cooper smirked. ¡°Hey, Russel, are you a virgin?¡±


    We were all shocked by this question. Russel was indeed an exception on his Facebook. We had


    never seen him have any intimate rtions with women.


    But that might just be a facade. Some people hide their real faces very deep. Who knows if he has ever


    had bedmates?


    Even Neil seemed interested in him.


    I thought Russel would choose to drink, but he stayed silent for a few seconds then nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    His answer caused amotion. Some women immediately lit up, their eyes full of desire locked on


    him, as if they couldn¡¯t wait to pluck this pure flower.


    I was right. He was a genuinely good guy.


    The silver needle started to spin again, finally slowing down and stopping on me. I sighed and looked


    into Russel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Truth.¡±


    ¡°Do you have interest in any other men besides Neil?¡± Russel slowly asked. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The lively room instantly fell into silence. Neil¡¯s gazended on me. I couldn¡¯t tell his emotions, but I


    could clearly feel the oppressive atmosphere, as if there was a beast hiding in his heart, ready to tear


    me apart if I said the wrong thing.


    I never expected Russel to ask such a crazy question.


    ¡°Can I change it to dare?¡± I hesitated and asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Russel smiled slightly, ¡°Choose any man in the room besides Neil to kiss.¡±


    Holy c rap!


    What¡¯s wrong with Russel today? He seemed to have a grudge against me!


    Neil hadn¡¯t said anything, but his aura made everyone in the room tense. He was now looking at


    Russel. The two men¡¯s eyes met. I seemed to smell a tense atmosphere.


    What¡¯s wrong with them? Are they already starting to vie for Bonnie?


    Don¡¯t use me as a pawn! I had a hard time being reincarnated once, and I don¡¯t want to get involved in


    complexpetition.


    After a few seconds of silence, I picked up the bullet cup closest to me and gulped it down. The fiery


    alcohol slid from my mouth to my throat, then all into my stomach. I couldn¡¯t help sticking out my


    tongue.


    Mitch started shouting to continue, and the needle spun for a few rounds. Everyone was having a great


    time.


    Ste was the craftiest. Every time she had the initiative, she would choose Mitch. Mitch was almost


    crying. His face, like a puppy¡¯s, was full of


    resentment.


    When Rhea chose me, I had already had three or four drinks. The drinks tonight were strong. If I


    couldn¡¯t handle it, I might have been drunk already. ¡°Take out what¡¯s in your pocket and give it to


    Cooper to use.¡± Rhea smiled at me. I didn¡¯t know why, but I felt a kind of hostility.


    Thismand had been given by others too. Women usually have lipstick, perfume, foundation, and


    such in their pockets. Having another man use these things was also a kind of flirtatious act.


    Because of Ste¡¯s targeting, Mitch had been made up by the other women. He now looked like an old


    you want to use this?¡±


    Cooper was curled up on the couch, clutching his head. ¡°I have a terrible headache¡­..¡±


    ¡°Enough is enough, Irene Finch,¡± Neil warned, his grip tight on my wrist.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I slurred, squinting at Neil¡¯s handsome face. He was staring back at me, his eyes


    gleaming coldly.


    I was hammered. I broke free from Neil¡¯s grasp, pointed a condom at his nose and bellowed, ¡°I finally


    win something for once, and you¡¯re telling me I can¡¯t


    use it? Do you have any idea how rare this box of Durex is? Everyone else got perfume, lipstick,


    earrings¡­ and all I get is a box of condoms!!¡±

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77


    At that time, I must have looked pretty hyped up. An outsider might¡¯ve thought I¡¯d just hit the lottery.


    My thoughts were flickering like a faulty light bulb. Neil¡¯s face in front of me started to blur, like a double


    exposure picture.


    I nced around. Not just Neil, everyone in the room seemed distorted to my eyes.


    ¡°Rena, let me take you home!¡± Alicia rushed over to support me.


    I was probably the booziest of the lot, because I kept choosing to drink while others chose to obey the


    rules.


    Fearful that I¡¯d continue my argument with Neil, Barbara and Alicia propped me up like two bodyguards


    and said, ¡°Rena, let¡¯s head home!¡±


    I stag gered free from their grip and lunged at Cooper, ¡°No way! Truth or Dare isn¡¯t over¡­¡±


    Even though I was drunk, I always remembered that I was going to embarrass Neil.


    Seeing me, Cooper scared to death. He tried to mber onto Mitch, who held on to him for dear life.


    Seeing this, Russel stood up to intercept me. He grabbed my arm and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go home and


    get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Russel, why are you so mean?¡± I narrowed my eyes at him, ¡°You¡¯ve been picking on me during the


    game. Just you wait, I¡¯ll report you to the hospital tomorrow, say you¡¯re abusing patients. I¡¯ll make sure


    you can¡¯t practice medicine anymore, you¡¯ll have to go home and take over the family business¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russel said, a mix of helplessness and amusement.


    ¡°Ipetent doctor! Ipetent doctor!!¡± I shouted. I used to drink alone at home, sometimes getting


    drunk and shouting, but back then, I was alone, no one was there to hear me.


    Just as I was about to continue ndering Russel, I felt myself tilt. A strong hand wrapped tightly


    around my waist, then hoisted me onto his shoulder.


    Feeling dizzy, I almost barfed.


    Neil¡¯s hand moved from my waist to my thigh, preventing me from falling off his shoulder. At the same


    time, he warned me, ¡°If you dare to vomit on me, you¡¯re dead.¡±


    Everyone was watching Neil¡¯s action, especially Mitch and Cooper. Their mouths were wide open in


    surprise.


    As I was carried out of the room, I nced at them through my blurry vision.


    They must be wondering, why would Neil carry me off? I was just his wife in name, easily receable.


    Ste once told me that if I hung myself at home one day, Neil might think I was just ying on a


    swing.


    anger, his faint possessiveness, shouldn¡¯t be directed at me.


    As we were goin


    I thoug


    That¡¯s


    down the stairs, I thought I saw the room door opening again. Russel came out, his gaze focused on


    Neil and me.


    be safely in Neil¡¯s car by now, but someone blocked our way.


    bro, is this your new friend you picked up tonight? She looks nice! I¡¯ve got one too. Wanna swap and


    try?¡± a man said with a disgusting tone.


    when a woman is alone, she should never drink too much in public. Who knows if some sleazy guy


    might take advantage of her?


    sudden jolt, then heard Neil cursing, ¡°Are you f ucking tired of living? Do you want to die?¡±


    The next second, I was set down on a nearby sofa. I tried to keep my eyes open to see what was going


    on. Neil, aze with anger, grabbed the cor of the man he¡¯d knocked to the ground and punched him


    hard.


    In such a noisy ce, I could still hear flesh being pounded.


    Someone called over the manager of Cielo Nocturno. He tried to intervene, but upon seeing Neil¡¯s face,


    he didn¡¯t dare to utter a word. He stood next to me, whispering to a waiter, ¡°Call an ambnce!¡±


    The waiter immediately called an ambnce. The man on the ground was now a bruised and bl oody


    mess. I wanted to plead with Neil to stop, but ended up vomiting instead.


    Hearing my retching, Neil ceased his assault. He gave the manager a cold look, ¡°Let your boss handleN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± the manager quickly nodded.


    Neil walked over to the sofa. This time, he didn¡¯t hoist me up, but picked me up in his arms and left


    Cielo Nocturno under the watchful eyes of everyone.


    By the time we reached his car, I had already dozed off in Neil¡¯s arms.


    I thought Neil would take me back to Maple Court, but when I woke up, I found myself in a ce that


    was obviously different from Maple Court, yet not exactly like a hotel.


    Where am I? I wandered around the room, then went out to the balcony to take a look.


    The river not far away was shimmering. The trees on both sides were covered in snow, looking


    incredibly beautiful yet icy cold.


    I think I know where this is. Grandeur Oaks Estates. The most expensive apartmentplex in


    Rosemont. This must be one of Neil¡¯s properties.


    Why did he bring me here? I couldn¡¯t evene here before, but now he brought me here willingly.


    What puzzled me most was that Bonnie was housed here during my past life. This was where Bonnie


    and Neil officially got together.


    I remember back then, I went through a lot of trouble to locate Bonnie. I tried to barge in here to find


    her, but was chased away by Neil¡¯s bodyguards.


    It was eerily quiet. I left the bedroom and toured the entire apartment, but there was no sign of Neil.


    1/2


    10:46


    Chapter 77


    There were some photos on the living room table. I walked over and took a look, my face drained of all


    color.


    I heard the living room door being pushed open. Neil stood at the entrance. Seeing me in the living


    room, he said in an indifferent tone, ¡°You¡¯re awake¡± ¡°What are these?¡± I picked up the photos, my


    emotions ring, ¡°Where did you get these? Nell, this is cruet?


    The photos in my hand were intimate shots of my father and Geneva.


    As I expected, in this life, Neil had collected some damaging information about my father. Perfect timing


    as we were discussing divorce. If he used these photos to threaten me into leaving with nothing, I might


    have no choice but to agree.


    I¡¯ve got my ways, of course. Any problem with that? Neil closed the door, tossed his car keys aside,


    and casually plopped down on the sofa, looking at me co olly


    ¡°Why the hell are you doing this?¡± I blurted out in anger, ¡°What on earth did my family do to tick you off?


    In the past, I got why he messed with my family- I was dead set against divorce. But now, five got no


    beef with him, and I even agreed to the divorce. He had no reason to go behind my back.


    Neil furrowed his brows, his eyes sharp, ¡°Are you still drunk?¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78


    Thinking back to the tragedy of my past, to the heartbreaking faces of my parents, I felt an endless


    sorrow Tears wouldn¡¯t stop rolling down my cheeks. I always felt it was my fault, that their biggest


    mistake was having me, a person who loses all sense after falling in love.


    When I cried, it was like I lost the ability to speak. I just stood there, clutching the photo, crying so much


    that I couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    This was the first time I broke down so badly in front of Neil since my rebirth. I watched him stand up


    and walk towards me. He hesitated for a moment before his hand came up to cradle my cheek, his


    thumb gently wiping away my tears.


    He sighed, ¡°What are you crying for?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted a divorce, and I agreed!¡± I tried to control my emotions, choking back s obs,


    ¡°What else do you want? You can give me less money, but please, don¡¯t do anything to my parents!


    They¡¯re still your inws!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who said you wanted a divorce.¡± Neil corrected me, annoyance creeping into his voice.


    ¡°I never mentioned divorce. How many times have you brought it up?¡±


    1 mentioned divorce because I know you want it!¡± I looked up at him, ¡°Don¡¯t you love Bonnie? Don¡¯t


    you intend to give her a future? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we divorced sooner?¡±


    Neil just looked down at me. His eyes had this irresistible pull. They were always so cold. I rarely saw


    warmth in his eyes.


    He kept saying he didn¡¯t want to divorce, but he never denied his feelings for Bonnie.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything more, and you don¡¯t need to threaten me with these photos. I don¡¯t


    need your money. My parents can support me just fine.¡± Neil¡¯s silence brought another wave of


    heartache. I didn¡¯t want to stay here anymore. After saying all that, I ran back to my room, grabbed my


    coat, and prepared to leave.


    As I changed my shoes at the door, I nced at Neil, still standing in the living room. With a nasal


    voice, I said, ¡°When you give me the divorce papers, give me these photos as well¡±


    Consider it a trade.


    After rushing out of Grandeur Oaks Estates, I called Bailey to pick me up.


    Half an hourter, I was on my way back to Sterling Estates.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re dressed too lightly. You¡¯ll catch a cold,¡± Bailey was considerate today.


    I¡¯m fine, I sniffed. The car was warm, but my hands and feet were still cold. What was even colder was


    my heart.


    When I got home, I immediately took a hot bath to warm up.


    Once I had warmed up, I wrapped myself in my pajamas and checked the unread messages and


    missed calls on my phone.


    In the group chat, Ste was constantly shouting at me, ¡°Rena, has Neil fallen for you? Did he take you


    away just now?¡±


    Alicia said, ¡°I also think it¡¯s too outrageous.¡±


    Barbara sent a few surprised gifs.


    Ste: Rhea and I are no longer friends. She fully understands your rtionship with Neil and even


    invited me to y with him. Is she trying to make me ufortable or you ufortable? It¡¯s so


    annoying. Yesterday I almost had a big fight with her.


    Alicia said, ¡°That woman is really not good. Stay away from her.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Of course! We¡¯ve broken up!! Rena, where are you?! Did Neil take you away?¡±


    Then there were endless gossip messages. The three of them chatted until 2 a.m.


    I had a headache reading it all. Neil in love with me? I gave a bitterugh then texted Ste about Neil


    getting the photos of my dad.


    Then I saw a message from Oscarst night, ¡°Irene, Merry Christmas! Do you have time to hang out?¡±


    Ten minutester, Oscar said, ¡°Alright, you might be busy. Have fun.¡±


    Next was a message from Russel:, ¡°Reply when you wake up.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to reply to him. I was mad at him for the gamest night. I always thought he was a just


    and self-disciplined ideal man, but is he really as I imagined? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Impossible. Russel also had the potential to go crazy, otherwise, how could he have fought so fiercely


    with Neil during my past life?


    Ste probably hadn¡¯t woken up yet. I decided to get some food first.


    Halfway through my meal, Ste called. Her voice was filled with anger, ¡°My G od, Neil is too cun ning!


    He doesn¡¯t agree to divorce you because he wants to find your weaknesses first? Rich people really


    know how to scheme!¡±


    It seemed she thought the same as me.


    ¡°Maybe¡± I took a sip of soup, my voice calm, ¡°Ste, apany me to Springvale tomorrow. I want to


    talk to Geneva¡¯s husband or her son.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Ste agreed without hesitation.


    Early the next morning, I asked Bailey to drive me to Ste¡¯s house. After picking her up, we headed to


    Springvale. Geneva¡¯s husband, Donald, ran a car repair shop, but because he loved to gamble, his


    shop was often closed.


    As expected, when we arrived, the shop was closed.


    I looked around and walked into a small supermarket across the street. I bought a lot of stuff. When I


    was checking out, I asked the owner, ¡°Why is the car repair shop across the street closed? My car has


    a small problem and I wanted to find a professional to check it out.¡±


    1/2


    10:47


    ¡°Haha, you better go somewhere else to fix it. The shop across the street probably won¡¯t open until the


    end of the year.¡± The owner¡¯s words were tinged


    with mockery.


    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it profitable? The location is quite good!¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°The owner of the repair shop is a gambler. These two days he probably won some money and has


    been at the casino every day!¡± The owner informed


    US


    After finding out the location of the casino, we hurried there.


    Sure enough, Donald was there ying cards. Just as I was about to go in and call him out, a woman


    appeared not far away. Her face had the marks of being hit, her eyes were bloodshot, and her lips were


    torn.


    Her gaze was venomous, staring at me hatefully without moving.


    Ste tugged at me, ¡°Oh my G od, isn¡¯t that the woman? What is she doing here?¡±


    ¡°Trene.¡± Geneva stiffly walked up to me and forced a smile, ¡°Why are you here again? Are you here to


    mock me?¡±


    ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± I was totally clueless.


    Stop ying dumb. Wasn¡¯t it you who helped Donald clear his debts, which got me dragged back


    here?¡± Geneva¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment. ¡°You know what? I was this close, this freaking close


    to divorcing him! It¡¯s all your fault! You screwed me over!¡±


    Just as she finished, Geneva grabbed my neck like a maniac, I was instantly choking.


    Themotion drew everyone in the casino out, Donald among them.


    ¡°Crazy bi tch, let her go!¡± Ste swung her purse at Geneva, trying to make her let go.


    But Geneva was like a lu natic, refusing to let go.


    It wasn¡¯t until Donald charged over and kicked her away that I could finally breathe.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79


    ¡°Scu mbag! My luck was just turning and you have toe and spoil it?! Get lost! You¡¯re such an


    embarrassment!¡± Donald said angrily. Geneva couldn¡¯t get up for a long time, and the people in the


    casino didn¡¯t seem surprised, they were just enjoying the drama.


    Shaken, I quickly left with Ste.


    Bailey was waiting for us in the car. Seeing my pale face, he asked with concern, ¡°Madam, are you not


    feeling well?¡±


    I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go back to Rosemont,¡± I said, rubbing my neck. Ste also came over to check on me.


    Frowning, she said, ¡°Your neck is red all around. That woman was totally out of line!¡±


    ¡°What did she mean by her words?¡± I couldn¡¯t help wondering, ¡°Who has bought over Donald?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Donald is a gambler, he must be knee-deep in debt. Maybe someone paid off his debt


    for him, on the condition that he brings his wife back,¡± Ste spected.


    ¡°But who could that person be?¡± I wondered aloud, ¡°The detective I hired also found Donald before.


    Back then, he didn¡¯t seem to care about his wife¡¯s affair. Now I think about it, maybe they were a couple


    of swindlers. Geneva was tasked with luring rich men and then scamming them to pay off Donald¡¯s


    gambling debt. But she probably also wanted to use this opportunity to divorce Donald.¡±


    After a few seconds of thought, Ste¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Could it be¡­ Neil? Didn¡¯t you also see those


    photos at his ce?¡±


    My heart sk ipped a beat, I murmured, ¡°Could the pictures havee from here?¡±


    He must have gotten the negatives too! I know him well. He¡¯s very thorough. If he paid for something,


    he¡¯d want to get the most out of it. What¡¯s the point of having these copies if he doesn¡¯t have the


    negatives?


    Once I sign the divorce papers, I can get the photos and negatives from him.


    By the time we got back to Rosemont, it was already dark. Ste and I found a ce to eat. During the


    meal, she cursed Neil eighteen times.


    ¡°After you get divorced, I¡¯ll introduce you to some hot guys. There are so many men out there, why


    should you stick with this jerk!¡± Steforted me, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that he and that Bonnie canst.


    He¡¯ll regret it in the future.¡±


    I sighed. For a moment, I even had the impulse to tell Ste about my reincarnation.


    But such a thing sounded ludicrous. And if this secret got to Neil, who knows what would happen.


    ¡°That¡¯s no longer my concern,¡± I said, eating my dessert and suppressing my emotions, ¡°But remember


    what you said. When the timees, you have to introduce me to several handsome men.¡±


    ¡°I promise I will!¡± Ste smacked her chest.


    After dinner, I asked Bailey to take Ste home first, then I went back to Sterling Estates. As soon as I


    got home, an unknown number called me. When I picked up, I heard Gat¡¯s voice, ¡°Finally, I got


    through. My previous number was blocked again.¡±


    His helpless tone made me want tough.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, may I take you out for a meal?¡± Gat asked straightforwardly.


    ¡°I just had dinner,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to a movie,¡± he insisted.


    I didn¡¯t watch movies often, only asionally in college with Ste and others. The rest of the time, I


    usually watched at home in my basement theater.


    Even so, I had fantasized about going shopping, watching movies, and having candlelight dinners with


    Neil. I fantasized for a whole ten years.


    No matter how mundane the thing is, it bes different when you do it with the one you love.


    Sadly, my fantasy has never been realized.


    I hesitated, then agreed, ¡°Okay. Which cinema?¡±


    After getting the address, I asked Bailey to take me to the mall where the cinema was. The cinema was


    on the fifth floor. Gat was already waiting for me there.


    He was elegantly dressed, wearing sses, and holding two cups of hot chocte and a bucket of


    popcorn. Seeing me, he smiled, ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m over here!¡±


    I walked over. He handed me a cup of hot chocte, ¡°I didn¡¯t know what drink you like. If you don¡¯t like


    this, I can get you something else.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No need. I like hot chocte¡±


    Gat chose a romanticedy. I had no objections. As the movie started, we found our seats and


    sat down. He whispered, ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I took a sip of the hot chocte.


    The movie was hrious and the plot was interesting. I thought I would fall asleep, but in the end, I


    laughed until tears came out.


    Because I set my phone to silent, I only saw Neil¡¯s missed call after leaving the cinema.


    I called back. He was on another call. I didn¡¯t bother and just followed Gat out of the mall. He said


    he would take me to have ate-night snack.


    ¡°I know a Korean BBQ ce nearby. Their BBQ is good, and so is their shochu. Can you drink?¡±


    Gat asked as we walked.


    ¡°I can, but I can¡¯t drink much, I didn¡¯t want to lose control again after drinking.


    The wind was strong outside the mall, but it was still lively. The BBQ ce that Gat talked about


    was just across a small alley from the mall. We


    Chapter 79


    braved the cold wind and headed there. He was always making conversation, and I responded.


    He¡¯s actually a great conversationalist, always able to find topics that interest me, and he always acts


    like a gentleman.


    After we arrived at the BBQ ce, we ate and drank while chatting happily. Gat was different from


    Oscar. He¡¯s more mature, so we had a lot inmon on some topics.


    I don¡¯t like men paying my bills, so after we finished eating, I excused myself to go to the restroom,


    then went to the front desk to pay the bill. Gat noticed and immediately ran over, pulling out his


    phone, ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    I nced at his phone screen unintentionally and frowned inadvertently.


    ¡°Alright. Let me take you home,¡± Gat said after paying. His car was parked nearby.


    ¡°No need. I have a friend who¡¯s also eating nearby. I¡¯ve contacted him, he¡¯sing to pick me upThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    soon,¡± I politely declined Gat.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble,¡± Gat looked at me sincerely, ¡°Ms. Finch, do you believe in love at first sight?¡±


    I smiled and replied, ¡°I believe, but I trust in the unpredictability of the human heart even more.¡±


    Just now, when Gat was opening PayPal, I noticed a message popped up at the top of his phone


    screen. It was from a Norman.


    There are many people with the same name in this world, but I didn¡¯t believe the ¡°Norman¡± on Gat¡¯s


    phone would be a different person.


    I remembered Barbara once told me, Norman thought it was me who caused their breakup. Barbara


    warned me to be careful of his revenge.


    I was careless. I thought if Norman wanted revenge, he would do it himself, but I didn¡¯t expect him to


    send someone else close to me. I was still not sure what his purpose was.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80


    ¡°Ms. Finch, did I do something wrong? Why have you suddenly gone cold on me?¡± Gat looked


    genuinely puzzled.


    I didn¡¯t respond, just checked the time on my phone. It was already 11 at night. The streets were


    noticeably less crowded and deserted.


    Neil¡¯s call came through again. As I was about to answer, my hand was seized tightly. Gat, usually


    smooth as silk, was suddenly seething, ¡°Come with


    me!¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I jumped, shocked at Gat¡¯s sudden change. He was strong, almost dragging me


    towards his car.


    asional passersby didn¡¯t dare to intervene. I had never encountered such a situation before, and


    my mind was a whirl. Remembering the call I had answered, I yelled out for help.


    Gat roughly shoved me into his car and grabbed my phone, ¡°Behave yourself!¡±


    In the driver¡¯s seat, Norman was smoking. He nced back at me, his smile cruel, ¡°Irene, surprise or


    not?¡±


    ¡°Norman, what are you up to?¡± I tried my best to stay calm.


    ¡°You bit ch, you cost me my job and my fiancee. You left me with nothing. How could I let you off the h


    ook? Tonight, you¡¯ll pay the price.¡± Norman flicked his cigarette away and drove off.


    After who knows how long, we ended up at a dock. Norman and Gat dragged me into a container


    warehouse. Before I could steady myself, a pnded hard on my face. I felt a burning pain on my


    cheek, and everything went a bit dark.


    Gat brought over a chair. Norman tied me to it tightly, hurling obscene insults at me.


    ¡°You have two choices.¡± Norman held up two fingers, ¡°First, give me five million dors as


    compensation. Second, we rape you, kill you, then dump your body into the sea.¡±


    How did I never notice how ruthless Norman was?


    ¡°Norman, you were with Barbara for so long, and she was so good to you. You wronged her. Don¡¯t youR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    think she deserved freedom? You screwed up, why me me?¡± I stared at Norman.


    ¡°What I do is none of your business!¡± Norman seemed provoked by my words. He suddenly kicked me


    to the ground. My head hit the floor hard, everything went blurry.


    Gat had no grudge against me. He was probably in this just for the money, so he stopped Norman


    from hitting me again, ¡°Easy. Her money is better than her life.¡±


    They helped me up again. Norman aimed my phone at me, unlocked it with face ID, opened the


    banking app, did some operations, set the amount, then asked for my password.


    ¡°There¡¯s a transfer limit. Can¡¯t send five million at once.¡± I gritted my teeth against the headache, trying


    to buy time, ¡°I can only send fifty thousand each time. It would take multiple transfers.¡±


    I was lying to Norman. He didn¡¯t know the real limit of my bank ount.


    Norman¡¯s financial situation was modest and probably hadn¡¯t made anyrge transfers, so he might


    take my word for it. Sure enough, he changed the transfer amount to fifty thousand. He would have to


    do this a hundred times.


    ¡°Transfer some to me too.¡± Gat said to Norman.


    They began to concentrate on the transfers. When they identally locked the screen, they had to ask


    me to unlock it again. Every second they wasted was a glimmer of hope for me.


    I fixed my eyes on the warehouse door, my heart pounding, repeating a name silently: Neil.


    Thatst call I had with him was my only hope. Norman had lost his mind. Even if he got the money, he


    might still hurt me.


    Suddenly, Bonnie¡¯s voice could be heard from outside, ¡°Irene? Irene?¡±


    She spoke quietly, as if she was deliberately lowering her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m here!!¡± I seized the opportunity and shouted back with all my strength. Norman and Gat,


    startled by the sudden turn of events, rushed to cover my mouth.


    The footsteps outside got closer, stopping right at the door. I couldn¡¯t control my tears, hoping someone


    would kick open the door.


    But after a two-second pause, the footsteps hurriedly retreated. I heard Bonnie¡¯s voice, ¡°Mr. Whitmore,


    Dr. Russel, there¡¯s no one here.¡±


    I was shocked and my whole body was stiff. What was Bonnie talking about?!


    ¡°Search somewhere else! What are you standing there for?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was full of rage.


    I wanted to speak, but my mouth was tightly covered. I was almost suffocating, let alone shouting.


    My hope was like a fire in the dark, slowly dying out.


    Suddenly, a shrill ringtone broke the silence. Norman fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket, hung


    up the call, cursing, ¡°F uck!¡±


    I seized the moment to scream, ¡°Neil!!¡±


    Gat pped me furiously. I was on the verge of copse. My mouth was split and bleeding.


    Just as they were about to gag me with a cloth, the warehouse door was violently hit.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The lock was smashed open. Neil kicked the door open, standing at the entrance like a wrathful go d.


    Seeing me, his anger reached boiling point. His eyes


    1/2


    10:47


    Chapter 80


    looked almost red. He stormed in with a steel bar. Norman, scared white, was knocked to the ground


    before he could use me as a hostage/


    Russel walked in too. Seeing my pitiful state, his usually calm face showed a grim anger.


    He grabbed Gat by the cor with one hand, took off his sses with the other, put them in his


    pocket and threw a heavy punch.


    ¡°Ah!!¡± The blo ody violence scared Bonnie into screaming. She backed away, as if afraid of getting


    blood on her. Tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Cooper and Mitch also arrived. They were both surprised at what was happening.


    Bonnie dashed behind Cooper, clutching his sleeve. The sight of her fear was heartrending. Mitch, on


    the other hand, sprang into action immediately. He spun around and barked at the guys outside, ¡°Go in


    and hit him!¡±


    A dozen more dudes rushed in, taking over from Neil and Russel, continuing the assault on Norman


    and Gat.


    Neil moved behind me, freeing my hands from the ropes. I wanted to thank him, but my head was


    pounding so much that I cked out as soon as I opened my mouth.


    I had no idea what happened next. All I knew was that when I woke up in the hospital bed, the drip from


    the IV was slowly seeping into my veins.


    Barbara was by my side, her eyes all red. Seeing me awake, she grabbed my hand and started crying,


    ¡°Rena, I¡¯m so sorry. You got caught up in Norman¡¯s revenge because of me. I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡±

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81


    I still felt a little groggy, but my mind was clear. Seeing Barbara beating herself up, Iforted her,


    ¡°This ain¡¯t on you. The one to me is Norman. I don¡¯t regret telling you about his infidelity. He doesn¡¯t


    deserve you.¡±


    Barbara cried more bitterly. Ste and Alicia walked in with a fruit basket. Seeing me, they hurried over,


    ¡°Rena, are you feeling okay? Still got a headache?¡± ¡°Are you hungry? I can grab you something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Are you cold? I can crank up the AC. Can¡¯t have you catching a cold.¡±


    I shook my head slightly, ¡°Not hungry, not cold, just a bit dizzy.¡±


    Ste looked at me with concern, ¡°Poor Rena. You¡¯ve been having a rough couple of months. This is


    the second time you¡¯ve hit your head. Hope you don¡¯t end up getting dumber.¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°Even if I do, you guys can take turns looking after me.¡±


    I got the rundown of what had happened from them.


    Norman, out of spite, had gotten Gat to get close to me. Their n was to kill me after getting the


    money, then flee the country.


    Luckily, Neil¡¯s call was my lifesaver. After hearing my cries for help, he tracked me down with his phone


    and came to my rescue.


    Wiping away her tears, Barbara said angrily, ¡°I can¡¯t believe how vile and selfish Norman is, ming his


    mistakes on others. His parents came to me for help. How brazen!¡±


    Ste looked at me, disgust in her eyes, ¡°People like him belong in jail. Barbara, you dodged a bullet


    seeing his true colors before it was toote.¡±


    Barbara nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    While we were chatting, Russel walked in.


    He gave Gat a good scolding, making up for his previous actions against me in the game. I greeted


    him politely, ¡°Hey, Dr. Russel.¡±


    ¡°Feeling dizzy?¡± Instead of answering, Russel asked, ¡°Have you thrown up since you woke up? Do you


    remember what happened before you passed out?¡±


    I answered all his questions.


    After checking on me, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve got a slight brain bleed, but no need for surgery. In about a


    week, the blood will be absorbed. Just stay in the hospital and get the treatment you need.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I decided to follow the doctor¡¯s orders. Leave the professional stuff to the professionals.


    Before Russel left, he gave me a deep look, but I couldn¡¯t read his expression. Ste suddenly leaned


    in, a mischievous smile on her face, whispered, ¡°Rena, do you think Russel¡¯s got a thing for you? Is he


    interested in you?¡±


    I quickly covered Ste¡¯s mouth. Russel, just about to leave, paused at the door, then walked away.


    Alicia hurried to close the hospital room door.


    ¡°Rena, didn¡¯t Neil take you away on Christmas Eve?¡± Barbara also had a mysterious smile, ¡°Did you


    run into a thug? Didn¡¯t Neil give him a good beating?¡±


    ¡°How did you guys know?¡± I was a bit surprised.


    ¡°Because then Russel beat the guy up again. He¡¯s still in the hospital. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Barbara was


    no longer crying, her eyes red from excitement, ¡°After you guys left, we all left too. When we were


    leaving, we saw a crowd around a guy who¡¯d been beaten up. After hearing about it from the manager,


    Russel gave him another beating.¡±


    My heart raced. What was Russel trying to imply?


    Was he like Neil, falling for two women at the same time?


    Steughed with satisfaction, ¡°Ha, Rena, seems like your luck is changing! Neil¡¯s been treating you


    differently, and even the usually cold Russel is giving you special treatment. This is too exciting!¡±


    ¡°Not exciting at all!¡± I red at Ste. She was blowing things out of proportion.


    Russel¡¯s true love was Bonnie, he just hadn¡¯t fallen for her yet. He would, eventually. If I were to think


    he¡¯s fallen for me, that would be too conceited.


    Besides, I¡¯m not Bonnie. 1 can¡¯t bear to see two childhood friends turn against each other because of


    me.


    I couldn¡¯t tell Ste and the others about Russel¡¯s future tussle with Neil over Bonnie, so I had to halt


    their imaginations for now.


    After chatting for a while in the hospital room, Alicia got a call from work and had to rush back.


    I took the opportunity to tell Ste and Barbara to go as well.


    ¡°I have to stay with you!¡± Barbara was full of guilt and refused to leave.


    ¡°Ali¡¯s got work. Barbara and I have nothing to do. We can take turns staying with you.¡± Ste grabbed


    her bag, flipped her hair with a casual air, ¡°I haven¡¯t told your parents about your injury yet. You decide


    whether you want to tell them. I¡¯ve got things to do today, need to discipline my disobedient puppy. I¡¯ll


    come by tomorrow.¡±


    With that, she quickly left.


    Barbara looked confused, ¡°When did Ste get a dog?¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? By puppy she obviously means her new fling!¡± Iughed.


    ¡°Oh! totally forgot about her being a floozy!¡± Barbara pped her forehead.


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    11:08


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    Withpany, time flew by. I called my mom, told her the situation in Geneva was resolved, but didn¡¯t


    mention my injury and hospital stay.


    My mom had a weak heart, she¡¯s still in the hospital herself. I decided not to upset her.


    By the time it was getting dark outside, Neil still hadn¡¯te to see me.


    Barbara said that after Neil had dropped me off at the hospital, he went to deal with Norman.


    Thinking of Neil rushing into the warehouse to save me made my heart race. But when I remembered


    Bonnie following close behind him, my heart returned to its normal pace.


    I guessed, that night, he was probably hanging out with Bonnie and Russel and the others.


    And Bonnie, she had clearly heard my cries for help, but pretended not to and tried to stop Neil from


    finding me. I would never forget that.


    A person who looks so innocent, once theymit a wrongdoing, can be even more terrifying.


    ? ? ?? ?


    After dinner, after a lot of persuading on my part, Barbara, reluctantly, headed home. I told her that it¡¯s


    enough to keep mepany during the day. I didn¡¯t need her here when I was sleeping at night.


    After she left, I yed with my phone for a bit, then before I knew it, my eyes were closed.


    In a half-asleep state, I felt like someone had sat next to my bed. I tried to open my eyes to see, but my


    eyelids were too heavy, and in the end, I couldn¡¯t help but fall asleep.


    In the middle of the night, I woke up because I was thirsty. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Neil


    sitting by my bed, watching me.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± I got a fright and even stopped breathing for a second.


    ¡°Why are you awake?¡± Neil surprisingly gave a smile, with a gentleness in his voice that I didn¡¯t


    recognize.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± I answered truthfully.


    He got up, grabbed the water ss from the bedside and got me a ss of water, ¡°Here, drink up.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82


    I was taken aback, ¡°I can get up and get water myself.¡±


    His tone was calm just a moment ago, but then it turned stern, ¡°You should be resting since you¡¯re


    injured. Why are you pushing yourself?¡±


    Was getting a cup of water considered pushing myself? I took the cup silently, my mind wandering


    elsewhere. Neil wasn¡¯t as cold and heartless as he seemed. His tenderness and care were reserved


    only for the woman he loved.


    Bonnie was so lucky, she could enjoy Neil¡¯s care every day.


    ¡°How¡¯s Norman?¡± I asked after finishing the water.


    ¡°He¡¯s locked up at the police station. He¡¯ll be sentenced after the procedure, probably to life,¡± Neil


    replied nonchntly. Then he changed the subject, ¡°And that Gat guy. He confessed to his n to


    kidnap you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded, ¡°Good.¡±


    Neil scoffed, ¡°How¡¯s that good?¡±


    I was taken aback. Isn¡¯t it good that the criminal is getting what he deserves? Neil was such a mystery.


    He continued, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s better to give your number to a stranger you met in a bar, or to go to


    the movies and have BBQ with him?¡±


    I was speechless. If it wasn¡¯t for my intention to get back at him, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up being used


    by Gat.


    Neil asked again, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    After a moment of silence, I retorted, ¡°Neil, are you jealous?¡±


    I could feel a strong wave of jealousy, but I didn¡¯t understand why. He had no feelings for me. We had


    agreed to live our own lives as long as I didn¡¯t mess with his friends.


    My question seemed to embarrass Neil. He stood up abruptly and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I¡¯m


    just embarrassed, so I¡¯ll keep the media quiet about this. Otherwise, everyone would know you were


    kidnapped while out with another man.¡±


    This was Neil¡¯s real thought. His status was so high, yet his wife was going behind his back with


    another man. If this news got out, where would his dignity be?


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I see,¡± I was used to his cold words. After this incident, I decided to thank Neil for saving me, ¡°Please


    give me the divorce papers as soon as possible. I don¡¯t want a penny, consider it as payment for saving


    me. I value my life.¡±


    For someone who had once faced death, life was the most precious.


    ¡°By the way, do you have the negatives of my father¡¯s photos? Bring those to me too,¡± I added.


    Neil seemed furious for some reason. He pulled out a strip of negatives from his coat pocket and


    mmed it on my nket.


    He left without a word, leaving me puzzled.


    What did that mean? He gave me the negatives, but what about the divorce papers? I quickly picked


    up the negatives and counted. None were missing.


    I guessed the divorce papers might need to be revised, so he didn¡¯t give them to me yet. Didn¡¯t I just


    say I didn¡¯t want any money? Neil might need to go back and update that part.


    After getting the negatives, I felt a sense of relief I¡¯d never felt before. My father¡¯s crisis was resolved,


    and I could divorce Neil. From then on, I would no longer be the pitiful Mrs. Whitmore, but the free Ms.


    Finch.


    After learning that the photo issue was resolved, my father wanted to meet with me.


    I rejected him immediately. I didn¡¯t want him to know about my kidnapping and injury, so I made an


    excuse and just chatted with him over the phone. He said excitedly, ¡°Rena, I¡¯ve finally proven my


    innocence. Otherwise, I¡¯d be devastated!¡±


    ¡°Dad, you should only hire male secretaries from now on, don¡¯t get tricked again. After all, your


    reputation has been built over ten years. It¡¯s not worth it to have it destroyed in an instant,¡± I reminded


    him while eating the pomelo Ste had peeled for me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely learn my lesson, but Rena, you need to bring Neil home for dinner. I want to thank him,¡±


    my father said.


    ¡°Thank him?¡± I was surprised. Shouldn¡¯t he be thanking me? I was the one who sacrificed my marriage


    for the negatives, even though my father didn¡¯t


    know this.


    My father sighed, Ah, I had too many prejudices against him before. I always felt that he didn¡¯t care


    about you and didn¡¯t take me and your mother seriously. Now realize, he¡¯s actually a good man.¡±


    I was confused, ¡°Dad, what are you talking about?¡±


    My father then told me that Geneva was from Springvale, and my inws had a lot of connections


    there, so my father asked Ryan for help. Ryan then handed the matter over to Neil. Neil went to


    Springvale a few days ago and resolved the issue.


    I waspletely in the dark. I even thought that Neil was involved in this to force me to leave


    penniless.


    The pomelo in my hand fell. I felt like I was on a roller coaster, my mind was nk. Ste asked softly,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, remember to bring Neil home for dinner soon. I must thank him in person,¡± my father said


    before hanging up the phone.


    It took me a while to recover.


    Ste thought I was having a brain sequ and wanted to call the nurse. I stopped her, ¡°Ste, I think I


    misunderstood Neil. What should I do?¡±


    When I told Ste what happened, she fell silent too. She was probably as taken aback as I was.


    Where are the negatives?¡± Ste asked after a while.


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    11:08


    Chapter 82


    I pulled out the negatives from under the pillow, ¡°Here¡­¡±


    We looked at each other for a while, then fell into silence again.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Russeling in for rounds, we might have continued in silence. When I saw him enter, I


    quickly hid the negatives.


    ¡°How are you feeling today? Is the dizziness better?¡± Russel asked some routine questions as usual.


    I answered him briefly, but I kept thinking back to the night when Neil threw the negatives on me and


    walked away.


    Ste didn¡¯t know how to react either. She had witnessed my humbleness in front of Neil for ten years.


    She always thought Neil treated me like an enemy. She stood up and said to me, ¡°I¡¯m going to go


    think.¡±


    After she left, I was alone in the room, holding the negatives and sinking into deep thought. I felt like I


    was in a dream. Could it be that I misunderstood Neil? Could it be that he wasn¡¯t as cold and heartless


    as I thought?


    These thoughts were swirling in my mind, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. Ste was also confused. She


    had witnessed my humbleness in front of Neil for ten years. She always thought that Neil was treating


    me like an enemy.


    She stood up and said to me, ¡°I¡¯m going to think about it.¡±


    I was left alone in the room, holding the negatives, immersed in my thoughts. I felt like I was in a


    dream. Could it be that I misunderstood Neil? Could it be that he wasn¡¯t as cold and heartless as I


    thought?


    These thoughts were swirling in my mind, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. Was it possible that everything I


    thought about Neil was wrong? That he wasn¡¯t as cruel and indifferent as I thought? My mind was a


    mess.


    I took a deep breath and tried to sort out my thoughts. Neil had helped me, and he did it for my sake,


    not for any benefit. This was a fact that I couldn¡¯t deny. But what about everything else? What about all


    the humiliation and indifference I had experienced?


    I felt like I was stuck in a maze, unable to find the exit. The more I thought about it, the more confused I


    became. Maybe I needed some time to figure it out. Maybe I needed to talk to Neil. Or maybe I just


    needed some space to clear my head.


    In the end, I decided to keep the negatives and wait. Wait for the right time, wait for Neil, wait for the


    truth. Perhaps, in the end, everything would be clear, ¡°Think about what?¡± Russel asked, his hands


    shoved nonchntly into the pockets of his white coat, a pair of handsome eyes visible above the face


    mask. His voice was slightly mu ffled due to the mask, but it was still utterly captivating.


    ¡°Think about¡­ what to eatter,¡± Ste blurted out randomly before she hightailed it out of there.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting a divorce?¡± Russel always had a knack for delivering the most shocking news in the


    most casual way.


    I froze, staring at him, ¡°How did you know? Did Neil tell you?¡±


    He shrugged, ¡°Yeah, he spilled the beans. It was the night you had your ident. Bonnie was there


    too.¡±


    Just a moment ago, I was feeling guilty for misunderstanding Neil. But Russel¡¯s words quickly wiped


    out that guilt. Neil apparently wanted the divorce too, or why else would he tell his friends?


    He was a man of his word. If he said he was going to divorce, then he definitely would.


    I bowed my head, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re getting a divorce. I decided not to take any of his property in the divorce


    as a thank you for him saving me.¡±


    Russel, with a hint of amusement in his voice, said, ¡°Congrats.¡±


    ¡°Congrats on my divorce?¡± I red at him, ¡°Maybe you should save your congrattions for when I


    remarry.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83


    All Russel did was raise an eyebrow, then he said, ¡°Before you marry again, watch your step, okay?


    Don¡¯t go knocking yourself silly or something.¡± I muttered ¡°None of your business¡± under my breath, not


    sure if he even heard me.


    A nurse hustled Russel away. Once he was gone, Ste came back. She seemed to have had a


    revtion, saying excitedly, ¡°Rena, all your efforts finally paid off!¡±


    ¡°Nope. We¡¯re still getting a divorce.¡± I said calmly, my heart as still as water. ¡°Neil already told Russel


    that we¡¯re splitting, and about Bonnie too.¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile froze on her face. ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    Even with her vast experience in the game of love, she was thrown off by the back-and-forth between


    Neil and me.


    Neil suddenly changed his tune and helped his wife out. And as his wife, I felt guilty for


    misunderstanding my husband. Wasn¡¯t this a sign of getting back together? But Ste was just Ste.


    After a moment of shock, she seemed even more excited, ¡°Right! If you guys need a divorce, then get


    a divorce! We women can¡¯t be upset by some unkindness! He¡¯s been tormenting you for ten years. You


    can¡¯t just forgive him because he¡¯s being nice for once. Make him regret it after you guys split!¡±


    I just chuckled. Ste sure had some interesting ideas. In reality, the moment Neil and I divorce, he


    wouldn¡¯t regret anything. Instead, he would be one step closer to marrying Bonnie.


    Bonnie¡¯s existence was still a significant reason for Neil¡¯s agreement to the divorce.


    ¡°Your imagination is something else. Go get me some food, will you? I want some spaghetti Bolognese


    from the hospital cafeteria.¡± I urged Ste,ughing.


    ¡°You¡¯d rather eat hospital food than five-star hotel food? Seriou was mealtime, so she might have to


    queue.


    , you¡¯re a piece of work!¡± Steined, but she obediently went to get the food. If


    I was left alone in the room. The smile gradually disappeared from my face, reced by a sense of


    mncholy. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    I got up and walked to the window, looking at the snow-covered ground below. Hospital staff were


    setting up holiday decorations.


    I had to celebrate the holiday alone


    in the hospital. It was a bummer.


    While I was daydreaming, I heard footsteps behind me. Thinking Ste was back, I asked, ¡°You got


    ns for tomorrow? If not, can you keep mepany?¡±


    There was no response. I


    turned around puzzled and saw a nervous-looking Bonnie.


    She was lightly made up, looking delicate. Her beautiful face had a hint of guilt. She was wearing a


    ck polka dot down jacket, cinched at the waist, with a sweet bow at the cor, and a pair of white


    mid-calf boots on her legs. At first nce, I could tell that her clothes were of better quality and


    probably more expensive than before, but they were still brands I didn¡¯t recognize.


    She seemed more mature and steady than before.


    ¡°Irene, are you feeling better now?¡± Bonnie asked quietly.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I replied indifferently. My impression of her had plummeted due to what happened


    during the kidnapping.


    I grabbed my phone and started messing with it, not in the mood to deal with her.


    Bonnie sat down gingerly on the chair by the bed. She couldn¡¯t look me in the eye, but she kept


    stealing nces at me. I frowned and put away my phone, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just worried about you.¡± Bonnie bit her lip and responded softly.


    ¡°Why would someone who wants me dead be worried about me?¡± I asked sarcastically, pretending to


    be shocked.


    Bonnie turned pale immediately. She shook her head, ¡°No, Irene, I didn¡¯t want you to die!¡±


    I said coldly, ¡°Oh really? Then let me ask you, why didn¡¯t you help me when I was calling for help at the


    warehouse, even telling Neil I wasn¡¯t there? Neil could hear Norman¡¯s phone ringing, but you couldn¡¯t


    hear my desperate cries for help?¡±


    Bonnie looked dreadful at my barrage of questions. She stuttered, ¡°Irene, I¡¯m not th you. Maybe I have


    a hearing problem.¡±


    kind of person¡­ you should know me better, right? I just didn¡¯t hear


    ¡®People who learn vocal music are hard of hearing?!¡± I felt like she was insulting my intelligence.


    ¡°Bonnie, why have you be like this? Neil must have told you that night that he and I were getting a


    divorce. What¡¯s the rush?¡±


    Bonnie started crying when I exposed her dark side. She couldn¡¯t believe what she had done. ¡°Irene,


    I¡¯m sorry, I think I¡¯ve lost controltely¡­ I¡­ I think I¡¯ve fallen in love with Mr. Whitmore!¡±


    I wanted to say more, but her words left me speechless.


    ¡°I know¡­ I know I shouldn¡¯t have feelings for him, but he kept intruding into my life. Somehow, I got


    used to him being around. I started to feel inferior. I know I¡¯m not good enough for him, let alone you,


    so I did something stu pid. Irene, I¡¯m sorry¡­ can you not tell Neil about this?¡±


    Once Neil knew the truth, her image in his mind would be shattered.


    I found itughable, ¡°Bonnie, tell me honestly, are you used to him being around, or are you just


    attracted to hisvish lifestyle? Everyone likes to livefortably, I get that. Just looking at your


    clothes, I know what you¡¯re after. Your father¡¯s surgery, your family¡¯s house, Neil paid for all of them.


    You¡¯re just used to the convenience that money and power bring, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No¡± Bonnie got agitated. She couldn¡¯t stand my questioning of her feelings. Her eyes were red, ¡°It¡¯s


    not like that at all! It¡¯s not about the money, I really fell in love with him!¡±


    ¡°Also, Irene, it¡¯s not Neil who made me more materialistic, it¡¯s you.¡± Bonnie added. She looked at me


    with a mix of sadness and determination.


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    11:08


    Chapter 83


    ¡°You showed me what a truly rich life is like. I¡¯ve checked the prices of the clothes and essories you


    used to wear, so I know they are expensive. You lent me money without a second thought and you


    didn¡¯t rush me to pay you back. And Oscar told me about your car. All these things I didn¡¯t understand


    or even think about before.¡±


    I was really shocked. Did I actually push Bonnie straight into Neil¡¯s arms?


    Did I use the power of money to corrupt a pure girl¡¯s heart?


    Perhaps, I did mean to show off a bit. In my past life, Bonnie was the cause of my downfall. In this life, I


    can help her and Neil, but I¡¯m still a bit salty, so I intentionally did some petty things to upset her.


    ¡°You can leave now.¡± I didn¡¯t wanna chat with Bonnie anymore.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84


    When Bonnie saw I was ignoring her, she stood up, with her bag in hands, looking all innocent and


    docile, ¡°Irene, Neil said you¡¯re willing to divorce without getting anything. You¡­ shouldn¡¯t be so daft.


    You¡¯ve waited him for the best ten years of your youthful life so you should get something in return. A


    woman¡¯s youth is precious.¡±


    With that, she turned around and left.


    I was literally fuming. The other woman was advising the soon-to-be ex-wife not to divorce empty-


    handed? Was she pretending to be a saint?


    And she knew I was in love with Neil for ten years!


    She must feel both smug and pity. I waited him for ten years, but those few short months she had with


    him surely defeated that. She knew how good Neil was to her.


    Neil must have told her, right? I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. It wasn¡¯t the first time


    I¡¯ve been made a fool of. What¡¯s another round of mockery from Bonnie?


    I didn¡¯t want to make a scene. I decided to travel as soon as the divorce was finalized. Time heals all


    wounds.


    ¡°Spaghetti Bolognese is here!¡± Ste came back all excited. Noticing my gloomy face, she frowned,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look upset.¡±


    I forced a smile, ¡°Let me show you something.¡±


    I took out my phone and yed the recording.


    Ste was fuming after hearing it, ¡°How can that woman be so vicious? She¡¯s trying to harm you? This


    is outrageous, I need to confront her! This is driving me mad!¡±


    ¡°Ste, don¡¯t.¡± I shook my head, ¡°You don¡¯t know where she¡¯s gone, how can you find her?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she from Rosemont College¡¯s music department too? I¡¯ll expose her over the school¡¯s broadcast


    radio. I, Ste, will make her drop out!¡± Ste said angrily.


    ¡°Why do you need to confront with Bonnie when I¡¯m about to divorce Neil?¡± I said gently, ¡°Wait until I¡¯m


    divorced. Revenge is best served cold?¡±


    Ste was surprised, ¡°When¡¯s the right time?¡±


    I smirked, ¡°Like, say, their wedding day? It would make a nice wedding gift.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up at the idea. She gave me a thumb up, ¡°Right! We can¡¯t just tell Neil. He might take


    her side. Better to choose a time and ce to let everyone know what kind of witch she is. Let¡¯s see if


    she still dares to show her face.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If Neil¡¯s willing to divorce me for her, that means they¡¯re likely to get married. No rush.¡± I


    reassured Ste.


    After dinner, as the sky grew dark, I told Ste to head back.


    The ward was quiet again, with only the asional sounds of the nurses bustling outside.


    Iy in bed scrolling through Facebook. Lots of people were posting pictures with their family and


    friends waiting for the New Year. Everyone looked happy.


    I fell asleep without realizing it, only to be awakened by the sound of midnight fireworks.


    Starlight za in Rosemont hosts a grand fireworks disy on every holiday, and it¡¯s a popr spot for


    lovers. I had always wanted to go with Neil, but


    never got to.


    After being awakened by the fireworks, I couldn¡¯t fall back asleep. A hunch led me to check Bonnie¡¯s


    Facebook page. Sure enough, hertest post was about the fireworks at Starlight za, along with a


    selfie. Behind her gleaming smile, there was half a man¡¯s face. It was Mitch.


    Given the time and ce, if Mitch was there, Neil was likely there too. Bonnie probably didn¡¯t feel


    comfortable taking a direct photo of him, so she took one of Mitch as indirect evidence.


    Neil hasn¡¯t divorced yet, so Bonnie can¡¯t be publicly with him.


    Like Sherlock Holmes, I zoomed in and out on the photo with my fingertips, trying to spot Neil in the


    background. Suddenly, someone appeared at the door of my ward.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you sleep?¡± It was Russel.


    ¡°I woke up.¡± I put away my phone, ¡°Dr. Russel, you¡¯re on night duty?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Want to go to the rooftop to watch the fireworks?¡± He asked again.


    I wasn¡¯t nning on going, but I was bored, so I got up and put on a jacket, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Russel and I walked through the long corridor. As we passed the nurse¡¯s station, a nurse asked in


    surprise, ¡°Wait, Dr. Russel, you switched shifts with Dr. Garcia?¡±


    I was surprised and looked at Russel.


    He replied, ¡°Yeah. He caught a bad cold.¡±


    I see. I continued to follow him, up the stairwell to the rooftop of the inpatient building. The cold air hit


    me instantly, causing me to shiver. Beautiful fireworks were continuously bursting in the night sky in the


    distance.


    My phone rang. My mom had transferred me five thousand dors, along with a message, ¡°My dearest


    daughter, happy holidays!¡±


    The gloom in my heart was instantly swept away by my mom. I happily epted the money, then


    texted her back, ¡°Mom and Dad, happy holidays!¡±


    ¡°Is that a text from Neil?¡± Russel saw me grinning and asked.


    1/2


    11:08


    Chapter 84


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± I put away my phone, took a deep breath of cold air, and felt my heart


    freeze, ¡°My mom gave me some spending money, that¡¯s why I¡¯m happy.¡±


    Russel took off his mask and put it in his pocket. A faint smile appeared on his handsome face, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    expect you to be so money-minded.¡±


    I replied, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t love money?¡±


    He nodded and changed the topic, ¡°By the way, Dean had his surgery yesterday. He should be


    discharged soon.¡±


    Before, when mentioning Bonnie¡¯s family, I might have been curious. Now, I just feel annoyed. I thought


    back to the photo Bonnie posted earlier. She must know I can see it, right?


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You should tell Neil. He¡¯s been taking such good care of their family.¡± I said indifferently.


    ¡°Bonnie will tell him herself, no need for me.¡± Russel sighed, and then walked towards a corner of the


    rooftop. When he came back, he was holding a bundle of small handheld sparklers, ¡°Want to y with


    these?¡±


    ¡°Where did you get these?¡± I was surprised.


    ¡°The hospital always stashes some sparklers on the rooftop every year, so the night shift staff can


    come up and celebrate the holidays,¡± Russel pulled a lighter from his pocket, inviting me, ¡°Come on,


    let¡¯s have a bit of fun.¡±


    It¡¯s been ages since thest time I yed with these things. I took the two sparklers that Russel


    handed over to me. He shielded the lighter against the wind with one hand and helped me light one


    with the other.


    The glow burst from the tip of the sparkler like a shower of sprinkling sparks, absolutely stunning.


    Russel grabbed one and lit it too. We were waving the sparklers around,ughing like kids.


    Had I known that Neil was watching us from the exit, I would never have made a wish to the sparkler,


    Blurting out words ¡°I wish Neil would drop dead.¡±


    But we¡¯ll get to thatter.


    By the time Russel and I had burned through all the sparklers, it was an hourter. I was having a st.


    After thanking him, I returned to my room for some rest. After all, I had a head injury and needed to


    catch some extra sleep.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85


    Not long after, I was discharged from the hospital.


    Being in the hospital was really boring. Plus my recovery was going great, so I checked out earlier than


    nned.


    Bailey drove me back to Sterling Estates. The housekeeper cooked a hearty lunch for me. I ate a lot,


    feeling all recharged.


    Suddenly, Oscar called, ¡°Irene, how are you doing? I went to the hospital, but they told me you had


    already left.¡±


    ¡°Oscar, how did you know I was in the hospital?¡± I was a bit surprised, as I hadn¡¯t posted anything


    about it on social media.


    Oscar was silent for a few seconds before he told me, ¡°Bonnie told me this morning.¡±


    Why would Bonnie tell Oscar about my injury? Thinking about what she had said before about Oscar


    having special feelings for me, I seemed to understand her intention. Was she trying to help Oscar


    pursue me?


    Just then, Neil also called. After handling Oscar with a few words, I picked up his call.


    He was pis sed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you were discharged?¡±


    ¡°Did you go to the hospital?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Neil sounded pretty pis sed, ¡°What a waste of my time!¡±


    Suddenly, it clicked. Bonnie knew that Neil was going to the hospital this morning, so she told Oscar


    about my hospitalization. This way, both men would run into each other at the hospital. Too bad she


    didn¡¯t expect me to check out early.


    I never thought she could be so cun ning.


    Neil had already hung up, and I didn¡¯t bother calling back.


    Winter days are short and nights are long. It was not even half past five in the afternoon, and the sky


    was already gloomy. I slept all afternoon and didn¡¯t wake up until then. After putting on a coat, I headed


    to the snowman in the yard.


    The snowman was a bit out of shape. With the heavy snowfall these days, it had swollen a lot.


    ¡°Madam, it¡¯s too cold outside. You should go back inside,¡± the housekeeper kindly reminded me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m bundled up,¡± I smiled and told her, ¡°Go and cook something. I¡¯m not hungry yet, and you


    can prepare something as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam.¡±


    Once the housekeeper went inside, I took a few steps back and looked at the mansion in front of me. I


    used to think it was a love nest for Neil and me Now I realized it was more like a giant cage, and I had


    willingly stayed in it for five years.


    In these five years, apart from missing Neil and waiting for Neil, I had nothing else to do.


    Ste enjoyed flirting with handsome guys, Barbara was always striving to be a pop star, and


    Alicia was hustling for her career. Only me, after giving up on Neil, I became extremely hollow.


    Maybe after the divorce, I should n what to do, whether to continue pursuing my music dream or to


    return to family¡¯spany to learn some business.


    Anyway, I won¡¯t go back to Whitmore Co. as his personal assistant.


    I was so lost in thoughts that I didn¡¯t notice when Neil stood behind me.


    ¡°Sigh,¡± I let out a deep breath, turned to leave. When I saw Neil, I screamed, patting my chest, ¡°You


    scared me! Are


    you a ghost?!¡±


    ¡°Guilty conscience?¡± Neil had his hands in his trench coat pockets. He wore a handmade ck and


    white checkered scarf around his neck, which suited him nicely.


    I didn¡¯t respond to him but pointed at the scarf, ¡°It¡¯s nice. Did Bonnie knit it?¡±


    I had seen this scarf in my past life, but it appeared muchter than in this life. In my past life, Russel


    told me that it was knitted by Bonnie herself for


    Neil.


    Neil treasured this scarf as if it was the most expensive luxury in the world.


    He raised his eyebrows, seemingly admitting it, waiting for me to continue.


    ¡°It looks warm. Can I borrow it?¡± I suddenly reached out to take off his scarf. I thought he would refuse,


    but he bent down slightly to cooperate with me.


    As he bent down, the distance between us shortened. I slowed down my movements, staring at his


    face. It was hard to imagine that I had loved this face for ten years, and now I was really going to let go.


    Neil¡¯s gaze became probing. He asked, ¡°Still want it?¡±


    Only then did I speed up, pulled off the scarf quickly, and casually wrapped it around my neck. Maybe


    due to full love on it, the scarf was indeed very


    warm.


    ¡°If Bonnie knows, she might be upset,¡± I rubbed the scarf with my chin, deliberately saying, ¡°Her


    attitude towards you has just softened a bit, don¡¯t blow


    it.


    ¡°She¡¯s not that petty.¡± Neil answered lightly, as if the Bonnie in his mind was the woman who trusted


    and understood him the most in the world.


    I sighed deeply, really wanted to y that recording to Neil right now, and tell him that Bonnie


    deliberately sent Oscar to the hospital to see me this mokning.


    But with the divorce imminent, I had no need to do so. That would only prolong the divorce, and the


    effect of the recording would not be optimal.


    1/2


    11:08


    Chapter 85


    The scarf around my neck seemed to be slowly sprouting thorns, making me ufortable. I took off


    the scarf and returned it to Neil, ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    After saying that, I turned and walked back. Neil followed behind me with the scarf.


    The house was warm, not as cold as outside. I took off my coat and threw it aside. So did Neil.


    ¡°Did you bring the divorce agreement this time?¡± I sat on the sofa, holding a cup of hot chocte, and


    looked at Neil indifferently.


    ¡°No.¡± Neil¡¯s answer surprised me.


    ¡°Why is it not ready yet?¡± I was a bit frustrated, ¡°I don¡¯t want your money. Shouldn¡¯t it be simple?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Neil frowned, ¡°Are you really in such a hurry to get a divorce?¡±


    This line sounds so familiar!


    In my past life, I also asked Neil angrily. Then, the answer I got was that he wanted to give Bonnie a


    formal identity, instead of letting her be his mistress forever.


    I was a bit stunned. The scenes of the two worlds seemed to ovep, even our identities were


    swapped.


    ¡°Why not divorce?¡± I came back to my senses, and the turbulence in my heart gradually subsided, ¡°We


    have been pretending to be husband and wife for five years. Isn¡¯t that enough? Now you¡¯ve found


    someone you truly love, and I¡¯m willing to let go of the past. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±


    Seeing him staying silent, I went on, ¡°Neil, what¡¯s the matter with you? What are you hesitating for?


    Can¡¯t you really give up with the little profit my family can bring you?¡±


    My question made Neil¡¯s facial expression change drastically. I saw his hand slowly clenching into a


    fist, with the veins on the back of his hand bing prominent due to the exertion.


    A certain guess in my heart was getting stronger. It prompted me to continue, ¡°Could it be¡­you¡¯ve


    fallen for me?¡±


    ¡°Irene!¡± Neil¡¯s voice was full of impatience, ¡°Will you ever stop being so full of yourself?¡±


    I was at a loss for words. The growing expectation in my heart was shattered in an instant. I was


    indeed overthinking. How could something that hadn¡¯t been achieved in ten years be aplished in


    just a few months?

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86


    ¡°Sorry, I thought you were falling in love with me, hence your reluctance to divorce me. Guess I got it all


    wrong¡± I said, chuckling without any sign of


    embarrassment


    Ned was poker-faced, sitting across from me and lighting up a cigarette.


    i fake-coughed and he promptly got up to smoke outside.


    In this regard, Nell did have some manners.


    After a while, I saw Neil take a call and then hurriedly leave.


    Right then, my phone rang It was Ste


    ¡°Rena, let¡¯s have dinner together!¡± She said excitedly. ¡°There¡¯s someone here you won¡¯t believe¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I asked


    I ain¡¯t telling. Hurry up and get here! I¡¯ve already sent you the address. If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ming to


    get you!¡± Ste said, hanging up before I could respond.


    I checked the time. It was indeed dinner time. I told the maid I wouldn¡¯t be home for dinner and headed


    out.


    Upon arrival, I opened the door to the private dining room and found Alicia and Barbara there as well.


    Seated right across the door was a handsome man in his thirties with thick eyebrows and bright eyes.


    He was Ste¡¯s brother, Simmons Wace.


    Seeing me, Simmons seemed surprised, his gaze softened, ¡°Rena, long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Simmons, when did you get back?¡± I asked, suppressing the awkwardness in my heart and sitting


    down next to Ste with a smile.


    ¡°I just got back this afternoon. Ste wanted to celebrate my return so we came out for dinner.¡±


    Simmons said. His voice was calm, a stark contrast to Ste¡¯s high pitch,


    Ste¡¯s sister, Iva Wace, was also there. She jokingly said, ¡°Ste¡¯s treating, but you¡¯re paying the


    bill.¡±


    Simmons grinned, ¡°No problem.¡±


    Alicia and I were both the only child in the family. Barbara had a brother. But Ste was the lucky one


    with a brother and a sister who cherished her dearly. Ste was beaming, ¡°My brother is so generous!


    He doesn¡¯t care about the cost of this meal.¡±


    I pretended to check my phone while actually texting Ste: You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?


    Ste replied: He¡¯s single and he¡¯s always had a feeling for you. I told him you might be getting a


    divorce and he immediately decided toe back. Are you touched?


    I texted back: But I¡¯m not divorced yet! And even if I do, I¡¯m still a woman who¡¯s been married before.


    How could you do this to your brother?


    Ste texted back: What¡¯s there to be afraid of? So what if it¡¯s a second marriage? My brother¡¯s 33 and


    still single. What right does he have to be picky about you?


    Before I could text back, Simmons asked me, ¡°Rena, you¡¯ve lost quite a bit of weight, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    After ten years of unrequited love and five years of loneliness, who wouldn¡¯t?


    ¡°Probably it is because I¡¯ve been eating less. I¡¯m trying to gain some weight,¡± I replied, ¡°I¡¯m also


    nning to hit the gym.¡±


    That¡¯s great! I¡¯ve been working out for the past few years. If you need, I can be your personal trainer.¡±


    Simmons joked, ¡°You¡¯re my friend, so I can give you a discount.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ste started winking at me in delight.


    I simply nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The meal was rather awkward for me. Simmons would nce over at me every now and then. His


    gaze was as brave as it used to be.


    Before I married Neil, Simmons was my most passionate suitor. He got to know me through Ste.


    Even though he knew I was infatuated with Neil, he never gave up and pursued me with all his might.


    But love can¡¯t be forced. Just like Neil rejected me, and I rejected Simmons.


    Back then, the guys who pursued me would back off once they knew I liked Neil. But Simmons was like


    a stubborn bull who refused to give up. When I graduated from university and got married to Neil, he


    sent me a wedding gift via Ste and then left to work at a foreign branch.


    I felt really awkward. I repeatedly rejected Simmons because of Neil. Now that I was seeing him again,All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Neil and I were on the brink of divorce. After we finished eating, Simmons went to pay the bill. Ste


    took the opportunity to persuade me, ¡°Rena, you should give him a chance. Since you¡¯re nning to


    divorce, why not try being with someone who truly loves you?¡±


    ¡°The problem is I don¡¯t have¡­.feelings for him!¡± I said helplessly to Ste.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. He¡¯s waited five years, what¡¯s another year or so?¡± Ste said confidently.


    Not far away, Iva was also smiling at me. She knew about my past with Simmons.


    I quickly averted my gaze. Just then, Alicia and Barbara chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Rena, I think Ste¡¯s brother


    is a great guy, and he¡¯s handsome to boot!¡±


    ¡°I remember how determined he was when he was pursuing you. It was really admirable!¡±


    11:49


    Chapter 86


    I felt cornered by their ambush and was getting a headache.


    Luckily, Simmons returned after paying the bill, and Ste and the others finally shut up. He said


    warmly, ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    With that, Simmons picked up the takeaway box and said to me, ¡°Rena, I noticed you seemed to really


    enjoy the pan-fried foie gras here, so I asked them to pack some for you. You can have it as ate-


    night snack.¡±


    Ste wasughing so hard she was practically bending over. I was afraid she might pass out from the


    excitement.


    Just then, the elevator doors opened. My eyes widened at the sight inside.


    Neil, Russel, Mitch and Cooper, all four of them were surrounding Bonnie in the center.


    Seeing me, Bonnie seemed a little nervous, ¡°Irene.¡±


    She was standing in the middle with Neil. Russel was to her left, while Mitch and Cooper were slightly


    behind to her right.


    It was clear to anyone that she was closest to Neil, almost touching him.


    Neil¡¯s gaze quickly fell on Simmons. He recognized him too.


    ¡°Rena, who¡¯s that?¡± Simmons asked quietly, sensing something was off.


    ¡°She¡¯s Bonnie, a music student from Rosemont College,¡± I answered co olly, then took the food box


    from Simmons. Thanks, Simmons. I¡¯ll finish the whole thing.¡±


    Neil and his gang had already stepped out of the elevator. I was the first to step in, ignoring his


    somewhat gloomy expression. I said to Simmons and others in a casual tone, ¡°Simmons, Ste, will


    you guys hurry up and get in? Let¡¯s go sing and dance! Staying home is just too boring.¡±


    Ste knew I was doing it on purpose. She nced at Bonnie and Neil, ¡°Yeah, we should go out and


    live a little. It¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s waiting for us at home. Some people are already bewitched by the


    witches. What¡¯s the point of staying home alone? Let¡¯s roll, we¡¯re outta here!

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87


    Bonnie seemed to be a bit awkward. She didn¡¯t know where to look, so she was just staring at her toes.


    In fact, she was a totally different person in private from the innocent girl she portrayed in public.


    Seeing Bonnie¡¯s embarrassment, Neil, either to spite me or out of genuine sympathy, wrapped his arm


    around her in front of us all, as if to silently support her.


    ¡°Neil!¡± Simmons¡¯ voice suddenly turned sour.


    ¡°Simmons, you¡¯re looking even more handsome than before!¡± I interrupted Simmons and h ooked my


    arm into his.


    Barbara, standing at the front of the elevator, kept hitting the close-door button. Under Neil¡¯s icy stare,


    the elevator door separated us.


    Did he think I wouldn¡¯t be disgusted by his behavior?


    Once the elevator door closed, I immediately let go of Simmons¡¯ arm, feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°Sorry,


    I just borrowed your arm.¡±


    Iva chimed in, ¡°No need to apologize. He probably loved it.¡±


    Steughed. The two sisters exchanged nces, their eyes like saying something.


    ¡°Indeed, I didn¡¯t mind at all.¡± Simmons¡¯ tone was half serious, half joking, ¡°You can always count on me


    for this kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Simmons, you¡¯re getting funnier.¡± I could only respond helplessly.


    Simmons only smiled without saying a word. After the elevator door opened, we left the hotel and


    headed to a nearby karaoke club.


    I vented all my frustrations through singing. Although I mainly studied instrumental music, my voice was


    pretty good, so my singing wasn¡¯t bad.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Alicia said that she had brought her staff here for a gathering before and had a membership card for


    this ce. She had also stored a couple of boxes of wine here. So she asked the waiter to fetch a box.


    ¡°Come on, Rena, you and Simmons sing this one!¡± Ste suddenly shoved the microphone into


    Simmons¡¯ hand, and then said to me.


    I nced at name of the song on the screen: Marry You.


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡± I had a bit of alcohol and didn¡¯t care much about anything anymore.


    Halfway through the song, I noticed Ste was answering my phone. I couldn¡¯t hear what she said. She


    said a few words and then hung up.


    Unlike my casual attitude, Simmons¡¯ singing was full of emotion. He¡¯d nce at me asionally, his


    eyes full of passion.


    I had to pretend I didn¡¯t notice.


    When the song finally ended, Ste handed my phone back to me and whispered into my ear, ¡°Neil just


    called. I answered and told him you were busy singing a love song with my brother, so you couldn¡¯t


    answer the phone.¡±


    I was speechless. She really knew how to stir things up when I was trying to rx.


    Sure enough, a few minutester, Neil called again. I didn¡¯t know what to say to him, so I just hung up.


    For some peace, I turned off my phone and continued to enjoy singing until midnight when I finally


    headed home a bit tipsy.


    Bailey helped me into the living room before leaving. I was feeling a bit dizzy and weak. I struggled to


    climb the stairs. As soon as I opened the bedroom door, the smell of smoke made me cough.


    The balcony door was open. The cold wind blew into the room, bringing the cigarette smoke straight to


    my face. Neil was standing on the balcony, his back to the room.


    ¡°Why are you smoking in my room?¡± I walked over, opened the window, and asked somewhat irritably.


    Neil turned around, his expressionplex.


    I couldn¡¯t predict his next move. If he wanted to confront me about my gathering with Simmons today,


    he had no right to. Wasn¡¯t he with Bonnie too?


    I ignored him, got ready for bed, and headed to the bathroom for a shower.


    I felt very ufortable with the smell of alcohol on me. If I didn¡¯t shower, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep.


    To get to bed as soon as possible, I didn¡¯t soak in the bathtub but showered directly under the


    showerhead. Afterward, I quickly dried off and changed into my pajamas.


    Neil was still on the balcony. He was on the phone. Hearing me return, he hung up.


    I ignored him and went straight to bed.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Simmons bring you home?¡± Neil came over to the bed at some point. His tone was


    emotionless.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you spend the night with Bonnie?¡± I shot back without opening my eyes.


    After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again: ¡°I have never spent the night at her ce.¡±


    Hearing this, I opened my eyes. Neil was looking down at me. His gaze was always cold towards me.


    Ste and the others had once discussed this and concluded that Neil¡¯s eyes were always full of deep


    affection when looking at anything, except for me.


    I was surprised: ¡°She hasn¡¯t epted you yet? From what I know, she has broken up with Oscar,


    asked for your help, and even willingly went out to meet your friends with you. Why haven¡¯t you gotten


    intimate with her?¡±


    Neil¡¯s expression slightly changed.


    ¡°She¡¯s different from other women, I get it.¡± I continued, ¡°You need to respect her, I understand.¡±


    Chapter 87


    Nef¡¯s expression became even more unpleasant, ¡°What do you know? You are over confident¡±


    It was not that I was over confident, it was just that field still hadnt understood his own feelings. But that


    was between him and Bonne sanchiserver just saw their development in advance


    I turned over, speaking with pretendedziness Ted, as ¡®ve told you before, if you don¡¯t divorce me now,


    one day you¡¯ll wish I¡¯d vanish from your world By then, I might not want to divorce and might even


    demand a big chunk of money from you


    The next second, I found Nell sitting on the edge of the bed, learing in close to me. His breath maxed


    with mine


    His eyes held no anger, instead it were filled with an intoxicating smile, ¡°Peaty¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±I was about to answer, but his sudden kiss cut me off


    I was a bit drunk and had no strength. I tried to push him away, but he held me tight, immobilizing me


    Ned was never a gentle person. Every time I tried to resist, he got more excited and dominated me


    even harder


    His kiss made me dizzy When Neil finally let me go, I regained a bit of consciousness and immediately


    pped him. But due to myck of strength, the p was more like a weak touch.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you eat?¡± Neilughed.


    Neil, if you¡¯re just looking for a one-night stand, go knock on Bonnie¡¯s door Can you please stop


    harassing me? I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going through his head.


    I don¡¯t want to just drop my love for him and then fall back into the trap of body temptation.


    Sex is something that can be seriously addictive if you¡¯re with a pro


    And Neil, well, he¡¯s that pro. But I don¡¯t want to get obsessed with him again.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88


    When ites to Bonnie, Neil seems to lose some of his steam.


    ¡°You say she¡¯s not stingy, but no woman is generous in love, unless she doesn¡¯t really love you.¡± I


    continued to persuade him, ¡°Do you really want to see her suffer? What would she do if she knew you


    had sex with me?¡±


    His eyes started to clear up, like he was seriously considering my words.


    Just as I let out a sigh of relief, he kissed me again, as if everything I just said was nonsense.


    What a fool I was, discussing morals with such a jerk?


    Go d knows when we finally stopped. My eyes were barely able to stay open, while Neil was still raring


    to go. Slurring from exhaustion, I mumbled, ¡°Let me sleep. I just got out of the hospital¡­¡±


    S S D E F FS F


    The hand that had been wandering over my body stopped. Neil held me from behind, still and quiet.


    Just before I drifted off, I felt him kiss my shoulder.


    The consequence of such intimacy right after getting out of the hospital was a headache the next


    morning. When I woke up, Neil was already gone from


    the room.


    The air was still heavy with an indescribable smell. I couldn¡¯t help but groan, feeling even more


    ufortable.


    Adhering to the ¡°healthes first¡± principle, I ski pped breakfast and had Bailey take me to the


    hospital for a check-up.


    What a coincidence, it was Russel again.


    ¡°Blood pressure check. Roll up your sleeve.¡± He acted like he didn¡¯t know me, his voice indifferent.


    I hesitated for a moment, took off my thick coat, and identally yanked off my scarf too. I quickly


    grabbed my scarf and wrapped it back around my neck, but Russel¡¯s gaze had already changed. He


    was staring at my neck.


    It was covered in bite marks from Neilst night.


    I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and ced my arm on the table, awkwardly saying, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    I don¡¯t know if it was just my imagination, but I felt Russel¡¯s gaze turn even colder. He picked up the


    blood pressure cuff, one hand gripping my wrist, his grip surprisingly strong. I almost thought he was


    trying to break my hand.


    Everything was done in silence. After the blood pressure check, Russel ruled out the possibility that my


    headache was due to blood pressure abnormalities. Then he coldly asked me a few questions, gave


    me a list of tests, and sent me off to do them.


    The final result was that I had been drinking and hadn¡¯t rested well, which had worsened my injury


    which is not fully recovered.


    ¡°Going out drinking the day you¡¯re discharged, you¡¯ve got quite the nerve.¡± Russel took off his mask,


    his facial expression is frosty. His originally aloof expression now looked like the frozen ice on surface


    of the North Pole.


    ¡°A friend came back, so¡­¡± I felt guilty. I really shouldn¡¯t have been drinking yesterday.


    ¡°Simmons?¡± Russel obviously knew him too.


    I nodded.


    Then he dropped a bombshell, ¡°Are those hi ckeys on your neck from him?¡±


    I was startled, ¡°Dr. Russel, you can¡¯t just say things like that.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s Neil.¡± This time it was a statement, not a question.


    ¡°Why are you asking this? I¡¯m here for a check-up¡­¡± I was quite troubled.


    Russel paused, seeming to realize his words were inappropriate. In the end, he found the right words


    as a doctor, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be hospitalized again, get some rest, no smoking, no drinking, and no


    sex. I¡¯ll prescribe some medication for you. Make sure to take it on time.¡±


    Ten minutester, I had my medicine, and Bailey dutifully drove me home.


    Once we got home, I didn¡¯t get out of the car right away, but asked Bailey, ¡°You¡¯ve been away from


    home for the past two years, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam.¡± Bailey replied, Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°You should go back this year. I¡¯ll give you a bonus vacation, and you can leave tomorrow ande


    back at the end of February.¡± I said.


    ¡°Madam, this¡­ Bailey was clearly taken aback.


    I was afraid he might misunderstand, so I quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to fire you. Like I said, you


    need toe back at the end of February. You can drive this car back then. Just pay for the gas


    yourself.¡±


    I got out of the car after saying that, not giving Bailey a chance to say more.


    In times of adversity, true colors show. During my past life, it was Bailey who stayed with me till the


    end. Although he couldn¡¯t help me much, he always did his duty as a driver. He even took care of me


    for a few days when I was in the hospital. I knew how he felt about me, but because of our social status


    difference, he never expressed it.


    If I remember correctly, during my past life, his father passed away from a brain hemorrhage at the


    beginning of this year. Because they didn¡¯t have a car, they couldn¡¯t get him to the hospital in time, so


    he didn¡¯t make it.


    I hope this time he can save his father.


    I had just gotten home and finished eating when my dad called. We chatted for a bit, and then he


    asked, ¡°Did you talk to Neil abouting home for dinner? Did you forget?¡±


    really did forget!


    Chapter an


    ¡°He¡¯s really busy these days, as you know I¡¯ll talk to him in the next couple of days.¡±I fobbed him off.


    So you better tell him sooner rather thanter. Tomorrow! Bring him home tomorrow. It¡¯s settled!¡± Ever


    since Neil saved his reputation, his attitude towards Ned hadpletely changed


    Looking at the ended call, I felt a headacheing on. After hesitating for a few minutes, I dialed Neil¡¯s


    number.


    After a few rings, he picked up, but the background noise was loud with the sounds of men drinking


    and chatting. Clearly, he was at a dinner party.


    ¡°Are you busy right now? If you are, I can text you¡± I asked


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Go ahead Neil¡¯s voice was clear among the noise.


    ¡°Do you have time tomorrow?¡± I decided to ask about his schedule first.


    Ned was silent for a moment, and then said, ¡°I have to go to Zion Chemical nt.¡±


    He really was busy. After a few seconds of silence, I decided to give up, ¡°Okay, I see. It¡¯s nothing


    important, I was just asking¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± He hung up.


    I let out a sigh. My rtionship with Neil is a bit awkward right now. If I bring him home for dinner, it will


    only make things more awkward. If rtionship between him and my dad improve, it will be even


    harder to divorce in the future.


    But how am I supposed to refuse my father? If I say Neil is too busy to go, he¡¯ll definitely think it¡¯s just


    an excuse. He won¡¯t believe we can¡¯t even spare the time for a meal.


    In a series of thoughts, I remembered Russel telling me to get some sleep, so I really did.


    I have no idea when Neil got back. Somewhere between dream and reality, I felt a pair of arms wrap


    around me from behind, and then I was wide awake


    ¡°Neil?¡¯ I called out.


    ¡°Mm,¡± his voice had a hint of sleepiness to it, ¡°Just keep snoozing.¡±


    I could hear his steady breathing in my ear. He seemed to have dozed off right after saying that. I felt a


    bit weird inside my heart. This position looked like something a lovey-dovey couple would do, but Neil


    and I weren¡¯t like that.


    His embrace was warm. I hesitated for a moment, and then snuggled in closer to him.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Chapter 89


    I had a great snooze that night, and when I woke up, I was still in Neil¡¯s arms.


    He was still asleep. I carefully crawled out of bed, not to wake him. His clothes were on the chair. I took


    a sniff, and yup, they smelled like booze. He must have had quite a fewst night.


    My phone started to vibrate. It was my dad, again.


    I sighed and walked out of the bedroom to take the call.


    9 ??


    ¡°Rena, when are you and Neiling over? We¡¯ve already got the groceries. Your mom says she¡¯s


    going to cook today!¡± My dad sounded super excited.


    ¡°Dad, Neil and I might not be able to make it today¡­¡± I hated to let him down. It was rare for him to look


    forward to our visits this much.


    But Neil had to go to Zion Chemical nt today. It was pretty hectic over there, so he often had to


    check up on things.


    My dad was clearly disappointed when he heard this, ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you tell him? Or he just doesn¡¯t


    want toe?¡±


    When we first got married, my parents often invited us over for meals, but Neil always politely declined.


    He only visited on my parents¡¯ birthdays or holidays.


    Over time, my parents got the hint and stopped inviting us. Their impression of Neil got worse and


    worse.


    Just as I was about to make up an excuse about work, my phone was sna tched out of my hands. I


    turned around in surprise and found Neil awake. He took my phone and told my dad, ¡°We¡¯ll be there


    soon.¡±


    My dad hung up, satisfied with Neil¡¯s reply.


    Neil handed me my phone. Seeing my stunned look, he chuckled and asked, ¡°What are you thinking


    about?¡±


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you supposed to go to Zion Chemical nt?¡± I asked, taking back my phone.


    ¡°I can go in the afternoon,¡± Neil replied while putting on a navy blue crew-neck sweater. His broad


    shoulders made the sweater look really good. He paired it with some ck pants, a casual look.


    Well, that¡¯s a relief. At least I won¡¯t be bothered by my dad¡¯s calls anymore.


    After freshening up and getting dressed, I headed downstairs. Neil drove me home.


    When we arrived, my parents were unusually warm towards Neil. They greeted him with wide smiles.


    Neil had helped them out big time when their decades-long marriage was under threat, and they were


    grateful.


    Such a harmonious atmosphere was a first time for me, but it felt really good.


    Just as we were about to have lunch, I got a call from Ada, ¡°Ms. Finch, my rtive who studies


    traditional medicine said he has a special medicine that¡¯s really effective for promoting pregnancy. Do


    you still need it?¡±


    Ada was really enthusiastic.


    I nced at Neil. He was busy looking at his phone, probably texting someone.


    ¡°Great. Could you keep it for me? I¡¯lle and get it in a few days, okay?¡± I said, in a low voice.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll send you the address,¡± Ada replied.


    Soon I got the address to Bonnie¡¯s ce. I locked my phone screen, keeping a straight face.


    After lunch, Neil told my parents he had to go to Zion Chemical nt for work. They understood his


    situation and didn¡¯t insist on him staying.


    I decided to stay at home for a few days, so I didn¡¯t leave with Neil.


    After Neil left, my dad invited a few friends to go fishing by the river, seemingly undeterred by the cold.


    Meanwhile, my mom and I stayed home and watched TV. She asked, ¡°I feel like Neil has changed.


    Have you guys been getting along better recently?¡±


    I thought for a bit and replied, ¡°Kind of, I guess.¡±


    I mean, we did have sex a few times. Does that count as getting along better?


    She said, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s slowly discovering your good points and starting to cherish you. You¡¯ve loved


    him for so many years. It¡¯s about time you got some reciprocation.¡± I knew my mom was always


    worried about me.


    I was lying on the couch watching TV, and responded with a smile, ¡°Maybe.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to tell her about Bonnie, nor the real situation between Neil and me. I¡¯ll tell her after the


    divorce.


    Listening to her talking, I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, I found a nket covering me. My mom


    was tending to her nts. I looked at the soft sunlight streaming through the window, feeling calm.


    I stayed at home for almost a week this time. Life at home was always leisurely. Sometimes I


    apanied my mom to herpany. At home, she was a gentle wife and mother, but at work, she


    was a toughdy boss.


    During this time, my healthpletely recovered. I felt much better me ntally too.


    On a sunny day, I drove to Bonnie¡¯s ce. She probably had no idea I wasing, or she would¡¯ve


    contacted me earlier.


    Seeing Ada, I greeted her with a smile, ¡°Ada!¡±


    Ada was cleaning. Seeing me, she was surprised, then greeted me warmly, ¡°Ms. Finch, wee!


    Please,e in!¡±


    I walked into the living room. It was an old neighborhood. Not only was the exterior of these apartments


    old, but the decor inside was also vintage. The


    apartment was about 80 square meters in size.


    Chapter 89


    Ada kept her ce tidy. She gestured for me to sit on the couch and poured me a ss of water.


    Dean came out of the bedroom upon hearing the noise, joyfully saying. Did Bonnie bring her boyfriend


    over?¡±


    Seeing me, he paused, then greeted me with a smile, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ms. Finch. Bonnie told us she was


    bringing her boyfriend over for dinner today, so I thought


    it was them.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s boyfriend? Was she nning on bringing Neil here for dinner?


    So ridiculous! Nell wouldn¡¯t sign the divorce papers, but was ready to meet her parents as herN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    boyfriend.


    Ada said, ¡°Well, Ms. Finch can also give us some advice. We heard her boyfriend is almost thirty. We


    think he might be a bit elder for Bonnie, but Bonnie is stubborn. We¡¯ll just wait and see¡± Saying this,


    she brought over a te of washed fruit.


    I replied with a smile, ¡°Sure¡±


    Might as well drop the bomb today and tell them the truth.


    I continued to make small talk with Ada and Dean, but I was paying more attention to the noise outside


    the door. After a while, I heard footsteps approaching, followed by the sound of a door opening.


    ¡°They¡¯re back!¡± Ada was very excited


    I was on edge too, my eyes glued to the slowly opening door. But when their figures appeared, I


    practically jumped out of my skin.


    Following Bonnie was a man, about thirty-something, dressed all mature and looking not too shabby


    But he wasn¡¯t Neil.


    ¡°Irene?¡± Bonnie looked just as surprised as me to see me.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90


    I didn¡¯t see iting that Bonnie bringing home a guy who wasn¡¯t Neil even though he wasn¡¯t her


    boyfriend, just a guy who¡¯s been chasing her.


    Bonnie had him sit. Ada poured him some water while Dean was giving him the once over from across


    the table.


    There I was, sitting with my head in a fog


    After a bit, Bonnie turned to me, Trene, we need to chat


    ¡°Sure I got up and followed her into a bedroom


    Bonnie got straight to the point, ¡°Trene, I bet you¡¯re wondering why Neil¡¯s not here I just want to tell you


    even though I¡¯ve got feelings for him, I just can¡¯t be the homewrecker. I¡¯ve made my stand clear to him,


    and I¡¯m ready to make Dale my boyfriend¡±


    Dale was the guy she brought home.


    ¡°Did he agree?¡± I asked, a tad uneasy. How could Bonnie stand up to Neil? If Neil didn¡¯t agree, she


    could kiss any chance with another guy goodbye.


    Whether he agrees or not, that¡¯s his problem, Bonnie said, making it clear she¡¯s made up her mind.


    I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it, but something was off. The guy Bonnie brought home was definitely not


    Neil.


    After leaving the bedroom, I didn¡¯t want to stick around anymore. Ada invited me to eat, but I declined.


    She gave me the medicine I had asked her to get, along with some instructions.


    Bonnie chimed in ¡°Mom, what¡¯s that?¡±


    A flicker of embarrassment passed over Ada¡¯s face before sheughed it off, ¡°Why so nosy?¡±


    It¡¯s the medicine I asked Ada to get for me,¡± I told Bonnie honestly, ¡°Neil and I have been trying to have


    a kid. Ada got me some medicines before, they worked pretty well, but we¡¯re still trying!


    Since Bonnie has decided to reject Neilpletely, my words shouldn¡¯t affect her.


    Still, I caught a sh of surprise and anger in her eyes.


    ¡°Goodbye¡± I smiled again, bid Ada and Bonnie farewell with my medicines in hand, and left.


    Just as I was driving away, Neil¡¯s car came into sight. Upon seeing me, he made a U-turn and parked


    in front of me.


    I rolled down my window, ¡°Neil, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Were you at her ce?¡± Neil looked visibly upset.


    ¡°I went to get the medicines Ada prepared for me.¡± I said expressionlessly, ¡°Bonnie brought a suitor to


    meet her parents. Were you looking for her?¡±


    Neil got out of the car, looking up at the building with anger written all over him.


    Bonnie was his prey, but she brought another man home to meet her parents. This was definitely


    crossing a line for him.


    Suddenly, I saw through Bonnie¡¯s scheme.


    Bonnie must have felt Neil¡¯s growing feelings for me, so she came up with this n to force Neil to


    realize who he truly loves.


    Upon hearing my words, Neil was ready to go upstairs. Given his personality, he¡¯d spill the beans to


    Ada and Dean today, regardless of whether they¡¯d ept him.


    ¡°Ne I was filled with anger.


    I stopped him, ¡°Have you thought this through? You¡¯re about to meet Bonnie¡¯s parents. This signifies


    that you guys are taking a step into each other¡¯s families, things are getting serious¡±


    He stopped in his tracks, turning to look at me.


    I looked at him calmly. ¡°If you¡¯ve decided to be with her, then please leave me alone. You can¡¯t keep me


    on a leash while starting a new life. That¡¯s just not


    After that, I drove away from the other side. When I got back to Sterling Estates, I quickly drafted a new


    divorce agreement.


    If he still wouldn¡¯t sign, then I¡¯d have no choice but to sue him.


    Even though I was ready with the divorce agreement, my heart was still in turmoil. I couldn¡¯t help but


    imagine what would happen after Neil stormed into the Bonnie¡¯s ce.


    Bonnie must be smug. Her n worked like a charm.


    Just as I was pacing around, Oscar texted me, ¡°Irene, we¡¯re about to start our break. I¡¯ll be heading


    home soon. Are you free these days? I¡¯d like to have a


    meal with you¡±


    I replied without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow¡±


    Oscar replied quickly, ¡°What would you like to eat? After the meal, we can go to Evergreen Park and


    climb the Obsidian Spire. I heard the snow view from the mountain is pretty stunning!¡±


    I replied, ¡°Sounds good¡±


    Nell didn¡¯te back all night. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve waited for him anxiously. After my rebirth, I


    saw our ending, so I was always able to keep my


    emptions under control.


    But now, it felt like I was back in my past life. I couldn¡¯t keep my cool.


    Chapter 90


    I ended up not sleeping at all. The next day, I waspletely drained.


    For Oscar¡¯s sake, I pulled myself together, got dressed, and drove to the ce he¡¯d specified.


    ¡°Trener Oscar was in a white puffer and grey jeans, still looking youthful.


    As I approached, he asked with a hint of concern, ¡®Are you okay? Didn¡¯t sleep well? You look kinda


    pale¡±


    I managed a smile, ¡°I had a nightmarest night.¡±


    Oscar suggested, ¡°You should put a cross under your pillow then.¡±


    My gloomy mood was instantly lightened up a bit, ¡°Are you a devout believer?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try¡± Oscar turned his head back and asked, ¡°Right?¡±


    That¡¯s when I noticed his cat was also there. The cat was on Oscar¡¯s back, meowing through the clear


    cover of the backpack as if responding to its


    owner.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll try putting a cross under my pillow tonight.¡± I yed with his cat a bit, then turned to


    the French restaurant next door, ¡°Is this where you¡¯re treating me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do you like French cuisine?¡± Oscar asked a bit shyly, ¡°I¡¯ve actually never had French food.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Oscar came from a modest background. It was already impressive that he could pay his tuition and


    living expenses by working part-time. He wouldn¡¯t want to waste money on food. I understood.


    I shook my head, ¡°Not really my thing. I¡¯m more into local fast food these days. My treat.¡±


    Oscar immediately shot it down, ¡°No way! If I say I¡¯m treating, then I¡¯m the one footing the bill!¡±


    ¡°All right then. But I still prefer the local eats.¡± I didn¡¯t want Oscar to ssh out too much. I figured any


    old ce would do.


    Besides, I wasn¡¯t even hungry. The main reason I agreed to meet up was to distract myself from


    overthinking at home.


    After a bit of scrolling on his phone, Oscar said, ¡°This ce has banging reviews on Yelp. Let¡¯s give it a


    shot, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s bounce,¡± I replied without hesitation.


    A grin spread across Oscar¡¯s face. The pain and resentment from the breakup were nowhere to be


    seen in his eyes.


    Compared to me, he seemed to have an easier time letting go and moving on.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Chapter 91


    The meal left me all warm and fuzzy, and Oscar was such a chatterbox that the mood was really


    upbeat


    Then drove to Evergreen Park, the biggest park in Rosemont, with a massive artificialke that¡¯s


    absolutely gorgeous when it¡¯s full of yellow water lilies In summer. In winter, theke freezes over, and


    birds sometimes perch on the ice. People buy some bread, crumble it up, and throw it on the ice for the


    birds to peck at


    Oscar also bought two loaves of bread and handed one to me, ¡°Trene, you feed them too¡±


    ¡°Sure thing ¡°I opened the bread, crumbled it up with my hands, and threw it onto theke. Several birds


    immediately came to peck at it, making quite a


    scene


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    After we finished feeding the birds, we strolled around the park. I don¡¯t usually go out for walks, but


    despite the cold, I was really enjoying myself.


    Finally, we arrived at Obsidian Spire. The stone steps were fairly clean, with all the snow trampled


    down by hikers


    During the hike, Oscar suddenly started talking about Bonnie, 1 heard she brought a man home to


    meet her parents, but it wasn¡¯t your husband¡±


    That was quite a sarcasticment. I paused to catch my breath and replied, 1 know Neil went to find


    herter. I happened to be at her ce at the time¡±


    ¡°You were at her ce?¡± Oscar was taken aback


    ¡°Yeah, her mom used to work as a maid at my ce. She¡¯s really warm hearted and made some herbal


    medicines for me. I went over to get it ¡°I talked about these things calmly


    Oscar nodded, and we continued climbing in silence


    By the time we reached the top, I was sweaty all over After taking off my coat, the cold wind made me


    feel really refreshed


    Looking down at the snow¨Ccovered Obsidian Spire, it was truly beautiful. The town of Rosemont below


    looked like a winter wondend, sparkling under the clear sunlight


    ¡°Irene, let me take some photos for you¡± Oscar put down his backpack and handed me his kitten, ¡°How


    about taking some photos with the kitten?¡±


    I leaned against the railing, took the kitten, and smiled at him, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it¡±


    Oscar was quite good at photography I had seen the photos he took of Bonnie on his Instagram before.


    After taking a dozen or so photos, he said, ¡°All right,e take a look¡±


    As I was carefully selecting the best shots, someone stood in front of us I looked up.


    Russel appeared before me like a ghost, with a group of his colleagues not far behind sneakily looking


    our way


    ¡°Russel, what are you doing here?¡± I was totally surprised


    ¡°I¡¯m just hanging out with my colleagues Russel wasn¡¯t looking at me but at Oscar, ¡°You¡¯re hanging out


    with Bonnie¡¯s ex again?¡±


    This guy was getting more and more rude What¡¯s his problem?


    Oscar¡¯s face changed slightly, and he looked at Russel with hostility. He didn¡¯t like it when people


    talked like that.


    ¡°Oscar and I are friends too, it¡¯s perfectly normal for us to go hiking together. Plus, he and Bonnie have


    been broken up for a while now. You don¡¯t need to refer to him like that, I looked at Russel unhappily,


    ¡°Let me reintroduce him. His name is Oscar¡±


    ¡°Are you divorced from Neil yet? Russel didn¡¯t seem to care about my displeasure and instead asked


    me


    The mention of that got me riled up. Since Oscar was in the know, I didn¡¯t need to beat around the


    bush, so I vented my dissatisfaction straight up, ¡°Why are you asking me about that? I¡¯ve drafted three


    or four divorce agreements, but he won¡¯t sign. Didn¡¯t I ask you to persuade him to divorce me? Well, go


    persuade him!¡±


    Oscar looked at me in surprise again, probably not expecting me to discuss this matter openly in front


    of him.


    Thinking about how angry Neil was when he rushed to Bonnie¡¯s house, I felt no regrets at all


    ¡°Irene, don¡¯t be mad¡± Oscar saw this and quicklyforted me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad, I just think this guy is unreasonable. Why is he always against me?¡± I said deliberately for


    Russel to hear..


    It was Neil who was at fault. Why was Russel always ming me?


    Russel¡¯s gaze darkened a bit, and I got the feeling he was angry, but it wasn¡¯t very obvious.


    Just then, a woman called out, ¡°Dr. Russel,¡± and Russel turned his head. A young woman wearing the


    same style of couple¡¯s jacket walked over. The adoration in ber eyes when she looked at Russel was


    practically overflowing


    Since I had stayed in the hospital for a few days, I recognized her. She was a nurse and had given me


    injections before.


    ¡°We¡¯re all set for the barbecue Let¡¯s go The woman¡¯s voice was sweet.


    ¡°All right¡± Russel¡¯s reply was rather cold, and he left without a second nce.


    After watching them walk away. Oscar suddenly said. ¡°Irene, be careful with him.¡±


    1 looked at him puzzled


    He said in a serious tone, ¡°Just a man¡¯s intuition, but I think he might be after your friend¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Oscar was just like my female friends. His misunderstanding of


    Russel was too deep.


    ¡°Why are youughing? Oscar asked awkwardly.


    ¡°Oscar, if you said Russel was after Bonnie, I might believe you, got it?¡± I patted Oscar on the arm,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s see what else there is to do on the top


    of the mountain¡±


    We looked around and found that aside from the view, there wasn¡¯t much else to do.


    Russel and his colleagues came prepared and set up a barbecue in the cold wind. I couldn¡¯t believe he


    would participate in such an event.


    And there were a bunch of pretty girls flocking around Russel, who seemed to be quite popr.


    Too bad he didn¡¯t seem to be paying them much attention.


    ¡°Oscar, let¡¯s go down the mountain¡± I lost interest in staying and casually told Oscar.


    Oscar nodded and followed me down the mountain.


    By the time we got down, it was getting dark. Before leaving, I could tell Oscar had something he


    wanted to say to me. But I was feeling annoyed and didn¡¯t want to add to my troubles, so I didn¡¯t wait


    for him to speak and just drove off.


    I saw through the rear¨Cview mirror that Oscar was standing by the side of the road, not moving.


    A pang of guilt hit me again I thought I should stop giving Oscar false hopes.


    I decided I was going to file lor divorce with Neill


    After I had this idea, I went home and immediately bbed to a few of my gal pals. They were super


    pumped after hearing it, and Alicia even hooked me up with awyer who specializes in divorce cases.


    So, under the guidance of thiswyer, I started to prepare thewsuit


    Two dayster, I handed over the suit to the court. If all goes well, Neil will be notified in a week.


    Regardless of how he will respond, I¡¯ve made up my mind I gotta get this divorce.


    As for my parents and inws, I¡¯ll deal with them when the timees.


    When Ste heard I had filed the suit, she was so thrilled that she came over to my ce in the


    evening and asked, ¡°Is it for real? Rena, does this mean my


    brother has a shot now?!¡±

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92


    I gently patted Ste¡¯s head, ¡°Cut the crap, Ste. I¡¯ve told you before that I¡¯m not into your brother.¡±


    Ste rubbed her head, arguing back in a huff. ¡°How can you be so sure you don¡¯t like him? Trust me,


    my brother is a catch. If you guys get together and he dares treat you badly or looks at another girl, I


    swear I¡¯ll beat him up myself!¡±


    Simmons was indeed a catch, be it his family background, looks, or character, he¡¯s top¨Cnotch.


    If only love could be forced, I¡¯d give it a shot with him.


    But I simply can¡¯t, and I don¡¯t dare to try if we were to give it a shot and then find out we¡¯re not a match,


    we¡¯d have to break up, and that could affect my rtionship with Ste


    After all, that was her brother. Unless I¡¯m 100% certain, I don¡¯t want to give it a try


    ¡°Ste, stop meddling in my affairs. I¡¯ve been married before, but you still don¡¯t have a boyfriend. You


    should focus more on your own future,¡± I swiftly changed the subject. What type of guy do you like?


    How about a stable civil servant? I can ask my dad to keep an eye out for you¡±


    As soon as we started talking about her future, Ste seemed a bit down. Her eyes started to dari


    around, ¡°Forget it. I just want to live freely, Marriage would only tie me down.¡±


    Suddenly, her phone rang. She nced at the caller ID, looking a bit guilty. She scurried off to answer


    the call and then came back to tell me, I¡¯ve got ns for drinks. Gotta run!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much,¡± I warned helplessly.


    ¡°I know!¡± Ste grabbed her bag and left.


    After she left, I went upstairs to continue packing. Before my court appearance, I wanted to move out of


    Sterling Estates to show my determination.


    I had so many clothes and essories that they filled five suitcases. I also packed my cello and some


    sheet music.


    While sorting through the sheet music, I opened an old wooden box Inside was a song I hadposed


    myself, filled with hidden feelings for Neil. I once eagerly wanted to y it for him, but he refused.


    The box also held a transparent ss bottle filled with colorful paper stars that I had stayed upte to


    fold for Neil. On each paper, I had written Neil¡¯s


    name.


    At the bottom of the box was a preserved rose, the only flower Neil ever gave me. We weren¡¯t married


    then, and my parents had invited him to my birthday party. He didn¡¯t prepare any gifts. He just plucked


    a decorative rose from the cake and gave it to me.


    It was a gift without sincerity, but I had treasured it all these years.


    I closed the box and put it back, then continued packing. Among the items I found were an unfinished


    scarf, a half¨Cdrawn ne design, and a faded crystal bracelet..


    My naive crush and my deep feelings now were the same. Those innocent emotions showed that I


    once tried hard to pursue him.


    Sighing, I put these items back where I found them, not intending to take them with me.


    After slowly sorting everything out, the next morning, I had the maid help me move the suitcases to the


    car and drove to another property under my name. It was a single apartment that I had bought before


    marriage. I lived there for a while during college but hadn¡¯t stayed there for a long time.


    All the furniture and appliances in the apartment were covered with dust cloths, but the ce still


    smelled dusty. I didn¡¯t clean it myself. Instead, I hired a cleaningpany to do it.


    When the cleaning crew arrived, I asked them to clean the apartment as quickly as possible. There


    were five workers in total, so the work was done quickly


    Three hourster, the apartment was sparkling clean, and I started to organize my clothes in the


    bedroom.


    Just as I finished, my phone rang. It was Neil.


    Did he already know that I filed for a divorce?


    I answered the phone, puzzled, and heard Neil¡¯s cold voice, ¡°Irene, what kind of game are you


    ying?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Did you receive the notice? I was impressed with the court¡¯s efficiency.


    ¡°Stop ying dumb I could hear the anger in Neil¡¯s voice, ¡°If anything happens to Bonnie, you won¡¯t get


    off easy!¡±


    What happened to Bonnie? Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be good news? | filed for divorce, so she could


    openly be with Neil now.


    Neil had already hung up, and I was still confused Thankfully, Ste called and excitedly exined,


    ¡°Wow, big news, Rena! Your mother¨Cinw found Bonnie and met with her!!¡±


    I was shocked. What was going on?


    Ste told me, ¡°Apparently, your mother¨Cinw found Bonnie through an earring. After they met,


    Bonnie left crying. Now Neil can¡¯t find her and doesn¡¯t dare to directly go to her fearing that her parentsContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    would find out and make her even more upset.¡±


    So Neil didn¡¯t meet with Dean that day?


    I remembered the earring my mother¨Cinw had found in Neil¡¯s car on her birthday.


    Just because of an earring, she had found Bonnie


    Was this the formidable style of a wealthy family? I thought it was great. Since Neil and Bonnie were


    truly in love, why not expose the obstacles early on? In my past life, they entangled me for a year


    before telling me the truth. In this life, only a few months had passed, and they had openly dered


    their love, saving a lot of time


    1 see, but Ste, how did you know all this?¡± still had the mood to ask this question.


    heard it from someone.. Anyway, be careful. Nell is a tough one. He might take revenge on you, I


    suggest you seek protection from your mother¨Cinw +soon!¡± Ste warned me a few times before


    hanging up.


    I pondered for a while, didn¡¯t immediately call my mother¨Cinw to ask about this, and just turned off


    my phone to rest.


    The apartment was clean, but itcked some necessities and food. So, I drove to the supermarket and


    bought a lot of essentials.


    After preparing a simple meal, I ate while turning on myputer. There were several missed calls two


    from Neil, two from Russel, and one from my


    father.


    I first called back my dad, who I thought was clueless about Neil and Bonnie¡¯s thing But to my surprise,


    he was so furious on the other end of the line, his voice almost breaking. That scumbag Neil! I thought


    he had turned over a new leaf, but no, he¡¯s gone and hooked up with some college girl, and this time


    he¡¯s serious about it. Rena, did you have absolutely no idea about this? How could you let him get


    away with this?!¡±


    ¡°Dad¡°I lost my appetite, and as I was feeling anxious I said, ¡°I actually knew about it and was already


    preparing for a divorce with Neil, so I didn¡¯t bother with him. You and Mom don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°What the hell does he take you for? After all these years you¡¯ve been married to him, what have you


    gotten out of it? Your mom and I can¡¯t ept this. I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind!¡± My dad


    was so mad he was about to blow a gasket

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93


    I tried to hold him back. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Dad You know I¡¯ve had enough. I¡¯ve decided to leave. A straight


    divorce is better for everyone. If things escte, it won¡¯t do our family any good, it¡¯s not worth paying a


    heavy price for it¡±


    I kept my cool, as I¡¯ve been through this before


    After my repeated persuasion, my dad chose to respect my decision. I breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed,


    making the right request at the right time would get the desired result


    If I had proposed a divorce before Neil and Bonnie¡¯s affair was discovered, both sets of parents would


    definitely have persuaded me to think twice.


    Fortunately, this happened when only a few people knew about my divorcewsuit.


    After ending the call, I hesitated for a moment and chose to call Russel back.


    ¡°Where are you? Russel¡¯s tone sounded a bit worried, ¡°Did you know that your mother¨Cinw talked to


    Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°I found out Neil called me and said if Bonnie gets into any trouble, I won¡¯t have it easy either¡± I calmly


    replied while eating the food on my te, ¡°Do you also think I told his mom?¡±


    Russel is Neils good friend. Naturally, he would side with Neil


    In their eyes, I¡¯ve always been someone who would do anything to get Neil.


    Russel responded quickly, ¡°No, I know it wasn¡¯t you¡±


    I was surprised and asked, ¡°You believe me?¡±


    ¡°Why would you tell his mom if you want a divorce? It would just cause trouble.¡± Russel replied


    1 didn¡¯t expect you to believe me. Thank you¡± I felt relieved.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Russel asked again.


    I told Russel that I had filed for divorce. There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone,


    followed by a rustling noise. As if he was turning over in bed, he asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking? Neil should receive the court¡¯s notice in a few days. You¡¯re his best


    friend; he¡¯ll definitely tell you. But this might be bad news for you¡±


    If Neil and I divorce, then Neil can be with Bonnie, which means it would be harder for Russel to pursue


    Bonnie.


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad news. It¡¯s good¡± Russelzily said, ¡°I wish you a sessful divorce.¡±


    ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± I changed the subject.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m off today¡± Russel replied meaningfully. ¡°As you know, I have no one to date, nothing to do.¡±


    I sensed a deep loneliness in Russel and asked curiously, ¡°You could get a girlfriend. Don¡¯t you like any


    women?¡±


    Russel wasn¡¯t the type to open up to others, so I was prepared for him to hang up, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He answered lightly


    ¡°Then go after her!¡± I was inexplicably excited. Was it time for some malepetition?


    ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate, Russel answered calmly


    This answer made me even more certain that he liked Bonnie, but because of Neil, he felt it wasn¡¯t right


    to get involved.


    After gathering my thoughts, I started persuading him, ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? As long as she¡¯s


    not married, you still have a chance. But if you don¡¯t try, you¡¯re bound to miss her. Don¡¯t you want to


    marry the woman you love? Just watch her marry another man?¡±


    Since I¡¯m getting a divorce and Neil still thought I badmouthed him to his mom, I might as well y the


    viin.


    Perhaps I had voiced Russel¡¯s inner thoughts. He was silent for a while, thenughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re


    right. I got it.¡±


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Go for it!¡± I encouraged him warmly


    After hanging up, I felt much better, but I didn¡¯t want to call Neil back, so I just went straight to sleep.


    It was not until dusk that I woke up groggily, reached under my pillow for my phone, and casually


    checked it.


    I opened Bonnie¡¯s WhatsApp out of curiosity, wanting to see if she had posted any status updates, only


    to find out that she had blocked me.


    It seemed my mother¨Cinw must have said some harsh words Otherwise Bonnie wouldn¡¯t have


    deleted me too Why not just delete Neil?!


    While I was specting about what she might have said, I noticed Bonnie had sent a friend request


    again. After I epted, she sent me a message


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m sorry Nothing actually happened between Neil and me. He helped me a lot, so I considered


    him a good friend. Perhaps I didn¡¯t pay enough attention to boundaries and caused misunderstandings.


    I¡¯ve thought a lot in the past two days and reflected on myself I dare not meet anyone, and my parents


    probably don¡¯t know about this. If they knew, they would definitely be devastated, so I chose to


    disappear so as not to cause any more trouble for you. I hope you wont take it out on my parents,


    thank you.¡±


    Then, she sent a location, and it was near the dock where I was kidnappedst time


    Surprised, I thought to myself, was Bonnie trying to kill herself?


    It was not impossible, she¡¯s probably never been so humiliated in her life, and she was young and


    impulsive


    Even though I don¡¯t like her, I don¡¯t want her to die, especially since I¡¯m divorcing Neil and not trying to


    win him back.


    1 immediately called Neil, but the call was disconnected.


    Afterward, Neil¡¯s phone was switched off. I had no idea what happened.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next day that I got a message from Russel


    ¡°Bonnie tried to end her life at the dockst night, Neil arrived in time to stop her, and they were at the


    hospital now¡±


    I was silent for a few seconds, ¡°Okay, I got it, thank you for telling mel


    ¡°He¡¯s going to take it out on you Can you handle it?¡® Russel asked casually.


    ¡°So what if he¡¯s angry?¡± I joked, ¡°If he reallyys a hand on me, I can use it as evidence for my divorce


    case.¡±


    Russel was amused by my joke, ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    After chatting for a bit, I hung up the phone, now all I could do was wait for Neil toe looking for


    trouble.


    Well, after waiting for a few days, there was still no call from him. It seemed like Neil had totally


    forgotten about me. Instead, the news was buzzing about him. He had had his fair share of rumors with


    many actresses before, so in a way, he was kinda a big deal in the entertainment world!


    This time, the news that blew up was not about his affairs with actresses, but his romance with a


    female college student, something that had never happened before.


    And the headline of this news was all lovey¨Cdovey, ¡°yboy head over heels for a college girl, a real¨C


    life Cindere story in the making!¡±

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Chapter 94


    There was just too much news for me to appreciate one by one I just skimmed through the content and


    read somements.


    ¡°Can this gul stop embarrassing us female college students? Does she think she¡¯s Cindere just


    because she thinks she¡¯s his lover?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s actually pretty attractive. If she didn¡¯t go after married men, she could totally find a good single


    man


    f a good looking, rich, and affectionate man pursued me, I might be tempted too. After all, women


    always have a bit of a thing for their heroes, right? (Hey don¡¯t get me wrong! My parents are still alive,


    and I have a boyfriend, but we¡¯re not married, and he hasn¡¯t cheated. I¡¯m just talking about the dark


    side of human nature)¡±


    ¡°Who is Neil¡¯s wife? Why is she always silent when Neil cheats? Did she learn the art of endurance in


    Japan?¡±


    There were those who condemned Bonnie and those who understood her, even some who defended


    her. And then there were her so¨Ccalled ¡®friends, who imed to know everything about Neil and me


    and then spilled secrets that even I don¡¯t know about.


    My head was spinning, and, in the end, I just had to close the web page


    I didn¡¯t expect this matter to get so much attention. It was just lukewarm a few days ago, but now my


    dad had already seen it. It was trending, so probably all my close friends and family knew about it.


    It was mainly because Bonnie attempted suicidest night, and Neil jumped in to save her. That was


    what triggered the whole thing.


    Sure enough, the chat groups with my friends quickly heated up.


    Ste sent a message. ¡°OMG! Neil is such a douche! Who jumps into the sea to save their mistress?


    He¡¯s really something!¡±


    Ste continued. ¡°Rena, you¡¯ve gotta go through with the divorce this time! What¡¯s the point of being


    with a man like that?


    Barbara replied. ¡°You guys are getting a divorce? Howe I didn¡¯t know about it?¡±


    Alicia also chimed in. ¡°Good for you, we can¡¯t let ourselves be deceived,¡±


    Barbara then told them about her suspicions. ¡°I find it strange. Who would be lucky enough to capture


    Neil saving Bonnie? I¡¯m suspicious; could this be a drama directed by Bonnie herself?


    Ste had the same idea in mind. ¡°Exactly! Neil¡¯s mom just went to see Bonnie a few days ago, and


    now she¡¯s trying to show how deeply Neil is in love with her. He¡¯s even risking his life!¡±


    I watched their discussion but didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just silently put down my phone.


    After a while, Ste called, ¡°Rena, you¡¯re not going to the hospital, are you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Good, you shouldn¡¯t go. I heard Neil is in the hospital with Bonnie, being all caring and stuff, so don¡¯t


    go and upset yourself. Just divorce him and start fresh¡± Ste said angrily


    ¡°Where did you hear this? Did Russel tell you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, just heard it from someone.¡± Ste¡¯s voice was a bit unnatural, then she continued loudly,


    ¡°Anyway, if you keep torturing yourself like this, I¡¯ll lose all respect for you!¡±


    I¡¯ve been too passive and submissive over the years, so it was natural that Ste and the others were


    upset. I should be more like Barbara, who made a decision instantly in the situation with Norman.


    I should learn from her!


    ¡°Okay, I will take more care of myself¡± I firmly answered.


    Ste chatted with me for a while before hanging up.


    I¡¯ve moved out of Sterling Estates a few days ago, and Neil probably didn¡¯t know. He probably didn¡¯t


    know that I had filed for divorce either.


    He probably had no clue that I had moved to a new apartment as well.


    Neil was busy trying to win Bonnie back, so it was not worth his time toe find me now.


    In the evening, I felt so lonely in the apartment that my mind went into chaos, so I decided to go for a


    drive.


    On the road, I got a call from Simmons; Ste must have given him my number.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± He asked in a gentle tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m just driving around, sightseeing¡± I answered aimlessly, looking at the night scenes around me.


    Simmons must have seen the news by now, but he didn¡¯t ask directly; instead, he subtly asked, ¡°Why


    are you driving around alone? Are you feeling down?¡±


    I was feeling terrible Everything seemed to be helping me end things with Neil and start a new life, but I


    was still feeling irritable.


    ¡°Yeah¡± I replied softly


    ¡°Do you want to go to an open¨Cair concert? Simmons asked, ¡°There¡¯s one at Starlight za; we can


    still make it if we leave now.¡±


    I had nothing better to do, so I agreed immediately


    Half an hourter, I met up with Simmons at Starlight za. It was an open¨Cair concert. Despite the


    cold wind, the crowd was enthusiastic. Under the light fountain, young performers from a school band


    were putting on a show.


    Most of the audience were young people who were discussing the band members. They were from


    Rosemont College.


    I stared at the stage and recognized a girl. I saw her once when I apanied Bonnie to a bridal


    shop.


    She seemed to have noticed me too, and was disying hostility for some reason, even using her cello


    as a tool to vent, ying it with such force that it displeased the conductor.


    Unconsciously, Simmons and I stood in the cold for a long time until the concert ended. I checked my


    phone and saw two missed calls from Neil


    Tm going to make a call.¡± I told Simmons, then walked aside to call Neil back.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Neil picked up the phone quickly but didn¡¯t say anything


    I asked, ¡°Why did you call me?¡±


    There were a few seconds of silence on the other end, then I heard Bonnie¡¯s voice, ¡°Irene, it¡¯s me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond


    ¡°Neil has been taking care of me these past few days. Can you tell him to go home? He won¡¯t listen to


    me. I know it¡¯s not right, I¡¯m afraid of being misunderstood¡± Bonnie spoke softly


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of being misunderstood, you shouldn¡¯t do things that can be easily misunderstood, like


    attempting suicide, telling Neil and me, and letting people take photos secretly, Then there won¡¯t be


    any misunderstandings, right?¡± I retorted.


    Bonnie was left speechless


    I nonchntly continued, ¡°If you¡¯re trying to ruffle my feathers by showing off Neil¡¯s attention to you,


    then you¡¯re barking up the wrong tree, honey. I¡¯ve already filed for divorce, and he¡¯ll probably get the


    notice tomorrow or the day after. Instead of trying to piss me off, you should be worrying about how to


    get his family to ept you¡±


    I hung up after saying that


    In my previous life, Bonnie¡¯s rtionship with Neil wasn¡¯t as publicly exposed as it was now. Neil


    shielded her pretty well. In the eyes of my inws, she was just an innocent little girl being pursued by


    Neil, so they didn¡¯t have much trouble epting herter on.


    But the situation was different now. My rtionship with my mother¨Cinw was better than it was in my


    past life, and Bonnie had already shown some pretty annoying behaviors early on.


    Therefore, if she wanted to get into the Whitmore family, the difficulty level had just gone from easy to


    hard.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    I was looking for Simmons when one of Bonnie¡¯s friends deliberately shoulder¨Cchecked me as she


    walked by


    ¡°Hold up!¡± I wasn¡¯t gonna take that lying down. I grabbed her arm and snapped, ¡®Are you blind?


    Apologize!¡±


    No sooner had I said that than her friend came running over, calling, ¡°Malinda!¡±


    Malinda nced at her approaching friend, then shook off my hand, ¡°What¡¯s the big idea, olddy?¡±


    She was about the same age as Bonnie, so calling me an olddy was ridiculous. I got the message.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Malinda¡¯s friend asked


    It¡¯s all her fault! She¡¯s the reason Bonnie tried to off herself!¡± Malinda pointed a finger at me.


    Her friend looked at me with hostility


    I was both pissed and amused, ¡°My fault? Why would she try to kill herself if she hadn¡¯t done anything


    wrong? Did you guys waste your time in school? Don¡¯t ethics and honesty matter anymore?¡±


    ¡°Bonnie has always rejected your husband¡± Malinda fumed, ¡°It¡¯s your hubby who won¡¯t leave her alone.


    Why don¡¯t you give him a piece of your mind? And besides, everyone knows your marriage is nothing


    but a business deal. You¡¯re just bitter because you can¡¯t get a guy¡¯s love, right?¡±


    Simmons seemed to notice the argument that was going on and came over


    He stood by my side and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Malinda looked at Simmons and was obviously taken aback. Young girls like her couldn¡¯t resist a good


    looking guy. I noticed earlier during the performance that Malinda would asionally nce at


    Simmons while she was ring at me.


    She probably thought Simmons and I didn¡¯t know each other due to the crowded scene


    These twodies were discussing their female friend,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°You know her too, the one


    who made headlines with Neil recently¡±


    Simmons expression subtly changed. He held my hand and said, ¡°Why bother talking to people like


    this?¡±


    His response pissed off Malinda. She stood in front of us and yelled, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the saying that


    love doesn¡¯t care who came first; the one left


    behind is the third wheel!¡±


    ¡°Bonnie is innocent, she was forced into this mess. What gives you the right to bully her?¡±


    I was speechless. These people were all nuts.


    I thought they might have been misled by Bonnie¡¯s one¨Csided story and didn¡¯t know the full picture.


    Now it seemed they had be fans of the supposed epic love story.


    Well, I¡¯d make sure they paid for this.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I began to p, ¡°I thought the same before and filed for divorce, nning to let them be


    together. But seeing how upset you guys are. I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯ll withdraw the divorce papers


    tomorrow¡±


    After I finished, Malinda¡¯s face turned pale. She stuttered, ¡°Don¡¯t don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t you dare withdraw the


    papers!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Bonnie will think you guys are pretty dumb, won¡¯t she? She was about to be officially and legally


    with him, yet you guys messed it up.¡± I teased.


    Malinda became frantic, ¡°No, you can¡¯t withdraw the papers!¡±


    | ignored her and walked away. Malinda tried to grab her again, but I pushed her away harshly. She fell


    on her butt and looked at me with a mix of fury and helplessness


    ¡°Listen up, touch me again, and I have plenty of ways to make you pay. You know why I married Nell?


    Because my background is way better than you naive kids. How about you go me Bonnie¡¯s birth!¡± I


    snapped at Malinda.


    Malinda stared at me with hurt and anger in her eyes but didn¡¯t dare to retort.


    Her friend helped her up, and they slunk away.


    Simmons frowned, ¡°You¡¯re withdrawing the divorce papers?¡±


    Ste must have told him about my divorcewsuit.


    ¡°Yes, I want Bonnue to wear thebel of the other woman for a little longer. I can¡¯t stand it otherwise! I


    really meant it.


    Her friends dared to be unreasonable to my face, why should I quickly step aside for them?


    Simmons wanted to say something but ended up giving me a gentle smile, ¡°Okay, I support you.¡±


    After hanging out for a bit, Simmons and I went our separate ways. I headed straight back to my


    apartment.


    The next day. I immediately withdrew the divorce papers. However, Neil somehow got wind of it.


    He called me and spoke in a cold tone, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I was lounging on the sofa with a face mask on, munching on some fruit.


    ¡°You filed for divorce?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you refuse to sign the divorce papers?¡± I sighed, ¡°I saw the video of you saving Bonnie. I


    thought I¡¯d step aside and let you guys be together, butst night I ran into Bonnie¡¯s two friends. What


    they said really got to me.¡±


    Neil was silent, probably waiting for me to continue


    Sot withdrew the papers. Surprise!¡±


    Neifs breathing became heavy. I guessed he was pissed, but I had no clue whether it was about my


    filing for divorce or withdrawing it


    I thought he¡¯d blow his top, but he calmly said, ¡°About my mom visiting Bonnie, I misunderstood you. I


    checked it out. It had nothing to do with you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    I¡¯m at Sterling Estates. Come over, let¡¯s talk. Or you can give me your address. I¡¯lle to you¡±


    After hearing this, I hung up right away I didn¡¯t want to talk to him!


    But I underestimated Neil¡¯s capabilities If he could find Bonnie in time, how could he not find me?


    Around six in the evening. Neil rang my doorbell.


    I was about to cook dinner and had ordered some ingredients that were supposed to be delivered.


    Thinking it was the delivery, I didn¡¯t check the monitor and opened the door.


    The moment I saw Neil, I immediately mmed the door shut.


    But he was faster than me, barring the door with his hand, then, with a stormy face, he dragged me


    straight into the living room.


    ¡°Spill it. Why the hell did you want a divorce?¡± Neil had me parking my butt on the sofa, then started


    grilling me from his high horse.


    He probably hadn¡¯t been sleeping well the past few days. The dark circles were clearly visible under his


    eyes, and he even seemed to be in a worse mood


    than usual


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already call off the divorce?¡± I retorted with righteous indignation.


    Neil was amused by my response, ¡°Where on earth did you pick up this ludicrous logic?¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96


    I snorted in response and didn¡¯t answer.


    Neil took a look around my apartment and said, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got everything set up here. You¡¯re really


    standing your ground, huh?¡±


    He took off his jacket and tossed it on a chair, sitting across from me.


    ¡°So what do you want to talk about? Speak up I asked.


    ¡°What are your thoughts? Neil countered. ¡°My family won¡¯t agree to us divorcing


    I knew the Whitmores wouldn¡¯t be okay with it, but Neil¡¯s attitude shouldn¡¯t be like this. He had always


    been a stubborn mufe, not giving a damn about what others thought and always finding a way around


    problems.


    I remember his almost insane antics during my past life. Of course, I was pretty crazy too, and so was


    Russel. All of us revolved around Bonnie.


    But why do I feel like he doesn¡¯t seem to like Bonnie as much as he did in my past life? And Russel


    too, I get the same vibe from him.


    ¡°Neil, aren¡¯t you willing to stand up to your family for Bonnie?¡± Hooked him in the eyes. ¡°Are you just


    gonna let her be the other woman forever?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not the other woman¡± Neil frowned, clearly not pleased with my choice of words.


    ¡°Then what is she?¡± I was utterly baffled. ¡°Before we¡¯re divorced, if she¡¯s not the other woman, then


    what is she? An angel?¡±


    Neil¡¯s face darkened. He must have seen the news and onlinements, most of which were moral,


    and used Bonnie of meddling in others¡± rtionships, calling her shameless. Neil¡¯s previous


    women, all involved in scandals, had been criticized byizens before, but they were mostly actresses


    and were immune to gossip and able to withstand it.


    Bonnie was different. It was her first time being exposed online. No wonder she attempted suicide, on


    the one hand, she might have wanted to prove something to me, but on the other hand, she probably


    couldn¡¯t take the abuse.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Neil, I¡¯ve always liked your character. You¡¯re cool and decisive, and you don¡¯t take bullshit. Why are


    you so hesitant now? If you were more decisive, everything would be resolved. Your parents only have


    you as their son. Even if they object to you and Bonnie, as long as you persist, they will give in. Don¡¯t


    they want a grandchild? Make an effort to get Bonnie pregnant, and I guarantee they¡¯ll ept her. As


    for my parents, I¡¯ll persuade them. My dad won¡¯t let personal matters affect your project approvals


    before he retires Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    I spoke sincerely, hoping for a dignified end to our ten¨Cyear rtionship. If Neil agreed, even though I


    had withdrawn the papers, we could still divorce amicably


    But Neil¡¯s expression was bing more ominous, as if a storm was brewing. I hadn¡¯t finished when


    he shouted, ¡°Enough!¡±


    I swallowed the rest of my words.


    He asked me, ¡°Are you sure you want to divorce? Can you really let go of your ten¨Cyear love for me?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m sure. I can do it.¡± I nodded without thinking. You couldn¡¯t overthink these things, the more you


    do, the more unwilling you be.


    Neil suddenly stood up. Before I could react, he strode over to me, pulled me up and kissed me fiercely


    with no gentleness at all.


    My heart rhythm, which had been calm, was thrown off. I pushed hard against Neil¡¯s chest, but it was


    like a bug trying to shake a tree. How did our divorce talk turn into this? Annoyed, I bit down on his


    invading tongue when he forced it into my mouth. He finally let go of me and had a trace of blood on


    the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°You bit me?¡± He wiped the corner of his mouth, then slightly stuck out his tongue and touched it with


    his finger, which immediately turned redder.


    I still had a faint taste of blood in my mouth, but I didn¡¯t care. I just dabbed it casually and said, ¡°Who


    asked you to overstep?*


    ¡°Am I the one overstepping, or are you?¡± Neil was furious. ¡°You set off fireworks with Russel on the


    hospital rooftop, climbed the Obsidian Spire with Oscar, and went to an open¨Cair concert with


    Simmons; isn¡¯t that overstepping?¡±


    I was taken aback. How did he know all this?


    Neil¡¯s tone was unmistakable. He was jealous! But I remembered him saying he didn¡¯t like me, and that


    I was imposing my feelings on him.


    ¡°Neil, are you jealous?¡± I asked again.


    He red at me. This time, he didn¡¯t deny it but sarcastically admitted, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m jealous. Can you


    believe I¡¯m actually jealous because of you and other men? Isn¡¯t that hrious?


    I was blown away For the first time in ten years, he was jealous because of me.


    ¡°I originally wanted you to live as a forgotten wife forever, to really torture you and make you regret


    marrying me. But damn it, I think I¡¯m starting to like you. Otherwise, I could just divorce you and be with


    Bonnie¡± Neil said, as if he couldn¡¯t care less.


    Tears welled up in my eyes, not because I was touched and wanted to repeat past mistakes, but


    because my ten years of love had finally received a response. It was like a deep obsession that


    suddenly unraveled just as I was about to let go.


    We were silent for a while before I said, ¡°Neil, you should go. I need to think about what I really want,


    and you should think about what you really want too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He went over to the chair, picked up his


    jacket, nced back at her, and left.


    After Neil left, I had a good cry, letting out all my emotions, until my dad called, ¡°Rena,e home for


    lunch tomorrow. Uncle Harold is back


    I tried not to sound like I had been crying, ¡°Okay¡±


    Harold was usually overseas, running hispany that mainly targeted the international market, and


    only came back once at the end of the year.


    ¡°Rena looks even prettier. Did she gain some weight? She looks better with a bit of weight.¡± Harold


    complimented me when he saw me.


    Harold, you¡¯re back!¡± I ran over and gave them a hug when I saw Harold¡¯s family.


    Sarah smiled and said, ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s even more beautiful Such a beauty!¡±


    Blushing, I said, ¡°Not much different from before; I¡¯m always beautiful¡±


    Yes, always a beauty!¡± Sarah agreed.


    ¡°Huh, why didn¡¯t Ondo Finche back this year?¡± I asked curiously.


    Harold answered. He set up a branch this year, and it¡¯s pretty busy at thepany at year end, so he


    didn¡¯te back.¡±


    My Dad butted in, ¡°Isn¡¯t Molly interning at thepany? She¡¯s fresh outta college, ain¡¯t she? She


    seems just as capable as Ondo. Unlike my daft daughter here, all she cares about is ying the


    cello and dating. And now.


    Harold, aware of Neil¡¯s situation, chimed in with a serious tone, Rena, you¡¯ve really gotta think about


    your future Your folks are getting on in years, and Neil¡¯s heart ain¡¯t with you You¡¯ve gotta learn to run a


    business, our family business. We can¡¯t let Neil get his hands on it!¡±


    My parents exchanged nces without uttering a word, but I knew they felt the same. Neil¡¯s affair with


    Bonnie had pretty much squashed any hope they had left for him

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Chapter 97


    I thought Harold made a lot of sense. Even though my folks were chill about me not wanting to take


    over the family business, I couldn¡¯t be that selfish Plus, it didn¡¯t seem like Neil and I were getting a


    divorce anytime soon Rather than wasting time struggling with pointless emotions, I might as well start


    changing myself and choose a different path in life.


    ¡°Hareid, I got it I replied earnestly


    ¡°Ondo is running the branchpany and could use some help Why don¡¯t youe abroad with me


    for a while? You¡¯re still tied up with Neil here, but going overseas will help you focus on work ¡°Harold


    suggested, visibly relieved.


    Our family businesses were pretty simr, one was local and one was international. It might not be a


    bad idea to get some experience with Harold. Most importantly, it would give me a break from the


    drama with Neil


    My parents looked at me, and I could see the expectations in their eyes, though they didn¡¯t voice them


    to avoid pressuring me. Mom¡¯s health was not great, and Dad was about to retire. It would be


    disrespectful if I didn¡¯t step up.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you guys after the new year.¡± I said, without much thought but with firm


    determination.


    Everyone was pleased with my decision, and we had a lovely dinner.


    After dinner, Harold and his family left for their own ce in Rosemont. They had a housekeeper who


    maintained it, so they didn¡¯t need to stay with us As soon as they left, my parents asked me, ¡°Rena, are


    you sure you want to work with Harold?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom and Dad. I¡¯ve thought about it. Music is important to me, it¡¯s my biggest passion, but I¡¯ve


    neglected it for years. It doesnt make sense to start over now Besides, I can still y the violin in my


    spare time while learning the business, right?¡± I said, holding my parents¡® hands.


    My dad sighed in relief, giving my hand a silent squeeze. Mom smiled contentedly and said, ¡°Good.


    Your dad and I have discussed it. We won¡¯t interfere with your rtionship with Neil anymore. We


    respect your decisions


    ¡°Thank you, Mom and Dad!¡± I felt a lump in my throat but didn¡¯t want to cry. So I leaned on mom¡¯s


    shoulder and closed my eyes to regain myposure. New Year¡¯s wasing soon, and I decided


    not to go back to my apartment. I nned to stay home for the holidays and then go abroad with


    Harold. However, Ada called and interrupted my peaceful life.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, can we talk about the situation between my daughter and Mr. Whitmore?¡± Ada sounded


    nervous. She knew her daughter was in the wrong, so she couldn¡¯t be assertive


    I was quiet for a moment before responding. ¡°What do you want to discuss? Bonnie admitted to me that


    she likes Neil, and he likes her. Why don¡¯t they just try to get both families approval and be together?¡±


    1 will never agree!¡± Ada shouted, ¡°Not unless I¡¯m dead!¡±


    She had seen moments of Neil and me together, and even helped us with fertility treatments. Bonnie


    was also getting a lot of hate online. As a mother, she couldn¡¯t ept it. This reaction must be more


    intense than her reaction in my past life, right?


    I had been patientlyying the groundwork for a long time, and it was finally paying off.


    ¡°Ada, you can¡¯t force feelings. They like each other, what can we do?¡± I replied calmly.


    Ada calmed down a bit, and her voice turned colder, ¡°No, Ms. Finch. As soon as she was discharged


    from the hospital, I kept her at home I won¡¯t let her out until shepletely cuts off Mr. Whitmore. I


    hope you can talk to Mr. Whitmore. He¡¯s a married man, and his wife is a wonderful woman like you.


    He doesn¡¯t need to cling to my daughter.¡±


    So Bonnie was kept at home by Ada? After all the drama, she got locked up by her own mother as


    soon as she was discharged from the hospital.


    If I were Bonnie, I¡¯d be pissed.


    Ada was sincere, and I knew she was not a bad person. So I reluctantly agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try to talk to


    Neil. But I can¡¯t guarantee he¡¯ll listen to me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms Finch¡± Ada hung up.


    I thought for a while and then called Neil, recounting Ada¡¯s words. I asked, ¡°What do you think? Stick


    with it or give up?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business¡± Neil sounded cold


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t want to divorce me, and you¡¯re acting impatient?¡± I huffed, ¡°Neil, you


    better go appease your little lover. She¡¯s locked up. and you¡¯re still not divorcing me Isn¡¯t she going to


    be pissed?¡±


    Trene, your tongue has be quite sharp, hasn¡¯t it? You know exactly what to say to annoy me,


    don¡¯t you?¡± Neil retorted.


    I finally realized the beauty of having a second chance at life. All the groundwork I hadid was starting


    to pay off, and my mind was clear, which naturally improved my eloquence


    ¡°Not really, I just wanted to remind you. Bonnie is young and not mature enough. I worry that she might


    do something reckless again.¡± I said calmly. ¡°Anyway, its up to you I¡¯m going to get some beauty sleep¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I hung up andid down on the couch. Just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone rang again. It was


    an unfamiliar number


    I answered,zily asking, ¡°Who is this?¡±


    ¡°Irene, it¡¯s me¡± Bonnie¡¯s usually crisp and sweet voice sounded a bit nervous, ¡°Can we meet? I¡¯m


    waiting for you at La Rencontre.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you grounded?¡± I asked curiously


    ¡°Please, juste Bonnie¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    hung up, got in my car, and drove to La Rencontre. Bonnie was already there, waiting for me. There


    were a few guys and gals at the bar, asionally


    ncing at her, probably because they saw the news. She was pretty gutsy to meet me here, her


    mental strength was stronger than I thought.


    Seeing meing, Bonnie ordered me a ck coffee. She had a faint smile, even with her somewhat


    pale and weak face, ¡°Irene, I remember you always ordered ck coffee without sugar every time you


    came here. Do you want me to change it?¡±


    ¡°Nah, no need, thanks.¡± I sat down across from her, cutting straight to the chase, ¡®So, what did you


    want to talk about?¡±


    Bonnie bit her lip, cradling the coffee cup in both hands, her fingertips brushing against the cup,


    seemingly finding it hard to speak up. After a while, she whispered, ¡°Did you Did your divorce go


    through?¡±


    I was taken aback This was what she wanted to ask?


    Bonnie¡¯s eyes were a bit damp, but she still looked at me calmly, ¡°Maybe if you¡¯re divorced, my parents


    won¡¯t object so strongly.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98


    I didn¡¯t say anything and just looked at Bonnie Her face, no bigger than a palm, had grown even


    thinner, and her eyes, once bright and clear when we first met, were now dull Her shoulders were


    hunched over, and even her white cashmere coat couldn¡¯t hide her frailness Before entering the caf¨¦, I


    had carefully applied a bold red lipstick I had been in a good mood recently and was getting plenty of


    sleep, so 1 looked radiant and full of energy Somehow, it seemed like Bonnie and I had switched roles


    She was now the miserable woman wasting away for love, and I was the detached observer who


    wouldn¡¯t be hurt as long as I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Bonnie, why did you tell Neil that it was me who sent Faith to find you?¡± I finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Trene Bonnie hesitated, a trace of guilt shed in her eyes as she looked away.


    I knew it Underneath her pitiful appearance, she was full of schemes.


    The reason Neil was so sure that I had sent Faith to snitch was definitely because Bonnie let it slip. It


    was impossible that Faith would call Neil to exin everything after confronting Bonnie Her intention


    was to make Bonnie back off and disappear without making a fuss.


    ¡°So, you disappeared and threatened tomit suicide after throwing the me on me, just to


    maximize the effect, right? I made you so desperate that you wanted to die, so Neil would definitely


    hate me even more.¡± I sighed, ¡°But you¡¯re still too green. Neil might like you, but he¡¯s not stupid. He just


    has to ask his mom, and the truth wille out. You didn¡¯t really think he would be so mad at his own


    mother for you that he would cut off contact with her, did you?¡±


    My words made Bonnie¡¯s face turn pale and then red. I must have hit a nerve. In her mind, I was the


    one who snitched, Faith confronted her, she threatened tomit suicide; and in the end, Faith and I


    were the viins. If Neil truly liked her, he wouldn¡¯t talk to Faith or me for a while.


    But she was really nave


    Bonnie was biting her lip so hard it was almost bleeding, and there was a hint of jealousy in her eyes. It


    seemed like she didn¡¯t want to argue with me about all these things, she was fixated on one question,


    ¡°Irene, I had no choice but to do all these things. If you two get divorced, all these things will settle


    down. Mitch Hebert told me that Neil married you for convenience, he never liked you Isn¡¯t this


    marriage torture?¡±


    Mitch? Why did she refer to him intimately?


    It seemed that she had gotten quite close with Neil¡¯s best friends. Her pure and innocent image must


    be unique among Mitch¡¯s yboy friends. There was no need to mention anything else, the fact that


    she could catch Neil¡¯s attention proved her charm. Russel also fell for Bonnie because of this.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I filed for divorce.¡± I looked at Bonnie calmly and indifferently. ¡°But I withdrew the papers.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Bonnie suddenly stood up.


    ¡°You should ask your good friend, Malinda ¡°I said with a sarcastic smile.


    Without hesitation, Bonnie quickly dialed Malinda¡¯s number, and I casually listened to their


    conversation.


    After the call was connected, she asked, ¡°Malinda, what did you tell Irene?¡±


    ¡°Irene is is Neils legal wife¡± When Bonnie exined this, she nced at me.


    Yes, the legal wife, the emotional tool in a loveless marriage


    I could faintly hear Malinda yelling ¡®old hag¡® on the other end of the line. The more Bonnie listened, the


    worse her face looked. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but me Malinda, ¡°What do you know?! You¡¯ve


    ruined me! If it werent for you, things wouldn¡¯t be soplicated now!¡±


    After she hung up the phone, I took a sip of my coffee and asked, ¡°Now do you understand why?¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s face was ashen, ¡°I apologize on her behalf. But Irene, you don¡¯t have to withdraw the divorce


    papers because of an irrelevant person. It¡¯s about your happiness You¡¯ve already wasted so many


    years on a man who doesn¡¯t love you. Are you going to keep wasting time?¡±


    ¡°Do you think if I file for divorce, I could easily get it?¡± Bonnie¡¯s naivety in certain aspects still seemed


    almost foolish to me.


    ¡°Otherwise?¡± She was puzzled


    ¡°You¡¯re a top student, so how could you ask such dumb questions?¡± I looked at her with some disdain,


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever thought about why I chose to file for divorce? It¡¯s because Neil wouldn¡¯t agree to a


    divorce!¡±


    Bonnie was taken aback but quickly came up with a logical exnation, ¡°Right, I understand. I know he


    has a lot of assets, and it would beplicated to divide them¡±


    I was speechless. She thought Neil refused to divorce because of the issue of property division? He


    had also filed for divorce in the past, but I kept dragging it out and refusing Later, he was willing to give


    up so many shares to me, as long as I signed the divorce agreement.


    Bonnie had never seen the crazy side of Neil in the past, so she wouldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Think whatever you want. Now your family doesn¡¯t agree, and my inws don¡¯t agree. You and Neil


    can do whatever you want. But let me tell you this, for the next six months after withdrawing the papers,


    I can¡¯t file for divorce again. You might as well think of a way to make Neil agree to a mutual divorce¡°l


    didn¡¯t want to say anymore, so I got up to pay the bill and leave


    When I got back to my car, I looked at Bonnie, who was still in the caf¨¦, seeming dazed. After some


    thought, I decided to call Russel.


    ¡°Dr. Russel, Bonnie is at the La Rencontre. Do you want toe and take her home?¡± I asked.


    After three seconds of silence, he said, ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I was puzzled Wasn¡¯t this a good opportunity for him, the second male lead, to make a move? If it


    wasn¡¯t for creating a chance for him and Bonnie to be alone, I would have called Ada instead.


    alone


    Last time, Russel confessed to me that there was a woman he liked, but it was not appropriate to


    pursue her. Wasn¡¯t he talking about Bonnie?


    ¡°Russel, what I meant was that Bonnie is alone at the caf¨¦ She¡¯s been grounded by her parents for


    quite some time, so I don¡¯t know how she managed to


    get out. She¡¯s not in a good mood. Are you sure you don¡¯t want toe and keep herpany?¡® I


    exined in detail.


    ¡°Call me when you¡¯re in a bad mood Bye¡± Russel answered coldly and hung up.


    I give up Did this guy have any clue about women? No wonder he was the second lead, served him


    rightt


    Since he didn¡¯t want this opportunity, I decided not to stick my nose into it any further and drove home.


    All I hoped for was that there would be no more surprises in the next few days, so I could enjoy my


    New Year in peace, then go overseas to hustle and shine so I could return as a sessful woman


    Maybe the big guy upstairs heard my prayers because until New Year¡¯s Eve, everything was smooth


    sailing, until Neil showed up at my doorstep Every New Year¡¯s Eve, I had to remind him to join me in


    Springvale to celebrate with Ryan and Faith, and thene back the next day to have a meal with my


    parents


    This year, I wasn¡¯t nning on going, but he still showed up uninvited.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I walked over and asked.


    ¡°My parents want us toe over for dinner.¡± Neil¡¯s eyes and nose were slightly reddened by the cold,


    adding a touch of vulnerability to his otherwise aggressively handsome face

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Chapter 99


    ¡°I ain¡¯t going over there this year, why don¡¯t you take Bonnie instead?¡± I casually tossed the opportunity


    over to Bonnie, with my hands tucked into my coat pockets I believed she could use this chance.


    Neil¡¯s forehead creased creating a small mountain peak, and his eyes held aplex mixture of


    emotions. It was not quite outright displeasure, but a kind of restrained dissatisfaction.


    ¡°We¡¯re not getting a divorce. I¡¯ll take care of Bonnie¡¯s situation¡±


    Honestly, upon hearing this, I felt like I was hallucinating. It sounded like he was choosing me over


    Bonnie. Wasn¡¯t that just nuts? He was just going to ditch his dream girl like that?


    ¡°Neil, quit pulling my leg. Don¡¯t give me empty promises. No, they can¡¯t even be considered promises ¡°I


    calmly rejected him.


    I turned to go inside, but Neil grabbed my arm.


    ¡°Let me try¡± He pleaded for the first time.


    He¡¯d never humbled himself like this, not even when he wanted a divorce in my previous life. I felt my


    heart skip a beat.


    Could Neil really be in love with me? But there was no way he loved me more than Bonnie. If he had to


    give someone up, it would be me.


    I figured Neil was probably under pressure from his family and wasn¡¯t ready to take on the world for


    Bonnie yet, so he wanted to keep using me to appease his family. That was the only usible


    exnation I could think of..


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, go home. My dad hasn¡¯te back yet. If he sees you here when he does, it would be


    awkward¡± I maintained my rationality.


    Speaking of the devil, my dad was just out dealing with some emergency. My mom was busy cooking


    and didn¡¯t know Neil was here. Upon seeing Neil, my dad¡¯s face darkened as if he had seen some ill


    omen. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked sternly.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± Neil greeted politely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that I can¡¯t take it. You¡¯ll have a new father¨Cinw soon, so go call him that my dad


    retorted without giving Neil any respect.


    Fearing a scene, I quickly went over and took my dad¡¯s arm. ¡®Dad, Mom needs help in the kitchen. You


    go, I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    My dad had promised not to interfere in matters between Neil and me, so he reluctantly left.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it. My family has a very bad impression of you, Neil. Even if we don¡¯t divorce right now,


    there won¡¯t be a happy ending. I¡¯ve convinced my parents not to interfere in our affairs. You should go


    and exin things to your family¡± I told Neil calmly.


    Neil looked at me heavily ¡°I don¡¯t n on getting a divorce. What is there to exin?¡±


    ¡°How much longer do you n on wasting my time?¡® I blurted out ¡°How can you be so cruel? Even if I


    agreed to marry you to please your grandfather and ease the pressure from your parents, you agreed


    to it too. You saw benefits in it. Why is it all my fault?¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyes contained a sudden surge of emotion. ¡°Irene, do you really not know what you¡¯ve caused


    me to lose?¡±


    I looked at him uprehendingly. ¡°Freedom?¡±


    Neil scoffed. ¡°Bullshit freedom¡±


    #


    He had a point. He was just as nonchnt after marriage, showing no restraint despite being a married


    man. Freedom was simply a matter of desire for him But beyond that, I really had no idea.


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Faith. Despite the tension between Neil and me, Faith had always


    been on my side. It would be rude not to answer.


    I stepped aside to take the call ¡°Irene, are youing over for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner with Neil?¡±


    Faith asked.


    ¡°Um¡­ I probably won¡¯t make it this year.¡± I hesitated before refusing


    Faith sighed on the other end ¡°Come over. I have something to tell you. Maybe you¡¯ll understand what


    Neil has been up to these past few years.¡±


    I nced back at Neil, who was also looking at me. After loving him for ten years, I became intimately


    familiar with his life, personality, and preferences. What else could there be that I didn¡¯t know? My


    curiosity was piqued


    ¡°Alright¡± I agreed. It would be good to know why Neil had been so cold to me all these years before we


    finally ended things.


    After hanging up. I told Ne, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to your parents¡®¡±


    He didn¡¯t say a word. He just turned and walked towards his car. I followed him, initially intending to sit


    in the front passenger seat but then deciding to sit in the back instead The front seat was Bonnie¡¯s by


    right, and I had no desire topete with her for it, even when she wasn¡¯t around


    This caused Neil¡¯s face to darken even more, but he didn¡¯tment and just drove off towards


    Springvale.


    During the ride, I texted my parents, exining the situation. Thankfully, they understood and just


    asked me to return as soon as possible.


    Due to the cold weather, snow, and asional traffic jams, our journey took longer than usual. What


    would normally be a four¨Chour drive took us six hours. We missed lunch and had to wait until dinner.


    ¡°Hi, Mom ¡°I greeted Ryan and Faith as warmly as ever


    Honestly, after the Bonnie incident, I felt even closer to them. The thought of losing such wonderful in¨C


    laws to someone else after the divorce made me a


    bit reluctant to let go


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re back¡± Faith greeted, pulling my hand into hers and ring at Neil.


    Neil ignored her. He just took off his coat and sat down on the couch.


    Ryan snorted, turning his face away from his son to call me over. ¡°Irene,e sit here.¡±


    Faith and I sat down, and she asked, ¡°How long was the drive? Did you eat on the way? I had the


    kitchen save some food for you. Have some now, and eat more at dinner.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡± I nodded


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    After the food was served, Neil and I ate a bit to stave off our hunger The atmosphere was a bit tense


    with Ryan and Faith watching us.


    ¡°Eat more, you¡¯re too thin. It¡¯s heartbreaking Faith served me some more food


    ¡°Thank you¡± I smiled at her warmly


    Neil was scarfing down his food, not making a single peep, there was no eye contact either. After


    finishing, he went upstairs alone. Ryan said he had some work to deal with in the study, leaving Faith


    and me in the living room.


    ¡°Irene, hang on a sec.¡±


    A few minutester, Faith came down from upstairs holding a leather envelope. With a puzzled look on


    her face, she opened the envelope and pulled out a few photos, handing them to me. ¡°Take a look at


    this.¡±


    I looked over the photos, and immediately my expression changed, my mind was filled with shock.


    There were seven photos in total, each one hitting me with a wave of disbelief and astonishment like I¡¯d


    never felt before. By the time I¡¯d seen them all, I waspletely gobsmacked.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100


    There were seven photos, each featuring a girl. The first four were her and Neil, under cherry blossom


    trees, on lover¡¯s bridge, and with a Ferris wheel They were wearing matching outfits and grinning like


    they had won the lottery. The next two were a stark contrast, filled with sorrow She was crying in a


    selfie, and her wrist was stained with blood. Thest one was the worst. It was a corpse, presumably


    drowned. Soaked to the bone and tangled in seaweed, her skin was pale and bloated


    It took me a few minutes to regain my bearings, and my voice was shaky, ¡°Mom, who is she?¡±


    ¡°Ever seen anyone who looks like her?¡® Faith gently shot back another question


    I nodded Yeah, Bonnie was practically her doppelganger.


    Faith put the photos away, sighing, Trene, her name is Karina, a girl Neil once had a thing for.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Mom, spill it What¡¯s this got to do with me?¡± I was starting to freak out


    With Faith filling me in, I learned that there was more to Neil than I knew. Turned out that it was around


    graduation when I and my buddies, like Ste, were away for an internship. That was the only time I


    was away from Neil that long, trying to find something to chat about online every day I remembered


    how Neil changed his Facebook background to a cartoon peach, which threw me into a tizzy, fearing


    he was in love


    My gut was right.


    Neil met Karina during that time, the first girl he really fell for. It was different from his past flings; he


    was serious about Karina, but his family was dead against it.


    Neil¡¯s grandpa was seriously ill, and wanting to see Neil get married, they set out to find a suitable


    match. They thought I was a good fit. When I learned I was to marry Neil, I didn¡¯t hesitate to say yes,


    which only fueled the Whitmore family¡¯s opposition to Karina


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me then?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We were adamant about keeping Neil and Karina apart. We thought since they hadn¡¯t been together


    long, once he agreed to marry you, they¡¯d drift apart. But that girl Faith¡¯s eyes were filled with regret


    and guilt.


    Now I know why Neil was so mean on our wedding night, every word was a stab in my heart. And his


    promise that I would regret marrying him and suffer my whole life finally made sense. The girl he loved


    killed herself by jumping into a river on our wedding day


    ¡°Irene Faith¡¯s face was pale, ¡°I know it was wrong to keep you in the dark, you had a right to know. But


    we were desperate, and by the time she jumped, you and Neil were already married. It was toote.¡±


    My heart sank, and my smile was bitter, ¡°I got it.¡±


    I stood up, and grabbed my coat, ¡°Can I get a lift home? I need to clear my head.¡±


    Faith sighed, helpless, ¡°Irene, I¡¯m telling you this hoping you¡¯ll reconsider Neil. It¡¯s our fault for being so


    harsh back then. Neil¡¯s a victim too.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡°I didn¡¯t want to talk, so I just nodded.


    Soon, someone Faith arranged drove me back to Rosemont. My emotions were all over the ce as


    my mind filled with memories of the past.


    Turned out, Faith knew how Neil felt about me but wouldn¡¯t tell me what happened, making me believe


    it was my fault.


    Turned out, Neil had someone he loved. Karina was his true love, and Bonnie was just a stand¨Cin.


    Turned out, I¡¯m the joke, clueless about why Neil kept hurting me.


    Turned out, I¡¯m not even the second lead in this story.


    I rolled down the window, letting the chilly wind dry the tears on my face.


    ¡°Are you cold? You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± The driver warned.


    ¡°Not cold.¡± I was so cold that my temples hurt, but I stubbornly replied. Perhaps the cold could blow


    away my stupidity and ignorance.


    By the time I got home, it was pitch dark. My parents were surprised to see me back so soon.


    But they quickly guessed something had happened at my inws¡® ce.


    ¡°What happened, Rena? Your eyes are so red¡± my mom asked worriedly.


    ¡°Nothing, they just tried to talk me out of divorcing Neil. Got a bit upset and shed a few tears.¡± I lied; my


    demeanor was now considerably calmer, and i even managed a smile.


    They¡¯ve got some nervel Why didn¡¯t they teach that scumbag son of theirs a lesson earlier?¡± My dad


    fumed


    ¡°Exactly¡± My mom agreed.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry. After New Year¡¯s, I decided that I¡¯ll stay with Harold for a couple years, then


    get the divorce¡± I replied.


    ¡°Decided?¡± My mom probed


    ¡°Decided ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be the third wheel anymore. This marriage had a death on its conscience, it


    shouldn¡¯t continue.


    My dad nodded approvingly. ¡°Good, we respect your decision¡±


    ¡°Alright, now that you¡¯re back, let¡¯s cook together. Keep busy, and stop overthinking¡± my mom dragged


    me into the kitchen, giving me a few tasks.


    Iplied, worked as her sous chef and we whipped up a feast before midnight.


    This was the first New Year¡¯s Eve dinner without Neil in five years of marriage. There wouldn¡¯t be any


    more; I needed to get used to it starting today


    Dinner with just the three of us was also warm and harmonious. My mom regretted not having another


    child; it would¡¯ve been livelier. My dad agreed and


    started advising me, ¡°Rena, after you divorce Neil, find a good man. Trust me, have more than one kid.


    It¡¯s more fun when everyone¡¯s together¡±


    Just for the sake of fun, I should have another man?¡± I was a little tipsy after a few drinks, my cheeks


    were flushed


    ¡°Of course, having kids is all about making holidays more fun. Otherwise, why have a bunch of little


    troublemakers?¡± my dad candidly expressed his view.


    My mom and I exchanged a nce, and she scolded, ¡°You men sure talk the talk. If you can, give birth


    yourself. Having one child is already a trip to hell, i don¡¯t want my daughter to go through that twice!¡±


    When my dad heard this, he seemed to think it made sense, ¡°Huh? Seems like you¡¯re right. When your


    mom was giving birth to you, she bled a lot Scared the hell out of me I was thinking, is this kid here to


    take my wife or what? Better shove it back in!¡±


    ¡°What kind of ill¨Comened crap is that? Spit spit spit!¡± My mom got pissed and started hitting my dad¡¯s


    mouth with a spoon


    My dad snapped back to reality and went ¡°spit spit spit¡± too. I was cracking up watching these two old


    lovebirds. Suddenly, there were the sounds of fireworks outside. I turned my head towards the window


    and saw the beautiful fireworks illuminating the night sky. They were just gorgeous.


    Another new year, huh? I silently watched the fireworks, praying in my heart that the world would let me


    start a new life.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101


    My phone was buzzing with a string of new messages.


    All were New Year wishes.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Russel Dawson, ¡°Happy New Year¡±


    Oscar Morse, Trene, in the new year, may you keep getting more gorgeous and cheerful, and say


    goodbye to all your troubles!¡±


    Simmons Wace, ¡°Rena, Happy New Year!¡±


    Bailey. ¡°Ma am, Happy New Year. Thank you for letting me drive home. My father had some health


    issues a few days ago, luckily he got to the hospital in time¡±


    I first replied to Bailey ¡°Happy New Year Don¡¯t rush back to work I¡¯ll be going abroad after the new year


    and might stay for about two years. During this time, you can take care of your father first, thene


    back to drive for my father Your sry won¡¯t change¡±


    Then I opened my group chat with four people.


    Ste Wace was showing off her carefully retouched selfies in the group, and Barbara Sands was


    madly posting various fireworks gifs. Only Alicia Rider asionally sent messages praising Stes


    beauty or responding to Barbara¡¯s enthusiasm


    I snapped a picture of the fireworks outside the window and posted it in the group. ¡°Friends, a new


    year, a new beginning¡±


    Ste, Barbara, and Alicia were all in Rosemont, so they naturally saw the same fireworks. They each


    also took a video of the fireworks and posted it in the group, it was sort of like we were watching the


    fireworks together.


    Ste was thrilled to know that I was spending the New Year at home, ¡°Way to gol¡±


    I also told them about my n to go abroad. Everyone was very reluctant to see me go, but


    considering that Neil Whitmore was refusing to divorce me, they all strongly supported my decision.


    After chatting for a while, I replied to everyone¡¯s New Year wishes one by one and also sent a New


    Year message to my inws


    After learning about Karina Aaron, my affection for them disappeared. I feel used by them.


    Although marrying Neil was my choice, living a widow¨Clike life for five years was not. I had been kept in


    the dark for all these years, which was ridiculous


    But they were very supportive of me now, so I still needed to treat them politely After all, I¡¯m not


    divorced from Neil yet.


    Soon, they also replied to my message and transferred arge sum of money to me as a New Year¡¯s


    gift. I epted it graciously


    At that moment, I also received another transfer from Neil. He also sent me a ¡°Happy New Year¡± on


    WhatsApp


    This was the first time he sent me New Year wishes and gifts. In the past, it was always me who would


    send them to him.


    Was there something wrong with him? Why did it take him so long to respond to others¡® initiatives?


    I simply ignored his message, just like he had ignored me countless times before.


    My gut told me to check Facebook.


    Sure enough, I saw a recent post from Bonnie Tueley. It was a screenshot of a transfer record, but the


    sender¡¯s name and profile picture were cropped


    out


    Bonnie wrote, ¡°Happy New Year. I hope I can have you by my side every year.¡±


    I¡¯m pretty sure the person who transferred her money was Neil. I thought I was calm enough, but when


    I saw that screenshot, I still felt a pang in my heart


    His rare kindness towards me wasn¡¯t exclusive


    He said he would handle his rtionship with Bonnie, but on the other hand, he was showing off his


    love for her. It was very ironic. If I had agreed to give him another chance before, wouldn¡¯t I be the fool


    now?


    Just when I was feeling upset, Bonnie sent me a message, Trene, Happy New Year. I hope you can


    find true happiness in the new year.¡±


    She was clearly trying to provoke me


    I replied. ¡°Thank you. I will. I n to go abroad after the New Year. Neil doesn¡¯t agree to divorce me, so


    we need to live separately for two years before we can divorce. You have to work hard during these


    two years.¡±


    Then I quickly took a screenshot of the New Year¡¯s wishes and transfer that Neil sent me and sent


    them to her.


    I also reminded her, ¡°Tell Neil not to contact me anymore. Also, unlike you, I don¡¯tck money¡±


    I saw her typing, then stopping She was probably pissed off, trying to reply but not knowing what to


    say.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood to argue with her on New Year¡¯s Day After watching the fireworks for a while, I


    went back to my room to sleep


    The next day, my mom woke me up and asked me to visit Uncle Harold. I also had an aunt, Kelley. She


    now lived in another city with her husband. Although it was a bit far, my dad took my mom and me to


    visit each of our rtives every year.


    The holidays were the best time for family bonding. I was happy to be part of it.


    ¡°Happy New Year! As soon as I arrived at Harold¡¯s house, I greeted him cheerfully


    ¡°Rena, Happy New Year! Come in and have a seat!¡± Harold¡¯s wife, Sarah, weed us warmly.


    The house was cozy. The ivory oak table was filled with fancy snacks and desserts. I sat on the sofa,


    munching on scones, while listening to my parents chat with Harold.


    Then someone rang the doorbell Harold went to answer it. Then I heard Simmons¡® voice, ¡°Mr. Finch,


    Happy New Year!¡±


    ¡°Simmons, Happy New Year! Come in and have a seat!¡± Harold was surprised but pleased


    I was stunned to see Simmons sit down across from me. He smiled at me, ¡°Rena, Happy New Year¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he Ste¡¯s brother? We haven¡¯t seen each other for years¡± my mom said after a few seconds.


    ¡°Yes, Tm Simmons. I¡¯ve been working abroad for the past few years; I just returned at the end ofst


    year.¡± Simmons answered gently. Tve worked with Mr. Finch several times abroad I heard he¡¯s also in


    the country for New Year, so I came to wish him a Happy New Year¡±


    Simmons had worked with Harold? Then I remembered that they both were indeed in Cdonia


    My dad said with a smile, 1 see Simmons is really promising. I heard you¡¯ve been very sessful


    running the overseas branch of Iva. Why did you suddenlye back?¡±


    This issue had me hanging my head in shame. It was all Ste¡¯s fault!


    Simmons nced at me, then replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been abroad for too long, and I miss home. Plus, I¡¯m in my


    thirties and still single, so my parents are pushing me toe back and tie the knot¡±


    My parents exchanged a nce. There was a silent understanding in their eyes that I didn¡¯t want to


    see.


    Just then, my phone rang. I immediately got up to take the call on the side. It was Ste, ¡°How¡¯s it


    going? Has my brother arrived?¡±


    ¡°Did you spill the beans to him again?¡± I really felt like blowing my top at Ste


    ¡°I just casually mentioned that you were at your uncle¡¯s. Who knew they were so chummy?¡± Ste said,


    sounding all innocent.


    I knew it¡® Ste¡¯s up to her old tricks again.

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    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102


    After hanging up the phone, I had zero desire to go back to the living room


    I made a sneaky exit and started to wander around the neighborhood. The whole ce was dolled up


    for the New Year and had a real festive vibe. A few kids were running around, having a ball.


    Before I knew it. I found myself outside theplex, aimlessly meandering the streets like a vagabond


    Out of the blue. I noticed Neil¡¯s car parked at a nearby intersection.


    Why was he here? Was he looking for me?


    I felt a little jittery


    Quickly, I realized I was overthinking. Bonnie was getting out of the passenger seat


    Neil also got out of the car. They chatted by the roadside for a bit before hopping back in. The car


    started moving in my direction.


    As soon as Neil saw me, he mmed on the brakes.


    He sprang out of the car, circled around the front, and stood in front of me. His brow was furrowed


    slightly, and I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of Bonnie


    of me


    ¡°Happy New Year.¡± I said, managing a calm smile


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Neil grunted in response before asking. ¡°When are you heading back to Sterling Estates?¡±


    Behind him, Bonnie rolled down the car window, watching us nervously.


    Didn¡¯t Bonnie tell him that I was going abroad after the holidays?


    ww


    But then again, it made sense. Neil was all over the ce when it came to me. If he knew I was leaving


    the country, he might do something rash. Bonnie wouldn¡¯t want to bring that upon herself.


    She was probably waiting for me to make the first move. By the time I was miles away, any wavering


    on his part would be pointless


    I nced at Bonnie and casually said, ¡°We¡¯ll see. Don¡¯t sweat about me, look after her first¡±


    So they were on a date on New Year¡¯s Day?


    ¡°She¡± Neil instinctively looked back at Bonnie. After spotting her watching him, he stuttered slightly, ¡°I¡¯m


    just dropping her home.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Irene, don¡¯t get the wrong idea¡± Bonnie interjected earnestly. ¡°I snuck out while my parents were away,


    and they thought Mr. Whitmore had egged me on to leave home. They wanted to give him a hard time,


    so he found me and is taking me back.¡±


    Ah, there she was again, ying the peacemaker.


    Bonnie was trying to maintain her image as the innocent, kind¨Chearted girl in front of Neil.


    I gave a small smile. ¡°Alright, I got it. You better get going¡±


    ¡°Goodbye¡± Bonnie waved at me.


    I pretended not to see and turned to leave


    When I was beat from wandering around, I headed back to Harold¡¯s ce. Simmons was just about to


    leave, and I was secretly pleased with my perfect


    timing


    But then my dad said, ¡°Rena, Ste wants you toe over. You should go with Simmons. Don¡¯t forget


    to bring a gift for Iva¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we visiting Kelley too?¡± I asked, surprised


    ¡°Just Harold and us will go. Her ce is too far, and it¡¯s tiring to travel, so it¡¯s better for you to go to


    Ste¡¯s. We¡¯ll be back tomorrow or the day after. Manage your own schedule for now¡± My dad said that


    as if it were the most normal thing in the world.


    What the hell? In the middle of a family holiday, he wanted me to live at someone else¡¯s ce?


    Even if Ste was my best friend, this wasn¡¯t right!


    Simmons was grinning, and he waved at me gently, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rena¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Kelley in a long time, so I want to go with you.¡± I refused to leave with Simmons.


    Anyone could see what my parents were trying to do.


    I¡¯m not even divorced yet, and they had already picked my next husband, not caring about what I


    wanted. Didn¡¯t they promise to respect me?


    My mom said, ¡°If you go too, it¡¯ll be too crowded. Kelley doesn¡¯t want to cook for so many people¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go my dad said, arm in arm with my mom, then they just got up and left.


    If I remembered correctly, Kelley had been a homemaker since she got married. Her biggest hobby


    was cooking.


    How could she not want to cook for me? This must have been the most absurd lie I¡¯ve ever heard


    But no one cared about me. They quickly drove off, disappearing at the end of the road


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m here that you don¡¯t want to go to my house?¡± Simmons asked, a little disheartened.


    ¡°No, I just think it¡¯s not right to go to other people¡¯s houses during the holidays. ¡°I waved it off.


    Simmonsughed, ¡°You¡¯re a friend of our family How can it not be right?¡±


    I was out of options.


    Simmons car was parked outside theplex. We chatted as we walked out. Just as we were about to


    get in the car, a car honked from across the street.


    I looked over and was shocked. Neil was back!


    He got out of the car and strode over to me.


    After seeing Neil, Simmons¡® smile also vanished


    ¡°Neil!¡± I sensed trouble and quickly stepped in front of him.


    ¡°Get out of my way¡± Neil looked at me with eyes filled with anger.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I stood my ground and even grabbed his clothes.


    Simmons was a pain in the neck. He knew I was trying to stop Neil from getting close to him, but he


    deliberately walked over, ¡°Neil, we meet again.¡±


    Neil had a quick temper. He was ready to throw a punch after hearing Simmons¡® provocative tone.


    I might be almost 1.7 meters tall, but against these two towering men, I was at a disadvantage. Plus, I


    was skinny, so they could easily push me aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to punch you for a long time!¡± Simmons was also furious. He had openly criticized Neil in


    front of me five years ago. He had always been hostile towards Neil.


    Before I knew it, they were ready to throw down. I was stuck in the middle, trying to stop them, but


    someone swung their hand, knocking me to the ground


    Sitting on the wet road, I noticed that I had twisted my ankle. It hurt so much that tears welled up in my


    eyes.


    After seeing me like this, Simmons panicked and rushed over to help me up


    Neil beat him to it. He picked me up and shot Simmons a menacing look, ¡°We¡¯re not divorced yet. Stay


    away from her!¡±


    Simmons hand hung limply by his side. He stared at me as his eyes filled with sadness.


    I couldn¡¯t stand, so I let Neil carry me to the car. Once in the car, he handed me his coat, Take off your


    jacket, throw it in the back seat, and put mine on¡±


    My jacket was all nasty and wet on the back, making me ufortable. I took it off and chucked it in


    the backseat, but I didn¡¯t really wanna wear Neil¡¯s coat. ¡°No biggie. The car¡¯s warm.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap.¡± Neil shot me a look, then roughly draped his coat on my shoulders.


    He was just wearing a in shirt and a ck vest, looking all dapper.


    I knew that I had to take care of myself, so I stopped being a drama queen and put on his coat.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    Chapter 103


    Nell took me straight back to Sterling Estates. He gave all the house staff time off for the holiday, so not


    a soul was left at home


    I was puzzled, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you keep at least one person around? Pay them a little extra to at least help


    with cleaning and cooking¡±


    ¡°Why keep them around when no one is home?¡± Neil motioned for me to sit on the sofa. He knelt down,


    wanting to help me take off my shoe to check on my sprained foot


    I felt ufortable with him being so caring, so I withdrew my foot, ¡°Just bring me the first aid kit.¡±


    Neil casually replied, ¡°I¡¯ve seen your whole body. What¡¯s the harm in checking your foot?¡±


    I stayed silent for a few seconds before retorting, ¡°It¡¯s not about being shy. I just don¡¯t need you to be


    so nice to me¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Neil looked up, staring at me.


    I was the one who should be bewildered, ¡®Neil, you just took Bonnie home, and then you came back to


    find me. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s ridiculous?¡±


    Last night, he should have still been in Springvale. He could have onlye back to Rosemont this


    morning at the earliest. As soon as he got back, he found Bonnie and took her home.


    Every New Year¡¯s Day in the past, he would onlye back to Rosemont at my urging.


    It was clear who took precedence in his heart.


    Neil frowned, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯ll deal with my rtionship with Bonnie.¡±


    ¡°How? Find a nice ce to hide her, orpletely cut ties and never contact her again?¡± I pressed.


    Neil silently looked at me.


    I knew it. He hadn¡¯t figured it out yet. Bonnie was too special to him, but I was also starting to be


    different to him. He still didn¡¯t know who his heart. belonged to.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Forget it, talking to you is too irritating.¡± I stood up to go get the first aid kit.


    Neil picked me up and returned me to the sofa, then silently went to fetch the first aid kit. He handed it


    to me after he opened it.


    I took off my shoe and sock, and noticed that my left ankle was already swollen. I applied some


    ointment and then attached a gauze pad


    Neil watched me, but didn¡¯t attempt to help again.


    ¡°You should take me to Ste¡¯s.¡± I told Neil after I put my shoes back on.


    ¡°No.¡± Neil¡¯s refusal was curt.


    ¡°You have to!¡± I insisted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your sudden appearance, how would I get hurt? I should have


    been at her ce a long time ago. You need to take responsibility!


    Neil scoffed, ¡°I need to be responsible for sending you to another man¡¯s house?¡±


    I turned red in the face with anger, ¡°It¡¯s also my good friend¡¯s house. Neil, aren¡¯t you being a bit


    extreme with your jealousy?¡±


    ¡°Simmons chased after you before, didn¡¯t he?¡± Neil didn¡¯t care about my words and instead said, ¡°Now


    that he knows we¡¯re getting a divorce, he¡¯se back to try and take advantage¡±


    ¡°So what? You¡¯re allowed to have suitors, but I¡¯m not?¡± I huffed and then took out my phone to call


    Ste


    If Neil wouldn¡¯t take me, then I¡¯d have Stee get me. I¡¯d rather endure Simmons¡® pursuit than be


    alone with Neil..


    I called her and asked, ¡°Ste, are you free? Can youe pick me up from Sterling Estates?¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡± Ste excitedly agreed


    After hanging up, Neil looked even more upset, ¡®Is it really that unbearable to be with me?¡±


    I nced around, ¡°Yes. It reminds me of a few years ago, when I was waiting for you all alone here. On


    New Year¡¯s Day, everyone else was celebrating with their families, while I was alone at home waiting


    for you. Do you think I was miserable then?¡±


    Neil looked shocked for a moment, then after a few seconds of silence, he said, ¡°I never asked you to


    wait for me at home.¡±


    ¡°But you knew I would wait!¡± I eximed, somewhat heatedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how much I loved you?


    Are you punishing me with my own feelings?¡±


    ¡°I had no idea about Karina. I always thought you had never truly loved anyone, so like a fool, I was


    eager to marry you, thinking time would make you fall


    in love with me. If I had known what happened on our wedding day. I would have chosen to give up.¡±


    After saying all this, I realized my eyes were getting moist and my voice was filled with sorrow.


    I knew this wasn¡¯t how I should be feeling. It made me look weak.


    So I stood up. Even though I couldn¡¯t put a lot of weight on my left foot, I tried to maintain a haughty


    demeanor, ¡°Neil, for the past five years, I¡¯ve been your emotional punching bag, but I¡¯ve been taking it


    in stride. I thought this was my punishment for falling in love with you. But you should be good to


    Bonnie from now on. No more indecision¡±


    He fell into a lengthy silence until Ste¡¯s car honked outside.


    When Ste arrived, she sent me a text, ¡°Im here Come out.¡±


    I limped out with my phone, and Neil didn¡¯t stop me


    ¡°Is Nell home?¡± Ste asked as she saw the half¨Copen front door after I got in the car.


    Yes. I was freezing I didn¡¯t put on Neil¡¯s coat, so I was dressed lightly


    ¡°That jerk!¡± Ste cursed after I told her that Neil had taken me away


    We quickly arrived at Ste¡¯s ce. Luckily, Ste¡¯s parents were visiting friends, and Iva Wace, her


    sister, was already married and not at home It was just me, Ste, and Simmons.


    Upon seeing me, Simmons immediately rushed over to help. ¡°Did you sprain your foot badly? Did you


    put any medicine on it? Do we need to go to the hospital?¡±


    It¡¯s not that serious, it¡¯s just a bit swollen.¡± I sat on the sofa. Ste brought over a small cake to


    entertain me.


    I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean to ¡°Simmons looked guilty.


    ¡°We didnt see who pushed me, how did it be your fault? Sirnmons, you don¡¯t need to be so tense.


    My leg isn¡¯t broken.¡® I joked.


    Steughed. ¡°His intentions are so obvious!¡±


    I shot her a re, but she pretended not to notice.


    Simmons was used to his sister¡¯s personality, and he even enjoyed it. So, he justughed and asked,


    ¡°What do you guys want to eat? I¡¯ll make lunch.¡±


    It was already two in the afternoon, and we still hadn¡¯t had lunch.


    Ste had the nerve to order two dishes without asking me. I just said, ¡°Whatever.¡±


    Then Ste started bbing again, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry! He knows what you like. I guarantee everything


    he makes is your favorite!¡±


    Simmons was in the kitchen by now, so he probably didn¡¯t hear a word of this. I was so irritated that I


    put a hand over Ste¡¯s mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t push me; I might get mad!¡±


    *Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Ste was trying to say something.


    After I let her go, she said, ¡°Are you trying to suffocate your future sister¨Cinw?!¡±

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Chapter 104


    I simply couldn¡¯t stand Ste anymore. As for her wild imaginations, I chose to ignore them.


    Mom texted me, asking if I had arrived at Ste¡¯s house, so i tested her back, ¡°Yes¡±


    Then Ste and I sat on the couch, watching TV and chatting Somehow we got onto the topic of


    Bonnie. I told her everything about Bonnie¡¯s bank transfer screenshotst night and how Neil drove her


    home today.


    Ste was fuming Ts Neil trying to y both sides? Rena, you don¡¯t need a lowlife like him!¡±


    Tm already nning to dump him I calmly said while munching on a piece of cake.


    Are you seriously considering moving abroad?¡± Ste hugged me 1 really can¡¯t bear to see you leave¡±


    I¡¯m not leaving forever Ie back and visit whenever I can!¡± I kissed her on her smooth forehead


    Ste epted that immediately Money meant freedom. If she missed me, she could alwayse and


    visit, and take a trip abroad while she was at it.


    We were talking when Simmons¡¯s voice came from the dining room, ¡°Ste, dinner¡¯s ready¡°¡±


    Ste responded and then helped me to the dining room.


    I had to say. Simmons was a superb cook. Every dish was delicious.


    What delighted me the most was that I actually loved everything he made


    He attentively served the food and evendled soup for us.


    We had a lively dinner. As long as Ste stopped pushing me to date Simmons, we could have a great


    time.


    But she disappointed me again. During dinner, she didn¡¯t say anything inappropriate, but she sneakily


    took a photo The photo showed Simmons serving food on my te while I was thanking him


    If it weren¡¯t for the photo she posted on Facebook after dinner, I wouldn¡¯t have known that she was up


    to something again.


    ¡°Ste¡± eximed.


    ¡°What?¡± Ste looked at me innocently


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I pointed my phone screen at her. In her post, Simmons and I looked rather intimate.


    The caption was even more outrageous ¡°Someone¡¯s fallen in love!


    Ste shrank back a bit, ¡°Isn¡¯t Simmons in love? Look at how smitten he is¡­¡±


    I really wanted to tell Simmons, who was washing fruits, that he had a lovely sister.


    ¡°Can you be normal for once? I¡¯m married, and your brother is single. Can you stop causing trouble for


    him?¡± I pinched Ste.


    Ste shrieked, ¡°I¡¯m helping him find happiness!¡±


    ¡°What if your parents find out? What would they think?¡± I reminded her.


    ¡°They just want him to find a girlfriend soon¡± Ste insisted.


    While I was reprimanding Ste, my phone rang. It was a call from Russel.


    I was a bit puzzled but still answered it anyway.


    ¡°Happy New Year.¡± Russel was as polite as always


    ¡°Happy New Year. Dr. Russel, aren¡¯t you on duty at the hospital?¡± I asked.


    He was silent for two seconds, ¡°No. Aren¡¯t you at home?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean Sterling Estates?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    I wasn¡¯t there, and I had decided to avoid that ce as much as possible.


    Just out of curiosity, Lasked. ¡°Are you going there to see me? Is something up?¡±


    ¡°No I just saw Ste¡¯s Facebook post and realized you¡¯re at her ce¡±


    So that was it, I red at Ste again, but she was busy giggling at her phone, probably reading


    something funny


    ¡°Yeah My parents are out, and I was bored at home, so I came over.¡± I casually said.


    ¡°Neil isn¡¯t with you?¡® Russel sounded confused


    ¡°Why would he be? He can¡¯t be in two ces at once.¡± I said frankly, ¡°He should be with Bonnie now.¡±


    Russet fell silent. I suddenly realized that I might have hit a nerve, so I quickly changed the subject,


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s not talk about him. Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡± Russel replied.


    ¡°Say hi to your parents for me¡± I said with feigned enthusiasm.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t know his parents well, I didn¡¯t even know what they looked like.


    ¡°Will do Russel chuckled


    Suddenly, a question popped into my mind. Did Russel know about Karna? As Neil¡¯s close friend, he


    should know something, right?


    I wanted to ask, but I didn¡¯t know how to bring it up. Besides, Ste was beside me. I didn¡¯t want to tell


    her about Karina yet, fearing that she might get upset.


    Dr. Russel, when¡¯s your next shift? My heart feels a bit ufortable, and I wanna have you check it ¡°I


    asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Russel quickly answered.


    I couldn¡¯t drive now, so why not let Ste drive me? I really wanted to discuss Karina with Russel face¨C


    to¨Cface.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the hospital tomorrow¡± I decided without thinking much.


    After hanging up. I looked at Ste, who was still giggling.


    Who was she chatting with that made her so happy? I tried to peek, but she quickly put away her


    phone.


    ¡°Ste, are you dating someone?¡± I asked.


    Her previous men were just flings, none of them could be considered boyfriends.


    Ste blushed and awkwardly denied, ¡°No. He¡¯s just an option. I find hirn entertaining.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I said with implied meaning, then winked at her, ¡°Ste, got any ns for tomorrow?¡±


    Ste shook her head.


    ¡°Great. Apany me to the hospital tomorrow.¡± I cheerfully said.


    ¡°¡­So I¡¯m your chauffeur now?¡± Ste rolled her eyes, ¡°But I¡¯m your friend, so I can¡¯t say no.¡±


    Simmons brought the washed fruits to the table. We all chatted and ate, then yed a board game.


    The time just flew by.


    The next morning, I hobbled into Ste¡¯s car. She initially wanted her brother to drive me, but I firmly


    declined.


    Once I got to the hospital, I was able to snag an appointment with Russel with no problem. When it


    came time for the consultation, I went in alone while Ste waited outside for me.


    Since it was still a holiday, the hospital wasn¡¯t as bustling as it usually was. There were no patients


    waiting, so I had a few extra minutes to chat with Russel. I cut to the chase. ¡°Do you know Karina?¡±


    At the mention of that name, there was a shift in Russel¡¯s expression, ¡°How do you know about her?¡±


    ¡°My mother¨Cinw told me.¡± I replied, ¡°She was Neil¡¯s first love, right?¡±


    After sizing me up for a few seconds, Russel asked, ¡°Are you free tonight?¡±


    ¡°I am ¡°I said, eager to learn more about Karina.

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    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105


    After setting up the time and ce with Russel, Ste and I left the hospital


    I got in the car and told Ste. ¡°Take me home, please¡±


    Ste looked at me, surprised, and asked, ¡°Your ce? Aren¡¯t we going to my house?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Given my meeting with Russel that night, staying at her ce could be inconvenient.


    I replied. ¡°Take me to Sunflower Terrace. You should know the way¡±


    Sunflower Terrace was where I lived alone. During my college days, Ste and her friends would often


    visit me there


    Although Ste seemed puzzled, she didn¡¯t ask further. She hit the gas and drove me to Sunflower


    Terrace.


    Once inside, Ste helped me to sit down She sounded worried when she asked, ¡°Are you sure you


    can live here alone? You can¡¯t even walk¡­¡±


    I smiled reassuringly at Ste and said, ¡°Tll be fine. I just need some peace and quiet. Don¡¯t worry


    about me. Go home and drive safe.¡±


    Reluctantly. Ste nodded and said, ¡°Alright. Call me if you need anything¡±


    After she left, I spent the evening zoning out on the sofa


    I didn¡¯t know when I drifted off, but I woke up feeling cold.


    I had a nightmare. Karina¡¯s corpse was right in front of me. Just as I was about to take a closer look,


    she suddenly opened her eyes, grabbed my neck, and hissed, ¡°You stole Neil from me!¡±


    I woke up in a cold sweat. To shake off the lingering fear, I quickly switched on the TV and found a


    noisy drama to distract myself. The chatter from the TV made me feel a little better.


    But as I sat there with the TV on, my mind started to wander.


    On the night of our wedding, Neil said many hurtful things. We shared a bed but didn¡¯t even touch


    hands. Around 1 am, he got up and drove away


    Back then, I thought he was trying to embarrass me.


    Now when I think about it, maybe he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to see Karina onest time, even though


    she had stopped breathing.


    My phone beeped, startling me.


    I picked it up and saw a message from Russel, ¡°You¡¯ve hurt your foot. Let¡¯s talk at your ce tonight.¡±


    What a thoughtful doctor.


    Since I was living alone, this also worked out perfectly for me. I texted him back, ¡°Sure. 609 Sunflower


    Terrace, Building 8.¡±


    I sent him my exact address.


    Russel replied, ¡°Are you living alone now?¡±


    I sent him an emoji with a big grin, ¡°Yeah. Bet you didn¡¯t see thating!¡±


    Russel texted back, ¡°You¡¯re really something Could Neil put up with you?¡±


    I replied, ¡°He doesn¡¯t love me, so why should he care? If we divorce, is he going to meddle in my life


    like my father?¡±


    Russel asked, ¡°Have you really thought about remarrying?¡±


    I texted back, ¡°Of course! I haven¡¯t experienced a normal marriage yet. I refuse to be alone forever. I


    want a normal man!¡±


    After that, he didn¡¯t reply. Maybe he thought I was acting rashly. After all, I was already considering


    what kind of man I should marry next, even before my divorce.


    Since Russel wasing over, I decided to clean up myself. I couldn¡¯t let him see me looking like a


    mess. I limped to the bathroom to take a shower.


    Clearly, I overestimated my bnce. As I was trying to get out of the bathroom after the shower, my


    right foot gave way under my weight, and I fell.


    My cry of pain echoed in the bathroom.


    Just then, my phone on the washstand started ringing. Unable to stand, I crawled over and picked it up.


    Why was Neil calling?


    I frowned but picked up anyway, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    If it was nothing. I would hang up quick. I needed to call an ambnce.


    ¡°Why did you scream? Neil asked.


    ¡°What scream?¡± I was sitting on the floor in a bathrobe, not in a good mood. ¡°Just say what you want.


    I¡¯m busy.¡±


    Neil paused, ¡°I¡¯m at your apartment. Open the door¡±


    So he really did hear my scream.


    I reflexively refused, ¡°I can¡¯t see you right now. Just go


    ¡°If you don¡¯t open the door, I¡¯ll have it picked¡± Neil said


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± I really didn¡¯t want to see him now. Just thinking about Karina and Bonnie


    made my heart ache.


    Now I understood why his parents epted Bonnie so quickly. Maybe they felt they had ruined their


    son¡¯s first rtionship and didn¡¯t want to ruin the


    ¡®second one.


    I was like a fool, still clinging to Neil, totally clueless


    ¡°You¡¯ve sprained your ankle; why didn¡¯t you stay at Ste¡¯s?¡± Neil asked again.


    He seemed to be concerned about me, but I still replied indifferently. ¡°I wanted toe back, so I did.¡±


    ¡°Did you fall? What¡¯s the door code?¡± Neil threatened, ¡°I can have it picked, but then you¡¯ll have to


    change the lock.¡±


    I knew Neil would do as he said. And I did need someone to help me up. Compared to an ambnce,


    Neil was a more reasonable choice.


    But my password was Neil¡¯s birthday. I didn¡¯t want to tell him that.


    Suddenly, I heard the lock open, followed by a faint chuckle from Neil.


    I took a deep breath and hung up


    Soon, I heard Neil¡¯s voice from the bathroom door, ¡°Are you in there? I¡¯ming in.¡±


    He pushed the door open and saw me sitting on the floor.


    We looked at each other for a few seconds before he squatted down, ¡°You sprained your ankle, and


    you thought it was a good idea to take a shower alone?¡±


    ¡°Is that illegal?¡± I asked coldly.


    ¡°Well, no Come on, get up¡± Neil extended his hand, gesturing for me to grab it.


    I didn¡¯t refuse. When I put my hand in his, his palm tightened, almostpletely enveloping my hand.


    While trying to get up, I exined, ¡°That password was set when I was in college. I just moved back


    here recently and haven¡¯t had time to change it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Neil didn¡¯t react much.


    ¡°Ah!¡± No sooner had I stood up than my right foot gave way again from the pain. I fell again.


    Neil was swift. He grabbed me and propped me up with his body, but he whacked his own back hard


    against the door frame. I even heard the thud.


    He didn¡¯t make a peep and just carried me to the bed and sat me down.


    After checking out my right foot, he told me, ¡°It¡¯s symmetrical now¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was still stuck in the awkwardness from before, not quite catching what he said.


    ¡°Your right foot¡¯s twisted too. Now both your feet are swollen to a matching degree.¡± Neil stood up and


    informed me.


    His dark humor¡­


    I had zero gratitude for Neil. I asked indignantly, ¡°How did you know toe find me here?¡±

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Chapter 106


    Neil replied, ¡°1 saw Ste hitting the bar, so I figured you wouldn¡¯t be at her ce¡±


    Ste was nothing if not a party animal. The bar was like a second home to her.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh. Thanks. You can go now.¡°I wrapped myself in my bathrobe, still giving him the cold shoulder.


    Neil couldn¡¯t care less. He even sat down next to me, apparently not keen on leaving


    I was not wearing any underwear. When Neil was checking my foot earlier, I had to be extra cautious


    not to give him a peep show.


    How was I supposed to change with him sitting here?


    ¡°What did my mom tell you about Karina?¡± Out of the blue, he brought up that girl.


    ¡°Not much, she just briefly mentioned your rtionship with her and that she jumped into a river and


    killed herself because you married me.¡± I looked down, my tone was t..


    Every time Karina was mentioned, I could tell Neil would get depressed.


    That was his Achilles¡® heel. If he wasn¡¯t so against divorce, he would never have let his mom spill the


    beans about that.


    *Bonnie looks a lot like her.¡± Neil¡¯s remark left me speechless.


    He saw Bonnie as a substitute for Karina. What could I, an audience member, say about this storyline


    that seemed straight out of a movie?


    me it on me for not looking like Karina. If I did, five years would have been ample time for Neil to fall


    for me.


    ¡°How did you meet?¡± I asked after a while.


    ¡°A friend introduced us¡± Neil¡¯s answer was in.


    ¡°How long after meeting her did you get together?¡± I asked again.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond this time. While he had brought up Karina, he didn¡¯t seem keen on delving into that


    chapter of his past.


    I knew I should stop pressing. After all, I would be meeting with Russelter tonight. Maybe he could


    tell me more.


    A cell phone ringtone broke the silence between Neil and me.


    I nced at his phone. Bonnie was calling.


    He answered without hesitation. He looked away, feeling a bit mncholy. Did he not realize that he


    would never be able to cut ties with Bonniepletely?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± I didn¡¯t know what Bonnie said, but Neil¡¯s face turned pale. He got up and headed


    for the door.


    I didn¡¯t call out to him and just watched as he disappeared, followed by the sound of the door closing.


    I didn¡¯t know how long I sat on the bed. It wasn¡¯t until Russel called that I realized it was already dark


    outside and it was raining sleet. The pitter¨Cpatter echoed on the window sill


    ¡°Open up; I¡¯m at the door¡± Russel¡¯s voice was urgent, as if he¡¯d rushed over.


    ¡°I can¡¯t move. The password is Neil¡¯s birthday.¡± I licked my dry lips and replied


    Then I heard the door unlocking from the other end and noises from the living room.


    I hung up and yelled, ¡°Russel, I¡¯m in here!¡±


    Russel appeared at the bedroom door in no time. His hair was still wet from the rain.


    He brought the chill from outside with him, looking even more aloof than usual.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you move?¡± He walked into my room. He was surprised to see me in just a bathrobe, then


    quickly averted his eyes.


    I awkwardly pulled my bathrobe tighter, saying, ¡°1 slipped in the bathroom. Both my ankles are swollen


    now, so I can¡¯t walk. Can you get a set of pajamas from my closet?¡±


    Russel nodded and brought me a set of loose pajamas and a white bra.


    Sure enough, doctors were attentivel


    I¡¯m also not wearing any panties. Could you get me a pair?¡± I asked, no longer feeling embarrassed.


    Russel looked even more awkward. He cleared his throat, then fetched a pair of panties for me.


    His fingers were long and slender. He held the panties by a corner with the tip of his index finger,


    gingerly handing them to me.


    ¡°Thank you. You can leave now I can dress myself. I took the panties, thanking him politely.


    Russel quickly left the room and closed the door. I managed to dress the upper half of my body first,


    then struggled with the bottom half.


    ¡°Russel, could you carry me out?¡± I decided to ask him for one more favor.


    I was leaving the country soon anyway, so I didn¡¯t care about losing dignity here


    The door opened again. Russel silently walked to the bed and squatted down with his back to me. I


    immediately climbed onto his back and wrapped my


    arms around his neck.


    He was such a great guy. Bonnie was a fool not to choose him.


    In the living room, I noticed fruits and some ingredients on the coffee table, as if someone were about


    to cook. I pointed at them, ¡°Did you buy these?¡±


    1 haven¡¯t had dinner yet. Russel picked up the Ingredients, his face expressionless, ¡°If you¡¯re up for it,


    we can eat and talk.¡±


    Of course I was. I nodded, ¡°Sure


    Russel headed to the kitchen. My apartment wasn¡¯t big. It had just one bedroom, one living room, a


    kitchen, a bathroom, and a ratherrge balcony. I lived here back in the day because it was close to


    Rosemont College.


    From the living room, I could see Russel bustling in the kitchen. He had taken off his jacket and was


    wearing a grey sweater, looking very youthful


    After a while, Russel brought out a pot of cheese fondue that smelled heavenly


    Once he had all the food on the table, he sat down across from me, ¡°Dig in.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your daughter?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°Daughter?¡± Russel looked surprised.


    ¡°Boomer. Don¡¯t you need to go home and feed her dinner?¡± I reminded him.


    Understanding dawned on Russels face, and heughed, ¡°My parents will take care of her. Don¡¯t


    worry.¡±


    I nodded and started eating. The sleet outside had turned into a snow flurry. The howling wind


    contrasted with the warmth inside.


    As I was enjoying the meal, I felt a warmth spread through my body and my spirit lifted, ¡°Can you tell


    me about Karina now? Neil told me he met her through a friend. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true. Russel¡¯s eyes suddenly seemed a bit moist.


    I was close enough to see his long eyshes.


    I was just wondering, which one of our audacious friends would dare set Neil up with a girlfriend? After


    all, he was not the type to fall easily. Back then, had been chasing after him for nearly five years, and


    he didn¡¯t have the hots for me.


    Russel chuckled self¨Cmockingly. ¡°That friend was me.¡±


    The fork in my hand suddenly dropped onto the table. My mind went nk, ¡°You?¡±


    ¡±

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Chapter 107


    Russel surely was one unlucky dude.


    I only knew about his losing battle with Neil in my past life, but I didn¡¯t know that before this


    competition, he¡¯d already nted the seeds of his own tragedy.


    And it all started with Karina


    Karina was also a medical student, a ssmate of Russel¡¯s. At first, Karina was chasing after Russel,


    but Russel wasn¡¯t in the mood for romance at that time, so he never gave Karina any response.


    Then, at a party, Karina met Neil. Maybe to forget about Russel, she started to flirt with Neil, until both


    of them caught feelings and started dating.


    ¡°Russel, why are you so unlucky?¡± I felt genuinely sorry for him after hearing his story.


    ¡°Unlucky, huh?¡± Russel asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it bad enough?¡± I blurted out, ¡°The person who loved you ended up falling for Neil, and the person


    you loved ended up with him too.¡±


    I realized I¡¯d said something I shouldn¡¯t have. How could I tell Russel that Bonnie ended up with Neil?¡±


    This would break his heart!


    But luckily, Russel didn¡¯t seem to react much. Maybe he¡¯d epted the fact that he was always one


    step behind Neil in the game of love.


    ¡°So, you kinda liked Karina back then, didn¡¯t you? But you didn¡¯t fall in love with her. You thought you


    could let her go without a fuss, so you stepped aside for Neil.¡°I analyzed


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right. Russel nodded.


    I thought to myself, no wonder they fought so hard over Bonnieter on.


    Now I basically understand the whole story. My confusion is gone.


    In a few days, I can leave the country without worry, not thinking about theseplicated matters


    anymore.


    ¡°I get it now¡± I took another bite of food, a rxed smile on my face.


    In my past life, Russel never told me about Karina. I guess it was a thorn in his heart. I didn¡¯t know why


    he would tell me now.


    I still thought highly of him. He was a good man with a healthy worldview.


    I hoped after I leave the country, he could let go of the issue with Bonnie, not ending up losing both


    love and money.


    After we finished eating, Russel carefully cleaned the table and kitchen, put the dishes in the


    dishwasher, and even took out the trash.


    It was alreadyte. Russel applied some medicine for me, carried me back to bed, and then prepared


    to go home.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Russel.¡± I stopped him, and sincerely told him, ¡°For some things, don¡¯t be too stubborn. Sometimes


    giving up is also a choice. Especially don¡¯t fight for someone who doesn¡¯t love you. Don¡¯t torture


    yourself over this.¡±


    A good person should have a peaceful life. May God bless him!


    Russel seemed to ponder for a moment, and then finally gave a small smile, ¡°Sure.¡±


    As the sound of the front door closing echoed in the living room, Iy in bed, silently staring at the light


    on the ceiling.


    It¡¯s as if there¡¯s an ocean in my mind, always tiding, never calm.


    But after tonight, that ocean disappeared, reced by a desert. There¡¯s no wind or rain, just quiet and


    still.


    I no longer thought about what Neil was doing, nor did I think about whether Russel could change his


    fate. I just wanted to sleep.


    The next day, my parents picked me up from the apartment.


    After a few days of rest at home, my foot was mostly healed. Harold had also bought me a ne ticket


    to Cdonia.


    The night before I left, Ste, Alicia, Barbara and others came to my house, bringing lots of food and


    drinks to see me off.


    ¡®Rena, don¡¯t worry. We didn¡¯t tell anyone about you leaving. Neil and the others don¡¯t know. Just slip


    away quietly, and surprise him with a divorce when youe back! Ste, already a bit drunk, said


    loudly.


    ¡°Right! You must bring back a foreign hunk, make him regret!¡± Alicia suggested.


    Barbara, like someone who¡¯s seen through love, said, ¡°Don¡¯t date. Just focus on work. Men are not


    reliable.¡±


    I thought what they said made a lot of sense, so I frequently nodded in agreement.


    It wasn¡¯t untilte at night that Ste and the others left.


    When dawn arrived, I only brought my passport and some simple luggage. My father drove to pick up


    Harold and Sarah, and then they all took me to the


    airport


    Except for Ste and the other friends, no one else knew I was leaving today. I¡¯d told them not to see


    me off the night before, to avoid getting too emotional


    ¡°Rena, are you reluctant to leave?¡± Sarah asked me on the ne.


    1 really miss my parents.¡± I really do miss them. After all, they only have me as a daughter.


    ¡°You can keep in touch with them. After some time, you cane back and help them share some of


    the pressure in thepany¡± Sarahforted me.


    That¡¯s what I was thinking too. Since I¡¯m having troubles in love, I might as well work harder in my


    career.


    When the ne took off, the feeling of weightlessness made me feel nauseous


    I quickly took out a vomit bag and started dry heaving


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Sarah asked with concern.


    I dry heaved for a while but didn¡¯t throw up anything, so I put down the vomit bag, patted my chest and


    said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I probably drank a bitst night, so my stomachs feeling a bit off¡±


    Sarah said, ¡°You should drink less in the future. It¡¯s not good for your health¡±


    I obediently nodded.


    When we arrived in Cdonia and got off the ne, I saw my cousin Ondo Finch. He came to pick


    us up today..


    ¡°Renal¡± As soon as Ondo saw me, he ruffled my hair and smiled warmly, ¡°Why did you get so thin,


    like a skeleton?*


    We were close when we were kids, always ying together with our cousin Molly Finch. It was only


    after Harold moved abroad that we didn¡¯t contact


    much


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a job, can¡¯t eat well, and can¡¯t sleep well, so I lost weight. I came here this time to ask you


    to save me.¡± I patted my suitcase, ¡°All my assets are in here.¡±


    Heughed heartily, ¡°Alright, hurry up ande work for me!¡±


    After hopping in, Ondo and I were chit¨Cchatting the whole time. Harold and Sarah were just there, all


    smiles, listening to our conversation. The vibe in the car was super chill. I could really feel how going


    abroad made everything back home seem like miles away.


    I¡¯m living at Harold¡¯s home for now, but Ondo¡¯s gonna help me find a decent residence. I should be


    able to move out soon.


    In the evening, Harold¡¯s whole family got together. My sister¨Cinw and niece were also back. Sarah


    whipped up a feast. We all had a st over dinner,ughing and eating


    There¡¯s no time difference between Cdonia and back home. I checked the time before hitting the


    sack. It was half past ten in the evening.


    On WhatsApp, Ste shot me a message: Good Lord, Bonnie got in a car crash!


    I was shocked and hit her back right away: When did this happen?


    Ste replied: Happened a few days ago. Just found out today, told you as soon as I could. Let me do


    the math!


    After a bit, Ste texted again: It was the day after the beginning of the year!

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108


    I was silent for a bit. On that night. Neil came to find me at the apartment, only to leave after receiving a


    phone call, right?


    Turns out Bonnie had a car ident. That was indeed an emergency No wonder he left in such a


    hurry, and I hadn¡¯t seen him for the next few days.


    But, didn¡¯t Russel know about this? Why didn¡¯t he tell me?


    I guess I was being a bit overconfident of myself, assuming Russel would tell me all the news


    I typed on the screen Now I know. Well, none of this has anything to do with me anymore.


    Ste sent me a thumbs up gif.


    I put down my phone, closed my eyes and told myself that tomorrow morning I was going to report to


    thepany and start working officially. I didn¡¯t need to waste any more time on other stuff


    Exhausted, I fell into a deep sleep. Not until the rm rang did I wake up in a daze.


    I couldn¡¯t bete on the first day of work, so I got up, washed up, and went to thepany with


    Ondo


    I was assigned to the Development Department Ondo told me that everything at the branch was still


    in its early stages, so the expanding department was a very important and training intensive


    department. I would be responsible for developing new sales channels and promotions.


    I had no objections. As a neer to the workce, the most important thing was to be diligent and


    eager to learn. I decided to study hard.


    Three dayster, Ondo arranged a ce for me to live close to thepany. He busied himself


    finding a movingpany. It was not until everything was arranged that he let out a sigh of relief,


    saying, ¡°Finally got you settled. Your dad calls me eight times a day asking if I¡¯m taking good care of


    you. I¡¯m scared to death¡±


    ¡°Thank you! Once I get my sry, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal, I said with a smile, ¡°Bring your wife and


    Barton Finch too.¡±


    Barton is Ondo¡¯s son and my nephew. He is only two years old and very cute


    Ondo nodded in satisfaction, ¡°OK, I think that¡¯s a good idea. You¡¯ve grown up and be more


    sensible.¡±


    I¡¯m only six months younger than you!¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Well, in my eyes, you¡¯re still a child¡± Ondo suddenly sighed, ¡°My son is already two years old, and


    you? You chased Neil for so long, finally married him, and now look at you. Was it worth it?¡±


    My chest tightened, ¡°Don¡¯t mention him. Are you trying to kill me?¡±


    Ondo lightly tapped my shoulder, ¡°I feel it¡¯s not worth it for you! You devoted your entire youth to a


    man who doesn¡¯t love you. Even if you divorce him in the future, you¡¯ve already paid the price for your


    foolish actions!¡±


    I¡¯m definitely going to marry a man who truly loves me in the future, to make up for the youth I missed¡± I


    huffed


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I know many excellent young men. When the timees, I¡¯ll introduce you to a good


    man!¡± Ondo said with a fond smile.


    Ondo and I chatted for a while. Seeing the sky dark, he hurried home for dinner. I didn¡¯t go with him,


    but cooked a pack of instant noodles in my new ce, just to fill my stomach.


    In this estrange country, estrange city, estrange environment, I began to miss home.


    To stave off the loneliness, I initiated a video chat in the group chat.


    I was relieved to see that all three girls epted my video call


    Barbara was lounging on the couch gnawing on chicken wings. She asked me, ¡°Have you adapted to


    your new life yet?¡±


    Alicia had already started working overtime. Her head was buried in a pile of documents, her voice was


    a bit muffled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There are many of ourpatriots in Cdonia¡±


    I said helplessly, ¡°Even whenpatriots meet, they have to speak a foreignnguage¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay You¡¯re not incapable of speaking a foreignnguage.¡± Ste, who was wearing pajamas


    and a face mask, said, ¡°My brother is also going back to thepany in Cdonia¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± I almost jumped up. ¡°You have to stop him!*


    ¡°How do I stop him?¡± Ste took off the face mask,ughing, ¡°His determination really moved me¡±


    Barbara also said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to reject. I think Simmons is pretty good¡±


    Alicia also nodded vigorously


    I sighed


    Suddenly, Ste asked nervously. ¡°If Neil knows about your going abroad, it¡¯s okay, right? After all,


    you¡¯re already gone.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell him?¡± I asked


    ¡°No. I barely have any contact with him. I just identally let it slip to someone else, so the news might


    reach his ears. Ste answered weakly


    At first, I was a bit angry, but then I thought about it and it was okay After all, I knew I couldn¡¯t hide from


    him for long


    So I let it go, ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as they don¡¯t know where I am specifically I don¡¯t believe he can find


    me¡±


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief


    Alicia suddenly looked up from her busy work and asked, ¡°Ste, who did you let it slip to? How could it


    possibly reach Neil¡¯s ears?¡±


    It had to be Russel, Mitch, or Cooper.


    But none of these three were close to Ste


    Steughed and said, ¡°We¡¯re all in the same circle, so anything¡¯s possible!¡±


    ¡°Okay, fair enough.¡± Alicia went back to her work.


    We chatted for a while and ended the video chat, but soon Ste sent me another individual video call


    invite.


    After I epted, she told me gleefully. ¡°Bonnie¡¯s hand might be permanently disabled!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Her left hand¡¯s nerves were severed. The surgery was not sessful. In short, her left hand might be


    weak and not fully controble in the future.¡± Ste said, almostughing out loud.


    In theory, I should think this is God¡¯s retribution for her, but I couldn¡¯tugh.


    Her hand was disabled, so what? This didn¡¯t bring any real benefits to me.


    I asked, ¡°Do you know how she had the car ident?¡±


    ¡°Good question! I do!¡± Ste said, ¡°I heard that her mother arranged a blind date for her. The guy used


    the excuse of delivering gifts to meet her at her home. After Bonnie found out his real intention, she


    was very upset. The moment he left, she got into a heated argument with her parents. She ran out of


    the house and was then hit by a car¡±


    Ada arranged a blind date for Bonnie¡­ She was really something.


    Bonnie was totally head over heels for Neil, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯s going to go for that blind date her


    parents arranged. No matter how pretty she is, she can¡¯t meet a guy like Neil in her everyday life.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She is not a fool. She knows Neil is her only shot.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Chapter 109


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve got a call to take. Enjoy the news!¡± Ste hurriedly said, ending the video chat.


    Enjoy what? Unless she¡¯s about to tell me that Neil has suddenly changed his mind, decided to


    completely ditch Bonnie, or Bonnie has decided to be with Russel


    Feeling bored, fiddling with my phone for a while, I was on the verge of dozing off when my phone


    rang, causing my heart to race.


    The name ¡°Neil¡® shing on the iing call screen gave me a headache


    ¡°Hello?¡± I answered, sounding groggy and tired.


    ¡°Why the sudden trip abroad?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was filled with suppressed anger.


    Who did Ste identally spill the beans to? How did he find out so quickly?


    I paused for a moment, ¡°I wanted to go abroad, so I did. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°You should have at least told me! Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re not divorced yet!¡± Neil¡¯s voice was dripping with


    sarcasm.


    ¡°The reason I¡¯m going abroad is because you¡¯re unwilling to divorce. What are you doing bringing this


    up? Shouldn¡¯t you be taking care of Bonnie? She has hurt her hand and needs care.¡°I retorted, with a


    hint of sarcasm.


    Neil went silent for a moment. Finally, his voice regained its calm, ¡°If you¡¯re doing this to divorce me,


    fine. Draft a divorce agreement and send it over. I¡¯ll sign it.¡±


    I was slightly surprised, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± Neil hung up the call.


    I was still a bit dazed. Neil had promised me once before, but he had been dragging his feet for so


    long. Was he tricking me again this time?


    But, it was worth a shot.


    The next day at work, I printed out the divorce agreement I had kept, signed it, and sent it back home


    as fast as I could.


    After that, I was left waiting anxiously


    Neil didn¡¯t contact me again, and I held back from asking him whether he received it.


    I still chose to leave with nothing. As long as I could be free, I didn¡¯t need a single penny.


    About half a monthter, I received a package from home. Inside the envelope was a single divorce


    certificate.


    I gently picked it up and looked at it. The two¨Cinch color photo on it must¡¯ve been taken right after I


    graduated. I didn¡¯t know where Neil found it, nor how he managed to go through the divorce


    proceedings alone.


    All in all, I got what I wanted. That was enough.


    I informed Ste and her two friends, as well as my parents, about this.


    But I didn¡¯t want them to tell anyone else.


    As for Neil, he could make it public if he wanted, or keep it low¨Ckey like me.


    But no matter how low¨Ckey, he would definitely tell Russel and their gang, as well as his parents and


    Bonnie.


    That¡¯s his business. He¡¯spletely irrelevant to me now.


    ¡°Rena, to celebrate your newfound freedom, we¡¯re nning toe over and give you a chance to


    treat us to a feast!¡± Ste called me happily.


    ¡°You¡¯reing over?¡± I was very surprised.


    ¡°Yes! We¡¯re already at the airport. It¡¯s just that Ali is too busy and can¡¯te.¡± Ste sounded slightly


    disappointed, and then added, ¡°You better book a nice restaurant, we¡¯reing for you!¡±


    With that, she hung up.


    I had only been here for less than a month, and they were alreadying to see me. I was both


    surprised and delighted. I immediately booked a restaurant, looking forward to dining with them.


    Fortunately, it was Saturday I worked half a day in the morning, and had the afternoon off until


    tomorrow, so I could spend time with them.


    I drove to a store, nning to buy a nket on the spot. The residence I was staying had two


    bedrooms, but the guest room was not set up.


    I couldn¡¯t let Ste and Barbara sleep on the floor.


    Before buying a bedding set, I went to the supermarket and bought some daily necessities and snacks.


    My good mood was instantly ruined when I heard Bonnie¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Irene?¡± Bonnie was wearing a white sweater and ck jeans, her hair tied up at the back, looking


    quite gentle. Malinda was by her side, pushing a shopping cart filled with things like toothbrushes,


    toothpaste, facial cleanser, etc. The most eye catching were several boxes of men¡¯s underwear.


    I pulled my look away, looking coldly at Bonnie, ¡°What a coincidence. What are you doing here?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t Rosemont, it was abroad. The chance of running into her should be quite small.


    1¡­ came here to study¡± Bonnie looked a bitplicated. She asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working here.¡± I didn¡¯t want to talk to Bonnie anymore, ¡°1 should go¡±


    Ignoring Bonnie¡¯s suddenly pale face, I pushed my cart to checkout. I could guess that she came here


    to study with Neil¡¯s help, otherwise it would be difficult for Bonnie to get admitted Living abroad would


    also be a huge expense, which her family couldn¡¯t afford.


    Did Neil alsoe? Were those boxes of underwear for him?


    While I was lining up to pay. I sighed at their finally normal couple life.


    I suppose Bonnie told her parents that Neil and I had divorced. Since she nearly died in a car ident,


    Ada and Dean Tueley had no choice but to give in. After leaving the supermarket, I went to the bedding


    store to pick up my bedding set, made the guest bed at home, and then drove to the airport to wait. for


    Ste and the others.


    ¡°Rena!¡±


    Ste¡¯s figure appeared, her loud voice felt familiar.


    She was wearing a ck fur coat and blue skinny jeans, still as sexy as ever.


    Barbara, on the other hand, was carrying a cream¨Ccolored Birkin cargo, dragging a Horizon suitcase,


    and warmly greeted me..


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Barbara, your lifestyle has really upgraded since you broke up with Norman Frost!¡± I teased Barbara.


    *1 feel like I¡¯m experiencing a second spring in life. Aren¡¯t you the same?¡± Barbara said, after putting


    her suitcase in the trunk and getting into the passenger seat. Ste sat in the back.


    As I drove to the restaurant, Iughed, ¡°You have a second spring? I thought you said you¡¯d never date


    or get married again?¡±


    Barbara giggled, ¡°Yes, I did say that, but life is always full of surprises.¡±


    Life really is full of curveballs. I had gone abroad and still managed to bump into Bonnie. I was here for


    work, and she was here to study.


    Could it be that I was her destined one?


    I told Ste and Barbara about running into her at the supermarket just now. Ste nearly jumped out of


    her seat, ¡°What? Is she a ghost or something? Why is she always following you?¡±

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Chapter 110


    ¡°Neil should be here too, I mentioned again.


    Ste was so furious her face turned red ¡°Absolutely¡°¡± she snapped ¡°After your divorce with Neil, she


    was afraid of being gossiped about back home, so she chose to study abroad. This way, she could not


    only study but also avoid all the chit¨Cchat.¡±


    ¡°Neil even came with her. That¡¯s true love, Barbara sighed.


    It¡¯s rare that he, being so busy, could squeeze out time to apany Bonnie overseas for her studies.


    Ste sneered, ¡°There are so many countries in the world, why did she have to choose here? Did she


    hire someone to track you down, found out you¡¯re in Cdonia, and purposefully came here to make


    you ufortable?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t think Bonnie has the capability to do that.


    Although Cdonia wasn¡¯t big, finding my exact location wasn¡¯t easy.


    If you ask me whether Neil could have found out my location, I could believe that. But he¡¯s already


    divorced me, why would he still track me?


    While talking, we arrived at the restaurant


    Seeing Ste still angry, I quicklyforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t get worked¨Cup. Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    Ste nodded in agreement, but after a few bites, she put down her fork. She kept looking at her phone


    and typing fast.


    After a while, she told me angrily. ¡°Turns out it was Neil who suggested Bonniee here for studies!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I was enjoying my meal, but after hearing her words, I was puzzled, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°How would I know?¡± Ste¡¯s eyes were shing with anger, ¡°Bonnie initially wanted to go to another


    country for studies, but under Neil¡¯s influence, she chose here. Is Neil doing this on purpose to piss you


    off?¡±


    Neil may have a bad temper, but he wouldn¡¯t do something so low. At least he wouldn¡¯t let Bonnie


    suffer.


    But I suddenly understood why Bonnie looked surprised when she heard I was working here at the


    supermarket.


    She must have thought that Neil let her study here because of me.


    ¡°Ste, where did you hear this from?¡± Barbara asked curiously.


    ¡­A friend! I have lots of friends, you know that, right? Ste stuttered.


    She indeed has the most friends among us. She met a lot of people at the bar.


    I put a piece of chicken on her te, ¡°Our spy has worked hard. Eat more.¡±


    Ste put the chicken in her mouth, but spit it out the next second, and then made a ¡°ugh¡± sound.


    Barbara and I exchanged nces: Is it that bad?


    ¡°Why is the food here so weird?¡± Ste wiped her mouth with a napkin, frowning.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite tasty Do you have a stomach problem?¡± I asked.


    Ste pressed her stomach, ¡°Seems like it. Recently, I feel all food tastes nd and I even don¡¯t want


    to drink. Now I only like sour and sweet fruits.¡±


    Barbara¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Oh my god, Ste, are you pregnant? This sounds like my previous


    pregnancy symptoms!¡±


    I was also shocked, looking at Ste with disbelief, ¡°Did your periode on time this month?¡±


    Unlike me who is fragile, Ste has a strong body. Even if she drank a lot, her period was still more


    punctual than her credit card bill.


    Ste looked very guilty. ¡°No way? I didn¡¯t sleep with anyone, just drank with them¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I was skeptical


    ¡°¡­Only one guy!¡± Ste suddenly seemed to make up her mind, her voice raised, ¡°If I¡¯m really


    pregnant, the child can only be of his. If he doesn¡¯t take responsibility. I¡¯ll make him regret it!¡±


    Barbara and I were shocked, ¡°What?¡±


    Does she want to marry that man?


    But this thought doesn¡¯t seem to fit Ste¡¯s personality.


    Before we could react, Ste started a video call. When I saw the man on her screen, I suddenly


    understood why she knew so much about Neil and Bonnie recently


    It was Mitch, that ¡®mole¡°, who told her¡­


    ¡°I might be pregnant! What are you gonna do about it?¡± Ste dropped a bomb right off the bat.


    Mitch fell into a profound silence


    I leaned in to look. His innocent face was filled with shock, confusion, and foolishness.


    ¡°Did


    you test?¡± He managed to ask after a long while.


    ¡°My period is more precise than your house clock! It¡¯s been almost two months and I haven¡¯t had it. I


    also have poor appetite and feel nauseous. If I¡¯m not pregnant, am I dying?¡± Ste showed her


    toughness, ¡°You go tell your parents. If they dare to look down on me for being promiscuous, I¡¯ll print


    out your records of going to a hotel and give one to each of your family members!¡±


    After saying that, Ste hung up the video call without waiting for Mitch¡¯s reply


    At that moment, I could feel she was also very panicked and scared inside


    Mitch is a yboy and is two to three years younger than her. What if he doesn¡¯t take responsibility?


    The child is in the woman¡¯s belly after all. Whether giving birth or having an abortion, both are harmful


    to a woman¡¯s body.


    Even though Ste is very open¨Cminded, she would be scared about this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can buy a pregnancy testter, or go to the hospital for a check. ¡°I patted Ste¡¯s


    back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried. If he doesn¡¯t take responsibility, I¡¯ll make him regret it! Ste gritted her teeth.


    Barbara understood her feelings the most. She quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Even if he¡¯s dead, we¡¯ll help


    you take care of the child!¡±


    Mitch was ¡°sentenced to death by us just like that.


    We didn¡¯t have the appetite to continue eating. I drove Ste and Barbara home and bought a few


    pregnancy tests on the way. As soon as we got home, I let Ste go to the bathroom to test


    Three minutester, she came out and showed us the pregnancy test. The two lines were very clear.


    ¡°Maybe we can test it again tomorrow morning. They say morning urine gives the most urate


    results.¡± Barbara suggested, not knowing what Ste was feeling.


    ¡°True. Pregnancy tests aren¡¯t always reliable,¡± I said.


    Ste let out a sigh, grabbed her phone, and snapped a picture of the pregnancy test, then shot it over


    to Mitch.


    To my surprise, she even sted the picture to her folks and the group chat with Iva and Simmons.


    ¡°Can¡¯t hide this kind of big news. Worstes to worst, I¡¯ll just live at your ce for a few more days


    until they cool off, Ste said, as fearless as ever


    I kept quiet, just pulled out my phone to look up what a pregnant woman should eat, drink, and how to


    better make sure of fetal development.


    She¡¯d missed her period for two months but only just found out she was pregnant today. That really left


    me shook.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Chapter 111


    Ste and Barbara¡¯s two¨Cday trip suddenly got extended out of the blue.


    Apart from work, I was fussing over recipes with Baibara every day, trying to figure out how to get


    enough nutrition into Ste¡¯s kid.


    Iva seemed to be in a hot mess too. They kept ringing up Ste, asking who the father of the kid was,


    but she wouldn¡¯t spill the beans until Mitch would


    own up.


    I was ying secret keeper for her too. I kept silence even when Simmons tried to squeeze it out of


    me.


    ¡°I suddenly crave for some chicken stew¡± Ste blurted out, rubbing her belly.


    Barbara was in the kitchen, stewing beef. She popped out and asked, ¡°Beef won¡¯t do?¡±


    Td prefer chicken.¡± Stey on the sofa like a limp noodle.


    Lately, her morning sickness had been getting worse and her food tastes were all over the ce.


    Sometimes she couldn¡¯t stomach anything, other times she had to have a certain dish.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I grabbed my car keys, I¡¯ll go get you some chicken stew¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver! Thanks!¡± Ste¡¯s eyes lit up instantly


    It was drizzling outside. Without a second thought, I drove to the restaurant where we had eatenst


    time. Their chicken stew was the topic of the town.


    It was dinner rush, so the ce was packed. I ordered some chicken stew and a few other dishes to


    go, then took seat near the door to wait.


    When Neil walked in, I was engrossed in my phone. I nced up at the sound of the door, and froze.


    He wore a greyish white suit with a ck sweater underneath. The tailor¨Cmade suit ttered his


    physique, entuating his perfect lines and proportions. His gentlemanly charm was off the charts,


    with a few strands of hair falling over his expressive features, making him super handsome.


    His entrance caused a few gasps from the girls in the restaurant.


    Good¨Clooking people always steal the limelight, no matter where they are.


    Neil noticed me too. Surprise flickered in his eyes, and then he masked it.


    A waitress was already attending to him. Neil ordered two servings of chicken stew and some desserts


    popr Cdonia, also to¨Cgo.


    Bonnie craves chicken stew too? I wondered, but kept my cool and went back to my phone.


    Neil and I were divorced His business was none of mine.


    But for some reason, Neil came over and sat next to me.


    I felt uneasy and wanted to change my seat, but I didn¡¯t want to look like a wuss.


    If he could act cool, why couldn¡¯t I?


    ¡°Is Ste with you?¡± Neil broke the ice.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± I retorted, coldly


    Neil seemed to chuckle, ¡°She¡¯s none of my business. The kid in her belly isn¡¯t mine.¡±


    I looked him in the eye, thinking, then why the hell are you asking?


    Neil nced at his watch, then he asked, ¡°Can Ste see me?¡±


    ¡°Why would she want to see you? You guys hardly know each other.¡± I teased, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid


    Bonnie will be jealousy?¡±


    Neil stiffened at the mention of Bonnie, but quickly regained hisposure.


    He exined, ¡°Mitch asked me to find Ste. He flew over this afternoon, should havended by now.¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°What¡¯s Mitch doing here? Is he here to negotiate with Ste? Such a deadbeat!


    Neil looked a bit off, ¡°How is he a deadbeat?¡±


    ¡°Ste¡¯s pregnant and Mitch is her child¡¯s father. None of you guys, except Russel, are worth a damn.


    Honestly, I worry about how long you can stay faithful to Bonnie pnce the honeymoon phase is over.¡± I


    confessed.


    This thought had crossed my mind before. In my past life, I died young and didn¡¯t get to see what


    married life was like for Neil and Bonnie. He might get bored of her in a few years.


    My words turned Neil¡¯s face frosty


    ¡°In your eyes, is Russel that special?¡± His tone was icy


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it special enough that he doesn¡¯t fall into the yboy type like you guys?¡± I was puzzled. This is


    an obvious fact, but Neil still had to ask me.


    Neil scoffed, giving me the cold shoulder, and then he looked away.


    Soon, my order was packed and ready. I grabbed the takeout and left, about to drive back home when I


    noticed Neil¡¯s car tailing me.


    I had to stop. Neil did too.


    ¡°Why are you tailing me?¡± I was getting annoyed, ¡°Turned into a stalker now, have you?¡±


    ¡°We just happen to be going the same way¡± Neil sat in his car, looking at me sideways.


    ¡°You and Bonnie live near my ce?¡± I asked, annoyed.


    Neil furrowed his brow, ¡°I don¡¯t live with her.¡±


    I was surprised, ¡°You don¡¯t live together? Then what are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you help her study


    abroad?¡±


    Neil replied nonchntly, ¡°I did help her, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to live with her. Is there a


    problem?¡±


    ¡°No problem. We¡¯re divorced so I won¡¯t meddle in your affairs. If you want to fund her studies, live with


    her, even marry her, it¡¯s none of my business. I was suddenly feeling agitated. With that, I got back in


    my car and drove off.


    Near a crossroad close to home, Neil¡¯s car finally turned a different way I breathed a sigh of relief.


    I got home and ced the takeout on the table. Ste was already drawn by the smell of the stew. She


    kept sniffing it, but would throw up as soon as she had a bite.


    Barbara wasforting her, ¡°Poor Ste.¡±


    I was about to share my encounter with Neil when we heard a noise from the balcony. I turned to see a


    drone flying in with a stic bag attached underneath.


    What the hell? I jumped out of my skin..


    Barbara and Ste were also stunned. Then we heard Mitch¡¯s voiceing from the drone, ¡°Ste,


    check the balcony!¡±


    When Ste heard her name, she was both pissed and amused, standing up ready to take down the


    drone barehanded. I stopped her and then took off the bag that was on it. Sure enough, it contained


    two servings of stewed chicken.


    Could it be the two servings that Neil just bought?


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ste, did you tell Mitch you wanted to eat stewed chicken?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ste was already fuming, ¡°but I really didn¡¯t expect that he would actually send me two


    servings! Just because I¡¯m pregnant, does he think I eat like two people now?¡±


    Not to mention her surprise, Barbara and I were also taken aback. Who¡¯d have thought this yboy


    Mitch wouldn¡¯t know about romance.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Chapter 112


    Ste bolted onto the balcony with two boxes of stewed chicken in her hands, ready to give Mitch a


    piece of her mind. But then, something in the sky caught her eye


    Barbara and I followed her out, and when we looked up, we saw a ton of drones in the night sky Each


    one was carrying a dazzling red rose, with lights twinkling above The drones were arranged into a neat


    heart shape


    People from the nearby buildings were poking their heads out to catch this spectacle


    I live on the third floor, se I could see themunity garden from my balcony Tugging on Ste¡¯s


    sleeve, I asked, ¡°That¡¯s Mitch, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ste leaned over the railing to look down Sure enough, there was Mitch, holding a big bouquet of


    flowers and wearing a suit, looking up at her.


    ¡°Ste, marry me! The moment Mitch set his eyes on Ste, he immediately dropped to one knee.


    Off in the distance, the figures of Neil, Russel, and Cooper were just visible in the shadows of the


    greenery. True friends, all of them were here to bear witness to this proposal


    Ste had been on edge these past few days, worried sick about what she would do if Mitch didn¡¯t want


    to marry her.


    But Mitch¡¯s move was a real game¨Cchanger. He had literally flown here to propose to her.


    Ste covered her mouth, her eyes welling up with tears, and then quickly ran downstairs. Barbara and


    I hurried to catch up


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m sorry. This proposal was a spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment decision. I¡¯m not familiar with this ce, so


    I couldn¡¯t give you a grander engagement ceremony. But I promise, if you agree to marry me, I¡¯ll make


    it up to you with the perfect wedding once we¡¯re back home¡± Mitch was still on his single knee, and he


    looked really sincere.


    I thought Ste would give Mitch a hard time, but she justughed, grabbed the ring box from his hand,


    and slipped the ring on her finger.


    Looking at the huge diamond sparkling on her finger, Mitch was grinning like a goof.


    ¡°Alright. What did your parents say?¡± Ste asked.


    Mitch patted his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re thrilled. They said they¡¯d rather I marry you than waste my


    time with women who aren¡¯t right for me. It is because you can keep me in line!¡±


    He seemed pretty proud of that.


    I had to chuckle. Their sweet love story was both touching and enviable. I¡¯d never been wooed that


    boldly before. My own wedding didn¡¯t even have a proposal ceremony.


    I nced at Neil, feeling a touch of inexplicable loss. It seemed like he¡¯d never given me what I wanted.


    And now, as he watched his friend propose, what was he thinking?


    Was he regretting not proposing to me, or plotting how to make his proposal to Bonnie even better?


    Probably thetter. I pushed down the pang of regret and took out my phone to snap a picture of Ste


    and Mitch hugging.


    After the drones flew away, Mitch went upstairs with Ste. Neil and the others naturally followed.


    Suddenly, my cozy little two¨Cbedroom t was packed


    to the brim.


    ¡°Make yourselves at home!¡± As the host, I put aside past grudges and weed everyone warmly


    Neil and Russel settled on the couch, while Cooper took a chair across from Ste and Mitch, who


    were holding hands.


    I got everyone coffee and went to the kitchen to grab some desserts.


    At some point, Russel had followed me into the kitchen. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were leaving the


    country?¡± he asked suddenly.


    I quickly turned off the faucet and turned to face Russel.


    His eyes held both confusion and a hint of sadness. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I find goodbyes too emotional. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell you,¡± I said, feeling a bit guilty.


    Russel had been so kind to me, helping me so much, and I had kept even my departure a secret from


    him. I hadn¡¯t responded to any of his messages or calls recently


    ¡°Do you know how many times I went to your apartment looking for you? You didn¡¯t answer any of my


    messages or calls. Were you deliberately avoiding me? Russel seemed angry


    I was a bit puzzled, ¡°But why would you want to find me? You have more important things to attend to.¡±


    Russel asked, ¡°What things?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Bonnie is studying abroad? She¡¯s here too. I¡¯ve run into her. I think Neil came with


    her,¡± I reminded Russel, ¡°You can¡¯tpete with Ned like this.¡±


    Russel was about to reply when Neil¡¯s cold voice interrupted us. ¡°Compete with me for what?¡±


    My kitchen isn¡¯t big. With both of these tall men crammed in here, it felt like the air had stopped moving.


    ¡°Nothing I don¡¯t have many desserts, so you¡¯ll have topete for them, I said, holding up a tray of


    cookies and cakes for Neil to see


    Russel gave me a long look, ¡°Alright, got it¡±


    Then he sidestepped Neil and went back to sit in the living room.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the living room,¡± I said to Neil, keeping my voice casual


    1/2


    10.75


    In the living room, Ste and Mitch had decided to fly home by the earliest flight tomorrow morning and


    start nning their wedding


    As I munched on a chocte cookie, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight of Ste, radiant with


    happiness. The most flirtatious girl I knew was pregnant and about to marry a man equally flirtatious


    Who would have guessed that out of all our friends, they¡¯d be the first to find their happily ever after?


    Cooper, seeing his good friend about to get married, looked a bit emotional. He suggested. To


    celebrate Mitch¡¯s sessful proposal, let¡¯s all go out for dinner!¡±


    ¡°Great! My treat Russel and Cooper came here with me and haven¡¯t had dinner yet, Mitch seemed to


    have grown up all of a sudden, ¡°and Nel too. I dumped all the proposal nning on youst minute. I


    owe you big time for helping me out!¡±


    Ste gave me a hesitant look.


    We¡¯d been friends for many years. I knew what she was thinking.


    Neil knew how to woo a woman with romance, but he¡¯d never given me that kind of experience. It felt a


    bit unfair.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go Mitch said, pulling Ste to her feet.


    No one else objected. I wasn¡¯t thrilled about the idea, but it was my best friend¡¯s engagement day. I


    couldn¡¯t refuse to go.


    Once Ste and Mitch tie the knot, there would be more hangouts with Neil. Guess I should just suck it


    up and get used to it.


    We all split into two cars. I drove one, with Barbara, Cooper, and Russel in tow


    Neil took the other, chauffeuring Ste and Mitch.


    Upon reaching a swanky five¨Cstar hotel, Mitch booked the biggest private room. Once we were all


    seated, Mitch ordered a feast.


    As we were waiting for the food toe in, we were just shooting the breeze. All of a sudden, Neil¡¯s


    phone started buzzing. I threw him a nce.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there to pick you up.¡°I didn¡¯t catch what was said on the other end, but I saw Neil


    get up and hustle out.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113


    After Neil left, Russel and the others gave me a look.


    If the call Neil got was from Bonnie, it meant his ex¨Cwife and current girlfriend would have to share a


    meal.


    Ste couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She got up abruptly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not eating!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay ¡°I was worried that Ste¡¯s agitation might affect her baby.


    Mitch quickly patted her belly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby! Your mom¡¯s just a little pissed off!¡±


    Steshed out at Mitch, ¡°Just the thought that you¡¯re friends with Neil makes me not want to marry


    you!¡±


    Mitch didn¡¯t say anything, holding his head


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re pregnant. Don¡¯t get upset.¡± I reminded Ste again.


    Just when the atmosphere was awkward, the door to the box opened again.


    Neil walked in with a man. They wereughing and their rtionship seemed good.


    But I didn¡¯t know the man.


    ¡°Louis Aldridge?¡® Russel recognized the man, sounding a little surprised.


    ¡°Russel, long time no see! Louis, who was about Neil¡¯s age and looked quite refined, greeted Russel


    with a smile.


    Once Neil and Louis sat back down, I cast them a few nces. I had assumed Neil was going to pick


    up Bonnie, but instead he brought back a man.


    Louis took the seat across from me. I faintly felt like I had seen him somewhere before. After some


    thought, I remembered that I had seen him in Neil¡¯s photo album.


    Neil¡¯s album recorded some key moments from his childhood till now. There was a photo of him,


    Russel, and another boy of the same age.


    It was their high school graduation photo. The face of the boy I didn¡¯t recognize in the photo looked


    very simr to Louis in front of me.


    I hadn¡¯t met Louis in my previous life, and I hadn¡¯t noticed him in the photos either.


    ¡°Louis!¡± Mitch and Cooper also recognized Louis.


    Louis greeted them with a smile. Finally, his gaze fell on me, ¡°Is this Mrs. Whitmore?¡±


    I was surprised and looked at Neil, signaling him to exin.


    How did Louis know I was Neil¡¯s ex¨Cwife?


    ¡°We¡¯re divorced.¡± Neil exined calmly


    The atmosphere instantly became awkward.


    Louis was startled, and then he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I shook my head.


    Russel nced at me, then at Neil, and then lowered his head, seemingly in deep thought.


    The dinner was lively enough. Louis¡® arrival put Neil and the other men in a good mood. From their


    conversation, I learned that Louis, Neil, and Russel grew up together, but Louis was different. He was


    the son of the Whitmore family¡¯s driver.


    Although Louis¡® social standing was different from Neil¡¯s, he was very talkative, polite, and well¨C


    dressed. It seemed like he was doing well in life now. After graduating from high school, Neil and


    Russel continued to study at university in the country, while Louis was admitted to a school abroad.


    This had kept them apart for many years.


    ¡°How¡¯s your father?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°He¡­¡± Louis gave a bitter smile, ¡°He passed awayst year from cancer.¡±


    Neil and Russel exchanged a look. Both of their faces looked a little heavy


    I ate my food silently, listening to their conversation.


    Russel also spoke up, ¡°My condolences. Why didn¡¯t you tell us? We should have been there for your


    father¡¯s funeral.¡±


    Louis replied. ¡°What¡¯s done is done, no point in bothering too many people.¡±


    His words made sense I appreciated Louis¡® perspective.


    I forked a piece of fish and put it in my mouth. Suddenly, I smelled a very strange odor. A strong


    difort in my stomach made me feel like throwing


    up


    The piece of fish felt like it was stuck in my throat.


    I got up and rushed to the bathroom.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± I threw up everything I¡¯d eaten.


    My throat felt a bit sore, probably because of the stomach acid.


    After a while, I washed my hands and wiped my face. Looking in the mirror, I was filled with doubts.


    Did I have a stomach disease, or¡­?


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    asn¡¯t hke Ste. My periods weren¡¯t regr, so I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it when I didn¡¯t get my


    period for two months


    Could I be pregnant?


    The thought startled me Ned and I had only been intimate a few times. The most recent time was after I


    was discharged from the hospital after being kidnapped by Norman


    The next moming. I rushed to the hospital for a checkup because I wasn¡¯t feeling well, so I forgot to


    take my birth control pill


    Surely couldn¡¯t get pregnant from one time?


    What¡¯s more, Ive been taking a lot of medication over the past two months, including cold medicine,


    painkillers, and stomach medicine


    Rena what¡¯s wrong¡± Barbara came to the bathroom to fad me Seeing me standing in front of the sink in


    a daze, she was worried


    tcame back to my senses, shaking my head nervously, ¡°Nothing 1 just ate too much, so my stomach¡¯s


    a bit upset.¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s almost done eating and is nning to find a ce to rest. Ste said she wants to go back


    to your ce with us. Mitch will pick her up and take her to the airport tomorrow morning¡± Barbara said.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go regained myposure after washing my hands


    Barbara and I went to the hotels parking lot. I was driving. Ste sat in the passenger seat, and


    Barbara sat in the back.


    Neil probably had a residence here, rather than staying in a hotel. He told Russel and Cooper, ¡°You


    guys can stay at my ce.¡±


    Ts is that okay¡± Cooper asked.


    Everyone thought Bonnie was living with Neil


    ¡°What¡¯s not okay? Louis, youe too. We can have drinks and chat.¡± Neil said to Louis.


    ¡°No problem¡± Louis was more than happy to


    I powered up the car window and left before them. When I got home, Barbara packed up a bit, and


    then we each went to bed after washing up.


    But I couldn¡¯t sleep.


    After tossing and turning for a while, I got up, found the remaining pregnancy test stick that Ste had


    left behind, and went to the bathroom to test myself.


    I took a deep breath, let my pee touch one end of the pregnancy test, and then stared intensely at the


    little window disying the results.


    A line appeared real quick


    My heart raced, I was freaking out, eyes still glued to the stick.


    Ten secondster, a barely visible red line gradually surfaced, getting more and more apparent.


    I held the stick in my hand, crouched in the bathroom, and was literally gobsmacked for quite a while.


    Holy moly, I¡¯m pregnant!


    But I just got divorced with Neil¡­ What am I supposed to do now?


    ¡°Rena, are you in the bathroom? I gotta use it!¡± At that moment, Ste¡¯s voice echoed from outside the


    door. Panicked, I quickly wrapped the pregnancy stick in toilet paper, lifted the lid of the trash can and


    dumped it in.

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    Chapter 114


    When I opened the door, Ste was looking at me, ¡°Is your stomach bothering you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Probably ate too muchst night¡± I replied in my pajamas, Tim going to go to my room and


    sleep¡±


    Then I hurried back to my room, stripped off my pajamas, and crawled under the covers.


    I didn¡¯t turn off the lights, just stared nkly at the window.


    What should I do next?


    If I told Neil that I was pregnant, our rtionship might descend into chaos again. Especially his


    parents. They¡¯re so eager for a grandchild, they¡¯d definitelye looking for me once they found out.


    But if I didn¡¯t tell Neil, what was I supposed to do with this baby? Should I give birth alone, be a single


    mother, or should I go to the hospital¡­.


    1 never knew maternal love coulde so swiftly. The moment I knew I had a baby in my belly, I


    almost immediately felt like a mother.


    The thought of getting an abortion in the hospital made my heart ache.


    Lost in thought, I fell asleep. The next day, I had to go to work, so I didn¡¯t see Ste and Barbara off to


    the airport or wake them up.


    After working for a bit, I got a message from Barbara: Rena, we¡¯re heading back. Make sure youe


    back for Ste¡¯s wedding once the date¡¯s set!


    I immediately replied. Absolutely! Have a safe trip.


    With Ste and Barbara gone, I felt a pang of sadness I couldn¡¯t exin. Even with Harold¡¯s family


    around, I couldn¡¯t shake off the mncholy, I even felt like crying.


    The emotion suddenly became uncontroble. I had to go to the bathroom and cry. As I was letting out


    my emotions in the bathroom, Neil called.


    I rejected the call.


    He stubbornly kept calling. By the fifth ring, I sniffled, picked up the phone, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    I¡¯m back Neil said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I replied briefly, trying not to let him notice anything off in my voice.


    ¡°Goodbye¡± He paused, speaking just as briefly.


    I promptly hung up, then wiped my tears with a tissue. I thought, Neil must¡¯ve wanted to say something


    to me, but didn¡¯t know how to start, so he ended up saying nothing.


    With Bonnie settled here, he could go back. There were too many things to handle at thepany, he


    couldn¡¯t stay here indefinitely.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After leaving the bathroom, I calmly went back to work.


    Three dayster, Ste called to tell me her wedding date was set for early next month.


    I did the math. That¡¯s only a week from today.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t want to rush either. Didn¡¯t have enough time to properly choose a venue or a wedding dress.


    I had my eyes on this dress, thought I¡¯d definitely wear it for my wedding. But when I asked, I found out


    it was handmade and needed to be ordered half a year in advance. By then, my belly would be too big,


    how will I wear it?. So irritating¡± Steined, but there was happiness in her voice.


    ¡°Did you find a good one now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I found a ready¨Cmade wedding dress. Cost a pretty penny! Haha, I¡¯m not saving him any money¡±


    Steughed, ¡°Anyway, he said he¡¯d listen to me.¡±


    I sighed, ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought, Barbara broke up, I got divorced, Alicia¡¯s still single, but you¡¯re getting


    married and having a baby.¡±


    Ste was even a bit impressed with herself, ¡°Guess it was a bold gamble!¡±


    I¡¯d gambled too, but I lost. So did Barbara.


    Ste was different from us. She and Mitch were a match in family background and emotional


    experiences. Most importantly, they loved each other.


    We chatted for a long time before hanging up.


    I saw that it was already dark outside, so I cooked some pasta, just to have something to eat.


    I¡¯ve had a good appetite these past few days, but I can¡¯t eat seafood, it just made me want to throw up.


    Other than that, I felt the same as before.


    Since I¡¯ll be going back home for Ste¡¯s wedding in a week, I need to n my work ahead of time and


    ask for leave.


    After I told Ondo about this, he said, ¡°There happens to be apany we¡¯re partnering with in our


    home country. In a week, we need to send someone to negotiate with them. If it goes well, we¡¯ll sign


    the contract right away. Why don¡¯t you give it a shot?¡±


    ¡°Me alone?¡± I was a bit surprised.


    ¡°And your colleagues, of course. I¡¯ll send Linda with you. She came over from the headquarters with


    me, she¡¯s very capable¡± Ondo replied


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my best toplete the task!¡± I didn¡¯t hesitate. This was a great opportunity to exercise.


    Plus, it would be at home. If I really can¡¯t handle the task, I can always ask my parents for help.


    Since Ste really wanted me as her bridesmaid, I needed to go back two days early to try on the


    bridesmaid dress.


    I was initially against it. How could a divorced woman be a bridesmaid?


    But Ste told me, Neil hadn¡¯t announced the divorce publicly Besides a few close friends, no one else


    knew.


    But it still feels off!¡± Even as I was trying on the bridesmaid dress, I felt something was not right.


    I was mainly worried about Ste being ridiculed.


    ¡°Leave them alone! It¡¯s my wedding, will be in charge!¡± Ste didn¡¯t care, ¡°If anyone says anything


    about you, I¡¯ll p them!¡±


    Barbara and Alicia also told me not to overthink it. They took me to the mirror. The blue bridesmaid


    dress was gorgeous, simple yet elegant, and of high quality.


    The next day was Ste¡¯s wedding She was busy, so Barbara, Alicia and I tried our best to lighten her


    load.


    Her wedding with Mitch was obviously attended by many important figures. The venue was a manor in


    Rosemont Ste originally wanted to find a luxurious castle abroad, but her physical condition didn¡¯t


    allow for long travels.


    After the wedding ceremony. I was feeling tired and really wanted to sleep.


    After taking pictures with her, I sneaked into a room to rest. But as soon as I opened the door, I was hit


    by a wave of smoke. It choked me and I coughed


    several times.


    ¡°Neil?¡± I was surprised to see him standing by the window. What was he doing here?


    Neil was also surprised to see me here, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with Ste?¡±


    I covered my mouth and nose. His smoke was making my stomach churn. I didn¡¯t dare to speak, just


    frowned.


    After a few seconds of endurance, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I saw a bathroom in the room and without


    thinking. I bolted for it and started throwing up.


    Because I was in such a hurry, I didn¡¯t lock the bathroom door. Neil pushed the door open. Watching


    me puke, he frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Stomachache?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Wiping my mouth casually, I responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, skipped breakfast too. I


    ate too much in one go just now, so my stomach


    can¡¯t take it.¡±


    Right after I finished talking, I felt nauseous again and couldn¡¯t help but throw up one more time. I felt


    weak all over.

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    Chapter 115


    Just as I was barfing my guts out, feeling my stomach cramp up. I felt a soft pat on my back.


    Trying to fight off the difort, I turned around. Neil¡¯s face was serious, his eyes filled with worry.


    ¡°Feeling better? Let me take you to the hospital¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°No need. Just a bit of a stomach bug. I¡¯ll get some medster¡± I waved him off.


    If I went to the hospital, they¡¯d definitely find out about my pregnancy And if Neil found out, that would


    be a problem.


    Back in Cdonia, I had snuck off to the hospital for a check¨Cup. I was indeed two months pregnant.


    The doctor said there was no way to tell if the drugs I¡¯d been taking these past two months had affected


    the baby.


    I was hesitating I hadn¡¯t decided what to do with the baby.


    ¡°If you have stomach issues, you should get a thorough check¨Cup and then take medication seriously¡±


    Neil, seeing me getting up, grabbed my hand, trying to lead me away.


    I¡¯ve already seen a doctor!¡± I pulled my hand away, saying tiredly, ¡°I just came to this room to get some


    rest. I want to take a nap.¡±


    The room seemed to be a rest area. There was a small sofa bed in the middle. I went over,id down,


    and closed my eyes.


    Maybe it was the pregnancy, but I¡¯d been sleeping a lottely. Even though I knew Neil was right there,


    I was too exhausted to care. I soon drifted off.


    I had no idea how long I slept. When I woke up, it was already dark outside. There was just a dim light


    on in the room.


    ¡°You awake?¡± Neil was still there. He was sitting on a chair, watching me.


    ¡°What time is it? The wedding¡¯s over, right?¡± I jumped. Didn¡¯t Ste and her crewe looking for me?


    Neil nced at his watch, ¡°It¡¯s half past nine.¡±


    I sat up, surprised I had slept from afternoon to night?!


    Neil added, ¡°Ste came looking for you. I told her to go ahead. I¡¯ll take you backter.¡±


    ¡°Why did I sleep so long.¡°I rubbed my forehead


    ¡°Been too tiredtely?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°Maybe. But you didn¡¯t have to stick around.¡± I said casually, ¡°It could lead to misunderstandings.¡±


    Under the dim light, Neil¡¯s eyes looked hazy. I couldn¡¯t make out his expression, but I heard him ask,


    ¡°Would you rather have Russel with you?¡±


    He seemed to have some beef with Russel I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of me or Bonnie.


    I didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Linda was waiting for me at the hotel. We had to leave early tomorrow for


    another city where our potential partners were


    These past few days, besides going home once, I¡¯d been busy with Ste¡¯s wedding. I hadn¡¯t started


    on my work yet. Luckily, we still had plenty of time. I just needed to go over there in the morning.


    ¡°I should get going ¡°I opened the door and left.


    Once outside, I realized how cold it was. Even though it was spring, it felt like winter. The mansion was


    on a hilltop, so the wind at night was even stronger here. I was just wearing a thin bridesmaid dress. As


    soon as the wind blew, I got goosebumps all over.


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Ste, ¡°Rena, are you awake?¡±


    Yes I¡¯m heading to the hotel¡± I answered in the cold wind


    ¡°I wanted Mitch to take you back, but he couldn¡¯t wake you up, so he had to leave you with Nell. I¡¯ll


    send someone to pick you up now!¡± Ste said.


    Was I that knocked out?


    Neil also came out, standing next to me. I gave him a puzzled look, then told Ste, ¡°Ste, don¡¯t


    bother. Neil can just give me a ride down the hill,¡±


    It was her wedding day, so I didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble.


    After a bit more chatting, Ste suddenly started throwing up and had to hang up in a hurry.


    A warm coat suddenlynded on my shoulders, blocking the cold wind


    ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡°Neil was now just wearing a formal gray shirt and ck tie. He usually dressed up for


    asions like this and rarely wore anything else.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold? I asked, following behind Neil.


    ¡°Not cold¡± He answered tersely.


    We then fell silent. As we passed by the site of Ste¡¯s wedding earlier, I saw people still cleaning up.


    Once we got to Neil¡¯s car, I tried to take off the coat, but he stopped me, ¡°Keep it on. I don¡¯t mind losing


    a coat.¡±


    Thinking of the baby in my stomach, I didn¡¯t refuse. I put on his coat again.


    Halfway to the hotel, my stomach suddenly growled.


    I hadn¡¯t eaten anything all afternoon and night, so I was starving. My hunger now feltpletely


    different from before.


    I couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Neil, can you drop me off at a restaurant? I need to eat something.¡±


    Nel nced at my stomach, then took me to a restaurant.


    When i saw the grand entrance of the restaurant, I refused to get off, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat here. I want to


    grab a fast food meal.


    finally understood why Ste¡¯s tastes changed so much when she was pregnant. It felt like there was a


    little man in my head making food orders, wanting to eat this one moment and that the next.


    Right now, I was really craving some greasy fast food from a street vendor. I didn¡¯t care about any of


    that nutrition stuff.


    ¡°Your stomach is already not doing well, and you want to eat that kind of unsanitary food?¡± Neil


    disagreed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me I was irritated by hunger, said angrily, ¡°If you won¡¯t take me, I¡¯ll get a cab!¡±


    I then tried to open the car door to get out


    Neil didn¡¯t unlock the door. Unable to open the door, I cursed at him again, ¡°Are you trying to starve me


    to death? We¡¯re divorced, what do you care what i eat? You¡¯re crazy! Open the door!¡±


    The doctor had told me that hormonal changes during pregnancy could cause significant mood swings


    So I couldn¡¯t really be med for this.


    If I couldn¡¯t eat what I wanted, I¡¯d seriously start crying.


    Neil seemed taken aback by my reaction. He sighed and said, ¡°Is it worth crying over a meal?¡±


    I was furious. I wanted to tell Neil right then and there that I was pregnant, and ruin the rtionship he


    and Bonnie had worked so hard to build.


    I didn¡¯t believe Bonnie could keep her cool if she knew about this.


    But reason told me that once I told him, I¡¯d run into a lot of trouble myself. My newly started life might


    immediately turn into a mess.


    Seeing I was unstable, Neil had no choice but to drive me to a busy strect. All sorts of mouth¨Cwatering


    street food wafted tempting aromas around. I felt like I¡¯dnded in heaven in an instant. I hopped out of


    the car and started to feast.


    Neil trailed behind me. Watching me linger in front of each food truck, he was frowning tight.

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    Chapter 116


    After munching on snacks for over half an hour, I was finally stuffed.


    ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re not too busy, could you give me a lift to the hotel?¡± I was so full that I didn¡¯t feel like


    walking or hailing a cab


    Since Neil was still hanging around, I decided to swallow my pride and ask.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond, he just turned and headed towards his car.


    I quickly followed suit


    At the hotel, I thanked Neil and then hurried back to my room.


    Linda and I had separate rooms. I wasn¡¯t sure if she was sleeping, so I sent her a message to let her


    know I was back.


    Linda replied. ¡°Alright¡±


    Then I took a shower and started looking up pregnancy tips on my bed. I had decided to keep the baby


    and raise him on my own.


    This was my first child, and I didn¡¯t want to give him up. Even though I could provide him a good life, he


    would stillck a father¡¯s love.


    The next morning. I was awakened by the rm clock. After quickly getting dressed and putting on light


    makeup, I met up with Linda. She was driving and I was sitting in the passenger seat, heading towards


    G City.


    The drive took about eight or nine hours. By the time we arrived, it was around four in the afternoon.


    My partners had already made contact. They had booked a hotel and nned to host a wee


    dinner for me and Linda to discuss our future coboration.


    ¡°Tm beat, let¡¯s rest up a bit before heading out for dinner,¡± I said to Linda while lying on my bed in our


    twin room.


    ¡°Sounds good, I could use a break too¡± Linda responded, stretching out on the other bed.


    She was around the same age as me, not from Cdonia, but afterpleting her university studies in


    her country, she went abroad to work.


    The funniest thing was that she had also studied in Rosemont. So when I attended Ste Wace¡¯s


    wedding, she was essentially returning to her old stomping ground. She even went to pay homage to a


    friend.


    Linda said. The only reason I got a job at President Finch¡¯spany was because I studied in


    Rosemont. He¡¯s very patriotic and misses his hometown, so he offered me a job. And I¡¯ve been here


    ever since.¡±


    The President Finch she was talking about was my Harold.


    ¡°No wonder Mr. Finch asked you toe with me, you know this ce well!¡± I said, lying in bed with


    my eyes closed.


    ¡°Yeah, but I haven¡¯t been back home in a while. Irene, you¡¯re rted to Mr. Finch, right?¡± Linda asked,


    ¡°You two seem pretty close.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hide anything, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my brother.¡±


    Lindaughed, ¡°And I said, you two share the same surname and look alike, you must be siblings. Are


    you single?¡±


    No one at thepany knew about my situation back home, except for Ondo Finch.


    Naturally, Linda didn¡¯t know about my divorce either.


    ¡°Well, I guess you could say I¡¯m single,¡± I tried to change the subject, ¡°What about you? You seem


    single too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a non¨Cmarriageable person, Linda replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re so good, I¡¯m sure there are plenty of men chasing after you Why don¡¯t you consider getting


    married?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but open my eyes and turn to look at Linda on the other bed, ¡°Did you have a


    bad experience with love?¡±


    Linda was silent for a moment, when she spoke again, there was a hint of anger in her voice, ¡°Men are


    unreliable. What¡¯s the point of saying ¡®I love you? They can change their minds at any time, they can


    even choose to love other women while they im to love you¡±


    This reminded me of Neil, and I was left speechless.


    Our conversation ended there, Linda seemed to have remembered something unpleasant and turned


    over, not speaking anymore. I closed my eyes again and fell into a deep sleep.


    By nighttime, I was awoken by Linda¡¯s urging. Yawning, I got up and hurried off to the hotel arranged by


    our partners.


    The liaison sent by our partners was a friendly man in his forties named Ferris. He was apanied


    by a few younger employees, seemingly there to learn


    I wasn¡¯t bothered about this, my attention was on Ferris, who had ordered a table full of seafood.


    The moment the first dish of garlic stir¨Cfried tiger prawns was served, I felt disgusted. Just the smell


    made my stomach churn.


    Next came seafood sashimi, seafood sd, seafood stew Each dish made me feel worse


    Finally, I excused myself to the restroom in the middle of the conversation. Since I hadn¡¯t eaten much, I


    couldn¡¯t even throw up.


    When I came out of the restroom, I felt dizzy and my legs were weak.


    I leaned against the wall and slowly made my way back to the private room, when suddenly I heard


    someone behind me call my name, ¡°Irene?¡±


    I turned around, and it was Russel


    He quickly walked over and held me up. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡±


    ¡°No, just a stomach difort,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just checked out? Do you have a stomach problem? Why haven¡¯t you treated 17¡± Russel


    asked sternly.


    I shook my head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just gastritis. Sometimes it makes me nauseous. What are you


    doing here?¡±


    Russel told me he hade here with a few senior professors from the hospital for a three¨Cday


    medical exchange. Today was the first day. During our conversation, we reached the door of the


    private room, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m here for work with my colleague. Thank you¡±


    ¡°Go in,¡± Russel let go of my arm..


    As I opened the door to enter in private room, Linda, who was sitting opposite the door, nced at the


    entrance and her face changed.


    I instinctively looked back and saw Russel looking at Linda with an indescribable expression.


    Did they know each other? I immediately had doubts.


    Judging by their expressions, not only did they know each other, it seemed like they had some


    unpleasant history.


    I let go of the door and it closed, blocking their line of sight


    Next, I obviously felt that Linda was a little distracted, and I had to handle most of the details. Because


    we could not reach a consensus on some issues, the contract was not signed after the dinner. ¡°Ms.


    Finch and Ms. Linda, let¡¯s talk about this separately once we get back home. I reckon our two


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Ferris, cheers for the hospitality tonight.¡± I responded.


    After parting, Linda and I headed back to our hotel for some shut¨Ceye. On the way back, she seemed


    to have a lot on her mind.


    I could tell she wanted to ask me something, but she had been hesitating.


    Finally, back in the hotel room, fresh out of the shower, Linda couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Irene, do


    you know Russel?¡± she asked.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up? Do you know him too?¡± I sat down, throwing the question back at her.


    ¡°Are you two tight?¡± Linda asked again.


    ¡°We¡¯re just regr friends.¡± A suspicion began to creep into my mind. Had Linda and Russel had a


    thing before?


    But as far as I knew, Russel had never had a girlfriend. Even with Karina Aaron, she got together with


    Neil just as Russel started to have feelings for her.


    Seeing the look on Linda¡¯s face, I got a bad feeling. ¡°Linda, why are you asking about this? Is there¡­


    something going on between you two?¡±

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    Chapter 117


    Linda looked at me for a few seconds, then cracked a smile. ¡°No worries, I just feel like have a


    connection. I¡¯ve met him before, but we don¡¯t know each


    other well.¡±


    Her facial expression didn¡¯t match up with someone seeing a stranger.


    I didn¡¯t probe further just returned a smile. ¡°Indeed, the world is neither too big nor too small. Those


    who are meant to meet will eventually bump into


    each other.¡±


    Linda went silent for a bit, then got up to take a bath.


    Iid in bed with my phone, pondering whether I should ask Russel about it, but decided against it.


    Even if they knew each other, that was their past. It had nothing to do with me. Why would I stick my


    nose into their business?


    So I reached out to Ondo, filled him in on some issues regarding the cooperation we discussed


    today.


    Ondo replied: You¡¯re right, these minor issues might seem trivial, but they could cause trouble if you


    don¡¯t clearly state them in the contract


    I replied Cool, any suggestions? I¡¯ll be talking to Mr. Ferris again in the next couple of days.


    Ondo sent a lengthy voice message. After carefully listening to it, I had a pretty good idea.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Just when I was about to doze off, Linda came out of the shower and quietlyid down on the bed next


    to me.


    I woke up next morning, starving.


    The hotel had breakfast service. I quickly got up and went to the restaurant on the second floor for


    breakfast.


    Surprisingly, Russel was there too, along with a man in his sixties, who I assumed was his mentor.


    Russel was eating a sandwich. He spotted me and his gaze followed me.


    On my table, there was a ss of milk, two portions of fried eggs, a serving of saut¨¦ed spinach, two


    pancakes, and a few cups of orange juice.


    He looked a bit surprised. After a few words with his mentor, he came over and sat across from me.


    ¡°Why do you eat so much breakfast?¡± Russel asked, surprised at the sight of all the food on my table.


    ¡°I just wanna try everything.¡± I replied, pouring honey onto the pancake


    I was two months pregnant and very hungry


    Russel casually put some fried eggs onto my te with a knife and fork.


    I was sipping on my orange juice, munching on the pancakes and asionally eating some fried eggs.


    My mind was on some spicy and salty food, wondering where to go for a good lunch,


    ¡°What¡¯s your colleague¡¯s name?¡± Russel¡¯s question interrupted me.


    I looked at him, ¡°Linda¡±


    Russel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s her nationality?¡±


    ¡°The same as mine.¡± I replied. ¡°She also has a permanent resident visa and works there.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her real name?¡± Russel seemed very curious about Linda.


    I thought to myself, he wouldn¡¯t have asked me so much if they just didn¡¯t know each other.


    I started eating my sandwich and casually replied, ¡°Not sure, I haven¡¯t been with thepany for long.


    Everyone there calls her Linda, and I never asked about her real name.¡±


    After a while, Russel didn¡¯t say anything and just watched me eat. I was very full, I burped and rubbed


    my round belly, feeling very satisfied.


    I¡¯m full. I¡¯m gonna go.¡°I got up to say goodbye to Russel.


    ¡°If you have stomach issues, don¡¯t binge eat. If you eat a lot but get hungry very quickly, you should get


    it checked out at the hospital. It might not only be a digestive issue, but also a sign of hyperthyroidism,


    diabetes, and other diseases.¡± Russel kindly reminded me.


    I was a bit confused. Wasn¡¯t Russel a cardiologist? Why was he meddling with gastroenterology?


    But he meant well, so I nodded and said, ¡°Thanks for the heads up. Dr. Russel.¡±


    Then, I went back to my room.


    As soon as I got back, my dad called. ¡°Rena, you¡¯re on a business trip in G City, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, dad. What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Kevin is turning sixty tomorrow I was nning to attend his birthday party, but something came up at


    work. I can¡¯t go. Your mom is also tied up with work these days and won¡¯t be able to make it. So you¡¯ll


    have to go in our ce tomorrow¡± My dad started delegating tasks to me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure which Kevin he was referring to


    My dad gave me the address in detail, then hung up


    I was quite confused. I didn¡¯t expect to attend a birthday party during a business trip.


    But Ferris probably won¡¯t contact me in the next couple of days. He needed time to negotiate with the


    company, so I¡¯d have time to go to the birthday party for my dad.


    -Linda was awake. I told her about the n for tomorrow, she nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let me know if


    there¡¯s any work to be done¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡°I agreed.


    The next day, I nned to rent a car and go to Prosperity Hotel, because that¡¯s where Kevin was


    holding his birthday party. He had been a long¨Cterm business partner of my dad¡¯s. But I wasn¡¯t too


    familiar with thepany¡¯s affairs.


    My dad told me he had already prepared a gift. All I needed to do was to show up, say a few words,


    and liven up the atmosphere


    When I arrived at the hotel, I told them who I was. But since I didn¡¯t have an invitation, I had to call my


    dad so he could get in touch with Kevin¡¯s people.


    My dad might have been busy, he didn¡¯t pick up.


    ¡°Trene¡± I heard Neil¡¯s voice out of nowhere. I turned around to see him walking towards me.


    ¡°Neil, what are you doing here?¡± I asked.


    I¡¯m here for the birthday party.¡± Neil showed the doorman his invitation and said, ¡°We came together.¡±


    I exined a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m here to rece my dad. Both him and my mom are busy today and


    couldn¡¯t make it. They also didn¡¯t give me an


    invitation.¡±


    Neil nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Kevin¡¯s name was Kevin Evan. He was kind of a big shot in G City too. His sixtieth birthday naturally


    attracted a lot of people. And those without an invitation weren¡¯t allowed in.


    At that moment, Kevin was having a lively conversation with a few people. He saw me and Neile


    in, walked over and warmly greeted us, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Then he looked at me again, sizing me up. This isn¡¯t¡­ Mr. Finch¡¯s daughter? You rarely show up in


    public, but I¡¯ve seen your photo. You¡¯re beautiful!¡±


    I gave a polite grin and responded generously. ¡°Thanks for yourpliment. My father had nned to


    come and meet you today, but he was suddenly tied up with something. As you know, he is usually


    very busy, so I hope you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°I get it. Mr. Finch already sent me a gift, as long as he was willing to give me a gift, there¡¯s no problem,


    hahaha¡­ Kevin joked.


    From his words, I could tell he was pretty tight with my dad and Neil.


    Through our chat, I found out that Neil had met Kevin through my dad, and they had been working


    together for about three years.


    Once we started eating, I had a bit of grub but quickly felt a bit off in the stomach, so I excused myself


    to the loo halfway through.


    After throwing up, I went to the bathroom in the stall, when I heard a young woman¡¯s voice from


    outside, ¡°It¡¯s so weird, I heard Neil split up with her, why would they still show up together? How


    annoying!¡±


    ¡°Cathie!¡± Another female voice, evidently older, reprimanded, ¡°Whether Mr. Whitmore and Ms. Finch


    are divorced or not, you can¡¯t talk like that. The Finch family has been doing business with your dad for


    years, watch your mouth!¡±

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    Chapter 118


    The young girl was a bit reluctant, ¡°Mom, he¡¯s already divorced Can¡¯t I like him?¡±


    ¡°Who knows if that¡¯s true? Have you heard him make it public? Don¡¯t be so gullible if he hasn¡¯t said it


    himself!


    ¡°Hmph, he¡¯ll say it sooner orter¡±


    After a while, the footsteps of the mother and daughter gradually faded away, and I stepped out of the


    cubicle.


    The girl¡¯s name was Cathie, Kevin Evans daughter, Cathie Evan


    I met her before the banquet started, introduced by Kevin. She kept ncing at Neil but was polite


    enough to me, always smiling when she spoke.


    I washed my hands at the sink, then calmly returned to the banquet hall to continue eating.


    After dinner, the guests gradually left. I looked around and didn¡¯t see Kevin, so I nned to find him,


    say goodbye and then head home.


    ¡°Irene!¡±


    Cathie suddenly appeared. She looked about 25, dressed maturely and elegantly, but upon closer


    inspection, she was clearly very young


    ¡°Cathie.¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡°Huh, where¡¯s Mr. Whitmore? Why didn¡¯t hee with you?¡± Cathie asked as she handed me a gift


    box, quite heavy.


    ¡°This is my gift for you, Irene.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡± I epted the gift box and pretended to look around, ¡°I don¡¯t know where Neil is. If you


    see him, can you tell Mr. Evan I had to leave early?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡± Cathie nodded.


    I took the gift box and left the Prosperity Hotel, hailing a cab on the roadside.


    A ck Bentley parked in front of me, a Rosemont license te.


    The window was half¨Copen, and Neil¡¯s gaze came from inside, I can give you a lift


    ¡°Sure¡± I replied immediately and hopped into the passenger seat.


    Technically, I should keep my distance from Neil, but the thought of being pregnant with his child, and


    having to raise the child alone in the future made me think, why not enjoy the present while I can?


    Whats the big deal about a car ride? I figured I was already being pretty modest, considering I wasn¡¯t


    sitting on his head bossing him around.


    I didn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with Neil, but he¡¯s been a little nicer to me since the divorce, which was


    weird. But after this trip abroad, I probably won¡¯t be back for a couple of years. I n to settle down,


    work, and have my baby.


    I hope Bonnie got pregnant soon too. That way, even if the Whitmore family found out about my baby,


    they won¡¯t forcibly take it away.


    On the road. I asked Neil, Why haven¡¯t you told anyone about our divorce? Haven¡¯t you told Bonnie


    either?¡±


    ¡°I told her¡± Neil answered, looking sideways, I didn¡¯t tell anyone else except a few close friends.¡±


    I fell silent. Just because he didn¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t mean word wouldn¡¯t get out. How else would Cathie


    know?


    ¡°That Cathie girl likes you¡± I stated directly, ¡°You and Bonnie are in a long¨Cdistance rtionship, aren¡¯t


    you afraid you won¡¯t be able to handle the


    loneliness?¡±


    Neil¡¯s face darkened a bit, ¡°You just worry about yourself¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that many worries.¡± I muttered.


    Neil chuckled coldly, obviously disagreeing with my view


    When we reached the hotel entrance, I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car. Just as I was


    about to enter, Linda called out to me, ¡°Irene!¡±


    I turned around, and she was holding some fruits, obviously just bought


    ¡°What did you buy?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Apples, bananas, strawberries, want some?¡± Linda asked.


    I shook my head. Kioticed Neil hadn¡¯t left. Instead, he got out of the car. He looked at Linda the same


    way he looked at Russel.


    Upon seeing Neil, Linda¡¯s face immediately turned serious, even more so than when she saw Russel.


    Her eyes were like those of an enemy.


    I felt a pang of unease


    ¡°Long time no see¡± Neil broke the silence, his voice soft.


    ¡°Irene, is he also your friend?¡± Linda ignored Neil and asked me instead.


    I hesitated for a moment, then revealed his identity. ¡°He¡¯s not a friend He¡¯s my ex-husband


    In that instant, I felt a hint of hostility in Linda¡¯s eyes. She nced between me and Neil, her face frosty


    Suddenly, she rushed up to Neil and pped him hard was stunned


    A clear handprint emerged on Neils cheek. He didn¡¯t say anything, just quietly stared at Linda.


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to p you for a long time. Remember, I was pping for my sister!¡± Linda spat out


    angrily. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for herst request in her suicide


    note for us not to trouble you, I would¡¯ve sought revenge a long time ago!¡±


    I caught on to the key point in her words sister.


    Was Linda in front of me Karina¡¯s sister?


    Neil seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he said nothing and just looked at me.


    ¡°Did you not know he had someone else when you married him? You guys killed my only sister! Linda


    used me.


    I was surprisingly calm, as if I had experienced many things and had be numb.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    I spoke up. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. Your sister¡¯s death has nothing to do with me. I didn¡¯t even know your sister


    existed when I married Neil. If you want to take it out on someone, find the right person. I¡¯m tired and


    I¡¯m going to rest.¡±


    After that, I turned and walked away. I had just escaped this muddy path and didn¡¯t want to get stuck


    again.


    Linda seemed stunned, probably not expecting my response.


    When I got back to my room, I chatted with Ondo and asked him Linda¡¯s real name. He responded:


    Kate Aaron, why do you ask?


    I replied Just curious.


    Over an hourter, Linda returned. Her eyes were red and there was still anger on her face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Neil¡¯s wife to be you.¡± She initiated the conversation.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you paid attention to him these past few years?¡± I asked indifferently.


    Linda scoffed, ¡°Pay attention to him? Every time I see him, I think of my poor sister. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be


    able to restrain myself from seeking revenge!¡±


    I understood that Kate had deep feelings for her sister Karina, but she couldn¡¯t shift her resentment


    onto me. In truth, I was also a victim.


    Karina paid with her life for this, didn¡¯t she? And didn¡¯t I? I just got a new lease on life.


    I calmly said, ¡°Kate, I¡¯ve divorced Neil. I only learned about your sister when I was on the verge of


    divorce. I hope you can keep a clear head and not let personal grudges affect our work.¡±


    Kate didn¡¯t say anything, just stared at me. After a while, she said, ¡®Neil met a girl who¡¯s a lot like my


    sister, right? Did he divorce you for her?¡±


    Looked like they¡¯d been talking about a lot. I responded, ¡°Part of the reason was that girl, but let me


    make it clear: I was the one who initiated the divorce, not Neil.¡±


    Kate seemed skeptical, ¡°Didn¡¯t he want to divorce you for that girl?¡±


    Maybe she thought, given her sister paid with her life, she should be the biggest regret in Neil¡¯s life.


    If Neil wanted to divorce me after meeting Bonnie, who resembled Karina a lot, then in a way, it proved


    that Karina was still the one Neil loved most

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    Chapter 119


    ¡°Yeah, he just wouldn¡¯t agree ¡°I didn¡¯t think I did anything wrong.


    Kate just went silent, and ourmunication in the following days dwindled. Aside from necessary


    workmunication, she acted as if I was invisible. Luckily, she was a workaholic and her personal


    feelings didn¡¯t affect her work attitude. After the contract was sessfully signed, we prepared to head


    back to Cdonia


    Ondo praised both me and Linda, no, it¡¯s Kate, but I didn¡¯t feel at ease because I knew I would still


    be working with Kate, which made me ufortable.


    But without any obvious conflicts, I wouldn¡¯t stir the pot.


    ¡°Rena, take this document to the marketing department. Thepany is trying to experiment with live


    streaming marketing Coordinate with them and make sure our domestic dealers and abroad dealers


    are on the same page,¡± Ondo handed me a document.


    I nodded and took the document to the marketing department


    As soon as I arrived in the Marketing Department, I saw a few pretty young girls, all dolled up. I asked


    around and found out they were new live streamers hired by the department


    Ourpany mainly produces cosmetics. Not only do we have our own brand, but we also have our


    own sales channels. After setting up nearly a hundred counters in Cdonia, Ondo was ready to


    expand further.


    That was also the main goal of setting up the branch.


    I handed the document to the marketing manager and was about to leave when I saw a familiar figure.


    Bonnie was wearing an off¨Cthe¨Cshoulder outfit, her usually straight hair now wavy and looking more


    charming. Her makeup was lighter than the other girls, but her features were exquisite, like a delicate


    jasmine flower


    She saw me too and seemed a bit surprised.


    ¡°Trene, Bonnie came over and greeted me softly


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I was surprised and even began to suspect that she was really


    investigating me and getting close to me.


    1 saw thispany was hiring music live streamers. Since I majored in music, I thought I¡¯d give it a try.


    It would be nice to earn some living expenses during my studies abroad, Bonnie bit her lip, her eyes full


    of expectation as she looked at me.


    Thepany was probably hiring some talented live streamers to umte fans and then start


    selling products through live streaming, a very popr model now


    I smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯re really ambitious. Did Neil go bankrupt? Why are you working so hard?¡±


    Mentioning Neil, Bonnie¡¯s face changed a little, and her eyes flickered, ¡°I don¡¯t want him to think that I


    depend on him for everything. He did help me a lot with my study abroad. I can¡¯t even depend on him


    for living expenses, right?¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to save him this money¡± I sincerely felt that Bonnie¡¯s thinking was a bit naive, as if


    saving some money for a man could prove that she really wanted to live with him.


    She was already scheming her way to Neil¡¯s side, couldn¡¯t she be a bit more generous?


    Bonnie lowered her head.


    ¡°He should watch his news more often. It¡¯smon for him to give women houses and cars. The


    money you¡¯re saving now, don¡¯t let it end up on other women in the end.¡± I said in an experienced tone,


    patted Bonnie on the shoulder, and left without looking back.


    As for Bonnie¡¯s reaction to my words, I didn¡¯t care.


    After a busy day, when it was finally time to get off work, I was starving and ready to drive home. At the


    company¡¯s gate, I saw Bonnie getting on an electric bike.


    The one riding the bike was her good friend Malinda.


    Studying abroad with a good friend, working hard while leading a simple and happy life, the two of them


    riding an electric bike, their hair blowing in the wind, theirughter cheerful, what a beautiful picture.


    I held back my hunger, fook a picture, and sent it directly to Russel.


    Russel replied quickly. ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of this picture?¡±


    I didn¡¯t stop the car. When I got home, I quickly ordered takeout before replying to Russel, ¡°Neil


    sponsored her to study abroad, and you¡¯re one step behind That¡¯s unavoidable. But didn¡¯t you notice


    Bonnie doesn¡¯t have a car? This is your chance to shine!


    Russel, ¡°You should tell Neil about it. This has nothing to do with me.¡±


    I lied on the couch, looked at Russel¡¯s reply and felt something was off. Did he still like Bonnie?


    Three minutester, Neil called, which startled me.


    After I answered the phone, I heard his cold voice, ¡°Did you see Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s working part¨Ctime as a live streamer, I sneered, ¡°Neil, you must like this kind of woman


    who is self¨Creliant and shines in difficulties, right? Ah, such a strong woman, you should give her a


    home¡±


    ¡°Trene, be serious!¡± Neil was obviously angry


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who called me, I retorted impatiently, ¡°you better get your woman a car. I¡¯m afraid if I


    see her on the side of the road in a heavy rain one day, I¡¯ll struggle with whether to take her in my car!¡±


    Neil was so angry that he didn¡¯t say anything for a while, and finally said, ¡°Alright, right away¡±


    After hanging up, I chuckled, then quickly opened WhatsApp to criticize Russel, Russel, are you dumb?


    I¡¯ve created so many opportunities for you. Have you seized any of them? You say you¡¯ll bravely


    pursue, but do you really understand a woman¡¯s heart? I can¡¯t stand it. If you snitch to Neil again, I¡¯ll


    yell at you in front of your hospital


    Russel was typing on the other side, and after a while, he sent a message, I¡¯m waiting for you¡±


    I suddenly felt that he deserved to lose in my past life If I were Bonnie, I would choose Neil too.


    Just as I was thinking about how to reply, the doorbell rang


    I nced through the peephole, and oh my god, I was shocked by the person outside.


    Why is it Simmons Wace?!


    I had no choice but to open the door, ¡®Simmons, howe you¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯m back to work, Ste gave me your address and asked me to bring you a gift. She didn¡¯t have time


    to give it to you on her wedding day.¡± Simmons pulled out a beautifully packaged box and said with a


    smile


    Ste¡¯s having such a strong pregnancy reaction, but she still had the energy to worry about my and


    her brother¡¯s affairs¡­


    I couldn¡¯t turn him away, so I just said, ¡°Thanks,e on in and have a seat.¡±


    Simmons looked a bit apologetic, ¡°Did I interrupt you?¡±


    ¡°No, no,e in and have a seat!¡± It¡¯s not like I could tell him he was bothering me. I understand where


    Simmons wasing from and he hadn¡¯t overstepped any boundaries, so I couldn¡¯t be too harsh.


    My phone lit up with a text from Ste, ¡°Sweetheart, my brother got rid of all the houses there when he


    went back home. Thave to find a ce to stay temporarily this time Can he stay at your ce for a few


    days? You gotta help me out with this, or I¡¯ll burst into tears. I¡¯m serious, I will¡±


    Iughed and replied. ¡°You expect us to live together? That¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Ste texted back, ¡°Your ce has two rooms and a living room, right? Don¡¯t worry, my brother won¡¯t


    just freeload. He can cook, doundry, and as soon as he finds a ce, he¡¯ll be out of your hair!¡±

 Chapter 120

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    Chapter 120


    Ste¡¯s actionsnded me in a bit of a pickle. Simmons seemed to have a hunch about who I was


    chatting with and what was being discussed. In a soothing tone, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. I have a


    bunch of friends around here, or I can crash at a hotel. Don¡¯t let Ste¡¯s words get to you¡±


    The more Simmons talked, it made it harder for me


    Simmons, it¡¯s okay! It¡¯s just for a few days. I have two rooms here, it¡¯s pretty convenient, I replied


    graciously.


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. I should be able to find a ce in three days, Simmons replied, looking at me


    with sparkling eyes.


    Well, I guessed he could stay for three days. After all, he was Ste¡¯s brother


    The next morning. I woke up to the smell of breakfast. Walking into the kitchen, I saw Simmons


    wearing an apron, bustling around.


    ¡°You¡¯re up! Hurry up and eat so you can get to work,¡± he said, taking off his apron and bringing over a


    te of sd and sausages


    I usually grab a bite at the convenience store, as I¡¯m not a fan of getting up early to cook. I had to thank


    him for this.


    Thanks!¡± I said, stuffing my face with a bowl of noodles.


    After finishing, I dashed off to work.


    Unfortunately, I ran into Bonnie again at the office entrance. She had just gotten off her scooter.


    Without a second thought, I floored it and sped past her.


    When it was time to get off work at noon, Bonnie suddenly popped up at our department¡¯s entrance,


    causing a few male colleagues¡® eyes to pop out


    ¡°Irene!¡± Bonnie yelled, holding up a fancy bag.


    My desk was next to Kate¡¯s, and she looked up when she heard Bonnie¡¯s voice. Her eyes widened in


    shock. ¡°Karina?¡±


    Bonnie didnt know Kate. She made a beeline for me.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, looking at her coldly


    ¡°Irene, Mr Whitmore mentioned that you¡¯ve been having stomach issues, so I made you a lunch box It¡¯s


    much cleaner than restaurant food. Give it a try.¡± Bonnie handed me the bag


    I looked at the bag but didn¡¯t take it.


    Kate finally snapped back to reality and realized the girl in front of her was not her sister, but Neil¡¯s new


    me, Bonnie.


    She took the bag for me. ¡°Okay, thanks. You¡¯re Bonnie, right?¡± she said in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Uh huh, I¡¯m Bonnie. And you are?¡± Bonnie was always sweet and polite.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kate, also from the development department¡± Kate reached out her hand to Bonnie.


    Kate¡¯s tone was very gentle.


    Bonnie was taken aback. She probably couldn¡¯t figure out why Kate was being so friendly


    I stood between them, expressionless.


    Didn¡¯t Bonnie know that she¡¯s just a rtionship surrogate? She always thought she¡¯s special to Neil. If


    she found out that Neil only liked her because she looked like someone else, would she break down


    and cry?


    As I was mulling this over, Bonnie¡¯s phone rang.


    She nced at the caller ID, then at me. No doubt, it was Neil.


    It was time for lunch, so I got up and left. As for the lunch box, I¡¯ll let whoever wants it have it.


    As I was leaving the office, Neil was at the entrance. His expression turned cold when he saw me.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore Bonnie called out from behind me. I turned around to see her bounding toward Neil like


    a happy deer.


    Neil¡¯s icy expression softened a bit. He let Bonnie throw herself into his arms. They looked very much


    in love, as if he was trying to rub it in my face.


    Kate followed me out, and her face turnedplicated when she saw what was happening.


    Neil and Kate locked eyes, both of their expressionsplex.


    ¡°Rena ¡°Suddenly, Simmons¡¯s voice rang out. I looked over to see him not far away, lunch box in hand.


    When he saw Neil, his smile slowly faded.


    Neil¡¯s expression instantly hardened, and both men stared at each other, hostility in their eyes.


    Bonnie, in Neil¡¯s arms, looked at Simmons, then at me, and cheerfully said, ¡°Irene, did hee all the


    way here to win you over? I had a feeling he liked you when i saw him back home Men as devoted as


    him are hard toe by these days.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right Wherever she is, I¡¯ll be there, Simmons said. He knew about my divorce with Neil.


    Gossip¨Cloving Ste must have spilled the beans.


    He walked over and held my hand


    I stiffened This intimate gesture made me ufortable, but when I saw Bonnie nestled in Neil¡¯s arms,


    I steeled myself and held Simmons¡¯s hand back. ¡°Best of luck to you guys Actually. Bonnie looked up at


    Neil, trying to gauge his reaction. ¡°I thought you were into Russel. He always seemed to have a soft


    spot for you¡±


    Neils expression darkened at Bonnie¡¯s words.


    Why did she have to bring up Russel and me?


    Russel is Neil¡¯s best friend, they¡¯re practically brothers. Neil had suspicions about me and Russel


    before Now Bonnie was linking me, Simmons, and Russel together, clearly trying to make Neil


    ufortable


    Even though Neil and I are divorced, he doesn¡¯t want anyone to insinuate that I had an affair with his


    best friend.


    Beingte to the cheating game is still cheating


    Bonnie is observant. She noticed Neil¡¯s mood and immediately clutched his sleeve. ¡°Did I say


    something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a driver¡¯s license? Neil asked, ignoring Bonnie¡¯s question.


    1 do I got all my documents ready beforeing here. But I haven¡¯t driven since I got my license,


    Bonnie answered truthfully.


    ¡°Good. From now on, you¡¯ll drive yourself to and from work. It¡¯ll be more convenient, Neil said, handing


    her the car keys.


    The new red BMW over there, which Neil probably gave Bonnie. This car was no surprise to Neil, but


    for Bonnie, it¡¯s the first time she¡¯s ever gotten such a fancy gift in her life.


    ¡°No, this gift is too much!¡± Bonnie was caught off guard, quickly wriggling out of Neil¡¯s arms and


    returning the keys, ¡°I can just take the bus or ride an e¨Cscooter with friends, it¡¯s all good!¡±


    Neil¡¯s brows furrowed, seemingly pissed off by Bonnie¡¯s rejection.


    I let go of Simmons¡® hand, looped my arm through his, and yfully whined, ¡°Simmons! You didn¡¯t ride


    an e¨Cscooter to pick me up, did you? I don¡¯t want to ride an electric scooter. I don¡¯t like being in the


    sun.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Simmons knew I was just messing around. A loving smile warmed his eyes as he yed along, ¡°Of


    course not, let¡¯s go to the car and have the lunch! brought, sound good?¡±


    ¡°OK, let¡¯s go!¡± I turned and left.


    I barely made two steps before Neil caught up and grabbed my arm, his eyes icy, ¡°So you really are


    with him now?¡±

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    Chapter 121


    Chapter 121


    I suddenly let go of Neil¡¯s hand, ring at him coldly. ¡°This has nothing to do with you. You better take


    care of your girlfriend. If you keep chasing after me like this, she might cry¡±


    Neil nced at Bonnie who was not far away, but he didn¡¯t go back.


    Seeing this. Simmons pulled me behind him and warned sternly, ¡°Neil, there¡¯s something you need to


    understand. You and her are divorced. You have no rtion anymore What right do you have to


    question her? Who she¡¯s with is none of your business.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it my business. What are you gonna do about it?¡± Neil¡¯s words were clearly provocative


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I remembered the quarrel between them, and I was the one who got hurt in the end.


    I didn¡¯t want to y the fool again.


    ¡°Neil, Simmons is right. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. I don¡¯t want to have any


    interaction with you. That¡¯s it.¡± After saying these words, I left with Simmons


    Simmons¡¯s car was not far away. After having lunch in his car, I patted my belly in satisfaction.


    I thanked Simmons for what happened just now. He at least helped me save face. Otherwise, as his


    ex¨Cwife, it would be really awkward.


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m happy to help¡± Simmons took the lunch box I finished, gently saying. ¡°You should rest


    for a while in the car before going back to work.¡±


    I adjusted the passenger seat to the mostfortable position, set an rm, and began to rest, ¡°I


    really want to take a nap¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Simmons replied.


    Now that I was pregnant, I fell asleep super fast. I suspect that I¡¯m going to have a super sleepy and


    hungry little one.


    Half an hourter, the rm went off on time. I got up groggily, stretchedzily, and found that


    Simmons had also fallen asleep.


    I quietly opened the car door, got out, and closed it.


    As I walked past a red BMW, I took an extra nce, wondering if Bonnie had epted it.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that Neil spoils her.¡± Kate, sitting next to me at work in the afternoon, suddenly said.


    I didn¡¯t respond, just focusing on my work.


    ¡°I heard that you pursued Neil for five years before marrying him. Why are you so willing to divorce


    now?¡± Kate asked again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know Neil? Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± I was a bit impatient, ¡°It¡¯s work time now. I don¡¯t want to


    talk about personal matters.¡±


    Kate¡¯s face turned a little cold, but she stopped asking.


    After work, I drove to the supermarket, bought some fruits and hurried home.


    The neighborhood was a bit dark tonight I asked the property management and found out that some


    wires needed to be repaired, but it didn¡¯t affect the electricity supply at home. I carried the fruits, looked


    at the stopped elevator, and had no choice but to climb the stairs.


    The sensor lights in the stairway still worked, so I climbed slowly.


    When I reached the second floor, I suddenly saw a figure there, but before I could see who it was, the


    sensor light went out and it was dark.


    I was scared and was about to make some noise to turn on the sensor light when someone suddenly


    grabbed my wrist and pulled me into their arms.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I screamed, and the lights turned on again.


    ¡°Trene, it¡¯s me.¡± Neil covered my mouth with his hand, his eyes looking a bit tired.


    He smelled of alcohol, apparently having drunk quite a bit.


    My heart was still beating violently, with lingering fear. Seeing it was Neil, I angrily picked up the fruits I


    had dropped and started throwing them at him, cursing. ¡°Neil, are you trying to kill me! Are you trying to


    give me a heart attack?!¡±


    Neil let me throw the fruits at him. The bag was torn and all the fruits rolled out.


    After throwing all the fruits, tried to p him, but as soon as I raised my hand, Neil firmly grabbed my


    wrist.


    ¡°You!¡± I was so angry that my face turned red, and I immediately tried to hit him with my other hand.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, just silently watched me, and then easily caught my other hand. He then


    pushed me back a few steps until my back was against the wall


    My hands were raised high, crossed above my head. This made me feel extremely embarrassed, as if


    all my blood had rushed to my head.


    ¡°Are you crazy? If you¡¯re drunk, go find Bonnie. Don¡¯t bother me!¡± I tried to twist my body to break free


    from his hold.


    ¡°Yes, when I¡¯m drunk, I miss you.¡± Neil actuallyughed, his voice a bit hoarse. The smell of alcohol


    came from his mouth, and the next second, he kissed me without any reservation


    A drunken Neil was even more aggressive His kiss was full of possessiveness. He kissed me


    passionately, and as soon as I opened my mouth a little, he would seize the opportunity to pry open my


    mouth.


    This kiss made me dizzy, and I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn¡¯tpete with Neil. Trying to resist


    him was like a joke.


    I hadn¡¯t had dinner yet and was feeling hungry After Neil¡¯s sudden attack, my legs went soft. His arm


    immediately wrapped around me, lifting me up. I realized I was on my tiptoes.


    Neil was holding me, so my hands were free. I knew I couldn¡¯t push him away, so I simply stretched my


    hand to his neck and scratched him hard.


    Neil grunted, and there were a few scratch marks on his neck.


    Let go of me! This is a crime!¡± I took advantage of his slight rxation, trying to stay calm and warned


    him, ¡°I will call the police.¡±


    Neil touched his scratched area and saw the blood on his fingers.


    He frowned, asking me, Trene, are you a cat?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m a cat, then you¡¯re a dog. I fixed my hair, taking a deep breath, ¡°Neil, is this how you treat Bonnie?


    You¡¯re divorced from me, and you still run after me saying you miss me. It¡¯s ridiculous!¡±


    The sensor light went off again, and the darkness was filled with our unsteady breathing.


    1 never wanted to divorce.¡± Neil¡¯s voice echoed in the darkness.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t love me, stop wasting my time, Neil. I gave you ten years to love me, but you didn¡¯t, did


    you?¡± My heart was beating wildly in my chest, unable


    to calm down.


    Neil spoke again, I once told you, just give me some time, and I can take care of things with Bonnie.


    But you no longer wanted to believe me¡±


    ¡°Neil, you can¡¯t handle it. You¡¯re overestimating yourself. You¡¯re not as heartless as you think, and


    you¡¯re just heartless towards me. Karina and Bonnie, they¡¯re your true love. You¡¯ll never be able to


    ignore them and fully respond to my feelings I didn¡¯t want to fight with you because I didn¡¯t want my


    ten¨Cyear rtionship to end up in such a embarrassing way. You should leave yourself a decent


    ending and let me go.¡±


    The sorrow in my heart came out again.


    Those were the best ten years of my life, how could I just bring them up without feeling anything?

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Chapter 122


    Just as Neil and I were at impasse, a person appeated at the top of the stairs. It was Simmons. Taking


    in the scene, Simmons quickly trotted down the stairs andnded a punch on Neil¡¯s face.


    ¡°You jerk He gave a shout of anger.


    With fruits scattered all over the floor and my hair in disarray, anyone would ve pictured an unpleasant


    situation.


    Neil, however, didn¡¯t fight back He crumpled to the ground, touched his bleeding lip, and then managed


    to get back up.


    He didnt even nce at Simmons, just fixed his eyes on the and said, ¡°He hit fne for you, so I didn¡¯t hit


    back.¡±


    I gave a bitterugh, ¡°Why bother?¡±


    ¡°You once told me that the origin of feelings is unknown, but once they form, they run as deep as the


    ocean. I think I¡¯m starting to understand,¡± Neil¡¯s hair was a mess, covering one of his eyes, making it


    hard to gauge his emotions.


    What the hell are you doing?¡± Simmons was also furious. ¡°Save your sweet talk for your girlfriend, will


    you? Be a man and own up to your choices!¡±


    Only then did Neil look at Simmons, but his gaze was icy, ¡°What are you doing here? Do you live with


    her?¡± He pointed at me, his eyes narrowing into a sharp re


    ¡°Yeah, so what? You¨CSimmons started to respond.


    He wanted to rattle Neil, and I knew it. We¡¯re all adults here, who doesn¡¯t understand the feeling of


    possessiveness?


    But I cut him off, ¡°He¡¯s just staying for a few days. If you have nothing else to do, you should leave. You


    must be busy with yourpany back home. Your time is precious, don¡¯t waste it here. Goodbye¡±


    Then I grabbed Simmons and went straight up to the third floor and shut the door behind us.


    ¡°Rena, haven¡¯t you moved on from him?¡± Simmons sat down, looking a bit crestfallen.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether I¡¯ve moved on or not. We¡¯re divorced, there¡¯s no need for this kind of conflict.


    Whether it¡¯s you or him who gets hurt, I can¡¯t escape the me ¡°I massaged my throbbing temples.


    I didn¡¯t want to deal with an angry Neil. It could get ugly.


    Just as I was feeling frustrated, the smell of fish hit me, making me feel nauseous. I bolted to the


    bathroom.


    A minuteter, Simmons called out from outside the door, ¡°Rena, are you okay?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    1. I¡¯m fine. I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence. After I threw up, I managed to get up, opened the door and


    asked him, ¡°Simmons, are you cooking fish?¡±


    Simmons looked pale. He nodded, ¡°I made fish soup. You can¡¯t stand the smell of fish?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say a word.


    As I was washing my hands, Simmons stayed by my side. He kept his eyes on me until he finally said,


    ¡®Rena, are you pregnant?¡±


    I froze. Why did Ste have to put me in this situation? Living together is the easiest way for someone


    to find out about a pregnancy.


    Ten minutester, Simmons and I were sitting on the couch in silence. His brows were furrowed the


    whole time.


    After a long while, he asked, ¡°Have you really decided to be a single mom? Aren¡¯t you going to tell


    Neil?¡±


    ¡°I want this baby, but I don¡¯t want to get married ¡°I sighed, ¡°Simmons, can you help me keep this a


    secret, even from Ste? She¡¯s married to Mitch Hebert now, and I don¡¯t want Neil to find out about


    this.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Simmons suddenly got very agitated. He quickly got up, marched to the door, flung it open


    and stormed out.


    I was taken aback and immediately followed him.


    To my surprise, Neil was still downstairs, leaning against his car and smoking. He hadn¡¯t left.


    Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs, Simmons charged at Neil andnded another punch on him.


    His rage terrified me.


    ¡°So you enjoy hitting people, huh?!¡± Neil was also furious. His cigarette had long fallen to the ground.


    After he finished cursing, he didn¡¯t hesitate to kick


    Simmons


    ¡°What gives you the right to hurt her?! Just because she loves you? She¡¯s loved you for ten years, and


    even after the divorce, you¡¯re still hurting her. You¡¯re shameless¡± Siminons got kicked, but he didn¡¯t


    back down. He steadied himself and grabbed Neil¡¯s cor, ¡°I should¡¯ve never given up on her. I


    should¡¯ve fought for her!¡±


    Neil shrugged off Simmons¡¯s hand, suppressing his anger. ¡°What¡¯s the point in fighting for her? She


    wouldn¡¯t choose you. Not then, not now Damn it!¡±


    I had a splitting headache Two grown men fighting¡­ I didn¡¯t dare to intervene. It wasn¡¯t like before


    when I could just fall and be fine. I was pregnant now. any ident could be troublesome.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you cherish her? Do you know her -Simmons almost gave up the secret.


    I gathered my courage, ran over and hugged Simmons around his waist, ¡°I don¡¯t love him anymore, I


    really don¡¯t!¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.


    Simmons looked down at me,


    his eyes filled with heartache and anger. Neil, on the other hand, looked surprisingly calm, as if he saw


    thising.


    ¡°Nell you better leave now!¡± I didn¡¯t look at Neil again.


    I heard the sound of Neil getting into his car from behind. He mmed the car door with all his might,


    as if venting all his anger on that action.


    After a while, Simmons broke the silence, ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    You have to keep this a secret for me I let go of Simmons¡¯s waist. I didn¡¯t pursue his impulsive actions


    just now I just said seriously. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to get tangled up with him again because of this


    baby, you must help me keep this a secret and not tell anyone.¡±


    Simmons looked frustrated. He paced around a few times before he finally agreed, Tine, I get it¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief and managed a smile, ¡°Great, let¡¯s go back. It¡¯ste and I have work


    tomorrow¡±


    I went up the stairs first.


    Tonight¡¯s events were exhausting I thought of Neil¡¯s kiss, the madness and brutality. It felt like I was


    truly the one he missed. But earlier today, he gave Bonnie a car and let her throw herself into his arms,


    hugging his waist.


    I got it. He was having trouble epting that I suddenly didn¡¯t love him anymore and divorced him. So


    his feelings got blurred.


    He mistook his possessiveness for love..


    I tried tofort myself and finally fell asleep in the middle of the night.


    When I got to work the next day, my eyes were super puffy and I was in a bad state Ondo noticed


    and called me into his office.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get much sleepst night, huh?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes, I had some stuff to deal withst night, so I went to bed prettyte.¡± I answered honestly


    Ondo shook his head in resignation, ¡°You should get some rest earlier. I have something to tell you¡±


    ¡°Linda requested to move to the Marketing department, so I was thinking of handing over some of her


    tasks in the Development department to you. Are you up for taking her spot? Do you think you can


    handle it?¡±


    Linda, or Kate¡¯s position and sry were both a notch higher than mine.


    I was a bit surprised, ¡°Why did she suddenly apply to move to Marketing?¡±


    ¡°She mainly wants to give online marketing a shot. She¡¯s probably fed up with constantly being out


    negotiating deals and wants to challenge herself.¡± Ondo answered.


    But I guessed the real reason Kate wanted to move was probably to get closer to Bonnie, that young


    girl who looked a lot like her sister

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Chapter 123


    After chatting with Ondo for a bit, I took over some of Kate¡¯s work it wasn¡¯t a lot, but it gave me a


    chance to gain some experience.


    I couldn¡¯t take on all of Kate¡¯s work though, because I was pregnant and I didn¡¯t want to overwork


    myself


    With more tasks, I became busier. In the blink of an eye, two days had passed, and Simmons told me


    he¡¯d found a new ce to live


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind. I could still pay rent and live here It might be a bit inconvenient for you living alone


    now that you¡¯re pregnant, and there¡¯d be no one to look after you¡® Simmons said with a look of concern


    before he left


    ¡°Simmons, don¡¯t you worry about me, I can take care of myself. Besides, your new ce is nearby,


    right? I can ask for your help if I need anything ¡°I was touched by his concern, but I also hoped that


    Simmons could let me go. After all, I was pregnant, he might not want to step up and y daddy to


    someone else¡¯s kid


    Simmons sighed, didn¡¯t make it hard for me, and just left with his simple luggage.


    I have to say, the house was more vibrant with one more person, and after Simmons left, I felt a little


    lost facing this suddenly empty room alone. It wasn¡¯t that I missed him so much, but my hormones


    were all over the ce because of the pregnancy, making my emotions more intense, whether it was


    happiness or sadness.


    I pulled myself together, took a bath, went to sleep, and carried on with life as usual.


    Luckily, Neil was nowhere to be seen in the next few days. I don¡¯t know if he went back to his country


    or was staying at Bonnie¡¯s


    The weekend wasing up, and the expansion department sent out a survey full of recreational


    activities for us to choose from.


    The activity with the most votes would be chosen for the department¡¯s weekend party, which was


    basically a team¨Cbuilding activity. Surprisingly, our department head even invited Kate, who was an


    early member of the expansion department and got along well with everyone


    Bonnie was with Kate


    ¡°Trene¡± Every time she saw me, Bonnie would politely call my name.


    I was annoyed and ignored her.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Trene, there¡¯s no need to give her the cold shoulder. She¡¯s a polite little girl Kate defended Bonnie.


    Her words made a few colleagues give me a second look. My attitude towards Bonnie was obviously


    off


    I didn¡¯t expect Kate and Bonnie to be so close in just a few days. Has Kate started to see Bonnie


    as her deceased sister?


    Bonnie bit her lip, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kate. Irene might just be stressed from work and not in a good mood. I


    understand.¡±


    Her empathetic words made Kate look relieved I don¡¯t know what she foundforting.


    It was a vi party organized by the expansion department. After participating in a few games, I went to


    the terrace for some peace and quiet.


    Like a ghost, Kate appeared behind me, ¡°Do you dislike Bonnie that much?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to be bosom buddies with her I found it absurd.


    ¡°My sister used to dislike you too ¡°Kate brought up Karina again, ¡°She paid the price with her life.


    Bonnie is a lot like her, but she¡¯s more mild¨Cmannered. Sometimes I wonder if things would have been


    different if my sister had been as easygoing as her.¡±


    ¡°I felt very relieved.¡±


    ¡°Stop bringing it up. I told you, I had nothing to do with your sister. I didn¡¯t even know her,¡± I sat on the


    chair, looking at the distant view, and said. indifferently. ¡°You should tell Bonnie that she¡¯s a substitute


    for your sister, so she can understand how important your sister was to Neil¡±


    Kate was annoyed by my attitude. She said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve told her that she reminds me of my deceased


    sister, but I wont tell her about my sister¡¯s past with Neil. I¡¯m not as cruel as you¡±


    ¡°Cruel?¡± I couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Just because of someone I didn¡¯t even know, I have to bear these


    baseless usations? So now I should jump into a river because I knew about your sister?¡±


    Kate red at me


    I¡¯d had enough. I stood up and pointed at her, ¡°Listen, Kate, I¡¯m not the one who ruined your sister and


    Neil¡¯s rtionship, but Bonnie is the one who ruined mine with Neil Enough with the true love crap! If


    you think Bonnie is like your sister, you can worry about her yourself. I¡¯m already being as generous as


    i can by being willing to divorce Neil and let her take my ce. Don¡¯t push me to do something she


    can¡¯t handle!¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, Bonnie and a few colleagues were standing at the entrance of the terrace


    with drinks in their hands. She looked shocked, wronged, and embarrassed


    Oh, and let¡¯s not forget the tears.


    Everyone had heard what I just said and their faces were all awkward.


    Bonnie turned and ran away. Kate quickly followed after her, turning to me to say, ¡°Was that


    necessary? You and Neil are already divorced! Why are you still targeting her?¡±


    After she said that, she also left to follow Bonnie


    | luughed, took a bottle of drink from a colleague and said nonchntly, ¡°See? Bonnie stole my ex


    husband, and fim supposed to thank her, otherwise I¡¯m the bad guy How interesting¡±


    The expressions on my colleagues¡® faces were quite something, especially the male ones who were


    attracted to Bonnie¡¯s beauty I wonder how they felt


    I left, not caring at all about the gossip. After all, on this matter, Bonnie was the one being criticized, not


    me


    Because of the trouble between Bonnie and me, the atmosphere of the activity was quite bad.


    I left the vi and headed to my car, nning to go home.


    At that moment, Neil¡¯s car appeared not far away He got out of the car, his face expressionless.


    He didn¡¯t go back to his country, so he must have been staying with Bonnie these days.


    Kate led Bonnie past me and went over to Neil. She said something to him, and then Bonnie began to


    cry


    The world is a funny ce Kate used to hate Neil so much Was she ready to reconcile with him


    because of Bonnie¡¯s arrival?


    She looked so worried and busy, like a big sister handing over her beloved little sister to someone else.


    As Neil was listening, his gaze suddenly fixed on me.


    I really hate my superior vision. How could I see the subtle changes in his eyes from this distance?


    From indifference to displeasure, then to heartache, it was so annoying to watch.


    I got in the car,pletely ignoring Neil and the other two, hit the gas and left.


    I had just gotten home when my phone rang. I thought it was Neil calling to stand up for his beloved,


    but to my surprise, it was Russel

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    I picked up the call, Russel said, ¡°Oscar Morse is looking for you, did you block him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what does he want from me?¡± I sat on the couch, eyes closed, resting.


    I blocked Oscar when I went abroad. I used to try to find emotional bnce through him, but then I


    realized he was innocent too, dragged into emotional drama at such a young age. So, I blocked all his


    contacts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s heartless to ghost people when you¡¯re done using them?¡± Russel said, but his tone


    wasced with amusement.


    I couldn¡¯t tell he was calling me heartless.


    ¡°I feel guilty,¡± I sighed. ¡°At first, I did use people for emotionalfort. But as time went by, I realized


    that the boy was actually pretty decent. I didn¡¯t want to treat him like that anymore, so I ghosted him.


    That proves I still have a conscience.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you could say you have a conscience,¡± Russel chuckled at my exnation.


    Then he asked, ¡°So, what should I tell him if hees looking for me?¡±


    Wait, Oscar actually tried to get in touch with Russel for information about me?


    I didn¡¯t expect him to care so much.


    Feeling even more guilty, I thought for a moment before answering, ¡°Just teil him I went abroad for


    work after my divorce from Neil and won¡¯t be back for a few years. If he needs help with work in the


    future, he can turn to you.¡±


    Russel seemed taken aback. ¡°He¡¯s turning to me for work issues? Is he a med student?¡±


    ¡°No, but you¡¯re capable of helping him with his work issues. Dr. Russel, doctors are known for being


    compassionate. You should lend him a hand¡± My words left him in silence.


    He was probably mulling over how being a kind doctor corrtes with helping others find work.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I quickly added, ¡°you can think of it as taking care of a younger brother for me. If you


    help him, I¡¯ll owe you one.¡±


    I wouldn¡¯t mind owing him one.


    ¡°And how do you n to repay me?¡± Russel finally asked.


    ¡°By helping you pursue Bonnie?¡± Remembering today¡¯s incident, I quickly backtracked. ¡°No, forget it,


    Dr. Russel. Bonnie¡¯s too fake. Marrying the wrong woman can ruin your life, so maybe you should let


    Neil have this opportunity.¡±


    Russel chuckled on the other end of the line, seemingly amused.


    Was he mocking me?


    If Russel was set on pursuing Bonnie, then I wouldn¡¯t try to dissuade him anymore. I¡¯d respect his


    choice.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯ve always been curious, who told you I liked Bonnie? Why are you so certain that I¡¯d fall for


    her? Russel inquired.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like her?¡± I had a hunch that something was off about Russel, but another part of me was


    convinced that it was only a matter of time before he fell for Bonnie, just like he did in my past life.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Russel stated.


    I was taken aback. ¡°But didn¡¯t you tell me before that you fell for someone you couldn¡¯t pursue because


    of certain circumstances? Wasn¡¯t that person


    Bonnie?¡±


    Russel¡¯s voice suddenly turned serious. ¡°Why does it have to be Bonnie? Couldn¡¯t it be you?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My mind went nk. What on earth was Russel saying?!


    Was he referring to my marital status with Neil when he mentioned ¡®certain circumstances¡®?


    I suddenly remembered what Ste had once said. She had suspected that Russel treated me


    differently. At the time, I was a bit puzzled, but I still believed everything would pan out like it did in my


    past life, with Russel eventually falling for Bonnie.


    Why did my rebirth mess up all emotional lines?


    I was full of questions and didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation.


    ¡°Scared you, didn¡¯t I? Russel chuckled. ¡°I was just making a point. There are other women out there


    besides Bonnie. Why must I like her? There are too many unsuitable women for me.¡±


    ¡°You scared me,¡± I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    But deep down, I wondered if Russel had noticed my awkwardness and intentionally offered this


    exnation to soothe me


    ¡°I just hope you von¡¯t lump me together with Bonnie in the future. She¡¯s her, I¡¯m me. I have no interest


    in her,¡± Russel seemed to sigh.


    My omniscient perspective must have troubled him a lot. But I also realized that my omnipotent


    viewpoint wasn¡¯t absolute. Many details were gradually changing.


    So I should respect Russel¡¯s present thoughts, not bind him with what might happen in the future.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry I misunderstood you, I apologized sincerely.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just take care of yourself and watch your diet, Russel reminded me


    After chatting for a while, I hung up. Just then, I received a notification from the hospital about prenatal


    checkups.


    I calcted the time. Almost a month had passed since myst checkup Time flew without my noticing.


    The prenatal care process here was different from that in my home country, which I learned from


    asionalparisons with Ste.


    Around two months in, I had a blood test and found out that the baby I was carrying was a girl.


    Next up was a detailed ultrasound


    was so relieved it was a girl I would faint from anger if I had a boy like Neil.


    You gotta make your mom proud, sweetheart Grow up to look more like me! I patted my belly I was


    naturally slim and early in my pregnancy, so my belly was still t. You couldn¡¯t tell I was pregnant


    when I was dressed.


    The doctor had mentioned my physique and advised me to pay more attention to my nutritional intake.


    If the mother was too weak, the child would also be malnourished.


    Thinking of this, I immediately went to the kitchen and made myself a simple yet nutritious dinner.


    Just as I finished eating, Ste video¨Ccalled me. She was currently at the Hebert family¡¯s ce,


    lounging on the sofa like a queen while Mitch fed her nuts. ¡°Rena, did you know Neil has a project in


    Cdonia?¡± Ste pushed Mitch¡¯s hand away and asked me.


    ¡°When did that happen?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°It must have been around the time that Bonnie Bitch went abroad. Now he¡¯s remotely managing the


    Zion Chemical nt project here. To think he¡¯s willing to go to such lengths for that slut! Ste started


    ranting


    Mitch must have told her all this.


    Iughed it off, saying, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re divorced now. Whatever he does has nothing to do


    with me anymore. I even bumped into him today¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ste asked curiously.


    I hadn¡¯t told Ste and the others about Karina and Kate yet. After a bit of thought, I said, ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in


    on the group chat.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I immediately typed up a long message and sent out all the things about


    two Aaron¡¯s sisters in our group chat.


    As soon as I hit send, the group chat blew up. It was just four of us, but it felt like a thousand people


    were chatting.


    Ste sent a voice message saying, ¡°This is way too dramatic! I had no clue about this Karina, and


    Bonnie is just her stand¨Cin? And what about Rena? Has she been the punching bag for five years?¡±

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Chapter 125


    Alicia and Barbara couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    Alicia. [Rena, you made the right decision to divorce. Neil was way out of line. You didn¡¯t even know


    about Karina. You just agreed to marry him, why the hell did he do that to you?]


    Barbara (Yeah, as a person, he can¡¯t be so selfish. You¡¯re also the victim here.]


    Ste [And what about that Kate? Was she crazy? The nonsense she¡¯s spewing, if I were there, I¡¯d


    give her a piece of my mind!]


    Seeing all these messages pouring out, I felt a lump in my throat. Neil never mentioned Karina to me.


    He just hoped I¡¯d turn down his grandfather¡¯s proposal


    Later, his grandfather¡¯s health worsened. There was no more dying Since I didn¡¯t refuse, the


    wedding was set in stone.


    If I were to me for anything, it was that I agreed to marry Neil knowing full well he didn¡¯t fancy me..


    That night, the group chat was buzzing. Ste and the others were fuming on my behalf, threatening to


    get back at Neil. I stopped them.


    The more you seek revenge, the more you get tangled up with them Better to let it slide.


    What I¡¯m most worried about now was how long Neil nned to stick around in Cdonia?


    I hoped he could finish his work ande back home soon. Otherwise, my baby bump will start to


    show and it would be easy for anyone to spot.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet after work and have a chat.¡± The next day at work, I received a message from Kate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time¡± I replied and then ignored her.


    To my surprise, Kate blocked my car at thepany¡¯s entrance after work.


    I had no choice but to stop, get out of my car.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by this. I just hope you won¡¯t target Bonnie anymore. She¡¯s a host in the


    marketing department and you¡¯re in expansion. You guys barely cross paths, there¡¯s no need for all this


    rivalry Kate seemed very self¨Crighteous.


    I asked, ¡°On what authority are you defending her?¡±


    Kate replied, ¡°I treat her like my own sister. That¡¯s why.¡±


    I found it amusing, ¡°So, you think Neil¡¯s true love is still your sister, and you¡¯re okay with Bonnie, the


    stand¨Cin, being by Neil¡¯s side, right?¡±


    Should I praise Kate and her sister for their deep bond, or was Bonnie just that irresistible?


    Just as Kate was about to answer me, Bonnie also came out of thepany. Her eyes were red, her


    little face devoid of any color, she looked pitiful.


    She saw me, hatred shed in her eyes, then she looked aggrieved again, ¡°Irene, I¡¯ve resigned. I won¡¯t


    be an eyesore here anymore.¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, why are you resigning? You can¡¯t! It¡¯s not your fault!¡± Kate disagreed.


    ¡°Now everyone thinks that I¡¯m the one who ruined Irene¡¯s marriage. How can I keep working here with


    any dignity left? Kate, thanks for looking after me all this time. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal if I get the chance¡±


    Bonnie wiped the corner of her eyes, her forced smile looked rather tragic.


    Kate looked at me, hinting for me to speak


    I chuckled, ¡°You can¡¯t stand the rumors and gossip anymore, so you decided to resign, right?¡±


    ¡°Irene, ¡­ Tears welled up in Bonnie¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Enough, Bonnie. You know what you¡¯ve done. I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore. I wish you and Neil


    a lifetime of love and may you never part!¡± I¡¯m starving now, all I want is to go home and eat.


    As soon as I finished speaking, I saw Bonnie¡¯s face change. She was looking behind me.


    I turned around to see Neil standing behind me with a serious look. He must have heard what I just


    said.


    ¡°What did she do? Tell me.¡± Neil looked at me calmly, but I knew he was pissed.


    Bonnie looked a bit nervous, staring at me.


    When I was kidnapped, she ignored my cry for help and tried to distract Neil and the others.


    decided


    When Neil and I d¨¦cided to divorce, she secretly encouraged me to find new happiness and divorce


    Neil as soon as possible.


    She also asked Oscar to visit me in the hospital, timing it so that he would bump into Neil. She


    deliberately used the perfume I gave to Ada to mark her territory in Neil¡¯s car. She sent me repentance


    messages and her location, saying she didn¡¯t want to live¡­.


    All these little tricks, I saw them all, and recorded them on my phone.


    I¡¯ll showcase them when the time is right.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Irene, she has some misunderstandings about me. She didn¡¯t mean to use me of


    interfering in other people¡¯s marriagesst time. I caused her trouble, so I resigned today¡± Bonnie,


    seeing that I wasn¡¯t talking, said nervously.


    Suddenly, Bonnie walked up to me, grabbed my hand, and pped her face, ¡°Irene, it¡¯s my fault. Hit


    me! I deserve it!¡±


    I was caught off guard. Kate quickly stepped in and grabbed my hand, afraid I would actually hit


    Bonnie.


    I instinctively tried to pull back my hand, but Bonnie fell over andnded on the ground.


    ¡°Bonnie!¡± Neil immediately stepped forward to help Bonnie up


    Kate also got angry and pushed me. I fell to the ground. A slight pain shot through my lower abdomen!


    I immediately covered my belly, my face turned pale.


    ¡°Trene didn¡¯t mean to, don¡¯t me her, I wasn¡¯t stable. Bonnie stood up with Neil¡¯s help and was still


    sanctimoniously speaking for me.


    I felt a warm liquid flowing out from my lower body, so I gritted my teeth and said, ¡°Neil, I think I¡¯m on


    my period. You know I¡¯m not in good health. Could you take me to the hospital¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± At this moment, Bonnie also let out a painful cry. She bent down to roll up her trousers. Her ankle


    was swollen. She must have twisted it.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    A cold feeling settled in my heart. Bonnie clearly didn¡¯t want Neil to take me to the hospital.


    Normally, I could let it go, but now I¡¯m pregnant, I almost blurted out to let Neil choose!


    But then I got scared What if I even brought up the pregnancy and Neil was still indifferent? Wouldn¡¯t


    that make me seem even more pathetic andughable?


    Even my child would be aughing stock, a poor kid who¡¯s not loved by his father.


    I got up, touched the bloodstain on my skirt, felt a tug at my heart, then propped myself up and walked


    towards my car, nning to go to the hospital by myself


    ¡°Neil!¡± I heard Bonnie¡¯s exasperated shout.


    Before I could even turn my head, I was effortlessly scooped up.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the hospital, Neil said, cradling me tightly. His jawline was sharp and attractive,


    moving slightly as he spoke.


    Bonnie¡¯s voice faded into the background, probably unable to believe that Neil was prioritizing me.


    He ced me in the passenger seat, silently fastening my seatbelt before driving off to the nearest


    hospital.


    Through the car window, I watched Bonnie¡¯s figure gradually be a blur, shrinking into a tiny dot.


    ¡°I might mess up your car,¡± I apologized.


    ¡°My car can deal. You, on the other hand, need to learn how to take care of yourself. You¡¯re a grown¨C


    ass adult, Neil said, brows furrowed as he nced at


    me


    I didn¡¯t have the energy to respond, my mind consumed with worry about the baby.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    When I got to the hospital, I was taken for a gynecological check¨Cup while Neil waited outside.


    I gave the doctor a brief rundown of my situation, followed by a series of tests. The results didn¡¯t seem


    optimistic The doc suggested I stay in the hospital for a bit, which seriously bummed me out. I felt like a


    deted balloon.


    ¡°The man outside, is he your husband? Should we fill him in on your situation? You¡¯ll need someone to


    take care of you, the doctor asked.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just a friend. If I need his help, I¡¯ll let him know Thanks.¡± I replied wearily


    After I was transferred to the ward, Neil came to my bedside and asked. ¡°What¡¯s up? The doc wouldn¡¯t


    tell me anything.¡±


    I requested the doctor to keep it confidential, so she wouldn¡¯t inform Neil Patient privacy was respected


    in such cases.


    Looking at Neil¡¯s worried face, I knew he genuinely cared for me. He had left Bonnie behind to rush me


    to the hospital. This wasn¡¯t some figment of my imagination. I was debating whether I should tell him


    the truth, give him a chance to decide.


    If I could sessfully deliver the baby, I wouldn¡¯t shoo him away from visiting.


    ¡°Neil, I was about to say when Neil¡¯s phone rang


    He nced at the caller ID and picked up. After a few words, I got the gist of the conversation. It must


    be Kate on the other end.


    ¡°How did it get so serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    ¡°Alright, got it.¡±


    I was hesitant a moment ago, but now I was determined. Neil had only sent me to the hospital out of


    conscience, so how could I be swayed so easily?


    Thank God I held my tongue, if not, I would¡¯ve been used of taking advantage of him.


    Neil hung up the phone and looked at me hesitantly I smiled and said, ¡°Go, you¡¯ve done enough by


    bringing me here.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°She sprained her ankle pretty badly. I¡¯ll go check on her,¡± Neil seemed to be exining to me.


    ¡°No need for exnations, you¡¯re a free man¡± I maintained a calm smile, trying to sound indifferent.


    Even though I was distraught and anxious, I didn¡¯t want to show it. The child in my belly wasn¡¯t just


    mine, but if I wanted to bring him into the world, I had to bear this burden alone


    Neil furrowed his brows and then left.


    As I watched the door of the ward close, my heart remained restless for a me for the next few days.


    long time. After a while, I asked the doctor to find me a nurse to take care of


    Then I called Ondo to take a leave. He was worried and wanted to visit me in the hospital. I gave him


    the address and told him toe the next day.


    At night, while scrolling through my phone in bed, I saw a post by Bonnie. It was from five hours ago,


    probably around the time when Neil was taking me to the hospital. A picture of an injured ankle and a


    brief caption, ¡°What hurts more than a sprained ankle is a broken heart.¡±


    She must be upset thinking that the man she deeply loved chose to bring his unwell ex¨Cwife to the


    hospital while she was injured. It must be heart¨Cwrenching.


    Well, she had iting. I had endured countless painful moments of being abandoned, with Neil


    always choosing her over me.


    Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my past life, I had already felt unwell. Once, I was in so


    much chest pain that I was sweating bullets and hoped Neil would apany me to the hospital. But


    then Bonnie called, saying she was pregnant, and Neil rushed over to her immediately.


    When I passed away, it was the happiest time of their lives. Bonnie was epted by the Whitmore


    family, pregnant with their grandchild, and Neil also gained their approval. They even opened a grand


    hotel.


    I never imagined I would get a chance to upset Bonnie. On impulse, I liked Bonnie¡¯s post. I was not


    sure if it was because I liked her post, but Bonnie deleted it the next day.


    ¡°Rena, what happened? Why¡¯re you suddenly in the gynecology ward?¡± Ondo came to visit and


    asked, looking surprised.


    I sighed helplessly, ¡°Health issues, mainly gynecological. The doc said if I don¡¯t get treated, it might


    affect future pregnancies. Scared me into staying


    here¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to tell anyone in my family about the pregnancy.


    Ondo sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s all Neil¡¯s fault you¡¯re like this. I remember you being very healthy and


    robust as a child, not this frail¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. I can only me myself for being too sentimental back then.¡± I managed a bitter


    smile.


    ¡°At least you guys didn¡¯t have kids. This way, you can have a clean and straightforward divorce without


    too much entanglement. Otherwise, it would have been messier and the child would have been


    affected¡± Ondo opened the thermos he brought with him. Inside was some soup. He said, ¡°Have


    some, it¡¯s made by your sister¨Cinw¡±


    I carefully sat up and started sipping the soup straight from the thermos.


    Ondo¡¯s words weighed on my mind. Was I making a mistake by stubbornly wanting to give birth to


    the child?


    A child needed not only material support but also paternal love, which was something I cannot provide.


    And if the Whitmore family found out about the child, will I be able to keep them at bay? Even if Bonnie


    later had the Whitmore¡¯s child, there was no guarantee that they won¡¯t neglect mine.


    Lost in thought, I heard footsteps from the entrance. Neil walked in. I was taken aback. ¡°Why are you


    here?¡±


    ¡°Who were you expecting?¡°Neil seemed somewhat displeased with my questioning, his expression


    growing stern. ¡°Simmons?¡±


    apter 126


    I wasn¡¯t waiting for him. I¡¯d rather hire a nurse than ask Simmons to take care of me. I was not that


    shameless. Carrying Neil¡¯s child, asking Simmons to look after me? I wouldn¡¯t dare exploit Simmons¡®


    feelings for me.


    Mant Bonnie badly injured? Shouldn¡¯t you be taking care of her? Or she might get heartbroken again¡± I


    couldn¡¯t resist the sarcasm.


    didn¡¯t owe Bonnie any basic courtesy. I can mock her, ignore her, even piss her off from time to time. It


    was kind of fun.


    ¡°You enjoy mocking her?¡± Neil wasn¡¯t angry, he just sat down on a chair nearby, looking at me with a


    teasing smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you y nice like before, be the caring sister in front of her?¡±


    ¡°So, now that the cat¡¯s out of the bag, why bother hiding anything?¡± I looked at Neil with a cold stare.


    ¡°So, you told people that it was her who triggered our divorce?¡± Neil asked again.


    I dramatically replied, ¡°Yes, I spilled the beans. I knew my colleagues woulde knocking, so I called


    Bonnie out loud and clear for wrecking my marriage. I wanted to make her feel like dirt. Happy now?¡±


    Neil gave a nod, I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go andfort Bonnie, tell her you¡¯vee to her rescue. Stop cramping my


    style, I need some rest, keeping my spirits up is crucial¡± I wasn¡¯t lying. My doctor also told me not to get


    overly emotional


    ¡°How long are you gonna be stuck in the hospital? What¡¯s the issue?¡± Neil ignored my sarcasm and


    asked seriously.


    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s all about the big issue of me and my future partner having kids. I need to rest up and


    get ready for a new married life.¡± I replied coldly.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Chapter 127


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Every time I brought up the topic of remarrying. Neil immediately became displeased. But I already had


    my divorce papers, what else can he do to me? ¡°Have you found the right one?¡± He asked


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they everywhere?¡± I calmly respond. ¡°Don¡¯t forget when I was pursuing you, there were plenty of


    others chasing after me too. I just chose you.¡±


    Neil stared at me, his eyes filled with confusion. After a long while, he managed to voice his question,


    ¡°Why can we still talk so calmly? I¡¯ve been thinking, did you change suddenly, or was it gradual? It feels


    like you changed all of a sudden, but I don¡¯t know what made you change¡±


    I did change suddenly, because I had died once


    From Neil¡¯s perspective, he must be shocked. My feelings for him were so deep, it was impossible to


    let go so quickly. Even the fact that we can still talk calmly now was because I had be very calm.


    In Neil¡¯s mind, he should be the one proposing the divorce, and I should be clinging on, looking


    unwilling. That would be normal.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, weren¡¯t you also smitten with Bonnie at first sight? It¡¯s just a split¨Csecond


    decision, who can really exin it?¡± I casually exined. ¡°Really?¡± Neil didn¡¯t seem to believe. ¡°It¡¯s not


    because you found someone new?¡±


    I¡¯m lying in bed looking at Neil, ¡°Why do you care so much whether I have a new love interest or not?¡±


    Neil was taken aback, seemingly realizing his jealousy, and went silent for a while, as if contemting


    something.


    I said. The things we lose and can¡¯t have are always the best, right? Don¡¯te looking for me


    anymore, I don¡¯t want to meddle in your business with Bonnie any longer, I wish you two happiness.¡±


    After saying this, I turned my back to Neil and stopped talking.


    Neil should understand my meaning, he was just not willing to ept it. And I sincerely wish him and


    Bonnie happiness, so he won¡¯t have time to disturb my life


    Neil and I shared the same social circle, so even if we divorce, there will inevitably be some oveps,


    but we can only be acquaintances.


    ¡°If this is what you truly want, alright, I respect your choice.¡± I heard Neil¡¯s voice, followed by the sound


    of his footsteps leaving. I didn¡¯t turn around to look, I just continued to close my eyes and rest, as if he


    never came


    Three dayster, I got the news from home, Neil announced our divorce to the media. He didn¡¯t


    announce it before, probably because he was indecisive between me and Bonnie.


    I guess this was his final answer to me.


    Ste and the others already knew about my divorce, so they weren¡¯t too shocked, instead, it was the


    netizens back home who started enjoying the tea.


    User1: Neil divorced his wife for that college girl, right?


    User2: This couple really disgusts me.


    User3: Mr. Whitmore really likes Bonnie. Even though he had numerous scandals in the past, he never


    chose to divorce. Doesn¡¯t his wife try to get a portion of the property and leave?


    User4: His wife doesn¡¯t seem to be short on money¡­


    After reading thements for a while, I turned off my phone. The story that had tormented me for ten


    years was nothing more than chitchat in the eyes


    of others


    Many people criticized Bonnie, I didn¡¯t know if Ada would oppose her daughter being with Neil after


    seeing these.


    I hope this can all end here, but things didn¡¯t go as I wished. Faith called, putting me in a difficult


    position. I didn¡¯t answer her first call, and not until she called again did I pick up.


    ¡°Irene Faith¡¯s voice had a trace of anxiety, ¡°I heard you¡¯re in the hospital, what happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I hesitated for a moment, then responded, ¡°I¡¯m just feeling weak, I need to rest in the hospital


    for a while.¡±


    As I was still bleeding a bit, my doctor suggested that I be discharged after the bleeding stopped and


    the fetus stabilized.


    My Faith paused, seemingly not used to my change of tone. After she recovered, she continued, ¡°You


    need to take good care of yourself. You¡¯re already so skinny, and you need to eat more¡±


    ¡°I know. You need to look after yourself too.¡± I politely replied.


    ¡°Irene, it¡¯s our family who did you wrong,¡± Faith sighed, ¡°Neil told me before that the divorce was to let


    you rx, and he would try to win you back. But now it seems he can¡¯t.¡±


    No wonder there was no reaction from his family when Neil and I divorced, so this was why I fell silent,


    not knowing what to say.


    ¡°But I absolutely can¡¯t ept Bonnie.¡± Faith suddenly became emotional, ¡°Even if she gets pregnant


    with Neil¡¯s child in the future, I won¡¯t acknowledge. If she wants to join the Whitmore family, she¡¯ll have


    to wait till I¡¯m dead.¡±


    I was a bit surprised, Faith hated Bonnie to the point where she won¡¯t recognize her own grandchild?


    Didn¡¯t she always want to hold her grandchild? Then I understood, this was just her being too angry,


    saying things in the heat of the moment. If Bonnie really got pregnant, Faith probably won¡¯t be able to


    help herself.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, if Neil and Bonnie truly love each other, then you should bless them. A harmonious family is


    very important I softly advised


    In my past life, I once cried and begged Faith to help me hold onto Neil, but she was powerless.


    ¡°What true love? Bonnie can¡¯t possibly be that innocent. Anyway, I won¡¯t ept her. If the Whitmore


    family needs a daughter¨Cinw, then I only


    acknowledge you.¡± Faith said.


    Her words were filled with sincerity and emotions, but I felt nothing. Maybe she really did like me as her


    daughter¨Cinw, but for Karina¡¯s sake, I can¡¯t forgive her.


    We talked for a bit longer, then I ended the call.


    The news of my hospitalization must have been told by Neil to Faith, nobody else back home should


    know. I didn¡¯t even tell Ste and the others, because I didn¡¯t want them to worry.


    But I forgot there was one more person, who always liked to stir up trouble. Irene Bonnie showed up at


    the door of my ward room, it¡¯d been four days since Neil announced the divorce.


    Her leg seemed to have gotten much better, and she was just limping a bit when she walked. In her


    hand was a bouquet of blue bellflowers, which she ced on my bedside table as she approached.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore told me you¡¯re pretty sick and had to be hospitalized, so I came to see you, Bonnie said,


    her hair done up in bun, revealing her pretty forehead. Her face showed calm and gentleness. ¡°Irene,


    are you feeling any better now?¡±


    I looked at her with an expressionless face and didn¡¯t say anything. Neil had announced his divorce,


    and she might just be here to rub it in.


    Bonnie was a bit green¨Ceyed about me, as Neil¡¯s affection for her didn¡¯t seem so steadfast. So, she


    needed to unt to feel secure.


    ¡°He told me you need to keep a good mood for your illness,¡± Bonnie kept talking, not minding me. ¡°But


    he¡¯s so careless, announcing such news at this time. I¡¯m sorry, I know he just wanted to reassure me.¡±


    I wanted to burst outughing. Not wanting this to be a one¨Cman¨Cshow for her, I sat up, grabbed the


    bouquet, and threw it at her. ¡°Knowing I can¡¯t get mad, yet you brought me a bouquet with such bad


    symbolism, you¡¯re really thoughtful, aren¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Chapter 128


    Bonnie got smacked by the bouquet, leaving a faint mark on her cheek. She held her face, staring at


    me in disbelief. This was the first time I¡¯d everid a hand on her, my previous offenses were only


    verbal


    Trene, I just came to check on you, I mean. I have no idea what this bouquet thingy is all about ¡°Bonnie


    said with tears in her eyes.


    She didn¡¯t know? Didn¡¯t the florist tell her? Always trying to get under my skin with her petty tricks.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, cut the act and get out of my sight, now!¡± I warned her coldly, ¡°Or I¡¯ll have you thrown out.¡±


    Bonnie left, tears streaming down her face


    This was supposed to be a small blip, butter that night, I received a video from Barbara. It showed


    me in the hospital room, flinging the bouquet at Bonnie and ordering her to get out of my sight.


    The video was edited, it was only a few seconds long and the only dialog was, ¡°Get out of my sight!¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s helpless and pitiful appearance drew a lot of sympathy, including from some old friends and


    ssmates, all defending her. In their eyes, Bonnie was still the innocent and kind girl they knew. Even


    if she¡¯d be a homewrecker, it was not her fault.


    I couldn¡¯t care less. Let Bonnie take that video to Neil for somefort or to cry on his shoulder, I


    chose to ignore it all.


    What surprised me was that Neil never came looking for me, nor did he stand up for Bonnie because of


    the bouquet¨Cthrowing incident. I was left in peace, able to focus on the baby until all signs of bleeding


    were gone. After a series of tests, I was finally discharged.


    Before leaving, the doctor instructed me, ¡°Ms. Finch, your health isn¡¯t great. You must ensure plenty of


    rest, a bnced diet, avoid overworking, and keep your emotions stable.¡±


    I took the doctor¡¯s advice to heart. Once home, I started thinking about work. Should I continue


    working, or take time off to have the baby? If I chose to keep working, there was a risk of miscarriage,


    but I hated the idea of quitting.


    As I was debating, the doorbell rang.


    ¡°Russel?¡± I was surprised to see him at my door.


    He was wearing a brown trench coat, his hair a bit shorter, looking refreshed. More importantly, he was


    carrying a suitcase.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight again,¡± Russel began to scold as soon as he saw me, ¡°Have you been skipping


    meals? If you keep this up, you¡¯ll harm your health.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked in surprise.


    Work assignment, Russel said ndly, ¡°I¡¯ll be working at a local hospital for a good half a year.¡±


    Before I could react, Russel had already walked into the living room and ced his suitcase next to the


    couch, ¡°Irene, I need a favor.¡±


    Closing the door, I asked with curiosity. ¡°What favor do you need?¡±


    ¡°I need a ce to stay temporarily. The hospital hasn¡¯t arranged my amodation yet. Can I stay


    here?¡± Russel asked.


    Confused, I asked, ¡°Stay here? Why not go to Neil? Isn¡¯t he nearby? Or Louis.¡±


    Russel responded casually. ¡°They don¡¯t know I¡¯m here.¡±


    Well, this was interesting. Was I closer to Russel than I was to Neil? I couldn¡¯t help but recall Russel¡¯s


    words, he didn¡¯t like Bonnie, and why couldn¡¯t I be


    the one he was after? Could it be¡­


    My heartbeat quickened, this was not a good sign. I had just extricated myself from Neil¡¯s mess, how


    could I dive into Russel¡¯s issues? Plus, Neil and Russel were good friends. If things gotplicated


    between Russel and me, it¡¯d definitely bring Neil back into my life.


    ¡°No, get a hotel!¡± Considering these factors, I refused Russel immediately.


    ¡°Because of Neil? Russel was quick to catch on.


    ¡°He¡¯s part of the reason, but mainly because it¡¯s not appropriate for us to live together,¡± I shook my


    head, remembering the few days Simmons had stayed, my pregnancy was exposed. If Russel stayed


    for a few days, I couldn¡¯t imagine what he¡¯d find out. Being a doctor, he might notice something was off


    within a day.


    Russel smiled helplessly. ¡°Can I at least have dinner here? I¡¯ll head to the hotel right after.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t refuse this request and agreed.


    I took out some ingredients from the fridge, but before I could start cooking, Russel took them from me,


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡±


    He seemed a bit tired when he said this. When our hands brushed, his felt hot.


    Watching Pussel washing the vegetables, I asked worriedly. ¡°Russel, you¡¯re not running a fever, are


    you? Your hands feel hot.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine was all Russel said.


    I walked up to him, fussing like a worried mother, ¡°I have a thermometer, why don¡¯t you go check your


    temperature? You¡¯re a doctor, you just told me to take care of myself, but look at yourself. What if you


    pass out?¡±


    As I reached out to touch Russel¡¯s forehead, he suddenly grabbed my wrist, looking deep into my eyes.


    I froze, realizing my mistake. There was also something dangerous in Russel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why can Simmons stay here but not me?¡± He suddenly asked.


    ¡°Who told you?¡± I was taken aback.


    ¡°Mitch.¡± Russel¡¯s gaze never left my face, as if searching for something.


    Was Ste now the center of the gossip mill?


    I pulled my wrist out of Russel¡¯s grip, answering awkwardly, ¡°Ste was messing around. Her brother


    only stayed for a couple of days¡±


    ¡°Have youpletely forgotten about Neil? Have you given up on any thoughts of revenge?¡® Russel¡¯s


    questions were changing quite quickly


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    was confused, ¡°What do you mean? You know we¡¯re divorced, right?¡±


    ¡°I know, but if you still harbor any resentment, you can use me¡± Russel¡¯s words shocked me more. I


    didn¡¯t know how to respond, just staring nkly at


    him


    He scrunched up his eyebrows, ¡°Is it that hard to grasp? You can use me just like you use Oscar. I


    should be able to do a better job.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I suddenly shouted, my heart racing, ¡°Russel, have you lost your mind? Aren¡¯t you and Neil


    best buds? Do you realize how absurd you sound right now?¡±


    Russel just chuckled, 1 like you, isn¡¯t that absurd enough?*


    ¨C

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    Chapter 129


    Chapter 129


    I still remember what the doctor once told me, to keep a cool head, try to avoid getting too worked up


    or anxious to prevent any negative effects on the baby. So after hearing what Russel said, I took a


    deep breath. Russel, I¡¯m gonna pretend I didn¡¯t hear a single word you just said. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re.


    running a fever. Go lie down on the couch for a bit, I¡¯ll go get you some meds.¡±


    I quickly turned around and left. I found a pharmacy nearby and bought some cold and fever medicine.


    ¡°Ms. Finch.¡± As I was about to leave, Louis walked out from behind the medicine shelves, holding some


    hangover pills.


    ¡°Mr. Aldridge,¡± I politely responded.


    ¡°Fancy seeing you here. Do you live nearby?¡± Louis asked with a polite smile.


    I nodded, ¡°Yeah, what brings you here?¡±


    Louis was nothing like Neil and Russel, he was a real chatterbox, can strike up a conversation with


    anyone, whether he knew them or not.


    He exined, ¡°Actually, Neil invested in a project over here, the one I¡¯m working on. We¡¯re partners


    now. There¡¯s a party nearby tonight, so I came to get some pills for hangover in advance¡±


    ¡°1 see, that¡¯s great.¡± I responded with a smile, then excused myself, ¡°I have some things to take care


    of, gotta head home¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you¡± Louis waved goodbye.


    I left the pharmacy only to find my car blocked with cars in front and back and an illegally parked car


    next to it with no one in it. To make matters worse, the driver didn¡¯t even leave a contact number.


    Just as I was getting frustrated, I saw Louising out of the pharmacy and heading towards a car


    across the street. He got in and rolled down the window, and that was when I saw Neil in the driver¡¯s


    seat.


    Upon seeing me, Neil¡¯s eyes shed with surprise, but he quickly regained hisposure. He said


    something to Louis, then started the car and drove


    off.


    I had no choice but to wait for the driver of the illegally parked car to show up. Three minutester,


    Neil¡¯s car made a U¨Cturn and stopped in front of me.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    He got out of the car, dressed in a white shirt and ck trousers. His hair was slicked back, revealing a


    handsome face. Even without a carefully styled hairstyle, he still looked impable. He nced at the


    illegally parked car, then at my car, ¡°Need a lift?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks,¡± I replied indifferently.


    ¡°I can give you a ride.¡± Neil paused, then offered again.


    I was in a hurry to get home, but I didn¡¯t n on riding with Neil


    ¡°Thank you, but I can take a cab.¡± I politely but coldly declined his offer and waited for a taxi by the


    roadside.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Neil nced at the medicine in my hand, not upset by my refusal


    I didn¡¯t understand why he would care about that and just shook my head, ¡°No.¡±


    Neil¡¯s gaze suddenly deepened, is someone else at home sick? Has Simmons not moved out?¡±


    Just then, a taxi pulled up in front of me. I didn¡¯t answer Neil, just got in the car, gave the driver an


    address, and drove off.


    Not far ahead was an intersection. As I was waiting for the red light, I saw from the rearview mirror that


    Neil had also gotten into his car. His car quickly caught up with me and stopped next to mine at the red


    light.


    I didn¡¯t look at him. When the green light came on, the two cars went their separate ways.


    By the time I got home, Russel had made some simple dishes and was sitting on the couch drinking


    water. Seeing mee in, he put down his ss. I¡¯m feeling much better now¡±


    ¡°Take your medicine. Read the instructions.¡± I handed the medicine to Russel with a hint of anger.


    He didn¡¯t get upset at my anger. He obediently opened the medicine box, read the instructions, and


    took the medicine.


    I went to get two tes, gave one to Russel, and started eating. I told him about running into Neil and


    Louis. He didn¡¯t react much, just told me to eat


    more.


    ¡°Once you feel better after taking the medicine, you should find a hotel as soon as possible. I was a bit


    annoyed. I felt like running into Neil was a warning from above Getting tangled up with either one of


    them would mean having to deal with the other.


    Russel nodded, ¡°Is it raining outside?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s raining ¡°I turned my head and nced at the outside of the balcony.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to buy a car when I got here. I guess I¡¯ll be hailing a cab in the rain with a fever and


    my luggage.¡± Russel said calmly.


    I asked in confusion, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell Neil? He could pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Tell him what?¡± Russel asked. ¡°Tell him I flew halfway across the world to chase after his ex¨Cwife?¡±


    I nearly choked. I always thought Russel was a bit slow emotionally. Not as direct as Neil, which was


    why he lost in love. But now, why did it feel like he was dropping bombs every time he opened his


    mouth?


    After coughing a few times, I took a sip of water and red at Russel, ¡°Russel, can you stop talking


    nonsense? There¡¯s no way anything can happen between us.¡±


    ¡°Anything is possible in this world.¡± Russel stared at me, ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to reject me.¡±


    How could I not reject him? I¡¯m pregnant! Feeling a bit frustrated, I ran a hand through my hair and


    stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s clean up tomorrow. I¡¯m going to bed.


    You can sleep in the guest room tonight, and find a hotel in the morning¡±


    I went to my room without noticing the smile on Russel¡¯s face


    I had to go to work the next day, so I got up early. The bed in the quest room was neatly made by


    Russel, and the dishes on the dining table were cleaned up. He must have left.


    I let out a sigh of relief and drove to work. I still hadn¡¯t decided whether to quit or not, so I still had to go


    to work when it was time.


    As soon as I got to work, Ondo came to see me and told me about Rannie.


    Turned out the marketing department didn¡¯t approve Bonnie¡¯s resignation, but when Ondo found out


    who Bonnie really was, he was pretty pissed. He personally ordered the head of the marketing


    department to approve Bonnie¡¯s resignation.


    It was just a part¨Ctime job, so the procedure was pretty simple. I had no objections to this.


    At the end of work hours. I arrived at the parking lot, getting ready to drive back home. Just as I opened


    the car door, I suddenly felt a bit nauseous. I had to quickly rush to the restroom in the parking lot to


    vomit, and only came out after I was done vomiting.


    Stepping out. I spotted Bonnie and Malinda standing there, looking a bit off¨Ckilter. Just as Malinda was


    about to speak, Bonnie pulled her away


    1 frowned Did she catch me blowing chunks just now?


    I was worried that Bonnie might think I was pregnant. She was a pretty sensitive soul, and women often


    had a better sixth sense about these things than

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    Chapter 130


    Once I got home, I was feeling uneasy, but I couldn¡¯t directly ask Bonnie about it. Then, my mom


    called. She already knew that Bonnie hade to Cdonia, and Ondo was the one who told her


    ¡°What on earth does she want? Is she deliberately pestering you? You and Neil are divorced already,


    what else does she want?¡± My mom was furning I responded with a hint of irritation, ¡°She¡¯s here as a


    student, and happened to work at Ondo¡¯spany Some stuff happened, and she quit¡±


    ¡°Did Neil go too?¡± Mom hit the nail on the head.


    I didn¡¯t deny it.


    Mom was really pissed She thought Neil and Bonnie were just bullying me. She wanted to give Neil a


    piece of her mind over the phone, but I stopped her. ¡°Mom, just let me handle this. You and dad need


    to take care of yourselves, especially you. You can¡¯t get too worked up, okay?¡± I worried that mom¡¯s


    health might take a toll if she got too upset.


    Mom knew what I was like, no amount of talking would change anything. I would have to face this on


    my own, so she didn¡¯t say anything more. Thankfully, the next few days were peaceful, with no


    disturbances. My morning sickness started to ease up, too. The doctor said that for most people, it got


    better after the first few months. But what I was really worried about was my baby bump. I could hide it


    for now, but in two or three months, it would be hard to keep it under wraps.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Excuse me¡± Early on a weekend morning, as I was about to go out shopping. I saw a movingpany


    bringing furniture upstairs, and the door to the apartment across from mine was wide open.


    The residential area that I lived in was mid¨Crange, not anything fancy But it was close to both my office


    and Harold¡¯s house, so Ondo chose it for me. The apartment across from mine had been empty for a


    while, but it seemed like it had been rented out I didn¡¯t think much of it. After a nce, I took the


    elevator downstairs. When I returned from shopping, the door across from mine was closed. It looked


    like they were all moved in.


    ¡®Ms. Finch?¡® Just as I was about to close my door, Louis came out of the elevator, his face full of


    surprise. ¡°You live here too?¡±


    I stared at him in shock. ¡°You¡¯re the one who moved in across the hall?¡±


    Louis grinned. ¡°Yeah, more urately, it¡¯s me and Neil. It¡¯s close to my office, so we¡¯re staying here for


    now.¡±


    I was taken aback. Neil was living across from me now? Wasn¡¯t he living with Bonnie?


    ¡°Why the long face? You don¡¯t seem¡­ too thrilled about us being your neighbors.¡± Louis sounded


    worried. ¡°Is it because it¡¯s awkward being neighbors with Neil after the divorce?¡±


    Of course it was awkward. I even suspected that Neil deliberately moved here to make me


    ufortable. If Bonnie found out we were neighbors, she would definitely get jealous.


    What was he thinking?


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t say anything. Louis sighed. ¡°Looks like he hurt you pretty badly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. I hope you guys enjoy living here ¡°I managed a smile, then closed the door


    Even though Louis and Neil were the ones living across from me, I never saw Neil. Every time I went to


    and from work, Louis was always the only one around. That was fine. I didn¡¯t want to see Neil anyway.


    If all went well, I would move away in a while.


    ¡°Off work, Ms. Finch?¡± Louis would always greet me first. He was always enthusiastic.


    ¡°Yes¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Russel¡¯s here too, did you know?¡± Louisughed ¡°We¡¯re having a get¨Ctogether tonight. You¡¯re


    wee to join.¡±


    How could I possibly join? I wanted to avoid both Neil and Russel at all costs.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m a bit tired today. I¡¯m going to rest early.¡± I shook my head.


    Louis didn¡¯t push it. ¡°Alright, rest well.¡±


    Around nine¨Cthirty at night, I heard a lot of noise from outside. It sounded like a lot of people talking. I


    went to the door and peeped through the peephole. Sure enough, the apartment across from mine was


    quite lively


    Neil, Russel, Bonnie, Malinda, and a few other men and women I didn¡¯t recognize were all there.


    Neil seemed to sense that I was watching them. He swiftly turned around and looked straight at my


    door. His gaze was intense and mysterious.


    I quickly withdrew from the peephole and took a seat on the sofa.


    Gradually, the noise from the other apartment died down. They probably closed the door, so they


    wouldn¡¯t keep me from sleeping


    After I finished my night routine, I was ready to go to bed. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. My heart started


    racing. I went to check the door, and a woman was standing outside waiting for me.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± I asked


    The woman seemed a bit embarrassed. ¡°Sorry, I was wondering if you have any sd dressing. We¡¯re


    making a sd but we ran out.¡±


    I nced at the door across from mine. I could vaguely saw shadows moving in the living room. I didn¡¯t


    want to be seen by Neil and the others, so turned her down. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have any sd dressing¡±


    The woman seemed a bit disappointed and went back I didn¡¯t know what she told the people inside,


    but soon, Louis and her came out, followed by Malinda. The three of them got in the elevator and went


    downstairs


    They were probably going to buy sd dressing. I was feeling a bit frustrated. I felt like a fugitive,


    hiding in my room, afraid of being discovered.


    Chapter


    I went back to my bedroom,y down, closed my eyes, and cleared my thoughts. I was ready to sleep


    and soon fell asleep.


    ¡°Boom!¡± A loud thunderp woke me up from my dream. I looked at the window in my bedroom in a


    daze. Outside, there was lightning and thunder, and the wind and rain were heavy


    I was instantly wide awake and on edge. I checked the time on my phone. It was already three¨Cthirty in


    the morning.


    Something fell in the living room. The sound was very piercing. I had no choice but to get up and


    check. I¡¯d forgotten to close the balcony door, and I was afraid something might have been blown in by


    the wind.


    There was nothing unusual in the living room. The rack I used to dry my socks on the balcony had


    been knocked over by the wind. Rain drifted into the living room. I walked over, intending to close the


    balcony door, but at the crucial moment, the door wouldn¡¯t budge when I tried to push it


    Suddenly, another thunderp. I screamed in fear, my heart pounding in my chest. I was really scared


    of this kind of weather, and always wanted to wrap myself up like a cocoon to feel safe.


    Trene!¡± Suddenly, I heard Neil¡¯s voice from outside the door. Despite the thunder, his voice was not


    drowned out.


    I tried to cool my jets, then dashed to open the door, hoping Neil could lend me a hand by closing the


    balcony door.


    No sooner had I opened the door when a lightning bolt zapped out of the blue. I quickly mped my


    hands over my ears, only to be hugged tightly by Neil. He patted my back, ¡°It¡¯s just thunder. Don¡¯t be


    afraid.¡±

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    Chapter 131


    I didn¡¯t respond, only waited until the storm outside had calmed down a bit before gently moving Neil


    aside. ¡°The balcony door won¡¯t close, could you give it a shot for me?¡±


    Neil nodded and went to check the door.


    The rain was still pouring and the wind hadn¡¯t stopped. After Neil finished checking and closing the


    balcony door, his clothes werepletely soaked, and so was his hair. The sound from the storm


    outside significantly decreased once the door was closed. I handed Neil a dry towel, ¡°Thanks, dry your


    hair.¡±


    Neil took the towel and casually dried his hair. His shirt was mainly wet on the right side, from his


    shoulder to his lower back. The soaked fabric clung to his body, outlining his muscles that shifted with


    his movements. I silently pulled my gaze away, assuming that Neil would leave once he finished drying


    his hair


    ¡°Why did you choose to live here?¡± Neil suddenly asked.


    TI¡¯s close to work and also close to Harold¡¯s ce¡± I simply replied.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not very safe here and the facilities aren¡¯t great.¡± Neil seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the


    living conditions.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I was surprised, ¡°Then why did you choose to live here?¡±


    He paused for a moment before giving a small smile, ¡°Same as you, it¡¯s close to work.¡±


    Since we had started chatting. I decided to ask a few questions I was curious about. Sitting on the sofa,


    I asked, ¡°How long is your project here? When are you nning on heading back?¡±


    Neil pondered for a moment before replying calmly, ¡°Not sure. I suppose you¡¯re eager for me to go


    back, right? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be a bother?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°You used to say I was the one bothering you¡±


    The atmosphere instantly became awkward, and the air seemed to freeze. I hadn¡¯t intended to bring up


    the past; the words just slipped out.


    Suddenly Neil¡¯s gaze fell onto a small bottle on the coffee table. He reached out to grab it, but I quickly


    picked it up before he could. He looked puzzled, ¡°What medication are you taking?¡±


    That was the folic acid I was currently taking, I had forgotten to put it away after taking itst night.


    I clenched the small bottle in my hand, feeling a bit nervous myself. Then, I attempted to respond


    calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just some vitamins, prescribed by my doctor. I have a vitamin deficiency¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Neil reached out his hand.


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s my business, you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± I rejected him.


    Neil didn¡¯t believe me, and furrowed his brows, ¡°Irene, give me the medication.¡±


    I got up and started walking towards the bedroom, I¡¯m going to sleep, you should go too. Thanks for


    your help tonight.¡±


    Neil also stood up and followed me. As I tried to close the bedroom door, he blocked it with his hand


    and I couldn¡¯t close it no matter how hard I tried.


    I was getting a bit angry, ¡°Neil, let go!¡±


    ¡°Let me see the medication. I know it¡¯s not vitamins. I want to know about your health Neil was taller


    than me, and he looked down at me with a serious


    expression.


    ¡°Why do you care about my health? Let go of me or else don¡¯t me me for getting rough!¡± I had no


    other way to deal with Neil, except with my teeth and nails. Once I finished speaking, I started waving


    my hands, ready to scratch Neil¡¯s arm.


    He reacted very quickly, immediately grabbing my hand, his face darkened, ¡°Are you trying to scratch


    me again?¡±


    I gritted my teeth and replied, ¡°Then don¡¯t use your strength to bully me.¡±


    Neil frowned, ¡°When did I bully you? I¡¯m just concerned about your health.¡±


    I replied coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern. The person you should be concerned about is Bonnie.¡±


    Mentioning Bonnie, Neil¡¯s eyes darkened a bit more. He looked at me for a few seconds before giving a


    self¨Cmocking smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, go to sleep, I¡¯m leaving¡±


    He let go of his hand, the resistance on the door immediately disappeared. The sound of the front door


    opening and closing quickly came from the living room. I stood at my bedroom door for a while before


    letting out a tired sigh and returning to bed to continue sleeping.


    Suddenly, my phone started vibrating. It was Russel calling. ¡°Are you scared being home alone?¡±


    ¡°A little, but I¡¯m ok now¡± I answered the phone while checking my messages, only to find that he had


    called three times and sent several messages


    before


    The background noise was a bit loud on Russel¡¯s end, unlike Neil¡¯s. He said, ¡°I had to rush back to the


    hospital for something, and as soon as I arrived, it started pouring. If you¡¯re scared, I cane over


    now¡±


    ¡°No need, your work is more important. I¡¯m fine now and about to go back to sleep¡± I quickly replied.


    ¡°Alright, go back to sleep¡± Russel¡¯s voice was steady.


    Once the call ended, I kept tossing and turning until dawn. In my current state, I really shouldn¡¯t stay up


    late, but my mind kept going back to a mix of different things.


    I was a bit tired at work the next day, practically forcing myself to concentrate. Ondo came to see


    me. He said that Kate was being transferred back to the development department.


    ¡°With her back, your workload will be a lot lighter, Rena. Your health is more important than work, you


    know that right?¡± Ondo looked at very concerned.


    He only knew about Bonnie and my rtionship, but he didn¡¯t know about the rtionship between


    Kate and Bonnie, so it made sense that he agreed to transfer Kate back. Besides, I did need someone


    to share my workload and Kate was the best choice


    ¡°Ok, got it ¡°I nodded


    In the afternoon, Kate was transferred. She greeted everyone in the development department with a


    smile, but it disappeared when the saw me


    I didn¡¯t care, ever since I found out about Kate¡¯s identity, I never thought about being friends with her.


    Kate¡¯s desk was still next to mine. As she was organizing the documents on her desk, she quietly


    asked me, ¡°Bonnie has already resigned. Are you satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°Satisfied ¡°I purposely showed a smug smile, ¡°Believe it or not, I can find a way to get rid of you too


    Kate¡¯s face stiffened, apparently she didn¡¯t expect me to be so arrogant. There was a hint of


    nervousness in her eyes, it seemned she was worried that i could get rid of her. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy


    for her to get to where she was now.


    ¡°Irene, you really rely on your family background to do whatever you want. No wonder Bonnie said she


    wanted to break up with Neil and give him back to you¡± Kate finally responded, her tone full of


    resentment.


    I turned to look at Kate, and upon closer inspection, she did look somewhat simr to Bonnie. I felt


    nothing towards this kind of irony All 1 heard was jealousy. Iughed and said, ¡°Yeah, I do rely on my


    family background to do what I want. If Bonnie had a background like mine, she could easily marry


    Neil. But sadly, she just doesn¡¯t cut it.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kate¡¯s face turned pale as a sheet, as if my words about Bonnie¡¯s misfortune were a


    subtle hint to her as well. Initially, Karina was also rejected by the Whitmore family due to her family


    background, which was a brutal fact.

 Chapter 132

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    Chapter 132


    Kate didn¡¯t dare to argue with me at work, and looked grumpy all afternoon.


    After work, I drove off and right as I was leaving the office, I spotted a familiar red BMW. Bonnie just


    got out of the car. She was all dolled up, wearing a polka dot beret, looking young and trendy. Her


    attire matched well with the red BMW


    Why was she here if she had quit her job? I was puzzled, but didn¡¯t give it much thought.


    After I got back to my apartmentplex, I took the elevator up as usual. Just as the elevator doors


    were about to close, a hand shot in and stopped them The elevator door slowly opened again, and Neil


    walked in expressionlessly He nced at me once, and then the two of us never made eye


    contact again


    Neil was carrying some groceries. It was the first time I saw him doing grocery shopping. He looked like


    a real family guy


    A few seconds after the elevator doors closed, the elevator jolted abruptly, I grabbed onto the handrail


    to steady myself, my heart pounding.


    ¡°The elevator¡¯s broken, Neil tried the open door button, but it didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± I was speechless. ¡°Call the property management¡±


    Soon, we heard the property management over the inte, telling us not to panic. The elevator had a


    minor issue and they had already called a


    repairman


    Then there was silence in the elevator Neil and I had nothing to say. The silence was broken by the


    sound of my stomach. Usually, I would have started cooking by this time. I felt extremely hungry


    Neil nced at me and I awkwardly turned my head away


    My stomach grumbled again.


    ¡°Hungry?¡± Neil bent down and opened the bag on the floor. Inside, besides some groceries, there were


    also a few apples and bread.


    He handed me a piece of bread, ¡°Here, have a bite¡±


    I nodded, took the bread and started eating. It was gone in two, three bites. The more I ate, the


    hungrier I got, and I couldn¡¯t help but nce at the bag again I was extremely hungry, it was driving me


    nuts


    Neil seemed surprised at my sudden appetite. I used to eat very little. He picked up the bag, opened it


    in front of me. ¡°There¡¯s only a bit of bread and some apples left. Help yourself¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate, didn¡¯t care if the apples were washed or not, and just started chowing down. By the


    time I was full, there were only three apples left in the bag and all the bread was gone


    ¡°Have you ever had your stomach checked?¡± Neil didn¡¯t seem to care about the few pieces of bread


    and apples. He looked at me with a furrowed brow.


    I wiped my mouth, Yes, I did. Just a mild gastritis, nothing serious.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Neil¡¯s brow rxed a bit.


    The repairman was taking his sweet time. Half an hour had passed and we finally heard voices from


    above. The issue seemed to be up there. But I didn¡¯t understand how they were fixing it. Suddenly, the


    elevator jolted again and I lost my bnce, heading straight for the wall.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Neil caught me urately and swiftly. I ended up in his arms, the familiar scent of tobo


    mixed with a faint fragrance entered my nostrils.


    Because of my pregnancy, my sense of smell was sharper than before. Sometimes certain smells


    would make me nauseous, especially the smell of smoke. But the smell of tobo from Neil¡¯s clothes


    was faint, mixed with a hint of fragrance. I found it surprisinglyforting. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder,


    had my baby already formed some sort of connection with him?


    If I worked hard to raise her, but she ended up bonding with Neil, I would be furious.


    ¡°Thank you¡± I thanked him politely after I steadied myself.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Neil let go of my hand, his face expressionless as usual.


    There was a weak signal in the elevator, so I decided to sit down and y with my phone. That was


    when Neil¡¯s phone rang. He nced at me and answered it.


    Due to the noise of the repair work and people talking above us, Neil put the call on speaker. So, I


    could hear the voice on the other end.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Malinda and I made some food, we invited Kate as well. Would you and Russel Louis


    like to join us?¡± Bonnie¡¯s voice was soft and sweet.


    Just as I heard this, my stomach growled again, loudly. I helplessly rubbed my belly, thinking, ¡°Baby,


    you can¡¯t eat her food.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make it today, Neil¡¯s voicecked the tenderness it used to have..


    ¡°Ahh? Alright then, Malinda and I will start without you. Don¡¯t forget to have dinner, Bonnie sounded a


    bit disappointed, but she still reminded him gently


    ¡°I will,¡± He replied.


    After hanging up, I looked at Neil, ¡°Neil, do you think once you have something, you don¡¯t need to


    cherish it?¡±


    Neil took off his jacket and said to me, ¡°Stand up.¡±


    I stood up without understanding why Heid his jacket where I was sitting and gestured for me to sit


    down. Was this really Neil, being such a gentleman and considerate?


    1 never had it, how could I cherish it?¡± Neil answered my previous question after I sat down.


    I was


    quite curious about how things had developed between Neil and Bonnie. During my past life, I was in


    the dark about many things, aplete loser. If Russel hadn¡¯t told me some things, I would have died


    in the dark.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you with her?¡± I was surprised.


    ¡°No.¡± Neil¡¯s answer was firm.


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond. How could they not be together? I had seen him fall for Bonnie at first


    sight, I had seen the texts he sent her, and I knew he had asked her to quit her job, to break up. All


    these things really happened.


    After a while, I asked, ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like her?¡±


    Neil chuckled and he asked me, ¡°You seem pretty sure that I was the one who pursued her first?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t that the case? Thest time Russel and I talked, he told me that Neil had pursued Bonnie I had


    seen it myself after I was reborn. I saw the messages he sent to Bonnie


    ¡°If I never slept with her, would you remarry me?¡± Neil asked before I could answer.


    ¡°No way¡± I answered almost immediately, I didn¡¯t care what happened between him and Bonnie. All I


    knew was that the scenes I had witnessed had hurt me deeply.


    Neil gave a slight smirk, not saying another word. Just then, the elevator doors opened. I picked myself


    up off the floor, gave him back his coat, and walked out.


    Neil and I turned our backs to each other, each heading our own home.


    The moment the door closed behind me, my mind was a whirlwind. I couldn¡¯t help but rey what Neil


    had just said. If he didn¡¯t make the first move on Bonnie, did she give him some kind of hint? Was


    Neil¡¯s love¨Cat¨Cfirst¨Csight and relentless pursuit of her just a front?

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    Chapter 133


    In the evening, I shared Neil¡¯s words with my girlfriends in our chat group.


    Ste and the others started analyzing it like detectives. Ste said, ¡°Rena, didn¡¯t you see Neil asking


    for Bonnie¡¯s contact info with your own eyes? Doesn¡¯t that mean he was the one who started chasing


    her?¡±


    Barbara countered, ¡°Not necessarily Just because he asked for her phone number doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s


    after her I think Neil may be a bit of a jerk, but I don¡¯t think he would be to Rena¡±


    Ste added, ¡°I am really confused, what the heck are these two up to? It¡¯s such a headache!¡±


    Alicia also chimed in, ¡°Regardless, ording to my gut feeling, Bonnie is not as simple as she


    seems¡­¡±


    Ste continued. ¡°You¡¯re right, the ones who seem innocent are the most cunning when they¡¯re ying


    mind games. Rena, you¡¯re divorced now, don¡¯t overthink it, and it¡¯s best not to meet Bonnie or Neil in


    the future. You three just don¡¯t mix well¡±


    As I watched their analysis, an image of Russel popped into my mind. Maybe he knew something? I


    gave Russel a call, and he picked up right away.


    ¡°When are you free? I have something to ask you,¡± I asked


    I¡¯m free now Can we meet up?¡± Russel didn¡¯t ask me what was the matter.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle find you because it¡¯s not very convenient for you toe over, I picked up my car keys


    and headed out, ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    Half an hourter, I met Russel at a restaurant


    I had a lot of questions in mind, hoping he could help me clear some up, and put my doubts to rest.


    ¡°Russel, did Neil ever tell you how he pursued Bonnie?¡± I asked straightforwardly.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Russel was a bit puzzled, ¡°Why are you suddenly asking this?¡±


    I took a sip of water, ¡°Just curious, did Neil tell you?¡±


    Russel pondered for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°He didn¡¯t mention it specifically.¡±


    It seemed Russel was also in the dark about this Seeing my puzzled look, he tried to ask, ¡°Did Neil tell


    you something?¡±


    If it were before, I might think Russel would also fall for Bonnie, so I could share the story of Neil and


    Bonnie with him. But not now, he obviously had feelings for me, so I didn¡¯t want to reveal too much


    about Neil. I just shook my head, ¡°No, it¡¯s just a question that popped into my head.¡±


    Even though I said that, I was actually very curious


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My phone started vibrating. It was a message from Ste, ¡°Rena, I got some dirt from Mitch!¡±


    My heart raced as I quickly replied to her, ¡°Spill.¡±


    Ste tried to start a voice call, but I rejected it because Russel was still across from me. I asked her to


    text instead. Soon she sent a string of messages, ¡°Mitch used to help Neile up with a lot of ideas


    to court girls, so he knows the most about Neil and Bonnie. I¡¯m really shocked. This is SO surprising!¡±


    Through Ste¡¯s words, I finally understood the meaning of Neil¡¯s words in the elevator. He did ask for


    Bonnie¡¯s contact info, because he thought she looked a lot like Karina the moment he saw her. But it


    wasn¡¯t Neil who first reached out to Bonnie, instead it was Bonnie who got Neil¡¯s number from some


    person in charge. So Bonnie sent a message to Neil asking why he asked for her contact info from the


    person in charge.


    That was how they got to know each other.


    Ste sent a message, ¡°Wow, the top predator indeed makes her entrance as a prey. That¡¯s all Mitch


    told me, he won¡¯t tell me how Neil pursued Bonnie. I¡¯ll press him more, and let you know ASAP when I


    get something new¡±


    I was speechless, and then I closed the screen. But at this moment, there was a turmoil in my heart.


    In my past life and in this life, the circumstances of Neil and Bonnie¡¯s encounter should not change. In


    my past life, Bonnie also took the initiative to contact Neil But because I was reborn, things changed


    after they met.


    In my past life, although Bonnie took the initiative to approach Neil, in the end Neil fell in love with her


    and she seeded.


    But in this life, Neil had changed because of my changes, and it seemed that up to this point, he didn¡¯t


    love her.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Russel asked softly after I had been silent for a while.


    He looked at me with a rare gentleness in his eyes.


    Looking at Russels charming face, I felt a wave of sympathy I seemed to understand how he fell in love


    with Bonnie in my past life. It was very likely that Bonnie fabricated a story about being forced by Neil,


    and Russel went from helpless to moved, and then to falling in love with her.


    Because he once told me about Bonnie. In his view, Bonnie was a weak and helpless poor girl, and


    everything was forced on her by Neil. Plus, Bonnie and


    Karina were so simr, how could Russel be indifferent?


    And my understanding of the story between Neil and Bonnie mainly came from Russel, so I thought


    Neil forced her. I was fooled by Bonnie in two lifetimes, and Neil, for some reason, never exined to


    me.


    Bonnie¡¯s skills really opened my eyes


    1 was thinking what kind of person Bonnie really is I said with a forcedugh. ¡°Do you think she was


    really forced by Neil? Or did she know Neil¡¯s Identity and my identity from the beginning?¡±


    That would be terrifying, and I got goosebumps just thinking about it.


    After I was reborn, did she already know who I was when I was at the caf¨¦? And when she bumped


    into me and Neil at the conference, did she pretend


    not to see the rtionship between us?


    Later, when she and I were in the car on the way to meet Oscar for dinner, she actually sent a


    message to Neil first. Then, while we were eating, she received a reply from Neil. The unease and


    worry she exhibited, was it all for show?


    This was so terrifying, truly scary.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but she¡¯s definitely not as innocent as she seems, Russel calmly replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t really


    care about these things, but after you came to me, I purposefully paid attention to her and found out


    she¡¯s really good at pretending.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect that I unknowingly changed Russel¡¯s view of Bonnie. Otherwise, Bonnie could still y


    the helpless character in front of him. With her face that was extremely simr to Karina¡¯s, she can


    easily manipte two rich hunks.


    She intentionally made Russel sympathize with her, fall for her, probably to solidify her position with


    Neil. After all, onlypetition created pressure.


    I reallyfelt that, if I had half of Bonnie¡¯s cunning, would I still spend ten years chasing Neil?!


    ¡°I admit, I lost to her, I didn¡¯t want to say anything anymore, and I lost my appetite for the meal. I just


    stood up with a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯m leaving first.¡±


    T¡¯ll go with you, Russel also stood up.


    ¡°You¡¯ll go with me?¡± I was a bit confused.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t drive here today, so if it¡¯s convenient, you can drop me off first,¡± Russel made a casual request.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s roll¡±

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    Chapter 134


    I was the one who suggested meeting with Russel, so it was only right that I drove him home.


    Russel was staying in an apartment arranged by the hospital. It wasn¡¯t too far from where I was renting,


    but it would still take about half an hour to walk. He was the silent type. And I was feeling down, not in


    the mood for chit¨Cchat. We hardly spoke during the entire ride.


    When we arrived at his apartment building, Russel didn¡¯t go straight up. Instead, he asked me, ¡°Irene,


    what if things between Neil and Bonnie aren¡¯t as you imagine? Would you change your mind?¡±


    That was almost exactly the question Neil had asked. My answer remained the same ¡®No, I wouldn¡¯t.


    My heart is already full of pain. Changing my mind would only bring more pain.¡±


    Russel gave a small smile ¡°True, but if a lot of things turn out to be misunderstandings, and you end up


    wanting to change your mind, I¡¯ll support you¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d support me?¡± I was surprised.


    He¡¯d said he liked me. Why would he support me changing my mind?


    Russel smiled again ¡°Yes, but before that, I would still pursue you until you were sure of your own


    feelings.¡± With that, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.


    Russel waved at me from outside the car window. I drove away with a mixture of emotions. Once back


    home, I found myself in a daze. Was Russel really


    so tolerant?


    In my past life, he¡¯d been ruthless in his pursuit of Bonnie,pletely erasing his over twenty years of


    friendship with Neil, showing no signs of backing. down.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But people changed. Besides, I was not Bonnie. I didn¡¯t like it when people fight over me.


    That night, I didn¡¯t sleep well. My mind was a whirl of thoughts, so I called in sick the next day.


    Ondo was understanding. He knew I was here only for practice and wouldn¡¯t stay long¨Cterm, so he


    was more concerned about my health. When he found out I was taking the day off, he even offered to


    bring me food. I declined. It felt awkward.


    I had breakfast alone, toasting some bread with eggs and ham, and drank milk to make sure my baby


    got bnced nutrition.


    After eating, I went back to bed. I didn¡¯t feel like doing anything or going out Then my phone rang. I


    answered groggily. ¡°Who is it? What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Louis said he didn¡¯t see you at work this morning and didn¡¯t see youe home either. What¡¯s going


    on?¡± It was Neil on the other end. It sounded noisy around him; he must¡¯ve been outside.


    I woke up a bit, nced at the time on my phone, then looked outside. It was already evening.


    ¡°I took the day off. Just resting at home today. Nothing special,¡± I said, sitting up. My voice was hoarse


    from sleeping too long, and my throat felt a bit


    sore.


    ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to get up and eat,¡± I answered nonchntly and hung up.


    I was starting to feel hungry, so I got up to prepare something. Opening the fridge, I found almost all the


    food was gone, and there was nothing I felt like eating I grabbed an apple and started munching, then


    ordered some food online.


    While waiting for my food delivery, Ste called me on video. She looked even more radiant and her


    face was fuller. Her eyes sparkled with energy, and she looked really vibrant. It was clear she was


    leading a happy married life.


    That yboy Mitch had be very considerate after they got married. He was also dedicated to his


    work, always rushing home to be with Ste after work.


    ¡°Last night, I called Mitch. He didn¡¯t tell me anything more about Neil and Bonnie. Do you think I should


    call him again tonight?¡± There was concern in


    Ste¡¯s voice


    ¡°No need, I don¡¯t care anymore, 1 reassured her quickly. ¡°You need to take care of yourself. If Mitch


    tells you everything, Neil won¡¯t let him off.¡±


    Ste wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°It¡¯s not just for you, it¡¯s for me too. I¡¯m really mad. He thinks Bonnie Bitch is just


    a simple girl. Even if she¡¯s a bit cunning, she¡¯s not bad. That makes me fdrious I want to give him a


    piece of my mind. I don¡¯t my unborn child to have a stupid father.¡±


    I nearly choked of my apple. After coughing a few times, I managed to say, ¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up.


    Mitch is your husband. Don¡¯t you know him? He¡¯s probably been fooled by Bonnie¡¯s appearance. Don¡¯t


    me him.¡±


    ¡°Are all men blind? Can¡¯t they tell a good girl from a bad one? They¡¯re all cunning foxes at work, but in


    front of girls, they turn into clumsy idiots!¡± Ste eximed


    After we both vented about Mitch for about ten minutes, Ste suddenly told me, ¡°I forgot to tell you, I¡¯m


    having twins, hahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I was thrilled. That¡¯s great! If it¡¯s a boy and a girl, you¡¯ll have both a son and a daughter at


    once!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I hope it¡¯s a boy and a girl too. But no matter what the genders are, I¡¯ll still love them. If I have two


    sons, and you and Barbara each have a daughter, they can marry my sons. Then I¡¯ll be a mother¨Cin¨C


    law. If anyone treats your daughters badly. I¡¯ll beat them up! Ste said excitedly.


    As I subconsciously touched my slightly protruding belly, I realized it was hardly noticeable. Probably


    smaller than some people¡¯s bellies after a meal.


    ¡°Ift have a daughter in the future, I¡¯ll respect her choices. Whether she chooses to marry or not, I¡¯ll


    support her. What¡¯s so great about marriage?¡± I said with augh.


    ¡°Yes, I agree. Their marriages should be their own decisions, Ste agreed


    Just as we were chatting, the doorbell rang. After saying goodbye to Ste, I rushed to the door.


    Neil was there, holding a bunch of takeout. I could already smell the delicious food.


    You didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°My mom insisted. She said if I came here, I had to take good care of you, or she¡¯d disown me.¡± Neil


    walked straight into the living roorn and put the food


    on the table.


    He must be up to his neck in it here too. Since he had already got skin in the game, he was bound to


    take care of it himself, not treating it like some small potatoes. That was a feather in Neil¡¯s cap. He was


    as steady as a rock when it came to work, he¡¯d always buckle down and get the job done, and done


    well at that.


    He needed to manage his domestic work remotely and was personally responsible for projects over


    here, so as one can imagine, he didn¡¯t have a lot of


    time to waste.


    Just then, Neil opened up a box, inside was grilled salmon. The smell was mouth watering, but my


    nose, keen as a hound¡¯s, could still pick up the fishy smell. Even though my morning sickness had


    been easing up, I still can¡¯t stomach the smell of fish.

 Chapter 135

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    Chapter 135


    I felt something stuck in my throat as if something was surging up from my stomach. I tried hard to


    suppress the difort.


    Seeing me motionless, Neil called out to me again, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±


    Without replying. I quickly dashed toward the bathroom.


    I tried to muffle my sounds, using the noise of flushing to cover up the sound of vomiting. It made me


    feel miserable.


    When I came out of the bathroom, Neil was waiting for me at the door.


    ¡°Are you nuts? You even follow me to the bathroom?¡± I got a bit scared and pretended to yell at him.


    Neil¡¯s face instantly darkened, and he replied coldly. ¡°Go eat. I¡¯m leaving now¡±


    I wanted him to leave as soon as possible, so I kept silent. As soon as he was out of sight, I tossed


    away the salmon he had cooked.


    The rest of the dishes were to my liking, and I gobbled them all up.


    After cleaning up the table, I went downstairs to throw away the trash.


    ¡°Oh, these cute love cookies. He¡¯ll be so touched, right?¡± Suddenly, a voice came over. I turned and


    saw Bonnie and Malinda, hand in hand, walking towards me.


    Bonnie was holding a lovely box that appeared to have pastries inside.


    Malinda wasplimenting Bonnie, but their voices suddenly halted upon seeing me.


    Bonnie looked genuinely surprised. She probably didn¡¯t expect to see me here since Neil was also


    living here.


    With a straight face, I nced at them and walked into the elevator.


    Bonnie hesitated for a moment, then also stepped in.


    Malinda rolled her eyes at me while Bonnie made aplicated face the whole time. I guessed Neil


    might be in for some drama.


    ¡°What rotten luck, she lives here too?¡± Malinda couldn¡¯t help but rant.


    Bonnie looked at me with a thoughtful expression.


    When the elevator arrived, Bonnie¡¯s face changed, looking stunned as I walked into my apartment.


    ¡°Oh my God, why does she live opposite Louis?¡± Malinda eximed in frustration.


    Once I closed the door, I couldn¡¯t hear her anymore.


    Whether Bonnie and Neil were going to fight, I didn¡¯t care. But I didn¡¯t expect that Bonnie would text me


    after a while, ¡°Irene, can we chat?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond and blocked her straight away


    Ten minutester, the doorbell rang. I peeked through the peephole, and it was Bonnie. I couldn¡¯t


    understand why she would dare toe to me.


    Where was Neil? Did he leave after delivering the food?


    I opened the door. Outside, Bonnie looked at me with aplex expression, ¡°Irene, do you hate me


    that much now?¡±


    ¡°Come in, close the door.¡± I returned to the living room and sat down, instructing coldly.


    Bonnie closed the door silently and sat opposite me.


    After a few minutes of awkward silence, Bonnie couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Irene, can you keep your


    distance from Neil?¡±


    I quirked an eyebrow, ¡°Why?¡±


    You¡¯re divorced, arent you? I¡¯m the one by Neil¡¯s side now, but I feel like he still has feelings for you. It¡¯s


    unfair to me.¡± Bonnie bit her lip after speaking. looking innocent.


    I looked at her coldly and replied, ¡°How is it unfair? You were the third party, and I didn¡¯t say anything to


    you, but now that you¡¯re about to be his partner, you remind me Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s unreasonable?¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s face changed, rene, I¡¯m not the third party. I was with Neil only after you guys divorced


    ¡°Neil said you two were never together.¡± I countered Bonnie directly, ¡°And stop ying innocent in front


    of me. I already know you were the first to contact Neil Bonnie, you were sitting with me in the car on


    our way to have dinner with Oscar, but you were secretly texting a married man behind me. Have you


    no shame?¡±


    Bonnie was stunned by my words, disbelie! filled her eyes. She quickly asked anxiously, ¡°Did Oscar tell


    you?!¡±


    I was a bit shocked. So, Oscar knew about this?


    I vaguely replied, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so despicable! Bonnie seemed furious, ¡°He promised me he wouldn¡¯t tell anyone!*


    Then I remembered Oscar had seen the messages between Bonnie and Neil. He must have found out


    then


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Oscar was really kind to Bonnie, and he never exposed her. Otherwise, her reputation would be worse.


    I wouldn¡¯t expose Mitch, but I also didn¡¯t want Oscar to be misunderstood, so I said, ¡°It¡¯s not him. No


    one told me about it. I found out by myself.¡±


    You checked Neil¡¯s phone?¡± Bonnie questioned immediately


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to care how I found out. Just remember, I know almost everything you¡¯ve done, so


    don¡¯te to me and pretend. You should be grateful


    that I¡¯m willing to divorce Neil. Stay away from me, or you¡¯ll be asking for trouble.¡± I smirked, ¡°I still have


    s leave you if he finds out.¡±


    Bonnie was obviously intimidated. She definitely didn¡¯t want to lose Neil.


    She probably didn¡¯t expect that I would know so much. After staying silent for a while, she got up to


    leave.


    ¡°When did you know about Neil? When did you know who I was?¡± I asked.


    Bonnie stopped, looked at me, smiled, and answered, ¡°Trene, although I contacted Neil first, it¡¯s


    because I knew he asked someone else for my contact info. So, I wanted to ask him why Before that, I


    had never met him and didn¡¯t know who you were. I gotta go. I have stuff to do.¡±


    With that, she hurried off. But I didn¡¯t believe her. I could find out myself. Then, I unblocked Oscar. I


    wanted to ask him what he knew.


    Before asking him, I checked his Facebook. It hadn¡¯t been updated for a long time. Thetest post was


    from when Oscar and I climbed the Obsidian Spire. It was photos we took then


    There was a photo of me holding a kitten, but you couldn¡¯t see my


    face.


    I felt guilty as sin like Id wronged him, with a feeling of reluctance to bother him anymore. I¡¯d put him on


    my block list when I was bored, then unblocked him when I needed him


    Maybe I should find other ways to deal with this. I let out a sigh, preparing to put Oscar on my block list


    again.


    Oscar texted me, ¡°Irene, have you finally unblocked me?!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to reply.


    Oscar continued, ¡°Why did you suddenly block me? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    I replied, ¡°No, Oscar, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I identally blocked you, sorry¡±


    Oscar texted back, ¡°Can you take a video call now? I want to see you. Dr. Russel said you¡¯re abroad.


    You¡¯re overseas now, right?¡±


    I pinged Oscar for a video call, and he picked up in no time.

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Chapter 136


    It had been months since west saw each other, and thed seemed to have matured a bit. His hair


    was cropped short, donned in a grey jacket with specks of dust on it


    He ran his fingers through his hair, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Trene, I got back from the construction


    site a while ago. The clothes are a bit dirty. I¡¯m working there for my internship, living and dining with


    the workers. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I instantly replied, ¡°Why would I? You look rather dashing with your hair cut short.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°1 think it¡¯s not bad either. Mainly because having long hair gets in the way at work.¡±


    Oscarughed, ¡°When I first started, everyone thought I was too trendy¡±


    His joke got meughing. We were chatting along, and out of the blue, he asked, ¡°Trene, when are you


    coming back? I¡¯ve saved a portion of my sry. I¡¯d like to treat you to a meal or get you a small gift, I


    can¡¯t afford anything too extravagant at the moment though¡±


    ¡°No need. Keep your money for yourself, for future needs, or for when you get married. Don¡¯t spend it


    recklessly I felt touched and guilty at the same


    time


    ¡°1 save a portion of my sry every month, don¡¯t worry Just that my internship doesn¡¯t pay much¡±


    Oscar assured.


    ¡°Whichpany are you interning at?¡± I asked.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°A small real estate firm. Mainly working on the site for now, and I will slowly move up Oscar answered


    casually.


    He had always been optimistic, full of hope for the future. I admired his attitude.


    If I were to return anytime soon, it would probably be during the Day of the Dead, which was fast


    approaching.


    So, I promised Oscar that once I was back, we¡¯d have a meal together. I wanted to ask him about


    Bonnie in person.


    Oscar was thrilled. He excitedly said, ¡°Great, great! I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±


    ¡°See you in a few days¡± I replied softly.


    After hanging up, I headed out again. I needed some fresh air since I slept too much during the day


    and couldn¡¯t sleep now.


    Just as I stepped out, I ran into Bonnie and Malinda. Their faces dropped at the sight of me.


    Malinda was one sourpuss. She always seemed to enjoy hurting people with her venomous words.


    ¡°Bonnie, if we knew Neil wasn¡¯t in, we wouldn¡¯t havee. Just our luck to run into certain someone!¡±


    Bonnie gave me a cold look.


    We¡¯ve already been brutally honest, so if she still wanted to y innocent in front of me, it would be


    unnecessary. At this moment, her gaze and expression were full of hostility.


    ¡°Malinda, is it?¡± I walked up to them, smiled, and said, ¡°Watch your mouth, or you might end up hurting


    your friend Bonnie.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Malinda retorted immediately


    Bonnie¡¯s face changed color. She understood what I meant. Not knowing what I had on her, she


    needed to tread carefully.


    She pulled Malinda back and said, ¡°Malinda, stop it!¡±


    Her voice was filled withmand and annoyance.


    Malinda obviously had a lot more to vent at me, but Bonnie stopped her. She could only re at me


    angrily.


    I gave a satisfied smirk, ¡®Good to see you two know your ce.¡±


    Both Bonnie and Malinda looked upset, but they didn¡¯t say anything else.


    The elevator door opened again, and Louis stepped out, ¡°Bonnie, Malinda, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Upon seeing me, he froze, ¡°Ms. Finch, what are you doing here¡­¡±


    He nced at Bonnie and me, clearly a bit awkward. Anybody would find it awkward to have a good


    friend¡¯s ex¨Cwife and current girlfriend in the same ce


    All the key yers were here.


    Bonnie forced a calm face, ¡°Louis, let¡¯s go. Neil is waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Louis gave me a nce, then the three of them left together.


    I slowly followed behind, got to my car, and drove off.


    If Bonnie knew better and stopped bothering me, I might choose to ignore her and Neil¡¯s affair.


    But if she continued to show off in front of me, I might have exposed some secrets I just found out,


    including some recordings that could ruin her reputation


    By then, the Whitmore family will definitely not ept a woman with a tarnished reputation.


    I drove around the city. The night city was bustling. The wind on my face felt veryfortable.


    When I arrived at the market. I parked my car. Smelling the mixed aroma of various foods in the air, I


    started to get hungry again.


    I started buying snacks to eat, anything with strong vors except seafood.


    After eating my way through, I finally stopped at a fried chicken stall. The stall was doing good business


    and only had one serving of fried chicken left. I was about to say, ¡°Boss, this fried chicken,


    ¡°Boss! Thest fried chicken is mine! Malinda¡¯s voice was loud and provocative.


    I turned to see Malinda, with Bonnie, Neil, Russel, and Louis behind her


    Seeing me, Neds face changed slightly. He must be wondering, how have I not had enough? The food


    he sent me tonight was enough for two.


    ¡°But thisdy ordered first¡± The boss nced at me and spoke up for me


    ¡°She didnt finish her sentence Malinda retorted.


    ¡°Boss, wrap it up for me¡± I ignored them and whispered to the boss.


    Malinda suddenly turned to Neil, Neil, Bonnie wants to eat fried chicken. The fried chicken here is the


    best, but there¡¯s only one left. Aren¡¯t you going to buy it for her?¡±


    I found it strange How dare Malinda talk to Neil like that?


    Because her best friend was dating a wealthy man, she thought she was also worth more.


    Those who didn¡¯t know their ce really annoyed me.


    I looked at Neil, and so did Bonnie Her eyes were full of anticipation.


    Although she was cunning, her background was still there, showing her naivety in some aspects. Like


    now, she actually wanted to test if Neil cared about her by snatching a piece of fried chicken.


    I guess I used to be that naive, too, obsessing over tiny details to prove how special Neil was to me.


    Neil didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. He just kept staring at me like he always did.


    Russel looked a bit worried, probably fretting over whether something was wrong with my health. He


    had caught me overeating several times.


    Bonnie¡¯s eyes were gradually losing hope with a touch of defiance. Louis broke the tense atmosphere


    and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s grab something else to eat. Malinda, didn¡¯t you always want us to hang out here?


    You should know where the best grub is?


    The chicken stall owner had my fried chicken all bagged up. I walked up to Bonnie and shoved it into


    her hands.


    She looked at me, a bit stunned


    Chapter 136


    It had been months since west saw each other, and thed seemed to have matured a bit. His hair


    was cropped short, donned in a grey jacket with specks of dust on it


    He ran his fingers through his hair, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Trene, I got back from the construction


    site a while ago. The clothes are a bit dirty. I¡¯m working there for my internship, living and dining with


    the workers. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I instantly replied, ¡°Why would I? You look rather dashing with your hair cut short.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°1 think it¡¯s not bad either. Mainly because having long hair gets in the way at work.¡±


    Oscarughed, ¡°When I first started, everyone thought I was too trendy¡±


    His joke got meughing. We were chatting along, and out of the blue, he asked, ¡°Trene, when are you


    coming back? I¡¯ve saved a portion of my sry. I¡¯d like to treat you to a meal or get you a small gift, I


    can¡¯t afford anything too extravagant at the moment though¡±


    ¡°No need. Keep your money for yourself, for future needs, or for when you get married. Don¡¯t spend it


    recklessly I felt touched and guilty at the same


    time


    ¡°1 save a portion of my sry every month, don¡¯t worry Just that my internship doesn¡¯t pay much¡±


    Oscar assured.


    ¡°Whichpany are you interning at?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A small real estate firm. Mainly working on the site for now, and I will slowly move up Oscar answered


    casually.


    He had always been optimistic, full of hope for the future. I admired his attitude.


    If I were to return anytime soon, it would probably be during the Day of the Dead, which was fast


    approaching.


    So, I promised Oscar that once I was back, we¡¯d have a meal together. I wanted to ask him about


    Bonnie in person.


    Oscar was thrilled. He excitedly said, ¡°Great, great! I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±


    ¡°See you in a few days¡± I replied softly.


    After hanging up, I headed out again. I needed some fresh air since I slept too much during the day


    and couldn¡¯t sleep now.


    Just as I stepped out, I ran into Bonnie and Malinda. Their faces dropped at the sight of me.


    Malinda was one sourpuss. She always seemed to enjoy hurting people with her venomous words.


    ¡°Bonnie, if we knew Neil wasn¡¯t in, we wouldn¡¯t havee. Just our luck to run into certain someone!¡±


    Bonnie gave me a cold look.


    We¡¯ve already been brutally honest, so if she still wanted to y innocent in front of me, it would be


    unnecessary. At this moment, her gaze and expression were full of hostility.


    ¡°Malinda, is it?¡± I walked up to them, smiled, and said, ¡°Watch your mouth, or you might end up hurting


    your friend Bonnie.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Malinda retorted immediately


    Bonnie¡¯s face changed color. She understood what I meant. Not knowing what I had on her, she


    needed to tread carefully.


    She pulled Malinda back and said, ¡°Malinda, stop it!¡±


    Her voice was filled withmand and annoyance.


    Malinda obviously had a lot more to vent at me, but Bonnie stopped her. She could only re at me


    angrily.


    I gave a satisfied smirk, ¡®Good to see you two know your ce.¡±


    Both Bonnie and Malinda looked upset, but they didn¡¯t say anything else.


    The elevator door opened again, and Louis stepped out, ¡°Bonnie, Malinda, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Upon seeing me, he froze, ¡°Ms. Finch, what are you doing here¡­¡±


    He nced at Bonnie and me, clearly a bit awkward. Anybody would find it awkward to have a good


    friend¡¯s ex¨Cwife and current girlfriend in the same ce


    All the key yers were here.


    Bonnie forced a calm face, ¡°Louis, let¡¯s go. Neil is waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Louis gave me a nce, then the three of them left together.


    I slowly followed behind, got to my car, and drove off.


    If Bonnie knew better and stopped bothering me, I might choose to ignore her and Neil¡¯s affair.


    But if she continued to show off in front of me, I might have exposed some secrets I just found out,


    including some recordings that could ruin her reputation


    By then, the Whitmore family will definitely not ept a woman with a tarnished reputation.


    I drove around the city. The night city was bustling. The wind on my face felt veryfortable.


    When I arrived at the market. I parked my car. Smelling the mixed aroma of various foods in the air, I


    started to get hungry again.


    I started buying snacks to eat, anything with strong vors except seafood.


    After eating my way through, I finally stopped at a fried chicken stall. The stall was doing good business


    and only had one serving of fried chicken left. I was about to say, ¡°Boss, this fried chicken,


    ¡°Boss! Thest fried chicken is mine! Malinda¡¯s voice was loud and provocative.


    I turned to see Malinda, with Bonnie, Neil, Russel, and Louis behind her


    Seeing me, Neds face changed slightly. He must be wondering, how have I not had enough? The food


    he sent me tonight was enough for two.


    ¡°But thisdy ordered first¡± The boss nced at me and spoke up for me


    ¡°She didnt finish her sentence Malinda retorted.


    ¡°Boss, wrap it up for me¡± I ignored them and whispered to the boss.


    Malinda suddenly turned to Neil, Neil, Bonnie wants to eat fried chicken. The fried chicken here is the


    best, but there¡¯s only one left. Aren¡¯t you going to buy it for her?¡±


    I found it strange How dare Malinda talk to Neil like that?


    Because her best friend was dating a wealthy man, she thought she was also worth more.


    Those who didn¡¯t know their ce really annoyed me.


    I looked at Neil, and so did Bonnie Her eyes were full of anticipation.


    Although she was cunning, her background was still there, showing her naivety in some aspects. Like


    now, she actually wanted to test if Neil cared about her by snatching a piece of fried chicken.


    I guess I used to be that naive, too, obsessing over tiny details to prove how special Neil was to me.


    Neil didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. He just kept staring at me like he always did.


    Russel looked a bit worried, probably fretting over whether something was wrong with my health. He


    had caught me overeating several times.


    Bonnie¡¯s eyes were gradually losing hope with a touch of defiance. Louis broke the tense atmosphere


    and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s grab something else to eat. Malinda, didn¡¯t you always want us to hang out here?


    You should know where the best grub is?


    The chicken stall owner had my fried chicken all bagged up. I walked up to Bonnie and shoved it into


    her hands.


    She looked at me, a bit stunned

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Chapter 137


    ¡°I was already full, but I bumped into a stray dog on the street and was nning to buy some fried


    chicken for it. Since you¡¯re hungry too, I guess I can treat you, I said with a grin


    Bonnie was blushing furiously, biting her lip, her eyes turning red.


    Why does she love biting her lip so much?


    Trene¡± Neil called my name, sounding annoyed because what I said was indeed a bit over the line.


    ¡°Why did you insult Bonnie?¡± Malinda shouted.


    I couldn¡¯t helpughing ¡°Did I insult her? You¡¯re really something.¡±


    I turned to leave I wasn¡¯t going to let these people spoil my good mood. The doctor said that if I have a


    good mood and stable hormones during pregnancy, the baby will have a better personality


    After a hearty meal, I nned to go home, take a shower, and hit the sack.


    Before bed, I got a message from Russel: Still want some fried chicken? I can drop it off.


    What a kind hearted guy!


    I replied, ¡°No need, I¡¯m already stuffed. Thanks though!¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t reply, so I peacefully drifted off to sleep, ready to work punctually the next day.


    Day of the Dead wasing up quickly, and thepany had already issued a holiday notice.


    Ondo had given everyone a few days off


    Harold was also nning to go back to pay his respects this year, and I was going with him.


    The day before the holiday, after work, I took my luggage and went to the airport with Harold, ready to


    fly back home overnight.


    After a few hours of flying. Inded safely.


    Beforeing back, I contacted Bailey, who was currently serving as my dad¡¯s driver. He heard I was


    coming back and immediately agreed to pick me up from the airport in the middle of the night..


    Bailey was waiting outside the airport. Seeing Harold and me, he smiled slightly, quickly came over,


    took my luggage, and addressed me as ¡°Ma¡¯am¡±


    ¡°Just call me Ms. Finch from now on, I said with augh.


    Bailey was hired as our driver after Neil and I got married, so he always addressed me as ¡®Ma¡¯am.¡± But


    now that Neil and I are divorced, there was no


    need for that


    Bailey nodded and said. ¡°All right, Ms. Finch.¡±


    Then he politely greeted Harold ¡°Hello, Mr. Finch¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Harold responded warmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee ¡°After loading our luggage, Bailey drove us home.


    Coming back to the familiar house felt really nice. My parents were still up, waiting for Harold and me


    I hugged my mom ¡°Mom, I missed you and Dad so much.¡±


    She patted me on the back. ¡°We missed you too. Have you had dinner yet? I can cook something for


    you¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve eaten,¡± I replied. ¡°They had food on the ne.¡±


    My dad was chatting with Harold. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious. After talking for a while,


    we each went back to our rooms to sleep. It was already midnight, and I was dead tired.


    I slept until noon. My mom didn¡¯t wake me up for breakfast, so I got up and went straight to lunch.


    1s Neil back in the country?¡± my mom asked during lunch.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I shook my head. I really hadn¡¯t asked.


    My father said seriously, ¡°Rena, you can¡¯t keep in touch with him. He¡¯s sent Bonnie abroad to study,


    and he¡¯s gone with her You can¡¯t keep hoping¡±


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry I¡¯m not into sell¨Cpunishment,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Good. There are plenty of people who like you. Don¡¯t underestimate yourself,¡± my father nodded


    approvingly


    Tomorrow was the Day of the Dead. My grandparents had been gone for many years, and their tombs


    were in a cemetery in Rosemont. We would go there every year to pay our respects and pray for them.


    My mom was preparing stuff to bring for a visit at home when Ste called, ¡°Rena, you¡¯re back?! Let¡¯s


    hang out!¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I askedzily, lounging on the couch.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go grab a bite to eat!¡± Ste said excitedly ¡®Barbara and Ali areing too. I¡¯ll get Mitch to treat


    us. He hasn¡¯t had a meal with you guys yet.¡±


    I thought about it and decided it would be fun to have a meal together. But I made a request to Ste


    first, ¡°Sure, but I want roast chicken!¡±


    ¡°No problem, you can have as much as you want. I¡¯ll ask him to find the best ce¡± Ste replied.


    After hanging up, Ste told Barbara and Alicia in the group chat that I was back. They were excited to


    hear the news and agreed toe to dinner


    In the evening. Ste sent me the address of a restaurant. When I arrived, they were already waiting


    for me. Mitch and Cooper rke were also there.


    They were all happy to see me and gathered around me. Mitch and Cooper felt a bit awkward when


    they saw me.


    Our past rtionships were a bitplicated, after all.


    The restaurant was an open¨Cair ce serving roast chicken. The atmosphere was great.


    Halfway through the meal, Ste looked surprised and disgusted when she saw someone behind her.


    ¡°Oh my god, Bonnie¡¯s back too?¡±


    I turned around, and sure enough, it was Bonnie and Neil.


    A few days ago, she and I were fighting over a piece of fried chicken at the market. Now she¡¯s here to


    fight me for roast chicken?


    What a coincidence


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re back?¡± Mitch greeted excitedly.


    Neil was staring at me. I turned my back and continued eating my chicken.


    Ste rolled her eyes.


    Bonnie answered for Neil, ¡°Yes, we came back together. I saw on Facebook that you were eating roast


    lamb here, so I wanted to check it out. I didn¡¯t


    know Irene was here, too.¡±


    Mitch gave me an awkward nce.


    He must have posted his location on Facebook. What a pain.


    ¡°Neil, are you broke? Can¡¯t even afford a roast chicken and have to bring her here to eat?¡± Ste¡¯s


    temper had gotten bigger since her pregnancy.


    Neil probably didn¡¯t expect to run into us. He nced at Bonnie, his face dark. ¡°I¡¯ll pay the billter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about you paying the bill. I just don¡¯t wee you and Bonnie here!¡± Ste said loudly, ring


    at Bonnie without any courtesy


    Bonnie immediately changed her face, looking pitifully at Neil, then at Mitch and Cooper.


    She apologized softly, ¡°Sorry, Ste, I had no idea Irene was here.¡±


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m gonna hit the loo¡± I got up, didn¡¯t bother to look at Neil and Bonnie again, and headed


    straight to the restroom.


    I could feel someone¡¯s gaze following me, but I didn¡¯t bother to look back


    As I came out of the restroom and was about to wash my hands, Neil¡¯s reflection appeared in the


    mirror. He looked at me with a frown, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here. Otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t have


    invited her.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± I casually responded while washing my hands, ¡°Your girlfriend seems to have some


    kind of inferiorityplex, always trying to show off and steal the limelight in front of me. Do you really


    think my encounters with her are all coincidences?¡±

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Chapter 138


    Neil is not a dumb guy, theoretically, he should be pretty smart, so why does he be so silly when it


    comes to Bonnie?


    As far as I can see, theres only one exnation that makes sense to me, he¡¯s ying dumb on


    purpose


    He told me he needed time to deal with Bonnie, but he kept turning a blind eye I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t buy his


    story


    ¡°I know some things, but there are some things you don¡¯t know¡± Neil¡¯s face was full of sorrow, like a


    knot that couldn¡¯t be untied, constantly bothering


    hum


    ¡°Well, spill the beans¡± I suddenly raised my voice. ¡°Tell me, and we might be able to clear up all the


    misunderstandings, right?¡±


    Neil¡¯s mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to say something but stopped In the end, he shut up


    I snorted. ¡°Ha, Neil, is this what you meant by taking care of Bonnie? You guys met for the first time in


    the town hall, it was her who reached out to you first, and you¡¯ve never told me about any of these Are


    you afraid of her getting hurt, so you took the responsibility yourself?¡±


    ¡°Even if I misunderstood you, thinking you were the one pursuing her, forcing her to break up, you


    loved her so much you lost your mind, and you were okay with it, I continued, then why did youe to


    find me after we divorced? What are you really thinking? I don¡¯t even recognize you anymore¡±


    Sometimes I even wonder, since I can be reborn, why couldn¡¯t Neil be possessed by someone else¡¯s


    soul?


    Maybe he¡¯s not Neil, he¡¯s just possessed by someone else.


    Neil clenched his teeth. I saw his jaw twitch a bit, he was probably upset


    I was upset too, I had to look at Bonnie¡¯s disgusting face while eating my roast chicken!


    As I dried my hands, ready to leave, I saw Bonnie approaching


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She looked at Neil, then at me, her eyesplicated.


    ¡°Trene, what happened today has nothing to do with Mr. Whitmore, I came on my own.¡± Bonnie thought


    I was ming Neil.


    I didn¡¯t respond, just walked away


    *Bonnie Bitch went to the bathroom too, did she go to find you?¡± Ste asked in a low voice when I


    returned.


    1 don¡¯t know, I left as soon as I saw her¡± I answered casually.


    Then Mitch came over, apologizing sheepishly. I¡¯m sorry, Irene. I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have posted


    that on social media!¡±


    I nced at Mitch, remembering something Ste had said, so I asked, ¡°Mitch, Cooper, what do you


    guys think of Bonnie?¡±


    They looked at each other, not knowing how to respond


    If Mitch dared to say a word out of line, today¡¯s roast chicken would turn into roast Mitch


    In the end, it was Cooper who spoke, ¡°She¡¯s just a little girl, blinded by love. She¡¯s usually very sweet,


    very open and passionate towards others¡±


    As soon as he finished, Ste jumped up, ready to hit Cooper, but luckily he was quick enough to


    dodge.


    ¡°Dear, dear¡± Mitch was startled and immediately held Ste, ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited, think about our


    baby!¡±


    He turned to warn Cooper, ¡°You¡¯re really annoying, what if you upset my wife?!¡±


    Ste pointed at Cooper angrily. ¡°Cooper, remember, you¡¯re only safe because of thew!¡±


    Cooper used to be quite afraid of Ste, after all, he had witnessed her violent tendencies. Now, he


    seemed a bit flustered.


    ¡°Yes, my wife is right, Bonnie is very maniptive!¡± To appease Ste, Mitch started to make stuff up


    Just then, Bonnie came back, her face turning ugly when she heard what he said.


    Mitch turned to see Bonnie¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked face, he recoiled a little, lost for words.


    ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t havee today¡± Bonnie wiped the corner of her eye, then quickly turned and left.


    Mitch gave Neil, who followed behind, a meaningful look.


    Ste noticed and hit him on the head, causing him to wilt.


    Without asking why. Neil quickly went after Bonnie.


    ¡°Neil really loves Bonnie!¡± Barbara half¨Cjeered, half¨Csighed.


    ¡°Yes, if he loves her so much, why does he have to disrupt Rena?¡± Alicia was clearly angry.


    ¡°Jerk, I despise him!¡± Ste cursed


    Mitch couldn¡¯t stand his good friend being insulted, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t say


    that, Neil has his reasons.¡±


    Since I couldn¡¯t get any answers from Neil, I turned to Mitch, ¡°Oh, he has his reasons, can you tell me


    what they are?¡±


    When it came to specifics, Mitch fell silent.


    Cooper quickly changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s have chicken, it looks like it¡¯s done and smells amazing


    Then he took a small knife, began cutting the chicken and put it into bowls, giving everyone a share


    The matter was dropped, no one asked what Neil¡¯s reasons were, I still didn¡¯t know.


    The chicken was delicious, the five or six of us ate and chatted until midnight before heading home.


    On the Day of the Dead, my mom woke me up early in the morning, then our family plus Harold, drove


    to the cemetery


    This was the only cemetery in Rosemont, located on the edge of the city, the Whitmore family¡¯s


    grandparents were also buried here, so running into the Whitmore family was expected


    The Whitmore family who came to pay their respects were a few men, Neil and his dad and two other


    rtives.


    In the past, Faith would return home every year for the Day of the Dead to pay her respects to her


    deceased parents.


    The two old men who used to greet each other warmly when they met, now had no interaction,


    especially my dad, after a nce at them, he took us


    away


    After paying our respects and leaving the cemetery, we bumped into Neil again. He was the first to


    greet my parents, saying, ¡°How have you been¡±


    My dad just snorted coldly, not giving him even a nce, while my mom awkwardly forced a smile and


    hurriedly rushed me into the car


    Looking out the car window, I could see Neil and his family looking ufortable.


    ¡°He has the nerve to say hi? My dad sneered as he drove, Tm already being generous by not giving


    him a beating!¡±


    My mom responded, ¡°Alright, just as long as you cut all ties with Ned from now on That¡¯s enough. He


    was just being polite. Let¡¯s let it slide.¡±


    ¡°You have to be firm, no more going soft, remember?¡± My dad was particrly worried about this.


    I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what their reaction would be if they found out I was pregnant. Would


    they force me to have an abortion?


    As long as the baby was there, I could never fully sever ties with Neil. The blood ties between him and


    the baby were unchangeable.


    I replied, ¡°I got it, dad¡±


    Even though I said that, I was beginning to understand that whaty ahead for me and the baby might


    not be eptance and love, but opposition.


    I might never remarry, but I hoped to have a child. It was one of my greatest wishes.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Chapter 139


    I got home and received a call from Ste who brought me some fresh gossip.


    Bonnie was in the hospital


    She wasn¡¯t quite sure why Bonnie was admitted.


    ¡°Is Neil with her at the hospital?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yup, he¡¯s the one who took Bonnie Bitch to the hospital, Ste spected. ¡°Why would she be


    hospitalized all of a sudden? She¡¯s so young. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s pregnant?!¡±


    My heart skipped a beat, feeling as if someone had discovered my secret. Neil had told me that he and


    Bonnie hadn¡¯t slept together, so Bonnie shouldn¡¯t. be pregnant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, let them be,¡± I replied.


    Ste agreed, ¡°Yeah, forget them You¡¯re fabulous on your own!¡±


    After hanging up, I felt distracted and my eyelid kept twitching. I had an uneasy feeling, but I didn¡¯t


    know why.


    Tomorrow afternoon, I¡¯d be flying to Cdonia with Harold. I hoped nothing messy would happen.


    In the evening, Oscar sent me a message: [Irene, I went home for a funeral. I¡¯ll be back in town this


    afternoon. Let¡¯s have lunch together tomorrow, okay?]


    Me: Sure, stay safe]


    The next noon, I met Oscar. He was still holding his luggage bag, probably hadn¡¯t even gone back to


    his ce to drop it off yet.


    He seemed a bit awkward at first, but slowly rxed as we talked


    We found a food court in a shopping mall Oscar gradually opened up and asked me about things


    overseas


    ¡°Oscar, did you know that Bonnie also went to study in Cdonia?¡± I suddenly brought up the topic.


    Oscar paused and then nodded, ¡°I heard from a friend, but I don¡¯t know the details. I barely have any


    contact with her¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s Neil who paid for her,¡± I took a sip of water and continued, ¡°I heard something. It wasn¡¯t Neil


    who initiated contact with Bonnie, it was the other way round. Did you know that?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Oscar¡¯s expression changed, and he looked a bit guilty. He remained silent.


    I didn¡¯t mean to me him. From a certain perspective, he was a man of integrity. Even after breaking


    up with his girlfriends, he never bad¨Cmouthed


    them.


    Otherwise, he could have made things worse for Bonnie by revealing everything he knew to the media


    during her cyberbullying period. That would¡¯ve definitely added fuel to the fire


    But Oscar didn¡¯t do that. He wasn¡¯t that kind of person.


    ¡°Oscar?¡± I casually repeated my question, ¡°Did you hear what I just said? Do you know that Bonnie


    initiated contact with Neil?¡±


    It was then that Oscar looked at me again, his eyes conflicted.


    I stared back at him, my gaze firm.


    Finally, he nodded. ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    Oscar had seen the messages Bonnie sent to Neil. That was why he was so upset back then. He found


    out that his beloved girlfriend took the initiative to


    contact a married man!


    And Bonnie knew that the married man got her contact through someone else.


    Bonnie had many suitors, and he always knew that. He was able to handle it.


    Until Neil came along and shattered his defenses. Yet, he kept Bonnie¡¯s secret and didn¡¯t tell anyone


    ¡°I asked her why she initiated contact with Neil. Didn¡¯t she know what kind of man he is?¡± Oscar


    recalled, looking much calmer, but there was still a hint of confusion in his eyes. ¡°She said her heart


    told her that she liked him.¡±


    I was speechless. So it wasn¡¯t Neil who fell for Bonnie at first sight, but Bonnie who fell for Neil?


    Our conversation left mepletely baffled, but I was pretty sure now that Bonnie was the one who


    started it all


    Even if she hadn¡¯t initiated, Neil had already got her number. He would¡¯ve contacted her sooner or


    later. But the implications were different.


    It was like watching a rabbit being chased by a wolf, only to see the rabbit reveal a fox¡¯s tail.


    When it was time to say goodbye, Oscar and I stood on the street. He kept sneaking nces at me,


    and I knew it.


    ¡°Irene, are you leaving for Cdonia this afternoon?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± I nodded


    He looked a bit reluctant and lost, but still managed a smile, ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±


    I returned his smile. Suddenly, he pulled me into a tight hug, quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you!¡± and then let


    go.


    He picked up his bag and ran towards a bus stop without looking back


    I was still in shock when Oscar got on a bus. He sat by the window, looking back at me until the bus


    disappeared from sight. I opened my mouth and wanted to say something, but I didn¡¯t.


    What a sweet college boy I hoped he could keep his pure and simple character once he entered


    society But it would be difficult.


    What I didn¡¯t expect was that this meeting with Oscar would stir up a storm


    Late that night, Harold and I arrived in Cdonia safely Ondo picked us up and dropped me off at


    my ce before heading home with Harold


    When I opened the door, I nced across the street. Neil probably hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Since Bonnie


    was seriously ill enough to be hospitalized, he must be


    with her.


    I didn¡¯t think too much about it. After a shower, I went to bed.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next day at work that I heard about Bonnie¡¯s condition from an enraged Kate Aaron.


    ¡°Trene Finch, you¡¯re so cruel!¡± Kate pointed at me, her eyes red with anger. ¡°If anything happens to


    Bonnie, you¡¯ll go straight to hell


    ¡°What happened to her? You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± I frowned at her


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know she has a heart condition? You purposely upset her, and now she¡¯s in the ICU,


    hanging by a thread. Aren¡¯t you responsible for that?!¡± Kate used me passionately.


    Everyone exchanged nces, not knowing what to say


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    When did Bonnie have a heart condition? I had no idea!


    ¡°What heart condition does she have? Do tell I asked calmly.


    ¡°She¡­¡± It seemed like something dawned on Kate, but she held her tongue. After a few seconds, she


    continued, ¡°She has a congenital heart disease, it¡¯s pretty serious. She can¡¯t handle any stress. So, if


    you keep winding her up, you¡¯re practically a murderer!¡±


    I kept my poker face, I had no idea she had a heart condition. I don¡¯t have any reason to stress her out.


    If you wanna me someone, me her.¡±


    Kate blew her top at me, ¡°Irene, are you even human? How can you be so cold¨Cblooded?! Absolutely


    vicious!¡±


    I didn¡¯t even bother to respond to her, instead, I picked up my phone and shot a text to Oscar: [Does


    Bonnie have a heart condition?]


    Oscar replied pretty quickly. [It¡¯s a minor issue. She takes medication and can¡¯t do any strenuous


    exercises. She was pretty normal when we were together]

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Chapter 140


    A non¨Csevere heart condition doesn¡¯t require admission to the ICU


    I didn¡¯t text Oscar back, just buried myself in work.


    Kate wasn¡¯t gonna let me off easy, she suddenly gripped my hand tight, all worked up.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She¡¯s a bit bigger than me and stronger, too. If Ondo didn¡¯t show up in the nick of time and blocked


    her I would ve definitely been shoved to the ground by Kate


    ¡°Linda¡± Ondo shouted, his tone a warning, ¡°This is work time, what the hell are you doing?¡±


    Kate red at me, ¡°Mr. Finch, your sister is the reason Bonnie had a heart attack, shouldn¡¯t she be


    held ountable?¡±


    Ondo probably just found out how tight Kate and Bonnie are, he nced back at me, then coldly


    said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Bonnie who caused Rena¡¯s divorce in the first ce?¡±


    Kate¡¯s chest was heaving, she clearly couldn¡¯t take Ondo speaking ill of Bonnie, she suddenly ripped


    off her work badge, ¡°I quit!¡±


    She¡¯s worked for Ondo for so long, and now she¡¯s angrily resigning, that just shows how much she


    cares about Bonnie.


    But I don¡¯t get it, is it just because Bonnie looks like her deceased sister?


    ¡®Go do the paperwork in HR¡± Ondo was pissed off too, he made no attempt to keep Kate.


    I felt a bit guilty, because all this did happen because of me. If I hadn¡¯t been working in hispany,


    Kate probably wouldn¡¯t have quit.


    Kate stormed off, Ondo called me into his office.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± I felt so bad.


    ¡°Linda was too impulsive, pushing a colleague during work time, that¡¯s not eptable.¡± Ondo


    pinched his forehead, looking a bit worn out


    ¡°Are you really gonna let her quit?¡± I asked.


    He had to admit that Kate was really good at her job, her leaving would be a loss to thepany


    Ondo shook his head, ¡°No, I¡¯ll talk to her. Rena, you need to handle your rtionships at work,


    okay?¡±


    I nodded.


    After leaving Ondo¡¯s office with a heavy heart, I felt distracted for the rest of the day.


    After work, I left thepany and went home right away


    I didn¡¯t expect to run into Russel Dawson downstairs.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked in surprise.


    ¡°Do you know about Bonnie¡¯s heart attack?¡± Russel counter¨Casked me.


    I nodded, ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not clear about the specifics.¡±


    He said, ¡°I do, let¡¯s talk about it upstairs.¡±


    Hearing that, I immediately took Russel upstairs.


    When I opened the door, the door across also opened, Louis came out with trash in his hand, he


    looked somewhat surprised to see me and Russel.


    ¡°Russel, you and Ms. Finch. Louis hesitated.


    ¡°We have something to discuss. Russel calmly replied.


    I nodded at Louis and then took Russel into my apartment and shut the door


    Russel sat down on the sofa and cut to the chase, ¡°Bonnie is currently in a hospital where a good friend


    of mine, a cardiothoracic surgeon, works. He told me about Bonnie¡¯s condition.¡±


    I listened quietly


    ¡°Bonnie has a congenital heart disease, she needs a heart transnt. It¡¯s a veryplicated situation.


    Once her condition stabilizes a bit, Neil will arrange for her to to


    go a hospital in Phenovia, she may wait there for a human heart transnt, or choose an artificial


    heart.¡±


    I was shocked to hear this. I couldn¡¯t believe that Bonnie had such a serious heart disease all of a


    sudden.


    Could this be what¡¯s bothering Neil?


    That¡¯s not right, Bonnie¡¯s heart disease wasn¡¯t caused by Neil, and he doesn¡¯t need to take


    responsibility for it.


    If that¡¯s the case, it just means he cares about Bonnie, he doesn¡¯t want her to get hurt.


    Suddenly, I felt dizzy, my vision blurred, Russel¡¯s voice sounded like it wasing from far away.


    ¡°Trene? Are you okay?¡±


    Then I lost consciousness


    ¡°She¡¯s fourteen weeks pregnant, but the situation isn¡¯t great, the hcg levels are low, the fetus is


    developing slowly, this fainting episode might be due to physical weakness and emotional shock.¡±


    I slowly woke up amidst voices, I was in a hospital room, with a needle stuck in the back of my hand


    and IV fluid dripping down.


    Russel sent the doctors away, then came to my bedside, he didn¡¯t say anything, just quietly looked at


    me.


    ¡°Russel my voice was a bit hoarse.


    Irene,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, is this Neil¡¯s baby?¡±


    I was already in the hospital, I couldn¡¯t hide it from him, so I admitted it


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him? Russel¡¯s face showed a hint of emotion, ¡°You¡¯re carrying his child, but you¡¯re


    letting him be with another woman, you¡¯re really something.¡±


    I gave a bitter smile, ¡°I only found out after the divorce, there¡¯s no need to tell him I want to keep the


    baby, but I don¡¯t want to be with Neil, these two aren¡¯t mutually exclusive¡±


    Russel got a bit worked up. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be with him anymore, why keep his baby? Have you


    really thought this through? For yourself? For the child? A child is not a toy, it¡¯s a life, if you give birth to


    him, you have to take responsibility for him, you¡¯re gonna be a single mother!¡±


    1 know, I¡¯ve thought it over, I won¡¯t regret it.¡± I was a bit flustered, but soon calmed down.


    Russel took out his phone and showed me a picture, ¡°Take a good look¡±


    In the photo were two hands tightly holding each other, one of them also had a needle stuck in the


    back.


    The caption underneath was quite touching, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, as long as you¡¯re by my side, I will have


    the courage to face anything¡±


    I knew without guessing, it was posted by Bonnie.


    My heart ached a bit, maybe because at this very moment, the father of my child was tenderly


    apanying another woman.


    ¡°Her condition improved a bit today, she¡¯ll be going to a hospital in Phenovia in a few days to wait for a


    transnt surgery.¡±


    Russel put away his phone and asked me. ¡°Are you sure you want to face all the problems thate


    with pregnancy and having the baby alone?¡±


    I slowly clenched my hand, my eyes started to well up, and a huge rock seemed to press on my chest.


    I¡¯m feeling a bit suffocated, haven¡¯t had a good cry in ages, so I¡¯m used to choking back the tears.


    A hint of a sob crept into my voice, ¡°Have you ever thought, if I give this baby up, I might not be able to


    get pregnant again.¡±


    Russel was stunned by the bomb I just dropped. His eyes filled with shock, then disbelief, ¡°What?¡±


    I once considered getting an abortion, but the doc hinted in a roundabout way that, given my health, it


    might be tough for me to get pregnant again if this baby doesn¡¯t make it.


    Unless I get really lucky.


    This might be my only shot at having a baby in my lifetime, I can¡¯t lose it.¡±


    I took a deep breath, a tear that I couldn¡¯t hold back slipped from the corner of my eye.


    Russel was silent for a while, he slowly raised his hand, wiped my tear away, then let out a deep sigh.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Chapter 142


    Neil held me in his arms, his voiceced with pain. ¡°Rena, nobody wanted this ident to happen.


    Bonnie was shocked too, she¡¯s been in hospital for the past couple of days. She¡¯s ming herself.¡±


    ¡°Ned¡± I broke free from his grasp, ring at him with the most disgusted, furious look I had ever given


    anyone. I wished I had never met this man.


    ¡°She was the one who came to my ward and pushed me off the bed on purpose! She killed my baby!¡±


    Tears streamed down my face uncontrobly. Neil was taken aback, seemingly unaware of the


    situation. ¡°Malinda said when she entered, you were already on the floor. Bonnie was having a heart


    attack, she was in a wheelchair, she wouldn¡¯t have done it.¡±


    If losing the baby was the first major hit I took, then Neil¡¯s words were like pouring salt into the wound.


    I stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Neil, that was your baby too. How could you protect the person who killed


    your child? Just because Bonnie looks like Karina Aaron? Just because she has a heart condition and


    cant handle the shock?¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyes darkened, filled with unspeakableplex emotions.


    In a fit of rage, I pped him hard across the face.


    ¡°Asshole!¡± I cursed. ¡°You like Bonnie, fine, I¡¯ll divorce you. If you two are together, I¡¯ll go abroad and


    hide as far away as possible. What more do you want? Why didn¡¯t you keep an eye on that murderer?


    Why did you let her unt herself in front of me? We¡¯re divorced, why should I tell you about the baby


    I¡¯m carrying? Are you nning on snatching the child back so Bonnie can y stepmother? Neil, I hate


    you, I hate you to death. I hope you and Bonnie will get what¡¯sing to you!¡±


    I lost control of my anger, picking up the pillow and whatever fruits I could find on the bedside table and


    threw them at Neil.


    He didn¡¯t dodge, and soon I saw blood appearing on him.


    Just then, our parents arrived from home and were stunned by the chaos in the room.


    My mom rushed over to support me, her voice shaking with anger. ¡°What on earth is going on, Rena?


    How could you be pregnant and not tell me? What happened to the baby?¡±


    Neil¡¯s father looked furious, he walked over and pped Neil across the face. ¡°Are you even human?


    How could you treat Irene like this? I heard that Bonnie came over and caused Irene¡¯s miscarriage, and


    you¡¯re still trying to protect her!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Bonnie.¡± Neil still chose to believe Bonnie.


    This statement set his mother off, she had never liked Bonnie.


    Faith angrily hit her son with her bag, not noticing Neil already covered in bruises.


    My dad¡¯s face was scarily stern. He watched as the Whitmores scolding Neil, but he didn¡¯t say a word.


    He came over and ruffled my hair. ¡°Rena, it¡¯s okay Let¡¯s go home, your mom and I will take care of you¡±


    I threw myself into my dad¡¯s arms and cried my heart out. Eventually, worn out, I fell back onto the bed


    and fell into a deep sleep.


    After losing the baby, I dreamt of a little girl for several days. She was learning to walk, stumbling


    towards me while calling me ¡®mommy¡± in her baby


    voice


    Each time I woke up, I would find my face wet with tears.


    My parents visited me every day, as did Russel, who seemed to have be more silent, his eyes


    tinged with regret.


    ¡°If I had been there that day, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Russel, this isn¡¯t your fault. The ones in the wrong are Neil and Bonnie, you don¡¯t need to me


    yourself.¡±


    Even though I had somewhat calmed down, the wound was still there, and it would never fully heal.


    Tomorrow, I will be discharged and then resign from my job here and return home.


    Ste and the others still don¡¯t know about my situation. I asked Russel not to tell Mitch, so they


    probably won¡¯t find out.


    Ste is pregnant, I don¡¯t want her to get too agitated


    As Russel and I chatted, a nurse came in to give me an IV.


    The moment she opened the door, I saw Neil standing right outside.


    He visited every day, but my parents wouldn¡¯t let him in, and I didn¡¯t want to see him either.


    After the nurse left, I asked Russel, ¡°How¡¯s Bonnie doing now?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s stable. I heard she can¡¯t go abroad for now and needs to be observed for a while Russel


    answered.


    I nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. There were things I nned to deal with after I got home.


    The next day. I was discharged. I went home with my parents. Ondo would help me with my


    resignation and moving out.


    Before boarding the ne, Russel sent me a message, ¡°I¡¯ll be back home in a short while. Wait for


    me.¡±


    I replied, ¡°Okay¡±


    When I got home, it was already afternoon. My mom went to the kitchen to prepare dinner while my


    dad sat with me, watching TV


    I stared nkly at theedy shows, unable tough.


    After a while, I contacted Ste. ¡°Ste, do you know any journalists? Can you rmend someone?¡±


    Ste didn¡¯t know what I was nning, but she still rmended a journalist.


    His name was Halley and he loved reporting entertainment and social news. He had reported on many


    of Neil¡¯s scandals in the past.


    I never thought I would be the one to leak information about Neil to him one day.


    Bonnie has a heart condition? Then I¡¯ll give her some excitement.


    After ending the chat, I sent Halley an audio clip. It was recorded when Bonnie came to my ward.


    Ever since I saw Bonnie¡¯s true colors, every time I met her alone, I would turn on the recording app on


    my phone.


    Halley quickly replied, ¡°Received¡±¡±


    I could have given this audio clip directly to Neil to prove what Bonnie did to me, but if he insisted on


    protecting Bonnie, it would be hard for me to leak the information to the public.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just after I finished chatting with Halley, Ste called. I thought she was going to ask me what I needed


    a journalist for, but it turned out she already knew about my miscarriage.


    ¡°Rena, what the hell happened? You were pregnant? Howe we didn¡¯t know anything about it? Was


    it that bitch Bonnie who caused your miscarriage? And Neil is still defending her?¡± Ste asked, all fired


    up.


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re pregnant. Don¡¯t get too worked up, okay? I¡¯m back home now, and everything¡¯s fine, I


    tried to soothe her, worried about her health.


    ¡°Bonnie sent a message to Mitch, spilling the beans about your situation I saw it on his phone. What on


    earth is she ying at?¡± Ste was fuming.


    My fists clenched Bonnie¡¯s shamelessness was beyond my wildest imagination She knew Ste and I


    were as close as sisters and that Ste was pregnant, yet she deliberately let slip about my miscarriage


    to Mitch. Didn¡¯t she fear that the shock might cause Ste problems?


    I never thought anyone could stoop so low. A girl who looks as innocent as amb, yet is more


    dangerous than a snake, always scheming to hurt others.

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    Chapter 143


    I spent a good amount of timeforting Ste, hoping she wouldn¡¯t fret over me and identally


    harm the baby in her belly


    After hanging up, my dislike for Bonnie hit a new high.


    My hatred for Neil was burning like a wild fire.


    I asked Halley to write a piece centered around the recording and send it to me for review.


    Three dayster, he sent me the draft.


    Meanwhile, Russell messaged me that Bonnie¡¯s surgery in Phenovia was temporarily postponed. She


    was returning home and would continue her regr check-ups and treatments at the hospital where


    she used to treat her heart condition.


    As I was pondering over my next steps, Barbara called.


    ¡°Rena, I¡¯m at a loss for words!¡± she sounded exasperated, ¡°News of Bonnie¡¯s heart condition is


    spreading like wildfire at Rosemont College. The school even organized a fundraiser, especially music


    department students, this is insane!*


    ¡°A fundraiser? She¡¯s got Neil, why would she need a fundraiser?¡¯ I sneered.


    ¡°People are saying she and Neil are just friends, and Neil is the one pursuing her. She wouldn¡¯t ept


    any financial support from Neil. Many people think she¡¯s quite proud and those who criticized her


    before are now starting to feel sorry for her, Barbara replied.


    Although Bonnie was cunning, she did care about dignity, otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many people


    willing to believe her.


    In some ways, she was good at disguising herself, always able to make most people like her.


    Unless Neil came forward to rify, those rumors would be taken as truth by the public, and Bonnie¡¯s


    bad reputation-would slowly fade away


    She might even use her heart condition as an excuse for being with Neil, saying she was moved by


    Neil¡¯s unwavering support.


    I knew Neil wouldn¡¯te forward to exin to anyone.


    ¡°A lot of people don¡¯t know the whole story, they only see the surface, so they¡¯re easily swayed. It¡¯s


    okay, the higher shes lifted, the harder she¡¯ll fall,¡± I said


    ¡°She¡¯s supposedly returning home in the next couple of days and is nning to go back to school to


    personally return the donations to help some poor but excellent students.


    Barbara sighed deeply. ¡°I now truly understand what a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing means.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s going back to school, would they throw her a wee party?¡± I spotted an opportunity.


    Barbara replied, ¡°Definitely She¡¯s popr because of Neil and her generous act of donating all the


    fundraising money to the school will certainly be publicized and praised¡±


    I already had a rough n in mind.


    Indeed, Bonnie returned home the next day, and to my surprise, Neil was not in the airport photo, but


    Kate and Malinda were


    The medias attention on Bonnie was entirely because of Neil. Many female celebrities had used him to


    boost their exposure.


    The onlinements were quite interesting.


    *Before I cursed Bonnie as a homewrecker! After knowing Bonnie was forced to ept Neil and has


    severe heart disease, I thought I deserved to die¡±¡±


    ¡°Bonnie probably isn¡¯t with Neil yet, or why would she need to raise funds?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry guys. I¡¯ll share the guilt for the past misunderstandings about her. God bless that girl


    ¡°Bonnie¡¯s friends and family speak highly of her. She can¡¯t be that bad, right?¡±


    I read thesements with a poker face, closed the webpage, and switched on the recorder, checking


    the information inside.


    Suddenly, a call interrupted my work. It was Neil¡¯s number, that strangely familiar number.


    I used to eagerly anticipate him giving me a call, just to have a chat, even if he didn¡¯t speak, just


    listening to me was enough.


    Now I hated him to the bone, regretting my previous wishful thinking time and time again.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    After hanging up, a message popped up: [Im outside your house, let¡¯s meet and talk]


    Did he return home before Bonnie?


    I replied with two words: [GET LOST].


    After that, I was ready to block him, but another message came: [Don¡¯t you want to know why I keep


    protecting her? Come out, I¡¯ll tell you]


    Neil knew me well, knowing that I didn¡¯t care about anything else but this one thing.


    If what he felt for Bonnie wasnt love, then what was it? Like in TV dramas, did Bonnie once save his


    life?


    My mom was making chicken soup for me. My dad didn¡¯te home for lunch since he was at work.


    The house was empty. I changed my shoes and


    went out.


    Neil¡¯s car was parked at the gate. Its sleek curves reflected the sunlight, very eye-catching. He sat in


    the car waiting for me.


    I got in the passenger seat and said coldly. ¡°Now you can tell me.¡±


    ¡°Bonnie had a heart transnt. If she¡¯s to have another one, theplexity and risk of the surgery will


    increase.¡± Nell¡¯s voice was as maic sa eve calm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s ame excuse?¡± Iughed sarcastically. ¡°Are you afraid that I wouldn¡¯t


    understand how much you care and worry about her?¡±


    Neil frowned, ¡°Do you really have to talk like this?¡±


    ¡°Where did I go wrong?¡± I looked at him coldly, ¡°Neil, if killing wasn¡¯t illegal, I would¡¯ve killed you and


    Bonnie a long time ago. You both are murderers who killed my baby!¡±


    As soon as I finished, Neil suddenly punched the steering wheel, his eyes filled with uncontroble


    rage, ¡°That was my baby too, Irene! For three months, you didn¡¯t give me any news. I was kept in the


    dark like a fool. Did you ever give me a chance to take care of you? Did you ever give me a chance to


    handle everything? In the end, after the baby was gone, that¡¯s when I found out. Did you want me to


    ept this fact without knowing anything? Is my crime really that big?¡±


    My heart pounded, i felt a sharp pain in my chest, it was suffocating. I forced a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t you have


    Bonnie?¡±


    1 wanted the baby, not her!¡± Neil was seething with anger, like a volcano that had been holding back for


    a long time finally erupted.


    Even if he didn¡¯t love me, he should at least love his own child


    I looked at his angry face, mouth agape, but in the end, I didnt tell him that even without Bonnie, the kid


    might not have made it


    I could handle losing the kid due to other reasons, but I couldn¡¯t stand the fact that it was because of


    Bonnie


    ¡°Have you not loved me for ten years? Why, after I confessed my feelings for you, did you choose to


    divorce me so firmly? You didnt even give me a chance to sort out other issues. What did I do wrong?


    What grave mistake did I make to deserve such punishment?¡¯ Neil¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, ring


    at me.


    I tried to keep my cool facing Neil¡¯s meltdown, ¡°If you care about the baby so much, you should go deal


    with Bonnie. She¡¯s the one who messed things up.¡±

 Chapter 144

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    Chapter 144


    Neil¡¯s eyes suddenly changed, and his voice turned cold, ¡°In half a year at most, if I¡¯m sure she did it, I


    won¡¯t let her off the hook¡±


    ¡°Half a year? Why half a year?¡± is he just trying to buy more time?


    Neil closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the anger in his deep gaze had slowly


    subsided. He answered, ¡°Bonnie needs some time for treatment now, then we¡¯ll decide if she needs


    surgery. After the second transnt, we¡¯ll part ways¡±


    I figured out that the issue was Bonnie¡¯s surgery. I had this weird feeling that was spreading


    uncontrobly.


    ¡°Why do you have to wait until her surgery is done? | asked.


    ¡°Because Kanna¡¯s heart is in her body.¡± Neil finally answered my question.


    I was stunned. This answer was totally unexpected. I only knew that Karina was his first love who


    committed suicide by jumping into a river because he married me. She was dead. And Bonnie, who


    looks like Karina, became his new true love.


    I never thought these two people would share one heart!


    Didn¡¯t Karina die from drowning?¡± I found my voice after a while.


    ¡°I also thought she was dead, but she wasn¡¯t. She was saved and died a few dayster. Her heart was


    donated, and Bonnie was the recipient.¡± Neil said heavily.


    I felt like I suddenly understood about a lot of things, yet at the same time, I found myself even more


    deeply perplexed


    Apart from looking nkly at Neil, I was momentarily devoid of any other emotions.


    So, his true love is still Karina, and Honnie is only protected and cared for by him because she has


    Karina¡¯s heart?


    Does Bonnie know that the heart imnted in her is Karina¡¯s? I think she should know.


    Oscar told me that Bonnie once said that her heart told her she liked Neil. That s probably why.


    In this case, Bonnie knew about Neil earlier than I thought.


    In my past life, she knew too, so she could be with Neil, like Cindere in a fairy tale.


    ¡°Does she know about Karina?¡± I don¡¯t know how long I stayed silent before I started talking again.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know, and I dont think Kate told her,¡± Neil answered.


    Does Kate also know that Bonnie is the recipient of her sister¡¯s heart?


    How did she find out?


    Neil and Kate both think that Bonnie doesn¡¯t know about Karina, but I know she does, and she is fully


    exploiting this.


    The atmosphere turned silent again. Neil took out a cigarette, looked at me, and then put it down


    ¡°Neil, what¡¯s your purpose for telling me all this?¡± I turned to look at him, my mood wasn¡¯t as agitated


    as I thought it would he


    ¡°Give me some time, don¡¯t keep avoiding me¡± His eyes were fixed on me without any intention of


    evasion.


    Iughed, ¡°Is it necessary? Your heart has always belonged to Karina. I don¡¯t want to be your backup


    anymore


    No matter what, I don¡¯t want to turn back.


    ¡°Neil, I didn¡¯t realize you were so sentimental in the past. Karma¡¯s only heart in the world is enough to


    bind you tightly. You can act ording to your heart, but you should not interfere with my future


    actions.¡± I did not look at Neil, but directly opened the door and left the car.


    When I got home, I saw that my mom had made dinner. She called me over to eat when she saw me


    I didn¡¯t tell her that Neil was outside, but just ate dinner with her as usual.


    After dinner, I contacted Oscar I needed his help.


    Oscar was very happy when he heard that I was back in the country. He agreed to meet with me.


    I treated him to a meal, then told him what I needed him to do.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Oscar took the USB drive I handed him, looking a bit confused


    ¡°Bonnie is back in the country, she¡¯s going to make a donation to Rosemont College. There will


    definitely be a weed event at Rosemont College, and


    this USB is for that time.¡± I decided not to keep Oscar in the dark, as he was the only one who could


    help me with this.


    I calmly told Oscar everything. His expression became more and more serious, and in the end, his


    gaze at me was unreadable.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    If the n seeds, Bonnie will be in an embarrassing situation.


    Oscar once truly loved Bonnie, and since he chose to avoid conflict right after they broke up, he might


    refuse me now.


    I was prepared for his refusal. If he told Bonnie, I would ept it


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯ve helped me many times before, and I¡¯ve remembered it all. I know the world is not ck


    and white, and many things can¡¯t be clearly distinguished as right or wrong. It¡¯s hard to always act


    ording to conscience,¡± Oscar held the USB tightly, looking a bit conflicted, ¡°So, I¡¯m willing to help


    you¡±


    I let out a sigh of relief and showed a grateful smile.


    Not long after, Barbara told me the time Bonnie would go to Rosemont College.


    Although Bonnie was not in good health, she still insisted on returning to Rosemont College to express


    her thanks, which I admired


    Ste¡¯s words alerted me, ¡°Is she trying to elevate her status? Otherwise, how can she match Neil in


    the future without beingughed at?¡±


    Whether it¡¯s studying abroad orining about the hardships of life, her goal is to gain praise and


    support from the public. She has been criticized before, so it¡¯s particrly important to clear her name


    now.


    Everything was ready, I was just waiting for that day toe.


    But before that, I received a call from Ada.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault for not educating my daughter well and letting her make many


    mistakes. You¡¯re a generous person, if Bonnie did anything to offend you, I hope you can forgive her.


    As soon as the call connected, Ada started crying.


    ¡°Do you know exactly what she did to offend me?¡± I asked coldly


    ¡°She spilled it all to me. She said she shouldn¡¯t have studied abroad, shouldn¡¯t have appeared before


    you. And when you were in the hospital on bed rest, she shouldn¡¯t have visited you and caused you


    such stress. But her intention was to say goodbye to you. You know she has heart disease, and was


    preparing to go to Phenovia at the time¡­ Ada¡¯s voice was filled with anxiousness, ¡°Ms. Finch, Bonnie


    isn¡¯t a bad girl. Much of what she does is unintentional. And she¡¯s not with Mr. Whitmore now, it¡¯s just


    that Mr. Whitmore is looking after her.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but want tough at this. Bonnie had even deceived her own parents.


    Ada wanted to say more, but I didn¡¯t want to hear any more. ¡°Ada, you dont need to call me anymore.


    You guys know very well what kind of person Bonnie really is¡±


    I hung up the phone and blocked Ada¡¯s number.


    But what I didn¡¯t expect was that these two seemed to have nned it all out. Not long after Ada called


    me, Bonnie issued an apology to me through the


    media in the evening


    She sat there, dressed in hospital garments, her thin and pale face full of sadness, looking into the


    camera with quilt. Today, I want to apologize to Mr. Whitmore¡¯s ex-wife, Irene Finch. I¡¯m sorry¡±

 Chapter 145

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    Chapter 145


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt Ms. Finch, everything went beyond my control, and a lot of misunderstandings


    happened between us¡­


    In the video, Bonnie¡¯s voice is weak and pitiful, seeming to apologize to me, but it¡¯s full of helplessness


    and despair


    I didn¡¯t get to finish the video when a call from a strange number came in.


    Trene, I really need your help¡± Mitch¡¯s panicked voice came through, ¡°My wife saw Bonnie¡¯s video and


    suddenly rushed to the hospital, yelling about finding Bonnie I couldn¡¯t stop her. Can youe over


    quickly to help?¡±


    Ste naturally couldn¡¯t stand Bonnie¡¯s lies and fake acting.


    But she, carrying a baby in her belly, wanted to confront Bonnie What if they both get hurt?


    I asked for the address and then rushed over as fast as I could.


    When I arrived, Ste was searching for Bonnie in the hospital ward, and the doctors and nurses dared


    not tell her where Bonnie was.


    Mitch was by her side, trying to calm her down, ¡°Sweetheart, you need to take care of yourself, don¡¯t


    stress out the baby. What will I do if something happens to you? Can we just go home?¡±


    Seeing me, he waved like he¡¯d seen a savior, ¡°Over here!¡±


    I went over and grabbed Ste¡¯s wrist, ¡°Ste, why did youe to the hospital sote?¡±


    Ste saw me and her face showed a mix of concern and anger, ¡°Irene, I want to teach Bonnie a


    lesson for you. That bullshit apology statement, it almost made me puke!¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry, calm down, you go back with Mitch first, Ill handle Bonnie, don¡¯t worry¡± I held


    Ste¡¯s hand, ncing at her round belly, I couldn¡¯t¡± help but think of the child I¡¯d lost, and a wave of


    pain washed over me.


    Ste didn¡¯t want to go at first, but after much persuasion, she finally sat down in the hallway and


    irritably told Mitch, 1 want to eat mangosteen!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get it right now just wait for me! Mitch let out a sigh of relief and ran off to buy mangosteen.


    After Mitch left, I sat with Ste as she rested, she¡¯d been searching for a while and was a bit worn out


    now.


    I held her hand tightly, feeling warmth in my heart. Although I¡¯m an only child, I feel like I have several


    sisters with Ste, Barbara, and Alicia.


    Ste sighed, Irene, you¡¯re too naive. You should have told Neil when you were pregnant. Why should


    he and that Bonnie bitch have a good life?¡±


    ¡°1 nned to be a single mom, I didn¡¯t want anyplications with Neil because of a child, I just didnt


    expect But I didn¡¯t know I was pregnant at first, I took some cold medicine and painkillers, the doctor


    gave me a shot, the baby might not be healthy since the beginning, it¡¯s prone to idents.¡± I gave a


    bitter smile.


    Everyone around me knows about my miscarriage, but only Russel knows about my difficulty to


    conceive again, I told him not to tell anyone.


    People would actually start feeling bad for me.


    ¡°Yeah, the Whitmores would definitely fight for the child, Irene, I understand your situation¡± Ste


    nodded.


    At this moment, my cell phone rang, it was my mom calling. It was noisy around, so I went to the


    window at the end of the corridor to answer the call


    My mom asked where I was, dinner was ready, but she couldn¡¯t find me.


    ¡°I¡¯m with Ste, mom, you can eat first¡± I replied.


    ¡°How did you end up at Ste¡¯s? You should have told me in advance! My momined, then


    sounded suspicious, ¡°Is Neil not there?¡±


    ¡°How could he be here?¡¯ I felt a bit helpless.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Ste¡¯s husband close with Neil? What if they¡¯re having a party? Irene, just make sure you don¡¯t


    have any contact with Neil anymore!¡± My mom¡¯s biggest concern now is that I would get in touch with


    Neil again.


    I replied, ¡°Alright¡±


    Just as I hung up, someone gently tapped my shoulder, Mitch was holding a bunch of fruit, looking lost,


    ¡°Where¡¯s my wife?¡±


    I looked at where Ste had been sitting, it was empty.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Mitch and I exchanged nces, a bad feeling shed in our eyes.


    Mitch hurriedly led me to Bonnie¡¯s word.


    Bonnie¡¯s ward was a single room, the whole floor was rtively quiet.


    When Mitch and I arrived at a room, we heard Ste¡¯s scolding from inside, ¡°You bitch, you¡¯ve gone too


    far! You dare to bully Irene, your apology video is


    so disgusting! You think you¡¯re safe because you have heart disease? Well, I¡¯m pregnant, we¡¯re both


    human, let¡¯s settle this!¡±


    Mitch was so anxious he wanted to rush in, but I held him back.


    I remembered Ste¡¯s words, Mitch always thought Bonnie was an innocent little girl, why not let him


    see the true face of this innocent girl.


    ¡°Hush¡± I made a gesture.


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve misunderstood me, I really didn¡¯t mean to hurt Irene, don¡¯t hit me¡­ Bonnie¡¯s voice was


    full of fear.


    Hearing this, Mitch wanted to rush in again.


    I stopped him once more, giving him a stern look.


    ¡°Stop pretending¡± Ste retorted, ¡°Your tricks might fool men, but not me! It¡¯s just us two now, speak up,


    how do you n to handle this?¡±


    The room fell silent for a while, Mitch was looking at me nervously, indicating with his eyes that he


    wanted to rush in to stop them, but I didn¡¯t let him.


    Finally, Bonnie¡¯s voice came again, this time without any fear, on the contrary, it was full of sarcasm


    and pity, ¡°Ste, your personality really sucks, if you werent pregnant, Mitch Hebert probably wouldnt


    have married you, right?¡±


    ¡°No matter how bad I am, I wouldn¡¯t be a home wrecker Jerks like you are just the type men like Ste


    retorted


    ¡°Mitch once told me, you¡¯re a real shrew. Any man who marries you is unlucky. Better mind that kid in


    your belly, don¡¯t end up like Irene with no cards left to y¡± Bonnie said, her voiceced with a hint of


    amusement.


    I turned to look at Mitch, his handsome face showing shock and disbelief.


    Bonnie¡¯s words were not just stirring the pot between him and Ste, but also carried a sense of curse.


    Was this the innocent, kind, and enthusiastic Bonnie he knew?


    ¡°You bitch, I¡¯m gonna make you pay today. You always say you can¡¯t live without a man, right? Well, I¡¯ll


    send you to your grave early!¡± Stes words were harsh, she never yed by the usual social rules.


    Then, there was the sound of a chair being thrown.


    When Mitch and I rushed in, Ste was holding a chair, and Bonnie stood there, grasping the other end


    of the chair.


    The next second, Bonnie suddenly let go, the chair hit her on the head, she cried out in pain, ¡°Ah! That


    hurts!¡±

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Chapter 146


    Ste was taken aback for a moment, but quicklyposed herself. She wasn¡¯t afraid at all and raised


    a chair, ready to smash it.


    Bonnie cowered, hugging her head and looking terrified.


    ¡°Darling!¡± Mitch quickly grabbed the chair from Ste, pulling her into his arms ¡°Don¡¯t get physical, what


    if you hurt our baby? Remember what the doc said, stability is good for the baby¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes burned with fury ¡°Mitch! If you continue to defend her in front of me, I swear I¡¯ll divorce


    you!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Mitch answered firmly, ncing at Bonnie crouched on the floor, his gaze no longer


    sympathetic but wary and disgusted.


    Not only was Ste surprised by his response, Bonnie also couldn¡¯t help but look up at him.


    Ever since Neil introduced her to his social circle, her innocent and naive image had won over many,


    except for Neil¡¯s family.


    Then, another person appeared at the door.


    I turned my head to see Neil standing coldly, looking at the chaotic scene in the ward, his tone irritable.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    I¡¯m fine, Ste just misunderstood me, so she came to ask me some questions.¡± Bonnie got up,


    clutching her injured forehead


    Her eyes were full of grievance, looking straight at Neil.


    Mitchs eyes widened in anger. Bonnie¡¯s words were essentiallyining to Neil about Ste,


    weren¡¯t they?


    ¡°Bonnie, I think my wife didn¡¯t misunderstand you¡± Mitch couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    Bonnie looked visibly shocked, seemingly unable to understand why Mitch, who had always protected


    her, was suddenly cold towards her.


    Neil¡¯s deep, frosty gaze moved from Bonnie to Ste and Mitch. It was hard to decipher his thoughts.


    ¡°Mitch¡­ Did I do something wrong?¡± Bonnie¡¯s eyes welled up. ¡°I know Ste is your wife and she¡¯s


    pregnant, so I don¡¯t want to fight with her. She wanted to hit me with a chair, I endured it, but I¡¯m sick


    too!¡±


    Mitch¡¯s face turned ugly. He seemed to want to spit out the words he had just heard, but after seeing


    Neil, he held himself back.


    I just red at Neil, waiting for him to defend Bonnie


    Neil came over and helped Bonnie sit on the bed, his voice indifferent. If you¡¯re not feeling well, don¡¯t


    move around.¡±


    Bonnie immediately looked like she was on the verge of tears, as if she was greatly wronged. ¡°Mr.


    Whitmore, I know many people hate me, but now even Mitch


    Neil pulled out his phone and opened a video, interrupting Bonnie. ¡°Did you post this video?¡±


    It was the video of Bonnie apologizing to me. It had gone viral, with many people thinking I had


    pressured Bonnie into apologizing.


    Why was he asking about this?


    Bonnie seemed taken aback, sensing something was off about Neils attitude. She carefully replied, ¡°It


    was Malinda who suggested I apologize to Irene. After all, I did hurt her. I just hoped she could forgive


    me, and we could make peace¡­¡±


    Her exnation sounded perfect. She shifted the me to Malinda and kept the good intentions for


    herself


    Neil might be moved by what a kind girl she is!


    ¡°Bonnie.¡± Neil interrupted Bonnie again, his expression as cold as frost. ¡°I told you not to try to hurt her


    in any way. What are you trying to express with this video? That she hates you, bullies you, so you had


    to apologize?¡±


    His words left me, Ste, and Mitch stunned.


    Bonnie just stared at him in a daze.


    Soon, two lines of tears slid down Bonnie¡¯s cheeks. She was full of grievance. ¡°Everything¡¯s my fault,


    even apologizing is my fault, Mr. Whitmore. If you liked Irene, why did you show interest in me in the


    first ce? What¡¯s so good about me that you¡¯d help me, get close to me? Now that I fell for you, but


    you¡¯re distancing yourself from me, ming me. What should I do?!*


    She was still pretending she didn¡¯t know about Karina.


    Neil ignored Bonnie¡¯s grievance Tl release a statement This matter ends here. I hope you don¡¯t bother


    me with such unnecessary troubles in the future. Just wait for the day you can have surgery.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t overstep my bounds again¡± Bonnie wiped away her tears, showing a bitter smile,


    then looked at me, as if ming me


    I was still immersed in Neil¡¯s cold me towards Bonnie. What were his feelings towards Bonnie? Was


    it purely because of Karina¡¯s heart that he kept indulging her?


    Karina was his biggest regret in life, and I understood his inability to let go.


    Now the heart that was beating inside Bonnie had once loved him.


    But why do I feel so deste at this moment? I didn¡¯t lose to a living person, but to a memory less


    heart


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m going to leave.¡± I felt a bit suffocated and told Ste before turning around and leaving.


    Ste immediately followed, with Mitch close behind.


    In the elevator, Ste was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s Neil¡¯s deal? Why was he so cold to Bonnie? Bonnie¡¯s


    already into him, shouldn¡¯t he be sympathetic?¡±


    I looked at Mitch, who also looked confused. ¡°Bonnie has a heart condition, he should be more


    concerned about her.¡±


    I doubted he knew about Bonnie¡¯s heart transnt, thus being somewhat clueless about the situation.


    Now, besides me, Neil, Bonnie, and Kate, no one should know the inside story. Even Oscar and Russel


    I had never told.


    This wasn¡¯t something I needed to reveal. They would naturally find out when the time was right.


    Just as I exited the hospital, Kate walked up to me. The moment she saw me, her face subtly changed,


    showing a hint of repulsion and disgust.


    I talked to Ondo a couple of days ago, and heard that Kate quit her job to take care of Bonnie when


    she was sick.


    I gotta hand it to Kate for being so good to Bonnie


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here? Here to stress Bonnie out again?¡± Kate asked coldly.


    Rena, whos she? Ste asked with a frown


    ¡°An old colleague from when I worked at Cdonia. Her name¡¯s Kate, I replied


    Ste has a good memory, especially for those unpleasant things I¡¯ve mentioned before. She


    remembers them as if she¡¯s a memo pad, crystal clear.


    Kates identity, and her current rtionship with Bonnie, I¡¯m sure Ste remembers it all too clearly


    The next second, Ste was giving me this look of utter disdain. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Bonnie¡¯s friend. What a


    hypocrite!¡±


    Just because Bonnie happens to look like her deceased sister, she acts all high and mighty, putting on


    this show of being all moral and righteous. If that aint a hypocrite then I don¡¯t know what is.


    Hearing this, Kate turned red with anger. Watch your mouth! Don¡¯t think I won¡¯ty a hand on you


    because you¡¯re pregnant¡±


    I immediately stepped in front of Ste, fixing Kate with a cold stare if you darey a finger on her, I


    can¡¯t promise what will happen to you, Kate. You¡¯re in my territory now.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    Chapter 147


    After my warning, a hint of hesitation and unease shed in Kates eyes She shot us a re and strode


    into the hospital.


    She¡¯s still here at thiste hour to apany Bonnie. She must really care about her


    Ste groaned with disgust, ¡°Birds of a feather flock together. I can¡¯t stand anyone who¡¯s friends with


    Bonnie the Bitch¡±


    With that, she gave Mitch a hard pinch, including you, Mr. Can¡¯t See Clearly!


    Mitch grimaced in pain and quickly swore, ¡°I see it now, I really do! If I protect her again, I¡¯m doomed?¡±


    ¡°How did you see it? How are you suddenly smart? Ste asked surprised


    Mitch spilled the beans about eavesdropping at the door with me. Ste gave me a thumbs-up. ¡°You¡¯re


    spot on! You actually guessed she¡¯d show her true colors!¡±


    I smiled smugly, ¡°Of course, she always acts this way when we¡¯re alone.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Makes sense. She¡¯d have to keep up appearances in front of others. If it wasn¡¯t just me


    who went to see her today, but all three of us, she could¡¯ve put on a whole show!¡±


    I agreed.


    Soon after, Ste and I parted ways, each heading home.


    When I got home, my mom was waiting for me in the living room. She didn¡¯t rx until I was back,


    ¡°Why are youing home sote? You had me


    worried sick!¡±


    ¡°What, you were worried I went to see Neil?¡¯ I asked,ughing as I took off my coal.


    ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m your mom, I know you best. You¡¯ve liked Neil for so many years, I¡¯m afraid you cant let go,


    my mom replied.


    I sat down next to her, wrapped my arm around hers, and said with a smile, ¡°If I couldn¡¯t let go, why


    would I divorce him and move to a different country? Wouldn¡¯t that be asking for trouble? It¡¯s not like


    I¡¯m the one stirring things up.¡±


    My mom patted my hand, looking both relieved and sympathetic, ¡°I know, it¡¯s just a pity about the baby.


    If you¡¯d told us earlier, maybe we could¡¯ve saved


    ¡°Mom, if you and dad knew I was pregnant, would you have objected?¡± I had been really worried about


    this.


    ¡°We would, but what could we say if you insisted?¡± my mom sighed heavily, ¡°Your dad and I want to be


    grandparents too. All my old friends have already have grandchildren¡­¡±


    Hearing my moms words, I started off smiling. But as I continued to smile, tears slid down my cheeks,


    and a dull pain throbbed in my heart.


    I dont know if my parents will ever be grandparents. The odds of me having a child are as slim as


    winning the lottery


    Hearing me cry, my mom quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe my tears, ¡°Why are you crying? We¡¯re not


    ming you, so don¡¯t me yourself. Maybe the baby knew it wouldn¡¯t have aplete family after


    being born and decided to go back, nning toe again in future.¡±


    I couldnt speak through my tears.


    My momforted me until I cried myself out, then took me to my room to rest.


    The next afternoon, I woke up with puffy eyes. The sun was shining brightly outside, making it hard to


    open my eyes.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My phone was vibrating non-stop; a ton of WhatsApp messages had piled up.


    I squinted at the screen, it was the girls from our group chat


    The conversation started because Neil had made a statement exining that the video about Bonnie


    had nothing to do with me. It was a spur of the moment thing for Bonnie, and he emphasized that I had


    done nothing wrong and hadn¡¯t caused Bonnie any trouble


    Ste [Neil finally stepped up like a man this time, otherwise people would think Rena bullied Bonnie]


    Alicia. [Bonnie is clever, pushing her mistakes onto Rena. If Neil hadn¡¯t cleared things up this time, she


    would¡¯ve gotten away with it.


    Barbara Isn¡¯t she too cunning? So calcting at such a young age.]


    Ste (Shes just shameless Mitch seems to have finally seen Bonnie¡¯s true colors; he hasn¡¯t mentioned


    Bonnie since the news]


    Barbara [Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Otherwise, I¡¯d be pissed]


    They were having a lively chat. After reading through their messages, I opened Twitter. Sure enough,


    Neil¡¯s statement was trending.


    Many of theizens were confused because in their minds, the story was supposed to be that Neil


    and I married for benefits, had no feelings for each other, and had always been gued by rumors.


    Then one day, he fell in love with the innocent Cindere, disregarded everything, divorced me, and


    gave Cindere a happily-ever-after


    And me, the ex-wife who Neil had driven away, couldn¡¯t stand it and targeted Bonnie the Cindere,


    causing her to apologize to me.


    So, why would Neil make a statement to protect me? Didn¡¯t he care about Bonnie¡¯s dignity?


    Looking at the flurry ofments, I felt nothing


    Whether they were praising or criticizing me, I no longer cared.


    But Neil¡¯s next move surprised me.


    The day after his statement, he sent someone to deliver a property division agreement for me to sign.


    Chapler


    After reading the agreement, it mainly proposed to re divide the property. Hall of all assets under Neil¡¯s


    name, including cars, houses, and liquid assets, would be given to me, plus 8% of Whitmore Co¡¯s


    shares.


    As long as I signed, the agreement would take effect immediately.


    Although I¡¯m not short of money, and my mom¡¯spany isn¡¯t small, it¡¯s still smallerpared to


    Whitmore Co.


    The assets and shares Neil allocated to me were almost equal to the total value of my family¡¯s


    company.


    Looking at the agreement. I pondered for a while, then decided to call Neil.


    ¡°Did you receive the agreement?¡± The call was answered quickly. Neil¡¯s voice clear and deep.


    1 did, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± I asked


    I¡¯ve had my parents review this agreement, and they have no objections. It¡¯s what I owe you,¡± Neil said,


    ¡°I may not be able to make up for the physical and emotional harm you¡¯ve suffered, but I¡¯ll do my best


    topensate you.¡±


    Neil has always been good about not owing anything to any woman associated with him, even those


    rumored actresses in the media.


    So, his reputation in this respect wasrgely positive.


    I know I should sign the agreement. How could I be dumb enough to turn down the cash? But once I


    sign, it¡¯s like his damage to me has beenpensated to the max, and it seems like I shouldn¡¯t harbor


    any more anger or resentment.


    ¡°Til leave the agreement here, I need to think it over¡± I didn¡¯t outright say yes or no, just gave a vague


    reply.


    ¡°Alright, you can sign whenever you¡¯re ready just let me know when youre done, and I¡¯ll swing by to


    pick it up.¡± Neil responded straight up

 Chapter 148

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    Chapter 148


    I just got off the phone and my dad came back


    He happened to see the agreement in my hand, so he asked a few questions and I filled him in on the


    situation.


    Every time we talked about Neil, my dad¡¯s face would turn stern. He took the agreement, skimmed


    through it, and snorted, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s really generous in this respect, but unfortunately, this is the only


    area where he acts like a human being¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond to him.


    ¡°Rena, you make your own decisions. We have no problem supporting you. Even if you remarry, your


    mom and I can handle it. We¡¯re not after the money. we¡¯re after dignity. Whether you take the money


    you deserve or you show your dignity by not taking it, I understand either way¡±


    Dad said it with passion.


    He¡¯s always been a tough guy who values dignity and never bows down for money. He didn¡¯t even


    want to run the family business.


    But my mom¡¯s family owns apany that¡¯s been running for generations. When she married my dad,


    she was already running a medium-sizedpany with great potential. The business couldnt just stop


    because she got married.


    So thepany has been running ever since and it¡¯s booming.


    Even Harold and the others were initiated into the business by my mom, although theyter chose the


    overseas market.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell Neil. I¡¯ll keep the agreement for now. I need to think it over.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Right, you should consider it carefully. I worry that people will think we, the Finch family, took a lot of


    money from him, that we¡¯re greedy and causing trouble. People are unpredictable! My dad sighed


    deeply.


    My mom called us for dinner after she finished cooking. My dad was free toe home for lunch


    today, so the meal was abundant


    Looking at my parents¡¯ white hair and smelling the aroma of the food in the air, I felt a little dazed. Why


    can¡¯t I go back to when I was seventeen? That year I fell head over heels for Neil.


    At that time, my parents were still young, I was a young girl, and everything could start over.


    After the meal, my dad went to work, my mom went out to enjoy her night life with friends, and Iy on


    the couch watching TV shows.


    I fell asleep without even realizing it and woke up in the evening


    There were two or three missed calls on my phone, all from Oscar


    I didn¡¯t answer, so he texted me: [Irene, I know a great ce where you can rx. Want to give it a


    try?]


    Ever since Oscar found out I was back, he¡¯s been contacting me almost every day. We¡¯ve both tacitly


    avoided mentioning that hug he gave me.


    I texted back: [Sure, send me the address]


    Oscar must have been waiting for my reply because he texted back quickly. After I got the address, I


    told my mom I was going out.


    Oscar was already waiting for me by the road. When he saw me, his eyes lit up and he walked over,


    ¡°Irene, hi


    ¡°Hi, wheres this great ce you know?¡± I asked with a smile.


    He scratched his head awkwardly, ¡°We need to walk a bit, there¡¯s no bus that goes there.¡±


    Then let¡¯s walk.¡± I answered.


    As Oscar led me along, we chatted casually, but I had a feeling that something was off.


    Sure enough, not long after, we arrived at the Wellness Oasis, a high-ss health club owned by Neil.


    The prices here are sky high. If he¡¯s really taking me here, I¡¯m afraid Til blow a few months¡¯ sry.


    ¡°Oscar, let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±I suggested, not really wanting to go in.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Irene. The manager brought me here for a massage the other day and it felt


    really good. He also gave me two coupons for a hydrotherapy spa. You should give it a try¡±


    Oscar¡¯s eyes brightened, frene, I know you certainly don¡¯tck these things, but when I find a ce


    with good food and fun, I always want you to try it


    too.¡±


    I was touched but also a bit helpless. Oscar should know that there¡¯s no chance for us, but he still gives


    in his own way.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it a try¡± The only time I¡¯ve been to Wellness Oasis was when Ste and Mitch almost


    got into a fight.


    This is my second time.


    As soon as we walked in, someone came up to ask us if we were members. Oscar shook his head,


    ¡°No¡±


    You need to show your assets to get a membership card here, which he obviously doesn¡¯t have.


    The waitress looked at Oscar¡¯s outfit and figured he was a regr guy. There was a hint of contempt in


    her eyes, but her smile was still warm as she politely asked us what services we needed


    Oscar took out the coupons his boss had given him and said with a bit of embarrassment, ¡°We just


    wanna use these two coupons.¡±


    The waitress took a look at them and then gave me a strange look.


    They wouldn¡¯t recognize me because there are several shareholders in the club. Apart from the higher-


    ranking managers, many of the employees hora dont even know who their boss is. How would they


    recognize the boss¡¯s ex-wife?


    But anyone who likes to watch the news should have seen the cent trends. Somaizens dug ve


    familiar


    of my old photos, so they might find


    ¡°What


    almily and asked


    I¡¯m sorry, sir, madam, all our the


    in her eyes.


    ists are fully booked today. We cant do it right


    rss smiled politely


    I could see the contempt


    Oscar is very simple


    inded he just wanted


    be divided into sses


    ce me here.


    nathing he found enjoyable. But he had no idea how


    uel reality ca


    His boss is nich


    ing them here to wine nd dine


    But he is not


    At this point. Osca


    (he was being deliberately looked dow upon. His young.


    showed a hint of embarrassment and awkwardness


    body care hydrotherapy massage, and so many other services. Every single ther


    is fully booked? Are you sure? | asked back


    I nced at


    watress smile faded a little.


    in on her chest. There was a delicate little sign on it that said number 17


    I didn¡¯t want to waste my breath on people like her anymore, so I took Oscar and sat down on the


    Number 17 just stood there quietly, smiling at us, not serving us water ne answering, and not moving


    Oscar was visibly embarrassed, Trene, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have chosen this ce. Let


    Then No 17 chimed in. ¡°Yeah, ma¡¯am, there are loads of ces more in your price range you¡±


    I rubbed my temples, my voiceced with irritation, T asked you to call the manager over


    nearby. ¡°Get your


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Over h?r


    i could go. Maybe this ce isnt suitable enough for


    Just then, a few people entered from outside Neil was dressed in a dark blue shirt and grey trousers, a


    tall figure. The men beside him, all older and dressed in formal suits, looked like his business partners


    Seeing Neil No 17 immediately left me and Oscar, gracefully swaying her slender waist as she ran May


    I ask what kind of service you need?¡±


    rmly greet him, ¡°Good evening, gentlemen,


    Neil spotted me immediately, then hit gaze shifted to Oscar

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Of course, Oscar still had a grudge against Nei, the man who Conce stolen his girlfriend. But now that


    things had moved on, especially after he learned about what Ronnie had dor he only showed a hint of


    caution


    more hostile, bike acy arrows, full of press


    Inparison, Neil¡¯s gaze


    Trene let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    I sat back down and spoke


    standing up and taking hold of my hand. Dont make things hard for yourself


    1. What¡¯s so special about Wellness Oasis? Whos the manager? Cani


    The employe with the number 17 badge froze then turned around and snapped ba


    you¡¯re the one whos being stubborn! If you continue to disrupt our business.


    Neil who had been listening to our conversation, frowned, then gestured for


    What¡¯s going on? The came over one arm hooked in the sleeve of his grey suit jac


    effortless style


    17. hurriedly responded. ¡°Sir there¡¯s been a slight misunderstanding with


    YOU A TAT


    didn¡¯t seem to recognize Neil.


    ¡°So, today none of the spa services are avable, is it because you:


    cant do


    ¡°ma¡¯am, Tue already told you, we cant do any sp


    the police


    taff member to take his friends to grab


    one hand in his pocket, looking every bit


    on the ground looking defiantly at Neil and number 17. 1 insist on using these coupons today or


    Neil picked up the two coupons from the floor, his sharp gazending on Oscar agar


    He knew I would never use coupons to spend money here it must have been Oscar¡¯s ide


    I didn¡¯t care what he thought, considering today my chance to maki


    Neil pulled out his wallet, took out a ck, gold trimmed card and handed it to me. It was


    100


    ¡°Sir Number 17, seeing Neil taking out the card, first showed a look of surprise and envy, then tr by


    giving your card to thisdy I¡¯ll call the police¡±


    Neil nced at her, his eyes cold


    I stood up didnt take his card, but pointed at number 17: ¡°Neil, I don¡¯t need your card. I justBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    (mething to eat


    model with his


    tomers, it¡¯s nothing serious is there anything |


    swn on our discount coupons?¡± i threw the coupons


    won¡¯t let this gor


    ghest level gold card of Wellness Oasis. Ste had one


    to stop him, It¡¯s okay you dont need to help me out


    est, fire her, now!¡±


    Hearing Neil¡¯s name, number 17 froze for a moment before realizing who he was. She was shocked.


    ¡°Ma am even Mr Whitmore doesn¡¯t have the right to fire me, right? Since you now Mr. Whitmore, cant


    we just let this go? I take you to do the spa now


    Number 17 was a resilient character


    Neil looking at my domineering attitude, showed a hint of helplessness in his eyes, but he still made a


    call, ¡°Manager Sammy,e and take number 17 to settle her wages¡±


    Te Whitmore you ¡°Number 17 was dumbfounded, stuttering


    Welness Oasis was a hard ce to get into, even as a waitress. Many young girls were eager to work


    here. Not only because of the high wages because it increased the chances of meeting wealthy,


    handsome men


    Soon, Sammy rushed over Without even knowing the full story, he took number 17 away


    This kind of short-sighted waitress didn¡¯t suit working here if she couldn¡¯t recognize me and Neil today


    she wouldn¡¯t recognize other VIPs tomorrow.


    Shel upset someone sooner orter


    I dont dischminate against any job or person, but number 17s contempt annoyed me


    ¡°Oscar let¡¯s go


    achieved my goal I didn¡¯t actually want to do any spa i got up and called out to Oscar


    Oscar nodded got up and followed me out


    It wasn¡¯t until we were some distance away from the door that I looked back. Neil was still standing


    there, watching us leave.


    Oscar noticed i He said to me. Trene, is still hung up on you after the divorce?¡±


    ¡°What makes you si


    (F | counter asked


    tement he issued. He was defending you if he really only liked Bonnie and had no feelings for you, he


    wouldn¡¯t have spoken up for you.¡± Oscar said senously


    His words was quit


    I didnt directly answer his question, just smiled After we walked to where my car was parked, Loffered


    to drop him home.


    Oscar shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Irene i can catch a bus straight to where I live from here You go


    ahead, drive safe¡±


    ¡°Alright next time I¡¯ll treat you to dinner I responded It seemed unfair that Oscar always treated me


    ¡°Spunds good¡±¡± Oscar agreed cheerfully


    The bus arrived just then. After watching Oscar get on, I drove home


    When I got home, an unexpected visitor surprised me


    Trene!¡± Cathie was sitting in my living room eating fruit Seeing me, she got up and greeted me with a


    big smile.


    My parents were still awake, chatting with her Seeing me, they invited me to join them.


    Trene, I came to Rosemont to visit a friend, but she¡¯s out of town until tomorrow morning My dad was


    worried about me and insisted I stay at your ce for the night, Cathie exined


    ¡°Your dad is right, it¡¯s safer for you to stay here,¡± my dad agreed


    I barely knew Cathie We had only met twice at the banquet, and I had overheard her badmouthing me


    in the restroom


    So I didn¡¯t show any enthusiasm, just smiled faintly. Sure, you can stay here. I¡¯m a bit tired, I¡¯m going to


    take a shower and rest¡±


    Cathie immediately got up to follow me. Trene, Id like to take a bath too. Does the quest room have a


    bathroom?¡±


    I nced back at her, nodded, but didn¡¯t respond


    I led Cathie to a guest room, gave her toiletries, then prepared to go to my own room, but she stopped


    me


    Trene, can I ask you a few questions?¡±


    I stopped in my tracks, turning to look at Cathie A flicker of hesitation crossed her face, but it quickly


    turned into a fearless expression. It¡¯s about Neil she said 1 know you won¡¯t like me saying this, but now


    that you and him are divorced, I can pursue him openly!¡±


    Was she really being frank with me to my face right now? I suddenly found myself admining Cathies


    character. She didn¡¯t just talk behind my back but was willing to be upfront with me, I couldn¡¯t help but


    compare her to Bonnie, and it seemed like she was a bit more aboveboard


    Bonnie had also confessed to me face-to-face before, but she always liked to find some hypocritical


    reasons to exin herself, which really got on my nerves.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    Chapter 150


    ¡°Go ahead¡±I said, closing the door behind me


    After Cathie asked a few questions, I realized she was really into Neil


    Like what type of women Neil digs, his favorite food, the kind of fun stuff he¡¯s into


    I answered her one by one


    After I finished answering all her questions, Cathie looked at me with those big eyes of hers and said.


    ¡°Heard you were deeply in love with him, guess it¡¯s true. How else could you know so much?¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that I said, a smirk ying on my lips.


    After heading back to my room and taking a shower, my phone buzzed. It was Russel with a video call.


    Once I picked up. I was greeted by his handsome face.


    He called to ask about Neil¡¯s statement.


    After I exined a bit, he suddenly said. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be a doctor, should take over the family


    business instead.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I asked, squinting my eyes


    ¡°So I can be like Neil, more free time.¡±


    Russel said with a bitter smile, ¡°You went abroad, I managed to get a work assignment to follow you.


    But now that you¡¯re back, I can¡¯t just leave.¡±


    I opened my eyes wide, feeling a bit sorry for him, ¡°I¡¯ll have a three-second silence for you¡±


    ¡°Wait until I¡¯m back, then you can mourn for me in person.¡± He said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring candles.¡± I joked.


    ¡°You trying to scare me off


    ¡°No, just trying to set the mood.¡±


    We chatted for about twenty minutes, then I dozed off, didn¡¯t even hang up the call.


    Woke up the next day to a dead phone.


    After I charged it up and checked, our callsted more than four hours.


    Turns out he didn¡¯t hang up either, he waited until my phone died.


    What a champ


    Next morning. I went downstairs and saw Cathie just emerging from the quest room, her eyes a bit


    puffy Looked like she stayed up all night.


    ¡°Trene, I thought about it all night, I think my biggest rival is Bonnie. Does Nel really like her? She


    asked.


    ¡°I have no idea, that¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to find out for yourself.¡± I replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything special about Bonnie. She s just a bit more innocent


    looking I don¡¯t think she¡¯s anything special, I won¡¯t lose to her¡± Cathie¡¯s confidence was sort of amusing


    to me.


    After breakfast prepared by my mom, Cathie got a call from a friend and left.


    I had a hunch she wasn¡¯t here in Rosemont to visit friends, but to see Ned


    Now that Neil and Bonnie¡¯s rtionship is the talk of the town, she¡¯s probably feeling the heat and used


    this as an excuse toe here


    If I guessed right, she¡¯ll find a way to see Neil.


    I just didn¡¯t expect to be dragged into it.


    The day after Cathie left, she called my dad, said she wanted to thank us for letting her stay the night


    by treating me to dinner, then gave him the address My dad, being good friends with her dad, quickly


    agreed and told me to meet Cathie at the restaurant after hanging up.


    ¡°Cathie¡¯s a very sweet gut, you can treat this as making a new friend.¡± My dad said.


    He¡¯d rather I go out and enjoy life than confine myself at home, hoping I could recover as soon as


    possible.


    I couldn¡¯t say no, so I grabbed my car keys and headed to the restaurant,


    Just as I reached the entrance, I received a text from Barbara Confirmed, Bonnin will return to


    Rosemont College the day after tomorrow. She¡¯s a tough cookie, I kinda admire her!]


    I replied: [Okay, got it


    On reaching the private room Cathie booked, I found it full of people, including a pregnant Ste, Neil,


    Mitch and Cooper, along with some other folks i didnt recognize


    ¡°Rena?¡± Ste quickly stood up, pulling me out of the room, ¡°What are you doing here? I knew Neil was


    coming so I didn¡¯t tell you about it!¡±


    *Cathie asked me toe¡± I replied, ¡°Is this a party she organized?¡±


    ¡°No! Neil invited her for dinner, she brought along a few friends, then Neil invited Mitch and Cooper,


    and Mitch brought me ¡±


    Ste looked confused, ¡°Does Cathie like Neil? You can tell by the way she looks at him. Why did she


    invite you then? Did she do it on purpose?¡±


    While we were chatting, the door opened again.


    Cathie walked out, looking rather helpless, Trene, I didn¡¯t really want you toe either. But since I


    stayed at your cest night, he said I should thank you, so I invited you for dinner. Is he trying to get


    back together with you?¡±


    Ste widened her eyes, Dont talk nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Are you Ste¡± Cathie turned to Ste, quick on the uptake, 7 like the color of your lipstick. Can you


    still wear lipstick when you¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    After hearing this, Ste promptly started introducing her lipstick shade.


    I found the two of them somewhat simi, both straightforward.


    After talking about lipstick brands, Cathie shifted the topic back to Neil, ¡°I think Bonnie called him, she¡¯ll


    probably be here soon. I heard she has a heart condition, how can she still be running around?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very resilient¡± I replied, I¡¯m not going to stay for dinner, you guys enjoy. If my dad asks, just tell


    him I was here.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Yeah, you better not stay¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m not interested in watching Neil dine with his ex-wife either Irene, you can go. Ste, let¡¯s go


    back in.¡± Cathie said bluntly


    I waved at Ste, then she followed Cathie back into the room.


    I took the elevator down, nning to grab a quick bite somewhere and head home. Just as I reached


    the restaurant entrance, I saw Bonnie and Kate showing up


    Bonnie wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair today, with Kate supporting her closely


    Seeing me, Bonnie stopped, a trace of resentment showing on her pale face


    ¡°Neil¡¯s still waiting for us, let¡¯s go Kate seemed to say it loud enough on purpose for me to hear.


    Tignored them and walked straight past


    Trene!¡± Bonnie called out to me. She wriggled free from Kate and stood in front of me. I need to talk to


    you is that okay?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay. What¡¯s there to talk about? I red at her coldly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about how you


    pushed me off the hospital bed? Or about your deliberate attempts to hurt me?¡±


    Bonnie went even paler, staring at me. Trene, I didnt push you. You fell on your own!¡±


    What a load of bull.


    I extended my hand and pretended to yfully push her, but Kate suddenly rushed over and held her,


    angrily shouting at me, ¡°Irene, have you gone mad? Don¡¯t you know she has a heart condition? What if


    something happens to her?¡±


    Bonnie looked scared out of her wits, her pupils trembling.


    I twisted my wrist, ¡°I didn¡¯t push her. She just couldnt keep her bnce, I was just trying to help her¡±

 Chapter 151

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    Chapter 151


    Bonnie could tell I was intentionally mocking her, and her expression tuined extremely unpleasant


    Kate wanted to argue with me, but Bonnie stopped her ¡°Kate. I¡¯m okay I need to talk to Irene


    ¡°Bonnie, what if she hurts you? You need to take care of yourself. Kate looked really worried


    She was as protective of her sister¡¯s heart as Neil was


    Bonnie shook her head, I¡¯m fine, Kate Irene won¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    Kate shot me a wary look. I smirked at her, provoking her. ¡°You better keep her away from me if you


    don¡¯t want me to do anything¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, we dont need to deal with her. Your health is the most important thing. Let¡¯s go find Neil Kate


    held onto Bonnie¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m fine!¡± Bonnie shook her off, annoyance shing in her eyes.


    She was so ungrateful.


    Kate left with a sigh. Bonnie turned to me, ¡°Irene, did Neil give you an agreement? About re-dividing


    property?¡±


    I was slightly surprised Despite her severe illness, she managed to hold onto every detail so well. She


    really was incredibly diligent.


    I didnt say anything, just smiled at Bannie. Her face twisted in anger.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    She continued, ¡°I think being too greedy is not good. You know how much he has. If he gives you a


    third of his assets, will you take it? Won¡¯t your


    conscience hurt?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I take it? I found it funny. ¡°You think I¡¯m like you? If I gave you a million dors now, you


    wouldn¡¯t even know how to spend it. And let me tell you, if you¡¯re snooping around, get your facts


    straight. A third? It¡¯s half his property plus 8% of Whitmore Co


    Bonnie¡¯s face turned sour, as if she¡¯d just swallowed a fly. Clearly, she didn¡¯t have the full picture.


    She stuttered, ¡°How is that possible? I heard thewyer¡­


    She cut herself off. Spying on Neil¡¯s conversation with hiswyer wasn¡¯t something she wanted to


    admit


    ¡°Bonnie, what gives you the right to talk like this? I don¡¯t deserve Neil¡¯s money, and you do?¡± I raised


    my chin, looking down at her. ¡°What are you? Besides being younger, what else do you have?¡±


    She was much shrewder than most girls her age.


    ¡°You!¡± Bonnie fumed but couldn¡¯te up with a response.


    ¡°Because Neil likes me! Bonnie finally found aeback.


    ¡°Then keep trying. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯ll marry you¡± I said coldly. ¡°Bonnie, do you really not know about


    Karina? That Kate¡¯s sister? Are you going to keep ying dumb, happily epting their kindness?¡±


    Bonnie stared at ine, shocked. She couldn¡¯t believe I knew about Karina.


    Her reaction amused me. ¡®Bonnie, you don¡¯t think the Whitmore family didn¡¯t try to persuade me, do


    you? They certainly informed me about Karina¡¯s situation and your heart condition.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about Bonnie panicked. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who Karina is!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You should thank your parents for giving you a face like Karina¡¯s, and for getting her heart.


    Without that, Neil wouldn¡¯t look at your twice, and Kate wouldn¡¯t treat you like a sister. Got it?¡± I didn¡¯t


    care that Bonnie had gone pale.


    She wanted to y dumb, so she could justify Neil¡¯spensation as love.


    Bonnie clutched her chest, gasping for breath. She stumbled and I stepped back. Kate rushed over to


    support her.


    ¡°Irene, what did you do to her? Kate demanded angrily.


    Neil appeared from the restaurant. Seeing Bonnie¡¯s state, he rushed over.


    Bonnie copsed into his arms, whispering, ¡°Neil, who is Karina..¡±


    Then she fainted.


    Even in fainting, she was setting the stage. Now that I¡¯d revealed she knew about Karina, Neil would


    find out soon. She might as well ask and put herself in a vulnerable position


    Poor girl. She didn¡¯t even know she was a stand-in.


    I watched as Neil helped Bonnie to the car. He shot me a nce, his brow furrowed.


    ¡°Neil, aren¡¯t you going to say anything to Irene? She¡¯s the reason Bonnie fainted¡±¡± Kar


    ¡°Let¡¯s get Bonnie to the hospital first Neil replied impatiently


    angnly.


    Kate¡¯s hatred for me was deep. Bonnie had fainted, and the priority was to get her to the hospital. Yet,


    she still wanted Neil to scold me.


    When Neil drove off without waiting for her, Kate looked even more annoyed ¡°Trene, you¡¯ve already


    killed my sister once. You want to do it again?¡±


    I¡¯m curious. How did you know Bonnie got your sister¡¯s heart?¡± I ignored her question.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡± Kate snapped.


    ¡°Oh, so you think Bonnie didn¡¯t recognize you?¡± Iughed. ¡°How did you decide she¡¯s so naive she


    wouldn¡¯t know anything?¡±


    Kate cut me off, pissed, ¡°Not everyone is as nasty as you are!¡±


    With that, she stormed off


    Coming out from the restaurant, Ste and Mitch saw me standing alone at the entrance and couldn¡¯t


    help but ask, ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡±


    Cathie fumed, ¡°He invited me for dinner, then took a phone call and just leh! Who does that?¡±


    I tried to console her, ¡°There might be some special reason Bonnie fell sick all of a sudden, try to


    understand¡±


    Maybe Kate called Neil to tell him that Bonnie was with me, that¡¯s why he took off


    Cathie¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°What?!¡±


    Hearing all this, Cooper seemed worried and was ready to go look for Neil, holding his car keys. He


    asked Mitch, ¡°Shall we go check out what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Mitch, hugging Ste tightly, seemed aloof, ¡°No need, I need to be with my family, I don¡¯t need to worry


    about Bonnie¡±


    Cooper gave him a strange look, as he seemed to notice his good friend¡¯s attitude towards Bonnie had


    changed.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Chapter 152


    Ste contentedly stroked Mitchs face


    ¡°Ugh annoying Cathie said a bit confused, then turned to us. Let¡¯s continue our meal upstairs, my


    friends are still there¡±


    Nah, I¡¯m heading back to sleep ¡°Treplied


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Cathie you go ahead and eat I¡¯m heading back too, I¡¯ll treat you next time ¡®Ste had a good


    impression of Cathe


    Cathie gave an ¡®ok¡¯ sign and went back to the private room.


    Cooper had already driven off to find Neil, leaving me, Ste, and Mitch alone


    After hearing the whole story Stemended me on a job well done


    Then Mitch found something suspicious. ¡°The heart? What does that have to do with Karina?


    Right, ant it just that Bonnie looks like Karina Ste was also confused


    Next. Bonnie will definitely use the incident to start asking Neil about Karina pretending to suddenly


    realize that she¡¯s a stand in


    So I could tell the others first


    I told the two that Karina didn¡¯t pass away immediately that year, but after a few days of rescue she


    donated her heart, and the recipient was Bonnie


    Ste was dumbfounded, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really shocking¡±


    So Neil and that Kate person cared so much about Bonnie because of this?¡± Mitchs face warfull of


    shock Unbelievable, as his good friend. I didnt know there was such a story!¡±


    The question is, how did Neil know Bonnie received Karina¡¯s heart? Ste asked after recovering. Did


    Bonnie tell him herself?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No, I don¡¯t know this either. Bonnie always yed dumb about Kanna she wouldn¡¯t


    have told Neil herself, I think it might have something to do with Kate¡±


    I really wanted to know how Bonnie, who was only fifteen or sixteen at the time, came into contact with


    the Aaron family Hospitals usually don¡¯t reveal donor information, they wouldn¡¯t have let them meet


    And how did Neil know about Bonnie¡¯s heart? Was it really Kate who told him? Then how did Kate


    recognize Bonnie? When did she tell Ned?


    These questions were intricately linked, and I was very confused


    After saying goodbye to Ste, I drove home.


    As soon as I got home, I received a voice message from Ste. ¡°Rena, I ended up sending Mitch to the


    hospital, at least he can act as an informant and gather some news!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using him as a spy? Iughed and sent a voice message back


    I pissed Bonnie off so much she passed out, I feel pretty good.


    Ste replied. ¡°Haha, I love hearing about these things¡±


    Sure enough, Mitch really was cut out to be an informant. The next day, he passed on some news he


    heard at the hospital through Ste


    After Bonnie woke up, she started crying and asked Neil to exin about Karina. After Neil finished,


    she passed out again.


    Ada and Dean went to the hospital to find Neil, asking him to let Bonnie go, not knowing that it was


    their daughter who had been pesteng Nel


    ¡°Pena, about those questionsst night Mitch found some answers at Neil¡¯s! You met Neil when you


    and Kate were on a business trip overseas, right? Later, Kate discovered the rtionship between Neil


    and Bonnie, found out that Bonnie was the recipient of her sister¡¯s heart, and then she told Neil Before


    that, Neil only knew that Bonnie Bitch had heart disease.¡±


    My guess turned out to be true. As for how Kate recognized Bonnie, and how Bonnie knew about


    Karina, these two questions were still unclear


    I nned to investigate, not for Neil, but to get a clearer picture of Bonnie¡¯s true face


    While chatting with Ste, Barbara sent a message, Rena, is Bonnie seriously ill again? Word from


    Rosemont College is that her return date has been. postponed, the specifics aren¡¯t clear¡±


    I replied, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡±


    Oscar also sent a message telling me about it, saying he would help me and has been keeping an eye


    on things.


    I replied to each one


    Suddenly, a call came from an unfamiliar number


    When I answered, I found out it was Cooper, Trene, can we meet?¡±


    ¡°Meet?¡± I was a bit confused


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something really important Cooper seemed a bit embarrassed, ¡®Can you do me a favor?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t nning to help him, but then I heard a struggle on the other end of the phone, followed by


    Ada¡¯s anxious voice, ¡°Ms. Finch, you blocked my number, I can¡¯t contact you, can we meet and talk?


    Please save our Bonnie!¡±


    1 was silent for a moment, then calmly said, ¡®Ada, about Bonnie, you don¡¯t need toe to me


    anymore, I can¡¯t and won¡¯t help her¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch, please. My husband just had surgery recently, and this time he¡¯s been sick because of


    Bonnie¡¯s situation. I have to take care of two patients. by myself, can¡¯t you show some sympathy?¡± Ada


    choked up.


    She was indeed innocent, the one at fault was her daughter, not her.


    I said coldly, ¡°Ada, there¡¯s no need to meet, just tell me over the phone¡±


    Ada holding Cooper¡¯s phone told me a lot, the gist being, she hoped I could persuade Neil to let Bonnie


    go. Bonnie couldn¡¯t handle such a big emotional upheaval, her heart wouldn¡¯t be able to take it


    After listening, my voice had a hint of probing. ¡°Ada, do you know who donated the heart to Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but someone came to find her once, I dont know if that person was a rtive of the


    donor¡­¡±


    Ada choked up. ¡°Bonnie was still young at the time, the person said they wanted to take her out to y,


    I refused, then the person gave Bonnie a gift, took a picture with her, and left¡±


    ¡°How old was that person? Male or female?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A woman in her forties, Ada replied ¡°Ms Finch, what¡¯s the point of asking all this? Can it help Bonnie?¡±


    Hearing Ada¡¯s words, I already had a general understanding of this matter in my mind. The middle


    ageddy must be Kate and Karina¡¯s mom. She couldn¡¯t bear missing her daughter and found Honnie.


    Kate probably recognized Bonnie through that group photo.


    The only part that didn¡¯t add up for me was how Bonnie recognized Kate. She should have only met


    Kate¡¯s mom.


    ¡°Ada, I can¡¯t help Bonnie, I responded. ¡°Have you ever considered that your girl might be with Neil of


    her own free will? Maybe she doesn¡¯t need the help you guys think she does.


    ¡°What?¡± Ada was taken aback.


    I hung up the phone. There was no need to say anything more.


    Since Bonnie¡¯s still out cold, she won¡¯t be going back to college anytime soon. I might as well take it


    easy for a few days and enjoy life.


    I was still not giving up on my weight gain n. The doctor told me I might have a hard time getting


    pregnant in the future, but it¡¯s not impossible. Maybe if I took care of myself a miracle might happen?


    I had nned on being a single mom after having a baby, but now that the baby¡¯s gone, I wasn¡¯t gonna


    give up on marriage and having kids just because of Neil. I¡¯d still got my parents


    Even for my parents¡¯ sake, I gotta pull myself together and face whateveres my way with a


    positive attitude.

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Chapter 153


    My mood would have probably stayed in a happy bubble for a while if it wasn¡¯t for Kates call


    ¡°What will it take for you to stop hurting Bonnie?¡± Kate¡¯s question almost made me burst outughing.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just get her out of my sight?¡± There I was, lounging in the yard, soaking up the sun on a


    rocking chait, munching on fruit


    Kate snorted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be the one to vanish?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, I heard the rumble of a car outside the gate. I got up to take a peek and sure enough, Neil¡¯s


    car was parked in front of my house again.


    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be at the hospital taking care of Bonnie? Why was he here again?


    Neil got out of the car and seemed a bit taken aback as he saw me staring. He then walked towards


    me.


    ¡°Shhh.¡± I made a shushing gesture.


    Neil frowned slightly, but although he was puzzled, he did not speak. I continued on with Kate, ¡°Why


    should I disappear? Even though Neil and I are divorced, I was once his wife, doesn¡¯t that make Bonnie


    the homewrecker?¡±


    At my words, Neil¡¯s expression shifted


    He asked me not to call Bonnie the homewrecker, and now that I was saying it to his face. He must be


    pissed. Kate couldn¡¯t hold back either She always saw Bonnie as a recement for Karina and couldnt


    stand anyone tarnishing her sister¡¯s image


    ¡°Trene! You¡¯re the homewrecker! You should be the one disappearing! If it wasn¡¯t for you marrying Neil,


    would Karina havemitted suicide?¡± Kate used me heatedly, ¡°Now you¡¯re targeting Bonnie,


    making her life difficult. If something happens to her, may you rot in hell! Redeem yourself for their


    Sake!¡±


    ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll say it onest time, when I got married to Neil, I had no idea about your sister!¡± I responded


    coldly


    Kate retorted. ¡°So what? Even if you didn¡¯t know about my sister, couldn¡¯t you feel that Neil didn¡¯t love


    you? I heard he refused to marry you at first, and only reluctantly agreed due to his grandfather¡¯s


    illness. If you had any dignity, you would have turned down the marriage. His grandfather wouldn¡¯t have


    med him, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten married, and my sister wouldn¡¯t havemitted suicidel¡±


    She seemed to know a lot about it.


    Neil¡¯s face darkened. Before I could respond, he reached out and took my phone away.


    ¡°Karina¡¯s situation has nothing to do with liene. You can me me for not being firm enough, or me


    your sister for being too sensitive, but stop harassing Irene. Do you understand?¡± Neil warned sternly.


    I was taken aback. This was Karina¡¯s only sister, the only other one from the Aaron family.


    As expected, Kate was furious, ¡°Neil, do you realize what you¡¯re saying? Why are you at Irene s7


    Bonnie is still at the hospital, why don¡¯t you be by her side!¡±


    Neil seemed done with the conversation. He ended the call and blocked Kate¡¯s number right in front of


    me.


    I watched his actions, suddenly unsure why he was here today


    Originally, I thought he was here to confront me as I had told Bonnie about Karina, which ended up


    scaring Bonnie unconscious


    But judging from his attitude towards Kate just now, he didn¡¯t seem toe to use me.


    I deliberately let him hear Kate¡¯s words, curious to see how he would defend those two women.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± I took my phone back and looked at Neil, standing behind the gate.


    ¡°Mitch told me something, so I came to confirm it with you¡± Neil looked down at me, his voice calmn


    As if the stern man warning Kate just now wasn¡¯t him.


    ¡°What is it? Go ahead.¡± I responded nonchntly.


    Turns out Mitch couldn¡¯t hold back and spilled to Neil what Bonnie had said when Ste went to see


    her. His intention was probably to warn Neil not to be fooled by Bonnie¡¯s innocent facade.


    Neil was there but he didn¡¯t hear what Bonnie said.


    He asked me, ¡°Is it true?¡±


    ¡°Why ask me if you don¡¯t trust Mitch? I retorted, ¡°What if I told you that not only is that true, but Bonnie


    knew about Karina a long time ago, knew Karina¡¯s mother, knew Kate¡¯s identity, but pretended not to


    know. Would you believe it?¡±


    A chill shed in Neil¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why would she pretend not to know, what good does that do her?¡±


    ¡°What good would it have done me if I knew about Karina but pretended not to when we got married?¡± I


    said sarcastically, ¡°People who do guilty things always look for excuses. How could Bonnie admit shes


    just a recement?¡±


    Neil pursed his lips, his eyes never leaving mine, as if trying to determine whether I was lying


    I knew he wouldn¡¯t believe it, but I found it amusing. Why did hee looking for me?


    There were other things I didn¡¯t want to tell Neil. The day Bonnie returned to school, I would tell


    everyone.


    I didn¡¯t care if he believed me or not, as long as others did.


    Once Bonnie¡¯s reputation was in ruins and she was no longer epted by the Whitmore family, I would


    pack my bags and travel the world.Who-knows, ! might even find love abroad.


    Just thinking about it made me feel great!


    Just then, my mom came out looking for me. She was shocked to see Neil, and quickly pulled me back


    inside without uttering a word to Neil


    A few minutes after we went back inside, Neil drove away.


    Rena, why did hee to see you? You shouldn¡¯t see him, if your dad was home, he would have


    chased him away with a broom!¡± my mom chided.


    ¡°He came on his own, I don¡¯t know either,¡± I shook my head, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, he just came to ask some


    questions, nothing more¡±


    My mom looked at me skeptically. ¡°Really?¡±


    I quickly assured her, ¡°Really, once I recover a bit more, I¡¯m nning to travel abroad. Maybe I¡¯ll bring


    back a foreign husband!¡±


    ¡°Hal¡± my momughed. ¡°You¡¯re still such a romantic! Despite being hurt so badly by Neil, you¡¯re still


    thinking about marriage? Don¡¯t you n to stay single


    for the rest of


    your life?


    ¡°I won¡¯t do that, because I can¡¯t give up the whole forest for one tree,¡± I replied.


    My mom gave my arm a satisfied pat. I knew she and my dad didn¡¯t want me to stay single all my life.


    I was not sure if Neil would seriously mull over what I said once he¡¯s back, but I reckoned it wouldnt


    make a damn difference even if he did believe me. Wasn¡¯t this just Bonnie ying dumb about the


    whole Karina situation? What¡¯s the big deal anyways? Just a simple girl with an asional selfish


    streak, that¡¯s all.


    Ste gave me the lowdown on Bonnie¡¯s status every day, all straight from Mitch¡¯s visits.


    Bonnie was probablyid up in bed for about a week before she started getting better.


    She¡¯s like a fragile doll, with a whole troop of folks fussing over her, worried sick about her running into


    trouble.


    Neil hired a professional caregiver, and Kate, Ada, and Dean rotated shifts to look after her while


    Malinda, one of Bonnie¡¯s biggest fans, was reportedly nning to return from abroad. But what caught


    me off guard was that Russel was back even quicker

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    Chapter 154


    Chapter 154


    I really didn¡¯t understand how Russel was able to finish his stint abroad ande back in such a short


    time. I was gobsmacked when I saw him at the


    hospital


    There he was, towering over everyone in his whiteb coat, just as he always did. He had this aura


    about him, and his ice cold gaze seemed to pause on me for a second


    Dr Russel you¡¯re back¡±¡± A nurse popped up, greeting him shyly


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m back¡± Russel replied nonchntly, and then sauntered over to me


    He nced at the paper in my hand. ¡°Feeling under the weather?¡±


    I shook my head quickly. ¡°No, not me. I¡¯m here with my mom. She¡¯s got a dodgy heart and needs


    regr check-ups¡±


    My mom was having an ECG done at the moment, and I was just waiting for her


    ¡°When did you get back? I had no clue,¡± I asked


    1 got back yesterdayte at night. Didn¡¯t want to disturb your beauty sleep, Russel replied, looking at


    me.


    I nodded. He was really attentive


    Do Neil and the others know you¡¯re back?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Nope, I haven¡¯t told them yet. You and Neil¡­¡± Russel paused, his eyebrows furrowing before


    smoothing out again.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the scoop with you two?.


    I chuckled ¡°What could possibly be going on between Neil and me? If Bonnie wasn¡¯t always in my face.


    I doubt Neil and I would even cross paths¡±


    Bonnie was a bit dim in this regard. She was always trying to one-up me, to show me she¡¯d won. But all


    she did was bring Neil around me more


    It seemed like Russel wanted to chat more, but he got called away


    Looking at his retreating figure, something felt off


    There was such a deep friendship between him and Neil that I would feel very guilty if it drifted apart


    because of me. At that moment, my mom finished her check up. She was all smiles, saying, I¡¯m fine.


    Nothing to worry about.¡±


    I held her hand, smiling back That¡¯s great. Keep your spirits up!¡±


    We were about to leave when we bumped into Cathie at the hospital entrance.


    Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and she came over.


    After greeting my mom, she asked, ¡°Can I have a word with Irene?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    Cathie pulled me aside and whispered, Irene, I want to ask you a question. Do you know if Bonnie is in


    this hospital?¡±


    ¡°Why on earth are you looking for her?¡± I asked, surprised


    Cathie pouted, ¡°I want to see her. I havent met her yet. I dont get what¡¯s so great about her that Neil is


    so hung up on her¡±


    I was silent. Cathie was clueless about Karina¡¯s situation. She probably thought Bonnie was Nel¡¯s true


    love, just like I used to.


    ¡°Spit it out, Irene Cathie nudged me.


    ¡°Cathie, I suggest you give up on Neil and go back to G City¡± I advised her gently.


    ¡°No way! I wont give up until I meet Bonnie, Cathie replied, her eyes wide.


    I knew which hospital Bonnie was in, but if I told Cathie, she¡¯d definitely go locking for Bonnie. And if


    things went south, she¡¯d be med


    She was just smitten with Neil and meant no harm I didn¡¯t want her to get in trouble because of this.


    So I told Cathie I didn¡¯t know where Bonnie was, bid her goodbye, and drove my mom home.


    But I¡¯d underestimated Cathie¡¯s determination. She found the hospital where Bonnie was and even


    managed to piss off Neil


    That¡¯s what Ste told me ¡°Mitch is at the hospital right now. I¡¯m thinking of going over Cathie is too


    nice to be a match for Bonnie,¡± Ste said worriedly over the phone


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant You should stay home ¡°I sighed, ¡°T¡¯ll go and try to get Cathie to go home?


    ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t go. Neil¡¯s there too.¡± Ste replied


    ¡°Cathie¡¯s dad and my dad are close. It would be even worse if I didn¡¯t go. You just rest,¡± I said, hanging


    up and heading for the hospital.


    Bonnie¡¯s room was buzzing when I arrived. Bonnie was lying in bed, her eyes red, while Cathie was


    furing.


    Mitch, seeing me, came over and whispered, ¡°Irene, you need to talk some sense into Neill He¡¯s pissed


    because Cathie came looking for Bonnier


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Neil had been working with Kevin Evan for three years, and Cathie was the Evan family¡¯s daughter.


    The fact that he was angry with Cathie over Bonne, it was because Bonnie meant a lot to him.


    My heart sank. Then what was all that talk with me about? Was he ying me?


    While I had no expectations for him and wasn¡¯t stupid enough to expect him to give up Bonnie, it was


    funny to suddenly find out that what he said and what he did was different.


    ¡°Why did you tell Cathie I was here? You know my situation¡­¡± Bonnie looked at me tearfully, her voice


    full of usation.


    ¡°Bonnier Neil frowned. He red at Bonnie, his expression one of irritation.


    Startled, Bonnie¡¯s tears started flowing, as if she couldn¡¯t believe Neil was angry at her.


    Ignoring the two of them, I went over to Cathie, ¡°Let¡¯s go. You¡¯re driving back to G City tonight¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. Irene didn¡¯t tell me you were here. Are you trying to frame her? Is this


    the kind of woman you like, Neil?¡± Cathie shouted, refusing to leave


    Bonnie was stung by her words and started crying. That¡¯s not what I meant. You said you¡¯d asked


    Irene, so I thought she¡¯d told you¡­


    ¡°I said Irene didn¡¯t tell me. Now you¡¯re twisting my words¡± Cathie, just as straightforward as Ste, was


    far from pleased, ¡°Neil, I thought you were smarter than this. To think you¡¯d fall for a woman like this, I


    was a fool to have liked you!¡±


    After Cathie finished speaking, she pulled me to leave.


    1,1¡å Bonnie was panting, as if she was having difficulty breathing.


    I noticed that Neil was ready to leave with us, but Bonnie appeared to be unwell, so he had to stay


    where he was.


    In the elevator, Cathie was silent and downcast. She looked really bummed..


    I knew this experience would shatter her dreams.


    Her personality was too straightforward. She¡¯s no match for Bonnie. Besides, Neil didn¡¯t even like her.


    How could he possibly be biased toward her?


    ¡°Trene, where did I go wrong?¡± Cathie asked me, puzzled, as we sat in the car on the way back to G


    City. ¡°What the hell is going on in Neil¡¯s head? Ste was right, that Bonnie is a real bitch, I can¡¯t stand


    being alone with her!¡±


    ¡°All you have to do is give up on Neil There¡¯re plenty of good guys out there, why do you have to pick a


    jerk?¡± I smiled and said, standing at the car door. Cathie gave a strange look behind me and awkwardly


    said, ¡°Trene, the jerk is here.¡±

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    Chapter 155


    I turned around to see Neil standing there with a grim face, having clearly heard me call him a ¡°jerk.¡±


    I waved to Cathie coolly. ¡°You should head off, drive safe tonight¡±


    Cathie nodded, shot Neil a re, and zoomed off with a press of the gas pedal.


    She¡¯s so free and easy, so cool.


    If I had been half as free spirited as her, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up with Neil, and none of this would


    have happened.


    ¡°So I¡¯m a jerk in your eyes?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was icy cold.


    ¡°What I think of you doesn¡¯t matter, as long as you¡¯re the best man in Bonnie¡¯s eyes, that¡¯s enough,


    isn¡¯t it?¡± I retorted, ¡°Neil, get a grip, Bonnie is important to you, and not just because of Karina. Stop


    coming to me with all this weird stuff.¡±


    Ready to leave, I turned around only to have Neil grab my wrist and force me into his car. I tried to


    open the door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? I demanded, my wrist,aching from his grip.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Neil pulled out a handful of photos, his tone icy


    I took the photos and was taken aback. They were of me and Oscar, who I had run into at a Day of the


    Dead ceremony


    We had shared a meal and he had hugged me before we parted Somehow, that had been caught on


    camera.


    From the angle of the photo, we looked like a couple.


    ¡°Where did you get these?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Why were you hugging him? I thought you were just friends?¡± Neil was angry, as if I had cheated on


    him


    ¡°If you managed to get these photos, you must also know when they were taken. We were divorced by


    then. What happened between Oscar and me is none of your business.¡±


    After calmly responding. I attempted to open the door again. ¡°Unlock the door, I want out!¡±


    Neil was clearly pissed. He unlocked the door, but just as I was about to climb out, he leaned over and


    shut it.


    Seeing this, I got angry and bit him again!


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Through the thin fabric of his shirt, my teeth dug hard into Neil¡¯s skin. I heard him gasp. I thought it hurt.


    He had been scratched, bitten, even hit by me several times before, but he never learned his lesson


    and kept provoking me.


    I let go of Neil My teeth had drawn blood from his forearm, staining his shirt sleeve.


    ¡°Trenell¡± Neil red at his sleeve, swearing, ¡°How many times have you bitten me? Are you a child?!


    I wiped my mouth with a napkin, ¡°Open the door, or I¡¯m calling your parents¡±


    Neil¡¯s face was pale. He finally unlocked the door.


    He knew if Iined to his parents, hed be scolded, and it might even affect Bonnie.


    Once back in my car, I immediately contacted Halley to find out who had taken the photos of Oscar and


    me


    They were definitely taken by professional paparazzi.


    Halley had good connections in the industry and could usually dig up some information


    Halley replied: [Okay. I¡¯ll let you know once I find out


    I put down my phone and nced at Neils car through the windshield. He was still sitting there.


    I knew Neil had feelings for me. His personality wouldn¡¯t allow for him to be so persistent, even giving


    me all his assets and shares in Whitmore Co. But it


    was toote now


    If I hadnt experienced such deep pain, or if he was not wavering over Bonnie, I might have taken him


    back.


    To be more precise, if my child were still alive, as time went on, I could have let go of my resentment


    and let the child recognize him as his father. But there were no more ifs


    From any perspective, he and I were a past that shouldn¡¯t be entangled anymore.


    My mother¡¯s fiftieth birthday wasing up in a few days.


    I put everything else aside and focused on nning a birthday party for her


    Ste and the others would certainlye. As for the other guests, my mom and I would decide


    together.


    I invited Russel, my best friend, I was more than happy to invite him.


    The one family that couldn¡¯t be ignored in the business circle was the Whitmore family. The Whitmores


    and the Finches were once allies through marriage, but now they were practically enemies.


    My mom decided to ignore the Whitmores, and after deciding on the rest of the guest list, let others


    handle the invitation cards.


    On the day of my mom¡¯s birthday, the venue was bustling. I sat in a corner with Ste Barbara, and


    Alicia, eating and chatting Mitch was there too, and somehow his good friend Cooper had tagged along


    The two were chatting with others not far away when Alicia pointed and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Russel?¡±


    I looked over and was dazzled


    Russel was a handsome man with an impable manner, definitely one of the standouts in a crowd.


    But because of his job, he seldom wore formal clothes, mostly wearing doctor¡¯s robes. In his off time,


    he preferred a casual andfortable style.


    His ck suit today was eye catching, and his charisma was on full disy, a stark contrast to his


    usual calm demeanor as a doctor.


    ¡°Rena, you invited him?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°Yes¡± I answered


    ¡°Oh, so Neil is the only one who wasn¡¯t invited?¡± Barbara chirned in


    Alicia lightly tapped her head, ¡°Of course she wouldn¡¯t invite Neil!¡±


    Barbara suddenly realized, andughed awkwardly. ¡°I just thought it was strange, with Russel, Mitch,


    and Cooper here, but no Neil. Is he so focused on Bonnie that he¡¯s ignoring his own friends?¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes, ¡°He¡¯s always been more about women than friends!¡±


    ¡°Neil¡¯s behavior is just baffling,¡± Alicia said with a puzzled look, ¡°If he cares about feelings, then why


    has he been so indifferent and repelling towards Renal for a decade? If you say he doesn¡¯t care about


    feelings, then why is he so obsessed with his rtionship with Karina?¡±


    Ste quickly chimed in. ¡°He just doesn¡¯t love Rena, that¡¯s all!¡±


    Having said that, she seemed to realize that she might have said something wrong, and quickly


    comforted me, ¡°Rena, don¡¯t be upset, you¡¯ll meet a better guy once you leave him behind, he¡¯s not


    worth your worry.¡±


    ¡°Why should I be sad? I¡¯ve moved on, I answered with a smile.


    Just as I finished speaking, Ste suddenly stood up and stormed over to Mitch


    Turns out some woman was trying to flirt with Mitch. As soon as she saw Steing, she


    scampered off.


    Barbara, Alicia and I were busy taking in the spectacle when we noticed Russel walking over

 Chapter 156

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    Chapter 156


    ¡°Al, let¡¯s get some breath?¡±


    The moment Russel showed up, Barbara quickly stood up, grabbed Alicia, and left. Both of them, like


    Ste, believed that Russel had a thing for me and even encouraged me behind my back to ept


    him. They thought it would not only piss off Neil, but also would get me a good man.


    But of course, I tly refused I didn¡¯t want to exploit Russel¡¯s feelings


    The more genuine people are to me, the less I want to take advantage of them.


    Dr. Russel you¡¯re looking dashing today¡±¡± Iplimented him sincerely


    ¡°How dashing am 17 Russel sat down beside me, asking with a smile.


    In a teasing tone, I said, ¡°So dashing that half of the young women in the room are sneaking peeks at


    you. Haven¡¯t you noticed? Or are you shortsighted?¡± Russel nced around the room. Indeed, there


    were many young women, all beautiful and affluent.


    His gaze remained steady, then he turned to me, ¡°What about you? Have you been sneaking peeks at


    me too?¡±


    I awkwardly avoided his gaze. Of course, I had been watching him, but my watching was different from


    that of the other women. I was merely observing how popr Russel was.


    With his good looks, I could not help but admire Bonnie for being the only one he liked in my past life.


    Bonnie truly had a perfect alignment of time, ce, and people in conquering Neil and Russel. Karina¡¯s


    heart and her own tactics were both indispensable


    In this life, Russel was not in love with Bonnie anymore but seemed interested in me


    Although I felt a little embarrassed, deep down, I felt a bit triumphant. His liking me was proof that I was


    attractive.


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite urate to say ¡®sneaking a peek in our case, is it?¡± I answered with a smile.


    ¡°That doesnt sound right indeed, Russel smiled. Didn¡¯t you invite Neil?¡±


    My family and the Whitmores have some business coborations. Business isn¡¯t like marriage; you


    can¡¯t just divorce it.


    If we were to cut off everything in a fit of anger, it would definitely harm both families interests, and my


    family¡¯s loss might be even greater.


    Our not inviting anyone from the Whitmore family could be seen as my moms deliberate provocation for


    the Whitmore family, a topic of gossip for others


    ¡°Why would I invite him?¡± I retorted indifferently


    Is there absolutely no chance of you two getting back together? Russel seemed to be testing me.


    I answered earnestly, ¡®No, aren¡¯t you aware of the situation with Karina?¡±


    Although I hadn¡¯t told Russel, I believed Mitch must have mentioned it to him privately


    Karina¡¯s heart was transnted into Bonnie, a shocking piece of news.


    As expected. Russel was aware of it. ¡°I know I didn¡¯t expect such a twist, I think Neil doesn¡¯t truly love


    Bonnie. He just feels guilty about Karina and can¡¯t let go for now.¡±


    ¡°Is a heart that important?¡± | suddenly asked.


    ¡°Do you find what I¡¯m saying hard to understand?¡± Instead of showing a look of contempt, Russel


    earnestly exined, ¡°Suppose you love Neil deeply, and then he leaves you. Later you find out another


    man has his heart inside him. How would you feel?¡±


    I listened quietly to his words, trying to understand from his perspective. I could indeedprehend


    Neil¡¯s current feelings.


    If Neil and I hadn¡¯t had these issues and were a loving couple, I would definitely feel the world falling


    apart if he suddenly left


    1 think I¡¯m getting it, I nodded and said with a smile. But even if I do, it s of no use. I won¡¯t turn back.


    Life is unpredictable. Back then, I chased after Neil


    for five years, only for him to fall in love with Karina, whom he had just met I paid a five-year price for it.


    That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Russel¡¯s gaze flickered, and his smile deepened. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re still young and have many choices.


    Start a new life,¡±


    I would definitely start a new life, but before that, I needed to expose Bonnie¡¯s facade.


    I originally wanted to share my n with Russel, but I held back. Aside from Oscar, I hadn¡¯t told anyone


    else about my concrete n


    The more people who know about it, the less safe it is.


    After my mom¡¯s birthday party, Bailey told me there was a birthday gift from Neil in the car. He had


    waited downstairs for a while but didn¡¯te up.


    There was a beautifully wrapped gift box in the car I didn¡¯t open it, just weighed it in my hands. It was


    heavy.


    When my mom found out the gift was from Neil, her expression wasplex. My dad, on the other


    hand, said outright, ¡°We don¡¯t want his gift. I¡¯ll send someone to return it to hispany right away!


    Neither my mom nor I objected.


    After we got home, my dad sent Bailey to return Neil¡¯s gift. It took him about two hours to get back.


    ¡°Ms Finch, Mr. Whitmore wasn¡¯t at thepany His assistant took the gift and put it in his office, Bailey


    reported.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded, then asked, ¡°By the way, Bailey, how¡¯s your father¡¯s health?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing well now. Timely rescue has helped him recover well, if not for you, Ms. Finch, letting me


    go home early and lending me your car, I fear¡­¡±


    Bailey was filled with gratitude.


    I said with a smile, ¡°You should take good care of your parents¡¯ health¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will,¡± Bailey nodded.


    Not long after my mom¡¯s birthday, I learned from Ste that Bonnie was discharged from the hospital


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her physical resilience amazed me. She seemed weak but was actually very strong I shouldnt


    underestimate her


    I wasn¡¯t like her. In my past life, I was diagnosed withte-stage breast cancer. The disease progressed


    rapidly, and I died soon after


    I had not dreamt about my past life for some time, but recently, I was gued by nightmares again.


    Each time I wake up, my face was wet with tears, and my body was drenched in sweat.


    I felt uneasy but couldn¡¯t pinpoint the reason.


    It wasn¡¯t until photos of Oscar and me embracing appeared online that I realized the unease was a


    premonition.


    Besides those intimate shots, there¡¯s also a picture of me dancing at Cielo Nocturno, raising the hem of


    my dress to reveal my waist. My face looked a little abnormal from drinking.


    The photo was a bit blurry, like someone had zoomed in from a higher floor, the angle clearly from top


    to bottom.


    I started to freak out. Inparison, this dancing picture was way more risky. If it caught the public¡¯s


    eye, it would definitely rain on my dad¡¯s parade at work.


    Then Halley texted me, ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ve got some dirt on what you asked me to check out. Those shots


    were indeed taken by a fellow paparazzo, he fessed up Initially, he wanted to shake you down for some


    dough, butter decided to cut a deal with Neil. So, all the photos are with Neil now.¡±


    Did Neil break the news? To get back at me and my parents? He¡¯s not a good guy. A guy who could


    run Whitmore Coat Such a young age wouldn¡¯t pull any punches He¡¯s yed all sorts of games with his


    competitors long ago.

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    Chapter 157


    I didn¡¯t feel like responding to Halley for now, I just felt really upset, like my mind was going nk.


    If my parents saw this news, they would be super pissed, especially my mom, her heart wasn¡¯t strong,


    she needed to keep her emotions in check


    Holding back my anger, I dialed Neil¡¯s number


    He didn¡¯t pick up


    The second time I tried calling him, he even hung up on me


    I was livid. I needed to find someone to take down those news as soon as possible, because if they


    continued to spread, things would get worse


    First, I shared the situation in our group chat, asking Ste and others to help me out with this.


    Besides reaching out to the person who posted it and asking them to delete it, I also needed to be


    ready legally. If they refuse to take down the content, then I would have no choice but to go to court.


    Surprisingly, the poster was adamant about not deleting it.


    I didnt know his identity, but I could sense from our conversation that he wasn¡¯t afraid of me calling the


    police. Soon after, Ste called me. I told her what happened and she asked me, ¡°Are you sure only


    Neil has those photos?¡±


    1 think so, but I m not sure if he¡¯s the one who posted them¡± I answered, frowning


    ¡°Well, he must be doing this on purpose to get back at you!¡± Ste said angrily. He must be doing this


    because of the BonnieBitch incident. Rena, let¡¯s find a hacker and get rid of those photos¡±


    ¡°Okay, you go ahead and get that sorted, I¡¯ll go find Neil. I needed to get some answers from Neil. If he


    was the one who posted the photos, then he needed to be the one to solve this problem, otherwise


    those photos might show up again.


    I drove to Grandeur Oaks Estates, thinking he might be there.


    But when I arrived, Neil wasnt there.


    I had no choice but to go to Sterling Estates. From what I remember, Neil didn¡¯t like Sterling Estates, I


    didn¡¯t think he would return there after our divorce.


    The lights at Sterling Estates were on, the servants I had asked Bailey to hire were bustling around, I


    had no idea what they were busy with.


    When they saw me, one of them eximed in surprise, Mrs. Whitmore?¡±


    Then she realized she got it wrong and quickly corrected herself, ¡°Ms Finch, what brings you here?¡±


    Im looking for Neil, is he here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore isn¡¯t here. The maid looked a bit weird, her tone was awkward, ¡°Ms. Fincli, why don¡¯t you


    try calling Mr. Whitmore?¡±


    I looked at the vi not far away, the light in the master bedroom was on. If Neil wasn¡¯t there, then who


    was inside?


    I had a strong feeling that led me towards the vi.


    ¡°The Whitmore family sure is loaded, look at this living room, it¡¯s as big as our old house¡­ In the living


    room, Dean was eximing


    ¡°Dean, do you think it¡¯s okay for us to move in here?¡± Ada asked hesitantly.


    Dean was sitting on my custom-made sofa,forting Ada, We had no choice, Bonnie is very strong,


    she wouldn¡¯t ept Mr. Whitmore¡¯s money We had to sell the house we just bought to pay for her


    uing surgery, where else could we live?¡±


    Ada sighed, then turned her head When she saw me standing in the doorway, her face changed


    immediately


    Dean also saw me and immediately stood up, looking at me awkwardly.


    They were both here, I guessed Bonnie must be in the master bedroom upstairs.


    ¡°Ms. Finch!¡± Ada called out to me as I started walking upstairs.


    I clenched my fists, my anger ring up. This vi at Sterling Estates was the wedding gift from the


    Whitmore and Finch families to Neil and me.


    Every piece of decoration, every piece of furniture, was handpicked by me as I decorated it with high


    expectations.


    Neil putting Bonnie here was even worse than him putting her in Grandeur Oaks Estates in my past life!


    Even if we were divorced, he couldn¡¯t let Bonnie live in a ce I had guarded for a whole five years!


    Neil could choose to sell it, keep it empty, or even redecorate it before letting Bonnie move in, I could


    ept that.


    Treached the door of the master bedroom, the door was slightly open, warm yellow light and Bonnie¡¯s


    chatting voice were seeping out, ¡°Malinda, you cane y at Sterling Estates after you return, there


    are plenty of rooms, you won¡¯t need to worry about a ce to stay!¡±


    Ada had followed me and her face turned extremely awkward when she heard Bonnie¡¯s words.


    I pushed the door open, Bonnie was clearly startled when she saw me, ¡°Trene¡­¡±


    Looking at her face, I felt disgusted


    I walked up to her, snatched her phone and smashed it on the ground, then pped her hard across


    the face, ¡®Get out of my house with your parents,


    now!¡±


    ¡°How can you hit her?¡± Ada rushed over to shield Bonnie, looking at me with hatred for the first time,


    ¡°Ms. Finch, Mr. Whitmore was busy today, he had Cooper arrange for us toe here, we didn¡¯t ask to


    come!¡±


    Bonnie was covering her face, her eyes welling up with tears.


    ¡°Stop with the excuses, you leave now or I won¡¯t be so nice!¡±


    I raised my voice and said without hesitation, ¡°Ada, you always say you don¡¯t support your daughter


    being with Nell, but have you ever really opposed it? Now you and your husband are ready to rely on


    your daughter marrying into a rich family and be rich overnight?¡±


    Ada was stunned, her face pale.


    When Bonnie heard my harsh words, she wiped her tears and confronted me, ¡°You¡¯ve divorced Mr.


    Whitmore, this mansion isn¡¯t yours. What right do you have to kick us out?¡±


    I snorted, opening my handbag where the property division agreement Neil gave me was kept.


    In front of Bonnie, Ada, and Dean, I unfolded the agreement and signed my name without any


    hesitation, ¡°Now half of this mansion is mine, you guys can leave¡±


    Bonnie was stunned. She probably never expected me to sign the property division agreement under


    such circumstances.


    Footsteps echoed from the stairwell Dean and Cooper appeared first, followed by Neil.


    Seeing me, Cooper seemed a bit quilty


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Neil¡¯s face was cold, his eyes sharply swept over Bonnie and me


    Bonnie looked helplessly at Neil, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Cooper brought us here, but Irene came over and hit


    me, telling us to leave, this¡­


    ¡°How could you hit Bonnie? It was Nell who asked me to arrange for Bonnie and them. If there¡¯s a


    mistake, it¡¯s mine! Cooper retorted angrily


    I had never felt so irritated. Listening to Bonniesints, Coopers usations, I held back my


    difort and went to the cloakroom.


    As expected, all the clothes and jewelry I didn¡¯t take with me were messed up.


    I picked up the silk nightgown left on the floor and stormed out, throwing it at Bonnie. ¡°You¡¯re even


    wearing my nightgown. Don¡¯t you feel disgusting?¡±

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    Chapter 158


    Bonnie¡¯s face turned ugly, her lip clenched, unable to utter a word.


    Once again, I looked at the vanity table, the leftover high end skincare products and perfumes, most of


    their lids were off


    Wherever Bonnie touched, it felt like it¡¯s been contaminated by some disgusting virus


    I chucked all the skincare products and perfumes into the bin, and let the servants deal with it in front of


    everyone.


    ¡°Trene, don¡¯t be so harsh, Bonnie was just trying them out, she¡¯s never used them before, its normal for


    her to be curious!¡± Cooper couldn¡¯t stand it.


    Neil kept his silence, just giving me a deep and inscrutable look, observing my every move.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Irene ¡°Bonnie¡¯s eyes were red like a rabbit¡¯s


    ¡°Bonnie, you don¡¯t need to apologize, it¡¯s my fault for bringing you guys here¡±


    Cooper coldly said, ¡°Neil, aren¡¯t you going to say anything? Aren¡¯t you and Irene divorced?¡±


    Bonnie looked at Neil expectantly, hoping he would speak up for her.


    Neil obviously saw the p mark on Bonnie¡¯s cheek, a p that I put most of my strength into:


    ¡°Why cant she live here?¡± Neil finally spoke and it made my heart go cold.


    ¡°Are you short on houses? You know I decorated this ce with care, it¡¯s my five years of effort and


    emotion. You actually let Bonnie move in and trample on my efforts, really?¡± I took a deep breath,


    struggling to control the pain and anger in my heart.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve already let go of me, you should also let go of the past emotions, we should always look


    forward.¡± Neil coldly looked at me, speaking lightly.


    The man who used to cling to me seemed to have sobered up these days, his attitude towards me had


    changed significantly


    Bonnie, seeing Neil on her side, immediately perked up. ¡°Yeah, Irene, we should always look forward.


    There¡¯s no point in clinging on.¡±


    Was I the one clinging on or was she? Bonnie¡¯s counterattack was fierce.


    I felt calm watching Neil protect Bonnie, something I had a hunch about. I just lost the interest to fight


    with them anymore


    I took out my phone and opened the news from tonight, questioning Nail, ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    Seeing the content, Neil¡¯s face immediately turned ugly, his sharp gaze turned to Bonnie.


    From his eyes, I already knew who was doing it. Bonnie looked at Neil innocently, ¡°Mr. Whitmore,


    what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Nothing ¡°Neil answered tly


    ¡°It was Bonnie who posted it, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I felt extremely deste, after ten years, and a rebirth, I still


    didn¡¯t see Neil clearly


    Neil said, ¡°She must have identally used my phone to send it, I¡¯ll have someone take care of it. It


    won¡¯t bother your life anymore.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t even allowed to touch his phone before, but now Bonnie could y with it freely


    Even Bonnie could browse his gallery to find those photos, then register a stranger¡¯s ount to smear


    me.


    I might be crazy to think that Neil had feelings for me a while ago.


    ¡°Are you sure it was unintentional?¡± I stared into Neil¡¯s eyes


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡± Neil paused, then replied.


    Bonnie began to defend herself unjustly, ¡°Irene, you¡¯ve misunderstood me, I really never thought of


    hurting you, I don¡¯t know why you


    I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and raised my hand to p her again.


    What an actress!


    Neil grabbed my raised hand, his strength so great that I couldn¡¯t resist, he looked at me coldly. ¡°Irene,


    you¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t want to turn back, and you¡¯re the one who¡¯s disturbing me and Bonnie now,


    enough is enough!¡±


    Seeing this, Bonnie had a hint of joy in her eyes.


    But she still pretended to be concerned and tried tofort me, ¡°Irene, I know I¡¯m just a substitute, he


    told me about Karina. I know my ce, so I wouldn¡¯t do such things, I don¡¯t have the right.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± I was livid, in my past life I lost to Bonnie terribly, in this life she still wanted to act in front of


    me, I broke free from Neil¡¯s hand and pushed Bonnie away.


    Bonnie nearly fell, but Neil swiftly caught her. She took the opportunity to throw herself into Neil¡¯s arms


    and started crying.


    Seeing his daughter being bullied, Dean couldn¡¯t stand it and rushed over to push me as well


    His strength was far less than mine, I was almost pushed out of the room, falling in the hallway


    ¡°Irene Neil¡¯s face changed, he let go of Bonnie and came over, trying to help me up.


    My body wasn¡¯t in much pain, but my heart was almost suffocating


    I harshly shook off Neil¡¯s hand, tears uncontrobly welled up in my eyes.


    When I stood up, I found everyone surrounding me, all kinds of eyes were on me, a few servants in the


    living room downstairs were also looking up, wanting to know what happened.


    I took out the property division agreement from my bag and said to Neil, ¡®Do you think these things are


    enough topensate me?¡±


    ¡°If you think it¡¯s not enough, I can add more¡± Neil¡¯s eyes were no longer cold, he was a bit nervous and


    worried.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing his words, Bonnie¡¯s face changed slightly


    She didn¡¯t even want to see me get half of Neil¡¯s property, as if I was taking her money, if he added


    more, wouldn¡¯t she be heartbroken?


    I smirked, then forcefully tore the agreement into pieces and threw it on the ground.


    At that moment, Bonnie¡¯s mouth corner noticeably lifted, a sh of uncontainable joy passed by


    She might think that I didn¡¯t want these properties anymore, so they would all be hers in the future, all


    the benefits would ultimately be hers.


    ¡°Rena¡±¡± Suddenly there was Ste¡¯s anxious voice from downstairs, Barbara and Alicia were also


    there, Mitch was supporting Ste, they all rushed


    upstairs.


    When Ste and others came up, I immediately had a backup, they red at Neil and Bonnie¡¯s people,


    looking like they wanted to fight.


    Cooper looked totally lost, staring at Mitch who was standing on my side. ¡°Mitch, are you love-blind or


    something? Are you too lovey-dovey to tell right from wrong? Don¡¯t you remember how Irene treated


    Bonnie?¡±


    Mitch nced at me, then replied without hesitation, ¡°Neil, Cooper, this time I¡¯m siding with Irene.


    Bonnie is just ying the innocent. I see through her now.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Cooper was clearly bbergasted.


    ¡°Mitch, those things I said in the hospital room, they were just slip of the tongue. I didn¡¯t mean them. I


    was under the weather and in a bad mood, so¡­¡± Bonnie knew what Mitch must have heard, and tried


    to make a weak exnation.


    I whipped out my phone, opened a pre-edited audio file, and asked sarcastically, ¡°Well, can you exin


    this? Are these also slips of your tongue?¡±


    Bonnie was stunned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know once it¡¯s yed, won¡¯t you?¡± I smirked and lightly hit the y button. Bonnie¡¯s familiar


    voice immediately filled the room from my phone.

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    Chapter 159


    Chapter 159


    ¡°Nope, Irene. I didn¡¯t wish you dead!


    I think I¡¯m falling for Mr. Whitmore!¡±


    ¡°Trene, could you not tell Mr. Whitmore?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Neil who nted the materialistic seed in my heart, it¡¯s you¡±


    The conversation between me and Bonnie came out clearly. This was when I was hospitalized because


    I was kidnapped. She admitted to me that she deliberately ignored my cries for help and distracted


    Neil¡¯s attention.


    After Bonnie heard this, her face turned pale and her eyes were filled with panic. She rushed over to


    snatch my phone.


    Alicia blocked her, ¡°What are you doing? Renas not done yet!¡±


    Neil¡¯s face turned dark and ugly, unprecedentedly so. When he went out to find me, he was genuinely


    worried about me. But Bonnie was cunning, she not only wanted to harm me, but also tried to keep him


    from finding out.


    His hand slowly clenched, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged, showing his anger.


    ¡°Let her continue! Neil said, his voice cold and dangerous


    Ada and Dean realized that what I had was very disadvantageous to their daughter, so they hurriedly


    tried to snatch it


    Mitch and Barbara unceremoniously blocked them, preventing them from getting close to me


    The audio was still ying. The second part was when was hospitalized in Cdonia to protect my


    fetus, and Bonnie pushed me off the bed.


    Irene. Mr. Whitmore loves me¡­ I won¡¯t let you ruin my happiness Are you trying to save your baby?¡±


    ¡°Your sweet dream of using the baby as a bargaining chip has just burst!¡±


    Even the most aplished actor could not perform the satisfaction and cruelty in this sentence. The


    crisp voice was light and airy, as if telling a beautiful story.


    Hearing this sentence again, my heart ached


    Ste knew I had some recordings of Bonnie, but she didn¡¯t know the details. After listening, she


    couldn¡¯t help but lose her temper and wanted to rush up to hit Bonnie


    Mitch looked terrible. He had always seen Bonnie as a good girl. Now, hearing the words in the


    recording, his worldview must have copsed


    He stopped Ste, ¡°Darling, don¡¯t get excited, think about the baby¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, how can you keep pretending? You wanted to kill Rena, and you killed her baby¡± Barbara


    yelled.


    ¡°Neil, is this your true love? Are you blind? Alicia pointed at Nel and asked loudly


    Neil didn¡¯t refute anything, he didn¡¯t look at Bonnie anymore, he was looking at me.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cooper was stunned He was still immersed in the recording and couldn¡¯t recover.


    Looking at Bonnie, who was already out of her mind, he asked incredulously, ¡®Bonnie, did you really do


    those things?¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Bonnie tried to defend herself, ¡°The recording is fake, I never said those words, and I never


    did those things. I¡¯ll call the police, I¡¯ll prove my


    innocence¡±¡±


    I opened the script prepared by Halley in advance, and edited a message on Twitter with the audio,


    saying coldly. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll release this, let everyone see I¡¯m willing to bear all legal responsibilities¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Bonnie was scared when she heard this. She immediately threw herself at Neil, crying,


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, don¡¯t you trust me now? Give me some time to prove my innocence, don¡¯t let the audio


    leak before then!¡±


    Neil looked down at Bonnie¡¯s hand clutching his, then at her crying face. Finally, he forcefully shook off


    her hands.


    Bonnie tried to plead with him again, but the next second, a hand was choking her neck!


    Neil¡¯s eyes were full of rage, as if he was about to kill Bonnie the next second


    Ada and Dean were scared and rushed over to pull Neil¡¯s hand away, rescuing their daughter from his


    grip.


    ¡®Neil


    Bonnie almost suffocated. After catching her breath, she still looked at Neil unwillingly.


    She seemed unable to believe that Neil would want to strangle her


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore!¡± Ada was already crying, kneeling on the ground and begging, ¡°Bonnie was just


    confused, this isn¡¯t her intention. You used to like her, you should know what kind of person she is!


    Please let her go this once!¡±


    ¡°Ada, your daughter wanted to kill me, and she¡¯s the one who killed my baby. Why didn¡¯t you p her


    and teach her a lesson, instead of using Neil¡¯s feelings for her to beg for mercy?¡± I found it ridiculous


    Ada and Dean¡¯s moral values seemed correct, but they never corrected their daughter¡¯s actions


    Whether in the past or now, they always sided with Bonnie.


    Ada was stunned looking at me, and suddenly realized that I was the one she should be begging


    She pulled Bonnie in front of me and grabbed my hand to hit Bonnie. ¡°Ms. Finch, it¡¯s all Bonnie¡¯s fault,


    you can hit her! She has a heart condition, how her father and I not indulge her? We¡¯re afraid she can¡¯t


    handle the stress and something will happen to her. Now that it¡¯se to this, I can¡¯t make up your


    lose, you might as well kill her!¡±


    Dean couldn¡¯t ept this. He immediately stopped Ada, then turned to Neil and questioned, ¡°Mr.


    Whitmore, didn¡¯t you provoke my daughter first? if you were married at the time, why did you do that?¡±


    Bonnie stood in front of me, her face as pale as death, her eyes full of resentment. I had torn off her


    most beautiful mask, and now she probably wanted to tear me apart too, right?


    ¡°Enough!¡± Neil lost his patience, his expression gloomy.


    Because of his extreme anger, his eyes were already red, and he gave off a terrifying aura, ¡°Bonnie, if it


    wasn¡¯t for Karina¡¯s heart, we would have broken off all contact when you went abroad to study. You


    should know very well why I continued to help you, to protect you. You dared to hurt my child?¡±


    Bonnie knew all of this, of course, but she kept fighting it, never letting a word slip out to the world.


    Otherwise, the widespread rumors about Neil doting on her would turn into her just being a stand in for


    someone else. How ridiculous that would be.


    I bet she¡¯s seen the media reports on me, the so-called ex-wife whose marriage and divorce were met


    with either pity or ridicule behind my back.


    Ada and Dean were hearing about this for the first time, and they didn¡¯t understand any of it.


    ¡°Bonnie, who is Karina?¡± Dean asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one who now possessed that heart, and the first girl Ned ever liked, Karina.¡±


    I answered his question, ¡°Your daughter already knew all this, she even met with the Aaron family,


    didn¡¯t you know?¡±


    Ada shook her head nkly, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know. I only knew that the year she had her surgery, someone


    came to see her, they talked at our house for a bit and took a picture and left¡­¡±


    That was probably Karina¡¯s mother¡± I began to feel a bit sorry for Ada, her daughter was keeping so


    many things from her


    ¡°Stop it!!¡± Bonnie suddenly covered her ears and screamed, ¡°Are you trying to drive me to my death?


    Fine, I¡¯ll go die now!¡±,

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Chapter 160


    After Bonnie finished speaking, she made a beeline for the balcony, looking to jump.


    If Dean hadn¡¯t acted fast enough to grab her arm, she could have died tonight. Tears streaming down


    her face, Bonnie turned to Neil. ¡°Neil, everyone says Irene loved you for you for a decade with deep


    feeling and kindness. But what about Karina? You screwed her over! And me, from the first moment!


    heard your name, I felt like we were destined to meet. I worked my ass off to get into Rosemont


    College and stay in Rosemont, all because I believed in the bond between us¡±


    I did the math. Bonnie must ve been around 15 or 16 when she had her heart transnt, right in the


    middle of her awkward years


    From her emotional outburst, I figured out another piece of the puzzle.


    Turns out, the gift Karina¡¯s mom gave to Bonnie was a photo album and diary, full of snippets from


    Karina¡¯s life. There were group photos of the Aaron family sisters in the album, so Bonnie must ve


    recognized Kate from the get-go.


    Too bad Kate wasn¡¯t here today, otherwise, she could ve seen Ronnie¡¯s true colors for herself


    But I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll see my tweet. She¡¯s always been keeping tabs on Bonnie¡¯s antics


    Bonnie, now a blubbering mess, seemed to have no effect on Neil who was fed up with her constant


    deceit.


    ¡°Neil, do me onest favor. Can you help minimize the damage from Irene¡¯s tweet? I still care about my


    image,¡± Bonnie pleaded, still concerned about her reputation


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Neil¡¯s response was ice cold, his eyes sending a chilling warning to Bonnie. ¡°From now on, I


    don¡¯t want to see you ever again. You and your family better pack up and leave Rosemont for good¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s lips trembled Fear and defiance filled her eyes. She took a few shaky steps, clearly unable to


    ept what was happening


    Neil¡¯s final warning meant she¡¯d have to deal with her studies and surgery on her own. Her family


    would have to uproot from their familiar surroundings


    and start anew elsewhere.


    Ada and Dean looked like they¡¯d seen a ghost


    Bonnie then turned to Cooper, grabbed his hand, ¡°Cooper, can you help me? My family isn¡¯t well-off


    and I¡¯ve had a hard time getting to where I am today You¡¯ve always encouraged me Can you help


    me¡­. please


    ¡°Bonnie Cooper¡¯s heart softened seeing Bonnie so distraught, but he quickly snapped back to reality.


    He pushed Bonnie away, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line. You ve deceived me, deceived


    everyone¡±


    After being rejected by Cooper, despair washed over Bonnie¡¯s face.


    The tension in the room was palpable.


    Suddenly, Bonnie grabbed an ashtray and hurled it at me.


    There were several people around me, but everyone had taken a step back after the earlier


    confrontation I watched the ashtray fly towards me, too


    stunned to react.


    Neil was the first to react. He rushed over and took the hit for me.


    The ashtray banged against his arm with a dull thud and fell to the floor.


    His injury looked pretty bad. It seemed like the sharp edge of the ashtray had cut him. Blood quickly


    seeped through his sleeve.


    ¡°Neill Mitch shrieked, yelling at Ada and Dean, ¡°What the hell are you waiting for? Get out! What¡¯s your


    n? Murder?¡±


    Ada and Dean were equally startled. Leaving the city was the least of their worries. They might¡¯ve even


    disappeared from the face of the earth.


    The two of them helped Bonnie downstairs.


    Mitch and Cooper were checking on Neil¡¯s injuries I watched them from a distance. When Neil looked


    up at me, we both fell silent.


    All the misunderstandings were finally cleared up. It felt like we had just emerged from a dark tunnel


    into the light


    But we also knew that some people and things, once missed, can never be had again,


    Our experiences felt like a war shrouded in smoke. When the war ended and the smoke cleared, we


    found nothing but ruins around us


    I swallowed my pain, quickly went downstairs, got in my car and drove off. Not long after, I saw Ada


    frantically gging down cars on the road.


    Under the streeflight, Bonnie was lying on the ground, unconscious. Dean was performing CPR on her.


    I didnt stop I drove past them, the image of my parents crying by my hospital bed when I was


    diagnosed with terminal cancer in my past life shing in my mind.


    It seemed that God had dealt Bonnie¡¯s family the same hand of despair and pain.


    When I got home, my parents were waiting for me. They¡¯d seen the news about me


    My dad looked stern, Trene, you¡¯d better exin what the hell is going on!¡±


    ¡°Trene, what¡¯s all this about?¡± My mom was slightly calmer. She held my hand as we sat on the couch.


    I tried my best to keep my cool and told them everything about the news.


    They seemed a bit relieved after hearing everything


    The photos of me and Oscar were taken after my divorce. There was nothing inappropriate about them.


    The photos of me dancing in the club were from a bar event. Lots of girls got up on stage that day.


    There was no inappropriate behavior.


    Even though my parents believed me, the gossiping public might not


    After consulting with awyer, I sent a cease and desist letter to the publisher and the website.


    About a dayter, the content was taken down, but I¡¯m sure people had saved the photos.


    I didn¡¯t care. The fact that they took the post down was proof of their quilt.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My reputation was somewhat restored, which was good enough as long as it didn¡¯t affect my parents


    too much.


    Compared to me, Bonnie¡¯s situation was a mess.


    The university withdrew all its donations and revoked her enrollment.


    Those who once defended her, those who trusted her, all came forward to say they¡¯d been deceived,


    that they misjudged her.


    Then something unexpected happened. Oscar stepped in


    He originally wanted to help me, but I¡¯d already set my n into motion.


    After I exposed Bonnie¡¯s true colors, he, as her ex-boyfriend, released some screenshots.


    When he first saw Bonnie and Neil¡¯s chat logs, he snapped some pics with his phone, which proved


    that it was Bonnie who made the first move on Neil.


    This was like pouring gasoline on a fire. Bonnie¡¯s reputation online took a nosedive in no time, with


    netizens pping a ¡°home wrecker¡±bel on her.


    Neil, of course. got a lot of k for being a yboy, but with his history of scandals,izens were


    pretty much used to it, so the criticism toward him wasn¡¯t as intense.


    The bummer was, Bonnie had been in ICU these past few days,pletely oblivious to the public


    reaction.


    I honestly couldn¡¯t care less about her situation. After giving a quick hello to Ste and others, I jetted


    off for a round-the-world trip.


    The journey was expected tost three to four months. I nned to check out ces I¡¯ve always


    wanted to see, and make it back before Ste pops out the baby


    Barbara initially wanted to tag along, but her little bro was about to pop the question, so she couldn¡¯t


    take off just yet.


    My first stop was the end of the world ¨C Ushuaia. I wanted to embrace the freedom and anticipation,


    soak up all sorts of views the world has to offer, and bid farewell to the past.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    Chapter 161


    I originally nned to go back before Ste gave birth, to be there for the arrival of the new life, to


    share that joy


    However, she went intobor earlier than expected, and I couldn¡¯t make it back in time.


    What I received was the news of her joy and a photo of the baby


    Sure enough, she had twins, a boy, and a girl, which was just perfect.


    The two babies in the photo had tender skin, and their little eyes were still closed, which really made


    people feel sorry


    I often thought of my lost child. If she were sull here, she should be born soon, would she also have


    tender skin and be incredibly cute?


    Since I couldn¡¯t make it back in time, I chose to continue traveling.


    And so, two years passed.


    The nights in Rosemont were still charming


    I was sitting in a taxi, the window half¨Copen, watching the dazzling neon lights illuminate the city


    The driver was very concerned about economic affairs, and his radio was broadcasting various


    economic news, including news about Rosemont.


    ¡°¡­this will be the third welfare home built by Whitmore Co. in the past year¡­¡±


    This was the second time I heard about Neil,


    Over the past two years, Ste and her family never mentioned Neil and Bonnie in front of me, and I


    deliberately avoided all news about him.


    Apart from my parents and Ste, I didn¡¯t tell anyone my new phone number, including Russel, Oscar


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore is really a good man!¡± The driver suddenly eximed to me, ¡°I have a neighbor who was


    a young couple. They died in a car ident. Their son is only five years old and has been sent to the


    welfare home. Children without parents are really pitiful, at least they have a home with the welfare


    home¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± I nodded in agreement.


    At this point, my phone rang, it was a message from my mom: [Where are you? Call me when you get


    there, remember to change your clothes.]


    Parents are niggling. After two years of me traveling around, they finally couldn¡¯t help but urge me to


    come back and hope that I could find a good man.


    They knew that I didn¡¯t n to be single for a lifetime, so they were very dedicated to helping me find


    my other half.


    My father¡¯s wish was to help me find a good family before he retired.


    There¡¯s a ball tonight, my mom knew the time of my nending, she insisted that I attend, because


    she heard that there would be a lot of rich and handsome men.


    I replied to her: [I¡¯ll be there soon]


    As soon as I replied to the message, the car had already stopped at the hotel entrance.


    I paid the fare, took my small suitcase, and walked into the hotel, heading straight for the ballroom on


    the top floor.


    ¡°Rena, hurry up!¡± My mom was waiting for me at the entrance of the ball, her eyes squinting with joy


    when she saw me.


    I went over and hugged her, ¡°Mom, I miss you so much!¡±


    ¡°Your dad and I miss you too. Have you traveled enough in these two years? Come back and settle


    down, Ste¡¯s twins can walk now. They call mom and dad so sweetly, Barbara also got a boyfriend,


    now only you and Ali are single.¡± My mom said, patting my hand.


    ¡°Even though you verbally agreed to be single for life, your actions are quite busy¡± I pretended to be


    angry.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t try your best to find, did you? If you tried but still couldn¡¯t find, your dad and I won¡¯t urge


    you.¡± My mom responded.


    I sighed helplessly, ¡°Alright, where¡¯s the dress you prepared for me? I want to dazzle the crowdter


    and make all the men fascinated by mel


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    My momughed, ¡°Stop talking, here you go!¡±


    She handed me the bag in her hand.


    I took the bag, walked into a resting room in the venue with my small suitcase, where there was an


    independent changing room.


    I walked in and took out the dress my mom had prepared for me.


    The older generation doesn¡¯t pay much attention to design and fashion, they prefer things that are


    atmospheric and decent, so my mom chose for me a blue retro long dress.


    The boldest design was on the back, revealing one third of my back, and the rest was tightly covered.


    But there was a problem, the zipper at the back needed someone to help me pull up.


    I didn¡¯t care about the zipper, first put on the essories my mom prepared for me one by one, then I


    had to put on some light makeup.


    Suddenly, there was a voice outside the changing room.


    There are so many handsome guys here today, they all came! Why didn¡¯t so many peoplee


    before?¡±


    You may not know, the adopted daughter of the vice president of Harmony Enterprises is back in the


    country and is said to be looking forpanies to


    cooperate with here. The initial amount of investment is set at 200 million US dors, manypanies


    want a piece of the pie, those men are all here for


    her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Harmony Enterprises foreign? Are they developing in our country?¡±


    ¡°Yes, their boss¡¯s wife is from our country, they adopted a girl a few years ago, so they are here to


    invest and cooperate, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the adopted daughter¡¯s name? Will shee to the ball?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t arrived yet, let¡¯s see when she does.¡±


    I listened to their conversation, then there was some chit¨Cchat, they chatted for about ten or fifteen


    minutes before leaving.


    I packed up my makeup and left the changing room, then called my mom toe over and help me


    pull up the zipper, otherwise it didn¡¯t look neat.


    ¡°Mom, can youe to resting room number 2? I can¡¯t reach the back zipper of this dress,¡±


    I said helplessly, ¡°I hurt my elbow while skiing a few days ago and can¡¯t force it back¡­¡±


    As I was speaking, suddenly I felt a hand on my back, pulling up my zipper for me.


    I turned around in surprise and saw Alicia¡¯s face.


    Alicia gave me a light pat on the forehead, ¡°You still remember toe back?¡±


    ¡°Mom, no need, Ali is here.¡± I quickly hung up the phone, then happily hugged Alicia, ¡°Ali, did you miss


    me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯ve been abroad for so long, you¡¯ve forgotten about us good friends, hmph.¡± Alicia was


    obviously pretending to be angry.


    Iughed and replied, ¡°No, I came back, didn¡¯t I? But how did youe? Don¡¯t you have to work?¡±


    Alicia¡¯s face immediately turned gloomy, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, that adopted daughter of the vice president


    of Harmony Enterprises, Zora, ising to the ball, attracting a lot of rich people, my parents asked


    me toe and check it out, get a boyfriend.¡±


    Our experiences were really simr.


    ¡°I¡¯m the same as you, let¡¯s go together.¡± I took Alicia¡¯s hand, and we walked out of the resting room


    together.


    The atmosphere today was hopping. The dance hadn¡¯t even officially kicked off yet, but there were


    already a bunch of young dudes, looking sharp and full of pep, all masked up in all sorts of half¨Cface


    disguises.


    By contrast, there were far fewer youngdies.


    The moment Alicia and I step in, we¡¯re immediately invited for drinks.


    Sure, most people came for Zora, but not everyone was hoping to catch her fancy. Thepetition¡¯s


    fierce and the oue was hard to predict.


    Alicia and I, though, aren¡¯t really on the hunt for partners. She¡¯s got family pressure, and me, I¡¯ve got


    my mom¡¯s health on my mind. She¡¯s been hospitalized again due to her heart condition.


    Even if it¡¯s just to make her happy, I need to seriously start looking for someone.

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Chapter 162


    ¡°That dude in the white suit, he¡¯s twenty¨Csix. Not a bad figure, but his face? Meh. He might look good in


    a mask, but those tiny eyes of his are hideous¡°¡±


    ¡°The one in the blue suit, not a good catch. His family favors boys over girls. He has five sisters, any


    girl who marries into that family would be under pressure to have a son.¡±


    ¡°Did you see the plump, short guy? He¡¯s been divorced lour times!¡±


    Ste was well¨Cversed in the lives of these rich kids. She often worked with them, so even with masks


    on, she could tell who¡¯s who.


    We¡¯re lucked away in a corner, chirping excitedly about the men in the room, while waiting for Zora to


    show up.


    After the ball began, people came to invite Ste and me to dance. We half¨Cheartedly obliged, then


    made excuses to sit back down, refusing to get up for anyone else


    Suddenly, amotion arose in the crowd. Alicia quickly got up to see. ¡°Rena, I bet the VIP has


    arrived.¡±


    This felt more like a queen choosing her consort than finding a business partner!


    The crowd blocked my view I couldn¡¯t see the queen, so I casually sipped my drink, enjoying the


    tranquility amidst the noise.


    Alicia was more curious, she disappeared into the crowd to get a glimpse of Zora.


    She returned after a while, looking disappointed. ¡°She¡¯s covered up well, I could barely see her.¡±


    ¡°Why so curious? You¡¯re not a guy,¡± I teased, ¡°Are you nning to use your charm to boost the


    company¡¯s performance?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, do I look like that kind of person?¡± Alicia denied immediately.


    Iughed, scanning the crowd. A woman appeared, shining like a star.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She wore a ck feather mask, her eyes the only visible feature.


    Taking a closer look, she was oozing money. Even the diamond hairpin in her hair was pricey.


    Let alone the glittering ne on her chest, the pearl earrings swinging on her ears, the luxurious


    bracelet, and the three rings on her hand, I felt like I was looking at a gold mine.


    Was this Zora? Alicia and I exchanged a look, both amazed by her extravagance.


    It wasn¡¯t that we couldn¡¯t afford the jewelry, but dressing like you¡¯re at a jewelry show? We¡¯d never tried


    anything like that.


    ¡°Miss Zora, may I have this dance?¡± A man asked enthusiastically


    He wasn¡¯t the only one; at least four or five men were extending their hands.


    Zora nced around and finally chose the most handsome man.


    ¡°She sure knows how to pick ¡®em,¡± Alicia sighed, ¡°She picked the best one at first nce!¡±


    I knew she had recognized who the man dancing with Zora was.


    Under the lights, people were dancing gracefully, like butterflies in full bloom. It was beautiful yet


    somewhat unreal. Suddenly, a familiar figure crossed. the crowd. I didn¡¯t see his outfit clearly, but I was


    sure it was him.


    Was he here too? Was he here for Zora like the others?


    The Whitmore family¡¯s power was undeniable. They didn¡¯t need to rely on Zora like the others.


    He wasn¡¯t the type to bow down for business, he preferred to attract people with his power and


    benefits.


    If he wasn¡¯t here for Zora, then why was he here?


    I was stunned until Alicia broke my train of thought. ¡°Ugh, this is so boring. I¡¯d rather be working


    overtime at the office!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the bar and have a drink, no need for overtime.¡± I grabbed Alicia¡¯s hand and headed


    towards the exit.


    ¡°Sounds good!¡±


    We left halfway through, took the elevator to the parking lot, and prepared to drive to the bar in Alicia¡¯s


    car.


    As soon as we got in, Neil¡¯s car drove out from beside us.


    He drove slowly and through the window, I could vaguely see his face.


    He didn¡¯t notice me and Alicia in the car, and his car disappeared from the parking lot.


    Alicia rolled down the window, peeked out, and hesitantly asked me, ¡°Have you been in touch with Neil


    these past two years?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no reason for us to keep in touch.¡± I said tly.


    ¡°You may not know, but in thest two years, people have been practically wearing down the doorstep


    of his house. Even though everyone knows he¡¯s not a good man, there¡¯s still a ton of people hoping to


    marry their daughters off to him¡±


    Alicia shook her head. ¡°They just want to take advantage of the Whitmore family¡¯s influence.¡±


    Iughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal? When he and I got married, both our parents had ulterior motives¡±


    Alicia chatted with me while driving. ¡°You¡¯re right, Barbara¡¯s boyfriend¡¯s family is in a simr situation to


    hers. They¡¯re discussing marriage, I think it¡¯s


    great.¡±


    Much better than that Norman Frost.


    Before we knew it, we arrived at a bar. It was packed.


    We got a private room upstairs and chatted while drinking.


    Alicia called Barbara, and in less than half an hour, Barbara arrived with her boyfriend.


    ¡°Renal¡± Barbara hugged me excitedly, and gave me a warm kiss on the cheek, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each


    other for two years, you heartless woman!¡±


    ¡°We video chat all the time, it hasn¡¯t been two years!¡± Iughed and looked at the man next to Barbara,


    ¡°Is this your boyfriend? Aren¡¯t you going to introduce him?¡±


    ¡°Come, let me introduce you. This is Ss, a 33¨Cyear¨Cold geezer. Barbara was more animated than


    before, her eyes sparkling. It was clear she was happy. Ss seemed quite sophisticated, the more you


    looked at him, the more appealing he became. His steady gazeplemented Barbara perfectly.


    He greeted politely. ¡°Nice to meet you, Ms. Finch.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± I quickly replied.


    The room instantly became livelier with the addition of two people.


    Alicia originally nned to call Ste, but considering she had two kids, I stopped her.


    Halfway through our drinks, I left the room to use the restroom.


    On my way back, I suddenly saw a figure running up the stairs in a panic.


    A few men with steel pipes were chasing him, they were clearly thugs..


    When I got a good look at the guy being chased, my jaw dropped. Wasn¡¯t that Oscar?!


    ¡°Oscar!¡±


    I quickly grabbed Oscar¡¯s hand as he approached. Before the crowd could catch up, I dragged him


    back into our private room.


    When Alicia and the others saw Oscar, they were stunned.


    The sound ofmotion echoed from outside as people seemed to be searching room by room.


    ¡°Why are they after you?¡± I asked Oscar.


    Oscar shook his head with a bewildered look, ¡°I have no clue. They just popped up out of nowhere and


    started attacking me. They even blocked the exit, so I had no choice but to run upstairs.¡±

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    Chapter 163


    Chapter 163


    Ss got up, opened the door of the private room, checked the situation outside, then let Oscar sit on


    the sofa first, and then he dimmed the lights in the


    room to the darkest


    Soon, someone rudely pushed open the door and barged in without saying much.


    Ss stepped forward to stop these guys.


    He said a few words, and they actually left


    ¡°Ss, do you know them?¡± Barbara asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know them, but I asked for their boss¡¯s name. I¡¯ve had dinner with him a few times before.¡±


    Ss turned the lights back to their original brightness, then looked at Oscar with a serious face, ¡°Ms.


    Finch, you need to ask your friend how he managed to piss off Finn.¡±


    Who¡¯s Finn? I¡¯m not quite sure.


    Oscar shook his head, ¡°I haven¡¯t offended anyone. I¡¯m just a regr office worker. I work nine to five.


    Today, I just came here to have a few drinks with my colleagues, and I was beaten out of the blue¡±


    ¡°Finn is just a local bully, Alicia seemed to know the guy. ¡°In short, he¡¯s a thug. I¡¯ve seen him a few


    times. We don¡¯t respect him, but we don¡¯t want any trouble with him, so we act friendly to avoid him


    messing with us.¡±


    From Alicia¡¯s exnation, I got a rough idea of what kind of person Finn was.


    Although he was just a thug, he was always causing trouble, often stirring things up at small


    companies.


    His main trick was to send people pretending to apply for jobs, then find reasons to start a fight, finally


    extorting money.


    Many smallpanies had suffered from his dirty tricks.


    But what did this have to do with Oscar? He didn¡¯t have any money to be extorted, and he had no


    chance to offend Finn.


    We discussed for a long time, but we didn¡¯te to any conclusion. It wasn¡¯t untilte at night that we


    called it a day.


    Barbara and Ss drove home, while Alicia dropped Oscar off at his rented ce first, then dropped


    me off.


    On the way, I noticed that something was wrong with Oscar. His face was pale, and he was moaning in


    pain from time to time.


    ¡°All, let¡¯s go to the hospital first,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m fine. No need to go¡± Oscar quickly said when he heard my words.


    I looked at him seriously, ¡°Oscar, you need to get checked out. We can¡¯t put it off any longer!¡±


    Oscar tried to refuse again, but the next moment he passed out.


    Alicia immediately drove to the hospital, where the medical staff rushed Oscar in for examination and


    emergency treatment.


    After the examination, I found out that his abdomen had been injured, his spleen had ruptured, and he


    was bleeding internally. He needed surgery immediately.


    If I hadn¡¯t taken him to the hospital in time, he might have died in his rented room due to dyed


    treatment.


    I felt a chill run down my spine, and hurriedly paid the surgery fee, urging the doctor to start the


    operation immediately.


    When Oscar was wheeled out of the operation room, it was already dawn.


    I told Alicia to go home first because she still had to work and needed some rest.


    Oscar hadn¡¯t woken up yet. He was lying on the hospital bed, pale and with an oxygen tube still in


    ce.


    The IV drip was still running in his hand, indicating that his condition was serious.


    I remembered how he had helped me two years ago. I was really grateful to him.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He might have been criticized by some people for doing so, thinking that he was too much for his ex¨C


    girlfriend, or suspecting that he had a special rtionship with me.


    Back then, he was just a senior intern. He didn¡¯t have a family background or any strength, so he could


    only rely on his upright character and conscience


    to make choices.


    He had tried to contact me over the past two years, but I didn¡¯t want him to have any expectations, so I


    never responded to him.


    I didn¡¯t expect to encounter these things when I came back to the country


    I fell asleep unconsciously by the bedside, and was awakened when the doctor came to make rounds.


    Oscar also woke up. After he realized where he was, he thanked me weakly, ¡°Irene, thank you. Without


    you, I might be in danger¡±


    ¡°Just focus on getting better Take a leave from work, and don¡¯t worry about the medical expenses, I


    comforted him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Irene. I¡¯ve saved some money over the past two years. Although it¡¯s not much, I should be


    able to handle this, Oscar didn¡¯t want to owe me


    anymore.


    I was somewhat relieved. The simple and upright boy I remembered hadn¡¯t been affected by society in


    these two years.


    After chatting with Oscar for a while, I had a nurse for him because he was in no condition to take care


    of himself.


    After settling Oscar in, I left the hospital and went home.


    As soon as I got home, my mom started asking me about the situation at the partyst night, whether I


    had met any men I liked, and where I had spent the night¡­


    ¡°Mom, as soon as Zora appeared, all the men were attracted to her. All and I felt bored, so we left early


    I spent the night at Ali¡¯s ce, I replied helplessly.


    s Zora that charming? She brought a lot of money back to the country to invest this time, and the


    person supporting her behind the scenes should be her foster father. Investing is risky, and you can¡¯t


    always make a profit. No one can tell what will happen to her in the future What do you have to feel


    Inferior about?¡± my mom asked me.


    I almostughed, ¡°Mom, when did I feel inferior? I just feel that those men are all there for their own


    interests, and I can¡¯t rte to them¡±


    Of course I understood what my mom means, but I would never feel inferior. I was not worse than Zora.


    Do you think Zora isn¡¯t there for her own interests?¡±


    My mom sipped her coffee and shared some information with me, ¡°She¡¯s here for Whitmore Co. She


    expressed her intention to cooperate with Whitmore Co before she came back to the country. Neil is


    really weird. He always had scandalous rumors before he divorced you, but after the divorce, he


    doesn¡¯t have a single woman around him. Many people suspect that Zora is here for Neil¡®


    I lowered my eyes, keeping my face calm. I could understand.


    Whitmore Co. was not just influential in Rosemont, It¡¯s a big conglomerate known all over the country,


    even globally. Plus, Neil was now in his early thirties and handsome, making him the ideal partner for


    many wealthy women.


    ¡°Rena, anyway, you must find a partner this time you¡¯re back. I¡¯m afraid Neil will pester you,¡± my mom


    said with a worried expression.


    ¡°Mom, do you really think your daughter is a princess? It¡¯s been two years. How could Neil possibly still


    pester me? Men all have their own choices, and so does he,¡± I replied with augh


    For the past two years, Neil didn¡¯t bother reaching out to me, and I haven¡¯t received any calls or


    messages from him. I guess he¡¯s thrown in the towel.


    My mom asked, half¨Cskeptical, ¡°Really? People online are saying that he only realized what he had


    after he lost you and he¡¯s been waiting for you. It gives me the jitters, I hope he isn¡¯t waiting for you.¡±


    My mom¡¯sment cracked me up. Just then, my cell rang. It was Ste.


    ¡°Rena, you sneak back into town and don¡¯t even tell me?! And you went drinkingst night without


    inviting me, are you trying to kill me?¡± Ste hollered in fury


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you busy with your kid? What if your little one needed mommy at night?¡± I retorted


    considerately.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You¡¯reing over to my ce for lunch tomorrow. It¡¯s Mitch¡¯s birthday, all seafood, you


    have to be there.¡±


    Seeming to remember something, Ste added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that man has some stuff going on


    tomorrow, you guys won¡¯t bump into each other.¡±

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Chapter 164


    The ¡°man¡± Ste referred to, was undoubtedly Neil.


    If Neil¡¯s not around, I could swing by Ste¡¯s two kids were already a year and a half old, and I hadn¡¯t


    formally met them yet.


    As their unrted but close as kin rtive, I should be med.


    ¡°Sure thing¡°¡± I agreed instantly


    Tm living at Golden Meadows Vis now, make sure you don¡¯t show up at the wrong ce,¡± Ste


    exined in detail, I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow, that¡¯s it!¡±


    Just then, the sound of a child crying came over the line. Ste shouted, ¡°Mitch, look after your kid, and


    then hung up


    Bright and early the next day, Ste arrived as promised, waiting outside my house in her car.


    I said goodbye to my mom and headed out


    Ste had been doing pretty well these past two years. She looked healthy, a bit plumper than before


    but definitely healthier.


    A happy marriage is a wellspring of joy, it can make a person glow with happiness from the inside out.


    Ste shot me a re and ignored me. Once I was in the car, she drove off towards Golden Meadows


    Vis. I knew she was pissed because I came back and didn¡¯t tell her in advance


    ¡°Alright, Ste. Don¡¯t be mad, I¡¯ll take you shopping for handbags tomorrow, I tried to cheer her up from


    the passenger seat.


    ¡°Trene, did you make new friends abroad and forget about us? Ste asked.


    I quickly denied it, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t even got a new boyfriend, let alone new friends.¡±


    She turned to look at me, seeming a bit surprised, ¡°Really? All those foreign hunks and you didn¡¯t meet


    any? Not even a brief fling?¡±


    What brief fling? Traveling has its dangers, I wouldn¡¯t just dive in headfirst. What if I got myself into a


    mess?


    We chatted and drove, and before we knew it, we were at Ste¡¯s house


    Their beautiful home was where she and Mitch, along with their two kids, lived a harmonious life.


    Mitch really had changed. He used to celebrate his birthday by inviting a bunch of friends out, but these


    past two years, he¡¯d spent it quietly at home with just a few close friends


    Trene?¡± Mitch was surprised to see me, ¡°Oh my god, when did youe back? Does Neil know?¡±


    He quickly realized he asked the wrong question.


    ¡°I came back yesterday, and I didn¡¯t tell anyone,¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re back. I¡¯m really happy you coulde for my birthday.¡± Mitch said with a touch


    of embarrassment.


    ¡°Mama, Papa!¡±


    ¡°Mama, Papa!¡±


    The voices of the two kids rang out. They ran towards Ste and Mitch, one after the other.


    The two one¨Cand¨Ca¨Chalf¨Cyear¨Colds just learning to walk, were a bit wobbly when they ran. One was in


    a pink princess dress and the other in blue overalls, looking absolutely adorable.


    Ste and Mitch each picked up a kid and quickly introduced me, ¡°Le, Quincy, this is Rena. Say hi!¡±


    Le and Quincy curiously stared at me and obediently said. ¡°Hello, Rena!¡±


    I was overjoyed to meet them and quickly pulled out two gifts I had prepared and gave one to each of


    them.


    After a while, Cooper arrived. He froze when he saw me and awkwardly avoided my gaze


    Mitch went up to him and whispered something in his ear, and he nodded.


    I asked Mitch not to tell Neil I was back. He¡¯d find out sooner orter, but I didn¡¯t want anyone going out


    of their way to tell him.


    Besides Cooper, Barbara and Ss also hurried over


    Alicia had to work, so she sent money to Le and Quincy in the group chat and asked Ste to ept


    it for them.


    Then Mitch¡¯s four or five close friends arrived. To my surprise, Russel didn¡¯te.


    I asked Ste about it, and she told me something.


    For some reason, Neil and Russel¡¯s rtionship had be strained in these two years. The four who


    were once very close hadn¡¯t gathered together in a long time


    ¡°I suspect it¡¯s because of you that their rtionship is strained, Ste whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t say I¡¯m


    overthinking. If Russel doesn¡¯t like you, I¡¯ll eat my hat


    I was taken aback and felt a little heavy¨Chearted


    Thest thing I wanted was for Neil and Russel to fall out. A friendship of twenty or thirty years is too


    precious. It would be a pity if it just broke off like


    that.


    ¡°Today, they were both afraid of bumping into each other, so they made excuses and didn¡¯te. Mitch


    didn¡¯t want to invite just one of them, so he let it go, Ste continued to exin


    ¡°Right, 1.hope they make up in the future,¡± I nodded.


    Who knows, Rena, you might be the cause of their continued discord!¡± Ste started to babble again.


    I pinched her cheek, and Barbara walked over with Le in her arms, ¡°What are you guys talking


    about?¡±


    Ste unabashedly repeated the story, and Barbara nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, I also think it¡¯s


    because of Rena. This is the legendary love triangle!¡±


    My head hurt, and I just hoped they would stop talking nonsense.


    Just then, Quincy ran over and reached out for a hug. ¡°Rena, hug me.¡±


    I quickly picked up the little guy and gave him a few kisses. Hearing his giggles, I felt both happy and a


    bit sad.


    Would I ever have a child of my own in this lifetime? Would I have the chance to hold my own child in


    my arms?


    It might be hard, but I¡¯d epted the reality. When the time came, I would either treat Ste¡¯s kids as


    my own or adopt a child.


    I believed there would be a child out there waiting for me to be their mom, whether they¡¯re my biological


    child or not.


    As the three of us yed with the children, Mitch hurriedly ran outside. I walked to the door holding


    Quincy and looked out through the ss.


    Neil appeared in my field of vision. His attire hadn¡¯t changed and was as simple and mature as before.


    He was wearing a ck shirt and suit pants. His hair looked very handsome under the sunlight.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He was holding a cigarette in one hand and handed Mitch a gift box with the other, smiling as he said


    something.


    Then, he suddenly shifted his gaze to the door.


    I immediately lifted up the kid in my hands, as if ying with him, using the kid¡¯s body to block my face.


    Before long, Mitch was back..


    The moment he opened the door and saw me, he started exining. ¡°Irene, I had no idea Neil would


    just show up. He just came to give me my birthday gift!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, putting the kid down and catching a glimpse of Neil¡¯s car pulling away.


    ¡°He¡¯s really nice to you, what did he give you?¡± Ste walked over and asked.


    A Richard Lange watch, worth a pretty penny.


    Mitch happily tried on the watch, ¡°Neil is really too good to me, I only casually mentioned that this watch


    was nice and he remembered!¡±


    True enough, Neil was always nice to those he deemed important.


    Neil¡¯s appearance was a mere trifle.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Chapter 165


    Soon, everyone started talking about other things, and I heard something about Zora


    Cooper¡¯s family was pushing him to get married, telling him to try and woo Zora, who also attendedst


    night¡¯s dance. Apparently. Neil had gone with


    him.


    ¡°She¡¯s way too popr, I don¡¯t want topete with other men¡± Cooper said.


    ¡°Haha, you don¡¯t have topete, ording to reliable sources, Zora falls for Neil. Some foreign


    websites even reportedst year that she had a crush on Neil.¡± Ste replied


    1 know, I can¡¯t beat Neil. Plus, ever since Zora became Abner¡¯s adopted daughter two years ago, she¡¯s


    famous, but she¡¯s never shown her face. What if she¡¯s ugly?¡± Cooper shrugged. ¡°I heard she¡¯s here


    with a $200 million investment, but even if she brought $20 billion, I wouldn¡¯t go after her.¡±


    He was obviously a man who cared about the appearance. I listened for a while and then stepped out


    for some fresh air. Soon, Cooper followed me out.


    His face was red and he said a bit awkwardly, ¡°Irene, I misunderstood you two years ago, I apologize,*


    ¡°What?¡± I was surprised, ¡°It¡¯s all good, Cooper.¡±


    Mainly because Cooper¡¯s misunderstanding didn¡¯t cause me much trouble.


    He didn¡¯t purposely make things difficult for me. Besides his words that upset me back then, everything


    else was really no big deal.


    Cooper let out a sigh of relief, Thanks, I should¡¯ve apologized to you earlier, but I was too


    embarrassed. Today seemed like a good opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, yeah, it¡¯s a good day indeed.¡± I startedughing.


    At noon, a feast of seafood was served. As I filled my belly and listened to everyone¡¯sughter, I felt


    blissfully happy.


    Then, a huge cake was brought out and Mitch blew out the candles with his wife and kids by his side.


    His face was full of smiles, he had truly be a good man.


    I envied their married life, which was once my own dream.


    By the time I left Ste¡¯s house, it was already evening. She asked me to stay for dinner but I wanted to


    visit Oscar at the hospital.


    I rushed to the hospital in Ste¡¯s car. Oscar looked a bit better today, young people recover quickly.


    ¡°Irene, when did you get back? Howe I didn¡¯t know?¡± Oscar asked me a bit disappointed, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you get the messages I sent you? You never replied.¡±


    ¡°I got back the night I ran into you at the bar,¡± I sighed, ¡°I got all your messages but I didn¡¯t know how to


    reply, so I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I get it, you probably think I still have strong feelings for you and you didn¡¯t want to respond, right?¡±


    Oscar seemed a bit helpless, ¡°I do like you, I still like you a lot, but I know we can¡¯t be together. Can I


    try to see you as my sister?¡±


    I widened my eyes, then nodded, ¡°Okay, from now on you¡¯re my little brother. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll treat you


    to good food, drink, and life¡¯s pleasures!¡±


    Oscar startedughing.


    I didn¡¯t leave the hospital until 9 p.m., my mood very heavy


    Because Oscar had just told me some things about Bonnie.


    He and Bonnie used to be together and knew each other¡¯s circle of friends very well, much more than


    Ste and the others knew about Bonnie.


    Two years ago, Bonnie was rushed to the hospital. While she survived, her parents tragically died in a


    car ident on their way to the hospital soon after. Bonnie was left to live off the money from selling


    her parents¡® house and had to leave Rosemont.


    She had only Kate and Malinda left, and after that, they lost all contact with her.


    I didn¡¯t expect Ada and Dean to have died in a car ident. In my past life, they were doing well, they


    even owned a bar and lived a very prosperous life.


    Did Neil know about these things? I think he might have known that Kate cared so much about Bonnie


    that she would have gone to Neil. From the result after Bonnie disappeared from Rosemont, Neil didn¡¯t


    show any sympathy. He seemed to let her fend for herself.


    But all of this was none of my business now. I just felt sorry for Ada and Dean¡¯s death.


    Bonnie seemed to be quite an extreme existence for them. She either leaded them to the peak or to


    their death.


    Lost in thought, I drove to the Zion Chemical nt. The project here was underway.


    The small building where the Tueley family once lived has been leveled, now only excavators parked


    on it.


    Things were different, I couldn¡¯t help but sighed. Just as I was about to leave, a group of people walked


    towards the construction site.


    The man leading the group was wearing a shy jacket, had shaved his head clean, and despite being


    in his forties or fifties, he dressed like a teenager His face was ferocious looking, and he was followed


    by a group of young men who looked like they were up to no good.


    I checked the time. It was already past eleven. What were they doing at Whitmore Co¡¯s project site?


    The site should have already closed for the day, only a few people would be on duty in the temporary


    work huts. If these guys were here to cause trouble. then it was going to be a big deal.


    Only a few lights were on in the temporary work huts not far away, indicating not many people were


    there.


    Suddenly, the group stopped near my car. My car was already turned off and the window was only


    slightly open for venttion.


    Before they noticed me, I tried to duck as much as possible to avoid being seen.


    ¡°You go in and start making a fuss, say that those guys hurt your brother. If they don¡¯tpensate us,


    we won¡¯t let them off¡± The middle¨Caged man who led the way spoke


    ¡°Okay, Finn. I promise I¡¯ll give it my all!¡± A man next to him answered.


    I remembered what Alicia had said about a guy named ¡°Finn¡® being the local boss. Could it be this bald


    man outside?


    He was bold enough to cause trouble on the Whitmore family¡¯s site. What nerve!


    ¡°The Whitmore family was a tough opponent! I have not received any benefits from them, which makes


    me very undignified. Let¡¯s go in. Anyone tries to call the cops, snatch their phone!¡± Finn spat out, face


    red with rage.


    Only when themotion outside died down did I sit up straight, frowning at the workshop in the near


    distance.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I called the police and shot a text to Ste, asking her to pass the


    message to Mitch, who would then alert Neil.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I figured if I didn¡¯t call the police, things could get ugly today. The few guys on shift wouldn¡¯t stand a


    chance against these thugs.


    Ste called back quickly. After I filled her in on what was going on, she said, ¡°Got it, Mitch¡¯s getting in


    touch with Neil, get out of there, it¡¯s not safe.¡±


    *Alright, I¡¯m on my way I didn¡¯t want to hang around here any longer. My being here today was just a


    spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment thing.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Chapter 166


    Before I drove off, I rolled down the window and listened carefully. Some chaotic noises wereing


    from a workshop not far away. It sounded pretty


    Intense.


    The next day, news about a ruckus happening at Zion Chemical nt was all over


    Thankfully, the cops showed up in time, or someone could¡¯ve gotten seriously hurt. A worker had two of


    his ribs broken and internal bleeding. He¡¯s already taken to the hospital.


    The gang causing the trouble was led by Finn, a regr at the police station. It¡¯s always the small fries


    that get the me, and Finn always managed to dodge responsibility smoothly


    I was watching the news when my dad came back to get some documents. He looked pissed.


    He said angrily. ¡°Those gangsters are a cancer in Rosemont, they¡¯ve extorted so manypanies. I¡¯m


    going to nab that Finn before I retire, and make him serve some time That¡¯ll be my contribution to the


    public!¡±


    Dad, you can do it!¡± I encouraged him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the news, right? The ce they caused trouble was Whitmore Co¡¯s Zion Chemical nt.


    That makes me happy. If Neil was there, I hope he got a beating too¡± My dad held grudges, hoping his


    ex¨Cson¨Cinw would get a beating.


    I shook my head. What I didst night might have been a mistake.


    I shouldn¡¯t have called the police, I should¡¯ve let things get worse, causing trouble for Whitmore Co.


    My dad shook his head, ¡°But Neil seems to have grown a conscience these past two years. He¡¯s been


    doing charity work all over and donated to three welfare homes. If something happened to him, that¡¯d


    be a loss to Rosemont. It¡¯s a tough choice.¡±


    With that, he sighed and left.


    I sat in the living room,ughing my head off. My dad¡¯s gotten more talkative as he¡¯s aged.


    After he left, I continued watching the news.


    The news mentioned a concerned citizen who called the police, and now Whitmore Co. is trying to find


    this person to give them a reward.


    I am that concerned citizen, but I didn¡¯t need a reward.


    Then, Alicia called. She sounded upset, ¡°Rena, can you apany me for a blind date?¡±


    ¡°A blind date?¡± I was surprised. Why would she agree to that? Thest time she attended a singles


    dance must¡¯ve been her limit.


    ¡°Yes, my father suddenly told me if I don¡¯t find a suitable man to marry, he¡¯ll give my project to someone


    else. I¡¯m starting to doubt if I¡¯m his only, biological daughter!¡± Alicia sounded puzzled.


    I could only admire Alicia¡¯s father old people sure are cunning!


    My friend needed my help, and I couldn¡¯t refuse her.


    We agreed on the time and ce to meet, then I hung up.


    We decided to meet tonight at Rosemont¡¯s Crystal Horizon Consortium, which had eighty¨Ceight floors.


    The top floor was a scenic restaurant, perfect for couples or spouses to dine in, enjoying the night view


    of Rosemont while eating.


    In the evening, I arrived at Crystal Horizon Consortium as promised. Alicia, dressed in professional


    attire, was waiting for me. Her makeup was light, showing her disdain for this blind date.


    I foresaw this, so I also dressed simply, not even bothering to put on makeup before leaving the house.


    Alicia¡¯s blind date was Sean, the second son of Opulent World Consortium. He¡¯s half Italian on his


    mother¡¯s side.


    But supposedly, he didn¡¯t inherit his mother¡¯s good looks, so he¡¯s just average¨Clooking, rarely got


    involved in thepany¡¯s management, and seldom appeared in the news.


    Sean picked the ce for the date. When we arrived, he was already there waiting.


    I couldn¡¯t help but suspect the people who said Sean was average¨Clooking were just jealous of him.


    He¡¯s actually a very handsome man!


    ¡°Wow! Alicia covered her face with her purse, ¡°Rena, I¡¯m going to touch up my makeup. Can you go


    say hi to him first so he doesn¡¯t think I¡¯mte?¡±


    Nowadays, a handsome face could make even a strong woman¡¯s heart flutter.


    Looking at Alicia¡¯s retreating figure, I sighed deeply. Then I went over and sat across from Sean, quietly


    saying hello, ¡°Hi, you¡¯re Sean, right? I¡¯m Alicia¡¯s friend Irene, she¡¯ll be here in a moment¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Finch¡± Sean smiled at me. He¡¯s typically Italian looking, with sharp features and scruffy


    beard, but it didn¡¯t make him look sloppy Instead, it


    added to his charm


    Alicia liked this type of man, no wonder she¡¯s been single for so many years.


    While I was chatting politely with Sean, Alicia was probably in the middle of carefully applying her


    makeup, preparing to make a dazzling entrance, so she


    topk a while.


    Suddenly, an angry woman¡¯s voice rang throughout the restaurant, ¡°Neil! You¡¯ve gone too far!¡±


    I instinctively looked over to see a woman standing up and sshing the red wine in her ss onto the


    man across from her.


    Nell let the wine ssh onto his face, his expression dark. His hair and face were wet from the wine,


    with drops still dripping from his chin.


    His eyes moved and immediately found me, and his normally calm eyes shed with surprise.


    I looked away, pretending I saw nothing.


    That¡¯s Neil, the CEO of Whitmore Co. and your ex¨Chusband, right?¡® Sean asked.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    He¡¯s not interested inpany affairs but was quite into gossip!


    I nodded, ¡°yes¡±


    At this point, the woman across from Neil stormed off. He stood up and pulled open a chair, wiping the


    wine off his face with a napkin before walking towards me.


    Sean looked at me and then at Neil.


    ¡°Sean, what are you doing here?¡± Neil stopped next to our table and looked at Sean.


    Everyone in this circle knew each other.


    Sean replied politely, I¡¯m on a blind date.¡±


    Neil¡¯s expression darkened, and he finally looked at me. After a few seconds, he walked away.


    From start to finish, one didn¡¯t ask if he was on a date with me, and the other didn¡¯t take the initiative to


    exin that his date wasn¡¯t me.


    I didn¡¯t care about Neil misunderstanding, but I cared about Alicia misunderstanding!


    Alicia, with a carefully applied makeup, stood not far behind Neil. She must¡¯ve heard their conversation.


    She nced at me, her eyes revealing a trace of disappointment.


    As long¨Ctime buddies, I knew she had a crush on Sean.


    I just didn¡¯t take the initiative to exin my rtionship with Sean, and that was really wrong. However,


    I didn¡¯t want to have any chit¨Cchat with Neil, if someone really needed to exin, that should be Sean.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Alicia, hiding the disappointment in her eyes, strode over without a doubt to say hi and tried to sit


    next to me.


    I put my bag on the seat, ¡°Ali, there¡¯s no room here, why don¡¯t you sit with Mr. Sean?¡±


    Alicia¡¯s bright eyes were on Sean, and Sean gave her a warm smile, ¡°Sit next to me.¡±


    N


    Compared to his smile at me earlier, his smile at Alicia was obviously warmer.


    ¡±


    I knew there was a chance for them to hit it off, so after downing a ss of water, I made up some


    excuse to skedaddle, giving them more alone time.


    ¡±

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    Chapter 167


    1 walked to the underground garage of the building and just got to my car when I saw Neil emerging


    from the shadows in the corner.


    Was he waiting for me on purpose?


    I quickly opened the car door to get in, but Neil blocked my way He didn¡¯t look too happy, ¡°You avoiding


    me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, I¡¯m not avoiding you. I just don¡¯t think we need to acknowledge each other, or keep in


    touch, I answered calmly, giving up on getting in the


    car.


    ¡°Why did you go to Zion Chemical nt then? Why did you call the police?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was steady,


    with a firm tone, ¡°You¡¯re lying to yourself¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me calling the police? I just wanted to help out of kindness. Even if the construction


    site wasn¡¯t yours, Whitmore Co..I would still have called the police. I can¡¯t stand seeing good,


    hardworking people bullied by bad guys. Got a problem with that?¡± I retorted.


    A small act of kindness and Whitmore Co. actually took the trouble to investigate. I was surprised.


    The lighting in the underground parking lot wasn¡¯t very bright. Although Neil and I were standing close,


    I couldn¡¯t quite make out his expression.


    After a moment of silence, I pushed Neil away, ¡°Move, I need to get in the car


    Neil stood there like a wall, not budging an inch.


    I lost my temper instantly and shouted, ¡°Neil, get out of the way!¡±


    My words, of course, had no effect. Neil not only didn¡¯t move but closed my car door again.


    1 gave him an angry kick, ¡°Neil, what¡¯s your problem? It¡¯s been two years, why are you still bothering


    me?¡±


    ¡°Ste said you have a foreign boyfriend. Is that Sean?¡± Neil seemed to not understand my words,


    instead began questioning me, ¡°Or did you find one abroad and nning to get another one here?¡±


    I seriously wondered if Neil had gone crazy these past two years, why else would he say such things?


    But Ste was indeed a sly one, especially good at ¡°stirring up trouble¡± for her friends.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, you have no right, no ce to ask me these questions, right?¡± I snorted, ready to


    continue speaking when Neil suddenly embraced me.


    His strong arms held me tightly, a mix of familiar and strange tobo smell mixed with a faint fragrance


    entered my nose, and I was momentarily dazed. The next second, I came back to my senses, trying


    hard to push Neil away.


    ¡°Get in the car, someone is taking pictures,¡± Neil¡¯s deep voice sounded in my ear, ¡°You don¡¯t want to be


    linked with your ex¨Chusband as soon as you return home, do you?¡±


    I loosened my resisting hand, instinctively wanting to turn around and see who was taking pictures, but


    Neil quickly held my head down.


    ¡°Do you want your face captured on purpose?¡± he sounded exasperated


    I was speechless.


    Neil sheltered me with one hand and opened the car door with the other, ¡°Get in.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I quickly got in the car, put on a hat and sunsses, and was about to close the door and drive away.


    Neil grabbed the car door, ¡°You sit in the passenger seat, I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    ¡°I can drive,¡± I replied impatiently


    ¡°If you don¡¯t let me in, then you bear the consequences¡±


    Neil was still as imposing as ever, his threats smooth and natural, ¡°You¡¯ll see news of our ndestine


    meeting in the garage on tomorrow¡¯s newspaper. your parents see it, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±


    He was right. My biggest fear was that my parents would know these things. We had a standoff for a


    while, begrudgingly, I moved to the passenger seat, Neil quickly got in and drove off.


    After leaving the garage, the route became more and more familiar, I was somewhat unhappy, ¡°Where


    are we going? Sterling Estates?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Neil responded, ¡°I¡¯m going back to Sterling Estates first, then you can drive home.¡±


    I turned to look at the scenery outside the window and didn¡¯t say another word.


    When we arrived at Sterling Estates, the vi wasn¡¯t pitch ck like I¡¯d imagined, instead it was brightly


    lit and a servant ran over to open the door.


    I took a closer look, I knew this servant well, wasn¡¯t she the one I had employed before? I was


    surprised to find Neil had not fired them.


    Seeing that Neil had no intention of getting out of the car, the servant tactfully left first.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting out?¡± I urged him impatiently.


    ¡°Do you know about Ada and Dean¡¯s car ident? Neil asked me.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± I replied.


    His face changed subtly, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    I was taken aback, then answered coldly, ¡°A friend told me¡±


    New smirked, his tone cold, ¡°Did Oscar tell you? Have you been in touch with him all this time, or did


    you meet him after you came back?¡±


    ¡°How are you so smart?¡± I said sarcastically


    Because I didn¡¯t tell Russel and Ste about it, so you could only have heard it from Oscar. Seems like


    you two are quite close, Nell sounded a bit jealous.


    I turned to look at him, he was staring at me, the atmosphere in the car was tense.


    After a moment of silence, I spoke again, ¡°Neil. I heard Zora came because of you. Many men want to


    court her, she must be very popr. You should cherish this opportunity, I hope you seed in love


    and work, but please don¡¯t interfere with my life¡±


    My words made Neil¡¯s face darken, but I had to make things clear. ¡°The city we live in is not big, my


    parents and I live here, so it¡¯s not practical for me to move to avoid you. We will definitely cross paths in


    the future, I hope we can mind our own business, and not interfere with each other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know Zora, and I¡¯m not interested in her, Neil unbuckled his seat belt, his tone cold, ¡°You don¡¯t


    need to link me with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I wish you find your true love elsewhere.¡± I also unbuckled my seat belt, ready to switch to


    the driver¡¯s seat.


    Neil didn¡¯t say a word, his face was dark. He got out of the car, his back exuding a chill. Apparently, he


    didn¡¯t like what I said.


    If I¡¯m not fond of him, I don¡¯t want any unnecessary contact with him.


    After Neil took off, I took a look at that vi where I lived for five years.


    The lights streaming out of the beautiful windows made it look stunning in the night.


    Whenever I thought about sitting alone by the door, waiting for Neil, I felt sorry for my past self, waiting


    every day for someone who didn¡¯t love me to love me.


    I didn¡¯t stick around, got in my car and headed home.


    On the way home, I was waiting for the green light at an intersection, when I spotted a person walking


    by the street.


    She was wearing a ck skirt, with short hair up to her ears, and then she disappeared around a


    corner.


    My eyes were still following that figure, but the cars behind started honking, I checked the green light,


    and had to move on.


    If my eyes didn¡¯t deceive me, that woman in the ck skirt was Kate. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to have left


    Rosemont with Bonnie? What¡¯s she doing here?

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Chapter 168


    I made a U¨Cturn at an intersection, trying to catch up with Kate for a clearer look, but she was nowhere


    to be found.


    I felt a tinge of disappointment, but quickly shrugged it off¨Cafter all, I had no intention to get tangled up


    with them again, so there was no reason to be disappointed.


    Iposed myself and drove off.


    Life after returning home was pretty chill. I either visited Oscar in the hospital or hung out with Le and


    Quincy at Ste Wace¡¯s ce.


    Oscar was recovering well and was discharged about a weekter.


    On the day he was discharged, I went to pick him up, nning to introduce him to someone over a


    meal.


    ¡°Trene, where are you taking me?¡± Oscar asked curiously from the passenger seat.


    ¡°Have you heard of Raymon Homes?¡± I asked.


    1 know it. That¡¯s a good real estatepany. I applied there once but didn¡¯t get the job,¡± Oscar said,


    looking slightly surprised. ¡°You¡¯re taking me there?¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°Not to thepany, but to meet the boss. Show him what you¡¯ve got and if you get a


    chance to get in, start as a technician, Someone will guide you, and you can work your way up to be an


    engineer or a project manager.¡±


    Oscar was clearly delighted and said excitedly. ¡°Really? If I can get in, the opportunities there would


    definitely be better than my currentpany!¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡± I had this n all along. If I treat Oscar as my brother, I should take care of him like a


    brother.


    Raymon Homes CEO was named Raymon. We agreed to meet at Blissful Brews.


    Upon reaching the cafe, I made a call first.


    Raymon happily said, ¡°Great,e on in. I have a business partner here. We can all chat together¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± I hung up the phone and said to Oscar, ¡°Let¡¯s go, they¡¯re waiting for us.¡±


    We arrived at the cafe entrance, I pushed the door open, and a wave of coffee aroma washed over us,


    veryforting


    Raymon was sitting right across the entrance. Two men were sitting across from him. They nced


    back at the sound of the door opening.


    ¡°Irene?¡± Cooper eximed in surprise.


    Neil looked disapprovingly at Oscar next to me.


    ¡°Mr. rke, you know each other?¡± Raymon, probably in his fifties, looked genuinely surprised,


    seemingly clueless about my rtionship with Neil.


    I didn¡¯t find Raymon through my parents but asked Ste to help me.


    Due to the nature of my father¡¯s job, it¡¯s inappropriate for me to contact others in his name.


    So Raymon only knew me as Ms. Finch and was not aware of my rtionship with Neil, or else he


    would have offended both me and Neil.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re friends.¡± Cooper nced awkwardly at Neil


    Oscar got unhappy at the sight of Neil. Trene, let¡¯s leave.¡±


    I stopped him, ¡°Go sit with Mr. Raymon¡±


    Raymon wasn¡¯t usually in Rosemont. Since he was here, I didn¡¯t want Oscar to miss this opportunity.


    Oscar understood my arrangement. He silently nodded and sat down beside Raymon.


    The cafe had tables for four. Raymon asked a waiter to bring an extra chair, perfect between Neil and


    Oscar, I took the seat without hesitation.


    Neil nced at me, and I pretended not to see


    We had just started chatting when Raymon suddenly suggested, ¡°Coffee is boring. Let¡¯s go have some


    drinks. I¡¯m buying. Drinking is more fun, let¡¯s all have a meal and a few drinks!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Neil agreed. For him, socializing was routine.


    Oscar looked at me, and signaled him not to worry


    We were here to seek help today, so we had to y by other people¡¯s rules.


    Soon we switched from the cafe to a restaurant, ordered a table full of food, and mainly drank


    Luckily, Oscar had worked in various bars before and had built up a good tolerance for alcohol. He and


    Raymon were having a st


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore,e, I toast you!¡± Raymon, flushed from drinking, decided to toast Neil.


    From the dining and drinking, I noticed that Raymon respected Neil and Cooper a lot, but wasn¡¯t as


    enthusiastic with me. After all, he thought I was just Ms. Finch who came to ask for his help to find a job


    for my brother.


    If I really had connections, would I still need to go through someone else to contact him?


    ¡®Ms. Finch, you should drink too. You seem to have a low tolerance. You¡¯ve only drunk this much, and


    that¡¯s disrespectful to me.¡± Raymon toasted Neil and then looked at my ss.


    I hadn¡¯t drunk much because I was on my period and needed to be careful.


    ¡°Here, Mr. Raymon, I¡¯ll toast you!¡± I raised my ss and said to Raymon with a smile.


    like straightforward women like you, Ms. Finch!¡± Raymon, probably drunk, suddenly grabbed my hand


    and said inappropriately.


    quickly shook off his hand, my smile fading, and Oscar stood up, looking angry.


    I promptly calmed him down.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    This was my first time in such a situation, but I wasn¡¯t nervous because I had heard simr stories from


    Alicia


    ¡°Mr. Raymon, you seem to have had a bit too much¡± Neil suddenly said, his gaze cold and stern


    I¡¯m not drunk, I can hold my liquor!¡± Raymon burped, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, look at this sister and brother pair.


    They¡¯re so close. Ms. Finch had someone contact me, wanting her younger brother to join my


    company. I never expected Ms Finch to be so beautiful! And so elegant


    If Raymon wasn¡¯t drunk, I¡¯d eat my hat.


    Hepletely missed the darkening look on Neil¡¯s face.


    I looked at Raymon Was this how he behaved when drunk?


    ¡°What did you say? You jerk! Oscar couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. He wanted to make a move, but I


    stopped him.


    He couldn¡¯t offend Raymon, or the consequences would be unthinkable.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Raymon red up, ¡°Say that again? Is this how you ask for my


    help?¡±


    Standing between the two, I felt agitated, ¡°Mr. Raymon, you¡¯re wasted. I¡¯ll take him home, we can talk


    some other time.¡±


    I thought it would be easy, but Raymon messed it up with his drunken antics.


    Being in a bad mood, I decided not to rely on others next time, but to handle things on my own.


    ¡°Finish this bottle of wine, apologize to me on behave of your brother, or give me a kiss, and I won¡¯t


    care anymore. Otherwise, we still have a problem!¡± Raymon was totally hammered, showing his


    irrational and sleazy side


    Before I could respond, Neil snatched the bottle and dumped it over Raymon¡¯s head, soaking his face


    with booze.


    Raymon seemed to sober up, looking dazedly at Neil¡¯s furious face, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, what the hell are


    you doing?¡±


    ¡°Fuck, a kiss?¡± After emptying the bottle, Neil smashed it on Raymon¡¯s head with a stern face, ¡°Are you


    sober now?¡±

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Chapter 169


    Blood streamed down Raymon¡¯s forehead He touched the blood on his face, then nced at Neil in


    astonishment. His emotions quickly shifted from shock to agitation, a fire in his eyes, itching to retaliate.


    But in his drunken and injured state, Raymon had no strength to fight back. He soon slumped onto the


    chair, unsure whether he copsed due to the alcohol or the blow


    I was taken aback by it all. Just like Raymon, I never expected Neil to step up for me.


    Trene, this¡­¡± Oscar was dumbfounded, looking at the motionless Raymon on the chair, lost for words.


    ¡°I punched him. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Neil said calmly, grabbing some napkins to clean the


    alcohol off his hands. His voice had regained itsposure, devoid of anger or panic.


    Cooper went out immediately to call the staff to manage the situation in the room.


    Before long, Raymon was helped out, seemingly on his way to the hospital.


    ¡°Thank you, and if Raymon needs medical expenses, I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± I told Neil before leaving


    ¡°Are you with him?¡± Neil asked coldly, his gaze fixed on me and Oscar.


    Oscar turned to look at me, his expression somewhatplicated.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t want to delve into matters of rtionships with Neil.


    ¡°Oscar, let¡¯s go, I told Oscar


    He nodded and followed me out of the hotel.


    Once in the car, guilt was all over him. ¡°Irene, I¡¯m sorry. If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have faced


    this today¡±


    I chuckled ¡°You don¡¯t have to me yourself. It was my impatience. I thought that since I¡¯vee back


    and met you again, I should find a way to help you I didn¡¯t expect it to backfire.¡±


    Oscar looked at me, his eyes sincere. ¡°Irene, thanks for looking out for me like this. I¡¯ll be fine. I can


    continue working well in the currentpany, and if I work hard enough, maybe I can settle down in


    this city in the future.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you put in the effort, sess is inevitable. Keep it up!¡± I encouraged him.


    After dropping Oscar off at his ce, I headed home.


    My dad was home that day, and my mom was cooking in the kitchen. He suddenly said, ¡°Rena, there¡¯s


    an art exhibition in a couple of days. Can you go for me? An old friend of mine is hosting it. He¡¯s a


    fantastic oil painter, and it would broaden your horizons.¡±


    ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you go yourself?¡± I didn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°I have a business trip, my dad sounded regretful. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d love to have a coffee with him.¡±


    He reminded me. I¡¯ve prepared a gift for him, an inkwell He really likes it. Can you take it with you?¡±


    I nodded. I had plenty of free time, so visiting the art exhibition seemed like a good idea.


    The exhibition was scheduled for 9 a.m. the day after tomorrow, at the Mystic Luna Gallery in


    Rosemont, not far from our house..


    On the day of the exhibition, I dressed in a simple white top and a ck skirt, carrying my dad¡¯s gift,


    and headed to the Mystic Luna Gallery


    The artworks at the exhibition were filled with artistic ir. Although I didn¡¯t understand oil paintings, I


    could sense the excellence of these pieces. I was


    immersed in what I saw


    ¡°Vicente Farr¡¯s paintings are bing more and more valuable. Some rare pieces are nearly


    impossible to acquire. If I can find a piece that suits my mom today, she¡¯ll love it!¡±


    Turning a corner, I was admiring a painting named ¡°Harmony in Nature¡± when I heard Kate¡¯s voice from


    the other side.


    I turned and saw Kate and another woman, holding hands, chatting intimately.


    As soon as they noticed me, they stopped abruptly.


    Kate¡¯s face darkened instantly. She looked at me as if I were her enemy.


    The young woman beside her, whom I barely recognized, was Bonnie Tueley.


    Bonnie looked at me, arching her delicate eyebrows slightly, not as hostile as Kate, more disdainful and


    condescending


    Two years had changed her. Although it was clear that she was the same person, she seemed


    different.


    Her face, framed byrge curls, was heavily made up, exuding a more impactful allure. Coupled with


    her eye¨Ccatching designer clothes and essories, she looked so charming


    I nced at the bracelet on her wrist, and in my mind¡¯s eye, I saw Zora, whom I¡¯d met at the party


    when I first returned to the country. She wore an identical bracelet and had the same curly hair.


    ¡°Irene, it¡¯s been so long.¡± surprisingly, Bonnie spoke first, clearly feeling good about herself.


    ¡°Bonnie, why bother greeting someone like her? She¡¯s not worth it!¡± Kate disregarded me


    I smiled, ignoring them both, and continued to enjoy the paintings


    Bonnie was probably the same person as Zora. I just didn¡¯t know how she was rted to Abner or how


    she recognized him as her foster father


    Looking at her extravagant appearance, it was clear she had be a wealthy young woman.


    However, a person¡¯s true nature is hard to change from the outside.


    Although Bonnie had transformed into a wealthy heiress, her stingy character and inferiorityplex


    remained intact.


    ¡°Irene, I thought Neil would be with you after he kicked me out. I never expected him to remain single


    these past two years. Now you and I are on equal footing You can¡¯t bully me anymore, can you?¡±


    Bonnie stood between me and the painting.


    I looked at her sympathetically ¡°Bonnie, as an educated person, how is it that your brain seems so


    limited?¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s face changed, and anger ignited in her eyes.


    I continued, ¡°If you think Neil abandoned you because of my better background and not because of the


    disgusting things you¡¯ve done, then I genuinely admire your intelligence.¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t interfered, how could I have done those things that I had no choice but to do?¡± Bonnie¡¯s


    logic was shocking.


    People were passing by from time to time. Arguing here with Bonnie wasn¡¯t appropriate.


    Besides, given her twisted logic, continuing to argue with her was a waste of time.


    It had been so long, and every time she saw me, she had to show off, as if she never gave up on one


    thing: proving she was better than me, that she had


    won


    ¡°Bonnie, I¡¯m not as indifferent as you. If you have money, why not consider visiting the neurology or


    psychiatry department at a hospital? Maybe that would help,¡± I turned and left, not in the mood to say


    more to her.


    ¡°Irene Finch, you¡¯re too arrogant. You¡¯ve never taken me seriously, have you?¡± Bonnie was angry and


    stood in my way.


    I paid her no attention, pushed her aside, and continued walking.


    Bonnie grabbed my hand, and the gift box in my hand fell to the ground with a muffled thud.


    It was the gift I brought for my dad. After being dropped like this, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was damaged.


    Initially, I didn¡¯t want to get angry, but Bonnie was like a rabid dog, always trying to bite me whenever


    she saw me!


    I pushed Bonnie away with a dark expression, a strong push that made her sit on the ground


    awkwardly.


    Kate rushed to help Bonnie and then scolded me, ¡°Irene, are you looking for trouble? Why did you


    push her?¡±


    I squatted down to pick up the gift box, and as I stood up, I saw Russel standing not far away, looking


    at me.

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    Chapter 170


    Chapter 170


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    Just as our actions drew attention, Bonnie¡¯s irritation subsided and she started apologizing


    I stood up and gave a small grin, ¡°Bonnie, have you no clue there are cameras everywhere here? You


    really think you can y innocent?¡±


    Hearing the word ¡®camera¡®, Bonnie nced around ufortably, her gaze finallynding on Russel.


    Russel was just quietly looking at me, and I felt uneasy.


    For the past two years, Russel had been bombarding me with calls and messages, none of which I


    answered. I treated him the same way I treated Oscar. But Russel was not Oscar, he meant something


    completely different to me.


    I could treat Oscar like a little brother now, but I couldn¡¯t do the same with Russel.


    I grabbed the gift and turned to leave, ready to find Vicente, hand over the gift, and get out of here.


    After all, running into both Bonnie and Russel was a sign this ce was no good for me to stick around.


    ¡°Irene!¡± Russel actually chased after me, catching up effortlessly


    ¡°Hey there, Dr. Russel. What a coincidence, I didn¡¯t even notice you were here. Checking out the too?¡±


    Since I couldn¡¯t avoid him, I decided to switch gears, greeting him with a smile.


    Russel didn¡¯t return my smile. He cut straight to the chase, ¡°Are you running away because you saw


    me?¡±


    Two years apart, and he was still as blunt as ever


    Even if I told him I didn¡¯t see him, he wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t see you!¡± Iughed, ¡°My dad and Vicente are old friends, I¡¯m just here to drop off a gift.¡±


    ¡°I can go with you I¡¯m here to buy a for my dad too.¡± Russel replied.


    What could I say? I just had to go with him.


    The exhibition was on two floors. Russel and I chatted while admiring the artworks.


    I didn¡¯t really know what to talk about, but I found out he knew a lot about oil and he shared a lot of


    knowledge with me.


    Vicente was on the second floor. We saw Neiling down the stairs as soon as we reached them,


    followed by his assistant.


    I¡¯d met him a few times before, his assistant was holding a well¨Cpackaged


    I shouldn¡¯t have agreed toe here. Instead of cultivating my taste, I found myself in an awkward


    situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make way¡± Russel looked up at the expressionless Neil and pulled me aside.


    Neil looked coldly at Russel¡¯s action, then walked down a few steps and stopped next to me.


    His gaze was icy, almost chilling.


    Even his assistant seemed nervous, his eyes darting between the three of us.


    ¡°I had no idea you were such a man¨Cma.¡± Neil¡¯s lips twitched, his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bitte to realize that now.¡± Russel returned a small, unfriendly smile.


    I didn¡¯t understand the conflict between them that Ste mentioned, I didn¡¯t know how bad things were.


    Now that I¡¯ve witnessed it myself, I realized their rtionship was really bad.


    They used to be good friends, but now they looked at each other like enemies.


    Just as the original situation was already a headache, Bonnie¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Neil, long time


    no see.¡±


    She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at Neil with obvious excitement.


    Her infatuation with Neil was so deep that even after what happened two years ago, she still wanted to


    come back and win him over.


    I admired her persistence, I¡¯ve been there in my past life.


    Unfortunately, Nell didn¡¯t seem happy to see Bonnie at all. Instead, his brow furrowed and his gaze


    turned icy, ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you never to appear before me again?¡±


    Those words changed Bonnie¡¯s expression drastically, the excitement in her eyes instantly gone.


    I didn¡¯t want to watch their bickering, and Russel seemed to understand


    He put his arm around me and led me upstairs, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡± I replied.


    But just as we took a few steps, Neil grabbed my hand. He almost pulled me out of Russel¡¯s embrace.


    Thankfully, Russel tightened his grip quickly, preventing me from falling.


    He warned Neil, ¡°Neil, let her go!¡±


    ¡°Irene.¡± Neil looked into my eyes and called my name, but didn¡¯t continue.


    Chapter


    7deliberately ignored the emotions in his eyes and broke free from his grip, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, we¡¯re in


    public. Please watch your behavior, don¡¯t let peopleugh at you¡±


    If someone I knew told my parents about this encounter, I would have to endure a serious lecture and a


    stern warning.


    I tried to break free again. Seeing that I didn¡¯t hesitate at all, Neil finally let go.


    In that moment, I saw a hint of loss in his eyes


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Neil, I¡¯ve told you before, they would end up together. Why didn¡¯t you believe me?¡± Bonnie looked at


    Neil resentfully, ¡°Now you should understand, Irene is not the same girl who only loved you anymore.¡±


    Seeing people gathering around, I didn¡¯t want to be the subject of discussion. So, I quickly went


    upstairs.


    Vicente was on the second floor, chatting with some old friends.


    When he saw me, he paused, not recognizing me. But he recognized Russel, ¡®Russel, you¡¯re here. Are


    you here to buy a for your dad again?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Farr, my dad has his eyes on one of your , he specifically asked me to buy it. He said he doesn¡¯t


    care about the price, as long as you¡¯re willing to sell.¡± Russel replied politely and warmly


    ¡°Hahaha. Every time I hold an exhibition, your dad buys my . I thought he was here to support me?


    Just take whatever he wants, I¡¯m happy that he appreciates my work¡± Vicenteughed heartily.


    Russel chatted with him for a while, then Vicente took him to get the .


    Only after the painting was packed, did he look at me again, ¡°Hmm, this girl looks familiar! Is she your


    girlfriend?¡±


    I immediately replied, ¡°Mr. Farr, I¡¯m Irene. My dad is.


    Before I could even finish, Vicente started yapping away with a big grin, ¡°You¡¯re one of the Finch kids?


    Oh, you¡¯ve grown so much! I remember holding you when you were just a little squirt. But I haven¡¯t


    been around much over the years, and I¡¯ve lost touch with your dad. I didn¡¯t expect him to send you


    today. You¡¯ve turned out quite a looker!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Farr,¡± I said with a hint of regret, ¡°my dad wanted me to bring you a gift today but there was a little


    hup. I¡¯ll bring it to you next time.¡±


    Vicente took the gift box from my hands, ¡°Is it this? I bet it¡¯s an inkwell. Your dad always gives me


    inkwells, he knows I¡¯m nuts about them. It¡¯s all good, I¡¯ll like it no matter what, even if it¡¯s a bit banged


    up.¡±


    Just then, Bonnie and Kate strolled over.


    ¡°Mr. Farr, how much do you want for that ¡®Harmony in Nature¡®? I¡¯d like to buy it and take it home,¡±


    Bonnie said with newfound confidence, less submissive than before.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Chapter 171


    Vicente, clueless about the beef between me and Bonnie, politely responded, ¡°Sorry, that painting¡¯s


    already been imed. Someone¡¯s picking it up in a few days.¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°Already imed?¡±


    I liked that painting, nned to buy it for my dad. It¡¯d be something for us to enjoy together.


    Well, since it¡¯s already booked, let¡¯s forget it I didn¡¯t want to force it, but Bonnie said no because she


    thought I was the one who ordered the painting. Her pretty eyes red at me with hostility, then she


    turned to Vicente and said, ¡°Mr. Farr, my mother admires your work greatly. Her birthday ising up,


    so I came specifically to buy Harmony in Nature. No matter how much you tell me, I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    She sounded really dutiful! I was curious about who her adoptive mother was. How did a woman who


    could marry the vice president of Harmony Enterprises end up adopting Bonnie?


    I had no idea what the story was. Regrettably, Vicente shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl, and I thank


    your mother for appreciating my work. But Harmony in Nature has indeed been imed, and a deposit


    has been paid. We can¡¯t go back on that. How about choosing another painting?¡±


    ¡°No matter how much the deposit was, I¡¯m willing to pay double. I¡¯ll pay double for the bnce too!¡±


    Bonnie blurted out hastily.


    Kate whipped out a card and handed it to Vicente, ¡°Mr. Farr, here¡¯s a million dors. Do you think that¡¯s


    enough?¡±


    Was she trying to throw her money at someone now?


    But Vicente didn¡¯t budge. ¡°If you¡¯re dead set on Harmony in Nature, maybe you can talk to the person


    who imed it. They were buying it as a gift, they might be willing to switch¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Kate also looked at me, both of them thought I was the one who imed the painting.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Vicente answered, ¡°Neil from Whitmore Co. He just took another painting, he¡¯ll pick up Harmony in


    Nature in five days. Maybe you can try to find him.¡±


    Someone who could pay a million dors for a painting should have a way to find Neil. Hearing that


    Neil had imed the painting, a sh of surprise crossed Bonnie¡¯s eyes, quickly reced by a hint of


    delight.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what she was so happy about. After the way Neil had treated her just now, was she


    actually happy for a reason to get in touch with him?


    The world truly is a strange ce. Compared to her treatment by Neil in my past life, it was night and


    day in this life.


    ¡°I see¡± Bonnie nodded, then she and Kate left.


    From start to finish, Bonnie deliberately avoided looking at me. I could feel it.


    That suited me just fine. Thest thing I needed was her stirring up trouble for no reason.


    After Bonnie and Kate left, I also bade Vicente goodbye. After what had happened, I was no longer in


    the mood to appreciate the art.


    Russel suggested we leave together. Not wanting to be rude, I agreed and we left Mystic Luna Gallery


    ¡°Have you been happy these past two years?¡± Russel suddenly asked as we reached the car.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been very happy. I got to see the world, try different foods.¡± I answered honestly, ¡°It was the most


    rxing and carefree time of my life. If it weren¡¯t. for my parents asking me toe back, I¡¯d still be


    enjoying that lifestyle.¡±


    Russel looked at me. ¡°And you¡¯d ignore me for another two years?¡±


    I felt a bit awkward at this. How had Russel still not found a girlfriend after two years?


    If he wasn¡¯t in love with Bonnie, he should have found someone else. Wouldn¡¯t his family be pressuring


    him to settle down?


    ¡°Dr. Russel, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. It¡¯s not that I deliberately ignored your messages, it¡¯s just that I


    hardly ever check my phone.¡± I answered evasively


    I couldn¡¯t make up any other reason. The way Russel looked at me grew moreplicated. After a few


    seconds, he said with a slightly stern face, ¡°Irene, I feel like you¡¯re treating me like a fool.¡±


    ¡°How dare I, Dr. Russel. I need to go home for lunch now. See you and we¡¯ll chat next time!¡± I couldn¡¯t


    bear the pressure from Russel¡¯s gaze and quickly hopped into the car.


    Russel quickly followed me in the passenger seat, ¡°I¡¯m also heading to your ce for lunch. I¡¯ll check


    on a patient while I¡¯m there.¡±


    I asked in surprise, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m visiting your mother. I was her attending physician when she was hospitalizedst time.¡± Russel


    fastened his seat belt and replied nonchntly.


    ¡°Do attending physicians usually make house calls?¡± I asked, surprised.


    ¡®Depends on the situation. Let¡¯s go.¡± Russel said, expressionless.


    ¡°Does the attending doctor need to make home visits, too?¡± I was very surprised.


    Puzzled, I drove home in silence


    Seeing Russel, my mother¡¯s face lit up with joy, ¡°Dr. Russel, what brings you here? Perfect timing,


    we¡¯re just about to have lunch. Please join us!¡±


    ¡°Mom, do we have enough food?¡± I gave my mom a look, hoping she could tactfully send Russel away


    to avoid any awkwardness.


    My mom took one look at me and confidently replied, ¡°Yes, we have plenty


    I always knew something was wrong, but I couldn¡¯t tell. Russel was Neil¡¯s best friend. Even though they


    weren¡¯t on good terms now, my parents shouldn¡¯t be this enthusiastic about him. Should they?


    Russel and my mom had already gone into the living room, chatting about my mom¡¯s heart condition.


    They looked perfectly at ease.


    1, on the other hand, was left out of the conversation.


    At the dinner table, my mom kept serving food to Russel. The more she did, the more uneasy I felt


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. If you feel unwell at any time, feel free to contact me, Russel said kindly


    to my mom before leaving.


    ¡°Okay, Dr. Russel is such a good doctor!¡± My mom¡¯s eyes squinted from smiling so much.


    Russel nced at me, ¡°Trene, is it easy to hail a cab around here?¡±


    This guy was as cunning as Neil.


    His question instantly turned me into a ¡®temporary chauffeur¡°, and my mom told me to drive him home.


    I had a face like thunder as I had no choice but to send Russel home.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± he deliberately asked me on the way.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m thrilled I shed a smile that couldn¡¯t be faker.


    Russel fell silent for a while. The atmosphere between us turned a bit frosty, his previously good mood


    having clearly evaporated.


    We arrived at the foot of his building, but Russel didn¡¯t get out of the car right away, instead turning to


    look at me.


    He said seriously, ¡°Irene, I want to chase after you, I don¡¯t care what other people think.¡±


    I looked at him in surprise, my heart almost stopping. ¡°Russel, you¡¯d better not go after me, you


    should¡¯ve understood my stance two years ago. I don¡¯t want to ept you, not just because of your


    rtionship with Neil, but also partly because I don¡¯t have romantic feelings for you. I just think you¡¯re a


    great guy, but there are surely other women out there who are a better fit for you.¡±


    I was not putting myself down. Objectively speaking, I was really not the girl for Russel.


    I gave my best ten years to Neil, I¡¯ve been through divorce and miscarriage, while Russel has no


    painful past.


    He should find a woman who¡¯s on the same page as him, instead of wasting his attention on me.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Chapter 172


    ¡°You¡¯re good at everything. What¡¯s not good enough for me? Russel said with augh. ¡°Don¡¯t use self¨C


    deprecation as a way to reject me¡±


    I sighed inwardly Russel had managed to avoid falling into Bonnie s trap, but it seemed like he was


    going to get hurt by my stubbornness.


    I really wanted the best for him, whenever it was ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste your time, so don¡¯t worry about


    me. I¡¯m sure there are plenty of women who would love to be with you. Any one of them would be just


    as good as me, really ¡°I tried to persuade him sincerely.


    ¡°Can you give me a chance to prove myself? Two years ago, I was always concerned about Nell it


    wasn¡¯t until you quietly left for abroad for two years, not even replying to my messages, that I realized


    that love needs to be fought for and that reason doesn¡¯t always apply. This time, I want to give it my


    all,¡± Russel was adamant


    To be honest, if I hadn¡¯t been hurt by Neil before, I would definitely be moved by Russel now.


    Russels eyes were full of passion and love for me, unlike the usual cool and aloof him.


    I had once loved someone with all my heart, so I knew what that look of love was like. It was something


    that couldn¡¯t be faked, but how should I respond?


    ¡°Russel, I was about to speak.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush to reject me. I stand by what I said earlier. Until you meet the next person you truly love, I


    won¡¯t give up.¡±


    Russel paused, ¡°Irene, I¡¯ve never confessed my feelings to any woman before. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s


    considered romantic or passionate, but I will always be by your side. I¡¯m ready to give you everything,


    anytime you need me¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t have romantic feelings for Russel, his words touched me deeply


    I knew he was serious. He wouldn¡¯t have said such things without careful consideration.


    ¡°Can we just let things happen naturally?¡± I took a step back.


    ¡°Okay¡± A small smile appeared on Russel¡¯s face. He unbuckled his seat belt, ¡°Be careful on your way


    home.¡±


    I nodded my head. After Russel left the car, I turned around and left.


    My mind was a whirl of thoughts on the drive back, with Russel¡¯s words echoing in my head.


    In my distracted state, I didn¡¯t notice a white car following me until I was about to make a right turn. The


    white car suddenly elerated and caught up with me.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    My car was rear¨Cended, and it was severe. The white car behind me pushed my car off the road with


    great force, and the brakes were useless.


    My car hit a tree. Even though the airbag deployed, I was still injured.


    Before I passed out, I saw the front of the white car was dented, and then it quickly left the scene.


    Someone called the police, and they arrived quickly to handle the situation.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, those two guys are out. They¡¯re Finn¡¯sckeys.¡±


    ¡°Lock them up for now.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    I vaguely heard Neil talking with someone else. I opened my heavy eyes and saw his figure not far


    away.


    I was in a hospital again, which seemed to be a ce 1 couldn¡¯t avoid.


    But why was Neil here?


    I moved my mouth slightly and felt some pain on my face, as if it had been shed by a knife, but my


    body didn¡¯t feel any difort.


    Neil didn¡¯t notice that I had woken up. He was standing by the window with his back to me. His white


    shirt was slightly wrinkled, outlining his perfect figure. He looked like a handsome guy from aic


    book.


    I have an eye for beauty, and I can separate personal feelings from aesthetic appreciation. I won¡¯t deny


    Neil¡¯s good looks because of his bad character.


    ¡°Mitch, Irene had a car ident. Neil called Mitch Hebert.


    He briefly described my condition and asked Mitch to inform my parents, then he hung up the phone.


    ¡°Neil, why are you here?¡± My voice was a bit weak.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Hearing my voice, Neil turned around and came to my bedside. The coldness on his


    face somewhat softened, ¡°Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?¡±


    I shook my head. The only difort I had was my face. It was probably cut by the shattered


    windshield.


    Neil stood by the bed and looked at me. His gaze was a bit cold, even a little strange.


    ¡°Your parents should be here soon to take care of you. You need to rest well.¡± After saying that, Neil


    picked up his coat from the chair and turned to leave. He didn¡¯t answer my question.


    It wasn¡¯t until a traffic policeman came to ask me some questions about the car ident that I realized


    Neil was the one who had brought me to the hospital. He happened to be passing by at the time.


    I also learned that the two people who hit me had been bailed by someone, and the investigation was


    ongoing.


    1 felt a headache. I had just returned to the country not long ago and was already facing such


    unfortunate events.


    I had heard the name ¡°Finn¡°. Those two were his henchmen. Did he know that I had saved Oscar in the


    bar? Or that I had secretly called the police?


    After the traffic police left, my phone rang. The shattered screen barely disyed Ste¡¯s name.


    Rena, are you okay? I¡¯m on my way!¡± Ste said anxiously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. I just have some injuries on my face.¡± I replied.


    ¡°How can I not worry? Do you know this car ident might have been intentional? Neil is going nuts.


    He bailed out those two guys who hit you, I don¡¯t know where he took them Mitch is afraid he might kill


    them if he gets too violent!¡± Ste said in one breath.


    I was stunned. Neil was the one who bailed those two out?


    At that moment, I heard Mitch¡¯s voice from Ste¡¯s end, ¡°Irene, you need to call Neil and calm him


    down. He¡¯s not in a good mood right now, and I¡¯m afraid he might overdo it. It¡¯s not a big deal if he


    beats them up, but it would be disastrous if he killed somebody¡±


    Was it really that serious? I felt a bit uneasy. Neil had a bad temper and was impulsive, but he wouldn¡¯t


    repeatedly stand up for me, would he?


    After the call ended, I hesitated for a while, but eventually decided to call Neil.


    It took three calls before Neil picked up. It was very quiet on his end.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± His voice came out of nowhere, sounding normal.


    ¡°No biggie, you home yet?¡± I casually asked him as an excuse.


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m home. You should hit the hay early too,¡± Neil replied.


    I sensed he was about to hang up, so I just spit it out, ¡°Neil, if today¡¯s car crash was a hit on me, I


    believe the cops will get to the bottom of it and nab the jerk. You don¡¯t need to get involved, you don¡¯t


    owe me a thing, and I don¡¯t want to owe you either.¡±


    Neil went silent for a few seconds, then said, ¡°Alright, I got you.¡±


    I finally hung up with a sigh of relief. I really didn¡¯t want him to lift a finger for me, I just wished everyone


    would be safe and sound, just like familiar


    strangers.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Chapter 173


    When Ste and Mitch arrived, my parents had just gotten there too.


    They were both deeply concerned about me and also very worried


    My mom was getting a bit superstitious, Rena, do you think this city is against you? You¡¯ve been


    abroad for two years, traveling all over the ce with no problems, but as soon as youe back,


    trouble finds you?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Rena grew up here, how could it be against her? I think it¡¯s Neil who¡¯s bad luck for her.


    Ever since she married Neil, everything¡¯s gone downhilll my dad said sternly


    *Dad, Mom, Neil and I have been divorced for two years, how could he still be causing me trouble?


    Besides, he was the one who brought me to the hospital this time I was a bit helpless as they were


    getting more and more superstitious.


    Ste wanted to say something, but she stopped herself. In fact, she also thought that Neil was


    causing me trouble


    After a while, my dad took a phone call and went off to work. My morn went to ask the doctor about my


    condition, leaving only Ste and Mitch with me.


    I then mentioned calling Neil, I¡¯ve already talked to him, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡±


    ¡°How did you persuade him?¡± Ste curiously asked.


    I repeated the conversation, which left Mitch a bit puzzled. In the end, he helplessly said, ¡°Good luck to


    them¡±


    Unfortunately, Mitch¡¯s well wishes didn¡¯t seem to have any effect.


    The next day Ste brought me some news. The two guys had been beaten to a pulp and dumped in a


    ditch by a mountain road. If someone hadn¡¯t heard their weak cries for help, they could be dead by


    now.


    I was a bit shocked, not wanting Neil to do something like this. If things went wrong, I should take the


    me.


    ¡°Rena, the city¡¯s not that big, you¡¯re bound to run into Neil if you stay here. I still think he¡¯s got an


    ulterior motive, he wants to get back with you!¡± Ste said while slicing an apple for me.


    Thinking about this gave me a headache and I even considered going on another two¨Cyear world tour.


    I dodged the topic, ¡°Ste, are you sure those two guys didn¡¯t call the police?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t they be embarrassed if they do?¡± Ste was angry, ¡°They deliberately hit your car, trying to kill


    you, they even confessed who was behind it. The guy pulling the strings was Finn, that so¨Ccalled Finn!*


    My heart sunk, I couldn¡¯t figure out why Finn was targeting me.


    Just as I was deep in thought, Ste suddenly handed me the sliced apple and stood up, a teasing


    smile on her face, ¡°Russel¡¯s here, I gotta go!¡±


    With that, she grabbed her bag and left.


    I silently held the apple, looking at Russel standing at the door.


    ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± Russel¡¯s brows furrowed as he quickly approached my bedside, inspecting my


    condition.


    I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just need a few days rest, how did you know I was in the hospital?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Neil did it on purpose, but the hospital where Russel worked was closer to where my


    ident happened. Yet, he took me to this farther


    one


    ¡°Mitch told me, Russel¡¯s face was stern, ¡°Finn deliberately had your car hit, do you know him?¡±


    I didn¡¯t, so I told Russel about Oscar getting beaten up and the incident at Zion Chemical nt.


    I suspected Finn found out about these two incidents and wanted to retaliate against me.


    But I didn¡¯t know how he found out


    Russel¡¯s already stern face darkened even more after hearing this.


    He got up to leave and I quickly grabbed his hand, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Finn!¡± The fury that erupted from Russel gave me a start, he¡¯s usually very calm.


    I hurriedly stopped bum, ¡°Don¡¯t go, I¡¯ve already reported to the police, they¡¯ll take care of it. The guys


    who hit me have already been taught a lesson by Neil, that¡¯s enough, don¡¯t do anything unnecessary¡±


    When I mentioned Neil¡¯s name, there was a subtle change in Russel¡¯s eyes, a hint of chill.


    But he didn¡¯t ask any further, only tightened his lips, covered me with the nket, then left.


    I felt a bit weary seeing Neil and Russel getting hostile and even violent because of me, it made me


    uneasy.


    During my past life, they fought over me like this, Bonnie was able to stay calm, I admired that.


    In the evening, Oscar hurried over with some fruits to see me.


    He was worried just like me, that Finn found out I helped him and decided to retaliate.


    ¡°Eut I really don¡¯t know what I did to piss him off! Oscar was frustrated, ¡°Irene, I¡¯m sorry, I got you into


    this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, we¡¯re not even sure it¡¯s because of that, don¡¯t overthink ¡°Iforted him.


    As we were talking, the sound of high heels approached from outside. I looked up to see Bonnie


    standing in the doorway.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    She looked like a walking luxury item now, expensive but not fitting for her.


    She was nowhere near as stunning as the first time I saw her in the coffee shop.


    Bonnie wasn¡¯t expecting to see Oscar here, her face showed surprise then quickly turned cold.


    Oscar averted his eyes, his face a mix of emotions.


    ¡°Trene, I heard you had a car ident, so I came to see you¡± Bonnie ced a box of supplements at


    the corner of my bed, ying with her curly hair, ¡°Where¡¯s Neil? Why hasn¡¯t hee to see you?¡±


    She looked around, disappointment in her eyes.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Oscar suddenly spoke, his voice filled with resentment.


    ¡°Oscar, you¡¯re still with her, aren¡¯t you, Bonnie¡¯s smile was sarcastic, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between


    you and me? We all want a better life, what right did you have to expose my chat logs with Neil two


    years ago?¡±


    Oscar wasn¡¯t what Bonnie described, he angrily grabbed the box of supplements and threw it on the


    floor, I¡¯m not you, I¡¯ll never betray my feelings for money, you can leave!¡±


    I just watched silently, this once loving couple, now unrecognizable.


    Bonnie chuckled coldly, ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re so noble. Oscar, during the time we¡¯ve been together, I¡¯ve been


    with you to eat discounted meals, buy clearance clothes, and ride the bus. Isn¡¯t that enough? Do you


    know how much it costs to get a new heart? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll die when I¡¯m with you!¡±


    Oscar turned red at her words. He must still hold some sweet memories in his heart, but to Bonnie,


    these memories seem dirt cheap.


    ¡°So what if you¡¯re a good student, Oscar? Do you really think you can make a difference?¡± Bonnie


    looked at Oscar with a sympathetic gaze.


    Bonnie spoke passionately. It was clear that she was deliberately provoking Oscar, belittling all he had.


    She didn¡¯t notice that Neil had arrived and was standing right behind her, hearing every word.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Chapter 174


    Neil¡¯s recent behavior was like he had been possessed by a demon. Thest time I saw him, he


    exuded a chilly aura, and now, he was radiating an aura that screamed ¡°stay away¡± This aloofness


    made him seem like a stranger to me


    I had been married to him for five years, and I knew deep down that his character was cold, but not in


    this gloomy coldness. All in all, there was something strangely unsettling about him now


    After Bonnie finished mocking Oscar, she turned to leave, but Neil¡¯s presence startled her. She took


    two steps back and leaned against the foot of the hospital bed


    ¡°Neil Bonnie called out, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness.


    ¡°Get out of my sight Neil¡¯s lips finally moved. ¡°Fuck off¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s back was turned to me, so I couldn¡¯t see her expression, but her voice wasposed ¡°Neil,


    why are you avoiding me? I¡¯m not here to pester you There are some matters that need discussion.¡±


    So she came to see me just to meet Neil?


    Neil¡¯s voice was cold as ice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us to discuss, including your current identity. No


    matter whose foster daughter you are, don¡¯t


    bother me.¡±


    Bonnie was left speechless for a moment. She had worked hard to secure her status as the vice


    president¡¯s adopted daughter of a major overseas corporation. She even brought back two hundred


    million dors to invest in Rosemont. Shouldn¡¯t Neil be reevaluating her given all this?


    Even though Whitmore Co. was powerful, business still needed to be conducted. He couldn¡¯t just


    ignore the opportunities right in front of him, could he?


    I could sense Bonnie¡¯splex emotions in that moment.


    ¡°Trene, I¡¯m leaving: Oscar said, unable to listen any longer. His face disyed a mix of disappointment


    and sadness. He muttered something under his breath before quietly exiting the room


    Once Oscar was gone, I spoke up. ¡°Can you two discuss whatever you need to outside? I need to rest¡±


    Bonnie turned around, shooting me a resentful nce. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but


    in the end, she remained silent.


    ¡°Neil,¡± she turned towards him, her voice now calm, ¡°Did you reserve Vicente¡¯s ¡®Harmony in Nature?


    Can you sell it to me? I can offer a higher price.¡±


    I adjusted the covers and pulled them over myself, not wanting to hear any more.


    Human nature is inherently selfish, and Neil is particrly so. I¡¯vee to see that he¡¯s only interested


    in what he¡¯s lost or can¡¯t have. The more Bonnie pushes, the more he pulls away


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    If Bonnie and I didn¡¯t have our conflicts, I might even want to offer her some advice.


    Then, Bonnie let out a startled cry. I lifted the covers to see that Neil had grabbed her and pulled her


    out of the room.


    Simple, direct, and effective.


    I got out of bed and rushed to the door, wanting to lock it, but Neil was faster. He had returned and


    locked it himself.


    ¡°Do you know Finn Hackett?¡± Neil asked me from the chair next to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I answered absentmindedly with my eyes closed. ¡°But I know he was involved in the incident


    at Zion Chemical nt.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried he might be retaliating against you. I¡¯ll have people to protect you in the


    coming days,¡± Neil¡¯s voice held an undeniable dominance.


    I opened my eyes, rejecting his offer without much thought. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ve already reported to


    the police. If it¡¯s really Finn, he won¡¯t get away¡±


    A cold glint passed through Neil¡¯s eyes. He was clearly dissatisfied with my refusal. He said in a low


    voice, ¡®Do you think it¡¯s that simple? Even though he knows who you are, he dared to make a move


    against you So don¡¯t y games with your own safety¡±


    Someone who dares to target the Whitmore family wouldn¡¯t be afraid of me either. I knew Finn was the


    kind of person who was hard to deal with.


    But I didn¡¯t need Neil to arrange for my protection. If I needed a bodyguard, I could hire one myself.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll find my own bodyguard when the timees. Neil, you don¡¯t need to worry about me,¡±


    I replied calmly.


    ¡°Do you have to treat me like this?¡± Neil¡¯s brow furrowed, and the crease on his forehead seemed like a


    small mountain range. ¡°I made a mistake. Can¡¯t! have a chance to make it right?¡±


    I interrupted him, ¡®Let¡¯s not dwell on the past anymore, truly. Those things are behind us now. You


    brought me to the hospital, helped me deal with the culprit. I¡¯m thankful for that. But please, don¡¯t do


    these things for me anymore. Spare me and spare yourself¡±


    I knew these words would anger Neil. Thest thing he wanted to hear was that I wanted to draw a


    clear boundary between us, but I didn¡¯t want any room for ambiguity


    Clearmunication to avoid further trouble.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± Neil gritted his teeth, his gaze filled with resentment. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go, and I won¡¯t let


    myself go either¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do then? Remarry so we can make up and pretend like nothing happened?¡± I


    retorted, stirring up the dormant emotions in me


    If he had suggested a divorce two years ago, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation now


    I tossed and turned on the bed, unable to sleep. My mind felt like a never¨Cending reel of


    autobiographical film scenes.


    Unable to bear my own wild thoughts, I got up and headed to the window, hoping the fresh air outside


    would calm me.


    My hospital room was on the third floor, rtively low, allowing me a clear view of the small garden


    below. Several streetmps stood by the


    cobblestone path, and Neil was sitting on a bench. The light spilled onto his hair and shoulders, casting


    a warm hue on his figure


    The hospital was incredibly quiet in the dead of night, and there was no one else below except Neil,


    who seemed a bit lonely.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking, but I hoped he was mulling over what I had said.


    I watched as he picked up his phone and dialed a number. A few secondster, my own phone rang.


    I hesitated briefly, then answered the call.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be ordinary friends. Irene I¡¯ve thought it through. I can¡¯t do it, Neil¡¯s voice came through the


    phone crystal clear.


    I didn¡¯t respond. just sighed and hung up

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Chapter 175


    On the day I was discharged from the hospital, I ryed what Neil had said to Ste and the others,


    hoping they coulde up with some ideas.


    Ste¡¯s suggestion was very clear, ¡°This isn¡¯t easy Just get someone to marry ASAP, see if he still


    won¡¯t back off!¡±


    ¡°If Neil really keeps harassing Rena. I¡¯m afraid no one would dare to marry her¡­¡± Barbara Sands


    looked at me with warry etched on her face.


    Meanwhile, Alicia was helping me pack my things.


    She sighed, ¡°Neil, why is he doing this? You loved him so much back then and he didn¡¯t give a damn,


    now he¡¯s regretting it


    I was speechless, my only thought was that maybe I really should find a man to marry.


    He couldn¡¯t keep harassing a married woman, and his parents definitely wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    But where was I supposed to get a suitable man to marry?


    Russels face popped into my mind, but I immediately dismissed the idea I couldn¡¯t use him like that.


    But if I had even the slightest feeling for Russel, I¡¯d be willing to take a step towards him, just to see.


    The problem was, I only saw him as a good friend right now.


    Ste came over and asked, ¡°Rena, I have a candidate in mind, do you remember my pitiful brother?¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I immediately stopped Ste, ¡°We can¡¯t let your brother get hurt!¡±


    ¡°Hurt? It¡¯s been two years, he¡¯s still single, my mom is going crazy. I¡¯ve spoken to him, he doesn¡¯t mind


    your past and he can¡¯t open his heart to anyone else, he¡¯s been waiting for you Ste got excited as


    she spoke, ¡°Really, Rena, think about it?¡±


    I immediately refused, ¡°No way, Ste, don¡¯t let your brother get hurt again, I¡¯m really not suitable for


    him.¡±


    I was very serious, no joking around.


    Ste sighed, ¡°Alright then, I can only pray that my brother finds his other half¡±


    After being discharged, Alicia drove me home where my mom had prepared a feast for us


    Since we returned home, the four of us hadn¡¯t had a chance to gather, so we treated today¡¯s dinner as


    a party at my house.


    ¡°Do you guys know any reliable bodyguardpanies? Rmend one to me.¡± I suddenly thought of


    this during dinner, before Finn was thrown in jail, I really needed to figure out how to protect myself.


    Someone like Finn would definitely find ways to make trouble for me.


    Ste and the others looked at each other and shook their heads, they didn¡¯t have any information


    about this.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about this?¡± Ste asked curiously


    ¡°I just feel unsafe, hiring a big, strong bodyguard would give me a sense of security.¡± I answered with a


    smile, without mentioning Neil¡¯s n to have someone protect me, I didn¡¯t want my mom to hear.


    My parents were worried when Neil sent me to the hospital, fearing that we would get into a dispute


    again.


    After dinner, Ste and the others left, I still needed to rest at home for a few days.


    At this time, my mom started nagging about taking me to get a cross.


    As I was looking at my phone on the sofa, she was nagging me when I saw a piece of news that scared


    me into sitting up straight.


    Breaking news! Chairman of Whitmore Co. was exposed for having an illegitimate child¡®


    I immediately clicked on it, but the news had disappeared before the page could load.


    My heart started racing. I had a bad feeling, although there¡¯s all sorts of news, I¡¯ve never seen news


    about Neil¡¯s dad before.


    ¡°Irene, are you listening to me?¡± My mom asked me when she saw that I wasn¡¯t responding.


    ¡°I heard you, mom, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± I came back to my senses, calmed down a bit, why am I worrying


    about the Whitmore family¡¯s affairs?


    It¡¯s just that the news just now shocked me, so my reaction was a bit big.


    My mom nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Good, then we¡¯ll set off tomorrow¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure where my mom was going, but I had no objections.


    Early the next morning, my mom woke me up, Bailey was waiting outside for us, we were heading out


    of town today.


    I thought my mom was going to get me a cross, but when we got there, I found out it was the house of


    a psychic grandma who was very good at fortune¨Ctelling for marriage.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a tree in front of her house, inside were beautiful crystal balls and various tarot cards.


    As my mom and the psychic grandma were talking about tarot cards and predicting my marriage, I


    sneaked out for a walk, spacing out under the tree.


    ¡°Trene, are you here for fortune¨Ctelling too?¡± Bonnie¡¯s voice came from behind me when I was


    engrossed in my thoughts


    I frowned and turned around, she and Kate were wearing the same clothes, standing there.


    They really had be good friends, always together.


    I pped my hands, ignoring Bonnie, and walked towards the psychic grandma¡¯s house


    Trene, don¡¯t you know that a broken mirror is hard to piece back together? You¡¯re wasting your time


    trying to force


    me, imitating me.


    ¡°Kate, don¡¯t say that, everyone has their own obsessions. Bonnie pretended to kindly stop Kate.


    I treated them like two crazy people following me, toozy to deal with them.


    My mom had already found out the results of the tarot card reading, she looked a bit off.


    Seeing me returning, she was ready to leave


    When she saw Bonnie following me, she stopped.


    ¡°Hello¡°Bonnie was dressed very elegantly today, she still looked as innocent as before, she greeted my


    mom.


    My mom knew who Bonnie was, but had never met her, she looked Bonnie up and down, then scoffed,


    ¡°You look clean, but why are your actions so dirty?¡± Hearing this, Bonnie¡¯s face immediately turned


    pale, she looked very embarrassed.


    People around couldn¡¯t help but look at her, as if watching a dramo.


    Kate, like an older sister, shielded Bonnie behind her, ¡°You don¡¯t need to deliberately humiliate my


    sister. Didn¡¯t your daughter also marry a man who didn¡¯t love her without any dignity? At least Neil was


    sincere to my sister, while your daughter couldn¡¯t make him fall in love with her in five years.


    I thought my mom would be very angry, but she actuallyughed and said, ¡®Do you really think being a


    third party is something to be proud of? Love isn¡¯t like this,ck of moral values is justck of moral


    values. Young girls nowadays really need to learn to love themselves!¡±


    After saying that, she took my hand and left.


    I nced back at Bonnie who was staring at me with red¨Crimmed eyes. That look of feeling wronged


    and embarrassed was all too familiar to me. She must be out of her mind to think that I would fight over


    Neil with her. She even mistakenly thought that my fortune¨Ctelling session today was about my


    marriage with Neil.


    ¡°This is totally off, the predictions here are all wrong! My mom keptining as we left. ¡°Not only


    are her predictions inurate, but the environment here is also bad. We even run into unpleasant


    people when wee for a fortune¨Ctelling session!¡±


    ¡°Mom, what was the fortune¨Ctelling result? Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m going to be single for the rest of my life!¡± I


    asked, holding her hand and smiling,

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Chapter 176


    My mom had a kind of weird look on her face as she said, ¡°Exactly, you¡¯re gonna be single forever, but


    my daughter is way too awesome to be single forever. I don¡¯t buy this!¡±


    I just chuckled and didn¡¯tment, feeling a bit bitter inside because I might indeed end up being


    single forever.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Even though Ie from a decent family, the fact that I couldn¡¯t have kids kept all the suitable guys


    away from me.


    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s my phone? Suddenly, my mom patted her pockets and rummaged through her bag,


    realizing her phone was gone.


    She pped her forehead and said, ¡°Darn it; I must¡¯ve left it on the tarot card table Let me go get it.¡±


    I stopped her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You¡¯ve had a long walk, and you¡¯re not in good shape¡±


    I left my mom where she was and headed back to the psychic granny¡¯s house alone to get the phone.


    As soon as I got to the door, I heard the psychic granny¡¯s voice, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t force it. You and him


    are not meant to be.¡±


    I walked in and saw Bonnie standing there, gripping her tarot cards with her face full of defiance.


    My mom¡¯s phone was on the table. Thankfully, no one had taken it.


    I walked over, picked up the phone, and said to the psychic granny, ¡°Hi, this is my mom¡¯s phone. I¡¯ll


    take it.¡±


    The psychic granny nodded.


    Suddenly, Bonnie pointed at me and asked, ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°Madam, that¡¯s her private matter. We can¡¯t disclose it.¡± The psychic granny replied calmly.


    Bonnie seemed very resentful, probably because she found out that she and Neil were not meant to


    be, so she was in a bad mood


    I was about to leave with the phone when Bonnie and Kate were also about to go.


    They didn¡¯t seem to care whether it would be awkward to walk with me. The two of them just silently


    followed behind me.


    Until Bonnie got a phone call


    *Really? Malinda, you¡¯re amazing!¡± She seemed very happy. ¡°Okay, when are you guys arriving? We


    can have dinner together on Louis.¡±


    Malinda and Louis Aldridge?


    I was surprised. If these two were together, Malinda really was amazing.


    Meanwhile, Bonnie had found another reason to get close to Neil.


    After the call, Bonnie¡¯s mood seemed to improve. She said to Kate, ¡°Kate, Malinda and Louis are finally


    together. They¡¯re on a flight this afternoon, and


    they¡¯ll be here tonight¡±


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go pick them up and have dinner together,¡± Kate responded.


    With that, they quickened their pace to leave.


    I met up with my mom, and we chatted as we walked. Bailey was waiting for us.


    By now, it was going to be nightfall by the time we got back to the city. No wonder Bonnie and the


    others were so rushed.


    As soon as I got back to the city, I received a call from Ste.


    ¡°Rena, I need your help! Ste sounded panicked, ¡°Do you remember Halley? Something¡¯s happened


    to him!¡±


    Of course, I remember him. He helped me write that article exposing Bonnie, and he helped me look


    into those pictures of me and Oscar hugging.


    He didn¡¯t charge me a dime, iming to respect Ste and treating this as a favor between friends.


    Plus, he used to post a lot of information about Neil, so he was used to it.


    However, I had no contact with Halley for the past two years.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He heard that Neil¡¯s father had an illegitimate child and published a news article without any evidence.


    Although he retracted it in time, it still caused some rumors. After Neil found out, Halley disappeared!¡±


    Ste was angry and helpless as she said, ¡°He¡¯s willing to do anything for fame, but this isn¡¯t


    entertainment news. How could he just write it?¡±


    I was startled. Was the news I saw yesterday written by Halley?


    He was really reckless, provoking Neil again and again, this time even daring to publicize Neil¡¯s family


    affairs.


    ¡°Halley is a good friend of mine, and his mother came to me to help find him. Rena, Neil won¡¯t answer


    our calls. Can you help contact him? If Halley is in his hands, can you tell him not to go too hard?¡±


    Ste asked.


    My mom was listening to me on the phone, but she probably couldn¡¯t hear what Ste was saying.


    I answered sinctly. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Halley helped me out, and now Ste is asking for my help. I can¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°What happened? My mom asked sharply.


    ¡°No big deal, Ste¡¯s friend disappeared suddenly. She hopes I can help find him, I replied calmly,


    trying not to let my mom see anything was amiss.


    My mom looked worried, ¡°Do you need my help?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No, Bailey, drop me off at the next intersection. Just take my mom home.¡±


    ¡°Rena, you..¡± My mom hesitated.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay.¡± I reassured her, and as soon as Bailey stopped the car, I got out.


    After Bailey drove off, I found a bench on the side of the road to sit down, then dialed Neil¡¯s number, I


    didn¡¯t really want to contact him, but things always


    seemed to force me to.


    The phone rang for a while, but no one answered.


    Just as I was about to hang up, Neil¡¯s voice came from the other end, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Neil, where are you?¡± I asked right away.


    I¡¯m at the office, what¡¯s up?¡± He asked back.


    I thought about my words and tried to keep my tone as soft as possible. ¡°Um, do you know Halley? A


    reporter.¡±


    There was a brief silence on Neil¡¯s end, then he chuckled and said, ¡°Yeah, I know him. You looking for


    him?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Ste that he identally offended you, and now he¡¯s missing. Is he with you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s not with me.¡± Neil¡¯s tone was slightly cold.


    Halley¡¯s not with him? Then who¡¯s he with? I was a bit puzzled. Neil wouldn¡¯t lie to me; he¡¯s the type to


    openly admit to anything he does.


    I was a bit dazed, and Neil reminded me, ¡°Halley¡¯s been in the business for many years, and I¡¯m not


    the only one he¡¯s offended. Do you think I¡¯m that bad? Just because of a piece of gossip news, I¡¯d grab


    him and beat him up?¡±


    Well, not really, or Halley would have been beaten to death by Neil a long time ago.


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± I hung up after that.


    I told Ste what Neil had said.


    Over at Ste¡¯s, I could hear the faint sound of a woman crying.


    She quietly told me that Halley¡¯s mom had found her house and had even knelt down on her floor


    asking for her help.


    Ste was distressed, ¡°How can I find Halley quickly? It takes time to find someone. I¡¯m just worried


    that something bad might happen to him before


    find him.¡±


    I never thought being a journalist would be such a risky job. There seemed to be a high possibility of


    pissing people off.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll help you look for him. We live in a society withws, no one would dare to harm him easily.


    I¡¯ll keep you updated about any news of him.¡± That¡¯s all I could do.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve asked Mitch to look for Neil. Neil should have a way to solve this.¡± Ste replied.


    I believed Neil would definitely have a way. As long as he was willing to help find Halley, he would be


    much faster than us.


    The question was whether he was willing to help. After all, most of his past scandals were revealed by


    Halley.

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    Chapter 177


    All right, let¡¯s do our own thing. Halley is a real pain in the ass, but he¡¯s his mom¡¯s only kid. His mom


    was crying her eyes out in front of me, and I just couldn¡¯t say no. Ste sighed and hung up the phone.


    I was sitting by the roadside, making phone calls to a few of my buddies in Rosemont, asking them to


    help me find Halley.


    They were more than willing to lend a hand, and now I just had to wait for the results.


    By the time I hung up thest call, it was gettingte. I was about to hail a cab when Bailey pulled up in


    his car.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, are you done with your business? I can give you a ride home.¡± Bailey always had a serious


    look on his face.


    He was really attentive, which made me pretty happy.


    I got into his car and said, ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road.¡±


    I felt a bit worn out on the way home, so I closed my eyes to catch a few winks.


    By the time we got home, I was already snoozing. Bailey had to wake me up.


    It was reallyte by then. I told him to be careful on the way home, and then I headed inside.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just before I hit the sack, Ste asked me in the group chat, ¡°Rena, did you know? Bonnie¡¯s friend is


    actually dating Louis. I was totally blindsided. Louis is Neil and the guys¡® buddy. What on earth does he


    see in her?¡±


    I had known about this for a while. I replied, ¡°Well, to each their own, let¡¯s not meddle in their business.¡±


    Barbara asked Ste, ¡°How did you find out that?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°They¡¯re going back to their homnd and asked Mitch out for a meal. Going out this


    late, I didn¡¯t let him go, so they postponed, but I bet they¡¯ll ask again tomorrow¡±


    I was beaten. I told them to continue their discussion in the group chat, and I was off to sleep.


    I


    The next morning, I was roused by a call from Ste. She sounded really excited. ¡°Rena, Neil sent me


    a photo. Halley¡¯s hand has been broken, but he said he didn¡¯t do it. It was his people who found out.¡±


    I was a bit confused, ¡°What¡¯s he trying to say?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, is he aware of Halley¡¯s whereabouts, then deliberately not telling us, and


    then¡­ Ste said somewhat helplessly, ¡°he¡¯s waiting for you toe to him.¡±


    I frowned. Is Neil still ying this card?


    If I had more time, I would be able to find Halley. But given Halley¡¯s current situation, by the time we


    find him, it might be toote.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go to him!¡± I said as I got up. This was my way of repaying Halley for his past help.


    Ste hesitated a bit, ¡°Rena, are you really going to go find Neil? This could bring a lot of trouble to


    you. How about we look for him ourselves?¡±


    I was changing my clothes as I said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked Halley for help before. Even though he helped me


    because of you, he was always willing to help me and didn¡¯t want anything in return. I can¡¯t stand by


    and watch him get hurt. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s so badass to beat him up like this.¡±


    Ste made up her mind right away, ¡°All right, go find Neil. Mitch is about to go have a meal with Neil,


    and I¡¯ll send you the address¡±


    Mitch must have already asked Neil, but Neil didn¡¯t tell him. So it was pretty safe to say he was waiting


    for me toe to him for answers.


    As soon as I got the address, I dashed out the door, heading straight for the destination.


    Before I left, I had a hunch that Malinda and Louis were going back to their homnd today to treat


    everyone to a meal. There would be quite a crowd. but that was fine I wouldn¡¯t have to be alone with


    Neil.


    As soon as I pushed the door open, I saw Neil sitting right across from the entrance, with Mitch and


    Louis next to him and Russel a few seats away.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯re here¡± Ste was waiting for me, and she called me over right away. ¡°Come over here,


    let¡¯s eat together¡±


    Everyone¡¯s faces were a mixed bag, especially Bonnie, Malinda, and Kate. They had ¡®not wee¡®


    written all over their faces.


    Russel was squinting at me, sizing me up.


    I walked straight over to Ste and sat down next to her, with Cooper on the other side. She arranged


    this seat to make me feelfortable.


    Neil¡¯s eyes were fixed on me the whole time; I could feel it clearly, and I¡¯m sure everyone else could


    too.


    Among them, Bonnie was probably the most upset.


    I nced at Neil, he didn¡¯t avoid my gaze. Instead, he gave a slight smile.


    I looked away, trying to figure out how to bring up Halley with Neil. If he could tell me where Halley was


    right away, there would be hope.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, long time no see!¡± Louis spoke up, and he warmly greeted me.


    Malinda, who was sitting next to him, immediately scowled and made a loud noise with her cutlery


    Bonnie quickly whispered something to her, apparently trying to calm her down.


    I didn¡¯t care about their attitudes. I just took out my phone and texted Neil, ¡°Do you know where Halley


    is? Could you do me a favor and tell me where he


    Neil¡¯s phone beeped. He read the message but didn¡¯t reply. He just gave me a deep look.


    ¡°Irene, howe you¡¯re here?¡± Bonnie suddenly asked, pretending to be puzzled. She asked Malinda,


    ¡°Malinda, did you invite Irene?¡±


    ¡°Why would I invite her? I¡¯m not close with her.¡± Malinda replied with displeasure


    Louis timely lightened the mood, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, we¡¯re all friends, just having a meal together,


    invitation or not, it doesn¡¯t matter¡±


    Cooper rolled her eyes, I¡¯m not close with you either. Why did you invite me?¡±


    He now had a very poor impression of Bonnie, including Malinda and Kate. He wouldn¡¯t be nice to


    them.


    Malinda¡¯s face froze, and she turned to Louis, her eyes filled with grievance.


    Louis put his arm around her shoulders and soothingly said, ¡°All right, let¡¯s just enjoy the meal, no need


    for squabbles.¡±


    When Malinda heard Louis didn¡¯t immediately have her back, her face turned beet red.


    Bonnie hopped in to defend her, ¡°Cooper, you¡¯re tight with Neil and Russel, and naturally, you¡¯re cool


    with Louis too. He came back home and wanted to gather everyone. It¡¯s not like Malinda invited


    everyone out for dinner all by herself.¡±


    Cooper didn¡¯t utter a word, a cloud of gloom hanging over him.


    Listening to their heated exchange, I didn¡¯t really have the mental space to dig deeper into it. Instead, I


    shot a text to Neil: Halley did me a solid once, and I want to return the favor. If you know where he¡¯s at


    and you¡¯re willing to spill, I¡¯d owe you one.


    Neil texted back: There are many ways to return a favor. Are you sure?


    His response gave me the heebie¨Cjeebies.


    After mulling it over for a bit, I replied. Never mind then, I can find him myself, slowly but surely.


    Neil didn¡¯t text back, but his face took on a sour look.


    After putting my phone away, I could feel another pair of eyes on me. It was Russel.


    It was pretty darn obvious that I was texting Neil, and he could probably guess what we were talking


    about.


    Russel pulled his gaze back and kept his lips zipped.

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    Chapter 178


    Chapter 178


    I was left with a pang of guilt, feeling like Russel¡¯s eyes were filled with disappointment.


    In hindsight, me telling him to go with the flowst time was a mistake. It was as if I gave him some sort


    of hint, and maybe I should¡¯ve been clearer to him to stop wasting his time on me.


    When I joined, the dinner table got all weird. Everyone was just minding their own business, eating and


    hardly speaking, especially Neil and Russel. Their interaction was almost nonexistent


    Bonnie¡¯s phone ringing out of the blue broke the awkward silence.


    Her face turned all weird after a nce at the caller ID. She waved at Malinda and went out to take the


    call.


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯ve lost my appetite. I¡¯m gonna head out.¡± The atmosphere was making me feel queasy, let


    alone eating.


    ¡°Alright!¡± After hearing me out, Ste immediately realized that there was probably no hope of getting


    Neil¡¯s help. She didn¡¯t me me though, just told me to be careful on my way.


    I waved at Louis and left.


    After leaving the private room, I sent the chat log between me and Neil to Ste.


    Ste wrote back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Rena, I won¡¯t let you get screwed over. Who knows what Neil


    could have made you do?¡±


    I was thinking the same.


    Just as I was leaving the hotel, I saw a familiar figure. I couldn¡¯t help but take a second look.


    Finn was alone in the hotel lobby, looking around. When he saw me, there was a noticeable change in


    his eyes, as if he recognized me.


    I had a bad feeling about this.


    But Finn just looked at me for a few seconds, then took the elevator upstairs. I took note of the floor he


    was on; it was the same one where I had dinner.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Was this a coincidence?


    After a while, Finn didn¡¯te back down, so I decided to leave.


    Just as I was getting in the car, Neil showed up. Was he leaving too?


    ¡°What are you doing in my car?¡± I asked Neil, who was sitting in the passenger seat, clearly not thrilled


    about it.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna tell you where Halley is Neil¡¯s profile was quite exquisite. He looked indifferent, showing no


    intention of helping me.


    I was surprised, ¡°So I don¡¯t owe you anymore?¡±


    ¡°Actually, you do Neil turned to look at me, his eyes fixed on me, ¡°How about we go to a movie?¡±


    I did not see thising.


    Usually, going to a movie alone was something couples or married people do.


    Neil and I were a divorced couple, so it was kind of weird for us to go to a movie. But if it¡¯s just a movie,


    no strings attached, I guess I can live with that.


    I thought for a moment, ¡°All right, tell me where Halley is first.¡±


    A smirk shed across Neil¡¯s face. He swiftly sent me an address and said, ¡°Finn took him, but I didn¡¯t


    check why.¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t bother with things that don¡¯t concern him.


    I nodded and quickly sent the address to Ste, asking her and Mitch to call the police.


    After I finished texting, Neil said, ¡°See you tonight. I¡¯ll send you the time and ce¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± I replied.


    Just then, Russel showed up in the distance.


    Neil¡¯s smile disappeared as soon as he saw Russel. He got out of the car.


    The two of them exchanged a nce as they passed each other. There was a coldness, even hostility,


    between them.


    I felt a headacheing on. Why did it always have to be this awkward?


    Russel approached me I thought he would ask what Neil and I were talking about, but he just reminded


    me, ¡°Be careful on your way.¡±


    ¡°All right, Russel,¡± I said guiltily, ¡°I had something to ask Neil for¡±


    ¡°Right. Hopefully one day, when you need help, I¡¯ll be the first person you think of.¡± Russel smiled, but


    there was a sense of loneliness in his smile.


    Watching him walk away, I felt a pang of bitterness, I was intentionally avoiding him.


    He was the only one who knew I might never be able to get pregnant again. Did he not mind the fact


    that he might not be able to be a father if he was


    with me?


    Even if he agreed, his parents might object.


    With a sigh of resignation, I drove home.


    My parents were home, discussing something and looking a bit down.


    Seeing me back, they frowned even more.


    Dad, Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    Nothing, where have you been?¡± My mom asked with a forced smile.


    had dinner with Ste and then came back,¡± I replied.


    My parents exchanged a nce. ¡°Neil didn¡¯t join you, did he?¡± My dad asked.


    No, he didn¡¯t,¡± I shook my head.


    I was lying. If I admitted it, my parents would probably get upset and start ming me.


    You must cut all ties with Neil, do you understand? i think Dr. Russel is quite good. He told me he likes


    you. Why don¡¯t you consider epting him?¡± my mom said


    I was a bit shocked. My fears hade true. I had a feeling my mom was acting differently towards


    Russel when he came overst time.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, it¡¯s impossible for me to be with him. You know the rtionship between Russel and Neil.


    How could I be with him?¡± I made my thoughts


    clear


    My dad got angry, and he said, ¡°So what? He and Neil are not on good terms now, aren¡¯t they? He


    hasn¡¯t had any scandals all these years. He¡¯spletely different from Neil. You young people are so


    open. Why can¡¯t you ept him? Do you want to start over with Neil?¡±


    Indeed, I met with Neil and agreed to go to a movie with him tonight. But that was because I wanted to


    find someone to save Halley as soon as possible. As for Neil, what I can do is to repay his favor as


    soon as possible, not to solve it with money.


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong with you guys today? Why are we suddenly talking about this?¡± I was getting a bit


    frustrated.


    My mom pursed her lips and said, ¡°You had dinner with Ste today, and Neil was there too, right? You


    are lying to us, right?¡±


    How did my parents know?


    ¡°Who told you?¡± I asked in surprise.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who told us. In short, you are not allowed to go out these days. Just stay


    home and behave!¡± my dad ordered firmly.


    It seemed that my n to go to a movie with Neil tonight was off.


    I tried to exin, but my parents wouldn¡¯t hear it. They insisted that Ipletely cut off contact with


    Neil and not speak a word to him.


    Just then, my phone buzzed with a text from Neil, ¡°Pick a movie you wanna see and let me know.¡±


    Before I could even tell him my current situation, my phone was snatched away by my mom and dad,


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep your phone for now, just to stop you from chit¨Cchatting with him!¡±

 Chapter 179

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    Chapter 179


    I tried to get back my phone, but judging by my mom¡¯s face, I didn¡¯t want to piss her off and give her


    heart trouble.


    I finally said, ¡°Mom, just turn off my phone then.¡±


    As soon as she heard that, she switched off my phone.


    At night, I looked at the clock on the wall, feeling a bit uneasy. Neil was probably waiting for me to


    watch a movie, but I didn¡¯t show up


    He must think I stood him up on purpose. But I couldn¡¯t contact him now to exin. My mom was


    always by my side, praising Russel from time to time.


    ¡°Mom, who told you that Neil was there today?¡± I couldn¡¯t figure this out.


    It couldn¡¯t have been Ste and Mitch, and Bonnie didn¡¯t have my mom¡¯s contact info. The only person


    I could think of was Russel.


    But I didn¡¯t want to suspect him. He wouldn¡¯t do something like that.


    Was it Neil who told my parents?!


    My mom gave me a side¨Ceye, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who told me. The bottom line, you can¡¯t have


    any contact with Neil. You¡¯ve been hurt by him once. Do you want to make the same mistake again?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t.¡± I tried to exin, ¡°I had a reason to go to that party today!¡±


    I told my mom about Halley, and she looked at me puzzled. After a while, she repeated her words,


    ¡°Bottom line, you can¡¯t have any contact with Neil. You¡¯re not a little girl anymore, and you need to think


    about your future!*


    I knew my parents were scared. My failed five¨Cyear marriage with Neil not only hurt them but also


    brought them some criticism.


    So now they were very cautious about Neil and didn¡¯t allow me to have any connection with him.


    I kept checking the time, and when the clock struck twelve, my heart sank.


    My parents had already gone to bed. After sitting quietly for a while, I decided to wash up and go to


    bed.


    Just as I reached my room, a car horn honked urgently outside, and then all was quiet.


    I went to the balcony to check. From this angle, I could see the front gate. A ck Lincoln was parked


    quietly outside, lights on


    Neil sat in the car, the half¨Copen window was softly lit. He seemed to be looking towards the gate, but I


    couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly.


    I quickly went downstairs, intending to exin to him, I indeed stood him up. But when I reached the


    front gate, Neil¡¯s car had already left, leaving only the deep night.


    Let him misunderstand, and then he won¡¯t bother me again. I shook my head helplessly and went back


    to bed.


    For the next few days, I was like a prisoner, and my parents were like jailers.


    They took turns watching me, finally handing over the surveince duties to Bailey.


    Bailey has been with me for a long time, so he quickly revealed his mission to me.


    ¡°I know it, no worries,¡± I said while watching TV and eating grapes, then quietly said to Bailey next to


    me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, have you really decided not to look back?¡± Bailey asked hesitantly.


    I put down the grapes in my hand and turned to him, ¡°Bailey, do you also think, like my parents, that I


    haven¡¯t really let go of Neil?¡±


    Bailey looked apologetic, ¡®Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked these questions!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Bailey, don¡¯t always see our rtionship as master and servant. I¡¯ve always


    considered you a friend.¡±


    Bailey bowed his head slightly, not saying a word.


    I continued, ¡°I understand why you asked that question. You¡¯ve seen my unrequited love for Neil; you


    must think I¡¯ve given too much, and it¡¯s hard to let


    go.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I just think you should find a man who truly loves you.¡± Bailey said sincerely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a man who truly loves me waiting for me. Bailey, lend me your phone!¡± I


    stretched out my hand.


    Bailey looked at my hand, a troubled look on his face. My parents had taken away my phone just to


    prevent me from contacting Neil.


    They thought too much, I just wanted to ask Ste if Halley had been rescued.


    I shook my hand again, ¡°Aren¡¯t you lending it to me? I want to call Ste!¡±


    Bailey sighed lightly and handed me his phone.


    I immediately dialed Ste¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello?¡± The call was picked up quickly. Ste didn¡¯t know who it was.


    ¡°Ste, it¡¯s me, how¡¯s Halley?¡± I asked.


    Ste¡¯s tone changed immediately, ¡°Rena? What happened to you? Your phone has been off, I couldn¡¯t


    contact you. I was about toe to your house¡±


    I nced at Bailey, Bailey smartly left the living room and went outside to sunbathe.


    After Bailey left, I told Ste about my current situation.


    She was shocked; my enlightened parents were actually putting me under house arrest.


    Now your parents are Neil¡¯s biggest opponents!* Ste sighed.


    Indeed.¡± I said, ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t told me how Halley is. Was it Finn?¡±


    Ste told me after receiving the information, she called the police. They found Halley in a deserted


    vi, he was in a dangerous situation.


    But the others had already fled. Now Halley was in the hospital, and the police were investigating his


    kidnappers.


    She asked, ¡°Rena, how did you convince Neil? I heard from Mitch that Neil has been in a bad mood


    these days, always drinking. Does this have anything


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    to do with you?¡±


    I had to exin to her about agreeing to watch a movie with Neil.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe¡­¡± Ste answered in shock, ¡°Do you two have something you¡¯re not telling me? It¡¯s


    hard to understand why Neil would ask you to watch a movie with him, and it¡¯s even more


    iprehensible that he¡¯s in such a bad mood because you didn¡¯t go.¡±


    I¡¯m more worried that he would misunderstand and think I stood him up on purpose to tease him, then


    he would bother me in the future.


    Suddenly, I heard Mitch¡¯s voice from Ste¡¯s end, ¡°All right, try to calm him down! I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Neil¡¯s drunk and got into some squabble. They say they can¡¯t handle him, I gotta go check it out!¡±


    Mitch replied.


    I told Ste, ¡°All right, Ste, I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    Neil getting into a conflict with someone? I ain¡¯t worried about him one bit. If anything. It was the other


    guy I should be worried about.


    After hanging up. I handed my phone back to Bailey and then headed upstairs to y some piano to


    kill time.


    After a while, Bailey suddenly came upstairs, looking a bit troubled, ¡°Ms. Finch!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I stopped ying, asking with a puzzled look.


    Bailey seemed a bit hesitant and finally just shook his head, ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s almost dinner time. Want me


    to start cooking?¡±

 Chapter 180

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    Chapter 180


    Bailey could be called a real whizz at domestic chores. He used to whip up meals for me quite often.


    It had been a while since Ist tasted his cooking I guess trying it again wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°All right, my folks will be back soon. Why don¡¯t you start cooking so we can all eat together?¡± I set


    down my cello, stretching my stiff shoulders and


    orms.


    Bailey nodded and headed downstairs to cook while I went and had a rxing bath, looking forward to


    a good night¡¯s sleep after dinner.


    By the time my parents returned, Bailey had prepared a few homely dishes that smelled delicious. My


    mom invited him to join us, but he declined.


    ¡°You should head home and get some rest then.¡± I said.


    ¡°Okay¡± Bailey looked at me, seeming like be wanted to say something, but ended up just sighing


    helplessly before leaving


    I¡¯ve been feeling prettyid back recently,zing around doing nothing much. After dinner, I went


    upstairs to bed, picked up a book, and began to read.


    It wasn¡¯t until Alicia appeared at my bedroom door that I thought I was hallucinating.


    Alicia came in, shutting the door behind her and locking it.


    ¡°Ali, what brings you here?¡± I tossed the book aside, asking in surprise.


    ¡°Neil¡¯s been injured. Ste called your driver to let you know. Didn¡¯t you get the message?¡± Alicia sat


    down by my bed, ¡°She and Mitch are at the hospital now, too scared to inform Neil¡¯s parents, and they


    can¡¯t let the media find out¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I was taken aback, ¡°Neil is hurt? Is it serious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty bad. That¡¯s why I came to tell you,¡± Alicia sighed heavily, ¡°He¡¯s got a head injury and needs


    hospitalization.¡±


    I was shocked. How did Neil end up getting hit on the head?


    But telling me wasn¡¯t going to help. I was no doctor.


    ¡°Then he should rest and stop drinking so much¡± I replied.


    The problem is he¡¯s still drunk and refuses to cooperate with the doctors. Otherwise, Ste wouldn¡¯t


    have asked me to find you. We all don¡¯t want any more issues between you and Neil Alicia seemed a


    bit puzzled, ¡°Is Neil always this stubborn?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t him being stubborn; he was just upset with himself


    I didn¡¯t want to go to the hospital. If Neil had insisted on tormenting himself like this, it was not going to


    be thest time, and I couldn¡¯t always be there to help


    Just then, Alicia¡¯s phone rang It was Mitch. He spoke a few words and then asked me to take the call.


    ¡°Rena, could you do me a favor? Right now, it seems like you¡¯re the only one who can get through to


    him. He refuses treatment and won¡¯t take his medicine or get his shots.¡± Mitch pleaded desperately, ¡°I


    understand this may cause you trouble, but we really don¡¯t have any other options. I don¡¯t dare to


    inform his parents right now¡±


    Ste chimed in coldly. ¡°It¡¯s his own damn fault.¡±


    Mitch hurriedly added, ¡°Rena, please do this for me. Neil and I have been good friends for many years.


    Seeing him hurt like this really breaks my heart.¡±


    Hearing Mitch¡¯s pitiful tone and remembering how I stood Neil up a few days ago¡­


    ¡°I¡¯lle over soon, but Neil¡¯s drunk out of his mind right now, I can¡¯t guarantee if my words will have


    any effect.¡± I rubbed my temples, feeling a bit troubled


    ¡°Great, we¡¯ll discuss further when you get here!¡± Mitch responded with relief.


    After hanging up, Alicia watched me get up and change my clothes, then asked, ¡®Are you still nning


    on going? Why can¡¯t you just cut him offpletely and not care about anything?¡±


    I made a bitter face, ¡°I stood him up a few days ago. This is one of the indirect reasons he¡¯s been


    drinking heavily. Plus, Mitch seemed like he was about to burst into tears. I guess I¡¯ll go


    Alicia frowned, looking concerned about my future.


    When Alicia and I came downstairs, we found Sean there too, chatting over coffee with my parents.


    They seemed to be getting along quite well.


    ¡°My boyfriend suggested me and my friends go out for ate¨Cnight snack; he promised he¡¯d make sure


    Rena gets home safe¡± Alicia told my parents.


    My parents hesitated. If I were to go, there would be Ste, possibly Mitch too, and wouldn¡¯t Neil be


    there as well?


    Sean chimed in at this point, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s another friend of mine going with us too, the four of


    us together. It¡¯spletely safe¡±


    Hearing that it was just going to be the four of us, my parents immediately rxed, ¡°All right, Rena,


    make sure youe home early¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± I agreed.


    Then I left with Alicia and Sean. Once we got in the car, we headed straight for the hospital.


    Neil was lying in a single room, with Mitch, Ste, and Cooper standing guard. There were quite a few


    blood stains on the white hospital bed. The smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of blood was pungent.


    His wound was at the back of his head; he was lying on his side with blood flowing onto the pillow,


    staining it a bright red.


    Reno, you¡¯re here!¡± Mitch¡¯s eyes instantly lit up.


    Neil seemed to stir a bit when he heard Mitch¡¯s words.


    I walked straight over to the bed. After carefully examining his wound, I asked, ¡°How old are you? Still


    getting drunk and getting into fights, you¡¯re the only son your parents have. Do you want them to outlive


    their child?*


    Neil¡¯s eyes were tightly shut, dried blood still stained his long, thick eyshes.


    He pretended not to hear and didn¡¯t respond


    Drunk men can be so exasperating, he was even ying possum now.


    Seeing this, Mitch quietly led Ste and Cooper out, shutting the door to the room behind him.


    ¡°All right then, since you won¡¯t listen, there¡¯s no point in me staying here. Just be careful.¡± I turned to


    leave.


    Neil lifted his hand to grab my wrist, his voice still a bit rough, ¡°I¡¯m listening¡±


    That was more like it, it saved me some time.


    I immediately called out to the doorway, ¡°Ste, get the doctor!¡±


    Soon the medical staff came and took Neil to be examined and treated. Before he was wheeled away, I


    was going to head home, but Mitch and Cooper blocked my way


    Especially Cooper, the guilt was practically pouring out of his eyes, ¡°Irene, Neil still values you the


    most. I was so foolish before, thinking he didn¡¯t really like you. But today it was you who saved the day.


    If he had continued like this and something happened, the Whitmore family would have been done for.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can you hang on a bit, let him patch himself up, say a few words, then split?¡± Mitch was


    definitely Neil¡¯s good bro. The birthday gift Neil gave him wasn¡¯t for nothing.


    Ste was shooting me the stink eye, and she knew how much of a doormat I was in front of Neil


    before.


    Alicia and Sean were just on the sidelines and didn¡¯t feel it was their ce toment.


    I was talked into waiting a bit longer by the two of them. While waiting, Cooper clued me in on why Neil


    got into a scrap today.


    The one who had a beef with Neil this time was Raymon, the guy I met when I was helping Oscar look


    for a job before.


    After thest time Raymon got his clock cleaned, he was cheesed off, but he knew he couldn¡¯t go toe


    to toe with Neil


    So, he roped in some people to invite Neil for a drink as an apology. During the apology, they got into


    another argument.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Raymon?¡± I asked. The guy was pretty tough, daring toy a hand on Neil this time.


    Cooper answered, ¡°He¡¯s still in ICU.¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Chapter 181


    I was speechless.


    Just as I thought, Neil wasn¡¯t one to take a hit without giving one back. I genuinely thought he¡¯d just got


    beaten up, and the guy walked away without a scratch.


    ¡°Why were they fighting? I thought you said Raymon went to apologize to Neil?¡± Alicia appeared


    confused.


    Cooper, having been a bystander, surely knew what went down, but he seemed hesitant to speak and


    even nced at me.


    That got me a little scared. I was seriously worried he¡¯d say it was because of me again.


    Cooper cleared his throat and said, ¡°Raymon said some nasty things about Irene. Nell had a few drinks


    in him, so he lost it.¡±


    I just facepalmed, speechless. Cooper might as well not have said anything.


    Now everyone was looking at me with different expressions on their faces.


    ¡°When Rena was crazy about him, why didn¡¯t he appreciate it?¡± Ste, always direct, said angrily.


    Mitch quickly tried to calm her down, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t get mad. It was Neil¡¯s fault in the past. Hasn¡¯t he


    paid the price now? Let¡¯s not bash him; he¡¯s already injured¡±


    Ste just rolled her eyes.


    Sean then chimed in and said, ¡°I seem to remember seeing Mr. Whitmore in the tabloids with various


    actresses a few years ago, but I¡¯m not sure if it was


    true or not.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sean was very calm when he said this as if it was just casual conversation.


    ¡°You remember correctly, Neil was never quiet back then. After his divorce, these past two years, he¡¯s


    actually settled down. He really brought it on himself.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t mind Sean adding fuel to the fire. In


    fact, she was fanning the mes.


    Mitch and Cooper had intended to keep me here to console Nel, so he could recover. Instead, it turned


    into everyone else gossiping about Neil.


    Both of them were extremely awkward. After all, they were the ones who sided against me with Neil.


    After a while, it was alreadyte, and Neil was finally brought back.


    He was now in a hospital gown, with bandages wrapped around his head. He looked weak, but his


    eyes were very clear.


    Mitch and Cooper immediately followed into the room, asking the nurse about his condition.


    After the nurse had given her instructions, she left.


    We were all standing around Neil¡¯s bed, but only Mitch and Cooper seemed genuinely concerned.


    As for me, I wasn¡¯t worried about him, I was just concerned about how to exin to my parents if I got


    homete.


    In my past life, when I was in thete stages of cancer, didn¡¯t Neil not care about me? Aside from


    discussing our divorce, he hardly ever saw me.


    Remembering the pain I had suffered, I even began to regreting here today.


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯ll have to stay in the hospital for a while. What are you going to do about thepany?¡±


    Mitch asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll delegate to the other executives for now, don¡¯t worry¡± Neil¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, probably


    because of the alcohol.


    Mitch nodded, then thoughtfully poured Neil a ss of water. Ste, Alicia, Sean, and I were just


    standing there like ornaments.


    This was the first time Neil had been so seriously injured, didn¡¯t Russel know? Why hadn¡¯t hee?


    My mind started racing. In situations like these, Russel should be concerned about Neil¡¯s condition.


    This hospital was where Russel worked.


    And Neil¡¯s Injury was to the head, which was exactly Russel¡¯s field of expertise.


    ¡°I have to go, Neil. Take care of yourself, and hope you recover soon.¡± I put aside my messy thoughts,


    said a few words to Neil, and then asked Alicia and the others to take me home.


    Neil stopped me, ¡°Wait!¡±


    I looked at him, puzzled.


    Neil looked pale after losing blood from his injuries.


    His brows were distinct, his pupils deep. If you only looked at his face, he looked like a character from a


    ck and whiteic.


    He obviously had something to say but was hesitant.


    He wouldn¡¯t bring up our issues in front of so many people. Knowing him, he probably wanted to ask


    why I didn¡¯t show up like we agreed.


    I didn¡¯t want any unnecessary misunderstandings between us, so I was about to exin when several


    people rushed in.


    ¡°Neil, what happened?¡± Bonnie was at the forefront. She went straight to the bed and asked anxiously.


    Nell looked at her, his frowned brow furrowed even more, and the coldness and disgust in his eyes


    were clear.


    Even though I had seen his attitude towards Bonnie before, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh when i saw it again.


    The contrast was too clear


    ¡°What happened? How did you get into a fight?¡± Louis asked worriedly. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me anything. If


    Russel hadn¡¯t told me, I wouldn¡¯t have known Russel knew it, and he told Louls.


    hapter


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just ran into an inarticte idiot, and I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Neil¡¯s attitude towards Louis was


    decent, and the atmosphere eased a bit


    ¡°Is your head injured? Does it still hurt?¡± Bonnie was very concerned; she leaned in to check Neil¡¯s


    injuries.


    Kate started to speak, ¡°Nell, you don¡¯t have to treat Bonnie like this. She ran over here as soon as she


    heard you were injured. She didn¡¯t even change her


    clothes.¡±


    Then she nced at me, ¡°Some people are better at putting on a show. They came to visit early I


    thought she had really given up Neil.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows, and I seemed to understand more and more why Bonnie and she got along so


    well, it turned out they both liked to provoke.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ste immediately raised her voice, ¡°Mitch and Cooper asked Rena to


    come. Without her, Neil might not have cooperated with the treatment, making things worse. You let


    Bonnie try to persuade him. See if he¡¯ll listen.¡±


    Mitch immediately chimed in, ¡°Right, I asked her toe.¡±


    ¡°Kate, there¡¯s no need to target Irene. Your unreasonable behavior is annoying¡± Cooper said coldly.


    Kate¡¯s face immediately turned pale. Clearly, she¡¯d been hit hard by the sharp criticism


    ¡°Mitch, Cooper, my sister is just worried about Neil, and she¡¯s not targeting Irene.¡± Bonnie immediately


    came to Kate¡¯s defense.


    ¡°All right, you guys carry on, I¡¯ll be heading out. Ali, y¡¯all heading out too?¡± The things I wanted to say,


    Ste and the gang have already said them, and I don¡¯t need to add fuel to the fre


    Alicia gave Sean a nod, answering, ¡°Sure thing, we¡¯ll walk you home.¡±


    Neil was looking at me all quietly Obviously he didnt get the answer to his question earlier. It must be


    driving him up the wall.


    So, Alicia, Sean, and I took off first On our way home, Alicia got a text from Ste


    Then she excitedly told me, ¡°This is hrious Bonnie and her crew got kicked out by Neil. She¡¯s even


    crying her eyes out.¡±


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t like her or something?¡± Sean suddenly popped the question.


    ¡°Of course, who¡¯d like a homewrecker?¡± Alicia shot back, not mincing her words.

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    It waste when I got home. My dad was already asleep, but my mom was waiting for me in the living


    room.


    ¡°Hi, sorry We had a great time at dinner, so we¡¯re a bitte, Sean exined as soon as he saw my


    mom.


    My mom seemed a bit upset, but since Alicia was my good friend and Sean was her boyfriend, she


    didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°d you¡¯re home, my mom replied.


    ¡°We¡¯re heading out now,¡± Alicia quickly said.


    ¡°Take care on the road, my mom nodded with a smile.


    Once Alicia and Sean left, my mom¡¯s smile faded. She asked, ¡°Did you really go out to dinner with


    them?¡±


    I nodded and replied, ¡°Yes¡±


    If


    my mom found out I¡¯d been to the hospital to see Neil again, I could be sure Russel was the one who


    told her


    I calmly poured a ss of water and waited for her to continue


    But my mom didn¡¯t ask any more questions Instead, she seriously advised me, ¡®Good I can¡¯t keep you


    locked up forever, Irene. You have to make smart decisions.¡±


    She then handed me my phone. Here¡¯s your phone. Go to bed


    ¡°Okay, mom, I got it I happily took my phone and hummed a tune while heading upstairs. As a woman


    of the 21st century life without a phone was a challenge I hadn¡¯t found a steady job yet so I hadn¡¯t even


    gotten around to getting aputer Life seemed pretty barren


    Once upstairs, I immediately plugged my phone in to charge and turned it on


    I had over twenty missed calls most of them from Neil and a few from Russel Ste, and Oscar


    I had 99+ messages on WhatsApp


    I nced through each one replied to those who needed a response, and finallynded on Neils chat


    Neil had witten multiple messages. Did you like the movie?


    Why arent you replying? Why


    up your phone?


    Irene, you¡¯re not messing with mu


    You got clues from me and then ignored me?


    The movie has started. Are you messing with me?¡±


    Thest message was sent the night tignored him, and it said. ¡°I¡¯m outside your house?


    He¡¯d sent me a message to notify me, but because i didnt reply he probably felt like a fool and left soon


    after


    Seeing all the messages hed sent,


    him up, he chose to ignore me


    emotions. I used to send messages to Ned just like this, but the difference was I was forced to stand


    I was suddenly a bit happy Ned finally got a taste of being ignored.


    He even got beaten up Did that mean there was justice in this world?


    It was a bit immoral to think this way but it was fun if i block him now, he¡¯d probably be livid


    In the end. I gave up on the idea, fearing Mitch and the others woulde after me again.


    Neil¡¯s injury should¡¯ve been kept a secret. He was the heir to Whitmore Co and the only son of the


    Whitmore family


    If news of his brain injury got out, it would definitely affect thepany¡¯s interests After all, his


    business acumen was quite impressive.


    But for some reason, within two days, newspapers and the inte were filled with news of his injury,


    and it was blown out of proportion. After reading few articles, I even started to wonder if Neil had been


    knocked silly


    Neil quickly responded by releasing his medical report, proving his injuries weren¡¯t serious


    Interestingly, once he was injured, many women he¡¯d been rumored to be involved with sent him their


    well¨Cwishes for a speedy recovery


    ¡°Rena, Neil¡¯s parents, went to the hospital to see him, Ste said with a hint of sarcasm during our


    phone chat. And that Bonnie, she goes three times a day like a hursel


    ¡°Let her be. Hopefully, her sincerity can touch Neil,¡± I calmly replied.


    7 think that¡¯s highly unlikely,¡± Ste said. ¡°Do you think she intentionally leaked the news of Neil¡¯s injury


    for revenge?¡±


    I didn¡¯t think so. After all, she was hoping Neil would fall in love with her now. She wouldn¡¯t do


    something so stupid.


    I replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely someone from Raymon¡¯s end did it. Even though he¡¯s in the ICU,


    someone must know about their feud.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. I have to go see what toy those two are fighting over now!¡± Ste¡¯s kids suddenly


    started making a fuss, so she had to hang up in a hurry


    As ¨¤ mother, her life was indeed much busier


    was lounging on the rocking chair in the yard, hoping to catch some sleep. Just as I was about to doze


    off, a call woke me up, and the caller surprised


    Chapter 182


    ime.


    ¡°Trene,¡± Faith Whitmore¡¯s tired voice came through the phone after I answered it.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± I politely asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m in Rosemont right now. Do you have time to meet with me?¡± Faith asked.


    I didn¡¯t have a reason to meet with anyone from the Whitmore family, so I gently declined.


    But Faith didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Irene, we were family after all. Let¡¯s meet for a meal. I have something to


    discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me over the phone,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet anyway. We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time. I¡¯m near your house right now. It¡¯ll only


    take half an hour, Faith¡¯s tone was sincere, without a trace of superiority


    My parents were both at work today, and I was home alone. Although I could meet Faith, I didn¡¯t think it


    was necessary.


    In the end, I still refused. After hanging up the phone, I sat in silence for a while. I lost the mood to


    sunbathe, so I got up to go back to the living room.


    ¡°Irene,¡± someone called from outside the door, ¡°Can we talk for a bit?¡±


    The security in my neighborhood was excellent, but anyone who had been to my house before could


    generallye right in.


    I didn¡¯t expect Faith to show up at my front door


    Since she was already here, I had no choice but to open the door and invite Faith into the living room. I


    poured her a cup of coffee and prepared some fruit.


    ¡°Trene, I know I shouldn¡¯t be bothering you, but I just can¡¯t help myself.¡± Faith¡¯s face was etched with


    exhaustion,


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Two years had passed, and she seemed to have aged significantly, yet still dressed in her elegant and


    dignified attire, wearing the gemstone ne | once gave her.


    These past two years, Neil has been more of a worry than ever. After your divorce, he showed no


    interest in the blind dates we set up for him, and he¡¯s had no contact with women whatsoever. Irene,


    he¡¯s my only son, and I sure as hell don¡¯t want to see him single for the rest of his life, and I can¡¯t let


    Whitmore Co. die in his hands.


    I listened quietly, not yet sure what Faith was driving at.


    Looking at me, Faith¡¯s eyes held a hint of embarrassment, ¡°Irene, I know it¡¯s a big ask for you toe


    back, but today, I¡¯m swallowing my pride to ask if you could give Neil another shot?¡±

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Chapter 183


    ¡°Don¡¯t put me on the spot ¡°I finally replied after a moment of silence


    Over the years, I¡¯ve given Neil countless chances, but he never valued them.


    My answer brought a look of disappointment on Faith¡¯s face She sighed, ¡®It¡¯s his fault


    ¡°Pointing fingers now doesn¡¯t make a difference Neil is not a kid, and he has to take responsibility for


    his past actions. ¡°I said softly


    ¡°Rena, do you have someone you fancy? Faith suddenly asked.


    I shook my head calmly. ¡°No, but it doesn¡¯t mean I will backtrack¡±


    Faith gave a bitter smile. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just hope you find someone you like soon, it would


    also help Neil to get over you¡±


    It was easier said than done, especially when I didn¡¯t know where to find the one I¡¯d like


    ¡°All right, Irene Faith stood up, her expression much more rxed, ¡°I understand your decision, Sorry


    for barging in today¡±


    Faith had always been good to me, except for not telling me about Karina Aaron. I didn¡¯tpletely


    resent her. Seeing her humble herself for Neil, I felt a mix of sympathy and helplessness


    After seeing Faith out, I immediately received a call from Neil.


    ¡°Did my mom visit you?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°She just left.¡± I answered. ¡°You knew she wasing, and you didn¡¯t stop her?¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Neil sounded defeated, ¡°She mentioned it to me. I told her not to bother you. But by the time I woke up,


    she was gone.¡°.


    He paused, his voice growing softer as he said, ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t listen to her


    As if I would, I was not crazy


    Since he was only calling about this, I hung up after I answered his question.


    Ten days after Neil was hospitalized, he was discharged when he was almost recovered.


    Of course, I learned this from the news, and we hadn¡¯t been in touch for the past ten days


    The reason for his fight with Raymon was dug up during these days. I was just chilling at home when


    the gossip and controversy came raining down.


    The Inte was abuzz with all sorts of theories, some of them downright ridiculous.


    Somebody said, ¡°I have a crazy theory. What if Neil and his ex¨Cwife are still in love, and Bonnie is just


    a tool for Neil to provoke his ex¨Cwife?¡±


    Another one said, ¡°They never appeared together before their divorce. Is Mr. Whitmore trying to get


    back with his ex¨Cwife now?¡±


    The five¨Cyear marriage between Neil and me was indeed awkward. Now that it was brought up again,


    everyone knew the names Neil and Bonnie, but when it came to me, I was referred to as ¡®his ex¨Cwife.¡±


    These high¨Cprofile past events were easy targets for analysis, and it was kind of funny even for me


    Luckily Bonnie soon took some of the heat off me.


    The day after Neil¡¯s discharge, she revealed her current status to the public. She was Ms. Zora, the


    one who held two billion in investment funds, and the adopted daughter of Abner, the vice president of


    Harmony Enterprises.


    The news caused a sensation


    The once innocent girl of an ordinary family background, who had an intricate affair with a man like


    Ned, was exposed and disappeared on the brink of


    death


    Two yearster, she re¨Cemerged as a wealthy heiress, making a strongeback, and had already


    dered her undying love for Neil.


    Theizens, with too much time on their hands, created all sorts of stories about this background in


    just one day


    Inevitably people startedparing Bonnie and me, and some even made aparison chart.


    ¡°What a load of nonsense My dad was furious after reading some of the news, Neil¡¯s injury was due to


    his own impulsiveness, what does Rena have to


    do with it?¡±


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t get mad There are all sorts of opinions online, don¡¯t take them seriously I quickly calmed


    my dad down


    He snorted and said. ¡°There are still some sensible people who remember what Neil did and that


    Bonnie, she¡¯s no good girl.¡±


    There are some who support me, but Bonnie probably hired an army of trolls Since she announced her


    new identity, there have been manyments praising her innocence, beauty, and kindness and


    iming that I was the one who framed her in the past


    But I didn¡¯t care about thesements, and they didn¡¯t affect my life.


    Aside from my parents and Ste, who couldn¡¯t help but defend me, my life was still calm.


    ¡°Ms Finch, you have a letter One day, Bailey brought me a letter he had received


    Who in this day and age still sent letters? I curiously took the envelope, but after reading its contents,


    all my curiosity disappeared, leaving only speechless


    This invitation was from Bonnie, who invited me to a business dinner she was hosting


    I threw the invitation into the trash with no intention of going


    At this moment, Russel called.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± Russel hadn¡¯t called me in a while. From the time Neil was hospitalized to his


    discharge, he never visited. It was as if he had disappeared for a while and then suddenly reappeared.


    Sometimes I secretly wondered if he really liked me.


    Why do I often feel like he doesn¡¯t? But at the same time, I really hope my suspicion is true. I hope we


    can be friends, not lovers.


    I casually answered, ¡°Nothing. Why did you suddenly call me?¡±


    There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by hisughter. His voice sounded pleased,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you mad I haven¡¯t been in touch?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Neil was hospitalized recently, right? I heard you didn¡¯t go see him. Are you two


    having a serious fight?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but bring up this topic


    Russel asked, ¡°Are you asking this because you¡¯re worried about me or because you¡¯re worried about


    him?¡±


    What kind of question was that? Couldn¡¯t I just be curious?


    I answered, ¡°Neither, I¡¯m just curious¡±


    ¡°I had some family matters to take care of and didn¡¯t have time. I just returned to work at the hospital


    these days,¡± Russel¡¯s tone was calm, 1 knew about his injury, Mitch told me.¡±


    ¡°Russel, you and Neil have been friends for so many years; don¡¯t let anyonee between you. No


    one is worth it, you know?¡± I said sincerely.


    Russel dodged the topic, ¡°You free tonight? I need a dance partner¡±


    ¡°A dance partner? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also going to Bonnie¡¯s dinner party?¡± I was pretty gobsmacked.


    He replied, ¡°Yeah, Bonnie sent invites to a few of us, including Neil. He¡¯ll probably be there too.¡±

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Chapter 184


    Neil seemed so pissed at Bonnie. Would he still turn up for the dinner?


    I wondered


    ¡°This dinner is a sudden one hosted by Bonnie under the name of Rosemont¡¯s business association


    and funded personally. Neil is bound to show up. given the widework involved, Russel always had a


    knack for guessing my thoughts, even over the phone.


    Bonnie¡¯s influence is not what it used to be, and it¡¯s only normal she could get the business association


    of Rosemont on her side.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling it. Find yourself another date, I thought for a moment and turned Russel down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to meet the person who has turned Bonnie¡¯s life around?¡± Russel asked again.


    That was a question that tickled my curiosity. Who in the world was Abner¡¯s wife? Why would she take


    Bonnie as her goddaughter? Would she show up at the dinner tonight?


    Neil¡¯s attendance at the dinner has to do with this person to some extent.


    I changed my mind, wanting to meet this mysterious VIP, and arranged with Russel a time to leave.


    Tonight¡¯s dinner was held on a yacht. The entrance was strictly controlled, requiring an identity check.


    Before boarding the yacht, I met up with Russel, and we boarded together


    I wore a little ck dress decorated with sequins and hollowed at the waist. It was a mix of elegance


    and sexiness. I had put on a little weight recently and no longer looked as skinny as before, so I felt


    pretty good in this little ck dress.


    Russel, on the other hand, wore a white suit, exuding an air of elegance. He was quite the charming


    gentleman, except for the fact that he didn¡¯t smile much, which made him seem aloof


    We arrived at the banquet hall on the yacht. It was spacious and decorated in a European pce style,


    grand and luxurious.


    The dinner hadn¡¯t started yet, but there were already quite a few people. Looking around, I saw Ste,


    Alicia, and Barbara.


    I went over to them immediately. ¡°You guys got here before me?¡±


    ¡°Like we had a choice!¡± sighed Ste: ¡°I came with Mitch, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate if he didn¡¯t


    show up for this kind of event,¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Im here towork; Alicia always saw herself as a workaholic.


    Barbara pointed to Ss not far away, I¡¯m here with someone too. But Rena, what¡¯s the deal with you?


    Why are you here with Russel?¡±


    She rolled her eyes and stood up suggestively


    Ste immediately got excited, ¡°Do you guys have something going on? Did sparks fly when we weren¡¯t


    looking?¡±


    I looked back at Russel. He stood out in the crowd due to his height. His cool and noble vibe was quite


    attractive.


    He noticed me looking and gave me a gentle smile.


    ¡°Look at that! The ice¨Ccold dude is giving you such a warm smile!¡± Ste teased. ¡°Rena, Neil¡¯s over


    there. You should totally go over and link arms with Russel. That¡¯ll piss him off!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here already?¡± I looked around but didnt see Neil.


    ¡°He was here. Where did he go?¡± Ste was also puzzled as she didn¡¯t see Neil either.


    I turned my gaze back and pinched Ste¡¯s cheek, ¡°Stop trying to set me up, you trickster! Did you lie


    to Neil that I have a boyfriend abroad?¡±


    Ste blushed, then defended herself, ¡°Well, he¡¯s always asking Mitch about you. I made that stuff up


    just to annoy him,¡±


    ¡°Stop making up stories; my reputation is in ruins!¡± I warned her, pretending to be angry.


    Barbara and Alicia watched with amusement


    By 8:30 p.m., the dinner started. Just about everyone important in Rosemont was present.


    Under the spotlight, Bonnie appeared in a dazzling red dress, a brilliant ne around her neck, and


    crystal earrings swinging under the glittering light


    She looked like a beautiful princess, full of pride and confidence.


    Kate, who was behind her, was also elegantly dressed, but her looks and demeanor paled in


    comparison,


    Standing among the crowd, listening to everyone¡¯spliments, I felt a bit bored. I was looking forward


    to seeing Bonnie¡¯s godmother. Once my curiosity was satisfied, I would go to my room to rest.


    ¡°Thank you all foring to tonight¡¯s dinner. It was bound to be an unforgettable night. Now, I would


    like to reintroduce myself¡­


    Bonnie¡¯s voice echoed around the banquet hall. She sounded excited, eager to show everyone her


    beauty.


    1 instinctively looked around and finally spotted Neil.


    He was not far to my right. Like Russel, his height made him stand out. He was wearing a ck and


    white patterned shirt with a ck casual suit, not too formal but with a touch of casualness. His


    beautiful side profile was wless.


    He would asionally nce at his watch while Bonnie was speaking, seeming impatient.


    When he noticed my gaze, Neil¡¯s eyes suddenly shot over, quite intimidating.


    I quickly looked away and continued to listen to Bonnie¡¯s speech.


    Chapter


    Soon, Nell appeared behind me Everyone gave way when he approached


    I knew he was behind me, close enough to smell


    nibar scent.


    Suddenly he put his hand on my right shoulder


    I turned to look at him. He had already withdrawn his hand. He was twirling an earring with his fingers,


    a faint smile on his lips, ¡°You dropped your


    earring


    ¡°Thanks¡± I took the earring from him, put it back and moved forward a few steps without a fuss, keeping


    a little distance from him


    Russel, who was just here, was nowhere to be found at this port


    I was standing pretty much at the front, and n fading


    | enough to stand out, so Bonnie had noticed us early on. The smile on her


    vas slowly


    Fortunately


    frished her speech.


    troduced her godmother. Gloria.


    Rosemont College, wat wi


    and glitzy from head to toe She spoke


    cent, and oozed the charm of


    a mature ADMIN


    When the first appeared.


    behind me. Tuning around. I saw Neil had done a runner


    I couldn¡¯t see


    Gloria¡±


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    Gloria fres


    lech the


    cked off


    I came here simply some breeze on


    ve seen her, i had no desire to stic


    room for some shut eye


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    of the banquet hall, caught


    Justi


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    smileg slyly 1 didn¡¯t i


    him to get clor


    to me, so don¡¯ty the me

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    Chapter 185


    Bonnie was ring daggers at me. There was no one around us, so she didnt bother hiding her hatred.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already killed my parents. Isn¡¯t that enough? I haven¡¯t even settled the score for that!¡± Bonnie¡¯s


    eyes welled up as she mentioned her parents. ¡°How would I have gotten so sick if you hadn¡¯t done


    that? How would my parents have died in a car ident on their way to the hospital to visit me?¡±


    Bonnie always med me for everything.


    She imed all her wrongdoings were for love and that I forced her hand. And my self¨Cdefense was


    seen as malicious in her eyes.


    Her values were getting more twisted by the day. Maybe the more she hated me, the more twisted she


    became


    ¡°Your parents¡® deaths are on you, not anyone else. Don¡¯t stand in my way, I have nothing to discuss


    with you.¡± I responded calmly, not showing any sign of


    emotion.


    I wasnt even a tad guilty: Bonnie was just asking for trouble.


    If Bonnie hadn¡¯t been so jealous andpetitive back then and had obediently followed Neil, he


    wouldn¡¯t have been so cold to her.


    Even taking Karina¡¯s heart condition into ount, he would¡¯ve taken care of Bonnie


    ¡°Trene, Neil is just not willing to give up on you. You should know that. Bonnie argued, a peculiar smile


    spread across her young face, a hint of triumphant in her eyes. ¡°He still loves me, and I have proof. But


    I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡±


    I was so done with Bonnie¡¯s pestering. I retorted, ¡°Bonnie, people always unt what theyck. If Neil


    truly loved you, you wouldn¡¯t need to keep showing off his love in front of me, right?¡±


    My words hit a nerve, and Bonnie¡¯s face fell instantly. She bit her lip and stayed silent.


    If she knew how much Neil pampered her and how crazy he was for her in my past life, she would


    probably be jealous of herself.


    In my past life, smart Bonnie always stayed in Neil¡¯s apartment, ignoring all my provocations and


    making me chase her around like a lunatic.


    Someone walked by, and as Bonnie was the center of attention tonight, she couldn¡¯t let people see her


    bickering with me. She shot me a dirty look and left.


    I entered my room, ready to hit the sack. The luxury cruise wouldn¡¯t dock until tomorrow morning. If we


    were to return to shore earlier, we would need someone to drive us back.


    I dialed Russel¡¯s number, wondering where he had disappeared to


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    The call was immediately hung up. I had a bad feeling. Russel had never been this unreliable before.


    Did something happen?


    A whileter, a message came in from Russel: Something came up. I need to go home. I¡¯m not sure if I


    can make it back in time. Try to stick with Ste.


    -He was probably worried that I would run into Neil or that Bonnie would target me


    After some thought, I replied, ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll be there soon. It¡¯s so baring here.¡±


    I got out of bed and headed for the exit, ready to meet Russel at the dock.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Just as I unlocked the door, a powerful force flung it open.


    Luckily, I was quick on my feet and dodged the door.


    ¡°Neil?¡± I was taken aback when I recognized him, then immediately went on guard.


    Neil didn¡¯t reek of alcohol; he wasn¡¯t drunk. But his eyes were bloodshot, and his face was flushed +


    could feel his burning body heat.


    His jacket was gone, and he was only wearing a ck and white woven shirt


    ¡°Bang!¡± Neil closed the door behind him and locked it. He looked at me, his expression pained.


    Clearly, he had been drugged.


    The question was, who would do such a thing?


    Suddenly, there were noises outside.


    This should be the ce. This is where he disappeared!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait, he¡¯lle out eventually¡±


    ¡°But Miss Zora isn¡¯t here, right? Did we get the wrong ce?¡±


    I listened to the conversation outside, my heart sinking. So someone was nning to catch Neil in the


    act and expose his scandal. Someone drugged him, and someone was waiting for the right moment to


    spill the beans.


    I was too focused on eavesdropping to notice Nell behind me. By the tim


    felt his body heat on my back, he had already pressed me against the door.


    ¡®Neil, there are people outside waiting to catch you. Hang in there, I¡¯ll call Mitch to help you!¡± I turned


    around to face Neil, who looked like he was about toge control. I tried my best to stay calm.


    Neil was sweating profusely, his shirt was even soaked through. He was obviously having a h


    7 feel terrible, and I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was shaky.


    The fact that he could lower his voice and talk to me showed his strong willpower.


    ¡°How could you be so careless to be drugged? I tried to distract him,


    lime.


    He took a deep breath before answering, ¡°I went to see Gloria. She gave me a drink. I didn¡¯t expect her


    to drug me!¡±


    This surprised me. ¡°Neil, don¡¯t tell me you had a thing with her in the past?!¡±


    Gloria was way too old for him!


    Neil was already in a bad state, and myment made his eyes darken. He red at me, ¡°Do you


    take me for a fool? She¡¯s Karina and Kate¡¯s biological mother, get it?¡±


    ¡°Karina¡¯s mother? I was first taken aback; then it dawned on me.


    So because her daughter once donated her heart to Bonnie, and Bonnie looked a lot like Karina, she


    saw Bonnie as her own daughter.


    It was just that I never thought Gloria would go abroad all these years, bing a sessful man¡¯s


    wife.


    ¡°Uh, don¡¯t talk anymore.¡± Neil saw that I was about to continue and cut me off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Mitch¡± I reached for my phone.


    Just then, Neilpletely lost his senses. He bent down and kissed me. His hot and passionate breath


    filled my mouth, carrying a hint of alcohol.


    His hands were like fire, every touch on my arm sending a wave of heat through me.


    Fear filled my eyes as I tried to push Neil away, but he was nowpletely consumed by desire, not


    giving me a chance to resist.


    ¡°Neil, let go of me! You¡¯re hurting me! I tried to remain calm when I finally had a chance to breathe,


    attempting to bring Neil back to his senses.


    I couldn¡¯t scream out loud. Otherwise, it¡¯d be a whole new level of trouble if someone outside heard.


    Compared to that, I¡¯d much rather no one see the scene unfolding right now.

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    Chapter 186


    Neil was kissing me passionately, but he stopped when he heard what I said.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    He looked up at me, his lips flushed red like a sprite in a painting


    Just as our eyes met, there were footsteps outside along with Bonnie¡¯s voice. Where¡¯s Neid?¡±


    ¡°No idea, he just disappeared from here!¡® someone replied


    Bonnie sounded really worried Gloria had drugged Neil, probably to help her but she didn¡¯t expect Neil


    to be able to resist and leave.


    She knew my room was down this corridor, she must be really freaking out, huh?


    ¡°Search every room! Bonnie ordered


    Has she gone mad? Because she couldn¡¯t chase Neil, she wanted to find evidence of Neil being with


    another woman


    I never knew she enjoyed torturing herself so much. But if she does this. I¡¯m screwed.


    I quickly dialed Ste¡¯s number. ¡°Ste, where are you? Get Mitch and help me, pronto


    I quickly filled her in and Ste immediately replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there with Mitch right away Just make


    sure Neil doesn¡¯t do anything stupid!¡±


    I nced at Neil, he was standing with his back to me, his wet shirt clinging to his broad back. He must


    be really confused right now.


    ¡°Okay hurry up¡°As soon as I hung up, there was a knock at the door


    Bonnie called from outside, Trene, it¡¯s me. Can Ie in?¡±


    I turned around and tly refused her, ¡°Sorry, I need some rest, so please leave


    Bonnie was silent for a moment, then she said, ¡°There¡¯s been a thief tonight. One of my pieces of


    jewelry was stolen, so we need to check each room. Irene, can you open the door?¡±


    What a crappy excuse! Even if Neil wasn¡¯t here, I wouldn¡¯t believe it


    I ignored Bonnie and went back to sit on the bed, waiting for Ste and Mitch toe to my rescue


    But what Bonnie did next took me by surprise: she actually started trying to open the door


    Once they came in and found Neil here and then spread the word, I¡¯m toast. My parents would be


    furious, and they would think I¡¯m back together with


    Neil


    Even hiding Neil in the bathroom was useless because they would find him as soon as theye in


    Just as I was getting all jittery. Neil headed towards the balcony. There was a two¨Cmeter wide guardrail


    and a narrow passage below it


    ¡°You¡¯re going to jump? It s at least two or three meters high¡± I saw Neil climbing over the guardrail and


    couldn¡¯t help but warn him.


    ¡°So you want me to stay? Neil¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, his eyes still filled with desire


    I immediately shook my head.


    With that, Neil jumped, and his figure disappeared into the narrow passage. I watched him disappear,


    he seemed very skilled, and he probably wasn¡¯t


    hurt


    After Neil left, I went back to my room to sleep. Just then, the door was opened, and Bonnie rushed in,


    her eyes darting around for Neil,


    ¡°What are you doing? Bonnie, is this how you treated me when you invited me to the dinner party?¡± I


    sat on the bed, coldly staring at her


    ¡°Why are you alone in the room?¡± Bonnie asked.


    Outside the door, a few people were holding their phones, ready to take pictures. Seeing me alone in


    the room, they looked at each other.


    Tretorted, ¡°So who do you think I should be with at this time?¡±


    ¡°You ¡°Bonnie seemed to realize she had misspoken, her face both annoyed and frustrated. She


    purposely walked around the room and then looked at the balcony doo


    ¡°He was here just now, wasn¡¯t he? Your lipstick is smudged ¡°Bonnie had sharp eyes, her gaze filled


    with dissatisfaction and jealousy. Did he jump down from here?


    I nced at the people at the door, sneered, and didn¡¯t answer her


    Seeing me ignoring her, Bonnie¡¯s face gradually turned ugly Just then, Ste¡¯s voice came from


    outside. What¡¯s going on? Why is everyone huddled up


    ¡°Ste, have you seen Ned? Bonnie is looking for him¡® I got up from the bed, walked to the door, and


    said loudly.


    Ste nced at Bonnie then signaled Mitch to answer


    Mitch immediately replied. Tiel is resting in his room I just came from there¡±


    He was close with Neil, and no one would doubt his words


    Bonnie nced at Mitch, and then, without saying a word, she left with a group of people


    The room was quiet again, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief


    If Bonnie found evidence of me and Neil together, I¡¯d be in bigger trouble


    ¡°Amazing, he managed to jump down from here even though he¡¯s injured?¡± Mitch walked to the


    balcony and looked down, truly impressed with Neil.


    1/2


    12.160


    Thd he anything to


    asked with co


    I remembered Neil kissing me just now and felt a bit worried


    he


    ( had some sense left. Otherwise, if he did something irreversible, that would be a disaster


    ¡°Nothing ¡°I replied simply, then changed the subject. By the way, Russel suddenly went home. I think


    something happened to him, but he didn¡¯t want to tell me


    Upon hearing Russel¡¯s name. Mitch sighed, ¡°Yeah, something did happen to his family¡±


    I was shocked. What happened?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you? Not long ago, he made his stance clear to his parents, he rejected the arranged


    date, he wants to be with you. This made his parents really angry and they had a big fight with him.


    Actually, I didnt want to tell you this but things are not looking good Mitch scratched his head when he


    finished


    I was speechless after hearing this.


    Russel must be out of his mind I didn¡¯t even agree to let him go public with this, and he already told his


    family


    Our families were of equal status, but things would getplicated because I was Neil¡¯s ei


    ¡°He¡¯s really brave Ste admired him, ¡°He really loves Rena¡±


    I felt really troubled. I didn¡¯t want Russel to have a conflict with his family because of me, and I didn¡¯t


    agree to this. What he¡¯s doing was essentially pressuring me


    Mitch started talking again, ¡°Rena, even though we¡¯re pals now, I really don¡¯t want Neil and Russel to


    have a falling out over you I also don¡¯t want Russel¡¯s family ties to go down the drain. He mentioned to


    me a few days ago that he could lose his doctor gig because of this, and his family¡¯s really putting the


    screws to him¡±


    Russel loves his job big time. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have ditched his family business to stick with


    being a doctor

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Chapter 187


    ¡°Mitch, can you give me Russel¡¯s parents¡® contact info? Come on ¡°I asked.


    Mitch was tight with Russel. He definitely knew. But he hesitated, didn¡¯t dare to spill the beans, ¡°Irene,


    it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to give it to you. I just don¡¯t want Russel to chew me out ¡±


    I chuckled and said, ¡°Surely it¡¯s better than watching him have a showdown with his family? When he


    chose to be a doctor, he must have had beef with his family, and he busted his hump to get where he


    wanted to be. We cant waste all that just because of me.¡±


    Mitch sighed, whipped out his phone, and texted me a number, it was Russel¡¯s mom¡¯s cell number.


    It was gettingte. I¡¯ll call tomorrow.


    After Ste and Mitch left, I was tossing and turning in bed, unable to catch some Zs, until it was time to


    ship out. I didn¡¯t wait for anyone, and I was left alone.


    Once I got in the car, I was ready to hit the road when Gloria suddenly popped up by my window,


    smiling softly and knocking on the window.


    ¡°You¡¯re Irene, right?¡® She asked once the window was rolled down.


    ¡°Uh¨Chuh, what¡¯s up?¡® I wasn¡¯t exactly fond of Gloria, I had things to deal with, so my tone was a bit icy


    Gloria nced back. A stretch limo was parked there, and Bonnie and Kate were waiting for her inside.


    She turned back to me, and said, ¡°Nothing much. Bonnie mentioned that Ms. Finch was quite nice to


    her before. As her mother, I wanted to express my gratitude.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Gloria, you¡¯re too kind. Bonnie and I arent that familiar¡± I responded with a polite smile, not


    particrly warm.


    Gloria didn¡¯t get mad or embarrassed. She just went on, ¡°Bonnie is young. She can be easily fooled by


    appearances. If she¡¯s caused any inconvenience to you, I hope you¡¯ll forgive her¡±


    The way she put it, it was like I was the one who deceived innocent Bonnie


    Gloria was definitely not as polite to me as she appeared. Her voice, her tone, and even every word


    she said all had a tinge of sarcasm.


    Just then, Neil appeared in the distance, and he noticed Gloria and me immediately


    Gloria, as Karina¡¯s mother, must have had a bone to pick with him I didnt think Neil would have an


    easier time than me when he saw her


    Neil had changed into a white shirt, wearing ck shades. The white fabric shimmered under the sun,


    quite dazzling.


    Looking at his usual indifference, I was suddenly curious: how did he get throughst night?


    But that was something Gloria and Bonnie should be worried about. After all, they were the ones who


    slipped him the mickey.


    Sure enough, Bonnie got out of the limo and called out. ¡°Neill¡±


    Neil nced at her,pletely brushed her off, and strode towards me.


    Bonnie¡¯s face turned pale, and she followed Neil unwillingly.


    ¡°Neil, did you have a good timest night?¡® Glona saw Neil, her eyes were cold, but she still had a


    smile on her face.


    Nell¡¯s attitude towards her was not friendly either. He didn¡¯t even take off his shades, and his tone was


    cold, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    He was drugged. How could he have had a good time? I looked at Neil and didn¡¯t sense a shred of joy.


    Instead, a chill emanated from him


    If Neil hadn¡¯t identally entered my roomst night and bumped into other women instead, today¡¯s


    headlines would probably all be about him.


    If Bonnie had taken advantage of the situation, their photos could have ended up all over the media,


    and it wouldn¡¯t have been easy for him to shake off the rtionship.


    Bonnie stood a little behind him, her fingers clenched tightly. Givenst nights events, she must have


    been frustrated for failing to seduce Neil


    ¡°Well, if you didn¡¯t enjoy this time, we can always get together again next time. By the way, Neil, I¡¯m


    going to visit Karina in the next few days. If you have time, why not join me? I dreamed of herst night,


    and she said she missed you¡± When Gloria said this, her somewhat aged eyes sparkled with hatred.


    But the hatred was fleeting almost like an illusion.


    Neil¡¯s quilt over Karina never disappeared, even though he had changed his attitude towards Bonnie, It


    only represented his dislike for Bonnie, not that he hadpletely forgotten Karina


    Gloria was obviously using Karina¡¯s death to provoke Neil.


    TU visit her on my own. Nel responded coldly.


    ¡°Fine, Gloria didn¡¯t insist on going with him. She gracefully smoothed her hair, smiling, ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll


    be going now. We can chat next time.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, I just watched her back.


    Bonnie seemed reluctant to leave. She took a long look at Neil and only quickened her pace to catch


    up when Gloria was already in the car.


    1 apologize forst night. After they left. Neil took off his shades, leaned slightly towards the car


    window, and apologized to me.


    The moment he mentioned it, those images that should have never appeared flooded my mind again.


    I nced at his lips, much paler thanst night.


    I tried to respond casually. ¡°You were drugged and lost control; I won¡¯t hold it against you. But I hope


    this won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Mm¡± Nail¡¯s eyes were a bitplicated, he murmured.


    Then his assistant drove up a car parked it next to us, and I quickly took off


    In the rear view mirror, Neil¡¯s figure got smaller and smaller until it disappeared.


    I was driving while helplessly messing with my hair


    Neil¡¯s kissst night unexpectedly stirred up a strange desire in me. Of course, I didn¡¯t want anything to


    happen between us. As a grown and mature woman, it was normal to have physical needs.


    These past two years, although I had traveled all over and met many men, I hadn¡¯t tried any one night


    stands or fleeting romances I chose to ignore


    some personal needs.


    Neil¡¯s behaviorst night was like a spark, igniting the desire within meBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I could only bottle up all these troubles and start rethinking about finding a partner if I couldn¡¯t have a


    baby, then I could find a man who didn¡¯t want kids


    or one willing to adopt with me


    With these jumbled thoughts I arrived home. My mom hade home at noon and cooked Seeing me


    she called me to join her for a meal


    ¡°Mom, what do you think if I marry a guy who also doesn¡¯t want kids? Out of nowhere, I asked her while


    eating


    What are you on about? My mom was taken aback.


    1 mean getting hitched to a guy, but we¡¯re not nning on having kids¡± I said seriously. 1 think my


    marriage doesn¡¯t need kids, it¡¯s just the two of us, and That¡¯s enough¡±

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Chapter 188


    My mom got a shocker from my thoughts, ¡°If you¡¯re married, why wouldn¡¯t you want a kid? Is a child


    less important than a man?¡±


    Caught off guard and with a fork and knife in hand, I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I dared not tell her


    that I might never be able to have a kid.


    ¡°Irene, having your own child is always better! My mom gave me a serious talk.


    I felt really upset after listening to her


    After dinner, my mom had to go to her office, leaving me all alone. I found Russel¡¯s mother¡¯s phone


    number, and after thinking for a bit, I decided to give


    her a ring


    Russel¡¯s mom picked up almost instantly, and her voice sounded young, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Dawson, hello, I¡¯m Irene, a friend of Russel¡¯s.¡± I calmly introduced myself,pletelyposed.


    Since I never had any intention of being with Russel, his mom¡¯s disapproval didn¡¯t bother me.


    There was a slight pause on the other end after my introduction, and it seemed like she didn¡¯t expect


    me to reach out.


    Due to my background and the fact that I was Neil¡¯s ex wife, Russel¡¯s mom had always been cordial


    with me. Even though she had a strained rtionship with Russel, she never showed me any


    disrespect.


    Over the phone, she exined politely why they were against Russel and me being together.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I know you must be a good person, or else the Whitmore family wouldn¡¯t have allowed Neil


    to marry you, but you know the rtionship between Russel and Neil. Can you imagine the public


    bacsh Russel would face if he were with you?¡± she sighed and said, ¡°I still can¡¯t figure out how he


    suddenly turned against Neil these past two years. Looking back, it might be because of you.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Dawson, Russel and I are just friends I know how he feels about me, but our dating is out of the


    question. You have my word,¡± I said, understanding her concern.


    Russel¡¯s mother chuckled, ¡°Ms Finch, that¡¯s a relief to hear.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but please don¡¯t force him to resign I requested earnestly


    ¡°As long as he¡¯s not so stubborn, we won¡¯t be unreasonable. Ms. Finch, I know I maye across as


    blunt, but please, if it¡¯s not necessary, try to avoid seeing Russel, okay?¡± she asked again.


    I was silent for a moment. I knew Russels mother still suspected an inappropriate rtionship between


    me and Russel. She feared we might take a step


    too far.


    I felt utterly humiliated after making that call, but at least it would lessen the pressure on Russel from


    his mom.


    ¡°All right.¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, thank you ¡°I could hear the relief in her voice, and with that, she hung up


    I was left in a daze, feeling a pang of rejection.


    Yet, Ipletely understood why. If my son were to pursue my friend¡¯s ex¨Cwife, I wouldn¡¯t ept it


    either, especially if that ex¨Cwife might not be able to have kids in the future.


    After a while, Iughed at myself, grabbed my bag, and headed out, nning to find a ce to have a


    drink and unwind.


    While waiting at a red light, I rang up Ste, ¡°Ste, do you know which bar in town has the most


    hunks?¡±


    Steughed and said, ¡°I have no clue, but if you ask me about which brand of diapers is the best, I


    can give you an answer!¡±


    ¡°Wow, hrious!¡± I joked, then hung up the phone.


    Three minutester, Barbara called, her voice filled with excitement, ¡°Rena, are you looking for a hottie


    to date? Come over, I¡¯m having drinks with Ss and his friends. A couple of them are single and q


    perfect f


    for you!¡±


    ¡°Really? All right, I¡¯m on my way!¡± I replied, thrilled.


    When I arrived at the small pub where Barbara and the others were, they were all having a good time


    chatting away.


    There were about seven or eight people at the table, a couple of whom were indeed quite handsome,


    dressed in simple styles, looking young and seemingly not much older.


    Barbara introduced me to the young guy sitting across from me. He was a singer at the bar with some


    online fans named Jameson.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Jameson was a good looking guy with a charming smile.


    ¡°Hello¡± My main goal for that night was to find a man, not only to chill out but also to get Neil and


    Russel off my back.


    Among everyone at the table, Jameson was the youngest and sweetest talker, and he easily made me


    laugh.


    Barbara whispered to me, ¡°What do you think of Jameson? I heard he likes older women, but just a


    heads up, he¡¯s got some fans online who might give you a hard time¡±


    Tm just looking for some fun, not a serious rtionship. What¡¯s to be scared?¡® I replied.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Ah, Rena, are you taking over Ste¡¯s gig?¡± Barbara asked, stunned.


    Just smiled and didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t feel like disclosing my ns there.


    We were all adults; there was no need to spell out everything. After dinner, Barbara and Ss left, and I


    hopped into Jameson¡¯s car.


    Jameson, being experienced, helped me put on my seat belt. His casual touch was quite a turn¨Con.


    Chapter 188


    You smell nice,¡± he smiled at me, trying to sound suave.


    ¡®Do you like it?¡± I flirted back, ying with my hair


    He replied honestly, ¡°I do. Shall we head straight to a hotel?¡±


    I nodded and then gazed out the window. My decision today wasn¡¯t a spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment thing. Faith


    hoped I could find a man I liked as soon as possible so that Neil would give up on me, and Lauretta


    Dawson hoped I could avoid seeing Russel in the future.


    If I didn¡¯t find a man to settle down with soon, it was gonna be hard to exin.


    Maybe once the physical shackles were gone, the soul shackles would be released too. I gotta give it a


    try.


    My thoughts were still a bit jumbled when the car we were in pulled up in front of a decent¨Clooking


    hotel. Yeah, he didn¡¯t take me to same cheap motel.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, let¡¯s go in Jameson seemed to be quite familiar with this ce. He swiftly handled the


    check¨Cin process, then draped his arm around my shoulders and whispered in my ear.


    For some reason, I felt a little weird, even ufortable, when he said that. The lust within me started


    to fade.


    Once we were in the elevator, Jameson still had his arm wrapped tightly around me. He pushed the


    button for the fifteenth floor, then waited for the


    elevator to ascend.


    When we got to the fifteenth floor, the elevator doors slowly opened. Standing outside were three or


    four men, with Neil at the front. When he saw me stepping out of the elevator with Jameson¡¯s arm


    around me, his eyes showed clear surprise, then his face quickly turned cold.


    ¡°Take the client to thepany first. Let Carlos handle him, Neil said coldly to his assistant, speaking


    very quickly.


    I was shocked. Why would I bump into Neil here?

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Chapter 189


    I picked up the pace, practically dragging Jameson along with me.


    ¡°Are you in such a hurry?¡± Jameson thought I was itching to spend the night with him and asked with a


    smirk.


    I stayed silent.


    ¡°Hold it right there¡± Neil Whitmore barked coldly.


    I ignored him and kept walking forward, but Jameson was puzzled. He nced back at Neil, a youthful


    arrogance on his face. ¡°Who the hell do you think you¡¯re yelling at?¡±


    Just as I thought, if a woman wanted some excitement, she should go for younger men. They were


    reckless and often cause headaches.


    Neil¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on Jameson. He took a step forward, blocking my path.


    Feeling his shadow over me, I looked up at him, pushing down a flicker of panic


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, can I help you?¡® I was all dolled up today, looking quite captivating


    Perfect timing to run into him. I thought I might as well seize this opportunity to make Neil back off for


    good.


    ¡°Let her go.¡± Neil¡¯s gaze fell on Jameson¡¯s hand. A surge of anger rose in his eyes. His voice was calm,


    but danger was lurking underneath.


    As a minor inte celebrity, Jameson was somewhat familiar with current affairs. It seemed he


    recognized Neil, and his face showed a mix of doubt and defiance.


    Regardless, he let go of me and even took a couple of steps back


    What a wimp.


    ¡°What are you scared of? He¡¯s my ex¨Chusband. We¡¯re divorced!¡± I couldnt help but snap at Jameson


    ¡°Sis, he¡¯s like an investor in thepany l¡¯im signed with¡± Jameson detedpletely. He even


    bowed to Neil, I¡¯ll just skedaddle then!¡±


    Left alone in the long hallway, Neil and I just stared at each other.


    ¡°Happy now that you¡¯ve ruined my night?¡± I asked with a poker face, casually ripping off my fakeshes


    and contacts and tossing them into the trash


    next to me.


    ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Neil¡¯s handsome face was filled with anger. ¡°What do you think


    you are, a slut who picks up men left and right?¡±


    Hearing his description of me, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡®Neil, who are you to lecture me? First, I¡¯m an


    adult. Second, I¡¯m single. So, it¡¯s perfectly normal for me to date men, Get that straight¡±


    Since I apparently didn¡¯t have any prospects of being a good wife and mother, was it wrong to let loose


    a little?


    I admit I was somewhat shaken by what Russel Dawson¡¯s mother said, and I might be feeling a bit


    self¨Cdestructive.


    But I had needs too. I couldn¡¯t just wait till I was in my fifties or sixties to start living my life, could i


    ¡°We¡¯re different. I¡¯m a man, you¡¯re a woman¡± Neil seemed irritated by my nonchnt attitude. He


    suddenly grabbed my wrist and dragged me towards a room at the end of the hallway


    After opening the door, he yanked me into the room and mmed the door shut.


    ¡°Equal rights! As long as we use protection, there¡¯s no difference¡± I was filled with resentment thinking


    about my own situation.


    I could never be a mother again, but Neil could simply snap his fingers, and a bunch of women would


    be willing to marry him and bear his children. Why should I be the one to suffer?


    So, I said that on purpose, to make him feel ufortable and agitated.


    ¡°Do your parents know you¡¯re like this?¡± Neil whipped out his phone, threatening to call my parents.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I could handle everything else, but not him using my parents to threaten me


    I stepped forward, grabbing his hand to stop his shameless act. ¡°Neil, don¡¯t you dare cross the line!¡±


    ¡°Am I crossing the line, or are you? Neils face was stone cold. ¡®Did you divorce me just to lead this so¨C


    called ¡°free life?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Is there a problem with that?¡± I was livid. Alter releasing Neil¡¯s hand, I admitted, ¡°We¡¯re not little


    kids anymore. Can you stop threatening to tattle on me to my parents?¡±


    I was already in a bad mood.


    Tjust wanted to explore a different lifestyle without bothering anyone,


    Neil put down his phone. He moved a little closer to me, and his aura suddenly became more


    aggressive. He bent down slightly, a different glint in his eyes, ¡°After we divorced, you never found


    another man?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± I let out a coldugh, then cautiously took a couple of steps back.


    ¡°Your boyfriend overseas is fake. Sean is Alicia Riders blind date, right?¡± Neilughed, seemingly in a


    good mood, ¡®Even though we¡¯re divorced, finding out these things still makes me happy¡±


    I kept quiet. There was no point in exining the things he had already found out.


    ¡°If you were nning to hook up with that kid tonight just because you¡¯re lonely, why not consider me?¡±


    Nell seized my silence as an opportunity to put himself forward, 1 should be a better fit for you!


    Chapter 189


    ¡°No way!¡± rejected him without a second thought.


    ¡°Who says divorced men and women can¡¯t sleep together? Irene Finch, shall we give it a try?¡± Neil


    looked me up and down, his gaze finally resting on my


    chest.


    I was wearing a deep V¨Cneck Bonnie dress, which I had specifically chosen to increase my chances of


    hooking up. Now, it seemed to have increased Neil¡¯s desires instead.


    I headed straight for the door, ready to leave.


    I heard from Ste Wace that Neil hadn¡¯t touched a woman in years. I didn¡¯t know whether to believe


    her, but when he pulled me back into his arms, I started to think it might be true.


    He wasn¡¯t drugged today, but his passion was no less intense thanst night. I was genuinely scared


    and tried hard to break free from his grip, warning him, ¡°Neil, if you force yourself on me, that¡¯s raper


    ¡°Who asked you toe here and hook up with other men?¡± Neil was furious about this. He held me


    by the waist, his voice low, ¡°So it¡¯s okay with other men but not with me? I¡¯m not worse than that kid,


    am I?


    It was hot, and our clothes were thin. I could even feel the hardness of Neil¡¯s abs.


    I had gained a bit of weight but not an ounce of strength. Once Neil had me in his grip, I had no chance


    of escaping


    Suddenly, I steeled myself, raising my knee to kick Neil where it hurts the most!


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Neil reacted incredibly fast, swiftly holding down my knee with one hand, his eyes shing


    dangerously, ¡°You trying to end my bloodline or something?¡±

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    Chapter 190


    Chapter 190


    If I could somehow make Neil, that jerk, incapable of having offspring, I¡¯d be over the moon. It would


    only be fair that he pays for the pain he¡¯d caused


    ¦°¦¥


    Sadly though, the slimy bastard was quick on his feet.


    ¡°You gonna let go now?¡± I red at him coldly


    ¡°No way, retorted Neil, showing no signs of backing down.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I was reaching my boiling point. The feeling of being overpowered and losing control of my own body


    was unbearable. I could think of only one way to fight back bite him!


    1 sessfully took a chunk out of Neil¡¯s arm.


    He winced but didn¡¯t push me away.


    After I¡¯d had my fill and released my bite.


    Neil gripped my chin, forcing me to look up. His kiss was like a forceful storm, almost suffocating me


    It was a bizarre sensation. I should despise him, resist him, but his kisses always sparked something


    indescribable within me. Was I a masochist? Why was I feeling this urge to submit under such


    circumstances?


    To clear my head, I pushed Neil away the moment he loosened his grip and gave him a hard p


    across his face, leaving the imprint of my five fingers behind!


    ¡°You beast!¡± I spat venomously.


    Neil touched his pped cheek, his eyes darkening. He viciously removed his tie, ¡°Let¡¯s see how you


    like a real beast!¡±


    I made a huge mistake I pissed off a man with raging hormones.


    Neil, furning, grabbed me and tossed me onto the bed. To prevent me from biting or hitting him again,


    he tied my hands to the bedpost.


    No matter how much I cursed or warned him, he didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. His phone rang a couple of times,


    but he outright ignored it.


    It had been more than two years since had been intimate with a man, so Neil¡¯s sudden intrusion was


    agonizing. I didn¡¯t stop cursing him for a second.


    By the time we finished, it was half past ten. Throughout the ordeal, Neil was the one doing all the


    action while I busied myself with cursing him,


    ¡°Done with your cursing?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°Get lost My voice was hoarse My eyes burned with anger as I red at Neil.


    He was drenched in sweat, his hair a mess, but he seemed satisfied. In contrast, I, who had ventured


    out in search of a sexual encounter, felt incredibly frustrated.


    Neil just smirked and untied the knot around my wrists. My wrists were swollen and in pain from


    struggling


    I clenched my fist, suppressing my feeling of humiliation, and red at Neil, Was all that necessary?


    Are you really that desperate?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Neil looked down at me, holding my face gently in his hands, ¡°but I¡¯m desperate for you. Can you


    give me onest chance? I¡¯ll make up for the pain I¡¯ve caused you¡±


    How could he possibly make up for the pain of death I¡¯ve experienced, the child I¡¯ve lost, and the regret


    of never being a mother again?


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡± I pushed Neil away, picked up my clothes from the floor, and pulled out some cash


    from my bag to put on the table, I¡¯ll just consider this as hiring a gigolo for the night.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face darkened at the sight of the cash. He red at me, his eyes filled with rage.


    I didn¡¯t bother to shower, I just slipped on my dress and dragged my exhausted body out of the hotel.


    When I got home, I got a call from Barbara Sands, ¡°Rena, you¡¯re not with Jameson? He said you ran


    into Neil?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Jameson chickened out when he recognized Neil and left me be,¡± I answered, soaking in the


    bathtub, with eyes closed and phone in hand.


    ¡°Oh dear, that¡¯s unfortunatel And after Jameson left, what happened with Nel?¡± Barbara asked


    anxiously


    The memories of Neil taking advantage of me gave me a headache.


    I lied, ¡°He demanded to know why I was there. I made up an excuse and left. Now, I¡¯m just soaking in


    the bathtub at home.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good then I was really worried he might give you a hard time, Barbara sighed in relief, ¡°You


    go ahead and enjoy your bath. I¡¯m off to bed!¡± ¡°Alright, good night¡±


    After hanging up, I got out of the bathtub and dried off, then walked over to the mirror. My body was


    covered in bruises and bite marks, a gruesome sight Indeed


    Another wave of headache hit me as I fretted over what to wear the next day What if my parents found


    out?


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Russel


    I besitated but decided to ignore it


    I had promised Lauretta Dawson I would keep my distance from Russel, let alone see him.


    Russel sent a text: ¡°PICK UPT


    Chapter


    I didn¡¯t pick up the call. After three attempts, Russel finally gave up, but my mom¡¯s voice echoed from


    outside the bathroom, ¡°Rena, why aren¡¯t you picking up Dr. Russel¡¯s call? Don¡¯t you have your phone in


    the bathroom?¡±


    I¡¯m taking a bath!¡± I shouted back.


    ¡°Well, you should call him backter!¡± my mom advised.


    She still hoped I would end up with Russel, oblivious to the fact that the Dawson family was vehemently


    against it.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to tell her the truth, afraid it would upset her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I replied, and she finally left.


    I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed, devoid of energy. The missed call notifications from


    Russel kept blinking on my phone screen. After some thought, I decided to call him back.


    Russel picked up immediately. His usually calm voice was frantic, ¡°Why did you agree to my mom¡¯s


    demands? I¡¯m willing to give up everything! I can forfeit my family¡¯s wealth, and I can quit my job. All I


    want is the freedom to pursue my feelings!¡±


    ¡°Russel, don¡¯t be impulsive!¡± I tried to calm him down, ¡°You can let go of the family business, but are


    you really ready to give up your job? If your family pressures you, you won¡¯t be able to practice


    medicine in our country. Are you nning to go abroad?¡±


    Russel was silent for a few seconds before responding, ¡°Why not? I can still make a living¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not worth it, Russel. You re already at odds with your family, and you haven¡¯t even gotten my


    approval yet. You¡¯re making me feel like a burden, I chuckled bitterly


    ¡°You¡¯re worth it! Russel shot back immediately, ¡°Irene, I would give up everything for you. All I need is


    you¡±


    I couldn¡¯t deny it, he really got to me. He had already shown hismitment through his actions, but I


    couldn¡¯t just ept him because I¡¯m touched. ignoring what his family thinks

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    Chapter 191


    ¡°Russel, let¡¯s just stay friends,¡± I said firmly. ¡°My feelings for you are not love. You should stop wasting


    your time on me and listen to your family¡¯s advice to find a woman who is right for you¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Russel was strongly emotional, ¡°I can¡¯t ept it! I dont want anyone but you. Can you give me a


    chance? If you agree, I¡¯ll find a way to get my family¡¯s approval¡±


    I¡¯m not clear on how Russel fought with his family for Bonnie Tueley during my past life, but I know he


    made a lot of sacrifices for it, some of which even seemed crazy


    If he could be good friends with Neil, they must have something inmon,


    ¡°Calm down first. Russel, you are usually a very mature and steady person. I believe you can also


    handle your emotions in love, right?¡± I quickly softened my tone, Didn¡¯t you teach me before? Let go


    when you should. Letting go is a kind of liberation.¡±


    There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. I held my breath, waiting for Russel¡¯s


    response


    Finally, he spoke again, ¡®Give me some time. I¡¯ll try to give you up, but if I really can¡¯t let go, can you


    give me another chance?¡±


    If I say some harsh words now, it may backfire.


    As long as Russel was willing to try to give up on the, there was still hope.


    I thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Okay. You first agree to the arranged date at home. Maybe among


    the people you meet, you might find the type you like?¡±


    Russel justughed, sounding a bit tired.


    I felt a bit quilty, so I hung up the phone first.


    I didn¡¯t know when Russel started to like me or what he liked about me. I didn¡¯t want to go into it with


    him for fear of making things moreplicated. Fortunately, Russel was a man of his word. Within


    three days, I heard that he had gone on a date


    Russel¡¯s charm is self evident. As long as he wants to get married, there will definitely be many


    excellent women waiting for his choice


    ¡°The Miller family¡¯s daughter is also great! She is as pretty as a doll and a graduate of a prestigious


    school¡°¡± Alicia said while drinking coffee.


    At the weekend gathering, Ste brought her daughter Le. While feeding Le yogurt, she agreed,


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Miller family¡¯s daughter a few times.


    She¡¯s outgoing and looks good. I heard that a lot of people are pursuing her. She and Russel match


    well!¡±


    Barbara, on the other hand, felt it was a pity, ¡°Rena, are you really not going to ept him? I think you


    two match well too!


    I took a sip of coffee, feeling the rich, bitter vor spreading on my tongue, ¡°Not suitable. You don¡¯t


    want me, a divorced old woman, to tarnish Dr. Russel, do you?¡±


    e, that¡¯s not right,¡± Ste frowned, ¡°Why do you always belittle yourself? So what if you¡¯ve been


    divorced? There are so many divorced people. Are


    all inferior?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    all them about what Faith Whitmore and Lauretta had said to me.


    To be honest, I felt a bit depressed. I had never been looked down upon like this except by Neil,


    Maybe it¡¯s because I felt embarrassed, so I didnt tell my friends. Or maybe it¡¯s because I felt it was


    pointless to say it, it would just make them more upset, so I didn¡¯t say it


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Suddenly, Barbara whispered to us.


    We looked in the direction she was looking. It was Malinda and Louis Aldridge.


    The two were wearing matching outfits behaving intimately, but they didn¡¯t match in terms of looks.


    I never understood why Louis would fall for Malinda Apart from other reasons, Just based on Malinda¡¯s


    morals, she didn¡¯t match Louis,


    I¡¯ll never forget the righteous look on her face when she used me for Bonnie


    Malinda also saw us. She pulled Louis to the spot next to us, deliberately pulling the chair loudly,


    attracting everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°You¡¯re here too. What a coincidence!¡± Louis greeted us cheerfully when he saw us.


    ¡°Yeah, what a coincidence¡± I responded with a slight smile, then continued to drink my coffee.


    Malinda sat across from me. She looked at me coldly, then said sarcastically, ¡°Some people even have


    the mood to drink coffee here?¡±


    There¡¯s no need to guess. The ¡®some people she¡¯s referring to is me.


    Like Bonnie, as long as I¡¯m around, Malinda would buzz around me like a fly.


    ¡°Malindal¡± Louis obviously heard Malinda¡¯s rudeness. He immediately whispered a reminder to her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this.¡±


    ¡°What did I say wrong? I just find it strange. Didn¡¯t someone say she loved Neil for many years? How


    come she¡¯s so rxed now? Was she pretending before?¡± Malinda said angrily, ¡°She indulges in self¨C


    gratification and hurts Bonnie. I can¡¯t stand people like that?¡±


    See, I told you she has no morals.


    At this moment, Le in Ste¡¯s arms, suddenly knocked over the yogurt, Steltaughed, ¡°My daughter


    can¡¯t stand the dog barking either!¡±


    ¡°Who are you cursing?¡± Malinda mmed the table and stood up. There was a trace of impatience and


    disgust on Louis¡¯s face, but it quickly returned to


    narrat


    ¡°Whoever makes a fuss, curse whoever Stells replied indifferently.


    1/2


    ¡°Did I talk to you?¡± Malinda pointed at me, ¡°Irene, you only know how to hide. Don¡¯t you dare to say a


    few words?¡±


    I found this too ridiculous, ¡°If a dog bites me, should I bite it back too?¡±


    Being called a dog again, Malinda¡¯s face looked very ugly. People around started whispering, obviously


    discussing about us.


    I didn¡¯t want to be the focus, so I got up to leave


    Malinda stopped me. She said in a know¨Cit¨Call tone, ¡°Today Neil and Bonnie went to the cemetery


    together. Ms. Gloria and Kate also went.¡±


    Gloria already gave me the heads up that she nned to visit Karina Aaron and invited Neil along.


    Now he¡¯s game to tag along? Fascinating.


    ¡°You really think your push¨Cpull tactics are gonna work? You¡¯re no match for Bonnie, no matter what.


    It¡¯s pathetic being the ignored one.¡± Malinda thought she¡¯dnded a blow, her tone growing smugger,


    totally unbothered about maintaining a good image in front of her boyfriend.


    Louis looked torn, apparently wanting to rein in Malinda but unsure of how to go about it


    ¡°Malinda, you¡¯re such an evil dimwit I picked up my bag, looking at Malinda with pity, ¡°Bonnie is so


    lucky to have such a dumb puppet like you.¡±

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    Chapter 192


    Chapter 192


    ¡°What did you say? Irene, don¡¯t think I won¡¯t p your Malinda was all fired up, seemingly bothered by


    me calling her Bonnie¡¯spdog.


    My friends, hearing Malinda¡¯s outburst, gathered around


    ¡°You think we wouldn¡¯t p you too?¡± Barbara rolled up her sleeves


    Louis looked helpless As a guy, he shouldn¡¯t get involved in a catfight, but Malinda was his girlfriend,


    and we were all acquainted with him.


    He pulled Malinda behind him, ¡°Enough, enough We¡¯re all friends here Can we stop this hostility?¡±


    ¡°Louis, are you blind? Why would you pick her as your girlfriend? She has no conscience, do you have


    one?¡± Ste bluntly asked.


    Louis¡¯s face changed slightly. He awkwardly chuckled, not responding.


    Malinda was at her breaking point. She was the one who persistently went after Louis, and now Ste


    was saying she didn¡¯t deserve him?


    ¡°Say that again? Malinda pointed at Ste, her eyes zing.


    Tension was in the air. Some staff hade over to try to defuse the situation.


    ¡°Malinda, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Sudderly Bonnie¡¯s voice chimed in Her eyes were red and swollen as if she¡¯d


    just been crying. She looked at us, puzzled.


    Kate Aaron was in the same state. They probably just got back from the cemetery.


    I had to admire Bonnie. She really considered herself Karina.


    ¡°Bonnie, Kate, are you okay?¡± Malinda immediately asked with concem as soon as she saw them.


    Kate shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re fine, just a little upset. What¡¯s going on between you and them ¡±


    She nced at me, her distaste for me apparent in her eyes.


    Malinda immediately fell bolstered, Louis and I came here to wait for you guys, but we ran into trene.


    They have no manners, even openly insulted me, calling me a bitch!


    At that moment, a woman nearby spoke up, ¡°It was you who started it all with your ranting, disturbing


    them. Isn¡¯t that why they said those things about you?¡±


    I turned to look at the woman She had short hair with red highlights, silver earrings, and a nose ring,


    giving her a rebellious look.


    Seeing me look at her, she gave me a smile


    I inexplicably liked her appearance, so I returned her smile with a grateful one.


    ¡°Malinda was at a loss for words after being exposed by the short¨Chaired woman


    ¡°Malinda, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just drop il Bonnie wiped her eyes and put on a magnanimous face.


    Kate checked the time and urged. ¡®Bonnue, let¡¯s go. My mom and Neil are waiting for us


    She emphasized Neil¡¯s name as if afraid I wouldn¡¯t hear it clearly


    Bonnie nodded and took Malinda¡¯s hand, ¡°Malinda, why don¡¯t you and Louise with us? We can all


    have dinner together.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Malinda cheered up immediately, ¡°After all, Lous and Nell are good friends. It¡¯s just like a


    friends¡® get¨Ctogether!¡±


    Louis gave me an apologetic look, seemingly helpless


    After Bonnie and her group left, Ste couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°What the hell is Neil up to? Is he getting


    back together with Bonnie?¡±


    I shrugged, replying nonchntly. ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Despite his apparent dislike for Bonnie, he could still go with her to pay respects to Karina and then


    have a casual dinner with her. I suddenly remembered the scene a few days ago when Neil asked me


    for one more chance. It was ridiculous.


    If I had agreed to him, wouldn¡¯t I be the joke of the century now?


    ¡°Whitmore Co. and Harmony Enterprises used to coborate, and they even almost worked on a


    project together, but due to some issues, it fell through. Neil and Abner should know each other, so


    inviting his wife and daughter for a meal seems normal? Alicia said.


    I wasn¡¯t very clear about these things. I used to only care about my love life, so I didn¡¯t know much


    about either mypany or Whitmore Co


    But I was inexplicably upset now. Thinking about what happened between Neil and me a few days ago,


    I felt yed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going horne, I told Ste and the others


    ¡°Give me a lit¡± Ste immediately caught up with Le in her arms, ¡°Mitch is busy today He can¡¯t pick


    me up¡±


    So, I drove Ste home Alicia and Barbara each took their cars. After the four of us parted ways, I


    headed for Ste¡¯s house.


    I was pretty quiet on the way. Ste broke the silence. ¡°Rena, you seemed upset after hearing that Nell


    was waiting for Bonnie, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Among my three friends, Ste knew me the best and was the most direct with me.


    ¡°Not at all I¡¯m just a bit tired and want to go to sleep. I denied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± Ste didnt buy it, ¡°I can tell something¡¯s off by the look on your face. You¡¯re not telling


    me, right?¡±


    Just as she firushed speaking, my phone rang. It was a call from Neil.


    Without a second thought, I hung up


    Chapter 192


    After hanging up four or five calls in a row, I turned off my phone. I didn¡¯t want to hear Neil¡¯s crap. If he


    was going to have dinner with Bonnig and her group, why would he still have time to contact me?


    As soon as I turned off my phone, Ste¡¯s phone rang.


    Again, it was Neil.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Ste answered on speakerphone


    ¡°Is Irene with you?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°Do you have a split personality? Waiting for Bonnie on one hand and contacting Rena on the other?¡±


    Ste cursed, ¡°Bastard! Leave Rena alone! Since things between you and Bonnie are unclear, stop


    bothering her


    Neil paused for a moment, then asked, somewhat speechless, I¡¯m waiting for Bonnie to have dinner


    together. Who said that?¡±


    ¡°Cut the act. Weren¡¯t you just worshiping at the altar of Karina today? Neil, you told Mitch you regretted


    it and wanted to make it up to Rena. All lies, huh?¡± Ste¡¯s anger grew with every ward she said.


    Finally, she just started cursing. ¡°You jerk! Stay the hell away from her


    I listened to their conversation without uttering a word


    Before Neil could exin, Ste had already hung up. She turned to me and said, ¡°Rena, don¡¯t you


    listen to Neils crap. He¡¯s not trying to make things right with you, he¡¯s just ying your*


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I m not that naive,¡± Iughed, ¡°My mom wants me to start working at herpany in a


    few days. I¡¯ll be a working woman then, won¡¯t have much time to think about all this.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Ste breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, her eyes caught something in the distance, ¡°Isn¡¯t that


    Russel standing in front of my house?¡±


    I took a closer look, and it was indeed him. Russel was chatting with Mitch about something. He looked


    noticeably more run¨Cdown than he was a few days ago

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    Chapter 193


    I totally wanted to make a U¨Cturn and speed off, but Ste and her daughter were still in my car, I had


    no choice but to suck it up and drop them off at their doorstep.


    ¡°My wife is back! Mitch, all dressed up, probably just got back from work. Seeing Ste get out of my


    car, he immediately rushed over to pick up Le and enthusiastically greeted Ste.


    Russel¡¯s gaze fell on me for a few seconds before shifting away


    I also deliberately avoided Russel s gaze. Once Ste and Le got out of the car, I was ready to leave.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Mitch suddenly called out to me, ¡°Rena, could you give Russel a lift? He didn¡¯t bring his car


    and I don¡¯t have the time to drive him.¡±


    Hearing this, Ste gave me a knowing wink.


    My instinct was to refuse, but Russel looked at me again; his eyes wereplex and a bit repressed.


    I let out a deep sigh, ¡°Alright. Dr. Russel, I¡¯ll take you home¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t say a word. He kept his lips tight but seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He nodded at


    Mitch, then got into my car.


    He had a scent of woman¡¯s perfume on him today


    I drove in silence, heading to Russel¡¯s apartment. I¡¯d been there once before and remembered the


    general route.


    ¡°I had a blind date today: Russel broke the silence first, ¡°We met, had dinner, and chatted¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. How old is she? What does she look like?¡® I casually asked


    Russel didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t help but nce at him. He sat upright in the passenger seat, his profile


    expressionless.


    Did I say something wrong again? Wasn¡¯t I just showing concern for him?


    Never mind, it¡¯s probably better if I just keep quiet and drive


    So I kept silent, not asking anymore about Russel¡¯s blind date. It wasn¡¯t until the car arrived at his


    apartment building that I broke the silence, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Wait for me. I need to take Boomer for


    deworming, Russel said to me in a slightly gloomy tone as he unbuckled his seat belt, ¡®My car is in the


    shop for maintenance. The other cars are at home. Can you give me a ride again?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wait for you here¡± What else could I say?


    While Russel went to get Boomer, I was stuck in a curious thought Is this what it feels like to be loved


    by someone I don¡¯t love?


    Did that mean Neil had been dealing with this kind of trouble for the ten years I was chasing him?


    The more I thought about it, the more I felt something was off. Why was I starting to feel sympathy for


    Neil? I must be going crazy


    ¡°Meow¡± The car door opened again. A cute meow interrupted my messy thoughts


    Russel had changed his clothes. He was now in a white t¨Cshirt and gray pants, very simple and casual.


    God had been kind to him, leaving almost no traces of age on his face, so as long as he changed his


    style a bit, he looked very young


    As long as his gaze wasnt so cold.


    Boomer seemed to remember me in the cage, he kept meowing, trying to get close to me, but without


    sess.


    ¡°Boomer is looking more handsome¡± I leaned in to look at the kitten, unable to suppress my


    compliment.


    ¡°You hold the cage I¡¯ll drive.¡± Russel suddenly handed the cage to me.


    I didn¡¯t know which pet store he was going to, so I switched ces with him and sat in the passenger


    seat holding the cage, asionally teasing Boomer. On the way, Russel and I hardly spoke a few


    words


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    After we arrived at the pet store, I didn¡¯t get out of the car with Russel.


    Tll call a friend to pick me upter. You can go ahead,¡± Russel said to me from outside the car window,


    holding the cat cage.


    ¡°Okay. Russel, I have a favor to ask, I hesitated for a moment but decided to speak up. ¡°Could you not


    tell anyone about my infertility? Please?¡±


    Russel¡¯s gaze deepened He asked, ¡°Even if I dont mind, you wouldn¡¯t choose me, would you?¡±


    He had a self¨Cdeprecating smile on his face. ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    With that, he entered the pet store.


    I breathed a sigh of relief but also felt a little upset. If I could fall in love with Russel, it might not be bad.


    I believe he would do anything for me. But it seemed I couldn¡¯t fall in love with anyone anymore. All my


    capacity for love was lost in my marriage with Nell


    I drove home. After some thinking, I contacted the media.


    Soon, news of Neil and Bonnie rekindling their old me surfaced. As the whistle blower, I was


    indifferent.


    Bonnie probably didn¡¯t expect me to be so kind to her, even helping her reignite her romance with Neil.


    Their past story was brought up again, and people were discussing it online, eventually forming two


    camps.


    One believed Neil apanying Bonnie to the cemetery was a sign of their reunion. They had always


    had a thing for each other but were separated for Two years due to some issues.


    Chapter 193


    The other camp believed it signaled a potential coboration between Whitmore Co. and Harmony


    Enterprises. They didn¡¯t meet because of lingering feelings but for business interests


    While Neil and Bonnie became a hot topic, I had already packed up and started working at my family¡¯s


    company


    Ste quickly organized a party to celebrate my bing a working woman. On Friday night, as soon


    as I got off work, they dragged me into Cielo


    Nocturno.


    I hadn¡¯t been here for a drink in a long time. I drank one ss after another and soon felt tipsy. Before


    long, the four of us got a little drunk


    ¡°Rena, just a heads up¡­¡± Ste suddenly leaned in and whispered in my ear, ¡°Neil is trying to figure


    out who leaked the news about him and Bonnie. It seems like he¡¯s found out it was you¡®


    ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡°I almost choked. Does Neil really have that much free time?


    ¡°Why did you do that? Ste squinted at me,


    I felt a bit drunk, so I replied directly. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be bothered by Neil, so I gave him something


    to do. What do you think of my idea?¡±


    Ste nced behind me, and her expression seemed a bit off. She immediately covered my mouth,


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk. That¡¯s why you¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±


    I was kinda pissed, so I pushed Ste¡¯s hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense! I¡¯m telling the truth,


    Hasn¡¯t he always been all tangled up with Bonnie? Then he should just keep entangling with her, not


    bothering me. From now on, I¡¯ll leak his news to the media every day. If thats not enough, I¡¯ll spill the


    beans about Karina too.¡±


    Just then, a hand reached from behind me and took my ss away


    I turned around in confusion. Neil stood behind me, his face stern. His indifference stood out in stark


    contrast to the lively atmosphere around us


    Even though Ste and the others always said Neil was a bad guy, it seemed like I was the one caught


    red¨Chanded right now. For a moment, all four of up were left speechless

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    Chapter 194


    1 need to have a chat with you¡¯ Neil put his sses on the table and solemnly pulled me up.


    Neil led me out in a daze as the scorching wind blew against my face. I was ready to head back inside,


    the heat was just too unbearable


    Neil stopped me, sounding pissed, ¡°Did you spread the rumor about Bonnie and me getting back


    together just because you didn¡¯t want me to bother you?¡±


    What else? I don¡¯t want to be a tabloid journalist


    ¡°So, can you promise me that you won¡¯t bother me anymore? Pretend you don¡¯t know me when you


    see me, so I don¡¯t have to do this to distract you¡± I touched my somewhat hot face still keeping my


    senses.


    ¡°Did you do this to get back at me for what I didst time?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes darkened as he asked coldly


    I admitted frankly, ¡°Yes, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I don¡¯t want my parents to know, I would have called


    the police and ruined your reputation long ago Neil, you¡¯re really shameless. Have you been swinging


    between two people in the past two years?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Neil was so angry that he held his forehead, ¡°You didn¡¯t even reply to my messages or


    answer my calls, did you give me a chance to exin?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your exnation. Right now, I can¡¯t believe how stupid I¡¯ve been to have anything to do


    with you¡± I interrupted Neil


    ¡°So, who should you be involved with? Russel? Neils tone suddenly cooled down, Too bad, he¡¯s


    currently on a blind date.¡±


    I found it amusing. Did he think that I wanted to leave him for Russel?


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It is for Russel. I regret it! Why did I like you back then? Why didn¡¯t I meet him first?


    After seeing him quarrel with his family for me, I hate my second marriage status. If I hadnt married you


    if I hadn¡¯t lost a child, I could be open with him now. We¡¯re a perfect match, and we like each other;


    what¡¯s wrong with that? I startedughing as I talked


    My heart became incredibly satisfied when I saw Neils increasingly ugly face.


    Since he always thought I had something going on with Russel, I didn¡¯t reed to exin anymore.


    I thought Neil would be furious; everything I just said was meant to provoke him.


    ¡°Trene, shut up Neil didn¡¯t lose his temper, but his face looked terrifying


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll shut up. As long as you dont bother me in the future, I can stay quiet!¡± I replied coldly


    Neil took a deep breath, seeming to calm himself down, and we both fell into a silent standoff


    Until a woman appeared who recognized me, ¡®Oh, it¡¯s you?¡±


    I nced at the woman and realized that it was the same short-haired woman who had spoken up for


    me in the shop a few days ago.


    Today she was dressed very brightly and wearing a pair of exaggerated earrings, but she didn¡¯t give off


    a vulgar vibe, instead, she seemed very sexy and lively


    ¡°We meet again¡± I remmed in my emotions and greeted the short-haired woman with a smile.


    Neil stood next to me, looking very indifferent, staring at the woman with a nk expression.


    ¡°Wow! What a coincidence; are you here for a drink too?¡± The short-haired woman was very cheerful,


    and her voice was sweet as she asked, ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡±


    She pointed to Neil.


    I immediately denied it. ¡°We re not close, just friends.¡±


    A trace of surprise shed in the short-haired woman¡¯s eyes, ¡°Really? Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I


    pursue him, right? He looks handsome.¡±


    She openly expressed her interest in Neil.


    ¡°Cool, go for it!¡± I made an encouraging gesture,pletely disregarding her words.


    Neil, however, frowned. When the woman came up and asked for his contact information, he red at


    me, then got into a Porsche parked on the side of the road and disappeared from my sight.


    The short-haired woman held her phone, looking at a loss, ¡°Your friend sure has a temper!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not just hot-tempered; he¡¯s also arrogant I suggest you find someone else to flirt with. He¡¯s not


    worth it! Alter Neil left, I immediately took out my phone. ¡°But if you like a challenge, I can give you his


    number.¡±


    The short haired woman looked at me in surprise, then broke into a smile, Really? He doesn¡¯t seem


    like a friend you¡¯re not close with, did you guys just have a fight?


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°We¡¯re both in our thirties, and we¡¯re not high school sweethearts. Don¡¯t worry,


    I¡¯m really not close with him.¡±


    The short haired woman looked in the direction Neil left. Her smile was fading a bit, and her eyes were


    full of curiosity. ¡°He¡¯s not just handsome, he¡¯s also rich. Why didn¡¯t you pursue him?¡±


    I gave her a bitter smile as thought about how I pursued him for ten years without sess and how,


    after the divorce, I messed up even more.


    I felt like I got along well with this short-haired woman, so I advised her, ¡°Honestly, rich and handsome


    guys are usually womanizers. If you want to chase him, you have to be prepared topete with a


    bunch of other women, it¡¯s really not worth it.¡±


    The short haired woman burst intoughter and took out her phone, ¡°Anyway, give me your contact


    information. If I want to chase that hunk in the future, ITI definitely need your help¡±


    sighed my heart. Another woman was now enchanted by Neil¡¯s appearance. I, too, once naively


    pursued Neil, wanting to be his woman.


    I just didn¡¯t expect that his heart already belonged to someone else and that he even had a rtionship


    stand-in,


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    If this short haired woman could attract Neil, it meant that she really was a stunning woman.


    I agreed to the short-haired womans request. Her nickname on WhatsApp was The Cat At The Bar¡¯


    Very interesting.


    ¡°You can call me Kitty. She shook her phone happily


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m Irene I introduced myself generously


    Kitty thought for a moment. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard your name somewhere. What¡¯s that hunk¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Neil, you can lock up his information online¡± I answered.


    Kitty touched her short hair, and her eyes widened in surprise, I think I know who he is. Isn¡¯t he the


    CEO of Whitmore Co. who was in the entertainment news a few days ago?¡±


    Anything more I say would be redundant because Neil¡¯s scandals were always hot topics in the


    entertainment news.


    Kitty looked young: she probably followed entertainment news often and knew all the gossip.


    Then she seemed to remember something, and she widened her eyes at me, ¡°Irene, isn¡¯t that the


    name of his ex-wife? Oh my God, did I just happen toe across a bigpany boss arguing with


    his ex-v


    -wife in public?¡±


    I busted outughing at her description of me I didn¡¯t know why, but somehow,ing from Kitty, it was


    pretty funny and not off-putting at all. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Neil. ¡°If you dare


    give that rebel kid my number, you¡¯re on your own


    Rebel kid?


    I nced at Kitty¡¯s red hair, her dramatic earrings, and her nose piercing. This wasnt rebellion! This


    was called having her own character!

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    Chapter 195


    Tve sent you his number, remember to save it.¡¯I immediately sent Neils number to Kitty


    Kitty was thrilled. ¡°Awesome! Thanks!¡±


    If she could help me out with Neil, I should be the one thanking her


    Just then, some of Kitty¡¯s friends found her, so she said goodbye and left


    I stood alone on the street for a while, reluctant to go back and continue drinking. So I shot a message


    to Ste and the gang in our group chat, then called Bailey to pick me up.


    ¡°Miss, are you alone? As I was waiting for Bailey, a few youngds swarmed over, grinning and asking


    me questions.


    I shot them a nce and immediately took a few steps back.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then Finn Hackett showed up, rubbing his bald head and showing his hypocritical smile, ¡°You¡¯re Ms.


    Finch, right? Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Finn.¡±


    Finn obviously came for me, but I couldn¡¯t understand why. Thest time his men hit my car, the police


    didn¡¯t have enough evidence to nab him. Even though he was a small-time punk, he was pretty good at


    dodging jail time


    Neil had pulled some strings to get those two punks to snitch on Finn, but because his methods were


    unorthodox the evidence handed to the police may not hold water and could even backfire.


    ¡°Finn, what do you want with me?¡± I asked coolly We were on a busy street with surveince cameras


    everywhere. He couldn¡¯t possibly do anything to me in broad daylight.


    I¡¯m ttered that Ms. Finch would recognize a nobody like me¡± Finn grinned, ¡°Since fate brought us


    together, why don¡¯t we grab a coffee? Id like to get, to know you¡±


    I frowned, and my gaze darted towards the entrance of Cielo Nocturno. If Ste and the others came


    out looking for me right now, I might be able to ditch him.


    But I had already sent a message saying I was heading home, so they wouldn¡¯te looking for me


    ¡°Finn, if you have something to say, spit it out. My friend¡¯s on her way to pick me up. As for the coffee,


    let¡¯s take a rain check. I¡¯ll treat you next time.¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°It has to be today. I know a ce that serves killer coffee. It¡¯d be a waste not to go. Ms. Finch, my cars


    over there, shall we?¡± Finn pointed to a car parked by the curb


    If I refused, he might resort to violence to get me in the car. He was a notorious scumbag, not giving a


    damn about what people thought was his MO.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s grab that coffee¡±I scanned the area. With so many cameras around, if I disappeared, the


    cops would be able to find me easily. Plus, Bailey would be here soon. If she couldn¡¯t find me and


    couldn¡¯t reach me, she would know that something was up.


    Right now, not doing as Finn said might only add fuel to the fire.


    Once in the car. Finn made a call while sitting next to me, ¡°We¡¯ve got her. Don¡¯t worry Ill handle it just


    fine.


    I faintly heard a woman¡¯s voice on the other end.


    ¡°Finn, we don¡¯t really cross paths. Why are you inviting me for coffee? Can you tell me who you¡¯re


    working for?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I know who your father is. I don¡¯t want to cross him. But I had no choice; doing shady stuff


    for others is my job.¡± Finn chuckled, showing off his disgusting yellow teeth.


    I kept my cool. ¡°So the car identst time was that also part of your job, right?¡±


    Finn was a bold one. Heughed, ¡°Yes, but everyone¡¯s got a backer. I¡¯ve got mine now, so I¡¯m not


    scared.¡±


    His frankness about his crimes made me uneasy


    Crooks usually reveal secrets like this only when they n to eliminate witnesses.


    He was not nning to kill me, was he? I started to get nervous


    After a while, the car stopped at the foot of a hill.


    I was led up a hill by Finn¡¯s men. There was an abandoned vi on top. Under the lights on both sides


    of the road, I could see the crumbling walls of the vi


    Suddenly, I remembered Halley. Wasn¡¯t he also kidnapped by Finn? He was found in an abandoned


    vi. Was this the same ce?


    Before I could figure it out, I was taken into the vi. A cloth was pressed over my mouth and nose, and


    I passed out quickly.


    ¡°You did well this time, or I wouldn¡¯t have paid you¡±


    I regained a bit of consciousness in my daze and heard Bonnie¡¯s voice.


    Her voice was sometimes near, sometimes far, ¡°Remember to inform Russel¡±


    ¡°Ms. Tueley, I must remind you that Irene¡¯s father is a government official. If anything happens to her,


    I¡¯d be in deep shit. Can you protect me?¡± Finn asked. ¡°Duh, have you forgotten who I am? Didn¡¯t cover


    for you when you messed with Oscar Morse and Halley and when you hit Irene¡¯s car? Don¡¯t worry.


    Once I¡¯m done with her, I¡¯ll send you abroad ¡°Bonnie answered casually, as if these were just trivial


    matters


    My eyelids felt heavy, I couldn¡¯t open them, but i heard everything. All the things that happened before


    were Bonnie¡¯s acts of revenge


    She was ruthless. She showed no mercy to Oscar, Halley, or me.


    Chapter 190


    Neil was the one who caused her misery Why didn¡¯t she go after him?


    ¡°Irene, I won¡¯t let Neile back to you. He¡¯s mine.¡± Bonnie¡¯s voice suddenly seemed closer, as if she


    were right next to me.


    ¡°Russel likes you too, right? There will be a good show when hees.


    I didn¡¯t know what Bonnie was talking about. All I could feel was someone covering my mouth and


    pouring water into it.


    Then Bonnie told Finn, ¡°If word gets out, you know what to do. If I get implicated in any way you won¡¯t


    get a dime, and you¡¯ll go to jail. Got it?¡±


    Finn was very obedient in front of Bonnie, ¡°Got it, I know what to do?


    As they chatted, I felt a peculiar warmth in my belly. I immediately guessed what they had just made


    me drink.


    Bonnie hade up with such a disgusting plot to make Neil give up on me for good. It was revolting!


    Bonnie must ve bailed already, leaving only Finn and his crew here. Someore caressed my face,


    laughing with a crude grin, ¡°Boss, can we have a taste of her first?¡±


    ¡®Shut your trap! Do you seriously think we can mess with her old man? If you so much as touch her,


    you¡¯re toast, moron! Once this is all over, the dough you¡¯re getting from Ms. Tueley will be more than


    enough for you to live it up abroad!¡± Finn snapped angrily


    It seemed that Bonnie had paid them a fortune, enough to risk huiting me

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    Chapter 196


    I started to feel unwell, but my mind was telling me to bear with it. I believed Bailey had already called


    the cops. If they could get here in time, I¡¯d have a chance to escape.


    But Russel was faster. After hearing his voice, I felt utterly hopeless.


    ¡°Trene!¡± He roared with anger and anxiety


    Suddenly, a knife was put to my throat. Someone threatened Russel, ¡°Drink the bottle of water on the


    table, or I¡¯ll kill her!¡±


    I tried to open my eyes. My vision was blurry, but I could see Russel in the distance. He walked over to


    a table and drank from a bottle of water.


    I wanted to stop him, but my voice was weak, ¡®Russel¡­¡±


    Once Russel finished the water, the man next to me bolted, and I heard the sound of the door locking.


    Without a second¡¯s hesitation, Russel ran to me and held me in his arms. It was only then that I could


    see his face clearly. His handsome face was filled with worry and anger.


    ¡°Russel, call the cops. The water¡­ it was drugged¡­¡±I was burning up and could barely breathe.


    ¡°Drugged?¡± Russel nced at the empty bottle.


    I could smell his scent, like some kind of shower gel, and it felt like I was in a field of flowers


    Was this how Neil felt when he was drugged and out of control?


    Even though I didn¡¯t have any romantic feelings for Russel, his charm was hard to resist. He was


    handsome, in good shape, and a real hunk.


    I could feel that something was off with him too. He was radiating the same heat as me, and his eyes


    were getting dull.


    ¡°Russel, stay away from me!¡± I could hardly bear it anymore; my mind was filling with inappropriate


    images


    But Russel didn¡¯t let go of me. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and he suddenly kissed me on the cheek


    ¡°I¡¯m single!¡± I kept telling myself this, and then I mustered up the courage to push Russel to the ground


    and climbed on top of him, hastily pulling at his clothes.


    Russel¡¯s chest was heaving; he was trying to control himself just like me.


    His usually calm eyes were now filled with madness. Just as I was about to give up resisting, there was


    a sound from outside the door.


    Then came a loud bang!


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The door couldn¡¯t withstand the strong kick, and it was easily knocked down. Neil¡¯s figure gradually


    became clear in the rising dust, and his voice stopped, ¡°Irene.


    Russel and I were in a very awkward position, our clothes were disheveled.


    The look on Neil¡¯s face froze as he stared at Russel and me.


    His hand slowly clenched into a fist


    With Neil were others, including my parents, Ste, Barbara Sands, Alicia Rider, Mitch Hebert, and


    Cooper rke, even Louis Aldridge was there.


    They all came to save me, but they didn¡¯t expect to see this.


    ¡°Irene!¡± My mother eximed in surprise.


    Mitch quickly took off his jacket, and Ste ran over to cover me with it. Her eyes were on R¨¹ssel, and


    while lookingpletely shocked, she asked, ¡°Russel, what were you two doing¡­?¡±


    Everyone was shocked. Russel seemed to have regained some rity and moved me off him. I came


    to my senses a bit and tightly wrapped the jacket around me.


    not knowing what to say in front of everyone.


    Everyone gathered around. My father¡¯s face was stern, and he didn¡¯t say a word. He just took off his


    jacket and added anotheryer on me.


    Neil stood at the door, motionless, like a statue. He was icy, lookingpletely lifeless. His eyes were


    colder than a de.


    I looked at him through the crowd, and then Russel spoke, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I take responsibility.¡±


    As soon as he said this, Neil rushed over like a madman and punched him in the face. Blood


    immediately spilled from the corner of his mouth.


    Neil was silent. His eyes were red with fury; he pinned Russel to the ground andnded fist after fist.


    Russel didn¡¯t fight back and let Neil hit him.


    ¡°Neill Nell, stop it! This is a misunderstanding!¡± Mitch and Cooper quickly stepped in to stop him.


    Neil shook them off and continued to hit Russel.


    I stepped in to stop him, ¡®Neil, what are you doing? Are you trying


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Neil roared at me, his eyes already moist.


    ¡°Both of us are single; is there a problem? Like I said, I¡¯ll take responsibility if she¡¯s willing.¡± Russel


    wiped the blood from his lip, revealing a provocative


    smile on his face


    Neil grabbed his cor, ready to throw another punch.


    I immediately threw myself on Russel, ignoring everyone¡¯s stares, ¡°We were drugged; that¡¯s why we


    acted like that. I¡¯m also to me, so you might a well kill me too!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Neil looked at me in disbelief.


    ¡°Russel¡¯s right, we¡¯re both single. Since this happened, we might as well get married.¡± I felt like my


    voice had changed, and the words came out coldly.


    Ste squeezed my hand, ¡°Irene, don¡¯t speak nonsense! Nothing happened between you two; it was


    just a hug. Don¡¯t be impulsive!¡±


    Mitch and Cooper also quickly tried to calm Neil down, ¡°Everyone, calm down. Irene was in danger, and


    Russel came to save her, so this must be a misunderstanding!¡±


    Neil stared at me as his eyes slightly shook, revealing his emotional state.


    He asked me, ¡°Is this a misunderstanding?¡±


    Russel was also looking at me. His face was full of bruises, and the smirk was gone. He was waiting for


    my answer.


    I wanted to use this opportunity topletely cut ties with Neil.


    ¡°Today, I was brought here by Finn and Bonnie, and then Russel came to save me. We were indeed


    drugged, thats why we behaved that way.¡±I began to exin, and Neil¡¯s expression eased slightly.


    ¡°But this ain¡¯t no misunderstanding.¡± I changed the subject, bending down to help Russel up. ¡°I¡¯ve


    decided to give it a shot with Russel. Love can be nurtured over time, and from now on, he¡¯s my


    boyfriend.¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, everyone was taken aback, except for Russel, whose eyes gleamed


    with joy. He asked me in a low voice. ¡°Really? Are you willing to give me a chance?¡±


    I deliberately ignored Neil, smiling at Russel, ¡°Yes. Look, you were the first one toe to my rescue


    today. It would be so unfair if I didn¡¯t give you this chance. But whatever your folks are asking of you,


    you¡¯ve gotta handle that yourself.¡±


    Russel couldn¡¯t hide his excitement, and a big smile appeared on his face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely sort it


    out. I won¡¯t be like the others who just bring you


    harm.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face filled with a rage and pain I¡¯d never seen before, but he didn¡¯t have a reason to throw


    punches anymore. Whether or not I chose to date Russel was entirely up to me.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    Chapter 197


    Although my parents had always thought highly of Russel and hoped for us to hit it off one day, their


    expressions were anything but happy due to the


    situation.


    My mom suggested that I head to the hospital first.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I said to Russel, I reckon you shoulde with me to the hospital.¡±


    We had just been spooked by a sudden crowd and were slowly regaining our senses,


    Russel nodded, ¡°Yeah, alright¡±


    As I was passing by Neil, he called out to me, ¡°Irene, I wish you two happiness.*


    This was the first time I had heard such kind words from him. Did it mean he was finally willing to let


    go? That would be a good thing for me. But while looking into his cold eyes, I felt a twinge of sadness


    and regret.


    Maybe he was finally getting a taste of the pain I had been through, and we could call it even


    My parents nced at Neil, then led me away. Soon after, we heard sirens. The cops must be on their


    way.


    At the hospital, Russel and I received treatment. Even after the drugs wore off, they still did damage to


    the body, so we needed to handle this carefully.


    That Bonnie really grinds my gears¡± Steined loudly by my side, ¡®She clearly has a heart


    condition, why hasn¡¯t Lucifere to drag her soul to hell yet?¡±


    Right now, all I cared about was whether the police could arrest Finn and Bonnie. As a victim, I could


    press charges myself. I was just worried that Bonnie might weasel her way out of it.


    *Ste, you should head home; it¡¯s gettingte. I told Ste.


    She had two kids at home and hadn¡¯t been home all night. It wouldn¡¯t be good if she didn¡¯t go back


    soon.


    Barbara and Alicia also urged her to go home, saying they¡¯d stay with me.


    Giving in, Ste said, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go find Mitch and head home to the kids. Call me if anything


    comes up!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, head on home.¡± I nodded.


    Once Ste left, Alicia sat down by my bed and asked with a serious face, ¡®Rena, are you really


    nning on dating Russel?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond.


    Barbara then asked, ¡°You¡¯re not being forced into epting him because of the situation, are you? Or


    are you trying to piss off Neil?¡±


    I shook my head and sighed, ¡°No, I really want to give it a shot with Russel. But part of it is that I want


    Neil to give up.¡±


    Barbara and Alicia exchanged a nce, both looking quite puzzled.


    If I told them that the Dawson family didn¡¯t approve of me and Russel, they¡¯d be even more confused.


    But I had no intention of bringing it up. It was pointless; they¡¯d find out sooner orter.


    ¡°I think Neil¡¯s about to blow a gasket.¡± Alicia shrugged, ¡°But he had iting. Especially with the way


    he treated you before.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and with Bonnie constantly hounding him and now taking revenge on you because of Neil,


    who knows what kind of trouble she¡¯ll bring in the future? It¡¯s better if you cut ties with Neilpletely¡±


    Barbara chimed in.


    I felt the same way I thought that if I started dating Russel, Bonnie would stop bothering me like a mad


    woman.


    The three of us chatted for a long time until my mom arrived.


    I told Barbara and Alicia to go home, and they did. My mom told me, ¡°Your dad is still at the police


    station, he¡¯s furious.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t my testimony enough to deal with Bonnie and Finn¡¯s mess?¡± I asked.


    Finn will likely be caught, but Bonnie¡­ she¡¯s really thorough. It¡¯s hard to say.¡± My mom took my hand,


    ¡°You¡¯ve faced so many difficulties since you came back; what are you going to do?¡±


    All my troubles were orchestrated by Bonnie. Every time I thought of her, I¡¯d get pissed. I didn¡¯t want to


    waste time on her, yet she kept targeting me


    Then, my mom asked me with a stern face, ¡°Rena, are you sure about being with Dr. Russel? This isn¡¯t


    child¡¯s y


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve decided¡± I answered without hesitation, ¡°Don¡¯t you and Dad want me to try dating him too?


    Why do you look unhappy?¡±


    My mom was silent for a while before saying, ¡°When I took you to the tarot reading, I got a reading for


    you and Neil, and one for you and Dr. Russel Both weren¡¯t good, and I¡¯m worried you¡¯re not taking this


    seriously¡±


    Was that why my mom was upset the other day? Because of the bad tarot reading?


    There was no need to guess. The tarot reading must have predicted that Nell and I would end up


    together, and Russel and I were not meant to be. Otherwise, my mom wouldn¡¯t be upset


    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s superstition. Can I ask you a more realistic question?¡± I tried asking.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± My mom nodded.


    ¡°What if Russels parents don¡¯t approve of us because I¡¯m divorced and Neil¡¯s ex-wife?¡± I asked


    seriously.


    My mom was taken aback, apparently not having considered this. As parents, they always thought their


    child was the best and wouldn¡¯t even have imagined that they¡¯d be looked down upon.


    After reminding her, my mom fell into a long silence before finally saying, ¡°Rena, if his family really


    looks down on you, let Russel handle it. If he can¡¯t, then you shouldn¡¯t be with him.¡±


    In my mom¡¯s heart, her daughter¡¯s dignity was more important


    I sighed in relief and said with a smile, ¡®Okay, got it. Mom, you should go home and rest too. I¡¯ll be


    home in a couple of days; it¡¯s not that serious.


    ¡°I want to stay with you.¡± My mom disagreed.


    In the end, I convinced her to go home and wait for my dad, and she reluctantly left.


    I was alone in the ward and struggling to fall asleep. Every time I thought of the almost intimate


    moment with Russel, I felt awkward and depressed.


    Just as I was about to fall asleep, I saw a figure at the door


    Limmediately opened my eyes wide. It was Neil standing at the door.


    We looked at each other from a distance of two to three meters.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked first.


    ¡°Do you like him? Neil asked, his voice unusually hoarse.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I chuckled, ¡®Neil, were thirty years old, why are we still talking about this childish stuff?¡±


    Did it really matter whether I liked him or not?


    When you reached a certain age, you realized that love wasn¡¯t all that important. Finding the right


    person was what mattered.


    Neil strolled in, reeking of smoke and looking like he¡¯d been puffing away like a chimney.


    ¡°Irene, do you really have zero feelings for me now?¡± He stood by my bed, looking down at me. His


    features were still as sharp as ever, but now they were tinged with a sense of loss and grievance.


    He reminded me of a kid who had just been abandoned by his parents, looking all pathetic and sad.


    Neil had always been a cocky guy; he was never one to pull a sad puppy face. This was the first time


    he¡¯d ever shown such a pitiful look in front of me.


    I answered him, cool as a cucumber, ¡°Yeah, we should let bygones be bygones, Neil.


    After twelve years of emotional entanglements, it was about time we called it quits.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    Chapter 198


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up, as long as you tell me that you¡¯re not actually into Russel.¡± Neil¡¯s eyes were filled with


    defiance.


    I looked at him and asked, ¡°Neil, when you gave me the cold shoulder, did you ever think that one day


    you might regret it?¡±


    I had often imagined this scenario, where Neil finally realized that I was the one who loved him the


    most and that he had always had feelings for me, and if I were to leave, he would be filled with regret


    Now, all of this hade true, and I was still here, hearing him say that he didn¡¯t want me to leave him.


    Neil was silent for a moment, showing the humblest side of him, and said, ¡°I never expected that I


    would regret it. But now that I do, I can¡¯t stand the thought of you being with someone else.¡±


    ¡°Neil, thank you for saying that, it¡¯s satisfying my revenge.¡± I sat up and leaned against the headboard,


    smiling at Neil, ¡°But there are so many things to regret in this world, I won¡¯t give you another chance.


    From now on, I¡¯m Russel¡¯s girlfriend, so please stay away; I don¡¯t want to cause him any trouble.¡±


    Neil¡¯s pride was already crushed under my foot, and yet I still stepped on it.


    He looked at me with a strange look.


    I met his gaze calmly, trying to clear my mind and make my eyes look calm.


    ¡°So you won¡¯t care if I¡¯m with Bonnie, right?¡± Neil whispered.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d wish you the best.¡± I replied. ¡°As long as you can persuade her not to bother me. Also, this


    kidnapping thing, she nned it all; I won¡¯t let that


    slide.¡±


    Neil let out a coldugh, ¡°Hah.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what hisugh meant, but it made me feel uneasy.


    Neil didn¡¯t continue; he just took out a palm-sized notebook from his pocket, threw it on my bed, and


    left.


    After he left, I picked up the little, delicate notebook. It had a lock on it, but it was already open.


    The pages inside the notebook were a little yellowed, showing their age.


    I opened the cover, and the first page was written in my handwriting ¡¯99 Things to Do After Marrying


    Neil:


    There was a small heart and a smiley face underneath


    I suddenly remembered that this was the notebook I bought when I first married Neil, specifically for


    recording our so-called sweet married life. I searched for all kinds of romantic events online and


    reached a total of 99. They were all listed in the notebook, which had exactly 99 pages.


    Each page was titled with a different thing.


    The first page was titled, ¡°Go watch a romance movie with him, share a coke, and eat popcorn,¡±


    The blue ink was already faded, but behind this line was ck ink saying, ¡®Done, which was clearly


    recent


    I was stunned and thought of the time Neil asked me to go to the movies with him. Was it because he


    read this notebook that I had forgotten?


    Was he really nning to follow the records here andplete the 99 things one by one?


    I felt a mix of emotions, unsure whether I was sad or regretful.


    ¡°Still up?¡± Russel¡¯s voice suddenly broke the silence.


    ¡°No, why are you here?¡± I quickly put away the notebook and looked at Russel, who was walking in


    with surprise.


    He looked tired, he probably hadn¡¯t rested well recently. The objections from his family were a mental


    pressure for him,


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Russel walked to my bed with a slight smile on his face, 1 missed you, so I just came to check on you.


    Has Neil been here?¡±


    He sat on the chair with his long, slender fingers gently crossed and spoke in a very calm voice.


    I nodded, ¡°Yeah, he came to ask if I really wanted to be with you; I¡¯ve been asked this question several


    times.¡±


    ¡°Have you decided? Russel¡¯s eyes were fixed on me, and I could sense a trace of unease in his gaze.


    ¡°I have, but Russel, you really need to think it through. I can¡¯t have children, and you¡¯ll face a lot of


    criticism for being with me. I think Russel was the one who had to really think it through


    Russel¡¯s smile deepened, and the unease in his eyes turned into a gentle glow, I¡¯ve thought it through; I


    won¡¯t regret it¡±


    In the past, my parents wanted me to take over thepany and be a businessman, but I chose


    to be a doctor. So many years have passed, and I¡¯ve never regretted my choices. Everything I¡¯ve done,


    I¡¯ve done willingly¡±


    I listened to Russel speak, his voice was steady, clear, and very pleasing, just like him. He was always


    very charming


    Maybe having a man who was determined to choose and ept me was a very happy thing, provided


    that there was no one else in my heart Russel suddenly stood up and leaned over to me. His breath


    was very close, ¡®I will always stick to my choices, whether it¡¯s for work or for you.¡±


    I admitted that my heart skipped a beat. His handsome face was right there; he was just like a movie


    star


    I avoided his gaze, feeling guilty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know your decision to be with me is not because you like me but because you want to


    completely cut off any connection with Nell, I¡¯ve said before that i can ept you using me, so you


    don¡¯t need to feel guilty. Russel was like the smartest paychologist ever, he had a clea understanding


    of my state of mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try, maybe time will bring us closer.¡± I said.


    Russel stroked my hair very affectionately, ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    Just when the atmosphere was getting a bit steamy. I suddenly remembered something, ¡°Russel, did


    you tell my mom about me and Nell having dinner together when Louis invited us?¡±


    This question was always on my mind. I¡¯ve always had some doubts about Russel, so I might as well


    clear them up.


    Russel seemed a bit helpless, ¡°You don¡¯t know that your mom added Mitch and them on WhatsApp?


    That idiot Mitch posted a photo, although he deleted it when he realized it was wrong, but I think your


    mom might have seen it.¡±


    I was dumbfounded.


    Well, I guess I really misunderstood Russel, he would never do something like that.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to sleep: it¡¯s almost dawn¡± Russel looked out the window. The days in summer were


    long and the nights were short. It was only a little after five, and the sky was already starting to light up.


    I was really sleepy and felt mentally exhausted, so I didn¡¯t say anything and just closed my eyes to rest.


    I dreamed about Nell again that night, reliving the first time I saw him. I just stared at him, and he gave


    me this cool, casual eyebrow raise and a nce.


    Back then, I was just a girl, and he was a lively boy. In the blink of an eye, our story had been going on


    for over a decade. Wasn¡¯t it crazy how time just flew by?


    When I woke up, photos of me and Russel getting all cozy had spread all over the inte. Some


    people were fanning the mes, so it caught fire really quickly.

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    Chapter 199


    That abandoned mansion must have been rigged with surveince gear, for sure.


    Bonnie¡¯s n was to keep me and Russel under her thumb, so Neil would give up.


    I¡¯ve gotta thank her for that.


    Now that I¡¯ve chosen to be with Russel, I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about the bad press. But I do worry


    about my parents, especially my dad; he was in a particr line of work where all this news would


    bother him.


    The inte was buzzing withments. Most of them were discussing that the rtionships in our


    circle were a hot mess.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Some folks didn¡¯t know when to quit. They were calling out Neil on social media toe see what was


    going on between his ex-wife and his best friend.


    Under normal circumstances, Neil should have sent someone to do some PR, but he didn¡¯t react, as if


    he just vanished.


    After getting discharged, I rested at home for a day and then went straight back to work.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, these are your flowers: please sign for them¡± Around noon, a courier delivered arge


    bouquet of beautiful flowers.


    I was surprised, but after I signed and read the card, I realized that they were from Russel.


    He had really nice handwriting.


    The other employees saw this and started cracking jokes. They must have seen the news these past


    few days. But because of who I am, they never brought it up in front of me; instead, they were really


    nice to me.


    This was the first time I received flowers at work. I felt a bit embarrassed but also really content.


    Soon after, Russel called. ¡°Did you get the flowers?¡±


    ¡°I did, thank you. They¡¯re beautiful.¡± I replied.


    ¡®d you like them; free for dinner tonight? Russel asked.


    I was about to respond when I heard a patient asking about their condition on his end of the line. He


    said in a low voice, ¡°Message me on WhatsApp.¡± I quickly hung up, not wanting to hold him up at work.


    Later, I messaged Russel on WhatsApp, agreeing to dinner that night. It would be our first date since


    we made our rtionship official.


    After a busy day, I went home to shower and change before heading to the restaurant Russel and I had


    booked.


    On the way, I got a call from the police. ¡°Ms. Finch, about your previous kidnapping, we¡¯ve made some


    progress and would like to discuss it with you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    After speaking for over ten minutes, I felt quite down. Just as I suspected, Finn and Bonnie hadn¡¯t been


    punished; instead, Finn¡¯s underlings took the fall. I was really bummed out until I saw Russel.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t feel like having dinner with me?¡± Russel noticed my gloomy face and pinched my


    cheek, asking affectionately.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Bonnie is so cunning that my usations as the victim can¡¯t even get her punished.¡± I


    sighed as I sat down.


    Russel¡¯s smile faded, and heforted me gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    I was surprised, ¡°How will you handle it?¡±


    Russel seldom used his family¡¯s influence to do things. He just wanted to be a simple doctor, which


    was not bad, but it wouldn¡¯t do much if he wanted topete with Bonnie.


    The news about him and me had been all over the inte, hadn¡¯t his parents seen it?


    I once promised his mother that I¡¯d try to avoid contacting or meeting him, but now that things were this


    way, I guess the Dawson family would have a bigger bone to pick with me.


    This meant Russel would face even more pressure.


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Russel said with a smile. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just enjoy our meal; don¡¯t overthink.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± I nodded slightly, choosing to trust Russel.


    I don¡¯t know what Russel did to keep his family calm and not bother me, but I really enjoyed this rare


    peace. I had a normal love life and a stable job. No one was bothering me, and I didn¡¯t have to bother


    anyone either.


    About a weekter, I heard that Finn turned himself in. But he took all the me and didn¡¯t drag Bonnie


    into it.


    I had a hunch that this was Russels doing


    But I had no clue how he managed to make a guy like Finn turn himself in.


    Then i got a message from Russel. ¡®Finn¡¯s Issue has been sorted out, but Bonnie¡¯s situation is tricky.


    You¡¯ll know why soon¡±


    I was a bit puzzled. Why did he not just tell me?


    Just then, Barbara called, ¡°Rena, I need you to go wedding dress shopping with me again


    ¡°Huh? I was taken aback.


    ¡°Ss and I decided to get married. We¡¯re skipping the engagement and getting married at the end


    advance, so I need you toe with me for a fitting Barbara sounded very happy.remindin


    But this time, Ss wasn¡¯t just an ordinary man. He was rich and handsome, a perfect match for


    Barbara.


    The weekend was just right for me to apany Barbara, so I agreed.


    This time, Barbara picked a high-end bridal boutique. It took three to six months to make a custom


    wedding dress, so she needed to order it in advance.


    The brand¡¯s quality was beyond doubt, Barbara just needed to pick a style she liked.


    ¡°Ms. Tueley, wee!¡±


    I followed the voice and couldn¡¯t help butugh. It was my second time apanying Barbara to pick


    a wedding dress and also my second time running into Bonnie at a bridal shop.


    What could I say? Bonnie and Barbara had simr tastes.


    Bonnie was wearing thetest Chanel, with sunsses on and bright lipstick that entuated her lips.


    When she saw me and Barbara, she stopped, took off her sunsses, and walked towards me.


    ¡°Irene, I heard you and Russel are together now. Congrattions! Bonnie sat next to me, crossed her


    legs gracefully, and said with a smile.


    ¡°What are you trying to y at? Are you trying to y the saint? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted when you


    kidnapped me?¡± I shot back coldly. ¡°Now you can finally stop bothering me with your dirty tricks.¡±


    The salespeople around us exchanged amused nces before wisely stepping away.


    After seeing Bonnie, Barbara walked straight over, ¡®Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s a waste of time talking to people like


    her.¡±


    ¡°Did you finish taking your measurements? | asked.


    ¡°No. Once I saw her, I didn¡¯t want to stay here anymore. Let¡¯s go to a different store¡± Barbara said


    coolly, her distaste for Bonnie was as clear as day Bonnie¡¯s situation had changed from before, and it


    was even less eptable to her to be looked down upon like this, so her face immediately turned


    Sour


    But she quicklyposed herself, and a triumphant expression appeared on her face, ¡°Before you two


    go find another store, I have some good news to share. I¡¯m with Neil now.¡±


    Then she turned to me, ¡°Irene, you don¡¯t mind, do you? You¡¯re with your ex-husband¡¯s good friend, so


    you shouldn¡¯t mind that I¡¯m with your ex-husband, right?¡±

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    Chapter 200


    I hadn¡¯t heard from Neil for almost half a month, either in the real world or online.


    My rtionship with Russel had been the talk of the town. It even affected my dad, but Neil seemed


    unfazed by all the attention.


    Turned out that he hadn¡¯t been idle; he got over his issues with Bonnie and chose to be with her.


    I recall Neil asking me if I¡¯d mind if he and Bonnie got together.


    ¡°I wish you guys the best¡± I said while chuckling and looking calmly at Bonnie.


    Trene, I should thank you. If it werent for you and Russel being together, Neil might never have realized


    that I¡¯m the one for him and chosen to ept me. So don¡¯t miss our engagement party¡± Bonnie said,


    pulling an invitation from her bag. I¡¯ve had your invite ready for a while, just waiting to give it to you.


    Since I ran into you today, here it is.¡±


    I flipped through the invite. Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement party was at the end of next month.


    The name ¡®Neil¡¯ on the invite was printed in a uniform font; it was very conspicuous. I suddenly


    remembered that when we were getting married, I wrote the names and dates on our invites.


    I used to think that writing invites for our wedding was the happiest thing.


    ¡°What the hell are we going to that for?!¡± Barbara snatched the invite and tore it up, tossing it on the


    ground. ¡°Bonnie, can¡¯t you have a little shame?¡±


    Bonnie justughed, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want toe, you don¡¯t have to. We just wanted to let


    everyone know so no one says we¡¯re rude.


    I pulled out thirty dors from my bag and tossed it at Bonnie, I won¡¯t be attending. This is my gift to


    you. Given our rtionship, thirty dors should suffice, right?¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Bonnie¡¯s smile finally froze. Clearly, thirty dors was an insult.


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re going too far!¡± Bonnie picked up the thirty dors, fuming. ¡°You¡¯re with Russel now, what


    more do you want? Are you trying to y both sides, so you can have both Russel and Neil hopelessly


    in love with you?¡±


    I stood up, looking down at Bonnie sitting on the sofa, all worked up. You¡¯ve got a dirty mind, so you


    think everyone else is just as dirty¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Bonnie was speechless with rage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Barbara,¡± I said.


    It was a bit ufortable to be in the same store as Bonnie, who was probably here to pick out an


    engagement dress. Barbara started to leave, then hesitated, asking carefully, ¡°Irene, are you okay?


    Don¡¯t be upset over someone like Neil¡±


    Iughed, ¡°What are you talking about? My boyfriend is Russel; how could I still be upset over Neil? He


    and Bonnie are meant for each other.¡±


    They really were a match made in heaven.


    ¡°Right, wait for me, I need to cancel the wedding dress appointment¡± Barbara suddenly chimed in.


    In her rush to leave, she didn¡¯t get a chance to cancel the wedding dress appointment with the shop


    owner. So she gave me the car keys and went back


    1.


    I went to the car just as Bonnie came out of the bridal shop. She nced at me, then said into her


    phone, ¡°I¡¯m on the side of the road; can you see me?¡±


    Not far away, Neil¡¯s familiar Maybach slowly approached.


    I quickly got in the car and shut the door.


    Outside the car window, Bonnie was running towards the Maybach. Neil got out of the car and let her


    jump into his arms. It was quite a sweet scene.


    I looked down at my phone, pretending not to see what was happening outside.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on my window. It was Bonnie; her face was pressed against the ss. All


    I could see of Neil In my peripheral vision were his legs and waist.


    I ignored Bonnie. She looked hurt and got up to say something to Nell. Curious, I lowered the window a


    bit and eavesdropped on their conversation.


    ¡®Neil, maybe I upset her. My intention was to make amends, which is why I invited her to our


    engagement party. Bonnie said, sounding innocent.


    Neil¡¯s response was indifferent, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if those irrelevant peoplee or not.


    I quickly rolled up the window again, blocking out that familiar, indifferent voice.


    Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Russel.


    ¡°Rena, where are you?¡± Russel¡¯s voice was gentle and bright. I had to say that he treated me, his


    girlfriend, very differently from everyone else. Normally he was aloof with others, but with me, he was


    warm and attentive, easily satisfying my special needs as a girlfriend.


    Tm helping Barbara pick out a wedding dress. What about you? Have you had lunch yet?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I just got off work. I knew you were with Barbara, and that shop is near my hospital, so I thought I


    woulde over and we could grab a bite. Russel


    Baid.


    I nced again at Bonnie and Neil outside. They were walking towards the Maybach. Before getting in,


    Ned looked back at


    Even though we hadn¡¯t seen each other in more than ten days, he seemed to have lost some weight,


    but he still seemed unapproachable.


    His gaze pierced through the windshield and lingered on my face for a few seconds. There was


    something cold about his sys


    I avoided Neil¡¯s gaze and answered Russel, Bounds good;e over


    Chapter ZUU


    After hanging up, I got out of the car so Russel could find me while Neil¡¯s car slowly drove away


    Soon, Russel showed up. He got out of his car and waved at me.


    ¡°Dr. Russel is here for you?¡± Barbara came out just then and saw Russel, causing her to grin like a


    proud mother-inw. ¡°Go on, enjoy your date. I¡¯ll take off


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, have lunch with us¡± I grabbed Barbara¡¯s arm.


    Russel showed up right in front of us, snatching my bag without a second thought. He made my bag


    look like a toy as he stood tall while holding it.


    With his other hand holding mine, he responded to me, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s grab a bite.¡±


    Barbara rolled her eyes. ¡°Dr Russel, the only thing you¡¯re missing is a Do Not Disturb¡¯ sign on your


    face!¡±


    Russel cracked a smile. His subtle one made him look extra charming under the sunlight.


    I¡¯m outta here, bye Barbara decided not to be a third wheel and jetted off in her car


    Left with no choice, I said to Russel. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. It¡¯s just the two of us for dinner, so let¡¯s see if


    there¡¯s any decent ce around.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a great Italian ce, Ill take you there. Russel led me towards his car

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    Chapter 201


    Russel knew this area like the back of his hand, and he smoothly led me to an Italian-style restaurant.


    The restaurant had a ssy vibe, it was perfect for a date.


    After we sat down, my curiosity piqued, so I asked, ¡°How did you know about this ce?¡±


    Normally, Russel didn¡¯t seem like the type to frequent such ces, and most of the current customers


    were couples.


    Russel chuckled, ¡°A colleague invited me here for dinner; I thought it was a group thing, so I came.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. So, you found out it was just her waiting for you, right? I think I can guess who it was.¡¯ I


    replied with a grin, The pretty nurse, right?¡±


    Russel arched an eyebrow, ¡°Your guess is a bit vague, we¡¯ve got a lot of nurses at our hospital.¡±


    Was he trying to show off his many admirers to me?


    We had a great chat. After a few dates with Russel, I found out that he was actually the type who


    seemed cold on the outside but was passionate on the inside. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about


    my marriage with Neil before.


    If he was also aloof privately, then I might have found it a bit difficult to get along with him.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Suddenly, a man and a woman entered the restaurant, causing the smile on my face to fade.


    Bonnie, arm in arm with Neil and a happy smile on her face, froze when she saw me


    ¡°Should we switch restaurants?¡¯ Russel asked in a low voice after spotting Neil and Bonnie.


    Before he could finish speaking, Bonnie, arm in arm with Neil, sat down at the table next to ours.


    I stared at the food on the table and calmly said, ¡°No need; the food here is good.¡±


    Russel nodded. Our previous cheerful atmosphere vanished with the arrival of Neil and Bonnie.


    Bonnie started ordering, while Neil remained silent, not voicing any opinions.


    ¡°Neil, what do you want to eat?¡± Bonnie¡¯s voice was pleasing.


    ¡®Anything is fine, as long as you like it. Neil¡¯s voice was indifferent, but at least he gave a response, and


    it was quite amodating.


    Bonnie didn¡¯t mind Neil¡¯s indifference; she skillfully ordered Neil¡¯s favorite dishes, which surprised me.


    Did she know Neil that well? I always thought I was the woman who knew Neil best; after all, I knew


    him for ten years.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like the dishes? Russel noticed I wasn¡¯t eating much and gently asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the red pepper in it. I nced at the squid pasta on the te and casually replied.


    Russel gave me a loving look, then painstakingly picked out the red peppers from my untouched pasta.


    He often performed surgeries, so his hands were steady, his nails were clean, and his handling of the


    cutlery was very elegant.


    After he picked out the red peppers, he pushed his te of squid pasta toward me and took mine.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already eaten from that one!¡¯ I quickly stopped him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Russel didn¡¯t seem to mind; he took a few bites and didn¡¯t show any signs of disgust.


    I felt a little embarrassed; in fact, I didn¡¯t really dislike red peppers; it was just an excuse.


    Since he didn¡¯t mind that I had eaten from it, how could I refuse his thoughtful care? I lowered my head


    and ate the squid pasta when I suddenly heard Bonnie next to me say, ¡°I just had a manicure. I want to


    eat shrimp, but I can¡¯t peel the shell¡±


    Neil¡¯s voice sounded a few secondster, but it was gentler than before, ¡°I¡¯ll peel it for you, you just


    have to eat.¡±


    I sneaked a peek and saw Neil picking up a shrimp, carefully peeling the shell.


    He looked very focused; from the side, his nose was high, and there was not a shred of excess flesh


    from his jawline to his neck. It was very firm and perfect. I remember he was once rated by the media


    as having the most perfect side profile, on par with top-tier male stars.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sneak peeks at other men when I¡¯m around. Russel noticed that I was distracted, so he lightly


    tapped the table and sternly reprimanded me. Nerd heard his voice, and he nced at us.


    I had no choice but to sit up straight. I smiled at Russel and didn¡¯t look at Nell anymore.


    ¡°What? You got ketchup all over your mouth? Silly girl. Neil¡¯s pampering volce came from the next


    table, filled withughter.


    I didn¡¯t want to look, but they were so close that I could still see him raising his hand to wipe Bonnie¡¯s


    mouth.


    Bonnie looked very happy, ¡°I¡¯m really hungry, so I ate very fast. Will you dislike me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, how could I dislike you?¡¯ Neil said with a smile.


    ¡°I knew you were the best, I love you¡¯ Bonnie¡¯s voice rose, as if intentionally letting me hear.


    I pretended not to hear. I forked a piece of well-cut steak and fed it to Russel, ¡°This steak is really good.


    Want to try?¡±


    Russel looked at me meaningfully His eyes showed that he knew what I was trying to do, but he still


    dutifully epted my steak, tested it carefully, and then praised it, ¡°It¡¯s indeed very good. If you like it,


    we cane here again next time.


    ¡°Mmm, as long as I¡¯m with you, anything is fine.¡± I replied with a beaming smile


    Chapter 201


    Neil heard what I said, and he shot me a cold look. I felt it but chose to ignore it.


    ¡°Neil, are you unhappy? If you are, we can change ces. Bonnie seemed to have noticed that Neil


    had been looking at me, so she couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s fine here¡± Neil¡¯s voice suddenly became cold, a stark contrast to before.


    Bonnie red at me unhappily, and I red back at her disdainfully curling my lips.


    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re okay with it Bonnie yielded, but I could hear her dissatisfaction.


    When she was unhappy, I was happy.


    I finished thest bit of food, then gracefully wiped my mouth and whispered to Russel, ¡°Dr. Russel, you


    should get back to work now. You can¡¯t bete because of me.¡±


    BANG!


    Before Russel could respond, a loud noise came from the table next to us. It was the sound of Neil


    putting down his cutlery.


    His face was very gloomy, as if the cutlery had greatly offended him. He put down the cutlery and then


    threw it into the trash can.


    Bonnie sat across from him, her face pale.


    She bit her lip hard as her eyes glistened with tears.


    ¡°Alright, as you wish. But before that, I have to take you home.¡± Russel said softly.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hit the road, I stood up, ignoring Neils sour face.


    His jealousy and possessiveness were acting up, but that wasn¡¯t my problem anymore. We were done


    and dusted. He had Bonnie, and I had Russel.

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    Chapter 202


    I held onto Russel¡¯s hand tight, nuzzling into his arm, as we walked out of the restaurant.


    I didn¡¯t give a hoot about the burning staresing from behind us.


    As we were about to hop into Russel¡¯s car, he got a call from the hospital. There was an emergency


    that needed his attention.


    ¡°Go! Workes first!¡± I urged him immediately I¡¯ll have Baileye pick me up.¡±


    Since I came with Barbara, I had to either call a taxi or have someone pick me up.


    Russel looked back at the restaurant entrance with worry, I reassured him, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t


    exchange more than a word with him.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I¡¯ll get jealous.¡± Russel was pretty straightforward about this, never beating around the


    bush


    I found it refreshing.


    ¡°Alright, go to the hospital¡± I replied.


    But Russel suddenly leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I was taken aback andpletely


    unprepared.


    ¡®I¡¯m off to work now. Text me when you get home¡± Russel said with a wide grin, seeing that I didn¡¯t


    reject him or show any signs of disgust.


    I touched my face, feeling a little embarrassed. All I did was nod, no words were spoken.


    As I watched Russel speed off to the hospital, I finally pulled out my phone to call Bailey toe get


    me.


    Bailey had just dropped my dad off at a meeting, and it would take him more than half an hour toe


    get me.


    ¡°If I weren¡¯t already at work, I¡¯d hire another driver for my dad, and you could keep being my personal


    chauffeur,¡± I sighed.


    Since I was just an ordinary worker, having a personal driver wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.


    ¡°Miss Finch, please wait a bit, I¡¯ll try to be there as soon as I can. Bailey replied.


    ¡°No need; I¡¯ll just take a taxi¡¯ I quickly stopped Bailey. ¡°Wait for my dad there.¡±


    Bailey always respected my decisions. The only time he kept something from me was when Neil was


    hospitalized, and he didn¡¯t tell me about the calls from Ste and the others.


    But I could understand. He probably didn¡¯t want me to get involved with Neil again.


    After hanging up. I stood by the side of the road, trying to hail a taxi. But it was a weekend, so there


    werent many taxis avable. I had to wait.


    ¡°Irene!¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s voice came from behind me, and I turned around.


    She was still holding onto Neil¡¯s hand as if she were afraid that he¡¯d run away. The smile on her face


    was obviously forced. She walked up to me and asked, ¡°Wheres Dr. Russel? Why did he leave you


    here alone?¡±


    ¡°He went to work.¡± I answered, cold and indifferent


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re working now too.¡± Bonnie seemed to remember something. She turned to Neil and said


    in a coquettish voice, ¡°Neil, my mom, sister, and i have decided to start our ownpany. I heard


    Irene¡¯s family is in the makeup business, so we¡¯re nning to do the same. I¡¯m a newbie, so you¡¯ll have


    to help me, okay?¡±


    My family indeed ran a makeup business. We started as a distributor, but then we grew and started our


    own brand. We¡¯ve been doing pretty well.


    So Bonnie was nning topete with us?


    ¡°Sure, let me know if you need any help.¡± Neil responded gently after catching Bonnie¡¯s gaze.


    His mood was a bit erratic. I noticed that he was sometimes cold and sometimes warm towards Bonnie.


    But Bonnie was easily pleased. As long as Neil responded to her, she would beam with happiness.


    ¡°Trene, you won¡¯t mind, right? I didn¡¯t intend to open a makeuppany to challenge your family¡¯s


    business. It¡¯s just that Neil told me that he knows a lot about this field since he used to be with you¡­


    Anyway, I¡¯m just following his advice. Bonnie said, trailing off. i couldn¡¯t help butugh at her


    Her words made Neil¡¯s previously gentle expression turn cold.


    The Whitmore family had many businesses, with headquarters and branches all over the country and


    even worldwide. They were involved in heavy and light industries and even had a hand in the


    entertainment industry. That was why Neil was so popr in the entertainment circle.


    But the Whitmore family didn¡¯t deal with makeup.


    So what was Bonrue babbling about? Was she using Nell to provoke me on purpose?


    ¡°Bonnie, you should do some research before starting a business?¡± I advised her


    ¡°What?¡¯ Bone was taken aback.


    ¡°When did Neil start understanding the makeup business? Can¡¯t you at least consider reality when you


    lie?¡±


    Bonnie looked surprised and then embarrassed She quickly nced at Neil, hoping he wouldn¡¯t deny


    her request.


    N?d stared at me, his dense eyshes and deep eyes were captivating


    After a while, he wrapped his arm around Bonnie¡¯s waist, but his smile was a bit distant, Just because


    I¡¯m not in this business doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t understand it. I¡¯ll support whatever you want to do.¡±


    Indeed, with the Whitmore family¡¯s extensive connections, they would certainly have an understanding


    of this field.


    ¡°I knew you were the best!¡± Bonnie sighed with relief, the worry was now gone from her face. She stood


    on her tiptoes and nted a kiss on Neil¡¯s face.


    Neil¡¯s brow furrowed but smoothed out when he met my gaze. He leaned down and returned the kiss


    on Bonnie¡¯s face.


    The two of them were clearly showing off their affection in front of me, but I wouldn¡¯t be easily


    provoked.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, the taxi I hailed arrived. I said to Neil and Bonnie, ¡°Alright, I wish you sess in your


    business and happiness in your love!¡±


    With that, I got into the taxi and left.


    Once in the car, I sent a text to Russel and then closed my eyes to rest.


    After a while, the driver suddenly asked, ¡°Miss, do you know the car behind us? Are they looking for


    you?¡±


    I opened my eyes and looked at the car behind us through the rear view mirror. Neil¡¯s Maybach was


    very noticeable, especially the license te.


    The driver seemed nervous. ¡°You got in, and this car started following us. Do you have any personal


    grudges?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s a friend. We don¡¯t have any beef.¡± I reassured the driver.


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡± The driver nodded.


    I didn¡¯t know why Neil followed me here, and Bonnie wasn¡¯t even in the car. As soon as I left, they split.


    When the taxi stopped at my ce, I saw Neil¡¯s car parked not too far away.


    This was odd. I remember telling the property security not to let Neil into this area.


    ¡°Neil, what the hell are you doing here?¡± I asked crankily


    I live in a vi area where each vi had its own parking spot and an underground garage. At this point,


    Neil¡¯s car was parked in my neighbor¡¯s spot.


    Neil got out. He was very tall, and when he talked, he slightly lowered his head, which was a bit


    intimidating.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do I need your permission to go home?¡± He asked coldly.


    ¡°Home?¡± I was a bit taken aback.


    Neil didnt answer me. He just walked to the neighbor¡¯s front door, and a servant promptly opened the


    door for him. He didn¡¯t just go in; instead, he turned around and asked me, ¡®Want toe in for a drink


    to celebrate us being neighbors?¡±

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    Chapter 203


    Chapter 203


    If my memory served me right, my neighbors moved abroad ages ago and only popped back in for a


    flying visit every once in a blue moon. I had been living here for donkey years and I had only bumped


    into them once or twice.


    Now, had this mansion been sold to Neil?


    I couldn¡¯t stop Neil from buying the house, but the thought of us being neighbors again gave me the


    creeps.


    He used to be my neighbor across the way in another country, and now he was my neighbor again.


    The idea of him being my neighbor again didn¡¯t exactly have me jumping for joy, but there was


    something else that piqued my interest.


    ¡°Russel put Finn behind bars, but someone¡¯s got Bonnie¡¯s back. I don¡¯t buy that her stepparents did it.


    Was it you?¡± I asked.


    Besides Neil, I couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who could keep Russel in check.


    I knew Russel must have pulled the family strings, but I didn¡¯t get why his parents would let him.


    Neil, with his hands in his pockets, radiated a kind of glow.


    ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend, so I helped her. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± He asked me.


    Iughed at his response, ¡°Ha, nothing wrong with that. Give her my thanks. If it wasn¡¯t for her drama, I


    wouldn¡¯t even be with Russel.


    Upon hearing my response, Neil¡¯s face turned stormy.


    I turned on my heel and made a beeline for home.


    Upon arriving home, my mom was fussing over a pot of flowers in the living room. She asked, ¡°Did you


    know that the house next door had been sold?¡°


    I took a seat, speechless.


    I¡¯m not sure who bought it yet. Let¡¯s pop over and say hi to our new neighbors tonight. Mom said with a


    hint of a smile on her face.


    It was kind of an unwritten rule here. Every time a new neighbor moved in, the rest of us would go and


    say hello. It was pretty standard.


    I put the brakes on Mom¡¯s n, ¡°Let¡¯s not. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Mom looked surprised.


    ¡°The new neighbor isn¡¯t someone you¡¯d want to meet. You¡¯ll just end up being extremely angry¡¯ I


    warned her.


    Mom looked baffled, ¡°Someone I don¡¯t want to meet? A businesspetitor?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say a word, afraid that the mere mention of Neil would set her off.


    But Mom wasn¡¯t one to be easily fooled. After I didn¡¯t react to any other names she threw out, she


    guessed, ¡°Neil?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s him.¡± I confirmed. It wouldn¡¯t be long before she found out anyway. It was not like I could


    tell Neil to get lost.


    Mom became anxious, ¡°What on earth is he up to? Why would he move next door? Isn¡¯t he with that


    Bonnie? Is he trying to pester you?¡±


    I also got the feeling Neil was deliberately unting his preserice, but he and Bonnie were about to get


    engaged; there was no need for him to stir the pot


    with me


    ¡°Mom, he and Bonnie are getting engaged next month. Maybe he bought this house as an investment;


    he¡¯s always been a fan of buying properties.¡± I tried to keep my cool and reassure Mom..


    Mom looked skeptical, ¡®Really? They¡¯re getting engaged?¡¯


    I wish I had brought that invitation back as proof to show that everything I said was true.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s true. You can ask Barbara. I was with her at the bridal shop today. She heard Bonnie


    herself.¡± I replied.


    Mom seemed relieved, but her tone quickly changed to one of anger, ¡°I knew those two were up to


    something behind the scenes, and they even had the nerve to bother you. They¡¯re way out of line!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll ignore them. If ites to it, I can move out; it¡¯s no problem.¡± I suggested a solution.


    Neil living next door would definitely cause me a lot of headaches. I needed to figure out a way to steer


    clear of him.


    I can move out and find somewhere else to live.


    Mom nodded, ¡°Okay, you move out. But don¡¯t tell anyone. He definitely can¡¯t find out where you¡¯re


    staying!¡±


    With this backup n in mind, I no longer felt anxious. I spent the afternoon ying the ne to


    unwind, and after a hearty dinner cooked by Mom, the weekend came to an end.


    I leave for work at 8 am every day and drive myself to the office.


    Everything used to be hunky dory, but these past few days, every time I step out the door, I run into


    Neil.


    He was either also leaving, or he was on the same route as me. I just gave him the cold shoulder.


    Rena,e to the office early today for a meeting in the conference room¡± i got a text from Mom early


    this morning.


    She always beat me to the office, so she must have been waiting for me in the conference room by


    now.


    left home half an hour earlier than usual and rushed to the office. As I was leaving themunity gate,


    I noticed Neill¡¯s car was taking me I nced at the rear view mirror and saw him in the car


    For some reason, he honked twice, as if to hurry me along.


    I immediately hit the gas, getting out of his sight as fast as I could.


    At an intersection, our paths finally diverged Having him tailgate me made me feel extremely uneasy


    My position at the office wasn¡¯t high; I didn¡¯t usually attend meetings with the boss unless it was


    something really important and Mom asked me to join.


    I had a bad feeling about this. When I got to the conference room, I noticed it was filled with the


    company¡¯s higher-ups, who all had their eyes on me. I could only nod as a greeting and find my seat.


    ¡°A few people are still missing, let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡± Mom said to everyone.


    She looked serious, which made me a bit nervous,


    After a while, a few more people trickled in, and we finally got started.


    Turned out thatst night Bonnie announced the establishment of a cosmeticspany called


    ¡®StarGlow Enterprises, aiming to create a mid-to-high-end cosmetics brand.


    Overall, StarGlow Enterprises¡¯ main business was very simr to ours.


    And StarGlow Enterprises was located near our headquarters.


    Everyone knew what this meant


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    That was why Mom called a meeting with thepany¡¯s top brass to discuss a countermeasure.


    StarGlow Enterprises was bound to poach our resources and business, so we had to be ready.


    My mood turned gloomy as I listened to everyone¡¯s opinions and views.


    The meetingsted a whopping four hours and ended at lunchtime. I gathered my things and, a bit


    absent-minded, prepared to go out for lunch.


    As soon as I stepped out of the office building. I spotted Russel waiting for me at thepany


    entrance.


    Our rtionship was no secret, so everyone in thepany knew he was here for me, and we¡¯d


    asionally catch people stealing nces our way. ¡°What brings you here?¡± I put all my troubles aside


    for a moment as I approached Russel.


    As if he could read my mind, Russel asked, ¡°Are you upset because Bonnie ns to start her own


    company?¡±


    He took my bag from my hands. Every time we were together, he¡¯d always take the initiative to carry


    my bag. It was a small detail, but it made him seem so considerate.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty sharp.¡± I sighed deeply, ¡°She seems determined to go head-to-head with me, using her


    fortune topete against my family¡¯spany¡±

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    Chapter 204


    Russel replied, ¡°Yeah, her funds are solid, but starting a newpany is always tricky. Neither her


    connections nor her rep can hold a candle to yours. No


    need to sweat it.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a fair game, I wouldn¡¯t be worried. But I fear Bonnie might y dirty¡±


    ¡°Right, tackle the problems as theye.¡± I said, perking up. Then I asked Russel, ¡°What brings you


    here?¡±


    I¡¯m off today, so I thought I¡¯d pick you up for lunch¡± Russel said with a gentle smile. ¡°You¡¯ve lost some


    weight. You should eat more.¡±


    A bit helpless, I replied. ¡°But I just can¡¯t seem to put on any pounds. I wish I had some curves too. I put


    on a bit while I was abroad these past couple of years. Better than before, right?¡±


    Russel reached out and pinched my arm, then circled it with his hand,paring it. Worry shed


    across his face. ¡°You¡¯re still too thin. I¡¯m worried you¡¯re


    malnourished¡±


    He had made my arm itch, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. I quickly pulled my arm away Tm ticklish!¡±


    A faint smile tugged at the corners of Russel¡¯s mouth. ¡°So if you tease me, I¡¯ll tickle you.¡±


    He really thought I would tease him? Iughed, standing on my tiptoes to pinch his handsome face.


    ¡°Try me?¡±


    Our sweet exchanges seemed like those of a loving couple. But I knew that I was working hard to


    be a real couple with Russel; it wasn¡¯t just for


    appearances.


    Although I didn¡¯t get the same thrilling tension with him as I did with Neil, I didn¡¯t mind the physical


    contact with him.


    Maybe if we stick with it, we¡¯ll end up with a happy ending.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you and your boyfriend look so sweet together.¡± Gloria suddenly interrupted us, standing


    not far away with a limited edition LV bag in her hand. Dressed head to toe in high-end brands. She


    looked extremely luxurious.


    Bonnie¡¯s style was probably influenced by her.


    Behind Gloria was a ck Lincoln. Under the sunlight, it was very eye-catching and attracted a lot of


    attention.


    What was she doing here?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go get some food¡± I said, ignoring Gloria and taking Russels hand.


    ¡°Sure, what do you feel like eating?¡± Russel, like me, ignored Gloria,


    Gloria didn¡¯t get angry, she was much moreposed than Bonnie.


    She took a few steps forward, blocking my way. ¡®Ms. Finch, can we have a chat?¡±


    I coldly stared at the middle-aged woman in front of me. And what would we have to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Plenty. We can talk about Bonnie of about ourpanies¡± Gloria replied with a smile.


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think either of those topics are necessary. Please move aside.¡± I frowned.


    Just then, the window of the Lincoln not far away rolled down, revealing Bonnie and Kate Aaron¡¯s


    faces. They were looking this way.


    Bonnie didn¡¯t look too happy, and her eyes were filled with hostility when she saw me.


    Kate whispered something in her ear, and then she rolled up the window.


    Gloria tried to grab my hand, but Russel rudely blocked her. He didn¡¯t look too happy. ¡°She already said


    she doesn¡¯t want to talk to you. Have some self-respect¡±


    ¡°You must be Mr. Russel¡± Gloria turned her attention to Russel. ¡°I¡¯m finally meeting you in person. You


    certainly live up to the hype I heard from Bonnie that you and Neil are good friends. If he bes my


    son-inw, we¡¯ll be even more closely rted.¡±


    I was not only surprised by Gloria¡¯s patience but also her way of thinking.


    Russel frowned, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, he and I are no longer friends¡±


    Gloria raised her eyebrows in surprise ¡°Really? Because of Irene?¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t answer, which was as good as admitting it.


    ¡°Haha ¡°Gloria suddenlyughed coldly ¡°My Karina was so into you, but you didn¡¯t care. Because of you


    she met Neil and then met her end. Don¡¯t you feel guilty at all?


    Her words trade me look at Russel


    Karina Aaron was into Russel from the start, but since he didn¡¯t reciprocate, Gloria only officially met


    Russel today.


    And indeed, Kanna met Neil because of Russel


    ¡°Love can¡¯t be forced. I¡¯m not responsible for the path she chose ¡®Russel replied coldly


    He had liked Karina, but only just When Karina started liking Neil, he let go


    So in Russels mind, he wouldn¡¯t feel as suffocated and gualty as Neil did


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Gloria¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°My daughter, whom I raised with so much


    hardship, just died like that, and you don¡¯t feel any responsibility?


    Russel answered quickly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not responsible. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong


    Chapter 204


    Gloria¡¯s expression wasplex. Her expression was full of hatred, but it was also mixed with


    patience. Her current status didn¡¯t allow her to lose her temper on the street.


    Soon, sheposed herself, regaining theposure and grace of ady. She continued to smile at


    me. ¡°Ms. Finch, our issues are in the past. We should discuss the future development of our


    companies.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. You started apany just to talk about development with me?¡¯ I found it somewhat


    amusing.


    ¡°Here¡¯s my card. Feel free to call me when you¡¯re ready to talk. Gloria, unfazed by my reaction, handed


    me a business card.


    I didn¡¯t throw it away Something told me to be careful.


    After seeing me take the card, Gloria turned and got back into the Lincoln, which drove away


    immediately


    ¡°Irene.¡± Russel began, ¡°Whatever happens, we can¡¯t keep secrets from each other. If you need help,


    you need to speak up, okay?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I was taken aback and then put the card away. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡± Russel naturally took my hand, and I didn¡¯t shake him off.


    Man, I¡¯ve been feeling super on edge all day. The only time I felt a bit at peace was when I had dinner


    with Russel. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.


    Because I was so out of it, I nearly crashed into Neil¡¯s car on my way home from work.


    His car was parked right there, and I just spaced out and forgot to steer. Lucky for me, I hit the brakes


    just in time and managed to dodge a fender bender.


    ¡°Are you trying to hit me or what?¡± Neil got out of his car, and with his long strides, he walked up to me,


    looking puzzled.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just used to there being no cars parked here, so I didn¡¯t notice.¡± I said, trying to brush it off.


    Back when my neighbor wasn¡¯t around, this parking spot was always vacant. I was used to just driving


    straight through to park in front of my house.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205


    Chapter 205


    ¡°What on earth are you thinking about while driving? Dreaming about Russel?¡± Neil had no intention of


    leaving. He leaned on the car window and stared at me with cold and mocking eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend. It¡¯s normal to miss him.¡±


    Neil scoffed, ¡°Already head over heels for him?¡±


    ¡°Jealous much? Aren¡¯t you afraid your girlfriend will find out?¡± I was a bit moody, and my words were


    laced with sarcasm, ¡°Oh, right. She¡¯s too busy scheming to ruin our family.¡±


    Neil raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you scared of her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s smart and resourceful. Plus, she¡¯s got you, her maniptive boyfriend to back her up. Why


    wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I pushed the car door open.


    Neil finally let go, and I got out of the car.


    Neil was driving a Bentley today. Luckily, I was driving slowly near my house, so I only scratched the


    paint a little


    After checking, I asked Neil, ¡°How do you want to handle this?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that? Neil touched the scratched tail of my car There seemed to be a crack


    in the light, too


    ¡°Do you want the insurancepany to handle it, or do you want to settle this privately?¡±-


    He turned to me,


    I obviously chose to settle it privately. I didn¡¯t want to make thingsplicated.


    ¡°We can handle it ourselves. How much do you need?¡¯I grabbed my phone from the car. ¡°I¡¯ll transfer it


    to you.¡±


    Neil watched my efficient move, and his face suddenly had a cold expression, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know after I


    get it fixed.¡±


    I didnt care. I got back into the car and parked it in front of my house. My car needed to be fixed too


    However, I bought this affordable sedan specifically for work. The repair fee shouldn¡¯t be too


    expensive.


    Just as I got home, my dad asked, ¡°Did Neil move next door? I didn¡¯t see him when I got home, but I


    recognized his car. Is it him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±I nodded.


    ¡°That cheeky brat! My dad suddenly ran out with a broom from our yard, storming towards Neil¡¯s vi.


    My dad¡¯s temper was really something, especially when it came to me. He cared a lot.


    I quickly caught up with him and dragged him back home.


    ¡°Dad, what are you doing?¡± I asked helplessly


    ¡°I want to ask him what the hell he¡¯s thinking. Is he doing this on purpose?¡± Dad was nothing like his


    usualposed, schrly self. He was like an old man who¡¯d lost his marbles.


    I patted his chest to calm him down, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s not stoop down to his level. I¡¯ve told Mom that if he


    really starts harassing me, I¡¯ll move out. He won¡¯t be


    able to find me¡±


    My dad took a deep breath, ¡°I heard he¡¯s getting engaged to that Bonnie?*


    ¡°Yes, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± I answered.


    ¡®Bonnie is not a good person.¡± Dad frowned, ¡°She¡¯s trying to get Finn out of jail, but I¡¯ve arranged for


    someone to keep an eye on him. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s getting out!¡±


    Finn had already turned himself in, and Bonnie was still trying to help him escape?


    It seemed like she was really afraid that Finn wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the pressure and would spill


    her secrets


    I sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not just about helping Finn. She and her godmother even started apany called


    StarGlow Enterprises. Their main business is exactly the same as ours, and their office is even near


    our headquarters.¡±


    Dad must have already known about this. Apany that big would need a series of approvals. Dad


    must have known earlier than Mom and I.


    A look of worry appeared on his face, ¡°I know, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with their procedures. There¡¯s


    nothing we can do.¡±


    I looked at my dad who had raised me. His temples were already grey. He had been honest all his life,


    and all the wealth in our family was created by my


    mom


    He was about to retire soon. It wasn¡¯t right to let him deal with Bonnie.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry too much. Companies are established and closed down every day. We just need to


    work hard.¡± Iforted my dad.


    Dad nodded, ¡°You¡¯re night!¡±


    The fact that I could easily calm my parents down was mainly because I was now with Russel and Nell


    had Bonnie, so they didn¡¯t have to worry so much.


    No matter what happens in the future, we will face it together as a family.


    Three dayster.


    Ste, Alicia, and Barbara all called me. Their messages were pretty much the same.


    StarGlow Enterprises had opened. They mainly invited some of the elite in Rosemont to attend the


    opening ceremony and cocktail party


    Although their parents could choose not to go, they would probably attend.


    Bonnie had some nerve. She even sent an invitation to my house.


    After she returned to the country, she held a second banquet, obviously trying to introduce her new sell


    to everyone.


    When my mom received the invitation, she didn¡¯t throw it away or refuse it. Let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t avoid


    this.¡±


    This was business, it wasn¡¯t personal it couldn¡¯t be handled casually.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you¡± I said.


    ¡°Do you want to go?¡± Mom asked worriedly


    ¡°Yeah, I want to see.¡± I nodded. Even if I didn¡¯t want to. I had to go. I was the only child in the family. If


    thepany needed me to manage it in the future, 1 couldn¡¯t stay ignorant.


    Mom smiled.


    I used to hate doing business and didn¡¯t want


    o join thepany. Now that I had changed, both Mom and Dad were happy.


    StarGlow Enterprises¡¯ opening was at ten o¡¯clock the day after tomorrow. My mom and I prepared to go


    directly


    ¡°Mrs. Finch, you¡¯re here!¡± After seeing my mom, Gloria came up to greet us.


    ¡°Congrattions¡± Mom¡¯s attitude was not warm. She just smiled faintly and shook hands with Gloria.


    We deliberately didn¡¯t rush to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. We just wanted to see who came to the


    cocktail party to understand Gloria and Bonnie¡¯s


    connections.


    Following my mom, Gloria smiled and said, ¡®Ms. Finch, I might have been a bit presumptuous when I


    came to see you recently I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay ¡°I smiled, sounding a bit cold.


    At this moment, Bonnie sauntered over. She wasn¡¯t dressed to the nines today, instead, she wore a


    simple white dress. Her hair was back to the straight and long style of her past, and she hadn¡¯t put on


    any makeup. She looked innocent and pure, reminding people of her college days.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Kate was following Bonnie. I don¡¯t know why, but I always felt that even though she was Gloria¡¯s flesh


    and blood, she didn¡¯t seem to be as favored as


    Bonnie


    Despite this, Kate didn¡¯t show any resentment. On the contrary, she always took on the responsibility of


    being Bonnie¡¯s older sister.


    ¡°Irene, Mrs. Finch, you¡¯re here,¡± Bonnie, arm in arm with Gloria, said affectionately.


    She quickly turned her head and called out, ¡°Neil, I¡¯m over here!¡±

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206


    Chapter 206


    Neil was just around the corner. He was looking dapper in a simple yet subtly luxurious suit, always


    looking sharp and exuding a mature masculine charm.


    At the sound of Bonnie¡¯s voice, he turned his head. His gaze barely lingered on me, as if I were just air.


    In his eyes, there was only Bonnie, and he looked at her with a gaze full of adoration


    My mom quickly took note of my reaction, and then her face rxed.


    Thanks foring despite your busy schedule.¡± Bonnie said,tching onto Neil as he approached,


    making her look like she had two big rocks to lean on. When she talked to Neil, there was a clear,


    yful tone in her voice.


    Gloria gave a small smile to Neil, ¡®Mr. Whitmore, it¡¯s an honor for all of us at StarGlow Enterprises to


    have you here. Your presence adds shine to our humblepany


    ¡°Ms. Gloria, you¡¯re too modest Neil replied, his smile faint


    From their words and expressions, I could only see their hypocrisy


    But hypocrisy was the norm. Alicia once told me that if you want to make money, you need to be good


    at socializing and talking to people. Sincerity was not necessarily the key to sess, but could actually


    be a fatal w


    Then I saw some familiar faces. They were Ste and Barbara¡¯s parents. They came over to say hi


    when they saw me and my mom


    Not far from us, Alicia, dressed in a chic suit and exuding a strong aura, was happily chatting with


    others.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to find Alicia¡± I whispered to my mom


    ¡°Go ahead. She nodded.


    Just as I started to move, Bonnie followed me. She quickened her pace and stopped me.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, wondering what she wanted.


    Bonnie held a ss of wine, her expression sincere and her tone apologetic, ¡°Irene, I wanted to take


    this asion to toast to you and apologize. Can we put past grievances aside and be friends again?¡±


    I looked at Bonnie speechlessly for a while, then asked. ¡®Do we need to?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we were friend¡¯s initially, werent we? We became enemies only because of Neil Bonnie said


    earnestly, ¡°Now that you¡¯re with Russel and I¡¯m about to get engaged to Neil, there¡¯s no reason for us


    to be against each other¡±


    I retorted, ¡°Why do you think so? What was the purpose of setting up thispany?¡±


    At this question, Bonnie paused.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Everyone knew that StarGlow Enterprises was established topete with my family¡¯spany.


    Bonnie, as one of the founders, knew this too.


    Neil came up and stood behind Bonnie. They looked great together, both in appearance and


    temperament


    Especially Bonnie, who was only about 1.6 meters tall, looked petite and provoked a desire to protect


    her.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He leaned down slightly and asked Bonnie


    A blush crept onto Bonnie¡¯s face, and she replied shyly, ¡°Nothing: I just wanted to apologize to Irene. I


    hope we can let bygones be bygones and be friends again


    I looked at them coldly.


    Only then did Neil look at me, his eyes cold, reminding me of the days when I was in love with him.


    No matter what I did or said, he always treated me with such indifference.


    1 guess I was too naive. Irene is still unwilling to forgive me. I¡¯ve done her wrong before. Well, I¡¯ll find


    another chance to slowly win her forgiveness.¡± Bonnie added.


    Neil just grunted in response, not saying much


    ¡°Sorry, I have other things to do. I¡¯ll leave now I gave them an awkward smile and went to find Alicia.


    As soon as Alicia saw me, she quickly pulled me aside, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°She invited me, how could I note?¡± I found a spot to sit and looked at Bonnie and Neil, ¡®I came to


    check out the situation.¡±


    ¡°Gloria is quite capable. Look, all the attendees are big shots Alicia sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t want toe


    originally, but my dad forced me. Sean also invited me -sol came-


    I nced around the room and indeed saw Sean among the crowd He was chatting with someone, and


    his handsome looks were attracting a lot of


    attention


    In a low voice, I asked, ¡°Are you two dating?¡±


    ¡°Not sure yet, we haven¡¯t rified our rtionship¡± Alicia¡¯s face showed a rare blush.


    ¡°Good for you, you¡¯ve almost got this handsome man¡± I praised, ¡°There¡¯s a big chance.¡±


    Alicia¡¯s eyes crinkled as sheughed. ¡°He¡¯s my first lover


    But Where was Russel today?


    I looked for Russel in the crowd but couldn¡¯t find him. He was primarily a doctor, so he probably


    wouldn¡¯te


    But I did see Russel¡¯s mother.


    She was chatting with a few wealthydies, Suddenly, as if she felt my gaze, she immediately turned to


    me. Upon seeing me, her face instantly turned


    cold.


    ¡°Rena, you may havee to the wrong ce today¡­¡± Alicia suddenly said, ¡°Look to your right.¡±


    I looked and saw that Neil¡¯s parents were also there.


    Ryan Whitmore and Faith Whitmore were naturally the center of attention. Many people wanted to


    connect with them.


    Before I could avert my eyes, Ryan and Faith saw me. Their faces showed awkward expressions, then


    they gave me a friendly smile.


    Faith even started to walk towards me.


    I was a bit flustered. I really didn¡¯t know how to respond if she came over to talk. I thought we made


    things clearst time.


    ¡°Mom, I just met ady over there who said she hasn¡¯t seen you for a long time and she¡¯s a good friend


    of yours¡± Neil appeared just as Faith was about to reach me, blocking her.


    ¡°Is that so? Let me go see her. Faith nced at me, seemingly understanding her sons intention, then


    turned to find the woman.


    Just then, Sean came over. He smiled at me and then said to Alicia, I ran into some friends. Do you


    want to meet them with me?¡±


    Alicia had the hots for Sean, so how could she possibly turn him down? She shot me a knowing nce,


    then took off with Sean.


    I was about to go look for my mom when Neil blocked my way. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Russel here with you?¡±


    ¡®He¡¯s busy¡± I brushed him off.


    ¡°On a day like this, with his mom around, shouldn¡¯t he take a break from work and be with you?¡± Neil


    stepped closer, his nearly 1.9-meter frame towering


    over me.


    A smirk yed at the corner of his lips.


    I looked up at Neil, ¡°I understand him, so don¡¯t sweat the small stuff. Plus, when I decided to be with


    him. I knew what I was signing up for with his family. You don¡¯t need to worry about me¡±


    Neil pulled out his phone and showed me a picture. It was Russel having dinner with another woman.


    ¡°So he¡¯s actually on a date today, not at work. You had no clue?¡± He asked with a chuckle.

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    Chapter 207


    My heart fluttered a bit, and I found myself looking at that photo a few seconds longer than I intended.


    Russel¡¯s face was void of any smile, but he wasnt cold either. The young woman sitting across from


    him was captivating when she smiled


    I found it amusing that i thought Neil and Bonnie looked perfect together just earlier.


    And now seeing Russel with his blind date, I thought they made a good pair too.


    ¡°He told me it¡¯s just for show, Mr. Whitmore You needn¡¯t worry¡± I said, keeping a poker face and even a


    small smile, Thedy behind you seems a bit


    pale


    With that, I turned and left.


    Once I found a quiet corner, I started scanning the crowd for familiar faces, quickly getting a rough


    layout of the crowd in my head


    I wanted to text Russel and see what he¡¯s up to.


    But I hesitated as I unlocked my phone. Would this be seen as me not trusting him enough?


    Just as I was in two minds, a voice sounded from behind me, ¡°Ms. Finch¡±


    It was Lauretta Dawson, I was taken aback and quickly turned around to see her smiling at me


    Mrs Dawson, hello¡± I greeted politely


    ¡°Do you have a moment? Since we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we have a little chat? Lauretta¡¯s smile was on,


    but I could taste the iciness.


    I knew this conversation was inevitable, so I agreed.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    I followed Lauretta to a small balcony, and once the door was closed, the noise from the crowd was


    shut out, leaving us with a gentle breeze


    Lauretta¡¯s gaze scanned me up and down I wasn¡¯tfortable, nor did I enjoy it, ¡°Mrs Dawson if you


    have something to say, just say it¡¯


    Lauretta¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡®Ms. Finch, didn¡¯t you promise me to keep a distance from my son and to


    reduce contact as much as possible? Then why did you end up epting him and being together?¡±


    ¡°Mrs Dawson, I apologize for not keeping my promise.¡± I looked at her sincerely. ¡°But Russel and I are


    adults now. We¡¯ll handle our rtionship ourselves. I hope you won¡¯t oppose or interfere


    Lauretta stared at me for a long time, her face even colder after hearing my words


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re an excellent woman. I¡¯ve never denied that I¡¯ve met your parents, and I know what


    kind of people they are, so I believe they must have raised an excellent daughter, but you and Russel


    are not suitable.¡± Laurettas words were still polite


    ¡°Can you give us a chance to try? I didn¡¯t love Russel deeply, but I chose him, and I was willing to give


    it a shot..


    Lauretta was silent for a while but eventually shook her head, ¡°You really are not suitable. Ms. Finch.


    Do you know you might hurt my son?¡±


    I frowned


    She continued, ¡°Because of you, he often argued with me and his father. And, the business rtions


    between Whitmore Co. and the Dawson family are now broken. Do you know how much loss this has


    caused?¡±


    Lauretta¡¯s words left me speechless


    I foresaw this oue when i got together with Russel


    Mrs Dawson, well face these together Since we chose to be together, we¡¯ll find a way to resolve these


    issues I replied sincerely


    Ms Frich, regardless, I don¡¯t support you two being together We¡¯re acquaintances. I don¡¯t want to make


    things too ugly I hope you can voluntarily leave my son Lauretta lost her patience seeing my


    determination, her face turning serious


    Just then, the balcony door opened again


    Nef¡¯s mother looked surprised to see us. ¡°Mrs Dawson, Irene, what are you two talking about?¡±


    I swallowed the words I was about to say and just smiled at Faith ¡°We¡¯re just chatting


    Urs Wetmore F6 Ca


    out too Lauretta¡¯s attitude softened a lot when facing Faith, her face full of smiles


    pless smile. I know this might sound funny or even upset you, but I still think my son Heill


    to har a chat with tiere ¡®Faith gave Laurett hasn¡¯t let go of irene I want line to reconsider fam¡±


    ? widened my eyes a birt


    Just moments ago. Lautetta was sternly warning me to stay away from her son, and now Fath was


    here asking me to give Ned another chance.


    Lauretta didnt look too happy


    Trane, I know you¡¯re with Russel now but love can be a fairpetition. Can you give Ned another


    chance¡± Faith begging me


    I already gave her a clear answerst time I knew she would be the type to pester, so the only reason I


    could think of purpose to help me


    E though I was touched, I still declined gently ¡°rs Whitmore, Neil and Bonnie are getting engaged, are


    Faith sighed and let go of my hand,¡± object to them¡±


    emotional, clutching my hand as if


    doing this on


    Chapter zu/


    Didn¡¯t that give hermon ground with Lauretta?


    Lauretta nced at me with a flicker ofplex emotion in her eyes. She probably didn¡¯t understand


    why Faith was asking this of me. Even though my family background was good, Neil had a lot of


    choices with his conditions.


    ¡°Mrs. Whitmore, as long as they love each other, that¡¯s all that matters. Bonnie now has a new identity,


    and she¡¯s no longer just a college student. It¡¯s great that she¡¯s with Neil.¡± Iforted.


    ¡°No way, I will never agree! Faith suddenly got all worked up.


    I knew she had a bad impression of Bonnie, and arguing any further would be pointless. So, I didn¡¯t


    respond to what Lauretta just said and headed straight back to the party hall


    As for what Faith and Lauretta would chat about, I had no clue.


    I was already in a bad mood today, and after what just happened, I felt even more annoyed. So I found


    my mom and told her I was heading home early.


    ¡°Alright My mom was still chitchatting with some business partners and quietly acknowledged me.


    Before leaving, I went to the restroom and ended up walking into an awkward situation.


    At the restroom door, Bonnie was on her tiptoes, with her delicate arm around Neil¡¯s neck. Neil had to


    bend down to match her height.


    I stopped in my tracks, quickly thought for a moment, and decided to turn around and leave.


    ¡°Irene!¡¯ Bonnie spotted me and immediately called out.


    I turned around to see Neil staring at me..


    ¡°T


    Bonnie had already let go of him and took a few steps forward to face me, I was just joking around with


    Neil Hope you¡¯re not upset.¡±

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Chapter 208


    Why should I be down?


    Whenever I have seen Neil pamper Bonnie, I can¡¯t help but think back to those days when he ignored


    me. It was suffocating, and I felt pitiful


    ¡°Carry on.¡± I said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear and smiling


    As soon as I finished, Neil¡¯s face turned even darker.


    Bonnie nced back at him, but he didn¡¯t try to hide his mood from her.


    Bonnie was just a second version of me.


    When I left, I heard footsteps and Bonnie¡¯s frantic calls behind me, ¡°Neill Neil¡±


    Neil ignored her and followed me out of the party. As soon as I turned around, I saw him.


    ¡°Are you stalking me?¡± I asked, my face cold and irritable, ¡°Back off¡±


    You know Russel Dawson is going behind your back to arrange blind dates, and you¡¯re still holding


    on?¡± Neil asked, frowning, ¡°Trene, do you really want to


    repeat our mistakes?¡±


    Iughed scornfully, ¡°Are you trying to convince me to break up with Russel? Why?¡±


    There was an almost imperceptible heat in Neil¡¯s eyes. His throat bobbed as he said, ¡°No. I¡¯m just


    curious about your choice.¡±


    Curiosity or unwillingness?


    No doubt, my being with Russel was a blow to Neil. He had never taken the woman who had been


    chasing him seriously


    But now I was not only divorced from him but also dating his friend.


    Neil must be ufortable


    Even before our divorce, he had started to suspect me and Russel


    ¡°What I decide to do is none of your business. Neil, you¡¯re about to get engaged with Bonnie. You


    shouldn¡¯t leave her to follow me.¡±


    Nell was about to answer when his phone rang He nced at the caller ID and hung up


    But the phone rang again. It must have been Bonnie


    Neil answered the phone impatiently His response surprised me, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you not to bother me


    unless it¡¯s an emergency?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hear the voice on the other end, but I could tell it wasn¡¯t Bonnie calling him.


    While Neil was on the phone. I quickly got in my car and drove off


    Once home, I listed all the people I could remember and began researching their backgrounds and any


    business ties with mypany.


    Just as I was busy doing that, my mom came back.


    She looked pale. She sat down next to me and asked, Rena, what¡¯s this?¡±


    These are some of the people from the StarGlow Enterprises ribbon-cutting ceremony today. I only


    wrote down the ones I recognize.


    I was worried that Bonnie had also done background checks on these people and would target them in


    the future to undermine mypany


    My mom took the list I wrote down, looked it over, and said, ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t recognize a single


    person.¡±


    I felt guilty. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to thepany¡¯s affairs in the past.


    We analyzed the people on the list and identified a few who were most likely to leave ourpany for


    StarGlow Enterprises.


    But these were only suspicions, not certainties, so we needed to observe them further.


    StarGlow Enterprises was very high-profile, so it had been getting a lot of attention in Rosemont since it


    opened.


    Meanwhile, a news story about Neil having an intimate date with a woman at a nightclub greatly


    increased StarGlow Enterprises¡¯ exposure.


    Bonnie was already his girlfriend. Once the news broke,izens immediately began to discuss (1.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore is just being his old se!!!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t they supposed to be true lovers? How did that change so quickly?


    ¡°How old are you? How can you still believe in true love? Rich people love to y more than anyone


    else. If I were rich, I¡¯d also have multiple women.¡±


    ¡°That actress looks like Scarlett Mitchell, the lead actress in the popr web series ¡®Summoning the


    Fox Consort!¡±


    Netizens soon revealed the identity of the actress who was dating Neil. She was a rising star. It was


    impressive how quickly she got close to Neil


    I counted the number of actresses I¡¯ve been paying attention to because of Nell-more than I could


    count on both hands. It felt like all my energy was spent on keeping track of his rumored girlfriends.


    Now it was Bonnie¡¯s turn to deal with this. I wonder if she could be as patient as I was.


    I was reading the news when Russel suddenly called.


    We hadn¡¯t been in touch muchtely Ever since Neil showed me that picture, I¡¯ve been feeling a bit


    weird. Even when Russel actively texted me, I just gave him¡¯simple replies.


    Watching my phone vibrate non-stop. I hesitated.


    Chapter 208


    The phone vibrated a second time. It was still Russel. I took a deep breath and answered.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you suddenly so cold to me?¡± He asked as soon as I picked up.


    He must have felt it


    I chose my words carefully, thinking about how to ask him about his blind dates and how to tell him


    what his mother had said to me


    ¡°Did I do something wrong? Russel asked when I didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°No. Russel, where were you on the day StarGlow Enterprises opened?¡± I decided to ask him directly


    Russel was silent for a moment, then said apologetically. ¡°I went to see someone. My mom said she


    was a friend of hers. She was having heart trouble, so my mom asked me to take her to the hospital.¡±


    Is that so? I thought of the woman¡¯s smile in the picture and Russel¡¯s not-so-averse expression.


    ¡°Then¡­. why did you have dinner together? I asked hesitantly.


    He was supposed to take her to the hospital, not a restaurant.


    Russel suddenlyughed, ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I was taken aback. My questions sounded a bit jealous, but I knew I wasn¡¯t jealous.


    I wanted to keep things smooth with Russel, so I didn¡¯t want any misunderstanding between us.


    ¡°Just think I was jealous, okay? Exin to me.¡¯ I didn¡¯t deny it.


    If this could enhance our rtionship, then why not?


    ¡°When I got there, she was eating. She asked me to wait, so I sat down and waited for her. Later I


    found out that my mother intended to introduce her to me as a blind date, so I got her out of the car


    halfway, and then I went back to the hospital, Russel detailed. He sounded kind of exining it.


    The usually icy Dr. Russel actually took the time to exin this misunderstanding to me. My mood


    slightly improved.


    But then his next question caught me off guard, ¡°Rena, how did you know what I was doing that day?


    Who told you?¡±


    ¡°1¡­¡±I was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Neil?¡± Russel guessed it right away, ¡°He drove by that day and I saw him. He told didn¡¯t he?¡±

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    Chapter 209


    Sometimes, I felt like Neil and Russel had some sort of telepathy going on,


    They know each other so well that it was like they could predict each other¡¯s moves and thoughts.


    I just basically rolled with it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust a word he said. Just trust me.¡± Russel paused, then continued, ¡°He¡¯s tried to drive a wedge


    between us.¡±


    He was pretty straightforward about it.


    Given how things stand, I¡¯m inclined to believe Russel. I trust him not just because we¡¯re currently an


    item but because he has always been a stand-up


    guy.


    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± I gently exined, ¡®Dont worry, I didn¡¯t see Neil alone. We just bumped into each other


    at a party. He was the one who approached me.¡±


    1 trust you, Russel replied with certainty.


    We chatted a little more before I had to hang up for work.


    No sooner had I hung up than I received a notification for an emergency meeting. It was from my mom.


    Considering the message was directly from my mom, I had a bad feeling about it, and my mood


    instantly took a nosedive. I hurried towards the meeting


    room.


    The meeting wasn¡¯t for all the top management, but just the procurement team.


    The meeting was simple, a couple of suppliers suddenly informed us that they could not continue


    supplying raw materials. It was a sucker punch.


    My mom solemnly informed everyone that StarGlow Enterprises had poached these suppliers by


    offering them a higher price.


    Even though we had contracts with them, they were willing to pay the penalties


    So now we needed to find a solution as soon as possible. We have to try to convince these suppliers to


    change their minds and continue working with us while also reached out to other potential suppliers.


    StarGlow Enterprises made their move so quickly?


    And, these suppliers were even willing to pay penalties to sever ties with us.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯reing to dinner with me tonight. I¡¯ve arranged a meeting with Dominic Evans,¡± my mom


    called out to me, sounding a bit worn out


    ¡°Alright,¡± I nodded.


    Dominic is one of our most important raw material suppliers. His father ran their family business and


    was good friends with my mom. Dominic took over thepany two years ago. Although he hasn¡¯t


    stopped working with us, he did propose increasing prices, which my mom didn¡¯t agree to.


    By nightfall, I headed out to thinner with my mom. It was less of a dinner and more of a work meeting.


    Dominic, around forty, looked quite shaip: Qyer dinner, it was mostly him and my mom talking while I


    just sipped my drink at the right moments.


    ¡°Mrs. Finch, we¡¯re all in this for the profit. I now have a better partner. I can¡¯t just let the money slip


    through my fingers, can I?¡± After a few rounds of drinks, Dominic stated his position clearly


    My mom went straight to the point, ¡°What price did Star Glow Enterprises offer you?¡±


    When Dominic quoted the price, my mom and I exchanged nces. We knew we couldn¡¯t afford it


    After some negotiation, I had quite a few drinks and felt a bit queasy


    I excused myself from the room and threw up quite a bit in the bathroom.


    On my way back to the room, I ran into Gloria and Bonnie.


    ¡°Ms. Finch¡± Gloria greeted me. The man with her excused himself.


    Bonnie looked vibrant and wore a sweet smile. There was indeed a resemnce between her and


    Gloria.


    Every time I have seen Gloria and Bonnie, they always managed to make me feel ufortable.


    I managed a small smile in response and walked past them.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to talk to me?¡± Gloria spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m nning to buy out yourpany. You can


    think about it.¡±


    So that was it!


    Glona had ambitions


    I stopped and looked at the middle aged wornan, ¡°Ms. Gloria, yourpany is still in its infancy, and


    you¡¯re already eager to acquire others. Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll bite off more than you can chew and


    choke?¡±


    ¡°No, I just think, why wait for an inevitable oue in apetition when you can skip the process and


    jump right to the end? It¡¯s a time-saver for everyone¡± Gloria replied.


    Bonnie chimed in, ¡°Trene, we don¡¯t want to be your enemy, so you can go back and talk to your parents


    I heard your father is about to retire, and your mother¡¯s heart isn¡¯t so well. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for them


    to enjoy their golden years with a big payday?¡±


    No matter how Bonnie used to mock me or provoke me, I didn¡¯t care. But when she brought up my


    parents,


    Youre dreaming! Wake up! I retorted coldly


    Bonnie feigned surprise, Hasn¡¯t Dominic proposed to 1 minate the contract with yourpany yet?


    1/2


    ml?rtable.


    10:34


    pater


    Was she admitting that they were the ones who caused the termination of our suppliers¡¯ contracts?


    These neers were messing with the business that my mother had been running her entire life!


    The thought alone made me sick to my stomach.


    ¡°Dominic is not important. You can keep trying, I didn¡¯t want to talk to them anymore to avoid ruining my


    mood.


    Even if they could topple my family¡¯spany, could they also topple both my parents families?


    Unless it was a dire situation, my parents would hardly ask for help from their families.


    I turned to leave, but Bonnie followed me


    In my previous life, shepletely defeated me, in this life, I didn¡¯t lose, but Bonnie was like a parasite,


    tenaciously clinging to me.


    ¡°Bonnie, what do you want?¡± I was really fed up


    ¡°Irene, I just hope you could attend my engagement party with Neil. I mean no harm, Bonnie insisted


    that I attend her and Neil¡¯s engagement party


    She was half out for revenge and half for showing off. I knew what she was up to.


    I took the invitation she handed me. ¡°I got it¡±


    Bonnie finally wore a satisfied smile on her face.


    When I got back to the private room, the atmosphere was pretty frosty. My mom looked a bit upset, and


    Dominic looked even worse Clearly, their negotiation hadn¡¯t gone so well


    ¡®Dominic, I gotta ask, besides the price, whats got you so hell-bent on choosing StarGlow Enterprises?


    They¡¯re just a startup my mom stood up to


    question.


    Mr. Dominic chuckled, ¡°Mrs. Finch, you know, Bonnic, the VP of StarGlow Enterprises, is about to


    marry Mr. Whitmore I am not changing my mind. Maybe we can do business together in the future.¡±


    After saying that, he took off. My mom and I were left in the room, feeling pretty down in the dumps.


    Now that StarGlow Enterprises has the backing of a powerhouse like Whitmore Co., they re set for


    smooth sailing, my mom sighed, ¡°Neil might have


    had a hand in this.¡±


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s head home. It¡¯s gettingte, I walked over to her, helping her up and murmuring


    My mom nodded, but she still looked pretty worried. I didn¡¯t tell her about running into Bonnie and


    Gloria earlier. I didn¡¯t want to add to her worries.


    Was Dominic genuinely convinced that StarGlow Enterprises had a bright future, or had he been


    strong-armed into siding with them because of Neil¡¯s interference?


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I had a bad feeling about this. If Neil really was pulling the strings behind the scenes, my family¡¯s


    company might be in for a heap of trouble, and it could only get worse

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    Chapter 210


    Next up, my mom was all tied up dealing with supplier issues.


    Seeing all this, my dad took it hard. Both my mom and I told him to stay out of it. He was about to retire.


    If someone got dirt on him, his reputation would go down the drain.


    To ease some of the load off my mom, I reached out to Dominic¡¯s dad, Mr. Anthony


    He was out of the business game, but his friendship with my mom still stood.


    ¡°Mrs. Finch and I have already had a chat about this. We¡¯ve worked together for a long time, so pricing


    is negotiable. The main issue is¡­ there are factors we cant stand against, Mr. Anthony sighed on the


    other end of the line.


    ¡°Spill it,¡± I urged him sincerely.


    The problem lies with Whitmore Co. Ms. Finch, you were once married to Mr. Whitmore. Why not try


    hashing it out with him?¡± Mr. Anthony revealed the


    true cause.


    My heart sank. As expected, it was Neil, targeting my family!


    It reminded me of the stuff that went down in my past life. He stirred up a huge ruckus with my family to


    divorce me, driving us almost to the brink of despair


    Was history going to repeat itself?


    After hanging up, I sat and thought for a while, then grabbed my car keys and left the office.


    When I arrived at the Whitmore Co., the receptionist stopped me, asking if I had an appointment.


    ¡°No, but I need to speak with Neil urgently I replied politely.


    The receptionist examined me up and down. She seemed to recognize me but couldn¡¯t ce me. She


    was probably new, as I used to work here for a while, and she wasnt the receptionist then.


    She then denied me, I¡¯m sorry miss. We can¡¯t arrange a meeting with Mr. Whitmare without an


    appointment.¡±


    ¡°Is he in the office now?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t disclose that,¡¯ she replied professionally, not revealing more than necessary.


    I plopped down on the couch nearby. I tried calling Neil, but his phone was off.


    So I had no choice but to wait for him.


    As it gotter, the staff at Whitmore Co. trickled out. Some of them recognized me. They shot me


    curious nces and whispered among themselves. During the wait, I tried calling Neil a few more


    times, but his phone was still off. I didnt know if he was genuinely busy or deliberately making things


    difficult


    Just then, a stylishly dressed woman walked in Her baseball cap and sunsses covered most of her


    face, so I couldn¡¯t see her clearly


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    She didn¡¯t notice me. She breezed past me, greeted the receptionist, and hopped onto the executive


    elevator. The two executive elevators at Whitmore Co. were card-ess only.


    I squinted my eyes, got up, and walked towards the elevator. I saw it stop at the top floor, where Neil¡¯s


    office was.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s already dark. You should go home,¡± the receptionist, seeing me approach the elevator,


    rushed over to stop me and asked me to leave.


    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± I asked. She didn¡¯t seem like Neil¡¯s wife, Bonnie.


    The receptionist dodged my question, simply saying, ¡°She has an appointment.¡±


    Neil was forcing our biggest supplier to cut ties with us, yet he was avoiding my calls and meeting


    some hot chic?


    I was pissed, so I dialed Ste Wace, ¡°Ste, is Mitch Hebert there?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s ying with the kids. What¡¯s up? Ste asked, obviously curious.


    ¡°Get him on the phone. I need a favor, I said.


    Ste promptly handed the phone to Mitch. Soon, Mitchs voice came through, Rena, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Can you swing by Whitmore Co.?¡± I asked


    ¡°Now?¡± Mitch sounded shocked


    Right now said calmly, though I was a mess inside.


    Mitch showed up half an hourter. He was close with Nell, so he had free ess to Whitmore Co. I


    asked him to take me to Neil¡¯s office.


    The receptionist recognized Mitch Seeing him escort me to Nail, she looked both shocked and uneasy.


    In the elevator, Mitch asked me, ¡°What do you need Neil for so urgently? Didn¡¯t he pick up your calls?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s had his phone off all afternoon,¡± I said, leaning against the elevator wall. My reflection in the shiny


    elevator doors looked haggard. I hadn¡¯t been sleeping well due topany matters, and it showed.


    Istraightened up and reapplied my lipstick inside the elevator


    Mitch watched me and let out a sigh


    Rena, are you really with Russel?¡± he seemed in disbelief.


    Chapter 210


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s not often you find someone who genuinely likes you,¡± I said, finishing my lipstick and pulling


    my hair into a low ponytail, revealing my face. I looked a bit more awake.


    Mitch still seemed dubious but didn¡¯t press further.


    When we reached the top floor, I told Mitch to go back down. He had no choice but to leave me alone.


    It was after office hours, so the top floor was deserted. Neil¡¯s office was just a short distance away. All I


    had to do was open that door to find him.


    I walked up quietly and found the door wasn¡¯t shut tight. I could peek through the small gap.


    ¡°Neil, what¡¯s the meaning of this? The woman from earlier, now hat and sses-free, was Scarlett, the


    one who had been linked to Neil recently.


    Neil sat on the couch, legs crossed, with a magazine on hisp. He was flipping through it


    absentmindedly, unresponsive to the woman next to him.


    Scarlett moved closer, ¡°I came straight here as soon as I got your call on set. Why are you being so


    cold? Don¡¯t you like what I¡¯m wearing today?¡±


    She suddenly stripped off her purple bodysuit. The ck bra underneath was quite suggestive. Her


    large breasts made her waist look incredibly slim.


    Although I¡¯ve heard that Scarlett has always been fairly honest with people, her bold move stunned me.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t moved, or what?¡± Scarlett leaned in, deliberately getting up in Neil¡¯s grill.


    Neil started to furrow his brows. His gaze swept over the door and lingered for a moment. I quickly


    ducked out of sight a bit.


    Even though I wasn¡¯t intentionally spying on them, I still felt a bit ufortable.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a bad boy!¡± Suddenly, Scarlett from inside the room said, sounding coy and pleased.


    Soon, the door swung open. Neil¡¯s figure appeared before me, ¡®Had enough of a peep show? Want to


    come in and see the real thing?¡±


    There was a lipstick mark on his shirt cor, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just left there.


    Scarlett was sitting on the sofa, her arms wrapped around her bent knees, giving me a hostile look,


    ¡°Are you some kind of pervert? He invited you in, and you actually came?¡±

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    Chapter 211


    Chapter 211


    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to crash your party. Just need a few words with Mr. Whitmore,¡± I shot Scarlett an


    apologetic look before speaking.


    Scarlett snorted. She was lounging on the sofa, not bothering to hide her eye-catching figure


    Neil adjusted his tie nonchntly Tm kind of tied up right now. Give me a ring if you need something


    ¡°Your phone¡¯s been switched off all afternoon!¡± I frowned. ¡°It won¡¯t take much of your time. Just some


    business stuff to discuss.¡±


    Neil flopped back onto the sofa, lighting a cigarette. ¡°If memory serves, ourpanies stopped doing


    business soon after our divorce. What¡¯s there to talk about?¡±


    Scarlett suddenly sat up, giving me a wide eyed store. ¡°So, you¡¯re his ex-wife? I knew you looked


    familiar.¡±


    Two years had passed, and many had forgotten about me.


    ¡°Ms. Mitchell, I need a word with him. Can we have a moment?¡± I asked politely.


    Scarlett nced at Neil, then back at me, and resumed her lounging position ¡°Go ahead, chat here. I¡¯m


    beat; I¡¯m going to get some sleep. Dont worry, I wont eavesdrop¡±


    Clearly, she didn¡¯t think much of me.


    It seemed an ex-wife didn¡¯t warrant any courtesy


    Neil stayed silent, puffing away and giving me ambiguous nces.


    Scarlett suddenly stretched her legs onto Neil¡¯sp. I¡¯m so tired. Mr. Whitmore, can you give me a


    massage?¡±


    Neil nced at her slim legs. He tossed his cigarette into the ashtray and began massaging her legs.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore is such a gentleman. It¡¯d be a shame if you werent my boyfriend, Scarlett giggled her


    laughter as light as a bell


    I felt invisible,pletely ignored.


    I should ve walked out, but thinking about my mom¡¯s hardship, I couldn¡¯t


    If I could convince Neil, maybe Dominic wouldn¡¯t cut ties with us. Maybe we could resolve our


    company¡¯s crisis.


    I had to admit that Whitmore Co. was a force to be reckoned with If Neil decided to hit us, things would


    be grim.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Neil, all I need is ten minutes of your time, I tried to keep my cool, speaking as gertly as possible


    ¡°He said he s busy! What¡¯s your deal? You¡¯re his ex wife, why are you still clinging on?¡± Scarlett


    snapped at me. Tve heard you chased Neil for five years before you guys tied the knot. Looks like its


    true. You just can¡¯t let go, can you?¡±


    Neils hand suddenly stopped, his face turning icy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said this. It¡¯s about business,¡± I replied calmly


    ¡°He made it clear he didn¡¯t want to talk. Can¡¯t you tell?¡± Scarlett was peeved, and her date with Neil


    was interrupted.


    Scarlett was too self-assured


    I knew Neil didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of affection for her. I¡¯ve met too many like her before; I was used


    to it.


    I just kept looking at Neil, hoping he¡¯d change his mind. No need to repeat the past¡¯s dog-eat-dog


    tragedy.


    ¡°Get out,¡± Neil finally spoke again, his gaze fixed on me.


    ¡®Did you hear that? He¡¯s asking you to leave, Scarlett wore a victorious smile.


    Neil brushed her legs off, his tone cold. I was talking to you¡±


    The smile froze on Scarlett¡¯s face ¡°You¡¯re serious? You want me to leave?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. Get out of the Whitmore Co. building! Neil ordered impatiently.


    Scarlett looked shocked and angry, but facing an impatient Neil, she didn¡¯t dare to throw a tantrum. She


    couldn¡¯t afford to offend this man.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡± Scarlett huffed, hastily putting on her coat, and stormed towards the door.


    She intentionally bumped into me on her way out, nearly knocking me off bnce.


    Neil immediately stood up and rushed over to steady me. I quickly stepped back to avoid him.


    His demeanor changed from one of concern to one of coldness, and his expression darkened.


    ¡°What do you want to talk about? Spit it out.¡± He sat back down, crossing his legs, looking somewhat


    disdainful


    I sat opposite him This was the first time we¡¯d sat down face-to-face since our divorce two years ago.


    The office was brightly lit. I could see every minute expression on Neil¡¯s face. There was no warmth in


    his eyes.


    ¡°Do you know SaintlyBio Corporation?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Neil responded quickly


    ¡°You don¡¯t know Anthony Evans?¡± I frowned. Was Neil lying to me?


    Neil was toying with a lighter and answered lightly, ¡°I know him, but were not close.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the CEO of SaintlyBio Corporation. They¡¯re ourpany¡¯s main supplier, but they suddenly


    wanted to terminate our contract, I exined t


    d the


    situation, watching Neil¡¯s reaction closely


    Neil¡¯s face remained impassive, like he was listening to a story that had nothing to do with him.


    So, I cut to the chase. ¡°After they terminate our contract, they¡¯ll cooperate with StarGlow Enterprises.


    Are you involved in this?¡±


    After I finished speaking, Neil gave me a long, hard look with deep,plex eyes.


    The atmosphere became so thick that I could cut it with a knife. Just as I was about to break the


    silence, he spoke, ¡°Trene, are you using me of deliberately targeting your family?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± I shot back immediately.


    Both Dominic and Mr. Anthony told me it was all Neil¡¯s doing.


    Neil smirked, ¡°Is that what you think of me, Irene? That I¡¯m so lowly I could do anything despicable?


    Isn¡¯t he? I wanted to rebut instantly, but I held my tongue


    Evidently, my words had pissed Neil off because I was questioning his integrity.


    ¡°With the resources your family has, you shouldn¡¯t lose to StarGlow Enterprises. Won¡¯t your dad step


    in?¡± Neil suddenly brought up my father.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let him meddle in business matters; it¡¯s too easy for him to slip up. He¡¯s about to retire: there is


    no need for him to take such risks,¡± I confessed.


    Neil¡¯s lips curled into a small smile, ¡°You guys really stick to your guns, huh?

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212


    Chapter 212


    In my dad¡¯s family, three generations have been government officials. They¡¯ve always stuck to their


    guns, never abused their power.


    My mom and I have always stood by my dad¡¯s principles. We were really proud of him.


    ¡°Neil, I know you¡¯ve got beef with my family. I get it, but can you separate personal feelings from


    business, okay?¡± I asked with sincerity.


    Neil heaved a big sigh, ¡°How can you expect a jerk to keep things professional?¡±


    His gutsy confession of being a jerk left me at a loss for words.


    Suddenly, Neil stood up and walked over to me. He bent down close to me, so close that I could see


    his eyshes.


    I held my breath, taken aback.


    ¡°I didnt target your family intentionally, but I could make SaintlyBio Corporation change their minds. You


    need my help?¡± he asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I need.¡± I tried to keep it cool.


    Neil grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. He winked, looking curious. ¡°Your dad can¡¯t interveng,


    but what about your mom¡¯s family?¡±


    I was caught off guard. My mom¡¯s family had someplex connections and old scores to settle, so I


    didn¡¯t want to go into it.


    Unless it was a life-and-death situation, my mom wouldn¡¯t ask her family for help.


    ¡°If you step in and tell SaintlyBio Corporation not to target my family, this problem should be a piece of


    cake.¡± I didn¡¯t resist Neil¡¯s grip.


    ¡°You really think highly of me, your ex-husband. That¡¯s kind of ttering¡± Neil chuckled. His face


    softened, but I didn¡¯t let my guard down.


    I just grunted a hmm, not saying much.


    Neil¡¯s gaze shifted from my eyes to my lips. His look made me feel uneasy. He was like a beast that


    spotted its prey


    Why did I put on lipstick? Was I out of my mind?


    Neil¡¯s thumb gently rubbed over my lips, then he frowned. This color is too tacky, it doesn¡¯t suit you¡±


    I was speechless


    Then Neil¡¯s lips covered mine. His smokey breath made me feel like I was smoking a soft cigarette.


    I was taken aback, my pupils dting. Neil¡¯s unexpected kiss shattered my coolposure. Just as I


    was about to push him away, Bonnie¡¯s voice came from the door


    ¡°What the hell are you guys doing?!¡±


    Neil stopped. He let go of me, and my lipstick still smeared around his mouth.


    Bonnie stood in the doorway, holding a thermos, apparently bringing Neil dinner. She looked shocked


    and furious, ring at me and Neil.


    I quickly stood up, wiping my lips clean with a tissue, then fixed my hair and clothes.


    Bonnie stormed over to me. Her eyes were red. She looked at Neil, then at me.


    ¡°Bonnie, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± I started to exin.


    Suddenly, she pped me across the face. My ears rang.


    I touched my cheek, unable to believe Bonnie had pped me.


    Neil instantly grabbed Bonnie¡¯s wrist, pushing her onto the couch. His face was dark and scary. He


    demanded, ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡±


    Bonnie was taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect Neil to defend me. With tears in her eyes, she was full of


    resentment and injustice, ¡°Nejl, I¡¯m your girlfriend now! We¡¯re about to get engaged. How could you do


    this with her?!¡±


    ¡®It has nothing to do with her. I forced her.¡± Neil took all the me. His voice was cold when he spoke to


    Bonnie.


    Bonnie was even more shocked. Her lips were trembling, and her eyes were full of hatred and anger


    towards me.


    I touched my still-stinging cheek, then raised my hand and pped Neil across the face!


    ¡°Jerk!¡± I cursed, grabbed my purse, and stormed out without looking back,


    Bonnie must have been stunned. She hit me, Neil protected me, and yet the person being protected


    pped Neil.


    She cherished Neil so much; how could she possibly hit him?


    ¡°Irenell Bonnie¡¯s shrill scream came from behind me. I didn¡¯t stop; instead, I quickly entered the


    elevator and left.


    When I got home, I slumped on the couch, exhausted. Surprisingly, my mom was still awake. She


    asked, ¡°Rena, where did you go this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°I met some friends, looking for potential suppliers to rece SaintlyBio Corporation.¡± I replied.


    ¡®Any progress?¡¯ Mom sat next to me and asked.


    I shook my head. Disappointment and tiredness filled my mom¡¯s face, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a suitable


    company, but we couldn¡¯t strike a deal¡±


    Which


    ¡°Thepany that is under the Dawson family. I contacted Russel¡¯s father, but he turned me down.¡±


    My mom is smart. She held my hand and said, ¡°Tena, you and Russel are okay, right? His family


    doesn¡¯t have any issues with you, do they?¡±


    If they really supported my rtionship with Russel, why would they reject my mom? The price my


    mom must have offered would have been!


    the market price.


    I didn¡¯t want my mom to worry about both thepany and my personal issues, so Iforted her,


    ¡°We¡¯re really good. Maybe the Dawson family has other partners that are more suitable, Mom, it¡¯s best


    not to mix feelings with business. Look at our previous partnership with Whitmore Co. After Neil and I


    divorced, it was a loss for both of us


    Mom nodded, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right¡±


    It was reallyte I took a shower and was ready for bed when Russel video called.


    I remembered the Dawson family turning down my mom. Feeling mncholy, I still answered his video


    call.


    The backdrop behind Russel was his hospital office. Looked like he would be pulling an all-nighter.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± He removed his sses, lightly massaged his temples, and asked


    ¡°Nope¡± I sounded a bit down.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? You seem off Russel picked up on my mood and instantly got worried,


    I forced a smile, ¡°Nothing much, just work stuff¡±


    Russel knitted his brows, ¡°We agreed to be honest with each other about everything. We¡¯re supposed


    to face challenges together. You shouldn¡¯t lie to


    me.¡±


    I remained quiet, unsure of how to break the silence.


    We both just sat there in silence. After a while, I asked, ¡°Russel, what do your parents think of me? Can


    you tell me?¡±

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213


    Chapter 213


    Russel fell silent again, which brought my mood down too.


    In the end, he promised me seriously, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to convince them¡±


    I felt pretty knackered. I knew well the attitude of the Dawson family towards me, and I believed that


    Russel would do his best to persuade his family, but


    I still felt worn out


    When I married Neil, he didn¡¯t love me, but his family liked me very much and supported our marriage.


    Now I was with Russel. I knew he loved me, but his family didn¡¯t like me one bit.


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± After a while, I responded.


    I didn¡¯t tell Russel about the business. If he knew, he would definitely conflict with his parents.


    After the video call ended. Iy in bed with a chaotic mind. I almost didn¡¯t sleep all night.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The next morning. I went out with dark circles under my eyes, feeling exhausted all over. When I drove


    past Neil¡¯s house, I nced at it. There was no one in the yard.


    Didn¡¯t hee backst night? He should have tried to appease Bonnie


    I decided not to think about Neil.


    When I arrived at thepany, I found many people standing in the hall. It was very lively. There was


    still half an hour to work, so everyone was not in a hurry to go upstairs.


    Someone noticed meing and immediately focused on me. Their expressions varied


    One of my colleagues ran over and whispered to me, ¡°You¡¯d better take the stairs. Don¡¯t take the


    elevator.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I was somewhat puzzled.


    Just then, an angry voice rang out.


    ¡°Irene, you homewrecker! Kate Aaron appeared in the crowd. She was furious, pointed at me and


    cursed loudly.


    Everyone turned to look at me. Many people knew who I was.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a homewrecker Kate, why are you causing trouble in ourpany?¡± I didn¡¯t expect Kate to be


    so bold as to make trouble at my workce.


    Kate¡¯s face twisted. She came up to me and then said to others. ¡°This woman is your boss¡¯s daughter


    and also Neil¡¯s ex-wife. After divorcing Neil, she went to seduce Neil, who already had a girlfriend. If


    this is not a homewrecker, what is it?¡±


    Others looked at each other, clearly both wanting to watch the excitement and not daring to make


    irresponsible remarks in front of me.


    Kate really didn¡¯t care about anything for Bonnie, but her behavior was just crazy!


    ¡®Where¡¯s the security? Get this nut job out of here!¡± | eximed loudly


    Soon, the security rushed out. I pointed at Kate and said, ¡°Get her out! Whoever lets her in again will


    have to face the consequences!¡±


    Kate red at me. Seeing the securitying to grab her, her emotions became more and more


    excited, ¡°Trene, you¡¯re just jealous of Bonnie, so you want to destroy her love with Neill You¡¯re just a


    pathetic worm!¡±


    I looked at Kate coldly. I never understood why she was willing to be an unnoticed supporting


    character?


    The security soon ordered Kate out. The onlookers didn¡¯t dare look at me anymore. They hurriedly took


    the elevator and returned to their departments.


    I worked restlessly all day but in the end, I still received bad news.


    My mom found out about Kate causing trouble at thepany.


    In the evening, there was an unprecedented argument at my house. My parents thought I had fallen in


    love with Neil again, so I started to have entanglements with him.


    ¡°Irene, you really disappoint me! Even if you ask for help, you can¡¯t go to Neill My mom covered her


    chest and scolded me with a disappointed face.


    My dad supported my r


    worried about her health, and angrily echoed, ¡°Look at yourself! Do you love Neil that much? Even that


    little star publicly said


    you met Neil privately at night! Are you fair to us? Are you fair to Russel?!¡±


    That little star was Scarlett


    Neilst night, which confirmed the reason for Kate causing trouble at thepany in the afternoon.


    She revealed to reporters this afternoon that


    ¡°Dad, Mom, Treally didn¡¯t start again with Nell. I just found out that the termination of the contract with


    SaintlyBio Corporation is rted to him, so I wanted to talk to him. I just wanted to take some of the


    workload off mom!¡± I became a bit emotional. The stress of these days seemed to be about to explode.


    My mom¡¯s face was ashen, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to share it for me! If it really doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll go to your


    uncle. There will always be a solution to this problem. How could you go to Neil? Are you trying to kill


    me?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I really didn¡¯t think about getting back together with him How could I fall in love again with a man


    who once hurt me so deeply?!¡± I was about to breakdown. Why didn¡¯t they believe me?


    Indeed, I once loved Neil deeply, but I have walked out of that past. However, everyone around me


    thought I haven¡¯t let go.


    ¡°You havent been back for long, but you¡¯ve seen him several times, and such a scandal has spread.


    You have a boyfriend, and he is about to get-ngaged. What will the world think of our family if you do


    this?¡± My dad asked.


    I was scolded by them until my head was a mess, and I was extremely sad. The memories of my past


    life that had gradually settled down came up again. When I was clinging to Neil and refusing to divorce,


    my parents also scolded me like this: In the end, they had to help me


    Suddenly, hot tears streamed down my face, as if the emotions I had been suppressing were copsing


    bit by bit.


    Just when I was surrounded by negative emotions, my mom suddenly swayed and then fell straight


    down in front of mel


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    My dad and I were shocked.


    But my mom had already fallen to the ground and lost consciousness. My heart started beating wildly. I


    knelt on the ground to check her condition, then started to perform CPR on her and said to my dad,


    ¡®Call an ambnce!¡±


    In such a situation, I dared not move her arbitrarily


    My dad¡¯s somewhat old body swayed a bit, but he quickly regained hisposure. He hurried to the


    side to dial the emergency number.


    The paramedics arrived and immediately helped my mom into the ambnce. My dad also got in the


    car with her. I was about to drive my own car and follow the ambnce.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Suddenly, Neil appeared. He frowned and nced at the departing ambnce. His


    tone was full of worry


    ¡°Buzz off!¡± I was feeling both heartbroken and angry while worrying about my mom, so I was shaking


    slightly. And the root cause of all this was Neil!


    Neil grabbed my trembling hand due to excessive worry, ¡°How can you drive like this? Let me take you¡±


    I gritted my teeth, ring at Nell with resentment, ¡°All I need is for you to stay away from me!¡±


    ww

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214


    Chapter 214


    Neil¡¯s eyes suddenly dulled, but his hand was still tightly gripping mine


    I wriggled out of his grasp, hopped in the car, and took off for the hospital.


    The thought of my mom in trouble was unbearable I panicked; my mind was in chaps. I hadn¡¯t driven


    far when I crashed the car into a flower bed.


    Luckily, I wasn¡¯t going fast. My head hit the steering wheel, but I wasn¡¯t hurt


    Trene, can you stop giving me the cold shoulder?¡± Neil rushed over, opened the car door, and pulled


    me out. He checked me for injuries and breathed a sigh of relief


    Then I was bundled into his car, and we sped off to the hospital


    The ride was a blur. As far as I knew, my parents were in good health until my mom started having


    heart problems a few years ago. As an only child, I never dared to imagine life without them.


    If I hadn¡¯t gone to see Neilst night, Kate wouldn¡¯t have caused a scene, Scarlett wouldn¡¯t have spilled


    the beans, and my mom wouldn¡¯t have had a heart attack from the shock


    This mess was all my fault!


    ¡°Neil, why did you screw me over?¡¯ I turned and stared nkly at Neil.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t screw you over, and I never will.¡± Neil gripped the steering wheel tighter.


    I forced a smile. Wasnt two years away from you enough? Ste and the others used to say you were


    bad news. I didn¡¯t believe it then, but I do now All my trouble started with you¡±


    Neil kept quiet, a storm brewing in his face.


    ¡°If I hadnt gone to see youst night, none of this would¡¯ve happened. I was a fool to ask for your help


    ¡°Iughed bitterly, feeling deste


    Being reborn gave me another chance, but it didn¡¯t change the tragic events. The twists and turns of


    fate were beyond myprehension.


    Miscarriage, divorce, harassment,pany troubles, my mom¡¯s ident-it seemed like bad luck was


    my shadow


    Whether Neil loved me or not, it was all the same-bad news.


    I¡¯ve sent someone to talk to SamntlyBio Corporation. They won¡¯t switch to StarGlow Enterprises, they¡¯ll


    continue working with yourpany,¡± Neil stated about what he had done for me


    ¡°You should¡¯ve fallen for Bonnie, married her, had kids, and lived happily ever after. Why did things turn


    out this way? I can¡¯t make sense of it.¡± I was a bit lost.


    -My mom¡¯s ident had seriously rattled me


    The car sped up. Neil¡¯s voice was faint, ¡°I could never be with her,¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡± I justughed. They were almost engaged, yet he could say something like that.


    We caught up with the ambnce and finally stopped at the hospital. I immediately unbuckled and


    rushed into the hospital behind my mom.


    My mom was rushed into the ER. My dad and I were left waiting outside.


    The hospital was deserted at night. My dad and I sat on a long bench in the hallway. The light made my


    dad¡¯s face look pale.


    Not far away, Neil stood still, watching us.


    My dad saw Neil He stormed over to him.


    ¡°You despicable bastard¡± My dad grabbed Neil by the cor and yelled, ¡°You¡¯ve ruined our family!¡±


    Neil was taller and younger than my dad. He could¡¯ve easily resisted, but he just took the p my dad


    gave him.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I watched them coldly, expressionless.


    A nurse came over to break up the fight.


    After they were separated, my dad pointed at Neil and continued scolding, ¡°Hasn¡¯t my daughter


    suffered enough for you? You¡¯re divorced; why are you still pestering her? Are you trying to ruin her


    completely?¡±


    ¡°I never had that Intention¡± Neil looked at me, his eyes filled with sadness and helplessness


    I looked away, avoiding his gaze


    If that¡¯s the case, then swear you¡¯ll never see Rena again! my dad demanded sternly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Neil¡¯s answer was short and clear, ¡°I regret divorcing her, so I¡¯m trying to find a way to


    win her back.¡±


    I was stunned He was tantly stating his intentions in front of my dad. Did he want to make my dad


    even angrier?


    Sure enough, my dad was furning. He was about to continue scolding Neil when the ER doors opened.


    He immediately stopped and rushed over to ask about my mom¡¯s condition.


    The patient is in bad shape and might be unconscious for a while. We can¡¯t say when she¡¯ll regain


    consciousness,¡± the doctor delivered the bad news. My dad almost copsed.


    As I was inert, I held my father up mechanically. I never imagined my mom¡¯s condition would be this


    serious.


    Later, my mom was rolled out. Her eyes were closed, and she looked weak.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± My voice trembled. I followed her into the ward and watched as the medical staff settled her


    in.


    My dad was holding my mom¡¯s hand, his eyes welling up.


    This was all my fault!


    I left the room. Neil was still waiting outside. I didn¡¯t know what he was waiting for


    1 really didn¡¯t know this would happen. Im sorry¡± Neil looked miserable as he apologized.


    ¡°Neil, there¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know. Are you happy now? Look at what¡¯s happened to my family! This is


    payback for divorcing you! Are you satisfied?¡± I gave Neil a weak look.


    Neil just looked at me silently.


    I didn¡¯t say anything: I just turned and left. I needed to go home and rest. I had to work the next day. My


    abilities were stillcking, but now that my mom was sick, the responsibility of running thepany fell


    on me.


    I hailed a taxi home. My mind was like a movie reel, reying various scenes. The neon lights outside


    the car window dazzled me.


    Neil¡¯s car followed. It seemed like he hardly went back to Sterling Estates now.


    Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Russel.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°In a taxi. What¡¯s up?¡± I only realized my voice was hoarse when I spoke.


    ¡°How did your mom suddenly have a heart attack? I thought she¡¯s been managing it well, Russel


    asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me right away? Is Neil at the hospital?¡±


    I closed my eyes, feeling utterly drained. ¡°Russel, you must¡¯ve heard the rumors about Neil and me by


    now, right? Do you believe me?¡±


    Russel was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Yeah, I believe you. If it¡¯sing from you, I believe


    it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡± The weight on my heart lifted a bit. I didn¡¯t expect him to still trust me, even now. Actually, I


    was trying to use this opportunity to let Russel clearly see his feelings for me. Perhaps given the


    current situation, we both needed some time to think things through.

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215


    Chapter 215


    My mom was in bad shape. When I rushed to the hospital the next day the doctor told me that if she


    could wake up from hera, it would be the best


    oue


    For the next few days, I was running around between worl and the hospital, it was the fest time I truly


    felt the harshness of life


    14 Dr. Russel really qutting?¡±


    Why would he qu


    Wha


    Tm not sure. I just heard he¡¯s already handed in his resignation.¡±


    Loverheard a few nurses gossiping on my way to my mom¡¯s ward


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I couldn¡¯t help but slow down. I hadn¡¯t seen Russel much these days. He¡¯de to see my mom a few


    times, but only during his working hours.


    Was he really qurting¡±


    As soon a


    led Pussel


    ¡°Russel are you quitting¡±


    ed as


    connected


    Yes I¡¯m


    my family¡¯s business


    I rubbed my rehead helplessly knew that


    a past life. Pussel


    ven up his career as


    As we were taking Russel appeared at the door of the wa


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I quickly hung up the phone


    unsel answered softly. Don¡¯t worry I¡¯m fine


    doctor for love and taken over his family business


    eady. He was wearing a beige sweater, looking warm.


    ¡°Just came to see you Sorry. I have You tired?


    seen taking care of you properly


    ently¡± Russel came over and gently touched my head. ¡°You look worn out Are


    I was indeed tired My dad couldn¡¯t partic jate in thepany¡¯s affans bel thepany Just dealing


    with


    management made me feel exhausted


    Because of ack of sleep at night and a bad diet during the day the weight had finally gained was


    gone in an instart


    I forced a smile. Tm trying to familiarize myself with thepany¡¯s business as fast responsibility¡±


    Russel¡¯s eyes were filled with deep concern. It made my heart flutter


    The more tired I was the more I wished


    shareholders to see my vulnerability, bi


    I couldn¡¯t help but lean into his arms. oping find


    Russel gently stroked my hair I closed my eyes, trying t


    Suddenly there was


    | everything about


    ze that my mom is like this, I have to learn to take


    care for me | (to show strength, not wanting the or ipany¡¯s top management and


    very tired


    at the door left Russel¡¯s em


    Nell stood there coldly Behind him was a sheepish Dominic


    I could feel Russel tense up. Both he and Neil were


    Sorry to


    of ?Neil said coldly His gaze finally


    on me. his eyes wi


    coldness.


    Russel anked his tone cool


    answer he just nced at Dominic. Dominc immediately came over and said to me. ¡°Ms. Finch, car


    ourpa


    Domaniec in surprise I had been worrying about this matter for ¡ñfile and even considered asking my


    uncle for help. But thinking of my


    to Russel


    1. He held my hand and squeezed it slightly


    | nodded but furi spoke aja Then let¡¯s not ¡±


    Dumarac hearing fiel say this, also quickly left


    Watching this opportunity sip


    free hom Russe¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Wat I mat tak to bim?


    kulowed them pul


    Feed and Gratianac: Out of Breath, i kad Dominic, at


    cong based on herfs reactor. He knked at luod eating for tens to speak.


    Can i be present too? feet coutered


    | | harbored resentment towards han cold use thepany as a bargaring chip


    ¡°Okay I responded.


    Then I followed Neil to a caf¨¦ outside the hospital.


    Dominic suggested that he could continue to cooperate with ourpany but needed to slightly


    increase the price. This price was within our range.


    Neil was sipping coffee on the side, barely saying anything. But Dominic kept ncing at him, as if


    seeking his opinion.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll continue to cooperate at the price we agreed upon today. The weight in my heart finally


    lifted, and my smile was a bit more genuine.


    ¡°Good. I look forward to our future cooperation Dominic shook hands with me and stood up to tell Neil,


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Neil just waved his hand and said. ¡°Alright¡±


    In the business world, the Whitmore family indeed had more influence than ours. I had to admit that.


    After Dominic left, only Neil and I remained. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to stay or leave.


    Neil looked at me with a smirk on his face. He took a sip of his coffee, then stood up and said, ¡°Now


    that your concerns are resolved, what are you still doing here?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said briefly.


    ¡°I told you, this is mypensation to you¡± Neil¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. The harm I brought to your


    family wasn¡¯t intentional¡±


    I smiled helplessly and said, ¡°Neil, we really are perfect adversaries.¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t respond to this. He simply exined. ¡°The SaintlyBio Corporation issue was Bonnie acting


    on her own using my name. I¡¯ve warned her, but you should still be careful because Gloria is also


    involved.¡±


    Gloria was the real puppet master here. Bonnie might bow down to Neil, but Gloria definitely won¡¯t.


    ¡®Got it. I must head back to the ward¡± It was gettingte. I grabbed my bag and told Neil casually


    We left the coffee shop, one after the other. Neil didn¡¯t rush to his car, instead, he waited for me to get


    in mine first.


    Early autumn hade. There was a slight chill in the air. I cracked the window open, watching his


    figure shrink in the rear-view mirror,

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216


    Chapter 216


    After sorting out the issue with our supplier, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.


    Ever since my mom was hospitalized, I¡¯ve barely had a second to rest. Ste and the others, worried


    I¡¯d burn out, would take turns visiting my mom in the hospital on my behalf.


    But surprisingly. Bonnie decided to pay my mom a visit too.


    At that time, Barbara Sands was with my mom in the hospital. Upon spotting Bonnie, she quickly


    informed me.


    I dashed over as swiftly as I could.


    ¡°Irene, aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡± Bonnie was sitting by my mom¡¯s bedside when I arrived.


    The heavy scent of her perfume was out of ce


    with her innocent demeanor.


    Barbara rolled her eyes at the scene.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I demanded, marching into the room, ¡°Get out Now¡±


    Im just here to visit Mrs. Finch! Bonnie feigned innocence, pointing at a bag of fruit beside her, ¡°Look, I


    even brought gifts.¡±


    I nced at the bag. It was filled with rotten, substandard fruits. Bonnie was clearly here to stir up


    trouble.


    I grabbed the bag of rotten fruit and chucked it into the trash.


    Bonnie looked hurt, ¡°I heard Mrs. Finch is unconscious; I came to see her. How could you treat me like


    this?¡±


    Barbara grimaced, pretending to be sick. The next moment, she received a call from Ss and left the


    room,


    I stared at Bonnie impassively. ¡°Bonnie, why are you so hung up on me? You¡¯re with Neil now. What¡¯s


    left to fight about?¡±,


    The hurt look on Bonnie s face quickly turned into resentment and anger. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m with Neil, but in his


    heart, you matter more to him than I do!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s between you and him, not my problem.¡± I didn¡¯t feel responsible for their issues.


    Bonnie clenched her teeth, ¡°He kisses you, protects you, and even resolved the SaintlyBio Corporation


    problem for you. Irene, you¡¯re a thorn in my side! I can¡¯t stand your existence, got it?¡±


    She was dering war on me.


    I found herughable. The things Neil did for me were out of my control, and they only brought me


    more trouble. Did Bonnie think Neil and I were mutually in love?


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t intentionally caused SaintlyBio Corporation to terminate their contract with us, he wouldn¡¯t


    have had to help me. None of this would¡¯ve happened. Bonnie, you¡¯re just too conniving. You shot


    yourself in the foot.¡¯ I mocked.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give me yourpany then? My mom wasn¡¯t joking about taking over your


    company, you know? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if your whole family just left Rosemont?¡± Bonnie¡¯s words


    made zero sense.


    She was so eager to drive my family out of Rosemont


    In her mind, I was enemy number one


    ¡®Daydreaming much, youngdy?¡± I was lost for words and that was the only response I could give.


    Bonnie suddenly lost control of her emotions, yelling. I really hate you! Because of you, Neil postponed


    our engagement! You¡¯ve made me aughingstock!¡±


    Her eyes were filled with hatred, as if she wanted to devour me.


    I was taken aback. With everything going on, I¡¯dpletely forgotten about Neil and Bonnie¡¯s


    impending engagement, let alone whether they¡¯d had their engagement party.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    No wonder Bonnie was so worked up. She must¡¯ve sent out the invitations, only for Neil to dy the


    engagement, leaving her embarrassed.


    ¡°You¡¯re already with Russel. He¡¯s seen you two getting cozy, yet he still can¡¯t let you go. I never knew


    Neil could be so sentimental. Bonnie¡¯s emotions cooled a bit, but the hatred in her eyes remained.


    Whether Neil was sentimental, I was not sure. But he was certainly a person who didn¡¯t give up until he


    got what he wanted.


    Sometimes I couldn¡¯t tell if his actions were driven by possessiveness or love.


    I didn¡¯t respond to Bonnie¡¯s words, only gesturing for her to leave.


    Bonnie refused to leave, a triumphant smile on her face, ¡°How did such a sharp-tongued woman


    suddenly fall unconscious? Did she do too many terrible things and is now getting her just desserts?¡±


    ¡°Bonnie!¡± I was livid. She dared to insult my mother! ¡°Get out! You¡¯re not wee here!¡±


    ¡°Your dad¡¯s been in politics for so many years, hasnt he done anything disgraceful? I¡¯m really curious¡±


    Not only did Bonnie refuse to leave, but she also continued to provoke me.


    At that moment, I saw my dad standing at the door. He must¡¯ve heard everything Bonnie had said.


    My dad could never tolerate anyone using him of corruption or abuse of power, even if his position


    did bring some benefits to our family¡¯s business. *Please leave My dad said angrily to Bonnie


    Upon seeing my dad, Bonnie finally toned it down a bit. Before my dad retired, he still had the power to


    influence theirpany, it was justame whether he was willing to use it.


    Rising, she said, ¡°Mr. Finch, I came specifically to visit Mrs. Finch today¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than Russel appeared behind my dad. I wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d


    bumped into each other or hade together.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Russel frowned, ¡°Where¡¯s the medical staff? How can they let irrelevant people


    disturb the patient?¡±


    ¡°Russel, Mrs. Finch is unconscious, she won¡¯t be disturbed. Bonnie responded sweetly.


    Russel said coldly, ¡°But you¡¯ve polluted the air.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s smile instantly vanished. After grabbing her bag and shooting me a re, she stormed out.


    The lingering scent of perfume filled the air. I couldn¡¯t stand the smell, so I went to open the window.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Russel came up beside me, his voice low, ¡°I found out about the problems your


    company¡¯s facing. I only learned about Mrs. Finch asking my dad for help this morning. I¡¯m sorry¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t on you. You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± I said by the window. ¡°But I kind of figured out how they


    feel about me, judging from how your parents treat my mom. Russel, are you sure you want to keep


    this up?¡±


    The real deal hasn¡¯t even hit us yet.


    What we had been through was peanuts.


    Russel held my hand tightly, his expression soft yet determined. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not backing down. The whole


    reason I quit my job to work at my family¡¯spany is that I want to be able to protect you. Just give


    me some time. I¡¯ll level up as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Russel¡­¡±I felt a pang of guilt. Most of the time, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t help me, but that I never


    turned to him for help.


    A lot of times, Russel only found out about my troubles after someone else filled him in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, okay?¡± Russel saw the stress on my face and showed a sympathetic smile, ¡°Actually,


    it¡¯s my fault. Before we got together, I should¡¯ve bulked up a bit and made myself more capable of


    defending you,¡±

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217


    Chapter 217


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You don¡¯t owe me anything.¡± I shook my head.


    Russel heaved a sigh, ¡°But you¡¯re my girlfriend. If I can¡¯t even take care of you, what¡¯s the point of


    me?¡±


    I smiled a bit, somewhat touched


    At that moment, my dad chimed in from behind us, ¡°Get a professional nurse to take care of your mom,


    so no one else can bother her?


    I had the same thought, given how swamped I was


    My dad was about to go on a business trip, so he dropped by to check on my mom. Bonnie¡¯s actions


    and words earlier had weighed heavily on him. He was frowning the whole time.


    The three of us left the hospital together. Bailey was waiting at the door for my dad. After they left,


    Russel took my hand and led me to his car.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you some food; put some weight back on,¡± he said with a grin.


    ¡°If only one meal could restore all the weight I¡¯ve lost,¡± I sighed, letting Russel lead me.


    He turned to look at me and said, ¡°What¡¯s so hard about that? From now on, I¡¯ll eat with you every day.


    If I can¡¯t, I¡¯ll have someone send you gourmet food to make sure you¡¯re well-nourished and healthy.¡±


    Being so cherished felt so good Looking into Russel¡¯s eyes, I suddenly felt that we were finally like a


    normal couple.


    Russel took me out for avish dinner. He was incredibly gentlemanly and tender, peeling shrimp and


    picking out bones for me. Everything was perfect. It was the most rxing day Id had in a while.


    ¡°Russel, were you mad when you found out I¡¯d asked Neil and Anthony for help? Why are you still so


    good to me?¡± I rested my cheek on my hand, watching him across the table.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t mad; I was jealous.¡± Russel looked at me helplessly and said, ¡°I¡¯m your boyfriend, but you


    didn¡¯t want to tell me when you had problems, instead asking other men for help. How could I not be


    jealous?¡±


    I blushed, realizing I might have been a bit unreasonable.


    I¡¯d always hated to impose on Russel. I always felt like he was getting the short end of the stick by


    being with me, and he had to fight his family on top of it all, so I didn¡¯t want to add to his troubles.


    Seeing my embarrassment, Russel kindly changed the subject and asked, ¡°Are you full? Want to go


    shopping?¡±


    ¡®Full, Let¡¯s go,¡± I answered quickly


    Whenever Russel and I went shopping, he¡¯d always ask me questions like, ¡°Do you want this?¡±


    ¡®Do you want this bag?


    ¡°Do you want this dress?¡±


    ¡°Do you want this bracelet?¡±


    I always said no, but every time I nced at anything for a second longer than usual, he¡¯d buy it once


    we left the store.


    I¡¯d never shopped so crazily when I was with Ste and the others. In the end, Russel was loaded


    down with shopping bags, turning heads as we walked down the street.


    It was past eleven when Russel finally drove me home. The backseat of the car was piled high with


    luxury goods, our spoils of war for the day


    In the past, I didn¡¯t understand this seemingly cold man. But after bing his girlfriend, I realized he


    was good at expressing his love through actions, not just empty words


    Even though I was already well-off, having a man willing to spend money on me without a second


    thought touched me.


    ¡°Russel, tell me how much all this stuff cost. I¡¯ll transfer the money to you,¡± I told him as I got out of the


    car.


    ¡°Rena, that¡¯s insulting me, Russel replied immediately. This is what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±


    Alright. If I kept refusing, he might think I didn¡¯t take his role as my boyfriend seriously.


    In the end, Russel helped me carry a bunch of shopping bags into the house. When he left, I saw him


    to the door out of courtesy. Under the streetlight, his face glowed warmly


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now,¡± he waved at me, looking a bit reluctant to leave.


    ¡°Okay Drive safe, nodded.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Russel looked at me, sounding a bit nervous, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we kiss goodbye?¡±


    His question left me a bit stunned. He moved a bit closer to me, and before I could react, he gently


    kissed me on the cheek.


    That feeling was indescribable.


    After he kissed me, Russel looked content, his smile even brighter, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving. Go to bed


    early.¡±


    I could only nod, still a bit dazed.


    Watching Russel drive away, I couldn¡¯t help but touch my cheek, the corners of my mouth curling up. I


    felt like I¡¯d finally found what it felt like to be in love. But when I saw Neil, my smile vanished instantly.


    He came out of the vi next door. Even though he was quite far away and I couldn¡¯t see his face


    clearly, I could feel he didn¡¯t seem too happy


    I didn¡¯t know if he saw me and Russel kiss goodbye.


    I turned to go back inside, about to lock the door, only to find Neil already standing outside.


    I was startled and clutched my chest, ¡°Are you trying to scare me to death?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so jumpy when you¡¯re so happy?¡± Neil reached to open the door, and I immediately tried


    to lock it.


    But I¡¯ve never won against Neil in this sort of thing. Not only was he quick, but he was also strong. I


    was no match for him.


    My dad wasn¡¯t home tonight. I was the only one in the house. Although there were security cameras in


    the yard, I didn¡¯t want any idents


    Both of our hands were on the edge of the door, stuck in a standoff. I could feel he wasn¡¯t using his full


    strength, otherwise, I would¡¯ve been pushed away long ago.


    ¡°Neil, what the hell are you trying to do?¡± I demanded, ¡°My mom already had a heart attack because I


    met with you. Wasnt that enough?¡±


    ¡°You have two choices, Neil said coldly. ¡°First, remarry me, second, break up with Russel¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh What the hell was he talking about? I¡¯d just started to have feelings for Russel,


    and he wanted me to break up with him?


    I didnt even have to think about it before I refused, ¡°I choose neither.¡±


    ¡°Then you have a third choice.¡± Neil looked at me coldly. ¡°Let the entire Finch family pay for your


    refusal.¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t understand. What was going on with Neil? How could a man be so fickle and obsessive?


    It seemed like he couldn¡¯t stand seeing me happy. It seemed like he just wanted me to follow him


    around humbly, like before.


    What on earth did I do to deserve this punishment? In my past life. I didn¡¯t want a divorce with him, but


    he ruined my family because of it.


    This time around, I divorced him and didn¡¯t want to entangle with him anymore, yet he still wanted to


    wreck my family.


    No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t resolve the sh between Neil and my family


    ¡°Neil, are you trying to drive me to the grave?¡± I retorted, ¡°If you really can¡¯t bear seeing me happy, I


    can disappear from your life for good. You don¡¯t have to threaten me with my family. It¡¯s not cool.¡±


    Neil just gave a coldugh, ¡°You¡¯re the only daughter of your parents, so you wouldn¡¯t choose to die.


    Irene, I¡¯ve always told you I¡¯m a go-getter. I like to call the shots on everything, including our marriage.


    I¡¯ve already made enough concessions¡±

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218


    Chapter 218


    Neil was, of course, a total control freak. I¡¯ve always known that. But he couldn¡¯t just run my life!


    So, when he doesn¡¯t love me, I should just stay away from him, and when he does, I should


    immediately y along?


    ¡°I thought you¡¯ve changed.¡± I was really disappointed. ¡°But it turns out, my resentment towards you and


    my suffering mean less to you than your control freak tendencies¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyes flickered, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    What a joke. With all the chaos at home, he was still trying to push me around.


    ¡°I won¡¯t back down, Neil. If you think I don¡¯t have it bad enough, feel free to keep tormenting me. For


    instance, you could¡¯ve refused to help me with the SaintlyBio Corporation mess and left me to deal with


    it myself. That should satisfy your sick mind.¡± I looked up, speaking calmly.


    Neil gritted his teeth, ¡°Sick mind? Is my inability to let you go also a sign of my sick mind?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve let you go. I¡¯m not your property, you can¡¯t just have me when you want me and discard me


    when you don¡¯t. Neil, can you respect me a little? Is it because I used to be blindly infatuated with you,


    so you¡¯re used to seeing me without any dignity?¡± I asked, feeling a bit bitter.


    Once, I was like a satellite, revolving around Neil on the orbit he set, with no sense of self.


    But that was by choice. I didn¡¯t me anyone.


    Neil seemed frustrated by my words. He looked down at my hand and said. ¡°Let go. We shouldn¡¯t be


    talking through a door,¡±


    I didn¡¯t want him to force me to let go, so I let go first. With the door open, we faced each other.


    ¡°I know I messed up before. I can apologize a thousand times, ten thousand times, but all I want is a


    chance to make amends.¡± Neil¡¯s expression softened a bit when he saw me let go.


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past; can we not bring it up? I already have a boyfriend.¡± I felt drained.


    Neil¡¯s expression changed instantly. His somewhat rxed face turned tense again upon hearing my


    words.


    I asked him, ¡°What about Bonnie? Scarlett? One was your fianc¨¦e, and the other was your rumored


    girlfriend. Have you ever thought about their feelings?¡± ¡°No.¡± Neil¡¯s answer was firm, without any


    hesitation, even though both women loved him.


    A long time ago, Ste warned me: never expect any decency from Neil.


    I thought she didn¡¯t understand Neil at the time. But she was right.


    A man who is at the peak of his career is definitely not a good person.


    ¡°Neil, we¡¯re not right for each other. Please, can we just stop this?¡± I realized that being sarcastic was


    useless, so I softened my tone and pleaded with -him.


    Neil¡¯s eyes were filled with hurt. He tried to touch my face but stopped after his fingers trembled, ¡°I wish


    I could, but I cant. I once told you that I would never give up on you.¡±


    Hearing his words, I felt desperate.


    I know him too well. As long as Neil doesn¡¯t want to let go, I wont be able to escape.


    I fell into the mess | had struggled so hard to leave.


    Since words won¡¯t work, I would just stay silent, and tried to leave.


    I had barely taken two steps when Neil grabbed me from behind. He buried his head in my neck, as if


    begging. ¡°Can you give me one fast chance? You¡¯ve tolerated me for ten years. Can¡¯t you give me a


    little more time?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me.¡± I felt a pang in my heart, but I regained myposure the next second.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let go. If I do, you¡¯ll drift further and further away from me. When we first divorced, I thought you


    were just mad at me and that you woulde back to me after a while. It wasn¡¯t until our child passed


    away, until you released those recordings, until you left the country without a word, that I realized I was


    really losing you.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was filled with regret.


    I forced myself to ignore his words and tried to break free from his hold.


    Facing my silence and struggle, Neil eventually let go.


    I didn¡¯t look back at him; I just walked quickly into the house, mmed the door shut behind me, and


    locked it.


    I didn¡¯t know if Neil had left. I turned on all the lights and ran up to the balcony of my bedroom on the


    second floor. From there, I could see the front gate. There was no sign of Neil outside the gate. He


    must have left.


    I felt a bit relieved I must admit, when Neil held me and said those words, my emotions were stirred.


    Then Russel called


    ¡°Are you asleep? I just got home¡± His gentle voice came through.


    I finally calmed down, ¡°I was about to go to sleep. What about you? Why aren¡¯t you sleeping after


    getting home?¡±


    ¡°I miss you; I wanted to hear your voice.¡± Russel¡¯s love talk was so straightforward, ¡°Don¡¯t you miss


    me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve only been apart for a short time, and you¡­¡±I responded shyly


    Russel sighed. ¡°Seems


    dont mis


    me but I found


    bedte


    one but Ne


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    respond


    was just getting clothes, getting


    choing


    mind |


    spand


    Upon hear that Russel quickly sad.


    I wont disturb


    | then,


    you don¡¯t go to bed


    ¡°Good night¡± said gently


    After hanging up. I stared at the ceiling I put my hand i


    fomaci


    Each time I get stu in my memories, thinking together


    In a whirlwind of thoughts, I fell into a deep sleep. I had a long dream. and led me in a different


    direction


    But in the middle of our sprint. Neil popped up again, blocking out wi


    When i woke up, my head was pounding like a drum, and my body temperature Turned out, I had a


    fever


    ¡°Cough cough cough ¡°A fierce coughing fit hit me next, along with.


    I grabbed my car keys, thinking I¡¯d drive myself to the hospital but before i could e almost passed out


    I had no choice but to crawl back to my room and make a call for help


    er got to meet, and felt a wave of pain.


    Katred for danne and my resisti


    Nel tangled


    chasing Neil, but suddenly Russel appeared. Ha took my hand


    his eyes


    to sit up. fish out the thermometer and


    my


    arted feeling dizzy from the high lever and

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219


    Chapter 219


    My father was out of town for work, so I first called Ste.


    ¡°Ste, where are you?¡± I asked groggily from my bed.


    I¡¯m at the hospital Quincy started throwing up and having diarrhea out of nowhere, which scared the


    crap out of me!¡± Ste responded.


    ¡°What the hell? You better get him checked out properly I advised her worriedly, then hung up.


    Next, I dialed Alicia Rider, who was on her way to a business trip.


    When I called Barbara, she was having dinner with her parents and Ss.


    Since everyone seemed busy, I finally got through to Russel.


    The phone rang for a while before someone picked it up. I quickly asked, ¡°Russel, are you free?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, he¡¯s in the shower.¡± A young female voice replied.


    I was taken aback and quickly checked the name on my phone. It was indeed Russel. But why would a


    young woman answer his phone?


    Before I could ask, she hung up. I was already feeling sick, and this just made my mood plummet.


    I didn¡¯t want to doubt Russel¡¯s loyalty, but his family was against us being together, so I couldn¡¯t help


    but overthink.


    When I tried to call him again, his phone was off.


    Just as I was about to go downstairs to find some fever medicine. Neil called.


    I hung up immediately I leaned on the wall and the stair railings as I made my way downstairs, then


    began searching for medicine in the living room. Suddenly, there was a strong knock on the door. I


    nced at the front door of the living room and heard Neil yelling outside, ¡°Irene, open up!¡±


    How did he get inside the yard? I frowned, then remembered | hadn¡¯t locked the yard gatest night.


    I didn¡¯t answer him; I just continued looking for medicine.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t open the door, I¡¯ll call the property management! Neil warned.


    I scoffed. The property management wasn¡¯t his to boss around; could he really get them to open my


    door?


    Then it was quiet outside. I copsed onto the couch, exhausted. I didn¡¯t know where my mom kept the


    medicine box, so I couldnt find the fever medicine.


    I had no choice but to order medicine delivery


    Just as I was about to ce the order on my phone, I heard the front door being unlocked.


    I was surprised, then saw the door being pushed open. A property staff politely said to Neil, ¡°Mr.


    Whitmore, the door is open,¡±


    Thanks, appreciate it ¡°Neil nodded at the property staff, then let them leave.


    I thought I should get a new door


    Neil walked in and casually closed the door behind him. I wanted to confront him seriously, but my


    difort made my words weak, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Without saying a word, Neil walked over, bent down, and put his hand on my forehead to check if I had


    a fever.


    He quickly scolded me, ¡°You¡¯re burning up! Are you trying to cook yourself?¡±


    ¡°None of your business I¡¯ve already ordered medicine. ¡°I jerked away from Neil¡¯s hand


    Frowning, Neil went to the kitchen, came back with some pills and a ss of water, and handed them


    to me.


    Seeing the pills in his hand, I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How do you know where we keep our medicine?¡±


    Nell replied, ¡°I saw your mom get them from there thest time I was here.¡±


    I was speechless. Turned out that the person who was actually being careless was me. I rarely paid


    attention to such details. I didn¡¯t expect Neil, my ex-husband, who seldom came over, to remember.


    Health is most important. I can¡¯t harm my body just because I¡¯m upset.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±I took the pills and water and gulped them down.


    The medicine didn¡¯t kick in immediately. I still felt unwell. Nell watching me made me feel even more


    ufortable. I said, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after the medicine works You can go now.¡±


    But Neil sat down on the couch and asked, ¡°Why didnt you think to ask for my help?¡±


    How did he know I contacted so many people?


    ¡°Mitch told me. When you were talking to Ste, she noticed something was off with your voice, so she


    asked Alicia and Barbara Neil exined


    I closed my eyes to rest andzily responded, ¡°I thought I could tough it out.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Neil opened his phone camera and turned the screen towards me, ¡°Look at yourself! You¡¯re as red as a


    monkey¡¯s butt!¡±


    I looked at my reflection in the camera. My cheeks were indeed as red as a monkey¡¯s butt.


    I didn¡¯t say anything; I just closed my eyes again to sleep, but my stomach soon started growling. I


    hadn¡¯t eaten anything since I woke up, so I was definitely hungry now.


    Im not hungry¡± I looked at Neil and lied calmly.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything. He got up and headed for the kitchen again. I was startled. Was he going to


    cook for me?


    In all the years I¡¯ve known Neil, I¡¯ve never seen him cook


    To my surprise, Neil only found an apple from the kitchen and gave it to me, ¡°Eat something first.


    ¡°Okay. You can go now.¡± I took the apple and urged Neil again.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Neil frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a rush to kick me out.¡±


    I was indeed in a rush. His words fromst night were still echoing in my ears. After one night, being


    alone with him again was awkward.


    I quietly ate the apple. Only after I finished did Neil ask, ¡°Where¡¯s Russel? Even if you didn¡¯t want to


    ask me for help, you should¡¯ve at least looked for him, right? Isn¡¯t he your boyfriend?¡±


    Mentioning Russel reminded me of the strange woman¡¯s voice. Who was she? A woman who could


    answer Russel¡¯s personal calls definitely couldn¡¯t just be an ordinary friend.


    But I didn¡¯t want to tell Neil about the issues between me and Russel, so I brushed it off, ¡°He went back


    to work. He¡¯s very busy. I don¡¯t want to waste his time¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who used to call me twenty times just for a scratch?¡± Neil frowned, ¡°Why are you


    worried about wasting Russel¡¯s time?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t answer because I indeed used to do such overly sensitive things.


    Back then, no matter what minor thing happened in my life, I would share it with Neil. If I got a little hurt,


    I wouldn¡¯t miss the chance to get his attention and care


    Luckily, Neil¡¯s phone rang at that moment, interrupting our conversation. He answered the call and got


    up to open the door.


    He came back with tworge, insted boxes. The boxes contained seven or eight dishes, all


    aromatic.


    ¡°Dig in,¡± Neil said, plopping a knife and fork in front of me. ¡°Ill take off once you¡¯re done eating¡±


    I looked at the mountain of food on the table and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too much? I can¡¯t finish it all by


    myself¡±


    ¡°Should I join you then? Neil casually picked up another set of cutlery

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220


    Chapter 220


    I didn¡¯t n on inviting Neil for meal, but since he already started munching, my words just choked


    back.


    Indeed, he¡¯s been a big help today, he even went the extra mile and ordered a feast. He¡¯s been quite


    thoughtful


    I focused on my food, doing my best to ignore Neil He¡¯s always quiet when eating, giving our meal a


    serene ambiance.


    Just as we were halfway through, Neil¡¯s phone started buzzing non stop, probably someone


    bombarding him with messages.


    He nced at his phone, an annoyed expression on his face. I bet it was either Bonnie or Scarlett


    blowing up his phone.


    ¡°Neil, go handle your business.¡± I took the chance to say.


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s continue eating. Neil peeled a shrimp and put it on my te, replying nonchntly.


    I looked at the shrimp on my te, feeling a bit mixed up. We weren¡¯t at that lovey dovey stage yet.


    So, I put the shrimp back on Neil¡¯s te. He gave me a meaningful look and asked, ¡°Are you disgusted


    by me?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No. I just don¡¯t feel like eating shrimp.¡±


    He got the message, didn¡¯t say anything else, and just ate the shrimp himself.


    By the time we were almost done, Neil¡¯s phone started ringing again This time was a call. I sneakily


    nced, and the caller ID read ¡°Annoying Fool¡±. Annoying Fool? That nickname felt a bit ambiguous.


    But it definitely wasn¡¯t referring to Bonnie.


    Neil nced at his phone and hung up. I quietly continued eating


    ¡°I¡¯ll clean up¡± Seeing Neil about to clear up the table, I stood up and said I was feeling a lot better, like


    my fever had subsided.


    ¡°I got this¡± Neil ignored me, dumped the leftovers in the bin, and carefully took out the trash.


    He didn¡¯t look as agitated asst night. He was calm throughout, but I couldn¡¯t rx one bit.


    When Neil left, I cleaned myself up before heading to the office.


    As my car passed Neil¡¯s house, I turned to nce at his yard. He was on the phone. My intuition told


    me it was probably that ¡°Annoying Fool¡±. Neil saw my car too. We exchanged nces through the car


    window.


    Halfway to the office, my phone rang. It was Russel


    My heart sank. That woman¡¯s voice today crushed the feelings I was beginning to have for himst


    night.


    Was this jealousy? I wasn¡¯t even sure.


    -Thinking about this, I didnt answer the call, nor did I n on calling him back. I just drove straight to


    the office parking lot.


    ¡°Mr. Finch, hurry up! Something¡¯s happened! The moment I stepped into the office, my assistant, who¡¯d


    been waiting for a while, rushed over to speak. When I arrived at my office, I found several


    shareholders waiting for me. Their goal was simple. They thought I couldn¡¯t handle the responsibility of


    managing thepany, so they wanted me to transfer some of my mom¡¯s shares to them and share


    the risk.


    That was obviously not going to happen. I argued with them for a while, feelingpletely worn out.


    By the time everyone else left at the end of the day. I stayed in the office for a while.


    ¡°Ding dong Thendline rang. It was an internal call from reception.


    ¡°Mr. Finch, Mr. Russel is here. He wants to see you. Are you avable?¡± The receptionist asked.¡±


    Russel came to see me at the office? I frowned, ¡°Let him up¡±


    Five minutester, Russel walked into my office, looking a bit worried, ¡°Rena, today was an ident!¡±


    I poured Russel a ss of water and said, ¡®Sit down and have some water first.¡±


    He looked at me, sighed in despair, and sat down on the couch.


    I sat across from him. We both remained silent. He must¡¯vee to exin the call this morning.


    ¡°Rena, when you called this morning, I was about to go into a meeting, so someone else picked up.


    She has nothing to do with me.¡± Russel exined earnestly


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± decided to get straight to the point. I¡¯ve been busy recently, and bottling up things would


    just make me more annoyed.


    Pussel frowned, ¡°A friend. She happened to visit me at the office this morning. After she picked up your


    call, my phone died, so I had no idea what happened¡±


    His exnation sounded reasonable, but I didn¡¯t quite buy it.


    Maybe it was a woman¡¯s intuition


    ¡°Okay, I got it I actually didn¡¯t have anything important. I just wanted to chat.¡± I replied with a smile.


    Russel breathed a sigh of relief. His tone was full of apologies, ¡°This won¡¯t happen again. Are you off


    work? Let¡¯s go for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m in the mood for dinner now? I¡¯m thinking about how to deal with those shareholders.


    ¡°I thought.


    But just shook my head tiredly and said, ¡°No, thanks. I want to go home and rest early


    Russel was a very sharp person. He sensed something was off from my response, You don¡¯t believe


    my exnation, do you?¡±


    1/2


    1 do.¡± I answered without hesitation.


    ¡®Till call her now. Let her exin it to you personally Or I can get someone to pull up the surveince


    video footage from the office!¡± Russel took out his phone, ready to make a call.


    I quickly stopped him, ¡°No need. I really do believe you I¡¯m just a bit tired from work.¡±


    Russel put down his phone and asked, ¡°What happened? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then told him everything that happened in the afternoon


    Realizing how bad things were in my family¡¯spany, Russel frowned, ¡°They¡¯re intentionally forcing


    your mom to give up her shares, so they can weaken her position¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know that What I¡¯m struggling with now is how to solve this problem¡±


    The shareholders said if I wanted to prove my ability, my next task was topete with StarGlow


    Enterprises for the same counter supplier. If I could secure the deal, they will withdraw their request


    ¡°Go show them what you¡¯ve got. Whatever obstacles you face, I¡¯m here to back you up Russel gripped


    my hand tightly and said earnestly, ¡°Your mom¡¯s bound to step back from thepany affairs sooner or


    later, so it¡¯s going to be your show eventually. Are you up for the challenge now?¡±


    Russel¡¯s supportive words pumped me up. I wanted not only to prove my worth but also to put


    StarGlow Enterprises in their ce as a response to their provocation


    I nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    Making the decision lightened my mood a lot.


    Seeing me chill out, Russel once again invited me out for dinner.


    This time, I didn¡¯t turn him down, ¡°Let¡¯s roll.¡±

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    Chapter 221


    I was nning to have a simple dinner with Russel, trying to calm the roller-coaster of emotions I was


    feeling today, but things didn¡¯t go ording to n.


    ¡°Russel, you¡¯re eating here?¡± A woman barged into our sightline. She looked a bit younger than me,


    with a sweet oval face.


    I recognized that voice. It was the same voice of the woman who answered Russel¡¯s phone this


    morning.


    I didn¡¯t speak and just silently stared at Russel.


    Russel gave me a quick nce. He seemed to rx a bit after seeing that I had no particr reaction.


    He answered coldly, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m having dinner with my girlfriend.¡±


    The woman immediately turned to me and gave me a gentle smile, ¡°Are you Irene? You¡¯re so pretty!


    No wonder Russel is so smitten with you.¡±


    ¡°Hello¡± I replied politely.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Chloe Reynolds. I answered Russel¡¯s phone this morning. I¡¯m really sorry about that. Please


    forgive me.¡± The woman looked genuinely remorseful, without a hint of pretense.


    I was moved by her gentleness and sincerity. So I just nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay Russel has exined


    it to me. I trust him.¡±


    Chloe answered cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s good! I was afraid you¡¯d misunderstand.¡±


    After speaking, she gave Russel another look.


    From that single nce, I could see that her affection for Russel went way beyond friendship. But her


    eyes were full of restraint, as if she were trying her best to control her emotions.


    After Chloe left, I jokingly asked, ¡°Does Ms. Reynolds have a crush on you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Russel¡¯s answer was swift. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to dwell on this topic.


    I nodded, choosing not to pry further.


    The night grew deeper. After bidding Russel goodbye, I drove to the hospital to visit my mom. Now


    there were specialized caregivers taking care of her, so i didn¡¯t need to worry too much.


    As soon as I entered the ward, I found that the caregiver was not there, and the medical equipment that


    was keeping my mom alive was not working. I immediately checked and found that the power had been


    unplugged


    ¡®Doctor!¡± I shouted. I quickly reconnected the power and ran to find the doctor.


    When the doctor arrived, he performed a thorough check on my mom. Luckily, I found the problem in


    time, and my mom was not seriously affected.


    My heart was racing, and my mind was a mess. After the doctor and nurse left, the caregiver finally


    returned to the ward.


    I questioned the caregiver sternly. She seemed very nervous, ¡°Ms. Finch, I really don¡¯t know who did it.


    Someone called me, saying you had left something downstairs for me to collect. I was only away for


    ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Give me that phone number¡± I asked.


    The caregiver handed me the phone. I checked the call history. It was a temporary online number that


    couldn¡¯t be dialed.


    Now I only had one solution, which was to check the hospital¡¯s surveince.


    I requested that the hospital allow me to view the surveince. They agreed but said it would take some


    time.


    I then dismissed this caregiver and hired another one, emphasizing that I needed 24 hour care. I was


    willing to pay more for this.


    For two days in a row, I was taking care of both my mom and thepany¡¯s affairs with hardly any


    rest. After work, I drove home and fell asleep in the


    car.


    ¡®Knock, knock!¡±


    The sound of knocking on the car window woke me up. It was already pitch dark outside with the dim


    light from the streetmp.


    Neil¡¯s face appeared outside the car window. Then I rolled down the window.


    ¡°You¡¯re sleeping in the car, arent you afraid of danger?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°No. What¡¯s up?¡± As soon as I finished speaking. I realized my voice was hoarse.


    Neil seemed a bit annoyed while listening to me talk, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been sleeping these past few days?


    You look like you¡¯re sick right now.¡±


    look in the pirror every day, so of course I know I look worn out, but there was nothing I could do.


    I rubbed my eyes, then got out of the car, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±


    Just then, a voice came from afar, ¡°Mr. Iceberg!¡±


    I looked over it was Kitty


    When Kitty saw me, she looked surprised. She came over, looked at Neil and then at me, then


    laughed, ¡°Mr. Iceberg, you live next to your ex-wife?¡±


    When Neil saw Kitty, he immediately gave her an unhappy look. He asked, ¡°How did you get in?¡±


    ¡°Humph, is this yours?¡± Kitty held out an ID card With this card, she coulde and go freely


    How did Neil¡¯s card end up with her? I recalled she saying that she was going after Neil. I even gave


    her Neil¡¯s contact information.


    Their progress was quite fast.


    10-461


    Neil snatched the card from her and said with a grim face, ¡°You can leave now¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t


    you rude? Shouldn¡¯t you be inviting me for a coffee as a thank you?¡± Kitty sneered.


    ¡°I might need to thank others, but not you¡± Neil retorted disdainfully


    Listening on the side, I felt a familiar and intimate vibe. Neil¡¯s attitude towards Kitty seemed much more


    genuine than towards Bonnie


    ¡°You guys chat. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± I said tiredly and turned to leave.


    ¡°Why is your voice so hoarse? I have throat lozenges. Try one!¡± Kitty spoke again. She took out a


    throat lozenge for me, beaming brighter than the


    summer sun.


    She seemed to have an extra lip piercing, making her look more rebellious.


    I put the lozenge in my mouth, then casually asked, ¡°Do you always carry throat lozenges?¡±


    1 don¡¯t usually, but since Neil often scolds his subordinates, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll damage his throat, so I


    bought some for him.¡± Kitty handed the box of lozenges to Neil, ¡°Here, don¡¯t be shy¡±


    Neil coldly looked at the box, ¡°When did I ever scold my subordinates?¡±


    Kitty waved her hand, ¡°No need to exin. I heard it all when you didn¡¯t hang up the phone.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The orange-vored lozenge in my mouth was a bit sour and sweet, it was quite tasty, but I felt a bit


    ufortable.


    I seemed to see a bit of my past self in Kitty, I, too, once chased after Neil like this but didn¡¯t get this


    kind of response.


    While they were busy gabbing, I swung open the gates and strolled into the yard, then closed the door


    behind me


    Neil, realizing I¡¯d bailed again, came charging over. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta go to the hospital. You wanna get sick


    at home again?¡±.


    ¡°No need. My body, my rules. I don¡¯t need you sticking your nose into my business¡± I snapped. Lack of


    sleep was probably messing up my hormones;! was feeling all over the ce.


    From behind him, Kitty started cracking up. ¡°Hahaha, Mr. Iceberg, looks like your ex wife is giving you


    the cold shoulder again!¡±

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    Chapter 222


    ¡°Can you


    shut up? You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Neil said, turning his head coldly.


    Kitty shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t bother other people. I only bother you.¡±


    Giving her Neil¡¯s phone number was the right decision. She knew how to win Neil¡¯s heart better than


    Bonnie did


    Ignoring their bickering. I dragged my tired body into the living room, closed the door, andy down on


    the sofa to rest.


    My phone rang. I saw it was Neil and I declined right away


    I fell asleep on the sofa. When I woke up, it was already past seven in the morning. I had a quick


    breakfast and went to work.


    I had a business trip in a few days to discuss a partnership with a counter supplier. So I had to sort out


    things in the office andpletely eliminate the dangers around my mom.


    As I drove past Neil¡¯s house, I saw Kittying out. She was wearing a ck denim jacket and bell-


    bottom jeans,zily stretching and revealing her slim


    waist


    Had she stayed overnight with Neil? Impressive.


    I ignored certain emotions in my heart and drove away.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, the surveince video has been retrieved. When can youe to the hospital to watch it?¡±


    I received a call from the hospital just as I got to


    the office


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there at noon!¡± I replied.


    At noon, I skipped lunch and went straight to the hospital. I quickly saw the surveince video from that


    right.


    A slightly overweight man, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, quickly entered my mom¡¯s ward. Less


    than two minutester, he left in a hurry.


    I was almost sure he was the attacker, but his face could not be seen in the surveince, only his rough


    body shape.


    I immediately reported everything to the police and also gave them the surveince footage


    When my dad came back and learned about it, he was shocked and angry, but now all we could do


    was wait for the police to investigate.


    ¡°Dad, I want to move to another ce ¡°I suddenly said to my dad.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is Neil bothering you? My dad immediately asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No. Sunflower Terrace is closer to the office, so I want to move there.¡±


    My dad was retiring after his birthday next month. Before that, he still needed to hold his position. The


    company stillrgely depended on me.


    He thought for a moment and then sighed, ¡°Alright. I¡¯m also nning to stay in the dormitory at work. It


    feels empty at home without your mom.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Take care of yourself. Mom will wake up sooner orter. We still need to take care of her then.¡± I


    reminded him.


    ¡°Sure.¡± My dad nodded.


    After discussing things with my dad, I quickly moved my stuff to Sunflower Terrace. Neil was not home


    the day I moved, which saved me a lot of trouble. The day before my business trip, I invited Russel to


    dine at my apartment.


    He readily agreed, 1l be there around eight; is that okay?¡±


    *Sure. We¡¯re having barbecue.¡± I replied.


    This was the first time I asked Russel out. He sounded thrilled


    I went to the supermarket and bought many ingredients. In the evening, I started preparing. I washed


    and packed the ingredients, set up the grill, and brought out various seasonings and drinks.


    Suddenly, it started raining outside. Cold wind started to blow in from the balcony, and I ran to close the


    balcony door but unintentionally remembered the stormy night in Cdonia when Neil helped me close


    the balcony door.


    I seem to have be more and more sentimentaltely When I faced difficulties, I felt everything was


    oppressive, so I immersed myself in memories.


    Eight o¡¯clock came, but Russel still hadn¡¯t arrived.


    I dialed his number, but he didnt answer.


    I waited until half past nine, but Russel still hadnt shown up or answered my calls or texts. I sighed


    deeply and then called Alicia, ¡°Come to my ce for a barbecue.¡¯


    Tm working overtime!¡± Alicia helplessly responded.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I felt even more helpless. After hanging up, I was about to clean up the table. I had no


    appetite to eat barbecue alone.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, the doorbell rang. I thought Russel had rushed over, so my mood improved a bit. I


    immediately went to open the door.


    But it was Nel standing outside.


    Neil was slightly drenched, his hair was damp, and there were drops of water on his ck sweater. He


    brought a cool autumn breeze.


    ¡°You moved here again? Are you deliberately avoiding me?¡± Neil walked into the living room


    dominantly. He looked at the ingredients and grill on the table, ¡°You¡¯re waiting for Russel, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer him but silently started cleaning the table.


    ¡°He didn¡¯te?¡± He asked again.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked coldly, holding a te of steak.


    Neil took out several tissues from the table and casually wiped the rain off his face, then said casually.


    ¡°Of course, to see you. Your house has been dark for several days¡±


    I really didn¡¯t know why he was looking for me.


    I headed towards the kitchen, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found me, you can leave.¡±


    Neil followed me. My apartment was small and perfect for one person. I liked this cozy little space when


    I was a college student.


    My kitchen was also small. Neil¡¯s tall frame made the kitchen seem even smaller when he stepped in


    When I turned around to leave, I found the kitchen door almostpletely blocked by him.


    ¡°I told you that I won¡¯t give up. So no matter where you are, I ll find you until youe back to me.¡±


    Neil looked down at me as he spoke in his firm tone. ¡°You have Bonnie, Scarlett, and now Kitty. You


    already have so many women; isn¡¯t that enough?¡± I said sarcastically.


    Neil frowned, ¡°What does that have to do with us? I don¡¯t like them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it ironic? You used to have feelings for Bonnie, you had scandals with Scarlett, and now


    you and Kitty get along well. Yet you say you don¡¯t like them?¡± |ughed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know where my heart was before, so I made some mistakes. I can change.¡± Neil said seriously


    I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯ve told you many times that I don¡¯t need you to change or


    compensate. I just want you to stay away from me!¡± Neil immediately turned cold


    ¡°Bonnie killed our child! Why are you still entangled with her? You are even nning to get engaged?!


    Neil, do you have a conscience? Do you really know how to love someone?¡±


    My words left Neil speechless. A sh of regret and helplessness flickered in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t


    utter a word.


    Even if he was out to get back at me or piss me off, he had no business messing around with Bonnie.


    I pushed Neil¡¯s arm away. ¡°Move, will ya? I still got stuff to pack,¡±


    Neil sidestepped. He followed me out when I left the kitchen.


    Suddenly, Russel appeared at the apartment entrance, rushing over in a hurry. After spotting Neil and


    me in the living room, he froze in his tracks.

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    Chapter 223


    I immediately sensed the tension in the air. I nudged Neil gently. ¡°I¡¯ve said all there is to say. You can


    go now.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°When did you ever clear things up?¡¯ Neil¡¯s eyes were locked on Russel, even as he responded to me


    Russel finally got on his feet. He walked into the living room and shut the door behind him.


    My living room was not big. With Neil and Russel, two big and burly guys, it felt a bit cramped.


    ¡°Neil, why are you hassling my girlfriend?¡¯ Russel asked in an ice-cold tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to get back with my ex-wife¡± Neil retorted shamelessly.


    ¡°But she¡¯s my girlfriend now. You¡¯re history. As a man, you should ept reality, not desperately cling


    to her. Russel tried to reason with Neil, but his eyes were filled with anger.


    Neil scoffed, seemingly unphased, ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, I¡¯m not history. And you, after all these years


    of friendship, this is how you treat me?¡±


    From any angle, Russel was in the wrong here. That was how the outside world saw it, too. Even if I


    were thest woman on Earth, Russel shouldn¡¯t have gotten together with his friend¡¯s ex-wife.


    Russels face changed instantly. He had a sh ofplex emotions in his eyes, and clearly guilt was


    among them. He nced at me, and I returned his gaze silently. At this point, I could pretty much take


    anything. If Russel couldn¡¯t handle the pressure and decided to break up with me, I could take that


    too.


    I took a lot of hits in this life and in my past life. Because of this, my ability to endure had grown


    stronger.


    ¡°I owe you this one. When the time is right, I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± Russel exined.


    Neils face was stone-cold. ¡°I dont need you to owe me anything, and I don¡¯t needpensation. All I


    need is for you to break up with Irene.¡± That¡¯s not going to happen!¡± Russel was adamant.


    I took a step forward, reached out, and held his hand, then stood in front of Neil with him. I won¡¯t give


    him up either Neil, you need to move on.¡± Neil¡¯s gaze was fixed on our sped hands. His teeth


    clenched, and his eyes filled with bitterness and anger. It was frightening, but there was no turning


    back now.


    Russel nced at me, surprised by my initiative. A relieved smile spread across his face. Our hands


    tightened around each other.


    Finally, Neil left, mming the door behind him with a thud.


    My heart skipped a beat.


    The living room was quiet again. Russel looked at the half-prepared food on the table and apologized,


    ¡°Sorry about that. Something sudden came up at -work. I left immediately after my shift, but you still


    had to wait. Are you mad?


    ¡°A little.¡± I admitted. ¡°I thought you were hanging out with your other friends again.¡±


    ¡°Still thinking about Chloe Reynolds?¡¯ Russel yfully stroked my cheek, bending down tofort me.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between us. You¡¯re all think about every second. But I can¡¯t help but feel a


    little happy to see you act jealous over me.¡±


    I smacked his hand away. ¡°Then keep feeling happy! You might just make me mad enough to die.¡±


    Russel looked startled, shaking his head immediately. ¡°No, no, no! If I screw up again, you can p me


    until you¡¯re not mad anymore.¡±


    ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re so sincere, I¡¯ll forgive you this time. Now,e eat barbecue with me.¡± As I spoke, I


    headed to the kitchen and took out the food I had just put away


    Russel smiled warmly The once-chilly apartment now felt a bit warm.


    While we were eating, I told Russell would be going on a business trip the next day. He asked, ¡°How


    long will you be gone?¡±


    ¡°About a week, depending on how long it takes me to convince the supplier¡± I replied.


    ¡°That long? What am I supposed to do when I miss you?¡± Russel seemed upset instantly.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Who knew that you would be so clingy?¡±


    Russel handed me a piece of perfectly grilled steak and said gently, ¡°I only cling to you¡±


    Cheerfully, I ate the steak, ncing outside from time to time. The rain was getting heavier, as if


    someone were pouring water from the sky.


    I wondered if Neil had left. He was so stubborn that he was probably still standing downstairs, right?


    By the time we finished eating, it waste. Russel kindly cleaned up the table, tossed the dishes and


    utensils into the dishwasher, then brought out a te of washed fruit from the kitchen and set it in front


    of me.


    ¡°You really are a good man,¡± I praised him while eating a grape.


    Russel sat next to me, turned, and looked at me, ¡°So do I get a reward?¡±


    After some thought, I peeled a grape for him, ¡®Here¡¯s a grape for your reward!¡±


    Russel pretended to be indifferent, ¡°Not enough¡±


    ¡°What do you want as a reward then?¡± I asked helplessly


    4


    ¡°Look at how hard it¡¯s raining outside. Do you really want me to drive home in this? What if I get into an


    ident on the way?¡± Russel bald seriously.


    Was he just looking for an excuse to stay the night? Although my apartment was small, I had two


    bedrooms. He could stay here for the night.


    I didn¡¯t respond, and he sighed in disappointment, ¡°Seems like I¡¯m still not good enough. You don¡¯t care


    about me at all,¡±


    I burst outughing. ¡°Are you trying to spend the night here? You can, but we¡¯re sleeping in separate


    rooms!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Russel immediately smiled in satisfaction, ¡°No problem! I¡¯m a good man¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go make the bed for this good man.¡± I got up, only to be pulled back by Russel. He drew me


    into his arms, nting a kiss on my face.


    I stared at him in surprise, ¡°I thought you said you were a good man?¡±


    Russelughed helplessly. ¡°Just because I kissed your face doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not a good man, does


    it?¡±


    Fair point


    I started to tidy up the bed in the spare room. The rain was pitter-pattering against the window. I


    couldn¡¯t resist going over to the window and looking down through the misty ss, but I was up high


    and it was hard to see anything in the rainy night, so I couldn¡¯t make out what was happening


    downstairs.


    Neil must¡¯ve left by now, right? I thought to myself.


    Just as I was starting to feel a bit uneasy, Russel showed up at the door of the spare room. He looked


    kinda off, ¡°Rena, I can¡¯t stay here tonight. I¡¯ve gotta dash home.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I was taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got guests at home. I need to head back¡± Russel¡¯s exnation sounded a bit forced.

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    Chapter 224


    It was prettyte now. Even if there were guests at home, he didn¡¯t have to rush back.


    And Russel had always lived on his own, he only went home on weekends.


    I knew that something must¡¯ve happened. He didn¡¯t tell me, but I could tell.


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s pouring outside, so be careful driving.¡± I nced at the half-made bed, answering casually,


    ¡°Well, saves me the trouble of making the bed.¡± Russel¡¯s eyes were full of remorse and sadness. He


    came over and hugged me, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been so busytely. I¡¯ll spend more time with you, I promise.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything and just nodded in his arms.


    Russel left, driving off into the heavy rain. I didn¡¯t see him off, instead, I was folding up the nket and


    sheets in the guest room to keep the dust off.


    I had a hunch as to why Russel left. His parents probably found out that he was here tonight and forced


    him toe home. As for who told his parents, I could guess. It was definitely Neil.


    But I didn¡¯t me Neil. Since the Dawson family¡¯s opposition was inevitable, the sooner it happened,


    the better. The sooner the difficulty came, the sooner I could handle it.


    The next morning, I got up after only a few hours of sleep and drove to the Dreamscape District. The


    only ones apanying me were a driver and an


    assistant


    Once in the Dreamscape District, I checked into a hotel.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this a coincidence? No sooner had I finished processing my check in than Bonnie appeared


    behind me like a ghost.


    I turned to look at her, took my room key, and left with my driver and assistant


    While I was waiting for the elevator, Bonnie finished checking in and asked, ¡°Irene, didn¡¯t you hear me


    say hello?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch, the elevator is here.¡± My assistant informed me.


    I nodded and walked straight into the elevator without acknowledging Bonnie.


    But I couldn¡¯t stop Bonnie from getting in the elevator. I had to share the small space with her.


    My driver and assistant were staying on a different floor. They left the elevator first, leaving only Bonnie


    and me. As the elevator doors slowly closed, she couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°You think you can break up


    Neil and me with just Scarlett Mitchell?¡±


    Did Bonnie think Scarlett was a pawn I ced to sabotage her rtionship with Neil?


    That was ridiculous.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste on you. Don¡¯t tter yourself¡± I answered indifferently.


    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t waste time on me, but are you really willing to just give up Neil? Our reflections


    mirrored on the elevator doors.


    Two years had passed, and while her demeanor had changed, she was still very young In contrast, I


    looked a little tired from the pressure.


    I frowned, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t willing to let go, why would I file for divorce? I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ying hard to get! You didn¡¯t expect Neil to actually agree to the divorce!¡± Bonnie used me


    passionately. ¡°At first, Neil clearly didn¡¯t love you. He loved me! It was all because of your scheming


    that he developed feelings for you!¡±


    I hadn¡¯t used any tactics to make him fall in love with me. I had just set up a few small obstacles


    between the two of them. Surprisingly, Neil didn¡¯t react as he did in my past life but instead developed


    feelings for me. This surprised me too


    You¡¯re despicable!¡± Bonnie clenched her fist.


    The elevator reached my floor. I didn¡¯t care whether I was despicable or not. I took my fancy suitcase


    and walked out of the elevator to my room, using my keycard to open the door


    Fate truly loved to make jokes. Turned out that Bonnie was staying on the same floor as me, right next


    door.


    ¡°The one who¡¯s going to secure the deal with Evershine Enterprises will be me!¡¯ Bonnie waved her


    room key, looking very confident


    Evershine Enterprises was the supplier I was trying to secure a deal with.


    *Confidence is a good thing I sneered coldly before entering my room, leaving her standing outside my


    door.


    Even though I verbally mocked Bonnie, I was also feeling uncertain. I didn¡¯t have much work


    experience. This business trip was purely out of necessity.


    After resting a bit in my room, I got to work. Before I knew it, it was already dark outside.


    When it came to dinner time, I decided to have the hotel deliver the meal to my room.


    After hearing the doorbell, I went to open the door, and the hotel staff pushed in a dining cart. After


    receiving my dinner, I was about to close the door ¡°Neil, I¡¯m here!¡± The door next door suddenly


    opened, and Bonnie¡¯s joyful voice rang out.


    She came out of her room wearing a white bathrobe. Her hair was wet, so she was probably just out of


    the shower.


    Ned was justing out of the elevator. His gaze passed over Bonnie and fell on me.


    Bonnie looked back at me, and her eyes instantly filled with vignce. She rushed towards Neil, trying


    to throw herself into his arms.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting! Bonnie cooed


    Neil¡¯s hand reluctantly circled Bonnie¡¯s waist, not really hugging her


    I quickly averted my gaze and closed the door.


    Whether it was the hotel chef¡¯s poor cooking or myck of appetite, I found tonight¡¯s dinner


    unappetizing. After only a few bites, I pushed the food aside. At night, after taking a shower, I got a call


    from Alicia, ¡°Are you in the Dreamscape District right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± I asked while drying my hair.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    1 just got here too! Haha, which hotel are you at? I¡¯lle find you.¡± Alicia said cheerfully


    She was also on a business trip. I gave her the hotel address and my room number, then called the


    front desk.


    Half an hourter, Alicia showed up at my door, dragging her suitcase. She nned to spend the night


    here.


    After settling her luggage, Alicia asked, ¡°How¡¯s the soundproofing here? Did you hear the couple next


    door arguing?¡±


    ¡°Next door? To the left or right?¡± I asked in surprise.


    ¡°Right! I heard it when I was passing by. If the soundproofing isn¡¯t great, then if they squabble all night,


    we¡¯re definitely not gonna catch any z¡¯s.¡± Alicia pulled out a pair of earplugs. ¡°Thank god I brought


    these! Teehee.¡±


    Hold up, wasn¡¯t Neil and Bonnie¡¯s room on the right? Are they seriously arguing? This hotel was top-


    notch when it came to soundproofing. I hadn¡¯t heard a peep.


    The soundproofing here is pretty solid. I haven¡¯t heard a thing.¡± I declined the earplugs she offered me,


    ¡°Let them have it out.¡±


    Alicia breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯m gonna take a shower and then crash on your bed for


    the night!¡±


    ¡°Off you go¡± I said, waving her off with a smile.


    After Alicia went to shower, the doorbell rang again. My assistant had sent a message earlier saying


    there were some papers for me.


    I opened the door and took the papers from my assistant, who then left. As I was about to close the


    door, I heard the door in the next room open, followed by Bonnie¡¯s choked voice, ¡°Get out!¡±

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    Chapter 225


    I was not typically one to gossip, but when my ex-husband and his current girlfriend were having a spat


    next door, it was hard not to peek.


    Nell came out of the room next door, his face was as dark as a storm cloud. The moment he spotted


    me watching, his gaze stabbed at me like a de.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I shed him a sympathetic smile. Women could be unreasonable sometimes. Bonnie was a lot


    younger than him, he should cut her some ck. ¡°Bang!¡± The door next door mmed shut.


    ¡°What are you smiling at? Neil suddenly confronted me, his deep-set eyes filled with iciness


    I quickly wiped the smile off my face, shaking my head. ¡°Nothing. I just thought of something funny


    Neil stared at me coldly. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Share the joke, maybe I¡¯llugh too.¡±


    Truth be told, I was so stressed out that I could hardly find anything funny


    Alicia was still in the shower, and the hallway was deserted, so it was just me and Neil.


    ¡°Actually, nothing¡¯s funny. I didn¡¯tugh. You must have seen wrong.¡±I dropped the act, ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    go and make up with your girlfriend? It¡¯s normal for couples to fight and reconcile. You shouldn¡¯t take it


    too hard.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Neil responded coldly


    It wasn¡¯t any of my business, but wasn¡¯t he the one dragging me into this?


    Since it wasn¡¯t my business, I decided to close my door and get back to work.


    Neil stopped me, ¡°Why are you here? Why are you living right next door to her?¡±


    ??


    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to stalk your girlfriend I have no interest in her¡±


    I answered aloofly


    As Bonnie¡¯s boyfriend, didn¡¯t Neil know that StarGlow Enterprises waspeting with my family¡¯s


    company for the same counter supplier?


    Even I had discussed thepany¡¯s affairs with Russel. If he didn¡¯t know about this, then there might


    be some problems in his rtionship with Bonnie.


    That¡¯s when Neil nced into my room. He heard faint sounds of water and furrowed his brows, ¡°Is


    Russel with you?¡±


    He probably thought Russel was the one in the shower.


    I looked back at the bathroom, neither denying nor confirming his suspicion, That¡¯s none of your


    business. I¡¯m going to bed. Goodnight¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting. He actually came out? Neil blocked the door, his eyes gloomy


    What he said was strange, as if it were impossible for Russel toe with me. After a moment¡¯s


    thought, I understood


    ¡°You told his parents he was with mest night, didn¡¯t you?¡± I stared into Neil¡¯s eyes, using him


    Neil raised an eyebrow, his silence was a tacit admission.


    I knew he was a lowlife!


    Having nothing more to say to such a person, I closed the door.


    Alicia came out of the bathroom after her shower. She curiously asked, ¡°Who were you talking to


    earlier?¡±


    *My assistant dropped off some documents. ¡°I casually answered, then settled down to look through


    the files.


    I slept well that night, but I had no idea if Bonnie and Neil had made up next door.


    In Dreamscape District, my main goal was to negotiate with Evershine Enterprises, but for some


    reason, despite having made an appointment, we kept failing to meet up.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, what should we do now?¡± My assistant was visibly anxious


    At that moment, I was dining with her at a restaurant near Evershine Enterprises. Once again, they


    failed to show up at the agreed time and ce.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± I tried to control my own nerves.


    My continuous failures were Bonnie¡¯s sesses. Although I was anxious, all I could do was patiently


    look for solutions.


    After dinner, I was preparing to leave when unexpectedly ran into a woman. It took me a moment to


    recognize her. The brown-haired woman who had removed her nose and lip rings looked a lot more


    proper.


    Kitty was thrilled to see me, ¡°Renal What brings you here?¡±


    I¡¯m here on a business trip. You?¡± I was also surprised. What a coincidence.


    Kitty happily replied, ¡°I live around here. And Neil¡¯s here too, so I came back to bug him a bit.¡±


    Kitty made no attempt to hide her interest in Neil. Every time she mentioned Neil, her eyes hit up.


    So she was from Dreamscape District. I smiled, ¡°1 see. Good luck!¡±


    1 will definitely try my best¡¯ Even though I know he¡¯s not a good guy. I can¡¯t resist the urge to conquer


    him, haha¡± Kitty¡¯sughter drew the attention of


    others


    ¡°Alright I have work to do, so I¡¯ll be going. We¡¯ll catch up next time.¡± I waved goodbye to Kitty.


    After leaving the restaurant, I told my assistant to go back to the hotel. I decided to make another trip to


    Evershine Enterprises.


    Just then, a ck Mercedes with local tes slowly stopped in front of me. The window rolled down,


    revealing Bonnie¡¯s smug expression,


    ¡°Irene, what are you doing here?¡± Bonnie asked, feigning concern.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to stop just because you saw me¡± I responded coldly


    Bonnie sighed, ¡°I just couldn¡¯t bear to see you wasting your time here. I¡¯ve already met with Mr. Daniel.


    We had a lovely chat. He even sent a car to drive me back.¡±


    So she wanted to unt her sess


    But this time, her boasting did put some pressure on me. If I failed this time, I would have to give up


    some of my mother¡¯s shares.


    I felt a heavy weight on my heart.


    ¡°There is still a chance before you sign the contract. You don¡¯t need to show off prematurely.¡± I replied


    calmly.


    ¡°What chance do you have? Your mother is in aa, you¡¯re not familiar with thepany, and your


    father can¡¯t publicly be involved in this matter. Who do you think Mr. Daniel will choose¡± Bonnie


    confidently gave her analysis


    I couldn¡¯t deny it, she was stating facts. Manyrgepanies, once hit by bad luck, would suffer one


    blow after another, only getting worse and worse. Bonnie suddenly switched gears, bringing up the


    argument she had with Neil that night. ¡°Irene, no matter how much Neil and I fight, I¡¯m still his girlfriend.


    With him by my side, you¡¯re no match for me!


    ¡°You¡¯re implying that he¡¯s been helping you in this partnership?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Bonnie deliberately avoided answering directly. She tossed the question back at


    me and then told the driver to take off.


    My fists slowly clenched. If Neil really did meddle in this, then he had seriously crossed a line. He was


    always stirring up trouble for me and then ying the hero


    I stood alone at the side of the road for a bit, trying to calm down, but somehow Neil appeared behind


    me. Kitty was with him.


    Kitty greeted me with a huge smile, while Neil asked me with an annoyed look, What are you doing


    spacing out here on your own?¡± ¡°There are lots of cars going back and forth here. It¡¯s dangerous, you


    know!¡± Kitty warned.

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    Chapter 226


    ¡°I just ran into Bonnie¡± I started, looking at Neil.


    Nell frowned and the grin on Kitty¡¯s face behind him faded a lot.


    She seemed to be more scared of Bonnie, but didn¡¯t seem to give a damn about me, his ex-wife.


    ¡°I came to Dreamscape District to discuss cooperation with Evershine Enterprises. They were very


    friendly to me before I came here, but now they¡¯re avoiding me and chatting happily with Bonnie


    instead. Don¡¯t tell me this has nothing to do with you¡± I said bluntly.


    Neil¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but Kitty looked surprised.


    I ignored her reaction, waiting for Neil to respond.


    ¡°You think every bad thing that happens has something to do with me? Am I really that bad in your


    eyes?¡± Neil retorted angrily. There was a chill in his eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get mad. If I¡¯m wrong, I apologize. After seeing Neil¡¯s expression, I knew he wasn¡¯t


    lying.


    Bonnie was just using his name to provoke me.


    I was about to get in my car and leave when Ned stopped me, ¡°Don¡¯t rush off. If you¡¯re suspicious of


    me, why don¡¯t you confront me about it?¡±


    Kitty¡¯s eyes were darting between me and Neil. She looked very concerned.


    She suddenly grabbed Neil¡¯s arm, ¡°Why are you so angry? You treated her so poorly, it¡¯s normal for her


    to suspect you!¡±


    Neil looked really annoyed. He shoved Kitty¡¯s hand off and said impatiently. ¡°Mind your own business!¡±


    Kitty was taken aback and then stered on an awkward smile. She wasnt easily embarrassed. She


    had been getting along well with Neil, so she probably thought she was special to him.


    But she quickly shrugged it off. ¡°Rena, I wanted to help you deal with him, but he¡¯s too pissed. I cant


    help you¡±


    I smiled at her, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Neil nced at Kitty, then grabbed my wrist and walked off to the side. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Kitty watched us walk away, waiting patiently.


    Nell wanted to talk about how he thought his image in my mind was too negative, and he hoped I could


    change my opinion,


    I med almost every difficulty and misfortune I encountered on him. He couldn¡¯t stand it.


    But it wasn¡¯t my fault. During my past life, he left a deep psychological scar on me. He used so many


    extreme methods to torment my family, so I would unconsciously think all the bad things were done by


    him


    And Bonnie kept misleading me on purpose


    I¡¯m not that low If I really wanted to take revenge on you, I wouldn¡¯t have waited for two years Neil


    concluded. His brow furrowed throughout the


    conversation.


    ¡°Alright, I got it. Maybe I¡¯ve just been under too much pressure recently and misunderstood you I¡¯m


    sorry.¡± I apologized calmly. I didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with him anymore.


    Neil¡¯s face seemed to rx a little. He looked towards Kitty, but she was gone.


    His eyes had a strange look. I tried to speak in a soothing tone, ¡°You should go find her.¡±


    ¡®No need. She¡¯s too annoying ¡°Neil¡¯s voice was a little low


    ¡°Really? Neil, you¡¯ve been treating her differently. Haven¡¯t you noticed?¡± I felt a little sad. ¡°I used to


    cling to you like that, but you didn¡¯t treat me as well as you¡¯re treating her. You wouldnt even talk to me¡±


    If back then, he could have treated me in the way he currently treated Kitty, maybe there would still be


    a future between us. But unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t.


    Neil was disgusted by what I said, ¡°You¡¯re not her, so of course I won¡¯t treat you the same.¡±


    I found it quite ironic to see him deny it.


    ¡°If you dont admit it, then forget it. Time will tell.¡± I took a deep breath, ¡°Alright, I have things to do.


    Bye!¡±


    I turned and hurried away, leaving Neil alone by the roadside.


    Autumn in Dreamscape District was cold, and the roadside was covered with red maple leaves. Nell


    stood among the fallen leaves, getting further and further away from me.


    I thought this business trip would end in failure. I was prepared for the worst. However, on the eve of


    my return to Rosemont, I received a call from Mr. Daniel of Evershine Enterprises. He said they were


    willing to cooperate with mypany and requested to meet with me immediately to sign the


    contract


    ¡°Mr. Daniel, I¡¯m looking forward to our cooperation!¡±


    After signing the contract, I shook hands with Mr. Daniel and asked the question that had been


    bothering me, 1 don¡¯t quite understand. What made you change your mind?¡±


    Mr. Danielughed and replied, ¡°No particr reason. I just feel that yourpany is strong, so I hope


    to cooperate with you for us both to prosper in the future¡±


    Although he said that, I always felt that things were not as simple as they seemed to be. Then, Mr.


    Daniel received a phone call, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle and have


    1/2


    11:04


    COPICILY


    dinner with you right away. You¡¯re all grown up, but you still need your dad to apany you for


    meals?¡±


    After sending Mr. Daniel off, I returned to the hotel. Along the way, I felt like I was dreaming.


    When I reached the door of my room, I found Bonnie waiting for me


    She looked furious. She lost control of her emotions as soon as she saw me, ¡°Irene, what trick did you


    use to snatch Evershine Enterprises? You¡¯re so


    shameless!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re justpeting fairly. How am I shameless? You¡¯re being very rude, using me like this¡± I said


    with a smile.


    ¡°You went to Neil, didn¡¯t you? You know he wants to get back together with you, so you deliberately


    used him. You know he¡¯s my boyfriend now! Isn¡¯t that shameless?¡± Bonnie was furious. Obviously, this


    cooperation was very important to her as well


    Before I could answer, Neil¡¯s voice came from behind me, ¡°I didn¡¯t help her.¡±


    Neil¡¯s appearance made Bonnie pull a total 180. She was all joy and surprise, then ran over to him with


    a pitiful look, grabbing his hand, 1 knew you¡¯de looking for me!¡±


    I turned to look at Neil with amusement dancing in my eyes


    Busy bee, wasn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, thanks for clearing things up.¡± I was feeling a bit lighter at this point, so I shed him a


    smile.


    Bonnie wasn¡¯t having any of it though, ¡°Just a few days ago, Mr. Daniel and I were getting along just


    fine. We were about to sign a contract. How could he possibly change his mind out of the blue if


    nobody had meddled?¡±


    She turned to look at Neil, ¡°Neil, I¡¯m your girlfriend. I¡¯m the one who can give you what you want, right?¡±


    Neil shot me a meaningful nce, and then, in a barely audible volume, he agreed.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I gave them a frosty smile. The word loyalty¡± was clearly not in Neil¡¯s dictionary. I had long since seen


    his true colors.


    What I didn¡¯t get, though, was what exactly Bonnie could give Neil that he wanted? Her words seemed


    to have some hidden implication.


    I lowered my gaze, avoiding their stares, ¡®Carry on with your chat. I¡¯m off to rest. I¡¯d appreciate it if you


    didn¡¯t disturb me anymore.¡±

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227


    Chapter 227


    I closed the door, keeping myself apart from Neil and Bonnie


    I looked down at the contract in my hand and took a deep breath. A weight was finally lifted from


    After returning to Rosemont, Ste gave me a call.


    my


    heart.


    ¡°Rena, Ali told me something really bizarre. I¡¯ve also mentioned it to Mitch.¡± Her voice was filled with


    confusion.


    ¡°Shoot¡±


    I was visiting my mom in the hospital. I massaged her hand while answering Ste.


    Alicia bumped into Louis Aldridge in the Dreamscape District, and at the time, Louis was having dinner


    with apany¡¯s head. Thispany was one of Whitmore Co¡¯s strongestpetitors. They had a


    huge rivalry over resources a few years back.


    Wasn¡¯t Louis Neil¡¯s friend? Why was he dining with Whitmore Co¡¯spetitor?


    It was indeed weird, but since Mitch knew about it, he¡¯d definitely tell Neil.


    ¡°Rena, my guess might sound like a conspiracy theory ¡°Ste lowered her voice, ¡°Who leaked that


    news about Neil¡¯s father? I asked Halley. The anonymous person seemed to know the Whitmore family


    really well. Could it be Louis?¡±


    This guess gave me goosebumps, ¡°No way night? Louis has no reason to do that!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Isn¡¯t he just the son of a driver from the Whitmore family? The Whitmores have helped him


    and his dad a lot. Why would he do that?¡± Ste was also puzzled


    After chatting with Ste for a while, I hung up, but my mind was racing. Did Neil already know about


    this?


    If his dad really had a love child¡­ I couldn¡¯t even imagine


    Knowing Neil, if he indeed had a half-sibling, he¡¯d probably flip the world upside down to find them.


    Although I was curious about it, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. After returning to Rosemont, besides


    working. I met with Russel quite often. We both tacitly avoided talking about the night before I left for


    the trip.


    The man who tried to hurt my mom was caught, but he wouldn¡¯t admit to being instigated. We could


    only let him be detained at the police station for


    now


    Meanwhile, I learned some bad news from the hospital. My mom could be a vegetable.


    This news pushed my dad and me into deep sorrow. I felt like it was all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have


    sought Neil¡¯s help, causing my mom to be agitated.


    Then the doorbell rang. My dad went to open the door. His angry voice came from the entrance. ¡°What


    are you doing here? Get out!¡±


    I got up and went over, only to see Neil.


    Despite my dad¡¯s harsh words, Neil kept his cool. I was afraid my dad would attack Neil again, so I


    pushed Neil into the yard and let my dad stay in the living room


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get back with you or ept yourpensation. My mom might be a vegetable


    What more do you want? I divorced you and hurt your pride, but I¡¯ve paid a high enough price!¡± I said,


    emotionally charged.


    I was in a bad mood. After seeing Neil, I lost some control.


    Neil looked like he hadn¡¯t rested in days. He had dark circles under his eyes and an overall gloomy


    look. Normally I wouldn¡¯tsh out at bim in this state, but the bad news from the hospital today really hit


    me hard.


    He looked at my angry face but remained calm and said, I¡¯m sorry I just wanted to check on you¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Neil, I don¡¯t need you! Can¡¯t you understand that? My family¡¯s already in chaos. Do you want to make


    my dad sick as well?¡± I choked up. Thinking about my mom possibly never waking up again made me


    feel heartbroken.


    Initially, I was relieved after securing a coboration with Evershine Enterprises, but I didn¡¯t expect fate


    to be so cruel to me.


    Tears slid down my face.


    Neil reached out to wipe away my tears, his eyes were filled with sympathy.


    I pushed his hand away, feeling a mix of emotions. Neil was like a poisonous vine, suffocating me. My


    past obsession with him had now turned into a determination to stay away from him


    Thinking back, my misfortunes began when I married him.


    Suddenly, a wave of helplessness and despair washed over me, ¡°Do I need to kneel down and beg you


    to leave me alone?¡±


    Before Neil could react, I was already on my knees. If kneeling and begging would make him leave my


    life for good and stop him from giving me pressure and trouble, I was willing.


    I didn¡¯t ask for much. I just wished for my parents to be healthy and for my family to live a peaceful life.


    Neil looked at me in shock. He couldn¡¯t believe I would do such a thing.


    ¡°Tiene. He grabbed my shoulders, trying to help me up, Dont do this, okay?¡±


    Then promise me, take Bonnie, and leave my life. The people I owe the most are my parents. I¡¯ve


    ruined them!¡± I looked up at Neil, hot caring how absurd I looked right now.


    Under my parents¡¯ protection, I lived afortable life for many years. Now, my dad was about to


    retire, and my mom was in aa. They only had me as their daughter, so I had to take up the


    responsibility of taking care of the family.


    1/2


    11:04 1


    COPIC LI


    But as long as Neil was still bothering me, Bonnie would keep targeting me. If that were the case, my


    house would never have peace.


    Neil¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief and indescribable sorrow. He probably never thought I would beg


    him to leave one day.


    After all, I was deeply in love with him for ten years, never holding back my feelings.


    Even when he despised me, he couldn¡¯t deny my love for him.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Neil finally spoke again as his voice shook a bit, ¡°I promise.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat, and my eyes lit up, ¡°Will you get Bonnie to leave me alone too?¡±


    He forced a smile, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how he did it, as long as he could get Bonnie off my back, I was


    good.


    Neil stooped down, supported my arm, and helped me up. I didn¡¯t resist and thanked him sincerely.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. It¡¯s getting windy¡± Neil said gently as he ruffled my hair.


    I nodded and turned to walk inside. Though it was a short distance, I had a strong urge to look back at


    Neil. But I held it in.


    My dad asked me what Neil and I had talked about. I told him Neil probably wouldn¡¯t bother me


    anymore, or at least he wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to


    Now I could throw myself into work and have a steady rtionship with Russel. As for the oue, I


    decided to just let it be.


    About a weekter, while I was swamped at work, the group chat with my friends suddenly lit up.


    Ste kept messaging me in the group, ¡°Rena, big news!¡±


    Barbara said, ¡°Can¡¯t believe Ned yed Bonnie like that.¡±


    Alicia asked, ¡°What on earth happened?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the news? Neil and Bonnie have broken up, and they¡¯ve been having


    a full-blown Twitter war!¡±

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228


    Chapter 228


    They said it was a full-blown quarrel, but really it was just Bonnie throwing a tantrum.


    I checked Twitter and found out that Bonnie attended a party as Neil¡¯s girlfriend a couple of days ago,


    and Neil suddenly denied it on Twitter today


    This was pretty much a rou dabout way of saying that they had broken up


    Pissed off Bonne vented on Twitter spilling all sorts of tea about her and Neil, even bringing up stuff


    about Karina Aaron. The inte was now all up in arms against Neil, calling him a heartbreaker and a


    criminal


    The worst part was that i got dragged into this mess. I was Nel Everyone just assumed that as the


    other woman


    The general consensus


    it was heartbreaking


    and hardly anyone knew that I didn¡¯t know Karina when we got married.


    Larinas death


    1 were responsible t


    thought I could finally have some peace. I was thrown back into the whirlwind of public opinion.


    Russel caled just then. He saw the news about Neil and Bonnie¡¯s breakup and called to check if I was


    okay


    Tm fine I¡¯m just


    ¡°You had nothing to


    I didn¡¯t quite understand


    my dad. He¡¯s been really stressedtely¡± I replied, rubbing my temples in frustration


    anima¡¯s death. I¡¯ll cle


    could help i


    name ? Russel tried to console me


    || saw his statement that night Karina was his admirer to begin with, and he was Neil¡¯s best friend, so


    he


    And his words carry


    ut wouldn¡¯t his


    Russel if he went public to help me?


    I thought it was


    But then, a dayter he poste


    teem to care ab


    hat people said about him.


    surprise


    orted


    hod. My first thought was that Neil hadn¡¯t kept his promise when I heard Bonnie was looking for me.


    Ms Finch, Bonn


    I put down my phi


    coldly et


    7 see¡± I replie


    ¡°Okay¡± My assistant left


    After a few minutes.


    | frowned What was


    ted for Bonnie in my office


    nie didn¡¯t show up. Then my assistant came back. ¡°The left¡±


    In the evening. Ste


    Ste


    11 Laved me some trouble


    ut to dinner i frished work and went to me them. The main topic of the night was still Neil and Bonnie


    tive Hena it


    harder to deal with than Bonnie Ste eximed


    I just smiled


    I was indeed quite something Neil posted her diary entries from when she w dal thoughts


    ording to the dates in the


    What was important was that thepensation After epting


    11 curse Neil and that


    From this, you could see


    Her actions were even ability to get Nel baci


    ive. They clearly showed that she had severe depression and


    (Neil and Karina decided to break up, and Nel gave Karina arge sum of money as into despair again


    and attempted suicide


    ¡®y also mentioned


    Iney, Karina


    death. They feel sick and hateful every time they of me, and they¡¯ll never be happy¡±


    alice. She even wanted to make Nel feel guilty about her death


    resolute than Bonnie¡¯s if she didn¡¯t have depression and didn¡¯t choose tomit suicide she would


    have definitely had the


    Now public opinion had changed. Those who med me and Nel before now me Karina for being


    ruthless, hiding her depression, epting the breakup andpensation, and then cursing others with


    her suicide it sounded terrifying


    I was curious about where Neil found the diary


    Rena, didn¡¯t Bonnie give you any trouble? Now that Neil has dumped her, she might me you¡± Ste


    asked worriedly


    I shook my head. She came to mypany, but we didn¡¯t meet¡±


    Alicia reminded me. You should be careful. She might do something impulsive out of despar


    Of course I understood. After all, Gloria was behind Bonnie


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After the truth about Gloria¡¯s daughter¡¯s death was exposed, many people were now ming Karina


    Gloria must be filled with anger, but she couldn¡¯t vent it because she had no reason to


    Tena if you have any problems, you muste to us. We won¡¯t stand by and watch. Don¡¯t try to tough


    it out alone, understand? Barbara remar


    For some reason, their words let like an ominous men, making me feel uneasy


    After ?rrar t to the hospital alone to visit my mom.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, a man has been visiting your mother from time to time these days. I didn¡¯t let him in, and he


    just left the things he bought at the door. The caregiver pointed at the gifts on the room table.


    My mom didn¡¯t need these gifts right now. They were just a gesture.


    I asked, ¡°Is it my boyfriend? The one you¡¯ve seen before.¡±


    ¡°Not Russel.¡± The caregiver shook her head, ¡°But the man is about the same height as him. He always


    wears a mask and doesn¡¯t speak. He seems a bit cold.¡±


    I immediately thought of Neil. Could it be him?


    1 see. If hees again, just stop him.¡± I instructed.


    Neil felt guilty, but he promised not to see me again, so he could onlye to visit my mom.


    This made me feel mixed emotions.


    After sitting with my mom for a while, I decided to go home and rest. Just as I reached the hospital


    lobby, I saw Neil entering from the main entrance. He saw me too. After a few seconds, he looked


    away.


    I also looked away and walked past him like a stranger.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Iceberg, hold your horses!¡± Suddenly, Kitty¡¯s voice rang out from outside the front door. Under


    the night sky and city lights, she was decked out in a loose purple sweater, and her short ck hair


    looked clean and fresh. She was carrying a bag with a skull emblem, and although it seemed out of


    sync with her image, it was oddly captivating.


    Neil turned his head to look, but Kitty sprinted past him and came to me, ¡°Hey, what are you doing


    here?¡±


    I¡¯ve got some stuff to deal with, what about you?¡± I replied offhandedly.


    ¡®Look.¡± Kitty tilted her head, gesturing for me to look at Neil. He looked a little pale and seemed to have


    lost some weight.


    ¡°Mr. Iceberg has been acting like a madmantely. He¡¯s either starving himself or stuffing his face and


    boozing it up. Now look at him, his stomach¡¯s killing him in the middle of the night.¡±


    Neil retorted coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you toe with me. Mind your own business.¡±

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229


    Chapter 229


    Kitty looked at me with a face full of exasperation ¡°You really don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±


    Just then, her phone rang. She took a nce at the caller ID, then quietly stepped aside to answer it,


    and I went off to find my car.


    As I was getting in, I saw Kitty rushing back to say a few words to Neil before hurrying off. The moment


    she left, Neil¡¯s gaze was fixed on me.


    But he stayed true to his word. He had promised not to seek me out anymore, and he had kept his


    promise. The Twitter drama and today¡¯s chance encounter weren¡¯t his doing


    While avoiding Neil¡¯s gaze, I opened the car door and got in. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him


    slump to the ground.


    I was startled. What the hell happened?


    Although Neil had fainted in the hospital lobby, it was already prettyte, and the ce was deserted.


    Who knew when the medical staff would find him?


    ¡°What a pain in the ass!¡± I muttered, reluctantly getting out of the car to check on Neil.


    He looked terrible. He was clutching his upper abdomen, and his face was breaking out in a cold


    sweat.


    But he was still conscious. In spite of the pain, he actually pushed me away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me!¡±


    Tll go get a doctor, wait here!¡± I didn¡¯t argue with Neil, quickly getting up to find medical staff.


    A few minutester, I watched as Neil was wheeled away to be examined. I should have been free to


    go, but because Neil had passed out, I had to stick around to pay the fees andplete the admission


    procedures


    After finishing the paperwork, I called Mitch Despite thete hour, he rushed to the hospital with


    Cooper.


    By then, Neil had regained consciousness. He didn¡¯t react much to seeing Mitch and Cooper; instead,


    he started ming me. ¡°I told you not to meddle! Are you just doing this to make me owe you a favor?¡±


    I looked at him, feeling puzzled. Was saving a life now subject to ulterior motives?


    Mitch quickly intervened after noticing my exasperated expression ¡°Rena, we really appreciate your


    help tonight. It¡¯ste; you should head home now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you guys take care of him.¡± I didn¡¯t want to argue with Neil, so I just turned to leave.


    But Neil called out to me again. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to drag you into my issues with Bonnie. I¡¯m sorry¡±


    I was starting to think Neil¡¯s issue wasn¡¯t with his stomach but with his head. One minute he was cold


    and rude, the next he was all sincere and apologetic


    I never med Neil for the Twitter fiasco.


    ¡°Uh-huh, I get it. I don¡¯t hold it against you¡± I replied in a softer tone.


    Neil looked like he had more to say but remembered our agreement and held back.


    As soon as I left the room, Mitch followed me out. ¡°Rena, I need to talk to you about something.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Can you and Neil be friends again? He¡¯s been under a lot of stresstely. You know about his breakup


    with Bonnie, but what you might not know is that Gloria has been using the incident with Karina¡¯s death


    to smear his name. It¡¯s been causing him a lot of mental stress. He¡¯s even been to see a psychiatrist.¡±


    Mitch¡¯s voice was filled with concern,


    I had no idea about any of this.


    I remembered how tired Neil looked the day he came to see me. His dark circles were heavy, clearly,


    he hadn¡¯t been sleeping well.


    Turned out he had been dealing with baseless usations for a while now. He had always felt guilty


    about Karina¡¯s death, so I could only imagine how terrible he must be feeling.


    ¡°Now that the truth is out, hopefully people will stop ming him.¡± I tried to offer some constion,


    even though there wasn¡¯t much more I could do.


    ¡°Yeah, but I think he¡¯s more filled with regret than relief right now. It was because of Karina that he


    treated you the way he did. Mitch couldn¡¯t finish his


    sentence.


    I smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all in the past. But I¡¯m curious. How did Neil get his hands on that diary?¡±


    After Mitch exined, I finally understood why Neil got together with Bonnie. She had told him that


    Gloria had one of Karina¡¯s diaries that could be very useful to him.


    Neil had used his rtionship with Bonnie to get the diary from Gloria¡¯s house.


    Then he found Karina¡¯s medical records, confirming the contents of the diary.


    On the drive home, I was filled with mixed emotions. The issue with Karina had always caused tension


    between Neil and me. But now that it was confirmed that it was just a trap set by Karina, and we had


    already been divorced for two years.


    As I arrived at my apartment building, I saw Russel waiting for me.


    He had just returned from a business trip.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± I asked, walking over with a smile.


    ¡°I wanted to go home, take a shower, and change my clothes beforeing to see you, but I just


    couldn¡¯t wait.¡± Russel embraced me


    He held me for a moment, then let go to show me the gift he had brought back. ¡°Do you like it? I think it


    suits you.¡±


    4


    in


    It was a ne. It was very simple and elegant, with a light purple pearl in the center.


    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, I love it. Thank you.¡±


    Russel breathed a sigh of relief, helping me put on the ne as he said, ¡°I was worried you wouldn¡¯t


    like my gift.¡±


    ¡°Of course I like it. Who doesn¡¯t like gifts?¡± I replied with a smile.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    We chatted for a while before Russel received a call from home, urging him to return.


    Ever since that night he spent at my ce, his parents had been pressing him toe home, sotely


    he hadn¡¯t been staying at his own ce.


    He looked back at me reluctantly as I waved him off. ¡°Go on, it¡¯ste.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡± Russel gave me a gentle smile, then drove off.


    If it weren¡¯t for the opposition from the Dawson family, things between Russel and me would probably


    be going a lot smoother. But life could be cruel,


    A few dayster, I heard from Ste about Neil¡¯s recent situation.


    ¡°Mitch said there¡¯s a woman who¡¯s been keeping himpany. Does he have a new girlfriend?¡± Ste


    was curious.


    ¡®Maybe. He¡¯s single now, so it¡¯s normal.¡± I replied casually suspecting the woman was probably Kitty.


    I didn¡¯t know her real name, age, upation, or family background, but there was something about her


    that set her apart from others.


    What exactly was different. I couldn¡¯t say.


    After ending the call with Ste, I was home alone, sorting through some paperwork. Sometimes, I had


    to workte at home.


    Suddenly, the doorbell in my apartment started ringing I went to check it out, puzzled, only to find no


    one outside.


    Feeling a bit on edge, I quickly made sure the door was locked, then stood by it, waiting in silence.


    Not long after, the doorbell rang again. I immediately peeked through the peephole A man¡¯s blurry


    figure quickly dashed past, almost as if he were purposely avoiding me

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230


    Chapter 230


    That guy was fast, but I managed to get a blurry glimpse of his face. He looked eerily familiar


    I immediately dialed the property management. Ten minutester, they arrived, but the guy was gone.


    ¡°Pull up the surveince footage. That guy is definitely sketchy i told them.


    I had this gut feeling that this guy had something to do with the person who unplugged the power in my


    mom¡¯s hospital room.


    The property management was efficient. By the next day, I had the surveince footage. I had seen


    that guy lurking around Gloria before. Sure enough, he was one of Gloria¡¯s and Bonnie¡¯s minions.


    I went straight to the police, handed over the surveince footage, and identified the guy as one of


    Gloria¡¯s


    ¡°Irene!¡±


    Just as I got home from work, I saw Bonnie waiting for me. I don¡¯t know what she had been through,


    but she was acting all high and mighty.


    Her eyes were red, and she was ring at me as if I were her enemy.


    I stood a few meters away and didn¡¯t approach her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡± Bonnie seemed to lose control. She went from raging mad to showing a bone-chilling smile.


    I furrowed my brows. Was she going nuts?


    Bonnie walked towards me as her pale face bore a strange expression. She whispered, ¡°Neil used me.


    He doesn¡¯t care about me at all!¡±


    I didn¡¯t have much to say. I knew Neil too well. He either loved like a madman or was terrifyingly


    rational


    ¡°So him breaking up with me was to show you his feelings, huh? I¡¯ll make you regret this. Just you


    wait.¡± Bonnie smirked, seeming a bit unhinged.


    ¡°Sending people to harm my mom, spying on me at night¡­ What else you got?¡± I asked coldly


    Bonnie scoffed at me. ¡°Something more painful, Irene. This is all your fault. You¡¯ll pay for this!¡±


    She always thought that Neil liked her and that I ruined their rtionship by making Neil lose interest in


    her.


    I was innocent. How was I supposed to know the plot would change after my rebirth?


    Bonnie didn¡¯t do anything to me. She seemed to be here just to threaten me. I furrowed my brows as I


    watched her hurriedly leave.


    I was worried not only about myself but also about my parents.


    I rushed to the hospital to check on my mom and reminded the caretaker to be wary of strangers.


    ¡°Hey, Irene, what brings you to the hospital? Are you here to see Nel?¡± As soon as I stepped into the


    elevator, I saw Kitty.


    She was holding a takeout box.


    I shook my head, ¡°No, I have other things to do.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to tell her about my family issues, so I just gave a simple response.


    Kitty suddenly looked at me with puppy eyes, ¡°Irene, could you talk to Nel for me?¡±


    I was puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The elevator door opened, but it wasn¡¯t my floor. Kitty grabbed my arm and stepped out, heading


    towards a specific room.


    I stood still, ¡°Kitty, I have other things to do, I can¡¯t help you with Neil.¡±


    Kitty seemed to gather strength from somewhere and dragged me towards the room. ¡°The guy is


    torturing himself. He doesn¡¯t eat or take his medicine on time. He¡¯s going to get himself into trouble!¡±


    Though Kitty was blunt, Neil¡¯sck of cooperation with his treatment could indeed cause serious harm


    to his health.


    That¡¯s his problem. He¡¯s not a toddler. He needs to take responsibility for his own health!¡± I said


    helplessly, shaking off Kitty¡¯s grip.


    While we were squabbling, Neil was standing at the door of his room


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he heard our conversation.


    Neil looked paler than before and seemed a bit gloomy. He stared at me, ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t need you


    to lecture me.¡±


    Kitty saw him and let go of me, looking upset. ¡°The doctor said your life is in danger Are you bored with


    life?¡±


    ¡°If you have time, find a job instead of flitting around me.¡¯ Neil gave Kitty a cold nce.


    He didn¡¯t express gratitude at all. I was d I didn¡¯t reallye to persuade him.


    I casually nced at Neil, ¡®Kitty¡¯s worried about you. Do you think I want to persuade you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you here then?¡± Neil counter-questioned.


    ¡°I was dragged here by her!¡± I protested.


    ¡°She¡¯s about your size. How could she drag you here?¡¯ ized up Kitty and me.


    Indeed, Kitty was also quite skinny.


    Kitty sighed deeply, ¡°Mr. Iceberg, I¡¯ve tried to get so many people to talk to you. You can¡¯t expect me to


    try and get your parents to persuade you, right?¡±


    I could hear her concern for Neil¡¯s health


    Neil sneered and walked past us towards the stairwell. Kitty grabbed me and followed him closely.


    ¡°Look at him, smoking a pack or two a day. Is that what a patient should do?¡± Kitty stomped her foot in


    anger, pointing at Neil¡¯s smoking figure.


    The question was, what did this have to do with me?


    Iforted Kitty, ¡°Kitty, this is a test for you guys. He¡¯s just one person. If you love him, you have to


    ept all of him.¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My words made Neil turn around. He had a cigarette in his hand, and his eyes were full of anger.


    ¡°You seem very experienced.¡± He said coldly. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we shouldn¡¯t meet again? Are you still not


    leaving?¡±


    Tell Kitty to let me go.¡± I nced at Kitty, feeling surprised. We were both skinny, yet she was so much


    stronger than me.


    Neil immediately put on a stern face. ¡°Kitty, stop causing trouble for me. It¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    Kitty widened her eyes, ¡°Why don¡¯t you appreciate others¡¯ concern? No wonder Irene divorced you.


    You deserve it!¡±


    After her tant attack, she stormed off. I was shocked by her boldness in front of Neil.


    After Kitty left, it was just me and Neil in the stairwell.


    Alright, if she was gone, I had to go too. I was about to leave when Neil said in a low voice, ¡°Wait.¡±


    I turned my head, puzzled.


    Neil looked as white as a sheet, his cigarette had fallen onto the ground, one hand clutching his upper


    stomach, the other holding onto the stair railing. ¡°Help me get back to my room.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be putting on an act; it must be his stomach acting up again. I froze for a few


    seconds while Neil looked up at me, ¡°Can¡¯t you even do this little thing for me?¡±

 Chapter 231

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    Chapter 231


    I had a rebellious heart, but Neil¡¯s gaze made it impossible for me to say no.


    Even a stranger should lend a hand to a sick patient.


    I took a few steps, holding Neil¡¯s arm and using my body as support, helping him to the ward step by


    step.


    Neil had slimmed down a bit recently, but he was still a tall guy, and his body was not light. I was


    leaning a bit, but I dared not let go.


    Because Neil smoked a lot, his hospital gown smelled strongly of smoke, so I couldn¡¯t help turning my


    head to cough a couple of times


    I lost strength in my legs identally, and with most of Neil¡¯s weight on me, I couldn¡¯t stand steady


    Neil seemed to anticipate that I would fall because of my distraction. He quickly let go of me and fell


    forward himself, but the ident still happened since I was also pulled forward by his falling force


    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± When I fell on Neil, I heard him gasp


    I tried to scramble up in a panic, only tond my hand on his stomach. He twitched his brow and red


    at me, ¡°Are you trying to kill your ex-husband?!¡±


    A kind-hearted nurse came over. She helped me up first, then, along with me, helped Neil, who was


    pale with pain, up and sent him to the ward.


    I should¡¯ve left then, but out of guilt, i decided to stick around and see how things were.


    The nurse checked Neil, gave him some medication, and gave him some advice.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like the hospital food, I can bring you some when I go home! The nurse said while blushing


    a bit..


    ¡°No need.¡± Neil replied coldly


    The nurse left awkwardly, and seeing that Neil was okay, I decided to leave too


    Neil, lying in bed, asked me, ¡°Are you going to worsen my condition and then leave? What if your fall


    and push left me with lingering effects?¡±


    I was speechless. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to help you?¡±


    He looked at me with a hint of mischief in his eyes, ¡°You could have refused to help me, but in the end,


    you made things worse, and that¡¯s your responsibility¡±


    ¡°Neil, don¡¯t push it. If you keep this up, even if you were dying in front of me, I wouldn¡¯t help you¡± I


    replied, frowning.


    Neil managed tough. He turned slightly in bed, then replied, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stomp on my corpse a


    couple of times to let out some pent-up anger?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not you, I¡¯m not that sick? I checked my watch, ¡°I have things to do, you rest.¡±


    As I was about to leave, I heard Neil¡¯s shameless request, ¡°Help me get a bowl of bolete mushroom


    soup.¡±


    I turned my head and saw a bowl of bolete mushroom soup on the bedside table that had been brought


    by Kitty


    ¡°Just eat that one¡± I pointed at the bolete mushroom soup on the table and told Neil.


    Neil nced at the soup on the table and replied matter-of-factly. It¡¯s cold. The bolete mushroom soup


    cools too quickly I have a stomach problem and need to eat hot food¡±


    He was uncooperative with medication and rest before, and now he suddenly knew that he had a


    stomach problem and couldn¡¯t eat cold food. I had every reason to suspect that Neil was deliberately


    causing me trouble..


    I wouldn¡¯t indulge him. Then don¡¯t eat it. You mess with yourself every day; a bowl of bolete mushroom


    soup won¡¯t make you better.¡±


    Neil asked discontentedly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t youpensate for the harm you just did to me?¡±


    I hurt him? Neil had some nerve


    T


    Just as I was about to argue, another nurse came in. She saw the bolete mushroom soup on the table,


    felt it, and said to me, ¡°How could you let him drink such cold bolete mushroom soup? Patients must


    eat warm and easily digestible food. The shops outside should still be open, you should go check¡±


    Neil was eyeing me, waiting for my response.


    I was speechless for a moment, and under the nurse¡¯s urging, I had to go outside the hospital to buy a


    bowl of soup.


    When I returned to Neil¡¯s ward with the bolete mushroom soup, he had already sat up in front of the


    hospital bed, one hand receiving an IV, and the other scrolling on his phone.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    When he saw me carrying the bolete mushroom soup, he seemed quite pleased, and a smirk appeared


    on his lips.


    Thanded him the bolete mushroom soup expressionlessly. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    He looked at the unopened box, then at his Ved hand. ¡°Help me open it and set it up, will you?¡±


    Suppressing my reluctance, I opened the small table on the bed, then opened and arranged the bolele


    mushroom soup, finally taking a deep breath, ¡°Is that alright?¡±


    Nell put down his phone, picked up the spoon, and started drinking the bolete mushroom soup. He


    casually responded, ¡°One more thing¡±


    I was puzzled, what else could he want now?


    After drinking a few mouthfuls of the bolete mushroom soup, Neil looked up at me, ¡°Even though I


    promised you that I wouldn¡¯t bother you again, since today you came to me first, I can now tell you that


    the repair estimate is out from when you hit my car before¡±


    I almost forgot about that. Indeed, I still owed himpensation.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll transfer it to you when the timees.¡± I answered readily.


    Then I left. I had to check on my mom and instruct the caregiver.


    Neil let me go this time without saying anything else. When I got to my mom¡¯s ward, the caregiver was


    already prepared to rest on thepanion bed.


    I instructed the caregiver, chatted with my mom for a while, and then left for home.


    I had discussed with the doctor about bringing my mom home for care. I was nning to take her back


    when my dad retired.


    But I didn¡¯t expect my dad to get into bigger trouble before we could settle my mom at home.


    ¡°Rena, something¡¯s wrong!¡±


    The day before my dad¡¯s birthday, I was at work when Ste called me in a panic, ¡°Your dad is in


    trouble; he¡¯s been taken away!¡±


    I was flustered. I had no idea what she meant, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Ste briefly exined to me what had happened. Apparently, someone had reported my dad for


    improper rtionships and abuse of power.


    This had made the news, and the higher-ups had already issued an announcement.


    I had been busy with work these past few days and hadn¡¯t been keeping up with the news. Plus, my


    dad had always been a man of good character; how could he have inappropriate rtionships and


    abuse his power?


    I hastily arranged my work, then called my dad


    I¡¯m okay; you focus on your work and take care of your mom.¡± My dad¡¯s voice seemed to have aged a


    lot. He said this and hung up. When I called back, it was already unreachable.


    Soon enough, word got out that my old man was in some kinda trouble. Folks started ringing me up to


    ask about what was going on, but honestly, I was pretty much in the dark myself.

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    Chapter 232


    I didn¡¯t get the full picture until two dayster.


    My dad had been duped by his secretary, Geneva, once. I clearly remember that those photos were


    retrieved by Neil and handed over to me. So how the hell did they get out in the open now?


    There was also something big going down StarGlow Enterprises had been facing some serious


    approval obstacles recently. Bonnie dug up some evidence, pointing to my dad abusing his power.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Bonnie was behind the leaked photos too.


    ¡°Rena, your dad¡¯s situation looks pretty bad. We havent found any valuable info yet, but I¡¯m telling ya,


    it¡¯s definitely Bonnie and Gloria messing around behind the scenes!¡± Ste and her crew came to my


    ce, looking pretty worried.


    I¡¯ve been having a hard time sleepingtely, feeling all run down


    Before my dad got into trouble, Bonnie came to me, threatening me It was probably about this incident.


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    ¡°We can clear up the thing with Geneva. We¡¯ve dealt with that before, But my dad abusing his power¡­


    that¡¯s a tough one ¡°I took a deep breath.


    The four of us discussed the situation for a long time, but in the end, we still couldn¡¯t find a good


    solution. My dad¡¯s problem was tied up with politics; it was not something we could easily interfere with


    unless we could find evidence proving his innocence.


    After Ste and the others left, I sat alone in the empty living room.


    Ever since my dad got into trouble, I moved back home. My mood dropped even more while looking at


    the lifeless house.


    Then Russel called. Hearing his voice made me feel a bit better. ¡°Rena, are you at home or at your


    apartment?¡±


    I¡¯m at Sapphire River Community.¡± I answered. That¡¯s where my home was situated


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way¡± Russelforted me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Everything will get better. I found same


    info that might help you¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡± Hearing Russel¡¯s words made the me of hope in my heart reignite, and I felt a


    little bit more rxed.


    After hanging up, I quietly waited for Russel¡¯s arrival. It was already dusk outside, and it looked like it


    was going to rain.


    I stepped outside, standing in the yard, waiting for Russel. The streetlights started toe on, and


    raindrops began to fall, but I still couldn¡¯t see his car.


    I checked the time and called Russel, but all I got was a notification that he had turned off his phone


    My heart sank. If the Dawson family stopped Russel from helping me at this critical moment, the hope I


    had just reignited would be extinguished again.


    I kept trying to reach Russel, only to be disappointed again and again. In the end, the rain poured


    down, and i didn¡¯t see him.


    ¡°Irene, have you lost your mind?!¡±


    As I was lost in the rain, Neil¡¯s shout snapped me out of it. He was holding a ck umbre, standing


    at the gate, ring at me.


    The gate was unlocked, and he strode in. His ck leather shoes got soaked by the falling raindrops


    as he stepped on the wet ground.


    I was soaked to the bone. My wet hair was sticking to my face and my neck, making me feel


    ufortable.


    The series of sudden incidents at home left me reeling. Although I had experienced despair once,


    facing the breakdown of my family again still made me feel immense pain.


    ¡°Get inside!¡± Neil grabbed my arm forcefully and led me into the living room.


    During this process, Neil discarded his umbre, ending up just as soaked as me.


    The temperature in the living room was much warmer, making the chill from the rain more evident. I


    sneezed and asked Neil, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at the hospital?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t answer me. Instead, he got a towel and forcefully dried my hair. ¡°Go take a shower!¡±


    I was a bit dazed, probably due to exhaustion and the cold rain. After hearing Neil¡¯s order, I obediently


    went to the bathroom and took a hot shower. While I was in the shower, Neil must have gone back to


    his ce and changed into dry clothes. When I came downstairs, he was in the living room, making


    coffee.


    ¡°Drink some coffee to warm your stomach.¡± Neil looked up when he saw meing down. His anger


    had subsided a lot.


    I was preupied with my father¡¯s situation and wasn¡¯t in the mood for coffee. But I didn¡¯t know what


    else to do, so I went over and sat across from Neil, drinking coffee with him.


    After a while Neil broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯ve looked into your dad¡¯s situation. He¡¯s probably been framed by


    Bonnie and her gang¡±


    ¡°Where did Bonnie get those photos? Didn¡¯t you take the negatives back? I remember you gave them


    to me, and I burned them.¡± I was puzzled.


    Neil frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure, but there¡¯s a possibility that when I got those photos, Bonnie might


    have discovered them and taken pictures.¡±


    At that time, Neil and Bonnie¡¯s rtionship was not confirmed, but Bonnie had a chance to see those


    photos.


    I just didn¡¯t expect her to hold her cards for so long.


    In the silence, I suddenly coughed, feeling a bit chilly. I probably caught a cold from standing in the rain


    earlier.


    Neil put down his coffee cup, ¡®Go take some medicine. I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ve been out in the


    rain, but with your weak constitution, you¡¯re definitely going to catch a cold:


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; drinking some coffee will do.¡± I shook my head, only to find that my voice was nasal.


    Chapter 232


    Not only that, I started feeling dizzy. These were definitely symptoms of a cold.


    Neil got up with a serious face to get medicine. Two minutester, he brought me some medicine and


    ordered me to drink it.


    Thest two times I caught a cold, it was Neil who took care of me. What they said was true. It was


    better to have a neighbor nearby than a brother far


    away.


    I picked up the water cup and gulped down the medicine. My throat felt a bit off. I suddenly asked Neil,


    ¡°Why did youe to find me again?¡±


    ¡°I noticed that the window on the second floor of your house was open. I was worried about thieves, so


    I came over to check.¡± Neil¡¯s exnation was reasonable, sounding like a good neighbor.


    ¡°If there are thieves, I hope they can take away the bad luck in this house.¡± I rubbed my forehead as I


    replied with a voice filled with exhaustion.


    Neil scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re daydreaming. You think thieves are phnthropists?¡±


    He was right. Nobody else was gonna fix the mess my family was in. I¡¯ve gotta step up and hold down


    the fort. If I lose my fight too, then we would be really screwed.


    I hung my head in thought, nning to hit up Harold, hoping he could hook me up with some of his


    connections back home, especially those bigwigs in politics.


    As for thepany, I needed to approach my mom¡¯s side of the family for some help. Sure, there was


    some bad blood between them in the past, but blood was thicker than water, and I believed that they


    wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.

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    Chapter 233


    ¡°I really appreciate your help today, but it¡¯s prettyte, you should head back and get some rest. I didn¡¯t


    want to kick Neil out, but I truly believed he needed a good rest.


    He was in the hospital just a few days ago, so his health wasn¡¯t in any better shape than mine


    Neil didn¡¯t agree with me, and his eyes turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re always quick to boot me out after you¡¯ve


    used me¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, I¡¯m just concerned about your health. How did you get discharged so quickly?¡± My mind


    was bursting with family matters, so I had no intention of targeting Neil.


    Neil turned sour when I brought up his health, ¡°I¡¯m in top shape. Want to test me out?¡±


    He said while looking at me with deep intent.


    I was baffled. His words stirred up all sorts of weird thoughts I waved him off, ¡°Nah, save it for someone


    else.¡±


    Neil raised an eyebrow, ¡°Fine by me


    We sat in therge living room, the atmosphere gradually quieting down. With my mind filled with


    worries and the effect of the medication, I couldn¡¯t help


    but doze off on the couch.


    I intended to send Neil home before falling asleep, but as I closed my eyes, I saw him already passed


    out on the opposite couch,


    Heid casually on the couch with his lips tightly closed. From my angle, the curve of his Adam¡¯s apple


    was very attractive


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As I watched, I finally dozed off, myst thought was to spend the night on the couch.


    I hadn¡¯t been sleeping well these past few days, so I slept soundly. When I woke up, I stared nkly at


    the ceiling. This wasn¡¯t the ceiling of my bedroom, was it?


    I quickly looked around and saw no sign of Neil


    My clothes were neat; nothing fell odd. I had taken medication, not alcohol, so nothing out of ce


    should have happened.


    Neil probably carried me to bed after he woke up.


    I got up and changed, preparing to head to the office.


    Just as I reached the living room downstairs, I heard noises from the kitchen. Was there a burnt food


    smell in the air?!


    I rushed to the kitchen only to find Neil in my mom¡¯s old apron. His face was smudged ck, and he


    was holding kitchen utensils, looking like a defeated chef


    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± I choked on the burnt smell as soon as I opened my mouth.


    A sh of embarrassment crossed Neil¡¯s face, I don¡¯t know how to use your kitchen tools.¡±


    I covered my nose and mouth, turned on the exhaust fan, and opened the windows to let the air


    circte, then I shooed Neil out of the kitchen.


    As for the burnt thing in the pot, I didn¡¯t even look


    ¡°Were you trying to burn my house down?¡± I asked helplessly, ¡°Neil, do you have no self-awareness of


    your cooking skills?¡±


    Neil calmly found a wet wipe and wiped the ck smudges off his face until it was wless, ¡°I was just


    trying a new cooking method, but I hit a little bump.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try it at your ce? This is too risky!¡± protested.


    Neil scoffed, ¡°Haha, I¡¯m touched by my own actions. I took you to bedst night, got up to make


    breakfast, and this is


    Okay, he was indeed taking care of me, but I didn¡¯t r


    need it.


    your


    attitude?¡±


    I sighed, ¡®Fromst night until now, I do appreciate your help. But I have to head to the office now, so


    you should go home.¡±


    Neil untied the apron, clearly a bit angry He threw it on the ground and walked out.


    I watched his retreating figure, then looked at the kitchen, deciding to get someone to clean it up when I


    had time


    issue with Harold, and seek support from my uncle¡¯s family to lessen the


    Not only did I have to go to the office, but I also needed to discuss my father¡¯s is pressure at work.


    All in all, tough tasksy ahead!


    ¡°Ste, could you ask Mitch if he can still get in touch with Russel?¡± I called Ste when I got to the


    office.


    Ste repired, ¡°Hold on¡±


    Two minutester, she said, ¡°Russel¡¯s phone is off. Rena, you cant reach him?¡±


    My heart sank, and I felt a pang of difort. I asked Mitch to help check on Russel¡¯s situation.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go check for you, but now that his parents know i married Ste and am close to you, I don¡¯t


    know if they¡¯ll trust me Mitch readily agreed to pay the Dawson family a visit after hearing me out.


    He was not only going to get clues from Russel, but also check on his current situation.


    After Mitch went to the Dawson family, I anxiously waited for his feedback.


    Mitch didn¡¯t call me back until the evening. The result was disappointing


    ¡°Rena, Russel¡¯s dad blocked me. He said Russel wasn¡¯t home and wouldn¡¯t be back for a while.¡± Mitch


    sounded puzzled.


    I was almost certain that it was Russel¡¯s parents interfering. With my father in trouble and possibly not


    being able to recover, the Dawson family would dislike me even more now.


    After hanging up, I sat alone for a long time, my mind was in a mess.


    After who knew how long, my phone rang again. An unfamiliar number made me alert


    I answered the call and heard Bonnie¡¯s voice, ¡°Irene, hows it been recently? Having fun? Surprised?¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, don¡¯t be so despicable!¡± I gripped the phone, trying to control my urge to curse.


    ¡°Where am I despicable? Because of you, Neil and I broke up! Even Karina, who¡¯s dead, was


    badmouthed, isn¡¯t this your retribution?¡± Bonnie coldly retorted


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you awesome? Doesn¡¯t Neil want to get back with you? Don¡¯t you have many friends? Let them


    help you. I said I would make you pay! Now¡¯s the time!¡±


    Bonnie hung up after speaking. I was seething with anger, but I had nowhere to vent it.


    The living room became quiet again, but I couldn¡¯t calm down. It wasn¡¯t until the doorbell rang that I


    managed topose myself and went to open the


    door


    To my surprise, it was Harold who had flown back from abroad. He looked extremely tired and anxious,


    ¡°Rena, your dad still hasn¡¯te back?¡± ¡°Harold, why did you fly back? Come in!¡± I quickly opened the


    door for Harold toe in.


    I poured Harold a ss of water and then started to chat with him about my dad. The phone call didn¡¯t


    quite cut it, nothing beat a good old face-to-face talk for this kinda stuff.


    We yakked away till the wee hours before we each hit the sack.


    The next day, as I was heading out for work, I bumped into Neil, I gave him a nod, just to say hi.


    But he said, ¡°When are you knocking off? I¡¯ll get my housekeeper to give your kitchen a good scrub. If


    anything¡¯s busted, I¡¯ll sort it out.¡±

 Chapter 234

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    Chapter 234


    The kitchen walls and ceiling were all messed up, and a few pots were burned.


    ¡®No worries, I can sort it out myself, I shook my head


    ¡°You want to take on more stuff yourself? I¡¯ve got people who can help, but you¡¯re saying no? Neil


    frowned.


    I¡¯m really swamped right now; I¡¯ve never been this busy before. All the home stuff hasnded on my


    shoulders, with my parents who used to back me up, one in aa, the other in hot water.


    I hesitated for a moment, then finally agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back after work, probably around six¡±


    I¡¯ve been running around all morning for my dad¡¯s affairs, dealing with a bunch of rtionship stuff. It


    was a real mess


    Neil finally rxed a bit, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tidy up the kitchen and leave you alone as promised¡±


    I was taken aback, I didn¡¯t have time for all this right now.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    But I casually pointed out, ¡°Neil, this issue with my dad, it¡¯s probably Bonnie and Gloria messing around


    behind the scenes and setting him up. And the reason Bonnie¡¯s doing all this is probably because of


    you.¡±


    Neil¡¯s rxed expression tightened again, a cold light shing in his eyes, ¡°Hmm, I know. That¡¯s why if


    there¡¯s anything you need help with, I won¡¯t turn you


    down.¡±


    I was silent for a few seconds, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to help me with anything else, just one thing.


    Can you help me find Russel? I haven¡¯t been able to reach him sincest night. I sent Mitch to the


    Dawson family, but he was turned away¡± I looked at Nell earnestly: ¡°Can you?


    If Neil wanted to find Russel, he definitely had a way


    But as soon as he heard Russel¡¯s name, Neil¡¯s expression changed. He seemed annoyed.


    I got the message. ¡°It¡¯s okay If you dont want to help, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Neil coldly asked. ¡°You want him to help? He didn¡¯t contact you when your dad was in trouble?¡±


    I sighed, ¡°I guess his parents stopped him. He said he found some clues that would help my dad and


    told me to wait for him, but he never showed.¡± ¡®Oh, so it was him you were waiting for in the rainst


    night.¡± Neil tried to control his jealousy, but I could feel it.


    I replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t that normal?¡±


    Neil gave a coldugh and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s normal. But it¡¯s not normal to ask


    your ex-husband to help find your current boyfriend.¡±


    I was helpless. This guy said I could ask for his help, but when I really asked, he refused.


    It was okay if he didnt want to help. I wasn¡¯t disappointed. I never really expected him to help me in the


    first ce. Given how my dad treated him in the past, I was sure he held a grudge.


    As for Russel. I wanted Neil¡¯s help, but he wasn¡¯t interested. But he was all in when I asked him to help


    find someone to clean the kitchen. When I got home in the evening, he had already brought a cleaning


    lady over.


    I gave him a look, got the message, and didn¡¯t say anything: I just went right in.


    I thought only the cleaningdy woulde in to clean the kitchen, and I didn¡¯t expect Neil toe in


    too. As the CEO of Whitmore Co., he has a ton of work to handle every day, but now he¡¯s here at my


    ce watching the cleaningdy clean the kitchen


    ¡°You go do your thing, I¡¯ll check it out when she¡¯s done,¡± I poured a ss of water, sipped it, and told


    Neil.


    Neil ignored me, just watched the cleaningdy busy in the kitchen, very focused.


    If he didn¡¯t listen to me, so be it.


    After I finished my water, I opened up myptop to do some work in the living room.


    Harold hasn¡¯te back yet; I don¡¯t know how things are going on his end.


    As I was working, Neil¡¯s figure appeared behind the sofa, and he said coldly, ¡°You should really check


    yourpany¡¯s finances


    ¡°Why?¡± I turned around and asked.


    ¡°The financial data doesn¡¯t match yourpany¡¯s actual profit and loss for this quarter. Someone must


    be cooking the books. Neil sat next to me. urately pointing out the problem with the data on the


    screen


    After hearing him, I was nothing but amazed.


    ¡°How do you know so much about mypany?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously.


    ¡°I was married to you for five years. I know yourpany well. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on it these


    past two years, maybe not as detailed as before, but I have a general idea¡± Nell looked at me, ¡°You still


    have a lot to learn. You¡¯ve wasted too much time on me to the point where you¡¯ve neglected your own


    company


    His serious lecturing made me feel guilty i awkwardly avoided his gaze, but I agreed with what he said.


    Suddenly, Neil added, ¡®But, if you hadn¡¯t divorced me, I could have helped you with all these problems.¡±


    I was silently annoyed at Neil. I didn¡¯t want to be his essory. If I were to be anyone¡¯s essory, it


    would only be my parents¡±.


    I know I¡¯m not capable enough right now, but as long as I work hard, I can improve


    ¡®Thanks for the heads up. I¡¯ll check the finances.¡± I didn¡¯t respond to Neil¡¯s divorcement: I just


    thanked him for his advice.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Neil responded, but he didn¡¯t leave. Just sat next to me.


    I didn¡¯t want to continue working in front of him, so I closed the file and intentionally started a light-


    hearted TV show, waiting for Harold toe back.


    Neil never liked these boring TV shows. Every time he saw me watching, he¡¯d give me a disapproving


    look.


    But today, he watched quietly for a long time and evenughed at some parts.


    I felt a bit ufortable and was about to turn off the show.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep watching, it¡¯s quite interesting.¡± Neil leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, looking very


    rxed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think its good.¡± I said, and closed myptop.


    The cleaningdy came over and politely said, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, I¡¯ve cleaned the kitchen. You can go


    check it out now.¡±


    After hearing that, Neil got up, went to the kitchen to check things out, and I followed him.


    She had cleaned up pretty well, except for the burnt pot that was yet to be reced.


    ¡°Why are there still stains on the wall?¡± Neil suddenly pointed at the wall and asked.


    That might be hard to get rid of, unless we repaint it, the housekeeper replied


    Just as I was about to speak, Neil turned to look at me, I¡¯ll get someone to repaint it tomorrow, and I¡¯ll


    also send you a new pot.


    I shook my head, ¡°No need, just leave it be. I don¡¯t have time to cook anyway.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like owing people, so it¡¯s settled.¡± Neilpletely ignored my objection.

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    Chapter 235


    Before I could utter a word, Neil had already left.


    I nced around the rtively clean kitchen and shook my head helplessly.


    It was around nine when Harold came back, looking stern and serious. An uneasy feeling crept up on


    me


    ¡°Rena, someone¡¯s pulling strings behind the scenes on your dad¡¯s case, and they¡¯re pretty powerful,¡±


    Harold said.


    This took me by surprise. I couldn¡¯t imagine my dad having such formidable enemies at work. Weren¡¯t


    his troubles all manufactured by Bonnie?


    Could Bonnie possibly have an even bigger backer?


    Or maybe it was Gloria!


    ¡°Your dad¡¯s been detained and is under investigation. Proving his innocence will beplicated. I¡¯m


    worried that this might affect your family¡¯s business, so we need to secure thepany first, Harold


    added


    I immediately told him I nned to seek help from my uncles.


    Harold agreed with my n. His ownpany mainly operated overseas, so he might not be able to


    provide much help.


    For my dad¡¯s sake, Harold would stay in the country for a while. I was immensely grateful for his help.


    His presence made me feel much safer


    Next on the agenda was to find my uncles, I couldn¡¯t handle thepany affairs alone.


    After a long day of hustle and bustle, I returned home, exhausted


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± This time, Neil was waiting for me at my front door with two middle-aged men and a


    bunch of renovation tools.


    Seeing those tools, I was agitated. ¡°Are you really having my kitchen repainted?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡¯ Neil retorted


    I rubbed my forehead. He was really idle, doing such boring things.


    Judging from Neil¡¯s attitude, I figured he wouldn¡¯t rest until the kitchen was repainted, so I just let them


    in to get it over with


    Harold was home that afternoon but didn¡¯t know Neil was now my neighbor. He was taken aback when


    I walked in with Neil and the two workers.


    On seeing Harold, Neil didn¡¯t seem surprised. He had probably known all along. He just greeted him


    politely, ¡°Hello¡±


    Then he took the workers into the kitchen and got busy


    Harold looked at me puzzled. ¡°Rena, isn¡¯t that Neil? Didn¡¯t you guys get divorced?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. We¡¯re just neighbors now. He identally set my kitchen on fire and brought


    people to fix it. That¡¯s all,¡± hastily exined


    This exnation was odd. My ex-husband turned neighbor had identally torched my kitchen. It didnt


    make sense


    My dad hated Neil, and Harold must¡¯ve known that, so his expression got stern as he locked towards


    the kitchen.


    Neil had alreadye out from the kitchen by then. He just sat at the dining table, noting over


    even after seeing me and Harold.


    Harold didn¡¯t look too pleased, but I couldn¡¯t exin everything with Neil nearby. I just told him to rest.


    ¡°Rena, he¡¯s not a good man. Don¡¯t make the same mistake again,¡± Harold warned me before heading


    upstairs.


    ¡°Harold, I understand I¡¯ll exin everything to you when I get a chance,¡± I nodded.


    Once Harold was upstairs, I let out a sigh of relief, only to turn around and see Nel already in the living


    room.


    He was quick. No sooner had Harold left than he came over.


    Frowning, I said, ¡°Now even Harold is misunderstanding me.¡±


    Neil casually replied, ¡°It doesnt matter as long as you have a clear conscience.¡±


    ¡°You really know how to stir up trouble,¡± I red at Neil.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s being secretive, not being honest,¡± he retorted.


    Neil was too good with words, so I chose to remain silent. I picked up my bag and headed upstairs to


    shower, hoping that Neil and the two workers would have left when I was done


    But to my disappointment, they were still there when I came out of the shower. Neil was sitting on the


    sofa reading a book, looking veryfortable.


    Why did painting walls take so long? I changed into fresh clothes and went downstairs, and headed


    straight to the kitchen to check on the progress.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The kitchen, which was already clean, now looked brand new after being worked on by the two


    workers.


    ¡°It should be almost done You guys can go now.¡± I told them


    The workers shook their heads ¡°Mr. Whitmore didn¡¯t say we could leave We can¡¯t go


    Speechless, I went back to the living room to find Neil The kitchen¡¯s almost done. Let them go¡±


    ¡°We should do things thoroughly There¡¯s no need to rush Neil replied nonchntly, not even looking up


    from his book


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. I¡¯m swamped right now and don¡¯t have time for this. Are you doing this on


    purpose to annoy me?¡± I snapped.


    Neil finally closed his book and looked at me. As usual, he was unfazed. I¡¯m just dealing with the mess


    I made. I¡¯m not trying to annoy you


    it was alreadyte, and all I wanted was to go upstairs and rest. Do whatever you want. Just remember


    to lock the door when you leave.¡±


    1/2


    11:05


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me about Russel?¡± Neil¡¯s question stopped me in my tracks.


    Russel seemed to have vanished into thin air these past few days. He wasn¡¯t reachable by any means.


    Mitch even went to the Dawson family¡¯spany looking for him, only to be told he was on a business


    trip.


    In short, there was no news of him from any channels


    ¡°Did you find him?¡± A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart.


    Neil looked at my hopeful face and gave a cold smile ¡°Are you missing him, or do you need his help?¡±


    Both reasons were true, but in the current situation, my biggest concern was my dad. I admit I was


    being a bit selfish.


    I had no idea how Russel got hold of certain information. All I knew was that Ste and I felt helpless in


    reaching out to Russel, but he seeded.


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to help, just say so. There¡¯s no need to question me like that,¡± I replied coldly.


    Neil was always doing as he pleased. If he was just here to mock me, then there was no need.


    Hearing my words, he seemed even more peeved, but he held his tongue and didnt question me


    anymore. Instead, he just spilled some beans, Russel¡¯s no longer in Rosemont. Where exactly is still in


    the air, but what¡¯s certain is that his folks kicked him out of Rosemont.¡±


    Sure enough, my hunch was spot on, and the info Mitch dug up wasn¡¯t off Russel had indeed left


    Rosemont, but it wasnt for a business trip, but because his parents had given him the boot.

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236


    Chapter 236


    I was hoping Russel could help me out, the information he had was pretty crucial to me.


    But at that moment, I was all out of faith


    Maybe I was too overconfident. Sure, in my previous life, Russel would have gone nuts for Bonnie


    Tueley, just like Neil Whitmore, and fight against everyone. But how could I have been certain that he


    would go crazy for me in this life?


    Didn¡¯t Neil¡¯s mad love for Bonnie change?


    I kept quiet, at a loss for words. After my dad was framed, I could see my future with Russel.


    ¡°Why wait for Russel when I¡¯m here? Neil asked again, hope shining in his eyes as he waited for my


    response.


    What if I ept Neil¡¯s help? We can¡¯t keep out of each others hair then And what would my dad think?


    My mom had a heart attack because I asked Neil for help, and she was still unconscious. It¡¯s a huge


    burden for me.


    I was torn inside, and the air was heavy with tension


    ¡°Forget it, even if you need my help, you¡¯d still make me beg¡± disappointment showed on Neil¡¯s face.


    He stood up and said. ¡°If you ever want my help.e find me. Until then, I¡¯m hands-off


    He went to the kitchen for a bit and then left.


    Just then, Harold came down from upstairs. He must have heard my conversation with Neil, he looked


    at me seriously and said. ¡°Rena, you can¡¯t have anything to do with Neil Even though your dad¡¯s


    situation is serious, you can¡¯t go to him for help. If your dad knew, he¡¯d rather rot in jail than have you


    do


    this!¡±


    Harold and my dad are brothers. One¡¯s a businessman, the other a politician, yet their personalities are


    pretty simr


    Neither of them thinks highly of Nel


    ¡°Harold, did you find out any useful information? | know my dad wouldn¡¯t abuse his power, you know


    his character, I was worried sick. ¡°As for the rumors about him messing around, I¡¯ve sorted that


    I used some cash to find Genevas husband and got him to admit to the plot. So then, some of the


    public was on my dads side.


    Thinking about my dad, not know where he¡¯s locked up or if he was suffering, it was like a needle in my


    heart.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m trying to get some inside information from an old friend. He promised to get back to me in a few


    days after asking around Haroldforted me. ¡°Rena, you¡¯re the only daughter of your parents. You


    must make the right decisions Don¡¯t act on impulseTM


    I nodded, Neil¡¯s words echoing in my mind. To that day he was the most influential person I knew if I


    wanted to solve my dad¡¯s problem fast, he was the best bet


    But Harold¡¯s words reminded me that I cantpromise easily. Neil would have definitely had terms.


    That night, I barely slept. The next day I was so tired when i got to the office


    Not long after I arrived, my assistant told me that a woman named Chloe Reynolds wanted to see me


    Hearing Chloe¡¯s name. I perked up. She was a friend of Russel, and she¡¯s had a thing for him. She


    might knew where Russel was, she could help me get in


    touch with him.


    ¡°Send her up, I ordered immediately


    Five minutester, Chloe walked into my office Her eyes were red, she looked like she¡¯d been crying,


    and she gave me aplicated fook, ¡®Ms. Finch, we meet again.¡±


    I was nervous but kept a poker face. Please, sit down¡±


    I thought I found a glimmer of hope, but it turned out she wanted me to break up with Russel


    ¡°He¡¯s locked up at home by his parents, out of a job. If you dont break up with him, your family will face


    revenge from his parents. Ms. Finch, it sounds disgusting, but they¡¯re doing it for him. I hope you


    understand I don¡¯t want his conflict with his parents to escte, he might be kicked out and left with


    nothing This is my number. If you want to break up with him, contact me, and I¡¯ll tell him. As long as


    you break up with him, he¡¯ll back off¡±


    Chloe¡¯s words echoed in my ears. I sat in my office, my mind nk


    On the table was her business card.


    I spent the rest of the day in a daze. As soon as I left the office in my car after work, a Lincoln I


    recognized stopped me.


    The window polled down, and Bonnie showed her face, Trene, I have something to say. Don¡¯t reject me


    just yet, or you¡¯ll regret it¡±


    I wanted to crash my car into hers. I had too many headaches around that time. And Bonnie, the root of


    all my problems, dared to show up!


    But I needed to talk to her.


    I parked the car, and Bonnie got in. She looked me up and down, then sighed, ¡°Irene, you¡¯ve lost


    weight. Are you overworked?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap. I¡¯ll clear my dad¡¯s name. You should know the consequences of ndering and framing a


    public official¡± I had to keep my cool.


    Bonnie did all that because she couldn¡¯t ept defeat. She wanted to see me suffer, but I wouldn¡¯t let


    her


    I Won¡¯t show any weakness or fear in front of her, and I won¡¯t satisfy her malicious expectations


    Bonke sneered. She looked at her disabled left hand, then red at me, ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about my


    hand, Irene Finch. You¡¯re the biggest obstacle. my life!¡±


    172


    my child, Bonnie Sometimes


    path to rebirth¡±


    smiled


    int her


    sitting shotgun, and since she hadn¡¯t buck


    her body wan

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    Chapter 237


    Amid the roar of the car engine, I kept my foot on the gas


    It wasn¡¯t until I noticed something off about Bonnie that stopped


    Bonnie looked pale, she didn¡¯t have the time to ask me anything. Instead, she quickly took some pills


    from her bag, swallowing them without even a sip


    of water


    ¡°Beat it, don¡¯t bug me!¡± I shot her a cold look and told her to get out of the car.


    Bonnie had a heart condition. I had no idea whether she had had a transnt since Gloria took her on


    as a goddaughter. Even if she had, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle any shocks


    Bonnie didn¡¯t move, she just patted her chest, as if she were calming herself down.


    After a bit, she regained some color in her face and pulled out another thing from her bag, tossing it in


    front of me, ¡°I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush. Just sign this.¡±


    It was a document. I took a quick look and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Bonnie, do you really think you can


    buy my family¡¯spany like this?¡±


    Bonnie sounded like she was looking out for me, ¡°Irene, given your family¡¯s current state, why are you


    still holding on? Why not let go of this burden? If anything happens to yourpany, its going to affect


    your dad. He¡¯s already in a pickle; you can¡¯t let him suffer more, can you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you meddling in my family¡¯s business. Bonnie, do you really think it¡¯s worth turning


    yourself into what you are now for a man?¡± I shot back.


    At least the old Bannie would have never shown such a detestable side


    Bonnie was taken aback, then she put on a mocking smile and asked. ¡°Don¡¯t I look good now? I¡¯m


    doing better than before, and I even have the ability to get back at you¡±


    ¡°If you could have resisted the allure of material things back then, maybe you¡¯d still be with Oscar,


    preparing to get married like a normal couple. Maybe Neil would still love you and be willing to give you


    his all You¡¯re the one who changed, ming me won¡¯t do any good, get it?¡± I felt a little sad for Bonnie.


    Bonnie didn¡¯t take my words to heart. From her hate filled eyes, I could tell how much she despised


    me.


    She fixed her long hair and said, ¡®I have never regretted breaking up with that poor guy, Oscar Morse.


    You don¡¯t have to lecture me with your cheesy lines, you¡¯d better spend this time thinking about selling


    yourpany.¡±


    After saying that, she got out of the car, leaving the document in the car


    I rolled down the window, tore the document in half, and threw it out itnded near Bonnie¡¯s feet.


    She looked surprised when she saw the torn document on the ground, then she red at me angrily


    I didn¡¯t bother to look at her again. I just turned around and left, no matter how much she hated me


    But Bonnie¡¯s words that day reminded me that they would definitely take action against my family¡¯s


    company. So I needed to get the support of my uncles as soon as possible.


    Since one of my uncle, Lucas¡¯s house was quite far from Rosemont, I had to work overtime for a


    couple of days to take care of the important work- before I could have set off for Lucas house.


    Just as I was leaving the Sapphire River Community, I ran into Kitty. She had a shoulder bag on and


    was looking around at the gate. When she saw me, she immediately came over to stop me. Trene!*


    ¡°Why are you here? I stopped the car to ask her.


    ¡°I came to look for Neil, but I can¡¯t get in. Can you help me?¡± Kitty leaned against the car window, her


    eyes pleading


    I hadn¡¯t seen Neil for a couple of days; he probably didn¡¯t live there all the time.


    Without thinking too much, I got out of the car to help Kitty swipe her card and let her in.


    She was very touched, ¡°Thanks, Irene. Where are you off to?¡±


    I¡¯m going on a long trip. There¡¯s something I need to take care of.¡± I replied briefly and said goodbye to


    Kitty.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I thought it was a trivial matter, but soon Neil called me, sounding very upset, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    I answered, ¡°I¡¯m driving, what¡¯s up?¡±


    He sounded very annoyed, ¡°Who let you let that annoying woman in? Do you think I have it too easy


    and decided to give me a hard time?¡±


    His question caught me off guard. Kitty and Neil were at least friends. It was perfectly normal for her to


    look for Neil and for me to help her open the gate.


    ¡°She wanted to see you but couldn¡¯t get in, so I helped her Isn¡¯t she your friend?¡± I asked calmly, not at


    all flustered.


    It was not like I let a big bad guy into Neil¡¯s house, I had a clear conscience.


    Neil didn¡¯t see it that way, he seemed very unhappy with my casual help and wanted me to take


    responsibility for it.


    I thought it was boring and simply hung up. To avoid him pestering me, I blocked him.


    By nightfall, I had arrived at Lucas¡¯s house. Since the rtionship between my mom and my uncle,


    Lucas, had been strained for years, I didn¡¯t visit that


    often


    To my delight, he didn¡¯t shut me out.


    After chatting for a couple of hours, my delight was gone. I had no idea that the rtionship between


    my mom and Lucas had be so bad.


    apter


    It was dark outside, and I sat in the car, not able to snap out of it for a long time.


    Suddenly, the sound of a horn jolted me out of my low spirits. I nced at the rear-view mirror and was


    taken aback.


    Why was Neil¡¯s car there?


    Before I could figure out what was going on, I saw Nell getting out of his car and striding towards mine.


    I rolled down the window a third of the way and turned to look at Neil outside, ¡°What are you doing


    here? Are you stalking me?¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn this habit of always blocking people?¡± Neil bent down to look at me, his eyes dark


    as night.


    He came all that way just for that?


    I was in a bad mood and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Sorry, I was busy and couldn¡¯t be distracted. Didn¡¯t you


    say you wouldn¡¯t bother me again?¡±


    Neil¡¯s face darkened, and he said coldly. ¡°I did say that, but only if you stopped provoking me first.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°You brought Kitty to the Sapphire River Community, causing her to harass me at home. Isn¡¯t that you


    looking for trouble?¡± Neil was very displeased, ¡°Do you know? She¡¯s really annoying¡±


    I¡¯ve always thought that Neil liked the feeling of being bothered, otherwise, why would that girl always


    be around him?


    ¡°Neil, you used to say I was a pain in the ass. Doesn¡¯t that ring a bell?¡± I tried to reason with him


    patiently, ¡°You should give this girl a shot; her personality is a perfect counterbnce to yours.¡±


    Neil cut me off, more than a little irked, ¡°No way!¡±


    I was left speechless for a moment.


    He stared at me and asked, ¡°Now I think you and I could bnce each other out too; do you want to


    give it a try?¡±

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238


    Chapter 238


    I was speechless and just silently stared at Neil


    Neil walked to the car, opened the passenger door, quickly got in, and sat down. ¡°I was just joking. Take


    me to a nearby hotel¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you drive yourself?¡± I was somewhat reluctant.


    ¡°Out of gas. I was in a hurry to find you, I didn¡¯t have time to fill up.¡± Neil replied calmly.


    I had to admire hisposure. He not only figured out where I was going but also falled me from a


    distance, not missing a single beat.


    But, even without Neil, I needed to find a ce to rest


    Lucas liked peace and quiet, living in a vi in the suburbs. So I still had to drive into town to find a


    ce to sleep.


    I didn¡¯t say much and just drove off


    On the road, I discovered that Neil had actually fallen asleep in the passenger seat. He looked a bit


    vexed; even in sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed. Then a ringtone rang It wasing from Neil¡¯s


    pocket. He was deeply asleep with no reaction.


    I pretended I didn¡¯t hear it, but the phone rang again and again, like it wouldn¡¯t stop unless it was


    answered.


    Finally, the phone woke Neil up. He took out his phone, took a nce, answered the call, and put it


    aside. ¡°Who is this?¡±


    It seemed like an unknown number


    ¡°You finally answered my call!¡± Bonnie¡¯s voice came through, excited, even a tad choked up


    Upon hearing Bonnie¡¯s voice, Neil wanted to hang up.


    Bonnie seemed to have anticipated Neil¡¯s intention, quickly adding, ¡°Neil, the Finch family is on the


    brink of copse; you don¡¯t need to think about Irene anymore. Why let her drag you down?¡±


    Neil looked at me, his hand hovering over the ¡®end call button


    I kept a poker face, pretending I hadn¡¯t heard. After all, Bonnie had said that countless times in front of


    me


    ¡°What have you been up to behind my back?¡± Neil deliberately asked. I knew he was asking for me.


    ¡°You should know, it doesn¡¯t matter what I want to do, what matters most is my mom. She loathes Irene


    as much as I do.¡± Bonnie gave Neil the straight dope.


    I already knew Gloria was a major yer in that. Without her, Bonnie wouldn¡¯t have been able to


    aplish anything.


    But I never expected Gloria¡¯s values to be the same as Bonnie¡¯s, both harboring deep hatred for me


    Ned asked again, ¡°So what are you trying to say, that I should cut off all ties with Irene?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you? It¡¯s been so long since you two divorced. She might have been worthy of you in the


    past, but not anymore, and you know about her dad¡¯s issues. If you keep associating with her, you¡¯re


    bound to get into heaps of trouble¡± Bonnie spoke in a rush, seemingly desperate to convince Neil.


    I took a long look at Ned. How could he not understand those things?


    Suddenly, a white dog appeared out of nowhere I jumped, blurting out, ¡°Where did this doge


    from?!¡±


    Hearing my voice, Bonnie fell silent for a few seconds at the other end, then said angrily. ¡°Neil, are you


    with her again? Have you forgotten that she¡¯s Russel¡¯s girlfriend now?¡±


    I was helpless, I didn¡¯t mean to piss Bonnie off.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But she and Neil had nothing to do with each other anymore. She had no right to be angry.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me Neil responded coldly


    ¡°If I don¡¯t remind you, you¡¯ll keep making mistakes Even though you don¡¯t love me anymore, I truly love


    you. I would never harm your Bonnie exined passionately. Russel is already avoiding her, why are


    you still with her?¡±


    The mention of Russel made my mood even worse


    Neil knew that as soon as Bonnie heard my voice and knew I was nearby, she would definitely not


    provide any more useful information


    So he hung up the call.


    Bonnie stubbornly called back, only to be hung up on by Neil again and finally added to his cklist


    Seeing him do that, I couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You also like adding people to the cklist, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Nell had that habit, including me.


    During our five-year marriage, he often cklisted me. Either had to change my number to contact him


    or find a chance to meet him and try to get him to unblock me.


    Neilughed a bit, his tone slightly cheerful, ¡°If you¡¯re saying you learned this bad habit from me, then I


    can forgive you for cklisting me


    I did imitate him. I loved him for ten years and imitated him for ten years. I made a conscious effort to


    mimic his habits and hle way of speaking.


    I didn¡¯t say anything, I just quietly watched Neilugh beside me


    The night road was somewhat deste, and the atmosphere in the car fell into silence. Neil suddenly


    turned on the music, ying the songs I usually love the must y songs when I y the cello.


    Hearing the music, my mood rxed a bit.


    ¡°Why is it still these songs?¡± Neil asked with a frown, ¡°After all these years, yourste hasn¡¯t changed¡±


    I shot him a nce, casually saying ¡°If my faste changed quickly, how could I have wasted so many


    years on you?¡±


    Hearing that, Neil¡¯s face immediately changed. After contemting for a few seconds, he nodded,


    ¡°Makes sense, so you should keep at it¡±


    I scoffed, not responding to him. He started looking for a new topic to chat about, ¡°What did Lucas


    say?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say much.¡± I replied indifferently. Since Neil knew I was there to find Lucas, he naturally


    knew the predicament I was in


    Everything was because I was too incapable, wasted too much time on emotions, andcked the ability


    to support my family andpany


    ¡°Is he still holding a grudge against your parents?¡± Neil was aware of the history between my mother


    and Lucas. Because I was always honest with him and I told him everything before, even though he


    didn¡¯t care to listen.


    I kept silent, anxiety welling up in my heart again. I thought, ¡°What should I do if Lucas really abandons


    me?¡±


    Under the circumstances at that time, I could have still held on. But once Bonnie and Gloria start


    stirring up trouble, I, a neer to the business scene, wouldnt be able to fend them off.


    Among thepany¡¯s shareholders and executives, how many really trust and respect me?


    Did I really need to ask Neil for help? I knew he could help me, but he wouldnt have done it for free.


    ¡°Probably I didn¡¯t want to continue that topic: Lucas had some unresolved conflicts with my parents in


    the past.


    Neil didn¡¯t press on with his questions, he just shut his eyes again until the car pulled up in front of the


    hotel.


    I nned on grabbing a room at this hotel to crash for a bit, and Neil followed me in


    ¡°Sir, we have a romantic aroma couple¡¯s hot spring waterbed room avable tonight,plete with a


    candlelight dinner on the house. You might want to consider it for you and your girlfriend¡± The


    receptionist seemed to have gotten the wrong end of the stick about our rtionship and started


    peddling a couples package to Neil

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    Chapter 239


    I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at Neil.


    Neil nced at me, and our gazes were a bit odd.


    ¡°We¡¯re not together,¡± I was the first to exin.


    The receptionist looked surprised, then apologized. ¡°Im sorry, I thought you guys were a couple


    because your clothes look like they match, so¡­¡±


    I looked down at my outfit, then at Neil¡¯s. They were indeed ck and white, looking like a matching


    couple set.


    Neilughed it off, ¡°No worries, I also think our clothes match pretty well¡±


    The receptionist blushed at Neil¡¯s smile and nodded apologetically. ¡°Thank you for your understanding!¡±


    I kept quiet until Neil finished booking a room. Then I booked another one and went to rest.


    Neil¡¯s room was across from mine. As I was opening my door, he reminded me, ¡°Remember to pick me


    up when you go to Lucas¡¯ house tomorrow. My


    car is still there¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you call a cab yourself?¡± I asked, annoyed.


    1 can save money by riding with you,¡± he replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if


    he were an extremely frugal person.


    I mmed the door shut, not wanting to deal with him anymore.


    I didn¡¯t sleep well that night. I was restless and had nightmares. I woke up several times in a cold


    sweat.


    By the wee hours, I couldn¡¯t fall back asleep. I decided to leave early to avoid Neil and head to Lucas¡¯s


    house.


    However, to my surprise, Neil was already waiting for me at my door when I opened it.


    He had on only a ck sweater, holding his coat in his hand


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d wake up early. I just didn¡¯t expect it to be this early,¡± Neil said, a hint of disappointment in


    his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re avoiding me like the gue.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I just couldn¡¯t sleep, so I left early¡± I said helplessly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you also putting in a lot


    of effort just to hitch a ride?¡±


    Neil admitted without hesitation, ¡°Absolutely, we can go now.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if I just hadn¡¯t known Neil well enough before or if he d changed. But he was bing


    more and more shameless.


    I gave him the cold shoulder and headed straight for the elevator, with Neil following me like a shadow.


    What made it awkward was that the receptionist hadn¡¯t changed shifts yet. Seeing Neil and me


    together, the receptionist had a look that was hard to describe


    We had said we didn¡¯t know each other and that we weren¡¯t together, yet we checked in together and


    then, we were checking out together.


    It wasn¡¯t until we left the hotel that I felt the receptionist¡¯s gaze disappear.


    I asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡± As we neared Lucas¡¯ house, I noticed Neil¡¯s car was missing.


    Neil got out of the car, looked at where he parked yesterday, and acted surprised, ¡°I forgot I had


    someone refuel it and drive it awayst night. Can you give me a rideter?¡±


    I was utterly baffled and felt incredibly irritated by that guy.


    Neil reclined the passenger seat andfortablyid down, ¡°I haven¡¯t slept enough. You go see Lucas;


    I¡¯ll take a nap in the car and wart for you.¡±


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re being too much. I¡¯m really busy right now, and you¡¯re wasting my time Seeing Neil¡¯s


    nonchnt attitude pissed me off.


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from doing whatever, nor will I waste your time. Just pretend I don¡¯t exist.¡± Neil said


    calmly,fortablyying in the passenger seat, even putting on sunsses to block the sunlight.


    He looked like a star on vacation, with perfect looks and mannerisms.


    I wanted to kick him out of the car right away, but my phone rang. It was an emergency call from my


    assistant.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, some shareholders want to sell their shares!¡±


    That scared me into a cold sweat. Thepany was in a critical situation. If more people started to sell


    their shares, thepany might go bankrupt.


    ¡°Why are they selling?¡± I forced myself to stay calm


    ¡°They say thepany has absolutely no future and want to sell!¡¯ My assistant was just as anxious.


    I held my forehead, and my temples started to throb. I was extremely irritated, but I had to act like


    everything was fine, Tell them thepany won¡¯t go under. We¡¯ll talk about the rest when I get back.¡±


    After hanging up, my mood reached a new low. I didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with Nell over trivial


    matters, so I went to Lucas¡¯s house alone.


    Neil stayed in the car and didn¡¯t apany me.


    -The door opened after a while, and my aunt, Emily, was the one who opened it. Her face turned


    unpleasant when she saw me, ¡°Why are you here again?


    Didn¡¯t we tell you yesterday we didn¡¯t want to deal with your family¡¯s problems?¡¯


    ¡°Emily, can we talk again?¡± I tried to make myself look humble by asking Emily


    Emily was merciless, ¡°No, we won¡¯t. How did your mom treat us back then? When she sided with


    outsiders, didn¡¯t she think of this day?¡±


    I felt bitter. My father had dealt with Lucas¡¯pany strictly due to his principles. Although it was legally


    sound, it did ruin our rtionship.


    That incident had almost caused Lucas¡¯pany to go bankrupt. Later, he started over elsewhere and


    worked his way up to where he was,


    You could say Lucas¡¯s family harbored deep resentment for my father. They thought he was too rigid


    and didn¡¯t leave any room for familial love.


    ¡°Emily, my dad had no choice back then. Lucas¡¯ vitions were too severe. He felt guilty and uneasy


    about it. He¡¯s wanted to apologize to you guys those years, but you¡¯ve been avoiding him.¡± I clenched


    my fists, pleading in a low voice.


    But Emily wasn¡¯t convinced. Her attitude was very cold, even a bit hostile. Your mom isn¡¯t part of our


    family anymore after she married. She, you, and your dad are a family. Don¡¯te to us for help. I¡¯m


    annoyed just seeing you!¡±


    Then she pushed me and mmed the door shut.


    I almost fell but managed to steady myself. That¡¯s when I noticed Neil standing behind me.


    He must have seen how Emily treated me. I had never been so humiliated in my life.


    Neil¡¯s gaze was deep, like a bottomlesske. He stared at me, his brow furrowing in his usual manner,


    ¡°Are you really okay with being bullied like this and not asking me for help?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I was so bummed out that I kind of lost my temper. I pushed Neil away. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m


    asking for your help: you can save your breath!¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste Wace and the gang had all given me a heads-up. It was fine to ask Neil for help, but if I


    epted his help, who knew how others might take it?

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    Chapter 240


    My dad sure as hell wouldn¡¯t want me to ask Neil for help again. He was stubborn as a mule, and I was


    scored that he¡¯d give me griefter.


    I¡¯m not sure if my bull-headed persistence was right or wrong, but I still wanted to do what my parents


    wanted.


    I try to avoid anything they wouldn¡¯t want to happen.


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re as stubborn as a mule, but this time, I¡¯m going to make youe to me and lessen your


    stubbornness a bit!¡± Neil¡¯s face was as dark as a thundercloud, and his words were ice-cold.


    I shook my head, ¡°No bloody way, Neil. Even if my house is in ruins and I have to take odd jobs, I won¡¯t


    bow down to you. The idea of me returning to your side to be your punching bag is a no-go¡±


    Neil couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°When did I ever make you a punching bag? Can¡¯t I just want to make it


    up to you?¡±


    1 don¡¯t want it.¡± I said resolutely


    Neil was silent. He stared at me for a few seconds, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ve said my piece. You don¡¯t have toe


    back to me, but I won¡¯t let you be with any other man. I keep my word¡±


    He turned and left after that, and I watched his angry figure disappear, feeling more and more down


    His words were full of threats. Was that how he treated Bonnie before?


    I never thought that method would be used on me, but I¡¯m not Bonnie. I didn¡¯t want to repeat the same


    mistakes.


    After leaving Lucas¡¯ house, I didn¡¯t have time to convince them because thepany was in a tight


    spot, so I had to rush back to Rosemont.


    I was busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest, cating employees, overseeing


    production and sales, dealing with investors who wanted to pull their funding, and investigating the


    finance department.


    There was still no progress with my dad¡¯s situation. Harold was hindered, Russel disappeared, and I


    lost all contact with him.


    Then Chloe came to thepany to see me again.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, how are you holding up?¡± Chloe asked as soon as she saw me. She looked anxious. ¡°It¡¯s


    been so long; cant you let go?¡±


    ¡°I promised him I wouldn¡¯t give up.¡± I looked at Chloe calmly. I was at rock bottom right now, but I found


    a sense of eptance


    Unless Russel personally told me to give up, I didn¡¯t want to break my promise to him.


    We didn¡¯t have deep feelings for each other, but he had given me warmth andpanionship when I


    was lonely and sad. Besides, he had had a fallout with his family because of me. I couldn¡¯t just break


    up with him.


    Chloe was about to burst into tears, ¡°Please, can you? I know you don¡¯t actually love him; you just like


    the feeling of being loved. But this will hurt Russel. Can¡¯t you think about him?


    Ms. Finch, I don¡¯t want to bring up your painful past, but as far as I know, you¡¯ve been married and had


    a miscarriage, while Russel has never had a girlfriend. Do you think that¡¯s fair?¡±


    Chloe looked me in the eyes as she spoke, not avoiding anything Even if it might have angered me and


    broken my heart, she still had to say it


    I clenched my fists, my heart aching like it was being squeezed.


    That was not a w in my life, but it was definitely my most painful memory


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be your enemy. I like Russel, but I¡¯m willing to bless you guys. If the Dawson


    family wasn¡¯t so against it, I wouldn¡¯t have to say this to you. Chloe said apologetically.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me this. I¡¯m well aware. When Russel and I were together, we both had it figured


    out I tried to suppress my emotions and stay


    calm.


    Chloe gave a bitter smile, ¡°I know, but can you think more about him?¡±


    I could have considered Russel and even broken up with him, but I wanted to tell him face-to-face, not


    break up when I couldn¡¯t even see him.


    ¡®Please, can you? Suddenly, Chloe did something that surprised me.


    She suddenly knelt before me, tears falling like broken pearls.


    Her action astounded me. It took me a few seconds to rush over and help her up.


    Was her affection for Russel that deep? My heart was bitter.


    ¡°Alright, I can break up with Russel, but I have a condition.¡± I grabbed Chloe¡¯s arm, making a tough


    decision in my heart. A selfish decision!


    ¡°What condition? Tell me Chloe¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she asked anxiously


    Half an hourter, Chloe left. She agreed to pass my message to Russel¡¯s parents.


    My condition was that they had to give me the clues Russel had about my dad¡¯s arrest.


    I believed Russel¡¯s parents would agree. They took Russel¡¯s marriage very seriously and would


    definitely be willing to exchange those clues for my breakup with Russel


    After waiting for two days, Chloe brought me news. As expected, Russel¡¯s parents agreed.


    ¡°Just make this call, exin everything to him, then make a Twitter deration that you¡¯ve broken up


    with him, and this document can be handed over to you Chloe handed her phone to me.


    I looked at the document on the table, my heart pounding. Once I did that, I would have been using


    Russel. I would have been the one who wronged him.


    But the situation at that time was that my dad¡¯s whereabouts were unknown, and Russel couldn¡¯t be


    with me at all. I would just be wasting his time, maybe leaving him would be better for him.


    Under my self-constion, I dialed the number.


    Surprisingly, the call was hung up.


    Chloe noticed and signaled for me to give her the phone. She then sent a message that said, ¡°It was


    Irene who called you. Pick up.¡±


    She didn¡¯t hide from me, and she let me see the message.


    The call came quickly. I hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡®Russel, it¡¯s me, Irene.¡±


    I didn¡¯t quite remember what Russel had said to me because it was so rushed All I remembered was


    him continuously begging me to stay, telling me he would find a way, and asking me to give him a little


    more time.


    I still refused him firmly, ¡°Russel, I can¡¯t wait for you anymore. I¡¯m sorry, I let you down.¡±


    After hanging up, I realized my eyes were wet. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because I lost Russel or because I


    felt guilty and sad.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you can make your Twitter statement now.¡± Chloe kindly handed me a plece of paper and


    spoke gently.


    I didn¡¯t take it, but rather, I swiftly posted a breakup announcement with Russel from my ount.


    Given my situation at that time, making such a statement would definitely stir up a lot of chatter, but I


    couldn¡¯t care less then.


    After I snagged the crucial documents, Chloe tossed me a fewforting words, and then she was out


    of there.

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    Chapter 241


    There was, all alone in the office. I took a deep breath, opened the document on my desk, and started


    looking into it seriously


    It was a photocopy When I finished reading it, I was floored I couldn¡¯t believe what was in it.


    Then I rushed home with the document, where Harold happened to be. After I handed him the


    document and we discussed it for a while, he called his friend.


    The guy who had promised to help us understand the situation confirmed the authenticity of the


    document after he learned what was in it.


    ¡°How could this be? I couldn¡¯t believe it. My dad had always been so straight arrow, how could he have


    abused his power?


    Harold sighed deeply. ¡°He may have been trying to get back at StarGlow Enterprises, Rena. Your father


    may be in trouble. If he faces legal sanctions, you need to be prepared¡±


    I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe, like there was a rock on my chest


    My dad had approved the documents a while ago. They had his signature and official seal on them, but


    they were all about StarGlow Enterprises


    That showed that he abused his power to deal with StarGlow Enterprises.


    ¡°He¡¯s so impulsive. He was so close to retirement. How could he mess things up like this?¡± Harold


    looked troubled.


    I sat there, crying silently, not knowing what to do next.


    What was done was done. I couldn¡¯t change it. My dad¡¯s character would have made him admit his


    mistake voluntarily, he wouldn¡¯t make excuses. So then I had to face the possibility that my dad might


    go to jail, and my mom was already in a vegetative state, so I had to take on thepany and the


    family alone.


    I don¡¯t have time to grieve. I wiped away my tears and got straight back to work


    Before long, the news of my breakup with Russel and my father being sentenced both hit the trending


    topics. People were guessing that Russel broke up with me because he didn¡¯t want to get dragged


    down, and I announced the breakup first because of my pride


    ¡°Mr. Russel, Ms. Finch is in a meeting. She¡¯s not here!¡±


    While I was working, I heard my assistant¡¯s voice from outside. She raised her voice on purpose so that


    I could hear her.


    I was startled and was about to get up when the door was pushed open. Russel rushed in, drenched


    from head to toe. The weather¡¯s pretty cold and it was raining outside. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of catching a


    cold?


    My assistant looked at me helplessly ¡°Ms. Finch, Mr. Russel showed up out of the blue. I couldn¡¯t stop


    him¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, you can leave.¡± I waved her off.


    After my assistant left, Russel and I stared at each other for a long time. His eyes were full of anger,


    resentment, and pain.


    I was the first one to break the silence. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Why did you break up with me?¡¯ Russel¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as soon as he said that He moved


    closer to me and stared at me.


    ¡°Russel, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I clenched my fists, suppressing the guilt in my heart, trying to make myself look


    unemotional.


    Only by resolutely distancing myself from him could I have made him give up on our rtionship


    completely.


    Russel shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It always feels weird to hear an apology from you Rena, I


    once told you that I don¡¯t mind being used by you. Let¡¯s just say you used me to get those documents.


    Now that you have them, can we just ignore everyone else and stay together?¡±


    His pleading eyes and deep affection made my heart ache a little, but our future would be full of


    difficulties. Our patience would run out someday.


    ¡°Russel, why havent you been with me these days?¡± I asked quietly.


    1¡­¡± Russel was at a loss for words. I saw the helplessness in his eyes.


    I didn¡¯t need an exnation. I¡¯d already heard from Chloe


    To convince me to break up with Russel, Chloe told me some things about the Dawson family, like how


    Lauretta Dawson threatened to kill herself to make Russel leave Rosemont, and how Samuel Dawson


    used his power to put him under house arrest.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that the Dawson family hated me so much. It was even worse than when they


    opposed Bonnie in my previous life.


    In my previous life, Russel told me that his family opposed him pursuing Bonnie, but he persisted, and


    his parents couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    Chloe also told me that the main reasons why Russel¡¯s parents opposed our rtionship were not only


    because I was divorced but also because I¡¯d had a miscarriage


    If Russel¡¯s parents had ever found out that I might not have been able to get pregnant again, they


    would have probably hated me to the bone. The opposition from your family is an obstacle we cant


    ovee. Let¡¯s stop wasting time.¡± I said firmly, also considering Russel¡¯s feelings.


    Upon hearing my words, Russel became anxious. ¡°I don¡¯t want to break up. As long as you agree, I can


    cut off ties with my family. If they can¡¯t ept the person I love and cant respect my choices, I won¡¯t


    hesitate to leavel¡±


    I was speechless. With his persistence, I was a bit shaken.


    But I soon came to my senses. I shook my head and rejected him. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. They will


    always be your parents. Blood is thicker than water. Can you really bear to see your mother seek death


    and do nothing about it?¡±


    Russel was stunned for a moment, then he frowned. ¡°How did you know? Did Chloe tell you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who told me. It¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is that there¡¯s no possibility for us


    anymore. My situation right now will drag you


    down, and your family will target me, making me even more upset. Let¡¯s break up¡± I said with a heavy


    heart.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Maybe I was never going to date or get married again in this life. It seemed being single wasn¡¯t so bad.


    Russel grabbed my hand and held me tightly. His voice was shaking 1 don¡¯t want to break up. I can do


    anything for you, okay?¡±


    My heart ached more and more, but I had to put on a cold front. My voice was cold ¡°Even if you cut ties


    with your parents, what can you do for me? Russel, you should understand the cruelty of reality¡±


    That talk seemed to loosen Russel¡¯s grip on me a bit, and after a while, he let go of mepletely, his


    eyes filled with disbelief, ¡°So our rtionship only makes sense when you need my help?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, even if I don¡¯t care whether you can help me or not, what if your parents take action against


    me?¡± I looked up at Russel, my eyes cold.


    Russel¡¯s expression was incrediblyplex, his gaze at me was both unfamiliar and helpless


    Suddenly, he asked, ¡°If I can find a way for them to ept us, would you be willing to keep going with


    me?¡±


    ¡°What way?¡± I asked straightforwardly What tricks could Russel have possibly had up his sleeve to get


    his parents to ept a divorcee like me?

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    Chapter 242


    ¡°If they don¡¯t want to lose me, they need to ept you. Russel replied assertively


    I was dumbstruck by his words. Was he threatening his parents in the same way as her mom?


    Russel was definitely not that kind of person. He would only resort to such a strategy if he felt he had


    no other choice. This made me realize how deeply he loved me.


    I had a man in my life who loved me with all his heart. He was willing to go to great lengths just to see


    me happy. However, despite his unwavering affection, I couldn¡¯t help but feel an overwhelming sadness


    that made me want to cry.


    Because I didn¡¯t deserve his kindness, I was not worth his sacrifice.


    *Russel, you know, I never truly loved you. I was just¡­ because I couldn¡¯t find anyone else¡± I spoke


    bluntly.


    ¡°I¡¯m still in love with Neil. I¡¯m sorry¡±


    After these words, Russel¡¯s face turned very ugly. His eyes, once filled with affection, were now full of


    resentment.


    However, he quickly regained hisposure, ¡°I know. I¡¯ve always known that you haven¡¯t let go of


    him.¡±


    ¡°So you can go now. As long as your parents don¡¯t bother me in the future, that would be the biggest


    help to me¡± I said calmly while looking at Russel. Eventually, Russel left under the weight of my cold


    words. Looking at his wet figure, I wanted to say, ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± but I didn¡¯t.


    Not long after Russel left, my assistant came in again and said, ¡®Ms. Finch, there¡¯s a problem. Mr.


    Whitmore from Whitmore Co. is here; he wants to see you!¡±


    My head started to ache. Why was he here? Was everything he said before a lie?


    I refused adamantly. ¡°Stop him at the reception, tell him I¡¯m in a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The assistant left in a hurry.


    Five minutester, the assistant appeared again, ¡°Ms. Finch, Mr. Whitmore said he¡¯s here to discuss a


    coboration. Should we still turn him away?¡± A coboration?


    At this critical period, mypany was in trouble. Many of our partners wanted to sever ties with us


    immediately, and even the suppliers | talked to recently almost backed out.


    Was Neil trying to help me in this crucial moment, or was he just here to toy with me?


    Although I wanted to refuse, thepany¡¯s current situation forced me not to do so. If we could


    coborate with Whitmore Co., it would be like injecting a heart stimnt into thepany, which could


    stabilize the employees¡¯ emotions.


    ¡°Let him up.¡± In the end, I chose topromise.


    After a while, Neil appeared in my office, still looking elegant and high-ss in his ck suit. His every


    move exuded a powerful aura. When he saw me, he greeted me formally, ¡°Ms. Finch.¡±


    ¡®Good afternoon, Mr. Whitmore. I walked over, with the attitude and mindset of a business client, and


    extended my hand to shake Neil¡¯s. Neil looked at my extended hand, then raised an eyebrow slightly,


    ¡®Have you be more flexible now?¡±


    T


    His tone didn¡¯t sound like he was here to discuss a coboration. Rather, it sounded more like he was


    here to mock me.


    Neil and I sat at the table, I silently brewed coffee for him. The aroma of the coffee filled the air. I


    handed him a cup, smiled, and said, ¡°Try it.¡±


    Neil picked up the cup, blew gently on it, and then took a sip, his face filled with satisfaction, ¡°This


    coffee is really good.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°What brings you here today?¡± I asked him directly, wanting to get to the point as soon as


    possible.


    Neil leisurely sipped his coffee and replied slowly. ¡°Im somewhat interested in your industry butck


    experience, so I¡¯m thinking of finding someone to coborate with What do you think?¡±


    I was a bit surprised, this reason was too strange. I didn¡¯t expect it at all.


    Maybe because I was in a difficult situation, Neil wanted to lend me a hand.


    But I had some doubts. He had previously said he was going to suppress my stubbornness. Was there


    any other motive he had?


    As I was thinking. Neil smiled at me, ¡°What, are you afraid I¡¯m trying to trick you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just not sure whether you really want to help me or you have other motives.¡± I told him directly.


    Upon hearing this, Neilughed heartily. You broke up with Russel. Why would I trick you? I¡¯m in a


    great mood right now. I¡¯ll help you with anything.¡±


    The afternoon sun shone on him through the ss, his cheeks seemed to be lit up by golden light,


    making him look very handsome, like a man in a painting.


    His eyes were bright, and there was no sense of threat when he looked at me. I could tell he was really


    in a good mood.


    So he was in such a good mood because I broke up with Russel, and he wanted to help me.


    ¡°It, we coborate, can we not involve personal matters?¡¯ I asked him.


    ¡°What do you mean by personal matters?¡¯ Neil asked on purpose.


    ¡°Things from the past.¡± I replied simply.


    Neil contemted for a moment and then said, ¡°I can promise not to bother you much, but after all, we


    were once married, and you know my feelings for you. It might be difficult topletely avoid personal


    emotions.¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He was very frank, putting the problem on the table directly.


    I was silent for a while, then retorted, ¡°Then forget it. Let¡¯s keep things as they are. I¡¯ve told you before I


    don¡¯t need your help, not even at work.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face immediately turned serious. At this moment, there was a gentle knock on the office door. It


    was my assistant, ¡°Ms. Finch, someone sent you a gift.¡±


    ¡°Bring it in ¡°I instructed.


    The assistant quickly brought a gift box wrapped in blue paper with a bow. It looked very exquisite, but


    there was no signature.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what was inside. I didn¡¯t want to open it at first, but in order to ease the tension with Neil, I


    shifted my attention and started unwrapping the gift box.


    Neil¡¯s eyes were fixed on the gift box as well.


    When I opened the gift box, I screamed in fright and stepped back in panic. A sense of fear and


    difort made my heartbeat elerate.


    Inside the gift box was a dead ck snake. Next to it was a photo, a family portrait of me and my


    parents. The photo was processed in ck and white, with bloody marks on our faces; it looked like


    characters from a horror movie.


    Upon seeing what was in the gift box, Neil¡¯s face immediately changed. He quickly sealed the gift box


    back up, thenforted me, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared!¡±


    He angrily asked my assistant at the door, ¡°Who sent this?!¡±


    The assistant replied, ¡°A woman in a green coat. She was wearing sunsses and a mask. She left as


    soon as she put down the gift box¡­


    Our reaction scared the assistant too


    I cooled my jets, rage bubbling inside me, grabbed my car keys, and stormed out of the office, I was


    gonna hunt down that woman. I wanted to see who could curse my family like that!


    Seeing me like this, Neil was quick to tail me. As I hopped in the car, he slid into the passenger seat. I


    didn¡¯t utter a word; I just drove with a stone-cold Tace.


    I had no clue which way the woman went. I could only follow my gut and picked a direction to start the


    chase.

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    Chapter 243


    What really ticked me off was that I couldn¡¯t find that woman in the green coat anywhere. She might


    have taken another route, or she could have driven off, which was why I didn¡¯t see her


    I ended up parking my car at the side of the road, feeling a massive headacheing on


    Neil reminded me, ¡°When your parents are in trouble, those who had beef with your family wille


    and kick you while you¡¯re down Brace yourself.¡±


    I knew that I used to live a carefree life under my parents¡¯ wings, enjoying the envy of others, but things


    were different now I had to face the haters that kept popping up.


    This kind of life was draining me out


    I managed a weak 1 get it¡± before heading back to the office.


    I decided to cut all ties with the Whitmores. Neil came in high spirits but left with a long face.


    I had thepany¡¯s security department pull up the surveince footage to identify the gift-bearer. I


    had this gut feeling that Bonnie was behind it.


    After going through the footage, I finally spotted the woman who delivered the gift. Even with


    sunsses and a mask on, I recognized her from her figure and the way she walked.


    I was in a slump. Without my parents¡¯ support, I felt under-equipped to handle this. Life had be a


    struggle, and Bonnie still wanted to keep kicking me when I was down, damn her.


    Her heart was so wicked, it was terrifying


    Since she wouldn¡¯t let up, I wouldn¡¯t disappoint her. I posted the surveince footage on social media,


    laying out the whole story and calling Bonnie out.. Before long, Bonnie demanded a face-to-face


    meeting.


    I turned her down. ¡°We don¡¯t need to meet, just apologize publicly


    ¡°No way, I¡¯ll sue you for defamation. You¡¯re recklessly using me, and it¡¯s damaging my reputation,


    even my business!¡± Bonnie retorted in a fit of rage.


    I scoffed, ¡®Fine, go ahead and sue me. Let¡¯s see who really gets exposed at the end.¡±


    Bonnie suddenly changed the subject as she said, ¡°Irene, I was just impulsive. Neil confessed that he


    loves you, and I can¡¯t ept it. What do you say we make a deal?¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I stayed silent, waiting for Bonnie to continue.


    She went on and said, ¡°You and Russel are no longer together, right? I can introduce you to someone


    better. If you can get married soon, I can get my mother to help your family, maybe get your dad a


    shorter prison term.¡±


    Bonnie was trying to ckmail me with my father¡¯s situation.


    How low could she get?


    However, I was ready to face whatever came my way. I didn¡¯t need Bonnie¡¯s ¡°help¡±


    My dad was looking at a five-year sentence, my mom might never wake up, but I was willing to wait.


    I responded coldly, ¡°No need. You can focus on winning Neil back and figuring out how to write your


    apology.¡±


    Neil was Bonnie¡¯s biggest obsession. Because of him, she was changed drastically and even lost her


    parents in an ident. Despite all that, she still wanted to chase after Neil.


    Didn¡¯t Bonnie get that Neil hated being chased? I learned that the hard way.


    Now, Neil was not as cold towards me as he used to be. He said he couldn¡¯t let me go and wanted me


    back as a way to make up for everything. However, I would never forget the look of disgust in his eyes


    and the hurtful words he once said, ¡°Are you a dog? Do you love following people around?¡± ¡°Trene,


    you¡¯re pushing me! I won¡¯t let you livefortably if I can¡¯t have Neil. That gift was just the beginning.


    You¡¯ll regret it.¡± Bonnie was fuming when she hung up.


    She had lost it, acting like a clown and throwing a tantrum because she didn¡¯t get the attention she


    wanted.


    As for me, I was cool as a cucumber. I was just sending out the recording of our conversation as


    evidence


    I was quite pleased with the oue.


    StarGlow Enterprises¡¯ reputation took a hit, and Gloria even came forward to apologize on Bonnie¡¯s


    behalf.


    1 apologize for my daughter¡¯s irrational behavior due to her love setback. Part of it was due to your


    father targeting our StarGlow Enterprises. But the bulk of the me is on my daughter, I apologize on


    her behalf to Ms. Finch and hope for her forgiveness.¡±


    In the video, Gloria looked genuinely remorseful, sending out an apology to the media.


    Kate Aaron was there too, defending Bonnie, ¡°I know Bonnie well, she loved Neil so much, but he


    yed her. That¡¯s why she lost it.¡±


    Bonnie didn¡¯t show up throughout the whole thing, showing just how much Gloria cared for her


    goddaughter.


    Even the media started specting who Gloria¡¯s real daughter was, Kate or Bonnie. Why did Gloria


    favor Bonnie over her biological daughter, Kate?


    ¡°Gross! I feel like puking just looking at her!¡± Ste retched after watching the video.


    Alicia Rider shook her head and said, ¡°Gloria¡¯s got a good temper. Bonnie messed up, and she came


    forward to apologize. That¡¯ll calm things down a bit.¡± I just drank quietly, the hustle and bustle of the bar


    allowing me to escape from the weary world for a moment.


    Right now, I just wanted to drink and rx for a bit.


    While Ste and the others were discussing Bonnie and Gloria, advising me on how to counterattack, I


    thought I saw Neil in the crowd.


    I blinked, and the figure turned into Russel


    I rubbed my eyes and headed to the restroom to clear my head.


    I threw up violently, tears streaming down my face, but none of it relieved the pain in my heart.


    When I left the restroom, I bumped into someone. I mumbled an apology and tried to leave but got


    stopped.


    I looked up to see Neil frowning down at me.


    He looked at my drunken state. His tone was reproachful, ¡°What are you trying to achieve by getting


    this wasted? You wouldn¡¯t even know if someone kidnapped you!¡±


    ¡°Let me be,¡± I muttered numbly.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you home: Neil asserted, slinging an arm around my shoulder, ready to lead me away


    My suppressed emotions, fueled by alcohol and Neil¡¯s firm stance, burst forth. Tears streamed down


    my face as Ished out at him, ¡°What ¡®home¡±? Do I even have a ¡®home anymore?¡±


    My family was broken, and although I managed to save myself after a rebirth, my parents suffered even


    worse.


    And all of this because I had the audacity to fall in love with someone I shouldn¡¯t have at seventeen.


    How ridiculous.

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244


    Chapter 244


    The music was bouncing off the walls in the bar, and nobody could hear me holler over the racket.


    Even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t understand a word I was saying, but Neil could.


    His eyes were full of concern and helplessness. He gently brushed my cheek with his fingertips, wiping


    away my tears, and muttered a soft ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Today would¡¯ve been my dad¡¯s birthday But where¡¯s home


    for me? That cold, empty house? Nah¡­¡± I mumbled to myself.


    ¡°Neil, I was once your wife, often alone in that deste vi. I didn¡¯t feel like it was my home. After our


    divorce, I was still heartbroken, even lost my parents¡¯ home. I was alone again. Ste was right. You


    really hurt me¡±


    Neil¡¯s fingers paused on my face. He held my chin, forcing me to look up at him. He was visibly upset,


    ¡°I just wanted you to beg me I wanted you to need me like you used to, even when you lost a pen.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t beg you, Neil. Even though I was drunk, I was clear-headed, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can trick me into


    going back. I¡¯vee to terms with everything that¡¯s happened.¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyes darkened, his face a mask of anger, ¡°Stop making me angry¡±


    ¡°My parents have already suffered enough What else can you threaten me with?¡± Iughed fearlessly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to inherit thepany your mother spent a lifetime building?¡± Neil¡¯s lips curled into a


    cruel smile, ¡°When I¡¯m happy, I can help you. When I¡¯m not, i can make things worse for you. Got it?


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My smile froze. Indeed, I couldn¡¯t let my mother¡¯s hard work go to waste. Wasn¡¯t that why I had been


    working so hardtely? To cling onto thatst shred of hope?


    Neil knew me too well. He knew exactly how to hit where it hurts.


    ¡°Come home with me now, or face the consequences ¡°Neil whispered in my ear, his tone threatening


    Suddenly, Russel appeared not far away, watching Neil and me with a cold gaze.


    Seeing him, guilt surged within me.


    Chloe appeared next to Russel She whispered something to him. When she spotted me, she froze.


    Russel ignored her and walked straight towards us.


    ¡°Russel Chloe chased after him in panic.


    Seeing Russel approaching. Neil shielded me behind him, clearly drawing a line between Russel and


    me.


    Russel paid Neil no mind. He extended his hand towards me, his gaze softened, ¡°Come with me¡±


    His eyes were full of hope and kindness. He was waiting for me to let go of Neil and leave with him.


    Chloe watched me, her face a mix of emotions.


    I wanted to leave with Russel His character reassured me that he could heal all the wounds I had


    suffered. I believed that I could fall in love with him.


    But I didn¡¯t know if I could overlook people¡¯s opinions. The prerequisite for being with him was the well-


    being of my parents.


    Everything in my home now relied on me. If I chose to be with Russel, it would break the agreement


    with his parents. His family would definitely seek.


    revenge on me.


    Neil would also put pressure on me and made me regret my choice.


    Everything told me not to have contact with Russel, or we would both be in a situation beyond


    redemption.


    Even though I knew that he might be the only man in this world who could make me believe in love


    again, we couldn¡¯t be together anymore.


    ¡°Neil, didn¡¯t you want to take me home? I don¡¯t want to go back. Let¡¯s just go to your ce My words


    wereced with the bitter taste of alcohol.


    Hearing my words, shock shed through Russel¡¯s eyes, quickly reced by anger, zing hot!


    The next second, Russel¡¯s fistnded on Neil¡¯s face. Neil staggered, regained his footing, and


    retaliated with a punch of his own.


    Their punches were harsh, fists flying. It didn¡¯t take long for them to attract attention, Ste and the


    others were too far from me to notice themotion.


    Chloe tried to break up the fight, but how could a girl stop two angry men in a brawl? Eventually, she


    had no choice but to get the bar staff to intervene.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Seeing Neil gaining the upper hand, I finally rushed over and grabbed his arm.


    Russels eye was bleeding, and his body was bruised. Heid on the ground, looking at me. I didn¡¯t


    dare to meet his gaze.


    Maybe agreeing to date him from the start was hurting him.


    However, I couldn¡¯t let him get hurt for life, let him really break off from his family, nor take my mom¡¯s


    lifetime efforts as a joke.


    +


    Neil turned around, his bloodshot eyes ring at me, seeming to scrutinize what I was thinking. I


    avoided his gaze and walked away.


    He caught up with me quickly and lifted me up, not caring about Russel behind him.


    I was already slightly drunk, and being lifted up made me even more powerless to resist


    After leaving the bar, Neil roughly pulled me into his car. He had just won the fight but was still


    enveloped in a cold, angry aura.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about him and just said, ¡°Take me to Sunflower Terrace¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to return to the Sapphire River Community. That was where I lived with my parents. The


    house was empty, and I wasn¡¯t used to i


    After saying this, I closed my eyes to rest. I usually slept through the night when I got drunk, but not


    tonight. I kept waking up in a daze.


    ¡°Why are we at Sterling Estates? | wanted to go to Sunflower Terrace!¡± I sobered up instantly when I


    saw the familiar vi.


    Neil was wiping the blood off his face with a wet wipe. His white shirt cor was stained with blood,


    looking both bloody and dangerous.


    Upon hearing my words, he tossed the wet wipe away, licked his wounded lips, and retorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you say you didn¡¯t want to go home and wanted to


    ¡°You know damn well I said those things on purpose, just so Russel would back off,¡± I replied stiffly.


    ¡°So you wanted him to back off, and you used me as a pawn?¡± Neil pointed at his face, ¡°So you think I


    deserved those punches for nothing?¡±


    His face wasn¡¯t as messed up as Russel¡¯s, but it was still battered, especially the left corner of his


    mouth, where there was a clear trace of blood.


    I apologized in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I used you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll pay me back With that, Neil opened the car door and got out, then walked around to


    the passenger side, opened the door, and lifted me


    out


    I didn¡¯t understand what he was doing and began to struggle anxiously, ¡°Please put me down!¡±


    ¡°Shout a bit louder Call all those waiters you summoned toe and watch, Neilpletely


    disregarded my struggle.

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    Chapter 245


    I was instantly left speechless, not wanting us to be seen by others.


    But the thought of being dragged in like this was even less appealing Taking advantage of the liquid


    courage, I suddenly raised my hand and pped


    Neil


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    The sound of the p was piercing Neil immediately stopped in his tracks. He looked down at me in his


    arms, his whole body shaking with anger. ¡°Got brave after a few drinks, huh? Don¡¯t regret itter.¡±


    Before I could react. Neil already strode into the vi.


    Everything inside the vi remained the same as it was two years ago, even the smell in the air. As I


    looked at the familiar decorations, my feelings were mixed


    Being tall and having long legs, Neil had already carried me to the master bedroom on the second floor


    while I was still in a daze.


    Returning to this bedroom that I had personally decorated after more than two years, I couldn¡¯t help but


    feel a pang of sadness


    Back then, I was looking forward to my married life with Neil with a joyful heart, even shyly imagining


    our intimate moments in bed, and had a double bed specially made.


    However, I ended up sleeping alone for several years, turning the double bed into arge single bed.


    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± I was ced on the bed, my strength drained by the alcohol. I had no


    choice but to ask while lying down.


    Neil started to undress, removing his coat, then his sweater and shirt in front of me, without any


    hesitation.


    Finally, he tossed his dirty clothes into aundry basket, his muscr upper body bare. He then asked


    me vaguely, ¡°What do you think? What can a man and a woman do when they¡¯re in bed together?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve slept together before, haven¡¯t we? You don¡¯t need to force me now, do you?¡± I asked calmly.


    ¡°So, what are you going topensate me for my hurt?¡± Neil stood by the bed, looking down at me. He


    scanned me from head to toe with his deep eyes. His gaze was filled with primal desire, making my


    heart tremble. I didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Neil anymore.


    Was I supposed to repay him with my body for using him to provoke Russel just now?


    I suddenly regretted it. Using anyone else would be fine, but using Neil was too much. The cost was


    too high.


    ¡°Neil. I. Before I could say anything, I heard a knock on the door


    A maid¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Mr. Whitmore. Ms. Tueley has barged into the vi. She¡¯s causing a


    scere in the living room. What should we do?¡±


    Bonnie? Did she break in? I looked at Neil in surprise. Neil¡¯s face had already darkened.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯ll be night down.¡±


    After that, he went to the wardrobe to change into a set of casual clothes. He nced at me, didn¡¯t ask


    for my opinion, and went down by himself.


    I didn¡¯t want to join the drama, but I heard Bonnie¡¯s voice from outside the door. She sounded very


    agitated, ¡®Neil, did you bring Irene back home? Why?


    What does she have that I don¡¯t?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t she in the living room? Did shee upstairs?


    I got out of bed and weakly walked towards the door, but then something unexpected happened. The


    door was pushed open abruptly, and I was knocked to the ground.


    I couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain, I was already feeling unwell, and this made it worse.


    Bonnie stood at the door, her eyes looking at me as if I were her enemy.


    ¡°Are you alright? Where did you hit? Does it hurt? Neil ran to my side anxiously picked me up, and put


    me back on the bed.


    His concern for me was like a dagger to Bonnie¡¯s heart. I could see the fury in her eyes.


    ¡°Neil, don¡¯t be fooled by her! She¡¯s trying to seduce you because she¡¯s down and out now and wants


    your help!¡± Bonnie pointed at me and said loudly


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She seemed to think I was just like her.


    She didn¡¯t know that I had already refused all of Neil¡¯s help. Now, I didn¡¯t even have the desire to


    argue.


    Neil¡¯s face turned cold as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t need your opinion on my business with her.


    Hearing this Bonnie looked flustered and confused.


    ¡°No.¡± Bonnie denied it, but she couldn¡¯t exin,


    I was puzzled. How could Bonnie have the key to this ce?


    did you get in? Did you steal the key?¡±


    I always chose the doors for the vi myself, with fingerprint locks, password locks, keyhole locks, and


    facial recognition, I usually don¡¯t carry keys.


    ¡°No problem, changing a few doors is no big deal. Neil said calmly, but his voice was cold, ¡°But how did


    you know she was here with me?¡±


    Faced with this question, Bonnie was even more at a loss. She just red at me as if she wanted to


    devour me.


    She didn¡¯t dare to answer Neil¡¯s question, which meant the situation was getting serious. Apart from me


    and Neil, the only people who knew I Neils tonight were Russel and Chloe.


    Tapier 24J


    Would Russel and Chloe tell Bonnie? I didn¡¯t think so. I still trust Russel.


    But thinking about his past actions, I became scared again. If Bonnie and I had switched ces, then


    Russel might have joined forces with Bonnie to stop me and Neil.


    Even though I didn¡¯t want to get back together with Neil, in Russel¡¯s eyes, I was a foolish woman still in


    love with Neil.


    ¡°Did Russel tell you?¡± I asked, not even knowing why I asked that myself.


    Bonnie¡¯s face changed; she then sneered and said, ¡°You just broke up with Russel not long ago, and


    you¡¯re already bad-mouthing him? Were you just using him before to provoke Neil?*


    I frowned. When I was with Russel, part of the reason was indeed to sever ties with Neil, but the main


    reason was that I genuinely wanted to give him a chance.


    Neil¡¯s voice grew colder, ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°Neil, why are you treating me like this? My feelings for you are not less than Irene¡¯s. I¡¯m younger than


    her, my status is now superior, and you had feelings for me before, didn¡¯t you?¡± Bonnie¡¯s eyes were red


    with tears. ¡°Without me, could you have gotten Karina Aaron¡¯s diary? Do you know that my mother


    almost made me leave the house for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a thing for you, got it?¡± Neil asked coldly, gripping Bonnie¡¯s arm tightly and dragging her


    towards the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving¡±¡± Bonnie shouted defiantly, ¡°Neil, you can date other women, but not Irene. She¡¯s the


    reason we missed our shot!¡±


    As they got to the door, Bonnie suddenly whipped out a bottle from her pocket and chucked it at me like


    a madwoman.


    The ss bottle smashed into the wall, shattering into countless pieces, with the liquid inside


    sttering everywhere. A few drops fell on my cheek, and I instantly felt a burning sting.


    I bolted from the bed, only to see the wall starting to corrode. Holy crap, it was sulfuric acid!

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    Chapter 246


    ¡°Are you just asking for trouble? Neil bellowed, grabbing Bonnie by the throat. His eyes were full of


    murderous intent


    Bonnie was practically lifted off the ground, gasping for air


    But he quickly tossed Bonnie aside and came to check on me.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was pretty lucky Just a couple of droplets of sulfuric acid hit my left cheek, but the pain was hard to


    ignore.


    Neil quickly grabbed a towel and gently dabbed my cheek.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to the hospital,¡± Neil decided, ncing at Bonnie before dialing Cooper rke to keep an


    eye on her.


    Bonnie¡¯s eyes had no ounce of regret, just the satisfaction of revenge.


    Nel called a couple of servants to watch over Bonnie before we headed to the hospital.


    After some tests and treatment, the doctor said I was fine. Worst case scenario, I might have a couple


    of tiny scars on my cheek, but you¡¯d have to squint to see them.


    After taking my medicine, I just conked out on the hospital bed.


    When I woke up, it was noon. I had a mini heart attack when I saw the time on my phone, thinking


    about work, but here came Neil with lunch.


    ¡°You¡¯re malnourished. You need to stay here for a while,¡± Neil put the lunch on the table, giving me a


    cold look, ¡®So, you want to be a workaholic?¡±


    Tm perfectly fine, just need to eat more,¡± I was just worried about work.


    Neil blocked me, ¡°Eat your lunch first¡±


    I frowned at him, ¡°Can you stop mothering me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to the meeting with SinoGems Corporation in three days,¡± Neil tried to soothe me, ¡°Isn¡¯t


    that your main project these days?¡±


    Neil knew my work like the back of his hand, which was surprising and guilt inducing I was supposed to


    take over thepany for my mom, yet I didn¡¯t know as much as Neil.


    I took this lesson to heart.


    Tve almost closed the deal, I declined and said, ¡°Just onest step. No need for your help. Mr.


    Whitmore,¡±


    ¡°Until the contract is signed, it¡¯s all talk. SinoGems Corporation is also working with otherpanies.


    Arent you afraid of losing the opportunity?¡± Neil raised an eyebrow at me.


    I recalled the president of SinoGems¡¯ recent attitude towards me, definitely colder than before. Plus, he


    could back out at thest minute with my family Issues and choose someone else.


    All


    my


    hard work would be for nothing then. But if Neil hade with me, things might have turned out


    differently.


    Seeing my hesitation, Neil seemed to have read my mind and continued, ¡°SinoGems Corporation is


    now seeking coboration with Whitmore Co. If i reject them, they¡¯d likely choose yourpany¡±


    ¡°You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± I almost guessed Neil¡¯s intention. If not for him, ourpanies


    wouldn¡¯t bepetitors.


    Indeed, Neil admitted without any concealment, ¡°Yes, I anticipated your refusal to coborate, so I had


    approached otherpanies beforehand, and SinoGems was very interested.¡±


    I wanted to p Neil. He obviously came to make trouble for me.


    And now he was offering to apany me to negotiate with SinoGems Corporation, and it was like


    criticizing me first and thenforting me.


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re a shameless bastard!¡± I shouted at him but didn¡¯t hit him for fear of retaliation.


    Neil¡¯s face turned sour instantly. After a few seconds of silence, he threatened me coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t


    eat and stay in the hospital on time, I¡¯ll sign the contract with SinaGems Corporation right away.¡±


    With that, he turned to leave.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to lose this golden opportunity. SinoGems Corporation was very important to me. I


    quickly grabbed Neil¡¯s wrist, gritting my teeth, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll eat and stay in the hospital, okay?¡±


    ¡°If you had listened earlier, wouldnt everything be fine?¡± Neil smiled again, leading me to the table,


    helping me sit down, and opening the lunch box.


    All my favorite foods were in there, definitely not a coincidence, he must have prepared it specially


    He pulled a chair over and sat next to me, ¡°You have to finish all of this.¡±


    There were four dishes and rice in the lunch box. How could I finish all of it?


    I replied, ¡°This is too much, I can¡¯t finish it.¡±


    ¡°Then eat two thirds of it. Neil leaned on the table, resting his cheek on his palm, staring at me, ¡°You¡¯re


    too skinny. It feels like I¡¯m holding a skeleton when I hold you


    I kept my head down and ate, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to hold me.¡±


    Neil chuckled and said, ¡°I hold you if I want to You used to cling to me, and now it¡¯s my turn to cling to


    you¡±


    In my previous life, I did like clinging to Neil. Even if we couldn¡¯t meet, I would cling to him mentally by


    texting or calling him.


    He was really petty, using the way I treated him in the past to treat me now.


    Rena, are you alright?¡± Barbara Sands rushed to the door, checking my face anxiously, ¡°Is your face


    okay?¡±


    I quickly shook my head, I¡¯m fine, just a little sore How did you know?¡±


    Barbara¡¯s eyesnded on Neil, who looked a bit awkward.


    Seeing this, Neil quietly stood up and left.


    After Neil left, Barbara sat down and exined the situation.


    Turned out Cooper told Mitch Hebert, who then told Ste.


    Ste was taking her kid for a vination today and couldn¡¯te. Alicia had an important meeting


    and asked Barbara to check on me.


    Neil and I are so closely knit that any small incident between us can spread like wildfire in our


    rtionship web


    ¡°Bonnie¡¯s been nabbed She¡¯s in the police station now,¡± Barbara was filling me in on recent events, ¡°If


    Neil decides toe down on her, she will get some heat for sure I don¡¯t know if Gloria¡¯s gonna pull


    strings for her


    ¡°She totally will I replied without a second thought.


    Even though I had no idea why Gloria was so soft on Bonnie, my gut told me she would keep shielding


    Bonnie.


    Barbara nodded and said. ¡°That womans got some serious clout. She might just have a trick up her


    sleeve to get Bonnie out of this mess¡±


    Seeing a lot of food still on the table, i let out a burp and slid a te over to Barbara, saying, ¡°Come on,


    dig in.¡±


    Barbara happened to have missed lunch, so we chatted while chowing down, and in no time, we¡¯d


    polished off all the food on the table.


    I¡¯m heading off now, and I¡¯lle see you again tomorrow¡± In the afternoon, Barbara left the hospital


    room, full and satisfied, while I rested in bed.


    Then, Oscar gave me a call


    I hadn¡¯t been in touch with Oscar for a while, mainly because I had been swamped and didn¡¯t have time


    for chitchats. But now that I was hospital-bound, I had plenty of spare time.


    ¡°Irene, what did Bonnie do to you? Are you badly hurt? Oscar asked, sounding worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Oscar, don¡¯t sweat it.¡±Every time I heard Oscar¡¯s concern, I felt like I was being cared for by


    my little brother, and it lifted my spirits.

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    Chapter 247


    Oscar insisted oning to the hospital to visit me. I couldn¡¯t refuse, so I agreed.


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯ve lost weight again¡± Oscar said with worry as soon as he saw me. ¡°Are you having a tough


    timetely?¡±


    He knew what was going on in my family, so even if I didnt respond to him recently, he didn¡¯t hassle


    me. He was worried about my mood.


    I looked at my arm Indeed, I was thinner. If this kept up, I would be nothing but skin and bones.


    ¡°No matter how much I eat, I can¡¯t gain weight. How about you? How have you been?¡± I asked, smiling


    from my hospital bed.


    Oscar sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯m nning to move to another city for work. Bonnie hasn¡¯t stopped pestering


    me, and she ruined my job.¡±


    I was shocked to hear that Bonnie had messed up Oscar¡¯s job.


    Bonnie was really brutal to Oscar. She previously had someone beat him up, and now she destroyed


    his job. She was obviously trying to make it impossible for Oscar to continue living in Rosemont.


    ¡°Do you have any ns?¡± I asked with concern,


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, I¡¯ll take it one step at a time. Irene, I might not be able to visit you as often,¡± Oscar


    said, his eyes full of reluctance.


    I reassured him, ¡°Transportation is so convenient nowadays. It¡¯s not hard to meet. Once your life is


    stable, I cane to see you. You know I¡¯m having a hard time now¡±


    I concluded with a self-deprecatingugh.


    Oscar quickly nodded. ¡°Everything will be okay, Irene. I¡¯ll work hard and make something of myself. I¡¯ll


    help you as much as I can in the future. You can see me as your little brother, and I¡¯ll treat you like my


    big sister¡¯


    Oscars words wereforting. I believe in his character and abilities. Even if he changed jobs, he


    would definitely make a name for himself.


    However, I never thought that this would be a wish that could never be fulfilled.


    Three dayster, I was discharged from the hospital.


    The first thing I did after I was discharged was to go back to work and then meet with the president of


    SinoGems Corporation to discuss signing a


    contract.


    Like a fortune teller, Neil urately predicted what I would do next, so he showed up at thepany


    entrance on time, waiting to go in with me.


    Rubbing my temples, I said resignedly, ¡°Neil, you don¡¯t have to apany me. As long as you refuse


    SinoGems Corporation, they will probably sign with


    me.¡±


    I¡¯m having lunch with Louis Aldridge near thepany. You go about your business, and I¡¯ll go to


    lunch,¡± Neil said, leaning backfortably in the back


    seat of the car.


    Bailey, our driver, couldn¡¯t help but nce back at me.


    The drive from Whitmore Co. to mypany was not short. If Neil wanted to have lunch with Louis, he


    could have met him there. Why did he have to


    hitch a ride with me?


    He really had too much time on his hands.


    But I didn¡¯t intend to say anything more. As long as he was willing to refuse to sign with SinoGems


    Corporation, that was fine. It wasn¡¯t as if he was helping me, so I didn¡¯t feel any obligation.


    ¡°Bailey, let¡¯s go,¡± I ordered.


    ¡°Okay, Mr. Finch,¡± Bailey started the car, heading towards the agreed hotel.


    On the way, I didn¡¯t talk much with Neil, but my mind was filled with thoughts. I couldnt help but think


    about the conspiracy theory Ste had mentioned before. Could Louis be the one who leaked the


    scandal about Whitmore Co¡¯s illegitimate child? If it was him, would Neil find out?


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    When we arrived at the hotel, I saw Louis and Malinda as soon as I got out of the car. Were they still


    together? That was surprising! I always felt that Louis didn¡¯t really like Malinda, and women¡¯s intuition


    was often urate.


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re here!¡± Louis came over,


    still maintaining his gentlemanly and image. He could show a friendly and cordial smile even to


    someone as awkward as me, ¡°Ms. Finch, long time no see.¡±


    I nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been busytely.¡±


    Standing next to Louis, Malinda said sarcastically. ¡°Your family is in decline.


    Louis immediately reprimanded Malinda softly, ¡°Malinda, dont speak like


    must be having a hard time. I really sympathize with you.¡±


    I¡¯m just telling the truth. She¡¯s clinging to Neil again, isn¡¯t she? Her family must be in trouble, hoping


    Nell can help. Why are you getting mad at me?¡± Malinda replied sharply.


    I was used to these taunts, but Neil¡¯s face had turned very ugly if it weren¡¯t for the fact that Malinda was


    Louis¡¯s girlfriend, he would definitely have given her a taste of her own medicine.


    If you cant speak nicely, then shut up.¡± he said coldly


    Louis looked somewhat embarrassed, and Malinda was silent


    I didn¡¯t have time to chat with them, so I went to meet the president of SinoGems Corporation first.


    As Neil had said, after Whitmore Co. refused SinoGems Corporation¡¯s invitation, mypany was the


    first they considered.


    Despite some recent problems, we have a deep-rooted reputation and a strong understanding of the


    market. After signing a contract smoothly with the


    president of SinoGems Corporation, we continued to have dinner and chat. During our conversation,


    we talked about his dealings with Whitmore Co


    ¡°What?¡± The president of SinoGems Corporation was a bit puzzled, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that Whitmore Co.


    is getting into this field. But I did meet with Mr. Whitmore before, and we discussed some business


    matters.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard about this?¡± I was also a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Never heard of it. But you know, Mr. Whitmore does think highly of you. I was going to sign with


    someone else, but Mr. Whitmore broke it down for me and said yourpany is the best fit for us, said


    the president of SinoGems Corporation, straight to the point.


    So Neil did help me after all, only he didn¡¯t tell me.


    I felt a bit conflicted. I didn¡¯t want his help, but inadvertently, I¡¯d leveraged his influence. Even though he


    voluntarily helped me, something about it didn¡¯t sit right with me.


    But now, I didn¡¯t have the guts to refuse his help because the contract was signed, and I couldn¡¯t


    breach it just because of Neil.


    After dinner with the head honcho of SinoGems Corporation, he left first, and I stuck around for a bit


    before getting up.


    My luck was just going south. As soon as I opened the door, I saw the back of Malinda, who was on the


    phone, ¡°Hurry up to the private room. Neil is here too. How can you give up so easily? If you like him,


    go get him!¡±


    She must be talking to Bonnie, but wasn¡¯t Bonnie supposed to be at the police station?


    I was nning to shut the door and leave after they returned to the private room.


    ¡°Irene!¡± Malinda spotted me with a clear look of annoyance on her face.


    I decided to shut the door again, ignore Malinda, and make my exit.


    She let out a coldugh behind me, ¡°You¡¯re in your thirties, but still so charming. Neil even got Bonnie


    sent to the station for you. You sure know how to y the game!¡±


    I took it as her stirring up trouble for no reason and ignored her. But as the elevator door opened,


    Bonnie appeared before me.


    ¡°Scared you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Bonnie stepped out of the elevator, looking at me with disdain, ¡°You thought I


    was a pushover, huh? Neil can send me to the station, but someone will always bail me out.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t care what happens to you, so stop these pointless acts,¡± I replied indifferently, then


    stepped into the elevator.

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    Chapter 248


    The elevator door slowly closed, and Bonnie¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment, staring at me like a


    vengeful ghost in a horror movie


    This ghost woman seemed to be constantly haunting me. In my past life, I was madly trying to find her,


    intrigued by whatever charm she had that could obsess Nel so much.


    In this life, though, I just wish she would stay the hell away from me and not show up in front of me


    anymore.


    After leaving the hotel, I rushed straight back to work.


    Just as I arrived at the office, my phone started to ring. It was Neil calling ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when


    you left?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Why should 17¡± I responded, not getting his point.


    ¡°I was going to ride with you back, I didn¡¯t drive here¡± Neil sounded like he was treating me as his


    personal chauffeur. He added, ¡°You drove me here, don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    His unreasonable words left me speechless. After a moment of silence, I finally asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have


    your own chauffeur? Or maybe Louis could give you a lift¡±


    Neil responded coldly, ¡°You drove me here, so you should drive me back.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have time for Neils nonsense and hung up on him.


    After a long day at work, I left the office exhausted and rushed to the hospital to visit my mom


    ¡°Ms. Finch, another man came to visit your mother in the past two days. He seemed to have worked


    here before, the nurse told me.


    I nodded silently because I knew it was Russel.


    I wondered if his injuries were getting better. The fight with Neil that night left both of them hurt, but


    Russel seemed to be the worse off


    1 held back from asking, not wanting to give him any false hope


    ¡°Oh, and he asked me to give you this. The nurse handed me a small box, beautifully packaged and


    unopened.


    I took the box but didn¡¯t open it until I got home


    Inside was a beautiful heart-shaped diamond ring, the diamond about the size of a thumbnail and


    expertly cut. It shone brilliantly under the light.


    There was a note under the ring: ¡°I was going to propose to you once this all blew over, but I know you


    can¡¯t hold on any longer¡±


    Seeing his hardwritten words, I felt a sudden pang in my heart, and tears welled up in my eyes.


    I knew I might have missed out on a great guy, but if I insisted on being with him, it would only leave


    him scarred


    After crying silently for a while. I put away the ring.


    Since Russel had sent it to me, I would keep it safe as a memento


    After seeing Russel that night at the bar, I hadn¡¯t heard from him for a while. Even Mitch didn¡¯t have any


    news about him.


    ¡°Rena, you really broke his heart this time, Ste couldn¡¯t help ming me


    ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t have been with him in the first ce. I took up his time and wasted his emotions,¡± I


    said bitterly.


    ¡°But there was no other way. His parents were so against your rtionship, and you never told us¡­. If


    you had spoken up earlier, we wouldnt have pushed you to be with Russel, Alicia shook her head


    I didnt respond, just silently sipping my drink.


    Barbara tightly held my hand. ¡°You should cut back on the booze You¡¯re turning into a lush!¡±


    If she hadn¡¯t reminded me, I might not have realized how much I¡¯d been drinkingtely, often before


    bedtime, to help me sleep.


    Whenever I had free time, I would drink to rx, but I knew it wasnt healthy, especially given my not-


    so-strong constitution.


    I put down my drink and started eating more. Everyone said I¡¯d lost a lot of weight and wanted to eat


    more to avoid looking frail.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to a party¡¯ Ste, who had been engrossed in her phone, suddenly suggested


    Apparently, Mitch had messaged her that he had a friend celebrating a birthday and invited us along


    Ste loved this kind of lively event, so she immediately agreed.


    I didn¡¯t refuse, thinking it might be a good way to unwind. Maybe being in a lively atmosphere would


    help lift my spirits.


    We all went there, only to be surprised.


    Mitch¡¯s friend turned out to be Kitty


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re here too? Awesome!¡± Kittyughed when she saw me.


    Today¡¯s your birthday?¡± I asked, a bit embarrassed, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t have time to prepare a gift.


    ¡°No worries, I just wanted a lively party. I invited Mr. Iceberg, but he didn¡¯t want toe, so I asked him


    to bring some friends to my birthday party,¡± Kitty pointed at Mitch, Cooper, and even Louis was there.


    However, there was hardly any sight of Russel in their gatherings now.


    Mitch quickly pulled me aside, ¡°You know her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s one of Neil¡¯s pursuers,¡± I replied, 1 gave her Neil¡¯s contact


    Mitch stared at me in disbelief


    Actually, Neil was really nice to Kitty. Although he didn¡¯te to her birthday party, he still helped her


    bring people as she requested.


    Since we were there, we could just enjoy the party. As long as Neil was not here, it was all good.


    Besides Mitch and Cooper, as well as me and Ste, there were a few other friends of Kitty¡¯s that we


    didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Kitty, the hot guy you¡¯re chasing hasn¡¯t shown up yet?¡¯ one of Kitty¡¯s friends asked her jokingly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s moody. I¡¯ll push him a bit, let hime and pay, and make him spend big!¡± Kitty took out her


    phone to send a message.


    Ste and the others looked at me. Mitch had already told them about Kitty¡¯s identity.


    I guessed Neil probably wouldn¡¯te. He was the kind of guy whod either dly agree and show up


    or t out refuse.


    Suddenly, Mitch¡¯s phone rang. Someone was making a video call


    He nced at me, then answered his phone, ¡°Neil, youing, dude? Kitty¡¯s your friend, it¡¯d be kinda


    crappy if you don¡¯t show up.¡±


    I¡¯m not going!¡± Neil replied firmly. ¡°I just wanted to ask you, you


    Mitch quickly turned around, deliberately pointing his phone¡¯s front camera at me.


    Neil¡¯s voice paused for a few seconds, and then he muttered, ¡°Just text me the address. I¡¯m kinda


    bored right now¡±


    Mitch said cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯ll text you the address right now!¡±


    After ending the video call, Mitch started texting Neil the details


    Kitty leaned in and said, ¡°I knew we needed you to get him here. Neil totally doesn¡¯t see me as a


    friend!¡±


    Mitch chuckled awkwardly, then shot me an uneasy nce.


    I frowned, sensing something was off.


    Just then, a work call came in, and I found a quiet spot to answer.

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    Chapter 249


    After I hung up the phone, Neil had already arrived.


    Hispany seemed to be not far from here, so it didn¡¯t take him long to swing by


    ¡°Neil, you finally showed up! I thought you were going to bail on us!¡± Kitty ran over excitedly and


    hugged his arm as soon as she saw Neil.


    Neil, looking a bit peeved, brushed her arms off and said, ¡®Let¡¯s just talk standing here. No need to hug¡±


    It was at that moment that Kitty¡¯s friends finally recognized that herpanion was Neil. They were all


    pretty shocked and couldn¡¯t help checking out this big shot from the business world that they¡¯d heard


    so much about.


    Kitty was unfazed by their surprise. Hands on her hips, she said, ¡®Quit it. You¡¯re picking up the tab


    today, OK?¡±


    To Neil, footing the bill was no biggie. He didn¡¯t answer, but no answer was as good as a yes. Kitty


    immediately told her friends, ¡°Alright, eat and drink whatever you want today. We¡¯ve got a free ride¡±


    I kept quiet, thinking about how to get out of there. When Kitty came over to say hi, I said, ¡°Kitty,


    something came up at work. I gotta go handle it. Happy birthday!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you leaving before the cake? Is work really that urgent? Maybe you can stick around for a


    bit, and it¡¯s more fun with more people¡± Kitty seemed a bit disappointed.


    I could tell Kitty loved a good time, her eyes were full of the desire for fun, and she made no attempt to


    hide it.


    As for Neil, he was frowning, probably guessing that I was just making excuses to avoid him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a gift for your next birthday. I¡¯ll have the cake next time.¡± I smiled and replied.


    Kitty pouted, ¡°Well, alright then.¡±


    Since the birthday girl was OK with me leaving, I turned to go. Unexpectedly Neil said, ¡°I¡¯ll go pay the


    bill. You guys go ahead and eat¡±


    He didnt ever wait for Kitty¡¯s response, he just started following me.


    A


    Neil¡¯s going to pay the bill himself? Can¡¯t he just have someone else do it? I suspected he just wanted


    an excuse to follow me, so I quickened my pace.


    Even though I was somewhat tall for a woman and walked fast, Neil had long legs and strode even


    faster, and he caught up with me in no time.


    I was in high heels, and because I was walking so fast, I twisted my ankle. The pain was so intense I let


    out a yelp. ¡°Ah!¡±


    Then I started to lose my bnce and almost fell over


    Neil caught me just in time. Thank God he was there, or else I would have made a fool of myself


    Passers-by all turned to look


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I thanked Neil, gritting my teeth against the pain in my ankle


    ¡°Why are you wearing high heels to a party?¡± Neil frowned, looking at the broken heel of my shoe.


    I hobbled ahead, in no mood to respond to his question due to the pain, 7 like wearing heels. It¡¯s none


    of your business.¡±


    I didnt get far before I twisted my other ankle. I sat down hard on the ground, the pain rendering me


    limp.


    Since I was going out drinking with Ste and the gang today, I dressed up a bit and wore these thin


    heeled shoes. Normally it¡¯s fine, but when I¡¯m in a rush, I just can¡¯t control myself.


    A water came over, asking if I needed help


    T¡¯ll be with her I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Nell walked over and easily dismissed the waiter.


    I was hoping the water could help, but he actually listened to Neil and left.


    Neil squatted down beside me, ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    What kind of question was that? Who could walk with a sprained ankle?


    I didn¡¯t say anything. I took out my phone to text Ste, hoping she coulde help me.


    Next thing I knew, Neil had picked me up, my phone nearly slipping out of my hand.


    ¡°I can walk. Put me down!¡± I insisted stubbornly


    Nel stopped at that and let me down, I wasn¡¯t ready and ended up sitting down hard, gasping at the


    sudden pain.


    He did that on purpose, causing me pain again!


    I gritted my teeth and dialed Ste¡¯s number. She came out quickly with Mitch.


    ¡°Mitch, take her to the hospital¡¯ Ste ordered Mitch.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Mitch, ever the good Samaritan, squatted down with his back towards me, 11l give you a


    piggyback


    Then he looked up and saw Nell ring at him like he was the devil incarnate. He went weak in the


    knees, and before I could climb onto his back, he started rubbing his back, saying, ¡°Ah¡­ Irene, I think


    I¡¯ve put my back out¡­ It hurts!¡±


    ¡°T


    Ste, hands on hips, scoffed, ¡°Are you kidding me? Since when do you have back problems?!¡±


    Neil calmly said. ¡®Maybe he just got it¡±


    A sudden case of back problems? Ste looked puzzled.


    Mitch struggled to his feet, saying to Neil, ¡°Neil, could you help out? It¡¯s too much for me with the kid


    and all¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Neil gave a nonchnt nod, but after he said that, a faint smile could be seen on his face.


    I understood the little game between the two men and was a bit annoyed. Just as I was about to ask


    Ste to get Cooper to help, Neil had picked me up


    again


    I hadn¡¯t seen him hitting the gym regrly, but he was surprisingly strong Picking me up was as easy


    as lifting a pillow. Maybe it was just natural strength


    As Neil carried me into the elevator, Kitty came running over She was shocked at the sight


    Hey Mr Iceberg, are you not having ake with


    No, I¡¯m just paying the b Neil¡¯s reply


    The elevator started to descend


    shouted unhappily


    The elevator doors closed, cutting us off from the outside world


    Neil


    ace. Did you t


    arm too?¡±


    I was in Neil¡¯s arms, my arms crossed tighti


    ¡°You can actually i


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    repled


    I didn¡¯t hold onto his neck, trying to lighten his burden as much as possible


    rcastically. ¡°1 thought were just doing this


    Why else would you be so eager?¡±


    Neil chuckled coldly.


    This


    k! He


    tuallypared.


    1. I could carry you to the hospital. Anyrge dog would weigh more than you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond to him, just kept


    appeared in our sight


    Now, it seemed that


    letting Nell hold me with this fired gesture. After leaving the hotel lobby. Russel and Chloe suddenly


    I ran into Pussel Chloe w always by his side. His family must be pretty fond of Chloe.


    I turned my head pretending


    Bidnt see Puss


    vever. Russel stopped


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your foot


    Neil was about to stop, but I immediately wrapped my arm


    He got my drift, knowing (


    ¡°Mm-hmm ?Neil responded, carrying had a tight grip on his arm


    nore emotio


    whispering in his ear. Lets go¡±


    make Russel


    up on mepletely, so ignoring him was the best way to go


    ight into the car Before we left, I nced at Russel. He seemed to want toe closer to me, but


    Chloe

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250


    Chapter 250


    I thought of the diamond ring Russel Dawson had given me, and a pang of pain shot through my heart.


    I didn¡¯t know how long it would take for me to be able to chat with him like a friend again. Until he put


    aside his past, that would be impossible.


    ¡°Are you feeling sorry for him?¡± Neil suddenly asked coldly, with a sense of indifference in his voice.


    ¡°No ¡°I snapped out of my thoughts and replied casually


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Haha,¡± Neilughed coldly. Feeling sorry is feeling sorry What¡¯s there to deny? He¡¯s indeed a good


    guy, worth feeling a bit sorry for, but sadly, he¡¯s not right for you¡±


    When it came to me and Russel, the least qualified person toment was Neil


    I got mad and retorted angrily, ¡°Is there a man in this world who suits me less than you do?¡±


    Nell turned his head to look at me immediately, there was something bleak in his eyes that scared me a


    bit. I pretended not to notice and quietly gazed at the scenery outside the window.


    After that, Neil didn¡¯t say anything. I could feel a tense atmosphere in the car, whichsted until we


    arrived at the hospital


    ¡°Hold on to me


    When he was about to carry me out of the car, Neil ordered me sternly.


    I refused him, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to carry me. Just get a nurse to help me


    ¡°You just twisted your ankle, and you want the busy nurses to run over and help you?¡± Neil said sternly


    I was speechless.


    In the end, I had no choice but topromise and let Neil carry me into the hospital. Along the way, I


    gently draped my arm over his neck, giving him a piece of my mind without actually saying it.


    Both of my ankles were sprained it wasnt serious after some medication and bandaging, but for the


    next few days, I would be restricted in my movements. The doctor pushed up his sses and looked at


    Neil, ¡®You¡¯ll have to take good care of her for the next few days. It might be difficult for her to go to the


    bathroom or take a shower. As her husband, you need to assist her more¡±


    ¡°Doctor, he¡¯s not my husband.¡± I interrupted the doctor


    The doctor was taken aback


    Neil said coldly. ¡°Ex-husband and husband are the same thing. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    The doctor suddenly gave a knowing smile as he watched us leave


    Neil drove me back to Sterling Estates. I looked at him in confusion, ¡°Did you get the address wrong?¡±


    ¡°Where do you want to live? Alone in your apartment or Sapphire River Community? if you faint in the


    bathroom, no one would know.¡± Neil picked me up and headed into Sterling Estates.


    The servants who were tending the yard looked surprised when they saw my face


    A couple of the braver ones even greeted us, ¡°Sir, madam, you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh, prepare dinner,¡± Neil ordered.


    I corrected him, ¡°Please don¡¯t call me ¡®madam! It¡¯s better to call me Ms. Finch,


    Neil ignored me, carrying me straight up to the second floor. All the way, I could only see his chiseled


    jawline and prominent Adam¡¯s apple.


    When we entered the living room, I noticed that the front door had been reced. I guess it was after


    the ruckus Bonnie causedst time, but I don¡¯t know where she got the key from


    ¡°Just put me in the quest room, and after dinner, I¡¯ll call Bailey to take me home. He can help me.¡±I


    spoke again.


    ¡°How can he help you? He¡¯s a man. Are you going to have him help you bathe, dress, or apany


    you to the toilet?¡± Neil asked, displeased, his voice filled with discontent


    Actually, I could ask Barbara Sands to stay with me for a few days, but she was busy preparing for her


    wedding. She had a lot to arrange right now!


    Neil ced me op the bed in the master bedroom and said expressionlessly, ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare the bath


    water¡±


    ¡°Neil, you don¡¯t have to bother I really won¡¯t be staying here overnight Thanks though I stopped Neil


    and exined again.


    You take a bath and eat first, then I¡¯ll take you home ¡°Neil left this sentence and went to the bathroom.


    I sat dumbfounded on the bed. This was my second time back here since I returned to the country.


    Each time, it felt a bit deste


    Just as I was zoning out, Neil came back. He nced at me, then went into the walk-in closet and


    brought out a set of women¡¯s clothes, including a ckce bra and a yellow leisure suit.


    After the divorce, I had taken all my clothes with me, especially the undergarments. I would never have


    left them here. So these must be some other woman¡¯s clothes


    I¡¯m not used to wearing other people¡¯s clothes, ¡®No need, I¡¯ll just wear what I have on now.¡±


    ¡°Tipse clothes are all new, custom-made to your size. But you¡¯ve lost weight, so they might be a bit big


    for you now, especially.. Ned deliberately looked at my chest.


    I red at him, ¡°Can you not be so tasteless?!¡±


    1 just stated the truth, and youbel me as ¡®tasteless¡¯?¡± Neil looked displeased. ¡°If you lose any more


    weight, who would want you? What¡¯s the difference between holding you and holding a skeleton?¡±


    I was speechless. How could this man have be so disgusting, saying such infuriating things?


    When I loved him, no matter how cold or sarcastic he was, I could bear it. But now, I just wanted to


    curse him out.


    However, I was mobility-challenged and also in Neil¡¯s house. Better hold my tongue


    Neil put the clothes in the bathroom, then came over to lift me. I immediately said, ¡®I don¡¯t need to


    bathe.¡±


    ¡°After sitting on the ground for so long, don¡¯t you need a bath?¡± Neil frowned.


    I actually really wanted to take a bath. It would make me feel better. But my foot couldn¡¯t touch water


    now. How could I bathe?


    Neilpletely ignored me and directly carried me into the bathroom. Then he called a servant and


    instructed, ¡°Her foot can¡¯t touch the water; be careful¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The servant nodded.


    After Neil left the bathroom, the servant helped me undress and carefully ced me in the bathtub with


    only my foot exposed


    While bathing, the servant and I chatted. She came with Ada back then and had known me for a while.


    But we haven¡¯t seen each other for over two years.


    ¡°Mrs. Whitmore, in these two years, Mr. Whitmore hasnt brought any woman home. He often sits in the


    cello room where you used to y. Maybe he regretsit. The servant told me


    Just call me Ms. Finch. I¡¯m divorced from him. I¡¯m not his wife anymore.¡± I replied softly.


    The housekeeper nodded, ¡°Ms. Finch, could you possibly give Mr. Whitmore another chance?¡±


    I was a bit taken aback. When did the housekeeping staff start batting for Neil? From what I knew


    about Neil, his demeanor towards them wasn¡¯t exactly sunshine and roses.


    His principle was pretty straightforward. He was paying them, so whoever took his money should bend


    over backward for him.


    ¡°How does he treat you guys?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but ask out of curiosity.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore is indeed a bit on the dominant and distant side. We all know that. He¡¯s not one for


    chitchat with us, but he gave us a pay raise and bonuses on holidays, and if we¡¯re in a bind, he¡¯s been


    known to lend us a hand. I think Mr. Whitmore is not as bad as he appears on the surface¡± The maid


    replied earnestly.

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    Chapter 251


    Sure enough money can turn heads. The servants got a hefty paycheck from Neil, so they were all over


    him with gratitude.


    I was soaking in the tub with my eyes shut, ignoring the maids chatter Wisely, she chose to zip it.


    After the bath, I changed into somefy loungewear with the help of the maid. Be it lingerie or


    loungewear, everything was tailored to my size. ¡°Done with your bath? Nel popped his head in.


    ¡°Yep, can you drop me home now?¡± I replied, sitting on the bed


    Ned frowned at me. 7 told you that have dinner here first before you leave.¡±


    Before I could say anything, he scooped me up in his arms. The maid, seeing this, left the master


    bedroom with a sly grin.


    I sighed inwardly. Things were getting moreplicated.


    The dining room wasid out with an extravagant dinner, but it was toote, and I couldn¡¯t eat much.


    Nel set me down on a chair and took a seat next to me


    ¡°Thanks for today,¡± I said, expressing my gratitude again, ¡°I always try not to bother you, but you¡¯ve


    been a great help. Let¡¯s just say we¡¯re helping each other out.¡±


    ¡°Help? What kind of help?¡± Neil shot back


    Tim talking about making up for the harm you¡¯ve done in the past,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°That sounds fair,


    right?¡±


    Neil looked at me for a few seconds, didn¡¯t say anything, just put some food on my te.


    I quietly ate my food, pondering over Neils help and if it couldpensate for the past hurt. I felt like a


    school kid just learning math, constantly calcting in my head, even while eating


    After dinner, I asked to be dropped home again. This time, Nel didn¡¯t refuse, but he looked pissed as he


    carried me out the door ¡°Boom!¡±


    Just as we stepped out, a thunderp rang out in the night sky lighting up everything with a lightning


    sh. It scared me.


    Then the heavens opened up, and rain poured down. The sound of raindrops on the nts and gravel


    path was pleasant


    Neil paused, looking down at me.


    I just stared back at him, speechless.


    After a while, he asked, ¡°Afraid of lightning?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Another thunderp came and I clung to Neil in fright.


    Neil broke into a smirk, teasing. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll drop you home now. I¡¯ll be fun to see you alone in an


    empty house, listening to the thunder.¡± I fell silent


    I think Neil might be a nutjob. He was threatening to scare me but ended up carrying me back to the


    master bedroom,


    I am really scared of thunder, especially after my parents ident. I often feel restless and more


    sensitive to thunder at night. Alone in the house, my heart would race


    Neil closed the balcony door, drew the curtains, and the warm light in the room eased my fear a bit.


    The rain got heavier, and the sound of thunder and lightning kepting. I pulled the covers up and


    said to Neil, ¡°Okay, you can go rest in the guest room


    now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep here. What if you need water or have to use the restroom in the middle of the night?¡± Neil


    said, taking off his jacket.


    ¡°I won¡¯t need anything. I replied, confident.


    But Neil was hell-bent on sleeping there. He got on the bed, pulled the nket over himself, and said,


    Tm sleeping here. If you don¡¯t like it, go to the quest


    room!


    Then he picked up a book from the bedside table and started reading, Totally at ease.


    I was upset but couldn¡¯t bring myself to get out of the bed and go to the guest room. Neil knew I was


    having trouble moving, but he was deliberately doing this.


    I pulled the covers over me and was about to close my eyes when Neil showed me the book he was


    reading. I squinted at it, and then my eyes popped


    open.


    This wasnt a book, it was my diary from years ago!


    I had written diaries and love letters for Neil, but some of them I didn¡¯t remember where I put, I thought


    if Nell found them, he¡¯d throw them away, so i didn¡¯t take them with me.


    But Neil not only didn¡¯t throw it away when he found it, but he also used it as a bedtime book.


    ¡°Give it back!¡± I felt my face burning as I reached out to snatch the diary from him.


    ¡°Everything you left behind when we divorced, I assumed you left for me. It¡¯s mine now,¡± Neil quickly


    pulled back his hand out of my reach


    was co-angry I was red in the face, ¡°Neil, how can you be so shameless? You¡¯re snooping into a diary


    that records a teenage girl¡¯s feelings. You¡¯re


    despicable


    Neil justughed. He put the diary under his pillow, a touch of sadness in his eyes, ¡°What can I do? It¡¯s


    the only ce where I can find traces of your love for me¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I was speechless, not knowing how to respond.


    Late love was worthless. Couldn¡¯t Neil understand that?


    Back then I recorded everything about him, but he never cared about me. Now that I hadpletely


    lost hope in him, why was he saying these things?


    ¡°Let bygones be bygones, I finally said coldly, then turned my back to Neil and tried to sleep.


    Neil was quiet, making no noise. Only the sound of the storm outside continued.


    I had a rough night, waking up every time I moved, and the pain in my foot red up. The lights in the


    room hadn¡¯t been turned off, so every time I woke up, I saw Neil¡¯s peaceful sleeping face.


    When he noticed that I was awake, he¡¯d open his eyes, sounding a bit hoarse from sleep. What¡¯s


    wrong?¡±


    His voice was slightly husky but very captivating


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I didn¡¯t want to tell him about my foot pain, so I just brushed him off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wear such high heels next time. And your dress was too short,¡± Neil said with azy smile, ¡°If


    other men see you in such a short dress, I won¡¯t be pleased.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sleepy anymore and was a bit irritated, ¡°What does it matter to you what I wear?¡±


    Neil¡¯s gaze instantly turned icy. He was very close to me, his eyes starting to look unfriendly, ¡°Say that


    again?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re divorced now, and we¡¯re free to do what we want. You have no right to dictate what I wear, and


    Iwon¡¯t interfere with you. Even if you go to work ince underwear and be the talk of the town, I


    won¡¯tment,¡± I said, feeling a bit cranky fromck of sleep.


    ¡°Dont forget, you¡¯re not exactly fit as a fiddle right now. I could do whatever I want to you easily,¡± Neil


    squinted his eyes, starting to threaten me.


    I eyed him warily. ¡°If you dare to pull a stunt, I¡¯ll call the cops. Whitmore Co. would take a hit from this,


    you know¡±

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    Chapter 252


    ¡°Hmph, seems like you¡¯re getting a kick out of threatening metely¡± Neil suddenly sat up, turned


    towards me, and I held my breath.


    He was the one who started threatening me, and I was just fighting back. Nothing wrong with that.


    After a minute or two of standoff, Nel picked up my phone. The screen lit up, and there it was the


    screensaver I had never bothered to change


    It was from the winter before our divorce, the night | threatened Neil into building a snowman with me,


    captured by the surveince cameras in our yard,


    I hadn¡¯t changed the screensaver, not because i couldn¡¯t let go of our rtionship, but simply because I


    liked the scene in the picture. It was a rare moment of intimacy between Neil and me.


    ¡°So, you still can¡¯t bring yourself to change 4 huh?¡± Ned asked me


    11¡¯s just a screensaver,¡± responded calmly, ¡®not changing it only proves that I¡¯ve moved on from you. I


    don¡¯t need to deliberately avoid my memories.¡±


    My reasoning seemed to upsel Neil He tossed my phone aside and said, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that¡±


    Whether he agreed or not was his problem, not mine.


    Just as i was deep in thought. Neil suddenly kissed me. He bit my lip intentionally hard enough to make


    me tear up.


    I wanted to fight back, but Neil had pinned my hands, and my injured legs were immobile. I had no


    choice but to surrender


    Neils kiss was ferce and tough, devoid of any tenderness. It was filled with a sense of revenge and


    punishment. I felt like he was sucking the life out of me. I was sure I would pass out if he didn¡¯t let go.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Finally, he let go of my lips, but his warm breath was still lingering on my neck and chest I couldn¡¯t help


    but curte, ¡°You¡¯re such a beast!¡±


    Really?¡± Nel paused and had the audacity to reply nearly choking me with his response


    ¡°Youre notfortable night now, but if you continur upset me. I won¡¯t mind returning the favor¡± Neil


    said shamelessly.


    if during my past life, Bonnie hadn¡¯t intentionally gotten close to Neil but was forced to, I could now


    somewhat understand how helpless she must have felt back then


    Facing this rich and influential beast, even I was powerless, let alone an ordinary college girl?


    I was seething with anger, but I couldn¡¯t risk provoking Neil into doing something outrageous. So, I


    swallowed my pride


    ¡°Would you like to see your father?¡± Neil released my hands,id back down, and his voice returned to


    its normal calm


    I was taken aback and remained silent.


    Neil raised an eyebrow, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. If you want to see him, just let me know. I can


    arrange it¡±


    ¡°You tried to speak, but words escaped me.


    I really wanted to see my father, but all my attempts had been fruitless. Even Ste Wace and her


    team had tried to investigate the matter, but as Harold said, someone was purposely suppressing the


    information, making it difficult to uncover the truth.


    I couldn¡¯t figure out who Bonnie and Glona were connected to, but theirpanies were thriving.


    ¡°I have a condition¡± Neil¡¯s gaze was deep. 7 want you to stay here with me for a month. I guarantee I


    won¡¯t do anything inappropriate¡±


    My hopes were instantly shattered.


    Seeing my disappointment. Neil tried to tempt me, ¡°What about twenty days? Don¡¯t you want to ask


    your father what happened? Don¡¯t you want to see how he¡¯s doing in prison?¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡¯ I imterrupted Neil, not wanting to be swayed again. ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t want me to have


    anything to do with you. My mother is in the hospital because asked for your help.¡±


    Neil fell silent, his eyes cold. The atmosphere became tense


    Neither of us fell back asleep. As the first light peeked through the thick curtains, Neil got up to freshen


    up and change.


    I called Bailey Bailey, can you pick me up at Sterling Estates?¡±


    ¡°Ms Finch where did you hay?¡± Bailey sounded puzzled.


    ¡°Sterling Estates, where I used to live Get a wheelchair before youe,¡± Treplied


    Bailey wasn¡¯t the talkative type. He hung up and went to do as asked


    By the time I hung up. Neil had alreadye out of the walk-in closet. He was wearing a ck coat


    with a matching sweater vest over a shirt. He looked elegant and dignified, a stark contrast to his actual


    character.


    ¡°Where are the clothes I wore yesterday?¡± I asked.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been sent forundry. You¡¯re not nning to go to the office in your condition, are you?¡± Neil


    nced at me as he tied his te


    I


    frowned and said, ¡°Then what am I supposed to wear to the office?¡±


    Nell didn¡¯t seem to agree with me going to the office, but he still fetched me a set of clothes in the style


    I used to wear often.


    He ced the clothes next to me. ¡°Need help getting dressed?¡±


    Iresponded coldly. ¡°I can dress myself¡±


    Neil looked at my feet, said nothing, and walked out


    It was a struggle to get dressed. Every time I identally touched my ankle, the pain made me grit my


    teeth. If things were as they used to be and my parents were okay, I wouldn¡¯t have to go to work in this


    state.


    As soon as I finished changing. Neil walked in, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me. Bailey ising to take me to the office,¡± I replied, sitting on the edge of


    the bed.


    ¡°So, you want him to carry you downstairs and outside?¡± Neil¡¯s expression soured at the thought.


    ¡°He can handle it,¡± I nodded


    Neil¡¯s face darkened, and he responded angrily. Just because he can doesn¡¯t mean he should!¡±


    We were still talking when a servant came up to tell Neil that Bailey was waiting outside the gates of


    Sterling Estates but couldn¡¯t get in


    Neil snapped and said, ¡°Let him wait outside!¡±


    The servant left cautiously. I confronted Neil, ¡°Why won¡¯t you let him in? Are you expecting me to get


    downstairs and into the car by myself?¡±


    Neil came over, picked me up, and started walking out of the bedroom, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t exist?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything because that was exactly what I was thinking.


    The staff downstairs were hustling and bustling. They nced at Neil and me, then quickly looked


    away, pretending to be oblivious and carrying on with their work


    I didn¡¯t have the guts to look at them. I was the one who asked for a divorce, and now here I was, being


    carried in and out by Neil.


    Neil took me to the dining room, ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast first.¡±


    ¡°Bailey is waiting for me I¡¯m not eating. I refused


    ¡°You¡¯re his boss Waiting on you is his job, so eat first Neil always looked at things through a capitalist


    lens, and arguing with him was pointless. I kept my mouth shut and just shot Bailey a text asking him to


    wait a little longer

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    Chapter 253


    After sending the message a half-peeled egg was ced in front of me. Neil retracted his hand, saying.


    ¡°Eat up¡±


    1 can peel it myself ¡°I realized I was quite stubborn. No matter what Neil did, I felt like giving him a


    piece of my mind


    Ned raised an eyebrow, ¡°Then peel it yourself and walk out when you¡¯re done¡±


    He was just taking advantage of my temporary immobility, threatening me every now and then


    I couldn¡¯t walk out myself, and Bailey couldn¡¯te in to fetch me. In the end, I still had to rely on Neil


    Suppressing my growing anger, I grabbed the egg and finished it in one bite. The next second, Neil


    pushed a sandwich towards me, ¡°Keep eating¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡±I choked on the egg and started coughing, trying to feel better.


    Under Neil¡¯s urging, I ate quite a bit, even finishing with a cup of hot milk. I was starting to feel stuffed


    The servant who had spoken highly of Neilst night was looking at me with a smile, her eyes filled with


    teasing.


    ¡°Alright, hurry and take me out ¡°I intentionally ignored the servant¡¯s gaze, urging Nel


    Neil stood up, seemingly unfazed by the games of others. He picked me up and started heading


    outside


    It had rained all night, and the ground was wet.


    Cold air crept into my cor, making me shiver.


    Neil navigated through the puddles, carrying me to his car.


    **


    As the car arrived outside Sterling Estates, I caught sight of my own car Bailey was standing outside,


    waiting for me


    Neils car slowed down, and Bailey immediately came over to open the door for me. ¡°Ms Finch, what


    happened? Why did you suddenly want a wheelchair?¡±


    twisted my ankle, having some trouble moving¡± I reached out my hand. ¡°Can you help me out of the


    car?¡±


    Bailey nodded and wanted to help me, but Neil pulled him back, I can help her¡±


    Before Bailey could react, Neil had already lifted me out and transferred me to my own car


    Bailey followed us silently. Once I was settled, he didn¡¯t say anything to Neil. He just got in the car and


    drove off.


    ¡°Bailey, you¡¯ve had a hard time recently ¡°I sighed with my eyes closed.


    It indeed had been busy recently, with Bailey chauffeuring me around frequently, but he never


    comined


    ¡°Ms. Finch, its what I should do.¡± Bailey replied, ¡®But why were you with him?¡±


    I opened my eyes, remembering what Nell had said about seeing my father I sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡±


    Bailey didn¡¯t probe further. I knew no matter what I did, he would always stand by me


    The night at Sterling Estates felt like a dream. I cleared my thoughts and plunged back into work. Amid


    the busyness, my sprained ankle gradually


    healed


    When Ste chatted with me, she gossiped a lot about Kitty, all rted to her and Neil.


    ¡°Rena, she¡¯s no ordinary person I looked up her identity and was shocked¡± Ste eximed on the


    phone.


    ¡°What happened?¡± asked while eating


    ¡°Didn¡¯t yourpany work with a firm called Evershine Enterprises in the Dreamscape District? She¡¯s


    the daughter of the president of thatpany. Her name is Mamie Wilson Ste revealed


    I was truly stunned. I remembered running into Kitty at Dreamscape District and how Evershine


    Enterprises decided to sign a contract with me at atical moment. Were they all not coincidences?


    Or did Kitty help me?


    ¡°However, her mother died giving birth to her. The current wife of the president of Evershine


    Enterprises is her stepmother.¡± Ste spilled everything she know.


    I felt a wave of confusion upon hearing this.


    After hanging up, I lost my appetite I opened WhatsApp and messaged Kitty: Can we meet?


    Kitty replied quickly, ¡°Sure,e over here!¡±


    She sent me an address, and I rushed over.


    Kitty was a food enthusiast, and she was trying out a new Western restaurant. On seeing me, she


    waved excitedly. ¡°Irene, over here!¡±


    Her hair was dyed purple again, looking wild and free. Her round face was adorned with noticeable


    piercings on her nose and lips


    I sat down, and Kilty enthusiastically rmended the restaurant¡¯s signature dishes. After listening for


    a while, I interrupted her, ¡°Are you the youngest daughter of Evershine Enterprises president?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kitty froze, then quickly burst into a radiant smile, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I smiled, ¡°A friend recognized you and told me.¡±


    Kitty readily admitted her identity and chatted with me. She was a girl who didn¡¯tck money butcked


    love. She hated her stepmother, so she started


    roaming around after graduation. Her dad didn¡¯t know what to do with her.


    As for the contract with Evershine Enterprises, Kitty admitted that she had asked her dad for help.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Bonnie; she¡¯s a vixen!¡± Kitty didn¡¯t mince her words, ¡°Irene, even though you¡¯re Neil¡¯s ex-


    wife and Bonnie is his ex-girlfriend, I hate her, not you. If I were Neil, I would never forget you either.¡±


    Kitty¡¯s words shocked me. She didn¡¯t get angry or jealous when Neil left with me on her birthday?


    Her candid expressions of feelings made me envious


    I had prepared a bunch of rebuttals in case Kitty wanted to pick a fight, but her words made me feel


    petty.


    Just when I didn¡¯t know how to respond, a voice sounded next to us, ¡°Irene, having a meal with a


    friend?¡±


    Just our luck, we were talking about Bonnie, and there she was, with Kate, Aaron, and Malinda in tow.


    ¡°Isnt she one of Neil¡¯s admirers? Malinda suddenly pointed at Kitty, ¡°I saw her when Neil was in the


    hospital. Do you remember, Bonnie?¡±


    Bonnie looked at Kitty, her brow furrowed.


    Kitty cast a dismissive nce at the group and continued to eat, treating Malinda¡¯s words as hot air.


    Whether out of jealousy or dissatisfaction, Bonnie¡¯s personality was bing more and more vtile.


    She was unable to hide her emotions.


    She gave a contemptuous smile, ¡°Neil has plenty of admirers. What¡¯s she to him? He wouldn¡¯t like a


    woman who reeks of cheapness¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, before you deliberately sucked up to Neil to get rich, you were also just an ordinary


    cheap woman, weren¡¯t you?¡± Kitty wasn¡¯t about to let Bonnie off the hook. She forked a piece of steak,


    took a slow bite, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Forgotten where you came from so quickly?¡±


    Iughed out loud. She hit the nail on the head, and I love her spirit.


    Bonnie¡¯s face was cold and sharp. ¡°What are youughing at? She¡¯s your rival too.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, she and I are not rivals. I was the one who gave her Neil¡¯s contact¡± I replied with a grin.

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254


    Chapter 254


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Some people¡¯s lives are all about chasing guys. Eh, there¡¯s nothing wrong with fancying blokes, but


    when you start using shady tactics, its hard not to look down on that! Kitty propped up her chin and


    said, ¡®I remember there was an audio clip that got leaked. It seemed to expose Ms. Tueley¡¯s sneaky


    tricks¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Bonnie was pissed off, she gritted her teeth and told Kitty


    Kitty shot me a grin, then pulled a funny face. She was clearly trying to wind Bonnie up.


    I found her quite entertaining. No wonder Neil found her annoying yet still hung out with her.


    Kate had a tight grip on Bonnie¡¯s arm.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just my imagination, but ever since she became chummy with Bonnie, she


    seemed a bit gloomier


    She shot me a hostile look and advised Bonnie, ¡°Dont waste your time on her, let¡¯s go¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Lours is waiting for us. As long as I¡¯m here, I guarantee you¡¯ll get more chances to chat with


    Neil. You guys can take things to the next level, don¡¯t worry¡± Malinda confidently reassured, thumping


    her chest.


    She was right. As long as Louis Aldridge was in the picture Bonnie would always have a chance to


    interact with Neil.


    Neil and Louis had been buddies since childhood. He wouldn¡¯t dissolve this friendship without a major


    disagreement.


    However, did Neil know about Louis meeting his enemy before?


    On second thought, Louis was quite a suspicious character, but it was not my ce to dig deeper


    Lets go Bonnie said and turned to leave. But the next moment, she stumbled and felt, crying out in pain


    Right then, Neil, Louis, and Cooper rke appeared at the door. We were right in their line of sight,


    and they could see Bonnie¡¯s fall


    Louis was the most concerned. He rushed over, first asked if Malinda needed anything, then helped


    Bonnie up, Bonnie, are you okay?¡±


    Malinda suddenly pointed at me. ¡°Did you trip her on purpose, causing her to fall?


    Honnie was quite hard on herself. She deliberately took a fall, causing a bruise on her forehead.


    ¡°Im fine, Irene probably didn¡¯t trip me on purpose¡± Bonnie was helped up and replied weakly


    Kate used me angrily, ¡°Bonnie just had a few words with you. Did you really have to do something


    so spiteful?¡±


    Ithed this tripping revenge tactic back in primary school, and sometimes I¡¯m really amazed at how


    these three women think.


    Neil and Cooper also rushed over it was quite embarrassing for them, with the status, to be dragged


    into this drama in full public view.


    But after aff, Malinda was Louis¡¯s girlfriend. They couldnt say much.


    Neil nced at me, then at my foot. My sprained ankle was almost healed, but if I really tripped Bonnie


    with force, I would definitely feel the pain 100.


    ¡°Neil, your ex sure has a questionable character Kitty stood up, walked over to Neil, and shook her


    head, ¡°She¡¯s grown up, yet she still uses childish tactics to frame people. How did you ever fancy


    someone with such a low 10?¡±


    Neil shot Kitty a nce, ¡°Why is it any of your business?¡±


    Bonnie looked at Neil pleadingly. ¡°Neil, I once liked you. Does that embarrass you?¡±


    Liking someone was not embarrassing at all, but what Bonnie did was indeed revolting


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything. Bonnie just posing this question made him feel awkward. He wasn¡¯t the type to


    get involved in a public spectacle.


    Of course, he probably wouldn¡¯t care if he truly liked Bonnie


    ¡°Louis, could you take your girlfriend and send Bonnie to the hospital? Cooper suggested, his face


    showing a hint of embarrassment


    Louis nodded and picked Bonnie up, heading towards the restaurant ext. His natural gesture left


    Malinda frozen, and she just stood there staring at Louis¡¯s back


    Kate, who was busyforting Bonnie, quickly gave her a pull, ¡°What are you gawking at? Let¡¯s go to


    the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Malinda finally came back to her senses and followed them.


    Kitty watched this scene unfold and smirked, ¡°Neil, your friend really doesn¡¯t seem to consider other


    people¡¯s feelings, does he?¡±


    Neil shot her a nce, ¡°Mind your own business¡±


    He finished speaking, and his gaze fell on me. His eyes deepened a bit.


    Kitty looked at him, then at me. There was a hint of disappointment in her eyes. She smiled. Don¡¯t


    worry. I told Irene I like you, and I won¡¯t use those dirty


    Incks¡±


    Her words made meugh. Every time she was so blunt yet right on point, I really wanted to be friends


    with her. I believe Ste and the girls would love to have a sister like her.


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re silent doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re mute, so why not shut up?¡± Neil retorted coldly


    Kitty stuck her tongue out at me, and I gave her a smile, ¡°Okay, I need to get back to work. You guys


    enjoy your meal.¡±


    i got up to leave, but Neil stepped in front of me. He took something out of his pocket, and a small pearl


    earring appeared in front of me


    He sind, ¡°You left your earring at my ce.¡±


    saw Kitty¡¯s face turn a shade paler. She stared at Neil¡¯s hand, her eyes full of shock and


    disappointment.


    Seeing that I was looking at her, she quickly suppressed her emotions and smiled at me.


    I remembered one morning a while back, I saw Kitty leaving Neil¡¯s ce. Neil letting her stay overnight


    meant she was special to him.


    The two of them¡­actually make a good match. I believe Neil¡¯s parents would agree.


    ¡°Neil, this earring isn¡¯t mine. Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a mistake?¡± I smiled and denied ownership


    of the earring.


    Neil¡¯s gaze turned deep; he didn¡¯t pull his hand back, nor did he say anything else.


    I gave Kitty and Cooper a nod, and then I was out.


    If there was a woman in this world who I think could be a match for Neil, who I could genuinely bless to


    be his partner, that woman would probably be


    Kitty.


    Kitty¡¯s personality always reminded me of my old self. I used to be that tangled up over Neil too.


    Outside the restaurant, the afternoon sun was warm, my feelings were mixed but also relieved.


    I was on my way to thepany when I got a call it was Chloe Reynolds. Ms. Finch, where are you?¡±


    she sounded a bit urgent.


    ¡°I¡¯m driving, what¡¯s up?¡± I asked


    ¡°Russel suddenly disappeared. I haven¡¯t seen his shadow in the past two or three days, and can¡¯t


    reach him on his phone either. Has hee to you? Can you find him? Chloe asked anxiously

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255


    Chapter 255


    When i heard the news, I immediately pulled over


    ¡°How could he just disappear?¡± I began to worry. Guilt for Russel began to food my heart like a tidal


    wave.


    Chloe was on the verge of tears, ¡°I don¡¯t know, he had a row with his family three days ago and then


    vanished. We cant find him.¡±


    Knowing Russel, he wasn¡¯t the type to just up and leave. So I figured the fight he had with his family


    three days ago must¡¯ve been intense enough to push him to this


    Because of my messed up decisions, Russel was put under a lot of stress and pain.


    My anxiety was skyrocketing, if anything happened to him, I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the me.


    111 try to get in touch with him, you guys keep looking for him at his old apartment and the hospital he


    used to work at Iresponded


    Chloe choked out a thank you¡¯ and hung up the phone..


    I was in no mood to go to the office, right now the most pressing matter was finding Russel


    i tried calling Russel, but his phone was off. He didn¡¯t respond to any of the messages and video calls I


    sent him on WhatsApp, it was as if he had just vanished from the face of the earth


    Then I drove to his old apartment. Russel had given me a key card and the password to his ce, so I


    dug out the card from my car and headed straight to his apartment


    I opened the door and looked in the apartment, but I still found no sign of Russel. There was even a


    layer of dust on the furniture.


    After looking for him for a while, I rushed to the hospital where Russel used to work, but still no luck.


    By nightfall, I was still clueless


    I gave Mitch a call and told him about Russels disappearance, asking him to lend a hand in the search.


    ¡°Alright, I try to get in touch with him¡± Mitch might not have been in touch with Russel recently, but they


    used to be tight. He wouldn¡¯t just shrug it off.


    At the end of the day it was all because of me I caused the rift between Russel and Neil, pushing him


    away from his best friend.


    As I thought about it, guilt and regret began to wash over me. I didn¡¯t want to hold Russelback and


    didn¡¯t want him to waste his time on me, but the oue was still the same I ended up hurting him.


    It was totally unfair for such a great guy to have to endure all this stress and pain just because he liked


    me.


    I sat in my car, feeling lost. What should I do? Or rather, what could I do to make up for the hurt 1


    caused Russel?


    I got lost in my thoughts as tears silently rolled down my cheeks, I was oblivious until my phone rang,


    bringing me back to reality and making me wipe the tears off my face


    It was a call from Neil.


    ¡°Russel¡¯s missing?¡± Neil asked as soon as I picked up.


    Yeah, his family hasn¡¯t been able to get in touch with him for three days¡± My voice choked up as soon


    as I opened my mouth.


    Neil remained silent on the other end of the line, and after a while, he asked calmly. ¡°You¡¯re so worried


    about him that you¡¯re crying?¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really worried about him. You¡¯ve been friends with him since you were


    kids, arent you worried about him?¡±


    Neil scoffed on the other end of the line. ¡°He wasnt nice to me before¡±


    I was speechless. From a moral standpoint, Russel liking me did indeed hurt Neil, since I was Neil¡¯s ex-


    wife


    Choosing to date Russel was like a p in the face to Neil, with his ego, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able


    to take it.


    ¡°Neil, could you help me find him? In fact, this entire mess was caused by me. If I had been more


    cautious and rejected him, none of this would¡¯ve happened. If you really want to take out your anger


    and resentment on someone, let it be me ¡°I said seriously


    I was already a mess, a bit more wouldn¡¯t make a difference. As long as Russel could let go of his


    feelings for me and stay away, his future would be bright


    He shouldn¡¯t end up with nothing, like I did in my past life.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond, he just hung up.


    1 rubbed my temples, feeling tired and helpless. I sat in the car quietly for a while, then went home to


    take a bath and unwind. Ever since Harold left, I¡¯ve been living alone in this big house. The scary part


    was that I was getting used to it.


    After my bath, I put on my pajamas and went out onto the balcony. The balcony directly faced Neil¡¯s,


    and although there was some distance between us, I could still make out what was going on over


    there.


    The lights in Neil¡¯s house were all on, whether he was in Sapphire River Community or not, there was


    always someone guarding his vi, so the lights were always on


    The wind was getting colder and colder. I wrapped my pajamas tighter around me and was about to go


    back to bed.


    Just then, the door on the opposite balcony opened, and Neil stepped out. It looked like he had just


    taken a bath. He was still wearing a ck bathrobe, seemingly unfazed by the cold wind


    When he saw me, Neil picked up his phone and sent me a message, ¡°Are you spying on me taking a


    bath?¡±


    frowned. What was he on about?


    pier


    I replied, ¡°No.¡±


    After receiving my message, he opened all the doors on his balcony and turned up the lights. That¡¯s


    when I noticed the white bathtub in his room.


    He was just taking a bath, and I had been staring at his house. It did look a bit like I was peeping.


    He sent me another message, ¡°Are you waiting for me to help you find Russel?¡±


    I did have some hopes for Neil, but I knew he wouldn¡¯t help me.


    I called him directly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me, but please don¡¯t mock me.¡±


    ¡°So, one moment you¡¯re saying I can vent all my anger on you, and now I suddenly can¡¯t mock you?


    Are you messing with me?¡± Neil retorted.


    ¡°I hope you can help me find Russel. I was starting to get frustrated. ¡°But I don¡¯t need your help now.


    You¡¯re too cold; I can¡¯t afford the price you¡¯re asking ¡±


    I hung up after saying that. Despite the distance, I could still feel Neil¡¯s anger.


    I closed the balcony door, blocking out the unsettling atmosphere, and went back to my room to rest.


    |


    In the middle of the night, my phone suddenly rang. I picked it up groggily, only to hear Russel¡¯s


    deste voice. ¡°I really miss you¡­¡±


    I snapped awake. I couldnt believe Russel was the one who called.


    ¡°Russel, where are you right now? I¡¯ming to find you!¡± I asked hurriedly


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t bother. I just need some time. I¡¯m at home being pushed into a shotgun wedding and forced


    to marry a woman I don¡¯t love.¡± Russel said with a bitter chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to drag you into this,


    but I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    I felt a pang of sadness. ¡°You¡¯re such a fool! There are plenty of fish in the sea; it¡¯s not worth it for


    someone like me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I can¡¯t control my feelings. Did you get the ring I sent you?¡± Russel asked me.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s beautiful,¡± I replied, as my voice was heavy with emotion.


    ¡°Could you take a picture with it on and send it to me? I want to see how it looks on you and keep the


    photo as a keepsake.¡± Russel¡¯s voice took on a pleading tone.

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256


    Chapter 256


    Russel¡¯s request was just too hard to refuse. I dug out the diamond ring, slid it on, snapped a picture,


    and sent it his way.


    In no time, Russel was on the phone again, ¡°I saw it. Looks nice,¡±


    I responded, Im quite fond of the design too. It just wasn¡¯t meant to be.¡±


    Then I asked him, ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    He reassured me, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it; I won¡¯t do anything stupid. If youre ever unhappy, just think of me as


    your n B.¡± He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be home tomorrow My folks are pressuring me to propose to Chloe, but


    I turned them down.¡±


    So that was the reason for his family feud. It hurt to hear, but there was nothing I could do. From an


    outside perspective, Chloe was a catch and a good match for Russel.


    He went on, ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ve been away for a few days. They probably won¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± He


    sounded like a kid saying that.


    I told him, ¡°Okay, shoot me a message when you get home tomorrow, or else I¡¯ll be worried.¡± A weight


    was lifted off my chest.


    Russel responded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    We didn¡¯t chat for long, most of the time was spent in silence, neither of us knowing what else to say


    By the time I hung up, it was past 3 am. It had started snowing outside. I got up and looked out the


    window and saw a thinyer of snow already covering it


    The first snow of the year in Rosemont had arrived early I had no idea where Russel was, whether Dad


    was freezing his butt off in jail, whether Oscar Morse had left Rosemont, or when Mam would wake up.


    I stared out the window, lost in thought.


    Before I knew it, dawn had broken. I wasn¡¯t tired at all, so I just cleaned up, got dressed, and headed


    for the office.


    Neil was just leaving looking like someone owed him a fortune.


    As I drove past him, he suddenly stood in front of my car.


    I hit the brakes hard, ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± I yelled after rolling down the window


    The ground was slippery with ice and snow, and I could have hit him if I hadnt stopped in time.


    He stood outside the car, his face gloomy, ¡°Is Russel at your ce?¡±


    I retorted. If he were with me, would I need you to help find him? Can¡¯t you think straight?¡±


    Neil stared at me coldly. ¡°Who knows if he s faking running away and is just hiding at your ce?


    Asking me to help find him could just be a smokescreen


    I was stunned by Neil¡¯s suspicion. His thought process had somehow be so bizarre overnight.


    I told him, ¡°Neil, maybe you should see a therapist. I think you might have some mental issues¡± I


    honestly suggested.


    Neil¡¯s face darkened even more, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, after all this time, nobody could find him, yet you


    got him to call home overnight, saying he¡¯s safe?¡±


    Because he reached out to me and promised me that he would go home today!


    Neil always linked the fact that Russel ran away to me and him nning a secret meeting together. He


    was nuts.


    ¡°He called to say he¡¯d be home today. You sure have a vivid imagination¡± I was in a hurry to go to work,


    so I answered and started to drive off.


    But Neil beat me to it and got in my car. I didn¡¯t understand his actions and asked, ¡°What are you


    doing?¡±


    I have to go to StarGlow Enterprises. Isn¡¯t it near your office? We can share the ride. Neil buckled his


    seat belt and responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    Never mind what he was doing at StarGlow Enterprises, the fact that he was hitching a ride with me


    was mind-boggling.


    Neil had plenty of drivers and assistants, yet he insisted on riding with me. I felt like he was doing it on


    purpose to annoy me.


    I stayed put, ¡°Take your own car


    ¡°I had a drink this


    because I was upset, so I cant drive.¡± Neil did smell a bit like alcohol


    ¡°Then call your driver to pick you up.¡± I offered a second suggestion


    Neil looked at me unhappily, ¡°Is it really that big of a deal for your ex-husband and neighbor to hitch a


    ride?¡±


    The problem wasn¡¯t him hitching a ride; it was that Neil was constantly hitching a ride even though he


    didn¡¯t need to. I couldn¡¯t keep indulging him like this


    If I keep indulging him, I might as well switch careers and be his personal driver.


    Neil¡¯s shamelessness always rubbed me the wrong way whenever I left the house.


    What baffled me the most was that Neil actually fell asleep in the passenger seat. His even breathing


    and closed eyes made it clear that he was fast asleep.


    His slightly turned face and disheveled hair reminded me of Sleeping Beauty from fairy tales, even


    though he was a man


    I took a deep breath,pletely defeated by Neill¡¯s shameless behavior. Not only did he refuse to get


    out of the car, he even fell asleep peacefully something that never expected.


    With things as they were, I had no choice but to drive him to the office.


    My driving was pretty good, but the road was a bit slippery after the snow, so I had to drive slowly.


    What was usually a half-hour drive took nearly an hour today.


    As soon as we reached the office parking lot, Neil woke up as if he had an automatic sensor


    ¡°We¡¯re here, you can walk to StarGlow Enterprises.¡± I said coldly.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you drop me off directly at StarGlow Enterprises?¡± Neil frowned, seemingly dissatisfied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your personal driver!¡± I snapped back.


    Neil looked like he suddenly understood, then unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car.


    I held back from asking him what he was doing at StarGlow Enterprises. He and Bonnie weren¡¯t as


    close as they used to be, so it was unlikely that he was going to see her.


    So he must have been going to see Gloria. That seemed more likely


    Recently, StarGlow Enterprises hadn¡¯t been kicking up a fuss, but they had been sneaky, snatching


    away some of my business behind my back.


    Ever since my home got turned upside down, Gloria had suddenly gone quiet and only Bonnie would


    asionally pop up to stir the pot.


    What on earth were Neil and Gloria talking about? I was filled with doubts as I started my day¡¯s work.


    As the year-end was drawing near, work was getting busier, and I no longer had time to overthink.


    When I was just about to clock off, I got a message from Kitty, ¡°Irene, I have a question. Whats a good


    gift for a female elder?¡±


    I replied, ¡°You need to consider the elders status and hobbies¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Neil¡¯s mom. I know it might be a bit off to ask you this, but I heard his mom used to like


    you a lot, so I thought I¡¯d ask you.¡±


    Her reply was straightforward, not hiding anything at all.


    I also gave her some proactive advice, ¡°If I remember correctly, Neil¡¯s mom is quite fond of jewelry. You


    might want to consider that.

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257


    Chapter 257


    After a while, Kitty sent an emoji expressing her gratitude. Our conversation ended there.


    I rubbed my aching neck, then began to pack up and get ready to knock off.


    ¡°Rena,e over for some seafood¡± Ste called just as I was leaving the office.


    ¡°Sure¡± I agreed. Going home didn¡¯t appeal much to me right now I felt the aura of loneliness


    permeating my empty house.


    Whenever I had spare time, I would hang out with Ste and the others. That was much better than


    being alone at home with my thoughts.


    By the time I arrived at Ste, Barbara, Alicia, and their boyfriends were already there.


    Alicia had recently confirmed her rtionship with Sean. Barbara was about to get married. Ste¡¯s


    family was warm and harmonious. All three of them were full of happiness, while I felt a bit bleak..


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mitch? I greeted everyone but noticed that Mitch wasn¡¯t around, so I asked.


    ¡°He was called away by Neil. No idea why¡± Ste replied, puzzled. He was asking about Russel¡¯s


    whereaboutsst night, and then this morning he received news that Russel had made it home safely


    Neil had just gone to StarGlow Enterprises today and had called Mitch away. What could it be about?


    1


    I couldn¡¯t help but worry. I was afraid that if something went wrong with StarGlow Enterprises, it could


    affect mypany


    Just as Ste finished speaking. Mitch rushed in, muttering. ¡°Neil, it must be a hoax¡­¡±


    He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw everyone at the table.


    Neil followed shortly after, looking rather upset. When he saw us, his eyes were filled with irritation.


    Mitch didn¡¯t continue his sentence but instead took off his coat and smiled at us, ¡°You¡¯re all here? My


    wife didn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    Ste nced at me, then at Neil, and whispered to me, I didn¡¯t know Neil wasing.


    I had been in contact with Neil quite a bittely, so having dinner with him was nothing unusual. I


    needed to ept the reality that, as long as we were alive and in the same circle, we couldn¡¯t avoid


    each other.


    I smiled at Ste and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine


    Mitch found a seat with Neil. Soon, the table was loaded with all sorts of seafood, making our mouths


    water.


    Although I said I didn¡¯t mind Neil¡¯s presence, I lost my appetite as soon as our eyes met.


    I even feared he would ask to borrow my car again.


    ¡°You guys go ahead,¡± Neil got up and left after only a few bites. Through the ss window, I watched


    him smoke outside.


    Alicia whispered to me. ¡°Is his family going bankrupt? He looks quite worried¡±


    I doubted it. I believed that Mitch¡¯s unfinished sentence was the key point.


    What could be troubling Nell so much? Could the rumor about the illegitimate child be true?


    I frightened myself with this horrid thought, then immediately shook my head, telling myself not to


    overthink it. Neil¡¯s parents had a good rtionship There couldnt be such dramatic conflicts in their


    family.


    Suddenly, my phone rang It was a call from the hospital. I had been so busytely that I had forgotten


    to make my payments on time, so I needed to go to the hospital to handle the fees.


    ¡®Ste, I need to handle something.¡± I wiped the corner of my mouth and stood up to tell everyone.


    ¡°What¡¯s so urgent?¡± Ste asked.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I need to make a payment at the hospital. I might have to work overtime tomorrow, so I can only go


    tonight. Bye.¡± I said while grabbing my bag.


    When I walked into the yard, I noticed that Neil was no longer there.


    I walked out to the front yard and saw him smoking by the road


    In the damp and cold evening, the street lights illuminated the road.


    Neil stood there, making the scene look even more deste. He pointed at the car beside him, ¡®Are


    you going back? Give me a lift¡±


    I was speechless


    I was in a hurry to get to the hospital, so I didnt want to waste time with Neil Plus, it wasn¡¯t the first time


    he had hitched a nde with me.


    Neil looked a bit surprised when I didn¡¯t object this time.


    Along the way, Neil¡¯s phone rang several times, but he didn¡¯t answer or reply to any of them. He just


    sat there, looking Increasingly upset.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we going back to Sapphire River Community?¡± Neil frowned as we reached the hospital.


    ¡°Who said I was going home?¡± I got out of the car with my bag, retorting coldly


    Neil followed me out of the car, trailing behind me. There weren¡¯t many people in the hospital. I didn¡¯t


    have to worry about attracting attention, so I let him tag along


    After making the payment, I went to my mom¡¯s room


    Nel stayed outside this time, not following me in


    ¡°Ms. Finch, he¡¯s the gentleman who¡¯s been here many times before.¡± The nurse whispered to me.


    ¡°Yeah, I know I know him.¡± I nodded.


    I had no idea what Neil was doing outside while I was talking to my mom. By the time I walked out, he


    was gone.


    Perhaps someone else had called him, so he had to go.


    I drove home alone.


    Then Neil disappeared for a while. At least I didn¡¯t see him each time I went out.


    Until Alicia called me, telling me some horrible news


    ¡°Has Neil gone mad? He¡¯s nning to coborate with StarGlow Enterprises? Alicia¡¯s voice was filled


    with shock and anger.


    I was also taken aback. Whitmore Co¡¯s business and StarGlow Enterprises¡¯ main business were


    different. Besides, Whitmore Co. didn¡¯t need to coborate with StarGlow Enterprises in terms of scale.


    Not long ago, Neil had ridden in my car to StarGlow Enterprises. What had he discussed with Gloria


    that day?


    ¡°Rena, be careful. That madman, Neil, might be trying to get back at you because you rejected him!¡±


    Alicia suggested the worst possibility.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± I replied, feeling all over the ce inside. Just when things at my family¡¯s


    company had started to get stable, this bombshell dropped on me.


    This was a piece of information Alicia had learned from someone else. Neither Whitmore Co. nor


    StarGlow Enterprises had made any official announcements about their coboration yet, but if there


    were already rumors swirling around, this news was likely true.


    After hanging up the phone, I drove home. As I passed Neil¡¯s ce, I spotted a familiar Lincoln car.


    Gloria and Bonnie were chatting in the yard. After seeing me pull up, they exchanged a nce before


    coming over.


    I quickly drove to my own driveway and got out.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, so you and Mr. Whitmore are neighbors now!¡± Gloria called out to me while wearing a smile


    as phony as a three-dor bill.


    Jealousy was written all over Bonnie¡¯s face. She bit her lip, then said, ¡°Irene, you haven¡¯t gotten over


    Neil yet, have you?¡±


    I coolly looked at the mother-daughter duo.


    This house was bought by my parents almost twenty years ago. Neil¡¯s the one who recently moved


    here, so maybe you should ask him instead.¡±

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258


    Chapter 258


    Bonnie¡¯s face turned even uglier when she heard that. I had said the very thing she didn¡¯t want to hear


    That Neil was making moves on me.


    Gloria, on the other hand, was quite chill. She gave Bonnie¡¯s hand a light pat and said in a motherly


    tone, ¡°Bonnie, why so sensitive? Ms. Finch in Neil¡¯s ex-wife. It¡¯s perfectly normal for divorced couples


    to stay friends. Aren¡¯t you here today as well?¡±


    Right. Bonnie had never set foot in Sapphire River Community before. The fact that she was here now


    meant Neil had given his approval. This indicated a change in their rtionship


    Neil was as fickle as ever. I could never figure out what he was up to


    ¡°Okay, Mom.¡± Bonnie said, snapping back to her obedient self after listening to Gloria


    I didn¡¯t give a hoot about what Gloria was talking about. After seeing Neil step out, I went straight into


    my own yard and didn¡¯t look back.


    Bonnie¡¯s clear and sweet voice was filled with joy as she eximed, ¡°Ned¡±¡±


    I pretended not to hear her and quickly walked into the living room, shutting the door behind me.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about whatever was happening next door


    It waste, and there was sleet everywhere outside. The bare tree branches in the winter night looked


    extra bleak. I poured myself a ss of red wine. nning to hit the sack after finishing it.


    ¡°Ding¡±


    My phone chimed. It was a message from Kitty Before I could read it, her voice call came through.


    Trene, has Neil lost his marbles? He actually invited Bonnie and Gloria over for dinner?¡± Kitty sounded


    really pissed off when I picked up the call.


    ¡°How did you find out?¡± I asked.


    I¡¯m friends with Bonnie on Instagram. She posted a photo. This is so annoying Kitty rarely got this mad,


    her voice was noticeably louder


    Though she was outgoing and straightforward, she seldom showed such extreme emotions. Being a


    rich kid, she had her manners.


    Neil¡¯s move had obviously baffled her


    Curious, I asked, ¡°How did you be friends with Bonnie on Instagram?


    Kitty responded, ¡°She added me. She got my contact from one of my friends. But she probably doesn¡¯t


    know who I am yet so she always acts high and mighty in front of me


    Ah, I see Bonnie probably added Kitty because she was often seen with Neil and felt threatened.


    1 heard Whitmore Co. and StarGlow Enterprises are going to coborate That¡¯s probably why they had


    a meal together I sounded moreposedpared to her


    That¡¯s why I think he¡¯s gone cuckoo. Do you think he¡¯s being ckmailed by that mother-daughter duo


    Kitty was probably filled with questions.


    Neil¡¯s future behavior might confuse her even more. I reassured her a few times and hung up.


    When I woke up the next morning, I saw a message Kitty had sent mete at night, ¡°Thank god Bonnie


    didn¡¯t stay the night at his ce, or I would¡¯ve definitely stopped pursuing him


    I yawned, gave a bitter smile, and put down my phone to wash up.


    Neil reconnecting with Bonnie was a relief for me. They were causing less trouble for me, almost none


    at this time.


    It was the end of the year, so he was already pretty busy. I didn¡¯t see him until the day Barbara and


    Ss held their wedding.


    StarGlow Enterprises announced that Whitmore Co. had invested in them, and they had jointly set up a


    charity foundation to help young patients with heart-rted diseases get treatment or heart transnts.


    I heaved a sigh of relief. As long as they didn¡¯t go after mypany, I was good,


    Because of the cold weather outside, Barbara¡¯s wedding was held in a hotel.


    Barbara chose me, Ste, and Alicia as her bridesmaids.


    Loads of guests attended the wedding To our surprise, Neil and Russel showed up too,


    1 didn¡¯t invite them Did they just show up on their own?¡± Barbara found time to discuss the situation


    with me.


    ¡°Well, since they¡¯re here, you¡¯ll get two more wedding gifts.¡± I replied with augh.


    Ste locked at me sympathetically, Rena, Barbara might get gifts, but you might be in a bit of a pickle


    Your ex-husband and ex-boyfriend are about to


    meet.¡±


    Before I could respond, Alicia rushed over, ¡°Ugh! What a mood killer! Why did Bonnie and Gloria have


    to show up on such a good day?¡±


    Barbaras eyes widened in surprise, ¡°My parents must¡¯ve invited them. I told them not to¡­ Why?¡±


    Our parents knew about our disputes, but they wouldnt intervene much. They wouldn¡¯t stop doing


    business or mingling because of it.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Ab Barbara was about to confront her parents, I stopped her, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Bonnie might have issues with


    me, but not with your family. It¡¯s normal for your parents to invite them¡±


    ¡°Bul. Barbara frowned


    The wedding is about to start. Today is your big day. Don¡¯t mind those people ¡°I told Barbara


    Chapter 258


    Barbara finally gave up on confronting her parents and focused on waiting for the wedding ceremony to


    start


    As bridesmaids, we followed Barbara onto the stage. Since all four of us graduated from the music


    department of university, we decided to perform ¡°Wedding March as the wedding background music.


    As I picked up the cello, I nced at the guests below the stage. Despite the crowd, I spotted Neil


    instantly.


    He sat at a rtively distant spot. On one side of him was Cooper, and on the other were Bonnie and


    Kate.


    Bonnie was wearing a light blue dress today, looking quite delicate. She was leaning slightly towards


    Neil. From my angle, they looked like a couple


    When I looked into the crowd again, my eyesnded on Russel. He was seated near the stage, so I


    had a clear view of his much thinner figure and the added gloominess in his eyes. He was stating right


    at me.


    Chloe, sitting next to him, looked quite anxious, as if she were worried about something.


    As the music kicked in, the wedding ceremony started. Watching Barbara and Ss exchange rings


    filled my heart with bitterness.


    ¡°Any singledies in the house? The emcee suddenly asked, ¡°For those hopefuldies looking for their


    Mr. Right, get ready! The bride is about to toss the bouquet


    This was a part of the n. Both Barbara and Ss were big fans of this tradition. A bunch of unmarried


    female guests stood up, marching towards the stage, ready to catch the bouquet.


    But what took us all by surprise was Bonnie getting up too. When she got to the front of the crowd,


    Barbara¡¯s face turned sour.


    Bonnie purposely came over to me, shing a smile, ¡°Trene, can I stand next to you? I think this spot is


    pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Whatever¡± I replied coldly.


    Barbara, not wanting to throw a tantrum in front of everyone, had to endure this awkward situation. She


    turned her back to us and tossed the bouquet over her shoulder

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259


    Chapter 259


    I never had the intention to scramble for the bouquet in the first ce, but Barbaras bouquet just had to


    fly in my direction.


    I withdrew my hand, while Bonnie on the other side reached out for it. Fine, let her have it.


    Before I could react, the bouquetnded right in my arms, and Bonnie fell to the ground with a loud


    thud.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Bonnie cried out in pain, clutching her right shoulder. That looked like it hurt.


    Kate, who was standing behind us, immediately rushed over to check on Bonnie. ¡°Are you alright? How


    did you fall?¡±


    The guests were shocked by this sudden turn of events, craning their necks to see what was


    happening


    I stood there, with bouquet in hand, having a bad feeling about the situation


    As expected, Bonnie shot me a pitiful look, then shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I shouldn¡¯t have gone up to


    fight Irene for the bouquet¡­


    When the bouquet was tossed, a dozen women scrambled for it, so physical contact was inevitable.


    People at the back couldn¡¯t clearly see the actions of those in front. If Bonnie imed that I pushed her,


    I could easily be misunderstood.


    Falling is a risk when scrambling for the bouquet it¡¯s just a minor injury: what¡¯s the big deal?¡± Ste


    bluntly stated.


    ¡°But Bonnie caught the bouquet! Irene snatched it from her hands and pushed her down. Isnt that too


    much? Kate helped Bonnie up, shooting me an angry re


    I stood there, watching them spew nonsense. Some of the guests would surely believe Bonnie. After


    all, aside from Ste and the others, there were many unfamiliar faces


    Sure enough, whispers began to circte


    ¡®She¡¯s Neils ex wife, and Bornie is Neil¡¯s ex-girlfriend. She must have done it on purpose, right?¡±


    ¡°Neil¡¯s here too, did he see?¡±


    ¡°It did seem like Bonnie caught the bouquet, then was robbed by Irene.¡±


    Those who knew about my past with Bonnie immediately assumed that I was intentionally getting back


    at her


    I really didn¡¯t want anything to do with Bonnie anymore. Plus. I had no interest in getting married, so


    what was the point of fighting over the bouquet?


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    To avoid disrupting the wedding ceremony, Bonnie and I were led away to the lounge by the staff


    Just as we reached the lounge, the door was pushed open, and Neil walked in.


    I hadn¡¯t seen him in about half a month. Upon entering, he first nced at me, his eyes unreadable.


    Neil, Bonnie burst into tears as soon as she saw him


    ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± Neil walked over, his tone was surprisingly gentle.


    Bonnie touched her shoulder, her teary eyes made her look quite pitiful. My shoulder hurts. It¡¯s so


    embarrassing to fall in front of so many people¡±


    Neil bent down to inspect Bonnie¡¯s shoulder. It was probably just a minor scrape, but girls tend to be a


    bit delicate. Neil seemed willing to ept her


    again.


    I just don¡¯t get it. What happened during this period that made Neil change his attitude towards Bonnie


    so drastically?


    ¡°It¡¯s all Irene¡¯s fault! I shouldn¡¯t have let Bonnie go up there. She just wanted to catch the bouquet and


    give it to you? Kate¡¯s usations were full of me towards me and hinted at Bonnie¡¯s feelings for Neil


    I watched them coldly. ¡°Do you have proof?¡±


    ¡®Do we need proof? Everyone saw it!¡± Kate replied angrily.


    Bonnie was weeping pitifully. Neil turned to look at me but didnt say a word.


    Just then, Russel¡¯s voice came from the door, ¡°From what I saw, Bonnie tripped herself. There are


    plenty of cameras on site, just check the footage, and everyone will know¡±


    I was stunned while looking at Russel. The moment his gaze met mine, it softened.


    Bonnie immediately panicked, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense! I have a weak heart, so why would I trip


    myself? That¡¯s risky!¡±.


    ¡°Maybe to frame Trene? Russel chuckled coldly, not bothering to mince words.


    My feelings were mixed. Up until now, the person who trusted me most was still Russel


    Neil looked conflicted. He slightly distanced himself from Bonnie and spoke in a cold tone, ¡°If that¡¯s the


    case, it¡¯s a misunderstanding Bonnie, apologize


    to Irene¡¯


    After hearing Neil say that, Bonnie¡¯s face changed drastically. She couldn¡¯t believe that Neil would side


    with Russel and protect me at this moment.


    I was taken aback. I instantly forgot what I was going to say


    ¡°Neil, how can you trust Irene and doubt Bonnie?¡± Kate asked bluntly


    I trust facts. From Russel¡¯s position at the time, he could clearly see what happened.¡± Neil didn¡¯t waver


    or hesitate. He looked sharply at Bonnie. ¡°Since you falsely used her, you should apologize for your


    actions.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s chest was heaving, she was clearly agitated. She clutched her chest, starting to gasp for


    breath.


    Kate quickly took out some medication she carried with her and fed it to Bonnie, then angrily


    questioned Neil, ¡°Don¡¯t you know she has a weak heart? Are


    you trying to kill her?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring medicine? Russel nonchntly said, ¡°As long as she takes it, she¡¯ll stabilize. If she


    still feels ufortable after taking the medicine, please send her to the hospital.¡±


    He used to be a doctor, so he left Kate and Bonnie feeling extremely embarrassed.


    Bonnie¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Neil, do you still favor her in your heart? Then why did you agree to see me


    and have meals together recently?¡±


    ¡°We now have a business partnership. You should ask Gloria about that ¡°Neil¡¯s voice was cold,cking


    the gentleness he had shown earlier.


    I stared at him, unsure of what he was thinking. Why did he always do contradictory things?


    ¡°Better apologize quickly. I have other things to attend to ¡°I finally spoke to Bonnie.


    I¡¯m the one who got hurt here; why the hell should I be apologizing? Am I supposed to just soak up all


    this unfairness?¡± Bonnie couldn¡¯t stomach the reality as tears began streaming down her face. Her face


    turned red from the flurry of emotions


    ¡®Just because you¡¯re hurt doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re in the right. Bonnie, do you even have a sense of right


    and wrong anymore?¡± I was genuinely curious, was this the way she was raised?


    Maybe Bonnie, based on Neil¡¯s recent behavior towards her, thought they were back together. She


    figured Neil would back her up no matter what, which was why she deliberately screwed me over


    tonight.


    But she got it all wrong. If Neil really loved her, all the past beef between her and me wouldn¡¯t have


    happened in the first ce.

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260


    Chapter 260


    ¡°Neil, how could you do this to me?¡± Bonnie swiped at the tears in the corner of her eyes, Instead of


    answering my question, she looked at Neil with teary


    eyes.


    All she needed was Neil to defend her, if he did, she wouldn¡¯t have to feel so wronged.


    However, it was clear that Neil didn¡¯t love her.


    ¡°You messed up. so you should apologize Neil¡¯s tone was stern.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong! She snatched my bouquet and then pushed me down!¡± Bonnie stubbornly


    refuted, ¡°You¡¯re just favoring her because you can¡¯t get over her. If that¡¯s the case, then why did you


    compromise with me?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Neil lost his patience, irritably snapping. ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s not your ce to tell me what to do!¡±


    Bonnie burst into tears. She wanted to frame me but ended up losing face in front of me. She red at


    me with hatred. I knew she was going to me this on me again.


    As expected, Bonnie bit out, ¡°Irene, are you satisfied now? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, you started this Secondly, I don¡¯t even want to see you, let alone your so-called results¡± I


    responded indifferently.


    Bonnie covered her face as she cried and ran out. Except for Kate, who followed her out, everyone


    else just stood there.


    Neil shot Russel a cold nce, as if he were looking at an enemy.


    I didn¡¯t want to see the two of them at odds in front of me, so I quickly left the lounge


    Russel called out to me. Trene!¡±


    I stopped and turned to him, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing Just go. Russel shook his head, his smile faint.


    I knew he wanted to say something, but I also understood that nothing needed to be said anymore. Any


    more words would only make things harder for both of us


    I purposely avoided looking at Neil. Ever since he decided to coborate with Gloria, I didn¡¯t want to


    see him anymore. Their charity foundation, focusing on heart diseases, was tomemorate Karina


    Aaron


    After leaving the lounge, Barbara¡¯s wedding was about to end. After a dance, she rushed over to check


    on me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Bonnie¡¯s gone ¡°I replied. Even though she didn¡¯t apologize to me, she must have been


    frustrated.


    ¡°She is ridiculously shameless! Ste cursed angrily


    ¡°Today is Barbaras wedding day! Don¡¯t get mad over someone insignificant.¡± I said, smiling calmly


    Even though Barbara and the others decided to let it go for now, after the wedding, Barbara requested


    the footage and gave me a copy


    I understood Barbara¡¯s intention. Once I got home, I immediately reviewed the footage and quickly


    found a suitable angle. In slow motion, the video clearly showed Bonnies actions at the time.


    I captured all the key frames and saved them, I had a hunch that Bonnie would stir up trouble over this


    again.


    And Bonnie proved me right.


    I received awsuit while I was at thepany Bonnie imed that I intentionally made her fall in


    public, causing her right shoulder injury


    She also imed that I humiliated her in public, damaging her image and reputation. Therefore, she


    demanded not onlypensation for medical expenses but also for emotional distress, reputation


    damage, and other costs.


    When I received thewsuit, this information was also made public. The amount Bonnie demanded


    was very small, especially for emotional distress. It was only one dor.


    The message was clear. She was determined to make me admit my mistake and apologize.


    When the public saw this amount, everyone believed she was treated unfairly.


    Suddenly, I wasbeled as the ¡®petty ex-wife¡¯ in public opinion. People began to criticize me online for


    being sly and cruel.


    The most poprment was, ¡°How could you expect a girl from a humble background topete


    with a rich girl who grew up fighting in a wealthy family?


    My past with Bonnie was dug up again. Some even said that all the negative news about Bonnie before


    was fabricated by me.


    Bonnie was really talented at guiding public opinion


    My assistant came to ask me, ¡®Ms. Finch, what should we do about this?¡±


    ¡°Call the public rtions department¡± I replied calmly


    I had the evidence, so I had nothing to fear I didnt have the time or the mood to waste with her. All I


    needed to do was present the evidence directly


    While I was discussing this with the PR team, Oscar called, but my phone was on silent, so I didn¡¯t hear


    it.


    By the time I saw the four missed calls on my phone, it had already been an hour I called back, but no


    one answered.


    So sent a message. ¡°Oscar, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Oscar didn¡¯t reply; he must have been busy. I checked the time and was ready to leave work. That¡¯s


    when Neil called, but I declined. I lost count of how


    many times I cklisted him.


    Topletely avoid Neil, I went back to my apartment instead of Sapphire River Community.


    The elevator doors slowly opened. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I saw Neil standing in the


    corridor, smoking After seeing me, he casually threw the cigarette on the ground and stamped it out


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I didn¡¯t move, keeping my distance from Neil.


    ¡°You cklisted me again, didn¡¯t you? Neil asked coldly


    I mentally called him a ¡®psycho! then turned to go back to the elevator to stay in another house.


    But Neil strode after me. He grabbed my hand tightly before I could enter the elevator, preventing me


    from leaving.


    His voice was deep. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how your father is doing?¡±


    Every time he mentioned my father, I couldnt ignore him.


    Over the years, my family had umted substantial wealth and social prestige. Even though we


    were facing difficulties now, our family wouldn¡¯t copse overnight.


    But I couldn¡¯t see my father, I wasn¡¯t even allowed normal visitation rights because they said his case


    was special.


    ¡°How¡­how is my father doing?¡± Unable to control myself, I finally asked the question.


    ¡°His situation ain¡¯t looking too good. He¡¯s been set up. His life in the mmer is sure to be rough.¡±


    Neil¡¯s words hit me like a ton of bricks.


    Every time I thought about my dad being in pain, it ripped me apart.


    Blinking back the tears, I managed to ask, ¡°How¡¯d you find out? Did you do some snooping around?¡±


    Neil just smirked, ¡°I didnt have to lift a finger, someone spilled the beans. You should know that if your


    family wants to get out of this pickle, I¡¯m your only shot¡±


    I know that all too well. Even though the Whitmores were in the business world, they were a force to be


    reckoned with. If Neil was willing to step in, there was a chance my dad¡¯s case could turn around.


    In the five years we had been married, Neil must¡¯ve built a solidwork through my dad.

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    Chapter 261


    Chapter 261


    1s your previous promise still valid?¡± I asked, swallowing my pride


    I knew Ned wouldn¡¯t use my dad¡¯s situation to trick me If my dad was really framed, I needed to have


    the chance to see him, understand the whole situation, and then make a n


    ¡°Which one?¡± The coldness faded from Neil¡¯s face. He appeared more rxed, but he acted clueless


    on purpose.


    ¡°If I stay in Sterling Estates for half a month, can I see my dad?¡± I was determined. Even if my dad


    med me in the future, I would never regret this.


    If my dad was wronged, I couldn¡¯t just sit and watch him suffer


    If my mom wake up and found out what happened to my dad, she¡¯d be heartbroken.


    Neil¡¯s smirk grew wider. He let go of my hand and corrected me, ¡°It¡¯s a month.¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it twenty days?¡± I frowned


    ¡°Why did you just arbitrarily change it to half a month? Now you need my help. so I should have the


    right to tweak the terms. Neil said shamelessly


    I wanted to retort, but Neil¡¯s gaze made me realize my position. If I refused him now, I¡¯d be driving my


    dad to a dead end


    ¡®Fine, I agree, but I want to see my dad within three days I also made my demand.


    ¡°No problem¡± Neil answered crisply. ¡°Lets go back to Sterling Estates now.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t packed yet!¡± I replied


    ¡°No need. Everything¡¯s ready at Sterling Estates. You just go straight there. And theres someone


    waiting for us there today. After saying this, Neil dragged me into the elevator,pletely disregarding


    my opinion


    His hand was warm, unlike mine, which was cold as ice in winter


    Once we got into the elevator, I pulled my hand from Neils


    ¡°Your hands are so cold, you should dress warmer¡± Neil nced at my hands, not pushing further


    No matter how much I dressed, it wouldn¡¯t solve the problem of my cold hands. In fact, I was already


    wearing a lot.


    On the way back to Sterling Estates, I was constantly probing how much Neil knew about my dad¡¯s


    situation.


    Unfortunately, Neil was too cunning and wouldn¡¯t reveal any information to me. He only said he would


    do what he promised and wouldn¡¯t talk about anything else


    Sterling Estates was still brilliantly lit, giving off a warm vibe in the cold winter night i followed Neil from


    the underground garage, passing by the game room. The door of the game room was open. I saw a


    scarf casually draped on the couch.


    I remembered Bonnie once knitted a scarf for Neil, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the one on the couch.


    I seemed to have seen that dark red chunky scarf on the couch somewhere, but I couldn¡¯t remember


    where


    ¡°Trene?¡± Neil¡¯s parents were sitting on the sofa in the living room. They both looked surprised to see


    me.


    I didn¡¯t expect to see Neil¡¯s parents here. After I recovered from the surprise, I politely greeted them.


    Only when I saw the huge cake on the table did I remember that today was Ned¡¯s mom¡¯s birthday.


    Though I didn¡¯t have much contact with her now, it was her birthday today, so I felt a bit awkward about


    not bringing a gift.


    ¡°Come sit!¡¯ Faith waved at me enthusiastically.


    I walked over and sat down. Since I promised Neil to stay here for a month, I had to face whoever


    came withposure.


    This year, Faith didn¡¯t invite other friends and rtives but just had a simple celebration with her family.


    Although they suddenly had an outsider like me, they didn¡¯t look upset at all; rather, they were all


    smiles.


    Neil watched me sit down next to his mother and then threw his coat aside, ¡°You guys chat. I¡¯m going


    to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡± Neils mother waved happily.


    I didn¡¯t know if my presence here today would cause any misunderstandings with Neil¡¯s parents, so I


    was a bit nervous, but they didn¡¯t ask why I was here. They only inquired about the situation at my


    home.


    ¡°I should have gone to see your mother, but I was afraid it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. Neil¡¯s mother


    sighed


    ¡°Thank you for your concern. My mom is still not awake, so even if you visit her, she cant respond to


    you. If she knew you cared about her, she would be very happy politely replied.


    ¡°I wanted to help investigate your dad¡¯s case, but Neil said he would handle it. If you need his help, just


    say it!¡± Neil¡¯s father was still very generous to me.


    I didn¡¯t tell them how Neil agreed to help me.


    After a while, Neil came down in a change of clothes. His hair was ubed, neatly falling on both


    sides of his face, making him look much gentler.


    He was wearing a very textured white cashmere sweater apanied by loose ck pants, making


    Neil look very clean and simple. However, his eyes were still habitually sharp.


    He walked over to my side and finally sat next to his father.


    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± He picked up the wine on the table and took a sip, asking casually


    ¡°We were talking about everyone¡¯s recent situation. If Irene wasing today, why didn¡¯t you bring her


    back earlier?¡± Neifs mother said a bit


    apter 261


    reproachfully


    Neil nced at me, his gaze deep


    Of course, he had contacted me earlier, but I had blocked him


    ¡°Because of traffic, I didn¡¯t have time to prepare a gift. I¡¯m really sorry¡± I exined appropriately


    ¡°It¡¯s alright! Your presence here to celebrate my birthday is the best gift.¡± Faith held my hand; her tone


    was very affectionate.


    It seemed she didn¡¯t mind my family¡¯s troubles or all the things that happened between Russell and me.


    I didn¡¯t pull away from Faith¡¯s hand but chatted with her graciously and appropriately. After all, we were


    once family, so we always hadmon topics.


    Just when the atmosphere was harmonious, the doorbell rang.


    Neil got up to open the door. Then came Kitty¡¯s lively and cheerful voice, ¡°Neil, I¡¯m here to celebrate


    your mom¡¯s birthday!¡±


    The sound had me, Ryan, and Faith all dumbstruck. To get into Sterling Estates, you needed a pass


    card. Did Kitty have one for this ce?


    Seemed like Sterling Estates was really the ce to be. First, Bonnie had a key, and now Kitty had a


    pass card.


    ¡°Who invited you? Neils voice was filled with annoyance as he grilled Kitty.


    Kitty squeezed her way through the door, ¡°Given your charming personality, you¡¯re hardly likely to


    cheer up your mom, so I came¡­


    She stopped mid sentence when she saw me, frozen in her tracks.


    I don¡¯t know why, but instinctively, I pulled my hand away from Faith¡¯s

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    Chapter 262


    Faith caught on to the weird vibe between Kitty and me and started eyeing Kitty like a hawk


    Any woman who could walk straight into Neil¡¯s house must be something else.


    Kitty had dyed her hair brown, which made her look more docile and gentler. Her nose and lip piercings


    were gone, but the row of earrings on her ears were still there, adding a dash of rebellion to her


    otherwise soft demeanor


    I knew exactly what kind of daughter-inw Ryan and Faith were looking for. They preferred a girl who


    was well-read, generous, simple yet elegant, and


    full of noble at


    They definitely wouldn¡¯t like the row of earrings on Kitty¡¯s ears. And they still didn¡¯t know about Kitty¡¯s


    background.


    ¡°Neil, who is this?¡± Even though Faith might not like Kitty¡¯s look, she still managed to keep her tone


    soft.


    ¡°A friend¡± Neil responded curtly, almost coldly


    Kitty quickly got her act together. She beamed at us, ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Neil¡¯s friend. Just call me Kitty I heard


    from Neil that it¡¯s his mom¡¯s birthday today, so I brought a gift¡±


    She walked up to Faith and handed her a birthday present. It was a transparent, delicate box


    containing a beautiful red crystal ring. Judging from the quality, it definitely wasn¡¯t cheap


    As expected, Faiths eyes lit up when she saw the gift. She showered praise on the ring, and Kitty


    seemed to rx a bit.


    But the next second. Faith returned the gift to Kitty, I can¡¯t ept such an expensive present. Kitty, why


    don¡¯t you stay and have dinner with us?¡±


    Kitty was taken aback, and a hint of embarrassment shed across her face. It was awkward to have a


    gift returned, but Faith¡¯s refusal was understandable. She couldn¡¯t possibly ept a gift this expensive


    from a mere friend of Neil¡¯s.


    ¡°Kitty,e sit with us¡± I tried to ease the awkwardness.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Kitty nodded, ced the gift on the table, and sat down next to me.


    I was friends with Kitty, and she was quite outgoing, so the atmosphere in the living room quickly


    lightened up


    Ryan and Faith appeared to be fine on the surface, but from time to time they would exchange nces


    and size Kitty and me up.


    Neil sat on the other couch looking rather gloomy I couldn¡¯t tell whether he was pleased or displeased


    with Kitty¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Mr. Iceberg, didnt you prepare a gift for your mom?¡± Kitty asked Neil.


    Faith was a bit surprised by this nickname and asked, ¡°Mr. Iceberg?¡±


    Kitty yfully stuck out her tongue. 7 think Neil is too cold, so I gave him this nickname. I hope you


    don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s just a joke among friends¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay I just thought the nickname was quite unique.¡± Faith said with a smile.


    Kitty seized the opportunity to praise Faith, ¡°How can such a gentle woman like you have such a cold


    son? But Neil definitely got his looks from you guys. He¡¯s so handsome!


    Faith maintained her polite smile. She wasn¡¯t the kind of person who could be easily swayed by simple


    compliments, and she had heard plenty of them already


    Neil red at Kitty. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all sitting here; it¡¯s only interesting if we chat a little, right? Kitty turned to me with a smile.


    I agreed with her, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s always nice to have you around; we always have plenty of topics to talk


    about.¡±


    This was a genuinepliment. Kitty was delighted and winked at me


    Neil frowned at me, seemingly not approving of my words, but he wasn¡¯t as impatient with me.


    Just then, a servant came over. ¡°Ms. Tueley and Ms. Gloria are here, but they¡¯ve been stopped by


    security¡±


    ¡°What is she doing here? Send her away!¡± Ryan said coldly


    ¡°Let them in ¡°Everyone was taken aback by Neil¡¯s sudden remark


    Faith¡¯s face immediately changed, ¡®Neil, working with StarGlow Enterprises is one thing, but are you


    nning to get involved with Bonnie again?¡±


    She asked him directly in front of me and Kitty, not holding anything back


    Neil responded calmly. ¡°I can¡¯t turn them away because we¡¯re working together¡±


    The servant naturally took Neil¡¯s side and immediately left.


    The living room fell silent again, I was familiar with this slightly awkward atmosphere, so I didn¡¯t feel


    ufortable. I just quietly sipped my drink.


    Kitty also remained calm, not saying a word.


    After a while, the servant brought Bonnie, Gloria, and Kate in.


    Bonnie was dressed very formally today, clearly putting a lot of thought into her outfit. After all, this was


    her first formal encounter with Faith,


    As soon as Faith saw Bonnie, her face charged, clearly not wanting to put on a show anymore.


    Ryan¡¯s dissatisfaction was even more apparent He frowned deeply.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Mrs. Whitmore, hello! Gloria greeted them calmly with a smile on her face.


    Ryan and Faith just snorted and didn¡¯t respond


    Of course, they didn¡¯t regard Gloria highly. Although she was now in a high position, this was still the


    Whitmore family¡¯s territory.


    Bonnie humbly said, ¡°Faith, I heard its your birthday today, so I brought a small gift. Happy birthday! I


    hope you like it¡±


    Her gift was a set of high-grade nutritional products for the elderly.


    Faith waved her hand, I never ept gifts on my birthday. I even returned the gift that youngdy just


    gave me.¡±


    Bonnie looked at Kitty.


    Kitty nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Of course, Faith had epted gifts on her birthday before. I had given her some, and she had always


    happily epted them.


    However, if she didn¡¯t like the person or wasn¡¯t familiar with them, she¡¯d definitely reject any gifts they


    offered.


    ¡°Bonnie, Mrs. Whitmore has epted your gesture Gloria reminded Bornie.


    Bonnie immediately put the gift down and didn¡¯t say another word to avoid making everyone feel


    awkward.


    It was Neil who agreed to let Bonnie and her friends in. Although Ryan and Faith were not happy, they


    couldn¡¯t just kick them out, so they just frowned and kept their mouths shut.


    Bonnie nced at me, then at Kitty unconsciously biting her lip. There was a clear sign of displeasure


    in her eyes.


    Neil casually said. ¡®Please have a seat


    Gloria led Bonnie and Kate to sit down. The servant came over to pour them some wine and then left


    the room


    ¡°Ms. Tueley, I heard your shoulder was injured, but you seem fine now. Did you recover that quickly?


    Faith suddenly said, her tone clearly hostile


    Bonnie had posted a photo of her bruised right shoulder online before, along with a doctor¡¯s


    examination result that showed she had a minor fracture in her scap


    In theory, she shouldn¡¯t have recovered this quickly unless she was lying.


    I lowered my head, staying silent. It was now a showdown between Faith and Bonnie

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    Chapter 263


    Bonnie was stumped, clearly not knowing how to answer. Since she walked in, her right shoulder had


    been behaving perfectly, showing no signs of pain.


    Kate spoke up for her, ¡°She popped some painkillers beforeing; she didn¡¯t want to make a scene


    in front of everyone.¡±


    Quick thinking there!


    Bonnie went with it, nodding. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m really okay Besides, Irene didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°If it was unintentional, then why are you suing me?¡± I asked, seizing the moment.


    Kate was taken aback by my question too. She couldn¡¯te up with a good excuse on the spot


    Bonnie looked a bit awkward, then turned to Gloria.


    ¡°It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. Once the judge rifies the truth, we¡¯ll drop the charges. We¡¯re all friends


    here; a little spat now and then is inevitable ¡°Gloria was the rock-solid support Bonnie needed. Even


    when cornered, she remained cool andposed.


    I just smirked, ¡°No need. I¡¯ve already cleared it up myself¡±


    Bonnie looked puzzled hearing this, but it wasn¡¯t the right time or ce to get into it. She wouldn¡¯t ask,


    and I wouldn¡¯t borate


    Everyone in the living room was here for Faith¡¯s birthday, but we weren¡¯t exactly on good terms with


    each other.


    Good thing dinner was ready. The butler announced that we could start eating, breaking the awkward


    silence.


    The round table had eight seats, just enough for all of us


    The moment Faith sal down, Bonnie was ready to sit next to her, but Faith grabbed my hand, ¡°Irene,


    you sit here¡±


    ¡°Alright I couldn¡¯t refuse


    Bonnie shot Faith a disappointed look, then turned her gaze to Neil, probably figuring out where he was


    going to sit so she could sit next to him.


    Without a second thought. Neil sat down on the other side of Faith, not bothering to arrange seating for


    anyone else.


    I gave Kitty a look. She quickly grabbed the chair next to Neil, then shot a triumphant smile at Bonnie,


    who was too slow to im it.


    Bonnie was clearly upset about losing her preferred seat again Gloria patted her arm, nudging her to sit


    across from Neil.


    ¡°Thank you all¡± Faith raised her ss with a simple toast


    I joined everyone in taking a sip of wine, then we started eating.


    After two or three years, I was having dinner with the Whitmore family again, but our rtionship was


    far from what it used to be.


    Faith kept encouraging me to eat more, checking on me like I was still her daughter inw.


    asionally, she would also chat with Kitty. She barely had any words for Bonnie, Gloria, and Kate,


    though


    ¡°Have some more chicken soup. It¡¯s good for you¡± Suddenly, Neildled a bowl of truffle chicken soup


    for me.


    His gesture was more powerful than a hundred words from Fath. Of course, only Bonnie and Kitty


    would care.


    While looking at the soup, I felt a bit awkward I didn¡¯t mind using this opportunity to ride up Bonnie, but


    I didn¡¯t want to upset Kitty either..


    To be honest, I was hoping that she could win Neil¡¯s heart and get this annoying person out of my life


    for good


    Bonnie stared at the soup as her eyes filled with sadness and jealousy, but she couldn¡¯t voice her


    thoughts.


    ¡°Kitty, you have it. I¡¯m kinda full¡± I pushed the bowl of soup towards Kitty


    ¡°Sure thing!¡± Kitty happily took the soup and started sipping, ¡°It¡¯s so tasty! Mr. Iceberg, your chef is


    amazing!¡±.


    Bonnie¡¯s hostility immediately shifted towards Kitty She muttered, ¡°My mom used to be a great cook


    too, but she¡¯s gone forever now.¡±


    The mood suddenly shifted. Bonnies sadness was ill-timed, and given that half the people at the table


    didn¡¯t like her, she didn¡¯t elicit any sympathy My phone ringing broke the tense silence. It was Oscar.


    ¡°Excuse me, I need to take this call I told everyone, then left to answer the call.


    The call went through, but there was no sound from Oscar¡¯s end. No matter how much I called out to


    him, there was no response.


    I¡¯d known Oscar for a long time and never encountered this situation before. After ending the call and


    trying again, there was still no answer


    I felt uneasy but didn¡¯t know what to do. When I got back to the table, I had lost my appetite.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Neil saw my unease and asked.


    ¡°A friend ¡°I answered casually, but my mind was filled with worry.


    Neil looked sharp. I wasn¡¯t sure how he interpreted me calling the person on the other end of the call a


    ¡®friend¡± Anyway, he seemed a bit upset afterwards


    Due to Bonnie¡¯s arrival, Neil¡¯s parents lost their appetite. Thevish spread was barely touched.


    Gloria suddenly spoke, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Mrs. Whitmore, we should have met seven or eight years ago if


    not for some unfortunate events.¡±


    After hearing this, Neil and his parents were stone faced.


    Seven or eight years ago, wasn¡¯t that when Neil was with Karina?


    The Whitmores had opposed their rtionship back then, and Gloria definitely knew. By bringing this


    up now, she was clearly stirring up old grudges.


    If it were before, the Whitmores might have felt guilty about Karina¡¯s death, but since the truth about


    her depression and epting Neil¡¯s breakup fee came out, they were not responsible for her death.


    Karina used her own death to curse and bother Neil, which was the real horror.


    ¡°Really? Maybe God thought we shouldn¡¯t meet Faith replied with a smile, not giving Gloria any dignity.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Perhaps, but now I¡¯ve met you because of Bonnie. That¡¯s fate. Gloria¡¯s smile was chilly. She turned to


    Neil, ¡®Don¡¯t you agree, Neil?¡±


    Neil nced up at Gloria with icy eyes that were as venomous as a snake¡¯s. I was puzzled. Why would


    they choose to work together if they seemed to loathe each other?


    Finally, with a slight smirk, he muttered, ¡°Well, that¡¯s fate for ya.¡±


    At that moment, Bonnie chimed in, I¡­ even though I was born with a severe heart condition, I was


    lucky enough to receive Karina¡¯s heart through a transnt, which led me to meet Gloria I¡¯m happy to


    be friends with Neil again, and I¡¯m grateful for the opportunity fate has given me.¡±


    She looked at Neil with hope, expecting some sort of response from him.


    Neil did respond, but only with a cold and disdainful look. Bonnie was so taken aback by his gaze that


    she instantly averted her eyes.


    I kept my mouth shut. Oscar¡¯s strange behavior had me on edge, and I couldn¡¯t shake off the unease.¡±

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    Chapter 264


    ¡°Exactly, but fate can be a mix of good and bad luck,¡± Faith said cheer fully


    Bonnie and Neil meeting each other was definitely a stroke of bad luck, at least in the eyes of Neil¡¯s


    parents.


    Faiths response made Bonnie visibly ufortable. She lowered her head, avoiding our gaze, lost in


    her thoughts.


    After dinner, Kitty suggested we start eating the cake, and Faith nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Neil I need to talk to you?¡± I said softly. I was not in the mood for cake, and I quickly pulled Neil aside.


    What¡¯s up?¡± Neil asked.


    1 have to step out for a bit tonight, so I won¡¯t be having cake Can! borrow your car? I checked the time


    on my phone. It was gettingte


    Neil quickly sensed something was off. He nced at the others in the living room and asked me with a


    puzzled look, ¡°Who was that on the phone earlier? Are you going to meet him?¡±


    Not wanting to waste time, I told him straight up. It was Oscar, but he didn¡¯t say anything I¡¯m worried


    something happened to him.¡±


    Neils suspicions didn¡¯t fade. He always thought there was something between me and Oscar. Learning


    that I was going to meet Oscarte at night made him even mare suspicious.


    I decided to find his car keys myself.


    Seeing this, Faith asked, ¡°Irene, what are you looking for?¡±


    1 want to borrow Neil¡¯s car I replied


    1s it urgent? Let him take you. It¡¯s not safe for you to go out alone at this time¡± Faith was


    understanding, not forcing me to stay for cake but suggesting Neil should take me.


    Ryan also immediately said to Neil, ¡°Yeah, if Irene has something to do, you should take her¡±


    I didn¡¯t initially think of having Neil take me, but if something really happened to Oscar, he would be of


    help.


    I looked at Neil, unsure if he was willing toe with me to find Oscar.


    It wasn¡¯t just me. Bonnie and Kitty were also looking at him, waiting for his answer


    ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go Neil nced at the others and grabbed his car keys.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Okay.¡±I bid Ryan, Faith, and the others goodbye and prepared to leave


    Ryan and Faith waved at me. I ignored Bonnie¡¯s resentful stare and turned to Kitty. ¡°Do you want to


    come with me? Ned can drop you off.¡±


    -Kitty, who initially looked a bit downcast, lit up at my offer. ¡°Sure! I don¡¯t feel like taking a taxi home¡±


    Neil nced at me then at Kitty, with aplicated expression on his face.


    I was looking out for Neil¡¯s future Kitty could very well be the perfect match for him. If he didn¡¯t know


    how to appreciate her yet, then I would help him.


    As Kitty was about to leave with us, Bonnie blurted out, ¡°Neil, I ¡­..¡±


    Gloria held her back, signaling her to keep quiet.


    Bonnie closed her mouth in frustration, watching the three of us leave


    In the garage, I let Kitty sit in the passenger seat and took the backseat myself. Kitty was clearly


    thrilled, but Neil didn¡¯t seem too happy about it.


    ¡°Trene, I think I forgot to take my gift!¡± Kitty suddenly said, sounding a bit nervous.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine Neil can give it to you tomorrow,¡± I said casually.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything and just drove with a poker face.


    As we exited the underground garage, I noticed that Gloria¡¯s car had already left. She left earlier than


    us. Bonnie and Kate must have been with her.


    Maybe they left because they found it boring without Nell.


    Throughout the drive, Kitty talked about a lot of things. Even though Neil didn¡¯t respond much, she


    didn¡¯t get discouraged and shared everything with him. Whenever she mentioned a fun ce, she


    wouldugh happily.


    Why didn¡¯t I dislike Kitty? Probably because she reminded me of my younger self


    Half an hourter, Neil parked his car not far from Kitty¡¯s apartment. ¡°Here we are. You can get out


    now.¡±


    ¡°Okay Mr. Iceberg, don¡¯t worry about bringing me the gift. Why don¡¯t you just let your mom have it?¡±


    Kitty said cheerfully


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it sent to you¡± Neil nonchntly responded Although he seemed indifferent, I felt something


    different in his tone.


    Kitty sighed, then turned to me. ¡°Irene, I¡¯m heading in I live here, so feel free to drop by anytime.¡±


    I smiled and nodded, then rolled down the window and watched Kitty get out of the car. She shivered in


    the cold wind, which made me realize that something was missing from her neck.


    The thick, dark red scarf I saw in the game room at Sterling Estates!


    No wonder that scarf looked familiar I¡¯d seen on Kitty before.


    I looked away, closed the window, and silently waited for Neil to drive. I had already given him Oscar¡¯s


    address.


    ¡°So you¡¯re really trying to set me up with her?¡± Neil asked coldly, clearly unhappy, as he started driving


    again.


    no


    ¡°Whether you end up with her or not, the way you treat her is different from other women.¡± I said softly,


    feigning sleep.


    Upon hearing that he treated Kitty differently. Neil was irked, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I have no interest in her!¡±


    I smirked, toozy to open my eyes, ¡®Really? Then why did you take her to the game room at Sterling


    Estates? And how did you know where she lives without asking her?¡±


    These two questions left Neil silent. I had to admit that his silence made me a bit sad.


    I thought he truly regretted his actions and that he wanted to get back together with me. Even if I didn¡¯t


    ept. I would have felt a bit of vengeful pleasure. So when I heard about his partnership with


    StarGlow Enterprises and saw Kitty¡¯s scarf left in the game room, I felt manipted again.


    Did Neil always have to y games with womens hearts? Couldn¡¯t he just pursue and love one woman


    wholeheartedly?


    Well, that was not the case. In my past life, he was actually super loyal. After he got with Bonnie, other


    women to him were like thin air


    I had seen how he loved someone with all his heart. So, I couldn¡¯t stand him messing with me while


    having a crush on someone else.


    While still in painful silence, the car arrived at Oscar¡¯s rental building.


    The rent was cheap, and there was no property management or security After I got out of the car, I


    made a beeline for the apartment building I began to look for the room number that Oscar once told


    me.


    Neil followed me all the way, still silent.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± When I was knocking on the door continuously but no one answered, thedy


    next door poked her head out and said, ¡°This young man moved out a few days ago. No ores in this


    room now.¡±


    I was taken aback, and the uneasiness in my heart was growing stronger


    If Oscar just moved to another city for work, he would never lose contact, unless something


    unexpected happened to him.

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    Chapter 265


    ¡°Neil, can you help me find Oscar? I didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. My first instinct was


    to ask Neil for help.


    ¡°Nope Neil coldly rejected


    ¡°He¡¯s at his wit¡¯s end thanks to Bonnie and is about to leave Rosemont Now I can¡¯t reach him, which


    probably means he¡¯s in trouble. This is a life-and-death matter! Do something good!¡± I grabbed Neil¡¯s


    arm and said.


    I genuinely cared for Oscar like a younger brother. If something really happened to him, I had to find a


    way to help.


    Anger shed in Neil¡¯s eyes, ¡°Why do you care about him so much?¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened between us, but he¡¯s my friend. He genuinely cares for me, so it¡¯s only natural that I


    care for him¡± I said quickly. The next second, I felt deted, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll call the cops myself


    I turned to leave


    Neil muttered something under his breath, then quickly caught up with me, ¡°Wright, alright. I¡¯ll help you


    find him, okay?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I was somewhat delighted. If Neil was willing to help, we could surely find him faster.


    ¡°Ill let you know within two days, but I have one condition¡± Neil stared at me


    I had already agreed to stay at Sterling Estates for a month, so one innre condition wouldn¡¯t hurt. I


    nodded readily, ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°No matter what happens in the future, don¡¯t give Russel another chance¡± Neil said firmly. He stared at


    me, waiting for my answer.


    I had no intention of getting involved with Russel again, so despite feeling ufortable, I could


    ept Neil¡¯s condition


    After a few seconds of silence, I agreed, ¡°Okay You¡¯ll handle the stuff about my dad and finding Oscar.


    I¡¯ll go to the office every day, but no matter howte, I¡¯lle back to Sterling Estates¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡± Neil replied, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    In the deep of the night, Neil drove me back to Sterling Estates. Ryan and Faith had already gone to


    bed. The vi was quiet, and we tacitly headed upstairs


    Neil stopped me at the entrance of the master bedroom, ¡°You¡¯re sleeping here. I¡¯ll take the quest room¡±


    I silently entered the room and closed the door behind me


    had lived at Sterling Estates for five years before, so even after two or three years, I quickly got used to


    therge bed and the familiar yet unfamiliar


    scent in the air


    Before going to bed, I took a bath and went to the dressing room. The wardrobe that I had previously


    emptied was now filled with women¡¯s clothes. They ¨C were all brand new luxury brands. Neil wasn¡¯t


    kidding when he said he had prepared everything.


    The shower products were the ones I used to use They smelled exactly the same.


    That night, I had a nightmare about Oscar disappearing. In my dream, I looked for him for a long time,


    only to find him lying motionless in a terrifying ce, no longer breathing.


    When I woke up. I fell incredibly drained. The nightmare had taken a toll on me. As I stared at the sky


    outside, I felt a little dazed.


    There was a knock on the door, and then I heard Neils voice, ¡°Are you up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m getting up.¡±I quickly got out of bed, freshened up, changed, and swiftly applied some light


    makeup


    By the time I opened the bedroom door, half an hour had passed, but Neil was still waiting for me.


    I smiled at him, ¡°You really didn¡¯t have to wait for me¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the office? I¡¯ll drop you.¡± Neil nced at his watch, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll have breakfast


    downstairs.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    With that, he turned and went downstairs, and i silently followed him. In the dining area, I found Ryan


    and Faith already there. They smiled at me when they saw me


    | greeted them, ¡°Good morning¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Irene.


    Have a seat and enjoy your breakfast You look thinner than before Faith pushed a te of hot bread


    towards me and asked the maid to warm up some milk for me.


    Ryan, who was eating bread, also chimed in, ¡°Yeah, you should eat more. It¡¯s good for your digestion.¡±


    I didn¡¯t really have an appetite, but for the sake of my health, I tried to eat a bit.


    Neil, sitting next to me grabbed an omelette from the table and started adding sah and pepper. I silently


    prayed that he wouldn¡¯t give me anything else


    to eat.


    ¡°You should have this. You need to replenish your proteins every day¡± As expected, Neil put the


    seasoned omelette in front of me


    Ryan and Faith exchanged a nce, their eyes full of meaning


    I didn¡¯t want Nell¡¯s attention, but I needed his help. Would he get mad if I refused?


    I nodded and ate the omelette.


    After finishing the omelette, I realized it was just an appetizer. The maid soon brought in many more


    dishes, looking even morevish than a typical lunch Farth said cheerfully, ¡°Trene, Neil told me you¡¯d


    be staying here for a while, so I asked the chel to prepare a hearty breakfast every day. Since you wool


    be


    hapter


    back for lunch, you must have a good breakfast and dinner¡±


    Neil also seemed surprised by the spread, ¡°Are you raising pigs here?¡± He asked his mother, frowning.


    Faith retorted, ¡°Enough from you. Irene is our guest, and we should treat her well. Otherwise, people


    might think we¡¯re stingy¡±


    I looked at thevish breakfast in front of me and felt a bit unsure.


    Neil ignored his mother and said to me, ¡°Eat whatever you want. If you can¡¯t finish, just eat less.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± I felt pressured by the Whitmore family¡¯s hospitality and grew more worried. Would Ryan and


    Faith misunderstand and think I moved in because Neil and I were getting back together?


    In my confusion, I ate a bit of this and that, then signaled to Neil that we could leave.


    Today, I had to ask Bailey to bring my car over and pick me up from now on. After all, I couldnt rely on


    Neil to drop me off every day


    ¡°Neil, do you think your parents might have misunderstood something?¡± I asked once we were in the


    car.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve already told them. Plus, they¡¯re heading back to Springvale this afternoon. Neil replied,


    keeping his eyes on the road.


    Neil¡¯s parents returning to Springvale was good news for me. At least it would save me some


    embarrassment next time I went back to Sterling Estates.


    Neil¡¯s response eased my worries a bit. I gazed out of the window in silence, my heart only fluttering


    slightly when I received Ste¡¯s messages.


    ¡°OMG, Russel is getting engaged?!¡±


    ¡°They just announced their engagement!¡±


    Ste continued, ¡°I thought he was into you? Howe he¡¯s getting married so quickly?¡±


    My brows twitched at the unexpected news as an indescribable feeling spread in my heart.

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    Chapter 266


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who texted you? Neil stopped at the intersection up alead. As the traffic light turned


    red, he turned to me with a question


    I put my phone back in my pocket and replied nonchntly, ¡°It was Ste Nothing important¡±


    Neil gave a faint smile, a cold one at that ¡°She told you about Russel getting engaged, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°You already knew?¡±


    What else could it be?¡± Neil turned his gaze back to the road, his tone chilly, ¡°I know about it way


    before you did. He has always lived ording to his parents wishes. He only managed to study


    medicine because he threatened his parents with quitting school altogether¡±


    I never knew Russel had to struggle that much just to study medicine. I felt guilty, as he had quit his job


    at the hospital because of me


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    There is no future for you two. It¡¯s best for you to let go. Neil added


    I didn¡¯t respond and just pursed my lips tightly. Noticing that I was upset, Neil didnt say anything more.


    When we got to thepany building, I got out of the car in silence, Neil didn¡¯t leave immediately. He


    only drove away after I entered the office building.


    In a sense, Russel¡¯s engagement was good news for me, as it meant i didn¡¯t have to worry about him


    not being able to let go of me. Chloe was a nice girl, They were a good match.


    But then I remember him once telling me that he would never marry a woman he didn¡¯t love, no matter


    how much pressure his family put on him. How did he suddenly change his mind?


    I sincerely hoped Russel would be happy and he wouldn¡¯t start a loveless marriage. Otherwise, they


    would end up like me and Neil. A tragic story.


    In the afternoon, my assistant came to me, Mr. Russel wants to see you¡±


    Tell him I¡¯m busy right now.¡± I tried to keep my cool. I didn¡¯t expect Russel toe look for me


    He was about to be engaged, so it was not appropriate for us to meet


    Anyway, my affair with him was over.


    ¡°Alright.¡± My assistant walked out.


    Russel probably didnt insist, as my assistant didn¡¯te back to update me. This meant he had left.


    I collected myself and continued with my work it was not until the end of work hours that I raised my


    head from the pile of documents and prepared to go home.


    Just as I stepped out of the office building, I saw a familiar figure in the empty lobby I was stunned.


    ¡°Russel, why haven¡¯t you left?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I am getting engaged, did you know?¡± Russel looked exhausted.


    I gripped my bag tightly and nodded, 1 know. Congrattions.¡±


    A sad smile appeared on Russel¡¯s face. ¡°Is that all? Congrattions? I don¡¯t love Chloe, not at all¡±


    ¡°Love can be nurtured over time. Chloe is a good girl, and she loves you very much. Once you¡¯re


    married and have kids, you¡¯ll grow to love her,¡± I said, not really believing what I was saying.


    If I hadn¡¯t been reborn, Neil would never have had any feelings for me. Even if I were to marry him for


    five years and love him with all my heart, it would be


    in vain.


    I didn¡¯t know if Russel and Chloe would repeat our history


    Russel shook his head, ¡°No, I won¡¯t Really


    ¡°Russel, everyone has to be responsible for their own choices. Since you¡¯ve agreed to get engaged to


    Chloe, you have to be responsible for your choice. You must treat her well and protect her.¡± I sincerely


    advised Russel


    ¡°But I can¡¯t control myself. All I think about is you How can I treat Chloe well and protect her when


    you¡¯re always on my mind?¡± Russel¡¯s tone became increasingly agitated, he could no longer keep his


    emotions in check


    I was speechless. There was no point in continuing to persuade him, as it would just make me seem


    pretentious.


    At that moment, Russel grabbed my shoulders, his voice serious and urgent, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing


    to be with me, it¡¯s not toote! I can really give up everything for you¡±


    I was a little uneasy, and my heart was wavering. I felt ashamed of my selfishness at this moment.


    I know Russel was sincere about me and that he could give me the most tender and devoted love, so I


    wavered again.


    But shame and reason quickly got the better of me. Since I had chosen to break up with Russel for my


    dad¡¯s document, I had to be responsible for my choice


    ¡°Stop deceiving her¡±


    Nell¡¯s cold voice rang out not far away. He was holding a ck umbre, looking at me and Russel with


    icy eyes.


    After


    After seeing Neil, Russel¡¯s face changed instantly, and a chill overcame him.


    ¡°What happens between her and me is none of your business¡± Russel¡¯s tone was equally cold


    ¡°If she leaves with you now, would you really give up the engagement with Chloe?¡± Neil¡¯s lips curled


    into a sarcastic smile. He walked towards us step by step, ¡°Would you refuse your dying mothers


    wish?¡±


    Umpia z00


    Russel¡¯s dying mother¡¯s wish?!


    I was shocked by the news.


    Russel seemed to have been hit where it hurt. He swung his fist at Neil¡¯s face, but Neil calmly caught


    his wrist, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Russel, what¡¯s going on? What happened to your mother?¡± I asked anxiously.


    Russel slowly lowered his hand. He turned to look at me with eyes filled with sadness and


    helplessness, ¡°She has end-stage liver cancer.¡±


    I felt like I had been struck by lightning. Even though Russel¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t friendly to me, it was


    because she loved her son so much that she was afraid of him being ridiculed in the future, leading her


    to even threaten me,


    I had always understood her from a mother¡¯s perspective.


    In my past life, Russel¡¯s mother didn¡¯t find out she had liver cancer, so he could pursue Bonnie without


    any worries. In this life, he fell in love with me but found out his mother was terminally ill, so he could no


    longer act without any concerns


    ¡°You should go back right away and be with her. Since she wants you to marry Chloe, you should try


    your best to fulfill her wish. Don¡¯t leave any regrets, understand?¡± I advised Russel again, full of anxiety


    deep down.


    Russel didn¡¯t react at all. He just stared deep into me.


    At that moment, even though we were only a meter or two apart, I felt like there was a massive chasm


    between us, one that we could never bridge. On one side was me, and on the other was his dying


    mother. I could clearly see the turmoil in Russel¡¯s heart.


    Neil watched us silently, not saying a word. His gaze was calm yet indifferent, making one feel uneasy.


    In the end, Russel left. He walked out of thepany lobby alone with his head down. His tall and lean


    figure looked much thinner than before, and even his walk seemed to have slowed down a bit.


    4

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    Chapter 267


    It wasn¡¯t until Russels figurepletely disappeared that I realized my eyes were already moist


    Neil¡¯s hand reached out, brushing the corner of my eye gently. He asked in a low voice, ¡°You are


    crying?¡±


    I dodged his hand, shook my head, and replied, ¡°No. I didn¡¯t cry¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then. I don¡¯t like seeing you cry over other men.¡¯ Neil withdrew his hand, his words


    carrying a hint of warning.


    Iposed myself and replied. ¡°That¡¯s for me to decide. Whether you like it or not, you shouldn¡¯t


    interfere.¡±


    Neil¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I silently followed behind Neil. It was raining outside, and his car was parked not far away.


    Neil held up a ck umbre, slightly tilting it towards me. I didn¡¯t resist because I didn¡¯t want to catch


    a cold from the rain.


    Once we got in the car, I spoke up again, Neil, you don¡¯t have to pick me up anymore. Bailey can pick


    me up, or I can drive myself.¡±


    *1 just happened to be passing by, I just came from StarGlow Enterprises Neil was very straightforward


    with me, not hiding his contact with Bonnie.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it weird? You like to control me, but what about you? Bonnie is still being flirty with you


    and Kitty seems to like you. Who¡¯s next? Have I ever interfered with you?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but counter


    Neil.


    Neil answered casually. ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    I scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself¡¯


    Neil nced at me, his face easing up a bit. He was acting like a boy in his first rtionship, happy at


    any sign of jealousy from me.


    When we got back to Sterling Estates, my phone was flooded with messages. Ste, Alicia, and


    Barbara were spamming the group chat with messages about Russel¡¯s uing engagement.


    Ste sent a message. ¡°Rena, are you off work yet? Where are you? Let¡¯s get drinks! I¡¯ve left my kid


    with the nanny I wanna hear about you and RussellTM


    Alicia replied. ¡°I can get out of work today. Where should we meet?¡±


    Barbara also replied, ¡°I m free anytime. I heard Russel¡¯s mom has terminal cancer


    Ste chimed in, ¡°Really? Where did you hear that?¡±


    Barbara added, ¡°A friend mentioned it, so I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true. Poor Russel


    I watched the messages pop up on my screen as my face grew heavier.


    Neil had already gone upstairs to take a shower while I sat on the sofa, lost in thought.


    After a while, I replied, ¡°I can¡¯t go out right now I don¡¯t want to concern myself with Russel¡¯s affairs


    anymore.¡±


    If it really was because of me that Russel went against his mother¡¯s wishes he would me me in the


    future.


    Just as I was lost in thought, Neil somehow appeared behind the sofa. The scent of his shower gel


    wafted over me, interrupting my thoughts.


    ¡°What are you thinking about? You look deep in thought Neil sat down beside me, his long legs were


    casually crossed, and his voice sounded a bitzy


    ¡°Nothing I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± I picked up my bag, ready to go upstairs.


    ¡°Take a shower after dinner. Dinner is almost ready¡± Neil grabbed my hand, preventing me from


    leaving.


    Sure enough, right after Neil finished speaking, a servant came to tell us, ¡®Mr. Whitmore, Ms. Finch,


    dinner is ready.¡±


    I had no choice but to put down my bag and go to the dining room.


    Even though Faith had returned to Springvale, the tasks she had given to the servants were still being


    carried out well. I looked at the delicious food on the table, feeling sorry for the chef.


    Neil served me a bowl of creamy mushroom soup, 7 heard that drinking soup can make you fat. You


    should give it a try.¡±


    ¡°As long as I¡¯m healthy, I don¡¯t care about being fat or thin.¡±I bowed my head to drink the soup,


    responding calmly


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to be so skinny that you don¡¯t even have breasts. You should at least consider your future


    husband Neil¡¯s words were shocking.


    The servants standing by could hardly hold back theirughter and quietly walked away


    My face was a bit hot. I was already self-conscious about my slender figure, feeling like I wasn¡¯t


    womanly enough with no breasts or butt. Now that Neil said this, it felt like a blow to my ego.


    Not to mention the waitstaff heard it too, which doubled my embarrassment.


    That¡¯s for my future husband to worry about, not you. Worst case scenario, I can just get stic


    surgery, anyone can have big boobs and a big butt.¡±I tried to keep a straight face.


    Neil snorted, his face was full of disdain.


    Just as we were eating in silence, the doorbell rang. The servant peeked out and then opened the door


    Cooper¡¯s voice came in, ¡°Neil, let¡¯s have another match today!¡±


    After seeing me in the dining room, he from. His face was full of shock and confusion, finally settling on


    Neil.


    ¡°You¡¯?ant win against me¡± After seeing Cooper, a smirk appeared on Nell¡¯s face, ¡°How many times do


    you need to lose to be satisfied?¡±


    Why is Irene here?¡± Cooper¡¯s attention was clearly all on me.


    Neil nced at me and casually said, ¡°She¡¯s staying with me for now. Don¡¯t ask too much about a


    man¡¯s and woman¡¯s affairs, especially since you¡¯ve never been married¡±


    Cooper was even more shocked. Before he could respond, Neil added, ¡°Oh, remember to take that


    scarf with you today. It¡¯s been causing me a lot of


    trouble here¡±


    After hearing the word ¡®scarf, my ears pricked up.


    Once Cooper recovered, he quickly sat down at the table, making sure I heard him say, ¡°Ah, right, right,


    right, that scarf is Kitty¡¯s. I bumped into her at the bar the other day. She forgot to take her scarf, so I


    wore it. Then when I came to y games with Neil, I forgot it here.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond and just got up after finishing my meal. ¡°You guys continue chatting. I¡¯m going


    upstairs.¡±


    Kitty?¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    As I was leaving, I overheard Cooper asking Neil in a low voice. ¡°Are you two getting back together?


    What about Kitty?¡±


    I didn¡¯t hear Neil¡¯s response, but Cooper guessed wrong. We weren¡¯t getting back together, so there


    was no need to worry about Kitty in this situation.


    After taking a shower upstairs, I realized I hadn¡¯t brought my phone or bag, so I put on clothes and


    went downstairs to retrieve them.


    I bet Neil and Cooper had probably hit the game room by now, so I could have a bit of peace and quiet


    By this point, the rification video I posted online had stirred up quite a buzz. It clearly showed how


    Bonnie caught the bouquet and how she faked her fall. No matter how big of a mouth she had, there


    was no way she could talk her way out of this one.


    Bonnie had been nominated as one of the top ten excellent female entrepreneurs in Rosemont, thanks


    to Gloria¡¯s connections.


    A young woman with zero experience and no track record could only get this far with the help of


    someone pulling strings behind the scenes.


    The rification video I posted had undoubtedly ced a roadblock in Bonnie¡¯s path to glory. The


    notice to remove her from the candidate list had already been sent out.

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    Chapter 268


    I was absolutely chuffed with the oue, so I happily prepped for a face mask before hitting the hay


    Just as I was about to nod off a sudden jolt ran through me snapping me out of my drowsy state


    With a poker face. Neil sat up straight, as if he weren¡¯t the one who had just leaned into me


    You nning on wearing that face mask all night?¡± Neil asked as he dangled a mask from his finger


    ¡°How did you get in? I asked bbergasted


    ¡°Came to grab something Your door wasn¡¯t locked Neil tossed the mask into the trash casually


    rummaging through a drawer before putting out a bor of cigars. You¡¯re always so wary of me so why


    did you forget to lock the door when you fell asleep? You need to be careful¡±


    He shed a knowing smile before making his ext


    I stared at the now closed door mentally calling myself an idiot a few times. Only when I was sure Neil


    had gone downstairs did I remember to lock the


    Neil must have had a few I caught a whiff of alcohol on him earlier. If he drank too much and lost


    control, I¡¯d be in real trouble


    I double-checked the door, ensuring that it was locked, before finally heading back to bed now feeling


    rxed


    I thought locking the door would do the trick, but suddenly, I was rudely awakened by a knock on the


    door in the middle of the night. Along with it came Neil¡¯s voice. Whocked my door? Is there a


    burr?¡±


    His voice was noticeably slurred. Given his tolerance for alcohol, he rarely got drunk. What was up with


    him today?


    I responded. ¡°Neil, you¡¯re stered. Go sleep it off in the quest room¡±


    It was quiet for a moment outside. I thought Neil had left, but he went and roped in the maid. The


    maid¡¯s innocent voice rang out, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, the door is locked from the inside I can¡¯t open it.¡±


    Neil snapped. Then what good are you? How could you take my money and not do your job?¡±


    The maid replied meekly. ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Ms Finch is resting inside Can I help you to the quest room?¡±


    ¡°Trene is inside?¡± Neil sounded suddenly sober. He raised his voice, How is that possible? She


    divorced me, why would she be here?¡±


    ¡°She she really is inside¡± The maid started to stutter out of anxiety


    I couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer. Neil¡¯s behavior when he was drunk was infuriating


    I got up and opened the door. The two people at the door were both stunned when they saw me


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll head downstairs first The maid greeted me before quickly scampering downstairs


    Neil¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and he looked genuinely hammered. He stared at me in shock and


    confusion, How are you here?¡±


    Seemed like he wasn¡¯t faking it. I responded with irritation from being disturbed. ¡°¡®Neill if you¡¯re drunk,


    go to sleep. Don¡¯t bother mel


    Trene how are you here? Who let you in? Neil painted at me as his towering figure swayed slightly. He


    looked utterly perplexed


    As soon as he finished his sentence, he almost lost his bnce


    instinctively reached out to steady him, but I wasn¡¯t strong enough to support him and ended up being


    pushed against the door. The door lock jabbed into my back, causing me to gasp in pain


    Neil heard my suppressed grunt and sobered up a bit. He steadied himself and pulled me into his arms,


    rubbing my back gently with a concerned voice.


    Did that hur?¡±


    The pain in my back was unbearable I pushed Neil away. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    Sorry I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy Neil rubbed his forehead, looking quite ufortable. His voice had


    be hoarse from all the drinking. Yes, I asked you to stay with me so you should be here


    ¡®Gost on the


    I said coldly


    Nel obediently sat down on the bed


    ¡°You can sleep here I¡¯m going to the guest room¡±I picked up my clothes and told Ned


    Dont go! Can you keep mepany for a bit? Neil stopped me. The usually stern and aloof man


    suddenly turned into a pitiful puppy. He held his head, My head hurts so bad I¡¯m going to throw up


    After seeing pitiful sta


    Nel copsed onto the bed


    ained motionless. Help me take off my shirt || I like throwing up when I move.¡±


    Nel had dinner and yed games with Cooper while drinking so he didn¡¯t change his clit or take a


    shower


    I could have asked the mad to help but with Ned¡¯s drunken state, I was afraid he would bully the maid


    Sinodded and went to help her take off his shart


    However as soon as i re ched out, he prepared to take off his pants


    quickly stopped him, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°How else do I take off the shirt? Neil retorted I noticed his sober eyes and realized that i was being


    yed.


    ¡°You¡¯re not drunk at I pointed at Nel angrily, exposing his act


    Neil¡¯s acting skills were getting better and better, he almost fooled me


    Neil sat up, took a deep breath, and looked at me, ¡°I originally wanted to talk to you about Oscar, but


    you really locked the door.¡±


    I stared at him warily, not speaking.


    Tve found Oscar. You¡¯ve been worried about him, haven¡¯t you?¡± Neil asked again.


    For the past two days, I have been trying to get in touch with Oscar, but to no avail.


    Neil found him in such a short time, which surprised me.


    ¡°Really?¡± I was somewhat skeptical.


    Yes. Come sit, and I tell you.¡± Neil waved at me.


    I was afraid he had some ulterior motive, so I only took two steps towards him and did not sit down.


    Neil said displeased, ¡°What? You think I¡¯ll bite you?¡±


    I clearly remembered all his shameless acts in the past.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ?


    ¡°I can hear you perfectly fine from here. Just say it.¡¯ I just wanted to know what was going on with


    Oscar. He didn¡¯t know many people in Rosemont, and the only person he could rely on might be me. If


    I didn¡¯t care about him, I was afraid that no one else would.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± Neil¡¯s voice be more serious. He always disliked me contradicting him, ¡°This isn¡¯t good


    news. If you waste any more time, you¡¯ll have to face the consequences.¡±


    Alter hearing Neil say this, I instantly became nervous, I disregarded everything and quickly sat down


    next to him, ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    Neil looked at me deeply. Since you really care about him, I¡¯m afraid you might be very upset¡±

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    Chapter 269


    I suddenly felt tense, and a sense of panic began to rise within me. I noticed my voice had changed.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I had someone track his phone. It¡¯s been located in an abandoned freezer warehouse¡± Neil paused,


    then continued, ¡°It should still be there.¡±


    ¡°A freezer warehouse? I was shocked. How did Oscar¡¯s phone end there?


    Neil nodded. If you¡¯re nning to call the police, you should do it as soon as possible just to be safe.


    Although I can¡¯t confirm that he is there¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t need Neil to tell me that something was definitely wrong. I immediately grabbed my phone and


    dialed 911.


    I got the address of the abandoned freezer warehouse from Neil and gave it to the police.


    After hanging up, my anxiety didn¡¯t ease. I decided to see the situation for myself at the freezer


    warehouse.


    Neil stood up. ¡°I¡¯ming with you¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve been drinking¡± I hastily put on my coat, ¡°I can go by myself¡±


    Neil insisted oning. He even beat me to the door, indifferently saying. ¡°You can drive, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Neil never liked Oscar, so he didn¡¯t really care about Oscar¡¯s fate


    I paid him no mind. He followed me as I quickly headed towards the garage, then I drove off towards


    the abandoned freezer warehouse.


    The freezer warehouse was in a suburb of Rosemont I knew this ce because ourpany used to


    rent one of their freezers to store some raw materials. After the lease ended, we didn¡¯t renew


    This freezer warehouse had always been rented out topanies for storage. Why would Oscar be


    there?


    The police had already arrived. They were trying to contact the owner of the freezer warehouse but


    couldn¡¯t reach him. Someone noticed that the lock was broken, so it could be easily pushed open.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    My mind was a mess as i watched the police search, and the panic inside me was growing.


    Neil noticed my distress and helplessness. He stood by my side, took my hand, and held it tightly. His


    warm palm gave me somefort. Perhaps because I really neededfort and support right now.


    ¡°There¡¯s a body!¡±


    After one of the policemen shouted, everyone rushed over to see. I, on the other hand, felt my legs go


    weak.


    Nell steadied me. His arm was the only thing I could rely on right now


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see.¡± Neil sounded sober, his voice was steady and strong, like a tranquilizer for me.


    -I nodded, foreing myself to go see.


    The freezer warehouse had been sealed off by the police. I couldn¡¯t go in to check: I could only watch


    from behind the police tape. The body was covered In ice and was slowly melting


    I saw the body curled up with its back towards me, wearing a ck short down jacket. Hey quietly in


    the corner of the freezer with a phone beside him.


    ¡°Oscar¡­¡± I stammered.


    I recognized the jacket. I¡¯d seen Oscar wear it.


    ¡°Do you know the deceased?¡± A police officer noticed my reaction and came over to ask. He was


    holding a passport, ¡°Is this him?


    My eyes were already stinging, but I managed to clearly see the name and picture on the passport.


    I was speechless, and tears began pouring down my face.


    The Oscar on the passport looked young and innocent, very much like the cheerful guy I knew in


    college


    ¡°How¡­how did¡­¡±I finally found my voice, but I couldn¡¯t articte my thoughts


    Neil pulled me into his arms to keep me from copsing, then said, ¡°The deceased is our friend. We


    haven¡¯t been able to reach him for a couple of days. so we traced his phone. We¡¯re the ones who


    called the police.¡±


    The officer sighed, ¡°He¡¯s just a young guy. There is a bag of luggage nearby, it looks like he was


    nning to travel How did he end up dead here?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t reply I was drowning in guilt and pain as my vision started to blur.


    I saw Oscar stand up and walk towards me, smiling, ¡°Irene, why are you crying?¡±


    I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry I started to apologize, losing my mind.


    Noticing my breakdown, Neil immediately held me tighter, looking worried, ¡°Irene, calm down


    How could I calm down? In my previous life, although Oscar lost his girlfriend, he wasn¡¯t affected by it.


    He might have met another good girl in some corner of the world, found a good job, and lived a simple,


    happy life


    But because of my rebirth and because I deliberately dragged him into this mess, he ended up dead.


    it hadn¡¯t deliberately approached him and used him, he would have left Rosemont a long time ago. He


    wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved in the dispute between Bonnie and me, and he wouldn¡¯t have met with


    this disaster.


    I was already extremely depressed because of my parents. Oscar¡¯s death was like a heavy blow that


    pushed me further into the abyss.


    When Oscar was carried out, i saw his frozen, pale face and rigid body, I couldn¡¯t control my emotions.


    I felt dizzy and passed out.


    When I woke up. I was in the hospital.


    Ste and the others were by my side, looking worried.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯re awake? Seeing me awake, Ste anxiously asked. ¡°Do you feel ufortable


    anywhere?¡±


    I shook my head, expressionless, like a zombie


    Barbaras eyes were also red, ¡°Rena, I know you saw Oscar as a brother, but there¡¯s nothing we can do


    now. Please try to hold it together.¡±


    They all knew about my sibling-like rtionship with Oscar, and they would asionally meet him.


    They were friends with Oscar as well.


    Oscars sudden tragedy made everyone sad.


    But I was different I was indirectly responsible for his death


    I asked, ¡°Where is Oscar now?¡± As soon as I said it, I felt a heavy pressure in my chest.


    ¡°He¡¯s undergoing an autopsy. They should have the results soon Alicia squeezed my hand and


    whispered, ¡°Neil and Mitch are helping with the arrangements.


    After hearing the word ¡®autopsy, I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears again. I remembered the first time I ran


    into Oscar at a bar, he politely brushed off my


    a girlfriend.


    pick-up attempt, telling me he already had¡±


    At that moment, Neil showed up at the hospital room door. He looked worried and had a heavy


    expression on his face.


    Ste and the others exchanged nces, then made themselves scarce, leaving Neil and me alone to


    chat about Oscar.


    T

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    Chapter 270


    Neil sat by my hospital bed, studying me quietly for a moment before saying. The autopsy report is in.


    Oscar froze to death. He called you before he died¡±


    I was already crying. After Neil spoke, I burst into tears even harder.


    ¡°The area wasnt covered by surveince videos, and the camera in the freezer room was broken. The


    cops think Oscar got a call and went there, maybe thinking that the freezer warehouse was abandoned


    and deciding to check it out. They think he identally got locked in


    I didn¡¯t buy any of Neil¡¯s crap. How could Oscar be so careless as to wander into an abandoned freezer


    room in the suburbs and lock himself inside just out of curiosity?


    I was too choked up to speak, but I knew something was off


    ¡°It¡¯s Bonnie¡¯s doing!¡± After a while, I calmed down a bit and told Neil. ¡°She¡¯s been trying to get Oscar


    out of Rosemont. She¡¯s the only one whod harm


    Oscar!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any proof yet.¡± Neil took my hand. We need to keep our cool.¡±


    ¡°How can I keep my cool? Neil, I killed Oscar, don¡¯t you see? I¡¯m the one to me! He was so good,


    and I got him killed! How can I stay calm?¡± I said as my voice filled with emotion


    Noticing that I was getting more and more worked up, Neil hugged me and whispered, ¡°You need to


    rest. If Bonnie really did this to Oscar, I promise 111 make her pay, okay?¡±


    I was blinded by rage and hatred. When Neil said that, I pushed him away and snapped, ¡°Why would


    you help me? You¡¯re nothing but a liar! You can¡¯t stand the fact that I divorced you while you¡¯re still


    tangled up with Bonnie!¡±


    As soon as I said that, Neil¡¯s face changed. He gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m just


    unwilling to ept the divorce when ites to you?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? Neil, I¡¯m the only person who has ever dumped you in your life, right? if you truly


    loved me, you wouldn¡¯t be making deals with me and pushing me, would you?¡± I red at him, as if he


    were also the murderer who killed Oscar


    Neil¡¯s eyes were practically spewing fire. ¡°Irene, I know you¡¯re hurting right now, so I don¡¯t want to make


    it worse. But if you insist on taking my sincerity as hypocrisy I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡±


    ¡°Why did you partner with StarGlow Enterprises then? Isn¡¯t it because of Bonnie?¡± I sneered, ¡°And


    Karina! If she hadn¡¯t died, we would have divorced the day after our wedding. right?¡±


    These two women were like thorns in my heart, especially Bonnie. She had caused me to have a


    miscarriage. If she was the one who killed Oscar, I¡¯d make her pay!


    My partnership with StarGlow Enterprises has nothing to do with Bonnie Neil¡¯s anger faded a bit, and


    his tone became cold


    ¡°How am I supposed to trust you if you won¡¯t tell me anything?¡± I tried to calm myself down Neil, I¡¯m not


    even sure if you¡¯re really trying to help me or if


    you¡¯re just using it as an excuse to spy on me for Bonnie¡±


    Neil clearly didn¡¯t want to listen to me anymore. He gave me a cold look and walked out without looking


    back.


    I sat on the edge of my bed, staring nkly. What difference did it make to voice the doubts in my


    heart?


    Ste and the others walked in. After hearing about my conversation with Neil, Ste said helplessly


    ¡°Rena, you were too impulsive this time. If you had let Neil help, it would have saved you a lot of


    trouble¡±


    ¡°You all should go. I want some alone time.¡±I felt extremely tired. Maybe I was just overwhelmed by


    everything


    Knowing me well, Ste and the others understood that they should give me some space at this time.


    When I was alone in the room, I took out my phone and opened WhatsApp. After clicking on Oscar¡¯s


    profile, my heart was still filled with pain.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I stared nkly at the chat history between Oscar and me, feeling like I was indeed responsible for all


    this. The fate of my parents and Oscar had been made worse because of me.


    At this time, someone slowly walked in from the door


    ¡°Rena ¡°Russel looked at me sadly.


    Russel, why are you here?¡± I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to smile


    Russel gently closed the door of the ward. He had cut his hair short and looked sharper. His usually


    cold face was now always covered with an inscrutable veil.


    He came over to me and looked at me, 1 heard about Oscar and that you¡¯re in the hospital, so I came


    to see you. My mom is also in this hospital¡±


    The pressure on him was no less than mine. He had quit his beloved job, his mother was in thete


    stages of cancer, and he was forced to get engaged


    to a woman he didnt love


    In front of him, I had no right to appear weak.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± I tried to appear strong


    ¨C ¡®Oscar¡¯s death might not be an ident.¡± Russel didn¡¯t beat around the bush. His guess was simr


    to mine, ¡°This must have something to do with


    Bonnie.


    His words immediately resonated with me. I nodded, ¡°Yes, I suspect her too. She pushed Oscar to the


    edge before, forcing him to leave Rosemont, and then this happened,¡±


    Russ didn¡¯t respond immediately but fell into deep thought.


    apter 270


    I was in desperate need of someone to analyze the situation with me, so I couldn¡¯t help but urge him,


    ¡®Russel, what are you thinking?¡±


    His brow twitched, and he looked at me deeply, seeming a bit hesitant.


    Finally, he asked, ¡®Do you believe Neil will help you?¡±


    I was taken aback and didn¡¯t know how to answer his question. My feelings for Neil were extremely


    complicated now. They were like a tightly stretched string that could break at any moment, but they


    never did.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I gave a vague answer, but what did it have to do with whether or not I trusted Neil?


    Could Oscar¡¯s death have something to do with him too?


    Russel¡¯s expression was hard to read, but in the end, he showed a faint smile, ¡°The police should be


    able to clear up Oscar¡¯s case. If his death is really rted to Bonnie, they¡¯ll definitely find clues.


    Just as he finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. Russel went over to answer it. It was


    Chloe.


    Chloe nced at me, then asked Russel cautiously, ¡°Russel, are you guys done talking?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go. Russel replied while ncing back at me.


    I was just spacing out, not reacting.


    I don¡¯t know why, but something about Russel¡¯s question just now made me really suspicious of Neil.


    I was itching to get out of the hospital after just one day.

 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    I went to the police station to ask about the progress of Oscar¡¯s case, but all I got was the same story


    Neil gave me,


    When I left the police station, it was already dark, but the streets were bustling with people. After all,


    Christmas was just around the corner. It was the busiest time of the year.


    In the cold, crowded streets, I got a call from Honnie. She was using a number I didn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°Oscar why did it have to be like this?¡¯ Bonnie¡¯s sobbing voice came from the other side of the phone.


    ¡°Bonnie, you¡¯re quite the actress¡¯ I said coldly. ¡°He was your first love, and he was so good to you.


    Don¡¯t you feel the slightest bit of remorse?¡±


    Bonnie sobbed back, Trene, I didn¡¯t mean for him to die. It was an ident. Why do you have to paint


    me as a heartless viin? I just wanted him to leave Rosemont!¡±


    Her crying was so intense that it seemed like she genuinely felt sorrow over Oscar¡¯s death.


    Trene, let¡¯s talk face-to-face.¡± She suggested meeting up


    I didn¡¯t want to see her, but I was curious to see how far this ruthless woman could take her act.


    I agreed to meet. Bonnie picked La Rencontre as the ce to meet.


    It had been a while since I¡¯d been to that ce. Sometimes I regretted going there to spy on Bonnie in


    the first ce, upsetting the natural course of things


    Half an hourter, I met Bonnie. Thest time I saw her here was when she wanted me to divorce Neil.


    Back then, she looked worn out and haggard, like a small flower that had been battered by a storm. But


    now, that little flower hadpletely transformed. There was nothing cheap about her anymore.


    The staff there had changed. No one recognized Bonnie, let alone me


    ¡°Irene.¡± Bonne greeted me with a sad smile. Her swollen eyes did look like she¡¯d been crying.


    ¡°Just call me Ms. Finch. We¡¯re not on friendly terms.¡± I said, sitting across from Bonnie, filled with


    disgust and hatred for her.


    Bonnie sniffled, ¡°Old habits die hard.¡±


    The coffeee, but I had no desire to drink it.


    Bonnie took a sip and said, ¡°I used to think the coffee here was good, but I couldn¡¯t afford it on my


    sry¡±


    ¡°Now, it doesn¡¯t taste so good ¡°She put down her cup and looked at my phone, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re not


    recording this, are you?¡±


    Not this time I was just staring at Bonnie, hoping to find some cracks in her pretty facade.


    Bonnie gave a small smile, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you still suspect me?¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, every action has its consequences. When karmaes knocking, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± I said,


    feeling somewhat ridiculous even as the words left my mouth.


    Was there really such a thing as fairness in this world? If there was, why did Oscar have to suffer? He


    was so kind and honest; he never did anything


    wrong.


    Bonnie¡¯s smile gradually faded. Her meticulously drawn eyebrows lifted slightly, revealing a hint of cold


    sarcasm, ¡°If you think I¡¯m responsible for this, you should me Neil¡±


    I felt a pang in my heart, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Bonnie looked genuinely surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t Russel tell you? He¡¯s such an upright guy.¡±


    ¡°Spit it out ¡°I said, my tone growing sterner.


    ¡°1 thought Russel would tell you to make you give up on Neilpletely so he could have you all to


    himself.¡± Bonnie mused, ¡°He¡¯s such a fool¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s chatter was bing more and more irritating. I stared at her coldly, waiting for her to


    continue.


    She took another sip of her unpleasant coffee as a victorious smile appeared on her face. ¡°When you


    kicked me out of Sterling Estates, all I had left was akey But they changed all the locks I was desperate


    then, I almost died. My parents stayed with me in the hospital, and they even sold the new house they


    hadn¡¯t lived in yet just to cover my medical bills. But they couldn¡¯t sell the house right away, so we were


    stuck.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why I could go abroad for treatment in the end?¡±


    Bonnie left the question hanging as the smirk on her face deepened.


    I felt a chill I reached for my coffee, and my fingers clutched the handle tightly


    Bonnie opened her innocent eyes wide and continued, ¡°I thought Nell had given up on me and that he


    didn¡¯t care if I lived or died, but he had Russel give me arge sum of money to go abroad. Otherwise, I


    would¡¯ve been long gone.¡±


    This was ridiculous!


    I¡¯ve never felt like such a joke before. Even though I had no expectations of Ned, I still felt hurt and


    angry.


    Any Russel didn¡¯t even tell me about it!


    ¡°Ned didn¡¯t fall in love with you in ten years; how could a divorce change that? He¡¯s just being stubborn.


    Bonnie said confidently. ¡°His love for me is rest why else would he help me time and time again, letting


    me do whatever I want?¡±


    My emotions were starting to get the best of me, and my hands were shaking.


    Bonnie noticed and grinned. She reached out and grasped the other side of my coffee cup, ¡°So, if you


    really think I killed Oscar, go ahead and hate Neil.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± I felt as if Bonnie¡¯s hand was covered in thorns, so I quickly yanked my hand back.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The coffee cup fell to the floor, shattering with a crisp sound. Coffee spilled everywhere, and its aroma


    filled the air


    A waiter came over


    I put some money on the table and left without a second thought.


    Outside, I looked at Bonnie through the ss window. She was smiling and exining something to the


    waiter, showing none of the sorrow she had


    earlier


    My phone started buzzing. It was a call from Neil, Where are you right now?¡±


    I¡¯m at La Rencontre, you know, the ce where we used to sip coffee together. Just haul ass over here


    and pick me up.¡± I stared off into the intersection ahead, my voice t as a pancake.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Neil responded with no fuss.


    My car was actually parked nearby, but I just wanted Neil toe get me so Bonnie could see how he


    was fussing over me now.


    So what if Neil had pulled a fast one on me? I had to suck it up until I got an opportunity to see my dad.


    Once I¡¯ve seen my dad, I¡¯m hightailing it out of Sterling Estates. I couldn¡¯t keep the promises I made to


    Neil anymore.


    I stood in the chilly wind for a bit.


    Neil¡¯s car zoomed up as fast as lightning. His first move after he got out of the car was to strip off his


    coat and wrap it around me

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    ¡°Why are you here out of the blue? Neil asked me in a grave tone while helping me into his coat


    I didnt answer and just turned to look inside the cafe Bonnie had noticed Neds arrival by now. She


    must¡¯ve seen Neil helping me into his coat too


    Otherwise her face wouldn¡¯t have looked so sour. The satisfied and confident smile she wore earlier


    was gone.


    When a person was in love with someone that person was basically handing someone their emotions


    Bonnie was no exception, getting back at her using Neil was a piece of cake


    Neil followed my gaze and noticed Bonnie


    Did youe to see her? His tone turned icy and he furrowed his brows subconsciously


    1 came to confirm if it was her who murdered Oscar


    Neil¡¯s face hardened. ¡°You¡¯re just asking for trouble¡±


    I gave a small smile as I looked at the man in front of me, who was still as dashing as ever. Time had


    not taken away his charm but had actually made him more mature and domineering No wonder Bonnie


    was so hung up on him


    But his inside didn¡¯t match his outside


    After noticing my peculiar gaze, Neil asked again, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    You were pretty mad at what I said in the hospital room, weren¡¯t you? Why are you still picking r me. It¡¯s


    freezing, let¡¯s talk in the car


    ¡°Okay¡± Neil headed towards the car


    Bonnie followed us out of the caf¨¦ and called out to Neil ¡°Ne


    Neil stopped and turned around, but not to answer Bonnie ¡°Aren¡¯t youing? it¡¯s really cold out.¡±


    I chuckled while pulling his coat tighter around


    I quickened my pace to catch up to him, ignoring Bonnie¡¯s hateful gaze What she said to me earlier


    made me realize something Putting up with everything didn¡¯t help, sometimes you needed to know


    what you wanted and go after it with everything you had.


    Otherwise. Il always be the one getting fooled


    From start to finish, Neil didn¡¯t nce at Bonnie. The car smoothly moved forward into the night


    Unusually I was the one to break the silence, ¡°Neil, how


    about we make a deal?¡±


    ¡°Shoot¡± Neil¡¯s response was crisp and clear


    If you can help me figure out the situation with my father and Oscar¡¯s death, we can get married again.


    How does that sound?¡± I turned to look at Nel,


    ho was driving, feeling surprisingly at ease as I proposed this condition


    The car slowed abruptly Neil looked at me in shock. Trene Finch, are you serious?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Yeah, as long as you help me with these two things that s proof enough of your sincerity¡±


    Even though these two things were a bitplicated, it would be a lot easier with Neil¡¯s help than


    figuring them out on my own.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond immediately. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his fingers went slightly


    pale. His tight lips made his profile seem tense, as if he were thinking about something.


    Whem


    a bit annous too. To truly use Neil and fool him would be difficult. If he was a man who could be easily


    fooled, he wouldn¡¯t have brought the


    here it was today


    1 could only use one thing His so-called feelings for me.


    The car faty stopped in the garage of Sterling Estates when Neil finally spoke, ¡°Okay I agree. But you


    should know that I¡¯m not so easily fooled¡±


    know I clenched my hands feeling nervous inside but keeping a calm smile on my face


    1 want a child¡± he focused on me, his clear eyes were filled with a shocking intensity For a moment, I


    felt like he could see right through me, as i could expose any plot i had


    His request surprised me so much that my heart started racing. Given my health condition, it was


    practically impossible for me to get pregnant.


    aomething Ipletely did not expecti


    After seeig


    Estruck and speechless, he smarked. ¡°So, you were just joking with me?


    ¡°Okay¡± He had barely freshed when i


    have quen t?th to


    with those two


    Neil¡¯s eyes sparked


    answered. ¡°Hut both of these things must happen concurrently. If you mean to wait until I¡¯m pregnant or


    then forget what i i


    ( has gaze lowered to my stomach, ¡°Hovn¡±


    I knew the deal was


    Originally nned to leave Sterling Estates after seeing my dad, but the moment


    to the fullest


    Scially sealed. There was no panic in my heart, only deep hatred


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ned, I had an epiphany If I was going to use him, I would use him


    As I got out of


    hed followed behind me ¡°Tomorrow.


    have someone go to Sapphire River Community to move your stuff over¡± ¡°Okay can I see my dad


    tomorrow? I asked calmly as we stepped into the elevator


    ¡°Yeah, I go with you¡± As I expected Ned had everything nned out for me


    I felt a glimmer of hope Even if everyone else deceived me, I still had my parents and a few true


    friends. They were my pirs of support


    Dinner was ready, so I washed my hands and went to eat. This time, I chose to sit next to Neil instead


    of away from him.


    Neil noticed these tiny changes but didn¡¯t say anything


    ¡°Oh, by the way. I heard there was someone pulling the strings behind my dad¡¯s case. Maybe you can


    look into that. My dad is definitely being framed; there¡¯s something not right about those documents.¡±I


    brought up this matter halfway through dinner.


    ¡°Hmm, eat¡± Neil nced at me, and for some reason, that look made me feel a bit uneasy


    After dinner, I went upstairs to take a shower. When I came back to the master bedroom, Neil was


    already standing on the balcony. He was smoking with


    his back to me


    After noticing that I hade out, he put out his cigarette and turned around toe in.


    I didn¡¯t expect him toe back into the bedroom so soon, so I wasn¡¯t wearing anything under my


    nightgown, not even underwear. Faced with his burning gaze, I quickly got under the covers.


    ¡°Why are you shy?¡± Neil slowly picked up the remote control and pressed a button. The thick curtains


    slowly closed, blocking the view from outside. ¡°Neil, I know I promised you, but I¡¯m just not feeling it


    right now. All this stuff with Oscar and my dad¡­ its spooked me, you know?¡± I curled up tightly in my


    nket


    Neil was already at the edge of the bed, staring down at me while I was all curled up. His eyes were


    filled with longing


    ¡°If you¡¯ve agreed to my terms, you¡¯ve gotta y by my rules¡± Neil¡¯s gaze suddenly became a bit cryptic


    as the corner of his mouth curled up into a chilling smirk. If you dare deceive me this time, I¡¯ll make


    sure you regret it.¡±


    He¡¯d noticed my off-kilter state, and suspicion started creeping in,


    I was actually really nervous inside

 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    Chapter 273


    Ever since I returned, Neil had been a lot more fenient with me. No matter what I did, he never really


    cornered me.


    But now I was the one who suggested a deal. If I deceived him, it would be a whole different story


    I tried my best to keep calm while looking at Neil with a straight face. Im serious.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to prove it?¡± Neil¡¯s gaze moved from my face to the nket as he raised his


    eyebrows. His intentions were clear.


    If I didn¡¯t understand his intentions by now, I d be really dumb.


    I felt my face heat up, feeling like a fish on someones hook. But I quickly convinced myself that I was


    not easy to impregnate, so there was nothing to worry about


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Neil and i had slept together. There was no need to be nervous.


    With all this in mind, I gathered the courage to lift the nket.


    The room was warm, so my pajamas were thir. The challenge now was exposing my body


    Neil looked me up and down without any qualms. His gaze became heated, and he gave a small sigh.


    ¡°Smooth skin, but too skinny¡±


    I couldn¡¯t respond because he was right.


    I didn¡¯t have a big bust, but he was still interested. I really admired him for that.


    Neil took off his tie, threw it on the ground, and started undressing without any embarrassment.


    His physique was good, and his broad shoulders looked good in any clothes. His abs were attractive


    under the light, and he was emitting a strong masculine aura


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Neil asked me onest time


    ¡°Yes, as long as you keep your promise, I won¡¯t regret it. I held back my embarrassment and difort


    while


    answering calmly


    As soon as I finished speaking, Neil leaned down and kissed me. His breath was hot and had a faint


    scent of tobo. His skin was radiating heat, like a furnace


    Although Neil and I had been intimate before, I had never initiated it. It was always him. I always just


    went along with it


    Therefore, I instinctively closed my mouth, not wanting his kiss to deepen


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Suddenly. I felt a pinch on my waist. I let out a sound, and Neil took the opportunity to invade my


    mouth, bing even more aggressive.


    -Only a few minutes had passed, and I was already sweating profusely


    Neil was a good kisser. Even though I was just going along with it, I was still swept up in the passion.


    Once Neil sensed a change in me, he let go of my lips and started kissing my neck. My clothes had


    already been stripped off, and we were bothpletely naked.


    This felt different. I felt like I had fallen into a warm ocean, but I didn¡¯t sink. I just floated..


    I didn¡¯t know how long I floated for. I was so tired that I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open.


    ¡°Can¡¯t go on?¡± Neil nibbled on my earlobe, asking me in between breaths.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go on, I need some rest ¡°I was too tired and didn¡¯t have the power to continue, even my voice


    had grown weak.


    Neil chuckled, kissed my face, and then I heard him go to the bathroom to take a shower. I soon fell


    asleep


    When I woke up the next day, the room was filled with a peculiar smell


    Neil was still sleeping. He was lying on his side, facing me, allowing me to get a glimpse of his very


    long eyshes.


    line


    My waist and legs were in a lot of pain, it was like I had been run over by a car. I felt ufortable all


    over because I was too tired to take a showerst night


    When I got out of bed, the pain made me gasp.


    ¡°Awake?¡± Neil woke up immediately. Seeing me getting ready to get out of bed, he got up first and


    walked over to me. ¡°Need a shower?¡±


    After remembering the wild scenes fromst night, I couldn¡¯t look Neil in the eye. I pushed his hand


    away and went to the bathroom on my own.


    Neil didnt get mad. He just lit a cigarette and waited for me.


    It wasn¡¯t as bad asst time, at least I didn¡¯t resist as much. I quickly took a shower and realized that I


    had forgotten to bring a change of clothes.


    The pajamas I wore were now on the floor, soaked.


    There were no towels or bathrobes. Neil must have taken them after his showerst night, and the


    maid hadn¡¯t had time to rece them yet.


    I hesitated in the bathroom for a while, but in the end, I opened the door and shouted, ¡°Neill¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Nail came to the bathroom door.


    ¡°Could you get me a bath towel and some clothes? Thanks.¡± I didn¡¯t feel embarrassed asking for his


    help through a door.


    I felt little relieved as I listened to Neil¡¯s retreating footsteps. Three minutester, he was back at the


    bathroom door. I opened it a little and Teached-out to take the clothes


    I


    Before I could get the towel and clothes, the bathroom door was pushed open. I barely had time to


    react


    ¡°Why are youing in? Get out I hastily covered myself, then tried to cover my legs, but realized that


    no matter where I covered, it was inappropriate red at Neil, feeling very annoyed


    Neil closed the door He was only wearing thin pants, so I could clearly see something I shouldn¡¯t have


    Neil was indeed in good shape


    Do you know how hard it is for a man in the morning? Neil¡¯s tone was serious, he seemed eager, like


    he hadn¡¯t been with a woman in a long time.


    After hearing this, my legs went weak I agreed to his terms, but i didn¡¯t want to risk my health by going


    too far


    ¡°No way, I need a break¡± I shook my head


    ¡°You¡¯ve been resting all night. You slept way earlier than me¡± Neil approached me The bathroom was


    large, but I felt trapped and was unable to avoid


    him.


    My back hit the wall, the cold touch making me shiver


    Neil easily trapped me between him and the wall. I was annoyed, but I couldn¡¯t fight back


    Soon, the bathroom was filled with a certain romance My head was foggy as I spent over an hour in


    there.


    Neil was kind enough to join me in a bath. It was so intense that I almost passed out.


    new what wasing, I wouldn¡¯t have taken a shower I would ve just put on clothes and gone


    downstairs to eat


    ¡°Let¡¯s go have breakfast. I¡¯ll take you to see your dadter Neil adjusted his cor and cuffs as he


    spoke to me


    as a bit downcast, but hearing this instantly lifted my spirits. Seeing my dad would be great


    1 quickly changed my clothes and followed Neil downstairs for breakfast. Only when we reached the


    dining room did I hear from the maid that Bonnie hade to Sterling Estatesst night but couldn¡¯t


    get in


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, she might still be hanging around the front gate¡± The servant reminded him.

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    Chapter 274


    I started having breakfast at the dining table, as if I hadn¡¯t heard a word the servant said.


    I didn¡¯t ask him why he gave Bonnie more money in the first ce. Every time I asked, the answer I got


    was always denial.


    Now, I just treated Neil as a tool. Once the transaction waspleted, there would be no debt between


    us.


    Then Neils phone rang. He must have put it on silent modest night, and it was just now responding. It


    must have been Bonnie calling.


    I guess she must have been furious when she saw Ned pick me up. So she waited outside Sterling


    Estates all night.


    Last time at Faith Whitmore¡¯s birthday, she saw me, but she didn¡¯t know that I was going to stay here.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to check it out?¡± I asked casually while eating I was very tired because ofst night,


    and now I was also starving


    ¡°When she¡¯s tired of waiting, she¡¯ll leave. Neil responded. I didn¡¯t know if he was trying to express his


    attitude to me or just saying it casually, ¡°I have nothing to say to her.¡±


    I looked down at the remaining food in my bowl, then pushed it away and started drinking a ss of


    milk. As for Neil¡¯s response, I chose to ignore it.


    After breakfast. Neil picked up his coat to apany me out, but I refused, ¡°You go to the office first, I


    want to rest a little longer. I¡¯ll wait for Bailey to take me to see my dad¡±


    ¡®T¡¯ll take you.¡± Neil was about to put down his coat again.


    ¡°No need, Neil. If we really n to get back together, it will be very tiring to go on like this in the long


    term, let¡¯s just take it easy¡± I said with a frown


    Neil paused, and his eyes flickered slightly, as if he were thinking about what I said.


    A few secondster, he nodded. ¡°Okay¡±


    While watching Neil leave, my nervous heart finally rxed. Fromst night until now, I had been


    feeling a little uneasy.


    After sitting for a while, I went to find the car keys, took a car from the garage, and rushed to the prison


    where my father was now serving his sentence.


    As soon as I got out of Sterling Estates, I was blocked by Bonnie¡¯s car. She hurriedly got out of the car,


    walked over, and began knocking on my window.


    When I rolled down the window, I heard her yell, ¡°Neil.¡±


    I guess she didn¡¯t even notice that was the one driving


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± After seeing me, Bonnie was stunned. Then a twisted jealousy appeared on her


    face, ¡°Why are you here? Where is Neil?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone to the office. My smile was subtle, giving off a casual vibe, making Bonnie even more


    frustrated.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Bonnie¡¯s voice was shaking a little, ¡°That¡¯s impossible! You¡¯re not living here now, are you?¡±


    I nodded, answering very casually, ¡°Yes, Neil insists on me living here. After all, this is our matrimonial


    home, we¡¯ve lived here for five years.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡± Bonnie denied excitedly, Irene, you¡¯re deliberately trying to piss me off, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What good does it do me if you¡¯re upset? Didn¡¯t you tell me that Neil loves you in his heart at the


    coffee shopst night? I really don¡¯t understand why he brought me here to stay¡± I sighed lightly,


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just a yboy.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s hand was tightly gripping the window sill, and her unwillingness to believe me was clear in her


    eyes.


    ¡°Where is Neil?¡± She asked again, seemingly determined to get an answer from Neil.


    ¡®1 don¡¯t know. Maybe he knew you were waiting for him here, so he left from the other side.¡± I closed


    the window after saying that, and Bonnie had to


    withdraw her hand.


    I drove off, and as to whether Bonnie was still waiting at Sterling Estates, that was her choice.


    With Ned arranging things, I was able to see my dad smoothly.


    In just a month or two, he had aged a lot, and even his sideburns had more white hair. I couldn¡¯t help


    but cry.


    ¡°Rena, don¡¯t cry How¡¯s your mom? Did she wake up?¡± My dad smiled kindly


    ¡°Mom hasn¡¯t woken up yet, but she is stable. Dad, don¡¯t worry¡± I wiped away my tears and forced a


    smile.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t suffered much since you were a kid, so you must be under a lot of pressure now, right?¡±


    My dad was worried about me from beginning to end, ¡°If you can¡¯t hold on, let go of thepany. Your


    mom and I left you some money; it¡¯s enough for you to use. Your mom won¡¯t me you when she


    wakes up.


    I couldn¡¯t possibly do that. Thepany was my mom¡¯s life¡¯s work, and it was not the end of the road


    yet, I couldn¡¯t possibly give up


    Then we talked about the issue of those documents. My dad¡¯s face was serious; he told me the ins and


    outs of everything he could.


    Even he wasn¡¯t sure if he had signed those documents because it all happened after drinking. The only


    thing he was sure of was that those people definitely got him drunk on purpose.


    After I asked for the names and identities of those people, visiting time was almost over.


    ¡°Dad, take care of yourself, I will definitely get you out.¡± Before leaving. I promised him solemnly


    My dad nodded at me.


    Then I went straight to thepany, and as soon as I got to the office, the assistant brought me an


    invitation to Russel Dawson and Chloe Reynolds engagement.


    I looked at the invitation, feeling mixed emotions.


    It was interesting. I once received Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement invitation, and now I had received


    Russel and Chloe¡¯s.


    Two men, who I had deep rtionships with, were both moving on and getting engaged to other


    women.


    Then I received a message on my phone; it was from Chloe. ¡°Ms. Finch, if possible, please do not


    attend Russel¡¯s and my engagement banquet. Thank you.¡±


    I was surprised. Was this invitation sent to me by Russel alone? He didn¡¯t even discuss it with Chloe?


    Since the bride-to-be didn¡¯t want me to spoil the mood, I naturally wouldn¡¯t go


    ¡°Mr. Daniel from Evershine Enterprises ising to Rosemont today. Do you have any ns?¡± The


    assistant reminded me.


    ¡°See if he¡¯s free; I¡¯ll treat him to a meal.¡± I put the invitation in the drawer and told the assistant.


    The assistant immediately started contacting Mr. Daniel¡¯s assistant.


    I had a feeling that if Mr. Daniel epted iny dinner invitation, his daughter Kitty would also show up.


    Also, things would beplicated once Kitty found out that I was now living at Sterling Estates. I


    really didn¡¯t know how to exin it to her.


    After a while, my assistant came to tell me that Mr. Daniel had agreed to have dinner together and that


    I got to pick when and where.


    ¡°Book a hotel for dinner; let¡¯s have it tonight.¡± I didn¡¯t want to rush home, living under the same roof as


    Neil felt a bit off.


    ¡°Sure thing, Ms. Finch¡± My assistant took the order and left.


    After a day¡¯s work, I freshened up a bit, then had Bailey drive me to the hotel we booked.


    Just as I suspected, I wasn¡¯t only greeted by Mr. Daniel of Evershine Enterprises but also by Kitty.

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    Chapter 275


    Kitty probably didn¡¯t know about the recent drama between me and Neil. The minute she saw me, she


    rushed over with a big smile and grabbed my hand. Trene! When I found out you were the one my dad


    is meeting tonight, I came over here!¡±


    ¡°Take a seat Mr. Damel, you too, please smiled at Kitty and gave her father a nod


    Since Kitty and I were pretty tight, the atmosphere between me and Daniel Wilson was pretty chill. As


    the waiter was serving food, Kitty suddenly whipped out her phone and announced, ¡°I¡¯m inviting Neil


    over!¡±


    Daniel¡¯s face fell. He obviously knew about the thing between me and Neil, and he wasnt too happy


    that his precious daughter was crushing on him.


    Kitty was always one to march to her own beat, not really giving a damn what her family thought. She


    wouldn¡¯t care much about her father¡¯s disapproval.


    ¡°Irene, is that okay? I¡¯ve been stuck with my dad recently and haven¡¯t heard from Neil.¡± Kitty looked at


    me with hopeful eyes.


    I took a sip of my coffee and said with a light smile, ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Kitty dialed Neil¡¯s number, and soon a deep but indifferent voice came through. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Tm having dinner with Irene, wanna join us?¡± Kitty asked straight up


    There was a brief silence on Neils end before he spoke again, ¡°Cant. I¡¯ve got a meeting tonight.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. It would¡¯ve been super awkward if he showed up, especially with Kitty here.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a buzzkill How about I find you after your meeting for somete-night snacks? Kitty


    offered again.


    Neil rejected her straight away, ¡°Can¡¯t, I¡¯m really busy¡±


    And with that, he hung up


    Kitty let out a deep sigh, and Daniel, with a dark look on his face, clearly wasn¡¯t too thrilled about his


    daughter chasing a guy and getting rejected.


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s with that look?¡± Kitty sensed her dad¡¯s displeasure and quickly made her stance clear,


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me from going after Neil. And you can¡¯t say he¡¯s not good enough for me either


    Daniel was clearly not happy and simply shifted his gaze towards me.


    I had no idea how to respond to his look, so I just looked away.


    Daniel came to Rosemont for two reasons. One was to check out a joint venture project, and the other


    was to attend Russel and Chloe¡¯s engagement party.


    I was surprised that the Dawson family and Evershine Enterprises were connected.


    ¡°Ding!¡±


    My phone pinged. I nced at it and saw a message from Neil ¡°When are youing back from


    dinner?¡±


    I decided to ignore it, switched my phone to silent, and continued my dinner and chat with Daniel and


    Kitty. The whole thing went pretty well.


    After dinner, Daniel and Kitty said their goodbyes, and I had Bailey drive me back to Sterling Estates.


    ¡®Ms. Finch, are you and Mr. Whitmore back together? Bailey asked as he drove.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was taken aback by his question. After a moment of thought, I answered, ¡°No.¡±


    Bailey asked again, ¡°Then why are you..?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering why I chose to stay at Sterling Estates?¡± Iughed heartily, ¡°There¡¯s a reason. You¡¯ll


    understand eventually¡±


    it must¡¯ve taken a lot of courage for Bailey to ask that question. After my brief exnation, he didn¡¯t ask


    anything else.


    Back at Sterling Estates, there was no sign of Neil. A servant came up and took my bag, whispering to


    me. ¡°Mr. Whitmore is upstairs. He doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.¡±


    1 see¡± I changed my shoes and grabbed a drink, not bothering to check Neil¡¯s mood.


    After I finished my drink, I instructed the servant, ¡°I want some seafood porridge. Can you make


    some?¡±


    The servant nodded and left. I turned to head upstairs for a bath, only to see Neil standing on the


    stairs, looking gloomy.


    I was puzzled What


    was with the look? Did I do something to upset him?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t reply to my message and didn¡¯t take my calls, is this how youmunicate with me?¡± Neil¡¯s


    eyes were cold, and he gave off a gloomy vibe.


    I was having-dinner with Mr. Daniel, You knew that, didn¡¯t you?¡± I headed upstairs, answering him


    calmly


    As I walked closer, Neil¡¯s gaze followed me. When I was about to pass him, he reached out and


    stopped me, ¡®Russel sent you an invitation, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    He really did know everything


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s getting engaged to Chloe. He invited me to the party lon¡¯t this proof that he¡¯s over us?¡± I


    thought my logic was pretty clear.


    He let out a cold chuckle, ¡°Or did he just want an excuse to see you? Normally, he wouldn¡¯t invite you.¡±


    He warned me, ¡°If you dare attend hus engagement party, you¡¯ll regret il¡±


    ¡°Ned, I may have been the one to propose this deal, but you can¡¯t confine me, can you?¡± I looked at


    Neil


    ¡°Unth Russel and Chloe are married, you can¡¯t see him. There¡¯s no room for negotiation¡± Neil was


    adamant.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I thought this was ridiculous and tly refused his demand, ¡°1 only agreed to get back together and


    have a baby with you. I never said I¡¯d give myself


    Chapter 275


    I walked upstairs after finishing what I had to say, with Neil right behind me. The moment I entered the


    bedroom, he shut the door.


    ¡°When you proposed this deal to me, you should have been prepared to go along with me? Neil


    grabbed my hand tightly, ¡°Not ying along while thinking about other men!¡±


    I had no idea what he was talking about. Was I thinking about other men?


    Right now, I only had two wishes. One was to find out who killed Oscar, and the other was to clear my


    father¡¯s name.


    Neil pulled out his phone and showed me a photo. It was the one I took of the ring and sent to Russel.


    Russel had forwarded the photo to Neil with a message attached. ¡°I could¡¯ve married her. But you¡¯re


    not worthy of her at all.¡±


    I was totally blown away. I didn¡¯t know Russel shot out such a direct, provocative message, but what


    Neil showed me next? Man! I didn¡¯t see thating. ¡°Thud!¡±


    A box hit the ground, and a diamond ring rolled out of it. It was the one Russel gave me, which I had


    kept as a memento and tucked away in my bedroom


    drawer.


    ¡°How did you get this?¡± I was a bit taken aback and bent down to pick up the diamond ring


    Neil stomped on the ring before I could reach it. He was looking down at me; his eyes were filled with


    rage, and his whole aura became dangerous and icy.

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    Chapter 276


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t forget about him, why not just stick with him? Are you willing to trade your feelings for him


    for your dad?¡± Neil¡¯s cold, icy voice echoed in my


    head.


    I wouldn¡¯t have known he knew about it if he hadn¡¯t said anything.


    I didn¡¯t respond. I stood up and tried to push Neil away intending to pick up the fallen ring


    Neil stood firm, his expression grew even colder at my actions


    ¡°Why should we fuss over this?¡± I gave up pushing him and spoke in a calm tone ¡°Neil, havent you ever


    liked other women? Have you been honest with me about everything? All I want now is for you to help


    me with those two things. Then we can remarry and have a baby, It¡¯s a simple win win situation¡±


    ¡°A win win?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes were shrouded in a dark cloud. He was exuding a dangerous aura ¡°Do I need


    a woman who has another man on her mind?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t thinking about Russel anymore. I was just feeling a bit of regret for missing out on a man like


    him.


    But I never intended to go back, let alone ruin his rtionship with Chloe


    Neil was seething with jealousy, imagining Russel and me as a pair of tragic lovers.


    I wanted to exin, but for some reason, the words changed when they reached my lips. ¡°Think what


    you want. You¡¯ve suspected me and Russel before so much that we even got divorced¡±


    ¡°Trene!¡± Neil roared, sounding like he was about to go mad. He bent down to pick up the ring and


    walked towards the balcony, ready to throw it away.


    I rushed over to stop him ¡°Have you lost your mind? That¡¯s my stuff You have no right to dispose of it!¡±


    ¡°Your stuff?¡± Neil turned to look at me. He gripped my jaw and forced me to meet his furious gaze.


    From now on, even you are mine! Forget this useless ring!¡±


    I winced in pain, and Neil let go of me.


    Suddenly, he threw the ring away


    ¡°No¡± I yelled. The ring was the only memento Russel had left me. Now that Neil had thrown it away, it


    meant he could dispose of my stuff as he pleased. 1 was not okay with that.


    Neil pulled me into the bedroom with a cold face. He threw me onto the bed, then knelt on the bed as


    his hands pressed down on my shoulders. His eyes were filled with danger ¡°Why do you insist on


    testing my patience?¡±


    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± My shoulders hurt like they were about to shatter. I gritted my teeth in pain.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you drive me to this? Nel retorted. I¡¯ve given you everything you asked for. I only had one


    request that you can¡¯t have other men. Is that so hard? Oscar, Russel, and Simmons Wace. Each


    one you chose was the perfect tool for revenge against me. Who else is there? Tell me, I get rid of him


    now. Otherwise, I might die in your hands fist!!


    I felt that Neil might really be losing his mind. He looked possessed


    I didn¡¯t dare move it hurt too much every time I did


    Russel meant something different to Neil. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t be this angry if I had rtionships with


    other men. I understood that


    But I didnt n on using Russel anymore. I only wished him well.


    ¡°Ned, let go of me.¡± My frail body couldn¡¯t bear such force. Even speaking was painful.


    ¡°Let go of you?¡± Neil smirked. The fact that I haven¡¯t strangled you yet is the best I can do¡±


    I didn¡¯t even know how Nell had entered my house, let alone found the ring. He had mentioned having


    someone move stuff, but I hadn¡¯t given him a key.


    Then my phone rang I immediately pushed Neil away T need to take this call¡±


    Neil let go of one hand and picked up my fallen phone from the bed, and his face turned even more


    frightening after seeing the caller ID.


    He showed me the screen. It was a call from Russel.


    Why would Russel send that photo to Neil? And why did he meet Bonnie on behalf of Neil years ago


    and keep it from me? I really wanted to ask him. But I couldn¡¯t answer this call; Neil wouldn¡¯t let me.


    ¡°If you want your father to spend the rest of his life in prison, keep defying me.¡± Neil declined the call


    and tossed the phone aside.


    ¡°Your¡± My face furned pale instantly.


    ¡°What else can i do if reasoning with you doesnt work?¡± There was a hint of annoyance in Neil¡¯s eyes.


    I¡¯ve always wanted to make up for the harm I¡¯ve done to you and our child. But that¡¯s not a reason for


    you to toy with me.¡±


    I was using Neil, but I wasn¡¯t toying with him.


    After seeing him out of control, blood rushed to my head, and my voice involuntarily rose. ¡°What about


    you? Why did you send Bonnie overseas for treatment? Why did you co-found a foundation with


    StarGlow Enterprises? You keep saying you want to win me back, but aren¡¯t your actions contradicting


    your words?¡±


    The atmosphere froze for a moment. Neil¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Who did I send overseas for


    treatment?¡±


    ¡°Bonnie ¡°I tried to steady my voice. ¡°You told her to disappear from Rosemont forever. She almost died


    from a heart attackter. Didn¡¯t you give her a sum of money and send her overseas for treatment? if


    you hadn¡¯t saved her, none of this would ve happened¡±


    Neil let go of my shoulders, and his eyes became strange. ¡°Who told you this?¡±


    I was about to say it was Bonnie and mention Russel, but considering Neil¡¯s current unstable state. I


    held back.


    I hadn¡¯t asked Russel about the details yet. Before I did, I didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble between these


    two men again.


    ¡°I heard it from someone.¡± I answered vaguely.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this someone?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was much calmer than before, but I felt a chill run down my spine. It


    was even scarier.


    I shook my head, unwilling to say more.


    Neil asked again calmly, ¡°You believed what they said?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I answered immediately.


    Back then, no one but Neil would help Bonnie. Anyone who helped her would be opposing him.


    It would only make sense if he changed his mind.


    On hearing my response, Neil¡¯s face turned icy, as if he were on the verge of freezing over. He told me,


    word for word, ¡°I didn¡¯t save her.¡±


    So did Bonnie make all this up? Neither Bonnie nor Neil could be trusted unless Russel was willing to


    tell me what happened and provide evidence. ¡°Sure enough, you can¡¯t fully trust me emotionally or


    follow my lead.¡± Neil¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, ¡°Then let¡¯s start building trust physically.¡±

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    Chapter 277


    Neil¡¯s words sent chills down my spine. I was super uneasy


    ¡°Neil, do you really need to tarnish your image like this? You¡¯re not going to force me, right?¡± I tried to


    keep my cool as I pushed Neil away with both hands I had no energy left to think about Bonnie¡¯s


    overseas treatment


    Is this really tarnishing my image? Neil leaned over me, his eyes were zing with passion, not anger,


    and his fingertips were trailing down my face.


    Then he unbuttoned the top of my shirt, revealing my corbone


    A shiver ran down my spine when he touched me, causing me to hold my breath


    The scenes fromst night were still fresh in my mind. Ned was like a starving beast that was ready to


    tear me apart


    I still hadn¡¯t fully recovered. If there were any more intimate activities tonight, I¡¯d be wobbly on my feet


    tomorrow


    If you¡¯re ufortable with my coboration with StarGlow Enterprises, just tell me I can back out.


    Why keep it bottled up?¡± Neil¡¯s hand stopped on my chest, and his voice suddenly grew harsh. ¡°If


    you¡¯re still hung up on Russel, I¡¯ll rip your heart out¡±


    Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t put it past Neil to do something crazy like that if he lost it one day


    Before I could even react, I felt his hand slide under my dress. His hand was warmer than my body


    I struggled to sit up, No! Not tonight!¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t put in some effort, how are we going to have kids?¡± Neil pinned me down, ¡°Resist once, and


    we¡¯ll do it once more¡±


    ¡°Have you no shame?¡± His audacity left me stunned; Leven forgot to struggle.


    Neil shrugged nonchntly, ¡°Nope


    I clenched my teeth and swung my hand in an attempt to p Neil, but he defily blocked me. His face


    was grim, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? I say what I mean.¡±


    My waist and thighs were still sore, and Neil¡¯s shameless behavior pissed me off. But he seemned


    even angrier, and his actions got rougher.


    That night, experienced the limit of Neil¡¯s shamelessness. Any resistance from me was countered with


    action.


    He really did what he said. I feared his indulgence would leave him weak.


    I barely slept that night, and when woke up, it was already noon. Neil was gone, and I had missed calls


    from my assistant


    Dragging my weary body, I returned a call to my assistant, gave some instructions, and then took a


    shower.


    Neil¡¯s tough actionsst night reminded me of our days before divorce. Any time we ended up in bed,


    Id be left bruised


    When I came out of the bathroom, my phone started vibrating.


    I picked it up and saw that it was Russel


    Neil declined his callst night, but he was still calling


    Remembering Neil¡¯s threat, I wanted to decline but thought of what Bonnie said and picked up. ¡°You


    moved back to Sterling Estates?¡±


    ¡°How did you know? I frowned. I hadn¡¯t told anyone about this, including Ste Wace


    Only Bonnie knew Did she tell Russel?


    Russel fell silent on the other end, then, after a while, he sighed deeply. ¡°Why would you move there?


    Are you still in love with him? Are you nning to get back together?¡±


    ¡°Russel, answer my question first.¡± I sat in front of the dressing mirror, looking at the marks on my neck


    as my head throbbed.


    ¡°Mm, ask away¡± He replied.


    ¡°Neil had given Bonnie money while I was abroad. Did Russel help deliver 17¡±


    Bonnie said Neil saved her and couldn¡¯t let her go, but Neil denied it. The only way to uncover the truth


    was through Russel


    There was silence on the other end of the line again. I didn¡¯t push but waited for him to reply.


    After a minute or two, Russel finally answered, ¡°Can we talk in person?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± I hesitated for a few seconds, then agreed.


    a


    Today, I decided not to go to the office and drove to meet Russel instead. Meeting him at this time was


    nisky, but deep down, I wanted to defy Neil


    Russel had chosen a surprising meeting ce- his old apartment


    When I arrived at the apartment, I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. Russel opened the door


    about ten secondster.


    ¡°Meow¡±


    Boomer rushed out and rubbed against my leg affectionately I used to take Boomer out to y when I


    was with Russel.


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    I picked up Boomer and stroked it gently.


    Russel was wearing a sweater and an apron with a cleaning cloth in hand, looking like he was doing


    some cleaning


    Hip stern gaze softened into a smile, ¡°You¡¯re here;e in.¡±


    I nollded and walked in with Boomer. The apartment was spotless. It feh like a throwback to a day in


    the past when Russel was about to leave for a business trip and I came to take care of Boomer


    Everythin


    Everything, from the weather to the atmosphere in the room, was exactly the same.


    Russel poured me a cup of coffee and offered me a seat on the sofa.


    ¡°Why did you move back here?¡± I asked Russel.


    ¡°After agreeing to get engaged with Chloe, my parents agreed to let me go back to the hospital and


    move back here.¡± Russel sat next to me, his voice


    clear


    So Russels resignation was due to the Dawson family¡¯s pressure


    I set Boomer down and took a sip of my coffee. After considering for a while, I asked, ¡°Can you tell me


    the details about the question I asked over the phone?¡±


    ¡°So if you already know, why the heck are you asking me?¡± Russel picked up his coffee cup, taking a


    sip.


    Is it true?¡± My heart sank instantly


    Neil¡¯s words fromst night were still ringing in my ears; his tone didn¡¯t sound like he was lying. I was a


    bit confused.


    At that moment, Russel showed me a photo. It was a screenshot of his chat with Neil.


    Neil¡¯s message read, ¡°I give you some dough; help her get treatment abroad¡±


    Russel responded, ¡°The her you¡¯re talking about is Bonnie, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    Chapter 278


    I always trusted Russel more, and this screenshot just made me more suspicious of Neil.


    His performancest night was so good that I almost thought I was misinterpreting him.


    ¡°I get it.¡± I said, wanting to drop the subject after seeing the photo. I bit back my uneasiness and said it


    calmly


    Russel was expressionless He put away his phone, Irene, I really dont want you to go back to Sterling


    Estates. Neil doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    I rubbed my temples. The screenshot was still fresh in my mind. When I heard Russel speak, I was


    taken aback. Remembering my deal with Neil, I blurted out. I¡¯ve decided to remarry him; I just haven¡¯t


    set a date yet.¡±


    I had to keep up the act. If everyone knew about my imminent remarriage to Neil, he wouldn¡¯t suspect


    that I was just stringing him along.


    Russels coffee cup fell onto the table with a crisp sound. He looked at me in disbelief, as if he were


    questioning why I would do this


    ¡°Why?¡± His emotions were in turmoil. He ignored the mess on the table, 1 just can¡¯t understand why


    you¡¯d give him another chance when he treats you so badly, yet you cant wait for me.¡±


    ¡°Russel, all you need to know is that I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡± I sighed, putting on a bitter


    smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you engaged too? That¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like her Russel said firmly


    Russel reminded me of Neil from years ago. He was reluctantly marrying a woman he didn¡¯t love


    because of family pressure.


    But even if he didn¡¯t get engaged to Chloe, there was no future for us Neil was like a madman, he


    wouldn¡¯t just watch us be together.


    I had confirmed what I needed to know, so there was no need to stay and make things more awkward. I


    got up to leave without responding to Russel. ¡®Don¡¯t go¡±


    Russel grabbed my wrist. He was slumped on the sofa; his fair and well proportioned hand was holding


    me tightly, preventing me from leaving Suddenly, he seemed to notice something. He stood up abruptly


    and pulled up my sleeve. When he saw the bruise on my arm, his face turned serious. Russel, let go of


    me I panicked and tried to pull my hand back.


    Russel¡¯s grip tightened. I could tell by his eyes that he was about to lose control, and I quickly reminded


    him, ¡°You¡¯re about to get engaged to Chloe Your mother must be very happy. You can¡¯t do anything


    inappropriate at this crucial moment¡±


    Mentioning his mother did the trick Russel let go.


    I quickly pulled down my sleeve. I never wanted Russel to find out about these love marks. I even wore


    a thick scarf around my neck to hide them.


    Russel sat back down on the sofa. I didn¡¯t dare look at him.


    -¡°Do you know why Neil wants to cooperate with StarGlow Enterprises? His voice was a little lost.


    1¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± I shook my head. Neil had said that if I objected to his cooperation with StarGlow


    Enterprises, he would stop, but I didn¡¯t insist.


    I didn¡¯t want to interfere too much with what he did or how he did it, as long as he fulfilled his promise to


    me.


    Then, what Russel said next left me in a state of shock, I was still in a daze when I left the apartment.


    I found my car, still looking like a soulless shell, and then I didn¡¯t move again.


    Russel¡¯s voice echoed in my ears, ¡°Gloria found Neil and told him that when Karina Aaronmitted


    suicide due to her depression and desire for revenge, she was pregnant. So guess who the father of


    her child is?


    So, Gloria proposed to cooperate with Neil on the foundation, and Neil didn¡¯t refuse. I have no idea


    whether he really let go of Karina in his heart.¡±


    I stared nkly ahead, it took a long time for my mood to settle down.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    So Neil and Karina had a child, but he didn¡¯t know about it before.


    I had no idea how long I sat in the car. When I saw that it was getting dark, I drove back to Sterling


    Estates. On the way, I received a call from Alicia Rider, ¡°Rena,e out for dinner. Sean is treating!¡±


    ¡°No, you guys go ahead¡± As soon as I opened my mouth, I found that my voice was very hoarse and


    tired.


    ¡°Come on, Ste and Barbara are here, and so are Mitch and Cooper. It¡¯s more fun with more people.¡±


    Alicia didn¡¯t pick up on my abnormality and kept inviting me


    I drove silently ( noticed that Sterling Estates was approaching, so I made a sharp stop at the side of


    the road, ¡°I want a drink; i wait for you at the bar¡± After I hung up, I turned around and rushed to the bar.


    I didn¡¯t know if Neil had gone back. At this moment, my heart was filled with hatred and helplessness


    towards him.


    When I got to the nearest bar, I found a spot, ordered a dozen drinks, and started drinking alone.


    Drinking didn¡¯t solve the problem. As I drank, I found myself crying. I couldn¡¯t even clearly see the lights


    of the bar through my tears.


    ¡°Get me a private room¡± I grabbed a waiter as my eyes began to ze over, ¡°And send over the


    handsomest male models you got!¡±


    I took a wad of cash out of my bag and ced it on the table


    In minutester, was sitting in a room surrounded by seven or eight male models. I put 500 dors on


    the table, and whoever could make meugh with a joke would get the money.


    I tried to seek temporary joy and vent my sorrow in this crude and simple way.


    When Ste called, I was already drunk, and all I wanted to do was cry.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ming!¡± As soon as Ste heard me crying, she told me to wait for her.


    I copsed onto the sofa and one of the models kindly sat next to me, letting me use his thigh as a


    pillow.


    About ten minutes had passed when the door to the private room swung open. I was lying on the male


    model¡¯sp. I was so exhausted from crying that I was even failing to open my eyes.


    I felt someone approach me. I opened my mouth and said, ¡°Ste, let¡¯s have a drink. There are plenty


    of hot guys here; just your cup of tea.¡±


    No sooner had I finished speaking than I felt the male model make a move to get up and push me off


    hisp.


    A chill ran through me, so I shivered and shouted a bit fuzzily. ¡°Why the hell is the AC on in this


    freezing weather?¡±


    Silence fell all around. The previous noise andughter werepletely gone.


    A hand lightlynded on my neck. It didn¡¯t feel like a woman¡¯s hand; it probably wasn¡¯t Ste¡¯s.


    ¡°Irene, you really never learn.¡± Neil¡¯s low and icy voice whispered in my ear.

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    Chapter 279


    | froze Just as I opened my eyes, the hand on my neck tightened slowly. The feeling of being unable to


    breathe was extremely unsettling


    Nell Whitmore looked menacingly cold and shockingly ruthless. His gaze was sharper than a knife


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ste¡± Why is it you?¡± I forced myself to speak, pushing Neil¡¯s hand away


    Do you want other people to see you seducing men?¡± Neil¡¯s fingers gripped me hard and then let go.


    He questioned me angrily.


    He dared to question me?


    A surge of anger erupted from within me. I was incredibly furious. ¡°Let go of me! You jerk! What right do


    you have to control me?¡±


    ¡°I have the right because you¡¯re mine now! If not, where¡¯s the sincerity in our reconciliation? Neil let go


    of me, his eyes full of possessiveness


    I scoffed sat up, and grabbed a ss of wine from the table, draining it in one gulp. I wiped the corner


    of my mouth and turned to Neil, ¡°Do you really care about me? Do you really love me? When you were


    with me, did you ever think about Karina Aaron?¡±


    ¡°And your unborn child.¡± I poured another ss of wine, adding that sentence expressionlessly


    Suddenly, I felt the temperature around me drop sharply, making me want to put on my coat


    Neil probably didn¡¯t expect me to know about that, hence his strong reaction.


    We remained silent, like two statues.


    After a while, Neil spoke, ¡°Who told you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who told me. The fact is, Karina was pregnant with your child when shemitted


    suicide. What a pity¡± I drank ss after ss of wine, never stopping I didn¡¯t care if my body could take


    it


    Just as I was about to continue drinking, Neil snatched the wine ss from my hand and threw it into


    the trash bin, ¡°Enough!¡±


    ¡°Not enough¡±¡± I squinted at Neil and said, ¡°Neil, you¡¯re going to hell! Hahaha. ¡±


    Neil¡¯s forehead vein throbbed. He stared at me with a ferocious look.


    I didn¡¯t care. I was used to that life.


    Linder his gaze, I picked up the wine bottle and continued to drink heavily nning to get smashed that


    night.


    Neil snatched the wine bottle from me again and smashed it on the floor. The sound of shattering ss


    brought the waiters outside rushing in


    The water pushed the door in and said, ¡°Excuse me


    Neil gave her a cold nce. The waiter immediately swallowed her words and quickly closed the door.


    ¡°Irene Finch, even if I¡¯m going to hell. I¡¯ll take you with me, Neil yanked me off the sofa and into his


    arms. His voice was chilling. ¡°This is the result of your years of provoking me.¡±


    I pped Neil hard


    I must say, I had be quite proficient at hitting Neil. Even though I was drunk, unsteady and being


    held tightly by him, I still found a tricky angle.


    Although a fight with him would have meant certain defeat, a p didn¡¯t count as a fight, and Neil


    wouldn¡¯t have hit me back over that


    Neil¡¯s head titted slightly. His tongue gently touched the corner of his wounded lip, then he smirked.


    ¡°My turn now?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me Let go I started to scream.


    Neil lifted me to his chest, my back against him, then twisted my arms behind my back and tied them


    with a necktie


    Even if I wasnt as drunk as I was now, I would be no match for him.


    Neil turned off all the lights in the room. He held the back of my neck with one hand, pressing my upper


    body directly onto the sofa. It was a very humiliating position.


    I felt a chill down below I knew Neil was about to vent his beastly desires on me again. Tears


    uncontrobly flowed from my eyes, I sobbed and cursed him loudly. ¡°Weill I curse you to die without a


    proper buriall You¡¯re nothing but a mad dog!¡±


    ¡°This is your punishment for fooling around with men. You can keep cursing¡± Neil¡¯s voice was as cold


    as a judge sentencing a criminal, yet flirtatious like lovers bantering


    I but my lip, forcing myself to sober up quickly, but the next second, a feeling that I shouldn¡¯t have


    swept over me


    In the darkness. I had no idea how long he tormented me. I felt dizzy and ufortable I couldn¡¯t even


    remember how I got back to Sterling Estates.


    Suddenly, I heard the sound of water Someone put me in the bathtub. A pair of hands roamed over my


    body gently and meticulously cleaning me.


    Finally, I fell asleep in the soft and warm touch


    That night, I dreamed of someone unexpected ¨C Karina


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    Although I had only seen a few photos of her, she was incredibly clear in my dream. She appeared


    near and far by my side. Whenever I looked at her, a mocking and creepy smile would appear on her


    face


    When I woke up, my head was pounding


    ¡°Ms. Finch, are you awake? I made some honey water. You should drink it while it¡¯s hot. The maid¡¯s


    voice came from outside the door.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I responded ufortably.


    Neil was gone I checked the time and saw it was already half past ten in the morning. He must have


    gone to the office.


    On the contrary, I hadn¡¯t been to the office for the past couple of days, instead working remotely.


    I felt ufortable all over. As I lifted the covers to get out of bed, I realized I was naked. The room


    was warm, so I hadn¡¯t noticed.


    I frowned, found afortable and loose set of clothes to wear, and then went downstairs to drink the


    honey water to relieve my headache.


    ¡°Who who bathed mest night?¡± After finishing the honey water, I couldn¡¯t help but ask the maid.


    The maid had an ambiguous smile on her face, ¡°Ms. Finch, we don¡¯t know. Last night, Mr. Whitmore


    didn¡¯t call for us.¡±


    My temples throbbed. The thought of Neil bathing me and sleeping naked with me made me furious.


    For me, that intimate behavior between lovers was even more outrageous than the sexual act itself.


    I silently ate in the dining room until the waiter came to tell me, ¡°Ms. Finch, ady named Kitty is here to


    see Mr. Whitmore. What should


    ¡°Tell her Neil isn¡¯t here, and don¡¯t let her know I¡¯m here.¡± I could tell anyone else that I nned to


    reconcile with Neil and that we were already living together, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell Kitty


    Kitty had the hots for Neil. She wasying her crush on him all out there, while I was stuck ying the


    sneaky rat, lurking in the shadows, plotting how to swipe what I wanted from Neil.


    After the help cleared out, I suddenly lost my appetite and decided to hit the stairs


    I didn¡¯t leave my bedroom all day but worked there instead.

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    Chapter 280


    By the evening. I noticed it started to snow outside, so I decided to stretch my legs a bit. Just as I was


    about to head out, I saw Neils car pull up. But it wasn¡¯t him who got out, but his assistant, Felo


    Felix jogged into the vi, and instinctively, I peeked out of my door to see that he had headed upstairs.


    He looked surprised to see me but quickly regained hisposure. He gave me a nod before rushing


    up to the third floor.


    I followed him up and watched as he went into Neil¡¯s study


    Neil¡¯s study was a strictly private ce. I¡¯d only gone in when he was there.


    The door to the study had a facial recognition lock. If it failed three times, it would trigger an rm.


    Felix came out of the study pretty quickly, with a document in hand. He nodded at me again before


    quickly leaving


    After he left, I somehow found myself standing at the study door.


    I wondered if Neil had looked into my dad and Oscar Morse and left any clues in his study.


    ¡°Beep!¡±


    The lock beeped, indicating a facial recognition failure. I jumped, quickly stepping away to avoid


    triggering it again.


    Back in my room, my heart was pounding. I felt like a thief. After all, the information in the study was


    critical and confidential.


    The more nervous I was, the more I wanted to find what I was looking for in the study If I could find it,


    I¡¯d leave Sterling Estates immediately


    Neil didn¡¯te back all night, but I got a call from Ste Wace, ¡°Rena, you okay afterst night?¡±


    ¡°Was it you who told Neil where I was?¡± I was a bit angry. ¡®Ste, did you betray me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! It was that dummy, Mitch Hebert, who told Neil I wanted to find you, but my babysitter called


    me and said my daughter wouldn¡¯t stop crying, so I had to go home.¡± Ste pleaded, ¡°Rena, don¡¯t be


    mad! I¡¯ve given Mitch a piece of my mind. I¡¯ll buy you more bags and more clothes! Whatever you like,


    I¡¯ll get it for you!¡±


    I sighed helplessly I knew Ste wouldn¡¯t betray me.


    Forget it. Just be wary of Mitch. He¡¯s Neil¡¯s spy¡± I warned Ste.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind¡± Ste said, abruptly changing the subject, ¡°Did you hear? Barbara¡¯s


    pregnant. Ss has invited us over. Youing?¡±


    Barbara was pregnant? I was surprised but happy for her.


    So much had happened recently that i didn¡¯t have time for daily girl talk like before.


    I agreed, ¡°Sure, when?¡±


    ¡°Day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll text you their address.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, then drifted off to sleep.


    It was the most rxed night I¡¯d had since returning to Sterling Estates, probably because Neil wasn¡¯t


    around.


    The next day. I got up early, had breakfast, and went to work. I had a small business summit to attend.


    Around 9:30 in the morning, my assistant and I arrived at the venue. The entrepreneurs attending the


    summit were all big shots from Rosemont.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, long time no see¡± Gloria was already there. She came over to greet me with a smile.


    I didn¡¯t see Bonnie Tueley I wondered where she was.


    I looked at Gloria¡¯s outstretched hand, smiled, and shook it, ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    Clona let go of my hand. She patted her cor lightly, elegantly, and casually saying, ¡°Who knew Ms.


    Finch was so capable? You¡¯ve managed all the difficulties left by your mother on your own. You even


    have time to attend today¡¯s summit. I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    Her words sounded like praise but were dripping with sarcasm.


    ¡°Ms Gloria, you tter me. I¡¯ve been learning from my parents since I was little, so I¡¯ve picked up quite


    a few business skills,¡± I flicked my hair back, bearing. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I was like you, did you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Glona¡¯s eyes turned cold


    isn¡¯t your backgroundmon knowledge? I feigned surprise, ¡°Sorry, I can speak softer¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Gloria¡¯s ex husband was a nobody. Their two daughters had just grown up when he suddenly


    disappeared and was never heard from again.


    Not long after Karina¡¯s incident, Gloria went abroad, leaving Kate Aaron in the country


    She treated her two daughters very differently


    All in all, Gloria¡¯s marriage to the vice president of Harmony Enterprises showed she had some skills,


    but it didn¡¯t change her past or her marriages


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sarcastic. If you were in my shoes, you might not have achieved what I have


    Gloria seemed very confident in her abilities and methods. She replied calmly


    Lid what have you achieved?¡± I pretended to think, then had a sudden realization, ¡°Oh, I get it. Your


    achievement is that you used yourte daughter to nder Neil and me, used her unborn child to


    provoke Neil, and forced him to cooperate with Star Glow Enterprises, right?¡±


    Gloria¡¯s face immediately turned into an angry mask. If it werent for the other people present, she might


    have killed me on the spot.


    Her reaction was satisfying. Since she purposely tried to upset me, I decided to return the favor.


    After saying my piece, I turned around and found my seat. That was my second business summit. The


    first one was about three years ago, when I attended with Neil. Back then, my goal was to witness his


    love at first-sight for Bonnie.


    As I settled in, I finally got a look at Bonnie. She was dressed to the nines today, looking every bit the


    career woman. Confidence oozed from her, but her smile stiffened as she caught sight of me.


    The seating arrangement today was kind of funny. Bonnie¡¯s spot was just to my left. Once she


    confirmed her seat, she plonked down next to me.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmores in the house!¡± someone bellowed from across the room. All eyes swiveled in that


    direction.


    Neil always managed to steal the spotlight at those kinds of events. Whether it was his status or his


    looks, he had the knack to turn all heads.


    Dressed in a simple yet snazzy ck suit, the gold buttons on his cuffs twinkled under the lights as he


    moved. Standing close to 6¡¯3¡å, with a body to die for, he looked like a professional model who just


    happened to be wearing a suit.

 Chapter 281

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    Chapter 281


    nced at Bonnie. She was gazing at Neil, her smitten eyes totally for real.


    admit, Neil¡¯s looks were indeed wless.


    When Neil made an appearance, a lot of people would hop up to chat with him. Even though everyone


    present had some kind of status, Nell¡¯s was still the op dog among them


    pulled my gaze back and started to sort through the documents I brought. That day¡¯s opening speech


    was for me to give. I had done ample prep work efore and even revised the speech a few times.


    ven though I had taken over thepany only recently, I wasn¡¯t scared, but rather a tad excited.


    Showcasing myself at the meeting could potentially elp me reel in some partners.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    leil was seated a fair distance from me, so I felt pretty much at ease, but I could still feel his gaze


    lingering on me from time to time.


    here were some rubbernecks who would look at Neil, then at me. Their eyes showed curiosity towards


    us.


    ust then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Neil, ¡°I pulled an all-nighter at the officest night,


    so I didn¡¯t make it home.¡±


    tock a peek at Neil, who was not far away. He was busy chatting with someone. His demeanor showed


    an air of arrogance, making hime off as a atural born leader.


    didn¡¯t reply to Neil, pretending I didn¡¯t see his message.


    bout a minuteter, Neil looked at me again. This time, there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes.


    lonnie had been keeping an eye on me. She nced at my phone, then at Neil. She seemed a bit


    peeved.


    avoided Neil¡¯s gaze. Just as I picked up my phone to check the time, a call from an unknown number


    came in. I hesitated for a moment, then answered.


    I know who offed Oscar. If you give me 20 grand, I¡¯ll hand over the evidence,¡± an odd voice came from


    the other end.


    ¡°aken aback, I instantly asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    Don¡¯t worry about where I am. Is there a crowd around you? Too noisy. I¡¯ll call you next time.¡± The


    person on the other end was about to hang up.


    Wait¡± I got up and moved to a quieter spot, hoping to continue the conversation.


    But when I asked again, the call had already been terminated.


    tried calling back, but there was no way through.


    Who was that caller? The voice sounded like it had been altered, making it impossible to tell the gender


    The call got my heart racing. Oscar was still lying in the morgue. His kin woulde to handle his


    affairs in the next few days.


    His folks were just ordinary people. Even if they thought their son had died unjustly, they were


    powerless to do anything about it.


    With a heavy heart, I returned to my seat.


    The summit officially kicked off. Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Iposed myself and


    walked on stage with my speech.


    Upon opening my speech, froze. The paper in front of me was nk.


    The venue had already quietened down. Everyone was waiting for me to start my speech. My speech


    marked the start of the summit, but there was, standing under the spotlight, looking at the nk paper


    in my hands, feeling utterly lost


    If I made a blunder on this asion, it could take a toll on both my personal andpany image


    I scanned the ce where I was seated just now. Bonnie next to me gave me a smile and lightly lifted


    the documents in her hand.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, is everything okay? Any issues? The host had alreadye forward to ask.


    ¡°Ms. Finch might be too nervous. Herpany has been going through many difficulties recently. It¡¯s


    really not easy for her to attend this summit today. Let¡¯s give her some encouragement Gloria¡¯s voice


    rang out. Her hypocritical voice clearly was audible to everyone through the mic.


    She was undeniably trying to put me on the spot


    Apuse erupted in the venue, making me feel even more nervous.


    Neil was frowning at me. He seemed to have noticed something was off, but I had to figure out a


    solution myself, or else I would be aughingstock. Then someone spoke up, ¡°If Ms. Finch is at a loss


    for words, maybe someone else should take over.¡±


    That was obviously bad news for me. Since I had just taken over thepany, I was in desperate need


    of that opportunity to let more people get to know me.¡±


    she has been getting a good response in the market recently.¡±


    ¡°I think Ms. Tueley from StarGlow Enterprises can take over for Ms. Finch he ¡°Indeed. Why not let Ms.


    Tueley share her experiences with us? We would all like to hear the thoughts of the younger


    generation.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wee her to the stage with a round of apuse!¡±


    The industry veterans, one after another, suggested Bonnie take my ce for today¡¯s opening speech.


    Gloria sent Bonnie an encouraging look. Bonnie nced at the documents in her hand and seemed


    more confident. She got up and walked towards me


    I didn¡¯t say anything; I just took two steps back and let her take the stage.


    Bonnie gave me an apologetic look and asked me with pretend modesty, ¡°Ms. Finch, Is it okay?¡±


    pier


    ¡°Of course¡± I smiled and answered calmly


    The main content of my prepared speech was actually a summary of that year¡¯s Rosemont economy


    as well as a look into the future. Bonnie¡¯s voice was clear and sweet. She held the speech I had


    meticulously prepared and delivered it confidently


    I stood beside her, not leaving the stage, attracting some strange looks, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°And the other part is ¡°Bonnie stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence. She looked at the next


    page of the speech, her expression suddenly bing veryplex


    The people sitting in the audience thought Bonnie was waiting for apuse, so they all started


    pping.


    The corner of my mouth lifted slightly because I knew the rest of the speech was nk. I only wrote an


    intro to give myself a bit of confidence. For the rest of the content, I nned to improvise on stage. It


    was also a way to hone my public speaking skills.


    Then it was the host¡¯s turn to ask Bonnie.


    ¡°Bonnie was biting her lip, not even daring to lift her head to look at the audience,


    4


    ¡°Ms. Tueley, cheers for reading the opening of my speech,¡± I forced out in a hoarse voice. ¡°My throat¡¯s


    been acting up, and I didn¡¯t know how to start. I really appreciate your help, Ms. Tueley. You did a bang


    up job reciting my speech I¡¯ll take over from here for the nitty-gritty on market economics.¡±


    No sooner had I said that than Bonnie¡¯s face turned beet red, tears glistening in her eyes.


    The folks whod just been singing her praises were then feeling awkward, realizing she¡¯d been reading


    my script. They nced at each other and shook their heads.


    Bonnie was representing StarGlow Enterprises. Her blunder was a direct hit to her personal and


    company image.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case. Ms. Tueley, you might as well step down. Let¡¯s not waste any more time, Neil said


    coldly, adding salt to Bonnie¡¯s wound.

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    Chapter 282


    Well, since Neil had put it that way, there was no room for negotiation


    We were talking big shots from Rosemont Making a fool of yourself in front of them? Heavy


    consequences.


    Gloria¡¯s face turned ugly, all her usual grace and dignity was gone She was looking at Bonnie, her eyes


    full of disappointment.


    The host whispered to Bonnie, ¡°Ms Tueley, please return to your seat.¡±


    ¡°Okay. ¡°Bonnie responded with a downcast head, ced her speech on the podium, and quickly exited


    the stage.


    I picked up her discarded speech, gave it a once-over, and tossed it into the nearby trash. Then, I


    continued where Bonnie had left off.


    I was pretty pleased with Bonnie¡¯s performance. It got my gears turning: my delivery was light but


    powerful.


    About ten minutester, my talk was over The room burst into apuse.


    I knew I did good that day


    Bonnie, on the other hand, was a mess. From the moment she returned to her seat to the end of the


    summit, she had kept her head down, staring at the table. Her mind clearly elsewhere.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, hold up.¡± Everyone else had left, but Gloria stopped me. She brought Bonnie over. This


    was Bonnie¡¯s fault today. She shouldn¡¯t have taken your speech.¡±


    Bonnie nced at me, but I didn¡¯t see any regret in her eyes.


    I simply gave a coldugh without saying a word and left.


    On the way back, I had someone look into the mysterious phone number to see who called me. It might


    have given the cops a lead.


    All I could do then was to wait for the investigation to bear fruit or for the caller to contact me again.


    When I got back to Sterling Estates, I couldn¡¯t help but think of the ring Neil tossed. It had been a few


    days: I wondered if anyone found it.


    I headed out alone, in the direction Neil tossed the ring. If I was not mistaken, it should have been


    somewhere in the green space.


    But the recent snowfall had made the ground a thinyer of white, making the search difficult. Soon


    enough, my hands were freezing.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Neil¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind me. I was startled and turned quickly


    He was still in his suit from the meeting, but then hed gotten a ck coat on top, adding a touch of


    elegance to his cold demeanor.


    Against the snow and ck clothes, Neil¡¯s skin had a soft glow. He didn¡¯t look like he was in his thirties.


    I rubbed my hands together and said, ¡°Nothing. I heard a puppy whining. I was afraid it might freeze to


    death, so I came to look.¡±


    ¡°A puppy?¡± Neil rolled his eyes at the snow I¡¯ve disturbed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking for the engagement ring Russel Dawson gave you?¡±


    Talking to him was exhausting. He made lying hard.


    But I was getting better at acting, so I just brushed off my hands and said, ¡°Am I crazy? Do I need more


    trouble from you?¡±


    ¡°Hum, good to know! Neil¡¯s gaze fell on my red, cold hands. He took off his leather gloves, ¡°Put these


    on and let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I put on his gloves. They were soft inside, still warm from his hands, and suddenly my hands felt warm


    again.


    Nel took my hand and led me back towards the mansion.


    Winter days were short, and nights were long.


    By four or five in the afternoon, the sky had darkened. The wind howled.


    Neil led me along the damp path, his tall frame and long strides keeping him ahead. I could see his


    profile and the slope of his shoulders.


    It started to snow again. Small kes lightly dusted our shoulders.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Ms. Finch, you¡¯re back! The moment we entered the mansion, the housekeeper greeted


    us. ¡°Would you like dinner prepared earlier today? ¡°Hum¡±Neil responded. So, the housekeeper got


    busy with dinner.


    The living room was warm I no longer felt cold, so I took off the gloves and ced them on the table.


    The housekeeper poured us two cups of hot milk.


    Ned didn¡¯t drink, he just sat on the couch checking his phone. He was really busy. The fact that he


    made time to argue with me was a miracle.


    I was not as busy so quietly drank my milk.


    ¡°Your Speech was good today¡± Neil put down his phone and told me. He seemed to be genuinely


    complimenting me.


    ¡°I thought so too¡± I responded casually, still drinking my milk.


    ¡°There¡¯s a giftingter. Remember to answer the door. I¡¯m going to take a shower¡± With that, Neil


    went upstairs.


    I was a bit puzzled A gift?


    About half an hourter, sure enough, someone knocked on the door, bringing a big box. The person


    left the box at the door and left.


    I was confused and unsure of what was in the box. Then, I heard a pitiful sound, ¡°Whumper¡­¡±


    Was that a puppy?


    I opened the box in shock. A pure white Tibetan Mastiff puppy was inside. He looked chubby and was


    looking at me with timid, watery eyes!


    Before I could react, Neil¡¯s voice came from behind me, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Why would you give me a dog?¡± I was confused.


    ¡°Do you want to keep looking for dogs in the snow?¡± Neil countered.


    I thought, ¡°Well, no. I was just looking for an excuse¡±


    I couldn¡¯t deny it, so I just picked up the little white dog. The puppy smelled milky and felt like a ball of


    fur in my hands. ¡°Why a Tibetan Mastiff? Aren¡¯t they extremely ferocious?¡±


    ¡°When he grows up, he can be your bodyguard.¡± Neil reached out to gently touch the puppy¡¯s nose with


    his fingertip. ¡°Give him a name.¡±


    I stroked the puppy¡¯s head, thought it over, then answered, ¡°How about Neilson?¡±


    ¡°Hum?¡± Neil seems confused. He frowns ¡°Isn¡¯t that name a bit odd?¡±


    ¡°How about Neily, then? I casually suggested another name.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Neil contemted for a few seconds, then his face turned serious. He said sternly. ¡°Irene, are you


    making a joke of my name?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond to Neil; I just sat there on the couch, holding the puppy and ying with it. ¡°Which


    name do you like better?¡±


    Neil took a deep breath, his eyes filled with patience. He walked over, grabbed the back of the puppy¡¯s


    neck, and was ready to toss it aside.


    The puppy let out a pitiful whine, looking at me with its sad eyes.


    ¡°Let go of him!¡± I quickly took the pup from Neil¡¯s grasp, hugging it tightly. ¡°He¡¯s still so small, you¡¯re


    going to scare the hell out of him.¡±

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    My nervous demeanor seemed to trigger jealousy in Neil Whitmore. For you, even a dog is more


    important than me,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°Dogs are humans¡¯ best friends, I replied without lifting my head, then turned to the little dog and said,


    ¡®Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m right, Neilson?¡±


    The puppy happily barked in my arms. It seemed to really like the name.


    Neil had a persistently serious expression. Every time the little dog saw him, it would hide, looking


    scared. His presence was so overpowering that even the fiercest of dogs would fear him.


    A servant approached us, saying, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, Ms. Finch, dinner is ready¡±


    ¡°Neilson, let¡¯s go have dinner,¡± I said as I carried the little pup to the dining room. I had initially thought


    about letting it join us, but then I remembered and thought, ¡°It is still a puppy, so it should stick to milk


    for now.¡±


    I ced the puppy on a nearby chair, which happened to be Neil¡¯s usual spot.


    Neil walked over, saw his usual spot upied, and looked even more sullen. The little pup barked at


    him twice. He snorted coldly and took a seat elsewhere


    I ate while searching online for dog care tips. Perhaps because I was unable to have children of my


    own anymore, I immediately treated that little pup as


    my own.


    Neil received a phone call, most likely from Louis Aldridge.


    I listened to their conversation. It seemed like Louis was about to start working at Whitmore Co., and it


    was going to be a significant position.


    I recalled the conspiracy theories Ste Wace and I had discussed. What kind of person was Louis,


    really? I had some reservations about him, but since I didn¡¯t know him well, there was no need to be


    overly concerned.


    ¡°Alright. You cane to thepany toplete the formalities, Neil concluded the call with Louis


    and then asked me, ¡°Why have you been staring at me?¡±


    ¡°Is Louis going to work at Whitmore Co 7¡± Lasked casually keeping my head down as I continued


    eating


    Neil nodded. ¡°Yes. He hasn¡¯t found a job since returning home. And we need to hire new employees,


    so I decided to bring him into Whitmore Co.¡±


    If Neil agreed to have Louis at Whitmore Co., he must have been referring to the headquarters. That


    was a coveted ce for many.


    Louis was probablypetent, but the key reason he could enter Whitmore Co¡¯s headquarters was


    Neil.


    ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± Neil asked me.


    ¡°I have no objections,¡± I replied casually, shaking my head while continuing to eat.


    Neil didn¡¯t say much more. He took a few more bites of his meal and then headed upstairs. I finished


    my dinner slowly and handed the little pup over to the servants to arrange a ce for it to stay


    I was nning to visit Barbara Sands the next day. So, I decided to take a bath that night and prepare


    my clothes for the next day. I wondered if Neil was In the master bedroom at that time.


    I approached the door of the master bedroom and tried to push it open, only to find it dark inside. Neil


    wasn¡¯t in there.


    I thought, ¡°He might be working in his study.¡±


    I sighed in relief and went to take a bath.


    When I left the bathroom, I heard Neil¡¯s voice. He seemed a bit annoyed.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    He hung up the phone, saw meing out, looked surprised for a moment, and then said, ¡®I need to


    go out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± I replied nonchntly, sitting at the vanity to do my skincare routine.


    It was only around 8 o¡¯clock in the evening. Whether Neil went out for entertainment or to work at the


    office, it was a normal urrence.


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t seem concerned, Neil took the initiative to ask, ¡®Aren¡¯t you worried I¡¯ll go out and


    find other women?¡±


    ¡°Why should I worry? It¡¯s your choice,¡± I replied calmly while massaging my face.


    ¡°So, even if we remarry, I can still have my freedom. That sounds good,¡± Neil said with a wry smile. I¡¯m


    leaving.¡±


    With that, he left the room.


    The bedroom returned to tranquility. I looked at myself in the mirror, and I indeed looked better when I


    rxed. The pressure on my mind had greatly reduced, affecting my appearance.


    I had originally intended to go to sleep directly, but when Iy down, a bold idea crossed my mind, I


    wanted to check Neil¡¯s study again.


    I had three chances to enter the password. As long as I didn¡¯t trigger the rm, I would be safe.


    1 got out of bed, left the bedroom, and walked quietly to the study on the third floor, then attempted to


    enter the password.


    ¡®Password incorrect Please try again,¡± the lock blinked with a red light, the prompt tone cold and


    unfeeling.


    My heart raced. Another password floated into my mind, so I carefully entered it.


    Password incorrect. Please try again¡± Another failure.


    I had to give up because if I entered the wrong password again, it would trigger an rm, and Neil


    would be immediately alerted.


    I could only try againter.


    Disappointed, I returned to the master bedroom to rest.


    As Iy downte at night, I felt someone lying beside me. His hands encircled me, and his breathing


    sounded in my ear.


    I was too tired to care. I turned my back to him, curling up in his arms like a shrimp. Before long, I felt


    warmth in a certain part of his body. ¡°Don¡¯t bother me. I want to sleep, I couldn¡¯t stand it, so I pushed


    his hand away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a name for the dog. Daisy You¡¯re not allowed to call him Neilson anymore,¡± Neil said


    without further physically disturbing me, but his deep, captivating voice began to trouble my ears.


    I felt a little itchy, so I twisted my body and broke free from his embrace, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to sleep. If


    you make a fuss again, go sleep in the guest room. Don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    Neil forcefully pulled me back into his embrace. His long, strong limbs acted like restraints, locking me


    in tightly and making me unable to move. ¡°Fine, but only if you stay still. If you tempt me again, you¡¯ll


    have to deal with the consequences,¡± Neil warned in a low voice.


    When did I ever tempt him? Men could be so irrational when they got worked up.


    But then, I really didn¡¯t want to move. My eyelids felt heavy. Soon, I slipped back into slumber, and just


    before falling asleep, I faintly heard a sigh of patience in my ear.


    The next morning, I got up, prepared to freshen up and get ready, and then headed to Barbara¡¯s house.


    For once, Neil wasn¡¯t up early that day. Hey shirtless, face down on the pillow. The nket had been


    kicked aside, revealing his strong back muscles and firm waist muscles. He looked like a realistic oil


    painting that could trigger hormonal surges.

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    Chapter 284


    I averted my gaze, feeling like I was getting a bit too lecherous


    Just then, Neil¡¯s phone rang. He had left his phone on my vanityst night, so it was within my line of


    sight.


    I nced at the caller ID, and it was Annoying Fool¡±


    It was Kitty calling, and I couldn¡¯t pick up the phone. I decided to pretend I didn¡¯t hear it.


    Kitty hung up and immediately sent a text message. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone? Are you still


    sleeping in?¡±


    The notification popped up on the phone screen, and I saw it again.


    I had a sense of guilt. I reached out to turn the phone over.


    At that moment, Kitty sent another message, ¡°Thanks forst night, otherwise, my dad would have


    scolded me badly. He¡¯s been trying to control metely¡±


    So, it was because of Kitty that Neil had gone out the previous night. He often seemed annoyed by


    Kitty, but in action, he never ignored her


    I flipped the phone over and ced it on the table, deciding not to dwell on that issue.


    Neil hadn¡¯t gotten up by the time I left. I didn¡¯t wake him up and instead had Baileye over to drive


    me to Barbara¡¯s ce.


    When I arrived. Ste and the others were already there. Mitch Hebert and Cooper rke were also


    present


    As soon as they saw me, Mitch lowered his head and meekly stayed behind Ste. I hadn¡¯t confronted


    him about the recent incident where he had reported me a couple of days ago.


    ¡®Rena,e, have some dessert, Barbara walked over, linking her arm with mine, her face beaming


    with happiness


    Ss was chatting with Cooper, Sean, and others. He greeted me in a friendly manner when he saw


    me. I nodded at him and joined Ste, Barbara, and


    Alicia Rider for a chat


    I filled them in on my decision to move back to Sterling Estates. They looked surprised and were


    momentarily speechless.


    After a while, Ste asked, ¡°Are you really nning to remarry Nel? I heard you moved back to Sterling


    Estates¡±


    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s wrong?¡± I nodded. I hadn¡¯t expected Neil to share that with Cooper and the others.


    ¡°Irene, Neil is really remorseful. He genuinely wants to win you back. So if he asionally messes up,


    could you forgive him?¡± Cooper looked apologetic. ¡°Last night, I was out drinking with Kitty, and


    something happened, so Kitty called him. Do you know about this?¡±


    So, that¡¯s what happened. I was well aware.


    I smiled faintly, feeling surprisingly calm. I had anticipated that. It¡¯s fine. Regardless of my rtionship


    with Neil, I won¡¯t interfere with his interactions with friends. Both you and Kitty are his friends. It¡¯s


    normal for you to seek his help.¡±


    Cooper was taken aback, appearing somewhat confused. He probably thought that since I was living


    with Neil again, I would be jealous or upset.


    My reaction now resembled that of a roommate, without any jealousy typically associated with a


    romantic rtionship.


    if there¡¯s nothing else, Ill go inside,¡¯I greeted Cooper naturally and then walked back into the living


    room.


    Cooper stood alone on the balcony for a while, seemingly unable to collect his thoughts.


    Around lunchtime, I received a call from someone. It was a response from the person I had tasked with


    investigating that unknown number. He said, ¡°Ms. Finch, the number you asked me to trace seems to


    have anti-tracking measures in ce, so I couldn¡¯t determine the owner of the number. I could only


    pinpoint a rough area.¡±


    ¡°Where is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s near StarGlow Enterprises,¡± the hacker replied.


    My face immediately darkened. Could it be that even that phone call was part of Bonnie¡¯s fabricated


    lie?


    I had thought I could find evidence. It seemed I had been overly optimistic.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    1 understand,¡± I said, my mood deteriorating


    If Bonnie deliberately had someone call me, why did she do it? I thought and thought, and the only


    possibility that came to mind was that she intended to use that excuse to distract me and then steal my


    speech notes from my desk


    Bonnie was truly cunning, going to great lengths to seize every opportunity to frame me.


    I lost my appetite for lunch and just sat there, lost in thought


    At that moment, my phone rang again. It was another unknown number | furrowed my brow, thinking,


    ¡°Could it be another call from someone Bonnie sent>


    I answered the call. A woman¡¯s voice came from the phone, ¡°Is this Ms. Finch?¡±


    ¡°Who is this?¡± I asked in confusion. I had no familiarity with that voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m Oscar Morse¡¯s sister, Hannah Morse. My brother had given me your contact information before. He


    told me you were his best friend in Rosemont, Do you have some free time to meet with me?¡± Her


    voice held a hint of nervousness, as if afraid I might refuse.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Oscar¡¯s sister to reach out to me. I thought, ¡°She must be here to handle Oscar¡¯s


    affairs. Just thinking of him made my mood heavy.


    ¡°Okay, Where are you now? Ie pick you up.¡± I agreed to her proposal

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    Hannah Morse had just arrived at the train station. She was Oscar Morse¡¯s one and only sister. Their


    family were farmers, and they didn¡¯te with her


    this time


    It took me a good half hour to get to the station from Barbara¡¯s ce. When I saw Hannah, I was taken


    aback. She was the spitting image of Oscar, only softer and more feminine


    Hannah was a lot older than Oscar, she was even older than me. Her face was a portrait of sorrow, and


    her eyes seemed to be swollen from crying on


    the trip.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Irene Finch. I¡¯m a friend of Oscars. I had Barbara take Hannahs luggage and then I introduced


    myself to her.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, nice to meet you. This is my first time here. I don¡¯t know anything about this ce, so I¡¯m


    hoping you can help me out.¡± Hannah said as she looked at me with sad eyes.


    ¡°No problem. If you¡¯re Oscar¡¯s sister, you¡¯re my sister too I felt heavyhearted and a bit guilty because I


    felt that I was indirectly responsible for Oscar¡¯s death.


    Hannah nodded. Thank you. Oscar was lucky to have a friend like you.¡±


    Hearing that made me feel worse, and the guilt grew stronger. But I couldn¡¯t say anything. I just tried to


    put on a brave face. Let¡¯s get going then. I¡¯ll take you to my ce first. You can crash at my ce for a


    few days. Once you¡¯re settled, we can go visit Oscar.¡±


    Hannah¡¯s eyes welled up again. She wiped at the corner of her eve. ¡°Okay¡±


    Barbara took me and Hannah back to Sterling Estates. I was originally thinking of having Hannah stay


    at my apartment, but I was worried that she might need me for something or might want to chat, so in


    the end, I decided to let her stay at Sterling Estates.


    To my surprise, Neil was home. He was sitting by the window, sipping coffee, and flipping through a


    book. When he saw mee in with Hannah, he frowned, ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±


    ¡°Oscar¡¯s sister. She might be staying here for a few days. I gave Hannah a pair of slippers. She


    nced at Neil, looking a bit ufortable.


    I tried to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s my ex-husband. Oscar knew him?


    Hearing that, Hannah finally bent down to change her shoes.


    I had the maid get the guest room ready, then asked Hannah, ¡°Have you had lunch 7¡±


    Tve eaten Hannah looked worried about being a bother, I came here to take care of Oscar¡¯s affairs. My


    mom my mom got sick from grief, so my dad. had to take care of her, I was the only one who could


    come.¡±


    ¡°My condolences,¡± I said as my eyes stung, ¡°Oscar was a good guy. No one saw thising. If you or


    your family need anything, just say the word.¡± Thank you, Ms. Finch. I heard from Oscar that you were


    good to him and treated him like a little brother. If he were still here, maybe we could have met under


    happier circumstances, but¡­ Hannah started crying again.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I patted her on the shoulder, trying tofort her, but I didn¡¯t tell her about the suspicious


    circumstances of Oscar¡¯s death. I didn¡¯t want to add any more stress to the Morse family because they


    couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    I¡¯d have to figure it out on my own and use Neil¡¯s influence to find out the truth.


    Neil watched us coldly, there was not a hint of sympathy in his eyes.


    He never showed any mercy to people or things that had nothing to do with him.


    Hannah spoke softly to Neil, ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡±


    Hannah picked up on Neil¡¯s coldness, and her awkwardness became more apparent.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Neil responded simply, then continued drinking his coffee.


    Seeing him like this, I regretted not having Hannah stay at my apartment,


    It was already afternoon. I told Hannah to rest up first, and we could go to the funeral home tomorrow


    morning


    But she wouldn¡¯t have it. She wiped away her tears, ¡°Ms. Finch, please take me there now. My dad told


    me not to let him lie alone in the funeral home.¡±


    I choked up, not knowing what to say In the end, all I could do was nod, ¡°Okay. Put your luggage away,


    and we¡¯ll head over.¡±


    Hannah put her luggage away with the help of the maid, then followed me out the door again,


    Tll go with you¡± Suddenly, Neil followed, his voice low


    What for was surprised


    ¡°To take a look¡± Neil answered calmly, then got into the passenger seat.


    Bailey looked at him, confused


    I didn¡¯t know why Neil would do this, but if he wanted to go, I couldn¡¯t stop hirm,


    I sat in the back with Hannah, and the car headed towards a funeral home in Rosemant


    ¡°Ms. Finch, did my brother piss off anyone?¡± On the way, Hannah asked me quietly.


    I don¡¯t think so.¡± I answered hesitantly


    Hannah covered her face in sorrow, ¡°I just feel like his death was too sudden. He treasured life. How


    could something like this happen?


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just watched her silently


    Chapter 283


    Neil was hstening to our conversation When I said Oscar didn¡¯t piss off anyone, he nced back at me;


    his eyes seemed to have a deeper meaning.


    I just didn¡¯t want Oscar¡¯s family to get pulled into this mess.


    When we got to the funeral home, Hannah saw Oscars body. She cried her heart out, almost unable to


    stand.


    I couldn¡¯t help but shed tears too.


    Neil held me I buried my head in his chest and wiped my tears. At times like this, I wouldn¡¯t normally


    reject him.


    ¡°He can¡¯te back. You need to control your sorrow¡± He held me as he spoke to Hannah.


    ¡°I know ¡°Hannah sobbed


    After she said herst goodbyes to her brother, the funeral home proceeded to cremate Oscar¡¯s body,


    but we wouldn¡¯t be able to collect his ashes until a couple of dayster


    On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was heavy. I barely said a word, and Hannah was the


    same.


    When we got back to Sterling Estates, dinner was all set. I got Hannah to sit down and grab a bite, then


    told her to head upstairs for a bath and some


    rest


    Ms. Finch, thank you¡± Hannah mumbled while her head was down.


    ¡°No sweat, seriously I genuinely wanted to help her out, given that she was Oscar¡¯s sister.


    Hannah quietly went upstairs. I stayed put in the living room as the little dog padded over to my feet. I


    picked it up and cradled it, stroking it gently while 1 was lost in thought.


    Neil plonked down next to me, ¡°When¡¯s she leaving?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I snapped back to reality


    I¡¯m asking, when is Oscar¡¯s sister leaving?¡± Neil repeated, looking a bit cranky


    I replied a tad impatiently. ¡°I dont know. She can stay as long as she wants. You¡¯re not thinking of


    booting her out, are you?¡±


    Neil shot back in an icy tone, ¡°What else? If you¡¯re at the office sometimes and I¡¯m home, you¡¯d really


    want me to be alone with her?¡±


    I was taken aback by Neil¡¯s sudden prudishness; even the thought of being alone with Hannah was a


    no-no. But when he went to see Kittyst night, where was this sense of propriety then?

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    Chapter 286


    ¡°She¡¯s Oscar¡¯s sister, and she¡¯s married with kids. You should treat her like family.¡± I idly remarked


    while bending down to scratch the head of the little dog.


    ¡°Sounds simple. Neil scoffed, ¡°You¡¯ve got tons of houses. Why did you have to bring her here?¡±


    I shot him a look, ¡°I just thought it would be easier to take care of her. Is there a problem with that?¡±


    Neil replied with a poker face, ¡°Yes, there is. She¡¯s a married woman. Why does she need your care?


    You¡¯re just stirring up trouble for me.¡±


    ¡°Neil, can¡¯t you show a littlepassion?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but raise my voice.


    ¡°So, if I suggest moving her to another ce, that means Ickpassion?¡± Neilughed in


    annoyance, ¡°You really know how to put someone in a spot.¡±


    I did feel a bit selfish. I only thought about how I could take care of Hannah,pletely ignoring the


    inconvenience it might cause Neil. So I decided to keep my mouth shut


    Just then, the little dog started barking.


    Neil tugged at its ear, ¡°Quiet.¡±


    I swatted his hand away, ¡°You¡¯re abusing the animal!¡±


    Neil fell silent.


    Just a gentle tug was considered animal abuse? He must¡¯ve thought it was absurd too.


    ww


    After noticing my indifference, Neil got up and headed upstairs. I followed him immediately. If he was


    going to his study, I could try to sneak a peek at his password.


    If he used facial recognition, then I would just follow him into the study.


    I no longer felt embarrassed in front of Neil. We both knew our rtionship was purely a transaction at


    this point.


    ¡°What are you following me for?¡± Neil turned to look at me as we reached the door of his study.


    ¡°Do you have books in your study?¡± I asked.


    Neil gave me a confused look, like he was wondering if I was an idiot. ¡°Irene, haven¡¯t you been in my


    study before?¡±


    I had, but not often. Back then, I was only interested in Neil himself and not what was in his study.


    I was caught off guard. Just then, the door opened. The dog in my arms suddenly wriggled free and


    dashed into the study.


    Did it know what I was up to?


    ¡°I¡¯m going after the dog!¡± I said and rushed into the study ahead of Neil.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Neil followed and closed the door behind him.


    The study was huge. Two entire walls were lined with bookshelves. There were also various oil


    paintings and art pieces others had gifted to Neil. He didn¡¯t want to find a ce to disy them, so they


    were kept in the study.


    Pretending to look for the dog. I scanned the desk, hoping to find some clues. But the desk was


    cluttered with papers filled with dense writing. I couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of any of it.


    ¡±


    Neil sat down to work. He was usually very focused when working, but today he was disrupted by me.


    His eyes asionally darted towards me. After a while, he asked, ¡°Are you looking for the dog or


    something else?¡±


    ¡°Just the dog! I don¡¯t want it to disturb your work.¡± I replied calmly


    *Really?¡± Neil pulled out a file from the desk, ¡°I thought you were looking for this. It¡¯s internal


    information about your father¡¯s


    case.¡±


    I stiffened. I stared at the file in Neil¡¯s hand, at a loss for words.


    Having him guess my intentions so easily made me feel embarrassed.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± The little dog shot out from under the desk, barking adorably.


    *Daisy,e here!¡± I immediately squatted down and called it over.


    Neil was both angry and amused, ¡°The moment I pull out the file, you start calling it Daisy? If I hadn¡¯t


    pulled it out, have kept calling it Neilson?¡±


    would


    you


    I held the little dog and didn¡¯t deny Neil¡¯s words. I walked to the door, opened it, and let the dog out.


    I then closed the door again and went back to the desk, trying to reach for the file, but Neil dodged me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to let me see it?¡± I feigned ignorance, ¡°Then why did you pull it out?¡±


    ¡°I saw you always trying to get into the study, so I wanted to test you. Turns out you really were after


    this.¡± Neil pulled out his phone and showed me a video. In the video, I was trying to input the password


    at the study door.


    I knew the lock on the study door was very secure, but I didn¡¯t expect there to be live surveince.


    Being caught in the act felt terrible, but my embarrassment didn¡¯t matter now. So, I decided to admit,


    ¡°Yes, I did want to see what¡¯s in here. You said you were helping me with the investigation, but how can


    I be sure you¡¯re really doing it?¡±


    ¡°So you came to the study just to check up on me, is that it?¡± Neil had a more dominating presence,


    even though he was sitting and I was standing.


    ¡°Not really checking. Just looking around.¡± I replied.


    Neil swiveled in his chair a bit. His long, muscr legs, wrapped in dress pants, held a certain charm.


    He patted his thigh. lightly, ¡°Come, sit here, then I¡¯ll give you the file.¡±


    Neil, at this moment, seemed like a predator.


    I remained still, radiating resistance.


    Neil didn¡¯t force me and just put away the file, ¡°If you¡¯re not willing, then I¡¯ll give it to you in a few days.


    Just be patient.¡±


    Now that the file was about to be locked in the drawer, I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°Let me have a


    peek first!¡±


    ¡°Sit down first.¡± Neil¡¯s actions halted.


    I gritted my teeth, holding back the urge to curse, and carefully moved to sit on Neil¡¯sp.


    My hesitation displeased Neil. Hisrge handnded on my waist, pushing me down slightly. I had no


    choice but to sit. down, practically pressed against him.


    ¡°If you wanted to see the file, you could¡¯ve just asked me. Why did you have to sneak around like a


    thief?¡± Neil asked, somewhat exasperated.


    ¡°Uh, I won¡¯t do it next time.¡± I was a bit stiff. I didn¡¯t have the energy to think about what he was saying


    and just nodded in


    response.


    Neil ced the file back on the desk, ¡°Take a look. But don¡¯t take it with you.¡±


    I frowned, ¡°Look at it while sitting on you?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, or would you prefer we move to the bed?¡± Neil¡¯s hand on my waist tightened slightly, sending a


    tingling sensation through me that made my scalp prickle.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t move then.¡± I said awkwardly, then began to pore over the file in this very intimate position.


    The content of the file shocked me.


    Neil had already identified the high-ranking official who put pressure on my father¡¯s case. Although he


    didn¡¯t have the official¡¯s Identity confirmed, he had preliminary analysis results.


    I was totally engrossed when suddenly, something felt off. There was this odd yet familiar feeling on my


    thigh. A wave of warmth hit me, sending a chill down my spine.


    ¡°I¡¯m done here!¡± I, who was indeed almost done, Instantly wanted to get up and leave.


    Neil grabbed my hand tightly, pulling me back into his embrace, ¡°You¡¯re just gonna leave after reading


    the materials? That¡¯s cold.¡±

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287


    Chapter 287


    I plopped down on Neil¡¯sp, my mind a whirlwind. The information I¡¯d just seen and Neil¡¯s actions at


    the moment left me as stiff as a board.


    Neil¡¯s breath was slightly heavy. His hand had skillfully found its way under my clothes and began


    wandering about.


    After snapping back to reality, I firmly grabbed hold of his hand that was causing havoc on my chest. I


    could feel the warmth of his hands even through the fabric.


    ¡°Neil, I need to take a shower first.¡± I tried to stall as much as possible. Maybe he¡¯d forget about it.


    ¡°You can showerter.¡± Even though I had a firm grip on Neil¡¯s hand, I could feel him attempting to


    wriggle free, though he wasn¡¯t using much force.


    His hints were crystal clear.


    I was unsure and hesitant about my decision to sell my body. Sometimes, I couldn¡¯t help but resist Neil.


    The vi was very warm, so I would always take off my coat when I came back, wearing only thin


    clothes. This now made it easier for Neil to touch me.


    ¡°No, not here¡­this isn¡¯t right¡­¡± I pushed Neil away.


    ¡°What¡¯s not right? You¡¯re just finding an excuse to reject me.¡± Neil slightly let go of me; his tone now a


    bit colder, ¡°But it¡¯s useless. When you agreed toe back to me, I decided to not let you do as you


    please anymore.¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, Neil had already lifted me up and ced me on the desk. The documents


    I hadn¡¯t had a chance to put away were now under my butt.


    The bright light in the study room illuminated us, revealing our close embrace.


    The room was filled with a faint scent and a lingering aroma.


    When I came out of the study, my calf was trembling. If one day I could control Neil, I would definitely


    have him sell adult content on OnlyFans.


    Before that, I could only ept the status quo.


    *Ms. Finch, are you okay?¡± As soon as I got to the second floor, I saw Hannah standing at the guest


    room door. She was wearing a somewhat old nightgown.


    I immediately noticed the bruise on her neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s that on your neck¡­?¡± I asked suspiciously.


    Hannah quickly covered her neck and shook her head, ¡°Nothing. I just tripped.¡±


    The cement didn¡¯t look like she had tripped. It looked more like someone had gripped her neck.


    After I noticed that Hannah was dodging the question, I didn¡¯t press her any further, ¡°Why are you still


    awake?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit thirsty.¡± Hannah answered awkwardly. ¡°But I don¡¯t know where I can get some water.¡±


    ¡°Wait here.¡± Without saying much, I went downstairs to get Hannah some water.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    When I brought a bottle of water upstairs, Neil wasing down from the third floor. He and Hannah


    exchanged a nce, his gaze cold.


    Hannah, on the other hand, looked a bit embarrassed and quickly looked away.


    ¡°Here you go. Go rest.¡± I handed the water to Hannah. Hannah thanked me with a nod, nced at Neil


    again, then went back to her room.


    Neil seemed a bit displeased. As he headed towards the main bedroom, he ordered me, ¡°Have her


    leave tomorrow; let her stay somewhere else. If you¡¯re worried about her, send someone to apany


    her.¡±


    I followed him, ¡°No need. She might leave Rosemont in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t leave within three days, don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡± Neil was really cold-hearted


    about this. He seemed particrly disgusted by the presence of strangers in his ce.


    ¡°Okay¡± All I wanted was to take a shower as soon as possible and wash off the scent of sex, so I


    quickly grabbed my


    sleepwear from the closet and dashed into the bathroom.


    After afortable shower, I changed and went back to the room.


    Neil was on the balcony making a call, ¡°It¡¯s my business, it¡¯s none of your concern. We¡¯re just friends,


    got it?¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    With his cold and brief response, he hung up the phone. When he turned around and saw me, there


    was a hint of uneasiness in his eyes.


    Iid down on the bed without asking anything.


    Neil came in, closed the balcony door, and exined, ¡°That was Mamie Wilson. She found out from


    Cooper that you¡¯re staying at Sterling Estates.¡±


    Mamie Wilson was Kitty¡¯s real name.


    ¡°Mamie?¡± My focus was elsewhere, ¡°Do you know who she is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known for a while, but who she is doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Neil casually answered me while


    unbuttoning his shirt, ¡°Yourpany has a partnership with her family¡¯spany, so you¡¯re worried


    that our affairs would affect the partnership, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I was indeed a bit worried about that, but I also quite liked Kitty, so I didn¡¯t want to hurt


    her.


    Neil tossed his shirt aside and calmly said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Any partnership is based


    on mutual benefit. Mr. Daniel will also benefit from your cooperation. If he insists on mixing work with


    personal grudges, he¡¯ll fail soon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk about keeping work and personal lives separate¡± I retorted.


    Didn¡¯t Neil retaliate in business whenever someone pissed him off in the past?


    Neil was going to the bathroom, but what I said stopped him. He walked to the bed and leaned over me


    with his bare arms propped on either side of me, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired today? How do you still have the


    energy to argue with me?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m too tired, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± I quickly pulled the nket over my head.


    Neil chuckled, and then I heard his footsteps heading towards the bathroom.


    I then peeked out, my mood even heavier.


    Kitty called Neil but didn¡¯t reach out to me.


    I didn¡¯t want Kitty to be the next Bonnie. I wanted to be her friend, but reality seemed not to allow it.


    As I drifted off, my phone rang. It was a video call request from Kitty.


    I immediately declined.


    Kitty sent me a message. ¡°Irene, it¡¯s okay. I know you¡¯re at Sterling Estates. I just wanted to know if


    you¡¯re attending Russel Dawson and Chloe Reynolds¡¯ engagement party in a few days. I don¡¯t want to


    go with my dad. Can I go with you?¡±


    After seeing Kitty¡¯s message, I started feeling mixed emotions. After hesitating for a while, I replied. ¡°I


    won¡¯t be going. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Kitty replied again. There¡¯s no need to say sorry. Neil must¡¯ve been giving you a hard time. We agreed


    on fair y, remember? Watch your back, because I haven¡¯t given up on Neil just yet.¡±


    A small smirk yed on my lips after reading her message, Her straightforwardness in dering she


    hadn¡¯t thrown in the towel was aforting thought.


    I couldn¡¯te right out and say what I was thinking, so I had to reply cryptically. ¡°Me and him, we


    won¡¯tst forever.¡±


    Kitty didn¡¯t respond to that.


    I let out a sigh of relief and started browsing the news. Out of nowhere, news of Russel and Chloe¡¯s


    engagement popped up. They usually kept a low profile, but any big news involving the kids of the rich


    and famous was bound to stir the pot.

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288


    Chapter 288


    I was engrossed in the news on my phone and hadpletelyst track of time. When Neil stepped


    out of the shower, I was still awake.


    ¡°What are you so engrossed in?¡± He asked, still smelling of my favorite shower gel as he walked over.


    I quickly hid my phone under the pillow, pretending to sleep, ¡°Just watching some sleep-aid videos. I


    was having trouble sleeping.¡±


    Neil climbed into bed from the other side and cuddled me, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Thoughts of Russel were swirling in my mind, but I couldn¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°Nothing much. Just thinking about my dad and Oscar and when my mom might wake up.¡± I made up


    some believable excuses to deflect Neil¡¯s question.


    ¡°Everything will be alright.¡± Neilforted me, his voice was soft and caring.


    ¡°Mm-hmm. I responded.


    I gradually fell asleep in Neil¡¯s arms.


    Hannah was an early riser. In the morning, I was awakened by the sound of her descending the stairs;


    she seemed to be on a rather urgent phone call.


    I opened my eyes groggily.


    Neil, noticing that I was awake, spoke up with a voice that waszy and husky from sleep. ¡°Up so


    early?¡±


    I answered, ¡°Sounds like Hannah¡¯s downstairs.¡±


    Neil immediately frowned, ¡°I told you we should¡¯ve asked her to leave. Now you see why, right?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the office today? I was nning to get up early for work.¡± I untangled myself from


    Neil¡¯s hold, got up, and started getting dressed.


    Neil nced at his phone and furrowed his brows. ¡°This early? What are you going to the office for?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer Neil and quickly finished dressing, then headed to the bathroom to freshen up and put


    on makeup.


    While I was doing my makeup. Neil got up. He walked into the walk-in closet shirtless and came out all


    dressed up. He had transformed from a sexy hunk to a suave gentleman.


    Even though I got up before Neil, he made it downstairs before me.


    Breakfast was ready in the dining room, but Hannah was nowhere to be seen. I asked the housemaid,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Hannah?¡±


    ¡°She went out. She didn¡¯t say where or when she¡¯d be back. The maid replied.


    ¡°She¡¯s an adult, she won¡¯t get lost.¡± Neil, sitting at the dining table and enjoying his breakfast, didn¡¯t


    seem worried about Hannah at all.


    Sterling Estates was a massive property. If Hannah did venture outside, there was a good chance she


    could get lost.


    But she had my contact. If she ran into trouble, she¡¯d likely reach out to me.


    After breakfast, I headed to the office. As I was leaving Sterling Estates, there was still no sign of


    Hannah.


    I was a bit worried, but I couldn¡¯t meddle too much.


    It was the end of the year, and thepany was nearing holiday closure, so I had a lot of work to wrap


    up. I didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else the moment I stepped into the office.


    ¡°Ms. Gloria and Ms. Tueley from StarGlow Enterprises are here to see you.¡± My assistant informed me


    just before the end of the workday


    ¡°Tell them I¡¯m unavable.¡± I didn¡¯t hesitate to decline.


    ¡°They say they have important matters to discuss with you.¡± My assistant reported.


    I didn¡¯t believe they had anything truly important to discuss with me. So | Instructed my assistant to


    send them away.


    I thought Gloria and Bonnie would leave after being turned down, but they waited for me outside the


    office.


    Gloria¡¯s car was blocking mine. She asked me, ¡°Ms. Finch, would you be interested in coborating


    with us?¡±


    ¡°Not interested I answered coldly.


    ¡°After the holidays, mypany will receive a big order, but I can¡¯t handle it alone. I hope our two


    companies can work together. What do you think?¡± Gloria asked again.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I¡¯m not interested. If you can¡¯t handle the order, then don¡¯t ept it.¡± I found their


    attitudes repulsive; even a single word spent on them felt like a waste of time.


    ¡°You should separate work from personal matters. Irene, how can you run apany if you¡¯re going to


    be petty?¡± Bonnie tried to provoke me, ¡°If your mother were in charge, she would definitely consider


    working with us. Yourpany could use the order, no?¡±


    But I wasn¡¯t going to be swayed by their words.


    Gloria and Bonnie were the ones who couldn¡¯t separate business from personal matters, so trying to


    convince me otherwise was futile.


    I quickly reversed my car and drove off.


    *Irene! Bonnie yelled out in anger


    I saw Gloria¡¯s car following me in the rear-view mirror. I wasn¡¯t sure what they were up to


    I stepped on the gas to try and lose them. I thought once I got back to Sterling Estates, they wouldn¡¯t


    be able to follow me


    1.


    But then I saw Hannah near Sterling Estates. She looked upset.


    Had she not gone home all day? I immediately pulled over.


    Gloria and Bonnie also stopped. Bonnie got out of the car and walked towards me. When she reached


    me, she suddenly froze and had a look of panic on her face.


    Hannah¡¯s gaze shifted from me to Bonnie, ¡°Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°Hannah Bonnie quickly hid her panic and smiled, ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    Hannah red at Bonnie with eyes filled with resentment.


    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± Her gazended on Gloria, her voice full of sarcasm, ¡°Is she your new mom?¡±


    Gloria didn¡¯t respond.


    Bonnie nodded, ¡°Yes. My biological parents died in a car crash. She¡¯s my godmother.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re living the high life now. Breaking up with Oscar was a good move. How else could you be


    living so well?¡± Hannah¡¯s words were quite harsh, but understandable.


    Seeing her brother¡¯s ex-girlfriend living a good life must¡¯ve been hard for her.


    A look of embarrassment shed across Bonnie¡¯s face. She seemed a bit scared and uneasy in front of


    Hannah.


    There were only two possibilities, either Oscar¡¯s death had something to do with her, or Hannah had


    some dirt on her.


    Otherwise, there was no way she¡¯d be acting so timid.


    ¡°Hannah, what are you doing here? Bonnie tried to change the subject.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to take care of Oscar¡¯s affairs. Ms. Finch has been a great help. Didn¡¯t you go to see him?¡±


    Hannah challenged


    Bonnie.


    Bonnie avoided Hannah¡¯s gaze, ¡°I¡¯ve been super busytely¡­ Plus, Oscar and I have been done for a


    long time. I only heard about his ident from mutual friends¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Hannah wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. But she knew it was pointless to argue with Bonnie. They


    had indeed broken up a long time ago, so she couldn¡¯t exactly guilt-trip Bonnie about it.

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    Chapter 289


    ¡°Hannah, hop in. It¡¯s cold outside.¡± I told Hannah.


    Gloria and Bonnie were constantly pressuring me to team up with them, which was a no-go.


    Hannah nodded, silently getting into my car. I didn¡¯t even look at Gloria and Bonnie, and I just drove


    straight off.


    In the car, I asked, ¡®Hannah, did you meet Bonnie when she was dating your brother?¡±


    ¡°A few times.¡± Hannah sighed, ¡®Bonnie once came to our house with Oscar.¡±


    I got it. It looked like they were really hitting it off then.


    Then Hannah added, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t really like her, but Oscar¡­ Never mind¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence, but I was curious. Hannah didn¡¯t like Bonnie back then? That was


    unexpected.


    After all, Bonnie was a pure college girl back then, totally Oscar¡¯s type.


    Hannah didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, so I didn¡¯t push her.


    When we got home, Neil wasn¡¯t back yet, so I told the maid to start preparing dinner.


    Hannah and I sat in the living room. She was wearing a long-sleeved jacket, so her wrists were


    exposed whenever she reached out. When she picked up the cup in front of her, I saw a bruise on her


    wrist.


    I was puzzled. Did she hurt both her neck and wrist when she fell?


    Then Hannah suddenly started sobbing softly, ¡°Ms. Finch, could you do me a favor? I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s


    end¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± I sensed she had something to tell me.


    Just then, Neil came back. As soon as he walked in, he saw Hannah crying. His face was cold.


    He took off his coat and then poured himself a ss of water


    Hannah stopped talking when she saw Neiling back, looking at him with a touch of fear in her


    eyes.


    Neil¡¯s cold demeanor could indeed make people feel intimidated.


    My dog ran over and began rubbing his pants leg. He yfully nudged its nose with his toe.


    ¡°Just ignore him and keep going.¡± I told Hannah gently.


    Hannah¡¯s voice dropped significantly, ¡°I want to divorce my good-for-nothing husband, but he won¡¯t let


    me. I came to this city hoping to find a job here, so I don¡¯t have to go back.¡±


    So Hannah¡¯s injuries were caused by domestic violence.


    Normally, she didn¡¯t work, so she couldn¡¯t leave her husband. This time she used the excuse of dealing


    with Oscar¡¯s affairs to make a trip, but she didn¡¯t want to go back.


    But if she didn¡¯t want to go back, she needed a ce to stay and a job to earn money; otherwise, she


    couldn¡¯t survive.


    She hoped I could help her find a job so she had a way to make a living.


    ¡°What can you do?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I only have a high school diploma and not much work experience, but I¡¯m willing to work hard. I can be


    a waitress or a cleaner! I just want to be able to support myself.¡± Hannah¡¯s eyes lit up as she


    immediately responded.


    That was easy. I agreed without thinking too much.


    ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯m really grateful!¡± Hannah said to me gratefully.


    ¡°No need to be. If your parents need to move to Rosemont, I¡¯ll help.¡± I answered seriously.


    Hannah nodded tearfully.


    Neil was off to the side, smirking one moment and teasing the little dog the next. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was


    upset by what I


    said.


    I didn¡¯t want to ask too much in front of Hannah. When it was time for bed, Neil suddenly pointed to the


    floor, ¡°You¡¯re


    sleeping on the floor tonight.¡±


    I was about to get into bed. Stunned by his words, I asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You sleep on the floor; I sleep on the bed. Don¡¯t you understand?¡¯ Neil looked at me coldly.


    ¡°Neil, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± I was speechless.


    Neil scoffed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? You¡¯re the one with the problem. You¡¯re so concerned about


    Oscar¡¯s family as if he¡¯s your husband.*


    I just thought Neil was a bit odd. But after hearing this, I felt a chill.


    I didn¡¯t expect Neil to have any sympathy for Oscar¡¯s death, but he shouldn¡¯t twist my feelings for


    Oscar like this.


    This was an insult to Oscar!


    ¡°Neil, are you crazy?!¡± I shouted this out, then went to sleep in another guest room. It was more


    comfortable than sleeping with him.


    Because of Neil, I couldn¡¯t sleep half the night.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Oscar did have feelings for me, but ever since I rejected him, he never said anything that made me


    ufortable.


    Now Neil was talking about us like that. If Oscar heard this in heaven, he would feel wronged.


    I was about to fall asleepte at night when I heard a faint sound of the door opening, followed by


    footsteps.


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡± Neil¡¯s voice came over, and he crawled into the nket without hesitation.


    ¡°Scram.¡± I muttered under my breath.


    ¡°Are you mad?¡± Neil skillfully hugged me from behind, kissing my earlobe, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have


    been jealous.¡±


    I twisted my shoulder hard, breaking free from Neil, then turned around and red at him, ¡°Neil, are


    you mentally ill? One minute you¡¯re like this, and the next you¡¯re like that. You¡¯re a lunatic.¡±


    The room was dark, but a sliver of moonlight came in through the window; it was just enough for me to


    make out Neil¡¯s silhouette and his slightly gleaming eyes.


    He stared at me, then suddenly grabbed my hand, ¡°Just consider me a lunatic. If you¡¯re angry, you can


    hit me. Aren¡¯t you good at pping people?¡±


    I yanked my hand out and got ready to get out of bed, nning to switch to another room.


    I also remembered that I needed to lock the door!


    Neil quickly pulled me back, hugging me, ¡°Don¡¯t switch. It¡¯ll be daylight by the time you switch rooms.¡±


    ¡°Then you get out.¡± I clenched my


    teeth.


    *No. Wherever you sleep, I sleep.¡± Neil seemed a bit stubborn, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll help Hannah find a


    job as an apology. okay?¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°You¡¯ll help her find a job?¡±


    ¡°What, don¡¯t you trust me?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was right next to my ear. When he spoke, his breath touched


    my ear, making me a little itchy.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. I hope you can help her find a job with better conditions.¡± I bluntly made


    my request.


    Neil was left both amused and baffled by my sudden change in attitude. He snuggled his head into the


    crook of my neck. took a deep breath, and rasped out, ¡®Fine, but she¡¯s got to leave Sterling Estates by


    the day after tomorrow.¡±


    I just gave a nomittal grunt. I was tired, so I closed my eyes to catch some Z¡¯s.


    But Neil, the unstoppable machine that he was, seemed to have no concept of what exhaustion meant.


    After seeing me drifting off to sleep, he started getting antsy.

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290


    Chapter 290


    I was exhausted and totally wiped out. I felt like I was floating. Other than impatiently shoving Neil


    away, I had no energy to resist.


    I couldn¡¯t get a wink of sleep in this state. I cracked open my eyes only to find that it was the break of


    dawn outside.


    I slept till noon, and Neil didn¡¯t go to work today either. He was catching up on sleep, like me.


    ¡°Russel¡¯s engagement party is tomorrow; are you going?¡± He asked mezily while he was still half


    asleep.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I replied nonchntly.


    The truth was that I had already decided not to go. Chloe had texted me, so there was no way I was


    gonna cause her trouble.


    Neil was messing with my hair, then gave a slight rub, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go. What if he runs off when he


    sees you?¡±


    I opened my eyes fully, staring at the sunlight outside The weather looked nice today.


    Neil didn¡¯t get an answer from me and seemed a bit miffed, so he pinched my lips.


    This childish act annoyed me, so I swatted him away. ¡°Who are you to control me? Aren¡¯t you going?¡±


    Neil was quiet for a while, then said, ¡°Of course I¡¯m going, but you and I are different.¡±


    Neil and Russel had been friends for years. Although their friendship had gone sour, they still needed


    to mind their manners on such an asion. After all, he did attend when Neil and I got married.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I was pondering whether I should send them an engagement gift. Even though I was


    not attending, it was still appropriate to send a gift.


    As I was thinking, my phone buzzed. It was from Chloe. ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m very sorry. Please ignore what I


    said before. Pleasee to our engagement party tomorrow. I want him to give uppletely¡±


    Chloe was really giving me a headache; she was so wishy-washy.


    I replied, ¡°If I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Chloe didn¡¯t reply.


    Neil saw the message I sent, and his face turned sour, ¡°What do you mean ¡®if you¡¯re free¡¯? You can¡¯t


    go!¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t attend his engagement party, people will think I¡¯m still in love with him since I¡¯m not willing to


    face reality. You wouldn¡¯t want people to think that way after we get back together, would you?¡± I


    thought my logic was wless.


    Neil stared into my eyes for a few seconds, as if he were considering what I had just said.


    He definitely wouldn¡¯t want anyone to associate me with Russel. I was 90% sure he would agree.


    Sure enough, after thinking for a while, Neil agreed, ¡°Then you¡¯ll go as my date.¡±


    ¡°Your date?¡± I hesitated. Although I had told people close to me that we were back together, the public


    didn¡¯t know yet. If I attended Russel¡¯s engagement party with Neil, everyone would know that we were


    back together.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to make our rtionship public?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, as if he would


    punish me if I answered wrongly.


    I shook


    my


    head, suppressing my inner resistance, ¡°It¡¯s not that. Kitty will be there too tomorrow. I¡¯m afraid she¡­¡±


    Neil disagreed, ¡°But she already knows, right? This will be public sooner orter, so there¡¯s no need to


    hide.¡±


    I stayed silent. If I refused again, Neil might start doubting me.


    We stayed in bed a while longer, then got up, got dressed, and went downstairs. As soon as we got


    down, a whiff of food hit me. It smelled different from the usual meals our housemaid made.


    Hannah walked out of the kitchen in an apron, holding a te of food. After seeing Neil and me, she


    immediately said, ¡°Ms. Finch, Mr. Whitmore, good morning! I happened to be free today, so I decided to


    cook instead of the maid. Give it a try!¡±


    I walked over to the dining table; her dishes looked really appetizing.


    Hannah had been a housewife for years, so her cooking skills were top-notch.


    1 praised her, ¡°Looks delicious! But you¡¯re our guest. How can we let you cook? That¡¯s the maid¡¯s job.¡±


    Hannah shyly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d feel guilty if I didn¡¯t do anything for you. As long as you don¡¯t mind


    my mediocre cooking, I can make dinner for you tonight too.¡±


    Neil was still expressionless. Since Hannah was Oscar¡¯s sister, he instinctively disliked her.


    The fact that he apologized to mest night was already quite a feat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and eat then. I pulled Hannah to sit down and started eating. Neil followed suit.


    I have to say, Hannah¡¯s cooking was really good. Even though I was a bit picky, I found her food


    absolutely delicious.


    As I was praising her, she suddenly said, ¡°When Oscar brought Bonnie to my house, they both loved


    this¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, the mood at the table dropped.


    ¡°Hannah, look ahead. Oscar would want you to get over the pain this marriage brought you. Neil will


    find you a job in the next few days¡­¡± I stopped mid-sentence.


    Hannah only had a high school diploma and no work experience, but she was hard-working, willing to


    endure hardship, and her cooking was great. Why not let her be the chef here?


    ¡°Thank you, guys!¡± Hannah quickly responded.


    ¡°Hannah, would you like to stay here as a chef? | asked outright.


    As soon as I asked, I felt a cold gaze from Neil.


    Hannah was very good at reading people. She immediately realized that Neil didn¡¯t like this idea, so


    she quickly replied, ¡°Ms. Finch, these dishes I made are only nice to have once in a while, but if you


    have them every day, you might get sick of them. I only know how to make these few dishes, so I think


    it¡¯s better I do other jobs¡±


    ¡°I really like your food. What if I get pregnant and crave for these?¡± I said on purpose.


    Neil¡¯s gaze became even colder. He nced at me, then continued eating. After a while, he


    nonchntly said, ¡°Taste¡¯s not bad. You can cook until we¡¯re tired of it then.¡±


    Hannah quickly nodded, ¡°Alright! Thank you, Mr. Whitmore!¡±


    I was feeling a bit chuffed. Helping Hannah could make up for my guilt over Oscar


    After I finished my meal, I had my servants arrange clothes and a room for Hannah. I had initially


    nned to let her continue staying in the guest room, but she insisted on bunking with the other


    servants.


    ¡°If you have any questions, you can always ask them. I believe you can handle this job.¡± I told Hannah


    before leaving.


    *Alright!¡± Hannah walked me to the door, where Bailey was already waiting for me.


    Once in the car, I saw Neile out, but he headed towards his own vehicle, not joining me


    With only half a day of work left, I raced to the office and got cracking. My assistant handed me a


    document, iming it was from Bonnie


    I gave the document a quick once over and then chucked it. It was a proposal for a partnership with


    them.


    If she thought I would ept this coboration, she must be off her rocker. She was really stubborn,


    and she was now using this stubbornness not only in her pursuit of Neil but also in her work.

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291


    Chapter 291


    Bonnie seemed to have a sixth sense about me. Just as I tossed away that file, she called me from an


    unknown number.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, have you reviewed my partnership proposal?¡¯ No sooner had Bonnie¡¯s voice sounded did I


    hung up and added that number to my block list.


    The afternoon flew by.


    I tidied up my desk and then headed back to Sterling Estates.


    Neil and I got home about the same time. The smell of food wafting from the dining room made me


    instantly hungry. I sat


    down at the table.


    Hannah was in her maid¡¯s uniform, looking sprightly.


    Her cooking was just as good as it was at lunch. I ate till I was full. Finally, I had hope of gaining some


    weight.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, can | officially start work the day after tomorrow?¡± Hannah suddenly asked. ¡°Tomorrow, I


    have to collect Oscar¡¯s


    ashes.¡±


    The mention of Oscar made my mood a bit heavy. I nodded and said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow


    morning. You can rest at home in the afternoon.¡±


    Russel¡¯s engagement party was tomorrow night, so I was free during the day.


    Hannah didn¡¯t want to trouble me, but I insisted on apanying her


    After dinner, I went to bed early. The following morning, I had to apany Hannah to collect Oscar¡¯s


    ashes, and in the afternoon, I had to prepare for Russel¡¯s engagement party.


    Those days, Russel hadn¡¯t contacted me or sent any messages. Sometimes, I thought he should have


    just given up on me. but then I thought that was impossible.


    Iy in bed, thinking about these things, waiting for Neil toe to bed, but he didn¡¯te back until I


    fell asleep.


    When I woke up early the next morning, I saw Neiling down from the upstairs study. He looked like


    he had workedte in the studyst night and just slept there.


    I wished he could sleep in the study every day.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡± I gave him a nod.


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t forget we have Russel¡¯s engagement party tonight.¡± Neil reminded me casually, hands


    tucked in his pockets.


    He wouldn¡¯t let me go before, but now he was afraid I wouldn¡¯t go. It seemed like he agreed with my


    analysis,


    I nodded, heading downstairs.


    Hannah was already up early waiting for me.


    I asked Bailey to drive us to the funeral home. As I left, I felt Neil watching me for some reason, and his


    gaze was a bit odd. But I didn¡¯t think too much about it. Right now, I was heading to the funeral home.


    On the way, Hannah started talking about Bonnie again. She knew about what had happened between


    me, Neil, and Bonnie. Because Oscar had told her.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, why do you want to get back with Mr. Whitmore? Oscar said you¡¯re a good woman, and Mr.


    Whitmore doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡± Hannah usually seemed timid, but now she was blunt.


    Even Bailey, who was driving, couldn¡¯t help but cough.


    I didn¡¯t know how to answer that question. In fact, I nned to leave Neil as soon as I had achieved my


    goal.


    ¡°Hannah, our situation isplicated; it¡¯s hard to exin in a short time. But I¡¯m curious, why didn¡¯t you


    like Bonnie back then?¡± I changed the subject.


    Hannah was silent for a few seconds, then sighed and said, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a reason, but she and


    Oscar have been apart for so long, so there¡¯s no need to bring up those things.¡±


    Hannah had a good heart. Even though she didn¡¯t like Bonnie, she didn¡¯t badmouth her behind her


    back.


    The premise was that she didn¡¯t know that Oscar¡¯s death might be rted to Bonnie.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    11-07


    I didn¡¯t press further.


    When we arrived at the funeral home, Hannah collected the ashes, and then we returned to Sterling


    Estates. She cried all the way, and I felt depressed. If Oscar knew I was back with Neil, he would be


    disappointed.


    Back at Sterling Estates, I found Neil wasn¡¯t home. I wanted to ask the servants, but I didn¡¯t do it in the


    end.


    After dinner, I chose my clothes and then did my makeup. Even though the engagement party started


    in the evening. I needed to arrive a bit early. Just as I was carefully applying my makeup, the door


    opened.


    Neil walked in. I nced at him, feeling that strange sensation again.


    I could say I was one of the people who knew him best, so even if there was no change in his


    expression, I could feel he was different


    He walked over to me, looking at our reflection in the mirror. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he


    asked, ¡°Do you really need to dress up this seriously?¡±


    ¡°There will be a lot of people there, some of whom are my business partners, so I need to put some


    effort into my appearance. I replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Neil nodded, casually picked up one of my lipsticks, and fiddled with it.


    The atmosphere in the bedroom was silent. I felt a bit nervous, but I didn¡¯t ask Neil what happened.


    We were about to leave. I didn¡¯t want to have any conflict with him at this time.


    After a while, I was almost ready. I was preparing to leave with Neil when he looked at me with a


    gloomy expression and said, ¡°Have the driver take you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going together?¡± I frowned. I didn¡¯t necessarily want to show up with Neil, and I just didn¡¯t


    know what had happened to make him change his mind.


    ¡°Hmm¡± Neil grunted and headed to the underground garage, leaving me alone in the living room.


    Hannah looked at me, her eyes filled with worry


    -I was used to Neil¡¯s sudden changes, so I walked out the door calmly and asked Bailey to take me.


    Russel¡¯s engagement party was held at the Orchid Hotel. We had dined here before and discussed my


    marriage to Neil.


    Now, I was here for his engagement party.


    ¡°Irene¡±¡±


    Just as I entered the elevator, Kitty¡¯s voice rang out. She came in cheerfully, with Cooper by her side.


    She definitely didn¡¯te with her dad. She was clearly not cool with him,


    ¡°Why are you here alone?¡± Kitty looked outside the elevator, asking with a puzzled look.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the norm?¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡± Kitty sighed, ¡°You guys didn¡¯t have a fight, did you?¡±


    Without missing a beat, Cooper replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯d want?¡±


    Kitty shot him a re, thenughed and admitted, ¡°Yeah. As yourpetitor, I¡¯d actually love it if you


    guys fought, hahaha¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Kitty¡¯s candidness somehow lessened my guilt towards her.


    In the midst of our conversation, the elevator arrived.


    At Russel¡¯s engagement party, there were a lot of familiar faces, including Ste Wace and others.


    But what I didn¡¯t get was, why on earth would Russel and Chloe Invite Bonnie and Kate Aaron?


    They were even seated next to Louis Aldridge and Malinda.


    ¡°Why did Russel Invite them? Isn¡¯t he worried they¡¯ll pollute the air here?¡± Ste walked over, rolling her


    eyes at Bonnie and speaking loudly.


    Hearing her, Bonnie looked around. She instinctively scanned the room, and her eyes started sparkling


    when she didn¡¯t see Nell


    Just then, Neil arrived. The moment Bonnie saw him, she immediately put on her love-struck face.


    But Neil was weird. The more a woman chased him, the more he seemed to detest her. And that was


    something I had experienced first-hand.

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292


    Chapter 292


    I was currently living with Neil, and we were considering getting back together, so Ste and the gang


    couldn¡¯t help but constantly watch Neil and me.


    It was typical for a couple looking to reconcile to show up together at an engagement party, but we


    didn¡¯t.


    Neil gave me a calm nce, then shifted his gaze as if he didn¡¯t know me.


    I frowned.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ste asked in a low voice, watching as Neil left.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I shook my head.


    Seeing Neil ignoring me, Bonnie whispered something to Kate before walking over to greet Neil.


    Unexpectedly, Neil wasn¡¯t cold to Bonnie today. Instead, he chatted with her with a smile. He was quite


    a bit taller than Bonnie and even leaned slightly when he was listening to her.


    This scene left Ste and the others at a loss. Even Kitty was dumbfounded.


    Kitty seemed more inclined to see me as a rival, not Bonnie.


    ¡°Rena, did you have a fight with Neil?¡± Mitch Hebert asked curiously.


    ¡°No,¡± I replied indifferently.


    ¡°Is it because¡­¡± Mitch hesitated. He nced in Neil¡¯s direction, then pulled me aside and said, ¡°Rena, I


    know there are some things I shouldn¡¯t hide from you. If I tell you, can you promise not to me Neil?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything; I just looked at Mitch..


    Mitch sighed and said, ¡°Karina Aaron was pregnant when she died. Although Gloria said the child was


    Neil¡¯s, I think it¡¯s impossible¡­¡±


    Russel had already told me about this, so I didn¡¯t react.


    Seeing my calmness, Mitch looked a bit nervous as he asked, ¡°Rena, you¡¯re not shocked, are you?¡±


    ¡°I already knew. And also, I knew that Neil gave Bonnie money to go abroad for treatment.¡± I said


    without a ripple in my heart.


    Mitch blinked and asked, ¡°He gave Bonnie money? Howe I didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Because he didn¡¯t ask you to do it, I gave a coldugh and said, ¡°Even though he said he wanted


    Bonnie to disappear forever, he was still soft-hearted in the end.¡±


    Mitch was stunned. I knew he had always wanted to help Neil and me get back together, but there were


    just too many issues between Neil and me.


    I returned to Ste and the others, waiting for the engagement party to officially start.


    Before that, I saw Lauretta Dawson,


    She was in a wheelchair. Compared to thest time I saw her, she has deteriorated a lot. She had lost


    a lot of weight and looked very weak.


    However, there was still an undeniable joy on her face. Her son was finally marrying the daughter-in-


    law she approved of, so she was naturally happy.


    Guests greeted Lauretta. She just smiled and nodded, seemingly too weak to speak.


    When our eyes met, she was taken aback and then signaled Samuel Dawson to wheel her away.


    ¡°Russel and Chloe are over there!¡± Alicia Rider suddenly pointed out.


    I looked over. Russel was wearing a white suit with a small golden buttonhole on his chest. Chloe was


    in a white fishtail dress with a ne of small golden flowers around her neck. Their outfits were a


    perfect match.


    While everyone was looking at today¡¯s stars, I felt Nell staring at me.


    Just as I was finding this strange, I suddenly felt someone push me hard. I was wearing high heels and


    lost my bnce;


    stumbled forward a few steps before stabilizing myself.


    At that moment, Russel and Chloe¡¯s gaze immediately shifted to me.


    Russel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he instinctively let go of Chloe¡¯s hand.


    Chloe immediately grabbed his hand again.


    A secondter, Russel reacted. His face changed a bit, and his gaze fell back on Lauretta. He didn¡¯t


    pull away from Chloe. but his expression seemed a bit reluctant.


    Everyone was looking at me. My rtionship with Neil and Russel was alreadyplicated, a favorite


    piece of gossip. My sudden rush towards him made people suspect that I was still in love with Russel


    and hade to disrupt his


    engagement party.


    I quietly moved back. I didn¡¯t know who had been standing behind me. Bonnie and Kate were both a bit


    away from me.


    Then, my gaze swept over Malinda¡¯s face. A triumphant smile shed across her lips.


    ¡°Rena, are you okay?¡± Ste came over to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think it was Malinda who pushed me.¡± I replied.


    Ste turned to look at Malinda, fuming, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get her back for you!¡±


    I didn¡¯t stop Ste. I didn¡¯t know how she nned to take revenge, but Malinda definitely deserved a


    lesson.


    After a while, I didn¡¯t know where Ste and the others had gone. Only Kitty stayed by my side. She


    kept probing me, trying to figure out what was going on between Neil and me, but I didn¡¯t tell her.


    ¡°Irene.¡± Russel had somehow appeared behind me. I turned around to see him looking at me, my


    surprised reflection in his


    eyes.


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± I managed to keep my emotions in check, congratting him softly.


    Then, I couldn¡¯t help but check the surroundings. Chloe was currently apanying Lauretta, unaware


    of me. There was a Roman column between us, barely shielding me


    Russel moved a step to the side, hiding with me behind the column. He was very close to me, his head


    lowered as he asked, ¡°Why did youe today?¡±


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    ¡°You came to my wedding.¡± My answer was obviously hypocritical, but it was reasonable.


    ¡°But you know you make me waver, regret, and feel discontent, don¡¯t you?¡± Russel sighed. He wanted


    to lift his hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear, but his hand hesitated mid-air and fell back to


    his side.


    I took a couple of steps back, not wanting to get too close to him, just to avoid sparking any juicy


    gossip.


    This move seemed to dampen Russel¡¯s spirits a bit. He managed a forced smile and said, ¡°I won¡¯t do


    anything that¡¯s out of line. You have my word.¡±


    I looked down, not sure how to respond to that.


    Suddenly, a ruckus erupted not far off, ¡°Someone¡¯s getting it on upstairs!¡±


    Hearing this, Russel and I both jumped out of our skins and then immediately joined the crowd,


    heading upstairs. All the while, I was scanning the crowd for Neil and Bonnie, but they were nowhere to


    be found.


    My heart sank, and I quickened my pace towards the second floor, which was already getting cramped.


    At the end of the hallway, a man and a woman were all tangled up and heavy into each other, their


    clothes in disarray.


    The woman was none other than Malinda, and I didn¡¯t recognize the man. He appeared to be a bit on


    the chubby side.

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    Chapter 293


    Chapter 293


    This scene was just too shocking. I turned to Ste and her gang, my eyes asking, ¡°Did you guys do


    this?¡±


    That was just too damn cruel.


    Ste shook her head, shrugged her shoulders, and answered me with her eyes, ¡°This wasn¡¯t us.¡±


    That was really strange then. Judging from Malinda¡¯s current state, she was clearly under the influence


    of some drug, or else she wouldn¡¯t be this bold.


    By this time, Russel and Chloe had also arrived. Seeing the scene, his gaze turned to me.


    I yed dumb. Simr things had happened when we had confirmed our rtionship, but at least we


    had some sanity left then.


    ¡°Malinda!!¡±


    Suddenly, Louis¡¯s angry voice rang out. Everyone¡¯s attention immediately turned to him. His face was


    filled with shock and anger, staring at the couple on the ground, who were like two wild animals.


    Malinda turned to Louis¡¯s voice and looked at him for a second. She was startled at first, and then her


    eyes became dazed again. She shamelessly said, ¡°Louis, why don¡¯t you join us? It feels so good¡­¡±


    The crowd instantly erupted into a frenzy. Many even took out their phones to record.


    Louis¡¯s face turned pale. He was watching his girlfriend having sex with another man in public! This


    kind of humiliation was uneptable for any man.


    He clenched his fists and said, ¡°Malinda, we¡¯re done!¡±


    He said and walked away. Malinda was momentarily stunned, then continued to indulge herself,


    completely devoid of any sense of shame.


    Who would do such a thing to her? This was too much, wasn¡¯t it?


    And where were Bonnie and Kate?


    Just then, a door at the end of the corridor opened. Bonnie walked out. Her clothes were disheveled,


    her hair was a mess, and there were hickey marks on her exposed neck. But her eyes were filled with


    anger and hurt as if she¡¯d just been crying.


    With Malinda still out of it on the ground, Bonnie appeared in such a stale.


    The man who walked out from behind Bonnie was Neil.


    Everyone was shocked, but they dared not gossip about Neil casually


    Neil¡¯s tie was undone, and there was lipstick on his face. It was clear what he and Bonnie had just


    done.


    But his eyes were brutally cold, filled with anger. He didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d just had a good time but more


    like he¡¯d just killed


    someone.


    Neil¡¯s gaze swept over the crowd andnded on me.


    I avoided his gaze. I didn¡¯t want to get involved in this. Let everyone¡¯s attention focus on Neil and


    Bonnie.


    But I couldn¡¯t help looking at Kitty next to me. I could imagine how pissed off she must have been.


    ¡°Malinda, what the hell are you doing? Get up!¡± Upon seeing Malinda on the ground, Bonnie was


    shocked and immediately went to pull her up.


    Malinda seemed to be regaining some sanity. After being pulled up by Bonnie, she looked around


    nkly, then looked down at her naked body, but couldn¡¯t react for a moment.


    Bonnie quickly borrowed a coat from someone nearby and draped it over Malinda.


    ¡°Stop taking pictures!¡± she yelled at the people around her, then helped Malinda leave. She didn¡¯t


    exin what she and Neil had been doing in the room.


    After Malinda left, Russel, with a cold face, brutally kicked the fat guy still lying on the ground, ¡°Get out!¡±


    The fat guy got up and fled the scene in a sorry state.


    Such a scandal at the originally solemn engagement party made Russel¡¯s face extremely ugly. Chloe,


    next to him/also looked uneasy.


    Thankfully, Lauretta didn¡¯t see this, or she might have worsened her condition due to anger.


    ¡°You all can go now.¡± Russel said to the others. His gaze lingered on Neil for a couple of seconds, filled


    with animosity.


    Neil remained expressionless.


    Why were he and Bonnie in that room? What happened in there? I didn¡¯t want to think about these


    questions anymore.


    I was d I didn¡¯te with Neil today; if the news of our getting back together had just spread and


    people had seen what happened between Neil and Bonnie, I would have been utterly humiliated.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m speechless.¡± Ste said with a helpless face as we went downstairs, ¡°Why can¡¯t Neil and


    Bonnie Bitch just break it off?¡±


    ¡°Rena, are you sure you want to get back with him?¡± Barbara asked me worriedly.


    I nodded and whispered, ¡°I need his help right now, especially for my dad.¡±


    Upon hearing my words, they all understood my meaning.


    We fell silent for a moment


    Everyone had gone downstairs, and no one noticed Neil and Russel still lingering in the upstairs,


    corridor. I didn¡¯t notice either until Mitch rushed over and whispered anxiously to me, ¡°Irene, you need


    to go up there and stop them! Neil seems to be in a fight with Russel!¡±


    I was startled and had to rush to the second floor. At the end of the corridor, Neil was grabbing Russel


    by the cor, swinging his fists. What was iprehensible was that Russel didn¡¯t fight back much; he


    just raised his hand passively to


    block.


    Chloe was crying anxiously to the side, wanting to stop them but unable to.


    ¡°Neil, what the hell are you doing?¡± Kitty, who hade up with me, was also taken aback and tried to


    hold Neil back.


    But Neil shoved her hand away, then pointed at Russel¡¯s face; his voice was terrifying as he said,


    ¡°What the hell are you trying to do? Russel, I¡¯ve had enough of you!¡±


    Russel wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, even managing a smile. Hey on the ground


    motionless, only his chest rising and falling in proof he was still alive, ¡°Neil, we¡¯ve been good friends for


    so many years, so you should know me. There are two things in my life that I¡¯m least willing to obey my


    family¡¯s arrangements, one is work, the other is marriage.¡±


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    Neil gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯ve also said that you can have any woman, but not Irene.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you cherish her before then? Russel countered coldly, ¡°You gave me the chance to fall in


    love with her.¡±


    ¡°Did you have someone send me those photos? And today¡¯s events were all nned by you and


    Bonnie, right?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was a bit calmer, but it only highlighted his simmering anger.


    Russel shut his eyes, then opened them again to look at Neil and asked, ¡°Got any proof?¡±


    I had no clue what they were talking about, but when Neil balled his fist again, I dashed over, grabbed


    his arm, and sald, ¡°Stop it! Today¡¯s his engagement day. Let¡¯s go home!¡±


    But Russel murmured and retorted, ¡°Let him hit me. It¡¯s the only way he¡¯s got left to let off steam.¡±

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    Chapter 294


    ¡°Russel, are you okay?¡± I really didn¡¯t know how to describe the two of them.


    Russel smiled, lying on the ground with his eyes closed.


    Chloe squatted down, trying to wipe the blood off his face, but he suddenly opened his eyes and


    pushed her hand away.


    Chloe stared at him dumbfounded, unable to react for a moment.


    ¡°Neil, get up!¡± I urgently pulled Neil¡¯s hand, trying to make him stand up


    Neil stood up but gave me a cold look and left.


    His look startled me, and I didn¡¯t know what had happened.


    Fortunately, Mitch followed him. Maybe I can learn what happened from himter.


    ¡°Ms. Reynolds, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. Sorry, I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡± I said to Chloe.


    ¡°I see.¡± Chloe¡¯s expression wasplicated, but she nodded in understanding.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. Now, everyone was buzzing with talk, either about Malinda or


    specting about what Neil and Bonnie had done in the room.


    People were also looking at me from time to time. Their curious gaze made me very ufortable.


    After leaving the Orchid Hotel, I was stopped by Kitty.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She didn¡¯t look well, and there was a p mark on her face. It looked like she had been hit. Her eyes


    were red, but she didn¡¯t cry, obviously holding back..


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked in surprise.


    ¡®Nothing. I got pped by my dad.¡± Kitty touched her face, forcing out a smile, ¡°Irene, Neil seems to


    have deep feelings for you. Was it a bit presumptuous of me topete with you?¡±


    My mind was a mess at this point. Seeing Kitty¡¯s downcast expression, I couldn¡¯t help butfort her,


    ¡°No. You are special to Neil. His feelings for me are just resentment. The reason I agreed to live with


    him again was to make him tired of me and see his true heart.¡±


    This reason was convincing. Kitty thought for a while and then nodded, ¡°Okay, I believe you.¡±


    I felt a bit guilty. I made up this reason on the spot, but it did not contradict my real intention.


    ¡°Why did your dad hit you?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Neil and Bonnie have been entangled until now. Everyone has seen it,¡± Kitty pouted, ¡°My dad thinks I


    shouldn¡¯t give up my dignity to pursue Neil, so he pped me. What right does he have to control me?


    He never took good care of me. He¡¯s just an irresponsible father.¡±


    I told her calmly, ¡°Kitty, your father¡¯s worries are not unreasonable. Look at Neil¡¯s past scandals and his


    rtionship with Bonnie now. These are things you need to consider. Even if he is with you, you may


    not be able to adapt to that kind of life.¡± Kitty thought for a moment seriously, then showed a grateful


    smile as she said, ¡°I understand, but I¡¯ve always been a stubborn person. When that dayes, I


    won¡¯t me anyone but myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Good luck.¡± I smiled and said goodbye to Kitty.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Neil had returned to Sterling Estates, so I needed to go back and check. I needed to


    know what he meant by what he said today.


    When I got back to Sterling Estates, Hannah told me that Neil hadn¡¯te back.


    It was almost eleven o¡¯clock at night.


    I wasn¡¯t worried that Neil would be in danger. What I was worried about was that some things might


    affect the deal between him and me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, are you okay?¡± Hannah suddenly asked me.


    I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s up?¡± I replied.


    She handed me her phone. It turned out that someone had posted Neil and Bonnie¡¯s scandal online.


    The video content was very explicit; the first half was Malinda making love in public, and the second


    half was Neil and Bonnie walking out of the room in disarray.


    The most likedment was ¡®A love story between a domineering CEO and a pure beauty! It seemed


    that everything in the past was just a seasoning for their love!¡¯


    Hannah saw these and was worried that I would be hit.


    I returned the phone to her, then answered casually. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    She looked worried but didn¡¯t say anything more. It seemed that I needed to be alone for a while.


    The servants had already gone to bed. I went upstairs alone to the master bedroom,


    I felt uneasy.


    In the quiet room, the phone rang suddenly. Although I was a little scared, I quickly answered the call. It


    was Ste.


    She ryed what she had learned from Mitch and exined the meaning of Neil¡¯s words. The truth


    was very surprising.


    ¡°Could Russel be that kind of person?¡± Ste¡¯s tone was full of disbelief.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡± I was also in shock and couldn¡¯t recover for a while.


    I had visited Russel not long ago when he showed me the screenshots of his conversation with Neil.


    Unexpectedly. someone took a photo of our meeting and sent it to Neil this morning.


    This directly led to Neil¡¯s suspicion of me, so he refused to go to the engagement banquet with me.


    And it was because of jealousy that he ignored me deliberately at the hotel, giving Bonnie the


    opportunity to be alone with


    him.


    However, the person who sent him the photos was Russel. Even Bonnie used Russel¡¯s name to


    sessfully deceive Neil into entering the room with her.


    No wonder Neil was so angry with Russel.


    ¡°Where is Neil now?¡± I recovered from my shock and asked nervously.


    He must think that I met Russel that day because there were still feelings between me and Russel. I


    have to exin it to


    him.


    Otherwise, both my dad¡¯s and Oscar¡¯s affairs will be dyed.


    Ste gave me the address of a nightclub and told me that Mitch and Cooper were also there.


    Without a word, I immediately drove to the nightclub. They didn¡¯t book a private room today but sat in a


    booth on one side. The round table in the middle was full of drinks, and under the sses, there were


    stacks of cash.


    Twodies who were ying drinking games were with Neil, their legs suggestively draped over his.


    Seeing me approach, Mitch heaved a sigh of relief as he said, ¡°Took you long enough. Get Neil home,


    will ya? I gotta go care of the kids.¡±


    ¡°I gotta crash early tonight too,¡± Cooper chimed in uncharacteristically.


    take


    Neil nced at me, his eyes void of warmth. He grabbed some bills from the table and stuffed them


    into the bosom of one of thedies,


    Mitch and Cooper exchanged a look before making a swift exit.


    ¡°Neil,y off the booze,¡± I said, taking a seat and trying to keep cool. ¡°When we get home, I can exin


    everything to you.¡±


    ¡°And after your exnation, you¡¯ll just use me again, right?¡± Neil sneered. ¡°I tossed the ring he gave


    you, but you still went to see him yourself. I never realized how smitten you are with him.¡±

 Chapter 295

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    Chapter 295


    ¡°I met up with Russel that time because I had some serious stuff to dish out with him. It wasn¡¯t some


    hush-hush date or nothing¡± If Neil wasn¡¯t going toe home and hear me out, then I was gonnay it


    all out right here.


    From the look of it, Neil wasn¡¯t buying any of it. His eyes didn¡¯t hold a shred of warmth. The affection


    and tenderness he showed just days ago had now gone up and vanished.


    Just then, the twodies who were pouring his drinks chimed in. They seemed to not know Neil, let


    alone me. They must have pegged me as some pest bugging Neil and started to mock me, ¡®Got the


    nerve to beg for forgiveness after stepping out? That¡¯s low!¡±


    ¡°You better scram. Don¡¯t spoil our drinking.¡± The otherdy shooed me away with


    annoyance.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about what they were yapping. I was just waiting for Neil¡¯s response. No matter


    what, I had to make him believe me cause I couldn¡¯t handle the mess with my dad and Oscar on my


    own.


    Sometimes, just dealing with thepany¡¯s affairs left me running around like a headless chicken, let


    alone situations that demanded some smooth talking.


    Neil seemed to be nodding along with the twodies. He didn¡¯t respond to me at all. Instead, he told me


    to beat it, ¡°You can leave. If you want to move out of Sterling Estates, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Thatment was a gut punch. I was about to exin further when Neil¡¯s phone rang. He nced at


    the caller ID, then at me, and asked, ¡°You still here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going unless youe home with me.¡± I retorted defiantly.


    ¡°Well then, keep hanging around. Neil answered, picked up the call, exchanged a few words, and hung


    up, then went back


    to his drink.


    I took a sip from my ss and waited patiently.


    What I didn¡¯t seeing was the call Neil got was from Bonnie. Seeing her in front of me, I shot Neil a


    puzzled look.


    Bonnie didn¡¯t expect me to be here either. Her smile froze as she asked, ¡°Neil, why is she here?¡±


    ¡°None of your business. You drink now?¡± Neil answered indifferently


    Bonnie used to say she couldn¡¯t drink because of her heart condition, but now she had started to attend


    some social events with Gloria, so sometimes she had no choice but to drink.


    Bonnie was overjoyed to see that Neil didn¡¯t hold her responsible for the events of the day. He even


    answered her call and was willing to have a drink with her.


    She promptly found a ce to sit and turned towards the women who were dressed in revealing


    clothing. She then eximed with excitement., ¡°Neil, can you send them away?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like them?¡± Neil¡¯s lips curled into a smile. It was a facade of tenderness, but it was enough to


    move hearts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I¡­ I¡¯m kinda jealous.¡± Bonnie bit her lip tightly as if it took all her courage to spill those words.


    The two drinkpanions exchanged nces, their faces filled with resentment. Bonnie was ruining


    their business.


    However, Neil was very amodating to Bonnie tonight. Without any hesitation, he sent the two


    ladies by his side away.


    The drinkpanions had no choice but to get up and leave.


    Neil patted the spot next to him lightly and said, ¡°Come, sit here,¡±


    Bonnie didn¡¯t hesitate and sat next to Neil. Initially, she seemed a bit uncertain, sitting up straight, but


    Neil gently put his arm around her shoulder. His affectionate gesture made her even happier.


    I knew Neil was putting on this show for me, but Bonnie was oblivious. Her joy and pride were genuine.


    ¡°Neil, what about her? Is she not leaving?¡± Bonnie pointed at me. Clearly, she thought I was just like


    the other twodies and shouldn¡¯t be around Nell.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like her, you can send her away.¡± Neil answered calmly.


    Bonnie¡¯s eyes lit up as if she got the green light, but she hesitated, seemingly Intimidated by me.


    Chapter 295


    1 looked at her calmly until she finally spoke, ¡°Irene, can I have some alone time with Neil?¡±


    Her eyes were sincere.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for Neil.¡± I stayed put, my voice indifferent.


    ¡°He¡¯s not going home tonight.¡± Bonnie leaned her head on Neil¡¯s shoulder, a blush on her face, ¡°He¡¯ll


    probably be with me.¡±


    Neil remained silent, just sipping his drink. He asionally nced at me as if to gauge my reaction.


    So he was tacitly agreeing with Bonnie? nning to spend the night with her?


    ¡°Neil, it¡¯s your call.¡± I didn¡¯t bother with Bonnie anymore, leaving it up to Neil, I shouldn¡¯t care about his


    choice, but because I needed his help right now, my emotions were on a roller coaster.


    Neil was tapping his fingers lightly on Bonnie¡¯s shoulder. They looked like a real couple, and I seemed


    like the third wheel trying to wreck their rtionship.


    I stared into his eyes, awaiting his answer.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    After a while, Neil looked at me calmly. In the dim light, his eyes were a bit blurry, and I couldn¡¯t make


    out his gaze.


    ¡°You should go.¡±


    Those words clearly showed his stance. He didn¡¯t trust me, nor did he want to give me a chance to


    exin.


    Bonnie looked astonished when she heard his answer, which I found rather amusing.


    Then she started to rush me again, ¡°Irene, you better go. Don¡¯t make Neil mad.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m leaving,¡± I picked up my bag, feeling a chill in my heart.


    I took a deep breath andid myst card on the table, ¡°Neil, I¡¯ll be moving out first thing tomorrow, and


    I won¡¯t being


    back.¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, a crack in his icy expression.


    ¡°Irene, you don¡¯t need to threaten him. You saw what happened today. Do you think you still have the


    right to threaten him?¡± Bonnie snapped.


    I didn¡¯t say a word. Just quietly picked up my bag and walked out. I was betting with myself that Neil


    didn¡¯t really want me to leave, that he woulde back and hear me out.


    When I got outside the club, it was snowing heavily. It seemed like the biggest snowfall of the winter. In


    just an hour, the ground under the neon lights was covered in white.


    I nced back at the club entrance, then drove back to Sterling Estates alone.


    When I got back to Sterling Estates, I made a point to check the time. It was already 2 in the morning. If


    Neil didn¡¯t show up before dawn, am I really gonna pack up and leave?


    I just sat there in the living room, thinking about everything that went down today.

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296


    Chapter 296


    First, I got wind from Bonnie that Neil once gave her a wad of cash. I tried to confront Neil face to face,


    but it was a big flop. Then, I got the proof from Russel.


    Plus, I found out that Karina was pregnant when she kicked the bucket.


    Later, when I went to Russel for the proof, I got photographed, and the pics were sent to Neil, which


    stirred up a row between us.


    Was all this really part of Russel¡¯s grand scheme? Like setting up Bonnie and Neil in a room alone to


    be misunderstood by others? Was that his doing, too?


    I felt like my head was about to split open. In a past life, Russel and I teamed up to split Neil and


    Bonnie. Those scenes suddenly popped into my head, ying out like a movie.


    My memory and reason told me that Russel was indeed the kind of guy who could pull off such a thing.


    His values and morals were solid when he was on the level, but once he fell into the abyss of love, he


    became a different person.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Daisy came dashing down from upstairs and gleefully jumped onto myp. Picking it up


    made me feel a little less lonely. Amid the chaos in my head, I dozed off on the sofa. The wind and


    snow were howling outside. The noise from the window kept me from sleeping peacefully


    About every hour, I would wake up and check the time. By the time it was nearly five in the morning. I


    started toe to.


    I hadn¡¯t waited for someone like this in a long time, and that someone was still Neil. My heart was


    hanging in midair, waiting for the final oue.


    If Neil didn¡¯te back, then I could pretty much confirm that he had truly given up on me. Everything


    that followed, I would have to face on my own.


    Winter mornings camete. With no lights on, I sat in the dim living room, staring at the front door


    *Click.¡±


    A faint sound cut through the wind and snow outside and reached my ears.


    My pupils instantly shivered, waiting for the door to be pushed open.


    Neil¡¯s figure appeared before me, with some melting snowkes on his head and shoulders.


    When he saw me sitting on the sofa in the living room, he seemed to freeze. He took off his coat,


    tossed it on the sofa, walked over to me, and without warning, pulled me into his arms.


    His embrace was cold, mixed with the scent of alcohol and cigarettes.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you one chance to exin. No lies. His deep, husky voice echoed above my head, sounding


    determined yet somewhat self-mocking. This time, no matter what you say, I will believe.¡±


    I won the bet. In that instant, my heart finally returned to its ce. I wrapped my arms around Neils


    waist and softened my yorce, ¡®Neil, this is your fault. Bonnie told me that you gave her a sum of money


    for her to go abroad for treatment. When I confronted you, you denied it, but Russel said he had proof,


    so I met him. About Karina being pregnant when she died, he told me that, too.¡± I mustered the


    courage to tell him the whole truth.


    Doing this wasn¡¯t a betrayal of Russel because he had turned into someone else first


    Neil¡¯s body trembled slightly, his voice full of anger as he asked, ¡°Russel said he had proof?¡±


    ¡°A screenshot. He asked you if you were going to give the money to Bonnie, and you replied yes.¡± I


    answered, pulling away from his embrace and looking up at his angry face.


    Nell let go of me as well. He seemed a bit frustrated, rubbing his brow as if he couldn¡¯t remember this


    incident.


    I waited patiently, asionally ying with Daisy. It was very well-behaved. Sensing Neil¡¯s displeasure,


    it voluntarily snuggled into Neil¡¯s arms


    Eventually, Neil had no choice but to pick it up, his hand stroking its fluffy head.


    In this harmonious atmosphere, Neil remembered the contents of the screenshot


    ¡°The conversation actually took ce before you insisted on divorcing me. I gave Russel some money


    to pass on to Bonnie.¡± Neil¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Now he¡¯s using this to deceive you because you didn¡¯t


    know anything about it then.¡±


    ¡°So he deceived me. I¡¯m sorry! My main task now was to soothe Neil, so I wouldn¡¯t say much. I just


    needed to act ording to his wish. Neil easily saw through my distrust and asked, ¡°Really? You don¡¯t


    need to check the date of my transfer to confirm?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I believe you.¡±


    It was true because I knew Russel had changed.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The anger in Neil¡¯s body dissipated a lot immediately. He put Daisy down, looked at me, and said, ¡°I


    know the only reason you¡¯re appeasing me now is to get my help with your father and Oscar. Perhaps


    once the problem is solved, you¡¯ll leave me. So you know what to do to keep me at ease.¡±


    I was stunned for a few seconds, with mixed emotions, but facing Neil¡¯s sharp gaze, I knew that if I


    didn¡¯t take the initiative, it would be hard to dispel his doubts.


    About Russel, he gave me a chance to exin and gave me a reasonable answer.


    What I should do next was to soothe his current irritable mood.


    ¡°I know¡± I said softly, feeling a slight heat in my cheeks. I closed my eyes, tiptoed, and initiated a kiss


    on Neil¡¯s lips.


    Neil¡¯s lips were a bit cold, very soft. After a few light kisses, I opened my eyes and saw him staring at


    me, desire in his eyes making my heart beat faster


    I quickly closed my eyes again. I was about to suggest going to the bedroom upstairs when I felt a bit


    dizzy and then fell back on the


    sofa.


    ¡®Neil, let¡¯s go to the bedroom! This isn¡¯t appropriate!¡± Heart racing, I hurriedly suggested.


    ¡°No one¡¯s here.¡± Neil¡¯s breath became a bit heavier. He drank some alcohol and wasn¡¯t in a good


    mood, so there was no forey.


    Although the servants didn¡¯t sleep here, I was still very nervous because some of them knew the door


    code. What if an early-rising servant came to clean or cook breakfast?


    The more anxious I was, the more excited Neil was. In this new environment, different from the


    bedroom, we both ended up sweaty and


    spent


    By the time we finished, the sky outside was starting to lighten up. Neil bundled me up in his jacket and


    carried me to the bathroom on the second floor.


    ¡®Neil, aren¡¯t you tired?¡± I asked.


    Before I even had a chance to take a shower in the bathroom, Neil was at it again. I always wondered if


    he was even human.


    ¡°Tired? From this? As if!¡± Neil scoffed.


    I was both exasperated and amused. In the end, I was so knackered I fell asleep right in the bathtub. In


    my half-asleep state, I felt Neil -lift me out and gently towel off my body.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297


    Chapter 297


    When I woke up at noon, Neil was already gone from the bedroom.


    I rubbed my sore eyes, got up, got dressed, and then headed downstairs.


    Hannah had already made lunch. Seeing me, she shed a little smile and said, ¡°Ms. Finch, lunch is


    ready¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Neil?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore went to the office,¡± Hannah replied. ¡°He said you were really beat, so he told us not to


    wake you up.¡±


    Her smile was even more pronounced after she said that


    My eyes skimmed over the living room sofa. The battlefield was still a mess, and my clothes were not


    taken back to the bedroom.


    The staff must have guessed what happened. I felt pretty embarrassed.


    I went over to the dining room and started eating.


    Mypany was already on holiday, but Whitmore Co. wasn¡¯t, so he¡¯d be pretty busy these next few


    days, not having much time at home.


    I didn¡¯t know what Neil said or did with Bonnie after I leftst night¡­


    I had some suspicions but didn¡¯t really think much of it.


    Since Neil chose toe back in the end, he probably didn¡¯t do anything he wasn¡¯t supposed to do


    with Bonnie.


    After eating, I hopped in the car and went to visit my mom at the hospital. Even though she hadn¡¯t


    woken up yet, her health was stable. The care worker was really thoughtful and took good care of her.


    I hadn¡¯t been going to the hospital muchtely because I was so busy at work. The doctor suggested


    that I could consider taking my mom home for convalescence. If she showed signs of waking up, it


    would be enough to bring her back to the hospital for a check-up.


    ¡°Mom, I want to bring you home, but I held my mom¡¯s hand, but I hesitated before I could finish my


    sentence.


    If I brought my mom back to Sterling Estates, if she woke up and saw me and Neil together, there might


    be more trouble.


    In the end, I just let out a sigh and decided to postpone the n for now.


    I was about to get up and leave after a while, but then my phone vibrated. It was a message in the


    group chat from Ste saying, ¡°Russel¡¯s mom had passed away¡­¡±


    Ste continued, ¡°It just happened an hour ago. Sigh.¡±


    Barbara replied, ¡°This is really sad news Russel is actually a good guy. I think he¡¯s the most innocent


    man in our circle.¡±


    Alicia wrote, ¡± The progression ofte-stage cancer is really fast. This is so sudden.¡±


    Ste asked. ¡°Should we go pay our respects?¡±


    Alicia replied,¡± Of course. We¡¯ll go together when the timees.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. It felt unreal. Lauretta was just gone like that?


    Even though she had said some harsh words to me before, in reality, she hadn¡¯t done anything to harm


    me, and she was just constraining Russel, I didn¡¯t hate her, and I actually understood her worries as a


    mother.


    Russel must be really upset right now. After all, that was his mother. Even though they had conflicts


    and disputes before, their bond was unbreakable.


    I felt heavy as I left the hospital, still undecided about whether I should go with Ste to pay my


    respects.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± I bumped into someone as soon as I stepped out of the hospital. It was Chloe, who was in a


    hurry.


    Chloe¡¯s eyes were red as if she had just cried. When she saw me, she paused, then furrowed her


    eyebrows and asked, ¡°Ms. Finch, why are you here?¡±


    Before I could answer, she started questioning me, ¡°Did youe to visit Russel¡¯s mom? You should


    know that she¡¯s already passed away. Please don¡¯t disturb her, okay?¡±


    Chloe¡¯s tone was a bit harsh. I could tell she was upset.


    I didn¡¯t get a chance to exin before she hurried into the hospital.


    since


    nce she didn¡¯t want me to disturb the Dawson family, I didn¡¯t have to hesitate anymore.


    When I got back home, I was down.


    After Lauretta¡¯s death, I didn¡¯t know what Russel would do next.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Mr. Whitmore asked me to give this to you this morning. I forgot about it earlier,¡±


    Hannah suddenly approached me and pulled out a diamond ring, ¡°Is this a gift from Mr. Whitmore? He


    seems to treat you pretty well.¡±


    Hannah looked a little puzzled. I guess Oscar told her before that Neil wasn¡¯t good to me.


    Wasn¡¯t this ring thrown away by Neil? I searched for it but didn¡¯t find it. Howe it was still with Neil?


    I took the ring, feeling a bit dazed. I didn¡¯t know why, but now that I was holding this ring, it felt different


    than before.


    Before, even though I felt regret, my overall mood was still happy, and I wanted to keep it as a


    memento. However, thinking about what Russel did now, I feel really uneasy.


    I tried calling Neil to ask him what this was all about, but nobody picked up.


    He was probably busy. I didn¡¯t bother him anymore.


    But Neil didn¡¯te home tonight. Suddenly, I became the center of attention.


    I didn¡¯t know who started the rumor that ¡°Russel¡¯s mom was angered to death by Irene,¡± then someone


    revealed that I had reunited with Neil and had already moved back to Sterling Estates.


    The followingments shocked me.


    One person said, ¡°Irene¡¯s mom and Russel¡¯s mom were in the same hospital. I heard that Irene¡¯s mom


    was in aa. Had anyone pulled out her oxygen tube? Hahaha¡­¡±


    Even though this seemed like a joke, I felt really uneasy.


    Without hesitation, I immediately called Bailey and rushed to the hospital.


    I discharged my mom from the hospital as quickly as I could, then asked the hospital to deliver some


    necessary medical supplies to Sterling Estates.


    Cyberbullying was too intense now. I couldn¡¯t put my mom in any danger.


    With the doctor¡¯s help, my mom was settled in the guest room. Shey there quietly, oblivious to what


    was happening outside.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, what the hell is going on? Why are so many people attacking you online? Hannah came


    over and asked in surprise.


    ¡°I might have been framed. I¡¯ll deal with this,¡± I didn¡¯t know how to exin to Hannah. What I needed to


    do now was to issue a statement to clear things up and then do some PR to reduce my online heat.


    Hannah seemed like she had something to say, but in the end, she never spilled the beans.


    I returned to my bedroom but was in no mood to sleep. So, I jumped straight into sorting out the mess


    from today.


    I was hustling until 3 in the morning. Exhausted, I rubbed my temples, pondered for a bit, then grabbed


    my phone.


    ¡°Track down the IP address of the person who posted first, I reached out to a hacker to help find out


    about the person who initially posted online.


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    My gut was screaming at me that this wasn¡¯t just some randomizen stirring the pot. There had to be


    someone behind the scenes fanning the mes.

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298


    Chapter 298


    That night, I had no idea where Neil had vanished off to, and he wasn¡¯t responding to my calls either.


    I found myself staring at the falling snow outside the window, and before I knew it, I dozed off,


    swamped with anxiety and confusion.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long I had been asleep. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. I looked at it groggily, then


    snapped wide awake. It was a call from Russel


    ¡°Can we meet?¡± Russel was the first to speak. His voice was raspy and sounded incredibly weary.


    ¡°Russel, about your moms passing, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± I was a bit wary of Russel, so I trod lightly,


    being extra polite. Even though I wanted to grill him with questions, I held back


    Russel was silent for a few seconds before resuming, ¡°I want to meet you to clear things up.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to meet him. There was no need to stir up more drama, ¡°We can talk over the phone.¡±


    4.


    ¡°You know, I want to see you,¡± Russel¡¯s voice turned firm, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why Neil and Bonnie


    were in that room?¡±


    That was exactly what I wanted to know. Neil said it was all Russel¡¯s doing, but what was the truth?


    Of course, Russel wasnt exactly reliable now, and he could have been lying.


    I didn¡¯t respond immediately, I took a moment to think.


    Russel spoke again, ¡®You know why I proposed to Chloe. Now my mom is gone; I¡¯m calling off the


    engagement¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I was taken aback, and I hadn¡¯t expected Russel to take such a drastic step. His mom had just


    passed away, and he had already. nned on breaking his engagement.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the life I want. I just wanted my mom to be at peace before she passed. Now that she¡¯s


    gone, I don¡¯t have anything to hold me back.¡± Russel seemed to have made up his mind.


    ¡°Russel, calm down. Everyone knows you¡¯re engaged to Chloe. If you break it off right after your mom¡¯s


    death, what about Chloe? And your dad, he definitely won¡¯t agree with this I tried to reason with him.


    But my attempts fell on deaf ears.


    Russel¡¯s voice tumed stem, ¡®You don¡¯t need to advise me. I won¡¯t let anyone control my life, not even


    my own parents.¡±


    With that, he hung up.


    Sleep was far from my mind now. Once Russel called off his engagement with Chloe. I would be the


    target of gossip again. As if my life wasn¡¯t messed up enough already.


    ¡°Still not up?¡± The bedroom door swung open. Neil walked in, casually tossing his tie onto a nearby


    chair.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I was about to ask Neil why he hadn¡¯te homest night, but I changed my question at the


    last minute, ¡°Did you know about


    Russel¡¯s mom?¡±


    Neil stiffened, his face turned a bit unnatural, then he replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to the funeral?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be attending, but I¡¯ll send someone in my ce.¡± Neil stripped off his clothes, revealing his


    impable physique that could put any professional model to shame. He moved towards the


    bathroom, bare chested.


    I caught a whiff of alcohol and women¡¯s perfume. I frowned. What had Nell been up tost night?


    I tried to dismiss it, but for some reason, I felt a strange sensation in my heart. It seemed like Neil was


    hiding something


    After hesitating for a while, I got up and picked up Neil¡¯s clothes, taking a gentle sniff. The scent of


    perfume was indeeding from


    his clothes.


    ¡°Ding!¡±


    The sound of a message on my phone startled me. I quickly put down my clothes and went to check


    my phone.


    It was a photo sent by an unknown number. It looked like it was taken through a crack in the door.


    Under the dim light, a woman was nestled in a man¡¯s arms. The man was leaning down as if


    whispering something to the woman.


    It was Neil and Bonnie.


    There was another man sitting next to them. A man in his fifties, bulky and dressed in a formal jacket.


    He looked familiar.


    I tacked my brains and finally remembered who he was. Neil had shown me his profile before. It was


    about the man who was against my dad.


    His hame was Ethan Foster, and he held a higher position than my dad.


    apter


    But I didn¡¯t know how my dad had offended him or why he would help StarGlow Enterprises, leading to


    my dad¡¯s wrongful imprisonment.


    Why was Neil with Ethan Foster? And Bonnie¡­ she looked as docile as a bunny nestled in Neil¡¯s arms.


    My mind was in chaos, and it took a while to regain myposure. I tried calling the number that sent


    the message but got hung up.


    Tve tracked down the IP address. The hacker¡¯s message also came in. He gave me a detailed


    address, right down to the door number.


    It was an address of a luxury vi. Two names came to mind, Bonnie and Chloe.


    Without waiting for Neil, I dashed downstairs, hopped into my car, and headed to the address.


    Since I wasnt a resident there, I couldnt enter the vi area. I contacted Alicia to see if she had any


    clients there who could get me in.


    ¡°Sean lives there. Hold on, I¡¯ll contact him.¡± Alicia agreed readily.


    About three minutester, the security allowed me to enter the vi area. Instead of looking for Sean, I


    headed straight to the address given by the hacker.


    As I found the ce, I saw two, no three peopleing out of the vi.


    Bonnie, Chloe, and Louis.


    I quickly found a ce to hide and contacted Alicia again, asking for Sean¡¯s contact.


    After getting Sean¡¯s number, I sent him a message. Bonnie and the others were walking slowly,


    seemingly in a conversation.


    I maintained a safe distance, following them while trying to stay unnoticed.


    It wasn¡¯t until Sean appeared that I breathed a sigh of relief.


    My phone started vibrating. It was a call from Sean. He was closer to Bonnie and the others, so


    through the phone, I could hear their


    conversation


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you guys here. Chloe stopped in her tracks, addressing Bonnie and Louis. Her voice was


    rather indifferent.


    Bonnie responded, ¡°Alright Ms. Reynolds, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Chloe shook her head, ¡°No point in saying all that now.¡± With that, she walked off


    Sean distanced himself a bit. I quickly found a ce to duck out of sight


    Then, he pretended to pass by Bonnie and Louis.


    Bonnie whispered, ¡°Louis, if Malinda finds out you drugged her, she¡¯s gonna flip. She¡¯s really pitiful.


    She¡¯s my best friend¡­¡±


    Louis gently replied to Bonnie, ¡°It¡¯s the only way I could break up with her Plus, how else could I help


    you guys lure everyone upstairs?¡±

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299


    Chapter 299


    They gradually moved away. I couldn¡¯t catch what Bonnie and Louis said afterward


    I was in shock, in disbelief.


    At this point, Sean asked me over the phone, ¡°Enough?¡±


    ¡°Enough. Thanks a lot,¡± I snapped back to reality. ¡°Ill treat you and All to coffee after New Year¡±


    Sean chuckled, ¡°No worries.¡±


    Luckily, Bonnie and Louis didnt recognize Sean. Even if they had met, she wouldn¡¯t remember him. So,


    I got to hear that earlier remark.


    The one who drugged Malinda was Louis?!


    That was some serious crap pulled by Louis. He orchestrated the whole thing and pinned it all on


    Malinda. But Malinda was just as sneaky, so it was some kind of karma.


    Malinda¡¯s loyalty to Bonnie was just too much. She was practically her ve, and Bonnie used her as a


    pawn.


    Bonnie sacrificed Malinda just to attract people upstairs to see her in the same room with Neil, trying to


    tie herself with Neil in the public opinion¡­


    Bonnie was still cold hearted. If she could use someone, she didn¡¯t give a damn who they were or how


    good they were to her.


    As Bonnie and Louis disappeared. I finally stepped out of my hiding spot. My original intention was to


    find out who was ndering me online, but I still had no answer.


    Was it Chloe? Or Bonnie or Louis?


    I had a gut feeling they were in cahoots. There could only be two reasons, they were after me or Neil.


    But would Bonnie target Neil? In that photo, she and Neil looked like a couple


    | felt like I was walking into a fog, lost. The issues I had to face were one after another, making me a


    total mess.


    I have no idea how I got out of there. When I got home, Neil was in the living room reading a magazine.


    The moment I entered, he looked at me, and with his eyes sharp, he asked, ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer, just quietly changing my shoes, then taking off my coat and scarf and tossing them on


    the couch.


    ¡°Talk¡± Neil¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, his voice cold. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you went to see Russel again.¡±


    ¡®Neil, where were youst night?¡± My lips moved slightly, my eyes glued to Neil.


    Neil¡¯s eyes squinted. He looked at me for a few seconds, then said casually, ¡°I was at thepany. By


    the way, now that you¡¯ve brought your mom back, don¡¯t go out too often. Without his moms restraint, I


    don¡¯t know what Russel might do.¡±


    Even though Russel¡¯s father was still around, he wasn¡¯t as controlling as his mother.


    ¡°Oh, I felt a heavy weight in my heart. Although the living room was warm, it felt colder than the snow


    outside, ¡°I got it.¡±


    I got up, forcing a smile, ¡°Will you keep your promise?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Neil answered without hesitation.


    There was an awkward silence between us, but neither of us broke it. I picked up the little mastiff puppy


    at my feet and silently went upstairs.


    I didn¡¯t mention the photo or the conversation between Bonnie and Louis to Neil.


    I went into my mom¡¯s room, wanting to talk, but she couldn¡¯t respond.


    Just when I was feeling down, Neil quietly stood at the door. He asked, ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me.


    Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t go anywhere, and it¡¯s my business. Can¡¯t I even go out?¡± I retorted


    -*Russel Isn¡¯t as great as you think. He¡¯s just like me. No matter what he says, don¡¯t believe him,


    okay?¡± Neil walked in, his face rxed.


    He nced at my mom on the bed, then gently touched my head, ¡°All you need to do is trust me,


    okay?¡±


    His words were so Ironic. I trusted him, but he always had something to hide.


    I didn¡¯t reject Neil. Just quietly asked, ¡®Will Louis start working at Whitmore Co¡¯s headquarters? What


    position are you nning for him?


    ¡°Why do you suddenly care about this?¡± Neil sensed something off, looking puzzled.


    Judging by Louis¡¯s actions, I could almost confirm that he was a cunning and ruthless person.


    Everything Ste and I had guessed could be true. I just didn¡¯t know why he did it.


    I should¡¯ye warned Nell, but a strange thought popped up, making me swallow back my words.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just thought of Malinda. She, like me, is now the target of public criticism. Didn¡¯t Louis


    break up with her? I thought after they broke up. Louis would choose to leave.¡± I found an excuse.


    ¡°No. He will stay in Rosemont.¡± Neil replied.


    I nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. I wouldn¡¯t tell Neil about what Louis did, nor would I call the


    police. It was their private matter, it had nothing to do with me.


    Seeing me not talking, Neil sat down next to me. He lightly stroked the little mastiff puppy in my arms.


    His hand was as beautiful as always, slender and strong.


    I silently handed the little mastiff puppy to Neil.


    ¡°Has Kitty been looking for you recently?¡± I changed the topic.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether she looks for me Neil answered indifferently, obviously not really caring.


    I remembered Kitty¡¯s recent posts on social media. One wasining about her dad setting her up


    on blind dates. My gut told me she did it on purpose, for Neil to see.


    The way a woman¡¯s mind works was simple yet not simple,plex yet notplex.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I closed my mouth, not wanting to say more


    Just then, Hannah came to tell us dinner was ready, so I went down to eat first.


    Tomorrow would be Russel¡¯s mother¡¯s funeral. Neither Neil nor I nned to attend. I sent a message to


    Ste and the gang, asking them to convey my condolences


    ¡°I ain¡¯t going back! I¡¯m broke!¡± Suddenly, Hannah¡¯s voice resonated from the living room. Even though


    she was obviously trying to keep it down, I still heard her.


    She was kinda worked up but still holding it together. Then, all of a sudden, she started sobbing,


    ¡°Oscar¡¯s gone now. Isn¡¯t my family¡¯s situation crappy enough? What the hell do you want me to do?!¡±


    I walked over, grabbed her phone, and hung up the call right away.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300


    Chapter 300


    ¡°Ms. Finch, sorry, I know I shouldn¡¯t be making calls while on duty, but he just keeps¡­¡± Hannah wiped


    her eyes, which were already red from frustration.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. I think you don¡¯t need to argue with that jerk. If you¡¯re worried about your parents, I¡¯ll go


    with you to pick them up after Christmas. Get them away from that bastard for good.¡± I handed back


    her phone, trying tofort her.


    Hannah finally broke down in tears.


    Neil came downstairs at this point, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He just went to have dinner in the dining


    room.


    Once Hannah was calmed down, I went back to my meal.


    I was quiet due to my deep thoughts, and Neil, being the cold fish he was, didn¡¯t say much. If I still


    trusted him, I would¡¯ve mentioned Louis. But there was no need now


    ¡°Come to the hospital with me tomorrow,¡± Neil suddenly said without looking at me.


    ¡°The hospital? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I was taken aback.


    ¡°We¡¯re going for a check-up,¡± Neil finally looked up at me. His eyes were cold and indifferent.


    I was slightly surprised but kept my cool. ¡°What are we checking?¡±


    Neil¡¯s gaze drifted down as if looking at my belly, but it was blocked by the table. Then he looked back


    at me and asked, ¡°Have you been taking birth control pills without my knowledge?¡±


    Upon hearing this, I heaved a sigh of relief. I was worried that Neil would find out about my possible


    infertility. Russel wouldn¡¯t use this against me. If he did, I would never forgive him.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered straightforwardly. I had no reason to.


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡± Neil seemed somewhat skeptical


    ¡°What¡¯s the point in lying? Birth control pills are bad if you take too many. I¡¯m not crazy,¡± I said lightly. ¡°I


    actually want a baby.¡±


    Every time I saw pictures of Ste¡¯s kids, I felt envious


    If I could have another child, I wouldn¡¯t care who the father was as long as it was mine


    I couldn¡¯t say this to Neil, or he would be pissed.


    ¡®Then let¡¯s go back to Springvale tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with my parents this year,¡± Neil


    didn¡¯t mention the hospital check-up again but suggested celebrating Christmas with his parents.


    I quickly found an excuse to decline. ¡°Let¡¯s just celebrate Christmas here, my mom is here, and it¡¯s not


    convenient for her to move.¡±


    Neil paused, furrowing his brows, apparently unable to rebut my reason. After all, it wasn¡¯t right to leave


    my mom here alone while we went to Springvale. Even if she had someone to take care of her, it


    wasn¡¯t appropriate.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let them know Neil had finished his meal and then brought up another matter, ¡®I¡¯ve taken


    care of all the crap online. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    I had already arranged for the false rumors about me to be handled by a PR team, but I have to admilt


    Whitmore Co¡¯s PR team was more powerful and efficient.


    I quietly ate my meal, not even uttering a ¡°thank you¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Neil naturally sensed my unstable mood, but he didn¡¯t inquire; he just went upstairs to take a shower.


    When I went upstairs, I could still hear the sound of running water from the master bathroom.


    I was feeling tired today. I didn¡¯t feel like showering, so I just changed into my pajamas and went to


    bed.


    After a while, Neil came out wrapped in a towel. The white towel was tied low around his waist,


    exposing his well-defined abs. He looked perfect


    ¡°Why did youe to bed so early?¡± Neil asked me.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired and want to sleep,¡± I closed my eyes, pretending to be ready to sleep.


    Neil chuckled. He sat on the edge of the bed, then gently lifted my chin, forcing me to turn my head and


    open my eyes to look at him, ¡°Sleep? I can¡¯t sleep¡±


    My heart immediately raced; every time Neil had that look in his eyes, I felt like he was about to make a


    move on me, and he always did. But I was somewhat resistant towards him now. The picture kept


    popping up in my mind, and I felt like I had been deceived again.


    ¡®Neil, I think I just got my period,¡± I found an excuse to fend him off.


    1/2


    11:09


    Upon hearing this, Neil¡¯s face immediately changed; it was filled with irritation as he asked, ¡°Today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just now,¡± I lied.


    ¡°I want to check¡± Unexpectedly, Neil gave me a fright with his words.


    Before I could respond, he had already lifted the nket and reached for my legs.


    I hurriedly mped my legs together and couldn¡¯t help but curse at him, ¡°Are you sick?!¡±


    Seeing me avoiding him, Neils eyes immediately turned serious, and said, ¡°Spread your legs!¡±


    ¡°No way, I just got my period. Aren¡¯t you disgusted?¡± I stubbornly replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll know when I see. You know what happens if you lie to me. Neil ordered coldly. ¡°Spread them; don¡¯t


    make me repeat myself a third


    time.¡±


    I should¡¯ve used a different excuse.


    That asshole Neil simply used his hands to pry me open. My thighs couldn¡¯t resist his strength, and I


    was exposed.


    I didn¡¯t have my period, and my underwear was clean.


    ¡°Irene, are you lying to me?¡± Neil took a deep breath and looked up at me with gritted teeth, ¡°You just


    don¡¯t want me touching you?¡±


    Tim just really tired today,¡± I answered, somewhat flustered.


    And wasn¡¯t he with Bonniest night?


    Thinking about that situation, I felt ufortable and wanted to avoid Neil¡¯s touch.


    Neil¡¯s face turned pale, then flushed, and he sat up straight. Even though he was looking at my naked


    legs, he didn¡¯t touch me again, ¡°You¡¯re not tired, you just don¡¯t want me touching you, I get it.¡±


    He got up to get his pajamas and said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in the study¡±


    I was speechless, watching Neil leave. But I didn¡¯t feel relieved.


    I had a restless night. Since I returned to Sterling Estates, I hardly had a good night¡¯s sleep. Either Neil


    was constantly seeking me out, or I was unable to sleep due to some matters.


    Due tock of sleep, I started to feel unwell. Sometimes, I felt difort in my chest. I passed away


    due to breast cancer in my past life, so I was extremely worried about encountering it again.


    In addition, I was also worried about possible heart conditions.


    I had been mulling over the idea of getting a check up at the hospital after Christmas because health


    was everything.


    The next day. I was out cold until noon. Just as I was about to head downstairs, I froze. I found myself


    standing on the staircase, unsure whether to go up or down.


    Did Nell¡¯s parents drop by?


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re up! Come over here, and I¡¯ve brought some home-raised chickens and ducks for you


    guys.¡± Faith Whitmore¡¯s face lit up with a joyful grin when she saw me.

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301


    Chapter 301


    I felt like I was on a roller coaster right now, totally on edge.


    Ryan Whitmore noticed my nk stare and with a smile, he said, ¡°We got a call from Neilst night too,


    so we came over this morning. We didn¡¯t freak you out, did we?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Neil mentioned you¡¯re spending Christmas here and suggested we join in for some festive


    cheer¡± Faith took a couple of steps forward and waved me over, ¡°Come on down. Lunch is almost


    ready¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I quicklyposed myself and managed an awkward but polite smile as I said, ¡°Good to see you guys


    here.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been quite a few years since we had a family Christmas,¡± Faith nodded.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond.


    Family?


    Did she mean to include me? Had Neil not spent Christmas with his parents in the past few years?


    As I descended the stairs, Faith tried to hold my hand but stopped, probably worried I might not like it.


    ¡®I¡¯m spending Christmas here because I¡¯ve got some stuff going on, I exined awkwardly.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. No matter what¡¯s happened, you¡¯ll always be my daughter, Faith said gently, smiling.


    This made me feel uneasy Ryan and Faith had always been kind to me. In my past life, it was I who


    kept my distance from them, and they ended up favoring Neil and Bonnie. In this life, they hid the truth


    about Karina.


    All things considered, they¡¯ve never done anything unforgivable. Their intentions were even good.


    So, all I could do was nod and go along with whatever they said


    Neil was nowhere to be seen. I didn¡¯t ask. Instead, I sat in the living room chatting with Ryan and Faith


    about thetest family news and my rtionship with Neil.


    They clearly hoped that Neil and I would get back together I didn¡¯t deny it, nor did I confirm it. I was just


    being nomittal.


    If they knew about my fertility issues, they probably wouldn¡¯t hope for a reunion anymore. Neil was an


    only child, and his family. business couldn¡¯t end just because there was no heir


    By lunchtime, Neil was back. He greeted his parents and naturally sat next to me, ready for lunch,


    Ryan and Faith watched this and exchanged nces, their eyes full of joy.


    ¡°Wool woof!¡± Suddenly, the puppy ran over, rubbing against my feel, seemingly wanting me to pick it


    up.


    Out of respect for the elders, I gently pushed it away. To my surprise, Faith spoke, ¡°What a cute dog!


    Who got it?¡±


    I nced at Neil and answered, ¡°Neil did¡±


    Faith was somewhat taken aback, probably not expecting her son to have a soft spot for animals.


    As he slowly ate his meal, Neil added, ¡°She likes pets, so I got one.¡±


    Faith¡¯s surprise turned into delight. She bent down, picked up the puppy, and started ying with it


    right at the dinner table. ¡°So you were bought as a gift. How adorable!¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried that Ryan and Faith wouldn¡¯t like the dog. Over the past few


    days, I¡¯ve totally fallen for this little dog Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I n to take it with me


    when I leave.


    ¡°If you guys have a kid someday, this puppy will be a greatpanion,¡± Faith, in her excitement, let her


    thoughts wander.


    ¡°Cough cough, we¡¯re still eating!¡± Ryan immediately coughed a few times, interrupting Faith, then gave


    her a look.


    It was indeed premature for Faith to talk about having kids when Neil and I hadn¡¯t even confirmed our


    rtionship, especially given my previous loss.


    Realizing her blunder, Faith quickly changed the subject. ¡®Let¡¯s eat! Try some of the poultry I raised


    myself!¡±


    She put the puppy down and served me a chicken leg. I gratefully epted without refusal.


    Ryan and Faiths visit made Sterling Estates livelier. They were even nicer to me than before. I felt more


    like their biological daughter than Neil, who seemed adopted


    On Christmas Day, I gave all the domestic help a day off, leaving only Hannah with us. I had Bailey


    drive her to buy decorations.


    T take care of the Christmas wreath!¡± Hannah came back with a wreath, all excited.


    ¡°I can handle IL. You go help in the kitchen,¡± I took the wreath and gestured to Hannah.


    While Faith was prepping the food in the kitchen with Ryan¡¯s help, I sent Hannah to assist.


    I decided to stay clear of the kitchen to avoid any awkwardness


    Hannah nodded and headed for the kitchen


    [fetched a chair and ced it next to the Christmas tree


    The tree was quite tall Realizing I still wasnt tall enough, I stacked another chair on top and climbed up.


    I was carefully arranging the wreath when the stacked chairs suddenly copsed. I fell, too


    I braced myself for the impact and closed my eyes.


    I heard a sharp intake of breath.


    To my surprise, I didn¡¯t feel much pain. I realized Id fallen on someone


    I opened my eyes to find Neil underneath me.


    His back must have hit the cold, wet ground, turning his face slightly pale from the pain Despite that,


    his arms were still firmly around me, not letting go.


    ¡°Im sorry!¡± I quickly got off him and tried to help him up.


    ¡°How can you be so clumsy?!¡± Neil wore a sour expression, swatted my hand away, and got up on his


    own. He looked at me with a hint of disdain, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get adder? Instead, you stacked two


    chairs. Clumsy


    I was just arranging a Christmas wreath and got scolded. I was rather baffled


    ¡°Come in, I need you to apply some medicine, Neil red at me, then turned around and walked away.


    He hadn¡¯t worn a coat when he left. His gray sweater was dirty and wet.


    I nced at the ground, sighed softly, and followed him inside.


    As I was following Neil upstairs. Faith emerged from the kitchen and asked, ¡°Irene, what dish do you


    like?¡±


    When she caught sight of me and Neil on the stairs, she abruptly cut off her words, quickly switched


    gears, and mumbled her way back to the kitchen, ¡°You should love all these dishes¡­.


    1 helplessly shook my head, only to find Neil looking down at me. ¡°Daydreaming, huh?¡±


    ¡°Nope, let¡¯s head up.¡± I shook my head again, decided to pick up the pace, and got to the top of the


    stairs first

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302


    Chapter 302


    There was a little first aid kit in the master bedroom. Neil found it, opened it, and started to strip.


    He was in a bit of pain from a fall earlier, with a bruise on his lower back that looked like he might¡¯ve


    hurt his muscles.


    ¡°Sorry, are you in a lot of pain?¡± I asked nervously.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Neily down on the bed, his broad shoulders giving a sense of safety. His back


    muscles were fully exposed, his body fit and strong, full of masculine charm.


    I took out some medicated oil and cotton swabs from the kit and knelt beside the bed, careful to apply


    the medicine on Neil.


    Neil stood still, and my gaze wandered over his back. Not that I had any ulterior motives, just checking


    if there were any other injuries


    on him.


    If he was with Bonnie, there might be scratches and love bites


    However, there were none on him, and I was not sure whether to feel disappointed or satisfied.


    ¡°You¡¯re applying it in the wrong ce Suddenly, Neil¡¯s arm moved, reaching back to grab my hand. His


    voice was low, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯ve finished applying¡± I twisted my wrist, my gazending on the spot where I had


    identally applied the medicine. It seemed like I applied it on his side.


    Neil didn¡¯t let go of me. Instead, he grabbed my wrist and sat up. He was only wearing a pair of ck


    pants, providing quite the visual impact.


    ¡°Your back is injured. You should rest for a few days, don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± I calmly looked into


    Neil¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury.¡± Neil took the cotton swab from my hand, threw it away, and then pushed me


    down onto the bed, ¡®But if you really care about me, you can take the initiative. You on top?¡±


    I blushed and imaging the scenario made me feel awkward. I had never taken the initiative before.


    Neil¡¯s palmnded on my waist, suddenly squeezing it, ¡°About that lie, you told mest night, we


    havent settled that yet.¡±


    I feel a twinge of pain, can¡¯t help but suck in a breath, then exin, I was just too tiredst night, I didn¡¯t


    mean I didn¡¯t want you to touch


    me.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡± Neil¡¯s grip tightened. Hisrge hand seemed to be teasing me, I


    turned pale


    ¡°Really.¡± I bit my lip, enduring the pain, once again affirming I¡¯m telling the truth.


    Neil smirked, his voice even lower, ¡°Is that so? Well, you¡¯re not tired today, right?¡±


    I could only say I was not tired.


    Then Neil kissed me, and he was gentle today. His tongue gently pred open my lips, his breath warm


    and soft.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a moan.


    Neil stopped, his eyes close to mine, filled with desire. He deliberately bit me, making me tense up


    Neil let go of my lips, a mischievous smile in his eyes, then lifted the hem of my shirt without a second


    thought, slipping his hand in.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I was a bit dazed each time I resisted. In the end, I would be overwhelmed by the pleasure, feeling


    shame but also helplessly sinking


    into it.


    An hourter, I crawled out of bed.


    Neil had already taken a shower. I picked up my clothes from the floor and put them back on.


    Otherwise, if Ryan and Faith found out I just changed my clothes, they might start guessing.


    While Neil was still in the shower, I quickly headed downstairs.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ve finished setting up the Christmas wreath Hannah saw me and smirked.


    I got the feeling she knew something, and I quickly averted my eyes.


    Just then, Faith walked out with a roast turkey, cheerfully calling me over, ¡®Irene,e try my roast


    turkey. It smells great.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded and sat on the couch, feeling like a warmly weed guest.


    Faith¡¯s cooking was good, and I ate a lot. She was all smiles, turning to Ryan and saying. ¡°Look, if I


    cooked for Irene, she might put on same weight¡¯


    I quickly reply. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Hannah¡¯s cooking is also good; I¡¯ll gain weight.¡±


    Hannah smiled at me, nodding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Finch really likes my cooking¡±


    Faithughed and said, ¡°I know Hannah is a great cook. From now on, I¡¯ll count on you to take care of


    Irene¡¯s diet. If she puts on a pound, I¡¯ll reward you with a thousand dors.¡±


    Hannah was surprised, quickly waving her hands, ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s my job, no need for a reward.¡±


    Faith insisted, ¡°No womes, as long as you can do it, you deserve the reward!¡±


    Listening to them, I didn¡¯t know how to join in. Just then, Neil finished his shower, changed his clothes,


    and came downstairs. Seeing Faith and Hannah arguing about something, he didn¡¯t ask.


    Faith quickly changed the subject, asking Neil, ¡°If Irene could gain some weight, shouldn¡¯t we reward


    Hannah?¡±


    Neil¡¯s gazended on me, then lingered on my chest, and then he replied, ¡°Hmm, if you can gain ten


    pounds, I¡¯ll reward Hannah with a


    car.¡±


    This reward was even bigger. Hannah was stunned, not knowing how to react for a moment.


    I whispered in her ear, ¡°It¡¯s okay. When your parentse, they¡¯ll need money to settle down; don¡¯t


    refuse.¡±


    Hannah nodded reluctantly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely take good care of Ms. Finch.¡±


    Just as the atmosphere was getting warm, the doorbell rang.


    Hannah ran to answer it; it was the neighborhood manager delivering a document bag that required


    Neil¡¯s signature.


    Neil walked over and took the bag, looking a bit puzzled, probably not sure what was inside.


    He opened the bag and pulled out a document. After reading it, his face turned sour. He put the


    document back into the bag and headed upstairs


    ¡®Neil, what was that document?¡± Faith called out to ask.


    ¡°Nothing, just some work stuff. I need to deal with it, excuse me.¡± Neil headed upstairs without looking


    back.


    1


    Watching his retreating figure, I couldn¡¯t help but feel something was off. If it was work-rted, Neil


    wouldn¡¯t avoid us, especially Ryan. He could¡¯ve talked about it with Ryan.


    But I didn¡¯t ask. Instead, I reassured Faith, ¡°He often workste in the study. Even though thepany


    is on holiday, there¡¯s still work to do; it¡¯s normal.¡±


    Faith nodded, but her eyes still told a tale of doubt and worry.


    I nced at the stairs, telling myself in my head to stop overthinking.

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303


    Chapter 303


    Neil was working his butt off from dawn to dusk with a constant frown on his face.


    Ryan pulled him aside for a chat, and I pretended to be oblivious. Whatever father and son were


    discussing, it wasn¡¯t my ce to butt


    1.


    When mealtime rolled around, Neil and Ryan finally joined us in the dining room. Faith and Hannah had


    cooked up a storm, and the food looked mouth-watering


    Usually, meals were a cheerful affair. But the atmosphere had tumed heavy because of the document. I


    couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at Neil, trying to figure out what was going through his head.


    Whenever he caught me looking at him, he¡¯d give me a quick nce, and his frown would deepen.


    This made me nervous. Was it something about me?


    If so, Neil¡¯s reaction suggested that I¡¯d done something to upset him, and he knew about it.


    I racked my brain but couldn¡¯t think of anything that could piss Neil off unless there was some proof that


    I was taking advantage of


    him.


    Everyone was lost in their thoughts during the meal. After we finished, we all retreated to our rooms..


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll sleep in the study tonight,¡± Neil suddenly announced when we got back to our bedroom.


    ¡°Sure, whatever,¡± I responded nonchntly


    I got into bed and started messing around on my phone.


    Neil gave me a quick nce, then turned and walked out.


    I had thought that Christmas would be a happy and rxed time with Ryan and Faith around, but I


    quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case.


    For three nights in a row, Neil and I slept in separate rooms. He didn¡¯t tell me why, but knowing him, if


    he found out I¡¯d done something to betray him, he would confront me.


    So, I gradually ruled out that possibility. He must have been upset about something else.


    ¡°Irene,e here. I need to talk to you,¡± said Faith one morning She looked serious.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked. It was just the two of us in the living room. Neil was out on business, and Ryan


    was having a smoke outside. Hannah was busy in the kitchen.


    Faith sighed deeply and seemed to struggle with her words.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Just spill the beans. It¡¯s fine,¡± I assured her.


    Faith gently held my hand, her expression full of worry. ¡°Irene, you already know about Karina, right?


    And about her being pregnant when she jumped into the river?¡±


    I didn¡¯t deny it, just nodded and waited for Faith to continue. She must have found out something.


    Faith¡¯s voice dropped even lower as she said, ¡°Neil didn¡¯t believe it at first, so he had it investigated.


    The document we received a few days ago was the result of the investigation, but it wasn¡¯t delivered by


    his people.¡±


    ¡°What were the findings?¡± I asked calmly


    ¡°The document was Karina¡¯s medical record from when she was rescued. It showed that she was


    indeed pregnant at the time, just one or two months along Faith looked at me apologetically as she


    spoke.


    I clenched my fist slightly. It would be a lie to say I wasn¡¯t affected. But I had mentally prepared myself


    for this, so I quickly regained my


    ¡°Well, Neil and she were together then, and if they weren¡¯t being careful, getting pregnant is natural,¡± I


    said.


    ¡°Yes, but Neil has been gloomy these past few days. Not because of Karina but because he feels he¡¯s


    let you down. He¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll push him away again, reject him¡­ Faith tried to exin.


    Of course, she was Nell¡¯s mother, and it was normal for her to defend him.


    I gave a nonchnt smile and said, ¡°That¡¯s all water under the bridge.¡±


    Upon hearing my response, Faith seemed relieved, and a faint smile appeared on her face. ¡°Irene,


    you¡¯re still my favorite. If you and Neil could get back together, our whole family would make it up to


    you.¡±


    I avoided her gaze and bowed my head slightly, thinking if Neil could settle my dad and Oscar¡¯s issues


    quickly, I could leave sooner.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired. I think I¡¯ll take a nap, I told Faith.


    ¡°Alright, go get some rest,¡¯ she said, patting my hand gently.


    Seeing her peaceful expression, I quietly got up and headed upstairs.


    I wasn¡¯t really sleepy, so I veered off to my mom¡¯s room. Although she couldnt answer any of my


    questions, just seeing her somehow calmed my restless heart.


    Holding my mom¡¯s hand, I gently stroked her palm and started talking to her


    ¡°Mom, wake up. You¡¯ve been sleeping for a long time. The doctors said the sooner you wake up, the


    better your recovery will be. You cant just keep lying in bed, right? I tried to sound casual.


    Just as I finished speaking, I felt my mom¡¯s finger twitch


    I was stunned.


    Was it my imagination?


    ¡®Mom, are you awake?¡± I asked excitedly.


    It seemed like she was responding. Her finger twitched again.


    I was beyond thrilled


    ¡°Hannah, call Bailey. My mom¡¯s awake. Have him take us to the hospital¡± I ran to the hallway and


    yelled downstairs.


    My shouting brought Ryan and Faith rushing upstairs.


    Ryan stopped me and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just call the doctor over!¡±


    He immediately made a call.


    I was simply too anxious and wanted to move my mom, but after hearing Ryan¡¯s words, I decided to


    stay by my mom¡¯s side and keep talking to her, hoping to rouse her further.


    Then Hannah said, ¡°Ms. Finch, maybe you should call Mr. Whitmore and let him know.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ll do it! Faith, who was genuinely happy for me, went outside to make the call.


    But soon, I heard Faith¡¯s angry voice, ¡°Why is Neil¡¯s phone with you?!¡±


    Hannah and I exchanged nces, then went outside to see what was going on.


    When I appeared, Faith quickly hung up the phone. If she was calling Neil, this suggested that his


    phone wasn¡¯t with him.


    Who else could have Neil¡¯s phone that would make Faith so angry? Bonnie came to mind.


    Neil had left early today. Did he go to Bonnie¡¯s ce?


    ¡°Irene, Neil¡¯s tied up with some stuff right now. He should be backter, and we just gotta wait for the


    doc to show up.¡± Faith seemed a bit awkward, but she managed to shoot me a small smile.


    My whole focus was on my mom right now, and I didn¡¯t wanna get all cranky over Neil¡¯s business, so I


    just nodded and didn¡¯t say much. Seeing me retreat back into the room, Faith quickly bolted


    downstairs.

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304


    hapter 304


    I didn¡¯t know what she went downstairs for, perhaps to ring Neil again.


    About half an hourter, the medics showed up. They did a quick check-up on my mom and confirmed


    that she was okay, then they took her to the hospital for a more thorough examination.


    Naturally, I tagged along while everyone else stayed home.


    Once we got to the hospital, my mom was taken for further examination, and I was left waiting


    anxiously in the hallway, jittery as a grasshopper clinging onto a leaf swaying in the wind.


    ¡°Irene.¡± Suddenly, Russel¡¯s voice echoed from behind me. I whipped around to find his familiar figure.


    As I suspected, Russel had gone back to work. He donned his crisp white coat once again, looking


    thinner than ever. His eyes, hidden. behind his sses, were unreadable.


    I thought about his deceit, and naturally, my guard went up.


    I never thought I¡¯d see the day where I¡¯d have to be cautious around Russel


    ¡°Hey, back on the clock, huh?¡± I greeted


    him politely.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Russel looked me up and down.


    I gave a smallugh and said, ¡°Mom seems to have woken up. We brought her here for some tests. I¡¯m


    just waiting.¡±


    Russel¡¯s face finally showed a change. He smiled and said, ¡°Really? That¡¯s great news. Where¡¯s Neil?¡±


    Neil should be with Bonnie right now, I thought to myself silently. Though it was a bit of a downer, I had


    come to terms with it.


    I shook my head and said, ¡°He¡¯s tied up.¡±


    Russel studied me as if he could see right through me. He moved a bit closer and lowered his head


    slightly, and asked, ¡°Do you trust him?¡±


    ¡°Russel, I decided to get back together with him. Of course, I trust him.¡± I took a couple of steps back,


    creating some distance.


    ¡°Do you know how he¡¯s been treating you?¡± Russel scoffed.


    Instead of answering, I hit back with a question of my own, ¡°What about you? How have you been


    treating me?¡±


    Russel paused, slowly removed his sses, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Everything I did, it was all to


    be with you.¡±


    He looked a tad scary at that moment¡­


    I decided not to engage him any further, so I kept quiet.


    But Russel was far from done. He spoke again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get the photo?¡±


    Upon hearing that, shock registered on my face. Did Russel send the photo?


    ¡°How did you know about the photo?¡± I finally managed to ask.


    ¡°Because I was the one who sent it to you.¡± Russel replied.


    ¡°You sent it? How did you get hold of it?¡± I was caught off guard.


    Russel raised his hand as if to touch my face, but I quickly turned my head to avoid his touch.


    His movements froze for a second, and the smile on his face vanished. He dropped his hand and said,


    ¡°I took the photo, just so you could see Neil for what he truly is.¡±


    My heart sank


    ¡°Clear this up for me. What¡¯s the deal with Neil, Bonnie and Ethan Foster?¡± I pressed on.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°If you want to know, we can meet up after my shift and talk.¡± Russel didn¡¯t answer my question directly,


    instead suggesting a meet-up.


    I knew he just wanted an excuse to see me.


    I also knew if Neil found out about my meeting with Russel, it would mean trouble.


    But then again, Neil had been hiding things from me too. If he was not willing toe clean, why


    shouldn¡¯t I seek out the truth?


    I thought about it for a while, then agreed to Russel¡¯s proposal, ¡°Alright, just text me the time and ce.


    I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    Alsmile spread across Russel¡¯s face. He seemed pleased with my answer.


    ¡°Di Russel, the patient in bed 87 is asking for you!¡± A nurse ran over to inform Russel.


    ¡°I have to go now, I¡¯ll text you the detailster. Russel told me before tuming to leave.


    Watching his thin figure fade into the distance filled me with a flurry of emotions.


    I wanted to ask him why he had deceived me. Why had he treated Nell the way he did?


    But clearly, now was not the right time for confrontation. His mother had just passed away, and he was


    engaged to a woman he didn¡¯t love. I was probably the love he couldn¡¯t have.


    Confronting him now might just trigger his rage.


    After Russel left, I felt like a puppet that had its strings cut. The corridor was bathed in lighting


    from the window at the end, but all I saw was darkness.


    Thankfully, my mom was wheeled out of the examination room not long after. She was doing alright.


    The doctor said that she hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet, but with constant stimtion and conversation, she


    should get better.


    The doctor asked me, ¡°Do you want to keep your mom admitted here or take her home?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment before deciding to let her stay.


    Previous issues had been resolved, and Neil had been a great help, so I wouldn¡¯t be threatened for


    now.


    I was also worried that my mom waking up in Sterling Estates and seeing Neil and his parents might


    shock her.


    I got her a room in the hospital and hired the previous caretaker again, offering a higher sry.


    Just as I was about to leave the hospital, I ran into Bonnie at the entrance


    And of course, Neil was with her.


    Upon seeing me, Bonnie looked surprised, whereas Neil frowned.


    So Bonnie and Neil were indeed together.


    ¡°Irene, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I was just feeling a little off today, and Neil happened to be around, so


    he gave me a lift here.¡± Bonnie tried to exin innocently.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I responded indifferently before turning to Neil, ¡°Your mom has been trying to call you. Did you


    get her messages?¡±


    Neil scrunched his brows as his gazended on Bonnie, who suddenly looked nervous.


    Clearly, Bonnie had intercepted Neil¡¯s calls and didn¡¯t tell him about it.


    ¡°Oh, right Neil, your mother called while you were away. I answered it for you. She seemed pretty


    upset, and then she hung up. I forgot to tell you¡± Bonnie looked embarrassed


    Neil¡¯s face darkened even more. He whipped out his phone to check the call logs, then shot back, ¡°You


    had the brains to forget to tell me, but not enough to delete my call history, right?¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s face went pale as a ghost, biting her lip at a loss for words.

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305


    Chapter 305


    ¡°I just identally deleted it¡­¡± Bonnie shot a pitiful look, her eyes as beautiful as crescent moons,


    staring straight at Neil, overflowing with emotion, ¡°Neil, don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    Neil¡¯s gaze was cold. Anyone could tell his mood was in the dumps. But he didn¡¯t continue to me


    Bonnie, he only turned to me, ¡°You head back first, I¡¯ll be home soon.¡±


    At his words, Bonnie¡¯s gaze instantly turned haughty. She didn¡¯t speak, just slightly lifted her chin to


    look at me, with a sneer tugging at the corner of her mouth.


    I nced at Neil. Neil was also staring at me.


    Thinking back to what Faith had said; I found it incredibly ironic. Did Nell truly have profound feelings


    for me? Did he really regret not cherishing me in the past?


    I didn¡¯t think so. Maybe he had some regrets, but more so, it was remorse.


    ¡°Alright, got it.¡± I casually responded, then left without looking back. As for what Neil and Bonnie would


    do next, I didn¡¯t want to bother knowing


    My mom had woken up now, so one of my biggest concerns resolved. One step at a time.


    Back at Sterling Estates, I informed Ryan, Faith, and Hannah about my mom¡¯s condition. They were all


    happy for me. I sat on the couch, hesitated for a bit, and then told Faith, I ran into Neil at the hospital.


    He said he¡¯ll be back soon, he said you guys don¡¯t need to worry about him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s alone at the hospital?¡± Faith immediately raised her voice in surprise.


    I paused, my face showing hesitation, ¡®No, there were others with him.¡±


    Hearing this, Faith instantly grew angry. She was already pissed when Bonnie had answered her call to


    Neil. Now, to find out they had gone to the hospital together.


    Faith stood up, her face filled with rage, and headed for the door. Ryan grabbed her, ¡°What are you


    doing?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to teach my son a lesson!¡± Faith¡¯s answer was resolute, ¡®Let¡¯s see if he¡¯d pick that


    lowly woman over his own mother!¡±


    I watched quietly, without stopping her, because this was exactly the scene I wanted to see.


    I wouldn¡¯t let Bonnie off easy. If she wanted to unt in front of me, then I would let her get her just


    desserts from Faith.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for him toe back. Being a man, Ryan was moreposed than Faith,


    ¡°Wait for him toe back? I¡¯m going to the hospital to see just how good that lowly woman of his is!¡±


    Faith kept repeating that lowly woman, she was never this crude. It was clear just how furious she was.


    I would spend Christmas at Sterling Estates this year. For Ryan and Faith, they must¡¯ve thought that


    Neil and I were one step closer to reconciling. But then, Bonnie showed up again.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time.


    Ryan wanted to say something more, but Faith had already shrugged off his hand and walked out,


    leaving him no choice but to follow.


    ¡°Hannah, you can leave with them.¡± I told Hannah.


    Hannah was from the countryside. She was smart, observant, and understanding. Hearing me say this,


    she immediately nodded and left with Ryan and Faith.


    I waited at home, and soon, night fell. A text from Russel popped up on my phone.


    I packed my things and headed out to meet him.


    When I arrived, I entered the private room and he stood up to greet me. A faint smile appeared on his


    previously cold face, ¡°I thought. you wouldn¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°If I said I¡¯ming, then I¡¯ll be here.¡± I closed the door and sat across from Russel, ncing around,


    ¡°Do you have people taking pictures of me again?¡±


    Hearing this, Russel¡¯s expression changed. He sat back down, frowning, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was rash then.¡±


    ¡°Neil said, the reason you took that photo and sent it to him on your engagement day was to separate


    us so that Bonnie could be alone with him. Russel, I never thought you would do this to me.¡± I said


    calmly.


    Russel lowered his head, his long ckshes concealing his eyes. I couldn¡¯t see his expression, but I


    could sense the icy aura emanating from him.


    ¡°You believe whatever he says, would you believe me if I told you something?¡± Russel spoke again, his


    eyes shing coldly as he lifted his gaze¡­


    Vrapier SvD


    ¡°How can I trust you again?¡± I picked up the coffee in front of me, merely sipping it lightly, ¡°Russel, tell


    me, why did you lie about Neil giving you money to help Bonnie go abroad for treatment? That


    screenshot clearly wasn¡¯t from then.¡±


    Russel stared at me, a normally calm person now filled with anger, ¡°Yes, I was blinded by jealousy, so I


    lied to you. I could never understand why you could give a man who hurt you another chance over and


    over, but wouldn¡¯t give me one?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to exin to Russel anymore. He never considered my feelings, never really trusted


    that I truly had his best interest at heart.


    Neil was right. In some ways, Russel and he were the same.


    If they couldn¡¯t have something, they¡¯d rather destroy it than let someone else have it.


    I admired Bonnie, she could enjoy being fought over by two such men. I couldn¡¯t do that. I felt like my


    life was being messed up by them.


    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. I came to see you today to discuss the photo¡± I interrupted


    Russel and got straight to the point.


    Russel silently sipped his coffee, his gaze no longer lingering on me.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± I urged him to speak.


    ¡°You want to know why Neil was with Bonnie and Ethan Foster, right? Russel asked with a smile.


    I nodded.


    ¡°Have you ever given any thought to how Ethan got his mitts on your dad¡¯s secrets so easily? Do you


    really think those files just leaked out like that? Sure, StarGlow Enterprises might have their fingers in


    the pie, but given your dad¡¯s standing/he shouldn¡¯t have gone down that easily, right? Russel looked


    me straight in the eye, his words loaded.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    My anxiety shot up; I knew what Russel was hinting at, but I didn¡¯t want to believe it.

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306


    Chapter 306


    My hand was tightly clutching the cup, I was lost in silence for a long while.


    The air seemed to solidify, the silence so thick it was suffocating.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Got some guessing now?¡± Russel broke the silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Neil and Ethan teamed up against my dad?¡± I finally voiced my unthinkable suspicion,


    ¡°You think I¡¯d believe that?¡±


    ¡°Why would Neil still be in contact with Bonnie, why would he be with Ethan?* Russel shot back, a little


    nervously, ¡°Why would youe here instead of just believing him?¡±


    I sprang to my feet, my chest heaving with agitation, ¡°Just spit it out, don¡¯t pressure me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pressuring you, I just want you to see the truth, instead of being fooled by him.¡± Russel


    returned my gaze, his voice heavy.


    ¡°If you¡¯re suggesting Neil and Ethan teamed up against my dad, what proof have you got? Why would


    he do that?¡± I forced myself to calm down, settling back down.


    Since I was here, I had to clear things up.


    Russel looked at me, silent for a moment, then answered, ¡°You know, Bonnie and I worked together


    once, so we¡¯re still in touch, I know quite a bit.


    ¡°As for why Neil would do that, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Russel tapped lightly on the table, ¡°He wants you back,


    and now, hasn¡¯t he achieved that?¡±


    Myst line of defense crumbled, even though Russel didn¡¯t provide any evidence, what he said


    aligned with my suspicions.


    I¡¯ve had my suspicion that if StarGlow Enterprises could so easily frame my dad, could Neil be


    involved?


    Just because Neil had been a big help recently, I didn¡¯t want to consider this, I still needed his help.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask Neil to investigate your dad? Didn¡¯t he quickly give you some leads? Haven¡¯t you


    wondered how he got the info so quickly? Because he knows Ethan, he¡¯s one of the masterminds!¡±


    Russel¡¯s voice rose suddenly, his words shocking me.


    I stared at him nkly, knowing I shouldn¡¯t easily believe his words, but they were hard to ignore.


    Was it Neil? Did he, Bonnie and Ethan team up to oust my dad from his position, just to get me back?


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    So, he, Bonnie and Ethan have been in contact all along. I just didn¡¯t know.


    I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore from Russel. I turned and left.


    Russel called out to me twice, but I went downstairs, then immediately tumed back, rushed up, and


    took out the ring he gave me, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with you or Neil, take your ring back.¡±


    A look of unbearable pain shed across Russel¡¯s face, he took a deep breath, staring at me, ¡®Is this


    your choice? You are returning my ring and then go back to him to be deceived again?¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. I was already somewhat numb, ¡°But Russel, if you ever bring up my infertility


    again, if you use it against me, I will never forgive you, never see you again.¡±


    Having said that, I left again, not looking at his stunned face.


    Neil is still hoping I could get pregnant, after all, I¡¯m his parents¡¯ favorite daughter-inw candidate,


    they¡¯re still hoping we¡¯d get back together, if they knew I had fertility issues, I¡¯d lose my leverage over


    him.


    I suppressed my anger and distress, and returned to Sterling Estates.


    Neil and the others had returned, all at home, Ryan and Faith looked grim, only easing slightly upon


    seeing me.


    ¡°Irene, where¡¯ve you been?¡¯ Faith came over and took my hand, worriedly


    ¡°I just needed some fresh air.¡± I forced a calm smile, ¡°What¡¯s up, you all look down?¡±


    Nell looked at me deeply, his eyes as inscrutable as a dark pond, I couldn¡¯t read him.


    It seemed like there was a p mark on his face.


    Did Faith hit him? I thought subconsciously.


    ¡®It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve dealt with Bonnie, Irene, you and Nell should go rest. Faith gave Nell a look.


    Neil got up and walked upstairs, I didn¡¯t refuse, and followed him.


    Back in the master bedroom, I closed the door, Neil was taking off his jacket, his back to me, his voice


    low, ¡°Did you tell my mom about seeing me and Bonnie at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yep. held back my resentment, forcing a smile, ¡®Even if I didn¡¯t, she¡¯d find out, wouldn¡¯t she?¡±


    §³§á§Ñ§â§ä§Ö§ä §Ù§à


    Neil threw his jacket on a chair, then turned to look at me, his handsome face clouded over, ¡°You¡¯ve


    never trusted me, have you? So you rushed to tell my mom, to get back at me.¡±


    I took a deep breath, retorting, ¡°And you, do you trust me? Why were you with Bonnie and not tell me?¡±


    Neil¡¯s gaze deepened, ¡°If I said it was to get your dad out as soon as possible, would you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Neil, you know Ethan, but you still need to contact Bonnie to hook you up with him, right?¡± I


    scoffed, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyebrows furrowed instantly, ¡°Irene!¡±


    I cut him off, ¡®No need to exin, since you¡¯re so diligent, there should be progress soon, I¡¯m all eyes.¡±


    Russel¡¯s words affected me, although I tried to force myself to stay calm, I couldn¡¯t help being malicious


    in my words.


    After all that, I saw Neil¡¯s face darken even more, but I didn¡¯t care, because I felt like I was the one


    being deceived.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, and I¡¯m going downstairs for some wine.¡± I didn¡¯t want to be around Neil in such tension,


    so I turned and left.


    Ryan and Faith had gone to bed, but Hannah was still downstairs, seemingly waiting for me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch.¡± As soon as she saw me, she immediately handed me her phone which was disying a


    video.


    I yed the video, the scene was set in a hospital. It showed a fuming Faith, storming towards Neil and


    Bonnie. She walked up to them and without hesitation, pped Bonnie right across the face!


    ¡°Ah!¡± Bonnie shrieked, falling onto the floor. She covered her face, looking up at Faith through teary


    eyes, ¡°Wh¡­Why would you¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Neil spoke up, but didn¡¯t make a move to help Bonnie.


    Bonnie was sitting pitifully on the ground, sobbing, looking all frail and helpless.

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307


    Chapter 307


    Next scene, Faith was loudly reprimanding Bonnie, who was crying uncontrobly.


    Finally, Faith couldn¡¯t stand her crying anymore, raised her hand again, but this time Neil blocked it.


    The hand print on his face was left by Faith.


    Watching this video, I felt a bit better. After all, Faith pped Bonnie for me, indirectly letting off some


    steam.


    ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± I handed the phone back to Hannah and softly thanked her.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, what¡¯s the deal between Bonnie and Mr. Whitmore?¡± Hannah hesitated for a moment


    before bravely asking me this question.


    I grabbed a bottle of red wine, got two sses of it, handed one to Hannah, and we chatted while


    drinking.


    What¡¯s the deal between Neil and Bonnie? I¡¯m somewhat puzzled myself. During my past life, I could


    say they were truly in love. In this life, I can¡¯t describe it at all.


    However, I still briefly told Hannah about the recent events, considering Oscar should have told her


    about the past.


    Hannahs face grew more and more distressed until I finished speaking. She then gathered her courage


    and said, ¡°She¡¯s so lucky. Mr. Whitmore actually likes her, and so does Gloria, even treating her as a


    daughter. It¡¯s so unfair¡±


    I don¡¯t think she¡¯s jealous of Bonnie, but rather thinking about her brother¡¯s unfortunate fate.


    After all, Oscar and Bonnie were once lovers. Initially, they started at a simr point, but now Oscar is


    dead, and Bonnie¡¯s life is getting better and better.


    ¡°By the way, Hannah, I suddenly remembered something, ¡®you mentioned before that you opposed


    your brother dating Bonnie. Why? Can you tell me now?¡±


    Hannah stared at the red wine in her ss for a long time before sighing. ¡°Ms. Finch, the Bonnie from


    before wasn¡¯t as innocent as everyone thought. I discovered it by ident, so I started opposing them.¡±


    ¡°Can you borate?¡± I asked again.


    Hannah hesitated for a moment, but eventually told me why she didn¡¯t like Bonnie.


    It turned out that the first time Oscar brought Bonnie home, all of the Morse family loved Bonnie. She


    was docile and innocent, very likable.


    But when Oscar wasn¡¯t home, Hannah identally saw Bonnie making a phone call. It sounded like


    she was breaking up with another boy, and her tone was very harsh.


    ¡°That boy must have been Bonnie¡¯s ex-boyfriend. from high school. They were always entangled. But


    Oscar told me he was Bonnie¡¯s first boyfriend.¡± Hannah was somewhat angry, ¡°She had been lying to


    him!¡±


    ¡°So you started disliking her since then?¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect that Bonnie had such a past, and it was


    discovered by Hannah.


    ¡°I think people like her are scary. They seem harmless, but they¡¯re actually very scheming. I warned


    Oscar at the time, but he only cared about Bonnie, so I could only watch helplessly. Hannah finished


    her ss of wine after saying this.


    I didn¡¯t deny Hannah¡¯s words, but instead it reinforced my decision not to tell her about the doubts


    surrounding Oscar¡¯s death. She¡¯s already having a hard time, she doesn¡¯t need any more pain.


    ¡°Can¡¯t Mr. Whitmore see clearly? Why does he like Bonnie? And I thought he want to get back together


    with you? Why is he still involved with Bonnie?¡± Hannahs tone was full of confusion.


    I smiled and said, ¡®I don¡¯t know, maybe he¡¯s got some issues.¡±


    Hannah and I were so engrossed in our conversation that neither of us noticed Neil¡¯s arrival. It wasn¡¯t


    until our sses of wine were empty and I suggested Hannah go rest first, that she got up, looked


    back, and was startled back onto the couch, ¡°Mr. Whitmore!¡±


    I also quickly looked back, Neil probably heard our conversation just now, especially the part where we


    said he couldn¡¯t see people clearly, so he didn¡¯t look happy.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll go rest first¡¯ Hannah said quietly, then quickly left.


    I put the wine ss away, then stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough to drink, I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Neil sat down next to me, grabbed my hand, and had me sit back down.


    I was somewhat unwilling, but I didn¡¯t resist, just sighed deeply, ¡®Go ahead, what do you want to talk


    about?¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Neil didn¡¯t let go of my hand, but gently stroked the back of it. His tone was filled with deep


    helplessness, ¡°If I don¡¯t tell you, will you continue to doubt me?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything, just lowered my head to look at the now empty wine ss.


    The living room was very quiet, only Neil¡¯s voice could be heard. He slowly exined to me, not as


    sharp as he was upstairs earlier.


    Despite my bad mood, and still thinking about what Russel said, I listened carefully to every word Neil


    said.


    What he said waspletely different from Russel¡¯s.


    I was shocked, ¡°Ethan is Karina¡¯s biological father?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, back then Gloria betrayed her husband and had Karina with Ethan. Neil raised an eyebrow, ¡°So


    that¡¯s why he takes special care of StarGlow Enterprises, and has ulterior motives for Bonnie, are all


    because of Gloria.¡±


    ¡°You and Ethan¡­¡± I was somewhat dumbfounded.


    ¡°I just know him, but we¡¯re not close. Plus he knows about you and me, so he¡¯s very wary of me. So the


    fastest way is through Bonnie, you understand?¡± Neil suddenly applied a bit of pressure on my hand


    with his fingertips. I felt a little pain in my palm, I wanted to pull my hand back, but he held it tightly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Neil, does my dad¡¯s case really have nothing to do with you?¡±


    Neil¡¯s face was stern, ¡°Russel spilled the beans, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    I felt a bit awkward, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to? I ran into him at the hospital today, you must¡¯ve seen


    him too. If he gets a chance to see you, he¡¯ll definitely say something to make you doubt me, to


    distance me. I know Russel like the back of my hand.¡± Neil sneered, ¡°Do you really think he¡¯s as much


    of a saint as he makes himself out to be?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything, because I knew Russel only acts like a saint when he¡¯s got nothing to gain, but if


    he wants something, he¡¯ll stop at nothing to get it.


    Neil pulled me into his arms, gently pinching my chin with his other hand, ¡°What do I have to do to


    make you trust me? Don¡¯t you have any faith in me?¡±


    I awkwardly avoided his gaze, not answering him.


    Neil sighed, ¡°I¡¯m practically sacrificing myself to keep my promise to you, and this is how you treat me?¡±


    ¡°And Gloria? Won¡¯t she suspect you? You¡¯re living with me but running off to see Bonnie,¡± I retorted.

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308


    Chapter 308


    ¡°She¡¯s bound to be suspicious, so I need you to put on a show with me. If everything goes smoothly,


    we can sort out both your father¡¯s situation and that of Oscar Neil said, looking at me intently.


    I was taken aback, and then I frowned. ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    I chatted with Neil for a long time that night. He told me everything he knew, gradually dispelling the


    doubts in my heart about him.


    In the end, he told me that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to see him as a partner and to stop doubting him all the time.


    Maybe he was right. My trust in him seemed to have hit rock bottom, and anything anyone around me


    said could increase my suspicion towards him.


    But the next day. Neil and I had a big blowout.


    Neil smashed an ashtray on the floor and pointed at me, saying, ¡°If you still don¡¯t trust me, then get out,


    disappear from here right now!¡±


    His eyes were cold, without a trace of affection.


    I looked at Neil in disbelief, anger ring up in my heart. Since he already said this much, there was no


    point in me sticking around. I started packing, took a few clothes and dashed downstairs.


    At this point, Hannah had already made breakfast, and both Ryan and Faith were downstairs.


    Seeing me rush down pale-faced, they were all taken aback.


    Especially Faith, she immediately came over to stop me. ¡°Irene, what happened? Why did you guys


    fight?¡±


    ¡°Faith, I¡¯m moving out. Neil asked me to leave,¡± I said to Faith, my eyes rimmed red. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t


    have agreed toe back in the first ce. There are too many irreconcble issues between him and


    me. I¡¯m sorry, I have to go.¡±


    Faith held on to me tightly and said, ¡°Wait! What the heck is going on? Where is Neil?¡±


    I nced upstairs, then broke free from Faiths grip, grabbed my luggage and rushed out.


    Without hesitation, I drove off from Sterling Estates and headed to the hospital.


    On the way, I made a call to Ste


    ¡°What? What on earth are you two up to? You just moved into Sterling Estates not long ago, and he¡¯s


    already kicking you out. Are you two ying games? Ste asked, totally confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a game, Ste. I¡¯ve realized that once the rtionship between him and me is broken, we can¡¯t


    mend it. I¡¯ve seen it clearly. I won¡¯t expect Neil to help me anymore.¡± My voice was resolute, and cold.


    ¡°Really? But what about your father¡¯s situation¡­ Ste¡¯s voice was filled with worry.


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out myself. It might just take a little longer,¡± I replied indifferently.


    Ste sighed, thenforted me, ¡®It¡¯s okay, no matter what decision you make, I¡¯ll support you. If


    there¡¯s anything I can do to help, just let me know.¡±


    Ste¡¯s words moved me. Whenever I needed help, she, along with Alicia Rider and Barbara Sands,


    were always willing to lend a hand. Just then, I heard Mitch Hebert¡¯s voiceing through Ste¡¯s


    phone. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened between Rena and Neil?¡± Mitch was the one who cared


    most about what was going on between Neil and me. I guessed he was nearby when Ste took my


    call. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡± Ste snapped at Mitch, clearly taking out her frustration with Neil


    on him.


    I felt a little guilty, but I didn¡¯t offer any exnation, and hung up the phone.


    I visited my mother at the hospital. The caregiver told me that my mom woke up against night, but it


    was very brief, so she didn¡¯t notify me.


    It seemed like she should be regaining consciousness soon.


    ¡°Mom, wake up. Let¡¯s go home I softly said, holding my mom¡¯s hand.


    As if sensing my voice, my mom¡¯s hand started to move.


    I was startled, watching my mom¡¯s trembling fingers. This time, her fingers trembled for longer than the


    first time.


    The caregiver saw it, was very excited, and immediately went to call the doctor.


    By this time, my mom had slowly opened her eyes. Having been unconscious for so long, her gaze was


    very confused. It took a moment before itnded on me.


    My eyes welled up, and something seemed to be lodged in my throat. I couldn¡¯t help but tear up.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re finally awake,¡± I choked out, gripping her hand tightly.


    ¡°Please step aside, I need to check the patient, the doctor rushed over and said to me.


    I immediately stood up and moved aside, anxiously and excitedly waiting for the doctor to examine my


    mom.


    After a while, the best news reached my ears. When the doctor said my mom should be fine, the tears


    in my eyes finally fell.


    My mom is my rock. Once she woke up, I felt a lot less lonely and isted.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to get you some food,¡± I told my mom. She had been surviving on nutritional drips for a


    while. The doctor said I could try getting some easily digestible food to replenish her energy.


    My mom¡¯s eyes moved, but she wasn¡¯t able to speak yet.


    I smiled at her, then left to get food.


    As soon as I got in the elevator, Russel stepped in.


    There were another three or four people in the elevator. Russel nced at me but didn¡¯t greet me.


    I kept my head down, pretending not to see him. I didn¡¯t want Russel to keep tabs on me.¡¯


    The others gradually left the elevator, leaving just me and Russel going to the first floor. I started to feel


    a bit uneasy, as Russel¡¯s gaze seemed to be on me.


    ¡°Have you seen Neil yet?¡± He was the first to speak, seeming to expect me to cause trouble for Neil.


    ¡°I saw him, but he didn¡¯t want to talk to me,¡± I said in a low, annoyed voice. ¡°Russel, can you stop


    bringing up Neil and Bonnie from now


    on?¡±


    Russel was wearing a mask, showing only a pair of cold eyes. They looked aloof, but at this moment,


    they held a hint of a smile. ¡°Are you mad at me? Do you think I¡¯ve caused a rift between you two?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this. I have other things to do. As soon as the elevator doors opened, I


    quickly said this and walked out ahead


    of him.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Russel¡¯s gaze was intense, man. Even after I¡¯ve bolted out the front door, I could still feel him


    eyeballing me.


    My head was a total mess, but sincest night, I had made up my mind that I¡¯m teaming up with Neil,


    not Russel.


    So I couldn¡¯t just flip flop now, especially gotta watch out for Russel. He was a pro at exploiting my soft


    spots, he knew exactly what to say to mess with my head.

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309


    Chapter 309


    I bought some food and then headed back to the hospital.


    My mom had just woken up, and it seemed like she¡¯d need to stay in the hospital a few more days. So


    that means I had to frequent the hospital these days.


    To avoid running into Russel again, I decided to switch my mom to a different hospital pronto.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your dad?¡± After moving to the other hospital, my mom finally asked me, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you


    told him I¡¯m awake?¡±


    My heart sank a little hearing that question.


    ¡°Mom, dad¡¯s been a bit tied up these days, but he¡¯ll be back soon, I managed to force a smile and


    fobbed her off.


    Though I¡¯d have to tell her about my dad sooner orter, she had just recovered and was still so weak,


    I didn¡¯t want to upset her.


    Quickly, I tucked her in tightly andforted her, ¡°If dad saw you like this, he¡¯d be heartbroken. Give it


    a few days, when you look better, he should be done with his stuff.¡±


    My mom closed her eyes tiredly and then sighed softly, ¡°Hmm, your dad must be worried about me.


    He¡¯s retired now, why¡¯s he still so busy?¡±


    *Exactly because he¡¯s retired, he¡¯s been invited by his old friends for traveling, to rx a bit.¡± I tried to


    picture my dad taking a vacation.


    My mom finally smiled, ¡®That¡¯s


    good, he¡¯s been working all the time, now he should rx a bit.¡±


    We chatted in the ward, these days I nned to stay in the hospital until she was discharged.


    During this time, I didn¡¯t care about anything happening outside, only Ste would fill me in on some


    stuff.


    ¡°This grapefruit is really sweet, try some!¡± Ste was peeling the grapefruit, feeding my mom.


    In front of my mom, our conversations were very cautious, we absolutely avoided mentioning my dad


    and Neil.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s really sweet, thanks, Ste.¡± My mom was recovering pretty well these days, but she had


    some heart issues, so even after getting discharged, she¡¯d need to be extra careful.


    ¡°As long as you like it,¡± Ste said with a smile, ¡®I¡¯ve been having some backaches recently, Rena,


    apany me for a check-up, will ya?¡¯


    Hearing Ste was not well, my mom instantly told me to go with her for a check-up, I nodded.


    Ste surely had something to tell me, that¡¯s why she used this excuse.


    As expected, not long after we left the ward, Stes tone changed, she said angrily. ¡°Oh my god, that


    jerk Neil, he¡¯s really with Bonnie now!¡±


    Upon hearing this news, I wasn¡¯t shocked, when I moved out from Sterling Estates, I had anticipated


    this oue.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± I walked into the elevator, answering indifferently.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯re not mad? Before he tried getting back together with you, and now that you¡¯ve moved


    back to Sterling Estates, he went to Bonnie, what a scumbag!¡± Ste started rolling up her sleeves, ¡°I


    wanna p him right now!¡±


    I held her hand tightly, ¡°Please stay calm, don¡¯t bother with them.¡±


    Ste let out a deep sigh, ¡°I can ignore them, but I think you¡¯re upset. If your mom knew about all these


    things that happened recently¡­¡± ¡°She must not know, I didn¡¯t even get her a phone.¡± I cut Ste off,


    ¡®Once she¡¯s discharged, I¡¯ll take her back to Sapphire River Community, won¡¯t let anyone bber in


    front of her!


    Ste looked at me for a few seconds, then helplessly shook her head.


    After the chat, Ste left, while I was ready to return to the ward.


    When entering the elevator, a man came out, he seemned familiar at the passing nce, and he


    looked at me a second longer.


    It was Ethan!


    After the man left, my heart raced in the elevator, I actually ran into him here?


    Ethan wouldn¡¯t normally appear in Rosemont, his appearance now must be due to Gloria and Bonnie.


    Why was he in the hospital?


    I quickly rushed to my mom¡¯s ward, seeing her safe and sound, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    My mom had fallen asleep, I sat there working alone, thepany had started the new year¡¯s work,


    and it was a ton.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Thepany recently received a big order, it was the one Gloria and Bonnie had mentioned to me


    before, the client surprisingly came to mypany again.


    11:09


    LTapier Jus


    I was investigating the clientpany, hesitating whether to take the order, StarGlow Enterprises


    couldn¡¯t ept, but my family¡¯spany could barely handle it.


    My phone beeped, it was a message from Neil, after reading it, I had an idea.


    Seems like I needed to make a trip to thepany.


    To my surprise, as soon as I stepped out of the hospital, I saw Bonnie.


    She got out of the car, holding a basket of fruits, looked like she was here to visit a patient.


    Seeing me, Bonnie immediately came over, all smiles, looking quite pleased with herself, ¡°Irene, good


    thing I came, Neil told me not to, but I think your mom waking up is good news, I had to visit her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare get close to my mom?¡± I blocked Bonnie¡¯s way, asking coldly.


    ¡°Irene, what are you talking about? I¡¯m just being polite¡­ Bonnie answered with a victimized look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what your intentions are, I¡¯m warning you, if you let my mom know about things she


    shouldn¡¯t, then your past scandals, I might spill them to Neil.¡± I red at Bonnie coldly.


    Bonnie was stunned, a trace of confusion shed across her face, she seemed to not understand what


    I meant for the moment.


    After a few seconds, she asked in confusion, ¡°Irene, what do I have to hide from Neil?¡±


    Everyone already knew about what happened before, Bonnie must think there¡¯s nothing else that could


    affect her anymore.


    I curled my lips sarcastically, ¡°Like how you got with Oscar before you even broke up with your high


    school,boyfriend, isn¡¯t that unfaithful?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Bonnie¡¯s face instantly changed, she seemed quite worried about this


    issue.


    ¡°You know damn well I¡¯m telling the truth. Neil might not care about your past screw-ups, considering


    you¡¯ve got aundry list of them. But what about his parents?¡± I mentioned Neil¡¯s parents, which could


    definitely put the screws on Bonnie.


    At the mention of Neil¡¯s parents, Bonnie¡¯s face turned sour in an instant. Did she think just getting back


    with Neil was a win?


    Neil¡¯s parents were a massive roadblock. Karina Aaron couldn¡¯t get into the Whitmore family, and


    Bonnie was no different.


    ¡°It was Hannah who spilled the beans, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Bonnie was livid, tossing the fruit basket onto the


    floor, ¡°Irene Finch, if you stick your nose in my business with Neil one more time, you¡¯re gonna pay a


    hefty price!¡±

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310


    Chapter 310


    I smirked sarcastically. ¡°Well then, keep your distance, stop showing off in front of me, at least wait till


    Neil marries you. Before that, you should worry more about his parents¡¯ objections.¡±


    Bonnie bit her lip, speechless with anger. She just loved to provoke me.


    Instead of picking up the fruit basket, she stomped back to her car, full of indignation, and drove off.


    Watching her car leave, I felt a pang of unease Maybe I should have brought my mom home earlier, to


    ensure she could rest in peace.


    What if someone in the hospital spilled the beans to her?


    Considering this, I halted my steps to the office, returned to the hospital, arranged for my mom¡¯s


    discharge, and called Bailey to pick her


    up


    I


    Once my mom was settled in at home, I heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Rena, have you been handling thepany business all by yourself these days?¡± my mom suddenly


    asked.


    ¡°Um, yes,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your dad? Didn¡¯t he help you?¡± Despite being asleep for so long, my mom was still quick-


    witted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask your uncle for help?¡±


    I shook my head, not answering.


    I didn¡¯t want to burden my mom with these issues, so I decided not to tell her anything


    She wanted her phone, but I refused, telling her she needed to rest and shouldn¡¯t strain her brain.


    Once my mom had rested, I finally trudged downstairs.


    Bailey had already left to rest. The living room was empty except for me. I grabbed a bottle of red wine,


    nning to take a sip to help me sleep, but then my phone rang.


    The ringing was urgent, echoing loudly in the silent living room. I quickly put down my wine ss and


    picked up the call.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Neil¡¯s voice came through the phone, filled with gentleness.


    ¡°I¡¯m at Sapphire River Community,¡± I reclined back, picking up my wine ss again as I continued,


    ¡°What about you, why are you still -up?¡±


    Neil paused before replying, ¡°Can¡¯t sleep. There was a party tonight, had a few drinks.¡±


    I nced at the wine in my ss and couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°I¡¯m having a drink too, fancy another


    one?¡±


    I was just joking, but Neil asked back, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But you can¡¯t have any right now.¡± I savored the wine in my ss, its rich vor was soothing,


    and it would help me sleep well.


    The sound of a car door opening came from the other end of the phone, and Neil¡¯s voice, tinged with a


    tipsy smile, said, ¡°Is that so? Open the door¡±


    I was taken aback. Was Neil at Sapphire River Community too?


    Hearing him ask me to open the door, I got up and headed for the front door. As I got closer, I saw a


    man outside. He wasn¡¯t wearing a coat, just a deep blue shirt and a grey vest sweater, looking


    extremely elegant.


    The wind was chilly, so I quickly opened the do


    ¡°What


    you doing here? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    into his arms. He smelled of alcohol, he must have had quite a bit, he seemed


    As soon as the words left my mouth, Neil pulled slightly tipsy


    He dipped his head down and gently kissed my lips, asking, ¡°Did you find out about Bonnie and me?¡±


    ¡°Um, Ste told me today.¡± I leaned into his chest, listening to his heartbeat, it all felt a bit surreal.


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± he asked again.


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond. While I had chosen to trust Nell and work with him, I hadn¡¯t fully epted


    him. I still couldn¡¯t forget the past.


    Neil sensed my hesitation, he bit my lip, causing me to suck in a sharp breath from the pain.


    He looked at me, clearly displeased ¡°You¡¯re not jealous?¡±


    I quickly nodded, ¡°I am jealous, but didn¡¯t you say it was all an act!¡±


    Neil grunted, then suddenly grasped my hand, his voice turning raspy, ¡®Is your mom asleep?¡±


    instinctively looked up at the second floor. Given my mom¡¯s current state, she should be asleep.


    I nodded.


    That nod seemed to unleash Neil¡¯s beastly side. My hand brushed against something it shouldn¡¯t have,


    the burning sensation made me


    startled!


    ¡°Neil, don¡¯t¡­¡± I yelped quietly.


    ¡°These past few days without you at home, I barely slept. My parents kept scolding me, threatening me


    to apologize to you, to bring you back, do you know how much pressure I¡¯m under?¡± Neil sounded


    utterly helpless.


    I could imagine Neil being scolded by his parents, unable to exin the situation because the fewer


    people knew, the better. We had to keep up the act.


    Neil¡¯s parents, Ste, Mitch, all have been used by us. But it was the only way to make Bonnie believe.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re stressed, just hang in there a bit longer.¡± I tried tofort Neil.


    ¡°I can hang on, but only if you help me relieve some pressure.¡± Neil¡¯s words made my face turn red.


    He caressed my cheek gently, yet with an underlying seductive intent.


    I seized his hand, ¡°No! What if my mom wakes up?¡±


    Neil chuckled indulgently. ¡°Silly, do I look like that kind of person to you? Let¡¯s go to my ce.¡±


    In my heart, I thought, if Neil really started to make demands, he indeed would be that kind of person.


    But I couldn¡¯t say that out loud, or I¡¯d be done for tonight.


    Neil led me by the hand to the vi next door. It was my first time there. Theyout was simr to my


    house, but the decor was different As soon as we stepped into the living room, Neil kissed me like a


    storm. I couldn¡¯t make a sound, my body leaning backward, almost falling.


    His arm hooked around my waist powerfully. I was forced to stand on my tiptoes and reciprocate his


    aggressive kiss. We had only been apart for a few days, but he was acting as if he hadn¡¯t touched me


    in years.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Finally, I fell onto the couch. Neil¡¯s eyes were full of intense desire, his emotions burning like


    mes. He leaned over me and said, ¡°I have to pretend to abandon you again tomorrow, what if I can¡¯t


    do it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean abandon me..¡± I was utterly embarrassed.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°I seem to be falling for you more and more. I miss you every single second. I don¡¯t want to work, don¡¯t


    want to deal withpany matters, don¡¯t want to see Bonnie, I only want to see you.¡± Neil¡¯s kisses fell


    on my cheek, his voice brimming with emotions.


    This direct confession has left me dizzy, all I could do was to keep my head down, avoiding to meet his


    eyes, in case he might catch a glimpse of my current bewilderment.


    Neil gently brushed the corner of my lips, his eyes sparkling with an intense passion, ¡°My folks miss


    you, Daisy misses you, Hannah misses you, they all think I¡¯ve chased you away. But in truth, I¡¯m almost


    going nuts missing you, Irene, you¡¯ve got to take responsibility.¡±

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311


    Chapter 311


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond, I just felt my head getting hot and my body feeling all warm and fuzzy.


    My voice was shaking a bit, ¡°How should I¡­ take responsibility¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, when you¡¯re with me, try not to be so stubborn. Don¡¯t make me feel like a criminal every time we


    get intimate,¡± Neil said, his voice filled with frustration.


    I disagreed a bit, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this the first few times, was it?¡±


    In order to get his help. I had tried my best to cooperate and not resist him. Didn¡¯t he notice that?


    Neil disagreed even more, his eyebrows furrowed, ¡®Do you think you were the one who initiated it? Why


    don¡¯t you try taking the lead today?¡±


    ¡°I might not be very good at this¡­¡± I muttered. I was not exactly young, I should have some


    experience, but when it came to this, I felt like a novice.


    ¡°Would it hurt to try?¡± Neil seemed hopeful, ¡°Be a good girl.¡±


    My face became even redder, but under Neil¡¯s passionate gaze, I couldn¡¯t say no. In the end, I could


    only nod.


    Neil¡¯s frown finally smoothed out. He wrapped his arm around my waist and easily lifted me onto his


    lap. 1 lowered my head to look at his face, took a deep breath, and initiated the kiss.


    As a result, Neil¡¯s demands became even more intense. Our living room was a mess, and we only


    retired to the bedroom afterward.


    I wanted to sleep, but I fought off the sleepiness to ask Neil about work.


    ¡®FarHorizon Group is controlled by Ethan. He got in touch with you, probably at Gloria¡¯s behest. They


    won¡¯t be satisfied until they drag you down.¡± Neil said, his voicezy and husky from satisfaction.


    *Should I agree to cooperate with them?¡± I asked, resting on his arm with my eyes closed.


    Neil paused for a moment, then answered, ¡°Yeah, you could. Only by cooperating can you find their


    weakness and strike back.¡±


    I was hesitant at first, but now that Neil had said so, I felt more at ease, I decided to follow his n.


    I fell asleep unwittingly. Because I was still worried about my mom, I woke up after only a few hours.


    Neil was still asleep. I carefully got out of bed, changed my clothes, and quickly returned to the house


    next door.


    My mom was awake. Seeing me, she asked with some confusion, ¡°Rena, are you not going to the


    office today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have breakfast first before going.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Good, you must eat breakfast. It¡¯s not good for your health otherwise, my mom said, somewhat


    relieved. Compared to before, I had indeed be more independent.


    I nodded and hurried downstairs to make breakfast. At the same time, I called Hannah. I nned to


    have her take care of my mom for a while. I didn¡¯t trust anyone else.


    Hannah agreed. I let out a sigh of relief, then said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have Bailey pick you up. Don¡¯t mention my


    dad or Neil in front of my mom, and don¡¯t let her look at her phone. She can watch TV.¡±


    ¡°All right, Ms. Finch, Hannah replied sinctly.


    Once I had arranged breakfast for my mom, I drove to the office. As I passed the house next door, Neil


    wasing out. We exchanged a silent nce, but did not speak.


    At the office, representatives from FarHorizon Group paid a visit. Ethan seemed very eager to work


    with me.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Following Neil¡¯s advice, I didn¡¯t outright refuse. I just discussed things with them for now. If I agreed


    immediately. Ethan would surely be suspicious.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, these are your flowers.¡± Near the end of the work day, my assistant came in holding arge


    bouquet of fiery red roses.


    ¡°My flowers?¡± I was a bit taken aback as I looked at the massive bouquet.


    ¡°Yes, someone sent them. They¡¯re for you, my assistant said with a grin. ¡°Probably from an admirer.


    Today is Valentine¡¯s Day, hence the


    roses,¡±


    Today is Valentine¡¯s Day? I hadn¡¯t really paid attention to that. After my assistant left, I stared at the


    bouquet, a bit dazed.


    I found a card in it, but there was no name on the card.


    Twas going to throw the bouquet away because I didn¡¯t know who sent it, but looking at the beautiful


    petals, I thought it would be a


    waste. I decided to take it home and use it for a bath.


    When I got home, Hannah was already there. She had cooked a simple meal, and Bailey was helping


    set the table.


    ¡°You are home!¡± Hannah eximed happily when she saw me.


    Bailey, as usual, called out, ¡°Ms. Finch.¡±


    I put down the flowers in my hand and found it odd to see the harmony between the two.


    ¡°Did Neil¡¯s parents say anything when you came over today?¡± I asked Hannah.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore returned to Springvale today, only Mrs. Whitmore stayed in Rosemont. She didn¡¯t object


    when she heard I wasing over, she told me to take good care of you, Hannah replied.


    Ryan went back to Springvale? That made sense, thepany there needed someone to manage it.


    I didn¡¯t expect Faith to choose to stay here.


    Hannah then noticed the roses and came over to whisper, ¡°Ms. Finch, did Mr. Whitmore send these?¡±


    I immediately denied it, ¡°No, I¡¯ve moved out of Sterling Estates and he¡¯s back with Bonnie. There¡¯s no


    way he would¡¯ve sent these.¡±


    Hannahughed, ¡°I think Mr. Whitmore still likes you, he¡¯s just upset with you¡±


    I felt awkward. Hannah¡¯s eyes were really sharp. It was a shame she married such a terrible man.


    I quickly changed the subject, ¡°Hannah, what do you think about us going to pick up your parents in the


    next few days?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch, my parents said they don¡¯t want to cause me any trouble. My husband went to bother them,


    but they¡¯ve already called the police. He shouldn¡¯t dare to bother them again for a while, Hannah said,


    sounding a bit downcast


    ¡°Let¡¯s go anyway. I¡¯ll need your help here taking care of my mom in theing days. I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll


    be anxious if your parents aren¡¯t around,¡± I made the decision for Hannah.


    Hannah seemed to want to say something but ended up nodding.


    After dinner, I went to check on my mom. Hannah was giving her a massage and they were having


    felt relieved and took my flowers to the bathroom for a soak in the tub.


    I was just picking off the petals and sprinkling them into the bath when Neil¡¯s call came in.


    ¡°Did you get the flowers? Neil¡¯s voice was full of tenderness and anticipation.


    a good chat. Seeing them so happy. I


    I was taken aback, a bit bamboozled. I looked down at the bath full of petals and the stripped stem, not


    sure how to respond.


    ¡®Did you send them? I finally got the words out after a beat.


    ¡°What?¡± Neil was clearly surprised too. After a couple of seconds, he said, ¡°Yeah, I did. I ordered them


    from abroad a week ago. Do you


    like them?¡±


    So they were ordered from abroad? I know a thing or two about luxury stuff, but I really didn¡¯t notice


    these flowers.

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312


    Chapter 312


    ¡°Why are you not saying anything, don¡¯t you like it?¡± Neil asked, noticing my silence.


    I picked up a few petals from the water, examining them closely. They were beautiful, vibrant and full,


    with a velvety texture.


    ¡°I do like it, it¡¯s very beautiful,¡± I answered sincerely


    ¡°Let me see¡± Neil hung up and immediately video-called me.


    I stared at the screen, unsure whether to answer, but my fingers instinctively hit the ept button.


    The screen showed what seemed to be the study in Sterling Estates. Nell was wearing sses, which


    he rarely does, and it always took my breath away.


    ¡°What are you doing? Are you taking a bath? Neil asked, noticing my surroundings.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m bathing with the roses you sent.¡±


    Neil seemed to be taken aback, not fully understanding. So, I pointed the camera at the bathtub, full of


    rose petals spreading a delicate fragrance.


    He fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words. This was the first time he had ever given me flowers. Even


    the bouquet at our wedding was chosen by his mother.


    ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t from you because you didn¡¯t leave a note, so I used them for my bath, I exined


    awkwardly.


    *Are there other men pursuing you?¡± he asked in disbelief, ¡°Didn¡¯t you even consider it might be from


    me?¡±


    I paused for a few seconds, ¡°I really didn¡¯t.¡±


    I had thought Neil might gift me jewelry, handbags, maybe even a car or a house, but never flowers. He


    had never indulged me in such small romantic gestures.


    Neil seemed to tense up, taking a deep breath,


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. I hinted many times that even a wildflower would do, but you never agreed. I thought


    you weren¡¯t the type to give flowers,¡¯ I sighed, sharing my genuine thoughts.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s my bad,¡± Neil surprisingly didn¡¯t me me, instead apologizing. He took off his sses and


    massaged his temples, ¡°I¡¯ll correct my mistakes one by one, as long as you¡¯re happy¡±


    Was he making a promise?


    My feelings were mixed, bubbling up like soda shaken in a cup


    ¡°Okay, was all I said, not prying further. Neil understood and let me continue my bath,


    After hanging up, I looked at the petals in the tub, feeling a bit regretful for not taking pictures as a


    keepsake.


    I was chilling in the tub, scrolling on my phone when a text from Alicia popped up: Rena, wannae


    out for a drink? Keep mepany¡­


    It was Valentine¡¯s Day. Why was Alicia asking me to drink instead of having a date with Sean?


    I texted back: Where¡¯s Sean?


    Alicia: Forget him, I¡¯m at a bar. Can youe? Ste and Barbara aren¡¯t free.


    I figured Alicia had fought with Sean and was upset.


    I replied: Send the address. I¡¯m on my way.


    After receiving Alicia¡¯s address, I ended my bath, got dressed, and rushed over in the middle of the


    night.


    When I arrived, Alicia was already pretty drunk. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked at me with


    blurry eyes, ¡°Rena, you¡¯re here, let¡¯s drink¡­.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Sean?¡¯ I asked, grabbing the battle from Alicia.


    At the mention of Sean, Alicia got even more upset, on the verge of tears. I had never seen her like


    this, and I was a bit panicked. Turns out, they really had a fight. Sean¡¯s mother had arranged another


    blind date for him, and she liked the woman a lot.


    After seeing their chat, Alicia had a massive fight with Sean and ran out.


    Just as I wasforting Alicia, a drink was suddenly thrown at me from behind.


    Caught off guard, I turned around to see Malinda¡¯s hateful face. ¡°Irene, you must have drugged me that


    day, didn¡¯t you?¡± *Have you lost your mind, Malinda?¡± I was genuinely angry, wiping the drink off my


    hair with a napkin.


    1/2


    ¡°Malinda, stop it. We have no proof, and we can¡¯t just Bonnie rushed over, trying to calm Malinda down.


    I gave them a furious look. Alicia was passed out on the bar, and I had to take care of her


    Malinda was looking at me as if she wanted to eat me alive, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault Louis broke up with me.


    He didn¡¯t even want to see me today she sobbed


    Bonnie didn¡¯t seem quilty at all. Sheforted Malinda hypocritically, ¡°Malinda, Louis might just be


    upset What happened to you was a huge shock for him. He might understandter. You¡¯re the one who


    loves him the most


    My clothes were wet and ufortable I didnt even bother listening to their nonsense and kept wiping


    my hair.


    But Malinda wasn¡¯t done. She grabbed my hair, causing sharp pain.


    Tim going to kill you, you bitch¡± Malinda shrieked.


    I was pulled to the ground. Malinda tried to hit me, and Bonnie pretended to break us up, but she


    couldn¡¯t pull Malinda away


    The pain was so intense I could barely speak.


    When I saw Bonnie¡¯s face, I noticed the smile at the corner of her mouth. She looked like she was


    enjoying the show


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, Louis showed up. Seeing me and Malinda fighting, he looked shocked and rushed over to


    pull Malinda away ¡°Malinda, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Louis, you¡¯re here, you finally came¡­ Seeing Louis, Malinda immediately let go of me, ¡°It was her who


    drugged me that day, which led me to act out of line. Louis, it¡¯s all her fault, please forgive me!¡±


    I sat up from the ground, rubbing my head, the pain still lingering¡­


    Louis nced at me, unaware that I already knew about his deeds with Bonnie


    He actually had the audacity to ask me directly. ¡°Ms. Finch, was it really you? Why would you do such a


    thing.


    ¡°Me?¡± I chuckled, looking at these three like they were a bunch of fools, ¡°Louis, are you sure it was


    me?¡±


    Malinda yelled like a huffy, defeated clown, ¡°It must be you, who else could be so malicious, who else


    would harm me like that?!¡±

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313


    Chapter 313


    Looking at Malinda¡¯s overly dramatic expression, I thought to myself, ¡°Man, she¡¯s such a dumbass.¡±


    ¡°Trene, if you could say sorry to Malinda, we could forget all about this and still be friends,¡± Bonnie


    yed the peacemaker, acting all


    sincere


    But the bomble thing that happened to Malinda can¡¯t be settled by an apology, even if I had done it.


    Bonnie was only saying that because she didn¡¯t expenence it herself


    And besides, doesn¡¯t she know who the real culprit behind Malinda¡¯s troubles is?


    Louis, on the other hand, was staring at me without a trace of quilt. He¡¯s one cold hearted guy. He did


    this to his own girlfriend, just to break up with her, and he¡¯s trying to pin all the me on Malinda so she


    cant pester him anymore


    Sadly, Malinda is too smitten with him, thinking that Louis is good to her and that she¡¯s the one in the


    wrong


    ¡°Bonnie, are you serious?¡± I coolly adjusted my hair and clothes, and asked Bonnie calmly.


    ¡°Trene, you¡¯re the one who needs to apologize. What does this have to do with me? Bonnie seemed


    confused by my question. She grabbed Malinda¡¯s hand, ¡°Malinda is my best friend, I certainly don¡¯t


    want her to be bullied..


    Malinda looked at Bonnie with gratitude.


    Just then, Bonnie¡¯s eyes lit up as she spotted someone in the distance. She looked ecstatic, ¡°Neil, over


    here!¡±


    I was taken aback when I saw Neil, as we were just video chatting


    Well, it¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day. It makes sense for Bonnie to want to hang out with him


    Neil walked through the crowd and his gaze lingered on me for a bit before moving away


    Bonnie, always quick on the uptake, rushed over to link arms with Neil, resting her head on his arm in a


    show of possession.


    Neil¡¯s arm twitched as if he wanted to pull away, but I shot him a nce, which made him frown, clearly


    displeased.


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re here too?¡± Louis seemed surprised to see Neil, then his gaze shifted to Bonnie


    Something felt off.


    ¡°Today¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day. Of course, he should be spending it with me, but¡­ Bonnie trailed off, then


    looked at me, ¡°There was a little unpleasant incident. Irene and Malinda had a fight¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Neil asked indifferently.


    ¡°Neil, you be the judge. At Russel¡¯s engagement party, your ex wife Irene drugged me, and I made a


    complete fool of myself. Wasn¡¯t it her fault? Shouldn¡¯t she pay for it?! Malinda asked anxiously.


    Now that Neil is back with Bonnie, Malinda naturally thought Neil would take her side.


    ¡°But Malinda, dont get worked up. There¡¯s right and wrong in every situation. If Irene really did


    something wrong, we¡¯ll definitely get you justice!¡± Bonnie blurted out.


    I almost burst outughing. They wereying the me on me behind my back, with no intention of


    giving me a chance to exin.


    Just as Malinda started to charge at me again, I shook off her hand and red at Bonnie, ¡°Bonnie, I¡¯ll


    give you a minute to exin. If you continue to instigate Malinda, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    Bonnie was taken aback, then after a few seconds of thinking, sheughed awkwardly, seeming even


    more cautious than before, ¡°trene. I don¡¯t need to exin anything if you didn¡¯t do it, I would definitely


    tell Malinda to leave you alone.¡±


    Loues was sharper He seemed to sense something wrong in my words and stepped forward to grab


    Malinda¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go clear this up outside. We shouldn¡¯t involve others.¡±


    shouldn


    Malinda, who had wanted a private chat with Louis, naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse


    Seeing the two of them leave, Bonnie seemed a little unhappy She was probably upset that she


    couldn¡¯t continue to pick on me.


    ¡°Malinda¡±¡± I suddenly called out to her


    Despite the noise in the bar, she heard me and stopped


    Bonnie perked up, almost as if she was itching for me to provoke Malinda.


    Neil raised on eyebrow, clearly puzzled by my action


    ¡°What now? Are you going to apologize? Malinda sneered, ¡°You¡¯ll have to kneel and beg for


    forgiveness. Otherwise, I¡¯ll sue you!*


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have any evidence. How about I give you some?¡± I said, my eyes sparkling with


    amusement.


    A puzzled look crossed Malinda¡¯s face. She asked, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    I pulled out my phone, ready to call Sean. He could vouch for me


    Seeing this. Louis abruptly tried to stop me. ¡°Ms Finch, this is between me and Malinda. It has nothing


    to do with you. We need some privacy now¡±


    Louis¡¯s attitude only confirmed that he was on guard against me


    ¡°Lours, if Irene has something to say let her say it¡¯ Ronnie chimed in. She spoke to Lou¡¯s with apparent


    sincerity


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Lours shot Bonnie a look, but they seemed to be out of sync


    Trene, if you feel wronged, present your evidence¡± Bonnie walked over, oozing confidence.


    Neil stood behind her, his gaze fixed on me


    He was silently asking me what I was up to


    Bonnie was certain that i had no evidence, which is why she was so adamant about hashing it out here


    and now Perhaps she even


    wanted to embarrass me in front of Neil


    I avoided eye contact with Neil to avoid suspicion


    11 make a call and let him exin, I said, ready to continue the game since Bonnie wouldn¡¯t back


    down!


    Malinda looked at me, puzzled, but this time she didn¡¯t say much Lours, on the other hand, looked quite


    concerned


    I dialed Sean¡¯s number and he answered straight away, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Sean, Alicia¡¯s drunk and passed out Can youe and look after her.


    i bit? I put Alicia on the table first


    Tm already at the door, be right there¡± I didn¡¯t expect Sean to be so quick on his feet Right after I hung


    up the call, and there he was, tall figure in the crowd. He seemed a bit antsy, like he wasnt having the


    best day


    I gestured at him and he saw me, immediately made his way through the crowd towards me


    Bonnie didn¡¯t recognize Sean, looked a bit puzzled


    But Louis, he looked like he remembered something, his face changed instantly


    ¡°Alicia¡¯s over there, you should get her settled I pointed in Alicials direction, ¡°Sean, if you¡¯re not going to


    give her your whole heart, then please make it clear to her. Don¡¯t make her suffer¡±

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314


    Chapter 314


    Sean¡¯s gaze turned deep as he looked in the direction I pointed at. When he saw Alicia, already


    slumped over the bar counter, his eyes instantly softened, filled with a mix of heartache and guilt.


    He gave a gentle nod, preparing to go to Alicia. I stopped him again, ¡°Hold up, Sean, do you recognize


    these two?¡±


    I pointed at Bonnie and Louis.


    Sean nced at the two of them, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he said, ¡°Uh huh, two bad apples.¡±


    At his words, both Louis and Bonnie¡¯s faces changed, while Malinda looked confused. She turned to


    Sean, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Louis retook Malinda¡¯s hand, pulling her aside, ¡°Let¡¯s talk privately.¡±


    Sean smirked coldly. ¡°Drugging your own girlfriend just to break up with her, that¡¯s a new low.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Malinda¡¯s face turned pale instantly, her eyes widened in shock, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Sean gave her a nce, not saying anything more before heading off to Alicia


    Seeing as Sean had already spilled the beans, there was no need to keep him any longer. Everyone¡¯s


    expressions were quite amusing. especially Bonnie¡¯s, who looked terribly awkward and was


    speechless.


    Malinda visibly wobbled, her lips quivering. The news was just too much to take in.


    Neil squinted slightly, his eyes fixed on Louis. After all, Louis was his old friend, and he had just brought


    him into Whitmore Co.¡¯s head


    office.


    For a man to do such a vile and sneaky thing. Neil must be feeling a mix of emotions.


    ¡°Bonnie, did you know about this?¡± Malinda didn¡¯t overlook Bonnie and turned to her in disbelief


    ¡°I have no idea, I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Bonnie looked extremely nervous and even took a step back,


    hiding behind Neil, ¡°Malinda, I swear I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    How could Malindapletely trust Bonnie now, especially after what Sean had said about both of


    them being bad apples?


    Neil shifted slightly, clearly not too thrilled about Bonnie hiding behind him.


    He then nced at me. Howe it is him losing patience now?


    Upon my gaze, Neil had no choice but to stand still, allowing Bonnie to use him as a shield.


    ¡°How could you not know?¡± I asked calmly, ¡°Louis wanted to break up, and you wanted to use


    Malinda¡¯s scandal to lure others upstairs, right?¡±


    Malinda¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t just shocked now, but a state of frenzy. She pointed at Bonnie, panting


    heavily, ¡°Is that true? Is that really true?¡±


    ¡°No, Malinda, she¡¯s lying! We¡¯re best friends, how could I do that to you?¡± Bonnie quickly tried to


    exin, her eyes darting towards Neil.


    Neil hadn¡¯t gotten involved from the beginning, only because Louis was his good friend, he couldn¡¯t


    help but care about this


    ¡°You two were using me?¡± Malinda was already under immense stress recently, and she was on the


    brink of breakdown, ¡°Louis, how could you do this, I loved you so much¡­¡±


    Louis¡¯s face was extremely dark, but after everything had happened, he began to calm down, acting as


    if none of this was his business. As a bystander, even I felt a chill.


    ¡°No matter what you think, we¡¯ve broken up.¡± Louis¡¯s words were like rubbing salt in Malinda¡¯s wounds.


    Without further exnation, he turned around and left


    Like a madwoman, Malinda chased after him. Their figures gradually vanished from sight, and I didn¡¯t


    follow. I just watched quietly.


    ¡°Neil, I really didn¡¯t do this, I had no idea Louis would do such a thing. Isn¡¯t he your good friend? Can


    you ask him why he treated Malinda like this?¡± Bonnie acted innocent, her eyes welling up with tears.


    ¡°Uh huh, I¡¯ll ask him.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was emotionless, his attitude more like a stranger¡¯s.


    I frowned at him, and he reluctantly shrugged, patting Bonnie on the shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s their business, I


    know it¡¯s got nothing to do with you.¡± Upon hearing this, Bonnie¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, but she quickly


    suppressed it.


    She wiped her eyes while saying in a wronged tone, ¡°Malinda misunderstood me, and Louis didn¡¯t


    exin clearly¡­¡±


    ¡°Its alright. But we shouldn¡¯t stay here today, I¡¯ll take you home first.¡± Nell nced at me, then said to


    Bonnie.


    ¡°Is it because Irene is here?¡± Bonnie also nced at me, her feigned awkwardness making me feel


    ufortable. She nodded briefly. ¡°Uh huh, that, plus with what happened to Malinda, I¡¯m just not in


    the mood. Neil, take me home.¡±


    M


    ¡°Alnight¡± Neil agreed, and Bonnie took his hand, heading towards the bar exit.


    I watched their figures recede, feeling a bit upset, but quicklyposed myself and left the bar swiftly


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    It waste at night when I drove back to Sapphire River Community My mom and Hannah were already


    asleep. I yawned and prepared


    to rest


    Just as I turned off the light, my phone rang, startling me


    ¡°Are you in bed?¡± Neil¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°About to Have you taken Bonnie home? I replied,fortably nestled in my nkets, half-closing my


    eyes.


    Neil sighed, his voice t, ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s home. Could you check next door? I think I forgot to lock the


    door¡±


    I was a bit confused How could an adult like him forget to lock the door when he left in the morning?


    The housemaid next door had been sent back to Sterling Estates by Neil, leaving the house


    unattended. Although the security here was good, there were many valuables in the vi. If they got


    lost, it would be troublesome


    I had no choice but to put my clothes back on and head next door to close the door


    The wind outside was a bit chilly, so I wrapped myself up in my clothes and went next door Sure


    enough, even the front door was left


    wide open


    ¡°What a scatterbrain,¡± I muttered under my breath, proceeding further in to close the living room door


    as well


    The half-open living room door gave me the creeps. As I moved towards it, hoping to get it closed as


    quickly as possible, a hand suddenly shot out from the gap, gripping my wrist tightly.


    I let out a terrified scream, feeling as if my soul was about to jump out of my body.


    ¡°Got scared that easily?¡± Neil¡¯s figure appeared before me, asking with a smirk.


    ¡°Neil, are you trying to scare me to death?¡± I shouted, still in shock and anger.


    Neil just snorted, pulling me straight into the living room. He switched on the light and then asked


    grumpily, ¡°Why were you pushing me towards Bonnie all night? What¡¯s up with that?¡±


    He lounged on the sofa, legs casually crossed, looking a bit pissed off, ¡°Are you trying to make me


    unhappy on purpose?¡±


    I felt helpless, his imagination was really running wild.

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315


    Chapter 315


    ¡°Neil, you¡¯re better at keeping cool than I am, aren¡¯t you?¡± I sidled up to Nell and took his hand, gently


    stroking his palm. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Ethan Foster smells fishy? He¡¯s probably keeping a wary eye on


    you. If we want to catch him out, we have to make him believe that we¡¯ve split¡±


    Neil wrapped my hand in his, his palm was warm and broad.


    He leaned in, his lips almost brushing my cheek. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll y along, but you owe me for the


    emotional toll.¡±


    ¡°Do I need to make it up to you?¡± I was genuinely surprised. Was Neil pushing it?


    ¡°Yeah, you do.¡± Without waiting for my response, he pressed his lips on mine as his tongue expertly


    explored my mouth.


    After all his persistence, I seemed to have warmed up to him. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant, and as long as I


    didn¡¯t get pregnant, I was none the worse for it


    I tried to reciprocate, and he stopped. His eyes were wide open, brimming with barely concealed


    excitement


    ¡°I want us to have a kid as soon as possible.¡± Neil whispered against my lips as his gentle kiss


    enveloped me.


    Just like that, my arousal plummeted. It felt like I¡¯d been stabbed in the heart.


    I wasn¡¯t going to have any more kids, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it.


    Neil had no idea what was running through my mind. He continued to kiss me tenderly while I bore the


    pain and managed to respond..


    He was incredibly gentle that night, but I couldn¡¯t shake off my mncholy.


    The next morning, I rushed back home.


    Hannah had breakfast ready. After seeing me return from outside, she first froze, and then her face


    broke into a knowing grin. ¡°Ms. Finch, breakfast is ready¡±


    ¡®Okay, you guys start. I need to change.¡± I avoided Hannah¡¯s gaze and hurried up to my room.


    Once upstairs, I took a shower. As soon as I was done, my phone started buzzing.


    It was an unfamiliar number, so I hesitated and hit ignore.


    Soon, a text came through. ¡°It¡¯s Malinda. I have something crucial


    to


    tell you!


    For some reason, I felt a strong urge to meet Malinda. She would have a surprise for me.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I quickly replied. ¡°Okay, where are you?¡±


    Turned out that Malinda not only found my contact details and home address but breakfast and went


    straight to meet her.


    Was waiting for me outside myplex. I skipped


    In just one night, Malinda seemed to have changedpletely. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes


    were red and swollen. Clearly, she had been crying a lot..


    After seeing me, she mustered a painful smile. ¡°Irene, are youughing at my misfortune?¡±


    ¡°Not quite, but you chose to side with Bonnie and Louis. You had to know that there would be risks.¡± I


    replied coolly


    Malinda forced a bitterugh. ¡°Yeah, I thought of Louis as my partner and Bonnie as my best friend.


    And yet, they conspired against me and plotted to set me up.¡±


    I listened in silence, not knowing what to say.


    Malinda sniffed and handed me a USB drive. ¡°This might be useful to you. But if Bonnie finds out, she


    won¡¯t let me off the hook. I don¡¯t care anymore. I¡¯ve lost my child, Irene. I think I now understand the


    pain you felt when you lost your child.¡±


    I took the USB drive, looking shocked. ¡®Child?¡±


    *I was pregnant, but the incident that day caused me to miscarry. I had nned to break the news to


    Louis. Turns out, I was just deluding myself.¡± Malinda¡¯s face was a mask of despair.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Malinda to be pregnant. Did Louis know he was responsible for his child¡¯s death?


    And I still couldn¡¯t understand why he chose Malinda in the first ce, only to do something so cruel


    and force them to break up


    After giving me the USB drive, Malinda turned to leave.


    I called


    I called after her. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about Bonnie causing trouble, I can help.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to help?¡± Malinda looked back at me like she¡¯d heard a joke. ¡°Are you really that kind?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I held up the USB drive. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the evidence you¡¯re giving me so you can


    switch sides? Where else can you go?¡±


    Malinda froze, and after a moment, her tense shoulders rxed.


    Chapter 315


    The USB drive I got from Malinda contained some startling and shocking information.


    I didn¡¯t know how Malinda collected this data, but it was clear she had been preparing for any


    eventuality all along.


    I didn¡¯t tell Neil about the USB drive, and I stowed it safely away.


    ¡®Ms. Finch, Mr. Foster from FarHorizon Group would like to have dinner with you.¡± My assistant


    informed me.


    Ethan Foster was getting anxious. It looked like he was up to something. Neil said he wanted to


    launder money through thepany without implicating Gloria. He was killing two birds with one stone


    by targeting me..


    When I didn¡¯t react to FarHorizon Group for days, Ethan Foster must have gotten restless.


    This man was Karina Aaron¡¯s biological father, Gloria¡¯s backer, and the man responsible for my father¡¯s


    downfall. I decided it was time to see this man in the flesh.


    ¡°I see. Let him set the time and ce and notify me. I¡¯ll be there.¡± I said.


    Half an hourter, my assistant brought me the details. It was to be tonight at eight at a club called


    ¡®Haven Club.


    I went there alone, and in a private room, I met him.


    Ethan Foster, the man himself, had a vibe pretty simr to my old man. They were both from the


    bureaucratic world, looking all posh and gentlemanly.


    I had seen pictures of Karina, so I could immediately spot the family resemnce between her and


    him.


    And then, there was also some simrity between Bonnie and Karina, so naturally, she would share


    some father-daughter resemnce with Ethan Foster too.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, good to see you.¡± Upon seeing me, Ethan Foster immediately stood up, walked over very


    politely, and extended his hand for


    a shake.


    After looking at him, I could tell that he was indeed a high-profile political figure with an intricate and


    deepwork of connections and a myriad of conflicting interests. It was no wonder Neil was being


    extra cautious.


    Finding some dirt on Ethan Foster was indeed tough, but beating him and clearing my father¡¯s name


    was even harder.


    But one thing was for sure, Ethan Foster must care a lot about Gloria. That was why he was head over


    heels for her and treated Bonnie like his own flesh and blood as a stand-in for his daughter.

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 316


    Chapter 316


    ¡°Mr. Foster.¡± I greeted Ethan Foster with a hint of a formal smile and shook his hand.


    He had made a name for himself in politics and was the top dog at FarHorizon Group.


    Ethan Foster smiled back, exuding an aura that made me feel a tad intimidated.


    *Please, have a seat. I¡¯m expecting another friend shortly. His voice was gentle, but I could sense a bit


    of coldness in it.


    ¡°Sure thing.¡± I plopped myself on the couch, casually setting my bag to the side.


    Ethan Foster wasn¡¯t much of a chatterbox. He had a chill demeanor, didn¡¯t put on airs, and even


    poured me a ss of wine himself. When he spoke, his pace was slow and steady


    Every time I thought about the harm this guy had caused my father, a fire of anger burned within me,


    but there was no way to vent it out.


    Ethan Foster made it clear that FarHorizon Group wanted to partner with ourpany andid out all


    the perks that woulde with it. If it weren¡¯t for Neil telling me the truth earlier, I would have been


    totally swayed by him.


    In the midst of our chitchat, the door to the room was nudged open, and who should walk in but Russel.


    ¡°Dr. Russel, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Ethan Foster greeted Russel with even more warmth.


    Russel was decked out in a ck sweater and a brown jacket. His gaze swept over me, and his usually


    expressionless face revealing a hint of surprise.


    I could do nothing but look away.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m quite close with Dr. Russel¡¯s father. I¡¯ve been feeling a bit under the weathertely, so


    he¡¯s agreed to give me some medical advice. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Ethan Foster started to get a bit


    chatty, all the while maintaining his friendly smile..


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind.¡± I replied, just to y along.


    Russel kept quiet and took a seat between Ethan Foster and me.


    I was puzzled as to why Ethan Foster would call Russel here for a consultation in the middle of the


    night. It was just odd.


    After a few exchanges, Ethan Foster took a call and stepped out.


    The room was left in silence, with just Russel and me.


    A few minutes passed, and he was the one to break the silence. ¡®Neil¡¯s back with Bonnie. What¡¯s your


    take on that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any particr thoughts. All I want to do now is focus on my work¡± I didn¡¯t meet Russel¡¯s


    eyes and just replied calmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not angry or upset? Aren¡¯t you feeling like you¡¯ve been yed?¡± Russel cracked a small smile.


    ¡°I saw this daying. Neil is a long-time friend of yours; don¡¯t you know the kind of guy he is? I knew


    he couldn¡¯t stand being dumped by me, so he kept bugging me, just to dump me once he got me.¡± I


    picked up my cup and took a leisurely sip, my tone icy.


    Russel stared at me for a moment before asking, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    I gave a faint smile. ¡°Think whatever you want, Russel. As long as you stop making me feel awkward.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Russel chuckled and poured himself a ss of wine. He raised his ss to me. ¡°Hmm, maybe I


    should take it easy too. How about we justugh it off?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust Russel, but he did look sincere and frank at that moment. If he could ept


    it and live a good life with Chloe Reynolds without meddling in the affairs between Neil and me, that


    wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    I raised my ss. ¡®Deal


    After a few drinks, Ethan Foster still hadn¡¯t returned, which was odd. I wanted to get up and use the


    restroom and maybe check on him outside, but as soon as I stood up, everything went ck.


    I quickly sat back down. My vision started toe back a bit, but everything was blurry. I felt a


    throbbing pain in my temples and felt dizzy.


    Russel noticed something was off and furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I feel dizzy and weak¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t muster the strength to finish my sentence.


    At that moment, the door to the room opened, and Ethan Foster walked in. I heard him say, ¡°Dr.


    Russel, I think Ms. Finch might not be feeling well. Let¡¯s get a room here so you can look after her.¡±


    I was annoyed but couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    Russel¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°I can take her home.¡±


    ¡°A man should fight for the woman he loves, don¡¯t you think, Dr. Russel?¡± Ethan Foster¡¯s words were


    subtle, but it was clear he knew


    about my history with Russel and was hinting at Russel to do something drastic.


    Russel didn¡¯t respond. The next thing I knew, I was lifted up and carried outside.


    I had no idea where Russel was carrying me to. I had no strength left in my body, but it didn¡¯t seem to


    react in any other way. It was just pure weakness.


    After what felt like an eternity, I wasid down on soft bed. I strained to open my eyes and saw Russel


    in a blur.


    He had taken off his jacket and was sitting on the bed in his sweater. He gently touched my face, his


    voice low and menacing. ¡°Rena,


    what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Russel¡­¡± I managed to say, but my voice was barely audible.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I measure up to Neil in your eyes? Where do I fall short?¡± Russel¡¯s voice was bing


    increasingly disturbing. I started to feel scared.


    His hand moved to my chest and began to unbutton my clothes. I couldn¡¯t resist, and I felt like my heart


    was about to explode.


    This must be Ethan Foster¡¯s doing. He must have spiked my drink. His actions werepletely


    inconsistent with the image he projected.


    Just as my clothes were about toe off, Bonnie¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Godfather,


    didn¡¯t you say that you had two friends here too? Where are they?¡±


    ¡°Haha, those two friends of mine are a bit busy in the room. Let¡¯s not disturb them.¡±


    Ethan Foster¡¯s response clearly had a deeper meaning.


    Then he went on. ¡°Mr. Whitmore popped in today as well. Come to think of it, you probably know those


    two buddies of mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I do?¡± Neil¡¯s voice chimed in, giving me a startle.


    Russel also paused his movements. It felt like deja vu, yetpletely different.


    My breaths came out ragged. I was scared to even imagine what I¡¯d do if Russel really had the guts to


    do certain things.


    ¡°Your good pal, Russel, and your Ms. Finch.¡± Ethan Foster¡¯s words were crystal clear, as if there were a


    loudspeaker installed on the door.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Outside, it was dead quiet. My emotions were all over the ce. I hoped Neil could burst in and save


    me, but I was also afraid his appearance might arouse Ethan Foster¡¯s suspicion.


    Russel lowered his gaze at me and leaned in. ¡°Tell me, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°I hate you¡­¡± I barely managed to get the words out, my eyes glued to Russel.


    All the emotions in my heart could only be expressed through my eyes. I couldn¡¯t help but tear up.


    Russel was taken aback. He stared at me nkly and asked, ¡°He came with Bonnie, so why am I the


    one you hate?¡±

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317


    Chapter 317


    I was struck dumb and couldn¡¯t answer Russel¡¯s question to save my life.


    Even though only a couple of minutes had passed, it felt like a bloody eternity.


    While waiting for Neil to make a move, Russel suddenly leaned in and bit my neck, leaving a hickey on


    purpose. He gave me thisplicated yet helpless look before getting up to open the door


    Some of the tension inside me eased up, and at that moment, I just gave up resisting.


    As for what happened next, it was aplete blur. When I came around, I was back in Sapphire River


    Community, all prim and proper with nothing amiss.


    Hannah was by my side. The moment she saw me wake up, she immediately asked, ¡°Ms. Finch, you


    awake? You feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine; who brought me back?¡± Right now, that was all I cared about.


    ¡°It was Mr. Russel who brought you back. What the hell happened?¡± Hannah asked, a little edgy.


    After hearing her response, my heart tightened. Did he not open the door after all?


    Or maybe he did, but Nell didn¡¯t react, so Russel ended up bringing me back..


    If Neil didn¡¯t react, I didn¡¯t know whether to feel relieved that he kept his cool or disappointed.


    But whatever he did now was all for my sake. I had no right to me him.


    ¡°Did Neile by?¡± I couldn¡¯t resist asking in the end.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t¡± Hannah shook her head.


    I fell silent, feeling quite mixed up. But soon, I reassured myself that I shouldn¡¯t be so hard on Neil. As


    long as he could defeat Ethan Foster, Bonnie, and Gloria, it was all good.


    Once that happened, no one could pressure me because of my dad anymore. It would all be resolved,


    as would the issue with Oscar.


    Nell once told me that Oscar¡¯s death could be rted to some unknown secrets of StarGlow


    Enterprises.


    So, once Ethan Foster was taken down, all problems would be solved, including Gloria and Bonnie.


    Thinking like this made me feel a bit better.


    Hannah then asked if I wanted some lunch, and my tummy growled in reply. ¡°Sure, has mom eaten?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought her some food. She seems to be getting better recently. She should be able toe


    downstairs for meals in a couple of days.¡± Hannah told me excitedly.


    My mood brightened instantly. As long as Mom recovered soon and Dad got out, our family of three


    could be reunited


    Hannah was very caring towards me and Mom, so I wanted her to feel at ease and stay. After lunch, I


    told her. ¡°Hannah, let¡¯s go back to your hometown tomorrow and bring your parents over.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Hannah seemed surprised.


    ¡°Yep.¡± I just wanted to get out for a bit because what happenedst night made me ufortable. I


    didn¡¯t want to see Neil in the next few days, fearing that I wouldn¡¯t know how to face him.


    It was already settled, so Hannah didn¡¯t say more and just nodded, looking a bit worried.


    Early the next morning, I found Hannah, asked her to take care of Mom at home, and then got her


    parents¡¯ address from her. Bailey and I went over to pick them up.


    Her husband probably wouldn¡¯t recognize Bailey and me, so we could just pick up Hannah¡¯s parents


    directly.


    After setting off, Bailey drove towards Hannah¡¯s hometown. It was about a fourteen to fifteen-hour


    drive.


    As I was recalling the events of the night before, I fell asleep in the back seat and was awakened by


    Bailey. ¡°Ms. Finch, your phone has rung twice. It might be an important call; do you need to answer it?¡±


    I took out my phone and saw three missed calls from Neil.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; I¡¯ll call backter.¡± I silenced my phone and put it back, then continued to rest.


    My deliberate Ignorance resulted in a string of messages and missed calls from Nell. This was the first


    time he had tried to reach me


    so frequently. Seeing the bunch of red notifications on my phone made me a bit nervous.


    They were all messages from Neil.


    ¡°Where are you? Why aren¡¯t you answering your phone?¡±


    ¡°Pick up!¡±


    ¡°Did you elope with Russel?¡±


    I had to admit that sometimes Neil¡¯s imagination was quite surprising. In the end, I picked up his call.


    He didn¡¯t sound as mad as I thought he would; in fact, he sounded quite calm.


    ¡°Finally decided to pick up, huh? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up Hannah¡¯s parents, so I might not be back for a few days.¡± I said as I looked at the


    darkening sky outside.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Don¡¯t you want me to go with you?¡± Neil sounded displeased.


    ¡°No need; I¡¯m just picking someone up.¡± I replied, feeling a bit helpless.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the other night when you went to see Ethan Foster alone when you get back. Don¡¯t


    you care about your safety at all?¡± Neil sounded annoyed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you worry about Russel taking


    advantage of Ethan Foster and doing something to you?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t thought of that. In my view, Ethan Foster and Russel were twopletely different people. I


    couldn¡¯t connect them. If I knew Russel would be there that night, I probably wouldn¡¯t have gone.


    I fell silent, and my already oppressive mood got even worse.


    There was a sigh of resignation from Neil on the phone. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should listen to me on


    everything, but you can discuss anything with me. What was I supposed to do in a situation like that?


    Anything I did would¡¯ve felt wrong.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Actually, no matter what you did that night, I wouldn¡¯t have med you.¡± I sighed and replied softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried sick about you.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was a bit shaky, but he was trying hard to keep his cool. ¡°We¡¯ll


    soft it out when you¡¯re back.¡± Before I even had a chance to respond, Neil had already hung up.


    Bailey gingerly asked me. ¡°Ms. Finch, are you and Mr. Whitmore¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as it seems; we have our differences.¡± I answered vaguely.


    Bailey got the drift and didn¡¯t push any further. At that time, we had no clue that on this trip we would


    have a brush with death.


    Around 10 p.m., we arrived in the small town where the Morse family resided. Since it was prettyte


    and Bailey needed some shuteye, we decided to drop by the Morse family¡¯s house first.


    Hannah must have given her folks a heads up, so the Morses were super weing and even invited


    us to crash at their ce for the night.

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    Chapter 318


    I didn¡¯t necessanly have to personally pick up Hannah¡¯s parents, but I wanted to see where Oscar grew


    up.


    At night, I slept in his room. It was clean and simple, with a few photos of Oscar from his student days. I


    stared at these pictures for a long time as my eyes got all misty


    That night, I dreamed of Oscar He was working part time in a bar, and Lasked him ¡®Oscar, how have


    you been?¡±


    Oscar gave me a bright and cheerful smile, his voice still clear ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m doing alright. There¡¯s no


    need to worry about me


    When I woke up. I found my pillow wet with tears, and outside the door, I heard the voice of Oscar¡¯s


    mother, Mia Morse. ¡®Ms. Finch, time for breakfast¡±


    ¡°Ainight¡± I replied and got up


    I had nned to leave after breakfast, but before I could, someone came to see Oscars father, Henry


    Morse, to discuss somend sale matters I didn¡¯t understand the details, so I had to wait.


    I ended up waiting all day, so my n to return to Rosemont was dyed by another day.


    That night, something unexpected happened.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep due to the things on my mind, and Neil called. I didn¡¯t reject the call and hastily picked


    up.


    ¡°Irene, where are you? How can you go so far all by yourself? The voice on the other end was Faith


    Whitmore¡¯s She sounded worried but also a little bit happy. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re still willing to pick up Neil¡¯s


    calls.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Maam, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m here to fetch Oscar¡¯s parents.¡± I was a bit sleepy, but this call woke me up, and


    soon my eyes were wide open as I listened to Faith¡¯s voice.


    How could Faith be calling me from Neil¡¯s phone?


    Before I could think of what to say, Faith spoke again. ¡°Trene, I¡¯mpletely against Neil and Bonnie


    dating. I just gave him a piece of my mind today. If he insists on being with Bonnie, I¡¯ll cut him off


    completely! From now on, I¡¯ll treat you like my own daughter. Daughters are better than sons!¡±


    If Neil were here, he¡¯d probably feel super awkward.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please don¡¯t say that. These are Neil¡¯s choices, and he and I really aren¡¯t suitable¡± I tried to


    soothe Faith.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best match for him. He just doesn¡¯t appreciate you Irene, if you return to Sapphire River


    Community, let me know. I¡¯lle to see you I heard your mother woke up, so I want to visit her Faith


    rushed through her sentences, as if she were afraid that I¡¯d reject her.


    I figured my mom wouldn¡¯t want to see Faith, so I had to tactfully refuse. ¡°Maam, my mom needs to rest


    for now, and I don¡¯t want her to know about certain unpleasant things so soon. Once she¡¯s better, Ill


    invite you over for dinner, okay?¡±


    Faith was silent for a while and then sighed. I could hear her disappointment.


    ¡°Alright, I wait for you Faith finally said, resignedly.


    I was about to hang up when Neil¡¯s voice came through. ¡°When are youing back?¡±


    I nced at the time on my phone. It was already half past midnight. Even if I set off early in the


    morning, I¡¯d only reach homete at night


    ¡°Late tomorrow night¡± I replied. Just as I finished speaking, I heard what seemed like footsteps outside


    my window. I thought it was Henry and Mia, so I didn¡¯t give it much thought


    Tl be waiting for you at Sapphire River Community Neil spoke in a low voice, as if he were afraid that


    Faith would hear


    I felt a bit awkward, as if the vi in Sapphire River Community had be a secret rendezvous spot


    for Neil and me with no other purpose


    I could tell from Neil¡¯s voice that he seemed to want to tell me something he couldn¡¯t say over the


    phone.


    Just as I was figuring out how to respond, I suddenly smelled smoke wafting in through the window


    gap.


    I turned my head to look outside again and saw flickers of fire


    Panic set in, and I quickly jumped off the bed, flung open the window, and saw that the Morse family¡¯s


    yard was already aze.


    How could there be a fire here? The smoke made me cough, and Neil asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Fire¡± I quickly replied and hung up, immediately dialing the fire department


    I dashed out of my room Bailey lived next door, and Henry and Mia were in the room opposite mine, but


    they were all sound asleep and didn¡¯t seem to have noticed the fire


    I ran to Bailey¡¯s door and banged on it frantically while yelling towards the Morse parents¡¯ room. ¡°Fire


    Fire! Wake up!*


    It took a minute for Bailey to finally open his door in a panic. He looked at the fire in the yard, clearly in


    disbelief.


    The yard was covered with a ss roof, so the smoke couldn¡¯t escape, and my throat was already


    feeling unconfortable. But Henry and Mia still hadn¡¯t woken up.


    Bailey ran over and kicked their door, and they finally woke up.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? What¡¯s happening?!¡± Henry shouted in panic. ¡°Fire! Help!¡±


    Normally, if there was a fire, shouting for help would get the neighbors toe over. But tonight, the


    surroundings were eerily quiet, so no one came to help.


    Henry then ran to open the yard gate, only to find it locked from the outside!


    We were now trapped in this yard, which was like a furnace. Our lives were in danger.


    I called the fire department again, and their reply sent chills down my spine. ¡°A big truck is blocking the


    road; we can¡¯t contact the driver, and this is the only way¡­¡±


    They then told me some self protection measures, but the temperature was rising and the smoke was


    getting thicker. I hung up, grabbed Bailey and Mia¡¯s hands, and ran towards Oscar¡¯s room, with Henry


    following suit.


    There was an en suite in the room, so I quickly found some clothes and a towel, soaked them under


    the tap, and stuffed them in all the cracks in the door and windows. All that was left to do was wait for


    help.


    I asked Henry to call the neighbors, only to find out there was a promotion going on at a night market


    nearby. Everyone who showed up would get fifty bucks.


    Suddenly, it all clicked. This was too much of a coincidence. I had a feeling someone had deliberately


    set the fire and cut off all escape routes.


    The room was getting hotter and hotter, and there was no one to rescue us. In this critical moment, the


    image of Neil popped into my mind.


    But he was miles away; how could he possibly show up?


    ¡°Irene!¡±


    Through the roaring mes, I suddenly heard Neil¡¯s voice, filled with urgency and anger. ¡°Answer me!¡±


    How could Neil be here? I thought I was hallucinating. Was this some kind of deathbed illusion?


    The door in front of me waspletely consumed by the fire. I took a couple of steps back as the door


    teetered on the brink of copse.


    ¡°Neil, I¡­¡± I was about to say something but stopped myself. If Neil were to rush in now, he¡¯d definitely


    be in grave danger. Getting seriously burned by the mes would be inevitable.

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    ¡°Irene, where are you? Now I heard Faith¡¯s voicee through She was here too?


    Did they call me just now because they were already close here?


    I couldn¡¯t help but cough. The noise outside was getting louder, someone probably came to put out the


    fire


    Bailey handed me a wet cloth. ¡°Ms. Finch, cover your nose and mouth with this. Help is on the way.


    We¡¯ll be fine!¡±


    I nodded and looked at the Morses and saw their faces filled with panic. They just lost their son, and


    now this? If they got hurt, I would never forgive myself.


    I felt awful. If I hadn¡¯te here, they wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. Clearly, someone was out to get me


    and hurt the Morses as well.


    ¡°Crack!¡±


    A sharp noise came from above. I looked up to see the old beams, already a bit worn, beginning to


    loosen with the spreading fire.


    This was the closest I¡¯d ever been to death, but I tried to stay calm. I could hear the fire truck sirens in


    the distance. If we could hold on a little longer, we might be saved.


    But the Morses¡¯ house was too old to withstand this for long. When the beams finally gave way. I heard


    Mia scream, and I leaped towards her without thinking.


    Maybe it was guilt, but I was willing to do anything to protect Oscar¡¯s parents.


    I felt a heavy weight hit my back, followed by a searing pain. Then I felt water pouring down, putting out


    the fire on my back.


    ¡°Irene!¡± Neil¡¯s voice rang out, sounding desperate. ¡°Irene, answer me!¡±


    I wanted to reply, but I¡¯d inhaled too much smoke, and my throat was in agony. It was hard to speak.


    Something seemed to be pinning me down, immobilizing me.


    Just as I was about to pass out, I felt the weight lifting off me. I managed to lift my head and found that


    Neil was looking at me, his eyes red. The moment he saw me, his tears fell.


    ¡°Neil¡­¡± I croaked, barely audible.


    I wanted to say that I was the Morses bad luck charm.


    I wanted to ask about the Morses and about Bailey


    But I couldn¡¯t speak. Then everything went ck.


    I must have been burnt on my back.


    When I woke up. I was in pain and realized what had happened.


    I was in a hospital gown, lying on my side. Neil was asleep on the edge of my bed.


    He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept well; his brows were furrowed even in sleep.


    He must have been watching over me all night.


    I tried to move, but the pain in my back made me gasp. The slight sound woke Neil up.


    He opened his eyes, they were still red and bloodshot, with dark circles underneath.


    ¡°Are you awake? Does your back hurt?¡± Neil asked, his voice hoarse and tired.


    Tm alnight Howare Henry and the others?¡± I asked, looking at him anxiously


    Neil¡¯s face changed. You¡¯re womed about them? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s most seriously injured. They¡¯re


    okay, they just inhaled some smoke and are being treated¡±


    After hearing this, I let out a sigh of relief. Then something urred to me. ¡°Why are you here? Is your


    mom here too?¡±


    ¡°She sent me¡± Neil answered helplessly ¡°She found out you were here, gave Bonnie a piece of her


    mind, got the address from Hannah, and sent me here¡±


    I hadn¡¯t expected Faith to be so concerned about me. I felt she cared more for me than Neil did.


    With Faith not around, Neil and I didn¡¯t need to pretend to avoid each other. So I told him what I was


    thinking.


    was certain the fire at the Morses was a plot. Like someone knew I wasing and set the fire to get


    me


    But who, besides Hannah and Neil, whom I trust, would know I wasing?


    Neil frowned, seemingly puzzled


    Just then, Faith came in with some food. Neil and I were deep in thought, making the atmosphere


    tense.


    Faith thought Neil and I were having a silent standoff and dragged Neil up. ¡°Don¡¯t upset Irene. You


    should leave. I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face turned pale. He looked helpless.


    He got up and left the room.


    Faith sat down where he had been, held my hand, and looked at me sympathetically. ¡°Irene, you¡¯re too


    foolish. You should have sent someone for the Morses. Why did you have to go yourself? It was


    dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Madam, I¡­ I hesitated but didn¡¯t mention my guilt over Oscar.


    ¡°I know Neil¡¯s a jerk. God knows what Bonnie¡¯s been feeding him. They¡¯ve been at it for years. I¡¯ve


    talked to Bonnie, hoping she¡¯dy low.¡± Faith told me earnestly.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. If this kept up, I was worried about escaping unscathed.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Knowing I could no longer have kids made it clear there was no future for Neil and me.


    Seeing my silence, Faith continued. ¡°Hannah told me you came for her parents because of your


    friendship with Oscar. That makes me think you¡¯re a good girl with a strong sense of loyalty. I don¡¯t like


    Bonnie. She¡¯s too cunning¡±


    I didn¡¯t know whether to feel ttered or embarrassed by her praise.


    ¡°Madam, there are plenty of fish in the sea; Neil doesn¡¯t have to stick with Bonnie. He could try dating


    other girls. Me and Neil¡­ that¡¯s a ship that¡¯s sailed.¡± I said as I nced coldly at the hospital room


    door.


    Faith was taken aback, and then she let out a helpless sigh. ¡°I know he¡¯s hurt you, but I still think things


    aren¡¯t over between you two¡­¡± ¡°Madam, Irene.¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s voice echoed from the door; her face was a picture of sorrow. She must have heard some of


    the conversation between Faith and me.


    The moment Bonnie showed up, the smile on Faith¡¯s face vanished and was reced by a look of


    rejection and disgust.


    How on earth did Bonnie end up here?

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    Chapter 320


    I was quite puzzled but didn¡¯t show it, pretending to be calm..


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Faith had no sympathy or fondness for Bonnie. All her manners and etiquette


    were thrown out the window.


    Bonnie walked in with a bouquet of flowers in hand. She put the flowers by my bed and spoke in a


    scared tone. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I rushed overst night after hearing from a friend about the fire at Oscar¡¯s ce.


    I was concerned for his parents¡¯ safety. I didn¡¯t expect to find Irene at the Morse family¡¯s home and


    injured at that. So I came over to take care of her.¡±


    Faith¡¯s face was as cold as ice. Really? What a coincidence! Did you start the fire?¡±


    After Faith¡¯s response, Bonnie¡¯s face instantly turned white, as if a secret had been exposed.


    Faith¡¯s usation was offhand, but it got me suspicious. Given Bonnie¡¯s character, she could indeed


    do such a thing. But how could she know I was there?


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. How could I do such a thing? After all, I once dated Oscar. He was so


    good to me. And now that he¡¯s gone, how could I hurt his family?¡± Bonnie¡¯s act was apanied by


    tears. She pulled out her phone to show Faith something.


    ¡®Ever since Oscar passed away, I¡¯ve had trouble sleeping. I feel like if I hadn¡¯t broken up with him,


    things might have turned out differently. So, I¡¯ve been feeling guilty and secretly transferred some


    money to his parents. If I were that wicked, why would I do this?¡±


    Faith softened a bit after listening to Bonnie and seeing the transfer records on her phone.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Bonnie, always adept at reading the room, immediately started to wipe her tears as she saw Faith¡¯s


    attitude soften. ¡°I know that you¡¯re biased against me, Ma¡¯am. You think I¡¯m maniptive, but I¡¯m


    human too. How could I be indifferent and malicious when something like this happens?¡±


    As she spoke, she started crying uncontrobly. Her pretty eyes were like faucets that just poured out


    tears. It was pity-inducing


    Faiths main issue with Bonnie wasn¡¯t her background but her perception of Bonnie as a homewrecker


    with a moralpass gone haywire, unfit to marry into the Whitmore family.


    But Bonnie¡¯s act right now seemed to salvage her image somewhat.


    ¡®Ouch¡­¡±


    I let out a pained cry and tried to move my shoulder. Sleeping on my side had worn me out.


    I moved just a bit, and Faith¡¯s attention was back on me. ¡°Irene, are you okay? Are you in pain? Should


    I call the doctor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, as long as my face isn¡¯t disfigured.¡± I stopped Faith ¡°Maam, why don¡¯t you step out and chat


    with Bonnie? I need to rest.¡±


    I said this on purpose. I knew Faith would never choose to stay with Bonnie, and I didn¡¯t want to give


    Bonnie a chance to keep up her


    act


    After hearing this, Faith was instantly pissed off. She handed the flowers back to Bonnie. ¡°I don¡¯t want


    to ask too much about your business. Stop disturbing Irene¡¯s rest and leave.¡±


    ¡°Bonnie, they¡¯re in room 603.¡± I let it slip.


    Bonnie was confused. ¡°What? Room 603?¡±


    I pretended to be surprised. ¡®Don¡¯t you know which room Oscar¡¯s parents are in? I thought you¡¯d visited


    them, given how good Oscar was to you!¡±


    As soon as I finished, Bonnie was too embarrassed to look at me, and Faith seemed to get the picture.


    From Bonnie¡¯s rearti


    just now, it was clear that she didn¡¯t know about Oscar¡¯s parents¡¯ situation, which exined her


    confusion. This meant she was lying about caring for the Morse family.


    If she really cared, she would¡¯ve visited Henry and Mia at the first opportunity.


    Falth was a sharp one. She saw right through Bonnie¡¯s charade without needing me to spell it out. She


    knew Bonnie had been ying a part all along.


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Tueley, I think you should go care for those who really need it instead of bothering us


    here.¡± Faith¡¯s tone was stem, almost oppressive.


    I smiled at Bonnie and said nothing.


    Bonnie, who was just ying the victim, now had a look of malice in her eyes. Her re at me was full


    of hatred.


    Seeing Bonnie¡¯s expression made Faith even angrier. She walked over, grabbed Bonnie¡¯s hand, and


    dragged her out. Bonnie was probably surprised by Faith¡¯s uncharacteristic action. She was stunned


    for a moment and almost stumbled.


    The corners of my mouth tumed up in a barely noticeable smile, making me feel a bit more at ease.


    11:20


    ¡±


    pter


    After Bonnie was chased away, Faith returned to my side. ¡°Where¡¯s Neil? Irene, I¡¯ll go find him.¡±


    After looking at Faith¡¯s expression, I could tell what she was worried about. She was afraid Neil would


    run into Bonnie and stay with her


    again.


    Bonnie had just been wronged, who knew if she¡¯d go look for Neil forfort?


    ¡°Okay¡± I replied.


    Once Faith left, the room was quiet, save for the asional footsteps outside. I picked up my phone


    and called Hannah to exin what happened


    Hannah was quite upset after hearing the story. ¡°It must be that jerk! He threatened me, saying I¡¯d


    eventually have toe home, but if my parents dared to leave, he¡¯d hurt my whole family!¡±


    ¡®But how would he know that I went to pick up your parents? He shouldn¡¯t know me, let alone when I¡¯d


    come.¡± I was puzzled


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe he saw someone going to my house and got suspicious? Hannah started


    crying ¡°He¡¯s a lunatic; he¡¯spletely irrational!¡±


    I thought the exnation was a bit far-fetched. By the time I got there, it was alreadyte, and there


    was no way Hannah¡¯s husband could have seen me.


    Hannah wanted toe back, but I stopped her. ¡°You can¡¯te back. If your husband really did this,


    it¡¯ll be worse for you if he finds out you¡¯re back. Your parents are fine. We¡¯ll head back once I¡¯ve sorted


    things out here.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m so sorry you got hurt.¡± Hannah was feeling guilty as hell.


    But I was the one feeling guilty. I had a sneaking suspicion that the fire wasn¡¯t really targeting her


    parents, but me.


    Bonnie¡¯s sudden appearance made me even more suspicious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just take good care of my mom and try to keep her in the dark about all this.¡± I reassured


    Hannah before hanging up.


    As I was pondering all this, I saw a figure quickly pass by the doorway. He wasn¡¯t a medical staff


    member, nor was he anyone I knew.


    It was a strange man.


    I immediately became alert and didn¡¯t hesitate to hit the call button. Just as I did, the man walked in


    and was about to close the door.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I quickly and loudly asked him.


    As he was about to shut the door, a nurse arrived just in time and pushed the door open. ¡°What¡¯s going


    on?¡±

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    Chapter 321


    ¡°Nurse, I don¡¯t know this man; can you get him out of here?¡±


    Maybe it was because I had seen enough crazy stuff, but my gut feeling was now as sharp as a razor.


    The nurse gave the guy a look, and her rm bells instantly went off. She said sternly. ¡°Leave, don¡¯t


    disturb the patient, or I¡¯ll call security!¡±


    The man red at me with such a chill. I didn¡¯t know him, but he looked at me like I was his worst


    enemy.


    With the medical staff present, he didn¡¯t dare linger. He made up an excuse, ¡°Sorry, wrong room.¡±


    And with that, he turned and left.


    Even after he left, I still had the creeps. I didn¡¯t know this ce well, and being here alone felt risky.


    After a bit of thinking, I decided to call Neil.


    ¡°You better take good care of Irene! If you go after that tramp Bonnie again, I swear I¡¯ll cut ties with


    you!¡± Just as I dialed the number, the hospital room door burst open, and Faith¡¯s voice echoed from


    afar.


    Soon, Neil¡¯s phone started ringing. He nced at the caller ID, then at me.


    I immediately hung up, but Faith still noticed. ¡°Irene, were you just calling Neil? Are you scared he¡¯ll go


    see Bonnie?¡±


    Caught off guard by her smug face, I was momentarily speechless.


    Neil nced at her and exined. ¡®It was a call from the office¡±


    ¡°I was just calling Hannah to update her on the situation.¡± I denied it too.


    Faith¡¯s face fell, but she quickly put on a smile. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to grab something to eat while you


    chat.¡±


    With that, she left, leaving me and Neil alone.


    After Faith left, Neil and exchanged a look of mutual helplessness. Keeping people in the dark was for


    their own protection, but Faith was clearly overthinking things.


    Thinking back to the man earlier, I told Neil, ¡°Ask the doctor if I can leave tomorrow to continue


    treatment in Rosemont.¡±


    ¡°What happened? It¡¯s fine to wait until you¡¯re better before going back.¡± Neil seemed to disagree


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°There was a guy here just now, I got bad vibes from him. It¡¯s better to get out of here sooner rather


    thanter I voiced my concerns..


    The Morse family was also in the hospital. What would I tell Hannah if anything happened to them?


    Neil frowned. His train of thought was now simr to imine. ¡°You think that man is Hannah¡¯s husband?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Yes. And I suspect he¡¯s involved in the arson, like Bonnie.¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t say a word; he was deep in thought. I was also lost in my doubts. Suddenly, I remembered


    someone.


    I called Malinda, whom I had put in a secluded ce not only to avoid Bonnie but also to give her a


    quiet ce to recover


    Neil watched me, not interrupting.


    ¡°Malinda, when Bonnie and Oscar were together did she share everything about their rtionship with


    you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, we were very close during that time.¡± Malinda replied.


    ¡®She¡¯s been to Oscar¡¯s house. Do you know what her rtionship with Oscar¡¯s brother-inw was


    like?¡± The only thing I could think of right now was this.


    Malinda was silent for a moment, trying to recall the past, before answering me. ¡°Their rtionship was


    pretty good. Oscar¡¯s brother-inw used to be a domestic abuser, but he was good to Bonnie at that


    time. She even bragged to me about it.¡±


    That made sense. Bonnie could have teamed up with Hannah¡¯s husband, given their respective


    grudges against the Morse family and


    1.


    But then I thought of more questions. How did Bonnie know I was here? How did she notify that guy?


    ¡°Okay, I get it¡± I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Bonnie really hadn¡¯t changed one bit, she


    was openly trying to kill me now. Neil had been listening in on the call since I had it on speaker, so he


    didn¡¯t need me to repeat the conversation.


    We looked at each other for a while, neither of us speaking.


    After a moment, Neil finally spoke. ¡°We need to change the n.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked.


    I handle Ethan Foster myself; there¡¯s no need to go through Bonnie anymore.¡± Neil¡¯s voice suddenly


    became stem ¡°He Bonni


    Gloria are all in on it. If we take him down, everything else will fall into ce.¡±


    ¡°What are you nning to do? Confront him directly?¡± I started to worry. Even though I had thought


    about using Neil before, I didn¡¯t want him to risk everything.


    Ethan Foster was no pushover, taking him down would take some effort.


    Neil¡¯s eyes hardened. ¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll only be in more danger. And I¡¯m running out of patience with


    Bonnie.¡±


    I was taken aback. I hadn¡¯t expected Neil to prioritize my safety.


    ¡°Neil, we¡¯vee this far, let¡¯s not take any more risks.¡± I said, a bit awkwardly.


    Neil looked at me for a while, then suddenly asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you jealous?¡±


    I was taken aback. ¡°Jealous of what?¡±


    My answer seemed to upset Neil.


    ¡°Seeing me with Bonnie, you¡¯re not jealous at all? You don¡¯t feel anything?¡±


    I finally realized what he was getting at and immediately understood that Neil was angry. If I said I


    wasn¡¯t jealous, that meant I didn¡¯t care about him and had no desire to have him to myself.


    But did I care about him? I didn¡¯t dare to delve into my feelings. Regardless of the answer, it was a


    heavy thought.


    Since Neil had asked me this question, I had to answer


    ¡°I am jealous, but I can understand you.¡± I thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°Like when you didn¡¯t


    barge in to find me that day, I was disappointed, but I understood soon after.¡±


    Nell¡¯s face eased up ad. He got up, walked to the door, locked it, and then came back to the bedside.


    He propped himself on the edge of the bed with both hands and leaned in with his fit body slightly bent.


    His lips twitched. ¡°I almost switched gears that day. I wasn¡¯t nning on letting Ethan Foster and


    Russel leave there alive.¡±


    I stared at Neil in shock. I had no idea that he was that pissed off back then.


    ¡°Luckily, you weren¡¯t hurt. Just this spot¡± Neil lifted a hand, pointed out with his index finger, lightly


    hooked my cor, and touched a spot on my neck. ¡°Russel grazed this spot on your neck, but that¡¯s not


    your fault. It¡¯s on him.¡±


    I felt like Neil¡¯s fingertip was a bit cold, so I couldn¡¯t help but shrink my neck and then roll over toy


    t.

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    Chapter 322


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    I immediately yelled out in pain. The burn on my back wasn¡¯t that big, the bruised area took up more of


    my back. But the burn hurt so much that I couldn¡¯t handle it.


    Neil quickly grabbed my shoulders and helped me back into a side-lying position. He said


    sympathetically, ¡°I know it hurts, just try to bear it.¡±


    ¡°I think I just lie down for a bit.¡± I was still lost in pain, feelingpletely drained. All I wanted was to lie


    down and rest.


    Neil looked a bit puzzled. ¡°Lie down and rest? Is that a good position?¡±


    He probably asked unconsciously, but I immediately got his point. I felt a bit embarrassed and didn¡¯t


    answer his question.


    When Neil realized what he¡¯d said, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. He had a nice voice, and it was even


    more charming when heughed. ¡°But given the size of your breasts, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be under much


    stress. He joked about my figure at such a time?


    I was unfazed. ¡°You¡¯re right. Your technique is not good.¡±


    Neil¡¯s smile disappeared instantly, and he quickly asked. ¡°My technique is not good?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, why haven¡¯t you reacted yet?¡¯ I was feeling a bit better, I was even joking with Neil.


    On hearing this, Neil asked suggestively. ¡®Do you need me to try it out now?¡±


    I was immediately on guard Luckily, I was lying down, so Neil couldn¡¯t do anything if he wanted to.


    Neil also realized the problem, and he sighed helplessly. I¡¯ll just wait until you¡¯re better, we¡¯ll try it then.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the doctor to arrange the discharge and take Bailey and the others with you.¡± I


    changed the subject and instructed Neil.


    Neil nodded, ¡°Okay, III ask my mom to apany you, it¡¯ll be safer.¡±


    Soon, Faith, who was shopping outside, returned. When she heard that I was going to be discharged


    the next day, she tried to earnestly persuade me to return with her. ¡°Irene, why don¡¯t you move back to


    Sterling Estates? I can take care of you there. You can bring your


    mom too.¡±


    I responded. ¡°Well see. Don¡¯t worry, I have Hannah to look after me.¡±


    Faith sighed deeply, not insisting anymore.


    The next day. Neil arranged my discharge.


    To my surprise, Bonnie appeared again. She stood next to Neil, looking nervous,


    As soon as Faith saw Bonnie, she got angry. She snapped, ¡°What are you doing here again? Neil, did


    you invite her to the hospital?!¡± ¡°She¡¯sing back with us¡± Neil said while looking at me.


    I immediately showed displeasure, frowning and not saying anything.


    I could feel Bonnie watching my reaction.


    ¡°No way!¡± Faith tly refused. ¡°She can go back the way she came!¡±


    ¡°I came by ne. Neil said you were nning to go back to Rosemont today and asked me to go with


    you. Sorry for the inconvenience.¡± Bonnie didn¡¯t sound sorry at all, she seemed rather pleased.


    Faith¡¯s face darkened. I could feel the tension in the air, Bonnie was surprisinglyposed.


    ¡°I¡¯m totally against it!¡± Faith dered firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly share cor with her. Neil, you make the


    decision.¡±


    ¡°You can take her car¡± Neil nodded at me, indicating that Faith should take my car.


    Faith looked taken aback. I immediately said, ¡®Faith, why don¡¯t you ride with Oscar¡¯s parents? Bailey


    can drive. That¡¯s four people. Nell and I can go together¡±


    I seemed to confuse Faith even more. She opened her mouth to say something but didn¡¯t.


    In the end, Neil, Bonnie, and I shared a car. I was injured, and my back couldn¡¯t touch anything. If it had


    to, it had to be cushioned with a pillow to alleviate the pain.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Bonnie opened the rear car door for me. ¡°Irene, why don¡¯t you sit in the back? There¡¯s more space, and


    you can lie down if you¡¯re ufortable.¡±


    ¡°Fire¡± I responded coldly and got in the back. As long as I didn¡¯t touch the wound, I was mobile.


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t object, Bonnie smiled and took the front seat.


    Neil didn¡¯t bring his driver this time, so he drove. Bonnie chatted with him all the way,pletely


    ignoring me.


    I didn¡¯t mind, but it reminded me of myself in the past, going out with Neil, sitting in the passenger seat,


    trying to make conversation. It was a happy feeling.


    ¡°Neil, can I try driving? It¡¯s a long way. You shouldn¡¯t be driving all the time. I want to drive too.¡± Bonnie


    suggested this when we were taking a break.


    ¡°No need.¡± Neil refused outright.


    ¡°Please let me try, okay? If not, I¡¯m not going!¡± Bonnie started to act spoiled.


    Neil didn¡¯t react, but I knew this wouldn¡¯t work, I signaled him to agree to Bonnie¡¯s request.


    Neil took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. I could tell from his face that he was trying to control his


    temper.


    ¡°Okay, but drive slowly.¡± Neil finally agreed.


    Bonnie was thrilled. She took over the driving for the rest of the journey. Neil sat in the passenger seat.


    I thought Bonnie would just drive a bit slow, but it turned out to be quite the surprise.


    As soon as we got off the highway, Bonnie started braking abruptly. The car would jerk to a stop now


    and then. Because of the inertia, I kept swaying back and forth. I bumped my back several times,


    causing me to break out in a cold sweat.


    We had another sudden stop, and the pain in my back made me gasp.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m sorry. The road here isn¡¯t very good for driving. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± Bonnie


    apologized with a guilty look on her face.


    Obviously, she did it on purpose. I¡¯m not a fool.


    Bearing the pain, I said, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t drive anymore.¡±


    ¡°Are you dissing me?¡± Bonnie asked in a hurt tone. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying my best to drive smoothly, Irene.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, okay?¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than the car suddenly ran over something. I was thrown back, the


    pain almost making me pass


    out.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Neil suddenly yelled, and the car pulled over. ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    Neil¡¯s outburst scared Bonnie into silence. He got out of the car with a frown and walked over to the


    driver¡¯s side, and Bonnie, with tears


    in her eyes, got out.


    I was in too much pain to pay attention to their reactions.


    ¡°Neil, do you¡­ do you think I did it on purpose?¡± Bonnie asked with a sob as the car started again.


    Nell replied coldly, ¡°No, I just think you¡¯re not familiar with this car.¡±


    Bonnie looked back at me, her eyes full of jealousy. ¡°No, you¡¯re just worried that I might hurt Irene while


    driving.¡±

 Chapter 323

    Chapter 323


    Chapter 323


    Bonnie was actually super sensitive. She could sense even the tiniest bit of attention that Neil gave me.


    I pretended that I didn¡¯t hear anything and just closed my eyes so I could rx.


    Since I ignored her and she got no response from Neil, Bonnie couldn¡¯t vent her anger. She just


    withdrew her gaze in frustration and deliberately flopped down heavily, making a loud noise


    This childish tantrum obviously didn¡¯t catch Neil¡¯s attention. The car was silent all the way, no one


    uttered a word.


    By the time we got back to Rosemont, it waste at night. Neil dropped me off at Sapphire River


    Community first, then took Bonnie home.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re back!¡± Hannah Morse was waiting for us. She rushed over to help me. ¡°Did you get


    hurt anywhere? Is it bad?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m good, I just have a scratch on my back. Don¡¯t worry about it. Your parents should be


    here soon. Go arrange a room for them to rest, okay?¡±


    Hannah looked at the front gate. I knew she was dying to see her parents, but Bailey drove slower than


    Neil, so we had to wait a bit longer


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Finch, I truly appreciate all you¡¯ve done for us!¡± Hannah said gratefully as tears welled up


    in her eyes.


    I felt a bit guilty. Truth be told, if I hadn¡¯t deliberately approached Oscar after my rebirth, his life would


    probably be the same as it was during my past life. He would be living a peaceful life somewhere out of


    my sight.


    After Hannah went to prepare the room, I waited alone at the door for a while since Faith was still in the


    car. I needed to take care of her feelings. My mom was already asleep, so I wasn¡¯t worried about her


    saying anything to my mom.


    About half an hourter, the car stopped outside the gate. I went out and saw Hannah¡¯s parents and


    Faith getting out of the car. Everyone seemed a bit tired, road trips could be exhausting.


    ¡°Irene, where is Neil?¡± The first thing Faith did after getting out of the car was ask about Neil.


    ¡°He probably went to drop Bonnie off. Would you like Bailey to take you home first, or do you need


    some rest?¡± I asked politely.


    Upon hearing that Neil had taken Bonnie home, Faith immediately showed her displeasure.


    She nced at my front door and hesitated for a moment, ¡°Let Bailey take me home. I wille to visit


    your mother when she feels -better.¡±


    Faith actually relieved me. Perhaps she was also worried about making me ufortable, as I had


    previously politely declined her


    offer.


    I didn¡¯t insist. ¡°Bailey, could you please take Faith home? After that you can go home and rest. You


    don¡¯t need toe to work for the next couple of days.¡±


    Bailey nodded, not saying much.


    Faith got back in the car.


    I looked at Hannah¡¯s parents in the yard and said warmly, ¡°Hannah is inside. Let¡¯s go in. You can stay


    here for the next few days, and I¡¯ll arrange a suitable ce for youter.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯ve done so much for us. Especially considering what happened at our house¡­¡± Henry


    Morse seemed quite embarrassed.


    ¡°Oscar and I were good friends. Now that he¡¯s gone, I¡¯ll take care of you guys for him.¡± I interrupted


    Henry because the more he said, the more upset I felt


    I look Hannah¡¯s parents into the house. Hannah was already in the living room. She was so happy to


    see her parents that tears rolled down her cheeks. After being abused by her husband and finally


    escaping, her biggest worry was her parents. Now, at least, she had no worries behind her.


    While they had their family reunion, I slipped away to rest in my room. I guessed I wouldn¡¯t be able to


    sleep well for a while. I had to sleep on my side or face down, and someone needed to help me with


    my medication.


    I needed to figure out a way to find evidence of Bonnie and Hannah¡¯s husband setting the fire. That


    way, Bonnie could go to jail and reflect on her deeds.


    I didn¡¯t sleep well that night. Sleeping face down was really tiring, so I woke up early.


    To my surprise, Neil was already here, having breakfast in the dining room. Sitting next to him were


    Hannah¡¯s parents, who seemed a bit nervous. After all, Neil¡¯s cold face usually seemed very aloof.


    Luckily, my mom was resting upstairs. If she came down and saw Neil, she might lose control of her


    emotions.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, breakfast is ready. Mr. Whitmore arrived, so I let him eat first. You should eat too.¡± Hannah


    spoke with a smile on her face,


    she was in a good mood.


    Hannah¡¯s parents nodded at me. I smiled, ¡°Okay, you let your parents eat first, don¡¯t wait for me.¡±


    Hannah immediately shook her head. ¡°No can do, Ms. Finch. I¡¯m working here now, and you bringing


    my parents over is already a big help. We can¡¯t make any more demands.¡±


    The Morse family was truly kind. No wonder they raised a boy as outstanding as Oscar. I really didn¡¯t


    understand how he ended up with a girlfriend like Bonnie.


    Neil just listened to us talk without saying anything. I felt like he was in a bad mood.


    But with so many people around, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for me to ask. I just sat next to him and had my


    breakfast.


    Luckily, Hannah¡¯s family was very considerate. After eating a bit, they left right away, leaving a private


    space for Neil and me.


    ¡°I checked Bonnie¡¯s call records and will send them to youter. Take a look.¡± Neil started speaking


    first, which surprised me.


    ¡°You found it so fast?¡± I asked in astonishment.


    ¡°Well, as long as it¡¯s not about Ethan Foster, things are pretty straightforward. Neil raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Hannah¡¯s husband is easy to handle; I¡¯ll get him detained by the police. But you have to cooperate


    with FarHorizon Group as soon as possible. Even though Ethan Foster is trying to set you up, you can


    only find useful information by stepping into his trap. Once he falls, StarGlow Enterprises will fall too,


    and Gloria¡¯s current husband won¡¯t be able to protect her either¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    It was clear Neil was running out of patience; this was indeed a tough ask for him. But he still did


    ¡°Got it.¡± I responded.


    lot for me.


    ¡°I need to take off. I might meet Ethan Foster in the next few days. He has a crucial document, and if


    we can get that document, all our problems will be solved.¡± Neil stood up to leave, and I could feel his


    coldness towards me, which felt a bit odd.


    As he left, I followed suit.


    We both walked all the way to the neighboring vi, and only then did Neil stop. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried


    your mom might see us?¡±


    ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± I asked directly.


    At this critical juncture, I didn¡¯t want any misunderstandings with Nell. Once the issue was resolved, I


    might choose to leave or bel caught in indecision.


    It seemed like Neil was waiting for me to ask this question. He scoffed, ¡®Irene,st night I took another


    woman home. Are you really not worried about me at all?

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324


    Chapter 324


    I was totally lost. What was he trying to say?


    Neil looked at me all puzzled, then suddenly his face darkened and he just walked away.


    I followed him in confusion. After a while, it hit me. I hadn¡¯t checked if Neil had gotten homest night.


    After he drove off, I didn¡¯t bother to ask. I didn¡¯t really care about what could happen between him and


    Bonnie.


    Was that why he was mad?


    I noticed Neil getting jealous more easily, and always for unclear reasons.


    ¡°I was too tiredst night and fell asleep. I meant to check on you¡­¡± I said patiently. ¡°I trust you, so I


    don¡¯t need to ask too much, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to pull the wool over my eyes. I know how you used to treat me and how you treat me now¡±


    Neil replied coldly.


    He remembered how I used to treat him? My one-sided feelings back then must have left a mark.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be happy, but I just burst intoughter


    ¡°You¡¯reughing now? You¡¯ve got guts.¡± Neil saw meughing and got even madder. ¡°Don¡¯t think that


    just because you¡¯re hurt, I won¡¯t do anything to you.¡±


    I stoppedughing immediately.


    days. It will take some time. Alight, it¡¯s all my fault. Now go get busy. I¡¯ll try to get Ethan Foster to sign


    the contract in the next few


    ¡°Good, you owe me after this is over,¡± Neil reminded me before he left. I pretended to agree, but I felt


    uneasy.


    How was I supposed to make it up to Neil? Have a baby for him? That was never going to happen.


    After things were finally settled, Neil might start hating me.


    My mom was awake now, and as long as she recovered well, she could go back to work. All I had to do


    was help her.


    ¡°Neil, I need to talk to you!¡± I called out to Neil.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Neil stopped, looking puzzled.


    ¡°You should watch out for Louis Aldridge. It would be a good thing if you could keep him out of


    Whitmore Co. I hadn¡¯t meant to say this, but after seeing all that Neil had done for me, I considered it


    payback.


    Neil¡¯s face changed Instantly. He probably had a hunch, but he valued his friends very much. Apart


    from the strained rtionship he had with Russel because of me, he always put his friends first,


    especially Louis, whom he had grown up with.


    His mood seemed to have eased a bit, as if he were reassuring me. ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±


    Then he left.


    About three dayster, Hannah received a phone call saying her husband had been arrested for arson


    and murder. Only then did she realize that the fire at their home was indeed set by her husband.


    You can file for divorce now.¡± I reminded Hannah.


    ¡°I pray that I will never see him again!¡± Hannah cursed her husband. There was not a trace of affection


    for him in her eyes, only hatred.


    But I still didn¡¯t understand why Bonnie had never been punished. I thought someone was protecting


    her Later, I found out that Neil had not used all the evidence and had let Bonnie off the hook on


    purpose.


    Neil and I were in sync, we didn¡¯t contact each other, but we each focused on our own things. When I


    returned to thepany, I took the initiative to contact FarHorizon Group and agreed to their


    cooperation proposal, which gave me the opportunity to learn about the internal situation of FarHorizon


    Group.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, Ms. Reynolds wants to see you¡± My assistant reported in a hurry.


    Why was Chloe Reynolds looking for me again? Shouldn¡¯t she be living a sweet life with Russel now?


    had mixed feelings as I remembered the rumors on the inte and the IP address that showed her


    location. Chloe didn¡¯t seem as innocent as she looked. For Russel, she might do all sorts of


    unexpected things.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time right now I replied.


    But I didn¡¯t expect Chloe to wait for me until I finished work. She was waiting for me at thepany¡¯s


    entrance.


    I frowned, not wanting to talk to her.


    However, Chloe came over and asked concernedly. ¡°Ms. Finch, I heard you were injured. Are you


    feeling better now?¡±


    I was recovering well. Many people cared for me, like Ste, Hannah, and thepany¡¯s staff. But


    Chloe¡¯s sudden concem made me feel a bit strange.


    1/2


    I¡¯m fine, what¡¯s up?¡± I replied casually.


    Chloe looked around as if it weren¡¯t a good ce to talk and asked quietly. ¡°Can we go for a coffee? I


    want to talk to you.¡±


    She looked at me expectantly; her eyes were full of urgency, as if she needed my help with something


    important.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But I didn¡¯t want to talk to her about anything right now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time, Ms. Reynolds. We¡¯re not close.¡± I replied coldly.


    I used to be nice to Chloe. I thought it wasn¡¯t easy for her to love Russel so much while he didn¡¯t love


    her at all. But after I found out she had hurt me, I had no reason to be nice to her anymore.


    Chloe was surprised by my change in attitude and awkwardly asked, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re not close, but we can


    still chat, right? You know, if it weren¡¯t for Russel, I wouldn¡¯t bother you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re engaged to Russel, so you¡¯re his future wife; why do you need me?¡± I asked back, puzzled.


    On hearing this, Chloe¡¯s face changed instantly ¡°Ms. Finch, can you help me? Russel wants to break


    off our engagement.¡±


    I was taken aback but quickly regained myposure. Russel had mentioned this to me before, I just


    didn¡¯t think he would really do it.


    So Chloe was here to ask me to persuade Russel


    I was beyond peeved. ¡°Ms. Reynolds, I reckon you should sort this out with Russel, not me. I¡¯m done


    with him, and I am not getting involved in your mess. So, kindly stop bugging me.¡¯ I said, my tone icy


    cold.


    I knew if I kept sticking my nose in their business, one day Chloe mighte at me again out of


    jealousy.


    Chloe looked super awkward, her eyes were brimming with tears. ¡®Ms. Finch, I¡¯m head over heels for


    Russel, so I want to stand by him, but he¡¯s still hung up on you. I¡¯m out of options except foring to


    you.¡±


    I was about to respond when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Russel in the distance. He looked


    stone-cold, and when he nced at Chloe, his eyes were filled with sheer hatred.


    I realized he was nothing like the Russel I knew. It felt like he was a total stranger to me.

 Chapter 325

    Chapter 325


    Chapter 325


    Chloe Reynolds spotted Russel Dawson, and her face instantly turned as pale as a ghost


    Russel sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to be thrilled about her looking for me.


    ¡°Ms. Reynolds, I got stuff to do. You guys carry on.¡± I dodged Chloe and left with a poker face.


    I was so over dealing with these two. Both of them had previously plotted against me.


    My feelings for Russel were all over the ce now, from trust to regret, to the current state of


    estrangement and suspicion. It seemed like we were drifting further apart.


    ¡°I get it,¡± Chloe responded in a whisper, not daring to face Russel. She left even faster than me,


    heading for the exit.


    When she passed by Russel, she paused slightly. But Russel didn¡¯t even nce at her, his eyes were


    on me the whole time.


    I felt uneasy, and his gaze was suffocating.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He suddenly spoke as I passed by him, ¡°She shouldn¡¯t havee to see you and caused you


    trouble; it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Russel, you gotta take your life decisions more seriously, don¡¯t be so casual about it.¡± I stopped,


    thought for a moment, then decided to give him a piece of advice


    I was unsure if Chloe heard, but it didn¡¯t matter. My advice to Russel wasn¡¯t about Chloe: I just wanted


    them to stop bothering me.


    I didn¡¯t want Russel¡¯s past actions to affect me again, he was already showing signs of regression. I


    just wanted to distance myself from him.


    Russel stared at me intensely. I avoided his gaze and quickly left.


    Just as I got in my car, I received a text from Russel saying, ¡°Neil Whitmore can help you, and so can I.


    Whether it¡¯s dealing with Ethan Foster or Bonnie Tueley, just give me a chance,¡±


    The message freaked me out. Did Russel know about my ns with Neil?


    His rtionship with Bonnie was aplicated mix of friend and foe. If I pissed him off, would he tip off


    Bonnie and Ethan Foster?


    There was this extremely important document, and the only way to get it was to get close to Ethan


    Foster. It contained a lot of evidence of his illegal activities, including stuff about my father and Oscar


    Morse.


    -I didn¡¯t reply. Instead, I blocked Russel. Any exnation would make me seem guilty.


    I got home to find my mom sitting in the living room, looking a bit thinner than before but otherwise fine,


    just like always. She smiled at me and asked, ¡°Surprised to see me downstairs today?¡±


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re amazing!¡± I ran over to her excitedly, hugging her arm, ¡°You¡¯ll be back to your old self in


    no time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but where¡¯s your dad? I had Hannah call him, but he didn¡¯t pick up.¡±


    Every time I thought about this, it gave me a headache. My mom¡¯s recovery was going well. I couldn¡¯t


    tell her the sad truth, it might upset her, which wouldn¡¯t be good for her health.


    Hannah Morse looked at me nervously.


    ¡°Mom, Dad¡¯s actually on a trip overseas. He was worned sick about you; I didn¡¯t want him to worry


    himself sick, so I let him go on a trip with some friends. He might be hard to reach because of the time


    difference, but don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be back soon.¡± I tried toe up with a reasonable excuse tofort


    her.


    If everything went ording to n with Neil, and if we could speed things up, my dad should be able


    to get out of jail.


    Mom seemed skeptical, but seeing how serious I was, she eventually nodded, ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±


    Before bed, I gave Neil a call. I wasn¡¯t in a rush before my mom started pushing, but now I felt the


    pressure.


    Neil had been at Sterling Estates for a while now, and Bonnie had been clinging to him, so it was risky


    for him toe back.


    ¡°Ive made considerable progress with Ethan Foster, Neil reassured me, ¡°Ill wrap things up as soon as I


    can. You¡¯ve signed a contract


    with FarHorizon Group, try to prate their organization, and keep an eye out for anything


    suspicious.¡±


    ¡®Right, Russel came to mypany today. I feel like he might be onto something. If he spills the beans


    to Ethan Foster and Bonnie, we¡¯re screwed¡± I worried.


    But Neil wasn¡¯t concerned as he said, ¡°He won¡¯t spill as long as he still has feelings for you.¡±


    Neil was certain, but there was a hint of seriousness in his tone. The mention of Russel clearly irked


    him.


    Actually, he had a point. If Russel still had feelings for me, he wouldn¡¯t betray me. If he did, we¡¯d be


    enemies.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    After hearing Neil¡¯s words, I felt a bit relieved. I was about to hang up and rest when Neil asked, ¡°Miss


    me?¡±


    ¡°A bit.¡± I admitted, regardless of the reason, I did miss him.


    ¡°Just a bit?¡± Neil¡¯s tone changed, and he sounded obviously upset, ¡°After all I¡¯ve done for you, you only


    miss me a bit. Irene Finch, do you have another man?¡±


    I was at a loss for words and took a moment to collect my thoughts before responding, ¡°Neil, are you


    being overly sensitive?¡±


    There was silence on the other end of the line. After a while, Neil threatened, ¡°If you really fall for


    another guy, you know what will happen.¡±


    Of course, I knew. If Neil found out I betrayed him, both I and the other guy would be in deep trouble.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I got it, I won¡¯t do that,¡± I soothed Neil like a child.


    ¡°Then give me a kiss.¡± Neil¡¯s request took me by surprise. What had gotten into him to make such a


    request?


    I was going to turn him down, but considering Neil¡¯s temper, I was afraid he¡¯d blow a gasket over this


    trifle, so I yed along and kissed him over the phone.


    It seemed Neil was pretty chuffed. His voice even softened up a bit as he said, ¡°Good girl, get some


    shut-eye.¡±


    ¡°Night,¡± I said, feeling kinda awkward. I¡¯ve known Neil for years, but this was a first for me. Even when I


    was head over heels for him, I never did this, afraid he¡¯d be put off.


    After hanging up, my face felt like it was on fire. I quickly sshed some cold water on it to cool down.


    My heart was racing, making me jittery. I thought I¡¯d solve the problem and then make myself scarce,


    so why was my heart wavering?

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326


    Chapter 326


    Ever since that call, mymunication with Neil had dwindled to almost nothing besides necessary


    interactions.


    I didn¡¯t idle about it, though. After settling the Morse family¡¯s folks, I started digging for dirt on


    FarHorizon Group. If they were into moneyundering, they must have some weak spots.


    Still, I had no clue when I would stumble upon these weak spots.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, your mom wants her phone back now. She wants to chat with some friends. What should I


    do?¡± Hannah approached me nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll invite her friends over for dinner and a chat. Tell her that the doctor advised her to avoid


    overworking her brain. We¡¯ll return her phone when she¡¯s feeling better, save her from straining her


    eyes,¡± I advised Hannah.


    Hannah nodded, knowing full well that this was a temporary solution. My mom would grow suspicious


    eventually.


    Armed with some documents from home, I had Bailey drop me off at a gathering.


    Ethan Foster orchestrated the party. I knew beforehand that I¡¯d be running into some faces I¡¯d rather


    not see.


    Sure enough, Gloria, Bonnie, and Kate Aaron were present when I arrived. Thankfully, Neil wasn¡¯t.


    Gloria was really bold, openly hanging out with Ethan Foster despite being married. She seemed utterly


    indifferent to the gossip.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯ve arrived. Please, have a seat,¡± Gloria greeted me with a phony smile.


    I returned the smile and sat down, facing Bonnie.


    Bonnie nced at me. To my surprise, her gaze wasn¡¯t filled with the usual jealousy and hostility.


    Instead, she looked calm and smug, like a winner.


    Seemed like Neil had been treating her well over the past few days, or she wouldn¡¯t look so smug.


    The thought of Neil sacrificing hisfort because of me made me feel a bit guilty. Yet, a part of me felt


    he deserved it. Who asked him not to let go of me?


    This gathering was clearly a setup. Ethan Foster, a seemingly polite and cultured man, had a cunning


    aura about him.


    He seemed to have conveniently forgotten about drugging me and was still eager to coborate with


    me.


    The conversation at the gathering revolved around our future cooperation. FarHorizon Group was not


    only coborating with mypany but also with StarGlow Enterprises.


    These guys had no genuine intention to cooperate. They merely wanted to harm me. Therefore, I took


    everything they said about business with a grain of salt.


    ¡°Excuse me, I have to take this call,¡± Bonnie suddenly interrupted, her face glowing with joy.


    ¡°Is it Neil? Go ahead,¡± Gloria said, smiling.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I watched silently as Bonnie happily answered the call, even putting it on speaker as if to make sure I


    heard everything


    Neil¡¯s voice always had a special texture that was pleasant to the ears. He asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having dinner with mom and dad,¡± Bonnie said, referring to Gloria and Ethan Foster as her parents


    with ease.


    ¡°When will you finish? I¡¯ll pick you up,¡± Neil said, prompting Bonnie to nce at me, seemingly


    searching for my reaction.


    I lowered my head, avoiding her gaze, taking a gulp of my drink.


    Now, Neil was the one being proactive. I felt a pang of difort. While I had hoped Neil would use


    Bonnie to find Ethan Foster¡¯s weakness, he had always been reluctant, even preferring a more direct


    approach.


    Hearing him speak so gently to Bonnie was startling. It reminded me of a time when I overheard him


    talking to Bonnie like that.


    I was slightly dazed. It felt like I was thrown back in time.


    ¡°It might take a while. Have you finished your meeting?¡± Bonnie asked, her entire aura radiating


    happiness.


    ¡°It¡¯s over. Tell me where you are,¡± Neil¡¯s voice remained gentle.


    ¡°I¡¯ll text youter. Don¡¯te over too soon. It might be awkward,¡± Bonnie hesitated.


    Neil justughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What could possibly make me feel awkward? I¡¯ll be there


    soon.¡±


    With that, he hung up. Bonnie blushed, her happiness apparent as she said, ¡°He¡¯s really attentive


    nowadays. Can¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. You two are getting closer. Maybe you could consider getting engaged soon,¡± Gloria


    suggested.


    Rumor had it that Neil and Bonnie were engaged before, which fell through. If it happened again,


    Bonnie would be theughingstock.


    ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll see what he decides,¡± Bonnie responded.


    The taste of the alcohol lingered on my tongue, but I felt no burn. Neil¡¯s voice and tone echoed in my


    mind.


    Was I jealous? The sudden realization took me aback.


    Neil had once med me for not being jealous, yet here I was, consumed by envy.


    How could this happen? I was slightly perplexed. I tried to brush off the jealousy brewing within me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss personal matters now. Ms. Finch is here. I hope ourpanies can cooperate


    happily and mutually benefit,¡± Ethan Foster turned the conversation back to business.


    ¡°Sure, Dad. I understand,¡± Bonnie responded.


    ¡°Here¡¯s to a fruitful coboration,¡± I raised my ss, stering on a polite smile, careful not to reveal


    my inner turmoil.


    Neil would arrive soon to pick up Bonnie. I didn¡¯t want to run into him, lest our eye contact give away


    our little secret to Ethan Foster and Bonnie.


    So, after finishing most of my drink and wrapping up the conversation, I got up to leave.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯ll leave with you,¡± Bonnie stood up as well. ¡°Neil should be here soon. I¡¯ll wait for him


    downstairs.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t this just her being spiteful? I knew it full well, but I still didn¡¯t refuse Bonnie. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    We both went down the stairs, crossed the fancy hotel lobby, and got to the main entrance.


    Throughout the whole process, Bonnie didn¡¯t say a word, which was way off the norm.


    Now that she considered herself Neil¡¯s lover, she thought I had already lost, so she didn¡¯t feel the need


    to mock me anymore. Wasn¡¯t this just how it was in my past life? Neil was protecting her, so she didn¡¯t


    need to confront me head on. All she had to do was


    head hide behind Neil, and she could easily win the war.


    Maybe this feeling made it easy for me to slip into the dissatisfaction from my past life, and my mood


    suddenly became very irritable.


    Neil¡¯s ride was already here. His speed was really something, like he was in a hurry to pick up Bonnie


    and scared she might have to wait too long.

 Chapter 327

    Chapter 327


    Chapter 327


    My car was parked nearby, so there was no need to hitch a ride. The moment I saw Neil¡¯s car pull up, I


    headed straight for mine.


    Neil got out of his car and didn¡¯t even nce my way; his eyes were glued to Bonnie.


    His smitten look made my mood sour even more.


    Ignoring them, I hopped into my car and zoomed off as fast as I could.


    But in my rear-view mirror, I still saw Bonnie, who looked extremely happy, and it irked the hell out of


    me.


    Could it be that I hadn¡¯tpletely forgotten about Neil? Even though I knew he was just putting on a


    show.


    Thinking of this possibility, a phrase popped into my head, ¡°human weakness.¡±


    Back at Sapphire River Community, I checked my phone, no messages or calls. Neil must have seen


    me but didn¡¯t reach out or exin.


    Did he need to exin? It was clearly part of our n.


    But he used to exin to me. I sat alone in the living room for a long time with these mixed feelings.


    Until my mom came down.


    ¡°Rena, why are you still up? Just got back?¡± My mom asked with concern as she sat down next to me.


    ¡°Yeah, I had a function tonight. Just got back. Mom, why are you still up?¡± I countered.


    It was alreadyte. My mom needed to rest. She usually went to bed early.


    My mom sighed as she said, ¡°Rena, don¡¯t lie to me. Is something wrong with your dad?¡±


    Her question took me aback. Did Hannah fail to keep up the pretense?


    I forced a smile and said, ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? Dad¡¯s on a trip abroad now. I didn¡¯t even


    tell him you woke up. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯d cut his trip short. He¡¯s been busy all his life. You should rest.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I¡¯ve been married to your dad for so many years. I know him like the back of my hand.


    He wouldn¡¯t go abroad for so long. What happened to him? Tell me.¡± My mom¡¯s face was serious.


    Her stern look startled me. I knew she would find out sooner orter, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be so soon.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    After some hesitation, I told my mom the truth about my dad.


    Maybe she had been mentally prepared these past few days and sensed something was off. So when I


    spilled the beans, she didn¡¯t react much other than her face turning a bit pale..


    Her eyes widened as she said, ¡°Your dad has always been honest and fair. I can¡¯t believe this


    happened to him.¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get Dad out of this. He¡¯s been framed.¡± I made a firm promise to my mom.


    ¡°Your father would never do such a thing, Rena. If there¡¯s any news about your dad, you must tell me


    right away. Don¡¯t keep me in the dark, okay?¡± My mom pleaded.


    I felt guilty, and my eyes moistened as I said, ¡°Okay, I will.¡±


    My mom must be feeling down. She didn¡¯t talk to me for long and went upstairs to rest.


    I checked my phone again. Still no messages.


    What were Neil and Bonnie doing at this moment? If he was sacrificing himself for my sake, how


    should I treat him?


    This absurd thought made me restless.


    Of course, I knew Neil wouldn¡¯t make such a sacrifice unless he truly cared for Bonnie. Otherwise, it


    wouldn¡¯t be fair to his status.


    But in my past life, he did love Bonnie deeply. Now that they had a chance to reconnect, could there be


    new feelings?


    I felt like was going crazy, just like my past self.


    To regain my sanity, I hurried upstairs to take a shower.


    When I came out of the bathroom, I nced out the window. My room faced the neighbor¡¯s, so I could


    see the lights on in Neil¡¯s vi.


    I was taken aback. Was Neil back?


    But why didn¡¯t hee to see me? Not even a call or a text.


    I felt a sinking feeling, unspeakable. I silently pulled the curtains shut and went to bed.


    Just as I was zoning out, my phone suddenly rang, startling me a little.


    When I saw Neil¡¯s name on the iing call, my heart skipped a beat. This excited feeling was both


    strange and familiar.


    I deliberately didn¡¯t answer. Neil called a second time, then a third, and a fourth. I finally picked up on


    the fifth call.


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡± Neil¡¯s voice came through but didn¡¯t sound as gentle as when he spoke to Bonnie.


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m asleep. What¡¯s up?¡± My voice was frosty.


    ¡°I saw your lights go out. Did you go to bed so early?¡± Neil asked, disbelieving.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I went to bed early.¡± I answered offhand.


    Perhaps sensing my coldness, Neil tentatively asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you upset? I¡¯m at Sapphire


    River Community now. Wanna go for a walk?¡±


    The weather had been nice these past few days, and the nights were still warm, but I didn¡¯t want to go


    out.


    ¡°No need. You should get some rest. I declined.


    ¡°Then tell me why you¡¯re upset.¡± Neil seemed determined to get to the bottom of it.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t want to tell him. I didn¡¯t want to admit that I was jealous of his tenderness towards


    Bonnie, because he would gloat if he knew.


    I wasn¡¯t speaking, so Neil quickly followed up and said, ¡°I saw you when I went to pick up Bonnie today.


    Why did you leave so quickly? We haven¡¯t seen each other for days. Don¡¯t you want to see me more?¡±


    He was ming me now. I scoffed internally.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you noticed me or not. As long as Bonnie sees you, that¡¯s enough.¡± I didn¡¯t even realize


    my voice was tinged with jealousy when I said this.


    Neil was silent for a moment on the other end. Then he startedughing. Hisughter was pleasant to


    the ear, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re jealous, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I know you and Bonnie are just acting. Why would I be jealous?¡± I tried to defend myself.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been in touch muchtely, and when Bonnie picked up my call, you were there, weren¡¯t you?


    You were jealous, right?¡± Neil¡¯s tone was full of amusement.


    Caught red-handed, I felt super awkward and kept denying it. ¡°I wasn¡¯t! I¡¯m just exhausted today and


    want to hit the sack early.¡±


    Laughing, Neil said, ¡°Come down and see me for a bit, will you? Do you know how hard it was for me


    to keep cool when I saw you today? I didn¡¯t even dare to look at you directly, afraid I¡¯d lose it and rush


    over to hug you.

 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328


    Chapter 328


    Neil¡¯s words left me speechless for a moment, but I knew deep down that my unease was fading away


    with his words.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to tell me all this.¡± I hesitated for a moment before squeezing out this sentence.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, and I came here to see you.¡± Neil¡¯s tone had a touch of authority, but it didn¡¯t


    make me ufortable.


    I initially didn¡¯t want toe downstairs, but his words made me waver a bit.


    After hanging up the phone, I tiptoed downstairs to avoid waking my mom. As I crossed the yard and


    reached the gate, Neil¡¯s figure stood under the dim streetmp with a cigarette in his hand.


    Seeing me, he quickly put out the cigarette and tossed it into the nearby trash can, then spread his


    arms, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to run over and give me a hug?¡±


    How could I possibly run over and hug him? I just walked over calmly and gave him a light hug.


    Neil, in turn, hugged me back, his arms so tight that I was practically pressed against his chest, hearing


    his heartbeat.


    ¡°You showed a bit of jealousy today, not bad! Neil¡¯s voice was full of pleasure and an undeniable smirk.


    He patted my head lightly, ¡°When can you be like before?¡±


    I was silent for a few seconds before responding, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Uncertainty means possibility,¡± Neil let go of me and kissed my forehead, ¡°Then everything I do feels


    worth it. If you ask me to clean the streets, I will do it.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but imagine Neil cleaning the streets in my mind. His usual cool boss image in a suit


    would be gone. He would definitely be the most handsome janitor and would surely go viral


    online.


    This thought made meugh out loud.


    Before I couldugh again, I felt a soft touch on my lips. Neil grabbed my waist, had me stand on my


    tiptoes, and kissed me deeply.


    The night breeze carried the scent of flowers, adding a touch of romance to our kiss. I didn¡¯t resist; I


    just closed my eyes and stopped overthinking.


    It wasn¡¯t until I was almost out of breath that Neil let go of me again.


    ¡°Once everything is over, I¡¯lle to pick you up at Sterling Estates; your parents should be able to


    ept me by then, right?¡± Neil¡¯s lips were glossy and tempting from our kiss.


    His gaze was firmly locked on mine, waiting for my response.


    I was unsure, but if Neil really could help save my dad, they might think he was truly remorseful and


    give him a chance.


    That was just a possibility. I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    ¡°I guess they would; I¡¯ll try my best then.¡± I said, feeling a bit uneasy inside but keeping a calm exterior.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Neil¡¯s smile brightened at my response, and then he sighed in a bit of frustration, ¡°Ah, I


    can¡¯t sleep with you tonight. It¡¯s such a bummer.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, feeling a bit awkward.


    My phone rang at that moment, it was my mom, ¡°Rena, where did you go sote? Why aren¡¯t you in


    your room?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m downstairs getting a drink of water. I¡¯ll go rest soon.¡± I signaled to Neil to leave quickly and


    rushed back home.


    As I closed the door, Neil was still standing there looking at me, his face full of disappointment.


    I waved at him to leave as soon as possible, then he turned around and left reluctantly.


    My mom was waiting for me in the living room when she saw meing in from outside. She frowned,


    ¡°Why are you outside sote?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling well, just went out for some fresh air after having water.¡± I made up an excuse.


    D


    My mom sighed faintly and said, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep thinking about your dad.¡±


    Seeing my mom¡¯s worried face made me feel even more down. I had to keep herpany, chatting


    until 2 a.m. before we went back to rest.


    My mom should have been resting well, but because of my dad¡¯s situation, she couldn¡¯t rx. Every


    day, we were discussing how to save my dad.


    I didn¡¯t dare tell my mom I was working with Neil, so I had to brush it off.


    ¡°This can¡¯t go on,¡± Ste Wace said worriedly when she heard about my situation, ¡°What if your mom


    worries too much?¡±


    ¡°True, this is too hard. I feel stressed for you.¡± Alicia Rider also said.


    Then Barbara Sands chimed in and said, ¡°If you and Neil are still together, he would definitely help


    you¡­¡±


    Ste cut off her words and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention that unlucky guy. He¡¯s back with that Bonnie Bitch, I


    knew it, they¡¯re inseparable.¡±


    Listening to Ste badmouth Neil, I felt a pang of guilt.


    Poor Neil.


    ¡°I heard that now because of Bonnie, he¡¯s getting close to StarGlow Enterprises, and a big shot has


    come to Rosemont. Do you guys know?¡± Alicia seemed to know a lot about this, ¡°Ethan Foster, have


    you guys heard of him, a man of power and influence.¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Of course, I know him. He¡¯s close to Gloria from StarGlow Enterprises.


    Oh, I heard that Bonnie Bitch is his adopted daughter.¡±


    They knew quite a bit about all this. The only thing they didn¡¯t know was that Neil and I were putting on


    a show.


    ¡°Enough about me, Ali. How have things been with Seantely?¡± I interrupted their conversation,


    wanting to change the subject. Otherwise, the more they badmouthed Neil, the guiltier I would feel.


    Mentioning Sean, Alicia¡¯s face becameplicated. Their contact had declined since Sean took her


    away from the barst time.


    This surprised me because that day in the bar, it was obvious that Sean cared a lot about Alicia. So


    why did they be more distant?


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him.¡± Alicia took a sip of her drink and said lightly.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Another lousy man, Ali, it¡¯s okay, there are good men everywhere!¡±


    Ste¡¯s words made Aliciaugh.


    Barbara suddenly eximed, ¡°Really? Russel and Chloe called off their engagement?¡±


    This news hit me like a bombshell, stirring up a storm in my heart.


    I was stunned, ¡°Really? It¡¯s off?¡±


    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s really off. A friend told me; they just haven¡¯t made the announcement yet.¡± Barbara looked just


    as shocked.


    At this point, Alicia and Ste turned their gaze on me, their eyes filled with deep meaning. Ste said,


    ¡°Rena, I can¡¯t help but think Russel called off his engagement with Chloe because of you. Is he still


    hung up on you?¡±

 Chapter 329

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    Chapter 329


    ¡°I just can¡¯t be sure.¡± I frowned. My tone was a bit heavy.


    Deep down, I knew the answer. Russel¡¯s actions had indeed put me in a difficult situation. If anyone


    thought he broke off the engagement with Chloe for my sake, I might be caught in a media storm.


    Alicia sighed and said, ¡°Rena, you were so in love with Neil for so many years, and he was indifferent


    to you. After your divorce, he turned around. Even his best friend fell in love with you. How did things


    come to this?¡±


    I kept silent because I didn¡¯t know how to exin. From the moment Neil started having feelings for


    me, my life was destined to be different from before.


    So, there were many things I couldn¡¯t predict.


    The gathering ended in my silence. My mood wasplicated. When I got home, I immediately started


    searching for information about Russel and Chloe.


    They hadn¡¯t made it public yet, so I found no news.


    As I was deep in thought, Chloe called me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, can you help me again?¡± Chloe sobbed.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± I asked calmly.


    ¡°Russel really wants to break off our engagement; I don¡¯t want that. So, he threatened me, but I¡¯d


    rather die than not be with him!¡± When Chloe said this, I could tell she was losing control.


    This kind of behavior seemed all too familiar.


    In my past life, when I wanted to win Neil back, I said the same things to my parents. That was why


    they did everything they could to help me, but it all ended in tragedy.


    Neil was right. Russel was a lot like him. They were good friends. Even their ways of threatening were


    simr.


    ¡°This is between you and Russel. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help you.¡± Of course, I wished they wouldn¡¯t break


    off the engagement so my rtionship with Russel would be clear.


    But that was just what I wished for; I couldn¡¯t influence Russel¡¯s decision.


    Even if I wanted to help Chloe, I was helpless.


    ¡°Can you talk to him for me, or can you get back together with Neil?¡± Chloe¡¯s words shocked me.


    I was at a loss for words.


    ¡°If you get back with Neil, Russel will know he doesn¡¯t stand a chance, and maybe he¡¯ll take a second


    look at me and realize I¡¯m the one who truly loves him!¡± Chloe was sobbing uncontrobly. I could tell


    she was really upset.


    ¡°Ms. Reynolds, you shouldn¡¯t force someone who doesn¡¯t love you to stay, and you shouldn¡¯t be angry


    over a man like that. You can¡¯t forget your parents.¡± As I said these words, I wasn¡¯t sure if I was talking


    to Chloe or to myself in my past life.


    If I had the chance to choose again, I wish I had this realization in my past life, not to repeat the same


    mistakes, ept my divorce with Neil, so I wouldn¡¯t get terminally ill, my life wouldn¡¯t be a tragedy, and


    I could start over.


    After all, my current situation was prettyplicated. Dealing with it was exhausting.


    Chloe fell silent, asionally sobbing. After a while, she pleaded with me again, ¡°Can you try to talk to


    him one more time? This is thest time. If he¡¯s really decided he doesn¡¯t need me anymore, I¡¯ll give


    up.¡±


    Why was she so stubborn? What was the point of a rtionship maintained by persuasion? I really


    wanted to tell Chloe directly, but I was worried she couldn¡¯t handle it.


    ¡°Ms. Reynolds, I really can¡¯t help you.¡± I firmly rejected Chloe again, then hung up the phone.


    I didn¡¯t expect that this phone call would lead to a big problem.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    That night, Ste suddenly called, sounding anxious, ¡°Hey, Rena, something happened. Russel wants


    to break off the engagement with Chloe. Now Chloe is threatening to kill herself, no one can talk her


    out of it, and Russel won¡¯t pick up the phone. What do we do?¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡± I asked hurriedly. I didn¡¯t want to get involved in Chloe and Russel¡¯s business,


    but this was a matter of life and death, so I couldn¡¯t just ignore it.


    ¡°Chloe¡¯s parents called my dad, then my dad told me. They¡¯re actually hoping you could reach out to


    Russel. Right now, only Russel can persuade Chloe.¡± Ste replied helplessly.


    I thought for a moment, Russel¡¯s face shing through my mind. Was I really going to call him? Would


    he pick it up? I couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Where¡¯s Chloe?¡± I asked again.


    1/2


    12:35


    ¡°She¡¯s at her and Russel¡¯s wedding house.¡± Ste gave me an address. I knew where it was because


    I¡¯d been there before.


    After hanging up the phone, I rushed to Chloe¡¯s ce. She was on the rooftop, with sirens wailing in


    the distance, and the fescue team had already arrived.


    Themunity had both vis and residential buildings. Chloe ran to the top of an eight-story


    residential building. If she really jumped, her life would be in danger.


    Chloe¡¯s parents were both on the ground. They were panicking, but no matter how they tried to


    persuade her, Chloe didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Can anyone contact her husband?¡± A rescuer came down and asked us.


    ¡°Her husband isn¡¯t answering his phone. Let¡¯s go up and try.¡± Chloe¡¯s parents suggested.


    ¡°She¡¯s extremely emotional right now, and she only wants to see her husband. If I let you guys go up, I


    can¡¯t guarantee she won¡¯t do something impulsive out of excitement.¡± The firefighter replied worriedly.


    I looked up at Chloe standing on the edge of the rooftop. She was even more impulsive than me,


    causing such a big scene. Even in my past life, when I was desperate and contemting giving up on


    life, I would just silently hide in my room.


    ¡°Let me give it a try.¡± I said.


    Chloe¡¯s folks clocked me at that point, knowing full well about my past ties with Russel. They were


    buzzing instantly, ¡°Alright, alright, Ms. Finch, could you do us a solid and reach out to Russel? Tell him


    to get his butt over here pronto. Calling off an engagement isn¡¯t a big deal. If my daughter kicks up a


    fuss, I¡¯ll find a way to persuade her. I just hope he can talk some sense into her and keep her from


    doing something daft.¡±


    Parents were always fretting over their kids.


    I didn¡¯t want Chloe to face any kind of bad luck, and this was also my way of making up for the


    mistakes I made in my past life.


    I whipped out my phone, found Russel¡¯s number in the cklist, took a deep breath, and dialed.


    On the other end, there was the beep-beep-beep of the call being connected, and after a moment,


    Russel¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Rena?¡±


    ¡°Russel, where the hell are you? I cut straight to the chase, ¡°Can you swing by?¡±

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330


    Chapter 330


    ¡°Is Chloe thinking of offing herself?¡± Russel asked me with a voice as t as a pancake. His


    nonchnce sent a chill down my spine.


    ¡°Yeah, your fianc¨¦e¡¯s thinking of kicking the bucket. Shouldn¡¯t you go check on her?¡± I retorted, cold as


    ice.


    ¡°She¡¯s a grown woman; she should take responsibility for her own life. I can¡¯t control her choices.¡±


    Russel¡¯s reply was so cold it left me gobsmacked.


    Hisck of warmth towards a woman he didn¡¯t love was eerily simr to Neil from my past life.


    ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s head over heels for you. Can¡¯t youe back and help her out? Just be the good


    guy for once?¡± I pleaded.


    ¡°She knew I didn¡¯t have the hots for her. She brought this on herself, right?¡± he replied with a smirk on


    his face.


    Was this the Russel I knew? He was still a doctor. Where was hispassion? If he was this


    indifferent to his fianc¨¦e, how did he treat others?


    Thinking of my past life and his coboration with him gave me the heebie-jeebies. If I hadn¡¯t kicked the


    bucket from a terminal illness, would we have butted heads?


    But I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. I just urged Russel, ¡°Can youe back and talk some sense into


    her? Her folks promised me that if you can convince her not to off herself, they¡¯ll work out a way to call


    off the engagement.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need them to promise me anything,¡± Russel¡¯s voice suddenly turned heavy, ¡°Instead, how about


    you promise me something?¡±


    I could feel my heart in my throat, ¡°What do you want me to promise?¡±


    ¡°Would you have dinner with me?¡± His request left me bbergasted. That was his condition?


    I was wary. What would I do if he was nning to throw me under the bus during this dinner? I had


    already been burnt once.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything to you. I just want to have dinner and chat. The only catch is, you can¡¯t


    bail until I say it¡¯s over,¡± Russel seemed to read my mind.


    Just as I was hemming and hawing, a cry erupted from the crowd, ¡°Don¡¯t jump!¡±


    Chloe¡¯s mom had already fainted. I looked up to see Chloe taking a step forward, one foot already


    hanging in the air.


    I was scared out of my wits and quickly agreed, ¡°Fine, I promise. Now call Chloe, calm her down, tell


    her to step back.¡±


    As soon as the-words left my mouth, Russel was already on the phone.


    I watched as Chloe held her phone up, seemingly answering a call.


    A few minutester, she seemed to let out a sigh of relief and stepped back. The rescue team rushed in


    to secure her.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. It was insane to think, if Russel hadn¡¯t made that call, what might have


    happened to Chloe? She looked like she was teetering on the edge.


    As the firefighters were dealing with Chloe, I slipped away.


    I hoped Chloe would cool her jets.


    This stunt was bound to cause a stir tomorrow.


    I immediately went home under the cover of darkness. Before entering my courtyard, I nced at Neil¡¯s


    dark mansion next door. He hadn¡¯te back today.


    I wondered if he knew about Russel and Chloe calling off their engagement. I hoped he wouldn¡¯t jump


    to conclusions. He was a suspicious guy. He would suspect any move from Russel had to do with me.


    Chloe¡¯s suicide attempt was all over the city the next day, even making the news.


    As I was watching the news, Russel called and asked, ¡°When are you free?¡±


    ¡°In the next couple of days,¡± I replied. Since I had already agreed to dinner with Russel, I might as well


    get it over with. I wanted to put this behind me.


    ¡°How about tomorrow night? I¡¯ll send you the time and ce,¡± Russel¡¯s voice was gentle, so at odds


    with the cold guy fromst night.


    I was a bit troubled. I had tangled with Neil in my past life, and now I was tangled with Russel in this


    life.


    I was always stuck between a rock and a hard ce.


    ¡°Sure, just text me the details. I¡¯ll be there on time,¡± I replied.


    Russel chuckled before hanging up. I soon received a text from him with the time and ce for dinner.


    I didn¡¯t reply. I would be there on time anyway.


    Soon enough, it was the next evening. After work, I drove to the designated location.


    The private room was just me and Russel.


    Russel looked like he had just gotten off work too. He was dressed casually, but his coldness was


    reced with a gloomy aura.


    I sat across from Russel. We locked eyes, but neither of us spoke.


    After a moment of silence, Russel finally broke the ice, ¡°She¡¯s okay now. You can rx.¡±


    I knew he was talking about Chloe. I nodded and said, ¡°She loves you to bits; you didn¡¯t have to be so


    cold.¡±


    ¡°She does love me. If she hadn¡¯t manipted my parents into making me marry her, I might have felt


    something for her. But she made the wrong choice.¡± Russel¡¯s voice was devoid of warmth, his eyes dull


    as dishwater.


    His words sounded eerily familiar.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Neil had once told me the same thing. Men hated being forced into marrying someone they didn¡¯t love.


    It bred resentment.


    ¡°Even if you were forced, isn¡¯t that your own fault for not standing your ground? If you had ignored your


    mother¡¯s objections back then, none of this would have happened, right?¡± I countered.


    Russel just stared at me, his gaze unreadable.


    I was getting worked up as I said, ¡°If you were truly determined, you would have ignored your mother¡¯s


    objections and refused the engagement. You¡¯re a grown man. Shouldn¡¯t you be responsible for your


    own decisions? You¡¯re always going on about how you were ¡®forced¡¯ into things. Did someone actually


    hold a knife to your throat or what? Why do you gotta me your own ipetence on some innocent


    chick? All she did was love you. Does that make her some sort of irredeemable sinner?¡± I could feel


    tears welling up in my eyes as I spoke. It was like I was talking about my own past self. And sitting


    across from me was another Neil.

 Chapter 331

    Chapter 331


    Chapter 331


    ¡°Why are you getting all worked up?¡± Russel asked me quietly once I stopped ranting. ¡°Is it because it


    reminds you of your thing with


    Neil?¡±


    He was intentionally asking me something he already knew. He knew all about me and Neil.


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down and separate Russel in front of me from Neil in my


    memory. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m rting a bit too much to my own story, but Chloe has been really good to you.


    She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±


    Russel just smirked and said, ¡°The person who convinced me to break free was her. If it wasn¡¯t for her


    help, my parents wouldn¡¯t have thought about doing it. They were afraid I would hate them.¡±


    He had been under house arrest for a while, and Chloe had approached me, asking me to break up


    with him in exchange for some documents.


    I couldn¡¯t believe this was Chloe¡¯s idea.


    My impression of Chloe got a bit moreplicated. Even though her feelings for Russel were simr to


    my feelings for Neil, I had never resorted to such measures.


    I would never intentionally set up a trap for Neil.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about your issues.¡± Finally, I ran out of things to say and simply responded.


    Russel ordered all my favorite dishes. He had been very thoughtful during our rtionship.


    But I didn¡¯t have much of an appetite right now, so I only took a few bites and didn¡¯t continue eating.


    Russel was the same. He didn¡¯t meet up with me today just to have a meal.


    ¡°Is there really no chance for you and Neil anymore?¡± He asked me.


    ¡°Do you really need to ask about that?¡± I kept my head down, not looking at Russel, and gave a vague


    answer.


    Russel startedughing, and hisughter made me feel uneasy.


    I couldn¡¯t help but look at him again.


    He took off his sses, put them on the table, and crossed his hands, staring at me.


    -¡°Didn¡¯t you guys do all this just to get close to Ethan Foster?¡± As soon as he said that, all my


    suspicions became reality.


    Russel was right on the money. He knew about my rtionship with Neil.


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± I tried to keep my cool and asked him back.


    ¡°You guys can trick everyone else but not me. Neil has never given up on you. How could he be with


    Bonnie? But the fact that he could get close to Bonnie and Ethan Foster for you did surprise me.¡±


    Russel said slowly.


    I just looked at him, frowning, without saying a word.


    Russel chuckled self-mockingly, ¡°Looks like he really regrets how he treated you before. Now, he¡¯s


    willing to go to this extent for you. He could¡¯ve just confronted Ethan Foster directly. You stopped him,


    didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Indeed, I did stop him. I did want Neil¡¯s help, but I didn¡¯t want him to pay a huge price for helping me. It


    would be troublesome when I had to leave.


    I couldn¡¯t tell Neil about this, let alone Russel.


    ¡°Did you invite me to dinn¨¦r just to say all this?¡± Despite feeling extremely uneasy, I somehow


    managed to calm down. I should have seen thising. I couldn¡¯t avoid Russel.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Either we were together as lovers, or we were enemies. Only now did I start to believe this.


    Russel shook his head, ¡°No, not at all. I just missed you. I wanted to have dinner and talk to you.¡±


    His eyes softened, and his tone returned to the Russel I knew.


    I couldn¡¯t reciprocate his feelings. Before, I wanted to try with Russel because he was so good to me


    and maybe he could help me ovee my emotional turmoil, but I didn¡¯t think that way anymore.


    He was a good guy, but I couldn¡¯t develop that romantic feeling for him.


    Maybe my heart was still with Neil, and I just thought I had moved on.


    This might make me seem pathetic, but I was beginning to realize that sometimes, love could be


    pathetic. If it was rational and clear, it might not be love at all.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve seen me now. We¡¯ve chatted for a while. Is it okay now?¡± I didn¡¯t want to stay any longer, so


    I asked.


    ¡°I already told you that the condition for me to talk to Chloe was for you to have dinner with me. Only I


    can decide when it¡¯s over.¡± Russel reminded me.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t forget. But it seemed like there was nothing left to talk about between us.


    Russel poured me a ss of wine and asked, ¡°Can we have a drink together?¡±


    Looking at the ss of wine, I couldn¡¯t help but be cautious.


    Thest time, Ethan Foster drugged the wine. This low-down trick was simple and direct and could hurt


    a person.


    No matter how high his status was, the method he used was just as despicable.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like drinking right now.¡± I refused Russel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not Ethan Foster,¡± Russel said with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t want to do thatst


    time. Ethan Foster probably wanted to help me. He knew about us.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t just want to help you. He also wanted to confirm whether Neil was over me or not while


    helping.¡± I responded with a poker face.


    Whenever I think about that day, I feel very ufortable.


    Russel looked at me in silence. After a while, he nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but you should believe me;


    I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    With that, he handed me a ss of wine, ¡°Have a drink with me. Maybe after some drinks, we won¡¯t be


    so distant.¡±


    His words were filled with sincerity, but it was not because of his sincerity that I decided to drink the


    wine, but because I felt that if I didn¡¯t, this dinner seemed to never end..


    I took the ss of wine and gulped it down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink so fast; it¡¯s not good for your health.¡± Russel reminded me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± I responded with a slight smile, but my tone was a bit stiff.


    The warmth in Russel¡¯s eyes cooled down instantly. He kept quiet and drank the wine in his ss like


    me, then the second ss, then the third¡­


    Watching Russel drinking heavily in front of me, I felt at a loss because if he got drunk, I might have


    some problems to deal with.


    I couldn¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t do anything else; he just kept on boozing until he was almost out of it. I had


    no choice but to help him up and get ready to bail from this ce.

 Chapter 332

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    Chapter 332


    Russel was still a bit sober, trying his best to keep himself steady, but I had to assist him.


    As we got to the elevator, the doors slowly shut. A hand shot out to stop them.


    ¡°Hold up!¡± Cooper rke¡¯s voice rang out. As the elevator doors reopened, I saw his peeved face.


    Behind him were Neil and Bonnie.


    Bonnie was clinging to Neil¡¯s arm, looking utterly reliant on him.


    ¡°Irene?¡± Cooper looked surprised when he saw me. Then his gaze fell on the tipsy Russel. He


    subconsciously nced at Neil.


    Neil¡¯s brow furrowed for a moment before returning to its calm state.


    ¡°Well, what a coincidence, Irene. Are you on a date with Dr. Russel?¡± Bonnie, with a sweet smile on her


    face, asked as she walked into


    the elevator with Neil.


    I was supporting Russel and didn¡¯t respond.


    Neil nced at me. Others might not have noticed the look in his eyes, but I felt a pressure, a bad


    feeling brewing.


    Would he misunderstand the situation between Russel and me again? My head was starting to hurt.


    ¡°Irene, why did Dr. Russel drink so much? Aren¡¯t you going to do anything about it?¡± Bonnie


    deliberately blurred the lines between Russel and me.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to me how much he drinks? I should send him home out of friendship,¡± I responded


    nonchntly.


    ¡°Oh my, was it just the two of you having dinner?¡± Bonnie feigned surprise, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re the only one


    who can send him home.¡±


    Then Cooper chimed in, ¡°Who said so? Can¡¯t I send him home?¡±


    He sounded annoyed. I wasn¡¯t sure what had happened earlier.


    Cooper¡¯s statement made Bonnie awkward. She looked up at Neil, her face a bit aggrieved.


    Yet Neil was silent. When he was upset, he usually chose not to speak.


    The elevator arrived quickly. Cooper helped me get Russel out while Bonnie and Neil followed closely


    behind.


    ¡°Alright, you guys head back. Irene and I will take Russel home,¡± Cooper said to Neil. He clearly didn¡¯t


    want to be with Bonnie.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll head back first.¡± Neil¡¯s tone was very calm, without any fluctuations.


    Bonnie nced at me and then at Neil with a hint of confusion in her eyes.


    But as soon as Neil left, Bonnie didn¡¯t hesitate to follow him. After their car drove away, Cooper couldn¡¯t


    help but ask me, ¡°Irene, what¡¯s going on between you and Neil? Is he really with Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly how it seems,¡± I answered softly, ¡°Can you help me get Russel into the car first? He¡¯s


    had too much to drink.


    Cooper frowned as he helped Russel into my car. Since I had a bit to drink as well, he drove.


    As he drove, he exined how he ran into Neil and Bonnie ¨C it was purely by chance.


    ¡°I thought you and Neil just had a little misunderstanding. Weren¡¯t you two nning to reconcile? What


    on earth happened?¡± Cooper was still confused about the situation.


    ¡°Love can¡¯t be forced. Maybe Neil and Bonnie are more suitable,¡± I didn¡¯t say much.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t like Bonnie now. She¡¯s not good enough for Neil. Irene, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± Cooper told


    me earnestly.


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    This was quite unlike his usual attitude.


    I didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Bonnie¡¯s already pushing Neil to propose.¡± Cooper was genuinely worried


    for me.


    Bonnie still wanted to marry Neil.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Everything depends on fate.¡± I answered indifferently as if I saw through everything. Cooper


    almost mmed the brakes.


    Cooper knew where Russel lived. We got to the apartment building and helped Russel get home.


    ?? ?


    ¡°Alright, you head back first. I can get him home,¡± Cooper clearly wanted to keep Russel and me apart.


    I understood his intention and was more than happy to oblige.


    By the time I got back to Sapphire River Community, it was quitete. I noticed the lights were on in the


    vi next door. My heart raced. Was Neil there?


    1 had a hunch that if he had returned to Sapphire River Community today, it was because of Russel


    and me. He woulde looking for


    me to settle things.


    Sure enough, I hadn¡¯t even had a chance to shower when a message from Neil popped up on my


    phone: Come over, we need to talk.


    I took a deep breath, thinking that what was meant to be would always find a way. Destiny just loved


    messing with me.


    I replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle over after I take a shower.¡±


    Neil replied quickly, ¡°Come and shower here, or I¡¯lle to you now.¡±


    This startled me. How could let Neile over? It¡¯d be trouble if my mom saw him.


    I quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯lle to you. Wait for me for two minutes.¡±


    After sending the message, I left my house and walked into Neil¡¯s vi next door.


    He was waiting for me.


    Seeing the cigarette butts in the ashtray, I knew he had been smoking quite a lot. The reason was


    probably me having dinner with Russel today.


    As soon as I arrived, Neil looked at me coldly and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to exin what happened


    today?¡±


    ¡°A few days ago, Chloe threatened to kill herself, right? I couldn¡¯t find Russel, so I helped out. Russel¡¯s


    condition was that I had dinner with him,¡± I didn¡¯t hide anything because I believed it was a matter of life


    and death. I couldn¡¯t just sit there and do nothing.


    But Neil didn¡¯t see it that way. He wasn¡¯t close to Chloe, and his cold attitude scared me, ¡°What does


    her life or death have to do with you? All you have to do is stay away from Russel.¡±


    ¡°We just had dinner, nothing else,¡± I disagreed with Neil¡¯s indifference, and my tone turned cold.


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t even a need for you two to meet, let alone dine together, right?¡± Neil extinguished his


    cigarette in the ashtray, the red glow instantly disappearing, leaving only wisps of smoke curling


    around.


    His demeanor and actions put pressure on me. I could clearly feel his displeasure and gloominess, but


    I believed I did nothing wrong. In that situation, if I hesitated for a second, Chloe could have kicked the


    bucket.


    Russel was cold-hearted. If I didn¡¯t agree with him, he would truly turn a blind eye, letting Chloe bite the


    dust.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that I bumped into Neil just because I dined with Russel. If I had known, I would have


    definitely picked another restaurant in advance.

 Chapter 333

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    Chapter 333


    ¡°Neil, can we just drop this argument, please?¡± I didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore.


    ¡°You can¡¯t have any contact with Russel Dawson. That¡¯s my bottom line. Don¡¯t you get it?¡± Neil looked


    stern, a hint of a crack appearing in his icy demeanor. He was clearly pissed.


    This situation had caused a small rift in our previously growing closeness.


    The atmosphere in the living room was tense. I stood there while Neil sat on the sofa, neither of us


    breaking the silence.


    After a while, I couldn¡¯t stand there any longer. I didn¡¯t even say a word to Neil. I turned around to


    leave. But Neil was quick; he grabbed me before I could make it to the door.


    He asked me angrily, ¡°Are you pissed off? Going out to dinner alone with other men and being so


    stubborn?¡±


    ¡°Neil, stop talking nonsense, okay?¡± I was really annoyed. ¡°Do you even know how critical the situation


    was for Chloe Reynolds? Was I supposed to watch her jump off the roof?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter to you if she lives or dies?¡± Neil still held his ground.


    ¡°Neil, do you have to be so cold-hearted?¡± I pulled away from him, trying to control my emotion¡¯s, and


    said calmly, ¡°When I saw her, it reminded me of my past. Don¡¯t you think we¡¯re simr in some ways? I


    don¡¯t want her to repeat my mistakes. Is that a problem?¡±


    Though I tried to keep myposure, Neil noticed something was up. He frowned and asked me,


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®repeat your mistakes? Have you ever tried to kill yourself?¡±


    I was taken aback and quickly averted my eyes from Neil.


    I had indeed contemted suicide in the past, but that was history. Nobody around me knew about it.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Neil seemed to have found something out, and he asked me again, ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°No, I just feel that we both married men who don¡¯t love us. I can understand her feelings. Russel is just


    like you; he¡¯s doing to Chloe what you did to me.¡± I quickly regained myposure.


    My answer was logical, so Neil couldn¡¯t find any fault with it.


    He squinted his eyes and leaned in closer to me, ¡°I love you more than you love me now. What are you


    empathizing with?¡±


    ¡°The pain of the past may fade away, but the scars remain.¡± I looked straight into Neil¡¯s eyes and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve always known that although I haven¡¯tpletely let go of my feelings for you, I can¡¯t deny the


    immense pain you once caused me.¡±


    Every time I thought about that pain, it suffocated me.


    I didn¡¯t even know what I was thinking or should do in that conflicting state of mind.


    Neil¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly, like a butterfly about to take off. His eyes were so dark, deep, and


    mysterious that I couldn¡¯t help but look at him more. In those beautiful eyes, I saw his troubles and


    heartache. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t know I would fall in love with you then I was too arrogant. So, I ept


    everything you do to me now. I¡¯ll do whatever you ask.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t deny that.


    The restlessness and pain in my heart gradually calmed down with Neil¡¯s words. I knew I still couldn¡¯t


    be ruthless in front of him.


    ¡°Neil, I have no feelings for Russel. You should know that. Why don¡¯t you trust me?¡± I looked up at Neil


    with my eyes full of questions.


    ¡°I trust you. I just don¡¯t trust him.¡± Neil sighed and pulled me into his arms. He had a faint smell of


    shower gel; he must have taken a shower.


    So, I didn¡¯t smell any perfume on his clothes, which was good.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. I¡¯m with you.¡± I snuggled into Neil¡¯s arms, trying to soften my voice.


    Neil also sounded more rxed, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re with me; no one can take you away, right?¡±


    ¡°Right Lwent along with Neil¡¯s thoughts, not just to get his help but also because of my inner turmoil.


    Neil liked my submissive side. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, showing his improved mood.


    I didn¡¯t want to quarrel with him at this critical juncture. Since he took the initiative to stop me, I had to


    show sincerity. So I tiptoed, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him.


    Neil kept his eyes wide open, staring at me. I was already a bit shy, but then I was even more


    embarrassed to be watched white kissing him, so I had to close my eyes.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Neil to kiss me more passionately.


    The atmosphere in the room was growing more intense, and the temperature was rising. The living


    room had be our temporary yground, a ce we were both very familiar with.


    As my resistance to Neil gradually disappeared, my body¡¯s eptance of the situation grew. Neil¡¯s


    skills were needless to say, and his stamina was amazing. I was gradually experiencing the pleasure.


    After all, I was a woman in my thirties. There was no need to suppress my needs.


    That night, we made love in the living room until the sky outside lightened. I finally pushed Neil away, ¡°I


    have to go. Otherwise, my mom will get suspicious if she wakes up early and doesn¡¯t see me.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your mom know that I bought this vi? If she sees the lights on here, wouldn¡¯t she think I¡¯m


    here?¡± Neil asked me.


    The question caught me off guard. I suddenly realized that how my mom could not notice the lights on


    in the vi? She had plenty of free time every day and could definitely notice that.


    I started to panic and quickly got dressed to go home. Seeing that, Neil also started to dress, saying,


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back with you. Since you¡¯ve already told her about your dad, you might as well tell her


    everything else.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go back with me. My mom might¡­¡± I didn¡¯t finish because Neil should be able to


    guess.


    My mom might have scolded him, and if she really got physical, she might have even hit him.


    But Neil didn¡¯t care, ¡°So what? Should you, a woman, handle this kind of thing? We¡¯re destined to be


    together. It¡¯s something we have to face sooner orter. I don¡¯t want to avoid it anymore.¡±


    Neil¡¯s words made me feelplex. At this moment, I even believed that he truly loved me

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334


    Chapter 334


    In the end, I didn¡¯t bring Neil home with me. Even though my mom would find out sooner orter, I


    wanted to dy it as much as possible.


    The incident of my mom falling into aa had put a lot of stress on me, and I didn¡¯t dare take any


    more risks.


    1


    I returned home alone to find Hannah Morse already up and making breakfast. Seeing me return, she


    didn¡¯t ask much. She just gave me a small smile, ¡°Ms. Finch, did you go for a morning run?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°Your mom asked where you went. I told her you went for a morning jog. She praised you for finally


    understanding the importance of exercise,¡± Hannah replied.


    I always felt that Hannah knew about my secret meetings with Neil, but she never directly mentioned it.


    wouldn¡¯t


    However, Hannah had great social skills and wouldn¡¯t spill the beans. Besides, she barely left my


    house, so I didn¡¯t have to worry too much.


    Since she had said that I went for a run, I had to take a shower. So, I headed upstairs.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯re back,¡± my mom was about to go downstairs when she saw me. She spoke with a smile


    on her face. Then she looked at my clothes for a few seconds, ¡°You went for a morning run dressed


    like this?¡±


    My attire indeed didn¡¯t look like I had gone for a run. Remembering what happened the previous night


    in the neighboring vi, I couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty, and my face turned hot.


    I made up an excuse, ¡°Yeah, I decided to exercise on a whim. I didn¡¯t prepare any clothes. I¡¯ll buy some


    suitable ones in a few days.¡±.


    ¡°You never liked exercising before. But now you understand the importance of health, huh?¡± My mom


    didn¡¯t think much of it; instead, she seemed relieved.


    ¡°Alright, mom, I¡¯m all sweaty. I¡¯lle down for breakfast after I take a shower.¡± I breathed a sigh of


    relief and quickly found an excuse to leave.


    I was indeed all sweaty, but not from running; it was because of the intense activities with Neil in bed


    the previous night.


    After taking a shower, I felt a bit morefortable. Neil sent me a message, asking if there was any


    problem.


    -He was probably asking if my mom had found out.


    I replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Then I went downstairs to eat breakfast and had to go to the officeter. Since I was then familiar with


    thepany¡¯s affairs and my mom had woken up, I could ask for her opinion and discuss matters with


    her, thus my work pressure had reduced a lot. The only thing that worried me was the coboration


    with the FarHorizon Group.


    At the breakfast table, I probed my mom with a few questions and concluded that she didn¡¯t know


    about Neil and me.


    The lights in the neighboring vi would asionally turn on, and she was more inclined to believe that


    someone was cleaning at irregr intervals.


    The reason why she believed that Neil and I had nothing to do with each other was that her friend had


    mentioned a few days prior that Neil was with Bonnie Tueley.


    That was good. At least she would feel better. As for the future, I thought ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when


    wee to it.¡±


    After confirming that there was no problem with my mom, I felt an unprecedented relief. I quickly


    finished my breakfast and went to the office. However, as soon as I entered the lobby, I saw Chloe


    waiting for me.


    What was she doing there again? I frowned.


    ¡°Ms. Finch.¡± Only two days had passed, but Chloe looked much more haggard. She had deep circles


    under her eyes and looked very tired. Her beautiful face had be a bit thin, and her eyes were red,


    as if she had just cried.


    Althought sympathized with her, I didn¡¯t want her to appear in front of me often.


    ¡°Ms. Reynolds, I don¡¯t think you need toe see me so often.¡± I felt a headacheing on.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just wanted to thank you.¡± Chloe said as she looked at me, ¡°I lost my mind and wanted to


    jump off the building the other night. I heard that you helped my parents contact Russel, giving me a


    chance to live. If not, I would have definitely jumped.¡±


    I remembered what Russel had said. Was Chloe really as gentle as she appeared on the surface?


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I¡¯ve lived two lifetimes; usually, my ability to observe people was very urate. I didn¡¯t feel any malice


    from Chloe. Whether it was her gaze or her words, they all exuded a kind of gentleness.


    But there was one thing that could make a person lose their mind and distort their character, and that


    was jealousy.


    ¡°Stop doing stupid things in the future. You owe it to your parents.¡± I said lightly, then prepared to head


    upstairs.


    ¡°I know!¡± Chloe stopped me, ¡°I heard about your past with Neil. We¡¯re actually quite simr. That¡¯s why


    you helped me. I¡¯ve thought it through now. I won¡¯t lose myself over a guy anymore. If it weren¡¯t for you,


    I might be in hell regretting it right now. You¡¯re my savior. If you can, I¡¯d like to treat you to a meal. After


    that meal, I¡¯ll leave this country to avoid any more painful memories.¡±


    She specifically came to invite me to dinner.


    I wasn¡¯t close with Chloe; even if I saved her, I didn¡¯t need that meal.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as you can live a good life in the future, that¡¯s enough.¡± I rejected Chloe¡¯s invitation


    again.


    ¡°Please ept my request. I¡¯ll be leaving here soon. I don¡¯t want to owe anyone anything, so I don¡¯t


    want to owe you this favor. Please don¡¯t let me keep thinking that I owe you, okay?¡± Chloe¡¯s tone


    became firm.


    I ignored her and went straight to the elevator.


    Chloe followed me. It seemed like she was determined to not let me refuse her invitation.


    I really didn¡¯t understand. Was that necessary? Whether she owed me something or not depended


    entirely on my own thoughts. As long as I felt that she didn¡¯t owe me anything, it would be fine.


    I was about to tell Chloe to leave, but she suddenly started crying again, ¡°Please let mepletely


    sever ties with everything here. I won¡¯te back again.¡±


    I had to swallow what I was going to say after seeing Chloe cry so miserably; I didn¡¯t know whether to


    sympathize with her or feel helpless.


    Chloe followed me into the office, and the assistants were all dumbfounded as they watched us. Until


    we entered the office, I was feeling really annoyed, ¡°Fine, if you want to treat me to a meal, then invite


    your parents as well.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to have dinner alone with Chloe, afraid that there might be problems. If her parents were


    also present, at least there would be some security.


    I would bring along Ste Wace when having meal with her.


    Seeing that I agreed, a glint of joy shed across Chloe¡¯s face. She nodded, ¡°Alright, that sounds


    good.¡±


    ¡°Can you get going now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sure, you call the shots on time and ce, Chloe said earnestly, ¡°Just let me know.¡±


    I gave a nod. After she left, Lpulled out the USB stick Malinda had given me earlier from the drawer


    and gave it another look-over.

 Chapter 335

    Chapter 335


    Chapter 335


    I was in a real pickle, wondering if I should hand over the USB stick to Neil.


    Malinda, the smart cookie, gathered a lot of dirt on Bonnie. What intrigued me the most was a


    conversation between Bonnie and Kate Aaron she stumbled upon, hinting at moneyundering


    involving StarGlow Enterprises.


    T


    The conversation wasn¡¯t crystal clear, but it was a smoking gun which proved their knowledge and


    involvement.


    After stewing over it for a bit, I finally copied all the evidence from the USB stick and shot it over to Neil.


    About half an hourter, Neil rang me up and asked, ¡°Where did thise from?¡±


    ¡°Malinda gave it to me,¡± I confessed, ¡°Malinda approached me once before and gave me this stuff. I¡¯ve


    been covering for her this whole time. If Bonnie knew, she¡¯d be in hot water.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Neil sounded serious, ¡°When did she give this to you?¡±


    I thought for a moment and then spilled the beans.


    Neil went silent for a bit, then chuckled, ¡°Didn¡¯t want to tell me earlier, huh? Keeping me at arm¡¯s


    length?¡±


    That question was a bit awkward because I was indeed keeping him at bay. Only after all we¡¯ve been


    through those days did I decide to hand over the document. It was thest piece of the puzzle between


    us.


    Seeing me silent, Neil probably figured out my answer. He didn¡¯t me me or mock me; he just sighed


    lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not keeping anything from you anymore!¡±


    Instead of grilling me, Neil¡¯s soft sigh made me feel even guiltier.


    ¡°Okay, I trust you,¡± Neil¡¯s voice softened a bit, ¡°You must remember, I¡¯ll always have your back.¡±


    Neil was being overly understanding. I was not quite used to it, but deep down, I was pleased.


    I yearned for that feeling for a long time, and then I finally felt it. No matter how much I had been


    through, I was still moved.


    I responded lightly, then ended the call.


    Work was hectic and time flew by. The biggest deal on my te at the time was a business


    coboration with Ethan Foster¡¯s FarHorizon Group. It was definitely a top priority.


    After work, I gave Ste a shout about Chloe¡¯s dinner invitation.


    ¡°Just go. What¡¯s there to be scared of?¡± Ste didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°If she pulls anything, I¡¯ll give her a piece


    of my mind!¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re that tough?¡± I chuckled, ¡°Alright then, you pick the spot. Come with me when it¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I promise to pick the best ce in Rosemont for you,¡± Ste was confident.


    But we didn¡¯t know that this dinner would leave an indelible scar in our minds.


    Ste picked the restaurant, and I texted the address and time to Chloe. She replied quickly, ¡°Okay,


    see you then.¡±


    When the time came, Ste and I headed to the rendezvous. On the way there, I got a text from


    Russel, warning me not to ept any


    invitations from Chloe.


    The text made me jittery.


    But Ste and I were already at the rendezvous.


    ¡°My husband will be dining here too. Rx. If Chloe pulls anything, we¡¯ve got enough manpower!¡±


    Ste gave me a pat on the back.


    It felt like we were not there for dinner but to face potential conflict.


    But her words did soothe me a bit. With her husband, Mitch Hebert around, at least someone could


    step in if anything went south.


    Ste was very thoughtful. She picked a private room next to Mitch¡¯s. When Mitch saw me, his eyes lit


    up, and he couldn¡¯t help but take a ¨Cpeek at the door of his room.


    That nce told me Neil was definitely there.


    Otherwise, Mitch wouldn¡¯t have had that excited look.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re here already?¡± Chloe arrived fashionablyte. She was all dolled up, looking


    gorgeous. Her worn-out look from our previous encounter was gone.


    Following Chloe were her parents.


    After we exchanged greetings, we entered the private room. Chloe ordered a ton of fancy dishes and


    two bottles of high-end wine.


    I had a bad feeling, and Chloe¡¯s constant smile made me uneasy.


    Throughout the dinner, nothing went wrong. Chloe¡¯s parents expressed their gratitude, and I responded


    politely.


    As the dinner was about to wrap up, Chloe suddenly smiled at me, ¡°Ms. Finch, Russel called me,


    asking me not tomit suicide because you promised to have dinner with him, right?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s face changed as soon as she said that.


    Ste quickly came to my defense, ¡°Rena and Russel are done. She only agreed to stop you from


    doing something stupid. What are you implying?¡±


    Chloe¡¯s parents also looked serious.


    ¡°I meant nothing. I was just asking,¡± Chloe didn¡¯t get mad; instead, she smiled even more. She stood


    up and said, ¡°You guys can go ahead. I¡¯ll take care of the bill.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want toe to dinner in the first ce, so I was d to leave early. I grabbed Ste, and we


    headed out.


    Downstairs in the hotel, I ran into Mitch. He was saying goodbye to a man who seemed to be his


    business partner.


    ¡°Sweetheart, how did I do today? I got the contract signed.¡± Mitch quickly buttered up Ste.


    ¡°Absolutely fantastic!¡± Ste didn¡¯t hold back her praise.


    Mitch took another look at me, then said somewhat shyly, ¡°But I can¡¯t take all the credit. I invited Neil


    today. Without him, I couldn¡¯t have pulled it off!¡±


    As soon as he finished, Neil walked out of the hotel entrance. He was there to apany Mitch for


    business, so he was dressed to the nines. His perfect figure was tightly wrapped in a finely tailored,


    handmade suit, attracting many gazes. When he looked at me with those deep eyes, I was deeply


    struck.


    Seeing me, Neil raised an eyebrow, then looked away.


    I pretended not to know him and deliberately didn¡¯t react.


    Mitch watched our reactions, and a disappointed look crossed his face.


    ¡°Neil, I didn¡¯t expect to bump into Rena here. She¡¯s dining with my wife,¡± Mitch could totally consider a


    career in matchmaking if he wasn¡¯t already busy with his ownpany.


    Neil gave a brief response. His demeanor was chilly.


    I didn¡¯t say much either and just headed towards my car. Ste never liked Neil, so she followed close


    behind me.


    I had only walked a few steps when suddenly there was a scream, ¡°Ah!¡±

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336


    Chapter 336


    Subconsciously, I looked up, staring at the sky in shock.


    Someone was falling from the hotel above, headfirst, at an insane speed. Our eyes met for a split


    second, but it was enough to send chills down my spine.


    It was Chloe!


    Chloe¡¯s eyes were locked on me, and then there was a loud thud. She had hit the ground hard, and


    blood sttered everywhere. Her head was beyond recognition from the impact, but her eyes stayed


    open, staring at me.


    I felt her blood stter on my face. She was only a few steps away.


    I forgot to scream, my knees turned to jelly, and I was overwhelmed by fear and nausea.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Ste, behind me, let out a cry. Mitch realized something was off and rushed over tofort her.


    I stumbled back a few steps, feeling dizzy. Luckily, someone grabbed me and stopped me from falling,


    then covered my eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±


    I was trembling all over, my mind a chaotic mess. Suddenly, I remembered what Chloe had said earlier.


    Russel¡¯s condition for stopping her frommitting suicide was to have a meal with me. So, was it her


    n to invite me for dinner today?


    Or was it that she couldn¡¯t bear her fate and couldn¡¯t ept that her worth in Russel¡¯s eyes was just


    having a meal with me?


    My face turned pale, and my breathing became ragged. I couldn¡¯t see anything, but I could still smell


    the blood.


    I turned and threw up.


    Neil patted my back gently and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t throwing up anything, but my stomach was cramping. My vision blurred, and I felt like I was


    going crazy.


    Neil held my shoulders, supporting me up and leading me to his car. He settled me into the passenger


    seat.


    ¡°Listen, it¡¯s not your fault. What you just saw was an ident.¡± Neil said, holding my face gently yet


    seriously.


    ¡°But I came to see her today. How could she¡­¡± I stuttered. I could stay calm in the face of other things,


    but watching someone who had just eaten with me fall to her death in front of me was terrifying beyond


    words.


    And I was certain that Chloe had orchestrated that drama on purpose.


    Neil gripped my trembling shoulders, ¡°You¡¯ve saved her once, but she didn¡¯t appreciate it. You didn¡¯t do


    anything wrong, understand?¡±


    ¡°Neil, I¡­¡± I hadn¡¯t realized tears were streaming down my face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home. Someone will call the police here.¡± Neil didn¡¯t let me continue. Instead, he closed


    the car door, got into the driver¡¯s seat, and drove off.


    Staying there would have only shocked me further.


    Neil took me to Grandeur Oaks Estates. I was in a daze, sitting on the couch, unable to snap out of it.


    Neil brought a warm, wet towel to wipe the blood off my face. His eyebrows were furrowed, and there


    was a hint of anger in his eyes.


    ¡°Neil, I¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say what I wanted to, but I knew I needed to say something.


    ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Neil dropped the towel, sounding helpless, ¡°I told you; Chloe¡¯s life


    and death has nothing to do with you. If you hadn¡¯t saved herst time, things wouldn¡¯t have gotten this


    complicated.¡±


    I was stunned. If hadn¡¯t stopped Chloe from jumping off the building, she would have been dead, and


    most people would have focused on Russel. I would have just been a side note.


    But then, all attention was on me.


    I held my forehead in pain, remaining silent.


    ¡°Go take a shower.¡± Neil said.


    I got up like I was in a dream and went to take a shower. When I got out, dried off, and draped in a


    towel, a set of clothes was waiting


    for me.


    The clothes must have been prepared by Neil. I quietly put them on.


    In the living room, Neil was on the phone, ¡°Keep the heat down on this topic.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you guys know what to do, right?¡±


    My instinct told me he was dealing with Chloe¡¯s suicide. Because it would have definitely involved me.


    Looking at Neil¡¯s back, I felt terrible. Guilt, anxiety, and fear all rushed to my heart, making me restless.


    Seeing mee out, Neil hung up the phone. He walked over and ruffled my hair, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Not


    drying your hair? You think it¡¯s summer?¡±


    ¡°Neil, take me back to Sapphire River Community.¡± I didn¡¯t care about my hair. I wanted to go home.


    If it really implicated me, I would face it head-on. I did nothing wrong. Chloe didn¡¯t cherish her life and


    even tried to punish me with her death. I wouldn¡¯t just sit back and take it.


    Neil shook his head, ¡°Wait till I finish dealing with things here, then you can go.¡±


    ¡°Take me back. I can¡¯t rely on you to solve all my problems.¡± I started to calm down.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. It¡¯s easy to rely on someone, but could I rely on that person for life?


    I wasn¡¯t sure.


    After a while, I asked to go back again. After my repeated requests, Neil finally took me back to


    Sapphire River Community.


    It waste at night. After Neil dropped me off, he went to rest next door.


    ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± He reminded me before leaving.


    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Although I had calmed down, my mood was still very low. The scene of Chloe¡¯s death


    kept shing in my mind.


    After Neil left, I went home. My mom and Hannah were already asleep.


    In my room, I stared at my phone, checking for any news about Chloe¡¯s suicide.


    But all night, I saw no rted news. Did Neil really handle it?


    My phone rang. It was Ste.


    ¡°Rena, can¡¯t sleep either?¡± Ste¡¯s voice was hoarse and tired.


    ¡°Yeah, how about you?¡± I was just as exhausted.


    ¡°Oh crap! Had Chloe lost her marbles or what? She jumped off a building right after we finished dinner


    with her. Now, the image of her death keeps popping up in my mind, giving me nightmares every time I


    try to sleep!¡± Ste was really ticked off, speaking with intense


    emotion.


    Anyone would be upset by that because it was supposed to have nothing to do with her, but it ended up


    being a huge pain in the neck.


    I felt guilty and said, ¡°Ste, I¡¯m sorry. If I hadn¡¯t asked you to join me for that meeting, you wouldn¡¯t


    have had to witness such a horrifying scene.¡±


    ¡°Ah well, it¡¯s not your fault; it¡¯s Chloe who was too impulsive.¡± Ste tried tofort me and said, ¡°You


    have to chill. This is definitely not your fault!¡±

 Chapter 337

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    Chapter 337


    ¡°Yeah, I get it. If someone really tries to pin the me on me, I¡¯ll set the record straight myself.¡± I didn¡¯t


    have much on my mind at the time. The mental shock I had received today was kind of heavy. My head


    was a nk.


    Ste chatted with me for a bit, then, out of nowhere, she brought up Neil.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The moment Neil took me away, she and Mitch saw it all. So then, they were starting to think that Neil


    still had feelings for me.


    ¡°Rena, you have to think this through. This guy is the definition of a bad boy!¡± Ste¡¯s opinion of Neil


    was firm as a rock. She kept harping on about how I needed to never look back.


    I knew where she wasing from, but a lot of things weren¡¯t as simple as ¡®you want, you get¡¯. You


    must y it by ear.


    ¡°Alright, I get it. You should get some sleep.¡± I was beat. I barely kept my eyes open.


    Ste yawned, ¡°Okay, goodnight then.¡±


    After hanging up, I drifted off to sleep, but it was filled with nightmares. In my dream, I saw Chloe,


    covered in blood,ughing at me. I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn¡¯t move.


    When I woke up, my back was drenched in sweat. Looking at the bright sunshine outside, I took a deep


    breath and quickly hit the showers.


    After showering, the first thing I did was check the news, but there was still no coverage about Chloe¡¯s


    suicide. After mulling it over, I dialed Neil¡¯s number.


    My goal was simple. I wanted Neil to stop hiding that. If Chloe would use her death to get back at me, I


    might as well face it head-on and exin the whole situation. The truth had to be said. If that kept


    getting swept under the rug, hiding wouldn¡¯t do me any good. If that news suddenly came to light, I


    would have been hit with even worse suspicion and bacsh.


    After hearing my reasoning, Neil didn¡¯t object. He probably understood better than I did, being the


    rational guy he was.


    ¡°Alright, if this is getting too much for you, let me know.¡± Neil didn¡¯t say anything else, but I felt a sense


    of security from him. No matter what I did, he would stand by me.


    That was what it felt like to feel secure. I made a mental note.


    After hanging up, I got ready and headed to the office. An event that hadn¡¯t happened yet couldn¡¯t be


    an excuse for not going to work.


    -Around noon, news of Chloe¡¯s death finally broke. As expected, some people started analyzing the


    situation, and the me was ced


    on me and Russel. The general narrative was that Russel and I had a secret rtionship, which led


    him to break off his engagement with Chloe. Then, I invited Chloe for dinner and said something that


    provoked her, leading her to jump off a building.


    Someone was definitely targeting me from behind the scenes. They were twisting the facts, and every


    word they said was aimed at me. People who didn¡¯t know the truth were calling for me to be held


    legally responsible.


    What was really bothering me about this situation was Chloe¡¯s parents. They knew exactly what


    happened. Even though I could understand their grief over losing their daughter, they were pinning a


    baseless usation on me, which I couldn¡¯t ept.


    which


    ¡°Mr. Finch, there¡¯s a party tonight. Do you want to go?¡± My assistant came in. She probably saw the


    news, so she seemed a little nervous when she asked.


    If I wasn¡¯t in a good mood or state of mind, I probably wouldn¡¯t go.


    But, having gone through a lot of simr stuff, my ability to cope has been strengthened. So, I just


    replied nonchntly, ¡°Yeah, arrange a


    car for me.¡±


    My assistant quickly went to arrange the car while I finished up my remaining work and headed to the


    party.


    Rosemont was of a d¨¦cent size. Larger businesses were basically the usual suspects. So I expected to


    see some familiar faces.


    Because I was suspected of being involved in Chloe¡¯s suicide, I was the center of attention the moment


    I showed up.


    ¡°You criminal! How dare you show your face in public?¡± Kate was also there, and she started to throw a


    fit the moment she saw me. Tooked around at the people in the room. Most of them were big shots in


    Rosemont. It seemed like going there today was worth it. Bonnie was looking at me coldly. Her eyes


    were filled with contempt.


    Seeing Kate make a scene, a smirk appeared on my face. I picked up a ss of wine, walked up to


    her, and asked, ¡°You say I¡¯m a criminal. Have you got any proof?¡±


    Perhaps my calm andposed demeanor annoyed Kate. She and Malinda were cut from the same


    cloth, masters of making a scene, with no sense of morality.


    But I could understand her. She had never been loved by her mother and always got overshadowed by


    her own sister, Karina Aaron. That had left a shadow in her heart, She was desperate to please the


    people she loathed and feared deep down.


    After Karina died and Gloria went abroad, she didn¡¯t even take care of her own daughter. Sometimes I


    thought Kate was both pitiful and


    /hateful.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Chloe kill herself because she couldn¡¯t handle the pressure after having dinner with you? Her


    parents confirmed it too. You were seen in the hotel surveince footage waiting for her. She and her


    family arrivedter. Isn¡¯t this a fact?¡± Kate argued forcefully. It was clear she really wanted me to be the


    ¡°criminal¡±.


    Everyone else was watching me. Their eyes were expressing different thoughts.


    The smirk on Bonnie¡¯s face became even more pronounced. As long as someone was willing to take a


    swing at me, she was happy to sit back and watch. Only when things started to go south for her, would


    she step in to defend herself.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this today. It¡¯s an honor to have Ms. Finch here at the party. Here, let me


    propose a toast to you.¡± Jessica Moore, the host of the party, stepped in to defuse the situation.


    She was a long-term business partner of mypany, and we got along pretty well.


    I nodded at her, smiled, and said, ¡°Okay, my bad, I shouldn¡¯t have said those things. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay; some people just like to stir up trouble. Leave Chloe¡¯s case to the police. They¡¯ll sort it


    out.¡± Jessica said casually.


    I nodded, nced at Kate, and said, ¡°If you keep messing with me, you might end up regretting it.¡±


    After I said that, I just brushed them off. Jessica and I moved to the side to chat. We had some


    business stuff to hash out.


    I needed a favor from Jessica. After hearing me out, she was more than happy to lend a hand.


    As the party was about to wrap up, Jessica had to take the stage to say a few words.


    She even threw in an extra bit, ¡°Now, I¡¯ve got something I want to show you folks, if you¡¯ll just bear with


    me for a second.¡±


    A screen popped up behind her, ying a video. It was some surveince footage I¡¯d dug up for today.

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338


    Chapter 338


    I couldn¡¯t care less about the criticisms and doubts of others. I was only concerned about my reputation


    in the business world.


    If Chloe¡¯s death had a negative impact on mypany, I absolutely couldn¡¯t ept that.


    Today, everyone who should have been there was present. I just needed to publicly present the


    evidence and put those chaotic rumors on the inte to rest.


    The day Chloe came to find me, there was surveince throughout thepany. Even the


    conversation was clear. It could have been proven that it was Chloe who insisted on inviting me to


    dinner, saying it was to thank me for saving her.


    Once that was confirmed, the other rumors were just a bunch of hogwash.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to take up everyone¡¯s precious time today. But to prevent things from getting worse or the


    truth from being covered up, I have to do this,¡± With a signal from Jessica, I calmly exined to


    everyone, ¡°Also to avoid some people maliciously framing me and deliberately using this incident to


    tarnish my reputation.¡±


    I nced at Kate, and everyone naturally understood. When I first arrived, I was loudly questioned by


    Kate; someone must have heard.


    Kate looked bad but still stayed calm. She seemed not to care about what others thought of her.


    In contrast, Bonnie next to her cared more about her dignity than Kate. Her eyes were somewhat


    evasive.


    Then in Rosemont, I had gradually gained some standing. After all, I sessfully maintained the family


    company, earning some


    people¡¯s praise. So, as soon as I finished speaking, people started pping, showing their support for


    me.¡±


    My goal tonight was simple, which was to not affect thepany. Since the target had been achieved,


    I did not want to waste any more time. The cocktail party just ended and I was ready to leave.


    ¡°Irene Finch!¡± Just as I walked into the elevator, Kate stopped me. Gloria and Bonnie followed behind


    her. The three of them walked in together.


    Suddenly being squeezed into a small space with three annoying people really sucked.


    Frowning, I just quietly looked at the number disy in the elevator. Thankfully, those three didn¡¯t say


    anything in the elevator. Otherwise, I would have really been annoyed to death.


    If it was only temporary difort, I could ept it. But Kate, in order to please Gloria and Bonnie and


    prove her loyalty, tripped me on purpose as I was leaving the elevator. My high heels got stuck in the


    gap of the elevator door, and I fell in the elevator.


    Fortunately, the hotel staff reacted swiftly, came over to handle the situation, and helped me up.


    Otherwise if the elevator malfunctioned, it would have been a real headache.


    Kate¡¯s action made me lose thest bit of patience I had for her. I took off the broken high heels, threw


    them into the trash can, and chased after them barefoot.


    ¡°p!¡± I pped Kate without hesitation. She was stunned on the spot.


    ¡°Irene, what are you doing? How dare you hit someone?!¡± Bonnie immediately stepped up to use


    me.


    Peopleing in and out of the hotel couldn¡¯t help but take a second look at us.


    Gloria also shielded Kate behind her. For a moment, it seemed that a glint of joy shed across Kate¡¯s


    face.


    ¡°I¡¯m calling the police.¡± Kate¡¯s emotions were not as excited as Bonnie¡¯s, but her words were sharper.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll call the police right now. Let¡¯s see how they handle you!¡± Bonnie took out her phone, her face


    full of anger. She was outraged at my hitting Kate.


    I sneered, ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    Bonnie paused, ¡°What¡¯s there to be unsure about? She¡¯s like my sister. You think I¡¯ll let you treat her


    like this?¡±


    The friendship between those two was really deep. If I didn¡¯t see the content on the USB Malinda gave


    me, I would have really thought their rtionship was good.


    The file I sent to Neil earlier was still on my phone. I found an important part, yed it with a smirk, and


    asked them, ¡°Really?¡±


    Soon, Kate¡¯s voice came from inside, ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t even like me. I don¡¯t understand why I, her own


    daughter, can¡¯t evenpare to that morally corrupt ¡®substitute¡¯. Karina has been dead for so many


    years. Now another annoying Bonnie shows up. She¡¯s just disgusting! She¡¯s just lucky that she looks


    like Karina; one day my mom will realize that her own daughter is better.¡±


    Then it was Bonnie¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Kate is just a poor thing. Sometimes I really feel sorry for her. Her own mom doesn¡¯t even treat her as


    well as she treats me. That¡¯s her fate.


    Don¡¯t tell her that I kind of hate her. My mom clearly doesn¡¯t like her. Why doesn¡¯t she just go work


    abroad?


    Malinda, can you asionally egg Kate on and get her to leave here?¡±


    All those were voice recordings that Malinda secretly made. I watched with satisfaction as the three of


    them reacted. This feeling of them about to turn on each other made me feel really good.


    The scene became very quiet. I chuckled and headed straight for the car nearby.


    A clear p sound came from behind, then Kate¡¯s crying. I knew Gloria must have chosen to protect


    Bonnie.


    Kate was indeed pitiful, but she shouldn¡¯t have messed with me. Otherwise, she could have continued


    living her life.


    I drove home in a good mood, then had my PR people directly publish the evidence, letting those


    netizens who don¡¯t know the truth know what¡¯s really going on. I¡¯m very grateful that Chloe came to find


    me at thepany that day; otherwise, there might not have been any evidence.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, are you alright?¡± Hannah hadn¡¯t gone to sleep. She poured me a ss of water and asked


    me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I took the ss of water and shook my head with a smile.


    Then I saw the familiar smile on her face, ¡°Ms. Finch, who lives next door? I think I saw the lights in the


    house next door on just now, but then they went out. It¡¯s not a burry, is it?¡±


    I almost spat out my water. What did she mean?


    Hannah continued worriedly, ¡°Ms. Finch, what if the neighbor¡¯s house really was burrized? Shouldn¡¯t


    we help them call the police?¡±


    ¡°No need. It should be fine.¡± I put down the ss of water, trying to hide my embarrassment.


    Hannah still insisted, ¡°Ms. Finch, you should go check it out. I have a bad feeling about this. Consider it


    helping a neighbor.¡±


    I was pretty sure Neil was right next door, but Hannah kept insisting that I check on him, making me


    wonder if she knew something and was trying to y cupid.


    ¡°Got it, you go rest up. I¡¯ll check on him if I get a moment,¡± I casually replied to Hannah.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Seeing my agreement, Hannah¡¯s smile lit up even more. She nodded and then went upstairs to rest.


    After finishing my water alone, I started to feel nervous. I thought, ¡°Should I just go to bed or check if


    Neil is next door?¡±


    The day¡¯s events had me wanting to hash things out with him and hear his thoughts.


    But I was somewhat resistant to making the first move. In theory, he should be the one chasing after


    me, hoping for a reconciliation. But I couldn¡¯t seem to let go of my pride and take the initiative.


    Just as I was in two minds, my phone started to ring. It was Neil calling.

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339


    Chapter 339


    ¡°Are you home yet?¡± Neil asked me as soon as I picked up the phone.


    ¡°Just got home. What¡¯s up?¡± I asked back, a little confused, but I knew deep down that Neil just wanted


    to see me.


    The living room was quiet, and Neil¡¯s voiceing from the other end of the phone sounded incredibly


    charming, ¡°I miss you. I want to


    Even though I had been trying to stay rational, I had been stuck in a rut, struggling now and then. Neil


    and I were getting closer, and there was nothing hidden between us.


    My heart started beating faster when Neil said that. I felt the excitement of our first meeting; a little bit of


    attention from him would make me incredibly happy.


    I took a deep breath to calm myself down, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s toote. I¡¯m going to take a bath and go to


    bed.¡±


    Neil paused, ¡°Come see me first, then you can take your bath. Anything you want to talk about?¡±


    Actually, there was something I wanted to tell him about what happened tonight; I wanted to hear Neil¡¯s


    opinion.


    I was sure Kate wouldn¡¯t be showing up in front of me anymore. I didn¡¯t believe Bonnie would put up


    with her. She would have certainly found a way to get rid of her.


    As if looking for an excuse to see him, I decided to go next door,


    Neil was waiting for me in the yard, sitting on a wicker chair, the soft light in the yard casting on him,


    making him look like a character from a painting.


    I must admit, even though I despised that man, I still appreciated his appearance because eyes didn¡¯t


    lie.


    Ste once told me bluntly that I was just attracted by Neil¡¯s handsome appearance.


    This statement still applied to me.


    ¡°What are you doing standing there? Come here, let me hug you.¡± Neil waved at me when he saw me.


    His gesture made him seem like a cunning fox.


    I should have been more open. But at that moment, I was a bit shy.


    I slowly walked over to Neil after closing the door. Just as I was about to sit down, he pulled me into his


    arms without hesitation. I sat on hisp. His familiar smell of tobo mixed with my favorite perfume


    scent made me feelplicated.


    Neil looked at my profile, his voice deep and maic, ¡°Tonight, you finally defended your reputation,


    didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, mypany¡¯s PR department is also dealing with this issue.¡± I nodded, trying to focus on other


    things.


    ¡°I saw. As long as you can clear up some rumors, that¡¯s good. But doing so might negatively affect


    Chloe¡¯s parents. They just lost their daughter.¡± Neil said deeply as if testing me.


    I cut him off, ¡°What they feel has nothing to do with me. They should have foreseen this when they


    twisted the truth and med me for their pain. Whether it¡¯s Chloe or her parents, they brought this


    upon themselves, right?¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, Neil let out a chuckle full of affection, seemingly satisfied with my


    attitude. He rxed his brows and pinched my cheek, ¡°Good, you finally learned to put yourself first.


    Well done.¡±


    I was speechless, feeling like Neil was praising me like a child.


    Before I could react, Neil kissed my cheek. His gentle touch took me by surprise. I covered my face


    and looked at him and asked, ¡°Why did you kiss me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just feel like kissing you whenever I see you; maybe I¡¯m ¡®addicted¡¯ to you.¡± Neil sighed


    helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll dump me after you¡¯re done using me, so how about we have a


    baby soon?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t know I was infertile, so he brought up that topic naturally. But I felt a pang in my heart, and I


    couldn¡¯t let him see it.


    forced a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s just let nature take its course when ites to having a baby.¡±


    ¡°I know we should let nature take its course, but we should try when it¡¯s time to try. I¡¯m really jealous


    seeing other people having kids.¡± Neil¡¯s tone revealed dissatisfaction, ¡°Why could Mitch and his wife


    have two kids all of a sudden? And he¡¯s even younger than me.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    He was jealous of Mitch? I had a headache. I didn¡¯t know how to exin the baby situation to him. My


    guess was that once I revealed the truth about my physical condition, my rtionship with Neil would


    be over.


    I believed he did have feelings for me now, but it was impossible for him to be without offspring.


    I guess I was just being selfish. Before my dad got out of prison and before the truth about Oscar


    Morse¡¯s death came out, I still had to keep Neil in the dark. The only person who knew about my


    physical condition was Russel.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have our own baby one day.¡± I replied, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡°So, should we try tonight to make our baby?¡± Neil hooked my chin and bit my neck gently, ¡°If it¡¯s still


    not working, maybe I should get a checkup, and maybe I should consider quitting drinking and


    smoking?¡±


    Hearing him so serious about it, I panicked even more.


    I suddenly wanted to avoid him. If I could avoid having sex with him, at least that could be an excuse


    for not getting pregnant. If Neil knew about my thoughts now, he would have probably gone crazy..


    Neil¡¯s hand slipped under my clothes. I felt a chill on my lower body and shivered. I quickly grabbed his


    hand to stop his next move and said, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today. My back hurts.¡±


    ¡°Should I be gentle then?¡± Neil didn¡¯t seem to want to give up.


    ¡°Maybe next time. I want to go to bed early.¡± I felt Neil¡¯s hand moving. It looked like he wanted to


    continue, so I immediately tightened my grip on his hand to stop him.


    Neil looked a bit dissatisfied when he felt my resistance. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, ¡°What are you


    thinking about? You¡¯re deliberately avoiding this. Don¡¯t you want a baby?¡±


    Sometimes, I really thought Neil could be a part-time psychologist or fortune teller. His predictions were


    too urate.


    ¡°No, actually. I¡¯m feeling a bit under the weather. I just swung by to chat and discuss some things that


    happened today and get your two cents.¡± I tried to sidestep Neil, but he did something that really got


    my goat. He grabbed me hard, and I was just about ready to cuss him out.


    Neil wrapped his arm around my waist and shamelessly threatened me, ¡°If you dare to leave now, I¡¯m


    going to follow you home and stick to you like glue until your mom catches on.¡±


    ¡°Neil, are you kidding me? You¡¯re using this childish excuse to threaten me?¡± I couldn¡¯t help buty it


    on the line. He was always calm and mature in front of others, but the words he just spat out sounded


    more like a three-year-old boy.

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    Chapter 340


    Chapter 340


    Neil Whitmore gave my waist a gentle squeeze, just the right amount of pressure to make my heart


    flutter.


    He sighed, ¡°I really wish I could put on this mature, steady front for you, but it¡¯s just pointless. I kept it


    up for ten years and ended up divorced from you. I don¡¯t want to make the same mistake again.¡±


    ¡°Cheer up. I remember you used to get all jittery with just a light touch from me.¡± Old memories of


    endless pursuits and painful times started flooding back.


    A flicker of helplessness shed through Neil¡¯s eyes before heughed, ¡°Are you holding a grudge? It¡¯s


    alright, you can get back at me whenever you want. Deal?¡±


    Without waiting for my answer, he already had his hand behind my head, pulling me into a forced kiss.


    The taste of tobo filled my mouth.


    In just a few minutes, I felt my heart start to waver. Catching my response, Neil easily lifted me up and


    carried me into the living room.


    Seeing the couch, I felt my knees get weak, sensing it was going to be a long night..


    Hannah Morse was used to meing home early. She simply smiled and greeted me, not asking


    anything more. I was a tad guilty but seeing her so chill made me rx.


    That night, whatever I had nned for PR was pretty much done. Chloe Reynolds¡¯ parents were under


    massive pressure, but I was just a bystander with no extra sympathy for them as they had brought that


    upon themselves.


    On the other hand, Russel Dawson wasn¡¯t affected much. He had a good reputation, and many


    believed his heart truly belonged to me, with his engagement to Chloe being forced.


    Chloe killed herself, mainly because she felt unloved. As long as there was no evidence proving that


    Russel directly provoked Chloe, he was off the h ook.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The one thing that could be criticized was his refusal to talk her down the first time she threatened to


    jump.


    I closed the web page, no longer interested in the saga.


    After Chloe¡¯s matter was settled, I threw myself into work. As my coboration with FarHorizon Group


    deepened, I found some issues. Thepany seemed to have many partners but was more like a


    shellpany, with many of its operations being fake.


    Neil¡¯s mentioned document was well hidden by Ethan Foster, and I hadn¡¯t found it yet.


    Aside from work, I¡¯d hang out with Ste Wace and the gang asionally. Barbara Sands was


    pregnant, her belly showing, and her face filled with maternal warmth. Every time I saw her caressing


    her belly, I was reminded of Neil¡¯s words.


    When we met a few days prior, it was the time of my period, and the disappointment in Neil¡¯s eyes was


    clear.


    He longed for a child desperately. Mitch He bert told me that Neil even got checked at the hospital, but


    everything was normal. In that case, he might have suspected me, but he never mentioned it.


    ¡°Oh, baby, don¡¯t kick mommy!¡± Barbara suddenly patted her belly during our chat, pretending to be


    angry.


    Ste joyfully chimed in, ¡°I bet it¡¯s a boy. Girls are usually calmer.¡±


    I stayed silent, sipping my water. Suddenly, Ste said, ¡°I want another child, but I can¡¯t seem to get


    pregnant again. I need to find a solution.¡±


    ¡°What kind of solution? Going to the hospital for treatment?¡± Alicia Rider asked.


    ¡°I have a friend who knows a top-notch gynecologist who¡¯s been abroad all these years and is about to


    return. The doctor¡¯s infertility treatment is excellent. I¡¯ll give it a shot when she¡¯s back.¡± Ste answered


    confidently, her eyes expressing her love for children. She wouldn¡¯t give up.


    A thought crossed my mind and I asked myself in my head, ¡°An infertility specialist?¡±


    The three of them were chatting happily, and I quietly noted that. Even if I left Neil in the future, deep


    down, I still wished for a child.


    Back from the meet-up, Ste¡¯s words echoed in my head. The hope that had faded seemed to flicker


    weakly again.


    But that was forter. I needed to sort out my dad¡¯s matter.


    Due to Ethan Foster¡¯s pressure, it was difficult to see my dad. All contacts were deliberately blocked.


    My mom, who had been worrying about my dad, wanted to see him as soon as she had recovered, but


    she discovered someone was deliberately targeting her after several attempts.


    Seeing her worried, I felt heartbroken.


    My mom had always been a strong woman, never really wronged, even when there were conflicts at


    home. But my dad¡¯s incident put her under unprecedented pressure.


    ¡°I wonder how your dad is doing inside.¡± She¡¯d asionally say, her eyes filled with worry and love for


    my dad.


    1/2


    11:28


    There was no good solution at that time, and it might have been awkward for me to ask Neil for help.


    I told Ste and thedies about that, and Neil found out immediately. Obviously, it was Mitch who had


    spilled the beans.


    Neil had been busy around that time. We had less time together, but our rtionship didn¡¯t fade due to


    our infrequent meetups.


    In fact, our rtionship heated up thanks to his initiative.


    He called me, ¡°If you want to see your dad, you can tell me. I¡¯ll sort it out. Why are you reluctant to ask


    for my help?¡±


    His words left me wondering whether he was questioning me or helping me.


    ¡°This matter might be a bit tricky. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d get caught by Ethan Foster if you helped me.¡± I


    voiced my concern.


    ¡°Do you doubt my capability? If I don¡¯t want him to know, he won¡¯t. If I really have to confront him, I


    won¡¯t lose. I just don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re against me breaking ties with him.¡±


    I was against it because I wanted to leave. I didn¡¯t want to be unable to leave in the end.


    The higher the price Neil paid, the harder it would have been for me to break free.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you and him both to get hurt, okay? We already know about that document now. As


    long as we find out where it is, we¡¯re pretty much good to go,¡± I said, dodging the real issue.

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341


    Chapter 341


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to sugarcoat it for me,¡± Neil chuckled in resignation. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know about


    your little scheme? You¡¯re nning to leave after using me, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re worried that I¡¯ll invest


    too much and then can¡¯t let you go.¡±


    See, I¡¯ve always said Neil would make a great psychologist.


    The way he unveiled my intentions made me pretty awkward. Even though he didn¡¯t spell it out, my


    cheeks were already burning.


    Indeed, how could someone as clever as Neil be easily manipted? He only got involved when he


    was willing to be used.


    I didn¡¯t say anything because at that point, anything I said would have seemed fake.


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for you and your mom to see your dad in about three days. I¡¯m still out of the country.¡± Neil


    didn¡¯t ask me to admit anything; he just reassured me.


    His thoughtfulness made me feel guilty.


    Then I had to rely on the daily recollection of past tragedies and the lost child to remind myself to stay


    sane.


    ¡°Alright, I got it. Thanks.¡± I tried to sound confident, as if he werepensating me.


    ¡°No need to thank me. Even though I know you want to leave, I¡¯ll try my best to change your mind.¡±


    Neil¡¯s voice was calm and gentle.


    I was speechless. I felt I didn¡¯t need him to do anything. I was already starting to waver.


    After a brief chat, I hung up the phone.


    Neil had always been efficient. Three dayster, my mom and I got to see my dad. Mostly they chatted,


    and I waited on the side.


    My dad was not having a hard time there. In fact, his lifestyle was more regr than when he was


    working. As long as nobody deliberately targeted him, he took it as a vacation.


    What bothered him was the bad reputation that prison had brought him. He had been framed, but there


    was no evidence to prove his innocence. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    A man who had been innocent for decades ended up like that was heartbreaking.


    After my parents met, my


    and I left the prison. Seeing my dad, her mood obviously improved a lot.


    mooring in there, but it¡¯s a pity that he can¡¯t prove his innocence yet.¡± In the car, my mom was both


    ¡°It¡¯s good that your dad is not relieved and worried.


    ¡°One day it will be proven, Mom. Don¡¯t


    I was driving andforting her.


    My mom nodded. I thought it was over, but then she suddenly asked, ¡°Rena, did Neil help us to see


    your dad?¡±


    That question startled me, and I hit the brakes. The car screeched.


    A stray dog suddenly ran It just ran out!¡±


    out


    from somewhere. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t hit. I quickly pretended to pat my chest, ¡°That scared the life out of


    me.


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush and tell me.¡± My mom saw my guilty look, and her tone became serious.


    I¡¯m most afraid of seeing my mom like that. What if she got sick again?


    I continued to drive without answering her right away. The atmosphere in the car was a bit tense. Just


    then, my phone rang. It was Neil.


    Seeing his name gave me a headache. My mom grabbed the phone before I could, and before I could


    stop her, she answered the call and put it on speaker.


    ¡°Did you see your dad today?¡± Neil¡¯s voice came through, sounding very steady.


    I nced at my mom, who was looking at me. She didn¡¯t say anything; just signaled me with her eyes


    to answer Neil¡¯s question.


    ¡°Mm, just got back.¡± I gritted my teeth and replied.


    ¡°How is he? There shouldn¡¯t be any problems. I made arrangements.¡± Neil¡¯s side sounded a bit noisy,


    but I could hear him clearly. I wish I couldn¡¯t, so my mom wouldn¡¯t either.


    My mom¡¯s face wasplicated, and even her breathing was quiet.


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    If my mom got angry while Neil and I were talking, that would be trouble.


    So, I had to find an excuse to end the call, ¡°Mm, I¡¯m driving now. It¡¯s not convenient to talk.¡±


    ¡°Alright, drive safe.¡± Neil reminded me and hung up.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, he didn¡¯t say anything too affectionate. Otherwise, it would have


    been really hard to exin.


    1/2


    11:28


    The atmosphere once again became awkward. My mom pressed her lips together and didn¡¯t say a


    word.


    In that tense mood, the car stopped in front of our house. I quickly got out of the car, hoping my mom


    would just ignore what had just happened and wouldn¡¯t ask me any more questions.


    But I was too naive. My mom didn¡¯t seem to let it go easily.


    ¡°Irene Finch,e here. I have something to say.¡± As soon as we entered the living room, my mom


    spoke in a serious tone.


    Hannah, who was doing housework, immediately looked at me with questioning eyes when she heard


    my mom¡¯s tone, I shook my head slightly and followed my mom upstairs.


    My mom didn¡¯t beat around the bush. She asked directly, ¡°Are you and Neil back together? And what¡¯s


    his rtionship with Bonnie Tueley? Tell me everything.¡±


    Her tone was stem, but she didn¡¯t seem too upset, which relieved me a bit.


    What I was most afraid of was her getting sick from emotional agitation.


    ¡°Mom, actually, a lot happened while you were unconscious.¡± I took a deep breath. Since my mom had


    guessed it, it was time I faced it.


    ¡°Tell me everything.¡± My mom sat down, waiting for me to continue.


    I started from when my mom was unconscious and exined everything in detail. Unconsciously, I


    found myself defending Neil.


    What I talked about the most was how he had helped me.


    After finishing, I nervously watched my mom¡¯s reaction, ready to handle any possible emotional


    response,


    Unexpectedly, my mom didn¡¯t blow up. Instead, there was a hint of understanding in her eyes.


    Her smile was somewhat cold, ¡°Rena, you are my daughter, I know you¡¯re kind-hearted. For the man


    you once loved deeply, if he wants to win you back, I know you might waver. But I still hope you can


    think twice; don¡¯t make the same mistake again.¡±


    My mom wasn¡¯t angry, wasn¡¯t furious, but her overly calm attitude shocked me more. I stared at her for


    several seconds. My feelings wereplex and hard to understand.


    But overly can hear


    ¡°Mom, do you¡­ do you still hate Neil that much?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want him to hurt you again. Actually, I could often hear conversations while I was


    unconscious. Neil visited me in the hospital many times. You think I didn¡¯t know?¡± my mom asked.

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342


    Chapter 342


    I waspletely gobsmacked and at a loss for words.


    It turned out, Neil really did visit my mom in the hospital, as the previous caregiver had told me.


    But the fact that my mom knew about it was what blew my mind.


    ¡°Lately, he¡¯s been spending a lot of time next door. Did you meet him?¡± Sure enough, my mom was


    aware.


    At that point, I was stumped and could only nod in admission.


    Seeing my nod, my mom¡¯s face darkened. Clearly, she was pissed.


    She remained silent for a while, and I finally spilled the beans, ¡°Mom, think of it as me using him, okay?


    At the moment, he¡¯s the only one who can help with dad¡¯s situation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using yourself as bait?¡± The wrath in my mom¡¯s voice was palpable.


    ¡°No, no, we didn¡¯t do anything. He just wants to win me back!¡± I quickly exined to prevent my mom


    from getting more riled up. Even though it was a lie, it was better than her being mad.


    Hearing my words, my mom let out a sigh of relief, but her face was still grim, ¡°Rena, your dad would


    rather go to prison than see you


    do this.¡±


    But I didn¡¯t want my dad to go to prison, and there was also the matter of Oscar Morse. I had to get to


    the bottom of it and give Oscar, the justice he deserved.


    Both Oscar¡¯s and my dad¡¯s cases involved Bonnie; it was unavoidable.


    After a moment of silence, I replied, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not just about Dad; it¡¯s also about Oscar. I treat him like


    a brother. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t really be with Neil. Once it¡¯s all over, I¡¯ll make things clear with him,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright, as long as you can draw a clear line with him, I might even give up thepany, and we can


    leave this ce as a family of three.¡± I was stunned to hear my mom¡¯s words. She was willing to give


    up herpany?


    Seeing my disbelief, my mom said solemnly, ¡°After some thought, I realized that health and family


    happiness are the most important. The empire I built doesn¡¯t matter since I fell into aa. Your dad


    has been in politics all his life and look where it got him. I think once he¡¯s out, we should leave this


    ce and live a quiet life.¡±


    + couldn¡¯t believe my mom, who had always been so hardworking in her career, would say such things.


    It seemed that hera and my dad¡¯s situation dealt her a great blow, causing her to change her


    deep-rooted views.


    Seeing me quiet, my mom seemed unhappy, ¡°Are you unwilling to leave this ce, or do you still want


    to be tangled up with Neil?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. This is where I grew up; it¡¯s hard to let go.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°But only by leaving can you truly say goodbye to the past, Rena. I¡¯ve always respected your choices,


    but this time, can you listen to me?¡± My mom pleaded, looking frail and weak, making it hard for me to


    refuse.


    I was torn but decided to go along with my mom¡¯s decision.


    Finally, I nodded in agreement and said, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    Seeing my response, a satisfied smile appeared on my mom¡¯s face. She held my hand, and we sat in


    silence.


    After that conversation with my mom, Neil seemed to have sensed something, and we lost contact for a


    while.


    As I was caught up with work, I couldn¡¯t spare any thought for other things.


    Soon, photos of him and Bonnie were leaked online, and there were rumors of their engagement.


    I just took note of that news but didn¡¯t think much of it.


    At some point, my trust in Neil had grown very deep.


    Even though I had promised my mom, I didn¡¯t want to doubt Neil before everything was over.


    However, I noticed a different photo. The ce in the photo looked like Grandeur Oaks Estates, which


    was where Neil hid Bonnie in my past life.


    like nie.


    In my past life, I had never been there, but in this life, I went there before Bonnie. It was Neil¡¯s private


    space.


    I didn¡¯t understand why I was so bothered. I thought Neil wouldn¡¯t take Bonnie there, but he did.


    At that moment, familiar feelings of jealousy and irritation flooded me, reminding me of how I felt when I


    was crazy about Neil.


    ¡°Phew.¡± I put down my phone, massaged my temples, trying to calm myself, and told myself I shouldn¡¯t


    be like that.


    And it was work time. I can¡¯t have let those things affect my work.


    I wanted to call Neil and ask him about it, but I held back.


    Just then, Alicia called, also seemingly in a bad mood, and invited me for drinks.


    ¡°You want to drink during work hours?¡± I asked in surprise.


    That workaholic was drinking during work hours. She must have been feeling really bad.


    ¡°Yeah, do you want to join me?¡± Alicia asked.


    I nced at the time; it was almost time to get off work, so I agreed, ¡°Alright, give me the address, and


    I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    I was also feeling down, like Alicia. I thought maybe drinking would have helped me rx.


    Once I got the address, I rushed over. Alicia could usually hold her liquor, but she was a bit drunk this


    time.


    I sat down to join her, and she told me that Sean hadn¡¯t contacted her since he went to Veridia. He


    neither answered calls nor replied to


    messages.


    ¡°Did you guys break up?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; isn¡¯t it ridiculous?¡± Alicia gave a bitter smile, ¡°I only wanted to work in the past and didn¡¯t


    date much. I had tasted all the hardships of love afterwards.¡±


    I stayed quiet, not knowing how tofort Alicia.


    I was not much better than Alicia. I was preupied with whether Neil was with Bonnie or not, but I


    also didn¡¯t want to call and ask. That conflict continued.


    Two women with bad moods met and kept drinking. Eventually, I also felt a bit tipsy, and my head


    started to feel heavy.


    Alicia was already passed out on the table. I grabbed my phone to call Bailey to pick us up.


    But surprisingly, Bailey didn¡¯t answer the call. Left with no choice, I had to call Ste.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get Mitch to pick you up!¡± Ste agreed without missing a beat.


    After hanging up the phone, I just sort of slumped over, waiting for Mitch toe get us. Before I knew


    it, I dozed off, only to be awoken by someone stroking my face.


    Neil was there, bending over me, his fingertips touching my lips, wiping off the trace of booze that was


    left behind.

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343


    Chapter 343


    I still had a bit of my wits about me and dodged Neil¡¯s hand again. My action was a bit too sharp,


    hinting at my irritation.


    After a few drinks, my temper was a tad bigger than usual. I blurted out the question that had been


    gnawing at me, ¡°Why weren¡¯t you with Bonnie?¡±


    ¡°Mitch called. I was nearby, so I swung by.¡± Neil sat down next to me. That¡¯s when I noticed Alicia was


    gone.


    He took my hand, casually rubbing the back of it, then asked, ¡°What was that you said earlier? Are you


    mad because I haven¡¯t been in touch?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer him. I only pointed to where Alicia had been sitting and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Alicia?¡±


    ¡°I had her sent home. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Neil exined nonchntly, then circled back to his


    previous question, ¡°You still didn¡¯t


    answer me.¡±


    Since Alicia was taken care of, I could have left on my own. So, I ignored Neil, stood up, grabbed my


    bag, and made to leave.


    A few steps in, I felt lightheaded and dizzy, instinctively reaching out for support.


    Neil extended his arm, and I grabbed his shirt, barely managing to steady myself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help!¡± I said, shrugging him off once more, the pent-up frustration bursting forth


    under the influence of alcohol.


    ¡°Are you really mad? Did you see those pictures?¡± Neil asked, his tone seeming almost happy.


    I was indeed mad, a feeling I couldn¡¯t control. Maybe it was because Neil had been so good to me


    lately, making me somewhat dependent on him. If he suddenly changed, it would have made me feel


    uneasy.


    That sort of dependence was terrifying. When Neil initially refused to divorce me, I even suspected that


    he was so used to me that he couldn¡¯t ept any change.


    I stuttered, ¡°No, I¡¯m just¡­work¡¯s been stressful. I¡¯m not in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Neil didn¡¯t argue with this drunken mess of me any further. He simply picked me up


    and carried me out of the bar.


    Sitting in Neil¡¯s car, I was feeling irritable. I was not sure if it was because of what my mom had said, or


    Neil and Bonnie¡¯s situation, or both.


    In the midst of my agitation, I noticed a small red flower stuck on the passenger-side dashboard. I


    immediately remembered the same red flower Bonnie used to wear.


    Did she stick it there?


    At that moment, my mood plummeted. I told Neil to pull over, ¡°Stop the car. I¡¯m getting out!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Neil nced at me, seemingly clueless about my sudden outburst.


    ¡°I can take a cab home!¡± I retorted loudly.


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk. How are you going to take a cab home by yourself?¡± Neil frowned, ¡°Stop messing


    around. We can talk about whatever is bothering you when we get home.¡±


    I pointed at the flower and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what this means?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Neil nced at the flower, seemingly oblivious to such details, and appeared taken aback, ¡°Is there a


    problem?¡±


    I took off the flower, looked at it, and then stuck it back on. ¡®In those few seconds, I seemed to have


    regained some of my sobriety, ¡°Nothing. I just noticed that this flower wasn¡¯t here before.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Bonnie stuck it there,¡± Neil answered casually, not worried that I would get angry.


    I didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. I closed my eyes and rested, waiting for Neil to drop me home.


    After a while, the car stopped in front of my house. I wasn¡¯t flustered because I had already talked to


    my mom earlier. I was even more epting of what my mom had said. Why would I want to fall back


    into that painful rtionship?


    As I was about to get out of the car, Neil asked me again, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my question? Are


    you mad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad,¡± I denied it irritably, and then got out of the car and left.


    Neil also got out and watched as I stumbled a bit. He came over to help me, but I shut the gate right in


    his face.


    Then I gave him a nce and walked into the living room, trying to keep a clear head.


    Hannah was still up. She sniffed the alcohol on me and immediately asked with concern, ¡°Ms. Finch,


    have you been drinking? I¡¯ll make you some honey water.¡±


    I copsed onto the couch, waving Hannah off to do her thing.


    Just as I was about to doze off, I heard the doorbell ring, followed by Hannah opening the door and


    asking, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, what brings you here?¡±


    That woke me up a bit. I opened my eyes and looked at the entrance to the living room. Sure enough,


    there stood Neil, tall enough to have his gaze easily pass over Hannah andnd on me.


    ¡°She¡¯s drunk. I came to check on her.¡± Neil didn¡¯t try to hide his concern for me in front of Hannah.


    Hannah nced back at me and understood. She ced the honey water she had made on the table


    and went upstairs to rest.


    Sometimes I wondered if she was a spy sent by Neil.


    Then it was just me and Neil left in the living room. I forced myself to sit up, picked up the cup of honey


    water, and drank it without saying a word.


    After finishing my honey water, I got up and went upstairs, not in the least bit worried about leaving Neil


    alone in my house. He was the CEO of Whitmore Co. He wouldn¡¯t have stooped so low as to steal from


    my house.


    Neil quickly followed me upstairs. He grabbed my wrist and said, ¡°Stop messing around. You know I


    have no feelings for Bonnie. I¡¯m just hoping to find some dirt on Ethan Foster from her.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin anything to me. I don¡¯t care. If you keep this up, my mom¡¯s going to wake up


    and kick you out. Do you understand?¡± I struggled to free myself from his grip, but to no avail, which


    only fueled my anger.


    Neil ignored my resistance and just held me in his arms, speaking softly, ¡°Alright, alright, Don¡¯t be mad.


    If there¡¯s something you¡¯re not happy with, just tell me. If it¡¯s something I overlooked, I¡¯ll be more


    mindful.¡±


    That only made me angrier. Was he expecting me to teach him how to win me back?


    I don¡¯t know where I got the strength, but I managed to push Neil away. Then I pointed at him and lost


    my temper before saying, ¡°Get out of my sight. Now!¡±


    ¡°Do you really want me to leave?¡± Neil furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Yes, leave now. Go find Bonnie!¡± I was full of jealousy, but I didn¡¯t realize it. Neil seemed to be pissed


    off by my attitude. He didn¡¯t notice my jealousy; he just turned around and left with a cold face.


    Once the living room door was shut, Neil was really out of my sight. I clutched my forehead, feeling


    super crappy, but I still managed to drag my tired self back to my room to get some rest.

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    Chapter 344


    That was the start of the cold war between Neil and me. From that day forward, we didn¡¯t have any


    contact for two bloody months.


    During the peak of summer, the air was filled with heatwaves, but that was nothingpared to Neil¡¯s


    passion for Bonnie. I constantly saw pictures of them getting all cuddly on the inte. Like that time


    when Neil bought an ind for Bonnie and named it after her. Or when Bonnie would often deliver


    homemade lunches to Neil at the Whitmore Co. Building. Their interactions were increasingly couple-


    like, all mushy and lovey-dovey.


    My feelings, on the other hand, went from jealous rage to a sort of numbness.


    My friends, especially Ste, were utterly bamboozled.


    ¡°Are you two filming a drama series or something?¡± Ste asked, puzzled. ¡°When we were against you,


    you insisted on chasing Neil. When we stopped opposing, you had a fall out and divorced from him. It


    looked like you wanted to get back together; we opposed it again, and now¡­ you¡¯ve broken up with


    him again?¡±


    Alicia and Barbara were also wearing bewildered expressions.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°Are you done with Neil this time?¡± Ste asked bluntly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± My answer made them all drop their jaws. They couldn¡¯t believe I might still have a thing


    with Neil.


    But that was what I truly felt, and I didn¡¯t want to hide it from them. It¡¯d onlyplicate things and make


    me seem dishonest.


    Just as Ste was about to dig deeper, her phone rang.


    ¡°Are you free? Okay, I¡¯ll be right there!¡± After hanging up, Ste was all excited. She grabbed her bag


    and was ready to leave, ¡°Guys, the amazing obstetrician and gynecologist I told you about before is


    back in town. She can see me today. I have to go!¡±


    Hearing that, I stood up subconsciously and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Ste was taken aback, ¡°You¡¯reing with me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have nothing better to do anyway.¡± I replied casually.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s get going.¡± Ste was in a hurry. Without even saying goodbye to Alicia and Barbara,


    she dragged me out of the house. The doctor who just returned from abroad was named Snow. She


    was said to be young and had been working in a foreign hospital.


    Ste couldn¡¯t stop singing her praises, making me look forward to meeting her.


    Snow seemed to be a mysterious figure, reputed for her superb medical skills and her knack for


    diagnosing and treating illnesses, especially in obstetrics and gynecology.


    That day, she arranged to meet Ste at a guesthouse hotel.


    I was a bit puzzled. I thought, ¡°Don¡¯t we need medical instruments for a consultation? Is she a miracle


    worker or a quack?¡±


    When I expressed my doubts to Ste, she immediately cited various examples to prove Snow¡¯s


    medical prowess.


    When we arrived at the guesthouse, Ste and I were standing in front of a room when Bonnie came


    out before we could knock.


    ¡°I booked the only appointment with Dr. Snow today. You¡¯ll have toe another time,¡± Bonnie said


    coldly.


    ¡°Bullshit! She just called me half an hour ago and asked me toe over!¡± Ste shot back angrily.


    Bonnie didn¡¯t seem to care, ¡°So what? She changed her mind and decided to see me today. You know


    about my health condition. If I don¡¯t get proper treatment and rest, it will affect my future pregnancy


    ns.¡±


    The words ¡®pregnancy ns¡¯ hit me like a ton of bricks.


    Was she nning to have a baby with Neil? That was the first thing that came to my mind.


    ¡°You, with your weak health, want to have a baby? Dream on!¡± Ste spat out, ¡°Don¡¯t cause any harm


    or even death when the timees!¡±


    Bonnie was fuming at Ste¡¯s words.


    Just as they were arguing, the door cracked open. A muffled female voice came from inside, ¡°Which


    one is Bonnie? Come in.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Snow, it¡¯s me!¡± Bonnie immediately perked up.


    As she was about to enter, I couldn¡¯t help but question, ¡°Dr. Snow, didn¡¯t you call my friend Ste half


    an hour ago? You asked her toe, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The door was halfway open, revealing a woman dressed in a white dress standing behind. Only her


    silhouette was visible. She peeked out with a mask on her face, bangs covering her eyes.


    Her gaze shifted around and finallynded on me. For a moment, there was a change in her eyes, but


    she quickly regained her


    ¡°I dialed the wrong number. I¡¯m sorry. Maybe next time.¡± Snow¡¯s voice was clear and pleasant. She


    nodded at Ste and me, then pulled


    Bonnie in and closed the door.


    Ste and I exchanged a nce. I could see the anger in her eyes.


    But there was nothing we could do. We left helplessly.


    Before leaving, I couldn¡¯t help but take onest look at the door. For some reason, I felt uneasy about


    the way Snow looked at me.


    Did she recognize me?


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    With a head full of questions, Ste and I left the guesthouse and went our separate ways.


    Those days, my mom had also noticed the news about Neil and Bonnie. She would asionally


    remind me. What baffled me the most was that she still believed Russel was a better match for me,


    even after told her that he was a schemer.


    And today, I saw Russel at my house again.


    He was sitting in the living room, having coffee with my mom, and discussing heart health. Seeing me


    come in, he put down his cup and gave me a slight smile.


    My mom, on the other hand, waved at me, ¡°Rena,e join us. Have some coffee and chat with Dr.


    Russel.¡±


    I frowned, feeling ufortable, ¡°I don¡¯t want any coffee. I need to rest.¡±


    I was about to head upstairs when my mom stopped me sternly, ¡°Rena, Dr. Russel is our guest. You


    need to be polite. Do you understand? Come here now!¡±


    Ever since my mom went through a serious illness, she had changed a lot in her thinking, gotten more


    stubborn, and started to push me


    around a bit.


    Russel responded calmly, ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just tired and doesn¡¯t want coffee. Taking a break wouldn¡¯t


    hurt.¡±


    His words sounded like he was making excuses for me in my mom¡¯s ears.


    My mom urged me again, ¡°Come over here. You used to be friends with Dr. Russel. Why are you being


    so cold?¡±


    That time, Russel didn¡¯t speak up for me. He just quietly looked at me, as if waiting for me to cave in,

 Chapter 345

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    Chapter 345


    In the end, I took a seat. Just having a cup of coffee couldn¡¯t be thatplicated, right?


    Russel was looking at me. His eyes no longer had the soft look they used to. They were cold again, like


    they were a long time ago, revealing only the asional hint of a smile. It was unsettling.


    I took a sip of my coffee, downing it in two gulps. Then I said to Russel, ¡°Dr. Russel, take your time. I¡¯m


    going to go get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Rena!¡± My mom knew I was evading. She looked pissed.


    ¡°Mom, can you stop pushing me?¡± I was feeling lousy. After saying that, I bolted upstairs.


    I went for a shower. It did a world of good, then I figured I¡¯d check out that ¡®Snow¡¯. But before I could


    start, there was a knock on my door. Hannah was calling me for dinner, ¡°Ms. Finch, it¡¯s chow time.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I was peckish, but I wasn¡¯t sure if Russel had left. So, I asked Hannah, ¡°Is Russel still around?¡±


    1


    Hannah whispered, ¡°He¡¯s still here. Your mom asked him to stick around for dinner.¡±


    Hearing that, my appetite took a nosedive. I asked Hannah to bring me food, then I hopped back in bed


    and started to dig up information on ¡®Snow¡¯.


    That person gave me an eerie feeling. She seemed perfect, yet mysterious. There wasn¡¯t much


    information out there, just her nationality and profession. No pictures.


    It seemed odd. If she was so well known for her medical skills, howe there were no photos of her?


    Unless she was deliberately hiding. But why? The only reason I could think of was that she was


    disfigured.


    Just as I was racking my brain, there was a knock on my door. I thought it was Hannah bringing my


    food, so I just said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened, and I heard footsteps. I didn¡¯t look back and just kept on with my search.


    A te of food was ced on the table, and its aroma wafted up. I picked it up and started eating, then


    I realized the person hadn¡¯t left. And that wasn¡¯t Hannah!


    I jumped. I turned around and saw Russel. He was leaning down, trying to see myputer screen


    before asking, ¡°Snow? Why are you looking her up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Why did you barge into my room without my permission?¡± I snapped the


    laptop shut and red at Russel.


    Russel shrugged, ¡°You let me in, remember?¡±


    I was dumbstruck. I did tell him toe in, but I thought it was Hannah. My guard was down.


    I was starving, but seeing Russel, I lost my appetite. ¡°Leave my room. Now.¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t budge. His aloof expression seemed to crack a little, ¡°Do you have to be this way? Neil


    and Bonnie have been hanging out. Haven¡¯t you given up?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaking me. It¡¯s not because of Neil that I can¡¯t be with you. Whether Neil is in the picture or


    not, I probably wouldn¡¯t be with you. I¡¯m sorry, Russel. I just don¡¯t feel that way about you. Chloe has


    passed away; it¡¯s time you moved on.¡±


    Russel¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I can¡¯t. I thought I could easily get in and out of love. But after falling for you, I


    realized how wrong I was. Not being able to win your love is driving me insane. Do you know that?¡±


    He seemed agitated. His hand was gripping my wrist so tight that it hurt. I was about to call for my


    mom, but Russel stopped me, ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you. You don¡¯t need to call your mom. They went


    for a walk when I came up.¡±


    getting


    My mom¡¯s actions were getting out of hand.


    ¡°Let go!¡± I yanked my hand free and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what my mom thinks or what¡¯s going on between


    Neil and Bonnie. We just can¡¯t be together, okay? Stop wasting your time.¡±


    That was the first time I was that harsh, ¡°Russel, don¡¯t ruin thest good impression I have of you,


    okay?¡±


    Russel¡¯s eye¡¯s were terrifying. He stared at me for a while. I met his gaze fearlessly.


    After a while, his eyes softened. He said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight with you. I don¡¯t want you to see


    me lose control. Nothing you say matters until I give up.¡±


    I was at a loss for words.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you are looking up Snow.¡± Russel changed the topic.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Just leave.¡± I looked away.


    ¡°Is it because you can¡¯t get pregnant?¡± Russel guessed. Snow was a gynecologist, after all. He would


    know better than me.


    A pang of pain shot through my heart. But I yed it cool, ¡°Ste went to see her today. So, I wanted to


    check her out, just in case Ste gets conned.¡±


    Russelughed, ¡°You can fool others, but there¡¯s no need to lie to me. You are free to wanting to have


    a baby. But I don¡¯t want you to have Neil¡¯s baby.¡±


    ¡°Does it concern you?¡± I asked coldly.


    ¡°Of course it does. I¡¯ll be jealous. I¡¯ll try to stop it.¡± Russel was being straightforward.


    I had nothing to say. The more I said, the more I might push him over the edge. So, I stayed silent.


    Time passed. Russel finally left my room. He was a proud man. Chasing after a woman must¡¯ve been


    tough for him.


    Once Russel had left, I instantly felt a sense of relief, and then I flopped onto my bed to ponder. By


    now, everyone knew Neil and Bonnie were pretty much joined at the hip those past two months, like a


    couple in the throes of passionate love. But what no one knew was that Neil had once promised me


    he¡¯d be my rock no matter what.


    We had been giving each other the cold shoulder for so long then. He hadn¡¯t made a move to contact


    me, and I hadn¡¯t either. It seemed like everything was about to end just like that.


    Feeling increasingly blue, I tried to get a grip on my emotions.


    Suddenly, my phone rang. I nced at it. It was an unfamiliar number.


    A somewhat familiar voice came from the other end of the line, ¡°Ms. Finch, Mr. Whitmore is wasted.


    Can youe pick him up?¡± It was probably Neil¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°Call Bonnie,¡± I replied coldly.

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    Chapter 346


    After a moment of silence on the other end, an ufortable voice said, ¡°Mr. Whitmore was calling


    your name. I don¡¯t think Bonnie showing up would do any good.¡±


    That statement hit me like a ton of bricks. My mood, which had been gloomy as hell, seemed to lift a


    bit.


    Unbelievable. I was so easily pacified. His assistant said one sentence, and my mood lightened.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I have nothing to do with him now. Bonnie is his girlfriend; you should go find her


    and not bother me.¡± Although I felt better, I still spoke sharply.


    The assistant continued pleading awkwardly, ¡°Ms. Finch, pleasee over. If not, Mr. Whitmore is


    going to spend the night at the bar, and it¡¯s going to be a mess.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Nope.¡± I replied.


    Suddenly, there was a scream on the other end, ¡°Mr. Whitmore!¡±


    My heart jumped, and then there was a loud crashing noise, even drowning out the background music.


    The assistant¡¯s voice rang out anxiously, ¡°Ms. Finch, pleasee over quickly. Mr. Whitmore somehow


    got into a fight. He¡¯s hurt!¡± ¡°This old trick again? He used to fool me with it. Nobody can beat him in a


    fight.¡± I was a bit worried, but remembering that Neil had used that trick before, I calmed down


    immediately.


    The assistant was about to cry, ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that this time; pleasee and see. He mistook


    someone else¡¯s girlfriend for you!¡±


    That really threw me for a loop.


    Was Neil drunk, or was he out of his mind?


    After hesitating a bit, I drove to the bar to find Neil, who was mistaking another woman for his girlfriend.


    When I arrived, Neil was bleeding from his forehead, and his assistant looked helpless. There was also


    a couple standing by them, and the guy looked pissed as hell.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, thank God you¡¯re here. Please take Mr. Whitmore to the hospital!¡± The assistant said


    urgently.


    ¡°He¡¯s been beaten up so badly; doesn¡¯t he know to call an ambnce?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore won¡¯t let me!¡± The assistant seemed to be at his wit¡¯s end, only managing to say that


    simple sentence.


    I knew Neil was as stubborn as a mule, but that time, after hearing the whole story, I was speechless.


    Not only did he mistake someone for me, but he also got beaten up by that person¡¯s boyfriend, and he


    casually asked the guy to finish him off, as if he were invincible.


    The guy who hit Neil turned to me and said, ¡°You must pay for your boyfriend¡¯s actions. Emotional


    distress!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend.¡± I replied unhappily.


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± The guy retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Irene? He¡¯s been yelling ¡®Irene¡¯ all night. Isn¡¯t


    that you?¡±


    I was taken aback. Yes, that was me, but how could I admit it?


    The woman next to the guy then spoke up, her voice sweet as honey, ¡°Oh,e on, this handsome


    guy just got a bit tipsy and mistook me for Irene. Let¡¯s not be so hard on him. Let¡¯s just be friends.¡±


    Her seductive eyes were full of interest in Neil, as if she were hoping Neil would mistake her for me.


    Just as I was about to say something, Neil suddenly reached out and grabbed my hand. His eyes were


    blurred, and there was blood on his face, which was quite startling. He looked at me and said, ¡°I said


    she was my wife. I wasn¡¯t wrong, was I?¡±


    I wanted to scream. I was furious with his behavior.


    ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Whitmore, Ms. Finch wants you to go to the hospital!¡± The assistant, who genuinely


    cared about his boss, quickly chimed


    1.


    Neil smirked, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He tried to stand up, but due to being drunk and injured, he staggered and ended up using me for


    support. I nearly fell over.


    ¡°Can you stop using these clich¨¦ tactics? What¡¯s the point of hurting yourself?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°No point? Didn¡¯t it bring you here?¡± Neil¡¯s tone was light, with a trace of amusement. He didn¡¯t seem


    drunk at all.


    I was speechless. Neil¡¯s audacity shocked me time and time again.


    When I was trying to help Neil out, the guy came over again and said, ¡°You have to pay. You think you


    can just walk away? No way!¡±


    Before he could finish, he lunged at Neil, apparently feeling justified.


    Previously, Neil let him hit him, which gave him false confidence.


    But Neil, once he got what he wanted, had no mercy. He lifted his leg and kicked the guy hard. Then


    there was the sound of the guy falling.


    ¡°Your girlfriend was the one who hit on me, got it? Idiot.¡± Neil¡¯s cold eyes stared at the woman


    mercilessly.


    The woman looked at him in horror, obviously not expecting the situation to turn so awkward so quickly.


    I didn¡¯t want to stay there any longer and cause more trouble, so I signaled for the assistant to help me


    get Neil out of there.


    The assistant tried to support Neil¡¯s other arm, but Neil nced at him, and the assistant immediately


    let go, looking terrified.


    ¡°Neil, are you nuts? I can¡¯t hold you up by myself!¡± I yelled at him angrily.


    ¡°I can walk.¡± Hearing me swear, Neil became a bit more cooperative. He gave up pretending to be


    drunk and steadied himself, walking side by side with me.


    I felt a mix of anger and amusement, but I couldn¡¯t deny that there was also a bit of joy in my heart.


    After leaving the bar, I told the assistant to go home, and I drove Neil to the hospital.


    Neil sat in the passenger seat while I drove in silence.


    ¡°I threw that flower away. I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.¡± Halfway there, Neil suddenly started


    exining, ¡°Most of those photos are fake. I never took her to Grandeur Oaks Estates. I never liked


    her. You should trust me.¡±


    I kept my face stern and focused on driving.


    Neil was resting with his eyes shut, but his yammering didn¡¯t cease. ¡°If you¡¯re pissed at me, just spit it


    out. We¡¯ve been giving each other the cold shoulder for two months now. Time to call it quits, eh?¡±


    ¡°You never made an effort to reach out either. What¡¯s this ¡®call it quits¡¯ crap?¡± His words riled me up


    again just when I thought I¡¯d cooled down.


    Sometimes, Neil could really get on my nerves.


    Neil slowly opened his eyes and looked at me, then cracked a smile. ¡°Guess I put my foot in it again.


    But I¡¯m trying to learn how to love you and how to make you happy. I¡¯m bound to screw up along the


    way. Don¡¯t I deserve a chance to make things right? Why are you so hard on me?¡±

 Chapter 347

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    Chapter 347


    ¡°I¡¯ve given you plenty of chances. Have you forgotten all of them?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand myself back then. Can you stop judging me now based on my past?¡± Neil seemed


    even more helpless as I said that. He knew that he couldn¡¯t change the past. And he knew how


    excessive his past behavior was.


    I remained silent and just continued to drive.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, I apanied Neil to treat his wounds and then drove him back to


    Sterling Estates.


    Knowing that Neil¡¯s mother was also there, I nned to just drop Neil off at the entrance and let him


    walk in himself. But he just sat in the passenger seat, not moving a bit.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t walk because you hurt me,¡± Neil turned his head and looked at me as if it were a matter of


    course.


    I was confused. When did he get hurt because of me? I didn¡¯t ask him to drink, nor did I hire someone


    to beat him.


    Seeing my confused face, Neil continued, ¡°How could I end up like this if you hadn¡¯t ignored me for the


    past two months?¡±


    I found that Neil¡¯s defenses were getting more and more sophisticated. It was clearly him who did the


    wrong thing first. I was just angry, but it ended up being me who ignored him.


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll pay for your medical expenses. Now please get out of my car.¡± I said with a cold


    and impatient tone.


    ¡°Just drive me in. Your car can go in.¡± Neil didn¡¯t move, ignoring what I said.


    I was getting a bit angry. It was alreadyte, and I wanted to go home and rest. I had work the next day.


    Just as we were at a stalemate, someone suddenly knocked on my car window. I turned around and


    saw it was Neil¡¯s mother. Her face was almost pressed against the car window.


    I had to roll down the window. Neil¡¯s mother looked at me and her face lit up with surprise. Then she


    looked at Neil in the passenger seat and couldn¡¯t help but smile with joy.


    ¡°Irene, it really is you! I thought the car looked familiar, so I came over to check.¡± Neil¡¯s mother said with


    a smile on her face.


    I was a bit flustered. Neil¡¯s mother was very enthusiastic and joyful. It seemed like she misunderstood


    something. Could she not see the wound on her son¡¯s head?


    ¡°Faith, Neil got a bit hurt, so I drove him back,¡± I awkwardly replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. He got hurt. Come in and sit for a while.¡± Neil¡¯s mother seemed to not care


    about her son¡¯s injury. She even praised it.


    I nced at Neil. His face didn¡¯t look too good.


    It was alreadyte. I didn¡¯t know why Neil¡¯s mother was still outside, but I nned to go home and rest.


    I politely declined, ¡°Faith, it¡¯s alreadyte. I¡¯lle back next time.¡±


    ¡°Acting now is always better than waiting. You brought my son back today. I have to invite you in to


    show my gratitude, Don¡¯t say anything. I¡¯ll just go with you.¡± Faith didn¡¯t wait for me to reply. She just


    opened the back door and sat down, smiling at me.


    I felt helpless, but I couldn¡¯t ask Faith to get out of the car.


    Neil was resting with his eyes closed. He had no intention of helping me speak. This mother-son duo


    was really something. Their personalities changed so simrly. The Faith from before would never be


    so direct; she was originally a very reserveddy. Since I didn¡¯t know what to say, I just had to drive


    them home.


    When we arrived at the vi, I said to


    and


    9th We¡¯re here. You guys should rest early. I¡¯m going home.¡±


    Faith insisted on inviting me in for something to drink h


    while Neil just quietl


    I felt like I was being trapped, unable to resist. I reluctantly?


    of the


    watched me without saying a word.


    Car and followed them in.


    Faith poured me a ss of juice. Her attitude towards me getting closer and closer, which made me


    feel a bit flustered. Out of so many women in the world, she just decided that I was her daughter-inw.


    That feeling was somewhatplicated.


    ¡°Irene, you guys chat for a bit. I¡¯m going to take a bath. I just went for a walk with my friends, and it was


    so hot, I¡¯m all sweaty.¡± Faith stood up after a brief period of sitting, and smiled at me.


    ¡°Faith, I¡¯ve finished my juice. I¡¯m going home now,¡± I immediately stood up and


    spoke.


    Faith said unhappily, ¡°No problem. Sit for a while longer. Look, it¡¯s already sote. Just stay here


    tonight. We have plenty of rooms!¡± Even if there were more rooms, I couldn¡¯t stay there. My heart


    hadn¡¯tpletely calmed down yet, and I had promised my mother to keep a distance from Neil. If I


    didn¡¯t go home tonight, she would have definitely suspected something.


    Before could refuse, Faith had already quickly gone upstairs, as if she was afraid that I would say


    more.


    Looking at her hurriedly leaving figure, I turned my gaze back and looked at Neil.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me for this. My mom now thinks that you are the only suitable candidate for her daughter-


    inw. These days, I always hear her nagging about this, and it annoys me. Sometimes I even dare not


    come back,¡± Neil shrugged, elegantly sipping his juice. The wound on his head did not affect his charm


    at all.


    ¡°Is it because she feels guilty about hiding the thing about Karina Aaron from me in the past?¡± I asked.


    Neil pondered, ¡°That might be part of the reason, but it¡¯s not the main reason.¡± Neil thought seriously


    for a moment, then exined to me, ¡°The main reason is that she likes you. She saw how good you


    were to me in the past, and she feels that she won¡¯t find anyone else who really cares for me like you


    do.¡±


    I was speechless.


    Faith was also good to me in my past life, but she wasn¡¯t as determined as in this life. It felt like she


    was almost considering me as the only candidate for her daughter-inw, setting aside her dignity and


    trying her best to get me to turn around.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    I say from the bottom of my heart that Faith had always been kind to me. If it weren¡¯t for the problems


    between Neil and me, I would have definitely been happy to live with them.


    ¡°By the way, how is your cooperation with FarHorizon Group going recently?¡± Neil suddenly changed


    the topic and asked me seriously.


    ¡°There are indeed many problems with them. There are many loopholes in their financial situation. I¡¯m


    currently gathering relevant evidence.¡± I also became serious and discussed the issue in depth with


    Neil.


    In the past couple of months, we hadn¡¯t touched base. We were both caught up in our own stuff.


    But once we started yakking about all that, we got very much into it with zero personal feelings getting


    in the way. We dove deep into our discussion, getting a clearer grip on the situation at hand.


    ¡°The documents are likely with Gloria. Ethan Foster¡¯s feelings for her are legit.¡± Neil filled me in.


    ¡°Why not straight up destroy the documents?¡± I was left scratching my head.


    ¡°They might be gradually getting rid of them. After all, they got to tie up all loose ends before they can


    totally trash them.¡± Neil replied.

 Chapter 348

    Chapter 348


    Chapter 348


    Just as I nodded in agreement, my phone rang. The sudden noise in the quiet living room sent my


    heartbeat racing. Seeing the caller ID, I felt a headacheing on.


    Sure enough, it was my mom.


    I didn¡¯t want to answer it, but I was worried that ignoring it would make her suspicious. So I gave Neil a


    look and picked up the call,


    ¡°Rena, where are you? Why haven¡¯t youe home yet?¡± My mom¡¯s stern voice put me under a lot of


    pressure.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way home. I was out shopping with Alicia Rider.¡± I quickly made up an excuse, my insides


    churning with anxiety.


    ¡°You¡¯re with Alicia? Really?¡± My mom asked doubtfully, ¡°Then where is she? Let her talk to me.¡±


    Well, that was a pickle. I nced nervously at Neil, who was quietly watching me with a serious


    expression.


    ¡°She just left. I¡¯ll have her call youter, okay? I¡¯m about to head home too.¡± I had no choice but to keep


    up the lie.


    My mom wasn¡¯t easily fooled. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll call Alicia directly. I have her number!¡±


    She hung up before I could coordinate with Alicia. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and I felt


    extremely uneasy.


    Neil¡¯s gaze was piercing, as if seeing right through me. He suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve already texted Alicia. It


    should be fine.¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Neil raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Feels like we¡¯re having an affair with our current situation.¡±


    That description made me cringe.


    I didn¡¯t respond to Neil. I just waited in silence. A couple of minutester, my phone rang again. It was


    my mom.


    Thanks to Neil¡¯s quick thinking and Alicia seeing his message in time, my lie was salvaged. My mom


    only told me to get home soon. I thought that was it, but then she suddenly brought up Russel Dawson,


    ¡°Rena, did Russel say anything to you? After he brought you food, did he say anything?¡±


    Her voice, previously calm, suddenly spiked. I quickly looked at Neil, worried he had heard.


    Unfortunately, his expression had already changed. There was a clear sh of anger in his eyes.


    I had a feeling my mom did that intentionally. Even though Alicia vouched for me, she was still


    suspicious.


    If Neil wasn¡¯t by my side, or if I didn¡¯t care about him anymore, what she said wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    But if Neil heard, it would definitely cause trouble between us, which was exactly what she wanted.


    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s nothing between Russel and me. Stop doing this.¡± I was speechless at my mom¡¯s


    behavior; her illness had changed her.


    After hanging up, I fell into an awkward silence, not knowing how to face Neil.


    His eyes darkened, like gathering storm clouds that he couldn¡¯t sweep away. He just looked at me, with


    no trace of a smile on his face. After a while, he asked, ¡°Why was Russel in your room?¡±


    I frowned as I exined about Russeling over for dinner.


    I thought my exnation would make him understand. But surprisingly, he got even angrier, ¡°You knew


    he was at your house. Why didn¡¯t you lock your door? Did you do it on purpose to give him a chance?¡±


    His question confused me. I never had such intentions. And Russel had never entered my room without


    my permission before. I thought he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.


    ¡°Have you started seeing him again while I was away?¡± Neil used me. His voice was filled with


    jealousy. ¡°Why can¡¯t you cut him offpletely?¡±


    ¡°Neil, I didn¡¯t approach him. My mom invited him. After waking up, her personality seems to have


    changed. She doesn¡¯t approve of us being together. In her mind, she wants me to be with Russel, so


    she deliberately arranged for us to be together. You get it?¡± I was getting angry then. Russel¡¯s actions


    made me ufortable, and then Neil was ming me for it.


    Did I give Russel any hints? I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t. I made my point v


    Neil¡¯s possessiveness was on full disy as he scoffed, ¡°Is that so? Then why didn¡¯t you handle things


    more decisively? When he showed up at your house, you should¡¯ve told him to leave. Or you could¡¯ve


    told your mom that we¡¯re not just seeing each other but nning to remarry, have children, and spend


    our lives together. How about that?¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°My mom can¡¯t deal with the shock right now. I can¡¯t do that.¡± I replied.


    ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to deal with these shocks instead?¡± Neil¡¯s voice turned icy, ¡°This is something your


    mom will have to ept sooner orter. The sooner she knows, the sooner she can prepare herself,


    Isn¡¯t that better?¡±


    I didn¡¯t dare tell Neil that I couldn¡¯t say those things, and I had even promis


    cut all ties with him, and we would leave Rosemont.


    my mom that after my dad¡¯s issues were resolved, I would


    1 was never one to have big ambitions in my career. The only reason I was sticking around was


    because I thought thepany was the


    result of my mom¡¯s hard work, and I didn¡¯t want it to go to waste.


    But since my mom had said she no longer cared about her career and just wanted a simple life with her


    family, I wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    Being with Neil would have meant my future would have been filled with difficulties. Even if we made


    up, there would be scars. But if I listened to my mom, I could have had a calm and stable life.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thister. I should get going.¡± I didn¡¯t want to continue that topic since I was afraid I


    might let something slip.


    Neil didn¡¯t stop me that time. He just sat there, watching me leave with a nk expression.


    Another conflict was over, and my mood plummeted from its calm state. I was caught between Neil and


    my mom. I was constantly walking on eggshells.


    With my mind in a mess, I drove back to Sapphire River Community. My mom was still awake, waiting


    for me in the living room. It was clear she had some questions.


    I felt incredibly tired. Up till now, my mom had never put that much pressure on me. But then, it all


    came at once, leaving me feeling suffocated.


    ¡°Where have you and Alicia been, and howe you guys didn¡¯t buy anything?¡± My mom questioned


    me right off the bat.


    ¡°Mom, you weren¡¯t like this before; can¡¯t you cut me some ck? I¡¯m not a three-year-old kid anymore.¡±


    I sighed, answering with exhaustion.

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    Chapter 349


    My mom¡¯s face changed for a second, but she quickly became serious again. ¡°I¡¯m just worried you¡¯ll get


    in trouble again. So, no matter what, don¡¯t get emotionally tangled up with Neil again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Mom, you think I went to see Neil today, don¡¯t you?¡± I countered.


    My mom stayed silent.


    I rubbed my forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that Neil is helping me investigate Ethan Foster. Do you


    think we don¡¯t need to meet? Ormunicate?¡±


    ¡°You canmunicate over the phone,¡± my mom said in an unreasonable tone.


    My mom used to be very understanding, but then she was being stubborn about Neil.


    It seemed like she would have had cut ties with me right away if she found out I was with Neil.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to rest.¡± I didn¡¯t want to exin anymore, so I just headed upstairs. Luckily,


    my mom didn¡¯t make things difficult for me; otherwise, I would have really lost it.


    What was breaking me wasn¡¯t just the pressure from my mom, but also the turmoil inside me. I was


    scared of my mom¡¯s probing because I knew I couldn¡¯t make a decision.


    If I really had no feelings for Neil, I should be calm andposed.


    That night, I couldn¡¯t sleep peacefully. I got up early and went to work without having breakfast because


    I didn¡¯t want to sit face-to-face with my mom. I was scared she¡¯d ask me again.


    I had breakfast alone outside. Ste called me quite early, sounding very excited. ¡°Rena, I managed to


    book another consultation with Dr. Snow. Are youing with me today? You can ask her to prescribe


    you something to help you put on some weight.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Every time Snow was mentioned, I felt weird and kept thinking of her scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°In the afternoon. I didn¡¯t expect her to take patients so soon again. I was mad that Bonnie snatched


    thest slot, but I have to bear with it for my second child.¡± Ste sounded like a mom who loved


    showing off her kid, not just brag, but also want to have another one to enjoy the joy of parenting.


    I agreed without thinking too much. ¡°Alright, just let me know the exact time and ce. We can meet


    there.¡±


    -¡°Great!¡±-


    In the afternoon, I went to the address Ste gave me. Dr. Snow didn¡¯t seem to have a fixed workce.


    Sometimes it was a guest house, sometimes a hotel, but they were all high-end.


    That time, no one snatched the consultation slot, so Ste and I got to see Dr. Snow smoothly. She


    was all covered up, wearing a mask and even sunsses.


    It was quite cold in the room, and I shivered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in good health.¡± Snow¡¯s attention was on me, and she suddenly suggested, ¡°Do


    you want me to check you too?¡±


    Ste answered for me, ¡°Of course, she¡¯s always feeling weak, and she¡¯s so thin. No matter how much


    she eats, she doesn¡¯t gain weight. Do you have any way to help her?¡±


    Snow smiled under her mask. It was a strange smile. We couldn¡¯t see her expression because of her


    mask and sses, but we could tell she was smiling.


    ¡°Of course, but the medicine might taste bitter. Can you handle that?¡±


    ¡°As long as it helps me conceive my second child, I¡¯m willing to try anything!¡± Ste answered


    confidently.


    I didn¡¯t say anything. For some reason, I had a bad feeling about that woman. I didn¡¯t want to believe


    her so easily.


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t say anything, Snow didn¡¯t ask me anything else. Instead, she let Ste sit down and


    started her check-up. I was sitting on the sofa, watching them and listening to their conversation.


    Just then, I heard a boy¡¯s voice from another roomining in English that he had lost his game.


    Upon hearing that, Snow turned her head and said to the door, ¡°Hiram, you promised Mommy you¡¯d


    study Chinese after ying. Did you forget?¡±


    The boy replied awkwardly, ¡°I know, Mommy.¡±


    I also looked at the door, but no one came out. I just heard the boy reading out loud in Chinese as he


    studied. He sounded about six or seven years old. So, he was still very young.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± The boy¡¯s obedience seemed to put Snow in a good mood, and her voice became


    gentler. ¡°Lie down and lift your little. need to check your lower abdomen.¡±


    shirt a


    Stey down as instructed and cooperated with the check-up.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I quietly watched Snow¡¯s every move. She was about 1.6 meters tall, skinny, and had loose, shiny hair.


    From the skin and hands she exposed, I could tell that her skin tone was bright.


    I was sure I didn¡¯t know that person, but I couldn¡¯t help looking at her more.


    After a while, their conversation ended. Snow didn¡¯t say much; she just started writing prescriptions.


    That method seemed very primitive and simple. Ste curiously leaned over to look but was stopped by


    Snow.


    Snow smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone prepare the medicine for you. You just need to cook it and


    take it three times a day. About half a month should do it.¡±


    It seemed to be a secret prescription, and Ste happily nodded:


    After writing Ste¡¯s prescription, Snow suddenly looked at me again. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Don¡¯t you


    want to try? I don¡¯t mean anything else. I just need money because I just got back to the country, and


    my consultation fee and medicine are expensive. Do you want to try?¡±


    I frowned, then rxed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡±


    Snow immediately came over and sat next to me. I noticed a tattoo on her hand, a capital letter H.


    I was focusing on the letter, and Snow seemed to notice my attention. She calmly replied, ¡°This H is the


    initial of my son¡¯s name,


    Hiram.¡±


    ¡°Right, you¡¯re a great mom.¡± I realized my rudeness. Even though I had doubts about her, I didn¡¯t have


    any solid evidence. There was no need to scrutinize every detail about her.


    There was a hint ofughter in Snow¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes, my son is my everything. I raised him with my own


    hands. He¡¯s the result of all my efforts.¡±


    ¡°What about his father?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Me and his old man have had our share of beef, so we¡¯ve never really been together,¡± Snow said with


    a hint of regret. ¡°Now the kid wants to meet his dad, so I hopped on a ne back, hoping they could


    meet up. If I can give him a full family, I¡¯ll make somepromises.¡±


    Ste and I exchanged looks, not expecting that kind of backstory for Dr. Snow.


    I wondered who the father of her kid could have been.

 Chapter 350

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    Chapter 350


    ¡°What do you think about crystal healing?¡± Snow deflected from the topic of her child and questioned


    me.


    I¡¯d never tried crystal healing before, and to be honest, it gave me the creeps. Plus, there was


    something weird about her, so I decided to pass. ¡°I need some time to mull it over. Could you drop me


    your contact information? If I decide to take up the therapy, I¡¯ll holler at you.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I thought Snow wouldn¡¯t cough up her number so easily, considering Ste had once told me that loads


    of people were after her healing touch and getting in touch was tricky.


    But, lo and behold, Snow just up and handed me a business card with nothing but her name, Snow,


    and her cell number.


    Ste was too stunned to say anything of me.


    Still, I took the card. Maybe there was something special tying me to that, Dr. Snow.


    After we left the hotel, Ste couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°What gives? I thought Snow wasn¡¯t into


    women. Why¡¯s she so chummy with you?


    ¡°Do you think this is a good thing?¡± I shot back.


    ¡°Absolutely, it¡¯s a big deal to be pals with such a top-notch healer.¡± Ste replied with a grin.


    I fell silent for a while, asionally ncing at the card. For some reason, I felt edgy.


    And a sudden thought struck me. If Snow was as good as they said, had she figured out from the


    check-up that I might not be able to conceive again?


    My mood took a nosedive.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re back.¡± Hannah Morse greeted me upon my return.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my mom?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Bailey took her to the hospital for a check-up this afternoon. She just rang to say that Dr. Russel was


    treating her to dinner, so she won¡¯t be back for supper.¡± Hannah lowered her voice, knowing I had a


    bone to pick with Russel.


    My already tense mood took a turn for the worse. My mom was dead set on making Russel her son-in-


    law,pletely ignoring my feelings.


    I tossed my bag on the couch and was about to grab a drink to douse my inner fury when my phone


    rang. It was my mom.


    She said, ¡°The car broke down. Bailey took it to the shop. Rena, could youe fetch me?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Russel?¡± I snapped.


    My mom paused before responding, ¡°Dr. Russel has work. He can¡¯t. What¡¯s gotten into you?t


    even pick me up?¡±


    It was not that I didn¡¯t want to, but I knew my mom¡¯s game. She wanted me to pick her up so I could


    bump into Russel.


    She then huffed, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take the bus. I haven¡¯t done it in years, but I suppose I can rough it.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just hail a cab?¡± I asked, exasperated.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± My mom¡¯s tone turned icy. I could tell she was cheesed off.


    She hadn¡¯t taken a bus in decades. And given her age and health, I was uneasy about letting her do it


    alone. She was stubborn as a mule, and I was at my


    wits¡¯ end.


    In the end, I agreed to fetch her and asked her to hold her horses and text me her location.


    When I arrived, she was still gabbing with Russel. She waved at me, and I went over, poker-faced.


    Russel probably sensed my cold front, so he was equally frosty.


    Without uttering a word, I grabbed my mom¡¯s hand and turned to leave. But my mom wasn¡¯t having it.


    She smiled at Russel and said, ¡°Dr. Russel, you¡¯ve been a great help and so patient. Would you like to


    join us for dinner at our ce, if it¡¯s not too much trouble?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say he has work to do?¡± I asked, unable to bear it.


    ¡°I managed to get my shift changed, but I have some stuff to do tonight, so I can¡¯t make it to your ce


    for dinner. Maybe next time.¡± Russel¡¯s response, whether meant for me or my mom, was music to my


    ears.


    My mom let out a disappointed sigh.


    Russel got up and said to my mom, ¡°Alright, feel free to contact me if you have any health concerns. I¡¯ll


    arrange for check-ups and treatment. I have to run


    now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you do your thing.¡± My mom looked at Russel with such affection and warmth that it reminded


    me of how Faith used to look at me.


    I just couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it. Faith was dead sure that I was her only choice for a daughter-in-


    law, but then my mom seemed to have decided Russel was her only choice for a son-inw.


    My head was spinning.


    Once Russel was out of sight, my mom¡¯s smile faded. She frowned at me with disappointment written


    all over her face.


    She was silent all the way home, lost in her thoughts.


    When we got home, she finally sighed and said, ¡°Rena, don¡¯t me me. I only want you to choose


    someone who loves you, not someone you love. Just like Neil regretting losing you, I don¡¯t want you to


    regret not choosing Russel someday.¡±


    Her tone was sad, which softened my resentment a bit. I couldn¡¯t deny her good intentions.


    ¡°Mom, just take care of yourself. Once dad¡¯s back, we can live a peaceful and steady life like before.


    That¡¯s all I ask. Okay?¡± I felt unreasonably irritated.


    My mom¡¯s good intentions were weighing me down. Even the thought of Neil was stressing me out.


    ¡°You¡¯re my only daughter. Your happiness matters to me. When you be a mom someday, you¡¯ll


    understand my dilemma.¡± My mom shook her head.


    A lump formed in my throat. I almost blurted out that I couldn¡¯t have kids anymore.


    But I held it in and retreated to my room. Maybe I¡¯d changed too. I found it hard to ept my mom¡¯s


    transformation.


    Lately, apart from some progress with FarHorizon Group and discovering a few financial hups on


    their end, everything else seemed to be going pear-shaped. I had just ironed out my differences with


    Neil when we hit another stalemate, and my mom was back on my case about my love life.


    I was feeling knackered. When I woke up, my head was spinning, and I felt light as a feather. I was in a


    rotten state, and there was even a dull ache in my chest.


    Having had that kind of pain in a previous life, I was on high alert, so I dashed off to the hospital for a


    check-up.


    The doctor looked at the test results and said, ¡°Ms. Finch, have you been under a lot of stresstely or


    had any severe mood swings? Women shouldn¡¯t get too worked up. It can really mess with your


    breasts and thyroid. And as for your breasts¡­

 Chapter 351

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    Chapter 351


    In my previous life, I was a breast cancer patient. In this life, although my breasts have had some


    issues, they weren¡¯t severe.


    However, the results of my check-up suggested that things seemed to have been getting worse. The


    doctor told me to watch my lifestyle and mood and prescribed me some medication. He rmended


    I get regr check-ups in the future.


    That situation really got me down. I had been through the whole near-death experience before, so I


    was really sensitive to those kinds of issues. I knew! hadn¡¯t been doing my best, not taking care of


    myself properly.


    After leaving the hospital, I didn¡¯t head to the office. Instead, I went back to Sunflower Terrace alone. I


    figured I needed some time away from home, just by myself.


    Whether it was Neil or my mom, they would have only messed with my head right now, making it


    impossible to suppress all those thoughts flooding my


    mind.


    After making up my mind, I rushed home, packed some stuff, and got ready to move out.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Rena, what on earth are you doing?¡± Mom was surprised to see me with my suitcase, ready to leave.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve been a bit busy recently. I¡¯m going to stay at the apartment for a while. I¡¯m all over the ce


    right now. I don¡¯t want to fight with you. Can you understand?¡± I said frankly.


    As mother and daughter, it was important to have kind of honesty.


    Mom turned pale instantly; she came over and grabbed my hand, ¡°Rena, are you mad at me? Is it


    because I¡¯ve been pushing you to consider Russel, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re mad at me?¡±


    That was only part of the reason. The other part was that I just wanted some time alone. Since Mom


    had Hannah to look after her, I didn¡¯t need to worry too much.


    I shook my head, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not mad at you. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not feeling too well recently. The doctor


    told me to watch my emotions. I just want some peace and quiet.¡±


    Hearing that I was unwell, Mom panicked. She rushed to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing major, Mom. Once I¡¯ve calmed down a bit, I¡¯ll move back in.¡± I said to Mom calmly.


    That was about my health. Mom lost her pushy attitude for once. She nodded, but her eyes were a bit


    red.


    I didn¡¯t mean to make her feel guilty or worried. I just didn¡¯t want to hide anything from her, nor did I


    want to fight anymore.


    Under Mom¡¯s watchful gaze, I left home without looking back.


    Health is the foundation of life.


    And I didn¡¯t want to end up with a terminal illness like in my previous life.


    After settling down in the apartment, I gradually got used to living alone. I informed Ste and the


    others, inviting them over for a meal. Only when I was having dinner and chatting with them did I feel


    rxed.


    They were all surprised to hear that my mom still wanted me to be with Russel.


    Ste didn¡¯t approve of me getting entangled with Neil again, but she also didn¡¯t approve of me having


    any involvement with Russel.


    ¡°Has your mom lost her marbles? Russel was so cruel to Chloe Reynolds. It doesn¡¯t feel like something


    a normal person would do. I¡¯m worried he¡¯s still hung up on you and might do something chilling


    because he can¡¯t have you.¡±


    Actually, there was no need to worry, because such a thing had already happened. I had been


    schemed against by Russel.


    He tried everything to create a rift between Neil and me, but I didn¡¯t appreciate his approach.


    ¡°Neither Neil nor Russel is right for you; consider someone else.¡± Barbara shared Ste¡¯s view. She


    even suggested, ¡°Ste¡¯s brother isn¡¯t bad and he¡¯s still single!¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded vigorously.


    I was a bit surprised. Simmons Wace was still single? Was he nning to stay single forever?


    ¡°Forget it. What¡¯s so bad about being single? Do I really need to go through the hassle of love again?¡± I


    quickly waved my hands.


    ¡°True. Although I¡¯m quite happy in my marriage now, I felt pretty free when I was single.¡± Ste sighed,


    ¡°You might as well stay single; just find someone with decent genes to have a kid. You can afford to


    raise one.¡±


    That made sense, but that was if I could actually have kids.


    Speaking of having kids reminded me of Snow. I wondered if she could help me, but I was still a bit


    unsure about her.


    Just then, Ste suddenly got up, covered her mouth, and ran to the bathroom. I quickly followed to


    check on her.


    Ste was throwing up over the toilet. That scene was familiar.


    Simr to pregnancy symptoms.


    I counted the days. It had been over a month since I apanied her to see Snow for medication.


    ¡°Ste, are you pregnant?¡± I asked in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ve been feeling unwell these past few days. I¡¯ll check when I get home.¡± Ste


    replied, looking a bit under the weather after she finished throwing up.


    My heart clenched instantly. Could that have been the effect of Snow¡¯s medicine?


    If so, could she have solved my problem too?


    Hope ignited in my heart; my previous doubts gave me courage. Maybe for the sake of having a child, I


    should have tried to trust her.


    After Ste went home, I kept wondering if she was pregnant, until she called me, her voice filled with


    joy, ¡°I¡¯m really pregnant! Dr. Snow is so amazing. I only took the medicine for half a month!¡±


    At that moment, I was even happier than Ste.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic, congrats! You finally got your wish of having a second child!¡± I congratted Ste


    joyfully.


    ¡°That fool Mitch Hebert is over the moon. I have to go. I need to share the good news with my inws!¡±


    Ste hung up after she finished, and I took out the business card Snow had given me. I hesitated for a


    moment and dialed the number.


    Ste said before that she was hard to book, but as soon as I mentioned it, she agreed and let me


    decide on the time.


    The day after tomorrow would be Saturday, so I booked it for then.


    I just hung up the phone when I received a text message. It was from Neil, ¡°The document is in Gloria¡¯s


    office safe.¡±


    I was taken aback. I had seen Gloria a few times recently, mainly for work rted to Ethan Foster. Our


    threepanies were coborating. So, it was inevitable for us to meet.


    I had seen a safe in Gloria¡¯s office before, probably stuffed with some financial documents. If I could get


    my hands on all of those, I would have been able to figure out what was really going on.


    Neil and I were in a weird ce right now. It was like we had gone back to the cold war, but we still


    touched base when something major came up.


    I replied to him, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Then I had to figure out a way to get close to that safe and crack it open.


    I thought Neil would go radio silent after sending that message, as that had been the trendtely. But


    out of the blue, he gave me another ring.

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    I hesitated for a second, then picked up the phone, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°So, if I don¡¯t reach out to you, are you nning on ghosting me for the rest of your life?¡± Neil¡¯s tone


    was full of bitterness, making it sound like I had done him wrong.


    I paused before saying, ¡°Actually, that¡¯s not true. Didn¡¯t I send you the FarHorizon Group¡¯s information


    a few days ago?¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t respond to that. For a moment, I thought he had hung up.


    ¡°You¡¯re really pushing it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Neil was seething. ¡°Over a month has passed. You knewil was


    injured, but all you¡¯ve done in the past month is send me some FarHorizon Group stuff, and you¡¯ve


    barely said a word to me, let alone ask how I¡¯m doing.¡±


    That was all new to me. Neil was getting pissed off at me for being cold?


    That version of him was both strange and familiar because it reminded me of how I used to be.


    Just as I was about to respond, Bonnie¡¯s voice drifted over, ¡°Neil, didn¡¯t you say you would take me out


    to dinner? Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    Her voice was sweet and her tone tender. Obviously, she and Neil were close.


    A chill shot through me, and though I knew it was all an act, I couldn¡¯t ignore the pang of jealousy.


    Neil abruptly hung up. Was he afraid that I would be upset to hear his reply, or was he afraid that


    Bonnie would find out he had called me?


    What right did I have to me him? This was the path I chose.


    I buried my troubles deep down and took a deep breath, focusing on my work and figuring out how to


    get Ethan Foster¡¯s information from Gloria¡¯s safe.


    I was in a funk all through work. The elevator mirror showed my furrowed brow. I smoothed out my


    forehead, and only when the elevator doors slowly opened did I look up.


    Neil suddenly appeared before my eyes. He was wearing a simple white shirt with no tie, and a couple


    of buttons were undone at the cor, revealing his attractive corbone.


    I was taken aback. What was he doing there?


    ¡°Ah!¡± Before I could react, Neil pulled me out of the elevator, and I involuntarily followed him.


    When we reached my apartment, Neil directly punched in the password he already knew.


    I had no clue what he was up to until the door swung open, and he mmed it shut, pushing me


    against the wall and kissing me passionately, leaving me a little dazed.


    Neil was quite aggressive. His hands were brazenly roaming under my clothes, ready to unbutton my


    shirt.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± I finally broke free from his kiss. I looked at the dangerously attractive man before me. His


    eyes were deep and sharp when he frowned. He was full of dominance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait anymore.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was husky. ¡°We nned to try for a baby, but now we¡¯re


    being distant. Counting in months, I think I¡¯ve been treated unfairly.¡±


    I shoved Neil. I said to him in a sarcastic tone, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to have dinner with Bonnie?¡±


    Neil¡¯s eyes dimmed. He caught the hand I had used to push him, pinning it above my head and


    trapping me between him and the wall. He smiled, ¡°Do you know what happened at dinner today?¡±


    How would I know? And I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°She wanted to sleep with me.¡± When Neil said that, his voice was full of lust. His Adam¡¯s apple


    bobbed; oozing sex appeal, ¡°But all I can think about is you. I seem to have be immune to other


    women. What should I do?¡±


    Neil¡¯s blunt words made me blush. I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Bonnie had tried to sleep with me more than once and even drugged me. But it had all failed.¡±


    ¡°So, you came to me to relieve some of your sexual tension? How did you know I was here?¡± I asked,


    steeling myself.


    ¡°I found keeping in touch with Hannah quite useful, don¡¯t you think?¡± Neil¡¯s meaning was clear. Hannah


    had told him.


    That Hannah was so sneaky.


    I silently cursed her.


    Neil was clearly struggling to control his urge. He tentatively kissed me again. Seeing that I didn¡¯t resist,


    he deepened the kiss. I suddenly remembered what Ste said to me before, ¡°Date but don¡¯t marry.


    Have a baby if you find someone with good genes.¡±


    Were Neil¡¯s genes good? His looks and physique were top-notch.


    If Snow could cure my problem, I wouldn¡¯t mind using Neil¡¯s genes. That thought was risky because I


    had promised my mom that once my problem was solved, I would leave Rosemont, which meant I


    would want to take the baby with me. If Neil found out, the consequences could have been serious.


    ¡°Do you feel a sense of revenge?¡± After what seemed like ages, Neil held me in his arms, smiling wryly.


    ¡°What?¡± I closed my eyes to rest. My voice was tired.


    ¡°You were always pursuing me, but I was indifferent to you. Now the tables have turned. I know what


    it¡¯s like to be controlled. No matter how you treat mel can¡¯t bring myself to give up on you. Haven¡¯t you


    ever thought of doing the same to let me experience the same feeling.¡±


    Of course, I had thought about it, but then I stopped caring. After my rebirth, I just wanted to stay away


    from Neil.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve thought about it, but it¡¯s not enough yet.¡± I didn¡¯t even open my eyes and repliedzily.


    ¡°Not enough?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was instantly filled with tension. ¡°What else do you want? Drive me


    completely insane?¡±


    His words made me chuckle. I couldn¡¯t help but open my eyes to look at him, then reached up to poke


    his Adam¡¯s apple, teasing him, ¡°Let¡¯s talk when you¡¯re as mad about me as I was about you.¡±


    Men¡¯s Adam¡¯s apples are like an on-off switch for desire.


    Even though we had just had a wild time, when I poked him, Neil¡¯s face changed. And the reaction that


    shouldn¡¯t have happened ended up happening again.


    I regretted it instantly. I was trying to shake him up psychologically, not physically.


    A man full of lust wasn¡¯t going bother with all that thinking. Neil let go of me, then flipped over to pin me


    down as his eyes were full of danger, ¡°Dare to tease me again, will you?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Let¡¯s just go to sleep.¡± I hurriedly pushed him away.


    ¡°Toote. I¡¯m not in the mood for sleep anymore.¡± Neil smirked, then leaned down to kiss my lips,


    followed by a heated lovemaking session, by the end of which I couldn¡¯t even remember how I fell


    asleep.


    When I woke up, I checked the time, and it was already noon. Neil was bustling about in my not-so-


    large kitchen, which snapped me back to reality, ¡°Stop right there!¡±

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    Neil halted and then turned to look at me. ¡°Any problems? I¡¯m making lunch for you.¡±


    ¡°Hold your horses!¡± I voiced out again to stop him. I¡¯ll never forget how he almost burned down the


    kitchen back at Sapphire River Community.


    I really didn¡¯t want my apartment to suffer the same fate.


    Neil was holding a kitchen knife; his tall figure in my small kitchen seemed quite out of ce.


    The funniest part was that he was actually wearing my apron, which was obviously too small for him; it


    looked quite hrious.


    ¡°Come on, get out.¡± I gestured for him to leave.


    Neil walked out a bit confused as I took the knife from his hand. ¡°I appreciate your good intentions, but


    my kitchen can¡¯t handle it. You¡¯re not gifted at cooking, so don¡¯t force it. You¡¯re just not cut out for it.¡±


    Hearing this, Neil seemed to remember his kitchen fire incident, and his face stiffened a bit. He had


    been sessful in many things in his life; he was pretty much a smooth operator in everything, but his


    cooking was a disaster.


    He grumbled, ¡°What if you get pregnant in the future?¡±


    I didn¡¯t get his point and looked at him puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that when a woman is pregnant, it¡¯s best if the husband can cook. Whatever she craves, he


    makes.¡± Neil¡¯s serious face made me even more confused.


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where did you get this information?¡±


    Neil replied, ¡°Mitch sent it to me.¡±


    I was speechless for a moment, realizing that I needed to correct his thinking. ¡°If your wife gets


    pregnant, you don¡¯t need to cook whatever she craves. Isn¡¯t the money you earn meant to solve these


    problems?¡±


    I felt like I was schooling him.


    Neil raised his eyebrow and confidently replied, ¡°Not necessarily. Food cooked with love is filled with


    affection. It¡¯s good for the baby if the expectant mother is happy. The baby will have a better


    personality.¡±


    There was no doubt that Mitch taught him this. Mitch was now a parenting expert, often sharing


    parenting knowledge with Cooper and Neil.


    The image of them discussing parenting experiences instead of their previous ytime was quite


    comical.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine; just pay someone to cook.¡± I had to make Neil give up this idea because I had a hunch that


    his cooking might be problematic. Even if it was not me eating in the future, I couldn¡¯t let others suffer.


    My constant refusal seemed to hit Neil hard; he looked disgruntled. He took off the apron, threw it on


    the couch, and then sat down. ¡°Fine, then, you cook for me. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Without saying a thing, I picked up the apron, put it back in the kitchen, and then pulled out my phone


    to order food.


    Neil snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t want to cook for me?¡±


    ¡°I have to go to the office in the afternoon, so I don¡¯t want to cook.¡± I exined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me the silent treatment in the future.¡± Neilpletely ignored what I said, deciding to warn


    me. ¡°Or face the consequences. You¡¯re bing more and more audacious; you¡¯re not taking me


    seriously, huh?¡±


    I kept my mouth shut, not responding to Neil. He was acting like a petnt puppy.


    Since I wasn¡¯t talking, he started talking about the Tibetan Mastiff at Sterling Estates. ¡°Daisy misses


    you; when will youe see it?¡±


    ¡°You take care of it.¡± I felt a bit warm after thinking of Daisy, but I really didn¡¯t have time to look after it. It


    was better off with Neil.


    ¡°Daisy is a gift from me; shouldn¡¯t you be the one to take care of it?¡± Neil¡¯s logic was strong. ¡°You


    should bring Daisy here to apany you. You¡¯re living alone, so consider it a bodyguard.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°No need.¡± I refused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow, so we can go to Sterling Estates to get Daisy.¡± Neil¡¯s tone was even more


    unequivocal than mine.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just deliver it?¡± I didn¡¯t understand.


    Neil¡¯s intention was clear as day; he wanted me to go to Sterling Estates so we could have more alone


    time. I was well aware, but I was good at ying ignorant.


    He sneered, ¡°You have to pick it up yourself, or I¡¯ll deliver it to Sapphire River Community, to Mrs.


    Finch.¡±


    Neil always threatened me.


    Either I was being threatened by my mom or Neil, I¡¯ve had enough.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it next Monday. I¡¯m busy tomorrow.¡± I remembered my consultation with Snow tomorrow; it


    was very important to me, and I couldn¡¯t cancel it.


    Neil immediately asked, ¡°What are you doing tomorrow?¡±


    Naturally, I couldn¡¯t tell Neil about it, so I just told a little white lie. ¡°Still the same stomach problem, so I


    scheduled a check-up. I¡¯ll pick up Daisy in a couple of days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not eating properly and resting


    again?¡± Neil¡¯s face instantly turned serious. ¡°Previously, you took medicine, had someone cook your


    favorite food, vowed to take care of your health, and put on some weight; is this the result?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want this either, but things always seemed to spiral out of my control. Facing Neil¡¯s questioning,


    I just lowered my head and yed with my phone, acting as if I didn¡¯t hear him.


    Neil didn¡¯t know what to do with me now. Now that I wasn¡¯t talking, he had to soften his tone. ¡°I¡¯ll go


    with you.¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± I refused quickly. ¡°My mom might apany me, so you absolutely can¡¯t show up.¡±


    After hearing this, Neil¡¯s face turned sour. My mom was currently the biggest obstacle between us, so


    he had no choice but topromise.


    If I was busy, then Neil was even busier. After lunch, he went to Whitmore Co., while I went to work. In


    the afternoon, I received a call from Snow. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯reing tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Mm, yes, what¡¯s up?¡± I was a bit confused.


    ¡°Nothing; Bonnie Tueley, who came to see mest time, will also be here for a follow-up visit.¡± Snow¡¯s


    reply was quite surprising. Did she know about my rtionship with Bonnie? Otherwise, why would she


    tell me this? She couldn¡¯t possibly only have time to consult one patient a day, right?


    My heart was filled with unease and doubt again, so Snow exined, ¡°Ms. Tueley¡¯s case is quite


    complex and requires a longer follow-up time. So, I¡¯m worried you might mind. But I have to go on a


    business trip the day after tomorrow. Could we reschedule?¡±


    ¡°When can we have the next appointment?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mid-next month.¡± Snow replied.


    My biggest worry right now was my fertility issue. I want it sorted ASAP, so I didn¡¯t want to put it off for


    that long. I suggested, ¡°You do the diagnosis for her in the morning, and I¡¯ll swing by in the afternoon.


    Sound good?¡±


    Snow stayed silent for a moment before agreeing. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After nailing down the specifics, I hung up. The next day in the afternoon, I drove over right on


    schedule. I thought Bonnie would¡¯ve been gone by then. But when I walked in, there she was, crying


    her eyes out. Her eyes were red and swollen, full of despair.

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    I really didn¡¯t wanna see Bonnie. She seemed to always bring trouble with her, but I couldn¡¯t avoid her


    now.


    ¡°Ms. Tueley, you can leave now.¡± Snow said coldly to Bonnie. I didn¡¯t know why, but her voice gave me


    the chills.


    Bonnie, with tears streaming down her face, looked very pitiful. She asked Snow, ¡°Doctor, is there


    really no cure for me? I have enough money. Aren¡¯t you the best? I¡¯ll pay any amount as long as you


    can cure me!¡±


    But Snow only responded coldly, ¡°Where did you get the money?¡±


    Bonnie paused and then said, ¡°My parents are wealthy. If you can help me have a child in the future,


    you can name your price!¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Snow let out a coldugh. Her voice was tinged with regret, yet it


    was still icy. ¡°Too bad; if you insist on having a child, you¡¯ll die. It¡¯s your choice.¡±


    I think I got a grasp of what was happening. Bonnie had a heart transnt, and her health was already


    poor. She, like me, wanted to have a child.


    Compared to her, my situation wasn¡¯t as severe. At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about my own life.


    Suddenly, I felt pretty good. I thought back to when I lost my child and Bonnie¡¯s gleeful face at the time.


    Wasn¡¯t this karma?


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me; you¡¯re a quack!¡± Bonnie burst into tears and yelled at Snow. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have


    listened to the people who were praising your medical skills. Just wait and see; I¡¯ll definitely get


    pregnant and be safe!¡±


    With that, she picked up her bag and stormed out.


    Snow seemed unfazed and smiled at me. ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°How do you know my name?¡± I was suddenly puzzled.


    *Ste contacts me from time to time for health advice and mentions you often. Plus, you¡¯re quite well-


    known in Rosemont, so it¡¯s normal for me to know.¡± Snow replied calmly.


    Even though her exnation sounded reasonable, my gut told me something was off.


    I didn¡¯t know where this feeling came from, but I still kept it in mind.


    At this moment, I wanted nothing more than to get healthy and have my own child in the future.


    I told Snow about my problem. After Russel, she was the second person to know about my difficulties


    getting pregnant again.


    After examining me, Snow told me clearly that my health was indeed not good. However, there was


    hope. If I followed her treatment, there was a 70% chance / could have my own child.


    I didn¡¯t know how many hospitals I had been to. During my two years of travel, I¡¯d visit a hospital


    wherever I went, but the results were always disappointing. Snow was the only doctor who told me I


    had a 70% chance of getting pregnant. I couldn¡¯t hide my excitement. My underlying anxiety also faded


    away. Like Ste, I was willing to face any difficulty in order to get pregnant.


    ¡°If you ept the treatment, then lie down on the couch over there.¡± Snow pointed to the sofa.


    I nodded andy down as she instructed. The treatment began.


    When Snow was treating me, she was very close to me. I could clearly see her face. Her features were


    delicate. For a moment, I thought she looked a bit like Bonnie. The treatment took about half an hour.


    When it ended, I was ready to pay for the day¡¯s treatment, but Snow suddenly said, ¡°Ms. Finch, please


    pay in cash next time.¡± I was surprised. Ste didn¡¯t pay in cashst time. Why did I have to pay in


    cash? Using a bank card was much more convenient.


    Snow exined apologetically, ¡°I need some cash sometimes, so I take it directly. Please understand.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll run away?¡± I joked as I got dressed.


    Three treatments a week and take the medicine I prescribed twice a day, morning and night. In a few


    days, you¡¯ll feel better than before. You¡¯re not short of money, so you won¡¯t abandon the treatment to


    avoid the fee.¡± Snow said confidently.


    That made sense. As long as the treatment was effective, I would definitely stick with it.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle again in three days. Where¡¯s the medicine?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, give me your address. I¡¯ll have someone deliver it to you.¡± Snow answered.


    Was that how it was done? I was a bit confused.


    There was a hint of apology in Snow¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Finch, there are some medicines I can¡¯t give you. I


    have to prepare them myself and then deliver them to you.¡± Ste had told me before that Snow was a


    bit mysterious and difficult to approach, and she did things in a unique way, so I was prepared.


    After leaving my Sunflower Terrace address, I left.


    The next day was Sunday. Neil came to find me early in the morning. I asked him groggily, ¡°What¡¯s the


    big Idea? Do you know how early it is?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree? You need to pick up Daisy from Sterling


    Estates.¡± Neil took off his sunsses and strode into my apartment.


    He was so unreasonable. It was not even eight o¡¯clock yet!


    Seeing Neil sittingfortably on the sofa made my good mood vanish. I red at him and went back


    to my room to change.


    By the time I came out dressed, the doorbell rang, so I went straight to open the door.


    Snow was wearing a ck long-sleeved dress. Despite the hot weather, she was wearing a mask and


    sunsses, her face obscured.


    She was holding the medicine. I thought she would send someone else, but she came herself.


    ¡°Ms. Finch¡­¡± Snow began, then suddenly stopped. Although she was wearing sunsses, I could feel


    her gaze. She seemed to be staring at Neil, who was sitting in


    the living room.


    I couldn¡¯t see her facial expression, but her body seemed to stiffen.


    ¡°Dr. Snow?¡± I called her name.


    ¡°Oh? Sorry, I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night and feel a bit dizzy now. I just spaced out.¡± Snow handed me


    the medicine. ¡°This is your medicine. Take it once in the morning and once at night. Don¡¯t forget.¡±


    ¡°Okay, would you like toe in for a ss of water?¡± I asked politely.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Snow agreed readily.


    However, Neil suddenly spoke up. ¡°We have something to do, so we won¡¯t be able to entertain you.¡±


    the cold shoulder.


    He didn¡¯t really know Snow, so naturally, he wasn¡¯t keen on ying host to her. He straight-up gave


    When Snow heard what Neil had said, she was obviously taken aback. Her voice sounded a bit off.


    ¡°Alright then, if you guys are busy, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡±


    With that, she turned on her heel and left without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    I needed Snow¡¯s help with healing, so I wanted to be on good terms with her. Neil just disregarding


    people¡¯s feelings like that really ground my gears.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 355


    ¡°What¡¯s this stuff?¡± Neil¡¯s gaze fell on my medicine as a frown appeared on his face. ¡°Are you feeling


    unwell?¡±


    I replied impatiently, ¡°It¡¯s a tonic. That woman you just saw is my doctor. You might¡¯ve pissed her off.¡±


    Neil casually picked up the medicine, sniffed it, and made a dismissivement. ¡°What kind of doctor


    offers home delivery service?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not working in any hospital at the moment. She just got back from abroad. Could you look up


    some information on her?¡± I was suspicious of Snow¡¯s identity. If Neil could find something out, it might


    be helpful. I needed to know who she really was.


    My health was in her hands, after all. I needed to be careful.


    Neil raised an eyebrow. ¡°Irene, are you out of your mind? You¡¯re entrusting your health to a frence


    doctor? You think you¡¯ve got lives to spare?¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for Ste¡¯s pregnancy, I wouldn¡¯t have believed Snow so easily.


    I didn¡¯t want to discuss my health issues with Neil. I simply packed up my medicine and said, ¡°If you


    don¡¯t want to investigate, that¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to interfere with my decisions.¡±


    After putting away the medicine, I returned to the living room. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Weren¡¯t we supposed to pick


    up Daisy from Sterling Estates?¡±


    I was slightly angry, but Neil justughed. He got up and wrapped his arm around my waist. ¡°Why are


    you so easy to anger these days? What should I do if you¡¯re always mad at me?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you an expert in handling such situations?¡± I replied impassively.


    He¡¯d managed all his former scandals and the women he¡¯d been with well, with no one daring to


    badmouth him.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Whenever I brought up the past, Neil would always look helpless. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. You know


    what happened with those women. Haven¡¯t I been scandal-free since our divorce?¡±


    ¡°What about Bonnie? The rumors are still flying.¡± I walked out the door as I casually said this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why those rumors between Bonnie and me exist?¡± Neil pinched my waist like he was


    punishing me.


    I squealed in pain. Why did Neil always have to be so touchy?


    But I understood Neil¡¯s frustration. After all, I was the one who caused it.


    Neil¡¯s car was parked not far away. As we were bickering and heading downstairs, I spotted Snow,


    standing under the sun dressed in ck. It wasn¡¯t even nine yet, but the sun was already scorching


    everything around.


    She was standing not far from Neil¡¯s car, so I asked, ¡°Snow, why are you still here?¡±


    ¡°I called for a ride. I¡¯m waiting.¡± Snow¡¯s response confused me. She shouldn¡¯t be short of money. Why


    didn¡¯t she have a car?


    Since she¡¯d already mentioned it, I offered to give her a ride. ¡°Still staying at a hotel? We can give you


    a lift.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face fell at my suggestion. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to y chauffeur.


    Snow nodded. ¡°Is it convenient? If so, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± I answered before Neil could say anything. He gave me a look but didn¡¯t say anything. He just


    got in the car.


    I gestured for Snow to get in too. To my surprise, she took the front seat.


    She apologized, ¡°I get carsick. Sitting in the front helps.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t she a doctor? Wasn¡¯t there a cure for motion sickness?


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t ask her that directly. It was just a front seat. She was my doctor, and I had no


    reason to fuss about it. All I did was to nod and take the back


    seat.


    Neil didn¡¯t seem very pleased. He gave Snow a look full of discontent.


    The ride was almost silent. When we reached the hotel, Snow thanked me and Neil and got out of the


    car. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until a seven or eight-year-old boy ran out of the hotel door. He


    ran straight towards her.


    Neil was about to drive off, but he paused. I was also looking at the boy because he looked a lot like


    Neil.


    He was the spitting image of Neil!


    Snow crouched down, opened her arms, and embraced the boy. She then deliberately looked back at


    us. She said something to the boy, and he waved goodbye to us with a big smile on his face.


    I didn¡¯t know what was going on in Neil¡¯s mind, but I was shocked. It was as if he¡¯d been struck by


    lightning.


    Howe there was a boy so simr to Neil? And he was Snow¡¯s son? I remembered what she said


    abouting back to the country to find her son¡¯s father. Could Neil be the father?


    My mind was spinning.


    ¡°Neil, don¡¯t you think the boy looks like you?¡± I asked directly, ¡°Could he be your secret love child?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Neil answered firmly. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely sure I¡¯ve never had that kind of rtionship with


    those women.¡±


    ¡°He really looks like you. And I remember Snow saying she came back to the country to find her son¡¯s


    father.¡± My intuition was telling me that Snow¡¯s interest in me had something to do with Neil. After all, I


    was his ex-wife.


    Neil suddenly got angry and interrupted me. ¡°Don¡¯t I know my own past? It¡¯s impossible. There are


    many lookalikes in the world. Stop overthinking.¡±


    I was startled by Neil¡¯s tone. He was harsh, but he was right. I couldn¡¯t just assume they were rted


    because the boy looked like him.


    I didn¡¯t say anything more until the car stopped at the gate of Sterling Estates. Neil broke the silence.


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I got out of the car. As I opened the gate, I heard a dog barking. Daisy was calling out to us


    from not far away. Someone was giving it a bath, and it


    suddenly ran towards us, excitedly running around me and Neil.


    Daisy had grown a lot in just a few months. I had only visited Sterling Estates once or twice over that


    period, and I hadn¡¯t seen it.


    ¡°Daisy, stay still!¡± Neil was worried that I would be knocked over by the dog, so hemanded it


    sternly.


    Daisy seemed to understand. It stopped trying to pounce on me and instead whined, sounding both


    excited and aggrieved.


    Just then, Faith popped out. As soon as she saw me, a big grin spread across her face. ¡°Irene, you¡¯re


    here. Neil told me you¡¯d be taking Daisy. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    I shot a nce at Neil. He was clearly the one who strong-armed me into taking the dog.

 Chapter 356

    Chapter 356


    Chapter 356


    Neil walked straight into the living room,pletely ignoring me. I guessed he was probably thinking


    about that little boy.


    Even though he denied my suspicions, we were both adults; how could he not have a shred of doubt?


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m here to pick up Daisy. Can you arrange for someone to drop me back home?¡± I didn¡¯t want to


    stick around, but judging from Neil¡¯s demeanor, he wasn¡¯t likely to drive me home.


    However, Faith chimed in. ¡°Stay for lunch, and we¡¯ll have Neil drop you offter.¡± She grabbed my hand


    and led me into the living room. It was hot outside, but the living room was cool. Neil was sitting on the


    couch with a ss of water in his hand, seemingly lost in thought.


    I sat to one side, quietly observing him.


    Feeling my gaze, he looked at me with a cold glint in his eyes. ¡°Still doubting me?¡±


    I replied calmly, ¡°No, it seems like you¡¯re the one doubting yourself now.¡±


    Faith, not understanding our conversation, asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Doubting what?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing, just some work stuff.¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t exin, nor did he try to avoid Faith. He just told me, ¡°I will get to the bottom of this Snow


    thing, and everything will be clear then.¡±


    To prove that the little boy wasn¡¯t his, he was willing to investigate the matter about Snow. I found this


    quite surprising.


    I¡¯d always been curious about Snow, so if Neil wanted to look into it, all the better; his investigative


    skills were far superior to mine.


    Faith didn¡¯t understand our conversation, but this time she didn¡¯t ask further. Instead, she left us alone


    and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.


    ¡°Ethan Foster might be getting suspicious.¡± Neil suddenly said, ¡°We need to get those documents as


    soon as possible and deal with the issue.¡±


    I was surprised. ¡°Why would he suspect us?¡±


    ¡°Bonnie has been bringing up the engagement recently, and I haven¡¯t given her an answer yet. What


    do you think?¡± Neil asked me back.


    I frowned. ¡°But we can¡¯t get those documents that quickly. Gloria is very cautious around me; she


    hardly ever lets me into herpany, and the same goes for Ethan Foster.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m thinking of agreeing to get engaged to Bonnie. Can you handle that?¡± Neil looked at me, waiting


    for my response.


    I was taken aback. ¡°Just to get that document?¡±


    Neil gave a faint smile. ¡°What else could it be for? We¡¯vee this far; we need to resolve this as soon


    as possible. We need to divide and conquer, understand?¡±


    Heid out his n for me. I felt like it was risky, but it was worth a shot.


    I thought about my father and Oscar and agreed to go along with Neil¡¯s n, so we could resolve all


    these issues in one day.


    We chatted for a while, and before I knew it, Faith was standing not far away, grinning at us. I was quite


    startled. Her motherly, pleased expression made me feel awkward.


    ¡°Did I interrupt you guys? I just wanted to say that lunch is ready. Are you hungry? If you are, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Faith quickly dropped her motherly smile when she noticed my awkward expression.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sure, thank you for your hard work.¡± I got up and thanked her politely.


    Faith chuckled and said, ¡°If you like my cooking, you cane here every day for meals. I¡¯d be happy


    to cook for you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond and just went to sit at the dining table.


    Neil, understanding the situation, sat across from me instead of next to me. This made Faith very


    angry. She pointed at the seat next to me and said, ¡°Neil, sit there!¡±


    Neil frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same if I sit here?¡±


    Faith walked out with a coldugh, and in no time, she had brought Daisy in. ¡°That seat is for Daisy; get


    your butt over here!¡±


    Neil reluctantly moved to sit next to me, but what he said next infuriated Faith. ¡°I¡¯m nning to get


    engaged to Bonnie.¡±


    The room seemed to freeze over as silence descended on the table. Even though. I was somewhat of


    an outsider, I felt my heart tighten at that moment.


    After a few minutes, Faith mmed the table, her face flushed with anger. ¡°Neil, I told you, if you dare


    continue with Bonnie, I won¡¯t acknowledge you as my son anymore. Are you serious? What¡¯s wrong


    with Irene? Why choose Bonnie again?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t force feelings.¡± Neil¡¯s casual remarks made Faith even angrier.


    Keeping this from Faith was a bit unfair, since she genuinely wanted Neil and I to reconcile. But for the


    sake of making Neil¡¯s decision to get engaged to Bonnie appear genuine, we had to keep her in the


    dark Faith would definitely discuss this with her friends, and then everyone would know that Neil


    wanted to get engaged to Bonnie.


    ¡°I disagree!¡± Faith¡¯s tone left no room for negotiation. ¡°Neil, Irene has loved you for so many years; you


    are the one who wronged her. It was your fault that she wanted to divorce you in the first ce. I won¡¯t


    agree to you marrying anyone else but Irene. Do what you want!¡±


    Faith warmed my heart a little. Was she standing up for me?


    Neil nced at me, his eyes somewhat helpless, but then he reverted back to his indifferent self.


    ¡°Regardless, I will get engaged to Bonnie. You can¡¯t stop me.¡± With that, he got up and went upstairs,


    as if he didn¡¯t want to argue with Faith any longer. While watching his retreating figure, Faith tried to


    grab his hand in anger but was brushed off.


    Faith stood still. ¡°You gave up Irene for Bonnie, and now you¡¯re giving me up too?¡±


    hope you can respect my decision. Neil¡¯s tone was so cold that it could freeze water. He¡¯d probably win


    an Oscar if he were an actor.


    Nell¡¯s decision made Faith very emotional, but she was truly helpless. Whether in terms of career or


    love, Neil was a very independent person. His family couldn¡¯t control him.


    After sitting for a while, I got up. ¡°Could you please arrange for a driver to take me home? I have things


    to handle.¡±


    ¡°Irene, rx; I won¡¯t let Neil and Bonnie get together; just give me a bit more time.¡± Faith spoke like she


    owed me something.


    ¡°Actually, Neil¡¯s got a point; you can¡¯t force feelings. Why don¡¯t you just let him be with Bonnie?¡± I


    replied with a smile, trying my best to make my face look a tad bit sarcastic.

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357


    Chapter 357


    The moment I said that, Faith¡¯s face changed instantly, and she gripped my hand tightly. ¡°Irene, Neil¡¯s a


    jerk. He¡¯s just confused about who¡¯s right for him. Can you give him some more time?¡±


    ¡°Neil¡¯s not exactly short of women, you know. You don¡¯t need to do this.¡± I gently removed my hand


    from Faith¡¯s grip. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to send me home, I¡¯ll just call Bailey to pick me up.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hold on a sec.¡± Seeing my determined attitude, Faith helplessly shook her head and then arranged


    for a car to take me home.


    I got in the car with Daisy, leaving without any hesitation. Back at my apartment, I settled Daisy and


    started working, reviewing some documents from FarHorizon Group and StarGlow Enterprises.


    By the time Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement rolled around, the results from these documents, along with


    the data from Gloria¡¯s safe, all needed to be made public.


    It wasn¡¯t long before news of Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement hit, shocking everyone with their flip-


    flopping rtionship.


    But Bonnie¡¯s PR turned their inconsistency into a story of lovers oveing obstacles and recognizing


    their true feelings.


    I didn¡¯t react because this was all part of the n Neil and I had formted.


    Ste and the others, however, were getting antsy and came to me to vent.


    ¡°If Neil ever harasses you again, kick him to the curb!¡± Ste, who was pregnant with her second child,


    was even more worked up than me, so I quickly tried to calm her down.


    ¡°Neil¡¯s such a jerk for messing around with Bonnie. They¡¯re both unreliable!¡± Barbara, an expectant


    mother nearing her due date, was also indignant.


    I was worried about their health, so I kept trying to soothe them.


    Afterforting them, I was about to get back to work when my assistant came in. ¡°Ms. Finch,


    Bonnie¡¯s here. She wants to see you.¡±


    Bonnie, who¡¯d been on a roll in the love department, hadn¡¯te to see me in a while. Her sudden visit


    today was probably because of her uing engagement to Neil.


    ¡°Bring her up. Tell her I¡¯m a bit busy, and she¡¯ll have to wait for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    A few minutester, I called Faith. This was probably the first time I¡¯ve called her in a while.


    Faith got excited, thinking I was shaken by the news of Neil¡¯s engagement.


    ¡°Irene, Neil¡¯s just momentarily blinded by Bonnie. He¡¯lle to his senses soon.¡± Faith spoke urgently,


    completely unaware that I had her on speaker and that my office door was half open.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with Neil, and you should know him better than anyone¡­¡± Before I could finish, Bonnie


    barged in.


    My assistant looked embarrassed. ¡°Ms. Finch, Ms. Tueley insisted oning in. I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡±


    I waved my assistant off, signaling her to step out.


    Bonnie, in a white dress, walked lightly to the couch and sat down, her heels clicking on the floor.


    I ignored her and continued talking to Faith. ¡°Nothing can change Neil¡¯s decisions. I¡¯ve spent ten years


    trying to make him love me, to no avail. I¡¯m really tired.¡±


    ¡°Irene, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s right for Neil.¡± Faith said earnestly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no right or wrong in love. You either love someone or you don¡¯t. Neil doesn¡¯t love me, and I


    don¡¯t want to waste any more time.¡± I gave a bitterugh and replied helplessly.


    ¡°So there¡¯s really no hope between you two?¡± Faith asked heavily after a few seconds of silence.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no room for me in his heart.¡±


    Despite what I said, Faith still couldn¡¯t ept Bonnie. She angrily said, ¡°Even so, I still oppose Neil


    being with Bonnie. So what if they¡¯re engaged? They¡¯re not getting married!¡±


    Faith hung up after that. Bonnie must¡¯ve heard the conversation clearly. Her face looked a bit strange.


    After the call ended, Bonnie put on a smile and took out an invitation from her bag. ¡°Irene, this is the


    second time I¡¯m inviting you to Neil and my engagement party. You just said you don¡¯t want to waste


    time anymore, so you¡¯ve given up on Neil, right?¡±


    ¡°Whether I give up on Neil or not has nothing to do with you. And I won¡¯t be attending your engagement


    party.¡± I responded indifferently.


    ¡°You¡¯re really not going?¡± Bonnie seemed reluctant to ept my refusal.


    ¡°I just want you and Neil will stay away from me, Can you do that?¡± I repeated. Sometimes I felt like


    Bonnie¡¯s thoughts were a bit tooplex. If I attended, she would definitely not be happy. But if I didn¡¯t,


    she seemed to be expecting me to.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Actually, it was just her desire to win and show off.


    ??? ?? ? ??


    The reason I called Faith was to let Bonnie hear and be sure that Neil and I were done.


    Bonnie stared at me for a while, then finally rxed and smiled. She stood up and said, ¡°I see. Actually,


    Mitch and Cooper have told me that you and Neil havepletely ended things, but you were still


    trying to get close to him. Now that you¡¯ve given up, I feel relieved. As for our engagement, it doesn¡¯t


    matter whether you


    I breathed a silent sigh of relief. The y we put on with Neil was to make everyone believe, and


    naturally, it would reach Bonnie¡¯s ears.


    ¡°See yourself out.¡± I looked away, not wanting to talk to her anymore.


    Bonnie, acting nonchnt, didn¡¯t take the invitation on the table and then left.


    Once she was gone, I let out a sigh of relief, hoping this n would go more smoothly.


    Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement was set on short notice, happening in less than a week. During this


    time, I had nothing else to do but go for my regr treatments with Snow.


    She was right. After receiving the treatment and taking the medication for some time, my appetite


    seemed to have improved, my sleep quality was better, and I felt morefortable than before.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I heard Neil¡¯s about to pop the question.¡± Snow suddenly asked me during my treatment.


    I was lying there with my eyes closed, and then blinked open my peepers at her question. ¡°Really?


    You¡¯re still keeping tabs on that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Neil¡¯s kind of a big deal in this town. I catch wind of his news when I skim through the


    papers.¡± Snow softly answered while tending to my treatment.


    ¡°Really? Yeah, he¡¯s putting a ring on her, but that¡¯s none of my business.¡± I replied coolly.


    Snow started chuckling. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ticked off? I hope you don¡¯t mind me saying this, but I¡¯ve heard bits


    and pieces of your saga with Neil. After all these years, can you really let bygones be bygones?¡±

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358


    Chapter 358


    I didn¡¯t see iting that Snow would actually know about my past with Neil.


    The way she asked¡­ it seemed like she knew a lot.


    ¡°Since it all happened a long time ago, I¡¯ve moved on.¡± I answered calmly.


    Snow nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s a good way to think. Lingering too long can drain one emotionally.


    Instead, it¡¯s the brief moments that are more memorable.¡±


    I didn¡¯t quite get the logic. Brief moments were more memorable? Was that really true?


    Wasn¡¯t it the other way around? The more time we invest, the deeper the feelings, and the harder it


    was to let go.


    Snow¡¯s thoughts always baffled me somewhat.


    And I didn¡¯t really want to discuss Neil with her any further.


    So I changed the subject. ¡°Where¡¯s your son?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s ying games. I¡¯ve been looking for a school for him, but I don¡¯t know which one is best. And it¡¯s


    summer break, so I just let him y.¡± Snow seemed to enjoy talking about her son. Every time I asked


    her anything, she would answer in detail.


    But she never told me her son¡¯s full name, just calling him ¡°Hiram.¡±


    Hiram was learning Chinese, but it was not very good. He barely managed tomunicate with others.


    Sometimes he was outgoing, sometimes he was quiet. His favorite thing was to y games. Every time


    I came for treatment, he was always ying games.


    Since he resembled Neil a lot, I¡¯ve always wanted to take a closer look at him, but he stayed in the


    room most of the time.


    ¡°Have you found his father?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Not yet. I didn¡¯t have a pleasant breakup with his father. The chances of us reconciling are slim.¡± Snow


    sighed. ¡°By the way, Ms. Finch, you¡¯re a local, right? I heard there¡¯s a good elementary school in


    Rosemont, but it needs some connections to get in. Can you help me?¡±


    I was a bit surprised that Snow would ask for my help.


    If I could help, I would. But our rtionship didn¡¯t seem to be that close yet.


    ¡°Is it inconvenient?¡± Snow asked me directly.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take care of it before school starts.¡± I promised her after a few seconds of thought. This way,


    I could find out more about Snow and Hiram, since admission required personal information.


    I was sure I could find a way to get that info. I didn¡¯t believe it was possible for two random people in


    the world to resemble each other so much.


    On hearing that I was willing to help, Snow was very pleased; her voice even lightened up. ¡°Thank you,


    Ms. Finch. I owe you one.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Just help me get better. And don¡¯t tell anyone about my condition, okay?¡±


    Snow replied, ¡°Of course, I won¡¯tpromise a patient¡¯s privacy. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    After the session, I nned to rest a bit, get dressed, and leave.


    However, Snow suddenly received a call. Her tone changed abruptly. She said to me, ¡°Ms. Finch, I


    have to step out for a bit. Can you look after Hiram?¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± I asked, a bit surprised.


    ¡°About an hour or two.¡± Snow frowned; the call seemed to have brought some bad news.


    I hesitated, but eventually agreed. With my consent, Snow left in a hurry, leaving me alone in the living


    room. asionally, I could hear Hiram¡¯s voice from his room. After a while, I walked towards the room


    and knocked on the door.


    Hiram¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll y for a bit longer, then practice writing.¡±


    I said softly, ¡°Snow had to leave for a bit. Hiram, are you hungry? I can take you out for something to


    eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not eating. Mommy told me not to ept things from strangers.¡± Hiram became cold the moment


    he heard my voice. He spoke to me, ¡°Stay away from my room. I want to keep ying!¡±


    Hiram was a bit rude, but I couldn¡¯t helpparing him with Neil. They seemed to have simr


    personalities.


    I tried to talk him into it. ¡°Hiram, you can¡¯t y anymore. Snow will be mad when shees back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. You¡¯re not my mommy!¡± Hiram retorted.


    ¡°But Snow asked me to look after you!¡± I was a bit angry. Hiram was a real handful.


    I opened the door to find Hiram sitting in front of theputer, with his headphones on and fingers


    flying over the keyboard.


    After seeing me barge in, he angrily took off his headphones and pointed at me. ¡°Who let you in? Get


    out, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After looking at Hiram up close, I was taken aback. He was so much like Neil; even the mole on his


    nose was the same.


    I was dumbstruck, unable to react.


    Hiram stood up from his chair and tried to push me away. I grabbed his hand and blurted out, ¡°Hiram,


    did Snow tell you what your dad¡¯s name is? Tell me, I can take you to him.¡±


    After hearing that I could take him to his dad, Hiram stopped pushing. He looked at me, not totally


    convinced. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really, just tell me his name.¡± I crouched down to his level, asking patiently.


    ¡°Mommy never told me what my dad¡¯s name is. But she said my dad is very handsome and rich,¡±


    Hiram looked at me, his eyes full of longing for his father.


    A chill ran down my spine. Both conditions matched Neil.


    Hiram urged me. ¡°Take me to my dad. A handsome and rich man should be easy to find, right?¡±.


    Hiram¡¯s thinking was pretty naive. He held my hand, seeming unusually friendly.


    But could I really help him find his father? Should I really take him to Neil?


    ¡°Hiram, we¡¯ll find your fatherter. I need to figure out how to find him first. Once I find a clue, I¡¯ll take


    you there, okay?¡± I tried to smile andfort him.


    If Neil really had a child, it would only strengthen my resolve to leave. After all, my mother also wanted


    me to leave.


    But Hiram didn¡¯t seem to agree. He said unhappily, ¡°You¡¯re lying to me. If you can¡¯t take me to my dad,


    then take me out to y. I¡¯m bored staying in the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Where do you wanna hang out?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Amusement park. My mama says I¡¯m not in the best shape, so I can¡¯t just fool around. It would be a


    real pain in the ass if I trip or something.¡± Hiram got all excited, thinking I was about to give in.

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359


    Chapter 359


    Snow was a doctor herself, with pretty good skills at that. So why the heck couldn¡¯t she figure out how


    to get her son¡¯s health back on track? It was really baffling. Every time I looked into Hiram¡¯s eager


    eyes, my heart ached. I was on the verge of caving in.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But then I remembered my promise to Snow, and I dropped the idea like a hot potato. I couldn¡¯t just


    take Hiram out willy-nilly. If something happened, it¡¯d all be on my head.


    I didn¡¯t want my good intentions to backfire.


    ¡°Maybe next time, kiddo. Once your mom gives the green light, we¡¯ll go out. Deal?¡± I said gently.


    ¡°No!¡± Hiram suddenly threw a fit, and tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re all liars! I don¡¯t want to talk to


    you anymore!¡±


    With that, he ran back to his room and mmed the door, leaving me standing there, totally thrown and


    worried.


    After what felt like forever, Snow finally came home. She looked like she¡¯d been crying.


    Thanks for watching Hiram. We¡¯ll continue the treatment in three days.¡± She said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Sure thing.¡± I didn¡¯t ask any questions. My head was spinning anyway.


    I exchanged a few words with her before bolting out of there and driving back to my apartment.


    To my surprise, Russel was waiting for me right at my doorstep.


    Sensing a stranger, Daisy barked from inside the house.


    ¡°When did you get a dog?¡± Russel asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. How did you know I was here?¡± I was in a bad mood, and it showed in


    my voice.


    Russel held a small box in his hands. I had no idea what was in it. He smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. Finch told


    me.¡±


    I was speechless. With my mother as his sidekick, Russel could easily keep tabs on me.


    But I wasn¡¯t going to let him get close to me again. I was going to avoid him like the gue.


    I was about to open the door, but Russel didn¡¯t move. He seemed to have no intention of leaving. I


    warned him. ¡°I have a Tibetan Mastiff. If you don¡¯t want to get bitten, I suggest you don¡¯t follow me


    inside.¡±


    With that, I opened the door, and Daisy rushed out, barking its head off at Russel.


    Russel took out some meat bones and dog treats from the box and put them on the ground. The smell


    immediately caught Daisy¡¯s attention.


    Daisy¡¯s reaction left me speechless. I was hoping it could guard the house and protect me. But now it


    seemed like as long as there was food, Daisy might even help thieves find where I stash my cash.


    My mother must have tipped Russel off to bring these treats to distract Daisy.


    It seemed like my mom was eager to tell Russel everything about me to give him more opportunities to


    get close to me.


    ¡°I have something to discuss with you. You¡¯ll definitely be interested.¡± Russel said as he crouched down


    to Daisy.


    ¡°Just spit it out here.¡± I said, refusing to let him into the living room.


    ¡°Do you really think Karina Aaron is dead?¡± Russel suddenly looked up at me. His gaze made me feel


    like I was hallucinating. A weird buzzing sound filled my ears.


    In that moment, Snow¡¯s face shed in my mind. Her eyes and eyebrows were simr to Bonnie¡¯s.


    There was also a kid who looked a lot like Neil. If I did the math, the kid¡¯s age seemed about right.


    Snow was a doctor now, and Karina was studying medicine in college.


    These coincidences left me in a daze. I was unable to answer Russel¡¯s question for quite a while.


    ¡°Do you want to know? I can tell you.¡± Russel continued to bait me with a smirk. ¡°I can tell you even


    things that Neil doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    Did Russel know more about Karina?


    Why?


    I was full of questions, and it seemed like only Russel could answer them.


    ¡°Come in and sit.¡± I finally found my voice again, even though it felt foreign.


    In the living room, I poured Russel a ss of water. We sat facing each other in the deafening silence.


    After a while, I finally asked, ¡°Is Karina really dead? Didn¡¯t shemit suicide by jumping into the


    river? Doesn¡¯t Bonnie have her heart?¡±


    Russel took a sip of his water. His fingers were long and well-proportioned. It was quite a sight for sore


    eyes.


    Instead of answering my question, he asked, ¡°Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement is fake, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Russel was really smart. Sometimes, I was d he still cared about whether I would hate him or not;


    otherwise, I might not be able to handle him.


    ¡°I¡¯m also looking for Ethan Foster¡¯s file. I know it¡¯s in one of Gloria¡¯s safes, but I haven¡¯t found the


    password yet.¡± Russel continued.


    I silently sipped my water. I already knew the password and was waiting for Neil and Bonnie¡¯s


    engagement day to somehow retrieve the file from the safe. While the method was rather sneaky,


    Ethan Foster himself was devious and cautious. I had no choice.


    ¡°Neil isn¡¯t sincere about Bonnie. You know that. But if Karina isn¡¯t dead andes back, what do you


    think he will do?¡± Russel asked me again.


    ¡°So what? Neil already knows what Karina did back then. If he thinks a woman like that suits him better,


    I¡¯ll respect his choice.¡± I said calmly while looking at Russel. Although I was shocked inside, my original


    n involved leaving.


    Maybe if Karina really came back, Neil might not care about my leaving anymore.


    Russel deliberately tried to provoke me. ¡°What Karina did was out of anger and resentment because


    Neil¡¯s family didn¡¯t approve of their rtionship. If Neil really


    can¡¯t let her go, he would understand, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    I gave him a cold smile. ¡°How can you be so sure? Are the ten years I spent with him not worth the few


    months they were together?¡±


    ¡°Neil¡¯s totally smitten with Karina, don¡¯t you get it? They were hot and heavy when you were out of the


    picture. If it weren¡¯t for his grandpa¡¯s health issue, he would¡¯ve stuck with her, no doubt.¡± Russel¡¯s tone


    was even cooler than mine, which made me more uneasy.


    ¡°Just spit it out. Is Karina dead or not?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask impatiently.


    ¡°She¡¯s already back. Aren¡¯t you under her care?¡± The smirk on Russel¡¯s face became more apparent. ¡°I


    just saw her; she looked pretty jittery.¡±


    My heart sank instantly. It felt like I was in a dream; everything in front of me seemed unreal.


    Was that phone call Snow took earlier from Russel?


    Did Snow meet up with Russel?

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360


    Chapter 360


    I had been digging for info on Snow, hoping to unmask her real identity. But I never imagined that I


    would find out her true identity from Russel


    She was actually Karina Aaron, who was supposed to have been dead a long time ago.


    I just couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it. I just sat there, stunned.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Can¡¯t handle it?¡± Russel asked me.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t she supposed to be dead?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°No, the heart Bonnie got wasn¡¯t Karina¡¯s. Karina has been abroad all these years.¡± Russel exined,


    ¡°The reason I know this is because Gloria and Bonnie once asked me to look into Karina¡¯s pregnancy. I


    didn¡¯t expect to find this.¡±


    So, Russel found the info on Karina¡¯s pregnancy. Back then, he was indeed on Bonnie¡¯s side. Were


    they trying to screw me and Neil over?


    At this moment, I was utterly bewildered. I couldn¡¯t figure out whether I was sad or shocked. My mind


    was just nk.


    ¡°How¡­ How did you know she¡¯s back?¡± I finally managed to ask after a while.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you looking for info on Snowst time? I did some digging too. I¡¯ve known Karina for a while


    now. I could recognize her eyes.¡± Russel answered calmly.


    Just from a few blurry photos, Russel managed to recognize Karina.


    And thest time Karina came to my apartment to see me, Neil sat face-to-face with Karina on the


    couch but didn¡¯t recognize her. Even though she was wearing a mask and sunsses, did he not


    notice that they sounded simr?


    I didn¡¯t know if Neil didn¡¯t recognize Karina or if he was pretending not to.


    Everyone knew Karina was dead, so Neil wouldn¡¯t think she could still be alive. He would naturally think


    the person was someone who just sounded like Karina.


    On the other hand, Russel, because he had looked into Karina¡¯s case before, knew she wasn¡¯t dead.


    That¡¯s why he was so sure.


    ¡°Is that little boy with Karina Neil¡¯s?¡± Iughed numbly and asked.


    ¡°Little boy?¡± Russel seemed surprised. He didn¡¯t seem to know about it.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know that Karina has a kid? He¡¯s about six or seven years old and looks a lot like Neil¡­¡± I


    said while feeling a sense of unease, ¡°Did they get intimate during the few months they were together?¡±


    Such a direct question was kind of awkward.


    Neil and I had been divorced for a while now. And once my n was over, I might just take my


    mother¡¯s advice and leave this ce. Even if Karina was alive, what did it mean to me? Why was I still


    asking these questions?


    But I just wanted to know. It was like some sort of masochistic urge.


    Russel looked at me for a moment and then said, ¡°You already know the answer.¡±


    His answer confirmed my suspicion. That kid was indeed Neil¡¯s, but Neil himself didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± I suddenly burst intoughter. Neil always wanted a kid. Now he not only had one, but the kid


    was already old. He would really be happy when he found


    out.


    ¡°Why are youughing? If you still care about Neil, you should be sad.¡± Russel frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for Neil.¡± Myughter grew louder. It was as if I heard a hrious joke. It seemed like fate


    just wouldn¡¯t let me and Neil have a happy ending, neither in my past life nor in this one.


    Just as Neil started to develop feelings for me and was constantly pestering me, hoping we could make


    up and willing to do many things for me, Karina, who was supposed to be dead a long time ago,


    suddenly showed up, along with their child.


    Russel looked at me as his eyes filled with sympathy. ¡°Irene, stopughing. Have you lost your mind?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crazy. I just find this whole thing funny.¡± I wiped the tears from my eyes as my voice grew


    shaky. ¡°Once we¡¯ve settled things with Bonnie and Ethan Foster, Neil can reunite with Karina. Isn¡¯t that


    a good thing? But until then, unless Karinaes to Neil on her own, I hope you won¡¯t tell him about


    this. After all, I still need his help.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound like you¡¯re just using Neil. Don¡¯t you have any feelings for him anymore?¡±


    Russel¡¯s gaze was trying to see through my heart; it was so deep and prating.


    ¡°None, are you satisfied?¡± I didn¡¯t know whether I was angry or saddenied by the news. I answered his


    question bluntly.


    Even though nothing had happened yet, Neil hadn¡¯t seen Karina and didn¡¯t know she was alive, let


    alone that he had a kid. I had already prepared for the worst.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    If Bonnie was the obstacle between me and Neil, I could find a way to deal with it. But Karina was a


    mountain between us that I couldn¡¯t ovee in this lifetime.


    Russel fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°If you truly have no feelings for him anymore, can I have a ce in your heart?¡±


    ¡°Russel, are you nuts?¡± I was baffled, ¡°Why would you belittle yourself like this? You¡¯re so much better


    than this. You don¡¯t need to get involved. Haven¡¯t I used you enough already? You want me to use you


    again?¡±


    If Neil and Karina formed a happy family, then me being with Russel could indeed make him


    ufortable.


    But there was no need for that. I agreed to try with Russel, before not just to get back at Neil.


    ¡°You might think I¡¯m just pulling myself down. But as long as you¡¯re with me, I can ept anything.


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never loved anyone before, so I suddenly understand what it feels like to be


    head over heels in love and can¡¯t help myself. Russel chuckled, ¡°I barely recognize myself anymore. If I


    weren¡¯t afraid that you¡¯d really despise me, I might lose control and do some things I shouldn¡¯t. Irene,


    the one who drives me nuts is you, and the one who keeps me in check is also you. What do you


    reckon I should do?¡±


    You should stay the hell away from us.¡± Nell¡¯s cold voice rang out, brimming with danger.


    I spun around in surprise. I hadn¡¯t closed the living room door because Daisy was still outside. At this


    moment, Neil was standing in the doorway, holding Daisy¡¯s


    leash.


    He looked grim, his gaze frosty as he stared at me and Russel.


    I had no idea when he¡¯d arrived or how much he¡¯d heard, but I guessed he must¡¯ve just gotten here,


    only catching the tail end of Russel¡¯s spiel; otherwise, his first question would¡¯ve been about Karina.


    ¡°I should get going.¡± This time, Russel didn¡¯t get into it with Neil; instead, he got up to bid me goodbye.


    Perhaps because Karina had returned, Russel figured there was hardly any hope left for me and Neil,


    so he didn¡¯t provoke Neil.

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361


    Chapter 361


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    Neil blocked Russel with his hand, his eyes full of anger. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Russel chuckled coldly. ¡°Looking for Irene.¡±


    Russel pointed at me. I looked terrible, with Russel¡¯s words still echoing in my mind.


    Karina was back. That meant any attempts at rekindling my rtionship with Neil were pointless.


    It was time to set boundaries with Neil, but not now.


    ¡°Neil, let Russel go. I¡¯ve already talked to him.¡± I said to Neil.


    Neil stared nkly at me. ¡°What did you talk about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always liked Irene, and that hasn¡¯t changed. What did she tell you?¡± Russel answered for me.


    This answer only infuriated Neil more. My past entanglement with Russel had caused several


    arguments between Neil and me, and now Russel was standing right in front of me.


    I might have been scared before, but now, thinking of Karina and Russel¡¯s words, I felt the need to


    protect myself.


    If I was destined to be hurt again, why shouldn¡¯t 1 pu


    up a shield first?


    ¡°Russel, go. I¡¯ll exin to him.¡±


    Russel nodded and left, and this time Neil didn¡¯t stop him.


    When the atmosphere in the living room calmed down, Neil walked up to me. He sat where Russel had


    been sitting, his eyes full of disappointment.


    He probably didn¡¯t realize that I was feeling worse than he was.


    Finally, he asked, ¡°Why did you see him?¡±


    ¡°He was waiting for me when I got back. My mom told him I was living here.¡± I tried to calm myself,


    trying to appearposed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Mrs. Finch.¡± Neil stood up to leave.


    I immediately stopped him. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the matter with Ethan Foster is settled. If my dad is


    released, my mom might change her opinion of you. Neil, I have no feelings for Russel. You just need


    to trust me on this.¡±


    Hearing this, Neil stopped and looked at me with confusion. After a few seconds, he frowned. ¡°You


    seem off today. Is something wrong?¡±


    Had I not hidden it well? I quickly avoided Neil¡¯s gaze and forced a smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I had a


    check-up today. I¡¯m still not pregnant.¡±


    ¡°Just that?¡± Neil came over and looked at me. ¡°I know I really want a child, but you don¡¯t have to put so


    much pressure on yourself. We can always adopt if you can¡¯t give birth.¡±


    I was stunned by this and stared at Neil.


    Neil didn¡¯t seem to be lying. He reached up to smooth my messy hair and gave me a helpless smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset about this. You¡¯ve always been weak, and you¡¯ve lost a child before. I share the me.


    I just want you to be with me, okay?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect Neil to have such thoughts. He was even willing to adopt a child, even with no blood ties,


    just for me..


    My feelings were all over the ce.


    Normally, I would be thrilled. Did this mean Neil had deep feelings for me? But in reality, I felt more


    nervous and uneasy. I couldn¡¯t have children, but Neil had a child who was already six or seven years


    old.


    Would he not care if he knew about Karina and the child?


    Even if he could ignore Karina, he would definitely want his child back. The child would surely be


    a treasure to his family. He and Karina would inevitably intersect because of the child, and how could I,


    stuck in the middle, not care?


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Neil noticed I was lost in thought and asked softly.


    ¡°Nothing; I just feel it¡¯s too unfair to you. If I really can¡¯t have children, I can leave. The Whitmore family


    can¡¯t be left without an heir because of me.¡± I forced a smile. I sounded old-fashioned. Having a child


    was necessary to inherit the vast Whitmore family¡¯s fortune. If we were just an ordinary couple with no


    family wealth or business, we might ept not having children.


    I couldn¡¯t be too selfish, and I didn¡¯t want to see Neil change. As time went on, we might argue about


    not having children, and I didn¡¯t want that.


    ¡°No one can interfere with my decisions about children.¡± Neil gently rubbed my nose as he smiled


    indulgently. ¡°I was going to be mad about Russel, but I suddenly feel better after seeing you unhappy


    about whether we can have children.¡±


    With that, Neil pulled me into his arms, gently massaging my hair.


    I couldn¡¯t describe how I felt at that moment. I was dealing with the shock and unease of Karina¡¯s return


    and also feeling Neil¡¯s affection and indulgence.


    Neil stayed with me for more than an hour before leaving, mainly discussing the forting


    engagement. He originally nned to have someone else pick up the documents from StarGlow


    Enterprises, but I felt like I should do it myself, as the fewer people knew about it, the better.


    The n would be executed the day after tomorrow, and I was a bit anxious.


    But to make Ethan Foster, Bonnie, and Gloria face the punishment they deserved, clear my father¡¯s


    name, and reveal the truth of Oscar Morse¡¯s death, I had to do


    this.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Ethan Foster was their biggest umbre. I didn¡¯t believe that Bonnie and Gloria would still have any


    power if he fell.


    Karina must¡¯ve known what was up with Gloria, including the bit about Gloria treating Bonnie like her


    own daughter. That was probably why Karina was all ice and daggers to Bonnie that day, questioning


    where she got her dough.


    If Neil and I were to take a swing at Gloria, we might end up on Karina¡¯s bad side.


    I didn¡¯t really give a damn, but the real question was: could Neil handle that?


    He didn¡¯t have much of a soft spot for Gloria now, but if he found out Karina was still kicking and that


    they had a kid together, he might not be so gung ho about not liking Gloria.


    So, before popping the question, I couldn¡¯t let Neil in on the fact that Karina was still around, let alone


    let her show her face to him. If Karina got recognized, what then?


    Just as I was chewing on that, the doorbell rang. Neil was about to answer it, but I stopped him dead in


    his tracks.

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362


    Chapter 362


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Neil asked, a bit puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out; you go take a shower.¡±


    I had a hunch that the person outside was Snow, aka Karina, because my medication was all out, and


    she always delivered new ones when I ran out.


    I never understood why she didn¡¯t give me more at once, but now it seemed to make sense.


    Since she knew Bonnie, how could she not know about me and Neil? I remembered that she even


    threatened to jump into a river when I got married to Neil.


    So she was deliberately finding ways to get closer to me.


    ¡°A shower?¡± Neil seemed a bit confused as to why I suddenly asked him to take a shower.


    ¡°Yeah, you smell like booze; go take a shower. Today is my ovtion day.¡± I made up an excuse, one


    that would make Neil obedient immediately.


    Sure enough, upon hearing this, Neil¡¯s eyes changed instantly. He nodded his head with anticipation in


    his voice. ¡°Alright, wait for me.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you clean up nicely; noing out without clothes on. I pushed Neil towards the bathroom.


    Once Neil was in the bathroom, I closed the door to muffle any sounds, and then I went to open the


    door. As expected, it was Karina. She was still dressed in ck, but this time without sses, only


    wearing a mask.


    Her eyes were natural; it seemed she didn¡¯t know I knew she was Karina.


    She lifted up the medication in her hand and handed it to me. ¡°Ms. Finch, your medication.¡±


    ¡°OK, thanks,¡± I took the medication but didn¡¯t invite her in to sit as I used to. I used to be curious and


    puzzled when I saw her, but now my heart ached.


    ¡°No problem; remember toe for treatment in three days.¡± Karina began to smile as her gaze fell on


    the table in the living room. ¡°Do you have a guest today?¡±


    I turned back and saw the water 1 had just poured for Russel, half of which was still left. The two cups


    on the table indeed looked like a guest hade. I hummed in acknowledgment, not going into detail


    ¡°Is it the same gentleman fromst time? Your ex-husband, I believe.¡± Karina¡¯s topic seemed to


    intentionally drift towards Neil. I knew she was trying to fish for information about Neil from me.


    After all these years, even if she came back, she shouldn¡¯t directly look for Neil so suddenly.


    Especially with a child involved.


    But then again, wouldn¡¯t she mind if she heard that Neil and Bonnie were getting engaged? How could


    she still be so calm?


    ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡± I denied it instantly.


    ¡°Really? I saw his car downstairs; I thought it was him.¡± Karina didn¡¯t hold back; it seemed intentional.


    ¡°He can¡¯t be here. He¡¯s about to get engaged; why would hee to see you?¡±


    I forced a smile and nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, indeed.¡±


    Suddenly, the sound of water came from the bathroom. Karina followed the sound with her eyes and


    then asked me, ¡°Ms. Finch, may I use your bathroom?¡±


    The bathroom was right next to the shower room; it was only separated by a ss partition. Neil was


    taking a shower, so I couldn¡¯t let Karina in.


    I rejected her. ¡°The bathroom is broken; a repairman is fixing it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a repairman, is it?¡± Karina obviously didn¡¯t believe it but didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t walk you out right now; take care.¡± I responded nonchntly.


    Karina turned around and left. My door was not far from the elevator, so I watched her leave. Just as


    the elevator door opened, the bathroom door suddenly opened. Neil came out wrapped in a towel; his


    muscr shoulders and chest were looking very attractive.


    Karina seemed to have heard the noise and turned her head, but I quickly shut the door with a loud


    bang.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Neil was startled by the sound of the door closing and asked


    worriedly.


    ¡°Nothing; howe you showered so quickly? You even came out without putting on clothes!¡±


    My heart was racing. Karina didn¡¯t wear sses today, so Neil might recognize her.


    Neil answered helplessly. ¡°The shower gel is all used up. I called for you, but you didn¡¯t respond, so I


    came out to check.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid of being seen when someone was at the door?¡± I asked, feeling relieved and


    slightly annoyed.


    ¡°What am I, a man. It¡¯s okay as long as you¡¯re not seen; otherwise, I¡¯ll be mad.¡± Neil¡¯s hair was still wet,


    and droplets of water were dripping down his head as a faint. floral scent lingered on him.


    I got a bottle of shower gel and handed it to Neil. ¡°I¡¯m not like you; I don¡¯t have the habit ofing out


    without clothes on. Go back and clean up properly!¡±


    Neil took the shower gel, hesitated, and asked, ¡°Can I continue showeringter?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I was confused.


    Neil looked down at the ce he was wrapping. The towel was thick, but it did not hide his physical


    reaction. I immediately turned my eyes away. ¡°What are you shy about? You¡¯ve seen it many times;


    don¡¯t you know it reacts?¡± He joked.


    On this subject, Neil was very straightforward and physically vigorous. Although I was quite familiar


    with his body, I still felt a bit shy each time.


    I gave him a push. ¡°No, hurry up and wash. I¡¯ll wait for you in the room.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Neil sighed as he somewhat reluctantly returned to the shower, while I went to sit in the room,


    my mind filled with thoughts about Karina.


    Currently, only Russel and I know about this.


    After a while, Neil came in. He had dried his hair. Before I could speak, he had already pinned me on


    the bed, effectively silencing me.


    I felt a bit dizzy, momentarilycking the energy to think about anything else. Now that Karina was


    back, my rtionship with Neil might soone to an end. He cared about me a lot, so I needed to


    cherish this time.


    I was particrly aggressive today, which surprised Neil. But because he was about to get engaged, he


    couldn¡¯t stay over at my ce.


    ¡°Alright, everything will be over in a couple of days. Then we can start over, alright?¡± Before leaving,


    Neil kissed my forehead. His eyes looked very charming, and his gentle smile captivated me.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I held back the strange emotions I was feeling inside, put on a smile, and obediently


    answered.


    ¡°I gotta bounce.¡± There was a hint of reluctance in Neil¡¯s eyes, but he left anyway. Only then did I rx.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    I was really scared my awkwardness would make him suspicious again.


    Then it hit me. If Karina¡¯s new name was ¡°Snow,¡± was she really healing me or what?

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363


    Chapter 363


    Based on Kanna¡¯s past actions, I didn¡¯t think she was a nice and gentle person. She could curse Neil


    with her own life and then sneak away without telling anyone. How could she possibly be sincere about


    healing her formerpetitor?


    The next morning. I rushed to the hospital for a check¨Cup, specifically a gynecological one.


    I bumped into Ste, who came for a prenatal checkup.


    ¡°Rena, what are you checking? Are you pregnant too?¡± Ste asked in surprise.


    ¡°No, just some period issues.¡± I denied.


    ¡°Alright, Neil¡¯s getting engaged tomorrow, are you going?¡± Ste asked again.


    ¡°Nope, no need to.¡± I shook my head.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Mitch, next to us, let out a sigh. ¡°Rena, Neil still likes you. Really, I just have a gut feeling¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ste swung her arm to hit Mitch. She wanted me to keep my distance from Neil, and Mitch


    was actually persuading me.


    Mitch reluctantly shut his mouth and even began worrying about Ste. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad; I was just


    talking. Be careful with the baby. The doctor said to be extra careful for the first three months.¡±


    ¡°Then stop meddling in other people¡¯s business!¡± Ste red at Mitch.


    ¡°I won¡¯t anymore.¡± Mitch nodded quickly


    Ste had finished her check¨Cup, so I let them leave first. I continued to wait for my results.


    When the results came out, there were no major issues. I was still having a hard time getting pregnant.


    But the situation didn¡¯t worsen, so I rxed.


    If Karina had given me more trouble, I would have fallen apart.


    Then came the day of Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement. Bonnie seemed so eager to marry Neil that she


    didn¡¯t require any preparation and just invited a bunch of guests to a mansion in Rosemont for the


    engagement party.


    Due to Neil¡¯s status and the backing of StarGlow Enterprises, almost everyone in Rosemont attended


    the engagement party. All employees of StarGlow Enterprises were given the day off, leaving only the


    security guards on duty.


    ¡°Daisy, off you go.¡±


    I let go of Daisy, pointing to the StarGlow Enterprises gate in the distance. Daisy got my drift and


    quickly led the guard away.


    The guard was not very vignt. To enter StarGlow Enterprises, one needed an entrance card, and to


    enter Gloria¡¯s office, an elevator card and office password were required.


    Neil had given me all these, so I got on the elevator smoothly.


    While I was busy, Neil and Bonnie were having their engagement party elsewhere. Time was still


    ample.


    I opened the safe in Gloria¡¯s office and saw a folder, which might be what I was looking for. It was about


    the size of my palm.


    I skimmed through it and was shocked by what I saw. The scale of moneyundering Ethan Foster was


    involved in was enormous, and his assets, all gained through corruption, were huge.


    All the information I needed was in this folder.


    Suppressing my excitement, I took photos of the documents one by one and sent them directly to Neil.


    As for the originals, I took them with me.


    The problem arose when I was leaving. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I saw the guard. He


    seemed to be looking for Daisy, and when he saw me, he looked surprised and then became cautious.


    He took out a baton from his waist as he approached me. ¡°Who are you? How did youe out of Ms.


    Gloria¡¯s private elevator?¡±


    I almost stopped breathing, feeling a bit nervous.


    ¡°I am Ms. Gloria¡¯s new assistant; she sent me to get something.¡± I was wearing a mask, so the guard


    couldn¡¯t see my face. I made up an identity on the spot.


    ¡°What are you really here for? Ms. Gloria didn¡¯t hire a new assistant. I¡¯m calling her now!¡± The guard


    took out his phone.


    Thinking quickly, I dialed Neil¡¯s number.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, I came to thepany to get something and was stopped by the security guard!¡±


    Neil picked up the phone quickly, and I hurriedly told him.


    ¡°Let him take a call.¡± Neil was calm.


    ¡°This is a call from Mr. Whitmore. You know, the one getting engaged to Ms. Tueley today.¡± I handed


    the phone to the guard. Given the current rtionship between Neil and Bonnie, the guard would


    definitely take it.


    Sure enough, he took Neil¡¯s call, putting away his own phone.


    I¡¯m not sure what Neil said, but the guard¡¯s face rxed.


    ¡°So it¡¯s Mr. Whitmore who sent you. I thought you was a thief. I was wondering how you got into the


    elevator without a pass.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Mr. Whitmore gave it all to me.¡± I quickly chimed in.


    After hanging up, the guard waved me on. ¡°Go on; Mr. Whitmore is waiting for you to send something


    over.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief and hastened to leave. When I got to my car, I found Daisy waiting for me. It


    had not been caught and smartly came back to wait for me.


    I suddenly felt that Neil giving me this dog was the right decision.


    Back at my apartment, I startedbing through the documents. I couldn¡¯t hand them over to the


    police yet. I¡¯d wait until Neil had some results.


    About half an hourter, Alicia called and said, ¡°Something¡¯s happened!¡±


    110


    Chapter 363


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement party has gone south, and Bonnie¡¯s implicated in moneyundering


    and murder!¡± Alicia¡¯s tone was as if she had heard some unbelievable news; she was utterly shocked.


    I was calm because this was what I had been waiting for.


    ¡°Do you want toe over and take a look? This chaos mightst a while. Reporters are already on


    the scene, and the police should be here soon.¡± Alicia¡¯s voice was full of anticipation.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way now.¡± I definitely had to check this out. During my past life, Bonnie was like a living


    nightmare, haunting me every step of the way. In this life, she was still a thorn in my side, like a ghost


    that wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.


    This should be herst hurrah.


    I grabbed the files and bolted out the door to find Neil. I hauled ass, getting there just as the cop cars


    pulled up.


    Since this whole mess also involved Ethan Foster, who was kind of a big deal, there were a bunch of


    cops on the scene who were ready for anything.

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364


    Chapter 364


    The manor was a total madhouse, with reporters scrambling to capture the day¡¯s events.


    I was tucked away in the crowd, watching from a safe distance.


    Bonnie was on the ground, sobbing. What surprised me was that Gloria and Ethan Foster were


    nowhere to be found.


    Alicia found me among the crowd. ¡°You¡¯re here. Gloria and Ethan Foster are in the room. Neil has


    someone keeping an eye on them.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I nodded.


    Suddenly, Bonnie spotted me. Her eyes were swollen and red, brimming with hatred. She sprang up


    and charged at me.


    Luckily, Neil was quick on his feet and pulled me behind him.


    Bonnie¡¯s hair was a mess; she looked unhinged. ¡°Neil, you¡¯ve been ying me with Irene this whole


    time, right?¡± She used, ¡°You used me to get close to Gloria and the others, right? You had Irene get


    those documents, didn¡¯t you? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d stoop so low!¡±


    ¡°You fight fire with fire.¡± Neil replied coldly.


    ¡°Really? I loved you so much, and this is how you repay me? You never had any feelings for me, did


    you?¡± Bonnie asked indignantly as her eyes filled with rage.


    I wondered if Neil ever had feelings for Bonnie when he first met her. Was it because Bonnie looked so


    much like Karina?


    ¡°No, I was attracted to your looks because you resemble a friend of mine.¡± Neil¡¯s reply was harsh, a


    blow to both Bonnie and me.


    I knew that friend was Karina.


    Karina was back now, and once everything here was settled, he could reunite with her and their child,


    who resembled him so much. How wonderful¡­


    I nned to follow my mother¡¯s advice, give up thepany for cash, and leave this ce with my


    family for a peaceful life elsewhere.


    ¡°You¡¯re ruthless, Neil¡­ I chose the wrong man to love¡­¡± Bonnie started crying again, and just then,


    the police arrived. They asked for Bonnie¡¯s identity and took her


    away.


    Bonnie¡¯s figure receding into the distance was a pitiful sight. From an ordinary college girl to Gloria¡¯s


    goddaughter and all the drama with Neil, her life was far from typical. Most people never even got to


    interact with people of her social status.


    But she¡¯d fooled everyone. The heart she¡¯d had transnted wasn¡¯t Karina¡¯s; whether she knew it or


    not, it didn¡¯t seem to matter anymore.


    Next up were Ethan Foster and Gloria. The police found them and took them away. I wasn¡¯t ready to


    hand over the documents to the police yet because I was worried that Ethan Foster might have


    insiders.


    Neil had the same concern. ¡°Let me handle it first. I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s safe, and then we can give the


    documents to the police.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I nodded.


    Just as things were starting to calm down and guests were leaving, I saw a figure in the distance. She


    was wearing a white short¨Csleeved shirt and blue jeans, no longer hiding. She looked straight at me.


    Neil was just finishing talking to me when his gaze casuallynded on her. He froze.


    For a moment, it was as if time stood still. Our eyes met, like two ribbons intertwined.


    I finally saw what Karina really looked like. No wonder Neil fell for Bonnie at first sight; they really did


    look alike.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡± Alicia was shocked.


    After noticing that Neil was looking at her, Karina turned and quickly left, like a startled deer.


    Neil snapped back to reality. He didn¡¯t even take a second look at me and just ran after Karina. He


    looked back at me when he was a distance away, but decided to keep chasing Karina.


    . It made sense. You¡¯d want to find out the truth after seeing someone you thought was dead suddenly


    appear before you.


    ¡°That¡¯s Karina?¡± Alicia finally came to her senses, asking incredulously.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s her.¡± I replied casually, ready to leave.


    Alicia followed behind, unable to ept the fact that Karina was alive.


    This time, I didn¡¯t go back to Sunflower Terrace. Instead, I returned to Sapphire River Community and


    told my mom everything that had happened.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s a chance your father could get out?¡± My mom couldn¡¯t hide her joy.


    ¡°Yes, as long as Ethan Foster¡¯s actions are exposed, there¡¯s a good chance.¡± I forced a smile. Of


    course, I was happy that my dad could get out, but the thought of Neil chasing after Karina was hard to


    swallow.


    *Neil helped?¡± My mom asked.


    I didn¡¯t deny it¨Cand¨Cjust nodded.


    My mom knew about the engagement between Neil and Bonnie going sour today, but she didn¡¯t know


    the details. After hearing my response, she fell silent.


    After a while, she finally spoke up. ¡°Rena, tell me, do you still have feelings for Neil? Do you want to try


    again?¡±


    It seemed like she was willing to ept Neil.


    But it didn¡¯t matter now. The moment Karina showed up, I was back to being a side character. To fight


    for anything more would be humiliating.


    ¡°Thepany is your life¡¯s work. If you¡¯re willing to give it up, then what do I have to hold onto? As


    long as you and Dad are okay, I¡¯ll go wherever you go. As for Neil and me, let things take their course.


    If we¡¯re not meant to be before we leave, so be it.¡± I said as I leaned on her shoulder, my voice steady.


    In the end, it was always your family that was closest to you.


    I had nothing with Neil anymore, not even a kid. How could I evenpare with Karina?


    My mom heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your advice. When your father gets back, I¡¯ll start dealing


    withpany matters. There are plenty of good guys out there, even if you don¡¯t pick Russel, you can


    find someone who brings you peace and joy, not someone like Neil who always leaves you worried


    sick. You¡¯re just torturing yourself by sticking around.¡±


    My mom hit the nail on the head. I had been thinking the same thing.


    I should muster up the courage to end the rtionship that had been weighing me down, or else I


    would be stuck in this messy love triangle and end up scarred and battered.

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365


    Chapter 365


    I guess I underestimated Ethan Foster and Gloria.


    Even though they were both behind bars, one only got a three¨Cand¨Ca¨Chalf¨Cyear sentence, and the


    other one got extradited due to her foreign nationality. It was hard to say if they were really punished or


    not.


    But there was also some good news. Dad had finally been released, and new investigations into


    Oscar¡¯s death concluded that Bonnie was the one to me. Oscar was about to leave Rosemont, but


    Bonnie invited him over for onest time. He went, but never came back.


    Hannah Morse was so angry when she learned the truth about Oscar¡¯s death that she could have killed


    Bonnie on the spot. But Bonnie had already been arrested, so she could only be punished byw.


    And it was not just about Oscar. Bonnie had a lot of other dirtyundry that had been aired in the tapes


    that Malinda gave me. Even if she wasn¡¯t in jail, she¡¯d be condemned by everyone.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    My mom and I stood outside the prison, waiting for my dad. When he appeared, I couldn¡¯t help but


    shout.


    My mother¡¯s eyes reddened, and she walked up to greet him with me.


    After seeing Mom and me, Dad couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. He hugged us tightly, and at that


    moment, I felt like our family wasplete.


    On our way home, I told my dad all about what had happenedtely.


    After listening, he frowned. ¡°Are you and Neil nning to get back together?¡±


    My mom sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t approve, but Neil did put in a lot of effort for you to overturn the case. And ever


    since you came back, he¡¯s been trying to make amends. It¡¯s your call.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Dad turned to me and asked.


    Lately, I have been in touch with Neil. We hadn¡¯t cut off contactpletely because of Karina, but we


    had been talking less.


    He must have known by now that Hiram was his son. He must be feeling pretty confused.


    I shook my head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Should we leave this ce? Mom said she wants to give up


    thepany.¡±


    ¡°Give up thepany?¡± Dad was taken aback. He knew that was thepany Mom had worked so


    hard to build. He used to tell her not to work so hard, but she never listened. Now she was the one who


    wanted to give up.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve realized that health is much more important. As long as our family is safe and healthy, that¡¯s


    enough. Rosemont isn¡¯t right for us. I want to live somewhere else.¡± My mom was looking at me the


    whole time she was saying this, and I knew it was mostly for my sake.


    If there were no moreplications between Neil and me, Mom would never want to leave here.


    I didn¡¯t avoid her gaze. Instead, I asked, ¡°If I leave here, it means I might never see Russel again. Can


    you ept that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mom replied very firmly. ¡°If it¡¯s meant to be, we¡¯ll see each other again.¡±


    Her answer made me feel a bit better. I didn¡¯t want to force myself to be with someone I didn¡¯t love.


    When I got home, Hannah had prepared avish dinner to wee my father back. We hadn¡¯t eaten


    together like this in a long time. It felt like a dream.


    Since I had decided to leave this ce, the handling of thepany would be a big issue. Mom found


    a reliable friend to entrust with the transfer of the Finch family¡¯spany. We just needed to pack up


    and prepare to leave as soon as possible. If there was anything that needed to be handled, we would


    send someone back.


    I had no objections to this arrangement.


    I thought Neil might not want to hold me back anymore. After all, he was now facing a dilemma he


    couldn¡¯t untangle.


    ¡°Are you really leaving?¡± Ste and the others were reluctant to see me go; they were always asking


    me about it.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll let you know my new address. You cane visit when you have time. But remember, don¡¯t


    tell anyone else, especially you, Ste. Don¡¯t tell Mitch!¡± I warned Ste.


    Even though I thought Neil wouldn¡¯t necessarilye looking for me even if he knew my new address,


    I still wanted to remind her.


    Ste was pregnant now, and Barbara¡® kids were already a month old. If I left, they would have to wait


    a while to visit me. It was not easy with kids. Only Alicia would have an easier time.


    ¡°I get it; I won¡¯t tell Mitch. You and Neil¡­¡± Ste didn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    ¡°You all know that Karina is back, right? Sometimes there¡¯s no need to humiliate yourself.¡± I gave a light


    laugh and took a sip of my bitter ck coffee. Suddenly, it tasted awful. I should be drinking milk,


    orange juice, or something sweet and sour. Otherwise, the bitterness in my heart would only be


    magnified.


    Ste and the others exchanged nces; their expressions lookedplicated. Karina¡¯s resurrection


    and Bonnie¡¯s arrest had been the talk of the town. Neil had once targeted Gloria and others, so it was


    hard to say whether Karina could ept him.


    can¡¯t believe someone coulde back to life after being dead for so long.¡± Alicia couldn¡¯t help but


    exim. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen her with my own eyes that day, I would have thought the news was fake.¡±


    ¡°I heard she has a son¡­ Neil¡¯s son? Is it true?¡± Ste asked, looking puzzled.


    ¡°It should be. I¡¯ve seen her son, and he looks just like Neil.¡± I replied.


    Ste¡¯s face changed color, and she fell silent..


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Karina. I haven¡¯t been to her for treatment since that day, but she


    called every three days to remind me. I really didn¡¯t get what she was up to..


    And I didn¡¯t block Karina¡¯s number either. I was not even sure what I was thinking.


    Chapter 365


    Lh¨²ng up the phone and then got a message.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯ve already paid for the treatment. I can continue whenever you¡¯re free. But I¡¯ve moved.


    If you need me,e to Grandeur Oaks Estates.¡±


    When I saw ¡®Grandeur Oaks Estates, for some reason, my heart ached.


    Did Neil move Karina and her kid there?!


    But what right did I have to meddle?


    This time, I finally blocked Karina¡¯s number. I didn¡¯t want to hear anything about Neil and Karina


    anymore. Whatever happened to them was none of my business.


    All I could do was leave decisively when Neil came looking for me.


    After the party, I headed straight back to my ce in Sapphire River Community. In Rosemont, we only


    kept the mansion here. I had put all the other houses up for sale, because there was no point keeping


    them.

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366


    Chapter 366


    Most of the Finch family¡¯s properties were in prime locations with beautiful surroundings, so they were


    quickly dealt with.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking your mom to say goodbye to a few friends. Want to tag along?¡± My dad stopped to ask me


    as he was getting ready to leave with my mom.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good.¡± I replied casually, engrossed in a TV show.


    ¡°Alright.¡± My dad nodded and left with my mom.


    With Hannah off to her parents¡¯ ce, it was just me and Daisy at home. Daisy dozed off on the floor


    while I distractedly scrolled through my phone, not really paying any attention to the TV show.


    ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡±


    Suddenly, Daisy sprang up and started barking excitedly, wagging its tail towards the door. Startled, I


    jumped up and looked at the door.


    The doorbell rang, and upon checking, it was Neil.


    Neil and I had been keeping in touch, but since the day he saw Karina again, we hadn¡¯t met. So, I felt


    indifferent when I saw him, realizing that Russel was right all along.


    But why was he here today?


    I opened the door without deliberately avoiding him.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± I asked with a faint smile.


    ¡°What kind of treatment did you receive from Karina?¡± Neil asked with a serious and puzzled look on


    his face.


    Did Karina actually tell him? It seemed like professional ethics didn¡¯t matter to her. She had promised


    not to reveal any information about me, but she ended up telling Neil not long after.


    But I understood. She told Neil about my infertility, which could make things even more hopeless


    between Neil and me, and that was good for her.


    I went back to the living room and sat down. Daisy jumped on Neil happily. Neil petted it before it was


    satisfied.


    ¡°Since she told you about the treatment, didn¡¯t she tell you what it was for?¡± I sat down on the sofa,


    crossing my legs casually, no longer caring about my image.


    ¡°Is it because of your previous miscarriage that you can¡¯t get pregnant again?¡± Neil¡¯s Voice softened,


    perhaps afraid of touching my wounds.


    But I was no longer in pain over that. Maybe I had epted the fact deep down, or maybe I had


    expected that when I found out Snow was Karina. What was the point of hiding?


    I smiled slightly and said, ¡°That¡¯s the situation. My pregnancy was unstable from the start. Bonnie¡¯s


    appearance expedited my miscarriage, and since then, I¡¯ve been/ diagnosed with infertility. I never told


    you about it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, Neil¡¯s expression changed, his voice bing much colder, ¡°Was your


    pregnancy unstable from the start? Even without Bonnie pushing you off the bed, would you have lost


    the baby?¡±


    I really didn¡¯t know. All I could say was that there was a high chance I couldn¡¯t have kept the baby.


    Looking at Neil¡¯s slightly stern look, I suddenly got angry. What right did he have to question me? If our


    marriage had been a little better, would my health have been so weak? I lost my baby because of the


    mental stress that affected my physical health.


    ¡°Yes, I was using Bonnie. She was just a secondary factor. I hid it from you so you¡¯d think I could still


    get pregnant and help me deal with my dad!¡± I blurted out. The air became thicker after I finished


    speaking.


    Neil and I locked our eyes, like two cold streams.


    He seemed to grit his teeth. His jaw moved slightly, and his eyes were devoid of any warmth. I even


    saw a hint of hatred in them.


    Suddenly, he said, ¡°That child was also the pain in my heart. Do you know how many times I¡¯ve


    dreamed of that child? Irene, you¡¯re too cruel to me. Is this your revenge?¡±


    My heart was filled with endless pain, like countless needles stabbing me. But I knew that was a feeling


    I had to endure.


    Neil wanted a child so much, and then Karina had brought one back for him. I should have been happy


    for him. The guilt I had been feeling could finally be relieved. I continued to smile, ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t Karina


    come back? Don¡¯t you guys have a child? That¡¯s enough. You live your life, and I live mine. Don¡¯t worry,


    Neil. Don¡¯t be too angry. Think about it. I¡¯m worse off than you. You¡¯ll have aplete family, and I¡¯ll


    never have my own child. So, don¡¯t hate me. You just need to be thankful.¡±


    My words were harsh, and Neil¡¯s face looked awful. He usually looked cold when he wasn¡¯t smiling, but


    now he was furious.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    But I didn¡¯t care anymore. Neil and I were never equals. Even if we split up, he would be better off than


    me. He could have children, but I couldn¡¯t.


    People are selfish. It hurts to see the one who left you doing well while your life bes duller.


    ¡°Irene, I told you we could adopt a child if we couldn¡¯t have one. All I ever wanted was you. But you


    treated me like this. Well done. You are the first woman to deceive me.¡± Neil clenched his fist, his arm


    muscles bulging, showing his anger.


    ¡°It seems you misunderstood. Someone is better at deceiving you than me. She¡¯s at Grandeur Oaks


    Estates. You should go and ask her.¡± I looked at Neil, smiling, ¡°Neil, your beloved Karina is back with


    the child you¡¯ve always wanted. From now on, let¡¯s cut ties. I wish you a happy family life, and you wish


    me to find true love and live a peaceful life.¡±


    Neil closed his eyes, his longshes trembling slightly. He took a deep breath, then opened his eyes to


    look at me. The hatred and coldness in his eyes intertwined. ¡°Alright, since you said so, I¡¯ll cherish


    those who should be cherished.¡±


    With that, he turned and left.


    Daisy immediately followed him, wanting to y, but he only nced at it before closing the door.


    I took a deep breath, squeezed my about-to-cry eyes shut, and then leaned my head back on the


    couch, trying my best not to let the tears spill out.

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367


    Chapter 367


    After Neil left, I was in a real funk, wondering if he would evere back to me and if he would prefer


    to be with me since we¡¯ve been together for so long.


    He said he loved me, but could that easily change because of Karina?


    But reality was a bitter pill to swallow. The day I moved out of Rosemont, Neil was nowhere to be seen.


    There were no calls and no texts. The movers were bustling about, clearing out the vi; my parents


    were checking the inventory, and I was sitting in the garden with Daisy, eyes closed, taking a breather.


    ¡°Dr. Russel?¡± My mom suddenly called out.


    I opened my eyes to see Russel Dawson standing at the gate. He was wearing a white short-sleeved


    shirt and light blue pants, looking fresh as a daisy.


    What was he doing there? I was taken aback.


    Most of the things from my family had been moved out, and my mom didn¡¯t have a chance to offer


    Russel a cup of coffee, so he just sat in the garden, shooting the breeze. Before long, the movers


    called my mom away, leaving Russel and me alone.


    It was quite hot under the sun, and I was breaking a sweat. Russel handed me a tissue and said, ¡°Wipe


    your face.¡±


    I took the tissue and wiped my face, then asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I heard your family business is being sold, and you¡¯re all¡¯ moving out?¡± Russel asked, cool as a


    cucumber.


    ¡°You¡¯re so concerned about my family. I¡¯m touched.¡± Maybe because I was leaving, my mom stopped


    pushing me to be with Russel, so I was a bit nicer to him.


    ¡°How could I not know about such a big event, unless I¡¯m too busy to care.¡± Russel said with a smile¡­


    I was silent. Yes, only those who were too busy to care wouldn¡¯t know. Neil had been busy taking care


    of Karina and didn¡¯t have time to care about our family. The only time he came to me was when he


    learned from Karina that I couldn¡¯t get pregnant again.


    What a joke.


    I once lost to Bonnie, a woman I had never met.


    Then I lost to Karina, a woman who came back from the dead.


    Every time I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t help butugh at myself. I was born a side character, but I


    insisted on dreaming of being the lead.


    I kept quiet, petting Daisy¡¯s head while listening to Russel, ¡°No matter where you go, I¡¯ll find you until


    the day you¡¯re ready to reconsider me.¡±


    ¡°Russel, don¡¯t waste your time; don¡¯t forget about Chloe Reynolds. A woman died for you, you know?¡± I


    reminded Russel seriously. Even though Chloe had iting, there was a shadow of a life between us.


    If we were together, the public criticism might be too much to bear.


    ¡°Her death was mainly due to her pessimism.¡± Russel showed little remorse, saying,¡± won¡¯t give up the


    most important person to me for someone who¡¯s not important.¡±


    It was really hard to change Russel¡¯s perspective on that.


    I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m not your most important person. Now that Neil knows I can¡¯t get pregnant, he


    probably won¡¯t have anything to do with me. Yourpetitive desire can end here.¡±¡±


    ¡°Whatpetitive desire?¡± Russel¡¯s expression hardened, ¡°You see my feelings for you as a


    competition between him and me? A desire to win?¡±


    I shrugged, not denying it.


    Russel stared at me for a moment, then broke into a smile, ¡°Then I need to prove to you more that I


    really like you, not some so-calledpetitive desire or conquest.¡±


    ¡°Alright! The stuff is all packed. Time to hit the road!¡±


    At that moment, the driver¡¯s shout interrupted our chat. I got up and said, ¡°Russel, goodbye.¡±


    I then led Daisy to the car outside. We had a lot of stuff. Two big trucks were full of our belongings. My


    dad drove while my mom and I sat in the back seat.


    As for Hannah Morse and Bailey, I didn¡¯t ask them to leave with us. Hannah¡¯s parents were in


    Rosemont, and Bailey seemed to have some feelings for her, so I hoped they could develop their


    rtionship there.


    As the car pulled away, Russel stood at our gate, watching us leave. My mom kept looking back at him


    until, finally, she sighed and didn¡¯t say anything. My mom chose a ce far away, a city by the sea. It


    was a ten-hour drive from Rosemont, and by the time we got there, it waste into the night.


    I woke up groggy to find the movers already at work. It looked like they would be busy for a while.


    ¡°Daisy, let¡¯s get some sleep.¡± I said to Daisy, who was near my feet.


    ¡°Woof woof!¡± Daisy barked in reply and obediently went back to sleep.


    My phone rang at some point, waking me up. It was a call from Ste Wace.


    She sounded rather ticked off, ¡°Rena, didn¡¯t Neil see you off today? Did he not contact you at all?¡±


    ¡°No, what¡¯s up?¡± I was still cleepy and askedzily.


    You¡­¡± Ste seemed to have trouble finding the right words.


    ¡°Just spit it out. What happened?¡± I rubbed my eyes, looking at the houses cutside, My mom had


    bought that small vi. It had apletely different style from the big one we used to live in, but it


    looked peaceful and time worn. Two beautifulnterns at the front door were casting & dim light, which


    was very pretty. Living there for the rest of my life seemed quite nice.


    Ste sighed heavily on the other end, ¡°Rena, is there something wrong with your health? Why didn¡¯t


    you tell us before? Barbara Sands and others didn¡¯t dare to ask you, afraid it would upset you.¡±


    I instantly became more alert, ¡°How did you guys find out?¡±


    The media reported it. I don¡¯t know who leaked lil¡¯ Ste guessed angrily, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Karina, was it? I


    knew Karina was Snow, I would never have gone to her for


    treatment, then you wouldn¡¯t have been hurt.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up about it,¡± I said calmly, ¡°Who could¡¯ve guessed she was still alive? Besides, I


    really want to get better. If anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Rena, if you like kids, I¡¯ll give you one!¡± Ste¡¯s bold deration had me floored. What was she even


    talking about?


    But she adored kids so much, yet she was offering to give me one. It showed her selflessness toward


    me.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    But kids aren¡¯t something you can just give away.


    She was such a kind soul. I felt warmth in my heart, but there was a bit of moisture in my eyes.


    Taking a deep breath, I replied, ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll treat all three of your kids as my own, and when I¡¯m old,


    I¡¯ll rely on them to take care of me.¡±


    ¡°Great! Where have you moved to now? Have you arrived? Don¡¯t forget to send me your address.


    Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell Mitch a thing!¡± Ste¡¯s tone finally eased a bit, and she quickly asked me


    further.

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368


    Chapter 368


    ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived and am moving stuff in. I¡¯ll send you the addresster,¡± I nced out the car window.


    Movers were still scurrying around, but I figured they were about to wrap up soon.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll rest up then; remember to send it to me,¡± Ste bid me goodnight.


    After hanging up, I looked up news about myself, and sure enough, articles about my infertility popped


    up. They were saying that Neil and I were supposed to reconcile, but my issue caused me to be


    dumped, and then Karina showed up, so I got ditched.


    Seeing those exaggerated words, I found them somewhat funny, but deep down, I felt like they were


    spot on.


    ¡°Alright, Rena, we¡¯re almost done. Why don¡¯t you go rest in your room?¡± My mom said, peering in from


    the car window.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head in,¡± I replied, about to climb out of the car, when suddenly I stopped. I took out my


    phone and blocked Neil and Russel from all contact methods. In that instant, it felt as if the world had


    be quieter. That was where I was going to be living from now on.


    The small vi was nice, and the rooms had a slight European ir. After a shower, I was about to hit


    the hay when a call came in. It was Kitty.


    Kitty disappeared a while ago, seemingly popping in and out of Neil¡¯s and my lives.


    I never asked where she went because, back-then, I was nning to give Neil another shot. We might


    reconcile, so why bother stirring up Kitty?


    Seeing the caller ID, I eventually picked up.


    ¡°Irene, you and Neil aren¡¯t together anymore?¡± Kitty¡¯s voice was as lively as ever, filled with surprise.


    ¡°Mhm, we won¡¯t be together anymore. How about you? Haven¡¯t heard from you in a while,¡± I asked.


    ¡°My dad¡¯s health isn¡¯t great; I got pissed, so I¡¯ve been with him this whole time. Plus, I¡¯ve been set up


    on blind dates. So annoying,¡± Kitty sighed after finishing her


    sentence.


    She used to not care about her dad. I didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d still affect her.


    ¡°Take good care of your dad.¡± I didn¡¯t know what else to say, so I could only remind her.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Karina?¡± Kitty¡¯s curiosity was insatiable. Instead of hanging up, she started questioning me, ¡°Is


    she Neil¡¯s ex? But didn¡¯t she die a long time ago? Bonnie even got her heart transnted; howe


    she¡¯s suddenly alive and even has a son?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t answer those questions, so I could only reply, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back in Rosemont tomorrow. How about we grab a meal?¡± Kitty proposed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not there anymore. If I go back to Rosemont in the future, I¡¯ll treat you then.¡± I felt a bit drowsy as


    we were chatting. My mood hadn¡¯t been great around that time. So I always felt tired and just wanted to


    sleep.


    After noticing my demeanor, Kitty didn¡¯t insist; she merely told me she would find Neil because she


    never nned to give up on him.


    Of course, I supported her. Herpetition then wasn¡¯t me. It was Karina.


    That night, I slept soundly, not tossing and turning like I did in Rosemont. Being in a new environment


    seemed to lighten my load a bit.


    After spending about a week in H City, I gradually got used to life there. My daily routine was taking


    care of nts with my mom, then walking Daisy. I fully rxed, as if my past life were far away. Only


    when I saw news about Neil and Karina did I recall past events.


    The media reported that Neil had a paternity test done; the results showed they were rted. So then


    Neil really had a kid.


    ¡°Rena, leaving there was the right choice; otherwise, you would¡¯ve been hurt even more,¡± my mom


    brought this up during dinner.


    ¡°Why bring up these things? Eat!¡± My dad red at my mom, telling her not to mention my painful past.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay for us as a family to discuss these things. I¡¯ve let it go.¡± I said, chuckling


    while munching on toast.


    Not just the matter of Neil having a kid, but my likely inability to have kids too, was something my


    parents knew about. They took the news just as hard as I did. I even heard my mom quietly crying at


    night. But in front of me, they never brought it up voluntarily, fearing it would upset me.


    Actually, I could handle it. If they wanted to talk, they could talk. If it made them feel better, that was


    fine. If they still had hope for me, I was willing to see a doctor with them. I was willing to cooperate.


    Then, my parents were my biggest support in the world. Whatever made them happy, I would do it. 1


    no longer cared about my own thoughts


    The only thing I didn¡¯t want was to be forced to find a man.


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a hospital that¡¯s great at treating infertility, Rena. How about we go check it out


    tomorrow? Even if you don¡¯t get married again, you can still have your own kid!¡± My mom always


    wanted to have a grandchild, but I couldn¡¯t fulfill her wish.


    L


    Seeing my mom¡¯s pleading eyes, I didn¡¯t refuse. I obediently nodded in agreement.


    Only then did my mom show a satisfied smile. After dinner, she went to clean the dishes, and I went to


    shower, feeling a bit worried about my body. My period was irregr again this month, with less flow,


    and my lower abdomen wasn¡¯t as painful as before, but there was a vague pain.


    Maybe I should have gone to a hospital for a checkup, then taken care of my body.


    Even if I remained single for life, I needed a healthy body. I still had to take care of my parents.


    The next moming, my mom woke me up early. My dad drove us to a gynecology hospital. It was a


    small private hospital, and the air conditioning was sting. I followed the doctor¡¯s directions, doing the


    examination step by step, while my mom apanied me, waiting outside while I was being


    examined.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    That¡¯s not right!¡± The doctor doing the ultrasound was a bit puzzled, ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you already


    pregnant? Why are you here for an infertility checkup? Thank goodness we did an ultrasound first;


    what if the other tests harmed you?¡±


    I was lying on the bed, with my clothes pulled up, revealing a t stomach. My previously calm heart


    began to pound. It felt like I was hearing things. Even my own Voice sounded strange, ¡°What? I¡¯m


    pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, look. There¡¯s a gestational sac here, right here!¡± The doctor even pointed it out for me.


    Lwas totally clueless, just staring nkly at that little ck thing. After a few seconds, an overwhelming


    joy bubbled up inside me, like the poorest person in the world suddenly hitting the jackpot!


    ¡®I¡¯m really pregnant? Is that my baby?¡± I stuttered out the question.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a little girl anymore. How can you not even know you¡¯re pregnant? Oh my, the doctor


    suddenly looked again, ¡°You¡¯re having twins!¡±

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    Chapter 369


    Chapter 369


    ¡°Twins?!¡± My voice cracked, reeking of disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re so skinny. Don¡¯t you watch your diet? You have to eat more and buff yourself up.


    Having one kid is already a pain in the butt. Having two will definitely need more fuel in the tank.


    Where¡¯s your husband? Is he here yet? Let the doctor give him the lowdownter.¡± The ultrasound


    doctor said to me. She was very nice and kind about everything.


    I was drowning in that unexpected joy, but when she brought up my husband, my mood changed.


    I guessed I was just cut out to be a solo mom. When I walked out on Neil, life threw a baby at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m divorced. It¡¯s cool, I can handle the kid on my own.¡± I didn¡¯t sugarcoat it. I justid out my situation


    as it was. I didn¡¯t want to answer any future ¡°Where¡¯s your husband?¡± questions.


    Some things only need to be spelled out once.


    Hearing my answer, the doctor let out a sympathetic sigh, ¡°I see. What a shame. There are folks out


    there who can¡¯t have kids, even if they wanted to. But here you are, hitting the twin jackpot. If you guys


    were still together, your ex would probably be over the moon.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need Neil to be over the moon. He had his life, and I had mine.


    Walking out of the examination room, I felt like I was still in a dream. My folks were outside, looking all


    worried, probably thinking that I was shooting nks.


    ¡°Rena, how¡¯d it go? Was there something wrong with the scan?¡± My mom came over, all concerned


    and anxious.


    ¡°Even if there is, don¡¯t sweat it. Medicine¡¯s all high-tech now, there¡¯s always a fix!¡± My dad tried to


    soothe me before even hearing about the scan results.


    Under their worried star¨¨s, I snapped back to reality. The joy on my face was uncontroble. ¡°Dad,


    Mom, you¡¯re about to be promoted to grandparents!¡±


    My parents were gobsmacked and frozen for a few seconds. Then they nced at each other, their


    faces morphing from disbelief to shock. My mom stuttered with excitement, just like me, ¡°Is¡­ Is this for


    real? Rena, are you pregnant? Am I going to be a grandma?¡±


    I just nodded; that was my answer.


    My dad whipped off his sses and dabbed at the corners of his eyes, all choked up, ¡°Fantastic, I¡¯m


    going to be a grandpa too. We¡¯ll have a little nugget at home!¡±


    ¡°Not one nugget.¡± I butted in.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± My dad was puzzled.


    Two nuggets!¡± I put up two fingers and grinned.


    Two?!!¡± Mom practically jumped out of her skin; she rushed over to support me, ¡°Twins? So, I get to


    have two nuggets at once?¡±


    Seeing how over the moon my parents were, I felt pretty stoked too. The clouds of gloom that had been


    hanging over me at that time had been swept away, reced by bright sunshine. I was suddenly


    brimming with anticipation and motivation for the future.


    Ever since I confirmed that I was pregnant, I became the apple of my family¡¯s eye.


    Because of my physical condition and my previous miscarriage, the doctor specifically reminded me to


    get plenty of rest and avoid too much exercise. I wasn¡¯t like everyone else. I couldn¡¯t blindly pursue


    fitness. The best choice was to stay in bed as much as possible; a leisurely stroll would be enough.


    Mom prepped a ton of food for me every day, all of it nutritionally bnced. Dad spent his days


    tinkering with the nts in the yard, trying to make it even prettier so I could enjoy my strolls there.


    They took care of me so thoughtfully, and my belly gradually grew bigger.


    I didn¡¯t tell anyone about my pregnancy, not even Ste and the others. There¡¯s no wall without cracks,


    so I figured it¡¯d be best to keep it under wraps for the time being.


    I¡¯ve always thought Karina and Bonnie were two peas in a pod; if she found out I was pregnant, she¡¯d


    definitely think the baby was Neil¡¯s. I was worried about what unexpected things might happen.


    No matter who the father of the baby in my belly was, as long as it came out of me, it was my life.


    ¡°Mom, mom!¡±


    For some reason that day, my mom didn¡¯t answer when I called her. I had just woken up from my


    afternoon nap. I was starving and wanted her to whip me up something to eat


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    By now it was already evening, and due to the cold weather, it got dark pretty early. The lights in the


    yard were on, creating a hazy glow.


    I got out of bed and left the bedroom, trying to find where my parents had gone. I hadn¡¯t taken more


    than a few steps when I heard someone speaking in the living room, ¡°Coffeer


    ¡°Thanks,¡± It was Russel¡¯s voice!


    I froze in my tracks, not daring to take another step.


    ¡°Dr. Russel, what brings you here today?¡± My mom had always been super friendly to Russel, and


    today was no different.


    Tve always kept the address you gave me, it¡¯s just that I had some stuff to deal with at the hospital, so


    it took me a while. Otherwise, I would have visited you guys earlier¡¯ Russel¡¯s voice was gentle and


    polite. He was very respectful to his elders.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you bring so much stuff?¡± That was my dad¡¯s voice, he seemed to have a good impression of


    Russel too, thanks to my mom¡¯s influence.


    While Russel was chatting with my parents in the living room, I felt a bit jittery. I didn¡¯t want to see him


    again. Also, I didn¡¯t want him to know about my pregnancy.


    But looking at the situation, I guess the cat was out of the bag. If Russel still harbored any illusions


    about me, I might as well seize this opportunity to make him give up for good.


    I braced myself and slowly entered the living room, ¡°Mom, Dad, I¡¯m awake.¡±


    I was wearing a cotton nightgown, my belly was huge, and it was obvious that I had been pregnant for


    a while.


    Russel looked at me, his gaze lingering on my belly for a few seconds. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t look


    shocked at all. He seemed pretty calm.


    I was a bit taken aback.


    ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re awake. I¡¯ve got some cod soup ready for you; it¡¯s still hot. Wait a second, I¡¯ll bring it


    over!¡± Seeing that I was awake, my mom immediately made me sit down on the sofa, then she dashed


    into the kitchen.


    I sat next to Russel, with my gaze fixed on him, wondering why he was here.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± Russel took the initiative to greet me.


    ¡°Yeah, why are you here?¡± I asked him straight up.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like working, so I came here to clear my head and check on you guys.¡± Russel took a sip of


    the coffee on the table, his voice nonchnt.


    The world is so big, but somehow, wherever I went, he also went to clear his head. Did he think I¡¯d buy


    that?

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    Chapter 370


    Chapter 370


    ¡°Having Dr. Russel over isn¡¯t bad at all,¡± my dad said cheerfully, ¡°Ever since we left Rosemont, we


    hardly keep in touch with the folks over there. It¡¯s nice to have a friend visit.¡±


    Truth be told, ever since our family scandal, a lot of people had been avoiding us like the gue.


    Besides, my dad wasn¡¯t in the big chair anymore, and we¡¯ve sold off the familypany. So naturally,


    we had fallen off people¡¯s radars a bit.


    But we all enjoyed the peace and quiet of our lives now. It was a simple life with something to look


    forward to and no headaches to worry about.


    I smirked but didn¡¯t feed into my dad¡¯s words.


    Things got a little awkward but thank God my mom came back just in time. She brought in a steaming


    bowl of cod soup and urged me to dig in.


    I was starving, so I didn¡¯t hold back and started chowing down in front of Russel. I used to be quite


    skinny with a small appetite, never experiencing real hunger. But ever since those two little buns in my


    oven took root, my appetite had grown with their development. I had even put on a bit of weight,


    looking fuller and healthier. My parents watched me eat, their eyes full of affection. Russel, on the other


    hand, couldn¡¯t help but caution me, ¡°Take it easy; you don¡¯t want to choke.¡±


    I gave Russel a re while savoring the delicious cod soup. Was it any of his business?


    My mom quickly jumped to my defense, ¡°Dr. Russel, women tend to be more sensitive due to hormonal


    changes during pregnancy. Rena has been a bit hot-temperedtely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal. Suppressed emotions can be harmful to the body.¡± Russel said with a gentle smile.


    Regardless of what they said, I kept my mouth shut and focused on my meal.


    After finishing the soup, 1 excused myself to rest in my room. I didn¡¯t want to hang around Russel; he


    was kind of annoying. I thought I was done with him, but here he was, showing up again.


    As I was heading to my room, I overheard my mom telling Russel, ¡°Dr. Russel, please don¡¯t tell anyone


    about Rena¡¯s pregnancy.¡±


    I was sure Russel would keep his lips sealed. If he was still holding on to hope for me, he wouldn¡¯t


    spread the news of my pregnancy. It would onlyplicate things if Neil¡¯found out.


    Back in my room, I was just about to doze off when my phone started buzzing.


    I fished it out from under my pillow and saw an iing call from a number not saved in my contacts. I


    was about to reject it when I identally picked it up. -There was a loud gust of wind on the other end


    of the line, but no one spoke. Since the call was already answered, I asked, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    My voice was sluggish due to fatigue.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Neil¡¯s voice came through, and I immediately snapped awake.


    Without a second thought, I hung up and cklisted the number, A sense of unease washed over me


    and kept me wide awake.


    What if Neil found out about my pregnancy? Would he try to take the babies from me?


    No way in hell. Getting pregnant again was a miracle for me. The twins in my belly were my whole


    world now. I couldn¡¯t let anyone take them away from me..


    I also couldn¡¯t risk putting my children in danger again. I had to make sure Karina didn¡¯t find out.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Neil¡¯s call had robbed me of sleep. I stared at the ceiling until I heard a knock on my door. ¡°Can Ie


    in and talk?¡±


    It was Russel.


    ¡°I want to sleep,¡± I responded.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long. It¡¯s about Neil looking for you,¡± Russel said again.


    It was suspicious how Russel went to talk about this right after I¡¯d hung up on Neil. I sometimes


    wondered if those two had some sort of connection.


    Ste had also mentioned that Neil was searching for me, but she didn¡¯t know the details.


    If Neil was really putting resources into finding me, he might discover my new address soon. What


    would I do then?


    ¡°Come in,¡± I said, curious about why Neil was looking for me.


    The door wasn¡¯t locked, so Russel walked in. He¡¯d taken off his jacket and was wearing a ck


    turtleneck sweater. He looked quite sophisticated


    I sat up in bed and asked, ¡°Why is Neil looking for me?¡±


    Russel sat on a chair, his hands sped in hisp, his gaze fixed on me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe he


    misses you.¡±


    My heart pounded at his words. Missed me? Neil and Karina could have a happy family then. They


    even had a child as a bond. The Whitmores wouldn¡¯t object to that, so why would he still miss me?


    ¡°He¡¯s just not over it.¡± I said, making an excuse for Neil.


    ¡°Do you know he had a paternity test done with the child?¡± Russel asked.


    I nodded. I knew about that. I also knew that Hiram had met Ryan and Faith Whitmore. After all, he was


    a direct Inheritor of the Whitmore family. It was only natural for him to meet his grandparents.


    Although Ryan and Faith didn¡¯t like Karina, they wouldn¡¯t reject Hiram. They¡¯d been longing for a


    grandchild for a long time. Now that one had suddenly appeared, how could they not be happy?


    Especially since Hiram looked so much like Neil, they loved him just by looking at him.


    Russel confirmed my guess, ¡°Neil¡¯s parents are currently taking care of the child. Karina has been kept


    at Grandeur Oaks Estates, and the Whitmore family hasn¡¯t epted her yet.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond. All of that didn¡¯t matter to me anymore. All I wanted now was for them not toe


    after my children in the future.


    ¡°If Neil finds you and learns you have kids, he¡¯d definitely want to snatch the kids away. You believe


    that, right?¡± I stayed silent as Russel asked again.


    ¡°If anyone dares to snatch my kids, I¡¯ll fight tooth and nail.¡± I looked straight into Russel¡¯s eyes and


    responded firmly.


    ¡°I have a solution that could leave Neil helpless, stop him from bothering youpletely, and erase


    your worries about your kid being taken away.¡± Russel¡¯s hands seemed to tighten, ¡°Want to hear it?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°Marry me, and let the kid take myst name.¡± Russel said that without any hesitation, but it shocked


    me. He clearly knew that the kids in my belly were Neil¡¯s. So why did he want to do that?


    ¡±

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    Chapter 371


    ¡°Russel Dawson, there¡¯s no need for you to get involved in this. As long as Neil doesn¡¯t find me and


    doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m pregnant, everything will be fine.¡± I rejected


    Russel¡¯s advice.


    I was indeed worried about Neil finding out about my pregnancy, but I didn¡¯t want to get tangled up with


    Russel again because of that.


    Russel asked back, ¡°You don¡¯t believe in Neil¡¯s ability to find people?¡±


    I did. He always had ways to find the people he wanted, including evidence, but since he had Karina


    Aaron by his side, he probably wouldn¡¯t have wasted his time


    on me.


    ¡°Just let it be. All you need to do is keep your promise to Mrs. Finch and not tell anyone about me.


    Even if something happenster, I won¡¯t me you.¡± I still didn¡¯t n to listen to Russel. That was not


    only weird for me but also unfair to him.


    We tried dating before, and it was a total flop. There was no need to repeat the same mistake then.


    ¡°I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯m just giving you a piece of advice. If you ever need me, just let me know. I¡¯ll


    probably be around here for a while.¡± Russel was not upset by my rejection; he just spoke to me kindly.


    I hope I never have to rely on Russel. If the dayes, it means I¡¯m back in the messy situation with


    Neil, unable to solve the problem with the babies.


    After Russel left, I lost my sleepiness. From time to time, I would check the blocked numbers in my


    contacts and see that the cold number I blocked was lined up with the number I blocked from Neil


    previously.


    Then I opened my inbox, only to find two messages from that number.


    [Where are you?]


    [Let¡¯s meet and talk:]


    I hadn¡¯t noticed the messages before. The only people I was in touch with were a few people like Ste


    Wace, and we usually contacted through WhatsApp, so I had no idea Neil had messaged me.


    The messages were from yesterday afternoon.


    He must have tried to contact me yesterday afternoon, but when I didn¡¯t reply, he held back until tonight


    to call me, only to be blocked by me.


    Because of that call and the messages, I had a restless night. The twins inside me seemed to feel my


    unease and asionally kicked me. Finally, I fell asleep.


    When I woke up the next morning, I smelled the scent of baking. It smelled like cookies or cakes. Mom


    was not very good at that type of cooking and rarely made it. ¡°Russel, I didn¡¯t know you could bake


    cookies. They look pretty good!¡± On the table in the living room, there was a te of freshly baked


    cookies. The round cookies were slightly browned, with crushed cranberries mixed in, emitting a rich


    aroma.


    §Ñ


    I felt my stomach rumble. I had to admit, my appetite was pretty good at that time. I wanted to try


    anything edible. Even foods I didn¡¯t like before, I could tolerate


    then.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Why did Russele to my house to bake cookies so early? I was puzzled. I couldn¡¯t just go and eat


    the cookies, so I decided to freshen up first and pretend I didn¡¯t


    see him.


    I brushed my teeth and washed my face slowly. Mom couldn¡¯t wait any longer and came to hurry me,


    ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? Those cookies were specially made for you by Russel. He said you used


    to like them.¡±


    It was true that I used to like them. After tasting Russel¡¯s baking skills, I even joked with him that he


    might consider being a pastry chef instead of a doctor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right out.¡± I put down my toothbrush and then whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t let Russele to my house so


    often. You promised me that you would stop trying to match me with him. Plus, I¡¯m pregnant now.


    There¡¯s no way I can be with him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me who called him here; he came by himself. I can¡¯t just turn him away. Besides, we¡¯ll be


    neighbors. We¡¯ll see each other often, and it¡¯s inevitable that we¡¯ll interact. Mom replied in a low voice,


    afraid Russel might hear.


    I was a bit surprised. Neighbors?


    I was neighbors with Neil before, and then I had to be neighbors with Russel?


    ¡°Mom!¡± I was about to say something when Russel came over.


    He looked at me with toothpaste foam still on the corner of my mouth. His eyes were gentle as he


    asked, ¡°Haven¡¯t you washed your face yet? Hurry up; you need to eat something in the morning. It¡¯s


    good for the babies.¡±


    I didn¡¯t ask any more questions and silently washed my face.


    Russel not only made cookies, but he also made breakfast.


    He even made extra meat for me because pregnant women need more nutrition.


    I didn¡¯t refuse, because Russel¡¯s cooking was really good. Compared to Neil¡¯s cooking, it was like a


    disaster.


    Mom and dad couldn¡¯t stop praising Russel¡¯s breakfast. I didn¡¯t praise Russel, but I politely finished all


    the food, feeling very satisfied.


    ¡°If you like it, I cane and cook for you every day, Russel¡¯s eyes were full of affection when he


    looked at me, ¡°Or anything else you want to eat, even if I don¡¯t know how to cook, I can learn.¡±


    ¡°Russel, you¡¯re too considerate. With us here, we can cook whatever she wants.¡± mom quickly said.


    She was not sure if she was really embarrassed or if she was taking my words to heart.


    Of course, Russel knew my mom was tactfully rejecting him. He was a very smart person, so when my


    mom said that, he nodded, ¡°If you guys are not avable, I cane and take care of her, We¡¯re


    neighbors; it¡¯s normal to help each other out.¡±


    ¡°Mom and dad are very free now. How could they not be avable?¡± I thought to myself..


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll definitely ask for your help if we need it.¡± my dad was not shy, ¡°Look, the weather is getting


    colder n to cover the top of the yard. I¡¯ll need to hire a few workers, but I also need to supervise


    them. I might need your help asionally; is that okay?¡±


    need to supervise them. I might need your help o


    The way my dad asked for help was very natural. How could Russel refuse?


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Russel agreed readily.


    Russel started popping by my ce a lot in the following days. Sure, he was our neighbor, but truth be


    told, he spent most of his time at my ce, only heading back to his for some sleep. He¡¯d either help


    with pruning the nts or give my dad a hand with some do-it-yourself jobs around the house. At first, I


    wasn¡¯t too thrilled about it, but seeing as my protests were falling on deaf ears, I figured I might as well


    roll with it and save myself the headache.


    Our yard was a bit of a construction zone, and strolling around was off the table. When Russel caught a


    break, he asked, ¡°Fancy a walk?¡±


    The beach wasn¡¯t too far from there. A leisurely stroll would probably take about half an hour. It had


    been a while since I¡¯dst seen the sea, and the weather was pretty good today. So, I just nodded,


    ¡°Hmm.¡±

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    Chapter 372


    Russel was over the moon when I agreed to let him apany me on a stroll.


    Mom had a real knack for buying houses. That entire area boasted sea views and was surrounded by


    tourist attractions, attracting visitors often.


    It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was warm. It was a lot warmer than the winter in Rosemont. Some


    people even made it their winter getaway spot.


    The beach was bustling with people ying in the sand. Kids were running around, giggling; it was a


    lively scene.


    I sat on a bench, soaking in the sights, feeling pretty good.


    ¡°There¡¯s a stall selling yogurt ice cream. I¡¯ll go grab some!¡± I spotted a yogurt ice cream stall and


    hopped up, ready to get some.


    But Russel stopped me, ¡°Hold up, let me do it. The line¡¯s long; it could take a while.¡±


    He had a point. With my babies bump, standing for a long time would have been ufortable. It


    would have been even worse if someone identally bumped into me. I had no choice but to agree,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll hit the loo first.¡±


    ;


    While Russel stood in line for the ice cream, I made a beeline for the public restroom. Thanks to my


    pregnancy, I had to pee frequently, and squatting was a struggle. So, a toilet was my only option.


    The public restroom didn¡¯t have any toilets, so I had to make do.


    Just as I finished up and was about to leave, I heard a familiar voice outside, ¡°Hiram, go outside and


    find your dad. This is thedies¡¯ restroom. Boys can¡¯te in!¡± ¡°Why do you say he¡¯s my dad, but he


    doesn¡¯t want me to call him dad?¡± Hiram asked in fluent English, his tone filled with confusion.


    I froze. ¡°Holy cow! I moved here and now I run into Karina and Hiram?¡± I thought to myself.


    I didn¡¯t dare to step out of the stall, hiding away, because I couldn¡¯t let Karina find out was pregnant.


    ¡°Hiram, because he hasn¡¯t been with you all these years, you two haven¡¯t built a close rtionship.


    Plus, I left him without saying goodbye back in the day. Now that I have suddenly brought you back, he


    might feel a bit strange. But as long as you behave well, he will definitely ept us!¡± Karina¡¯s voice


    was gentle, yet it sounded somewhat cold.


    Hiram didn¡¯t quite understand, ¡°Really? I feel like Ryan Whitmore and Faith Whitmore like me better,


    but they don¡¯t like you. Why is that?¡±


    Hiram was smart; he knew how to read people.


    I propped up my belly with one hand, feeling tired from standing for so long. Walking around seemed


    morefortable.


    Karina patiently exined to Hiram, ¡°It¡¯s because I left without saying goodbye. They were upset. If you


    want Ryan and Faith to like me too, Hiram, you¡¯ll have to behave well.¡±


    ¡°What does behaving well mean?¡± Hiram asked again.


    ¡°Be polite and intelligent. Make Ryan and Faith happy. Would you like me with you when they¡¯re


    happy?¡± Karina guided Hiram gently.


    ¡°I wish. I want you to live with me. 1 like Ryan and Faith too, but I¡¯d feel sad without you by my side.¡±


    Hiram responded a little sadly.


    That was exactly what Karina wanted to hear. She chuckled, ¡°Then, Hiram, you¡¯ll need to bring up this


    topic more often with them. Maybe one day they will like me because they like you.¡±


    Hearing Karina¡¯s words, I felt a mix of emotions.


    Before she came back, I was sure that Ryan and Faith would choose me, believing I was the only


    woman suitable for Neil. But then it was different, Karina came back with Hiram, their long-awaited


    grandson. And when the news about my infertility broke out, no matter how reluctant they were, they


    would have had to ept Karina under the circumstances.


    ¡°I get it!¡± Hiram replied cheerfully, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go find him!¡±


    It was beyond belief that I moved here and Neil showed up with Karina and Hiram. Wasn¡¯t that just


    making trouble for me?


    I was a little flustered but didn¡¯t dare make a sound. I only listened to Karina¡¯s movements, waited for


    her to finish washing her hands, and leave before I dared to step out.


    My phone rang. It was Russel, ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. I need to go home. Can you get a ride?¡± I replied.


    If I walked back, I might have run into Neil and Karina. It was better to take a ride home. It would have


    been faster too.


    Russel didn¡¯t ask further. About ten minutester, he told me he was at the restroom door.


    I quickly got out and hopped in the car. Looking out through the windshield, there was no sign of Neil or


    them, ¡°Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    ¡°I have a few vors of yogurt ice cream. Eat whichever you fancy.¡± Russel handed me the packaged


    yogurt ice cream first.


    ¡°I was craving it before, but now I had no appetite. I didn¡¯t know how long Neil and Karina were


    nning to stay, and I didn¡¯t want a chance encounter with them.


    ¡°Thanks. I have itter.¡± I was a bit down.


    ¡°Are


    you


    tired?¡± Russel asked me thoughtfully as he drove me home.


    I shook my head and hesitated before asking. ¡°Russel, did you run into anything or anyone while


    buying the yogurt ice cream?¡±


    Russel thought for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°No, why? Did you see something?¡±


    ¡°Neil and Karina are here. I originally didn¡¯t want to tell Russel, but it was better to let him know so he


    could avoid them as well. Otherwise, my location could have been easily revealed.


    Hearing that, Russel paused before asking, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Of course, I was sure. Karina and Hiram¡¯s voices and their conversation were enough to confirm that


    Neil was there too.


    Russel didn¡¯t say anything, but his expression turned serious. When we got home, we immediately


    informed my dad and mom about the situation. Our house was


    really close to the beach, so it naturally attracted a lot of visitors. As long as we kept the door shut, we


    were safe. But once the door was opened, it was easy to spot.


    Dad and mom went dead serious in a sh. To them, that was undoubtedly a kick in the teeth.


    Before they heard about Karina¡¯s return, they¡¯d asked me if I was nning to rekindle things with Neil.


    Their attitude seemed like they were out of my love life. But, as soon as Karina¡¯s situation blew wide


    open, they became icy cold, vehemently opposing any contact I¡¯d have with Neil.


    With Neil lurking around, they naturally had to be on high alert and put off. They were super worried


    that I¡¯dnd in hot water again, which could have dragged me and the kids into a mess.

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    Chapter 373


    ¡°Try to stay in as much as possible,¡± my dad warned us.


    I nodded, my hand instinctively rubbing my belly, filled with unease as if someone wereing to


    snatch my babies away.


    ¡°Alright, they¡¯re probably just passing by. I¡¯ll stay in for a few days.¡± I responded.


    Despite my words, everyone looked grave. Some emotional entanglements that should have ended


    long before just never seemed to go away from our lives.


    Ever since we found out Neil and Karina were in town, we kept our doors closed for three days, and


    Russel rarely dropped by.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got your prenatal check-up today; are you all set?¡± my mom asked me early in the morning.


    Despite my reluctance to go out, I had to keep up with my prenatal appointments. The doctor warned


    that twins were prone to premature birth, requiring stricter conditions during delivery and weekly check-


    ups in thetter part of pregnancy, ideally twice a week.


    That was about the health of me and my babies. I had to step out.


    Dad had the car ready, and we set off for the hospital.


    Upon reaching, I felt a bit hungry, but some tests required fasting, so I asked my dad to grab some food


    for me, while my mom helped with the payment and paperwork.


    After the check-up, the doctor told me, ¡°The babies are a bit oxygen-deprived. You need to take


    oxygen. If you can do it at home, do it daily; otherwise, you¡¯ll have toe to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Is it that serious?¡± I gasped.


    ¡°It¡¯s mild for now, but you need to keep track of the babies¡¯ movements, frequency, and count. If there¡¯s


    any anomaly,e to the hospital immediately,¡± the doctor advised me meticulously, ¡°Why are you


    here alone? Don¡¯t you have someone to apany you? Look at your belly; what if something


    happens?¡±


    Just as I was about to answer that my family was outside, I suddenly heard someone say, ¡°Dr. Karina,


    this is our obstetrics department.¡±


    The name ¡®Karina¡¯ conjured up the image of Karina in my mind.


    She was a doctor. She was an obstetrician to be precise. And she had recently been spotted in the


    area. Was she here for some temporary voluntary work?


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Regardless, my priority was to avoid her.


    Thankfully, I had worn a mask and a hat when I left, and my figure had changed, so she probably


    wouldn¡¯t have recognized me.


    The door opened, and, with my back to it, I caught a glimpse of Karina from the corner of my eye. She


    was indeed in the hospital¡¯s white coat and looked quite official.


    ¡°Dr. Karina, reporting for duty? Wee!¡± The doctor who examined me greeted Karina with a smile.


    ¡°Thanks! Looking forward to working with you all!¡± Karina responded cheerfully. The doctor¡¯s coat gave


    her an even more professional aura; she seemed more serious than Bonnie Tueley, even though they


    looked simr.


    I stood up, gathered my paperwork, and left. As I brushed past Karina, she nced at me with a


    stranger¡¯s gaze and then quickly looked away.


    Once outside, I let out a sigh of relief, but soon enough, the anxiety returned. Why was Karina working


    at that hospital?


    Moreover, all my prenatal records were with that hospital, and I was likely to deliver there. If Karina saw


    my records, wouldn¡¯t she know everything?


    As I approached the elevator, I saw my dad and moming towards me. Seeing my troubled face,


    my mom quickly asked, ¡°What happened? Is there a problem?


    with the babies?¡±


    ¡°No, I need to take some oxygen; we¡¯ll leave as soon as I¡¯m done,¡± I replied, shaking my head.


    Dad and mom exchanged nces. As I entered the elevator and pressed the button for the ground


    floor, I caught a glimpse of Neil through the closing doors, heading towards the department I just left.


    I hadn¡¯t seen Neil for more than half a year, and I didn¡¯t expect our reunion to be in a hospital.


    He looked thinner than before. I only saw his side profile, his high-arched nose, and his deep-set eyes.


    I could always see him clearly in an instant, a special skill I had honed over the years.


    Dad and mom didn¡¯t notice Neil. They were focused on me, and their faces filled with concern when I


    mentioned taking oxygen.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I suddenly cried out, my attention being drawn away from my emotions by the babies in my belly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± my mom asked, holding my hand with concern.


    ¡°The twins are having a fight inside; they keep kicking me!¡± Iughed, rubbing my belly.


    .I wondered if they sensed Neil passing by and reacted. Could they sense a blood rtive at such a


    young age? My mind was wandering.


    After I finished with the oxygen, we left immediately. To make it easier for me to take oxygen at home,


    my dad purchased some equipment and nned to have me use it at home.


    ¡°Let¡¯s change hospitals. I don¡¯t want to give birth there.¡± I told my mom.


    ¡°That hospital is great, isn¡¯t it? Their obstetrics department is the best around here. We have peace of


    mind knowing you¡¯re doing your checkups and delivering


    there. What happened? Tell me,¡± my mom gently asked, holding my hand.


    I sighed, ¡°Karina is going to work there as an obstetrician. I saw her today, but she didn¡¯t recognize me.


    I don¡¯t know if she will check the archived files.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± my mom eximed in surprise.


    ¡°I also saw Neil, just as we were taking the elevator down,¡± I added.


    Mom immediately stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask your dad to look for other hospitals and see if there are


    any suitable ones.¡±


    Whenever Neil and Karina were involved, my mom¡¯s decision was always to cut off any contact with


    them.


    Lagreed, especially considering my twins might require a C-section. What if Karina was the one


    operating? I was on high alert. That was my only chance to have children. Any ident, however


    small, would have been unbearable.


    I was going to deal with the other issues once the babies were born.


    Just then, Russel showed up, still carrying Boomer in his arms. Boomer was pregnant,tely lounging


    around the house and not venturing out. The word on the street was that she got knocked up by a


    tomcat at the pet store, and then she was showing a big belly.


    Seeing me, Boomer let out a happy meow, then started rubbing against my pant leg. Daisy, hearing


    Boomer¡¯s voice, immediately dashed over to join in on the fun Watching the harmonious scene, my


    mom sighed, ¡°This is the life

 Chapter 374

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    Chapter 374


    When I heard my mom¡¯s words, I was kind of taken aback. I knew what she was getting at; she deeply


    hoped that Russel and I could end up together.


    That harmonious scene before her eyes was what she wished for.


    But you know what? Some things just can¡¯t be forced. People who are not meant to be together will


    never be together.


    That was the case with me and Neil.


    Russel and I made eye contact for a while, but neither of us said anything.


    ¡°I was thinking of making a seafood tter today. Are you down for that?¡± Russel changed the subject.


    ¡°Sure. Do you have the ingredients? Or do we need to run to the store?¡± I asked. The previous time


    when I was pregnant, I couldn¡¯t stand the smell of seafood, but this time, I was game for anything.


    Seeing my food-craving face, Russel chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got it covered. I¡¯ll go get it.¡±


    After he left to get the ingredients, my mom finally blurted out, ¡°Rena, Russel¡¯s really good to you. If


    you guys were together, you could put an end to the mess with


    Neil.¡±


    Her words were simr to what Russel had suggested before. I was shocked and asked, ¡°Have you lost


    your mind? If you think Russel is a good man, don¡¯t screw him over. You want him to y daddy to


    someone else¡¯s kids?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± My mom probably realized she went too far. Russel was a great guy; why should he have been


    the father of someone else¡¯s kids?


    Russel was also kind of scary deep down. His attitude towards Chloe Reynolds was pretty harsh.


    Sometimes I worried if being with him and possibly having conflicts might have put me in danger.


    Though those thoughts were all over the ce, they were there in my mind.


    ¡°Stop pushing Rena. Just focus on raising the kids.¡± My dad shared my views. As a man, he surely


    wanted Russel to choose someone better.


    My mom looked upset. I guess she needed time to digest all of that.


    I didn¡¯t bother exining further, as I started to feel a bit unwell. I decided to lie down and rest.


    Soon, my dad found a private hospital for me. The medical facilities were top-notch, just a bit farther


    away. I¡¯d have to endure a longer ride for my check-ups.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you should consider staying here.¡± After several checks, the doctor suggested.


    ¡°Is there a problem with the babies?¡± I asked anxiously.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re approaching your due date, and twins mighte early. If your water breaks or if you bleed


    at home, it could get messy. You should rest in the hospital to ensure the safety of you and the babies.¡±


    The doctor advised responsibly.


    Before I could respond, my mom jumped in and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get her settled in!¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    That¡¯s how I ended up in the hospital until the day I gave birth. I was bedridden, only allowed to go to


    the restroom or eat. Pregnancy was indeed tiring, but I was happy, eagerly waiting for my babies to


    arrive safely.


    However, a phone call ruined my cheerful mood.


    ¡°Is this¡­ Ms. Finch?¡± Karina¡¯s hesitant voice came over the phone.


    I was about to hang up, but Karina spoke quickly, ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    I paused and put the phone back near my ear. I was alone in the single room as my mom had gone to


    fetch something for me.


    ¡°What is it?¡± My voice was dull and cold.


    ¡°You had your prenatal check-ups in our hospital. Why haven¡¯t youe bytely? It¡¯s dangerous not


    to have regr check-ups as you¡¯re approaching your due date.¡± Karina sounded very professional,


    questioning me for not following the check-up schedule. Her tone didn¡¯t reveal any abnormality.


    ¡°I switched hospitals. Is there a problem?¡± I replied calmly.


    ¡°Did you stoping to our hospital because you saw me on yourst visit half a month ago?¡± Karina


    was relentless. After discovering my pregnancy, she must have dug up my record in the hospital.


    Since she already knew, there was no point in denying it. ¡°Yes, I am pregnant. Maybe your treatment


    had a bit of an effect.¡±


    Karina was silent for a while and then asked, ¡°Is Neil the father of the babies?¡±


    If I said yes, she might be hostile toward me. I was about to give birth and couldn¡¯t afford any


    complications at this crucial time. So I tly denied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not his. I had a baby with him once, but it


    didn¡¯t work out. We¡¯re not meant to be together.¡±


    ¡°But based on your pregnancy timeline, you should have been with Neil during that time. Ms. Finch,


    Hiram is my only child, and I can¡¯t have any more kids. If you¡¯re carrying Neil¡¯s child, it means Hiram


    will have a sibling, which is a good thing. Do you understand?¡± Karina patiently exined, which I


    found quiteughable. A half-sibling? Who would have wanted that?


    Karina was just trying to dig up who the father of my child was. Back in the previous hospital, I only


    mentioned that I was a single mother, so there was no information about the father of the child.


    I divorced Neil a long time ago. We just had some unresolved issues. Who said he was the only man in


    my life?¡± I scoffed, ¡°You can tell him directly and let him do a paternity test if you¡¯re not afraid to stir up


    trouble for yourself.¡±


    Karina certainly didn¡¯t want to create more trouble. Even if I admitted that Neil was the father of my


    babies, she would have hoped that Neil never found out, or else Hiram¡¯s love would have been divided.


    ¡®Since Ms. Finch said it¡¯s not, of course, I believe you. Take care of your health and prepare for


    delivery¡± Karina paused, ¡°But who is the father of the child? Is he also in Eldoria?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here too. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± I replied sinctly.


    ¡°If you have time, I¡¯d like to invite you and him for a meal. You had your treatment with me and paid a


    lot of fees, but the treatment was notpleted. There¡¯s some bnce left, and I¡¯d like to return it to


    you personally.¡± Karina extended an invitation.


    I didn¡¯t need that meal. Besides, with the babies on the way, I didn¡¯t have much time for schmoozing.


    So, I t-out said no, ¡°No need. Consider that money my wedding gift to you and Neil; just a small


    token of my goodwill.¡±


    After I said that, I hung up, not wanting Karina to mess with my mood anymore. Beingte in my


    pregnancy, I needed to keep my emotions steady. I couldn¡¯t let them affect the babies.


    A few minutester, there was chatter outside the door.


    ¡°Just heard about a car crash; a little boy got his head banged up and bled quite a bit. Poor thing!¡±


    ¡°Is the little boy¡¯s name Hiram? I saw it, but heard the injuries aren¡¯t too bad, though his dad seemed


    pretty freaked out.¡±

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    Chapter 375


    I instantly thought of Neil and Hiram.


    Seeing Karina already working at the hospital here, I guessed they might have been still around, not


    having left.


    If it was really them, Karina would have probablye by soon.


    I was then in the maternity ward.


    Hiram¡¯s got a head injury, so he probably wouldn¡¯t turn up here. I was a bit nervous, but I tried to


    comfort myself and keep cool so as not to stress out my body.


    ¡°Rena, guess who I just saw?¡± My mom came back; she looked a bit tense.


    ¡°Who?¡± I kind of had an inkling of who she might have run into, but I didn¡¯t say it outright.


    My mom let out a deep sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I ran into Neil here. He¡¯s still around, and it seems like


    Hiram¡¯s been hurt. I saw him in the hospital lobby holding Hiram, but he didn¡¯t notice me. Talk about


    lucky.¡±


    My mom was clearly relieved.


    ¡°I hope Hiram¡¯s injuries aren¡¯t severe.¡± I said.


    On the one hand, I felt that the kid was innocent, 1 couldn¡¯t wish for him to get hurt. On the other hand,


    I hoped Hiram was just lightly injured so they could have left the hospital sooner, lowering the chances


    of us bumping into each other.


    My mom¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t that cold, and of course she hoped Hiram was okay. We were just chit-chatting


    when my mom suddenly remembered something and said, ¡°Oh, Russel said he¡¯de visit. I better


    tell him not to; it¡¯d be a mess if he runs into Neil.¡±


    ¡°Karina already knows I¡¯m pregnant and that I¡¯m here.¡± I told my mom about the call I had just received.


    ¡°What? She already knows?¡± My mom was quite shocked. She was most concerned about the babies


    in my belly at that time. The news being known to Karina was not good news for us.


    ¡°Yes, and she seems very interested in who the father of the child is. I didn¡¯t tell her, but she would


    definitely suspect it¡¯s Neil¡¯s. What are we going to do?¡± I felt really annoyed thinking about that


    possibility. I needed to take deep breaths to keep calm


    I still remember the previous time I was pushed off the bed by Bonnie, and I had a miscarriage.


    Although my baby was unstable to begin with, there was still a glimmer of hope.


    -What I feared the most was that the two babies in my belly would have to face danger again.


    Even if they were born, I would still worry about someone wanting to hurt them. Even Neil wasn¡¯t an


    exception!


    My mom kept silent for a while, then said, ¡°We¡¯ll go back once the babies are born. I hire some


    servants to help out at home to keep an eye out and not let suspicious people in. This way, your dad


    and I would feel more at ease.¡±


    Those thoughts might have been overly cautious, but because of the babies, my mom, dad, and I


    I were all extremely on edge. We had to think of everything possible.


    In the end, my mom didn¡¯t call Russel. I thought if Russel dide and was discovered by Karina and


    Neil, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. It might have even been better to have them misunderstand that Russel


    was the father.


    I didn¡¯t want to be legally tied to Russel because of the babies, I just wanted to mislead Karina a bit, so


    she give up on the idea of my babies.


    But I didn¡¯t expect that Russel and Karina¡¯s meet-up would be so coincidental. When they walked into


    my ward together, I was a bit taken aback.


    Karina had her hands in her trench coat pockets, grinning at me, ¡°Ms. Finch, Hiram got injured, so I


    came over here, ran into Russel by chance, so we came to see you together.¡±


    Russel had a package of food in his hand, probably something he made at home. Hearing Kari


    insted box and handed me a portion of food, ¡°Eat something.¡±


    ¡°Um, did you make this?¡± I didn¡¯t answer Karina¡¯s question but asked Russel instead.


    exin the reason on her own, he didn¡¯t echo. He just opened the


    ¡°Yes, have a taste and see how it is.¡± Russel warmly handed me a knife and fork as his eyes were full


    of anticipation.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Karina was just standing on the side, watching us, her expression nd. After I took a few bites, she


    finally smiled and who the father of the children is because it¡¯s Russel?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Finch, are you unwilling to tell me


    Russel¡¯s gaze swept over Karina and finallynded on me. I felt a bit guilty. I had told him before that I


    didn¡¯t want any more rtionships with him because of the babies, but since I found out that Karina


    knew about my situation, I started to waver.


    I just hoped my babies were going to be safe and healthy. I could have tolerated anything else.


    ¡°Dr. Karina, you don¡¯t need to worry about these things.¡± I answered coldly.


    I¡¯m not worried, just concerned about a friend. Russel and I went to the same university,¡± Karina sighed


    lightly, ¡°Ms. Finch, I really don¡¯t mind your past with Neil; it was me who was being silly back then and


    did some foolish things. I¡¯ve thought it through these years; that¡¯s why I came back.¡±


    That kind of honesty made me uneasy. I never thought Karina was a straightforward person. She did


    what she did to punish Neil in the past; she even gave birth to a child alone abroad. She didn¡¯t even tell


    her own family about it. That showed that she was a cold person.


    ¡°Dr. Karina, you don¡¯t need to exin these things to me. Right now, I have no rtionship with Neil. As


    you can see, I¡¯m about to give birth, and the father of the child is not Neil.¡± I cut Karina off.


    Karina was taken aback, then looked at Russel, as if waiting for him to give her a confirmed answer.


    ¡°You should know that I was with Irene before, so it¡¯s not strange that I¡¯m the father of the child.¡± Russel


    finally spoke, confirming Karina¡¯s guess.


    The moment I heard that answer, I could clearly feel Karina let out a sigh of relief.


    If I were her, I¡¯d been nervous too. Although Hiram was a Whitmore, he hadn¡¯t been back all those


    years. Neil, Ryan and Faith¡¯s rtionship with Hiram wasn¡¯t close.


    But the babies I¡¯m carrying were different. As long as I was willing to hand the babies over to the


    Whitmores, Nell would have definitely doted on these two babies


    even more.


    I have confidence in this.


    I was not looking to pick a fight with Karina. I could take care of my own kids. There was no need to


    eye the Whitmore family fortune. Rather than all that bickering, I¡¯d rather lived a simple, peaceful life


    with my kids.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ve been worrying too much.¡± Karina didn¡¯t get mad. She gently ran her fingers through


    her hair and then said, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t ask Neil toe see you then. He¡¯s busy with Hiram right now


    and he can¡¯t get any time.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t care less. The more he stayed away, the better.


    Besides, even if he found out the kids were Russel¡¯s, I bet we¡¯d have still ended up arguing anyway.

 Chapter 376

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    Chapter 376


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t spill the beans to him. It would just add fuel to the fire.¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Dr. Karina,


    I know you¡¯re swamped, so I won¡¯t chew your ear off anymore.¡±


    Karina caught my drift that I wanted her to hit the road. Without a word, she turned on her heel and left


    the room.


    She was a sharp cookie. She knew my rtionship with Neil was a can of worms. Since she then knew


    that I was carrying Russel¡¯s kids, she probably wasn¡¯t going to spill the tea about me to Neil.


    Her end game was to marry Neil to make up for lost time. Since the position of Neil¡¯s wife was then up


    for grabs, and she and Neil even had a kid together, everything was going swimmingly.


    No one would have rocked the boat at that point.


    After Karina split, the doctor came in and did some basic checks on me. Just then, I felt a warmth down


    below, as if something was leaking out.


    While the doctor was still bbing, I interrupted him with a puzzled look, ¡°Doctor, can pregnant women


    with twins have incontinence?¡±


    ¡°There could be some; why do you ask?¡± he queried me.


    ¡°Just a little? I feel like I¡¯ve wet the bed,¡± I said, embarrassed but also certain that it was something


    different.


    Russel was at the door of the ward. Since no one else could be in the room during the check-up, I


    didn¡¯t have to beat around the bush.


    The doctor instantly checked under my covers, and upon seeing the wet spot on my bed, he blurted


    out, ¡°Your water broke!¡±


    I freaked out; my water broke already?


    Earlier than I expected.


    The doctor had told me that the longer the babies stayed in the womb, the better they would have


    developed. I didn¡¯t expect those two to be in such a rush.


    ¡°What¡­ what should I do now?¡± I stammered.


    ¡°Are you feeling any contractions?¡± the doctor asked me. ¡°Like stomach pain.¡±


    ¡°Just a tiny bit of pain, very mild,¡± I replied honestly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not bleeding, it¡¯s just the water breaking. Don¡¯t move; just lie down and rest. I¡¯ll run another


    check on you.¡± he instructed me.


    After another check, it was confirmed that my amniotic fluid was still okay, just a bit lost.


    However, it would have been better if I could give birth in the next couple of days, as the decrease or


    cloudiness of the amniotic fluid could have caused problems


    for the babies.


    Then the doctor brought in my mom and Russel. The hospital wasn¡¯t too clued up on my situation, so


    the doctor mistook Russel for my husband and filled him in on my condition first.


    My condition meant that I had to be induced in the next couple of days. My twins were on the small


    side, but I had been really good with my nutrition during pregnancy and had gained a bit of weight, so


    they wanted to give natural birth a shot first. If that failed, then a c-section would have been considered.


    If it were a natural birth, it would have first involved induction and contractions. I was so excited about


    the arrival of my babies that I overlooked the intense pain that coulde with giving birth. I had seen


    some of that in pregnancy videos but never paid much attention.


    Then it was my turn to experience all that firsthand, and I had to deliver two babies. I was a nervous


    wreck and feeling a bit scared.


    Russel and my mom were also on edge. Mom even called dad over, and the three of them gathered


    around me, waiting for my contractions to kick in.


    ¡°I¡¯m going grab her some food. She needs to keep her strength up. Giving birth can be a real energy


    drainer,¡± Russel suggested out of the blue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± My dad stepped in to stop Russel. ¡°You stay here with her!¡±


    I could tell my dad was also a bundle of nerves; he was even breaking a sweat. Sending him out to get


    some grub might be a good idea.


    Compared to him, Russel was a doctor and my mom was a woman who had given birth before. They


    were nervous, but they were better equipped to handle the situation than my dad.


    I had taken the induction medications, but they seemed to have no effect. Instead, my amniotic fluid


    kept leaking out, requiring regr pad changes.


    Just then, my phone started ringing.


    I was about to answer it when a sharp pain hit my belly, and I couldn¡¯t help but scream.


    ¡°Has the contraction started?¡± my mom asked in a hurry.


    I didn¡¯t know, but my belly was killing me. That was my first time giving birth. I had no experience and


    could only feel the severe cramps in my belly.


    But my phone kept ringing nonstop. Seeing that, Russel went over to answer it and put it on speaker.


    Ah! shouted in pain.


    There was silence on the other end of the call for a moment. Seeing my condition, Russel said to the


    person on the line, ¡°Who is this? Irene Finch is busy, she can¡¯t talk right now.¡±


    ¡°My belly hurts so much; they¡¯re kicking me!¡± I couldn¡¯t help butin loudly. I didn¡¯t care that


    Russel was on the phone or whoever it was on the other end of the line. I just wanted to let it out to


    vent my pain.


    ¡°Irene! Where are you?¡± Neil¡¯s angry voice came from the phone, like a roaring lion.


    As soon as he heard it was Neil, Russel hung up the phone.


    There¡¯s no way Neil would have guessed that I was in the same hospital as him. Even if he wanted to


    find me, it would have taken some time, by which point I might have already given birth.


    That was a crucial moment. I couldn¡¯t let him show up and screw up my delivery.


    After hanging up, I reminded Russel, ¡°Turn off your phone.¡±


    Russel nodded and not only turned off my phone but also his own. Seeing that, my dad and mom


    followed suit, afraid that Neil might call their phones in anger.


    Given Neil¡¯s temper, he would have definitely been pissed off after being hung up on again, but I had


    bigger fish to fry at that time.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Mom called the doctor over. I was in unbearable pain and told the doctor, ¡°Is there such a thing as


    painless childbirth? I want that, or just schedule a c-section for


    me!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stand the pain, but the doctor told me I had to wait until the contractions were regr before I


    could be taken to the delivery room. How could I have possibly waited?


    The doctor first performed a pelvic exam, then checked on the babies¡¯ position. After a series of


    checks, it was finally decided to do a c-section.


    Soon, I was wheeled into the operating room, and the c-section began.


    Under the influence of the anesthesia, I felt like I had fallen asleep. When I woke up, I was already in


    the ward.


    And my two babies were sleeping soundly in the crib next to me.


    ¡°You up? A boy and a girl. Both are cute as a button, just like you!¡± my mom saw me waking up, all


    excited and worried, ¡°Still in pain? The doctor says you need to chill and take it easy.¡±

 Chapter 377

    Chapter 377


    Chapter 377


    My belly was still aching, especially where they cut me open during surgery.


    ¡°Alright, bring the kids over!¡± All I cared about were my babies. They were the cutest things in the world


    to me.


    Mom came over carrying one of the kids, ¡°I¡¯ve given them a bit of milk. The doctor says you should try


    breastfeeding them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a go now!¡± I looked at the baby lying next to me, it was so adorable and maternal love filled


    my heart.


    ¡°Pass me the other one.¡± I want to treat them equally. I had my mom ce the other one on my bed.


    The bed was wide enough for the three of us. It was a single room after all.


    The pain kicked in every time I moved a bit because of the wounds. But I tried my best to breastfeed


    one of them.


    I was not really used to that. Mom was there guiding me when suddenly we heard footsteps outside.


    Then the door was kicked open.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I thought it was Russel, or some doctor or nurse. But to my surprise, it was Neil.


    I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have found me that soon unless he saw my mom and dad at the hospital, or Karina


    told him.


    I doubted that Karina told him. It was more likely he saw my mom or dad or Russel. That was how he


    found out I was there and went as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Get out!¡± As soon as I saw Neil. I quickly pulled up the nket, covering my babies and me.


    Mom forgot to lock the door just then, which was really dangerous.


    Neil looked furious, like he was ready to kill. Mom tried to stop him, but he easily shoved her aside.


    I couldn¡¯t move and I just watched as Neil walked up to me.


    He looked down at me and tried to pull the nket away.


    I resisted with all my strength.


    ¡°Let go.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was icy cold, his gaze devoid of warmth, as if he was looking at an enemy.


    Mom stepped in front of me, angrily saying, ¡°Neil, you and Irene are divorced, and it¡¯s been a long time.


    Karina¡¯s back, right? You two even have Hiram now. I heard Ryan and Faith have epted her too.


    Why are you still bothering Irene?¡±


    Mom angrily questioned Neil.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just let Irene live a good life? She just gave birth, if you want something,e to me!¡± Mom


    was worried that Neil might hurt me in his anger.


    I worried Neil might have harmed my mom, so I said, ¡°Mom, you go first, I have something to say to


    him.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m staying with you!¡± my mom immediately refused.


    ¡°You being here will only make things harder. Just go.¡± I insisted that my mom left. Since Neil had


    already found me, we should have cleared things up.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything else; he just waited for my mom to leave.


    After much insistence, my mom finally left the room. It was just me, Neil, and the two babies left.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked first as my tone was calm and collected.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the father?¡± Neil asked directly.


    ¡°Definitely not you.¡± I smirked, a hint of sarcasm in my voice, ¡°You¡¯ve got Hiram now. You shouldn¡¯t be


    interested in someone else¡¯s kids, right?¡±


    My words seemed to provoke Neil and his expression darkened, ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ve been with


    other men while we were together?¡±


    Of course, I hadn¡¯t, but I had to say that.


    At that time, all I wanted was to sever all connections between Neil and the babies.


    ¡°There was once, as you know. I¡¯ve always been popr. Only I was held back by you.¡± I even


    managed tough, ¡°Besides, I always thought I was infertile. So, I never bothered with contraception.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying. I¡¯m taking the kids for a paternity test.¡± Neil coldly replied. He didn¡¯t believe a word I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you take the kids, and I¡¯m not letting you do a paternity test. You¡¯ve already done one


    with Hiram. There¡¯s no need to bother other people¡¯s kids, right?¡± I emphasized the existence of Karina


    and Hiram in each sentence.


    Because I knew that was the only way to leave Neil speechless.


    As expected, Neil¡¯s face turned darker and darker, and he had no reason to argue.


    The world is fair.


    He and I never really got back together, so why couldn¡¯t I have my own children?


    Just as Neil and I stood off, Russel opened the door to the room, carrying a meal he made for me. His


    eyes flickered with a cold light when he saw Neil, ¡°What do you want? Don¡¯t disturb her rest.¡±


    Are these kids yours?¡± Neil didn¡¯t bother with small talk. If I was not letting him take the kids for a


    paternity test, he was just going to suspect Russel.


    I had been finding it hard to say straight out that Russel was the father of my kids.


    But Russel seemed to y the part quite easily.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re mine. If you don¡¯t believe me, we can get some hair and do a test. See if they¡¯re your kids


    or mine.¡± Russel¡¯s voice was just cold and his gaze at Neil was full of hostility.


    ¡°Really? Then tell me, when did you two get together?¡± Neil¡¯s hand tightened into a fist and veins


    popped on his hand. I thought he was about to punch Russel. ¡°Do you really need to know this? First,


    you¡¯re divorced from her. Second, Karina¡¯s back in your life with Hiram. What else can you promise


    Irene?¡± Russel pressed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of Karina and Hiram,¡± Neil replied to Russel¡¯s relentless questioning and his tone


    grew colder and sharper, ¡°I just need some time to sort things out.¡±


    ¡°No matter how you n on doing that, Hiram¡¯s still your son, isn¡¯t he? You¡¯re not nning on ditching


    them, are you?¡± Russel shot back, his questions getting more and more pointed.


    Those were all questions I had in mind, so I didn¡¯t object. I merely pulled the nket back a bit to let


    the kids breathe some fresh air, so they wouldn¡¯t feel all stuffy under there.


    Looking at those two adorable kids, I silently told them in my heart, ¡°Neil might be your father, but he


    isn¡¯t fit to be your dad. Don¡¯t ever be someone like him in the future.¡±

 Chapter 378

    Chapter 378


    Chapter 378


    Though I would spoil my two little gems rotten, I would never let them grow into jerks.


    Neil Whitmore was great, except when it came to rtionships!


    ¡°Neil, you have Karina Aaron and Hiram now, and I have my own family. Let¡¯s stop interfering with each


    other¡¯s lives. I probably won¡¯t return to Rosemont. You might want to persuade Karina to go back with


    you and leave us be.¡± I finally broke the silence. After all, that was an issue between Neil and me, and it


    wasn¡¯t fair to leave it all on Russel Dawson¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even begun to address your leaving without a word!¡± Neil shot me a cold re, his words


    gritted out through clenched teeth.


    Indeed, I left Rosemont without saying goodbye to Neil and even asked Ste Wace not to disclose


    it.


    Why should I have told him?


    Neil had cut down on his interactions with me. The media had begun buzzing about Karina¡¯s return,


    and he was so busy amodating his old me that I didn¡¯t want to waste his time.


    ¡°Was it me leaving without saying goodbye, or were you too preupied to care about my family¡¯s


    affairs?¡± I sighed. ¡°Neil, didn¡¯t you know that my family¡¯spany was being transferred at that time?


    Or were you too engrossed with Karina¡¯s issues to care?¡±


    Neil froze. Aplexity of emotions washed over his features. His lips moved, almost as if he didn¡¯t


    know how to respond.


    He must have known, and that was what I cared about. Knowing that things were changing on my end,


    he chose to deal with Karina first.


    From then on, I knew I could neverpare to Karina in his heart.


    Even if Karina had behaved terribly in the past, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to reject her!!


    ¡°She¡¯s made it clear. You may leave now.¡± Russel opened the hospital room door, gesturing for Neil to


    leave.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be leaving any time soon. Not until I¡¯m certain these children aren¡¯t mine. Irene Finch, if you¡¯ve


    deceived me, I¡¯ll do everything I can to take these children from you. You¡¯ll regret this.¡± Neil threatened


    me as he was leaving.


    He was never a good person. When he was angry, he never cared about how hurtful his words could


    be.


    What I fear the most now was someone taking my children away. Neil¡¯s words were a clear and present


    danger to me.


    If it came to blows, I have doubt that I could stand against him.


    ¡°We should check out of the hospital!¡± As soon as Neil left, I felt a wave of unease wash over me. I told


    Russel.


    ¡°Now?¡± Russel frowned.


    ¡°Yes, could you please talk to the doctor? I think I should leave with the children. If it¡¯s not safe in the


    country, I can leave the country. I¡¯ve done it before.¡± I tried to calm myself down, but every nce at my


    children made my heart clench. I feared losing them.


    Russel objected, ¡°No, you must stay in the hospital until you¡¯ve recovered. Your healthes first!¡±


    ¡°Then, could you ask when I can be discharged?¡± I practically begged Russel.


    I realized that my health was important. Otherwise, who would take care of my children?


    Russel looked at me with mixed feelings of pity and helplessness. ¡°Would you consider my suggestion?


    If we be a legally married couple, your children would be mine. It wouldn¡¯t be so easy for


    Neil to take them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡± I hesitated. Even though I was swaying, I should think it through. By doing


    so, I would distance myself from Neil but involve Russel.


    Russel didn¡¯t say anything more. He just went to talk to the doctor.


    The result was that I could only be discharged after a week at the earliest. My dad, upon learning about


    Neil¡¯s visit, took turns with my mom to stay in the hospital room as if facing a great enemy.


    Under such anxiety, I finally managed to get discharged. Russel came to pick us up in his car.


    Each of my parents held one of the children. I followed them, trying to walk steadily as any sudden


    movement would cause pain in my incisions.


    We took the back door of the hospital, which was less crowded. Just as we were about to reach the


    exit, a child¡¯s voice called out from behind, ¡°Auntie Irene!¡±


    It was Hiram¡¯s voice!


    I turned around to see Hiram rushing towards me, with Karina not far behind. She was smiling at me, a


    smile that made me uneasy.


    Knowing that I had just given birth, she just watched Hiram rush towards me, making no effort to stop


    him.


    Hiram had never been this affectionate towards me before, but today was different.


    I tried to dodge him, but he changed his direction to keep running towards me. My parents, each


    holding a child, couldn¡¯t block him and might even lose their hold on the children.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Russel appeared in time and pulled Hiram back, his tone stern.


    Hiram stopped. He looked at Russel unhappily and said, ¡°What¡¯s it to you? I know Auntie Irene!¡±


    Seeing that Russel had stopped Hiram¡¯s dangerous actions, Karina finally quickened her pace to join


    us. She pulled Hiram behind her and said apologetically. ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry Kids can be a handful,


    and I couldn¡¯t stop him. I hope he didn¡¯t scare you?¡±


    Standing here, I could feel difort in my abdomen and lower back. If the child had bumped into me,


    especially into my incision. I would have probably fainted from the pain.


    And Karina had seen Hiram¡¯s actions and made no effort to stop him. Now, she came there with


    feigned concern?


    I gave her a chilly smile, ¡°Really? It seems that every unruly child has an equally uncouth parent. In the


    future, please keep an eye on your child and stop causing


    trouble for others.¡±


    Karina apparently didn¡¯t expect my harsh tone. She frowned and said, ¡°He¡¯s just a child, and he¡¯s been


    living abroad for quite some time, so he¡¯s a bit outgoing. He


    just wanted to greet you warmly.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Howe I never noticed how overly friendly your kid was?¡± Given my current health conditions,


    standing for too long wasn¡¯t ideal. I didn¡¯t even want to ponder what Karina¡¯s true intentions were. All I


    wanted was to keep my distance from Neil and her.


    Karina¡¯s brows furrowed deeper, ¡°So you¡¯re implying he did it on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± I didn¡¯t respond, simply addressing Russel and my folks.


    Karina seemed as though she wanted to say something more, but Russel cast her a nce, ¡°Stop


    pestering her.¡±

 Chapter 379

    Chapter 379


    Chapter 379


    Once upon a time, Karina was the one who had fallen for Russel first before ending up with Neil, so it


    was only natural that Russel was a bit more than just a friend for her.


    His words, at that moment, could still strike a chord.


    ¡°Mommy, who¡¯s that man?¡± Hiram asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s an old friend of mommy¡¯s, sweetie, and he knew your daddy too.¡± Karina was always so patient


    with Hiram, her voice soft and gentle, always revealing how much she treasured her little boy.


    As soon as I got in the car, I took the child from my mother¡¯s arms. I simply couldn¡¯t resist the urge to


    hold them.


    But my mother wasn¡¯t in the best mood. She nced out of the window and sighed, ¡°It never ends.


    First Bonnie Tueley, now Karina. Rena, you need to cut all ties with Neil. He can¡¯t make you happy!¡±


    The main issue was that Neil had found me, making my parents anxious. Now that I was carrying his


    children, they worried that I might have a change of heart and return to him for the sake of having a


    plete family.¡± I


    But I had never thought of doing so. In fact, I had already decided to take the kids and move overseas


    as soon as my health permitted.


    If Karina could disappear overseas with her child for years without anyone knowing, why couldn¡¯t I do


    the same?


    For my children, I was willing to try anything.


    I shared my n with my parents as soon as we got home. But they disagreed, fearing that raising two


    kids overseas by myself would be too strenuous. It wasn¡¯t about the money but the mental exhaustion.


    If I insisted on going, they wanted to join me.


    Of course, I wanted to be with my parents. They surely wanted to watch their two little grandchildren


    grow up.


    But given the circumstances, I had no choice but to leave the country. My mother had health issues


    and couldn¡¯t fly. Even before her heart problems had emerged, she had only traveled by car or high-


    speed train.


    My parents were both homesick and giving up theirpany to move here had been a huge change


    for them.


    They wouldn¡¯t befortable if they were to go overseas with me. I was sure of that.


    1


    ¡°Dad, Mom, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve lived abroad for two years before. I¡¯ve been to many ces. Don¡¯t worry!¡± I


    tried to reassure them. ¡°I¡¯lle back in a few years. By then, Neil will have moved on.¡±


    ¡°No, we have to go with you. If something happened to you out there, we won¡¯t be able to help!¡± My


    mother was worried sick and insisted on joining me. ¡°We can all came back together in a few years.¡±


    Just when I was at a loss for what to do, Russel spoke up. ¡°Mr. Finch and Mrs. Finch, if you trust me, I


    can go with Rena. I promise I¡¯ll take good care of her and children.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ uh¡­¡± My parents were taken aback by Russel¡¯s words and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Russel, you don¡¯t have to do this. I can handle this on my own!¡± I interjected. If I was going to avoid


    Neil by going abroad, there was no point in dragging Russel


    into it.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    the


    But Russel didn¡¯t see it that way. ¡°You were fine when you were abroad alone. But now you have two


    children who need care. You¡¯re a new mom. You won¡¯t be able to handle it on your own.¡±


    ¡°I can hire a nanny.¡± I had my own ns.


    ¡°Do you really trust a stranger in a foreignnd?¡± Russel countered.


    My mother chimed in. ¡°Yes, Rena. If Russel can apany you, your father and I will feel much better.


    You can alle back in a few years.¡±


    ¡°Mom, that won¡¯t work!¡± I stuck to my decision.


    My mother was stubborn. ¡°Either you and Russel go together, or we all go together!¡±


    Even my father spoke up. ¡°Rena, we don¡¯t want to force you, but sometimes you must listen to us.


    Russel was okay with it. Please, for our peace of mind, agree to this, will you?¡±


    Before I could reply, a baby started crying, and I had to soothe him.


    My mother sighed and went to the kitchen. My father and Russel joined me inforting the baby.


    After a while, my father went to help my mother in the kitchen. I sat quietly on the sofa, contemting


    their words.


    ¡°They¡¯re just worried about you.¡± Russel sat down next to me, cradling my son in his arms. The little


    guy was full of energy, wide-eyed and alert.


    When Russel held him, he was well-behaved, asionally making ¡°cooing¡± sounds that melted my


    heart.


    Looking at this scene, Lfelt a warmth from Russel. It was not romantic, but an affectionate care for the


    baby. Maybe he would make a good father,


    I was startled by my own thoughts. Being a mother seemed to make everything revolve around the


    child.


    This made me understand my parents¡¯ concerns. What if the kids wanted to meet their father one day?


    Could I stand to stay silent?


    As I was lost in thought, the doorbell rang.


    Russel went to answer the door with the baby in his arms. I stood by the living room entrance, feeling a


    strange sense of foreboding.


    As the gate swung open, Neil stood there, his first nce falling on Russel holding the baby. There was


    a sh of jealousy in his eyes. ¡°Russel, close the door!¡± I ordered, ignoring Neii.


    Russel nced back at me and started to close the door.


    Neil blocked it with his hand, his long legs stepping through the gate. He looked around before settling


    his gaze on me. ¡°So you¡¯ve been hiding here all this time?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding.¡± I leaned against the door, my expression indifferent. ¡°I sold mypany and moved.


    If you had paid attention, you would¡¯ve noticed. Neil, I made it clear at the hospital. What business do


    you have here?¡±


    Russel, cradling the child in his arms, returned to the living room. He gently settled the little one into a


    crib, soothing it with tender words and pats. Then, he pulled up a chair for me, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit for a


    bit and soak in some sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I slid into the chair, epting Russel¡¯s thoughtful gesture with an easy grace.

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380


    Chapter 380


    ¡°I was quite tied up, not just because of Karina. You should understand that, Irene,¡± Neil confronted me,


    his aura somewhat intimidating.


    I was sitting, slightly lifting my head to look at him, not uttering a word.


    Neil¡¯s eyes seemed redder, with a touch of bloodshot.


    ¡°You promised me things. Were they all lies?¡± His questions came pouring in as I remained silent, ¡°I


    tried to fix things with your dad. You said you¡¯d remarry me and have a child with me, and yet you left


    without a word. You even told me these two kids are from other men. What else do you want from


    me?!¡±


    When Karina returned, the thorn that had been embedded in my heart began to twist. But at that time, I


    held onto a shred of hope.


    Neil confessed he had fallen in love with me, and he wanted me back, so I believed I still had a fighting


    chance against Karina.


    I couldn¡¯t suppress the fantasies deep inside me.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Especially when Karina appeared before Neil a few times, not revealing her true identity but speaking,


    and Neil didn¡¯t recognize her by her voice.


    This thrilled me. I always believed that if you truly loved someone, you could easily identify them by


    their voice, not necessarily their appearance.


    Neil did not recognize Karina¡¯s voice. Did that mean she was no longer important to him?


    Unfortunately, I was too naive.


    When Karina made an appearance at Neil and Bonnie¡¯s engagement party, she stood in front of Neil


    without any disguise, not uttering a single word, and yet her brief appearance made Neil abandon me.


    At that moment, thest bit of my fantasy vanished.


    Even if Neil was ind¨¦cisive, showing a bit of reluctance towards me, it meant nothing.


    ¡°It is what it is. Let¡¯s just say I owe you,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Neil¡¯s face twisted into a sarcastic smile, ¡°If it was because of Karina, why were you


    pregnant before she returned?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I found out about Karina¡¯s return only at the engagement party? Did you assume I was


    already with Russel by then?¡± I found it amusing.


    Neil spat out two words, ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know she treated me before that?¡± I countered.


    ¡°Did you know who she was when she treated you?¡± His voice was cold as if my words were an


    excuse.


    Iughed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say it wasn¡¯t because of her. I was lonely and ended up with Russel, got


    pregnant by ident, and fearing retaliation, I left without a word. Is that eptable?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t exin; I didn¡¯t want to tell Neil the children were his, so I had to admit to being involved with


    Russel before.


    But as long as Neil was resolute in believing in my innocence, as long as he insisted on testing the


    children¡¯s DNA, everything would be clear.


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t do so. Maybe deep down he never believed in my innocence with Russel, so


    now he chose to directly believe I was with Russel, even had two children.


    I guess I lost.


    ¡°Good, since you put it that way, it saves me a lot of trouble,¡± Neil¡¯s face gradually regained its


    calmness, carrying that familiar cold indifference, ¡°I¡¯ve said before, if they are my children, I¡¯d do


    everything to take them, but they aren¡¯t, so they¡¯re worthless to me. Irene, I¡¯m tired of you. Your leaving


    came at the right time.¡±


    Neil, despite being at a disadvantage, knew exactly where to strike to hurt me the deepest.


    If I weren¡¯t looking up, my tears might have burst forth.


    Russel couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He cursed, ¡°Neil, are you even human? How could you say such


    things?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you upset?¡± Neil smirked, disdainfully looking at Russel, ¡°Her best years were all spent on me.


    Are you upset?¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The next second, Russel threw a punch at Neil,nding it solidly on Neil¡¯s cheek with great force.


    Neil staggered back two steps. Once he steadied himself, he touched his lip corner, there was blood,


    Anger roiled in his brows as if he was about to hit back, but he quickly restrained himself. He stared at


    me, ¡°Consider this aspensation for monopolizing your youth for ten years. It¡¯s worth just that


    much.¡±


    Having just given birth and still in my confinement period, I wasn¡¯t supposed to get too emotional. But


    Neil¡¯s words were like the sharpest sword, ruthlessly piercing my chest, leaving bloody wounds.


    Theld back my tears but quickly retreated to the living room. My parents rushed out after hearing the


    commotion, and their faces changed drastically when they -saw Neil.


    By the time they wanted to drive Neil away, he had already turned to leave.


    The sun shone outside, his silhouette disappearing in the yard, as if taking all the color with him.


    My mind was clouded with gray.


    ¡°Rena, are you okay? You look so pale,¡± my mother rushed over to help me sit on the sofa.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± As soon as I opened my mouth, my voice choked.


    Tears rolled down uncontrobly, and I felt immense pain. The anguish in my heart made it hard for me


    to breathe.


    I couldn¡¯t repeat what Neil had just said, and I could only bury my head and cry.


    Russel came to my side, gently stroking my hair, ¡°Cry it out. Only then can you truly move on.¡±


    J


    My parents watched the scene unfold, giving their seats to Russel. I couldn¡¯t help but hug his waist,


    resting my head on him as I continued to cry.


    As if sensing my emotions, both children began to cry loudly. I had to collect myself to soothe them.


    I initially nned to breastfeed, as I heard it was good for the child. But I knew my breast milk wouldn¡¯t


    be enough for two children, so I hesitated.


    A few dayster, I realized I had stoppedctating due to emotional stress.


    Let alone two children, and even one child wouldn¡¯t be satiated.


    ¡°Just use form. It¡¯s the same,¡± Russelforted me. These days, he was like a dedicated dad,


    coming over every day to help me take care of the children. He was very attentive.


    I nodded. There was no other choice. Otherwise the children would starve.


    Neil had made it clear that our paths would no longer cross. In that case, there was no need for me to


    leave here. I could just stay put, lead a decent life, and raise our kids.


    The thought of his words still stung, but as time marched on, I began to find true peace. All it took was


    the sight of our kids¡¯ beaming faces each day to wash away all worries and fears.

 Chapter 381

    Chapter 381


    Chapter 381


    Two children, a girl named Serena and a boy named Brandon.


    Those were the names I had chosen for them, without any particr meaning. I just thought they


    sounded nice.


    Thinking Icked culture, my dad sifted through an English dictionary, wanting to change them. But


    Russel stood up for me, saying, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t burden children with adult expectations through their


    names. They¡¯ll have their own lives.¡±


    Finally, my dad backed down and epted the names.


    ¡°Alright, you stay at home. I¡¯ll apany Rena to the hospital,¡± my mom decided when I had to go for


    a postpartum checkup after my confinement period. My dad wanted to join, but my mom stopped it.


    I took my daughter to the hospital, leaving my son at home under my dad¡¯s care.


    The hospital we chose was close and well-equipped, but Karina worked there, and I avoided crossing


    paths with her at all costs.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mom, can you hold Serena while I go for my checkup?¡± Thanded my daughter to my mom when it was


    my turn for the checkup.


    ¡°Sure,¡± my mom took Serena with a smile and sat down on a chair, ying with her.


    After the checkup, the doctor suggested I should have a postpartum recovery treatment. Although my


    condition wasn¡¯t bad, having given birth to twins, my pelvic floor muscles needed some restorative


    treatment.


    When the doctor exined the process to me, her phone rang.


    ¡°Dinner? Sure, aren¡¯t you working today?¡± Her tone was enthusiastic. ¡°I¡¯lle to see you after I finish


    work at noon. Is your significant other around?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s swamped with work and has returned to Rosemont. That¡¯s why I wanted to catch up with


    you,¡± came Karina¡¯s voice from the speakerphone.


    I was taken aback. I hadn¡¯t expected this doctor to know Karina.


    However, she didn¡¯t recognize me, even though I was a significant character in the story of Neil and


    Karina.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯lle to see you after I finish work at noon,¡± the doctor cheerfully replied before


    hanging up and resuming our conversation about the postpartum recovery package.


    I decided against it. The thought of her knowing Karina was a little irritating. I¡¯d rather spend more


    money and find a postpartum recovery center.


    ¡°No need, thank you,¡± I politely declined her offer and quickly left.


    At that moment, Serena started crying, probably because she was hungry. I quickly picked her up to


    soothe her, and only after she fell asleep did I breathe a sigh of relief and head back home.


    My car was parked just outside the hospital. As my mom and I were about to leave, we saw Karina


    approaching.


    Her long hair dyed a gentle light brown, shimmered under the sun, making her look like a doll.


    I was puzzled. The doctor had arranged to have lunch with Karina. Why was she here so soon?


    My mom recognized her immediately, took Serena from me, and urged me, ¡°Go start the car. Let¡¯s go


    home!¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I ignored Karina and headed straight for my car.


    Karina called out to me, ¡°Ms. Finch, I think I owe you an apology.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond. I didn¡¯t care about her apology; I just didn¡¯t want to be bothered.


    Like Bonnie, Karina was thick-skinned.


    ¡°Neil came to see you and said some unpleasant things to you, Russel, and the kids. I want to


    apologize on his behalf. That wasn¡¯t his intention,¡± Karina sincerely apologized.


    I stopped and turned around, ¡°Don¡¯t mention Neil to me anymore. We¡¯re not close, and I¡¯m not


    interested in having a long conversation with you.¡±


    After saying that, I got into my car, and my mom ced Serena in the car seat in the back.


    Karina didn¡¯t look too pleased from outside the car window. I nced at her before driving away.


    I had hoped to avoid the people who bothered me by moving away from Rosemont. I hadn¡¯t expected


    Karina to start working in the same city. It felt like an unfortunate coincidence.


    On the way home, I received a call from Ste. She gave birth around the same time as me. Now, she,


    Barbara Sands, and Lspend our days talking about our kids.


    When they found out I was pregnant with twins, they were shocked. Before that, I was seen as infertile.


    Many people mocked and pitied me, thinking that Neil and I had broken up because of this and that


    Karina, who came back with a child, reced me.


    But soon after, I gave birth to twins, which was a huge surprise for everyone.


    Ste and the others first used me of not sharing the news with them, and then they were genuinely


    happy for me.


    In the end, they all had one question: who¡¯s the father of the kids?


    Apart from my parents and Russel, I denied everyone¡¯s guess that Neil was the father.


    ¡°Rena, I¡¯ll visit you in a few days. Barbara wants to join, too! Ste said excitedly.


    ¡°You¡¯re bringing your three kids? Are you sure?¡± I admired Ste¡¯s energy. She was vibrant and lively,


    which suited herrge family.


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Mitch Hebert is alsoing. You don¡¯t mind, right? Now that you and Neil have gone


    your separate ways, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything.¡± That was true. Life had been easytely.


    The bitter words thrown during our final argument left a scar, but they also allowed me to leave the past


    behind.


    I think this time, Neil wouldn¡¯t bother me again.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to have you all over,¡± I hadn¡¯t seen Ste and the others in a long time. Being in a new


    city, I missed my friends back in Rosemont


    Now that I had started a new life, it was only right to catch up with friends.


    ¡°Great! We¡¯ll be there in a few days!¡± Ste sounded even happier when I agreed.


    But then she brought up Karina, ¡°Isn¡¯t Karina working there too? She¡¯s just like Bonnie, always around.


    Did you know? Your former inws still haven¡¯t epted her. That¡¯s why she moved so far away.¡±.


    ¡°Why? If Neil¡¯s parents were not weing her, shouldn¡¯t she make an extra effort to make her


    presence felt in the Whitmore family? She has a kid that should help her score some brownie points


    with the Whitmores, right?¡± I asked, a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Duh, she needs to win over Neil¡¯s heart. That¡¯s why she came all the way out here. It¡¯s a way to make


    Neil feel guilty and concerned about her. She¡¯s ying a higher card game than Bonnie. Bonnie¡¯s just


    naively trying to push herself into Neil¡¯s life, Ste added, enjoying the analysis.


    Was that Karina¡¯s n? I hadn¡¯t given it much thought.


    Whatever tactic she used to win Neil over didn¡¯t matter to me. If she could just pack her bags and head


    back to Rosemont right now, settle down with Neil, I¡¯d be happier.

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    Chapter 382


    Chapter 382


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Neil go back to Rosemont? Did Karina¡¯s scheme fall through?¡± I could then talk about Neil as


    casually as if we were discussing thetest gossip about a


    friend.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Ste asked in a surprised manner.


    ¡°I was at the hospital for a postnatal check-up earlier. The doctor knows Karina, and I overheard their


    conversation,¡± I exined truthfully.


    Ste clicked her tongue. ¡°You and Neil must have been sworn enemies in a past life. You¡¯ve moved all


    this way and still can¡¯t seem to escape him.¡±


    I had to agree with her; in my past life, I had held a deep grudge against Neil. I had refused to divorce


    him, nearly preventing him from marrying his true love.


    Our conversation was cut short when Ste¡¯s baby started crying.


    When I arrived home, I could hear Brandon crying. My father was desperately trying to soothe him but


    to no avail. I quickly took over, and my father sank into the couch, clutching his back as if in pain.


    ¡°Dad, are you okay?¡± I asked worriedly. He was in his sixties, and his health wasn¡¯t as robust as it used


    to be.


    ¡°Just an old ailment,¡± he sighed, ¡°I¡¯m old. But now that I have two grandchildren; I have no regrets in


    life.¡±


    His health wasn¡¯t great. His back especially wasn¡¯t great since he used to sit in an office all day. My


    mother, on the other hand, had a heart condition and couldn¡¯t exert herself too much.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Russel¡¯s tireless efforts, I might not have been able to manage both kids on my own.


    But it wasn¡¯t fair to him. So, I nned to hire a couple of housekeepers and a nanny to share the load,


    allowing my parents to rest and let Russel catch a break.


    As I was pondering that, Russel showed up at my house. My parents trusted him so much that they


    had given him the codes for all the locks in the house.


    Usually, Russel went over to help with the kids or bring food. But today, he had a suitcase with him, ¡°I


    need to go back to Rosemont for about a week.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± my mother asked. Even I could tell that Russel didn¡¯t look good.


    ¡°No worries. My dad¡¯s just not feeling well, and I need to go check on him.¡± Russel tried to reassure us


    with a small smile, but his worry was evident.


    He had fought with his father before, and Chloe¡¯ death had only exacerbated their issues. But blood is


    thicker than water, and he couldn¡¯t ignore his own family.


    ¡°Go see him. As we age, health issues are inevitable. Spend some time with him.¡± My father patted


    Russel¡¯s shoulder and sighed, ¡°Russel, you¡¯re a good kid. And we I know how you feel about Rena, but


    if your dad wants to introduce you to other women, you should agree. Understand?¡±


    My parents both knew the pressure Russel was under for me. And they knew how I felt about him.


    Some things can¡¯t be forced, and I was hesitant to make a decision.


    Russel didn¡¯t respond to my father¡¯s words; he was quite stubborn in this aspect.


    He looked at me. And I feltpelled to say something, ¡°Drive safe.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be back in a week.¡± Russel nodded, and then he left, as we watched him go.


    With Russel gone, my parents and I shared a knowing look. They knew I was unaware of my good


    fortune, but they also knew that even if I agreed to be with Russel, we wouldn¡¯t have received his


    family¡¯s approval.


    His mother had passed away, and there was his father, Samuel Dawson, and the rest of the Dawson


    family¡¯s elders. I didn¡¯t think I was charming enough to win their favor unless the kids I had were


    actually Russel¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of scandal it would have caused if I, a divorced woman


    with two children, were to marry Russel.


    Life was busier without Russel around. I realized how great he was with the kids. Serena and Brandon


    were more obedient to him than they were to me.


    Thankfully, my parents were able to help. So, I wasn¡¯t too overwhelmed.


    ¡°Ding dong!¡±


    As I was changing the kids¡¯ diapers, the doorbell rang. My mother quickly went to answer it.


    Soon, I heard Ste¡¯s loud voice, ¡°Rena, we¡¯re here!¡±


    Her voice startled Serena and Brandon. Their wide-eyed expressions were adorable.


    Thankfully, our living room was spacious. With Ste and Mitch¡¯s family of five, Barbara¡¯s family of


    three, Alicia Rider, and Cooper rke, the house was suddenly bustling.


    ¡°Wow, are these your little treasures?¡± Ste was the first to approach Serena and Brandon, ¡°They¡¯re


    so cute! Even more so than my kids! Rena, how about arranging a childhood marriage?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Do you not understand the concept of free love?¡± I replied with a chuckle. It had been almost a year


    since I previously saw Ste. So, seeing her then was quite emotional.


    My parents started preparing food when they saw all the guests.


    The atmosphere was warm and friendly until Mitch, holding Brandon, suddenly said, ¡°Who does the


    little guy look like? He doesn¡¯t seem to resemble Rena much.¡±


    The room fell into an awkward silence. After a few seconds, Ste shouted, ¡°Are you stupid? Of course,


    he looks like Rena! There¡¯s something wrong with your eyes!¡±


    I had denied that the children were Neil¡¯s but had never said who the father was. Ste was trying to


    prevent an awkward situation.


    ¡°I think he looks like Rena!¡± Alicia quickly chimed in.


    But for some reason, Cooper just blurted out, ¡°Anyone else sees a resemnce to Neil?¡±


    No sooner than he¡¯d spoken, Alicia smacked him upside the head, causing him to wince in pain.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Mitch¡¯s eyes went wide, and he promptly shut his mouth, which was already half-open in preparation to


    speak. He obediently put the baby back in the crib.


    ¡°What are you two here for? Looking for trouble?¡± Ste questioned them with the fierceness of a


    protective mother bear, pointing at Mitch and Cooper.


    ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Mitch defended himself, clearly against his own thoughts, ¡°I think they


    both look like their grandfather!¡±


    It was obvious to anyone that Serena and Brandon looked nothing like my father.


    Serena was the spitting image of me, while Brandon was beginning to resemble Neil more and more.


    Even though the twins were barely a month old, hints of Neil in Brandon¡¯s features could already be


    seen.

 Chapter 383

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    Chapter 383


    *Kids are too young to tell who they resemble. And there are many strangers in the world who look


    alike,¡± I said, suppressing a hint of unease in my heart and wearing a calm andposed smile.


    Barbara immediately chimed in, ¡°Exactly. My daughter still looks like a bit of a mixed bag. She doesn¡¯t


    resemble me, her father, or any of the grandparents. Guess we¡¯ll have to wait until she grows up.¡±


    She had a daughter, nearly one year old then, who indeed doesn¡¯t resemble her or Ss much.


    ¡°Right. Upon closer inspection, she doesn¡¯t seem to resemble anyone.¡± Cooper, realizing he misspoke,


    hurriedly corrected himself.


    Iughed it off, not dwelling on that issue any longer. Even if everyone said Brandon looked like Neil


    Whitmore, so what? I wouldn¡¯t admit it.


    The topic was dropped and the atmosphere returned to normal. Everyone chatted andughed, but a


    sense of unease lingered in my heart.


    Appearance is beyond control.


    What if Brandon grew up to resemble Neil more and more, just like Hiram, who could have been


    recognized as Neil¡¯s son with just one nce? What would I do


    then?


    How would I exin it?


    At noon, my parents prepared a feast of dishes, delicious and plentiful. The tables were full and the


    lively atmosphere gradually improved my mood. Setting aside my worries, I enjoyed the gathering with


    my friends.


    After lunch, everyone was enjoying their dessert and coffee. The children who could walk and run were


    ying together, while the infants were being held and cooed.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Suddenly, Mitch received a phone call. After ncing at the caller ID, he gave me a guilty look.


    He took his phone outside to answer the call. Even though I couldn¡¯t hear what he said, he didn¡¯te


    back in right after the call. Instead, he lingered by the front door as if waiting for someone.


    ¡°Holy cow! I can¡¯t hold it any longer!¡± After a while, Mitch rushed in, ¡°Rena, where¡¯s the restroom? I


    drank a bit too much!¡±


    I pointed him to the bathroom, and he dashed over.


    The front door was left wide open. I was about to close it when a figure walked in from outside.


    Neil was in a gray shirt with his sleeves rolled up, revealing the beautiful lines of his toned arms. His


    ck wristwatch glinted in the sunlight. His outstanding figure was like a walking model.


    Why was he here? I immediately frowned.


    Soon, Ste and the others noticed Neil¡¯s arrival, and everyone exchanged looks.


    My mom, looking unhappy, walked out ready to chase him away.


    Just then, Mitch emerged from the bathroom. Seeing the situation, he quickly sped up and reached Neil


    before my mom, ¡°Neil, you¡¯re here. I was just in the


    restroom!¡±


    Wasn¡¯t Neil supposed to be in Rosemont? What was he doing here for?


    Neil¡¯s gaze nevernded on me, as if deliberately ignoring me. I didn¡¯t mind; it actually made me feel


    more at ease.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the stuff?¡± Neil asked coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s in my car. I¡¯ll take you to get it!¡± Mitch quickly led Neil out of the yard, looking guilty.


    Neil followed him out. But just then, Serena and Brandon started crying loudly, as if they were unhappy.


    I hurried to soothe the children, but I couldn¡¯t hold both at once. I had to hand Brandon to my mom.


    But for some reason, both little ones were very stubborn today and wouldn¡¯t stop crying no matter how


    much we cooed. I decided to take Serena outside for some fresh air, sometimes they just wanted to


    enjoy the sun and scenery.


    Sure enough, once I took Serena outside, she stopped crying. I called my mom over, ¡°Mom, bring


    Brandon out to sunbathe.¡±


    My mom brought Brandon out, and everyone was in the yard.


    Alicia came over and reached out, ¡°Let me hold Serena!¡±


    I handed Serena to Alicia, but the next second, the little one started crying again. She seemed


    unwilling, which startled me, so I quickly took her back.


    Alicia was puzzled and tried to hold Brandon, but he also refused.


    Seeing that, Ste and the others put their own children aside and tried to hold Serena and Brandon.


    But none of them seeded.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. These two are usually good kids, and anyone can hold them. What¡¯s going on today?¡±


    My mom wondered aloud.


    I was also surprised and thought of Neil. It couldn¡¯t have been some sort of bloodline intuition, could it?


    No way! That just seemed too mystical!


    ¡°Honey, where¡¯s your bag? I put something in there and forgot to take it out.¡± Mitch rushed in to ask


    Ste.


    Ste pointed to the living room. ¡°It¡¯s in there!¡±


    Mitch hurried to get it, and Neil once again followed him back into the yard. He faced us all with a cold


    expression and indifferent eyes.


    Serena was still crying, and Brandon in my arms had quieted down. I was a bit at a loss.


    ¡°What should I do if he keeps crying?¡± Cooper, now holding Serena, also seemed at a loss. Suddenly,


    he handed Serena to Neil, ¡°Can you hold her for a bit? She cries when anyone else holds her.¡±


    My eyes widened, and I was about to intervene, but Neil beat me to it, ¡®No, I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    My heart sank, feeling an inexplicable difort, but I also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Cooper awkwardly pulled his arm back. For a single guy his age, he held the baby quite well. Just as


    he was about to hand Serena to my mom, Serena waved her little arm towards Neil.


    She was too young to reach out for someone to hold her, so the motion seemed more like random


    iling. But it looked like she wanted to be held.


    Neil¡¯s gaze fell on her chubby little hand, and his eyebrows unconsciously furrowed. Despite his


    indifferent expression, his hand raised as if he wanted to hold Serena.


    ¡°Neil.¡± Suddenly, Karina¡¯s voice emanated from the doorway. She nced around the room. There was


    a warm smile on her face. She then finally locked eyes with Neil. ¡°Hiram told me you were here.¡±


    I then noticed Hiram by the door, squatting on the floor, engrossed in some ything, not having


    entered the room.


    Neil¡¯s hand dropped back down, not reaching out for Serena.


    Cooper handed the crying Serena to my mom.


    Karina naturally positioned herself next to Neil. She was a bit taller than Bonnie Tueley. Her aura was


    brighter and more radiant, making her and Neil a perfect match as they stood there together.


    A shback hit me and for a moment, I saw an image of them from years prior when they were in love.


    The young couple standing together were indeed a sight for sore eyes.

 Chapter 384

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    Chapter 384


    Taverted my gaze, refusing to pay any attention to the duo, nor to the distasteful thoughts they brought


    to mind.


    ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Karina,¡± she announced openly, greeting everyone in sight. ¡°I believe you all are


    friends with Neil. I haven¡¯t had the pleasure to meet you all formally, but I¡¯d love to treat you all to


    dinner someday¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°Neil¡¯s friend? I¡¯m Rena¡¯s friend!¡±


    Barbara chimed in, ¡°Exactly. Don¡¯t get it twisted¡±


    Unfazed by their hostility, Kanna calmly responded, ¡°Mitch is your husband, and Mitch is good friends


    with Neil. We¡¯re all socially connected people. Our businesses have some form of partnership with


    Neil¡¯s. If we¡¯re not personal friends, we can at least be considered business associates.¡±


    Her argument was irrefutable, and Ste and Barbara had no choice but to remain silent.


    Eventually, Mitch found what he was looking for. It was a stamp.


    He handed it over to Neil, sheepishly grinning at Karina as a form of greeting. Karina returned the


    gesture, but Mitch dared not reciprocate, fearing Ste¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°Well, we should be going now,¡± Karina announced. Seeing Neil turn to leave, she gave us a friendly


    wave.


    We watched them leave the courtyard without any further interaction. Ste and the others then turned


    their attention to me, with a hint of worry etched onto their


    faces.


    The unexpected appearance of Neil and Karina had slightly affected me, but it was nothing major.


    I turned to my mom and said, ¡°Mom, hand me Serena.¡±


    Brandon, who was nestled in my arms, was fast asleep. After settling him in his room, I took Serena


    from my mother¡¯s arms.


    The little one soon fell asleep, too, after some fidgeting. I then began arranging rooms for everyone.


    Thankfully, we had enough space for everyone tofortably sleep in.


    Meanwhile, Ste was grilling Mitch, ¡°Why did Neile here? What did he want? Did you do this on


    purpose?¡±


    Mitch defended himself helplessly, ¡°I had genuinely forgotten to give him something. Remember I told


    you about our business deal with Whitmore Co.? The project is based here. So, we agreed on a


    contract, but I identally left a copy in my car.¡±


    Ste had mentioned this to me before. Their family was nning to stay in Eldoria for a while due to


    Mitch¡¯s project, but it seemed she was unaware that Neil was the business partner. Otherwise, she


    would have informed me beforehand.


    ¡°You¡¯re working with Whitmore Co.? You never mentioned that!¡± Ste fumed.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to upset you. But business is separate from personal matters, and Neil and I are good


    friends¡­¡± Mitch exined, caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    I intervened, ¡°Ste, it¡¯s not Mitch¡¯s fault. It¡¯s perfectly normal for Neil to focus on Eldoria for a while


    since Karina is working here.¡±


    ¡°Mitch is right, Neil won¡¯t bother Rena!¡± Mitch eagerly agreed.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Ste was still worried.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I made it clear to Neil, and our meeting earlier was quite normal, right?¡± I reassured her.


    Reluctantly, Ste acquiesced, ¡°All right, but if he dares to bother you again, you tell me. I won¡¯t


    hesitate to give him a piece of my mind!¡±


    Her earnest concern was touching, but unnecessary. With Karina and Hiram around, Neil had no


    reason to bother me.


    Later that night, there was a fireworks disy at the beach. Ste and the others were eager to attend,


    and I joined them, pushing Serena and Brandon in a stroller. The beach was bustling with people, and


    the atmosphere was festive. The fireworks show was apanied by a food fair,plete with a


    variety of snacks.


    ¡°Chase me! Come on!¡±


    ¡°Kids, don¡¯t run around. What if you bump into someone?¡±


    Children¡¯sughter and parents¡¯ scolding filled the air, creating a lively ambiance.


    It had been a long time since I had enjoyed such moments, strolling with my kids while enjoying the


    food. It was a beautiful feeling.


    That was until I ran into my ex-husband and his once-dead sweetheart, along with their son..


    ¡°I want a candy apple!¡± Hiram pointed at a candy apple, looking up at Neil. ¡°Dad, can you buy me a


    candy apple?¡±


    As he reached out to hold Neil¡¯s hand, Neil¡¯s gaze met mine. I was pushing a stroller, dressed in a


    simple white cotton dress, bare-faced, and without any jewelry. Compared to Karina, who was dolled


    up to the nines, I seemed a bit in.


    However, it didn¡¯t bother me. I was about to turn away when Ste¡¯s and Barbara¡¯s kids also began to


    fuss for candy apples.


    Mitch had no choice but to approach Neil, ¡°Neil, you¡¯re here too.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Your kids want candy apples?¡± Neil asked, offering Mitch three candy apples for them.


    Mitch, of course, epted them graciously and handed them to the children.


    Suddenly, Karina pulled out three cartoon lollipops from her bag. ¡°Kids, do you want these? These are


    candies your big brother bought. One for each of you.¡±


    The sight of the cute candies immediately cheered the kids, ¡°Yes, yes! Thank you!¡±


    Ste immediately intervened, halting her kids, ¡°Eating too much candy will ruin your teeth. No more!¡±


    Barbara also declined the lollipop on behalf of her child.


    Karina shed a helpless smile. ¡°If the kid wants a piece of candy, just let him have it. Just ensure his


    oral hygiene is maintained. I raised Hiram and he loved his sweets, but we kept strict control over the


    quantity and his dental care. His teeth are just fine.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t doctors like you. We don¡¯t understand.¡± Ste retorted with a sarcastic tone. ¡°Maybe next


    time you can teach us something magical, like raising the


    dead?¡±


    At the mention of those words, Karina¡¯s face remained impassive. She simply smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have


    to be a doctor to understand some basic knowledge. As parents, we always have to consider our


    children¡¯s wellbeing.¡±


    Neil turned his head to look at Karina, who was speaking. His gaze was neither overly warm nor loving.


    But it was not cold or indifferent either. It was simply calm


    and rxed.


    That waspletely different from the way he used to look at Bonnie.

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385


    Chapter 385


    ¡°Ste, there seems to be a lively scene over there. Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± I decided to ignore Karina¡¯s


    tiring chit-chat and headed off with the baby stroller.


    Ste must have realized that Karina was no pushover. Any verbal jabs were like water off a duck¡¯s


    back to her, and to continue was a waste of breath.


    Our group, with the children in tow, bypassed Karina, heading towards the other side of the beach.


    There were some kids¡¯ games nearby. Ste and Barbara took their little ones to y. And even


    Cooper, the group¡¯s lone bachelor, went in to help watch the kids.


    Little Serena and Brandon were still too small. So, I stayed outside, asionally teasing them and


    snapping a few photos for memories.


    ¡°Mommy, I want to y too!¡± Suddenly, Hiram¡¯s voice rang in my ears. I turned to see him staring


    longingly at the yground. His voice was filled with excitement.


    Karina held Hiram¡¯s hand, a gentle smile on her face, ¡°Sure, but some of the games seem a bit


    dangerous, and the other children have their fathers with them. Hiram, you¡¯re a brave boy. You don¡¯t


    need your father to apany you, do you?¡±


    I saw a brief sh of coldness cross Karina¡¯s face. Despite her smile to Hiram, I felt an unsettling chill.


    Neil stood on the other side of Karina, unable to see the subtle expressions on her face. He merely


    observed the children in the yground, and his cold demeanor contrasted sharply with the bustling


    scene.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a brave little man, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Hiram spoke as he pped his chest to express his


    bravery, but then paused, as if understanding something. He then quickly ran to Neil, ¡°Daddy, can you


    go with me? I¡¯m a bit scared to go alone.¡±


    I shifted my attention away from them, pushing the baby stroller towards the side.


    After a while, I saw Neil apanying Hiram into the yground. He had agreed to Hiram¡¯s request.


    It made sense. He was desperate to have a child of his own, and then there was Hiram, right in front of


    him. Despite missing the past few years, blood was thicker than water. He still loved his child.


    I couldn¡¯t help but look at Serena and Brandon in the stroller. Their biological father was nearby, not


    holding them, not talking to them, but ying with another


    child.


    Suddenly, Brandon started crying. I had no choice but to pick him up andfort him, but he was


    inconsble.


    Feeling helpless, I walked around with him, trying to soothe him, but to no avail.


    We were near the end of the beach, surrounded by parents with their children. Distracted, I wandered a


    bit farther away. My sole focus was to calm Brandon.


    But my eyes were still fixed on the stroller, ready to rush over at the slightest sign of trouble.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s child is drowning over there! Everyone, be careful! Watch your children!¡± Suddenly,


    someone shouted.


    Startled, I quickly scanned the surroundings. Many people were running over.


    The crowd thickened, and I rushed to the stroller. Although it was only a few meters away, I was


    knocked aside by the crowd. I saw someone push the stroller, sending it hurtling towards the edge of


    the beach.


    ¡°Serena!¡± I screamed, holding Brandon tightly and chasing after the stroller.


    Suddenly, another figure appeared ahead. With swift agility, he caught the stroller just before it could hit


    the water.


    To my surprise, it was Neil.


    My heart pounded with relief. I couldn¡¯t imagine what would have happened if Serena had fallen into


    the water or if the stroller had tipped over.


    Serena, frightened by the ordeal, started crying loudly.


    Neil caught his breath and reached out to pick up Serena from the stroller. But when he saw me


    approach, he withdrew his hand, and his face returned to its usual cold expression, ¡°If you can¡¯t take


    care of your own children, then don¡¯t go out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± My mind was upied with nothing but gratitude. Even though it was Neil, I was


    genuinely grateful.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your husband?¡± Neil suddenly asked.


    I ced Brandon in the stroller and picked up the terrified Serena. I managed to smile at Neil, ¡°He had


    to step out for a bit.¡±


    Neil¡¯s gaze cooled at my reply, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot that Russel Dawson¡¯s father hasn¡¯t been well and


    that he went back to Rosemont.¡±


    He had epted and acknowledged that Russel was my husband and the father of Serena and


    Brandon.


    I was too busy calming Serena to respond to Neil¡¯sment.


    ¡°Neil, what¡¯s going on?!¡± Karina arrived, Hiram in tow. Her face stiffened when she saw me and Neil


    standing together. But she quickly rxed, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re catching up with Ms. Finch. Hiram said you


    suddenly left him and ran off. I thought something had happened.¡±


    Neil nced at me. His voice was impassive, ¡°Her stroller rolled over here. I just helped.¡±


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s only right to help. Are the babies okay? They weren¡¯t scared, were they?¡± Karina feigned


    concern, first looking at Serena in my arms, then at Brandon in the


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    stroller.


    I felt her gaze linger on Brandon for a few seconds longer.


    I put Serena back in the stroller and started to move away, ¡°The kids are fine. The stroller got knocked


    away in the crowd, but thanks to Mr. Whitmore¡¯s help, things didn¡¯t go south. Thanks again!¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t respond, just watched me impassively.


    Karina, on the other hand, was much bubblier. She advised me, ¡°When you¡¯re at ces like this, as fun


    as they are, they can also be full of unexpected incidents. just heard there was a little one who nearly


    drowned over there. So, us, parents, must keep a close eye on our kids, Ms. Finch For your twins,


    you¡¯ll need at least two adults. Where¡¯s your husband? Didn¡¯t hee with you?¡±


    They sure knew how to hit a nerve. They were both asking about my husband.


    I merely shook my head ¡°He¡¯s not home. I¡¯ll be heading out now. See you.¡±


    With a casual wave, I pushed the stroller away, eager to leave. The recent events left me shaken, and


    all I wanted was to head home and rest.

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386


    Chapter 386


    I decided to head homie, thinking of rallying Ste and the gang from the amusement park, but they


    were deep into their fun and I hesitated. Eventually, I sent them a text message and went on my way


    alone.


    My house wasn¡¯t too far from here; the walk would help me cool off after the tense situation.


    To my surprise, Neil, Karina, and their son Hiram were also heading in the same direction.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Hiram caught up with a couple of strides, waving at the twins, Serena and Brandon, in the


    stroller before starting to make funny faces at them.


    Karina, for once, put a stop to Hiram¡¯s antics, ¡°Hiram,e here!¡±


    Hiram pouted slightly, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m just having a bit of fun. They¡¯re so cute!¡±


    Karina¡¯s expression shifted subtly at Hiram¡¯sment, but she quickly agreed, ¡°Yes, they are indeed


    cute. Don¡¯t you think they resemble that gentleman we saw at the hospital the other day?¡±


    Hiram pondered for a moment before shaking his head and answering, ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ I think he¡­


    He pointed at Brandon in the stroller, then at Neil, ¡°He looks like¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Karina quickly interrupted him, ¡°Hiram, have youpleted your


    English workbook today? I remember you rushing out before finishing!¡±


    At Karina¡¯s question, Hiram looked taken aback and a bit anxious, ¡°Mommy, 1¡­¡±


    Neil spoke up then, ¡°That¡¯s all right, there¡¯s always tomorrow. We can take our time learning.¡±


    Hiram quickly hid behind Neil, nodding vigorously, ¡°Right, Dad. You noticed that my English has


    improved, right? I¡¯m a genius!¡±


    ¡°Even a genius needs to study hard, got it? Don¡¯t use your dad as a shield,¡± Karina said with a smile of


    satisfaction on her face. Seeing Neil and Hiram getting along must¡¯ve made her happy; it¡¯s what she¡¯d


    been hoping for all those years.


    I bit my lip and hastened my pace.


    I walked so fast that I stumbled over a rock and twisted my ankle. I was speechless at the unfortunate


    timing of this ident.


    I attempted to push the stroller home despite the intense pain, but it was impossible to ignore and even


    harder to walk normally.


    Neil immediately eximed, ¡°How many times are you going to twist those ankles of yours?¡±


    I turned to look at him, surprise shing in his eyes. He seemed as surprised as I was about his


    subconscious reaction. His surprise quickly turned into indifference ¡°Has Ms. Finch always had a


    history of twisting her ankles?¡± Karina asked, ncing between Neil and me. ¡°If so, it¡¯s best to get it


    checked at the hospital.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just apply some ointment when I get home,¡± I declined Karina¡¯s suggestion, attempting to


    continue walking despite the pain.


    The exertion needed to push the stroller only amplified the pain in my ankle.


    Just as I was about to call my parents for help, someone took the stroller from me. A set of long, well-


    defined hands gripped the handle and continued to push the


    stroller forward.


    I looked at Neil in surprise and confusion. What was he trying to do in front of Karina?


    ¡°Ms. Finch, let me help you walk,¡± Karina offered, not seeming upset at all. Instead, she supported me,


    allowing me to walk more easily.


    Neil¡¯s expression softened slightly at Karina¡¯s actions.


    I pretended not to notice.


    His gaze was starting to annoy me.


    Since they both insisted on ying the good Samaritans, I saw no reason to refuse. I let Neil push the


    stroller while Karina supported me, all the way home.


    We arrived at my doorstep in about ten minutes.


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    ¡°All right, this is it. Thanks for your help tonight,¡± I extracted my hand from Karina¡¯s and took the stroller


    from Neil, thanking them with a smile.


    The whole walk, they acted like a couple, especially with Hiram running around. His innocent questions


    made Karinaugh, and she would then pass those questions on to Neil, allowing father and son to


    interact.


    If it weren¡¯t for my limping between them, they would¡¯ve looked like a couple taking their eldest son and


    twin babies out for a stroll.


    ¡°TII push it to the door,¡± Karina offered, taking the stroller from me and continuing towards my door.


    I was about to refuse, not wanting to make my parents ufortable when Russel, my neighbor,


    suddenly emerged from his house. Seeing me with Neil and Karina, he quickly approached, supporting


    me by the arm.


    ¡°What happened? Twisted your ankle again?¡± Russel asked, concerned.


    ¡°Yeah, I walked too fast. Howe you¡¯re back so soon?¡± I countered.


    ¡°Worried you couldn¡¯t handle the twins alone, so I rushed back. Have Serena and Brandon been


    behaving?¡± Russel took over the stroller, intentionally distancing himself from Neil and Karina.


    Karina looked bemused, ¡°Seems like Ms. Finch does twist her ankle quite often. Even Russel knows.¡±


    I smiled at her, ¡°Well, one¡¯s my ex-husband and the other¡¯s my current. It¡¯s only normal for them to


    know.¡±


    As long as I answered nonchntly, she couldn¡¯t make me ufortable, and I could even turn the


    tables.


    Sure enough, Karina¡¯s smile faltered slightly, but she maintained herposure and returned to Neil¡¯s


    side, ¡°Neil, Ms. Finch is in good hands now. Let¡¯s go back and rest, Hiram must be tired as well.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face remained unchanged, yet I could detect a shift in his mood, a subtle undercurrent of gloom


    that seemed to hover around him like a thermometer gradually rising.


    ¡°Hey, you must be tired, too. Next time, ditch the stilettos, okay? Aren¡¯t your feet hurting?¡± Neil nced


    down at Karina¡¯s shoes. His words carried a gentle reproach.


    Caught off guard, Karina quickly shed a radiant smile and nodded. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll take your advice. I¡¯ll


    wear ts next time we go out. So, you won¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    Neil curved his lips into a smile. ¡°Good, that¡¯s my girl. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With that, be the initiative to hold Karina¡¯s hand and turned to leave. For a fleeting moment, he nced


    at me, and his eyes were filled with coldness.

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387


    Chapter 387


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s head in too,¡± Russel suggested as he watched Neil and his crew depart, swinging open


    the gate to my homestead.


    I called out, ¡°Dad, Mom!¡±


    Quick as a sh, my parents hurried out. There was a surprised look on their faces as they took in my


    limp.


    They took charge of pushing the kids in, while Russel supported me.


    Once we settled into the living room, Serena and Brandon had already drifted off to sleep. I ryed the


    events of the evening at the beach to my parents and Russel, sparing no detail.


    Upon hearing that Serena had almost had an ident, my dad paled, ¡°I told you not to take the kids


    out sote at night. It gets crowded there. You need to always set the brake on the stroller when it¡¯s


    parked. How could you just leave Serena there and walk away?¡±


    His affection for me, once boundless, then seemed divided between Serena and Brandon. Yet, I felt no


    jealousy. I knew that the love my parents held for their grandchildren was simply a natural thing.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± my mother chimed in, ¡°Next time, one of us must apany you!¡± She immediately went


    to check on Serena. Her heart ached with concern.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Russel had fetched some ointment, urging me to take off my shoes so he could apply it.


    1


    Staring at my swollen ankle, he sighed, ¡°Try not to rush while walking. Twisted ankles can get worse


    over time and affect your ligaments.¡±


    I nodded, epting his advice despite the frustrating inevitability of my missteps.


    When Ste and her group returned, it waste into the night. Russel had prepared a feast for them.


    ¡°Damn! This smells good!¡± Coopervished praise without reservation. ¡°Russel, howe I never


    knew you were such a great cook? Have you been honing your skillstely?¡±


    ¡°You never made time for it before,¡± Russel retorted, peeling a shrimp and effortlessly cing it in my


    bowl. ¡°Eat up.¡±


    Ste smirked at the exchange, ¡°Putting on a lovers¡¯ show for us, are you? A man as devoted and


    upright as Dr. Russel is rare these days. How envious!¡±


    Mitch sat up straighter at her teasing, quickly peeling a few shrimps into Ste¡¯s bowl, dering with a


    serious face, ¡°Whatever other women have, my woman should have too!¡±


    1


    His cheesy and dramatic deration almost made everyone burst intoughter.


    The lively and rxed atmosphere dispelled the bitter mood from earlier. After tucking everyone in, I


    limped towards the gate to see Russel out.


    He stopped me, ¡°Go to sleep, I¡¯m just next door. You don¡¯t need to see me out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for applying ointment for me and cooking for everyone,¡± I sincerely thanked Russel.


    ¡°No problem. I enjoyed it,¡± Russel replied with a wry smile, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had a meal with


    Cooper and Mitch.¡±


    I felt guilty, knowing that it was my situation that had distanced Russel from Mitch and Cooper.


    They stood by Neil, believing that Russel had crossed a line by being interested in his friend¡¯s wife,


    regardless of my marital status with Neil.


    ¡°Mitch and Ste will be here for a while, working on a project with Whitmore Co. If you want to mend


    your rtionship with them, now¡¯s the time,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Now, get some rest,¡± Russel replied simply, urging me to sleep.


    ¡°All right, you should rest too,¡± I said. Then suddenly I recalled something and asked, ¡°By the way,


    how¡¯s your father?¡±


    A flicker of unease crossed Russel¡¯s eyes before he looked away, replying casually, ¡°He¡¯s fine. Just


    some minor health issues thate with age.¡±


    After staying for a couple of days, Ste and her crew moved to a house they had rented nearby, as


    they nned to stay longer.


    Alicia and Barbara¡¯s family returned to Rosemont.


    My parents took Serena and Brandon out for a walk, leaving the once lively house quiet. I almost dozed


    off on the couch.


    My phone buzzed, jolting me awake. It was Mitch.


    I picked up, puzzled, since we rarely contacted each other directly. Usually, wemunicated through


    Ste.


    Mitch¡¯s pitiful voice came over the line, ¡°Rena, I need a favor¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it this time? Did Ste hit you again?¡± I asked, suspecting the most probable cause.


    ¡°Not this time. But if she finds out, I might get a real beating,¡± Mitch sounded nervous.


    I was curious, wondering what could have possibly made Mitch so anxious.


    Mitch then exined me the favor he wanted, after which I also felt like hitting him. How could he have


    been so forgetful?


    Mitch had left a USB sh drive at my house. It was in the drawer of the room he and Ste had


    upied. He was supposed to deliver it to Neil, but had to rush back to Rosemont to fetch something


    ¡°Could you do me a favor? Can you please deliver this sh drive to Neil¡¯s ce? He has a meeting in


    an hour, and he needs it. I wouldn¡¯t make it even if I sprouted wings and flew¡­ Mitch sounded like he


    was on the brink of tears. ¡°If my wife finds out, I¡¯m toast.¡±


    ¡°Mitch, are you getting senile in your youth? You¡¯re as forgetful as a goldfish!¡± I was fuming, not


    because I didn¡¯t want to help Mitch, but because I wasn¡¯t thrilled about the idea of seeing Neil or


    delivering some random sh drive.


    But at that moment, it seemed like I was the only one who could have helped him out. It didn¡¯t feel right


    to refuse.


    So, after some more pleading from Mitch, I reluctantly agreed to take the sh drive to Neil.

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388


    Chapter 388


    My folks weren¡¯t at home, and my sprained ankle was pretty much healed. So, I could set off


    immediately.


    Neil was downtown in Eldoria during that time, and it would have taken me half an hour to get there by


    car.


    Upon reaching my destination, I looked up at the towering skyscraper. Entry and exit required a card


    swipe. So, I had no choice but to call Mitch, ¡°Can you tell Neil toe down? I can¡¯t get in.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll call him now!¡± Mitch hung up after speaking.


    I waited a few minutes, before Mitch called me back, ¡°Rena, Neil isn¡¯t picking up. Can you wait a bit


    longer?¡±


    Since I was already here, I naturally wanted to help. So, I replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    I then settled down on a sofa in the lobby to wait.


    The elevator doors opened in the distance, and a familiar figure sprinted out. It was Hiram.


    He was decked out in a gray-blue cartoon cowboy outfit, donning a baseball cap. His face, identical to


    Neil¡¯s, was adorned with a mischievous expression as he bolted outside.


    I didn¡¯t want to interfere, but Hiram was alone, without Karina or Neil. What if something happened to


    him?


    Sometimes, I had to admit the power of blood ties. Hiram, like Serena and Brandon, inherited blood


    from the same father.


    Although I didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it, he was indeed the half-brother of my two kids. He was


    innocent; the adults were to me.


    As Hiram¡¯s figure disappeared at the entrance, I decided to follow him.


    To my surprise, the little guy had improved his English significantly since returning from abroad. His


    other skills were top-notch as well. He even managed to hail a ride share!


    ¡°Where are your parents?¡± The driver, upon seeing a six or seven-year-old boy getting into the car


    alone, didn¡¯t immediately drive off. Instead, he asked Hiram.


    I listened to their conversation from a distance.


    Hiram replied, ¡°My parents are a bit busy and asked me to take your car to find them.¡±


    ¡°No can do, kiddo. I can¡¯t just drive you alone. Did your parents order the ride? Call them to cancel,¡± the


    driver refused.


    ¡°Why not? I have her phone. I can pay. I have money!¡± Hiram argued loudly, ¡°I want to go to the


    amusement park. If you take me there, I¡¯ll give you an extra 500!¡±


    The naive child was throwing money around.


    Thergest amusement park was only three miles away.


    It seemed he had sneaked out to go y there. The kid just wanted to have some fun.


    ¡°Hiram.¡± I walked over and opened the car door, ¡°Get out. You can¡¯t go to the amusement park alone


    without your parents!¡±


    Upon seeing me, Hiram furrowed his cute brows and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re not my mom. Mind your own


    business!¡±


    The driver, seeing I knew Hiram, quickly asked me to take the kid away so he could carry on with his


    work.


    Reluctantly, I reached out to grab Hiram¡¯s hand. Although he was only five or six years old, he put up


    quite a struggle. My arm got a kick from him, which stung.


    That upset me. In my annoyance, I became more forceful, ¡°Get out! Otherwise, I¡¯ll tell your parents


    immediately and you¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡±


    Hearing my words, Hiram hesitated. But eventually, he let me pull him out of the car reluctantly. I led


    him back towards the skyscraper.


    Just as we reached the entrance, I saw Neil sprinting out anxiously, followed by several assistants.


    Seeing Hiram, his anxiety turned into anger, ¡°Hiram Whitmore! Who let you run around?!¡±


    Hiram immediately hid behind me, clutching my clothes and peeking at Neil without uttering a word.


    Only then did Neil¡¯s gaze fall on me, ¡°What are you doing here? Did you bring him out?¡±


    I took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to thrash Neil, and handed him the USB, ¡°Didn¡¯t you get


    Mitch¡¯s call?¡±


    Neil took the USB and paused momentarily. His tone softened slightly as he replied, ¡°No, I was looking


    for Hiram. He went missing.¡±


    It was clear that Neil was worried about Hiram.


    ¡°If you¡¯re too busy, don¡¯t drag him around. Get someone to stay with him at home or have Karina stay


    with him if she¡¯s free. He even ordered a ride-share on his own, nning to sneak off to the


    amusement park. Luckily the driver saw it was just a little kid and didn¡¯t drive off.¡± I pulled Hiram


    forward and pushed him towards Neil.


    Hiram pouted and muttered, ¡°I wanted to go out and y.¡±


    His parents were too busy to spend time with him, which was probably why he wanted to sneak out.


    Neil signaled one of his assistants with his eyes, who then took Hiram away.


    Since my job was done, I nned to leave.


    ¡°Thanks for bringing this over. It¡¯s important.¡± Neil stopped me, ¡°Where are your kids? Who¡¯s taking


    care of them?¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°My folks took them for a walk, and Russel is at home too, so they¡¯re fine, I replied with a faint smile.


    Neil didn¡¯t smile. Instead, he studied me with a scrutinizing gaze, ¡°Is that so? There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t


    get though. Why does one of your kids look a lot like me?¡±


    My heart sank instantly. Neil had seen Brandon several times by that time and had obviously noticed


    the resemnce,


    If even Mitch and the others could see it, Neil would¡¯ve undoubtedly noticed it as well.


    The more that happened, the more I had to keep calm. I shook my head nonchntly, ¡°I don¡¯t know


    either. Do you think it¡¯s possible that one kid is his and the other is yours?¡±


    Neil furrowed his eyebrows, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I answered candidly, ¡°If in a short period, I had rtions with two different men, there¡¯s a certain


    probability¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, shut up!¡± Before I could finish, Neil¡¯s face darkened. And his voice wasced with irritation.


    I immediately closed my mouth and didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Neil pulled out a cigarette, lit it in front of me, and irritably told me to leave, ¡°That¡¯s it. Stay away from


    me.¡±


    I nced at the burning cigarette in his fingertips and left without a word.


    When I got home, my parents were already there. They asked where I had been, and I casually replied,


    ¡°Just went for a walk to get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Rena, has Neil contacted you these past few days?¡± my mom asked me.


    ¡°No, Mom. What¡¯s got you worried now? I¡¯m just stepping out for a bit.¡± I sighed and was a bit


    frustrated. It was as if my mother had some sixth sense about Neil.


    My mom was gently rocking Serena in her arms as she spoke, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Neil is unpredictable.


    Who knows if Karina and the baby can really hold him down?¡± ¡°Mom, he values his family. Trust me.¡± I


    took Serena from her, nting a kiss on her chubby cheek. Her sweet milky scent and softness melted


    my heart.

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389


    Chapter 389


    ¡°Word has it that Neil¡¯s parents are quite smitten with the boy. They¡¯ve been itching to be grandparents


    for a while now. They must be absolutely thrilled.¡± My father casually mentioned.


    If Ryan and Faith Whitmore ever found out that Serena and Brandon were their grandchildren, I bet


    they would have been over the moon.


    It was not as though the Whitmores couldn¡¯t afford to provide for them. But it was heartbreaking to


    know that my twins were destined to grow up without the affection of their grandparents.


    No matter what, I had to do everything in my power to fill the void of love they were missing.


    Three dayster, Ste and Mitch returned to Eldoria, this time apanied by their newborn. They


    had left the older twins with the grandparents for the time


    being.


    Bounding into my house with her usual enthusiasm, Ste announced, ¡°Rena, let¡¯s go out and have


    some fun!¡±


    ¡°Fun? What kind of fun?¡± I asked absentmindedly while trimming Brandon¡¯s nails.


    ¡°There¡¯s this couple¡¯s retreat on an ind nearby for three days and two nights. It¡¯s just a two-hour


    drive from here. Let¡¯s go!¡± Ste, ever the restless spirit, proposed. I refused, a bit helpless, ¡°I can¡¯t. I


    have the kids. Why don¡¯t you and Mitch go?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ste pouted, ¡°That¡¯s no fun. You and Russel have kids together and yet you haven¡¯t even thrown a


    wedding party or anything. You need to do something significant.¡± Then she looked at Russel and


    asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Russel?¡±


    Russel was perched by the window, basking Serena in the sunlight. He had ced her on hisp, and


    his arms gently wrapped around her. The scene was heartwarming.


    Every so often, Serena would wave her little hands around, seemingly enjoying the moment.


    ¡°Whatever she wants,¡± Russel replied softly. ¡°If she wants to go, I¡¯m all for it.¡±


    Ste gave me a teasing look. ¡°See? He¡¯s willing to go with you. Aren¡¯t you going to give him an


    answer? It seems like he really wants to spend time with you.¡±


    Russel did not say anything. Instead, he gave me a knowing look, and his eyes were full of affectionate


    indulgence.


    I had never nned on having a wedding with Russel. He was helping me take care of the kids of his


    own ord, and despite how selfish it might be to admit, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to refuse his help.


    Even if I locked him out, my parents would have just let him back in. Deep down, they were hoping for


    a romantic spark to ignite between Russel and me.


    ¡°Go ahead. We¡¯ll take care of the kids. You¡¯re not exclusively breastfeeding. So, we can manage for a


    few days,¡± my mother chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ll hire a nanny to help out/ before you leave. Everything will be


    fine.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m notfortable leaving the kids.¡± I tried to refuse; the idea of going on a couple¡¯s retreat with


    Russel felt strange.


    ¡°What are you worried about? We¡¯re their grandparents. Don¡¯t you trust us? We¡¯ll call you if anything


    happens. Consider this a chance to unwind. You¡¯ve been cooped up inside for too long!¡± my mother


    interrupted.


    My father quickly agreed, ¡°Right. You keptining about being bored at home when you were


    pregnant. Now you have a chance to get out and have some fun. Seize the opportunity.¡±


    Pressured by my parents¡¯ persuasion and Ste¡¯s encouragement, I reluctantly agreed to go, partly out


    of curiosity.


    Russel¡¯s smile grew brighter. He yfully tickled Serena, radiating warmth and tenderness.


    If I imed that I wasn¡¯t a little swayed or moved, I would have been lying. At that time, I was not just


    thinking for myself, but for my kids as well.


    Serena and Brandon were still too young to recognize their own father. If I could have epted Russel,


    they might have started looking at him as their own father.


    I thought, ¡°As long as Russel could keep showering them with the same level of love and


    tenderness¡­¡±


    But such thoughts were selfish. How could I have expected Russel to continue being so good to my


    children? He had every right to have his own children.


    ¡°All right; then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll leave this Friday, and I¡¯ll pick you up!¡± Ste bade me goodbye, then


    took off like a whirlwind.


    We had three days to prepare. During that time, we could have hired a nanny to help my parents with


    Serena and Brandon. I was a bit worried that they might-have struggled to manage, and I was wary of


    the old-fashioned childcare methods they might have employed. A professional nanny would have


    certainly been more knowledgeable.


    The next day, I contacted a nanny service and received profiles of some top-notch nannies. The choice


    was mine to make.


    I chose a rtively young nanny, and without wasting any time, had here to my house on Friday


    morning. After briefing her on the basic childcare needs, Ste arrived, as energetic as ever.


    Mitch was in charge of driving, while Ste sat in the backseat with her baby.


    Russet and I followed in another car, heading towards the ind that was to be our home for the next


    three days.


    During the drive, I listened to music and asionally made small talk, which was mostly about the kids.


    To reach the ind, we had to take a ferry: Russel parked the car, and we met up with Ste and Mitch


    to board the boat.


    That was the first time I was going to be away from my kids for so long, and I was already missing


    them. I kept scrolling through the photos and videos of them on my phone.


    ¡°If you¡¯re having second thoughts, we can still go back, Russel noticed my unease and gently


    suggested.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I miss them already¡± I replied, putting my phone away.


    Russelforted me, ¡°We¡¯ll be back in a couple of days. With the nanny around, everything should be


    fine.¡±


    I decided to heed his advice and rx for a few days.


    Our couples¡¯ retreat package cost $19999 and included three days and two nights on the ind, as


    well as meals and various couples¡¯ activities like scuba diving, rock climbing, and camping to watch the


    sunrise.


    The whole idea was to strengthen the bond between couples. I wasn¡¯t sure if it would have worked,


    having never tried it before.


    Once we checked into our hotel, Russel and I received our room key. It was a couple¡¯s suite with a


    large bed, which felt a bit inappropriate to me. But I didn¡¯t want to make a scene in front of Ste and


    Mitch. So, I didn¡¯t say anything.


    There were quite a few other couples participating in the retreat. Some arrived after us, but I didn¡¯t pay


    much attention to them. Instead, I decided to rest in our room with Russel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the couch,¡± Russel offered as soon as we entered the room as if he was concerned about my


    comfort.


    ¡°All right,¡± I nodded in agreement.


    There was an outdoor movie night happening on the beach of the ind. The event organizers


    suggested dressing up a bit glitz and m, making it feel like the first date for couples on the ind.


    I chose a ck sequined body-con dress. It exposed my shoulders and a bit of cleavage, but not too


    much. It had a tie around the waist that perfectly entuated my figure. The hem of the dress fell mid-


    thigh, showcasing my long legs to their full advantage.

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    Chapter 390


    Perhaps it was because I had always been too lean before, but after having a child, my figure had


    rounded out a bit. I had developed curves in all the right ces, giving me a more feminine look.


    Upon seeing me, a glint of admiration shed through Russel¡¯s eyes. He then quicklyposed


    himself and sincerelyplimented me, ¡°You look stunning. That dress suits you.¡±


    ¡°Really? I was worried that I wouldn¡¯t be able to pull it off.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief. After all, that kind


    of dress was quite demanding on the figure, and sometimes I was quite concerned about what others


    thought of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous. Maybe you could do something with your hair. Perhaps curls would suit you better.¡±


    Russel pointed towards my hair and then asked, ¡°Shall I give it a


    try? I can do simple curls, just for tonight.¡±


    Russel had that skill too? I was a bit surprised, but I nheless handed him the curling iron.


    Unexpectedly, Russel¡¯s curling technique was indeed very good. Looking at therge waves in the


    mirror, I felt a sense of elegance.


    ¡°Now, I will apply some makeup.¡± I was very satisfied with my hair and didn¡¯t notice the change in


    Russel¡¯s gaze.


    As he watched me in the mirror, he lowered his gaze, ¡°All right, I¡¯m going to step out for some fresh air.¡±


    Once Russel had left, I started applying makeup. I used to prefer a natural look and had never truly


    tried heavy makeup. But today, I decided to give it a go.


    After finishing my makeup, I realized Russel hadn¡¯t returned yet. He sent me a message, saying, ¡°I¡¯m


    waiting in the hotel lobby;e straight down when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Once I was ready, I prepared to head downstairs.


    ¡°Hiram, don¡¯t run off, or daddy will be upset,¡± I heard a familiar voice just as I reached the elevator.


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    Hiram ran over and Karina followed behind him, her voice slightly raised.


    Upon seeing me, Karina was taken aback.


    The elevator doors opened and Hiram nced at me without saying a word. He walked into the


    elevator first and then called back to Karina, ¡°Mommy, hurry up, or daddy will get impatient!¡±


    Karina quickened her pace and entered the elevator after giving me a polite nod, ¡°Ms. Finch, are you


    coming? Are you here for the weekend couples retreat too?¡±


    -I nodded and walked into the elevator.


    Karina didn¡¯t seem to mind my cold reception. She rarely lost herposure. Even on the day of Neil


    and Bonnie¡¯s engagement, despite all that had happened, she never showed any signs of breakdown


    or helplessness.


    Given what she had done in the past, she was definitely a woman of deep scheming and ruthless


    tactics. 1 preferred to steer clear of her.


    ¡°Hiram, you need to behave, okay?¡± Karina held Hiram¡¯s hand, gently instructing him. Your father and I


    weren¡¯t nning on bringing you this time, but your father didn¡¯t want you to be bored at home alone.


    So, you need to be good. All right?¡±


    ¡°Okay, mommy. Does daddy really like me? Is that why he brought me along?¡± Hiram asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course! All the toys and snacks at home, your father had them bought just for you. If he didn¡¯t love


    you, why would he spoil you like this?¡± Karina¡¯s smile became even brighter as she stroked Hiram¡¯s


    hair. ¡°You¡¯re our only child and the fruit of our love. How could we not love you?¡±


    Listening to her words, I couldn¡¯t say I felt nothing. But it wasn¡¯t too painful either.


    I aimed to distance myself from Neil and Karina. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten entangled in their


    affairs. It was just a pang of regret I felt asionally because of Hiram.


    ¡°Do you guys n on having more kids? Will you stop loving me if you do?¡± Hiram, who usually


    seemed bold and mischievous, sounded unexpectedly sensitive with that question.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re our only child. There won¡¯t be any other children.¡± When Karina said that she nced at me


    with profound meaning.


    I pretended not to notice and walked out once the elevator doors opened.


    Russel was sitting on a sofa in the lobby waiting for me. As soon as he saw me, he stood up and


    walked towards me.


    When he saw Karina and Hiram emerging from the elevator, his face turned cold, clearly displeased,


    Karina, however, greeted Russel casually, ¡°Oh, you brought your wife along too. How sweet.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Russel responded briefly, not intending to chat further. He held my hand and we walked


    I didn¡¯t know where Neil was waiting for Karina and Hiram, but I didn¡¯t see him.


    away.


    The movie party started at six thirty in the evening. A giant screen was set up on the beach where a


    movie was going to be yed. Roses and lights were arranged around, along with a variety of food and


    drinks. As the sun set, it would have turned into a romantic and beautiful scene.


    Other couples had already arrived. Some were strolling on the beach, some were tasting the food, and


    and some were taking photos. Everyone was dressed up.


    ¡°Shall we take a walk?¡± Russel asked, not letting go of my hand. His hand was getting sweaty but when


    he asked.


    I nodded in approval.


    Walking barefoot on the beach was the best. I took off my heels and strolled on the beach with Russel


    under the twilight. The waves rushed towards us and then receded, creating a soothing sound.


    The scent of the sea breeze rxed me. That moment of peace made me feel very content.


    Suddenly, Hiram¡¯s voice echoed. I tumed towards the sound and saw him standing on the beach,


    making a peace sign while Karina was taking pictures of him,


    Behind them stood Neil, dressed in a ck shirt and trousers. He hadn¡¯t even bothered with a tie,


    unlike the others who were dressed formally. But he still stood out His chansma was impossible to


    ignore.


    The warm, red sunset fell on him, and the sea breeze messed up his hair, revealing his clean forehead.


    His exquisite eyes were slightly furrowed. He didn¡¯t seem to be enjoying the beautiful scene or the


    warmth of his family.


    Suddenly, he looked at me. I pretended not to see him and continued walking with Russel.


    I needed to get away from them as soon as possible!


    ¡°If I had.


    d.known he was here, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you.¡± Russel finally spoke, sounding slightly irritated.


    That kind of constantly running into each other was indeed frustrating.


    ¡°No worries. Let¡¯s pretend we¡¯re strangers.¡± I chuckled, letting go of Russel¡¯s hand, and crouched on


    the beach, scooping up a handful of sand before asking, ¡°How about a picture for memory¡¯s sake?¡±


    Russel took out his phone to capture the moment while I struck a pose. Dressed to the nines with


    wless makeup, it would have been a shame not to have a picture.


    ¡°Dad, you and mom get a little closer. Give her a kiss!¡± Hiram¡¯s voice rang out, assuming the role of a


    director, guiding Neil and Karina for a perfect keepsake photo.

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    Chapter 391


    ¡°Hiram, that¡¯s enough. Your father isn¡¯t fond of public disys of affection,¡± Karina chimed in, and a


    warm smile graced her face. The cheerfulness she constantly exuded was reminiscent of Gloria.


    It was no wonder that Gloria preferred Karina over Kate. As the saying goes, blood is thicker than


    water.


    Neil felt my gaze and nced at me before gently cing his arm around Karina¡¯s slender waist. She


    looked elegant in a white sundress, a perfect match for him.


    Upon feeling Neil¡¯s touch, Karina leaned her head affectionately against his arm, her face lighting up


    with a smile.


    ¡°Hey, over here.¡± Russel¡¯s voice pulled me back to reality.


    What was I doing, watching my ex-husband and his sweetheart living their happily-ever-after?


    ¡°Come here. Let¡¯s take a picture together. Let¡¯s get someone to snap a shot for us.¡± I beckoned Russel


    over.


    ¡°Us? Together?¡± Russel seemed surprised but quickly shed a smile, ¡°Sure.¡±


    But who could we have asked to take the picture?


    Ignoring everyone else, I waited for Hiram to finish taking pictures of Neil and Karina before turning to


    him, ¡°Hiram, could you take a couple of photos for us?¡±


    Hiram stopped in his tracks, looking confused.


    Neil and Karina, expressionless, joined us.


    ¡°Hiram¡¯s photography skills are average, Miss Finch. How about I take the pictures for you?¡± Karina


    offered.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Russel agreed immediately, handing his phone over to Karina.


    Despite my reluctance, I didn¡¯t object.


    Russel and I stood side by side, not too close yet not too distant, more like good friends than a couple.


    After Karina took a couple of shots, she suggested, ¡°Miss Finch, you two are married, right? You seem


    a little shy. How about a more intimate pose?¡±


    Russel was about to refuse, probably fearing I would have been ufortable, but I interrupted, ¡°Sure.


    We¡¯re just a little embarrassed.¡± I then hooked my arm around Russel¡¯s and leaned my head against


    him.


    Russel¡¯s body stiffened for a moment but he quickly rxed and leaned into me.


    After Karina took another shot, she suggested, ¡°Try another pose. Russel, how about a kiss for your


    wife?¡±


    A sudden chill ran down my spine at her words. Neil was staring at Russel and me, and his gaze was


    cold as ice.


    Russel turned to me as if seeking my approval.


    Without a word, I tiptoed and kissed his cheek while he bent down considerately.


    Karina seemed pleased, snapping pictures from various angles. Holding up the picture of me kissing


    Russel, she turned to Neil and asked, ¡°What do you think of this one? I think it¡¯s beautiful. The sunset


    and the couple kissing make it look so good. Miss Finch and Russel make a lovely pair.¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t even nce at the picture. Instead, he took Hiram¡¯s hand and walked away.


    Karina¡¯s face faltered but quickly returned to normal. She handed the phone back to Russel, ¡°You guys


    can pick your favorite photos. I¡¯m going to find Neil.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Russel took his phone back.


    Watching Karina chase after Neil, I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that she was in a hurry.


    I pushed away those thoughts and continued my stroll on the beach with Russel.


    As the movie started, Russel and I returned to the big screen where couples had gathered. The


    ambient lights created a romantic atmosphere.


    That was the first time Russel and I attended an event like that. It was quite fun. I sipped on some wine


    and found a spot to sit down and watch the movie with


    him.


    ¡°Damn, Rena, did youe here to win a beauty pageant? You look stunning!¡± Ste came over, her


    eyes practically popping out of her head as sheplimented


    1.


    Mitch, holding their child, stood by nodding in agreement. His gaze wandered around before finally


    landing on Neil and Karina.


    He kept ncing back and forth between me and them, seeminglyparing us.


    Mitch was a notorious gossip. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn¡¯t quell his love for gossip.


    ¡°You look gorgeous, too.¡± Iplimented Ste, and we started to exchange praises.


    Russel, standing by our side, asionally offered me some snacks. If I was too engrossed in my


    conversation, he would feed me.


    At first, I was not ustomed to such intimacy but after a few times, I started to get used to it.


    After the movie, there was a dance. As the music started, Russel held out his hand, ¡°May I have this


    dance?¡±


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    Under the light, his face was handsome and gentle. For a moment, I forgot about my reservations and


    past grudges against him. In the midst of the romantic atmosphere, I realized I couldn¡¯t refuse him.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I smiled and epted his invitation.


    Just when Russel and I began to dance to the music, a sudden cry of rm rang through the crowd,


    ¡°Someone¡¯s fainted! Help!¡±


    The crowd became chaotic, and my mood was instantly ruined.


    A woman had suddenly copsed. Her partner said she had a severe lung condition, and for some


    unknown reason, she had passed out.


    ¡°Is there a doctor? Is there a medical team on the ind? Someone, help!¡± The man shouted frantically,


    Everyone else looked at each other, helpless.


    That¡¯s when Karina¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Step aside. I¡¯m a doctor¡±


    Russel, who was about to step forward, immediately stopped in his tracks. He stepped back, standing


    beside me as we watched Karina approach the unconscious


    woman.


    Everyone circled around, watching as Karina attempted to resuscitate the unconscious woman. She


    had a small bag with her which was filled with acupuncture needles. The sight of those needles always


    made my skin crawl. She had even used them on me once.


    Until this day, I still hadn¡¯t figured out whether I was able to conceive due to Karina¡¯s treatment, or


    because of some unbreakable karmic bond between Neil and me.


    Regardless, being able to have two adorable children was the greatest fortune for me.


    ¡°Perhaps we should wait for the medical professionals. You can¡¯t just randomly poke her with those


    needles!¡± someone in the crowd spoke up, doubting Karina¡¯s medical skills.


    ¡°If we wait for the professionals, she¡¯ll be dead,¡± Karina responded curtly, not paying any mind to the


    skeptics. She proceeded with her acupuncture without hesitation.

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    Chapter 392


    Everyone was holding their bated breath, as if afraid a mere whisper might have disturbed Karina.


    I knew she was capable. When she had returned to the country, many had offered generous sums for


    her consultation. But she kept a low profile and made few appearances. Thus, many didn¡¯t know who


    she was unless they were ill and had specifically researched her.


    After about ten minutes, the woman who had passed out slowly opened her eyes. Her breathing was


    still sharp and shallow, but she was clearly getting better.


    ¡°That doctor is incredible!¡± The man who had initially opposed Karina was then eximing in awe.


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    ¡°Is that acupuncture? It¡¯s really impressive! Which hospital is she from?¡± Another asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s young and pretty too,¡± someone elsemented, clearly attracted by her appearance.


    Regardless of thements, they were all in praise of her.


    With his mother beingplimented, Hiram beamed with pride. He ran over to Karina, nting a kiss


    on her cheek, and then asked Neil loudly, ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t mom


    amazing?¡±


    Neil smiled. It was a genuine smile of appreciation as he replied, ¡°Yes, she is.¡±


    ttered by his praise, Karina blushed, clearly pleased.


    Some recognized Neil and started discussing Karina¡¯s identity. I took my leave before anyone


    recognized me and started discussing the scandalous tale tied to my


    name.


    Russel followed me as we left, and we returned to the hotel for some rest.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Russel asked me softly when we got back to our room.


    ¡°I am,¡± I replied, sitting on the sofa and flexing my tired feet. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. Dancing and walking around


    all day have worn me out.¡±


    Russel chuckled and came over to kneel before me, reaching out to hold my foot. ¡°Would you like a


    massage?¡±


    I recoiled at his touch, quickly pulling my foot away. ¡°No, I¡¯ll just take a shower. You can go first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Russel was always amodating, never arguing with me. He grabbed his clothes and


    headed for the bathroom while I went out to the balcony, where I could see therge screen from afar,


    where people were still gathered.


    AsT stood there enjoying the breeze, I heard a noise from the adjacent balcony. Standing there was a


    tall, slender figure. It was Neil. He was lighting up a cigarette and looking out towards the dark sea.


    Neil noticed me, and our eyes met for a moment. Neither of us spoke, nor looked away. After a few


    seconds, I broke our gaze. There was no need for this silent confrontation. It would have only led to


    complicated feelings.


    My phone rang. It was a video call from my mother. The first thing I saw were the adorable faces of


    Serena and Brandon.


    ¡°Do you miss mommy?¡± I asked them, my heart instantly warming up at the sight of the two.


    ¡°Of course, they miss you!¡± My mother replied with augh.


    ¡°How¡¯s the nanny? Is she taking care of the kids properly? Remember, they need to be fed


    scientifically.¡±


    My mother answered my questions, and we chatted about the kids. Then she asked about Russel and


    how our day had been.


    I nced at Neil. He wasn¡¯t looking at me, but I knew if I had spoken a bit louder, he would have been


    able to hear me.


    ¡°It was great. I had a very rxing day with him. He¡¯s very gentle and caring towards me. Don¡¯t worry,¡±


    I replied, raising my voice.


    Neil¡¯s face twitched, as if he wanted to turn and look at me but refrained from doing so.


    ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t write this word no matter how hard I try!¡± Hiram¡¯s voice came from next door. I saw him


    walk out onto the balcony, holding a pen and a tablet.


    Even on vacation, they were still practicing English words. I was sure that this must have been Karina¡¯s


    idea. She was eager for Hiram to fit into English society in hopes of gaining the affection of Ryan and


    Faith. But if he couldn¡¯t write English words, it might have been a bit difficult.


    Neil stubbed out his cigarette and patiently taught Hiram how to write the word. Despite his serious


    demeanor, it was clear to me that he truly loved the child. Karina emerged, fresh from a shower in a


    purple silk nightgown. Her hair was still wet, and her figure was alluring.


    ¡®Neil, go take a shower,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°In a minute,¡± Neil replied, continuing to help Hiram.


    Karina then noticed me. She looked surprised for a moment before shing me a smile and saying,


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re staying next door? What a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I responded with a smile, though I secretly wished it weren¡¯t so.


    Russel had finished showering. He went to the balcony, draped in a towel with his upper body exposed.


    His broad shoulders and toned physique gave off an aura of security.


    When he appeared beside me, Neil¡¯s gaze fell on us. It was cold and emotionless.


    But I didn¡¯t need to concern myself with his feelings or thoughts. All that mattered was my own


    happiness.


    Neil entered the room without uttering a word, leaving just Karina and her son, Hiram, out on the


    balcony.


    Karina watched Neil¡¯s retreating figure. Her face was calm and gentle. It seemed as if she wasn¡¯t


    bothered by Neil¡¯s mood swings.

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    Chapter 393


    ¡°Russel, you and Ms. Finch seem to be getting along pretty well!¡± Karina initiated a conversation with


    us.


    Russel didn¡¯t deny it, but instead countered, ¡°You and Neil are on good terms too, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. After all, we¡¯ve been apart for so long, there are many things that need to be rekindled. But


    it¡¯s okay,¡± Karina smoothed over her still damp hair. Her voice was soft and soothing. ¡°We had a


    foundation. We didn¡¯t split up voluntarily. So, we¡¯ll cherish this hard-won reconciliation. Besides, the kid


    is important. We have to


    think about him too.¡±


    With that, Karina patted Hiram on the head, ¡°Hiram, go practice your handwriting. Mommy will stay


    here and enjoy the breeze.¡±


    Hiram obediently turned and went back to the room.


    I didn¡¯t want to stick around listening to Russel and Karina¡¯s chat. So, I excused myself, ¡°You guys


    carry on. I¡¯m going for a shower.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Russel replied gently, ¡°I¡¯lle and blow-dry your hairter.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think it was necessary, but I nodded anyway. Russel¡¯s eyes instantly brightened.


    After a quick shower, I changed and went back to the balcony only to find that Russel was gone. He


    was not on the balcony, nor in the room.


    I was a bit puzzled but also a little relieved. That way, I could have dried my hair myself and avoided


    the awkwardness if Russel really actually helped.


    But even after I finished drying my hair, Russel still hadn¡¯t returned.


    I initially wanted to go to bed, but I wasn¡¯t sleepy. So, I decided to look for Russel.


    As I entered the elevator, Neil appeared at the door. He looked surprised to see me in the elevator, but


    quickly regained hisposure and entered without speaking


    to me.


    He seemed to have just showered too, and he smelled like the same rose-scented hotel soap I had


    used.


    Just as the two of us were in the elevator, I could only stare at the changing numbers on the panel.


    Suddenly, I felt the elevator jerk violently. I quickly grabbed the handrail to steady myself.


    Then, the elevator stopped at the fifth floor and remained motionless.


    ¡°The elevator¡¯s malfunctioned.¡± Neil, who had also steadied himself, looked at me. His voice was


    steady.


    ¡°Then we need to alert the hotel staff!¡± I felt incredibly unlucky. Not only did I run into my ex-husband in


    an elevator, but then we were also stuck in it together.


    Neil contacted the hotel through the elevator¡¯s emergency system. They assured us that they were


    going to send someone to fix it immediately and told us to


    remain calm.


    The elevator fell silent again. Neil stood next to me. He considered lighting a cigarette but decided


    against it.


    Suddenly, the elevator seemed to drop, but it didn¡¯t fall all the way. My heart jumped, and I almost


    screamed.


    I was truly scared because I felt in danger, and my mind was filled with thoughts of Serena and


    Brandon. What would have happened to them if something had happened to me?


    With those worries, I became emotionally unstable.


    But at that moment, I had no other choice but to wait.


    ¡°Where are you off to thiste?¡± Neil asked, probably out of boredom.


    ¡°To find Russel.¡± I replied casually.


    ¡°Chances are he¡¯s with Karina. They were college ssmates and friends.¡± Neil stated nonchntly,


    hands in his pockets.


    I hadn¡¯t thought about that, considering I didn¡¯t know whether Karina was in her room or not.


    I thought, ¡°What could Russel and Karina possibly have to talk about?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond. I just lowered my head and started ying with my phone. The signal in the elevator


    was weak. So, I stopped using it after a while.


    Soon, we could hear the faint sound of people talking outside. The hotel maintenance crew asked us a


    few questions and assured us that they were working on the issue.


    But for some reason, the elevator started dropping again, in fits and starts. Each time I lost bnce, it


    would stop, causing no physical harm but creating a psychological shadow over me.


    Neil seemed much moreposed, but his furrowed brow indicated that he was not pleased.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The feeling of weightlessness came again, but that time, it was more intense. It was as if the


    elevator was plummeting. The elevator shaft echoed with a loud noise. My hand tightly clutched the


    handrail, but I was forced to let go in the chaos.


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    At the critical moment, Neil grabbed my wrist. I stumbled into his arms. He held onto the handrail with


    one hand and held me with the other. His voice was quick but calm, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. The floor we¡¯re


    stuck at isn¡¯t high, and we¡¯ve been dropping in fits and starts. So even if we fall all the way, it won¡¯t be


    too serious.¡±


    I was breaking out in a cold sweat. I could only nod at Neil¡¯s words, then reached out to hold the


    handrail, so I wasn¡¯t entirely leaning on Neil.


    Thankfully, Just as Neil predicted, the elevator soon stopped. But it hadn¡¯t reached the ground yet.


    People outside were trying to open the door so we could get out.


    ¡°Neil, are you hurt?¡± I nced at Neil and noticed blood on his arm. I wasn¡¯t sure where he got it from,


    but blood was seeping out.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than a minor wound.¡± Neil inspected his arm and dismissed it.


    ¡°Did you get hurt when you were trying to catch me?¡± I instinctively thought back to that moment.


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t overthink it. We should be able to get out soon.¡± Neil responded casually, not at all


    concerned about his injury.


    But I couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. I stared at his wound for a long time until the elevator door was finally


    opened.


    By then, Russel and Karina had arrived with the maintenance crew. When they saw Neil and me in the


    elevator, both of their expressions faltered.


    Neil was the first to step out. Karina immediately rushed over and asked, ¡°Neil, are you okay? Are you


    hurt?¡±


    Upon noticing Neil¡¯s injured arm, her eyebrows furrowed. She nced at me subconsciously, then said,


    ¡°Your arm¡¯s injured. Let¡¯s go back to the room. I¡¯ll bandage it up for you.¡±


    I stepped out of the elevator, meeting the deep worry and a hint of suspicion in Russel¡¯s eyes.


    He gave me a once-over and asked, ¡°Are you all right? Did you get hurt? Were you scared?¡±


    I responded, ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t hurt, but yes, I was scared. I was on my way to see you. I didn¡¯t expect the


    elevator to act up like this. The hotel should be held

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394


    Chapter 394


    Russel exhaled a


    of relief as he took my hand, ¡°I had a chat with Karina downstairs. If you ever need me, just call, and I¡¯ll


    be right back.¡±


    He was honest about it, not hiding the fact that he had spent time with Karina.


    I said nothing, not feeling jealous or discontent. I was just somewhat puzzled. What could they have


    possibly discussed? Whatmon ground did they share?


    Once we returned to our room, Russel noticed my silence. Assuming I was scared, he brought me


    water andforted me.


    Still, his tender gestures didn¡¯t make me feel any better.


    ¡°Russel, what did you talk about with Karina?¡± I finally asked.


    Russel looked surprised, and a smile yed on his lips, ¡°Why? Are you jealous? Or are you worried


    that we¡¯re plotting something?¡±


    I found his assumption strange, I was merely curious about their conversation, not suspecting any


    conspiracy.


    Seeing my bewilderment, Russel ruffled my hair, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing going on between us.


    She just wanted to talk about Serena and Brandon. She¡¯s a bit paranoid and thinks Brandon looks like


    Neil. She keeps asking me for reassurance.¡±


    That seemed usible. Karina¡¯s suspicion about Serena and Brandon was no surprise. When I first


    saw that Hiram looked so much like Neil, I had my doubts too.


    ¡°All right, you¡¯ve had a scare today. You should rest. I¡¯ll sleep on the couch.¡± Russel spoke softly.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m really tired.¡± I nodded. It waste and the issue about the elevator ident could have been


    dealt with by the hotel staffter.


    The next day offered a couple of choices. The choices were diving together to catch seafood and


    preparing a meal from our catch, or engaging in activities like rock climbing and bungee jumping.


    I chose diving. It had been a while since I tried it.


    Russel was also an experienced diver. Following the guidance of staff, we boarded a yacht. Each


    couple had their own yacht. Once out at sea, we began to dive. Lunch was served onboard.


    I was a decent diver. I had been fascinated with it for a time and even dived with Ste. Today, she and


    Mitch chose bungee jumping instead.


    ¡°Once we dive, we don¡¯t have to stay together. Try to gather as much seafood as possible.¡± I joked with


    Russel, ¡°We don¡¯t want to go hungry at lunch.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Russel was already in his wetsuit, carrying an oxygen tank. After giving me an okay sign, we


    both dived into the water, leaving a staff member in charge of the yacht.


    I collected some ms and caught a shrimp the size of my palm. I returned to the yacht, feeling


    content.


    The joy of diving was not only about the catch but also the sense of freedom swimming like a fish. After


    wandering around underwater for a while, I decided to go back up due to limited oxygen.


    Just as I was swimming up, I felt something swimming below me. I soon found I couldn¡¯t move as my


    ankle was tangled in some sort of


    rope.


    Someone swam by. I could tell that it was a woman from her build. Her wetsuit was a different color


    than mine. It was rosy red. I waved desperately, hoping she would notice me. She did, but after a


    nce, she swam away, leaving only a vague silhouette behind.


    I felt my oxygen running low and tried to swim back down to cut the rope. But without any tools


    underwater, it was a daunting task. The rope was thick, not some


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    thin line.


    1


    As I struggled, I used up more oxygen. Soon I felt weak and wondered where Russel was, and if he


    would have noticed my absence ande looking for me.


    Even if he dived down, it would have probably been toote.


    Forcing myself to stay calm, I found a sharp rock on the seabed and tried to cut the rope. When that


    failed, I found a piece of broken ss. That was my lifeline! Just as my oxygen was about to run out, I


    managed to sever the rope. My hand was cut in the process, but seeing my blood disperse in the


    water, I bore the pain and swam up.


    When my head broke the surface, I heard my name, ¡°Irene Finch!¡±


    Neil was swimming towards me. He didn¡¯t have any diving equipment on and swam straight to me. I


    was exhausted and the oxygen tank felt like a burden. The first thing he did was to help me take off


    some of the equipment.


    Feeling lighter, I breathed in the fresh air greedily, feeling slightly dizzy.


    ¡°Rena!¡± Russel¡¯s voice echoed, and he swam towards me in a panic, He took me from Neil. The diving


    safety officer also arrived and helped me onto the yacht.


    Iy on the deck, exhausted. All I wanted was to breathe and rest.


    ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡± Russel asked anxiously.


    ¡°I ran into some trouble,¡± I gasped, pointing at my ankle, ¡°I got tangled in that rope.¡±


    Russel-immediately checked the remaining rope around my ankle. Meanwhile, Neil and Karina also


    boarded our yacht. Neil looked pale, probably shocked by my


    ordeat.


    Karina, on the other hand, looked concerned, ¡°Ms. Finch, are you all right?¡±


    I squinted at her and noticed her rosy red wetsuit. A sudden realization hit me. Was the woman who


    ignored my plea for help Karina? If so, why did she leave when I was in trouble?


    By all means, she should not have been able to see my face clearly. Even if I were a stranger, she


    should havee over to lend a hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Upon seeing my silence, Russel grew increasingly worried, fearing something had


    gone awry with me.

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    Chapter 395


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I suppressed the fleeting thought that raced through my mind. I wasn¡¯t sure if others also


    wore those rosy red diving suits. After all, we weren¡¯t the only couples out on the waves.


    I was fine; my palm just needed some medical attention. The yacht was equipped with a first-aid kit,


    and Russel carefully treated my wound and bandaged it up.


    By the time we had finished, it was time for lunch. Karina proposed, ¡°Neil, why don¡¯t we prepare lunch


    here with Ms. Finch and her partner? What do you


    think?¡±


    She and Neil had caught some fresh seafood, which she¡¯d brought on deck.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just head back to the hotel,¡± Russel declined quickly.


    But I agreed, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s all eat together. My hand is injured, so I might not be much help with the


    cooking.¡±


    Karinaughed off my concern, ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll do the cooking. You guys can sample my culinary


    skills.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, she changed into morefortable clothes and began preparing the


    meal.


    I sat quietly, watching Karina hustle about. The open-air kitchen on the deck was well-equipped, and


    Karina seemed to handle everything with ease. Her skills suggested she cooked frequently.


    She had been living abroad with her child, and given her affection for the child, it didn¡¯t surprise me that


    she¡¯d learned to cook.


    ¡°Neil, could you get me some ginger?¡± Karina asked gently.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Neil had never been much of a cook, but he seemed to be doing fine as Karina¡¯s assistant,


    handling tasks like washing the vegetables.


    Russel sat next to me, not moving unless Karina called him over.


    ¡°Why did you put that in so soon?¡± Karina suddenly asked, sounding both amused and slightly


    exasperated.


    Neil looked surprised, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it time to put it in?¡±


    ¡°We need to wait until the oil is hot. You¡¯re so sharp at work, but still a bit clueless in the kitchen,¡±


    Karina sounded both frustrated and fond. ¡°I remember the first time you made me eggs. You put them


    in before the oil was hot. The taste was¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t great, but I¡¯ve found myself missing that taste


    over the years.¡±


    So, the first time he cooked wasn¡¯t for me. Iughed to myself and turned to admire the sea, tuning out


    their conversation.


    Suddenly, I felt Russel take my hand, asking, ¡°Does it hurt much?¡±.


    It did hurt a little, but it was bearable. I nodded, ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Karina overheard and teased, ¡°Russel, are you feeling heartbroken? Seeing your wife¡¯s hand injured,


    wish the wound was on you instead?¡±


    She always made a point of highlighting Russel and my rtionship, presumably to remind Neil of his


    current status. But she was overthinking. Neil had already chosen her, which meant his feelings for her


    were still strong.


    Russel tightened his grip on my hand slightly, ¡°Yes, it hurts. I should¡¯ve taken better care of her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s just strange how that rope appeared underwater and wrapped around my foot,¡± I


    said, watching Karina carefully for her reaction.


    She sighed, ¡°People these days have no regard for the environment. It¡¯s probably some discarded


    trash. It¡¯s normal for ropes to knot up in the currents. You just had some bad luck, Ms. Finch.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond and just looked at my wounded hand.


    Neil¡¯s gaze sometimes rested on me, but it was normal, devoid of any extra emotion. It was as if his


    panic when he dived to save me was just my imagination.


    I was sure he still had some unique feelings for me, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Do you remember when we first got together, we encountered a white stray dog? It would always hide


    under your car whenever you came to pick me up. I¡¯d have to coax it out with imitation crab sticks,¡±


    Karina was lost in her sweet memories with Neil, her expression full of girlish charm. ¡°You always said


    that those crab sticks were fake and that they were not real crab meat. Now we have real crabs, but


    that little dog is gone.¡±


    ¡°We can always get another one,¡± Neil replied.


    ¡°Hiram mentioned that you used to have a dog. I heard it was a white Tibetan mastiff. Where is it now?¡±


    Karina asked curiously.


    Neil looked surprised, ¡°How did he know?¡± and then turned to look at me.


    Following Neil¡¯s gaze, Karina also looked at me, then broke into a smile, ¡°He heard it from his grandma.


    He wants a dog, and his grandma told him about the white dog you used to have. He remembered it


    and told me.¡±


    The Tibetan mastiff, Daisy, was now at my house, living with my parents. I wondered if she still


    remembered Neil, her first owner.


    Dogs have good memories. They always remember the scent of their owners.


    She should still recognize Neil.


    ¡°That dog was given away,¡± Neil answered simply, ¡°It was just a foster pet.¡±


    ¡°I see. Should we get a puppy for Hiram when we go back?¡± Karina suggested.


    ¡°Suke, whatever you say,¡± Neil answered, his voice steady but his words filled with indulgence.


    Karina beamed at Neil, their love bubble almost drifting over to where I was sitting.


    I chose not to dwell too much on it. It wasn¡¯t worth adding to my own distress.


    In the time it took for my lunch to be prepared, I reached out to the hotel manager. I had added him on


    WhatsApp after the elevator incident the night before, and then I asked him about the diving suits. It


    turned out that they were all a uniform blend of gray and ck. There were no rosy red ones, unless a


    guest brought their own.


    I put down my phone and looked across the table at Karina.


    Was it her? Did she really just stand by and do nothing? A memory flickered in the back of my mind.


    The moment I felt something tangle around my foot,


    I had sensed something swimming below me. Back then, I thought it was a marine creature, and there


    was a dash of red.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Could it have been Karina after all?

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    Chapter 396


    I couldn¡¯t be sure. The moment the thought took root, though, I couldn¡¯t suppress it.


    If Karina simply ignored me during my ordeal, I might have used her of having an icy heart but if she


    intentionally tied that rope around my ankle, that¡¯s a different kettle of fish. Wasn¡¯t that akin to


    attempted murder?


    ¡°Neil, could you fetch me some wet wipes from my bag? My hands are all greasy,¡± Karina requested,


    shaking her oil-slicked hands in mild exasperation.


    Karina had brought a bag, which was ced just a few feet away from me.


    Neil responded, ¡°Sure, in a moment.¡±¡±


    I got up first, ¡°I¡¯ll get it for you!¡±


    Seeing me approach her bag, Karina¡¯s expression momentarily flinched in resistance, she quickly


    stepped forward, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll get it. God knows this bag is already dirty enough.¡±


    She then moved her bag away to a ce beyond my sight, only then did she proceed to take out a


    pack of wet wipes.


    This action of hers seemed a bit odd. Was she worried that I would have seen something in her bag?


    Or was she just being protective of her privacy?


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    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± My distracted demeanor caught Russel¡¯s attention; he asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I snapped back to reality, shaking my head.


    A whileter, Karina and Neil prepared lunch, which was all seafood,plemented by a bottle of wine


    provided by the hotel. The spread was quitevish.


    Russel and I sat on one side, with Neil and Karina opposite us.


    Karina seemed quite pleased with her culinary achievement. She beamed at us, ¡°Ms. Finch, Russel,


    please try it and tell me how you like it!¡±


    ¡°It should be delicious. It looks very fresh,¡± I praised, even before starting my meal.


    ¡°Then, eat more,¡± Karina shot Russel a meaningful look, ¡°Russel, shouldn¡¯t you be more attentive to


    your wife? She¡¯s hurt her hand. You should be helping her with her food, or even feeding her.¡±


    Neil chimed in unexpectedly, ¡°She¡¯s not left-handed.¡±


    That was true. I had injured my left hand, but I was right-handed, so my daily activities weren¡¯t much


    affected, especially when it came to something as simple as eating.


    Even though that was the case, when Neil said it, it sounded strange.


    Even Russel¡¯s expression cooled a bit, but Karina remained rxed, even offering Neil a smile, ¡°Right,


    I forgot one can eat with one hand. I just wanted to give Russel an opportunity to show his caring side.


    He¡¯s always been so slow on the emotional uptake. I¡¯m worried that Ms. Finch might not stand his


    wooden nature.¡±¡±


    Iughed lightly, and turned my head towards Russel, ¡°He¡¯s just a bit introverted in front of others, but


    he¡¯s actually quite attentive and considerate.¡±


    Since Karina was so keen on highlighting my rtionship with Russel to Neil, I decided to y along.


    Hearing my praise, Russel was pleasantly surprised, and a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. He


    seemed to relish mypliments.


    Neil, sitting opposite us, had an inscrutable expression, mostly keeping his eyes on his te and not


    participating much in our conversation.


    That meal was quite a bore for me, having to face Neil and Karina. Only Karina was enjoying herself,


    initiating most of the topics.


    ¡°I need to go to the restroom,¡± Karina announced midway through the meal.


    After her departure, it was just Russel, Neil, and me left. My gaze fell on the bag lying on the edge of


    the table: She was so protective of that bag earlier. Why didn¡¯t she just take it with her?


    I reached for a piece of lobster, and ¡®identally¡¯ smeared my hand with sauce, ¡°Where are the wipes?


    I think Dr. Karina has some in her bag. Russel, could you fetch them for me?¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t think twice, and only nced at Neil once. After all, meddling with someone else¡¯s


    belongings wasn¡¯t really polite, especially with Neil


    present.


    Neil responded indifferently, ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡±


    Russel reached for the bag and as he opened it. I deliberately took a few nces. That¡¯s when I


    noticed something odd. There was a piece of rope in the bag, identical in pattern and thickness to the


    one that had been tied around my ankle underwater!


    At that moment, a strange feeling overcame me. If Karina really was the one behind it, why didn¡¯t she


    just dispose of the rope in the ocean instead of keeping part of it in her bag? Wasn¡¯t she leaving


    evidence behind?


    Also, her bag which she was so protective of earlier was then left unattended as she went to the


    restroom. It was as if she was deliberately drawing my attention and giving me a chance to discover it.


    I could have pulled out the rope and confronted Karina with it as evidence when she returned. But I


    decided against it. Instead, I took the wipes, cleaned my hands, and continued eating as if nothing had


    happened.


    A few minutester, Karina returned. The first thing she did was check her bag. Noticing it had been


    moved, she nced at me.


    ¡°D. Karina, I got my hands dirty and took a few wipes from your bag,¡± I exined proactively.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    My calm demeanor apparently took Karina aback. She seemed slightly confused, and her eyes hinted


    at an expectation that I would have said more, but I


    /stayed silent.


    Observing my silence, Karina furrowed her brows slightly and her chatter subsequently lessened.


    After lunch, our outing ended and we sailed back to shore. Karina kept probing me about my injury on


    the way back. I had the distinct feeling that she wanted me to expose her.


    Once back, our rooms were next to each other. As I was about to enter my room, Karina said, ¡°Ms.


    Finch, do take care of your wound. If it leaves a scar, I could help you with scar removal.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied distantly, then entered my room, with Russel following behind.


    Once we were inside, Russel spoke, ¡°The rope in Karina¡¯s bag is identical to the one that was tied


    around your ankle.¡±¡±


    So, he too had noticed but chose not to bring it up then. He was always one to think things through,


    and was never impulsive. And I was d he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I know.¡± I sank into my chair, feeling a tinge of fatigue. The wound on my palm throbbed slightly,


    making it impossible to do anything with my left hand for the next few days.


    ¡°Did she do it?¡± Russel¡¯s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint shing within.


    ¡°It feels like she wants me to use her. Otherwise, why would she leave the bag? She could have


    taken it with her, or simply discarded the rope. What¡¯s the point of leaving it in the bag?¡± I reasoned,


    ¡°The rope looks like the type used to tie up lobsters. We can ask around the hotelter to confirm.¡±

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    Chapter 397


    I had no clue how that type of rope had ended up in Karina¡¯s purse, so I decided to get in touch with the


    hotel manager.


    Following our conversation, I received a picture of the rope used for tying up, seafood in the hotel¡¯s


    kitchen. It was identical to the one I had found in Karina¡¯s bag.


    Iprehended the situation. If I were to use her with the rope as evidence, she could have refuted


    me, iming it was just a coincidence. After all, it wasmon for some kitchen waste to end up in the


    sea.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep this under wraps for now. We have no concrete evidence,¡± I advised Russel, to which he


    nodded his agreement. He warned me to keep my distance from Karina, knowing her temperament to


    be even more vtile than Bonnie¡¯s.


    I didn¡¯t need Russel to tell me that. After all, I was no stranger to Karina¡¯s antics.


    Feeling a bit low, I took a nap in the afternoon and woke up just in time for dinner with Russel.


    The hotel¡¯s restaurant was situated on the top floor, boasting a round ss ceiling and an ocean view.


    At night, the ocean was barely visible. Instead, we were treated to a sky full of stars and the


    multicolored lights of the beach side.


    My appetite wasn¡¯t great, so I grabbed a bit to eat and settled down at a table, enjoying the night view


    as I ate. Russel sat next to me, shelling ¡®some nuts for me, saying, ¡°Eat something.¡±


    ¡°Will eating these at night make me gain weight?¡± I asked with a smile.


    ¡°You could stand to put on a few pounds,¡± Russel said fondly. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. It worries me.¡±


    I hade a long way from my skinny past. Back then, people used to tell me that having a baby


    would have made me gain weight. I secretly hoped for a chubby baby with Neil, dreaming of a perfect


    life with a loving family and a hot body.


    But then, only half of that dream hade true. I was in better shape, but far from a happy family.


    Just as I was about to respond, a hand reached out and grabbed all the nuts Russel had shelled. I


    turned to see Hiram, who was unabashedly eating them while Karina watched from a distance. Neil


    was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Hiram, you shouldn¡¯t take other people¡¯s food without asking!¡± Karina finally came over when she saw


    me looking at him, gently chiding him.


    ¡°She¡¯s not just anyone. Isn¡¯t she Ms. Finch?¡± Hiram pointed at me, acting as if we were close.


    Hiram, who used to be rude to me, was then addressing me as ¡°Ms. Finch while stealing my food.


    ¡°Hiram¡¯s a bit mischievous, and he loves nuts. Please forgive him,¡± Karina said, smiling at me.


    ¡°Hiram, you need to learn manners. Didn¡¯t your parents teach you that?¡± I didn¡¯t pay any attention to


    Karina and continued to educate Hiram.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do!¡± Hiram snapped at me.


    I could tell that Hiram had been spoiled by Karina. He was impolite andcked respect.


    Hiram made a run for it after speaking, but I managed to grab him. ¡°You need to apologize to me first. I


    didn¡¯t give you permission to take the nuts. That wasn¡¯t right.¡±


    Hiram was angry when I didn¡¯t let him go and started to struggle. Russel didn¡¯t get a chance to help me


    before Hiram pushed my injured hand.


    The pain made me gasp, and I let go of Hiram.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Russel¡¯s face turned icy, and he quickly pushed Hiram away, his voice


    stern.


    Hiram might have been a brat, but he was still a child. Facing the wrath of an adult man, he ran off,


    hiding behind Karina.


    Just then, Neil appeared. Seeing the tense situation, he looked cold.


    He asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Karina, standing protectively in front of Russel, said in a shaky voice, ¡°Nothing serious. Hiram was just


    being a bit naughty. He took some food from Ms. Finch without asking and identally bumped into


    her wounded hand. Russel was just being protective and pushed Hiram a bit. It scared Hiram, that¡¯s all.


    I¡¯ll talk to himter and tell him what he did was wrong.¡±


    Her words were clever. She stated the facts in a way that made it seem like Russel and I were the


    unreasonable ones, and Hiram was just an innocent child.


    Neil, who clearly cared for Hiram, looked at Russel and me with piercing eyes after


    Seeing the situation, I decided to leave. ¡°Russel, I¡¯ve had enough. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Russel followed, but Neil stopped us. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you apologize first


    I was confused. His son was clearly spoiled, and yet he was indulging him?


    Witnessing the situation, Karina immediately intervened, ¡°Neil, it¡¯s Hiram who¡¯s at fault here. Don¡¯t


    make things hard for Ms. Finch and the others. They¡¯re just a bit upset and they lost their cool for a


    moment. The nuts that Hiram took were ones that Russell had shelled by hand for Ms. Finch, which is


    why they hold a special significance. That¡¯s why she¡¯s so upset, which is understandable.¡±


    With that, she turned her stern gaze onto Hiram. ¡°Hiram, apologize to Ms. Finch immediately!¡±


    Hiram blinked. His eyes were wide in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t believe that his mother, who had been


    defending him just moments prior, was then ordering him so sternly to apologize. He seemed taken


    aback.


    ¡°Apologize, and remember never to act like this again. Taking other people¡¯s things without asking is


    not eptable, understood?¡± Karina was determined to maintain her stern motherly image. Her hands


    were on her hips and a frown was on her face as she scolded Hiram.


    Hiram, who had been trying to hold back his tears, couldn¡¯t help but let them flow after Karina¡¯s


    reprimand. He was instantly in tears.

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    ¡°Crying won¡¯t solve anything. Apologize.¡± To my surprise, Neil spoke up, his tonepletely different


    from when he demanded an apology from me earlier. He pulled Hiram in front of me, ¡°Since your mom


    said you were in the wrong, you should apologize. I made a mistake earlier.¡±


    His action caught Karina off guard, and she stared nkly at Neil.


    Hiram, tear-streaked and sobbing, stood before me. Both of his parents were telling him to apologize.


    Without anyone to back him up, he dared not be stubborn.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have taken your food without asking. I was impolite, Hiram


    stammered between sobs, looking pitiful.


    Children don¡¯t know any better. They are the products of their parents¡¯ upbringing.


    In that case, Karina should have taken responsibility for Hiram¡¯s actions.


    I patted Hiram¡¯s head, ¡°All right, I forgive you. Next time, ask politely if you want something, okay?¡±


    Hiram nodded, choking on his tears, then looked back at Neil and Karina, as if waiting for them to


    speak.


    Karina managed a small smile and waved Hiram over, ¡°Come here, sweetie.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Only then did Hiram hide behind Karina again. Neil didn¡¯t say a word, and just looked at me.


    ¡°All right, you all carry on eating.¡± I avoided Neil¡¯s gaze and turned to Russel, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Just then, Karina spoke, ¡°Ms. Finch, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    I stopped in my tracks, unable to think of any unfinished business between us. Russel tried to pull me


    away, but Neil grabbed my other arm, ¡°Hold on, didn¡¯t you hear her?¡±


    I was curious to hear what Karina had to say, but Neil¡¯s abruptness irritated me.


    I shook off his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen, okay?¡±


    With that, I stormed out of the dining room. When we entered the elevator, Russel finally smiled, ¡°Good.


    Keep that attitude with Karina. Avoid her as much as possible and don¡¯t believe anything she says,


    okay?¡±


    I nodded. I was not in the mood to argue.


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t believe anything she says, okay?¡± Russel repeated, emphasizing his point.


    That piqued my curiosity. I could have sensed his aversion to Karina, even disgust, from his tone.


    I nodded again and said, ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±


    Back in the room, Iy down to rest. Because of my injured hand, I had to n my shower carefully.


    Russel, on the other hand, was researching Eldoria¡¯s hospital information, intending to work there as a


    doctor.


    I drifted off to sleep, and when I woke up, I heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.


    Russel was probably taking a shower.


    I wanted to take a shower too, and suddenly remembered the hotel had a hot spring pool. I could have


    just gone to soak in there and called Ste over.


    After sending Ste a message, I immediately headed to the hot spring pool. There were even


    professional spa masseuses avable.


    ¡°Oh, Ms. Finch, you¡¯re here too?¡± I had just arrived when I heard Karina¡¯s voice.


    I wondered if she was stalking me.


    Why else would I have kept running into her?


    Just then, Ste¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Rena, I¡¯m here! Where are you hurt? Let me see!¡±


    She rushed over and upon seeing my bandaged hand, she paled, asking, ¡°How did you get hurt so


    badly? Where were the safety guards? They let you get hurt, and the elevator broke down earlier too.


    We paid money for this? We¡¯reining when we get back!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this hotel isn¡¯t great. But Hiram said he liked the ind and wanted toe here, and his dad


    indulges him a lot. So, he agreed.¡± Karina chimed in, subtly unting Neil¡¯s affection for Hiram.


    Ste gave Karina a nce and smirked, ¡°Oh, Dr. Karina, I didn¡¯t see you earlier. Why are you soaking


    in the hot spring alone instead of spending time with Neil?¡±


    ¡°Neil is ying games with Hiram, so I came down to rx.¡± Karina¡¯s face was full of sweetness.


    Ste caught on quickly. Karina was unting Neil¡¯s special treatment of her and his affection for Hiram,


    asserting their status in the Whitmore family. ¡°Heh, why would you let Neil y games with your son?


    He should be teaching him business strategies. How else is your son going to inherit Whitmore Co.¡¯s


    vast fortune?¡± Ste¡¯s words were dripping with sarcasm, but she maintained a bright smile on her


    face.


    Ryan and Faith¡¯s resistance to Karina¡¯s rtionship with Neil, driven by their significant differences in


    status, were widely recognized within the family. Even though Karina¡¯s mother, Gloria had married a


    wealthy man and made a name for herself, her involvement in the FarHorizon Group scandal had


    forced her to flee overseas, rendering her useless to Karina.


    Karina¡¯s reputation as an internationally renowned doctor was far


    In response to Ste¡¯s snide remarks, Karina simply smiled and


    happy. We¡¯re all mothers here; we should understand that feeling.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t deny that. I felt the same way towards Serena and Brandon. benefit


    ¡°Let¡¯s some sense of aplishment. I hope for is that Hiram grows up safe, healthy, and


    ¡°How koble of you, Ste said, linking her arm with mine. ¡°All right, oh great mother. We¡¯re off to soak in


    the hot springs. We won¡¯t stick around to hear about your perfect, blissful family life. Bye-bye.¡±


    Ste¡¯s sarcasm was always sharp and to the point. The fact that Karina managed to remain so


    composed was something I admired.


    She waved casually in my direction, ¡°All right, Ms. Finch. Be careful not to get your hand wet. If it gets


    infected, it could be quite problematic, and you might even be impaired.¡±


    I frowned. The wound on my palm was rather deep and I was also worried about infection. But


    something about the way Karina warned me made me feel somewhat uneasy.

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    ¡°Thanks for the advice,¡± I replied nonchntly before heading off to the hot springs with Ste.


    Throughout, Ste was in a foul mood, constantly bringing up Karina.


    She used to detest Bonnie, and when finally, Bonnie was in jail, Karina popped up. Bonnie had been


    able to interact with Neil only because she looked like Karina and had received a heart transnt from


    her.


    She assured me firmly that she despised Karina more than she did Bonnie.


    ¡°Enough about her. Let¡¯s talk about you,¡± Ste suddenly said with a suggestive smile on her face.


    ¡°How¡¯s it been going on this trip with Russel? Any progress in your marriage?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied in a casual manner. Russel was indeed very kind to me. He was a caring and


    considerate person. But I was sure that I couldn¡¯t have liked him just yet. Any moments of wavering


    were mostly due to the kids.


    Ste, acting as if she knew everything, said, ¡°Oh, I knew you didn¡¯t have any feelings for him. You¡¯re


    only together because of the kids. But I must say, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so bold. When the media


    was widely reporting that you couldn¡¯t have any more kids, you went ahead and had two with Russel.


    That¡¯s impressive. You really pped them in the face!¡±


    I said nothing, choosing not to delve into the matter. After all, Russel and I had no rtionship to speak


    of. Not to mention one of the two kids, who everyone thought looked a lot like Neil, though no one


    dared speak of it.


    After we finished at the hot springs, Ste helped me get dressed. The perks of having a good friend


    were evident.


    She then received a call from her husband, Mitch. ¡°Honey, our boy is hungry!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± she immediately rushed off to get dressed at the news of her son¡¯s hunger. Once she


    hung up, she swiftly got ready and said to me, ¡°Rena, I must go. Weren¡¯t you going to have somete-


    night snacks? I can¡¯t apany you this time!¡±


    ¡°Okay, you go ahead, I said, watching Ste hustle off. Thoughts of Serena and Brandon crossed my


    mind. I missed them, but I knew I would have been able to see them the next day.


    I hadn¡¯t eaten much at dinner due to the incident with Hiram, so I was feeling a bit peckish. The hotel


    offeredte-night snacks, so I made my way to the restaurant to grab a bite before heading to bed.


    The restaurant was rtively empty at the time. I grabbed some food and found a spot to sit and eat.


    Suddenly, I heard Neil¡¯s voice from behind me. He wasn¡¯t speaking to me, though, but was on the


    phone. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. It¡¯s not mine. Don¡¯t bring this up again.¡±


    His tone was annoyed and slightly impatient, but he managed to keep his temper in check.


    I turned around and saw Neil sitting there, his back to me. His white shirt entuated his broad


    shoulders, giving off a somewhat austere vibe.


    It¡¯s a pity he couldn¡¯t smoke here; a cigarette would¡¯ve suited his aura of mncholy at the time..


    Who was he talking to?


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a


    probably his parents.


    NA test. Hiram is enough for me. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± With that, Neil hung up. I had a hunch about


    who he was talking to. It was


    And judging by the conversation, it seemed that Ryan and Faith were questioning whether Serena and


    Brandon were my children with Neil.


    Neil¡¯s response was expected, but it still left me feeling a bit down.


    Having finished my meal and lost my appetite, I got up to leave. Just as Neil also stood up and turned


    around, our eyes met for a moment before we both quickly looked away, pretending we hadn¡¯t seen


    each other.


    If I had known that I¡¯d run into Neil at the restaurant, I wouldn¡¯t have gone for thete-night snack.


    Since our rooms were next to each other, we would have had to take the elevator together if we left


    then. I didn¡¯t see the need for that, so I sat back down, intending to wait for Neil to leave before I did.


    But as soon as I sat down, Neil did the same. I stood up again, and so did he.


    Finally, Neil turned to me and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s going first? You or me?¡±


    We seemed to be on the same wavelength, and since I didn¡¯t really want to be alone with Russel in our


    room, I decided to let him go first. ¡°You go ahead.¡±


    Without wasting any time, Neil left. I waited for about five minutes before heading toward the elevator to


    return to my room.


    Russel was still awake when I got back. ¡°Where did you go?¡± he asked.


    I went to the hot springs with Ste, then I got a bit hungry and had somete-night snacks,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Okay, try to get some rest now,¡± Russel said, settling down on the couch and spreading a nket over


    himself. He¡¯d been sleeping on the couch for the past couple of days.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Silently, I got ready for bed andy down. The room was incredibly quiet. Just as I was drifting off to


    sleep, Ste sent me a message, ¡°Look at this!¡±


    It was a news link about Karina¡¯s heroic act of saving a life and her status at that time, which was the


    talk of the town. She was being referred to as the ¡®most beautiful female doctor¡¯, a title that seemingly


    added a golden touch to her image.


    Seeing the overwhelming praise for Karina, I felt indifferent. Whether Karina was a saintly doctor or a


    malevolent demon, I wasn¡¯t sure.


    The next morning, I requested the hotel to arrange for a boat ride back. I didn¡¯t want to participate in


    the remaining activities that day, and Russel had no objections.


    missed Serena and Brandon quite a lot, and with Neil and Karina on the ind, I couldn¡¯t enjoy myself.


    Once we reached the maind, Russel and I were about to drive off when a young couple stopped us.


    They looked strangely familiar.


    ¡°Sorry to bother you,¡± the woman said, ¡°but could we hitch a ride with you?¡±


    I thought to myself, ¡°Aren¡¯t these two the lovebirds who joined us on that sweet weekend getaway on


    the ind? The woman talking is the same one who fainted before, iming she had lung problems.


    Were people who could afford a weekend retreat on an ind, really unable to afford a bus fare? Why


    would they need to hitch a ride?¡±


    I felt a bit puzzled, and it seemed like those two didn¡¯t recognize Russel and me. We didn¡¯t interact


    much on the ind.


    ¡°Where are you headed?¡± I asked, not immediately rejecting their request.


    The address they mentioned wasn¡¯t exactly on our way. I pondered for a moment and was about to


    decline when I saw the woman casually pull out a cigarette from her purse. She lit it with a somewhat


    frustrated air and started puffing away.

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    Was that woman really smoking with such a severe lung condition? That question gave me pause, and


    I swallowed the words that hade to my lips, ¡°All right, hop in.¡±


    Russel nced at me but remained silent, not prodding for more details.


    After the two strangers got in, they barely conversed. They were mostly buried in their phones, texting


    away. They seemed exhausted, puffing on cigarettes non-stop, without any consideration for others.


    I didn¡¯t stop them from smoking, but their behavior struck me as odd.


    After we dropped them off at their destination, they went their separate ways. They didn¡¯t offer any


    gratitude or payment. It was not like I needed it, but they left me with an unpleasant feeling.


    In the rear-view mirror, their figures disappeared into the roadside.


    ¡°Serena! Brandon!¡± The moment I got home, I couldn¡¯t help but rush to find my two little treasures.


    Seeing me, my parents quickly brought the kids to me.


    ¡°Oh, Mommy¡¯s home! Serena and Brandon, Mommy¡¯s back!¡± My mother handed Serena over to me,


    her voiceced withughter, ¡°How was your trip? Did you have fun?¡±


    They surely didn¡¯t know about my encounter with Neil and Karina. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have


    asked.


    To keep my mother¡¯s spirits up, I nodded and responded, ¡°It was great, but I missed the kids too much.


    So, I came back early.¡±


    Just then, Russel walked in with a cell phone in his hand. ¡°I think this phone belongs to those people


    from earlier, They must have identally left it in the


    car.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I handed Serena back to my mother and took the phone. It was an old, nondescript model. It was not


    worth much. I wondered how important it was to its owners.


    Trying to find the contact list, I realized the phone wasn¡¯t password-protected. A message popped up,


    saying, ¡°Money has been transferred to your ount. You must remain silent about the matter.¡±


    The message seemed like a transaction, but what caught my attention was the contact name. The


    name was ¡°Dr. Karina¡±.


    My immediate thought was of Karina, who had saved the woman on the ind, gaining her praise and


    landing her in the public eye.


    Looking through their text history, it became clear that the woman was faking an illness for Karina to


    treat and gain reputation.


    Considering Karina¡¯s medical skills and reputation, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to resort to such tactics


    unless she was trying to win over the Whitmore family.


    After reading the messages, I felt a sense of irony.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Russel asked, noticing my expression.


    ¡°Nothing. We probably can¡¯t return the phone now. We¡¯ll keep it here for the time being,¡± I replied. The


    phone had several debt collection messages. That couple probably owed much money and were


    waiting for Karina to pay them for their performance.


    Karina certainly didn¡¯t expect the phone to end up in my hands. So, the next morning, I saw her at my


    doorstep, holding a bunch of gifts.


    I was in the yard, basking in the morning sun with Serena and Brandon, when I spotted her. My first


    instinct was to frown. What was she doing there?


    Just then, Hiram emerged from behind Karina, shouting, ¡°Daddy, hurry up!¡±


    A few secondster, Neil appeared beside Karina, holding Hiram¡¯s hand.


    My mother¡¯s face darkened when she saw them, asking, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Hello, I came to apologize,¡± Karina began politely


    a hint of guilt in her eyes. ¡°I wanted to apologize on the ind, but Ms. Finch didn¡¯t want to talk, so I


    didn¡¯t get a chance. I¡¯ve been feeling guilty ever since. So, Neil suggested wee and apologize in


    person. These are just a small token.¡±


    She tried to hand the gifts to my mother, but my mother refused, ¡°We don¡¯t need your apologies or gifts.


    And what¡¯s this about an ind? Rena, is this rted to the trip you and Russel went on?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to worry her, but with Karina spilling the beans, there was no hiding


    ¡°Yes, it was a coincidence,¡± I admitted, then turned to Karina, ¡°W


    e you a ing for? Speak up.¡±


    ¡°You had an ident while diving, right? I think I was nearby at the time. I was wearing a rosy red


    diving suit. I wonder if you saw me. I didn¡¯t wear my contact lenses because I was going underwater, so


    my vision wasn¡¯t clear. If you were trying to signal for help, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to see it,¡± Karina


    exined, looking genuinely remorseful.


    I stayed silent, ncing at Neil. Did he buy that story?


    I had been wondering how to expose Karina¡¯s deeds, but then she was there exining herself with a


    perfect excuse, leaving me with no room to argue.


    ¡°What?! Rena, you had a near miss while diving?!¡± My mother eximed, ¡°And your hand! Did you hurt


    it while diving? You told me you fell!¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t want you to worry,¡± I reassured her, then turned to Karina, ¡°I ept your


    apology, Dr. Karina. You¡¯re a doctor. So, naturally, you have


    a kind heart. Everyone has praised your act of saving a life on the ind. I believe you¡¯re a good


    doctor.¡±


    My words wereced with sarcasm, but it didn¡¯t seem like Karina noticed. Her face was filled with


    remorse.


    Neil took the gifts from Karina and ced them in front of me, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t misunderstand,


    that¡¯s fine.¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe for a second that Karina couldn¡¯t see in the water. She had clearly stopped and looked


    at me for a while. It was apparent that she had seen


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll ept these gifts. You may leave now,¡± I said, issuing an unceremonious dismissal without


    refusing their offerings.


    Yet, at that very moment, Hiram, that rascal, lost his sense of propriety. He had run over to the cradle


    ced in the yard, teasing the sleeping Brandon inside. The nanny had gone inside to heat up some


    form, momentarily leaving the baby unattended. I was holding Serena and didn¡¯t notice what was


    happening on the other side.


    It wasn¡¯t until Brandon¡¯s cries filled the air that my mom and I realized what was happening.


    Hiram had pushed the cradle so high that Brandon was about to tumble out. My heart shot up into my


    throat. Holding Serena, I quickly rushed over. Just in the nick of time, Neil, tall and long-legged, beat


    me to it. He extended his hand and caught the rocking cradle.

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    Neil might have had steadied the cradle, but the massive jolt scared Brandon into a crying fit. My heart


    clenched at the sound, and I quickly handed Serena off to my mother tofort Brandon.


    The yard was a chaotic mess, but I had no patience for it. All I wanted was to soothe my frightened


    child.


    Hiram, having realized his mistake, quickly hid behind Karina. Had Neil not been present, I was certain


    that Karina would have defended Hiram, using the excuse, ¡°He¡¯s just a child.¡±


    But Neil was there and everyone had seen Hiram intentionally rock the cradle. So, without any


    hesitation, Karina pulled Hiram forward and demanded, ¡°Hiram, apologize to Ms. Finch right now!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just wanted to y with the baby. He¡¯s so cute¡­¡± Hiram looked around nervously. His eyes


    lingered on Neil, hoping for some support.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just rock his cradle like that! What if he had fallen?¡± My voice was sharp and anxious. The


    situation had threatened my child¡¯s safety, and I couldn¡¯t stay calm, even if Hiram had just wanted to


    y with my baby.


    Ever since Neil and Karina had arrived, Serena and Brandon had been in one near miss after another. I


    wondered if it was Neil¡¯s doing.


    My mother was simrly upset. ¡°Can¡¯t you keep an eye on your son? If he hurts my precious


    grandchildren, you¡¯ll have me to answer to!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go inside. There¡¯s no point wasting our breath on them.¡±


    With that, she headed back into the living room.


    My father was out buying saplings at the market. Thank God he wasn¡¯t here to see that, or the situation


    might have escted further.


    Russel was more level-headed than my father, but he was equally upset. He loved Serena and


    Brandon dearly and couldn¡¯t stand to see them cry.


    ¡°Hiram, apologize.¡± Neil, not defending his son but siding with Karina.


    They were surprisingly in sync on that matter.


    Under the pressure from his parents, Hiram reluctantly walked over to me. His eyes were red with


    unshed tears. ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to, I thought he¡¯d find it fun.¡±


    I felt trapped. I had to ept the apology, but that was different from when Hiram had taken my nuts


    without asking. That was about Brandon¡¯s safety, and it was harder to let go.


    So, I kept silent, carrying Brandon back into the living room and closing the door behind me.


    Seeing our cold reception, Neil didn¡¯t stay long. He was a proud man, and I doubt anyone had ever


    made him feel that ufortable before.


    ¡°Should we just leave like this?¡± I heard Karina ask.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± Neil didn¡¯t say anything more. It was already a miracle that he¡¯d suggested Karina


    apologize to me.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    When they left, my mother opened the door and looked at the gifts they¡¯d left behind. ¡°What should we


    do with these?¡±


    I nced at the nanny, and generously gave them all to her.


    She was shocked but epted the gifts. That was a good opportunity to ensure she¡¯d take care of my


    children in the future.


    After Karina¡¯s apology, we had a peaceful week. My wounds were healing, and Russel and I took the


    kids out for a walk.


    I was getting used to being with Russel. It wasn¡¯t about love, but there was a feeling ofpanionship.


    He had found a job at a hospital and was about to start work soon. He would have been busy, but with


    the nanny and my parents at home, he wouldn¡¯t have had to worry much.


    ¡°Come, Serena. Look at Mommy!¡± I¡¯d grown fond of capturing the kids¡¯ daily activities. Their little faces


    brought me so much joy.


    In the camera, the chubby little ones were lying in the stroller, making adorable noises as they wayed


    their little hands.


    Suddenly, a shrill voice broke the peace. A car skidded to a halt on the road, followed by a man¡¯s cry,


    ¡°Ouch, you hit me!¡±


    I looked over and saw a car ident. A ck Mercedes had hit a man in his thirties.


    But I didn¡¯t expect the people getting out of the car to be Ryan and Faith.


    They looked at the man on the ground, who was yelling, ¡°Call the police, or settle it privately!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, I didn¡¯t hit him!¡± The driver seemed genuinely scared as he exined to Ryan.


    ¡°You¡¯ve hit me, and I think my hand is broken. Take me to the hospital, or pay for my treatment!¡± The


    man on the ground was making quite a scene. ¡°Everyone,e look! This luxury car hit me and they¡¯re


    refusing to take me to the hospital or pay for my treatment!¡±


    Faith and Ryan were people of status and farely dealt with such bullies. They didn¡¯tck money, so


    they could have easily gotten rid of the nuisance by paying a bit. Ryan asked directly, ¡°How much do


    you want?¡±


    The man answered, ¡°One hundred thousand!¡±


    That was too much. I couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call the police then!¡± Faith said coldly.


    ¡°What about Hiram? What if we¡¯rete?¡± Ryan was worried about his grandson.


    Faith hesitated at the mention of Hiram. One hundred thousand was nothing to them, but the man¡¯s


    audacity was hard to stomach. That was clearly a scam! After a nce at each other, Ryan prepared to


    pay.


    The man¡¯s eyes lit up, and he started yelling again, ¡°Oh, oh¡­ I think my ribs are broken too. One


    hundred thousand is too little, it should be at least two hundred thousand¡­¡±


    His audacity was through the roof. By the looks of it, he didn¡¯t appear to have a broken rib at all. He


    had just spotted that Ryan and Faith were loaded and seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere, so


    he decided to push his luck.


    Ryan looked absolutely livid. Under normal circumstances, he would have never let that slide. But his


    grandson, Hiram was waiting for him, and he was desperate to see his little munchkin soon, even if it


    cost him a few extra bucks.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to watch Ryan get ready to pay. I had to step in and interrupt them.

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    When Ryan and Faith saw me, their expressions shifted from surprise to delight..


    Upon spotting Russel behind me, their smiles took on aplex nuance.


    ¡°Irene, you¡­.¡± Faith moved forward, grasping my hand with her usual tender affection, ¡°you¡¯re here


    too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve settled down here.¡± I was surprised that Neil hadn¡¯t told Ryan and Faith that we then lived in


    the same city.


    ¡°He mentioned you and Russel were together, and you had two kids. But he didn¡¯t say you were here.


    That¡¯s wonderful. It¡¯s been too long since we¡¯ve seen you.¡± Faith¡¯s joy was genuine, and her eyes


    radiated warmth.


    That warmth was my motivation to intervene. Knowing that I was with Russel and had kids, and she


    was still happy for me, I couldn¡¯t just stand by.


    I had never denied that Ryan and Faith had always been good to me. They were truly wonderful in-


    laws.


    ¡°I moved here with my parents, and Russel found work here,¡± I answered briefly before ncing at the


    man on the ground. ¡°Faith, you can¡¯tpensate him. He wasn¡¯t injured. You didn¡¯t hit him.¡±¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The man became agitated. ¡°I was nearly run over. Don¡¯t interfere with


    something that¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    I pulled out my phone and showed a video I had taken for Serena and Brandon. It had captured the


    ident from a corner. The car hadn¡¯t even touched the man. He had simply fallen to the ground on his


    own.


    After I showed him the slowed-down footage, he fell silent. He sprang up from the ground, shot us a


    re, and walked away.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Ryan and Faith exhaled in relief and thanked me. ¡°Irene, we really owe you one. We don¡¯t have the


    energy to deal with con men like him. We¡¯d have had to fork over money.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Weren¡¯t you on your way somewhere? You should get going!¡± I replied, my smile


    neither warm nor cold.


    ¡°We were going to¡­¡± Faith began but hesitated. She saw the stroller Russel was pushing and moved


    closer, peering at the two little ones inside. She froze.


    I knew she must have been shocked by Brandon¡¯s resemnce to Neil.


    My heart clenched as Russel spoke up. ¡°They¡¯re twins. Our daughter is Serena, and our son is


    Brandon.¡±¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ is that so?¡± Faith seemed a bit slow to react. Ryan also came over and was simrly taken


    aback.


    ¡°This little guy looks¡­¡± Ryan couldn¡¯t stop himself from pointing at Brandon.


    ¡°Looks like Neil, right?¡± Russel was calm. Heughed and bent down to y with Brandon. ¡°I was


    surprised myself. Even doubted it. We got a paternity test just to


    be sure.¡±


    The words ¡°paternity test¡± caused Ryan and Faith¡¯s expressions to change.


    Their shock and suspicion turned into disappointment and resignation.


    Faith reached into her bag and pulled out a thick wad of cash, cing it in the stroller. ¡°Irene, we¡¯ve


    always thought of you as a daughter. So we are your children¡¯s grandparents. This is a little something


    for their first meeting. You can bring them to Springvale, to our ce, anytime. Stay as long as you


    like.¡±


    Her words left a bitter taste in my mouth. The love and tenderness in Faith¡¯s eyes when looking at


    Serena and Brandon were as genuine as my mother¡¯s. She was Serena and Brandon¡¯s biological


    grandmother. She would have been overjoyed if she knew the children were part of the Whitmore


    family.


    But I couldn¡¯t tell her. There was no possibility left for me and Neil. I couldn¡¯t fight with them over the


    children.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I managed a smile. ¡°Serena, Brandon, say thank you to your grandparents.¡±


    Serena and Brandon seemed to sense Ryan and Faith¡¯s emotions, breaking into an adorable smile.


    What a coincidence.


    Faith was delighted. She handed her bag to Ryan. ¡°I want to hold them. They¡¯re too cute. How can they


    be this cute?¡±


    She picked up Serena, looking at her from every angle, unable to take her eyes off her. Her love and


    affection were obvious.


    Then she picked up Brandon. His resemnce to Neil added a touch of regret to her gaze. Finally, she


    kissed Brandon¡¯s cheek and put him back in the stroller.


    ¡°Do you want to hold them?¡± Faith asked Ryan.


    Ryan had been watching the twins all that time. His eyes were warm and loving..


    But men tend to restrain themselves more.


    He shook his head and said, ¡°No need. Let¡¯s not dy Irene any longer.¡±


    ¡°All right. Irene, we might be staying here for a while. Could Ie to visit you and the kids? Or maybe


    we could have lunch, and do some shopping together?¡± Faith asked.


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine.¡± I didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse Faith. Her affection for me went beyond typical


    mother-inw and daughter-inw rtions.


    Seeing my agreement, Faith looked thrilled. ¡°Great, what¡¯s your number? Let me have it.¡±


    I had changed my number and didn¡¯t tell Faith, so we hadn¡¯t been in contact for a while. Since she then


    asked, I gave it to her.


    After exchanging numbers, Ryan and Faith left. Russel and I continued our walk with the kids, nning


    to head home.


    I sensed Russel¡¯s mood had dropped somewhat. ncing at him, I saw him pushing the stroller, his


    head slightly bowed, his face expressionless, lost in thought.


    ¡°Is everything all right? Were you taken aback by seeing them?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Hmm, they¡¯re good to you, and they¡¯re great with the kids too.¡± Russel nced at me, a slight smile on


    his lips. ¡°If Neil had messed up that badly in the past, would you give him another shot for the sake of


    his parents?¡±


    I knew Russel was worried. He was worried that with the arrival of Ryan and Faith, I might have gotten


    entangled with Neil again.


    His concern wasn¡¯t unwarranted, but I knew my own heart. I wouldn¡¯t have given anyone another


    chance to hurt me.


    Because in this world, there are no what-ifs.


    Russel paused, then nodded, dispelling the hint of worry on his face. ¡°All right, we won¡¯t bring up the


    past. We¡¯ll only focus on what¡¯s ahead.¡±


    I responded with a simple ¡°Hmm,¡± and took the stroller from his hands. ¡°Let me push for a while. It¡¯s


    almost time to get dinner on the table.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not dredge up the past,¡± I simply replied.

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    Chapter 403


    When I got home, my mom had already prepared dinner, and my dad was tinkering with the nts in


    the yard. Seeing Russel and me return, he waved, ¡°Russel, can you check out this tree for me?¡±


    Russel imm¨¦diately stepped forward to investigate with my dad. He was a doctor, but not a botanist of


    any sort, and my dad loved to ask questions that were way out of his field of knowledge.


    Fortunately, Russel was very patient with those inquiries. No matter what my dad asked, he seriously


    studied it alongside him.


    My parents were increasingly pleased with Russel. Their only concern was that I wasn¡¯t going to be


    able to have children anymore. If I did end up with Russel, that would have meant sacrificing his


    chance of having a family.


    ¡°All right, enough with the tree! Come in and eat!¡± my mom called out after she finished cooking.


    My dad and Russel washed their hands and joined us at the table.


    During dinner, I mentioned running into Ryan and Faith today, and my parents¡¯ faces immediately


    changed. They were deeply worried about the situation.


    Their concerns were simr to Russel¡¯s. The better Ryan and Faith were to me, the more inappropriate


    it was.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry too much. Neil has done many wrong things, but his parents have been really


    good to me. I can¡¯tpletely ignore them, but I won¡¯t initiate


    contact.¡±


    ¡°How long are they nning to stay here?¡± my dad asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe they¡¯ll leave once Neil and Mitch finish the project they¡¯re working on,¡± I


    responded. I hadn¡¯t asked Ryan and Faith about their ns.


    My mom sighed and said, ¡°Rena, don¡¯t let them drag you back into Neil¡¯s life, okay?¡±


    I nodded.


    Fortunately, I didn¡¯t get any calls from Faith after that day. I was genuinely worried that she would have


    come to find me.


    J


    Russel went back to work, leaving me, my parents, and the nanny, Norah, to take care of little Brandon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Norah and I can handle it. We will get back quickly after we buy the clothes; help me take


    care of Brandon,¡± I said, preparing to take Serena out for a bit to buy some clothes. The weather was


    growing hot, and the kids needed some new outfits for the season.


    I left Brandon with my parents at home and went out with Norah and Serena.


    Because of the kids, I rarely went shopping, so I only nned to stroll around the nearby pedestrian


    street, buy some clothes, and then return home.


    ¡°Do you have this onesie in a boys¡¯ version?¡± I asked the saleswoman, pointing to a yellow duck onesie


    that I wanted for Brandon.


    ¡°Yes. Just one moment, please,¡± she politely responded.


    Just then, I heard a familiar voice that made my heart sink. ¡°Grandma, I like that one!¡±


    It was Hiram¡¯s voice.


    I turned around and saw Ryan and Faith entering the store with Hiram. Faith was holding Hiram¡¯s hand,


    and they both had loving smiles on their faces. They hadn¡¯t noticed me yet and were just coaxing


    Hiram. ¡°All right. Whatever clothes you like, Grandma will buy for you, and Grandpa will pay, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay! Grandma and Grandpa are the best!¡± Hiram pped his hands happily.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    That warm and happy scene was probably what Ryan and Faith had been hoping for all those years.


    Since it was finally happening, they were certainly considering Karina more seriously and wouldn¡¯t have


    rejected her as easily as they did Bonnie.


    ¡°Miss, here is the boys¡¯ onesie you asked for. Would you like me to wrap it up?¡± the saleswoman


    handed me the boys¡¯ onesie and asked.


    Her voice caught the attention of Ryan and Faith, and they seemed surprised to see me there.


    Faith immediately approached me, ¡°Irene, you¡¯re shopping here, too? What a coincidence!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to buy some clothes for Serena. I¡¯ve already found what I need, so I was just about to


    leave,¡± I responded, not wanting to linger there any longer.


    ¡°I brought Hiram here to get some clothes. His mom is always busy with work, and his dad is the same.


    They don¡¯t really have time for him. Since it¡¯s getting hot, I thought I¡¯d bring him to get some new


    clothes,¡± Faith exined. Her words were full of affection for Hiram.


    Hiram seemed to behave better around his grandparents. He stood obediently next to Faith. His round


    eyes shifted between me and Serena, who was being held by


    Norah.


    Suddenly, Serena started to cry, seemingly out of hunger.


    Norah quickly prepared a bottle of form for her. Ryan and Faith watched. Their eyes filled with


    tenderness.


    After Serena finished her bottle, Faith couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch her, saying, ¡°Oh, I wish I


    could have a granddaughter.¡±


    When Serena was done eating, Faith asked, ¡°Can I hold her?¡±


    reluctantly agreed, ¡°Sure,¡±


    Norah handed Serena to Faith, who gently rocked the baby in her arms, humming a luby. It was a


    peaceful scene.


    Just then, I noticed two figures entering the store out of the corner of my eye. It was Neil and


    Karina.


    Karina¡¯s expression changed slightly when she saw Faith holding Serena, but she quicklyposed


    herself. She walked briskly into the store, exining, ¡°I was in surgery, so I got herete. Neil just


    finished a meeting and rushed over.¡±


    Seeing Karina, Faith¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t exactly warm, but it was much better than how she used to


    treat Bonnie. It was probably because of Hiram.


    ¡°You two are always so caught up with work. What about the child? Look at how scrawny Hiram is!¡±


    Faith eximed. Her tone was slightly irritated as she spoke to


    Kanna.


    ¡°Hiram¡¯s digestion has always been a bit weak. I¡¯ve been trying to nurse him back to health. He¡¯ll start


    to gain weight slowly.¡± Karina responded. Her tone was neither too submissive nor too defiant, standing


    her ground in front of Faith.


    Hiram was quite adept at defending his mother. He quickly grabbed Faith¡¯s hand and shook it, ¡°Granny,


    please don¡¯t me mommy. It¡¯s my fault for being a picky eater. Mommy takes really good care of me!¡±


    Seeing her little grandson defending Karina, Faith¡¯s stern expression softened a bit. She managed a


    small smile at Hiram, ¡°Hiram, Granny isn¡¯t ming your mom, I¡¯m just worried about you.¡±

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404


    Chapter 404


    Karina¡¯s gaze bounced back and forth between Faith and Hiram, before finallynding on me, ¡°Ms.


    Finch, what brings you here?¡±


    I responded with a nonchnt tone, ¡°Just shopping for clothes.¡±


    ¡°Look at how others mother their children. You could at least bring your child along for shopping!¡± Faith


    couldn¡¯t help but interject. I knew she just disliked Karina and was trying to pick a fight. Such a trivial


    matter didn¡¯t need to be blown out of proportion.


    After all, Karina had been raising her child alone overseas for years, putting in a tremendous amount of


    effort.


    But Faith didn¡¯t take any of that into ount. She just wanted to make things difficult for Karina over a


    simple shopping trip.


    Karina furrowed her brows, looking towards Neil for support. After all, Faith and Ryan were his parents.


    Seeing Karina¡¯s plea for help, Neil finally spoke up, ¡°Mom, she¡¯s been busy with work too. She¡¯s been


    taking care of Hiram alone overseas all these years. She wouldn¡¯t neglect him. You¡¯re overthinking¡±


    I lowered my gaze, taking Serena from Faith¡¯s arms, and prepared to leave. I didn¡¯t want to get


    involved in that family¡¯s internal conflicts.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we asked her to raise the child alone overseas!¡± Faith seemed furious when she mentioned


    that. After all, they were desperate for a grandchild and Karina had taken their only grandson overseas


    without telling them, causing them to miss out on Hiram¡¯s growth over the years.


    At those words, Karina¡¯s face changed, especially since Faith said it in front of me.


    Perhaps sensing Faith had gone too far, Neil stepped in again, ¡°Enough. Weren¡¯t you the one who


    opposed her back then?¡±


    Faith was taken aback and then looked at me with aplex look. Neil seemed to realize something


    too and looked at me. But I just found it all rather amusing.


    Why were they looking at me? I had seen thating. In Neil¡¯s heart, Karina was still the most


    important. After all, she was the first woman he fell in love with. They had gone through family


    opposition, and Karina¡¯s ¡°death¡±. Every event was of great significance to Neil, something he could


    have never forgotten in his lifetime.


    Since Karina was finally back with Hiram, of course, he would have been reminded of their past love,


    continuing that broken fate.


    ¡°Ryan, Faith Serena should be getting to bed. I¡¯m going to head back.¡± I interrupted Neil¡¯s conversation


    with his mother. My tone was neutral, and I had a faint smile on my face.


    At that point, Faith probably felt awkward facing me. Neil¡¯s words just then had brought up the past. I


    was only with Neil because Karina didn¡¯t marry him


    Sheughed awkwardly, ¡°All right, Irene. You go back and rest with Serena.¡±


    I nodded and was ready to leave with Serena and the nanny. But just as I reached the door, a p of


    thunder echoed from the sky. Serena started crying from the scare and my heart pounded because I


    was terrified of thunderstorms!


    The sky, which had been clear a moment prior, was then overcast. A downpour started instantly,


    obscuring my view. The wind was strong too, blowing raindrops onto me. I remained in the shop. I was


    worried about Serena getting wet.


    Our car was parked across the street. It was a two to three-minute walk away. I couldn¡¯t let the child get


    soaked in the rain.


    Seeing the sudden storm, Neil and the others were also taken by surprise. The shop assistant closed


    the door and warmly invited us to stay until the rain stopped. But the shop only had two sofas. It was


    too crowded for three or four people.


    ¡°Irene, take a seat. You must be tired of holding the baby.¡± Faith immediately offered me a seat.


    I didn¡¯t decline and sat down, nning to wait out the rain. That kind of shower usually came and went


    quickly.


    Faith sat beside me and invited Hiram to sit on herp. The grandmother and grandson seemed to


    have had a good rtionship.


    Seeing that, Karina sat down on the other sofa, ncing my way from time to time.


    After a couple of minutes, Hiram suddenly jumped off Faith¡¯sp and ran to Karina. He jumped into her


    arms, ¡°Mommy, grandma is tired of holding me. You hold me!¡±


    A satisfied smile crossed Karina¡¯s face as she settled Hiram on herp. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that


    Hiram seemed smaller than other children his age.


    That was abnormal considering Karina¡¯s medical skills. She wouldn¡¯t have had trouble managing her


    own child¡¯s nutrition.


    But that was their business, and I couldn¡¯t have been bothered to interfere.


    ¡°Hiram is so considerate.¡± Faith chuckled, ¡°Just like his father. Neil was also a good boy when he was


    young, but he became a troublemaker when he grew up, sometimes really asking for a beating.¡±


    Neil listened with a calm expression. It was hard to tell if Faith was praising or criticizing him.


    His gazended on Serena¡¯s face for a moment. A hint of warmth shed across his eyes before it


    turned cold again.


    Faith noticed and sighed, ¡°Ah, Neil. You¡¯re such a disappointment. You only gave me one grandchild. I


    wanted a granddaughter to have the perfect pair.¡±


    ¡°Net and i will n for a second child.¡± Karina spoke up. She seemed eager to secure Faith¡¯s trust on


    that matter.


    I had heard her tell Hiram before that he was going to be her only child.


    Then she was talking about nning for a second child in front of Faith?


    I nced at Hiram. He wasn¡¯t a clueless toddler anymore, he understood his mother¡¯s words. A look of


    worry and sadness crossed his face. ¡°Can you guarantee the second one will be a girl?¡± Faith¡¯s


    question seemed intentionally provocative. Who could have guaranteed that?/ Karina¡¯s face fell, and


    she didn¡¯t respond immediately, waiting for Neil to speak.


    Neil, looking helpless, said, ¡°Mom, stop making things difficult for her.¡±


    Faith rolled her eyes and suddenly asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you hold this little one? She¡¯s so cute!¡±


    Neil looked at Serena in my arms, frowning slightly. After contemting for a few seconds, he declined,


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not good with babies.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so hard about this? Isn¡¯t it part of the n to have a second kid soon? You¡¯ve got to start


    practicing holding a baby, Faith insisted, seemingly determined to make Karina ufortable.


    But Karina was a diff¨¦rent breed than Bonnie. She wasposed and didn¡¯t exude a sense of


    vulnerability. There was a certain air of aloofness about her.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I didn¡¯t want Neil to hold Serena, so I gracefully declined, ¡°Faith, don¡¯t push it. When they have their


    own child, they¡¯ll naturally learn how to hold a baby.¡±


    In other words, Serena wasn¡¯t Neil¡¯s child, so there was no need for him to hold her.


    Upon hearing my words, Neil¡¯s face darkened a few shades. A hint of annoyance and irritation etched


    on his features.


    Faith let out a deep sigh, unable to counter my argument.

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405


    Chapter 405


    The rain outside was pouring down, and its stato rhythm against the window pane was enough to


    keep Serena awake. Those big eyes of hers were wide open, staring at me,


    Despite my own fear of thunder, seeing my delicate child made me feel a mother¡¯s courage. Every time


    I sensed a thunderp was about to explode, I¡¯d cover Serena¡¯s ears right away.


    It was as if the heavens had a person¨¢l vendetta against us that day. Rather than the quick, passing


    storm one might expect, the rain seemed to have been increasing in intensity. Outside, shadowy


    figures asionally rushed by, their outlines blurry in the deluge.


    The phone rang. It was my mother. ¡°Rena,¡± she said. ¡°Where are you and Serena? You didn¡¯t take an


    umbre with you. Try to find shelter; you can¡¯t let the child get wet!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. We¡¯re waiting out the storm inside a shop.¡± I reassured her.


    ¡°If it gets too bad, your father can bring you an umbre, or you could buy one,¡± she suggested, her


    voiceced with concern.


    After a short conversation, I hung up. That¡¯s when Faith spoke up. ¡°Irene, if you need to get home


    quickly. Neil can run out and get an umbre, and escort you to your car.¡±


    At her words, Karina instantly nced at Neil. Faith seemed oblivious to any potential awkwardness,


    and urged Neil on. ¡°Go buy an umbre, Neil. A little rain won¡¯t hurt a big guy like you. Can¡¯t let ady


    and a child get soaked.¡±


    Neil, already in a sour mood, only looked at me, his eyes a cold steel.


    ¡°No need. I can order an umbre online,¡± I said quickly.


    Ignoring my objection, Faith insisted. ¡°Why bother with that when there¡¯s a mall right across the street?


    It¡¯s much easier to just have Neil go.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to care that her own son might get soaked and catch a cold.


    ¡°Neil, go ahead. Ms. Finch¡¯s child needs her sleep. It¡¯s too noisy here. Getting them home would be


    better, and less worrying for her parents, Karina added, nonchntly backing up Faith¡¯s insistence.


    Faith shot her a look, neither approving nor disapproving.


    Without uttering a word, Neil got up and left the shop. His silhouette disappeared across the street, into


    the mail, as the rain continued to pour.


    Holding Serena in my arms, I watched Neil¡¯s retreating figure through the ss door, and a strange


    feeling washed over me.


    Suddenly, Hiram piped up. ¡°Mommy, did Daddy go to the mall? I want a Transformer toy!¡±


    ¡°Hiram, your father went to buy an umbre for Ms. Finch. It¡¯s raining heavily outside. Next time we¡¯ll


    get you a Transformer toy, okay?¡± Karina gently refused his request


    ¡°But I want to y now!¡± Hiram pouted.


    Seeing his grandson unhappy, Ryan chimed in. ¡°Just call Neil and have him bring a toy. He¡¯s already at


    the mall. One extra toy won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    With that, he dialed Neil¡¯s number and ryed his request.


    Hiram¡¯s face lit up at his grandfather¡¯s support. He dashed over to Ryan, giving him a loving peck on


    the cheek. Ryan¡¯s eyes crinkled up with delight.


    I watched their warm interaction in silence, gently rocking Serena in my arms.


    A whileter, the rain had lightened a bit but still drizzled down relentlessly. Neil emerged from the mall,


    holding arge, ck umbre. He also carried a bag, presumably containing Hiram¡¯s requested toy.


    His clothes were soaked through. When he returned to the shop, I could clearly see his shirt clinging to


    his muscr chest and abs.


    ¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said politely as he handed me the umbre.


    Neil¡¯s hair was wet, water still dripping from the tips. His face was covered with damp mist, giving him


    an aura of cold aloofness.


    I tried not to stare. It wasn¡¯t appropriate.


    Then, Neil handed me something else. It was a boxed doll with ck hair and blue eyes, dressed in a


    golden gown. It was beautiful.


    ¡°For what?¡± I stuttered, not understanding his intention.


    ¡°I got it while buying Hiram¡¯s gift. For your daughter,¡± Neil said quietly, not meeting my gaze. ¡°Consider


    it a bted wee gift.¡±


    That gesture took me by surprise. In Neil¡¯s eyes, Serena was my child with Russel. So, why was he


    giving her a gift?


    Seeing my confusion, Neil rified, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea. My mom texted me and insisted I do this.


    Understand?¡±


    Suddenly, it all made sense. I had thought that Neil had a change of heart, that he was ready to bury


    the hatchet with Russel and, by extension, be kinder to Serena.


    I didn¡¯t want to ept Neil¡¯s gift, but looking at the beautiful doll, I found myself nodding. ¡°Norah, could


    you keep this for me?¡±


    Norah nodded and took the doll from Neil.


    That was the first gift Serena received from her biological father. It might have been thest, but it was


    a special one.


    Faith looked exasperated at her son¡¯s blunt admission. Her face fell as she said, ¡°Neil, escort Irene to


    her car. She¡¯s holding the baby; you hold the umbre.¡±


    ¡°Faith, that¡¯s really not necessary. Norah can hold the umbre, I quickly interjected.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Neil is taller; he can hold the umbre better. Let Norah hold another one,¡± Faith arranged our exit.


    Again, I tried to refuse, but Faith found a loophole. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Irene. See, Neil bought two umbres. He


    needs to escort you to your car and bring them back, otherwise, we¡¯d get wet. Our car is parked nearby


    and we need to walk there.¡±


    Karina had been quiet, just watching Neil and me. Suddenly, she stepped forward. ¡°How about I escort


    Ms. Finch instead?¡±


    ¡°You needn¡¯t bother. Let Neil do it,¡± Faith brushed her off directly.


    ¡°TH do it. Just wait a sec,¡± Neil chimed in, shooting me a look that told me to quit wasting time. It was


    only a few minutes¡¯ walk, so we might as well have gone together.


    Norah was under her own umbre, while Neil was chivalrously shielding Serena and me from the rain


    with his. Luckily, the wind had died down, so the rain wasn¡¯t blowing onto us.


    We had just crossed the road when a car sped past, sshing water in our direction. Neil, quick as a


    whip, stepped in front of me to block the spray. His clothes, already soaked through, took another


    beating.

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406


    Chapter 406


    ¡°Thanks. You better get going. Take a shower and change into some clean clothes.¡±


    I called out to Neil as we reached the car.


    His expression was apathetic, seemingly unbothered by his soaked state at the time. Faith insisted on


    him getting a taste of hardship, and there was nothing I could have done about it.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m off then.¡± After a brief reply, Neil headed back home with his umbre. I instructed Norah


    to get in the backseat with Serena, then hopped into the driver¡¯s seat, ready to go home.


    Upon arriving home, my mom noticed the doll and asked, ¡°Did you buy this for Serena?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Norah seemed taken aback and looked like she wanted to say something, but I shot her a warning


    look. She was a smart woman. She knew better than to speak


    out of turn.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get one for Brandon?¡± My dad questioned, noticing the doll.


    ¡°Well, it was just a little gift that came with a clothing purchase. There was only one. I¡¯ll get something


    for Brandonter.¡± I came up with an excuse on the spot. If my parents knew the doll was from Neil,


    they would have probably thrown it away immediately.


    Despite everything that had happened between Neil and me, I wanted to keep that gift for Serena. The


    child was innocent, and I didn¡¯t want to deprive her of that small token from her father.


    Thankfully, my parents didn¡¯t probe further, simply cing the doll aside. Serena and Brandon were still


    too young to y with toys, so it would have had to wait until they were older.


    ¡°Rena, do you know which hospital Russel is working at now?¡± Ste, carrying her child, came over to


    visit three dayster. Mitch had been quite busy at that time. So, she often popped over for a chat.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. He¡¯s been really busy and hasn¡¯t been home much,¡± I replied, munching on some


    fruit.


    In truth, hadn¡¯t asked much about Russel¡¯s work situation, even which hospital he ended up at. He was


    a man with a clear sense of boundaries and ns, and he didn¡¯t need me meddling.


    Ste nced at the kitchen where my parents were bustling around, then lowered her voice, ¡°You


    should be careful then. I heard he¡¯s working at the same hospital as Karina!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± That news took me by surprise. Russel had previously warned me to avoid Karina and not to


    believe anything she said. Then he was working at the same hospital as her, essentially bing her


    colleague.


    What was going on?


    Russel was a talented doctor. I was sure there were plenty of hospitals in Eldoria that wanted him. The


    choice was ultimately his, and he didn¡¯t need topromise for the sake of a job offer. Why did he


    choose to work at the same hospital as Karina?


    ¡°I heard it from Mitch, but I¡¯m not sure, so I came to ask you. It¡¯s really strange,¡± Ste gossiped, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    Karina initially pursue Russel? They had aplicated rtionship,, why would they end up working at


    the same hospital?¡±


    A sense of unease settled in my heart. I never really considered being with Russel, I didn¡¯t want to


    interfere with his life. But if he had to get entangled with someone, it could have been anyone but


    Karina.


    Russel had warned me to stay away from Karina, and then that? I felt like I was being yed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll call himter and ask,¡± I responded.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Why wait? Call him now. It¡¯s just a quick question,¡± Ste urged.


    Seeing her point, I dialed Russel¡¯s number, feeling just as confused and anxious as Ste.


    The phone rang a few times before it was picked up. And to my surprise, it was Karina¡¯s voice on the


    other end, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    Russel would have put my number on his contacts. So, Karina¡¯s question was clearly intentional.


    I wasn¡¯t jealous, but I was puzzled and taken aback.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Russel?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, Ms. Finch, Dr. Russel is a bit busy right now. His phone is with me. I¡¯ll tell him to call you back,


    okay?¡± Karina¡¯s voice carried a hint of amusement. ¡°What is he doing? Let him answer now,¡± I


    demanded, annoyance ring in my chest. The feeling of being toyed with was far from pleasant.


    ¡°He really can¡¯t take the call right now,¡± Karina repeated.


    As she finished speaking, I heard Russel¡¯s voice in the background, ¡°Is that my phone? Give it to me.¡±


    A couple of secondster, Russel¡¯s slightly anxious voice came through, ¡°Rena, I was in a meeting and


    left my phone behind.¡±


    Ste and I exchanged a look, and she motioned for me to put the call on speaker.


    ¡°Are you working at the same hospital as Karina now?¡± I asked, my voice cold.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Russel paused before answering, ¡°But it¡¯s solely a professional decision. This


    hospital has a strong cardiology department. I can better explore my field of expertise here.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me from the start?¡± I asked, sounding like a jealous wife even though my main


    feelings were confusion and unease.


    Ste agreed, ¡°Exactly! If you were really worried about Rena¡¯s feelings, why didn¡¯t you tell her from the


    start? At least she could have been prepared.¡±


    Russel let out a sigh, ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I didn¡¯t tell you. I was worried you might overthink things.


    I¡¯ve been busy adapting to the new job and haven¡¯t had time to go home. I was nning to discuss it


    with you in person when I get a chance.¡±


    Chapter 406


    I had no right to question Russel¡¯s professional decisions, so his exnation left me without further


    objections, ¡°All right, we can talk when you get home.¡±


    After hanging up, Ste looked shocked. She asked, ¡°What? Just like that?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Yeah, just like that. What else should I do?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to question it a bit more? You just take everything he says at face value?¡± Ste


    couldn¡¯t hide her concern anymore. ¡°Rena, why are you still so naive when ites to love? You used


    to hang on Neil¡¯s every word, and now you¡¯re doing the same with Russel. I don¡¯t trust them!¡±


    I was at a loss for words. I used to believe everything Neil said because I was head over heels for him.


    I would have believed any words that came out of his mouth. But with Russel, it was different. Firstly,


    Russel had always been kind to me, far from causing me harm. Secondly, everyone thought we were


    couple, when we really weren¡¯t. I didn¡¯t have the right or reason to question him too much, lest the truth


    came out.

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407


    Chapter 407


    Ste was miffed, but I refused to probe further.


    The fact that Russel and Karina were working together irked me, but it wasn¡¯t enough to drive me up


    the wall and demand an immediate exnation.


    After Ste left my house, it wasn¡¯t long before Russel showed up, looking a bit anxious.


    ¡°Rena!¡± Upon seeing me, Russel quickened his pace towards me.


    I hadn¡¯t expected him to arrive so quickly; he should¡¯ve been at work at that time.


    My parents, seeing Russel return, immediately asked, ¡°Russel, have you had lunch yet? Are you


    hungry? Should I heat up some food for you?¡±


    Russel looked conflicted, shaking his head, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I just came home because I needed to talk


    to Rena about something.¡±


    ¡°Then you two chat.¡± My dad didn¡¯t think much of it and took my two kids out for a walk.


    The nanny also left, leaving Russel and me alone in the house.


    He began to exin his work situation with the same reasoning as before; he was drawn to the hospital


    due to various factors. As for Karina, they worked in different departments, and their chances of


    meeting were slim.


    The reason Karina had his phone with her earlier was due to a general hospital meeting where they


    had happened to bump into each other, and he had identally left his phone behind, which Karina


    had picked up.


    So, when I called, Karina was the one who answered.


    It was an absolute coincidence, but the anxious concern in Russel¡¯s eyes was real. I looked at him for a


    while and asked, ¡°Swear to me that there¡¯s nothing going on between you and Karina that you¡¯re


    keeping from me and that you haven¡¯t been in contact with her behind my back.¡±


    Russel paused, giving me a strange feeling that something was off.


    He then chuckled, ¡°Are you worried that I¡¯m having an illicit affair with her?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. As you know, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you were with another woman,¡± I said honestly.


    The smile on Russel¡¯s face faded, ¡°You know I only want to be with you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the point. What¡¯s going on between you and Karina?¡± I steered the conversation back


    to the main issue.


    This time, he didn¡¯t hesitate and swore, ¡°I swear, there¡¯s absolutely no secret contact between us, and I


    haven¡¯t done anything to betray you. If I lie to you, then I will


    be struck down!¡±


    His words were heavy. I wanted to stop him, but then I thought, ¡°If Russel really has nothing going on


    with Karina, then what is there to be afraid of?¡±


    Since he had gone this far, I couldn¡¯t press him any further. After a brief chat, I let Russel get back to


    work.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust his words. After all, he wasn¡¯t much better than Neil.


    Men are always good at hiding their intentions.


    But for the time being, that was all I could have done. I still held a piece of evidence against Karina,


    and if anything went wrong, I had leverage over her.


    Little did I know that I would have needed that leverage sooner than expected.


    Due to Karina¡¯s heroic act of saving a life, the hospital was nning to hold amendation ceremony


    for her, which Russel was also supposed to attend. That ceremony would have also honored other


    outstanding medical workers. The hospital staff could have brought their families for the asion as


    well.


    Russel assumed I wouldn¡¯t have gone and merely mentioned it in passing.


    I agreed immediately, which surprised him.


    ¡°Neil¡¯s parents will probably attend too,¡± Russel said as we drove.


    ¡°I know. They¡¯ll definitely go,¡± I replied calmly, sitting in the passenger seat.


    Karina was keen on gaining the approval of Ryan and Faith, Neil¡¯s parents. So, for amendation


    ceremony like that, she would have surely tried to have Ryan and Faith attend and witness her moment


    of glory.


    The event was well-attended, and the lights were bright since it was an evening event. Everyone¡¯s hair


    seemed to shimmer in the light.


    I easily spotted Neil in the crowd, holding his son, Hiram. They looked like a picture-perfect father and


    son duo, and their connection with Karina drew much attention.


    Ryan and Faith stood nearby, asionally ying with Hiram. Both wore smiles, looking happier than


    before,


    They didn¡¯t show any resentment in such a setting. Even if they had to act, they would do it well.


    After all, Karina was Neil¡¯s girlfriend and they even had a child together. She was likely to marry into the


    Whitmore family in the future. If they could have enhanced ¨Cher reputation before that, it would have


    been beneficial for the Whitmore family.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit over there,¡± Russel suggested, pointing to a spot far from where Neil and his family were.


    nodded and followed him. As far as I could have told, Neil¡¯s family hadn¡¯t noticed me.


    Once we were seated, I started ying with my phone, waiting for the ceremony to start. Today, Karina


    was the star of the show, but she was nowhere to be seen. She was probably preparing for her big


    moment.


    Russel asionally chatted with his colleagues. Just as the ceremony was about to start, he was


    called away for an emergency patient in his department.


    He turned to me, ¡°I have to attend to this. Are you okay here by yourself? Or do you want to head home


    first?¡±


    Russel didn¡¯t want me to stay there because Neil was also present. But I had to be there because I had


    something to do.


    With a smile, I reassured him, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll leave if I get bored. You go do your thing.¡±


    Hearing my response, Russel nced anxiously in Neil¡¯s direction before nodding reluctantly and


    leaving.


    I was seated at the far left, with Neil and his family on the far right. So, they hadn¡¯t noticed me even as


    the ceremony was about to start. That made me feel rather rxed.


    Especially when it came to Ryan and Faith. Sometimes when they tried to strike up a conversation with


    me, I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re here too?¡± To my surprise, Karina noticed me. She was dressed in a whiteb coat,


    her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail and she wore sses. She looked very professional.


    ¡°Russel invited me,¡± I replied casually.


    ¡°Really? Where is he?¡± Karina asked, looking around.


    ¨C


    ¡°He has got things to handle.¡± I said, not in the mood for idle chatter with Karina. My sole purpose today


    was to make sure she fell t on her face.


    Karina was oblivious to my intentions. She probably thought she had covered her tracks impably,


    with no room for errors.


    She settled into the empty seat next to me, then pointed towards where Neil was seated. ¡°I¡¯ve always


    thought those hospital awards ceremonies were a bit of a farce, but Neil insisted it was important to


    him. He even brought along Ryan and Faith.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I gave a nomittal nce in their direction, then nodded lightly. ¡°Yeah, good for them to witness


    your heroic acts of life-saving deeds.¡±

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408


    Chapter 408


    My tone seemed a bit off, which caused a flicker of confusion to pass across Karina¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Are you feeling some sort of envy, Ms. Finch?¡± She finally voiced her opinion, assuming that my


    strange demeanor was due to jealousy.


    Lowering my voice, I replied with a hint of amusement, ¡°Envious of you? Dr. Karina, what happens in


    the dark alwayses to light. You know exactly what you¡¯ve been up to, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Karina¡¯s expression shifted, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re suggesting.¡±


    ¡°The near-drowning incident during my diving trip and your rescue of the woman with lung disease,


    you¡¯re well aware of both, aren¡¯t you?¡± I decided to drop the pretenses and cut to the chase.


    Those two incidents were her biggest worries, but she probably wasn¡¯t too concerned about the first


    one, considering there was no solid evidence.


    Predictably, she chose to address thetter, ¡°I did indeed save a woman on the ind, didn¡¯t you see it


    too?¡±


    I didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Yes, I did. It just seemed too coincidental to me.¡±


    Before Karina could press further, the awards ceremony began. She had to leave her seat and face the


    crowd.


    The ceremony was quite dull, with hospital authoritiesuding one person after another. I wasn¡¯t a


    hospital worker, nor did I have any family members being honored, so I found it all rather tedious.


    However, as soon as Karina¡¯s voice rang out from the stage, I suddenly felt a jolt of alertness.


    All eyes were on her, including those of the hospital authorities behind her. Her heroid actions not only


    reflected positively on her but also on the reputation of the hospital.


    Neil was watching Karina with a gentler expression than usual,cking his typical aloofness. Even


    Ryan and Faith, who usually disliked Karina, wore amiable smiles. After all, the hospital was using that


    event for promotional purposes, and sour expressions wouldn¡¯t reflect well.


    Karina stood on the stage, gracefully expressing her feelings and the dedication she held for her


    profession. The crowd erupted in apuse.


    Amid the apuse, I stood up, ¡°Dr. Karina, I have a few questions for you!¡±


    My voice carried to a few people, and someone handed me a microphone.


    As I held the microphone, Karina¡¯s usualposure seemed to waver slightly.


    ¡°Dr. Karina, I¡¯ve heard that besides being extremely proficient in obstetrics and gynecology, you¡¯re also


    adept at handling otherplex cases. I¡¯d like to ask you` question.¡± I stated, my voice steady and


    unexcited.


    Neil, Ryan, and Faith were all waiting for my next question.


    Karina, sensing my intent, cleared her throat, ¡°Miss, if you have any health-rted questions, you can


    schedule an appointment with me tomorrow. Today might not be the best time, as it might take away


    from others.¡±


    ¡°My question is quite simple and won¡¯t take too much time,¡± I went straight to the point, ¡°I heard that


    you saved a woman with severe lung disease who was about to suffocate while you were on vacation,


    is that correct?¡±


    Everyone was familiar with that story as it was the reason they were showering Karina in praise.


    Karina remained silent, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked at me.


    The Dean behind her curiously asked, ¡°Indeed, our Dr. Karina performed a heroic act, saving a life


    even during her leisure time. We all are proud of her!¡±


    The more the Dean praised her, the more Karina¡¯s face turned strange.


    ¡°May I ask, can a person with severe lung disease smoke seven or eight cigarettes consecutively


    without coughing?¡± I decided to throw the question at the Dean.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, but what does this have to do with Dr. Karina?¡± The Dean was even more puzzled.


    Confidently, I pulled out a mobile phone I had previously found in my car, ¡°Well, the patient that Dr.


    Karina saved, left her phone in my car. She smoked seven or eight cigarettes in my car without any


    difort. I was just wondering how this could be possible.¡±


    At that, everyone seemed a bit confused, ncing back and forth between me and Karina.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Karina managed to squeeze out a smile, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I performed acupuncture on her, which


    temporarily alleviated her symptoms. But if she continues to smoke like this, her condition will worsen


    and rpse even more severely.¡±


    I pretended to understand and then held up the phone, revealing a specific number, ¡°Dr. Karina, is this


    your number?¡±


    Of course, I had Karina¡¯s number as she had contacted me previously. I wasn¡¯t sure how she got my


    number though. Perhaps she got it from the hospital¡¯s database.


    But now, the critical point was that Karina¡¯s number appeared on that old generic phone, along with a


    text record.


    Seeing the phone, Karina¡¯sposure finally cracked. She quickly descended the stage and navigated


    through the crowd to stand before me, ¡°Ms. Finch, we have no quarrel. Please do not make trouble for


    me. That phone is mine. Please give it back.¡±


    I held the phone above my head, out of her reach.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll first read the contents of the phone to everyone!¡± Then, I lowered my voice, ¡°Karina, do


    you want me to disappear forever? I won¡¯t let you have your way. I¡¯ll make sure you have a tough time.¡±


    I was almost certain that the rope that almost drowned me was tied by Karina.


    Karina¡¯s face turned pale in that instant. If it wasn¡¯t for the crowd, I suspect she would¡¯ve tried to stab


    me in the next second. That look of loathing and fear was quite scary from up close.


    Just as I was about to read the texts, Neil¡¯s voice broke through, ¡°Enough!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s attention was suddenly drawn to Neil. His identity was well known, and there were


    undoubtedly a fair few who recognized me as well.


    If you had to sum up that drama, it would have been pretty urate to say it was an ex-wife causing


    trouble for the wife at the time.


    ¡°Neil,¡± Karina suddenly found her backbone. The unease that had been guing her disappeared,


    reced instead by a look of helpless irritation.

 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409


    Chapter 409


    ¡°What on earth are you trying to achieve?¡± Neil¡¯s words were aimed directly at me, his brow furrowed in


    a manner that oddly mirrored Karina.


    Was he upset about me ¡°bullying¡± Karina?


    Was he feeling protective?


    I stared back at him impassively. I was well used to him defending others. His relentless defense of


    Bonnie in my past life had prepared me for that, so I felt more irony than anything else


    now.


    ¡°I just want a clearer picture of Dr. Karina¡¯s actions; is there a problem with that?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°This is not the ce for it. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Neil¡¯s tone was stern, as though I was a child who had


    misbehaved.


    If not there, then where?


    At that point, Ryan and Faith chimed in, ¡°Irene, tell us what really happened!¡±


    I was surprised that under those circumstances, Ryan and Faith were still on my side. Once I revealed


    the truth, it would have not only pped Karina¡¯s face, but also Neil¡¯s. If she were to truly marry into the


    Whitmore family, that incident would have also be a stain on the Whitmore family¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°What exactly is going on here?¡± The Dean couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity. With so many people


    watching and the media invited for publicity, that turn of events was unexpected.


    ¡°The supposed patient was just someone Dr. Karina had hired! I don¡¯t know why she did it. That¡¯s for


    you to investigate!¡± I blurted out the truth, then handed my phone to the nearest person. They took it,


    bewildered, nced at it, and then their eyes widened.


    Everyone else crowded around to look. Gossip spread fast, and once a few people in the crowd knew,


    it would have naturally disseminated.


    Karina tried to snatch the phone, but nearly everyone had already seen the contents.


    Someone, filled with a sense of justice, shouted, ¡°The patient was really someone she hired! Isn¡¯t this


    deceiving us all?¡±


    With that revtion, the award ceremony instantly became a farce.


    The faces of the Dean and other leaders on stage resembled someone who had swallowed a fly. They


    were extremely ufortable.


    Neil¡¯s gaze instantly darkened. He nced at Karina, and I thought he would have reproached her for


    her actions. Instead, he walked through the crowd, took Karina¡¯s hand, and led her away from the


    scene.


    Suddenly, I, the whistleblower, felt like a clown, unsure if I had won or lost.


    Due to my revtion, the award ceremony ended in chaos. Some people came to ask me about the


    process of discovering the truth, but I refused to exin. I just wanted to go home. After leaving the


    hospital, I was preparing to drive home when Ryan and Faith caught up with me. They were


    apanied by Hiram, whom Neil had left behind when he left with Karina.


    Hiram seemed to understand what had happened. Seeing me, he gritted his teeth, broke free from his


    grandparents¡¯ hands, and rushed at me, pounding his small fists against me. ¡°You hurt my mommy!


    How could you be so mean? My mommy didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±


    Seeing Hiram¡¯s violent actions, Ryan immediately grabbed him. ¡°Hiram, you can¡¯t behave like this. Your


    mommy was in the wrong, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°My mommy didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Grandpa, why are you helping this meandy too?¡± Hiram


    whimpered and cried, then pointed at me and used me.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a meandy,¡± Ryan corrected Hiram. ¡°Be a good boy and wait in the car. Grandma and I


    have some things to deal with.¡±


    On such a serious matter, Ryan didn¡¯t indulge Hiram at all and was even quite stern.


    Hiram, scared, sobbed his way to the car where the driver was waiting.


    Once Hiram was in the car, Ryan sighed, his face filled with displeasure. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Karina has


    been raising the child abroad. Hiram has many ws that need to be corrected gradually!¡±


    ¡°Yes, this child has really been spoiled!¡± Faith also expressed her dissatisfaction with Karina. ¡°No


    wonder she herself is of such character and has corrupted the child!¡±


    I kept silent. I didn¡¯t want toment on that matter, as it would have seemed too deliberate.


    Faith continued, ¡°Irene, you did nothing wrong today. She almost deceived Ryan and me. We thought


    she was at least decent, but it turns out everything was a setup to deceive us to change our impression


    of her. We weren¡¯t going toe today, but Hiram insisted, so we had no choice. Now it seems it was


    a good thing we came!¡±


    ¡°Faith, as long as you don¡¯t me me, it¡¯s fine.¡± I said.


    ¡°You silly girl, why would we me you? If we didn¡¯t know her true colors and slowly epted her,


    letting her marry into the Whitmore family/it would have been a disaster!¡± Faith answered firmly.


    I truly admired them, not only for their favoritism towards me but also for their clear sense of right and


    wrong.


    Ryan couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°This Karina, we objected to her not just because of the disparity in our


    social status!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know there were other reasons. I was surprised.


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    Ryan seemed to think it was inappropriate and shook his head, saying no more. But Faith couldn¡¯t


    resist, ¡°What¡¯s there to hide? She took a sum of money from Neil and then came to us asking for


    more!¡±


    I was at a loss for words after hearing that.


    Karina did that? I was sure Neil¡¯s breakup fee to her wasn¡¯t small. She wouldn¡¯t have needed to ask


    Ryan and Faith for money. What was her purpose? She was simply ruining her own image.


    But what was done was done, so it was no wonder Ryan and Faith had such a bad impression of her.


    After chatting for a while, I saw Neil and Karina¡¯s figures appear. They probably hadn¡¯t gone far. And


    Karina¡¯s eyes were red.


    Seeing me talking with Ryan and Faith, she turned around and walked away.


    Neil reluctantly grabbed her wrist, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to exin things clearly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to exin when they¡¯re not going to believe me anyway. They only believe who they want


    to believe.¡± Karina¡¯s words held a veiled meaning as she looked at me. Her eyes were filled with pain.


    Ryan and Faith, of course, understood her words, but they chose to turn a blind eye,


    ¡°Speak up, and I¡¯ll make them believe you.¡± Neil¡¯smand was clear and unarguable. He brought


    Karina back in front of Ryan and Faith. ¡°Speak.¡±


    Seeing him defend Karina like that, I was taken back to a moment from before. It was like watching Neil


    defend Bonnie, standing up for her in front of his parents, wasn¡¯t it?


    I averted my gaze, turned around, and strode away. Whether Ryan and Faith chose to believe Karina


    or not, it was none of my business anymore.

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410


    Chapter 410


    I arrived today with Russel, riding in his car. It wasn¡¯t until I climbed in that I remembered I didn¡¯t have


    the car keys.


    So, I had to go back to the hospital to get the keys from Russel. I knew he was working there and that


    he was still in the department of cardiology, but I couldn¡¯t remember where exactly. It took me a while to


    find it.


    ¡°Dr. Russel is in surgery,¡± a nurse informed me.


    ¡°I understand.¡± I had no intention of waiting. I might as well have called for a cab.


    Just as I was about to turn around and leave, I noticed Russel¡¯s phone on a desk. That must have been


    his spot.


    Recalling how Karina had answered his phone before, I impulsively walked over and picked up the


    phone.


    I didn¡¯t know the passcode, but I tried Russel¡¯s birthday. It was wrong.


    I tried my, Serena¡¯s and Brandon¡¯s birthdays as well but they were also incorrect.


    The phone got locked after three unsessful attempts and required ten minutes to unlock. With a


    belly full of suspicions, I put down the phone and left.


    To say I didn¡¯t have the slightest suspicion about Russel would be a lie. But I had to admit that he had


    been good to me and my children. He wouldn¡¯t harm us.


    When I left the hospital, Ryan and Faith were nowhere to be seen. Karina was also gone, but Neil was


    waiting for me.


    The street lights outside the hospital were dim, blurring my vision. I nced at Neil, choosing to ignore


    him, and prepared to hail a cab back home.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Neil stopped me.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I halted, looking puzzled.


    ¡°Can we talk about Karina?¡± As expected, Neil wanted to discuss Karina. I thought the matter was


    settled, and there wouldn¡¯t have been any follow-ups.


    I was wrong.


    I gave him a distant smile, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. I¡¯ve said what needed to be said at the


    recognition ceremony. You should gofort her. Next time, avoid shooting yourself in the foot.¡±


    Neil stepped in front of me, his height imposing. Instinctively, I stepped back to put some distance


    between us.


    Ever since I moved to Eldoria, I think this was the first time we were alone together, without any family


    or friends around, or anyone who knew about our past.


    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood her. You¡¯ve also hurt her quite a bit. Are you happy now?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes narrowed,


    scrutinizing me, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t say anything when she came back, but you hate me, and you dislike


    her.¡±


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    Indeed, I was no saint. I had feelings and desires. Under those circumstances, it was impossible not to


    hate or dislike them. Unless I was reborn as Mother Teresa.


    But


    my


    hatred and dislike didn¡¯t need a ce to vent. As long as those two didn¡¯t infringe on my interests, I


    could have ignored them,


    Out of sight, out of mind. I didn¡¯t need to add trouble to my life. The reason I exposed Karina today was


    because I was certain she had tampered with my diving gear. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have done it.


    Whether she could have won Ryan and Faith¡¯s favor or how she wanted to stage her own y was


    nothing to me.


    So, Neil got it wrong. I didn¡¯t misunderstand Karina; she was the first to harm me.


    ¡°Oh, what did I misunderstand?¡± I looked up, calmly meeting Neil¡¯s gaze, ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Perhaps my calm and cold gaze unnerved Neil. His eyes darkened even more, and he continued to


    scrutinize me.


    His lips were thin and attractive. The corners of his mouth were sharp, drawing attention to his lips


    even when he was silent.


    ¡°Karina didn¡¯t hire those two person. They¡¯re habitual offenders who got her contact information and


    sent some messages to threaten her. She didn¡¯t want to make a big fuss, so she paid them off,¡± Neil


    gave a simple exnation. It was so simple that it was full of holes.


    I figured that with his intelligence, he would have noticed the discrepancies. But there was only one


    reason he would have ignored them. Karina was important to him. So important that he could have


    ignored everything else as long as she was safe..


    If Bonnie, who was in jail, knew how Neil was favoring and spoiling Karina now, she would have been


    furious. She, the substitute, could have never reced the original.


    ¡°You believed that, didn¡¯t you?¡± I smirked, irony curling my lips.


    ¡°She has no reason to lie. With her medical skills, there¡¯s no need for her to stage anything, right?¡± Neil


    retorted.


    True, Karina was a skilled doctor. That¡¯s why so many people sought her help, including Ste, who


    managed to conceive her second child, thanks to Karina.


    Since Neil trusted her so much, what else could I have said?


    I had achieved my goal. Public opinion of Karina will have inevitably shifted. As long as she was not


    happy, I was content.


    ¡°Neil, if you trust her so much, why are you waiting for me? Do you think exining all this to me is


    necessary?¡± I asked coldly, ¡°Or are you nning to avenge her?¡±


    Neil could have retaliated against my words easily.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that petty,¡± Neil said with annoyance, ¡°What do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°Do you not know what kind of person you are?¡± I didn¡¯t want to waste words with him. I threw those


    words at him and walked away.


    My words seemed to have provoked Neil. He followed me, seemingly not caring that we were at the


    hospital entrance, where people wereing and going even at thatte hour.


    He red at me, ¡°I really want to know what do you think of me. Haven¡¯t I done enough? Irene, don¡¯t


    forget, you left me and ran off to be with Russel!¡±


    ¡°Let bygones be bygones, all right? All you need to know is that I¡¯m doing just fine now. As long as


    Karina doesn¡¯te around bothering me, and disrupting my peace, I don¡¯t have any intention of


    wasting my time on her. Got it?¡± I retorted, my voice rising,¡± Neil, unless you want her to see us like


    this, getting all jealous and suspicious, you better drop this argument.¡±


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Neil fired back, ¡°Why should I be afraid of her getting jealous?¡±


    ¡°Because you love her, don¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t part of loving someone worrying about their insecurities, and


    their doubts? Or do you want her to feel hurt and upset?¡± The words slipped from my lips before could


    stop them.

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411


    Chapter 411


    Neil mped his lips shut, casting an unreadable gaze my way.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s the mother of my child, I won¡¯t let her suffer harm she doesn¡¯t deserve After a moment,


    he finally responded to my question, but his answer took me by surprise.


    Sc, he wasn¡¯t protecting Karina out of love, but because she was the mother of Hiram. And so, for his


    son¡¯s sake, he defended her?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you love her?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Neil fell silent again, his expression growing somewhat restless.


    A strange thought urred to me, and I asked again, ¡°Neil, do you still have feelings for me? That


    project with Mitch, why did it happen to be in Eldoria?¡±


    As soon as I asked, I regretted it. It seemed as though I was testing him, implying that I still cared for


    him, but indirectly asking if he still had feelings for me.


    Neil looked somewhat taken aback. He was about to answer when my phone rang. It was my mom,


    ¡°Rena, have you and Russel returned yet? Serena and Brandon seem to miss their parents today. We


    can¡¯t calm them down!¡±


    ¡°What about Norah?¡± I felt a pang of anxiety.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t feeling well tonight, so I sent her to the hospital. It¡¯s just me and your dad at home now,¡±


    my mom replied.


    ¡®Russel is tied up with a surgery, so he can¡¯t make it back. I¡¯lle home to soothe the kids!¡± Thinking


    of my children crying at home made my heart ached. I hung up the phone and hurriedly hailed a cab.


    But I couldn¡¯t get a cab, and the ride-sharing app showed a queue. It seemed like fate was deliberately


    dying me.


    I was getting frustrated when I noticed Karina exiting the hospital. She had changed her clothes and


    carried a ck bag, her expression somewhat gloomy. She walked over to Neil.


    Neil hadn¡¯t answered my question, but it no longer mattered.


    Karina noticed me waiting for a cab. She walked over without uttering a word, simply asking, ¡°Ms.


    Finch, would you like us to give you a ride? Where¡¯s Russel? Why isn¡¯t he with you?¡±


    She spoke as if nothing had happened that night, harboring no resentment towards me.


    All could say was that she had ten times better mental capacity than Bonnie.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I answered inly since all I wanted was to rush home to my children, and I didn¡¯t care whose


    car I took.


    Karina, seemed surprised by my quick agreement, considering my previous avoidance of her and Neil.


    But since the words were out, there was no taking back. Karina turned to Neil, ¡°Neil, can we give her a


    lift?¡±


    For some reason, Neil¡¯s face fell, turning even colder than before. ¡°No, doesn¡¯t she have a husband?


    Her kids at home need their father. She can call Russel.¡± Neil¡¯s words made Karina¡¯s face shift.


    Although he was a mature man in many aspects, his words at that moment were filled with inexplicable


    bitterness. Perhaps noticing that, he said to Karina, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home first. You rest well. Don¡¯t worry


    about other things. I¡¯ll handle them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my issues might cause trouble for you. I¡¯ve already resigned from the hospital,¡± Karina said


    softly, her head slightly bowed.


    ¡°Why did you resign?¡± Neil¡¯s voice turned icy. ¡°Did the Dean ask you to?¡±


    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t have the dignity to stay. I¡¯ll take a break for a while and find work when an opportunity


    comes up.¡± Karina quickly exined. She nced at me, ¡°Let¡¯s take Ms. Finch home first. I believe she


    didn¡¯t mean to target me tonight. She was just deceived by those manipted messages on the


    phone.¡±


    I was not a fool. Those were definitely not manipted messages.


    Just then, Russel appeared, rushing towards me and panting. He sighed in relief and asked, ¡°Rena, are


    you okay?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t even noticed Neil and Karina.


    I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Have you finished the surgery?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was a simple one. I got a call about Serena and Brandon crying at home, so rushed off from


    work. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Russel¡¯s concern for the children was evident.


    Karina chuckled and said, ¡°Russel, you¡¯re such a good dad. You¡¯re even more worried about the kids


    crying at home than their own mom.¡±


    Only then did Russel notice Neil and Karina. He looked surprised and responded, ¡°Of course, they¡¯re


    my children. Don¡¯t you feel the same?¡±


    For some reason, Neil didn¡¯t react, but Karina seemed a little odd, casting an unnatural nce my way.


    ¡°All parents feel the same,¡± Karina regained herposure and extended her hand to Russel, ¡°Nice to


    meet you, Dr. Russel. I thought it was fate that we were alumni and now colleagues, but it seems our


    fate was short-lived. I hope we can cross paths again.¡±


    -Russel looked at Karina¡¯s hand, puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know about the incident at the awards ceremony. It seemed like he rushed here as soon as


    he finished the surgery.


    Seeing Russel¡¯s hesitation, Karina didn¡¯t feel awkward. She withdrew her hand and returned to Neil¡¯s


    side, intimately holding onto his arm, ¡°You can have your wife exin what happened tonight. We


    should get going.¡±


    Neil gave me a cold nce. In the face of Karina¡¯s intimacy, he showed no resistance or difort.


    So, his earlier im of caring for Karina merely because she was Hiram¡¯s mother was a lie?


    A wave of irritation stirred within me. I hated that subtle, uncontroble feeling, always overthinking


    even when I knew I shouldn¡¯t.


    Not until Neil¡¯s car faded into the distance did Russel take my hand, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get back home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded in agreement.


    On the ride back, I told Russel about the happenings at the award ceremony tonight.


    Russel¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°So, Karina has resigned?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do you seem like you didn¡¯t want her to resign?¡± I quickly caught on to the odd focus of Russel¡¯s


    concern and immediately questioned him.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just unexpected that the Dean would agree. Given Neil¡¯s influence, the hospital is likely to keep


    Karina on board rather than let her go,¡± Russel exined.

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    Chapter 412


    ¡°Right, I know. But she felt she couldn¡¯t stay on anymore, so she quit. There was nothing I could do


    about it,¡± I replied nonchntly.


    Russel was giving me a vibe that was increasingly unsettling.


    I hadn¡¯t forgotten his past coboration with Bonnie. I was all still fresh in my memory. Despite my


    constant refusals, he was persistently good to me, never giving up. So, I kept my concerns to myself,


    never bringing them up again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget it. It¡¯s better that she quit, so you won¡¯t worry about me, Russel seemed to have caught on


    to my skepticism. He shed me aforting smile, and we dropped the subject.


    When I arrived home, Serena and Brandon had stopped crying, but they were resistant to sleep. They


    were used to sleeping beside me and didn¡¯t fancy sleeping with my parents.


    I took them to my room to rest while Russel went off to sleep in the room next door.


    I was wide awake, my mind filled with doubts about Russel and Karina. My gut was telling me that their


    rtionship was not as straightforward as it appeared on the surface.


    Neil¡¯s attitude towards Karina was also unexpected.


    News of tonight¡¯s incident had spread by the next day, but the buzz wasn¡¯t significant. Neil must have


    used his public rtions team to control the situation. That was a move he was known for when it came


    to protecting those he cared about.


    Ryan and Faith were especially affected by the news.


    ¡°Neil has a thing forplex women,¡± my mother sighed after seeing the news, ¡°Bonnie is still in jail,


    and now here¡¯s Karina, who seems just asplicated.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Of course, Karina was far more formidable than Bonnie.


    I held Brandon close, rocking him gently as I admired his adorable face. His only w was that he


    looked like Neil. Serena, on the other hand, took after me. It was as if they had decided it among


    themselves.


    ¡°Let it be,¡± I responded nonchntly, unconcerned about Neil¡¯s reasons for protecting Karina.


    ¡°Of course, let him be. But Rena, what are you and Russel nning?¡± My mother asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you


    think you owe him an exnation?¡±


    I looked at her, clueless, before asking, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    My parents exchanged nces before my father spoke, ¡°If he¡¯smitted to being with you, why not


    consider giving him a chance and get married?¡±


    That caught me off guard. Why would my parents suddenly bring up marriage?


    The mere thought of it felt absurd. I couldn¡¯t possibly impose such a burden on Russel.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, please don¡¯t bring this up again,¡± I swiftly put an end to their musings.


    ¡°It¡¯s not us who brought this up. It¡¯s Russel,¡± my mother sighed, ¡°You think giving him a chance is a


    burden, but have you considered that by continually refusing, you¡¯re also holding him back?¡±


    My father added, ¡°And there¡¯s another thing you might not have considered. If Neil wanted to check


    your marital status and the kids¡¯ registration, he could easily do it. If he finds out that you two haven¡¯t


    gotten married yet, he¡¯ll definitely have suspicions.¡±


    They both tried to convince me to take the legal step and officially be with Russel.


    Despite the logic in my father¡¯s words, I disagreed. Even if Neil found out, so what? I would have


    insisted that I was with Russel, just not ready to get married. What could he have done about it?


    In the midst of our debate, my mother¡¯s phone rang. After a nce at the caller ID, she looked uneasy


    but picked up the call.


    She took the call in the yard. My father and I exchanged nces, sensing something was amiss.


    Sure enough, ten minutester, my mother returned with red-rimmed eyes, barely holding back her


    tears.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked worriedly.


    ¡°We need to go to your Uncle Lucas¡¯ house,¡± she choked out, wiping away a tear, ¡°Something¡¯s


    happened.¡±


    There was limited contact between us and my two uncles due to some old disagreements. After my


    parents¡¯ ident, I had sought their help but was rejected. After that, we had cut ties almost


    completely.


    I couldn¡¯t understand why Lucas suddenly contacted my mother until she revealed the reason.


    Lucas¡¯ family had been in a severe car ident. Only my aunt was still in the emergency room, but


    there was little hope of her waking up.


    The news left me in a state of shock. I didn¡¯t feel schadenfreude or sorrow, just astonishment,


    struggling to process the situation.


    My father seemed simrly affected.


    ¡°My brother moved overseas some time ago, so I have to handle everything,¡± my mother said, her eyes


    red and teary, ¡°You shoulde with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I should go,¡± my father replied, somberly nodding his head. In the face of death, he couldn¡¯t


    bear to dwell on past grievances.


    I was equally upset. I wasn¡¯t very clear on the grudges of the previous generation, but I remembered


    my uncles were decent to me when I was young and only drifted apartter.


    I asked my mother, ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°You should stay. Norah alone can¡¯t handle the kids,¡± my mother said, wiping her tears and trying to


    keep herposure, ¡°Your father and I can take care of things. But with just you and Norah at home,


    can you manage?¡±


    Ordinarily, I would have gone, but with two young children to look after, it wasn¡¯t feasible.


    hesitated, and my father added, ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do for the dead. The main thing is to handle


    the aftermath. Your mother and I can handle it. It¡¯s not good for young children to be in such ces.¡±


    Though his words sounded superstitious, it was true that Serena and Brandon were too young to be


    exposed to such situations.


    ¡°Listen to your father. Stay home with the kids,¡± my mother sighed deeply before heading back to her


    room to pack.


    I didn¡¯t say anything more. I watched as my parents packed their things and saw them off as they left.


    Once they were gone, the house felt emptier. It was just Norah and I with the kids. Norah usually took


    the kids for a walk in the evening, but due to my low spirits, I didn¡¯t join them today.


    It must have been about seven o¡¯clock in the evening when the doorbell rang. I thought it was Norah,


    who had probably forgotten her keys again, so I went straight to open the door.


    To my surprise, it was Ryan and Faith standing on the doorstep, and they brought Hiram along with


    them.


    ¡°Irene, we hope you don¡¯t mind us dropping by unannounced?¡± Faith asked, sounding a bit apologetic.

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    I never thought they¡¯d show up at my ce.


    I didn¡¯t recall giving them my address.


    ¡°It was Neil who told us,¡± Faith exined, seeing my surprised expression.


    ¡°Pleasee in,¡± I said, snapping out of my trance and quickly inviting them in for a cup of coffee.


    Hiram followed them in, behaving unusually well that day.


    Once Ryan and Faith werefortably seated in the living room, I made them some coffee and


    fetched a few toys and snacks for Hiram¡¯before taking a seat across from them.


    Beside the couch were some gifts they had brought, all appearing to be quite expensive.


    Breaking the silence, I asked, ¡°Ryan, Faith, what brings you here today? I wasn¡¯t expecting you, so I


    haven¡¯t prepared anything.¡±


    ¡°We just wanted to check in on you and your folks. I didn¡¯t know where you were staying, so I asked


    Neil,¡± Faith replied with a broad smile before ncing around the room, ¡°Where are your two little


    angels?¡±


    ¡°The nanny took them out for a walk,¡± I answered.


    ¡°That sounds lovely!¡± Faithmented, though I could see a hint of disappointment in her eyes. Did


    she want to see Serena and Brandon?


    I was worried. Didn¡¯t they believe that Serena and Brandon were my children with Russel? Despite


    Russel saying he had a DNA test done, who knew what Ryan and Faith were thinking?


    Just then, Hiram ran out to the yard. I was a bit anxious, but Faith reassured me, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Let him


    y. He wouldn¡¯t be interested in our adult conversation anyway.¡±


    No sooner had Faith finished speaking than Hiram returned, quietly ying with his toys on the floor


    and causing no disturbance.


    After some small talk, Ryan finally brought up their real purpose for the visit, ¡°Irene, there¡¯s something


    we need to ask of you. You may not like it, but it¡¯s vital to us.¡±


    Feeling uneasy, I said, ¡°Go ahead, Ryan.¡±


    Ryan and Faith exchanged a look before he continued, ¡°We were hoping to have another DNA test


    done on Serena and Brandon.¡±


    My heart sank. Thest thing that I wanted was happening.


    If the Whitmore family found out that Serena and Brandon were Neil¡¯s, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to


    sit together peacefully anymore. There would have definitely been a custody battle.


    Ryan and Faith had always been kind to me, but they weren¡¯t going to let their grandchildren be raised


    by someone else.


    ¡°Why would you want to do that?¡± I asked, managing to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°We just think Brandon looks a lot like Neil. Irene, we don¡¯t mean anything by it. We just want to know


    the truth, okay?¡± Faith pleaded, ¡°Even if they aren¡¯t your children with Neil, we just want to be sure. It¡¯s


    not fair to you for us to show up like this, but we can¡¯t let it go¡­¡±


    I initially wanted to keep the peace with Ryan and Faith. They had been good to me, and I saw no


    reason to pick a fight.


    However, since they were doubting Serena and Brandon, I felt a surge of defensiveness.


    ¡°Ryan, Faith, is this really necessary?¡± I asked. The chill in my voice was evident, ¡°Serena and Brandon


    are my children with Russel. Both of us handled the DNA test. It¡¯s just that he is keeping it right now.


    Otherwise, I would show it to you for your peace of mind.¡±


    ¡°But Brandon looks so much like¡­¡± Ryan started.


    ¡°Ryan, there are many people in the world who look alike, especially babies. We can¡¯t know for sure


    what they¡¯ll look like when they grow up,¡± I cut him off.


    When it came to my children, I wasn¡¯t about to back down.


    Ryan sighed heavily, failing to articte his thoughts.


    Seeing that, Faith pleaded, ¡°Irene, we know all this is Neil¡¯s fault. We wronged you. But this isn¡¯t a


    game. Could you do this for us just once?¡±


    No matter what, I wasn¡¯t going to agree to it.


    As soon as Ryan and Faith took Serena and Brandon for a DNA test, the truth would have been out.


    Knowing Neil, he would have definitely made a fuss about it.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    So even though I felt guilty towards Ryan and Faith for denying them their grandchildren, I had to stand


    my ground.


    I stood up, ¡°Ryan, Faith, let¡¯s not discuss this any further. If I agreed, I would be betraying Russel.¡±


    Before Faith could argue, the doorbell rang again.


    I took that opportunity to answer it and avoid further discussion.


    But I wish I hadn¡¯t, because the visitor was Neil.


    Seeing me open the door, he frowned as usual before ncing towards the living room, ¡°Are my


    parents here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I was d to see Neil for once. ¡°Hiram is here too. They came to discuss Serena and Brandon,


    suspecting that they¡¯re our children. I don¡¯t think we need to dwell on this any longer, especially in front


    of Hiram. It could negatively affect him.¡±


    At my words, Neil¡¯s face darkened. He strode into the living room and confronted his parents, ¡°You


    asked for her address to discuss the kids with her?¡±


    ¡°What we discuss is none of your business!¡± Ryan snapped at his son. His tone was much harsher than


    when he was speaking to me.


    ¡°I told you that Irene and I are done. Those kids aren¡¯t mine. Isn¡¯t Hiram enough for you?¡± Neil nced


    at Hiram.


    Hiram had long since traded in his toys for eavesdropping on adult conversation, absorbing whatever


    he could understand.


    Speaking of Hiram, a trace of heartache flickered on Faith¡¯s face. She exined, ¡°We¡¯re certainly


    thrilled to have Hiram with us, but if Serena and Brandon were yours¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not his!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not mine!¡±


    Neil and I blurted out in unison, our tones strikingly identical.


    Ryan and Faith nced at Neil, then at me, their expressions aplicated mix.


    In that respect, Neil and I seemed to have reached an understanding.


    As long as he believed that Serena and Brandon had nothing to do with him, that was all that mattered.


    ¡°We¡¯re back!¡±


    At that moment, Norah¡¯s voice rang out as she opened the front door and pushed Serena and Brandon


    inside.


    The two little ones weren¡¯t in the mood for sleep yet; they were swinging their chubby arms in the air,


    looking utterly adorable.

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    Seeing the two little ones, Ryan and Faith broke into smiles.


    Faith, in particr, seemed overjoyed as she went over to the stroller and lifted Serena into her arms.


    Her eyes were brimming with affection.


    Serena seemed content in Faith¡¯s arms, too, not crying or fussing. Her big round eyes watched Faith,


    and she¡¯d asionally babble something iprehensible Faith was delighted, cooing back at her,


    ¡°What a lovely little girl you are! So adorable!¡±


    Both Neil and I looked on, not quite sure what to say.


    Finally, Neil stepped forward and took Serena into his arms. ¡°She¡¯s not your granddaughter. Stop


    bothering Irene with this.¡±


    Neil had almost picked up Serena a few times before but was constantly interrupted. Never did we


    imagine that today, under such circumstances, he¡¯d finally hold


    her.


    Serena, dressed in a pink onesie with tiny flowers printed on it, looked incredibly soft and delicate in


    Neil¡¯s arms.


    The contrast between the burly man and the tiny baby was striking.


    ¡°Be careful! Babies have weak necks. You need to support it!¡± Faith immediately pointed out, noticing


    Neil¡¯s awkward hold on Serena.


    L


    His eyes shed with panic, and he quickly adjusted his grip. But his inexperience was evident, and his


    hasty movements only made things worse. Finally, he ended up holding Serena upright, even though


    she couldn¡¯t yet support her own head.


    I was startled and quickly took Serena from Neil¡¯s unsure grasp.


    Under normal circumstances, Serena would have started crying if someone held her awkwardly.


    But it was different with Neil. Despite his clumsy handling, she remained calm.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sensation in my heart, one I couldn¡¯t express.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good with babies,¡± Neil said, looking a bit helpless. ¡°I¡¯ve only held a baby a few times at Mitch¡¯s


    ce, so¡­¡±


    He looked genuinely regretful. Especially since he¡¯d almost hurt the baby.


    Faith pped Neil lightly, looking frustrated. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Can¡¯t even hold a baby? Your


    father learned to do it when you were born. You really are¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the air.


    I had already stated that Serena wasn¡¯t Neil¡¯s child, so why did he need to learn to hold a baby?


    Faith apparently thought of Serena as Neil¡¯s child.


    ¡°Mom, we should go,¡± Neil interrupted, his voice colder than usual.


    Faith looked at me with aplex expression. ¡°Irene,¡± she said earnestly, ¡°consider what Ryan and I


    have said. If you agree, you can ask us for anything.¡±


    Just as I was about to refuse, Hiram suddenly shouted, ¡°My mom is here!¡±


    I was surprised, then saw him holding up his wrist. He was wearing a smartwatch, one that could make


    calls. He was yelling into it, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m opening the door for you!¡±


    Seeing that, Ryan and Faith were stunned.


    Had Hiram been on the phone with Karina during our conversation? Had she heard everything we¡¯d


    said?


    Even though Ryan and Faith didn¡¯t like Karina, I didn¡¯t think they wanted to hurt Hiram.


    When the gates opened, Karina appeared. Her face was calm, showing no emotions. After seeing


    Hiram, she walked in, holding his hand.


    ¡°Ryan, Faith, I apologize. Hiram didn¡¯t hang up the call, so I came over,¡± Karina said as she


    approached us, sounding apologetic. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop on your


    conversation.¡±


    So, she had heard everything.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was speechless. Was Hiram her little spy?


    Ryan and Faith exchanged nces, both remaining silent.


    Karina had already brought them a grandson, yet they¡¯de to me, insisting that my children were


    also their grandchildren, even after my repeated refusals. It was indeed awkward.


    I could understand their feelings, but I wasn¡¯t sure if Karina could.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, if your children truly have no rtion to Neil, why don¡¯t you agree to a paternity test and let


    Ryan and Faith see the results for themselves?¡± Karina said, surprisingly siding with Ryan and Faith.


    ¡°That way, they can finally let go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what we want, Faith agreed, finally findingmon ground with Karina. ¡°We just


    want closure, no matter the results.¡±


    I had my doubts.


    Faced with Ryan, Faith, and Karina, I fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Neil finally lost his patience. ¡°This ends now. Do you all really want to make a spectacle out


    of this? No one is to bother her about this matter anymore!¡±


    I was taken aback. Did Neil believe even more deeply that the children weren¡¯t his?


    Ryan was angry at Neil¡¯s words. ¡°You ungrateful child! Look at the mess you¡¯ve made! We¡¯re done with


    you. We¡¯re going back to Springvale, and we¡¯re taking Hiram with us. We can¡¯t leave him here to be


    corrupted by you two!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Hiram immediately clung to Karina¡¯s leg ¡°No, Grandpa. I want to stay with Mommy!¡±


    Karina looked down at Hiram and gave a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hiram. You can go with Grandpa and


    Grandma.¡±


    ¡°No way. Mommy, I want to stay with you!¡± Hiram insisted, but somehow, he suddenly darted over and


    grabbed Faith¡¯s hand, ¡°Granny, can¡¯t you stay here too? Hiram wants to be with you and with Mommy


    and Daddy too!¡±


    What a talker he was.


    Faith seemed to waver in the face of her grandson¡¯s plea. She didn¡¯t give a straight answer, just


    sighed, ¡°Hiram, don¡¯t cry. We¡¯ll think it over.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Granny, don¡¯t leave me behind, and don¡¯t let me be separated from my Mommy Hiram said,


    wiping away his tears.


    Neil stepped forward and picked up Hiram, then nced at me, ¡°We¡¯re going now.¡±


    ¡°All right, I need to watch the kid. I won¡¯t see you out.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief, eager to end this


    awkward situation.


    Ryan and Faith shook their heads in disappointment, and without further fuss, they left with Neil.

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    Chapter 415


    ¡°Norah, I need you to remember something,¡± I said seriously once Neil and his group had left.


    ¡°What is it, Ms. Finch?¡± Norah nodded.


    ¡°You have to be careful when you take Serena and Brandon out on their own. Don¡¯t let those people


    from earliere too close. You got it?¡± I was worried Ryan and Faith hadn¡¯t given up, so I had to


    caution Norah.


    Norah, understanding myplicated rtionship with the Whitmore family, simply replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    After giving the kids a bath, Norah and I retreated to our bedrooms. Before turning in, I dialed Russel to


    fill him in on the situation.


    Russel was on night shift, but he wasn¡¯t too busy. After hearing me out, he said thoughtfully, ¡°Try to


    minimize contact with them. If they insist on a paternity test, let me know, and I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°Can you manipte the results?¡± I blurted out.


    Russel went silent for a bit before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve got it covered.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer my question directly, but it wasn¡¯t something one could have messed around with


    lightly.


    That night, I had a nightmare where Neil and his family found out about Serena and Brandon¡¯s true


    identity and tried to take them away from me.


    I woke up in a cold sweat, The two little ones were still sound asleep in their cribs.


    It was already 8 in the morning. With my mum not at home, I had to go out and buy groceries.


    Norah stayed home to look after the kids. She was more professional at it than me.


    After leaving home, 1 headed for the nearest supermarket to buy some fresh ingredients. While waiting


    in line to pay, I felt as if someone was watching me.


    I turned around and saw Karina with a shopping cart in the distance.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I assure you I didn¡¯t follow you here. It¡¯s just a coincidence,¡± Karina said, noticing my


    difort.


    ¡°We seem to ¡®coincidentally¡¯ bump into each other quite often, don¡¯t we?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, Neil and I do live nearby. His partnership with Mitch isn¡¯t far from here which is why we bump into


    each other often,¡± Karina exined, her eyes honest.


    I remained silent. I wasn¡¯t aware that Neil and Karina lived nearby.


    Ste probably didn¡¯t mention it to avoid upsetting me.


    The supermarket wasn¡¯t crowded, and there were few people in line. I quickly paid for my groceries and


    left, only for Karina to follow me outside.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored of following me around?¡± I asked, stopping and turning to face her.


    ¡°I just wanted to warn you about something, Karina¡¯s smile faded a bit, ¡°Neil¡¯s parents are trying to get


    a paternity test for your kids. I hope you won¡¯t invite trouble.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®invite trouble¡¯?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Are you worried that Serena and Brandon might


    actually be Neil¡¯s children? Are you afraid they¡¯ll take Hiram¡¯s ce in the Whitmore family?¡±


    That was definitely Karina¡¯s biggest worry. Despite maintaining herposure, her face betrayed her


    anxiety. ¡°I¡¯m not worried. They¡¯re your and Russel¡¯s children, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yes, so you¡¯d best keep Ryan and Faith away from me, okay?¡± I replied coldly before walking away.


    But Karina followed me again. She put down her bags and grabbed my arm. ¡°I can let go of the fact


    that you got me fired. I can find work anywhere. But if you cause a problem between Neil and me, I


    won¡¯t let it go.¡±


    I shrugged off her hand. ¡°We¡¯re not close. Please don¡¯t touch me. If you¡¯re not worried about losing


    dignity, I am.¡±


    Karina frowned, her face slowly returning to normal. She probably realized she was causing a scene in


    public.


    ¡°I apologize. I was just a little anxious,¡± she admitted. ¡°You know what Neil and I went through. I raised


    our child alone abroad. It wasn¡¯t easy. Now that we¡¯re back together, I want to cherish it and avoid any


    problems.¡±


    ¡°Neil is my ex-husband, and it was I who asked for a divorce. Don¡¯t worry, I have no interest in taking


    back the trash I threw away,¡± I again said coldly.


    Karina pressed her lips together. ¡°Is that so? Do you really believe that?¡±


    Of course, I did. I had given Neil plenty of chances. Since we couldn¡¯t make it work, there was no point


    trying again.


    ¡°Done shopping?¡± Neil¡¯s cold voice broke the silence.


    I turned around to see him looking upset.


    ¡°Of course, anyone would be upset to hear themselves referred to as trash,¡± I thought. But it wasn¡¯t my


    fault. Karina had initiated the conversation, and I was just trying to end it quickly.


    ¡°Yes, we just ran into Ms. Finch and had a little chat,¡± Karina said with a smile.


    It seemed like Neil had just arrived. He probably hadn¡¯t heard Karina¡¯s part of the conversation, and


    only myment about not wanting to take back the trash.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I swear, the universe had a twisted sense of humor when it came to Neil and me. Every time I was


    badmouthing him, it didn¡¯t matter when or where, he just popped up. It was as if Fate itself was serving


    up those moments on a silver tter for us to share our gripes about each other.


    ¡°Yeah, I suggest you don¡¯t chat with her too much,¡± Neil said, not even ncing in my direction as he


    sauntered up and took the bag from Karina¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    His tone was a clear indication that he was in a bad mood.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We are friends with Ms. Finch. Not to mention you and her¡­¡± Karina trailed off, but


    then she startedughing. ¡°Neil, I¡¯m not the jealous type. I know about your past with her, and I


    understand.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not friends,¡± Neil cut Karina off.

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    ¡°Right, we¡¯re not even friends, Dr. Karina, Let¡¯s make that clear. I chimed in, casting a shadow over


    Neil¡¯s already gloomy mood.


    Karina pretended to be disappointed, ¡°You were once married, after all. There¡¯s no need to be so


    indifferent. Perhaps, you could just be regr friends moving


    forward.¡±


    It was a pretense of reconciliation but, in reality, a disy of triumph.


    Wasn¡¯t the frosty distance between Neil and me the perfect tonic to her insecurities?


    ¡°Whatever kind of friendship it is, I¡¯m not interested. I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. I¡¯m heading home.¡± I


    didn¡¯t y along with Karina¡¯s performance.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Once I found my car, I loaded up the groceries I¡¯d bought and drove home.


    If there was any chance of Neil and me being ¡®regr friends; why would I have moved to Eldoria?


    When I got home, Serena and Brandon were already awake.


    Norah was making them exercise. Seeing me, she took the groceries from me, ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll start


    breakfast.¡±


    Norah went to the kitchen, and I stayed with the kids.


    During that time, my mom/sent a video call. Other than checking in on the kids, she wanted to talk


    about Lucas¡¯ affairs. To my surprise, Lucas had drawn up a will. After the immediate family, my mom


    was next in line.


    That meant that if something happened to Lucas¡¯ immediate family, all his wealth would have gone to


    my mom.


    That was a surprise to all of us.


    My uncle, Lucas, had harbored a profound resentment towards my parents. My dad had decided to


    handle a business matter reasonably, which Lucas took as a betrayal. Ever since that time, our families


    had been at odds.


    As for my uncle, he had always kept his distance.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I confessed.


    ¡°Your aunt is still in the ICU, so it probably won¡¯t go to me. We don¡¯t want his money! We just want her


    to get better. But even if she does, how is she going to face everything? If I were her, I don¡¯t know if I


    could bear it¡­¡± My mom choked up towards the end.


    Lucas was her brother, after all. Even if they had their differences, she had let bygones be bygones.


    Besides, Lucas¡¯ will must have hit her hard.


    It was clear that Lucas still held his sister in high regard.


    ¡°Mom, are you and Dad going to stay there for a while?¡± I asked, ¡°Considering my aunt¡¯s condition,


    you¡¯ll probably need to be there for some time, right?¡±


    My mom confirmed, ¡°Yes, can you and Norah manage with Serena and Brandon?¡±


    ¡°No problem, they¡¯re both very well-behaved,¡± I assured her, ¡°You guys take care of everything there


    ande back when you¡¯re ready. If anything happens, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°All right, and be careful of Neil and that Karina, okay?¡± Even in those circumstances, my mom was


    worried about that.


    I didn¡¯t tell her about Ryan and Faithing to my house, wanting to take Serena and Brandon for a


    paternity test. That would have just added to their worries.


    After ending the call, Norah had breakfast ready and called me over to eat.


    Just then, the gate opened, and Russel came in looking rather worn out, with faint dark circles under


    his eyes.


    Norah quickly set another ce at the table, ¡°Dr. Russel, have you eaten? I just finished preparing


    breakfast. Join us.¡±


    Russel nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Norah, being very observant, quickly ate a bit and then went to y with the kids, leaving Russel and


    me alone.


    But there really wasn¡¯t much to discuss between us.


    Other than the thing with Karina, I generally trusted him.


    What I wasn¡¯t expecting was for him to propose today.


    In the middle of our silent meal, he took out a diamond ring from his pocket. It was the same one he


    had given me once before, which I had returned.


    But then, that ring was before me once again. His eyes were tired but sparkling. His voice was soft and


    sincere as he asked, ¡°Irene, would you consider marrying me?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ ¡°I stared at the ring, stunned, ¡°Why bring this up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to ask you for a while now. I just didn¡¯t know when would be the right time,¡± Russel


    confessed with a smile, ¡°I know there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll say no, but something happenedst night


    that made me realize when you want to do something, you shouldn¡¯t hesitate. Even if you get rejected,


    don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I hadn¡¯t nned on marrying Russel. That would have meant we would be a


    legal couple. I couldn¡¯t develop romantic feelings for him, and it wouldn¡¯t have been fair to him.


    So, I tried to change the subject, ¡°What happenedst night?¡±


    Russel knew I was trying to deflect, but he still exined gently, ¡°We had a patient. It was a young girl.


    Her boyfriend had just proposed to her not long ago when they met with an ident. She didn¡¯t make


    it.¡±


    So, witnessing the loss of a loved one had stirred those feelings in him?


    I never knew Russel had such a sensitive side.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s really unfortunate. Her boyfriend must be devastated,¡± I said, my mind a whirl of thoughts.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to wait anymore. I¡¯ve already discussed this with your parents and they didn¡¯t


    object. They just told me to think it through, to make sure I wouldn¡¯t regret itter. And then, to ask


    you,¡± Russel put the ring down on the table, ¡°Could you please consider it? I want to be Serena and


    Brandon¡¯s legal father. I¡¯ll


    treat them as my own. As for us¡­whether we have kids or not, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±


    It was not every day that a man taid it all on the line like that, even his dignity.


    I would have been lying if I said I wasn¡¯t touched. However, my rationality kept me from epting it just


    because I was moved.


    After a spell of silence, I could tell that Russel had already figured out my answer. He didn¡¯t seem upset


    or disappointed, but instead, he merely chuckled, ¡°I knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. Even before Serena


    and Brandon came into the picture, it was tough. Now with them involved, it¡¯s even harder for you to


    ept me. I can understand that.¡±


    ¡°Russel, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I managed to murmur after a moment of hesitation.


    ¡°No need to apologize. I¡¯m doing this willingly.¡± Russel pocketed the ring, ¡°I¡¯ll try again someday. Maybe


    one day, you will truly ept me.¡±


    I really wanted to tell him to stop wasting his time, but then I remembered how many times I had said


    those words before, to no avail.

 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417


    Chapter 417


    The breakfast was a test of my mental fortitude.


    Although Russei didn¡¯t say anything more, I found myself unable to meet his gaze.


    Thankfully, after breakfast, he returned to the next room to rest. He had been up all night, working


    tirelessly, and he was visibly exhausted.


    ¡°Norah, I won¡¯t be home for lunch. I¡¯m going over to a friend¡¯s ce,¡± I said, hastily gathering a few


    belongings.


    1


    Ste had invited me over for lunch and asked me to bring Serena and Brandon along.


    Once outside, I strapped Serena and Brandon into their car,seats and drove off towards Ste¡¯s ce.


    It was a bit of a drive, taking about half an hour.


    Upon arriving at Ste¡¯s, I realized my timing was off. She was in the middle of an argument with Mitch.


    ¡°Are you filled with seawater or something? Can¡¯t you do one simple thing right? You knew I was


    having Rena over today, yet you invited Neil? Did you do this on purpose?¡± Ste¡¯s voice, full of anger,


    echoed through the house as she scolded Mitch.


    Mitch swallowed his pride and tried to exin calmly. ¡°No, I had already arranged lunch with Neil. Not


    just him, but two other colleagues are alsoing. I just forgot that you had invited Rena today. Can¡¯t


    you reschedule your meeting with Rena?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ste was always a princess in front of Mitch.


    He always indulged and pampered her, which had made her somewhat willful.


    That willfulness made me both envious and worried.


    At that moment, I was standing at their front door, feeling too awkward to enter. Through the ss door,


    I could see that Mitch was losing his patience.


    Ste continued to berate him, and just as I was about to intervene, Mitch couldn¡¯t hold back any


    longer. ¡°Enough!¡±


    For a moment, Ste was frozen in ce, and my heart clenched in anticipation.


    To make things worse, Neil had arrived. The vi¡¯s front door was wide open. He gave me a curious


    look as he approached.


    I held out a hand to stop him. ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°Wait for what?¡± Neil asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re fighting.¡± I jerked my chin towards the living room where Ste and Mitch were in a heated


    argument,pletely oblivious to our presence.


    Neil frowned, looking puzzled.


    Our voices were low enough that Ste and Mitch couldn¡¯t hear us. However, their argument was loud


    and clear from the doorway.


    Ste couldn¡¯t believe that Mitch, who always indulged her, would suddenly lose his patience with her.


    ¡°Mitch, why are you yelling at me?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re being too willful. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Mitch, despite seeming regretful, still spoke harshly. ¡°I


    can handle the asional tantrum, but today¡¯s meal is work-rted. Can¡¯t you understand that? I am


    tired too!¡±


    ¡°Tired of what? Tell me!¡± Ste demanded. Her voice choked with emotion.


    ¡°I work every day. I help with the kids when Ie home. You know what kind of person I was before.


    Isn¡¯t my change enough for you? You¡¯re always picking on me, throwing tantrums when you¡¯re upset,


    and expecting me to pacify you. I feel like I¡¯m not your husband but your ve.¡± Mitch¡¯s voice grew


    louder, causing their child to start crying in the living room.


    Ste burst into tears, and my heart ached for her.


    I immediately pushed open the door and brought Serena and Brandon inside.


    ¡°Mitch, if you have something to say, say it nicely. Why do you have to be so harsh?¡± I demanded,


    annoyed.


    Neil followed me in, and Mitch gave us aplicated look.


    Ste, still crying, took their child and went into the bedroom. I followed her inside.


    In the bedroom, Ste was crying even harder. She didn¡¯t look at me, just sat there holding their child.


    I knew she felt embarrassed that I had seen that side of her.


    She considered Mitch the kindest man in the world, next to her father and brother.


    She had often bragged about Mitch¡¯s kindness to her to me and our friends, Barbara Sands and Alicia


    Rider, never hiding her happiness.


    But now, that happiness had been shattered by Mitch¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°Ste, are you okay?¡± I left the stroller by the bedroom door and walked over to her, gently touching


    her hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were here? I¡¯m sorry you had to see this,¡± Ste said, trying to


    smile through her tears.


    ¡°If this is about me and Neil, you can tell me. I don¡¯t mind rescheduling. Don¡¯t let my visit cause any


    trouble between you and Mitch. He¡¯s your husband and the father of your child,¡± I said, trying tofort


    her.


    Ste wiped away her tears. ¡°It¡¯s not about you. I overestimated my importance in his life. I thought he


    would tolerate my tantrums and my willfulness. But I guess no man can pamper a woman forever.¡±


    Even the most indulgent man can get tired. Women need to learn to give in sometimes, too.


    ¡°Ste, how can you deny Mitch¡¯s kindness to you? Everyone can see how well he treats you. Don¡¯t let


    a small argument make you question his feelings for you. He¡¯s done so much for you,¡±dvised.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°No¡­you just don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Ste wiped away her tears, a hint of sadness in her voice, ¡°On the


    surface, he¡¯s always been good to me. But I feel something¡¯s changed, something only I can sense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not suggesting he¡­he¡¯s lost interest in you, are you?¡± I found it hard to believe.


    Mitch was a former yboy, and as the saying goes, a reformed rake makes the best husband: He


    should have had his fill of the glitzy outside world.


    In the past couple of years, Ste, indeed, had be a different person. Her entire world revolved


    around her little family. She had cut off all contact with the rogues from her past.


    She took a deep breath and turned the question on me, ¡°Is it that wealthier men always prefer women


    who are delicate yet strong, someone they feel the need to protect?¡±

 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418


    Chapter 418


    ¡°Are you telling me¡­¡± began, my forehead crinkling with worry, ¡°that you¡¯re certain he¡¯s seeing


    someone else?¡±


    Ste paused, inhaling deeply before she spoke, ¡°Not exactly certain. Just¡­there¡¯s this woman. I saw


    their chats on Mitch¡¯s phone.¡±


    It felt like a punch to the gut. Thest person I would have expected to stray was Mitch. He¡¯d always


    imed he was done ying the field, that no woman could lure him away.


    I¡¯d always thought Ste had found the perfect partner in him.


    But now, it seemed like every marriage had its own set of troubles, and none were as perfect as they


    seemed on the outside.


    Ste ryed the contents of the chats between Mitch and the other woman. They seemed harmless,


    with no obvious flirtation. But something about them felt off.


    And what really got me was that the woman in question was older than Ste, divorced, with two kids.


    What kind of mess was that?


    ¡°She¡¯s on Mitch¡¯s project team?¡± I asked, my brows knitting together in confusion, ¡°Have you met her?¡±


    ¡°No, but she¡¯s likely to show up soon,¡± Ste replied, shaking her head.


    I felt like I was going to explode.


    Was Mitch really going to throw everything away?


    Good thing I was here today. I was curious to see what kind of woman could have possibly stolen


    Mitch¡¯s attention.


    Just then, Serena started crying from her stroller. It sounded like she was hungry, so l¡¯hurried off to


    prepare a bottle of form.


    Inside, Mitch sat in silence while Neil smoked by the doorway. I wondered if they had had a chance to


    talk.


    Neil wasn¡¯t the type to approve of Mitch¡¯s actions, was he?


    ¡°Need a hand?¡± Mitch offered as I stepped out of the room.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the water?¡± I asked.


    Mitch got up and led me to the kitchen. Usually a cheerful guy, he seemed unusually solemn at that


    time. He turned to me, ¡°How is she? Is she crying?¡±


    There was regret in Mitch¡¯s voice, a hint of remorse.


    I could tell he still cared for Ste.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I scoffed, skillfully mixing the form, ¡°Ste can be bossy, I know that much as


    her friend. But right now, her whole world revolves around you and the kids. After the way you snapped


    at her, how do you think she feels?¡±


    Mitch¡¯s face turned a shade darker. He sighed, ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t mean to. She just got on my nerves. I


    invited my colleagues over for a work-rted discussion and chose to do it at home so Ste wouldn¡¯t


    worry. But we still ended up fighting¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Ariana¡¯sing too?¡± I asked bluntly.


    At the mention of Ariana, Mitch froze, a flicker of guilt shing across his face before he regained his


    composure. ¡°Yes. Ste just misunderstood our rtionship.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a misunderstanding. I


    can¡¯t make sense of it either.¡± I said, taking the bottles of form and heading back to the living room to


    feed Serena.


    Mitch followed me, insisting, ¡°It¡¯s really just a professional rtionship!¡±


    ¡°Men lie as easily as they breathe,¡± I retorted, ¡°If you really saw her as just a colleague, why did you


    offer her a ride home after the office party?¡±


    ¡°She was drunk!¡± Mitch blurted out.


    ¡°Were you the only one with a car? The only one sober?¡± I countered, ¡°It was a team gathering, wasn¡¯t


    it? Neil was there, too, right? Why didn¡¯t you ask him to take her home? You¡¯re a married man, after


    all.¡±


    I pointed at Neil.


    Neil, who was silently observing the exchange, looked taken aback at being dragged into the


    conversation.


    ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with me?¡± he grumbled.


    I wouldn¡¯t normally engage with Neil, but this was about Ste.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you say something to him? Aren¡¯t you guys friends? Don¡¯t you care about your friend¡¯s


    happiness?¡± I pressed on.


    Neil scowled, ¡°How would you know¡­¡±


    He trailed off, ncing at Mitch, whose face was a kaleidoscope of emotions, betraying his guilt and


    unease.


    Ifinally understood why Ste was so upset. If I were in her shoes, I would have felt the same way.


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± Neil gave up, reaching for another cigarette.


    I stopped him, ¡°Either go outside or don¡¯t smoke. There are kids in the house.¡±


    Neil put the cigarette back, choosing to sit down on the couch instead.


    Suddenly, Brandon started coughing in his stroller. He¡¯d choked on his milk, his face turning a scary


    shade of red.


    ¡°Brandon!¡± I scooped him up, patting his back to help him breathe.


    Neil took Brandon from me, gently patting his back while holding his belly down on his arm.


    Soon, Brandon spat up, some of itnding on Neil¡¯s pants.


    ¡°Wipe his mouth.¡± Neil instructed.


    I quickly got some wipes and cleaned the milk off Brandon¡¯s mouth.


    Once he¡¯d spat it all out, Brandon seemed to feel better.


    I held him, softly cooing to him. The incident scared me.


    That was the first time either of Serena and Brandon had choked on their milk.


    I¡¯d read up on parenting, but in the heat of the moment, I¡¯d panicked.


    Neil had really helped out this time.


    I muttered a small ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t respond, simply cleaning his dirty pants with a tissue.


    I handed him a wet wipe, ¡°Use this. It¡¯ll clean it better.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Neil took the wipe, continuing to clean his pants.


    At that moment, Ste emerged from the house, probably hearing Brandon¡¯s cries of


    She was holding the baby, her eyes red-rimmed with worry.


    Upon seeing that, Mitch immediately went over, reaching out to take the baby.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    But Ste skillfully dodged his attempt without a second thought.


    The atmosphere became incredibly awkward.


    ¡°Mitch, we¡¯ve arrived!¡± A woman¡¯s gentle voice echoed.


    I turned around and saw her, the legendary Ariana.

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419


    Chapter 419


    Ariana was just average-looking and appeared significantly older than Mitch, but she had a gentle aura


    about her.


    A man apanied her, who was probably a colleague.


    Upon seeing me, Ariana paused, ¡°Oh, is this a new colleague?¡±


    Mitch¡¯s face tumed awkward.


    I had no fondness for the woman. The way she looked at Mitch was far from an ordinary colleague¡¯s


    gaze. It was tender and affectionate.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I responded coldly, ¡°I can¡¯t be that kind of colleague.¡±


    My words made Mitch¡¯s face drop. Even if I didn¡¯t say it, he knew what I was implying.


    Whether Ariana couldprehend my words or not was another question.


    Apparently, she either didn¡¯t understand or chose to ignore it. Without a hint of embarrassment, she


    smilingly approached the stroller where Serena was.


    ¡°Oh, Mitch, you¡¯ve got two little angels?¡± Ariana reached out to y with Serena.


    ¡°They¡¯re a friend¡¯s children.¡± Mitch hurriedly exined.


    Then he quickly introduced, ¡°This is my wife and our child. You¡¯ve only seen pictures of them. Now


    you¡¯re meeting them in person.¡±


    Ste, who had initially looked upset, immediately brightened up when Ariana arrived, putting on a big,


    weing smile, ¡°You must be Ariana. My husband asionally talks about you.¡±


    Ariana looked surprised at Mitch, ¡°Mitch, is that so? Do you talk about me at home? I guess we truly


    are friends.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stand her insinuations, subtly trying to emphasize her close rtionship with Mitch.


    ¡°Only asionally.¡± Mitch quickly rified, ¡°Sometimes when talking about work, I mention you. My


    wife doesn¡¯t really enjoy hearing about work, so I try not to bring it up.¡±


    Ariana nodded with an enlightened look and approached Ste, reaching out to hold her baby, ¡°Mr.


    Mitch¡¯s little one is so adorable. May I hold her?¡±


    But Ste avoided her. Her tone was frosty as she said, ¡°My baby is shy. She doesn¡¯t like being held by


    strangers.¡±


    Ariana¡¯s hand froze mid-air, obviously embarrassed by the rejection.


    Mitch didn¡¯t dare to say more. Even if he felt Ariana was being wronged, he had to hold his tongue.


    Otherwise, the tension between him and Ste would have only escted, and with me present, he


    couldn¡¯t have afforded to speak recklessly.


    ¡°All right. Some babies are indeed shy. But I didn¡¯t expect her to be so discerning at such a young age.


    Maybe if I visit more often, she¡¯ll get used to me.¡± Ariana brushed off the awkwardness with augh.


    Seeing the situation deteriorating, Mitch intervened, ¡°Everyone, please take a seat. I¡¯ll get some food.¡±


    Ariana sat down without further ado. The other man sat beside her while Neil took the seat across from


    her.


    I wished I hadn¡¯t been there today. Just seeing that woman was enough to irritate me.


    Ste took her baby to the bedroom, and I followed, unwilling to stay in the living room with them.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t we go out for lunch?¡± I asked Ste, presuming she would have been even more


    annoyed staying here.


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll eat here. But you and Neil¡­¡± Ste seemed more worried about me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about me and him meeting. I¡¯ve moved on, and our social circles are


    bound to intersect.¡± I replied.


    Ste nodded, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll just eat here. I¡¯ve been wanting to see what¡¯s so special about Ariana and


    what charm she has that enticed that dog, Mitch.¡±


    Did Mitch like Ariana? I wasn¡¯t sure. His gaze at Ariana earlier didn¡¯t show much affection, but rather


    anxiety, probably because of the conflict with Ste. While I was talking with Ste, I heard my two


    children crying outside. Since the twin stroller couldn¡¯t fit through the door, I had left Serena and


    Brandon outside.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. They were just so cute. I wanted to hold them. I didn¡¯t expect them to cry.¡±


    I walked out to see Ariana cing Serena back into the stroller.


    ¡®Ms. Ariana, what¡¯s going on? Why are you so fond of holding other people¡¯s kids?¡± was slightly angry


    since Serena and Brandon had just fallen asleep and were then woken up and crying because of


    Ariana.


    Serena¡¯s crying woke up Brandon, resulting in both of them crying.


    The crying gave me a headache, and my impression of Ariana worsened. She had held my children


    without my consent, which was quite annoying.


    Ste also came out, her face changing upon seeing Ariana, ¡°Ms. Ariana, can I help you? Why are you


    wandering into other people¡¯s bedrooms?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just looking for the restroom,¡± Ariana quickly exined, ¡°I was going to ask Mitch, but


    he just went out to get something, so I tried to find it myself.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a restroom near the kitchen. How


    did you think to look in the bedrooms?¡± Ste retorted. Her displeasure was evident in her question.


    Ariana looked somewhat ufortable at her response.


    Neil came over as he heard themotion.


    At the moment, I was flustered, unsure whether to pick up Serena or Brandon while Ste was holding


    her own child and couldn¡¯t help me out.


    ¡°Let me help.¡± He gently picked up the crying Serena from the stroller.


    Amazingly, Serena stopped crying the moment she was in Neil¡¯s arms. She became calm and docile.


    Neil looked down at the little one in his arms. His posture was much improvedpared to before,


    making him look quite the doting father.


    I remained silent, merely trying to soothe Brandon iri my arms. The little tyke wouldn¡¯t settle down,


    crying continuously as if protesting his rude awakening.


    ¡°Want to switch?¡± Neil suddenly offered.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was so overwrought with Brandon¡¯s crying that I didn¡¯t quite catch what Net


    Neil put Serena back in her stroller and extended his arms. ¡°Here, let me try.¡±


    When did he be so generous? I was surprised, but I handed over Brandon to hir


    Then, something miraculous happened.


    Brandon gradually quieted down in Neil¡¯s arms and even fell asleep soon after.


    ¡°There. He¡¯s asleep,¡± Neil softly said, cing Brandon back in his stroller as well. His

 Chapter 420

    Chapter 420


    Chapter 420


    ¡°Thanks, they seem to really take a shine to you,¡± I said, feeling a tad awkward.


    From the corner, Ariana piped up again, ¡°Yeah, Mr. Whitmore seems to be a real hit with kids. My son


    adores him too, even though they¡¯ve only met a couple of times. He¡¯s always going on


    about Mr. Whitmore.¡±


    As Ariana said that, she shot Neil a soft, almost coquettish nce.


    Why did it feel like she looked at every man that way? Gentle yet tantalizing, but certainly not the case


    when she looked at Ste and me.


    Yet Neil¡¯s reaction was different from Mitch¡¯s. He seemed not to hear Ariana¡¯s praise, just turned and


    walked back into the living room.


    Ariana looked even more ufortable.


    I had just scolded her, and then she was being ignored by Neil. Talk about losing dignity.


    I didn¡¯t bother with her. I just scooped up Serena and Brandon and carried them to the bedroom for


    some sleep.


    Ariana left tactfully, probably off to actually find the restroom she¡¯d been searching for.


    I closed the door softly.


    Ste¡¯s child gradually fell asleep. Once she had settled her child, she suddenly said, ¡°Rena, I¡¯m


    thinking about getting a divorce.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Her words took me aback.


    Sure, Mitch might have had some issues, but it surely hadn¡¯t gotten to the point of divorce.


    ¡°I said I want a divorce. I can¡¯t stand this situation any longer,¡± Ste said, looking at the sleeping


    children. Her face reflected a mix of reluctance and determination. ¡°You see me happy and content, but


    this suspicious and oppressive state has been going on for a while now. I¡¯m mentally exhausted. It¡¯s too


    much.¡±


    As Ste spoke, her voice choked up, and my heart ached.


    The more straightforward a person is, the less likely others are to notice their inner turmoil.


    Ste had not mentioned her struggles to our close friends, probably not wanting to worry us.


    But at that point, she must have reached her breaking point to disclose that finally,


    She had only been specting before, hearing Ariana¡¯s name from Mitch¡¯s mouth. Having witnessed it


    today, she felt she couldn¡¯t bear it.


    Even though Mitch and Ariana hadn¡¯t done anything inappropriate, it was hard to eradicate the seeds of


    doubt once they took root in her mind.


    ¡°Ste, are you sure there¡¯s actual inappropriate behavior between Mitch and Ariana?¡± I asked.¡±


    ¡°No, but I can¡¯t stand it. Not even a hint of flirtation. It disgusts me,¡± Ste said, her voice filled with


    bitterness.


    She had always been a person who couldn¡¯t tolerate even the smallest bit of dissatisfaction, let alone


    when it came to her husband.


    As an outsider, I was naturally furious at Mitch for hurting Ste. But in the absence of any actual


    wrongdoing, I couldn¡¯t rashly encourage Ste to divorce. That would have been too impulsive.


    Moreover, they had three children.


    ¡°Ste, calm down. Let¡¯s figure everything out before making a decision. Don¡¯t say things you might


    regret in e heat of the moment,¡± I tried to soothe Ste.


    ¡°I¡¯m not being impulsive. I¡¯ve thought about this many times, especially when I saw their chat records, I


    t betrayed, even though they never used any flirtatious words. I just couldn¡¯t ept it mentally,¡± Ste


    sobbed. She used to take love lightly, but now she was very dedicated and deeply in love with Mitch.


    I handed her a tissue,forting her softly, ¡°All right, if he really did something wrong, then get a


    divorce. I¡¯ve been through it too. It¡¯s not a big deal. Besides, we can surely afford to raise


    the children.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste said, her eyes brimming with tears.


    I couldn¡¯t help but hug her, patting her head gently.


    She had always been loyal when it came to her friends¡¯ matters but tended to tough it out when it came


    to her own. If I had argued against her getting a divorce, she probably wouldn¡¯t have slept a wink that


    night.


    Someone knocked on the door, and then Mitch¡¯s voice floated through, ¡°Honey, do you want toe


    out and eat something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Rena, you go eat. It¡¯d be a shame toe all this way and leave on an empty


    stomach,¡± Ste said to me. She didn¡¯t want to see Mitch at the moment.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll bring you somethingter so you don¡¯t have to see anyone who might spoil your appetite,¡±


    I replied.


    Ste just nodded.


    When I stepped outside, Mitch looked anxious as I closed the door.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my wife?¡±


    ¡°Do you even remember she¡¯s your wife?¡± I was fuming.


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    What in the world was going on? Mitch used to be decent. How did he end up like that over a woman


    like Ariana, who was much older, a divorcee with a kid, and causing problems with Ste?


    ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯ve never forgotten,¡± Mitch said, purposely loud enough for Ste to hear, indirectly


    stating that his heart hadn¡¯t changed.


    But at that time, Ste needed more than a simple sentence to be pacified.


    I rolled my eyes at Mitch and headed directly into the living room.


    Neil was engrossed in a card game with Ariana and the other person.


    I didn¡¯t know whose idea it was, but Neil usually wasn¡¯t into those games. I¡¯d only seen him y a few


    times with Mitch.


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Whitmore, I¡¯ve got you beat!¡± Ariana flipped her card with a triumphant smile. ¡°Pay up.¡±


    She then pulled out her phone. ¡°Mr. Whitmore, let¡¯s just add each other¡¯s contact for easier transfers.


    Besides, it¡¯ll make work-rtedmunication easier.¡±


    I sat quietly on the couch. My intuition told me that Ariana was a cunning woman, and her sights were


    set on more than just Mitch. Neil was likely another target.


    If


    f Neil added Ariana, it would have probably been Karina¡¯s turn to worry next.


    ¡°You¡¯re on Mitch¡¯s team. Any issues you have should bemunicated directly to him. There¡¯s no


    need to bypass the chain ofmand,¡± Neil¡¯s thin lips barely moved, his tone as cold as a gust of


    winter wind. It was hard to tell where it came from, but it had the ability to seep into one¡¯s skin, making


    one shiver.


    Ariana was taken aback, her smile faltering just a tad.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let out a snort ofughter. Was that not a ssic case of a gold-digger¡¯s n going


    awry?


    I had to admit that Neil was quite sharp when he put his mind to it, hitting the nail right on the head. But


    the person who should be pleased about that wasn¡¯t me; it was Karina.


    You¡¯re right. Mr. Whitmore is a man of high stature. I, a mere minion, certainly shouldn¡¯t bother him


    unnecessarily,¡± Ariana¡¯s self-deprecating humor was spot-on and quite natural.

 Chapter 421

    Chapter 421


    Chapter 421


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Neil Whitmore opened his PayPal, ¡°Send me your payment request, I¡¯ll settle it. I¡¯m done


    ying.¡±


    Ariana managed to muster up a small smile, opened up her PayPal.


    After Neil had paid, he stood up and left to smoke outside the living room.


    Mitch had been silently observing from the sidelines. His expression was unreadable, but when Ariana


    nced at him, he quickly averted his gaze and retreated to the kitchen.


    For Ste¡¯s happiness, I ultimately found myself stepping outside to find Neil, who was out in the patio


    smoking.


    He was wearing a simple ck t-shirt, revealing the toned muscles of his arms. It was just right, not too


    skinny, not too muscr. It seemed his smoking habit was growing, as he was often seen with a


    cigarette in his hands.


    Upon seeing me, Neil raised an eyebrow before stepping away.


    I approached him once more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dislike the smell of smoke?¡± he questioned, surprised to see me seeking him out. His eyes


    were focused on me, reflecting the slight irritation on my face.


    I didn¡¯t respond to his question but instead asked, ¡°Tell me, do you know what¡¯s going on between


    Mitch and Ariana?¡±


    At the mention of their names, a meaningful look crossed Nell¡¯s face. He nced back towards the


    living room and snuffed out his cigarette beneath his shoe, ¡°I have a hunch, what about


    it?¡±


    ¡°How far have things gone between them?¡± I pressed.


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    ¡°All I said was that I sensed something was off, how would I know how far they¡¯ve taken things?¡± Neil


    looked at me, slightly exasperated, ¡°Irene Finch, take it easy.¡±


    I was naturally frantic, considering this matter affected Ste¡¯s marital happiness, and my tone wasn¡¯t


    the kindest.


    Neil¡¯s reminder brought me back to my senses.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just a bit on edge.¡± I slightly adjusted my tone, ¡°Since Mitch is currently partnering with


    you and you spend quite a bit of time together, I thought I¡¯d ask you.¡±


    Neil gave a smallugh with a slightly devilish look in his eyes.


    Despite being a man in his thirties, there wasn¡¯t a wrinkle on his face. Instead, his age seemed to have


    added a mature andposed air to his already exceptional character, making him even more


    charming.


    Karina had to be careful, as it seemed that Neil was even more attractive e to Ariana than Mitch was.


    At the same time, I felt a sense of relief. Thank goodness this kind of man was no longer my husband,


    or else I¡¯d have to be on guard against all sorts of other women for the rest of my life. During my past


    life, I wasn¡¯t able to fend off Bonnie Tueley, and in this life, I couldn¡¯t fend off Karina. It seems I¡¯m


    destined to be single.


    ¡°Most of my interactions with him are solely work-rted, we haven¡¯t met up much privately recently.


    As my tone softened, so did Neil¡¯s.


    ¡°How did you sense that something was off between Mitch and Ariana?¡± I asked, furrowing my brows.


    Neil answered, ¡°At one of the executive gatherings, Ariana shouldn¡¯t have been there, but Mitch invited


    her. Also, some job promotions and demptions reveal that he treats Ariana differently.¡±


    Hearing this made my blood boil.


    Apparently, it wasn¡¯t just the insinuations in the chat history between Ste and Mitch. Mitch seemed to


    be giving Ariana special treatment.


    I calmed myself down and asked, ¡°What¡¯s Ariana¡¯s educational background? Whichpany did she


    work for before?¡±


    Neil looked at me with a half-smile, ¡°Curious?¡±


    Of course, I was curious. If Ariana was genuinelypetent, then I could understand Mitch¡¯s actions.


    But if she wasn¡¯t, then Mitch¡¯s actions would indicate an inappropriate rtionship


    ¡°Yes, do you know?¡± I admitted openly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Neil¡¯s response was curt, his face expressing disinterest, ¡°I¡¯m partnering with Mitch, but our


    companies aren¡¯t merged. We each manage our people. I have no interest in Ariana¡¯s background.¡±


    I had nothing to say to this, as it was a reasonable point.


    So, I¡¯ll have to investigate Ariana myself and get to the bottom of this.


    Just as I was pondering my next steps, Neil spoke up again, ¡°I could pull up her resume for you if you


    want my help?¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡± I was definitely in need.


    If Neil could help me ess Ariana¡¯s information, it would save me a lot of time and help me figure out


    if Mitch was indeed in the wrong.


    ¡°I can. But as you know, I¡¯m a businessman. I believe in quid pro quo.¡± Neil¡¯s gaze pinned me down,


    ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°State your terms first,¡± I asked directly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Neil shrugged after a moment of thought.


    ¡°Then, forget it.¡± I immediately rejected his offer.


    Although I wanted to help Ste, Neil wasn¡¯t exactly the most trustworthy person. I didn¡¯t want to fall


    into his trap and invite Karina¡¯s wrath, causing trouble for myself.


    Seeing my refusal, Neil quickly moved to stop me, ¡°I promise it won¡¯t be anything you can¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I was skeptical.


    ¡°Yes. You should know that ourpanies keep employee information confidential to prevent poaching


    bypetitors. So if you were to investigate on your own, it would be quite difficult. By the time you get


    what you need, it might already be toote.¡± Neil kindly reminded me.


    I wasn¡¯t entirely aware of this, but Neil probably wasn¡¯t lying.


    Somepanies do encrypt employee data, especially for key positions.


    But was Ariana worthy of such measures?


    She wasn¡¯t, but Mitch, being the fool he was, might just do something like that.


    The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Any injustice Ste suffered felt like an Injustice to me,


    and I couldn¡¯t stand for it.


    ¡°I have two conditions: first, it can¡¯t involve my two children, and second, it can¡¯t require me to do


    anything that goes against my conscience.¡± Right now, all I wanted was to figure out Ariana¡¯s


    background as soon as possible ande up with a counter strategy for Ste.


    ¡°What do you consider being against your conscience?¡± Neil seemed a little confused..


    ¡°Anything that crosses the line between a man and a woman, or anything illegal,¡± I answered solemnly.


    Neil paused for a moment, a low chuckle emanating from his throat. ¡°You think I¡¯m still hung up on you,


    don¡¯t you? That I¡¯d use some scandal to make you fall into my arms?


    I didn¡¯t respond because I was somewhat worried about that. If I admitted it, I¡¯d sound too vain.


    Neil¡¯s smile deepened, followed by a sigh, ¡°Irene, when did you get so self-assured? I¡¯m not so far


    gone that I¡¯d resort to such a pathetic tactic.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first time you¡¯ve used such tactics on me, Neil. You seem to overestimate your


    own sense of morality,¡± I retorted icily.


    Neil¡¯s smile gradually faded, his gaze showing a hint ofplexity. Then he nodded, ¡°Yes, I admit I had


    been out of line in the past.¡±

 Chapter 422

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    Chapter 422


    He was aware of his past transgressions, showing he had a modicum of a consci


    I didn¡¯t want to dwell on that. I just set a timeline. ¡°I want Ariana¡¯s information within three


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Neil replied quicker than I anticipated.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go in. You can just send it to my phone when you have it ¡±


    ¡°Sure, I will contact you directly if I think of any conditions. Don¡¯t ignore my calls or pretend you


    ¡°Hmm, ¡°I responded before walking in.


    Mitch was currently in the kitchen preparing the food. After marrying Ste, he had


    today¡¯s lunch were his handiwork.


    see them.¡± Neil¡¯s tone was tinged with distrust.


    a; ¡°ansformed into a model husband and father, boasting impressive culinary skills. All the dishes for


    Ariana, who had somehow ended up in the kitchen helping, brought out a te of steamed fish.


    She turned to Mitch and said, ¡°Mr. Mitch, this would be even better with chopped spring onions. Plus, it


    would look prettier.¡±


    ¡°I know, but we¡¯re running out of time, so I didn¡¯t prepare them. We¡¯ll have to make do,¡± Mitch replied


    nonchntly.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me? I¡¯m actually pretty good in the kitchen. Let me do it.¡± Ariana moved to get the


    onions, deftly pulling her hair back and reaching for another apron.


    The matching aprons obviously belonged to a couple.


    Ste might not have been a cook, but she was a helpful sous chef.


    I immediately went over and snatched the apron from Ariana¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Yo,,.


    ¡°But, aren¡¯t you a guest too?¡± Ariana was confused.


    our guest. Just sit down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m this household¡¯s best friend, and I¡¯m close with Mitch. I¡¯m not a guest. I¡¯ll handle it,¡± I replied with a


    cold indifference.


    Mitch seemed to understand and quickly exined. ¡°Yes, Ariana, let her do it. You can just sit down.¡±


    Ariana nodded and cast a meaningful nce at me before moving to sit at the dining table.


    Truth be told, my cooking skills were mediocre, and chopping onions required precision. After a few


    attempts, I felt a slight pain in my fingers.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    I instinctively cried out.


    Mitch noticed my clenched hand and realized I had cut myself. ¡°Did you cut yourself? I¡¯ll get you a


    band-aid. Just leave the onions; I¡¯ll handle them.¡±


    Hearing this, Neil came over. He saw my injured hand; the cut was deep, the blood seeping between


    my fingers.


    ¡°How can you be so careless?¡± Neil looked at me sternly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Just need a band-aid,¡± I replied.


    Mitch returned with a band-aid, ready to cleanse my wound and dress it.


    Neil lifted his hand as if to take over, but he stopped himself.


    After disinfecting the wound, Mitch frowned. ¡°This is pretty deep. You should get it checked out at a


    clinic.¡±


    ¡°Is that necessary?¡± I looked at my injured finger, blood still dripping from it, blurring the wound.


    The knife was incredibly sharp.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s necessary. What if the wound gets infected? I¡¯ll drive you to the nearest clinic. Where


    are your kids?¡± Mitch asked.


    ¡°They are sleeping. Ste will probably keep an eye on them.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go immediately.¡± Mitch began to untie his apron.


    However, Neil interjected, ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll take her.¡±


    Mitch looked taken aback. ¡°You¡¯ll take her?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Neil shot back coldly.


    ¡°No, no problem at all. I still have to attend to our guests. Just hurry back!¡± It seemed Mitch understood


    Neil¡¯s message and quickly agreed.


    I, however, was not too keen on going with Neil.


    I turned to Mitch. ¡°Isn¡¯t the clinic nearby? I can go myself.¡±


    Mitch kept hisposure. ¡°It¡¯s quite far. A forty-minute walk or a ten-minute drive. You can¡¯t drive with


    your hand like this.¡±


    That far? I wasn¡¯t familiar with the area.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Neil had already grabbed the car keys. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    My wound was still bleeding, and it looked serious. If I dyed any further and Serena, Brandon woke


    up, I¡¯d have a problem since I¡¯d have to look after them.


    Given the circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be right to trouble Ste, or ask Ariana and another man to drive


    me.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I didn¡¯t resist any further and followed Neil out.


    In the car, Neil didn¡¯t say much. He just drove.


    Three minutester, we pulled up in front of a clinic.


    I was puzzled.


    Was this the forty-minute walk, ten-minute drive Mitch was talking about?


    It probably would have taken me only ten minutes to walk there.


    ¡°It¡¯s so close?!¡± I couldn¡¯t help butin. ¡°Did Mitch intentionally lie to me?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he didn¡¯t know there was a clinic here,¡± Nell replied calmly.


    As we walked into the clinic, I muttered, ¡°But you knew, didn¡¯t you? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Neil, with his keen hearing, casually replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t know either.¡±


    A female doctor came over to inspect my wound and bandage it, while Neil watched from the side.


    Suddenly, the female doctor started to look at Neil frequently, before breaking into a smile. ¡°Hello, sir.


    Thest time you came here to buy medicine, you overpaid. I¡¯ll refund it to you.¡±


    Neil, who had just said he didn¡¯t know about this clinic nced at me his brow furrowed ¡°I didn¡¯t buy


    Chapter 422


    I¡¯m not mistaken. I¡¯ve not seen many men as handsome as you. I remember you well. You were here to


    buy a hangover remedy,¡± the doctor insisted.


    Neil sighed exasperatedly, ¡°I told you that it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was you. You paid an extra zero, overpaying by nine hundred. Did you forget?¡± The doctor¡¯s


    altruism was on full disy.


    What a kind soul.


    I looked up at Neil, who avoided my gaze and left the room to wait for me outside.


    Seeing him leave, the doctor turned to me. ¡°Miss, are you his wife? Here, I¡¯ll refund the money to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I stated firmly.


    ¡°Then you must be his girlfriend. Here, take the refund,¡± the doctor insisted. Even though Neil had


    vehemently denied overpaying, she was determined to return the money. Before I could say anything,


    the doctor handed me the refund. ¡®Take it. It¡¯s yours!¡±


    With no other choice, I epted the money and left.


    Neil was out back, puffing on a cigarette.


    I walked up to him, my face impassive, and thrust some money into his hand. ¡°Here¡¯s that extra cash


    you overpaid. They gave it back, so take it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine,¡± Neil continued to deny.

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    Chapter 423


    ¡°Quit pretending.¡± I outed Neil, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit puzzled why you¡¯re doing this.¡±


    Neil responded calmly, ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to waste any more time.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± I didn¡¯t press the issue.


    If Neil admitted he was doing this on purpose, I wouldn¡¯t know how to react.


    On our way back, Neil¡¯s phone rang, it was a call from Karina.


    He didn¡¯t use a headset, he answered directly, so I could hear their conversation clearly.


    ¡°Neil, are you at Mitch¡¯s ce?¡± Karina¡¯s voice was soft.


    ¡°Uh-huh, what¡¯s up?¡± There was something about Nell¡¯s demeanor that always seemed off to me.


    Sometimes it seemed like he was really in love with Karina, yet his tone always felt distant. Sometimes


    I thought he was with Karina out of a sense of duty, but then there were times when I caught the way


    he looked at her, and it was unlike how he looked at other people.


    It was all too confusing.


    Karina must have been in the hospital corridor, every once in a while, you could hear someone calling


    for a nurse and some background chatter. But her voice was still clear, ¡°Will you be home for dinner


    then? Hiram has been nagging about wanting you to take him to the carnival, there¡¯s an event going on


    tonight.¡±


    Just as Neil was about to reply, my phone also rang. It was a call from my mom, I chose to decline it


    and sent a text message instead.


    But Karina was no fool, after a brief pause, she asked, ¡°Why is Ms. Finch at your ce?¡±


    Neil and I exchanged nces, and Karina chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I won¡¯t overthink. I just heard her


    ringtone and figured she was there. She and Ste are good friends, so it¡¯s normal for you guys to have


    dinner together.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be home for dinner,¡± Neil didn¡¯t keep the conversation going but answered Karina¡¯s earlier


    question.


    ¡°Alright, Hiram and I will be waiting for you.¡± With that, Karina ended the call.


    She was definitely moreposed and patient than Bonnie. Here I was with Neil, and she was so


    nonchnt about it, no usations, no suspicions.


    I couldn¡¯t tell what she was really thinking.


    When I got back to Ste¡¯s ce, I knew something was off.


    The living room was filled with an invisible tension. Ste was sitting on the couch, legs crossed,


    glowering at Ariana.


    Ariana, on the other hand, had red-rimmed eyes and kept ncing at Mitch.


    Mitch looked deeply troubled, his face a mix of emotions.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Neil asked as he walked in.


    The man who had apanied Ariana exined in a low voice.


    Apparently, while waiting for Neil and I toe back, Ste hade out for a drink and saw Ariana


    using her personal mug. This set Ste off, and she smashed the mug on the floor, leading to an


    argument.


    My eyes immediately darted to Mitch. I wanted to know where he stood amid all this. Was he siding


    with Ste or Ariana?


    If he was siding with Ariana, then he could go to hell.


    Mitch deliberately avoided my gaze when he felt it on him.


    ¡°Mitch, let¡¯s get a divorce,¡± Ste proposed this in front of Neil and I, and Ariana.


    She looked incredibly upset and disappointed.


    Hearing this, Mitch looked shocked and disbelieving. ¡°Divorce? You want to divorce me over this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about this, Mitch, you¡¯ve changed,¡± Ste was convinced that Mitch had stopped loving her.


    It seemed that Mitch, the scumbag, had been siding with Ariana.


    A surge


    of anger welled up within me. I turned to Ariana and said, ¡°Ariana, you¡¯ve caused enough trouble for


    this family. Isn¡¯t it about time you leave?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not my fault,¡± Ariana argued, ¡°I just wanted a drink of water. I didn¡¯t deliberately choose that


    mug, I just picked one up. I didn¡¯t think Mr. Mitch¡¯s wife would mind so much!¡±


    I nced at the shattered pieces of the mug on the floor. On therger pieces, you could clearly see


    the pattern. On the table was another mug, with a simr pattern, clearly a couple¡¯s set. Many of the


    things here were bought by Ste on a whim.


    Couple stuff is important because of the meaning behind them.


    Any person with normal intelligence and vision could tell it.


    I picked up the mug from the table and asked Mitch, ¡°This is your mug, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mitch¡¯s face was now a shade of


    green.


    ¡°And this one?¡± I picked up thergest piece from the floor. The pattern was a pink bear with a bow tie;


    Mitch¡¯s mug had a blue bear.


    ¡°Ariana, you¡¯re a divorced woman with a child, meaning you¡¯ve been in a rtionship and marriage


    before. Can¡¯t you tell the difference between these obviously different items? You drink from thedy of


    the house¡¯s couple mug, in front of the man of the house. You¡¯re pretty good at sending subtle


    messages, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    As soon as I finished, Ariana turned pale.


    She still wouldn¡¯t back down, ¡°I never buy couple stuff, so I really didn¡¯t notice. Not everyone pays


    attention to these things. Gregory, Mr. Whitmore, would you notice something like this? It¡¯s just a drink


    of water!¡±


    The man named Gregory must be close to Ariana, so he had no choice but to side with her, and


    nodded, ¡°Sometimes we just don¡¯t pay attention.¡±


    ¡°How did you get into this project if you can¡¯t even notice something so simple?¡± Neil¡¯s words froze the


    room.


    His gaze was icy as he scrutinized Ariana.


    Being the imposing man that he is, when he uses his stare of authority and power, it exerts a huge


    psychological pressure.


    Even I felt a bit uneasy. It reminded me of when I used to daydream in ss and got caught by the


    teacher. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t meet his gaze.


    ¡°I..I¡­¡± Ariana stammered, feeling cornered. Without Neil¡¯s support, she was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Really, Ariana? Can¡¯t even stand your ground, can you?¡± I chimed in, riding the wave of Neil¡¯s words.


    Ariana was left speechless; her gaze fell on Mitch for support.


    But Mitch was preupied. Ste had just dropped the divorce bomb on him.


    Mitch wouldn¡¯t give up his family that easily. Divorcing Ste for Ariana was out of the question.


    Finally, Gregory showed some initiative. Hastening to Ariana¡¯s side, he said, ¡°Ariana, let¡¯s get out of


    here.¡±


    Ariana allowed herself to be led away with a trace of defiance in her eyes.

 Chapter 424

    Chapter 424


    Chapter 424


    After Ariana was led away, the living room was left with Neil and me, together with Ste and Mitch.


    The atmosphere was stiff as a board. I was the first to break the silence, turning to Mitch, ¡°Mitch, did


    you see Ariana drinking from Ste¡¯s cup just now?¡±


    Mitch seemed lost for words.


    Ste quickly interjected. ¡°Of course he saw, but did nothing to stop it. In his eyes, it¡¯s a minor matter.


    Soon, our kids and I will be just as insignificant to him. So, before that happens, let¡¯s divorce. I want


    custody of all three kids. I don¡¯t care about anything else!¡±


    As she spoke, her emotions escted, teetering on the brink of tears.


    Ste never cared about money; she could well afford to raise thirty kids, let alone three. What hurt her


    was Mitch¡¯s growing indifference towards her, the dwindling of his undivided


    attention.


    Twon¡¯t agree!¡± Mitch blurted out.


    ¡°To what exactly? Not agreeing to divorce Ste, or not agreeing to give the kids to Ste?¡± I asked


    bluntly.


    Mitch hesitated, and this reaction sent a chill down my spine.


    If he disagreed with the divorce, he would have answered immediately. But his hesitation suggested


    that he was torn between the two options.


    When a woman is no longer a man¡¯s only choice, it signifies that the love has soured.


    Ste¡¯s face fell, her eyes suddenly filling with sorrow. She spun around and headed for the bedroom.


    I rushed forward to stop her, ¡°Ste, wait, wherea


    are y


    you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking my kids back to Rosemont, back to my home!¡± Ste¡¯s voice was uncharacteristically cold


    and hard.


    Mitch followed her upon seeing this.


    As Ste held the kid, ready to leave, Mitch blocked her way.


    I positioned myself between them, wary of any potential conflict.


    ¡°I never thought about divorce, okay?¡± Mitch softened his tone, a pleading note in his voice. ¡°I admit my


    mistake with Ariana. I just saw her, a woman of her age, living alone with a child, and felt sorry for her. I


    helped her a few times, but I never did anything inappropriate with her, really!¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe his exnation.


    From Mitch¡¯s promotion of Ariana, and his defense of her earlier, it was clear that it was more than just


    pity.


    ¡°Mitch, do you actually believe what you just said?¡± Ste looked at Mitch coldly. ¡°When we got


    married, I told you that if you ever changed your heart, even slightly, I wouldn¡¯t tolerate it.¡±


    Mitch was left speechless. He reached out to hold the child, but I blocked him, ¡°The kid is still so young,


    let Ste take the kid. You won¡¯t be able to take care of children.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Mitch disagreed, ¡°How can I not take care of my children? I help with my three kids every day after


    work. Is she the only one who can?¡±


    The tension was palpable. It was clear that the conflict between them had been simmering for a while.


    ¡°All you do is help change the diapers, hold the kids, and make the form. What else can you do?¡±


    Ste was inmed, her voice rising.


    Their argument woke the kids, who began crying loudly.


    I had to take Serena and Brandon to the nursery and ce them in their stroller.


    Ste¡¯s child was also crying. She had to soothe her child and argue with Mitch at the same time, and I


    was frustrated just watching. I wished I could p some sense into Mitch!


    ¡°Mitch Hebert!¡± Neil finally spoke, a hint of reproach in his eyes. ¡°You were wrong. Get your act


    together!¡±


    Neil siding with Ste was unexpected.


    Even Mitch was confused. ¡°Neil, I did nothing wrong. You know there¡¯s nothing between Ariana and


    me. Why should I always be the one to apologize?¡±


    ¡°You were wrong the moment you treated her differently than others,¡± Neil¡¯s response was


    straightforward and impressive.


    Apparently, all men understand this; they just pretend not to.


    Mitch was left speechless. Seeing Ste¡¯s resolute expression, he reluctantly stepped aside, ¡°Fine,


    when youe to your senses, I¡¯lle get you.¡±


    Ste scoffed at his remark, ¡°No need for that. Let your parents know I¡¯ll pick up Le and Quincy.¡±


    Upon hearing that his older kids would also be taken away, Mitch panicked, ¡°We aren¡¯t divorced yet. Is


    this necessary? Let¡¯s talk things over first!¡±


    ¡°Until we do, I want my children with me. Mitch, I endured the pain to give birth to all three of them. If


    your family wants to fight for them, I¡¯ll fight tooth and nall!¡± Ste was visibly agitated


    when it came to the children.


    Perhaps all mothers are like this.


    I also feared the Whitmore family taking my children away, so I¡¯d rather let them consider Russel as


    their father.


    Seeing the impending argument, I stepped in, ¡°Enough, you¡¯re scaring the children. Ste, let¡¯s go


    outside. You cane to my ce for a bit.¡±


    Ste shot Mitch a re before leaving with her child and me. As we left, I told Mitch, ¡°You better think


    things through!¡±


    Mitch bowed his head in silence while Neil followed us out. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you two home.¡±


    ¡°No need. Talk some sense into Mitch. He¡¯s really crossed the line!¡± I was also fed up, mostly with


    Mitch¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°You¡¯ve injured your hand. She¡¯s also emotionally unstable. It¡¯s not safe for either of you to drive. I¡¯ll


    take you home and thene back.¡± Neil insisted, ¡°Drive your car. I don¡¯t have a car seat in mine.¡±


    He was thoughtful on that.


    My finger did throb a bit, but it wasn¡¯t so bad that I couldn¡¯t drive.


    The main concern was the three babies.


    I handed Neil the car keys.


    Ste sat in the back with the children and Serena and Brandon, and I took the passenger seat.


    Ste was quiet throughout the ride, a stark contrast to her usual self. But she did ask Neil a few


    questions, all regarding Mitch and Ariana.


    She was hoping to get some sort of confirmation from Neil, hoping to find out if Mitch and Ariana had


    ever been an item.


    I knew that even though she had filed for divorce, she wasn¡¯tpletely detached. Deep down, she


    still cared about this matter.


    ¡°They never had anything substantial going on, it¡¯s just that Mitch tends to look out for Ariana


    sometimes,¡± Neil answered, though I wasn¡¯t sure if he was shielding his good old buddy


    ¡°A married man taking care of a divorced woman, how interesting,¡± I sarcastically remarked out of the


    blue.


    Neil nced at me, just a hint of a smirk ying on his lips.


    I couldn¡¯t quite figure out what that smile meant.

 Chapter 425

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    Chapter 425


    Upon arriving home, Neil helped me extract the stroller from the trunk and set it up. I nestled Serena


    and Brandon into the stroller, and was about to call for Norah to open the door when it


    swung open.


    Russel stood in the entrance, a strange expression crossing his face as he saw Neil and me together.


    The tension between the two men was palpable.


    ¡°Thanks for bringing us home, Neil. You better go talk to Mitch,¡± I said, urging Neil away. ¡°He owes


    Ste an exnation.¡±


    ¡°I could use a ss of water,¡± Neil suddenly mentioned.


    It would¡¯ve been rude not to invite him in after he¡¯d given us a ride, and refusing him a drink was out of


    the question.


    I handed the stroller to Russel and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get him some water.¡±


    Russel intercepted my hand, ¡°You take the baby inside. I¡¯ll get him some water.¡±


    Reluctantly, I pushed the stroller into the yard. Ste, still in a daze, didn¡¯t notice the tense atmosphere


    between Neil and Russel. However, I couldn¡¯t help but steal a nce back as I walked


    away.


    Russel¡¯s back was to me, obscuring his expression, but Neil¡¯s face was clear as day. His sharp gaze


    met mine, causing me to look away.


    I walked into the living room and poured Ste a cup of water.


    Russel returned shortly after, silently pouring a ss of water and leaving again.


    He must have been ufortable with the situation. After all, to outsiders, Russel and I were a


    married couple.


    Us being in thepany of Neil was bound to raise questions, Furthermore, I couldn¡¯t let Russel find


    out that I had asked Neil to dig up information on Ariana.


    Suddenly, a loud thud echoed from the yard.


    I rushed out to see Neil, fist raised, ready to punch Russel.


    ¡°Neil, what the hell are you doing?!¡± I yelled.


    Neil nced at me, his face full of anger. But at thest moment, his fist deviated from its path and


    mmed into the door instead. The impact-sent a shudder through me.


    He had hit the door with such force. It was as if all his anger had been funneled into that single punch.


    I could see blood trickling down from his knuckles.


    What the hell happened? What could Russel have said or done to make him lose control like this?


    ¡°Russel, are you okay?¡± I asked, noticing the fresh cut on his face. He must have been hit by Neil.


    Russel wiped the blood off his mouth and gave a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just need to clean it up. Let¡¯s


    Neil¡¯s icy gaze followed us as we walked back into the living room.


    After a couple of minutes, Neil¡¯s figure disappeared from the yard, and I let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°What did you say to him? Why did you two fight?¡± I asked Russel, displeasure evident in my voice.


    go


    inside.¡±


    ¡°I just told him to stay away from you. You¡¯re my wife now, and we have kids together,¡± Russel


    answered, his wound adding a macabre touch to his smile.


    I really didn¡¯t want Russel to have that conversation with Neil, but what was done was done.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, deciding to switch topics, ¡®Russel, go clean yourself up. Ste and I need to have a


    serious talk.¡±


    Russel noticed Ste¡¯s mood and asked her, What happened?¡±


    Ste gave a weak smile and answered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Go take care of your wound, Russel. I just need


    to chat with Rena.¡±


    Russel, not one to pry, nodded and left us alone.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about Neil¡¯s outburst. Was it really just because of what Russel had


    said?


    Ste and I were both in a miserable state of mind.


    ¡°Ste, have you made up your mind?¡± I asked gently.


    Divorce is a serious matter and shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly, especially without concrete evidence of


    infidelity.


    Ste remained silent, ying with the baby in her arms. She had suffered a lot to have this child, and


    now, with the baby still so young, she was having serious problems with Mitch. It must have been


    incredibly hard for her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked Neil to do some digging on Ariana,¡± I said, ¡°We need to know why Mitch is giving her so


    much attention. Is it strictly professional, or is there something personal going on?¡±


    Ste gave a bitterugh, ¡°Rena, thank you, but it doesn¡¯t matter. I know it¡¯s not just professional. I¡¯ve


    never seen Mitch so concerned about another woman since we got married.¡±


    Her words struck me hard, and I found myself at a loss forforting words.


    I had experienced the pain of watching the one I love care for someone else. It was excruciating. But at


    least Neil never loved me to begin with, so I didn¡¯t have to experience that sudden fall from grace.


    ¡°Have you told your family about this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I told my sister earlier today in the car, but I didn¡¯t tell my parents or my brother,¡± said Ste.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    She had probably confided in her sister because she couldn¡¯t keep it in any longer. But by not telling


    her whole family, she was leaving a little room for her marriage to Mitch. If her parents knew, they


    would definitely go after Mitch.


    ¡°Alright, stay here for a few days until you feel better. Marriage is not to be taken lightly. Let¡¯s see how


    Mitch reacts, then you can make your decision,¡± I advised.


    ¡°Okay, but won¡¯t I be a burden?¡± Ste asked.


    I shook my head, ¡°Of course not. Serena and Brandon are very easy children and Norah is here to


    help. Having you here is nothing more than an extra te at dinner.¡±


    Ste gazed at me appreciatively, ¡°Rena, thank God for you. I really don¡¯t know who else I could talk


    to.¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry. If Mitch ever wrongs you, I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind!¡± I reassured her,


    thumping my chest for emphasis.


    Ste managed a small smile, about to continue our conversation when the doorbell rang.


    Norah went to answer it, then returned looking ufortable, ¡°Ms. Finch, someone¡¯s here to see you.¡±


    I stepped outside and saw Karina standing in the courtyard, Hiram in tow.


    ¡°Ms Finch, I can¡¯t reach Neil on his cell, and he¡¯s not with Mitch either, so I thought I¡¯d check here.¡±

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    Chapter 426


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She must have heard my voice when she called Neil and decided to check


    in on us.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re mistaken, Dr. Karina. Neil isn¡¯t here,¡± I replied with a touch of frostiness.


    After all, it was clear that Neil and I needed to keep our distance after the day¡¯s events.


    It wasn¡¯t entirely our fault though.


    Ste¡¯s situation hadplicated matters and I was in no mood to dwell on it. I just wanted to save


    time.


    Dr. Karina didn¡¯t seem convinced as her eyes scanned the yard before finally resting on the door


    leading into the living room. ¡°Really? Why can¡¯t I reach him then? Weren¡¯t you with him just


    now?¡±


    ¡°We were together earlier, but he left a short while ago. I think he went back to Mitch¡¯s ce. Maybe


    you could try looking for him there.¡± I told her the truth. There was no point in hiding it


    from her.


    Dr. Karina¡¯s expression shifted subtly. Instead of leaving immediately, she turned to Hiram. ¡°Hiram,


    didn¡¯t you need to use the restroom earlier? Why don¡¯t you ask Ms. Finch if you could use hers?¡±


    Hiram looked to me, perplexed, before obediently asking, ¡°Ms. Finch, may I use your restroom,


    please?¡±


    I was surprised by how quickly he picked up on Karina¡¯s underlying intentions.


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny him. If she wanted Hiram to check if Neil was here, so be it.


    Hiram scurried off into the living room while I stayed back, ensuring Karina didn¡¯t follow him.


    Attempting to break the uneasy silence that had set in, Dr. Karina teased, ¡°Ms. Finch, why were you in


    Neil¡¯s car earlier? I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°We have mutual friends. It¡¯s quite normal to cross paths, don¡¯t you


    think?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Is it? A good ex should be like a ghost,¡± she smirked, her smile deepening as she brushed a lock of


    hair from her face..


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal? You disappeared for so long, everyone thought you were dead. But here you are, back


    with a child. Isn¡¯t that more unusual?¡± I stared down at her, a hint of disdain in my


    eyes.


    Caught off guard, Karina had to admit that her situation was indeed more unusual.


    ¡°I had no choice at the time. They wouldn¡¯t have approved of us, and I feared they¡¯d force me to abort if


    they discovered I was pregnant. I had to fake my death,¡± she exined calmly, her reasons sounding


    usible.


    But what did that have to do with me?


    I nodded, ¡°I see. You should exin this to Neil. If he finds it reasonable and doesn¡¯t mind, then it¡¯s


    fine. Telling me doesn¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    Karina¡¯s gaze hardened as she stared back at me, her calm exterior wavering slightly. ¡°Of course, as


    long as he epts me, that¡¯s all that matters. But you¡¯ve been getting too close to the father of my


    child. Your constant presence is ufortable.¡±


    Had she lost her patience? So much for her facade of grace and patience in front of Ryan and Faith.


    ¡°Mummy, let¡¯s go find my daddy!¡± Hiram suddenly emerged from the living room, rushing back to


    Karina¡¯s side.


    His message was clear. He hadn¡¯t found Neil inside, so they could leave now.


    Karina¡¯s tense expression rxed slightly. If Neil was still here and not answering the phone, she would


    inevitably start to worry.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go find your dad.¡± Karina replied softly, ignoring me as she led Hiram away.


    As soon as they were out of sight, I closed the door.


    Ste, who had witnessed Hiram¡¯s entrance, asked, ¡°Why is Neil¡¯s son here?¡±


    ¡°Karina brought him. She was looking for Neil,¡± I sighed, sitting down. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to


    distance myself from Neil. Whether it¡¯s Bonnie or Karina, they all seem to have their eyes on me. But


    the truth is, I¡¯m the least of Neil¡¯s concerns.¡±


    ¡°Rena, I envy you,¡± Ste admitted, her voice tinged with sadness. ¡°At least you got out of that toxic


    marriage and now have a simple, happy life. I¡¯m just entering the mess and I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    Seeing Ste in such distress, all I could feel was sympathy. Just then, our group chat lit up.


    I shared Ste¡¯s situation with the group. Barbara and Alicia hadn¡¯t seen the messages earlier, and


    were now expressing their outrage.


    Barbara said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I misjudged Mitch. I thought he¡¯d be a good husband and father, but


    he¡¯s just as fickle as ever!¡±


    Alicia also asked, ¡°Is Ste really going to divorce Mitch? What about their children?¡±


    ¡°The children have to stay with Ste. She¡¯s the one who gave birth to them. And given Mitch¡¯s track


    record, he might introduce a stepmother sooner thanter!¡± Barbara soon replied.


    Alicia agreed, ¡°That¡¯s true. We can¡¯t let him corrupt the child.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face was unreadable, her emotions a whirlpool as she observed the incessant messages


    popping up in our group chat. She was in no mood to respond, so I stepped in, typing out a


    message.


    ¡°Just wanted you guys to know what¡¯s up. Please don¡¯t spread this around, let Ste sort things out


    first.¡±


    The chat finally fell silent.


    As the day dimmed into evening outside, I suggested, ¡°Ste, how about we take a walk?¡±


    It would do us good to get some air, clear our minds. Being cooped up at home and lost in thought


    would only make things worse. Ste didn¡¯t object, so we bundled up our child and stepped out into the


    cooling evening air. We could grab dinner when we came back.


    As we left, my gaze lingered on the surveince camera by our front gate ¨C a fixture that had been


    there for some time.


    A thought sprang to mind, but it would have to wait until we returned.


    After a refreshing walk, the first thing I did upon returning home was to check the surveince camera


    footage on my phone.


    I scrolled back to the time when Neil and Russel had their altercation.

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    Chapter 427


    There had always been friction between Neil and Russel. Their rtionship had shifted from childhood


    friends to sworn enemies over the past couple of years. So, I had anticipated their conversation


    wouldn¡¯t be all sunshine and rainbows.


    Russel had likely suggested Neil to recognize his current status and stop meddling in his affairs.


    ¡°Do you really think I believe those kids are yours?¡± Neil¡¯s face appeared icy cold on the surveince


    footage.


    ¡°I showed you the DNA test results. Do you want me to detail out how she and I conceived these kids?¡±


    Russel, being Neil¡¯s long-time friend, knew exactly where to poke to bring out the pain.


    The mere thought of such a scene was unbearable for Neil. The fact that he had managed to keep his


    distance for this long was nothing short of a miracle.


    Russel¡¯s words, however, were undoubtedly stirring up those unbearable thoughts in Neil.


    Then Neil punched Russel in a fit of rage. Russel didn¡¯t retaliate. When I stepped out, Neil was


    preparing for another round.


    I turned off the surveince footage, my mind in turmoil.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Russel to use this matter to provoke Neil. His actions not only shocked me but also


    left me disappointed.


    ¡°Ste, you go ahead and eat. I have to step out for a bit,¡± I told Ste as I got up. ¡°Can you ask Norah


    to watch the kids? I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Ste nodded. She was too preupied to meddle in my affairs.


    I went straight to Russel¡¯s ce. He wasn¡¯t working that evening and seemed surprised to see me. I


    rarely ever visited him on my own ord. My visits were usually at the behest of my parents.


    Russel¡¯s home was as simple and cozy as ever. The aroma of a freshly cooked meal wafted through


    the air. Ste was at my ce today so he hadn¡¯t joined us for dinner.


    ¡°Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be with Ste?¡± Russel¡¯s voice had lost its initial cold


    indifference and had now be tender. His hair shimmered softly under themp light. It was always


    in perfect condition. I always thought it was because he was a doctor and knew how to take care of


    himself.


    But I wasn¡¯t in the mood to appreciate these things now. The man standing before me had a perfect


    exterior and an ability to sway hearts with his act. However, his inner darkness and obsession were just


    like the man I had known in my past life, unchanged.


    I sat down on the sofa, ¡°Russel, can you tell me what you said to provoke Neil?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. Just asked him to stop bothering you. Didn¡¯t I exin that to you?¡± Russel poured


    me a ss of water and sat across from me. He wore a gray t-shirt and matching trousers, appearing


    refined and gentle. His icy demeanor hadpletely melted away, reced by a gentle warmth.


    ¡°Really?¡± I gave Russel onest chance.


    ¡°Yes, really.¡± Russel hesitated for a moment, but his answer remained the same,


    I felt a pang of disappointment. He hadn¡¯t truly opened up to me. He hadn¡¯t beenpletely honest.


    I couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint my emotions at the moment. I was both prepared and distraught.


    Russel seemed to have noticed my difort. His eyes squinted a little, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem


    upset.¡±


    I took a deep breath and replied, ¡°I saw the surveince footage, the one at the front gate. I heard your


    entire conversation with Neil. Russel, why did you say those things?¡±


    As my words fell, the smile on Russel¡¯s face froze. His lips tightened, hinting at a coldness.


    It was as if my words had struck a nerve.


    ¡°Because I know Neil too well.¡± Finally, Russel spoke again, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t believe the DNA test I


    showed him, he¡¯ll definitely seek the truth. Only if he feels disgusted and repulsed by the very thought


    of it, will he stop.¡±


    ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± I asked with a cold smile.


    ¡°Yes, you know I understand Neil as well as you do, if not more.¡± There was a sh of cunning in


    Russel¡¯s eyes.


    I, of course, knew that. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to trust Russel fully. His exnation made it seem


    like he was doing all of this for me and the kids. How could I me him?


    Russel¡¯s gaze shifted from me to the water ss on the table. His long eyshes fluttered like a


    delicate fan, enhancing his refined features.


    His expression seemed somewhat wronged and a bit uneasy.


    My alreadyplex emotions became even more tangled. I didn¡¯t feel like staying there any longer.


    Without another word, I got up and left.


    Then I heard Russel call out from behind, ¡°Irene!¡±


    But Tignored him. When I got back home, I was still upset,


    To make matters worse, a more troublesome situation awaited me at home.


    Mitch had called Ste, and the two were now having a heated argument.


    Ste was on the balcony in the living room. Norah had taken the kids to the bedroom to avoid scaring


    them.


    ¡°Mitch, you bastard! We¡¯re getting a divorce!¡± Ste yelled, her voice filled with despair and anger. It


    made my heart clench.


    ¡°Get lost! All of you, just get lost! I¡¯m telling you, I want the kids. If you dare to take them away from me,


    I¡¯ll burn your whole family down, believe it or


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    not?¡±


    Chapter 42I


    Ste was crying hard, her voice trembling as she spoke.


    I took the phone from her, ¡°Mitch, what are you trying to do? Be straight!¡±


    Mitch paused for a moment, seemingly taken aback by the sudden change of speaker. When he


    recognized my voice, he tried to control his emotions, ¡°Irene, this has nothing to do with you. This is


    between me and Ste. Don¡¯t interfere!¡±


    ¡°What gives you the right? I tell ya, Ste is family to me. I have every right to be involved in anything


    concerning her. Out with it, what¡¯s your next move? Didn¡¯t spend those few hours reflecting, did ya?


    Already conjuring up another scheme to piss Ste off, huh?¡± My words wereced with rising anger;


    my mood was already sour. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just do us all a favor and drop dead, you piece of trash!¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth when you talk to me!¡± Mitch warned, his voice seething with barely contained rage.


    1


    It was the first time I¡¯ve heard this threatening tone from him.


    That¡¯s when Neil¡¯s icy voice came from Mitch¡¯s end, ¡°Mind your manners.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he was telling me to be polite or telling Mitch to be less confrontational. But at that


    moment, I was at the end of my tether.

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    Chapter 428


    ¡°I swear, Ste has been nothing but good to you after you two got married, and yet here you are,


    messing everything up. And you still have the audacity to get feisty?¡± My irritation continued to rise,


    unrestrained.


    ¡°What on earth have I done, huh? Have I been caught in bed with another woman? Have I been on


    dates with someone else? Are all women like this, so irrational?!¡± Mitch, under Neil¡¯s caution, managed


    to hold back a bit, but his tone was still rather sharp.


    All this was happening over a speakerphone, and Mitch¡¯s words only seeded in infuriating Ste


    further. She demanded loudly, ¡°So what do you want then? You want to wait until you¡¯re caught in bed


    with Ariana before you admit there¡¯s something going on between you two? All your favoritism towards


    her means nothing, is that it?!¡± ¡°How have I been favoring her? Stop making things up!¡± Mitch sounded


    increasingly exasperated.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m making things up, am I? Well, you go find yourself a reasonable woman then. We¡¯ll get a


    divorce, I¡¯ll take our kids, and I want nothing else from you. You go exin it to your parents. And if I


    can¡¯t get Le and Quincy, don¡¯t me me for what I might do!¡± After saying that, Ste promptly hung


    up the phone.


    Only then did she exin to me what had triggered this argument.


    While I was busy with Russel, Mitch had called Ste, again about the children, and he couldn¡¯t help


    but discuss it with his parents.


    The moment it came to their grandchildren, Mitch¡¯s parents took a firm stand that the children must stay


    with them. That¡¯s when Ste lost it.


    She generally got along well with her inws, so she didn¡¯t expect them to pull something like this


    before they¡¯d even filed for divorce.


    I felt a sudden sense of relief that I had stood my ground when it came to Serena and Brandon,


    refusing to give in to Ryan and Faith¡¯s demands. Otherwise, I might be facing a fallout like this one.


    Ste, unable to calm down, insisted on rushing back to Rosemont that very night to retrieve the kids


    from Mitch¡¯s parents. It took me a while to dissuade her


    Even if she needed to go back, she could do so the next day. It would be too much for her and the kid


    to drive all night on the highway.


    By the time I got Serena and Brandon to bed, it was midnight, and I was utterly exhausted.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I was woken up by my phone ringing. Serena and Brandon had already been taken out by Norah. I


    nced at the caller ID. It was Neil.


    Thinking about the sh between him and Russel, I felt a bit embarrassed. At that time, I really thought


    Neil was at fault, even though I had no idea what had happened.


    ¡°Hello? What¡¯s up?¡± I answered the phone, my voice husky and tired from just waking up.


    ¡°You wanted Ariana¡¯s information?¡± There was a pause on the other end of the line before Neil spoke.


    I hadn¡¯t expected it to be so soon. It was only half past ten in the morning. I thought he would give it to


    me in the afternoon or evening.


    I sat up. ¡°Alright, send it to me.¡±


    Neil hung up, then immediately sent me an email.


    Ariana¡¯s information was very detailed, even including her home address.


    She didn¡¯t have an impressive academic or work background. I wondered how she had managed to get


    into the Hebert Group, then get involved in this project, and thene here with Mitch.


    The project hadn¡¯t been going on for long, but there was already some ambiguity between her and


    Mitch.


    Just as I finished reading the information, Neil called again. ¡°Have you finished reading?¡±


    ¡°I have, thank you. Let me know if you think of anything else you want in return.¡± I replied politely, then


    added, ¡°Did you talk to Mitch yesterday? Why is he getting stupider?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say much, as you might know, I wasn¡¯t in a great mood either.¡± Neil¡¯s tone suddenly went cold.


    ¡°Given the circumstances, you might as well have had someone else try to talk some sense into me.¡±


    I felt a bit awkward. I was considering apologizing, but then again, even though Russel¡¯s actions were


    somewhat extreme, they were undoubtedly effective, especially for


    someone like Neil.


    ¡°In any case, let me know if you think of anything you want in return, as long as it doesn¡¯t contradict the


    two conditions I¡¯ve mentioned.¡± I didn¡¯t exin what happened yesterday, I just kept it simple.


    Neil hung up immediately. The dial tone made me feel like his mood wasn¡¯t too great.


    I quickly got out of bed and went to find Ste to show her the information.


    After reading the information, Ste¡¯s face wentpletely cold. It confirmed that Mitch¡¯s promotion of


    Ariana had nothing to do with her business capabilities.


    Ariana had only graduated from amunity college, and her major had nothing to do with the current


    main business of the Hebert Group.


    She must have used some means to get into the Hebert Group, then used other means to follow Mitch


    here, staying close to him to gain familiarity.


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°Did they start their affair while I was pregnant with our third child?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it shouldn¡¯t have been that way. Did you notice anything off about Mitch when you were


    pregnant?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m just suddenly suspecting it.¡± Ste took a deep breath. She stood up. ¡°Rena, could you


    do me a favor?¡±


    I felt a bit apprehensive and also had a foreboding feeling. ¡°What do you need? Just tell me.¡±


    Ste nced at the baby in the stroller next to her with a deep sadness in her eyes. ¡°Could you look


    after Yara for a while? She can drink form. I want to go back to Rosemont alone, but I can¡¯t drive


    with her by myself. I¡¯m also afraid that if something happens, she might get hurt.¡±


    Ste¡¯s words scared me. I asked, ¡°You¡¯re going to Mitch¡¯s parents? Alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to go by myself first. I don¡¯t want to tell my parents about this yet.¡± Ste didn¡¯t like to


    trouble her family. If her parents found out about this, they¡¯d definitely be


    upset.


    But it wasn¡¯t safe to do so. Who knew what Mitch¡¯s parents might do for the sake of the children?


    ¡°Ste, hold your horses a minute, why don¡¯t you consider telling your folks first? Maybe they can go


    with you? I¡¯m just notfortable with you going alone,¡± I suggested.


    But Ste was unyielding, ¡°No, I can ask Barbara and Alicia toe along.¡±


    If she brought in Alicia and Barbara, they would definitely go to bat for her.


    Regardless of my unease, Ste was resolute. She took off alone in my car back to Rosemont, leaving


    the little one with me. Looking at the innocent baby in the stroller, my heart ached. I couldn¡¯t help but


    feel that Mitch was a real piece of work. If it wasn¡¯t for him, how did things end up this way?

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    Chapter 429


    My parents were still out, leaving me and Norah to fend for ourselves. With just two adults, keeping


    tabs on three kids was proving to be quite the challenge.


    Thankfully, the babies were usually well-behaved, though they had their moments of fussiness that


    were difficult to soothe.


    After Ste returned to her home in Rosemont, she reached out to me once, video calling to see her


    kid, Yara. She then made me promise not to let Mitch know that Yara was with me, and absolutely not


    to let him take her.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry,¡± I assured her, nodding my head.


    With that, Ste ended the call, seemingly relieved.


    But I hadn¡¯t expected Mitch toe looking for me so soon.


    Just three days after Ste left, he showed up at my doorstep. The moment I saw him, I blocked the


    entrance, refusing to let him in.


    ¡°Where is my kid?¡± Mitch looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in¡¯ days; his eyes were bloodshot and dark circles


    painted his under eyes.


    ¡°Ste took her,¡± I replied, keeping my expression as neutral as possible. ¡°So you care about your kid


    now? Aren¡¯t you responsible for all of this?¡±


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense, I just want my kid!¡± Mitch snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin. ¡°I


    know she didn¡¯t take Yara with her. She went to my parents¡¯ house, caused a scene, and my parents


    haven¡¯t seen Yara!¡±


    He tried to barge in but I held my ground. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t dare to force his way in.


    Instead, he grabbed my arm, ¡°Irene, I know you¡¯re close to her, but this is my family matter. Don¡¯t


    overstep!¡±


    ¡°This certainly is your family matter, but this here is my house and you¡¯re trespassing!¡± I warned, ¡°If you


    keep this up, I¡¯m calling the police!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, calf the police. I just want to find my child!¡± Mitch was so preupied with finding his child


    that he didn¡¯t seem to care about anything else. His grip on my hand tightened, causing me pain.


    Just moments ago, I had asked Norah to take Yara out for a walk. Yara had been crying all day, so I


    decided to stay home with Serena and Brandon.


    I was only trying to stall Mitch to buy some time.


    Just as Mitch¡¯s grip tightened, I stumbled back, allowing him ess into the house.


    He wasted no time and stormed into the living room to search for his kid. I quickly sent a message to


    Norah, asking her to stay away for a while longer,


    In the living room were only Serena and Brandon. Mitch searched every room in the house and when


    he couldn¡¯t find Yara, he stood in the doorway looking utterly defeated.


    Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, he suddenly focused on something: a pair of baby shoes on the shoe


    rack by the door. They were Yara¡¯s; she had wet her shoes earlier and we had swapped them with a


    pair of Serena¡¯s while these were washed and left to dry.


    Mitch¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°These are Yara¡¯s shoes! Irene, where have you hidden my child?!¡±


    He picked up the shoes and red at me.


    My heart began to race; I had overlooked the shoes and now I was at a loss for words.


    Before I coulde up with an exnation, I felt a presence behind me. Turning around, I was met


    with Neil.


    His face was stern as he looked at Mitch, ¡°Mitch, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Neil, this is none of your business. Irene has hidden my child and I must take her back!¡± Mitch was


    more restrained in front of Neil, even in his agitated


    state.


    Neil nced at me. I must have looked bewildered and panicked, since Ste had entrusted me with


    her child and asked me not to let Mitch take her. If I failed, I didn¡¯t know how I could face her. Moreover,


    I had two kids of my own. I was worried that I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect all of them.


    Neil¡¯s appearance was a godsend; at least he could keep Mitch in check.


    ¡°Did you find your child?¡± Neil asked coldly.


    ¡°No, but I found Yara¡¯s shoes!¡± Mitch showed Neil the shoes, hoping that he would take his side.


    Neil looked at the shoes, then asked me, ¡°Are these your child¡¯s shoes or his?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re Serena¡¯s. When Ste bought a pair for Yara, she also bought a pair for Serena.¡± I quickly


    replied.


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Neil chose to side with me. I was stunned, unsure of what he was up to.


    Mitch was his good friend, and now I was with Russel. He had Karina and Hiram. Why was he helping


    me?


    Mitch was equally bbergasted. He couldn¡¯t believe that Neil was siding with me, ¡°Neil, I know you still


    have feelings for Irene, but this is about my child. Why are you helping her? I¡¯m desperate to find my


    child!¡±


    The whole problem started when you treated Ariana differently. Didn¡¯t you ever reflect on that?¡± Neil


    frowned. He had always been aloof and distant towards others, but he was never like this with his


    friends and family.


    Mitch scoffed in disbelief, ¡°Even you don¡¯t believe me? Neil, are you doing this to win Irene over? She¡¯s


    with Russel now, and they have two kids. Why bother?¡±


    Seeing Neil¡¯s face darken at the mention of this, I felt ufortable. Thest thing I wanted was for


    Neil to still harbor feelings for me. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this; I just don¡¯t want you making a scene here.¡±


    Neil dismissed Mitch¡¯s usation.


    *Fine, let¡¯s say I¡¯m overthinking. But don¡¯t get in my way now.¡±. Mitch sat down in the yard, ¡°Isn¡¯t there


    another nanny here? Did she take Yara out? I don¡¯t


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter 429


    believe she won¡¯te back!¡±


    Seeing Mitch¡¯s obstinacy, I felt a headacheing on. Norah couldn¡¯t possibly stay out all night. If


    Mitch continued to wait, he would definitely see her return with Yara.


    I reached for my phone, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m calling the cops then.¡±


    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ll take him away.¡± Neil caught my wrist, his palm was warm, his fingers were light,


    yet still managed to bind my movements.


    A jolt ran through me, and I instantly pulled my hand away from Neil¡¯s.


    Neil¡¯s palm squeezed the air where my hand used to be, then dropped back to his side.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to escte this,¡± Neil¡¯s gaze lowered slightly, shielding his eyes from me. All I heard


    was his advice to Mitch, ¡°If you want your kid back, focus on making amends with your wife.¡±

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    Chapter 430


    The wordsing out of Neil¡¯s mouth took me by surprise once again.


    mouth


    Could he really delineate right from wrong so clearly?


    Thinking back to his past actions, they didn¡¯t seem to differ much from Mitch¡¯s.


    Where did I go wrong?¡± Mitch refused to admit his mistakes. He still believed his special treatment


    towards Ariana was a minor issue, akin to lending a helping hand.


    His rebuttal made my blood boil. If Ste were here, I bet they woulde to blows.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t even see where you went wrong, you might as well just hand the kids over to her, get a


    divorce, and then whatever happens between you and Ariana or any other woman won¡¯t matter!¡±


    Fuming, I pointed at Mitch and spoke without mincing words.


    The mention of his kids always riled up Mitch. His voice heightened, ¡°Impossible. The kids are mine


    too. I haven¡¯t cheated or been abusive. If we divorce, I won¡¯t be the one at fault. Why should I give


    them up?¡±


    His words chilled me to the bone. Mitch was now hell-bent on gaining custody of the kids, as if the idea


    of reconciling with Ste was no longer his priority.


    In the past, he would have first considered how to win Ste back, not how to fight for the kids.


    ¡°Do you still love Ste?¡± After a few seconds of silence, I asked Mitch.


    Perhaps the central issue wasn¡¯t whether something had happened between Mitch and Ariana, but


    whether Mitch still loved Ste.


    If he did, he would find a way to salvage their marriage.


    Mitch seemed taken aback by my question. His raging anger dissipated, reced by a stunned silence.


    I felt a profound disappointment, on Ste¡¯s behalf.


    Neil must have sensed Mitch¡¯s change too. His voice lowered, ¡°Let¡¯s leave here for now.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mitch attempted to speak, but faltered.


    Think about the question she just asked you.¡± Neil advised.


    Mitch took a deep breath, slowly exhaling as he seemed to sink into aplex swirl of emotions,


    momentarily losing his bearings.


    Under my icy gaze, he didn¡¯t insist on staying to argue. Instead, he slowly exited, looking like a lost


    soul.


    Neil nced at me, his tone softening, ¡°I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go have a serious talk with him.¡± I felt a tad weary. The situation between Ste and Mitch felt


    like such a shame.


    Neil nodded slightly, unusually obedient. With a few quick strides, he followed Mitch out.


    Silence returned to the yard, and I headed back into the living room to check on Serena and Brandon.


    About ten minutester, Norah returned.


    Surprised, I asked, ¡°Norah, how did you get back so quickly? Didn¡¯t you see the message I sent?¡±


    ¡°No, I forgot my phone.¡± Norah shook her head.


    I let out a sigh of relief. Had Norah returned a few minutes earlier, she would have run into Mitch. Once


    they crossed paths, there would be no saving the


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    situation.


    Thankfully, we dodged that bullet. I heaved a sigh of relief and immediately called Ste, filling her in on


    what had transpired.


    But I kept Mitch¡¯s hesitation to answer my question about his love for her a secret.


    His hesitation and silence spoke volumes.


    I feared Ste wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the truth.


    ¡°Rena, keep an eye on them for me, thank you!¡± Ste urgently implored, ¡°I¡¯m currently at odds with his


    family, the Hebert family. My parents know as well. We¡¯re not sure what will happen next. You have to


    help me this time!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will.¡± Without hesitation, I agreed. This was the only way I could help her now. I¡¯d do


    everything in my power to make it happen.


    Ste sighed in relief, sharing some details about her fall out with Mitch¡¯s parents. As she spoke, her


    anger red, ¡°Sure enough, blood is thicker than water! When there¡¯s no discord, I¡¯m their daughter-in-


    law. But once there¡¯s a disagreement, I¡¯m an outsider!¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be helped. Their biological ties are undeniable. Ste, you need to be mentally prepared.¡± I


    could only offer a few words offort. Any more would have been futile at this point.


    ¡°understand, Rena. If you can help protect Yara, that¡¯s the greatest help I could ask for.¡± Ste sounded


    profoundly grateful.


    I felt a lump in my throat. So much had happened recently. My own family was in turmoil, and Ste


    and Mitch¡¯s marriage was on the rocks.


    After hanging up, I let out a sigh, looking at the three adorable kids with a heavy heart.


    Were they all destined to grow up without their father¡¯s presence?


    Since Mitch¡¯s visit, I asked Norah to be extra vignt.


    I also informed Russel about the incident.


    Chapter 430


    He had just finished work and was feeding Boomer and Daisy. The yard was bathed in sunlight, casting


    a warm glow on him.


    ¡°What¡¯s the real scoop with him and Ariana?¡± Russel asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sur


    but he definitely did something wrong. I told Russel unequivocally.


    Russel nodded, ¡°Yes, he definitely messed up. Now it¡¯s about what he wants to do next.¡±


    ¡°He wants the kids. It¡¯s that simple.¡± I replied.


    ¡°And what about Ste? Is he really nning on divorcing her?¡± Russel asked, standing up after


    finishing feeding Boomer and Daisy.


    It seemed that was Mitch¡¯s intention. He was so captivated now; he wasn¡¯t even thinking about how to


    win Ste back. His mind was set on fighting for custody of the kids.


    I didn¡¯t n to get Russel involved in persuading Mitch. Russel didn¡¯t have much contact with Mitch


    anymore.


    However, I was feeling a bit lost about matters of the heart. My past experience with Neil had left me


    feeling jaded.


    But seeing Ste and Mitch¡¯s marriage, which had been fairly happy, I believed that true love existed in


    this world, but it just wasn¡¯t meant for me.


    Now that they were at this juncture, myst shred of faith in love seemed to crumble.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mitch will figure it out. I think he¡¯s just a little taken with Ariana right now, but that


    infatuation won¡¯tst.¡± Russel saw the worry etched across my face and tried to reassure me.


    ¡°Really?¡± I wasn¡¯t entirely convinced.


    Just then, Russel¡¯s iPhone chimed. He nced at the screen, then stepped away to take the call.


    His voice was hushed, and I couldn¡¯t make out his words, but his sudden discretion made me feel oddly


    uneasy.


    He never used to step away when he took calls; why the sudden change?


    I didn¡¯t care which woman was on the other end of the line, as long it wasn¡¯t Karina,

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    After hanging up the call, Russel came to tell me, ¡°Something urgent came up at the hospital. I need to


    head out.¡±


    I nodded subtly, watching as Russel left.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, we need to get Serena and Brandon their vinations today,¡± Norah reminded me as she


    walked in.


    ¡°Right, I almost forgot. Norah, you stay home and look after Yara, and I¡¯ll take Serena and Brandon,¡± I


    pped my forehead, almost forgetting this important task.


    Norah seemed a bit worried, ¡°Ms. Finch, are you sure you can handle it alone?¡±


    I was getting the hang of it and my confidence level was rising when it came to taking care of the kids.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Yara doesn¡¯t need her shots today, no need to bring her along. Just remember, Norah, don¡¯t


    let Mitch in,¡± I reminded Norah as I gathered the necessary paperwork for the vinations.


    Norah nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Once everything was ready, I packed the documents, settled Serena and Brandon in the car and set off


    for the hospital.


    This was my first time taking two kids to get vinated by myself. Even though I was confident before


    leaving, I found myself a bit overwhelmed once we arrived at the hospital.


    The two little ones cried out in pain during the shots, and their cries were heart-wrenching. If I consoled


    one, the other would cry, and vice versa. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Serena, Mommy will hold you soon!¡± After


    But the moment I put Brandon down, he immediately started crying again, with a pout on his face.


    I was pushing the stroller through the hospital lobby, feeling like a headless chicken.


    ¡°Little ones!¡± Suddenly, Hiram¡¯s voice appeared. He was holding an airne toy, leaning over the


    stroller, amusing Brandon, ¡°Here¡¯s a ne; it¡¯s fun!¡± Brandon was attracted by Hiram¡¯s voice; he


    stopped crying and started looking around curiously.


    I must say, Hiram¡¯s appearance was timely and effective.


    He kept talking to Brandon with the toy, even singing some songs, distracting himpletely from


    crying¡­


    I finally managed to soothe Serena and put her back in the stroller.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    As I bent down, I noticed a wound on Hiram¡¯s cheek. It looked serious, like he had taken a fall.


    ¡°Hiram, how did you get that wound?¡± I asked in surprise, ¡°Where are your parents? Why are you


    alone?¡±


    Hiram touched his injured cheek, flinching in pain. As he was about to answer, Neil¡¯s voice echoed from


    behind.


    ¡°Hiram.¡±


    Hiram immediately ran towards Neil, hugging his thigh, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    I turned around to see Neil holding some medication, probably just collected.


    I asked worriedly, ¡°What happened to Hiram? His face looks terrible.¡±


    What kind of parents are Neil and Karina?


    ¡°He fell off his skateboard and hit his face,¡± Neil exined, bending down to pick up Hiram, ¡°Does it


    hurt?¡±


    Hiram, hugging Neil¡¯s neck, shook his head obediently, ¡°No, Daddy. I won¡¯t go down the stairs on the


    skateboard again. Can you not tell Mommy?¡±


    I got the feeling that Hiram was more afraid of Karina.


    The look of helplessness and concern in Neil¡¯s eyes as he looked at Hiram¡¯s wound was genuine.


    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t tell your Mommy, she¡¯ll find out.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll apologize to Mommy myself when we get home, so she won¡¯t be angry,¡± Hiram agreed


    surprisingly maturely.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Karina would be angry, but I was certain Ryan and Faith would be, seeing Hiram in this


    state.


    But that wasn¡¯t my business.


    As I was ready to leave with the stroller, Neil called out to me, ¡°What brings you to the hospital with the


    kids? Are they sick?¡±


    ¡°Getting vinated,¡± I replied, ¡°Serena and Brandon are healthy. They don¡¯t fall sick easily.¡±


    Neil nced at the two little ones in the stroller. His gaze was gentle, although not as affectionate as


    when he looked at Hiram.


    Suddenly, he put Hiram down, ¡°I have a condition.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked in surprise. I knew he was referring to the condition I had agreed to earlier, but I didn¡¯t


    expect him to bring it up at this moment.


    ¡°I have a meeting to attend, and Karina has an interview at the new hospital. Can you look after Hiram


    at your ce for a while? I¡¯ll pick him up after the meeting,¡± Neil sounded serious.


    Norah and I already had our hands full with three babies, and now Neil wanted to add more to our


    te?


    Especially Hiram. Although he was well-behaved at the moment, that was in front of Neil. I couldn¡¯t


    guarantee he¡¯d be the same at my ce.


    If he managed to upset all three kids, I might lose my mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re not willing?¡± Neil could tell I was hesitant.


    Of course, I was. I wasn¡¯t a professional nanny.


    Before I could answer, he raised an eyebrow. ¡°This condition doesn¡¯t vite your terms, does it? Are


    you going back on your word?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I blurted out. In fact, the condition was quite simple. It was just that I was already overwhelmed,


    and I wasn¡¯t sure I could handle more.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave him with you. I¡¯ll be there to pick him up around three,¡± Neil nonchntly left Hiram with


    me.


    Hiram looked at Neil, then at me, and finally tugged at my sleeve with a cute smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms.


    Finch. I¡¯m a good boy.¡±


    1 had never seen Hiram being a good boy before, and it only made my head spin.


    ¡°What about his grandparents?¡± I suddenly remembered Ryan and Faith. With them around, why would


    I need to take care of Hiram?


    ¡°They had to go back to Springvale for some urgent matters. They¡¯ll be back in a couple of days,¡± Neil¡¯s


    answer made my head spin even more.


    What a coincidence!


    Just then, Neil¡¯s phone rang. It was his assistant reminding him about his uing meeting. He


    nced at Hiram and me, gestured with his eyes, and strode out of the hospital.


    Hiram and I exchanged a look, both feeling a bit speechless.


    The child of my ex-husband and his old me was now my responsibility for a few hours. No matter


    how I looked at it, it felt strange.


    But it was at this point, and the kid was already handed over to me, I couldn¡¯t possibly neglect him.


    ¡°Hiram, let¡¯s get going,¡± I said, sounding more resigned than I¡¯d intended to.


    Hiram nodded, his hopeful eyes on me. ¡°Ms. Finch, do you have a video game console at your ce?¡±


    His question sent a wave of unease through me. Hiram was pretty hooked to video games, but his


    mother, Karina, always set strict time limits for him, worried about straining his eyes.


    Now that the boy was my responsibility, should I allow him to y? What if he exceeds the allotted


    time?


    ¡°Yes.¡± I suddenly found myself relenting. After all, if Neil dared to entrust his kid to me, he¡¯d have to


    face the risks of my potentially inadequate supervision.


    As long as I could keep Hiram calm and upied until Neil woulde to pick him up, I¡¯d consider my


    job done.

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    Chapter 432


    ¡°Awesome! Can I y video games at your house?¡± Hiram asked, excitement lighting up his face


    despite the fresh wound on it.


    Ever since his mother, Karina, had been spending more time with Ryan and Faith, she had been


    stricter with Hiram, not allowing him as much gaming time as before.


    So the prospect of ying games at my house was clearly a thrill for him.


    I didn¡¯t answer him directly, but merely led him out of the hospital and drove him home.


    Throughout the ride, Hiram chattered away with Serena and Brandon. His English was getting more


    fluent by the day, and for some reason, my two little ones loved listening to him talk.


    Once we reached home, I quickly unloaded the stroller and ced Serena and Brandon in it, with


    Hiram eagerly lending a hand.


    ¡°Over there are some toys. Go and have some fun,¡± I said, pointing to a corner of the living room where


    I had stashed some toys for Serena and Brandon.


    Hiram shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want toys, Grandma and Grandpa have bought me lots. Ms. Finch, I


    want to y video games, or maybe watch some cartoons!¡±


    I had to look after three kids all by myself, and Norah was busy cooking, so I didn¡¯t have time to y


    games with Hiram. I turned on the TV to a cartoon he liked, then went to change Serena and Brandon¡¯s


    diapers.


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    With the cartoon ying, Hiram was quite well-behaved. He would even tease the three babies from


    time to time, creating a harmonious atmosphere. It was not until mealtime that I noticed a problem.


    ¡°Hiram, turn off the TV. It¡¯s time to eat,¡± I called, scooping a small bowl of food for him.


    But Hiram didn¡¯t budge,pletely engrossed in the cartoon.


    Norah also tried, ¡°Hiram,e eat. Watching TV for too long is bad for your eyes!¡±


    He ignored us both.


    I finally walked up and turned the TV off.


    Hiram immediately started throwing a tantrum. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat! I want to watch TV!¡±


    ¡°You need to eat! Look how thin you are! You need food to grow tall and strong!¡± I admonished him


    sternly.


    ¡°No! Mommy said I can grow tall and strong even without eating! I want to watch cartoons, turn it back


    on!¡± Hiram started crying and threw himself on the floor.


    Despite his tantrum, I knew better than to give in to a child¡¯s whims. I ignored him and went to have my


    meal, hoping he would calm down when he realized no one was paying him any attention.


    But I underestimated Hiram¡¯s stubbornness. He continued crying, scaring the other three into joining


    him. The living room was filled with the sound of crying, creating a chaotic atmosphere.


    Norah and I rushed to soothe the trio, eventually putting them to bed in the bedroom to rest.


    Left alone with Hiram in the living room, I was at a loss. He was still throwing a fit, acting as if the world


    would end if he didn¡¯t get his way.


    ¡°Hiram, are you going to get up?¡± I finally threatened to call his mother, ¡°If you don¡¯t, I will call your


    mommy!¡±


    Hearing his mother¡¯s name, Hiram stopped crying. But instead of looking scared, he looked defiant.


    ¡°Good, call my mommy. She won¡¯t make me eat. I can drink soda!¡±


    I found it odd. Karina was a doctor, and she knew Hiram had a sensitive stomach. Why would she allow


    him to skip meals and drink soda?


    ¡°Will you eat if I let you watch TV after the meal?¡± I tried to bargain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat; the food is yucky!¡± Hiram refused and began to cry again, ¡°I want mommy. I don¡¯t


    want to eat. You¡¯re a meandy, forcing me to eat!¡±


    After about ten more minutes of this, I was drained. I tried calling Neil for advice, but he didn¡¯t answer,


    even after three attempts.


    Just as I was feeling helpless, the doorbell rang. Thinking it might be Mitch, I peeked through the


    peephole and was surprised to see Karina.


    Karina looked upset. I didn¡¯t want to let her in, but I had no choice since Hiram was in my house.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, where¡¯s my son?¡± Karina asked, her tone fraught with displeasure. She barged into the


    living room without waiting for my response.


    Seeing Karina, Hiram immediately jumped up from the floor, his face injury very visible.


    I followed Karina into the living room, intending to exin about Hiram refusing to eat, but she had


    already pulled Hiram into her arms, inspecting his face with worry. ¡°Hiram, what happened to your


    face?¡±


    Had Neil not told her Hiram¡¯s bruise?


    If not, how did she know he was here?


    ¡°I¡­,¡± Hiram started, but then fell silent at the sight of Karina.


    In her frustration, Karina turned on me, one hand holding Hiram, the other pointing at me usingly.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, are you kidnapping children? Do you realize that?¡±


    I was taken aback, how had I suddenly be a kidnapper?


    ¡°Dr. Karina, didn¡¯t Neil tell you what happened?¡± I asked, furrowing my brows.


    ¡°He¡¯s so tied up; I can¡¯t even get a hold of him! If it weren¡¯t for Hiram sending me his location, I wouldn¡¯t


    even know he¡¯s at your ce!¡±


    When it came to her child, Karina¡¯s stance was a lot firmer than usual. There was none of the usual


    composure, but rather a sense of anxiety and


    agitation.


    So it was Hiram who had sent the location to Karina. My heart sank. Neil sure hadnded me in a big


    pickle.


    I decided to let Hiram exin himself, ¡°Hiram, why don¡¯t you tell your mom what happened, okay? How


    did you get that bruise on your face and how did you end up at my ce?¡±


    If I were to exin, Karina would never believe me.

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    Chapter 433


    ¡°Mommy, I¡­¡±


    Hiram stammered under my inquisition. He had just thrown a tantrum at me, but in front of Karina, he


    was a different boy, his eyes filled with anxiety. Karina looked down at Hiram. ¡°Tell me, how did you get


    that bruise on your face? And how did you end up here?¡±


    Hiram¡¯s little face turned red under the questioning, making his bruise more conspicuous. It had been


    treated once before, so Neil didn¡¯t give me any other medicine to apply to it.


    His anxiety made him sweat, which irritated his wound and caused him to whine. ¡°Mommy, my bruise


    hurts so much, wah wah¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Hiram¡¯s cries, Karina¡¯s emotions became even more unstable. She red at me, ¡°Ms.


    Finch, you should be aware of Hiram¡¯s status. How dare you kidnap him and let him get injured? Do


    you have any idea of the consequences?¡±


    I was speechless and out of patience. Just as I was about to retort, Ryan and Faith rushed into the


    yard.


    I was surprised. Weren¡¯t they supposed to be in Springvale for some urgent matter?


    ¡°Oh dear, Hiram!¡± Faith eximed and rushed to hug the boy tightly.


    ¡°Grandma, Grandpa!¡± Upon seeing Ryan and Faith, Hiram¡¯s mood brightened.


    Ryan picked up Hiram and both of them fussed over the boy¡¯s bruise, expressing their concern and


    regret. ¡°How did you get hurt so badly? Does it hurt? Did you put any ointment on it?¡±


    Hiram clung to Ryan¡¯s neck, looking pitiful.


    Karina then spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s take Hiram home. I have no idea how he ended up here, let alone got hurt.


    We should take him to the hospital for a check-up.¡±


    ¡°No need to y the me game, Hiram fell off his skateboard and injured himself. I ran into him and


    Neil at the hospital. Neil informed me that you had a job interview today and he had an important


    meeting to attend, so he asked me to look after Hiram for a while.¡± I was annoyed and immediately


    dialed Neil¡¯s number on my phone, ¡°Let Neil exin it to you.¡±


    But Neil wouldn¡¯t pick up the phone.


    In front of Ryan and Faith, Karina was supposed to be aposed and dignified figure. However, she


    seemed to have figured out the importance Hiram held in Ryan and Faith¡¯s hearts and decided to use it


    to her advantage. ¡°Ms. Finch, if Neil did entrust Hiram to you, then why didn¡¯t he inform me? And


    weren¡¯t his grandparents home? Why would he need your help? Your reasoning is simply not


    convincing!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Neil¡¯s problem, not mine,¡± I retorted, finding the whole situationughable.


    ¡°So you¡¯re implying that I¡¯m ndering you?¡± Karina asked coldly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case? You can check the hospital¡¯s surveince footage, or wait for Neil to exin. I¡¯m


    really busy and don¡¯t have time for this,¡± I pointed to the living room door, ¡°Since you¡¯re all here, please


    take the child and leave. This is my home and I don¡¯t appreciate themotion.¡±


    Ryan and Faith were slightly ufortable. This issue concerned the safety of their grandchild, so I


    assumed they would side with Karina.


    However, they did not interrogate me, but opted to leave instead. But Karina was relentless. She


    whipped out her phone and dialed the police, ¡°Hello, I want to report a crime; a person is suspected of


    child trafficking!¡±


    I was dumbstruck.


    What was wrong with her? Or had she finally found a reason against me, a reason even Ryan and


    Faith couldn¡¯t dispute, and so she intended to fully exploit it?


    Upon hearing this, Faith immediately stepped forward and snatched Karina¡¯s phone away.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I trust Irene isn¡¯t like that. There must be some misunderstanding. Let¡¯s wait till Neil


    is done with his work and clear this up.¡±


    Karina continued to argue, ¡°Hiram is my only son and the only grandchild of the Whitmore family. It¡¯s


    only natural for me to worry about his safety. If we don¡¯t clear this up, what if it happens again? If


    something irreversible happens to Hiram in the future, can you ept that?¡±


    Ryan and Faith should have been worried about Hiram and doubted me, but they chose to trust me


    and repeatedly asked Karina to cancel the police call.


    With the argument escting, the police had already arrived at my door.


    I was incredibly flustered, especially since my children were still in the room. If amotion were to


    start, it would onlyplicate things.


    ¡°Who called the police?¡± One of the officers asked as he stepped forward.


    ¡°I did.¡± Karina stepped forward, pointed at me and said, ¡°This woman nearly abducted my child and


    caused him to get injured. I think it¡¯s only right that you investigate this thoroughly.¡±


    The officer looked at me for a few seconds, probably thinking that I didn¡¯t look like a kidnapper, but still


    had to ask, ¡°What¡¯s your name and where are you from?¡±


    ¡°My name is Irene, and this house is my home. These people are trespassing and disturbing my peace.


    I would appreciate it if you could ask them to leave.¡±


    The officer looked perplexed for a moment. I was supposed to be the suspect, but suddenly I was the


    homeowner using Karina and her group of trespassing.


    Karina was adamant in her usations, insisting that Hiram¡¯s unexined presence in my house was


    proof of attempted abduction, and she wouldn¡¯t back down from this point.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Ryan finally lost patience. He addressed the officer, ¡°Officer, I apologize for the confusion.


    Irene is our former daughter-inw. She¡¯s not a kidnapper. You can leave; I¡¯ll handle the situation.¡±


    The officer frowned, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why are you wasting police resources with false reports?¡±


    Ryan provided an exnation, and after being corroborated by another, the police dispelled their


    suspicions and left.


    Karina, however, was far from pleased, and found it hard to ept Ryan and Faith¡¯s stance. ¡°Ryan,


    Faith,¡± she began, ¡°I know you guys have always been fond of Ms. Finch, viewing her as your ideal


    daughter-inw, but now her actions verge on the illegal. You¡¯re not going to cover for her, are


    you?¡±


    ¡°Karina, don¡¯t push it!¡± Faith retorted, clearly irritated. ¡°The reason for Hiram¡¯s injury, and the reason


    why he came to Irene¡¯s, I believe has nothing to do with her. I said let¡¯s wait for Neil to clear things up


    before jumping to conclusions. Why are you so eager to me her? Besides, Hiram knows Irene too.


    He was just visiting. Was it really necessary to call the police?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Faith defended me with such conviction that it left me somewhat stunned, challenging my previous


    impressions of her.


    Ryan also stood his ground, ¡°Exactly, I also believe Irene isn¡¯t capable of such actions. She has two


    kids of her own. What reason would she have to kidnap Hiram?¡±


    ¡°But the fact remains that Hiram showed up at her house, and he was injured!¡± Karina interjected,


    clearly unsatisfied with their reasoning.

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434


    Chapter 434


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it was Hiram who hurt himself. Neil ran into me when he was off to get some


    medication for him at the hospital. So, he asked me to look after Hiram for a while. Aren¡¯t you aware


    that Neil had an important meeting to attend today?¡± I threw the question back at Karina. ¡°Even I know


    that. Surely, Dr. Karina, you know that too, right?¡±


    If Karina admitted that she didn¡¯t know, it would imply that her rtionship with Neil wasn¡¯t as snug as


    she imed it to be.


    She would never admit this in front of Ryan and Faith, even if she wasn¡¯t aware of that, she¡¯d insist that


    she was.


    As expected, Karina responded swiftly, ¡°Of course, I knew. But I find it hard to believe that Neil would


    entrust his son to you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so imusible about that?¡± Faith defended me. ¡°We had an urgency and there was nobody at


    home. We needed someone trustworthy to look after the kid. Irene seemed like a perfect fit. We know


    her well, so we felt assured leaving Hiram in her care.¡±


    Karina¡¯s face turned pale, then red, then pale again. She hadn¡¯t anticipated that Faith would defend me


    so firmly, even when it concerned Hiram¡¯s safety.


    However, Karina was determined not to let me off the hook.


    ¡°Regardless, Hiram is my son. I gave birth to him and raised him all by myself. He is my life. I can¡¯t take


    his safety lightly. I have to get to the bottom of this,¡± Karina turned to me and asked, ¡°Ms. Finch, if


    you¡¯re innocent, why are you afraid of me calling the police?¡±


    I was baffled by her twisted logic. Essentially, she just wanted to create trouble by getting the cops


    involved.


    ¡°Hiram, tell me what happened. Where¡¯s your father?¡± Faith asked sternly.


    Hiram looked at the stern expression on Faith¡¯s face and lowered his gaze, whispering, ¡°Dad¡¯s at


    work¡­¡±


    ¡°How did you get this injury on your face? Good boys don¡¯t lie. Tell the truth,¡± Faith prodded.


    Hiram pursed his lips, looking a little scared. His eyes darted nervously towards Karina.


    Seeing that Hiram was about to speak, Karina stepped in. ¡°Faith, Hiram is just a kid. He might blurt out


    something he doesn¡¯t mean to say when he¡¯s anxious and afraid. Let¡¯s leave this to the police.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this something that Neil could rify with a few words when he gets home? Are you determined


    to make a scene?¡± I was genuinely curious. How would escting this situation benefit her?


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make a scene. I just want to know the truth,¡± Karina retorted.


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Neil returning my call.


    For a moment, I was unsure whether to answer it. Karina had called Neil earlier too, but he chose to


    return my call first.


    Either Karina or Ryan and Faith finding out about this wouldn¡¯t bode well for me.


    I declined the call and texted Neil. [Karina and your parents are here. Please call them and exin.]


    My text had barely been sent for half a minute when Ryan¡¯s phone rang.


    Neil chose not to contact Karina. Why?


    I was puzzled. Could it be that Neil¡¯s feelings for Karina were merely out of obligation, as he had


    imed?


    This thought crossed my mind but was interrupted by Ryan¡¯s voice, ¡°Alright, I got it. You exin it to


    her!¡±


    With that, Ryan handed the phone to Karina, visibly disgruntled, ¡°You hear it from him.¡±


    Hesitant at first, Karina eventually took the phone. I couldn¡¯t tell what Neil was saying, but Karina¡¯s


    expression grew increasingly grim.


    Finally, she ended the call and returned the phone to Ryan.


    Ryan scoffed, ¡°Are you happy now? Do you believe that Irene is innocent? What do you hope to


    achieve by making a scene in someone else¡¯s house?¡±


    Upon hearing Ryan scolding Karina, Hiram rushed to hold Ryan¡¯s hand and begged, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t


    be mad. Don¡¯t me my mommy¡­ She didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡±


    I must say, Hiram did an excellent job of defending his mother.


    How could Ryan say anything to his precious grandson? After all, Karina was Hiram¡¯s biological


    mother, a fact that couldn¡¯t be changed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just too anxious,¡± Karina apologized.


    What set her apart from Bonnie was her ability to swallow her pride. Even under such circumstances,


    she didn¡¯t storm off in anger or embarrassment. Instead, she apologized.


    Hearing Karina¡¯s apology, Ryan and Faith seemed somewhat mollified. They probably didn¡¯t want to


    cause any further inconvenience to me. After


    1


    all, the incident had been embarrassing for everyone involved. So, they decided to leave, taking Hiram


    with them. ¡°Irene, we¡¯ll be on our way now. Don¡¯t take this incident to heart. It was just a


    misunderstanding.¡±


    Being Hiram¡¯s mother shielded Karina from any potential repercussions from Ryan and Faith.


    I heaved a sigh of relief and replied, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Chapter 434


    Karina didn¡¯t pursue the issue further. She quietly followed Ryan and Faith and left my house. I thought


    that was the end of it, but I didn¡¯t expect that they would create even more trouble for me.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Once the living room regained its tranquility, Norah came out of the room, holding Yara in her arms.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m d they finally left. The babies were on the verge of crying.¡±


    ¡°Where are Serena and Brandon?¡± I asked, taking Yara into my arms.


    ¡°They were about to cry too. I managed to console them and they fell asleep,¡± Norah was indeed adept


    at handling children.


    I nodded appreciatively. ¡°Alright, Norah, you should take a break too.¡±


    Norah massaged her nape and shoulders, and smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll take a short nap. Call me when Serena and


    Brandon wake up.¡±


    After Norah left for her break, I yed with Yara in the living room. After I sent some videos to Ste,


    Yara started crying.


    ¡°Hold on, sweetie. I will fix you some milk!¡± I quickly ced Yara down and went to prepare her milk.


    Just as I finished preparing the milk, the doorbell rang again. I had a bad feeling every time I heard the


    doorbell. It felt like a bad omen.


    I had no clue when my mom and dad would be back. Handling things alone with Norah felt like we were


    two kids trying to pilot a jumbo jet.


    I went to the front porch with a baby bottle in my hand. It was Neil. What was he doing here? Didn¡¯t


    Karina and the others just leave?


    ¡°Open up, I know you¡¯re behind that door.¡± Neil¡¯s hearing was pretty sharp, probably picked up on my


    shuffling feet.


    I¡¯m not exactly in high spirits at the moment. The drama today was all thanks to Neil, and I¡¯ve yet to


    vent my frustration.


    ¡°How on earth did you get here so fast?¡± I grumbled as I opened the door. ¡°You¡¯ve got your phone off. If


    you were any slower, I¡¯d be in a squad car on my way to jail thanks to Karina¡¯s 911 call. Why didn¡¯t you


    wait until I was behind bars toe visit?¡±

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435


    Chapter 435


    ¡°Behind bars?¡± N¨¦il seemed to not entirely grasp my meaning.


    It seemed like he wasn¡¯t fully aware of what had just happened.


    ? ? ? ?


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I then told him about Karina¡¯s visit to Hiram and the subsequent police incident, watching as his face


    gradually darkened.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve aplished a task for you, so our deal is over,¡± I gestured for him to leave. ¡°You can go


    back and exin things to Karina, so she won¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°When you called me, I was in a meeting. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t pick up,¡± Neil exined to me, ignoring my


    words.


    Of course, I knew he was busy. In the past, even if I had something urgent, he wouldn¡¯t pick up my


    calls while he was working.


    I was ustomed to this. But I wondered whether Karina would be able to.


    ¡°You should exin this to Karina. She tried to contact you but couldn¡¯t get through, which led to the


    misunderstanding,¡± I kindly reminded him.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to exin to her. I just need to understand what¡¯s happening.¡± Neil¡¯s response was


    rather nonchnt.


    I wondered why he had bothered toe find me.


    Right now, Yara was in the living room, waiting for me to feed her. I didn¡¯t want Neil to discover Yara


    was here..


    The baby¡¯s crying echoed from the living room, and I took the opportunity to say, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing


    else, I need to go feed the baby. You should leave


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Neil grunted in affirmation, turning to leave.


    I returned to the living room, only to see a scene that shocked me. Yara had vomited, and the vomit


    had gotten into her nose. Her little face was flushed and she looked ufortable.


    Tquickly picked up Yara, helping her clean up a bit, but she still seemed ufortable and vomited


    again.


    What was going on? I hadn¡¯t fed her yet, so it couldn¡¯t be that she had choked on milk and vomited.


    Norah, hearing themotion, rushed out. Being more experienced than me, she immediately


    suggested that Yara might have a problem with her stomach and that we should take her to the


    hospital!


    Serena and Brandon were still asleep, and Norah had to stay at home to look after her, which meant I


    had to take Yara to the hospital by myself.


    Ste had entrusted me with her child. I absolutely couldn¡¯t let anything happen to her, or else I


    wouldn¡¯t be able to face Ste. Carrying Yara, I rushed out of the house, intending to drive to the


    hospital, but discovered that Neil hadn¡¯t left yet. He was standing by the roadside, looking like a finely


    sculpted statue under the sunlight, a thin stream of smokeing from the cigarette between his


    fingers.


    He noticed me rushing out with Yara and frowned, looking at the baby in my arms. ¡°So Mitch¡¯s kid is


    really here with you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    Neil and Mitch were undoubtedly close friends. He had previously helped me fend off Mitch, probably


    thinking that Yara wasn¡¯t really at my ce. Now that he had seen it with his own eyes, he might spill


    the beans to Mitch.


    And I couldn¡¯t let Mitch take the baby away before Ste returned!


    ¡°Is there something wrong with her?¡± Neil, observant as he was, noticed that something was off with


    Yara. He stubbed out his cigarette and tossed it into a nearby trash can before opening his car door,


    ¡°Get in. We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡±


    Given the current situation, Yara was of utmost importance. Having someone to drive us was definitely


    the best case scenario. If I drove, what if she was alone in the backseat and started vomiting again?


    Without hesitation, I got into the car.


    Neil didn¡¯t ask any unnecessary questions on the way, but drove as fast as he could to the hospital.


    After reaching the hospital, I carried Yara towards the pediatric ward. But in my rush to leave the


    house, I hadn¡¯t even changed my shoes, and running in flip-flops was quite the task. Neil took Yara


    from me and strode ahead, his pace much faster than mine.


    With Neil¡¯s help, I managed to register Yara and get her examined. It turned out that she had


    gastroenteritis.


    Infants had weak immune systems and could easily fall ill if not taken care of properly.


    Since Norah and I had to take care of three babies of about the same age these days, we might have


    neglected some details.


    After getting some medicine, my heart finally settled down, and we headed back.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I sincerely thanked Neil in the car.


    ¡°Did Ste entrust her child to you?¡± Neil asked as he drove, his voice calm and indifferent, revealing


    no emotion.


    ¡°Mmm, she had to go back to deal with the other two children.¡± I looked down at Yara, who had fallen


    asleep in my arms.


    Poor little one. She had no idea that her parents were going through a divorce.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything further and just drove. But my heart was in my throat because I didn¡¯t know


    whether he would tell Mitch.


    Eventually, I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Neil, will you tell Mitch about this?¡±


    Neil paused for a few seconds before counter-questioning, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I know that given your rtionship with Mitch, it might be difficult for you to keep this a secret. But you


    also know that Mitch is the root cause of all this. Unless he understands what it feels like to lose his


    wife and children, he will never repent,¡± I exined softly.


    ¡°That¡¯s between him and Ste. I¡¯m his friend,¡± Neil responded lightly.


    My heart sank at his words.


    Did he mean he was definitely going to tell Mitch?


    I knew it wouldn¡¯t be this easy. No matter how much Neil expressed his disapproval of Mitch, he would


    still side with his good friend in


    action.


    It seemed like I needed to find a new ce to hide Yara when I got back.


    Just then, Neil¡¯s phone rang. I thought it would be Karina, but it was someone I was even less willing to


    deal with at the moment, Mitch. When Mitch¡¯s voice sounded in the car, I was afraid that Yara would


    suddenly cry out and he would hear it. Was Neil doing this deliberately?


    ¡°Neil, where are you?¡± Mitch¡¯s mood seemed rtively stable today.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the car. What¡¯s up?¡± Neil replied without mentioning that I and Yara were in the car.


    ¡°I have something to tell you. You know that project I was having revised? I¡¯ve been following up on it,


    but I might need to go back home for a few days. I¡¯ve handed the project over to Ariana. Once it¡¯s


    revised, she¡¯ll give it to you, okay?¡± It turned out that Mitch was nning to go back home, probably


    because of issues with Ste and the kids.


    Before he left, he passed off his work to Ariana to handle.


    Is this guy out of his mind?


    Wasn¡¯t he going back to patch things up with Ste?


    ¡°Ariana is not up to par. Get someone else,¡± Neil¡¯s words were blunt, leaving no room for Mitch¡¯s pride.


    ¡°She¡¯s prettypetent. Trust me. She¡¯s contributed a lot to this project, Neil. I simply admire her


    work,¡± Mitch¡¯s defense sounded utterly ludicrous.

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436


    ¡°Whether you appreciate her or not is your own business, but I see her as unfit for the task. You should


    find someone else to follow up.¡± Neil rejected without hesitation once again.


    Mitch fell silent on the other end, and after a moment, he said, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    Then he hung up.


    With that, the tension in my chest eased, yet at the same time, I was intrigued.


    Neil didn¡¯t tell Mitch that I was holding Yara in the car at the moment.


    But I didn¡¯t ask. I just held the child tighter in my arms, lost in thoughts about what to do next. Should I


    involve Ste in this and let her make the decision?


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Neil didn¡¯t step out of the car when we reached my house, just reminded me.


    ¡°Thanks for today.¡± I got out of the car, still cradling Yara.


    Through the car window, Neil¡¯s gaze remained on the child in my arms, which made me anxious. He


    didn¡¯t say anything earlier, but he might spill the beans to Mitch as soon as I leave.


    With this uneasy feeling. I returned home, while Neil drove off.


    Norah came to check on Yara. After I told her about the dosage, I went to check on Serena and


    Brandon. The two were ying, their innocent gestures and babbling melting my heart.


    Every time I saw these two, all my worries disappeared. With them by my side, there was always hope.


    I wanted to tell Ste that Neil knew Yara was with me, but I was worried that it might affect her


    situation.


    After two days of anxiety, Mitch didn¡¯t show up, and my worries gradually faded, the matter momentarily


    forgotten.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m taking Serena and Brandon for a walk.¡± Byte afternoon, after dinner, Norah greeted


    me with her usual baby carriage.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded. Fearing that Yara might be seen, or that Mitch might have someone lurking around, I


    didn¡¯t take Yara out. Instead, we stayed home most of the time, while Norah would take Serena and


    Brandon out for walks.


    After Norah left, I found a set of clothes, preparing to bathe Yara.


    Just as I got Yara into the bathtub, the doorbell rang. Could Norah have forgotten something? But didn¡¯t


    she know the code?


    I went to check the situation first, and my heart nearly stopped when I saw Mitch.


    Why was he here again? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to return to Rosemont?


    In confusion, I decided to ignore him.


    But Mitch said, ¡°Irene, open the door! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kick it down! Or you can wait for the cops. You¡¯ve


    hidden my child!¡±


    At his words, my mind went nk. From his tone, it seemed he was certain that Yara was with me.


    How did he know?


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The loud noise startled me. Someone had kicked the gate.


    Yara must have heard it too, her faint criesing from the bathroom.


    Without hesitation, I rushed back in, picked up Yara, quickly tidied up anything rted to her, and left


    through the back door towards Russel¡¯s backyard. There was a small door there, and I knew the code.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Russel was home, but I had to keep Yara safe first.


    I could open the door to the backyard, but I couldn¡¯t open the one leading into the house. As I was


    fumbling with the lock, the door opened.


    Russel, freshly bathed, his hair still glistening with moisture, was dressed in his usual casual attire,


    simple yet stylish.


    He raised an eyebrow, first at me, then at the baby in my arms.


    ¡°Mitch is here, Russel. Can you look after Yara for a bit?¡± I didn¡¯t have time to exin and spoke


    quickly.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Russel agreed readily, taking Yara from me. He was quite skilled at holding a baby, probably


    from taking care of Serena and Brandon.


    Relieved, I immediately returned to my house.


    As I entered the living room from the backyard, I saw Mitch storming in. It seemed my gate had been


    broken. I didn¡¯t expect such strength from him.


    ¡°Mitch, have you lost your mind?¡± I questioned in a stern voice.


    ¡°Have I lost my mind or have you? Irene, on what grounds do you hide my child? Where¡¯s my Yara?¡±


    Mitch was seething, ring at me.


    I¡¯ve never seen Mitch, who always seemedid-back and afraid of women, with such a fearsome


    expression, even more so thanst time.


    Now that Yara wasn¡¯t with me, I faced Mitch¡¯s fury unafraid. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Do


    you have any evidence that Yara is with me?¡±


    ¡°Someone saw it with their own eyes!¡± Mitch blurted out.


    The first person that came to my mind was Neil, who had apanied me and Yara to the hospital a


    few days ago, but he didn¡¯t tell Mitch about it then.


    Did he feel guilty and spill the beans to Mitch recently?


    Frustrated, I wished I hadn¡¯t gambled on Neil keeping quiet. I should¡¯ve discussed this with Ste


    earlier.


    ¡°Really? Who saw it? Call that person up to confront me.¡± I suppressed my emotions and calmly


    challenged him.


    ¡°Irene, quit ying innocent. If I said someone saw it, then it¡¯s true. I have no reason to lie about this!¡±


    Mitch was getting more agitated. He pushed past me, frantically searching for Yara in the house, ¡°Yara,


    where are you? Daddy¡¯s here. Daddy¡¯se to get you!¡±


    I let him search the entire house, even the storeroom wasn¡¯t spared.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Finally, realizing that Yara wasn¡¯t there, he looked at me in disbelief.


    I stared back coldly, ¡°Found your child? Where is she?¡±


    ¡°No way! She has to be in your house. Where are you hiding her?¡± Mitch asked me through gritted


    teeth.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already turn everything upside down?¡± I sat down, asking nonchntly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give


    it another shot if you think you¡¯ve missed something?¡±


    Mitch stared at me, his eyes filled with suspicion and hostility. He didn¡¯t respond because he had


    searched thoroughly earlier, and another round would be a waste of time


    Yet, he was still convinced that I hid Yara. After all, Neil had told him so. How could he not believe it?

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437


    Chapter 437


    ¡°Ste was the one who put you up to this, huh?¡± Mitch finally broke the silence, his toneced with


    disappointment towards Ste.


    I felt a pang of sorrow.


    ¡°Mitch, what did Ste do to deserve this? How does she fall shortpared to Ariana? Is this how


    dissatisfied you are with her now?¡±


    Mitch chuckled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, there¡¯s nothing going on between me and Ariana. You guys are


    the ones suspecting me, causing a fuss over nothing. Do you want me to put up with this forever?¡±


    ¡°Before you met Ariana, why were you so patient? No matter what Ste did, you epted it. Sure, you


    didn¡¯t have any substantial rtionship with Ariana, but her presence significantly lowered your


    tolerance for Ste. Do you think that¡¯s normal?¡± I raised my voice to keep questioning.


    My eyes were filled with reproach and indifference towards Mitch.


    Mitch clenched his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯te here to discuss this. If you don¡¯t hand over the child, I¡¯ll call the


    police!¡±


    That again, calling the police. A few days ago, Karina called the police, iming I was suspected of


    child trafficking. I expected Mitch would use the same excuse if he called the police. Then, I¡¯d really be


    suspected of being a child trafficker.


    ¡°Mitch, do you want to divorce Ste?¡± I ignored his words, simply curious about this.


    Mitch was quite clear about this. ¡°No, it¡¯s Ste who wants to divorce me, not the other way around. I


    just can¡¯t bear her making a fuss for no reason.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want a divorce, at least he was reluctant to let go of this marriage.


    I sighed a breath of relief. If Mitch was hesitant about such a straightforward question, I really wouldn¡¯t


    know what to say.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want a divorce, then sort out the situation with Ariana. You¡¯re blinded by infatuation, you


    know?¡± I softened my tone, patiently advising him. ¡°Ste is so bothered by your rtionship with


    Ariana because she cares about you so much. You treat Ariana more than a friend, and it¡¯s clear to


    outsiders. Even Neil can see it. What¡¯s the point of denying it?¡±


    Mitch was stubborn. ¡°It¡¯s none of anyone¡¯s business what¡¯s going on between her and me. All I want


    now is for you to hand over my child.¡±


    My faint hope for Mitch was shattered once more.


    ¡°The child isn¡¯t with me. You¡¯ve checked, haven¡¯t you?¡± My tone cooled, too weary to exin further.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? I told you someone saw it with their own eyes.¡± Mitch took a deep breath. ¡°I


    don¡¯t want to argue with you. After all, you¡¯re Neil¡¯s ex-wife and a good friend of Ste¡¯s. We¡¯re friends,


    right? Let¡¯s not make enemies over this, OK?¡±


    As if I was deliberately picking a fight with him.


    I let out a breath. ¡°Tell me, who saw it? As long as you can name a person, I¡¯ll admit it.¡±


    I was waiting for Mitch to say Neil¡¯s name, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he looked at me withplex eyes,


    his lips moved but he said nothing.


    Neil had told him, but he couldn¡¯t say it. Otherwise, the me would fall on Neil. I could understand


    that.


    ¡°Was it Neil?¡± I asked directly.


    Mitch¡¯s gaze shifted, looking strange. But he still didn¡¯t say anything.


    This attitude was extremely strange. I felt there was something wrong.


    Since Mitch didn¡¯t deny it, he was admitting it.


    Neil, that jerk. He didn¡¯t say anything in front of me, but he told Mitch everything behind my back.


    I cursed Neil in my heart, but on the surface, I remained calm. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he told you or not, but as


    you can see now, Yara isn¡¯t with me. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call the police. Oh, and you owe me for the


    door you kicked down.¡±


    Mitch reluctantly looked around again. I had put away all of Yara¡¯s things, so he couldn¡¯t find her or see


    anything rted to her. Plus, this was my house. He couldn¡¯t really do anything to me.


    Finally, he took out his phone, transferred me some money, and left angrily.


    I knew that even though he had left now, he would definitely have someone watching me. He said


    someone saw Yara at my ce, so he would definitely try to confirm it.


    As soon as Mitch left, I immediately went out to check the surroundings. Only after making sure he was


    gone did I go to Russel¡¯s house.


    Yara was very obedient at Russel¡¯s house and had even been lulled to sleep. Looking at her cute face,


    my heart softened. Ste¡¯s child was like my own. I cared about Yara as much as that of Serena and


    Brandon.


    ¡°Did he leave?¡± Russel asked me.


    ¡°Yeah, he just left,¡± I replied. At this moment, Daisy and Boomer ran over, enthusiastically circling


    around me.


    Russel was not only good with children but also with animals. Daisy now spent more time at his ce,


    hanging out with Boomer every day.


    Russel didn¡¯t mind at all, taking on the role of a pet owner whenever he had free time.


    Apart from his asional cunning, he was actually a very soft-hearted person.


    ¡°Who told him Yara was at your ce?¡± Russel poured me a cup of water. ¡°Have a drink.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for just now.¡± I held the water, feeling grateful for Russel. If he hadn¡¯t helped me take care of


    Yara just now, I would have been in a lot of trouble.


    Russel curled his lips, his smile light and indifferent. ¡°Let¡¯s not keep saying thank you to each other. It


    sounds so formal.¡±


    I nodded, took a sip of water, and kept thinking about what had just happened and what to do next.


    Suddenly, Russel said, ¡°I saw you at the hospital the other day.¡±


    I stiffened, looking up at Russel.


    ¡°You were with Neil, holding Yara.¡± Russel casually replied.


    ¡°Yes, Yara had a little stomach problem. I was in a hurry to take her to the hospital. Neil happened to


    come looking for me, so I asked him for a lift.¡± I admitted candidly. ¡°Really?¡± Russel¡¯s smile faded,


    reced by a hint of coldness. ¡°Why would he suddenlye looking for you?¡±


    ¡°The situation was a bitplicated, and I can¡¯t exin it all at once,¡± I exined, because the more I


    tried to exin, the moreplicated it would be. Russel paused for a moment, pouring himself a


    ss of water. He took a gentle sip, moistening his lips, his gaze directed somewhere beyond me. All I


    could see were his eyshes quivering slightly. Soon enough, he said again. ¡°Have you ever


    considered that Neil might have told Mitch about Yara being with you?¡±


    Of course, I had considered this possibility, and at this point, I was pretty sure it was Neil who had


    spilled the beans.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    But what could I do about it? Could I confront Neil? It would make sense, both emotionally and


    logically, for Neil to tell Mitch.

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 438


    Chapter 438


    ¡°I had a hunch it was him. Mitch wouldn¡¯t admit it to me, but given their rtionship, it was no surprise,¡±


    I replied in a somber tone. ¡°Now the issue is what to do next. Mitch will definitelye looking for me


    again.¡±


    Russel mulled over it for a moment before suggesting, ¡°Tell Ste. It¡¯s her child, after all. She should be


    the one to decide.¡±


    I shared the same sentiment, but I was afraid that telling her would only stress her out and potentially


    hinder her proceedings in Rosemont.


    While I was caught in this indecision, a call from Neil came in. Seeing the caller ID, my mood instantly


    dropped. I was incredibly annoyed.


    Why was he calling? To see if Mitch had sessfully taken the child away?


    I immediately hung up on Neil, but he quickly sent a text message. As expected, it was about Mitch.


    [Has Mitch been to your ce?]


    I didn¡¯t respond, but Russel noticed the subtle change in my expression and urately guessed who


    had called. ¡°Was that Neil?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was asking about Mitch,¡± I didn¡¯t deny.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up?¡± Russel asked.


    ¡°No point. I¡¯ve already guessed the likely result. Confronting him won¡¯t do any good,¡± I shook my head.


    Neil and I had nothing to do with each other now. I had no right to question his actions.


    But he insisted on calling. Seeing the screen light up again, I was speechless.


    Russel took the phone from my hand, and before I could react, he had answered the call.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Russel coldly questioned as soon as he picked up.


    He didn¡¯t use speakerphone, so I couldn¡¯t hear what Neil had to say. I could only hear Russel¡¯s side of


    the conversation.


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to trust you again. Goodbye.¡±


    With that, the call ended.


    Russel handed me back the phone. ¡°Some things don¡¯t need to be dragged out. Since you know it was


    him, tell him you know.¡±


    I did suspect Neil, but I had no concrete evidence since Mitch hadn¡¯t explicitly admitted to anything.


    Russel¡¯s words now, however, were undoubtedly telling Neil that we had already determined he was


    the one who had spilled the beans.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence,¡± I reminded Russel.


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t him, don¡¯t you want to take this chance to cut ties with him once and for all?¡± Russel


    looked at me intensely, making me feel pressured.


    I was taken aback. ¡°Cut ties? Haven¡¯t I already done that?¡±


    Russel¡¯s gaze turned colder, and there seemed to be a chill at the corner of his lips. ¡°When I say ¡®cut


    ties¡¯, I meanpletely severing all contact and connection. You seem to have been frequently in


    contact with him recently, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    His words made me realize something wasn¡¯t right. For various reasons, my interactions with Neil had


    increased recently.


    And every time, Neil had helped me out, putting me in his debt.


    I had paid him back a little, but not entirely.


    ¡°Alright, I really shouldn¡¯t be questioning you about this. I just wanted to remind you not to get fooled by


    him again,¡± Russel softened his tone, sensing my difort.


    He did have a right to question me because to my parents and everyone around us, he was my


    husband. No one would know our real rtionship unless I made an effort to rify it.


    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± I nodded, feeling incredibly confused. Somehow, I had gotten entangled with Neil


    again. It felt as if an invisible thread was tying us together, one that couldn¡¯t be untied.


    Just as I was lost in thought, Yara¡¯s cry snapped me back to reality. I quickly went to pick her up,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take her home now.¡±


    This time, Russel didn¡¯t apany me. He simply replied, ¡°Okay, I have to workte tonight. Be


    careful and call me right away if anything happens:¡±


    Russel had been quite busy recently. When he was upied, I felt more at ease. Otherwise, being with


    him for extended periods made me unsure of how to behave around him.


    I intentionally left through Russel¡¯s backyard. When I got home, Norah had already returned. She


    looked shocked, ¡°Ms. Finch, did we have a break-in?¡±


    ¡°No, Mitch came looking for the baby and kicked the door in. But it¡¯s okay, hepensated me for it. I¡¯ll


    have someone rece the door in the next few days,¡± I put Yara in the crib and went to check on


    Serena and Brandon.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Mitch. How could he kick in a door?¡± Norah muttered, clearly unhappy with Mitch.


    ¡°Okay Norah, why don¡¯t you give Yara a bath?¡± I suggested.


    While Norah bathed Yara, I stayed in the living room reading stories and ying music for Serena and


    Brandon. Even though they couldn¡¯t understand yet, it subconsciously exposed them tonguage and


    music.


    As I was spending time with Serena and Brandon, I heard footsteps approaching from the yard had


    made sure to lock the door.


    My heart raced.


    Could it really be Mitch?


    At the same time, my phone rang. It was Neil again.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I was worried it might be Mitch, so I answered Neil¡¯s call. If something really happened, I would


    need his help.


    To my surprise, as Neil¡¯s voice rang out from the phone, I also heard his voice from outside the door,


    ¡°It¡¯s me. Open the door.¡±


    Why was he here again? My heart sank as numerous guesses shed through my mind. The most


    terrifying one was that Mitch hadn¡¯t found Yara at my ce, so he had Neile and investigate again.


    If that was the case, I definitely couldn¡¯t open the door.


    A hung up and walked to the door, asking without opening it, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Did Russel speak on your behalf?¡± Neil¡¯s voice sounded again, filled with displeasure.


    So he came to interrogate me about that. I was already upset about this issue, so I replied under my


    breath, ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I never told Mitch anything. You didn¡¯t even bother to ask me and just assumed I was the one who told


    him. Irene, are you messing with me?¡± Neil was growing increasingly angry. ¡°And you had Russel tell


    me. Was that intentional?¡±


    There was nothing calcted about it. It was just Russel who spontaneously grabbed my phone and


    answered the call. Considering our rtionship, which appeared to be marital to the outside world, it


    waspletely normal for him to answer a call for me.


    I retorted, ¡°And how can you prove it wasn¡¯t you? It was you who drove me and Yara to the hospital


    that day. After you saw her at my ce, Mitch got wind of it.¡±


    ¡°So you believe that¡¯s the kind of person I am?¡± Neil¡¯s tone started to bristle with annoyance.


    Chapter 438


    ¡°I had a hunch it was him. Mitch wouldn¡¯t admit it to me, but given their rtionship, it was no surprise,¡±


    I replied in a somber tone. ¡°Now the issue is what to do next. Mitch will definitelye looking for me


    again.¡±


    Russel mulled over it for a moment before suggesting, ¡°Tell Ste. It¡¯s her child, after all. She should be


    the one to decide.¡±


    I shared the same sentiment, but I was afraid that telling her would only stress her out and potentially


    hinder her proceedings in Rosemont.


    While I was caught in this indecision, a call from Neil came in. Seeing the caller ID, my mood instantly


    dropped. I was incredibly annoyed.


    Why was he calling? To see if Mitch had sessfully taken the child away?


    I immediately hung up on Neil, but he quickly sent a text message. As expected, it was about Mitch.


    [Has Mitch been to your ce?]


    I didn¡¯t respond, but Russel noticed the subtle change in my expression and urately guessed who


    had called. ¡°Was that Neil?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was asking about Mitch,¡± I didn¡¯t deny.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up?¡± Russel asked.


    ¡°No point. I¡¯ve already guessed the likely result. Confronting him won¡¯t do any good,¡± I shook my head.


    Neil and I had nothing to do with each other now. I had no right to question his actions.


    But he insisted on calling. Seeing the screen light up again, I was speechless.


    Russel took the phone from my hand, and before I could react, he had answered the call.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Russel coldly questioned as soon as he picked up.


    He didn¡¯t use speakerphone, so I couldn¡¯t hear what Neil had to say. I could only hear Russel¡¯s side of


    the conversation.


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to trust you again. Goodbye.¡±


    With that, the call ended.


    Russel handed me back the phone. ¡°Some things don¡¯t need to be dragged out. Since you know it was


    him, tell him you know.¡±


    I did suspect Neil, but I had no concrete evidence since Mitch hadn¡¯t explicitly admitted to anything.


    Russel¡¯s words now, however, were undoubtedly telling Neil that we had already determined he was


    the one who had spilled the beans.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence,¡± I reminded Russel.


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t him, don¡¯t you want to take this chance to cut ties with him once and for all?¡± Russel


    looked at me intensely, making me feel pressured.


    I was taken aback. ¡°Cut ties? Haven¡¯t I already done that?¡±


    Russel¡¯s gaze turned colder, and there seemed to be a chill at the corner of his lips. ¡°When I say ¡®cut


    ties¡¯, I meanpletely severing all contact and connection. You seem to have been frequently in


    contact with him recently, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    His words made me realize something wasn¡¯t right. For various reasons, my interactions with Neil had


    increased recently.


    And every time, Neil had helped me out, putting me in his debt.


    I had paid him back a little, but not entirely.


    ¡°Alright, I really shouldn¡¯t be questioning you about this. I just wanted to remind you not to get fooled by


    him again,¡± Russel softened his tone, sensing my difort.


    He did have a right to question me because to my parents and everyone around us, he was my


    husband. No one would know our real rtionship unless I made an effort to rify it.


    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± I nodded, feeling incredibly confused. Somehow, I had gotten entangled with Neil


    again. It felt as if an invisible thread was tying us together, one that couldn¡¯t be untied.


    Just as I was lost in thought, Yara¡¯s cry snapped me back to reality. I quickly went to pick her up,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take her home now.¡±


    This time, Russel didn¡¯t apany me. He simply replied, ¡°Okay, I have to workte tonight. Be


    careful and call me right away if anything happens:¡±


    Russel had been quite busy recently. When he was upied, I felt more at ease. Otherwise, being with


    him for extended periods made me unsure of how to behave around him.


    I intentionally left through Russel¡¯s backyard. When I got home, Norah had already returned. She


    looked shocked, ¡°Ms. Finch, did we have a break-in?¡±


    ¡°No, Mitch came looking for the baby and kicked the door in. But it¡¯s okay, hepensated me for it. I¡¯ll


    have someone rece the door in the next few days,¡± I put Yara in the crib and went to check on


    Serena and Brandon.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Mitch. How could he kick in a door?¡± Norah muttered, clearly unhappy with Mitch.


    ¡°Okay Norah, why don¡¯t you give Yara a bath?¡± I suggested.


    While Norah bathed Yara, I stayed in the living room reading stories and ying music for Serena and


    Brandon. Even though they couldn¡¯t understand yet, it subconsciously exposed them tonguage and


    music.


    As I was spending time with Serena and Brandon, I heard footsteps approaching from the yard had


    made sure to lock the door.


    My heart raced.


    Could it really be Mitch?


    At the same time, my phone rang. It was Neil again.


    and stoppi


    at the living room door. Worried that Mitch mighte back, I


    ¡°Hello?¡± I was worried it might be Mitch, so I answered Neil¡¯s call. If something really happened, I would


    need his help.


    To my surprise, as Neil¡¯s voice rang out from the phone, I also heard his voice from outside the door,


    ¡°It¡¯s me. Open the door.¡±


    Why was he here again? My heart sank as numerous guesses shed through my mind. The most


    terrifying one was that Mitch hadn¡¯t found Yara at my ce, so he had Neile and investigate again.


    If that was the case, I definitely couldn¡¯t open the door.


    1/2


    Chapter 438


    A hung up and walked to the door, asking without opening it, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Did Russel speak on your behalf?¡± Neil¡¯s voice sounded again, filled with displeasure.


    So he came to interrogate me about that. I was already upset about this issue, so I replied under my


    breath, ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I never told Mitch anything. You didn¡¯t even bother to ask me and just assumed I was the one who told


    him. Irene, are you messing with me?¡± Neil was growing increasingly angry. ¡°And you had Russel tell


    me. Was that intentional?¡±


    There was nothing calcted about it. It was just Russel who spontaneously grabbed my phone and


    answered the call. Considering our rtionship, which appeared to be marital to the outside world, it


    waspletely normal for him to answer a call for me.


    I retorted, ¡°And how can you prove it wasn¡¯t you? It was you who drove me and Yara to the hospital


    that day. After you saw her at my ce, Mitch got wind of it.¡±


    ¡°So you believe that¡¯s the kind of person I am?¡± Neil¡¯s tone started to bristle with annoyance.

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439


    Chapter 439


    ¡°I¡¯m not criticizing your character, but your bond with Mitch is pretty obvious. It¡¯s only natural you¡¯d


    confide in him. I¡¯m not ming you or saying you¡¯re responsible, okay?¡± I exined helplessly..


    ¡°Open the door first.¡± Neil seemed dissatisfied with our conversation through the door. He knocked, his


    tone stern, ¡°Mitch already kicked down your garden gate. Do you want your living room door ruined


    too?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Was he threatening me?


    I was instantly irked, ¡°You don¡¯t have to threaten me. If you think it¡¯s okay to continually visit me while


    being with Karina, go ahead. But don¡¯t me me if she leaves with Hiram again.¡±


    If he threatened me, I would threaten him back. Even if his feelings for Karina were merely duty, what


    about Hiram?


    I could tell Karina about this. Maybe she¡¯d cause a scene with him, or maybe she¡¯d just take Hiram and


    leave. Clearly, my threat worked.


    Neil fell silent.


    After a few minutes, I thought Neil had left, so I opened the door. To my surprise, he was still there, his


    face grim as if someone owed him millions and hadn¡¯t paid up. I stepped back in shock, ¡°Why haven¡¯t


    you left?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re threatening me with Karina and Hiram now, Irene. Do you think you¡¯re some kind of daredevil


    now?¡± Neil¡¯s lips thinned, his wordsced with bitterness. Norah should be done bathing Yara by now,


    so I stepped out and closed the door behind me. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside. My kids need to sleep. Let¡¯s not


    disturb them.¡± Neil didn¡¯t refuse. He even walked ahead of me, out through my damaged front door.


    I followed him to a nearby tree, where a bench was ced for people to rest. I took a seat.


    Neil didn¡¯t sit. He stood nearby, his slim-fit ck trousers entuating his long legs. Combined with his


    lean waist, he was every woman¡¯s dream.


    Thinking of this, I recalled a mediament about Neil years ago: Mr. Whitmore¡¯s rtionships with


    his girlfriends didn¡¯tst as long as his legs.


    Back then, many women fell for him in his suit pants. I was different; I fell for him in his jeans years


    before others. Indeed, lust could be a dangerous thing. Neil noticed my distraction. ¡°What are you


    thinking about? Trying to stir up trouble with Karina?¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°You sure seem worried.¡±


    ¡°I am worried. Hiram is my only child.¡± Neil¡¯s gaze was icy, but I thought I saw a hint of hurt.


    Speaking of children reminded me of Serena and Brandon, but that was a topic I couldn¡¯t bring up.


    I changed the subject, ¡°You know how it feels to lose a child. Ste¡¯s three kids are her life. She gave


    birth to them and raised them. You helped Mitch take them away. What¡¯s she supposed to do?¡±


    This topic made my blood boil.


    As a mother, I knew the pain of losing a child. If it were me, I might not be as calm as Ste.


    Neil¡¯s face turned several shades of color. ¡°When did I help Mitch take the kids? Where did you learn to


    make such false usations?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, how did he know Yara was with me? I asked him if it was you who told him, and


    although he didn¡¯t give a clear answer, his expression said it all.¡± I confronted Neil.


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have had someone else watching you? Couldn¡¯t have had someone else investigate


    here?¡± Neil chuckled bitterly, ¡°You¡¯re pretty quick to me me.¡± Neil rarely lost his temper, and if he did,


    it was likely because he felt wronged.


    But if I had wronged him, how did Mitch find out?


    ¡°I can call Mitch now. If it proves that I didn¡¯t tell him, how will you apologize to me?¡± Neil took out his


    phone, his eyes piercing as he asked.


    ¡°If I misunderstood you, I¡¯ll sincerely apologize.¡± I replied curtly.


    Other than saying ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, I wouldn¡¯t make any other amends.


    And I didn¡¯t understand why Neil cared so much about my misunderstanding. Even if I had, what


    difference did it make? We didn¡¯t have any rtionship worth fussing over anymore.


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Neil¡¯s face darkened, ¡°You think my reputation is worthless?¡±


    Neil¡¯s reputation was important to him. If someone ndered or defamed him, he could sue them and


    probably win.


    But our situation wouldn¡¯t get to that point. He was a man who hated trouble, and making a public fuss


    over this wasn¡¯t his style.


    ¡°Just make the call.¡± I didn¡¯t waste any more words, urging Neil. Actually, I just wanted to know who told


    Mitch.


    As I suspected, Neil didn¡¯t continue to argue over minor issues. He dialed Mitch¡¯s number, and


    something happened that I found absolutely ridiculous.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, it¡¯s Ariana!¡± Ariana¡¯s voice came through, feigning nervousness, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Mitch


    seems to have had too much to drink and asked me to pick him up. I just got here!¡±


    That bastard Mitch!


    I was livid, and the anger I felt when I discovered Neil had feelings for Bonnie in my past life


    resurfaced.


    The feeling of betrayal repeatedly washing over me.


    Neil nced at me, his voice cold, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Whitmore. I¡¯ll make sure Mitch gets home!¡± Ariana didn¡¯t seem to want to tell us, only


    emphasizing that she¡¯d take Mitch home.


    But the more she insisted, the more disgusted I felt. Mitch was still married to Ste, and yet Ariana,


    with her ulterior motives, was sending him home?


    I snatched Neil¡¯s phone right out of his hand, ¡°Ana, get this through your head. You¡¯re just an


    employee at Mitch¡¯spany, not his wife, and certainly not his girlfriend. You think it¡¯s decent to take


    a drunk man home all by yourself? Don¡¯t you have any decency, or were you raised with no manners to


    know how to keep your distance?¡±


    I didn¡¯t sugar-coat my words for Ariana; they were blunt and filled with distaste. If she had any shred of


    dignity left, she should be embarrassed.

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440


    Neil looked at me with aplex expression, as if he was taken aback by my words.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, how about showing a little decorum? What do you take me for?¡± Ariana retorted with a re


    of anger, ¡°I was just thinking, since I¡¯m already here to pick up Mr. Mitch, I might as well take him home.


    It saves you guys the trouble. Is there something wrong with that?¡±


    Her thin veneer of an excuse didn¡¯t fool me, ¡°I don¡¯t mind the trouble, okay? In the future, please steer


    clear of married men. If you¡¯re looking for a man, try a matchmaking


    service.¡±


    Ariana fell silent for a while, probably fuming.


    I didn¡¯t care and asked, ¡°Where are you? At which bar? I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    After some prodding, Ariana finally gave me an address. I looked at Neil, ¡°You go pick him up. I need to


    stay home and take care of the kids.¡±


    ¡°We have a nanny, don¡¯t we?¡± Neil seemed to want me toe with him.


    ¡°She can¡¯t handle it all by herself. You go get Mitch. And make sure Ariana doesn¡¯t follow!¡± I was a bit


    commanding, my mood was quite vtile, as if I had been betrayed


    too.


    Neil wouldn¡¯t let it go, ¡°Come with me. We can take advantage of Mitch¡¯s drunken state to get the truth


    out of him. Who told him Yara was with you? If he¡¯s sober, you¡¯ll use me of colluding with him. Now


    that he¡¯s drunk, he¡¯ll spill the truth.¡±


    Sometimes I had to admire Neil¡¯s tenacity. Even in this situation, he still remembered his mission to


    prove his innocence through Mitch.


    But I didn¡¯tpletely trust Neil. If he went alone, would he really be able to bring Mitch back? Would


    Ariana seize the opportunity to follow?


    For the sake of Ste¡¯s family, I had to be cautious.


    ¡°Wait for me,¡± I told Neil.


    I went back inside the house.


    Norah had already given Yara a bath, while Serena and Brandon had fallen asleep unknowingly.


    Norah suggested, ¡°Let them sleep a bit. When they wake up, we can give them their baths.¡±


    This was perfect. Norah could take care of Yara, and Serena and Brandon would sleep for at least an


    hour or two. This would give me enough time to handle Mitch¡¯s situation.


    I grabbed my phone and stepped out of the house.


    Neil was still waiting for me. Seeing me return, he seemed to crack a little smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We drove to the bar that Ariana had mentioned. I was busy with my phone the whole time, both to kill


    time and to avoid awkward silence.


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    The car was cruising smoothly until a drunkard suddenly stumbled out onto the road. Neil hit the brakes


    hard. My body jolted forward due to the inertia, and my phone fell under the passenger seat.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Neil asked immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just dropped my phone,¡± I sighed in relief, d that we didn¡¯t have an ident.


    Neil nodded and checked my seat belt. Once he was sure I was okay, he continued driving.


    I bent over to retrieve my phone but after feeling around for a bit, I couldn¡¯t find it.


    I


    I was wearing a purple sundress with loose straps. As I was reaching for my phone, the left strap


    slipped off my shoulder


    Once again, Neil mmed the brakes and pulled over.


    ¡°Irene, can¡¯t you dress properly?¡± Neil scolded me. He was looking at my shoulder, where the dress


    had slipped off, revealing a bit more than it should have.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look!¡± I retorted casually and adjusted my dress.


    ¡°Irene, don¡¯t you change before you go out? Aren¡¯t you worried about wardrobe malfunctions in a dress


    like this?¡± Neil started driving again, still criticizing my outfit.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? Moreover, didn¡¯t you used to say that no man would be interested in my figure?


    What¡¯s the difference between me having a wardrobe malfunction and a man going shirtless?¡±


    Neil¡¯s face reddened slightly, and he coughed awkwardly, ¡°Idiot. I don¡¯t want to argue with you.¡±


    ¡°Neil, if it weren¡¯t for Ste and Mitch¡¯s situation, we wouldn¡¯t have this sort of interaction. You know


    that, right?¡± I reminded him seriously. I felt like our conversation was too light-hearted, which was


    inappropriate. I was reminding him as much as I was reminding myself.


    My words seemed to dampen Neil¡¯s mood. He just nced at me and didn¡¯t say anything.


    When we reached the bar, I quickly picked up my phone from under the seat and headed inside, with


    Neil following closely behind.


    When we reached the table Ariana had mentioned, we found it was already upied by different


    patrons.


    Upon my inquiry, I learned that Ariana and Mitch had left about ten minutes ago.


    Given Mitch¡¯s height and weight, I didn¡¯t believe Ariana could have managed him by herself. If she did,


    there were only two possibilities. One, someone helped her. Or two, Mitch wasn¡¯tpletely drunk and


    could walk on his own.


    People confirmed that Ariana left with Mitch alone. So, I concluded it must be thetter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find them!¡± I was raging inside.


    Mitch had left with Ariana while he was still conscious! Moreover, Ariana had promised to wait for us


    but she left with Mitch anyway. Those two, they were just¡­


    I left the bar, filled with anger. Neil followed me out and asked, ¡°Do you know where she lives?¡±


    I didn¡¯t. Ariana¡¯s previous address in Rosemont was on her record, but not her current address in


    Eldoria. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Didn¡¯t Mitch tell you?¡±


    ¡°Why would he tell me that?¡± Neil raised an eyebrow. ¡°You never got this worked up when there were


    rumors about me and other women.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going through partners like people go through potato chips, Neil. If all of them end up as furious


    as I am right now, I¡¯m going to keel over from sheer exasperation!¡± I took a long, calming breath,


    attempting to regain myposure before continuing in a more collected tone.


    Neil nodded in understanding, ¡°Yeah, I get it. You¡¯re making a valid point.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give our mutual friend, Gregory, a call? He might have a clue about Ariana¡¯s


    whereabouts.¡± I urged Neil, my sole focus on locating the two troublemakers as swiftly as possible.


    As it turned out, my hunch was spot on. Neil followed my advice and got through to Gregory who, as I


    had suspected, knew exactly where Ariana was currently residing.

 Chapter 441

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    Chapter 441


    Having obtained Ariana¡¯s present address, Neil and I drove there, following the directions from the


    GPS.


    It was amercial apartmentplex, with easy ess. Once we located Ariana¡¯s apartment, we


    knocked a few times.


    But there was no response, no sign of life within.


    Could they not be inside? Had they checked into a hotel instead? I was resolute, if I caught them in any


    compromising position, I would document it and


    hand it over to Ste. Mitch, as the guilty party, would stand no chance in the event of a divorce suit.


    I had previously thought that if Mitch hadn¡¯t made any substantial move, I would persuade Ste to give


    him another chance.


    But now, my thoughts changed.


    Neil dialed Mitch¡¯s number, and I pressed my ear against the door, hearing the ringtone echo from


    within.


    He was certainly inside!


    As I pondered how to get in, Neil showed me his phone. It was a message from Gregory, who


    shockingly knew Ariana¡¯s door code.


    This made things easier. I punched in the numbers from the message, and the door clicked open


    quietly.


    The apartment was a one-bedroom, one-living-room setup. The sound of running water echoed from


    the bathroom. Ariana was probably taking a shower, which was why she hadn¡¯t heard us knocking.


    Suddenly, the water stopped, and Mitch¡¯s phone rang simultaneously.


    Wrapped in a towel, Ariana emerged from the bathroom. She didn¡¯t nce towards the door but went


    straight to the bed where Mitchy, snoring like a log.


    She was turned away from us, checking Mitch¡¯s phone before answering the call.


    ¡°Sorry, Ste, Mr. Mitch is asleep¡­¡± Ariana began, and I knew instantly that Ste was the caller.


    I walked over, snatching the phone from Ariana¡¯s grasp. She looked at Neil and me in disbelief,


    seemingly unable toprehend our presence.


    The call was still active. I picked up, and Ste was still ranting. I reassured her, ¡°Ste, it¡¯s me. Mitch is


    drunk as a skunk and sprawled out on the bed, fully dressed. It doesn¡¯t look like anything has


    happened. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle things here. You should get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Rena, how did you¡­¡± Ste¡¯s ranting stopped abruptly, reced by astonishment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about how I got here. Goodnight.¡± I hung up and handed the phone to Neil. ¡°Hold onto


    this.¡±


    In this tense atmosphere, Neil was smiling, his perfect crescent-shaped eyes full of amusement.


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    I wasn¡¯t sure why he wasughing. All I knew was that I wanted to tear Ariana apart.


    ¡°How did you get in?!¡± Ariana demanded, flustered yet trying to maintainposure.


    ¡°Have you no shame?¡± I shot back coldly, ignoring her question.


    Ariana¡¯s face changed, her eyes darting around but avoiding my gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you


    mean. This is my apartment, so please leave.¡±


    I pointed at Mitch, ¡°He¡¯s lying on your bed, and you¡¯re asking what I mean? Ariana, stop ying games.


    You¡¯re only embarrassing yourself.¡±


    Ariana managed a forced smile, ¡°I¡¯m not ying games. I saw Mr. Mitch had too much to drink. He was


    alone and vulnerable at the bar, so I brought him back to rest.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you we wereing?¡± I cut through her lie. ¡°If you were concerned about his safety, why


    didn¡¯t you take him home? You¡¯ve been to his house for dinner, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know where he


    lives. And the bar is closer to his house than it is to here, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ariana was at a loss for words. She looked at Neil, pleading, ¡°Mr. Whitmore, you know my character,


    you should¡­¡±


    Neil interrupted her, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I could tell he was not the least bit interested in Ariana.


    Ariana paled, clutching her towel tighter. Suddenly, she let go of the towel, which immediately fell to the


    floor, revealing her naked body.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom her actions. But after seeing her ample bosom, I had an inkling.


    She was quite a sight.


    Neil had already turned his back, reacting faster than I had.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± I was speechless at Ariana¡¯s behavior.


    ¡°If you insist that my rtionship with Mr. Mitch is inappropriate, then now that Mr. Whitmore has seen


    my body, doesn¡¯t that make things between us even murkier?¡± Ariana¡¯s words were a revtion.


    I had seen plenty of videos about catching cheaters, heard stories too, but never had I seen a mistress


    react this wildly.


    Neil¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything. I¡¯m not interested in you.¡±


    Ariana must have been very confident in her figure. But Neil¡¯s words were undoubtedly a blow to her


    ego.


    ¡°Mr. Whitmore, you and Mr. Mitch are close, can¡¯t you help him? There¡¯s nothing between him and me,


    you know that!¡± Ariana was starting to lose herposure, speaking with great agitation.


    I started recording on my phone, ¡°Don¡¯t bother getting dressed. Tell the camera, what was that call from


    his wife all about, huh?¡±


    Seeing me recording, Ariana panicked, quickly picking up her towel and attempting to snatch my phone


    away, ¡°You can¡¯t record this! That¡¯s illegall


    You better behave. Resign first thing tomorrow morning, and leave town within three days!¡± I


    threatened menacingly, ¡°Or else, I won¡¯t care about legality. I¡¯ll release this video, along with everything


    you¡¯ve done. In this age of the inte, how long do you think it¡¯ll take for it to reach your family?¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe Ariana had reached a point where she didn¡¯t care about her reputation, or the judgment


    of her friends and rtives.


    As expected, Ariana panicked at my threat, ¡°Have you lost your mind? I haven¡¯t done anything wrong! I


    didn¡¯t sleep with Mr. Mitch!¡±


    ¡°Of course not, because you simply didn¡¯t have the chance,¡± I sneered. ¡°Now, you only have two


    options. First, resign and leave on your own. Second, I expose your dirty little secrets.¡±


    Ariana was trembling with rage, while Neil showed no signs of intervening, let alone supporting her.


    Mitch, passed out drunk on the bed, was oblivious to what was taking ce.


    Ariana turned to look at him, her gaze filled with regret and resentment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even dream of it. He will never be yours. Don¡¯t think for a second that he will be your ticket to the


    top. You really think you¡¯re good enough?¡± My words were sharp, but they were nothing less than the


    truth.

 Chapter 442

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    Chapter 442


    Ariana turned ashen, then pale, her eyes welling up with tears.


    She brought this upon herself.


    ¡°Make a choice. I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± I pressed Ariana for an answer.


    Ariana was still not backing down. ¡°I won¡¯t choose. I did no wrong. When Mr. Mitch wakes up, he¡¯ll see


    justice done!¡±


    What Mitch would face upon waking would probably be Ste¡¯s wrath, and I¡¯d send her the evidence.


    Then I¡¯d see how the Hebert family would favor their son.


    I didn¡¯t bother arguing with her. ¡°Fine, I give you until midnight tomorrow to decide. If I don¡¯t have an


    answer by then, that video will be all over the inte. I have plenty of ammunition to take


    you down.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare push me too far!¡± Ariana could no longer defend herself and was just using me


    relentlessly.


    I knew she still couldn¡¯t think straight, so arguing with her was pointless. I walked over to the bed and


    pped Mitch. ¡°Mitch! Wake up!¡±


    A handprint appeared on Mitch¡¯s face. He opened his eyes with difficulty, and when he saw me, he


    started stuttering. ¡°Honey, did you forgive me? Are you here to take me back?¡±


    He reached to hug me, his body reeking of alcohol.


    Before I could push Mitch away, Neil took a few steps forward andnded a blow on Mitch¡¯s arm. Mitch


    winced and withdrew his arm. ¡°Why are you hitting me, honey? I¡¯m sorry¡­ Don¡¯t leave, don¡¯t take our


    children¡­¡±


    ¡°Get up.¡± Neil grabbed Mitch¡¯s arm and said coldly.


    Recognizing Neil, Mitch managed to get up from the bed with difficulty and steadied himself, but he


    was still swaying. If it weren¡¯t for Neil¡¯s support, he might have fallen back down..


    Ariana watched Mitch, her face full of grievance. Especially when she heard Mitch begging for


    forgiveness, her eyes were filled with resentment¡­


    Mitch, the idiot, only realized his mistake when he was drunk, and he had even been brought here by


    Ariana.


    Most importantly, Ariana had answered a call from Ste, which was going to be hard to exin.


    ¡°Mr. Mitch¡­¡± Ariana whimpered.


    Mitch opened his eyes and looked at Ariana, mumbling, ¡°Who are you? Where¡¯s my wife?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if he was pretending or if he was really drunk, but his reaction was enough to crush


    Ariana¡¯s hopes.


    Ariana turned pale, her eyes filled with disappointment.


    Neil and I ignored her and took Mitch away.


    Half an hourter, I arrived home, and Neil helped Mitch onto the bed to rest. Having him at my ce, I


    didn¡¯t need to worry about Ariana doing anything crazy.


    But there was one problem. What if Mitch woke up and found out Yara was with me?


    ¡°Mitch, wake up.¡± Neil was ruthless, even waking his own drunk friend. ¡°Tell me who told you that Yara


    was with Irene.¡±


    I snapped back to reality. ¡°He¡¯s drunk now, you can¡¯t get anything out of him.¡±


    Neil nced at me. ¡°The truthes out when he¡¯s drunk.¡±


    Well, I sat down and watched Neil interrogate Mitch. Under his relentless questioning, Mitch mumbled,


    ¡°Neil, it¡­ it was you who told me¡­ you sent me the message!¡± Upon hearing Mitch¡¯s answer, my face


    turned cold, and I let out a sarcasticugh.


    It was indeed him, he even wanted Mitch to say it himself.


    The atmosphere became awkward. Neil turned to look at me, his eyes full ofplexity.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough that he said it?¡± I said calmly. ¡°I told you, even if you were the one who told him, it¡¯s


    understandable. No harm done.¡±


    ¡°The point is, I didn¡¯t tell him, okay?¡± Neil sounded infuriated.


    ¡°You said he would tell the truth when he¡¯s drunk. Isn¡¯t this the truth?¡± I was baffled.


    Neil took out his phone, scrolled through it, and handed it to me. ¡°See for yourself. When did I send him


    a message about Yara?¡±


    I was surprised by his eagerness to prove his innocence. I looked at the screen, which showed the text


    messages between him and Mitch. There was no mention of Yara.


    After reading the messages, I looked away. ¡°You can delete text messages. It doesn¡¯t mean anything.


    Let¡¯s drop this. Just don¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°Am I the one who can¡¯t get my point across?!¡± Neil was obviously angry. He almost smashed his


    phone, but in the end, he put it back in his pocket. He clenched his teeth, his jawline twitching,


    seemingly trying to suppress his anger. ¡°Irene, have you lost your mind? Would I deny something I did?


    If I wanted to tell Mitch, I would have told him at the hospital that day, get it?¡±


    I thought the same at the time, so I didn¡¯t understand why he waited two days to tell Mitch.


    I countered, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then tell me, who else could use your phone to message Mitch?¡±


    As soon as finished speaking, the room fell silent.


    Without me saying anything more, Neil probably guessed who could do such a thing. Who else could it


    be but Karina?


    I watched Neil, curious to see how he would respond, whether he would defend Karina and argue with


    me, or suspect Karina based on my hint?


    ¡°I¡¯ll find out.¡± Neil¡¯s answer was neither defending Karina nor believing me straight away,


    solemn promise.


    I nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Okay. As long as Neil was willing to find out, it was better than blindly


    defending thing


    to it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to bring Mitch back


    It waste, so I stood up and said, ¡°You can go home and rest now. Thank alone.¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, Neil¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID, hesitated for the other end.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be home soon. Listen to Mommy and your grandparents.¡±


    a moment, but eventually picked it up. His tone softened when he heard the voice on It must be Hiram


    calling.


    A spun around and left the room, choosing not to linger.


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    A few minutester, Neil emerged from his bedroom. He swung open the front door of the living room


    and slipped on his shoes, ¡°I¡¯m heading off.¡±


    As I sat on the couch, folding Serena and Brandon¡¯s clothes, I merely nodded in response without


    looking up from my task, ¡°Mm-hm.¡±


    The door closed again in no time, and the sound of Neil¡¯s footsteps faded into the distance. I discarded


    the clothing in my hands, moving into the room where Serena, Yara and Brandon slept. The three of


    them were tucked in, their cherubic faces soft and sweet in slumber.

 Chapter 443

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    Chapter 443


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness for Serena and Brandon, thinking of Neil¡¯s gentle tone when


    he¡¯d picked up Hiram earlier.


    Neil would have been such a wonderful father, if only¡­


    After spending some time with the kids, I carried little Yara out and headed over to Russel¡¯s ce.


    He was already at work, but I knew the key and the code to the front door, so I let myself in with no


    trouble.


    Daisy and Boomer were sleeping but awakened at my entrance. Daisy barked a few times, thinking we


    had an intruder, but upon recognizing me, her barks turned into happy tail wags.


    I gave the two adorable creatures a smile before carrying Yara up to the guest room on the second


    floor.


    After settling her down, I sent Norah a text asking her to stay over at my ce tonight and keep Serena


    and Brandonpany.


    Once everything was arranged, my phone rang. It was a call from Ste. She must have shown great


    restraint to hold off calling me this long. Her temperament had clearly mellowed over the past few days.


    The old Ste would have been hounding me with calls every minute.


    ¡°Rena, tell me you knocked that vixen out cold!¡± Ste demanded hotly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but she¡¯ll probably quit tomorrow,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Quit? She can do that? Women like her are experts at clinging to men. I know she won¡¯t be easy to get


    rid of. That jackass Mitch, trying to take my child, getting tangled with a woman like that. I¡¯m so over it,¡±


    Ste scoffed bitterly.


    I filled Ste in on the details, and she fell silent for a while.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking, but I was certain she still had feelings for Mitch, which were


    shattered by Ariana¡¯s appearance.


    Had Mitch been smarter, if he¡¯d apologized sincerely before things got too serious with Ariana, he might


    have been able to convince Ste to give him another chance.


    But he was a fool, his brain apparently devoured by zombies.


    ¡°I see,¡± was all Ste said before ending our conversation.


    I sighed, ncing at Yara asleep on the bed. Her dad was such a blockhead.


    The next morning, Norah sent me a text. [Ms. Finch, Mitch has left.]


    Left? I checked the time, it was already ten!


    I quickly turned to check on Yara, but she was gone!


    I felt as if I¡¯d been struck by lightning. I shot up and checked under the bed and in the nkets, but


    Yara was nowhere to be found.


    Had a thief broken in and kidnapped her? The thought chilled me to the bone.


    Panicked, I dashed out of the room and ran downstairs.


    ¡°Bark! Bark!¡±


    ¡°Meow~¡±


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    Daisy and Boomer were ying. Seeing me running down, they happily came to rub against me.


    I was in no mood to y. I wanted to go out and search for Yara or call the police.


    In my haste, I didn¡¯t even notice the delicious smells of cooking wafting through the air.


    ¡°Irene, where are you going?¡± Russel¡¯s voice sounded behind me, puzzled.


    I turned around in surprise. Russel was wearing an apron, carrying a steaming bowl of greens. His


    handsome face was expressionless, but his eyes were questioning.


    Near him was a baby stroller, with Yara lying quietly inside.


    My heart immediately settled down, feeling as if I could breathe again.


    ¡°When did you get back? Why didn¡¯t you wake me? You scared me half to death!¡± Iined, patting


    my chest.


    ¡°I got home at eight. Daisy and Boomer were upstairs guarding the room, so I checked in and found


    you and Yara sleeping soundly. You looked tired, so I didn¡¯t wake you up. I just took Yara downstairs,


    Russel exined nonchntly.


    He returned to the dining room, set down the bowl of greens, and removed his apron. He wiped his


    well-defined hands with a wet wipe, ¡°Come eat something.¡±


    I was surprised I¡¯d slept in sote. I was a bit hungry, but I wanted to check on Serena and Brandon


    first. I¡¯d spent the night away from them, which made me anxious.


    Russel seemed to read my mind. He pulled out a chair, ¡°Sit down. I¡¯ll bring Serena and Brandon over.¡±


    ¡°I can go, I quickly replied.


    ¡°Just listen to me.¡± Russel went out the door. His back to me, I forced myself to stop worrying. Serena


    and Brandon were fond of him, too.


    The table was set with three simple, aromatic dishes and a soup. I had to admit Russel¡¯s cooking skills


    had improved significantly, and he seemed to always make my favourite dishes.


    I was touched. There was this man who was quietly taking care of me in his own way, and I couldn¡¯t


    help but feel something.


    About five minutester, Russel brought Serena and Brandon over. The kids were well taken care of by


    Norah, behaving well and cooing unintelligibly, asionally sucking on their hands.


    ¡°Eat up,¡± Russel joined me at the table. From the side, his eyshes looked incredibly long, almost like


    fake ones. His well-defined eyebrows added depth to his eyes, giving them an almost hand-drawn


    quality.


    I didn¡¯t think I had any special charm that would make this man willingly do so much for me.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Russel noticed my gaze and nced sideways at me. There was a hint


    of amusement in his deep, glossy eyes. ¡°Wait, I should let you keep staring. Maybe you¡¯ll start to feel


    something for me after a while.¡±


    ¡°Russel, you¡¯re good-looking, but why don¡¯t you use your brain?¡± I blurted out.


    Under normal circumstances, my words would have been a mood killer, but not for Russel. Instead, he


    laughed, ¡°Do tell. I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°Did you trade in your IQ for those good looks?¡± I asked bluntly. ¡°What¡¯s the point of wasting your time


    on me? Think about it, what¡¯s so special about me? I¡¯m just a divorced woman with two kids. Why are


    you so kind to me? I just can¡¯t understand.¡±


    Russel put down his fork and knife, his arm casually resting on the edge of the table. The smile at the


    corner of his lips was gone, reced with a certain sternness. ¡°Can you clearly exin why you were


    so infatuated with Neil back in the day?¡±

 Chapter 444

    Chapter 444


    Chapter 444


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    I found myself at a loss for words.


    There was a time I was hopelessly in love with Neil, so much so that nobody could talk me out of it.


    Even when Neil explicitly told me he didn¡¯t fancy me, I held onto the belief that time would reveal true


    feelings.


    Could it be that Russel¡¯s feelings for me were just like mine for Neil all those years ago?


    That would be disastrous. How could I face it?


    After all, I¡¯m not Neil. I couldn¡¯t be that heartless.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Russel prompted, noticing my silence. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to answer, I just couldn¡¯t.


    Serena and Brandon seemed to sense my difort, crying in unison. Seizing the opportunity to


    escape, I went to check on them. As suspected, they needed a diaper change.


    After swiftly changing their diapers, my phone, which was sitting on the table, started ringing.


    Russel nced at the caller ID before handing it to me. ¡°It¡¯s your friend.¡±


    I took the phone, expecting to see Ste or one of the others. To my surprise, it was Kitty.


    I hadn¡¯t heard from Kitty in a long time. I didn¡¯t expect her to reach out. She had disappeared for a


    while due to her father¡¯s sudden illness. I wasn¡¯t aware of what had happened since.


    I answered the call.


    ¡°Irene, do you still remember me?¡± Kitty¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t as vibrant and cheerful as it used to be. Instead,


    it held a strange mncholy.


    ¡°Of course I remember. But we haven¡¯t been in touch for a while. What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, I need a favor.¡± Kitty did indeed have a reason for calling.


    I thought it was about Neil, but I was mistaken.


    After roughly ten minutes, I understood what Kitty wanted.


    Her father, Daniel Wilson, hadn¡¯t fully recovered. His condition was critical, and even seeking treatment


    abroad hadn¡¯t yielded favorable results. Kitty had heard about Karina¡¯s reputation and wanted to seek


    her help.


    However, Karina had returned to her job at a new hospital, still specializing in obstetrics and


    gynecology, and no longer treatingplex diseases privately. Despite Kitty¡¯s multiple attempts to


    reach out, Karina remained elusive. Kitty had also approached Neil, but he hadn¡¯t given a definitive


    response.


    This surprised me. Could Neil be so cold-hearted? He wouldn¡¯t even help Kitty, who had been nothing


    but loyal to him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Did she expect me to approach Karina?


    Given Karina¡¯s animosity towards me, seeking her help would be nothing short of a fool¡¯s errand.


    ¡°Irene, I know this is difficult for you. I¡¯m aware of the situation between Karina, Neil, and you. Based on


    her attitude towards you, it¡¯s probably simr to Bonnie¡¯s. But I¡¯m desperate.¡± Kitty sighed heavily. ¡°I


    was hoping you could help me approach¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t need Kitty to finish the sentence. I knew what she was implying.


    She wanted me to reach out to Neil on her behalf. Since her attempts had been unsessful, maybe


    my intervention could yield different results.


    But I couldn¡¯t do it. Back when my familypany was still operational, and we were coborating with


    her family, I might have agreed to help out of obligation or reason. But now that my familypany had


    been transferred to someone else, I was merely Kitty¡¯s friend with no economic ties. I wouldn¡¯t


    approach Neil for her.


    If I did, I would owe Neil a favor that I could never repay.


    ¡°Kitty, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t help you with this.¡± I replied regretfully. ¡°I¡¯vepletely severed ties with Neil.


    Besides, he has Karina and their child now. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to ask him for a favor.¡±


    Thest time I negotiated with Neil was for Ste¡¯s sake. I couldn¡¯t sit by and do nothing because Ste


    and I share a deep bond.


    There was a moment of silence from Kitty¡¯s end, after which she said, ¡°Okay, I understand your


    decision. Sorry for bothering you, Irene.¡±


    After hanging up, I felt a bit heavy-hearted, as if I had been too cold-hearted.


    But I couldn¡¯t afford to trap myself in a dilemma./


    Despite Kitty¡¯s seemingly bold and carefree personality and her seemingly distant rtionship with her


    father, she was actually a very filial person. She was now caught in the emotional bonds between


    father and daughter, even going so far as to seek help from others.


    That phone call disrupted my mood. After eating a bit, I found an excuse to take Serena and Brandon


    home.


    Russel helped me carry Yara back to my ce before leaving.


    He had always been perceptive, aware that I wasn¡¯t in the best of moods. The question he had asked


    me earlier was nearly impossible to answer. The answer I had been searching for over the past decade


    was one he couldn¡¯t find either.


    A wave of mncholy washed over me.


    Looking down at Serena and Brandon in the car I murmured ¡°Davou


    Chapter 444


    ¡°Ms. Finch, what kind of question is that?¡± Norah, who had just washed some fruits, spoke up after


    hearing my mumble. ¡°What child doesn¡¯t need a father? I¡¯ve taken care of many children, and those


    without fathers always seem tock something. Especially when they start school and people start


    asking about their parents. Some even get bullied.¡±


    Norah¡¯s words only added to my grief. Was I not aware of this? I was just struggling to find a solution!


    I couldn¡¯t choose between Neil and Russel.


    Just as I was agonizing over this, Ste¡¯s voice echoed from the yard, ¡°Rena, I¡¯m back!¡±


    ¡°Ste?¡± I eximed in surprise. Wasn¡¯t she in Rosemont? How did she get back so soon?


    ¡°Where¡¯s my little princess?!¡± Ste entered the house and immediately started looking for Yara. Upon


    finding her, she showered her with kisses, her face full of longing.


    I watched her in amazement. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you drove back overnight.¡±


    ¡°What else could I do? I called Mitch, and Ariana answered. I set off immediately.¡± Ste¡¯s energy


    seemed to have been revitalized after her trip to Rosemont. Her spirits were high again, a stark


    contrast to her previous despondent state. Had the battle with her inws over the children invigorated


    her?


    ¡°What brought you here? And where are your two older ones?¡± I asked.


    Thanks to you, Rena, the video you took was a game-changer. I showed it to my inws, who had


    always sided with Mitch, thinking I was just misunderstanding him, or being moody. But after seeing the


    video, they had to ept that their son was in the wrong. They didn¡¯t have a word to say. I took Le


    and Quincy to my parents¡¯ house overnight.¡± Ste¡¯s eyes were sparkling with a hint of joy.


    There were plenty of men out there, but her kids were her flesh and blood, born at the risk of her own


    life. She wasn¡¯t about to hand them over so easily.


    I breathed a sigh of relief, genuinely happy for her. The only thing left was to see what Ariana would


    decide today.

 Chapter 445

    Chapter 445


    Chapter 445


    Seeing that Ste had returned, it was natural that she would take Yara with her, probably headed to


    Mitch¡¯s.


    Seeing her spirited demeanor, I had a hunch she was off to unt. Knowing how much Mitch cherished


    his kids, so he would definitely be unable to ept all three children being with her.


    But, that was their marital issue; all I could do was mediate when conflicts arise, and help out a bit. I


    couldn¡¯t constantly interfere.


    After Ste left, Norah and i focused on taking care of Serena and Brandon.


    Around nine in the evening, I received a call from Ariana. I have no idea how she got my number.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, what¡¯s your issue with me? Are you trying to drive me to my grave?¡± Ariana¡¯s tone was


    quite agitated, ¡°You know well enough how difficult it is for me to raise a child on my own. What am I


    supposed to do after losing my job?!¡±


    ¡°You could choose not to quit. I could just leak the video, right?¡± I was unppable, even amused.


    Was this the standard reaction when a bitch was driven into a corner? Always ming others. Rather


    than reflect on herself, it was easier to me others. Ariana embodied this to the fullest.


    Seething, Ariana said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to quit. It¡¯s just a video. Which rich man nowadays doesn¡¯t have


    mistresses? I¡¯m not afraid! But what gives you the right to have Mr. Whitmore fire me? I don¡¯t work for


    hispany; what right does he have to fire me?¡±


    This did take me by surprise.


    When did Neil start ying the good Samaritan? Perhaps he wanted to help Mitch out, so he made the


    decision for him.


    Given the degree of trust Mitch had in Neil, as long as his attitude was stern, Mitch would definitely


    comply. The coboration between Neil and Mitch was primarily led by Whitmore Co., so it wouldn¡¯t be


    hard for him to fire an employee.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not my fault. You deserve it.¡± I cheerfully said, hung up the phone and blocked her.


    Neil¡¯s move was quite good; he probably didn¡¯t want to see his best friend¡¯s marriage crumble step by


    step, unable to pick up the pieces.


    Getting rid of Ariana sooner could provide Mitch and Ste with the time and space to resolve their


    conflicts.


    While they were resolving their conflicts, I had to deal with the door issue.


    Mitch, that bastard, always causing me trouble!


    It took me nearly two days to rece the door, and I also installed an rm system. If anyone tried to


    trespass again, it would trigger an rm, and they¡¯d be invited for a ¡®cup of coffee¡¯ at the police station.


    After the workers left, I tested the door several times to check the sensitivity of the lock.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    As I opened the door for the nth time, the sight of Neil standing outside gave me a fright, my heart


    nearly jumped out of my throat.


    He appeared out of nowhere in broad daylight, just as I was opening and closing the door.


    Neil was wearing a simple white linen shirt, looking a tad slimmer than before, but his broad shoulders


    and defined corbones were as alluring as ever; his restrained aura and sex appeal intertwined and


    radiated around him, like a god¡¯s favorite child.


    His skin was extremely fair, despite intense heat and strong UV rays here which would tan most


    people. He somehow managed to avoid it, looking even paler than before.


    ¡°Lost your mind?¡± Neil was the first to speak.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± My heart was still pounding, mainly from the fright.


    ¡°I came to give you an exnation.¡± Neil had a faint scent of smoke on him. He must¡¯ve just had a


    cigarette.


    I asked, puzzled, ¡°An exnation for what?¡±


    Neil sat down on a wicker chair in the yard. Bathed in sunlight, he looked as if he was cloaked in a


    layer of gold scales, incredibly beautiful.


    ¡°About the issue of me snitching,¡± Neil said, his brow furrowed, ¡°You don¡¯t care about it at all?¡±


    Now that Ste had alreadye back to take Yara, what was there for me to care about?


    I shook my head, then closed the door and sat down on the wicker chair, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I do, Neil was extremely cold, ¡°I hate being the scapegoat.¡±


    I was silent for a few seconds, then continued along his line of thought, ¡°Alright, then tell me the


    oue. Was it Karina?¡±


    I was sure it had to be Karina; I couldn¡¯t think of anyone else.


    The depth of Neil¡¯s gaze increased, then he answered in a low voice, ¡°No, it was Hiram.¡±


    I was stunned when I got this answer. How could it be Hiram?


    Neil continued, ¡°Hiram admitted it. That time you brought him back to your ce and took care of him


    for half a day, he saw that you had three babies at home, so he secretly sent a message to Mitch using


    my phone:


    I wanted tough. Neil actually believed thisme excuse?


    I was more inclined to believe that Karina was behind it. She just made Hiram take the me. After all,


    Hiram was just a kid, and he was deeply loved by the Whitmore family, so they wouldn¡¯t do anything to


    him.


    ¡°Neil, be honest, did youe to give me an exnation or to tell me a joke?¡± There was a hint of


    sarcasm in my voice.


    Chapter 445


    ¡°Hiram is a very smart kid. It¡¯s not surprising that he would do something like this.¡± Neil¡¯s words were


    undoubtedly a defense for Karina and her son. After all, they were the most important people to him


    right now.


    But these words ignited my anger. If this was his exnation, I¡¯d rather he didn¡¯te to give me an


    exnation at all; he¡¯s ruined my good mood!


    Just as I was about to bid him farewell, the doorbell rang. I got up to open the door. Russel was


    standing outside with some fresh groceries and a bag of diapers.


    ¡°What¡¯s the new door code?¡± Russel nced at Neil; his eyes under his sses were cold as ice, but


    his voice was calm as he asked me.


    I looked back at Neil, then answered, ¡°I¡¯ll text it to you.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face darkened instantly. Clearly, I was guarding against him.


    But Russel¡¯s face cleared up because of my answer. He walked in, handed me the diapers, ¡°Didn¡¯t you


    want to try a new brand? This one¡¯s hypoallergenic; try it and see.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I wanted to thank him, but I was afraid it would seem too formal and arouse Neil¡¯s suspicion,


    so I held back, ¡°Brandon¡¯s bottom is red again. It might really be the diapers.¡±


    ¡°Should I apply some ointment for him? Do we have guests tonight? Should I cook more?¡± Russel


    didn¡¯t ask Neil directly, but rather hinted at me with his questions.


    I shook my head, ¡°No guests; just you, me, and Norah.¡±


    What about him?¡± Russel pointed at Neil, ¡°Since he¡¯s here and it¡¯s dinner time, why not have a meal


    together?¡±


    Remembering thest time these two had a confrontation, it still sent chills down my spine. I wanted to


    refuse, but Neil, ever the cool and collected one, responded, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve tasted


    your cooking.¡±

 Chapter 446

    Chapter 446


    Chapter 446


    Listening to Neil¡¯s response, I was left speechless.


    This was my home, but I seemed to have lost all authority in an instant.


    Neil strolled into the living room, while Russel was busy in the kitchen with groceries.


    Norah was trying to soothe Serena and Brandon. Seeing what was happening, she looked just as


    bewildered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to our room,¡± I suggested to Norah. We each picked up a child and retreated to our bedroom.


    Staring at Neil would just be too awkward.


    At this point, I couldn¡¯t muster a pleasant expression for him. After he insisted that it was Hiram who


    had messaged Mitch, I had nothing left to say to him.


    However, Serena started crying as soon as we entered the room. She was usually a very obedient


    child, but every time Neil appeared, she would make a fuss.


    Sometimes I couldn¡¯t help but believe in the power of blood rtions.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her for a walk in the garden,¡± I proposed to Norah, picking up Serena.


    Norah nodded and stayed in the room to look after Brandon.


    In the living room, Neil satfortably on the couch, his long legs elegantly crossed. One hand held


    his phone, the other a cup of coffee. He sipped asionally, lookingpletely at ease, showing no


    signs of difort.


    I rolled my eyes silently.


    This man was really looking for trouble. What was he doing here for dinner?


    I estimated I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat anything with him around!


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Serena started crying again. Her little face turned red, and sweat broke out on her delicate


    skin. It was clear she was unhappy.


    I walked around the garden with her, even tried gently swaying her, but nothing worked.


    Even the presence of Daisy and Boomer, our pets, didn¡¯t help. Serena usually loved their barking and


    enjoyed watching them run around.


    I felt heartbroken listening to Serena cry. What would happen if such a small child cried too much?


    I considered passing Serena to Russel since she usually enjoyed being held by him. But Russel was


    busy cooking in the kitchen, and I didn¡¯t want to disturb him.


    Luckily, Russel came out when he heard Serena crying non-stop. He dried his hands and looked


    worriedly at Serena in my arms, softly asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is she not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She just keeps crying, but I¡¯ve checked her diaper, and there are no insect bites on her


    body,¡± I sighed, feeling the weight of parenthood for the first time.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let me try,¡± Russel extended his arms towards me.


    I handed Serena over to him. She looked like a precious pearl in hisrge embrace, round and delicate.


    Usually, Serena would stop crying as soon as Russel held her, but not today. She continued to cry non-


    stop, which made Russel look even more worried. It seemed like he was more protective of Serena


    than of Brandon.


    Was this amon trait among fathers?


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetheart. How about daddy lifts you up high?¡± Russel lifted Serena a bit higher, gently


    rocking her.


    As I heard him calling himself my child¡¯s father, I felt an awkward sensation. I couldn¡¯t deceive myself.


    After all, the child¡¯s biological father was sitting in the living room, watching us soothe the child with a


    stern look.


    As soon as Neil noticed my gaze, he stood up and walked towards us, asking impatiently, ¡°Are you two


    the parents of this child? Can¡¯t you even soothe her?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re not, are you implying you are?¡± Russel¡¯s expression turned cold when he faced Neil.


    As soon as the topic of the children¡¯s father came up, Neil would grow agitated. His gaze turned icy as


    he looked at Serena, as if she was the source of


    his shame.


    I didn¡¯t like the way Neil was looking at Serena. As the mother, I could feel the indifference and disgust


    in his eyes.


    My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately tried to take Serena from Russel.


    But Neil was quicker. He reached out and grabbed Serena¡¯s little hand.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I cried out, attempting to p his hand away.


    ¡°Let go!¡± Russel shouted, but he was holding Serena and had to be careful not to hurt h¨¦r.


    However, I quickly realized that Serena stopped crying when Neil held her hand, As soon as he let go,


    she started crying again.


    Russel and I exchanged nces, realizing howplicated our situation had be.


    ¡°Interesting, Neil mused, his previous disgust reced by a hint of amusement. ¡°Russel, it seems your


    daughter prefers me.¡±


    His words darkened Russel¡¯s mood. Russel immediately moved Serena away from Neil.


    But Serena seemed to prefer Neil and cried even harder when she was moved away. Russel was


    reluctant to let Neil touch Serena, but he couldn¡¯t bear to see her cry.


    ¡°Let me try?¡± Neil offered, stretching out his arms as if to take Serena, his tone almost taunting.


    The sight of the two men gave me a headache.


    ¡°Maybe I should take her out for a walk,¡± I suggested, reaching out for Serena. But Neil took her from


    Russel before I could intervene. He was far less careful than Russel and I, as he didn¡¯t see Serena as


    his own daughter.


    Little Serena was cradled in Neil¡¯s arms, her wide, dewy eyes as glossy as two ripe olives. Fresh from


    a bout of crying, her eyes shimmered with residual tears. Her rosy lips pouted, as if she was deciding


    whether tounch into another sob, making her look all the more pitiful.


    Neil bent his head, looking at the tiny girl nestled against him.


    I couldn¡¯t quite make out the expression in his eyes, but the chill that usually clung to him seemed to be


    gradually fading away.


    This sight twisted a knot in my stomach. If life hadn¡¯t dealt us such a cruel hand, this scene would have


    been my idea of pure bliss.


    Russel¡¯s gaze fell on me, his brow furrowing slightly. In his usually stoic face, a faint trace of


    mncholy swept over his features.


    He treated Serena and Brandon just as well as Neil did, never falling short. But he knew deep down


    that who the children¡¯s biological father truly was.

 Chapter 447

    Chapter 447


    Chapter 447


    ¡°I¡¯m off to cook, Russel finally said, his gaze dropping as he headed towards the kitchen.


    A pang of sympathy hit me, coupled with a sense of guilt.


    Neil, however, seemed oblivious to the emotional undercurrents between Russel and myself. He was


    absorbed in studying Serena¡¯s face, his eyes filled with a profound sadness.


    He looked up at me, his eyes mirroring his sorrow. ¡°Do you think our daughter would have looked like


    her if she hadn¡¯t passed away?¡±


    I had never told Neil the gender of our first child, yet his question caught me off guard.


    A sharp pain pierced my heart at the mention of our lost child.


    ¡°How did you know it was a girl?¡± I asked, my voiceced with bitterness.


    ¡°I looked into your medical records before,¡± Neil said, his gaze unwavering.


    ¡°I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± I asked, surprised at his confession.


    For a moment, Neil hesitated, his usually decisive demeanor faltering. The gravity of the situation was


    evident.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what I could possibly do for him, apart from a DNA test with Serena, which I had no


    intention of agreeing to.


    ¡°Although I checked your medical records, the only copy of the ultrasound for our baby is with you. Do


    you still have it?¡± Neil finally asked, catching me off guard. I froze.


    The ultrasound image was the only picture I had of our child. I had kept it safe, never losing it.


    ¡°Could I see it?¡± Neil asked with a hint of pleading in his voice. This was uncharacteristic of him; a man


    of his stature, even in his love for his child, would never stoop so low.


    He already had a son, Hiram, and our first child was gone before it was even born. There was nothing


    left to fight over.


    My heart felt like it was being suffocated and my eyes began to well up with tears.


    The image was just an ultrasound; it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let Neil see it. But I didn¡¯t want to rehash the


    painful memories. Shared pain could bind people together, in a way that was difficult to untangle.


    Suppressing my feelings, I shook my head and gave him a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have it anymore. I threw


    it away because it was too painful to keep.¡± Neil¡¯s face fell at my words, his lips curving into a forced


    smile. He didn¡¯t say anything, but went back to looking at Serena.


    As they exchanged nces, a magic seemed to fill the air, painting a picture of warmth and love. In a


    sudden impulse, I blurted out, ¡°I took a on my phone. Do you want to see that?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Neil replied instantly, his eyes shining with excitement.


    a picture of it


    I nodded and fetched my phone, flipping through my mobile album. I had taken a picture of the


    ultrasound image during the scan. Although it wasn¡¯t as clear as the original, one could still make out


    the basic features.


    Our baby resembled Neil, or more urately, resembled Brandon now, especially the nose and lips.


    Seeing the picture stirred up the pain in my heart. I quickly sent the picture to Neil and closed my


    phone.


    Neil took out his phone to check the picture. While I took Serena from him, she was quiet and well-


    behaved now.


    Neil seemed lost in the picture, his eyes filled with longing and sorrow. I had never seen him like this


    before.


    I wondered if Neil loved me back then. If he didn¡¯t, then why was he so pained?


    There is a saying that a man who doesn¡¯t love a woman wouldn¡¯t love their child either.


    These thoughts filled my mind like overgrown weeds, refusing to be tamed.


    Suddenly, Neil looked up at me. His eyes were bloodshot.


    ¡°Irene, I need to ask you onest time,¡± he said, his voice filled with pain. ¡°Are Serena and Brandon my


    children?¡±


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    His question took my breath away. I knew Neil had his doubts, but he didn¡¯t want to resort to a DNA


    test. If the results weren¡¯t what he hoped for, he¡¯d be theughing stock. His pride wouldn¡¯t allow


    him to take the risk.


    The cicadas began their evening chorus, breaking the heavy silence between us.


    F = ¡À ¡À 3 Z Z Z Z F


    We looked at each other, our eyes filled with unspoken pain.


    After what felt like an eternity, I finally spoke. My voice was not my own, yet it was firm and resolute.


    ¡°Serena and Brandon are mine and Russel¡¯s children. Neil, I¡¯m sorry, but my heart changed back then.


    If you don¡¯t believe me, you can get a DNA test.¡±


    Neil¡¯s


    face turned pale at my words. He clenched his jaw, his eyes red with tears.


    My heart pounded in my chest as I held Serena closer, my knuckles white.


    Time seemed to stand still. My breath hitched in my


    throat.


    ¡°I understand, Neil finally said, his voice barely a whisper. He looked at Serena onest time before


    turning to leave.


    I stood in the yard, holding Serena, my heart numb. Yet within the numbness, a wave of pain was


    spreading.


    I thought about my past life and the entangled love and hate in this life. I felt like I was living two lives,


    both filled with unrequited love.


    Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn¡¯t help but sob, my cries echoing in the yard.


    Russel stood by the entrance of the living room, watching me silently. Through my tear-filled eyes, I


    saw him clench his fists, his face somber.


    After a while, he walked over to me with a tissue in his hand. Silently, he wiped away my tears, his


    voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Please, stop crying.¡±


    ¡°Russel, you saw it, didn¡¯t you? Serena really likes Neil.¡± I sobbed.


    Perhaps my pain had momentarily blinded me to the potency of my words on Russel. He murmured a


    low ¡°hmm¡± and fell silent.


    Once I caught my bearings, I stared nkly at Russel, who was also watching me with unwavering


    intensity; our eyes locked in a silent exchange.


    ¡°So, please give up, okay?¡± I broke the silence again, this time aiming to give Russel a stark look at


    reality. There was no use wasting time. Family ties were unbreakable and he might just end up with a


    wild goose chase.

 Chapter 448

    Chapter 448


    Chapter 448


    Russel looked at me with a certain sadness in his eyes.


    ¡°You think I haven¡¯t thought of all these things?¡± he sighed deeply, his smile puzzling.


    He was a man of careful thought; how could he not have considered all these? He probably thought


    more than I did.


    ¡°So if you¡¯ve thought of it all, you should know when to cut your losses, Russel. You¡¯d make a great


    husband and father, but your happiness isn¡¯t with me.¡± My voice choked up, barely audible by the end.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it. I fear more than anything your absence. How should I cope?¡± Russel¡¯s eyes were full of


    mncholy, exacerbating my guilt.


    Once upon a time, Russel was aloof and indifferent to everyone, seemingly impervious to all but when


    he had turned for Bonnie in my past life. Every other time, he remained in control. Now, it seemed like I


    had made him this way.


    It was not my intention; the situation had simply spiraled beyond my expectations.


    Let¡¯s get married.¡± Suddenly, Russel spoke again. His lips were pale but delicate and moist. His voice


    was clear and maic.


    He then pulled out the diamond ring from his pocket, staring at me steadfastly, ¡°Irene, will you marry


    me? Even if I pay a price in the future, I¡¯m willing.¡± ¡°Stop being foolish, will you?¡± I wiped the lingering


    tears from my eyes, sighing softly, ¡°Have you forgotten your mother¡¯s opposition? Even though she¡¯s


    no longer here, but¡­¡±


    Speaking of his mother, Lauretta Dawson, Russel¡¯s expression changed. Lauretta had once strongly


    opposed our rtionship, hoping on her deathbed that he would end up with Chloe Reynolds.


    Unfortunately, Chloe too was no longer here. Everything had changed.


    Russel put the ring away, removed his apron and ced it on the rattan chair next to him. He didn¡¯t


    answer my question, instead smiled faintly, ¡°Let¡¯s eat before the food gets cold.¡±


    ¡°Russel, I¡¯m serious. I won¡¯t get back with Neil, but you and I won¡¯t work out either.¡± I was blunt, feeling


    terrible; some problems couldn¡¯t be solved by being tactful.


    ¡°Eat first.¡± Russel remained stubborn, his gaze never leaving me. I didn¡¯t want to understand the


    emotions in his eyes, fearing it would only increase my guilt.


    Norah then emerged, holding Brandon who was crying, looking a bit awkward, ¡°Miss Finch, Brandon


    won¡¯t stop crying. Could you maybe take a look?¡±


    Brandon¡¯s face was flushed from crying, looking pitiful. I was holding Serena and couldn¡¯t spare a


    hand, so Russel immediately came forward to take Brandon.


    When Neil wasn¡¯t around, Serena and Brandon were usually easy to soothe. Russel managed to do it


    in a few minutes, even Norah was impressed.


    But the better Russel was with my children, the more uneasy I felt.


    ¡°Miss Finch!¡± Suddenly, Karina¡¯s voice rang from the doorway. I turned to see her standing alone with


    her bag, looking indifferent, ¡°Has Neil been here?¡±


    I found that Karina liked toe looking for Neil at my ce, and coincidentally, Neil was always just


    there.


    ¡°He just left a while ago. Go catch him.¡± I lowered my gaze to avoid Karina¡¯s eyes, as my eyes were red


    from crying.


    ¡°I actually came to see you.¡± Karina didn¡¯t leave; she even came in and stood in front of me, ¡°About


    Mitch¡¯s child, I think we need to clear things up.¡±


    ¡°Stay away from me.¡± I warned, feeling ufortable being close to Karina.


    ¡°Your hostility towards me is unnecessary.¡± Karina smiled quietly, ¡°I just wanted to exin that Mitch


    found out about the baby here, not from me, but from Hiram. He is a smart boy, remembering that


    Mitch had mentioned the baby, hoping you wouldn¡¯t me him or Neil.¡±


    Neil and her had been taking turns to exin the same issue to me, and I was ttered.


    But I felt Karina was using Hiram as a scapegoat, pushing everything onto him. After all, Hiram was a


    child and was adored by Ryan and Faith. Even if he made a mistake, it wouldn¡¯t be too serious.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± I asked back.


    ¡°Does it matter if you believe me? What matters is that Neil believes me, isn¡¯t it?¡± Karina¡¯s words were


    layered, seemingly innocent, but they were purposeful.


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    Karina and Bonnie had this inmon: they liked to use Neil to provoke me.


    When Neil came to exin about Hiram earlier, I was upset because I felt like a fool being deceived so


    easily.


    ¡°Now that he believes you, isn¡¯t that enough? Whye to exin to me? Karina, don¡¯t you think your


    actions are a little too conspicuous?¡± I looked at Karina, my eyes were still red from crying, but I didn¡¯t


    care anymore.


    Karina stared at my tear-streaked eyes and asked sensitively, ¡°Did you two fight? Over Hiram?¡±


    Then, she looked at Russel, ¡°Russel, aren¡¯t you her husband? Can¡¯t you control her?¡±


    ¡°Our matters are none of your business.¡± Russel¡¯s response to Karina was cold, which surprised me.


    Didn¡¯t they have a friendly chat when we went ind hopping2


    Russel and Karina¡¯s rtionship was like a foggy San Francisco morning. Something about it just didn¡¯t


    sit right with me, yet I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. And yet, one thing I was sure of, it wasn¡¯t because of


    any romantic entanglement.


    Karina seemed unfazed by Russel¡¯s cold indifference. Her smile, if anything, deepened, ¡°Alright, this is


    your business, but you have to exin this for me; you know I¡¯m not that type of girl, right?¡±


    With those words, Karina turned on her heel and walked away, showing no intention of sticking around.


    Meanwhile, Russel¡¯s expression had turned as grim as a Gotham City night, a frown forming a small


    crease between his brows, obviously upset. ¡°You¡¯re exining for her?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°No, I guess she thinks we were friends once, and that I should trust her.¡± Russel¡¯s frown smoothed


    out, his expression easing naturally.

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    ¡°Do you believe her?¡± I pressed on, though the real question I wanted to ask was buried far deeper. I


    had seen the craziness of both Russel and Neil in my past life.


    What I feared most was that Russel had some dark secret with Karina because of me. that was the


    case, I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.


    Russel moved closer to me; his gaze lowered onto mine. His skin was pale and wless, his features


    cool and refined. There was a deep gentleness in his eyes that seemed genuine. His voice was low yet


    soothing, ¡°Why would I believe her? I only believe in you. So can you stop pushing me away?¡± At that


    moment, little Brandon in his arms let out a giggle; his baby voice sounded incredibly cute.


    ¡°It seems he agrees. What about Serena?¡± Russel turned his head to Serena in my arms.


    He was deliberately changing the subject, not wishing to hear my response.


    Serena was behaving at that moment. It seemed that after being held by Neil for a while, her needs


    were satisfied. She was in a good mood, gnawing on her little hand and asionally letting out a


    giggle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter.¡± My mind was in a whirl, unable to think about these things, so I casually


    replied.


    But my casual remark seemed to relieve Russel; the usually cold and aloof man now resembled a


    nervous little boy. The calm facade he was trying to maintain crumbled, revealing a more rxed


    expression.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He bent down to give Brandon a kiss.


    2


    Three dayster, I got a call from Ste.


    I thought that after Ariana¡¯s dismissal, she and Mitch could have an honest conversation and give Mitch


    another chance. But to my surprise, she was saying goodbye. ¡°Mitch and I have decided to divorce.


    After the paperwork, I¡¯m taking the children back to Rosemont.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I was taken aback, unable toprehend, ¡°Divorce? Mitch agreed to divorce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we talked for a couple of days and decided it¡¯s best not to continue. There¡¯s a thorn in our hearts


    that leads to fights. There¡¯s no point.¡± Ste¡¯s tone was seemingly rxed, but I knew she was


    suffering. She had invested so much into this marriage.


    ¡°Ste, Mitch didn¡¯t sleep with Ariana, nor did they have a clear affair. Are you sure about this?¡± I tried


    to persuade her, knowing how precious marriage was. Unless there was a fundamental issue, one


    should think twice.


    Ste gave a bitterugh. ¡°Rena, I¡¯m not you; I can¡¯t tolerate it.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I fell silent. When I was with Neil and was facing his endless scandals, I never thought of divorce. Even


    when Ste advised me to have some dignity, I couldn¡¯t do it.


    After all these years, I hadn¡¯t changed. Deep down, I wasn¡¯t as independent as I seemed. Emotionally, I


    was always dependent on others.


    But Ste was different. She couldn¡¯t tolerate the slightest sand in her eyes. If Mitch did something to


    upset her, he would have to pay the price. And Mitch¡¯s price was a broken family.


    ¡°Okay, Ste. As long as you feel happy, that¡¯s all that matters. Whatever decision you make, I¡¯ll


    support you.¡± I refrained from saying anything else. Just like how Ste had supported my decisions, I


    chose to support her.


    After a while, Ste hung up the phone. She and Mitch would return to Rosemont in a few days to


    handle the divorce, and divide up their assets. When I told Alicia and Barbara the news, their reaction


    was simr to mine. But in the end, they chose to support Ste.


    Sometimes when trust was lost, it was reced with endless suspicion. Forcing to continue would only


    bring back the pain. Regardless, Ste and Mitch¡¯s love story and marriage left me with a sense of


    regret.


    That¡¯s when I received a message from Ste. [By the way, Mitch and I n to have a farewell dinner


    before we leave. Can you join us? I fear I can¡¯t handle it alone.]


    I paused for a few seconds before replying. [Okay.]


    Ste and Mitch¡¯s farewell dinner was set in an Italian restaurant. If I remember correctly, Ste really


    enjoyed the cuisine. I used to apany her for Italian meals.


    When I arrived, they were already waiting for me. A baby stroller was ced next to Ste, and little


    Yara was sleeping inside.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯re here!¡± Ste¡¯s face lit up at my arrival


    Mitch gave me a nce but didn¡¯t say anything. His gaze lingered on Yara and asionally shifted to


    Ste.


    I could see the reluctance in his eyes for Ste/and their children. I didn¡¯t understand how they agreed


    to divorce.


    As Ste and I sat on one side, Mitch sat alone on the other. I thought it would be just the three of us,


    but then Neil appeared. He looked slightly surprised when he saw me,


    ¡°Neil.¡± Mitch waved at Neil.


    Neil walked over and sat down next to Mitch.


    We were sitting face to face. The moment our eyes met, I felt a bit awkward.


    Neil casually shifted his gaze and asked in a deep voice, ¡°You two have really decided to divorce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have. We¡¯ve discussed it. Ste answered crisply, without any hesitation.


    Mitch, however, didn¡¯t say a word, just kept drinking his water, not looking at anyone.


    I had a hunch. He didn¡¯t want a divorce. He just couldn¡¯t convince Ste to forgive him.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Neil threw the question at Mitch, with a pressure that demanded an answer.


    ¡°1¡­¡± Mitch hesitated, finally raising his gaze to meet Ste¡¯s before quickly averting his eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t


    know.¡±


    This idiot!


    I was at a loss for words. If he didn¡¯t want a divorce, he should express his determination.


    Mitch used to be so confident when flirting with girls, but now he couldn¡¯t even find the words to speak.


    Ste¡¯s eyes dimmed noticeably upon hearing Mitch¡¯s response. She turned to gaze at Yara in her


    stroller, her thoughts unreadable.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about this?¡± Neil seemed equally irked by Mitch¡¯s foolishness. He frowned, ¡°What¡¯s the


    purpose of inviting me here today?¡±


    Neil rarely spoke to Mitch in such a tone, akin to a boss questioning a subordinate. Though his voice


    was not raised, it was filled with sternness. Mitch¡¯s face crumpled, a battle of emotions evident. After


    mulling over it for a while, he finally whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t want a divorce.¡±

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    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    For some reason, when I heard Mitch¡¯s words, I felt a deep sigh of relief in my heart.


    My gaze inadvertently met Neil¡¯s once again. He was looking at me, his eyes flickering with emotions


    that were hard to decipher.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want a divorce?¡± Before Ste could ask, Neil asked again, his tone interrogative, which


    left me feeling somewhat uneasy.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s my fault. I crossed the line between men and women. I showed too much concern for


    Ariana, which made my wife doubt me. It¡¯s not her fault; it¡¯s mine.¡± It was always hard to start. After


    Mitch voiced his reluctance to divorce, he seemed to have let go,ying all his cards on the table.


    He nervously looked at Ste, ¡°Honey, can we not divorce? Can you give me another chance? There


    won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression changed a bit, but it didn¡¯t waver. After looking at Mitch for a while, she took a deep


    breath. ¡°Mitch, you should know my personality from the moment we met; I can¡¯t tolerate it.¡±


    Her simple words drained the color from Mitch¡¯s face. This usually carefree yboy now looked like a


    lost puppy, his head hung low and his fingers slowly clenched the cup in his hand.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Ste to be so firm, not even swaying when Mitch apologized.


    ¡°Ste, you¡­¡± I wanted to say something, but then I stopped. I remembered my promise to Ste that I


    would support and understand her decisions. ¡°Speak.¡± Neil seemed unable to bear the silence.


    Mitch had only spoken a few words and after being rejected by Ste, he hadn¡¯t said anything else.


    ¡°Neil, what else can I say?¡± Mitch¡¯s voice was low and deste.


    ¡°Say everything you want to say now. Do you want to say it after the divorce? Some words have the


    most impact when said at the right time.¡± Neil¡¯s words surprised me. Did he think that way too?


    But he had done just that. During the time when I insisted on divorce, he had pestered me, saying


    things that werepletely different from his usual style.


    Mitch, whether encouraged or hit, became agitated, ¡°Then what can I do? I can give my life for my wife


    and children now, but does she believe me? After saying that, he looked at Ste.


    ¡°But what¡¯s done is done and can¡¯t be changed. Since we¡¯re having a farewell dinner today, let¡¯s not


    talk about other things. Let¡¯s just enjoy this meal and start our new lives afterward.¡± Ste¡¯s mood was


    rtively calm. It seemed that she had moved on from the feeling of being betrayed. On the other


    hand, Mitch was the one who was confused.


    Mitch¡¯s eyes reddened, full of unwillingness, ¡°Ste, since we got married, have I ever done anything to


    hurt you? I¡¯ve been almost always obedient to you because I love you, and that¡¯s never changed. Only


    on the matter of Ariana, I lost my judgment a bit, but nothing really happened to hurt you. For such a


    small matter, you want to divorce me? What about our children?¡±


    Upon mention of their children, Ste¡¯s face turned sorrowful. She could easily leave Mitch, but Mitch


    was the biological father of their three children. Once divorced, the three children would be single-


    parent children.


    Even the most carefree woman has some traditional concepts in this regard, that is, hoping that the


    children have aplete family. Unless the situation is desperate, this concept will not change.


    ¡°Can we do it for the children?¡± Mitch felt Ste¡¯s hesitation and immediately continued, ¡°Ste, I know


    you¡¯re someone who can let go, but our three children need a dad, and I haven¡¯t really done anything


    to hurt you. You may not give your husband a chance, but can you give your children¡¯s father a


    chance?¡±


    1 experienced Mitch¡¯s eloquence. I thought he wasn¡¯t good at talking, but he was quite eloquent.


    Even I, as a bystander, was shaken, because I too have children. If it weren¡¯t for Karina and Hiram, I


    might have turned back for the sake of my children. Everyone¡¯s personality was different, and the


    choices were different. I can¡¯t judge Ste¡¯s choice. I just know that in terms of feelings, I¡¯m not as free


    and easy as she is.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t stop you from continuing to love the children. After the divorce, you can also let your parents


    take them over to y; it¡¯s just that we are not suitable to be together anymore.¡± Ste¡¯s thoughts were


    very clear; her words were heartbreaking.


    Mitch¡¯s face got worse, because he found that his words were useless, which meant that his marriage


    with Ste had no chance to recover. During their conversation, Neil and I were silent. I couldn¡¯t help


    but recall the scene of my past life when I and Neil were divorcing; it was too heartbreaking.


    From the initial one-sided infatuation to the final confrontation, it was a nightmare to think about now.


    I didn¡¯t know what Neil was thinking at this time. If he hadn¡¯t been reborn, he would probably be


    thinking about the time we were divorcing.


    Just then, the food was brought up. Almost everything was what Ste liked. If Mitch ordered it, it


    meant that he still cared about Ste.


    Ste looked at the table full of her favorite food, but she didn¡¯t feel any joy. Instead, she stood up while


    pushing the baby stroller, and said to me, ¡°Rena,


    let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to eat.¡± This is our farewell dinner. Let¡¯s eat before we go. Mitch¡¯s voice was low


    and sad.


    ¡°No, a farewell dinner is the least necessary.¡± Ste¡¯s voice dropped a few degrees, and I felt as if she


    wanted to cry.


    Neil wanted to say something, but this time Mitch stopped him, ¡°Let her go.¡±


    If we didn¡¯t leave, Ste might start crying here, bing the center of other people¡¯s gossip. also


    stood up took a look at Neil


    Outside the diner, Ste¡¯s tears finally tumbled down her cheeks. ¡°Rena, why can¡¯t loving someone be


    straightforward? Is it really that hard to love someone for a lifetime?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who used to say you¡¯re as free as a bird? You told me that there¡¯s no such thing


    as evesting love in this world. So, you were prepared for this, weren¡¯t you?¡± I gently patted Ste¡¯s


    shoulder, ¡°Look at me. I was head over heels for Neil, but I eventually let go, didn¡¯t I?¡±

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    Ste wiped away her tears, forcing a smile ¡°Yeah, I used to be a flirt master, but why have I be


    so weak now? Love really can be a killer.¡±


    I chuckled lightly, a sour feeling creeping into my heart. I, too, had lost ten years of my youth to the so-


    called love.


    ¡°Alright, Rena, you should go home. Your two kids need you. I need to take a walk to clear my head.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mood was obviously down in the dumps.


    I wanted to apany her, but sometimes, when someone was feeling particrly low, solitude could


    be afort.


    I hesitated, ultimately watching as Ste pushed her baby stroller away.


    Her figure, under the sunlight, wasn¡¯t cheerful at all. It was like she was being shrouded by a shadow,


    making me feel a pang of heartache.


    Neil and Mitch hadn¡¯te out yet. They were probably still chatting.


    As I prepared to drive home, I noticed a small figure darting around a corner not too far away. It looked


    like Hiram!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Unsure, I decided to wait in my car. After about ten seconds, sure enough, Hiram appeared again,


    sneaking nces at his wristwatch and looking around cautiously. Karina was nowhere in sight.


    Could it be that Neil brought him? But would Neil just leave him alone outside? I didn¡¯t think so.


    Sometimes, I didn¡¯t particrly like Hiram. He was not just naughty, but he seemed to have been led


    astray by Karina, which made me feel ufortable.


    However, I couldn¡¯t just ignore him.


    Just as I was about to call Neil to pick up Hiram, Hiram suddenly darted across the street. He seemed


    to be in a rush, not noticing the traffic lights. A red car screeched to a halt, missing him by a hair¡¯s


    breadth.


    Shaken, he fell to the ground, his face pale.


    ¡°Whose kid is this? Trying to get himself killed?!¡± The driver of the red car scolded, but no one in the


    crowd acknowledged him.


    I sprung from my car and rushed over. I saw Hiram sitting on the ground. Although he hadn¡¯t been hit,


    he had scraped his knee when he fell, and it was bleeding.


    This kid had just hurt his face not long ago, and now his knee was injured. I had no idea how Neil and


    Karina could let this happen. And wasn¡¯t Ryan and Faith there, too?


    Four adults couldn¡¯t keep an eye on one child, who was allowed to run off alone repeatedly, always


    seeming to find trouble. Hiram¡¯s little face was tight, and he didn¡¯t say a word. He was clearly upset, but


    he didn¡¯t cry orin. He just red at the driver. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know him!¡± I quickly told the driver, ¡°I


    apologize that I wasn¡¯t paying enough attention to him.¡±


    ¡°Are


    you his mom? Can¡¯t you look after your child?!¡± The driver scolded me, ¡°If you can¡¯t take care of a kid,


    don¡¯t have one. What would have happened if I hit him? Bad luck!¡±


    I swallowed my frustration. Although Hiram was at fault for running the red light, there was no need for


    such harsh words. Especially since I wasn¡¯t Hiram¡¯s mother.


    When Hiram saw me, he seemed surprised. When he saw the driver scolding me, he suddenly stood


    up and pushed the driver.


    The driver was about to leave but, after being pushed by Hiram, he turned around, ready to retaliate.


    Just then, someone grabbed his raised hand, causing him to grimace in pain.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Hiram yelled.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Neil to show up, let alone notice what was happening. His face was dark as a storm


    cloud, and he was a man who fiercely protected his own. Seeing someone attempting to hit his son in


    the street, he was bound to react.


    The driver wilted under Neil¡¯s intense gaze. He wasn¡¯t in the wrong in this situation, but his harsh words


    and attempt to get physical made him seem less innocent.


    ¡°Watch your son!¡± he grumbled, quickly getting back into his car and driving away.


    Neil gave me a significant look, as though I was some child trafficker trying to kidnap his son. He then


    bent down and picked up Hiram, This voice soft ¡®What are you doing here? Where are your


    grandparents?¡±


    Hiram¡¯s face was slightly ufortable. He hugged Neil¡¯s neck, ¡°Grandma and Grandpa are at home.


    I was bored, so I snuck out. Mommy doesn¡¯t know. She¡¯s at work,¡±


    He sneaked out and just happened to end up where Neil was. Something about that seemed off to me.


    But Neil was very indulgent with Hiram, seemingly believing every word he said. I kept my doubts to


    myself. This was between them, and it wasn¡¯t my ace to interfere.


    ¡°Thanks for what you did just now.¡± As I was about to leave, Neil suddenly spoke.


    ¡°I was just doing the right thing.¡± I answered casually. I didn¡¯t think Neil needed to thank me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, thank you!¡± Hiram chimed in. He winked at me, his long eyshes fluttering. He looked so


    much like Neil when he was held in his arms, with no resemnce to Karina at all.


    Despite the driver¡¯s harsh words towards me earlier, he¡¯d had the courage to stand up to him.


    Suddenly, this little rascal didn¡¯t seem so bad. He had his cute moments, too.


    I pointed to Hiram¡¯s knee, ¡°He¡¯s a bit hurt. Make sure you put some medicine on it. I¡¯m heading home


    now.¡±


    As I walked to my car, Neil carrying Hiram followed behind me. Suddenly, two salespeople appeared,


    blocking my path with


    enthusiasm. ¡°Miss, are you interested in a family photo shoot? Ever thought about a family portrait?


    The three of you are such a good-looking family. I¡¯m sure the photos will turn out great!¡±


    Confused, I realized the salespeople had mistaken me, Neil, and Hiram for a family.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± I began to refuse.


    ¡°Miss, we have a photographer on-site for a trial shoot. You can try a few shots and see the results.


    You three are so photogenic. I¡¯m sure any photo will turn out great!¡± The salesperson interrupted me,


    persistently pushing their service, and their misunderstanding of my rtionship with Neil.


    Was my annoyed expression not clear enough?


    Another salesperson seemed to have noticed something and pulled their colleague away. I breathed a


    sigh of relief. At least this one had picked up on my difort.


    But this was even more outrageous. She approached Neil, with a portfolio of photo samples in her


    hand, ¡°Sir, have a look. These are some of the portraits we¡¯ve done for clients in the past; they turned


    out great. You¡¯re such a handsome man, your wife is stunning, and your child looks like a cherub. The


    photos would certainly be a beautiful keepsake!¡±


    Neil didn¡¯t nce at the portfolio. Instead, he was looking at me with an inscrutable expression.

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    If Neil was still the sharp-witted man I knew, he would easily discern the disbelief in my eyes.


    Did he really need to ask? He should have just declined and exined that we were not a married


    couple, let alone a family.


    But it was Hiram who spoke up. The boy looked pretty miffed as he told the saleswoman, ¡°Lady, you¡¯re


    making things up. She¡¯s not my mom, but this man here is my dad!¡±


    Hiram shot me a nce and pouted, clearly upset.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The saleswoman seemed taken aback, probably trying to piece together the situation in her head. But


    whatever conclusion she came to did not seem favorable, as she suddenly looked at me disdainfully


    and exchanged a knowing nce with her colleague.


    ¡°Oh, we see. Our mistake!¡± they retracted their family portrait offer and turned to leave.


    I didn¡¯t dwell on it and continued walking forward, while Neil and Hiram trailed behind me.


    Given my proximity to the saleswomen, I overheard some of their hushed talk.


    ¡°Such a woman, really¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, the man is parading his child around, but she doesn¡¯t feel embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°Look at that man, handsome and wealthy-looking. She must be a homewrecker who was after him!¡±


    They nced back at me and quickly sped up their pace when they noticed my stern gaze.


    Did they think they could just insult me and leave?


    ¡°Hold it!¡± My voice was cold and clear, loud enough for both of them to hear.


    They did stop, but only to shoot me a look before continuing on their way, their strides getting quicker.


    Their studio was just up ahead.


    As they were about to enter, I quickened my pace and blocked their path.


    Neil, noticing the scene, brought Hiram over. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°What did you two just say about me? Say it again.¡± I didn¡¯t answer Neil, but turned my fierce gaze on


    the two saleswomen.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Their denial was synchronized.


    ¡°If you continue to deny what I clearly heard, I¡¯ll have to call the police.¡± I was adamant. It was one thing


    to be mistaken as Neil¡¯s wife, but being called a homewrecker was uneptable!


    The mention of the police caught them off guard. It seemed like a petty thing to involve the authorities


    in.


    Our quarrel at the entrance drew the attention of the studio manager. Understandably, it was bad for


    business.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, I and Katara?¡± The manager approached us.


    ¡°Mr. Mark, this woman is causing trouble for us!¡± I, one of the saleswomen, pointed at me. ¡°We just


    offered them a family portrait and she refused. Then she started following us, using us of things!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Mark. We have no idea what we did to upset thisdy.¡± Katara chimed in.


    Their disdain for me, the ¡°homewrecker¡±, was evident.


    I understood the general distaste for mistresses, but I wouldn¡¯t tolerate being wrongfully used. I


    looked at Mr. Mark. ¡°You¡¯re the manager here, right? Your employees have been ndering me. I have


    only one request: fire them both!¡±


    Hearing my demand, Mr. Mark¡¯s polite demeanor changed instantly. ¡°Lady, aren¡¯t you being a bit


    unreasonable?¡±


    Mr. Mark was a man of average height, slightly overweight. He stepped closer to me, creating an


    intimidating atmosphere.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Neil stepped in front of me, his imposing figure much more


    intimidating than Mr. Mark¡¯s. Seeing Neil step up, Mr. Mark quickly reverted to his formal, polite


    demeanor. ¡°Sir, it seems there¡¯s been a misunderstanding between thatdy and our staff. We just


    want to rify things. May I ask what your rtion to her is?¡±


    As soon as he questioned my rtionship with Neil, the two saleswomen started exchanging their


    knowing nces, which only fueled


    my anger.


    ¡°This is my ex-husband. Your employees just called me a homewrecker. If they do not apologize and


    resign, I will take legal action.¡± I was stern, with no intention of a peaceful conversation.


    ¡°Is that so? They must have misunderstood. How about this. I¡¯ll have them apologize, and if you ever


    want to take photos here or get remarried, we¡¯ll give you a 20% discount. Is that eptable?¡± Mr. Mark


    seemed unperturbed, as if my anger was of no concern to him.


    Neil turned to me, and I clenched my teeth, my eyes zing.


    ¡°Firstly, they apologize to her. Secondly, you fire them.¡± Neil spoke slowly, his voice calm but assertive.


    ¡°Sir, we must be reasonable here.¡± Mr. Mark started to argue.


    Neil was not the type to put up with nonsense. He interrupted, ¡°Do you want a reasonable discussion,


    or do you want to close this ce down?¡±


    Mr. Mark paused, apparently not understanding what Neil meant.


    Once he caught on, heughed. ¡°You must not know our studio¡¯s reputation in Eldoria. We¡¯re the


    biggest studio here, in business for 20 years. Our boss has extensive connections and resources. How


    could we possibly go out of business?¡±


    People like him always court disaster. He was boasting without knowing who Neil was, and they were


    clearly in the wrong with no intention to apologize.


    If Neil and I were still married, it would be normal for him to step in. But we weren¡¯t, and I wanted to


    handle my own issues.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I nced at the studio¡¯s entrance, remembering its name, and turned to Neil.


    ¡°Still mad?¡± What Neil cared about the most was whether I was still upset.


    ¡°Let me handle it,¡± I said, shaking my head. Then I turned and walked away. Even though it felt a bit


    frustrating at the moment, I didn¡¯t want to owe Neil any more favors.


    Just as I was leaving, I could still hear that Mr. Mark¡¯s mockingughter.

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    Chapter 453


    ¡°Dad, Mom¡¯s gonna be mad if she finds out about this.¡±


    Just as I was about to get into my car, I heard Hiram¡¯s voice ring out behind me, directed at Neil.


    I turned around to see Hiram earnestly speaking to Neil. ¡°Mom¡¯s gonna get jealous; you can¡¯t be


    helping other women out of their problems.¡±


    Where did this little rascal get all these notions?


    ¡°How did you manage to leave the house by yourself? Don¡¯t your grandparents find it odd that you¡¯re


    missing?¡± Neil returned with a question that effectively silenced Hiram.


    Hiram¡¯s eyes spun around in his head, but he didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading out,¡± I announced to Neil, then got into my car and drove off.


    My mood was soured, mostly due to those two blind salesmen who had managed to irritate me. As for


    Neil and Hiram¡¯s conversation, I didn¡¯t really pay much mind to it.


    Once I got home, I checked on Serena and Brandon before turning my attention to researching the


    photography studio. The information was easy to find, including some of the studio¡¯s sneaky practices.


    They had been exposed by local media before, but it hadn¡¯t caused much of a stir, likely because


    someone had managed to suppress the news.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    This made things easier.


    I continued digging into the studio owner¡¯s background. To my surprise, a familiar name appeared.


    Louis Aldridge?


    I momentarily nked out. It had been a while since I¡¯d heard that name. I didn¡¯t know many people in


    Eldoria and rarely went out. Bonnie had been locked up, and I had sent Malinda back home with a sum


    of money. As for where Louis was, I had never paid much attention.


    Was he still with Whitmore Co.? I had warned Neil before. Had he taken my advice to heart?


    My intuition told me something was off. Louis hadn¡¯t always been the majority shareholder of the


    studio. He had only taken over six months ago.


    For a moment, my thoughts were in disarray. I couldn¡¯t figure out what Louis was up to. If he harbored


    ill intentions towards Neil, surely Neil would¡¯ve sensed it by now.


    I closed the web page and sat there, gathering my thoughts, when my phone rang.


    Seeing the caller ID gave me a headache.


    It was Kitty.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m sorry. My dad¡¯s not doing well. Can you help me?¡± Kitty¡¯s voice was urgent,ced with a hint


    of tears. Given her personality, she must be facing something truly distressing.


    ¡°Kitty, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t. You know the situation with Karina and I, and


    I can¡¯t ask Neil for help.¡± I hardened my heart and chose to refuse. If it was a simple favor, maybe I


    would¡¯ve reconsidered. But not when it involves Karina.


    ¡°We should meet up first. I¡¯m right outside your house,¡± Kitty added.


    Upon hearing this, I was taken aback.


    1/3


    10:18


    How did Kitty know where I was living?


    Since she was already here, I couldn¡¯t turn her away. I hung up the phone and went to open the door.


    Sure enough, Kitty was standing at my doorstep, dragging along a suitcase. It had been a while since


    west met.


    Kitty, who used to sport short hair, now had it grown to shoulder-length.


    The once vibrant and mboyant Kitty seemed to have lost her energy, revealing a look of weariness


    and helplessness. Upon spotting me, her eyes lit up momentarily before she let out a wry smile. ¡°Irene,


    you must be living a happy life. It must feelpletely different from before.¡±


    One¡¯s well-being can indeed be deduced from their demeanor.


    During my years of obsession with Neil, I was practically a walking corpse. When I went out with Ste


    and the others, my mind was always on Neil. They always said that Neil was my soul.


    After settling in Eldoria, I was with my parents and had Serena and Brandon, two adorable little ones.


    Although I no longer had love in my life, I was filled with happiness. My days were simple and pure,


    without any mental strain.


    So naturally, myplexion improved.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s pretty good. Come inside and sit down,¡± I took Kitty¡¯s suitcase and invited her in. While we


    weren¡¯t close friends, she had spoken up for me on a few asions and had always been supportive.


    Kitty entered the yard but didn¡¯t go into the living room. She chose to sit on a chair instead. ¡°I heard that


    Dr. Karina works here at the local hospital. I brought my dad over first, hoping to ask her in person.


    Maybe she¡¯ll have somepassion.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t a bad idea. If Karina had even a shred of sympathy, she might soften.


    I brought Kitty a ss of water from the living room and washed some fruit for her. She looked like she


    hadn¡¯t slept well, with noticeable dark circles under her eyes. After a sip of water, she asked, ¡°Irene, are


    you really with Russel now?¡±


    I replied honestly, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I thought Neil couldn¡¯t let you go and would try to win you back. But I didn¡¯t expect him to


    get involved with Bonnie again. After Bonnie¡¯s imprisonment, Karina showed up. Your rtionship with


    him is reallyplicated,¡± Kitty sighed.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s best that you didn¡¯t get involved. I warned you from the start that Neil isn¡¯t a good man.


    Chasing after him would only bring you trouble,¡± I said with a calm smile.


    Those events seemed like a distant past now. Although Neil and I still had some connections, at least


    there were no emotional entanglements.


    Kitty responded in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t mind getting into trouble. That¡¯s just who I am. But my dad


    suddenly fell ill, and I had no choice but to stop. I¡¯ve been running around seeking medical help


    recently. I don¡¯t have the time to think about love.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. Given her personality, she would¡¯ve pursued Neil no matter what. The more


    problematic Neil was, the more she wanted to conquer him.


    Kitty was forced to pause in her pursuit of Neil.


    We chatted for about half an hour before the hospital called. Daniel¡¯s condition had worsened, and they


    needed Kitty to rush over immediately.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way!¡± Kitty rose to her feet almost instantly, her voice strained with urgency.


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡± I responded decisively. If they hadn¡¯t been around, I might have hesitated. But


    knowing they were here, it would be heartless not to pay them a visit.


    Kitty shed me a grateful smile before leading the way to the hospital.


    Once we arrived, I saw her father, Daniel. He was rmingly weak, his frame thinned dramatically. He


    was a far cry from the robust figure he had been when west shared a meal, almost unrecognizable.

 Chapter 454

    Chapter 454


    Chapter 454


    No wonder Kitty looked so haggard. Given the condition of the patient she was caring for, it was a


    miracle she hadn¡¯t copsed herself.


    They weren¡¯t short on funds, but money couldn¡¯t solve everything.


    Kitty listened to the doctor¡¯s diagnosis with a solemn expression. There was no visible sorrow in her


    eyes; she¡¯d probably received too many serious medical bulletins to feel much of anything anymore.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was at a loss for how tofort her. All I could do was stand by quietly and watch.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the hospital room door. I turned to see who it was and was surprised to


    see Neil.


    What was he doing here?


    Upon seeing Neil, a glimmer of surprise shed across Kitty¡¯s weary face. I wasn¡¯t sure if her surprise


    was due to Neil¡¯s unexpected arrival or the hope that he might be able to help her father.


    ¡°Neil, you really came,¡± Kitty said, her voice quivering with visible emotion at seeing the man she once


    loved.


    ¡°How¡¯s your dad?¡± Neil asked, his voice devoid of emotion. He nced at Daniel in the hospital bed,


    his tone serious.


    ¡°He¡¯s not doing well. If we don¡¯t find a cure soon, he might¡­¡± Kitty trailed off, giving a bitterugh.


    ¡°Right now, it¡¯s just me taking him around to different hospitals. His lovely wife is nowhere to be found.¡±


    It was a harsh reality that kindness wasn¡¯t always reciprocated. Thankfully, Daniel had treated Kitty well


    in the past, so at least he understood he owed Kitty something. That probably was why Kitty was willing


    to take care of him now.


    Daniel tried to say something to Neil, but he was too weak to speak. He simply nodded at Neil, an act


    that took considerable effort.


    Kitty took a deep breath, then turned to Neil. ¡°Neil, could you do me a favor? Could you ask Dr. Karina


    to take a look at my dad? I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s an expert in holistic medicine. Maybe she could help.¡±


    Neil frowned but didn¡¯t respond immediately. Still, I could tell he was reluctant to help.


    Kitty could sense it, too, but she wasn¡¯t willing to give up. She just stared at Neil, waiting for a definitive


    response.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help,¡± Neil finally said. There was a hint of regret in his voice, but his refusal was firm.


    I couldn¡¯t understand why he was so adamant. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t be so cold-hearted towards Kitty.


    Kitty looked crestfallen. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.


    Daniel watched the exchange from his hospital bed, his eyes filled with despair.


    ¡°So, could I approach Dr. Karina directly?¡± Kitty asked after a moment.


    ¡°You can, as long as you can convince her,¡± Neil replied nonchntly. He didn¡¯t seem to mind if Karina


    tried to help Daniel. He just didn¡¯t want to be the one to ask her.


    This was strange. If Neil had asked Karina, it would have been simpler. Given Karina¡¯s feelings for Neil,


    she wouldn¡¯t have refused.


    1/3


    10-18


    Kitty seemed to be at a loss. She nced at me, as if hoping I could exin what was going on.


    But how could I? I didn¡¯t understand the dynamics between Neil and Karina. They seemed to have


    feelings for each other, but their rtionship appeared strained.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find Dr. Karina. She¡¯s in this hospital, right?¡± Kitty said, turning back to Neil when I didn¡¯t


    respond.


    ¡°Yes, she works in the maternity ward. You can try there,¡± Neil replied. His voice was t, and he didn¡¯t


    try to dissuade her.


    Without any hesitation, Kitty left the room. I knew she was going to find Karina, but I could guess that


    Karina wouldn¡¯t agree to help. Otherwise, she would have already done so and Kitty wouldn¡¯t have had


    to ask.


    Only Daniel, Neil, and I remained in the room. The atmosphere was heavy, and after a while, I decided


    to leave as well. I sat down in the hallway outside the room, waiting for Kitty to return. Although I


    already knew what the oue would likely be, I wanted to be there to try to console her.


    While I sat in silence, Neil came out and sat down next to me. The hallway was quiet; this was a private


    hospital ward, after all.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you help Kitty? She was once very fond of you, and you guys are friends, aren¡¯t you?¡± |


    couldn¡¯t help but ask. I didn¡¯t understand his reluctance, and after seeing Daniel¡¯s condition, I felt


    compelled to intervene.


    Neil let out a coldugh. ¡°Why, do you want me to help her?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, I said, ¡°I just feel bad for her. She¡¯s alone, and herst hope seems to


    be with Karina. It just seems a bit cruel.¡±


    ¡°So, you refuse my help, but you want me to help another woman?¡± Neil retorted.


    I was speechless. My thoughts drifted back to the photography studio and Louis. I was distracted for a


    moment.


    ¡°Neil, is Louis still working at Whitmore Co.?¡± I asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°No, he resigned six months ago,¡± Neil replied, his eyes darkening. He looked at me with a meaningful


    gaze. ¡°Why do you ask about him all of a sudden?¡±


    I pondered whether or not I should tell him about Louis being the major shareholder of the photography


    studio named ¡°As Promised.¡± Louis had taken over about six months ago, the same time he had left


    Whitmore Co.


    But these two facts didn¡¯t necessarily mean anything. It was perfectly normal for someone to leave a


    job and start something new, wasn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Why did he quit?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He was caught sellingpany project data to apetitor,¡± Neil said.


    I was so shocked by his response.


    Was Louis really that audacious? He hadn¡¯t been at Whitmore Co. for very long, yet he was bold


    enough to sell project data?


    As I sat there, stunned, Neil leaned back in his chair. His long legs, d in ck trousers, stretched out


    in front of him in a rxed manner.


    ¡°You once warned me about something simr, so when I noticed something was off, I paid closer


    attention and discovered what he was doing. Irene, it seems like you¡¯ve been unknowingly helping me


    quite a lot.¡±


    Neil spoke nonchntly, even managing to sound somewhat amused.


    Was that so? I never realized I¡¯d done such a big favor for Neil. If I hadn¡¯t, things could have turned out-


    much worse.


    I always had an odd feeling about Louis, especially after he returned from abroad. The fact that he met


    with people from Whitmore Co.¡¯s rivalpany¡­ there¡¯s definitely something fishy about that.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. ¡°Since I¡¯ve helped you, can you return the favor?¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Neil turned to look at me, his eyshes striking from this angle. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of


    asking me to help Kitty, are you?¡±


    I was taken aback and shook my head. ¡°No, I just want to ask you something, and I need you to tell me


    the truth.¡±

 Chapter 455

    Chapter 455


    Chapter 455


    Neil¡¯s eyes darkened, as he gazed at me for a few seconds before his voice turned icy cold, ¡°Shoot.¡±


    I had been itching to ask about Russel and Karina.


    I¡¯d been suspecting they harbored some secret, but without any concrete evidence at hand, I didn¡¯t


    want to be kept in the dark. I was determined to figure out whether or not they had any connections.


    ¡°Karina initially chased after Russel, you knew that, right?¡± That was my first question.


    Just this first query was enough to taint Neil¡¯s face with a grimace.


    Back then, he and Russel were pretty tight. And here he was, with a woman who had once pursued his


    good buddy. It was a bit awkward, to say the least. It felt more like Karina, unable to capture Russel¡¯s


    heart, intentionally got together with Neil to provoke Russel.


    I wasn¡¯t sure whether Neil had thought about it from this angle initially. But he did end up with Karina.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Neil grunted in agreement, surprisingly not resisting my question. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s their rtionship like?¡± I asked without missing a beat.


    ¡°You mean in the past or now?¡± Neil countered.


    ¡°Now.¡± I blurted out.


    Neil¡¯s eyes grew elusive as he sat up straight, brushed off his jean-d thighs, and stood up. Hands


    tucked in his pockets, he looked down at me from his towering height, ¡°What are you suspecting, that


    Russel and Karina have some kind of illicit rtionship?¡±


    Not at all. If Russel could let me go, that would actually be a relief. The situation currently was that he


    refused to give up on me, and I found his rtionship with Karina quite peculiar.


    Even though I had never seen them alone together, I always felt they weremunicating behind my


    back.


    I shook my head but Neil seemed convinced that I was suspecting an irregr rtionship. The chill in


    his voice was palpable, ¡°Seems you¡¯ve started to fancy Russel, begun to care and hence the jealousy.¡±


    I was left with a question mark floating over my head.


    ¡°Right, you two even have a couple of kids together. It¡¯s hardly possible not to feel anything. Since you


    two are together, stop ndering others. Karina¡¯s rtionship with him is a thing of the past.¡±


    I was stunned at Neil¡¯s words.


    Where did all his jealousye from?


    Seeing me-silent, Neil seemed to snap back to reality. He controlled his emotions quickly and his voice


    returned to normal, ¡°Now, Karina is the mother of my child. I won¡¯t allow anyone to tarnish her


    reputation.¡±


    I managed a smile, ¡°Neil, you¡¯re overthinking. I have no intention of maligning her.¡±


    So, that was the reason of his jealousy? Seems like I was the one overthinking.


    Just as the air between Neil and I grew taut, Kitty returned, with Karina trailing behind her.


    That surprised me because I thought Karina would decline.


    Upon seeing Neil and me, Karina¡¯s eyes flickered but soon regained theirposure. She had a knack


    for emotional control, much like Neil.


    Kitty¡¯s face had brightened considerably, probably because of Karina¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Neil, what are you doing here?¡± Karina stopped in her tracks to question Neil first.


    ¡°I¡¯m friends with Kitty, her father¡¯s hospitalized, so I came over to check on him.¡± Neil¡¯s answer was


    straightforward without any hint of evasion.


    ¡°What about Ms. Finch?¡± Karina¡¯s attention shifted to me.


    I knew she wouldn¡¯t let me off the hook.


    I replied casually, ¡°Kitty and are friends too. We knew each other before I sold my business. We had


    some dealings with her family business.¡±


    Kitty immediately chimed in, ¡°Yes, Dr. Karina, Irene and I have known each other for a while. We¡¯re


    close friends.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Karina¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes as she breezed past us, ¡°Let me check on your father


    first.¡±


    Neil and I exchanged a look before following her inside.


    Daniel was barely conscious, clinging to life via the medical equipment surrounding him. When he saw


    us re-enter, he struggled to open his eyes. Without wasting time, Karina sat by the bed and began to


    check Daniel¡¯s vitals.


    After about ten minutes, Karina¡¯s face grew increasingly somber. Kitty stood by, her anxiety palpable.


    ¡°Dr. Karina, how is he?¡± Kitty asked, her voice trembling.


    ¡°Your dad¡¯s condition is quite critical.¡± Karina frowned, her voice grave, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can help.¡±


    Her words shattered Kitty, as Karina was herst hope. And now, even that glimmer of hope was


    extinguished.


    Tears welled up in Kitty¡¯s eyes. She¡¯d lost her mother at a young age and although she resented her


    father for remarrying, he was still her closest family. Seeing Kitty break down like this, I felt a pang of


    sadness, but I was helpless.


    At this moment, Karina spoke up again, ¡°Let me go back and check some traditional remedies. I¡¯ll notify


    you if I find something. Mamie, since you¡¯re friends with Neil and Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡±


    Kitty perked up at Karina¡¯s words, wiping away her tears, her voice choked, ¡°Really? Dr. Karina, thank


    you so much. If you can save my father, I¡¯m willing to pay any amount!¡±


    Karina nced at Neil and offered a restrained smile, ¡°Just the usual treatment fee. I don¡¯t really need


    the money. But that¡¯s only if I can find a suitable remedy.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still a glimmer of hope then!¡± Kitty nodded vigorously.


    I felt she had changed a lot, because her personality had be quite submissive.


    ¡°Let¡¯s let your father rest now. We, the irrelevant people, should leave so as not to disturb him.¡±


    Karina¡¯s words were directed at me.


    I nodded at Kitty and silently left, Karina and Neil leading the way. From their height and physique, they


    did make a good-looking pair.


    As we were about to enter the elevator, Karina suddenlytched onto Neil¡¯s arm.


    ¡°How about we do dinner tonight? Hiram¡¯s been saying he hasn¡¯t had a meal with us in a while. His


    grandparents have been giving me grief too. I¡¯ve been so wrapped up in work these past few days, and


    I do feel partly responsible for Hiram¡¯s little escapadest time.¡± Karina¡¯s voice was clear and sweet.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Neil replied tersely. He didn¡¯t shrug off Karina¡¯s hand; they looked like the picture-


    perfect loving couple.


    I stepped into the elevator, positioning myself in front of them, effectively blocking them from my view.


    Out of sight, out of mind.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, would you like to join us for dinner at our ce? I realized we¡¯ve never had the chance to


    host you before, Karina suddenly addressed me.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± My refusal was swift and sharp. Like I¡¯d be caught dead eating at their ce.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. Come on, join us for dinner. You know, in all the years I was away, you were the one


    who took care of Nejl, making sure no other woman could snatch him away. I¡¯ve always been grateful


    for that.¡± Karina¡¯s words felt like a p to the face.

 Chapter 456

    Chapter 456


    Chapter 456


    ¡°Karina.¡±


    Before I could respond, Neil cut in, his tone unusually stern and filled with a strong warning. ¡°Enough,


    what are you talking about?¡±


    Karina paused, seemingly realizing her words had been a tad too pointed at me. Anyone could have


    heard the sarcasm and boasting in her voice.


    No matter how well she pretended, she couldn¡¯t always remain cool and collected, especially if she had


    feelings for Neil, if she had possession desires.


    Isn¡¯t that the sorrow of loving someone? I¡¯ve been there before.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just wanted to invite her over for dinner at our ce. Even though what I said earlier was


    wrong, I truly do appreciate all she¡¯s done for you over the years,¡± Karina exined to Neil. Even in this


    situation, she managed to maintain control, showing no signs of panic, even admitting she was wrong.


    Neil¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Karina nodded her head, and as the elevator reached the ground floor, she led


    Neil out by the arm.


    In the hospital lobby, colleagues greeted her from time to time, casting curious nces at Neil, their


    eyes filled with admiration and


    awe.


    This kind of attention would be enough to satisfy any woman¡¯s vanity.


    Karina escorted Neil to his car parked outside the hospital entrance. I finally understood that she didn¡¯t


    want me to be alone with Neil, hence she personally saw him to his car during work hours.


    She probably agreed toe over with Kitty because she knew I was here.


    It seems I unintentionally helped Kitty out.


    ¡°Drive safely,¡± Karina cautioned Neil softly as he got into his car. ¡°You drive a bit too fast. You should


    change that.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Neil responded, his tone ordinary and devoid of any intimacy.


    My car was parked nearby. After getting in, I didn¡¯t spare the pair another nce and drove off.


    About three dayster, I received a call from Ste.


    She had finalized her divorce from Mitch. Her tone was calm, even relieved. ¡°Rena, although I¡¯ve been


    happy these past two years, I¡¯ve always been a bit of a party animal, just like Mitch. Deep down, I¡¯ve


    always been a bit nervous, always feeling like something might happen and shatter our happiness.


    Now that we¡¯re divorced, I strangely feel relieved. It¡¯s moreforting to have lost than to have owned.


    Is that how it¡¯s supposed to be?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was speechless for a moment, because what Ste said made sense.


    After my divorce from Neil, I finally led a life free from constant anxiety. Not having to worry about


    losing someone who never belonged to me in the first ce made life much better.


    It was a bit regrettable for Ste and Mitch, because their issues weren¡¯t that serious.


    Marriage is supposed to withstand tests.


    Ariana was Mitch¡¯s test, and he hadn¡¯t crossed the line yet. But Ste was no longer willing to give him


    another chance.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe. So are you nning to stay in Rosemont, or¡­¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay in Rosemont. Oh, did you know that Alicia went to ndia?¡± Suddenly, Ste and I started


    discussing Alicia¡¯s situation. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s for that Sean guy. The two of them can¡¯t seem to break it


    off. It¡¯s giving me a headache.¡±


    I¡¯d been busy taking care of the kids recently and hadn¡¯t had much contact with Alicia and Barbara.


    I wasn¡¯t too clear about Alicia and Sean¡¯s situation. Initially, I had apanied her to a blind date, and


    I didn¡¯t expect her to fall for Sean. They had a stable rtionship at first, but soon ran into various


    problems. Sean would disappear without a word from time to time.


    ¡°Did we get cursed or sormething?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Why is it that all of us are so unlucky in


    love? Even Barbara ran into a jerk before.¡±


    Ste was just as puzzled, and her tone became more downcast. ¡°Yeah, did we lead the enemy into


    our vige in our past lives or something?¡±


    Her words instantly lightened my mood, and I burst intoughter.


    After chatting a while longer, Ste had to go take care of her child, and my little Serena started making


    hungry noises, so we ended the


    call.


    The kids were really healthy, now plump and cute as two little buns. Their voices were getting louder,


    and they would asionally coo and babble as if they were having a conversation.


    After feeding them their milk, I started giving them toys to help them practice their grip. That¡¯s when my


    phone rang again.


    It was a journalist I¡¯d contacted from another city. I was afraid that local ones might be easily


    suppressed. I was determined to deal with the photo studio run by Louis. Since he¡¯d fallen out with Neil,


    I didn¡¯t need to hold back any longer.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, have you arranged the things you mentioned? When will it start?¡± The other party asked.


    ¡°Right away,¡± I responded sinctly.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    I had him gather news about the ¡°As Promised¡± photo studio overcharging customers and all the


    disputes they had with customers. He edited out the most disgusting parts and pushed it to the entire


    network. This was something money could buy, and I didn¡¯tck that.


    Those customers who had been ripped off by ¡°As Promised¡± probably didn¡¯t have the energy or money


    to fight them, but I did.


    Sometimes, you can¡¯t help but marvel at the power of money. Under my arrangement, within just one


    day, the negative impact of the ¡°As Promised¡± photo studio reached its peak. The wholework knew


    about their despicable behavior and strongly condemned them. The local business bureau and other


    authorities started investigating to confirm the reports, and within three days, ¡°As Promised¡± temporarily


    closed its doors.


    Their other branches were also affected, either by poor business or by having to suspend operations.


    No one knew I was the one pulling the strings. My goal was to teach them a lesson, not to get an


    apology. Even if they apologized, I would have done the same.


    To put it simply, I was getting rid of a menace to the public.


    But I underestimated Louis¡¯s power. In just a few days, I received a call from a strange number. ¡°Ms.


    Finch, this is Louis. Do you remember me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I remember. how on earth did you get my number?¡± I thought I¡¯d be startled, but when the


    call actually came through, I was surprisingly calm, as if I¡¯d seen iting.


    ¡°It took some doing to track you down. You¡¯re in Eldoria too, right? Would it be convenient to meet up.


    I¡¯d like to treat you to dinner.¡± Louis¡¯s voice was just as refined and easy-going as before, but the true


    nature of such people is utterly distasteful.

 Chapter 457

    Chapter 457


    Chapter 457


    ¡°No need, we¡¯re barely more than strangers. Anything to discuss can be handled over the phone,¡± I


    said, showing no interest in seeing Louis.


    Yet, Louis was persistent. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up. We may not be close, but we¡¯re friends. I was nning to


    visit my ex, Malinda¡¯s hometown, but your actions have caused me to stay and deal with the fallout


    here.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t particrly surprised by his words until he mentioned visiting Malinda. My emotions were


    stirred, ¡°Why are you visiting her when you¡¯ve broken up? Haven¡¯t you hurt Malinda enough, Louis?¡±


    I didn¡¯t particrly like Malinda. I was justmenting on Louis¡¯s past actions which were, frankly,


    appalling.


    To my surprise, Louis just chuckled, revealing no remorse. ¡°I had no choice. I wanted to break up but


    she kept clinging on. You must¡¯ve figured it out by now, the one I truly fancied was Bonnie.¡±


    Now that Neil was out of the picture, Louis was showing his true colors, unabashedly.


    What a peculiar man Neil was. His friends had this knack for cruelty. Birds of a feather, I suppose.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the point of visiting her now?¡± I countered.


    Malinda had helped me in the end. I had convinced her to stay back in her hometown. If Louis was


    going to cause her trouble, I felt somewhat responsible.


    Louis¡¯s voice suddenly turned venomous. ¡°Haven¡¯t her wrongdoings piled high enough? How can I


    swallow this injustice if I don¡¯t confront her?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re referring to her helping me, aren¡¯t you?¡± I felt a sense of impending danger, wondering if Louis


    hade to Eldoria to seek revenge. After all, I was the reason Bonnie was exposed and now serving


    a life sentence.


    ¡°No, I understand why you did what you did. I am reasonable. But Malinda shouldn¡¯t have done what


    she did. She imed to love me and she was Bonnie¡¯s friend. She shouldn¡¯t have betrayed us, Louis¡¯s


    logic was astounding.


    No wonder he fancied Bonnie. Their worldviews were equally twisted.


    But hadn¡¯t he and Bonnie betrayed Malinda first?


    I was too tired to listen to Louis any longer. I was about to hang up and warn Malinda, leaving the rest


    of the situation to sort itself out.


    But as if sensing my intentions, Louis quickly said, ¡°Ms. Finch, don¡¯t hang up. If I can find your contact


    info, I can find your home too.¡±


    His words sent chills down my spine. My kids, Serena and Brandon, were at home. If that madman


    Louis came looking, they could be in danger.


    ¡°Where do you want to meet? Let¡¯s settle everything once and for all,¡± I reluctantly agreed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you an address. How about 9 PM?¡± Louis sounded pleased.


    ¨C ¡°Whatever,¡± I replied, hanging up.


    Louis soon texted me the address. I was in a somber mood, wondering why my peaceful life in Eldoria


    was still being disrupted by all these issues.


    That afternoon, I was distracted. If my negotiations with Louis didn¡¯t go well, would hee to my


    house?


    I left the house around 8 PM after Serena and Brandon were asleep, leaving them under Norah¡¯s care.


    As I was about to leave, I saw Russel¡¯s car. He had juste back from work, dressed in a simple


    white tee and jeans, looking exceptionally handsome under the streetlights.


    ¡°Where are you off to thiste?¡± Russel asked, striding over.


    ¡°Louis is in Eldoria,¡± I said, cutting to the chase. ¡°We have some issues to resolve, and he has asked


    me to meet him


    ¡°He¡¯s in Eldoria?¡± Russel furrowed his brows. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    It seemed Louis hadn¡¯t been in touch with Neil or Russel for a while, as neither of them was aware of


    his presence in Eldoria.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the recent hubaloo at a photo studio, haven¡¯t you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been following, but my colleagues mentioned it. Does it involve you?¡± Russel didn¡¯t pay much


    attention to the outside world, especially when he was busy with work.


    ¡°Yes, I was the one who exposed it,¡± I nodded. ¡°And the main shareholder of the studio is Louis. He


    somehow got a hold of my number and wants to meet, or else he¡¯lle to my house.¡±


    Russel¡¯s expression darkened when he heard Louis mighte to my house.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯lle with you, he offered after a few seconds.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go alone. He probably wants to meet just me. If youe, it might jeopardize our


    negotiation,¡± I shook my head. Although it would be risky for me, I was more worried about my family¡¯s


    safety.


    But Russel insisted. He got into the passenger seat as I was about to drive off, leaving me puzzled.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Do you¡¯really think I can stand by knowing you¡¯re in danger?¡± Russel looked at me, his eyes gleaming.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about me, but I¡¯m just as concerned that Louis might not take too kindly to you


    tagging along.¡± A cloud of worry hung over my face. Ever since the kids came into the picture, I¡¯ve had


    twice the number of vulnerabilities. It¡¯s not like I can just uproot and move, can I?


    If Louis is indeed after me, with his entric personality, he¡¯d probably track me down no matter where


    I¡¯d relocate to.


    Neil and Russel, cunning as they may be, at least had some semnce of moralpass and logic


    that wasn¡¯t warped like Louis¡¯s.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be directly in his line of sight, just around your vicinity. You can call on me anytime,¡± Russel¡¯s


    voice was like a soothing balm, giving me a sense of ease.


    With my parents not here, he seems to be the only one I can turn to for advice.

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    Chapter 458


    Chapter 458


    No one knew what Louis desired to discuss specifically, and how he intended to do so. In case


    something went awry, Russel would be there to locate me immediately.


    When we arrived at our meeting spot, the clock struck nine.


    Louis was already waiting for me. He hadn¡¯t changed much, except for the aura around him which had


    taken on a darker, more sinister tone. Especially his eyes, which reminded me of a venomous snake.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom why he had be this person. Growing up in the Whitmore family, and being


    treated like a brother by Neil, he should have been much better off than the average person. Yet, he


    had stabbed Neil in the back.


    This was something I truly couldn¡¯t understand. In my past life, Russel had quarreled with Neil over a


    woman, which was at least a reason, Louis, however, waspletely inexplicable.


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± Louis greeted me with a small smile, his tone suggesting an old friend¡¯s reunion.


    But we could hardly be considered old friends, merely acquaintances.


    ¡°Yeah, long time no see. What did you want to discuss today?¡± I nced at the cup on the table,


    already filled with water.


    Louis sighed softly, ¡°We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? Can I call you Rena like everyone else does?¡±


    Hearing this intimate nicknameing from Louis, I felt a pang of revulsion. But I kept myposure


    and let him continue.


    Seeing my silence, Louis proceeded, ¡°Rena, I wanted to see you because of the photo studio incident.


    I¡¯m not sure why you did what you did. Did someone from our studio offend you?¡±


    It seemed that Mr. Mark had no idea that I was behind it, hence he hadn¡¯t informed Louis.


    ¡°Yeah, Mr. Mark from your studio, and two of your employees offended me. I felt upset, so I retaliated. I


    don¡¯t see anything wrong with that.¡± I replied calmly, not seeing where the issue lied.


    Not only had I vented my anger, but I¡¯d also avenged all the unlucky customers they had ripped off


    before.


    Louis immediately apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it turns out it was my employees who made a mistake and


    offended you. I¡¯ll have them apologize to you. Could you then delete those news articles?¡±


    ¡°Do you think an apology is enough? Do you take me for a beggar?¡± I retorted, suspecting that he was


    aware of his employees¡¯ previous misconduct. He hadn¡¯t attempted to resolve it until now when he had


    hit a brick wall.


    I didn¡¯t decline, but watched as Louis made a call to Mr. Mark and the two offending employees.


    Meanwhile, I emptied and refilled my cup of water: About ten minutester, Mr. Mark arrived with I


    and Katara. Seeing me sitting across from Louis, all three of them wore expressions of surprise.


    Especially Mr. Mark, whose eyes shed with panic.


    I simply sat there, with a faint smile on my face, calmly watching them.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Mark, do you remember Ms. Finch?¡± Louis asked, his tone still mild.


    ¡°I¡­ I remember¡­¡± Mr. Mark barely managed a smile at me, then immediately started shifting me,


    ¡°I and Katara somehow offended Ms. Finch the other day. I failed to mediate, and Ms. Finch left.¡±


    I and Katara exchanged nces, both clearly flustered.


    Not daring to look at me, they both lowered their heads.


    ¡°Really? Do you realize your mistakes have jeopardized the entirepany? Ask Ms. Finch what it


    would take for her to forgive you.¡± Louis handed the decision to me.


    Mr. Mark approached me cautiously, ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry. We were wrong that day. Please be lenient


    with us.¡±


    I and Katara also came over, looking both awkward and nervous, ¡°Yes, we were out of line. We¡¯re


    sorry, Ms. Finch. Please let us off the hook this time!¡±


    I had previously given them a chance. All they needed to do was apologize and have Mr. Mark fire


    them, and I would have let it go. But they refused to take responsibility, leading to this irreversible


    situation. Now, they regretted their actions.


    Regret was futile. I watched them impassively, ¡°Apologizing to me is the least you could do, which I


    ept. However, this seems too easy. Louis, I want you to fire all three of them. Your studio should no


    longer engage in overcharging customers. If this happens again, there will be a second whistleblower.


    And you won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡®fire¡¯, Mr. Mark panicked, ¡°Ms. Finch, please spare us. We¡¯ve already


    apologized. You don¡¯t have to be so ruthless. We are all breadwinners. We¡¯ve been with the studio for a


    long time. Firing us would be unfair and a loss to thepany!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a parasite! Firing you would be a wise decision!¡± I scoffed, not mincing my words. If Louis


    wanted me to withdraw the news and stop stoking the mes, he¡¯d have to abide by my instructions.


    Louis¡¯s expression remained calm. He seemed unsurprised by my demands, but still asked, ¡°Is this the


    only way for you to let go of your grudges?¡± ¡®Grudges¡¯ was a strong word, but the fire in my heart was


    indeed still burning.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s up to you.¡± I took a sip of my water, radiating an air of calm.


    Mr Mark became even more desperate. Seeing Louis¡¯s attitude, it seemed like he was going to listen to


    me. He quickly pleaded, ¡°Louis, I¡¯ve been working at the studio for seven years. I¡¯ve contributed to it.


    You can¡¯t fire me. The main culprits are I and Katara!¡±


    I and Katara, being in lower positions than Mr. Mark, were furious but dared not speak. They just


    looked utterly defeated.


    ¡°Mark, you¡¯ve been working for years now, and yet you still can¡¯t mediate between employees and


    clients? What use do we have for you?¡± Louis¡¯s words were clear and cutting. ¡°I will arrange for your


    termination by tomorrow.¡±


    Mark¡¯s face went pale. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but he knew it was pointless. All


    he could do was re at me, his eyes filled with resentment. I met his gaze calmly, he had no power


    over me.


    He should have been prepared for this the moment he crossed me.


    He underestimated me.


    After Mark and the others were dismissed, Louis¡¯s smile returned. ¡°Are you satisfied now? Can you call


    off your guys and let them take a break?¡±

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    Chapter 459


    Chapter 459


    I threw a long, hard look at Louis, knowing full well that he¡¯d continue to pester me if I didn¡¯t deal with


    this situation in front of him.


    I didn¡¯t need this kind of trouble in my life.


    I made a quick call, requesting the folks on the other end to wrap things up.


    A wider grin spread across Louis¡¯ face.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s settled. Now, about Malinda¡­¡± Louis wasn¡¯t done, I knew it. He asked, ¡°Did you arrange


    for her to go back to her hometown?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± I replied, my face devoid of any expression. ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking me; you won¡¯t get


    any leads here.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I already know where she is. I just wanted to confirm it with you. We all have precious time to save,


    don¡¯t we?¡± Louis had a thick skin for sure, stating his intentions so bluntly.


    So he wasn¡¯t entirely sure where Malinda was.


    ¡®I scoffed, ¡°Then asking me pointless. I don¡¯t know, If you want to find Malinda, go ahead. To me, she


    was just a pawn, nothing more. We never saw eye to eye in the past, so whatever you n to do with


    her, I couldn¡¯t care less. You thought you could threaten me with this. You miscalcted.¡±


    As soon as I finished my sentence, Louis¡¯ face darkened. Then what if I threaten you with your two


    children? I hear you¡¯re with Russel and have two kids, right?¡±


    His words ignited a fury within me. I could tolerate a lot, but not when it came to threats against my


    family, especially my children.


    ¡°Louis, you¡¯re crossing a line. We have no grievances against each other. If you dare to go against my


    family, I promise you¡¯ll regret it!¡± I stood up, grabbed a ss of water from the table, and sshed it on


    Louis¡¯ face.


    The water seemed to stoke his anger. He wiped his face, stood up and pointed at me. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for


    you, Bonnie wouldn¡¯t be in prison! She was carrying my child, but she lost it!¡±


    This revtion caught me by surprise. I remembered Bonnie wanting to be with Neil, dreaming about


    marrying into the Whitmore family. How did she end up pregnant with Louis¡¯ child?


    Talk about a bunch of shameless people, crossing all boundaries!


    My disgust for Louis and Bonnie reached new heights.


    ¡°Louis, you¡¯re truly disgusting. Stay away from me in future. If you love Bonnie so much, why don¡¯t you


    stay celibate for her until she gets out from prison?¡± I looked at him with repulsion. He was a man


    who¡¯d set up his girlfriend and betray his best friend by sleeping with his girlfriend¡¯s friend.


    He and Bonnie must have been up to something, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have conspired against


    Malinda.


    Irritated by my words, Louis¡¯ face turned even more sour. Afraid he might get physical, I decided to


    leave.


    As I opened the door to leave, someone grabbed a handful of my hair. The sudden pain made me


    gasp.


    ¡°You wretch! You caused the death of my child, and you dare to insult me? I¡¯ll make you regret it today!¡±


    Louis was like a man possessed, spewing vile words and acting brutally.


    I was no match for him. He pushed me hard against the table and I couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Do you know? Neil still can¡¯t forget you. If he finds out that I¡¯ve had you, he¡¯ll probably go insane.


    Russel is one, and I¡¯m another. His buddies got a great deal.¡± Louis ripped off his genteel mask,


    revealing his savage and shameless side.


    I never expected him to stoop so low. He was a beast!


    ¡°Was Neil not good enough for you? You want to take revenge on him so you¡¯re doing this to me?¡± I


    tried to stay calm and grasp the main point. It seemed like Louis was more interested in making Neil


    suffer than taking revenge on me.


    What could have possibly happened between him and Neil?


    ¡°He was good to me? What kind of good? Everything he has should have been mine!¡± Louis shouted


    uncontrobly.


    What did he mean by that?


    I suddenly remembered a pi¨¦ce of gossip I¡¯d read. It was about Ryan having an illegitimate child. Could


    Louis be that child? Could it be true?


    I was stunned and couldn¡¯t react. Meanwhile, Louis was already starting to tear my clothes. My phone


    had fallen on the floor and I couldn¡¯t call Russel. Just as my clothes were about to be ripped apart, I


    saw a ss on the table. I reached out and grabbed it. Louis was too busy assaulting me to notice. I


    didn¡¯t n to hit him directly with the ss. If I didn¡¯t knock him out, I¡¯d end up worse.


    1 grabbed the ss and swung my arm back as hard as I could, smashing it against the door. The


    shattering sound echoed in the room. Anyone passing by would hear it.


    I hoped it was a waiter who coulde in and check on us.


    ¡°Help!¡± I screamed.


    But Louis quickly covered my mouth, and I could barely breathe.


    Just when I thought all hope was lost, the door opened. I felt a sudden release on my back. Louis was


    pulled away and punched to the ground.


    I sat there, clutching my torn clothes, watching Neilnd punch after punch on Louis. Karina and Hiram


    stood at the door, their faces a mixture of shock and confusion.


    How did they end up here? I thought Russel heard my screams.


    ??


    Just then, Russel appeared. He first nced at me, then at Neil who was still beating Louis. His eyes


    were cold and terrifying.


    Neil was still assaulting Louis, so Russel didn¡¯t intervene. He came over, held me tightly in his arms,


    and shielded my tattered clothes from view.


    A few waiters rushed in, shocked by the chaos. They tried to intervene, but Neil wouldn¡¯t stop. Finally,


    Karina stepped in and grabbed his blood-soaked hand. ¡°Enough! Do you want to kill him?!¡±


    ¡°Dad, stop!¡± Hiram cried out, frightened.


    Neil finally regained some semnce of sanity, slowly rising to his feet, while Louisy on the ground,


    his face a gruesome mask of blue and purple bruises, smeared with blood.


    Despite his condition, Louis was stillughing, ¡°Neil, bet you didn¡¯t see thising, did you? Your girl


    was pinned under me!¡±


    This maniac!


    I¡¯m now fully convinced that Louis was a lunatic.

 Chapter 460

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    Chapter 460


    ¡°Louis, you¡¯re cruising for a bruising!¡±


    Neil was being held back by Karina and Hiram, but Louis¡¯ taunts were like throwing gasoline on a fire.


    The veins in Neil¡¯s forehead and neck were bulging, his eyes fierce with a murderous re.


    If he were to actually go after Louis, no one would be able to stop him.


    ¡°Thud!¡±


    Neil¡¯s foot brutally connected with Louis¡¯ arm.


    Louis grunted in pain, but didn¡¯t show any signs of backing down.


    Karina again stepped in to stop Neil, her voice stern and harsh, ¡°Neil, snap out of it! Look at who¡¯s


    holding Irene right now!¡±


    Neil was taken aback by her words and looked over to see me nestled in Russel¡¯s arms, shaken and


    scared.


    My clothes were torn, leaving me exposed. If not for Russel¡¯s protective hold, I would have been utterly


    exposed. I needed his support as I was still terrified.


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    Neil¡¯s gaze was darkening, and his clenched fists slowly rxed.


    Now, it looked like Russel and I were a couple.


    Neil had to let Russel take the lead, even in defending my honor.


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­¡± Louis began tough again, aiming to provoke Neil further, ¡°Neil, how pathetic are you?


    Irene is either sleeping with Russel or almost sleeping with me. What a pity!¡±


    Before Neil could react, Russel pushed me into the arms of a nearby waitress and crouched down. One


    hand grabbed Louis¡¯ cor while the other smashed into his face.


    Louis spat out a mouthful of blood, along with two teeth.


    Even with his strong physique, Louis couldn¡¯t withstand the blows from both Neil and Russel.


    ¡°One more word, and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll never speak again!¡± Russel threatened Louis, his voice full of


    restrained rage.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Louis seemed fearless, but the next moment he passed out, stopping any further provocations.


    Russel wiped the blood off his hand, his anger subsiding. He returned to my side, holding me close,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get here sooner.¡±


    I shook my head, a mix of emotions inside me. But when my gaze involuntarily swept over Neil, I could


    see the resentment, frustration, and a hatefulness in his eyes that made me ufortable.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Russel can handle things here.¡± Karina seemed to understand Neil¡¯s state of mind and took


    his hand.


    Neil, his pale face specked with blood, looked eerily beautiful. He took Karina¡¯s hand and silently left.


    Did fate have a hand in all this?


    Russel was the one who came with me tonight, but when I was in danger, the first person to appear


    was Neil.


    There seemed to be an invisible thread connecting Neil and me. It was a toxic rtionship, but one that


    I found hard to sever.


    A hotel staff member called for an ambnce while Russel, not waiting for Louis to be taken care of,


    got me a coat from the hotel before taking me away.


    Throughout the journey, he held my hand tightly, as if afraid of losing me. Neither of us said a word, the


    atmosphere heavy.


    When we reached the hotel entrance, I noticed Neil hadn¡¯t left. He was standing not far away, and to


    my surprise, Karina was nowhere to be seen.


    Russel spotted Neil and stopped, our car was parked nearby, and we would have to pass Neil to get to


    it.


    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll bring the car around,¡± Russel/said, his voice low.


    ¡°Okay.¡± At that moment, I didn¡¯t want to talk to Neil. I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Russel walked towards Neil. They were simr in height, build, and even aura. As they neared each


    other, Neil suddenly blocked Russel.


    The next moment, Neil¡¯s fist connected with Russel¡¯s face.


    ¡°Neil, you lunatic!¡± Russel stepped back, touching his bleeding lip, his voice filled with anger.


    Neil, however, seemed possessed, advancing on Russel with his fist raised again. This time, Russel


    didn¡¯t just stand there; he fought back.


    Seeing the escting confrontation, I rushed in to intervene, ¡°Neil, Russel, what the hell are you two


    doing? Stop it!¡±


    1/2


    08:26


    Chapter 450


    I was already at my wit¡¯s end and now had to prevent these two froming to blows. As I finished


    speaking, my vision started to ck out, and I felt dizzy.


    ¡°Since she¡¯s with you now, you should be protecting her, not letting her get into dangerous situations,


    right?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes zed with anger as he challenged Russel.


    ¡°Yes, I was wrong this time. Everyone can me me, except for you, Neil. You have no right. Did you


    ever take good care of her?¡± Russel retorted coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t let this happen again and I¡¯ll protect her


    with my life. And you? You have Karina. You can¡¯t serve two masters; don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    Neil¡¯s lips whitened, and his gaze fell on me, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just


    lowered his eyes.


    Because of Russel¡¯s words, he had no rebuttal.


    Who hurt me the most in this world? The answer was Neil, so much so that I had reincarnated because


    of him.


    ¡°Please, stop fighting. It¡¯s not necessary, okay?¡± I was feeling dizzy. Their voices sounded far away and


    yet so near.


    After uttering those words, I felt a sharp pain in my head, my vision turned ck, and I copsed.


    ¡°Irene!¡± I heard Neil and Russel calling my name in unison.


    I was rushed to the hospital and only woke up the next morning.


    The hospital room was empty, a quiet sanctuary, but I could still catch the hustle and bustle of footsteps


    and conversation in the corridor.


    Had I really been out for a whole night? A twinge of panic hit me as I thought of my children, Serena


    and Brandon, back at home. I quickly dialed home to check on the situation.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you needn¡¯t worry. Serena and Brandon are being little angels,¡± Norah reassured me over


    the phone. ¡°I can manage on my own for a bit. Dr. Russel popped in earlier, and he updated us on your


    condition. You just focus on getting some rest, alright?¡± Norah responded with genuine concern.

 Chapter 461

    Chapter 461


    Chapter 461


    I sighed in relief. As long as Serena and Brandon weren¡¯t kicking up a fuss for me, it would be a piece


    of cake to handle the


    situation.


    A while after hanging up the phone, Russel walked back into the hospital room. Dressed in a white coat


    with sses and a mask. on, his cool, refined eyes were the only features visible. It was hard to


    reconcile this calm demeanor with the ferocity he disyed towards Louis the night prior.


    Both he and Neil were blessed with handsome features, and the air of gentlemen seemed toe


    naturally to them. When they were calm andposed, it was impossible to imagine them resorting to


    violence.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been so busytely. I should have taken better care of you. You¡¯ve be so weak,¡±


    Russel said, sitting at the edge of my bed, a note of self-reproach in his voice.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Russel. I¡¯ve always been frail. With Yara recently staying with us, Norah and I


    probably overexerted ourselves a bit. We¡¯ll be fine after some rest,¡± I found myself consoling Russel


    instead.


    Neil was right. Now that everyone assumed we were together, as a man, Russel felt obliged to take


    care of me and protect me. He assured me that he would do everything in his power to fulfill this role.


    His eyes twinkled behind his sses, reminiscent of the captivating stars in the night sky.


    I felt a bit awkward because Russel and I weren¡¯t actually a couple. It was a misunderstanding on


    others¡¯ part. He didn¡¯t have to take care of me because of this baseless title.


    Even though he was willing to do so, the more he did for me, the more inappropriate it felt. Yet, I


    couldn¡¯t get Russel to back down


    at that moment.


    ¡°Russel, you¡­¡± I hesitated, then continued, ¡°can you avoid conflicts with Neil in the future? Especially,


    can you avoid getting physical?¡±


    Russel¡¯s eyes narrowed behind his sses, a hint of jealousy in his voice. ¡°It was Neil who started it.


    Are you still taking his side?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t taking Neil¡¯s side. Russel was the only one here, and I couldn¡¯t just call Neil to have this


    conversation. It would make me look like a crazy person.


    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t want to see you two like this anymore. I know Neil started it, and I¡¯m not ming you. If


    he tries to pick a fight with you in the future, can you just ignore him?¡± I exined.


    A smile finally broke out on Russel¡¯s face. ¡°So, you¡¯re worried that I might get hurt?¡±


    Of course, I was worried. I didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt because of me, especially not Russel and


    Neil. They used to be such good friends.


    I nodded in agreement, and Russel¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Every bit of your concern for me, every time


    you worry about me, it¡¯s like finding an oasis in the desert,¡± he said.


    ¡°Is it really that dramatic?¡± I asked, unable to suppress augh.


    ¡°Yes, it is. You just don¡¯t understand how I feel,¡± Russel responded. His hand twitched as if wanting to


    hold mine, but he stopped himself. In this regard, he always respected me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel. I was well aware of Russel¡¯s feelings for me, and I¡¯ve tried to ept them, but


    it always ended in failure. I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen between us if things continued down this


    path.


    We sat in silence until Russel¡¯s phone rang. It was a nurse from his department, and he had to leave


    for some urgent matter. Before he left, he told me to rest and said he would check on Serena and


    Brandon during lunch and in the evening. He asked me to stay in the hospital for a couple of days


    before he would arrange for my discharge.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather go home!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but worry about the children.


    ¡°Just listen to me, okay?¡± Russel leaned forward, pulling down his mask with one hand and gently


    holding the back of my head with the other. He nted a soft kiss on my forehead.


    I was stunned, but he simply chuckled apologetically. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve wanted to do that for a long time, but


    it seems like this was the only appropriate moment.¡±


    I was speechless, unsure of how to react.


    With that, Russel left. He was a dedicated doctor, and work was important to him.


    1 was left alone in the room. As I sat in a daze, a thought suddenly struck me. What happened to


    Louis? Was he sent to the


    Chapter 461


    hospital?


    That could cause a lot of problems.


    Just as I was getting anxious, footsteps echoed in the hallway. As I looked up, I saw Karina walking into


    the room.


    Karina was holding some fruits and a bouquet of white lilies. She swayed gracefully as she walked in.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, how are you feeling?¡± Karina asked, sitting down and arranging the fruits and flowers on


    the table. Her voice was as soft as if she were greeting an old friend.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. You really didn¡¯t have to visit me,¡± I replied nonchntly.


    Karina chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m not here because I wanted to visit you. I¡¯m here on behalf of


    Neil. After all, you¡¯re his ex-wife. We didn¡¯t dare to tell his parents about your injury. Otherwise, they


    would¡¯ve rushed over. Ms. Finch, you sure know how to y the role of a daughter-inw. Even after


    your divorce, you¡¯re still highly regarded by your former inws. I should learn from you.¡±


    Her words were notpliments but veiled criticisms. She was just expressing her dislike for me in a


    roundabout way.


    ¡°I believe Dr. Karina can surpass me and take my ce,¡± I said, not having much else to add. All I


    could do was wish her well.


    Karina¡¯s smile faded slightly, and she sighed softly. ¡°You and Neil were meant to be, but it just didn¡¯t


    work out. Ten years, and if only you had had a child with him, you wouldn¡¯t have divorced. He values


    children a lot. It¡¯s just a pity that your health isn¡¯t great. You finally got pregnant but couldn¡¯t keep the


    baby.¡±


    The mention of my lost child cast a shadow over my mood. Despite being abroad, Karina had been


    keeping tabs on Neil and me back home. She even knew about my miscarriage and med it on my


    poor health.


    ¡°But then again, it might not have been your health. You¡¯ve had two children with Russel, haven¡¯t you?


    This shows that you can bear children. Some things are just meant to be. You and Neil were destined


    to part ways, don¡¯t you think?¡± Karina continued, her casual tone stabbing at my heart with each word.


    Fortunately, I had developed a high tolerance for such provocations. What hadn¡¯t I endured before?


    Her words meant nothing to


    I remained silent, letting Karina talk, and watched her with the patient eyes one reserves for a wayward


    child.


    Finally, she couldn¡¯t stand my gaze any longer, her voice wavering with emotion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to


    say anything? If you¡¯re bitter, you can curse me now. No one else is around, it¡¯ll be good for you to vent


    your anger.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°Ha, Karina, don¡¯t you think the words you said today reveal your


    insecurity? Besides using a child to tie Neil down, what else can you do? True, Neil and I don¡¯t have


    children, yet it seems like he still can¡¯t forget me.¡±

 Chapter 462

    Chapter 462


    Chapter 462


    Honestly, how much love could have possibly endured between a couple that had been apart for so


    many years? If it hadn¡¯t been for their child, it¡¯s doubtful they¡¯d have found their way back to each other


    so quickly.


    Leaving everything else aside, Neil had always been responsible in this regard.


    ¡°The child is just one important factor. But the emotions between Neil and me, you can¡¯t possibly


    understand.¡± Although Karina¡¯s face had paled a little, her tone remained steady. She gave a faint


    smile, ¡°Perhaps you think that since Neil and I were together for only a few months, we couldn¡¯t have


    developed deep feelings. But the depth of a rtionship isn¡¯t about time, it¡¯s about feelings. I think you


    know this better than anyone, right?¡±


    Karina looked into my eyes; her own regained their sparkle and her smile was radiant.


    I had loved Neil for many years, and I¡¯d never captured his heart. If it hadn¡¯t been for my rebirth, I would


    have continued down that path of unrequited love.


    So, I really did understand that love couldn¡¯t be forced by time.


    ¡°Whether I understand or not isn¡¯t important, what matters is that you believe the feelings between you


    two haven¡¯t changed.¡± I had found tranquility now. Karina¡¯s words didn¡¯t faze me, and her attempts to


    provoke me bying to me were futile.


    ¡°Yes, I understand Neil best. He may appear to be a yboy, but in reality, he¡¯s deeplymitted.¡±


    Karina nodded lightly, speaking gently of her understanding of Neil, ¡°And he¡¯s not the arrogant man that


    everyone sees; he has a soft core. Take you for example, he felt guilty about how he treated you back


    then.¡±


    I said nothing, only looked at Karina with a puzzled expression. I didn¡¯t understand what she was


    talking about.


    I knew every word she said, but when she put them together I didn¡¯t seem toprehend.


    Karina noticed my confusion and gave an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t clear. When you were


    interning in college and he started dating me, he felt guilty. He knew you liked him, but love can¡¯t be


    forced, so he couldn¡¯t reciprocate your feelings.¡± Really? So she was talking about something that


    happened so long ago.


    I suddenly realized that the things that had happened in my past life couldn¡¯t touch me anymore, but


    the stupid things I did a long time ago could still stir up ripples in my heart.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m really touched.¡± I gave a small, indifferent smile.


    If Karina hadn¡¯t brought it up, I wouldn¡¯t have known this.


    I had always thought that Neil was indifferent to my affections, that it was all one-sided, so he wouldn¡¯t


    feel any guilt or unease. Just like what he said after we got married: everything was my own doing.


    ¡°When I learned you were pursuing Neil, a lot of people knew. I considered notpeting with you, but


    some feelings can¡¯t be controlled. When I found out that the Whitmore family wanted Neil to marry you,


    I realized how serious the issue of social status was. Fortunately, I have let go of the past.¡± As Karina


    finished, she let out a deep breath of relief.


    But why was she telling me all this?


    If I told people that I had died once and been reborn, I¡¯d probably make headlines around the world and


    be fought over by different countries for research.


    I was pleased that at this moment, I could still find some dark humor. It proved that I had freed myself


    from the shackles of the past and wouldn¡¯t fall into sadness over some words.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also let go, Karina. May I offer you a sincere piece of advice?¡± I kindly said to Karina.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Karina seemed puzzled.


    ¡°Do you know where Bonnie went wrong?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s not me, so naturally, she would fail.¡± Karina¡¯s response was light and airy, filled with a strange


    confidence.


    Her words left me speechless. The words on the tip of my tongue retreated.


    Karina certainly wasn¡¯t ordinary. She had good qualities, but she wasn¡¯t enough for Neil.


    But her overconfidence in a man after so many years, believing that he couldn¡¯t live without her, left me


    speechless.


    I calmed my speechless emotions. To ensure that Karina could firmly grasp Neil, and they would both


    disappear from my life, I felt the need to share some tips about ¡°winning over Neil.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been married to Neil for five years. I probably understand him best. If you want him to not loathe or


    reject you, the best way is to ignore me. Don¡¯t always think that I¡¯llpete with you for him. I was the


    one who initiated the divorce and I have no reason to.¡± I genuinely shared these words with Karina,


    reminding her a few times. Otherwise, based on my rtionship with her, I wouldn¡¯t have even


    bothered to utter a single word.


    After hearing my sincere advice, Karina¡¯s expression turned a bit sarcastic. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is,


    you¡¯re Neil¡¯s off-limits zone? As long as I don¡¯t provoke you, he¡¯ll treat me like a treasure. But if I


    provoke you, he¡¯ll take his anger out on me for your sake, right?¡±


    Yes, exactly.


    Embracing humility, I couldn¡¯t directly admit it. Sometimes even I couldn¡¯t understand why Neil was so


    contradictory, but that was the reality.


    It wasn¡¯t that Neil would favor me. He would definitely choose to favor Karina, just as he¡¯d chosen to


    favor Bonnie before.


    I just felt that he seemed to lose control of his emotions easily when it came to me.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing I can do. If you continue to see me as a hypothetical rival,


    thinking that Neil and I might still have a chance, then you¡¯re going to do some very dangerous things.


    Once Neil finds out, your image will be ruined. Bonnie¡¯s fate now is what awaits you in the future.¡± I was


    always indifferent to those who didn¡¯t heed advice, so my tone was very cold.


    Bonnie had done very well in my past life, which allowed her to sessfully marry into the Whitmore


    family.


    In this life, I hoped Karina would be better than Bonnie, not losing herposure more and more. It¡¯s


    not that I worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to marry Neil, but I was afraid she would lose her cool andsh


    out at me, affecting my life.


    I¡¯m absolutely certain that the dangerous dive incident and the betrayal with Mitch were orchestrated by


    her.¡±


    ¡°Irene, I think you¡¯re having trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. Neil and I are together now.


    Sure, we¡¯re not married, but our kid¡¯s practically all grown up. Do you really think he¡¯d value you over


    us?¡± Karina was a smart cookie, but when it came to matters of the heart, she was as clueless as they


    come.


    Maybe it¡¯s true what they say about love being blind.


    Frankly, I didn¡¯t care enough to borate further. I needed to keep my cool, take some time to rx,


    and get back to my kid.


    So, I waved dismissively, ¡°Believe what you wish, you can leave now.¡±

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    Chapter 463


    Chapter 463


    The purpose of Karina¡¯s visit today was not just to say those words to me.


    She took out a small gift box from her bag, delicate and adorable. There was a little blue bear on it,


    along with an English design wishing a happy seventh birthday.


    ¡°Next week is Hiram¡¯s seventh birthday. Neil and I are throwing a birthday bash for him. You should


    come,¡± Karina said with apparent cheer.


    Seven years old. Counting back, I was married to Neil for five years, then divorced and messed around


    for two to three years, and during this time, his child with another woman had grown into a seven-year-


    old boy.


    ¡°Thanks for the invite, but I won¡¯t being. Take the gift back,¡± I said, uninterested.


    ¡°Well, the choice is yours, Karina was not insistent. She smoothed her hair, and before leaving, she


    said, ¡°Ms. Finch, since someone is treating you like a gem, please keep your distance from other


    women¡¯s men. Try not to have unnecessary ovep, thank you.¡±


    In the end, she still saw me as a love rival, and her hostility was quite intense.


    I don¡¯t know why both Bonnie and Karina fear me so much, even though they know that I was Neil¡¯s


    wife for five years while living a widow¡¯s life. After Karina left, I took a deep breath. I felt a bit moody.


    Outside the window, the sun was shining brightly. It was midday, the hottest time of the day. I got up to


    look at the view from the window, then nned to order some take-out to fill my stomach.


    Russel had to check on Serena and Brandon at noon, so he wouldn¡¯t have time to arrange my lunch.


    ¡°Ms. Finch!¡±


    Suddenly a man¡¯s voice rang out. I turned around to see a plump man in a white coat, holding a lunch


    box, and smiling at me. ¡°Dr. Russel asked me to bring you lunch. It¡¯s our cafeteria¡¯s staff meal, clean


    and healthy. Have a taste.¡±


    I put down my phone, surprised that Russel had arranged for a colleague to bring me lunch. I felt


    touched that he remembered my lunch even though he was so busy.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to exin my rtionship with Russel to others, so I just epted the lunch box and


    thanked him, ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem, Dr. Russel reminded me several times. He¡¯s afraid you might go hungry. As for take-out,


    you never know about the hygiene. It¡¯s not good for you. Enjoy your meal while it¡¯s hot. I¡¯m off to have


    my lunch,¡± he replied cheerfully.


    ¡°Alright, thank you,¡± I replied, not saying much but being very polite.


    Soon the room was quiet again. I opened the lunch box, and the food inside smelled delicious, light and


    nutritious..


    I picked up the fork and began to eat. Halfway through my meal, Russel sent a video call. In the video,


    he was holding Serena, and Brandon was ying in his crib.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Russel asked about my lunch, very concerned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve arranged it for me, so how could I not eat?¡± Iughed, ¡°In the eyes of your colleagues, you¡¯re


    definitely a great husband.¡±


    Russel seemed to like this title. His tone was joyful. ¡°Being a good doctor and a good husband are the


    bestpliments for me. If you could give me a title, making it official, that would be even better.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    My eating slowed down a bit. I knew what Russel meant. He never gave up on marrying me, but I was


    hesitant.


    My n was not to marry again in this lifetime. I wanted to raise Serena and Brandon well on my own,


    andplete the mission satisfactorily. Russel¡¯s persistence made me feel troubled.


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t speak, he knew he had touched a sensitive topic and didn¡¯t continue. Instead, he


    mentioned Louis. ¡°Louis is also hospitalized now. He was seriously injured and probably won¡¯t be


    discharged for about ten days to two weeks.¡±


    Russel only punched Louis once, and the rest of the injuries were almost all caused by Neil, showing


    how hard Neil had hit him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on between Louis and Neil?¡± When it came to this, I found it incredible. ¡°Does Neil¡¯s


    father really have an illegitimate child? Is it really Louis?¡±


    My words stunned Russel. He seemed to know nothing about this. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    I suddenly realized that Louis only told me, and they hadn¡¯t seen any of the previous gossip.


    The reason Louis is so against Neil is because he¡¯s jealous of Neil. He says he¡¯s the illegitimate son of


    Neil¡¯s father who was left outside.¡± I simply told Russel everything. Since Louis had told me, everyone


    would know soon. He wouldn¡¯t hide it anymore.


    Russel¡¯s tone became serious. ¡°How is that possible? When Louis¡¯ father was a driver for the Whitmore


    family, it was Neil¡¯s grandfather who introduced him to a woman. They got married earlier than Neil¡¯s


    parents. All the Whitmores knew about this.¡±


    So, I was puzzled. How did Louis determine that he was Ryan¡¯s illegitimate son?


    Russel wasn¡¯t very clear about this either. We talked for quite a while but didn¡¯te to a conclusion.


    In the end, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back at the hospital soon. We¡¯ll talk about it in person.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After hanging up the call, I yed with my phone for a while, waiting for Russel toe to work and


    see me. Regarding Louis, I really wanted to clear things up. Not that I was particrly interested in him,


    but because he was sick and inexplicably targeted me.


    At the very least, I wanted to know what happened to him and why he targeted me.


    The afternoon sun was intense. It refracted through the window ss, making me feel sleepy. I went to


    close the curtains and nned to take a nap, but then a figure appeared at the door.


    It was Neil.


    How did hee to the hospital? Karina just left not long ago!


    Recalling that he was the first to rush into the room to save me, a ripple stirred in my heart.


    ¡°Why are you still malnourished after all this time? Isn¡¯t Russel a doctor? Can¡¯t he take care of you?¡±


    Neil¡¯s familiar and cold voice echoed in the hospital room.


    ¡°Once your health ispromised, it takes an ocean of time to recuperate. You reckon it¡¯s a piece of


    cake?¡± I found myself growing morefortable with Neil, like he was a dear old friend.


    Neil strode in, releasing a heavy sigh that echoed through the room. His eyesnded on the gifts and


    flowers Karina had brought earlier, ¡°Who stopped by?¡±


    ¡°Take a wild guess,¡± I retorted, arching an eyebrow.


    Russel has been working here, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to send flowers. Ste and Mitch were


    still caught up in the aftermath of their divorce. My folks were waiting for my aunt to wake up while


    juggling the numerous affairs of my uncle Lucas¡¯pany. So, I¡¯ve not got many friends left in Eldoria.

 Chapter 464

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    Chapter 464


    Neil walked over and picked up the bouquet, his face emotionless as he took a sniff.


    I was taken aback, blurting out, ¡°Last time I saw you holding flowers was our wedding day, and you


    looked terrible.¡±


    Only I knew how I felt that day.


    Neil exuded nothing but repulsion towards me. When he presented me with the bouquet, his eyes were


    devoid of warmth, as if he was handing me a knife instead.


    Everyone else was happy for me then. Ste and my parents included. Despite knowing that my love


    was unrequited, they were happy that I managed to marry Neil.


    My heart was torn between joy and sorrow, unable to fully describe my feelings.


    Neil, still holding the flowers, froze for a second as if lost in thought.


    ¡°Why bring up something from so long ago?¡± He asked.


    I didn¡¯t know.


    Memories have a way of resurfacing when you least expect it.


    I didn¡¯t answer Neil¡¯s question, instead telling him, ¡°Those flowers were from Karina.¡±


    Upon hearing Karina¡¯s name, Neil¡¯s expression shifted, a distinct displeasure painted in his eyes. He


    probably didn¡¯t want Karina visiting me, regardless of her reasons.


    The next moment, Neil tossed the bouquet into the trash, a move that took me by surprise.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, throw them away. Why keep them around?¡± After disposing of the flowers, Neil


    brushed his hands off, his tone nonchnt, as if forgetting the flowers were actually from his current


    girlfriend.


    His current girlfriend, also his once lost first love.


    I stared at the bouquet poking out from the trash bin, at a loss for words about Neil¡¯s actions. If Karina


    had left a momentter and saw this, she would be devastated.


    ¡°What did youe here for? To throw away flowers?¡± I finally found my voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know Karina


    wasing to see me today?¡±


    Karina had explicitly mentioned that she was here to see me on Neil¡¯s behalf.


    Neil took a seat, his expression unchanged, ¡°I came to pay for Louis¡¯ medical bills. I was the one who


    hurt him, it¡¯s only right that I cover his medical expenses.¡±


    I knew Louis was hospitalized, but I didn¡¯t know he was in the same hospital. Luckily, he was still


    incapacitated; otherwise, he would probably try to find me.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to hurt him that bad, especially not for me.¡± I said somberly.


    ¡°Who said I did it for you?¡± Neil¡¯s expression faltered slightly but quickly returned to normal. He looked


    down at his own fingers, his hands were handsome enough to be a hand model.


    ¡°He had iting. I just never got around to it. This time, I settled old scores and new ones.¡± Neil


    continued.


    Since Neil was looking down, all I could see was the top of his head and his high nose bridge. From the


    time I first met him till now, his hair had always been its original color, never dyed any other color.


    Russel was the same, which was why they asionally seemed like the same person to me.


    On the other hand, Mitch and Cooper, would happily dye their hair all colors of the rainbow. When they


    were wilder in their youth, they spent their time either dyeing their hair or contemting what color to


    dye it next, as if their sess with women depended on their hair color.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then. If you did it solely because of me, that wouldn¡¯t sit well, would it?¡± I moved my gaze


    away from the aspects of Neil that once fascinated me.


    ¡°Are we really that estranged now?¡±,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want, Neil? Someone who is consistent, who knows when to let go. How great


    would that be?¡± I responded earnestly.


    Because of the Serena and Brandon incident, Neil should hate me to the core. If he truly believed both


    kids were Russel¡¯s, then it would mean I was stringing him along when we were nning to get back


    together.


    Neil, being an extremely proud man, wouldn¡¯t ept being cheated on. If that were the case, he would


    definitely tell me to get lost.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I let go? I don¡¯t remember bringing up getting back together. I just think it¡¯s normal for our paths


    to cross considering how long we¡¯ve known each other and our shared social circle.¡± Neil spoke


    logically, leaving me with no room to counter.


    But did he really let go just because he didn¡¯t talk about getting back together?


    I didn¡¯t think so. Judging from recent events, I felt that Neil was still interested in me. I¡¯m not stupid, I


    could feel it.


    Even Karina could feel it. If she could sense it and I couldn¡¯t, then I would truly be a fool, being targeted


    without even realizing it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want Karina to have a reason to target me, could you stay away from me? Can you do


    that?¡± I stated my request directly, not wanting to be targeted because of Neil anymore, ¡°By the way,


    Louis ims he¡¯s your half-brother from the same father. Do you know about this?¡±


    Neil¡¯s expression turned contemtive, not showing the surprise I expected but instead became


    complex and deep. After a moment of silence, he asked me, ¡°Did he tell you, or did you find out on your


    own?¡±


    I was shocked. Could it be true?


    ¡°Is it true?¡± I felt slightly dumbfounded, unable to imagine that Ryan could have an illegitimate son.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Neil¡¯s response doubled my shock.


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡± I waspletely confused, my words bing hesitant.


    Neil didn¡¯t borate, his brow furrowed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s inevitable that he¡¯ll target you because of me, even


    our divorce can¡¯t change that.¡±


    I was left with a head full of question marks. Was he implying that I deserved it?


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Was it my own fault for stubbornly marrying him in my youthful ignorance? So now I had to face the


    consequences.


    ¡°Neil, I think you might have misunderstood Louis. He seems to think that you still have feelings for me,


    that you can still be influenced by me. That¡¯s why he¡¯s targeting me. As long as you keep your distance


    from me, leave Eldoria, he¡¯ll surely follow you.¡± I gathered my thoughts and analyzed the situation for


    Neil. Now that I have children, I didn¡¯t want to take unnecessary risks anymore.


    But my suggestion didn¡¯t seem to sit well with Neil. In fact, it seemed to offend him, his face darkening.


    If he knew that Serena and Brandon were his kids, would he consider their safety for once?


    This thought shed in my mind, but I promptly dismissed it.


    That would only stir the pot more.


    ¡°The project here is crucial, and I need to keep a close eye on it during the early stages,¡± Neil replied


    icily.


    I was stunned.

 Chapter 465

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    Chapter 465


    If it was due to work, I indeed couldn¡¯t ask someone to leave directly, as the stakes were too high.


    Moreover, this project also involved Mitch.


    ¡°So what should I do? My family¡¯s life will be threatened after he gets out of the hospital.¡± I was getting


    annoyed, and I threw the question at Neil.


    Neil¡¯s answer was nonchnt, ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it.¡±


    I found it amusing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that the lunatic will harm Hiram?¡±


    As soon as I mentioned Hiram, Neil¡¯s careless attitude changed, and his tone became cold and severe,


    ¡°If he dares to do so, I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t have a ce to rest in peace!¡±


    ¡°What about me? I have kids too!¡± I challenged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have Russel?¡± Neil¡¯s words made me understand his meaning instantly. He wouldn¡¯t leave


    Eldoria, nor would he stay. away from me. My safety should be Russel¡¯s responsibility.


    I didn¡¯t know what I was feeling at this moment, but it was extremely ufortable.


    Neil cared more about Karina and Hiram¡¯s safety, which I naturally understood. But if my danger was


    due to him, and he didn¡¯t take responsibility, it would upset me.


    ¡°Neil, you really are my curse. Please stay away from me in the future.¡± I didn¡¯t want him to say more


    and asked him to leave, ¡°You can go now.


    Neil didn¡¯t leave.


    I ignored him andy down on the hospital bed. I pulled up the nket, ready to take a nap.


    But I felt a shadow approaching. When I opened my eyes, Neil had stood up. He leaned over, his


    hands propped up on both sides of my shoulders, creating a sense of entrapment.


    I looked at those eyes close to me in astonishment, ¡°Neil, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Did Louis touch you anywhere?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes narrowed. That was a look I recognized. It was


    dangerous.


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± I was both angry and speechless, ¡°What does that have to do with you? Besides, he


    only ripped my clothes!¡±


    If Louis had seeded, I would have stabbed him with a knife while Neil was beating him.


    Neil seemed to be contemting something, and I pped him hard, leaving a clear handprint on his


    fair face.


    He tilted his head, the handprint on his cheek made a striking contrast.


    ¡°Alright, then there¡¯s no problem.¡± Neil seemed to have been awakened by my p. He got up and


    gently touched the side of his face that had been pped.


    I really didn¡¯t know if there was something wrong with his brain.


    However, it was at this moment that Russel¡¯s voice came, cold and deep, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±


    I looked in astonishment at the entrance of the ward.


    Russel had his hands in the pockets of his white coat, and his eyes under the sses reflected a cold


    light as he looked at me and Neil.


    Had he seen the scene where Neil bent down and wrapped his arms around me?


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    I suddenly felt as if I had been caught cheating. My face flushed hotly.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking what we¡¯re doing?¡± Neil was indeed a genius at courting death, Not only did he not


    exin, but he also coldly countered.


    ¡°Russel, Neil came to the hospital to handle Louis¡¯s medical expenses, and he also came to check on


    me. He¡¯s leaving soon.¡± I had to exin, as neither of these two men knew how to express themselves


    properly. Their conversation was filled with tension.


    Russel slowly removed his sses and put them in his pocket, then walked in and cleared the


    entrance, ¡°Is that so? Then you can go now, Neil.¡±


    Neil scoffed, nced at me, and then licked the side of his face where the handprint was. Then he left


    swiftly.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as these two men didn¡¯t appear at the same time, I would feel that


    the world was still pretty good.


    The room wasn¡¯t very bright at the moment because I had drawn the curtains, but everything was still


    clear.


    I didn¡¯t want Russel to waste time with me because of Neil, so I immediately changed the subject,


    ¡°Were Serena and Brandon behaving when you came?¡±


    Russel closed the door of the ward, and if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, he seemed to have locked it. This action


    made me feel odd and a bit uneasy.


    His voice was also very low, ¡°Yes, they were behaving. Norah should be able to handle them.¡±


    As he spoke, he came to the side of my bed. Russel with sses was cool and elegant, and the added


    charm of his profession as a doctor made him seem aloof yet meticulous.


    Without sses, Russel¡¯s eyes became several times more aggressive. Although not as tantly


    dangerous as Neil¡¯s, they gave me a feeling I wasn¡¯t quite used to.


    I was looking at Russel standing by the bed in silence, feeling very flustered. We seldom had this kind


    of feeling, and the room was very quiet for a moment.


    Before I could figure out what was going on, Russel had seized my hands. I was unable to move, and


    his lips kissed mine. Unlike Neil¡¯s faint taste of cigarettes and mint, his was a light lemon vor.


    I was stunned, and even though I tried to break free, I was helpless. Russel usually respected me, but


    when he got physical, I still didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    He gnawed at my lips, gentle but slightly rough. I felt pain several times, but he didn¡¯t give me a chance


    to protest.


    It wasn¡¯t until his hand started to heat up, as if he couldn¡¯t resist some urge, and slipped into my


    clothes, that I fiercely pped him.


    It was even harder than when I pped Neil!


    With a crisp sound, the p echoed in the ward, immediately stopping Russel¡¯s next action. He froze,


    and at this close distance, our eyes met, and the impulse in his eyes seemed to clear up.


    I clenched my teeth, my eyes welling up, and red at Russel.


    Seeing me cry, he seemed puzzled. He removed his hand from me and stood by the bed, looking down


    at me, ¡°Why? I¡¯m better than him, aren¡¯t I? But why are you still entangled with him?¡±


    ¡°Is that what I want?!¡± I questioned, on the verge of breakdown, ¡°Didn¡¯t I avoid him? Didn¡¯t I move?


    Didn¡¯t I publicly acknowledge you as my husband to the outside world? All of this was to avoid Neil¡¯s


    harassment, but it¡¯s useless. Russel, you can¡¯t me all of this on me. Given the circumstances, only if


    I die will Neil stop bothering me.¡±


    Russel stared at me intently, his lips a vibrant red from our recent kiss, reminiscent of a poisonous


    poppy.


    Tears cascaded down my cheeks. Neil¡¯s actions had already left me feeling unsettled to the core, and


    Russel¡¯s way of expressing his displeasure was more than I could bear!

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    Chapter 466


    Seeing my escting distress, Russel sighed and tried to wipe away my tears. But I angrily brushed his


    hand aside.


    Aside from that one time when we were drugged and lost control, we¡¯ve always kept a respectable


    distance. This was his first attempt to breach that.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but Russel doing this affected me more than Neil. Maybe in my heart, Russel was


    still a better person than Neil, at least in terms of manners.


    As for Neil, I had long considered him a brute.


    ¡°Get off me and arrange for my discharge. I want to go home; I can¡¯t stand being here!¡± I wiped away


    the tears stinging my eyes and tersely ordered Russel..


    ¡°You can leave tomorrow, not today.¡± Russel refused toply with my request.


    I knew he just wanted me to stay in the hospital for a couple more days, to get some IV fluids or


    something, but I didn¡¯t need that. My mental trauma was far more severe than any physical ailments.


    ¡°No way, I just want to go home!¡±


    But today, Russel was as stubborn as a mule. He responded with a hint of authority, ¡°That¡¯s not


    possible. Until tomorrow afternoon, you¡¯ll stay here and rest. I¡¯ve instructed the nurses to keep a close


    eye on you.¡±


    ¡°Russel, are you out of your mind??¡± I was aghast. I was starting to doubt if this man was really Russel.


    ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about your health. I promised to take care of you. Will you please listen?¡± Russel


    reached out, gently patting my head. His words were soft, but they just made my chest tighten.


    I wanted to retort, but Russel had already turned and left. His steps were brisk, not his usual calm and


    steady pace. He seemed eager to get away.


    His anxiety was probably as heavy as mine, but he had to bear it. If we kept arguing, things might get


    worse.


    Maybe he was just avoiding me. That was fine, I needed some time to calm down.


    I had wanted to talk to him about the situation between Louis and Neil, but now I didn¡¯t want to say


    anything. I just wanted to clear my mind and try to rx.


    By the time evening fell, the plump doctor who had brought me lunch came by again, this time with


    dinner.


    Russel could have brought it, but he didn¡¯t. Probably because of our argument this afternoon.


    I didn¡¯t want to see him right now, which was just as well.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I didn¡¯t have much appetite, but I thanked him quietly.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, actually¡­¡± The plump doctor started awkwardly, ¡°I think Dr. Russel really likes you. Did you


    two have a fight? He seemed off all afternoon. It¡¯s rare for him, a professional like him, to let personal


    matters affect his work.¡±


    I looked at the young man in front of me. He was a bit chubby, but he looked barely in his mid-twenties,


    innocent and guileless.


    ¡°Dr. Ronald, you¡¯re single, aren¡¯t you?¡± I nced at the name tag pinned to his chest.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dr. Ronald nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t understand. Thanks for the meal.¡± I gave him a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be discharged


    tomorrow, so you don¡¯t need to bring me anything anymore. Even if Russel asks you to, don¡¯t agree.¡±


    Dr. Ronald blushed at my words, looking a bit awkward. I knew he meant well, but unless I was harsh,


    people would think it was just a small marital spat. I didn¡¯t want anyone else trying to mediate.


    anyor


    Firstly, Russel and I weren¡¯t a real couple. Secondly, I was still struggling to ept what he did this


    afternoon.


    ¡°Alright, then. Rest well.¡± Dr. Ronald scratched his head, left the room a bit awkwardly.


    After forcing myself to eat a little, I got up from the bed and left the ward. I wanted to take a walk in the


    hospital garden, to try. and rx.


    The hospital was much quieter at night. I sat in a gazebo for a while, feeling bored when I suddenly


    heard a child¡¯s voice, ¡°I can¡¯t y with you anymore, and I need to go find my mom!¡±


    ¡°Aw, already?¡± The other voice was Hiram¡¯s.


    I looked in the direction of the voices. Hiram was wearing blue dungarees, holding a robot toy, looking


    reluctantly at a little boy.


    ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re still here tomorrow, I¡¯lle and y with you again!¡± The other boy waved at Hiram


    and then skipped away.


    I found it strange. Why was Hiram here? He always seemed to appear alone.


    And this was a hospital. Neil and Karina had seen me during the day, but they hadn¡¯t brought Hiram


    with them.


    Just then, Hiram noticed me. He froze for a moment and then tried to walk away, but I called out to him,


    ¡°Hiram, can you teach me how to y a game?¡±


    At the mention of a game, Hiram stopped in his tracks. He looked at me suspiciously, ¡°What game?¡±


    ¡°Just a little game that¡¯s been really poprtely. But I can¡¯t get past a certain level. You¡¯re really good


    at games, right? So I thought you could show me how to get through it.¡± I made up an excuse. I could


    easily find a game on my phone.


    Hiram was a smart kid, but he was still a kid. He was innocent and I managed to convince him.


    I pulled out my phone, downloaded a random game, and handed it to Hiram, ¡°This is the game. Can


    you y it?¡±


    Hiram nced at it, ¡°Of course, I can! Even if I don¡¯t know now, I¡¯ll figure it out after ying a bit!¡±


    Just the sight of the game made his eyes light up. He was clearly excited.


    I let him y with my phone, and while he was engrossed in the game, I managed to ask him a few


    questions. He was so focused on the game that he let his guard down, allowing me to find out a lot of


    things.


    For instance, the watch on his wrist was a special gift from Karina. It wasn¡¯t just a regr watch it had


    phone and video calling capabilities, GPS tracking, and a camera.


    ¡°Did you use the GPS on your watch to find your dad when you got hit by a car that day?¡± I suddenly


    asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Hiram was so engrossed in the game that he answered without thinking.


    ¡°Did your mom ask you to do that?¡± I continued.


    This time, Hiram became wary. He looked up at me, his small face full of suspicion, ¡°No, my mom didn¡¯t


    tell me to do that!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. The more Hiram denied it, the more I was convinced something was off.


    His eyes were clearly flustered, and he seemed unnaturally on edge.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it from me, you know. Your mom popped in to see me today, you must have


    known. She spilled the beans, and the reason I¡¯m asking these questions is because she wanted me to


    ry a message to you. She said she¡¯s sorry for letting you do something so perilous, and she¡¯s asking


    for your forgiveness.¡± I admit, I might have been ying mind games with a kid, which was a bit too


    much.

 Chapter 467

    Chapter 467


    Chapter 467


    Hiram knew that his mother and I were as different as oil and water, so it surprised me when he


    believed what I told him.


    His blues eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Really? Mommy apologized to me?¡±


    I blinked in surprise and then nodded assuredly, ¡°Yes, she said she had no choice but to make you do


    what she did. She usually avoids discussing it with you, but since she doesn¡¯t get along well with me,


    she was pretty candid about it. So, you don¡¯t have to hide anything from me.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The kid felt like he was starved of affection.


    It didn¡¯t make sense. Even if he was deprived of love, it would be from his father. Karina, his mother,


    had been raising him alone. She couldn¡¯t have been that bad, could she?


    The moment he heard Karina had apologized to him, he dropped his video game. He looked at me with


    hopeful eyes, ¡°What else did Mommy say?¡±


    I racked my brains to concoct some things Karina allegedly said to Hiram, all of which were positive.


    My intuition told me that Karina might not be so nice to her son in private.


    I didn¡¯t understand why. After all, Hiram was her child with Neil, the only heir to the Whitmore¡¯s fortune


    and her golden ticket into the Whitmore family. Why wouldn¡¯t she cherish him?


    ¡°Were you scared when your mom told you to follow your dad on your own?¡± It was time to get back to


    that question.


    Hiram let his guard down. He nodded, ¡°I was scared!¡±


    I continued, ¡°And when she said that the message sent to Uncle Mitch was from you, were you upset?


    Your dad might not like you if he knew about it.¡±


    I was gently leading him on.


    Hiram was not only afraid that Karina didn¡¯t like him but also terrified that Neil wouldn¡¯t. So, without a


    second thought, he replied, ¡°I won¡¯t me Mommy. Besides, she said Dad loves me so much, and he


    wouldn¡¯t hate me!¡±


    My smile faltered. It seemed that Karina was the mastermind behind the previous incidents. Always


    using Hiram as a shield, she managed to pull the wool over everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Hiram didn¡¯t notice my change in mood. He just lowered his head and continued ying his game. He


    wouldn¡¯t know that the wicked woman sitting next to him had started recording.


    About ten minutester, Hiram¡¯s wristwatch rang. It was a call from Neil, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ming home now!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to wander around?¡± Neil¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°I got it, Dad. I¡¯ll behave next time.¡± Hiram obediently replied. After hanging up, he handed me his


    phone, ¡°Ms. Finch, I need to go. I¡¯ll teach you how to y the game next time!¡±


    I took his phone with a faint smile, ¡°Is your dad also at the hospital?¡±


    Hiram nodded, ¡°Yes. My grandma is sick. He took her to the hospital. We¡¯ll head home after she¡¯s


    done.¡±


    My fabricated story seemed to have bridged the gap between Hiram and me. He had warmed up to


    me.


    Faith was sick?


    I didn¡¯t know about that.


    After Hiram left, I turned off the recorder and returned to my room.


    The next morning, I checked out of the hospital. During this period, Russel called several times, but I


    didn¡¯t pick up.


    The first thing I did once I got home was to hug Serena and Brandon. All my troubles seemed to


    evaporate when I saw them.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, Dr. Russel is back.¡± Norah suddenly informed me when I was ying with the kids.


    I turned my head and there he was in the living room.


    Seeing him annoyed me. The memory of him forcing a kiss on me in the hospital made me feel


    repulsed.


    I didn¡¯t know if it was because had no romantic feelings for him or if it was just my natural reaction.


    Russel had a bouquet of pink roses in his hand. The color of the flowers matched his light blue shirt,


    giving him a fresh and appealing look.


    I averted my gaze, pretending not to notice him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about yesterday. I want to apologize to you properly.¡± Russel walked in, handed me the


    flowers, and looked somewhat nervous. ¡°A colleague suggested this. I¡¯m not sure if it will work on you.¡±


    ¡°I nced at the bouquet. They were vibrant and gorgeous. Any woman would have loved them.


    But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ept them.


    Would epting these flowers mean forgiving him?


    ¡°Put them there. I don¡¯t want to bring up yesterday¡¯s incident. Russel, I think I need to make myself


    clear.¡± I sat on the couch, speaking to Russel earnestly.


    Russel put the flowers on the table and sat across from me. He looked at me for a few seconds, his


    eyes filled with hesitation, but he nodded eventually, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I will not marry you. I mean it.¡± I knew it would hurt Russel, but I didn¡¯t know what else to do. The


    harsher the rejection, the better the chance of keeping him at bay.


    As expected, Russel¡¯s face changed instantly.


    But he didn¡¯t immediately respond. He simply waited for me to continue.


    ¡°You can propose to me a hundred times, it won¡¯t change my mind. I¡¯m not the naive girl in her twenties


    anymore. I¡¯ve been married, I have children, and I¡¯ve given all my love and youth to Neil. I can¡¯t love


    someone else with the same intensity. I¡¯ve rejected you many times. Why do you keep doing this?


    Sure, you might be okay with it, but have you ever thought that your affection is a burden and a


    nuisance to me?¡±


    The color drained from Russel¡¯s face, indicating his worsening mood.


    After I finished speaking, I quietly waited for his response. Perhaps it was time to sever all ties and


    avoid any future entanglement.


    However, Russel¡¯s response baffled me. His focus was on Neil, ¡°So, you¡¯re still not over Neil. You¡¯ve


    given him your best years and love, and you can¡¯t open your heart to anyone else because of him.


    Right?¡±


    I was rendered speechless. A peculiar silence fell over the room, broken only by the asional


    babbling of Serena and Brandon.


    I¡¯ve moved on from Neil. I have. As long as I didn¡¯t dwell on the past or the pain that it caused me, I¡¯m


    alright.


    Still, everyone seemed to think that I¡¯m still hung up on him, and no amount of exining would


    convince them otherwise.


    Russel, in particr, would never believe that I¡¯m over Neil.


    After all, Serena and Brandon were my kids with Neil. He knew that all too well.


    ¡°Russel,¡± I sighed, ¡°Why are you so damn stubborn? You¡¯ve got your whole life ahead of you. Why


    waste it on me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost to you, Irene. What can I do?¡± Russel sped his hands together, a pained look in his eyes.


    ¡°You really think I want this? I just can¡¯t control my heart.¡±

 Chapter 468

    Chapter 468


    Chapter 468


    Emotions are the most unpredictable things in this world, even when you don¡¯t speak, they can be seen


    in your eyes.


    I know this feeling all too well. How could I not understand Russel?


    But haven¡¯t I ovee this too? And I feel like I¡¯vepletely healed from the emotional drain!


    After a while, I noticed that Russel¡¯s eyes were turning red. He was desperately trying to keep his eyes


    open, as if to prevent tears from falling. At that moment, he looked wronged, filled with resentment for


    not being understood, his eyshes quivering, already wet.


    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know what to do. It seemed like the first time I had ever seen Russel like this.


    ¡°Russel, are¡­.are you okay?¡± I hurriedly grabbed a tissue, wanting to wipe the corner of his eyes, but


    he avoided me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I know you¡¯ve always been firm in your decision, never changing. But I don¡¯t want to give up.


    Other than you, I can¡¯t fall in love with anyone else. To spend my life with a woman I don¡¯t love would


    be like living with a second Chloe.¡± Russel¡¯s words were fine until thest sentence which sent a shiver


    down my spine.


    Looking at me, his eyes had regained their calm, even carrying a hint of coldness.


    I felt like he was threatening me.


    Chloe had lost her life, but she was truly devoted to Russel.


    Hasn¡¯t Russel ever felt guilty about Chloe?


    Such a statement was too extreme either he never gave up on me, or he was cruel to anyone else who


    liked him. ¡°What do you mean by that? Russel, don¡¯t be so extreme, okay? You¡¯re not supposed to be


    like this!¡± I was getting agitated too.


    ¡°You know what kind of person I am. You know almost everything I¡¯ve done, don¡¯t you?¡± Russel sighed


    softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be like this, but there are things that if you don¡¯t fight for them, there¡¯s no hope at


    all.¡±


    I was left speechless by his words, having seen his methods in my past life. He was really no different


    from Neil; his only downfall was that Bonnie loved Neil in my past life.


    After saying these things, Russel turned and left, leaving his flowers on the table. I looked at them for a


    while but didn¡¯t pick them


    1.


    Due to the conflict in the hospital, Russel and I hadn¡¯t seen each other for several days, and we hadn¡¯t


    been in contact. It was as if we were intentionally avoiding each other.


    I seized this opportunity to take a breather and told Ste and the others about what had happened


    here.


    Ste raged in the group chat: [Louis, that bastard, I¡¯m going to hire someone to castrate him!]


    Barbara: [I didn¡¯t expect him to be that kind of person, disgusting. But why did he treat you like that?]


    Alicia, who was abroad, was still concerned about me: [Is it because of Malinda?]


    I didn¡¯t tell them about Louis possibly being a Whitmore family bastard. This news would eventually


    come out, but until the truth was revealed, I didn¡¯t want to create unnecessary spection.


    Then Ste tagged me in the chat: [Rena, Mitch is back in Eldoria. Isn¡¯t Karina¡¯s son having a birthday?


    He seems to be attending.] I thought of Hiram¡¯s birthday party, which I had no ns of attending.


    I replied: [Yes, he¡¯s turning seven.]


    Then the group started gossiping about Karina and Hiram. I asionally chimed in, but didn¡¯t want to


    get too involved, as it would affect my mood.


    Just then, my phone rang. Seeing Neil¡¯s name, I really didn¡¯t want to answer, so I left it be. But soon he


    sent a message: [My mom is sick, I need your help.]


    Faith is sick? I remembered running into Hiram at the hospital a few days ago. Hiram said Faith was


    sick and it was Neil who had taken her to the hospital.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    But I didn¡¯t ask what was wrong.


    What kind of illness could make Neil ask for my help? After all, Karina is the doctor and quite a skilled


    one at that.


    1/2


    09:08 1


    I¡¯m clueless. What use would I be?


    Neil called again, and out of concern for Faith, I answered.


    ¡°Can youe over to my ce?¡± Neil asked straightforwardly, sounding rather frustrated.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± I wanted to know the situation first.


    ¡°Depression. She¡¯s showing signs of wanting to give up.¡± Neil paused before answering me.


    Hearing this, my mind went nk.


    What the hell?


    Faith is usually a sophisticateddy with a great mentality. How could she have depression, and show


    signs of wanting to give up?!


    For a moment, I was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t know how to respond. After hesitating for a while, I finally


    said, ¡°What good would it


    if came over?¡±


    do


    ¡°Maybe you can talk to her.¡± Neil¡¯s words left me speechless. Can you really talk someone out of


    depression?


    Just as I was thinking about how to refuse, a soft sobbing sound came from the other end of the phone,


    sounding like Faith.


    It did sound rather oppressive.


    Neil hung up, then sent another message: [My mom has been unable to get over our divorce and losing


    that baby. I guess that¡¯s why she¡¯s like this.]


    Faith has indeed been unable to let go of my divorce with Neil, and the loss of that baby.


    Their long-awaited grandchild, just gone like that. Even though they now have Hiram, for them, the


    baby I lost was also their precious gem.


    This message was undoubtedly putting pressure on me. In that matter, I was also a victim, but I initially


    hid it from Neil and his family, so I do bear some responsibility.


    If I had told the Whitmore family back then, I would have been well taken care of, and maybe the baby


    could have been saved.


    But everything was in the past, there were no what-ifs.


    As if knowing my decision, Neil immediately sent another message with the address.


    ¡°Norah, I¡¯m taking Serena out for a bit.¡± I decided to take Serena with me, leaving Brandon at home.


    Norah had been tired these past few days and I didn¡¯t want to burden her with taking care of two kids


    by herself.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Norah nodded.


    I quickly gathered my stuff and got Serena settled in the car, heading towards Neil¡¯s ce.


    Neil and Karina¡¯s home wasn¡¯t too far from mine. About a half hourter, I was pushing Serena up to


    Neil¡¯s front door, which was festooned with colorful balloons and birthday decorations. Today was


    Hiram¡¯s birthday.


    Of course, we weren¡¯t the only guests. I spotted Mitch as well.


    Mitch was entertaining Hiram when I arrived and he looked a bit ufortable when he saw me,


    probably because of the past unpleasantness over Ste.

 Chapter 469

    Chapter 469


    Chapter 469


    ¡°Good to see you,¡± Mitch greeted me warmly.


    This time, Hiram seemed a lot morefortable with me, even cheerfully calling me ¡°Ms. Finch¡±!


    But little did he know, the consequences of my visit would lead him into facing Karina¡¯s scolding.


    With a smile, I asked Hiram, ¡°Where are your parents?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re inside, and so are my grandparents!¡± Hiram enthusiastically led me in. It was his birthday, and


    the house was beautifully decorated.


    The staff was bustling around, Neil was on a call in the living room, and Ryan was fussing with a model


    toy, likely a gift for Hiram. Upon seeing me, a grin shed across Ryan¡¯s face, ¡°Irene¡¯s here!¡±


    He then picked up Serena from her stroller, ¡°And Princess Serena too. She¡¯s getting prettier every day!¡±


    Ryan was visibly more rxed with Serena this time, his affection for her clear in his words.


    Instead of bringing Brandon, I chose to bring Serena because Brandon¡¯s resemnce to Neil was


    growing more pronounced, and I didn¡¯t want to stir up any unnecessary associations for Ryan and


    Faith.


    ¡°Ah, Irene¡¯s here?¡± Faith descended from the second floor, looking as healthy as ever, save for her


    slightly red, swollen eyes that showed signs of recent crying.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted politely, my eyes scanning the room for Karina. On such an important day, where


    could she be?


    Neil noticed my tense gaze and calmly exined, ¡°Karina had to attend to something at the hospital,


    and she¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± I was least interested in seeing Karina. If it weren¡¯t for Faith¡¯s situation, I


    wouldn¡¯t be here at all.


    But since I was here, I couldn¡¯te empty-handed. I retrieved a video game console from under


    Serena¡¯s stroller and gave it to Hiram. ¡°Happy birthday, Hiram. This is my gift to you. Do you like it?¡±


    Hiram loved video games and his eyes sparkled at the sight of the console. He nodded enthusiastically,


    looking at me with newfound warmth, ¡°I love it, thank you, Ms. Finch!¡±


    Seeing Hiram¡¯s sudden warmth towards me, Ryan and Faith exchanged puzzled nces, but soon


    broke into pleased smiles. They were more than happy to see Hiram and me getting along.


    With his new game console, Hiram was soon engrossed in a game, while Faith led me to a seat on the


    couch. A servant brought me coffee, and there were candies and fruit on the table, all from expensive


    brands, indicating the Whitmore family¡¯s anticipation for Hiram¡¯s birthday party.


    After all, this was Hiram¡¯s first birthday since rejoining the Whitmore family, so a grand celebration was


    to be expected.


    Serena was still nestled in Ryan¡¯s arms. She seemed to enjoy thepany of the Whitmore family,


    being well-behaved whether held by Neil or Ryan and Faith, and even entertained everyone with her


    babbling.


    ¡°Girls are always more behaved. Look at her big eyes and cherry lips; she¡¯s adorable. She¡¯s going to


    be a beauty when she grows up, just like Irene!¡± Faith gushed over Serena, indirectlyplimenting


    me.


    ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s more and more like Irene,¡± Ryan chimed in. Without Karina around, their praises for me


    were explicit and warm.


    Neil didn¡¯t say anything, merely focusing on his¡¯ phone.


    The atmosphere was harmonious, as if we were still one big family, and Serena was their


    granddaughter.


    Just then, a string of guests arrived, all important business partners of the Whitmore family. Some even


    traveled all the way


    from Rosemont, indicating the importance they ced on the Whitmore family¡¯s invitation.


    Neil finally put away his phone and stood up to greet the guests. Ryan handed Serena to Faith, and


    both father and son joined in weing the guests.


    Hiram was engrossed in his game, oblivious to the buzzing activity around him.


    After a while, Karina arrived, thest to do so, with traces of sweat on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hiram. Mommy was held up by an emergency surgery at the hospital,¡± Karina apologized


    sincerely as she embraced Hiram. But when she noticed the game console in Hiram¡¯s hand, her


    expression subtly changed, ¡°Hiram, where did you get this game console?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Hiram, sensing Karina¡¯s displeasure, quickly put down the console and fell silent, looking at me.


    I was puzzled. Karina used to allow Hiram to y video games, albeit with time restrictions. Why was


    she acting as if he wasn¡¯t allowed to y at all now?


    ¡°Irene gave it to him for his birthday. What¡¯s wrong with Hiram ying a little on his special day?¡± Faith


    intervened. The moment Karina appeared, her smile faded noticeably.


    ¡°Faith, it¡¯s just that Hiram¡¯s been falling behind in his studies, and prolonged gaming can overstimte


    a child¡¯s brain. It¡¯s not good for him either way,¡± Karina exined as she took the game console from


    Hiram and casually ced it on the floor.


    Hiram cast a longing nce at the console.


    ¡°You should know better, Karina. It¡¯s normal for kids to y. I¡¯ve spoken to Hiram¡¯s teacher. He¡¯s just


    returned from overseas and it¡¯s natural for him to take a while to adjust to our education system. The


    teacher said he¡¯s a smart kid and will catch up soon. Don¡¯t you know that as a mother?¡± Faith rebuked


    Karina.


    I had no idea why she disliked Karina so much.


    Karina is Hiram¡¯s mother and a renowned doctor after all.


    Although her past deception had soured Ryan¡¯s opinion of her, Faith really ought to have kept up


    appearances, especially with so many guests present.


    ¡°Faith, I¡¯ve been rather busy with work and I¡¯ve neglected Hiram, but everything I do is for Hiram¡¯s best


    interests,¡± Karina stated, not backing down on the issue of disciplining Hiram. Holding Hiram¡¯s hand,


    she turned her gaze towards me, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Finch.¡±


    I simply smiled, choosing not to respond.


    Faith seemed to want to say more, but Ryan cut her off. Their eye contact was brief, but it was clear


    they were both irked.


    ¡°Let me hold her.¡± I reached out to take Serena from Faith¡¯s arms. The little one was thrilled today, her


    small face flushed with joy as she cooed excitedly every now and then.


    Faith looked on, her eyes glued to Serena with an intense longing. It was clear she yearned to hold her


    again..


    Having a grandson made her want a granddaughter. The Whitmore family was certainly not short on


    means to support another child. I understood Faith¡¯s feelings.


    Ryan approached, ¡°Here, let me hold her again.¡±


    Just then, Hiram¡¯s voice rang out suddenly, ¡°Grandma, Grandpa, do you like other people¡¯s kids more


    than you like me?¡±

 Chapter 470

    Chapter 470


    Chapter 470


    Hiram¡¯s words caught everyone off guard, causing a sudden shift in the atmosphere.


    At that moment, Ryan and Faith were vying to hold Serena, seemingly showing her more affection. But


    I knew, it was merely their sense of regret.


    ¡°Hiram, what nonsense are you talking about?¡± Karina swiftly bent down, gripping Hiram¡¯s shoulders


    with a stern tone, ¡°Your grandparents love you the most, and you¡¯re their only biological grandson, how


    could they prefer another child? Ryan, Faith, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    She looked at Ryan and Faith for confirmation.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    The others exchanged nces, all curious but too timid to speak up.


    Ryan and Faith nced at Serena, then at Hiram. In front of everyone, they couldn¡¯t admit to preferring


    another child, not to mention they genuinely loved Hiram. After all, he was their great-grandson, no


    reason not to spoil him.


    ¡°Absolutely, Hiram, your grandparents adore you the most!¡± Faith reluctantly handed Serena back to


    me, with Ryan also refraining from continuing to hold her.


    Faith threw me an apologetic look, then hurriedly joined Ryan inforting Hiram.


    Hiram pouted, letting Ryan and Faith coddle him. It was clear how much they loved him. Who else


    could throw a tantrum in front of Ryan and Faith? Only Hiram had the privilege of being patiently


    soothed by them.


    Serena, with her innocent, bright eyes, seemed oblivious to what was happening. Her tiny hand gripped


    my cor as she whimpered, her pouted lips indicating she was probably hungry.


    While everyone was focused on Hiram, I moved Serena to the side and prepared a bottle of form for


    her.


    Suddenly, Mitch quietly approached me, aplex expression on his face. I was not fond of him, so I


    ignored him, continuing to feed Serena.


    ¡°She¡¯s very well-behaved.¡± Mitch suddenly said, his eyes filled with sorrow as they focused on Serena.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± I responded, uninterested in prolonging the conversation.


    ¡°My three kids are all well-behaved, but it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen them. I wonder if they¡¯re


    behaving.¡± Mitch¡¯s voice was heavy with sadness.


    I scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ste will take good care of them. Just focus on yourself.¡±


    Mitch caught the frostiness in my tone, ¡°Do you think my mistakes were worth a divorce?¡±


    The fact that he even asked this question told me he still hadn¡¯t grasped the gravity of the situation.


    Ste was right to be firm. If she had softened and continued the marriage, the problems would only


    intensify.


    ¡°Since you still don¡¯t understand your faults, stop regretting and stop bothering Ste.¡± After feeding


    Serena, I picked her up, moving away from. Mitch.


    However, he persisted, thick-skinned as ever. He asked me to send Ste a video so he could see the


    children.


    It turned out Ste had been ignoring Mitch¡¯s calls and video chats, and he hadn¡¯t seen the children for


    days.


    I had to admit, Ste was formidable in this regard.


    Since she didn¡¯t want to allow Mitch to see the children, I wouldn¡¯t help either.


    ¡°No, Mitch, if you really loved your children, you should have loved their mother. You failed to do that.


    Don¡¯t bother me.¡± I rolled my eyes, carrying Serena to the backyard, where a beautiful outdoor


    swimming pool was surrounded by a greenwn dotted with flowers.


    I hadn¡¯te to attend Hiram¡¯s birthday party; I came to see Faith. So, I had no interest in mingling


    with others.


    ¡°Serena, look at these flowers!¡± I held up Serena, pointing at the colorful blossoms.


    Serena, with her innocent clear eyes, sucked on her fingers while observing the flowers. Her cute,


    chubby face was irresistibly kissable, and I did just that.


    To show my maternal love, I even yfully sucked on Serena¡¯s chubby cheeks, chuckling softly.


    ¡°My little one is so cute. Thanks to my genes.¡± With no one around/praising myself.


    Experts say it¡¯s crucial to talk to your baby, even at a young age. It stimtes their nerve development.


    Suddenly, I heard a cough behind me, ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Turning around, I saw Neil looking at me with a bemused expression. I felt a tinge of embarrassment,


    but quicklyposed myself. What¡¯s wrong with talking to my own child?


    Neil came out to talk to me. Wasn¡¯t he worried Karina might misunderstand?


    Thinking of Karina¡¯s jealous nature, I instinctively took a step back from Neil.


    Neil didn¡¯t seem pleased with my subconscious action.


    ¡°I wanted to discuss my mother¡¯s condition with you.¡± Neil sat down on a nearby chair, gesturing for me


    to do the same.


    I sat down with Serena in my arms. I was having a hard time believing Faith was suffering from


    depression, because she behaved normally earlier, just like the Faith I knew before.


    However, Neil presented a psychological evaluation report, confirming Faith¡¯s mild depression. It wasn¡¯t


    severe, but if left untreated. Because it could worsen.


    Neil had talked to Faith a lot, and it appeared our divorce and the child were the roots of her


    depression.


    Especially the child.


    ¡°She told me she often dreams of a little girl calling her ¡®Grandma¡¯. She believes that little girl is the


    child we lost. She even went to the local church to light a candle and pray. She¡¯s been through quite a


    lot,¡± Neil shared about his mother¡¯s ordeal, his face etched with worry.


    A pang of sympathy hit me. That poor child. Just like Faith, I had also dreamed of her. She called me


    ¡®Mom¡¯. Since we had Serena and Brandon, those dreams slowly faded.


    ¡°So, you want me to talk to her?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want her to continue like this. We have to move forward, don¡¯t we?¡± Neil¡¯s gaze was fixed


    on me, steady like a calmke.


    I was already moving forward, but Faith was still stuck in the pain of losing her granddaughter, unable


    to move on.

 Chapter 471

    Chapter 471


    Chapter 471


    No wonder Faith was always so fond of Serena. It¡¯s as if she saw the child in her.


    That was also my first child. Sometimes, I too, see her in Serena. I felt she¡¯se back to me, and,


    fearing I might be too lonely, she¡¯s even brought along a son for me.


    I looked down at Serena sleeping peacefully in my arms, and my heart softened.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we must always look forward. Neil, are you looking forward?¡± I turn to meet Neil¡¯s gaze, a


    faint smile ying on my lips.


    Neil was taken aback, then he looked away. A low hum of agreement came from his throat, ¡°Yeah,


    looking forward.¡±


    Moving forward would mean no more crossing paths with me, right?


    I didn¡¯t know if his answer was true or false, but I hope it was true.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll talk to her.¡± I nodded, ¡°She was always nice to me. I remember.¡±


    The morning sun was growing stronger. I didn¡¯t want to stay here anymore, otherwise Serena would


    suffer. She was already asleep, and I needed to find a better ce for her to rest.


    Neil suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs. Serena can sleep in the room.¡±


    I was thinking the same. Upstairs would be quieter. So, I followed Neil back into the living room where


    Hiram was unwrapping presents. Some smart folks brought their kids along. It was easier for the


    children to bond, and everyone could see how much the Whitmores care for Hiram. So, winning him


    over was like gaining the favor of the entire Whitmore family.


    Neil led me upstairs. Some people noticed us, and their gazes were strange.


    Many knew me, after all. I was Neil¡¯s wife for five years. These people were close partners of Whitmore


    Co., and some had met me before and recognized me now.


    It was a bit awkward. I bore the various nces and quickly went upstairs. Neil led me to a guest room.


    I gentlyid Serena on the bed and covered her with a thin nket before turning to leave.


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s time to cut the cake! Will you help me?¡± Hiram ran up and grabbed Neil¡¯s hand with a smile


    on his face.


    Karina followed behind and watched Neil with amusement in her eyes, asionally ncing at me.


    Of course, Neil wouldn¡¯t refuse Hiram. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go down.¡±


    As we descended, Karina deservedly hooked her arms with Neil¡¯s with Hiram holding his other hand.


    The three of them looked like a perfectly happy family, while I trailed behind and seemed out of ce. I


    decided to pause and nned to follow after a


    moment.


    Just then, Karina called out to me, ¡°Ms. Finch,e join us for the cake.¡±


    All eyes turned to me. I was stuck. So, I decided to stop overthinking and confidently follow whatsoever.


    ¡°Irene,e here.¡± Faith intervened. She waved at me as I followed behind Karina.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I walked over and she took my hand, leading me to a quieter spot to sit. Then, she asked, ¡°Howe


    you¡¯re here today? Did you know it was Hiram¡¯s birthday?¡±


    ¡°No, Karina has invited me before, but I was busy. I mainly came to see you and Ryan today, and to


    bring Hiram a birthday present.¡± I replied softly.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s thoughtful of you to remember to visit me.¡± Faith was touched and held my hand tightly.


    ¡°Faith, actually, I told Neil about your situation, I¡­¡± I hesitated, not sure if it was appropriate to discuss.


    After all, it was my first time dealing with someone suffering from depression.


    I never had any other rtives or friends diagnosed with depression so was unsure how I should


    comfort her.


    Faith looked startled, quickly catching on. She looked awkward but tried to smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t listen


    to Neil¡¯s nonsense, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    and


    ¡°How can I not worry about you?¡± I gripped her hand tighter, but this wasn¡¯t the best time to discuss


    this. Everyone was waiting for Hiram to cut the cake. I continued, ¡°Can we talk privately after the guests


    leave?¡±


    Faith nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Just then, Hiram ran over, ¡°Grandma,e on! I want Dad, Mom, Grandpa, and Grandma all by my


    side. This is my first really


    1/2


    08:36


    happy birthday!¡±


    Hearing her beloved grandson¡¯s words, Faith was pleased and pained at the same time. She signaled


    me with her eyes, then quickly went to join Hiram cutting the cake.


    Through the crowd, I saw Karina¡¯s gaze on me. As our eyes met, she smiled a smirk of triumph.


    She must had sent Hiram to fetch Faith and likely sent him upstairs for Neil too.


    She didn¡¯t want me to be alone with any member of the Whitmore family


    I didn¡¯t mind. I simply looked away and checked my phone. With so many people crowding around


    Hiram and the cake, I decided to avoid themotion. After the cake, I¡¯d go up and stay with Serena


    My main goal today was to talk to Faith.


    As I scrolled through my phone, I noticed something odd. Alicia posted on Facebook: I have a special


    talent for unrequited love)


    The post was from five hours ago, in her time zone it would¡¯ve been before dawn. A negative post like


    this at such an hour, something must be up.


    Alicia rarely posted like this. She usually posted about work.


    Ste had alreadymented: [What¡¯s up?]


    I felt a pang of worry. Alicia must had had a problem with Sean in ndia. Their rtionship had


    always felt cursed to me. It always went wrong, despite their mutual affection and happy times together.


    I messaged Alicia: [Ali, are you still in ndia?]


    I was surprised to find Alicia hadn¡¯t retired for the night yet. She responded almost immediately: [Yeah,


    still awake] Me: [Are you with Sean?]


    Alicia: [No, not anymore. I¡¯ve booked a ne ticket home for tomorrow.]


    Me: [What happened? Will you tell me?)


    Alicia: [It¡¯s nothing. I just realized we¡¯re not right for each other. I was deluding myself before. We¡¯re far


    frompatible, truly]


    I had a rough idea about Sean¡¯s social standing. He seemed rather well matched with Alicia. How could


    they not be from the same world?


    In these circles, the best match is typically one of equal social standing.


    By the time I responded again, Alicia had stopped replying. I could tell she was feeling low. Giving her


    some space might be best, so I refrained from probing further.


    Everyone around me was merrily devouring their cake, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice Neil and Karina


    were missing.

 Chapter 472

    Chapter 472


    Chapter 472


    Neil and Karina should be by Hiram¡¯s side at this important moment. Where else could they possibly


    be?


    I felt a twinge of confusion, but I didn¡¯t dwell on it. Mitch brought me a te of cupcakes. ¡°Have


    something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I replied, taking one of the cupcakes and nibbling on it absentmindedly. After a few bites, I


    left it aside and went upstairs to check on the kids.


    Serena usually napped a lot, sometimes for an hour or two. But today was a bit noisy. I feared she


    might wake up when I didn¡¯t know.


    Treading lightly, I made my way to the second floor. Serena¡¯s guest room was at the very end of the


    hallway, and I had to pass by one room to get there. I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it at first, but then I


    heard Neil¡¯s voice, sounding extremely indifferent,ing from that room. ¡°You should know it¡¯s not


    possible, Karina. I don¡¯t want toplicate things between us.¡±


    I paused and realized that the door was slightly ajar, allowing their conversation to drift out into the


    hallway.


    Karina was there too?


    Eavesdropping was impolite; but at that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but listen in.


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to give Hiram aplete family?¡± Karina¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t asposed as usual.


    It¡¯trembled slightly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this aplete family now? Just because we¡¯re not married doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not his father. All


    that matters is that he feels loved.¡± Neil¡¯s words were firm and left little room for argument.


    I was stunned. I thought him considering Karina as Hiram¡¯s mother was just an excuse, but it turned out


    he really didn¡¯t have feelings for her anymore.


    I felt a pang of sympathy for Karina. All the public affection was just a facade. Even if the Whitmore


    family epted Hiram immediately after her return, it didn¡¯t mean they epted her.


    Once I was in the same position, seemingly sessful but hollow inside.


    ¡°I want a recognition, for Hiram¡¯s sake. I want a formal title.¡± Karina replied, ¡°I don¡¯t need a wedding.


    Just a marriage license would do. I¡¯ll save Daniel right after I get a legal title.¡±


    Was Karina threatening Neil with this?


    Didn¡¯t she know Neil hated being threatened? Especially when the threat was something he didn¡¯t care


    about.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    If Neil really cared about Daniel¡¯s well-being, he would have agreed to Kitty¡¯s demands long ago


    instead of waited for Kitty to repeatedly seek out Karina¡¯s help.


    Neil was cold-hearted in this regard.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to save Daniel, then don¡¯t. It does nothing for me.¡± Neil¡¯s voice grew colder, ¡°You¡¯re


    making a big mistake using this to threaten me.¡±


    Karina didn¡¯t reply, and the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. I quickly retreated to the end of the


    hallway and entered the room. Serena was sound asleep and undisturbed by the noise, but my own


    mind was in turmoil.


    Neil¡¯s conversation with Karina both surprised and shocked me.


    If Neil wasn¡¯t willing to marry Karina, it would undoubtedly trouble me. Knowing Karina¡¯s narrow-minded


    nature, she¡¯d likely me me for this. My thoughts were a whirlwind as I paced the room.


    Serena woke up after a while, cooing and making noises to signal her awakening. I picked her up and


    headed downstairs.


    To my surprise, Karina was standing near the staircase. I couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking. She


    stared nkly at the floor below. Hef silhouette seemed lonely.


    She faked her death, moved abroad, secretly gave birth to Hiram, and raised him on her own. She


    endured so much just to return to Neil and marry into the Whitmore family, and yet she failed.


    If I were in her shoes, I wouldn¡¯t be able to ept it either.


    As I walked past Karina with Serena in my arms, she looked surprised to see me. ¡°Ms. Finch, what


    were you doing upstairs?¡±


    ¡°Just putting my daughter to bed.¡± I replied casually.


    ¡°The second floor is a private area. Please refrain from going up there without permission,¡± Karina


    responded sharply, her usualposure reced by a bitter edge.


    ¡®I¡¯m not interested in your private affairs, don¡¯t worry.¡± I said, meeting her teary gaze. She must have


    been crying.


    I spent quite a while upstairs, so a few guests had already left by the time I reached the ground floor.


    Ryan was ying with Hiram, and Faith was nowhere to be seen.


    As he saw me, Ryan immediately said, ¡°Irene, are you hungry? I saved some food for you.¡±


    I was surprised that Ryan had actually saved some food for me. He nced around, making sure no


    one else was within earshot before saying, ¡°Faith thought you¡¯d be ufortable eating with us, so we


    didn¡¯t call you so that you could rest upstairs.¡±


    Faith¡¯s considerate nature always took me by surprise. Women tend to be more thoughtful, and she


    knew how awkward it would be for me to dine with them.


    Thank you, Ryan, but I¡¯m not really hungry. Where is Faith?¡± I wanted to talk to her before I left.


    ¡°She¡¯s escorting a friend home. They¡¯re old friends and will probably spend the rest of the day catching


    up.¡± Ryan told me.


    It seemed I wouldn¡¯t be able to talk to Faith today. With that, I decided not to linger anymore and bid


    Ryan goodbye. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going now. I¡¯ll catch up with her next time.¡±


    Ryan understood why I hade. Faith must have exined the situation to him. He stopped me as I


    was leaving. ¡°Irene, I¡¯m d you came. I know you still care about Faith and me. Faith is a sensitive


    person and often overthinks things. Please, talk to her for me.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I promised. Faith had shown me kindness, and I would return the favor by helping her ovee


    her worries.


    Depression could lead to self-harm or even suicide if it got worse. I didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen


    to Faith.


    As we spoke, I felt someone watching me. I looked around and saw Karina staring at me from a


    distance. When our eyes met, she quickly looked away and crouched down to y with Hiram.


    Karina gave off the aura of a chilling specter. Her gaze always made me feel incredibly unnerved.


    Especially since Neil just turned down her marriage proposal, I suspected her resentment towards me


    was off the charts right now.


    ¡°Hey, please let me hold Serena once more.¡± Ryan suddenly extended his hand, indicating he wanted


    me to pass Serena to him.


    It was apparent that he genuinely adored Serena. I didn¡¯t refuse and was about to hand her over when


    Hiram dashed over again. This time, he gave me a hard shove. ¡°Grandpa, I won¡¯t allow you to hold


    other people¡¯s kids! You don¡¯t like me anymore!¡±

 Chapter 473

    Chapter 473


    Chapter 473


    Hiram¡¯s push was forceful, and I was caught off guard while handing Serena, so I almost tumbled


    down.


    Luckily, Ryan, with his keen reflexes, caught Serena in time. I managed to steady myself and avoided a


    fall.


    ¡°Hiram!¡± It was the first time I had heard Ryan shout so sternly at Hiram. He returned Serena to me,


    then grabbed Hiram¡¯s arm. ¡°Apologize! What on earth were you doing? How could you push them?


    What if they fell and got hurt?¡±


    Hiram seemed taken aback and immediately turned to look at Karina.


    Seeing this, Karina quickly approached. Oddly enough, she had no reaction when Hiram initially rushed


    to push me.


    ¡°Hiram, apologize to Miss Finch.¡± When Karina arrived, she stood with Ryan instead of being partial to


    Hiram.


    Hiram¡¯s lips pouted as if he was about to cry.


    I had started to change my opinion about Hiram. I thought that he was warming up to me, and he was


    just a kid after all. But the incident made me repel him once again. If Serena was hurt, I would never


    forgive him, even if he was just a kid.


    ¡°I¡¯m Grandpa¡¯s grandson, why does he like others more? I¡¯m not happy!¡± Hiram began to weep.


    Holding onto Ryan¡¯s shirt, he asked, ¡°Grandpa, do you not like me anymore?¡±


    Ryan was doing well in this situation. Even though he loved the child, he would notpromise when it


    came to what was right and wrong.


    The child needed to be educated.


    ¡°Hiram, of course Grandpa likes you. But this little sister is also adorable, and Grandpa likes her just as


    much. But you can¡¯t push people just because of that; do you understand?¡± Ryan patiently exined.


    That¡¯s when Karina spoke, ¡°That¡¯s right, Hiram, you are Grandpa¡¯s favorite, you know? You are a


    Whitmore, and she is a Dawson; you can¡¯t be petty with her.¡±


    She deliberately differentiated between thest names of Hiram and Serena. She was too obvious, and


    Ryan¡¯s face changed a bit.


    But it didn¡¯t matter to be. Serena was actually using myst name, and I just didn¡¯t usually call her full


    name.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I won¡¯t apologize! I did nothing wrong!¡± Hiram replied stubbornly and gave me an angry stare with


    tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Hiram, you can¡¯t be like this!¡± Karina gave Hiram a signal with her eyes.


    Hiram acknowledged Karina¡¯s signal and his tears stopped. Then, with a reluctant pout, his spirit


    seemed to droop a bit.


    At this moment, I was almost certain that Karina had instructed Hiram to push me.


    ¡°Karina, he¡¯s just a child. Do you really have to make him to do such bad things? Just to achieve your


    goal?¡± I didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble on this special day, but Karina had crossed the line.


    Hiram was her son, not mine, and yet she could manipte her own child to such an extent. Her heart


    was indeed ruthless.


    She made Hiram to take the me. If this continued, Hiram¡¯s reputation within the Whitmore family


    would only worsen.


    But because he was the only grandson of the Whitmore family, everyone would tolerate him, and all


    they would do was trying to educate him properly.


    Karina, knowing this, kept passing the buck to Hiram.


    ¡°Miss Finch, what do you mean?¡± Karina¡¯s countenance was unpleasant, ¡°What bad things did I make


    Hiram do? Please rify and don¡¯t just nder me.¡±


    Ryan was also surprised and puzzled, ¡°Irene, are you saying that Karina is instructing the child to do


    bad things?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I did not deny it.


    At this point, Karina became a bit flustered. The guilty were always restless, and her tone was slightly


    anxious. ¡°Irene, I know you don¡¯t like me much, but please, don¡¯t make false usations.¡±


    Then, Neil¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I didn¡¯t see him before, so I didn¡¯t know where he went or how he appeared out of nowhere. His


    expression didn¡¯t look very pleasant as he eyed both Karina and me.


    Karina became even more panicked when she saw Neil. ¡°Nothing, there might be some


    misunderstanding between Ms. Finch and I. She was about to leave. I¡¯m seeing her out.¡±


    As she finished speaking, she walked over to me, grabbed my arm, and tried to lead me away.


    But since I had already spoken, I decided to rify. Karina¡¯s constant use of Hiram against me was


    truly annoying.


    I shook off Karina¡¯s hand and put Serena in the stroller, ¡°Karina, evil cannot triumph forever. When you


    me all the faults on Hiram, don¡¯t you ever think that he is your own son?¡±


    Hiram seemed to freeze at my words. His face showed panic, and his eyes seemed begging and


    fearful as he nced at me.


    He must know what I was about to say and didn¡¯t want me to reveal it.


    But I felt that exposing it would also bring Hiram some good. At least Neil and others would know that


    the child should not be spoiled by Karina any longer.


    ¡°Of course, he is my own son!¡± Karina suddenly became agitated, ¡°I have his birth certificate, countless


    pictures of him, and his paternity test with Neil. Do I still need to question this?¡±


    I was a bit taken aback by Karina¡¯s inexplicable agitation, as if this point was very important to her. She


    could tolerate anything else, but not this.


    Realizing her emotional outburst, Karina paused and quickly adjusted to exin, ¡°Sorry, I was living


    abroad alone with the child before, and encountered a lot of strange eyes. Many people questioned the


    child¡¯s father and doubted me, so I am easily agitated in this regard.¡±


    She then went over to hug Hiram, looking as if she was afraid of losing him.


    Her words seemed to touch Ryan a bit. After all, it was the Whitmore family who had opposed her and


    Neil being together, which led her to go abroad while pregnant. Raising a child alone in a foreignnd


    was indeed not easy.


    Men were all the same in that regard, easily sympathizing with a woman¡¯s plight as such. Even Ryan


    couldn¡¯t escape this.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drop it for now. We can talk another time. Don¡¯t cry anymore. You¡¯ll scare the kid,¡± Ryan sighed;


    his tone was a bit helpless.


    Hiram hurriedly wiped away Karina¡¯s tears, which showed a deep concern for his mother.


    Children¡¯s affection for their mothers was pure, but Karina didn¡¯t deserve such love.


    My words got stuck in my throat, leaving me in a dilemma whether to speak or not.


    ¡°Spill it.¡± Unexpectedly, it was Neil who spoke up. Unlike Ryan¡¯s sympathetic stance, Neil¡¯s approach


    was more direct and firm.


    I was surprised. Neil had been so sure that Hiram was the one who snitched to Mitch. How would he


    react if I told him that it was all Karina¡¯s doing?


    ¡°Ms. Finch!¡± Hiram suddenly shouted. His wide eyes was filled with terror as he stared at me.

 Chapter 474

    Chapter 474


    Chapter 474


    ¡°Hiram.¡± Karina looked at Hiram, seemingly sensing something amiss. She gazed with explicit threat,


    despite in the presence of everyone.


    It was hard to describe how I felt. How could someone look at their own child in such a way? It was as


    if he wasn¡¯t her son but an insubordinate ve.


    Hiram fell silent and shrunk back submissively.


    I knew what he was afraid of. If I spoke out, he might have to face Karina¡¯s punishment.


    Even if I didn¡¯t say anything, he would still be scolded.


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡± The words died in my throat. No matter how much I disliked Hiram, I couldn¡¯t


    bear to see him punished by Karina.


    He was like a puppet that Karina had meticulously crafted. He appeared to be cherished, but in reality,


    he wasn¡¯t truly cared for.


    Karina exhaled in relief knowing I wasn¡¯t going to continue. If she provoked me any further, it would


    only be disadvantageous for her.


    The Whitmore family was now aplex mess with Karina and Hiram¡¯s return. I was ready to leave


    with Serena, but Neil stopped me. ¡°First clear it up, what did Karina make Hiram do?¡±


    ¡°Dad, Mommy didn¡¯t make me do anything. Don¡¯t misunderstand her!¡± Hiram, seeing Neil getting


    serious, quickly went over to hug Neil¡¯s leg and pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t me my mommy, okay?¡±


    He started crying as he spoke, and Neil¡¯s expression softened slightly. He loved his son deeply.


    I left with Serena in his moment of hesitation. This was their family matter, and I didn¡¯t want to get


    involved.


    ¡°Rena, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Just as I got home, I found that my mom had returned. She was tending to the vegetable garden in the


    yard.


    I was surprised. ¡°Mom, why are you back? Where¡¯s Dad?¡±


    ¡°Your dad is still dealing with some errands, so I came back first.¡± My mom looked weary. Her eyes


    were red and swollen. She managed to squeeze out a faint smile.


    ¡°Are things still not settled over there?¡± I asked softly. My heart ached as I saw my mom¡¯s tiring face.


    Mom paused before answering with a choked voice, ¡°Your aunt, Emily¡­ didn¡¯t make it. After we took


    care of her funeral, I came back first. I just felt too heartbroken there and couldn¡¯t bear it. Your dad


    suggested Ie back first.¡±


    That¡¯s when I learned of Emily¡¯s passing. Mom had never told me before that.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a lump in my throat, and my heart was heavy.


    Silence fell over the yard until my mom put down her work, dusted her hands, and came over to check


    on Serena in the stroller. ¡°Where did you take her? Why did you leave Brandon home alone?¡±


    ¡°I took her out for a bit.¡± I didn¡¯t want to tell mom that I had gone to Neil¡¯s house. She was already in a


    terrible mood, so I didn¡¯t want to make her feel worse.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Mom washed her hands and then picked up Serena, showering her with kisses. ¡°I missed these two


    little ones. The weather is so hot, and you should avoid taking her out in the sun too much. Don¡¯t


    damage her delicate skin.¡±


    Only when talking about Serena and Brandon did a genuine smile appear on my mom¡¯s face.


    Of course, I knew that I wouldn¡¯t have gone if it weren¡¯t for Faith, and I had no idea that today was


    Hiram¡¯s birthday.


    Brandon was already asleep. Mom and I were ying with Serena in the living room, and we talked


    about my uncle, Lucas¡¯ family situation.


    The gate was opened as night fell.


    ¡°Russel, you¡¯re back!¡± Mom¡¯s mood visibly brightened as she saw Russel. To her, R¨²ssel was the ideal


    son-inw, and she would fully support it if ever I agreed to him.


    Russel was momentarily surprised to see my mom back, but he quickly gone back to normal. He was


    always polite and courteous in front of my mom and never caused any scene.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Russel carried some groceries, looking quite abundant.


    Mom saw the groceries and felt both grateful and embarrassed. ¡°Russel, you don¡¯t have to keep


    coming over to cook for Rena. We have Norah here, and you should be busy with work. Don¡¯t wear


    yourself out.¡±


    ording to my mom, I didn¡¯t know how to appreciate and value good things and people.


    The disagreement Russel and I had a few days ago went unnoticed by everyone. I hadn¡¯t even told


    Ste about it, so my mom didn¡¯t notice the awkwardness between us.


    Russel was observing my reactions, but I avoided his gaze and continued ying with Serena. He


    reassured my morn, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I manage my time wisely. I onlye over to cook when I have


    spare time.¡±


    Mom gave me a look, which I understood. She hoped that I would seize the opportunity and stop


    rejecting him.


    I remained silent, having made up my mind that there would never be any possibility between Russel


    and me. Dealing with one bigoted Neil was enough, I didn¡¯t want to face another extreme person for the


    rest of my life.


    Russel probably knew why I was silent. He made his way to the kitchen alone while Norah came out


    and praised, ¡°Dr. Russel has once again taken over my job. He said Ms. Finch has been too tiredtely,


    so he bought a lot of nutritious food to cook by himself.¡±


    Norah smiled at me. Her eyes was filled with genuine envy. Which woman wouldn¡¯t want to meet a man


    who cherished her like that?


    I pretended not to hear, but my mom joined in, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s so busy yet he still finds time. Truly a good


    man.¡±


    If Russel and I were in love with each other, his affection would indeed be wonderful. But when one


    party was unable to reciprocate, his kindness became a lethal poison.


    I let my mom and Norah continue praising Russel until he finished cooking and brought the food out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You guys eat. I¡¯ll go bathe Serena first.¡± I didn¡¯t want to share a table with Russel, so I


    got up and was ready to take Serena to the bathroom for a bath.


    Russel¡¯s lips parted slightly, and his brows furrowed.


    His demeanor radiated a sense of displeasure, a stern and icy facade that made him seem


    unapproachable.


    ¡°Rena!¡±


    Mom trailed after me into the bathroom with her brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s the matter,


    sweetheart? Did you have a quarrel with Russel?¡±


    ¡°No, Mom. I¡¯m just not very hungry.¡± I replied, undressing Serena without lifting my gaze..


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. Your father and I have been away for a while. What did you two quarrel over?


    You¡¯re even refusing to eat the food he cooked. It must have been quite a serious wrangle.¡± she


    prattled on.

 Chapter 475

    Chapter 475


    Chapter 475


    I held my silence, not wanting to respond to my mom¡¯s statements.


    *Rena, you know, Russel is really good to you. Everyone around you can see it, and it¡¯s clear as day.


    With the way things are now, as long as he¡¯s willing to take you, that¡¯s all that matters. Got it?¡± Mom¡¯s


    tone turned stern, ¡°You¡¯re a single mom with two kids, how are you going to live in the future? Your


    father and I won¡¯t always be here to help you.¡±


    She made it sound as if I should be grateful that Russel was willing to ept me ¨C a divorced woman


    with kids.


    I already had reservations about Russel. My mom¡¯s words, uttered without knowing the whole story,


    fueled a fire within me.


    ¡°Mom, I will not end up with Russel!¡± My anger surged, and my voice got noticeably louder, oblivious to


    the fact that Russel and others might hear me.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly so agitated? Speak calmly!¡± Mom tried to stop me, ¡°Russel is having dinner


    right here. Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll hear?¡±


    who


    ¡°Why should I care if he hears?¡± I did not lower my voice while I told my mom, ¡°I¡¯ve rejected him long


    ago. I don¡¯t harbor any romantic feelings for him. It¡¯s you guys keep insisting how good he is, telling me


    to give him a chance. What¡¯s the benefit of forcing this? It¡¯ll onlyplicate things!¡±


    If things kept going this way, I didn¡¯t know what Russel would do. If he resorted to underhanded tactics,


    I would definitely be in deeper trouble.


    My mom, already in a terrible mood, looked even more upset as I argued with her so heatedly.


    Just as we were at a standoff, Russel appeared at the bathroom door. His gaze was calm, void of any


    discernible emotions, as he looked down at me.


    I was in the middle of giving Serena a bath. I continued with my task, unbothered by his


    presence.


    ¡°Russel, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a little disagreement between me and my daughter. Did you finish your


    dinner? Maybe you should go rest for a while.¡± My mom forced a smile, trying to reassure Russel.


    But Russel didn¡¯t leave. His voice was still. ¡°You go ahead and eat. I¡¯ll have a talk with her.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Mom hesitated.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t leave.¡± I quickly finished bathing Serena, wrapped her in a towel, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s make


    things clear today. I don¡¯t want to keep forcing myself.¡±


    Russe and were in the bu toket worned She shot the fronts to ate the hot to be inspike i


    with all my since its mocode been used and Our issues are way moreplicate than you an


    could think We can only be trends in the ture, so stop for


    ¡±


    st down on the ouch and sash Malling


    Morse darkened, and she sat down to the angrily. The redness in her eyes showed how upset she was


    Russel still cared about my mom even in such situation. Ms. Finch, please dont be angry. You shouldn¡¯t


    stress your heart talk things out with her Why don¡¯t you go rest ¡°No, I stay here and Isten here, my


    mom called my name in an unfamr, age tone. tel me where did Russel go wrong? Where did he fall


    shoe? Why can¡¯t you apprecate


    I knew my mom was fond of Russe, but to this extent where she ended him without considering my


    feelings and thoughs, made me el cols.


    ¡°Mom, am I your daughter, or is he your son?¡± (couldnt understan


    it¡¯s because you¡¯re my daughter, so don¡¯t want you to miss out on such a good understand? My mom


    softened her tone slighty, but she was silos think about it. Everyone now believes that you and Russe


    are a coupe and the S and Brandon¡¯s father. If you say you just want the trend tow are you going t


    exin to everyone, especially to Neil?¡±


    It was indeed the most difficult part for me. If it wasnt for this resson mouere mode it clear with Russel


    long ago, regardless of how much he clungor


    At the end of the day, I was selfish. I took advantage of him.


    1¡­¡± For a moment, I was speechless. If cut ties with Russo now was sure Neil woulee find me the


    next day and even try to im the kids


    If Karina found out that Serena and Brandon were Neils kids, she would definitely target us and make


    things even moreplicated.


    I was caught off guard, and my mom seized the opportunity to suggest ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Russel get


    a marriage license soon, Renat if you don¡¯t out ties now, you¡¯ll se Do you want to wait till Neil finds out


    the truth and keeps pestering you?


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    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s impossible! The mere mention of marriage made me reject staty


    What if Neil checks your marital status?¡±


    The older the ginger, the spicier it got. Every question from my mom hit my biggest concerns, leaving


    me unable to retort.


    I was getting more and more agitated, feeling as if I was being threatened, and the one threatening me


    was my own mother.


    A wave of pent-up anger swirled in my heart and drove me nearly insane.


    Mom wanted to say something more, but Russel stopped her. ¡°Mrs. Finch, please don¡¯t say any more.


    I¡¯m willing to wait and give her time to think it through. Pressuring her won¡¯t help; it¡¯ll only stress her out.


    I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    The more considerate he was, the more my mom felt I was being ungrateful. She sighed, ¡°Fine, Rena,


    think it through. I¡¯ll go check on Brandon. He needs to have his bath too.¡±


    After my mom left, only Russel and I were left in the living room.


    At that moment, I was engrossed in what my mom had said. My mind was chaotic, and my eyes felt


    somewhat hot. I felt as if I was being pushed onto a dead-end road, unable to move forward or retreat.


    The moment my tears began to fall, Russel¡¯s hand gently brushed them away. His brows were


    furrowed, and a deep sense of heartache and helplessness mirrored in his eyes. ¡°Is it really that hard to


    be with me?¡± he asked.


    I pulled away from his touch. ¡°It¡¯s hard, Russel. I truly regret acknowledging Serena and Brandon as


    your children. I feel like I¡¯m stuck now and don¡¯t know what to do!¡±


    These words weren¡¯t just spoken in frustration, they were the pent-up sentiments that I had held back


    for too long. They were too selfish, too hurtful to speak out loud, but in my emotional turmoil, I couldn¡¯t


    care less.

 Chapter 476

    Chapter 476


    Chapter 476


    My words had barely left my mouth when Russell¡¯s demeanor noticeably shifted, his entire presence


    exuding a powerful intensity. I seemed to have provoked him, as his face was


    painted with an anger I had never seen before.


    However, he didn¡¯tsh out at me. He merely clenched his fists, staring at me with a restrained fury.


    ¡°Did you visit Neil today?¡± Russel asked suddenly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed, neither denying my actions nor exining why I had gone. If Russel wanted to


    misunderstand my intentions, then let him. I was perfectly content to let him think I was still hung up on


    Neil, so he could finally let go.


    As expected, Russel¡¯s eyes darkened at my admission. His gaze, sharp as a knife, cut through me like


    a hot de through butter.


    But I wasn¡¯t afraid. If we didn¡¯t have this confrontation, we would only be wasting more time.


    ¡°Where exactly do I fall shortpared to Neil? Anything he can provide, I can offer you even more!¡±


    Russel¡¯s emotions finally started to re up. I knew he had been holding back for far too long.


    Seeing his emotional unrest, I found myself oddly calm. My voice softened considerably, ¡°It¡¯s not a


    matter of you being less than Neil, but me being unable to fall in love with you. Being with someone you


    don¡¯t love is agonizing, and I think you understand that.¡±


    Russel had been forced into an engagement with Chloe in the past. During that period, he didn¡¯t even


    have the int¨¦rest to look at her.


    Perhaps because he understood that feeling, he couldn¡¯t respond to my words. The disappointment


    and unwillingness in his eyes were painfully apparent.


    I had seen that look before, when he told me that Bonnie didn¡¯t love him.


    Unconsciously, I had be the second Bonnie, his unattainable goal. In the end, it was hard to tell


    whether his pursuit was born out of love or a distorted desire to win.


    Our voices must have carried, as my mother came out looking for us again. Seeing Russel¡¯s distressed


    expression, she immediately shot me a warning look.


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    ¡°Mrs. Finch, I need to take my leave,¡± Russel managed to say in a controlled voice, before swiftly


    leaving.


    ¡°Russel, wait!¡± my mother called out, but to no avail.


    Once Russel had left, she turned to me, her brows furrowed in anger. ¡°Rena, what did you


    say to Russel? I¡¯ve never seen him this upset before. I couldn¡¯t even call him back!¡±


    1/3


    09:24


    Chapter 476


    ¡®Mom, I¡¯d rather keep thingsplicated with Neil than force myself to ept Russel. You and dad


    should give up on that idea,¡± I said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.


    My mother looked stunned, likely not expecting my resistance towards Russel to be this strong, to the


    point where I was willing to overlook the potential danger of Neil.


    I was too exhausted to argue with my mother any further that day, so I quickly went back to my room to


    sleep.


    My mother knocked on my door a few times, but I didn¡¯t respond. She probably didn¡¯t want to wake the


    kids, so she left it at that.


    For several days, my mother tried to persuade me to stop rejecting Russel, even suggesting the idea of


    us getting married.


    The more she pushed, the more I resisted, creating a tense atmosphere in the house.


    ¡°Your father will be back in a few days, and he has always hoped you could be with Russel. Since


    you¡¯ve made up your mind, you should exin it to him yourself!¡± my __mother said coldly, clearly


    disheartened by my stubbornness.


    Regardless of her attitude, I would not back down. If my father wasing back in a few days, then it


    was the perfect opportunity to clear things up.


    I didn¡¯t respond to my mother¡¯s words, focusing instead on trimming Serena and Brandon¡¯s nails. My


    phone rang, and seeing that it was Faith, I set down the nail clippers and walked out into the yard.


    ¡°Irene, could we meet tonight?¡± Faith¡¯s voice was as gentle and kind as always.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been quite busy these past few days and haven¡¯t been in touch. If you¡¯re free tonight, let¡¯s


    catch up,¡± I agreed, not wanting to stay at home in the suffocating atmosphere.


    We decided to meet at a nearby private caf¨¦, Bloom & Brew. Faith enjoyed gardening and the caf¨¦ had


    a lovely ambiance, perfect for a chat.


    After entrusting Serena and Brandon to Norah¡¯s care, I set out to meet Faith at the caf¨¦.


    Faith was already there when I arrived, dressed in a simple yet elegant navy blue dress. Her hair was


    neatly pinned up. The violet bracelet on her wrist, also a gift from me, added a touch of sophistication


    to her attire.


    ¡°Irene, have a seat,¡± Faith greeted me warmly.


    Seeing Faith¡¯s friendly smile eased the tension I had been feeling from my mother¡¯s pressure.


    I sat down opposite Faith, ¡°Faith, have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No, Neil had a dinner party nearby tonight, so hitched a ride with him. He left just five minutes ago


    ¡°Faith checked the time on her phone and shared with a smile.


    Was Neil in the area? I was surprised to learn that he had been the one to drop Faith off.


    I nodded and ordered two cups of coffee for us. We sipped them slowly, chatting casually. Despite my


    divorce from Neil, we had once shared five years of marriage. During that time, I had genuinely loved


    him and strove to be a part of his life, even when he ignored me and didn¡¯t reciprocate my feelings, I


    was somewhat familiar with the happenings in the Whitmore family.


    So, Faith and I found ourselves in an engrossing conversation, which eventually veered


    towards her health issues.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m fine,¡± Faith quickly quipped when the topic of her illness came up, a hint of


    evasion in her voice. She took a sip of her coffee, her gaze drifting away from me,


    ¡°Is it because of my divorce from Neil? You still haven¡¯te to terms with it, have you?¡± I asked softly,


    heaving a sigh. ¡°Or is it because of the child? You can always talk to me about it. Maybe getting it off


    your chest would help. I don¡¯t want you to be mentally tormented because of these things.¡±

 Chapter 477

    Chapter 477


    Chapter 477


    Faith was silent for a long time after my words. I thought she didn¡¯t want to respond, but to my surprise,


    I heard her sob.


    I panicked instantly. It was the first time Faith had cried in front of me. Even when she begged me to


    give Neil another chance, she hadn¡¯t wept like this.


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    1


    ¡°Irene, we, the Whitmores, owe you an apology, I¡¯ve always felt I was responsible for you wasting the


    best five years of your life. And that child, who should have been born safely and grown up happily


    under our watch, was lost because of Neil¡¯s irresponsibility. That led to the child not having the chance


    to be part of our family. How can I ept that?¡± Faith¡¯s tears started to flow as she spoke, she took a


    tissue and gently wiped the corners of her eyes.


    I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I had already moved on, but Faith was still immersed in the pain and


    regret of that time.


    ¡°Faith, those things happened a long time ago. Now he has Hiram, and that¡¯s pretty good. Some things


    are just fate, and we can¡¯t force them.¡± After a while, I finally managed to utter these words. I knew


    what was bothering Faith because Neil had told me, but I had never seen Faith lose control of her


    emotions.


    She began to cry softly, making me feel incredibly sad and my eyes began to well up.


    After a few minutes, Faith looked up at me again and said, ¡°Irene, in my heart, you¡¯re still my daughter-


    inw. I know you¡¯re with Russel now, but I feel a connection with you, and I think you¡¯re the best


    match for Neil!¡±


    It had been a long time since Neil and I divorced, but Faith still considered me her daughter-inw. I


    didn¡¯t know whether to be moved or embarrassed.


    ¡°Faith, Neil now has Karina and Hiram. It¡¯s not appropriate to talk about these things anymore. I just


    hope you¡¯re well.¡± I found that apart from these words, I had no other way


    tofort Faith.


    I was even afraid that if I said the wrong thing, it would make Faith feel worse.


    Faith wiped her tears, then forced a smile, ¡°Alright, I understand. I recently made a trip to Heavenly


    Mountain to light a candle for that child and made a wish for his peaceful passing. The time to fulfill that


    wish is nearing. If you have time, would you apany me?¡±


    This surprised me. I usually didn¡¯t believe in these things.


    But Faith had made a wish on behalf of the child I lost, showing how much she loved and cared for that


    child.


    The more she behaved like this, the more upset I felt.


    1/3


    05:56


    ¡°Irene, please apany me. Maybe it will help me let go of my regrets.¡± Seeing that I was silent,


    Faith pleaded with me again.


    Looking at her almost begging eyes, I couldn¡¯t refuse. Besides, it was a wish made for the sake of my


    first child. How could I be indifferent?


    ¡°Alright, when?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consult with the priest and notify you a few days in advance. Is that okay?¡± Faith¡¯s face still had tear


    stains, but she managed a slight smile.


    I nodded in agreement.


    Faith sighed in relief. The conversation became much lighter after that, revolving around daily life. She


    loved to talk about Hiram, but each time she would observe my reaction. If she felt I didn¡¯t like the topic,


    she would change it. Finally, the conversation shifted to Serena and Brandon.


    She asked me for a few photos of them and praised them so much that I felt quite proud.


    Suddenly, Faith¡¯s phone rang. After a brief exchange, she asked, ¡°Irene, can I borrow your car? I need


    to pick something up.¡±


    ¡°Are you driving?¡± I was surprised.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not far. I¡¯ll go get it, and you wait for me here.¡± Faith nodded.


    I couldn¡¯t refuse, so I handed Faith the car keys.


    I sat alone, sipping coffee and admiring the flowers and nts around me. It was a rare moment of


    rxation in these days. I didn¡¯t feel like going home, so I decided to wait quietly for Faith to return.


    Unexpectedly, instead of Faith, Neil appeared before me. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the top,


    and he had removed his tie. He looked drunk. The skin from his chest to his neck was flushed, and the


    smell of alcohol was quite strong.


    I was taken aback. How did he get here? And so quickly after his drinking session?


    Neil¡¯s eyes had a faint redness, giving him a slightly sickly and seductive look. He exhaled, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll


    take you home.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your mom?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°She drove your car home. Hiram wanted her to return.¡± Neil¡¯s hands were in his pockets, and his shirt


    was neatly tucked into his pants. He looked incredibly sleek and austere in his attire.


    I was baffled. Faith had driven my car home to tend to her grandson without telling me. Then she sent


    her son, Neil, who had drunk quite a bit, to take me home


    Was this really appropriate?


    I immediately refused, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll take a cab home. You¡¯ve been drinking.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t keen on taking a risky ride.


    ¡°We have a driver. Let¡¯s go.¡± Neil ignored my refusal. He picked up my phone from the


    table and turned to leave.


    I was shocked and quickly got up to follow him. ¡°What are you doing with my phone? I said I can get a


    cab. Just have your driver deliver my car to my house tomorrow.¡±


    As I tried to take my phone, Neil took advantage of his height and held it out of my reach, ¡°Stop fussing.


    I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    His tone was strangely intimate, as though I was a wife throwing a tantrum at her husband.


    Men who¡¯ve had too much to drink really are crazy. I grabbed Neil¡¯s other wrist and said, ¡°Give me my


    phone back. I won¡¯t let you take me home!¡±


    ¡°Why? Is Russeling to pick you up?¡± Neil looked down at me, a smirk ying on his lips, ¡°Irene,


    how much longer do you n on fooling me?¡±


    His question made my heart skip a beat. ¡°What do you mean, fooling you?¡±


    Neil looked at me with an inscrutable gaze. He was so tall that I had to tilt my head up to look at him,


    which was quite tiring. I decided to avert my eyes, took a couple of steps back to put some distance


    between us, and said, ¡°If you have something to say, say it. What have I fooled you about?¡±


    ¡°So, you and Russel aren¡¯t actually married, are you?¡± Neil finally blurted out, and that statement


    almost made my heart leap out of my throat.


    When did he find out? And how?


    Shock and surprise rendered me speechless for a moment, and I just stared at Neil, frozen in ce.


    Neil closed the gap between us slightly, leaning in closer. I could smell faint traces of whiskey on his


    breath. ¡°Spill it. What else have you been lying to me about? Is it about the kids?¡±

 Chapter 478

    Chapter 478


    Chapter 478


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡± I quickly regained myposure, else it would be too easy


    for my panic to give me away.


    Neil casually pocketed my phone and asked me, a smirk ying on his lips, ¡°Oh really? Irene, you¡¯ve


    gone to great lengths to avoid me even making up a story about marrying Russel. But honestly, I was


    rather pleased when I found out it was a lie.¡±


    Just a couple of days ago, my mother had been urging me to ept Russel, warning me that


    eventually Neil would discover our sham marriage. Much to my surprise, he had found out today.


    My thoughts were a chaotic mess. I forced myself to calm down. ¡°I haven¡¯t made up anything. I am


    married to Russel. Even though I don¡¯t have feelings for him, I chose to be with him for the sake of our


    children. It¡¯s perfectly normal.¡±


    Mentioning the children caused Neil¡¯s face to darken. ¡°Irene, I hope for your sake that you¡¯re telling the


    truth about the children. If you¡¯ve lied about that too, making some other man the father, you¡¯ll have to


    face the consequences.¡±


    Facing Neil¡¯s threats, I couldn¡¯t deny a sense of fear. I knew this day woulde eventually, but it had


    arrived far too soon.


    Serena and Brandon were so young. I feared the damage a custody battle would cause.


    ¡°Neil, I¡¯ve never lied to you. I am married to Russel, even though we haven¡¯t formally registered our


    marriage yet. We¡¯ve had a simple ceremony among friends and family, and that¡¯s enough. As for the


    children, you¡¯ve seen the paternity test results. There¡¯s no need to embarrass yourself, is there?¡±


    I forced myself to meet Neil¡¯s gaze, trying hard to appear unfazed.


    Neil¡¯s eyes were sharp, as if they could dissect a person¡¯s soul. It took great courage to hold his gaze.


    He was experienced enough to catch someone in a lie.


    ¡°As long as you haven¡¯t registered your marriage with Russel, you¡¯re not married,¡± Neil finally spoke


    again, steering the conversation back to the matter of me going home. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home. Just follow


    me.¡±


    I was initially hesitant, but my mind was in turmoil. I didn¡¯t have the mental energy to resist, so I


    followed him out.


    Neil¡¯s car was waiting outside, the driver ready for us. The driver looked somewhat surprised to see


    me, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    I got into the back seat, and Neil joined me. After he gave the driver an address, he fell silent.


    He had clearly had a bit too much to drink that night; he leaned back, eyes closed, my gaze.


    ¡°Do you want to say something?¡± He finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse andnguid, adding a


    seductive quality to the confined space of the car.


    ¡°No, I was just chatting with your mom. I hope it made some difference.¡± I tried to deflect with a casual


    topic.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Neil responded, closing his eyes again to rest.


    I looked at the bag in my hands, pondering over what to do next. Knowing that Neil was aware of my


    unregistered marriage with Russel, I was certain he¡¯d bother me again. His words had made his


    intentions quite clear.


    Just when the atmosphere had once again fallen into silence, the car screeched to a halt. I was thrown


    forward, but Neil¡¯s strong hand around my waist held me back, pulling me against his firm chest.


    The mixed scent of alcohol and tobo filled my nostrils, and I realized I was in Neil¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Whitmore, a car suddenly came out of nowhere. I didn¡¯t see it¡­¡± the driver nervously


    exined.


    Neil¡¯s hand remained on my waist, steady and unyielding.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, keep driving,¡± he said, his chest vibrating with his words.


    I awkwardly extricated myself from his grip and sat back properly. The close physical contact stirred


    feelings of familiarity and strangeness within me.


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    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Neil sounded unexpectedly pleased.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Sorry, I wasn¡¯t seated properly,¡± I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Neil responded, his reply brief and to the point.


    When we were close to my house, I asked the driver to stop. If my mother saw me with Neil, I¡¯d have to


    endure another storm of criticism. I was tired of it all.


    Neil understood my decision and didn¡¯t object. After I got out of the car, he didn¡¯t leave immediately but


    watched me until I reached my doorstep.


    I saw his car slowly driving away, disappearing into the night, just as I closed the door.


    As soon as I shut the door, my mother¡¯s voice echoed behind me, ¡°Where¡¯s your car? Who brought you


    home?¡±


    Just hearing her voice sent chills down my spine, a sense of oppression filling me. I turned to see her


    looking at me suspiciously, waiting for an answer.


    I avoided her gaze and replied nonchntly, ¡°My car¡¯s in for repairs. I took a cab home.¡±


    ¡°And where were you tonight?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not a child anymore. Do I have to report to you every time I go out?¡± I felt a surge of anger. If


    she found out that Neil knew about my unregistered marriage with Russel, she would use it as an


    excuse to force me to marry Russel.


    Her face fell, disappointment evident in her voice, ¡°Rena, I never interfered with your life, even when


    you married Neil. But now, you¡¯re disappointing me more and more.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, heading to my bedroom instead.


    Serena and Brandon were already asleep. They were such well-behaved children, easy to take care of


    even when I wasn¡¯t home.


    My mother followed me into the room. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want me to interfere, I won¡¯t. You father and I


    have discussed it. With no one to manage Lucas¡¯spany, we thought we should step in. From now


    on, we won¡¯t interfere in your life, as long as you take good car of Serena and Brandon!¡±


    I was taken aback.


    My parents were going to manage my uncle, Lucas¡¯spany. So, it¡¯s just Norah and m left in Eldoria


    to look after the two kids.


    It¡¯s not that the kids are hard to handle, it¡¯s just that I feel I would miss my parents. Sure, Mom and I


    had our disagreements, but I never held grudges. Especially with her health not being the best, if she


    gets herself worked up, I¡¯m afraid it might wear her down.

 Chapter 479

    Chapter 479


    Chapter 479


    ¡°Dad agreed?¡± I was even more surprised that my dad didn¡¯t get in touch, nor did he tell me anything


    about Russel.


    Mom looked like she was past arguing with me. She replied coldly, ¡°Your dad and I have said and done


    all we could. You¡¯re so adamant about not being with Russel, so what else can we do?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t quite tell if I was happy or sad. If my parents stopped meddling in my affairs with Russel, it


    would lighten the load on my mind. But when I thought of their profound disappointment in me, I


    couldn¡¯t help but feel upset.


    After saying her piece, Mom went to her room for the night without another word. I didn¡¯t stop her. I


    simply took a shower and went to bed with my children.


    I thought Mom would leave after a while, but to my surprise, Norah informed me the next morning that


    she had already left.


    ¡°She left early this morning,¡± Norah said as she brought in breakfast. ¡°She asked me to take good care


    of the children.¡±


    Mom left without so much as a word. I felt a pang of sadness.


    My phone was on the table. I wanted to call her to ask what was going on, but I decided not to. She


    was probably upset with me; perhaps some time apart would be a good thing. At that moment, my


    phone rang. It was a call from Faith.


    I collected my thoughts and picked up.


    ¡°Irene, I¡¯m really sorry aboutst night. Hiram suddenly started fussing at home, so I had to go back.


    Did Neil take you home?¡± Faith sounded apologetic.


    ¡°He took me home, Faith,¡± I replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I asked himst night, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He even gave the driver a raise for


    some reason, probably because he was drunk and wasn¡¯t thinking straight. He didn¡¯t say anything to


    upset you, did he?¡± Faith seemed concerned.


    I was puzzled. Neil gave the driver a raisest night?


    Why?


    Was it because he was good at hitting the brakes?


    I couldn¡¯t quite wrap my head around it, but I assured Faith, ¡°No, he was probably a bit tipsy, but he


    didn¡¯t say anything inappropriate. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Faith seemed relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ve asked him to send your car over.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I was taken aback. ¡°Is Neil bringing my car over?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no worries. You¡¯re friends even after divorce, right? If he bothers you, just let me know, and I¡¯ll


    handle it,¡± Faith chuckled.


    Being friends after divorce might work if both parties split amicably and there were no deep-seated


    grudges during the marriage. But that wasn¡¯t the case with Neil and me.


    Our divorce was messy, and our problems were numerous. Not to mention my past life, where I met a


    tragic end. Neil was the root cause of my misfortune.


    Before I could respond, Faith hastily added, ¡°I have another calling in, Irene, I¡¯ll have to take it


    now.¡±


    With that, she hung up.


    I stared at the ended call on my screen, speechless.


    Speak of the devil, it wasn¡¯t two minutester when I heard a car honking outside. I reluctantly went out


    to see, and there was Neil, just getting out of the car. He was dressed casually today, probably not


    going to work. He wore a simple gray t-shirt and jeans, along with a pair of sunsses, looking rxed


    and refreshed.


    Seeing me open the door, he handed me the car keys. ¡°Here¡¯s your car.¡±


    I took the keys and forced a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thanking me for a favor you did for my mother. Have you lost your mind?¡± Neil removed his


    sunsses, a hint of amusement in his eyes.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You went out of your way to bring it here,¡± I weakly justified. Seeing him again reminded me of his


    wordsst night, and my heart began to race.


    Contrarily, Neil seemed to be in a good mood. His usual brooding demeanor was reced with a more


    rxed one. He even had a hint of a smile on his lips, and his voice was lighter than usual.


    Suddenly, cries of Serena and Brandon echoed from the living room, and Norah rushed out, ¡°Ms.


    Finch, Serena and Brandon are crying!¡±


    Hearing the desperate cries of my two little ones, I left everything else behind and hurried in to check


    on them.


    I didn¡¯t notice Neil following me in. He quietly watched as I tried tofort the kids.


    Just a few months old, Serena and Brandon were already quite the handful. It¡¯s as if they could sense


    Neil¡¯s presence.


    Whenever Neil was around, they loved to cry and fuss, making it impossible for me to handle alone. I


    had no choice but to ask for help.


    And that help could onlye from Neil.


    ¡°Let me handle it.¡± As I was trying to soothe Serena, Brandon¡¯s little face was red with crying in his


    stroller. Norah¡¯s attempts to calm him down were futile, and Neil offered his help.


    Before I could respond, he had already gently lifted Brandon from his stroller. Although his gaze wasn¡¯t


    as affectionate as when he looked at Hiram, it was still gentle. After all, Brandon looked a lot like him.


    I must admit, the father and son looked as if they were cut from the same cloth. Looking at their simr


    faces, I was momentarily stunned.


    Norah was quietly observing them too, her expressionplicated.


    No wonder people suspected Serena and Brandon to be Neil¡¯s children. I only suspected Hiram to be


    Neil¡¯s because he looked so much like him.


    Gics is a fascinating thing; it allows you to recognize kinship at a nce.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the paternity test Russel provided, which dispelled Neil¡¯s doubts, he would probably


    have taken both children away by now.


    In Neil¡¯s arms, Brandon was very well-behaved and even smiled at him. His innocent little face melted


    my heart.


    For a moment, the scene with me and Neil looked a lot like the life I had once imagined: us each


    holding one of our two children, living a simple and happy life.


    But the timing was all wrong. Despite the pang in my heart, I hade to ept it.


    ¡°Dr. Russel, you¡­ you¡¯re back.¡±


    Suddenly, Norah, looking in the direction of the living room entrance, said awkwardly.


    When I turned to look, Russel was standing there, his face seemingly shrouded in a shadow, even in


    the bright sunlight. I had a hard time making out his expression.


    His eyes were as cold as ice, silently watching me and Neil, his lips seemingly frozen into a tight line.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to run to the grocery store,¡± Norah sensed the tension and quickly found an excuse to leave.


    Left behind in the house were just Neil, Russel, and me, along with two innocent kids who were


    blissfully unaware of the tension.


    Neil was also looking at Russel. Unlike Russel¡¯s gloomy demeanor, there was a clear hint of rebellious


    amusement in Neil¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 480

    Chapter 480


    Chapter 480


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, Neil,¡± Russell was the first to break the silence, his tone icy, his eyes filled with


    barely concealed hostility.


    Neil, cradling Brandon in his arms, just kept pacing, casually retorting, ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be here? She¡¯s


    my ex-wife. It¡¯s only natural for us to meet as long as she¡¯s not married.¡±


    At the mention of ¡®not married¡¯, my heart sank.


    As expected, Russell¡¯s face grew grim, and in the next moment, his gazended on me, filled with


    disbelief.


    Did he think I was the one who told Neil?


    ¡°Neil, stop talking nonsense!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but interrupt him. I didn¡¯t want to be with Russell, but I


    couldn¡¯t admit that now.


    ¡°Nonsense? If you two aren¡¯t legally married, then you aren¡¯t husband and wife in my eyes,¡± Neil¡¯s


    words were obviously meant to provoke Russell. He put Brandon into his stroller, then sank into the


    couch, speaking in a calm and unhurried tone,pletely ignoring my protest.


    Neil was just as possessive as I¡¯d thought. Even if given a hundred more years, he would still do as he


    pleased.


    I just couldn¡¯t understand how he¡¯d found out about the state of my marriage with Russell. ¡°Did you tell


    him?¡± Russell¡¯s tone shifted, his eyes full of disappointment as he looked at


    I immediately shook my head, but I had just had a big fight with him a few days ago, even stating that


    I¡¯d rather be entangled with Neil than be with him. So, my denial seemed to have little effect.


    I could feel the tension radiating off Russell, the hurt in his eyes apparent. As he walked towards me, I


    held Serena in my arms and my heart pounded with fear, worried about what he might do.


    ¡°Russell, we have two children together. Isn¡¯t that enough to consider us married, even without a piece


    of paper?¡± I quickly exined, not only trying to calm Russell but also hoping to dispel any doubts Neil


    might have about the children.


    As soon as I finished speaking, both men¡¯s expressions changed.


    Russell¡¯s face softened considerably and he stopped in his tracks, while Neil¡¯s eyes went dark and


    stormy as he stared at Russell and me.


    ¡°Right, I don¡¯t care about a marriage license. A piece of paper doesn¡¯t always guarantee that people


    will cherish what they have,¡± Russell took Serena from my arms and kissed her gently.


    Serena, who was already fond of Russell, let out a cute giggle at his kiss.


    Herughter made Russell smile too, his eyes warm and tender, enough to make anyone fall for him.


    He was just too good to my children.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    But Neil was clearly irked by this scene. He rose, his whole being radiating frustration and cold


    determination.


    ¡°Marriage without a license, is that so?¡± Neilughed coldly, ncing at Brandon with a chilling gaze


    that sent shivers down my spine.


    If he¡¯d already discovered that Russell and I weren¡¯t legally married, then it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for him


    to arrange another paternity test, and then everything would be exposed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of you pestering her?¡± Russell¡¯s voice was back to its usual calm demeanor, probably


    pleased by my earlier words. His eyes narrowed slightly as he addressed Neil, ¡°We¡¯re a happy family of


    four, and you have Karina and Hiram. Neil, don¡¯t you know how to cherish what you have?¡±


    Russell¡¯s words only made Neil¡¯s expression even colder, as if a sore spot had been poked. He hadn¡¯t


    cherished me when we were together, and now he wasn¡¯t cherishing Karina either.


    What¡¯s the point of valuing something only after losing it?


    ¡°Thank you for bringing the car back today, but I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to have lunch together,¡± I


    was feeling all over the ce and just wanted both men out of my house as soon as possible, so I


    addressed Neil first.


    Neil looked at me. Even if he wanted to pester me, he wouldn¡¯t do it in front of Russell.


    He didn¡¯t even respond to me and just walked out.


    As soon as one of them left, I felt a weight lifting off my chest. I let out a sigh of relief and sank into the


    couch, feeling drained.


    Russell gently ced Serena back into her stroller and gave her a small toy to practice grasping,


    The living room fell into an oppressive silence. Russell sat down in front of me, staring at me for a long


    time without saying a word.


    Finally, I couldn¡¯t stand the silence any longer and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier. I manipted you


    again.¡±


    Russell simply hummed in response, his voice void of any discernible emotion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any questions?¡± I asked, wondering why he didn¡¯t ask about how Neil knew about our


    marital status or why he came to return the car.


    But Russell didn¡¯t ask, and I couldn¡¯t guess what he was thinking. His eyes were like a deep, still pool,


    quiet yet slightly unsettling.


    Maybe I was just feeling guilty.


    We sat in silence until Norah came back. She¡¯d bought some groceries and wore an awkward smile.


    ¡°Dr. Russell, would you like to have lunch here? I¡¯ll start cooking.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you, I just came to pick up some documents. I¡¯ll be heading back to the hospital soon,¡±


    Russell finally spoke but didn¡¯t address the issue with Neil.


    I watched him leave without stopping him. Wasn¡¯t this the oue I wanted?


    Both Serena and Brandon were soundly asleep, their peaceful faces both warming and wrenching my


    heart. If I couldn¡¯t provide them with a stable life and keep them entangled in this chaotic situation, I


    would really be letting them down.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry, but could I take a leave?¡± Norah suddenly came out of the kitchen, looking


    anxious.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I snapped back to reality.


    ¡°There¡¯s been an incident at home. My mother fainted all of a sudden. She¡¯s over eighty and is now in


    the hospital. I need to go see her¡± Norah replied, looking worried.


    Norah was a local. Her whole family lived in Eldoria, so it was natural for her to want to check in on


    them. There was no way I could refuse her.


    ¡°Alright, go on now. If you need something, just let me know. I¡¯ll help you out where I can.¡± I agreed to


    Norah¡¯s request without a second thought. She had always been kind to me and the kids, so I added


    an extra word or two.


    Norah nodded gratefully. Not having the time to chat, she rushed off.


    She was gone for the afternoon, and by evening she gave me a call, saying she wou be able to make it


    back tonight.


    ¡°No problem, take care of your mother first. You cane back tomorrow.¡± I didn¡¯t giv Norah a hard


    time.

 Chapter 481

    Chapter 481


    Chapter 481


    ¡°Ms. Finch, don¡¯t forget to check your doors and windows tonight. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s been a murder in


    the neighborhood and the killer is still on the loose. He hasn¡¯t left Eldoria yet. You must be careful!¡±


    Norah warned me just before hanging up the phone.


    I had been so busy arguing with my mom these past few days that I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the


    news. Hearing Norah¡¯s words, was caught off guard.


    ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± I replied.


    After hanging up, I immediately got up to check my front yard and locked the gate. Then I inspected all


    the other doors and windows. Only after making sure everything was locked did I breathe a sigh of


    relief.


    Not having much appetite, I decided to give Serena and Brandon a bath and let them y with Daisy in


    the yard. Looking at Daisy¡¯s growing size, I suddenly understood Neil¡¯s intention behind getting the


    dog.


    Daisy was a great deterrent!


    My phone rang suddenly and it was Ste, her voice filled with rage. ¡°Rena, I¡¯m so mad at Mitch, that


    good-for-nothing jerk!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± I flinched, fearing that one day I might end up with a burst eardrum from her loud


    voice.


    ¡°He¡¯s hired someone to spy on me and the kids!¡± Ste was so angry that sheughed, ¡°He had the


    audacity to tell me it was because I wouldn¡¯t let him see the kids and he missed them. I think he¡¯s just


    asking for trouble!¡±


    Last time Mitch had asked me to persuade Ste to let him see the kids, but I hadn¡¯t agreed. I hadn¡¯t


    expected him to resort to such measures. I didn¡¯t know whether to call him stupid or dedicated.


    Ste went on a long rant about Mitch and then the topic switched to Alicia, ¡°Ali¡¯s back, but she doesn¡¯t


    look well. She¡¯s been working harder than ever and she¡¯s lost a lot of weight. It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    ¡°Did she tell you what happened between her and Sean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t say. I have no idea what went wrong over in ndia,¡± Ste sighed.


    I was thousands of miles away from Alicia now and couldn¡¯t talk to her in person. If she didn¡¯t want to


    talk about it, then neither Ste nor I could do anything about it.


    As I was chatting with Ste, I suddenly heard a noise from the living room, like someone had bumped


    into a chair.


    I immediately stopped talking, staring at the door to the living room. The room had both a front and a


    back door, the front leading to the yard and the back to the backyard, which I rarely visited unless my


    parents were home to tend to the garden.


    At that moment, only me, the kids, and Daisy were at home.


    Daisy was lying beside me, not in the living room, so the noise couldn¡¯t have been from her.


    For a split second, I remembered what Norah had said about the escaped murderer in Eldoria.


    A chill ran up my spine. My first concern was for Serena and Brandon. I didn¡¯t dare to go into the living


    room to check, nor did I dare to leave.


    ¡°Ding dong!¡±


    The doorbell suddenly body. startling me so much I thought my soul had almost left my


    Murderers don¡¯t usually rip doorbells, do they?


    I got up and went to the door, peering through the peephole. Under the porch light, I saw


    Neil standing there, his brows furrowed as he stared at the peephole.


    Seeing Neil, I felt an inexplicable sense of relief, as if safety had just arrived.


    I quickly opened the door, surprising Neil with my promptness.


    ¡°Why so eager?¡± Neil asked, looking at me.


    ¡°Um, would you like toe in for a ss of water? I¡¯d like to talk to you about your mother,¡± I


    suggested, pointing towards the living room.


    Neil nced at the brightly lit living room. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t take up my invitation and instead went


    straight to the


    and sat down. Seeing him, Daisy wagged its tail


    His hands were beautiful, his skin delicate. His movements were incredibly graceful as he gently


    stroked Daisy¡¯s white fur.


    He then looked at me and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask what I¡¯m here for?¡±


    My thoughts were all in the living room. If someone was indeed in there, chances were they were up to


    no good. I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight without thoroughly searching my house.


    Tonight, Russel was on the night shift and there was nobody next door. If something were to happen,


    I¡¯d literally be helpless.


    ¡°What are you here for?¡± I asked absentmindedly, my eyes drifting towards the living room.


    ¡°Tell me W you were going to say about Karina on Hiram¡¯s birthday.¡± Neil patted Daisy and let it go y.


    He leaned back in his chair, and crossed his long legs casually, his whole demeanor rxed.


    Was he here for this? Coming to my ce twice in one day?


    This surprised me because I hadn¡¯t said a word about Karina, so logically Neil should be doubting me,


    not her.


    ¡°Would you believe me?¡± I asked, intrigued. Telling Neil privately wasn¡¯t a bad idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe you when you tell me,¡± Neil replied simply, but his words were full of conviction. From the


    past till now, he had never blindly trusted me like this. I was caught off guard and it took me a moment


    to adjust.


    Suddenly, there was noise from the living room again, something had fallen on the floor. The sound


    was faint, but I could hear it.


    Neil¡¯s expression darkened, he frowned at the living room, his first thought was, ¡°Is Russel in there?¡±


    Lshook my head, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Is he really staying here tonight?¡± Neil didn¡¯t believe my exnation, his words dripping with jealousy.


    ably don¡¯t know the person.¡± My heart was hanging by a thread, my


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not him. I probably voice tense.


    Neil looked at me incredulously, his handsome face filled with anger. ¡°A man you don¡¯t know? Irene,


    what are you up to?


    I shook my head again, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, anyhow, the person inside is not Russel!¡±


    My words had barely dropped when Neil had already strode into the living room, his aura dark as he


    began to search around. Meanwhile, I went to secure the front door and pulled out my cell phone,


    ready to dial 911 at the first sign of trouble.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Neil went from the living room to the bedroom. I stayed put, guarding the two kids, too fearful to follow


    him in.

 Chapter 482

    Chapter 482


    Chapter 482


    About five minutes had passed before Neil came out from the living room, his brows furrowed in


    consternation.


    He apparently hadn¡¯t found Russel, which was concerning, but even more troubling was the thought


    that he may not have found any strange man either.


    ¡°Did you find anyone?¡± I asked anxiously. The worst-case scenario was Neil not finding anyone at all.


    What would I do if I found the man after Neil left?


    I had a strong intuition that someone had indeed entered the house.


    However, Neil couldn¡¯t possibly conduct a thorough search. If Russel really was here, as Neil


    suggested, he wouldn¡¯t have hidden.


    ¡°No, Russel isn¡¯t here. Why are you so nervous?¡± Neil asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I wanted to tell him about the fugitive murderer in the neighborhood, but I was worried that it might


    not be appropriate, especially since I had invited him in to have a cup of coffee and search for the living


    room. My intention was clear.


    What if Neil thought I was trying to endanger him.


    I was alone with two children at home, and the consequences would be unthinkable if something


    happened. Even if Neil used me of having bad intentions, I had to say.


    ¡°Norah isn¡¯t home today. She called me in the evening to say that there was a¡­..¡± I was midway


    through my sentence when Neil¡¯s phone rang.


    I instinctively shut my mouth as he nced at the caller ID and signaled with his eyes that he needed


    to answer the call.


    From the conversation, it seemed like Karina was on the line. Hiram had sneaked out again, and she


    couldn¡¯t find him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Neil responded immediately. It was dangerous for a child to be out ale at


    night. For some reason, Hiram was particrly bold in this regard.


    I wanted to continue talking about the situation, but Neil left in a hurry, not giving me a chance to say


    another word.


    It was clear how concerned he was for Hiram¡¯s safety.


    Watching as the gate closed again, I immediately reopened it and took Serena and Brandon-out for a


    walk. If there was a police station nearby, I nned to bring back a couple of officers to check the


    house.


    Half an hourter, I returned home with two police officers. Given the situation involving a fugitive


    murderer, they were very cautious and thorough, searching the entire house. Strangely, they found no


    one.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit embarrassed, wondering if I was being overly suspicious and wasting police


    resources.


    ¡°Miss, we didn¡¯t find anything unusual. But you should still be cautious, especially since you¡¯re home


    alone with the kids. Make sure to check all the doors and windows, and have some self-defense tools


    ready. If there¡¯s any emergency, call the police immediately. We¡¯ll be right over!¡± An older officer


    advised me carefully.


    I nodded. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. We¡¯ll be on our way then.¡± The two officers said goodbye and drove away in their


    patrol car.


    The house fell silent again. Both kids were asleep. I carried them to their bedroom, checked everything


    carefully, and was about to wash up.


    ¡°Crash!¡±


    Just as I stepped into the bathroom, I heard the sound of a ss shattering. It seemed to being


    from behind the bathroom door, where the bathtub was.


    A chill ran down my spine. Despite the sweltering heat, I felt a cold shiver down my back.


    Without a second thought, I turned and ran out, quickly shutting the bathroom door behind me. But it


    couldn¡¯t be locked from the outside, so I ran towards the kids¡¯ room. If something were to happen, I had


    to protect them.


    As I locked the bedroom door from inside, I heard footsteps outside.


    I was right. Someone was indeed in the house. They had just hidden very well and weren¡¯t discovered.


    Now it was just me and the kids at home. What was I to do?


    Worse yet, I had left my cell phone in the bathroom, on the vanity. I hadn¡¯t grabbed it when I ran back!


    Soon, I heard sounds of doors opening and closing, and things being ransacked. It seemed like the


    intruder was looking for valuables. My heart pounded in my chest. If he was just after money, that


    would be one thing. But if he intended to harm us¡­


    ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡±


    Suddenly, Daisy started barking fiercely. It seemed very aggressive. My heart settled a bit, knowing that


    we had a fairlyrge dog defending the house. It could at least provide some help.


    The barking wasing from the yard. I could see Daisy if I opened the window, but the window was


    barred with a burr-proof screen. I couldn¡¯t get out.


    ¡°Bam!¡±


    A chair was thrown onto the ground, nearly hitting Daisy. I finally got a clear view of the man. He was


    about 6 feet tall, rather bulky, weighing at least 160 to 170 pounds. He looked menacing, exuding a


    murderous aura.


    ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡± Daisy, too, was agitated. It showed no signs of backing down and lunged at the


    man.


    The yard was in chaos with the man and the dog fighting. Daisy, being arge dog, managed to hold


    the man off for a while. But the man pulled out a dagger from somewhere and jabbed it at Daisy.


    Daisy yelped in pain. The sound tore at my heart, but there was nothing I could do. If I went out, I would


    be walking into certain death.


    But if I didn¡¯t go out, would he spare me and the kids?


    I quickly rummaged through the drawer for the keys, then left the room and locked the door from


    outside. This would at least ensure Serena and Brandon¡¯s safety to the greatest extent possible. Then I


    rushed to the bathroom to retrieve my cell phone, only to find it was gone.


    In the yard, Daisy continued to yelp. The sound was heartbreaking. Daisy was putting up a brave fight


    to protect me, while I was hiding in fear.


    In this situation, there was no room for strategy. I didn¡¯t have a cell phone, and I couldn¡¯t leave the kids


    and Daisy behind to escape through the back door. So I gritted my teeth, went to the tool shed, and


    grabbed my father¡¯s rechargeable electric saw. He used it for pruning nts. I carried the saw into the


    yard.


    The murderer was still savagely stabbing Daisy with his dagger, and Daisy was biting onto his arm,


    refusing to let go. The ground was covered in blood.


    ¡°Get away!¡± I shouted, turning on the electric saw and shing it at the murderer¡¯s back.


    With a gut-wrenching scream, the murderer shivered in sheer pain, a gruesome wound now visible on


    his back. The sight of the spraying blood startled me, almost causing me to lose my grip on the saw.


    Daisy waspletely exhausted, no longer having the strength to hold onto the murderer. Despite the


    excruciating pain in his back, the murderer managed to rise, ring at me through eyes as cold as


    steel.

 Chapter 483

    Chapter 483


    Chapter 483


    For a split second, I felt the Grim Reaper ring at me.


    I may be brave, but I had never killed anyone, never witnessed such a bloody scene. The chainsaw in


    my hand dropped to the floor as my grip was lost in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed three people already, and one more won¡¯t make a difference. You¡¯ve got guts, trying to cut


    me up with that chainsaw,¡± the murderer sneered, his eyes bloodshot. He raised his hand in a


    threatening gesture, trying to intimidate me.


    I won¡¯t lie, I was scared. But I couldn¡¯t afford to be. If anything happened to me, my two kids would be


    done for.


    ¡°If you want money, name your price. I¡¯ll give you anything you want, as long as you don¡¯t hurt me,¡± I


    managed to keep my voice steady. ¡°The police are after you, and you¡¯ll need money to escape. I can


    help you get out of Eldoria, and even arrange for someone to get you out of the country. Think about it.¡±


    My words struck a chord with the murderer. He knew he was a dead man walking if he got caught, and


    I was offering him money and a ticket out of the country.


    Why wouldn¡¯t he bite?


    His eyes darted around as he asked, skeptical, ¡°How can I trust you?¡±


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    ¡°Your pocket, my phone. Give it to me, and I¡¯ll show you my assets,¡± I said, maintaining eye contact.


    The murderer eyed me warily for a long time before finally handing over my phone. But he didn¡¯t let me


    have it directly. He asked me to unlock it with my face, then he started to check my financial information


    himself.


    But all the important apps on my phone were password protected. One by one, I had to unlock them.


    Eventually, he had no choice but to hand me the phone to do it myself.


    The first thing I thought of when I got my phone back was to call the police. But the murderer was


    watching me like a hawk. I had to pretend to check my financial data first. Just as I opened the first


    app, the gate outside started to ring.


    My heart skipped a beat and then started pounding.


    The yard fell into silence. Both the murderer and I were staring at the gate, not saying a word, until we


    heard Neil¡¯s voice from outside, ¡°Irene, open up!¡±


    Why was he here again? My feelings were mixed. Right now, I wished someone could save me from


    this dangerous situation. But why did it have to be Neil?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you make a sound!¡± The murderer threatened as soon as he heard Neil¡¯s voice. His bloody knife


    pressed against my waist.


    I held my breath and kept quiet.


    After a while, my phone rang. It was Neil again


    The murderer snatched the phone away and hung up. When the noise outside died down, I finally


    spoke again. ¡°He¡¯s my ex-husband. We¡¯re having some property disputes. He probably thought I wasn¡¯t


    home and left.¡±


    The murderer seemed to rx a bit. He returned my phone. ¡°Keep going. I want to see if you have the


    means to help me. If you can, I won¡¯t kill you. But if you can¡¯t, one life more or less means nothing to


    me.¡±


    His cold, murderous gaze made my heart sink even more.


    Had Neil really left? I wasn¡¯t sure.


    I showed the murderer some of my online assets on my phone. His eyes excitement. lit up with


    As he was figuring out how to transfer the money, I noticed the gate handle move slightly. The lock was


    secured by a password, fingerprint, and facial recognition. Usually, Norah and I would use our


    fingerprints. We rarely used the password, which was my birthday. Very simple, but only a few people


    knew about it.


    The murderer was back to the gate, so engrossed in the prospect of getting a fortune that he didn¡¯t


    notice the movement behind him.


    My pupils dted with fear, but I kept my face neutral. I watched Neil walk into the yard. His face turned


    pale at the sight of the blood. His eyes were practically shooting fire. He picked up a nearby chair and


    rushed towards the murderer.


    The murderer finally sensed something was wrong. He was a very alert person and had just been


    negligent, so as he turned around, he raised the dagger and, without even looking clearly, thrust it


    toward Neil.


    Neil was quick. He hit the murderer with the chair before the knife could reach him. The murderer lost


    his grip on the knife. He was already injured from my earlier attack and was too weak to fight back.


    Neil kept hitting him with the chair until the murderer passed out.


    ¡°Stop, let the police handle him!¡± I shouted when I saw Neil¡¯s fury. It seemed like he was going to kill


    the man right there.


    I wanted to do the same. But thew wouldn¡¯t allow it. As long as we were safe, we could leave it to the


    police to deal with the rest.


    Neil was covered in blood, looking terrifying. He dropped the chair and checked me for injuries. He


    didn¡¯t say a word, just silently looked me over.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call the police. You take Daisy to the hospital,¡± I said. Right now, we had to deal with the situation.


    Daisy had been stabbed several times, but it was still breathing, just too weak to stand.


    Neil nodded. He picked up Daisy and put it in the car. I called the police.


    The police station was not far from my ce, so within ten minutes, the police arrived. Once they


    identified the unconscious man on the ground as the wanted murderer, they were thrilled and thanked


    me.


    I was exhausted. Watching the murderer being taken away, I finally felt my heart settle. I took a quick


    shower and went back to my room to check on the kids.


    As for the blood in the yard, I¡¯d deal with it in the morning. Right now, my mind was nk.


    I was just grateful that the kids were safe. They slept like logs, and the noise outside didn¡¯t wake them


    up.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep after the shock. I tossed and turned in bed. And I didn¡¯t even consider telling Russel


    about this or seekingfort from him.


    Just then, I heard some noise in the living room again. My heart tightened in fear. I was traumatized!


    ¡°Irene,e out,¡± Neil¡¯s deep voicemanded from outside my bedroom.

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    Chapter 484


    Chapter 484


    My jaw dropped. How did Neil get in?


    Sure, he knew the front gate code to enter the yard, but I was certain I had locked the living room door.


    I swiftly rose to open the door, and there he was, standing right outside.


    ¡°How did you get in?¡± The thought of a murderer sneaking into my house had spooked me, and now I


    was wary even of Neil.


    Neil turned and made his way towards the living room. Puzzled, I trailed behind him only to find the


    living room door wide open, bathing the room in a silvery moonlight.


    He was still in his bloody clothes, looking oddly sophisticated yet freakish, especially with the way he


    was peering at the door. It made me inexplicably nervous.


    ¡°Did it scare you silly?¡± Neil finally broke the silence, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you lock the door?¡±


    I was taken aback. Had I forgotten to lock the living room door when I went to the bedroom?


    Perhaps the events of the night had shaken me too much, leaving my mind in chaos.


    I stammered, ¡°Um¡­ I forgot. How¡¯s Daisy? Is it okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still at the vet. It¡¯ll have to stay for a while but luckily, its thick fur protected its vital organs,¡± Neil


    replied, then looked at me and asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not hurt?¡±


    I nodded. I wasn¡¯t injured, just mentally and emotionally overwhelmed.


    Suddenly, something caught my eye. The blood on Neil¡¯s left forearm seemed thicker, the sleeve of his


    shirt clinging to it. It looked like he¡¯d been hurt.


    My heart clenched. ¡°You¡¯re hurt. Your arm¡­¡±


    I pointed at Neil¡¯s left arm.


    Neil lifted his arm to examine it. Upon seeing his wound, he frowned but didn¡¯t seem overly concerned.


    ¡°Hmm, he got me good, but can handle it.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? After you dropped off Daisy, you should¡¯ve gone to the hospital. You¡¯ve lost a lot of


    blood and what if the wound gets infected?¡± I was getting frustrated, whether from seeing all the blood


    or worrying about Neil¡¯s injury.


    Neil seemed amused at my concern, his eyebrow arching. Despite his injury, he seemed in good


    spirits. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am! You got hurt saving me, Neil. Can you please act like an adult and get your wound


    treated at the hospital?¡± I was exasperated. He was being incredibly childish.


    Neil let out a soft grunt, leaning back on the couch, his hands hanging loosely by his sides. He looked


    tired, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips, ¡°Is it too much to ask for you to admit you¡¯re worried


    about me?¡±


    With that, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes I wasn¡¯t sure if he was just resting or if he had really


    passed out.


    ¡°Neil?¡± I called out.


    He didn¡¯t respond, his face growing paler. My heart pounded. Could he be dying?


    ¡°Neil? Are you asleep?¡± I asked louder, but still, he didn¡¯t answer.


    I began to panic. I wasn¡¯t a doctor. I didn¡¯t know if a wound there could be life-threatening.


    I walked over to him and gently nudged him, ¡°Neil, are you okay?¡±


    He still didn¡¯t respond. He looked like¡­ a corpse.


    Shaking, I reached out to check his breath.


    Just as I was about to touch him, he suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of mischief in them. He grabbed


    my wrist, and with no warning, I fell onto the couch, onto him.


    His other arm wrapped around my waist, and I ended up sprawled on his chest, his eyes smoldering as


    they met mine.


    Startled, I tried to get up, but his grip tightened, pinning me down.


    ¡°Worried I might be dead?¡± His face was still pale, making his smirk appear all the more sinister.


    ¡°Technically, it would be better if I died, then no one would bother you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± I was more embarrassed than angry as I shouted, ¡°Let go of me. Let me


    up!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I got hurt saving you, so shouldn¡¯t you be responsible?¡± Neil yed the victim.


    I tried to squirm away, but Neil let out a pained grunt, ¡°If you move, my wound will open up again. It had


    just stopped bleeding.¡±


    With no choice, I stopped struggling. Neil¡¯s antics had me on edge. I said, ¡°You know your injury is


    serious, why won¡¯t you go to the hospital? I¡¯m not a doctor, how am I supposed to help? You should let


    Karina take care of this, she¡¯s a pro and can make sure you won¡¯t even have a scar!¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Neil seemed to have lost his logic.


    ¡°Jealous of what, Neil? Did you hurt your brain along with your arm?¡± I was bbergasted by his


    absurdity.


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    Before I could react, Neil kissed me on the lips, swift and light.


    The atmosphere suddenly became tense. I was taken aback, our faces so close that our breaths


    mixed.


    Neil¡¯s gaze was intense, a torrent of unspeakable desire evident, even though he was injured and


    hadn¡¯t received any treatment.


    What was this man thinking?


    I sensed something was wrong and immediately tried to get up again.


    This time, Neil didn¡¯t stop me, but as I was about to rise, I lost my bnce.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Neil let out a pained grunt and clutched his thigh.


    I quickly stepped back, apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°Irene, are you trying to kill me?¡± Neil gasped, his already pale face turning ashen.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. Are you okay?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but nce at Neil¡¯s injured area. It was definitely a


    critical hit.


    Neil propped himself up, gritting his teeth as he asked me, ¡°Well, what do you think? Do I look alright to


    you now?¡±

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    Chapter 485


    Chapter 485


    Neil was clearly in a bad state, pathetic even.


    A pang of guilt fluttered in my heart, but as soon as I remembered that it was all his doing, the guilt


    vanished.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let go of me?¡± I muttered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t let go? Then how did you get up?¡± Neil, with a sour expression, caught my words. ¡°I¡¯ve been


    hurt twice tonight. You must take responsibility.¡±


    If Norah was home, I might have considered taking Neil to the hospital, paying his medical bills and


    taking care of him. But I couldn¡¯t leave, so now that he insisted on me taking responsibility, I could only


    transfer him some money.


    After I transferred the money, Neil¡¯s phone pinged.


    He looked at his phone, his expression nuanced, then he looked up at me and asked, ¡°Is that how you


    take responsibility? By giving me money?¡±


    ¡°Well, what else can I do? I don¡¯t have any other way to take responsibility.¡± I replied helplessly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to treat wounds?¡± Neil scanned the room and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a first aid kit


    at home?¡±


    I was pretty sure Neil was not right in the head.


    Karina, a full-fledged doctor, was right at his ce. He just had to go home and tell her he was hurt,


    and she would surely treat his wound, more so than going to the hospital.


    But no, he wanted me to treat his wound, which was simply absurd.


    Of course, I had a first aid kit at home, but it was filled with simple medicines and tools. If Neil¡¯s wound


    was severe, it might not be easy to treat.


    Neil sat on the sofa without moving, refusing to leave. He was the kind of person who always stuck to


    his words, and I didn¡¯t know how long he intended to make meply.


    I found the first aid kit and took out some basic medical supplies, then asked Neil to raise his hand so I


    could assess his wound.


    The sight of his wound made me dizzy.


    It was deep and gory, hidden by the fabric of his clothes. It was still bleeding, staining my sofa.


    Despite his severe condition, Neil valiantly refused to go to the hospital. He really didn¡¯t care about his


    own well-being!


    Ryan would definitely be heartbroken if he knew.


    Looking at the ghastly wound, my scalp tingled and I didn¡¯t dare to treat it. Seeing my hesitation, Neil


    took over the disinfectant and started treating himself. Watching the blood washed away by the


    medicine, I winced in pain.


    But Neil remained expressionless. Although not entirely proficient, he managed to clean the wound.


    ¡°Help me take off my shirt,¡± he suddenlymanded.


    His shirt was dirty and bloody, which would make bandaging difficult.


    I nodded and waited for Neil to unbutton his shirt. When he didn¡¯t, he motioned for me to do it.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you unbutton it yourself?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m the injured one,¡± he said sullenly.


    Reluctantly, I started unbuttoning his shirt.


    I was close to him, and when I looked up after unbuttoning thest button, I saw his Adam¡¯s apple


    move in a sexy way.


    But I knew it was a dangerous sign. I quickly checked myself and realized that my was exposing more


    than I intended.


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    I pulled off Neil¡¯s shirt in a hurry, touching his wound in the process. He didn¡¯t say anything but his face


    turned pale. shirt


    ¡°You know I have a wound on my arm, Irene, you really are ruthless!¡± Neil grimaced.


    ¡°You were sneaky in the first ce¡± I was sure he had seen it.


    Neil chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve seen every part of you, so what¡¯s there to be shy about?¡±


    I really wanted to p Neil. He was so shameless. If it weren¡¯t for his heroic act tonight, I would¡¯ve


    kicked him out right then.


    ¡°Shut up and treat your wound!¡± I retorted.


    Neil huffed and started treating his wound bare-chested. The sight of the wound made met queasy,


    worse than seeing all the blood in the yard.


    The living room was silent except for asional cicada chirping from the yard. As the night deepened, I


    started feeling drowsy and sat down on the other sofa.


    After a while, Neil called me over, ¡°Come, help me bandage.¡±


    He had disinfected the wound and applied medicine, so he just needed me to wrap it up with a


    bandage.


    As I was tying the bandage and about to say something to Neil, his lips quickly sealed mine, my words


    swallowed back and my eyes widened.


    This was his second ambush tonight!


    ¡°Mmmph!¡± I protested, but Neil¡¯s kiss was passionate and intense. I was barely breathing. let alone


    pushing him away.


    Neil¡¯s kiss was domineering. He quickly pried open my lips, taking away my weak breath. In no time, I


    felt weak and couldn¡¯t stand up.


    Between the entanglements, I¡¯d been forced to lie down on the couch, and just when I was about to


    attack Neil¡¯s wound, the doorbell rang.


    Who woulde here at thiste hour?


    Luckily, the doorbell interrupted Neil¡¯s advances. He let go of me and licked his bleeding lip. ¡°Why are


    you still so fierce?¡±


    ¡°Neil, go to hell!¡± I was furious as I pushed him away and pped him on the face, the sound echoing


    louder than a thunderp.


    Neil didn¡¯t make any move to stop me from pping him, instead, he just nonchntly shrugged his


    shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna go to hell, you know. You not marrying Russel is such a jackpot for me. I just


    can¡¯t afford to die, you get me?¡±

 Chapter 486

    Chapter 486


    Chapter 486


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    As had expected, Hell was brimming with resentment


    The doorbell was still ringing, bing increongly inset you need t answer the door


    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± I was taken aback at the sight of pose. Not be working the night onfe Why was he back


    at this hour?


    Russel grabbed my shoulders, scanning me from top to bottom, his voice filled with concern. ¡°Are you


    hurt? I heard there was a break-in and someone for so I rushed home.¡±


    His eyes then fell on the bloodied yard, ringly visible under themplight. As a coster Russel was


    particrly sensitive to such scenes, and his face drained of color


    Neil stepped out, locking gazes with Pussel from a few feet away, Sacs seret fy between them. The


    tension was palpable even in their silence


    But if it wasn¡¯t for Russel¡¯s timely arrival, I wouldn¡¯t know what else this lunatic Nell might have done.


    His words were spot on: someone like him might be better off gone for good for me


    Within 24 hours, Russel had encountered Neill at my ce twice. No doubt his fastation was at boiling


    point.


    Even the mostposed individuals would have trouble tolerating such repeated incidents.


    Russel¡¯s eyes were like shards of ice, but he didn¡¯t utter a word. His silence made me uneasy, I


    couldn¡¯t exin the situation, so I simply said, ¡®A fugitive broke into the house Neil saved me. I was just


    tending to his wound.¡±


    ¡°Is it as simple as that?¡± Neil chimed in, his tone suggestive and challenging.


    I shot Neil a re, but he simply smirked back at me, unfazed. His wounded lip, bitten by me, bore a


    few dark red marks that made him look all the more devilishly charming.


    Any average person would have lost their cool, sparking an argument. But this time, Russel didn¡¯t


    react. He simply walked over, put an arm around me, and calmly said to Neil, ¡°Thanks for protecting my


    wife. If you¡¯re avable, we¡¯d like to invite you to dinner as a token of our gratitude.¡±


    Russel¡¯s words took me by surprise. What was going on?


    The smile on Neil¡¯s face faded slightly. He shot me a meaningful nce before letting out a cold,


    dismissiveugh. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Now you can leave. I need to handle the situation here.¡± Russel smiled politely, treating


    Neil like aplete stranger, despite their previous close friendship,


    ¡°You let your ¡®wife fall into danger again and again, Russel. What good are you?¡± Nel spat out bitterly


    before leaving.


    Russel¡¯s face turned ashen. He always med himself for not taking good care of me, and Neil¡¯s words


    were a p in his face.


    The yard fell back into silence, leaving only the heavy stench of blood and the two of us. Before I could


    say anything, Russel had already started cleaning the bloody mess.


    It waste at night, and after a night of shocks and distress, I was exhausted, Seeing Russel cleaning


    up, I felt obligated to help.


    ¡°You should rest,¡± Russel told me. He was on his knees, scrubbing the bloodstains from the ground.


    The yard was dimly lit, and the smell of blood attracted swarms of mosquitoes. I was ufortable,


    but Russel seemed unfazed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± I said, squatting next to him to help clean the blood-stained ground. The nauseating


    feeling was overwhelming.


    Russel didn¡¯t respond. He worked efficiently and silently. We cleaned for about an hour before the yard


    was somewhat presentable.


    I was soaked in sweat, and so was Russel. Sweat beads dotted his smooth forehead and even his


    eyshes seemed damp, gleaming under the light.


    ¡°Every time you¡¯re in danger, I¡¯m always a step behind Neil. It¡¯s my fault¡¯ Russel finally broke the


    silence, his voiceced with self-reproach.


    ¡°No, no, no, Russel, it¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯re not obligated to protect me. You¡¯ve done enough by


    pretending to be the father of my children,¡± I quickly countered.


    ¡°You know I want to be more than just their pretend father. I want to truly love them as my own,¡± Russel


    stood up, his gaze intense as he looked at me.


    His stubbornness was something I had experienced before, only then, his obsession had been Bonnie.


    I was too tired to argue and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. You should head back to the hospital.


    Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    I turned and went inside. As soon as I entered the living room, I heard the front door open and close.


    Russel had left.


    I paused, feeling hollow, and then took a shower before going to bed.


    Norah returned the next day and was guilt-ridden when she learned about what had happened. She


    broke down in tears.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯m sorry. If I hadn¡¯t taken the day off, you wouldn¡¯t have been in danger!¡± Norah said


    remorsefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Norah. No one knew a murderer would break into my house. We just need to be


    more cautious in the future,¡± I reassured her. I wouldn¡¯t me Norah for this. It wasn¡¯t her fault,


    especially since she warned me.


    Norah wiped her tears and quickly said, ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll go get some groceries. I¡¯ll cook you something


    nutritious. Dr. Russel said you¡¯ve lost weight and that I¡¯m not taking good care of you!¡±


    Before I could respond, Norah was out the door, off to get groceries.


    I had been wearing myself thin recently, not getting enough rest. I had lost some weight and was


    starting to look like a scarecrow. Sometimes I caught my reflection and thought a gust of wind could


    knock me over.


    ¡°Serena, Brandon,e on, let¡¯s go get some sunshine!¡±


    It was about eight in the morning and the sun was gentle. It was good for babies to get some sunlight. It


    helped with their calcium absorption.


    The two little ones were oblivious to what happenedst night. They were happily basking in the sun,


    babbling away in their babynguage.


    But the peaceful moment was interrupted when the doorbell rang.

 Chapter 487

    Chapter 487


    Chapter 487


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be Norah returning so soon, and I was worried it might be Neil again, so i took a


    peek through the peephole first


    Ryan and Faith were on the doorstep, looking anxious and worried


    Why would theye over?


    I opened the doot, and Faith immediately grabbed my hand and anxiously asked, ¡°Irene, are you okay?


    Neil said a murderer broke into your housest night and nearly hurt you. I was scared to death!¡±


    ¡°Faith, I¡¯m okay, thanks to Neil who came to see me. Otherwise, something might have really


    happened.¡± I felt warm that Faith¡¯s concern was heartfelt, not feigned.


    They didn¡¯t even need to make a special trip to see me.


    Ryan also looked very serious. ¡°Irene, you should have a few people stay at home. You have two kids


    who need care. I heard your parents are not around, so you need someone to help you share the


    burden!¡±


    I nodded awkwardly and said, ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯ll hire a couple of nannies these few days to ensure


    safety.¡±


    After inviting them in for tea, I ushered Serena and Brandon into the living room.


    There was still a faint smell of blood in the yard. Faith frowned when she smelt it. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to


    imagine what happenedst night. Neil finally did something right!¡±


    ¡°He was hurt too, on his left forearm.¡± I reminded her.


    Faith nodded and said, ¡°I know, but he¡¯s a grown man. A little injury won¡¯t kill him. And he has Karina,


    doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    I must say, Faith¡¯s love for her son was unique,


    Neil¡¯s injury needed stitches. I wonder if he went to the hospital afterwards. If it got infectedter, it


    would be a real hassle.


    Today, without Karina here, Faith cheerfully picked up Serena, while Ryan held Brandon. They both


    had always wanted me and Neil to get back together, so they were very straightforward.


    ¡°If only these were Neil¡¯s kids. We could each hold one. Hiram only came back to us when he was this


    big. We never saw him when he was a baby!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but Irene¡¯s children are our grandchildren. It¡¯s all the same!¡±


    Listening to their conversation without any hint of avoidance, I couldn¡¯t quite describe what I was


    feeling. They made me feel guilty for hiding the truth.


    Suddenly, Faith remembered something and asked, ¡°Oh, Irene, didn¡¯t you have something to tell us on


    Hiram¡¯s birthday? I was out with a friend then. You can tell me now.¡±


    She even shot Ryan a look, making him shift his gaze awkwardly.


    Why did Neil ask me this question, and now Faith?


    I hesitated, remembering Hiram¡¯s nervous and scared expression. I didn¡¯t have the heart


    What kind of person Karina was and whether the Whitmore family could ept her were their family


    matter. But sometimes Karina insisted on dragging me into the mess, which I found repugnant.


    ¡°Irene,e here.¡± Faith beckoned me with a serious face, leading me to the bedroom, leaving Ryan in


    the living room with the kids.


    In the bedroom, Faith took my hand and said seriously, ¡°Irene, you don¡¯t need to hide anything from us.


    You know, whether it was in the past or now, I have always opposed Karina and Neil being together.


    But we couldn¡¯t do anything because of Hiram.¡±


    ¡°Faith, can¡¯t you ept her at all?¡± I asked, somewhat confused.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not just her background. It¡¯s mainly her character. The fake death incident made me realize


    that this girl is too cruel and tricky. And hiring people to pretend to be sick, and the way she disciplines


    Hiram ¨C I don¡¯t approve of any of it!¡± Faith didn¡¯t hide her disdain for Karina.


    Faith was born into a prestigious family and always valued character and conduct highly, so Karina had


    been using the wrong methods from the start.


    Seeing that I remained silent, Faith gently shook my arm. Her eyes were filled with nth and


    determination, which reassured me.


    Compared to my mother¡¯s attitude towards me now, I seemed to see my mother¡¯s in Faith.


    ¡°Faith, I hope you¡¯ll believe what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡± I took a deep breath and decid tell her


    everything. After all, not telling didn¡¯t make a difference, as Karina would still target me.


    I told Faith everything in detail, from my suspicion that Karina had tried to harm me underwater to the


    fact that Hiram had been used by her. Faith¡¯s face gradually turned angry and embarrassed as she


    listened. After all, Karina was her son¡¯s current girlfriend.


    Although they weren¡¯t married, they had a child together, and the outside world had pretty much


    confirmed that Karina would be the future Mrs. Whitmore.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I yed the conversation I had with Hiram earlier for Faith as evidence.


    Faith loved Hiram very much and she had always been afraid that Karina would corrupt him. When she


    heard the truth, she was so angry that she trembled.


    ¡°That venomous woman!¡± Faith¡¯s chest heaved dramatically, and her face turned red, looking furious.


    I immediately patted Faith¡¯s back to help her calm down. ¡°Faith, don¡¯t get too worked up. What¡¯s done


    is done. You should think about how to save Hiram now. If this continues, it will ruin him.¡±


    The only one I felt sorry for was Hiram. He had such a radical and scheming mother who used him as a


    tool.


    Children are innocent.


    And I couldn¡¯t understand why Karina would treat her own child so cruelly.


    ¡°How can I not get worked up? You should know that I gave her a chance only for the sake of the child.


    But I didn¡¯t expect her to be so cruel to Hiram. I knew those bad habits of Hiram¡¯s had toe from


    somewhere!¡± Faith patted her chest, feeling like she was going to faint if she got any angrier.


    Before I could say anything, Faith took out her phone and called Neil. Without saying much, she


    ordered him toe over immediately.


    While waiting for Neil, Faith called Ryan in and repeated everything I had just told her.


    Ryan had been a titan in the business world for years, a man of influence and power, never imagining


    he would almost stumble so badly over this issue!


    His face was ashen, not uttering a single word


    I was quietly sitting at the side, allowing them to process their emotions at this moment.


    About half an hourter, Neil arrived. His arm was freshly bandaged, and I could tell the knot in the


    bandage was different. The room was thick with tension, and he sensed it immediately, his voice heavy,


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Neil, if you still consider me your mother, drive Karina away right now. I only want Hiram, not that


    woman as my daughter-inw!¡± Faith¡¯s emotions surged, her words filled with disdain for Karina.

 Chapter 488

    Chapter 488


    Chapter 488


    Facing Faith¡¯s fury, Neil shot me a nce. Was he subconsciously assuming that I was the cause of


    the uproar?


    Well, it was understandable. After all, Faith was in my house at the moment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rify what actually happened first,¡± Neil tried to pacify his mother, ¡°Then I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Faith took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. Then she repeated my words for the second time.


    Her emotions were running high, causing her to speak faster than I had, her words interspersed with


    criticism and distaste for Karina.


    Neil¡¯s expression darkened as she spoke, and finally, he turned to me and asked, ¡°Is everything my


    mom saying true?¡±


    ¡°You asked me about itst night, and I already told you everything. Whether you believe it or not, that¡¯s


    up to you,¡± I replied calmly, my conscience clear.


    ¡°Irene wouldn¡¯t lie to us. Hiram¡¯s words were clear as day. That woman is maniptive. She even used


    Hiram as a spy. It¡¯s absolutely outrageous!¡± Faith was getting worked up again, beads of sweat forming


    on her forehead.


    I went to pour her a ss of water. ¡°Here, take a moment to calm down.¡±


    Faith took the ss of water, giving me a deep look before suddenly turning her attention to Neil. ¡°This


    is all your fault! Irene was so good to you,pletely devoted to you, and you didn¡¯t appreciate her.


    And now look, you¡¯ve invited a wolf into your home, bringing all sorts of trouble upon us!¡±


    I was embarrassed. Despite my exposure of Karina¡¯s deceit, I was honestly at a loss on how to


    respond to Faith¡¯s praise.


    Ryan chimed in, ¡°Yeah, when you first started dating Karina, we were against it. But you wouldn¡¯t listen.


    Now, she¡¯s secretly had a child, and the child is already so big. What are we supposed to do now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll handle this myself,¡± Neil said, obviously frustrated. His brows were furrowed, a sign


    of deep worry and tension.


    Faith knew her son¡¯s temperament. If she continued to push, he would only resist more, and that would


    cause more trouble.


    I didn¡¯t say anything else. How Neil would handle the situation was his business.


    The room became oppressively silent. When Norah returned, she found the Whitmore family sitting in


    the living room, no one speaking a word.


    Faith and Ryan were each holding Serena and Brandon,


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Norah was clearly ufortable. She quietly said, ¡°Mrs. Finch, I¡¯ll make dinner.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I waited until Norah had entered the kitchen before turning to Ryan and Faith. ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    stay for dinner? I don¡¯t have much to offer, but Norah is a great cook. You should try her food.¡±


    Faith finally smiled and said, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a meal together.¡±


    I returned the smile and got up to help Norah in the kitchen, leaving Serena and Brandon with Ryan


    and Faith.


    After a while of bustling about in the kitchen, Norah seemed to be holding back


    something. Seeing her hesitation, I asked, ¡°Norah, if you have something to say, just say it.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Finch, I¡¯m just a nanny. It¡¯s not my ce toment on the affairs of my employers,¡± Norah


    sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just speak your mind,¡± I assured her as I continued with my work.


    Norah wiped her hands on her apron, closed the kitchen door, and finally said, ¡°Mrs. Finch, Ljust think


    that Dr. Russel might not be pleased about Mr. Whitmore¡¯s frequent visits here¡­¡±


    I knew instantly what she meant.


    Neil¡¯s repeated visits to my house had not escaped Norah¡¯s notice. However, to outsiders, Russel and I


    were the married couple, and we had two children together. This situation could easily be misconstrued


    as an illicit love affair.


    Norah, being in her early fifties, was more traditional in her thinking. Furthermore, Russel had always


    been good to her, so she was likely ufortable with the situation. I appreciated her restraint in not


    bringing it up until now.


    I put down the vegetables I was chopping and exined, ¡°Norah, Neil is my ex-husband. I shouldn¡¯t


    have any contact with him, but things aren¡¯t as they seem. I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°But Dr. Russel¡­¡± Norah was still concerned about Russel.


    ¡°Russel and I¡­ we might not be a good fit,¡± I didn¡¯t go into detail, but gave her a simple exnation to


    ease her worries.


    Norah stared at me in shock, finding it hard toprehend. In her eyes, Russel and I had always


    gotten along well. Russel was a good-looking man with a stable ie, and we seemed to be a


    perfect match.


    She stammered, ¡°But¡­ why¡­¡±


    ¡°Norah, I¡¯m not as fickle as you might think. There¡¯s a lot ofplexity involved here that I can¡¯t exin


    right now,¡± I interrupted, somewhat helplessly.


    Norah sighed deeply, ¡°Alright, I just thought Dr. Russel was truly good to you. You two look so right


    together, so I don¡¯t understand why¡­¡±


    The intricacies of rtionships are difficult to exin, especially when Norah was unaware of the


    history between Neil, Russel, and me. I had said all I could.


    Fortunately, she was a sensible woman and didn¡¯t press for more details, choosing instead to focus on


    cooking.


    I was there to lend a hand, mainly because I didn¡¯t know what to say while sitting with the Whitmore


    family in the living room. If we kept talking about Karina, it would seem as if I was intentionally targeting


    her.


    Once all the ingredients were prepared, I returned to the living room. To my surprise, Serena and


    Brandon had fallen asleep in the arms of Ryan and Faith; their soft snores filled the room.


    ¡°These two are such sweethearts. I can¡¯t help but adore them,¡± Faith said, still cradling the children


    even after they had fallen asleep.


    Neil¡¯s gaze swept over Serena¡¯s face in Faith¡¯s arms, a slight frown forming on his face.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking, but the affection Ryan and Faith showed towards Serena and


    Brandon was no less than their love for their grandson, Hiram. This was something I hadn¡¯t expected.


    After all, blood ties are often considered paramount.


    ¡°Irene, darling, Ryan and I have a favor to ask. Could you possibly grant it?¡± Faith and Ryan exchanged


    nces, suddenly finding themselves in an awkward situation.


    My heart gave a jolt. I was afraid they were going to ask something about a DNA test or something.


    But Faith¡¯s next sentence made me let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Just wondering if we could adopt Serena


    and Brandon as our grandchildren? Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll treat them just like our own, no favoritism


    whatsoever!¡±


    ¡°Mom, what are you up to?¡± Neil¡¯s face turned ashen. He couldn¡¯t understand why his parents, who


    already had a biological grandson, were eager to adopt more, especially considering these kids were


    born to his ex-wife and his childhood friend.


    Faith shot Neil a look that said, ¡®mind your own business¡±. ¡°I simply adore these two little ones. Having


    Hiram is wonderful, but an extra two won¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re short on money. Plus, it gives me a


    legitimate excuse to spoil these little darlings, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 489

    Chapter 489


    Chapter 489


    The Whitmores were definitely not strapped for cash. They were practically rolling in dough.


    But I wasn¡¯t exactly a pauper myself. After selling mypany, I was living the life of luxury, even more


    so than before. If my parents took over Lucas¡¯spany, they would be even better off.


    So, the dilemma wasn¡¯t about money. It was about Neil¡¯s unease.


    He could never find it within himself to ever like Serena and Brandon. No matter how adorable they


    appeared, just the thought of whose children they were, made his blood boil.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for any formalities. But if you ever want to see the kids, you¡¯re wee to drop by,¡± I


    refused Faith¡¯s request. Given theplex circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to publicize this.


    Faith¡¯s face fell in disappointment as she looked down at Serena in her arms and let out a sigh.


    At that moment, Ryan brought out two boxes, ¡°Here, these are our gifts for Serena and Brandon. You


    should keep them.¡±


    Upon opening the boxes, I found two beautiful pairs of golden bracelets.


    They had already given Serena and Brandon gifts when they first saw them. Now they were giving


    golden bracelets. I felt a bit overwhelmed.


    It wasn¡¯t about the money, but the feeling of being overly pampered.


    ¡°Just put them on the kids now,¡± Faith didn¡¯t wait for my response. Instead, she took out a pair of


    bracelets and put them on Serena, who was in her arms.


    The golden bracelets looked beautiful and luxurious against Serena¡¯s fair skin. The more Faith looked,


    the more satisfied she felt with her choice.


    The other pair was put on Brandon.


    I wanted to refuse but felt it would be too cold-hearted of me to reject their gifts after just having refused


    Faith¡¯s request to adopt Serena and Brandon as her grandchildren. So, I held my tongue.


    At that point, Norah had finished preparing dinner. She called us to the dining room.


    The meal was sumptuous, but the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. The scene reminded me of


    the times when Neil and I weren¡¯t divorced and would visit his parents in Springvale during the


    holidays.


    At the dinner table, Faith was the most talkative. I knew she was trying to engage me in conversation.


    But I didn¡¯t know what to say. She was already depressed, and I was worried that not responding might


    emotionally upset her.


    ¡°Irene, do you have time early next month? We could go on a trip to Heavenly Mountain,¡± Faith


    suggested. She had already consulted with an advisor, who suggested that the third of the next month


    would be the best date. But we would need to fly there a day earlier.


    I had already agreed to apany her before, so naturally, I had no objections this time.


    Neil listened to our conversation silently, casting me a nce.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Dinner felt somewhat drawn out, but after we finished, Ryan and Faith didn¡¯t linger. After reminding me


    to take care of my health and safety, they left.


    Neil naturally followed suit. As he was leaving, he turned to look at me onest time.


    I closed the living room door, blocking his view.


    Three dayster, I hired two more nannies. From then on, Norah would only look after the kids, while


    the other two would handle the household chores.


    This way, having more people at home would ensure safety.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, your phone is ringing.¡± I was in the middle of changing the kids¡¯ clothes when? Norah


    walked in with my mobile phone.


    I took the phone and felt a sinking feeling in my heart.


    It was Louis.


    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to still be in the hospital? I did some mental math and figured that if he was being


    discharged a bit early, it would be normal.


    Every time I thought about what he had done to me before, I felt sick. So, I simply hung up and blocked


    his number.


    Before long, Louis called me again using a different number. He got straight to the point, threatening


    me, ¡°Irene, I know where you live. You should know what kind of person I am. If you keep avoiding me,


    I might do something out of control.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to do with each other anymore, so don¡¯t bother me out of the blue, alright?¡± I


    exined, trying to keep my anger in check.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Who made you Neil¡¯s favorite woman?¡± Louis¡¯sughter was creepy and eerie. Despite


    the hot weather, it sent chills down my spine.


    ¡°Who said I was his favorite woman? Don¡¯t you know how little I mean to him?¡± I retorted.


    Louis answered disdainfully, ¡°That¡¯s what you think. Back in Cdonia, he confessed that he had fallen


    in love with you and never really got over you. That¡¯s why you are his Achilles heel¡±


    I was speechless.


    It seemed like none of the people around Neil were normal. Whether it was Russel, Louis, or Mitch,


    each one seemed to be troubled.


    ¡°If you really are Neil¡¯s half-brother, then prove it and confront his father directly, rather than targeting


    innocent people. Louis, I won¡¯t cooperate with you in any way. Don¡¯t act like a rabid dog, biting people


    indiscriminately, responded coldly.


    After being called a rabid dog, Louis became annoyed. His words became more aggressive and


    threatening, ¡°I¡¯m a rabid dog? Fine. I wanted to cooperate with you since you were also wronged by


    Neil. But since you¡¯re not cooperative, don¡¯t me me for not being polite. I know where your home is.


    Those two little darlings of yours can¡¯t stay home forever, can they? And you, can you always stay


    hidden at home?¡±


    ¡°What if we do go out?¡± I challenged.


    ¡°Then be prepared to pay the price!¡± Louisughed, ¡°I will throw all of you into the sea. Do you believe


    me?¡±


    Hisst sentence undoubtedly struck a nerve in me. I felt my blood rushing to my head, and an urge to


    kill Louis right then and there.


    But I bit my tongue, refrained from throwing his words back at him. I forced myself to keep cool. ¡°Louis,


    you have assets outside Eldoria, don¡¯t you? You must¡¯ve been prepared for a counterblow against Neil.


    You have businesses across the country. Even though none of them are particrlyrge, they do


    umte a considerable amount of assets. If you were to fall from grace, what do you think would


    happen to thesepanies under your name?¡±


    Silence came from the other end of the phone. After an awkward pause, Louis¡¯ voice, as sullen as a


    storm cloud, came on. ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°I recorded every word of all those threats you made. If you dare disrupt my life, I won¡¯t hesitate to hand


    them over to the police and expose you to the media. If you won¡¯t let me live in peace, then I¡¯ll make


    sure the empire you¡¯ve built will crumble in an instant. I¡¯m telling you, my children are my world. I¡¯m not


    afraid to go down with you. The Whitmore family fortune? You won¡¯t see a dime of it. You¡¯ll spend the


    rest of your days in prison!¡± I spat out through gritted teeth.

 Chapter 490

    Chapter 490


    Chapter 490


    Louis was ticked off by my blunt words, but it was evident there was a newfound wariness in his eyes.


    ¡°Irene, are you really that dense? Have you forgotten how Neil used to treat you?¡±


    He was trying to stoke my hatred for Neil, to reel me into his scheme against him.


    But what I couldn¡¯tprehend was why he believed I¡¯d agree. All I wanted was to steer clear of Neil.


    Why on earth would I want to get into the mess?


    ¡°What happened in the past is in the past. I don¡¯t want to waste time dwelling on it. You¡¯ve got the


    wrong person, Louis.¡± I replied, maintaining my firm stance.


    ¡°Yes, the past is the past. But the pain Neil caused you isn¡¯t. Scars always remain,¡± Louis persisted.


    ¡°You and Neil don¡¯t share any children, just a bitter past. We should be the perfect team!¡±


    Perfect team, my foot. This guy was clearly off his rocker.


    I remained silent, and Louis¡¯s tone grew increasingly desperate.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m the only one out to get Neil? Even if you hold onto your old feelings and refuse


    to act against him, there will always be others who want to bring him down. You¡¯ll find out soon enough,


    just you wait.¡±


    Were there other people trying to get at Neil?


    I was puzzled. What did Louis mean by ¡°bring him down¡±? Would Neil¡¯s life be in danger?


    Before I got a chance to rify, Louis hung up.


    When I tried calling back, his phone was switched off.


    I was confident my threat held enough weight to make Louis think twice before messing with me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, can we meet up for a chat? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    That afternoon, I received an unexpected call from Karina.


    I checked the time; it was five o¡¯clock. In a little while, after dinner, I could take the kids out for a walk.


    Besides, I had no desire to ¡®discuss¡¯ anything with Karina, let alone meet her in person.


    Did Neil and Ryan spill the beans about everything after they left my ce a few days ago?


    If that were the case, it would make sense for Karina to seek me out. But if that was indeed the


    situation, I¡¯d rather avoid her, fearing she might do something reckless.


    ¡°Sorry, now¡¯s not a good time,¡± I declined tly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to discuss your children with me?¡± Karina¡¯s voice turned icy. ¡°If Neil finds out they¡¯re


    his, he¡¯ll stop at nothing to take them from you. What will you have left then?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat at her words.


    How could Karina be so sure Serena and Brandon were Neil¡¯s children?


    For a moment, I was thrown into confusion. This was something the Whitmore family would want to do,


    but why was Karina the one reaching out to me?


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I finally found my voice after a while.


    ¡°Just around the corner from your ce. Head right when youe out. I¡¯m under the tree there.¡±


    Karina hung up after her instructions.


    I asked Norah to look after the kids before quickly heading out.


    Karina was waiting not too far away, dressed in a white tank top and light blue denim shorts. Her figure


    was striking, aplete departure from her usual style.


    Seeing me, she gestured towards a car parked nearby. ¡°Get in. Let¡¯s find a cooler ce to talk. Your


    kids are taken care of, right?¡± I nodded.


    With Norah and a few other nannies at home, I was assured.


    Karina drove to a nearby mall and chose a secluded cafe. We ordered some coffee and sat down


    facing each other, lost in our own thoughts for a while.


    She kept sipping her coffee, the agitation in her eyes hard to miss. My emotions mirrored hers, but I


    kept a poker face.


    ¡°Karina, spit it out. How did you find out?¡± I broke the silence with a calm tone.


    ¡°Of course, I did another paternity test. The one Russel had done was fake, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Karina chuckled


    coldly. ¡°He truly loved you, didn¡¯t he? Not only did he happily y daddy, he even went to great lengths


    to cover up your lies. All to help Neil raise his own children, huh?¡±


    Her words were dripping with sarcasm.


    I fixed my gaze on her, devoid of any emotion. ¡°Whatever happens between Russel and me is none of


    your business. If you think a paternity test is enough to threaten me, then you¡¯re gravely mistaken.¡±


    Karina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Threaten you? What do you think I want to threaten you with? If


    you want to keep your children, keep your distance from Neil. Your parents aren¡¯t in Eldoria anymore.


    You can move away and live with them. That way, I¡¯ll be spared from seeing you, and I won¡¯t reveal


    your secret to anyone.¡±


    ¡°And if you do reveal this secret, who do you think should be more afraid, you or me?¡± I retorted.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Karina¡¯s eyes grew colder. ¡°Are you not afraid the Whitmore family will take your


    children away? Given their resources, they¡¯re more than capable.¡±


    I smiled faintly. ¡°Even if they take my kids away, they can¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m their mother.


    Besides, as you know, Ryan and Faith really like me. They won¡¯t stop me from seeing my children. On


    the other hand, once the Whitmore family has Serena and Brandon, you and Hiram won¡¯t be their


    favorites anymore. Especially you, you should know that better than anyone, right?¡±


    My words hit a nerve. Karina¡¯s greatest leverage in the Whitmore family was Hiram, the grandson they


    so desperately wanted.


    With Serena and Brandon in the picture, it would certainly shift the dynamics.


    If the Whitmore family could snatch my children, couldn¡¯t they do the same with hers? Of course, they


    could. However, Hiram was old enough to protect his mother, and Ryan and, Faith wouldn¡¯t be able to


    justify their actions.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Karina¡¯s eyes shed a cold light. ¡°Irene, it¡¯s all your wishful thinking.¡±


    ¡°Is it my wishful thinking or is it the harsh reality? Give it a shot, Karina. If I were to announce right now


    that I¡¯m getting back together with Neil, and im that the children. are Neil¡¯s, do you think you¡¯d still


    have a ce in this equation?¡± I kept my tone steady and calm, betting on the fact that Karina was


    more afraid than I was.


    Her eyes had taken on a frantic, desperate edge, ring at me as if she wanted to devour me whole.


    I knew I had won the bet. How could Karina bear to lose her ce in the prestigious Whitmore family?


    Her mother, Gloria, had already travelled overseas and wouldn¡¯t be back anytime soon. Gloria would


    have to exin all this mess to her current husband. Karina¡¯s biological father, Ethan Foster, was


    already behind bars, just like Bonnie.


    ¡°Do you get it now? You can¡¯t tell Neil about this. Not only that, but you¡¯ll have to find a way to prove my


    children aren¡¯t Neil¡¯s if anyone starts to suspect. Otherwise, it¡¯s your position with Hiram at stake, not


    mine.¡± I had said everything that needed to be said. I picked up my bag, stood up, and looked down at


    Karina. ¡°You¡¯re a smart woman, Karina. You should know what to do.¡±

 Chapter 491

    Chapter 491


    Chapter 491


    Karina cast an unwilling nce at me, her eyes revealing her defeat. All the while, I remained calm and


    collected.


    Judging by her reactions, I was winning. I could even use her topletely dispel the Whitmore


    family¡¯s suspicions about my two children.


    With business concluded, I paid the bill and left the mall, taking a cab back home.


    These past days, I¡¯ve been threatened by Louis and Karina. I felt like I was under siege. In a few days,


    Faith and I were nning to go to Heavenly Mountain to give thanks for my children¡¯s health. I looked


    forward to washing away this string of bad luck.


    However, to my surprise, when the day came, not only Faith came to pick me up, but also Neil, Karina,


    and Hiram.


    We nned a three-day trip. I decided to bring Serena and Brandon along and fly directly from the


    airport to Heavenly Mountain.


    Faith got out of the car to help me with the children. Karina offered help too, but I declined.


    ¡°You can stay in the car with Hiram,¡± Faith told her coldly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Karina frowned, returning to the car to apany Hiram.


    Neil was responsible for driving. From the window, he nced at Faith and me. His sunsses


    concealed his eyes, revealing a straight nose, sharp thin lips, and well-defined jawline.


    Faith slowed down and quietly exined to me, ¡°Irene, I didn¡¯t want to bring Karina along. But Hiram


    insisted oning and bringing Karina. I had no choice.¡±


    I knew how much Faith adored her grandson. If Hiram insisted on going to Heavenly Mountain and


    bringing Karina, she would have been persuaded.


    ¡°I understand, it¡¯s okay,¡± I smiled lightly. In fact, I found it better this way. With Karina present, she


    would obstruct Neil and Faith from getting closer to my children.


    Since Faith and I had to hold one child each, Karina sat in the front passenger seat, while Hiram sat


    with us in the back.


    As soon as he saw me, he red at me, making faces as if he wanted to fight me.


    Faith immediately scolded him, ¡°Hiram, what are you doing? That¡¯s no way to behave.¡±


    Hiram grunted and continued to re at me.


    I guessed he disliked me because Karina might have punished him. Even though I didn¡¯t reveal


    everything on his birthday, Karina must have figured out something.


    Hiram was just a child. His sense of right and wrong was still hazy. He didn¡¯t even realize Karina was


    leading him astray.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sit in the middle,¡± Faith offered thoughtfully, cing herself between me and Hiram.


    Neil nced back, warning Hiram with a stern look but didn¡¯t say anything.


    It was Karina who spoke, ¡°Hiram, you can¡¯t be rude, understand?¡±


    Hiram grudgingly responded with a ¡°Hmm¡±, then fell silent, staring out of the window.


    The atmosphere in the car was rather tense. Apart from ying with the children, Faith barely spoke to


    Karina. Karina, in turn, didn¡¯t make any deliberate attempts to please Faith, only asionally


    conversing with Neil.


    Upon reaching the airport, we boarded the ne on time, flying towards Heavenly Mountain.


    Throughout the journey, Faith was the perfect grandmother, taking care of all three children without


    showing any favoritism.


    However, when lunchtime came, Hiram started throwing a tantrum.


    He refused to eat, insisting on drinking c instead.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t that there was no c avable, but excessive consumption of such beverages is


    harmful to a child¡¯s health. Especially c, which can affect nutrient absorption and gut health.


    As a doctor, how could Karina ignore this when it came to her own child?


    Watching Karina¡¯s reaction, I noticed a look of displeasure on her face, as if she disagreed with Hiram¡¯s


    demand for soda. However, when Hiram looked at her, I distinctly saw a smile in her eyes.


    Confused, I wondered what Karina was up to.


    ¡°You can¡¯t have c until you finish your meal!¡± Karina told Hiram sternly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want food, I want c!¡± Hiram suddenly cried out. Thankfully, we had chartered the ne, so no


    other passengers were affected. But his crying was indeed distressing.


    Faith tried to calm him down in vain. Hiram seemed afraid of Karina in other matters, but not this. No


    amount of persuasion or scolding worked.


    Finally, Faith was about to give him the c.


    Neil and I both objected simultaneously, ¡°Don¡¯t give it to him!¡±


    Hiram, who was lying on the floor throwing a tantrum, looked up at us and shouted, ¡°You have no right


    to tell me what to do, I hate you!¡±


    Faith looked upset at his attitude towards me. ¡°Hiram, didn¡¯t granny tell you not to treat Ms. Finch like


    this?¡±


    Karina didn¡¯t say anything. She just got up and pulled Hiram to his feet.


    ¡°I might not have any right to tell you what to do, but your parents do,¡± I told him sternly. ¡°If you cry and


    fuss and get everything your way, it will only harm you in the end.¡±


    I truly cared about his health. He had shown a strong aversion to food when he was at my house,


    acting as if food was poison and c was the best thing in the world.


    ¡°Yes, Hiram, we need to eat some food,¡± Faith, who had almost wavered, strengthened her resolve


    after hearing my words. ¡°Drinking too much c is bad for you. You¡¯re a child. You have to behave.¡±


    Now, Neil, Faith, and I were united in our stance. But Karina¡¯s attitude was unclear. As the child¡¯s


    mother, why was she so indifferent?


    ¡°Hiram, let¡¯s get some food in you, alright?¡± Karina finally spoke up again, her tone devoid of any


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    scolding.


    Hiram looked at us adults with watery eyes. There was nothing he could do if we didn¡¯t give him c,


    so he had to obey and eat his meal.


    The food was actually quite good. At least I found it delicious. But Hiram seemed to struggle with it,


    asionally retching as he ate.


    Seeing this, Karina pulled out a bottle from her bag. The bottle was opaque, hiding its contents. She


    handed it to Hiram, ¡°Drink this nutrition shake.¡±


    Nutrition shake? I had never heard of it.


    But Karina was a doctor, so it must be something to help Hiram¡¯s body. I didn¡¯t think much of it.


    Hiram took the bottle and started drinking. After he finished the entire bottle in one gulp, the retching


    stopped, and he obediently ate a little bit of his meal.


    Karina then threw the bottle into the trash bag.


    After finishing his meal, Hiram went to Serena¡¯s side, making a goofy face at her on purpose.

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    I worried that Hiram might try to cause trouble for Selena and Brandon, so I decided to keep an eye


    out.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Hiram red at me as soon as he saw me, his disdain and dislike for me apparent. I didn¡¯t mind,


    though. I wasn¡¯t about to get into a spat with a kid.


    As long as that kid didn¡¯t cross any lines.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, you should go sit with your mom and not wander around,¡± I told Hiram.


    Hiram was pretty close to me at that moment, and he leaned in to look at Serena and Brandon.


    Perhaps he was full from eating earlier, but he let out a burp, and I could smell a faint scent of coke.


    I was puzzled for a moment. When did he have coke?


    ¡°Hiram,e here, we¡¯re about tond. Stay close to mommy,¡± Karina called out to Hiram, who


    obediently went over to sit down. I was still lost in my confusion.


    When we finallynded, Karina and Hiram were leading the way while Faith graciously carried Serena


    and let Neil carry Brandon. I was the only one empty-handed. As we passed the spot where Hiram had


    eaten earlier, I picked up the discarded bottle and stuffed it into my bag.


    After disembarking, a driver was waiting to take us to a booked hotel. We would head out to Heavenly


    Mountain the next morning.


    I thought three rooms would be enough: one for me and the twins, one for Faith, and one for Neil,


    Karina, and Hiram. But to my surprise, Neil was staying in a room of his own.


    Despite Karina¡¯s grim expression, she kept her emotions under control.


    The four rooms were all VIP suites, quitefortable. But taking care of the twins alone was a


    challenge. Although they were well-behaved, they sometimes demanded to be held, and I couldn¡¯t hold


    both at the same time.


    Just as I finished preparing their milk, the doorbell rang.


    I nced at the peephole and saw Faith standing outside.


    ¡°Faith, what brings you here?¡± I asked as I opened the door.


    ¡°I thought you might need some help with the twins,¡± Faith kindly responded. She immediately went


    over to Brandon, gave him a peck on his cheek, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I just adore these


    two.¡±


    I stayed silent, unsure of how to respond.


    That¡¯s when Serena needed a diaper change. As I was getting the diapers and wipes from my bag, I


    subconsciously pulled out that annoying bottle. It was the same one Karina had given Hiram on the


    ne.


    Faith spotted the bottle and paused. ¡°Why¡¯s that bottle in your bag?¡±


    Before I coulde up with an exnation, she had already unscrewed the sniffed it. Her expression


    suddenly changed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, my heart suddenly pounding.


    ¡°That Karina!¡± Faith¡¯s tone was filled with anger, ¡°This isn¡¯t a nutrition shake, it¡¯s coke!¡±


    I had suspected as much, but hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to confirm it. I was baffled by Karina¡¯s


    actions. As a parent, she should want the best for her child, not harm him.


    Faith was already upset with Karina, and now her patience had run out. She stormed off with the bottle.


    After changing Serena¡¯s diaper and putting the twins to sleep, I hurried after Faith.


    By the time I reached Karina¡¯s room, the tension was palpable. The empty bottley on the floor. Faith


    was furious, holding Hiram close to her, as if protecting him from Karina.


    Hiram, on the other hand, was scared witless, his little face pale.


    ¡°Why would you do this?¡± Neil questioned, his expression as cold as ice.


    Although Hiram didn¡¯t grow up in front of Neil, he was Neil¡¯s son after all. Neil naturally harbored


    genuine affection for Hiram, his only son.


    Karina¡¯s actions were harmful to the child.


    Seeing Neil¡¯s reaction, Karina turned to look at me. There was a sh of resentment in her eyes,


    quickly reced by a look of self-reproach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m a doctor, I know better. But I¡­¡±


    She trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes. This was a rare moment of vulnerability for her.


    ¡°But what? What could possibly justify poisoning your own child?¡± Faith cut in, her voice harsh.


    Karina nced at Neil, hoping he woulde to her defense. But his gaze was even colder than


    Faith¡¯s.


    Realizing she was cornered, Karina wiped away her tears and began recounting her struggles raising


    Hiram alone abroad. She admitted to resorting to snacks, drinks, and games to pacify Hiram, which


    resulted in his bad habits.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me, Faith,¡± Karina said, her voice choked with emotion. ¡°But we¡¯re both women,


    both mothers. You should understand where I¡¯ming from. If I were truly heartless, I wouldn¡¯t have


    insisted on raising Hiram myself. And I have been trying to correct his habits.¡±


    Her words left Faith speechless. It was hard to argue with her reasoning. To continue berating her


    would seem petty.


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m not raising Hiram right, then you can take over his upbringing from now on. But I have


    one request, don¡¯t ever separate me from my child.¡± Karina¡¯s voice started to waver, choked with tears.


    She turned away, wiping her eyes. Suddenly, she looked like a wronged housewife, and we felt like the


    viins who had wronged her.


    Faith nced back at me, her eyes filled with unease.


    I decided to step in, trying to ease the tension. ¡®Faith, Dr. Karina does have a point. Raising a child in a


    foreign country is tough. We can gradually work on correcting Hiram¡¯s bad habits.¡±


    ¡°Neil, what do you think?¡± Faith suddenly called out to Neil, ¡°You were supposed to make a decision.


    Didn¡¯t you tell her about our previous conversation?¡±


    Neil seemed taken aback, as if he had forgotten something important. All the while, Karina was staring


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    at him, waiting for his response.

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    I wasn¡¯t sure what Faith had said to Neil, but I could guess.


    Knowing Faith, she would definitely demand that Neil kick Karina out of the Whitmore house. After all,


    the Whitmore family had no room for a woman as scheming as her.


    ¡°Are you going to throw me out?¡± Karina guessed, forcing a smile. ¡°Neil, do you feel the same way? Are


    you going to abandon me like you did all those years ago?¡±


    Neil hadn¡¯t been firm enough back then, but Karina hadn¡¯t exactly been a saint either. Her actions left


    much to be desired.


    In my previous life, Neil had adored Bonnie, likely because she reminded him of Karina. Given this, it


    was easy to imagine the ce Karina held in his heart, especially now with their son, Hiram, in the


    picture.


    Just as Neil was about to respond, Hiram burst out of his room, tears streaming down his face. He


    clung to Karina¡¯s leg and pleaded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated from mommy!


    Grandma, don¡¯t make her leave! If she goes, I¡¯ll go with her!¡±


    Dad


    ¡°Hiram, if I have to leave, you have to listen to your grandparents and your father, okay?¡± Karina didn¡¯t


    plead alongside Hiram. Instead, she crouched down, looking at Hiram with a pained expression.


    She shot me a nce, then continued speaking to Hiram, ¡°And you have to listen to your new mommy.¡±


    Was she trying to drag me into this?


    I frowned, ¡°Hiram, you won¡¯t have a new mommy. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    My words seemed to ease Karina, but Neil and Faith looked anything but pleased.


    At the end of the day, this was their family drama. I had no business sticking around, especially given


    Neil¡¯s indecisiveness. His feelings for Karina were unclear, and I was growing impatient with his inability


    to make a decision.


    ¡°Faith, Serena and Brandon are still sleeping. I¡¯ll head to my room.¡± I said to Faith and left.


    She seemed to want to call out to me, but she didn¡¯t.


    When I got back to my room; my phone started ringing.


    Neil was calling, but I didn¡¯t feel like dealing with him. To be honest, I was growing tired of his


    indecisiveness. I missed the Neil from my previous life, who would move mountains for the woman he


    loved and didn¡¯t think twice about it.


    Now, he didn¡¯t seem to truly love anyone. Everything was vague and unclear, a stark contrast to the


    man I once knew.


    After ignoring Neil¡¯s calls, he showed up at my doorstep.


    I didn¡¯t open the door, instead I called out to him, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be dealing with Karina¡¯s situation?


    Neil, will you ever learn to love someone wholeheartedly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I don¡¯t love Karina. Whatever happened between us was years ago. How many


    times do I have to exin this?¡± Neil sounded exasperated, ¡°Open the door, let¡¯s talk face-to-face.¡±


    ¡°I came to Heavenly Mountain to apany your mother, not to meddle in your business with Karina!¡±


    I was growing frustrated.


    Neil didn¡¯t respond. Instead, his phone rang. He answered, and his tone grew serious, likely due to a


    work-rted issue.


    After hanging up, he left without a word.


    A few minutester, I received a text.


    [I have to head back to Rosemont for work. We¡¯ll discuss Karina¡¯s situation next time we meet.]


    didn¡¯t reply. I simply let out a sigh of relief. With Neil away, I could finally rx.


    The next morning, I rose early to travel to Heavenly Mountain. The journey was quite the ordeal,


    especially with two kids in tow. We couldn¡¯t hike, so we had to take a cable car or bus, a journey that


    would take at least two hours.


    When I met up with Faith and Karina, neither of them looked particrly well.


    It wasn¡¯t until Faith saw Serena and Brandon that she managed to crack a smile. Suddenly, I noticed


    something different about Hiram. He was wearing a pair of gold bracelets, adorned with a unicorn


    pattern, identical to the ones Serena and Brandon had.


    Caught off guard by my gaze, Hiram looked at his own bracelet, then turned to Faith, ¡°Grandma, did


    you give them these bracelets?¡±


    Faith seemed flustered, unsure of how to respond to her beloved grandson.


    Karina quickly intervened, ¡°Hiram, it¡¯s rude to ask such questions. It¡¯s okay for Grandma to like other


    kids, you know?¡±


    She had changed her tune significantly from the day before.


    ¡°I understand. I like my brother and sister too. Our bracelets are so pretty.¡± Hiram seemed to have


    matured overnight. He even reached out to gently touch Serena and Brandon¡¯s faces.


    Watching Hiram act so mature, Faith¡¯s expression softened, ¡°That¡¯s right, your brother and sister are


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    very adorable, just like you.¡±


    Hiram nodded, looking exceptionally well-behaved.


    Yet, he would often nce at Karina for approval. It broke my heart to think that he was only acting this


    way to please his mother.


    I didn¡¯t particrly like Hiram. However, when I thought that he was often incited by Karina, I couldn¡¯t


    help but feel sorry for him.


    With the tension somewhat diffused, we set off for Heavenly Mountain.


    Faith seemed to be in a bad mood on our way there. Ryan tried to cheer her up over a quick call, but


    they hung up after exchanging a few words.


    ¡°Faith, has something gone wrong at the office?¡± Karina suddenly asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Faith replied coldly.


    Could there actually be trouble back at Whitmore Co.? I was taken aback. The memory of Neil


    receiving ate-night call yesterday made me worried. I remembered how stressful it had been when


    my family¡¯s business had run into a snag. But Neil was different from me; he should be able to handle


    it.


    Besides, it wasn¡¯t my ce to worry.


    ¡°Neil wouldn¡¯t rush back to Rosemont in the middle of the night unless something was up.¡± Karina


    continued, and I gave her an annoyed nce.


    Faith already suffered from depression. We needed to keep her spirits up, not deliberately poke at her


    sensitivities.


    But Karina seemed indifferent to my warning nce, casually looking away.


    ¡°Neil can handle whatever is happening at thepany. It¡¯s not our ce to worry,¡± Faith said, clearly


    not interested in discussing the matter further. She cut Karina off with an air of impatience.

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    ¡°I believe in him, too,¡± Karina responded, her voice strained with irritation. She finally got the hint and


    fell silent.


    A thought suddenly crossed my mind. Could Louis be behind all of this? Or was there someone else


    involved?


    For some reason, Russel came to mind.


    But Russel was busy, working as a doctor in Eldoria. He wasn¡¯t on speaking terms with his family


    because of me. It was unlikely he had time to meddle in Neil¡¯s affairs.


    Lost in my thoughts, we arrived at the base of Heavenly Mountain.


    Heavenly Mountain was a sight to behold, majestic and awe-inspiring. It drew many visitors, some to


    sightsee and others to pray for good luck at the shrine.


    Karina, holding Hiram¡¯s hand, pointed toward a cable car. ¡°Let¡¯s take that up the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± Faith agreed without argument.


    We split into two groups for the cable car ride. Faith and I were in one car, with her helping me look


    after the kids. Karina and Hiram took the other.


    Faith was unusually quiet during the ride. It was clear that Whitmore Co. was in some serious trouble;


    otherwise, she would not be this upset. All I could do was avoid bringing up the subject and adding to


    her stress.


    Eventually, Faith broke the silence. ¡°Irene, I want Neil to send Karina away. We¡¯llpensate her


    generously. Essentially, we¡¯re buying Hiram from her. Is that unfair?¡±


    ¡°Faith, I¡¯m not in a position to judge,¡± I sighed. ¡°Neil and Karina were forced apart and never got


    closure. You should respect Neil¡¯s feelings. Don¡¯t let it affect your rtionship with him.¡±


    ¡°With me?¡± Faith sounded irritated. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me and his father, the Whitmores would¡¯ve been


    ruined by Karina.¡±


    I remained silent. Karina had never been part of the Whitmore family. No one could predict what would


    have happened had she married Neil.


    However, her actions after losing Neil and her maniptive tactics, including using Hiram, proved she


    was obsessive. She would stop at nothing to achieve her goals and was incredibly patient.


    Faith nced at me, as if wanting to say something, but remained silent.


    Finally, we reached the top of the mountain. We still had a twenty-minute walk ahead to reach the


    shrine. Standing on the cobblestone steps, surrounded by lush trees, I felt a breeze carrying the scent


    of incense.


    The tranquil aura calmed me briefly, but that peace was short-lived as thoughts of the child Neil and I


    lost crept in. We were here to fulfill a wish in her honor.


    The pain of losing her hit me hard, and I struggled to hold back tears.


    Faith¡¯s expression grew solemn. She nced at Serena in her arms and sighed, ¡°Serena, we¡¯re here to


    say goodbye to your sister.¡±


    Karina, following behind us, didn¡¯t react to our conversation.


    I didn¡¯t expect her to show sympathy. I just didn¡¯t want her to see my vulnerability, so I held back my


    tears and forced myself to continue walking.


    It took us half an hour to reach the shrine. It was a solemn ce filled with countless prayers.


    Under Faith¡¯s guidance, I followed the instructions to fulfill our wish. I felt a great sense of relief, as if a


    weight was lifted off my chest. If this could alleviate some of our guilt and let my child rest in peace,


    then it was worth it.


    ¡°It¡¯s done, everything¡¯s in the past now,¡± Faith whispered as we left the shrine.


    ¡°Thank you, Faith,¡± I replied, my voice choked with emotion.


    ¡°What are you thanking me for? She was my beloved grandchild, too. We just didn¡¯t have the destiny to


    meet. I believe in karma and reincarnation. It gives me spiritual sce,¡± Faith said with a serene smile.


    You wouldn¡¯t guess that she was battling depression.


    merely nodded, unable to find the words.


    Throughout the journey, Karina remained silent. Was it the events ofst night, or was it because Neil


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    wasn¡¯t there that she wasn¡¯t as talkative?


    On the way down to the cable car, Karina finally spoke. ¡°Ms. Finch, did you know about Russel¡¯s


    resignation?¡±


    ¡°Resignation?¡± I was surprised. I wasn¡¯t aware of this. Russel rarely discussed his work with me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Karina asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. ¡°Given your close rtionship, I


    thought you¡¯d be the first to know.¡±


    I realized what Karina was doing. She was implying that my rtionship with Russel wasn¡¯t as good as


    it seemed in front of Faith.


    Faith looked at me with a puzzled expression, then at Karina.


    I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise, so I didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯s been busy with work and doesn¡¯t want


    to burden me with it.¡±


    ¡°He must¡¯ve returned to Rosemont by now,¡± Karina added, her eyes fixed on me, her gaze unsettling.


    Had Russel returned to Rosemont in just a few days?


    And it coincided with Whitmore Co.¡¯s troubles. I realized what Karina was implying. She was trying to


    link Russel to Whitmore Co.¡¯s problems, and by extension, me.


    If issues at Whitmore Co. couldn¡¯t be resolved, or if any underlying problems were left behind, I was


    going to be the one bearing the brunt of the Whitmore family¡¯s ire, after all, it was because of me that


    Russel had a falling out with Neil.


    ¡°Spit it out if you have something to say.¡± My face cooled a bit, with Faith¡¯s health condition, I didn¡¯t


    fancy discussing this matter, yet it seemed like Karina had found this chink in my armor, intending to


    sow discord between Faith and myself.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I just feel like your rtionship with Russel isn¡¯t exactly on solid ground. Normally, this


    wouldn¡¯t be my business, but if it¡¯s affecting Whitmore Co., well, that¡¯s a different story.¡± Karina didn¡¯t


    shy away from speaking her mind in front of Faith. Her words were pointed and clearly filled with


    usations towards me.


    Faith furrowed her brow. This matter was of great importance, so naturally she was worried about


    Whitmore Co. If the person causing trouble for Whitmore Co. was indeed Russel, then I would be


    med as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s no issue between Russel and me. If anything did happen because of me, I¡¯ll do everything in


    my power to stop it.¡± I was addressing Faith with these words, as for Karina, I owed her no exnation.

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    ¡°How can you stop it?¡±


    Karina, however, wasn¡¯t ready to drop the subject. She waspletely indifferent to the increasingly


    sour expression on Faith¡¯s face.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Faith finally snapped, her brows furrowed. ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to this. We¡¯ll handle whatever


    happens as ites. What¡¯s the point of all this talk?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    I remained silent. Even if Faith liked me, she wouldn¡¯t side with me unconditionally on such a crucial


    issue.


    My rtionship with Russel was already a tant insult to Neil. Yet, the Whitmore family didn¡¯t care


    about the talk of the town and continued to treat me as always.


    Karina smiled at me. ¡°Fine, we won¡¯t talk about it. I believe that you are a responsible person, Ms.


    Finch. If there¡¯s any conflict because of you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way to resolve it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer, only gave her a cool nce before continuing on my way.


    On the way back, it was clear Faith was in a terrible mood. Her face was visibly gloomy, but she tried to


    reassure me, ¡°Irene, I¡¯m not ming you. Just thinking about all this drama is exhausting.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Faith.¡± I managed a small smile. Even if Faith med me, she had every right to.


    The prerequisite, of course, was that the Whitmore Co. issue was indeed Russel¡¯s doing.


    After returning to the hotel, I immediately dialed Russel¡¯s number. It rang for a long while with no


    answer.


    A sense of unease crept over me, making me restless. If Russel had simply had a falling out with Neil, I


    could console myself. But if it involved finance and business, I couldn¡¯t sit idly by.


    Whitmore Co. and the Dawson Group were both prominent family enterprises and once business


    partners. If they turned against each other, the implications would be massive.


    I sent a message to Russel: [Russel, where are you?]


    About three minutester, he called back.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± As soon as I answered, I asked directly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Russel countered. There was noise on his end, but it definitely wasn¡¯t hospital


    noise.


    A surge of frustration welled up in me. ¡°Are you still hiding from me? Did you quit your job? Are you


    back in Rosemont?¡±


    Russel was silent for a few seconds, then responded with unnatural calmness, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m in Rosemont


    now. How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Karina told me.¡± My heartbeat quickened uncontrobly. I wanted to confront Russel directly about


    whether he was behind the Whitmore Co. issue, but the words were stuck in my throat.


    In the ensuing silence, Russel broached the subject himself. ¡°You know about the problem with


    Whitmore Co., don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just tell me honestly, did you do it?¡± I didn¡¯t want to beat around the bush.


    Russel chuckled lightly. ¡°Why would you suspect me? I just got back a few days ago and haven¡¯t had a


    chance to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Stopughing and answer my question seriously.¡± My words came out in a rush, ¡°Neil has already


    gone back. If the problem wasn¡¯t serious, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed back. What did you do to Whitmore


    Co.?¡±


    Russel¡¯s voice suddenly chilled. ¡°So, are you worried about him or me?¡±


    At this point, he was still stuck on this. I was at a loss for words and felt defeated. ¡°I¡¯m worried about


    both of you. If you think I¡¯m still in love with him, that I haven¡¯t let go, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re doing this,


    you really didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Irene, all I¡¯ve ever wanted is simple ¨C you. Even if you still have Neil in your heart, I¡¯m willing to take


    time to rece him. But you won¡¯t give me that chance, will you?¡± Russel¡¯s voice was as cold as a


    stranger¡¯s, devoid of warmth despite the emotional subject.


    I was full of frustration and anger, but I couldn¡¯t vent it out.


    Initially, I was confronting Russel, but now I was tongue-tied because I hadn¡¯t managed to keep my


    distance from him. Perhaps my initial thought of using him to spite Neil was the wrong move.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± All my thoughts coalesced into these three words. I didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need an apology. Either marry me or stay out of my feud with Neil.¡± Russel gave me two


    options.


    Unfortunately, neither of these options was what I wanted.


    I tried to soften my tone and pleaded with him, ¡°Russel, wait. Can we talk this over?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in Rosemont.¡± With that, Russel hung up.


    Since my divorce from Neil, he had never been this cold to me, let alone hang up on me without giving


    me a chance to say more.


    The sudden change left me reeling. But I quickly pulled myself together. It was up to me to stop this


    madness before it escted further, and I shouldn¡¯t be hung up on these feelings, isn¡¯t this what I


    wanted?


    In my room, I felt restless. Even though Russel didn¡¯t give a clear answer, his words had said enough.


    Just as I was stuck in my thoughts, the doorbell rang.


    It was Faith.


    Her visit at this moment put enormous pressure on me, but I let her in nheless.


    ¡°Did I disturb you, Irene?¡± Faith asked gently.


    I shook my head, avoiding Faith¡¯s gaze. I had no idea how to bring up Russel¡¯s issue.


    ¡°I came to talk about something,¡± Faith nced at Serena and Brandon, who were practicing sitting up


    on the bed, and sighed. ¡°I was nning to go back tomorrow, but I need to go to Rosemont now. Do


    you mind going back to Eldoria with Karina?¡±


    Of course, I minded. Moreover, I needed to go to Rosemont as well.


    Before things got worse, I had to do my best to stop Russel¡¯s reckless actions.


    ¡°Faith, it turns out I¡¯m also heading to Rosemont. We might as well go together,¡± I replied.


    ¡°What are you going there for?¡± Faith seemed puzzled, then quickly misinterpreted my meaning, ¡°Irene,


    this mess isn¡¯t on you. You don¡¯t have to exin yourself to Neil. If he chose this path, he should¡¯ve


    known this could happen. Russel isn¡¯t a pushover, either. It¡¯s their business, you shouldn¡¯t take the


    me.¡±


    Faith¡¯s words only made my guilt and remorse more intense. She was stillforting me, even after all


    that had happened.


    ¡°Faith, I¡¯m not going to see Neil; it¡¯s Russel I need to find,¡± I didn¡¯t hide anything from Faith and told her


    straight up what I had in mind.

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    ¡°Are you going to see Russel?¡± Faith¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°Yes, I need to talk to him about something. He¡¯s back in Rosemont, so I¡¯m nning on heading there.¡±


    I didn¡¯t go into detail, but given Faith¡¯s keen intuition, I was sure she grasped the gist of the situation.


    She remained silent, her eyes reflecting aplex mixture of emotions.


    After a moment, Faith finally spoke again. ¡°Well, I guess we should head out together then.¡±


    ¡°What about Karina?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She will go back to Eldoria for work. Hiram¡¯s got school there,¡± Faith replied.


    I nodded, relieved that Karina wasn¡¯t going to Rosemont. Thest thing I wanted was her stirring up


    trouble while I was trying to have a serious conversation with Russel.


    Faith and I each scooped up a child and left the room, notifying the hotel staff on our way out that we


    were checking out. Karina and Hiram were already waiting for us in the hotel lobby.


    The hotel had arranged for a car to take us to the airport. Our flights were scheduled around the same


    time, just heading in different directions.


    ¡°Safe travels. We¡¯ll see you in Eldoria in a few days,¡± Karina bid us goodbye, her flight leaving earlier


    than ours. She held Hiram¡¯s hand, looking surprisingly calm given the circumstances.


    I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was off. Karina seemedpletely unphased by the fact


    that Faith and I were heading to Rosemont together, even though Neil was there. And given Karina¡¯s


    fiery personality, it seemed unlikely that she was simply indifferent.


    On top of that, I had no idea how Karina knew about Russel quitting his job. They weren¡¯t even working


    at the same hospital anymore.


    I had always been suspicious of those two, but without any concrete evidence, I kept my doubts to


    myself.


    But now it was clear to me that there was more to their rtionship than met the eye. The seeds of


    suspicion that had been nted in my mind were now starting to sprout.


    Returning to Rosemont felt surreal.


    Since I moved away to Eldoria while pregnant, It felt like ages have passed. Now Serena and Brandon


    were almost six months old.


    Rosemont was the ce I had grown up in and where all the ups and downs of my rtionship with


    Neil had taken ce.


    Faith had offered to arrange a driver for me, but I had declined. ¡°You go ahead, Faith. I¡¯ve already


    arranged for someone to pick me up. They¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    I had gotten in touch with Bailey. He and Hannah were still living in Rosemont. They had finally taken


    their rtionship to the next level, which was a silver lining amid all the chaos.


    I had offered them to stay at the Sapphire River Community, but they had both declined.


    Knowing that I was back, Bailey had readily agreed to pick me up. He was driving the same car that I


    used to ride around in, which I had insisted on leaving for him to use.


    ¡°Ms. Finch!¡± Bailey greeted me.with a wide smile, his voice filled with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Bailey, it¡¯s been a while,¡± I said, smiling in return.


    ¡°Yes, Hannah and I have missed you,¡± Bailey replied, sounding rather excited.


    ¡°I have some matters to attend to this time, and I might need you and Hannah to help look after the


    kids. Is that okay?¡± I asked, pushing a temporary stroller I had bought.


    Having kids certainly made traveling more difficult, but I couldn¡¯t bear to leave them behind in Eldoria,


    which was miles away.


    Bailey leaned over to take a look at Serena and Brandon, praising, ¡°They are even more adorable in


    person than in the pictures you posted on Facebook.¡±


    Bailey had be quite the smooth talker, probably thanks to the positive influence of being in a


    loving rtionship.


    ¡°Of course they¡¯re adorable. Look at who their mom is,¡± I joked.


    ¡°Right, they¡¯ve definitely taken after you,¡± Bailey chuckled. ¡°Ms. Finch, why don¡¯t we head to my ce


    for a meal first? Hannah has been preparing some food. By the time we get there, it should be ready.¡±


    I agreed, and we headed over to where Bailey and Hannah were staying. It was a simple two-bedroom


    apartment in a modest neighborhood. They had used two-thirds of their savings to buy it. Although it


    wasn¡¯t extravagant, it was cozy and inviting. The smell of home-cooked food wafted from the kitchen as


    Hannah walked out carrying a te of food. Her eyes lit up when she saw me.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re back!¡± she eximed.


    The table wasden with dishes, all of which looked incredibly appetizing. I had always loved Hannah¡¯s


    cooking and seeing the spread in front of me, my mouth began to water.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, let¡¯s eat. The kids are asleep, perfect timing,¡± Bailey suggested.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, you¡¯re still as thin as before. Are you not getting enough rest? Didn¡¯t you hire a nanny to


    help out?¡± Hannah asked, concerned.


    I responded to their queries, enjoying the casual conversation. It helped lift my spirits.


    That was until Bailey brought up the matter of Whitmore Co. ¡°Ms. Finch, are you back because of the


    Whitmore Co. issue? I heard they were sabotaged by an insider, resulting in several major issues


    simultaneously. All of them quite serious.¡±


    ¡°How did you hear about this?¡± I asked. Even I wasn¡¯t sure what the exact issue with Whitmore Co.


    was. I¡¯d have to ask Ste or maybe even Russel directly.


    ¡°I heard some rumors a while back, so I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on it,¡± Bailey exined.


    If it was really Russel who had caused this, then he must have been plotting against Whitmore Co.


    while he was still working at the hospital in Eldoria.


    How did he manage to do that?


    I lost my appetite and pulled out my phone, sending Russel a message: [I¡¯m back in Rosemont. Where


    are you? We need to talk.]


    But there was no response from Russel, and he didn¡¯t answer when I called.


    Not being able to reach Russel was driving me up the wall.


    Bailey and Hannah exchanged nces, but they were as helpless as I was.


    Just when I was about to go ask Ste and the others, my phone rang. I thought it was Russel


    returning my call, but it turned out to be Neil.


    Seeing Neil¡¯s name popping up on my phone, I frowned, unsure of what to say if I answered the call.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    When the phone rang for the second time, I got up and walked out to the balcony to answer it.


    ¡°What are you doing back in Rosemont?¡± Neil¡¯s voice was stern, as if my return to Rosemont was a


    grave mistake.


    ¡°It¡¯s my decision, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t need to report to you, do I?¡± I snapped back, my voice equally harsh. I


    was feeling guilty, knowing that the current situation at Whitmore Co. was partly my fault. But for some


    reason, whenever I heard Neil¡¯s almost interrogative tone, I felt inexplicably irked.


    There was a pause on Neil¡¯s end, then he asked, ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯lle to you, or you can


    The person I wanted to find right now was Russel, because he was the one giving Whitmore Co. a hard


    time. The most pressing issue was to stop him from going any further.

 Chapter 497

    Chapter 497


    Chapter 497


    ¡°I can¡¯t meet you just yet. I¡¯ll get back to you when I can,¡± I said, ready to end the call.


    ¡°Don¡¯t agree to anything with Russel Dawson!¡± Neil¡¯s voice rang out just as I was about to disconnect,


    sounding unusually urgent.


    I was taken aback, Had Neil predicted that Russel would make me an offer?


    For a moment, my heart felt heavy. An absurd thought popped into my mind.


    Should I visit Bonnie in prison and ask her what she would do, if she were in my shoes?


    I stood alone on the balcony for a while until my phone rang again, bringing me back to reality.


    ¡°Rena, have the Whitmores and the Dawsons really started a feud?¡± Ste¡¯s voice was filled with


    shock. ¡°What on earth happened? Is it about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. How did you find out about this?¡± I asked, somewhat dazed.


    ¡°Mitch called me. A lot of details are still unclear, but he¡¯s certain that there¡¯s a major issue between


    Neil and Russel. He asked me to contact you¡­¡± Ste sounded awkward. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get involved,


    but he kept bothering me, so I thought I¡¯d ask you.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Mitch was currently in Eldoria and couldn¡¯te back.


    I was in a state of chaos myself and hadn¡¯t even seen Russel yet. ¡°Ste, let¡¯s talk about this when I


    have a clearer picture. Do you know what¡¯s happening with the Dawsons? Have you heard anything


    while staying in Rosemont?¡±


    Ste thought for a moment before answering, ¡°Russel¡¯s father, Samuel Dawson, seems to have


    stepped down, but I¡¯m not sure about the rest. I¡¯ve been too busy with the baby.¡±


    Had Samuel really handed over thepany to his son so soon? Unless something was wrong with


    his health, he wouldn¡¯t do this, especially since Russel had been a doctor and had only briefly worked


    at thepany. He wasn¡¯t ready to shoulder such a huge responsibility yet.


    Children¡¯s cries echoed from Ste¡¯s end, and our conversation was cut short.


    It was starting to get dark, and the neighborhood¡¯s streetlights began to glow dimly, much like the state


    of my mind.


    Hannah came out and gently patted my shoulder. ¡°Ms. Finch, whatever it is, why don¡¯t you take a


    shower and rest? The kids still need you.¡±


    I turned to look at her and forced a smile, ¡°Alright.¡±


    The next morning, I woke up feeling groggy. I hadn¡¯t slept well because I was worried about Neil and


    Russel, and I even had a nightmare. My phone buzzed was worried at it. It was a message from Neil:


    [I¡¯m downstairs. Come out.]


    Sleepily, I nced


    Instantly, I was wide awake. Did Neil mean he was downstairs at the Sands¡¯?


    But how did he know I was here?


    I quickly changed and went to the balcony to take a look. We weren¡¯t on a high floor, so I could clearly


    see Neil¡¯s car parked below.


    Neil was standing next to it, smoking.


    I hadn¡¯t seen him for two days, but now I felt a strange sense of guilt towards him.


    This was the first time I felt guilty towards Neil because, in both my past and present lives, it was


    mostly him who had wronged me.


    Bailey and Hannah were still asleep, as was Serena and Brandon. I hurriedly left the house.


    Neil had smoked half of his cigarette. He looked like he hadn¡¯t rested well, with faint circles under his


    eyes. His ck shirt was unbuttoned casually, giving him an air of decadence.


    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± I suppressed the guilt in my heart and asked.


    ¡°Is it that hard to find out where you are?¡± Neil smirked. His smile was still charming, but it was tinged


    with loneliness. He stubbed out his cigarette and threw it into a nearby trash can. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to


    Ste¡¯s and came here instead?¡±


    I frowned slightly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I go to. The person I need to find is Russel.¡±


    Hearing what I said, Neil chuckle lightly. He asked, ¡°Do you think he¡¯s targeting me, so you want to


    convince him to back down?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I didn¡¯t deny it and said honestly, ¡°Neil, as much as I dislike you, I don¡¯t want to be a femme


    fatale. The power struggle between you two is affecting too many people. If ites out that it was


    because of me, I¡¯ll probably face a lot of criticism.


    ¡°So you¡¯re afraid of being criticized?¡± Neil raised an eyebrow, his face calm and


    It would be easy to deal with someone else targeting Neil, but if it was Russel, things would get


    I don¡¯t know how he can still manage to smile.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I ignored Neil¡¯sment and asked instead.


    It was not even six in the morning. Had he not slept at allst night?


    Neil watched me quietly, a hint of fatigue in his eyes. His calm demeanor felt different from before,


    making me feel ufortable.


    Knowing that Russel was targeting him because of me, shouldn¡¯t he be angry with me?


    My decision to be with Russel wasrgely to get back at Neil. This gave Russel hope, leading us to


    where we are now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle thepany¡¯s matters myself. No matter what he asks of you, don¡¯t agree to anything,


    okay? Irene.¡± When Neil said my name, his voice was low, hoarse yet serious.


    I bit my lip and didn¡¯t respond until he reached out to touch my face, and I instinctively turned away.


    Neil let out a gentle sigh, ¡°Are you really that repulsed by me? I¡¯ve had it pretty rough these past few


    days, don¡¯t I deserve a little sympathy?¡±


    ¡°Neil, don¡¯t you me me?¡± I couldn¡¯t help asking.


    Wasn¡¯t he the one who was always ming me? Why is it that when something serious really does


    happen, he has nothing to say?


    Neil paused, his lips slightly parting, ¡°me you for what? Shouldn¡¯t I me myself for not being able


    to control my feelings for you?¡±


    I was speechless, caught off guard. Was this a confession of his feelings?


    ¡°Promise me, don¡¯t make any deals with Russel. I¡¯ll handle everything.¡± Neilughed again, ¡°Actually,


    Russel acting this way shows he hasn¡¯t won your heart yet. That¡¯s good to know.¡±

 Chapter 498

    Chapter 498


    Chapter 498


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now, shall we? Let¡¯s not mix personal matters with business,¡± I sighed, Neil¡¯s


    words leaving a sour taste in my mouth.


    ¡°And when do you suggest we¡¯talk about it, then?¡± Neil¡¯s tone chilled as he mentioned Russel. ¡°I¡¯m just


    worried your judgement is clouded, and you¡¯ll agree to Russel¡¯s unreasonable demands. I know him


    too well, understand?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t losing my mind, just feeling irritable.


    Neil¡¯s phone buzzed, a work-rted call. After a brief conversation, he hung up and informed me, ¡°I¡¯ve


    got to head back to the office. I¡¯ll probably be staying in Rosemont for a while, sorting things out before


    heading to Eldoria. My mom¡¯s heading there earlier though, you can go with her if you want. She can


    help look after your kids.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you go ahead and get your work done,¡± I replied.


    Neil nodded, got into his car, and drove off, leaving me standing alone. Only when his car disappeared


    from my view did I turn to make my way upstairs.


    Hannah was already up, fussing over some nts on the balcony, while Bailey was cooking breakfast


    in the kitchen, a simple yet homey vibe.


    ¡°Where have you been this early, Ms. Finch? Hannah greeted me. From her spot on the balcony, she


    must¡¯ve seen me talking with Neil.


    I gave a sheepish smile, ¡°Just went out for a bit.¡±


    She didn¡¯t probe further, only reminding me that breakfast would be ready soon. I nodded and went to


    check on my kids, Serena and Brandon. They were awake, but quiet, ying on their own.


    Seeing them always stirred up feelings of regret deep inside me. I grew up with both parents in a happy


    family, showered with their love. I wanted the same for my children: a full andplete family.


    After ying with them for a while, I was summoned by Hannah for breakfast. She offered to watch the


    kids for me, so they wouldn¡¯t tumble off the bed.


    Thanks,¡± I nodded and went to have breakfast.


    Bailey was waiting for me at the table, a serious look on his face. I could tell he had something to say.


    True enough, halfway through breakfast, he asked, ¡°You met with Neil earlier, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I paused, not denying it, ¡°Yeah, he found out I was here and came to see me.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten how he treated you?¡± Bailey¡¯s tone betrayed his disapproval. ¡®You¡¯ve wasted so


    much time and emotion on him, and now with the problems at Whitmore Co., it¡¯s his karma. You should


    cut ties with him. Your parents would be against it too if they knew.¡±


    I knew that. I wasn¡¯t sure if my parents knew about the issues at Whitmore Co. If they did, they¡¯d feel


    vindicated. But if they found out I¡¯d gone back to Rosemont and met with Neil, they¡¯d be furious.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten anything, Bailey. You¡¯ve been with me long enough to know my personality. If


    Russel is causing trouble with Neil because of me, I can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing.¡± I replied evenly.


    I trusted Bailey, so I wasn¡¯t worried about him using this information against me.


    He sighed heavily, ¡°So what¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure myself. I can¡¯t even find Russel. I think I¡¯ll have to pay a visit to the Dawson family


    today. Can you and Hannah take care of Serena and Brandon for me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Bailey gave me a helpless look.


    I had never been to the Dawson family in this life, but I had visited a few times in my past life, so I


    remembered the route.


    When I arrived at the Dawson family home, I was stopped. Without an appointment, I wasn¡¯t allowed to


    enter. Russel still wasn¡¯t answering his phone, so I had to wait at the gate.


    After waiting for a while, I began to lose patience. Just as I was about to drive to the Dawson family


    Was it Karina?


    I caught a glimpse of her profile through the half-opened car window. I was sure it was Karina. But why


    was she here? I thought she had gone back to Eldoria.


    My irritation evaporated, reced with strong suspicion.


    And Karina¡¯s car was allowed to enter without any hindrance.


    There were only two possibilities. First, she had contacted the Dawson family and received permission.


    Second, she had been here before and was familiar to the security staff.


    Either possibility was uneptable to me.


    I felt deceived. Russel had lied to me? He imed he had no rtion with Karina, no contact


    whatsoever. But in reality, Karina could go directly to his house to see him!


    I felt like a fool. My chest ached with frustration.


    Just five minutester, before I had time to recover from the shock, Russel¡¯s car pulled up.


    The car I was driving today was the one I often used before, so when he saw it, he immediately


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    stopped.


    The Russel I saw today, and Russel from my past life, seemed to ovep subtly.


    He was dressed in a ssy, tailored ck suit. His hair was neatlybed back, revealing a smooth


    forehead. His eyebrows and eyes were sharp and cold, with a hint of extra sharpnesspared to


    before.


    He walked over to my car and tapped on the window. I managed to keep my face expressionless as I


    rolled down the window, ¡°Russel.¡±


    ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Russel bent down to look at me, eyes narrowing slightly.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who wanted me to fly back to Rosemont to talk? Now I¡¯m here and you¡¯re ignoring my


    calls. Are you ying games with me?¡± I tried to keep my tone steady, but the underlying anger was


    palpable.


    Russel circled around the car hood and slid into the passenger seat. I turned to face him, waiting for an


    exnation.


    Instead, he evaded the topic and shot back, ¡°Where are the kids, since you¡¯re here?¡±


    He seemed genuinely concerned about the children, which made me scoff. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry


    about that, do you? How many more secrets are you keeping from me, Russel? Can you just spill it out


    once and for all? I¡¯m tired of being treated like a fool.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Russel furrowed his brows. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m messing with you?¡±


    ¡°Guess when I arrived here and how long I¡¯ve been waiting? And guess who I just saw?¡± A sarcastic


    smile curled on my lips. ¡°Karina, who you swore had nothing to do with you, just waltzed through that


    front door unimpeded. Meanwhile, I¡¯m stuck out here. Care to exin?¡±

 Chapter 499

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    Chapter 499


    Upon hearing my words, Russel¡¯s expression finally shifted, his gaze filled with unfamiliar emotions.


    At that moment, his phone began to ring. I instantly recognized the name ¡®Karina¡¯ shing on the


    screen. She probably couldn¡¯t find him and was calling to hurry him up.


    The phone kept ringing, and I scoffed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer that? What if she gets impatient and


    your ns get derailed?¡±


    Russel bluntly hung up the call, stowing the phone away before beginning to exin, ¡°I don¡¯t have any


    dealings with her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still lying to me even now. If you¡¯ve truly gone against Whitmore Co. because of me, then I can


    tell you right now, no matter what, I won¡¯t be with you. I can¡¯t stand being toyed with like this!¡± My anger


    was reaching a boiling point and my tone grew increasingly irate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never lied to you. Everything I¡¯ve done is for our future, don¡¯t you understand?¡± Russel noticed my


    agitation and tried to reach for my hand, but I brushed him off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I snapped, ¡°Is this your way of saying you love me? Is this how you treat someone


    you care about?¡±


    ¡°Calm down first, hear me out.¡± Russel was always theposed one, even now he was trying to cool


    my temper. I was no match for him.


    I tried to calm myself down because I hadn¡¯t heard Russel¡¯s exnation yet. I wanted to know how he


    would continue to deceive me.


    Once the atmosphere in the car had somewhat subsided, Russel¡¯s voice broke the silence, ¡°I admit,


    I¡¯ve been in contact with Karina recently, but it¡¯s about the Whitmore family, not to deceive you,


    understand?¡±


    ¡°So for the sake of the Whitmore family, you and Karina plotted to ruin Whitmore Co.?¡± + felt like I was


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    hearing a colossal joke. Karina can¡¯t wait to marry Neil and join the Whitmore family, how could she


    help Russel destroy the Whitmore family?


    If the Whitmore family went under, what benefit would she get?


    Russel saw the cold smirk on my face and knew I didn¡¯t believe him, so he continued exining,


    ¡°Given Karina¡¯s status, marrying into the Whitmore family isn¡¯t easy. She wants Neil, not his family. If


    Whitmore Co. were to face problems, it would benefit her more.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± I didn¡¯t want to hear any more. If I believed a single word Russel said, it was because I was


    insane.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Russel frowned slightly.


    ¡°If that¡¯s your exnation, then you should leave.¡± My voice was colder than ever, my disappointment


    in Russel was at its peak.


    He didn¡¯t move, ¡°You should know I love you.¡±


    He¡¯s told me he liked me before, but he¡¯s never used the word ¡°love¡±. To bring it up now. was


    I gave Russel a cold look, not wanting to waste more words, ¡°If you say you love me, then stop


    everything. If you continue to target Neil, I¡¯ll remarry him immediately, I¡¯ll even tell him about Serena


    and Brandon¡¯s real identities, got it?¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, Russel¡¯sposure finally shattered. He gritted his teeth, ¡°Irene, why


    are you doing this?!¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s the only leverage I have over you, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right!¡± Russel was clearly angered by my threat, ¡°I¡¯m a damn fool, I just can¡¯t let it go!¡±


    I closed my mouth and remained silent.


    After a few minutes, Russel stepped out of the car, mming the door shut in a fit of. anger.


    I didn¡¯t know if my words would have any effect, but it was myst resort. I drove back to Bailey¡¯s ce,


    mentally and physically exhausted. Seeing my pale face, both he and Hannah were concerned.


    They had somehow procured a y mat and Serena and Brandon were ying on it. I sat down


    quietly, joining the kids. Hannah joined us, asking softly, ¡°Ms. Finch, did you find Russel?¡± I nodded.


    ¡°And he¡­¡± Hannah nced at Bailey before continuing, ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. We¡¯ll know his decision in a few days.¡± I forced a smile, ¡°Thank you for watching the


    kids today, were they good?¡±


    Speaking of the kids, Hannah¡¯s eyes softened, They were very good, not fussy at all. As long as


    someone is with them, they¡¯re content. I hope my kid will be the same, I don¡¯t want it to be too


    temperamental, that would be exhausting.¡±


    Once I registered what she said, I looked at Hannah¡¯s stomach in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    At this, Bailey scratched his head, grinning awkwardly, ¡°Yeah, about three months along now, but you


    can¡¯t really tell yet.¡¯


    Hannah nodded, a mix of shyness and delight on her face.


    Hearing the good news lifted my spirits. I quickly told Bailey, ¡°Then you¡¯d better help her sit down. Why


    didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? I had Hannah cooking and taking care of the kids. You should¡¯ve said


    something!¡±


    Hannah quickly defended Bailey, ¡°Ms. Finch, don¡¯t me him. I¡¯m actually in pretty good shape. I


    haven¡¯t had any pregnancy sickness, and all my check-ups have been fine. Moving around a bit is


    good for my health.¡±


    ¡°Even so, you need to rest and cat nutritious food, okay?¡± I advised her, momentarily thinking of Oscar


    Morse, that optimistic, cheerful boy. If he knew this news, he would be so happy.


    Each time I thought of him, it hurt.


    Now, having rescued his sister from domestic violence, with his parents livingfortably in a rented


    house nearby, I felt like I had done everything I could for him.


    In the midst of our chat, I suddenly felt a sharp twinge in my chest, followed by a faint throbbing pain.


    When I finally realized what was happening, it sent a shiver down my spine. This pain was eerily


    familiar.


    Gently, I pressed my hand against the aching spot on my chest. Hannah, noticing my difort,


    asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°A bit,¡± I admitted, frowning. Whenever I was emotionally distressed, I would feel this difort in my


    chest. The memory of my past life¡¯s battle with breast cancer still haunted me, so any difort in that


    area would immediately set me on edge.


    Upon hearing this, Hannah immediately turned to Bailey and said, ¡°Bailey, you need to take Ms. Finch


    to the hospital right away. We can¡¯t ignore any health issues!¡±


    ¡°Alright, Ms. Finch, let¡¯s head to the hospital now!¡± Bailey, too, was concerned about me.


    ¡°But will you be okay alone with the kids?¡± I asked, shaking my head.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry about that,¡± Hannah reassured me. ¡°These two are the most well-behaved kids


    ever. You should go get checked out, otherwise I won¡¯t be at ease!

 Chapter 500

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    Chapter 500


    Hearing Hannah¡¯s words, I felt a pang in my chest. There was something about this that gave me a gut


    feeling of dread. I didn¡¯t resist this time but let Bailey take me to the hospital.


    After a series of tests, it turned out that there was indeed an issue with my breast. It was a bit more


    serious than before, but fortunately, it was detected early. So, with the right medication and a cheery


    disposition, I should be fine.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± I sighed in relief, epting the prescription from him, ready to get my medication.


    As I was about to take the elevator downstairs to the pharmacy, a man wearing a face mask stepped


    out. His ent didn¡¯t sound local, quite foreign actually. He was asking someone nearby, ¡°Excuse me,


    do you know if Dr. Karina works in this hospital?¡±


    Karina? I was a bit taken aback at the mention of the name. I couldn¡¯t help but take a second look at


    the man. I couldn¡¯t make out his facial features because of the mask, but he had thick eyebrows that


    seemed to join together.


    ¡°No idea, sorry,¡± the person he was asking waved him off.


    He sighed and stepped out of the elevator. When he saw me, he asked me the same question.


    I knew Karina, but I wasn¡¯t sure why this man was looking for her.


    ¡°The Dr. Karina you¡¯re looking for, is she a woman?¡± I asked instead.


    His eyes lit up at my question and he nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a woman, she¡¯s a miracle worker!¡±


    Hearing him describe Karina as a miracle worker, I was almost certain herring to the Karina I knew. I


    smiled slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t exactly know her, but she has tre before. She¡¯s indeed very good at what she


    does. Are you looking for her for treatment too?¡±


    He seemed taken aback, as though he was unsure of how to respond. After a fe seconds, he nodded,


    ¡°Yes, I need Dr. Karina¡¯s help. Do you have her contact detail


    ¡°I don¡¯t have her contact details anymore, but I think I can find a way to get them. C give me your


    number? I¡¯ll let you know once I have her number,¡± I replied.


    He seemed desperate to find Karina and quickly gave me his number.


    Bailey was waiting for me on the ground floor of the hospital, and I was worried that my conversation


    with the man would reveal my acquaintance with Karina, so I quickly left after confirming his number


    was correct.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Are you okay?¡± Bailey was already waiting for me when I stepped out of the


    elevator, he asked with concern.


    ¡°Nothing serious, just got some medication,¡± I replied nonchntly, not wanting Bailey to worry about


    my health. I then went to collect my medicine and got in Bailey¡¯s car to head home.


    Throughout the car ride, I was deep in thought. There seemed to be more and more mysteries


    surrounding Karina, and they all somehow seemed to be connected to Russel.


    The moment I returned to Bailey¡¯s ce, my phone rang. It was the man I met at the hospital, Dn,


    I picked up the call and Dn said anxiously, ¡°Miss, if you can find Dr. Karina¡¯s contact details for me


    soon, I can reward you handsomely. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Is your condition very serious?¡± I asked deliberately.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Dn hesitated, then replied, ¡°Yes, my condition is serious. I need to find her as soon as


    possible.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I didn¡¯t ask any more questions and ended the call.


    After hanging up, I immediately contacted a private investigator I knew from before. Depending on his


    capabilities, he could extract a wealth of information from just a phone number. The more he could find,


    the more I would pay him.


    I had a strong feeling that Dn¡¯s connect with Karina was no ordinary one. He was definitely not there


    just to seek medical help from her. Perhaps there was a surprise waiting for me.


    The investigator didn¡¯t disappoint me. Two dayster, he provided me with detailed information about


    Dn.


    Dn was indeed not from here. The country he was living in was where Karina had been residing all


    these years. I initially thought Dn might be Karina¡¯s colleague overseas. However, to my surprise, he


    was a long-term volunteer at a welfare home.


    So, he couldn¡¯t be her colleague, let alone her friend. After all, what friend doesn¡¯t have contact details?


    So, why was he looking for Karina?


    This was the key question. I thought hard but couldn¡¯te up with a usible reason. Could it be that


    he was genuinely seeking medical help from Karina?


    My phone rang at that moment. It was a call from my mom. It had been quite a few days since shest


    called me. Was she still upset with me over Russel? I quickly picked up the call.


    ¡°Mom,¡± I greeted her.


    ¡°Rena, are you back in Rosemont?¡± my mom asked in a stern tone.


    My heart skipped a beat. It seemed like my mom had found something out and was here to confront


    me. Especially with Neil¡¯s situation, if she found out, her heart might not be able to take it.


    Just as I was hesitating about how to respond, my mom spoke again, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the troubles at


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Whitmore Co. and the Dawson family. Have they both gone mad? How many innocent people have


    they implicated?¡±


    ¡°You and dad both know?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ve been pretty busytely, but we¡¯ve heard some rumors. What¡¯s going on with Russel?


    I never thought he would be so extreme. Isn¡¯t he supposed to be working as a doctor? Where did he


    find the time to n all this?¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. Judging by my mom¡¯s tone, she wasn¡¯t here to me me. In fact, she


    seemed to be starting to see Russel¡¯s radical side.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure either. By the time I found out about this, trouble had already started brewing at


    Whitmore Co. Neil is handling it now,¡± I replied, feeling a headacheing on at the mention of the


    situation.


    My mom sighed, ¡°Is it because of you?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to answer this question. I felt like part of the reason was indeed because of me, but it


    wasn¡¯t entirely my fault.


    At that moment, I heard my dad¡¯s voice over the phone, ¡°Rena, just focus on raising the kids from now


    on. I don¡¯t think either Russel or Neil would be a good fit for you. They¡¯re both too hot-headed, they


    would be difficult to live with!¡±


    This was exactly what I wanted to hear. For a moment, I felt as if a blessing hade out of this


    misfortune. At least the pressure from my parents was off.


    ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± I replied without hesitation.


    The call from my mom this time was devoid of any reprimands or arguments. We chatted amiably for a


    while before ending the call, which greatly eased my tension. With the support of my parents, I felt


    more courageous to face the uing challenges.


    In the blink of an eye, I¡¯ve been back in Rosemont for a couple of days. Over these days, my attention


    was riveted on the affairs of Whitmore Co. and the Dawson family. I¡¯m not sure if my words that day


    had any effect, but things seemed to have quieted down on Russel¡¯s end, which was evident from the


    fluctuations in the stock market.

 Chapter 501

    Chapter 501


    Chapter 501


    I couldn¡¯t believe it when Russel finally backed off, but then Neil suddenly began to hit back. His


    counterattack was fierce, which even stunned Ste Wace and our group chat.


    Ste: Is Neil out of his mind?


    Alicia: Not just him. Russel too. They¡¯re both bats in the belfry.


    Barbara: Is it really about Rena?


    She tagged me in the chat, asking me to weigh in.


    I avoided the question, pretending not to see it and let them continue their heated discussion.


    My phone rang, interrupting my reading of the group chat. It was Faith Whitmore.


    We hadn¡¯t been in touchtely. Neil had said she was returning to Eldoria because Hiram was still


    there, but did they not know that Karina Aaron was already here? So, it was likely that Hiram was here


    too.


    ¡°Irene, could we meet?¡± Faith asked anxiously as soon as I picked up.


    ¡°Sure, where are you now?¡± I replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m at Sterling Estates. Do you have the kids with you? I cane to you if that¡¯s easier. Faith, ever


    considerate, offered. gave her the Sands family¡¯s address.


    About half an hourter, Faith was at our doorstep. The children were already asleep, so I left them in


    Hannah¡¯s care and hurried outside.


    Faith was waiting under a tree, looking worried. As soon as she saw me, she moved forward to meet


    me, ¡°Irene, I wouldn¡¯t have disturbed you if it wasn¡¯t urgent.¡±


    I had a hunch why Faith hade. It was likely about Neil and Russel.


    As expected, she wanted me to mediate between Neil and Russel. Although this put me in a tight spot,


    I was probably the only one whose words they¡¯d heed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve talked to Russel. He should cool down a bit, but Neil¡­¡± I frowned. I knew Neil too well. He was the


    sort to hold a grudge. With Russel stabbing him in the back, Neil would undoubtedly want to retaliate.


    ¡°You¡¯ve spoken to him? Did he ask for anything unreasonable?¡± Faith asked, worried.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. Neil mentioned you were going back to Eldoria. Is that true?¡± I changed the subject.


    But Faith clung to another point, ¡°Did you also meet with Neil?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    Faith gave a resigned smile, ¡°Neil sought you out, didn¡¯t he? Irene, my husband and I chose you


    because we know Neil still has feelings for you. He made a wrong choice back then, and it was toote


    to fix it.¡±


    I had no response, I just stood there in silence.


    Faith added, ¡°With this huge mess, my husband had to go back to Springvale to sort some matters. But


    because of Hiram, I have to stay in Eldoria. I¡¯m worried Karina might stir up trouble.¡±


    ¡°Karina¡­¡± I hesitated, should I tell Faith that Karina was already in Rosemont?


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Faith asked, perplexed when I stopped mid-sentence.


    Just as was about to continue, Faith¡¯s phone rang. It was Hiram.


    I could faintly hear Hiram asking Faith to stay here longer and help his dad. It seemed that he was


    aware of his dad¡¯s situation.


    Faith was surprised at Hiram¡¯s maturity, ¡°Alright, as long as you behave and eat properly, grandma


    won¡¯t worry. Where¡¯s your mom?¡±


    I didn¡¯t hear Hiram¡¯s response, but Faith looked a bit displeased. She didn¡¯t say much, just reminded


    him to ask Karina for help with his homework when she got home from work.


    The call ended soon after.


    It became clear to me that Hiram must have been trying to dy Faith¡¯s return to Eldoria to keep her


    from finding out that Karina was no longer there. He was just a pawn in Karina¡¯s game.


    ¡°Hiram asked me to stay and help his father, so I guess I¡¯ll be here a while longer.¡± Faith smiled at me.


    ¡°Neil was caught off guard at first, but he¡¯s had time to recover. I¡¯m sure he can handle this.¡± I smiled


    back, then cautiously asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Karina? Isn¡¯t she with Hiram?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s at work!¡± Faith said, clearly still annoyed. ¡°Every time I think about how she pacified Hiram with


    cokest time, I get angry. It¡¯s terrible for his health!¡±


    I fell silent, deciding not to tell Faith about Karina¡¯s whereabouts until I figured out why Dn was


    looking for her. As Faith was about to leave, she pleaded with me, ¡°Irene, please talk to Neil. His father


    can¡¯t get through to him, so it¡¯s up to you!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I nodded.


    Before I reached out to Neil, he sought me out.


    Hannah and I had taken Serena and Brandon out for a walk and returned home after dark. We were


    both taken aback to see Neil waiting at the entrance of our apartment building.


    ¡°Ms. Finch, I¡¯ll take the kids upstairs. You two can talk.¡± Hannah, who had always been somewhat


    intimidated by Neil, hurried the kids into the elevator and left us alone.


    Neil watched as Hannah strode away, a frown creasing his forehead. ¡°What¡¯s her problem? Doesn¡¯t


    she recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, she does,¡± I exined patiently, ¡°It¡¯s just that she finds you¡­ challenging to be around. She


    probably didn¡¯t want to exchange pleasantries.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®challenging¡¯?¡± Neil seemed taken aback by this, turning to me. ¡°Do you find me


    challenging too?¡±


    Was he kidding? Among those who knew Neil, how many found him pleasantpany?


    He was like a sword forged from ice, cold and sharp, inflicting wounds upon those who dared to


    approach. Apart from me, who had been unrequitedly in love with him for a decade, and a few like-


    minded friends like Mitch, most people chose to maintain a strictly professional rtionship with Neil,


    afraid to cross any boundaries.


    I didn¡¯t feel like answering such a pointless question. Remembering the task Faith had entrusted me


    with, I asked, ¡°Now that Russel has backed off, what¡¯s your next move? nning to continue this fight


    to the death?¡±


    At the mention of serious business, Neil¡¯s expression hardened. He snorted disdainfully, ¡°What else?


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Whatever he dishes out, I¡¯ll return twofold. Otherwise, I won¡¯t sleep at night.¡±

 Chapter 502

    Chapter 502


    Chapter 502


    ¡°You¡¯re a businessman, Neil, you should be thinking about what¡¯s good for business. What you¡¯re doing


    is nothing but folly. You¡¯ll regret it, I tried to appeal to Neil¡¯s pragmatic side. Neil just gave a cold,


    indifferent chuckle, as if I¡¯d just told the funniest joke in the world.


    And maybe I had. I mean, these words must¡¯ve been repeated to him by Ryan Whitmore and Mitch so


    many times that they¡¯d lost all meaning. In fact, they were practically a punchline at this point.


    The task Faith gave me was looking impossible. The feud between Neil and Russel had been so fierce,


    it had torn their families apart. No one had been able to mediate between them so far. Why did I think I


    could?


    ¡°What brought you here today?¡± I asked, eager to shift the topic.


    ¡°Have you seen Russel?¡± Neil¡¯s gaze was sharp, suspicious, as if he was afraid I¡¯d lie.


    I grunted in confirmation, not keen on going into details.


    Neil acted surprised. ¡°That¡¯s why he suddenly backed off. What did you tell him to change his mind?¡±


    He leaned in closer, a smirk ying on his lips. ¡°Did you offer yourself to him?¡±


    I instinctively backed away. Every time Neil got too close, I felt like a sheep cornered by a


    wolf.


    Seeing my reaction, Neil¡¯s smirk grew wider. ¡°Did you really?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± I snapped back, my patience wearing thin.


    Neil¡¯s smirk faded, reced by a relieved sigh. ¡°If you had, I¡¯d make sure you regretted it.¡±


    ¡°Are you always this possessive, Neil? I¡¯m not yours tomand. I have every right to reject Russel,


    not because I¡¯m afraid of your threats, but because I don¡¯t feel any attraction towards him.¡±


    ¡°Whatever your reasons are for rejecting Russel, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m just interested in the end result,¡± Neil


    said, unfazed by my outburst.


    Oh, how I hated his arrogance, his self-centeredness!


    ¡°Where¡¯s Karina?¡± I suddenly changed the topic, testing Neil¡¯s reaction. ¡°She¡¯s still in Eldoria, waiting


    for you with Hiram. Don¡¯t you care?¡±


    Neil looked annoyed at the mention of Karina. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it. I won¡¯t marry her, but I need Hiram.


    His words caught me off guard, reminding me of Serena and Brandon. Would he do the


    1/3


    07:53


    same to me if he found out about them?


    ¡°Why do you think you have the right to take Hiram? Karina raised him by herself. You weren¡¯t there for


    them. If Hiram had to choose, he¡¯d choose his mother, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    Neil shot back, ¡°I never refuse to take care of him after I knew about him.¡±


    His words left me speechless. It was true that Karina had hidden her pregnancy and birth from Neil. It


    wasn¡¯t entirely his fault.


    ¡°And she must¡¯ve been prepared for this when she decided toe looking for me with Hiram, right?¡±


    Neil added, leaving me even more at a loss for words.


    Seeing my silence, Neil squinted at me suspiciously. ¡°Why do you care that? Are you in a simr


    situation?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. I barely managed to keep myposure.


    This felt like walking on a tightrope, with the risk of falling at any moment. If Neil ever decided to get a


    paternity test done, everything would be over.


    I


    ¡°And what do you think?¡± I countered, forcing myself to hold his gaze. ¡°I told you before, if you¡¯re


    suspicious, you can always get a DNA test done with Serena and Brandon.¡±


    The more nonchnt I acted, the more likely Neil was to avoid the issue. He didn¡¯t want to face the


    possibility of a worst-case scenario.


    ¡°No need,¡± he finally said. ¡°If I want kids, it¡¯s simple.¡±


    Yes, it was. He could remarry and have as many kids as he wanted. I echoed his words, ¡°Yes, it is. So


    let¡¯s not bring this up again. There¡¯s no point.¡±


    ¡°Sharp tongue,¡± Neil muttered, eyeing my lips. ¡± find it tiresome to talk to you. You never say anything I


    want to hear.¡±


    ¡°Then stop listening. If you and Russel would put an end to this feud, that¡¯d be best for everyone,¡± I


    retorted, not bothering to hide my frustration.


    Neil shot me a frosty look. ¡°Stay out of it.¡±


    He then turned to leave. I thought that was it, but then a gift box appeared from the car window.


    Judging by the packaging, it was a kid¡¯s gift.


    1 hesitated before epting it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°A gift from a business associate. They heard have a kid and thought this would be appropriate. But it¡¯s


    not suitable for Hiram¡¯s age. Give it to Serena and Brandon,¡± Neil said, his exnation sounding


    forced.


    Before I could reply, Neil drove off, leaving me standing there with the gift, puzzled.


    Back at the house, Hannah saw the gift and whispered, ¡°Did you buy that or did he give it to you?¡±


    ¡°He gave it to me,¡± I whispered back, careful not to alert Bailey.


    ¡°What¡¯s he up to?¡± Hannah sighed, clearly baffled by Neil¡¯s actions.


    Truth be told, I didn¡¯t know what to expect when I unwrapped the gift box. Inside was a beautifully


    crafted carousel music box. A simple flick of the switch set off a jingle as pleasing as a luby,


    apanied by a gentle, vibrant glow. The carousel began to rotate, showing off its exquisite


    craftsmanship. It was so charming, I found myself quite taken with it.


    The moment the music chimed, Serena and Brandon¡¯s attention was immediately drawn. They couldn¡¯t


    help but stare, fascinated. I set the music box between them, and they began to fiddle with it,


    asionally pausing to listen intently.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He picked a nice gift,¡± Hannah muttered under her breath.


    He indeed did. Thest gift he brought for Serena, a little toy, was now one of her favorites. She just


    hadn¡¯t brought it with her this time.

 Chapter 503

    Chapter 503


    Chapter 503


    After ying with the kids for a while, I bathed them and got them ready for bed. After a moment of


    hesitation, I sent a message to Faith, telling her about Neil¡¯s visit and his


    attitude.


    Faith quickly replied: [I get it, he¡¯s always been set in his ways.]


    Indeed, there was nothing I could do about it.


    Once I got it off my chest, I felt much more rxed and quickly fell asleep.


    Ste called while I was helping the kids get dressed. I put her on speaker and tossed my phone aside.


    Her voice was loud and clear, ¡°Rena, you¡¯re back in Rosemont. Let¡¯s get the girls together; it¡¯s been too


    long!¡±


    ¡°I barely have time with two kids to look after; how do you manage with three?¡± I asked,ughing.


    ¡°Come on, if you have the money, why worry about taking care of kids? My sister hired three nannies


    for me, one for each kid. They¡¯re all great, I¡¯ve checked. I can trust them!¡± Ste replied cheerfully, a far


    cry from the gloom that surrounded her divorce. She was back to her old, bubbly self.


    True, but I couldn¡¯t exactly go out to a gathering at the moment, my nanny was still in Eldoria.


    Understanding my situation, Ste suggested we meet at her ce. She said her nannies. could help


    look after my kids too, making the most of the resources!


    Under her insistent urging, I agreed to go and we nned to meet in the afternoon.


    After lunch, I mentioned my ns to Bailey and Hannah. Bailey said it would be inconvenient for me to


    travel with two kids, so he offered to drive me to Ste¡¯s ce. I nodded in agreement.


    Ste was now living in a house under her name, with her three children, three nannies, and three


    housekeepers. She was living afortable life. When I arrived, Alicia and Barbara were already


    there.


    The biggest surprise was Alicia. I hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time, and she had lost a lot of weight. She


    looked as skinny as me, and there was a sickly look to her. She wasn¡¯t as lively as before, and she kept


    frowning, as if she wasn¡¯t in the best mood.


    ¡°How adorable!¡± She picked up Serena and a smile finally appeared on her face. She kissed Serena¡¯s


    little cheek.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my kid, I left Ss at home to look after him, so I coulde and have fun.¡± Barbara took


    Brandon from me, grinning from ear to ear.


    1/3


    na na


    We all went from being singledies to women with kids and family. When we got together, the


    conversation mostly revolved around our children, with other topics sprinkled in between.


    ¡°Rena, has Neil contacted you?¡± Ste suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯se to see me twice.¡± I sighed. ¡°It was mostly about Russel, but now that Russel is quiet,


    Neil won¡¯t leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Men can be so selfish, he still has feelings for you, but you must stay strong. Don¡¯t fall for his sweet


    words!¡± Barbara advised me earnestly.


    But Neil wasn¡¯t one to use sweet words. He liked to manipte and guilt people into doing what he


    wanted. I didn¡¯t want to keep talking about Neil and Russel, so I changed the subject. Ste then turned


    her attention to Alicia.


    Alicia was unusually silent and rarely contributed to the conversation. It felt like she had something on


    her mind.


    My intuition told me it was still about Sean. For someone like Alicia, who never took rtionships


    seriously, falling in love could be a deep and consuming experience.


    ¡°Ali, you and Sean need to end things. Stop torturing yourself.¡± Ste was always straightforward, and


    there were no secrets among us.


    Alicia seemed stunned, then a bitter smile appeared on her face. ¡°I want to end it, but every time I


    decide to, hees back. I can¡¯t bring myself to ignore him. Do you know what that feels like?¡±


    We all knew what it felt like. Alicia was the only one among us who hadn¡¯t been in a rtionship before.


    We all knew what it felt like to be uncontrobly smitten with


    someone.


    So we didn¡¯t mock or me Alicia. Instead, we empathized. Sean, who we thought was a decent guy,


    turned out to be a jerk who liked ying with people¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°But you even went abroad with him and got nothing out of it. You have to be strong. We¡¯re not young


    girls anymore. Do you want to waste your time on a man who¡¯s not worth it, like Rena did?¡± Ste


    thumped her chest. ¡°Look at me, I divorced Mitch as soon as he cheated on me, and we have three


    kids!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    We admired Ste for that, but knowing what to do and actually doing it are two different things. I


    added, ¡°Let¡¯s give her some time to get over him.¡±


    Ste and Barbara exchanged a look and sighed.


    Just then, the doorbell rang. Ste looked puzzled, ¡°Who could that be?¡±


    She got up to answer the door. I didn¡¯t move, but soon I heard her voice, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Who was it? I was curious. Could it be Mitch? Impossible, he definitely couldn¡¯t leave


    Eldoria.


    I went to check and wished I hadn¡¯t.


    Neil was standing at the door with bags in his hands, looking rather grim. Ste clearly wasn¡¯t


    weing him.


    He looked surprised when he saw me, but quicklyposed himself and said to Ste, ¡°Mitch told me


    you returned all the stuff he sent for the kids. These are some clothes and toys he asked me to bring.¡±


    ¡°You knew I returned everything and you still brought more?¡± Ste retorted, indicating she wouldn¡¯t


    ept what Neil brought either.


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± Neil dropped the bags near the door and added, ¡°If you don¡¯t need it,


    throw it in the trash.¡±


    ¡°Neil!¡± Ste looked angry as she saw the toys and clothes scattered on the floor. She instinctively bent


    down to pick them up.


    Mitch was smart, he knew Neil would do his bidding and deliver the goods effectively.


    Watching Ste stoop to pick something up, a satisfied grin spread across Neil¡¯s face. Suddenly, a


    round ball rolled by, stopping at the entrance of the living room. Ste called out to me, ¡°Rena, could


    you fetch that for me? What¡¯s Mitch thinking, buying all these toys? Does he think I can¡¯t afford to spoil


    our kids?¡±


    Poor Mitch, he just wanted to show some love to the kids, but all he got was a scolding.

 Chapter 504

    Chapter 504


    Chapter 504


    As I picked up the small ball from the ground, Ste had finished gathering the rest. Not forgetting to


    shoot a re at Neil, she grumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t help Mitch bring stuff over here again. Next time I see you, I


    won¡¯t even open the door!¡±


    Neil retorted coldly, ¡°You think I want to do this? Even if you and Mitch got divorced, it doesn¡¯t change


    the fact that he¡¯s your kids¡¯ father. You refuse his calls, his messages, and even the stuff he buys for


    the kid. Do you think you¡¯re meless?¡±


    ¡°Why are you ming me? me Mitch for making me sick. If he hadn¡¯t, we wouldn¡¯t have divorced.¡±


    Ste was defiant, never one to back down in front of Neil.


    Neil frowned at the mention of Mitch¡¯s stupidity. Before he could reply, Ste, in a sudden outburst,


    questioned, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like Rena? Do you think I could tolerate as much as she does?¡±


    I was exasperated. This woman and her quick tongue was a habit she¡¯d never ditch.


    Neil¡¯s face darkened, his gaze falling on me. I was just an innocent bystander in this. I had nothing to


    do with their quarrel.


    With an irritated look, I signaled Ste. Realizing her mistake, she looked a bit embarrassed. ¡°I just


    think you men always assume that people will forgive your mistakes. It¡¯s frustrating. Not everyone has


    the patience to deal with it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re you, she¡¯s she. Don¡¯t lump them together.¡± Neil replied, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°Alright, Ste, let¡¯s go inside.¡± I didn¡¯t want Ste to drag me into their argument anymore, so I tried to


    usher her inside.


    Ste, carrying a pile of bags, walked towards me. I took a few bags from her, and a thought suddenly


    struck me. Neil was here to deliver stuff anyway. Why didn¡¯t he just give the music box to Ste¡¯s kids?


    He should hate Serena and Brandon, right?


    His behavior was indeed strange. Initially, I assumed it was just a gift from a client that wasn¡¯t suitable


    for Hiram, and so he gave it to me. But given the current situation, it seemed unlikely.


    When our eyes met, Neil didn¡¯t look away, he was surprisingly calm.


    ¡°Why are you still looking at him?¡± Ste noticed me looking back and quickly reminded me in a low


    voice. ¡°Stop looking. He¡¯s a jerk.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at herment. I didn¡¯t need her reminding me, I was well aware of that. I


    wasn¡¯t looking back because I missed him or anything, I was just puzzled by what happenedst night.


    Barbara and Alicia were surprised when they saw us carrying so many bags. ¡°What¡¯s all


    this?¡±


    1/3


    08:23


    ¡°Some so-called love for the kids from a certain someone.¡± Ste replied grumpily.


    I exined. ¡°Mitch sent some stuff over for the kids.¡±


    ¡°Really, some men¡­ Barbara sighed in frustration. ¡°Isn¡¯t the best way for a man to love his kids is to


    love their mother? Why can¡¯t they get this simple thing?¡±


    We all exchanged nces, sharing the same question.


    The gathering didn¡¯t end untilte in the evening. I hadn¡¯t felt this rxed in a long time. It felt great to


    chat and have a drink with good friends, especially here in my childhood hometown of Rosemont. To be


    a bit cheesy, I even felt the air here tasted sweeter.


    Berbere and Alicia had already left. Ste insisted on having me stay over at her ce. I had been


    drinking and had two kids with me, calling Bailey to pick us up would be inconvenient


    Then, with a mischievous grin, she said, ¡®Stay a couple more days. I¡¯ll take you to meet some hot


    guys!¡±


    I stared at her in shock. She was already onto new guys this soon after the divorce? I bet Mitch was


    regretting his actions in Eldoria, cursing himself every night. But here was Stelle, already thinking about


    meeting new guys?


    For a moment, I wasnt sure whether to feel relieved or impressed. But one thing was certain, Ste


    was a true role model.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hire all these babysitters just to keep the house lively. I need to have some fun too!¡± Ste


    defended herself, seeing my surprised expression.


    ¡°I get it. I¡¯m just really impressed by you.¡± I patted Ste¡¯s shoulder admiringly. ¡°Looks like I didn¡¯t need


    to worry about you moving on.¡±


    Ste burst intoughter. ¡°With all the delicious food, fun activities, and handsome men in the world,


    why should I give up such great life for a man who didn¡¯t treat me right?¡±


    Makes sense. This was Ste¡¯s philosophy all along.


    When I was still chasing after Neil, she used this philosophy to persuade me to let go of him and


    consider other men. Now, it was clear that not only did she have a carefree attitude, but she also put it


    into practice.


    ¡®Sounds like a n. I¡¯ll learn from you!¡± I agreed.


    ¡°You always agree with me but never act on it. Rena, you disappoint me!¡± Ste sighed dramatically.


    ¡°You¡¯re too easygoing. That¡¯s why Neil took advantage of you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything. She was right. I only managed to divorce Neil because I got a second chance at


    life. In my previous life, I would have stubbornly stuck with him till the end.


    I never told anyone about my second chance at life. Not just because I was afraid of being


    08.23


    Chapter 504


    treated like a freak, but also because I didn¡¯t want Ste and the others to mock me for my stupidity in


    my previous life.


    ¡°How about we go out and have some fun tonight?¡± Ste suggested, winking at me. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have


    let Ali go home. She could have joined us, so she can forget about that damn Sean. But Barbara is


    happy with her family, I don¡¯t want to get beaten up by Ss.¡±


    ¡°Not tonight. It¡¯s alreadyte, and I have to take care of the kids.¡± I checked the time and declined.


    ¡°What? Trust me, tonight is perfect. Remember Cielo Nocturno? We haven¡¯t been there in a while. A


    salesperson messaged me a few days ago, they¡¯ve got a new batch of handsome drinkpanions,


    all long-legged hunks!¡± Ste¡¯s eyes gleamed as she spoke, sounding like a kid in a candy store.


    Before I could even respond, she had already dragged me into the dressing room, insisting on giving


    me aplete makeover and taking me out to appreciate the dashing men of our country.


    The little ones were sound asleep, as if they were well aware of their bedtime routines. The nanny was


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    taking care of bathing and diaper changes, so Ste wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling you thiste at night?¡± My phone rang just as she finished applying my makeup. Ste


    picked it up, nced at the screen, and an awkward expression crossed her face, ¡°It¡¯s Russel, do you


    want to take this?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Yes, hand it over, please.¡±

 Chapter 505

    Chapter 505


    Chapter 505


    After handing me the phone, Ste stepped out and left me and Russel to have a private chat.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Russel cut straight to the chase, ¡°Let¡¯s meet up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at Ste¡¯s ce. It might not be a good time right now. How about tomorrow or the day after?¡± I


    didn¡¯t refuse Russel. After all, he¡¯d finally cooled off, which was a big help to me. I couldn¡¯t just cut him


    off.


    ¡°Okay. Please send me the address. I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon. Are Serena and Brandon


    there?¡± Russel asked about the kids.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I answered simply.


    Russel paused. He said nothing more and hung up.


    I called Ste back in. Her surprise was palpable. ¡°Seriously? You guys settled yourplicated issue


    in just a couple of minutes? Are youmunicating telepathically or something?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk more when we meet tomorrow. I owe it to the effort you put into my makeup.¡± I gestured to


    the exaggerated fake eyshes on my face. ¡°Are you sure about this length? I¡¯m afraid I might look like


    I¡¯m fanning people every time I blink.¡±


    Ste took a serious look and nodded, ¡°It looks good. We¡¯re going for a morous nightclub vibe.¡±


    I was speechless, allowing Ste to continue applying her solid makeup skills on my face. It was almost


    eleven when we finished dolling up and changing into our outfits. Ste flicked her hair casually and


    said, ¡°Perfect timing. Let¡¯s get going!¡±


    Looking at my heavily made-up reflection in the mirror, I had to admit that the style was indeed


    stunning. I rarely tried such a look, so it felt refreshing.


    My doctor had advised me to take care of my emotions. Using that as an excuse, I agreed to go out


    and have some fun with Ste.


    Before leaving, we checked on the kids who were already fast asleep.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call a cab!¡± Ste only remembered that we¡¯d had a few drinks and shouldn¡¯t drive. She whipped


    out her phone to book a ride while I shivered slightly in the cool evening breeze. My fluffy white tube


    top was seasonally ambiguous and only kept me warm around the chest, while the rest of me looked


    almost primitive.


    The ultra-mini skirt was even more outrageous, but it perfectly showcased my long legs. I didn¡¯t know


    where Ste found these over-the-top outfits.


    1/3


    Ste wasn¡¯t much better off, goosebumps visible on her arms, but she kept her


    Once the cab arrived, we headed straight to Cielo Nocturno. Ste seemed familiar with the ce. She


    might had frequently visited during her stay in Rosemont.


    ¡°What¡¯s your preference these days? Cute boys or bad boys?¡± Ste asked thoughtfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to have a drink and listen to some music. You can do whatever you want.¡± I was not here


    to find a man, but rather to zone out in a lively atmosphere.


    Ste wouldn¡¯t have it. She was about to give me a pep talk when her phone lit up. After a nce at the


    caller ID, she looked at me and said, ¡°It¡¯s Ali.¡±


    She took the call.


    Three minutester, she hung up looking bewildered. ¡°She¡¯sing. And she asked why we didn¡¯t


    invite her.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I was shocked.


    Was Alicia in the mood for a drink? She seemed very down this afternoon at Ste¡¯s and barely had


    spoken.


    ¡°Let here. The more the merrier. It¡¯ll help her forget Sean.¡± Ste quickly cheered up, ¡°It¡¯s good


    that she¡¯s doing this!¡±


    Alicia arrived in no time. She seemed agitated. She grabbed a drink from our table as soon as she


    arrived.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Thirsty?¡± I asked.


    After downing two drinks, Alicia finally sat down. She took a deep breath a came to see me again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ste and I were taken aback. Wasn¡¯t he abroad? He¡¯s back?


    Sean was of mixed blood. It was normal for him to visit here and there betwee


    countries that he called home.


    ¡°I will not be shattered by him. I¡¯m going to hang out with at least half a dozen me tonight. I don¡¯t


    believe half a dozen of them can¡¯t make me forget one!¡± Alicia de perhaps due to the alcohol.


    Even Ste couldn¡¯t take it, ¡°Two is enough. You can¡¯t handle half a dozen.¡±


    AlAlicia looked at Ste as if she were crazy, ¡°Talk, not sex.¡±


    ekexhaled and relieved. She¡¯d given me a scare.


    Sean


    WWith our objectives aligned, Ste ordered a few drinks and invited some good-looking guguys to join


    us.


    08:24


    Chapter 505


    Suddenly, a dark figure appeared before us, casting a gloomy aura. I looked up to see Sean¡¯s


    forbidding face.


    He was staring at Alicia, who was holding hands with one of the guys. His eyes were sharp as knives.


    ¡°How did he get here?¡± Ste pointed at Sean. Her tone was full of disdain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Alicia shook her head. But she seemed unafraid, as she didn¡¯t let go of the guy¡¯s hand.


    Sean ignored Ste and me, swiftly pulling Alicia¡¯s hand away from the guy¡¯s.


    Alicia jerked away from Sean, ¡°What the hell?¡±


    ¡°Come home with me.¡± Sean¡¯s voice was cold andmanding. Without waiting for Alicia¡¯s refusal, he


    hoisted her up and marched off, leaving Ste and me standing there like statues.


    Ste was furious. She turned to the guys and dered, ¡°Whoever brings my friend back gets a grand!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the guys rushed after Ste. I was left standing, dazed for a moment before getting


    up to join them.


    No sooner had my rear left the seat when the dazzling lights and festive colors around me seemed to


    dim a fraction, as if shrouded by some form of dark cloud. Casting a slight upward nce, there was


    Neil, standing in front of me like a specter, with a face stormier than Sean¡¯s. ¡°Having fun with all these


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    pretty boys?¡± he sneered.


    I was baffled. Had Neil seen me with Ste and the others all this while?


    Before I could even respond to Neil, the figure of Russel materialized from nowhere, effectively


    blocking my path from both sides. His eyebrows knitted together in a stern frown. ¡°Irene Finch,¡± he


    spat, ¡°Is this why you had refused to see me?¡±

 Chapter 506

    Chapter 506


    Chapter 506


    The words had barely left Russel¡¯s lips when Neil shot him a frosty look.


    Must be the whiskey ying tricks on me, I thought and rubbed my eyes. But when I looked again, the


    two men were still there, and their expressions were even more displeased than before.


    Ste had already dashed off with a group of young men, and although the bar was bustling with


    people, I suddenly felt like I didn¡¯t belong.


    ¡°I need to use the restroom,¡± I said, not knowing how else to escape the awkward situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Neil offered, standing to block my exit.


    ¡°No need,¡± I replied, pushing him back onto the couch. ¡°Please have a drink, I¡¯ll be back to exin


    things.¡±


    But Russel stepped in my way. ¡°Irene, what on earth are you wearing?¡±


    Hooked down at my overly sexy top. It was a bit embarrassing. ¡°Ste picked it out for me. I¡¯ll exin


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving soon. You wille with me.¡± Russel dered, grabbing my arm firmly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave yet. Ste¡¯s not back.¡± I protested, trying to break free. But Russel was stronger. I didn¡¯t


    have a chance.


    Seeing the struggle, Neil stood up and came over. He grabbed my hand and pulled me away from


    Russel. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± he scolded outrageously.


    Russel¡¯s already stern face turned frosty. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m her husband.¡± he retorted.


    ¡°Why lie to yourself?¡± Neil asked coldly. ¡°You know as well as I do that she¡¯s never loved you. Not even


    having two kids together can change that. Didn¡¯t Mitch and Ste separate despite having three kids?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want Neil to continue. His words were too hurtful. Russel didn¡¯t say anything, but I knew every


    word was like a dagger to his heart.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I cut Neil off and turned to Russel. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside for a few words.¡±


    Neil¡¯s face darkened at my words, but he didn¡¯t stop us this time. He just watched as


    Russel and I left the bar.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Once outside, a jacketnded on my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s cold at nights.¡± Russel stated. His


    voice was cool.


    It was indeed chilly. The jacket brought some warmth, and I began exining, ¡°I came here mainly to


    apany Ste. You called when I was already dressed. It would be


    1/3


    08.31


    Chapter 506


    rude to ditch her.¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, I saw Ste on the other side of the street. She looked furious and was


    gesturing animatedly at that group of guys.


    I didn¡¯t see Alicia and Sean, so I assumed they hadn¡¯t managed to catch up.


    Ste noticed us and strode over. ¡°Russel, what are you doing here?¡± she asked with a hostile tone.


    She knew about my situation with Russel and wasn¡¯t a fan of his.


    She believed that Russel was a scheming man of calctions.


    ¡°Something came up.¡± Russel replied, ncing at Ste¡¯s equally revealing outfit and frowning. ¡°I¡¯ll take


    you both home. Had enough to drink?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Ste retorted, ¡°Go home yourself. Just don¡¯t disturb me and Rena. Bye!¡±


    She grabbed my hand, intending to return to the bar. But two men stepped forward and blocked our


    path. They were obviously Russel¡¯s crew.


    ¡°What do you want, Russel?¡± I asked, taken aback.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Let me take you home.¡± Russel repeated. He seemed adamant about not letting me go back


    inside and run into Neil.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need your help, don¡¯t you understand?¡± Ste was getting annoyed. ¡°Rena, let¡¯s


    go!¡±


    But without Russel¡¯smand, the two men stood firm like robots and wouldn¡¯t let us pass. I felt a


    surge of anger. I had been kind enough to have already exined the situation to Russel while drunk,


    but now he was infringing on my personal freedom.


    ¡°Russel, tell them to get out of our way!¡± I demanded.


    Russel didn¡¯t respond, and in my frustration, I shoved past the two men. One of them reflexively tried to


    retaliate, but Russel quickly reprimanded him. ¡°When had I granted you to fight back? Get lost!¡±


    The two men retrieved a bit, and we took the opportunity to leave. If Russel tried to stop me again, I


    was sure I¡¯d start an argument.


    ¡°Rena, look behind you!¡± Ste suddenly tugged on my hand, whispering urgently.


    I turned and my eyebrows knitted together.


    A cobalt-blue car pulled up next to Russel. The back window was half-open, revealing Karina¡¯s face.


    She saw me and quickly averted her gaze. The window rolled up a secondter.


    Karina probably didn¡¯t know Neil was here. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have the guts to show


    Russel started walking towards the car. When he nced back at me, I quickly turned away and picked


    up the pace.


    ¡°I thought Karina was in Eldoria. What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Ste asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But promise me you won¡¯t tell Neil.¡± I urged.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Ste was even more confused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin when we get back,¡± I promised. Now was not the time.


    Ste nodded, then she started talking about Alicia. Apparently, she¡¯d been scolding the guys for failing


    to keep Sean from leaving.


    She berated them for theirck of chivalry, then started worrying about Alicia¡¯s situation, concerned that


    Sean, in his anger, might do something to hurt Alicia.


    Midway through her rant, Ste suddenly fell silent. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of Neil,


    who was sitting in our spot.


    It seemed to me that she should be worrying about me first.


    Neil, noticing our return, put down his ss of beer. I¡¯d suggested he have a drink here, but I hadn¡¯t


    expected him to take me seriously.


    ¡°No way, why is he here again?¡± Ste was on the verge of exploding with a million questions. She


    pointed at Neil and eximed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he came with Russel!¡±

 Chapter 507

    Chapter 507


    Chapter 507


    Neil certainly didn¡¯t arrive with Russel, but they made their grand entrance together.


    I find it challenging to exin this uncanny connection to Ste.


    ¡°They didn¡¯te together.¡± I simply rified.


    ¡°Alright, he hasn¡¯t spotted us yet. You should get out now. I¡¯ll grab my purse, and we¡¯ll head straight


    home.¡± Ste suggested.


    I turned and walked a good distance away, waiting for Ste to reappear with her bag. After a few


    moments passed, I began to worry and decided to look for her.


    Just as I suspected, Neil grabbed the opportunity to keep Ste upied, because I just went out with


    Russel and didn¡¯t return. At this point, Ste was rolling her eyes in


    exasperation.


    Neil was holding her petite, fashionable handbag. Upon seeing me return, she sarcastically remarked,


    ¡°If this wasn¡¯t a limited edition, I¡¯d have dumped it by now!¡±


    ¡°Go.¡± Neil tossed the bag at Ste, uttering the single word with disdain. His intention was clearly to


    have mee find Ste.


    Ste caught her bag but didn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. Whatever you have to say to her, say it in front


    of me.¡±


    Neil looked at the immovable Ste speechlessly.


    ¡°What I¡¯m curious about, Neil, is what could you possibly have to say to Rena?¡± Ste sat and crossed


    her legs, looking utterly rxed. She ¡®hmphed¡¯ before continuing, ¡°Let me hear it. I¡¯ll analyze it for you.¡±


    Neil, of course, had no interest in wasting words on Ste. He stood up, walked over and grabbed my


    hand, intending to lead me away.


    I pulled my hand away from Neil and stated coldly, ¡°Ste is right. Whatever you have to say, say it


    here. There¡¯s no need for private discussion.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, Ste¡¯s phone rang. She quickly retreated to a quieter area to take the call. I was


    left to face off with Neil.


    Within a matter of minutes, neither Neil nor I had spoken a word. Then, Ste returned looking quite


    anxious. ¡°Rena, we need to hurry back. Your child isn¡¯t feeling well!¡±


    Upon hearing this, my mind went into overdrive. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Our nanny called, saying Serena just started vomiting suddenly. It¡¯s quite severe, as she¡¯s also having


    a diarrhea. I asked the nanny to take Serena to the hospital. We should head there directly!¡± Ste


    grabbed my hand, rushing us out the door.


    1/3


    08:24


    Chapter 507


    I was panicked, regretting having gone out tonight. If I were by my child¡¯s side, I would¡¯ve noticed her


    difort immediately.


    This area was busy and the night life had just kicked off, so it was difficult to hail a cab. Ste and I had


    both had drinks earlier and hadn¡¯t driven here. As we stood on the


    sideline, desperately trying to hail a cab, it felt as though the universe was ying a cruel joke on us.


    That was until Neil¡¯s car pulled up in front of us. Without waiting for him to offer, I climbed into the


    passenger seat, with Ste following suit in the back.


    ¡°Could you drop me at the hospital?¡± I asked Neil.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Neil didn¡¯t waste any time. Ste gave him the hospital address and we sped off into the night.


    Fifteen minutester, I burst into the pediatric emergency room of the hospital. Our nanny was there,


    holding my daughter, Serena. The doctor had examined her, suspected a gastrointestinal infection as


    the cause of the vomiting and diarrhea, and rmended


    IV fluids.


    I took Serena from the nanny. Her usually rosy cheeks were pale, and she looked exhausted. She


    looked at me with such a pitiful expression that my heart ached.


    Just then, the nurse called us over. ¡°Serena needs an injection!¡±


    I quickly carried Serena over.


    ¡°We need another person to hold the baby¡¯s legs. We¡¯re afraid she¡¯ll squirm. We need to draw some


    blood from her neck.¡± The nurse waved Neil over, ¡°You handsome guy, you¡¯re with them, right? Are you


    the child¡¯s father?¡±


    Serena did bear some resemnce to Neil, although not as strikingly as she did to Brandon. The nurse


    mistaking Neil for my child¡¯s father was understandable.


    Neil paused. He didn¡¯t deny it, but simplyplied with the nurse¡¯s request and firmly held Serena¡¯s


    legs.


    My little girl, only a few months old, didn¡¯t have much strength. But her veins were delicate, and her


    skin was sensitive, so we had to be careful.


    Neil held Serena¡¯s legs firmly. Serena sensed it and began to cry loudly. Her heart-wrenching cries


    made my eyes well up with tears.


    The nurse tried to insert the needle into her head but failed twice due to the dim light and her tiny veins.


    Serena¡¯s cries weakened with her strength.


    I wanted to me the nurse but forced myself to remain calm so as not to make her more nervous.


    That would only make things worse for Serena.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you get someone else to do it if you can¡¯t?!¡± Neil suddenly snapped, livid. ¡°She¡¯s only


    2/3


    08:24


    Chapter 507


    six months old! How many times do you n to poke her head? Get someone else!¡±


    Neil¡¯s stern face frightened the nurse, who didn¡¯t dare to argue and quickly ran out to fetch someone


    else.


    Seeing Serena¡¯s shaved head with spots of blood felt like a stab to my own heart.


    She didn¡¯t have the strength to cry anymore and just whimpered. I held her and tried to soothe her. But


    she kept looking at Neil. Her teary eyes were heart-breaking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold her.¡± Neil suddenly offered.


    He took Serena from me before I could respond. He held her gently and carefully, with one hand


    supporting her bottom and the other protecting her waist. She looked like a cute, cuddly doll against his


    shoulder.


    Ste, watching from the side, was speechless and simply stared in awe as Neilforted the baby.


    Neil walked out to the waiting area with Serena to get some fresh air. Ste came over and asked,


    ¡°Was Neil this good with your kids back in Eldoria too?¡±


    ¡°How could it be!¡± I shook my head, ¡°He just lent me a hand now and then. Serena and Brandon


    seemed to take a liking to him too. I had no clue why.¡±


    Ste was oblivious to the fact that Neil was the biological father of my kids. I once thought about


    faking it until I made it, so I never told a soul about it.


    Ste watched Neil pacing back and forth from a distance with bewilderment on her face. ¡°Really? Is it


    some sort of gic inheritance?¡±


    ¡°Gic inheritance? Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± I am a bit taken aback.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? You fell head over heels for Neil the moment you saw him. You¡¯re just into his


    type. So, it¡¯s not surprising that your kids like him too. Aren¡¯t they just following their mom¡¯s footsteps?¡±


    Ste exins earnestly.

 Chapter 508

    Chapter 508


    Chapter 508


    Hearing Ste¡¯s exnation, I finally heaved a sigh of relief, albeit secretly.


    This chatterbox definitely couldn¡¯t be let in on the real deal. She just couldn¡¯t keep a


    secret.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Could be. I mean, I¡¯m a sucker for a good looker, and guess they are too.¡± I casually


    chimed in.


    Just then, a different nurse arrived. She was a bit older and probably more experienced. She asked me


    where my child was, and Neil¡¯s voice echoed from a nearby distance, ¡°Over


    here.¡±


    Serena was nestled cozily in his arms, asionally gazing up at him with a lively smile. The sight was


    rather heartwarming, reminiscent of a father-daughter bond.


    Ste¡¯s eyes were darting around. Her biggest hobby had been gossiping. If something felt off, she just


    had to stick her nose in it.


    ¡°Maybe the mother should be holding her.¡± the nurse suggested to Neil, ¡°Moms usually have a better


    touch.¡±


    I reached out to take Serena from Neil¡¯s arms. As the nurse was instructing me on how to hold her for


    the injection, Neil suddenly voiced his concern, ¡°Will this be a one-shot deal?¡±


    The nurse hesitated for a second. The marks from the previous jab were still evident on Serena¡¯s


    forehead. She appeared somewhat embarrassed, ¡°The previous nurse was a bit jittery due tock of


    experience. I can assure you that I¡¯ll get it right the first time.¡±


    Neil¡¯s stern look softened a bit upon hearing this. He seemed even more concerned for Serena than I


    was, though I had no proof of this.


    This time, thankfully, the procedure was sessful. Serena let out a small cry, but at least the IV was


    now in ce. I carried her to the IV room, which was deserted at thiste hour. There were only me,


    Serena, Ste, and Neil.


    Brandon was still at Ste¡¯s ce, who herself was a mother of three. I suggested that she should


    head back first, ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t you head back home? I¡¯ll take a cab once


    Serena¡¯s done with her fluids.¡±


    ¡°Why taking a cab?¡± Ste¡¯s gazended on Neil as she retorted, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a ready-made driver right


    here?*


    Neil was engrossed in his phone, seemingly replying to some messages. At Ste¡¯s


    words, he lifted his gaze, neither agreeing nor refusing outright


    Ste inquired, ¡°Neil, are you in a hurry to get back?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Neil replied


    ¡°Great, then could you please see this good deed through and drop Rena and the kid at my ce


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Neil responded curtly, without uttering a single unnecessary word. He and Ste always


    seemed to sh, Conversation was always limited between them.


    I was worried that it was dangerous and inconvenient for Ste to head back alone, as she would need


    a cab or someone else to pick her up. So, I mustered up the courage to ask Neil if he could drop her off


    first.


    To my surprise, Ste instantly declined, ¡°No need. I don¡¯t get along with this guy. I fear it might bring


    bad luck if I ride in his car!¡±


    Neil¡¯s expression darkened as he retorted coldly, ¡°Good. I wasn¡¯t nning on offering a ride anyway.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Ste grunted before hastily exiting, leaving just Neil, Serena, and me in the IV


    room.


    I was feeling quite tired, and the alcohol was making my head swim slightly. But I had to hold Serena,


    so I struggled to keep my eyes open.


    The false eyshes Ste had applied were too dense and were starting to loosen, obstructing my


    vision. The difort forced me to blink incessantly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a twitch in your eye?¡± Neil noticed my strange behavior and asked bluntly.


    ¡°No!¡± I quickly lifted my gaze to look at Neil, causing the right eysh to dislodge partially, leaving only


    a bit of glue stuck to my eyeliner.


    There was an awkward pause. Neil, seated quite close to me and without any vision impairment, had a


    clear view of the false eysh dangling from my eye.


    He extended his hand, gently pinching the false eysh, and pulled it off in one swift


    motion.


    ¡°These things don¡¯t suit you,¡± Neil tossed the false eysh into the trash can beforementing on my


    make-up, ¡°Your style is different from Ste¡¯s, no need to force yourself into this spicy, seductive look.¡±


    His words made me feel a bit awkward. Indeed, the look didn¡¯t suit me. But Ste wanted


    me to try it out, and I didn¡¯t refuse.


    But what did he have to do with it?


    With that thought, my embarrassment evaporated, and I responded nonchntly, ¡°I don¡¯t see how it¡¯s


    any of your business¡±


    ¡°True, it¡¯s not.¡± Neil¡¯s words were barely out when his hand deftly yanked off the other false eysh.


    The sudden pain caught me off guard, making me gasp.


    00.27


    I would have let out a string of expletives if I wasn¡¯t worried about waking Serena.


    Biting back my anger, I questioned him, ¡°Neil, are you out of your mind? Couldn¡¯t you have given a


    heads up before ripping it off?¡±


    At my words, Serena woke up and started crying. It seemed she was ufortable. I smelled a whiff


    and immediately realized she might have got a diarrhea again.


    In such a situation, it would be impossible for me to handle it alone. I needed someone to hold Serena


    to prevent the needle from dislodging.


    Seeing my predicament, Neil reached out to take Serena from me, even before I had a chance to ask.


    The nanny had packed some diapers and wipes, making things a bit easier. As I bent over to change


    Serena¡¯s diaper, I reminded Neil without lifting my head, ¡°It¡¯s a bit stinky. Bear with it.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Neil responded simply.


    I thought he would be repulsed. After all, in his mind, this was not his child.


    Yet, throughout the process, Neil didn¡¯t so much as wrinkle his brow or turn away to avoid the smell.


    Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on my hands and finallymented, ¡°You seem quite adept at this.¡±


    ¡°Duh, if I can¡¯t change a diaper after half a year, do I even qualify as a parent?¡± I responded matter-of-


    factly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do these things.¡± Neil suddenly blurted out.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t. Hiram¡¯s grown up now. He doesn¡¯t need you to change his diapers.¡± 1 replied,


    finding his statement rather strange.


    But Neil didn¡¯t seem too pleased with my response. He retorted, ¡°It¡¯s not too hard to learn.¡± I couldn¡¯t


    fathom why he wanted to learn to change diapers.


    But I didn¡¯t have the energy to guess. Serena had her diaper changed, but she still seemed


    ufortable. I needed to hold her and walk around a bit to distract her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grab the IV stand.¡± Neil, seemingly aware of my intentions, took the stand on which drip bag was


    hanged. ¡°Let¡¯s carry her around a bit. It might make her feel better.¡±


    I gave him a silent nce, said nothing, and began to walk around. I cradled the child in my arms, and


    she seemed to rx a bit as soon as I started moving. She asionally looked around, her eyes filled


    with curiosity about everything in sight.

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    Chapter 509


    Chapter 509


    Neil and I wandered around the hospital, and we returned to the nurse¡¯s station when time rolled


    around for Serena¡¯s medication to be changed,


    After a couple of hours of bustling around, we finally got her IV removed, and it was time for us to head


    home for some much-needed rest.


    Neil drove me to Ste¡¯s ce. I thanked him after I got out of the car with Serena. ¡°I appreciate your


    help tonight.¡±


    ¡°Please get some rest.¡± Neil merely advised before driving off.


    It was already after four in the morning. After settling Serena down to sleep, I went to remove my


    makeup and take a shower. Tonight had been incredibly exhausting, and I was asleep almost the


    moment my head hit the pillow. Thankfully, the nanny at Ste¡¯s house was fantastic, allowing me to


    sleep in without being disturbed by the kids.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon waking up, I noticed a lengthy text message from Neil, filled with advice on how to care for a child


    with diarrhea. I was a bit dazed, wondering if I was still dreaming.


    My phone rang, jolting me from my confusion. The name ¡°Russel¡± on the screen immediately sobered


    me up.


    ¡°Are you home yet?¡± Russel¡¯s voice was icy as it came through the phone.


    ¡°Hmm, what happened?¡± I sat up, ncing around. My voice was slightly hoarse, likely due tost


    night¡¯s drinks.


    ¡°Nothing. Just got caught up with some urgent mattersst night and couldn¡¯t see you and Ste home.


    I was a bit worried.¡± Russel replied, then asked, ¡°Are you at Ste¡¯s ce?¡±


    I didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Pleasee out. I¡¯m waiting for you at the front.¡± Russel hung up before I could reply. I was taken


    aback. How did he know Ste was living here? And howe he was already waiting for me at the


    door?


    I quickly freshened up and dressed. Ste was in the living room ying with the children on a mat.


    ¡°Rena, are you hungry? Lunch will be ready soon!¡± She asked when she saw me. ¡°I¡¯ll just slep out for a


    bit. Be right back.¡± I replied hastily not wanting Ste to know Russel was waiting outside.


    The day was overcast, not a hint of sunlight could be seen. Russel was leaning against the wall and


    waiting for me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure why Russel was here, but I felt an inexplicable pressure, making each step


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    towards him feel heavier than thest.


    Upon seeing me, his stern expression softened a bit. But his brow was still furrowed, hinting at his


    underlying discontent.


    ¡°When did you get homest night?¡± Russel seemed particrly concerned about my departure from


    the barst night, his tone unusually stern.


    ¡°Four in the morning,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Four in the morning?¡± Russel¡¯s face darkened at my answer, a clear sign of anger shing in his eyes.


    I nodded, intending to exin, but Russel cut me off, ¡°Why sote? Were you with Neil?¡±


    I indeed was with Neil, but there was a reason for it.


    ¡°Russel, please, let¡¯s not talk about this. I know you¡¯ve stopped fighting with Whitmore Co. I appreciate


    that.¡± I avoided his question and deflected the subject.


    Russel¡¯s brows furrowed further, ¡°First, you will answer my question. Were you with Neil till four in the


    morning?¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the feeling of being interrogated and doubted, so I just nodded in response.


    Russel¡¯s eyes darkened, and he seemed to be repressing his emotions. He took a deep breath,


    struggling to control his anger.


    He kept staring at me, sending chills down my spine.


    ¡°Am I not doing enough?¡± He eventually muttered, his words cold andced with usation, ¡°What do I


    need to do for you to think I¡¯m better than him?¡±


    ¡°Russel, you¡¯re overthinking. Neil and I can never be together again. You¡¯ve never been worse than


    Neil in my heart, and I sometimes think you¡¯re a good person. It¡¯s just my bad luck that I fell for Neil


    first, and after breaking up with him, I¡¯ve lost the ability to fall in love again. I¡¯ve rejected you many


    times, but you refuse to give up. You¡¯re driving yourself crazy; do you know that?¡± My emotions got the


    best of me, and I spoke rapidly.


    ¡°I just want you to stay by my side, even if you don¡¯t love me!¡± Russel seemed a bit out of control. It


    was part of him I rarely saw. His hands gripped my shoulders tightly, which scared me.


    I was startled by his intensity and struggled to break free.


    ¡°Russel, calm down!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but shout.


    Russel didn¡¯t let go of me. Instead, Ste, hearing my shout, rushed out holding a broom.


    Seeing Russel, she stormed over and brought the broom down on his arm.


    The blow on his arm caused him to release me, and he seemed to have regained some


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    ¡°What are you doing, Russel? Harassing someone in broad daylight? How did I never know that you


    were such a scoundrel? Rena, call the police. Did he try to assault you?¡± Ste stood protectively in


    front of me, pointing at Russel and cursing.


    Russel didn¡¯t say anything but just stared coldly at Ste.


    My shoulder was throbbing, but it wasn¡¯t bad enough to call the police, and besides, Russel hadn¡¯t tried


    to assault me.


    ¡°Ste, it¡¯s okay. We just had a disagreement.¡± I reassured Ste.


    ¡°Is he here to take the kids?¡± Ste spected, still under the impression that Russel was Serena and


    Brandon¡¯s father. For her, since I no longer wanted to be with Russel, he was here to take them.


    Iughed at her assumption, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ste suddenly adopted a disappointed tone as she addressed to Russel, ¡°Russel,


    you¡¯re the children¡¯s father. How could you disappear when they needed you? Oh, and with that Karina.


    What is wrong with both you and Neil? You both like to mingle with women like her.¡±


    Russel¡¯s expression changed, ¡°What happened to the kids?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know?¡± Ste questioned. Her eyebrows were knitted in confusion as she turned to


    look at me. She couldn¡¯t fathom why I hadn¡¯t informed Russel. After all, he was the father of the child.


    ¡°I¡¯m clueless. What happened to the kids?¡± Russel, who genuinely treasured the two kids as if they


    were his own, turned towards me. He was puzzled as to why I hadn¡¯t shared the news with him.


    Ste blurted out, ¡°Serena had a severe case of gastroenteritisst night. She was vomiting and having


    diarrhea, and had to be rushed to the ER. Neil was there with Rena and the child, but where were you?


    Hooking up with Karina?¡±

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    Chapter 510


    After hearing Ste¡¯s words, a sense of urgency and concern shed across Russel¡¯s eyes, tinged with


    a hint of reproach. He questioned me, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you with Karina at that time?¡± I retorted.


    Russel seemed to be taken aback by my response and just stared at me in silence.


    Ste defended me, ¡°Don¡¯t look at Rena like that. I used to encourage her to ept you, thinking you


    were a decent and loyal man, not like Neil. But it seems I was wrong. Birds of a feather flock together,


    huh? How could clear water spring from a mire?¡±


    Russel¡¯s face darkened at her harsh words. Luckily, we were alone, so there was no one else to


    witness his humiliation.


    ¡°I had something important to deal withst night,¡± Russel started, pausing to nce at Ste. His gaze


    was slightly hesitant, but then he regained hisposure and asked, ¡°Since you knew Karina was


    here, did you tell Neil?¡±


    ¡°Why would I tell Neil? It¡¯s their business, not mine.¡± I replied nonchntly.


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Russel contemted for a moment before turning towards the front door. ¡°Is


    Serena in there too? I¡¯d like to see her.¡±


    Ste looked at me questioningly, but I subtly shook my head, not wanting her to stop Russel.


    Russel¡¯s affection for the kids was genuine, untainted by any pretense. I wasn¡¯t heartless enough to


    keep him away from them.


    Still, I feltpelled to say, ¡°Please wait here for a minute. I¡¯ll bring Serena out.¡¯


    Russel halted in his tracks.


    I went inside to get Serena, who was doing better today, though she seemed less lively and energetic


    than usual.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Russel¡¯s face softened as soon as he saw Serena. He took her from me and gently rocked her in his


    arms.


    ¡°Serena, do you remember Daddy?¡± He asked softly.


    Hearing the word ¡°Daddy¡± stung a little. For the past six months, everyone saw Russel as Serena and


    Brandon¡¯s father. He often referred to himself as such, especially in public.


    It must have be a habit by now, hence his slip of the tongue.


    Ste didn¡¯t seem to notice anything amiss. She was just frowning at the scene, probablyparing


    Russel¡¯s actions to Mitch¡¯s.


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    Chapter 510


    Serena seemed to enjoy being in Russel¡¯s arms, asionallyughing and reaching out to grab his


    shirt.


    I didn¡¯t interrupt them and let them have their moment. But then Russel¡¯s phone rang, forcing him to


    take the call.


    I took Serena from him and nced at his phone. It was Karina calling.


    Karina sure was bold, taking risks as she always did. If Neil and Faith found out she was in Rosemont,


    and that she might have had a hand in Russel¡¯s dealings with Whitmore Co., she could kiss her


    chances of marrying Neil goodbye.


    ¡°Please go ahead. I¡¯m going home with Ste.¡± I told Russel dismissively. He had changed too much,


    and I wasn¡¯t interested in prying into his business with Karina.


    ¡°Alright, and I¡¯ll exin everythingter.¡± Russel replied, sounding a bit impatient.


    I didn¡¯t need his exnation, but I kept that to myself. I carried Serena and left with Ste. As we


    stepped inside, Ste closed the door tightly behind us.


    Ste spoke up once Russel¡¯s car had driven away, ¡°Rena, you really don¡¯t n on getting back


    together with Russel, do you? It seems like you¡¯re rather indifferent towards him.


    ¡°Really?¡± I was a bit surprised. I didn¡¯t think I was being cold; I was just keeping a safe distance to


    avoid any unnecessaryplications.


    ¡°Definitely. It feels like there¡¯s nothing left between you two.¡± Ste sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a pity for the kids. He¡¯s


    a good father, I could tell. I noticed it back in Eldoria. I guess all men are the same ¨C incapable of being


    a good husband but can be good fathers.¡±


    But Russel wasn¡¯t even the father of my children. I thought to myself guiltily.


    Feeling more guilty, I decided to stay at Ste¡¯s ce for another day. I was nning to go back to


    Bailey¡¯s, but she pointed out that it wouldn¡¯t be convenient for him as a married man, especially since


    his wife Hannah was pregnant. So I¡¯d better stay here with her, who was living alone with a handful of


    hired help and no husband or inws to worry about, until I decided to return to Eldoria.


    I epted her suggestion. Now theplications between Russel and Neil were temporarily settled,


    but notpletely. Plus, Dn had showed up. I had to remain at Rosemont to make clear of what it


    was between him and Karina.


    It was indeed enjoyable staying with Ste. Apart from taking care of the kids, it felt like being single


    again. Barbara and Alicia would asionally drop by for a meal and some girl talk.


    After Alicia¡¯s falling out with Seanst time, she dered she wouldn¡¯t waste any more time on him.


    She was determined to focus on her career instead of a man.


    I found it hard to believe.


    ¡°Rena, your phone is ringing. Who¡¯s this Dn? Ste asked as she handed me my phone when I was


    ying with the kids.


    ¡°Just a friend.¡± I took the phone and answered the call, keeping my reply as simple as possible.


    I hadn¡¯t been in touch with Dn for a few days and it was clear he was growing anxious. He thought


    I¡¯d forgotten about the promise I¡¯d made to him and so, he rang me up and pressed about it. I tried to


    soothe him, ¡°Dn, take a deep breath, alright? I¡¯m on the lookout for her as well. You know she¡¯s got


    these amazing medical skills and a lot of people are after her expertise. Tracking her down isn¡¯t as


    easy as picking up a phone. It takes time and effort. You can also try reaching out to her from your end


    as well.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Ms. Finch,¡± Dn blurted out. ¡°She¡¯s deliberately avoiding me!¡±


    At this point, I was certain there was something more to Dn and Karina¡¯s rtionship and it wasn¡¯t


    anything pleasant.¡±


    I decided to probe a bit more. ¡°Why would she be avoiding you? Is it because your condition is serious


    and she can¡¯t treat it, so she doesn¡¯t want to waste your time and money?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s not like that. Anyway, I¡¯m hoping to hear from you soon. Please let me know the


    moment you find something, okay?¡± Dn didn¡¯t want to discuss his rtionship with Karina any


    further. He just repeatedly impressed upon me his urgency.

 Chapter 511

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    Chapter 511


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I have any news.¡± I replied casually.


    Until the day Dn revealed his secret with Karina, I wouldn¡¯t disclose her whereabouts to him, unless


    he found out on his own, which would be beyond my control.


    After ending the call, Ste asked, ¡°Is your friend trying to find a doctor?¡±


    I nodded my head, pondered for a while, and decided to spill the beans about Karina and Dn. After


    hearing the whole story, Ste shared my intuition that something fishy was going on between Dn


    and Karina, and it wasn¡¯t something small.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I want to figure out what¡¯s going on. Karina has been relentlessly plotting against me,


    and I can¡¯t just sit and do nothing.¡± I responded.


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Ste agreed with my approach, ¡°She¡¯s cunning and even more maniptive than that


    Bonnie Bitch we knew. We need to be prepared.¡±


    I


    As I nced outside, darkness had fallen again. I realized I had been back in Rosemont for a week


    now. Time flied.


    Only here did I feel a sense of belonging. The environment and the cultural vibe made me feel


    any future entanglements, I would return and live in Rosemont for the rest of my life.


    After all, my best friends were here.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang. The housekeeper went to answer it, but she didn¡¯t recognize the visitor


    and came back to inform Ste.


    Before the housekeeper could finish her sentence, I saw a shadow darting in. It was literally darting, for


    it was as fast as a dog. But it wasn¡¯t an actual dog; it was Mitch.


    He looked disheveled with unshaved chin and red eyes, looking like he hadn¡¯t slept or cared for himself


    for days. He seemed to emanate an aura of resentment.


    Seeing Mitch, Ste practically jumped, and without a second thought, picked up a toy from the floor


    and threw it at him, ¡°Who let you in? Get out!¡±


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± Mitch pointed angrily at Ste, ¡°How could you dress like that and


    go to the bar? And leave the kids at home, huh?¡±


    I was stunned. How did Mitch know about this?


    Was it Neil who told him?


    ¡°I have three babysitters here and I don¡¯t hire for nothing! And we¡¯re divorced, what I wear to the bar is


    my business, not yours!¡± Ste retorted, ¡°This is my house! Leave now, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡±.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


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    Mitch, inmed by Ste¡¯s defiance, stormed over to the mat. After identifying his three children, he


    attempted to carry them all at once. Ste tried to stop him, ¡°What are you doing? Are you here to


    snatch the kids?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them for a long time! They¡¯re my children too! Ste, don¡¯t be a shrew!¡± Mitch stared at


    Ste, mustering the courage to retort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, I have their custody now, my word is thew!¡± Ste grabbed the children from Mitch¡¯s


    arms, but the older two recognized their dad and insisted on being held by him.


    The situation escted, and the children might be frightened if it kept going on. I stepped in, trying to


    end their quarrel, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Please calm down and talk. The kids can easily be scared!¡±


    Ste looked down at the children in her arms. They were indeed frightened. She softened her tone


    and summoned the babysitters, who took the children to the yroom. Only the three of us adults


    remained.


    Mitch looked exhausted, with prominent dark marks under his eyes. I asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy in


    Eldoria? How could you find time toe back?¡±


    ¡°Huh, if it weren¡¯t for Russel¡¯s message, I wouldn¡¯t have known you two left the kids to go to a bar


    dressing like that. Unbelievable!¡± Mitch was clearly angry discussing it.


    To my surprise, it wasn¡¯t Neil but Russel who had leaked the information. How could he¡­ ¡°Why the hell


    did Russel tell you all this?¡± Ste was also furious.


    ¡°What did he say wrong? And you, Irene, your kid had gastroenteritis, and you went to a bar?¡± Mitch


    suddenly turned his anger towards me.


    I found it amusing, ¡°I went to the bar first. Then my kid got sick, and I rushed to the hospital. Did you


    think I¡¯d go out when my child is sick?¡±


    ¡°Divorced women sure are bold, Irene. Don¡¯t you have anyone to answer to?¡±


    I realized today just how chauvinistic Mitch was.


    I scoffed, ¡°Answer to whom? I haven¡¯t broken anyws.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Rena. Let¡¯s not waste our breath on him. Mitch, if you don¡¯t leave now, I really will get violent!¡±


    Ste had had enough. She got up to fetch a broom, a handy tool for chasing people away.


    Mitch adopted a desperate stance, ¡°Go ahead and kill me. I won¡¯t leave without a satisfactory answer


    today!¡±


    Steughed sarcastically, ¡°Oh? What answer do you want?¡±


    ¡°You give me a promise, in writing, that you won¡¯t dress like that and go to the bar anymore, and you


    can¡¯t abandon the kids!¡± Mitch boldly voiced his demands.


    He was practically asking for trouble.


    As expected, the moment he finished speaking, a cup flew towards him. Ste was livid; she pointed at


    Mitch and yelled, ¡°Who are you to criticize me? When did I ever neglect my kids? Mitch, remember, we


    divorced because you were flirting with a vixen, not because ! wronged you. Didn¡¯t you think of our


    children then?¡±


    Though Mitch avoided the flying cup, he couldn¡¯t avoid Ste¡¯s verbalshing. His face turned pale,


    probably reminded of his foolish actions in the past.


    Men, sometimes they can be such conceited beings that nobody couldmunicate with.


    Even if Ste was about to take a swing at Mitch with a baseball bat, I wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to stop her.


    ¡°I messed up, okay? Wasn¡¯t that being why I let you have all the kids?¡± Mitch said, his voice much


    softer than before, not daring to look Ste in the eye.


    ¡°So get out!¡± Ste barked, grabbing a throw pillow from the couch and hurling it in Mitch¡¯s direction


    with all her might.


    Mitch dodged it again, but the pillow hit Neil square in the chest as he walked in. He caught it


    reflexively and then frowned at us all.

 Chapter 512

    Chapter 512


    Chapter 512


    Mitch, the wimp, acted as if he¡¯d seen the cavalry arriving at the sight of Neil. He took refuge behind


    Neil, his voice a notch louder, ¡°Let¡¯s talk this out! There is no need for violence. Aren¡¯t you just taking


    advantage of the fact that I never bully women?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? The front door wasn¡¯t even closed.¡± Neil asked.


    Ste rolled her eyes dismissively, not in the mood to talk. I, on the other hand, stared coldly at Mitch,


    ¡°Ask your buddy here. What drove him all the way back from Eldoria?¡±


    ¡°What did you do, Mitch?¡± Neil turned to Mitch, demanding an exnation.


    Mitch stuttered, unable to articte a clear answer. I decided to speak on his behalf, ¡°Russel sent him


    some pictures of Ste and me at the bar the other night. He rushed all the way back here just to


    use us of dressing inappropriately and neglecting our kids.¡±


    As I summed up the situation, Mitch¡¯s face turned awkward.


    Neil¡¯s brow furrowed. Then, he asked, ¡°Is this true?¡±


    ¡°Neil, I¡¯m not lying. You didn¡¯t see how they dress. I used to spend my nights at bars, and I knew what


    kind of men hang out there. They have several kids at home, so they couldn¡¯t just abandon them and


    go partying even if they¡¯ve got nannies, can they?¡± Mitch argued, even though he looked embarrassed.


    ¡°I saw it.¡± Neil interrupted Mitch coldly.


    ¡°What? What did you see?¡± Mitch looked confused.


    ¡°I saw what they were wearing. I was there that night too.¡± Neil bent down, picked up a pillow from the


    floor and shoved it into Mitch¡¯s arms. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been working overtime these past few days,


    almost pulling all-nighters, so as to spare some time toe back and question them, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste and I exchanged nces. No wonder Mitch looked like he was on hisst legs; he¡¯d been


    working excessively for the past few days.


    I had to hand it to him. He really went all out just toe here and pick a fight.


    Mitch hung his head, looking somewhat ashamed.


    ¡°Alright, Mitch, done with your nonsense? You can piss off now!¡± Ste was done with Mitch. She


    walked over and shoved him towards the door.


    Before Mitch could utter another word, he was already out the door.


    The living room became quiet again. I felt much better without Mitch¡¯s noise.


    If Neil had said a word more to defend Mitch, he would have been kicked out by Ste too.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°How is Serena doing?¡± Neil looked around, and, not seeing the kids, he asked, ¡°Where are they?¡±


    The kids were now in their room with the nannies. I didn¡¯t tell Neil that but simply replied, ¡°She¡¯s been


    doing well these past few days, and there¡¯s no need for you to worry.¡±


    Ste quickly added, ¡°Yeah, why are you so concerned? Even Russel doesn¡¯t seem to care that much.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Neil shot her a nce, ¡°When was Russel here?¡±


    That was a couple of days ago. I had no idea what Russel and Karina were up to now, but I admired


    Karina for being able to hide it from the Whitmores for so long. I knew Hiram must have been helping


    her.


    Therefore, Karina could stay in the Whitmore family as long as Hiram was around to help. Ste gave


    me a look but didn¡¯t answer Neil. Instead, she turned and went to check on the kids in their room.


    ¡°When are you nning to go back to Eldoria?¡± It was just Neil and me left in the living room, so I took


    the initiative to ask.


    ¡°Why, are you eager to send me back there? What about you?¡± Neil sat down on the couch, crossing


    his long legs elegantly, his hands resting casually on his thighs. His eyes questioned me as well.


    I wasn¡¯t exactly hoping for Neil to return to Eldoria. Once he got back, he¡¯d find out Karina wasn¡¯t there.


    If that caused any trouble and dyed me from getting information from Dn, I didn¡¯t think it would be


    worth it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. My parents aren¡¯t there, so it doesn¡¯t matter whether I return early orte.¡± I answered


    casually. Even without Dn¡¯s appearance, I might still stay here a little longer. Neil, however, thought


    of something else, ¡°Is it because Russel is here?¡±


    I was left speechless. At this point, Neil believed I had feelings for Russel, while Russel thought I was


    still in love with Neil. It was all very confusing.


    But all I wanted was to live a simple life with my kids, free and easy.


    ¡°I¡¯m back here just to tell you both to stop being ridiculous, okay?¡± I replied, feeling helpless.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Russel? Are you breaking up?¡± Neil seemed quite pleased at the


    mention of this with a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°I was surprised when he suddenly


    turned against Whitmore Co., but I figured something must have gone wrong between you two. He


    wouldn¡¯t have done that otherwise.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I took a deep breath and met Neil¡¯s gaze calmly, ¡°Yes, Russel and I are breaking up. We¡¯re not a good


    match, so you don¡¯t need to keep suspecting that there¡¯s something between us, and there¡¯s no need


    to hold a grudge against him because of this.¡±


    Neil¡¯s smile widened, he nodded approvingly, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a good decision. It would¡¯ve been even better


    if you made it earlier. You were never a good match. But what about the kids? Didn¡¯t he ask for


    custody?¡±


    ¡°The kids are mine. I won¡¯t give them to him.¡± I stated firmly. The kids weren¡¯t even Russel¡¯s to begin


    with; even if they were, I would fight for them with everything I had.


    The two kids were my life. To put it selfishly, men could still father children with a younger woman in


    their forties or fifties, but I couldn¡¯t. Serena and Brandon were the only two children I would ever have,


    and there would never be a third.


    ¡°Is it because you refuse to give them to him, or because he didn¡¯t ask for them at all?¡± Neil questioned,


    not quite believing my words.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked, taken aback.


    ¡°Nothing much, it just strikes me as odd. Doesn¡¯t Russel value his own kids? He was okay with them


    taking your maiden name and didn¡¯t even fight for custody when you split up. If it were me, I would


    never be able to allow it,¡± Neil said, his gaze holding mine as though hinting at something. ¡°Irene, you


    know me. I can¡¯t stand the thought of my child being taken away.¡±


    A chill ran down my spine. Seeing the way Neil looked at me while uttering those words, I couldn¡¯t


    shake the feeling that he might know something and was subtly trying to warn I tried to maintain my


    ¡°He should be the same in this regard. We¡¯ve been friends for years. I¡¯m absolutely sure.¡± Neil¡¯s smile


    faded, his tone bing more serious.

 Chapter 513

    Chapter 513


    Chapter 513


    I started to feel anxious.


    In the pit of my stomach, a voice was screaming at me that Neil knew everything about the kids!


    But in the next moment, his words deted my fears. ¡°Only if his family doesn¡¯t ept your two kids,


    considering the Dawson family never approved of your affair¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t care, that could be a reason.¡± I let out a sigh of relief.


    Neil remained silent, his gaze locked on me, as if trying to see through me. Just then, Ste came out,


    cradling Serena in her arms, ¡°Rena, what¡¯s wrong with your little princess? She suddenly started


    crying.¡±


    Serena¡¯s tiny face was flushed red from crying, her mouth pouted, tears pouring down her cheeks like


    crystal beads, her crying was heartbreakingly pitiful.


    I hurriedly got up to take Serena, but the little one seemed to know Neil was there. Her eyes were fixed


    on him. She continued whimpering in my arms and made her look more miserable.


    Was my motherly embrace notforting enough? This six-month-old baby, barely learning to sit, had


    already mastered the art of looking pitiful?


    As Neil¡¯s gaze met Serena¡¯s, he immediately stood up and reached out, taking Serena from my arms.


    Ste¡¯s eyes widened at the scene, and once more, something magical happened. As soon as Serena


    was in Neil¡¯s arms, she instantly calmed down and seemed delighted.


    ¡°This¡­this is impossible.¡± Ste¡¯s petite face was filled with confusion.


    But I could understand. It was probably a blood connection.


    Neil walked out with Serena in his arms, strolling around the yard, while I went back inside to bring out


    Brandon. The sun had risen. It was a perfect time for a bit of sunbathing.


    On the white bench in the yard, Neil held Serena on hisp, supporting her tiny arms and helping her


    sit up.


    Neil¡¯s actions were gentle, his face filled with indulgent smiles as he looked at Serena. For a moment, I


    was taken aback. Was this how one should look at someone else¡¯s child?


    Ste brought out the mat and her three kids, setting them up in the yard to y. She .juggled between


    caring for the kids and stealing nces at Neil.


    And then she looked at Brandon.


    This made me feel anxious because Brandon and Neil looked uncannily simr.


    ¡°Rena,e here.¡± Ste couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. She pulled me to a corner and bluntly asked,


    ¡°Tell me the truth. Are they really Russel¡¯s children?¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°Otherwise?¡±


    ¡°Why do they look more and more like Neil? Damn¡­¡± Ste was pretty straightforward, and we were


    close, so she didn¡¯t beat around the bush.


    ¡°No!¡± I vehemently denied, thinking of Neil¡¯s words that if the kids were his, he¡¯d take them away. My


    heart was filled with unease.


    I was a bitx recently. What if Neil really took something from the children to get them tested? What


    about Karina ¨C did she destroy the paternity test report that she had testified? Would Neil find it


    eventually?


    I grew more anxious and abruptly took Serena from Neil¡¯s arms, my tone cold, ¡°Neil, you can go home


    if there¡¯s nothing else. From now on, you don¡¯t need toe looking for me, and you don¡¯t need to be


    so nice to Serena. She has a real dad.¡±


    Neil frowned at me, seemingly finding my outburst ridiculous, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? I have my own


    child too. I just find Serena cute; why are you freaking out?¡±


    Hearing Neil say he had his own child, my anger red up even more, I red at him coldly, ¡°So stop


    holding other people¡¯s kids.¡±


    Thisment angered Neil. He rose, giving me a cold look, then he strode away without a second


    nce at Serena and Brandon.


    As the front door opened, Mitch appeared again. It turned out that he had been waiting by the door.


    He wanted toe in again, but a stern re from Ste stopped him. He obediently followed Neil out.


    Ste then locked the door and came back to me, ¡°Rena, what¡¯s wrong? Did something


    inappropriate¡­¡±


    ¡°Serena and Brandon are indeed Neil¡¯s.¡± I felt somewhat broken, because no ma much I denied it,


    everyone could see that Serena and Brandon looked a lot like Neil.


    Ste was dumbstruck, and it took her a while to retrieve her voice, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really. Only you, my parents, Russel, and Karina know this.¡± My gaze fell on the children ying


    with their toys on the mat. I felt my mind was in chaos.


    ¡°What?? Russel and Karina too?¡± Ste was so shocked her words stuttered, ¡°Russel! He epted it?


    And Karina, she didn¡¯t even tell Nell?¡±


    I shook my head, my tone heavy, ¡°No, Russel not only epted it, he even got a fake paternity test


    report to deal with Neil. As for Karina, if she wanted to stay firmly in the Whitmore family through the


    children, she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡±


    Ste nodded vaguely, seemingly overwhelmed and confused.


    ¡°Let me process this¡­¡± she sat down, seemingly ying with the children, but her mind was elsewhere


    pondering my words.


    I sighed, ¡°Ste, don¡¯t tell anyone else. You speak too quickly, so please be careful. Once Neil knows


    about this, he¡¯ll fight me for the kids, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m most afraid of.¡±


    Ste snapped back to reality and nodded seriously, ¡°Okay, I absolutely won¡¯t let it slip.¡±


    Then, as if just remembering something, she sighed, ¡°So, Russel is really good to you, Rena. He could


    even ept Neil¡¯s children, and he treats both kids well.¡±


    I had nothing to say, because she was right.


    Putting other factors aside, Russel¡¯s care towards Serena and Brandon alone would make anyone


    think he was their biological father. When he took them out, he¡¯d present himself a perfect dad.


    ¡°No wonder your kids are so close to Neil; it¡¯s because¡­¡± Ste started to say but was cut off by me.


    Tshook my head at her, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. We have nannies in the house. We wouldn¡¯t want


    them to overhear.¡±


    Ste closed her mouth quickly. She took a deep sigh, her gaze on Serena and Brandon softened,


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    filled with pity and affection.


    Although she had divorced Mitch, their kids at least knew who their father was, and Mitch would visit


    them. However, Serena and Brandon¡¯s case was different, as they might grow up without a father in


    their lives.

 Chapter 514

    Chapter 514


    Chapter 514


    A couple of dayster, I received a call from Faith.


    She sounded pissed off. ¡°Rena, Karina is actually in Rosemont! We¡¯ve been fooled!¡±


    I was taken aback. How did Faith find out?


    ¡°Faith, where are you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m back in Eldoria. I¡¯ve had a hunch something was off. Hiram is usually so clingy, always begging me


    toe back home whenever I step out. But this time, he kept insisting I take my time. So, I decided to


    go back to Eldoria without telling anyone. Surprise, surprise, only Hiram was home alone with a nanny


    who looked after him, and no sign of Karina at all!¡± Faith¡¯s voice was seething with anger, and she


    continued without waiting for my response.


    ¡°Hiram and the nanny lied to me, saying Karina was at work. I visited her hospital where she should be


    working at, but they told me she was on an extended leave! What is she doing sneaking back to


    Rosemont? I bet it¡¯s no good!¡±


    Indeed, it was no good. Karina had returned to see Russel. Whether or not she was involved in the


    previous attacks on Whitmore Co., I still had no concrete proof. Russel certainly wouldn¡¯t give me that.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just listened to Faith.


    Finally, she was done, and I asked, ¡°Faith, how do you n to deal with this?¡±


    ¡°Deal with it? I¡¯ll find a way to get Karina out of the Whitmore family. Hiram has to stay. She¡¯s using her


    own child as a pawn! She¡¯ll ruin him if this goes on!¡± Faith sounded firm.


    ¡°And what if Hiram insists on keeping Karina?¡± I asked.


    Faith seemed stumped by my question. She sighed, ¡°Yeah, if Hiram wasn¡¯t so infatuated with Karina, I


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    would have kicked her out ages ago.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to solve this either, so I left it to Faith.


    Now that Faith knew Karina was in Rosemont, Neil must¡¯ve known it, too.


    I had no idea how he would deal with Karina.


    However, I didn¡¯t expect Karina to reach out to me and propose a meeting.


    I was curious about the secret between Dn and Karina, so I agreed to meet.


    ¡°Irene, did you tell Neil¡¯s mom that I¡¯m in Rosemont?¡± As soon as we met, Karina asked straight out.


    She was abrupt, even calling me by my first name, unlike her usual ¡°Ms. Finch¡±.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Why would I have anything to do with this?¡± I took a sip of my water, responding coldly.


    ¡°But Russel told me you knew I was in Rosemont. Who else could have told her?¡± There was suspicion


    in Karina¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know you might be wondering why I am with Russel. There¡¯s nothing between us. I


    just came back to dissuade him from targeting Neil because of you.¡±


    She sounded so innocent. But it waspletely different from what Russel had told me.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t realize Karina was so obsessed with Neil. She was willing to risk everything, including


    Whitmore Co., as long as she could marry Neil.


    She was as ruthless as ever.


    ¡°Then go exin to Neil. Why are you here with me?¡± I was more puzzled.


    Karina put on a troubled face. Finally, she revealed her true purpose.


    She was here to persuade me to go back to Russel.


    This surprised me. But with a second thought, it made sense. With Russel and I separated, she was


    bound to worry. What if I went back to Neil, considering my two children were his?


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some charm, to have a man go to such lengths for you. I admire that.¡± Karina said, even


    praising me begrudgingly in the end.


    Throughout our conversation, she was emphasizing everything that Russel had done for me, hoping I


    would appreciate it. Besides, the true identity of my two children was something I didn¡¯t want the


    Whitmore family to know, so staying with Russel was my best option.


    Everything she said was nonsense to me, since I had already thought it through.


    ¡°Karina, there¡¯s no need for you to say all these. Even if Russel and I break up, I would never go back


    to Neil. As for whether you can win his heart, that¡¯s your problem.¡± I finished my water, got up, and


    prepared to leave.


    Karina seemed desperate. She stood up abruptly and raised her voice, ¡°You¡¯ll regret losing a man who


    loves you so much!¡±


    I stopped, turned around, and looked at her. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Karina looked at me, her brow furrowed, as if she wanted to say something but held back. I quickly left.


    I had driven Ste¡¯s car today, and it was parked not far from the entrance. As soon as I got in, I


    received a call from Ste.


    She knew I was meeting Karina today and was worried, and I reassured her. I was about to drive home


    when I saw a familiar figure rushing into the same cafe I had just left.


    It was Louis Aldridge.


    Was he also in Rosemont? I remembered what Russel had said, even if he didn¡¯t target Neil, there


    were others who would. Was he referring to Louis?


    Louis hated Neil deeply. He was convinced he was the illegitimate son of the Whitmore family,


    deserving the same status and lifestyle as Neil.


    And he was close to Russel. It wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched if the two of them were coborating.


    Poor Neil, the two childhood friends he grew up with turned into his enemies.


    I felt sad for Neil for a moment, then drove back to Ste¡¯s house.


    ¡°Just when we had a few days of peace, they¡¯re at each other¡¯s throats again?¡± Ste was deeply


    invested in the affairs of Russel and Neil. During my time at her ce, she spent two-thirds of it fretting


    over their issues.


    When I had just met with Karina a couple of days ago, Ste had spent some time analyzing her


    psyche for me.


    ¡°Neil¡¯s the type who never allows himself to suffer. After what Russel did to him, he¡¯s definitely out for


    revenge.¡±


    I was trimming Brandon¡¯s nails when I recalled the words Neil had said, and my mood turned heavy.


    I didn¡¯t want Russel to target Whitmore Co., and I certainly didn¡¯t want Neil to stir up trouble with the


    Dawson family.


    But it seemed like I didn¡¯t have any power to stop it.


    ¡°This is turning into a full-blown battle.¡± Ste sighed wistfully, ¡°Their feud is starting to affect my


    family¡¯spany. They really are using their personal interests to throw tantrums.¡±


    I stayed silent, moving on to trim Serena¡¯s nails. I wanted to speak to Neil and try to dissuade him, but


    after I had asked him to cut back on visiting other people¡¯s kids, he seemed to be angry. He hadn¡¯t


    contacted me since, nor sought me out.


    Besides, with Karina¡¯s situation probably causing him much stress, how would he even have the time to


    pick a fight with Russel?

 Chapter 515

    Chapter 515


    Chapter 515


    Just as I was chatting, my mom gave me a call.


    Things with Lucas were almost entirely ironed out by now. She and Dad were now managing his family


    business, meaning they would be staying there for a longer time. She suggested me to move there with


    Serena and Brandon.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not go back to Eldoria. It wouldn¡¯t be convenient if Russel returns there too.¡± my mother¡¯s


    tone was a tad solemn. ¡°Your father and I don¡¯t have any other expectations. We just hope you can live


    a good life with the kids. As for marriage¡­¡±


    My mom didn¡¯t go on, but I knew what she was hinting at. They wanted me not to be entangled in any


    more troubles with neither Neil nor Russel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head over after some time.¡± I replied.


    I couldn¡¯t just head over now. The secret of Karina and Dn was like a ck hole, pulling me to unveil


    it. Moreover, I had this strong hunch that even if I avoided Karina by moving to my parents¡¯ ce, our


    paths would cross again in the future.


    Instead of being haunted by her once again in the future, I¡¯d rather stay here and solve the mystery


    once and for all.


    ¡°Why waiting? You¡¯ve been in Rosemont for a while, and both Neil and Russel are there too. How can


    your father and I be at ease?¡± My mom disagreed. She wanted me to move over immediately.


    ¡°I have some matters to settle. Don¡¯t worry, Mom. But there¡¯s something I really need your help with.¡± I


    responded.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mom asked.


    ¡°I want to send Serena and Brandon to your ce. Can you please look after them for a while? I¡¯ll


    return once I¡¯m done with the matters here.¡± I expressed my worries about their safety in Rosemont.


    Not only I worried about Neil¡¯s suspicion, but I was also afraid of Karina¡¯s intention. She was a ruthless


    being. She would be a great danger for my children¡¯s safety if she believed that Serena and Brandon


    might threat her ce in the Whitmore family.


    My parents were busy managing Lucas¡¯pany, but I figured they could spare someone to look after


    the kids, along with a couple of babysitters.


    My mom understood me well, knowing that I, ever so caring for the children, wouldn¡¯t suggest this if I


    didn¡¯t see the need. ¡°Rena, has Neil brought you a lifetime of trouble? Even the kids have to suffer.¡±


    she sighed.


    I bit my lips and refrained from answering. I couldn¡¯t refute the truth.


    ¡°Can you send them over, or do you want me to pick them up?¡± Mom asked, sounding resigned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring them over.¡± I replied.


    The trip from here to my parents¡¯ ce was a bit of a journey. I would need a nanny to help me with the


    kids. But I had to do it for their safety.


    Ste was taken aback when she heard that I was sending the kids away but quickly understood my


    reasoning. ¡°I¡¯ll have Eliza apany you to help with the kids. Can you be sure to drive?¡± Ste


    arranged everything neatly.


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ll set off first thing tomorrow,¡± I nodded.


    The following morning, I packed up the kids¡¯ stuff and, apanied by Eliza, readied to set off in


    Ste¡¯s car.


    As I was about to start the car, Neil¡¯s vehicle pulled up, effectively blocking my path.


    He stepped out of his car and knocked on my window. I wound down the window reluctantly, ¡°What is


    it?¡±


    ¡°I need your help with something,¡± Neil cast a nce at Eliza and the kids in the back seat, his brows


    furrowing, ¡°Where are you guys going?¡±


    ¡°What do you need help with?¡± I didn¡¯t answer but asked instead.


    ¡°Hiram is currently at Sterling Estates. I need someone I can trust to watch over him for a while.¡± Neil¡¯s


    words left me surprised.


    Was he asking me to look after Hiram?


    I didn¡¯t know that Faith had brought Hiram from Eldoria directly and settled him at Sterli Estates. But


    why didn¡¯t Neil just ask Faith to look after Hiram there?


    ¡°Can¡¯t do that. Go find someone else.¡± I rejected outright. Hiram wasn¡¯t my kid, and I did have the time


    or emotional capacity for it.


    ¡°My mom had an incident. I can¡¯t think of anyone else but you,¡± His tone was heavy. I was startled,


    what had happened to Faith?


    I turned to look at Eliza and the kids, then I got out of the car. ¡°Let¡¯s talk over there.¡±


    I was mainly concerned about Faith¡¯s situation


    Neil followed me to a spot a distance away from the car, where I asked, ¡°What happened to Faith?¡±


    ¡°Emotionally unstable. I had her sent back to my dad¡¯s ce. Hiram can¡¯t be left in her care now.¡± Neil¡¯s


    brows furrowed even more, ¡°When I found out Karina was also in Rosemont, she had already brought


    Hiram over. She wouldn¡¯t let Karina see Hiram and had him staying at Sterling Estates. Now, Hiram is


    throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat.¡±


    So that was it. The news about Karina must have upset Faith, whose emotional state was already


    fragile.


    It was a bit unmerciful to hide Hiram at Sterling Estates. But what Karina had done truly didn¡¯t deserve


    to be a mother.


    ¡°Hiram doesn¡¯t like me. What do you want me to do?¡± I said helplessly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to do anything. Just watch over him and make sure he doesn¡¯t leave Sterling Estates.


    I can¡¯t trust anyone else.¡± Neil exined.


    So, I was to be a mobile monitor?


    Hiram was prone to running away from home, and an average person couldn¡¯t handle him. With


    Karina¡¯s capabilities, should she bribe someone to let Hiram go, the consequences would be


    unimaginable.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time.¡± I refused, not wanting to get into a staring contest with that little rascal. Even if I


    did have the time, I wouldn¡¯t go


    ¡°I can¡¯t be distracted with Hiram¡¯s antics right now. You can propose a trade-off.¡± Neil, ever the


    businessman, went straight to negotiations.


    I instinctively wanted to refuse, but a condition suddenly shed in my mind, and I blurted out, ¡°Fine, I


    do have one bargain. Leave the Dawson Group alone.¡±


    Neil¡¯s expression darkened significantly at my words. He questioned icily, ¡°Are you worried about


    Russel?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s already backed off. Why can¡¯t you let it go? Is it fun to mutually destroy each other?¡± I nned to


    take this opportunity to convince Neil.


    ¡°Who says he¡¯s backed off?¡± Neil¡¯s eyes were cold as ice, ¡°Do you think he would back off so easily?


    And there¡¯s also Louis, who is not so easy to handle.¡±

 Chapter 516

    Chapter 516


    Chapter 516


    It turned out Neil knew about Louis and Russel¡¯s coboration all along.


    ¡°So, are you busy dealing with both of them now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, and there are otherpany matters to handle, too. I can¡¯t leave Hiram with Karina, which is


    why I turned to you.¡± Neil seemed to have made up his mind to let Karina go, but. he wanted to keep


    the kid.


    If I were in his shoes, I would never ept someone else taking my child. But Karina¡¯s actions were


    indeed horrifying. She was so fixated on Neil that she treated her own child like a mere tool.


    ¡°The problem is, I can¡¯t help you, Neil.¡± I declined him once again. Hiram was very resistant towards


    me. Even if I pitied him for having an irresponsible mother, I just couldn¡¯t take care of him.


    If I had the time, I¡¯d rather take care of Serena and Brandon myself.


    ¡°You have to help me.¡± Neil¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal. If Russel and Louis stop troubling for


    me, I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones and won¡¯t seek revenge. Are you satisfied with this?¡±


    The calmness on the surface was all a facade. Russel seemed to have tricked me, yet not tricked me


    at the same time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk when I get back.¡± I was currently busy with sending off my two kids. I had no time to deal with


    Neil and someone else¡¯s child.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Neil caught onto the key point of my words. ¡°When will you be back?¡±


    Did I have to report my whereabouts to him?


    I replied impatiently, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. I¡¯ll be back the day after tomorrow. Then, I¡¯ll give


    you my answer. But you should also think about what you promise me. If you and Russel keep this up,


    you¡¯ll only drag me down. I¡¯m living my life peacefully, and I don¡¯t have time to be a troublemaker!¡±


    If the cause of their conflict had nothing to do with me, they could even break into each other¡¯s houses


    and stab each other a dozen times, and I wouldn¡¯t interfere.


    But because it involves me, I had no choice. Even if I tried to turn a blind eye, trouble would stille


    to me.


    As a person who has lived twice, I was not naive enough to think I could avoid all troubles.


    ¡°If you had remarried me directly before, without giving Russel any hope, none of this would have


    happened.¡± Neil¡¯s voice was heavy and cold, tinged with jealousy.


    ¡°Neil, be clear about your current status. You have Karina and a seven-year-old son. Stop wasting your


    time here, okay? You and Russel have the same brain structure. How can you both not understand


    this?¡± My words were a bit harsh.


    Neil went speechless. His lips curved coldly, devoid of any emotion, and his eyes were just staring at


    me.


    Even if he had nothing for Karina but a sense of responsibility, there was still a Hiram between us. I


    was not a generous woman, and I had to consider my own children.


    Aplete family was certainly important, but I didn¡¯t want Serena and Brandon to know they had a


    half-brother when they grew up.


    This thought made me more determined to send the children to my parents¡¯ ce. Until the matters


    here were resolved, I didn¡¯t want Neil to see the kids again, nor did I want them to be exposed under


    Karina¡¯s watch, in case any unbearable ident happened.


    I ignored Neil, returned to my car, and drove away.


    Nearly ten hours of driving, plus the time needed for breaks and to feed the kids and change their


    diapers, had significantly extended the journey. It was almost midnight when we finally arrived at


    Lucas¡¯s ce.


    My parents were living here now. Thest time visited, I was seeking help for my family. But now¡­


    Looking at the familiar yet alien vi, my eyes reddened a bit, and an ufortable feeling sprouted.


    I rang the doorbell. My parents were still awake and waiting for me. They hurriedly came out to greet


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    me, taking the kids from Eliza and me, showering them with kisses.


    ¡°Oh, my two little treasures! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you. I miss you so much!¡± My mom,


    looking like she missed them dearly, kissed Brandon in her arms and then reached out to kiss Serena,


    who was in my dad¡¯s arms,


    I had been driving for so long and was a bit tired. I let Eliza bring down some of the kids¡¯ stuff from the


    car, then I was ready to rest in the living room.


    The delicious smell of food wafted over from the dining room, and my stomach growled.


    ¡°Mom, have you prepared some food?¡± I asked, surprised. It was already midnight.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been driving for so long, and you must not have had much to eat on the road. You guys


    should go and have something. I¡¯ve made some of your favorite dishes.¡± My mom said softly, while


    ying with Brandon.


    I was physically and mentally exhausted, but hearing my mom¡¯s words, I felt a wave of warmth that


    dispelled much of the fatigue. It was like returning to the home where my parents understood and


    supported me, where they only cared about whether I ate well, slept well, and lived happily, and


    wouldn¡¯t interfered with my decisions.


    Perhaps having such parents was the reason why I developed a stubborn personality.


    ¡°Great, I¡¯m starving!¡± I put aside my emotional thoughts, walked over and hugged my mom, giving her a


    kiss, ¡°Thanks, Mom!¡±


    My mom smiled and reminded me, ¡°Eat more, you¡¯ve lost weight again. Have you not been eating well


    because your dad and I aren¡¯t around?¡±


    As I walked towards the dining room, I replied, ¡°Yeah, I even hired a few more nannies. But as soon as


    they arrived, I had to go back to Rosemont. Now they¡¯re just there taking care of Daisy and cleaning


    the house.¡±


    ¡°Right, we probably won¡¯t be able to go there for a while either. How long will you stay in Rosemont?¡±


    Dad asked next.


    The table was set with four dishes and a soup, all my favorites. I invited Eliza to eat with me. While


    eating, I answered, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it should not be too long. You guys will need to hire a nanny to


    help with Serena and Brandon. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to handle it. You still have thepany to


    manage.¡±


    My mom sighed, ¡°Yes, Lucas and the others¡­ oh¡­¡±


    When it came to this matter, my mom¡¯s mood dropped, and she no longer spoke.


    I felt a lump in my throat, and my appetite worsened. Iforted her, ¡°Mom, we can¡¯t bring back the


    dead. We can only try to live better and manage Lucas¡¯spany well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s the best n.¡± My mom nodded, ¡°Having Serena and Brandon over with me is


    ratherforting. Their presence brightens my mood.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure.¡± I mumbled, focusing on my meal.


    That night, I stayed up till the wee hours, chatting with my mom about Neil and Russel current state of


    affairs. Unlike before, when she would suggest me to give Russel a thought, she didn¡¯t express any


    opinion. She neither praised nor criticized Neil either.

 Chapter 517

    Chapter 517


    Chapter 517


    My parents¡¯ transformation brought me immense joy, and with it, a significant reduction in my


    psychological stress.


    By the time I woke up, it was already a sunny afternoon. My mom hadn¡¯t gone to work and there was


    now a nanny in the house ¨C someone she hired early in the morning to look after the children.


    As for Eliza, she had to apany me back to Rosemont today.


    ¡°Rena, remember to consult me no matter what happens, okay? Don¡¯t shoulder everything. on your


    own.¡± Mom advised me solemnly before I left.


    ¡°Okay, Mom. Please take care of Serena and Brandon for me. I¡¯ll deal with things on my end as quickly


    as I can and thene back.¡± I looked at the two kids ying in their crib, feeling reluctant to leave


    them. But I knew this was for their safety.


    My mom¡¯s expression was serious. ¡°I definitely will, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    I went over and gave Serena a kiss, then Brandon, before reluctantly getting into the car to leave.


    In the rear-view mirror, I saw my mom holding Brandon at the front door, watching me as her figure


    gradually shrank in the distance. That was when I noticed that this little olddy had started to stoop a


    little. She seemed shorter than in her youth. It was said that people shrink as they age ¨C my mom was


    aging too, but she still had to worry about work and about me.


    My nose twitched, and I felt a wave of sadness.


    In that moment, all I wanted was to quickly resolve everything so I could live with my parents and the


    kids, free of worries and enjoying life. Having family and friends was enough for me!


    When I returned to Rosemont, it was againte at night.


    Ste and the others were already asleep. Hearing me return, Ste sleepily got up and asked, ¡°Rena,


    have you had dinner yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten, you go ahead and sleep!¡± I answered while changing my shoes.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m beat. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± Ste could barely keep her eyes open, yet she still had to get up


    to make sure I¡¯d eaten. I was touched, considering she wasn¡¯t even my mother.


    I hadn¡¯t really eaten anything. But I wasn¡¯t very hungry, so I took a shower and went to bed.


    Without Serena and Brandon by my side, I had trouble falling asleep. I scrolled through my phone,


    looking at pictures of the kids with a motherly smile on my face. It wasn¡¯t until the sky began to lighten


    that I finally drifted off.


    ¡°Damn, Neil¡¯s at the door already, Rena. Did hee to see you?¡± Ste¡¯s voice rang in my ears like a


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    thunderp.


    My sleepiness was instantly shattered, and I woke up.


    Neil? He was here?


    I remembered telling him I¡¯d look after Hiram¡¯s situation for him when I got back, and that day was


    today. He must have taken me seriously.


    I got up, rubbed my bleary eyes, and couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Yeah, he probably came to see me. Let me freshen up, and I¡¯ll head out.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Wait, Rena! You absolutely can¡¯t remarry him. Don¡¯t let him move you, okay? Look at Mitch, he didn¡¯t


    do anything as extreme as Neil. I wouldn¡¯t give him another chance to hurt me, and you should be the


    same!¡± Ste grabbed my shoulders with a look of exasperation.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not nning to remarry him. You¡¯re overthinking.¡± I quickly stopped Ste. I hadn¡¯t had enough


    sleep, and my head was starting to ache from her shaking.


    Ste finally stopped shaking me and asked, ¡°Then why did hee to see you as soon as you got


    back? Didn¡¯t you tell him to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a different situation. Let me talk to him first, and I¡¯ll exin it to youter.¡± After calming


    Ste down, I hurriedly freshened up and went out to see Neil.


    Indeed, Neil was waiting for me at the front door. He had smoked half a cigarette by the time I arrived


    and promptly crushed and discarded it.


    But the smell of smoke still lingered on him, causing me to cough lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± he said, looking wearier than when I¡¯d seen him two days ago. His eyes, however,


    retained their sharpness that never failed to intimidate.


    ¡°Yes. Is Hiram still at Sterling Estates? Did Karina bring you any trouble?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°She tried to look for me, but I didn¡¯t see her. I don¡¯t have time for her right now. There¡¯s a lot going on


    at thepany.¡± Neil answered nonchntly, then got straight to the point, ¡°Have you thought about


    what I asked you?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t really given it any thought because I knew that Hiram and I were ipatible.


    Plus, I was worried that if Karina found out I was looking after Hiram, she mighte to trouble me


    instead.


    Thest thing I wanted at the moment was trouble, and if avoiding it was an option, I would always


    choose to walk away.


    ¡°Neil, why don¡¯t you ask Cooper rke for help? Or see if any of your other trustworthy friends can


    lend a hand?¡± I suggested hesitantly.


    ¡°So your answer is that you won¡¯t help me.¡± Neil cut me off bluntly.


    I nodded. That was my answer.


    He let out a coldugh, ¡°You had your answer two days ago, didn¡¯t you? You just wanted to distance


    yourself, so you said you¡¯d tell me today, right?¡±


    I remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.


    ¡°Cooper and Hiram don¡¯t know each other well. If he goes to see Hiram, Hiram will resist.¡± Neil


    exined, his voice filled with disappointment and helplessness, ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯m going


    back to the office.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded.


    Watching Neil get into his car and drive away, I felt a strange difort. His current situation was


    indeed tiring, not physically, or because of thepany¡¯s state, but mentally.


    I could imagine how hard it would be if I were in his shoes. I really needed someone to lend me a hand.


    I wondered how Faith was doing. I hadn¡¯t contacted her because I didn¡¯t want to trigger any emotional


    fluctuations. And with Ryan by her side, she should be fine.


    But when I returned to Ste¡¯s house, she was in a frenzy, yelling, ¡°Is that true? Why?!¡±


    ¡°Is it true? Is it true that Louis is Neil¡¯s half-brother?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. After Ste hung up the phone, I asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes were wide as saucers, ¡°Did you know that Neil¡¯s mom tried tomit suicidest night?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    I was taken aback, utterly blindsided by the unfolding events. Faith, who suffered from mild depression,


    had always managed it with medication and positive vibes. I never imagined it would escte to the


    point of suicide.


    ¡°Rumor has it that Louis is actually an illegitimate son of Neil¡¯s father, and it must have triggered


    Faith¡­¡± Ste sighed heavily, the weight of her words hanging in the air. ¡°What on earth is going on?


    Are all men like this? It seems like regardless of their age, they just can¡¯t keep it in their pants!¡±

 Chapter 518

    Chapter 518


    Chapter 518


    I felt as if I was in a dream. Ryan, in my mind, was never that kind of man.


    A person¡¯s character can be gradually understood through interactions, and Ryan¡¯s affection for Faith


    had always been strong. Suddenly hearing that Ryan had an illegitimate son who was raised in the


    Whitmore family, alongside Neil, seemed nothing short of incredible to me.


    Did Louis have any proof? Otherwise, the Whitmore family would never ept this!


    ¡°Who told you this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A friend of mine whom you don¡¯t know.¡± Ste said, somewhat ufortable. ¡°Rena, Neil¡¯s mother


    has always been kind to you. Maybe you should pay her a visit. She¡¯s in the hospital now.¡±


    ¡°Do you know which hospital?¡± I asked.


    Knowing that Faith was in trouble, I had to see her.


    Ste immediately picked up her phone to find out the hospital for me.


    Two minutester, she gave me the address of a hospital. She wanted to apany me, but the


    journey to Springvale was long, and despite having a nanny, she was notfortable leaving her kids


    for an entire day, so I set off alone.


    Driving to Springvale, I couldn¡¯t help but think of Neil and the simrities between his current situation


    and that of my family when we had a crisis, during which he had been a great help to me.


    I drove past the former residence of Bonnie Tueley, which was about half rebuilt and still bustling with


    construction. There was no indication that the Whitmore Co. was having any issues, and the project


    was not dyed at all.


    Without stopping, I continued on my way. My second chance at life began with Bonnie, but it certainly


    wasn¡¯t going to end with her. There were moreplex issues awaiting me to handle and decisions to


    make.


    Suddenly, I heard frantic honking from behind me. I nced in the rear-view mirror, and, to my surprise,


    it was Neil¡¯s car.


    But he didn¡¯t seem to recognize Ste¡¯s car, so he didn¡¯t notice me on the car.


    His car sped past me, seemingly in a rush, most likely heading to see Faith in Springvale as well.


    Didn¡¯t he get the news yesterday? I watched as his car sped away and pressed the elerator to


    follow him.


    I arrived at the hospital by evening. It was the most prestigious private hospital in


    Springvale, and I heard that Whitmore Co. held shares in it. If Faith was here, her privacy could be


    protected from unwanted visitors.


    But of course, that also meant it was a hassle for me to enter. I had to call and get permission.


    I called Faith, but her phone was turned off. So, I called Neil, whose car was parked at the entrance of


    the hospital.


    After a few rings, Neil picked up, his voice indifferent, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at the nurse¡¯s station. They said I need permission from the patient or their family to visit. Could


    you pleasee out and help?¡± I went straight to the point.


    Neil seemed surprised that I was there, ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can you pleasee out?¡± I replied.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Three minutester, Neil appeared. Upon seeing me, his furrowed brow rxed a little. With him being


    there, no one stopped me from entering.


    Neil turned back, and we walked in silence to Faith¡¯s room.


    The room didn¡¯t smell of medicine, but of faint floral fragrance. Faith was resting on the bed with her


    eyes closed. She looked frail and pale, so different from ourst encounter. Ryan was nowhere to be


    seen.


    ¡°Faith.¡± I spoke softly.


    Faith slowly opened her eyes. Upon seeing me, a spark of joy flickered in her eyes, brightening her


    otherwise gloomy face.


    ¡°Irene, howe you¡¯re here?¡± Faith tried to sit up, but I stopped her.


    ¡°Faith, I came to see you. How are you feeling?¡± Her left hand was heavily bandaged, covering her


    suicide attempt.


    I felt a pang of sorrow but didn¡¯t know how I could help.


    Neil stood by silently. Just then, I heard a sound from the bathroom in the room. Hiram came out.


    Upon seeing me, his face fell, ¡°Why is she here? I want my mommy! I want my mommy!¡±


    ¡°Hiram!¡± Neil scolded, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb your grandma¡¯s rest!¡±


    ¡°Grandma, I want my mommy,¡± Hiram didn¡¯t obey. Instead, he ran to Faith and continued to cry for his


    mother.


    Faith, already weak and in low spirits, could spare no more attention to Hiram and sighed helplessly.


    Hiram seemed inattentive to Faith¡¯s situation. He persisted, as if the whole world revolved around his


    mother who, in reality, hadn¡¯t been a responsible mother for him at all.


    Suddenly, Neil walked over, picked Hiram up, and ced him next to the wall. ¡°Stay there and think


    about what you¡¯ve done.¡± His attitude was cold.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Hiram raised his voice in protest.


    I was worried that Neil might lose his temper, but he held back, his face stern, inhaling deeply as if


    suppressing his anger.


    ¡°Hiram, your grandma is already very upset. Can we not talk about this right now?¡± I tried to soothe the


    situation.


    ¡°But it¡¯s all your fault! Because of you, my dad doesn¡¯t want my mommy!¡± Hiram suddenly turned his


    anger towards me.


    I was left speechless. The kid¡¯s perspective was truly unique, thinking that Neil abandoned Karina for


    me.


    I wanted to say that Neil actually distanced himself from me for many years just for Karina!


    To my surprise, Hiram actually came over intending to hit me. Although he was just a seven-year-old


    kid and didn¡¯t have much strength, the full force of his small fists punching me still hurt, since I was


    caught off guard.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Hiram Whitmore!¡± Neil, seeing this scene, rebuked him angrily and promptly pulled Hiram away.


    Neil¡¯s anger scared Hiram, and he didn¡¯t dare to cause any more trouble. But he started crying, tears


    streaming down his face like a broken faucet. He looked so wronged.


    Faith, though upset, still loved her grandson dearly. Seeing Hiram crying so pitifully, she said, ¡°Hiram,


    you can¡¯t be rude to Ms. Finch, you know that? We¡¯re keeping you away from your mom because she¡¯s


    not treating you well, not because of Ms. Finch.¡±


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